Liu Bei POV

My heart trembled every time the carriage shook as the sound of stones getting crushed by the wheels filled my ears. Rooster crows also began to fill the air since G.o.d knows when.

Before I knew it, the sky had brightened up.

I pushed the curtains in the carriage to the side and looked outside. People had begun heading to their fields with plows in hand or were carrying curios and other goods to prepare for business. Of course, some shops were still closed with no sign that they were going to open today, perhaps because they were out or they decided to rest for today. All in all, it was another peaceful day in the city.

My heart was filled with anxiety from this unforeseen event that I came to learn about half an hour ago. In this era where information technology is undeveloped, it is difficult for information to spread even if you don’t try to hide it.

Such as Bo Fu suddenly being in a dire state from illness.

“Lord Chen Wu, what the heck is going on?”

“You, stop playing dumb.”

I, as well as Feng Xian who came along, were very anxious. We weren’t as frantic as Ma Zhong and Pan Zhang but we just met Bo Fu a few hours ago and this happened so there’s no way I can remain calm knowing she is in peril from illness.

Especially when she was clearly fine when I left her.

“Wu… I just didn’t want to reveal too much there and then.” She decided to be more frank and less mysterious than before after we questioned her, “When you left, someone else came.”

Someone came?

“An a.s.sa.s.sin?” I asked.

“…”

Chen Wu wanted to nod, but she stopped halfway, as though she was unable to confirm that point. She was clearly someone who deeply suspected the worst in people but now she couldn’t be sure even when something happened to Bo Fu. This was truly expected.

“Yes, and no.”

“What do you mean by that?”

At my follow up question, Chen Wu frowned and blinked as she began to describe the ‘a.s.sa.s.sin’, “The person who came is a refined lady who said she was here to see my lord Sun Ce. I tried to stop her but she suddenly disappeared. When I went to find her, I found that she was already by my lord Sun Ce’s side.”

“Did you let her sneak in because you weren’t paying attention?”

“Please don’t suspect my capabilities. I’m a general of my lord’s personal troop so I can a.s.sure you that did not happen.” She said very firmly, frowning as she did so. Looks like my question angered her.

“Then how did she get in?”

Chen Wu shook her head at my question, “I don’t know. Even after I drew my sword and slashed at her, it was all for naught.”

All for naught?

“Is she skilled in martial arts?”

“… I don’t know. For some reason, my sword always misses her.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Chen Wu’s words were extremely inexplicable to Feng Xian and I.

Chen Wu wasn’t very eager to explain herself either and spat out a ‘you’ll know it when we’re there’ and ‘my lord Sun Ce suddenly became weak when she came’ and concentrated on accelerating and steering the carriage thereafter.

The ride thereafter was so b.u.mpy that I even bit on my tongue.

“Ya!” Just as we alighted from the carriage, a piercing yell came from inside the residence.

“Looks like the others are here.”

“Does everyone know?”

“No. Lord Zhang Zhao gave strict instructions to only inform Lord Zhou Yu and Lord Lu Su. Not even my lord Sun Quan knows.” Chen Wu replied as she brought us in.

That does sound good. It would be best to keep things under control until there is enough information to deal with the situation at hand.

The courtyard along the way was beautiful as the morning sun lit up the garden but I didn’t have the mood for it now,

As we continued walking ahead, I saw that the doors to the main hall were slightly open and I saw Lu Meng inside with her hookswords drawn and looking fiercely into Bo Fu’s room.

Beside Lu Meng were Zhou Yu, Lu Su and Zhang Zhao just as Chen Wu mentioned earlier. All 3 of them had difficult expressions on their faces and were rooted to the ground.

“Everyone! I brought Imperial Uncle here!”

“Ah! Xuan De!” Zhou Yu’s frown loosened a little when she saw me,

“Come quick, Imperial Uncle!”

“…”

Lu Su bade me to hurry while Zhang Zhao’s expression remained stormy and she neither spoke to me nor did she look at me.

“What’s going on?!”

“Lord Liu Bei, watch out for this sc.u.m!” Lu Meng replied me first between pants.

“Oh? Liu Bei is finally here?” Just then, a very gentle voice that had a slight echo came from inside Bo Fu’s room. It wasn’t loud but it was clear and audible. Similarly audible were the sound of footsteps that got nearer.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Release the curse on my lord now!”

In the next instant, Lu Meng leapt up and charged at that person’s position as she waved her hookswords like a tornado.

“That’s enough, little lady.”

“Eh?”

When the mysterious person said so, Lu Meng suddenly decelerated in the air and her legs twisted as she fell to the ground.

Lu Meng’s blow was negated in an instant. As for the mysterious person, I didn’t even see her figure, let alone how her counterattacks.

“That fellow… Isn’t normal.” Feng Xian said with a look of disgust.

“What happened?”

“Even I could only see it for a single moment…” Feng Xian clenched her teeth and revealed her fangs, “That fellow in the room kicked Lord Lu Meng’s arm and calf, for a total of 3 blows. All of them landed on the joints.”

Eh?! That remarkable?

When I heard this, I really wanted to know who it was who could have made Bo Fu gravely ill in an instant and have such a high level of skill in martial arts.

But at this time, my legs were glued to the spot. This is probably an old problem of mine.

“d.a.m.n it…” Lu Meng couldn’t accept the difference in strength and tried to get up.

“That’s enough, Lu Meng.” Another voice that did not belong to any of the other 3 came from the direction of Zhou Yu, Lu Su and Zhang Zhao.

“But!”

“That’s enough.” The female voice continued, and only then did Lu Meng give up. Several footsteps could be heard as the person came up to Lu Meng and picked her up. When she saw this, Chen Wu went up and helped that person carry Lu Meng.

Only then did I realise that the person was the maid I saw last night.

Why was she here? Is she really just a servant?

“Let’s get back to the main topic.” The ethereal female voice came from inside the room once more, “But before that, let me thank you lot for helping me summon Liu Bei here.”

“… No, that’s all we could have done under such circ.u.mstances.” Zhou Yu said sarcastically but the ethereal female voice didn’t seem to mind.

“Whatever you say. But right now, I wish to speak with Liu Bei alone.”

“Don’t…”

“Alright, I understand.”

“Commander-in-Chief!”

Lu Meng was still agitated but Zhou Yu agreed. It was clear that the other 3 had no objections as well.

I took off my shoes and lowered my head as I entered the building. I then respectfully walked into the room where Bo Fu and the female voice was in and softly closed the door.

Before I closed the door, I took a quick peek at everyone’s faces and saw Zhou Yu and Lu Su’s earnest faces, Zhang Zhao’s disdain and Feng Xian’s worried look.

As for myself, I was utterly bewildered as to why this female voice wanted to speak with me alone. From what I remember, this clearly wasn’t in the script.

After I closed the door, I respectfully sat down and raised my head to look at the one before me.

The woman was wearing a set of plain white robes with no accessory at all and looked extremely elegant. Her long, luscious hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her features were delicate, and her skin was completely white and speckless. Her eyes were clear as fresh spring water and she was smiling.

If I had to use a simple and slightly exaggerating way to describe her, she would be like a G.o.ddess,

I stared at her in a daze for a few seconds before I recovered and understood how urgent things were.

I should ask about Bo Fu first.

“Ah…” Just as I was about to speak, the woman in front of me spoke first.

“You must be Liu Bei right… No, it would be more accurate to say that the role you’re playing is Liu Bei right?”

“… Eh?”

What… Did she just say?

I felt both surprised and fear at these sudden words while the G.o.ddess-like woman in front of me continued to smile.

“Speaking of which, I have yet to introduce myself.” She lowered her head as she continued, “My name is Yu Ji.”