Yun Chang POV

We’d been travelling for a long while now and winter has almost pa.s.sed yet the chilly cold still remained, making it difficult for one not to curl up at night.

It was very quiet in the room, and after a long struggle, Lu Bu’s snoring and Wen Yuan’s unique sleep muttering could be heard.

I was trying fervently to sleep but this was undoubtedly difficult. This wasn’t because of the noise that the others were making but because of what happened a few hours earlier which continued to replay in my mind.

I forced my eyes open against the tiredness as every time I closed my eyes, tears would fill them, and so I rubbed my eyes to force my sleep away.

Weak rays of sunlight were already s.h.i.+ning in through the windows and the inn was dyed a dark purple. Even though it was winter, I could hear the chirping of some unknown birds.

I should get up. And find Yi De right away.

And so I woke everyone up and went to the guest lounge where I pleaded for a long while with the Administrator’s aide before he was willing to bring us to see Yi De.

“You’re Lord Hua Tuo huh? It’s good to meet you.”

“Ah ah, un.”

Hua Tuo blinked a few times when Yi De reached out to Hua Tuo before she regained her senses and stretched her hand out to take Yi De’s.

Hua Tuo’s expression showed that she probably still harboured some hope that there was some misunderstanding somewhere.

I too thought the same a while ago.

“Umm, Lord Zhang Fei, we were too rude yesterday.” I bowed as I expressed my apologies to Yi De.

“Oi…” Wen Yuan was surprised at what I was doing but since Yi De doesn’t know me now, if I insist on acting like how we usually are, I’ll probably alarm her instead.

And so, I’ve decided to accept the reality before me for now.

“No no, I was a little too rash yesterday as well.” Yi De said with an exemplary official smile as she sat at the head of the table, “I was a little perturbed when you 3 acted like you knew me very well. Ah, please have some tea.”

“Ah, thanks.” I nodded at the servant who brought tea to the table and drank as I looked at Yi De from the corner of my eye.

Looks like it wasn’t my misconception. The Yi De now doesn’t have the innocent, energetic and childish aura at all. After just a few months, it feels like she’s become a dependable and mature person.

I’m really not used to this Yi De.

“And what are you all here today? If it’s supplies then I can only provide about 10 days’ worth as we are only a small county city after all.”

“No, we don’t want for supplies…”

“Un, then that’s–”

“Umm!”

The topics for discussion that we came with were almost over and we hadn’t drawn out any important information yet. But all of a sudden, someone barged in with staggering footsteps and yelled out as she raised her hand.

“Umm, can I ask if you have someone above looking out for you seeing as you became a county official at such a young age?”

Chen Gong?! Why is Chen Gong here?

“How could you not tell me that you’re meeting the Administrator? Are you that afraid I’ll overshadow you lot?”

“Wu… Chen Gong!”

“What~” She shot back with a face that looked as though we were the ones in the wrong.

Having such a fellow come out of nowhere all of a sudden threw me into complete disarray.

“You wanted to ask my experiences, is that it?” Just then, Yi De spoke up with a smile after drinking some tea, “Actually I’m not too sure about what I’ve done. I’ll be honest here. I seemed to have sustained an injury a while ago.”

“Eh? An injury?!”

I didn’t think that Chen Gong would yield the answer to the question that we wanted to ask the most.

Chen Gong, you may be infatuated with officialdom, but I’m still grateful to you.

“May I ask where you sustained this injury?” Hua Tuo hurriedly went up to Yi De and asked.

“Ah, un. The back of the head. What’s the matter?”

“Un, as I expected.” Hua Tuo said as she held her chin with her hands in her sleeves and nodded.

“… As I asked, what’s the matter?”

“No, nothing.” Hua Tuo shook her head and placed her hands which were slightly trembling on her legs as she asked again, “By the way, how long has Lord Zhang Fei served in Gucheng?”

“It’s been quite a while.” Yi De seemed to be a little melancholic when she head this question, “I’ve been here since the Yellow Turban Rebellion began.”

Eh?

“How could that be, you were clearly…”

“Wen Yuan.”

“Don’t stop– Ah, ow!”

Wen Yuan got a little too agitated at Yi De’s words and made to stand up to do something but Lu Bu grabbed on to her sleeve and when Wen Yuan tried to struggle out of Lu Bu’s grasp, Lu Bu pulled down forcefully and Wen Yuan fell back to her seat:

“Un, we understand the gist of things now.” Hua Tuo respectfully bowed as she said so when she heard this and signalled to me with her eyes that we could leave.

“… Un.”

Even though Yi De was right in front of us, there was probably nothing we could do now.

“Well then, we’ll be taking our leave, Lord Zhang Fei.”

“Un, alright.” Yi De said as she got up to send us off, “Though our small county does not have an abundance of resources, we will still comply with any reasonable requests you may have since it’s the Imperial Chancellor’s orders after all.”

“… Un.”

The Imperial Chancellor huh… I muttered, and turned to leave but I suddenly felt like I had something I had to say.

And so, I turned back, “Lord Zhang Fei, would you be willing to come with us when we leave Gucheng?”

“Un? Hahaha, what’s that?” Yi De laughed as she spread her arms open with a helpless look on her face, “I’m the magistrate of Gucheng, how could I abandon my duties just like that?”

I didn’t really feel sad at Yi De’s answer, and actually managed to squeeze out a thin smile as I said, “… You’re right, I guess.”

Wasn’t it obvious that would be her answer?

“Hei!” When we returned to the inn, Wen Yuan finally couldn’t take it anymore and vented her rage on a chair.

“Wen Yuan.” Lu Bu said with a frown. But rather than anger, it felt like she was disheartened. Lu Bu didn’t speak much just now but she probably feels the same way as the rest of us.

“Where are the rest?”

“Lord Zhou Cang and Lord Guan Ping are with the troops while Lord Liao Hua is attending to logistical matters.”

I see, so they’re all busy with military affairs.

As for Chen Gong, I’d sent her to buy food. She was visibly very unwilling to do so but she eventually relented to both hard and soft coercion methods.

“How is it now? Is it still just as bad?” Gan Qing asked as she and Mi Zhen brought tea for us, though she can probably guess the outcome from our gloomy expressions.

“Yes, it’s worse than I thought.” Hua Tuo said as she squinted to find her tea cup. She only managed to find it after guessing twice, and took a draught before she continued, “A whole years’ worth of memories are gone. It will be difficult to convince her with words, and even more difficult to regain her memories.”

“Does Lord Hua Tuo not have any treatment methods?”

“Physical wounds and a lack of energy or even life force can be dealt with but I can’t solve things related to the soul.” Hua Tuo wanted to take another sip of tea but when the cup met her mouth, she pouted and set the cup down, “And it looks like the effect of memory loss is extremely great. Even if I do find a treatment method, we will need to bring her with us.”

“Impossible, she said it herself that she won’t leave this place.” Wen Yuan said as she shook her head. I did not know what reason could move her either. From her perspective, we’re just some strangers after all.

*Dang* *Dang* *Dang*… *Dang* *Dang* *Dang*…

Just then, a few light knocks could be heard on the door. Judging by the volume, it’s definitely not Zhou Cang or Guan Ping.

Could it be Liao Hua?

“Who is it?”

Wen Yuan’s temper hasn’t subsided yet so I stopped her just as she was about to stand, and went to open the door.

As the door opened, a person wearing a wide straw hat could be seen standing at the entrance.

“Umm, who are you looking for?”

“… May I ask if Guan Yu Guan Yun Chang is here?”

“Un, I’m Guan Yu. You are?”

At this, the person lightly raised her head and took off her straw hat– Revealing an expressionless face before me. This face was one that wouldn’t waver even if she was about to be executed.

Unbelievable.

“Sun Qian?!”

“What? Who?!”

“Lord Sun Qian?”

Everyone else in the room gathered at the entrance when they heard my surprised cry.

“… It is indeed I, Gong You. It’s been a while, everyone.” She looked at me with her clear, bright eyes and used her hand to wipe the dust off my face and gave a very faint smile, “I’m here under orders of our lord to find everyone.”

“Sun Qian!”

At this moment, that expressionless face was more endearing than anything else, and I was overwhelmed by many emotions as I tightly embraced her.

“… Lord Guan Yu, I can’t breathe.”

“Ah, sorry.” I hurriedly released her as Sun Qian always had the same expression no matter what state she was in.

“But we finally linked up huh. Umm, how is our lord?”

“Un, our lord is waiting for everyone at Runan.”

“Xuan De…”

“We finally found big brother Xuan De!”

“Ah– Yes!”

Everyone seemed to be relieved when they heard this and smiled from the bottom of their hearts. Lu Bu, of all people, had the biggest reaction as she actually sank to the ground.

“… Please don’t exaggerate it, everyone. It’s only been a few months.”

“That’s easy for you to say, seeing as you’ve been with our lord.”

“… It was rather tiring.”

Though she said as much, I could detect a sense of superiority from Sun Qian’s tone.

“But how did you know we were here?”

“I ran into Lord Xiahou Dun on the way.”

Ah so that’s how. But looks like we can see big brother soon.

“Let’s not tarry any further and set off immediately.”

“Big brother Xuan De is probably looking forward to seeing us too!”

“But, what do we do about Yi De?” Hua Tuo asked with a look of concern. This was the one question that was a thorn in everyone’s heart.

Instantly, everyone’s mood froze over.

“… May I ask what happened with Lord Zhang Fei?”

“…” Everyone wordlessly lowered their heads. Sun Qian looked at me, hoping to get an answer from me.

After wrangling inside for a long while, all I could answer was, “It’s a long story.”