My Three Kingdoms is not right

Liu Bei quickly changed his mind and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness, I was just passing by and came to pay my respects. Since the Minister of Works is busy, I will come another day."

She had intended to meet Liu Xun to ask for his opinion on the imperial edict hidden in the belt. But Cao Cao had also arrived. Now that the two were face to face, how could she dare utter a single word?

The phrase "You've done a great job" she just heard still haunts her.

Cao Cao took her hand. "Xuande, what's the rush?"

As she spoke, she looked at Liu Xun, a smile spreading across her phoenix eyes: "I recently opened a few jars of plum wine, intending to bring some to tempt Your Highness. But I happened to run into Xuande at the door, so this is perfect; I have someone to drink with now."

Liu Bei's smile seemed somewhat forced.

She didn't want to be with Cao Cao.

She hadn't even figured out the truth about the imperial edict in the belt yet, and now, facing Cao Cao, she had to mentally rehearse every word three times over, terrified of uttering even the slightest mistake. This feeling of walking on thin ice was truly agonizing.

But could she refuse?

Cao Cao had already asked her to stay, so if she insisted on leaving, it would only make her seem guilty.

Liu Xun, however, did not think so much and led the way, saying, "The arrival of two distinguished guests truly honors my humble abode today."

The waterside pavilion is built on the pond to the east of the villa, surrounded by water on three sides and connected to a covered walkway on the other. It features lacquered railings, green-tiled eaves, and is open and airy on all sides.

It was early autumn, and although the lotus leaves in the pond were no longer as lush as in the height of summer, a few late-blooming lotus flowers still stood gracefully in the wind. However, upon closer inspection, the edges of the petals had already been tinged with a faint yellowish hue.

Occasionally, a few fallen leaves drift down with the wind, creating leisurely ripples on the water's surface.

The maids in the villa were already very skilled at preparing banquets, and before long, a table was placed in front of the three of them.

The earthenware vessel contained candied fruit, dried fruit, venison jerky, and several plates of seasonal fresh fruit. The aroma of plum wine from the bronze vessel wafted out with the steam.

Ignoring the upright posture of Liu Bei, Cao Cao leaned against the armchair, squinting as he watched Liu Xun pour wine with a ladle, his voice somewhat languid:

"Your Highness, are you really not going to have a drink? This wine is very delicious."

"I heard that men from aristocratic families like this kind of thing, so I specially sought it out."

Liu Xun shook his head with a smile: "Absolutely not. I black out when I drink, and if I lose my composure in front of you two, I'll be too ashamed to live."

"A blackout?" Cao Cao tilted his head, a strand of black hair slipping from his temple and hanging down his snow-white neck.

"He was just talking nonsense, completely drunk, and didn't remember anything when he woke up."

Cao Cao sighed and turned to Liu Bei: "I have no choice but to let Xuande have it."

Liu Bei quickly stood up and took the cup with both hands, saying, "I am truly in for a treat."

She took a small sip, nodded in praise, and said, "It's sweet and sour, truly a fine wine."

Cao Cao smiled smugly, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, exhaling a satisfied breath of wine.

"By the way, Your Highness," she asked seemingly casually, "that day at Qiuhou, I accidentally fell asleep. When did Your Highness leave?"

Liu Xun raised his head and met Cao Cao's gaze frankly: "I didn't notice. I sat with Mengde for a while, and left when I saw you were fast asleep."

"See, in the end, it was me who lost control after drinking too much." Cao Cao laughed as he moved closer to Liu Xun, took the long-handled bronze ladle, and ladled wine for himself.

"Did Your Highness sleep well that night?"

"fine."

"It's said that the wind was particularly strong that night, snapping several giant trees in the forest. Did it disturb Your Highness?"

The air in the waterside pavilion seemed to freeze for a moment.

Liu Bei paused slightly in his ear cup, a few drops of wine splashing onto her fingers.

A chill ran up her spine, like a cold, venomous snake.

My heart was pounding against my ear bones, growing faster and faster!

After returning to Xuchang, she listened to Guan Yu explain the plan in detail—she had hollowed out several giant trees near the valley beforehand, so that they could be broken by force to block the road and intercept Cao Cao's army's movements.

But that night I stopped what I was doing, and nothing happened. Everything was normal the next day as well.

Afterwards, Guan Yu arranged for those assassins to go to the border region.

Liu Bei originally thought that the matter was over.

But at this moment, Cao Cao suddenly mentioned "a giant tree being blown down by the wind," speaking casually. But to Liu Bei, it sounded like thunder.

Has the incident been exposed?

She dared not make any unnecessary movements. Lowering her eyes, she brought the ear cup to her lips, and under the guise of drinking, secretly glanced at Cao Cao.

However, Cao Cao was not looking at her.

The girl in red was staring intently at Liu Xun's face.

The smile in her phoenix eyes held a complex sense of inquiry.

Liu Xun, however, was completely unaware. He was putting a peeled pine nut into his mouth, his voice slightly muffled: "I was sleeping too soundly, I didn't hear anything."

He thought for a moment, then looked at Cao Cao with some doubt: "Come to think of it, I didn't see any strong winds this morning. If a giant tree had been snapped, how strong would the wind have been? There should have been some broken branches and fallen leaves, right?"

The pavilion was quiet for a moment.

Only the sound of the autumn wind passing through the waterside pavilion and the rustling of lotus leaves rubbing against each other in the pond could be heard.

Liu Bei bit his lip.

His Highness is probably unaware of details such as sawing down trees.

Because they didn't know, they acted naturally and were unlikely to be detected by Cao Cao.

Cao Cao stared at Liu Xun without speaking. After a long while, his smile blossomed like a spring flower: "Your Highness is right. Perhaps it was eaten by insects and just happened to fall over."

She picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp: "That's how it is when trees get old. They look thick and tall, but they're actually hollow inside."

"It's not actually the wind that causes it to topple over."

As she spoke, she leaned back, reclining on the low table, the hem of her brocade robe spreading out to reveal her fair calves.

Liu Bei breathed a long sigh of relief.

He wiped the thin layer of sweat off his knee with his palms.

She could feel her heartbeat gradually calming down, and blood returning to her limbs.

"Speaking of which, I haven't slept as well as that night in a long time." Cao Cao took another sip of wine, his gaze softening as he looked at Liu Xun. "With Your Highness by my side, I always feel exceptionally at ease."

Cao Cao seemed to be in a particularly good mood, frequently raising his cup and drinking with great gusto.

The atmosphere in the waterside pavilion became relaxed again.

As the wine flowed freely, the autumn wind grew stronger.

But the lotus leaves in the pond were blown about, revealing their grayish-green veins on the underside. Dark clouds rose in the distance, and the wind carried a damp mist.

"It's going to rain." Liu Xun looked up at the sky.

As soon as he finished speaking, the rain swept in from afar, drawing white curtains of water across the surface, like a semi-transparent veil draped over the entire pond.

The servants quickly lowered the bamboo curtain to shield the area from the rain and mist, leaving only the south-facing side open to enjoy the scenery.

Cao Cao stood up, walked to the railing, stepped barefoot onto the straw mat, and gazed into the distance.

The autumn wind, carrying a drizzle, blew, wetting her clothes. The blouse clung to her body, outlining her slender waist and full curves. She was oblivious, her gaze fixed intently on the distance.

"Your Highness, Xuande," she pointed to the horizon, "there's a dragon pendant over there!"