"Broaden the search." Yu said bluntly.

"But master Zhou Yu, we need the manpower to defend the castle if it gets attacked!" Ling Tong pleaded.

"I don't want to hear about what we need, we need a good strategist!" Yu growled.

"But we have you here sir, Lu Xun will surely return…" Tong continued.

"I don't think you get it! I don't know how much longer I'm going to be here! WE need Xun back!" Yu spat.

Ling Tong was about to say something when Yu cut him off. "That's an order!" Yu said.

Tong bowed. "Yes sir." He turned to leave.

Yu thought to himself. Where would Lu Xun go?

"Wait Ling Tong! Check The Shu Han main camp!" Yu called.

"The Shu Han main camp? Why would Xun be there?" Tong asked.

"He has a friend there…" Yu sighed.

---

Jiang Wei followed Sima Yi down the corridor. Soon they met Zhang He and coming out of Zhang Liao's room.

"Zhang He!" Sima Yi called. "Look at Jiang Wei's new attire!" Yi called.

He looked around, curiosity perked, and indeed his eyes lit up when he saw the robes.

"Oh! They are Beautiful!" He sang, examining the boy.

Wei relaxed a little. At least Zhang He liked his new uniform.

"Its very different isn't it." He smiled.

"Yes… not like my… Shu Han uniform…" Wei said.

At this, Sima Yi let out a Laugh. "Those tatters? Oh Jiang Wei, Zhuge Liang has been keeping you in shackles, I'm freeing you!"

Zhang He cleared his throat. "Speaking of freeing from shackles…" He said, holding up his hands so the chains on his wrists clinked together.

"Oops!" Yi said. He took Zhang He's wrist in hands and inspected the bonds.

"Well?" Zhang He asked.

"The blacksmith might be able to get them off, but they are good ones, we may need the key." Yi said.

Wei internally kicked himself again. He left the keys back at camp.

"I'm going for food, you want to join me?" Zhang He asked.

Jiang Wei quickly nodded. He was starving. He hadn't eaten in a long time.

"Ah, there's an eager boy! Good on you! The more you eat the stronger you become!" Yi mused, turning to whisper into Wei's ear. "Except in the case of Xu Zhu…"

Wei had to snigger. It seemed Yi did have a sense of humour after all.

They followed Zhang He down the corridor until they came to a large hall, full of officers eating.

Wei moved close to Sima Yi, afraid of what the other officers might think of him.

Yi sensed the boy's tension, resting his hand on Wei's shoulder. "Don't worry Wei, you'll be fine." Yi said.

Wei relaxed, it still rang alarms in his head when Yi touched him, but it still felt right.

Yi ushered the boy along, finding a spare table and sitting down. Zhang He sat down at Yi's right.

"Wei, sit down!" Yi said.

"Oh, sorry, " Wei said taking a seat at Yi's left. He watched the other officers eating, all faces he knew as enemies, and he felt uncomfortable.

Zhang He summoned a serving maid and talked to her a while.

Wei scanned the room intently, keeping as close to Yi as possible. He was sure the one eyed man was staring at him.

"Jiang Wei." Zhang He's call knocked Wei into reality.

"Hmm, oh sorry, Yes?" Wei said.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Oh… I guess I'll have whatever you are having." Wei said.

"Another Baozi, Rice and wine then." He said.

The serving maid nodded and left.

"Oh, Wine?" Jiang Wei muttered.

"What is it?" Yi asked.

"Zhuge Liang didn't let me have wine." Wei said.

Zhang He and Sima Yi turned to look at each other.

"He didn't let you have wine?" He said.

"That's ridiculous!" Yi laughed.

Wei looked embarrassed.

Yi saw that Wei was embarrassed and felt bad. "Well, its alright for you to drink it here, we won't be so cruel!" Yi said.

Wei looked down. Sima Yi was quite nice. "Alright… thanks." Wei said.

Yi smiled at the young boy, when a soldier entering the room caught his attention. The soldier nodded and Yi knew he was being summoned.

Yi stood up. "Sorry boys, I'll have to leave you to it, I'm being summoned."

"No problem." Zhan He said.

Wei looked worried.

"Zhang He, look after Wei, he's still al little nervous." Yi said.

He nodded as Yi left.

He shifted up his seat and sat next to Wei, looking down on him.

He laughed a little. "You might want to take off that mask to eat!"

---

Lu Xun lay quietly. A few hours ago, he thought but couldn't be sure, His captor had returned. They had walked in and Xun had expected more punishment, but none came, they just walked to the far side of the room, and there they stayed. There had been an odd noise since they arrived, a sound like the clinking of metal. He knew the sound from somewhere but couldn't place it.

Now he lay silently, trying to mute his breaths and listening to that sound…

Suddenly, he was startled by a new sound, a knocking. At this, his captor shifted, abandoning his work and heading away. It was a door knocking. Xun listened in silence as the door creaked open and two people began to talk. They were men, his captor and the newcomer, their voices in deep tones. They talked a while, Xun strained to hear what they were talking about. He only managed to catch the last few words.

"…He's right through here." One voice said. Then the footsteps resumed, this time doubled as there were now two, and they came closer and closer, the floor vibrating under him. The door creaked open again. Xun could hear the newcomer, a slight sigh of elation escaping him as he saw the boy.

"Yes, good work. This is the one!" The newcomer growled in a husky voice.

That voice…

He heard the newcomers shuffle, then felt warm fingers trace across his cheek. He lay dead still, terrified. The man's hand traced down his jaw, taking hold of him roughly under his chin and pulling his face upwards, Supposedly to where he could examine it more closely.

Xun could feel the man's warm breath on his face. He trembled with fear.

The man laughed bitterly, supposedly at seeing the boy tremble and dropped him, Standing up.

"Are we forgetting something?" The captor muttered.

"No, I haven't forgotten." The newcomer growled. There was a shuffling noise and then the newcomer emanated that same noise of metal clinking together. "I think this will cover it." The newcomer said.

The captor laughed. "Yes, this is ample payment."

Payment?

Xun suddenly remembered where he had heard the noise, from his younger days when his father used to count his money. It was the sound of Silver coins.

And Xun was suddenly full of dread.

Someone was buying him.

"He's all yours now." The captor muttered, his foot nudging Xun in the back.

The newcomer hummed a little. "Nice doing business with you." He growled.

"Need some help taking him out?" The captor asked.

"No, the boy can walk, why waste our energy." The newcomer growled.

Xun heard a rustling and felt hands clasp tightly around his feet, unbinding them.

"Stand!" The newcomer ordered.

Xun ignored him; he was far too weak to obey.

Xun heard the sigh of frustration emanate from the newcomer. He head some rustling, then felt a hand on his head, lifting him up, and felt the rope brush against his neck. The newcomer stood and the rope brushed closer. Xun soon realised that the man had bound it round his neck.

"Stand, or I'll MAKE you stand." The newcomer growled.

Xun trembled, pushing himself up, using every ounce of strength he had left to obey, fearing the penalty.

There was a satisfied laugh from the newcomer.

"There's a Good Boy!" The newcomer growled