Liu Bei POV

“Eh? Here?” The one who asked this wasn’t me, but Chen Gong, “Shouldn’t we be doing this in Jiangxia city’s official residence?”

I do feel that it’s weird, but I don’t mind it as much as Chen Gong. Perhaps if this were some other normal event, then it should be done in the official residence.

When met with this question, Gan Ning tugged her scarf upwards before she replied, “I may have forgotten to explain this. The Administrator is afraid that the enemy may launch a night raid given that we are at war, and has thus decided to hold it at the command room. I apologise and seek your understanding if our reception is lacking.”

Gan Ning lightly bowed and saluted when she finished. She didn’t bow very deeply but she was clearly sincere with her apology.

“This is– Eh!”

“No no no, we can understand.” Seeing that Chen Gong was getting mad, I hurriedly interjected and defused the situation.

It was rare for someone who was a pure warrior general to be able to respond in such a soft and polite manner. Of the ones I know, only Yun Chang and Tais.h.i.+ Ci can do this. Perhaps Li Dian and Yue Jin can do this as well but they’re a little weird.

Not only could she do that, Gan Ning was even smooth and fluid with her respectful bows and salutes which surprised me.

“Hmph, forget it. It’s fine as long as there’s food.” As for Chen Gong, after a few seconds of internal wrangling, she finally gave in for this. I have to admit it though, the rations we had whilst marching here were terrible. All we had were dry and hard foods like dried meat and biscuits, or porridge.

And so Gan Ning dismounted first followed by us. After pa.s.sing through the fence, we entered the encampment and pa.s.sed through some tents before coming to a larger tent. If it were slightly darker, I doubt anyone would realise that this was the main tent which served as the command room.

“Administrator, Imperial Uncle Liu Bei has arrived.”

“… Please enter at once.” A reply came from inside swiftly after Gan Ning’s holler.

“Well then, let’s enter. The rest should have been waiting for us for while now.”

“Ah, yes.” I nodded as I said so. And Gan Ning lightly parted the curtains and let me enter first. I shook my sleeves and revealed my hands and entered the tent as I saluted.

“Administrator–”

“No need for that, sit.”

When I entered the tent, I kept my head lowered and intended to bow and salute, but she cut me off once more.

“Ah… Yes.” I lightly replied and looked to the side. On this side, Liu Qi had already taken a seat, with Yi Ji and Wen Ping sitting on either side of her.

“Ah, Liu Qi is here already huh.”

“Uncle.” She saluted and bowed as she greeted me.

“No need… Un, I should be sitting there.” Seeing that I went to the wrong side, I turned and headed to the right.

“I don’t mind having uncle sit beside me.”

“I don’t mind sitting at the second seat which Imperial Uncle should be sitting at.”

What’s this got to do with you, Chen Gong…

“No, no need for that. I’ll go sit where I’m supposed to.”

The food was already served, so apart from Liu Qi who was talking to me, Aen Ping and Yi Ji had begun eating already. I can’t possibly make Yi Ji move when she’s already begun eating. Seating arrangements are also part of etiquette and I have to abide by them.

“Un, alright then.” She said and lightly nodded before contuing with raised eyebrows, “We’ll speak at night when we get back.”

“Ah, un.” I nodded back as well, with the knowledge that what was to be discussed later would be far more important than what was to be discussed here.

As I thought so, I made my way to my seat and sat down. The other 3 were already sitting down by now and had begun eating. It’s a good that that Chen Gong and Chen Dao are using their chopsticks so I don’t feel particularly embarra.s.sed,

Then, Gan Ning sat down at the tail end.

“Well then, everyone’s finally here.” Huang Zu looked at our side, and at Liu Qi’s side and breathed once before she continued, “We are now in precarious times so I don’t have any special delicacies to offer. All there is are just some meats and vegetables to fill everyone’s stomachs. Please don’t hold back and eat your fill.”

Huang Zu didn’t give any pompous speech nor did she give Liu Qi any special mention or treatment. She just saluted her and picked up her chopsticks and began eating. By the way, all of us had changed out into casual cloth clothing. Only Huang Zu was still in her armour, and it didn’t seem like she had any intention of taking them off. Every time she reached out to grab a bit of a dish, her armour would clink audibly.

As for the rest, especially someone like Zhou Cang, they didn’t even bother listening to Huang Zu’s speech and continued eating with big mouthfuls, completely ignoring the image they projected. What a waste of her natural beauty.

I was sitting opposite Liu Qi and neither of us picked up our chopsticks. She looked at me and I looked at her, and we both looked at Huang Zu, making it feel very awkward. I was very hungry but before eating, I had a lot of things I wanted to ask Huang Zu. But without a way to start the conversation on the right note, it’s difficult to ask what I wanted to ask.

Oh right, I remember that Huang Zu likes to drink. Why not start with a toast?

As I thought so, I raised my cup, “Well then, I would like to propose a toast to General Huang Zu–”

“Thanks. But apart from before and after a battle, I don’t drink at all.” She gave me a sound rejection. When I looked over, I saw that she had a small pot behind her with a gourd on top of it. She scooped out some liquid from the pot with the gourd and gulped it down. When she finished, she raised the gourd at me.

“I’ll subst.i.tute water for wine.”

A pot of water huh… Could it be that she intends to finish that whole pot tonight?

“Good water capacity!”

I didn’t know what to say so I just gave a random praise.

*Dang*

“Umm, Administrator Huang Zu.”

A light clunk resounded as Liu Qi downed the wine in her cup and placed it back down on the table. She then turned and looked seriously at Huang Zu.

“Let’s speak frankly as guarding generals of Jiangxia.”

“… Please go ahead Young Mistress.” Huang Zu sank into silence for a moment when she heard this, and put down the gourd in her hands as she indicated to Liu Qi to continue.

“Un, that’s good.” Liu Qi nodded and continued, “To put it simply–”

“You’re asking me what my numbers are and what my plans are for the upcoming battles right?”

Huang Zu cut her off as she did to me. Seems like she knows what we want to ask.

And when Huang Zu finished, almost everyone’s chopsticks stopped as they waited for Huang Zu’s next words with bated breath. In the entire tent, only Zhou Cang’s incessant eating filled the air.

“That is so.” Liu Qi said as she nodded.

“There are presently 4,000 men that can be deployed in the city. I have enough supplies to last a year. My opinion is that the siege will not last beyond a month and the enemies will pull back to Jiangdong.” When she finished, she smoothly picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of food which she sent into her mouth. When she finished eating, she breathed out again, blowing her fringe up, allowing me to see that her eyebrows were at ease.

“I know that you both have suffered grievous losses in this battle. But don’t worry. Even without your reinforcements, my deep sentiments with Jiangxia city over the years is enough for me to hold the bridgehead of Jing state.”

*Pu* She blew up her fringe again.

Sentiments… How do I say this…

I looked at Liu Qi, and saw that her dissatisfaction was approaching boiling point so I decided to change the topic and help her alleviate her temper.

“But Administrator, may I ask why you chose to leave the city before we came today? And you only brought 2,000–”

“Before you defend a city, you must leave and meet them in battle. This is a tradition I have followed all this while. And I only brought 1,000 men out of the city.”

“Ridiculous! Isn’t that too ras.h.!.+ How many troops have you lost for nothing?” But this question drew out even more ridiculous words from Huang Zu which drove Liu Qi over the brink as she exclaimed and slammed the table.

*Pu* Huang Zu was unperturbed and blew up her fringe again.

“Don’t be so agitated, Young Mistress.” Just then, Huang Zu’s gaze sharpened as she continued, “I brought only 1,000 out and lost only 200.”

Wu.

Even though Huang Zu didn’t continue her words, it was clear that this was directed at Liu Qi and I. Of the reinforcements we brought, only half were left after all.

Both Liu Qi and I were silenced, and didn’t reply to this.

“So that’s what it’s all about…”

Un? Just then, Chen Gong who was beside me muttered under her breath. But I didn’t know what she meant by this, nor do I have the leisure to ask her now.

“But I heard from the enemy’s generals that reinforcements from Jiangdong will be here in a few days and they will launch another offensive with possibly tens of thousands of troops. Can we really withstand it?”

“We can. You can all rest easy.” Huang Zu lightly patted her plate skirt as she said so, “Our naval fleet will be here im a few days as well.”

Huang Zu didn’t have much of an expression on but the edge of her lips were curled up. I didn’t feel very confident when I looked at her though.

“Ah, let me interject for a moment.” She suddenly spoke up as thought remembered something. But doesn’t she always interrupt people anyway? Why this all of a sudden? “Now that we are all fighting together, I have the duty and the right to command your troops. Of course, I leave the details to you all but the responsibility for overall command will be mine.”

As Liu Qi guessed, Huang Zu wants our command rights. But to us, having and not having that 1,000 or so for each of us doesn’t make a big difference.

Liu Qi and I looked at each other, and I took out my half of the command tally and also checked to see if the personal troop tally that Liu Qi gave me was still around. When she saw this, Liu Qi also took out her half of the command tally.

“Good, good. Relax, we will win this battle.”

*Pu* and her fringe flies up again.

It feels weird to hear her say flippant words with a serious face.

“Well then, let’s continue eating then. The topics from before were a little heavy and by right, we ought to avoid them during a banquet.” She said after the fact. This felt more like an ordinary meal than a banquet though.

I didn’t know what to feel, and when I saw that they weren’t going to discuss serious any matters anymore, I decided to start eating. And so I picked up my first dish and placed it in my mouth.

It’s a good thing that the food in Jiangxia is delicious.