Liu Bei POV
“I-In any case, I’ll be leaving.”
“Un, have a safe trip.” Gan Qing said as I hastily left after giving a final farewell. I could hear Mi Zhen yelling for me again from behind but I ignored her and continued on.
Ah… Gan Qing, sorry for the trouble. I will make sure to repay you one day for everything.
“…”
Un? Just then, I noticed that Yi De seemed unnaturally quiet and when I looked over, she turned away.
“Yi De, what’s the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing.” She said in a calm voice, “I just feel weird about that child calling you ‘daddy’.”
“What’s weird about that?” I said but after these words left my mouth, I realised that I was the weird one, “No, wait, I do indeed feel weird about it.”
I feel an indescribable sort of anguish on being called ‘daddy’ at such a tender age.
“No, that’s not it.” Yi De shook her head, “I can’t really describe it but hearing you being called ‘daddy’ makes me feel weird.”
What does she mean…
“Be that as it may, you will still have to be her relative.”
Well, I guess I cannot really understand how she feels–
“… Ah, I think I know why you feel that way.”
“Eh?”
“I think I know what irks you.” I nodded and gave her a wry smile, “You see, if she were to call me ‘daddy’, what will she call you?”
“Me?” Yi De said as she looked up and sank into thought, “Why won’t she call me by my name?”
“Of course she won’t,” I shook my head and pointed at her, “You’ll be ‘auntie’, won’t you?”
(Auntie.) Yi De repeated softly under her breath.
“… Wu.” She grimaced, “I don’t like it at all.”
“Hahahaha!” I burst out in laughter on seeing her grim expression that showed how much she detested being called by that yet at the same time contained some delight as well.
“What is Xuan De laughing about…”
I hurriedly shook my head, “No, no, nothing at all.”
— Ah!
Just then, I knocked into someone while being preoccupied with my enjoyment of Yi De’s plight and bamboo scrolls fell to the ground.
“Wah! Sorry!” I hurriedly apologised and reached out to help the one who fell to the ground and saw that it was Chen Gong.
“My lord, can you please get your act together?” Just as I expected, Chen Gong frowned immediately and began berating me, “If you keep being this frivolous, you will never be a good ruler.”
“Ah… I suppose.” I smiled stiffly, unsure of what to say, and merely kept my hand out, “Come, did you hurt yourself?”
“No need.” She said as she swiped my hand away and got up on her own. However, because the ground was slippery and/or her platform shoes made it difficult to get up, she could not get up at all even after trying a few times.
“Come, Chen Gong.” I said as I extended my hand to her again.
“…” Chen Gong stared at me before very unhappily turning away and reached up. After I grabbed onto her hand and helped her up, she hurriedly lowered her head and quietly picked up the bamboo scrolls lying on the ground.
“Are you hurt?” I asked as I helped to pick up the scrolls as did Yi De.
“No.” Chen Gong casually replied, albeit in a less incendiary tone than before, “But my lord, you better watch your step next time.”
“Un un, I understand.” I said as I hurriedly nodded, feeling grateful that I was not scolded too badly.
(Though I must admit that I too wasn’t looking.)
“Eh? Chen Gong, did you say something?”
“No.”
Strange, I seem to have heard Chen Gong mumble something as she picked up her bamboo scrolls. Was it just my misconception? Oh well.
But there really are a lot of scrolls. A quick estimate puts the number at 20-30+ and when we were done, I was rather astounded by how heavy they could be.
“Give them over.”
“It’s fine, I’ll help you carry them for now.” I said as I began walking. Chen Gong did not bother arguing with me and eventually followed behind me after a moment.
*Ta* *Ta* *Ta*
It’s really difficult not to pay attention to the sound her shoes make. If you listened to it from a distance away, it would have sounded like a horse that was slowly walking.
Chen Gong eventually caught up and walked beside me but still kept looking away. I stole some glances every now and then but could not figure out what she was thinking, though it’s probably something negative about me.
“Is my lord going out today?”
“Ah? Ah, yes I am.”
She snickered at me before replying, “Where are you going after leaving all this work behind?”
“To the same place, to Longzhong.”
“Oh~~” She nodded with her eyebrows raised, “To seek the help from the sage?”
“Ah, yes. She wasn’t there the last time we went.”
“So it was because she wasn’t there? I thought you were rejected.”
“Wu…”
Do you have to be so hurtful? I thought but continued to smiled, “I’ll definitely succeed this time. Don’t worry.”
“There’s nothing to be worried about from my end.” Chen Gong said as she shrugged and sank into thought for a moment before she laughed again, “By the way, it could be that the sage just doesn’t want to meet you and pretended not to be in.”
“Eh?”
“This possibility exists, you know? Don’t tell me my lord thinks so highly of himself that he never even thought of that.”
“No…”
It is true that I never considered that possibility but that’s because it’s unlikely… I am Liu Bei after all and why would Zhuge Liang not want to see me?
“Hai… My lord really is…” Chen Gong sighed and lamented as she shook her head at me, “But perhaps she might take pity on you after seeing you work so hard.”
“Hahaha, I suppose.”
By now, we had already reached the main gate and Yun Chang should be waiting outside.
“But that’s fine. There’s no problem even if that Zhuge Liang doesn’t come.”
Eh? All of a sudden, Chen Gong ran up a couple of steps and turned around before standing in front of me with creased eyebrows. Her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something but she closed it halfway through.
“… Never mind.” Eventually she gave up and said this before lowering her head and came up to me, “Give it over, we’re at the door now.”
“Ah, oh.” I hurriedly nodded before passing her the scrolls. After Chen Gong received them, she nodded before walking away.
As I stared at her back, I began to think that Chen Gong was a lot more capable than what I gave her credit for. The only area in which she is lacking is that her tongue is too poisonous.
“My lord,” Just as I was preoccupied with my thoughts, Chen Gong called out to me. When I looked at her in surprise, she continued, “I hope you can successfully recruit the great sage.”
Eh? It feels like this is not what she wanted to say earlier.
“Un, thanks!” I hurriedly replied to which Chen Gong nodded before leaving. Until the very end, I still could not fathom what Chen Gong wanted to say before. It felt like the same situation as when Yi De tried to tell me something just as she woke up after the battle.
“Un? Is there something wrong, Xuan De?”
“Ah, no.” I hurriedly denied it and turned away when she detected my gaze.
Ah. Just as Chen Gong stepped out of the door, Yun Chang suddenly appeared and exchanged a few words with Chen Gong before looking over.
“You actually came this early huh?” I said as I waved at Yun Chang who saluted me as she came over.
“I don’t have a good gauge on the time needed to travel from Fan city to Xinye so I always leave early enough.”
“But why wait at the door? You could have come in and sat down.”
“No, I’m afraid that I’ll fall asleep if I sit down.”
When Yun Chang finished, I noticed that she was a little shaky. Un… I can more or less guess what’s up.
“Did you stay up all night yesterday again?”
“… There were a lot of things to attend to.”
“Even so, you have to take care of your health and body.”
I sighed and frowned before going up to Yun Chang and massaging her shoulders. Yun Chang did not look up at me and merely nodded several times.
“Un, sorry for troubling you today and making you accompany me.”
“No, it’s fine… We made a promise after all.” She said with her head lowered. Looks like she is enjoying the massage.
“Alright. even though I’m not too adept, that should have eased some of the strain.”
My dad used to force me to give him back and shoulder rubs so I have some experience in doing this.
“No, many thanks big brother.”
“Aiya, there’s no need to stand on ceremony.” I said as I hurriedly helped her up, “Let’s get going.”
Liu Bei POV
“I-In any case, I’ll be leaving.”
“Un, have a safe trip.” Gan Qing said as I hastily left after giving a final farewell. I could hear Mi Zhen yelling for me again from behind but I ignored her and continued on.
Ah… Gan Qing, sorry for the trouble. I will make sure to repay you one day for everything.
“…”
Un? Just then, I noticed that Yi De seemed unnaturally quiet and when I looked over, she turned away.
“Yi De, what’s the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing.” She said in a calm voice, “I just feel weird about that child calling you ‘daddy’.”
“What’s weird about that?” I said but after these words left my mouth, I realised that I was the weird one, “No, wait, I do indeed feel weird about it.”
I feel an indescribable sort of anguish on being called ‘daddy’ at such a tender age.
“No, that’s not it.” Yi De shook her head, “I can’t really describe it but hearing you being called ‘daddy’ makes me feel weird.”
What does she mean…
“Be that as it may, you will still have to be her relative.”
Well, I guess I cannot really understand how she feels–
“… Ah, I think I know why you feel that way.”
“Eh?”
“I think I know what irks you.” I nodded and gave her a wry smile, “You see, if she were to call me ‘daddy’, what will she call you?”
“Me?” Yi De said as she looked up and sank into thought, “Why won’t she call me by my name?”
“Of course she won’t,” I shook my head and pointed at her, “You’ll be ‘auntie’, won’t you?”
(Auntie.) Yi De repeated softly under her breath.
“… Wu.” She grimaced, “I don’t like it at all.”
“Hahahaha!” I burst out in laughter on seeing her grim expression that showed how much she detested being called by that yet at the same time contained some delight as well.
“What is Xuan De laughing about…”
I hurriedly shook my head, “No, no, nothing at all.”
— Ah!
Just then, I knocked into someone while being preoccupied with my enjoyment of Yi De’s plight and bamboo scrolls fell to the ground.
“Wah! Sorry!” I hurriedly apologised and reached out to help the one who fell to the ground and saw that it was Chen Gong.
“My lord, can you please get your act together?” Just as I expected, Chen Gong frowned immediately and began berating me, “If you keep being this frivolous, you will never be a good ruler.”
“Ah… I suppose.” I smiled stiffly, unsure of what to say, and merely kept my hand out, “Come, did you hurt yourself?”
“No need.” She said as she swiped my hand away and got up on her own. However, because the ground was slippery and/or her platform shoes made it difficult to get up, she could not get up at all even after trying a few times.
“Come, Chen Gong.” I said as I extended my hand to her again.
“…” Chen Gong stared at me before very unhappily turning away and reached up. After I grabbed onto her hand and helped her up, she hurriedly lowered her head and quietly picked up the bamboo scrolls lying on the ground.
“Are you hurt?” I asked as I helped to pick up the scrolls as did Yi De.
“No.” Chen Gong casually replied, albeit in a less incendiary tone than before, “But my lord, you better watch your step next time.”
“Un un, I understand.” I said as I hurriedly nodded, feeling grateful that I was not scolded too badly.
(Though I must admit that I too wasn’t looking.)
“Eh? Chen Gong, did you say something?”
“No.”
Strange, I seem to have heard Chen Gong mumble something as she picked up her bamboo scrolls. Was it just my misconception? Oh well.
But there really are a lot of scrolls. A quick estimate puts the number at 20-30+ and when we were done, I was rather astounded by how heavy they could be.
“Give them over.”
“It’s fine, I’ll help you carry them for now.” I said as I began walking. Chen Gong did not bother arguing with me and eventually followed behind me after a moment.
*Ta* *Ta* *Ta*
It’s really difficult not to pay attention to the sound her shoes make. If you listened to it from a distance away, it would have sounded like a horse that was slowly walking.
Chen Gong eventually caught up and walked beside me but still kept looking away. I stole some glances every now and then but could not figure out what she was thinking, though it’s probably something negative about me.
“Is my lord going out today?”
“Ah? Ah, yes I am.”
She snickered at me before replying, “Where are you going after leaving all this work behind?”
“To the same place, to Longzhong.”
“Oh~~” She nodded with her eyebrows raised, “To seek the help from the sage?”
“Ah, yes. She wasn’t there the last time we went.”
“So it was because she wasn’t there? I thought you were rejected.”
“Wu…”
Do you have to be so hurtful? I thought but continued to smiled, “I’ll definitely succeed this time. Don’t worry.”
“There’s nothing to be worried about from my end.” Chen Gong said as she shrugged and sank into thought for a moment before she laughed again, “By the way, it could be that the sage just doesn’t want to meet you and pretended not to be in.”
“Eh?”
“This possibility exists, you know? Don’t tell me my lord thinks so highly of himself that he never even thought of that.”
“No…”
It is true that I never considered that possibility but that’s because it’s unlikely… I am Liu Bei after all and why would Zhuge Liang not want to see me?
“Hai… My lord really is…” Chen Gong sighed and lamented as she shook her head at me, “But perhaps she might take pity on you after seeing you work so hard.”
“Hahaha, I suppose.”
By now, we had already reached the main gate and Yun Chang should be waiting outside.
“But that’s fine. There’s no problem even if that Zhuge Liang doesn’t come.”
Eh? All of a sudden, Chen Gong ran up a couple of steps and turned around before standing in front of me with creased eyebrows. Her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something but she closed it halfway through.
“… Never mind.” Eventually she gave up and said this before lowering her head and came up to me, “Give it over, we’re at the door now.”
“Ah, oh.” I hurriedly nodded before passing her the scrolls. After Chen Gong received them, she nodded before walking away.
As I stared at her back, I began to think that Chen Gong was a lot more capable than what I gave her credit for. The only area in which she is lacking is that her tongue is too poisonous.
“My lord,” Just as I was preoccupied with my thoughts, Chen Gong called out to me. When I looked at her in surprise, she continued, “I hope you can successfully recruit the great sage.”
Eh? It feels like this is not what she wanted to say earlier.
“Un, thanks!” I hurriedly replied to which Chen Gong nodded before leaving. Until the very end, I still could not fathom what Chen Gong wanted to say before. It felt like the same situation as when Yi De tried to tell me something just as she woke up after the battle.
“Un? Is there something wrong, Xuan De?”
“Ah, no.” I hurriedly denied it and turned away when she detected my gaze.
Ah. Just as Chen Gong stepped out of the door, Yun Chang suddenly appeared and exchanged a few words with Chen Gong before looking over.
“You actually came this early huh?” I said as I waved at Yun Chang who saluted me as she came over.
“I don’t have a good gauge on the time needed to travel from Fan city to Xinye so I always leave early enough.”
“But why wait at the door? You could have come in and sat down.”
“No, I’m afraid that I’ll fall asleep if I sit down.”
When Yun Chang finished, I noticed that she was a little shaky. Un… I can more or less guess what’s up.
“Did you stay up all night yesterday again?”
“… There were a lot of things to attend to.”
“Even so, you have to take care of your health and body.”
I sighed and frowned before going up to Yun Chang and massaging her shoulders. Yun Chang did not look up at me and merely nodded several times.
“Un, sorry for troubling you today and making you accompany me.”
“No, it’s fine… We made a promise after all.” She said with her head lowered. Looks like she is enjoying the massage.
“Alright. even though I’m not too adept, that should have eased some of the strain.”
My dad used to force me to give him back and shoulder rubs so I have some experience in doing this.
“No, many thanks big brother.”
“Aiya, there’s no need to stand on ceremony.” I said as I hurriedly helped her up, “Let’s get going.”
