Liu Bei POV

“Un…” Yuan Zhi was very clear in her proposal. It just so happens that I considered everything she mentioned as well.

But I personally feel that doing things this way might be a little too devious. My current position is for the sake of helping Liu Biao defend against an attack by Meng De to begin with yet doing what Yuan Zhi suggests would amount to a betrayal of Liu Biao who is already gravely ill. Though it’s still better than taking Jing state alongside Meng De, it’s still far too cruel to Liu Biao.

At the same time, I am not sure if it will even work. If I really broadcast my survival, will Meng De really go around me and attack Liu Biao? Or would she treat me as part of Liu Biao’s faction and take me down? However, I cannot mention this possibility as it is based on my personal feelings after all and it will only complicate things if I am asked to explain myself.

“In any case, these are my thoughts.” Yuan Zhi heaved a little sigh og relief and finished her bowl, “Haa… What to do will depend on what Xuan De wants. I only gave what I felt was the most realistic strategy to take.”

I have to say, Yuan Zhi is really convincing. She has been a great help in clarifying the situation and the possible paths to take, especially when this predicament we are in is so chaotic.

“Un, I understand.” I came to a decision and nodded, “Well then–”

“Xuan De.”

“Un?”

Just as I came to decision, Yuan Zhi called out to me. I looked at her and saw that she had her index finger to her lips, looks like she wants me to keep silent. If it were someone else who did this, like Yun Chang or Feng Xian, I would have felt an urgent need to be alert. But with Yuan Zhi, when she did this action, it seemed like she wanted me to be quiet because I had woken her up.

“What is the matter?”

“… Listen.”

Listen? To what? I was confused but still did as Yuan Zhi said and kept quiet.

… *Dong* *Dong* *Dong*

*Dong* *Dong* *Dong*!

Un?

*Dong* *Dong* *Dong*!!

Is someone knocking on the main door?

*Dong* *Dong* *Dong* *Dong*!!!

Someone is indeed knocking on the main door! And he or she seems rather urgent too.

“This is?”

“Un, sounds like someone is knocking on the door.” Yuan Zhi nodded. Seems like she too was not completely sure until now.

“Everyone. Everyone.”

I called out to the ones who were still dancing, hoping that they could quieten down and that someone would offer to go and answer the door. But at this time, everyone was engaged in merrymaking and no one paid any attention to me. Only now did I realise that, as a feudal lord, my level of majesty and dominance is really obscenely low.

“Never mind, I’ll go and answer the door.” Seeing that everyone was too engrossed, I got up, “But who could it be this late at night?”

“Could it be Huang Zu?”

“Ah, yes.” Yuan Zhi’s words reminded the dreaming me. Yes, it should be Huang Zu. Since it’s so late, she’s probably given up on returning tonight and must have come here to ask for room and dinner.

Ah, in that case, I really should hurry up and answer the door, I thought as I put on my shoes and ran out to the door.

“Is it Lord Huang Zu?” I asked cautiously before opening the door.

“Yes, it’s me.” It was indeed Huang Zu’s voice but she seemed a lot more anxious than usual, “I have something important to tell everyone.”

S

omething important? Huang Zu’s voice does not sound like it’s a laughing matter so I should hurry up and let her in.

Under the moonlight, I saw Huang Zu supporting her self by clinging on to her plate skirt and was huffing and puffing, as though she had just sprinted through the entire length of the city,

“What happened?” I was puzzled when I saw Huang Zu’s state and began to feel nervous, “What’s the matter? How about some rest and food first?”

Huang Zu looked up and tried to speak but she was out of breath and lowered her head as she began to wave 1 hand at me.

“Aiya, you really are… What could be so urgent…” I was at a loss as to what to do but at the very least, I ought to invite her in first, “Come in first. At least have a drink of water before you tell me what is going on.”

When I finished, I walked out and helped Huang Zu, whose legs had turned to jelly, inside the mansion.

“Eh?! Lord Huang Zu?” Just as we took a few steps in, someone inside recognised her and yelled out her name. When I looked up, I saw Chen Dao run out from the room. As expected huh? Her eyesight is as good as ever.

“Lord Huang Zu! You didn’t die!” Chen Dao smiled widely as she said to Huang Zu after she came to where we were.

“Ah… Lord Chen Dao.” Huang Zu tried to salute Chen Dao when she saw her.

“Ah, there’s no need for that. I’m just a lieutenant general. It’s good that Lord Huang Zu is alive.” Chen Dao said and returned the greeting, “But why is Lord Huang Zu here? If you survived, shouldn’t you return to Xiangyang city?”

Chen Dao was puzzled at this, which is my fault as I had not explained everything to everyone yet.

“Lord Huang Zu was saved by Yuan Zhi and so she accompanied Yuan Zhi to Xinye.” I did as short of an explanation as I could and Chen Dao nodded.

“Eh? Lord Huang Zu?!”

“Un?”

Soon, the other 2 who went to Jiangxia, Chen Gong and Zhou Cang, discovered Huang Zu was over here as well.

“Ah… Looks like there are quite a few people here who survived miraculously huh?” Chen Gong said as she looked over with a smile.

“Hahaha! I just knew you weren’t dead?!” Zhou Cang was as ridiculous as ever. No, she’s even worse than usual thanks to the liquor.

Thanks to them, the others looked over as well. However, apart from us few who went to Jiangxia, practically all of them do not know who Huang Zu is.

“Umm, let me introduce you.” I said as I extended a hand towards Huang Zu, “This is Lord Huang Zu, the Administrator of Jiangxia, whom we went to reinforce the last time. I thought that she died in the Battle of Jiangxia but she actually survived.”

“Ah, the Administrator of Jiangxia huh? I’ve heard of her.”

“It can’t have been easy to survive the Battle of Jiangxia.”

“Ah… Big brother is at it again…”

“Yun Chang, don’t mind it.”

When I finished, everyone saluted her and began engaging in their own discussions. There were some that I did not understand but I decided not to pay attention to them.

“Ah… Un…” Huang Zu seemed at a loss as to what to do and was still catching her breath so she did not say much in response.

“By the way, what’s the matter with Lord Huang Zu?” Guan Ping asked softly as she placed her hand in her mouth. By the way, biting one’s hands is by no means a good habit.

“Lord Huang Zu seems to have sprinted here and is a little short of breath.” I said and looked at Chen Dao who stood beside me, “Come, Chen Dao, give me a hand.”

“Hai! I got it!”

By right, I ought to let Hua Tuo give Huang Zu a look over. But at this time, Hua Tuo would have long since succ.u.mbed to her elementary schooler bio-clock and is now fast asleep, which is why she is absent from this banquet.

Even Mi Zhen can stay up but Hua Tuo is unable to. I really wonder how she functioned in the Yellow Turban rebellion.

Un… I looked about and found a stone chair in the courtyard but it was covered in mud and water thanks to the rain earlier.

“Chen Dao, hold on to her for a bit first.” I said as I slipped out from under Huang Zu’s arm and went to the stone seat and wiped it with my sleeve, “Come, let Lord Huang Zu sit here.”

“Un.” Chen Dao said as she helped Huang Zu over to the stone seat.

Hu~ Huang Zu sighed as she sat down. It sounds like she has kept that in for a while.

“Here.” Just then, a light but strong voice could be heard from my right. When I looked over, I saw Yuan Zhi offering a bowl to me. Since it’s Yuan Zhi, the bowl must contain her sweet water and not liquor.

“Ah, many thanks.” I said as I took the bowl and brought it to Huang Zu’s mouth. She did not resist and placed her mouth at the rim of the bowl and began drinking slowly. After she finished the bowl, she seemed better, “Are you better now?”

“Ah… Un.” Huang Zu nodded and tidied her fringe as she cleared her throat. She then took a few deep breaths and spat them out.

“So what is it that made you panic like this?” I decided to ask when I saw that she was much better now, “When I saw that you didn’t come over even when it was so late, I thought that you’d returned to Xiangyang.”

“Ah… I was supposed… To return.” Huang Zu still had not caught her breath entirely but she could at least speak now. She nodded at me, “I met with the colonel I told you about right as the rain stopped. We chatted and I learnt a bit about what is going on in Xiangyang and after that, I made to leave.”

Looks like she’s learnt of some stuff about Xiangyang from the colonel. Well then, she must know about what happened to Liu Biao, Cai Mao and Liu Qi. Given Huang Zu’s personality, she would have definitely chosen to rush back overnight, why then did she come here?

“But… As I made my way to the northern harbour to get a ride back, I saw…”