Liu Bei POV

In the end, I still left in a rush before Bo Fu woke up.

When I left, Zhang Zhao who knelt beside me was still awake. Her eyes were squinted and she would be motionless but just as I was thinking she was fast asleep, she would suddenly open her eyes wide and look at me, as thought she was trying to tell me that she wasn’t asleep.

The reason why I left is largely because of Zhang Zhao. Though it is true I never had a really legitimate reason to stay to begin with, the reason why I left is because I don’t want to get into a shouting match in front of Bo Fu the moment she wakes up. That would be terribly awkward and it would just trouble Bo Fu to no end.

As I stepped out of the doorway, I stopped and looked about. The fences were rather low, to the point where I could easily step over them. Looking into the distance, it was pitch black and I couldn’t tell which direction I ought to head into.

I raised my head and looked up. The sky was completely dark except for a small patch of faint blue at the edge of horizon, which meant that I could expect the coming of dawn in a couple of hours.

I wanted to set off immediately but I remembered that Feng Xian was going to come and get me so I decided to wait at the doorway in case we missed each other. The idea of going back to Bo Fu’s adjoining room came to mind but I immediately dispelled it when I thought of that small and domineering face of Zhang Zhao’s.

Zhang Zhao’s words were still reverberating inside my head. If what she said was indeed right, then I am without a doubt a fatuous lord. Meng De hadn’t said it so bluntly before but at the end of the day, she still told me that I had to raise my capabilities in various aspects as soon as possible.

In a sense, the role I’m playing now is like that of a bad kid who is trying to influence other good, hardworking kids to behave poorly. This isn’t the best example but that’s how I am in Zhang Zhao’s eyes.

Hai… The more I think about it, the more I feel that coming to Jiangdong is something really troublesome.

But these problems can be left for later. What I need to think about now is how to get back to my residence, which I can’t given the pitch black darkness.

If this was Xuchang, it would be curfew right now, and if I were to be caught roaming the streets by the patrolling guards, I would get into a whole lot of trouble. If the guards happened to have a poor temper, then they would immediately approach me with swords drawn.

“Excuse me… Who is this?”

“Ah!” I got frightened by the voice that suddenly came from behind. I turned around, thinking that it would be a patrolling soldier, but it was a girl wearing very strange clothing.

When I said it was strange, I meant that it was very strange for this era. If I had to put a name to her clothing, apart from some of the materials being a little different, it’s a maid costume.

Could it be that this person is a servant of this residence?

Using the weak moonlight, I sized her up. She had a really pretty face, and was looking at me with unblinking eyes. Her eyes were very bright and deep. Her hair was tied behind her in a single braid which was coiled up behind her. It didn’t look like it was long but it didn’t seem very short either.

“Excuse me…” She asked again when she saw that I was in a daze.

“Ah, I am Liu Bei Liu Xuan De who was invited here.” When I regained my senses, I bowed and tossed out my ident.i.ty to prevent suspicion.

“You are…” I didn’t who she was and decided to ask.

“Me? I’m just a servant.” She pointed at herself as she gave a broad smile.

“A servant? For this residence?”

She nodded.

“… Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“The hour has changed so I’m here to sound the night watch.”

As she said so, she gestured for me to stand at the side which I obliged clumsily. She then took out some wooden blocks and knocked them together, making 3 clear *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* sounds before yelling, “Shen s.h.i.+ is over! You s.h.i.+ has come!” She repeated this another 2 times before she put down the blocks and sighed exhaustedly before yawning.

“Ah…” Just then, she looked over at me and stopped yawning, “Ah, I’m sorry for being so rude.”

“No…” I waved my hands.

“Won’t you come in and have a seat?”

“Ah no, I just came out actually.” I smiled stiffly.

“Then won’t you be going back?”

“It’s a little embarra.s.sing actually, I’m waiting for someone…”

“Oh oh.” She nodded and walked down the steps toward me.

“You don’t need to be too bothered with Zi Bu’s words. In an organisation, there will always be those who are strict and severe. If such people don’t exist, people won’t be able to learn from their mistakes.”

“Ah, no. I don’t particularly dislike Zhang Zhao.” Just then, a question popped up, “Did you hear our conversation earlier?”

“A little, your voices weren’t very soft after all.” When she finished, she gave a ‘hohoho’ laugh, as though she were an old man.

“What you said makes sense but I still feel that she should respect Bo Fu’s choice.”

“Un un,” She nodded twice before she continued slowly, “Bo Fu definitely has her own thinking. But when the time comes that Jiangdong is attacked, she cannot and will not sit at the side and watch even if she has retired.”

She said as she sat down relaxedly on the stairs.

“Bo Fu is tired, so it’s fine to just let her rest. When she has recovered, she will be back again. If you give her some time, everything will work out.”

“… But I think that I should do something.”

“Then go ahead and do something then. That’s far better than just sitting here and mulling endlessly over it.” She replied, “Even if you’re just looking at Bo Fu, I’m sure she will be more motivated.”

I thought these words were patronising but when I looked at her under the weak light, I saw that she was looking at me with unwavering eyes. And so, I realised that she meant what she just said.

“Ah, I understand.” I didn’t think that I would have to be educated on this by a Sun household servant. Why did I think so much about something so simple and give myself so much trouble?

“Oi~ My lord~” Just then, someone called out to me from afar. I looked out and saw a Wen Yuan who was wearing casual clothing holding a small light in the darkness.

“Your subordinate general?”

“A companion who is with me.”

At this, she smiled and said, “Is that so,” as she got up.

“We didn’t speak much but your words really showed me the light. Thanks.” I too smiled back at her. But now that I think about it, she actually addressed Zhang Zhao by her courtesy name directly so who is she?

“You are…” I raised my head and made to ask her but she had already returned to the residence. I thought of calling out to her but I didn’t have her name and it would be rude to call her ‘servant’ and it would be bothersome as well so I decided not to.

“My lord? Why are you sitting out here in a daze for?” Wen Yuan asked when she came over. I smiled and didn’t say anything and followed her back.

Zhang Zhao POV

As Liu Bei got up to leave, I didn’t try to obstruct him and moved slightly to accommodate his exit. Only when he left did I return to my kneeling position.

It’s been very exhausting today. I had to conduct lessons for my lord Sun Quan and I had to think of ways to invigorate my lord Sun Ce so that she would get herself together soon.

But from how things look, all my efforts are going to go to waste.

Despite all I’ve done, it seems like my lords would rather listen to that Imperial Uncle who doesn’t seek to improve himself at all. If I’m not strict, who else will be? Gong Jin is busy with external affairs, Zi Jing himself is like that Imperial Uncle, and the rest do not dare to say anything remotely forceful.

And now my lord has drunk so much liquor and ended up in this state. I’d given her instructions on how much she can drink in 1 sitting long ago yet here she is. Looks like I’ll have to speak with her again on this when my lord wakes up.

… All this is for the good of my lord, and for the good of Jiangdong. Why won’t anyone understand?!

And there’s that matter with the Jiangdong Sun family seal. How could you give it so easily to an outsider? What if he holds evil designs about Jiangdong? Even if my lord is not worried, I am.

And how could you, as a feudal lord, have feelings for someone who will eventually be your mortal enemy? What’s so good about that Imperial Uncle? I can’t see anything good about him at all.

“Hai…” I sighed. My legs were getting numb and I was about to sit cross-legged but felt that it would be rude to my lord Sun Ce behind me so I got up and shook my slim legs.

“Wu… Wu…” Just then, my lord Sun Ce behind me moaned. Seems like her nightmares are back.

My lord!

I held my long clothing up and hurriedly walked over to my lord.

Her head was covered in sweat and she was frowning with a pained expression. I was getting frantic, and hurriedly used my sleeve to wipe her sweat off.

“My lord, you…”

“Don’t come here!!”

Wu… I was going to say some words to comfort my lord but I was silenced by her sleep-talk. I knew it was just sleep-talk but I felt like I was one of the devils in her nightmare.

I slowly retracted my hand and after a moment’s pause, I took a piece of thin cloth nearby and covered my lord with it.

Just then, I realised that the bowl of water beside my lord was empty. Did my lord wake up just now?

Hai, never mind. And so, I quietly and slowly exited my lord’s room.

Is there really something wrong with my teaching methods…

Honestly, I was quite familiar with the words that the Imperial Uncle said before. A year ago, Zhang Hong had said something similar to me.

Now that Zhang Hong has pa.s.sed away from illness, I was the only one left of the 2 Zhangs from the old guard. If he were here, what would he think, what would he say?

I reminisced about Zhang Hong as I continued to kneel at the adjoining room and closed my eyes as I sank into thought.