Liu Bei POV

“But doing something now should undoubtedly be very difficult.” I could only weakly reply and couldn’t even muster a nod.

“It is, which is why I’ve been buying flower seeds every year for the past 5-6 years, planting them and waiting for them to bloom.” Liu Cong opened the wooden box as she said so and revealed a smile that beheld complicated emotions, “I’m hoping, hoping that amongst all the different flowers, I can find one, just one flower that will not trigger reactions from us.”

Liu Cong then raised her head and looked at me with resolve in her eyes, “Then when the time comes, I will offer it to my elder sister along with my apologies.”

So that’s what it’s all about.

But that’s practically impossible. From what I know, all flowers have pollen and if there is pollen, allergic reactions will be triggered. I’m actually rather impressed at Liu Qi’s secret garden. Now that it’s been thoroughly destroyed, can we really find another plant with flowers that have no pollen?

(TL: No pollen is impossible (Correct me if I’m wrong, I did economics for my undergraduate degree). But there are flowers with heavy pollen (does not spread in the air) or low pollen which are good for people with allergic reactions.)

I don’t know.

“Ah… It’s so itchy…”

Un? Just then, Liu Cong raised her hand and began to rub the back of her neck irritably, which looks like a clear sign of an allergic reaction.

“Oi, wait a second, Liu Cong, you wouldn’t be testing these flowers on yourself, would you?”

“It can’t be helped,” Liu Cong chuckled, “No one else around me has such a const.i.tution after all so I can only do it this way as a form of atonement I guess.”

“But you shouldn’t expose yourself to too much of it. It might start as an itch or rash but things can get dangerous with prolonged exposure.” I frowned with worry. Though I’m not well-versed in medicine, I have heard of allergic reactions triggering respiratory failure.

“Thank you, uncle, for your worry but I have been watching myself as well.” She gave a relaxed smile as she said so, “Besides, I have already tested most of the flowers from last year which have bloomed. Only a few are left that haven’t bloomed so there won’t be any problem at all.”

Will she really be alright…

As I looked at Liu Cong’s smile, I felt like she was pus.h.i.+ng herself a little too much.

“But even if Liu Qi forgives you, will anything change?”

Though I hope that Liu Cong succeeds, the reality is that the things that the both of them, or rather their 2 factions, have done is not something that can be waved away with a flower garden.

Even if Liu Cong wishes for it, even if they both wish for it, it will be difficult to get along like how they used to.

“I understand what uncle means. I too know that even if elder sister forgives me, our relations.h.i.+p will never return to what it was like before because there are things that have made it such that we might engage in open conflict anytime.” Liu Cong closed the wooden box and frowned but the faint smile still remained, “But at the very least, I hope that elder sister can admit and believe that, once upon a time in our childhood, we got along happily together.”

Liu Cong’s words and her smile made me feel an intense and profound loneliness and helplessness. But as an uncle who is practically speaking an outsider, I am unable to say anything at this time.

I can’t tell her with certainty if Liu Qi will accept her apology, nor can I help the both of them resolve the issue of the inheritance. Instead, as the backer of one sides, I’ll even make things worse.

Now that I think about it, with respect to the inheritance struggle, what did Liu Cong and Liu Qi feel about partic.i.p.ating in it as the 2 main actors? As the second daughter, does Liu Cong really have the desire to usurp her elder sister’s position?

I don’t know.

As I thought so, I stepped out as much as I could without letting the blade fall to the ground and reached out to rub Liu Cong’s head, “In any case, do your best. Of everything goes well, the Liu Qi of now will at least be willing to listen to you.”

I’m talking rubbish, I’m well aware of that myself. But as an uncle, this is all I can do.

“Un, I’ll work hard!” But Liu Cong seems to have been encouraged and nodded vigorously like a kid, “I’ve been at it for a very long while now, though I haven’t achieved any results, I’ll continue working hard.”

As she said so, Liu Cong rubbed her neck once more. Hai… There’s probably no medicine to counteract allergies in this era but I might as well try asking Hua Tuo when I get back.

For some reason, Liu Cong began to look at me closely, “Un…”

“Umm, what is it?”

“No, no,” She smiled, “Now that I’ve gotten a good look, I feel like uncle isn’t too much older than me.”

“I am indeed just a few years older than you.”

Wow, someone actually used that tsukkomi. I actually thought I looked old so being called uncle came naturally to her.

“And I found out today that uncle isn’t as bad as what mother says.”

“What the heck has Lady Cai been telling you…”

Of all people, Lady Cai doesn’t have the right to say that of me.

“Hehe, basically nothing good.” Liu Cong seemed considerate and didn’t share it with me, “Father also discussed uncle with me a couple of days, and from what father says, uncle didn’t seem as bad as mother says.”

“Elder brother huh?”

So Liu Biao talked about me with Liu Cong huh, that should have improved her impression of me somewhat.

But why did he have to discuss me with her? I seem to recall him mentioning it during our late night rendezvous but I don’t quite remember the details of any arrangement we discussed.

“Aiya, I’m going to be late! I still have lessons in the afternoon today.” Liu Cong suddenly piped up with surprise as she looked at the sky.

“Go on ahead then.” I nodded and pointed at the other side which still had a large group of people squeezing about, “I’m still waiting for someone.”

“Alright,” Liu Cong bowed as she said so, “In any case, be it financially speaking or psychologically speaking, thank you uncle for your a.s.sistance.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I didn’t do anything much.” I nodded and waved.

“Uncle.”

“!”

Just as I raised my hand, Liu Cong came jogging over and whispered in my ear, “My mother could do something over the next few days so please be careful, uncle.”

I’m sorry.

Liu Cong retreated after this last line and smiled stiffly at me before bowing once more, almost like she was making an apologetic gesture. She then ran off in the opposite direction.

I don’t know how much Lady Cai has divulged her nefarious schemes with Liu Cong but she definitely knows more than any of us so if she asked me to be careful, I will really have to be careful.

“Big brother.”

“Waa!”

A somewhat low voice came from behind and jolted me. I reflexively turned around immediately and recognised who it was, “Aiya, Yun Chang huh… Don’t scare me like that!”

“…” Yun Chang had a difficult expression on as she looked at me silently with her eyebrows half-raised as though she were looking at a weirdo.

“So what’s up?” I asked as I lowered my head, feeling uncomfortable from her gaze, and saw that she’d bought quite a lot of stuff.

“Did you buy something expensive?” I hazarded a guess.

“No, everything was cheap.” Yun Chang replied with no change in her expression, “By the way, big brother had a pretty nice expression just now huh.”

Un? Just now?

“Don’t try and act innocent. I saw everything.” Yun Chang said as she walked over to me and grabbed the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and pulled it up and out in one go and rested it against her shoulder, “Did big brother not listen and go and hit on girls again?”

“Eh! How can that be?!”

I swear by the heavens that I was not hitting on her just now.

“Big brother, I believe that lying is the start of a slippery slope to character degradation.” Yun Chang ignored me and continued, shaking her head as she did so, “I personally witnessed you getting up close and personal with another girl.”

Hai…

“Ah! Are you talking about Liu Cong?” I finally understood what she was talking about. Looks like Yun Chang saw what happened at the end.

“Liu Cong?” Yun Chang tilted her head to the side, seems like she doesn’t know who I’m talking about.

“It’s Liu Biao’s second daughter, I happened to b.u.mp into her.”

“I didn’t see her face…” Yun Chang’s expression improved but she continued to look at me with suspicion, “Oi oi, big brother wouldn’t be lying, would you?”

“How could I be lying!”

That’s too much.

“Hmph, whatever, I’m used to it already anyway.” Yun Chang seems to have bought a lot of stuff she likes so her mood was pretty good as she hoisted her bags on her blade before walking, “Big brother, let’s go back.”

“Hai… What I said was the truth.” I said as I followed behind her.

“I’ll take it as the truth then.” It was really rare to hear Yun Chang using a feigned nonchalant tone, this meant that she was really displeased.

As I looked at Yun Chang from the side, I felt helpless. I really don’t understand the hearts of girls…

“… Well then, is there anything that big brother would like to eat tonight?” Yun Chang asked all of a sudden as though nothing had happened.

When I heard her speak, I smiled. Perhaps I don’t need to understand after all.

“Anything you can make is fine.”

“What does big brother mean by this?”

“Nothing. I’ll eat anything you make.”

On the way back, I continued chatting and joking with Yun Chang, not really paying much heed to what Liu Cong told me.

What would happen later, is something that proceeded too fast for someone who knows little about the Three Kingdoms like myself.