Meng De POV

Get in line! Get into your formations!

Grab your weapons now! You will still have to go onto the frontlines even if you have to go barehanded!

Why haven’t the northern divisions gathered here yet? The cavalry battalions are all there, how are we supposed to complete our formation!

The thundering roll of wheels and the messy clang of plates and boots resounded throughout the encampment.

The table was small to begin with, and now that it was shaking, I didn’t bother placing anything on it.

Well, not that there is anything to put on it. I continued putting on my armour and clothing as I thought so.

“… My Lo… Rd.” All of a sudden, a ghastly voice that sounded like that of a spirit was sent into my ears along with the sounds of heavy breathing.

“Feng Xiao, what have you come here to do?” Just from the voice alone, I could tell who was behind me.

“… My lord is a spoil sport. You should have at least pretended to be scared.”

I smiled as I turned to look at Feng Xiao and saw she had a tired look on and her eyes were drooping as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

She must have been overworking herself these few days.

Even though her health is…

“Is everything settled? I heard quite the commotion going on outside.”

“Un, I’ve left all military affairs to Jia Xu. She’s a little strange but she’s talented with both management and tactics.”

“Jia Xu huh… Alright, she’s still just a junior military minister. We’ll give her a promotion when we return.”

But Feng Xiao, you shouldn’t be the one calling others strange. I thought so in my mind but didn’t say it.

When I looked at Feng Xiao again, I saw that she looked like she had more to say and waited for her to speak.

Feng Xiao saw that I knew she had more to say and came up close before she continued in a low voice, “My lord said that you saw Yuan Shao and learned of the supply cache at Wu Chao which is why you wanted to end this decisively so urgently.”

“Un, that is the case.” I hooked on my armour as I replied.

“My lord, are you an idiot?” Feng Xuao began scolding me, but I saw this coming, “The others may not dare to say this but I do. Are you actually going to believe what Yuan Shao said?”

“All Yuan Shao wants is a proper and upright battle. She will not risk the integrity, honour and reputation of her family that has been pa.s.sed down for 4 generations just so that she can trick me once.”

“What use is reputation in such troubled times?”

“It’s Yuan Shao, she wants to attain victory but also maintain her family’s honour.” I began to speak a little more anxiously but that wasn’t because of Feng Xiao’s questioning, but because I was having trouble reaching the back hook.

After seeing my troubled expression, Feng Xiao finally came over and helped me.

“And what if there is an ambush waiting for us there? Even if what Yuan Shao says is true, how do we overcome our numerical disadvantage?”

I smiled at this.

“Isn’t thinking of how to solve these problems your job?”

Liu Bei POV

*Dong*– *Dong*–

After over a hundred drum beats, the troops were in line and ready for battle.

Though they got in formation everyday, up till now, they had only cursed and swore at the other side in Guandu for a bit before retreating. And today, Yuan Shao Yuan Ben Chu was personally leading the troops.

By Ben Chu’s orders, they were only to wait and were not to throw insults.

And in this silence, one could see that there was a lot of movement in the faraway tents at Guandu.

“Ah, my head hurts…” By now, Ben Chu had taken off her luxurious clothing and wore a rarely seen set of golden plate armour. I was on a horse beside her procession and saw a hung over Ben Chu holding her head with one hand and supporting her chin with the other.

Why did you have to drink so much yesterday if you’re going to war today?

“Xuan De, when the battle begins, remember to stay behind me. If anything happens to you, I don’t know how I’m going to answer to your little sisters.”

“Un, I got it. Don’t worry, Zi Long.”

And behind me was Zi Long who would join me on the battlefield.

Zi Long was very much against me joining this battle. Gong You as well hoped that I could feign illness just before the battle and leave to Runan where I could prepare to reunite with Yun Chang.

From what I can remember, Liu Bei did not partic.i.p.ate in the latter half of the Battle of Guandu. But though I’m Liu Bei, I am also not Liu Bei.

I feel like I have to remain here to bear witness to something.

“Hai, though Xuan De’s martial arts is lacking and doesn’t know how to command troops,” Zi Long who was now besidr me began to complain, “But it’s times like this that Xuan De is really like that idiot.”

“That’s definitely not praise, right?” All she said were my faults, though admittedly I have no merits to speak of.

And the idiot that Zi Long was referring to was probably Gongsun Bo Gui.

Even though it’s been a long time now, I and Zi Long just can’t seem to forget that girl with the silly laugh.

“Xuan De, General Zhao Yun is right. You need not and should not be a part of this battle.”

Eh?

Just then, Zhang He who was on my left spoke to me in a soft voice.

I looked over as I felt that she had more to say but she had her helmet on and I couldn’t see what expression she had on her beautiful face and she didn’t seem like she intended to continue either.

*Dong* *Dong* *Dong*— *Dong* *Dong* *Dong*—

I was going to ask her but a round of drum beats interrupted my thoughts.

The Cao army had left their camp–

Someone in our formation yelled out and in the next instant, the Cao army began pouring out of their encampment and formed their lines and got into formation.

“Finally!!” When Ben Chu saw this, she completely forgot her hangover. She seemed excited as she looked at the grand formation on the other side with wide open eyes.

“Xuan De–” Ben Chu, who was on cloud nine, called out to me all of a sudden.

“Ah, un?”

I turned to her and all of a sudden my field of vision was filled with 2 giant mounds and a certain softness enveloped my head.

“Ben, Ben Chu?”

“It’s largely thanks to you that I was able to face myself. And so I want to thank you, for coming along wih me to this battlefield.” Ben Chu only moved away after a few seconds and smiled as she said to me, “I wanted to give you other rewards but this will have to do for now. I’ll make up for it when we go back.”

Her radiant, beautiful smile seemed ever more charming after ehat she did, and I couldn’t help but to turn away.

And what greeted me on the other side was Zi Long’s sullen face.

“I will remember to report this to your little sisters in vivid detail when we reunite.”

Eh?

Cao Cao takes the field–

I wanted to ask her what she meant, but the words Cao Cao sharply drew my attention.

In the distance, a stern, confident girl rode out slowly on a stallion.

Meng De… I see you’re doing well. I thought in my heart. For some reason, even though she’s on the opposite side of this conflict as I am, even though I’ve suffered attacks from her, I can’t seem to feel any hatred for her.

“Meng De, I’ve been waiting for you.” Ben Chu said as she drew her sabre by her side.

The atmosphere turned became severe and grim in an instant.

My heart began thumping as history began its course.