Chapter 4: Outcast
"You called, my lord?" Zhou Yu asked as he and Zhang He entered the throne room. "There are reports of bandits in the upper villages and I want you two to take care of It." they could tell he was in a foul mood and left without saying a word. Zhou Yu saddled up his horse and was about to mount it when Aven Yu came to him. "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?" "I'm sorry I didn't want to delay, Sun Jian's already in a bad mood." "Why?" "I heard that I might be in a letter he received from Sun Ce." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and mounted his steed. Then he and Zhang He rode out of the castle to the north.
Sun Jian looked at the letter again. He couldn't believe it. Zhou Yu a traitor? Sun Ce had told him about how he saved Zang He's life twice. If Zhou Yu let the bandit leader go free then he was a traitor. The only thing to do was to test Zhou Yu and see if he passes.
"I can't believe we have to deal with bandits. I thought you were passed this, Zhou Yu." Zhang He said while they galloped north. "I thought so too. Something else is going on and right now all we can do is follow orders." Zhang He focused on the road ahead. "Up ahead, over the bridge is the village." Zhou Yu told him. They sped up when they saw smoke coming from the village. They dismounted and walked into the burning village. In an instant bandits appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them. Zhou Yu and Zhang He stood back to back. Zhou Yu had his sword at his side and Zhang He stood ready with his metal talons in front of him. They nodded to each other and charged…
Zhou Yu plunged his sword into one's chest, withdrew it and killed the guy behind him. Zhang He tripped a man and plunged his claws in his throat. He somersaulted over the guy trying to attack from behind and stabbed him in the back. Zhou Yu ducked and dived beneath the swipes of the lance, he swung his sword down upon the lance; cutting off it's tip and in one smooth movement, swung the blade to the right separating the man's head from his body. The bandits dropped like flies and eventually Zhou Yu fought with two-swords. The bandit leader ran when he saw his men all dead. "Lets get him!" Zhang He said mounting his horse, "no, leave him. He won't be coming back any time soon. Besides we have more important things to take care of." Zhou Yu mounted his horse and turned towards home.
Sun Jian sighed; the verdict was in; the bandit leader had escaped. Zhuge Liange personal adviser stood next to him. "Think about it, why would Sun Ce, of all people, accuse Zhou Yu of treason. They have been like brothers since they were kids." "I know but that means that something has gone wrong at Jung Yi." "I think there might be spies around, so exile him and his friend publicly…"
Sun Jian looked as though he just won 1st place. " And talk to him privately. I think that this is Cao Cao's doing, he wants the girl. We have someone impersonate her and have her impersonation stay here, while the original goes sneaks out to Zhou Yu." Sun Jian told his advisor. "Good plan, I want you and you alone to travel to Liu Bei and tell him that there's a snake in the grass." He nodded and left.
A while later Sun Jian heard that Zhou Yu was almost at the gates, he ordered the gates not to be opened. Sun Jian walk out to the wall where Zhou Yu was arguing with the guards. "Open the- my lord! Why aren't we allowed in?" Zhou Yu asked him. "Zhou Yu, did you let the bandit leader escape?" "Yes, but-" "Then you are a traitor," Aven Yu heard this and rushed to the gate. "Open the gates, I command you." She told the guards in a stern voice. Sun Shang Xiang also heard this, but she didn't make a public appearance.
Sun Jian was scared of this; well here goes nothing. "My lady, these matters do not concern you." She looked up at him and shouted, "These matters do not concern me?" You are calling my husband-" she quickly realized her mistake, but all eyes and ears were already on her. Regaining herself she continued. "-To be; a traitor and these matters do not concern me?" she spat at him,
Zhou Yu couldn't help smiling at her words. Sun Jian hated doing this but spies could be watching and he had to perform well. It was a good thing he didn't tell her, otherwise her words would not have been so…sincere. She'll kill him when he tells her the truth, but until then. "Archers take aim."
The archers looked at him and slowly raised their bows, they couldn't believe that this great soldier and was a traitor. He had been fighting since he was 12 now at 28 he was a traitor? "NO!" she rushed up the stairs towards Sun Jian, "You can't!" "My dear lady, I can do whatever I want. Guards lock her in her room. Zhou Yu leave now and I won't kill you." Sun Shang Xiang's eyes went wide and silently she asked, "Please, Zhang He, turn around." Zhou Yu watched as Aven Yu was forcefully removed and then he and Zhang He turned around.
Sun Jian watched him go and turned to go and see Aven Yu, now for the worst bit-please explaining! He explained everything to her but only after she assaulted him. He explained about the letter, the bandits and the plan. "Zhuge Liange is on his way to Liu Bei. We have an imposter to take your place, tonight put on this archer clothing, take this letter and…"
Later that night Aven Yu, dressed in the archers' outfit, climbed up the stairs in the dark, keeping out of sight of the guards. She hung a rope ladder from the wall and climbed down it. She reached the ground and led the horse; that was waiting for her; to the outskirts of the castle. She mounted it and rode fast in the direction that Zhou Yu was last seen.
Zhou Yu and Zhang He slept around the burnt out logs. The sun rose over the eastern skies and they started to wake up. They heard a noise and Zhou Yu drew his sword, and out of the mist came a black horse trotting with what seemed to be a Wu archer slumped over its back. He was surprised; if this were an archer from Wu it would be almost impossible to reach them in that short time. This rider must have rode at full gallop right through the night. The archer stirred, "He's still alive, get some water." Zhou Yu slowed the horse down and saw the necklace around the archer's neck. No! He thought, it couldn't be, could it? He slowly eased the archer off the horses back. It was her: it was Aven Yu.
"Quickly, give me the water." Zhou Yu said, "It's Aven Yu." "What is she doing here?" Zhou Yu held her head up while she drank from the skin. She sat up and pulled a letter out. She gave it to Zhou Yu, while Zheng He tended to the horse. She leaned against him and rested while he read the letter, his eyes going wider with each line. Zhang He read the letter and looked up, "well, that explains a lot." Zhou Yu frowned at him. "Go to the city of Jung Yi, see what you can find out and as soon as she's rested, we'll follow." Zhang He didn't even nod he just jumped on his horse and rode away.
It has been two days since he exiled Zhou Yu, and his family was starting to become suspicious of 'Aven Yu'. He summoned Sun Quan and Sun Shang Xiang. He told them everything and that night Lady Shun, mounted her horse and rode after Zhang He.
A week later Zhuge Liang was before Liu Bei in his court with Lu Xun and Gan Ning. "That is the story, Liu Bei. As we speak Zhou Yu, Zhang He and Aven Yu are trying to figure out what's going on in the city of Jung Yi." Liu Bei stood up, "Zhou Yu seems like a strong soldier but he might need help. I will send Lu Xun and my best general Lu Bu to help them out." Lu Xun immediately knelt down on one knee, "Thank you, Liu Bei for letting me go to help my friends." Liu Bei looked at him, "I have great respect for you and this Zhou Yu. You, yourself amaze me." He laughed and Lu Xun got to his feet. "You may leave as soon as you are ready." Lu Xun left the room. "Zhuge Liang, come here. We have much to talk about."
Zhou Yu, Zhang He and Aven Yu sat on the outskirts of Jung Yi. "I have to see what's going on in there." Zhou Yu said. "Zhou Yu, you are an outcast. I will go." He silently slipped closer to the city. "Good Luck." Aven Yu said silently. She shivered as a cold wind rose. Zhou Yu put his arm around her, she moved even closer to him. He embraced her in a hug, "you really were sincere, we you spoke to Sun Jian yesterday." She looked at him blankly and then blushed when she remembered. "Oh…that. Yes I was." She kept her head down, but he let go of her and gently made her look at him. He kissed her lightly at first, and then harder.
By the next morning, Zhang He had still not returned, and Zhou Yu was worried. He decided to wait till tomorrow and then go and find him. However, later that afternoon unexpected guests arrived. First were Lu Bu and Lu Xun. Zhou Yu and Aven Yu bowed to the generals. Lu Bu slid off his horse, and bowed to them, "It is truly an honor to meet the infamous Zhou Yu. My Lady, Aven Yu, It's my pleasure." "Lord Lu Bu, the honor is mine. Lu Xun glad to see your well." He shook his friends hand, "I'm better than you I hear. Exile? What next, Zhou Yu?" Zhou Yu just sighed.
Later Shun Shang Xiang arrived, "My Lady, What are you doing here." Lu Xun asked. She smiled at him, "I'm here to help." They all smiled and Zhou Yu informed them of Zhang He's disappearance. While he was talking, Zhang He came up the mountain. Lu Bu looked and looked again, "Isn't that Zhang He?" Sun Shang Xiang's head shot up, and smiled to herself. It was him.
When he arrived be bowed to Lu Bu and the others, "You'll never believe what has happened in there." He sat down, "Sun Ce is prisoner and his bodyguards are all dead. Soldiers with Black armor have captured the city." Lu Bu folded his arms around his chest, "it makes no sense. Why capture a city silently?" Lu Xun looked to the city, "It makes perfect sense, whoever is in that city still wants the leaders to think that Sun Ce is in control." Zhou Yu spoke, "Lu Xun is right. They don't want to fight Wu, Shu or Wei themselves so they make us fight each other and then our hidden enemy will take control of whoever wins." Lu Bu stood up, "This has become a deadly game, if they got to Sun Ce so quickly you have to wonder whose next."
