Empty Seat 3

When I realized that the conversation from the private audience with Liu Bei had been leaked, I only thought I might be in a bit of an awkward situation.

It’s fortunate I refrained from saying bad things as much as possible. In the first place, not all the character evaluations were known in detail. Only the evaluations of Zhuge Liang and Zhang Wan were fully known, and for the rest, only parts were being circulated.

It’s not that there weren’t any negatives at all, and I did make comparisons at the end, but it was with that Zhuge Liang, so wouldn’t they understand?

For now, since Pang Tong and Fan Jun who were among the subjects were in the provinces and not in Chengdu, it would be right to first pay attention to Liu Ba and Li Yan.

Judging that I should go talk to the two of them just in case, when I left the house, I encountered an adversity I hadn’t expected at all.

Namely, the curtain of people filling the front of the house.

Men qian cheng shi (门前成市). It was to the extent that the idiom meaning “the front of the gate is like a market” because there are so many visitors came to mind.

Originally, our house did tend to have many guests because of Father and me.

With the 3rd and 4th in military rank living in one house, how could there not be many people coming to seek letters of recommendation, character evaluations, or connections?

But it wasn’t to this degree. Faced with a crowd that seemed to easily exceed 10 times the usual, I quickly locked the gate the moment I saw them discover me and try to approach.

If it had been enemy soldiers it would be one thing, but with scholars of our country who couldn’t even do harm surging like waves… it was almost a reflex action.

“What is this.”

As I was calming my startled heart for the first time in a long while, Lian Yi approached, probably having heard the noise.

“Ah, Sister, you just saw now?”

“Lian. Did you know?”

“Yes. They’ve been gathering since yesterday evening. You didn’t know because you were sparring with Father?”

It’s true that I didn’t pay attention outside because I was having a sparring match with Father after a long time yesterday, but it’s a bit shocking that I didn’t know even though such a crowd had gathered.

“You knew about this, Lian?”

“Of course. I personally hung the ‘not receiving visitors’ sign.”

The ‘not receiving visitors’ sign was literally a sign hung on the gate to announce not receiving guests. It was a kind of refusal of visits.

“Everyone wanted to see your face at least once. They say the luan bird brings official fortune? There were even people who spread out mats saying they wouldn’t leave until they received a character evaluation.”

Though this has nothing to do with Lian Yi. Still, her tone was so bright even though people were so packed that it was difficult to come and go from the house.

When I asked if she wasn’t worried about me, Lian Yi tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

“Why? Those people came to try to get in the good graces of you or Father, right? What is there to worry about?”

“People sometimes use shocking means. And we can’t guarantee there are no assassins either.”

Even Fei Yi, who was in the position of Grand General in charge of state affairs on behalf of the Emperor, ended his life by assassination. Of course, they say Fei Yi was close to having a safety insensitivity syndrome, but you never know, right?

But even at my words containing concern, Lian Yi giggled as if she had heard an amusing joke.

“Sister. Have you forgotten who’s in our house? What’s there to be afraid of with you and Father here? And I’ve trained quite a bit too. Want to see?”

No wonder she was wearing a sword at her waist.

Because my achievements following in Father’s footsteps had even overshadowed the presence of our second older brother Zhang Shao who was a civil official, the Zhang family had become a martial family born and bred.

According to Lian Yi, not just her but Zhang Shao was also training in martial arts reluctantly.

Since it seemed difficult to go out, I decided to watch Lian Yi’s swordsmanship.

As the Zhang Yide genes don’t go anywhere, Lian Yi possessed quite good sword skills. It was like watching an elegant sword dance, perhaps learned from Chubai.

“I tried to do the swordsmanship Sister used to do, but it didn’t work well. Is it because it’s too old?”

“Should Sister teach you this time?”

“Really? I’d love to!”

Though it had been quite a long time, my body still remembered as the longsword techniques unfolded brilliantly. From the middle, even Chubai who had become Lian Yi’s guard and sword instructor, and Father joined in, having heated discussions and demonstrations about swordsmanship.

Perhaps because she had watched my training since childhood, Lian Yi participated very actively in the sword research. Seeing her examine the Hundred Blade Diagram received from Cao Cao in various ways, maybe this suits her aptitude.

Anyway, after spending a fruitful time with family members, I secretly sent word to Bu Zhi and Jiang Wei.

And the next day, I opened the gate once again. There was no crowd surging towards me even after I came out the door.

That’s because there were soldiers who had already come and surrounded the front of the house.

“You worked hard, Boyue, Chongdan.”

Chongdan was the courtesy name I personally gave to Bu Zhi. It meant loyal and courageous.

“We simply followed orders.”

After patting the shoulders of the two, I shouted towards those who were just looking this way, blocked by the soldiers:

“I believe those gathered here have business with me and General Yu. Though we have hung the ‘not receiving visitors’ sign until now, we will receive visitors from tomorrow, so please withdraw for now.”

Today I really intended to meet Liu Ba and Li Yan.

So I had given orders to Jiang Wei and Bu Zhi not only to bring soldiers today, but also to send word to those two in advance.

“And those who came to see me, please come to the Rear General’s Office tomorrow. Those who have business with General Yu can come to the house like this.”

After announcing that much, I crossed through the crowd with Jiang Wei and Bu Zhi’s escort.

No one appeared who recklessly rushed in. Even if there were, I would have ignored them with the intention of making an example.

Finally escaping the curtain of people, I let out a deep sigh I had been holding back.

“I didn’t know things would grow to this extent.”

This was largely because I had carelessly passed over Liu Bei’s seclusion act, thinking it was really just an act.

From the outside, with Zhuge Liang gone and Liu Bei letting go of state affairs, the current highest authority in Chengdu would appear to be Huang Quan as Minister of Works and Father as General of the Right.

Though nominally Ma Chao has a higher rank than Father within the military, nominal and actual are different.

In that situation, with the Zhang Wan incident breaking out, it’s not strange that I looked like a golden lifeline to those dreaming of an official career or hoping to rise to high positions.

It was like foxes rushing in thinking they could thrive when the tiger had hidden its form.

“Hahaha, you’d faint if you went to the marketplace.”

“What do you mean by that, Chongdan?”

“They say luan bird paintings are selling like hotcakes, saying the luan bird gives official robes. I heard a street vendor was even caught the other day claiming to sell the General’s hair.”

“My hair?”

Have you seen such a crazy street vendor. This isn’t Africa where they believe albinos have mystical powers and hunt them for human trafficking…

As I was dumbfounded by the absurdity, Jiang Wei delivered a follow-up blow from the side.

“They say something called ‘Lady Zhang Portraits’ are being sold too. They tried to ban the sales, but couldn’t enforce it because of ridiculous excuses like it’s not the General but just a lady with the Zhang surname, or it’s a portrait of Zhang Zifang.”

It is a historical fact recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian that Zhang Zifang was as pretty as a woman.

I don’t know whether to be happy about being compared to Zhang Zifang or lament this situation.

It was an example showing that administrative processing was generating noise even in Chengdu, as Zhuge Liang had left Chengdu and Liu Bei was outwardly letting go of state affairs.

‘With our country’s situation like this, Cao Pi will soon ascend to the throne.’

Let’s think positively. Trying hard to calm my mind by thinking it’s for the grand plan, I visited Liu Ba first.

Unlike the evaluation that he was frugal and austere with no interest in amassing wealth, Liu Ba had plump flesh.

There was one reason. Tofu. Liu Ba, who was terribly fascinated by this ingredient known as dourun here, was letting go of his frugality only when it came to eating.

“Hoho, it’s been a long time since we’ve met face to face like this.”

Following the original history, Liu Ba didn’t have much lifespan left. But that seems to have been because his nutrition was poor from living frugally, while he had a lot of work.

With Fan Jun, Pang Tong, Ma Liang and others distributing the workload, and now receiving more than enough nutrition from dourun, the current Liu Ba was boasting a healthiness that made it hard to believe he would die next year.

When I apologized for evaluating him as lacking compared to Zhuge Liang, Liu Ba laughed it off saying what’s there to apologize for such a thing.

“Hmm, Xianhuo. If you really feel sorry, just make me one good dourun dish. I’ve been trying this and that, but nothing’s better than the dishes you make yet.”

Unlike in the past when he spoke down to me, Liu Ba used semi-honorific speech as my position had risen. He who left the character evaluation of “Xianhuo born of Cangying” upon first meeting me has called me Xianhuo ever since.

Though Zhuge Liang also uses the nickname Ran (髯) for Guan Yu, Liu Ba seemed to receive a stronger sense of inner closeness from me than I thought.

“I’d be glad to make it for you.”

As Liu Ba said he had tried various things, many ingredients were piled up in his kitchen.

The dish I chose was a Japanese tofu dish called agedashi dofu. It’s a kind of fried tofu eaten with a soy sauce-based sauce poured over it. I remembered eating it in my past life as the cooking method is simple while the taste and appearance are decent enough.

With Liu Ba taken care of like that, next was Li Yan.

Unlike Liu Ba with whom I was acquainted, it wouldn’t be wrong to say Li Yan was a complete stranger I had never met privately. Though I had seen his face a few times at court audiences, I had never exchanged words.

But perhaps because he was clearly lower in rank than me unlike Liu Ba, Li Yan greeted me with a smiling face.

Though he had risen to the ranks of important ministers thanks to his merit of surrendering to Liu Bei when entering Shu and proving his ability afterwards, he wasn’t at a level comparable to me.

In the current situation where Liu Bei’s circle of talents was much more abundant than in the original history, Li Yan, whose position had relatively narrowed, showed no signs of dissatisfaction with my character evaluation.

“How could I resent for such a thing? Rather, I’m just grateful that His Majesty mentioned me as a talent comparable to Military Advisor Zhuge.”

“I’m glad you feel that way.”

“By the way, since this is also a connection, would it be alright if I recommend a person to the Rear General?”

I was uncomfortable with passing empty-handed, but this worked out well.

When I nodded, Li Yan spoke happily:

“You probably know that Governor Fei Guan of Baxi and I are close friends.”

I know. I was there when Li Yan persuaded Fei Guan to surrender at Mianzhu. And I know that Fei Guan is Li Yan’s one and only friend.

The moment Fei Guan’s name was mentioned, I guessed who Li Yan was trying to recommend and inwardly smiled broadly.

“He has a clan nephew he cherishes. His name is Fei Yi, and he’s an absolutely brilliant talent.”

Here comes the last of Shu Han’s Four Ministers.