Lu Meng POV

“Ah~ So cold~”She softly said and I looked down and saw a head of red-brown hair beneath a pet.i.te tiger hat.

Hai… Who was it that said our lord has grown? She’s still the same as she was a few weeks ago.

“Well of course I am.” I’m not dry yet after all, “My lord should get off quickly or you will catch a cold.” I said and grabbed hold of my lord’s shoulders and pried her off of me. Ah… My lord is getting taller. She was still shorter than me by a bit a while ago but now she’s already caught up.

Personally speaking, it’s a little painful.

“My lord, behaving like this is too unbecoming.” A sharp voice came from inside, a voice that invoked fear in me just by hearing it.

Of course, it wasn’t just me who got chills from hearing it. My lord at this time was standing stock still with her eyes wavering.

“T, teacher Zhang Zhao, I was just expressing my friendliness, that’s all…” My lord said as light footsteps could be heard.

The curtains parted and Zhang Zhao stuck her head out of the room, “Even so, you must be mindful of appearances… Come inside first, my lord.”

My lord rigidly turned with the same expression on her face and met Zhang Zhao’s eyes before she went in.

“Lord Zhang Zhao.” I naturally met Zhang Zhao’s eyes and hurriedly bowed and saluted her.

“Lord Lu Meng.” She was shorter than me so she had to raise her eyes to meet mine as she bowed. Yet, I still felt as though her gaze delivered a pressure on me as though she was the one looking down. Perhaps this is her aura.

“Let’s leave the pleasantries aside. Please come in, everyone.” Zhang Zhao said as she went back in without saying anything else.

“… This is–” Gan Ning asked. I can’t see what her expression is like but I can guess that she is very surprised by what she saw.

“Ah, she’s Zhang Zhao Zhang Zi Bu. She is perhaps the greatest in all of Jiangdong.”

“She probably isn’t very old right?”

“Un… That topic is best left for when we are alone.” I don’t want Gan Ning to make any guesses, especially about her age. To be honest, I myself don’t know how old Zhang Zhao is. But I can be sure that her age is far beyond how she looks, and it wouldn’t even be strange if her actual age is several times that.

As for the rest, they seemed rather troubled.

“It’s like we came here to be scolded by her…”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Ling Tong. Even Lord Sun Jing did not dare to say too much to Lord Zhang Zhao.”

“Ah, it feels like we’re in a battlefield.”

“She wouldn’t be docking our salary, would she… Zhu Zhi and Zhu Ran did lose quite a lot of troops after all so she might get us to compensate for that.”

These people… Why are they so… What do I do now? I feel a little trepidation as well.

Just when I was about to be fully infected by their atmosphere, Zi Jing patted my shoulders and said to me with a smile, “It’s fine. It’s really alright this time.”

He even said ‘this time’… Bad memories are beginning to replay in my head.

I looked at Zi Jing, and he nodded at me.

Fine, I’ll believe you this once.

And thereafter, I gingerly parted the curtains. I was planning on looking about inside for a while but found that the room was dark inside and I couldn’t make out what was inside so I parted the curtains a little more so that there was more light.

Eh… Why am I being like this!

In the end, I gave in to my temper and completely opened the curtains as I stepped in.

Just when I entered, there was an ‘wu!’ that gave a fright.

All the windows opened at once, and light and fresh air wafted in. Only now was I able to see what was in the room.

There were no scrolls, nor were there guards. Just banquet seats.

“Welcome back!!” My lord at the main seat yelled out as the generals who had already seated along both sides gave me a raucous applause.

I looked over, and saw that the ones clapping were Zhu Zhi and Zhu Ran who came before us and Zhang Zhao from before.

“This is…”

“We were planning to give all of you who have achieved merits this time a grand welcome but our lord was too excited and ran out, ruining the surprise.” Zhang Zhao said as she flicked her long, white hair. Surprisingly, she had a wide smile on her as she said so.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Zhang Zhao’s smile.

“Hehehe, I nearly gave it all away.” Our lord rocked about her seat happily as she said so, not reflecting on her actions at all. Oh well, it wasn’t much anyway, I thought as I went to sit at the first seat on the left aisle.

“You both came here pretty quickly huh,” I said to Zhu Zhi and Zhu Ran as I sat down.

“Yes, Lord Zhou Yu notified us ahead of time and got us to come here earlier and wait for you.”

“I see…”

Zhu Zhi was all smiles, but I felt weird looking at her like that. Zhu Ran, on the other hand, was sitting there quietly in a daze, and only nodded slightly when she saw me.

These 2 people aren’t very fun to hang out with.

Thereafter, the rest of them took their seats. After giving a quick summary of Gan Ning’s situation, it was just as I guessed. Whether it was my lord, Zi Jing or Zhang Zhao, they were all pleased with Gan Ning.

(TL: In the original, Gan Ning was exiled in name to an island to appease Ling Tong.)

From the beginning till the end of my summary, I could feel a vicious gaze from Ling Tong. In particular, when our lord paid tribute to Ling Cao, I could feel like Ling Tong’s chopsticks were about to fly out at Gan Ning.

But good thing that she didn’t do anything. Probably because she felt like it would be highly improper to do so in such a situation, and when our lord is in such high spirits.

I have to say, Ling Cao really did bring her daughter up well. At the very least, she’s better than Zhu Zhi by far.

“Xing Ba (Gan Ning’s courtesy name), Jiangdong is your home from now on. If there is anything, you can always look for me–”

“Ahem… My lord has much to learn and study.”

“Ah, of course. When I’m resting.” My lord hurriedly added on more words when she heard Zhang Zhao’s words and looked back at Zhang Zhao to see that it was alright. Only when Zhang Zhao picked up her chopsticks again did my lord heave a sigh of relief.

“Yes…” Gan Ning nodded and saluted.

“Alright, no need for that. It’s a little odd to salute at the dinner table.” My lord said with slightly raised eyebrows as she waved at Gan Ning.

“Well then, let’s begin.”

Finally, the words I’ve been waiting for. When she finished, I hurriedly picked up my chopsticks and began picking food to eat. As for the ones beside me, they were famished as well and began gobbling down copious amounts of food.

Whilst eating, I found that my lord’s way of eating has changed and she is a lot more refined than before. Looks like she’s picked up a lot from Zhang Zhao’s teachings.

As I thought about this, I picked up a bowl of food and started shoveling food into my mouth.

Ah… Should I change how I eat as well…

… Probably not.

The thought crossed my mind before I remembered that I was just a military personnel and did not have any civil appointments yet so I felt that I should enjoy eating like this while I still can.

“Speaking of which, has my lord decided on who to lead the garrison of Jiangxia?” I suddenly remembered that the issue of Jiangxia city hadn’t been resolved yet and asked, “If you haven’t made a choice, then you can let sister Dong be the Administrator and let Gan Ning be her aide. I believe that choice of personnel will be perfect.”

Gan Ning was familiar with this area and sister Dong happened to need a change of environment. It’s better for her to move to a splendid area such as Jiangxia city with its picturesque scenery than have her stay in Shouchun or Wu commandery which are filled with her memories of Lord Sun Jing.

But just then, I felt something touch the back of my neck, and I turned around and found that it was Pan Zhang’s braid.

Geh! I got a shock and felt angry soon after as I shot her a stare. She was unperturbed and began to signal at me with her hands.

Looks like she’s reminding me to raise the matter of rewards.

Of course, I haven’t forgotten about this.

Honestly, whether I raise the matter or not, we will get rewards. But when the one giving them is Zhang Zhao, rewards can be very scant and there are even times when all the ones who have achieved merits have gotten are several bags of rice.

But if we raise to our lord, she will very likely reward us more lavishly and Zhang Zhao never disagrees with it when our lord bestows rewards.

“Un… About this…” But at my question on the appointments at Jiangxia, our lord stammered and began to scratch her ear nervously.

Un? Has she guessed that I am about to talk about rewards?

“About the matter of Jiangxia city,” Just then, Zi Jing spoke up, and paused for a long while before he continued, “We have decided to abandon Jiangxia city and return it to Liu Biao through diplomatic channels.”

“Eh?!” I was thoroughly shaken by these words and all thoughts of asking for rewards flew out of the window.

What is this? We paid so much in blood to take the city and now we’re giving it away empty-handedly?!

“My lord! Is that true?”

“Un… Regretfully, that is how it is going to be.” My lord was shocked at my sudden question and shuddered before she continued with a bitter smile, “But now that the one who killed my father is dead, I’m satisfied.”

“But–”

But we lost so many troops in this battle.

I had a lot to say but they were all stuck in my throat. I didn’t want to ruin the scene and make things awkward after all.

“Lord Lu Meng, calm down.”

“Lord Zhu Zhi, did you know of this beforehand?”

“Of course not, I too just heard of it.” Zhu Zhi said as she sat upright and placed her hands on her thighs, “But when you think about it, it does make sense.”

“Make sense?” I didn’t get it, why would you lay siege upon a city and take it only to abandon it shortly after?

“Lord Lu Meng, I was the one who put this suggestion out. No need to stare at her.” Just then, Zhang Zhao who was sitting opposite me spoke up softly.