Vol 10 Chapter 41 (2/2)
“Ah… Un.” I did not understand what she was trying to get at but I decided to nod first. But high officialdom huh…
Yuan Zhi has likely leapfrogged Chen Gong in that regard. I wonder if Chen Gong feels uneasy or jealous about Yuan Zhi after learning about what happened to her?
…
“Oi, my lord, you hand stopped again. *Pa*!”
“Ow!” I moaned when Chen Gong smacked the back of my hand and hurriedly returned to my work.
“… But Lord Xu Shu has really left huh~” Chen Gong mumbled just as I was thinking about her.
“Un, Yuan Zhi has left for Xuchang.”
“…” Chen Gong did not reply and went over to sit on the other side, “Can I sit here?”
“Please do.”
“Thanks,” Chen Gong said and sat down before continuing, “Hai, my lord could have stopped Lord Xu Shu from leaving.”
Wu. Even Chen Gong is saying this huh?
— Did Lord Xu Shu really want to leave?
Liao Hua’s words came to mind again.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s simple, isn’t it?” Chen Gong said as she tilted her head, “At the end of the day, Lord Xu Shu only left because her mother is in Xuchang. All we have to do is welcome her mother or kill her. With the latter, there will no longer be any fetters on Lord Xu Shu.”
“You can’t say that and what’s that about… Killing…” I frowned and looked at Chen Gong and saw that she did mean what she said.
“It’s not nice to hear but those were feasible and realistic solutions.” Chen Gong said and shrugged, “Because of your inaction, neither side was happy. Do you think you or Lord Xu Shu is happy with this outcome?”
“… That’s… Yuan Zhi should be…”
“Very happy? I think not.” Chen Gong said as she picked up Sima Hui’s cup and tried to drink from it but it was empty and she very awkwardly set it down, “The only happy party in this is Cao Cao since she gained a key strategist.”
“Un…”
Chen Gong was right. It was perhaps as she said. But…
“Forget it. It’s a little late to be talking about this.” I said as I gave a long sigh, “Whether or not it will have brought about a different outcome, I will definitely not choose a method that is dishonourable and barbaric.”
“Un~ I see.” Chen Gong said blandly and then gave me a contemptuous smile as she got up, “Well, it’s you after all. I never thought that even I would get used to your mannerisms and way of doing things so quickly.”
“… Sorry.”
“Why are you apologising?” Chen Gong asked as she looked at me with a complicated expression.
As for me, I was currently a mess inside from regret about what happened to Yuan Zhi. But now, there was nothing that I could not.
“Alright, keep working, my lord.” Chen Gong said and turned to leave, “When you’re done, tell a guard in the mansion to send it over to the north wall. This is the final step to deploying troops over to Fan city.”
“Alright, I got it.”
*Tatata*
Chen Gong’s clattering footsteps echoed in the room but I had gotten used to the sound so it did not disrupt my thoughts and even helped to calm me down.
“Ah, Chen Gong.”
“Un?” Chen Gong grunted as she slowed down her pace.
“Help me send a letter to Fan city later. Tell Yun Chang to come over tomorrow.”
“Alright, got it.”
“And,” I stopped work and looked up at Chen Gong’s back, “Right now, you’re the only strategist I can rely on. I’ll be counting on you for a lot of things from now on.”
“…”
…
Eh? When I finished, Chen Gong stood still. I thought that she would say something like ‘who do you think I am?’ or ‘got it’ but she did not say anything.
“Ah… Chen Gong?”
“… Your brush stopped, stupid lord.”
“Eh? Ah, ah.” I nodded and lowered my head as I continued my work, stealing glances at her from time to time as I did so but she continued to head outside.
Did she not hear what I said? If that’s the case, then it’s a little awkward–
“Alright.”
Eh? A voice came again but when I looked up, Chen Gong had left. The voice from before… That probably was Chen Gong, right?
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