Li Dian POV
“Alright, that’s enough chit chat. I’m afraid that my reinforcements will be here soon.” Guan Yu said as archers suddenly appeared at the towers, “You might want to attack now but I’m fully prepared to met you in combat.”
I looked up at Guan Yu and looked at the city walls. I have been here many times now but they have never seemed so tall before. I looked at Cao Ren wordlessly and saw that she had her head lowered and had the same expression on as when her formation was broken.
Un… I suddenly felt glad that I was not the commanding officer. If it were me instead of Cao Ren, then the difficult decision of whether to give up and leave or attack would fall to me. I would not have been able to choose. There was no right answer after all, just bad or worse.
Whether we attack or not, it would be worth 0 points in my eyes. How then should I choose? Fortunately, I am not the commanding officer so all I need to do is to wait quietly for Cao Ren to give the order.
“Lord Cao Ren,” I said slowly, unable to remain silent any longer, “Whatever you choose, I will bear the responsibility of that choice with you.”
“… Haha, those words are really uncharacteristic of you, Lord Li Dian.” Cao Ren said as she looked at me and laughed sarcastically.
Wu, really? I believe that I am normally quite responsible too.
“Alright, I got it.” Cao Ren made her resolve just as I was reflecting on her comments and said as she sighed, “We were bested by a superior foe and lost this battle. The war is however not over. Let’s return to Xuchang for now.”
“… Are you sure?” I asked. Though I had already prepared myself to return to Xuchang, it was still difficult to accept now that it had become reality.
Is it really over? I looked at Cao Ren and looked at the 3,000+ troops behind, and then at the city we had given to our enemy on a silver platter.
I truly felt sorrowful but I had no right to cry about it. Cao Ren bore more responsibility than I did and there is no way I lost more than the Lu siblings who lost their lives and each other. This sorrow I felt was mere weakness on my part so there was no way I could allow myself to cry.
I looked at Cao Ren and saw that she looked depressed as well but looked a little better than me. Looks like I still have a long way to go as a warrior.
Now that we have decided on returning to Xuchang, there is just 1 more thing to do before we go back, I thought as I looked up at the tower and loosened the ropes at my waist. Even if we are leaving Fan city, I must still do my best to fulfill our promise.
“Lord Guan Yu!” I yelled out as I saluted her. I do not know if she can see me or is even willing to but I still have to be polite here. I then looked at Cao Ren, afraid that she might be troubled by my actions but then saw that she merely looked at me and wordlessly nodded.
“What other business is there?” Guan Yu yelled back, her red hair seeming even rredder against the setting sun.
“Lord Guan Yu! I have a favour to ask of you!” I yelled out again as I sheathed my sword and carefully brought Lu Xiang out in front of me.
It had not been long since she took her last breath but rigor mortis had already set in, making it difficult for me to turn her. Her skin was soft as well, and bruised easily, making it even more difficult for me. When I looked at her smile once more, the emotions I had felt when she left this world came back again.
“Un? This person is…” Guan Yu gasped.
“Yes, this is a general on our side, Lu Xiang.” I said while looking at Lu Xiang, “Lord Guan Yu should recognise her.”
“Ah… Un.” Guan Yu seemed rather shaken as she replied. She probably never expected that Lu Xiang would perish and it seems like no one else on their side knew either or Guan Yu would have known about it from the reports she had received.
“Lu Xiang fought bravely in the city despite her prior injuries and slew many enemies. Unfortunately, she fell in a duel from a surprise attack by Zhang Fei.”
“Yi De?” For some reason, this detail caught Guan Yu’s attention. Perhaps she is surprised and glad to hear that Zhang Fei has regained some of her former self.
“But Lord Lu Xiang is…. May I ask what is needed of me?”
“I need Lord Guan Yu’s help.” I said as I saluted, “Sometime ago, Lu Xiang’s elder brother, Lu Kuang, was slain in combat by your comrade. Because of the urgency of the situation, we did not send his body back and buried him to the eastern outskirts of Fan city. Lu Xiang’s last wish was to be buried with her elder brother.”
“Un…”
“Now that we have well and truly lost the battle, and the city as well, it would be a lie to say that I do not harbour hatred and enmity against you. But I have sworn to fulfill her last wish and I am now putting aside my pride to ask this of you.” I said as I gritted my teeth and suppressed my raging emotion as I continued, “As you said, your reinforcements will be here imminently and we have to leave so I will be unable to fulfill her last wish. Therefore, I implore Lord Guan Yu to set aside our differences in the name of benevolence and honour to help me fulfill Lu Xiang’s last wish.”
“I understand.” Guan Yu acceded to my request immediately after I finished, “We will do our very best to ensure that she is given an honourable burial.”
“Really?” I asked in disbelief when I saw how easily she accepted it.
“I cannot ignore such a request. And besides, I understand how she feels.” Guan Yu said as she waved her hands and several troops ran down the tower, “My own elder brother’s fate is unknown and his body is still missing. If I were to be able to find his body, I too wish to be buried with him.”
At the very end, Guan Yu’s voice was rather tearful. I had almost forgotten that Guan Yu was known for being honourable and loyal and that she was Liu Bei’s sworn sister.
Un… I remained silent as I looked at Guan Yu, feeling rather shaken by her words. Based on my hypothesis about Liu Bei, she should not have said such words. Not if Liu Bei is still alive…
Yet Guan Yu was able to say such things so naturally and unintentionally. Does this mean that she does not know about Liu Bei or is my guess wrong? Like before, there are many things I need to think about with this but now is not the time to do so.
“If you really can do this, I, Li Dian, thank Lord Guan Yu on Lu Xiang’s behalf.” I said and saluted her once more.
I should hate her. It was her act that was the most convincing of all amongst those who came to fake their defections. If it were not for her, I would not have agreed with Cao Ren. At the same time, a self-deprecating voice inside me reminded that no matter what they did, it was still my own fault in the end for falling for it.
Never mind. This is just a small request and I should not beat myself up for it. There are a lot of things to deal with from here on out after all.
*Giiyaa*…
The gates opened but the noise was not too loud as this gate was newly installed. Just earlier today, I had left this city after hearing this. I looked into the city and saw that there were only 2 soldiers walking out and there were no other guards nearby.
What would happen if we were to just charge in right now?
Li Dian POV
“Alright, that’s enough chit chat. I’m afraid that my reinforcements will be here soon.” Guan Yu said as archers suddenly appeared at the towers, “You might want to attack now but I’m fully prepared to met you in combat.”
I looked up at Guan Yu and looked at the city walls. I have been here many times now but they have never seemed so tall before. I looked at Cao Ren wordlessly and saw that she had her head lowered and had the same expression on as when her formation was broken.
Un… I suddenly felt glad that I was not the commanding officer. If it were me instead of Cao Ren, then the difficult decision of whether to give up and leave or attack would fall to me. I would not have been able to choose. There was no right answer after all, just bad or worse.
Whether we attack or not, it would be worth 0 points in my eyes. How then should I choose? Fortunately, I am not the commanding officer so all I need to do is to wait quietly for Cao Ren to give the order.
“Lord Cao Ren,” I said slowly, unable to remain silent any longer, “Whatever you choose, I will bear the responsibility of that choice with you.”
“… Haha, those words are really uncharacteristic of you, Lord Li Dian.” Cao Ren said as she looked at me and laughed sarcastically.
Wu, really? I believe that I am normally quite responsible too.
“Alright, I got it.” Cao Ren made her resolve just as I was reflecting on her comments and said as she sighed, “We were bested by a superior foe and lost this battle. The war is however not over. Let’s return to Xuchang for now.”
“… Are you sure?” I asked. Though I had already prepared myself to return to Xuchang, it was still difficult to accept now that it had become reality.
Is it really over? I looked at Cao Ren and looked at the 3,000+ troops behind, and then at the city we had given to our enemy on a silver platter.
I truly felt sorrowful but I had no right to cry about it. Cao Ren bore more responsibility than I did and there is no way I lost more than the Lu siblings who lost their lives and each other. This sorrow I felt was mere weakness on my part so there was no way I could allow myself to cry.
I looked at Cao Ren and saw that she looked depressed as well but looked a little better than me. Looks like I still have a long way to go as a warrior.
Now that we have decided on returning to Xuchang, there is just 1 more thing to do before we go back, I thought as I looked up at the tower and loosened the ropes at my waist. Even if we are leaving Fan city, I must still do my best to fulfill our promise.
“Lord Guan Yu!” I yelled out as I saluted her. I do not know if she can see me or is even willing to but I still have to be polite here. I then looked at Cao Ren, afraid that she might be troubled by my actions but then saw that she merely looked at me and wordlessly nodded.
“What other business is there?” Guan Yu yelled back, her red hair seeming even rredder against the setting sun.
“Lord Guan Yu! I have a favour to ask of you!” I yelled out again as I sheathed my sword and carefully brought Lu Xiang out in front of me.
It had not been long since she took her last breath but rigor mortis had already set in, making it difficult for me to turn her. Her skin was soft as well, and bruised easily, making it even more difficult for me. When I looked at her smile once more, the emotions I had felt when she left this world came back again.
“Un? This person is…” Guan Yu gasped.
“Yes, this is a general on our side, Lu Xiang.” I said while looking at Lu Xiang, “Lord Guan Yu should recognise her.”
“Ah… Un.” Guan Yu seemed rather shaken as she replied. She probably never expected that Lu Xiang would perish and it seems like no one else on their side knew either or Guan Yu would have known about it from the reports she had received.
“Lu Xiang fought bravely in the city despite her prior injuries and slew many enemies. Unfortunately, she fell in a duel from a surprise attack by Zhang Fei.”
“Yi De?” For some reason, this detail caught Guan Yu’s attention. Perhaps she is surprised and glad to hear that Zhang Fei has regained some of her former self.
“But Lord Lu Xiang is…. May I ask what is needed of me?”
“I need Lord Guan Yu’s help.” I said as I saluted, “Sometime ago, Lu Xiang’s elder brother, Lu Kuang, was slain in combat by your comrade. Because of the urgency of the situation, we did not send his body back and buried him to the eastern outskirts of Fan city. Lu Xiang’s last wish was to be buried with her elder brother.”
“Un…”
“Now that we have well and truly lost the battle, and the city as well, it would be a lie to say that I do not harbour hatred and enmity against you. But I have sworn to fulfill her last wish and I am now putting aside my pride to ask this of you.” I said as I gritted my teeth and suppressed my raging emotion as I continued, “As you said, your reinforcements will be here imminently and we have to leave so I will be unable to fulfill her last wish. Therefore, I implore Lord Guan Yu to set aside our differences in the name of benevolence and honour to help me fulfill Lu Xiang’s last wish.”
“I understand.” Guan Yu acceded to my request immediately after I finished, “We will do our very best to ensure that she is given an honourable burial.”
“Really?” I asked in disbelief when I saw how easily she accepted it.
“I cannot ignore such a request. And besides, I understand how she feels.” Guan Yu said as she waved her hands and several troops ran down the tower, “My own elder brother’s fate is unknown and his body is still missing. If I were to be able to find his body, I too wish to be buried with him.”
At the very end, Guan Yu’s voice was rather tearful. I had almost forgotten that Guan Yu was known for being honourable and loyal and that she was Liu Bei’s sworn sister.
Un… I remained silent as I looked at Guan Yu, feeling rather shaken by her words. Based on my hypothesis about Liu Bei, she should not have said such words. Not if Liu Bei is still alive…
Yet Guan Yu was able to say such things so naturally and unintentionally. Does this mean that she does not know about Liu Bei or is my guess wrong? Like before, there are many things I need to think about with this but now is not the time to do so.
“If you really can do this, I, Li Dian, thank Lord Guan Yu on Lu Xiang’s behalf.” I said and saluted her once more.
I should hate her. It was her act that was the most convincing of all amongst those who came to fake their defections. If it were not for her, I would not have agreed with Cao Ren. At the same time, a self-deprecating voice inside me reminded that no matter what they did, it was still my own fault in the end for falling for it.
Never mind. This is just a small request and I should not beat myself up for it. There are a lot of things to deal with from here on out after all.
*Giiyaa*…
The gates opened but the noise was not too loud as this gate was newly installed. Just earlier today, I had left this city after hearing this. I looked into the city and saw that there were only 2 soldiers walking out and there were no other guards nearby.
What would happen if we were to just charge in right now?
