Vol 3 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Volume 3 Chapter 4: Don’t tell me this is my first meeting with Sun Ce (1)

“So, Lord Liu Bei is here to attack Yuan Shu as well? — Ah, thanks.”

We extinguished the flames and explained our purpose for coming here in the dark to Tais.h.i.+ Ci who nodded from time to time as she listened. As she listened, she received the twin short spears from Yun Chang, and sheathed them on her back, not forgetting to place her hands at their base so they wouldn’t move about.

“That’s right, but this army belongs to Meng De, and the idea of attacking Yuan Shu is also hers.” I said as I sat on a tree stump. Everyone else was also sitting or standing about. “It’s been a while but I didn’t think that you’d gone and joined Sun Ce already.”

“Maa maa, it’s something fairly recent.” Tais.h.i.+ Ci rubbed her head shyly, seems like she’s thinking back to when she first met Sun Ce.

“But why did you come to spy on us?”

“It’s a misunderstanding! Really, just a misunderstanding!” Tais.h.i.+ Ci exclaimed as she frantically shook her head.” “My lord detected some movements over on this side and thought that it was reinforcements from Liu Biao at the behest of Yuan Shu. As time was of the essence, my lord decided not to send ordinary acouts, and sent me and Lu Meng over instead. Thereafter, I met with Yun Chang and the rest.”

“Hai, if only we’d reported our names to each other at the beginning.” Yun Chang said regretfully as she shook her head, seems like she feels that it has been a waste of time.

But Lu Meng is here too huh?

I looked about but did not see Lu Meng’s figure.

“That’s strange, where did Lu Meng run to?” It wasn’t just me, Tais.h.i.+ Ci herself did not know where Lu Meng went and was looking about as well.

“Did Lu Meng get lost?” I said as I looked about again… Un? “Yun Chang, where did Yi De go?”

“That’s right, I was thinking about that as well.” Yun Chang said as she brought her to her chest and stared into the forest as she stroked her hair. “I asked her to cut off Tais.h.i.+ Ci earlier but the light from the torch should have drawn her over by now right?”

It’s already very late, and anyone could get lost in these woods… Could Yi De have gotten so tired while in the forest that she just gave up and fell asleep somewhere? Children’s bodies can’t stand late nights after all…

— *Dong*~~~~ Along with the ooming sound, a gust of wind which carried soil and the scent of leaves came billowing over.

“What was that?” I asked as I stood up and faced the direction of the air current, and stared unblinkingly into the darkness.

The others had drawn their weapons and readied their stances, while listening closely for more sounds.

“From what we heard, seems like a big tree fell.”

“Could this be Yuan Shu’s night raid?!”

“No, Yuan Shu cannot possibly launch a night raid from the opposite direction of the city, and there were no horses to be heard.”

— *Dong*~~~~~ Along with the air current, another tree came cras.h.i.+ng down.

“That’s amazing, to think someone could fell a tree just like that…”

“Lord Tais.h.i.+ Ci, now is not the time to be impressed.”

“My lord, please stand back.”

“The sound this time is much closer.” Yun Chang said as she quickly walked over to where I was and stood in front of me with her broadsword, and listened closely for more sounds to discern the source.

— “Stop running you idiot!”

Th, this voice is…

“Yi, Yi De’s voice?!” Yun Chang cried out in surprise.

— “You’re the idiot~~”

Another tender voice, much like Yi De’s, could be heard, but I don’t recall ever hearing it before.

“Eh? This voice… Isn’t it Lu Meng?” Tais.h.i.+ Ci said as she tilted her head in typical air-headed fas.h.i.+on and then dropped her guard as she sheathed her weapons again.

“Lu Meng?!” Though Tais.h.i.+ Ci was very calm saying this, I was very surprised to hear the name. “Then that means–”

Yi De is fighting with Lu Meng?

— “You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Is running away all you know!”

— “This is called battle tactics, not that a crazy flatchested woman like you would know!”

Another tree fell.

— “Wh, what! Aren’t you flatchested as well huh?!”

“…” It’s about time these 2 stopped their fight. “Yun Chang, Feng Xian.”