Good afternoon, everyone! I don't know if U saw but in chapter 3 Xuan told Zhou Ying that she wuz her aunt, but they're COUSINS! I'm sorry about that. It was late and I wanted 2 hurry and update 4 U. I guess 'aunt' is what I was thinking about at the moment and I just put it down, SORRY! Thanx again Forgetmenot45 4 letting me know! Anyways, here's chapter 4! R&R

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Chapter 4

A Secret to Be Unveiled

That morning, the sparring arena behind the palace…

"C'mon, Xun!" Gan Ning shouted at Lu Xun as he swung the steel sword at the young general, who blocked it easily. "You're way too easy!" Xun, who hated to be mocked, narrowed his eyes at him before lunging his own steel blade and barely missed slicing the ex-pirate, leaving him with only a minor cut on his arm. Ning doubled back and glancing at the cut before looking back at Xun.

"You should know better by now than to underestimate me" Xun proclaimed rather haughtily, as he sheathed the sparring blade and placed back on the rack along with all the other weapons.

"Yeah, yeah, You told me, but it's funny to see that offended look appear on your face when I do that" He chuckled sheathing his own sword and placing back on the weapon rack next to Xun's before nursing the cut with a rag.

"Is that your only joy in life?" Lu Xun asked "irritating me?"

"No, drinking too" They both shared a laugh when Lu Meng and Sun Shang Xiang came up from behind them.

"Good morning" Meng and Shang Xiang stated.

"Good morning" The two replied in boredom as Meng grabbed a bow off the weapon rack and a quiver of arrows and began to shoot the target that was at a rather far distance. Shang Xiang had brought her Chakrams and was now on the sparring platform, practicing. She was recently in the Great Hall with Xiao and Da Qiao when Sun Xuan and Zhou Yu came in and she decided to leave when Da took Xuan to tell her the news that everyone already knew. She met Meng in one of the corridors while he was on his way to the sparring arena and she decided to follow him.

"So" Ning began, pausing to think up the correct words. "Did anyone figure out where that snobby girl went last night after she yelled at Lady Wu?" He asked, since he was drunk he was unable to remember anything that happened after Sun Xuan pushed the empress and stalked out. Shang glanced at him for a moment, but ignored it and continued to practice.

"Yes, she came back and apologized to everyone" Xun replied in slight annoyance. "Next time at least try to remain sober and perhaps you won't fail to notice"

"Hmph, would it have mattered?" Ning scoffed as he leaned his back against the wall of the large palace, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes in boredom. "She obviously has an attitude problem. Women, you know how they are" Ning commented before Shang Xiang gave him an offended glare and got off the sparring platform and approached him with a disdainful expression.

"No, Ning, I don't know how we are, mind telling me?" She asked with a sarcastic tone. "And be careful"

"Well you—"

BAM! Ning had won a date with her fist, right in the left eye and when he fell to the ground she proceeded to pound him into the ground with her foot until she was satisfied.

"I warned you" Shang Xiang said before stalking off. Meng had been watching from the start and was trying to contain a humored laugh. Xun was pleased by the punishment he received, because, frankly, he deserved it. Noticing it was nearly noon, Xun took his leave.

Ning was a crumbled heap on the ground, covered in scratches and bruises to match the one he received earlier. After a few moments of lying there he final was able to stand revealing a black eye and pummeled face. "What'd I say?"

"Too much" Meng replied and went back to his archery.

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Noon, The library…

The library took up a good portion of the second floor and half the books hadn't been touched for years, considering that there were thousands, no one had the time of day to count them all. Not many people were actually interested in books except the strategists.

Zhou Yu, as he did in a daily habit, was at one of the maple tables in the center on the library with a war book in his hands. Xiao Qiao was also there by force. Xiao despised to read books, she would rather go pick flowers or play. But Yu insisted that she read a book once in awhile so she sat across the table from her husband with a book in her hands, which she glared at with boredom, wishing that someone would give her a reason to stop reading.

"Uhhn…" Xiao groaned in boredom, but Yu seemed to be too concentrated in his book to take notice. "Do I have to keep reading, Yuie?" He looked up at her finally to answer.

"Why? You have yet to get half way through" He said noting that she failed to get very far in the rather little book she was reading.

"Well… I'm in such an interesting part that I want to leave myself wondering" She said, proud of her excuse, as she stood, but it was an incredibly rare phenomenon to actually fool him. With a sigh she sat back down and continued to glare at the book. 'Darn! I was sure it'd work!' Just then, Lu Xun sauntered into the library.

"Hi Xunie!" Xiao chirped, noticing him immediately and waving wildly. Zhou Yu, interrupted by her sudden outburst, glanced up at him.

"Good morning Lady Xiao, Lord Yu" Xun said sitting down next to his fellow strategist. Xiao, finding this to be the perfect moment, dropped the book and dashed out of the room giggling loudly as she did.

"HA! HA! HA! YAY! FREEEEE!" She shouted. Yu sighed at his wife's silliness, but shrugged it off and turned to the young general.

"Good morning, Xun" Yu replied, placing the book on the table. "Xun… might I ask you a question regarding my niece, Xuan?"

"Certainly…" He replied in confusion.

"I met with Xuan this morning and she appeared to be very enthusiastic as if she were… hiding something" Yu told him with an inquisitive expression.

"Hiding something?" Xun asked, cocking an eyebrow. "… Like a secret?"

"Precisely, she seemed as if something was preoccupying her thoughts and I don't think Sun Ce's death is the only reason she ran off last night" Yu stated "My question is, what happened to her?"

"I understand what you're telling me, Lord Yu, I suspected that too, but…" Xun trailed off in uncertainty "How would I know what happened to her?"

"I assumed that she told you yesterday, when you returned to the Great Hall with her in your presence" Yu told him bluntly as he glanced down at his book. "Perhaps not"

"She never told me anything like a secret, but I'm convinced something or someone has—" Xun's statement was interrupted by the sound of someone dashing past the door in a fit of rage and cries.

"Xuan! Please! Don't do it!" Someone shouted, running past the door also. Yu and Xun exchanged glances before they both made for the door.

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Srry, guys! CLIFFIE! Finally, I got this chappie in! It's shorter than the other tho… I hope you enjoyed it anyways! R&R! Bye!