Lu Meng POV

After hearing this from her, I felt my anger extinguish by a fair bit.

“No, I wasn’t staring… But I really don’t understand why.”

“Lord Zhang Zhao’s proposition is not without reason. Our main forces are in Jiangdong so we will not be able to adequately support Jiangxia.” Zi Jing hurriedly began to explain, “And the rest of Jing state’s cities are heavily fortified. Moreover, now is low tide season so Jiangdong cannot easily supply Jiangxia. Therefore, whether we continue to attack from or defend and hold Jiangxia, it will be very difficult.”

“So you’ve decided to abandon Jiangxia and return to Jiangdong?”

“Yes. Our main objective has been met with anyway. Huang Zu is dead and our lord Sun Jian has been avenged.” Zhang Zhao nodded as she clasped her hands and prayed to the heavens.

Hai… Never mind. I can’t out talk these people and I’m not very keen on leaving Jiangdong either.

I looked at the others, and saw Ma Zhong and Pan Zhang nod at me. Pan Zhang looks like she’s still eagerly awaiting for me to broach the topic of rewards. Sister Dong looks rather carefree, as though this doesn’t bother her in the least. Gan Ning looked like she was in deep thought but when she saw that I was looking at her, she quickly nodded as well.

… Un, in that case–

“I understand. Let’s do it like that then.” I quickly gave up as I was more or less convinced, “Does our lord Sun Ce know of this? I’m sure she will be elated to hear of this.”

Ou lord Sun Ce has left Jiangdong for almost a month now. I never thought about it before but now that she’s gone, I really miss her. Especially those beast-like eyes of hers.

“Big sister knows. She writes every week after all.” My lord said as she took out a letter from her breast pocket. She spread it out, and I realised that there were actually 3 letters, “I wrote back to her this week and told her about this so that she could be happy as well.”

When she finished, my lord smiled innocently. Though she has become more learned, her personality hasn’t changed at all. My lord Sun Ce was never this playful back in the day, nor did Zhang Zhao have to be so strict.

In any case, this matter has come to a close. I didn’t forget to mention about the matter of rewards and we all got generous rewards.

In particular, my lord did not forget to give Ling Tong her mother’s share. Though my lord isn’t very close with Ling Cao, Ling Cao is still a member of the old guard who served my lord Sun Jian. Whether it was my lord Sun Ce or my lord Sun Quan, they have all treated members of the old guard generously and with respect.

“Please wait for a moment, my lord. I have something to discuss with you.”

“Eh? What is it? You’re being so mysterious.”

After the banquet was over, everyone got up and got ready to leave. I waited for a moment when there was few people around and went up to my lord and whispered to her.

My lord didn’t know what I was about to tell her but seemed very curious as she held her wine cup and slowly sipped the juice contents.

What I was about to say, was perhaps the most important piece of information I had coming to this banquet.

I went up to my lord and softly whispered into her ear, “My lord, I met Imperial Uncle Liu Bei on the battlefield.”

“Ah, Xu Shu…” In a thatched cottage, that little girl looked up at the skies and softly sighed, “Why is it that even you are creating needless trouble?”

She closed her eyes and continued to fan herself as she felt her problems grow once more.

(TL: This small part is important, but for something that is revealed in the next volume.)

Liu Bei POV

“Ah, my head feels heavy.”

Our army was currently marching in a dirt road in the forest. I was sitting on a horse and every slope made me suffer. If I knew it would be like this, I should have shed any pride I had and let Chen Dao ride with me. Right now, they were stationed in the main body and the rear guard so that they could be on guard for any pursuing enemies and I’m unable to seek their a.s.sistance.

Ah… Calling us an army might be a stretch since we are just the remnants of a retreating force. I looked back and felt like our troops had dwindled significantly.

“Practically all of the Nanman troops died in the naval battle before.” Liu Qi said to me softly when she detected my gaze directed behind us, “But that’s a good thing. If these troops are to spring a surprise attack on us, those Nanman troops would be the most difficult to handle.”

“Ah, I remember seeing them before.” I uttered as I recalled that when I went to see Liu Qi, I had come across some Nanman troops. Be it their dressing or their looks, they were indeed discernible as Nanman.

And Yi Ji’s a.s.sessment of them back then naturally floated up as well.

“But it’s really a pity. Those few hundred Nanman troops were meant for greater things right?”

“Yes, though I’m not too keen on them exercising their abilities on us.” Liu Qi said as she rolled her shoulders, “Honestly, the Nanman troops were meant to form a raiding unit to attack the north. Back when the Battle of Guandu was still raging on, there was talk of a.s.saulting Xuchang from behind but it fell through in the end because of my father’s issues.”

“Hai… And now they’ve ended up like this…”

“It’s all because of that Cai Mao fellow who doesn’t know how to use his troops and always likes to put on airs with such things. If those people have any grievances after death, they should be looking for Cai Mao.”

After hearing this from Liu Qi, I didn’t have much else to add and only laughed along. I don’t know if they will bear a grudge after death after all, or if they would find Cai Mao if they did.

But both Liu Qi and I were in agreement on one point at least, that the Nanman troops died an undeserved death.

They probably thought that they would meet their end on the battlefield through spears or arrows, or perhaps through the harsh environment of their homelands if they eventually returned. But they never knew that they would one day embark on an expedition to a.s.sa.s.sinate their lord’s daughter, and die by drowning in the process.

Un? Come to think of it, would those Nanman troops have any connection with Meng Huo and the rest?

“Oh right, speaking of our troops, about 300 or so are left.” Liu Qi suddenly recalled something and came up close as she said this to me.

What was to come next in the conversation was predictable so I too, went up close, “How many of our own troops are left?”

“…” Liu Qi sank into silence for a moment and raised her hand and clapped my shoulder as she replied somewhat nervously, “Probably about 50-60.”

“50-60 huh…” I replied, my tone instinctively louder. But this was within expectations so I quickly nodded and accepted it.

Though our numbers have dwindled, compared to before where it was a 1:10 disadvantage, we are now at 1:5 so things aren’t too bad.

“I know that uncle is thinking optimistically again.”

“Eh? Does it show?” I uttered as I touched my face but couldn’t feel any distinct change in my expression.

“No, but your reaction was a lot more bland than I expected.” Liu Qi sighed before she continued, “You must be thinking that our relative disadvantage is a lot less now right?”

Ah… She completely saw through me.

“I know, the situation is still very dire–” I said, but before I could finish my sentence, my nose itched terribly– Achoo! Achoo!!

And I sneezed twice in a row as I s.h.i.+vered.

Ah~

It’s so cold. I warmed myself up by the fire before though. Is this because of a fever?

“Uncle really has a weak const.i.tution huh.”

Wu… My own niece actually said this of me.

“I’m actually not bad, I’m just a little sick this time, that’s all~”

I’m not bragging but I do indeed think that my body is fairly strong. Ever since I came to this era, I’ve never gotten seriously ill. Back when I was escaping to seek refuge with Ben Chu, I did get a fever but quickly recovered soon after. Which is why I can’t believe I actually got a fever just from getting drenched for a bit.

“Ah, speaking of which, do you get sick often?”

I’m not too familiar with how life is like in this era, and all I know is that life expectancy is generally low.

Liu Qi gave a wry smile at my question as she replied, “I don’t usually get sick, and even if I do, I can just continue with my daily activities without any issues.” As she said this, she uncharacteristically patted her chest with pride and gusto, “A few years ago, this body was still rather thin and weak but it’s become a lot more durable and filled out now.”

Seeing her say that she’s filled out while patting that rather flat chest makes me feel sad for her for some reason…

“Is it thanks to Liu Biao’s strict guidance?”

“More or less. But I am thankful for it. At the very least, I am fitter and stronger than that tender Liu Cong.”

Comparing with Liu Cong again huh? Every time she talks about that little sister of hers, she always expresses rather negative and pointed opinions. Looks like there is much history between the 2 of them.

Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say between the 2 factions.

“Alright, enough about all that.” All of a sudden, she intentionally lowered her voice, “What do we do next?”

As she spoke, I could see her gaze quiver about.

“What do you mean what do we do?”

“Uncle should be able to tell that we are in great peril.”

“Aren’t we always?”

“That’s not what I meant. Look about uncle, and behind.”

I did as she said and looked about but because the road we were on was very narrow, there was nothing but dense forest to the left and right of us.

And thereafter, I looked back–

Wu… In an instant, I felt the gaze of several dozen eyeb.a.l.l.s focused on me, and the gaze was so sharp that I quickly turned back.

“Uncle is being far too obvious. You should have been a little more natural about it.” Liu Qi softly complained but I got a bad shock from what just happened.

“Could it be that they have already decided to act?”

“I don’t know, but I began to feel the atmosphere become heavier since a while ago.” Liu Qi said as her expression became graver, “They didn’t act before during the siege and the naval battle. This is probably their last chance.”

I looked up at the sky and saw that the sun had already retreated behind the forest. In a couple of hours, the sky would become completely dark.

“Could they be planning to do something after we set up camp?”