Yi Ji POV

“Kuai Liang.” Just as I was celebrating in my heart that our lord wasn’t going into a long story, he called out softly.

“Ah, your retainer is present.” Kuai Liang lightly stood up and made her way to the central aisle.

“Kuai Liang, I’ve been trying out Dilu these few days and the feeling is simply marvellous, especially when it’s galloping away.” Our lord said with a great smile, clearly pleased at Dilu. However, when I looked at Kuai Liang, she had a difficult expression on her.

It was clear that it had become difficult for Kuai Liang to talk about their opinions on Dilu given what had just transpired.

Not that it has anything to do with me anyway.

“Well then, Kuai Liang, I have a question for you.” Our lord leaned forward and continued with excitement, “If we should change Dilu’s owner now at the very last minute, will there be any issues?”

“Eh?”

Eh?

Kuai Liang gave a surprised cry and her jaw was wide open, as was mine. At the same time, an ominous premonition rose from my heart.

“What does my lord mean by this?” Kuai Liang asked.

“Un…” Our lord stroked his goatee and sank into thought for a moment before slowly giving a measured reply, “I’m actually planning to give Dilu as a gift to my blood brother.”

“A gift to… Imperial Uncle huh?” Kuai Liang said as her expression went through many changes in a split second before ending in a wide smile.

In comparison, though my expression has not wavered in the least, I’m quite shaken on the inside.

A gift to Imperial Uncle? Why this all of a sudden?

“What led to this decision by my lord?” Kuai Liang asked as she raised her hand and covered her mouth, most probably to hide her smile.

“Hai, I’ve been thinking about things lately and I feel that as an elder brother, I have not shown enough care and concern towards this little brother of mine.” Our lord said and slapped his thigh as he said so, “My blood brother represented me in the Jiangxia expedition to face those interlopers. Even after this service and a miraculous escape, I suspected him. Now that I think about it, it’s absolutely ludicrous of me. My blood brother is an honourable gentleman but I had mistaken him for a despicable fiend. For this, I owe him due apologies.”

“My lord has spoken too much.” Kuai Liang said but our lord merely waved his hand in disagreement.

“Now my blood brother will head to Xinye to defend the borders of my Jing state against Cao Cao and Zhang Lu. He will be setting off imminently yet I have not prepared a gift that is worthy of him.” Our lord spread his hands and slapped his thigh once more, “That Dilu is a prize horse. It should have been my blood brother’s subordinate’s spoils of war. That it has come to me is a travesty to begin with. Now, it should be returned to its rightful owner.”

“My lord is wise.” Kuai Liang immediately replied and nodded.

“The horse is amicable so switching owners shouldn’t be a problem. If the one receiving Dilu is a talented individual like Imperial Uncle, the process should be seamless.” Kuai Liang said in a very convincing tone.

“Good!” Our lord waved his arm in the air, “Then the horse will be given to blood brother as a gift then.”

As I looked at how delighted our lord was, I felt deeply troubled and felt that I ought to stand up and say something.

At the same time, this would be the very first time I actually took the initiative to say something in Court, and it would also be something that goes against my lord’s wishes.

But I can’t be too concerned about such things, and I hurriedly stood up and lowered my head as I said, “Please pardon your retainer for speaking out of turn but Dilu is a prize horse, the likes of which are only seen once every century. Now that my lord has it in his possession, wouldn’t giving it as a gift be a little too extravagant?”

Just as I finished, I could feel our lord’s gaze on me. It was clearly a disdainful gaze but as someone who believes that Dilu brings bad luck to its owners, I cannot possibly let Dilu harm Imperial Uncle.

“Yi Ji, that’s my blood brother. That gift shouldn’t be too grandiose for someone of the same lineage right?” Our lord became melancholic for some reason when he said this, “I once harboured suspicions that he had designs on Jing state but now it seems like those are mere delusions. I once discussed many things with blood brother and I know that he is someone who will accomplish great things.”

Our lord then stood up and came to the central aisle, “Blood brother will not guard Xinye for his elder brother for the rest of his life. It’s clear that he has his own path to walk. As his elder brother, I ought to support him.” Our lord swung his sleeves as he said so, “Now it’s just a prize horse. Should the Imperial Court ever send a decree instructing me to hand over Jing state to Liu Bei, why should I have any qualms about doing so?”

Eh?

“My lord!”

“Governor…”

“My lord, that is inappropriate.”

My mind froze and at the same time, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue and Cai Mao spoke up at the same time. A commotion began spread amongst the other officials as well.

“Hahaha.” Just then, our lord burst into laughter, “I was merely jesting, why did everyone take me so seriously?”

When he finished, he ignored the dazed looks that everyone had and returned to his seat.

“The Governor of Jing state will not change and I firmly believe that blood brother will not act to change that.” Only after our lord said this did everyone around heave a sigh of relief.

I looked around and saw that the Kuai sisters had no change in expression at all. As for Cai Mao, she too was the same as always, and was just kneeling there and staring at our lord.

“Alright, in any case, I’ve taken note of Yi Ji’s views but your objection is overruled.” Our lord said resolutely and looked at Kuai Liang, “Well then, is everything settled then?”

“… Yes, all we need to do is prepare a new set of stirrups and a new saddle and we can transfer owners.h.i.+p immediately.”

“Good! Well then, now that it’s settled, let us move on to other items…” Our lord continued speaking but my mind continued to revolve around what just happened.

If Dilu brings bad luck to its owners, then this is serious.

Un… I have to make my way to Imperial Uncle’s residence immediately after Court ends.

Liu Bei POV

“Zi Zhong, are those scrolls over there ready?”

“Yes, they can be handed over to Xinye’s officials immediately.”

“Lord Zhang Liao, please remember to get an official seal from Xiangyang’s garrison. There is a pa.s.s we have to go through on the way to Xinye.”

“Do we get the Great Han official seal or the Jing state official seal?”

“The Great Han official seal. It will be useful in future when we go to other places.”

“By the way, where are the Jing state mountainous area maps we received when we arrived here? Lord Liao Hua, Lord Zhao Yun, did you move them?”

“No.”

“Don’t ask other people to find your own things, especially at such an urgent time. If you really can’t find it, then get another copy from the garrison though whether they will give it to you is another question.”

“Lord Chen Dao, please pa.s.s me the register for the first battalion, I remember…”

“Lord Chen Gong, please wait for a moment, I still have a request from a hundred man commander that just came in yesterday which I have not reviewed yet.”

I was sitting in the main hall doing nothing while looking at the busy people in front of me and realised that the time before moving out to Xinye is extremely short.

Ah… I’m about to go to Xinye soon.

Though I made my intentions clear to Yi Ji the other time when I went to apologise, and Liu Qi does not blame me at all, I haven’t seen her at all, and I’ve been thinking hard about this.

My defences during this period have been rather good and I will be going to Xinye shortly as well. But what happens after that? What will happen to Liu Qi? Will she become caught in the crosshairs of the Cai sisters?

Hai… This really is…

When I thought about this, my head started to hurt again. I looked outside and saw that summer was at full blast as usual. Just sitting here in the hall was unbearable, let alone being one of those busy running about outside.

I really want to go and help them but they know how much help I can offer and I too know it myself. So rather than go over and eyeball them, I might as well find a corner and sit down so I don’t get in their way.

Though I’m not helping them, I’ve been infected by their irritability, which has been further compounded by this unholy weather.

“Please sign here, my lord.” Just then, Yi De came over and placed a piece of silk before me as she did so.

“Ah, this is…” As I received it, I realised I couldn’t understand quickly enough its contents and asked Yi De for help.

“Doc.u.ments relating to the transfer of food supplies.” Yi De replied in a steady tone, “Xiangyang has agreed to give us about half a month’s worth of supplies when we leave. After we reach Xinye, we will be on our own.”

“Ah, is there enough in Xinye?”

We’re looking after 30,000 people after all.

“It’s a small county so it might be difficult.” Yi De shook her head slightly, “But in a few months, the autumn harvest will be here. Everything above and beyond the needs of the commoners are available for us. When that time comes, our fortunes will significantly improve.”

“And what do we do before that?”

“We will likely have to get the soldiers to engage in agriculture before then and plant some crops which have shorter harvest cycles.”

Un… I grunted and nodded.

Alright, let me confess something– I’m still not used to how Yi De speaks right now.

Yes, Yi De’s memories have not shown any sign of recovery at all.

Based on what Hua Tuo said, I should speak with Yi De as much as possible.

Yet, after we’ve come here, apart from our short trip to Liu Biao’s residence, I’ve had practically no interaction with Yi De whatsoever. Naturally, it was largely thanks to the Jiangxia expedition. Though the tears Yi De shed during Chen Gong’s prank had given me a glimmer of hope, it has slowly eroded away since then as nothing has changed.

I don’t know what Yi De thinks in her heart but she hasn’t revealed anything on the outside and I haven’t found a chance to ask her as well.

Based on what Yun Chang says, Yi De has not shown any outward deviation in her behaviour. Everything has gone what it has been for a while now and she has not shown signs of either recovery or further degradation. Her ability to deal with paperwork is about the same as Liao Hua, such that she is every inch an upstanding administrative official.

From my point of view, this isn’t a good sign. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Yi De being an administrative official, but if it’s even possible, I still hope for the original energetic Yi De to be by my side.

It was, after all, that Yi De who first spoke to me when I came to this world. One could say that it was Yi De who made me become Liu Bei and allowed me to know Yun Chang.

If Yi De is no longer that Yi De, I’m afraid there will be a rather significant hole in my heart which will be difficult to fill.