Gan Ning and the Imperial Seal Part III
Birds sang joyful melodies and fluttered about as Wei troops scoured the forest for any sign of enemy activity. Lu Xun had formed a plan to dispose of the small Wei force. It was at least 200 in number. It was time for Gan Ning to learn that strength isn't everything…
The Wei procession traveled through the woods on the main path. Their spears held up toward the sky as they marched. Cao Pi traveled at the head looking elegant as any general should on a white stallion. Cao Pi looked around the woods and listened to the peaceful chirping of the birds and every rhythmic composition that they sang, "ungh" a soldier had fallen down dead with an arrow in his back. One soldier screamed and they all started looking for the place the arrow came from. Suddenly arrows were flying down upon the Wei forces like hail. The Wei soldiers panicked and scattered. As the soldiers fled the Wu soldiers dropped from the trees on top of each Wei soldier and executed them with a quick slash.
Some Wei forces tried to retreat and they were met with a volley of arrows as they escaped through the tree line. Cao Pi had realized he had lost right when he saw all his guards fall dead. He escaped, but he had an arrow in his arm and he knew he had to get back and warn the Wei forces of this imminent danger they faced.
Lu Xun watched from a tree branch, "LET NO ONE LIVE!" Gan Ning looked on as he saw that Lu Xun wasn't as inexperienced and weak as he originally thought. Gan Ning watched Lu Xun's plan work out to perfection and he understood why Sun Quan had such an admiration for Lu Xun.
After the battle Gan Ning walked over to Lu Xun who was sitting against a tree deep in thought once again, "Nice work you did out there kid, I underestimated you"
"I would not lay blame on you for thinking that, I am young still and I haven't had much experience in actual battle"
"Yeah, so how many soldiers did we lose?"
"One" Lu Xun stared at the ground, his gaze fixed on a rock.
"Only one?" Gan Ning stared in amazement.
"Yes, he fell out of a tree while attempting to kill a Wei soldier" Lu Xun spoke with an almost eerie emotionless voice, "He still killed the soldier, luckily"
"What about Cao Pi?" Gan Ning inquired.
"He got away, barely. He will not be able to do much harm though. The nearest Wei base is at least a two days journey from here"
"Ok, good, we'll have some Shu reinforcements by then. So we continue our journey tomorrow morning for the Shu base!"