Liu Bei POV

I was currently sitting in a seiza position in the room, quietly waiting for Sun Quan to wake up from her slumber. Feng Xian wanted to come in with me earlier but she was stopped by Zhou Tai. I understood their intent and let Feng Xian wait outside with Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin.

I waited in a seiza at first, hoping to let Sun Quan see a good, formal and polite side of when she wakes up but after a few minutes, my legs began to get numb. I’m not like Yun Chang, nor am I like Gong You, Liao Hua and the rest so I couldn’t remain in that position for long and gave up and sat normally.

“Hu… Hu…” Sun Quan breathed softly as she lay on the table. Her tiger skin hat lay atop her head while several loose locks of hair spread out on the table, looking like a red flower blooming. When I looked at her closely, I found that her beauty was of a different style from Bo Fu’s.

By right, I ought to wake her up but when I remembered that she is probably tired out from studying all this while, I felt that I ought to let her rest and so I stayed silent as I waited.

“*Yawn*…” I was planning on waiting but I soon got drowsy. Even though we were supposed to have a face-to-face discussion, it was going to be a sleeping party now.

But it shouldn’t be a problem if I lie down for a while, right?

Because it was quiet, and there was a faint smell of lavender, I couldn’t help but to fall to temptation. Seeing that the table that Sun Quan was lying on had some s.p.a.ce left enough for 1 more, I quietly s.h.i.+fted over and placed my hands on the table before burying my head into them.

Alright, I can rest too now. Using the time meant for Gong You’s lesson to rest, not a bad choice after all.

And so I relaxed myself and sank onto the table.

And accidentally b.u.mped into Sun Quan’s head.

“Ah…” As soon as I b.u.mped into her, I heard a whimper from Sun Quan that sounded like she was rousing from her sleep.

Ah, I woke her up!

When I heard her voice, I began to panic and wanted to check if I really did wake her up. But when I raised my head, Sun Quan’s face was right in front of me.

In that moment, I and her looked at each other, and it just so happened that our eyes were locked into each other’s. Her blue eyes, and faintly red lips were just 3-4 mm from the tip of my nose. Her breaths were continually blown onto my face, and the faint scent entered my nose and into my body, making it difficult to control several impulses inside me.

And also made me forget to s.h.i.+ft my face away.

“Ah…” I didn’t know what to say and just sat there in a daze.

“… Hu.” Sun Quan wasn’t fully awake yet and her eyes moved to scan my entire face before she slowly gulped.

“Ah… Ah!!” And then her eyes slowly bulged and her cheeks gradually reddened before she let out a clear and piercing scream that allowed me to confirm that she was well and awake.

“U, umm…” When I heard her voice, I finally felt that it was better fkr me to move my face and quickly did so before taking a few steps back. I wanted to explain myself but found myself at a loss when I saw a shy Sun Quan.

“Liu… Lord Liu Bei… What were you trying to do?” She asked as she covered her face with her hands, her eyes were misty and filled with innocence. When I was met with this, I felt like I’d actually done something untoward to her.

“No no no! I just wanted to sleep…”

“S-s-s-s-sleep!” Her face was only faintly red at first but now even her ears were bright red.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way!”

It’s over, looks like this will take a long time for me to explain.

By the time Sun Quan got the gist of what went on, almost half an hour had pa.s.sed. It was really stressful for me while I was explaining myself. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to explain myself well enough, and even more afraid that more people would barge in mid-explanation. If that happened, things might become even more messed up and my head wouldn’t remain attached to my neck.

“So that’s what happened?” When I heard Sun Quan reaffirm what happened as she nodded, I could finally rest easy.

“That’s what happened, un un un.” I hurriedly nodded as well.

“I’ll take it as that for now then since there’s nothing off about me anywhere.” She seemed to not fully believe me as she placed her hands behind her and felt herself from top to bottom before sitting down again.

What was she talking about when she said nothing about her was weird?

I didn’t press the matter and neither did she. But the weird topics should come to a stop for now. I thought as I placed a full stop on this episode and decided to broach the main topic, “Umm, may I ask what business does Lord Sun Quan have with me?”

Sun Quan looked at me with bewildered eyes and cheeks that were still slightly reddened, and blinked a few times before giving an “Oh–” and getting into a proper sitting position.

Did she forget it?

“Sorry, I waited for you for so long that I fell asleep.” Even though she was sitting so formally, her words weren’t. She then raised an arm and scratched the back of her head with a relaxed and cheerful expression, “I’ve been busy with other things in this period so I haven’t had time for anything else.”

I see, so she was busy with other matters huh. Knowing that she wasn’t angry at me made me feel greatly relieved.

“Did Lord Zhang Zhao not reduce your burden?”

“She did, which is why I managed to get to rest for these 2 days.” Sun Quan said, and smiled as she saluted me, “I have Imperial Uncle Liu to thank for this.”

“No no no, this is all Zi Long… My companion’s hard work.” I said as I inspected her expression but didn’t feel any ill will or animosity at all.

From her expression, I could confidently conclude that she did not bear grudge against me for my tricking her before. But under these circ.u.mstances, I still felt guilty about what I did.

“Lord Sun Quan!” I yelled out the name of the red haired, tiger skin hat girl’s name as I knelt and pressed my hands to the ground.

“Ah!! Yes!” She was shocked by my actions and shuddered before she got into a kneeling position as well.

I took a deep breath and bent my body forward along with my hands in the method I knew would best convey my sincerity and remorse.

“I’m really sorry for what happened before!” I yelled out. These words have been simmering inside me for the entire week and when they finally came out, my voice trembled, perhaps out of fear for the consequences or out of guilt.

When I finished, Sun Quan did not react. I had my head lowered so I couldn’t see what expression she had on. I waited quietly for about half a minute but Sun Quan still didn’t show any audible reaction, which made it really awkward.

I couldn’t help imagining what expression Sun Quan could have at this moment. Perhaps it’s one of fury, or sad and hurt, or contempt. But to me, any one of these was well within reason. And because it was well within reason that I did not dare to raise my head.

“So…” A soft voice came from the one in front of me but it was too soft and so I couldn’t catch what she said entirely.

She said– So? So what?

I was getting curious and so I carefully and slowly craned my back so that I could look at Sun Quan. When I finally bent enough, I saw that Sun Quan actually had a n apologetic look on her,

“I, I should be the one to say sorry!” In the next instant, she apologised to me instead. She too was kneeling with her eyes closed and her hands trembling, looking as if she was like a kid who made a mistake and was waiting for an adult to punish her.

Eh?! Why is it like this?

“Umm… What is Lord Sun Quan talking about? I hid my ident.i.ty as Liu Bei so I’m the one who should be apologising!”

“No!” She shook her head profusely, “Even though I didn’t know you were Imperial Uncle Liu then, I still berated you! Teacher Zhang Zi Bu said that was very disrespectful of me! So I’m the one who should say sor– Ah! Ouch!”

Sun Quan wanted to bow down as she apologised but she forgot her distance with the table and b.u.mped her head into it, making a *dang* sound, and rolled on the floor as she held her forehead.

It hurts just hearing it.

“Ah! Lord Sun Quan, are you alright?” I got up, walked over and parted her fringe on her forehead as I closely inspected it.

“Ah!! I, imperial Uncle Liu!”

Un un, it’s a little red but as long as you don’t rub it, it won’t swell.

“Imperial Uncle… Too, too close…”

“Ah… Ah! Sorry.” Just then, I realised that I was troubling Sun Quan greatly as I was practically on top of her. This was on top of her suspicions of me earlier too, and so I hurriedly backed off.

“…”

“…”

After I got up and left from my position on top of her, Sun Quan became even more silent, which made me feel really awkward. When I think about how Sun Quan didn’t seem angry about my tricking her and even seeming apologetic, my mind started to run wild about why she was quiet now.

But perhaps I’m just thinking too much.

“Oi, I permitted you 2 to meet but this isn’t supposed to be an arranged marriage interview.”

“Ah!”

“Eek!”

Both Sun Quan and I got shocked by the unknown voice and shrieked.

*Da*! Following the voice, the screen door on the other side of the room from which I entered was pushed open. When I looked over, I saw a little girl in long robes slowly walking over to us.

“Lord Zhang Zhao?!”

“Teacher Zhang Zi Bu!”

Zhang Zhao ignored our surprised cries and looked at me, then at Sun Quan, before sighing. She then pointed at Sun Quan and berated her in an angry voice, “Didn’t I tell you to clearly state your intent? Why haven’t you said it even after so long huh!”

“… Th, this, there wasn’t a good chance!”

“Your hand.”

“Un.” Sun Quan meekly extended a hand, and a shadow flashed past, and a *Pa* rang out, “Ah! Ow!”

“My lord, you must make sure that in any discussions from hereon out, you must be a.s.sertive and state clearly what you need to say so the other side can respond. If you do not do so, it will all be over.” After listening to Zhang Zhao, I looked at Sun Quan’s hand and saw a red mark on it.

… Could that be a cane of sorts?

“Well then, since my lord couldn’t say it, I’ll say it.”

Before I could react, Zhang Zhao, who was still fuming, sat down at the table and looked at me, “I don’t agree with this but since both lords have expressed strong support for it, I have no reason to oppose as a retainer.”

Zhang Zhao’s words didn’t make any sense to me. Apart from knowing that she hates me, I didn’t understand what else she meant.

“Actually, the reason for this discussion is the same as when I went to find you before. But at that time, you said a lot of unnecessary things that p.i.s.sed me off and I left without broaching the topic.” She said as she took out a box from her sleeve, “This is my lord’s family seal. It will allow its holder to deploy any warrior general and troops in Jiangdong.”

So, it’s something like a Tiger Tally.

“But why are you showing me this for?” I said, and looked at Sun Quan to the side who smiled when she saw me looking at her.

“This seal,” Zhang Zhao said irritatedly and very unwillingly pushed the seal to me, “Is now yours.”

“Eh?!”

What does that mean?

“So that is to say that–” Sun Quan was very happy and began to answer me.

“That is to say that!” But just then, a more elegant, domineering and energetic voice than Sun Quan’s came from the courtyard outside the room.

I looked over, and saw Bo Fu with her arms folded across her chest standing there. When she saw me look at her, she smiled and pointed at me as she continued her explanation, “I want Xuan De to join us!”

“I’ve lived for 40 years already, how could any of your actions escape me?”

“Eh?! 4– 40 years?”

She clearly looked like she was 4 but her age was 10 times that. What am I supposed to say about that?