Chapter Two: Chase the Hare
Lu Bu and Red Hare dashed out of Jian Ye. A huge number of Wu cavalry charged after him as archers rained arrows down at him from atop the city walls, but Red Hare proved too fast for either of them.
Within the city, a man sitting in a teahouse smiled. A child playing in the street saw the smile and was instantly put into tears. It was the kind of smile that polluted the very meaning of the word. The man picked up his cup and sipped away the remainder of its contents, then rose from his place and walked out.
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Curse that meddling Zhuge Liang!
That oft-repeated phrase burned through Zhou Yu's mind as his gaze fell squarely on the symbols representing Xiangyang and Jing. He forced himself to look more towards the north, at Cao Cao's land, but before long, he again found his glare directed at the cities Zhuge Liang had stolen from his grasp while he was fighting Cao Ren in the Nan territory. DAMN HIM!
The longhaired genius picked up a knife and drove it squarely into the dot marking where Jing was, firmly embedding its point in the wooden table beneath.
There was the rustle of his tent being opened. "I specifically asked not to be disturbed," he said in a voice dripping with venom as he turned to face the guard who had entered his abode. Yu's eyes burned with intensity hot enough to set a hundred Wei invasion fleets ablaze. The guard gulped, started to speak, stopped, and withdrew. Zhou Yu returned his attention to the map, but he raised an eyebrow when he heard the sound of whispering outside of his tent. There was rustling again, and he turned, his mouth already opening to let loose a barrage of heated oaths at the guard.
Fortunately for the guard, it was not he who entered this time. The person who entered was decidedly shorter and prettier. It was his wife, Xiao Qiao.
The curses died on his tongue, but the fire in his eyes still burned bright as he turned back to his map. He pulled the knife out of the table and set it aside, then ran his fingers over the tear in the paper it had left to smooth it out. "I'm busy," was all he said.
"C'mon Zhou Yu! We're already back in Wu, in a few days we'll be back in Jian Ye! Let's go have a picnic! Or something! Please?" she pleaded.
Her husband clenched his teeth. "Later."
There were a few moments of silence. Then, Xiao Qiao jumped over Zhou Yu's head, landing lightly on top of his table. Before he could raise an objection, she wrapped her slender arms around his neck and kissed him squarely on the lips. She then drew back a little and looked him in the eyes, a girlish smile spreading across her beautiful features. There was a hint of worry in her eyes, though. He sighed, and disentangled himself from her embrace. He stepped away from the table and held out his hand.
She acts rather immature sometimes. But I suppose this is what Sun Ce meant when he said that it was what I needed to make me "loosen up," in his words…"Yay!" said Xiao Qiao, and she hopped off the table, placing her hand in his. Together, they left the tent and took a walk around the camp. Taishi Ci bowed his head slightly in a gesture of respect to the strategist as they walked by, and Yu returned the gesture. The younger Qiao sister gave the armored general an enthusiastic wave, and the couple continued their stroll. The battle for the Nan territory had concluded a week ago, and after securing Wu's latest acquisition and leaving a garrison, Zhou Yu's force had begun the march home. They were now on their way home, and would rendezvous with Sun Ce's army tomorrow morning.
There had been losses taken by the Wu in the siege of Cao Ren's castle, and an arrow had wounded Zhou Yu himself. Although, that had perhaps been for the best, as it had allowed for the ruse that won the day. The wound was mostly healed, although there was an annoying itch every now and then.
But it's not annoying as Zhuge Liang so it can be dealt with, he thought.
"Can't Sun Ce hurry up and meet up with us? He could probably make it here today if he would hurry up a little! I bet you miss him as much as I miss sis!" said Xiao Qiao, subconsciously sensing that her husband was distracting himself again.
"Yes," he replied. Although, he inwardly grimaced. The first thing Ce will do when he hears from Xiao how I have been acting is force a jug of wine to my lips and get me thoroughly inebriated. Zhou Yu imagined how the conversation would go.
Sun Ce: "I hear you were injured, buddy! Let's get drunk!"
Zhou Yu: "Shouldn't I be abstaining from liquor in my weakened state?"
Sun Ce: "No way!! I'm gonna sterilize your wound with alcohol!"
Zhou Yu chuckled a little and his wife smiled. They had walked to the edge of the campgrounds, and now stared out over a broad expanse of green fields that stretched as far as the eye could see before meeting the canopy of blue that was the sky.
His eyes narrowed as he noticed that there was movement on the horizon. A solitary rider was galloping towards the camp from the south. Borrowing a telescope, the strategist held it to his eye and took a long look.
"It's Zhou Tai," he said.
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It did not take long for Zhou Tai to lay out for Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci just what had happened in Jian Ye. Lu Bu's Red Hare was faster than any horse in Wu, but the warrior did not know the land like Zhou Tai did. Taking several shortcuts, the former pirate had been able to move through the country more quickly than Lu Bu ever could have. It was entirely possible that he had wrongly guessed Lu Bu's route, but he didn't think so. Something about the man made Zhou Tai certain that he would take the fastest path possible out of Wu, even if there were an army standing in his way.
"Have you been able to think of any possible ways Lu Bu might have been able to breach the castle's security, in full armor no less?" asked Zhou Yu after Zhou Tai's story concluded.
"No, Lord Strategist," replied the general.
"I see," said Yu, and he walked over to a map, already plotting out in his mind the best places to station interception parties.
"How long do you think it will be before Lu Bu reaches us?" questioned Taishi Ci.
"Two hours at most," responded Zhou Tai. "His horse was as swift as rumored."
"There is no time for any elaborate preparations then," said Zhou Yu. In some respects, the task was not all that difficult. Lu Bu had had no provisions on him when he escaped from the capital, and was not known for possession of the subtler skills required for extended covert operation.
No, whoever sent a man such as he on a mission like this wanted someone who did not have to sneak around. He wanted someone who could move quickly and destroy anything that stood in his way, thought Zhou Yu. But even if Lu Bu is the mightiest warrior in this world, he is still only one soldier, and ordering him to charge through an entire army was foolish. Which is unnerving in and of itself. How could someone capable of the skill and intelligence necessary to deploy Lu Bu into the very heart of Wu to steal our kingdom's treasure then be so sloppy on the second half of the plan?
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"My name is Xiahou Dun. Come if you wish to die," said Wei's most dreaded one-eyed general.
The Wu major facing him hesitated for a few seconds then rushed Dun, thrusting as hard as he could with his spear. The Xiahou swept the huge blade of his sword, Kirin Fang, up into the spear's shaft, cutting off a third of its length. His movements smoothly flowing together, he stepped in and spun the momentum from his first strike into a second massive cut that opened the major's body from hip to shoulder. There was a gargled death cry and he fell to the ground. Xiahou Dun looked down at the corpse for a moment, and then surveyed the scene.
Xu Zhu was a short distance away, busily hammering foes into the dirt with his distinctive iron mace, and the other Wei soldiers were cleaning up the remnants of the Wu patrol they had encountered. A number of enemies had escaped and would warn the Wu army of the incursion, but Xiahou Dun wasn't bothered.
A week ago, a letter written by a Wei spy posing as an ordinary citizen in Jian Ye had arrived in Xu Chang and been delivered to Cao Cao. It had laid out a plan for stealing the Imperial Seal from the Sun family's palace in Wu, and had requested a diversionary raid on the Wu forces in this area so that the spy could flee across the border with it. The letter had born the spy's seal identifying it as genuine, and although Cao Cao had been suspicious, he decided it was worth the risk and dispatched Dun and Zhu to carry out the requested attack.
When the last member of the Wu patrol was slain, Xiahou Dun shouted an order and the raiding party continued onwards.
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Sun Quan stood in the street outside of what could have been any other teahouse in Jian Ye, sword clasped firmly in his right hand. Accompanying him were twenty Wu soldiers, all armed and ready for battle.
The teahouse seemed empty. No noise came from inside, and the door was firmly shut. Zhou Yu and Lu Xun had uncovered the owner's identity as a spy for Wei several months ago, but had left him alone while they waited for an opportunity to feed him misinformation. However, the theft of the Imperial Seal had changed the situation. Quan wanted answers, and he was going to leave no stone unturned looking for them.
The Wu soldiers kicked open the door to the teahouse and rushed in. A few moments of silence passed, and a sergeant reported that it was safe for Quan to enter.
The Wei spy, the proprietor of the teahouse, was dead and hanging from the ceiling, a noose tied securely around his neck.
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Zhou Yu looked over his forces from atop his gray horse. Off at various points in the distance, he could see Zhou Tai, Taishi Ci, and Xiao Qiao. He had struck a careful balance between spreading his men out to maximize the chances of spotting Lu Bu while not spreading them so thin that the powerful warrior would be able to break through with ease. The men were still more than little apprehensive, however. Lu Bu's reputation was fearsome, and Zhou Tai had related firsthand information that that reputation was most certainly deserved.
Still, he is only one soldier against many this time, thought Zhou Yu again. And that bothers me…
There was the sound of a commotion behind him.
"Lord Strategist!" called an unfamiliar voice. He turned to face a man wearing the uniform of a Wu sergeant. Although, the uniform had really been reduced to little more than a bloody green rag. Zhou Yu called for a doctor and waited for the wounded soldier to catch his breath, which came only in gasps. Finally, he began speaking again. "My lord, a Wei raiding force crossed the border and destroyed the patrol unit I was a member of. They are headed this way!"
The Wei! Is Lu Bu somehow working for Cao Cao now? An alarming prospect…Zhou Yu remained silent for a few seconds, assessing the situation. Finally, he spoke. "Chase two hares and you will catch neither. Dispatch a messenger to Sun Ce and inform him of the situation. Request immediate reinforcements. Until then, we will deploy ourselves to fend off the oncoming raiders." The Imperial Seal was more than the Sun family's precious treasure; it was a symbol that helped justify its rule in Wu to the people and to the kingdom's enemies. Yu hardly expected widespread rebellion if news of its theft leaked, but it would have an adverse effect on morale. Unfortunately, the potential damage the Wei raiders could do if left unchecked was simply more than he could ignore. If they mauled his army, he would be in no position to stop Lu Bu anyway.
"Come about men and prepare to face the Wei!" he shouted, and his orders were relayed to the scattered Wu forces. As his army rearranged and pulled itself together into a battle formation, he sighted the first northern soldiers charging towards his position.
Wu archers drew first blood, firing two salvos of arrows that downed more than a few of their oncoming foes. Then the Wei finished closing and the chaos of close quarters combat began…
Zhou Yu's movements were elegant and fast as he whipped the blade of his weapon, the Ancients Sword, through air and foe alike. Then he felt a presence approaching, and turning, he saw a number of his soldiers go flying through the air a few yards away, trailing blood from huge gashes. The lifeless bodies hit the ground and crumpled into a slew of awkward poses that were an obscene mockery of peaceful slumber.
"Xiahou Dun," said Zhou Yu in an even tone of voice to the slayer of his men.
"A man who knows my name and yet does not flee," replied the one-eyed general. "So you wish to die quickly then, Zhou Yu?"
"Actions speak louder than words, Dun."
Dun lowered the blade of his Kirin Fang to the side and leaned forward. He then rushed at Yu, who leaped into the air and whirled his body and sword like the winds of a hurricane. The two clashed hard, filling the space between them with a mist of glowing sparks. The sound of the impacted reverberated across the battlefield, shaking the very souls of the regular soldiers surrounding them.
Xiahou Dun's eye narrowed as he glared at Zhou Yu, who glared right back at him with equal ferocity as they two men pushed their blades together and struggled for an advantage. Their faces were mere inches apart, and each duelist's vision was filled with the scowling visage of his opponent.
"I wasn't expecting an opportunity like this to come forth today. I'm going to deliver your head to Cao Cao in a box!" sneered the Xiahou.
"The only head you should concerned about is your own!" snapped Zhou Yu in response. Dun bared his teeth and growled, and succeeded in using his brute strength to force the Ancients Sword out of the way. But his attempt to capitalize on the temporary break in Yu's defense was nullified as the strategist hopped out of range of the follow-up left to right swipe made by Dun. His dark features twisted into the countenance of a demon, Dun continued to press forwards, becoming a blur of motion as he whipped the Kirin Fang through slash after slash and cut after cut. But Zhou Yu's defense was impeccable. Rather than meet the superior raw power of his opponent blow for blow, he instead defended himself with a combination of swift, skillful parries and expert dodges that kept him just out of reach of Dun's blade.
Yu ducked just in time to avoid decapitation and swept his own sword low, nearly cutting Xiahou Dun off at the knees. The Wei general jumped over the attack, and the flow of the duel shifted as Zhou Yu launched into a spectacular series of sword strikes as smooth and graceful as they were potentially lethal. Dun blocked the incoming swings with his heavier blade, trying to detect the rhythm in Yu's lightning-fast assault. Just when he thought he had established a pattern in his adversary's slashes and was in the process of countering, Zhou Yu threw an unexpected uppercut with the Ancients Sword and the combatants again found themselves locked together. The lock was brief this time, however, and both duelists backed away from each other.
It was then that the two of them noticed, nearly simultaneously, that a fresh force of Wu soldiers had appeared and was rapidly closing in along path that would surely cut off the Wei's escape route. At the head of the force was a familiar figure wielding dual tonfas, a black silhouette against the reddish light given off by a sun descending towards the horizon.
"This only postpones the inevitable, Zhou Yu," said Xiahou Dun.
Yu focused his mind and raised his left hand. A blue bolt of energy erupted from his palm and hurtled at Dun's good eye. He quickly drew the blade of the Kirin Fang in front of his head and the bolt dissipated in a shower of sparks against its curved steel. Dun lowered his sword and glared for a moment, then fled.
Xu Zhu looked from left to right. Advancing steadily towards him on either side were a tall man wielding a long, thin sword and a shorter but still imposing man wielding twin iron rods. Off in the distance, he spied a young girl running in his direction with a pair of fans. Before he could decide just what he was going to do however, Xiahou Dun decided for him.
"Wei raiding party, retreat!" bellowed the general, and as soon as they could safely disengage themselves, the northern soldiers complied, not wanting to be caught between the armies of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce. Xu Zhu lumbered over to a horse and started to ride. Idly, he wondered what he was going to eat tonight. Battle made him especially hungry, and being hungry made him think about food, which proceeded to always make him even hungrier. His mouth watered as he thought to himself, I'm gonna eat a whole chicken! And then I'll have som—
For the first time in a very long while, something made him stop thinking about food in less than a heartbeat. That something was the sight of Lu Bu and Red Hare on the far side of the battlefield, trampling a small unit of Wu soldiers and then running down a few of the Wei as well. He saw the man who wielded the iron rods notice him as well, and saw him give an order to some troops armed with crossbows to fire. But Lu Bu simply batted the incoming projectiles aside and kept going. A few brave spirits attempted pursuit, but Red Hare left them in the dust, and soon, the mighty warrior was fading into the distance. I'm confused…
**************Author's Notes**************
And I bet you are too, reader-kun! But fear not, it will all make sense soon enough!
(Big drops of sweat appear on the backs of heads everywhere.) Ahem.
I hope I did a better job of proofreading this time, I noticed I made a lot of mistakes last chapter!
So, it's Zhou Yu! I hope you like Zhou Yu, because he's been one of my longtime favorites. Thus, he's going to play a very big role in this story. Also, how do you like the way I portrayed the relationship between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao in this chapter?
The imaginary conversation between Zhou Yu and Sun Ce at the beginning of this chapter was something of a reference to the anime Berserk. Gatts at one point says that he's going to sterilize his wounds with alcohol when questioned on whether or not he should be drinking in his injured state. After changing the line/context around a bit, I decided that it was definitely something Sun Ce's Dynasty Warriors persona would say.
I think I liked the duel I wrote between Lu Bu and Zhou Tai better than the one between Xiahou Dun and Zhou Yu. Just seemed cooler to visualize all these bits of stone and wood flying all over the place as the two try to fight in the confined space of the hallway. Added to the intensity, even though it was a short battle.
