Liu Bei POV

“Elder brother… This is…” I couldn’t believe what I saw and my arm which was patting Liu Biao instinctively stopped as well.

From what little I know about human biology, blood is supposed to be red and not black. There is, however, one possible reason why one would vomit black blood out.

“Elder brother… Have you been poisoned?”

“…”

After I spoke, I stared at Liu Biao who was almost curled up into a ball. However, Liu Biao didn’t speak as he was trying to catch his breath.

After he seemed better, he removed his hand from his mouth and brought it to his eyes. To my surprise, he only chuckled when he saw his palm.

“Ah… I didn’t think it would be this serious already.”

“Eh?”

I was shocked and thought that Liu Biao lost his wits so I hurriedly knelt down beside him. What I saw though was a man who looked profoundly lonely and calm.

Any other person would have panicked or be shocked but all I saw was calm. As though Liu Biao already knew this was coming.

Did he… Know that he was being poisoned?

“Elder brother, be honest with me.” I couldn’t take it any longer and looked at Liu Biao with resolute eyes, “Your present condition cannot be because of some minor health issue. Elder brother should know this! You’re being poisoned!”

“Yes, I am indeed being poisoned. And it’s a slow-acting poison.”

… Eh? I was even more shocked. Liu Biao did indeed know that he was being poisoned, which explained his previous actions. But if he knows that he is being poisoned, why didn’t he say anything?

And what does the second half of what he just said means? How does Liu Biao know that it’s a slow-acting poison?

“Elder brother, what do you mean by this? You know you’re being poisoned but you’re not doing anything about it?”

“Un… To put it simple, yes.” I can’t believe Liu Biao actually honestly acknowledged that.

“What’s the difference between this and killing yourself?” I don’t know why but I got enraged from hearing Liu Biao admit to it, “Elder brother, tell me now. Who is the one poisoning you? Is it an a.s.sa.s.sin from another faction? Or is it an insider job?!”

The more I went on, the more angry I got. Liu Biao, on the other hand, was calm and peaceful as he patted my shoulders with his clean sleeve and shook his head, “a.s.sa.s.sins can never make it inside here. Though my retainers and officials are not die hard loyals, they are prudent and steadfast and would never do such a thing.”

“That’s…”

When he saw me at a loss, Liu Biao opened his mouth and closed it before finally asking me, “… Must you know?”

When I saw Liu Biao’s watery eyes, I felt compelled to know, “If I can save elder brother, yes.”

“I don’t need saving…” Liu Biao gave a relieved smile and paused for a long while while I only waited quietly for Liu Biao to continue.

The answer that came, however, was something completely unexpected.

“… Your sister-in-law did it.”

“What?!”

Lady Cai did it?!

“Umm, elder brother…” I went up to Liu Biao and repeated his words in an exasperated voice, “You said… That it was Lady Cai who poisoned you?”

Liu Biao gave a long sigh and vigorously nodded. He then held up a bowl and shook it in front of my eyes, “Twice a week, twice per day. It’s probably been about 3-4 months since she first started it.”

Eh? Isn’t that before we came to Jing state? And how does he know such details. But– Why?

Many questions and thoughts floated up in my head but at the end of the day, they could be summed up in one simple sentence,

“Elder brother, I don’t understand.”

Yes, I don’t understand. And I don’t understand anything at all.

I lowered my head as I wasn’t sure how I could face Liu Biao. At the very least, I do know that I shouldn’t look at him with a strange look.

“Hai… At the very end, I still told you everything huh?”

Compared to me, Liu Biao didn’t seem emotional about it at all and only seemed a little regretful about telling me about it. After he spoke, he reached out for the win in front of him.

As I looked at the wine in the jar, a thought came to mind.

“Elder brother! Don’t…” I yelled out and s.n.a.t.c.hed the jar away, spilling some wine on our clothes.

“Oi, oi…” Liu Biao looked like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and frowned as he said, “Umm, that wine isn’t poisoned. And didn’t you just drink from it as well?”

Ah… Now that he said it…

When I heard what Liu Biao said, I finally regained my senses and my cheeks reddened as I felt ashamed of what I’d done.

“Ah, ah, I’m really sorry for this.” I hurriedly apologised and returned the wine jar to the table. I then sent Liu Biao a probing look and saw that he was looking at me. Though he was still frowning, the corners of his mouth were upturned.

“Hai…” After ome time, Liu Biao sighed, “Blood brother, when you said you don’t understand, do you mean that you don’t understand my reaction to being poisoned?”

I went through my thought process once more and then nodded.

“Un… That’s fine.” Liu Biao seemed to struggle for a bit in his thoughts before reaching a conclusion and turned to me, “Since I’ve already told you about my poisoning, I might as well tell you everything.”

Liu Biao seemed more at ease now than before and picked up the wine jar I’d taken away earlier and finished it.

“The reason is simple.” Liu Biao smiled after he finished the wine and said–

“Because I am royalty.”

Eh? Royalty?

“So what if you’re royalty? Do royalty have to accept being poisoned?” I still didn’t understand and got even more mad as I felt that Liu Biao used ‘being royalty’ as an excuse far too often.

However, Liu Biao actually looked delighted when he heard what I said, “Oh? Does blood brother understand?”

“No, I don’t understand at all.”

What does Liu Biao mean? I thought as I looked at Liu Biao who was rubbing his goatee.

“Blood brother, do you know? I’ve always been thinking about how royalty should go about doing things for literally everything.” Liu Biao said as he tilted his head, “Like how royalty should walk, talk, eat and sleep. Of course, some of these are just things I had to learn them spontaneously as there are no places or outlets for me to learn it from.”

What do you mean learn them spontaneously, you just came up with them on your own based on your own habits… I tsukkomi-ed in my heart as Liu Biao continued further.

“But I still haven’t arrived at an answer to this question. That is, as royalty, how should I die?”

…. No way.

“Yes,” Liu Biao nodded when he saw my expression and continued, “As royalty, besides dying naturally and receiving a lavish burial, they usually get poisoned.”

“Then why did you choose being poisoned?”

That still doesn’t explain things.

“Blood brother, I know you don’t understand me.” Liu Biao said as his expression completely changed from a relaxed one to a serious one. At the same time, he also turned to face me fully.

When I saw this, I got nervous as well and felt that Liu Biao might have some serious considerations for his decisions.

And then, Liu Biao spoke up, “But, as royalty, shouldn’t I cherish this opportunity to be poisoned? An opportunity that only comes to few members?”

“You accepted being poisoned for this?! Elder brother!!”

“But blood brother, you should understand right? Being poisoned is something royalty should accept.”

“I don’t understand at all and I don’t want to accept being poisoned either.”

“My descendents are royalty anyway so I’m not worried so long as they succeed me.”

“That’s not the point!”

Hu… I gave a long sigh and tried to calm myself down.

I really didn’t expect that he could spout such nonsense with such a serious look. Though I can’t quite believe it, perhaps it is possible for a royal fanatic like him to have such radical ideas.

Though I still don’t understand him.

“… And I also feel that I deserve to be poisoned.” But Liu Biao surprised me once again.

“Eh?”

“You said you deserved it… But what do you mean by that?”

“I mean what I said,” Liu Biao’s expression was as serious as ever as he looked at me, “I’ve wronged my family too much after all.”

“Eh?”

Wronged?

“Blood brother, you should know more or less right?” Liu Biao said, his expression looking more sad as he spoke on and his eyes drooped, “When I was young, I was bloodthirsty and compet.i.tive. When Qi’er was born, I wasn’t at home and when Lady Chen died of illness, I wasn’t at her side either. So I fully understand Qi’er’s grudge against me.”

As Liu Biao said this, he twirled his finger about the handle of the wine jar. His eyes were glazed over as though the scenes of what he was talking about were playing before him.

“Later on, Lady Cai gave birth to Liu Cong. I was hardly at home and basically didn’t care much for my 2 children. After Lady Chen died, they were left to Lady Cai and the attendants. I held high expectations for them and was strict with their upbringing. Though I was a little less strict with Liu Cong, she still isn’t close to me and this is my fault.”