A/N: I got some inspiration from one of my most devoted readers/stalkers that I adore so much, and together, we came up with this follow-up chapter! It features Sima Zhao bullying Zhong Hui around a bit, and I hope my sense of humor is not so shabby? (:

Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors :c

A scowl was etched upon Zhong Hui's features as he unhappily stalked out of his pavilion and powerfully strode to the meeting hall on the other side of the palace. His wife really was a handful sometimes, and each time was even more ostentatious than the last; however, it didn't change that he loved her, and he would put up with anything she put him through, much to his regret. He had hastily thrown on his many layers of clothes and was still fastening his rich white overcloak as he walked along the flower-lined paths. Minji was left behind in their chambers, still giggling at her little trick and thoroughly pleased with herself as she set about with her toilette.

Zhong Hui's dilemma was that he had no idea what he was to tell Sima Yi. He was supposed to have a battle formation ready that would counter the enemy's tightly knit formation, but of course, distractions arose that would lead to his demise at the tiny little hands of Sima Yi. Maybe he'll be given more time, since the battle was several weeks off. Considering Zhong Hui's self-labelled intelligence, he would be able to whip up a spectacular plan in no time! As for the issue of his wife, perhaps he could trap her in the closet for an hour or three. It wasn't as if he hadn't done it before, but Zhong Hui had to admit that going to work the next morning unaware that there were gaudy flowers braided into his hair wasn't all too pretty. Sima Zhao enjoyed making jokes about his masculinity for days afterward and even Zhuge Dan had cracked a rare smile at the sight of him.

As he entered the meeting room, 12 pairs of eyes were immediately trained upon him expectantly. Sima Yi, Zhao, Shi, Wang Yuanji, Zhuge Dan, and Deng Ai were seated around a large table laden with meatbuns and pots of steaming tea that let forth a sweet, rich scent.

"You're late, peon," snarled Sima Yi, who was glaring at Zhong Hui over his pile of meatbuns.

"Good morning, Lord Strategist," greeted Yuanji, who was tapping her fingers on the table and eyeing him with amusement, sandwiched in between her husband and Shi, who was lovingly stuffing his face with meatbuns and oblivious to the proceedings.

"My apologies, Lord Sima Yi. Good morning, Lady Yuanji..." Zhong Hui raised a brow, wondering why everyone was staring at him so strangely. Sima Zhao in particular was in silent hysterics, with his head on the table and hands clenching at the edges. Yuanji shot 'the glare' at her husband and whacked him across the back of the head with the butt of her throwing knife, causing a loud whap before Zhao mustered his chortles and waved at Zhong Hui with a flushed face and quivering lips.

"How was your night, Zhong Hui? It was an, ahh... playful evening for you, wasn't it?" grinned Zhao with a none-too-subtle wink. Zhong Hui flushed red and glared at his superior, hands moving to his hips. At the end of the table, Guo Huai choked on his tea and began to cough into his handkerchief, eyes watering.

Deng Ai covered his face with a groan and mumbled something about immature little turds as he head-desked violently, leading Zhuge Dan to scowl intensely as his cup of tea spilled over from the force of Deng Ai's rather large head. Sima Yi didn't look the least bit amused and stood up with his arms crossed.

"I suppose it's safe to say you did not finish your assignment, Lord Strategist," the touchy man growled, tapping his foot on the rich wood floor.

"The method in which I spent my evening shouldn't be of any concern to you, Sima Zhao," Zhong Hui muttered curtly, wondering how Zhao could even get an inkling of an idea of what had indeed happened in his private chambers.

"That's kind of tough when you're trying to take a refreshing evening walk, only to pass by the Zhong pavilion and hearing you... roaring and your wife squealing," Zhao snickered, his comment sending Yuanji into a flurry of silent laughter and Guo Huai into another fit of violent coughing. "I don't think we need any elaboration of those words, as our imaginations will do the rest of the thinking."

Zhong Hui's cheeks flushed a terribly bright crimson and he took his seat with a loud clearing of his throat, picking up a map and stabbing his finger into it violently, sending Zhuge Dan's teacup tumbling over yet again.

"SO. I was giving our battle plan some thought... and we need to do a pincer formation with a cavalry charge down the middle of their ranks in order-"

"Was it animalistic, Zhong Hui? You're pretty good at your lion imitation, y'know. You might even be more fierce than the tigers in Yuanji's menagerie, if you don't mind me saying. Never knew you had the man instinct in you, just like no one expected you to get married," cackled Zhao with a cheeky glint in his eyes.

Zhong Hui bit his tongue to save himself from snapping back about Zhao's own state of marriage and that Yuanji was more of his babysitter than his wife, but he was much more dignified than that.

"Shiji, darling! You forgot to put on your undergarments this morning, you silly little- Oh hello, my lords, my lady!" beamed Minji as she danced into the room cheerfully, lovely in deep blue and gold accented robes. Her features were bright and a charming smile graced her features as she elegantly dipped into a curtsy.

Yep. Dignity gone. 100% gone. He could run away and become a hermit now without anyone noticing. From now, Zhong Hui would most assuredly be known as the General Who Forgot His Underwear, and no longer as the General Who Pacifies The West.*

His wife's rather boisterous announcement sent the others into renewed fits of hysteria, with Zhao gasping for breath and Deng Ai facepalming repeatedly, and violently.

"Alright! Everyone sit your asses down and get to this!" yelled Sima Yi, his face red and arms flailing impatiently. "Zhong Hui, it was your responsibility to come up with a plan for us! You and your so-called talents are letting us all down today, you little turd!"

"If you'll excuse me, my lord, there is a game plan, in fact," trilled Minji happily, clasping her hands and batting her innocent eyes at the group.

Sima Yi raised a brow, and Zhong Hui gaped at his wife and her bravery to speak out to an angry Sima Yi.

"I recall Lord Zhong Hui telling me that the enemy formation is very closely quartered and that it would be difficult to attack such a clustered group. Perhaps we can perform a pincer attack, with the cavalry breaking the middle lines, and infantry caving in the sides enough to disperse the group. Meanwhile, we can have arrows penetrate the middle lines, but divide some of the forces to cleave their archers; there will be less casualties in the onslaught against the front lines of the troops. With that, we can prance right in the destroyed middle lines and clobber the idiots. They won't expect the middle group to be fired on when there are outer lines of men that other generals would normally strike first. We must take them by surprise! As the great Sun Tzu once said, 'Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.' He did also say that 'you can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended,'" Minji articulated smoothly, and she could have been reciting beautiful poetry and no one would have known the difference.

Everyone in the room gaped at their strategist's wife, not expecting her to have been learned in the Art of War. Zhuge Dan looked thunderstruck and actually dropped his teacup on the ground this time, and Shi had bits of meatbun stuck to his mouth as he stared blankly. Although Zhao was an exception. He was facedown on the table, laughing and uttering weakly, "She said penetrate. PENETRATE." Which caused more whining from a traumatized Deng Ai and a tight-lipped Zhuge Dan to blush furiously at the level of corruption he was suffering.

Yuanji sighed defeatedly and buried her face in her hands, imploring the gods and asking why she had been married to him. It was too much for the poor Guo Huai to handle and he high-tailed it out of there, coughing all the while as Minji blinked confusedly at Zhao.

"I actually quite like that plan, Lady Minji, fine work. I might even replace my current strategist and have you come in," Sima Yi murmured, shooting a dirty glare at Zhong Hui and ignoring his son's immaturity. "Now, everyone get out of my meeting room."

With that final word, Sima Yi rose and stalked out of the room sourly as Zhuge Dan quickly ran out after him, hugging the tea set that he had let them use for that day's meeting. Evidently, the uptight officer needed cleansing of the mind from the dirtying it had received courtesy of Sima Zhao. The red-faced Deng Ai was the next to leave, and he dragged the meatbun-stuffed Sima Shi out with him, leaving only the two couples in the room.

Zhong Hui's cheeks were unbearably pink as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, thankful that his wife had at least had a plan, but unable to get over the fact that he was now probably #1 in the Jin empire's hall of shame.

"Hey, Zhong Hui. Have you ever tried whipped cream? I find that works on the ladies, you can totally trust that suggestion," Zhao grinned nonchalantly, but his laughter quickly died off as Yuanji aimed a perfect hit to his groin with her knee. Zhao howled in pain, and Yuanji dragged him off by his ear with a darkening countenance.

"Wait until you see what happens to you, Zishang! You'll see what happens when you cause trouble!"

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry- OW. HEY ZHONG HUI, TRY BINDINGS!" Sima Zhao yelled as he was dragged off to the consequences of traumatizing everyone.

"If you'd please, Sima Zhao... Shut up, for the gods' sakes," grumbled Zhong Hui, feeling a headache coming on and mentally thanking Yuanji for intervening.

Now that everyone else was gone, he turned to his wife with an upset expression on his features.

"Why didn't you tell me all that last night?" he grumbled. An ever-cheerful Minji gently took her husband's elbow with a dazzling smile and lightly kissed his cheek.

"I felt you needed to be put in your place, and that you needed to see that your wife is not as weak as you thought," she replied airily.

"You're more ruthless than I thought," Zhong Hui glowered, unable to stomach how much embarrassment he had gone through. "Who knows when all this will die down? I've only just gotten over you decorating my hair with flora and dyeing all my robes pink."

Who would have thought his wife was so manipulative, enough to cause such an event simply by seducing him?

"You'll survive, and that should teach you a lesson, husband. I've many more tricks up my sleeve! Now, shall we go get you some underwear, darling?"

*one of our Hui-Hui's titles was 'General Who Pacifies the West.