Vol 5 Chapter 11 (2/2)

Seeing Ben Chu like this, I cam more or less confirm what I was guessing.

Xu You has always been ignored since a long time ago due to her frail sense of existence and only I and Ben Chu can consistently perceive her.

The reason is because we both have a heart that is accepting of all. And in our eyes, the weak but hardworking Xu You has her own characteristic charm.

But Ben Chu now, or perhaps since the time of the expedition against Dong Zhuo, has long since lost that heart.

She had unknowingly become an arrogant and narrow-minded despot.

“… Meng De, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?” Ben Chu finally mustered up what fight in her she had left after a long pause, “Times have changed and now feudal lords are rising up every which way. As the descendent of an ill.u.s.trious family, all eyes of the people of the Great Han are on me as they look toward me to do something for the world. As a n.o.ble, how am I supposed to be intimate with my subordinates?”

As she said so, she pointed at me.

“And what about you? You are just the foster granddaughter of a eunuch. No one has any expectations of you. And so you can do whatever you want and advance with no pressure whatsoever. Even if you fail, you will be just one of the many failures in history. But I, as a n.o.ble of the Great Han, will forever be remembered as a sinner of the Han dynasty should I fail.”

You don’t understand.

I’m tired too.

These words floated up on Ben Chu’a face.

Indeed, what she said is correct. Perhaps the main difference between the 2 of us is as she said.

But…

“But what right do you have to let your stress out on your subordinates?” I was pretty riled up by now and took a quick step forward and grabbed her shoulders, “You’re a n.o.ble, but so what? Shouldn’t you be prioritising being a good lord over your duty to history? How can you expect your subordinates to die for you when your goals are so abstract and unreachable!!”

“Let go of me, Meng De!”

“Do you how painful it is for Zi Yuan to be by your side but not be seen by you? Is this how you treat your companions?!”

“Kuh…” My last words finally deflated Ben Chu completely. And I only loosened my grip on her when I saw regret on her face.

“Meng De… Ben Chu…” Xu You wavered between the 2 of us. She wanted to do something but she didn’t know what she should do.

“Zi Yuan, go back with Ben Chu.”

“Eh?”

“I’ve helped you solve what you wanted me to, no?”

“Ah… Un.” Xu You finally recoveredband looked at the letter in her hands before she finally understood and nodded shyly.

“What is the meaning of this?” Ben Chu said as she s.n.a.t.c.hed the letter and began reading it.

Actually, I wasn’t looking to get information from Xu You. All I wrote on the letter was: [Do you wish for Ben Chu to return to how she was before?]. Honestly, I was just being a busybody.

What was unexpected was how fast Ben Chu got here. I’d thought it would be a very c.u.mbersome task but it resolved itself so easily.

Was it Ben Chu herself who still paid attention to Xu You? Or was it ‘that person’ who managed to turn Ben Chu around lately?

Probably both.

As I thought so, Ben Chu had finished reading the letter and was deep in thought. She looked at me and turned away.

“Meng De is really too irritating. Just wait, I’ll defeat you soon enough.”

— Meng De! I’ll defeat you one day!

For an instant, the figure of a little girl yelling at me with an unwavering strength appeared in my eyes.

“Kekeke…” Xu You was probably thinking the same thing as I was as she started giggling.

“Hahaha.” I couldn’t hold back and began laughing as well,” Good! I await your performance on the battlefield!”

<script>