Vol 9 Chapter 14 (1/2)

VOLUME 9 CHAPTER 14: DON’T TELL ME THAT THIS IS A MEETING WITH A SAGE ON THE ROAD (1)

Liu Bei POV

Hai… I sighed as I dismounted and grabbed the reins while I walked to the front of the horse. As I looked into its eyes, I couldn’t help but be taken by how clear they were.

It’s a good horse but mastering it is no easy task at all. Looks like I better go slow for now and stop making it gallop at top speeds. Safety first after all.

“Ah! Benefactor, can you please not sing?!”

Just as I was preoccupied with my thoughts and was about to mount Dilu once more, a rather sonorous voice came from some distance away. When I looked into the direction from where it came from, I could see a column of smoke rising in the distance. Looks like there are travellers there.

The voice seemed rather vexed and there was suppressed anger contained within as well. But though there was anger, it seemed more like frustration. And leaving that aside… I feel like I’ve heard this voice somewhere before…

It feels really familiar… But I can’t quite remember where…

I was suspicious and also curious as I headed in the direction of the voice. I’ve travelled a fair bit already after all so I might as well check my bearings. These roads are windy and there’s also that Coriolis Effect thing or other that I learnt in geography.

As I walked on, I found that it was a slope with some shrubbery and vegetation as I got closer to the column of smoke. They probably looked for a lower area like this to set up camp for the night.

“I know that my si, inging isn’t very nice but that’s why I need mo, ore pra– practice.” As I got closer, a tender female voice could be heard.

The voice from before was much rougher so this voice cannot be from the same person as before. Though the voice itself is rather pleasing to the ears, it’s a little low pitched and she stammers a lot, making her sound very weird.

Could they be suspicious people?

“Green, green the river bank gra.s.s~ Long, long my thoughts for the distant~”

(TL: This is the opening line for a poem called 饮马长城窟行 (yin ma chang cheng ku xing). Managed to find some translation of this line in some book online.)

Wu… Some rather unpleasant singing came just as I was thinking.

The tone was not just off, it varied wildly in just these few words. Though I could clearly hear the lyrics, the impression I got wasn’t the same from what I’d heard before. It feels like she is reciting them at some points and wailing at others. What’s truly terrifying is that such ear-piercing singing can result from such a sweet, tender voice.

“Who knows how long the distant path goes~ A dream came to me last night~”

(TL: My own translation, which is terrible. I’m a finance guy and have no literature talent whatsoever.)

Wu!

However, her singing did not stop because of my internal complaints. Instead, it got even more intense and sonorous, so much so that I had to cover my ears and stop walking.

Back when I was in Xuchang, I did have the chance to listen to music and singing performances from this era. It’s very different from contemporary music but it’s pleasing to the ears and I got used to it after a while.

Her songs however were truly impossible to be enjoyed for me. Could this be one of the wandering singers that Sima Hui was referring to? Should I say ‘as expected’ to this avantgarde display…

*Neigh*~~

Wu!

Just as I could no longer bear the suffering it wrought on me, Dilu gave up as it raised its front legs and gave a long, painful neigh. At this, I had no choice but to uncover my

ears and try to calm it down.

“Who! Who’s there!” The rough, intense voice came from below the slope, giving me a jolt.

Have I been found out?! Hai… It’s fine even if I don’t confirm my whereabouts. I can just wing it myself, I thought as I turned Dilu around in the hopes of leaving quickly.

But just then, the sound of gra.s.s being trodden on came from behind and a figure flew to my front.

“Hand your life over!” That person yelled as she slashed down at me.

I was shocked and scared out of my wits as I instinctively reached to my back–

Right! My twin swords aren’t with me!

“Wu!” In the next instant, I instinctively let go of the reins when I realised I couldn’t dodge and rolled to the side. At the same time, I grabbed a stick from the ground to defend myself from the next attack.

“Yaa!!” The figure yelled out and slashed down just as I got into a squatting position after my roll. When I saw this, I hurriedly raised the stick to block–

In the next instant, all I heard was a *Pacha* sound as something solid fell on my head.

Ah… It’s over, it’s all over…