Meng De POV

“Eavesdropping isn’t a good habit.”

“I only heard what was said at the end. Don’t worry.”

Seeing that I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t hear her, I smiled, and faced that person, “You’re not asleep yet huh, Ben Chu.”

Ben Chu walked out from the darkness, her golden hair dazzling under the moonlight, “The moon is full and bright today. Sleeping past this beautiful night sky would be a waste so I brought my little sister out for a stroll.”

Only then did I realise that beside Ben Chu was another head of long golden hair that dazzled similarly without losing out to Ben Chu’s at about the height of her waist.

“So Lord Yuan Shu is here too, I apologise for my rudeness.” I bowed toward Yun Shu on her wheelchair.

“Hmph!”

I looked at her and saw that she didn’t look too happy under the moonlight, and she was frowning with a tight expression on her face. Though she was younger by quite a few years than Ben Chu, her aura did not seem much less than Ben Chu and she would probably grow to be like her elder sister soon.

Except that she would be confined to a wheelchair.

“Dare I ask how Lord Yuan Shu’s injury is doing?”

“Not good.” Yuan Shu answered simply and plainly, without any courteous words added in.

“Meng De need not worry about my little sister’s injury. I will find the best physician to treat her.” She said as she pushed the wheelchair over to where I was, “But we’ll be having a nice long chat when it comes time to dividing Liaodong.”

“Naturally. Your little sister’s grievous injury will be considered where appropriate.” I smiled as I said plainly. Speaking in tongues isn’t my style after all.

“Hmph, that’s just empty talk.”

“Aiya, you saw through me huh.” I honestly admitted. As expected of my bosom buddy who’s known me since young.

“We’ll do it fairly when the time comes. It’s not as if my side’s merits are inferior to yours.”

Ben Chu may have said so, but I could feel her anger from her tight grip on the handle of the wheelchair. Anger for her lost Ji state troops, and anger for her little sister’s injury. I know full well how much she cares for her subordinates and her little sister after Guandu and Wuhuan. So if she insists on dividing the spoils but how much she has had to sacrifice, then she will get most of our gains since her forces bore the brunt of the damage.

But Ben Chu’s pride wouldn’t allow her to do that. Her desire to compete with me fairly wouldn’t allow her to do so.

“Alright, I got it. We’ll do it fairly then.” I agreed with her and smiled before turning and heading back to my room. By the way, I’m actually fine with giving her most of our gains since I have my own ways of getting them back eventually.

“Ah, Meng De.” Just then, Ben Chu stopped me all of a sudden.

“Un?” I turned back and saw her fidgeting about and she seemed like a totally different person. She seemed… Just like a normal girl.

“Umm, is Liu Yu Zhou now at Jing state?” She asked softly, without the usual strength and airs in her voice, making her seem a lot weaker than how she usually seems.

“Big sister, please get a grip on yourself.”

“I-I-I, I do! I’m more normal than ever!”

Yuan Shu expressed concern towards Ben Chu but Ben Chu got even more agitated.

Looks like something happened between Xuan De and Ben Chu at Guandu. I really want to ask what happened but I don’t think Ben Chu will tell me anything.

“Yes, Xuan De is now at Jing state. He’s probably just reached there a few days ago. What’s the matter?”

“No, nothing.” She frowned as she curled her hair by her ear with her finger, “I just wanted to tell you that taking the south won’t be like unifying the north. It will be more difficult and more costly.”

“I know this full well. But as Cheng Yu said, the southern campaign will commence eventually. After the Battle of Jiangxia concludes, I will weigh my options and make a decision then.”

“It’s best that you know then. When the time comes, the Ji state troops will be available for deployment.” As she said so, she paused for a moment before continuing, “I don’t mean anything by this, but Meng De better not underestimate Liu Yu Zhou. He may seem a little unreliable, and he may indeed be unreliable, but he is pretty useful all in all. Of course, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that Liu Yu Zhou is very formidable, I just wanted to say that he is… Un…”

The more Ben Chu went on, the more confused she got, and by the end of it, she stammered and couldn’t find anything else to say. But I understood what she was trying to convey.

“I know. Liu Bei Liu Xuan De has a mysterious charisma and many people look to him, be it ordinary citizens or feudal lords. Even if I have a numerical advantage, I might find it difficult to defeat him, let alone eradicate him.”

“Ah, un. That’s what I meant.” Ben Chu seemed a little unsatisfied at my words, and folded her arms across her chest as she turned away.

“And you might have to pay a heavy price.” Just then, Yuan Shu added, and smiled, “I know this full well.”

I suppose.

I smiled, and continued, “I understand. In any case, I will consider this at length.”

When I finished, I felt that there couldn’t be much more else to say, and made to leave.

“Ah, Meng De.”

“Un? Is there anything else?”

“… Umm, what was your relations.h.i.+p with Liu Yu Zhou before? You can’t possibly know him so much if he was just your retainer, right?”

I wasn’t looking at Ben Chu’s face, but I could largely guess what her expression was at this time.

At this question, I only laughed lightly, “That huh… When you yell me about what happened between you and Xuan De at Guandu, I’ll share with you what you asked.”

“Ah! You!”

I didn’t bother listening to what she was going to say next, and briskly walked off. No matter what she said after that, I didn’t reply. She didn’t chase after me either.

Usually, I would be able to give some empty answers or wave it away when met with such minor questions. But in that instant when she asked me that, I felt rage fill my heart.

What right does Ben Chu have to ask me about such things? She clearly doesn’t have any.

… But now that I think about it, being petty and throwing a tantrum isn’t my style.

Hmph.

I don’t know why I found this amusing but I decided to leave this matter behind for now.