Chapter 830: The Imperial Star

"Zilong, why do you seem unhappy?" Upon their victorious return, several people noticed Zhao Yun’s somber expression and asked with confusion.

Previously, he had been in good spirits, and although charging alone into the enemy’s main forces was indeed risky, Zhao Yun had returned unscathed. His bravery should have been celebrated, so why the melancholy?

"When will this war end? When will there be a time when loyal and brave heroes no longer fall?" Zhao Yun, like a philosopher, gazed off with a confused look in his eyes.

Compared to Lü Bu or Guan Yu, other super-generals, Zhao Yun, who was also a top-tier fighter, was more prone to doubt. The hearts of others were unwavering, but Zhao Yun often found himself contemplating external matters, letting them sway his thoughts.

"The dead are gone, but the living carry on," Chen Xi sighed, glancing sideways at Zhao Yun. "This is the way of chaotic times. Can’t you see that we’re still fighting? But Zilong, you actually charged alone into Yuan Shao’s army, fought Yan Liang head-on, and won. That was quite unexpected."

"I was just angry at the time, so I wanted to rush in and vent," Zhao Yun said, waving his hand as though unwilling to explain further. Reflecting on it now, he wasn’t sure if he could repeat what he had done earlier. At least, he could no longer summon the radiance that had enveloped him.

"Oh," Jia Xu murmured from the side, saying nothing more. After all these years, he understood the situation well enough. Zhao Yun’s performance had clearly transcended the usual level of Qi Condensation, and he had largely ignored the suppression of the battlefield’s cloud energy.

No one pressed him further. Guan Yu glanced at Zhao Yun twice but refrained from asking as well. Compared to the immense pressure Zhao Yun had exuded when he stood silently in Yuan Shao’s formation earlier, the current Zhao Yun seemed no different from his usual self.

"This, perhaps, is Zilong’s true strength. It’s just a pity that Zilong himself cannot fully control it," Guan Yu thought to himself, shaking his head slightly.

The power Zhao Yun had displayed earlier could have been some secret technique or a special move, but that would imply potential hidden dangers. Yet now, Zhao Yun’s aura remained unchanged from before, without any hint of instability.

This suggested that the strength Zhao Yun had used earlier was truly his own. This also explained why, regardless of how fierce the battles were, Zhao Yun would always emerge unscathed, his armor never showing signs of damage.

"Xianhe, go tally the casualties and instruct the healers to attend to the wounded immediately. Treat the captured Yuan Shao soldiers as well," Liu Bei ordered as soon as they returned to camp. He began preparing a victory feast, arranging for the treatment of the wounded and the burial of the dead. Despite the significant losses, the atmosphere remained more celebratory than somber after their major victory.

That evening, Liu Bei rewarded all the soldiers with meat and promoted those who had performed meritoriously. He also instructed Guan Yu and Zhao Yun to strengthen patrols, as they would begin constructing a fake pontoon bridge near Chiping the next day, according to Chen Xi’s original plan.

"What are you looking at?" Lu Su, preparing to return to his camp for rest, noticed Chen Xi sitting on the grass, gazing up at the night sky. He approached to inquire, as the spring night by the Yellow River still carried a hint of coldness.

"I’m looking at the stars and thinking of a name for my child, while also checking the celestial signs to see what the country’s fortune holds," Chen Xi sat up and smiled. The first half of his response was somewhat reasonable, but the second half was more of a joke.

"You can read celestial signs?" Lu Su asked in surprise.

"Bah, a general who doesn’t understand astronomy, doesn’t know geography, isn’t versed in the art of war, or isn’t familiar with yin and yang is a fool!" Chen Xi recited a line that was meant to be spoken by Zhuge Liang to Lu Su, feeling that it elevated his stature by three levels. It even seemed like Lu Su’s gaze carried a hint of admiration.

"You're full of nonsense," Lu Su scoffed. This Lu Su was far more battle-hardened than the one who was tricked by Zhuge Liang in the past. Fooling him was no easy task now.

"You’re right, that was a bit much," came a voice from behind. Guo Jia, drenched and holding a small wine flask, appeared out of nowhere.

"That line sets the bar too high and makes it easy for people to see through the act," Guo Jia added, dripping wet as he approached.

"That’s just the original line; I was just quoting it offhand. Did you fall into the Yellow River?" Chen Xi asked with a frown, puzzled by Guo Jia’s soaking appearance.

"Master Guo, perhaps you should go change your clothes. If you fell into the Yellow River, I wouldn’t know how to explain it to the General," came Zhou Cang’s conflicted voice, further confirming Chen Xi and Lu Su’s suspicions. Guo Jia had indeed fallen into the Yellow River.

"You guys chat. I’ll be back in a bit," Guo Jia said, shaking off his wet sleeves with a helpless expression. Earlier, he had been drinking by the river, got a bit too tipsy, and began singing loudly. Zhou Cang had suddenly jumped out of nowhere, scaring him into the river. Fortunately, Zhou Cang knew how to swim.

After Guo Jia left, Chen Xi gave up on the idea of reading celestial signs. He wasn’t very proficient in the art. Although there were books that could teach him, he was too lazy to learn. Besides, some things couldn’t be understood just because one wanted to. Those who were truly knowledgeable about such matters saw entirely different things in the stars than those who didn’t understand.

While Chen Xi looked up at the moon, across the Yellow River, Ju Shou was stargazing as well. In this era, the only civil officials truly adept at reading celestial signs were Ju Shou and Zhuge Liang. Others merely had a superficial understanding.

"Gongyu, are you still thinking about today’s events?" Tian Feng asked, joining Ju Shou in observing the stars.

"I’ve figured it out now. It’s not a big deal; the soldiers’ morale has dipped slightly, but if we station our forces by the Yellow River for a time, it will recover. What puzzles me, however, is why, despite two Xuanyuan Tripods having emerged, neither side—ours nor Taishan—has shown signs of imperial destiny," Ju Shou said, shaking his head with a perplexed expression.

"Huh?" Tian Feng was momentarily stunned. He didn’t have a deep understanding of celestial signs, but he trusted Ju Shou’s judgment.

"Neither of us nor the other side has the imperial aura? What about the northwest?" Tian Feng asked after some hesitation.

"The northwest remains the same, with the Imperial Star dim and obscured. On the other hand, Cao Mengde’s military star continues to grow brighter. It seems he’s gaining momentum to take control of Yong and Liang," Ju Shou said with some resignation. "I just wonder if, after taking those regions, Cao Mengde will still lean toward us as he did before."

"That’s a tricky situation, but now isn’t the time to worry about it," Tian Feng replied, shaking his head. "There’s no sign of an imperial destiny anywhere?"

"Some of the military stars have become extraordinarily brilliant, but none of them have the imperial aura. No matter how radiant they become, they’ll never ascend to true imperial status," Ju Shou explained. He had thoroughly studied the matter.

"Huh?" Ju Shou paused, blinking in surprise. Then he rubbed his eyes. "Could it be I’m mistaken? An Imperial Star? That can’t be right. The star representing Liu Xuande nearly resembles the Imperial Star, but it shouldn’t be possible. His position and destiny are not aligned with that of an emperor!"

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter