Vol 1 Chapter 9 (1/2)

Because our troops were few, we could only form part of the rearguard when we marched with Gongsun Zan’s troops who numbered over 15,000, which made it feel like an actual military campaign. For the sake of explaining the situation with Lu Bu, we had slowed down our pace and were at a more spa.r.s.ely populated part of the main body.

“Haa?! What the heck is going on?!” Feng Xian answered agitatedly. “I clearly killed Dong Zhuo already, so why is everyone still–”

“That is what I said before, that information was too slow–”

“Oi~ Xuan De? Why are you all so slow~”

Our words were interrupted by Gongsun Zan who was riding at the vanguard and I quickly replied before she came over.

“Ah! It’s nothing! I just want to see how your army is organised!”

I waved my hand and Gongsun Zan also waved happily and didn’t look over thereafter.

“Speak softer! It’s one thing if Gongsun Zan hears it, but if it spreads out then there’s trouble to be had.”

My feeling of helplessness only grew on seeing Feng Xian’s face which showed she clearly didn’t understand.

Honestly Feng Xian, I understand what you’re saying. But this is like when you return to school after summer with your summer homework all finished and when the teacher asks if everyone has done their summer homework and all your cla.s.smates say no, how can you say yes?

By the way, Lu Bu and Zhang Liao have temporarily joined my army as my subordinates in our campaign against Dong Zhuo.

“Why do I have to be softer?! If we tell them now that Dong Zhuo is dead, then everyone won’t need to embark on this wasteful campaign right?”

“What about his head then?” Yun Chang asked calmly.

“I didn’t have time to chop it off.”

“Though I don’t want to see it, nor do I feel like chopping off heads is anything interesting, but if you didn’t chop it off then n.o.body will believe you, no?” I said, louder than I was before.

“There’s no need for that, we just have to spread it. If the feudal lords will put in effort to verify this, then even if Dong Zhuo’s subordinates try to suppress this information, I’m sure the truth will come to light in no time.” Yi De said with ease.

“It won’t be that easy. I get the feeling that the feudal lord coalition is not something so simple.” Yun Chang said as she looked as her broadsword.

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“I know what Yun Chang means. Instead of destroying Dong Zhuo, the true intentions of the partic.i.p.ants in the feudal lord coalition is to take advantage of this situation.” I looked at Yun Chang and she nodded in response. And then I looked towards Lu Bu who had a difficult expression on her face, “Each feudal lord hopes to gain honour and glory through contributing in this campaign, which will facilitate the fruition of their future ambitions.”

“Un, what Lord Xuan De says makes sense.” Zhang Liao nodded with an impressed look.

“Un…” But Feng Xian still didn’t get it.

“What’s the matter? Don’t believe me?”

“No I don’t buy it. Because I don’t think that the feudal lords would gather for the sake of something as silly as that.” Feng Xian and Yi De said.

Silly? Perhaps from our point of view, it is so but from theirs…

“Then…” I looked at Yun Chang and Zhang Liao cheekily.

Let’s have a bet.

“Greetings feudal lords! I am Liu Bei Liu Xuan De and I have come with Gongsun Zan.” I ignored Yun Chang and Yi De who tried to block me the moment I entered the large tent for the feudal lords and yelled out. “I am here to tell everyone an important piece of information– That is the fiend Dong Zhuo has been slain by a righteous warrior already!”

…

When I finished, all the ladies and gentlemen in the tent were completely silent. Yi De and Yun Chang also helplessly said in a small voice ‘Big brother, you actually followed through with what you said~~~’

That’s right, this bet was to see their reactions after I told them the truth.

No better way to test if something is the truth than by acting it out.

“Everyone, sorry I’m late– Un? Why is it so quiet?” Gongsun Zan who just walked in blinked and did not understand what was going on.

“Bo Gui~” The one who called out was a woman who looked every inch a rich young mistress who sat right smack in the centre. She held her chin and looked at us with disdain, “As coalition leader, I Yuan Shao shall forgive your tardiness, but why did you have to bring a lunatic with you huh~~~”

(TL: Bo Gui is Gongsun Zan’s courtesy name.)

On hearing this, the tent erupted in laughter.

… Just as I expected.

“Eh? Eh? What’s going on?” Gongsun Zan was still looking around frantically and thought that they were laughing at her. “Is there something comical about my armour?”

The one sitting in the center was Yuan Shao. Her dazzling golden hair was tied in a double ponytail and her eyes held a scornful look beneath her long eyelashes. She held a small folding fan in her hand which was used to issue commands and she wore a set of rare and expensive jade plate armour.

(TL: I have no idea why it’s jade armour, as it is supposed to be for burial purposes.)

From how she acted and her s.e.x, it was basically the same as I expected and predicted.

“Forget it forget it, come in and sit– Eh eh eh! I didn’t allow you to enter, all you brigadier generals get out!”

“Then, at least let Xuan De stay.” Gongsun Zan said weakly.

“That lunatic should be the one who should get out the first.”

“Wait!”

This time a clear voice interrupted Yuan Shao, and rendered the tent silent.

“Un? Ah, what is it Meng De.”

Cao Cao!?

I looked in the direction where the voice came from, and saw a white haired young girl. Her eyes were full of vigor and she was smiling confidently as she folded her arms across her chest.

“That Liu Bei Liu Xuan De has the right to sit here. Don’t judge him by how he seems, he has achieved results during the Yellow Turban Rebellion.”

“Hou~ I really cannot tell.” Yuan Shao said with suspicion on her face. “Then… Make some s.p.a.ce.”

“Oh, thanks.” I turned to Yun Chang to tell them to exit first after giving thanks.

“Xuan De,” Cao Cao spoke to me the moment I sat down. “When you mentioned that you know Dong Zhuo is dead, may I ask if you have any evidence?”

As expected, Cao Cao is Cao Cao, and is always prudent and cautious with all matters… But does she really not know that Dong Zhuo is already dead?

“I don’t have evidence.” I turned to look at Cao Cao’s face that was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with confidence but could not read anything from it.

“We’ll take it as a joke then, please say things when you have proof next time.” Cao Cao smiled as she finished, but the other feudal lords did not smile. “Well then, let’s have a round of introductions, everyone. Some of you may know each other, some of you may not, but let’s have everyone know each other starting from now.”

Most of the generals present were small fries and though a number of them were women as well, it’s not really something that bothers me anymore. What really surprised me was that Sun Jian was actually a man. This important information completely destroyed my theories about this world that I had painstakingly accepted and constructed before.

“I am the Tiger of Jiangdong, Sun Jian Sun Wen Tai. I look forward to working with all of you.” Sun Jian wasn’t old, but he wasn’t a youngster either seeing as he looked to be about 30 years of age. If there’s one distinguis.h.i.+ng feature about him– It would be his love of bragging about his children. “I don’t think anyone here knows how lovely my 2 daughters are. I wanted to bring them at first but it can get a bit chaotic and there’s nothing fun here so I didn’t let them come, hahaha.”

What are you taking this for, an overseas trip…

“Haa~~~ Alright alright,” Yuan Shao said as she yawned and clapped her hands a few times. “Let’s leave it at that for today. Tomorrow, we march to Sishui Pa.s.s. That is all, disperse disperse~~~”

(TL: Sishui Pa.s.s is actually another name for Hulao Pa.s.s, but these names are often misunderstood as 2 places, and even the original author of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms got confused over this.)

It was as though everyone was waiting for this moment, and everyone quickly left the tent.

I left the tent as well, and was greeted by the sight of a fuming Feng Xian.

“What do you think? I told you right, that no one would believe it. Even if they did believe it, no one would admit it.” I told Feng Xian sincerely.

“But Xuan De, you did not tell me that Yuan Shao was here too. If I knew, I would have charged in–”

“I was afraid of you charging in and slaying her which is why I didn’t tell you. Don’t be so reckless okay~~~” I smiled to Feng Xian.