“You, what are you going to do to my subordinates?” Yuan Shu sprang up suddenly and tried to charge at me after those 2 were forcibly removed from the tent, but because she was tied to the chair, she fell to the ground along with the chair.

This reaction of hers confirms my hypothesis.

“No, nothing at all.” I calmly answered as I looked at Yuan Shu with steady eyes. “Or perhaps, you’re afraid of me doing something?”

“…” She stared at me wordlessly.

I suppressed the nervousness in my mind and walked over to Yuan Shu who followed me with her eyes.

“Let’s make a deal.” I intentionally curled my lips, hoping to look devious. “I can let you go.”

“Eh? This–”

“But, I can’t let you go scot-free of course.” I interrupted her immediately and she became silent as she waited for me to continue. “You can go back, but your subordinate generals will become my spoils of war.”

“What!!” The moment I finished, she suddenly yelled out and lay down motionless, like a deflated balloon, “… How could this be?”

Her voice now, had lost all of the haughtiness from before.

“Maa, that’s something that can’t be helped.” I said as I pulled a chair over and sat beside Yuan Shu. “No matter what, I have to have some gains after winning a battle right.”

“… What are you trying to say?”

“Didn’t I say it earlier? This is a deal.” I s.h.i.+fted my glance away from Yuan Shu and looked outside the tent. “I’m permitting you to live, but at the cost of your subordinates’ lives. Or, you could give me the city, and then commit suicide thereafter. In return, I guarantee that your subordinate generals will be treated well and they will even have a decent official position in Imperial Court. How about it?”

After I finished, Yuan Shu’s head was still hung low as she was deep in thought.

Anyone who knows a thing about the original Yuan Shu would definitely think that this Yuan Shu would choose the former. In fact, any feudal lord, no matter how benevolent or selfish, would probably choose the former.

But…

“No, I cannot leave them here.” Yuan Shu said weakly. But to me, this was her most resolute words of everything I’ve heard from her till now.

“Is that really okay? For a feudal lord to go so far for 2 subordinate generals…”

“A master cannot abandon her servants!!” She yelled out as she raised her head and looked at me with an unexpectedly proud face. “I am their master, and I will be responsible for their lives.”

“Is that so…”

Was this really Yuan Shu?

No this was unquestionably Yuan Shu. The descendent of the family that held the 3 prime Court positions for 4 generations, and the hero who reigned over Huainan.

There is definitely more to Yuan Shu than her external countenance. A feudal lord, after all, needs valour and conviction.

Even if the feudal lord happens to be a spoilt rich young miss.

“… So, so…” She seemed to be getting choked up but she braced herself and continued. “As long as you let my subordinate generals live, I will give you Shouchun and my life.”

“… Oh, I understand.”

Success!

Though I didn’t show it, I was very happy with this outcome and thoroughly pleased with myself.

Of course, I’m taking the city but I never had the intention of taking Yuan Shu’s life.

It took a bit of swindling but I finally got the city. Now all I have to do is wait for the rest to return and have Yuan Shu go to the city and holler–

“Report!!!”

Just then, a signaller’s blaring announcement resounded in my ears. I’d thought it was an illusion but then I saw him kneel before me.

“… What is it?”

Did someone sustain an injury or fall in battle? Or did the ambush fail? Could the enemy have been reinforced by allies?

It’s definitely nothing good.

“A report just arrived from the frontlines. Of the 20,000 strong that we engaged with, about half surrendered in the chaos. Thereafter, Shouchun city seemed to have received news of the ambush and Lei Bo and Chen Lan opened the gates and surrendered.”

(TL: Minor characters. In the original, they left Yuan Shu after he declared himself Emperor.)

…

“A-re?” Yuan Shu, who was behind me, let out an unexpectedly strange sound at her gross misjudgement of her subordinates.

But really, shouldn’t it be me who is making strange noises?

“Oi oi!” I lamented as I squatted down and hugged my head, “Didn’t you say your generals won’t surrender?!”

“I, I didn’t even know I had subordinates by that name!” For some reason, she yelled back at me as though I had maligned her. “I can only remember Yan Xiang and Ji Ling~~~”

“… Hai~~~” I gave a long sigh as I walked toward Yuan Shu.

“You, what do you…” She seemed frightened when she saw me walking over but returned to a calm expression soon after as she continued in a slightly tearful voice. “Yes, that’s right. I agreed to give you my head and I will not go back on my word.”

I smiled helplessly at her voice and when I bent down after I walked behind her, she even trembled lightly.

And thereafter– I loosened Yuan Shu’s restraints.

“… Eh?” She was dumbfounded at this action of mine and did not know if she should even stand. “What are you…”

I stretched my back and feigned a look of nonchalance. “Maa, I’ve already taken the city so I no longer have any reason to keep you tied up.”

“Bu, but didn’t you, my head…”

“Just a bluff, I don’t like such b.l.o.o.d.y acts.” I hurriedly waved my hands to allay her concerns.

“Eh? A-re?”

Seeing that she was still in a state of shock, I exited the tent to look for Feng Xian with the intention of untying the ropes on the other 2 as well, hoping that she hadn’t killed the 2 hastily.

“Is my lord done?” Just as I exited the tent, Feng Xian who was leaning against the tent feigned ignorance and asked.

“… Were you eavesdropping?”

“I guess,” She admitted to it unhesitatingly after she saw that she had been seen through. “I was just afraid Yuan Shu would join us or something…”

“Haa? Join us?” What are you talking about?

(TL: In case this isn’t clear, by ‘us’, she means the harem.)

“My lord, you really have no EQ.” Her expression wavered slightly, and her eyebrows seemed slightly creased. She then turned to the 2 figures to the side. “Go in and speak with your lord, you 2.”

As she said so, I saw that the bindings on the 2 subordinate generals had already been removed, and they seemed to be very reserved as they stood there motionlessly. Well, I guess that’s normal for a captive.

“Relax, your lord is inside and she’s perfectly fine.” I smiled as I said so, hoping they would be less wary.

They looked at each other and bowed to me before rus.h.i.+ng past me into the tent. Within a short amount of time, the sound of several girls crying could be heard from the tent.

Loyalty is what holds a lord and his retainer together but I can feel something deeper than that, something more akin to familial love and bonds.

“Oh Feng Xian, did you know? About Shouchun city.” I had a lot of thoughts bothering me but I couldn’t forget to discuss serious matters with Feng Xian.

“Ah, the signaller told me just now and I’ve told the troops to prepare to move out.”

“Un,” I replied, feeling perfectly calm and devoid of all nervousness.

“We’ll leave when the preparations are done.” I said as I looked as the ground and kneaded the gra.s.s with my boots.

“Got it… Ah, that’s right, there was one other piece of news.” Feng Xian continued as she recalled something. “Apparently, another army that belongs to Lord Cao Cao is currently making its way here from Xu state.”

Is that so. So she did have other armies ready huh.

But… Xu state huh.

“Who is it that’s leading the army?” I asked, though I already knew who it would be.

“Supposedly it’s the newly appointed Inspector of Xu state, the name was…” Feng Xian thought for a moment before continuing in an uncertain tone. “… I think it’s Che Zhou.”