Beneath black clouds and raging winds, a lone figure rode toward them.
Others waited for clear skies; I waited for you!
What had I done to deserve this? That was Liu Bei's only thought.
Liu Bei dismounted and stumbled somewhat as he walked up to Luo Qi. He seemed to have a thousand things to say, but in the end, he merely seized Luo Qi's arms and held them tightly. A faint smile rested on Luo Qi's face, putting others utterly at ease.
A thousand words passed in silence.
Everyone stood behind Liu Bei. Liu Ye's eyes were filled with the certainty that this was just as he had expected. How could Marquis Ying ever abandon the Liu Clan?
After a moment, Luo Qi said softly, "Lord Xuande, please come with me to Marquis Ying's Marquisate. This is no place to linger.
"We have lost men and commanders this time, and must consider what comes next. The Two Lü have put down roots in Qingzhou. With Qingzhou falling, they will most likely split from their clan and leave. We must prepare early.
"And your wife must be brought over from Mount Tai Commandery, Lord Xuande, and evacuated ahead of us. You must never follow in Emperor Gao's footsteps."
Everyone was startled into solemnity. Emperor Gao had abandoned Empress Gao, Emperor Hui, and the Elder Princess back then. In the end, all three had become close to King Wen of Luo, leaving only nominal ties between them and him.
However strong Zhao Yun was, he could not possibly be stronger than Lü Bu!
This assessment greatly surprised all three of them. Leaving Zhang Jue aside, they had witnessed Lü Bu's ferocity with their own eyes. These three men were actually second only to Lü Bu. As the saying went, no writer