Liu Bei POV
I remember escaping through the west gate of the city and falling into the river with Dilu. After that… Did I get rescued?
I should have sunk to the bottom of the river… Or was that just a misconception?
“Many thanks to you, my benefactors, for saving me. It was indeed a critical moment for me and I would have probably died if it weren’t for your a.s.sistance.”
“It’s nothing,” The girl said, “I saved you since I saw you. You just happened to be fortunate and weren’t meant to die yet, that’s all.”
“My disciple is right. The fate of all humanity is decided by heaven. If heaven has decreed that you are not to die, then live on you shall.”
The man’s voice came from some distance away. Immediately after he finished, heavy footsteps came my way.
“Un? You still can’t open your eyes?”
“Ah, un.” I nodded, “It’s a little too bright and I can’t take it.”
“Xiang Lang, go and shut the windows slightly.” Light footsteps moving away from me could be heard when he finished. Soon, the sound of windows being shut could be heard and the brightness of the room diminished a fair bit, “How is it now?”
“Un, much better.”
“If it’s better, then open your eyes and try to see.”
I did open my eyes a bit a while ago but only slightly and because I was still in a daze, I couldn’t be sure if what I saw was real.
“Alright,” I nodded and opened my eyes to look at the world.
“What do you see?”
“I see a middle aged man with a Lu Xun moustache and a girl with bangs.”
“Lu Xun?” The man frowned at these words but then he laughed, “The middle aged man with a moustache you see is me.”
I blinked and the field of clear vision expanded slightly, allowing me to see their faces better, “This is… You both are…”
I looked at the internal architecture. It was very simple, and was probably the standard thatched gra.s.s hut. The kind of housing that I lived in at Zhuo commandery was the same as this.
Though it looked like a proper house, I finally knew what it meant that these houses were poor at regulating temperatures. Even though I’d just woken up and not engaged in any physical activity at all, I’d already begun to sweat.
When I looked up, I saw that both of them were calm and collected and had no signs of perspiration whatsoever. The middle aged man was slightly lean. His hair was tied back in a bun and he had a moustache sitting on top of a smile. He wore a long, thin gown and had his hands at his back as he looked at me, in a posture that made him look like a scholar.
The girl seems very much like his disciple indeed for her expression is almost the same as his. The only difference is that she’s biting her lips a little.
“This is Yi city, a small commandery outside Xiangyang city. You were carried down the river and floated down westwards.” The man smiled as he saluted, “My surname is Sima, and my given name is just Hui, my courtesy name is De Chao. You can also call me Teacher Water Mirror.”
Eh? That name… I have some familiarity with it…
When he finished, he gestured toward the girl at the side who saluted and obliged, “I am from this area and my name is Xiang Lang. I’ve been learning under Teacher Sima for a while now.” She then raised her head before she continued, “I have a question which I am unsure is appropriate or not.”
“I owe you my life. There is nothing you can’t ask me.” I quickly replied.
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She didn’t stand on ceremony either and cut to the chase.
“May I ask if your predicament is related to the Governor’s banquet 10 days ago?”
Wu…
When I heard these words, I was forced to go through my painful memories of how I got into this situation. The reason why I had to escape the city was because of Liu Biao’s banquet where Cai Mao tried to kill me. Back then it was thanks to Liu Qi for securing my exit from the mansion that I was able to get out of the city.
“To put it simply… Yes, it is related.” I nodded but then felt that it was strange and asked, “By the way, how did you come to know of the banquet?”
“A few days ago when the Governor’s household was preparing for your banquet, there weren’t enough hands so I went to work in the Governor’s household under Han Song’s recommendation.”
“Oh~ So that’s why.” I nodded as the scenes of what happened during the banquet played back in my head, “But I don’t remember…”
“I was helping the young mistress back then so I wasn’t able to be introduced to you. But I did catch a glimpse of you when you were heading to where the young mistress was.”
Hoho… That time huh?
“Eh? But then why are you here now…” The moment I finished, I realised that I’d very likely stepped on a landmine and when I looked at her, I found that my guess was right on the mark.
She sighed and slowly said, “On the same day, not too late in the afternoon, I received a letter from Teacher Sima to resign and return here.”
“Who asked you to go and be an official without telling me?” Sima Hui frowned as he said and patted Xiang Lang’s shoulders as he continued, “Xiang Lang, I know you want to be an official but you’re not quite there yet. If you try now, you’ll only end up being a petty official at best. Moreover, that Liu Biao isn’t worthy of your efforts.”
He paused and then looked at me, “Look, if it weren’t for my calling you back, you wouldn’t have been able to save the Imperial Uncle.”
“Eh? You know me?” I was surprised when he identified me.
“Of course I do.” In comparison, his reaction was rather bland as he looked at me calmly and stroked his moustache, “Your stories have begun to spread since the time you were at Sishui Pa.s.s and have never stopped circulating since.”
“But… How did you know that it was me?”
“Hmhm~” He looked relaxed as he shook his head, “Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed.”
I looked at Sima Hui and began to have some idea of who he was in the Three Kingdoms. I’m still not quite sure but he’s definitely a formidable hermit. Otherwise, he would not have been able to recognise me so easily.
“Teacher, what kind of heavenly secrets are you spouting about… Wasn’t it I who told you?”
“Ah… That is indeed another way to put it. Hahahaha.”
… Looks like I’m still too naive.
“Never mind, never mind,” Sima Hui seems to have read something from my expression and cleared his throat after he stopped laughing and continued, “But we now understand where each other stands now and what your circ.u.mstances are.”
Hai… I can imagine my circ.u.mstances aren’t very hopeful at all. Though I must say I’m used to it by now. At the very least, I’m still alive.
“Did you know?” Sima Hui said while looking at me with a hint of sadness in his eyes, “Liu Biao’s side seems to have accepted that you are dead.”
“Eh?!”
“There were still people searching downstream a few days ago but they are all gone now, probably because they’ve given up.” Xiang Lang said.
“That’s good. At that time, this silly la.s.s wanted to inform them about you but I felt that Cai Mao’s side might not have given up and sending you back to Liu Biao’s side might further imperil you and so we kept your presence a secret.” Sima Hui added as he sat down at the edge of the bed and nodded at me.
Ah… So that’s it. His decision is indeed wise. This whole matter has led to much chaos to begin with and without knowing what the present situation in Xiangyang is like, who knows what other mess sending me back alive might cause.
“Ah! What abotu Zi Long?! Do my companions know that I’m still alive?!” I suddenly remembered the matter of Xinye and got agitated and forcefully got up.
Ah…
I seemed to have forced myself too much and my head felt faint, as though it got hit by a dull object and a vicious headache a.s.saulted me, forcing me to lie back down.
“Aiya aiya, don’t be so anxious. You might have awoken and there aren’t any external wounds, but you still need to recover. Don’t be too hasty.”
In comparison to me, he seemed a lot more calm and collected.
“Disciple, brew us some tea.” He said to Xiang Lang as he patted my chest. As Xiang Lang left the room, Sima Hui looked at me wordlessly as he stroked his moustache.
His eyes seemed profoundly deep and he stared at my face as though he were closely inspecting what had happened to me over what has been close to a year with a serious expression. So serious it was that I didn’t dare to speak up.