Liu Bei POV

It was about noon by the time we returned to our residence. As I pa.s.sed through the gates, I looked at the familiar sights that greeted me and felt that things seemed a lot calmer here.

We’re home, I thought as I stepped into the building.

“Wa! I lost again!”

“You idiot, I already hinted it to you but you didn’t see my 4 pieces in a row and looked past that!”

“Un, Chen Gong 13 – Zhou Cang 0.”

“Ahhhh! Why is it like this!”

“Hahaha, you’re too stupid, that’s why!”

The moment I entered, I saw 3 people sitting around a stone table in the courtyard. Zhou Cang held her head as she rocked about while Chen Gong sat opposite her with her nose turned up. Between them was Liao Hua who seemed to be recording the results in a piece of silk.

Do people in this era play chess? I thought, and turned my head to look at the stone table as I walked past. I thought it was Weiqi at first but when I thought about how Zhou Cang was like, I felt that it was more likely to be connect 5.

(TL: I call it connect 5, but the real name is called 五子棋, which is essentially connect 5 played on a Weiqi / Go board.)

As I walked past them, Liao Hua nodded at me, as did Zhou Cang and Chen Gong. Chen Gong also waved at Feng Xian behind me as well.

Looks like Chen Gong holds Feng Xian in high regard.

“The 2 newcomers don’t seem to respect Xuan De very much.”

I didn’t say anything but Feng Xian looked coldly at the 2.

I smiled helplessly as I felt that they weren’t being rude, and patted Feng Xian’s arm so that she wouldn’t be so uptight.

“Wawawa–” A lively voice came from up ahead as I continued walking in.

Just as I was thinking that it might be Mi Zhen, a small figure ran out from behind a pillar.

“Ah! It’s big brother!” When she saw me, Mi Zhen got excited and jumped at me with a big smile.

“Un, I’m back!” I hugged her and twirled about before slowly putting down Mi Zhen who hugged my waist.

“Ah, Xuan De is back huh?”

“Xuan De, I was just thinking about going over to where you were.”

Following behind Mi Zhen were Gan Qing and Hua Tuo who greeted me when they saw me.

“Ah, no need for that. The situation is under control and Bo Fu is fine.” I hurriedly explained when I saw Hua Tuo with her medicine box all prepared.

“Oh, that’s good then… But what did she come down with?” Huo Tua put down her medicine box and set aside her worries as she asked out of curiosity.

“It seems like a curse of sorts. Hua Tuo, do you know anything about such things? It’s something that made her go into a coma and become weak.”

I didn’t mention any specifics but I still broached the topic when I recalled that Hua Tuo was a Taoist herself.

But when she heard what I said, Hua Tuo frowned.

“Xuan De, I have learnt a fair bit about curses but only those that can save people, not harm them.”

“No, what I meant was if you knew…”

I wanted to continue asking her but when I saw Hua Tuo’s expression, I understood why she was being tight-lipped. And so, I decided not to pursue the matter. Hua Tuo is presently only a physician who cures the sick and saves the dying after all.

“Ah… I understand, sorry about that.” I smiled bitterly and nodded.

When Hua Tuo saw me give up, she seemed relieved and her expression relaxed, “I’m sorry, I just don’t want to talk about some things.”

“No, it was my fault. I wasn’t thinking.”

I almost forgot that she was Zhang Jue. She probably did a lot of things she doesn’t want to remember back then.

“Speaking of which, where is Yun Chang and the rest? It feels like the residence is really quiet today.” I dived into a new topic to dispel the awkwardness and stuck my head around the corner.

There really wasn’t anyone in the inner courtyard. They shouldn’t be asleep at this time either.

“Lord Yun Chang and the rest have gone to see the troops today.”

“Yes, Lord Guan Yu, Lord Zhang Liao and Lord Zhang Fei. Oi! You’re so despicable Zhou Cang! Can you not move my pieces!”

“Where did I! Don’t malign me! And you forgot Guan Ping.”

Liao Hua replied me first before Chen Gong and Zhou Cang added on whilst embroiled in their argument.

Now that I think about it, I haven’t really spoken with these 2 much. If I get the chance, I would like to get to know them better.

As I thought so, I went up to them and looked at the gameboard, “So it’s connect 5 huh?”

“Oh? Imperial Uncle knows this?” Chen Gong seemed very surprised at my knowledge of this game.

“Lord Chen Gong, shouldn’t you be calling him lord?”

“No, it’s fine… Feng Xian, you’re still following beside me huh.” I turned around when I heard her voice and saw the stern expression. She wasn’t very close, but enough to give me a surprise.

“A little. But this chessboard of yours is really big. It looks more like a chessboard for playing Weiqi with.”

“Weiqi is a little crude, you should call it ‘Yi’.” Chen Gong said to me as she prepared the chessboard for a new game with Zhou Cang.

“These 2 were going to play Weiqi but Lord Zhou Cang doesn’t know how the rules so they decided to go with connect 5 instead.”

“Lord Liao Hua, you talk too much…” Zhou Cang grumbled with a frown and seemed embarra.s.sed. Chen Gong however was smiling and seemed to be looking at Zhou Cang with a refined but contemptuous look.

“Alright, let me watch you both.” I said as I sat at the stone table and watched them play.

“I’ll be preparing food then. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

“Ah, thanks.” I nodded at Gan Qing. She only smiled at me, as though she were my wife.

“I want to watch too!”

“No, you’re going to help me. Don’t you want to make some delicious food for big brother?”

Mi Zhen was clearly more interested in the connect 5 matches but Gan Qing intervened and Mi Zhen eventually decided to help Gan Qing. She was still pouting as she left, and it really seemed like Gan Qing was her mother.

I really think that Zi Zhong is a little lacking as an elder sister.

But Gan Qing’s cooking huh… Compared to her standard from before, Gan Qing’s cooking lately has been rather edible so there shouldn’t be any problems.

“I’ll be heading to the medical center then. There have been quite a lot of new cases lately so I’m going to lend them a hand.”

I nodded at Hua Tuo. It was a good thing she was doing after all so there is no reason to stop her.

Thereafter, I s.h.i.+fted my gaze to the chessboard. While I was speaking with the rest, the previous round had come to a close and it was a new round now.

To be honest, I’m not too interested in chess, and was just looking casually while my mind was still preoccupied with Yu Ji’s words.

If what she said is correct, I can no longer think of Meng De as a friend. From the viewpoint of history, this does make sense. And along the way back, I had tried simulating what it would be like to face Meng De on the battlefield.

No matter how many times I simulated it, I just couldn’t express hatred and ill will to that face. Her smile continued to feel dependable and confident to me. As her adversary, and as Liu Bei, how could I possibly prevail against her?

I’ve always felt that if I could avoid a war, then it would be the best if I did so. But the more history progressed, the more difficult it will be to do so. At present, I have 5-6,000 men under me and it will probably continue to grow in future. What should I do with so many lives?

I have to say that I’m starting to attach more importance to history.

But at the end of the day, it boils down to the same question– What exactly should I do?

“Zhou Cang, you can’t keep making meaningless moves like that.”

“Eh? How are my moves meaningless?”

Just as I was neck-deep in my thoughts, Chen Gong’s words brought me back to reality.

“Have a look, Imperial Uncle, and give your opinion.”

I looked at the chessboard as she told me to and as Chen Gong said, many of Zhou Cang’s pieces were in random places that seemed to serve no purpose.

“I really don’t see what you’re trying to do with your pieces… Like this and that.” I said as I pointed at a few pieces which were more obviously useless.

“I, I’m just trying to confuse her!”

“That’s really high level of you… Not. I’ve already seen through you.”

As I looked at the 2 of them, I covered my mouth as I smiled.

“Hai…” Chen Gong sighed to settle her emotions before she continued, “It doesn’t matter what move you make. As long as it has value, then it’s fine.”

“I don’t need you to teach me!”

Wu.

It wasn’t related but when I heard Chen Gong’s words, it seemed like an answer to all my troubles.

I’ve saved Bo Fu. That’s something of value, right?

At the very least, I believe it is.

As for everything else, it’s fine if they have value.

I finally reached a conclusion. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but at least I’ve reached one for now.

Thereafter, I played a few rounds with Feng Xian as well. Feng Xian was unexpectedly strong and I lost almost every round. Chen Gong played a few rounds of Yi with Feng Xian as well, and was similarly thrashed.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems like Chen Gong respected Feng Xian a lot more after this.