Vol 6 Chapter 19 (1/2)
VOLUME 6 CHAPTER 19: DON’T TELL ME THIS IS A REUNION AT GUCHENG
Liu Bei POV
Gucheng was now right before my eyes. As its name implies, the city walls seemed really ancient, as thought they were built when the Eastern Han began.
(TL: Gucheng – 古城 – Literally ancient city.)
We were supposed to have a happy reunion here, I thought, as we made our way to the city gates.
“Big brother, your riding ability has improved.” Yun Chang, who was riding beside me, said to me with an impressed look.
“Ah, yeah. I’ve been involved in a lot of things in this period so I’ve had to ride a lot.”
“Actually, he rode behind me most of those times.”
“Oi… You didn’t need to say that.”
“No way, you have a lot more room for improvement and you need to improve fast.” Zi Long, who rode on my other side, shot me down. When I looked at her with a stiff smile, she laughed.
“What Lord Zhao Yun says is right.” Yun Chang nodded, and then she smiled to me, “But big brother has indeed been working hard.”
Un un, that’s right. I have been working hard, and at all things too no matter if it’s riding, governance or martial arts.
“Here it comes again. You all are pampering Xuan De too much. How will he attain a high standard if you keep this up?”
The reason why I can’t attain a high standard is because your standards are too high.
I turned to look at Yun Chang and saw her looking at me with a relieved smile. Looks like she probably started a conversation to help me relieve some tension.
“Big brother, do you still remember our promise in Xu state?”
Eh? Why are you talking about that all of a sudden?
“… Un. That matter right?”
What we’d promised then in Xu state. That we’d get married when we reunited.
The 3 of us, together.
“About that,” Yun Chang nodded with a serious expression, “I would like to put it aside for now.”
“Put it aside huh?”
I actually thought about the same thing as well. At this moment, Yi De is suffering from amnesia, and though I could marry Yun Chang first, this wouldn’t be fair to Yi De. Even if she has lost her memories.
“Un, I got it.” I expressed my approval at her proposal and placed my hand on Yun Chang’s shoulder, “We’ll talk about this again when Yi De’s memories are back.”
“… Un.” Yun Chang nodded again, and grabbed the hand I placed on her shoulder as she tilted her head and felt the warmth of my hand with her cheek, “I’m really grateful that big brother didn’t lose his memories.”
“Are you– Imperial Uncle Liu Bei?” Yi De asked firmly with a polite smile that you would make when you’re meeting someone for the first time when I met with her 1-on-1.
As she asked, she bowed deeply. This made me feel very off as this sort of thing was what Yi De was bad at doing the most.
“Ah…” I ended up feeling nervous and my mind went blank for a moment before I followed suit and bowed.
When I bowed, I couldn’t resist looking up at the amnesia-struck Yi De. It was clear as day that Yi De has lost her memories. Her actions, speech and even her countenance were all completely different from that of the Zhang Yi De I knew.
Of course, I didn’t come into this meeting with any sort of wishful thinking so it was easier for me to accept the reality before me.
— Big brother, Hua Tuo expressly instructed us not to agitate Yi De.
Before I came to this meeting, the words which Yun Chang told me reverberated in my ears. I understand why of course, and now that I’ve seen how Yi De is like now, it’s clear that trying anything funny will be a dangerous move.
“Come, please sit here, Imperial Uncle.”
“Ah, no need for that. You’re the Administrator of this place so it’s more appropriate for you to sit at the head.” I refused the offer and sat on the second seat.
“In that case, I won’t say any further then.” Yi De smiled and bowed once more before sitting on the second seat opposite me.
She gave me the main seat probably because of my status as a royal relative. I tried not to read too much into it and considered the most likely reason behind her actions.
“The instructions I received then were to let Lord Guan Yu and Imperial Uncle reunite, and now you have indeed reunited. This truly is a cause for celebration.”
“Un, yeah I guess.”
Cause for celebration? Definitely not. What made it worse was that these words came from Yi De. However, I felt neither rage nor sorrow when I heard her say this. All I felt was that fate really has a way of toying with people, and smiled bitterly.
“Well then, where does Imperial Uncle plan to head to next?”
“Probably to Jing state, to seek refuge with its Governor, Liu Biao.”
Though Mi Zhu hasn’t returned yet, this is probably how things will advance next. No other place can easily take us in anyway.
“I see. Well then, you can continue to put up here befoee you decide to set off.”
“Un… Thanks Administrator…” I thanked Yi De. Even now, I still felt that thisYi De was really off-putting.
But before that–
“What plans does the Administrator have?” I asked.
“Me? Well I’m definitely going to continue staying here. The end of the year is near and I have to prepare my accounts and the festivities for the new year, as well as report on the status of Gucheng in Xuchang.”
So it’s like that huh? I’d seen this coming already as she was an Administrator after all so there couldn’t be any other answer.
But whether it was me, Yun Chang, Lu Bu, Gan Qing, or anyone else, our number one priority was to have Yi De come along with us.
Since her memories are lost, what we need to do is to spend as much time with her as we possibly can and hope that she is able to regain her memories somehow.
And that is why I am meeting Yi De now.
I’m not confident of success but everyone felt that I was the only one who could convince Yi De.
“… Won’t the Administrator come along with us?”
“Go with you? Why would I? I’m a Court official of the Great Han.”
What Court official are you huh? I denied her words inside my mind. Yi De was no longer that Yi De but I still felt somehow that there were things inside her that belonged to Yi De.
“Doesn’t the Administrator want to try and do something outside?”
“Un?” Yi De took a sip of tea elegantly, “Why would I?”