Ahh, the reason why the rest of them aren't at the meeting well is like, you'll see. XD;

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Disclaimer stuff: Yeah yeah Dynasty Warriors Koei

Chapter 21: Born a Wu, always a Wu.

Qing Wan felt uneasy during the whole meeting, even if the rest of the generals accepted the fact that she wasn't Hua Yi. Gan Ning would never accept the fact that she wasn't Cheng Qing Wan. In a way she was grateful that Gan Ning did not reveal her true identity…yet anyways. "As you see, Lord Lu Xun and I have prepared various traps around the borders of Shu and the city Wei is approaching in." Zhuge Liang was in the middle of explaining the plan, yet Qing Wan couldn't find the patience to listen. "Tomorrow, Lord Jiang Wei, Lord Zhao Yun, Lord Gan Ning and Lady Ji will be accompanying Lord Lu Xun in the front lines." Qing Wan could tell that Gan Ning must have been laughing inside him now, even if she denied the truth from Gan Ning, she could never hide it from Lu Xun. "If the frontlines do fail, which I have high hopes that it will not. Lord Liu Bei, Lord Sun Jian and I will be positioned near the capital of Wu. After all this was Cao Cao's purpose. If the plan succeeds, Cao Cao will withdraw his army from Shu and Wei borders."

"When do we head to the borders Prime Minister?" Jiang Wei asked after he was done explaining what each trap did and where it was placed.

"You three will accompany Lord Gan Ning tomorrow morning. Scouts have reported in that the Wei army will approach in approximately 4 days. It will take a day and a half to get there, and you all will need to rest up. We're counting on you Bo Yue."

"With you and Lord Lu Xun's brilliant plan, we are sure not to fail." Gan Ning stood up from his seat and slammed his hand on the table, the bells on his waist ringing uncontrollably.

"Let's get this over with already." He scratched his back; a few of the generals look at him astonished. "I'm sorry for being rude or anything, but my Lord Lu Xun," he glared at Qing Wan, "Is all alone right now, if Cao Cao does attack early."

"You're right," a general nodded, "We must be hasty. Bo Yue, Zi Long, Lady Ji, Lord Gan Ning. You should leave soon."

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." Zi Long placed the cup he was drinking out of down on the table, "Leaving in the middle of the night is too dangerous." He was referring to the ambushes that were laid out.

"Zi Long has his point." Zhuge Liang backed him up, "We must be hasty, but we must also think. You all will leave tomorrow morning."

"Bah." Gan Ning growled, "Is that all Prime Minister? If not I would like to get rest."

"That is all for the front lines to know about, you all can return if you wish." Was the reply from the tactician.

"Hmpf." Gan Ning grunted, he began to walk towards the door. Just as he passed by Qing Wan, he pretended to trip and pushed her forward. Qing Wan fell frontward from the impact of the man, spilling her tea along with Zhao Yun's.

"What was that for?" Zhao Yun got up from his seat angrily, Qing Wan pulled on his arm to make him sit down.

"I just bumped into her by accident." Gan Ning rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry." He said sarcastically.

"You get back here!" Zhao Yun threatened, but was pulled to sit down by both Jiang Wei and Qing Wan.

"It's okay, I don't mind." She whispered, stroking his back to calm him down. For the rest of the meeting Zhao Yun couldn't help but be furious at the previous act made by the Wu general.

"I wish you all good luck." Liu Bei stood up from his chair and walked over to the three. He held onto Qing Wan's hand and looked at her, "Lady Ji, thank you." He whispered before walking out with Zhuge Liang and others.

"Thank You?" Qing Wan said puzzled, Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun shrugged their shoulders.

"Bo Yue, Prime Minister would like to see you." Ma Chao stuck his head back into the room.

"Alright, I'm going to see what Prime Minister Zhuge needs, you two return to the Ma mansion first. I'll meet up with you soon." Saying their farewells, Zhao Yun led Qing Wan back to the stable where they got their horses and began their trip back to the home.

"Are you angry Zi Long?" Qing Wan suddenly asked, Zhao Yun ignored her question and continued to walk ahead of her. "Are you okay?" she yelled, catching up to him.

"I'm just angry that people from Wu could be like this." He replied coldly.

"You mean Lord Gan Ning?"

"He's so rude! I bet you all of Wu is like that."

"No, its just Lord Gan Ning is a pirate, it's just the way he is. He's a nice person."

"How would you know? You were just a bodyguard." He snapped.

"Zi Long…you're taking your personal affair into this…" she tried to remind him of the things he said earlier. Zhao Yun stopped his horse at the nearby temple that was located in between the royal castle and the other homes. Tying his horse onto the bridge he gently plopped onto the grass. Qing Wan also tied up her horse and stood beside him. "Zi Long…" she whispered crouching down.

"I know what I said, but I have my limits too. To just see a Wu soldier in Shu territory…"

"I know," Qing Wan folded her dress neatly so she could sit on the grass, "But it's been four years, don't you think you should let this go?"

"I try Qing Wan." He got up from the ground and walked forward, "You just don't understand how it feels…"

"How would you know?" she said quietly, "You always say Wu ruined your life but none of you ever had the proof. I mean, you guys were always guessing…"

"I was THERE FOR HER DEATH." He spun around, the once friendly Zhao Yun's eyes flared at the maiden. "You're just sticking for them because you were a Wu…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Qing Wan asked, jumping up from the ground.

"You'd never talk bad about a country you served, admit it."

"So? What if Wu did kill Hua Yi? Don't you think Shu already did enough harm 10 months ago?" she blurted out, "Never mind…I'm going back to Lord Ma's house. Do whatever you want here." Qing Wan shook her head in disappointment before walking back to her horse and riding away. Zhao Yun watched her horse gallop away until the guilt hit him, he nor Jiang Wei never knew too much about Qing Wan's past, and he's never seen her act so seriously.

"What happened 10 months ago?" he wondered, climbing onto his own horse to see if he could catch up to her.

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Qing Wan threw the reins at the Shu guard as she stomped her way into the backdoor of the Ma residence. "He doesn't know anything." She screamed, birds that were nesting quietly in the tree flew away from the sudden noise. She grabbed one of her daggers from her waist and slashed at the tree angrily, she had tried so hard these past months to forget about Lu Xun, about her past in Wu. Yet no matter how close she was, there was always something to remind her about home. "Maybe I was just born to be stuck as a Wu general." She gritted, using all her power she stabbed the dagger into the tree stump.

"Don't get so angry." She heard a familiar voice from the roof speak, Qing Wan darted up to see Gan Ning sitting on the roof, cleaning his sword.

"Xing Ba?" she said surprised, looking around her Qing Wan climbed up the tree and jumped onto the roof. Using her arms to balance, she found a safe spot and sat down beside Gan Ning. "What are you doing here?" she looked over at him.

"What am I doing here?" the Wu pirate raised his eyebrow at her. "What are YOU doing here?"

"That's not important." She replied, the two sat in silence for a bit. "So, how's everyone?"

"Everyone's doing fine now," he replied humming a tune after. "Oh, Xiao Qiao's pregnant now."

"She is?" Qing Wan turned to look at him nod softly, "Zhou Yu must be so happy…"

"You should have seen his face when he heard." Gan Ning raised his hands in the air and rested on his back, "It's brought less stress on him for sure now."

"That's good."

"But you know Xiao Qiao," he added, "She's so fussy all the time. Even Da Qiao gave up on her." Gan Ning tilted his head up and looked at her, "Maybe you should go home and fix her up?"

"I can't…"

"Why can't you?"

"I don't belong there anymore." She replied sadly.

"You don't belong? You always belong in Wu Qing Wan."

"Even if I do belong there, I don't think I can…"

"You know Lu Xun misses you a lot too."

"He has Er Ling…"

"He and Er Ling? They're nothing. Lu Xun doesn't even sleep in the same room as her! Qing Wan," Gan Ning sat back up, "He loves you."

"But I can't say I love him anymore."

"Qing Wan, when you rejected me the first time. You told me it was because Lu Xun was the only man you would love. Are you going back on that now?"

"Xing Ba, that was so long ago…"

"Yet not long enough for you to break your promise."

"You don't understand…"

"I don't understand? Qing Wan, I watched you and Lu Xun make kissy faces for the past who knows how long. I know how you feel, you feel isolated."

"Xing Ba…I'm sorry for hurting you…"

"Yes, it did hurt a lot I admit." He scratched his head, "But I didn't run away from the truth. I stayed there to protect you as a friend." He paused, "Qing Wan, don't hurt yourself or your family anymore. If no one else needs you remember Xiang Wan needs you." Qing Wan looked into his eyes, she could tell that both her and his eyes were beginning to tear up. "If you can't take the truth, I'll be there to support you." He added, "Even if I can't love you, I can still protect you."

"Xing Ba, I…can't go back. I can't face the truth, I don't want the old life anymore. I don't want to be Sun Jian's adopted daughter, I don't want to be Lu Xun's fiancé. I don't…" she stuttered, her breath getting heavy. "I don't want to be a Wu general anymore!" she screamed, burying her head into Gan Ning's shoulder. The pirate watched sadly as someone he cherished so dearly was in this state. He held her close to him lightly before he heard the grass rustling from under them.

"Qing Wan." He held her by the shoulders, "Someone's here, I can't stay any longer, but remember. Wu is your home at the end, you can't abandon them any longer. Face your fears, that's the only way you can get to the future." He smiled, Qing Wan stared at him with watery eyes as she watched him jump off the roof and run off with the horse that was tied to the tree under it. Qing Wan wiped the tears with her palm and prepared to walk back to the tree she climbed up on. Lifelessly she walked across the dark blue roof, and climbed down the scarred tree. Looking at the ground, she began to walk forward until she bumped into someone.

"Zi Long…" she gasped looking up to see an angered general.

"Qing Wan…or should I say Sun Jian's adopted daughter Sun Cheng Qing Wan?" he angrily retorted, throwing a piece of paper onto the ground.

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Weoooow. Eck, does this chapter seem weirdly written? For some reason I think it's odd.
Anyways, until next chapter! (Which might be uploaded by tonight if I'm not lazy). Thanks for the reviews! I wub you all X3.

XReika.