Liu Bei POV

Ah, that’s way too scary.

“Well then, does big brother have anything to add?” Yun Chang looked around before asking me.

“As for me…” Because I had already sought advice from Yuan Zhi, and she said something similar, I do not have anything against what Yun Chang said, I thought as I looked at Yuan Zhi and saw that she was quietly thinking.

“*Dang* Excuse me.” Wen Yuan said as she clanged her bowl against the table and spoke up, “Can I confirm what you said 1 more time?”

Yun Chang was puzzled but she nodded, “Is there any problem?”

“What I want to ask is, Yun Chang wants to broadcast that our lord is still alive and let Cao Cao go around Xinye unharmed and attack Xiangyang?”

“To put it simply, yes, that is what I suggested.” Yun Chang nodded with a forceful look in her eyes.

“Un…” Wen Yuan did not nod immediately and merely smiled cheekily as she took a sip of liquor before looking at Feng Xian, “What do you think, my lord?”

“… Me?” Feng Xian had been silent and motionless the entire time and only just spoke up when Wen Yuan called out to her, “Well, I am fine with anything really.” She said as she stroked Red Hare, “No matter what, peace is the best but we are in troubled times. If we don’t do anything at all, that would be a little too boring.”

Feng Xian’s words were contradicting but it seemed like she herself realised this as she chuckled when she finished and took a sip of liquor.

“I understand what my lord means.” However, Wen Yuan understood what she meant and gave a small sigh as she turned to Yun Chang, “As for what think, it might be a little immature here.”

Wen Yuan smiled when she finished and did not continue, perhaps because the overwhelming majority was in favour of Yun Chang’s suggestion. It was clear that she had more to say. In that case, she ought to say it.

“Wen Yuan, go ahead and say what you want to say.” I encouraged her since Yun Chang did not say anything and merely waited for Wen Yuan to continue.

“… Alright, since my lord has said as much, I’ll say it then.” Wen Yuan said as she set her empty bowl down on the table and stood up, “I think that, whether or not we broadcast our lord’s survival, we should fight Cao Cao’s troops.”

“Un, un.” Zhou Cang nodded vigorously.

“But our troops are limited. If we fight, in the long term–”

“We will think about the long term when we get there.” Wen Yuan seemed a bit agitated and she herself was aware of this, “I understand very clearly the ramifications of doing so and your justifications for what you proposed but I just cannot bring myself to accept it.”

“Why is that?” Yun Chang asked.

“I just feel that it’s not very righteous of us to use our lord’s survival to get peace!”

“Well said.” Zhou Cang added as she bounced about. Looking at how energetic she is, she’s probably very eager for the upcoming battle.

“But now isn’t the time to talk about being righteous.” Zi Long said as she looked down and folded her arms, “What we should think about is what kind of role we should play if we partic.i.p.ate actively in the campaign.”

“A new role.” Wen Yuan continued as she raised her arm, “Before this, from Xu state to Guandu, we did not partic.i.p.ate in any battles nor were we a truly independent faction. Now, we’ve

practically separated from Liu Biao with Xinye. It wasn’t easy getting here and our lord nearly died. After all we’ve been through, we would seem like useless cowards to hole up and proclaim neutrality.”

As Wen Yuan said so, she began to pace as she frowned, “This battle is to let everyone know that there is 1 more faction out there fighting for the Great Han. And this battle, is also for all of us to turn things around.”

“Un.” Yun Chang nodded but she was still frowning, “But it will be almost impossible for us to achieve victory in this battle.”

“We can always find a way to retreat later on. But finding ways to advance our cause will only grow fewer in time.” Wen Yuan said definitively and cruelly. She then raised her arm and pointed at everyone in turn, “Everyone of us here has their own path and all of us wants to walk it till the end. To do this, we can only continue walking on.”

Path… Wen Yuan’s words jolted me, and everyone else as well. I could feel my blood burning and when I looked around, I saw that everyone else was the same. Perhaps Wen Yuan is more talented in oratorical skills than I am.

“Wen Yuan.” Just then, Feng Xian called out to Wen Yuan.

“Ah, my lord.”

“Wen Yuan, I understand everything that you just said and I understand where you’re coming from.” Feng Xian as she looked at Wen Yuan, and then at me, “But I have already decided that my path lies with Xuan De so no matter what Xuan De chooses, my path will remain here.”

“Ah, yes.” Wen Yuan said as she calmed herself down and returned to her seat.

“Well then, Xuan De.” Feng Xian called out to me as she extended an arm to let me speak.

“Ah, yes.”

“The decision on what to do lies with Xuan De. Whatever Xuan De chooses, we will follow.”

“Me?”

“Un,” Yun Chang said as she turned to me, “We will heed what big brother decides.”

Ah… This really is difficult… I thought as I looked at everyone who looked back at me. This problem is truly difficult and in the end, it ended with me huh?

Whatever they have just discussed, I have already considered, which is why I really do not know which choice I should pick. Let’s think, did this battle happen in history? It seems like it did, and it seems like Liu Bei won too.

All I can remember about Xinye is that it was razed to the ground and no other specifics. Un… Which means that the battle did take place then.

“I think we should do battle.”

“My lord! That’s the way~”

“Alright.”

“Xuan De, did you really think things through?”

When I came to a conclusion, the words naturally flowed out of my mouth. However, it seems that there was still dissent as it was clearly too much of a risk. For now at least, we have no guarantee that we even have a chance against Meng De.

“Un, I’ve decided.”

But I still decided to go with the flow of history. Since the battle did happen, and I do not remember that there were any casualties on Liu Bei’s faction, then we should do battle. If we find that we are unable to prevail, there are more than enough ways to retreat.

“Un… In that case, alright then.” Zi Long smiled and did not say anything further in reply. I am guessing here but it seems like almost everyone wants to do battle.

“Now then… The issue we have remaining is…” I paused and looked at Yun Chang before I continued, “Should we let everyone know that I am still alive…”

“No.”

A very clear voice came from the last seat on the left column, drawing everyone’s attention instantly. I knew that it was Yuan Zhi but I was still surprised as I looked over at Yuan Zhi, who had covered her eyes completely with her bandana and was folding her arms as she bit her lips.

“Umm, may I ask why?”

“Firstly, since Cao Cao has sent troops out this far to attack Xinye, it is highly unlikely that she will change her mind and recall her troops even if she learns that Xuan De is still alive as her plans should be complete and she is in the midst of executing them. No matter what we do, the regiments that are currently advancing towards our position will attack Xinye.” Yuan Zhi said softly. Though what she said was serious, it was undermined by how comical she looked. It was surprising that Zhou Cang and Guan Ping in particular had not laughed.

“In that case, what do you think will happen if we don’t tell them that Xuan De is alive?”

“They will think that we are leaderless.” Liao Hua said to which Yuan Zhi nodded.

“Yes, in that case, they might underestimate us and use special tactics against us that they wouldn’t employ otherwise. This will make them predictable and all we need to do is prepare for that.”

When Yuan Zhi finished, she gave an accomplished sigh and pulled up her bandana.

“Ah…” Just then, she saw that everyone was looking at her and wilted as she withdrew her neck and blinked, “T, that is what I think. I wonder what e-everyone else thinks…”