“That… That is to say the Cao Army is… St, staying put for now then?”

After we returned to the city, I bade Feng Xian and Hua Tuo to rest first while I and the Xu state 3 went to Tao Qian to report the results of our negotiations. And at this time, Tao Qian’s breathing was even weaker than before.

“A tenuous deadlock.” “This time when we went to the Cao Army camp, I got a rough gauge of her supplies and by my estimations they should be able to hold out for a month at most.” “When that time comes, we feel that Cao Cao will direct her attention to a new target, but we cannot eliminate the possibility that she will just launch an offensive on this city.”

Their a.n.a.lysis is detailed and correct. To put it simply, the threat is still there, though we need not worry as much as before.

After Tao Qian heard it, he lay quietly in bed, deep in thought.

“Has the blockade… Been lifted?”

…

The 3 wordlessly nodded.

“Ah…”

Tao Qian slowly shut his eyes and gave a long exhalation.

“My lord.” The 3 called out to Tao Qian who had shut his eyes and leaned forward with sorrowful looks. Even the usually expressionless Gong You frowned deeply at this moment.

Eh? Is, is he…. Gone? Just like that?

… Ah, life truly is fragile.

Though I’d only met Tao Qian a few times and don’t really know him, I could feel that he is a man of upright character from the few words I’ve exchanged with him and from what I’ve heard of him. Though he had made a mistake in his choice of bodyguard for Cao Song, now that he is dead, I have nothing more to say…

“Hu~~~”

“He’s only sleeping!!”

This Tao Qian, how can he play with my feelings like that.

“… Don’t be noisy.” “… Lord Liu Bei, let’s go out first.” “… That’s how it is.”

It wasn’t just me, those 3 were tricked too, and they frowned at the old man.

“Alright, I’ll go and have a good rest too.”

When I walked out of his quarters, it was already dark out.

These days have really been pa.s.sing by quick huh~ It was only noon when we left the city and now it’s night already.

I sighed as I looked at the skies,

Thinking back, where could my route home be? Up till now, there hasn’t even been a single clue. A single feather fan and a piece of paper, where am I being led to?

*Gu*~

… Ah, looks like my biggest worry now shouldn’t be this, but food.

I hadn’t eaten lunch after all, and if I don’t eat soon, it will be the morning of the next day.

What the heck is this situation huh?

The moment I entered the courtyard, the sight of a plethora of dishes laid out on the stone table greeted me. Yun Chang and Gan Qing rushed over when they saw me, and pushed and pulled me to the stone table and bade me to sit.

“Come, big brother have a bite.”

“No, Lord Liu Bei should eat mine first.”

But why is it just the 2 of them here? Did the rest all go to sleep this early already?

“You 2 haven’t gone to bed huh.” I withdrew my hands into my sleeves as it was a little chilly and lowered my head to look at the dishes. “Un… Did you 2 make these together?”

“No, the left side is mine.”

“The right side is mine.”

Indeed, now that I look closely, the plates they use differ quite bit.

Un?

Is it just a misconception of mine? Why do I smell a faint smell of gunpowder between the 2 of them… Did they let the fire burn a little too much while they were cooking?

“Haa… But what’s up? Cooking today all of a sudden.”

I could probably understand why Gan Qing did it, but this was unusual for Yun Chang.

The ones who cooked were usually Zhang Liao and Hua Tuo. Occasionally, I would also chip in and cook.

“Maa, I thought that big brother may not have eaten yet and it wouldn’t be nice to trouble the cook at this time so I did it myself.”

“Come come, leave the words for later and try it first Lord Liu Bei.”

“Un, I am indeed hungry.” I picked up the chopsticks as I said so.

At the very moment when I picked up the chopsticks, I could feel 2 glances focus keenly on me.

I could tell they were antic.i.p.ating my first pick very much.

I couldn’t help but get nervous.

“Th, then I’ll try Yun Chang’s first…”

“Yes!”

“Eh~~~”

“Un? What’s up you 2?” I looked at them, not understanding what just transpired between the 2.

“No, it’s nothing. Go on, big brother.”

Gan Qing only shook her head wordlessly in response,

Un… So strange~~~ I keep getting the feeling like they are competing about something. But the order doesn’t matter right?

“Oh,” I nodded as I picked up a piece of vegetable, and couldn’t help but get happy as I thought about it. “It’s been a while since we’ve been together but this is the first time I’m eating something that Yun Chang made huh~~

As I said so, I made to dig in–

“That’s right, this is my first time cooking too.” Yun Chang said with a refres.h.i.+ng smile.

Eh?

My arm that held the chopsticks stopped in midair and the tongue which I had stuck out hurriedly retreated back.

First time… I’m getting an ominous feeling.

“Un? Big brother, what’s wrong?” Yun Chang asked when she saw that I had stopped my chopsticks.

“Ah? No, nothing.” But my subconscious told me that I absolutely must eat this bite.

I opened my mouth wide, and forced myself to place the piece of vegetable into myself..

— Wu!

What is this feeling? … I clearly ate something that appeared to be stir-fried vegetables, but why does it feel slippery and sticky? It felt like I ate something like mud… What was this vegetable?

… I have to say, Yun Chang, you have zero talent at cooking huh~~~

“Big brother? You don’t look too good.”

“Ho, how can that be?” Good thing it was dark out, and Yun Chang can’t see how sickly pale my face currently is.

“Then–” Yun Chang said shyly, a rare sight, and blinked as she gazed between me and the plate of mysterious substance X. Seems like she is awaiting for my judgement.

“… De, delicious.” I said, trying not to look into Yun Chang’s eyes as I did so.

“Is, is that so… It’s good as long as you’re satisfied.” Yun Chang raised her hand and scratched her head as she turned her face away embara.s.sedly.

… I feel like I told a terrible lie, but… But it’s much better than making Yun Chang sad.

“My turn!” Gan Qing said impatiently.

“Ah, okay. Then let me try some of Miss Gan’s…”

(TL: He calls her 甘姑娘, which roughly translates to Miss Gan given the context.)

As I said so, I reached out with my chopsticks.

Ah… Because of Yun Chang’s food, my hands began to tremble pathetically.

“Un, please do.” Gan Qing said as she looked at my chopsticks with utmost antic.i.p.ation.

“Sp, speaking which, this is the first time, I’m eating something you made huh.” My trembling chopsticks finally got hold of a piece of meat.

“Un, to tell you the truth, this is my time cooking too.” Gan Qing said as she shyly lowered her head.

Eh?

Eh?!

The arm which held my chopsticks stopped yet again. But because of my trembling, it didn’t really come to a complete stop.

“Ho, how could this be… Your first time cooking?!” I looked at Gan Qing in disbelief.

“Maa, it’s a little embara.s.sing to be honest. My father has always been afraid of me being burnt or getting sooty so he always did the cooking.”

Un, I should have known looking at that smooth white skin of yours…

(TL: Nah, natural SKII cream. Don’t they make that stuff from rice or something?)

Alright, get it together me. At this stage, I can on,y hope that Gan Qing has some talent in cooking.

I gulped before I placed the meat-like object into my mouth.

*Ahen*…

–*Ou*~~

I held back an intense wave of nausea.

This… This… I actually put this thing in my mouth!

This taste, uwaa… It’s both sour and rancid but not like the taste of rot. Altogether, it tastes like some sort of insect broth. Speaking of which, what is this *gachi* *gachi* crunchy texture I’m getting? What meat is this huh?

“Lord Liu Bei, your expression is a little scary.”

“No, you must have seen wrongly.” I hurriedly hid my face and shut my eyes tightly so they couldn’t see the tears that were forming.

“Then…”

Just like with Yun Chang, Gan Qing was similarly antic.i.p.ating my judgement as expected.

“De… Wu…” I was attacked by another intense wave of nausea mid-sentence and had to hold my breath and steel myself before I could continue. “Delicious!”

“Really! That’s great!” Gan Qing crossed her fingers and looked elated.

Hu, looks like these 2 are satisfied.

… I, on the other hand, had an intense urge to rush to the toilet.

“Big brother, eat these too.”

“Mine as well, I made all these for big brother too.”

(TL: Yes, she changed how she addressed him out of nowhere. Sneaky~)

Just as I was about to get up and leave. these 2 stopped me. And so, 2 sets of dishes which I did not even want to look at were pushed in front of me.

… I actually have to finish these?!

“U, umm, Gan Qing Yun Chang, why don’t you call the others here too and we can eat together.”

I got up as I said so, hoping to escape under this excuse.

“Ah, they’ve all tried it already.” Yun Chang said.

Eh?

They have tried this already?

“But after they did so, they all said they felt very tired and went to sleep. Even Lord Feng Xian and Lord Hua Tuo who just came back gave the same reaction.”

Everyone… I hope I still can see you all tomorrow…

“Big brother, why are you crying.”

“*s.h.i.+ku*… I’m just that touched~”

Today is probably my day of reckoning. And looking at the situation, there is no escape.

But thinking about it from their point of view, I can’t blame Yun Chang and Gan Qing. They did this with good intentions, in the hope of giving me a good meal. In that case, as the one who should actually be grateful to tears, I must finish it all.

A drop of liquid that I could not tell if it was tears or sweat fell down my face. With feelings that could be either happiness or sorrow, I ate 2 plates of what looked to be normal food but was actually mysterious substance X, trembling all the way as I did so.

But by the time I reached my third bite, my consciousness was hazy.

Yun Chang, Gan Qing, I’m sorry. All the rest who have met with a similar untimely fate, I’ll be there soon.

I steeled myself, and swallowed this bite, only to feel faint and lose all feeling shortly after.

(TL: RIP, the end. Thanks for reading~)

By the time I regained consciousness, it was already the next day.

“Un…”

I moaned as I slowly opened my eyes.

“Big brother, you finally woke up! I was so worried!”

“Un? Where is this?” I looked left and right bewilderedly. After surveying my surroundings, I found that everyone was gathered around me.

And the ones right in front of me were Yun Chang and Gan Qing.

“This is your room.” Gan Qing said tearfully. “I’d thought that Xuan De was going to die just like that.”

(TL: So sneaky, leveling up how she calls him. She actually calls him 玄德哥 here but it’s r.e.t.a.r.ded to leave -ge in or translate it so I’m taking it out. This series isn’t that big on honorifics anyway. Not the untranslateable ones in any case.)

“It’s our fault. We should have tried it ourselves first.” Yun Chang’s head was low and she had a look of utter regret on.

Though the rest looked alright, they were all clutching their stomachs and had terrible looks on them as they nodded in agreement to what Yun Chang said.

“Haha, just take it slow. If you practice more, you will definitely get better.” I leaned forward with difficulty and rubbed Yun Chang’s head. I really hoped she wouldn’t forget the part about trying it herself first.

“Speaking of which, does everyone know about the results of yesterday’s negotiations?”

I had come back late yesterday, and was not able to notify everyone immediately then.

“Hua Tuo and my lord had explained to us last night but we don’t really get it.” Wen Yuan said with a helpless smile as she frowned.

Ah… Looks like the communication abilities of these 2 need some work huh…

“But,” Wen Yuan continued, “We understood what transpired after Sun Qian and the other 2 came over and gave us a detailed explanation.”

“So we’re staying here for a while more then?” Yi De said listlessly as she hugged her head.

Looks like everyone is numb to rus.h.i.+ng about already huh~

“Un, we’ll be staying here until Meng De does something.” I got up with difficulty and touched my empty stomach. “Hai~~~ As expected, I’m a little hungry…”

“Then let me…” “I…”

“With your current skills, you 2 probably can’t make something edible yet.” I interrupted the two of them and said as I smiled, “In any case, work hard first. Let me taste it when you reach a level where you can eat it yourself. I’ll definitely finish it then.”

I gave them a thumbs-up to encourage them.

“Okay.”

The 2 of them agreed very unwillingly, but at present, I could only harden my heart and say so.

“Then, why don’t I…” Zhang Liao was midway through her sentence when–

“Lord Liu Bei, Lord Liu Bei.” A small cute voice interrupted from outside. Mi Zhen came squeezing in with a claypot on a tray. “I specially made some porridge for you, please eat it.”

Oh~~~~ Such a mature child for her age.

“No need to trouble yourself then, Zhang Liao. I’ll just have this porridge… Mi Zhen, thanks for your concern.” I smiled as I rubbed Mi Zhen’s head, as she giggled. “Come, let me try it.”

I set the claypot on the blanket and lifted the lid to find a most ordinary porridge.

Maa, it’s already very good to achieve this.

I picked up the spoon, and took a scoop of porridge and just when I was about to put it in my mouth when–

(TL: The spoon here doesn’t refer to the Western one. It’s that one you find in Chinese restaurants, which is typically used for soup and rice.)

“This is actually my first time, so it’s not too good.”

Eh?

My hand which held the spoon came to a stop once more.