Chapter 2: Generals, Spies and Prisoners.
The next morning, Wu was preparing for battle. Zhou Yu was standing next to Sun Jian, "There might be a chance to catch them off guard if we attack to night." "I doubt we'll catch them off guard, Zhou Yu, but the surprise might give them a shock." Lu Xun arrived and hopped off his horse, "tricks won't work here, and we must attack them head on. We don't want to give them the chance to escape." "So I was right?" "Yes, Zhou Yu, some soldiers were clearing a path through the forest. Three of our best spies are there to keep and eye on them." "Thank you, Lu Xun." "Zhou Yu, you go with the first wave, Sun Ce and Shun Shang Xiang will be the second and then I will ride from the mountain while at the same time Lu Xun rides from the pass way. I want Lu Meng and Gan Ning to sweep the castle; I don't want any surprises. " They all bowed and left to prepare for battle.
Cao Cao stood with his generals in the hall. "Zhang He you will take the gateway; place your archers on the wall and your soldiers behind the gate. Zhu Rong, take the second defense, and the rest will guard the main courtyard. Remember after the horn blows three times it's your own choice whether to run or to stay and fight." He waved them away and Zhang He went to his chambers. He put on his metal talons thinking; "either death or victory but I will not run" he left to speak to his army.
"Those of you who want to run better leave now, because when that horn blows, I will not run. It's either death or victory, and if we are to die then lets give Wu a fight they will never forget. Let them remember our names as the soldiers who looked death in the face, and continued to fight." He paused for a moment, "By the time this day is done we would have cut Wu's army down to size, though we may die, we give our families a fighting chance. Do not fear death, embrace it, for today we give Wu hell."
A great cry rose from the soldiers, they stamped their feet and banged their swords on their shields. Cao Cao heard the cry and immediately knew it was Zang He; no other man could get the men's moral up like he could. He smiled, "Zhou Yu, I think you have met your match today."
All the generals and their armies took their positions. Now they waited, Zhou Yu would attack first- but when?
Sun Ce was ready, his army waiting for Zhou Yu to break through the front gate. Lu Xun would wait for Sun Jian's signal then they would ride at the same time. Zhou Yu mounted his horse, "Ok men, Charge!" he raced down the slope followed by his army. When they got close to the wall, archers were waiting for them. Zhou Yu pulled out his own bow and arrow. He shot down three men at a time while riding his horse through the arrows. The archers were dead and Zhou Yu's soldiers scaled the wall on rope ladders, once over they quickly opened the gate and in poured Zhou Yu's entire army.
Sun Ce saw this; he and Sun Shang Xiang galloped forward followed by his army.
Zhou Yu was off his horse and sliced his way through the enemy. He jumped up and brought his sword down on the shoulder of an enemy. The blade sliced through cloth, skin, bone and the man's heart. He jabbed the sword into one's chest, looked behind him and pulled it out quickly that the butt of his sword hit another's throat. Then he saw him – Zang He. He rushed him but Zhang He blocked the attack with both metal claws and pushed Zhou Yu back. He sliced at Zhou Yu first with left then spun round in a flowing motion and sliced with right. That attack caught Zhou Yu's shoulder and he grit his teeth through the pain.
While they were fighting Sun Ce broke through the second defense killing Zhu Rong. Lu Xun and Sun Jian joined the battle. Cao Cao watched as they fought in the main courtyard, he sighed, "Do it sound the horn three times, make sure if no one else retreats that you get the girl." Sima Yi bowed and left.
Both Zhou Yu and Zhang He ducked as it rained arrows. Zhou Yu saw something; soldiers dressed in blue armor were chasing a woman along the castle wall. Zhang He attacked; he dived out the way as a horn sounded three times. Zhang He shouted at the top of his voice "Hold them off men, as long as you can." Zhou Yu figured it out, "Sun Ce-" he was cut off by an attack from Zang He, "They are escaping-" Sun Ce understood and spoke to one of his soldiers. Zhou Yu struck Zang He's arm and then knocked him out. He looked up the woman was still running but she was tired and she stumbled. "You, tie this man up, he is my prisoner." He whistled and his horse came to him.
He jumped on and raced after the soldiers and the woman, "Aren't those Cao Cao's elite guards?" He asked himself, "If he wants her so bad then I think I must take her instead. Hi-yah!" He raced along the wall and one guard fell off the edge the others were sliced by his sword or run down by his horse. He sheathed his sword and leaned to the right, he grabbed the woman around the waist and put her on the saddle in front of him. Somewhere he heard shouting, "Don't shoot him! He's got the girl." He smiled as he raced down the stairs. He watched as Sun Jian's army engulfed the city. "Nice prisoner, Zhou Yu." Sun Ce laughed as he rode by. Sun Jian approached, "Cao Cao has successfully made it out of the city, but my spies tell me he was in a vile mood and it's not about the loss of Jung Yi." "Where is he headed?" "It looks like to the north and you know what that means, but we are not sure we have to wait for the return of the spies." "Too the north…" Zhou Yu's voiced trailed off. To the north lay the Hu Lou Gate, and beyond its impenetrable defenses was the capital of Wei – Hu Lou Shin.
He rode to meet Lu Xun to see if he knew where his prisoner was, while he rode he watched the woman. She sat sidesaddle in front of him, she sat straight up with her eyes forward and her hands folded around her chest. She had excellent balance and dark eyes. Everything about her screamed nobility, but not related to Cao Cao or she wouldn't have been running from him. Had she been his prisoner? Then it hit him; the only other person he would kidnap would be related to Liu Bei. Oh dam was he in deep shit now. That would explain Cao Cao's foul mood and why his personal guards had chased after her.
"What's your name?" he slowed down, she didn't reply, "I'm not going to hurt you." Still she said nothing. "Ok then." He got off his horse and helped her down. "Go on, run. Your free." She looked at him and at the pass way. It was filled with white tents and men in armor. "Your not serious?" she asked him, he smiled, "so you can speak." She blushed "Ok, my lady. You are free to go where you like, but Cao Cao is still after you. So maybe staying with us isn't such a bad idea?" she was thinking, she really was beautiful, she wore a long, tight, red dress that had a slit all the way up her left thigh. Her hair tied by a piece of lint hung to her coccyx.
"Ok but there are a few things that I want." "Whoa, wait a minute. First I want you to answer my questions and then we will discuss your terms." They sat down and she answered all his questions. "She is Aven Yu, niece of Liu Bei. She was to be married to one of his generals. Cao Cao kidnapped her a month ago and wanted to deflower her. If he did that then he would have to marry her and a peace treaty would have to be signed between Wei and Wu. "But that doesn't make any sense, Cao Cao won't go through all that trouble just to share power. That has been the fight all along one army to rule the three kingdoms." "I know but I heard Cao Cao speak of an assassination attempt on Liu Bei." "If he marries you, then Liu Bei will die and both forces will be under the control of Cao Cao."
Lu Xun approached them, "Zhou Yu, your prisoner is awake." "Lu Meng," he called, "yes Zhou Yu." He walked up to him. "Keep watch over the lady here, no one so much as looks at her without my permission, understand?" he nodded and stood by the Aven Yu. She watched him go, not at all what she had expected. He was…different.
Zhang He was knelt down his hands tied behind his back. Zhou Yu came to him, "Give him water and food." The soldiers looked at him but obeyed. They knew better than to get on his bad side. "You do know that you are in my debt and until you have fulfilled that debt you may not leave unless I release you of it." Zhang He nodded, "I know." Zhou Yu smiled, "Release him." Now the soldiers were worried. "What's going on here? Sun Jian asked "Sir, he wants us to release the prisoner." "Is this true, Zhou Yu?" "My Lord, this man is in my debt and he cannot repay it if he is dead or in chains." Sun Jian thought for a moment, "Do as he says. Zhou Yu, I wanted to give you the city but with the release of him," he nodded towards Zang He, "and the girl, I say you have enough." "Thank you, my Lord, but I would've declined the offer." Sun Jian sighed, "I know you like to be in the midst of things, but I have no doubt that you would be a great ruler." With that he left.
Zhang He rubbed his wrists to get the circulation going again, "What girl?" he asked Zhou Yu. "You're never going to believe me if I tell you." He told Zhang He the whole story. The rest of the day they were packing up for the long journey home. Sun Ce was given control of the city and would stay there till it was up and running. Zhou Yu returned to Aven Yu, "About your demands?" "I want my own tent, bathing facilities and horse." "Yes, Yes but no for the horse, you will ride with me where I can keep an eye one you." She was going to argue when they heard shouts, "It's the spies, get a physician!" one man was half dragging and half carrying the other. Both were wounded badly. They collapsed in the arms of their comrades, who took them to a bed. "Stay here, Lu Meng, watch her."
The spy gurgled blood through his words, "They found and attacked us." He took a breath, "I couldn't tell if they went left or right at the fork," blood trickled from his mouth. "I'm sorry…" and he died. Zhou Yu walked outside with Lu Xun, "this is bad Zhou Yu, if they went right our suspicions would be correct and they'd be headed to the Hu Lou Gate. If the went left…" "Into Liu Bei's kingdom, yes." "Zhou Yu, I think they went right. Cao Cao's forces are destroyed why would they run into the arms of his enemy?" Zhou Yu told him of Aven Yu. "Of course! I understand! This is messed up, that means he went left and he's going to sign a peace treaty. Then they are going to destroys us, marry the girl and kill Liu Bei." Zhou Yu looked at him, Lu Xun was right; they did go left. "We must tell Sun Jian and let him decide what to do."
Sun Jian sat in his tent with all of his generals, "This is very serious, Sun Ce get that city back in shape, we are going to need its defenses, Lu Xun and Zhou Yu take your armies and see if you can stop him and I'll take the girl with me to the castle. She'll be safe there." "My lord, if it's alright with you I'd like to escort the girl myself. She knows me and trusts me. Lu Xun and Gan Ning can take control of my army and use it as they see fit." "There is no time to contemplate about these things, do it Zhou Yu, leave with the girl tonight. I'll give you five of my fastest riders." He bowed quickly and left.
"Aven Yu, Lu Meng, Zhang He we are leaving. I'll tell you everything-" then he had an idea. "Give me something that you have to offer freely and out of your own free will." He told Aven Yu, she opens the necklace and inside was a small jade stone. "My lord! Why stop Cao Cao?" Sun Jian thought he had gone mad. Sun Jian looked at Zhou Yu and blinked, "Have gone mad?" "No, No, have Lu Xun and Gan Ning take those fast riders and tell Liu Bei himself about this. Give this jade stone to Liu Bei and he will know she is safe and not a prisoner." Sun Jian agreed and the two generals left with five other riders.
The next day the army and all except Sun Ce and his bodyguards started the journey home. Scouts rode in front, archers behind them; then came the generals and the rest of the army followed. Aven Yu rode with Zhou Yu on his white stallion. Next to him were Zhang He and Zhou Yu's bodyguards. They kept a few feet from him by his orders. Zhou Yu and Aven Yu were talking all the time. They spoke about everything, politics, war, weather and horses. A lot of whispers were going on behind them.
It was 5 days into the journey, when one of Lu Xun's bodyguards returned. "Liu Bei is going to keep Cao Cao at bay. He wants the two generals to stay incase we are bluffing. He says as a gift to the man who saved his life he offers his niece's hand in marriage." Both Zhou Yu and Aven Yu blushed and looked away. Sun Jian nodded, he pointed out 5, foot soldiers, "you stay here with this man, and get him food, water and rest. I expect all of you to catch up." They turned around.
It was midnight on the sixth evening and they were almost home. Aven Yu had fallen asleep and leaned on both his shoulder and arm as she slept. His right hand held the reigns and his arm supported her back. His other arm was draped over her waist so she wouldn't fall off. Excuses, excuses! He thought to himself. He didn't have to hold her, but he wanted to. She was so beautiful and if he chose she could be his wife, but he would make that her choice. He looked up and saw it over the next hill was home.
He heard an unmistakable whistling sound, his horse reared. "Ambush! Take cover! Hi-yah." Zhou Yu roared. His shout woke her up and she nearly lost her balance when the horse reared. He held her tight while she regained her balance. He was riding with only one hand and maneuvering in between the arrows was not an easy task " Take the reins." She took them; he pulled out his bow and arrow. He saw riders coming from the front and back.
He loaded three arrows and three men toppled off their steeds. He saw his bodyguard take an arrow in the head. That archer by the tree was too good for comfort. "Get me closer to that tree." She turned the horse and Zhou Yu stood up on the horses rear while it galloped at full speed. He aimed his bow to the archer's heart, he saw the archer was doing the same to him. Both released their arrows at the same time, both passed each other in mid air and both hit their targets. The archer dropped dead and the arrow took Zhou Yu completely off his horse. He hit the ground with a dull thud.
Aven Yu watched as Zhou Yu hit the ground, then out of nowhere, slashing and slicing through the ambush was Zang He. His claws sliced one man across the face, the other in the neck. Whatever he could find he sliced not missing a beat to get to Zhou Yu. The ambush was fought off and Zhang He picked up Zhou Yu, "He's still alive!" he shouted. He put Zhou Yu on his bodyguards horse; "Go quickly." Sun Jian told him. "Wait I want to go with." It was Zang He, "Me too." Aven Yu said still on Zhou Yu's stallion. Sun Jian sighed, "Fine go."
