Liu Bei POV

“Lord Liu Bei, may I ask if you are around?”

Wu.

Yi Ji’s resounding voice could be clearly heard from outside the residence, which made my heart instinctively tighten and cold sweat began to stream down my back.

“Guan Ping! Guan Ping!” I got up and stepped pa.s.s the doorway before calling out softly to Guan Ping who was about to open the main doors.

Guan Ping looked at me, and I did an ‘x’ with my hands to her. She frowned but nodded thereafter and opened the doors.

When I saw this, I hurriedly hid back into the residence and listened to what went on outside.

“I’m really sorry, my lord went to the market.”

“Un? Didn’t he go to the market yesterday and the day before?”

“Ah… He went with Lord Zhao Yun today.”

“Oh~ I see. Looks like Lord Liu Bei is quite caring towards his subordinates huh.”

“My lord is a good person so this happens often.”

“Alright– I’ll take leave for now. Please let Lord Liu Bei know that my lord Liu Biao wishes that he comes to see him at his residence.”

“Understood, I’ll make sure he gets the message,” Guan Ping said, and a moment later, I could hear the sound of the wooden doors closing.

I sighed, as I thought about how I managed to escape again.

“It’s been a week already right? Big brother.” Just then, Yun Chang who was sitting beside me spoke to me in a soft voice. I turned around and saw that she was combing her smooth, red hair with a wooden comb.

“Ever since big brother came back from Lord Liu Biao’s Jiangxia residence on our first day, you’ve been like this. Now that Lord Liu Biao is inviting big brother, big brother should go.”

“It’s not as simple as how you’re putting it.” I scratched my head, feeling exhausted as I got up shakily to sit down at my seat.

“My lord, what was that about?” Just then, Guan Ping came in as well with a puzzled look on her face.

“You’ve made me do this everyday for a week now and I’m running out of things to say.”

n.o.body asked you to be so honest. You only said I was off-duty for a single day. Why didn’t you say that we are out in the wilderness hunting or something? That would have given me a few weeks at least.

“But we can’t go on like this, can we? He’s taken us in, and we are the ones seeking refuge. If you keep playing hide-and-seek, tongues might wag.” Guan Ping raised the issues which I too was concerned about with a frown.

“Un.., But at least let me be prepared first…”

“Does big brother find Lord Liu Biao hard to get along with?” She said while she continued to comb her hair without looking at me.

“Un… I guess. But it’s mainly because I think he’s pretty weird.”

To be honest, ever since my first interaction with Liu Biao, I’ve wholeheartedly felt that this fellow is both weird and troublesome. And he is a royal fanatic. If I spend too much time with him, I might get infected,

Hai. I sighed, and began to feel like coming to Jing state might have been a mistake. The biggest mistake though, was the appearance of that Liu Biao.

All I could do was to reduce the time I spend with Liu Biao.

“Eh? Come to think of it, why is Yun Chang here today? What’s the status at our encampment?”

“I’m on leave today. I’ve pa.s.sed over my duties to Liao Hua.” Yun Chang put down her wooden comb and flicked her smooth, silky hair as she said so, and continued in a rather unhappy tone, “Apart from making an appearance on our first day here, big brother hasn’t shown any concern for us at all. Lord Lu Bu is complaining about you not coming to visit as well.”

“I really didn’t have a choice.”

I’m not the one to be blamed for this.

“Zi Zhong and the rest have been dragging me around these few days to see the geography of the place, walk the streets and other such things. It feels like I’m trying to run for an election.”

“Run for an election?”

“Ah… Never mind.”

I accidentally used a future phrase. Officials in this era don’t need to be very accountable to their people here.

“In that case, then that can’t be helped.” Yun Chang was still unhappy but she turned her face away with a frown and didn’t say anything further.

“My lord doesn’t know but mother misses my lord very much recently.” Just then, Guan Ping’s face suddenly appeared directly in front of me as she said so, scaring me with her anger-filled eyes.

“Missing me huh…”

“Ah! Guan Ping! Don’t spout nonsense!”

“Mother has been missing you so much that she hardly drinks, eats or sleeps!” Guan Ping ignored Yun Chang’s protests and continued.

“She sometimes complains about how my lord is unfair and biased. About how he forgot his little sisters from the start. She even says that the Xu state 3 are taking advantage of official matters to advance their personal goals. Something about using the opportunity to ripen– Wu!”

“Stop saying anymore! And stop calling me mother! Call me sister, will you!”

I was listening closely, but Yun Chang couldn’t take it and shut Guan Ping up.

Was it that serious? I thought as I looked at Yun Chang who turned red instantly when she saw me looking at her.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense, big brother! I never said those things! They’re all lies. I, Guan Yu, have always placed the big picture before my personal feelings…”

Should I say, as expected of Guan Yu Guan Yun Chang? But honestly, I have felt that I have been neglecting Yun Chang, and Yi De who is still suffering from amnesia.

I feel like I’ve grown distant from them ever since Yi De lost her memories.

Excuses. I know, I ought to have taken some time out these few days to go over to the encampment and pay them a visit,

But before that, I might as well take action now.

“Yun Chang, Guan Ping, pack up. We’ll be leaving in a while.”

“Eh? Big brother?” Yun Chang was surprised as she looked at me. I just nodded like always and smiled.

“… Un!” Only at times like these, Yun Chang smiles so brightly and innocently that she’s like a kid.

“Only at times like these will mother give this sort of smile. Mother is always so fierce and uptight,”

“H, how am I fierce? I’m much better than Lord Lu Bu, alright?”

She really likes to use Feng Xian that way huh… But whatever the case, I should spend more time with my close companions while I can before the events with Liu Biao begin. These are my true family after all.

*Dang* *Dang* *Dang*

Just then, several knocks could be heard on the wooden door. I thought it was Yi Ji again, but that person called out first.

“I am Liu Biao’s eldest daughter, Liu Qi, and I am here to pay a visit to uncle!”