Chen Gong was very direct, but she was right as well. I personally believe that it is impossible for Chen Gong to rise rapidly in officialdom for the near term at least. My t.i.tles as Governor of Yu state or Xu state are just empty t.i.tles. If I were to exercise any authority, I would be acting against the Great Han and against my stated mission.

The only one who can really fulfill Chen Gong’s ambitions is just Cao Cao Cao Meng De. From what I can remember, it does seem like they have had some relations.h.i.+p in history.

“I understand what you mean.” I nodded. Since Chen Gong is willing to be so honest, there is not much more I can say, “Well then, if Chen Gong wants to–”

“No, Xuan De, you don’t understand what I mean.” But Chen Gong immediately shook her head at what I said.

“Eh?” I was really puzzled at what Chen Gong said. If that was not what she intended to do, then why did she tell me all of that?

“I have my doubts, but that does not mean you have lost my trust.” Chen Gong smiled as she tidied her tall hat, “I only lost my trust when I heard you went missing.”

“Ah…” I looked at Chen Gong when she finished and saw that she was looking at the performance with a much kinder expression. By the way, her collarbone is really nice. She would probably be very attractive if she wore off-shoulder clothing.

“So now that I think about it, it’s probably a good thing that Lord Lu Bu did not take me up on my suggestion.” She said as she s.h.i.+fted her gaze back to me, which made me panic a little as I was spying on her so I quickly s.h.i.+fted my gaze to the performance.

“If Lord Lu Bu had accepted my proposal back then, we would probably be on a 1-way trip to Hanzhong right now.” Good thing Chen Gong did not notice me staring at her, “Hanzhong is, for both Lord Lu Bu and I, not the optimal choice.”

“Optimal choice huh…”

“Yes, for Lord Lu Bu, being here is the optimal choice. For me, being here is perhaps the best way to find the optimal choice.”

“Ah… I see…” I merely repeated the important points of what she told me as she said so. To be honest, I am beginning to sweat out of anxiousness as I really do not know what she is trying to get at after telling me all of this.

“Alright, that’s it.” Before I could get a clear picture, she ended the conversation and picked up the gourd as she refilled my bowl.

“Ah, ah… But…” She ignored my stammering and filled up my bowl before taking her bowl from behind her and filling it as well.

“In any case, my proposal to Lord Lu Bu was because I was too impatient. I will reflect on this.” She said as she raised her bowl, “As for Xuan De, I am truly relieved and glad that you survived.”

“Ah…”

*Ding*!

She reached out with her bowl and clinked it with mine before I could even react, spilling some liquor out. She then wordlessly bowed before finis.h.i.+ng her liquor in 1 go. I was still lost but decided to just go with the flow and finish my liquor as well.

Haa~ Leaving everything aside, it seems like my alcohol tolerance has greatly increased since I have come here.

“Well then, I’ll be heading back now.”

“Eh? … Ah, un.”

Chen Gong picked up her bowl and gourd as she left. I was getting rather tipsy at this point and did not know how to respond so all I did was nod. Only when she had made her way to her seat did I realise that I still did not know what she had come here for.

&

ldquo;Kuh~ That Chen Gong~” Wen Yuan said as she chuckled and shook her head just as she left.

“So what was the deal with Chen Gong? I don’t get it at all. And you said nothing the whole time but now that she’s left, you started gossiping about her.” I complained to Wen Yuan as she did not help me at all just now.

“Sorry, sorry~” Wen Yuan looked like she was still a little drunk as she waved at me while shaking about with a red face, “I was listening the whole time and I must say that she’s not honest with herself at all.”

“Not honest?”

“Though I must add that big brother is really blockheaded as well.”

“Yun Chang? You were listening in as well?”

“Ah… Un… I listened to a little, I guess. But I definitely wasn’t eavesdropping!”

You clearly were eavesdropping… But why did you have to blame me? What does it have to do with me?

“To put it simply, she came here to tell you that she was very happy that you survived and came back. And now that you have, she regrets ever proposing to break away.” Wen Yuan said as she took a swig of liquor, “To put it even more simply, she came to congratulate and to apologise to you.”

“Then why didn’t she just say so?”

“That’s why I said that Chen Gong wasn’t being honest…”

“But big brother’s blockheadedness is also to blame.”

Like I said, how is it my fault… But now I understand why she came to speak to me. I looked at Chen Gong who was back at her seat and felt that she seemed like a middle schooler who had overcome a problem with her eyes gleaming and her earlier gloom gone. Looks like Wen Yuan’s a.n.a.lysis was on the mark.

“Ah, since Yun Chang said I was blockheaded, I would like to ask you all a question.” I said as Wen Yuan and Yun Chang came closer and listened keenly, “Do you all have anything you are unsatisfied about with me?”

“Un…”

“That huh…”

Yun Chang and Wen Yuan sank into silence at this. So that means they do have something they are unsatisfied about?!

“Please go ahead and tell me. I can try to change.”

“No, that will be very difficult.”

“And besides, the thing we are unsatisfied about is because of our own selfishness.”

They both smiled stiffly and meaningfully each other. In the end, I still did not understand what they were unsatisfied about. As I looked at them, I decided to give up asking and figure it out myself.

“Alright, let’s talk about something a little more serious then.” I patted my face and decided to dive into the main topic, “What is the situation like in Xiangyang?”

This was something I was supposed to know at the door but thanks to Zhou Cang’s surprise, I only got to ask about it now.

“Ah, about that huh…”

Though I could guess that the situation has changed drastically after what happened to me, from how Wen Yuan and Yun Chang are behaving, it seems like the situation might have exceeded my wildest guesses.

“So what happened?” I asked once more, sensing that they found it difficult to start and decided to give some of the most likeliest guesses, “Is Xiangyang still searching for me? And did Cai Mao get punished by Liu Biao?”

“No. After Lord Zhao Yun came back, they recalled almost all of their search parties.” Wen Yuan answered my first question.

“As for Cai Mao, we don’t know the specifics but it seems like she’s been demoted.” Yun Chang picked up and answered my second question, “She should now be on her way to Jiangling after being driven out by Lord Liu Biao.”

“Ah~ I got it.” I nodded. Everything they have said is well within expectations. Liu Biao would never have executed Cai Mao. And forcing Cai Mao to leave Xiangyang means that Liu Qi is safe for now. This could also mean that Liu Biao would tell Liu Qi about succession matters.

“By the way, after what happened to you, Lord Liu Biao seems to have collapsed from illness.”

“Eh?! He collapsed?” When I heard this piece of news, a chill went down my spine. Naturally, this has to be related to Liu Biao’s poisoning, “What was the cause?”

“We don’t know anymore than that.” Wen Yuan said as she shook her head and took a long draught of liquor, “Additionally, Lord Liu Qi has left Xiangyang for Jiangxia.”

“Eh? She’s gone back to Jiangxia?”

“Yes, Lord Sun Quan and her faction in Jiangdong have concluded their negotiations with Liu Qi and returned Jiangxia to Lord Liu Biao. It seems like Lord Liu Qi volunteered to go to Jiangxia.”

I really did not expect this. When she said Liu Qi had gone to Jiangxia, I thought that it was the machinations of Lady Cai and Cai Mao. But when I thought about it again, that was impossible as they have lost their authority. I felt confused as Liu Qi’s choice to go to Jiangxia under these circ.u.mstances did not seem very logical.

More importantly, I wonder if she chose to go to Jiangxia with the knowledge that Liu Biao wanted her to be his successor. If that is the case, then it would mean that she wants to go there to improve herself.

“How is Xiangyang like now? With Liu Biao sick and Liu Qi absent.”

“Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue are in charge. Lord Liu Cong is supporting them.”

As expected huh? When I heard this, I felt a little let down. From a pure risk-return perspective, she should have accepted the position of being Liu Biao’s successor first before doing anything else. Wanting to improve herself can always come later. Liu Qi is still a little too upright when doing things.

“There are also other things that big brother should know about which are beyond Jing state.”

“Eh?”

While Yun Chang spoke, I was still planning on eating but when I looked at her stormy expression, I realised that what she and Wen Yuan were worried about was not what they just told me. And what was to come next was what I really needed to know.