What's wrong? You've had that sullen look for a while.
Does your stomach hurt?
It's weird.
What's weird, Chouhi?
Right there!
Huh, right there?
You and I are pledged to be sisters.
Why don't you call me by my mana, "Lin Lin"?
It's normal for close friends to call each other by their mana, so isn't this weird?!
You're right, but we just got to know each other.
I want to call you by your mana, but you haven't told me what it is.
Okay, okay.
My name is Kan'u. My courtesy name is Unchou. My mana is Aisha.
I'd like you to call me by my mana.
Is that okay, Lin Lin?
Yeah!
Wait a minute.
What is it?
Pardon me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the much-rumored black-haired bandit hunter?
Nah, well... some people call me that.
I don't use those words myself.
That's great. I'd heard she appeared in a nearby village, so I've been asking all the warriors who look like her.
Because she's said to be a rare beauty with black hair, I almost overlooked you.
R-Really?
Since we know it's you, I have to notify our mistress at once.
Please wait here for a bit.
You're famous because of your beauty.
Yeah, my black hair is.
Please remain as you were.
I'm sorry to have made you wait.
Kousonsan (公孫瓚) is also known as Gongsun Zan in Chinese. Kouson (公孫) is the surname, San (瓚) the given name.
My name is Kousonsan. My courtesy name is Hakukei.
I'm the governor-general of the area around here.
This person is a traveling warrior just like you.
My name is Chouun. My courtesy name is Shiryuu.
Chouun (趙雲) is also known as Zhao Yun in Chinese. Chou (趙) is the surname, Un (雲) the given name.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Chouun-dono is staying with me as a guest general.
I'm honored by your invitation.
My name is Kan'u. My courtesy name is Unchou.
And this person is...
I'm Lin Lin!
Hey, you should introduce yourself properly by giving your name, instead of your mana.
Kan'u-dono.
You have quite a big child, considering your age.
Y-You have the wrong idea! Lin Lin isn't my daughter.
W-We're just pledged to be sisters.
Oh? Pledged to be sisters, eh?
Then who's the seme, and who's the uke?
Seme (セメ) is the dominant partner in a same-sex relationship, uke (ウケ) is the passive partner.
If you put it that way, I'm the seme.
H-Hey! Don't give a definitive answer if you don't really know what it means!
So, what does it mean?
Th-That's...
A-Ah well, let's leave that topic till later.
Actually, I have a favor to ask of you.
Me?
Even though I'm a minor feudal lord on the frontier, my concern for the country exceeds anyone else's.
Kishuu (冀州) and Koutou (江東), also known as Ji Zhou and Jiang Dong in Chinese, are places in China.
Enshou in Kishuu, Sonsaku in Koutou, and Sousou who has been prominent lately in the capital...
The ones with ambition to rule the whole country are all out looking for talent.
The old royal family of Kan has already lost its power.
Kan is the Japanese version of Eastern Han (東漢), the dynasty that ruled China from 25 AD to 220 AD.
To help me rectify the chaos in this country, please lend me your power, at any cost.
Kousonsan-dono...
I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but aren't you being a bit too hasty?
What do you mean?
During my journey, I've also heard about the black-haired bandit hunter.
But rumors are apt to be exaggerated.
Well, that's true.
Therefore, wouldn't it be better to hire Kan'u-dono after ascertaining her true strength?
Hm, I see.
I'll undertake to test her, if you have no objections.
Oh, what do you say?
Can I ask you to have a match with Chouun-dono?
Nah, but I...
Are you scared?
No way!
H-Hey, Lin Lin!
Aisha is really strong!
That's why she won't lose to someone like you!
Actually, Aisha doesn't even need to fight someone like you.
I can beat you to a pulp easily.
Oh? You've got quite a lot of confidence.
Let me test that confidence of yours then.
That's most welcome!
Start!
Oh?
All you do is run away.
What's wrong? Is that all you've got?
Not by a long shot!
Lin Lin, stop right there.
Why are you stopping me? I can still go on.
I know.
It's just that I want to try fighting her.
Come.
If the opponent is really strong, I can tell without needing to fight.
Kousonsan-dono, I have seen Kan'u-dono's strength with my own eyes.
Okay.
What's wrong, Lin Lin? You're looking sullen again.
Somehow, what just happened makes me feel like I'm not really strong.
No, that's...
Chouhi, you are strong.
But you haven't mastered the use of your strength.
By the way, Kousonsan-dono,
about that incident you mentioned the other day...
Ah, you mean the Shakudouzan incident?
Shakudouzan (赤銅山), also known as Chi Tong Shan in Chinese, is the name of a mountain.
What Shakudouzan incident?
It's embarrassing for me to say this, but we're having trouble getting rid of some bandits.
Considering where these robbers appear, we're sure that their hideout is on Shakudouzan mountain.
But I can't send out a punitive force until we discover the location of their fortress.
After hearing about it the other day, I've come up with a plan.
Oh? So what's the plan?
We send out a fake caravan with us concealed in the load.
We let the robbers take it away on purpose and sneak into their hideout that way.
In other words, our stratagem is to let the robbers themselves guide us to their hideout.
I see. That's interesting.
B-But, going into the robbers' hideout alone is...
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
In order to extinguish the cunning robbers, some risks are inevitable.
What do you say, Kan'u-dono?
Would you like to visit the robbers' hideout with me?
I'll take it on.
I'm going too!
You can't.
Why?
Listen. While hiding in the load and going to the robbers' hideout, you'd have to hold your breath.
A noisy person like you couldn't possibly do it.
I'm sure you couldn't stay quiet even for a single moment.
That's not true! I could do it if I wanted to!
Oh? Then show me here, right now.
Piece of cake!
I just need to stay still like this. It's simple.
Lin Lin!
Are you all right?
Get a hold of yourself! Wake up!
What a high fever!
Kousonsan-dono, please call a doctor! Hurry, please!
Are we going to hide in here?
Yeah. It's a little cramped, but it can't be helped.
If the two of us hide in that, our bodies will be touching each other.
Don't worry. It's not like I'm not inclined that way at all. In fact, I rather prefer it.
I see, then...
U-Um, inclined that way... You mean...
Ch-Chouun-dono.
Shh, the robbers might come at any time.
You shouldn't make noise.
I-I know that, but your knee...
What about my knee?
Stop that.
Kousonsan-sama.
What's the matter?
We received a report just now that the bandits attacked our decoy caravan.
And, how did it go?
Yes. The men disguised as caravaneers are all unharmed, and the robbers have taken the load.
Put it here.
What's wrong?
Was that a woman's voice just now?
Huh? What are you saying, Bro?
You must be really desperate if you're starting to hear things.
Possibly.
All right. Let's get the village girl to serve us sake again.
We'll drink in celebration today.
They seem... to have left.
It looks like we're underground.
Underground?
This place must've been a mine.
So they used the tunnel here as their hideout.
That's why you guys couldn't find them, no matter how hard you looked.
This place is bigger than I thought.
We're going to have a hard time finding the exit.
I feel a bit uneasy about having just this with so many enemies around.
It couldn't be helped.
We couldn't fit a bigger weapon than that, because your breasts took up so much space.
I-It's not like my breasts were the only thing taking up space.
Yeah. In fact, your butt might've taken up even more space than your breasts.
Stop it, please.
Why? It's not like you're going to lose anything.
Or is this going to get smaller?
Damn you, how impudent.
I'm going to punish you.
Kan'u, what are you planning to do?
Isn't it obvious? I'm going to save her, of course.
But there are so many of them.
Besides, our mission is to locate this hideout—
Hey!
You low-life! Stop right there!
Are you all right?
Eh? Ah, yes.
Who are you?
My name is Kan'u. My courtesy name is Unchou.
You robbers who hide underground,
I will make all of you part of the rust on this Seiryuuengetsutou... eh?
Seiryuuengetsutou (青龍偃月刀) means Green Dragon Halberd and is the name of Kan'u's weapon.
What rust are you talking about?
That idiot.
This is enough against low-lifes like you.
If you don't care about your life, bring it on.
I'll throw the same line back at you.
What? Does she have someone with her?
Get some light here!
Kan'u, this way.
Chouun.
It looks like they're not coming after us.
Geez. I thought your younger sister was the only hot-head, but you're quite a hot-head yourself.
Sorry.
Um, thank you very much for saving me.
No, you don't have to thank us.
It was the natural thing to do.
I live at the foot of this mountain.
When the village kids and I climbed the mountain to pick wild plants, we found the entrance to here by accident.
I see. That's why you were caught, eh?
Actually, the village kids are kept in the underground jail here.
If the bandits realize that I've escaped, I don't know what they'll do to the kids.
What do you plan to do?
I'm going to save them, of course.
That's what I thought.
What, Chouhi-dono did?
Yes. Because Kan'u-dono hasn't returned yet, she said she's worried, and she went to the robbers' hideout too.
But, even so, we have no idea where the hideout is. That's why we used this ploy in the first place.
Yeah, that's what I said too.
She said she'd manage to find it somehow, so she asked me to tell her where Shakudouzan is.
And, you told her?
Yes. And then she rushed out like the wind.
I'm lost!
This is bad. I won't find Aisha this way.
Oh, yeah! Grandpa said that if I was lost in the mountains, I should look at a fallen tree.
The wider spaces in the annual ring point south, so it's this way!
Geez, why only me?
What a terrible lot I drew.
The key.
Little girl, do you know where the exit is?
I'm sorry.
Ah, found them! This way!
It's the exit!
Now that I think about it, even if I keep walking south, that won't necessarily help.
Aisha!
I finally found you!
Lin Lin.
But what are you doing over there?
Aisha!
Lin Lin, cut down that tree so it falls over here!
Why?
Just hurry!
Got it!
Cross to the other side on this.
Let's go, everyone.
Okay.
But I'm scared.
This is bad. Hurry!
It's okay.
Everyone, be patient and stay calm.
Aisha!
That was close.
Yeah. But the bridge is...
It's all over, eh?
Since matters have turned out like this, we have no choice but to be prepared.
Yeah.
It's dull, but it's better than nothing.
Let's go, Chouun.
It's Sei.
We're friends heading to our deaths together. Call me by my mana from now on.
Okay, Sei.
In that case, call me Aisha too.
Then, let's go, Aisha.
Yeah.
Surround them and kill them in one strike!
It's strange.
I don't feel like I can lose if you have my back, Aisha.
I feel the same too. I'll leave my back to you, Sei.
Got it.
Kousonsan-sama.
What's the matter?
Kan'u-dono and Chouun-dono have returned.
Oh. How did it go?
Yes. They did a wonderful job discovering the robbers' hideout, but...
But?
Yeah. The two of them punished all the robbers right there.
Just the two of them... all the robbers...
What about my turn then?
I'm sorry.
Gloriously riding on a white horse, "White Horse General Kousonsan is here!"
What about that?
I see...
But are you sure?
We weren't planning to be officers yet.
If you keep working under Kousonsan-dono,
you'll become a great general and get to command armies.
Kousonsan-dono is definitely not a bad person, but that's all she is.
She doesn't have the ability to control these turbulent times, and she doesn't really stand out.
D-Don't you think that's rather harsh?
I'm sure that under this big blue sky, there's another master who's truly worthy of my service.
Most importantly, it looks like being with you guys will be more fun.
Hey, my friends.
I'm the White Horse General, Kousonsan.
My white horse is really competent.
When I'm tired and taking a nap, it will quietly put a blanket on me.
When I go shopping, it always takes me there and back.
Okay, okay. Super white horse time stops right there.
Next episode, Koihime Musou, Third Feast:
Chouhi, Bachou Striking Each Other.
All right, I'll play an active part next time!
Hmph, poor thing.