Ah~~~~ So peaceful~~~~

I was currently sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, staring blankly into the sky like an old man.

Though I had experienced a nightmare at this stone table, the table itself was not to blame. And now that I’m enjoying its coolness, I am truly thankful of its existence.

“Hai~~~” I gave a long exhalation as I lay on the cool stone table.

Though the seasons had begun to change, the summer heat was still standing strong against the measly winds that had begun to blow.

Today is a good day.

Yun Chang and Yi De had gone shopping, Feng Xian and Zhang Liao had gone to practice at the drill grounds, and Hua Tuo was teaching Gan Qing and Mi Zhen how to cook.

If I could have my way, I would have wanted Yun Chang to learn from Hua Tuo as well. Whatever the case, today is a rare chance for me to relax alone.

For some reason, I feel like everyone has been treating me differently ever since Gan Qing joined us. Though I can’t quite pinpoint how or why things have changed, it’s just gotten a bit more tiring since.

On top of that, everyone seems to be talking about things that I don’t understand, making me feel as though I am out of step with the times… Though I am out of step to begin with.

But I don’t need to think about all that today because today is my rest day.

Having days like this once in a while, as for my plans for the rest of today…

Whatever goes~ Lazing about all day sounds good too~

“Yo~ You’re here as expected huh~”

However, just as I was entertaining such lazy, carefree thoughts, a drawling voice came from the door.

“Eh?” I uttered as I looked over, and saw Jian Yong was there.

“Eh what eh huh?~~~” She said as she fanned herself with a fan in her right hand, her eyes half closed with an irritated looking on her. “At least go have a look at the doc.u.ments today, Gong You is waiting for you.”

Ah… There was that huh.

“Eh? Wasn’t it just a one day trial?” I said, feinting ignorance.

“Trial?” Jian Yong said as her eyes bulged in disbelief, “Come on you, you should have some awareness of an official’s responsibilities by now, though you aren’t one yet.”

Un…

But leaving all that aside, it’s surprising for Jian Yong of all people to be the one to come find me.

“Oi! Are you listening to me?”

“Uwaa! Don’t come so close all of a sudden…”

I was caught off guard by Jian Yong who suddenly walked right up to me.

“Let’s go, quick.” She grabbed onto the hem of my clothing as she said so, “Xuan De…. No, Lord Liu Bei.”

Un? Did she just call me….

I looked at Jian Yong’s face but I could only sense a faint change in her usual expression.

Very quickly, I was hauled over to the study table by Jian Yong.

However, we did not see Gong You who was supposed to be waiting there. Instead, there was an IOU note on the table that said ‘I’m borrowing Gong You.’

The signee was Mi Zhu.

“Gong You was actually summoned by Zi Zhong. How could she not have told me huh~~~” Jian Yong said irritably as she looked at the note.

“In that case, you help me out then.” I said as I pointed to Jian Yong and the pile of books and bamboo scrolls.

“Me?” She frowned as she pointed at herself. “Stop kidding, why do I have to help clean up your mess huh?”

… Her att.i.tude is way too different from Gong You’s.

“Then what do we do? I can’t handle it alone without Gong You…” I lamented as I looked at the endless number of bamboo scrolls.

“Un? When did you start calling her by Gong You?”

“Ah? Ah… That is, isn’t it more intimate this way.”

I turned my head away as I thought back to what happened that day.

“Hai~ If you don’t want to say it, then forget it.” Jian Yong drawled, her voice dragging out longer than usual. “Anyway, just leave the work alone then.”

I’ve been waiting for this from you.

“Un, let’s do it like then, until Gong You comes back.”

As I said so, I smiled and decided to make my way back to my sanctuary, back to the stone table–

“Come back, whoever said you were free now huh.” Jian Yong grabbed my hem yet again.

… What else do you want huh?

“Come drink with me.” She wriggled her b.u.t.t and showed me the wine gourd hanging at her waist.

Jian Yong seemed a little excited as she said so, and immediately set out while I had no choice but to follow.

But!~~~

“Are we really going to drink? It’s not even noon yet~~~”

“Why can’t you drink before noon?” She said irritably as she turned around with her hands on her hips. “Just follow me, I know a good place.”

Though I wanted to say that I was still underage, I had no right to say so after having drank liquor quite a few times already.

But why is she always pulling me around by the hem of my clothes huh~~~ It’s not like I won’t go…

“We’re here.”

“That’s fast!” We’d only walked for a short while and we had arrived at our destination already.

I raised my head and checked out the interior of the place and found that it was just a small, ordinary shop. I tried to find the signboard but it was covered with a layer of dust that was so thick, I couldn’t even read the name out.

“Go on in, it’s my treat.” She let go of me and pushed open the door. “Xiaoer, the usual.”

(TL: Xiaoer, or 小二, is what people call the waiter or attendant at eating places in ancient China.)

“Yo, here again huh?” The xiaoer s.h.i.+vered and went further in to heat up the wine.

Looks like Jian Yong is quite the frequent customer here huh.

There were all sorts here, but most of them were from the lower cla.s.ses. It was also very raucous here.

“Lord Liu Bei, will you be eating anything?”

“No, no need.” I waved my hand as I looked at decadent demeanor. “You’re sure you want to drink now?”

“Didn’t you ask that before already? You’re so longwinded huh~~~” Jian Yong drawled on as she played with her fringe. “Or is it you don’t believe in my drinking capacity?”

“No no, I didn’t say that. And drinking capacity can only be ascertained after we actually drink.”

Every place had rather different kinds of liquor. In Zhuo commandery, the liquor there was almost like sweet wine while the liquor just slightly south was a lot more alcoholic.

(TL: j.a.panese equivalent is amazake.)

“Hmph!!” Jian Yong snorted dismissively. “Not that I’m bragging but even 10 bowls is not a problem.”

(TL: It’s actually a large cup but its closer to a bowl than a cup.)

As she said so, our wine was served.

Is there really no problem? I hope so.

“I’m not drunk!”

“Can you please walk properly? Then again you can’t even speak properly anymore…” I said helplessly as I dragged Jian Yong, who could barely even stand, up and out of the shop.

How is this no problem?!

Just before we left, the xiaoer had told me that though Jian Yong ordered 10 bowls every time, he only served 1 after he learnt of her capacity from her repeated visits.

I must say, good job xiaoer. If you had served even one more bowl, she would definitely be out cold and I wouldn’t be able to even move her then.

“So weird huh~~~ I… I remember I was pretty good at drinking back up north?~~~”

“Wine from the north? … Is it sweet wine?” I replied, and then asked, “Where do you live? I’ll drag you back there.”

“… Oh… Zi, Zi Zhong’s house. The room to the left on the second storey.” Jian Yong slowly said.

Oh? She’s staying at Mi Zhu’s place?

“Oh, I got it.”

As I said so, I looked about and soon found the tall building and began walking with Jian Yong in that direction.

“No! You don’t know anything!!” But just then, Jian Yong began kicking up a fuss for some reason. “You clearly forgot about me! You clearly don’t know anything!!”

“Oi! Don’t flail about.” Because of her sudden shaking, I nearly fell to thr ground along with her. “But what did you just say? Were those just drunk words?”

I have no idea what Jian Yong is saying. Just a while ago she was still in a drunken stupor but now she was so agitated… Though all she said were just drunk words.

“I’m not drunk!!~~~” She threw a tantrum just like a kid and flailed her arms at me. “Ish not me who ish drunk!! Itsh Xuan De who ish drunk!”

“Haa? … Alright alright. Just go and have a good sleep when you get home and it’ll be alright.”

“…”

“Un?”

Why did she go silent?

“*s.h.i.+ku*… *s.h.i.+ku*…”

“Un?!” I heard an ominous sound and looked at Jian Yong’s face, “Why are you crying?! Even if your drinking capacity is not like you thought it was, you don’t need to…”

“I’m not drunk! Xuan De do you really not recognise me anymore?! Did you even forget how I used to grab on to you like that?” Though her face was streaked with tears and her body was trembling, she still held onto the hem of my clothing. “I’m xiao Yong! Your childhood playmate!”

(TL: Remember when I said Jian Yong is Liu Bei’s childhood friend/acquaintance in the original?)

… Playmate?

No way. I clearly remember that we met for the first time 2 weeks ago… No, wait. She said childhood playmate…

“Umm, do you mean that we met a long time ago?” I looked away and felt at a loss as to how to deal with this situation.

“*s.h.i.+ku*… That’s right… We were indeed very little then… You probably can’t remember anymore.”

My memory in this era doesn’t even go back more than this year…

“But… I remember it very clearly, when I moved into Zhuo county, that short 1 month I spent with you was truly unforgettable.” Jian Yong continued. Seeing that she had calmed down quite a bit, I continued guiding her toward Mi Zhu’s house. “Some time ago when you arrived here… I soon realised who you were… But I also soon realised that you forgot about me…”

“…”

She spoke in dribs and drabs and we soon arrived before Mi Zhu’s house.

There was a guard at the gate and I dragged her in step by step toward her room after I told the guard what the situation was. There was no issue going in, the only issue was the guard flas.h.i.+ng me a weird smile as I entered.

(Translator’s impression: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )

Even though it’s not that sort of thing.

*Chiya*

Wa, so much soil.

The moment I pushed the door open, an utterly messy sigh greeted me… Was this really a girl’s room?

“But then… I soon made my resolve.” Jian Yong was still not done. “… No matter what, I will help you remember…”

Help me… Remember huh.

Unfortunately, I’m not actually that Liu Bei you know.

And didn’t you just tell me everything…

“I’ll help you remember the promise we made then. The promise to ma… Ma… Hu…” Jian Yong fell asleep before she could finish.

Her voice trailed off at the very end just when she had gotten to the most important part.

What was it that she was going to say?

I thought about it with a bitter smile as I found a blanket amongst the mess and put it on her before I left.

As I left the house, I felt empty inside and was a.s.sailed by a faint sense of guilt.

Whether it was with Gongsun Zan or not, could I just simply wave away their memories with a simple ‘I forgot’?

From where they stand, I am that one and only Liu Bei and they aren’t wrong.

I feel that the responsibility for this lies with me.

Since I’ve become Liu Bei already, then I must shoulder Liu Bei’s past as well.

“Did I say something yesterday!?” Jian Yong yelled out as she came rus.h.i.+ng into the courtyard early in the morning of the next day.

She still looked like she was in pain, and her hair and clothes were still messy. Such a Jian Yong was now looking at me with a frown on her red face.

“… No.” I was stunned for a moment by this shocking sight, and gave a white lie in response.

“Is, is that so… That’s good… Anyway it’s nothing, I’ll come and get you to do work in a while…” Jian Yong seemed relieved when she heard my words and made to leave.

“Xiao Yong?” I couldn’t hold it back, and called out to her.

When she heard me call her by that name, she went silent and stopped where she was.

“Though I don’t quite remember you… I feel that it’s not too late to get to know you from now on.”

I calmly said these completely unreasonable words.

“Wu…”

She let out a small cry, as she realised that she must have said quite a bit yesterday.

“This is really so troublesome… I’m fine with whatever~” Xiao Yong said cheekily and turned back around to leave.

“… Speaking of which xiao Yong, what exactly was that promise we had–”

“My lord you are too longwinded!” Before I could finish, she yelled out at me and ran off without ever turning back.

Ah, she fell.