Liu Bei POV

Presently, I was in Liu Biao’s residence in Jiangxia city. There were no other generals around. Liu Biao’s were not around, nor were mine.

“Serve tea.”

Liu Biao had a leisurely expression as he gave the order and waved. As though they were already prepared, someone who looked like a servant came from outside the room and placed a cup of tea before me. Every action was slick and respectful. I lifted the cover, and saw that there was a little bit of steam. Looks like the tea is at the right temperature for drinking.

I looked at the servant, but his head was lowered the entire time and I couldn’t catch his eye. He took a few steps back before turning on his heel and leaving.

What a professional, I thought. The last time I saw such a skilled and graceful servant was in Xuchang. Bach then, I had some servants from the royal palace but those were servants who served the Son of Heaven after all so I didn’t expect that servants all the way out here would be as good as those who served the Emperor.

“Please.” Liu Biao indicated for me to try it as he extended a hand. But all I did was stare back at his smiling face, and replace the cover on the cup.

“What do you mean by this, blood brother?”

“…”

He acted like he didn’t know what was going on, but he acted poorly as his smile was still there in his eyes. As for me, I’m not so good-tempered.

“Did you get scared? Hahaha.”

What’s so funny about that! I frowned, and closed my eyes to calm myself down.

“Sorry, sorry. I was just so bored so I decided to play a prank. Don’t take it to heart.”

I couldn’t detect any sincerity in his apology at all. His acting earlier with the cup and roar was so impeccable but here, he was like a novice. What a farce.

“No, I won’t take it to heart. But I hope that elder brother won’t play such pranks in future.” I said, at which Liu Biao seemed elated.

Yes, the falling cup back in the carriage was just a ruse.

But now that I think about it, I should have guessed that. While I was boarding the carriage, we were surrounded by barren wilderness so there was no way there could be an ambush waiting for me. Moreover, when the cup hit the beast hide, there was almost no sound at all, so it couldn’t have served as signal to people on the outside.

Ah, the more I think about it, the more shameful, and angry, I feel. I can’t believe I thoroughly embarra.s.sed myself the moment I got here.

“I won’t, I won’t. I just wanted to try it out.”

“Try it out?”

Try what out? Try out what it feels like to spring an ambush?

“Yes, I wanted to feel the thrill from springing an a.s.sa.s.sination ambush on a royal.”

“Why did it become more serious than what I was thinking of!”

You call yourself a royal, and here you are doing such things?

At this, he gave a look that said ‘don’t get so serious’, and picked up his cup of tea and downed its contents in 1 gulp. After he finished, he showed me the empty cup.

“There’s no poison.”

“I’m not refraining from drinking because of that reason.” I muttered, and felt that it would be rude not to drink so I picked up my cup and took a sip.

Un… It’s good tea.

I’ve always heard that tea from the south is good. Now I’ve finally gotten to try it. Jiangdong tea is not bad but the fragrance here is stronger.

“Blood brother, the tea from your cup was from a different pot. That pot was laced with poison.”

“Pu!” I spat it all out in an instant.

“Hahaha! I didn’t think that blood brother would be so foolish.” Liu Biao laughed loudly and actually clapped as well.

“Elder brother! Can you stop playing around!”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to see what it feels like to poison a royal.”

“…” I really had nothing to say, and only looked with irritation at Liu Biao as I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

“But I can finally be relieved.” Liu Biao spread his arms open and sat upright as a satisfied smile spread on his face. Before this, he was leaning to the side which made me feel uncomfortable looking. But now that he was sitting upright, it made me feel like my sitting position wasn’t proper.

“What is elder brother relieved about?”

“That you are truly sincere about your motives in coming to Jing state. Not only were you not guarded towards me, you even believed me with ease. At this, I’m truly surprised and also comforted.”

That’s quite the exaggeration.

“I wouldn’t call it sincerity… I just don’t have anywhere else to go.” I said honestly. Of course, I’m comforted by the face that Liu Biao himself did not try and bring harm to Liu Bei in history. At least when they first met.

“No, some people have ulterior motives to begin with. I’ve seen all sorts come to seek refuge with me. Some were even royal relatives but they weren’t any different from warlords.” He tilted his head at me as he said so, “But you are different from them.”

“I’m just too weak and do not dare to do so.”

“No,” He refuted me, and continued with a resolute tone, “This is the bond of blood. Only when one truly thinks of the other as a royal brother can one accomplish what you have.”

His way of thinking is a little over-the-top, and I found that he likes to connect things to blood. I thought these were just part of pleasantries or empty words, but when I looked into his eyes, they were filled with radiance. And so, I knew that he was genuinely serious about what he said.