Yuan Shu POV

Kill!!!–

Ji Ling’s shout was drowned out by several firecrackers that exploded around us. Immediately after that, cries for blood could be heard from all 4 directions and frightened me so much I covered my ears.

“We’ve been ambushed!! Generals go and lead your battalions! Personal Guard! Gather here and protect our lord!” Yan Xiang rattled off orders in quick succession.

Just then, a group of spearmen surrounded us. “My lord, be careful!”

An ambush? What happened?

I still hadn’t regained my senses when I saw the troops led by Cheng Pu charge at me. I could only curl up in fear as I saw the cavalry pa.s.s me by, seeing their long spears nearly made my heart stop. And all around me were thunderous roars which reverberated about my body, so much so that I couldn’t tell if it was the earth or I that was trembling.

My eyes saw everything but I saw nothing. My ears heard everything but I heard nothing. My clumsy, heavy royal robe made it hot and humid and it seemed like every sweat gland was furiously lumping sweat out.

I looked left and right listlessly.

I saw someone’s blood spray on to another’s face as cavalry and spearmen were embroiled in combat. Looking afar, all I could see was a scene of chaos.

This was my first time on the battlefield and my first time seeing such a scene.

Honestly, it was horrible.

Just an hour ago, the forest lost its tranquil. Just a few minutes ago, my troops became a scattered mob.

“The enemy’s mobility is too strong. To think that they could wreck so much havoc with just a few thousand.” Yan Xiang was frantically trying to command the troops and generals around her, her hair flying in every which way. “Where are my 1,000-man generals?! 3,000-man generals? … d.a.m.n it, all of them have been swept away by the cavalry. The only troops that are under our command are just a few hundred.”

“… Hu.” I felt better and calmed down as I watched the frantic Yan Xiang.

Good.

Good that Yan Xiang is still by my side, I don’t want to bear the responsibility for death and failure alone.

… Speaking of which, where is Ji Ling? Where did that Ji Ling fellow run to?

“Ji Ling? Ji Ling where are you?” My thoughts spilled out into my speech but no matter how loud my anxious coice was, there was no way it could penetrate the chaotic racket of the battlefield.

Could it be that in the first charge… No, impossible. She’s my number one general!

All I have to do is ask Yan Xiang. Though she isn’t very likeable, she always has a plan.

“Oi, Yan…” I looked toward Yan Xiang, who was completely occupied with commanding the troops and had no spare capacity whatsoever, and swallowed my words.

I searched any area that was visible from where I was with my eyes, in the hopes of finding Ji Ling somehow. However, my increasing frustration made it hard for me to concentrate on any one point and I was unable to recognise any face as my eyes swept left and right. Right now, I felt exactly as how I did when I did administrative work when I was distracted.

I really don’t get it, why do I have to care about her?! She’s just a servant!

Frustrating thoughts made me even more frustrated and I kept scolding Ji Ling in my mind. But even so, my eyes continued searching for her.

Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’m being so attached to a subordinate.

Speaking of which, Ji Ling has been with me since I was very little and I had always treated her as my big sister… When did I begin to have this unreasonable att.i.tude?

All of a sudden, the 3 rows of spearmen that stood in front of me were hit by another wave of cavalry and now only 1 was left.

“Waa~” The long spears scared the horse and it raised its hoof in front of me and gave me such a fright I hurriedly back away.

“My lord, it seems like they are concentrating their attacks on us noe.” Yan Xiang was now holding a sword in her hands. Its blade was soaked in blood which dripped down the edge. “It will be difficult for the other battalions to support us and I’m afraid that our personal guard won’t hold out long enough for the ambush to be decimated.”

A 20,000 strong force in my hands yet I am unable to command them. What a farce.

When I thought about this, I felt like laughing though the urge to cry was stronger.

But I can’t cry or laugh, because that would be too unbecoming. I am the descendent of a family which has held the 3 prime appointments in Imperial Court for 4 generations, and now I am the Emperor. No matter how perilous or how urgent things may get, I cannot act out.

“My lord!!!”

Un? I think I heard a familiar voice…

“My lord!!! Here!!”

I wiped my eyes with the slightly dirtied royal robe and looked toward where the sound came from.

There stood a female warrior wielding a trident and wearing unfas.h.i.+onable golden yellow plate armour, her breastplate protruding so much it made one mad. At this time, she was slas.h.i.+ng at enemies while waving at and coming toward me whenever she could.

“Ji Ling?!” I wiped my eyes again, unable to believe what I just saw. I pushed Yan Xiang forcefully when I finally confirmed that it was her. “Yan Xiang, Yan Xiang! Ji Ling is over there!”

After looking over when she heard the name, Yan Xiang heaved a sigh of relief. “Ji Ling really is Ji Ling huh.”

That’s right, she’s my number one general, how could she have died in the chaos so easily?

Ji Ling rode over slowly, and when she was in front of me, I saw that her hands were trembling.

“My lord, are you alright?”

“… Maa, maa, I’m alright.” Worry about yourself before worrying about others. “What were you doing Ji Ling? Where were you?”

Do you know how worried I was for you?

“Ah, I was swept away by the cavalry and then I made my way here by following the perimeter.” Ji Ling dismounted and knelt down on one knee before continuing. “Your servant deserves death for not being able to fulfill her duty.”

Death… Huh.

“… It’s fine as long as you’re alright.” I forcefully tightened my expression and raised my eyebrows as I said so.

“Eh?” Ji Ling raised her head in surprise and looked at me with an expression that was as if the way the reply I gave her frightened her.

“What are you ‘eh’-ing for? Your job now is to protect me right.” I couldn’t keep it up any longer and turned away so she wouldn’t see my weak side. “If you die, then the number of people who will protect falls by one no?”

“…” Ji Ling did not reply immediately and only gave a ‘acknowledged’ after a moment.

I could hear the joy from this fellow’s voice. As Emperor, I supposed it’s necessary to spoil your servants once in a while.

“Alright, the reunion ends here.” Yan Xiang clapped twice and I and Ji Ling looked at her. “Look my lord, the defenses on that side have become thin. The forces we can control are too few so I think leaving this place is for the best.”

I don’t know what Yan Xiang means, but I think she’s saying we can leave this place.

A 20,000 strong army rendered impotent after an interception and an ambush.

I’m sure this is due to luck.

“The troops that have followed are about less than 200.” Yan Xiang reported after counting the exhausted soldiers at the back.

To think that I’m left with so few…

“Then what about the others? Are we just leaving them be?”

“I left a 100 men ahead of time who will handle the clean up. When they finish off the ambush, they will return to the city.” Yan Xiang pressed her forehead and flung her soil-ridden hair back, revealing a refres.h.i.+ng and comical forehead. “Speaking of which, Ji Ling, what was it about that person not being Cheng Pu?”

At this question, Ji Ling showed a perplexed look again. “Ah, you all saw it too right. Those flags clearly state that they are the Cao army. And from what I know, Cheng Pu should be over 30 years old, so that young girl can’t be Cheng Pu.”

“I didn’t think that the Cao army would just appear out of nowhere… If I’d known, I would have sent out more scouts.” Yan Xiang said some words that came a little too late. “Now that I think about it, if we hadn’t bothered to deal with that girl, we wouldn’t have revealed our tracks in the forest. I think that the ambush was prepared during Ji Ling’s duel with that girl.”

“Aiya, what’s the point in saying this now?” I looked at the sun, and it felt like a good amount of time had pa.s.sed. “After we return to the city, we are regrouping and counterattacking immediately!”

After sitting on the horse for half a day, my b.u.t.t hurt quite a bit. The sweat from before made my underwear stick to my body and it was wet and humid. I felt a strong urge to strip my royal robe off.

“Speaking of which, there is one thing I don’t understand…” Yan Xiang said as she rubbed her forehead, and looked ahead with uncertain eyes. “Why did the ambush not start with arrows? If they did so, then we would have sustained a lot more damage.”

How will I know that?~~~ Maybe the enemy thinks that arrows are too heavy.

— We didn’t use arrows because we want to capture you alive of course.

A cold voice echoed in the forest.

The one who replied wasn’t me, nor was it Ji Ling.

“Everyone on guard!” Yan Xiang immediately ordered the troops who drew their weapons and readied themselves for battle.

“Who is it?!” Ji Ling raised her spear cautiously.

I tried to find where the sound came from but to no avail.

Just when I was naively hoping it was a delusion, a black figure slid down from the tree.

As the figure stepped out into the light, a female warrior holding a large halberd could be seen. The aura that emanated from her triggered alarm bells in my head.

“I am Lu Bu Lu Feng Xian, and I have been waiting for you all for some time now.” She said as she stuck the halberd into the ground, sending soil flying everywhere. When the soil landed, several rows of troops came crawling out of the shrubbery like magic and blocked our escape.

“Kuh, we fell for it.” Yan Xiang said with a despondent look. “Looks like the thin defenses back there were to lure us here huh.”

How could that be? …

I s.h.i.+fted my eyes away from Yan Xiang and looked at the warrior once more who was looking at me and she said–

— Relax, I’m here to capture you alive.