Liu Bei POV

After exchanging so many words with her, I still do not understand where she is getting at. Why did she ask about the battle and then about Zhou Cang? Zhou Cang was only a lieutenant in this battle after all.

Ah… I think I get it.

“Ah umm, Guan Ping, I apologise in advance if I’ve guessed wrongly,” I said before giving my hypothesis, “You wouldn’t be thinking of going to battle alongside Yun Chang, would you? As her lieutenant.”

“Eh!? How did uncle guess that!” Guan Ping exclaimed excitedly. I felt a little bad from her reaction. It’s not like it’s difficult to guess especially when she seemed to want to hear that Zhou Cang performed badly. I smiled stiffly when I thought of this.

“Uncle, help me speak to mother. Tell her to choose me as her lieutenant in the next battle.” Guan Ping asked as she tugged on my arm. Because of her natural, prodigious strength, it felt like she could pull out my arm if she just used a little more strength.

“Ah… Stop it, stop it.” I hurriedly grabbed her arm and pulled it off as my arm was beginning to hurt and feel numb, “But why are you asking me to do this? Why not speak with Yun Chang?”

“I did, but–”

“Yun Chang did not agree to it and did not allow you to come?” I interjected as though I were Huang Zu.

“Eh? How did uncle know that?”

“I guessed.” I said as I shrugged. Well, again it’s an easy guess. Guan Ping’s martial prowess and strength is rather decent and she’s also of a suitable age but it was clear that she was unsuited to the battlefield. And Yun Chang might be acting like this out of her maternal desire to protect her ‘child’.

“In any case, if Yun Chang will not agree to it, I can’t do anything on my end either.” I said as I spread my arms out and decided to head for the main hall.

“Ah– Uncle~” Guan Ping did not give up and pulled me back by my sleeve.

Ah… When I was pulled back, I felt something touch my arm. That reminds me, Guan Ping’s physical development actually exceeds that of Yun Chang. And Guan Ping usually wears just 1 or 2 layers of thin clothing so I am fully aware which part of her body is touching my arm now.

“Umm, please let go. I’ll stay, I’ll stay.” I could not shrug her off at all and decided to give up as I did not want to stay in this position. No matter what, we are niece and uncle after all. It’s not like I am trying to act like a decent person. If I do not put a stop to some things early, it might eventually s...o...b..ll into something I cannot stop.

“Alright, I’ll let go.” Guan Ping obediently let go. It seems like she does not think that there is anything inappropriate with what she just did. I hope that it’s just her being innocent.

“So you really want to join Yun Chang in combat?”

“Un, un.” Guan Ping vigorously nodded as she clasped her hands in front of her chest, her twin tails shaking violently as she did so.

Ah… This is going to be difficult…

It’s easy to see why Yun Chang will not let Guan Ping partic.i.p.ate in battles. While it’s true that she is unsuited to battles, she was a member of a local militia in the first place so it’s not like she has no experience at all. Personally, I think that it’s fine to let her take the battlefield.

Besides, if someone like me can survive and contribute, I am sure Guan Ping can do it. The issue is that Yun Chang is the sort who sticks with her dec

isions. She is very firm on her views and I am not sure how much help I can be to persuade her.

“Alright, I’ll go and talk to her.”

“Oh! That’s–”

“Don’t be too happy too soon.” I wearily interrupted Guan Ping, “Yun Chang might not listen to me. I’ll just try, got it?”

“Un un un! I’ll be counting on uncle then!” She nodded happily as though I never said what I just said and that success was a.s.sured.

“That’s it for now then. Go on ahead, I’ll be was.h.i.+ng up before I go.” I said as I returned to my room and wiped my face. Guan Ping acknowledged what I said and ran off. That Guan Ping really does not seem like Yun Chang’s kid at all, though it’s true to begin with.

I wiped my face, tidied my clothing and tried to smoothen some creases but gave up when they did not go away as it was not too obvious anyway. I walked out of my room when I was done and saw that someone else nearby was just coming out as well.

“Ah, Zhou Cang is awake too huh?”

Zhou Cang was not wearing her usual short blouse and short pants but was instead wearing a one-piece cloth gown. Her hair was not let down and was tied up into a bun.

“Ah, my lord huh.” Zhou Cang said when she saw me and came over to where I was, her arms swinging up and down and her body swaying from left to right as she did so.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, no. I’m just unused to these clothes. I don’t like how wavy the lower half is.” Zhou Cang said loudly and guffawed as she tucked her hands behind her head, her sleeves sliding down her arms as she did so, revealing 2 slim, white arms.

“I think they look good on you. But what did you say? It’s uncomfortable?”

“I went for a bath just now, remember? When I came out, I found that Gan Qing had taken away my clothes to wash them. I don’t have another set so I could only borrow clothing from someone else.” She chuckled and yawned when she finished.

“Oh~” I nodded.

I looked down at the floral pattern on her clothing and a.s.sessed the figure before concluding that this must be from Zi Zhong.

Just then, I caught a whiff of her sweet scent. It smelt like flowers in the beginning of spring that were just beginning to bloom, the sort of thin, sweet scent that resulted after it wafted through the air. This should be a result of her bath. Under the moonlight, her skin seems to be whiter than usual too.

“Ah, big brother is awake. Zhou Cang is here too.” Just then, a familiar voice came from the other side, giving me a shock. When I turned back, I saw Yun Chang waving at us while yawning. Yun Chang’s clothing was neat and tidy unlike her lethargic demeanor. Looks like she had difficulty sleeping just now.

“Yun Chang is awake too huh.”

“Un,” Yun Chang nodded, “But I’ve been thinking about various things so I didn’t get much sleep.”

Given how thoughtful Yun Chang is, she’s probably still troubled about what happened before. As I thought so, I looked at Yi De’s room and saw that the lights were still out. Guan Ping probably did not wake her up and she is probably still fast asleep.

“Well then, Yun Chang, Zhou Cang, let’s make our way to the banquet. Everyone should be seated and waiting for us by now.”

“Okay~” Zhou Cang replied and began walking off with wide strides. Yun Chang seemed to be rather tired and followed behind me wordlessly.

“Yun Chang, Guan Ping came to look for me just now.” I said to her, deciding to take the opportunity to raise this issue with her.

“Guan Ping… Was it about partic.i.p.ating in battle?”

Ah~ As expected of her mother huh?

“Yes.”

“No way at all.” Yun Chang immediately rejected this and left me no leeway to say anything at all, “Guan Ping’s martial prowess is not good enough. It’ll be too dangerous for her to join the battlefield.” Yun Chang shook her head and closed her eyes as she said so.

“But Yun Chang, aren’t you being a little too overprotective?”

“W-what do you…” Yun Chang wavered and opened her eyes, “Life was tough for her back when she was a member of the local militia. War is also cruel, anyone can die anytime. She is far too innocent and naive and is unsuited for the atrocities of war.”

“Then why did you teach her martial arts then?”

This might have sparked Guan Ping’s desire to fight.

“That’s… Just for self-defense purposes.” Yun Chang said after a long pause.

You are clearly acting out of a maternal desire to protect her, or so I would like to say but it felt like I had forced Yun Chang into a corner so I refrained from saying that. I said everything I had to already. In the end, it’s up to Yun Chang to decide whether to let Guan Ping join future battles.

By this time, we were already approaching the main hall where we had our banquet yesterday night. As we ascended the stairs, I found that everyone else was already seated and had begun to eat and drink.

Unlike yesterday, today’s celebratory banquet seems to be more formal. On either side of the hall were 5-6 musicians with various instruments playing music. I thought that I could only enjoy such luxuries in Xuchang but it seems like even a small place like Xinye has these.

As I entered the main hall, everyone saluted me to which I saluted back. Overall, everyone looks very happy.

“Oi, oi! How could you start eating before everyone is here?!” Zhou Cang yelled when she saw everyone eating.