From the next day it was business as usual for the occupants of the castle. The morale of the soldiers was high after their victory over the attackers last night. Mitsuko was overlooking the general castle and the soldiers as they relax. He hears footsteps behind her along with a familiar chuckle.

'Good morning my lady.' Pang Tong greeted her.

'Morning, hey what happened to you last night? Me and LingQi tried to find you after the battle but we couldn't find you anywhere.'

'Oh I just returned to my quarters and slept.' He replied nonchalantly.

'Wait, really?' Mitsuko questioned with bewilderment.

'Well, I was a bit more tired than usual and I knew you and your forces would claim victory. Plus, I had nothing better to do as I'm not really suited for frontline combat.' Pang Tong chuckled yet again.

'That's…a lot of confidence you had in us.'

'But it was well founded as we're both here.' Pang Tong points out, Mitsuko was about to reply but realised she couldn't really say anything back.

'Heh, fair enough. Do you think they'll come around for another attack?'

'I don't think so. Their leader was slain and it seemed like they had no morale left. After seeing the might of our forces, I very much doubt they will attempt another invasion again, especially so soon. They may have been desperate before but after that fight they would've been broken.' Pang Tong explained.

'Maybe they'll get themselves more men to attack again.'

'Hehe, maybe. Maybe but I wouldn't count on them returning for a good while at the very least.' Pang Tong concluded. Suddenly a messenger ran towards Mitsuko holding a scroll in his hands.

'My lady do you know where lady LingQi is at?' Mitsuko was taken aback by this sudden question before composing herself again.

'Not sure I think she's doing some admin work or something. Why?'

'A message has arrived written for lady LingQi from Yuan Shu.' He reported. Mitsuko's right eye twitched at the mere mention of his name. However she knew she had to keep her cool and simply sighed.

'Well as I said I don't know where she is, if you want I'll hand it to her if you want.' The messenger immediately shakes his head while looking down.

'Oh no I couldn't possibly ask you to do such a thing my lady.'

'Don't worry, I don't mind after all I'll probably run into her sooner than you do.' She attempts to reassure him as he hesitantly hands over the scroll,

'Well if you insist, you have my gratitude my lady.' He bows respectfully and leaves. As he left Mitsuko glanced at the scroll she's holding.

'Well, well. A message for lady LingQi from Yuan Shu of all people? Well you know what we need to do now right?'

'Yeah yeah, once I find her I'll give it.'

'No I'm talking about reading it.'

'Are you serious? I can't do that!?' Mitsuko protested.

'Why not? He never said it had to be "exclusively" for her eyes only. And besides aren't you curious to see what the contents are?' Pang Tong tempted her. Mitsuko knew it was wrong since it wasn't assigned to her…though she can't help but feel the temptation down to the fingertips as they brush over the seal of the scroll.

'Its…just not right, I wouldn't want people to look at my messages when they're addressed to me.' Mitsuko briefly remembers when Akari's private messages were leaked all over the school…that moment was when everything changed. Before losing herself in that regrettable memory Pang Tong's voice snaps her back into reality.

'Perhaps, though it could be something she doesn't really need to see in the first place, may be best to inspect it before judging whether or not she needs to see it?' Pang Tong suggested. At those words the alluring temptation was too much for Mitsuko as she finds her fingers slipping off the scroll and unfolding it to reveal the contents.

"To my future wife, I hope you are doing well and looking just as beautiful from the moment I laid my eyes on you, even if we were on different sides in the battle I couldn't help but find you alluring. Even though the talks between our fathers are slow I am confident you will be mine soon enough. After all, when my father eventually passes away there must be an empress to an emperor and I can't imagine anyone worthier to be my bride than yourself. So I am inviting you to a banquet I'm holding in my honour. From there you will experience all but a taste of what being my wife will be like. I look forward to seeing you here next to me as my wife to be.'

Yuan Yao, heir to the rightful throne.'

Mitsuko tightened both of her fists in anger. How dare that obnoxious, arrogant fucker brag about her and talk about her like she's a trophy wife. Just as arrogant as his father but even more infuriating. He even had the nerve to invite her to a banquet made for himself!? Just so he can brag to people how he staked his claim on her like she's just something that can be bought and owned!? This type of behaviour is something Mitsuko despised. Her mind eventually returned to the very reason why this letter even exists in the first place. Lu Bu. If he actually gave a damn about his daughter he wouldn't even consider the idea of a marriage against her will and yet here they were. Here he and Yuan Shu are talking, trying to get the better deal out of a loveless arranged marriage and yet no one asked LingQi what she thought, what she felt about things. No instead she's just used as a bargaining chip that may or may not be used. The very idea sickened her to her stomach. Especially after all she's given to him.

'My lady if you're not careful you'll squeeze the ink out.' Pang Tong chuckled as Mitsuko snaps out of her trance and loosens her grip on the scroll.

'Oh, sorry.' She responded.

'Do not worry I'm sure the wrinkles give it extra character, though may I request to see the contents? Just for my own curiosity of course.' He requested as he chuckled again. Mitsuko complied almost too hastily as she handed him the scroll.

'Hmm…I see why you're annoyed at this…his handwriting is so sloppy, especially for a noble. Its quite disgraceful for the apparent heir to the throne no?' Pang Tong chuckled. Mitsuko shot him a death glare and growled before turning away and sighing.

'Sorry, I shouldn't be like that. I get what you're doing and I appreciate it but…this just makes me so goddamn angry!' Mitsuko vented. She fought her body to remain composed when in reality she wanted to release some of this built up rage.

'Please you have nothing to apologise for my lady. Hehe. Still I understand why you would be frustrated after reading a message like this, however as it stands there is nothing that we can about it at this particular time.' Pang Tong advised however Mitsuko letting the anger consume her snatched the scroll, rips it in two and throws the pieces in a nearby bonfire.

'This is what I think of their shit.'

'Oh no my lady, how could you do such a thing? what will they do now?' Pang Tong responded clearly feigning surprise and displeasure. He laughs heartily after he responded. Mitsuko gives him an almost satisfied smirk as he glances at him.

'As you suggested I inspected it and I concluded that LingQi doesn't need to concern herself with such a message. She…doesn't deserve to read that insult.' Mitsuko told Pang Tong though he could tell it wasn't him that needed to be told this.

'Of course my lady, I trust your judgement completely.' Pang Tong chuckled as he and Mitsuko walk away from the bonfire as the flames slowly consume the scroll. A few weeks later Mitsuko was talking to LingQi and her other officers in a casual conversation when a soldier sprinted towards them.

'My lady our guards have spotted Lord Lu Bu's army returning from battle.'

'Excellent, open the gates for their arrival.' LingQi ordered. The soldier bowed his head and sprinted away to the front gates.

'So he's back now eh?' Mitsuko rhetorically questioned as she lifts her scythe up and rests her scythe on her right shoulder with the crescent blade hovering over the back of her neck.

'Well hopefully his battle went well so we can go on the offensive.' Mitsuko stated however she didn't really hold her breath. The recent losses their forces suffered didn't sit well with her and didn't instil confidence in her lord…even if it was Lu Bu.'

'Of course it went well. How can Lord Lu Bu's might with Chen Gong's strategy fail them?' Zang Ba questioned though he too thought the same thing as Mitsuko however due to LingQi being present he didn't want to say what's on his mind.

They faintly hear the sound of the large metallic gates creaking open however they don't hear the rush of soldier's footsteps or the galloping of horses flooding in the castle like they thought they would.

'That's strange, you'd think they'd come in and relax after a battle.' Mitsuko noticed.

'Quite…something is wrong. I think we may need to prepare to leave.' Pang Tong replied. As if on cue a soldier on horseback from Lu Bu's army gallops to the officers. He pulls the reigns to stop the horse from trampling them. The horse calms down after it lands on its hooves.

'My lady I give orders from our lord. He orders that our forces here must evacuate the castle at once, we head for Xia Pi. Those that do not join us within the hour will be left behind.' Everyone except Pang Tong looks at him with bewilderment.

'Evacuate, why?' LingQi questioned.

'Back at Wan castle…we entered the battle however…we were already too late. They captured the castle and they laid an ambush for us. We suffered too many losses to keep this castle properly garrisoned. The strategist Chen Gong ordered we consolidate our forces at Xia Pi since it is a more defensible position and look to counter attack' The soldier explained.

'I don't understand how could they have anticipated our reinforcements?'

'I'm not sure but what I do know is that your forces need to evacuate as quick as possible otherwise you will be left behind. If you excuse me I must get back to the main army.' The soldier pulls the reins and turns the horse around and quickly gallops out of the castle. Leaving the other officers stunned.

'So he just wants to evacuate the castle we worked hard to obtain!?' Zang Ba questioned.

'Seems that way.' Wu Zi replied.

'That must've been some defeat. Still I would've expected your father to come in himself to tell us that, any idea why he had to order some random soldier to give us the orders?' Mitsuko turns to LingQi who shakes her head.

'Unfortunately not even I know what's going through his head these days.' She looks down while wearing a mask of sadness on her face. However it is immediately replaced with a stern, authority like look.

'Though what I do know is that if we don't get our troops out within the hour we will be left behind. Mitsuko can I count on you to organise your men?'

'Not a problem' She stated.

'Good, I'll prepare the rest and make sure we gather as many supplies as we can.' LingQi advised as she walked away. When she was out of earshot Mitsuko let out a frustrated yell as she plants her scythe into the ground. Destroying the granite and leaving a tiny crater where the tip of the blade is dug in.

'Damnit! We just captured this castle and now we're supposed to give it away after we defended it with our lives!?'

'My lady, I understand your frustration however this may not be the best time to express it. Wu Zi advised as he bows his head respectfully.

'I don't care!' She responded loudly to Wu Zi who along with Zang ba was taken aback.

'That man has pushed me to the limit. And yet…I'm powerless to do anything!' Mitsuko curses her lack of strength as she stares at the open palms. She then sighs.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice at you. I just…urgh' Mitsuko apologised as she used her right hand to massage her forehead. Wu Zi and Zang Ba bowed politely at her and put their left fist in their right palm. She then realised that Pang Tong was being unusually quiet.

'Pang Tong you're not normally this silent, what's up?'

'Hehe I'm just wondering what Chen Gong is thinking.'

'What do you mean?'

'Even if our army suffered a defeat we have enough men to make both castles garrisoned well enough to make an effective defence and if one is surrounded, the other can come as reinforcements. However Chen Gong wants us to be in one place, sure we'll have more soldiers defending the one place however it is riskier as we'll more than likely be surrounded by the enemy in a full siege if they're organised enough. Leaving us to deplete our resources while they have the luxury of time.' Pang Tong explained,

'Well when you say it like that, it sounds stupid so why would he do it?' Mitsuko asked.

'I suspect the defeat was more of morale than of numbers. Given the fact he lost Yan province and could only take castles by subterfuge and sudden attacks…doesn't really bring the morale up high does it?' He enquired to both Wu Zi and Zang Ba.

'It is true, I've heard some gossip about that even within our forces. Morale wasn't high, until our defence of the castle.' Zang Ba confirmed.

'Quite. I suspect this is a plan to get the morale up after a successful defence while using the Xia Pi's defences and lure the enemy in. It sounds great in theory however…'

'However?'

'However Lord Lu Bu is still in charge. While he's around he will not take Chen Gong's suggestions seriously.' Pang Tong concluded with his signature chuckle.

'So what should we do now then my lady?' Wu Zi asked as Mitsuko dislodged the scythe from the ground and carries it over her shoulder.

'We do what we're told. Gather as many men as you can and tell them to evacuate the castle. Though…' Mitsuko tightened her fist that's grasping the scythe.

'he better not keep pushing my patience…I'll get the main forces at the gates know of what's happening. Try and find any stragglers.' Mitsuko orders as she started to make her way to the front gate. Leaving her three officers on their own.

'Our lady seems…more agitated.' Wu Zi stated, worried about Mitsuko.

'She is, though its nothing to be concerned about. She's just merely struggling to break the chains of servitude. Once she does though we will need to support her.'

'Well that doesn't need mentioning.' Zang Ba responded immediately.

'Indeed, we both will give our lives for her.'

'Now, now. Let's not go that far. We can't afford at this moment for anyone to play the martyr. We must consolidate our strength.' Pang Tong warned. Wu Zi immediately bows his head.

'My apologies I meant no disrespect.' Pang Tong merely chuckled at this.

'Don't worry about it, I know you mean well. You just need to see the bigger picture is all.'

'Speaking of the bigger picture, what about Lady LingQi? Do you think she will join us?'

'Of course.' Pang Tong replied immediately, not missing a beat.

'How can you be so sure? She seems the most loyal officer to her father.' Wu Zi asked. Pang Tong couldn't help but chuckle again.

'Have you two really not noticed?' They both look at each other with confusion.

'Noticed what?' Pang Tong could only chuckle yet again.

'Don't worry if you haven't, the important thing is that I have. With that knowledge I can say with certainty that she will join our forces in due course.'

'In that case, should we help Mitsuko break her chains like spreading rumours or something?' Zang Ba suggested however Pang Tong quickly shot that idea down.

'Oh no no, we can't have that. Things must progress organically, this is something we cannot rush. We must be patient about this if we are to succeed. Besides, Lu Bu and Chen Gong placed those shackled on her in the first place, it is only fitting that they're the ones to help her break it.' His chuckle this time sounded more…sinister and devious. He starts walking away leaving the other two on their own.

'Come on now, Lady Mitsuko gave us an order.' Zang Ba and Wu Zi quickly join Pang Tong to complete their task.