Have a safe and happy new years!

Chen Gong – Gōngtái
Xiahou Dun – Yuánràng
Cao Cao – Mèngdé
Zhao Yun – Zǐlóng

Yu Jin - Wenze
Chen Gui – Hànyú
Jia Xu – Wénhé
Guo Jia – Fèngxiào
Chen Gong - Gōngtái

Chen Deng - Yuánlóng

It had been a month since her father suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Cao Cao and Liu Bei's combined forces. Since then, Linqqi had ramped up her training in hopes to be even more useful to her father. Her loss at the hands of that man and his strange sorcery still weighed heavily on Lingqi. She knew that if she hoped to avoid being married off, she needed to get better.

Her hopes, however, were dashed a week ago when she heard rumors that Chen Gong had convinced her father to move up the arranged wedding date. Lingqi had hoped the rumors were just that, but her mother confirmed her fears shortly after. Suddenly, Lingqi found herself out of time. She knew there was no talking to her father about this. He never listened to her before and she doubted he would listen to her now. In fact, the only time her father had truly paid any attention to her opinion was when she requested to be a part of the battle that they lost. After such a poor showing and a horrible defeat, Lingqi knew he wouldn't pay any heed to her going forward.

Lingqi tugged on the sleeve of her red wedding robe. It felt so foreign to her. She felt as if she looked like a fool despite how many people complimented her. She gave a heavy sigh. Her mother rubbed her back comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, Lingqi. I tried to speak with your father bu-"

"I know," she replied cutting her mother off.

She knew her mother had tried to speak with her father on her behalf but Chen Gong held his ear. He convinced her father that this was the best move for their army. The thought depressed Lingqi even more. She knew that because she was the daughter of a warlord that chances were she wouldn't be allowed to marry for love. Many warlords married their daughters off for political gain. Lingqi thought she could escape this fate by being an irreplaceable soldier in her father's army, but she failed to impress him and she was resigned to her fate. It might not have been so bad if her husband was at least a warrior or a lord of some renown but he wasn't. He was Yuan Shu's slimy son whose reputation preceded him in a bad way. From what she heard, he was just as despicable a man as his father was.

"If only I had more time," Yan lamented.

'It wouldn't have mattered.' Lingqi thought to herself. She didn't have the heart to say those words aloud to her mother. It looked as if she was taking this almost as badly as she was.

There was a knock on the door. Lingqi looked at her mother. This was it, her guard had come to usher her to her new life. She felt an overwhelming sense of despair wash over her as her mother gave her one final hug. At least she could finally be of use to her father. The thought was so pathetic it made Lingqi want to cry. She held back any tears threatening to fall. She would not cry. She was the daughter of Lu Bu and she had to show everyone the strength that came with that name. Lingqi pried her mother's arms from around her. It was time she met her fate.

Lingqi opened the door. Two handmaidens entered and made last minute adjustments to Lingqi's wedding robe. Once satisfied, they fixed the veil on top of her head and pulled it down. It would not be lifted again until she met her intended husband. The guard waiting at the door bowed to her. Lingqi nodded her head back respectfully, her face set in grim determination partially obscured beneath the red veil. The guard took her arm and escorted her to the awaiting carriage.

She could feel tears threatening to pour once again when she arrived and saw the wedding party that would be traveling alongside them. They were dressed in traditional red and yellow wedding garments perfectly matching the red and gold trimmed carriage they would be carrying. Lingqi sucked in a deep breath. It began to feel all too real. This was it. She was leaving her family behind. She looked around saddened that her father hadn't even seen her off. That feeling was compounded with an ache in her chest when she realized that Zhang Liao hadn't come to bid her farewell either.

Lingqi looked up to Liao as a mentor and respected him greatly. No. It was more than just that. He was not just a mentor; he was her first love. She had tried to deny this fact at first but as her impending wedding loomed oppressively over her, her mind forced her to think about it and her heart forced her to accept it as fact. She always liked him but somewhere along the line that like turned into love.

Lingqi realized that the training sessions she looked forward was no longer just about her becoming strong, it was a chance to be with him. Soon she didn't only want to get stronger for her father, but for him as well. She wanted him to look at her as a warrior, as a woman. She became elated anytime he would compliment her and it would spur her on to do better. He was everything she could want in a man; he was strong, smart loyal and very handsome. Lately her heart would beat faster when he was near and she would catch herself staring at him much longer than acceptable. It didn't matter now; Lingqi always knew her crush would never be realized. Liao would never look at her in that way and she was fine with that. She was content to just be master and student.

While Lingqi wasn't delusional enough to think that Liao would look at her the same way she looked at him; still she thought that their relationship was close enough for him to want to see her off. Yet here she was, poised to leave and Liao nowhere in sight. In the end, he truly did only look after her because of her father's orders. Now that she was leaving she was no longer his concern. This hurt her much more than it should have. A part of her wished that she never realized the affection she held for him.

With a heavy heart, Lingqi stepped into the single seated wedding carriage and sat down. The tight confines of the small carriage made Lingqi feel a bit claustrophobic. There was barely any room for her to move around but then again, she expected she wasn't supposed to move around much. She was supposed to just sit there like a pretty little wife and be carried to her new husband.

They lowered the thick red curtain to cover the entrance of the carriage, completely blocking her sight of everything in front of her and making the tiny space even more stifling. She felt the carriage jostle from side to side as the members of the wedding party picked up the thick red painted wooden poles tied to the sides of carriage and hoisted it up to their shoulders. Lingqi pressed her hands to the walls to prevent herself from pitching forward and out of the carriage until the swaying stopped. Once the carriage steadied, they were on their way.

Lingqi fiddled idly with her hands as they traveled. She didn't know what else to do with herself. This was such a foreign situation to her. She knew that she didn't want to think about her impending marriage even though she needed to. Whenever she tried to think about it, she only depressed herself even further. She wished she was at least allowed to take her weapon. They had forbade her from doing so insisting that Yuan Shu's son wasn't interested in a woman that had any sort of martial prowess. In fact, she was told to keep that part of her secret as it was considered to be an undesirable trait. Lingqi sighed again. She had lost count of how many times she had sighed this day alone. She truly wished there was some way she could get out of this situation.

As if answering her silent wish, Lingqi could hear the familiar sound of hooves beating against the terrain. It couldn't have been the horses riding beside the carriage; it was much too fast. She pushed one of the covers found on the side of the carriage and peeked out. The small window didn't give her the ability to see much, especially since it seemed like the rider was coming from behind. The carriage came to a stop but she could tell it was still hoisted in the air.

"My lord? What are you doing here," Lingqi heard one of the wedding attendants ask.

"Stop at once," commanded a voice that made Lingqi's heart pound wildly against her chest. It was a voice she knew well. She had heard it many times telling her to straighten her form and to never take her eyes off her enemy.

"He came for me," she whispered to herself. A wide smile spreading over her face as her chest felt a warmth blossom within it. She wanted to jump out of the carriage and greet her mentor but she forced herself to remain seated.

"Master Liao, what is the meaning of this?" A stern voice asked. If Lingqi had to guess, she would have thought that the speaker was one of the guards.

"I requested that Lingqi's departure be delayed. Where do you think you are going?" Liao demanded.

"My orders come straight from Lord Chen Gong. He said that we were to deliver her as soon as possible."

Liao clenched his fist in anger. That damnable Gong. He went behind his back when he requested that they delay Lingqi's arranged marriage until after they deal with the threat Cao Cao presented.

"I will deal with Gōngtái, head back to Xiapi."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. Lord Gong told us that we must ensure Lady Lingqi arrives by any means necessary. The survival of our army depends on it. I cannot go against my orders…not even for you Master Liao."

Liao frowned. He was certain that Cao would be watching the roads. The minute he caught sight of the wedding carriage, they would attack. Cao couldn't afford an allied effort against him. He needed to keep Lu Bu isolated if he hoped to win this war. Gong had to know this yet he still insisted on sending Lingqi despite the danger. He understood that he was desperate for the alliance but Liao refused to sacrifice Lingqi for that end, even if Gong and her father disagreed.

This left him at an impasse. He understood the need for aid and he didn't want to fight against his own army but he couldn't in good conscious let her go into potential danger.

"Then I will escort her," Liao said.

"Sir?" The guard asked confused.

"The wedding carriage is too much of a target. We have a better chance of slipping past ignored if she rides with me."

The guard gave him a skeptical look.

"On my honor, I will follow a safe distance behind the rest of you. I understand that we need this alliance as much as anyone else. I just want to ensure that Lingqi isn't sacrificed in the process."

There was silence for a few moments. Lingqi held her breath and tried to hear what was going on. She suddenly felt the carriage shudder as it was lowered to the ground. The curtain that covered the entrance was lifted and she saw Liao standing there with a hand held out to help her exit the carriage.

Lingqi took his hand and allowed him to help pull her out of the carriage. She stared up at him and smiled, thankful that the veil hid her surely blushing cheeks. She was happy that he was there. He would never know how much it meant to her that he came for her. Even if he wasn't there to take her back home, at least he was there to watch over her and to say goodbye. It was much more than her father ever gave her.

"You're riding with me," Liao said.

Lingqi nodded and headed over to his horse with him. Liao climbed up first then offered his hand to Lingqi and helped her up placing her in the saddle in front of him.

"Your wedding robe stands out. We'll have to stay far enough back so we won't get caught by any potential enemies."

"It wasn't my choice to wear it," she muttered. Liao looked down to her and she lowered her head to avoid his gaze. A childish part of her wished he would have complimented her on her looks but as she thought, he didn't see her in that way.

Liao gave her a thoughtful look. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut thinking better of it. Lingqi decided to speak instead.

"Do you really think we'll be attacked by enemies?"

"Despite what Gōngtái wants to think, Cao Cao is a capable leader. He knows that our only hope to fight against him would be an alliance. If he wants to win, he cannot let that happen."

"We are ready to move again. I will ride along side of you and Lady Lingqi. The others will lead the carriage," the guard who Lingqi heard speaking before said.

Liao nodded. He expected this. He knew the guard didn't trust him to not take Lingqi and run back to Xiapi. Liao gave his horse a light kick with his heel and they were off. They maintained a considerable distance from the carriage as they traveled. For the most part, the trip was quiet but Liao remained tense. His eyes kept surveying the horizon for threats even when the surrounding area remained calm and unassuming.

It was when day was turning into dusk when Liao's fears were realized. The wedding party, which had just stopped to make camp for the night, was caught in a pincer by Cao's forces. They were besieged by overwhelming odds. There was one figure that stood out amongst the ambush forces. He looked majestic as he sat upon his steed commanding his forces to move with brutal efficiency. Every move they made was with a purpose as they quickly slaughter each member of the wedding party and the guards alike.

Liao, Lingqi and the guard that traveled with them watched helplessly as their allies were slaughtered by the enemy. There were way too many enemies for Liao and the guard to help and doing so would leave Lingqi defenseless.

Once they were done killing off the wedding party, their attention immediately turned to the wedding carriage itself. Soldiers carrying spears surrounded the carriage. Upon the signal of their general they thrust the spears into the carriage. Lingqi watched as the metal tips splintered the wood and pierced into the carriage she once sat in. Had it not been for Liao's interference, she would have most assuredly been killed.

"We need to leave, now," Liao declared.

The soldiers pulled their spears out realizing that their strike found no purchase within the carriage. They looked at the tips of their spears to see that they were bloodless. Confused the men looked at each other. Their general however immediately began to scan the surrounding area. His eyes fell on Liao and Lingqi. Liao managed to catch a glimpse of the man pointing his war trident in their direction as he turned his horse back towards Xiapi and galloped off.

Lingqi could hear the ambush forces rallying behind them. She tried to look behind her but Liao blocked her with his arm.

"Don't, you'll fall off," he shouted over the thundering hooves of his horse. He dug his heel into his horse's flank to spur it on even faster. They had a fair amount of distance to cover and they were quickly running out of light.

"Master Liao!"

Both Liao and Lingqi turned their heads to the guard who rode at their side.

"You were right. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"There's no point in talking about that now. Focus on getting out of here," Liao responded.

"We won't make it like this," the guard shouted back. "I'll try to buy you some time. Get her back safely. She is our only chance at securing that alliance."

"You fool! You'll die!" Liao replied.

"And there is no greater honor than to die in service to ones' lord!" he replied before breaking away from the pair and turning his steed around to charge straight towards the enemy.

"Damn you Gōngtái," Liao growled as he spurred his horse on once again towards the safety of Xiapi.

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A week had passed since Liao and Lingqi's harrowing escape from Cao's ambush forces. Yan owed Liao a great debt she could never repay for protecting her daughter. Chen Gong nearly cost her the life of her first child and she wanted to see him dead for it.

Yan headed to the castle garden. Standing before the peonies was the hunched frame of the man known as Chen Gui. He greeted her with a smile but she did not return it. She hated this man who used her in his vile schemes. She hated that he held her fate in the palm of his hand.

"It is good to see you my l-"

"Spare me the pleasantries," Yan hissed.

"Very well," he said with a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. "How goes the relationship with you and your husband?"

"Fine," she replied.

What she said was true. When she approached him the day after his defeat, Lu Bu wasn't interested in rekindling a relationship with her. It hurt to see that her husband had no interest in her at all sexually or otherwise. At Gui's urging, Yan became more forceful with her demands and practically threw herself at him. Lu Bu finally relented, possibly due to lack of other options, and they slept together again for the first time in years.

Just as Yan suspected, sex with Lu Bu wasn't as she remembered. Her mind, heart and body truly belonged to Gao Shun. Bu was rough and quick and when it was all done she felt the urgent need to wash herself. As per Gui's instructions, she made advances and slept with Lu Bu every night for weeks. His disposition towards her seemed to soften but she didn't think she would be able to influence his decisions as Gui hoped.

"Good, good." The man replied. "I know you told him about the baby just as I instructed. He has been proudly going around telling everyone of it. If he were a brighter man, he would ask how you were able to know so quickly, but lucky for us he isn't. He is so excited about the possibility of having a son he doesn't want to question it. He even wants to throw a feast to celebrate. Poor Gao Shun looks absolutely tormented by all of this."

"Are you enjoying yourself? Do you get off on other's misery?" Yan asked on the verge of tears.

Of course she knew that Gao Shun was tormented by this. She didn't expect Lu Bu to announce that she was with child to his generals. When he did, Shun immediately sought her out. He was angered and confused and because of Gui's instructions, she couldn't tell him the full truth. She tried to assure him that the child was indeed his and she only told Lu Bu it was his child to throw off his suspicions, but Shun was enraged by her actions. He told her that he couldn't bear to see another man raise his child. He scolded her for not waiting and not trusting in him as he asked. They hadn't spoken to each other since that day and Yan's heart ached at the loss.

"Of course I don't. I just thought you'd like an update on him. The two of you hadn't spoken in awhile, right?" Gui asked.

Yan did not respond. The tears she silently shed served as her answer instead.

"Now, now. Do not cry. Once Lu Bu is gone, you and your man will be free to be together. Perhaps you can even get married," Gui said as he dug within his robe and pulled out a handkerchief. He offered it to her. Yan ignored it at first but Gui urged her to take it. Finally relenting, Yan took the handkerchief from him and dabbed the corner of her eyes.

Yan wanted to believe Gui's words but just couldn't believe that Shun would forgive her so easily.

"Chen Gong is becoming desperate. Since the marriage transport failed last week, he is running out of options. He will most likely try to send Lingqi off again to secure the alliance. It is time for you to put your connection with Lu Bu to the test. Dissuade him from sending her. This helps you too right? You would rather keep your daughter safe at home, wouldn't you?"

"I'm telling you he won't listen to me," Yan replied.

"We'll see about that. Whisper the words in his ear when you two are still basking in the throes of passion. If this works and he listens to you, we will go to the next step."

"What is the next step," she asked somewhat hesitantly.

"We will turn master against servant. Chen Gong is a very capable strategist. If we want Lu Bu to fall, we need to make it so that Gong doesn't have a chance to help him succeed. We do that by making Lu Bu distrust him."

Yan's expression hardened as he spoke. This was something she was very interested in. She hated Chen Gong for almost getting her daughter killed and wanted revenge on him. Gui had just given her the means to do it and she planned on taking it.

"I'll do it," Yan replied in steady voice. "But you better remember your promise when this is all done."

"I will my dear. I will," Gui replied with a beguiling smile.

=#=

You've gotten better at this," Cao said as he studied the Go board.

"You're still winning," Dun replied as he dipped his fingers into the bowl beside him and pulled out a black stone. His fingers toyed with the stone's surface as he studied the board. Seeing that the battle was lost he gave up and placed the stone down on the wooden board with a clank.

Cao wasted no time dipping his hand in his own bowl and pulling out a white stone. He placed his stone down, capturing the last of Dun's pieces and winning the game.

"It was still a hard fought battle. I honestly wasn't sure I would win that one," Cao replied before taking a drink of the muddy-white colored rice wine he had in his goblet beside him.

Dun shrugged before taking a drink from his own goblet.

"I plan to begin our siege of Xiapi soon," Cao said as he refilled his cup. He gestured to Dun who placed his hand on top of it and shook his head.

"So your master plan is finally set? Liu Bei has been getting antsy. I'm getting tired of turning him away from the camp," Dun replied.

"Like I care about his impatience, Cao replied with a scoff. "Though I am mildly contrite that you have to deal with his whining. That is enough to drive any man mad," Cao continued.

"Only mildly?" Dun asked as he removed his pieces from the board and tossed them back into his bowl.

"Yes, only because I believe that part of you enjoy shooing him away."

Dun smirked. Cao knew him well. "I did at first but now it is getting annoying."

"You won't have to do it for much longer. Wenze has been doing an admirable job of ensuring that no messengers slip by us. In fact, he managed to stop a wedding carriage. Unfortunately the bride got away, but the plan was disrupted. There will be no aid for Lu Bu."

"The plan within Xiapi is going well also. Hànyú is a clever man. We have two generals within Bu's army that are disgruntled with his leadership. Their allegiances are wavering and with a little push, we should be able to sway them to our side. Also, he somehow managed to turn Lu Bu's wife against him. He will use her to turn Lu Bu and Chen Gong against each other."

"Hmph," Dun replied. Cao noted the lack of enthusiasm coming from his cousin.

"You don't like such tactics, do you?" Cao said with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"Seems like a round about way to get the job done. Could've just stormed Xiapi and took it over," Dun replied. Cao laughed. His cousin's way of thinking matched his Go play style which is why he often lost. He was much too straightforward and rarely ever tried to go for the tricky play. He was getting craftier but it was certainly slow going. His cousin was a man stuck in his ways.

"I guess we could have but think of the losses we would incur from such a bold action. With this deception, we weaken Lu Bu's forces before he even takes the field."

"Whatever you say," Dun replied. He didn't agree but he knew arguing the point would be pointless.

Cao nodded satisfied and took another drink. "This brings me to my next point. It regards you and the upcoming battle. You've heard what some of the others are saying I assume?"

"Of course I've heard. Our soldiers are like a bunch of fucking chickens; flapping their beaks all the time instead of doing something actually useful."

"You disagree with them then?" Cao asked as he put down a piece on the freshly cleared board beginning the game anew.

Dun looked down to his bowl with a frown. His eye focused on the stones sitting in the bowl. Cao had just asked him a question he had been avoiding the answer to since he lost his eye. If he had to be honest, no, he wasn't up to his old fighting strength. His sudden loss of vision was a huge handicap in battle. He needed months of training to correct it. Admitting this would mean that he was currently useless to Cao as a warrior and that wasn't something he was comfortable with.

"No," Dun finally muttered as he placed his own stone on the board. Muttering that answer made him furious. Furious at himself for his weakness and furious at his cowardly brother who brought this misfortune to him.

"Rather honest of you," Cao replied as he placed down another piece.

"No point in lying," Dun replied with a sigh. "So am I going to be sent back to Xuchang?"

"Why would you be?" Cao asked as he looked up to his cousin. His face was unreadable. Dun couldn't tell what his cousin was thinking. Wasn't that the point of this conversation?

"Isn't that the point of you asking me that? To tell me that I'm useless and should go back home?" Dun said a bit more forcefully than he intended.

"Useless? Cousin as long as you draw breath I will still have use for you. Isn't that what you promised me when I first told you of my ambition? You said you would help me until your dying breath? Do you intend to change that now?"

"No," Dun replied. He remembered that vow and he still held it in his heart. He swore his life to Cao then and still does now. "But if that wasn't what you were talking about then what?"

"I just wanted to know your current capabilities to determine where you would be of best use to me. Based on your reply, you obviously won't be able to go to the front line but you should still be capable to guard the main camp, right?"

Dun's eye widened in surprise at Cao's words. "A-are you sure you trust me with that in my current condition?"

"You lost your eye, Yuánràng not your skill. You have a disadvantage in battle but I'm sure you are still a capable man. I trust you…do you not trust yourself to do this?"

Cao's words stoked the fires of confidence in Dun. He had been so hard on himself lately and dreaded having this conversation with Cao because he was afraid of being dismissed. His cousin however did the exact opposite. It reminded Dun exactly why he pledged his life to him years ago.

"I swear that I will guard the main camp with my life. As long as I breathe, no enemy shall claim it."

"Of course, I expect nothing less. I'll see to it that you have some capable generals under your command to do the job."

"Understood," Dun replied with a nod. He hesitated for a few moments then spoke once more.

"Mèngdé, thank you."

"I have done nothing that requires your gratitude cousin. I am merely using you to fulfill my ambition just as we agreed."

Dun smirked. Cao Cao, his cousin, he was a better man than most people thought. Cao would rarely show this side of himself to others but Dun knew it and he would follow him until the end because of it.

"Regarding Zhuyue," Cao began. Dun, who was eying the board now shifted his gaze back to his cousin.

"I plan on putting her on the front line. I know you usually prefer to fight together but-"

"No," Dun replied quickly. This caused Cao to raise a brow in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Zhuyue…she isn't…well," Dun replied awkwardly. He wasn't exactly sure how much he should tell Cao Cao.

"Explain," Cao said. The tone held an underlying command in it that Dun was familiar with. He sighed and wished he had taken that second drink.

"Zhuyue was sick when she first arrived. She still is as far as I can see. I took her to the doctor in Xiaopei to get looked at. It's getting better but…," Dun trailed off and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He wished he could do something for her but he was powerless. He went to the doctor's house after his brief talk with Zhuyue but he confirmed exactly what she said. It didn't sit right with him. It couldn't just be nausea. It wasn't adding up in his head.

Cao frowned at the new information.

"What did the doctor say?"

"Supposedly it will pass. The herbs he gave her helped but she hasn't been herself. She's been complaining that her head hurts more than usual and now she's getting backaches and she's been gaining a lot of weight. Truthfully, I thought she was with child. A lot of those symptoms are what your women and Miàocái's wife had when they were expecting but the doctor swore that wasn't the case. I just don't know…"

Cao stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It does all sound familiar. Perhaps this doctor is lying to you?"

"What reason would he have to do that?"

"Because Zhuyue asked him to," Cao replied before taking another, draining his cup.

"And why would she do that?" Dun snapped.

"Because the child isn't yours," Cao replied calmly. He knew this would upset his cousin but he had to look at all possibilities.

"Are you saying my wife has lain with another man? She wouldn't do that do me."

"Perhaps she didn't have a choice. She was a prisoner of Wu, was she not? I hate to suggest it, but those men in the south are animals…I wouldn't put something like that past them."

Dun felt as if ice water had been dumped over him. Cao's words shook him to the core. He didn't even think of such a possibility but what Cao said made sense. He always felt as if something was off with Zhuyue's explanation.

He felt the emotions of sadness and anger churning within him. He wanted to march to the land of Wu and slaughter all of them. For his wife to choose to go through such pain alone; why did she hide this from him? What were they going to do now? He certainly had no desire to raise another man's child and it hurt him that their first biological child together wouldn't truly be theirs, but hers and the man who violated her. His initial thought was to give it away and that was probably the reason why Zhuyue chose to hide this from him. She probably planned on raising the child regardless. This was a hard pill for Dun to swallow and he didn't know how to proceed.

"What will you do?" Cao asked softly seeing the pain naked on his cousin's visage.

"I don't know," Dun admitted with a frown.

"Will you force her to tell you the truth?"

Dun sighed. "If she truly is with child, she will have to tell me eventually. She can't exactly keep hiding it. She'll start showing too much.

"You are content to wait?"

Dun sighed once more. "We have a battle to fight. This will have to wait."

Cao nodded. The commander in him was pleased to hear such an answer but the cousin in him felt pain for Dun. This was a terrible position to be in if true and he hoped to the heavens that somehow, his assumption was wrong.

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Diaochan eyes scanned the area nervously. So far no one had spotted her. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and kept her feet moving forward. The city gate was not much further. She clutched the small bag she held in her hand tightly. She wished she could have brought more with her, but she couldn't risk being caught.

Diaochan had made up her mind to leave Liu Bei. Cao Cao was taking his time in striking out against Lu Bu. This time gave Liu Bei time to think. It gave him time to reminisce about the family just out of reach.

While Bei still treated her well, it was clear that his attention was elsewhere. He spoke of his son often and even mentioned his wife to her at times. Diaochan learned more about his family in these past weeks than she had in the entire time she had known him. Their time together was no longer spent in each others' embrace, slaves to their passion. Their time was now spent with Bei telling stories of his life before her. It was easy to see how his eyes soften when he mentioned his child and the small smile he would get when he spoke of his wife. She listened with a smile while her chest burned with jealously and sadness. She constantly, perhaps selfishly, always questioned where her role in his life would be when they retook Xiapi?

There was also the issue of his brothers. Things were still tense with them and she just knew his new found longing for his family was their influence. Whenever she was around, Guan Yu would make an off-hand comment about Bei's family and some event they all experienced together. Guan Yu would smile as he spoke but whenever his eyes landed on her, there was a coldness to them. Even Fei ceased his leering and completely disregarded her. No. There was no longer a place for her here.

Diaochan quickened her steps towards the gates of Xiaopei. She would have to pass by Cao Cao's camp once she left the city and that was fine by her as it was her destination. Her plan was to seek asylum with Cao Cao. She saw the way he eyed her and could tell that he was interested in her. His reputation for his lecherousness was well known and she could use it to her advantage.

Diaochan planned to weave a lie about how she just couldn't be around Liu Bei any longer. She had gotten quite adept at lying. Once upon a time, such knowledge would make her feel terrible, but now after all the experiences she had gone through had shaped her into the woman she now was, she wore it as a badge of honor rather than a mark of shame. While patting the corners of her eyes with her sleeve to wipe away her false tears, she would tell Cao that Bei treated her unkindly and she needed shelter from his cruelty. She would ask him to hide her and in exchange, she would give herself to him just as she had to so many others. Once upon a time the thought of sleeping with a man that her heart did not belong to would make her sick to her stomach but now her heart had hardened to the experience. She would do what she needed to do to survive.

The gates were in sight. Just a few more steps and she would be on the other side. She looked over her shoulder once more to ensure that no one was following her. If any of Bei's generals saw her going to Cao's camp, it would ruin her plans. She needed to do this in secrecy. She didn't want Bei to fight Cao Cao for her. A part of her still cared for him and she knew that it was a fight he could not win. She wanted to remain hidden within Cao's camp with Bei none the wiser.

Satisfied that no one was on her trail, Diaochan turned to face forward once more. To her dismay her inattention to where she was going caused her to run smack dab into a wall, or rather a man that was nearly as unmovable as a wall. She stumbled backwards and braced for the pain that would come from falling on her rear but found that she never hit the ground. Strong arms held her, steadying her on her feet. She looked up to see the handsome yet severe visage of Zhao Yun.

Yun immediately pull away from Diaochan once she was steadied on her feet and stood a respectful distance away from her. This was an unfortunate turn of events for Diaochan to be caught by this man. He was almost as close to Liu Bei as his sworn brothers but unlike them, he never seemed to harbor any dislike towards her. He would certainly question where she was going and would report seeing her to his lord. She watched as his eyes flickered to the bag she clutched in her hands. Sheepishly, she moved it behind her back and his eyes flickered to her face questioningly.

"My Lady?" He asked in a calm voice.

Diaochan forced a smile as she scrambled her brain to come up with a suitable excuse.

"My Lord Zhao Yun, I hope the day finds you well," she said with a smile and bow, buying herself some time while she came up with an excuse.

"It does," Yun replied. "May I ask where you are going?"

"Going?" she said with a faux innocence.

"Yes. It looked as if you were heading out of the city..."

"Oh, that!" she said with a smile. "Yes, I was heading to Cao Cao's camp."

Yun frowned at this revelation. It seems that Guan Yu's warning was spot on. He had asked Yun a few nights ago to look out for any suspicious activity from Diaochan. He seemed to believe that she was not trustworthy. Initially, Yun thought that the request was unwarranted as she had never proved to be untrustworthy before but now he sees that Yu may have been right.

"Why?" he asked hoping that she had a good excuse for going to Cao's camp. She had to know the tension that currently stemmed between the two armies at the moment. Though they were allies on the surface, it was a tenuous alliance that was fragile. The slightest action could throw their alliance off-balance and cause a conflict between the two and that was something his Lord Bei did not need at the moment. For Bei's woman to go to the camp of another Lord…it looked bad and wasn't something that could easily be ignored.

Diaochan lowered her head but not before flashing him a sorrowful look.

"There is a woman in the camp, Zhuyue," Diaochan began. Luckily for her, Cao's generals were kind enough to remind her of the name by crying it out when she showed herself during the meeting, otherwise, this lie would be over before it began.

Zhao Yun knew exactly who Diaochan spoke of. He remembered when she arrived during their meeting. It was quite the commotion. She was the wife of Xiahou Dun. He wasn't exactly sure why, but Cao's generals seemed to be rather fond of her. She didn't seem like a typical wife. The way she stood at attention and listened intently to the rest of the meeting…she struck him as more of a warrior.

"Well, I have met her a few times before…each time we were on opposing sides. I thought that since we were on the same side this time, I should be try to be friends with her," Diaochan said smoothly, the lies flowing easily past her lips.

"I even brought her gifts," she said as she held up the meager bag of her belongings."

Yun nodded. His eyes soften slightly from their sharp gaze and Diaochan knew right then and there that she had him.

"That is very admirable of you, my Lady but it would be inappropriate of you to go to Cao Cao's camp unattended. Please, allow me to accompany you."

Diaochan tired her best to hide her look of shock by replacing it with a smile. She didn't expect him to offer to take her. What was she suppose to do now? She had no intention of visiting that bitch and she doubted that, that woman would fall for her lies as easily as the men did. Damnit this was spiraling out of control. If she backed out now, it would only raise his suspicions once more, she had to commit.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't know that I was doing anything untoward. Please, if you had the spare time, I would greatly appreciate your company."

Yun saluted her and turned to lead the way out of the gate.

"Zǐlóng!"

Both Diaochan and Yun turned to the voice. Zhang Fei was jogging towards them. He gave Diaochan a suspicious look but quickly dismissed her in favor of the man he had called.

"Are you headed to the meeting already?"

"Meeting?" Yun replied with a quizzical look.

Fei's brows scrunched up in confusion matching Yun's own look. "You didn't hear about it? Cao has called a war council. I think that lazy bastard is finally ready to make a move."

"Ah, I see," Yun replied. He gave Diaochan an apologetic look.

"I am sorry, my lady but I will not be able to accompany you today. When next I have a free moment, I will be more than happy to escort you."

"O-oh, no worries," Diaochan said awkwardly.

She didn't know how to feel about this development. On one hand, she had been saved. It would have been disastrous if she had to meet that woman face to face. On the other hand, she had run out of time. If Cao was truly ready to march, then they would re-take Xiapi and Bei would be reunited with his family. She would be forced to face the very problem she was trying to run away from.

"Come, I'll walk with you," Fei said to Yun. Yun nodded and the two men made their way towards Cao's camp together, leaving Diaochan standing before the city gates alone.

Defeat looming over her like a dark cloud, Diaochan slowly made her way back to Xiaopei castle. She had barely crossed the threshold of its interior when she bumped into Liu Bei and Guan Yu, presumably on their way to their meeting with Cao Cao. Diaochan gave him a practiced smile and bowed.

"Your handmaiden greets you, my lord," she said sweetly.

"Diaochan," Bei replied. He gave her a smile but she could tell it was forced. His mind was most likely bogged down with thoughts of the upcoming council. All of Bei's forces had been anticipating this moment for weeks now.

"I was looking for you, where have you been?"

"I-I was just walking about town, nothing special," she replied. Guan Yu gave her an icy glare but said nothing.

"I see," Bei replied. "We have been summoned to a war council with Cao Cao so I will be away for awhile."

"I understand," she replied with a bow. "Please take care, my lord."

Bei nodded and soon he and Guan Yu were off. Diaochan noted quietly that Bei did not invite her to join him at the meeting. Truly this was a telling sign. She was slowly but surely slipping further and further away from him and there was nothing she could do about it. With a heavy sigh and heavier steps, Diaochan retreated to her room.

=#=

Cao Cao watched as Liu Bei's generals filtered into the tent. The last to enter was Liu Bei himself along with his sworn brother, Guan Yu. Cao studied the former with a sense of envy. Liu Bei did not deserve a general such as he. With his every step you could see the power he held within. Cao's eyes followed Guan Yu as he took his place next to his brother. In Cao's eyes, the sight wasn't right. He didn't need to stand next to such a lowly general. His place was next to him. He would have to think of a way to pry him from his brother's side, but that line of thought was for another day. Today, his thoughts were on the battle to come; the battle for Xiapi.

Earlier this morning, Cao had finally received the communication he had been waiting for. Chen Gui sent another encoded note informing him that all preparations were in place on his end. Since their last battle, things had been tense between Lu Bu and Chen Gong. Lu Bu blamed his defeat on Chen Gong and Chen Gong, rightfully so, blamed it on Lu Bu's refusal to rest before the battle. Gui used this rift to sow distrust between the two by whispering in Lu Bu's ear his suspicions of Gong's loyalty,

Bu trusted him and listened to his age old wisdom but that alone was not enough to push him truly over the edge. That was what Lady Yan was for. She would serve as the catalyst to tear their deepening rift asunder. Yan had successfully gotten back into Bu's good graces and just as Gui had suspected after looking into the whole Diaochan debacle, Bu had a weakness for his women. Yan had Bu eating out of the palm of her hand and Gui used her as a tool to cause further issues between the men. Bu had even begun skipping meetings with Gong to dote on her which frustrated Gong to no end. The time was now ripe for Cao Cao to strike.

"Everything is now in place. We march on Xiapi tomorrow."

'Everything is now in place? What was he talking about?' Bei thought to himself as he looked at Cao Cao in confusion. While he was overjoyed to hear that they were finally going to march on Xiapi, he was uncertain as to what Cao meant. To Bei's and his generals, it looked as if Cao had been sitting round and doing absolutely nothing but his words seemed to suggest otherwise.

Cao seemed to notice the confusion etched on Bei's face and decided to explain his plan to him; after all he had to be aware of some elements of it as they were allies in this war. It wouldn't do for he and his people to go in bumbling and screw up his carefully laid plans.

"You know of Chen Gui, correct?"

Bei nodded. "It is because of him that we were able to take Xiaopei back without issue."

"Yes, that was his doing. Once he was made aware that I was assisting you with recapturing Xiapi from Lu Bu, he reached out to me and offered his assistance."

This wasn't the truth. Chen Gui was in Cao Cao's employ long before that. Chen Gui reached out to Cao Cao right after Tao Qian passed away. Like most of Tao Qian's generals, Chen Gui was kept in the dark about the underhanded dealings between him and Yuan Shao. He truly believed in his Lord's word when he said that Cao's father was beset upon by bandits. When Gui discovered the truth, he was appalled. He reached out to Cao and offered his sincere apologies for being so blind to what was happening right under his nose. He offered his services and was prepared to leave Xiapi immediately, having no desire to serve Liu Bei. Cao asked him to remain in Xiapi instead as his eyes and ears and he agreed, happy to not have to uproot his family while still being able to assist in Cao Cao's cause.

When Gui set it up so that Bei and his brother's could retake Xiaopei with ease, it was under Cao Cao's orders. To hide the truth of Gui's allegiance, Cao informed him to say that he did so because he was still loyal to Bei. Despite being allies, Cao had no intention of revealing his full hand to Liu Bei. There may be a time in which Gui may be needed undercover once more and it was beneficial for Bei to still think of him as trustworthy.

"Please do not think ill of Hànyú for coming to me directly instead of going through you. He knows of the talent of strategists I employ and thought it would be best to work directly with them rather than going through you and in turn having you come to me."

Bei nodded once more. It seemed that Cao read his mind. He was a bit uncomfortable that someone who was supposed to be serving under him went to Cao Cao directly. It is true that they are allies, but he wasn't comfortable with being left out of the loop. Cao's explanation of matters eased his mind however. Time was of the essence in a situation such as this and he could not begrudge the man's thinking.

Cao nodded once he saw that Bei had agreed with his line of thinking. Really, this man was entirely too easy to manipulate.

"Hànyú has been causing discord between Chen Gong and Lu Bu. He believes that their relationship is at a breaking point. If we strike now, we can be the catalyst which severs their alliance completely. Without his strategist, Lu Bu is nothing."

"That is amazing!' Bei remarked. "I am not sure how you and Hànyú were able to set such a thing up but if it works, this battle is indeed within our grasp."

"It was always within our grasp. This will just make it easier for us. I have no intention of letting Lu Bu leave this battlefield alive. I hope you are of the same mind."

So Cao Cao intends to kill him? Bei should have expected that. Cao Cao was known for his ruthlessness in battle. He felt a strange sort of sadness at this news. Lu Bu wasn't that bad of a person, even if he had betrayed him and stole his land from him. He was certain he only did so at the urging of Chen Gong. Perhaps he could convince Cao to spare Bu's life. After all, Cao was known to collect strong and talented warriors. There was none more talented than Lu Bu. Yes, that is what he will do. Bei will plead for Lu Bu's life when the battle was done. He truly believed that he was a better man than most gave him credit for.

"I-I will follow your lead," Bei replied. Cao smirked. He knew Bei was lying. The conflict he held in his heart was easily readable on his face. That was fine. Cao knew his mind would change once he heard about the unfortunate fate of his wife. Cao had known of Gan's death since Zhuyue had brought the encoded message to him.

Cao was initially going to tell him about her fate immediately, but changed his mind. Being in such a close proximity to Bei and his people, Cao got to see exactly the effect this man had on the people. They revered him. They thought of him as an infallible man; the chosen one who was destined to quell the chaos in the land. The very notion pissed Cao Cao off. Bei had them fooled. The image he portrayed of himself was a false one. He tried to put up the pretense that he didn't have a deceitful bone in his body; that he was above petty things such as revenge and greed. Cao knew the truth. Liu Bei was a man just like any other. That sanctimonious act he put on was just that, an act. Cao truly looked forward to seeing that veneer of his crack and seeing the real Liu Bei come through.

"Very well. Wénhé will be the lead strategist for this battle-"

"Wénhé? Not Fèngxiào?" Bei asked cutting Cao off."

"So sorry but you are stuck with me. My lord has the oddest sense of humor and thinks it would be amusing to test my skill as a tactician in a major battle," said Jia in a bored tone.

"What better way to get a sense of your worth? Testing you in a smaller battle would not be a good enough measurement of your skills." Cao replied.

Xu threw up his hands and shrugged. "As you say, my lord." He turned his attention back to Liu Bei. "As you see, it is what my lord commands."

"Test?" Bei began. With a single word you could hear the unease in his voice. "You mean this battle as a test? Cao Cao, this may be a game to you but this is serious for us! Our families, our people, they are waiting for us. We cannot afford to lose this battle!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Xu said folding his arms in front of him.

"I mean no disrespect, Wénhé. I am sure you are talented but from what I know, you came into Lord Cao's employ by losing the battle you had against him, correct? We cannot afford such a loss. This battle…it means too much to us."

Xu went to speak but Cao raised a hand silencing him.

"There is no one under my command that is not of exceptional skill. That includes Wénhé. Yes, he joined us after losing a battle, but that does not diminish his skill. I would appreciate it if you would stop belittling my tactician and trust in my decision."

Xu blinked, surprised that Cao spoke up for him like that. To show such trust in him, it was heartening.

"Besides, if he loses, he forfeits his life."

Xu gave a smirk. Cao really did know how to ruin a moment. Still the faith he placed in him was encouraging and he was prepared to forfeit his life if he failed, just as he would have at Wan Castle had it not been for Cao's decision to spare him.

Liu Bei did not look reassured by Cao's word but Cao did not care. He had no interest in coddling this man.

"Now, to finish what I was saying, Xiahou Dun and Zhuyue will guard the main camp."

"You leave defense of our main camp to a half-blind man?"

It was Fei who spoke up now. Dun, who had been standing quietly with his arms crossed before his chest, didn't even bother to look at Fei. He had not intended to reply to the man but Zhuyue didn't seem content to let his insult go by unanswered.

"My husband could still best you in battle even if he was deaf, dumb and blind you piece of –"

"Enough," Dun said cutting her off. Zhuyue huffed in annoyance but remained quiet.

"If you wish to test whether I am capable of defending the main camp, you are welcome to at any time, otherwise, shut the fuck up and stop interrupting my lord when he speaks."

Fei sprang forward but was pulled back by Bei and Yu.

"Peace brother, we are all allies here." Bei saluted Cao Cao. "Forgive my brother. He is just concerned. This battle…we have much to lose in it. We just want to make sure that we are doing everything that can be done to make sure that it is a battle that we win."

"Then stop questioning my every decision," Cao said. "I have spent weeks planning our siege of Xiapi. You second guessing my every move is becoming more than a little vexing. Tell me, exactly how much planning have you put into this battle?"

Bei lowered his head in silence. Certainly he had thought about the upcoming battle much but he didn't think beyond the thought of fighting as hard as he could to see his family and his people again. He hadn't come up with any strategies or formations. He intended to go with the flow.

"Your silence speaks louder than your words ever could. You came to me for assistance, Liu Bei, I generously agreed to give it to you. Continue to question me and I will take my forces and go back home leaving you to deal with the mess you created for yourself. Is that understood?"

Bei clenched his fist. Cao was speaking down to him in front of his people and what made the situation worse was that he could not do anything about it. He needed Cao Cao and Cao knew it. He was at his mercy.

Bei swallowed hard, his pride feeling like a hard lump in his throat as he did so.

"Of course, Lord Cao Cao. Please, forgive us."

"Hmph," Cao said as he glared at Liu Bei. This man…he very existence truly irritated him.

"Wénhé, proceed with your plan for this battle."

Jia Xu saluted Cao Cao and turned to face the rest of the generals.

"Lord Liu Bei, how soon can your forces be ready?"

"They have been waiting for this for weeks. Say the word and they will move out."

"Excellent. We should begin our march tomorrow then. No point in delaying the inevitable."

"We will be ready," Bei replied.

"We won't attack immediately. We should set up our defenses and supply lines once we arrive. I do not believe this battle will be a short one. Lu Bu has the advantage being holed up in Xiapi as he is but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get him out. I'll give you more details once we arrive."

Bei nodded. He continued to listen as Jia Xu gave a brief outline of his plans. He was only half paying attention to what was being said. He would have to ask his generals for a recap when this meeting was over. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the battle to come. He hoped his wife and child were well. The day he would hold them both in his arms no longer seemed quite so far away anymore. The battle for Xiapi was finally upon them.

=#=

Chen Gong grumbled as he made his way to Lu Bu's bedroom. Normally he would have been forbidden to visit his lord's room without permission but Lu Bu left him no choice. He sent a servant to request his presence but the servant had returned and said that Lu Bu refused him. Gong was now forced to fetch him.

He stopped before Lu Bu's door and rapped his knuckle against the wood quickly.

The door opened but it was not Lu Bu who answered; it was his wife. Yan looked displeased at seeing the man who stood at her door and the feeling was certainly mutual on Gong's part.

"What do you want?" she asked with a sneer.

Gong had no intention in explaining himself to this woman. He attempted to push past her and to his surprise she flew backwards landing on the floor with a cry. Gong was momentarily stunned. He definitely didn't push her that hard. In fact, he barely touched her.

"What are you-"

Gong's question was swallowed up by Yan's loud cry. Bu, who had been sleeping in the bed not far from them was now alert and extremely pissed. He exited the bed, not bothering to cover up his naked frame.

"What's going on?" He looked down to his fallen wife and was immediately by her side. He helped her to feet and pulled her close against him.

"Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" he asked as he placed a hand on her protruding belly.

"I-I don't know," she said tearfully. "Gōngtái knocked on the door and when I opened it he burst in and pushed me to the floor."

Before Gong could open his mouth to reply Bu was on him. His large hand wrapped around Gong's throat and slammed him against the wall. Bu's grip tightened as his gaze bore through the man he currently held several feet in the air.

"YOU DARE?!"

At that very moment, though Gong would never admit it aloud, he very nearly pissed himself. He had seen Lu Bu angry before but that anger was normally directed elsewhere. It was truly a terrible thing to be on the receiving end.

As angry as Lu Bu was, Gong knew that pleading his innocence would do more harm than good. His only hope at this moment was to prostrate himself and hope that his temperamental lord was feeling magnanimous.

"I-I-I am s-sor-ry," he wheezed out as best he could with Lu Bu's fist closed around his throat.

"For-forgive me plea-se," he continued to stammer out noting with alarm that his vision was beginning to get spotty and air was running on alarmingly short supply.

"If you ever as so much even look in her direction again, I will end you." Bu threatened before dropping his strategist to the ground.

Gong immediately began grasping for air. He rubbed his bruised throat gingerly with a frown, which only deepened after catching Yan's smug smile in the corner of his eye.

"Get out of my sight," Bu commanded.

"I…I can't," Gong replied as he got to his feet making sure to back away in case Bu tried to grab for him again.

Bu glared at Gong, annoyed by his audaciousness.

"I only came here because you rejected my request for a meeti-," Gong began before being cut off by Bu.

"I said I was busy. Remember who serves who, Gōngtái. You don't get to command me to attend any meetings."

"Cao Cao is on the way here," Gong replied. Lu Bu who had already turned to walk back to his bed stopped in his tracks. Gong finally got him to listen.

"He will be here within the week. It is imperative that we have a meeting about this with your generals, my lord."

"Why didn't you tell that to the servant that came to me?" Bu question as he looked over his shoulder to Gong.

"I have a feeling we have a traitor in our midst. Cao's forces have been stopping every attempt we have made to get communication to the outside. Even when we send them under the cover of night they are still caught. As a result we have been isolated. There is no way he could have been so diligent. He has to be getting inside information from someone."

"Hmph. I'll be there soon, leave us," Gong saluted Bu and left the room, happy that he was finally able to get his master to listen to something he had said.

Since their last loss, Bu and Gong hadn't been on the best of terms. They barely spoke and when they did it seemed to devolve into an argument. Bu seemed to second guess his every word and Gong had the sneaking suspicion that his sudden distrust came from the same person or persons who had been leaking information to Cao Cao. Now if he could only figure out whom they were before it was too late. He had a suspicion of who it may be but no definate proof. To ensure that no more leaks occurred, he restricted certain information to generals he only absolutely trusted.

Now that Bu had agreed to the meeting, it was time for him to summon those trusted generals, the first of which was Zhang Liao.

=#=

The meeting was put together relatively quickly. Gong looked around the room to the generals he had deemed trustworthy. The most prominent amount them being Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Wei Xu, Hou Cheng and Song Xian.

"What's this all about?" asked Wei Xu.

"Patience, I will reveal all once our lord arrives."

"I wonder if he can get from under his wife's robe for long enough to join us this time," Hou Cheng said with a grin.

Wei Xu, Hou Cheng, Song Xian and several other generals burst into laughter at the jest at their lord's expense. Gong could only grimace at the truthful ribbing. This kind of joke had become common place as of late and Bu constantly spending time with his wife did nothing but fan the flames. Of course there was nothing wrong with a man being with his beloved, but Lu Bu has seemed to lose any interest in anything but. He idles away his days drinking and making love to his wife.

Gong looked to Zhang Liao expecting him to reprimand his fellow generals in place of his lord. To his surprise, Liao said nothing. His expression gave nothing away as he stared towards the door, impatiently awaiting Lu Bu's arrival. Gong's gaze then shifted to Gao Shun. He never expected him to speak up. The man rarely spoke but he was certainly curious about the pensive look he was currently giving the floor.

The doors finally opened and in walked Lu Bu, flanked by Chen Gui and his son Chen Deng. Gong's eyes widen for a brief second before narrowing into slits. Why the hell where they here? They were definitely on his list of not to be trusted.

"Gōngtái, what is this? Where are the rest of the generals?" Bu asked as he looked around the room.

Gong gave Bu a forced smile.

"Please recall what I mentioned earlier…after much research by me, I have determined that these men," he gestured to the generals in the room. "are acceptable."

"Yet Hànyú and Yuánlóng are not among them? They did not know of this meeting," Bu replied. The two men stood behind Bu, penitent looks on their faces.

"Ahahaha," Gong's laugh was clearly forced and came out extremely awkward. "An oversight, clearly," he replied.

"Hmph," was Bu's reply. The two Chen's saluted Bu and took their place amongst the generals.

"Let's get on with it," Bu commanded.

Gong bowed to him and begin to outline what they had found out regarding Cao Cao's movements. He detailed the approximate number of troops and the direction from which they were coming from. Bu and the generals listened in silence. Gong noted that the number of forces Cao brought with him caused a lot of them unease. He understood their apprehension; they were outnumbered. However, they had the advantage as they were the ones in a highly defensible position. If they followed Gong's plans to the letter, they could wear Cao's forces out and force him to retreat giving the victory to them.

"So that is where we currently are. The situation looks grim but that is only to the unimaginative. We are the ones who have the upper hand and if you follow my instructions, we will win this battle."

Gong turned his full attention to Lu Bu.

"Cao Cao has come a long way and he won't be able to last long. Master Lu Bu, you can bring some troops with you and set up a camp outside the city; while the others and I will remain behind to defend the city. If the enemy attacks you, I'll lead the city's soldiers to attack them from behind. If they attack the city, you can reinforce the city from outside. Within ten days, the enemy's supplies will be depleted and we can defeat them easily."

Bu stood from the seat he had taken at the head of his forces.

"Very well, Gōngtái. I will prepare to leave at once. Have my troops ready for the departure."

Gong was elated with this news. He didn't think it would be that easy to convince him but Bu didn't even put up a fight. Perhaps it had been too long since he had felt the thrill of battle and that was fueling his decision. Whatever the reason, Gong was just happy that Bu was finally listening to him. This would work. They could win this battle. No, they WILL win this battle.

=#=

Lu Bu returned to his room. Yan watched as he began to prepare his armor. Gui's words floated through her mind. 'Do not let Lu Bu leave the city before I do.' She wasn't sure if she could truly stop him, but so far, she had been successful in her persuasions.

"What are you doing, my lord?" she asked innocently as she sided up beside him and hugged his side as much as her growing belly would allow.

"Preparing for war. I will have to leave you for awhile."

"Why are you doing this? Is this Gōngtái's suggestion?"

"It is. It is a solid plan."

"It is a lie!" she exclaimed. Bu paused in his preparation and looked at his wife.

"What are you talking about?"

"Gōngtái is not a man to be trusted. You saw what he did to me earlier. I believe he only wants you out of the city so he can take it from himself."

"That's ridiculous. He wouldn't dare," Bu scoffed.

"Is it?" Yan retorted. "In the past, the Caos' treated Gōngtái like a newborn child. Yet he still turned against them and joined you. Now, the way you treat Gōngtái is no lesser than how Cao Cao treated him, and you intend to entrust the entire city to him, along with your family, while you venture out alone? He did not wait for ill to befall Cao Cao before betraying him. Do you think he will wait for it to happen to you? If something happens to you…I just know that me and your son," her voice now breaking as she rubbed her belly.

"We will be killed to ensure that your legacy is no more!"

Bu was taken aback by his wife's impassioned words. He quickly put his arms around her, comforting her. She sobbed into his chest though no tears truly fell.

"I will not leave your side. I swear it. I will tell Gōngtái that I reject his plan."

"You are too good to us, my lord. Please, rest your weary bones and I will pour you drink."

Bu nodded and did just that.

=#=

Three days had passed and Lu Bu had not yet left to make camp outside of the city. Their window of opportunity was rapidly closing. While Chen Gong did not relish the idea of going to Lu Bu's room again, he was once again forced to. Lu Bu had not replied to any of the inquires he sent via servant.

Gong swallowed hard and knocked on the door. To his dismay, it was Lady Yan that answered once more. She gave him a smile, which for some reason he could not name, infuriated him.

"What do you want, Gōngtái?" She asked sweetly. Gong was not an overly violent man but at that moment, he wanted to kill this woman.

Before answering, Gong took a few steps back. He would not be tricked by this harpy once again.

"I wish to speak to, Master Lu Bu," he replied.

"But of course," she replied before disappearing back into the room.

After what seemed like forever to Gong, Lu Bu came to the door. Thankfully, he was fully clothed this time. He had seen much more of his lord the last time than he ever wanted to.

"What is it?"

"My apologies for coming here but once again," he said with a dramatic bow as he spoke. His voice rose an octave too high at the word again denoting his annoyance.

"But you haven't replied to my summons."

"Been busy," Bu muttered. With the glassy look in his eye it was clear to see that the man was utterly drunk. That bitch had been keeping him liquored up.

Gong suppressed the urge to scream and bang his head against the nearest wall. Was this fool truly the man he had chosen to serve?

"When will you be leaving to make camp outside of the city? If you do not go now, I am afraid we will lose the opportunity."

"Not going," Bu replied.

"I'm sorry, what?" Gong asked, certain that he misheard him.

"Not going. We will wait for them to come to us."

Gong stared at Bu blankly. He could not believe what he was hearing. He opened his mouth to speak but found no words came out. The two men stared at each other in an awkward silence before Gong bowed to Bu and walked away without saying another word.

As he walked down the hall, Gong realized something. He was right that there was a traitor in his midst but he didn't realize that the threat was not reserved for the generals alone. Lu Bu's wife, Lady Yan was more dangerous to them than any mere traitor could ever be. If there was any hope at all for them to win this war, Gong was going to have to kill her.