… Can’t sleep.

I tossed and turned in my test for a long while before I gave up and carefully got up so as not to awaken my little sisters and Hua Tuo and made my way out of the tent and sat on a rock.

The wilderness was cold at night with cold winds that chilled to the bone. But this sort of chill was perfect for cooling my frustrated self.

The source of my frustration, apart from uncertainty about the future, was largely because I had met with the number 1 warrior in the Three Kingdoms – Lu Bu.

By right she should not meet me here, and if I’m not mistaken our first meeting (fight) should be at Hulao Pa.s.s… Could it be we are going to start fighting now? Or am I supposed to take the responsibility to send her to Dong Zhuo? No no no, that would probably be worse.

(TL: Just to get a sense of how OP Lu Bu is, even all 3 brothers fighting together could not defeat him.)

After we had done brief introductions just now, she went back to her camp. It was now the middle of the night but looking at the bonfires, they are probably night owls.

Since we will most likely part ways with Lu Bu tomorrow, it would be better to do so naturally and without comfortably.

“But really, I didn’t think Lu Bu would be a woman too~~~~”

Could it be that all non-small fry generals are women… Can’t be right.

“Is there a problem with me being a woman?”

“Waaah!!” I screamed, and nearly fell to the ground at the sudden voice.

“Apologies, did I scare you?” She stared at me coldly. “But talking behind my back is not right.”

“Ah, so, sorry.”

What a bad move, to have let her hear me say such things.

“Really, what era is it already. To think that there are still people like you who discriminate against women.” She sighed as she sat beside me.

“It isn’t discrimination,” I’m just surprised really. “Speaking of which, why aren’t you all asleep yet?”

I can’t believe it. To think that a young female general more than 1,000 years in the past is saying something that even someone from my time can’t say.

“Did I awake you?”

“No, I came out because I couldn’t sleep.”

“Is that so,” She leaned back and lay down. “Actually, I was with my foster father to Du city today.”

Is it Ding Yuan? Then that means that the Lu Bu now was not yet famous.

“Where is he?”

“Dead, I don’t know who a.s.sa.s.sinated him.” Her head bent down low as she said this. “I judged the situation then as dangerous and quickly brought my subordinates out of the city to escape the danger.”

(TL: In the original, Dong Zhuo becomes Lu Bu’s foster father. But Lu Bu serves under Ding Yuan first, and it is Lu Bu who betrays and kills him under inducement from Dong Zhuo, who was eventually betrayed by Lu Bu.)

“Are you sad?”

“I’m alright. To him, I was just a useful tool. So my feelings for him aren’t much.” On saying so, she gestured toward her camp with her mouth. “Though I may say so, appearances have to be kept up and so I let them carry out a funeral but I couldn’t stand the atmosphere inside so I came out.”

She gave a dry laugh on saying so.

“Then what are your plans? Go serve Dong Zhuo?”

“Un? How did you know?” She sat up with a surprised look.

“Maa, I just guessed at random.”

“Is that so. You can go be a fortune teller next time huh~~~” She said with some suspicion but lay back down. “Honestly, yesterday my old acquaintance Li Su came to look for me to recruit me to join Dong Zhuo. Since I now have nowhere to go, I’m thinking of going there.”

(TL: Li Su is another minor general, served Dong Zhuo.)

“I see… Going there isn’t anything bad anyway.”

I gave her a seemingly nonchalant but deeply meaningful reply as I knew what would happen after she went. Though I wanted to offer my advice, as someone who is unrelated, I felt I shouldn’t run my mouth. Moreover, even if I did say something, she may not listen.

“I don’t know that person so who knows… But my brigadier general Zhang Liao seems to know something and keeps telling me not to serve him.”

(TL: In the original, Zhang Liao was originally Dong Zhuo’s general and only served Lu Bu after Dong Zhuo’s death.)

Zhang Liao?

“… The one called Zhang Liao… Is a girl as well?”

“That’s right, didn’t you see her? She was behind me when we came.”

“I really didn’t notice her…” Why would I even know what Zhang Liao looks like?

Never mind, so be it if they are women. I won’t be surprised anymore even if the Emperor Xian of Han is a woman.

(TL: Emperor Xian of Han is the last emperor of the Han Dynasty.)

“She’s very old fas.h.i.+oned in her thinking and is probably wholeheartedly mourning my foster father. Even though he never favoured her in the least.”

“But since she said that much, I feel that General Lu Bu should think about it carefully.”

“Un, I will I will. But call me Feng Xian, I don’t like that sort of rigid politeness.”

I had planned on not saying anything, but in the end decided to offer some words.

“Ah… Feng Xian, the world is very large, and a dragon such as yourself does not need to be stuck to the idea of serving a lord. You should have your own thinking and things you want to fight for. I feel that if it’s you, you can do it on your own and need not serve someone else.”

“Not that I’m bragging, but though I do have skill with martial arts… I, I, I’m actually very stupid, and I don’t have much of a reputation either.” She said, stammering at the second half.

(TL: This is historically accurate.)

“Maa, you can read some books to gain more knowledge.” I offered advice that I myself had not followed. “Or depend on the right people for help. I feel that the Zhang Liao you mentioned before is quite the person to depend on.”

“Un~~~ She is a very upright person, and often solves the problems I face, and we even spar when we are bored.”

“Yeah, since she is willing to follow you, it’s naturally because she sees in you something that she wants to fight for. So, you should find what it is you want to fight for as well.

“Haha, I don’t really get that.” She laughed dryly. “… Maa, that’s how it is. Those people inside should be done by now.” She got up and her relaxed expression became her stern one again, “I’ll be going back.”

She turned and left, and from her back, I could sense loneliness, but of a kind that was difficult to describe.

“Oh, have a good night.”

She waved and entered the tent.

Later on I got sleepy from the cold as well, and fell asleep shortly after I returned to the tent.

The next day, all of us got up early and left the tent. Though it was early for us, Feng Xian and her troops had already been up for a while.

Seeing as they were leaving, I decided to go over and say good bye. Feng Xian saw us coming and walked over as well.

“Leaving already?”

“Un, leaving soon. In the end, I still feel I should head to Dong Zhuo’s place and take a look, and if that doesn’t work then I’ll just have to find another way.”

“I really don’t know what my lord is thinking, to go ahead even after all my protests.” Just then a girl with a steen look and frowned eyebrows came over from the side. From her looks, she should be younger than Feng Xian by a bit.

Though her hair was not very long, it was combed neatly and her eyebrows were always upturned. From her green eyes, I could sense a sternness that was different from Feng Xian’s, and at the same time seemed clear and transparent. How should I put it, just based on temperament… She feels a lot like Yun Chang.

Is she Zhang Liao?

“Maa, but Wen Yuan, we need a place to go to no matter what, so think of this as a temporary solution for now.” Feng Xian laughed, and then got on her horse… Speaking of which, this horse isn’t red huh. “Now then, we’ll be leaving.”

(TL: Wen Yuan is Zhang Liao’s courtesy name. Also, Lu Bu supposedly has a legendary steed that is red in colour. There are more later events about this horse so I’ll refrain from giving more explanations about it here.)

“Ah, have a safe trip.”

I waved and watched as Feng Xian slowly rode into the distance.

“Big brother, yesterday night when I came out for a breather, I got along really well with the officer beside General Lu Bu.” Yun Chang said excitedly. “As expected, there are still great people out there who believe in righteousness.”

“Is that officer called Zhang Liao Zhang Wen Yuan?”

“Eh?! How did big brother know? Did big brother speak with her?”

“No, but I know from just one look that you are the same kind of people.” I said.

“Alright, we’re all packed. Let’s…”

Though we haven’t decided where to go, but we’ll do that after we started moving.

“Oi~~~”

I turned and saw someone familiar.

“Un? Feng Xian? Why did you all come back?”

“Ah, we ran into a courier from the Imperial Court not long after we set off and he asked about your whereabouts. And so we hurriedly brought him here.” Feng Xian jumped of the horse and a neatly dressed soldier got off his horse as well. “This man is Liu Bei, it’s a good thing we got in time before they left.”

The soldier ran over as he waved his hand.

“At last I’ve found you. Ive been looking for you since yesterday but I could never find you in Zhuo commandery.”

“Ah… We, umm, made a last minute change in direction.”

We couldn’t possibly say we escaped with Zhang Jue right?

“May I ask what is the matter?”

“Ah, there’s a letter here for you. The Imperial Court recognises your efforts in defeating the Yellow Turban Army, and you are henceforth appointed the Prefect of Anxi county.”

“Ah?” I received the letter with suspicion. “How did you all find out that I defeated the Yellow Turban Army?”

Those who know should only be that small fry who died to an arrow and Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang…

“Indeed no one knew, but Captain Cao specially mentioned you. And so you were given the reward of Prefect.”

“Cao!!” I was shocked on hearing the name.

“Is it Cao Cao!? But… How did he know!?”

I hastily opened the letter, and it was a personal letter from Cao Cao as expected.

There were only 13 words written in large font on the paper– Because Zhuo was not lost, I could attack Jue, I offer my thanks.

(TL: Cao Cao, in original and here, likes to write poems and sayings. And in his writing, he always writes in a manner that is brief yet formal and eloquent, pretty much impossible to translate as an English equivalent would just sound like broken English.)

“…”

So the one who attacked Zhang Jue, was actually Cao Cao huh… I wordlessly folded the letter and sank into thought as I stared at the envelope.

“… Alright, I got it.” Though Cao Cao caught my attention, it’s not like I know where to go to find him. “Then do I have to report to Du city?”

“Ah, no need for thT. You can just a.s.sume the role directly.” The courier gave a face that looked like I was trouble. “General Ding Yuan was a.s.sa.s.sinated in Du city yesterday. Even now the city is in chaos. No one will be bothered with the reporting of a little Prefect like you~~~”

Even a courier knows about this?

“Do they know who killed General Ding Yuan?” Zhang Liao cut in and asked as she stepped forward from behind Feng Xian.

“Though it can’t be concluded yet, some in the Imperial Court has identified one of General Ding Yuan’s subordinates, Lu Bu, as the prime suspect.”

“What!!” Feng Xian angrily yelled on hearing her name, “On what grounds!”

“I heard that at the moment when General Ding Yuan was a.s.sa.s.sinated, the one to escape first was that person called Lu Bu which is why everyone suspects her.”

“But that is!”

“Feng Xian, I understand how you feel but stay calm first!” I stopped Feng Xian’s words, and she understood despite being very dissatisfied and did not speak further.

According to what the courier said, there were probably wanted notices nationwide now so the most important thing is not to reveal her ident.i.ty.

“You said some suspected Lu Bu did it, know who that is?”

“Yes, say it!” Feng Xian’s expression now was very terrifying and he would probably have killed the courier if I hadn’t stopped her.

“I, I’m just a courier, how could I know so much… But I have heard that the first to accuse her is Inspector Yuan Shao And Dong Zhuo, Administrator of Liang state.”

“What!? Dong Zhuo!”

“Feng Xian!”

I motioned to Feng Xian with my eyes to keep quiet and thanked and gave the courier some money to make his way back.

“d.a.m.n it!!!~~~~” Feng Xian roared and smashed her halberd on a rock after the courier had left, smas.h.i.+ng it to sand. “That Dong Zhuo, to be recruiting me and framing me at the same time, what is he plotting?!”

“Don’t you see now master? This is exactly as I said, that Dong Zhuo is not the sort of person you want to serve.” Zhang Liao said indignantly as she walked over. “This time, he is framing my lord, and is acting as if he is just finding a scapegoat but he is actually leaving you with no route to go but to serve him~~~”

“…” Feng Xian closed her eyes and thought, before opening them wide,. “That old man! I’m going to find him!”

“Feng Xian, wait.” I stopped her when because I got worried when I saw her vicious face.

“Ah, I must thank you for this matter.” She was about to flip onto her horse but she paused on seeing me run over. “If it weren’t for the courier, zi would not have known about this.”

Before you leave, I feel like I mjst say this to you.” I thought about it and some things must be said. “Feng Xian, you said yesterday that you are stupid but this is untrue. Feng Xian just doesn’t know how to express herself. On this matter, you still have quite a ways to go.”

“Expressing myself… Huh? Un, I will remember this along with the things from last night. Thank you for your kind guidance.” Feng Xian smiled for the first time to me, and then got on her horse. “If fate allows it, I will find you when I’m done.”

“Un, if you want to find me, head to Anxi country, we ‘ll be there.”

Or maybe the next time we meet will be in Xu state.

“I hope to see you again!”

As Feng Xian finished, she pulled her horse’s reins and brought her troops far away in no time.

Looking at the horses riding into the distance, if I really had something I wanted to say then it would be– Rest in oeace, Dong Zhuo.

“I wonder if we can meet again?” Yi De said with both hands behind her back.

“If I could, I would like to speak with Wen Yuan again.” Yun Chang smiled as she looked at the horses leaving.

“About that, who knows.” This history is way too chaotic. “Anyway let’s go. To Anxi county.”

No matter if it’s Cao Cao, or Lu Bu, or my feather fan.

The future, shall be left to the future.