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Xiahou Dun - Yuánràng
Zhang Liao - Wényuǎn
Guo Tu - Gōngzé
Chunyu Qiong - Zhòngjiǎn
Zhang He - Jùnyì
Li Dian - Mànchéng
Xiahou Yuan - Miàocái
Yue Jin - Wenqian
Cao Cao - Mèngdé
Thin beams of sunrays slipped through the window shutter onto the foot Dun and Zhuyue's bed. Dun shifted his body to get a better position and cracked his eye open to get an idea of what time it was. His mind sleepily registered the sunlight. He rarely woke after the sun was up. It seems that being in a real bed with his wife in his arms made him exceedingly comfortable. He looked to Zhuyue's sleeping face and felt her warmth radiating from her body. Perhaps sleeping in once in a while wasn't the worst thing in the world.
Dun hand snaked along her waist intent on sleeping for just a bit longer, but collided with something just on the other side of Zhuyue that definitely shouldn't be there. He pulled down the cover to revel a mess of brown hair. He sighed and slipped out of bed as quietly as he could as to not wake Zhuyue.
Once out of the bed, he went to the other side and poked the mess of hair until it let out a groan. He could see eyes opening between the strands of hair looking at him with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.
"What do you think you are doing?" Dun asked.
Xiaolian let out a yawn, her brain in the process of still waking up and making sense of the situation.
When the fog around her mind began to clear, her eye widened when she realized that she had been busted by her adopted father.
"Hello," she said in a soft voice.
"Hello is not an answer to my question," Dun replied.
"I was scared," she replied honestly. Her eyes filled with sadness and her mouth turned down into a frown.
Dun sighed. He must be getting soft if that look worked on him.
"I told you before, we aren't going anywhere. I'll let it slide this time, but no more, got it?"
Xiaolian nodded but Dun could have sworn that he saw a hint of triumph in her eyes. He had a sneaking suspicion that she would very well try it again and if he had to be honest, he would probably let her get away with it. He was getting way too soft.
"Don't wake your mother," Dun whispered as he tucked the blanket he pulled down earlier back around Xiaolian. She snuggled into it looking entirely too pleased with herself much to Dun's chagrin.
He would give her double training later today to make up for her little stunt, but for now he would let his ladies rest. He however did not have the luxury. He knew his parents would have begun moving their belongings and he wanted to make sure they were out as soon as possible.
Dun grabbed a few clothes and slipped out of the room to get dressed. It didn't take him long to get ready. Getting dressed in casual robes was far easier than putting on armor. Without further delay, he headed across the inner courtyard to his parent's side of the home to see how much progress had been made. To his surprise, not much progress had been made at all. He found Yuan and his family standing before their parents along with a gaggle of servants who seemed unsure of what to do.
"What's going on?"
"Bro-" Yuan began but was cut off by Ai pushing past him.
"Finally you are awake. This foolishness must stop immediately."
Dun looked at his mother then to his brother.
"What's going on?" he asked again.
Ai pursed her lips tightly, annoyed that Dun had ignored her.
"Do not disrespect your mother in such a way, my son," Shan had chided.
"I thought I made clear our relationship last night," Dun replied in an even tone. He was trying his best to control his anger but he could already feel it slipping.
"Last night, our emotions were too raw. The shock of Zhuyue returning took us by surprise. We said things that should not have been said. This discussion needs to be revisited after a good night's sleep and clearer heads. Won't you grant your parents that?"
Dun folded his arms across his chest.
"Then speak."
"This is not something to be spoken about in front of servants. This is a family matter. Come inside and sit with us."
Dun did not look as if he was going to budge but Yuan went to his side and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Come brother, give them one more chance."
"Fine," Dun replied.
"Brother," Jiao said after bowing to him.
Dun nodded to her. He wished he could give her a more pleasant greeting but his mood had been effectively ruined within the last few minutes. Jiao didn't seem to mind his brusque nature. She simply smiled brightly at him.
"Is it true? Zhuyue is truly here?"
"She is," he replied. Dun's eyes moved down to Jiao's protruding stomach. He tried to picture Zhuyue with a stomach as large as Jiao's but it was hard to imagine. In a few months, it would be a reality.
"You've gotten big. Zhuyue isn't as big as you yet."
"Brother!" Jiao shouted surprising Dun and everyone else around her. She slapped his arm lightly as she said it. "You don't tell a woman carrying a child that she has gotten big!"
"Pfft, you hit him so gently but I get punched in the eye," Yuan said gruffly.
"That was an accident! I didn't know you were standing so close behind me!" Jiao said defensively.
"Can we see auntie Yue?" Yuan's son Heng asked.
"She's still sleeping. We had been traveling pretty hard for the last few days."
Both boys gave Dun a look of disappointment.
"I'll go wake her up once I finish speaking with your grandparents," Dun said. This seemed to appease the boys as they nodded enthusiastically.
Dun looked to his parents. "Let's get this over with."
They nodded and led the way into their home with Dun following. Yuan gave Jiao a quick kiss and asked that she wait there with the children before following after them.
They took their place on their seating mats. Dun and Yuan on one side, their parents on the other.
"I hope we can conduct this conversation without shouting this time," Ai remarked.
"That depends largely on you," Dun replied.
"Last night, I don't think we adequately voice our concerns. We made it seem as if we hated Zhuyue and that could not be farther from the truth," Shan began.
Ai sniffed loudly causing all eyes to go to her. "What? I have a cold," she said defensively.
"A very convenient one," Yuan muttered giving voice to what everyone was thinking.
"We do not hate Zhuyue," Shan reiterated. "Right Ai?"
"As you say husband," Ai replied.
She took the safe way out. Choosing to passively agree with her husband rather than state definitively her feelings. This was not lost on Dun and he could feel his control slipping just a little bit more.
"The day Lu Bu had took over Puyang, had it not been for Zhuyue I am sure not all of us would have made it out alive. But the fact still remains that she is a woman and women have a place in this world that is not on the battlefield," Shan continued.
"So you appreciate that she saved you but you think that because she is a woman, she shouldn't have the ability to? Do you even hear how stupid that sounds?" Dun asked annoyed. He didn't bother masking his anger. He was well beyond that point with them.
"Men are warriors, women are caretakers..Her being a good warrior makes her a poor wife. You have to see that."
"I don't," Dun replied in a clipped tone.
Shan wasn't ready to relent yet. He would make Dun see the wisdom in his words.
"In this world fraught by chaos, you cannot guarantee that when you go to battle you will always survive. Look at you my son. You recently lost your eye! That very well could have been your life. Wouldn't you feel more secure knowing that though you die, your children will be looked after by your wife? You cannot guarantee that with Zhuyue because she will be beside you facing the exact same dangers! "
"Funny, you just mentioned that if she wasn't such a competent warrior that many of you would have died back in Puyang. Imagine if she had been the wife that you want her to be. She would have been one of the first dead along with my children. Seems like the danger is the same to me."
"Puyang only happened because of betrayal. Mèngdé will not let something like that happen again," Ai chimed in.
"Mèngdé is good but he cannot account for every possibility. With the Emperor here and many vying for his power, It may very well happen again. I would take my chances with a woman that can fight rather than one that would just scream helplessly in the face of an enemy. A woman that would be ready to fight and die for my children rather than get ruthlessly slaughtered...or worse," Dun retorted.
"Brother is right. The battle we just came from was just like that. Lu Bu took over the castle along with Liu Bei's wife and son. It didn't end well for them. Makes me fear for Jiao and the boys. I plan to hire extra guards for them when I am away after seeing what went down there."
"This is getting us nowhere," said Ai with an exasperated sigh. "We cannot make decisions in our life based on what may come to pass. We can only deal with what we know now; and we know is that if you and Zhuyue run off to battle and you die, your children will be left alone! Is that what you want? Yuan has Jiao to watch after his sons. Who do you have?"
"He would have me," Yuan answered.
"Yuan be silent!" Ai hissed. "You are not helping the situation."
"But that's the answer mother. Brother and I made a vow to each other long ago, when Jiao still carried Heng within her. We swore that if anything happened to either of us that we would look after each other's children and raise them as our own. Of course I thought I was getting the better end of the deal because I swore brother would never have children back then," Yuan said with a short laugh.
"And if you die?" Ai asked. "Who raises the children then?"
"Jiao would do it gladly."
"That just shows you truly don't understand the burden that comes with being forced to raise a child that isn't your own if you are so willing to thrust it on your wife."
Dun shook his head. He knew that his mother probably didn't even notice the look of shock and hurt on Yuan's face from her callous words. It wasn't the first time Ai had referred to Yuan as a burden. Dun had heard her say it plenty of times when she thought Shan's was the only ears that could hear it.
"We are getting off topic," Shan interjected. Even if his wife didn't notice how deep her words cut into her adopted son, he seemed to.
"Son, as I said last night. While I do not agree with you taking Zhuyue as a wife, I understand that she has her uses and I am willing to overlook her...proclivity toward violence. If that is your choice, we will not deny you. We only ask that you get a concubine to bear your future children and to care for the one on the way. It is the best of both worlds. You get the woman you want as your wife and a proper woman at home. You peace of mind knowing should anything happen to either of you, they will be taken care of. We are willing to meet you halfway, won't you do the same?"
"I already have several girls that would fit the role, all much prettier than Zhuyue. Once you see them, you will fall in love," Ai said imploringly.
While Ai may have thought her input helped the conversation, all it did was push Dun closer to the edge. He had given his parents one last chance and as predicted, nothing changed. He needed to leave, get out of this situation before it ended up the same way it did last night. He wasn't so sure he would be able to hold himself back this time.
"You done?" Dun asked. He looked unimpressed and Shan already knew they loss this argument.
"You will not listen to reason, will you?" Ai asked with a frown.
"Are you done?" Dun repeated.
"How do you even truly know that child is yours?" Ai asked suddenly. A wave of stunned silence swept over the room's occupants.
"Your mother...asks a fair question. How sure can you truly be? She was missing for several months then shows up with a child. She had been gone long enough to have lain with another man..."
Yuan wish he had a gag on hand right now to stop his adopted parents from putting their foots further into their mouths.
"Mother, father, Zhuyue would not have lain with anyone else. She has sworn that the child belongs to brother," Yuan said on behalf of his brother. He kept a wary eye on him noting that he was disturbingly calm. The same disturbing calm he usually had before entering into battle.
"Oh please, as if women cannot lie. Do not be so foolish."
"Ai, silence. I will handle this," Shan said.
His wife shot him a reproachful look but remained silent as he commanded.
"We are only saying to look at it from our perspective. She was trapped within an enemy castle which was on fire. Do you truly believe that she was skilled enough to get out on her own? Skilled she may be but she is but one woman. The more likely scenario is that she was captured and traded her body for freedom," Shan continued
"And they just let her go? That doesn't even make sense," Yuan argued. He was starting to get frustrated with his parents himself.
"They probably saw the dark omen that follows her. Misfortune has been a constant companion to that girl since she joined us," said Ai, seemingly forgetting that she was just told to be silent less than five minutes ago.
"Ai," Shan said warningly.
"But it is true husband. First Ling...my poor Ling...he was a good boy until that woman came and tempted him with her whiles."
"Bullshit," Yuan interjected.
"You! You just be quiet! You never liked my Ling! You were always nasty to him. The both of you were. If you two only would have been kinder to him. He was your blood brother Dun! You came from the same womb, but you always picked Yuan over him. Yuan is not your real brother yet you always chose him over your true brother. You were too cruel to him!" Ai cried out.
Tears began to stream down her cheeks as the death Ling hit her. He was her baby boy, her last child and in her mind, he was cruelly ripped away from her. Sure he had his faults but what man did not? She loved him for who he was and felt that Zhuyue's presence only served to escalate problems between Ling and his family.
"It's not only Ling!" Ai continued. She as hysterical now as she spoke, her cheeks wet with tears and her voice breaking as she spoke in-between chocked sobs.
"We lost our home in Puyang after she arrived. And who was to blame for that? That woman she brought over, Xiulan. She forced my dear Ling to turn on us."
"Bullshit, Ling was the one who told them about the hidden passage. Xiulan didn't know about it!" Yuan interjected again. Ai shot him a glare.
"It was so much better when she was dead. All of this foolishness was behind us. But she came back and now look! More misfortune heaped at our feet! You would have never been so eager to get rid of us if she wasn't around. She has poisoned you against us just as that wench she brought with her poisoned my poor Ling against us. Get rid of her son. I implore you get rid of her now!"
"Ai, enough! That is enough!" Shan's booming voice silenced her sobs immediately and she shrank back. Her husband was a very calm and measured person. To get him to shout like that, she pushed too far and she knew it.
"Everyone needs to calm down," Shan began but paused when Dun stood.
"The only thing that stays my hand is that you gave me life but today, that relationship is over. Get the fuck out of my house."
"You! You dishonor our ancestors by speaking to us the way you do. By treating us the way you do! You are no son of mine! Husband, do to him what you did to our poor Ling! Strip him of our family name."
In that next moment Shan turned to his wife and slapped her with the back of his hand. Ai looked at Shan stunned. It had been so long since he had laid a hand on her.
"You have forgotten your place woman. You speak when told to be silent and now you dare command me?"
Ai let out a pitiful sob and bowed her head in repentance. Shan looked over to his son.
"Even as a child you were always so insistent on doing things your own way and it always led you to hardship and this will be no different. You never take the time to think. You'd rather charge head first into everything despite how foolish it is. I thought that perhaps you had grown up a bit over the years but I see that I was wrong. "
Shan stood and walked to the doorway stopping in front of the doorway.
"I do not know where we went wrong with you and Ling but neither of you learned proper respect for your elders. I hope you aren't as much of a disappointment Yuan."
Yuan did not reply. Instead he chose to internally regret the decision to shelter his adopted parents and resolved to get a new home set up for them as soon as possible so they can quickly move out of his.
"Yuan, coordinate the move with the servants. Your mother and I shall go to your home and wait for you there."
"Uh-huh," Yuan said idly as he continued to lament his decision.
Shan leveled him with a glare. Yuan struggled to not let out a loud exaggerated sigh.
"I mean yes father."
Shan nodded and led Ai out of the room.
Once they were gone, Yuan let out the sigh he had been holding. He looked at Dun and saw that his brother was shaking with rage. He planned on making a snarky comment about how Dun owed him for putting up their parents but after seeing his brother, he decided to be the voice of concern instead.
"You okay brother? That was pretty rough."
"My parents disrespected my wife and called me a disappointment. How do you think I feel?"
"Yeah, okay. Dumb question," Yuan said with a frown.
"No, it wasn't. Sorry. I just..." he run a hand through his hair in frustration. "I just need them gone."
"Yeah. No worries brother. I'm on it."
"I won't let this be on you for long. We'll get them their own place as soon as possible."
"I would be grateful for that," Yuan replied. "I honestly don't know how long I'll be able to keep my mouth shut around them."
Dun gave his brother a pat on the shoulder in thanks and left the room with Yuan following after.
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A day had passed since Dun's parent's have moved in with Yuan. Zhuyue looked across the inner courtyard to the now vacant residence and felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't help but feel as if it was her fault that Dun and his parent's had the falling out. Whenever she tried to speak with Dun about it, he would tell her that it was their stupidity that caused it but that did nothing to assuage Zhuyue's worries.
Zhuyue shifted her eyes from the empty domicile back to her daughter.
"Breathe, Xiaolian," Zhuyue remarked as she watched the girl train.
Xiaolian gave a little nod of her head and tried to control her breathing as she struck the training post with her wooden staff.
She had to admit, the girl had considerable skill. She was certainly better than she had been at that age. Then again, when Zhuyue was Xiaolian's age, she was being forced to learn proper etiquette for pouring tea.
"My lady?"
Zhuyue turned her head to the servant that had called out to her.
"Lady Lingqi here to see you."
Zhuyue nodded. "Send her in."
She looked at her daughter once more. This would be the first time they meet. She hoped they would get along. Xiaolian was usually slow to trust.
A few moments later, Lingqi had arrived. She saluted Zhuyue with a smile.
"You are looking well, my lady."
Zhuyue returned the salute. "I better be. I spent the majority of the last two days in bed. Today is the first day Yuánràng has allowed me to stay out of bed for the full day."
At this time, Xiaolian had ceased her training and cast a suspicious eye on Lingqi.
"Ah, it seems you have peaked her curiosity. Let me introduce the two of you," Zhuyue said with a smile as she noted Xiaolian's intent gaze on Lingqi.
"Come Xiaolian," Zhuyue called to her daughter. Obediently, the girl went to her mother's side, her eyes on Lingqi the entire time.
"Xiaolian, this is Lingqi. She is my guard while I am carrying your sibling. Lingqi, this is my daughter, Xiaolian."
"It's nice to meet you, Xiaolian," Lingqi said with smile as she stooped to the girl's level.
Xiaolian frowned and backed away to hide behind Zhuyue. She didn't like this. She didn't like this at all. She was suppose to be the one to protect her mother. Why did they pick this girl? She didn't like her and she wanted her gone. Lingqi looked up at Zhuyue confused.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No. She is just being difficult. Say hello Xiaolian."
"I don't like her," Xiaolian replied.
Lingqi blinked, surprised. She had no idea what she did to the girl to make her not like her.
"And why is that?" Zhuyue asked.
Xiaolian shuffled her feet as she stared at the ground. Her lips were pushed out into a pout as she tried to think of the most convincing way to express why she disliked Lingqi. She didn't want to outright tell her adopted mother that she was jealous of this new woman who had been chosen to protect her; a task she had taken on in her mind and was currently the focus of her training.
"I can protect you," Xiaolian finally said softly.
"I see," said Zhuyue. "Do you truly think you are strong enough?"
Xiaolian knew the answer was no but she was afraid that if she answered the question truthfully, she would be denied the right. So she lied. She looked Zhuyue in the eye and nodded her head yes. Zhuyue did not reply immediately. She looked at Xiaolian then to Lingqi.
"Very well. Show me," she said after returning her eyes to Xiaolian.
"Lady Yue, you cannot possibly mean-"
"I do," Zhuyue replied, cutting Lingqi off. "I want the two of you to spar. Let me see how far my daughter has come while I have been away."
"But Lady Yue-" Lingqi began as she looked at Xiaolian. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"Lingqi, tell me you aren't afraid of sparing with a little girl?" Zhuyue said with a smile.
"No of course not, but-"
"Then get to it."
Xiaolian left her mother's side and picked up the wooden staff she had been training with earlier. She got into her fighting stance and awaited Lingqi.
"Lady Yue," Lingqi said almost pleadingly.
In response, Zhuyue went over to the weapon rack which took hold of one of the training staffs, similar to one that Xiaolian held. She tossed it to Lingqi who caught it easily. Lingqi eyed the staff warily then looked at Zhuyue.
"Begin," Zhuyue said as she took a seat on a nearby stone bench.
Lingqi however did not move. She still felt that this was a terrible idea. There was no way that Xiaolian could be a match for her and she didn't understand why Zhuyue insisted on the two of them sparring.
"Lady Yue would you-OW!"
Lingqi yelped as Xiaolian's staff smacked against her thigh. Lingqi spun around to face Xiaolian and was greeted with another strike against her thigh.
"The way you are fighting, Xiaolian might be right," Zhuyue said with a smirk.
Lingqi sighed loudly. She still did not want to fight Xiaolian but she wasn't enthusiastic about getting hit anymore either. Xiaolian did another side strike, this time to her waist and this time Lingqi blocked. Xiaolian wasn't daunted however, she whirled the staff behind her back and struck at Lingqi's other side. Lingqi was able to easily read the attack and blocked once more. Xiaolian continued to strike out at Lingqi, alternating her attacks between high and low and Lingqi continued to block. With each strike, Lingqi could see Xiaolian getting more and more frustrated. Lingqi frowned. She felt terrible. There was no way the girl could beat her. She couldn't understand why Zhuyue was doing this.
"Lady Yue, I think this is enough. We should stop."
"This match is not yet over and I think you should be paying more attention to it rather than speaking to me."
Lingqi understood her words the minute she felt the butt of Xiaolian's staff thrust into her stomach. She noticed that Lingqi was distracted and took advantage by switching up the attacks Lingqi had been automatically blocking until that point.
Lingqi's body reacted automatically to the blow. She smacked Xiaolian's staff aside with her own and quickly cleared the gap between them. Xiaolian pulled her staff back to block, but Lingqi spun around behind her. Xiaolian tried to turn to face the her, but Lingqi had already whipped her staff around and landed a painful blow with her staff to Xiaolian's side and stomach.
Xiaolian had the wind knocked out of her and she pitched forward as if she was going to fall, but she used her staff to stop her descent and keep her upright. Xiaolian grit her teeth and pushed past the ache in her stomach. She wasn't going to lose! She used the staff to brace her weight as she kicked off the ground and kicked Lingqi in the stomach with a rapid kick from each foot.
Lingqi stumbled back but recovered quickly, brining the staff around on another side strike. Xiaolian blocked but the power Lingqi put behind the strike was too much for Xiaolian. When the two staffs collided with each other, the resulting shock of the strike sent tremors up Xiaolian's arm. She was forced to loosen her grip on the weapon and seeing this, Lingqi quickly struck again, this time knocking the weapon completely out of her hand. Xiaolian was disarmed, the tip of Lingqi's staff pointing at her menacingly as if asking for her to admit defeat.
Xiaolian looked up to Lingqi with angered eyes. She refused to surrender. She refused to lose to her. She bent down to pick up her staff but was unable to pick it up. When looking to the source of the problem, she could see that a boot stepping down on one end of it. She looked up to the owner of the boot and saw her adopted father staring down at her with a frown on his face.
Xiaolian didn't even notice he had arrived. How long had he been there? Did he see her lose? Was that frown because he was disappointed that she lost? She wanted to cry. She wanted to pick up her staff and beat Lingqi with it repeatedly for making her lose in front of her parents. She wanted to shout out in frustration but instead of doing all these things, she hung her head in shame.
Lingqi who had noticed Dun's arrived lowered her staff and saluted him. She felt guilty that she even got so serious against a kid. What was Zhuyue thinking goading them on like that?
"Do you know why you lost?" Zhuyue asked as she walked to her husband's side.
Xiaolian remained quiet, choosing instead to glare hatefully at the treacherous staff which did not bring her victory.
"Xiaolian!" Dun's voice boomed out loudly in the inner courtyard. Xiaolian's head snapped up at attention. She knew better than to ignore her father when he used that tone.
"Your mother asked you as question."
Xiaolian resisted the urge to look down to the ground once more. She felt a burning sensation of anger and jealously churning within the pit of her stomach.
"No," she replied in a gloomy tone.
"You lost because you fought using emotion. Your strikes were wild, unfocused. You might as well have been flailing. That isn't how we trained you."
This time, Xiaolian did let her eyes fall to the ground once more. She knew what her mother said was correct but she didn't want to acknowledge it. She felt ashamed. Zhuyue hooked a finger beneath Xiaolian's chin and lifted it so their eyes would meet.
"I understand you want to be the one to protect your family and I am proud of you for that, but you must understand that you are not yet ready. There are many lessons left for you to learn. Be patient and train well and you will have the strength you desire. Understand?"
Xiaolian nodded solemnly taking her mother's words to heart. It hurt a little to hear that she was still so far away from her goal but she wouldn't be daunted. She would do exactly as her mother said. She would continue to train until she got the strength she desired to protect her family.
Dun lifted his foot from the staffed and used the toe of his boot to roll it onto his foot. He kicked the staff up to Xiaolian who caught it.
"Your strikes were sloppy. I know I taught you better than that. Since you seem to have forgotten what I have taught you, you get to do each strike I taught you so far fifty times to jog your memory."
Xiaolian nodded and moved to do as her father commanded.
"Wait, before you go, you owe Lingqi an apology."
Xiaolian made a face at hearing this but she obediently turned to face Lingqi.
"Sorry."
"And?" Zhuyue encouraged.
"Thank you for sparring," Xiaolian added as she saluted Lingqi the way she had seen the grownup do so often.
Lingqi returned the salute and offered Xiaolian a smile that was not returned. She let out a little sigh. Seemed like the girl still wasn't a fan of hers. Hopeful that would change over time.
"Get to work," said Dun.
Xiaolian nodded and moved away from the group. She begin her practice, counting off each strike she made loudly. Zhuyue turned to Lingqi and saluted her.
"Thank you for assisting in teaching my daughter a valuable lesson."
Lingqi returned the salute but she still felt bad about the entire situation. Xiaolian looked absolutely crushed when she lost. She felt terrible that it was she who did that to her.
"I am happy to assist you but...maybe it could have been done in a different way?"
"No. She needed a harsh lesson and I rather it be learned here than on the battlefield. She needs to understand what limits are as well as the folly of underestimating an opponent. Tell me Lingqi, Wényuǎn trained you, correct?"
"When you went into your first battle, how did you feel?"
Lingqi remembered the feeling well. She felt invincible. She had been doing consistently well in her training with Liao and she thought that if she could go toe to toe with him, she could take on anyone.
"Invincible," Lingqi replied.
"And did you win your first battle?"
Lingqi frowned. She did not. Liao had to save her because she underestimated her enemy and overestimated her own strength. It was a sobering moment for her and she made a vow to train harder and never take an enemy for granted again.
"No," she replied with a hint of shame.
"Your lesson was probably learned on the battlefield, am I right?" Lingqi nodded.
"And someone had to save you, right?" She nodded to this as well. .
"Was it Wényuǎn ?" Lingqi nodded. She was surprised Zhuyue was able to accurately guess all of this.
"Had it not been for Wényuǎn, who knows if you would be standing before us now. I want my daughter to learn the lesson before it becomes a life and death situation. It is not always guaranteed that we will be around to protect her. I want to make sure that no matter what, she will have the ability to protect herself."
"I understand," Lingqi replied.
She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously. Xiaolian probably didn't know how fortunate she was to have parents who supported her in such a way. She was fortunate to have Liao but his main focus was always his duty to his army. She often didn't get the time she wanted with him and spent most of her time training alone.
"Was Wényuǎn the only one who trained you?" Dun asked.
Lingqi nodded.
"Hmph. I think you could benefit from some extra training as well. In the mornings, I train with Miàocái, Mànchéng, and Wenqian. You will join us before coming to guard Zhuyue. I'll speak with Wényuǎn about it."
"I-," Lingqi hesitated. She wanted to say she didn't want to. She wanted to say she didn't feel comfortable about training with relative strangers. She only knew those men by name. She hadn't truly spoken with them.
"You have to interact with the others sometime, Lingqi," said Zhuyue.
Lingqi looked to Zhuyue. Of course she would be the one to know exactly why she was hesitating. She seemed to be an open book to the woman.
"Of course you are correct, my lady. Thank you for the opportunity Master Yuánràng," said Lingqi as she saluted both of them.
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Yuan Shao paced in front of his throne, his advisors and sons watching him with weary eyes. He was in a foul mood and it was well known that when Shao was in a foul mood, misfortune was imminent for those who served him.
"Cao Cao has control of Xu Province and my brother has the Imperial seal. But what about me? What do I have? What have I recently gained!?"
Shao was met with silence and that just infuriated him more.
"You!" He said as he pointed to those gathered before him. "You are all suppose to be the wisest men in the land but how can you be when a peasant like Cao can get a province I explicitly stated that I wanted and my fool of a brother can get his hands on the Imperial seal and call himself emperor?!"
"My lord, I assure you, this will not last long."
"And how can you be so sure Guo Tu?" Shao asked with a sneer.
"I have seen signs of it."
Shao made a disgusted sound as he plopped down onto his throne.
"And what sign was this?"
"Do you recall that storm we had recently? The aftermath left the city in shambles as you well know."
"Get to the point, Gōngzé," said Shao.
"Despite stalls being torn down, roofs being caved in and carts being overturned, not one of your flags was moved."
Shao sat up suddenly interested.
"Is...is this true? All my flags still stand?"
"They do! And even now they wave proudly."
"So what does that mean? What sign does this show?" There was a hint of wonder in his voice now. Tu had him right where he wanted him.
"It shows that even with insurmountable odds against you, like your flags, you will persevere."
Shao stroked his chin as he pondered this. "And my flags truly do still fly? You have all seen this?"
"Oh yes," said another of Shao's strategist Ju Shou.
Guo Tu was full of it. Shao's flags were blown down just like everything else in the city. When he had arrived to Shao's palace earlier that day, he noticed that Tu was instructing every available servant to immediately hang the flags back up. He didn't understand why at the time, but he could clearly see the reason now. Shou was fairly certain all the other room's occupants knew the truth, but like him, they saw the calming effect it seemed to have on their lord and they did not want to rock the boat. So Shou decided to play along and use this perfect opportunity to his advantage.
"But there are things that must be done to ensure you weather this storm, my lord," Shou continued.
"Such as what?" Shao asked, genuinely intrigued.
Guo Tu on the other hand watched Shou with a guarded expression, curious to see what he was planning.
"First you must see to your generals. It has been a long time since you have rewarded anyone other than Yan Liang and Wen Chou."
"That is because those are our lords greatest warriors!" Tu interrupted. "If the others want to be recognized as they are, they need to be as great as they are in battle!"
" Gōngzé, how many flags did you see flying when you arrived this morning? Just two?" Shou asked.
"A-all of them," Tu replied, surprised by the question. "I saw all of them."
"Do you know why all of the flags still fly proudly? It is because of the poles holding them. Just as you said, it is a sign. All of the generals that make up this army are those poles and all of them will be needed to bring our lord greatness. It isn't fair to reward only two."
Tu clenched his fist. That bastard Shou. So this was his plan. Shou had recently brought it to Tu's attention that a few of Shao's generals were unhappy. They saw Liang and Chou constantly flaunting their wealth, bequeathed to them by their lord, and they wondered why they weren't given the same treatment. Tu had promised Shou that he would speak to Shao about it but he never meant it. Being his favored advisor, Tu was one of the fortunate few to get steady rewards from Shao. He had no intention of having the wealth spread amongst the men.
Shou continued. "Zhòngjiǎn, Jùnyì, Gao Lan, Liu Pi, Zhang Nan and more have served you loyally since the day they swore to fight under your banner. The men respect them and would follow them unwaveringly into battle for your glory. But to see that such loyalty goes unnoticed...they are only human...they may be swept up in the chaos around them. It is best to keep them loyal with a small gesture to ensure their continued service."
"I see," replied Shao as he stroked his chin once more. "And what of you? Do you not seek a reward for yourself to keep you loyal?"
"Being able to serve someone of your caliber is reward enough for me," Shou replied smoothly.
Tu gave a derisive snort at Shou's response. As if a man could be so benevolent. Shao leaned back within his seat as he weighed his options.
"Your words have wisdom, but I do not agree that all should be rewarded. Give every rabble a reward and they will begin to think that mediocre performance is acceptable. No, I will only award those who have performed admirably as of late."
It wasn't exactly what Shou wanted but it was better than nothing. As long as Shao was spreading some of the wealth around to people other than his spoiled sons and his favored generals then he was happy. He was well aware of the looks he was getting from Shao's sons and he shuddered to think what would happen when Liang and Chou found out they wouldn't be getting their normal spoils; still he was resolved in his actions.
Whether Shao knew it or not, his army was in a precarious position. Many of his generals were unhappy due to Shao treating certain generals with favoritism. Shao's noble name alone was no longer enough to keep people fighting under his flag. Changes had to be made and Shou believed this was a step in the right position.
"We will throw a glorious banquet for generals of my choosing. I will bestow upon them titles and gifts and none shall question my generosity! With this, my army shall be unbreakable! Cao and my pathetic brother will not be able to stand against me!" Shao declared, getting more excited about the idea with each passing second.
"I could not have worded it better myself, my lord," Shou replied humbly.
"Of course you couldn't," Shao replied with a scoff. "Gōngzé, I will need you to assist me in selecting worthy generals."
"Of course, my lord," Tu replied with a salute. He lowered his head humbly while internally he was seething at being out maneuvered by Shou.
=#=
Zhang Liao pulled on the reins of his horse forcing it to slow to a stop before the group of men already waiting for him. He dismounted and gave a salute to his senior officers.
"My apologies, I didn't realize I was late."
"You weren't," Dun replied. "We just got here early. We are still waiting for Mànchéng."
"He's always the last one," Yue Jin said with a sigh.
"I see," Liao replied. "Since we have time, allow me to thank you for inviting me to go hunting."
"My brother is just full of surprises," said Yuan in a flat tone.
He only found out about the addition of Liao to their hunting party this morning. He didn't have anything against Liao specifically but he wished he knew about it ahead of time. Not that it truly would have mattered. Perhaps he was just grouchy because his parents had seemed to go out of their way to make his life difficult since they moved in with him. Liao could hear the discontent in Yuan's voice.
"If I am intruding-"
"You aren't," Dun said stopping Liao from finishing his sentence.
Yuan let out a sigh. He felt bad for venting his frustration out on Liao.
"Yeah, sorry. Not you. I just..." Yuan sighed again. "Are you close with your parents?"
"No. They both died when I was young."
"Lucky you," both Dun and Yuan muttered. Liao looked at the two of them with a curious expression. There was a story there but he wasn't sure if he should pry.
"Hey, I'm here! Am I late?" Dian called out as he galloped towards them.
"Barely on time as always," Jin replied. Dian flashed him a grin.
"Just as I predicted," Dian replied.
"Why can't you predict to be earlier?" Jin chided. Dian gave him a shrug.
"Eh, it's not a big deal. As long as I'm not late. Oh hey, Master Wényuǎn is joining us today? Great!" Dian exclaimed as he saluted him. Liao returned the gesture.
"Right, we're all here. Let's go," Dun stated.
"Great," Yuan said as he slung his bow over his shoulder. "I really need to shoot something."
The men mounted up and rode out into the forest. Servants followed behind, ready to carry the spoils of their hunt. Dun had led them deep into the forest, where the air was heavy and moist, for a very specific prey. Most of the hunt was spent waiting. None of them really minded, They had hushed conversations to pass the time. The prey they had been seeking did not show itself until late in the afternoon. Yuan took the first shot, wounding it and sent it fleeing. The group set off after it as it led them in a chase around the forest. Two hours later, Dun made the killing shot and their hunt was finally over.
By the time they emerged from the forest, the sun had already dipped low into the sky giving it a dark orange hue, which slowly bled into what would soon be the night sky. The men cantered towards the city with the servants carrying the spoils of their hunt behind them.
"Ha! That bastard didn't want to go down but we got him!" Yuan said as he looked behind him to the servants carrying their haul.
"Seriously, I didn't think we would ever catch it; crafty beast that was. Almost a shame to had to kill it," said Jin.
"Oh hey, master Miàocái, are you feeling better? You seemed a bit grumpy earlier," Dian asked, pulling Yuan's attention from the servants to him.
"Until I go home at least," Yuan replied with a wry smile.
"Master Yuánràng, you made the killing shot so by rights the beast is yours. What will you do with it?" Jin asked.
"I really only care about the fur...but no point in letting the meat go to waste. Why don't you guys come over tomorrow for a feast. You guys helped take it down, only right that you get to enjoy it as well," Dun replied.
"Oh serious? That sounds great! Ahhh I don't know if my stomach can wait!" Dian exclaimed happily.
"Oh, but wouldn't it be unfair to have a feast if lady Yue cannot join us? Since she is with child she can't eat meat...right?" Jin asked with a furrowed brow. Being unmarried, he was unclear of the traditions for women carrying children. He recalled his mother mentioning something about meat but he couldn't quite remember what it was.
"Hmph, you want to get between my wife and meat, be my guest. I guarantee you that you will lose. The woman has become very...testy regarding food as of late," Dun said with a grimace.
"Women carrying children can eat meat. It just has to be cut properly or mashed. If you want a full list of do's and don'ts during this time feel free to ask our mother. She'll be more than happy to educate you...repeatedly...and loudly," said Yuan with a sigh.
"Uh, no thanks," Jin replied. "I have no need of that information any time soon."
"Aww come on, Wenqian! I think we should start thinking about it. Look how lucky master Yuánràng, master Miàocái and master Wényuǎn are. They get to go home to their cute wives while we have no one to go home to. Don't you want that?"
"Doesn't master Wényuǎn live in the barracks?" Jin asked.
Liao nodded in silent agreement to Jin's statement.
"Uh, well when his home finishes getting fixed up he'll have a cute wife to go home to. Don't change the subject!" Dian argued.
"Right now all I care about is helping Lord Cao achieve his goal. I'll worry about getting married after."
"Bah! That could take years. You gotta secure your legacy man!"
"I'll think about it," Jin replied.
"You always say that!"
"Well why aren't you married yet?" Jin shot back.
"Eh, I haven't found the right girl yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking!"
Yuan, who was now tired of hearing these two go back and forth decided to change the topic.
" Wényuǎn, any idea when your home will be done?"
"The renovations should be complete within two months. I am truly grateful for Lord Cao giving me such a splendid home."
"Yeah, that's our cousin. He's a giver. So you gonna time your wedding with it?"
Liao shifted in his saddle. He wasn't sure how to answer this question. He knew it would come up eventually.
"No. Since both of her parents recently died, I thought it would be best to give her time to adjust to that."
"But wouldn't a wedding be the best thing to get her mind off of something like that?" Dian asked. His face adorned with a quizzical look as he tried to make sense of Liao's decision to wait in his mind.
"Well..." Liao began but paused. He really should have thought through this lie a bit better, but he was a bit distracted with the recent issues between him and Lingqi. As they passed the time talking, they had reached the city gates. Liao was relieved that he would soon be free from this scrutiny.
"Why don't you mind your own business and worry about getting a woman for yourself?," said Dun.
"Yikes! Master Yuánràng's got that angry look on his face. I don't want to be uninvited to the feast. I'm going to take off before I say something stupid," said Dian as he hastily bowed to all the men present. He took off quickly once his farewells were done.
Jin watched the exchange with a bit of confusion. He didn't understand what Dian meant by angry look. Dun looked the same as always. Both he and Dian had the misfortune of seeing him truly angry and that wasn't it so why had he said that? Jin felt as if there was something he missed but he didn't dwell on it. Following behind Dian was a tiring activity.
"I suppose I should turn in as well. I look forward to tomorrows feast," Jin declared as he saluted the remaining men. They returned the gesture and Jin nudged his steed in the direction towards his home.
"I should take my leave as well," Liao began.
"Hold on a minute," said Dun. "There is something I have to discuss with you..."
"You two enjoy your talk. See you tomorrow," Yuan said as gave a quick salute and galloped away.
Dun waited until his brother had gone before turning his attention back to Liao.
"I should have come to you first as she is your woman, but I told Lingqi that she should start joining us for our morning training sessions. She told me that she was trained by you and only you so I thought she could benefit from sparring against different partners."
"That is actually a good idea. I thank you for taking the time to train with her..."
"Not to be an asshole but it wasn't a purely altruistic gesture. She is guarding my wife and unborn child. I want to make sure that she can carry out that task efficiently."
"Whatever your reasoning, the fact that she will get training will be beneficial to her. If I may ask...you said us. Who is in this training group exactly."
"Same people you went hunting with today," Dun replied.
"Ah..."
"I assume you will be joining us as well going forward?"
"I didn't want to presume to invite myself," Liao replied.
"This is your woman is it not? To me it is assumed. I wouldn't let Zhuyue train alone with men I barely know."
"I-yes...thank you. I would like to be there to watch over her. Not that I do not trust any of you...I just-"
"No need to finish," Dun said cutting him off. "Like I said, I wouldn't do it either. We start at dawn. We meet at the training field."
"Understood. Thank you."
Dun nodded and headed towards his home with the servants following behind him.
=#=
The music from Zhenji's flute floated through the air. It was a sad melody that the bore the melancholy she felt within it, touching the ears and hearts of all who heard it.
"That is much too sad a song for a beautiful woman to be playing," said Zhang He.
Zhenji jumped upon hearing his voice. She hadn't even noticed his presence until he spoke. Despite knowing him for years, he always managed to surprise her with how silent he could be.
"Why aren't you at the feast? You are one of the guests of honor are you not?" Zhenji asked as she lowered her flute.
He sighed dramatically as he stared up to the starry sky.
"That part is over. Now it is just a bunch of drunken men fawning over women as if they have never been with one before. It's all rather...garish."
Zhenji sighed. She knew her husband counted among that number. He was never shy about displaying his attraction to the fairer sex, even in front of her. She knew it was his right as a man but she wished he was a bit more discreet about it.
"Why didn't you come to the feast?"
"I was told that women weren't allowed," Zhenji replied.
He let out a laugh. It was light and airy and somehow beautiful. The man managed to make everything so elegant.
"I guess they meant woman of true beauty and class were not allowed."
Zhenji smiled. He always knew the right words to say.
"So what did I miss? What was it all for?"
"Lord Shao has saw fit to reward his loyal generals who have served him faithfully and shown valiance in battle."
"Ah, so you must have been counted among that number. I can think of no one more valiant than you."
He gave her a brilliant smile. "Certainly there are others who are as valiant as I am but there is hardly anyone as beautiful as I when serving our lord."
Zhenji giggled. "Of course. So what were you rewarded with?"
"I have been promoted to General of the Household Who Brings Peace to the State. A beautiful title to be sure. I only hope that it isn't just a hollow one."
"What do you mean?"
"Certainly you have heard the rumblings of discontent, my dear? So many have become unhappy under our lord. The way he has been governing as of late-" He wrinkled his nose as if he had smelled something foul . "Truly unbecoming of a man of his stature. Many are unhappy."
Zhenji had heard it. Her husband often came home and yelled at her about it for hours as if she was the cause for the tension between his farther and their army.
"The feast and rewards are a step towards bring this army back to its former splendor but only if he truly listens to us and treats us all as equals instead of favoring those boorish dogs of his."
Zhenji giggled once more. "I'm sure Yan Liang and Wen Chou wouldn't appreciate being called boorish dogs."
"Then they shouldn't act as such," He said with a smile.
He's smile suddenly dropped. His head snapped in a direction opposite of them. His long silky ponytail whipping through the air as he did so.
"No more talk of this, my beautiful butterfly. We have company."
Zhenji's head turned to the direction He was facing. She didn't understand what he meant. She didn't see or hear anyone but after a few moments, a man stumbled into the path in which they had been staring. It was none other than her husband Yuan Xi.
Zhenji stood up immediately and bowed to him. Xi ignored her as he stumbled his way towards He.
"What do you think you are doing out here alone with my wife?" Xi slurred as he pointed a wavering accusatory finger in He's direction.
"Simply enjoying her music and this beautiful night sky as friends."
Xi spat. "I hear no music and men and women cannot be friends. They aren't smart enough. Servants and whores. That's all they are."
He crinkled his nose in disgust once more as the wine wafting from Xi's breath hit him.
"I respectfully must disagree. I consider Lady Zhen to be a treasured friend."
Xi glared at He then shifted his focus to Zhenji. "You-," he began as he stumbled towards her. "You've been flirting with him haven't you? Because he is better looking than I am? You think I'm ugly don't you? I hear the snickers behind my back! You don't think I do? How can a man as ugly as me get a woman as beautiful as you? You think your better than me, don't you? DON'T YOU!?"
By this point, Xi had began to scream in Zhenji's face. To her credit the woman didn't flinch. Instead she looked weary as she stood there, awaiting the inevitable. She had been to this dance before and already knew how it would end.
Just as she predicted Xi had finally had enough of shouting at her and raised his hand to strike her. She braced for the hit but it did not come. Xi's hand was held by He, a rare frown adorned his beautiful face.
"You-you dare?!" Xi spat.
"If you wish to vent your frustration on someone, I only ask that you do it to me. I approached Lady Zhen. She did not do anything wrong. Please, allow me to pay the price in her stead."
He loosened his grip and Xi snatched his hand from his grasp. The moment his hand was free, he reared back and brought his fist across He's face.
"Do you feel better, my lord?" He asked.
Incensed at the lack of reaction to his strike Xi struck him again and again. His last hit managed to split He's lip. Zhenji's hands covered her mouth to prevent herself from uttering the cry that was built up within her throat. She knew that if she made a peep, Xi's fury would turn back on her, making everything He had done for her up until this moment pointless.
Xi was breathing heavily. He had managed to tire himself out.
"I'm done with you fool," said Xi as he gave one final shove to He. Xi gave one final menacing glare to Zhenji before stumbling away from the both of them. He watched Xi shuffle away back towards the feast as he wiped the blood seeping out of the cut on his lip.
"Oh Jùnyì, I'm so sorry! Your beautiful face...," Zhenji said as she gently cupped his bruised face in her hands.
He took her hands in his and gave each one a light peck.
"This was nothing, do not fret over me. I would rather that I be the one hurt than your beautiful visage to take any further damage."
"I am afraid you have only given me a brief reprieve. He will most likely take his anger out on me later tonight behind closed doors."
"I wouldn't worry about that, my butterfly. He won't be returning to your room tonight. You will get to sleep peacefully."
Zhenji eyed him curiously. Did He plan on hurting him? She certainly wouldn't weep for Xi if he wound up dead but she didn't want He to get in trouble for murder over her. Just when she was about to voice her concerns, He flashed her a smile.
"I must take my leave. I have to see to these bruises. Can't let them sit untreated for too long."
Zhenji nodded in understanding and the two bid farewell to each other.
He made his way back to the feast. Yuan Shao's generals were still indulging heavily in wine and women. Xi however was sulking in a corner nursing his fist. He got the attention of one of the courtesans Shao had gotten for the party.
"Oooooh Master Jùnyì!" she squealed in delight at being acknowledged by the man. Her face shifted into one of horror once she saw the bruise that adorned his cheek and his split lip.
"Master Jùnyì! What happened."
"Don't worry your pretty little head over this my dear. I need a favor."
The woman pouted, unhappy that her curiosity was not sated but she let the subject drop.
"What can your handmaiden do for you? Please tell me it is dirty," she said with a purr as she ran a hand over his lean but well defined chest beneath his robes.
He removed her hand from his chest and twirled her around as if they were partners in a dance. She giggled in glee at the sudden spin. After one full circle, He stopped the twirl once she was pointing in the direction of Xi.
"Do you see that man over there."
She made a face. "The ugly one?"
"Yes, that one. I need you to sleep with him tonight. Keep him with you until the morning."
"You must be joking," she said as she spun back around to face He.
"It will be well worth your time, I assure you. He said as he took her hands in his and put a silk pouch filed with coins in it. She groaned after feeling the heft knowing that this was more coin than she would make in a week of work."
"Does it have to be the whole night?"
"There is enough in there for it to be a few nights. Be glad I am only asking for one."
The woman pouted.
"Don't pout. It mars your otherwise pretty face."
Despite trying to maintain her pout, she couldn't help but slip into a smile at the compliment.
"Okay fine. For you Jùnyì I will do it."
"Thank you so much my dear. Now you should go introduce yourself. He looks lonely wouldn't you say?"
The woman sighed and made a face but once she turned to face Xi, she had her work face on. With a sultry smile she sauntered over to Xi who was enraptured the moment he made eye contact with her. He watched as she led Xi away to a more private location. Once Xi woke up the next morning, he would forget what he was even angry about. Zhenji would be safe tonight. That settled, He went off to tend to his bruises.
=#=
Lingqi limped after the servant that guided her through Zhuyue and Dun's home. She had just come back from her first morning training session with Dun and the others. It was perhaps the most rigorous training she had ever had in her life. It was as if Dun had planned to work off all the food they had eaten the previous night at the feast in one training session. Her muscles ached painfully and she wanted nothing more than to rest but she had her duty and she refused to shriek from it. Once Zhuyue was in sight, Lingqi straightened up as much as she could to avoid showing any signs that she was unable to do her duty.
"My lady, Xiaolian," Lingqi said with a pained smile as she bowed her head to the both of them.
Xiaolian watched Lingqi closely but she did not reply. Zhuyue also had an odd expression on her face as she studied Lingqi in silence. After a few seconds, she gave her a warm smile.
"Hello Lingqi, please, sit."
Lingqi was grateful for the suggestion. She let out a contented sigh upon sitting down on the bench next to Zhuyue.
"Watching Xiaolian train?" She asked.
Lingqi noticed that Zhuyue's eyes were on her the entire time and she wanted to get the scrutiny off of her as soon as possible.
"She just finished for the day..." Zhuyue replied as she kept her eyes focused on the girl.
"Do you have any plans today?"
"I did, but I suppose I will have to change them now."
Lingqi furrowed her brow.
"What do you mean?"
Zhuyue opened her mouth to speak but closed it upon seeing Dun and Liao arrive. She stood and bowed as best she could with her stomach to her husband and Liao. Lingqi followed suit. Liao saluted Zhuyue and Lingqi in greetings and his eyes fell on Xiaolian who stood a few feet away from them. Xiaolian reacted immediately upon seeing him. The memory of his axe bearing down on her flashed in her mind. She instantly ran to her father's side and gripped his robe tightly.
Liao frowned. He immediately knew who the girl was. After the incident in Puyang he had often seen her bloodied face in his dreams. He never intended on harming an innocent but the path Lu Bu had set them on made him do just that. If he hadn't already doubted Lu Bu's path, that day certainly made him do so.
He could see the jagged scar left by him over her left eye. It was an ugly thing that demanded attention from all that looked at her, detracting from her natural beauty. it served as a constant reminder of the day she nearly lost her life protecting someone she loved. It was a constant reminder of him. How could he possibly be surprised by her reaction when she had to see that every time she gazed at her reflection? Had Dun known that it was he who scarred his child? He couldn't possibly have. The man treated him with respect and at times even kindness. He doubted that he would act in such a way if he knew.
"My daughter seems to still remember you," Dun remarked as he pulled Xiaolian from behind him and made her stand before Liao. He kept his hands on her shoulder to let her know that he was right there with her.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She came close to death that day...and as young as she is, she doesn't understand that yesterday's enemy can be today's friend. To be honest I still have trouble getting use to that theory myself. When I first saw you being brought before us as a prisoner in Xiapi, I wanted to ask Mèngdé right then and there for the right to execute you personally for what you did to her. Then he turns around and invites you to become one of us."
"It was not my intention to harm her," Liao said as he looked Dun in the eye. "I did my best to turn my blade but she was still harmed.
"I know. Zhuyue told me the same. If you didn't pull back on your attack, she wouldn't be standing here today. It is because of that reason that you are still standing here today," Dun let out a sigh as he spoke.
"It is in the past. Dwelling on it won't help anyone," he concluded.
"That attack on Puyang...it was something that I regret. It was cowardly and I should have spoken up against it. Instead I unquestioningly followed orders. It is in the past and my actions cannot be changed but I am sorry for the harm caused to your daughter as a result."
Lingqi's gasped in surprise at hearing his words. She had always wondered about the scar on Xiaolian's eye but felt it was rude to ask about it. To think that it was caused by Liao. It was surprising. He did not seem the type to attack a child. This was a story she needed to hear from him, one she needed to understand.
"I understand father," Xiaolian said suddenly.
All eyes were on her as she spoke softly. Her eyes were on Liao as she spoke.
"I understand what you said father. Yesterday's enemy is today's friend... but I don't like it either. It's hard to forget..." she said as she lifted a hand to touch the scar. "But I understand."
Xiaolian lowered her hand and looked up to her father.
"May I be excused?"
Dun nodded and released his hold on her shoulders. She gave one final glance to Liao before walking away.
"You have a very bright child," Liao remarked once Xiaolian was out of earshot.
"Smarter than I was at that age," Dun said in agreement.
"Perhaps it would be best if I no longer visit your home."
"The mighty Zhang Liao daunted by a an eleven year old?" Zhuyue asked teasingly.
Liao frowned at the comment. He was simply trying to do the right thing. He didn't want to cause undue stress to their daughter.
"You apologized. That is enough. The scar may not fade but she will become stronger for it. Do not let it continue to weigh so heavily on you. She will move past it as should you," Zhuyue said with a smile.
Liao nodded. He could see the wisdom in her words. He would move past it but he would not forget it. He would remember it always to ensure that he does not repeat the mistake again.
"So, would I be correct in assuming that you have come for Lingqi?" Zhuyue asked.
Lingqi looked between Zhuyue and Liao in confusion.
"What?"
"Yes," Liao replied. "I hope you do not mind."
"She is your woman. I cannot deny you," Said Zhuyue.
"Even so, I thank you for your understanding."
"Wait, what's going on?" Lingqi asked.
"You are relieved of duty today. Your future husband wants to spend time with you, enjoy yourselves," Zhuyue said with a mischievous smile.
Before Lingqi could ask any further questions, Liao put a hand to her back and begin to gently lead her away. She shuddered at the touch, surprised by the gentleness of it. Somewhat dazed and still very fatigued from their earlier training session, she allowed herself to be guided away from the Xiahou residence.
"You guys were too hard on her today," Zhuyue whispered to Dun as they watched them leave.
"We didn't do anything that you haven't done before. Thought she could keep up. Wényuǎn went too easy on her during their training sessions."
"He went easy on her because he loves her," Zhuyue said with a wistful smile as the couple disappeared from their view.
"You could stand to be a little gentler with me you know," Zhuyue chided, though she smiled as she did so.
Dun stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his hands cradling her growing stomach gently. He leaned and gave her a light kiss on her neck before whispering in her ear.
"I thought you said you liked it when I was rough."
The rumble in his voice spoke clearly of his intentions and Zhuyue was ready to go along with him when she remembered the plans she had for today.
"A very tempting offer husband but I wanted to visit Liu today. Jiao said she hadn't been doing well and I haven't seen Bianshi since I returned."
Dun kissed her neck again.
"Sure I can't change your mind?"
Zhuyue groaned in frustration. He had barely said anything to convince her and she was already considering abandoning her plans for an afternoon tryst.
"You can but I beg you not to."
Dun smirked and released his hold on her.
"If you say so. I'll go get Xiaolian."
=#=
"Cousin," Cao said in greeting as his servant led Dun and his family into the home. His voice lacked its normal firmness, exuding fatigue instead. Zhuyue was surprised by Cao's disheveled appearance. He didn't even bother to tie his hair up and let it cascade over his shoulders. The last time she saw him like this was when he learned his father and brother had been murdered. Liu's condition must have truly been dire.
"Thanks for coming. Sorry we were unable to join you at your feast last night," said Cao.
"You look like shit," said Dun. Cao gave him a smile.
"Well at least my appearance adequately reflects how I feel."
"That bad?" asked Dun, his mood immediately sobering upon hearing his cousin's response.
"I'm afraid so. She has been with fever for days. Can't keep food down. As you can imagine, this isn't good for the baby."
"Oh Mèngdé. I'm sure she and the baby will pull through," said Zhuyue and she hoped with all her heart that her words would come true.
"Sweet of you to say so, Zhuyue, but I'm not so sure. The heavens seem to enjoy testing me," said Cao with a bitter laugh. "Our only reprieve is that this is her ninth month. She should be giving birth soon and perhaps her health will improve after."
"I'm sure it will," Zhuyue said encouragingly. "Is Bianshi doing well?"
"Ah that woman...She is far better than I deserve. I surely wish she was the one I married..." Cao said with a hint of wistfulness. He shook his head as if remembering the question Zhuyue had asked him.
"She has been by Liu's side the entire time, especially when we were off in Xu province. Even after I returned she remained by her side, caring for her. It's because of her that I have been able to get any sleep at all but in return, she has barely slept at all."
"Can we see them?"
Cao nodded and gestured with his hand the direction they needed to head.
Once in front of the room, Cao pushed the door open and they found Bianshi sitting on the bed besides Liu. She held one of Liu's hand with one hand and stroked her head with the other. She looked up upon seeing the door open and smiled.
"Liu, look who's here!"
Liu's eyes opened slightly and gave a weak smile to Zhuyue and Dun.
"Come cousin, let's leave the woman alone. I could use a drink...or three," said Cao as he began to walk away with Dun following behind.
Zhuyue and Xiaolian entered the room and walked to Liu's bedside. Bianshi released her hold on Liu's hand and stood. She gave Zhuyue as tight of a hug as she could while being mindful of her stomach.
"When my lord said you were still alive I could hardly believe it. Liu, Jiao and I cried for days when we thought you were no longer with us. I'm so happy you are okay."
"I missed you too, Bianshi," Zhuyue said returning the hug.
"And look at this one. I feel like I haven't seen her since you were gone. She refused to leave the house. Good to see your pretty face Xiaolian," Bianshi said as she pulled her into a hug.
"Hello," Xiaolian said softly as she allowed herself to be hugged.
Bianshi returned to her spot on the bed and took Liu's hand in her own once more.
"I...missed...you, Zhuyue," Liu said weakly.
"I missed you too, Liu. I hate seeing you like this," said Zhuyue.
"I hate...feeling...like this," Liu said as she forced a smile.
"Then you better get well soon," Bianshi said as she squeezed her hand gently.
"I...know," she replied. "Sorry...sorry for giving...you...so much...t-trouble."
"Hush, it is no trouble at all. You are like a sister to me."
"Bianshi, you look tired," Zhuyue remarked as she gazed at the woman's face. It was easy to see dark circles around her eyes and the look of fatigue on her face that shone through her forced smiles.
"Why don't you let me sit with Liu and you get some rest?"
"Thank you for the offer, Zhuyue but I honestly wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. Don't worry about me. I rest when I-"
Her words were cut off by a sharp cry from Liu. Zhuyue and Bianshi were immediately alert as they looked at the woman.
"T-the baby! I-I think the baby is com-com-aaaaaaaaargh!" her words dissolved in to screams.
Bianshi sprang into action and flipped back the bed cover was pulled over Liu. To her horror, she could see that Liu was bleeding heavily. Zhuyue grabbed a dazed Xiaolian and ushered her out the door.
"Find your father and lord Mèngdé, quickly!"
Xiaolian nodded dumbly and took off down the hall in the direction she had seen them go.
Bianshi was trying to soothe Liu while avoiding looking at the pool of blood that had gathered beneath her.
There was so much blood. Was there suppose to be that much blood? Zhuyue thought in a panic unsure of what to do.
"What do I do?" She cried out to Bianshi,"
"Servants! We need the servants! Hurry."
Zhuyue ran out of the room as fast as she could in search of a servant.
Meanwhile, Xiaolian, sprinted down the castle corridor's in search of her father and Cao. She looked frantically but could not find any sign of them. What she did find, however was Cao Pi sitting beside a man she had seen before but was not familiar with. The unfamiliar man, who was in fact Cao Chong, gave Xiaolian a scrutinizing gaze before turning to Pi.
"This is the child Yuánràng took in, is it not?"
"It is, her name is Xiaolian," Pi replied as rolled up the scroll he had been reading and stood. He walked towards Xiaolian and tapped it lightly on her head.
"And what are you doing bursting into rooms in a castle you don't live in, Xiaolian?"
"Trouble-" she paused and remembered her father stressing the importance of speaking in full sentences. She took a deep breath and started again.
"Lady Liu is bleeding. I have to find father and Lord Cao."
Pi's eyes narrowed as he took in the severity of her words.
"Cangshu-" Pi began but was cut off by the man in question.
"Yes, go, quickly. Your mother is likely going crazy right now."
Pi nodded to his brother and left the room swiftly. Xiaolian cast a final glance to Chong before chasing after him.
Zhuyue returned to the room with two servants. Liu's screaming had gotten worse and the bleeding seemed to only be intensifying.
"One of you get the midwife and a doctor! The other get water and cloth. GO!" Bianshi cried out frantically.
Zhuyue went to the other side of Liu's bed and tried to calm her down but she knew it was a futile effort.
"B-Bianshi," Liu gasped out as she struggled to bear the pain.
"Yes Liu? What is it? What do you need?" Bianshi answered quickly, clasping the woman's hand firmly.
"Swear...to me you will-take care of the baby for me."
Liu let out another pained cry.
"Squeeze my hand Liu whenever you feel the pain, Liu. I'll help you bear it as much as I can."
"P-promise me!"
"No, I don't have to. You will be able to take care of your baby on your own. Don't worry. You are going to be fine!" Bianshi replied, her eyes filling with tears.
"Please...please Bianshi, promise...promise me."
"I-I promise. I will but please Liu. Do not give up. Please."
Moments later, Cao burst into the room, his eyes wild as he headed to Liu's side.
"Liu!" he exclaimed as he took in the sight.
"Zhuyue," Zhuyue's head turned in the direction where she heard her name being called. Dun stood by the doorway and beckoned her over. She gave Liu's hand one final squeeze before making her way to her husband's side.
"It would be best if we waited out here," Dun said once she was close enough.
Zhuyue looked over her shoulder to the still screaming Liu. She didn't want to leave but she knew that at this moment she was completely useless to her. She didn't have the first clue on how to give birth despite the fact that in a few months, she would be doing just that. With a hesitant nod, Zhuyue stepped out of the room and Dun closed the door behind her.
Zhuyue was surprised to see Pi in the hallway. He gave her a curt nod before speaking.
"I will go find Ang and the others. They should be here."
Not waiting for a reply, Pi turned on his heel and left them along.
The wait seemed to stretch on for hours. Servants ran in and out of the room. Each time the door opened, they could hear Liu's screams. Just as Pi promised, he had gotten his brothers. Even Chong had been wheeled out of his room to wait. Liu was not his birth mother but he still cared for her as family.
The door opened once more. Cao walked out of the room with the doctor, his face ashen and eyes filled with sorrow.
"Mother? Is she okay?" Ang ask as he sprang to his feet.
"Your mother...is no longer with us. They couldn't stop the bleeding."
"No...NO!" Ang cried out. He was nearly fell to his knees but was supported by his brother Zhang.
Bianshi emerged from the room. Her face wet and eyes swollen from crying and cradled in her arms, wrapped tightly in a bundle, a baby girl.
Ang looked up. To the child.
"It-It survived?" he asked numbly.
"She did," Cao replied. "Your mother gave her a name as her final breath. We will honor her wish and give her that name when the baby reaches the appropriate age. I do not wish to tempt the spirits to take even more from me," he finished.
The midwife emerged from the room. She looked disapprovingly at the gathering of people.
"My lady, it is too soon for the baby to be seen. We must adhere to tradition if you wish for this child to grow up strong and healthy. Can you please lead me to the room where you will be staying with the child?"
Bianshi nodded numbly. Cao kissed her on the forehead and gently took hold of the hand of his new daughter. He rubbed his thumb over her curled fingers and gave them a small kiss. When done he let Bianshi leave with the midwife.
Ang was torn between following after his little sister and going to see his mother. He knew that traditionally he wouldn't be allowed to see his sister for at least a month and as his father said, he didn't want to tempt the spirits. He turned to his father.
"Can...can I see mother?"
Cao nodded and the two disappeared into the room together.