Liu Bei POV

We were now in a hilly region in the north. The extensive plains in Guandu were rare in this region but the sort of towering cliffs we were at now were rare.

We’re so high up. I haven’t studied geography, but I think this cliff is about 1,000 meters up.

Hai, how will this end?

I turned and looked at the 2 people who were silently facing each other, and shook my head. The one on the left was wearing the standard, formal official uniform with a smile on her face while the one on the right wore a luxurious, thick gown with hatred dripping from her expression.

This matter really has nothing to do with me but it seems like, as Imperial Uncle, I just need to stand here and something will happen.

“Ben Chu, I should praise you for being able to recognise what is important.”

“Hmph!” Ben Chu lightly scoffed at Meng De’s provocation.

Thereafter, Ben Chu raised her sleeve and extracted 4 seals 1 by 1, and placed them on a flattish rock at the side.

“The official seals for the 4 states of Hebei are here. It’s yours now, Meng De.”

“…” Meng De remained smiling silently, and took out a piece of silk and an official seal from her breastpocket which she placed on the rock.

Then, Meng De spoke up, “This is the letter of appointment by the Son of Heaven and the official seal of the General-in-Chief. In return, your state seals for the 4 states will be returned to Court.”

“That is to say I no longer have the right to command and raise an army then?” Ben Chu spat out what she thought with a cold face.

If that is how it is going to be, then we should have heeded Tian Feng’s words.

“And if I were to say that is the case?” Meng De replied.

“…” Ben Chu did not reply, and sank into silence. After a few seconds, Meng De laughed out loud all of a sudden.

“Hahahaha! Look at that face of yours!” Meng De laughed as she pointed at Ben Chu’s serious face, and took out another piece of silk from her breastpocket, “This is the letter of appointment for the new Governors of the 4 states. They’re all your people, I didn’t change any of your previous appointments.”

Meng De placed the piece of silk on top of the one before, and then places the General-in-Chief’s seal on top of both pieces of silk when a breeze blew.

“Meng De, I really hate that face and mouth of yours.” Ben Chu said as she lowered her glance to the piece of silk, “Tian Feng, Governor of Ji state; Ju Shou, Governor of You stare; Shen Pei, Governor of Qing state; and Feng Ji, Governor of Bing state huh?”

“Yes. Those 4 are your most loyal retainers, no?”

“But Meng De, their official positions in Court are low, how did you…”

“I’m a treacherous official in troubled times, and those 4 girls have achieved much after all, so I was able to make it work somehow.”

Meng De has once again taken up the mantle of a treacherous retainer on her own, but even with that, she must have gone to great lengths to accomplish all this.

But putting it another way, since Meng De has gotten these appointment letters ready, that means that Meng De has already predicted this ending.

As I thought so, I looked at Ben Chu’s dissatisfied and unhappy face, and saw that she had come to the same conclusion as I have.

And in the next moment, Ben Chu retained her serious air, and slowly knelt as she held the seals and the letters and raised them above her head.

“I, servant of the Han, accept the orders of the Son of Heaven!” Ben Chu yelled out. She then got up and looked at Meng De with vigor and said, “I am the descendent of an ill.u.s.trious n.o.ble family. Though I may be an official of the same level as you, I am different.”

“Un, I know.” In contrast with Ben Chu’s seriousness, Meng De’s smile never left. Even her replies seemed discretionary and even mocking.

Was this contempt to Ben Chu?

“… Hai,” Just as I had this thought in mind, Ben Chu heaved a sigh of relief, “When I think about how I’ll have to go to Court with you, I feel like I can’t vent all my anger now since we have a long way to go after all.”

“Hahaha, I respectfully await anything you might throw my way.”

I don’t know if they are sincere, but at this moment, the both of them were smiling at each other. Both smiles were filled with confidence and n.o.bility. Even though it’s supposed to be a compromise, the result seemed to signal a bright future ahead. And behind this radiance was a weird feeling that these 2 weren’t enemies at all.

Hai, so what exactly were these 2 to each other huh…

I don’t know, but at least the war is over. What made me surprised was that Meng De and Ben Chu would be going to Court together.

This was something I had never seen nor imagined before.

Meng De POV

“Hahaha!” I laughed from the bottom of my heart on the way back.

Ben Chu is going to be joining me at Court huh… Things are going to get interesting again huh.

“Oi!” All of a sudden, a silver figure flew out and stopped in front of me.

I hurriedly pulled on my reins and stopped before the one in front of me.

“Are you Cao Cao Cao Meng De!?” She showed no fear even though she very nearly died just now.

Who is this…

She had well-defined features and a good figure but had a very unsightly helmet on…

Zhang He?