Liu Bei POV

“Is there any problem?” I asked, thinking that Yuan Zhi might have finalised the deployments which meant that adding in Huang Zu would throw a spanner in the works, “You don’t need to give her too critical a role. I believe Lord Huang Zu is content with just defending Xinye city.”

“Un…” Even so, Yuan Zhi still seemed deeply troubled, “About that–”

“Un?” Yuan Zhi spoke up but stopped halfway so I tried to prompt her to continue. Just then, the clouds merged and I could no longer see her expression.

“No, nothing.” She said, somewhat less down than I expected, and forcefully ended the topic. I wonder if she is acting like this because she’s a strategist?

“Alright,” I nodded, “In that case, I’ll refrain from asking then.”

“Un.” She said and, it seemed, nodded as well. Just after she said so, the clouds parted once more unexpectedly and moonlight shone on Yuan Zhi’s expressionless face as she called out to me, “Xuan De.”

“Un?”

I did not expect her to continue the conversation but it seems like she had more to say as she called out to me as she looked at me from the corner of her eyes. I found this weird as she could turn and look at me. Moreover, in this dim light, it will be difficult to look at me from that angle.

“At the banquet earlier today,” She blinked very rapidly a few times, revealing long eyelashes that dazzled under the moonlight, and casted her gaze to the side, “Thank you, Xuan De, for trusting in me.”

“Un?” I was a little surprised when she said this and it took me a while before I remembered what I did, that I helped to suppress any dissent to her being in charge for the upcoming operations.

“Oh, oh, that.” I said when I realised what she meant and waved my hands in denial, “No, no, no, I don’t think that’s very much, is it?”

“Un… Yes, it’s probably nothing much when you think about it.” Yuan Zhi closed her eyes and smiled stiffly as she said so.

“Eh?” I really did not know what she meant. Her answer is not quite appropriate to the conversation, and it also seems like she does not mean what she just said either so I felt confused, “Umm, Yuan Zhi?”

“It’s nothing, I was just talking to myself.” Yuan Zhi said as she shook her head and looked up at the moon which was now hidden behind the clouds again, “But even so, I would like to express my thanks to Xuan De for having my back. Without you, I doubt that everyone would listen to me.”

“How could that be? Everyone is very reasonable.”

Probably. I might say as much but I know full well that they are all very a.s.sertive people with very diverse opinions. However, it still seems like I do not understand them well enough since Yun Chang and Wen Yuan said that I was blockheaded.

“Umm, can I ask you a question?” I asked, feeling that it was time that I asked her something that had been troubling me for some time now.

“… What is it?”

“What I want to ask is, yes…” I nodded and gathered my thoughts together, “I actually don’t know why you wanted to join me.”

“Un?”

“So, you said you wanted to join me when you saw me, right? I still don’t understand why.”

“Un, un.” Yuan Zhi nodded when she heard my explanation and tucked her hands in her sleeve as she looked up again.

“Xuan De, some things can&

rsquo;t be controlled.” She slowly said, “Sometimes, it’s either you approach something or something approaches you. At times like these, you really can’t hide from it.” As she said so, she s.h.i.+fted her gaze back to me, “My joining Xuan De is like that as well. Fate decreed that we should meet. This cannot be explained.”

“Un…” To be honest, Yuan Zhi did not explain anything at all. The only difference between this explanation and the one before is that it’s plainer this time.

On the other hand, I think I get it. I have been through many similar situations after all. As someone who is here from the future, everything I have been through has almost always followed the logic of what Yuan Zhi just said. It’s there even if I do not want to believe it.

“Alright.” I was not satisfied with the explanation at all but I found it difficult to refute so all I could do was to give up.

“But sometimes, surprises do still happen.” Yuan Zhi said and it seemed like she gave a weak smile but I could not confirm it as the moonlight was gone now, “Back when you said that I could live off my sugar water, I was honestly very happy.”

“Eh? Really?”

Yuan Zhi seemed to nod in response.

No wonder she seemed so shy then, it was because she was very happy. Those words were just a random thought that I had but that might have made it seem truly sincere.

“Alright, tomorrow will be left to tomorrow.” Yuan Zhi said out of nowhere and got up, seeming more energetic than before, “It is what it is. I’ll manage somehow.”

“I see.” I said, feeling that there is no need for me to be worried nor is there a need to ask at this point even though I still have no idea what Yuan Zhi’s plans are. As I thought so, I got up. I do not know how much time has pa.s.sed but I am feeling tired already.

“Goodnight, Xuan De.” Yuan Zhi seemed to be of the same mind as well.

“Un, goodnight.” We both saluted each other and turned around to head to our rooms in opposite directions.

“Another irregular, Huang Zu huh?” Yuan Zhi muttered under her breath. Though I heard this, I did not pay it any heed as we would know of the specifics tomorrow anyway.

I yawned as I lay back onto my bed with a blank mind. In a while, the sound of rain could be heard outside and with it, my consciousness faded away.

By the morning of the next day, the rain had stopped.

As I stepped out of the room, I found that the ground was muddy. It was a good thing that there were many rocks about, which made it easy to avoid walking in the mud.

The sky was clear and blue today. The last time I saw this was 3 days ago. It’s been very cloudy and rainy the past few days. Even though it’s autumn already, it does not feel like it at all.

Wu~ I s.h.i.+vered just as I thought so.

I retract what I just said. It’s definitely a lot colder now than before, I thought as I tucked my arms under my armpits and quickly returned into the room to get more clothing.

“Ah!” Just then, a surprised cry came from outside. It was a really nice voice too if it was not a shriek. Looks like Zhou Cang had carelessly stepped into the courtyard and got her feet all muddy.

“Ah… Lord Zhou Cang, look at you, slow down will you?”

Just as I had put on extra clothing and walked out, the sight of Chen Dao helping to wipe a muddy Zhou Cang greeted me. It was a good thing, perhaps, that Zhou Cang’s clothes were a little dirty to begin with. She was also wearing black bandages around her legs that looked like knee socks so all in all, she was not too much dirtier by falling into the mud.

*Achoo*

Looks like she got a cold huh? I smiled as I looked at them.

“Ah!” Zhou Cang looked over and when she saw it was me, she got up immediately and shrugged off Chen Dao before running back into her room.

“Ah! Oi!” Chen Dao, in comparison to Zhou Cang, was much cleaner and neater. It’s a good thing she picked up Zi Long’s good habits.

“Ah! Good morning, my lord!” Even though she got sand on her from Zhou Cang hurrying away, she still greeted and saluted me first when she saw me.

It’s really good that she did not learn to be as poisonous as Zi Long. Really, really good.

“*Achoo*! Ah… Is someone cursing me…” Zi Long said as she got out and rubbed her nose as she frowned.