Vol 8 Chapter 32 (2/2)

In the next instant, my body was dragged down deeper into the waters and the bubbles from my mouth floated up to the surface.

I said to cut me down not drown me!

I tried to hold my breath at first but at the end, it still left my mouth and I didn’t continue to think about and let out my breath just like a final sigh.

And after that, I closed my eyes.

…

“Puaa!”

After a long while, my body emerged out of the water once more. I instinctively opened my lips and let in fresh air into my lungs the moment I recognised that I was out.

I was currently floating on the water. I don’t know how to swim but I can still try to maneuver about and try to keep my mouth pointed upwards.

Ah… What the heck is going on?! Why did the one who drag me down let me go?

“What the heck is going on?! Why is Imperial Uncle here!”

A voice that sounded just as surprised as I was came from beside me. I reached out and wiped away the water from my eyelids and looked into the direction where the voice came from.

What entered my sight was a delicate face with eyes wide open staring at me as though she were trying to bore holes through me with her eyes. This person was one that was very familiar. I’d seen her before in Jiangdong and I just saw her as well.

“Lu Meng?! It really is you!”

“Of course it’s me! Who else would use such difficult weapons!” She said as she raised her weapons from the waters, and then yelled angrily at me, “What about you?! Why are you here?! Shouldn’t you be in Xiangyang now?”

“I’m here to reinforce Jiangxia…” I said reluctantly. For some reason, I still felt very uncomfortable telling someone who was once a friend but now an enemy that I was here to reinforce the one they were fighting against.

“Reinforcements? You mean that meager 5,000 men?” Lu Meng seemed very puzzled and sized me up without bothering about proprieties.

“Look at how pathetic you are now! How do you look like an Imperial Uncle now! Is this how that Liu Biao Liu Jing Sheng treats his esteemed guests?!” She roared out angrily once more.

I didn’t think that an enemy who was once a friend would speak up for that former friend who was now reinforcing their enemy. Well, that was one confusing sentence.

“That’s… A little difficult to explain in a short amount of time.” I wanted to say that I couldn’t turn it down but this was difficult to say do I tried to dodge the issue.

But it seems like Lu Meng had different considerations from me as she shook her head.

“No, how could he have let an esteemed guest lead his troops out to war for him! That’s simple too much!” She grabbed my arm as she said so, “Imperial Uncle! You should come to Jiangdong with us! The seat of joint ruler will forever be open for you!”

“No, I turned down that seat. Leaving Jiangdong should have demonstrated my intent.” Though I said as much, I was filled with complicated feelings. My troops and companions were still in Xiangyang and I have thrown in my lot with Liu Qi as well.

Be it reason or emotion, I can’t accept this proposition. Nor can I leave just like that.

“But look at how Jing state is slighting you! If I hadn’t come to save you, you would have sunk to the bottom of the river!” She said as she grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently, “Instead of being Liu Biao’s meat s.h.i.+eld, why not come back with me to Jiangdong? My lord will definitely be very happy!”

In my mind, I could see very clearly Sun Quan’s happy expression. And similarly, Bo Fu’s smile as she stood beside Sun Quan.

“This…” I found it really hard to refute at this time.

“But what about my troops in Xiangyang?”

“There won’t be any problem! As long as you follow me to Jiangdong. they will follow you. I know full well how strong those warrior generals are! At the very least, they are more st.u.r.dy than Imperial Uncle!”

This…

I was being cornered pretty badly here as I looked at Lu Meng fixedly. She too was staring at me and it seemed like she was waiting for the slightest indication that I would accede.

“My lord! My lord!”

“Imperial Uncle~~~”

“My lord! Where are you!”

At this critical juncture, several yells could be heard in the distance. I felt deeply touched when I heard these voices and looked over even though I already knew who they were.

Chen Gong, Zhou Cang and Chen Dao had leapt into the water and were frantically looking about.

Ah… That’s right.

“Lord Lu Meng, please allow me to turn down your good will.”

“Eh? Why?!” Lu Meng seemed puzzled but I was very clear about my choice.

“We may lose this battle, but even so, I must still share the pain of loss with my companions.” I said as I s.h.i.+fted my gaze to look into the distance, “I don’t belong anywhere but where my companions are. I cannot simply choose to change where we will be unilaterally.”

“… Imperial Uncle, you really are– Eh!” Lu Meng still had more to say but she looked at me, and then at my companions before giving a long sigh and said, “I understand.”

“I see, thanks a lot for–”

“In that case, I’ll have to cut you down here, to prevent trouble down the road.”

“Wu!”

She drew her hookswords which she had sheathed at her back before and pointed them at my throat. I got a shock, and only just remembered that we were enemies.

It wouldn’t be strange is she were to just kill me in the next instant right?

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