Vol 8 Chapter 39 (2/2)

“Un, it’s good– Oi! Uncle, where are you going?!”

I ignored her cry and swung my reins as I rode to the back of our contingent, with my target being where Yi Ji and Chen Gong were.

Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith.

Time seems to always pa.s.s by quickly while marching. Though it’s very boring, but there are many things to talk about whilst marching.

Spring is now at its end, and the insects have begun to grow in number. When the sky turns dark, some people will from time to time accidentally walk into a clump of mosquitoes and emerge with bites all over.

“Liu Qi, it’s not getting any earlier, let’s rest for the night.”

Liu Qi did not reply, and looked about before asking Yi Ji who had just came forward, “Yi Ji, will our enemies pursue us tonight?”

“Young mistress, I doubt our enemies will chase us.” Yi Ji said as she sat on the horse with her hands in her sleeves, “We’ve been marching all day anyway so even if they do come, we won’t be able to prevail against any pursuers.”

“Un un, alright then.” Liu Qi nodded and pulled out a small flag from the pouch behind and raised it above her head, “Halt! Set up camp and prepare dinner!”

And thereafter, after settling the troops in, they formed up in their respective platoons and began to do the ch.o.r.es of cutting wood, setting up camp and preparing dinner.

I went into the main tent with Liu Qi. After getting the troops to set things up, we sat down at the table and began to eat.

As for the rest, they were currently out patrolling. Because there was a shortage of personnel, everyone was out.

And now, in the main tent, there was only Liu Qi and I.

“I wonder when dinner will be served. I’m famished.” I said as I rubbed my stomach in a show of nonchalance.

“… Is this really alright?” But clearly, Liu Qi was still very discomforted. That’s understandable. You can’t change the way someone thinks at the drop of a hat after all.

“Just relax.”

On the other hand, I was full of confidence, “If you really think of me as your uncle– Ah, that sounds so weird.”

It’s so weird especially when I say it myself.

“Uncle can say as he wishes. If what you say is reasonable, I will certainly comply.”

Un… Her being like this only makes it harder for me.

“I was just wondering why you distrust your subordinates so much. Yi Ji and Wen Ping have followed you for a long while now and I highly doubt that they will betray you.”

“… Must I answer this question, uncle?”

“No no no, I was just curious.” I hurriedly waved my hands in denial when she looked at me with a sharp gaze, “If I stepped on a painful spot, then please accept my apologies.”

“Painful spot huh… I do have a lot of those.” She gave a wry smile once more when she said this. Every time I see one of those smiles from her, I involuntarily shudder.

“It’s actually fine for me to share this as it’s not something to hide anyway.” Liu Qi said as she got up slightly and rearranged to cus.h.i.+ons to make it more comfortable.

“You should know how my relations.h.i.+p with Liu Cong is right now right?”

“Ah, un. It’s not too pleasant, is it?”

“Very unpleasant,” She corrected my phrasing before she continued, “But to be honest, we still played together up until a few years ago.”

Eh? So their relations.h.i.+p wasn’t always bad?

“Are you very surprised?”

“A little. The both of you seemed like strangers before after all.” I said as I thought back to how the both of them stood opposite each other. I don’t know what Liu Cong’s thinking is but I know that Liu Qi never even looked at her.

Having some differences is understandable. For me, my relations.h.i.+p with my younger cousin isn’t too good. Every time she comes over to my place, she always uses the computer and the television. Even though I’m older, I really can’t stand her sometimes. And so we always end up fighting and after that we don’t speak with each other.

Of course, things don’t end up like they do in shows and we just end up being more distant and our relations.h.i.+p sours.

“Back when mother was still alive, I was very good friends with Liu Cong. Back then, I thought of her as my own little sister and Lady Cai as a second mother.”

“I can more or less guess what happened next.”

“Yes, as you might have guessed, mother was weak and sickly so she died not too long after.” Liu Qi’s expression did not waver in the least when she said this. Looks like this has been hanging around in her head even if she didn’t speak of this, “It was still alright for a while still and I thought back then that I would continue to have good relations with Liu Cong.”

Un un. I listened seriously.

“And one day, I shared the location of my secret garden outside the city with her and also bade her not to tell anyone else.”

Eh? What did Liu Qi just say?

“Secret garden?”

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