Yun Chang POV

I woke up feeling refreshed and energised after a good night’s sleep.

I sat on my bed in a daze and looked at the table by the door out of habit. The table was specially for any couriers and messengers to leave letters. Seeing that it was empty, I sighed.

It has been 3-4 days since we’ve left Xu state and came to Xuchang but there has been no news about big brother at all. Lord Cao Cao said she’d help me but I don’t know whether I can rely on her. Even if she was a good friend before, now that we have become mortal enemies; even if Lord Cao Cao is putting in resources to search for big brother, he may not let himself be found so easily.

Or perhaps, big brother has already… No, he shouldn’t have.

I put on my green robe and went to look for Gan Qing and Mi Zhen. They, and Hua Tuo, were residing in the inner residence which had softer beds than the one I was sleeping on. Ordinary girls like them can’t be made to suffer too much hards.h.i.+p after all.

When we were in Xu state before, I had promised big brother that I would protect the 2 of them. And so ever since I came back to Xuchang, I’ve been checking on them everyday.

“Yo~~ Are the 2 of you well?” As I entered the inner residence, I gave a greeting as I saw them sitting in the main hall.

Un?

Sensing something amiss, I hurriedly stepped forward. As I got closer, I saw that Mi Zhen was rubbing her eyes which were filled with tears. Her hair was not tied yet either. Seems like she just woke up.

“Little Mi Zhen, what’s the matter? Does your stomach hurt?”

“Ah, it’s nothing serious.” Gan Qing said with a helpless smile as she rubbed Mi Zhen’s back. Gan Qing’s eyes were slightly bloodshot as well, “Mi Zhen only had a nightmare, and has been crying since she woke up.”

Hu, so it’s just a nightmare.

“I, I dreamt that Lord Liu Bei… Lord Liu Bei…”

On hearing big brother’s name, my heart sank once more.

Mi Zhen hasn’t seen big brother in a long time, and now that his life hangs in the balance, it wouldn’t be strange for her to dream of him.

“Little Mi Zhen, big brother…”

“I dreamt that Lord Liu Bei… Slept with some women…”

“Eh?”

Mi Zhen said some very surprising words while she cried.

“Don’t cry little sister. Big brother is very indecisive and won’t sleep with other women that easily.” Gan Qing comforted her.

“…”

“Umm, Lord Yun Chang, what’s the matter? Why are you sweating so much so early in the morning?”

“Un, un? Am I?” I hurriedly used the sleeves of my robe to wipe the sweat that streamed down my head.

Come to think of it, I haven’t told them about ‘that’ yet. But how in the world do I do that?

“In, in any case, the 2 of you need not worry too much, I’m sure that heaven will favour big brother.” I hurriedly added, hoping to make it less awkward.

*Ka*… *Ka*…

Un? These heavy steps are familiar…

“Is it Wen Yuan and Lord Lu Bu?” I turned and saw the 2 familiar warriors. Though they did not wear their plate, their figures were still as impressive as always, “You 2 have been coming here pretty often too huh.”

“Yeah,” Wen Yuan nodded with a smile, as though the things that have happened before were an illusion, “It’s also because Gan Qing and Mi Zhen have been getting me to teach them some martial arts.”

That’s right. Perhaps they’ve been dissatisfied with being protected. Gan Qing and Mi Zhen have been very enthusiastic about learning martial arts. Sometimes the Xiahou sisters drop by and teach some moves to them as well, as though we are no longer enemies.

“Alright, I’ll get some practice done too.” I rolled up my sleeves, and made to pick a weapon and get some practice to take my mind off things.

“Lord Guan Yu, it seems like you have some other matters to attend to today.” Just then. Lu Bu who had been caressing Red Hare all this while said with a face that looked like she hadn’t woken up yet, “We ran into Cao Cao just now and she asked you to find her.”

“Un?” Lord Cao Cao is looking for me?

(TL: In the original, Guan Yu brought Lady Gan and Lady Mi back to Xuchang with him and let them stay in a cordoned off part of the residence Cao Cao gave him. He would check on them every day and give a progress report. One day, he came and saw that Lady Gan was crying as she had a nightmare that Liu Bei fell into a pit.)

“You called, Imperial Chancellor?”

“Ah, Yun Chang, You’re here.” When she saw me enter her room, Meng De got off her seat and walked over to welcome me.

“Come, have a look at this.” Meng De extended her hand and the 2 servants at the sides went to the back and returned with an elegant and exquisite silk robe.

“This is…”

“It’s for you. You were made a Lieutenant-General just a while ago so you ought to have a proper silk robe befitting of your official position.” Lord Cao Cao took the robe and tiptoed as she compared it to my frame, “How is it? Do you like it?”

Indeed, we were summoned to Court 2 days ago and given official positions. The positions themselves weren’t all that high, but still commanded significant prestige and it would be proper etiquette to wear nicer clothing befitting of the positions.

But this silk robe…

“I thank the Imperial Chancellor for your kind intentions but I cannot change out of this robe.” I rolled my shoulders and tried to make my green robe more tidy, “This clothing was a personal gift chosen by big brother when we first raised an army. Apart from this, I will no longer wear any other clothing.”

“Oh~~” Lord Cao Cao nodded with a smile of realisation, “Then if Xuan De has pa.s.sed away, what will you do?”

… Indeed, that is a problem that is probable in nature.

But I will still adhere to my beliefs.

I closed my eyes and clearly enunciated every word which rang in my ears. “I will join big brother in the earth.”

“Un…” Lord Cao Cao nodded as she returned the robe to the servants.

“I believe that everyone else will give the same answer as well.”

“I believe that to be the case as well.” Lord Cao Cao still smiled as always. I really couldn’t understand what she was thinking, “Perhaps it is because things are like this that I think so highly of Xuan De.”

“Eh?”

“That’s for me to know…”

Report–

Just as Lord Cao Cao was trying to wave things away with a smile, a military courier came in and got down on his knees with an anxious look.

“What is it that is so alarming?!” Lord Cao Cao said coldly as she immediately changed her face and covered her mouth with her sleeve.

The courier did not dare to wait any longer and raised his head to look at Lord Cao Cao before lowering his head and yelling out the news he bore.

— Yuan Shao has begun mobilising.