Liu Bei POV

From noon till evening, and from evening till night. Ben Chu and her retainers have been in the tent all this while, and as I looked at the tent now, it was still completely lit up.

“… Is my lord not sleeping yet?”

“Un, I’ll be waiting for a while more.”

Gong You came over to persuade me to sleep but for some reason, Ben Chu gave me the impression that she was much more approachable and friendly this morning but at the same time, I felt worried when I saw her.

Ben Chu never explained what she did when she left, and no one could figure it out either.

It may not be my business but I don’t feel like sleeping yet when they are all still up. And I also have the feeling that Ben Chu will call me in soon.

A storm might be coming soon.

“Xuan De~”

Ben Chu’s att.i.tude, the outcome of the Battle of Guandu, and after that is…

“Xuan De~~”

“Ah!” A small force pulled on me, and i nearly fell over. I turned and saw that Xu You was standing there with a helpless smile on.

“Ah, I, I’m really sorry!” I hurriedly apologised when I realised what happened, “I was thinking of something just now and didn’t see you!”

Xu You shook her head as she forgave me, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m the one who should apologise for involving you in my mess today.” Xu You bowed before continuing, “Back to why I’m here, Ben Chu called for you.”

“Ben Chu called for me?”

Looks like my guess was right on mark. I nodded and Xu You went ahead into the tent without saying any further.

I thought there would be a tense atmosphere in the tent but from afar, I began to hear things that seemed inexplicable.

“Ah!! Why have I lost again!”

“Hahaha! Drink, Tian Feng!”

“You all must have cheated!”

From afar, the smell of liquor and drunken slurs could be heard.

What is this… I was very bewildered and began taking big steps toward the tent.

“Ben Chu? — Wu!” I was going to ask her what she wanted from me but the smell of liquor in the tent was so thick that my eyes squinted and I was forced to swallow back my words. After I got used to it, the sight of the strategists who had been scheming and fighting with each other all along were sitting around with their clothing in a dishevelled state while wine bottles were strewn all over the tent.

“Eh?! Lord Liu Bei is here?”

“What! The Imperial Uncle of the Great Han is here to drink too?! Or have you come here to do something else!”

“Hahahaha!”

Wu… I couldn’t help but to take a step back at this.

“Th, this is…”

I looked at Xu You for help, but she kept her helpless smile on as she explained, “The mood was still very heavy in the morning, but Ben Chu suddenly said that she wanted to play drinking guessing games and it ended up like this…”

“My lord! Why do you always refuse to listen to what I say!” Just then, Tian Feng yelled out. She had drunk so much that her face was completely red and her clothes were slipping off but she didn’t pay any attention to that as she complained to Ben Chu, “I may be a little bit tactless but I’ve always said only the things that needed to be said! Why won’t my lord listen to a loyal retainer like me!”

“Tian Feng! Why won’t you understand the difficulties that our lord faces?!” Feng Ji suddenly stood up and her black robes shook and would have fallen to the ground if it weren’t for Shen Pei at the back who hugged her, “Our lord comes from the most ill.u.s.trious of n.o.ble families and is not someone who any ordinary person can just point at and admonish, Our lord must have a reason for every decision she makes! Whether the decision is right or wrong, that is also up to our lord! Why won’t you understand that!”

“That’s right! That’s right!” Shen Pei chimed in as well.

Though they were arguing with each other, the seriousness of what they said and their appearances now were completely at odds and they didn’t seem serious in the least.

As for Ben Chu who was sitting at the head, her red face had a look of elation.

Ah.

Ben Chu seems to have seen me, and she noisily got up and made her way over using the tent as support.

Ben Chu’s clothing was only held together by a single silver b.u.t.ton to begin with, and that b.u.t.ton was now undone. Moreover, her body was swaying about as she walked over and I really didn’t know where I should look.

Xu You hurriedly went over and tidied up Ben Chu’s clothing when she realised this.

“Xuan~~ De, let’s go out.” Ben Chu pointed outside the tent when she came up to me and then pulled me out of the door.

“So happy!” Ben Chu yelled out with satisfaction as she lay on the gra.s.s. I and Xu You had supported Ben Chu along the way and we were now at an empty field somewhere in the encampment.

“Xuan De!! I met with Meng De today!”

Eh? Before I could gather my thoughts, an unexpected news shocked me.

She met with Meng De!

I looked at Xu You, who smiled in response. Looks like this has to do with her.

“Xuan De, you were right.” Ben Chu continued on without a care, “What is prestige! What is lineage! It’s all fake!”

As she said so, Ben Chu raised her hands and looked up at the starry sky, “I am Yuan Shao Yuan Ben Chu! I am the Governor of Ji state and leader of my companions! I am not anything else!”

“Ben Chu…”

Ben Chu was clearly very excited, and she didn’t continue shouting but she was still happily humming.

Seems like she found her true self.

The Ben Chu who wants to treat her subordinates as companions, the Ben Chu who just wants to be a part of everyone else. That is the Ben Chu she wants to be.

When I looked at this Ben Chu, I finally felt relieved.

I don’t know what Meng De said to her, but it seems to have worked. Though our positions may be on opposing sides now, I feel that I should be grateful to Meng De.

I think I am fortunate to have been able to see Ben Chu’s other side.

“Meng De!!” Just then, Ben Chu began to yell out again. She seemed to have gathered all the stress in her as she finished off with one last line–

“We meet tomorrow on the battlefield!!”