Zhang Fei - Yìdé
Zhang Liao – Wényuǎn
Chen Gong – Gōngtái
Li Dian – Mànchéng
Guan Yu - Yúncháng
Xiaolian remained bone straight as Dun tended to her wounds. The white cloth he used to wipe the semi dried blood from her face was quickly stained a deep crimson as he worked. He was being gentle with her, but there was a terrible aura emanating from him. It scared her. It made her swallow every question she had about Zhuyue.
Xiaolian felt tired and generally miserable. Her mind felt fuzzy and her body ached. She wanted to sit down but she dared not move from her spot. Not just because she was afraid to upset him, but because this was the first time she had seen him in so long. She wanted to be near him because she wasn't sure just how long he would be around this time. There was a nagging voice in her head that told her he would be leaving again soon. Xiaolian pushed the annoying voice out of her mind and allowed her eyes to trail down to the front of his robes. She tried her best to ignore the blood splattered across his robes but her eyes kept flickering down to it. Was it his blood or was it the blood of the man that beat her? She wanted to ask but each time it rose up, her fear made her swallow the question back down her throat.
Xiahou Yuan watched the pair warily. By the time Xiahouji had found him, the incident was over. Xiaolian was slowly limping her way home, ragged and bloodied. When Yuan tried to ask her about what happened she remained as tight lipped as ever. When he tried to dress her wounds, she pushed him away and sat at the entrance to her home waiting for something. At the time, Yuan didn't know what exactly it was she was waiting for but once he saw Dun walking towards them he understood. Her father had returned. There was a mixture of relief and concern in this knowledge. Relief because he was worried for his brother when he disappeared after their loss at Wan castle and concern because he was covered in blood and was rather nonchalant about it.
He grew up with Dun and knew his brother well. Though he looked calm and collected as he knelt in front of his adopted daughter, tending to her wounds, Yuan knew that there was a storm brewing within his eyes. He was unhinged. He hadn't seen this Dun in years. The last time this Dun emerged was when he slew the man that had belittled his teacher. One might have thought that killing a man for bad mouthing one's master was overkill but there were two factors that tipped Dun over the edge. The first factor was that Dun and his master had been close. He managed to bring out a sense of calm within the young brash and angry Dun. This was a feat that not even his father could achieve. The second factor was that the man had decided to insult Dun's master on the day of his funeral. Dun had great respect for his master and looked up to him. He was broken up over the loss and he had a look very similar to the one he had now. He was ready to snap at anything and everything. The man was relentless in his admonishment of Dun's master. By the third insult, Dun had drawn his blade and cut the man in two. While it was an impressive feat for someone so young to pull off, it was murder, plain and simple and he would have been arrested had it not been for his father's influence.
Shan was disappointed in Dun's actions. Under his master's tutelage, Dun was becoming a better person, but he nearly threw all of that away just because someone insulted the man he admired. Shan gave him an earful but as he had prior to his master's interference, Dun let his father's words pass through him much like a gust of wind passing through the leaves on the branches of a tree. Shan knew he wasn't getting to him so he went for the one thing that he thought may have some impact.
"What would your master think of you if he had witnessed what you did today?"
That simple sentence hit Dun and it hit him hard. He finally realized that he himself had spit on the memory of the man he held in such high regard. He vowed from that day forward to do better and he had. He still had a short temper but as the years rolled on, he got better at controlling it. When that failed and blood needed to be spilled, he did so honorably. He gave the person a chance to defend themselves before he killed them and he always made it a quick death.
Zhuyue's death brought back the other Dun. Yuan could see it plainly even if others couldn't. He needed to talk to him. He needed to get his brother back to his old self before he did something that couldn't be taken back.
"Don't you think you should change before you do that?"
It was a lame start to a conversation but he couldn't think of anything else. Besides, he could see how nervous Xiaolian looked to be near Dun right now and it was probably a good idea to get her away from him, though he didn't believe for once second that he would ever purposely hurt her.
"No," was Dun's short reply.
Yuan mulled over his next question. There were so many things he wanted to know but he wasn't sure which question would set him off. It was obvious that any direct question about Zhuyue was off the table, but surely there could be something else he could ask to get the information he wanted.
"So, um...where were you all this time? I was sure you would have beaten us here. I was surprised when we got here before you."
Dun stilled his hands after hearing the question. Zhuyue's death ripped a hole within him. There was a pain within him that felt as if barbs had constricted itself around his heart. Whenever he stopped to think was when it was at its worse and Yuan just forced him to think, forced him to remember. She was gone so soon after they had sworn themselves to each other.
It wasn't just her death that wounded him. It was the way she died. She didn't die as a warrior. He could have taken that a bit better though it would have still hurt. No, she died saving someone else and if he knew the person the way he thought he knew the person, she most likely died saving him from his own stupidity. That wasn't any way for a woman like that to go. She deserved so much better.
He was angry at so many things and his anger just wanted to lash out at everyone and everything. He was angry at Ang for potentially causing her death. He was angry at Zhang Xiu for owning the castle and ordering the attack that took her life. He was angry at Jia Xu for his cowardly tactic that caused her death. He was angry at Cao Anmin for not staying with Zhuyue when she went to help Cao Ang. He was angry at Cao Cao for taking her with him into the castle which would become her tomb, and he was angry at himself. He was angry that he didn't go back into the castle to find her. He was angry that he allowed the fumes and fire to consume her without even the smallest effort to save her. He was angry that he allowed her to die alone.
He didn't want to think about this now. He could feel his rage boiling to the surface. He managed to quiet it earlier but already it was thirsting for revenge once more. He tried to distract himself by thinking of what Yuan had asked him. What was the question? Where had he been?
After Cao and his troops had packed up camp and fled, Dun stuck around. He had a feeling that Zhang Xiu would send men after Cao. Though he managed to fend off Xiu's attack, he had lost much in that battle. To Xiu, Cao was much like a wounded deer, prime for the kill. There was also the fact that Cao had abducted his strategist. Xiu was not keen to let him go and was not yet aware of the agreement they had come to. Xiu did not disappoint. He sent a contingent of fifty men to scout ahead of his main force. Their job was to assess Cao's forces and signal if they believed an attack would be an advantageous move. What they found was Xiahou Dun. Sitting patiently in path Cao's forces had just taking an hour ago, his sword drawn and rage thirsting for blood.
Fifty to one, that wasn't enough for Dun, but it would have to do. He slaughtered them mercilessly, letting his rage fly freely to dull the pain that continuously stabbed at his heart. The men who were once confident about their odds began to see that there was something very wrong with the person they were up against. They tried to flee but he didn't let them. The hunters quickly became the prey and he was much more unforgiving to the ones that tried to escape his fury.
By the time he was done, he stood amongst piles of corpses, his body drenched in the blood of his foes. For a fleeting moment, he thought that they probably had family too. They probably had wives home waiting for them, children that depended on them. With this thought in his mind, Dun let off a grim smile, happy that someone else gets to feel just an inkling of the pain that he felt.
Dun waited once more. He hoped that Xiu would be stupid enough to send more troops his way but since they didn't receive the signal of the scouting party, no more lambs came to the slaughter. Disappointed, Dun began his long trek home. He took his time in doing so in an effort to clear his thoughts and come to terms with his loss. He toyed with the idea of going back to Wan castle to try to find her body but he stopped himself from doing so. He imagined Zhuyue calling him an idiot for throwing his life away so frivolously when Xiaolian needed him. Xiaolian, he should be there for her, but he couldn't go back immediately with the way he felt at that moment. If he did, Ang would be the first to die and everyone else would have become potential enemies. After a week, he found an uneasy sense of peace within himself and headed back home.
The memory of the past week flitted through Dun's mind in the span of a few seconds though from his point of few, it felt much longer. Xiaolian looked at him quizzically and saw a clouded look over his eyes. He was looking in her direction but he wasn't staring at her. He was staring past her. She wasn't sure of what to do. Part of her wanted to reach out and hug him but she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do at the moment. His face shifted. It was a subtle change but she noticed it immediately. His expression had become pained. Whatever he was thinking about hurt him. The look on his face made up Xiaolian's mind for her. Before she could even think about what she was doing, her small arms wove themselves around his neck.
Her touch snapped Dun from his memory. His body reacted before his mind could catch up. He tensed instantly, ready to strike out at whatever dared touch him. His mind scolded him. It told him to stop giving into his baser instincts and to assess the situation before acting. So he did. He looked down and realized that the arms that wrapped itself around his neck belonged to his adopted daughter. He heard her soft sniffle and realized that she was crying. Slowly, he lifted his arms and hugged her back. He was so trapped in his own anger he forgot about her pain. Did she know what fate befell her mother? It was hard to say. He had to stop thinking about himself. He had to tend to this little girl who entrusted her life to him. Dun pulled away from her and wiped at one of the tears that streamed down her cheek with his thumb.
"Has anyone spoken to her?" Dun asked, turning his head to Yuan.
Yuan still wanted to know the answer to his last question, but he supposed that would have to wait for another time.
"We thought it would be best if you did it."
Xiaolian listened to the two men speak. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears nearly drowning the two of them out. She was right, something bad has happened. Something bad has happened to Zhuyue.
Dun nodded turned his attention back Xiaolian. He briefly debated on how he should tell her and decided that being blunt was the best way to go about it. He realized she was a child but they were in an age in which innocence was a liability. It was best she knew the truth of the world so that she was better prepared for it later. Besides, sugar coating it won't take the sting out of the loss, it will still hurt all the same.
Dun would not get to tell her the pitiful fate of Zhuyue however, as a servant burst into the room screaming for the attention of his lord.
"I tried to stop them! I tried!" The servant shouted.
Before Yuan could ask what he was talking about, several guards entered behind him.
"Lord Dun, we are sorry but we've...we've come to arrest you," the lead guard said.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Yuan asked.
"There are several witnesses that saw you with Lord Wenyan and his son...His family wants your head. I'm sure Lord Cao won't let it come to that once he hears what has happened but for appearances sake, we have to keep you imprisoned," The lead guard said softly. It was clear he was conflicted about his orders but he had a job to fulfill.
Yuan looked between Dun and the guard in confusion.
"Brother...what is he talking about?"
Dun ignored Yuan's question. He stood and faced the guard.
"I'll come on my own. Get out of my house. You're scaring my daughter."
Indeed Xiaolian had ducked behind Dun once the men entered the room, her hands grabbing onto the back of his robe unconcerned of the blood on it for the time being.
"We can't do that. Please just come with us."
"Get out or I'll throw you out," Dun growled. The other guards readied their weapons at the threat. The lead guard raised his hand to steady his men. He didn't want this to get out of control.
Yuan jumped in between them.
"I'll bring him! I swear it on my life. I will bring him. Just please leave. There is no way this will end well if you don't."
The guard hesitated before signaling his men to leave. He knew both men to be men of honor. Dun wouldn't run. If he said he would be there, he would be there. He cast one last glance to Dun and Yuan before exiting the home. Yuan waited until the men were gone.
"Brother, what did you do?"
"Doesn't matter; take care of Xiaolian while I'm gone."
Yuan grabbed Dun's arm to prevent him from walking away. Dun looked at the hand with a mixture of annoyance and anger but Yuan refused to let go.
"Xiaolian, listen to your uncle while I'm gone. Don't give him any trouble."
Xiaolian didn't respond but she didn't need to. Dun knew she would obey him. He yanked his arm out of Yuan's grasp and exited the room.
Yuan wanted to scream out in frustration but reined it in due to Xiaolian's presence. She looked at him with a frown on her face. Poor kid went through entirely too much tonight, he thought.
"Um, you should probably wash up. You can do that on your own right? Please tell me you know how to do that on your own."
She nodded and obediently left the room to follow his orders. This was a stark contrast to her behavior earlier. Yuan thought of his parents. He was suddenly grateful they went off to tend to the details of Zhuyue's funeral. With Dun's absence and Zhuyue's lack of family, they took it upon themselves to ensure that she would get a proper ceremony to help her reach the heavens. She wasn't their child for very long but she was their child all the same. Yuan pulled the servant who still cowered in the corner to the side and instructed him to fetch his wife. He needed someone to watch over Xiaolian while he went to tell Cao Cao just how screwed up things had gotten.
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"Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha! This is good stuff!" Zhang Fei exclaimed loudly after finishing off his tenth cup of wine or was it the eleventh? He was drinking them so fast it was hard to keep count. His face with flushed and his eyes were glassed over. It was clear to anyone who saw him that he drunk or at least well on his way to being drunk, but this knowledge wouldn't slow him down in the least.
Zhang Liao nodded politely as he nursed his third cup. He took a sip as to not raise any suspicions from Fei. Unlike his drinking partner, he had no desire to get piss drunk.
"Yes, yes! Please have some more!" Chen Gong said as he filled Fei's cup once more.
"Ahahahaha! Don't mind if I do!" Fei replied as he accepted the offering.
"You know, I always thought you were a slimy bastard, but you don't seem all that bad and you have good wine too!" Fei continued just before he drained his cup once more. He let out sigh on contentment before wiping his mouth with the back of hand.
Gong's eye twitched at the insult but he didn't respond to it. Instead, he filled his cup once more. What Fei didn't know is that he just gave Gong the perfect opening and he was going to enjoy playing him like a guqin.
"I know exactly what you mean, my lord. You seem like a good person. I don't know what Cao Bao was talking about."
Fei who was about to take a drink of his freshly filled cup paused his hand and eyed Gong.
"What are you talking about?" Fei asked.
"Oh..," Gong said as he covered his mouth, giving off the pretense that he just had a severe slip of tongue . "I shouldn't have said anything," he said from behind his hand. "Please ignore what I said."
"No," Fei responded now placing the cup down. "Tell me what you are talking about."
Gong lowered his head taking on a contrite appearance. "My intention was not to cause any strife between the two of you."
"Whatever strife there is was already there. Now delay no longer. Tell me what he said."
There was an edge to Fei's voice that was unmistakable. Gong had to stop himself from smiling. He was already hooked, time to reel him in. Maintaining his contrite persona, he began to spin his lie to Fei's awaiting ears.
"Well...Cao Bao has spoken with us extensively about you and your brothers. He apparently does not like Master Bei's leadership. He thinks he is ill equipped to manage Xu Province. Actually, the same morning Master Bei left, he asked Master Lu Bu to defect with him to Lord Cao Cao. Master Lu Bu refused of course. He is much too fond of Master Bei to betray him, especially after he saved our lives."
Zhang Liao kept his eye on Fei as Gong spoke. To his amazement, Fei's cheeks became even more flushed, though Liao figured that it was from anger rather than his inebriation. He was gripping the cup he held in his right hand tightly now. Liao was surprised that he hadn't completely broken the cup at this point. It seems he had bought into Gong's lie. Liao wasn't fond of resorting to such tricks. If he had to be honest with himself, he didn't like this plan, period. Liu Bei opened his home to them and they were going to repay him by stabbing him in the back? It left a bad taste in his mouth, but since he swore loyalty to Lu Bu, all he could do was swallow his discontent.
"Cao Bao said this?" Fei grounded out between clenched teeth.
"He did,"
"Is this true, Wényuǎn?" Fei asked looking to Zhang Liao for confirmation.
This is what Gong bought him for. As Gong so aptly put it, he would was there to plant the lie, but it would be Liao that would be the one to help it flourish. Liao gave the smallest of nods in agreement though his stomach twisted as he did so.
Fei drained his cup once more. When he was finished, he slammed it against the table, this time succeeding in smashing it.
"You did well to tell me this," Fei said as he stood. He grabbed his double pike and gave the two men a sloppy salute before storming off. Gong watched him go, finally allowing himself a wide grin satisfied of his achievement.
"Fools like that make manipulation so easy it almost takes all the fun out of it…almost."
"I'm glad you are so pleased with yourself. Shouldn't we follow him to make sure he follows through?" Liao asked.
Gong gave him an exaggerated sigh in response. "You however do take the fun out of everything, Wényuǎn. No, there is no reason to follow him. Zhang Fei isn't exactly known as subtle. The results of his confrontation with Cao Bao will be as loud as he is."
"Very well. In that case, I will take my leave."
"And where are you off in such a hurry?" Gong asked.
"I am going to see Lingqi."
"Oh? And why are you doing that?" Gong asked with a smile. There was something about that smile that Liao didn't like. It was dirty and seemed to imply something that wasn't there; something lewd. The very implication made Liao furious.
"Tread carefully, Gōngtái," Liao replied.
"It is merely a question. An innocent little question. Why get so angry?"
Liao took a moment to calm himself. Gong was baiting him and he refused to allow it. He would not be a source of entertainment for him.
"It is ineffective to have to continually save Lingqi and her mother after something goes wrong. It would be best if we prepare them in case the worse comes to pass."
"You have such little faith in our plan, Wényuǎn. There is no way this plan will fail."
"I simply prefer to be prepared for all possibilities."
"Go on then, tend to our little princess. I have my own tasks to tend to. If Fei is the person I think he is, we do not have much time. We need to be ready to move when the time is right."
Liao left the room. Gong noted that he didn't salute him as he normally would but he took no offense. He knew he had pushed the man's buttons. He was far too entertaining to mess with. His uptight demeanor just made it too easy. A smile still on his face, Gong went off to update Lu Bu on their progress and prepare for the seizure of Xiapi.
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Zhang Fei stalked through Xiapi with a purpose. The alcohol he consumed earlier was still coursing through his veins leaving a fuzzy warmth within him as well as emboldening his aggression. He knew that bastard Cao Bao couldn't be trusted. He would show him the consequences of attempting to betray his brother. There was a righteous vengeance coursing through him and it wouldn't be sated until Cao Bao's blood wet the blade of his double pike.
Fei arrived at Bao's home. He was greeted by a servant who politely asked the nature of his visit. Fei shoved the servant aside and barged into the home.
"Cao Bao! Show yourself!"
Responding to his call were several servants who implored that Fei leave immediately. Fei responded by slamming his fist into the face of the closest servant. Aghast, the others ran to their fallen comrade and dragged him out of Fei's range.
"Get your master out here or I'll be the shit out of all of you!" Fei roared.
One of the servants ran off to fetch their master as commanded but it was unnecessary as he was already on his way, roused from tending his garden by Fei's boisterous entrance.
"Yìdé, what is the meaning of this!?" Bao demanded. He was incensed by Fei's audacity. He has gone too far this time.
Fei took a few menacing steps towards Bao. His hand clutched his double pike tightly. Bao's eyes flickered to it. Had he gone crazy? What was his intention in coming to his home armed? Bao's wife had followed him to the source of the commotion.
"Lord husband?" she called out. Her voice was soft but he could hear the fear in it. It seems she noticed it too. There was a murderous intention rolling off of Fei. Bao raised his hand to stop her approach to his side. She stopped in her tracks at seeing his hand.
"It'll be fine, my love. Go back."
Hesitantly, she took a few steps but she did not leave the room. Her fear would not allow her to. Fear for her husband against this brutish man who charged into their home armed.
"You've gone too far! I knew you were a traitor! You tried to betray my brother and now your life is forfeit. Will you be a man and face me in combat or do I have to strike you down like the coward you are?!"
Bao recoiled as Fei's alcohol laced breath hit him. The man was drunk and sprouting nonsense.
"I have no idea what you are talking about! I have been loyal to Lord Bei just as I have with Lord Qian. I was one of the people who advocated for him to take over after Lord Qian's demise! Why do you thi-"
"Shut up! I will hear no more of your lies! I give you one last chance! Draw your weapon or be struck down!" Fei roared.
Bao realized quickly that there was no talking to Fei while he was in this state. If Bei were here, he would have been able to control his brother but with his absence, there was nothing to stop him. Bao suddenly became keenly aware of how much danger he was in. Fei truly meant to end his life. Bao considered facing him in combat. While he was competent with a sword, he knew that his skills paled in comparison to Fei's. It would be the same as him not putting up a fight at all. He had to run. He needed to get away from this maniac.
Bao began to take a few steps backward. He tried to move slowly as to not alert Fei but it didn't work. Fei noticed immediately what he was trying to do and reacted.
To Bao's wife, everything around her seemed to slow down. The incident took no more than a few seconds but for her it seemed to stretched on for hours. Her husband tried to put distance between himself and the mad man that had broken into their home. He moved slowly, perhaps in her opinion too slowly. At the second step, Zhang Fei sprang to life and with a guttural roar, he brought his double pike above his head and down onto her husband. The blade from his pike bit into her husband's neck. A fountain of blood sprang out as it severed the veins there. Her husband let out a sound she never heard him make before. It would be the last sound she would ever hear him make. His body wobbled for a few seconds before falling in a heap at her feet, her husband's vacant eyes staring up at her.
Satisfied with his kill, Fei looked down at the now dead body of Cao Bao. Bao's wife let out an ear piercing scream before passing out, falling next to her husband. Fei spat at Bao's body. This would be a lesson to any who dared to betray his brother. Fei turned to leave the way he came. This time the servants did not block his way. In fact they made an effort to move out of his way as he passed. He could see that several of their faces were frozen in shock and he could hear soft sobs coming from some of them. How foolish to mourn such an evil man. It didn't matter to him, justice was served and for that he believed he deserved a drink.
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"Idiots, all of them..." Yuan Shao lamented before taking another deep drink from his cup.
Liu Bei shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Shao had invited Bei to dinner. He originally thought it was a sign that Shao had begun to respect him but it seems he only wanted an ear to vent to. He began the evening by berating his estranged brother and went on to include virtually everyone he knew. Was this truly the face of the Han? He was more like a child than an honorable warrior.
"I am certain there are some who fight under you that is worthy of your praise," said Bei softly.
"Bah! You know nothing. You don't know the irritation I have to deal with on a daily basis," Shao groused.
Things had gone from bad to worse since he and his brother had split allegiances. Several of his generals had decided that Shu was right about Shao and chose to side with him. His brother wasted no time in attacking him unrelentingly. Though Shao was able to fend off the attacks his brother refused to be daunted in his assaults. The constant attacks were beginning to take a toll on Shao's finances.
"You shouldn't speak of your allies in such a way," said Bei. Shao's scathing tongue was getting under his skin. This man spoke of his allies in such a deplorable way. He understood that he was jaded due to several of his generals leaving him for his brother, but what of the ones that stayed? Did they not deserve his respect? If he hadn't given his word to Shao that he would fight on his behalf, he have walked right out and left this petty little man alone.
Shao didn't seem to notice Bei's irritation. He waved a dismissive hand and took another drink from his cup that his servant had so helpfully refilled.
"You are right. We shouldn't waste our time speaking about such failures. We should focus on the battle ahead..."
'That isn't what I was saying at all!' Bei thought angrily. He held his tongue knowing his words would fall on deaf ears.
"I do hope you serve me better than your predecessor," Shao continued.
"Predecessor, my lord?" Bei asked. It was a wonder he was able to speak to Shao in such a respectful tone despite his obvious irritation.
"Yes. That idiot, Tao Qian. I handed him Cao Cao on a platter! But could he finish the job? No!"
"What do you mean handed him Cao Cao on a platter?" Bei asked. Though he spoke the words, his mind wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. He had a sickening feeling that the answer would be something he didn't want to know.
"You certainly don't think he was smart enough to come up with luring Cao into battle by killing his father on his own do you? No, no, no. He's far too weak willed and indecisive for such a cunning plan. I'm honestly surprised he didn't manage to botch setting up the bait!" said Shao.
Had he not been inebriated, he might have thought twice about telling such a damning secret, but the intoxicating drink that flowed through his system had removed all inhibitions and his words flowed like a piece of driftwood being forced toward a waterfall's edge. There was no stopping his honesty and while he was busy patting himself on the back for his cleverness, Bei was having in inward crisis on his role in helping Tao Qian whom swore to him that he was innocent in everything that Cao accused him of.
"But despite my meticulous planning, Qian couldn't finish the job. Had it not been for your interference, he would have lost that battle," Shao continued. He blew out a breath of air in a mix of exasperation and frustration.
"Oh well, Qian's stupidity turned out to be your gain. I hope you prove to be more useful than he," Shao finished. He waved the servant over to refill his drink.
Bei needed to leave. He wanted to be anywhere but in this man's presence at the moment. He stood slowly. He didn't want to bring attention to himself by standing up too quickly despite his desire to run out of the room. He gave an awkward halfhearted bow.
"I thank you for your hospitality but I must prepare to set out to battle tomorrow," Bei said stiffly. Shao waved his hand dismissively once more, already having grown tired of Bei's company.
"Go then. Try not to disappoint me. I can be a powerful friend to those who serve well."
Bei saluted him but he didn't say anything further. He didn't trust himself to. He left Shao's presence, the conversation they just had replaying in his head over and over. Qian had lied to him. He looked him right in the eyes and lied to him. How could he have been so stupid? It might be because it was easy to cast Cao Cao in the role of the villain. Truth be told, Bei didn't really like Cao. He still remembered Cao's shameful words during the coalition against Dong Zhou. Cao told him that his ideals were lofty and wouldn't win battles. It was a clever way of calling him weak. Those words stuck with Bei long after the battle ended. He became resolute to show Cao and people like him that you do not have to abandon your morals in order to save this land.
When he heard that Qian was being attacked by Cao, he automatically thought that Cao was had once again resorted to his thuggish tactics. It didn't cross his mind even once that Cao may be in the right. Qian had looked him in the eyes and earnestly told him that he was innocent and that was enough for Bei. To hear now that it was all a lie troubled him. What did this say about him and his so called justice?
"Brother?" Bei jumped slightly at hearing the word so caught up within his own thoughts. He looked up to see Guan Yu staring at him with concern. He forced a smile, wanting to quell his sworn brother's concerns but he could tell from the frown on Yu's face that it did not work.
"What's wrong? What did Shao say?"
Yu wasted no time in trying to get to the heart of the matter. He could tell from the dazed look on his brother's face that something was not quite right. Bei had a decision to make. He could tell his brother the truth. Reveal the awful reality that Shao had laid before him or he could lie. He could keep the secret to himself and pretend to be blissfully ignorant of the treachery that two men he once respected had committed. It almost seemed like a silly choice. Lie to his adopted brother? For what purpose? He wouldn't judge him. When they made that oath in the peach garden, it was a promise of solidarity. It was a promise that they would help each other shoulder any burden. Bei knew this in his heart, but something made him still his tongue. Later when he would think about what it was that stopped him from revealing the truth, he would realize it was his foolish pride. His pride wouldn't admit that perhaps his ideals needed to be reevaluated. It didn't want to admit that his lofty ideals of honor, kindness and morals may not apply in this age. He didn't want to admit that Cao Cao may have been right. So instead of telling his sworn brother the truth, he would keep it to himself, hold fast to his sense of honor and prove that they aren't just foolish lofty ideals.
Bei smiled at his brother and hoped that it was more convincing than his previous one. "It is nothing of real import. After speaking with Lord Shao, I do not think he is someone we will be able to rely on. He seems too caught up in his own affairs to be of any help to anyone else."
Yu studied his face for a few moments. Bei felt as if he was searching for any traces of deceit. Seemingly satisfied, Yu nodded and crossed his arms across his chest.
"I expected something like that. From what I hear, Yuan Shu has been attacking him furiously since they declared war on each other. I hate to say it, but Yìdé may have been right. We should have stayed out of this battle. We stand to lose much and gain nothing in return."
"I am beginning to think the same, but we have already given our word. It is too late to turn back now. Perhaps if we help Lord Shao weather the storm of this battle, when things are better for him, he will remember us when we are in need of aid."
Yu gave his sworn brother a warm smile. "You have an honor within you, brother that is rarely seen in this age. You give me hope that the future of this world will one day be bright again."
Yu's words were meant as a compliment to Bei but they stung. The secret he kept locked away had already begun to eat at him. Where was the honor in keeping such a critical secret? He would never reveal the truth to Cao Cao. He would never give him the peace of mind to know that his assumptions were correct; Tao Qian truly was the man who viciously murdered those of his bloodline all on the orders of Yuan Shao. This is a secret that his foolish pride would force him to keep until he drew his last breath and he felt nothing but shame because of it.
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Zhuyue was stirred from her sleep by rays of sun which filtered through the open window. Wait, open window? She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. Her hand flew to the throbbing arrow wound on her side and found it wrapped in a fresh bandage. At this point, her mind was now fully alert. What was going on? She found it hard to remember the last thing that happened. It wasn't important now, what was important was that she figures out where she was and if she was in danger.
She threw off the blanket that was draped onto her and tried to stand. Her body felt so heavy that it took all her energy just to throw her legs over the side of the bed. She sat at its edge winded when she heard something stirring from the other room. She quickly dug into her robe for a dagger but realized that she wasn't wearing the oversized red robe she had gotten from the Wu. She was dressed in a drab peasant's garb and her armor was no where to be found.
Zhuyue's head snapped up just as an older woman walked into the room. She wore a warm smile as she entered causing the crow's feet at the corner of her eyes to be more noticeable. She tucked a strand of her shoulder length graying hair behind her ear before folding her hands in front of her.
"Oh, my dear you are finally awake!"
Zhuyue eyed her with a mixture of confusion and suspicion, unsure what to make of this situation.
The woman seemed to sense this and gave her a warm laugh. "It must be strange, waking up in some random woman's home, but I think it is a bit better than where I found you."
"Found me?" Zhuyue croaked out. Her voice was dry and felt as if it hadn't been used for days. She swallowed several in an effort to lubricate her throat and cleared it once she felt a bit better.
"Oh yes, in the forest not too far from here, by the stream. I sometimes go to the forest to forage for herbs. There is a good selection there and my father showed me a bit about basic healing herbs. I like to keep some on hand in case of emergencies. I asked some of the boys from the village to help bring you to my home and well that's about everything."
Zhuyue listened in silence, some of fog that surrounded her own memory cleared as she did. She vaguely remembered entering a forest. At the time, she just wanted to put as much distance between her and the warriors of Wu as possible. She couldn't remember stopping by a stream. Her memory of what happened after entering the forest was extremely fuzzy.
"Where are we?"
"A little town not far from Shouchun," she replied.
Shouchun? Wasn't that in Yang province? So she was no longer in Jing? She had no idea she traveled so far. The good news was she was out of Jing province and she doubted Wu would find her here. The bad news was that while Yu was one of the neighboring provinces, she was pretty far away from it. It would take her a while to get back home, especially if she was going on foot. She would need transportation if she hoped to get back home quickly.
"How long have I been here?"
"Oh, it must have been about three days. Or maybe it may have been four. It gets hard to keep track of days when you get to be my age. You are a strong young lady to fight as hard as you did, though I wouldn't suggest taking any more naps in the middle of the forest."
The woman let out a laugh at her own joke. Zhuyue did not join in. She knew it wasn't at her expense but she didn't find the situation funny. Unconscious for three or four days? Her concern wasn't for herself but for Xiaolian and Dun. They had no way of knowing that she was still alive. She had to get back to them.
So wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't even realize that the woman had began speaking again until she touched her shoulder. Zhuyue jumped at the contact as it was completely unexpected.
"In your own head there huh, dear? Well I guess it is a lot to take in. You should get some rest."
"I can't. Thank you for your help, but I have to get back home." Zhuyue stood and promptly fell back onto the bed, her legs unable to support the sudden shift in weight.
"You aren't in any position to go anywhere. You need to get your energy back first."
Zhuyue sighed. "I suppose I have no choice. I am sorry to impose on you the way that I have. I owe you a great debt. I swear that I will repay it when I am well."
"Think nothing of it dear. I only did what anyone else would do."
"I'm not so sure about that, still I am grateful. Will you tell me your name?"
"Oh! Look at me. I've spoken so much but I haven't even told you something as simple as my name. I'm so sorry, you can call me Madame Xu and what can I call you?"
"Yue," she replied, opting to use her married name instead of her birth one. It was odd to her that her married name was the one to come out before her original. Perhaps it was a testament to just how much she missed her family.
"Well it is a pleasure to meet you properly at last, Yue. I imagine you must be starving. Let me fix you something to eat."
"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to do that."
"Hush now! You are my guest and I intend on treating you like one."
Zhuyue lips finally quirked up into a small smile. She really was a kind woman. It was hard to not like her.
"Thank you, Madam Xu. I swear I will repay your kindness."
"I told you not to worry about such things. I am only happy to help. It is so nice to have some company! Ever since my son left, I've been so lonely."
"Your son?"
"Yes, Shan Fu. He is skilled with a sword and wanted to make a better life for us so he went to join the war…" she gave a soft chuckle and shook her head. "Though it seems he has decided to make his mark in the war with his mind rather than with his blade."
"With his mind? You mean he wishes to become a strategist?"
She nodded. "He hasn't been able to make a name for himself just yet but I believe in him. Even though he barely has enough to support himself, he still manages to send me what he can. He's such a sweet boy."
Zhuyue smiled. It was obvious that she loved her son. It was sweet to hear. She sincerely hoped that he would grow up to make her proud. Hearing this woman speak about her son made her think about Xiaolian. She hoped that she was okay. Zhuyue knew that she would be safe with Dun and their family but she couldn't help but worry about her. She needed to get better as soon as possible and find a way home.
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Dun saw Zhuyue standing in their garden under the plum trees with her back towards him. She was speaking to a smiling Xiaolian. He couldn't hear what they were saying but it didn't matter. He walked over to them and put his arms around her waist, pulling her body flush against his. Zhuyue let out a contented sigh at his touch. Xiaolian disappeared. A small portion of his mind wondered where she had gone off to, but he was distracted by the woman in front of him. The woman he had thought was dead.
She turned around in his arms and threw her own over his neck. She smiled up at him. She had such a beautiful smile. He didn't realize just how beautiful until this very moment. Dun nuzzled her neck, happy to feel her touch once more. He inhaled deeply, content with getting drunk off of her scent.
"I missed you," he murmured.
"I'm here now," she responded.
He held her tighter, afraid that if he let her go he would lose her forever.
"Something's wrong…" Zhuyue said suddenly. The alarm in her voice worried him.
Dun pulled back to look at her and he could see fear on her face.
"Something is wrong with me. I feel hot. I feel so hot."
Zhuyue shoved him away and began to claw at her clothing, desperate to get it off of her. She started to scream and each time Dun tried to grab for her, she moved further away.
"Help me! Help me!" she screamed. As boils began to appear on the parts of her flesh that were exposed. Dun felt utterly powerless to help her. He didn't understand what was happening to her.
Her screams got louder as the boils began to burst. Instead of blood and pus coming from the popped boils, fire spewed out and spread across her body until she was completely consumed in flame. Dun was frozen, unable to do anything as he watched her burn to death.
"Why didn't you help me? Why did you leave me?" She screamed at him as she burned.
"I wouldn't have been able to save you…" Dun replied.
It was the truth and it was time he admitted it. He wanted to go save her, but he knew that doing so would have meant his death as well as hers and if he knew Zhuyue the way he believed he did, she wouldn't have wanted that. She was gone and he would always remember and love her. There would never be another woman that would replace her in his heart but he still had a life to live. The way he has been in the last few days, it was shameful. He had to be better than this for Zhuyue, for Xiaolian and for himself.
The sound of voices pulled him from his nightmare. Dun opened his eyes and scanned the room. The small candle he was given illuminated enough of the room to remind him that he was still in a cell. He sat amongst the hay carpeting the cell floor with his back against the wall. The voices that stirred him from his slumber must have been that of the other prisoners in other cells.
Dun looked up at the small barred window to see that night had fallen. He had no idea what time it was nor did it really matter to him. He remembered feeling extremely tired after arriving in the cell. He wasn't that surprised as he hadn't slept well since Wan castle. He thought briefly back to his nightmare. He could remember it with startling clarity as it was the same one he had had since she had died though this time it had ended differently than normal. He knew it would be the last time he would have that dream. The revelation he had bought him a measure of peace.
The sound of a chain being shaken made him shift his attention from the window to his cell door. The wooden door open and Yuan stepped in, holding a lantern in front of him. He was followed by Cao Cao who asked the guard to leave them alone for a few minutes. The guard complied. The three men stared at each other in silence. It was Yuan who spoke first.
"Brother…you okay?"
"I'll be better when I'm out of here," he responded.
"Would you truly?" Cao asked. "Does this mean we won't have to worry about you murdering any more of our citizens?"
"I didn't murder anyone. It was a duel, he lost."
"And his son? Did you duel that child as well."
No, Dun hadn't dueled the son. When Dun dragged his father out of the gates of Xuchang, the boy followed. His father told him to leave but he wouldn't listen. He watched his father beg for forgiveness from Dun and he heard Dun repeatedly tell him to pick up his sword. He watched his father whom he thought the world of fight poorly against a man of much greater skill. He watched as he was easily defeated in less than a minute. It was a quick and clean kill. The boy saw Dun walking away, leaving him to grieve over his father's dead body. His emotions got the better of him and he took up his father's sword and tried to attack Dun from behind. Dun's frowning face was the last thing he ever saw.
Could Dun have just simply disarmed the boy? Of course; He didn't have to kill him. The boy was even less of a challenge to him than his father. So why did he kill him? It was because he saw the pain his father's death caused him. He knew what he did to Xiaolian earlier and he knew that he would carry that grudge with him. When Dun wasn't around it would be Xiaolian who would have to pay the cost and he refused to lose anyone else. So he took that boys life without hesitation and if you gave him the choice again, he would make the same one. The only thing he regrets is not going to finish off the entire family. That was the lengths he was willing to go through to protect Xiaolian.
"The kid attacked me. I defended myself."
Cao and Yuan looked at each other. They both knew that the kid couldn't have posed a threat to Dun. He had another reason for killing that kid, one that he didn't feel like discussing.
"As you know, their family has a noble lineage. They went straight to the emperor with their complaints. I had to hear him whine about justice for them which delayed me in getting to you."
Dun didn't reply so Cao continued.
"But a few taels of silver loosened the lips of the wife. It seems the man you killed was a loyalist of Yuan Shu. He was to act as an insider for a future invasion once he rid himself of his brother. She kindly even provided proof of her accusations. The argument that your actions were on behalf of protecting the emperor and myself was easy to make after that."
"The accusers are now the accused and you are free to go…but before you do, I must ask again…Do we truly not have to worry about you killing anyone that is not an enemy anymore? I will speak plainly, cousin. You are angry. You have every right to be and I will not try to deny you of your anger. I know some of that anger is directed at my son because you know as well as I that it was possibly his stupidity that caused whatever happened to Zhuyue to happen. Still he is my son. If you have any anger, direct it at me. Not at him. I have buried enough children. I don't wish to bury anymore. Don't make me have to choose between the both of you…please."
Dun stood and stretched, waking up his stiffened muscles.
"I won't be the one to kill your idiot son," Dun replied once he was finished.
Cao studied him in an attempt to gauge the sincerity of his words. Seemingly satisfied he nodded.
Yuan smiled and put himself between the two men, throwing an arm around both of them.
"There we go. We'll get past this."
Dun shook his brother's arm off of him. He wasn't in the mood for camaraderie at the moment. His immediate want was to get out of this cell and get back home. Cao also removed Yuan's arm from around his shoulder, albeit a bit kinder than Dun had. His loss at Wan still affected him. His arrogance cost him much and he would have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his days. He had to do better than this. His ambition demanded it. The people that relied on him and followed him demanded it.
An uneasy silence fell over the trio as they headed out of the jail. Once outside, they were greeted by Ang. Dun looked at Cao and Yuan and could tell immediately that they already knew he was there. They planned this. They intended on testing him on that promise so soon? He felt his anger boil up but he stamped it down.
"I…there are no words I can say to ap-" Ang began but was silenced by Dun's fist hitting his face. The blow was unexpected. Ang's head snapped back quickly and he was knocked out cold. Yuan let out an odd sound which was a mix of surprise and a choked laugh. Cao sighed heavily and folded his arms across his chest, he eyed Dun who shrugged.
"He's still breathing, isn't he?" With that, he walked away leaving Yuan and Cao to carry the unconscious Ang home.
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Xiapi devolved into utter chaos. It didn't take long for news of Cao Bao's murder to get out. His wife ran into the street after regaining consciousness crying out for help. She told anyone who listened of what transpired. The people, who had known Cao Bao for the years during Tao Qian's rule, were shocked and angered by Fei's actions. They demanded justice.
Fei who had chosen to drink more after the deed was done and was well past the realm of rational thought at this point, ignored their cries figuring that they would quiet down eventually. But the people did not quiet down; they only got louder and angrier. They wanted justice for Cao Bao and as Gong predicted, they turned to the one man they knew would mete out that justice.
It was Bao's wife who approached Lu Bu, backed by dozens of citizens who wanted justice for the fallen chancellor. With red eyes and wet cheeks she dropped to her knees and begged that he make Fei pay. Bu swore that he would, but only if they swore allegiance to him. Their emotions clouded their rational thought. They readily swore without considering the consequences.
With the backing of the people, Bu launched his take over of Xiapi. His soldiers, who had been waiting in the shadows struck out, taking down the forces Bei had left behind before they even realized what was going on.
The battle was over before it truly began and Fei quickly found himself with only a small contingent of troops in Xiapi castle with Lu Bu's forces closing in on him. He didn't understand what was happening. Why had the people turned on him? Didn't they realize that he fought to protect his brother? Why did they side with that villain?
The troops that stood with him begged him to flee. He refused. Why should he run when he did nothing wrong? That bastard Lu Bu betrayed them as he assumed he would. It was probably part of Cao Bao's plan all along. He needed to hold Xiapi for his brother. He couldn't leave now.
Bu's forces cut through those guarding the gates with ease. It was clear that they weren't going to win this battle. Again the troops begged Fei to flee and begrudgingly he heeded their cries. He needed to survive. He needed to tell his brother of the treachery of Cao Bao and Lu Bu. So flee he did, leaving his men to die in his stead. He felt like a coward in doing so and vowed that he would avenge their deaths and pay Lu Bu back for his betrayal.
The battle for Xiapi was over in a few days. The people hailed Lu Bu as their savior as he stood at the steps of Xiapi castle. He looked over at the crowd that cheered his name. This is where he will begin again. This is where he will truly start his campaign to show the world that strength and strength alone is what is needed to rule this land.
"Do you hear them, Master Lu Bu? Do you hear them cheer your name?" Gong asked as he gestured toward the crowd.
"This is just the beginning. This is what history will remember as the moment in which we began our conquest! No longer will we be forced to flee. Here is where we shall make our stand. Here is where we will make our mark on the land. Trust in me! Trust in me and I will guide you to countless victories until the whole world cries your name!" Gong finished, throwing his arms up to the heavens as if making the declaration to it as much as he was to Lu Bu.
"Hmph," was Bu's only reply. If it seemed as if he wasn't enthusiastic about Gong's declaration that couldn't have been further from the truth. In fact, he was pleased. Having the whole world cry his name? Yes, that was something he could get behind. All would know the name of Lu Bu. The greatest warrior in the land.
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Zhuyue made her way back where she had been staying disgruntled. Using Madame Xu's directions, she attempted to retrace her steps back to the area where she was found. She hoped to find her armor and daggers there but found nothing. She didn't want to leave without it, but she couldn't delay any longer. She had to get back home. She hadn't been feeling well as of late. She has been having frequent bouts of nausea, vomiting and pounding headaches. There was a fear crawling around in the recesses of her mind that her wound might have gotten an infection and was causing her illness. If that was the case, she needed to get medical assistance immediately or there wouldn't be a point in going back. They already thought she was dead. Zhuyue imagined that by now they were dealing with it. If her wound was infected as she thought, it would be selfish of her to go back home just to die. She would only put her loved ones through unnecessary pain. If things got worse before she made it back to Xuchang, no matter how much it may pain her to do so, she resolved to go into hiding and die alone.
With these depressing thoughts weighing heavily on her mind, she returned to the modest home where Madame Xu resided to bid her farewell and thank her once more for her hospitality. Upon arriving, she heard a scream. Zhuyue's instantly became alert. Her first reaction was to charge in there and see what was happening but she tempered her impulse and listened.
"-to tell me you have nothing of worth here?"
"N-no, I swear it. I am a poor woman. I have nothing hidden."
"Then I guess we have no reason to keep you around."
That sprung Zhuyue into action. She was going into this blind but she had the element of surprise on her side. Zhuyue kicked the door in, to her benefit; one of the bandits was standing right next to it. The door smack into him and knocked him down. The second bandit spun around to her. Too slow, Zhuyue was already on him. She kicked into his crotch with all of her might. The man let out a pained squeal and dropped to his knees clutching his manhood. The bandit behind the door was getting back to his feet. Zhuyue leveled a kick to his head knocking him back down.
The third and final bandit was on her now. He swung his sword at her but like the other he was slow and untrained. She easily ducked under his blow, stepped forward and punched him in his exposed throat. She winced in pain during that last move. She moved too fast and disturbed her wound. The bandit grabbed his throat as he made hacking coughing sounds. Ignoring the pain that stabbed at her side, Zhuyue rammed her shoulder into the man's stomach and grabbed his arms pulling him forward. Now with her shoulder braced against him, Zhuyue flipped her left leg back and over her shoulder and kicked the man in the face, her heel crushing against his nose. Releasing her hold on him, the man stumbled backward until he fell to the floor, his head smacking hard against the ground knocking him out. Zhuyue righted herself and kicked forward this time connecting with his head once more to make sure that he was indeed unconscious and because she was irritated that he made her aggravate her wound.
She looked around the room to see Madame Xu cowering in a corner. Her hand pressed against her side she went next to her.
"Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine…How, how did you do that? Who are you?"
"You already know who I am. I am the woman you saved and in turned I have saved you," Zhuyue said as she turned back to look at the bandits.
She picked up on of their swords. Cheap quality but it was better traveling with nothing at all. She began to search their bodies to see if they had anything else that could be of use and frowned when she came across an odd mark. She got up and went to another of the fallen bandits and searched him as well this time looking for an identical mark. She found it.
"It seems your troubles aren't over."
"What do you mean?" Madame Xu asked, her hands wringing together nervously.
She held up one of the bandit's hands and showed her the mark. "I saw a similar mark on the other body. I bet the third has the same one. These guys belong to a bigger group. They will want avenge their loss and you will be their target. They may have not gotten to kill you today but they will surely come back to finish the job."
"Oh…oh no…" Madame Xu said and she began to pace in worry. Zhuyue hated to see her this way. The woman saved her life; she couldn't just leave her to this fate.
"Come with me."
"W-what?"
"Come with me. Your alternative is death. I still owe you for the care you have given me. If you come with me, I can guarantee your safety."
"But…but I cannot leave. My son…what if he comes back for me?"
"Do you have an idea as to where he is?"
"Well yes, the last time he wrote to me he told me where he had been studying."
The woman scurried off and came back with a frayed scroll. She handed it to Zhuyue.
"I…I don't know how to read. I usually get the boys in the village to read for me."
Zhuyue unfurled the scroll and scanned the words within. It was a typical letter of a son checking in on his mother and wishing her well. It briefly outlined where he was and what he was doing.
"We can send him word of your new location once we get to Xuchang."
"Xuchang? That is where you are going?"
"That is where we are going, yes."
"Oh…Yue…I just don't know. This has been my home for so many years. It would sadden me to leave it."
"I think death might sadden you a lot more, Madame Xu."
Madame Xu looked at Zhuyue with saddened eyes but she nodded in agreement.
"This world has become so chaotic lately. We have been hearing that the bandits have been getting bolder. No one cares about the little people. We are always the ones made to suffer." She sighed. "I am not quite ready to leave this life yet. Not before I see my son become what I know he can be. I…I will go with you."
"Good, please, ready your things quickly. It would be best if we leave as soon as possible."
Madame Xu nodded and began to pack up a few necessities. While she did so, Zhuyue slit the throat of the first bandit. Madame Xu saw this and cried out in horror.
"What are you doing!?"
"Killing them," Zhuyue answered as she moved to the second.
"But why? They cannot fight any longer."
"But they can identify us. I would rather not have a group of unknown size hunting us down. We aren't exactly equipped to deal with that kind of problem."
Madame Xu saw the logic in her words but it saddened her.
"What a sad time we live in, when such a beautiful woman has to resort to such harsh means. You should be married with children, being doted on by your husband and your only concern should be what meal you need to cook for him this evening. How things have changed since I was a young woman."
Zhuyue gave off a laugh.
"I don't think I would be suited to such a dull life. It may seem odd and sad to you, but it suits me just fine."
Madame Xu stared at Zhuyue thoughtfully.
"I meant no disrespect. If you were not the person you were, I imagine I wouldn't be here right now to judge you the way that I am. Forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive, please hurry though. We really need to leave."
Madame Xu resumed her packing and Zhuyue killed off the last two bandits then took the time to address her wound. Curious, the wound was bleeding again from the fight, but after she cleaned it, she didn't see the normal signs associated with infection. This relieved and confused her. Perhaps she just couldn't see the infection. She wasn't practiced in medicine and she could be missing some of the signs but she wasn't so sure of that explanation. Fretting about it now wouldn't help. She would get examined once they were back in Xuchang if she hadn't gotten worse by that time.
Xu had finished her preparations. She was ready to say goodbye to the home she had lived in for several decades. Without another word, the two women set off towards Shouchun in hopes of catching a ride.
They arrived just as the sun sank in the sky. Madame Xu moved as quickly as she could and made no complaints but Zhuyue could see that she was tired. She couldn't keep up this type of travel for much longer. She wanted to allow the older woman to rest but she thought it would be best to get as far away from this area as possible.
Zhuyue spotted a carriage being prepared for travel by servants. She instructed Madame Xu to wait for her. Zhuyue approached the servants and asked where they were headed. To her surprise and fortune, the carriage was headed to Xuchang! Zhuyue asked for the location of their master and was pointed to a man at a merchant's stand with a much younger woman.
Zhuyue approached the man in obeisance. Pulling from her noble upbringing, she spoke.
"Good sir, I humbly request your attention."
The man turned his nose up to the air and sniffed as if he had smelled something unpleasant. Zhuyue frowned. She had washed herself earlier that day but after the fight and the traveling, it was possible that she didn't smell her best.
"Father, who is this woman," asked the young woman beside him.
"Some peasant," he replied, the disgust he felt towards Zhuyue dripped off every word.
Zhuyue also felt disgust. Disgust for this asshole that chose to judge her based solely on her appearance. If not for madame Xu, she would have told the guy where he could shove the sword he had attached to his hip and travel back to Xuchang on foot, but for the woman who saved her life, Zhuyue would swallow her pride and take the verbal abuse of this pompous prick.
"My lord," Zhuyue began, attempting to make herself sound as humble as she could despite the anger that simmered within the pit of her stomach. "I have heard that you are headed to Xuchang. My companion and I are need of passage there. We are two lowly women who travel alone. Please do not leave us to a fate of traveling such treacherous roads on foot."
"Father," the young woman began as she tugged her father's sleeve. "I don't want the smelly woman traveling with us."
"Don't worry, my dear," the man began as he pat her hand comfortingly. "I wouldn't let such filth in our carriage. Be gone from my sight peasant."
"My lord, if you would ju-" Zhuyue began but was cut off by the man striking her cheek with the back of his hand.
"Silence! I will not suffer such impertinence! Be gone from my sight peasant or the next thing you feel will be the tip of my blade."
She tried. She really did try to be pleasant but some people just seem to beg for death. One less conceited noble in the world made it better in her opinion. She moved to draw the shabby bandit's sword she had hidden under her traveling robe but stopped when she noticed three strong men moving to their master's side. Of course the carriage would have guards. It would be foolish to travel such a long distance without any. From the way they carried themselves, Zhuyue could see that unlike the bandits, they were skilled. In her current condition, it wouldn't be wise to start this fight. Zhuyue let her hand fall to her side.
"Forgive me, my lord, please. I meant no harm."
"Tch, get out of my sight," the man commanded.
Zhuyue gave the man a hard look. She would remember him and the humiliation he caused her. She would see him again in Xuchang when he didn't have men at his side and she wasn't feeling so miserable and she would make him remember this insult.
He didn't like her look in her eye. It wasn't the look a peasant should have. It was much too bold. He struck her again, a quick and painful strike to teach her deference.
Zhuyue clenched her teeth to stem the flow of curses that wanted to stream out. She knew why he hit her and she knew what he was looking for. She went through the same thing with her father. He didn't like the defiant look she was giving him. He wanted her to bow her head and show him that he was in control. When Zhuyue left her father, she though that she was done with such posturing but here she was again, confronted with the same situation she had to deal with for most of her life. Zhuyue bowed her head and tried to appear as contrite as possible.
"Forgive me," she muttered through her clenched teeth. She felt something wet hit the side of her face. He spat on her. Her fists were balled and her anger was threatening to burst out of her. She couldn't take much more of this. Luckily for her she didn't have to. The man had moved on. He entered his carriage with his giggling daughter at his side.
Madame Xu came to her side once he was gone and tried to help her. Zhuyue raised a hand indicating that she was fine. She wiped her cheek with the sleeve of her robe and stood.
"To claim to be in service of the emperor yet treat his people with such disdain. It is shameful."
Both women turned to the voice. A man dressed in fine robes stood nearby.
"I should have interfered. It is my great shame that I did not, but the man you just saw is far above me in status. Had I spoken openly against him, I would lose what little prosperity I have."
"Then why do you speak now?" Zhuyue asked. Her tone had more bite to it than she intended, but it was hard to contain her anger after the humiliating experience she just endured.
"I wish to set right the wrong my inaction has caused. I too am going to Xuchang for the Emperor's birthday and I have plenty of room for you and your mother."
Madame Xu began to correct this error but Zhuyue cut her off.
"What would we have to do to be worthy of such kindness?"
"As I said, it is me making up for my inaction. But I must warn you. I am a merchant by trade so it will not be a straight trip to Xuchang. If you are okay with that, then you two are welcome to travel with me. I usually travel alone so there is plenty of room. It would be nice to have some company on the road for once."
They weren't going to get a better offer than this one. They both nodded in agreement. Thus Zhuyue began her long journey home with the merchant known as Honghui and Madame Xu.
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This battle was pointless. There was nothing to be gained in this. No territory to be won or lost. It was a ridiculous skirmish that was truly nothing more than a pissing match between brothers. The battles between the two groups seemed to be made out of obligation. It was clear to Bei that his enemies were just as jaded as he was. Still they fought and they would continue to do so until Shao or Shu decided to relent.
Bei gave a contented sigh. The only thing that made this bearable was having Diaochan by his side. He laid his head back against her as she massaged his shoulders. Her delicate fingers glided over his bare muscular shoulders resting on a spot she deemed needed special attention and began to squeeze lightly.
"You are so tense today, my love," she commented as she worked out the tension in his muscles.
"You have said the same thing every night since we have been here," Bei replied.
Diaochan let out a girlish giggle before planting a soft kiss on the spot she just massaged. She allowed her fingers to dance over to another spot on his shoulder where she repeated the process.
"That's because it has been true every night since we have been here."
Bei sighed once more and shifted his position so that his head was lying in her lap. With practiced ease, Diaochan removed the pin that kept his hair clasp in place. Once removed, she gently pulled out the clasp allowing his long hair to spill from its confines. She set both pieces to the side and moved her fingers to his head and began to gently massage it. Bei let out a yawn feeling lulled to sleep by her administrations.
"This battle is pointless. Yuan Shao does not fight to restore the Han. He fights to settle a dispute with his brother."
"How long must we stay here?"
"I don't know. From what I have heard, skirmishes between these two have been ongoing for months. I fear that we may be held here for a long period of time. I don't relish the idea of being out here for so long with nothing to gain."
"Well, if you don't want to stay, then maybe we should just leave."
"We can't…I can't…I gave my word and on my honor, my word cannot be broken."
"But you said yourself; this is not an honorable battle. It is a childish squabble. Stay for another week then tell Yuan Shao that issues within Xu require your attention. You are its ruler. He cannot expect you to ignore trouble in your domain."
"And when he discovers that there was nothing amiss?" Bei asked as he turned his head in her lap so that he was now looking up at her.
"Tell him that you received false information. Or you can say that the issue resolved itself before you arrived."
"That…actually may work. He will not be able to disprove my claims and by staying another week, I would have still honored my word to some degree."
Bei lifted his head from her lap. He rested his forehead against hers and gently cupped her cheek.
"Such cunning; Where would I be without you my beautiful flower?"
Diaochan gave his lips a soft peck.
"You are far more cunning than I. You would have come up with it on your own."
Bei only gave her a thoughtful hmm before pressing his lips against hers once more. He pushed forward guiding her to lay on her back. Before they could go any further Guan Yu burst into their tent.
"Brother, forgive the interruption. We have trouble-"
"Brother! We've been betrayed!" Cried Fei, who charged into the tent right after Yu.
Bei and Diaochan sprang back up to a sitting position, confused and angered by the sudden intrusion. Bei had every intention on reviling his sworn brothers when realization of a simple fact hit him. Both of his brothers stood in front of him. Fei was clearly not supposed to be here. Did he say the word betray? A sense of dread crept up his spine. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
"Brother? Why are you here?" Bei asked, his question direction to Fei.
"Trouble, brother! There is great trouble!"
"Lu Bu has betrayed us. He has taken over Xu Province." Yu offered an in effort to speed the conversation along.
Bei quickly got to his feet. He grabbed Fei by the shoulders.
"Tell me this is a cruel joke, brother."
"I wish it were, brother," Fei replied as he lowered his head in shame. "I have let you down. I am-I am so sorry."
"Tell me, what happened?" Bei implored.
Fei recounted the events though key factors had been change to absolve him of any guilt. Instead of him killing Cao Bao in cold blood, the man was now made to be colluding with Lu Bu. Fei claimed he found out about this plot and went to confront him in his home when Bao attacked him and he was forced to defend himself. He also claimed that after the fight, Bao's wife who was also in on the plans between Lu Bu and Cao Bao spread the false rumor that he murdered Bao in cold blood to incite the people against him. Lu Bu used this to his advantage to take Xu from Fei.
Bei listened to this in a stunned silence. Diaochan moved to his side and took his hand in hers. She gave him a light squeeze to let him know that she was there for him. Bei looked at her and gave her a silent nod of thanks.
"To make matters worse," Yu began as he watched the two with a look of disapproval. "Our families have been captured as well. That includes your wife and child."
Diaochan looked at Guan Yu. She saw the look he was giving them. Part of her wanted to hide herself behind Bei to get away from his accusing eyes but she remained by his side. Guan Yu would just have to deal with their relationship because Diaochan had no intention of giving Bei up.
"Tan…," Bei whispered. His grip on Diaochan's hand tightened.
"Brother, we have to do something! We have to save them."
Bei contemplated his options. There weren't many. There was one truth that could not be avoided. In order to retake Xiapi, they would need help. This was definitely not a task they could accomplish on their own. Bei considered who he could turn to for assistance. Yuan Shao? He had the biggest army around besides Cao Cao and he was currently helping him. Certainly, he would lend him some assistance. There was also Gongsun Zan. He considered the man a friend and they had fought together many times before. His army was not as big as Yuan Shao's but with his assistance, surely they could turn the tide against Lu Bu. Bei relayed his thoughts to his brothers. With great haste they sent messages out to the two men explaining their plight and asking for help.
It took days for them to get a response. The wait was agonizing for Bei. He frequently thought of his son and wished that he spent more time with him. He resolved to do so once he was safely in his arms. The first response came from Gongsun Zan. He apologized but explained that he could not help him as he was readying himself for a campaign to gain more territory. Bei was disappointed by this news as he believed that Zan would be the person most likely to help him. The second message came from Shao a few days later. Unsurprisingly, Shao told him that his forces were too tied up to be of any use.
This left them right back where they started. They had no means to get Xiapi back from Lu Bu's thieving hands. Bei couldn't help but blame himself for this turn of events. He should have just turned Shao down. If he did, he would have still been in Xiapi and could have prevented this. His head buried in his hands, he lamented his misfortune. He had lost the land that was entrusted to him.
Diaochan entered the tent where Bei sat alone wallowing in self pity. She knelt before him and rested her head on his lap. Bei looked to her briefly happy to have her by his side. He placed a gentle hand on her face before letting out a heavy sigh.
"What a pitiful leader I am, Diaochan. You have chosen a foolish man to love."
"I have done no such thing. The man that has captured my heart is one of great honor and intelligence. It is just his misfortune that he is beset by betrayal. Too many seek to take advantage of your pure heart."
Bei shook his head. If only she knew the truth. He wasn't quite as pure as she believed.
"Xiapi is lost to me and I cannot even put up a fight for it. I have let everyone that depended on me down. In my ignorance I trusted my dear brother Yìdé. I knew it was risky to leave him in charge. After one of his drinking bouts I knew there was bound to be trouble. Those under his command have complained to me before of how he acts after drinking deep from his cups. He becomes obstinate and flogs them for the smallest mistake. I have witnessed it myself. It was foolish of me to put him in charge but I wanted to give him a chance…that chance has caused me Xu and all I can do is sit here with my head in my hands and lament my loss."
"You do not believe his tale of events?" Diaochan asked.
"I don't. I know my brother well and his lies were easily seen. I believe Yúncháng could see it as well. His story holds too many inconsistencies and false truths. Cao Bao has made clear his dislike of Lu Bu several times. He was one of the few voices that spoke against allowing him to stay within Xiapi. For him to suddenly join forces with someone he detested is unlikely."
"Why didn't you call Lord Yìdé out on his lie?"
"Because he is my sworn brother. I know his faults and I have chosen to forgive them. The error was mine for put him in a role I know he was not ready for. The loss of Xu is my fault and my fault alone. Blaming Yìdé now would not change that fact."
"All is not lost, my love," said Diaochan. She lifted her head and took his hands in hers. "There is one you haven't reached out to for assistance that surely could help rid you of the vile Lu Bu."
Bei looked to her in confusion. Diaochan bit her lower lip gently before continuing. "Cao Cao."
Bei stared at her as if she had grown a second head.
"Diaochan, do you know not know the history I have with Cao Cao? I have interfered in his plans not once but twice. He has made clear his disdain for me. I cannot ask someone who holds me in such contempt for help."
"But you can, my love. Cao Cao is a man of cunning. He would not turn away from the opportunity to rid the land of Lu Bu and…," she hesitated, unsure of how he would react to what she had to say next.
"And what?"
"And he would not pass up the chance to take Xu Province for himself."
So that was his only option? Lose Xu to Lu Bu or lose Xu to Cao Cao? Both were undesirable choices. He didn't feel that either man deserved to rule Xu Province. Still if he had to choose, he figured that Cao Cao would be the better man to rule. He knew about the misfortune that befell Puyang when Lu Bu was in charge. He was a terrible leader and he did not want to see the people of Xu suffer the way the people of Yan province did.
"Your cunning is remarkable. I had no idea you could be so clever," Bei said to Diaochan.
Diaochan shook her head. "I am not clever at all. I have merely sat in on many of Lu Bu's and Chen Gong's meetings. I guess some of his guile had stayed with me, for better or worse. Chen Gong spoke often of his fear of Cao Cao. He believed him to be the biggest threat of all men currently in power."
"In this case, I would say for better. It may be the only chance we have to save the people of Xu."
He knew his brothers would think him mad when he told them of his proposal but truly he could see no other way. For the sake of their families, for the sake of the people of Xu he had to make this choice. With a heavy heart, Liu Bei prepared to write his request for aide to Cao Cao.
