Vol 6 Chapter 10 (2/2)

Following Guan Ping’s lead, Liao Hua and I were now in an expansive flatlands near the water mill. After a while, a black crowd of people appeared about 100 paces away from us.

“Looks like those fellows have gotten the help of some formidable people.” Chen Gong muttered as she rode atop a pygmy horse with several dozen cavalry behind her that looked like they were rather well-trained.

“Don’t try anything funny later on, you 2. I have bowmen trained on you.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t need to resort to anything funny.” I felt really frustrated at her constant harping, “You better not kill us out of rage or sham later on.”

Though I’ll have an opportunity to escape at that point anyway.

“Don’t worry. I’m an upright official after all so how could I commit such dishonourable acts in front of my citizens? I still have a lot of official positions to ascend to after all.”

That last line was really unnecessary.

“But Chen Gong, do you really not intend on helping the refugees?”

“One is just overestimating oneself if one tries to help when one is unable to.” Chen Gong said unperturbedly. Looks like this isn’t the first time she’s met with such a situation, “Their disaster isn’t ours and we can’t save them without imperiling ourselves. Nor can we let them endanger us.”

I can’t raise any objections to this as she has to be responsible to the people in her village after all.

“Chen Gong! Bet you didn’t expect this! I, Zhou Cang, have come once more!”

The militia were shaken by this sudden yell. Though it was a female voice, it was rather coa.r.s.e and forceful.

But this voice… It sounds like the masked woman.

(TL: Zhou Cang is a fiction only character who met Guan Yu on a random mountain road along this journey.)

The crowd on the other side parted and a woman walked out of the path made by the troops.

She had taken off her black clothing from before as well as her mask, revealing very attractive looks with luscious black hair. All she wore now were some tattered rags which showed her state of poverty.

So she’s called Zhou Cang huh?

“Hmph! So what if you’re back? I have your people with me!”

“My people?”

Good, shooting back the quesion should prove our innocence.

“See, Chen Gong? We aren’t–”

“Lord Guan Yu! Lord Liao Hua!” Just then, a voice called out to us from the other side.

Eh? I looked ahead and saw 2 women step out from the crowd.

It’s Lord Lu Bu and Wen Yuan!

“Un, I’ve seen and heard it.” Chen Gong nodded, “Looks like you’re with those thieves as expected.”

So Lord Lu Bu and the rest had contact with the refugees huh… The masked woman was indeed headed for our encampment then after all.

“General Guan, it’s a little late to say this,” Liao Hua came over and spoke to me softly with a gleeful look, “But your expectation that General Lu Bu would save us covertly is just a fool’s hope.”

d.a.m.n it, my plans ailed again.

“Release those 2 immediately!”

“Sure we can, but you must promise to never disturb our village town ever again, return our stolen provisions, and get the h.e.l.l out across the Yellow River!”

Chen Gong waved her hands as she declared this to which the militia began cheering ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’ behind.

“Alright, no problem!”

“W… Wait wait wait wait! There’s a lot of problems alright! How could we possibly return the goods we spent so much time and effort to procure! What do you want us to do huh!”

Lu Bu very quickly agreed but Zhou Cang was clearly displeased and refuted her in the same rough tone as before.

“Hmph, what a bunch of fools. I can’t believe they’re having internal conflict at this time.” Chen Gong scoffed, and her severe expression loosened up a little.

I wasn’t feeling any better as both sides were ordinary citizens after all and they were fighting viciously over a pitiful amount of provisions.

It really is tragic.

I looked over at Guan Ping and saw that she was frowning.

“Guan Ping? What’s the matter?”

“Eh? Oh, I was just thinking back to when Zhou Cang first came to ask for provisions. Their att.i.tude was poor and so we ended up fighting.” Guan Ping s.h.i.+fted the sabre hanging by her waist and looked at Zhou Cang with a friendly gaze, “It would be nice if both sides could sit down and discuss this peacefully, whether or not this issue can be solved.”

Sit down and discuss huh…

“I apologise, I’m spouting nonsense again.” Guan Ping felt that what she said was too idealistic and hurriedly tried to retract her words.

“No, that could be a good idea.”

If you think about it, negotiations may be the best way to resolve this peacefully. Firstly, a solution may actually emerge from negotiations; and secondly, we don’t need to guard against the possibility of that Chen Gong fellow who might attack us anyway.

And so, I took a deep breath—

“Lord Lu Bu! Capture Zhou Cang now!”

I immediately twisted my arms and escaped from my bindings as I yelled out. Liao Hua understood my intent and followed suit as well.

Sometimes, negotiations have to be forced after all.

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