Liu Bei POV

“Uncle is really in a good mood huh, seeing as you’re able to laugh.”

Eh? When I heard this voice and means of address, I trembled.

“Liu Qi!?” My eyes widened as I looked over and saw Liu Qi who was wearing a plate skirt standing beside me.

“Are you alright!?” I hurriedly looked her over and saw that though her clothes were dirty, there was no sign of blood.

“Uncle shouldn’t use such an obvious gaze to inspect people. It feels weird.” She said with a serious expression as she took 2 steps back.

“Haha, sorry about that.” I hurriedly s.h.i.+fted my gaze away. But really, I was elated. My companions and Liu Qi and her people are alright.

“A while ago when we brought my lord to sh.o.r.e, we were on our way to Jiangxia city when we found Lord Liu Qi and the rest who were ready to retreat.”

“Retreat? Has it been decided already?” I asked and only then looked at my surroundings and found that we were some distance away from the port.

“We just received the edict with the order for us to retreat so it’s time we do so.” Liu Qi opened the edict and showed it to me as she said so, “I didn’t think that something like this happened to uncle.”

“Ah… Yeah…” Of course, I can’t explain to Liu Qi what happened with Lu Meng.

As I looked toward the port, I saw that the flames continued to spread and surge. Looks like Lu Meng has sealed her victory as she said in the time when I was out.

“Sorry that I left shortly after the battle began and couldn’t help.” I apologised when I remembered that I wasn’t of any help at all and even hindered her plans.

“Uncle need not apologise.” But at my apology, Liu Qi only shook her head and showed me a forgiving expression, “You’re not of much help anyway.”

That’s too much!

“Lord Liu Qi, how can you say that–”

“Even if it’s the truth, please be a little more tactful…”

“Objection!”

Chen Dao defended me while surprisingly, Chen Gong and Zhou Cang also stood up and protested.

“Please forgive me.” Liu Qi smiled when she saw this and softly apologised.

“Oh, right. What about Huang Zu?”

“…”

I posed the question very casually but Liu Qi’s smile froze and she stopped speaking with no intention to continue.

“Un? Just say it, Liu Qi.” I bade her to continue, as I could guess what the situation was like from what I saw.

“When we left, Huang Zu was still fighting. It was already very perilous then. If it’s now–” Liu Qi shook her head as she said so.

I see… So it came down to that in the end huh…

“I understand.” I nodded seriously as I thanked her.

“Uncle, can you still ride?”

“Un… I should be able to somehow.” I said as I applied strength and got up from Chen Dao’s thigh.

“Let me carry you, my lord.”

“No, no need for that. I know that you’re all very tired as well.” I said as I looked at Chen Dao, and at Zhou Cang and Chen Gong. They have been through the battle, and swam about in the river for a while yet they were still up and about. It was clear that they were holding up just based on their willpower.

As their lord, how could I not think of them at times like these?

“My lord!”

“No need to say any further, Chen Dao. Just help me bring my horse here.”

“But…”

“Chen Dao, Imperial Uncle has said as much so no need to say any further.” Chen Gong said as she walked over and patted Chen Dao’s shoulders. Chen Dao had a difficult expression on as she looked at me before she folded her arms and went over to guide my horse.

I heaved a sigh of relief inside and looked at Chen Gong, but when I looked at ger, she turned her face away.

“Please don’t look at me with such eyes. I just don’t want to listen to such silly conversations.”

“Un, I know.”

This is how Chen Gong should be like.

“Hmph.”

But who knew that when she looked at me, she got even more angry and rolled her eyes before she stormed off.

Ah, I really don’t understand.

Up till now, I’m still unable to grasp how the girls by my side think. Sometimes, I don’t know if what I’m doing is right or wrong, and when I voice out my thoughts, things are never as what I thought.

It really is difficult to understand girls…

“Stop making silly smiles to yourself, uncle. We need to get going.”

“No, I’m just smiling bitterly at my situation.”

“You’re clearly giving a silly smile. I really wonder how uncle usually spends his days with so many young girls about him.”

Eh?!

“No no no, you’re misunderstanding things! I always sleep alone!”

“Eh? What I meant was that uncle would have met with some inconvenience in his daily life from time to time, why is uncle talking about sleeping?”

“Wu!”

I took the bait! I actually got tricked by my own niece!

The corners of her lips curled upward slightly, as she smirked at me. I really wonder if she is influencing Yi Ji or if it’s the other way round. They really are alike in the most uncanny of ways.

Thereafter, she blinked and extended her hand to take the reins of her horse which Wen Ping had led over.

“But it’s good to see uncle being so energetic.”

“Please don’t test my liveliness like that. My heart might just stop.”

“Don’t exaggerate it so much.” She said calmly, not guilty at all at making my heart pound for a moment.

“My lord, your horse.”

“Ah, alright.”

Hai… I gave a long sigh as I turned back and looked at the burning port, and at Jiangxia city with sorrow.

Hei!

I mustered up what strength I had in my hips and leapt up onto the horse in 1 go. Because this was a new horse, it was difficult to control at first so I had some difficulty after mounting it.

“Uncle, let’s get going then. Yi Ji has more or less finished tallying the numbers already.”

“Ah, un.” I hesitated for a moment before nodding. In my mind, I was thinking about my companions in Xiangyang and about Jiangxia.

I didn’t manage to partic.i.p.ate in a lot of events here and it feels like everything, including the decisive battle, went by in a flash.

The only things left, are the yells of slaughter and the embers.

Has Huang Zu really decided to die defending the city? Or has she already given up and fled with the remnants of her troops.

I don’t even need to think about it, she definitely chose the former.

Because an opportunity to prove her undying loyalty, and fulfill her desire to repay Liu Biao, has manifested itself in Jiangxia city. And so, to her, defending it to the death is something natural as she will lose her meaning to live if the city is gone.

Could she have seen this coming from the very beginning?

My impression of Huang Zu has undergone many different changes. I first thought she was a weirdo, and later felt that she was very high-handed. On the other hand, she cares for and listens to the people. At the same time, she is also a very strong warrior. It’s not very clear, but Huang Zu has her own path as well.

Though this path is about to end, I have been very much touched by it and have learnt much from her, how she had an unwavering optimism, and gave off an impermeable sense of security.

Have I overestimated her? No, I don’t believe I had.

Huang Zu POV

I’ve done everything I can.

Though I still can’t make up for anything, nor have I achieved anything at all.

But I don’t regret it in the least.

“Su Fei! How many troops made it out?” I yelled out to the honest naval general behind me.

I didn’t look at her but she didn’t reply me after a long while. I thought she was counting off but when I turned back, I realised that she was just silent.

The ones who made it out could easily be counted with the naked eye. No matter how generous you wanted to be with your estimates, they were merely 1-200 men.

Amongst them were 4-5 sole survivors of my black cavalry. The rest were the navy. Their armour was light and many only had a short sword with them.

Ah… This really is… How are we going to defend the city later?

I really don’t know what to say.

But never mind, it’s better than having no one.

“Administrator, should we continue to defend the city or go to–”

“I’m not going anywhere, I’m defending the city!” I yelled out at her, so that her words wouldn’t dampen morale.

When she heard my yell, she didn’t speak any further. I can tell that her dissatisfaction with me has reached its peak.

“Apart from Su Fei, who else is around?”

“Vanguard Chen Jiu is here!”

Chen Jiu huh… So there are still generals around.

“Alright! When we reach the city, you shall bring these troops to defend the south gate. I’ll deploy the reserves.”

“Understood!”

The city garrison has about 3-400 reserves left. Along with these 200 or so here, we should be able to defend at least 1 gate.

Even if the city should be lost, I must die by combat on the city towers.

“Administrator, when we get to the city, should we draft the city’s adult men–”

“No!”

“Administrator Huang Zu!” Su Fei finally couldn’t take it anymore and called out to me by my name.

What she said is reasonable but I cannot abide by it. My duty is to protect the people of Jiangxia so how could I possibly draft the people to defend the city!?

I am supposed to protect the people, not the city.

“Administrator Huang Zu, it’s a little late to be saying this, but if you had listened–”

“Don’t say any further, I don’t feel that I made a wrong decision with that matter.”

“Administrator, you’re too high-handed! How can your subordinates–”

“If I am not! The city would have been gone long ago!” I roared out once more. I know I shouldn’t but I still did it.

Because I don’t know any other way of doing things.

Though I can understand where Su Fei is coming from, I am unable to accept what she is proposing.

My lord Liu Biao, if it’s you, will you prove of my actions now?