Vol 7 Chapter 8 (1/2)

VOLUME 7 CHAPTER 8: DON’T TELL ME THIS IS SUN QUAN’S PREDICAMENT (7)

Liu Bei POV

In the end, I still left in a rush before Bo Fu woke up.

When I left, Zhang Zhao who knelt beside me was still awake. Her eyes were squinted and she would be motionless but just as I was thinking she was fast asleep, she would suddenly open her eyes wide and look at me, as thought she was trying to tell me that she wasn’t asleep.

The reason why I left is largely because of Zhang Zhao. Though it is true I never had a really legitimate reason to stay to begin with, the reason why I left is because I don’t want to get into a shouting match in front of Bo Fu the moment she wakes up. That would be terribly awkward and it would just trouble Bo Fu to no end.

As I stepped out of the doorway, I stopped and looked about. The fences were rather low, to the point where I could easily step over them. Looking into the distance, it was pitch black and I couldn’t tell which direction I ought to head into.

I raised my head and looked up. The sky was completely dark except for a small patch of faint blue at the edge of horizon, which meant that I could expect the coming of dawn in a couple of hours.

I wanted to set off immediately but I remembered that Feng Xian was going to come and get me so I decided to wait at the doorway in case we missed each other. The idea of going back to Bo Fu’s adjoining room came to mind but I immediately dispelled it when I thought of that small and domineering face of Zhang Zhao’s.

Zhang Zhao’s words were still reverberating inside my head. If what she said was indeed right, then I am without a doubt a fatuous lord. Meng De hadn’t said it so bluntly before but at the end of the day, she still told me that I had to raise my capabilities in various aspects as soon as possible.

In a sense, the role I’m playing now is like that of a bad kid who is trying to influence other good, hardworking kids to behave poorly. This isn’t the best example but that’s how I am in Zhang Zhao’s eyes.

Hai… The more I think about it, the more I feel that coming to Jiangdong is something really troublesome.

But these problems can be left for later. What I need to think about now is how to get back to my residence, which I can’t given the pitch black darkness.

If this was Xuchang, it would be curfew right now, and if I were to be caught roaming the streets by the patrolling guards, I would get into a whole lot of trouble. If the guards happened to have a poor temper, then they would immediately approach me with swords drawn.

“Excuse me… Who is this?”

“Ah!” I got frightened by the voice that suddenly came from behind. I turned around, thinking that it would be a patrolling soldier, but it was a girl wearing very strange clothing.

When I said it was strange, I meant that it was very strange for this era. If I had to put a name to her clothing, apart from some of the materials being a little different, it’s a maid costume.

Could it be that this person is a servant of this residence?

Using the weak moonlight, I sized her up. She had a really pretty face, and was looking at me with unblinking eyes. Her eyes were very bright and deep. Her hair was tied behind her in a single braid which was coiled up behind her. It didn’t look like it was long but it didn’t seem very short either.

“Excuse me…” She asked again when she saw that I was in a daze.

“Ah, I am Liu Bei Liu Xuan De who was invited here.” When I regained my senses, I bowed and tossed out my ident.i.ty to prevent suspicion.

“You are…” I didn’t who she was and decided to ask.

“Me? I’m just a servant.” She pointed at herself as she gave a broad smile.

“A servant? For this residence?”

She nodded.

“… Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“The hour has changed so I’m here to sound the night watch.”

As she said so, she gestured for me to stand at the side which I obliged clumsily. She then took out some wooden blocks and knocked them together, making 3 clear *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* sounds before yelling, “Shen s.h.i.+ is over! You s.h.i.+ has come!” She repeated this another 2 times before she put down the blocks and sighed exhaustedly before yawning.

“Ah…” Just then, she looked over at me and stopped yawning, “Ah, I’m sorry for being so rude.”

“No…” I waved my hands.

“Won’t you come in and have a seat?”

“Ah no, I just came out actually.” I smiled stiffly.

“Then won’t you be going back?”

“It’s a little embarra.s.sing actually, I’m waiting for someone…”

“Oh oh.” She nodded and walked down the steps toward me.

“You don’t need to be too bothered with Zi Bu’s words. In an organisation, there will always be those who are strict and severe. If such people don’t exist, people won’t be able to learn from their mistakes.”

“Ah, no. I don’t particularly dislike Zhang Zhao.” Just then, a question popped up, “Did you hear our conversation earlier?”

“A little, your voices weren’t very soft after all.” When she finished, she gave a ‘hohoho’ laugh, as though she were an old man.

“What you said makes sense but I still feel that she should respect Bo Fu’s choice.”

“Un un,” She nodded twice before she continued slowly, “Bo Fu definitely has her own thinking. But when the time comes that Jiangdong is attacked, she cannot and will not sit at the side and watch even if she has retired.”