With Lord Zhou injured, duties were shifted around and it did not take long to get the dilemma with Lord Liu Bei settled. An understanding was reached, though not one that both parties were completely content with. As suspected, when confronted about their dubious actions at Xiangyang, Lord Liu Bei proclaimed it to be a simple misunderstanding and too many were quick to believe him. Lü Meng wasn't one of them. However, he refrained from speaking his mind on it as Lu Su already had enough on his plate and wouldn't appreciate Lü Meng adding even more to his ever growing burden.

Lord Liu Bei needed land, Lu Su said as he explained the situation to Lord Quan and the rest of the court. He went on to explain how Liu Bei sought land from his family in Chengdu and until then, he would need a small base of operations. Lu Su then offered the Jing Province as a temporary home until then, a 'reasonable' request as he so eloquently put it, amongst the flabbergasted uproar of the assembly.

Few, if any, were happy with such an idea. Lü Meng could never forget the looks his teacher received when he offered such a suggestion and admittedly one of which came from him. Lu Su was met with much opposition but he eventually worked them on board with the idea, as he stressed the word 'temporary' several times. Once Liu Bei moved his home base to Chengdu, they would return the Jing Province to Wu.

It seemed fair enough. While they would not have the resources that the Jing province could provide readily available, the promise that it would eventually become theirs was enough to soothe any open objections and their trust in Lord Liu Bei's promise helped tremendously. He also explained that it would look good on their part to generously offer the land and that such generosity could be used to their advantage later, something that Wu could always benefit from. These had made it easy to win Lord Quan and the rest over and those that still had their reservations, outnumbered as they were, were wise to keep this to themselves for the most part. There were the occasional whispers of dissatisfaction among them but none acted out on it and they were quick to silence themselves when it was deemed inappropriate. Among them was Lü Meng but his closeness to Lu Su had made it difficult to express his opinion on the matter and it served as the perfect muzzle.

Which, considering Zhou Yu's reaction to the deal, was probably for the best, as Zhou Yu had several choice words for Lu Su went the news reached him. Lü Meng felt justified in his own feelings when he saw Zhou Yu's reaction but it was short lived as the sight of Zhou Yu's own justified rage was enough to make him question his own. It had taken much coaxing from Lu Su to calm their injured Chief-Commander down and even when the deed was done it wouldn't have taken much to undo all of it. So, once again, Lü Meng kept his mouth shut and did or said nothing that would throw fuel into the fire.

The topic of Zhou Yu was a touchy one and one that Lü Meng found hard to address so openly with others. In all his years under his tutelage, enduring every failure and humiliation thrown his way, from his strict and rather unorthodox teaching method, he had always thought that seeing someone else return the favor to the strategist would have been gratifying. But to see his despair at Nanjun and to see such a fierce reaction to Lu Su's well meaning plan, he could feel nothing even remotely close to that. Instead, he felt guilt and perhaps even horror, to see such a once calm and calculating man capable of holding such terrifying emotions.

He knew Zhou Yu to be the jealous type- he openly admitted to such a flaw before he recalled, and he knew him to be petty, but this wasn't just for drama. This kind of tantrum seemed more fitting for one of his sons, not for the respected Chief-Commander and yet there was nothing overly dramatic about it. It was visceral. It was real, and he wondered if Lu Su or Lord Quan even knew this.

Regardless, he did not have to suffer for too long at least, as his own growing list of duties more often than not called him away to deal with them, leaving their Chief-Commander to recover with his aides and his wife.

After his deeds at Nanjun, he was rewarded with another rank, higher income and with it, more duties, most of which he graciously accepted without argument. Between Chibi and their invasion of Nanjun, a Wei officer by the name of Xi Su had defected into their ranks and Lü Meng was informed that the man's troops would be added to his own. This move confused him and it didn't take long to find the culprit of this decision to be Zhou Yu's doing. No doubt it was meant to be a reward for his plan to push for Gan Ning's rescue, he thought to himself, and as flattered as he was, he wasted little time in sending a letter to Lord Quan over the matter. He had gone over the letter multiple times, dictating it to Ren as she nursed their youngest, Mu, and taking special precautions to sounds as polite as possible, as he rejected the offer and pushed for Xi Su to keep his troops. He rewrote the damn thing at least ten times until it was seemingly perfect and even then he wanted to gnaw his brush as he sent the letter forth, knowing that one wrong step and word could not only insult their young lord, but Zhou Yu as well, and as brave as he was, it wasn't something he was eager to do right now.

Xi Su was a wise officer and had made the right, if not difficult choice in willingly joining our side, the letter had said after multiple rewrites, and it came after a lengthy list of deeds that the officer had been known for, all respectable and a promising asset to their army, especially in their fight against Wei. In his willingness to abandon Wei and join their cause, they now gained additional insight on the inner workings of Wei and would be beneficial in the future encounters (of which there was no doubt from either side that they would meet again on the battlefield in the near future). He pushed all of these through and then finished the letter with a quick and to the point message, one that he had tried to sweeten but ultimately found that being brunt might have simply been for the best. He requested that Xi Su keep his troops, as courtesy dictated that it'd be better to increase his command rather than take away.

He waited three long days for a reply and when it came he was nearly tickled pink to have his lord's approval on the matter. Gan Ning threw a jeer his way but he paid it little mind. His retort was a jeer of his own with mixed results. He flashed him a face that screamed of humor drier than any desert they knew existed and reminded him that he wouldn't know courtesy with both hands on a road map and the mark was set afire just for him to see.

It cracked a smile from the former pirate but it was clear he didn't appreciate the snarky comeback. Not that Lü Meng cared if his breeches were all in a bunch, really. Someone had finally told Gan Ning that it was Lü Meng, NOT Zhou Yu, that pushed for his rescue, and though he never received so much as a thanks, it was something he could forever hold over the former pirate's head if he ever felt the need to put him in his place. Such moments weren't in short supply, sadly, but Lü Meng seldom brought the topic up as he just had a feeling that it wouldn't do him much good.

Can't force gratitude on the unwilling, he was told by Lu Su and he found himself telling himself that time and time again. He would not seek it, and in turn, he would never receive it, and that was that.

"You still think he's worth the trouble of keeping alive?" Lu Su asked as they reviewed the reports together. It was a rare occasion when Lord Zhou Yu was feeling well enough to welcome Lu Su's and Lü Meng's company and after trying to convince him to lay down and allow them to handle affairs and succeeding, they made sure to keep their voices down as he rested in the partially closed off room attached to his office. Xiao Qiao was out, tending to who knows what, as their work bored her (and she was keen on repeating herself time and time again). Lu Su especially was grateful for her departure, if only to partake in what Lü Meng guessed was his favorite pass time, which was testing Lü Meng's patience.

"Of course," Lü Meng said, never once looking up from his tallying. Despite not gaining the Jing Province as they wanted, they did receive a decent influx of officers and supplies, and then there were the three hundred horses they recovered from his ploy to block the Wei officers' retreat. "He'll be a tremendous help against our future fights with Wei."

"You sound confident in that." There was no mockery in that statement, and it was this that made Lü Meng lift his gaze up from his work to catch the approving smile Lu Su wore. "I like that. Your resolution, that is. I don't have much faith in Gan Ning, sadly, but if anyone can keep him in line, you're the one."

Lü Meng fought the need to scoff and merely accepted the compliment with a silent bob of the head. As much as he appreciated Lu Su's compliment, he had no more control over the famed Pirate of the Silken Sails than any of them did. He wouldn't admit this openly to them, however, playing on the rule that all war is deception. The less they knew about how much he found himself floundering with keeping Gan Ning under control and out of trouble, the more confident he could feel in himself about that entire situation.

"I heard he made a rather open display of indifference in front of your student the other day, actually. Care to discuss what went on there?"

He'd rather not, but he knew better than to keep Lu Su, and by proxy Zhou Yu, out of the loop. He sorted through the next list of supplies, wanting to push these through the documentation process before it got too dark. Ba and Zong wanted to see the newly acquired horses and he couldn't stand to see the disappointment in their little faces. "Lu Xun was discussing preparation strategies, and Gan Ning wasn't so much as indifferent as he was openly bored. Lu Xun asked if he was boring him, and Gan Ning blew it off. Typical behavior from him, sadly."

"Too true," Lu Su said, accepting his student's corrections and setting them aside for Zhou Yu to look at for when he was ready. That pile was getting bigger and bigger but Lu Su showed little signs of concern as he continued to add to that pile. "So, what became of that?"

"I spoke with Gan Ning after the meeting. Told him that he needed to show more respect to others and that he should attempt to get along with them if he wished to continue being useful to this army."

"And how did that go?"

Lü Meng shrugged, not wishing to sound so flippant about the topic but equally unwilling to want to discuss something so frivolous when there was more work needing to be done. "He more or less conceded in his own way. Left with a snide comment about my age and that was that. As far as I can tell he hasn't apologized to Lu Xun yet, but expecting him to do that…"

"Would be like expecting him to thank you for saving his life," Lu Su said, finishing his sentence with ease. Lü Meng was hardly surprised and gave the man a nod to confirm his assumption. Neither saw Zhou Yu beginning to stir and Lü Meng returned to his work as Lu Su carried on, clearly wanting to pass the time with small talk. "He's hard to work with. Those that aren't completely smitten with his tales of adventure and fighting ability are aggravated by his complete lack of respect, yet you seem to keep him on somewhat of a leash well enough. For our sakes, I hope your assessment of his abilities are right. It'd be a pity for Lord Quan to have to fire him or put him to the sword before he proves of any use."

Lü Meng didn't want to think about such a possibility and he didn't appreciate the pressure that came with knowing that if he couldn't rein his friend in than termination or death awaited him. Thankfully, Zhou Yu was quick to offer a change in topic though one that took them both off guard as neither had realized he was awake and listening. "That Lu Xun, though… there is something about him, isn't there?"

Lü Meng wasn't sure how to answer and so he left it in Lu Su's hands for the moment. As much as a good opportunity as this was to learn more of his pupil, he didn't want to openly admit to either men that he hadn't learned nearly enough about him and shame them. "You sense it too, then, Lord Zhou Yu? Should have known you would. He seems to have a bright future ahead of him, assuming Lü Meng here doesn't pickle him."

If he was expecting a retort, he'd leave disappointed. Lü Meng waited for either strategist to request his opinion on the matter and silently hoped they wouldn't. And yet he knew it to be inevitable and he spoke up when he felt Zhou Yu's eyes linger upon him with such an intensity that he felt the hairs on his neck rising. "He proclaims to have a firm understanding of the Art of War and other literature, though admittedly I haven't tested him yet. Now that the crisis at Nanjun is over, I can run him through some drills and see where he stands. I'm-"

His apology was cut off by Zhou Yu though there wasn't nearly as much anger or disappointment in that voice. Instead it was filmed to the brim with curiosity and Lü Meng wasn't sure why he was so taken back by it. "I know of his skills… they are admirable, wiser than his years let on. Once he gains some experience, he'll be a fine general… though why he chose to mentor under you is the mystery I have yet to solve."

"He chose… what?" Lü Meng nearly dropped his brush but managed to keep a tight enough grip to prevent it from slipping away. The parchment he was working on was nearly ruined thanks to the elongated dash and he scrambled to wipe it away before the ink could dry and the contents of the report he was working on meant absolutely nothing to him now. What Zhou Yu said contradicted what Lianshi had said back at Nanjun, didn't it? He racked his memory, all the while attempting to regain some control over his work and not slow them down.

"Yes. He seemed so adamant about it, too," Zhou Yu said, too caught up in his own thoughts to laugh at just how much his own student floundered about. Any effort to hide his flustered state was useless, sadly. "I offered to take him under my wing, but he insisted it be you, Lü Meng."

It was certainly flattering, but Lü Meng felt more baffled by it. It certainly didn't match Lianshi's report at all, so now he wondered which of the two was mistaken. Was it Lord Zhou Yu or was it Lianshi? Instincts pointed to Zhou Yu, but there was always a ring of truth to Lianshi's words. Could the inconsistency stem from Lu Xun himself, then? It was such a curious affair and he hated how much it dug under his skin that he didn't have the answers. He kept his eyes set firmly on the parchment to avoid Lu Su's and Zhou Yu's glare, though his savior came in an unusual form.

Old, bodyguard instincts were to thank on how he heard the approaching footsteps before the other two did. It didn't offer him much of an advantage as he was taken off guard when a figure emerged through the curtains with such speed and determination that she might as well be tracking in a typhoon in her wake. Lü Meng watched in stunned horror as the finely decorated woman charged in, kicking around scrolls and paper and threatening to plow through the desk as she made a beeline for Zhou Yu. All three men immediately recognized the woman as none other than Lady Wu and they also recognized the blaze in her eyes as she grabbed the nearest object to her and flung it towards the Chief-Commander, her voice like a lightning bolt resonating against the walls and threatening to cause the entire room to collapse upon itself. "How DARE you marry my daughter to that man! Shame on you!"

By the will of the Gods was Zhou Yu able to dodge the bottle of ink that was sent his way and he was halfway up before Lu Su was able to snatch the book she was reeling back to throw. Lü Meng was already reaching for the glaive resting at his side, only to be chastised by Zhou Yu for it. "Lady Wu, please, calm yourself- Lü Meng, that's hardly necessary!"

Lü Meng scoffed, taking one look at Lady Wu's flames and for once questioning Zhou Yu's judgement. He had seen such a look before in a woman and in all his years growing up in Fupo, he thought his own mother was a force to be reckoned with when pushed to her limits (something he had personally witnessed, and shamefully instigated on more than one occasion). It did nothing to prepare him for Lady Wu's wrath and she made a point to ignore him and Lu Su as she kept her fury directed at the man that had wronged her. "How could you do such a thing to my daughter!? Have you no thought or care to her feelings? Or mine? You despicable, manipulative monster!"

There were far more insults and objects flung Zhou Yu's way, some of which Lü Meng wasn't at all ashamed to admit that he had lost track of. Before he could even set aside his glaive and think of a way to pacify Lady Wu, Lord Quan ran in, strands of his unusual red hair escaped from their well-kept mane and a look of unspoken terror in his green eyes, letting the two bystanders know that he already had his run in with this terror and had little luck in subduing her. "Mother, please, would you just hear us out for a moment!"

All it did was turn her fury onto him and Lü Meng felt Lu Su corralling him towards the door. It was probably for the best that he'd leave the matter for Zhou Yu, Lu Su and his Lord to resolve, as he was absolutely certain he knew nothing about whatever set her off and that there'd be nothing he could say or do that would do any good here.


"She terrified you that much?"

Lü Meng had a feeling Zuo Ci would pull them away just to chide him for that and he felt absolutely no shame in admitting to the very real fear he felt that day. "Not just me. Any sane person would fear her, or any mother when they feel their child is threatened. Wasn't your mother the same?"

Zuo Ci offered him a farce smile as he deflected the question without so much as batting an eye. "We are not at liberty to discuss my life, only yours. Could you not have used your own experience with your mother to try and quell the situation?"

"My mother and Lady Wu are… completely different entities and should be treated as such, though both with a great deal of respect." Lü Meng took advantage of the lapse of memories to resituate himself, as the tingling in his legs and ache in his backside was starting to grind on his nerves. How did people do this sitting for hours nonsense? He felt as though he might as well give up his lower regions by now. "Yes, my mother had a temper, but it's nothing compared to Lady Wu, as you clearly saw. She would act out, but she'd never throw such a tantrum and if she did I doubt her aim would have been half as good as Lady Wu's. When Lady Wu stormed in that day, there was fire and wind, a humanized cyclone that spread her flames in bursts, to distract from the heartache that caused her to lash out. My mother, when she got angry… she'd be nothing but ice, a solid, immovable force, and when she did strike, it came like an avalanche and buried you with guilt and shame."

"I suspect, with the amount of detail you put into that comparison and the prose of it, that you had experienced this kind of anger from your mother a lot?"

Lü Meng considered the question and despite the reawakening of such emotions, of shame and helplessness, he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of it. Here he was, one of Wu's finest, spilling the truth of some of his greatest fears. "What can I say? I was a troublemaker."

Zuo Ci arched one of his slender brows and tilted his head, which enticed Lü Meng to add more to the statement. "Suppose I still am, depending on your point of view. Simply in a beneficial way to Wu, not so much for my enemies."

"It's not too late to change that, you know," Zuo Ci said, luring his attention back to their current dilemma and away from the memories that threatened to spring up and throw them off course. It worked like the perfect anchor and Lü Meng silently thanked him as the mystic carried on. "Shu doesn't have to be your enemy. It's not too late to call your troops back, or send aid to them."

"It is. I told you, mystic, that I have no intention of pulling back now." Perhaps he allowed too much venom to seep through his words, but the new position and remembering Lady Wu's tirade in Zhou Yu's quarters had inspired new strength into him and he'd be damned if he wouldn't take full advantage of it. "You're the one who keeps seeking my reasons, probing my head and trouncing around my memories to get the answer you want instead of simply allowing me to explain my reasoning. Now, kindly stop interrupting my life story with these interludes! It's only delaying the inevitable and giving me a sore back."

Oh yes, he was too bold. Any humor that Zuo Ci held drained from his face and the angle of his head casted a sinister shadow over his face. And yet, it was too late to take back such words. Zuo Ci would make him suffer through his own memories, to test his resolve, to break him, and he was determined not to allow it. So, once again, he steeled himself, ignoring the false politeness in the mystic's voice as it carried him back into the flashbacks. "Yes, with a tongue like that, it's clear to see how you angered others so much."


The humanized cyclone that ran through Jianye was eventually quelled, no doubt after Zhou Yu had exhausted every last bit of energy in doing so. The wedding that would take place between Lord Liu Bei and Lady Sun was nothing more than a ruse, merely a scheme to lure Liu Bei into their territory and isolate him from his men (mainly Zhuge Liang). He'd be easier to control, Zhou Yu proclaimed, explaining his plan with thorough detail and making it clear that it wasn't simply to throw Lady Wu off her tirade. There wouldn't be an actual wedding and Lady Wu's daughter would be free to do as she liked, while Wu gained the political upper hand.

Lady Wu wasn't thrilled with the idea and few blamed her, but Zhou Yu's explanation and promise were enough to sate her rage and send her on her way, likely to help in the 'preparation'. It took several cups of tea to calm Zhou Yu's nerves after such a storm and even then one couldn't ignore how much his hands shook as he set down his cup.

He received no jokes or judgement for that, at least not from Lü Meng. He was grateful that the task of talking Lady Wu down didn't fall onto his shoulders, but he had counted his blessings far too soon. Zhou Yu's request to inform Shangxiang may have been directed at Lu Su, but Lü Meng was hardly surprised when he requested his assistance in the matter.

After the maelstrom he just witnessed, he didn't think the daughter could be any worse than the mother. He suspected she'd be on par with Lady Wu and from what Lianshi had told him, the idea of marriage to Liu Bei may not have been such a catastrophic thing to Shangxiang. If anything, she may have been more disappointed that it was nothing but a ruse, but he kept his thoughts to himself as they approached her training quarters. Lu Su may have put on confident act but Lü Meng saw through it easily. No doubt he had a good reason for Lü Meng to accompany him and the sight of her armed chambermaids, while impressive to Lü Meng, did not do much in relieving either of them that the situation could have gotten out of hand extremely fast.

The glares they received from them warned them that their lady already heard the news but none rose their weapons or uttered a word to them as they entered the chamber. Whatever thoughts lingered on their minds would remain a mystery, though both men knew that they would receive no such courtesy from Shangxiang. If anything, they were surprised that they weren't dodging arrows from the moment they entered, and the look in her fierce, emerald eyes warned them both that such an action wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities. There was a good reason she was so famously dubbed the "Bow-Waisted Princess" and it had nothing to do with the shape of her hips.

"You have some nerve, bargaining me off like I'm a bolt of silk- oh, it's just you two." She moved her hands away from her bow and placed them firmly on her hips, though it didn't make her look any less menacing. Lü Meng concentrated all of his energy in keeping his face as passive as possible despite the burn and Lu Su's humored smile worked as an excellent salve for his own bruised ego. It at least gave them some relief that her righteous fury wasn't directed at them though it'd do them little good. "What? Was Lord Zhou Yu too scared to come talk to me himself so he sent the both of you instead?"

"With all due respect, princess, he's already dealt with your mother. Don't you feel he's been through enough?"

Lu Su's attempt at keeping the atmosphere light as a deterrent to rising tension was often respected and appreciated in the court, but it hardly seemed effective here. Lianshi was ever present, standing near her princess and by her stance, Lü Meng assumed she had been trying her level best to calm her down. It was probably Lianshi's efforts that kept the bow strapped to her waist and Lü Meng flashed her a silent greeting and soaked in her polite, if not stressed, smile, before turning his gaze back to Shangxiang. "He got off lightly, then! What a coward, him and my brother! Making such plans behind my back, without even asking me. Where do they come off?"

"My lady, you have every reason to be upset and none can blame you, however, there's been a misunderstanding. Yes, Lord Zhou Yu planned to wed you to Liu Bei, but it's nothing more than a ruse."

The movement was subtle but Lü Meng caught it, as well as Lu Su. Her anger was appeased and replaced with confusion, though not for too long. "A ruse?"

"Yes, my lady." Despite its limited success earlier, Lu Su easily drifted back into the court approach, though Lü Meng noted his tone was slightly sweeter and kinder than when addressing fellow generals and advisors. Yes, that was far more into his element and he'd ride that wave for as long as possible. "Our plan is to lure Liu Bei here and keep him here, away from his men, long enough for us to attempt to win him over to our side."

She understood the plan thus far, but there was still some heat in her eyes, even as she relaxed her stance some. As a member of the Sun family, it seemed obligatory that their emotions fueled their entire existence, as it was always evident in their form. Though Lord Quan seemed blessed (or cursed) to be born with some form of reserve, Sun Ce and Shangxiang seemed physically incapable of masking their emotions and the fire in her voice threatened to burn the air around them as she asked. "Alright, so it's one of his silly schemes. Why not just invite him over for tea, or peace talks? Why set up this elaborate wedding and using -me- as the bait?"

"Don't you think Lord Zhou Yu hadn't considered other alternatives?" Despite the flames, Lu Su carried on and even dared a step closer to her, never once losing his honeyed tone as it seemed the best combatant to Shangxiang's fires. And all the while, Lü Meng and Lianshi watched, holding their tongues but ready to step in. "It had to be something private, something personal, something that would not arouse his own officer's suspicions. So a wedding seemed like it would be the best solution to that."

She wasn't thoroughly convinced. Anyone with a working brain could see that, but at least she didn't immediately fly off the handle again. "And so he chose me, when there were countless other women to chose from. Why?"

Lü Meng knew the answer to that but he held his tongue. He remembered what Lianshi told him at Nanjun and it seemed that Lord Zhou Yu might have noticed Shangxiang's little crush on Liu Bei. He could feel Lianshi's eyes burning into him, as Lu Su spoke to the questionative princess. "Perhaps so, but those maidens hardly compare to you, don't you think? In a political marriage, one would have to present the other with an equally beneficial partner and offering Lord Liu Bei anything less than a lady of your caliber would appear insulting, thus making it likely that he might decline."

"So, just political reasons? Nothing else? It's awfully nice of Lord Zhou Yu to put Liu Bei's feelings into account- no, wouldn't want him to insult the man he's willing to lock away the moment he rides in. Don't ask -my- feelings on the matter!"

And just like that, whatever ground Lu Su thought he had was snatched from under his feet. In all his years under Zhou Yu's and this man's tutelage, Lü Meng never thought he'd see the day that anyone would turn the man on his head. He thought he'd want to see such a sight, but now, he was only getting aggravated. Lu Su fumbled with his thoughts for the moment, leaving the door open for Lü Meng to speak and ever the plucky one, he did. "That's politics, my lady. Personal feelings and desires have no place in them for anyone involved. You were picked because you were the best candidate for the plan and nothing more."

Perhaps plucky hadn't been the word Lu Su would have used to describe. Instead, stupid and foolish might have fit, and whether it was the words themselves or the completely dry manner in which he delivered it, Shangxiang's flames may as well have reached the ceiling. Lianshi was ready to intervene but she wasn't fast enough, just missing grabbing Shangxiang as the Sun princess stormed over to Lü Meng, a balled fist raised and poised to strike. There was no hesitation in her form and neither would there be in Lü Meng's, as he rose a hand to block the strike. There wasn't enough time to attempt to talk her down or to allow Lu Su or Lianshi to try before the next strike came. He didn't see it coming from the right and he was more stunned by its sudden appearance and how it got past him than he was that she had struck at him in the first place.

It took everything within him not to strike back and it was Lianshi that likely spared Shangxiang from any retaliatory strike from Lü Meng, as she grabbed the hand that struck Lü Meng's cheek and pulled her out of arm's reach. She might have tried for a kick but Lü Meng couldn't see for sure as he was too busy blinking back the pain and focusing all of his will into refusing to show that it had even affected him.

"I'm not some political tool to be used for anyone else's gain! I'm not some bolt of silk or a horse to be bartered with! I'm not some dainty, little princess that'll just sit idly by and be used in such a degrading manner just because Lord Zhou Yu can't figure out another way to push his schemes into action!" As if the blow wasn't enough, Shangxiang jumped onto the verbal offensive, her voice carrying into the halls and proving to be an equal match to her mother's. Whereas Lü Meng had just barely avoided Lady Wu's wrath, he would be getting her daughter's here and this time, there was no escape. He had to stand his ground and take the assault, all the while struggling to hold onto his own temper, lest there be two storms colliding this day. "I am Sun Shangxiang, Princess of the Bow, and I will not allow myself to be treated like this! I'm a member of the Sun family!"

"Then act like it," Lü Meng said, raising his own voice and matching her in volume, though not in intensity. Zhou Yu and Lu Su's egos weren't the only ones that'd leave this day bruised, but he'd be damned if he didn't wear his with pride. He ignored Lianshi's and Lu Su's reaction- in fact, he ignored them both entirely and kept his gaze firmly planted on the young woman before him. She seemed shocked that he had talked back but remained undeterred, and when she didn't immediately lash out or shout back, he continued, his voice gruff but not nearly as loud as it once was. "You think I don't know a member of the Sun family when I see one, my lady? I may not have served your father, but I've served your brothers, Ce and Quan. I was Lord Sun Ce's personal bodyguard- I know what to expect from a Sun by now, and trust me when I say that you certainly have the resolve and tenacity of one.

"But what good will it do you if you throw a tantrum like this any time something doesn't go your way? What good is yelling and screaming going to do, make us shriek in terror and retreat? Have you considered how your brother feels about any of this?" Lü Meng threw question after question at her, knowing he should have just gone quiet and taken her rage in stride. But he couldn't silence himself, even when he was damn certain that his words might invoke another retaliatory strike. "You're right, we didn't ask your permission to do this initially, and the error lies in us for that. Yes, we shouldn't have just assumed you'd take this lying down, because then you wouldn't be a Sun. But that doesn't give you an excuse to duck out of your responsibility to your family, just because your feelings are hurt."

Now Lu Su chimed in and the horror in his voice might have been humorous at any other time. "Lü Meng, you should probably stop-"

"Responsibility? What do you mean my responsibility to my family?" Shangxang didn't give Lu Su the chance to go any further and surprisingly, she sounded a little calmer though the fire was still there, merely waiting for the wind to pick up again.

"That's right, Lady Shangxiang. You have a responsibility to uphold in your family, just as Lord Sun Ce did when he chose to attack Yuan Shu, his benefactor, as well as Lord Quan when he put his entire nation at risk to declare war against Cao Cao." Something happened between the two and Shangxiang's calm spread onto him. He was still stiff and rigid, but he wasn't yelling and he wasn't shaking nearly as much as before. Whatever caused such a calm, he welcomed it. "Your brothers were faced with hard decisions but in the end they did what they felt to be right. What makes you any different or any less than them in this?"

"My lady, Lü Meng raises a good point, though his tact could use some work," Lu Su said, chiming in again and this time making it stick, and the way he spoke the last few words was enough to force Lü Meng to back off. He swallowed his pride and took a step back though now uncertain of what to do with himself or how much he botched this entire operation. He tried not to think about it and thankfully Lu Su was the perfect distraction. "It was wrong of us to make such plans without your consent, even worse to not take your feelings into consideration. However, Lü Meng's right. You're the only one that can do this, Lady Sun."

The honey in Lu Su's voice was in abundance but only to counter the pure vinegar of Lü Meng's tone, and no one present was sure if it'd have the desire effect. Shangxiang was just as unpredictable and volatile as her brother and Lü Meng realized then just how fortunate he was that he had never gotten onto Sun Ce's bad side. She looked unconvinced, but conflicted, and Lü Meng had no doubt that Lu Su would capitalize on it. "My lady, we would not ask this of you if we didn't know you were capable of it. We're not asking you to go through with the wedding, simply to spend time with him and keep him occupied until we've put our plan in motion. That's why I came here today. I wanted to explain the plan to you and ask your permission to go through with this. It's late, I know, but no less sincere."

The edge in her eyes softened slightly but it wasn't out of understanding or acceptance. No, it was pain, and it was clear that she wasn't willing to show such an open wound. No one in the Sun family wanted to be seen as weak or vulnerable and Shangxiang was no different. Lü Meng couldn't fault her for that. She looked to Lianshi and they shared a silent conversation, before she let out a huff. "I'll think about it."

It wasn't a definitive answer and the delivery of the line made it clear that she was throwing in a request to leave as well. Both men accepted her answer and with a bow from each, they left. Lü Meng would have been content to make the trip back to Zhou Yu's quarters in silence but he knew that the moment they were out of the chambermaids' earshot that Lu Su would give him an earful. Only when they were well beyond the peeping eyes and ears of others did Lü Meng acknowledge the pain from the blow and he didn't need to say a word to invoke Lu Su's chiding wrath. "You deserved that."

"I did," said Lü Meng, not even bothering to try and deny it. He deserved more than what he got, but he chose not to dwell on it. To think, years of dealing with Zhou Yu's teaching antics had a use beyond the war room and the battlefield. He was always worried as to why he didn't feel any remorse for his words but the thought passed through his head and back out without having a long term effect.

"But you're not wrong. Just… don't let Lady Sun hear that. I wish this was the last mess for us to clean up today, but I'm sure Lord Zhou Yu's quarters is still waiting for us."

Lü Meng merely replied with a silent nod and followed Lu Su without another word. He wasn't sure how fast news would spread throughout Jianye or how much of a blow his reputation would take, but it hardly bothered him now. The situation hadn't completely gone to hell and the fact that Shangxiang said she'd think about it was enough of a victory. Whatever guilt he had in knowing that she did have feelings for Liu Bei was chased away when he remembered just how much Lord Zhou Yu was banking on this whole scheme to work. Sometimes duty called for sacrifices, and Shangxiang would learn that lesson the hard way, he said to himself, taking solace in this to combat the throbbing from where she managed to blindside him. He didn't regret his words then and nor would he, he told himself with foolhardy determination.