Liu Bei POV

Just as my left foot landed on the soft soil, a middle-aged man who was about a head taller than me gave me a bear hug. I clearly remember him being about 100 paces away.

Being pa.s.sionate is good, but I feel really uncomfortable about receiving such treatment. Especially when I’m still nauseous and giddy from seasickness.

“Blood brother, I gladly welcome you here!”

“Ah… Ah, elder brother is too kind.”

Liu Biao rubbed my face while I did my best to get out of his grasp.

At this distance, I was able to get a good glimpse of Liu Biao’s looks. He was really handsome, and if it weren’t for his beard, I wouldn’t have guessed that he was about 30-40 odd years of age. He was very well-dressed too, from top to toe, which stood at odds with my plain clothing. He got a fair bit of dirt and salt water on his clothing by rus.h.i.+ng over. I didn’t mind but I didn’t think he didn’t mind as well, though I’m not sure if he is just that good of a host or if he just has too much money.

I looked to the side and saw some of his retainers. All of them were women, and I felt that perhaps Liu Biao might be a dandy playboy kind of character. This is especially so given his das.h.i.+ng good looks.

In the distance atood 2 rows of troops wearing gleaming plate armour which were clearly well-crafted. Even if they were just an honour guard, their equipment was a little too high quality.

“My lord, the winds are violent today so we shouldn’t stay out at the sh.o.r.e for long. Why don’t we return before you start speaking with Imperial Uncle?”

“Moreover, it seems like Imperial Uncle brought his own army so we should quickly settle them in.”

Amongst his retainers were 2 women who looked almost exactly the same but had opposing expressions. They said these words softly to Liu Biao, and when they heard I had an army, the rest seemed to be in alert.

“It’s fine. A blood relative could not possibly think to harm me.” Liu Biao waved his hand, and the surrounding people backed down.

Looks like his retainers are fiercely loyal to him. As the Governor of a state, Liu Biao is probably rather capable and virtuous.

“Xuan De,” Just then, Yun Chang came up and whispered into my ear, “We should indeed settle our troops in quickly. Some of them can’t take much more of the shaking on the s.h.i.+ps.”

Un, there is that.

“Ah, I understand, I understand.” I was about to speak about this to Liu Biao but his ears were pretty sharp, and he heard what Yun Chang said, so he hurriedly pulled me away by my sleeve. He then turned back and waved at the 2 women, who seemed to understand what he meant, and they began to attend to my companions.

It should be alright.

Un?

When I turned back to look at my companions, I saw 3 girls looking at me. 1 of them was wearing official robes with a bagua motif. The other 2 seemed younger, and didn’t look like they were officials.

These people are…

“Blood brother! Do you know how eager I am to see you?”

“Eh eh?”

Just then, Liu Biao grabbed my waist as though he wanted to hoist me up. He put quite a bit of strength into his grip which made me feel rather uncomfortable so I instinctively swatted his hands away but he seemed unperturbed.

“Come, get on the carriage.”

“Eh?”

He waved, and a carriage which was wider than any I’ve seen before stopped in front of us. Wait, am I going to have to sit on the same carriage as this fellow?

“Eh!”

Though I really wanted to turn this down, I was forcefully pulled up the carriage by him, and by the time I realised what was going on, I was inside the carriage.

“So big!” This was my first reaction upon seeing the insides of the carriage.

I couldn’t see much from the outside, but the insides were really luxurious. There were exquisite wood carvings on the walls and floor, and it was so s.p.a.cious that it could even fit a few singers and dancers.

I rubbed my feet on the floor, and found that it wasn’t an ordinary wooden floorboard. There was a beast’s furhide covering the floor. As I stepped on the furhide, I thought about the heavily armoured infantry I saw when I disembarked and trembled.

So this is Liu Biao of Jing state huh? What a wealthy and strong state.

“Sit.” Liu Biao said as he gestured to me. I frantically looked about before I knelt down on a cus.h.i.+on. As I did so, I realised that the cus.h.i.+on was also made of beast hide.

“I didn’t think elder brother would have so many possessions…”

“It’s not that many. They’re all things I’ve acc.u.mulated. It’s all thanks to the heavens which favoured Jing state, and I, Liu Biao Liu Jing Sheng.” As he said so, he spread his arms wide open, as though someone was singing his praises.

His opening seemed humble, but only his opening. That said, acting humble at this time would only make it seem like humble-bragging.

But let’s get to business.

“Elder brother,” I called out before bending down, “I, Liu Bei, am truly grateful to elder brother for neither refusing nor delaying refuge to me!”

When I finished, I bowed once more. Of course, these words were all prepared for me by Zi Zhong. She gave me some ancient texts that had over 1,000 words and wanted me to remember it but I really couldn’t. Expressing one’s grat.i.tude is important, but that was a little too much.

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Come, get up.” Liu Biao did not seem to bother too much with these pleasantries, and got me to get up.

“Thanks, elder brother.” I said, and raised my head only to be greeted with the sight of Liu Biao with tears in his eyes as he looked at me.

“Elder brother, this is…”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.” Only then did he notice, and used his hands to wipe the corners of his eyes, “I’ve been away from the royal capital and have been fulfilling my duties to defend the south border against the Nanman. Now that I have had the good fortune to meet a blood brother with the same roots, I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”

That’s quite an exaggeration.

“But you could have come to the capital for an audience with the Son of Heaven, no?”

“No, I won’t go.” He said as he raised a wine cup.

“Eh?”

Before I realised what was going on, I saw the cup slip from his hands and landed on the beast hide, dyeing it a blood red from the wine.

“Men!” He roared out, “Get this fellow!”