Chapter 11: Seperate Ways
"What the hell do you think you're playing at?!" Su Fei bellowed at the distraught Gan Ning, who by this time had shrunken into some sort of foetal position on the bed. His head tucked deep into his cradled arms and legs in an attempt to block out Su Fei's rants.
"Okay when you were acting weird at the wedding, I thought it was just some silly jealous act but now Gan Ning, it's gone too far!"
Gan Ning nearly collided into Su Fei as he leapt off the bed; gripping his old friend by the collar he slammed him into the wall. He didn't even need to say anything; Su Fei simply glared down at him as his enraged breaths slowed to normal. After what seemed like a long while Gan Ning let go and stepped back.
"I'm sorry."
Su Fei fixed his collar, shifting his head uncomfortably to hide his momentary fear. "It's alright."
Gan Ning just sighed and turned himself away, sitting down on the edge of his four-poster bed. "What am I going to do?"
Su Fei traipsed up and down whilst he thought, the constant wandering was beginning to get on Gan Ning's nerves but he decided against complaining.
"You're going to leave."
"Leave?!" Gan Ning looked up, "And go where?"
"Well, not leave Wu!" Su Fei reasoned, "Ask Lord Sun Quan if he can send you to another fort for the time being, just until he's married her off again."
Gan Ning sat there shaking his head, "No I can't. She'd never forgive me."
"What would that matter? At least then she'd leave you be. And you can carry on with your lives!" Su Fei yelled.
"No…no I can't do that to her."
"So you'd rather stay here and die?" Su Fei paused whilst looking upon his sombre companion, "Because that will happen if Quan finds out about this, and like you said you had to force to stop yourself! Who knows where it could have gone next?"
Gan Ning rested his head back in his hands. "Why did this have to happen?"
"You two spend too much time around each…"
"No." Gan Ning defied, "I mean why did I come to Wu? I could have gone anywhere else. I mean putting up with Huang Zu would have been better then this!"
Su Fei gave a condescending look, "Better then falling in love?" He snorted, "I think it's like that saying, Gan Ning, 'It's to better to have loved and lost…"
"Then to get your head chopped off by a pissed off brother."
The two friends glanced at each other before jointly laughing at their joke. Su Fei then came and sat next to him, "Believe me brother. Go and ask Lord Quan. See what he says."
Gan Ning exhaled deeply, staring off into the distance he slowly adjusted to the idea and nodded his head. Su Fei gave him an encouraging pat on the back, but Gan Ning still felt, in the pit of his stomach, that this would be the worst decision he'd ever make.
Shang had hardly been able to move from bed that morning; she had taken to the lower quarters for a glass of wine and had ended up drinking more then was acceptable. She was reminded of when Ce and Quan had competitions when they were teenagers to see who could drink the most of Sun Jian's wine without passing out first. Ce always beat Quan. Ce was always the better brother.
She got out of the bath and groaned, feeling as though a horse had trampled over her head in the night. Her throat was dry and sticky and everywhere ached in her lithe body.
"Never again." She told herself as her handmaidens wrapped her in white towels. Gently lowering herself at her dressing table she let them do her hair. Shang stared blankly into the mirror trying to pick up the pieces of last night and why Gan Ning had been so quick to reject her? And she had said she loved him? Why didn't she have the guts to say it to his face? Everything was going wrong. She knew that Quan had threatened Gan Ning about their friendship. Because she hoped that is what it had looked like to everyone, she had never shown her feelings for Gan Ning. They were only ever friends. Something inside her wanted to go and tear down the walls of the castle and confront her brother, but she knew it would only make him more suspicious and get Gan Ning into further trouble. She gulped back her angst and smiled at the handmaiden presenting her finished hair.
"Thank you." She said, and then they knew to leave.
Gan Ning moved briskly towards the main hall, where he knew Sun Quan would be having his meeting with Zhou Yu about the governing of the day-to-day necessities.
Sun Quan looked up once from his files to see Gan Ning being allowed into the room by the guards, he smiled at the size of Gan Ning compared to his bodyguards and knew that he would have to arrange better protection.
"Well hello my brother." He said warmly, placing the matters at hand on the table beside him. "Sit Zhou Yu, this may take awhile."
Zhou Yu obeyed and sat in the chair beside the Emperor. Looking as though he was Quan's wife, Gan Ning fought a desperate urge to laugh.
"My Lord," Gan Ning started, but almost couldn't bring himself to finish.
The sunlight from outside was sending hot rays over the white marble floor reflecting beams of expansive light all the way round the hall, half-blinding anyone who entered. Gan Ning had the strange feeling he was at his Judgement Day, standing before the person who would determine whether he deserved to live in Paradise. Had he led a good life? Honoured his family? Protected those who he cared most about? Gan Ning got so carried away with his thoughts he forgot that Quan was waiting for him to speak.
He cleared his throat and started again, "My Lord, I was wondering if there were any posts going outside of Zhejiang?"
Quan frowned looking at Zhou Yu.
"Why do you ask Gan Ning?"
"I-I... just feel I could prove myself to you, My Lord. If I was attending to matters elsewhere, it's unfair that you should have to travel so often amongst the province, I could go with someone and set up base to look over problems in the Far East."
Quan kept glancing from Gan Ning back to Zhou Yu, who didn't really seem to object the idea to his leader. "What do you say Zhou Yu?"
"Well we have recently been discussing the governing of Banzhou. Huang Gai has been over there for a week now more or less on his own. It could help if you went down there to gather up soldiers for He Fei."
Sun Quan agreed with Zhou Yu by simply nodding his head. "There you have it, Gan Ning. You can leave as soon as possible."
Gan Ning stood gob-smacked, he cleared his throat for what seemed like the hundredth time "Sorry Zhou Yu, did you say gather an army?"
"That's right. We aim to take Wei at He Fei in 3 months time. Oh that's right…" Zhou Yu exclaimed as though it was some big joke, "…we've not mentioned it at the conferences yet. Only a few of us know officially, of course, such as Huang Gai, Lu Meng…"
Sun Quan then cut in, "We didn't want to go telling just everyone yet, in case certain loyalties changed." By the tone of Quan's voice Gan Ning knew he was subtly indicating about him and Shang. He straightened up out of embarrassment and saluted his Emperor and commander.
"Thank you, My Lord. Thank you Zhou Yu." He then quickly turned on his heel, his face a web of different emotions.
"Oh and Gan Ning…" Quan called out.
"Yes, my Lord?" He turned instantly.
"You'll be taking Lu Xun with you and…a man of your choice."
Gan Ning slowly bowed his head and left swiftly.
Meanwhile in Wei
Wei had only just returned from Chi Bi when Cao Cao had taken ill. Cao Pi entered the headquarters to see his father, Cao Cao, thrashing about in bed growling like some unholy demon. Renowned physician Hua Tuo stood beside him trying to calm him down, pressing a cold cloth to his head only infuriated him more as he tossed the fabric across the room and smacked the doctor's hands.
"Leave me be! I am no child." Cao Cao ordered.
Cao Pi gave Hua Tuo a stern look, and the doctor took his leave.
"Father." Cao Pi said graciously before bowing down beside him, he grabbed his clammy hand in his own and gently whispered, "Has it got worse?"
Cao Cao had left Chi Bi much earlier then his two sons. The fumes from the fire had sent him into a dizzying sickness and he was rushed back to the Wei castle; after a few days he then took to harrowing headaches and weak limbs.
"My son…" Cao Cao said with a bit too much effort, as though he was forcing out his words. "What happened?"
Cao Pi looked away as he spoke, "Wu won. We couldn't hold them off…"
Cao Cao rolled his eyes, snatching his hands away from his son's. "Which is why you fight until Every. Last. Man. IS DOWN!"
Cao Pi nodded, not wishing to argue with his father he mumbled. "She killed Zhen Ji, father."
"Who did?"
"Quan's little sister, Shang Xiang." Cao Pi said the words as if they were poison.
"Well why didn't you kill her then, you cowardly dog!"
"I tried, father! Gan Ning was there." Cao Pi seethed.
Cao Cao's expression changed to one of shock, "Gan Ning of Jing has joined Wu?"
Cao Pi looked at the man before him as though he had asked what a sword was. "Father, he has been there a good year now."
"And why didn't we get him on our side?!" Cao Cao moaned. "No wonder you lost. Gan Ning is the most formidable warrior out there, and can handle a Kirin sword like nobody I know of." Cao Pi listened jealously to Gan Ning's praise. "I want you to go to Wu and try and make him defect."
Cao Pi rose from the bed as if his father had struck him, "No way, father! He is too loyal to Wu."
"Loyal to Wu?" Cao Cao did his best to laugh but submitted to a frenzy of coughs. "Didn't you ever hear how he acted in Jing with Huang Zu? He hardly obeyed orders and treated his officers with little respect. That man is only loyal to his own interests."
"Well then he'd most definitely stay in Wu for 'his own interests'"
"What do you mean, boy?" Cao Cao queried,
"Shang Xiang. It's obvious he loves her. He nearly broke down crying when he'd seen the job I'd done on her." Cao Pi grinned.
"Shang Xiang? The woman who killed Zhen Ji, yes?"
Cao Cao didn't need an answer as he saw his son grimace. "Fine, go and take Shang Xiang then."
"F-Father?"
"If the only way to get Gan Ning to come to us is to kidnap her, then so be it."
"Father, how are we going to kidnap a Princess out of Wu castle?"
"She must have to go outside, sometime." Cao Cao again spluttered with a series of harsh coughs, "Go tonight. You'll be there tomorrow if you hurry."
Cao Pi clasped his fist in his hand and bowed to his father, who hushed his gratitude away with his hand. "Yes, yes. Just go, my son!"
Cao Pi rushed out as his younger brother Cao Zhi rushed in; Cao Cao gave a weak smile and embraced his other son. Cao Pi watched from the doorway, thinking of what his father had just instructed him to do and strangely he'd never felt so honoured.
A/N- I apologise that its such a short chapter but I wanted to save other parts for when Gan Ning has been away from Shang for some time, builds up tension and plot development :) Please comment xxx CagedFreedom xxx