Xun Yu - Wénruò
Dong Zhao - Gōngrén
Xiahou Dun - Yuánràng
Xiahou Yuan - Miàocái
Zhang Liao - Wényuǎn
Cao Cao - Mèngdé
Cao Ren - Zǐxiào
Liu Bei - Xuándé
Li Dian - Mànchéng
Xu Chu - Zhòngkāng
Guo Jia - Fèngxiào
Zhou Yu - Gōngjǐn
Sun Ce - Bófú
Lu Meng - Zǐmíng
Guan Yu - Yúncháng
Xun You - Gōngdá
Jia Xu - Wénhé
"Mother?" Xiaolian asked as she looked at her mother with concern. She dropped the training sword she had using and ran to her side. With fearful eyes, Xiaolian looked down to the newly formed blotch on the ground between Zhuyue's legs then back up to her mother.
"Lady Yue! You need to sit down! Seriously!" Lingqi said alarmed as her eyes darted from Zhuyue's face, to her stomach and then the ground.
"Lingqi, Xiaolian, calm down. I'm fine," Zhuyue said with a reassuring smile.
"But mother-" Xiaolian began.
"Xiaolian, please go get madame Xu. She should be in her room. Lingqi, I need you to go find my husband. Unfortunately, I have no idea where he is at the moment. "
"We can't leave you alone!" Lingqi argued.
"Lingqi, I'm fine. It's fine. The baby isn't coming yet. I don't feel too much pain. We have time. Please, do not argue with me. Go."
Hesitantly, both women ran off to find who they were assigned to. Zhuyue took a deep breath and placed a hand on her stomach. Outwardly, she may have seemed calm, but the truth was she was terrified. She kept seeing Liu in her last moments, laying upon her bed in a pool of blood. Madame Xu had told her that she had helped deliver dozens of children and none of them ended the way Liu's birth had but that didn't do much to convince her that it wouldn't happen to her.
' You are strong. Strong enough to have my children. That's why I picked you.'
Zhuyue could hear Dun's voice speaking those words so clearly she almost thought he was standing beside her. She couldn't help but smirk at her husband's simple words. What would he know about having a child to make it sound so damn easy?
' You are strong.' His voice repeated in her mind. It became an endless loop and she had a feeling it wouldn't stop until she agreed with the words.
"Alright! I Got it!" Zhuyue said aloud, finally silencing the voice in her mind.
"You better not be as annoying as your father," Zhuyue grumbled as she rubbed her stomach.
As if in response, Zhuyue felt a sharp ache in her lower stomach. Her knees nearly gave way from the sheer intensity of the pain. She looked back towards the bench where she was sitting and decided against sitting on it again. She honestly wasn't sure she would be able to get up again if she did and she had no intention of giving birth in the courtyard. With labored steps, she waddled toward a nearby wall she could use as support till the pain passed.
"Tch, I guess that answers that," Zhuyue said through gritted teeth as she tried to bear through the pain.
"My lady!" A servant cried out as she rushed to Zhuyue's side. On the way to retrieve Madame Xu, Xiaolian had told a servant of her mother's plight and asked her to go to her aid.
The pain had temporarily subsided but, Zhuyue felt absolutely drained.
"My lady? Are you alright? Is the baby coming?"
Zhuyue sucked in a few deep breaths.
"N-not yet...but I think it's getting a bit impatient. I...I need to get to my room."
The servant nodded quickly and offered Zhuyue her shoulder to lean on. For once, Zhuyue cast her pride aside and accepted. The servant led Zhuyue to the room where the birth was to take place. Just as they were entering the room, Xiaolian had arrived with madame Xu.
"How are you doing dear?" Xu asked as she instructed the servant to lay her down on the bed.
"Been better," Zhuyue replied with a weak smile. She allowed the servant to guide her to the bed but to her dismay, it didn't provide her much comfort.
"Oh-ho ho, if you can still answer in such a way then you aren't quite so bad yet."
"You're telling me it gets worse than this?" Zhuyue asked wincing as she felt another wave of pain coming on. Her hands clawed at one of the blankets on the bed, bunching the cloth in her hands. Her mind dully hoped that it wasn't the tiger skin that Dun had caught for her. She heard births got extremely messy and she didn't want to ruin such a precious gift.
"It does, my dear. Especially when you have to push that little one out. Let's hope it doesn't have a big head," Xu replied with a chuckle.
"I-I fail to see t-he humor in this," she replied as the pain became steadily stronger.
"Of course you don't, you are the one that has to push it out after all," Xu said with another chuckle.
The look Zhuyue gave her was one of pure murder. Xu, let out another chuckle, use to the murderous glares of new mothers in the midst of labor.
"If you keep such a mean face on throughout the birth, your child will grow up with a careless disposition."
"W-what?"
"Now get rid of that mean old glare and let's get you ready to bring your baby into the world."
Zhuyue grumbled but she did drop her glare, mostly because the pain forced her to do so. Xu now focused her attention to the servant.
"We need extra blankets and hot water. Can you and Xiaolian go get that for us?"
The servant hurried to carry out the request, but Xiaolian hesitated. She didn't want to leave her mother's side. Fear wrapped its cold hand around her heart and squeezed so tightly that a sharp ache throbbed within her chest. She remembered well the fate that befell Liu and her imagination ran wild with thoughts of all the horrible things that could happen the moment she stepped foot outside of that room.
"Xiaolian...do you truly think so little of your mother?" Zhuyue asked.
Xiaolian looked to her in confusion. She could see the pained expression on her face but even so, she smiled through it.
"This is nothing, Xiaolian. I am fine. There is no need for you to worry, so do what you can to help madame Xu, okay?"
The strength in Zhuyue's voice made Xiaolian believe her words. She suddenly felt very foolish. Of course her mother wouldn't die. Both she and her father were stronger. She needed to be strong just like them.
"Okay," she replied. She gave her mother's hand a squeeze before running off to help the servant.
Madame Xu went to Zhuyue's bedside once Xiaolian was gone.
"So how do you really feel?" Xu asked.
"Fucking terrible. I feel like this kid is trying to rip me apart from the inside."
"Language young lady."
"Xu, I really don't care about watching my language right now, " Zhuyue growled.
"I know, I know, but cursing is unsightly for a woman. Remember, you are suppose to endure this with dignity. It is our duty as women after all. Bear this responsibility with dignity, Zhuyue."
There were a slew of curses dangling at the tip of Zhuyue's tongue. She was more than ready to tell Xu exactly where she could shove that dignity of hers. She clenched her teeth to keep the profanities she was poised to spew from slipping out. She knew her anger was misplaced. Xu was just trying to help her but it annoyed the hell out of her to hear her words at this moment.
"Has the pain subsided yet?" Xu asked.
Zhuyue nodded, still not trusting herself to speak. Though the pain had subsided, it left behind a dull ache in its wake. She was able to endure the pain for now, but her mind did wonder just how much worse this could get.
=#=
"Has something changed, my lord? Do I no longer hold your trust?" Xun Yu asked with earnest eyes that refused to back down from the glare Cao Cao was currently throwing at him.
"And why do you assume I no longer trust you?" Cao asked without breaking eye contact.
This staring contest had become a battle of wills between the two men. Neither wanted to show weakness to the other.
"There was a time in which I was counted among those you consulted before making important decisions, yet I wasn't even informed that you planned on forming an alliance with Sun Ce."
"Odd. I wasn't aware that I reported to you. All this time I swore you reported to me. Silly me. I suppose that is why you did not feel the need to speak with me before moving Liu Bei and his brothers into your home," said Cao.
Yu averted his eyes at Cao's words. He had lost this battle of wills. So, Cao was angered by his actions. Deep down, Yu had to know that he was. When he first came to Cao with the news, he just listened with that cold, calculating expression on his face, betraying nothing of his thoughts. When Yu finished pleading his case, Cao simply nodded and dismissed him. Yu was surprised that he hadn't berated him or questioned him. He just accepted it. As the months rolled on, Yu realized that not all was as it seemed. Cao had not called him to court nor had he sought his council on matters of the state. Yu had a feeling that he knew the reason for this, but he needed to hear the words from Cao's own mouth.
"So you truly did disapprove of my decision to move master Liu Bei and his sworn brothers into my home," said Yu softly. His eyes had shifted to the floor below as Yu had no desire to have another staring contest with Cao.
"What I disapprove of if you interrupting my war council with this nonsense," Cao replied flatly.
"Then answer me this, why was I not invited to this war council?"
"I will not be questioned by my subordinate, Wénruò. If you were not called it is because you were not needed."
Yu frowned at this response. So he was no longer needed? When he gave shelter to Bei, he estimated that the worst thing that could happen would be that Cao would punish him for acting without his consent but it would be something he could recover from. He never expected to be so easily discarded by Cao. Perhaps he overestimated his role within the army.
"I see. I will trouble you no longer."
Yu left the room quietly, avoiding the gazes of the other occupants in the room. In his exuberance, he had jeopardized his position. He had to think of a way to show Cao the benefit to his actions and to prove to him that he is still a useful member of his army.
Once the doors had closed behind Yu, Cao let out a disgusted tsk.
"Well that was awkward," Xiahou Yuan said putting words to what everyone in the room was thinking.
"Back to the topic we were discussing before our interruption," Cao began, completely ignoring Yuan's comment. "Has Sun Ce replied?"
It was Guo Jia that answered him. "Yes. He has accepted the invitation to visit Xuchang."
"My lord, if I may?" The speaker was one of Cao's advisors, Dong Zhao. He stepped forward and bowed humbly to his lord.
"Hmm, what is it Gōngrén?"
"You plan on throwing a banquet for Sun Ce and awarding him a title to secure his loyalty, correct?"
"Do you find fault in this plan?" Cao asked as he propped an arm up on the table before him rested his head on it; his thumb under his chin and his pointer finger curled in front of it, just below his lip.
"Not at all. I feel as if it is a great starting point, however, I do not feel as if a banquet and a mere title would be enough to keep Sun Ce's loyalty."
"So what do you suggest, Gōngrén?" Cao asked.
"A marriage alliance," Zhao replied.
Jia frowned. He actually wasn't a fan of marriage alliances. To him, they were lazy strategies born from the unimaginative.
Guo Jia stepped forward and saluted Cao before speaking.
"I have to say, I disagree with this plan, my lord. We have no intentions of staying allied with Sun Ce. A marriage alliance will unnecessarily complicate things."
"It will also buy us the time we need without fear of looking over our shoulder. We can deal with Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu at our leisure. Once those two have been handled, we can easily break the alliance and take out Sun Ce," Zhao argued.
"And when we break that alliance, a family will also be broken. Remember, it is someone's daughter that will be used. Even if we do manage to get her back from whoever she is married off to, it will be difficult for her to marry again, if at all. This is not a tactic that should be used so frivolously," Jia replied.
Cao rubbed his pointer finger back and forth across his chin as he considered both sides. Upon reaching a decision, he spoke.
"Gōngrén, your suggestion to move the Han capital to Xuchang has proven to be a wise one so I will heed your suggestion this time as well."
"Excellent, you will not regret this, my lord," Zhao said with another bow.
Jia frowned and stepped back into his original position. Cao had already made up his mind and he knew there was no dissuading him at this point. He did not agree with the plan, but he would assist his lord in his endeavors.
"Now, my lord, we must seem sincere in our marriage offer. It is best if the woman you choose to marry off is someone of close relation to you."
"I will not use my daughters for this. I have...other plans for them," Cao replied.
"Of course not, I would not suggest such a thing, but you are fortunate to have close family members that do have daughters of age," said Zhao.
At that moment, he turned around to face Xiahou Dun.
"Master Yuánràng, how old is your daughter now?"
"None of your fucking business," Dun replied angrily. It was bad enough that he had to work with Sun Ce after what he did to Zhuyue, but now Zhao had the nerve to ask him to give his daughter to one of them as well?
Zhao turned his attention from Dun back to Cao Cao. "My lord, many know of the close bond you have with your family. If you were to offer a daughter from one of them, Sun Ce could not doubt the sincerity of your alliance."
He then turned back to Xiahou Dun. "We will be sure to get your daughter back once we break our alliance. I swear on my life that she will be safe."
"Your word doesn't mean shit to me, Gōngrén. It's not happening. Period."
Zhao turned back to Cao.
"My lord, surely you agree with my point."
Cao did not have an opportunity to answer. A servant entered the room and bowed low.
"Your humble servant apologizes for interrupting you-"
"We have no time for that!" Lingqi said as she barged into the room. She leapt over the prostrating servant and ran towards the front of the room.
Once near Cao, she gave a hasty salute and immediately turned her attention to Dun.
"It's Zhuyue-" was all Lingqi managed to get out before Dun turned to his attention from her to Cao.
"Mèngdé!" Dun called out.
His entire demeanor had changed. Just a few seconds ago he was furious at Zhao's insistence on using Xiaolian for the marriage. At one point Cao swore he was going to rip of Zhao's arm off and beat him with it, but now there was a tense atmosphere swirling around him. That could be only one reason for this; Zhuyue was preparing to give birth. No matter how strong a man was, the moment when their woman was preparing to give birth to their child made them feel unbelievably weak. It was something they could not control; something your strength or will power could help. You could only pray to the heavens that all went well. With the amount of children that Cao has had, he knew that feeling well.
"Go," he said. Dun gave him a salute and rushed out of the room.
Lingqi saluted Cao once more before hurrying after him.
Cao gave a tired sigh. How eventful today's council has been.
=#=
Dun returned home with Lingqi hot on his heels. He headed directly towards Zhuyue's maternal room, ignoring the servants that struggled to get his attention. He was focused on getting to her as soon as possible, nothing would deter him from that objective.
Dun arrived at the room. There were a few servants listening at the door. They straightened up the minute they saw their master.
"Oh! My lord, welcome home!" They said simultaneously with a bow.
Dun nodded to them and tried to move by them to get into the room.
"Oh but, my lord...the husband isn't suppose to go into the maternal room. It is considered bad luck."
Dun leveled the servant that spoke with a glare that had them quickly moving off to the side, allowing him access. Dun wasted no time entering the room. He felt a strange feeling of relief at seeing Zhuyue's face. She looked miserable but still strong.
She was laying on the bed with a bundle of blankets at the foot of it. Her hair was unbound draped over her right shoulder. She wore a loose fitting robe and Dun could see what looked like a shirt peeking out between the folds of the robe. Xiaolian was standing off to the side with a fan, waving it in a steady tempo. It seemed to be doing little to help Zhuyue as Dun could see beads of sweat gathered at her forehead. Madame Xu seeming to notice it and dabbed at the perspiration with a damp cloth.
"L-lord husband," Zhuyue said upon noticing his arrival.
"Zhuyue," he replied as he moved closer to her.
Madame Xu stepped off to the side to give Dun space. He immediately filled the spot she left vacant, taking hold of Zhuyue's hand in his own.
"How are you doing, my wife?"
"I'm pretty sure I'd rather get stabbed than go through this, husband."
"That bad?"
"That bad," she side while wincing through a particularly bad contraction that had struck her. Her grip on Dun's hand tightened. Her nails dug into the palm of his hand, leaving tiny crescent moon markings in their wake. Dun didn't flinch from the pain, happy to relieve whatever pain he could from her.
"Lord Dun, a moment?" madame Xu asked as she placed the rag she had been using back in the water basin.
Dun turned his attention to her but did not release his hold on Zhuyue's hand.
"If you are about to sprout some crap about tradition to me-"
"No, no. I know that you wouldn't be satisfied with waiting outside of the room as tradition normally states. You are not unique in that. I have had plenty of father-to-be's who insisted on being in the room with their wives when they are about to deliver their child. You can stay, but when the time comes, please be sure to stay out of the way, okay?"
"Hmph, fine," Dun grumbled. He didn't like the idea that he was completely useless to Zhuyue during such an important moment. While it was true that he had no idea how to do whatever it was they were about to do, he wanted to at least do something to help her.
"One more thing. When the baby comes, Zhuyue must be the first person it sees. It is very important for mother and child to bond. You can touch it of course, it is your child, but Zhuyue has to be the first one to hold it, understand? "
"I got it."
"I also need to warn you dear, it will get messy."
"I can handle a little blood."
Xu gave a little chuckle. "I imagine a big strong warrior like you can dear, but it won't be just blood.
Xu's statement was cryptic, but Dun would not let it deter him. "I can handle it," he replied.
Xu gave him a soft smile and nodded.
"Alright then, as for the rest of you. I know you are all eager to see the baby but this is a private moment. Please leave."
"No," Xiaolian protested, her hand that had been waving the fan stilled as she looked at her mother pleadingly.
"You can come back when it's all over, Xiaolian," said Dun. She frowned upset by this, but complied and left the room with Lingqi and the other servants.
Xu closed the door behind them and walked over to Zhuyue. Your baby isn't ready to come out yet. Your stomach is still a bit too high. You must get your child to shift a bit lower. You need to walk around a bit.
"You gotta be kidding me," Zhuyue groaned.
"If you want to just sit there in pain...," Xu said, trailing off. She didn't need to finish her sentence for Zhuyue to know what she was saying.
With a groan, she slid on her butt towards the edge of the bed. She sat at the edge for awhile and rubbed the sides of her stomach. It didn't do much to alleviate the pain but it was better than nothing.
Dun offered his hand to her to help her stand. With a heavy sigh, she took it and used him to pull herself to her feet.
Slowly, she began to amble across the room.
"How long do I have do this?" Zhuyue asked after they had circled the room for the second time.
"As long as it takes, dear," Xu replied.
Zhuyue muttered a few choice curses under her breath but kept moving.
=#=
Xiaolian pressed her ear to the door to try and hear what was going on behind it, but to her dismay, should could hear nothing beside occasional muffled voices.
"Hear anything?" Lingqi asked from behind Xiaolian.
Xiaolian looked up to the girl and sadly shook her head. Her legs were becoming numb after kneeling before the door for the last hour so she stood to get blood circulating in them once again. She rubbed her legs to get rid of the tingling sensation that coursed through them as blood freely flowed through her limbs once more.
"Maybe we should get some air," Lingqi suggested.
Xiaolian looked at Lingqi once more. Over time, she had began to accept Lingqi's presence. While she didn't exactly consider her a friend, she didn't mind being around her anymore. She tried to follow Dian's example. She would greet Lingqi kindly and treated her with respect in hopes that she would get over her dislike of the woman. Normally, she would have ignored Lingqi's invitation but remembering Dian's words, she nodded in acceptance to her request.
The two walked out of the home to the front courtyard. Lingqi stretched her hands up into the open air and turned her head up towards the oncoming breeze.
"It's a nice night...I hope they opened a window for Lady Yue."
Xiaolian did not reply but she too turned her head up towards the sky to catch the oncoming breeze. It rustled her hair, blowing it away from her eye and revealing her scar. After a few seconds, her hair gently settled down upon her face and she fixed it so that it was properly covering the scar once more.
While the scar was no longer visible now, Lingqi had caught a glimpse of it when the wind had revealed it. She felt a pang of guilt knowing that it was her husband-to-be that caused her injury. He had told her everything of their fight and how Xiaolian got in the midst of it. While she knew now that he did not intentionally injure her, it didn't change the fact that Xiaolian got injured because of his actions.
"I'm sorry...about your wound. I...I know sorry doesn't change anything, but I am sorry."
Xiaolian shrugged in response. Her scar no longer affected her the way that it use to. Until recently, she avoided looking at her reflection. Whenever she would see herself, she would feel a sense of anger, disappointment and disgust. Recently, however, she was beginning to learn to live with it. She still didn't like it, but she didn't hate looking at herself anymore. She no longer avoided mirrors and there were times when she would even wear her hair back.
This change could partially be attributed to Dian, specifically, the day he treated her to lunch and told her she was beautiful. Since that day, she began to see herself a bit differently. Her mother called her beautiful so many times before, but she never truly believed it. For some reason, it was different when Dian said it. When he said it, it made her happy and gave her a funny fluttering feeling in her stomach.
"S-so, are you hoping for a brother or sister?" Lingqi asked in an effort to move past her awkward apology.
Xiaolian shrugged once more.
Lingqi sighed. It wasn't the answer she wanted but she couldn't expect much more out of Xiaolian. She was surprised and pleased that the girl even accepted her invitation. She would take what she could get and hopefully, one day, the two could be friends.
"Hey!"
Xiaolian and Lingqi turned to see Xiahou Yuan heading their way, waving his hand in greetings towards them. He was followed by Zhang Liao.
"Yo, Lingqi. Hey little one," Yuan said as he rustled Xiaolian's hair with one of his large hands.
Xiaolian moved his hand from atop her hair.
"Hello, uncle," she said as she begin to smooth down the strands of hair he just mussed up.
Lingqi saluted both him and Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao returned the salute and nodded to Xiaolian.
"Gah, I've never seen two people who are about to be married so formal with each other," said Yuan teasingly.
Zhang Liao frowned but did not reply. He wasn't the type of person to display his emotions so openly. He felt that his relationship with Lingqi was a private thing, something to be experienced by the two of them only.
"Don't look so severe, Wényuǎn," Liao said as she gave his shoulder a pat. "Just messing with ya."
"Of course," Liao replied. Despite his words, he still seemed to be a bit upset by Yuan's ribbing.
"Lingqi, I've come to escort you back to the barracks."
In truth, Liao wished he could take her back to the place that was to be their home, but it was inappropriate for them to be there together when they were unmarried. He refused to do anything to sully her honor and despite his want to have her in his arms every night, he would have to wait until they were formally married. Only four more months to go, but it was beginning to feel like an eternity to Liao.
"I wanted to stay for lady Yue's birth, to make sure she was alright."
"Eh, don't worry, I'll keep you posted," said Yuan. "Besides, even if you stayed, you won't be able to see them till the third day. Might as well go home and get some rest."
Lingqi reluctantly agreed and headed off with Zhang Liao.
"So, little one," Yuan began as he turned his attention to his niece. "You excited to have a little brother or sister?"
Xiaolian nodded. "I'm going to protect them."
Yuan let out a laugh. "Right you are. That's gonna be your job after all. Make sure you do it well."
Xiaolian nodded again.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Xiahouji told me to tell you that she said hello next time I see you. She misses you, you know?"
"I miss her too," Xiaolian said sadly.
Yuan frowned. "Yeah...I'm sorry the two of you got caught up in this mess. I'm gonna fix it soon so the two of you can see each other again. Just leave it up to your uncle," Yuan said as he thumped a hand against his chest.
Xiaolian nodded with a small smile. She really hoped he would make good on his word. She really missed her and hated not being able to see her.
"Okay! How about we go see if your mother has popped that baby out yet, huh?"
Xiaolian nodded once more and led the way back into the house.
=#=
"Seems like your little one is getting more and more restless. I think it is about ready to come out," said Xu.
"It fucking better be," Zhuyue snapped. She was in a foul mood. When her water first broke, it was morning; now the stars blanketed the sky and she had to endure constant waves of pain through it all. Their child was certainly taking its time in coming into the world.
"Language," Xu chided. Come stand over the blankets."
Dun guided Zhuyue back towards the foot of the bed. At that moment, there was nothing she wanted more than getting that kid out of her as soon as possible. Dun could understand her frustration. He watched Zhuyue endure the pain and there was truly nothing he could do for her. He massaged her weary back and let her squeeze his hand when the pain became too much to bear, but that was all he could do. He didn't like this feeling of uselessness, nor did he enjoy seeing his wife in so much pain.
"Ready to bring your little one into the world?" Xu asked with a smile.
"If you are asking whether I'm ready to get this damn thing out of me then the answer is yes!" Zhuyue shouted angrily as she suffered through another contraction more painful than the last.
"Once you are holding that little baby in your arms, you'll forget all about this pain, trust me."
"I doubt that," Zhuyue growled.
"Well, we will just have to see about that."
Dun helped Zhuyue out of her robe, leaving her dressed in the thin shirt she wore underneath only. As Dun promised, he stepped off to the side to let Xu and Zhuyue do what needed to be done.
"Okay, lady Yue. I want you to push with all that you got."
Zhuyue let out a pained groan and pushed as hard as she could. Her legs felt as if they were going to buckle, but she stayed upright.
"Keep going, my lady!" Xu encouraged. Zhuyue grit her teeth and did as she was told.
"You're almost there, my lady. Keep going!" Xu said as the baby's head peeked from inside its mother.
"More! Just a bit more!"
Zhuyue cried out, her face saturated with a mixture of tears and sweat and she pushed with everything she had. The baby's body slid out with ease. Xu caught it, one hand supporting the head and the other on its back.
Xu stood and quickly put the child in Zhuyue's arms. The first thing the child must see had to be its mother.
Zhuyue could hardly believe that she was holding her child in her arms. She stared down at the wrinkly baby, covered in blood and fluid from her placenta and thought it was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. Zhuyue felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulders. She knew it was her husband. She looked up to him and smiled.
"Yuánràng," she said softly.
"It's a boy," he said up on taking in the full sight of his child. "You did well, Zhuyue. I'm proud of you. I'm so proud of you."
Zhuyue smiled and Dun placed a kiss on her forehead, uncaring of the perspiration covering it. Zhuyue her gaze to their child. The child, seeming to realize it was no longer within the safety of the womb begin to cry, making its discomfort known to everyone present.
"Xiaolian...we have to tell Xiaolian," she said as she gently rocked her child, just the way Xu had taught her a few months ago, in an effort to calm it down. She was exhausted but she felt and indescribable happiness inside of her.
"Not so fast, my lady. We still have a bit more that needs to be done," Xu said as she turned to them with a freshly cleaned blade.
"I know...I know," she replied with a sigh.
Xu took hold of the umbilical cord and cut it. She then quickly bound the severed cord still connected to the child.
"There's a good boy," Xu said once done. The child wailed in protest.
"Use this to wipe the baby off," Xu suggest as she handed Zhuyue a cloth.
Zhuyue took the cloth and began to gently wipe the excess fluids from its skin. The child, seeming to like his mother's ministrations slowly began to quiet down. His eyes slowly opened and he stared at her curiously as she swaddled him in a blanket.
"Ready for the next part, lady Yue?" Xu asked once she was done. Zhuyue sighed in response and nodded. She offered the baby to Dun who stared at the infant in confusion.
"What?"
"What do you mean what? Take him."
"I don't-"
Zhuyue didn't wait for him to finish his sentence. She thrust their child into his arms.
"Be a man and hold your son."
Dun stood uncertainly with his child in his arms. The child's face began to twist as it prepared to begin his wailing anew.
"You are standing too rigidly. You are transferring your nervousness to him. Relax and rock him a bit."
Dun felt as if Zhuyue's words were a bit easier said than done. This was not something he prepared for. Holding a weapon, sure he could do that easy, but holding a baby? That was an entirely different world for him. It wasn't that he didn't know how to do it, he actually did. When Xu gave training to Zhuyue, he sat in on occasion just to pick up some information. Watching and doing however were two very different things.
"Relax," Zhuyue said once more as their child started to wail.
Dun tried to follow Zhuyue's suggestion and relax his body a bit more. His efforts seemed to be too little, too late as the child continued to cry. Unfortunately, Dun was on his own as Xu and Zhuyue were now in the process of giving "birth" to the placenta. It hurt much less than giving birth to the child, but Zhuyue was exhausted. The whole process was taking more energy than she had.
"Hey, cut it out. You are a Xiahou, you don't cry."
The baby seemed determined to defy his father's words and he increased the volume of his cries. Dun frowned. He truly did not know how to do this. He looked to Zhuyue for help but there was no way she would be able to help him at present. He was on his own.
Dun began to rock him, mimicking what he had seen Zhuyue do earlier.
"I know, you would rather be held by your mother. I don't blame you, she's much better looking than me, but she can't hold you right now and crying isn't going to change that. You just got to deal with me for now, okay?" Dun whispered to him.
The child's cries began to abate. Dun was relieved that his eardrums was getting a much needed reprieve.
Dun continued to rock him, slowly putting the child to sleep. Time passed slowly. The child had fallen asleep, it's chest rising and falling steadily as he dreamed.
Xu let out an exhausted sigh and dipped her hands into the water basin to clean them.
"We are all done. All that's left is the clean up. Surely you aren't going to make an old woman do that, are you?"
Zhuyue shook her head no. She barely had the energy to speak any more. She couldn't remember a time she felt this drained.
"You need to be cleaned too, lady Yue."
Zhuyue nodded as tiredly as she sat gingerly at the edge of the bed. Her nether regions felt swollen and sore.
"Thank you, Xu," Zhuyue said in a soft voice. Xu smiled.
"It was my honor, my dear. Remember, no leaving the room. It is a time of healing for you and bonding with your child. "
Zhuyue nodded. The way she felt right now, she had no interest in leaving the room at all. She just wanted to sleep.
"I'll send the servants in to clean up," Xu said as she opened the door. She got the fright of her life when Xiaolian and Yuan spilled into the room. They had been leaning against the door, their ears to wood to hear what was going on beyond it.
"What are you two doing!?" she shouted. Her nerves were still rattled from the scare.
"We were-"
"Never mind that!" she said sharply, cutting Yuan off from his explanation. "She isn't ready to be seen yet. She is still improper. Out you go, both of you! OUT!"
Xiaolian and Yuan jumped up immediately and backed out of the room, startled by the normally demure Xu's outburst.
Xu slid the door closed behind her and she looked at the two of them sternly.
"Now you two go get servants to help them clean up in there and I don't want either of you going in there until they are done. And when you do go in, you do not stay for a long time. Both mother and baby need their rest, understand?"
"Y-yes ma'am," Yuan stammered, completely taken aback by Xu's sudden forcefulness.
Xiaolian nodded quickly in agreement before running off to do as she was told.
"The hell was that all about," Dun asked as she placed their now sleeping child on the bed. He was surprised that he didn't wake from the ruckus happening a few feet away from them.
"Don't know, too tired to care," Zhuyue replied as she turned over to look at their child.
"I know, you'll get to rest soon, just let them clean you up first, okay?"
Zhuyue nodded, but she could feel the pull of sleep weighing down the lids of her eyes. Dun flicked her in the forehead and her eyes snapped open and focused on him.
"That's not staying awake," he said with a grin.
"I hate you so much," she replied through a yawn.
"I know you do...Zhuyue, thank you."
"For what?" she said while unsuccessfully stifling another yawn.
"Giving me a son...thank you."
"Pretty sure you had a hand in that," she replied with a sleepy smile.
"I know but, thank you for bringing him into this world. This is the greatest gift a man could ask for from his wife. Thank you."
"You can show your appreciation by letting me sleep," she replied.
Dun flicked her in the head one more, earning another glare from her.
"I will, once they clean you up."
"I am going to remember all of this husband and when I am back on my feet, I will pay you back."
"I'm counting on it," he replied.
The servants had arrived and got to work. First they cleaned up Zhuyue and put her in a fresh silk sleepwear which felt absolutely divine on her weary body.
Dun helped tuck her into bed, right beside their sleeping child.
"I want you to stay."
"I was planning on it," Dun replied. He looked to the servants as they cleaned up as quickly and as quietly as they could. It would be a bit before they were done, especially since they kept attempting to sneak looks at the new member of the family.
"I want to see Xiaolian before I sleep," Zhuyue said.
"I'll go get her," Dun replied and he stepped out of the room.
He found Yuan and Xiaolian standing beside the door with guilty looks.
"You can go in, Xiaolian," Dun began. "But your mother needs sleep, so just for a little while, okay?"
She nodded quickly and ran in.
"You look exhausted brother," Yuan remarked as he clapped Dun on the shoulder.
"I feel exhausted even though I didn't do shit," he replied.
Yuan laughed. "I know that feeling. Just watching that shit is tiring right? Even so, I wouldn't let Jiao go through it without me if I could avoid it. I've been there for every single birth and I want to be there for the rest of them too."
"Tch, after all that, I'll be surprised if Zhuyue even lets me touch her again."
Yuan laughed once more. "She'll forget about the pain in a few weeks. I thought the same way with Jiao but a year later and she was saying she wanted another kid. Women are crazy like that."
"We'll see," Dun said, skeptical that Zhuyue would feel the same way.
"Well? Don't keep me in suspense brother, what did you have? A boy or a girl?"
"A boy," Dun replied with a proud grin.
"HAHA! The Xiahou tradition goes on! Come, brother, we gotta have a drink to this."
Dun was more than happy to accept his brother's offer. After all that has happened today, he could definitely use a drink.
It didn't take long for the two men to find themselves in one of the private rooms with a jar of wine in hand. Dun sat down upon the sitting mats positioned on the floor opposite his brother and filled up their cups.
"To you, brother," Yuan said as he held up his cup. He made show to raise it slowly to allow not one precious drop to escape from the cup. "The heavens have blessed you with a healthy son. May he be a worthy heir."
Dun raised his cup as well towards his brother then downed its contents quickly. Yuan followed suit, emptying his cup in one gulp.
"After I left, did that asshole Gōngrén keep trying to convince Mèngdé to use Xiaolian for that political bullshit?"
"Yup, but Zǐxiào offered up his own daughter for the cause and Mèngdé accepted."
"Tch, better his kid than mine."
"Agreed...but you know, it is going to come up again. Might be better if you marry off Xiaolian to someone who you think is worthy of her rather than her be used as a pawn."
"Easier said than done," Dun replied with a frown.
"I know how you feel. Before Zǐxiào offered up his daughter, Gōngrén suggested Xiahouji . Had me seeing red and she's not even officially under my care. I could only imagine my reaction if it was my kid."
Dun's frown only deepened the more he thought about the situation. "I wouldn't even know who to marry her off to. I don't feel like anyone is worthy of her."
"Ha, I kinda feel the same way about Xiahouji . Speaking of...I was thinking about officially adopting Xiahouji. Mother and father only ignore the kid and she spends the majority of her time with Jiao and my sons anyway...it's already like she is my daughter, ya know? I was so pissed when mother decided to send her off for training. It was as if they couldn't wait to get rid of her. If she moves with when Mèngdé ships them off, that poor kid will have no one."
"I think she'd like that. She seems to have a soft spot for you. She still seems terrified of me."
"It's because of those faces you are always making. You gotta learn to smile once in a while."
"I smile plenty."
"Pfft, could've fooled me.
"Enough talk, pour us another."
"What do I have to pour for? Aren't I your guest?"
"Tch, you are my brother, you don't get to be a guest. Now pour."
Yuan let out an exaggerated sigh but picked up the wine jar.
"So, you know mother and father are probably not going to show to honor your child, right?" Yuan said as he filled both cups.
"Fuck them," Dun replied quickly.
"Yeah I know...but it is the grandmother's duty to buy clothes and furniture for the baby."
"Don't need her. We'll buy it on our own. Xu has offered to assist me in picking out everything he'll need."
"That's nice of her, but this is something that should be done by family and since mother is being her usual charming self, Jiao and I decided we are going to do it instead."
"Miàocái, you don't have-"
"I do and we already got some of the stuff already so no point in trying to dissuade me. Just like tradition, we'll bring it all over on the day of the bathing ceremony. We can drink while the ladies do their thing. I think I'll bring over a wine from my private stash too cause this shit is weak," Yuan said as he downed his second cup.
"If it's so weak, you don't have to drink anymore."
"Oh, I hit a nerve. I just happen to have better taste in wine than you brother. Nothing to be ashamed about," Yuan replied as he poured them another cup.
"Did it ever occur to you that I brought out the weak stuff because you're shit at handling your alcohol?"
"What? That's bullshit, I can hang with the best of them."
"Yeah right, keep telling yourself that."
"I certainly will," Yuan said with a defiant laugh just before downing his third cup.
"Hey, Miàocái, thank you. You don't have to do this and I appreciate that you are...truly."
"That's what brother's are for right?"
"Yeah...thanks," Dun said as he pat his brother on the shoulder before drinking the contents in his cup.
Yuan filled up their cups once more.
"Though, I must admit that you are especially fortunate to have a brother as great as me."
"And there you go, ruining the moment with that mouth of yours."
"Ahahaha, I wouldn't be me if I didn't," Yuan replied with a grin.
"Heh, true enough. Come on, oh great brother. Let's put that boast about your drinking ability to the test."
"You're on!" Yuan said with a wide grin.
=#=
Dun returned to the room to find Zhuyue sitting up with their newborn child in her arms. The baby greedily suckled at her breast while Zhuyue looked down to him with a serene smile on her lips. Xiaolian was curled up at the foot of the bed fast asleep.
Zhuyue looked up to him. "Finally back huh?"
"Had to take Yuan home. Dumbass got so drunk he couldn't make it on his own."
"Mmm," she replied as she rubbed their son's cheek with her finger.
"I'm going to put Xiaolian to bed."
Zhuyue nodded and Dun scooped their daughter up in his arms and left the room.
He returned a few minutes to find Zhuyue had just finished burping the child and was preparing to rock him to sleep.
"Let me do that, you get some rest."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, get some rest."
She gratefully handed their child over to him and slid further down into the bed, preparing to go to sleep.
"When you wake up, we have to talk about Xiaolian."
"That's ominous," she replied as she looked up to him.
"It's not that bad, but...well, we will talk about it when you wake up."
Zhuyue frowned. She wanted to know immediately what he was talking about but sleep was too great an allure at the moment. She still felt exhausted and wanted to get back to the sleep that was interrupted by her newborn's cries. Zhuyue's eyelids became increasingly heavy and it didn't take long for her to slip into a peaceful slumber.
=#=
-One month later -
"Wénruò, are you well?" Xun Yu looked up from the scroll he had been reading to Liu Bei. He stood and gave his friend a forced smile.
"Of course I am well, Xuándé, why do you ask?"
"Your face betrays your words."
Yu frowned, so Bei had seen through his false smile. He decided to drop all pretenses and allowed his face to drop into a frown.
"You are perceptive as ever, Xuándé. In truth, I have an issue I am trying to figure out, but I do not know exactly how."
"Would that issue have something to do with lord Cao Cao?"
Yu's frowned deepened but he did not reply.
"And it is due to my brother and I taking up residence here, isn't it?"
"N-no-"
"There is no reason for you to lie to spare me the truth. As I predicted, our very presence here has caused you grief and I am truly sorry."
"Truly, the fault is my own. I just don't understand. If Lord Cao was unhappy about the arrangement, why did he say nothing when I brought it to his attention? He made it seem as if everything was well, but then he casts me aside."
"Forgive me for speaking ill of your lord, but that is the type of man Cao is. He is a snake that hides his fangs and bares them only when you have revealed your neck to him."
Yu's frowned deepened. His immediate reaction should have been to defend his lord, but he couldn't bring himself to dispute Bei's words. After serving Cao for as many years as he has, he has had plenty of time to see an unsavory side to his lord that he most assuredly did not agree with. There had been plenty of moments he had questioned the path that Cao walked. To Yu, Cao constantly straddled the line between righteousness and tyranny.
"In the time that I have been fortunate enough to live among you and your family and I have gotten to see the type of man you are," Bei continued.
"You are a man of honor and virtue. You honor and serve the Han faithfully. My next words will be harsh, but they are sincere and spoken from the depths of my heart. Wénruò, a man of your caliber should not be serving the likes of Cao."
Yu's eyes widened, surprised to hear Bei speak so candidly to him.
"Tell me, Yu and please speak from your heart as I have mine. If you found out that Cao Cao had designs to end the Han, would you still serve him?"
Yu was flabbergasted. He couldn't believe what Bei was saying. "He-he would never..."
"You cannot even say so with certainty, can you? Please Wénruò, I must know your answer."
Yu sighed. What Bei was asking would be considered treason against his lord because his answer would most assuredly be, no.
"I...I could not continue to serve him in good conscious if it was proven that he did such a thing."
Bei nodded. "I knew it. I knew you to be a man of virtue. There is something I need you to see."
From the inside of his robe, Liu Bei produced a small scroll and handed it to Yu. The first thing Yu noticed was the emperor's seal. For a moment, he couldn't believe it was real. He looked to Bei and he nodded his head, confirming that it was truly the seal of the son of heaven. With a shaking hand, Yu unfurled the scroll and read the words within.
"This...can't be real," Yu said after he finished reading the message.
"You see the emperor's seal. That is not something that can be faked. I assure you, it is real."
"Where did you get this?"
"I will only tell you after you tell me your opinion."
Yu sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face. He truly could not believe this. The message voiced Emperor Xian's concern that Cao Cao would attempt to dominate him and the central government and use him as a "trump card" against rival warlords. It even went as far as to say that he feared Cao would outgrow his power and assassinate him. These were extremely serious charges and Yu could not ignore them.
"I think we should confront lord Cao-"
"He will simply deny it," Bei replied with a frown. "Just as Dong Zhuo did when similar charges were brought against him."
Yu felt the sudden need for a drink.
"Would you join me for a drink?"
Bei nodded and Yu poured one for both of them. He gulped down his while Bei held his filled cup in his hand, waiting for Yu to continue. He had taken a great risk brining this information to Yu. This could have very well backfired on him. His brothers were completely against the idea, Zhang Fei especially, but Bei had faith that Yu would understand and join their side. Yu refilled his cup but he did not drink it this time. Like Bei, he merely held it in his hand.
"I serve the Han...I always have and I always will. If our emperor is truly in danger then it is my duty to protect it...even against the man I currently call my lord."
Liu Bei let out a relieved sigh. "I knew it. I knew that is what you would say! Wénruò, there are some men I would like you to meet. Men that feel the same as us. Men that refuse to remain quiet in the face of such a crime. I would like to take you to meet them."
Yu remained silent as he processed this information. So there was already a group ready to act against Cao? He could meet with these people, gain their trust then betray them to Cao and have them all eliminated for their treachery. That would surely rebuild Cao's faith in him. Yu however, was not that type of person. He cared nothing about his position if it meant betraying his beliefs.
"No more. Tell me no more," Yu said as he rolled up the scroll. "I do not want to know anything that could be used against you."
"Wénruò..."
Yu raised a hand to stop Bei from speaking any further. "I would like to speak to Lord Cao once more. I want to ask him a single question. His answer will guide my next steps."
Yu rolled up the scroll and handed it back to Liu Bei. "Take this with you, hide it well. If this was ever found..."
Bei nodded, understanding what he meant.
"I will speak with lord Cao tomorrow. Please wait until after for my answer."
Bei nodded and finally drank down the wine in his cup.
"Then I will await your return," said Bei.
=#=
-The next day-
Xun Yu managed to get an audience with Cao. He entered his office and saluted him as he always did.
"Make it quick, Wénruò, I'm a busy man."
He regarded him so coldly. He remembered a time when he would greet him with respect, now they seemed to be little more than strangers.
"My apologies, my lord. I will not take up more of your time than necessary. I merely wished to make a suggestion to you."
"Well?"
Yu steeled himself for the treacherous words he was about to utter.
"If I had a plan that would help you achieve your goals sooner, but it would require the death of the emperor, would you be interested?"
"What a strange question to ask."
"I realize that it is a bit odd, but I need to know your answer."
"I see no point in answering it. You do not have such a plan, do you? If not, then there is no point on speculating," Cao replied.
"I realize that I am no longer in your good graces. I wish to change that. I want to show you that I can be useful, but I need to know exactly how far I can go. What is and is not acceptable."
"I see," said Cao as he rubbed his chin. "Well, you should already know the answer to that question. I have said it many times before, I will do anything to achieve my goals...anything."
"Thank you, my lord. I will be sure to make a befitting plan for you."
"Hmph, we'll see," Cao replied.
Yu saluted and left Cao's office.
Later that evening, when Yu returned home, he met with Liu Bei once more. With newfound resolve, he told him that he agreed that Cao was a dangerous man, on the same level of Dong Zhuo. He wanted to do his part to save the emperor and stop Cao's corruption before it was too late.
=#=
"Doesn't it feel good to finally be out of that stuffy room," Zhuyue cooed to her infant son.
He gurgled in response and raised its little arm to try to reach for his mother's face. Failing to do so, his hand settled on one of her breast instead. Zhuyue nudged his hand with her finger but the minute she moved it away, he went right back to the spot. When she tried to move his hand again, he began to twist his face up in preparation for a mighty cry. For the sake of her eardrums, Zhuyue relented, letting him keep his hand there.
"Hmm, just like your father, a one track mind," she said as she poked his nose. He looked at the finger with wide eyes and followed it as long as he could when Zhuyue moved it away.
"He has good taste like his father," Dun whispered in her ear. Zhuyue's body tensed but relaxed quickly as her brain registered who exactly it was that snuck up on her.
"Only you would say that," she retorted.
Dun smirked and looked over her shoulder to their son.
"You only get to borrow them, remember those belong to me."
The baby, not understanding a word his father said only gave his father the same look of curiosity he gave most things he found new and strange.
"Seriously? You are saying this to your son?"
"Just letting him know that he only gets to borrow your breast. They officially belong to me," Dun replied with a smirk.
"You are incorrigible, husband."
"And you love it, wife," Dun replied as he kissed the nape of her neck. Zhuyue let out a pleased hum and leaned her to the side so he would have more access.
Since their child had been born, the two hadn't been intimate in any way. Her body was much too sore and she was always too tired to do or want anything more than tender hugs. That kiss, as innocent as it was, made her aware of what she was missing and she craved more. Dun seemed to sense his wife's eagerness and he obliged by kissing her neck once more.
Xiaolian stepped from around them and took her baby brother from Zhuyue's arms.
"What are you doing?" Zhuyue asked as she watched Xiaolian walk away with her brother in her arms. The child cooed happily, recognizing his sister. He managed to grab some of her hair and he was now tugging at it with glee.
"Saving my brother," Xiaolian replied.
"Tch, what a brat," Dun replied as he watched Xiaolian walk to the inner courtyard with her brother. Despite his words, he was thankful that Xiaolian had taken her brother with her. Now there was nothing to stop him from enjoying his wife. He wrapped his arms around Zhuyue and kissed her neck again.
Zhuyue however was no longer in the mood. The conversation she and Dun had a month ago came back to mind upon seeing Xiaolian holding her brother in her arms. Dun had told Zhuyue that Xiaolian was brought up as a potential candidate for a political marriage to someone within the Wu army. While they managed to avoid dealing with the issue for now, Dun warned Zhuyue that if she wasn't married soon, it would only come up again.
As they served Cao Cao, they couldn't very well continually say no to his request and if Cao Cao kept overlooking Xiaolian, it would be clear that he was showing favoritism and that would bring about his its own issues. The best and only solution to this problem was to marry her off to someone of their choosing.
"I can't believe we have to start looking for a potential husband for her."
Dun sighed as he dropped his arms and stepped away from Zhuyue, the mood effectively ruined.
"I'm not exactly in love with the idea either, but it is either that or she gets used as a pawn. Tch, there are chances that it won't even be for marriage. She could just be given away as a concubine. I don't want that for her. She deserves better. If we choose it, it could be someone we approve of."
Zhuyue frowned. "Seeing her hold our baby...It made me think that it would be her own child she would be holding in a year or so. It all just seems so unreal to me. I guess I thought we had more time."
"I know..." Dun replied.
"We need to tell her. I don't want to blindside her with this...I don't want to do to her what my father did to me."
"I thought your father let you choose your potential husband. The whole challenge thing you were doing."
Zhuyue shook her had
"The challenge thing was my idea. My father intended to sell me. He arranged for nobles to come meet me and see if I interest them. If I did, they would bid on me and whoever bid the most would get me. At first I didn't understand why anyone would need to pay for a wife, but then I actually met the men who would bid on me. They were hideous, both in looks and in personality. There was no way those men could get a wife through normal means."
"It looked bad if a noble was unable to continue their legacy so my gracious father offered them an alternative. Pay him for an obedient wife. It was the perfect solution for him; get rid of his cursed daughter and earn taels for it. Lucky for me, he got sick so sick that he was bedridden and I got to set my own rules. I told them they had to beat me before I would become their wife...or concubine or whatever else they had in mind."
A bittersweet smile crossed Zhuyue's face as she thought about the past. Those posh little nobles were certainly in for a surprise when they met her. Just as she suspected, those men were either scholars or layabouts, not warriors. Their weapons were words. They picked up brushes, wine and food not swords. It was pitifully easy to beat them and not one would ever back down from the challenge because their pride forbid it, even when they knew they were out skilled.
"My father started to suspect something was up. At first, I told him none of the men felt me worthy. He readily believed that because he always saw me as worthless. Somehow, the truth finally reached his ears. He complained about what I was doing, threatened me, but I ignored him. He could barely hold his own head up so I knew he couldn't stop me. He knew it too so he decided to find an even more underhanded way to get rid of me. That's about the time I met you, dear husband."
Up until this point, Dun had listened to his wife's story in silence. It was in the past. It was something that could not be changed, no matter how much one wished it to be so. Dun knew that this to be a fact, but that didn't stop him from wishing her father was still alive so he could beat the shit out of him.
"You look angry," Zhuyue said as she touched the side of Dun's face.
"I am," he replied.
"Well stop it, in case you have forgotten, he is dead. He got his due so no point in getting angry over it."
"Fine," he said, still frowning. Despite his words, it was clear to see that he was still angry.
"Speaking of parents," Zhuyue begin. Dun's frown deepened. If Zhuyue noticed, she didn't show it as she continued.
"Can we talk about yours? Specifically why they suddenly seem to hate me and our children?"
"Leave it alone, Zhuyue," Dun replied.
Zhuyue sighed. He was still intending on being difficult about this.
"I just want to know what to tell our children when they ask why their grandparents seem to hate them."
"Easy, tell them they don't have any."
" Yuánràng-"
"Are you sure you are up for this banquet tonight?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Why do you refuse to tell me? Don't I have a right to know?"
"Why, Zhuyue? Why do you need to know? Do you like hearing people belittle you? Do you get off hearing all the terrible things they say about you? Didn't you get enough of that from your father? It was bad okay? Leave it at that. You don't need to hear any more."
Zhuyue frowned. Why did she need to know. She wasn't exactly sure, perhaps it was her curiosity getting the better of her. Or perhaps it was because she couldn't truly be mad at them unless she knew exactly why they disliked her. She thought that maybe if she knew why they disliked her, she could fix it. Now, she was no longer sure of that. From Dun's reaction, it seemed that this was something she could not fix. They didn't like her and it was as simple as that.
"I-I um...yeah I am looking forward to tonight. It's great to finally get out of that room. "
Zhuyue decided the best thing to do would be to let it go. Part of her curiosity still nagged her with a need to know, but she pushed that urge back. There was nothing to be gained from knowing.
"If you get tired or anything, just let me know."
"Oh please, I have a baby and you suddenly think I am so frail?"
"I see you are back to being a pain in the ass. Just remember what I said, okay?"
"Yes, yes," she replied as she waved a dismissive hand at him. "It's time for his feeding. Let's go find Xiaolian."
=#=
Xiaolian sat on the bench carefully cradling her brother in her arms. Her brother made gurgling noises as he continued to play with her hair.
"Lady Xiaolian?"
Xiaolian looked up to one of the servants. He bowed low to her.
"Master Li Dian is here for a visit. Do you know where your parents are?"
Xiaolian's eyes widened slightly at the sound of his name. She hadn't seen Li Dian for awhile now. She found herself eager to see him again, though she did not know why.
"They are busy. He can wait here with us."
The servant bowed his head again left to retrieve their guest. Moments later, he returned, followed by Li Dian. Dian gave Xiaolian a bright smile the moment he laid eyes on her.
"Hey, Xiaolian. Doing okay?"
Xiaolian nodded in response.
"And this is your new baby brother huh?" He said leaning over to get a better look at the child.
The child's face twisted as it prepared to let out a wail.
"Uh oh, we can't have that," Dian said noticing the signs immediately.
He put each of his thumbs in his ears and waggled his tongue, accompanying the gesture with noises that only small children would find amusing. The baby stared quizzically before erupting into a fit of giggles. Seeing his success, Dian continued, tilting his head from side to side to add more humor to his routine. The baby's laughter only intensified at his antics.
"He likes you," Xiaolian remarked as her brother continued his giggling fit while swinging his tiny fist, which still held onto her hair around frantically.
"Hah, yeah, all kids like me. I don't really know why, but I don't mind it either. I like kids," Dian said with a smile.
The baby's laughing fit had tapered off and he was now watching Dian with a renewed curiosity, waiting for him to do something else amusing. Dian sat down on the bench, next to Xiaolian and tickled the baby's stomach, sending it into a renewed laughing fit.
"So, older sister huh? I'm envious. I didn't have an older sibling...or a younger one. I was an only child. How is it? Do you like it?"
"So far," she replied.
"He's a cute baby huh?" Dian asked as he continued to tickle him.
"Not when he was first born. He was wrinkly and had all this nasty stuff on him."
Dian laughed. "Well he's cute now right?"
Xiaolian looked down to her brother then back up to Dian and nodded. "Yeah."
"So hey, what happened to those gifts? Your parents didn't like them?"
Xiaolian frowned. "I didn't give it to them."
"B-but why?" Dian asked as he stop tickling the baby to give him a chance to catch his breath.
"They were busy."
"Busy?" Dian said with a tinge of disbelief.
"I didn't want to bother them." she further clarified.
Dian frowned at her response.
"How would giving them a gift be bothering them?"
Xiaolian shifted her hold on her brother. He had begun to squirm and she wanted to make sure she didn't drop him.
"It's not important."
"Of course it's important!" Dian exclaimed. He looked around and lowered his voice. "You snuck out of your house just to find them a gift and had to go through something unpleasant. You spent all that money too."
"I didn't spend. You did. You wouldn't let me."
On the day in question, Xiaolian had fully intended on spending all her money on her parents gift, but when it came time to pay, Dian insisted that he pay for it. He claimed it was the least he could do for her joining him for lunch. This didn't make sense to Xiaolian since he paid for that too. She tried to pay but somehow Dian managed to persuade her otherwise. Dian gave a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head.
"Oh yeah...well whatever, it is the thought that counts. You should give it to them, today.. No more delays!"
"But-"
"But nothing. Even your little brother wants you give it to them, isn't that right?" Dian said as he tickled the baby's stomach once more making him coo with laughter again.
"See?"
Xiaolian was ready to protest that her brother did not actually agree to anything when her father's voice called out from across the courtyard.
"Is there a reason why you are here, breathing all over my children?" Dun asked.
Dian and Xiaolian were sitting close. For a brief moment, with Xiaolian holding his son in her arms, they looked like a family. Dun did not like the imagery at all, despite knowing that it was something that was going to happen soon whether he liked it or not.
Dun's words seemed to alert Dian to exactly how close he was to Xiaolian. He quickly moved away from her and gave a nervous laugh.
"I just wanted to see the baby."
"You do that at the banquet," Dun replied as he eyed Dian with suspicion.
"Yeah, but everyone's gonna want to see him. I won't get a chance to personally know him, ya know?"
"And why do you need to personally know my son?"
Zhuyue sighed and pushed past her husband.
"It's been awhile, Mànchéng. Good to see you again," she said once she was at their side.
"Good to see you too, Lady Yue."
Zhuyue bristled at the name Yue. After coming to terms with the fact that Dun's parents did not like her, she no longer wished to have the name they gave to her. Just as she did with her father, she would cast aside their name and no longer acknowledge them. In a way she realized it was cowardly of her, choosing to run away from things she doesn't like rather than facing it head on. It was pathetic and she knew it, but she had no intention of changing.
"Tch, well since I'm getting ignored in my own home and you insist on being here, I'm going to make use of you. Let's go train."
"Awww, Master Yuánràng's training is brutal. I was so happy that I finally had a day off too."
"Too bad," Dun replied as he begin to walk off.
"Wait! Before you go, Xiaolian has something to give both of you."
Dun turned to look at him, his eye narrowing. Xiaolian was giving him the same glare, a frown on her face.
"Is that so?" Zhuyue said as she took her son from Xiaolian's arms." "How curious," she said as she looked between the two of them. "What do you have for us, Xiaolian?"
Xiaolian shifted her gaze from Dian to her mother. With a sigh, she stood and left the courtyard to retrieve the gifts.
"Since when did you and my daughter become so close, Mànchéng?" Dun asked as he took a few threatening steps towards Dian.
In response, Dian took a few steps back and let out a nervous laugh. "Well um ahahaha, funny story actually."
"I asked him to buy it for me," Xiaolian said as she returned with the small bundles in hand. "Since I couldn't go get it myself," she added.
"Yes!" Dian exclaimed loudly, happy to be saved from Dun's interrogation. Dian coughed, realizing he sounded a bit too happy about Xiaolian's explanation. "I mean, yup, that's what happened, exactly like she said."
Dun eyed them with suspicion. There was something up with the two of them. Before he could say any more, Xiaolian handed his gift to him. Dun looked at it curiously, turning the small wooden box bound by a ribbon over in his hands a few times as he tried to imagine what it might be. Xiaolian walked over to Zhuyue. She handed her the gift and took her brother back, leaving Zhuyue's hands free to open it.
"Ooooh I'm excited," Zhuyue said as she untied the ribbon that bound her package.
She opened the wooden box and pulled out the hair ornament inside. It was a single flower with fully bloomed petals painted blue with gold trimming its edge. Zhuyue thought it slightly odd that the stem which went into the hair was thicker and wider than any she had previously seen before.
It was a very beautiful ornament, but it was something she would only bother wearing on formal occasions. Perhaps she would even wear it tonight to show Xiaolian that she appreciated the gift. Her brows furrowed when she realized that there was something off with the ornament. She fiddled with it and was surprised when it pulled apart, revealing a hidden blade. Her eyes danced with delight as she examined the blade. It was wasn't a large blade, it would only do damage if it struck a vital point, but if Zhuyue ever found herself in a pinch, this would do nicely.
"Xiaolian, this is a great gift!" Zhuyue said with a smile as she fixed the ornament back together. "I will wear it every day."
"Y-you like it?" Xiaolian asked, somewhat afraid that Zhuyue had only said it to be kind.
"I really like it," she replied as she gave Xiaolian a kiss on her forehead.
Xiaolian smiled, relieved. She then looked to her father expectantly. Dun got the unspoken message and ripped the ribbon off of his gift. He opened the box to find a well made black eye-patch. It was certainly much better than the cloth he had been wearing. He turned his back to the others, and removed the cloth then affixed the eye-patch in its place. It was comfortable and didn't require constant adjustment like the cloth.
He turned back around to face them. Zhuyue let out a small gasp when seeing the eye-patch in place of the cloth. Not only did it look better then the cloth he used, it enhanced his rugged good-looks and added to that dangerous look he had that drove Zhuyue wild. She bit her lower lip, remembering the feel of his kisses on her neck and realized that her body yearned for more. It was too bad that she wouldn't be able to do anything about that yearning for another two months. Dun noticed the looks Zhuyue was giving him. He could see the naked desire burning within her eyes as she looked of him. He smirked and gave Xiaolian a loving pat on the head.
"Good gift," he said approvingly.
Xiaolian was beaming, she was so pleased that they both seemed to love the gifts. Dian gave her a smile and a thumbs up.
Zhuyue realized Dun noticed that she was staring at him and the grin he was giving her pissed her off. He knew exactly what was going through her head at the moment and he had the most infuriating smug look on his face. She wanted to simultaneously kiss him and punch him.
"How were you able to afford these gifts? This couldn't have been cheap," Zhuyue asked after managing to tear her eyes away from her husband back to the ornament.
"Father gave it to me...when we first met."
Dun looked at her in confusion, unsure of what she was talking about.
"When you saved me. You took it from the man that almost hit me with his horse.
Dun remembered this. It seemed so long ago. "You held onto that this long? I thought you would have spent it already."
She shrugged. "I didn't have anything to buy."
"What made you decide to buy this for us? Why not something for yourself," Zhuyue asked.
"I...wanted to say thank you...for making me your daughter..." she said softly as she looked down to her brother who was grabbing for her hair once more. She felt a bit embarrassed to say it aloud.
"Oh, Xiaolian...," Zhuyue said with a smile. She could feel her heart bursting with pride at having such a sweet and considerate daughter.
"You don't need to thank us for that," Dun said. After a few moments, he added. "But it was...kind of you."
Xiaolian was beaming. Dian was right. She felt a bit silly for holding back on giving the gifts to them for so long. She thought they wouldn't have time for her as they were so preoccupied with the new baby, but she could see that couldn't be further from the truth.
"Alright, we still have some time before this banquet. You," Dun said as he pointed to Dian. "Let's go," he jerked his thumb towards the training area as he spoke. Dian let out a groan, dreading the impending training that he was suddenly forced into.
=#=
-Later that day-
"Yeesh, your son is just like you. When he's done with people, he lets you know," Xiahou Yuan remarked after Zhuyue had to briefly leave the banquet with her son. He was calm at first but after seeing steady stream of unknown people, he begin to get annoyed and he let everyone know.
"I'd cry too being surrounded by so many burly men," said Guo Jia. "He probably prefers being surrounded by lovely women."
"Don't make my son out to be a lecher like you," said Dun.
"Excuse me, I am not a lecher...I simply admire the female form...greatly."
"That's not the same thing?" Xu Chu asked, a genuinely puzzled look on his face.
"See? Even Zhòngkāng knows your full o f shit," Dun said with a smirk.
Jia pat the large man on the shoulder and gave him a friendly smile. "Don't you listen to them, Zhòngkāng. It is not the same thing."
"If you say so, Master Fèngxiào. Oh um...are we gonna eat soon? I'm hungry." Chu asked as he rubbed his stomach.
Dun shook his head with a wry grin. Xu Chu was an amazing fighter but he tend to have a one track mind.
"As soon as Zhuyue gets back, we'll eat."
"Oh good!" Chu replied with a delighted smile. He could smell the delicious aroma of the food and it sent his tummy rumbling. He wandered towards the exit Zhuyue used, hoping to see her re-emerge soon.
"I swear, sometimes I'm worried that he'll get distracted by a meat bun and forget he has to protect you, Mèngdé," Yuan said as he watched him go.
"Zhòngkāng is a good man and a good bodyguard. I trust him with my life...though I must admit, I miss having you by my side, Dian Wei..." Cao said as he turned his attention to the man in question.
"Don't you worry, my lord. I am as healthy as ever and ready to serve you."
"Good man, " Cao said with a nod, "But before you do return as my bodyguard, I want you to attend a few training sessions with my cousins and the others. Only when they tell me that you are in peak form will I accept you back. I trust this won't be a problem?" Cao said as he looked in the direction of Dun and Yuan.
"The more the merrier," said Yuan.
Dun only nodded in response.
"Ha! Fine with me," said Wei. "Looking forward to sparring against the mighty Zhang Liao. Heard your strength was second to Lu Bu."
Lingqi, shifted uncomfortably at the mention of her father's name. It was something she hadn't heard for many months; something she tried to bury in her past. To hear it come up so suddenly again sparked a lot of conflicting emotions.
"I have also heard tale of your battle prowess and look forward to sparring with you as well," Liao replied.
Wei grinned and begin to crack his knuckles in anticipation. From his look, it was easy to guess that he was already imagining the fight. He hadn't had a chance to battle in so long, he felt as if he was getting rusty. Going up against someone of Liao's skill would be the perfect way to get back into shape. Also, he wasn't happy that he wasn't able to finish his fight with Lu Bu back then. Now that the man was dead, there would never be a chance to do so. Liao was the next best thing to getting the rematch he wanted.
"Yes, yes, that's all well and good, but this is a banquet," Jia said with a smile. "We are suppose to be celebrating, not talking about boring old training."
"That's right! This is my brother's first son! We need to celebrate! We need more wine!" Yuan said as he held up his empty cup.
Dun sighed as he watched his brother. It was clear he was already getting buzzed. If he kept going at the pace he currently was, he would be flat out drunk before the banquet was over.
"Great, I can already see I'm going to wind up carrying you home again."
"Pfft, what are you talking about? I'm fine. I can drink with the best of them."
"Cousin...I am sorry to say, you really cannot," said Cao.
"It's embarrassing how bad you are at it," Cao Pi added.
Yuan sneered at Pi. "No one asked you."
Pi shrugged indifferently in response.
"I noticed your cousin isn't here," Jia Xu said, clapping the shoulders of Xun You so suddenly that it made the man jump in surprise.
Wei turned his attention to Xu. His body immediately tensed upon seeing his face. He remembered him. The man who nearly orchestrated his death. He knew that Cao had accepted him into their ranks, but it wasn't quite so easy for him to forget what he had done.
"He wasn't invited," Dun said, answering in You's place. "Neither were you for that matter."
"We are all allies. He wanted to honor the birth of your son. Wei, Yuánràng. I will not have any infighting between us," said Cao as he looked at the two men.
Wei frowned, he let his eyes linger on Xui for a little while longer before saluting Cao. "Of course, Lord Cao."
Dun sucked his teeth in annoyance. "Whatever."
"Hmm, if what Lord Cao is saying is true, then I must say it is a bit weird that Xun Yu isn't here. He's still one of us...isn't he?" asked Man Chong. Up until that moment, he simply been listening to the banter between them in silence. However, his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he decided to speak up about something he had been wondering about for awhile now.
You cast he eyes to the ground. He hadn't spoken with his cousin since he unceremoniously kicked out of his home. You tried to reach out to him, but Yu would not make time for him and when he actually did get to speak to him, it was brusque. You couldn't help but wonder how things got like this between them. Sure, they weren't the closest of cousins, but they were on friendly terms before. Now it seemed as if they were nothing more than strangers.
"Ohohoho," good question. I have been wondering the same myself," said Xu.
Wei looked at the man and frowned. He clenched his fist in anger and had to mentally stop himself from letting that fist fly into this smug man's face. He couldn't understand why Cao would spare the life of a man like this.
"This is not a topic to be discussed now," Cao said icily.
"Right, right. This is a banquet, after all. We are suppose to be celebrating," Jia said with a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Zhuyue returned not long after. Her son had been fussy and demanded to be fed immediately. After which, he cried until Zhuyue put him to sleep. She was only just now able to slip away and leave him in his nanny's care as he slept. The food was served and soon, the banquet was a lively one filled with laughter instead of icy glares.
"So how long do I have to wait to hear the name of my nephew?" Yuan exclaimed loudly. His cheeks were rosy red and his eyes were glazed over. He swayed slightly in his seat and he had a goofy smile planted on his face. Just as Dun had guessed, his brother did not know his limits and was now drunk.
"Like you are even going to remember it by tomorrow," Dun said to his brother. Yuan childishly stuck his tongue out at his brother and then laughed loudly, proud of his antics.
"You should probably take him home," Zhuyue said.
"Too tired, he can just sleep it off here. You don't mind, do you Jiao?" Dun said as he looked to the women in question.
"C-can we really?" she said softly, somewhat ashamed that the words even came out of her mouth.
Unfortunately, Jiao was at her wits end with his parents, his mother especially. They practically took over their household and her every action was constantly scrutinized. Before they moved in, Jiao thought of herself as a good wife, a good mother. After, she begin to doubt that she was competent to do either. They constantly ridiculed her about everything she did. It was never good enough for them.
"Oh dear sister, is it truly that bad?" Bianshi asked as she went to her sister side, putting a comforting arm around her. Jiao gave her sister a small nod. It looked as if she was on the verge of bursting into tears.
Bianshi knew something was off with Jiao the moment she laid eyes on her. She hadn't seen her sister in weeks, which was odd for them as they usually spent so much time together. Bianshi figured that the responsibility of a new child along with her two growing sons kept her busy, but after hearing her words, she had a feeling there was more to it than that.
Zhuyue frowned as she watched Bianshi comfort Jiao. Part of her felt as if she was the blame for the situation she was currently in. If Dun's parent's had liked her, they wouldn't have had to move and they wouldn't be causing her this trouble now. On another hand, she felt a sense of relief. Zhuyue always thought Ai and Shao liked Jiao. If they deemed to treat someone they like so terribly, what would they have done to her if she had stayed? With Zhuyue's temper, it was bound to be a dangerous situation.
"Yeeeeeees!" Yuan slurred. "We'll stay here for the night. Heavens know I need a break from those demons that have taken over my home. Mèngdé, when are you moving them for us?"
"Soon, cousin...there are pressing matters at hand that I must see finished first, but I promise that it will be soon."
Xiahouji frowned. Moving? This was the first she heard of this. Did this mean she had to move too? She felt overwhelming sadness at the very idea. Quickly, she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. If Lady Ai were here, she would scold her for doing so, but she did care. She didn't want to move with them. She didn't want to move away from Jiao, Yuan and her cousins.
"Don't worry," Xiaolian said suddenly. Xiahouji looked up to her with watery eyes.
"I-I don't want to move," Xiahouji said sadly.
"Don't worry," Xiaolian repeated and offered her a small smile. "Uncle wouldn't do that. Don't worry."
Xiahouji nodded, but she had the nauseating feeling that her life was going to change for the worst.
"So, What's your son's name going to be?" Li Dian asked, following up Yuan's earlier question.
"Still trying to get to personally know my son?" Dun asked as he eyed Dian. Dian swallowed hard. Somehow that eye-patch made Dun look even more intimidating.
"Yes...I mean no? I-I mean isn't that tradition anyway? To reveal the name of the child on the thirtieth day?"
Dun regarded him in silence for a few more moments before responding.
"Zhuyue wants to tell it."
He looked at his wife expectantly. Zhuyue stood and smiled.
"Thank you all for joining us today in honoring the birth of our son, Xiahou Chong."
A roar of cheer erupted and toast was given in celebration of Zhuyue and Dun's son.
=#=
At the same time, on the other side of the city, another meeting was taking place. Unlike the banquet honoring the birth of Zhuyue and Dun's son, this meeting was not one of glee. It was a solemn meeting of men who joined together for the sole purpose of ending one man. A man they all considered too dangerous to let live.
"We should not meet here anymore," Xun Yu said to the other men within the room.
"You shouldn't be here at all," Dong Cheng snapped.
"Master Cheng, please-," Bei began.
"I must agree with master Cheng. I understand that you trust, Wénruò, but I have felt uneasy since he joined us. How do we truly know that he is not here to spy on us for Cao Cao? You should have consulted us before bringing him into our circle," said Zong Ji.
"I trust him," Wang Zifu said in defense of Yu. "I have known this man for some time and I believe his devotion to the Han rivals that of any in this room."
"I also trust him," Wu Zilan chimed in. "I have heard that Wénruò has fallen so far out of favor with Cao that he is no longer invited to court. He bears more of a grudge against the man than any of us here."
"I thank you for your support masters, but I must correct you on one thing. I do not do this because I bear a grudge with Cao Cao. I do this because I want to ensure that the emperor and the Han are safe from Cao's tyranny. I understand that as long as that man breathes, the very thing I have sworn to protect is in danger. I cannot allow that to happen as long as I draw breath."
"Well said, Wénruò," Bei said with a smile.
"Tch, flowery words, but I still think you could turn us all in to gain favor with your master," said Cheng as he glared at Yu.
"I am sorry you feel that way, Master Cheng. I can only hope to one day gain your confidence."
Cheng gave off a irritated humph in response.
"Why do you think we should not meet here anymore, Wénruò?" Zilan asked, ignoring the sulking of his colleague.
"The same men, coming to the same tea house at the same time...It hasn't happened yet, but such actions are bound to draw the eyes of those we want to remain blind. We should change the location, as well as the times we arrive and leave."
"This tea house has worked for us for months. You newly join and say we should suddenly change? I am sorry to say but I do not like the idea. How do we know that you are not trying to lay a trap for us?" asked Ji.
"Forgive me for saying this, but while you men have the heart to carry out this rebellion, you lack the strategy. Strategy is something I am skilled at. I merely wish to contribute to the cause to the best of my ability."
"Your intentions are noted, Wénruò," said Zifu. "Let us settle this the way we have always done. Those who wish to continue as we have, raise your hand in favor."
Cheng, Ji, Zilan and Zifu all raised their hands leaving Bei and Yu the only ones who stood against it.
"The decision is made. While I understand your intent, Wénruò, I feel that if something works, it should not be changed. Men going to a tea house is not suspicious. We have free use of this hidden room and we pay the owners well enough so they will not speak of our gathering here. I feel that this is the best place for us," Zifu said with a kindly smile, as if doing so would make the rejection easier for Yu to swallow.
Yu graciously saluted the other men. "Forgive me if you feel that I have overstepped. I merely wish to assist in any way that I can. If the majority see no issue in continuing as we are, then I am happy to follow along. I only ask that we change the times we arrive and refrain from doing anything that draws attention to ourselves."
"You looked at me when you said that! What are you implying?" Cheng asked as he slammed his hands on the table, causing the tea cups placed on there to clatter against their saucers in response to the sudden turbulence.
"If I may be blunt, you rose to power too fast. That put you in Cao Cao's sights. He is not one who likes to share the stage. To make matters worse, you gave your daughter to the emperor as a concubine. That is something Cao has not even done. Power has shifted firmly in your corner. If he hadn't seen you as a threat before, he will now and Cao always eliminates those he sees as a threat."
"That's a good point, what's with you making your daughter the emperor's concubine? You already had power, did you really need more?" Ji asked.
"He wanted to give himself added protection. Cao wouldn't dare move against the father of one of the emperor's concubines especially now that she is with child. The rest of us are not so fortunate," said Zifu.
"The emperor asked me for a woman that can bear him a child. Was I suppose to just turn him down? Tell him that my daughter could not bear him an heir because it might look bad? Am I to be looked down upon for following the will of the son of heaven?!" Cheng argued. There was a vein popping out of the side of his head as he spoke. It throbbed violently and Bei feared that if this continued, it would burst.
" There is no point in fighting amongst ourselves. Let us remember that it is master Cheng's current power that has even gotten us as far as we are," said Bei.
"Yes, I did not mean to cause conflict amongst us, I just merely wished to point out that we need to avoid doing things that makes us stand out unnecessarily. Cao Cao is a cautious man who can find small bug in a bushel of rice," said Yu.
Cheng relented but he was still seething.
"Let's get back on topic, shall we?" Zilan said once tempers had cooled. "We were discussing how we should proceed."
"Yes. The matter of how we should handle Cao Cao," Zifu concurred.
"As we currently are, even with master Cheng's resources, we cannot mount a proper offensive against Cao Cao. His army is just too strong," Ji said after taking a sip of his tea.
"So what are we to do? Are you saying our efforts are over before they have even truly began?" Zilan said dejectedly.
"Assassination," Cheng said suddenly as his eyes turned towards Yu. "You can still get close enough to him to do the job."
"That's-" Yu begin, but was cut off by Bei.
"To ask such a thing of Wénruò, master Cheng."
"But it is a good idea, is it not? We are out of options and if it is true that Wénruò can get close to Cao Cao-,"
"It is not honorable," Bei said cutting Ji off.
"A blow to one's honor it a pittance compared to the fate of the emperor and the Han," Ji argued.
"To do such a thing...I'm sorry but I cannot," Yu said.
"So those words of yours were just that then, words?" Cheng said with a sneer.
"If in seeking justice we lower ourselves, how are we any better than the man we seek to punish?" said Bei.
"Hmph, to have such morals at a time like this," Cheng grumbled.
"But he's right," said Zifu. "It is exactly times like these that we must hold on to our morals."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Ji asked.
"We need another ally. Someone that can rival Cao Cao's army," Yu began.
"The only ones that can do that at the moment is Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and Sun Ce," Zifu interjected.
"Yes, but I am not sure Sun Ce is a viable option. Cao Cao is seeking to make an alliance with him and I believe it is one Sun Ce will accept," Yu explained.
"There is no way we can dissuade him? He denounced Yuan Shu for the affront he committed when he dared to call himself emperor," said Zilan.
To this comment, Yu shook his head in disagreement.
"My fear is that if Cao gets to him first, he will have no ear for us. He has everything to lose by assisting us and very little promise of gain. To join us would be too much of a risk for him."
"But for the safety of the emperor and the Han, surely that would be enough motivation for him."
"I am afraid that is not something we can depend on, master Zilan," Yu replied. "According to rumors, it was Sun Ce that gave Yuan Shu the imperial seal in the first place. To denounce him after the fact seems more like an effort to save face. Was he truly someone that respected the Han, he would have returned the seal to its proper owner. No...Sun Ce is a man that looks out for the interest of the Wu and only the interest of the Wu."
"I see," said Zilan with a frown.
"That leaves Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. Obviously, Yuan Shu is out of the question. He proved his disloyalty to the Han by having the audacity to name himself emperor," said Zifu.
"So Yuan Shao then. He certainly has the numbers to face Cao as well as the wealth to fund a campaign. The question is, would he aid us?" Bei asked with a frown.
The men looked at each other with uncertainty.
"The only way to find out would be to ask him," said Yu.
"So we send him a message-"
"No," Yu said quickly, interrupting Zilan. "There is too much of a chance that Cao could intercept it. If we are to contact him, it should be in person."
"Wouldn't we run into the same issue if one of us personally goes to see Yuan?"
The other men in the room nodded in agreement with Ji's question echoing his sentiment.
"Not if we have an excuse," Yu replied. "My wife has family in the Ji Province. Under the ruse of a sick relative, they will travel there. Within two month's time my wife will pretend to fall ill. Notice will be sent to me of this and I will travel north to her. It will be under this guise that I go to Yuan Shao and plead our case."
"So we are suppose to entrust something like this to you?" Cheng asked with a frown. He did nothing to hide his distrust in his voice. He wanted Yu to know exactly where he stood with him.
"You were willing to entrust the assassination to me, why not this?" Yu replied calmly.
Cheng let out a grunt. He couldn't very well refute that point.
"I do understand that this is something not readily trusted to one that served the very man we aim to take down. The plan will work for anyone that has family in the north. I have no qualms about stepping aside. As I said before, I truly only want to do what's best for the Han."
Bei put a hand on Yu's shoulder and nodded with a smile. Despite the misgivings of some others in the group, he knew that brining in Yu was a good idea. Yu's knowledge of strategies was exactly the thing that they needed.
"Well? Does anyone else have family North?" Cheng asked as he looked around the room.
The others shook their heads.
"Then if there are no objections, I will take on the responsibility of getting our rebellion the aid it needs."
The men looked around to each other. Even if they did not like the plan, they had no other. With their current strength, they could not take Cao Cao down. They needed aid. The men stood and saluted Xun Yu.
"We shall entrust this to you, Wénruò."
Yu stood and saluted them back. "I will not fail you."
=#=
-Two weeks later -
"So what do you think of the glorious capital of the Han empire, Gōngjǐn?"
"It is hard to give an accurate appraisal when Cao Cao keeps such a tight lid on where we go and what we see," Zhou Yu replied.
Sun Ce gave a bored yawn and nodded. "I wanted to show Daqiao a good time, but we can barely go anywhere without Cao's goons all around us. They make her nervous."
"May I just state that it was a bad idea to bring your wives along on this trip, especially since they are both with child?"
"Yeah, we know Zǐmíng. You've mentioned that over a dozen times now. But you don't understand, Daqiao gets this cute little pouty face and it breaks my heart. I just couldn't leave her behind," Ce replied with a grin.
"So you put your wife in danger because she gave you a pouty face?"
"An adorable pouty face," Ce corrected.
Lu Meng let out a groan and shook his head.
"Do not fret, Zǐmíng," Yu said as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Our wives are in no danger. Cao Cao needs us far more than we need him. He knows that, which is exactly why he has so many guards watching over us. If anything happens to befall us, Sun Quan will seek vengeance..."
"Which means he would have to handle an attack from the north and the south," Meng finished.
"Exactly. That is not an ideal situation for him. It is a battle he would lose and he knows it," Ce said with a reassuring smile. "So stop worrying, Zǐmíng."
Lu Meng let out a defeated sigh. "As you say, Lord Ce."
"Our wives have their role to play in this trip as well," Yu said with a sly smile.
"What do you mean?" Meng asked with a raised brow.
"We cannot move freely because Cao Cao fears us, but Cao has no reason to be so cautious around women who are with child that only want to explore the sights of the city and shop," Yu replied.
"I see...so that is why you brought them along."
"Well that and the pouty face," Ce added.
Lu Meng was becoming quite adept at spotting when his lord was messing with him. It was clear that this was one of those moments. For his sanity, he decided it would be best to ignore him.
"Well then...for your plan to work, I hope lady Daqiao and lady Xiaoqiao don't get too distracted to get the information we need."
Zhou Yu put a hand to his forehead as he imagined his energetic wife bouncing along the dusty streets of Xuchang, eager to see all the city has to offer.
"I've made sure to tell Xiaoqiao the importance of her task...whether that sticks is an entirely different matter. Even if they don't manage to see much, I have some other plans in mind to get us the information we need."
"As expected from you, Master Gōngjǐn."
"Still, I don't want to leave here empty handed. The more information we can get, the easier it will be for us down the road," Ce said suddenly serious. The change in tone emphasized to Lu Meng and Zhou Yu the gravity of their task.
Ce made it clear that the minute Cao turned his attention to Yuan Shao, they would break their alliance with him and launch an attack on Xuchang to rescue the emperor. The true purpose of this trip was not to secure the alliance with Cao, it was to get as much information on Xuchang as possible.
Both men saluted Ce. "We will not fail you," they said simultaneously. Ce gave a knowing nod. He knew he could trust his men to get the job done.
"We've tarried enough. It's time to see what hospitality Cao Cao has to offer us," Ce announced as he stood.
The other men nodded and followed his lead out of the room.
=#=
-Two months later-
Everything was going according to plan. As they discussed, Yu's wife had sent word saying that she had fallen ill while caring for her sick relative and requested to her side immediately. It was the perfect alibi and Yu knew Cao would not be able to deny his request to travel to her.
Yu walked briskly down the familiar path towards the tea house they had been using for their meetings. This would be the last time he would be meeting with them before he traveled to Ji province. He knew he would be the first one to arrive so he decided he would enjoy a cup of tea before heading to the secret room. The tea they served was average at best. His palate preferred a more refined taste; tea leaves specially cultured rather than scrounged in the forest, but he had time to waste and it would look odd if he just sat there doing nothing.
Yu entered the tea house already expecting to see the elderly woman who ran the shop. She would always greet each guest personally when they entered. She was also the persona that was kind enough to let them use her secret room. Just as he predicted, she was there, but instead of greeting him with that warm motherly smile, he could see fear in her eyes. He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but before the words could slip past his lips, he heard a familiar voice.
"Fancy meeting you here, Wénruò."
Xun Yu felt his blood run cold. For a full thirty seconds, he forgot how to speak so the voice spoke again.
"And here I was told that the Xun family had impeccable manners. I guess you can't believe everything you hear."
Yu finally snapped out of his stupor. He gave the speaker a tight smile and saluted him. "Lord Pi, forgive my insolence. I was just...surprised to see you here."
"Why is that? I like tea just as much as the next person," Pi said as his sharp eyes bore into Yu's own.
"O-of course, but you can have tea specially made at the palace. I would have thought you would prefer that over what you can get here."
"Funny, I heard the same thing about you...that you have you have your tea specially brewed...yet here you are. Now why is that?"
"I...enjoy getting out of the house every now and then," Yu replied carefully.
His mind had been numbed by the sudden appearance of Pi in the very hideout of the rebellion that sought to take down his father. However, his shock had worn off and he was thinking clearly again. While Pi's appearance was sudden and alarming, there was no proof that he knew what he had stumbled upon. It was entirely possible that he was merely fumbling in the dark, trying to find a loose thread in which to unravel the secrets that remain just beyond his reach.
Yu needed to find out exactly how much he knew, but he had to do so without showing his own hand. Pi was certainly a cunning young man, but Yu was confident that he was smarter.
"I understand you completely," Pi replied. "My brother stays locked up in his room so I brought him here to get a change of scenery."
Pi gestured to Chong who had been sitting quietly at a nearby table watching the two men.
Yu immediately saluted Chong.
"It has been a long time since I last saw you. I'm glad to see you well."
"I wouldn't call being confined to a rickety wooden chair as well, but I appreciate the sentiment," Chong replied.
Yu's eyes shifted down to the chair in question. Indeed the chair he was sitting in was not a normal one. It had a higher backrest than normal and large wooden wheels flanking the sides of the seat.
"Ah...yes. I can see how that would be-"
"Troublesome? Annoying? Irritating? Vexatious? I can go on" Chong said flatly.
"Yes...all of the above. I am...sorry, but still it is good to see you."
"Join us," Pi said as he took a seat next to his brother.
It wasn't a question, it was a command. Yu nodded and took a seat opposite Chong. He took this opportunity to look around the tea house and noticed that it was unusually bare. There has never been a time in which this place wasn't bustling with patrons. He didn't know exactly what Pi and Chong knew, but they knew something.
"So, how is the tea here?" Chong asked as his fingers drummed the table.
"It's adequate," Yu replied. There was no point in lying. Pi and Chong would only have to taste the tea themselves to find out the truth about it. The question itself may have seemed harmless, but it could have been a way to gauge whether Yu was comfortable lying to them.
"Odd of you to travel so far for a cup of tea that is only adequate."
"As I said before, I enjoy getting out of the house every now and then."
"But aren't the normal patrons of this particular establishment of a lower class?" Pi asked as he ran his pointer finger along the table where they sat. He then rubbed it against his thumb, feeling the dust meld together into a ball beneath his fingertips.
"It surprises me that someone of your status would frequent this establishment."
Yu made sure to keep a neutral expression. He could not give anything away as he spoke. He knew Pi and Chong to be very perceptive individuals. It was that exact reason why Cao chose those two and only those two as he heirs.
"I wouldn't say I frequent this establishment at all. I sometimes wonder here during my walks."
"What an interesting path you take on your walks."
"The same could be said of you two, as you somehow ended up here."
"Oh our arrival was not by chance at all," Pi replied.
"We heard that this was a popular tea house, with interesting guest arriving all the time," Chong added.
Yu looked between both men. They were both studying him intently. Every pause in his speech, every gesture, every time he avoided eye contact, they took note of it all. This was not a good position for him to be in. It was becoming very apparent to him that something was going on here. The question was, did they know all the players yet or were they still grasping for clues?
"I wouldn't know of interesting guests...as I said, I rarely come here and the times I have come, I haven't seen anyone of note."
Silence fell between the three men. It wasn't until the server had approached their table with their tea that the silence was finally broken.
"I haven't seen you at court lately," Pi said casually as the server had brought their tea cups to them. Yu noticed her hands shaking as she placed one on front of each man.
"The reason for that lies with your father, not me," Yu replied.
"Did you and father have a falling out?" Chong asked.
Yu remained quiet for a few moments as he considered his reply.
"He did not like a decision I made," he said finally.
"What was the decision?" Chong asked.
Yu frowned. He had to know. Why was he bothering to make him explain?
"It doesn't matter. The point is, he did not approve of it and I have not been in his good graces ever since. I intend on changing that, however."
"How do you intend to change that? Pi asked, his piercing eyes searching Yu's face once more.
"I will make a plan to assist our lord in ending the chaos as soon as possible."
"So you have nothing solid yet?" Chong asked.
"No, I do not have a fitting plan."
"Well Cangshu and I have a plan that we have actually be thinking of bringing to father. Won't you give us your...expert opinion on it?" Pi asked.
"Of course," Yu replied.
"We believe the first step in bringing order to this land of chaos is to have a solid system of ranks."
"A solid system of ranks," Yu said echoing Pi's words. "There is already one in place."
"The current system is flawed. It needs someone new at the head."
Yu's eyes widened slightly as the meaning of the words finally dawned on him.
"You are referring to Cao-I mean lord Cao's appointment as king of Wei? I fear that kind of thing will move him away from his path."
Both Pi and Chong exchanged brief glances at each other. The quick look confirmed that they both heard the lapse in respect from Yu. Even though he quickly caught it and corrected himself, it was damning evidence.
"Yet my father will probably go for it," Pi replied casually. He needed more from Yu. Such a small thing as lapse in respect was not enough to confirm his suspicion.
"He may become king of Wei, one day. But I am aiming even higher than that."
Chong's face twitched slightly upon hearing his brother's words. His hands clasped his legs. Were he still able to feel anything from them, he would surely be in pain from the tight grip. A reminder of what he had lost, his place as his father's heir.
"What? You can't be serious! The Emperor is the one we have to serve. You can't plan on replacing him!" Yu was in pure shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Your shock surprises me. Doesn't it seem like the logical path to take? A hungry two headed giant that disagrees on what to eat will only starve itself," said Chong as he took a sip of his tea. He made a face after swallowing the warm liquid and quickly put the tea cup back down. He pushed the cup away from him in disgust as if offended by its mere presence near him.
'Adequate my ass,' Chong thought bitterly as he wished he could get the foul taste off of his tongue.
"Your analogy suggest that both heads are on the same level. That is not the case. The Emperor is the one we have to serve. You can't plan on replacing him!" Yu argued.
"Ridiculous," Pi said, his face twisted in disgust. "The very cause of all this chaos is because the Emperor lost his power to rule. We owe that fool nothing."
"I can't believe what I am hearing. Ending this chaos in such a way will only lead to the same thing happening again. If your father takes that path, he is no better than those who came before him!"
"I see. What will you do then?" Find a different master?"
"Or perhaps you would prefer to cut off the hand that reaches for heaven altogether," Chong added.
Yu hesitated in his answer. He realized he blundered right into their trap. He let his emotions get the best of him and he answered to them too truthfully. He quickly went through everything that he had said. Had he incriminated himself? No...no...it wasn't enough to truly hurt him, but it was enough to cast a light of suspicion around him and that was almost as bad.
"No, I will raise my voice in protest. Even if my lord dislikes it, I will continue to speak against the path that I think is wrong. That is what a good advisor should do."
"But you aren't really an advisor anymore, are you? So what does an advisor who is no longer asked for his advice do when his lord does something that goes against his beliefs?"
"I would rebel," Chong said in reply to his brother's query. He looked Yu in the eye. "Wouldn't you?"
It was clear that they knew something. He knew they shouldn't have kept using the same place for their meetings. Of course Cao would watch the coming and goings of those that he knows are not firmly under his thumb. He couldn't allow himself to be baited any further. He had to get out of here. He had to warn Bei of what was coming and if possible, save him.
"Such topics are pointless to speculate on," Yu said as he stood. "It has been a pleasure speaking with you, but I must be going."
"So soon? You haven't even touched your tea," Chong said.
Yu looked down to the cup of tea that sat untouched in front of him. Steam no longer billowed from its surface.
"Yes, well when engrossed in such enthralling conversation, time tends to slip by. At any rate, it isn't drinkable as it currently is."
Yu saluted both men. "Please, take care of yourselves."
Yu turned away quickly, not waiting to see if they saluted him back. He tried to maintain a casual stroll as he walked out of the tea house. His eyes searched the surrounding area to see if any other members of the rebellion had shown up, to his great fortune, they hadn't. Then again, the fact that no one was there yet could mean they were already caught. It was hard to tell what they already knew.
Yu begin heading back down the path he used earlier. He hoped that along the way he would see Liu Bei and stop him from walking into the same trap he did. Yu found that he was on high alert. He kept looking down every alleyway to ensure he wasn't being followed by any of Cao's guards. Every being in Yu's body wanted him to sprint home, but he resisted the urge. Though he couldn't see them, he wasn't sure that they weren't there. He had screwed up enough today, he couldn't afford any other mistakes.
Yu finally arrived home. The trip felt as if it took a lifetime. Just as he entered his main courtyard, Bei was heading out.
" Xuándé! No need for you to come out to greet me."
Be stared at him quizzically.
"I was-"
"Oh, silly me! You were on your way out to see Lord Cao Cao, correct?" Yu said loudly, cutting him off.
Bei's confusion only grew.
" Wénruò, what-"
"I must say, it is an admirable thing you are doing. Volunteering to fight Yuan Shu on Lord Cao's behalf. I am certain that when you return victorious, he will see you in a new light," Yu continued. His eyes darted back and forth, surveying his surroundings as he spoke.
"Before you go, won't you have a cup of tea with me? I went to a tea house for a cup a bit earlier today but I did not get to enjoy it."
Bei was beyond baffled at this point, but there was something about the way he say tea house that struck a chord with him. There was also the way he kept looking around him. He was trying to tell him something. Something he couldn't say out in public.
"Of course...I can spare some time for a cup of tea."
The two men went inside of Yu's home. It wasn't until they were behind closed doors that Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
" Xuándé, we have trouble," he said quickly in a hushed tone.
"Did something happen at the tea house? Aren't you suppose to be there?"
"I was there, but so was Cao Pi and Cao Chong."
Bei's eyes widened at this revelation. "Why? Do they know? What about the others?"
"I cannot say for certain how much they know, but there is no doubt that they suspect something. I did not see anyone else and I rushed back here to warn you. Xuándé, you must flee."
"But I cannot! I cannot abandon the others."
" Xuándé, without you, we have no hope of this rebellion being successful. Master Cheng has the power, but the one who will truly be the integral part of this rebellion is you. We cannot do this without you."
"I am no more important than anyone else."
"You are wrong, Xuándé. Since the first moment I met you, I saw that you are destined for great things. Beyond this rebellion, I believe you are the one who will save this world from the chaos. To that end, you must survive. Please, please follow my plan and ensure safety for yourself."
Bei nodded. "To have such trust placed me in...I only hope I can meet your expectations, Wénruò. Tell me of your plan."
"You will go to Cao Cao and offer your services in eliminating Yuan Shu. To this end, Cao may even lend you the troops to complete the task. Once Yuan Shu is eliminated, instead of returning to Xuchang head to Ji province. Let Yuan Shao know that you have slain his treacherous brother in his name. This should be more than enough to appease him. With his brother out of the way, Shao will be free to deal with Cao."
"Would Cao Cao truly allow me to leave? Especially if he has the others, wouldn't he know my involvement with the rebellion?"
"I don't think they know exactly who is involved as of yet. If they did, I wouldn't have made it back here. Of that I am certain. This is exactly why we need to move quickly. I also think Cao would be okay with letting you leave if he thinks you have a reason to come back."
"But I have no reason to. I think Cao knows I chaff under the thumb of his leadership and that I wish for freedom."
"I know, but Cao Cao has an interest in your sworn brother, Yúncháng and he knows how much they mean to you."
"And he is right, there is no way I would leave either of them behind."
"I know. I wouldn't ask you to do such thing. You only need to tell Cao that you are. There is a forest, on the outskirts of Xuchang. It is good grounds for hunting. While you are speaking with Cao, they will go on a hunting trip. My servants and I will lie and say that they returned in the late evening, but in truth, they will head north through the forest. You will eventually be able to meet up. For this to work, you need to get set out as early as possible. I'm sure Cao will send someone here to confirm that your brothers are still here. I do not know how long we can deceive them."
"No. I do not like this plan. This puts you and your household in trouble."
Yu swallowed hard. Bei was correct. He would most likely be killed for this, but his life did not matter. In Bei, he saw the future of the Han. He was fine with giving up his life knowing that a man like Bei was still around to finish what he could not.
"I will not do this if this puts you in harm's way. Can you go along with my brothers?"
"I cannot abandon my family," Yu replied. He suddenly cursed himself and wished that his wife had taken their children with her. Neither of them had any idea things would play out in this way.
"I understand. We must find another way then."
"There is no other way," Yu cried. "We have little time and even less room to maneuver. This is the only chance we can take."
"And it is not a chance I will take if it means your death," Bei replied.
Yu sighed. Bei was such an honorable man. He admired it but at the moment, it was frustrating.
" Gōngdá," Yu finally said.
" Gōngdá?" Bei repeated.
"My cousin. I will have one of my servants send him word to look after my children. Despite the issues we have, he is a man of good character. He will not let any ill befall his relatives. He will look out for them."
Yu sucked in a deep breath and prayed that he was right in that. The two of them hadn't said a word to each other in months. He just hoped that as a member of the Xun bloodline, he would protect those that shared his name.
"Then you will flee? Along with my brothers?" Bei confirmed.
Yu nodded. "I will. We must hurry to them now and explain the situation. We have little room for error in this and we must rely on a lot of luck."
"Then let us hope the heavens still favor the righteous."
=#=
-The next day-
Guo Jia headed to the entrance of his home where Xiaolian waited patiently. He smiled upon seeing her, a smile she did not return. He knew she meant nothing by it. It was just her way.
Xiaolian handed him a cloth pouch which he took from her.
"Ah, my dear little sister looks after me so well," Jia said, ensuring that he kept the pouch as far away from him as possible to avoid inhaling it's pungent scent too deeply.
"She said-"
"That I better take it or she'll beat me to a bloody pulp?" Jia offered.
Xiaolian nodded.
"Really, Zhuyue must come up with more creative insults," Jia said with a smirk. "She has no need to worry. I will take my medicine like a good boy. I am stubborn, but I am not stupid. I am well aware that this is curing my ailment. I would be suicidal to not take it. Did she happen to say for how much longer I must take this repulsive concoction?"
Xiaolian shook her head. "She said she will come next time."
"I guess I will have to ask her then," Jia said with a small sigh.
He tilted his head and looked at Xiaolian. She wore her hair back today. She was a fairly beautiful girl, even with the scar. That thought led him to the memory of Dong Zhao attempting to use her for the Wu alliance. Jia was glad that Xiaolian was able to avoid that fate. He did not believe for one minute that the alliance they made was a solid one, especially since his spies had told him that the members of Wu seemed to be looking into details about Xuchang a bit too closely.
He needed to get back to court. He didn't like the fact that Zhao had taken it upon himself to slip into the spot he had temporarily vacated. Jia had taken time off to tend to his health. It actually wasn't his idea to do so. Zhuyue had showed up at his door one day under the pretense of a friendly visit. She told him she remembered his cough and knew how to help. He rejected her assistance at first and the woman showed just how stubborn she could be. She practically bullied him into taking care of himself. He was grateful to her for it. For the first time in ages, he could breathe without wheezing or that feeling of something rattling around in his chest. He had no longer felt bogged down by fatigue and he hadn't had one coughing fit since he began taking the medicine. It was a strange twist of fate that he would have the same aliment as her father, but it may have very well saved his life. He was feeling well enough to return work and he hoped that there wasn't too much damage done in his absence.
Jia took the medicine in front of Xiaolian. He knew that if he didn't, Zhuyue would come and raise hell about him neglecting his health. He tried to maintain a neutral face as he struggled to ignore the bitter taste that would remain on his tongue until he washed it down with food and drink. Xiaolian nodded, satisfied and headed on her way.
In her haste from Jia's house, she bumped into Jia Xu. She remembered him, but she didn't know him well and that made her wary. He reached out to see if she was alright, she instinctively backed away. Jia frowned as he looked down to the girl. He wasn't that hideous was he?
"Don't fret, Wénhé. That is just her way with people she isn't use to. She's only recently let me into her exclusive circle and quite the honor it is, I must tell you."
Xiaolian looked back to Jia with a frown. He gave her a smile and pat her head lightly. "He's not a bad man...you will see in time."
Xiaolian looked at Xu again. She wasn't so sure that her opinion of him would change in the near future. Her father didn't seem too fond of him and that was more than enough reason for her to look at him unfavorably. Without another word, Xiaolian took off once more. The two men watched her run off.
"I see she has her father's charm," Xu remarked.
"I think you are just bad with women," Jia countered with a smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"That idiot Gōngrén is making a mess of things. I unfortunately do not have a voice without you at my side as no one trusts me and the others do not hold Cao's ear the way you do."
Jia sighed. "What did he do this time?"
"Liu Bei came to lord Cao with the proposal to take out Yuan Shu. Gōngrén managed to convince lord Cao that this was a good idea."
"You're joking...tell me you are joking."
"I'm afraid I am not," Xu said with a sigh. "That man has a silver tongue."
"And he is not nearly as wise as he thinks he is," Jia said with a rare frown. "Tell me, when did this happen?"
"Apparently Liu Bei pled his case yesterday. He has already moved his army out."
"That's rather fast. Something about this is not right. Why would Lord Cao agree to this?"
"Guan Yu. He and Zhang Fei stayed behind."
Jia put a hand to his chin as he thought. "That's strange. I wouldn't think Liu Bei would leave his brothers behind. Where are they?"
"At Wénruò's home. lord Cao sent guards to ensure that they didn't leave."
"They weren't allowed inside?"
"No, I don't think so."
"When was the last time they were seen?"
"They went hunting yesterday. A few people can attest to that. They returned late last night..."
"And people can attest to that as well?"
"Only the servants, actually. They returned so late, most people were already inside their homes."
"I think we've been played. I don't think those brother's are there at all."
Xu frowned. "I had a feeling something was off too and wanted to see if you would reach the same conclusion."
"We need to speak to lord Cao. He needs to confirm whether they are truly in Wénruò's home or not. If Wénruò refuses to let them in, we know something is definitely up."
Jia informed his servants that he was stepping away and the two hurried off to the palace.
=#=
Xiaolian entered the forest. She headed down the familiar path to the meeting place she and Xiahouji had been using in the last month or so. It was actually Xiahouji's idea to meet up in the forest. Under the guise of getting firewood, the two would meet up with each other and hang out. The time spent together was not very long, but it was good enough for them. They mostly spent their time talking. On a few occasions, Xiahouji had managed to talk Xiaolian into letting her do her hair.
They made sure not to use this ruse too many times as Ai was beginning to get a bit suspicious. Today, was the next time they were scheduled to meet. It was never too deep into the forest as Xiahouji was still afraid of the beast that inhabited the forest.
Xiahouji sat by a stream that ran through the forest as she waited for Xiaolian. She dipped one hand into the cool clear water idly as she sung softly. The sound of snapping twigs underfoot alerted her that she was not alone. She jumped at the sound and turned in the direction to find a hefty man with a short bushy beard and wild eyes.
Zhang Fei studied her intently. A lecherous grin spread across his face upon taking in her full appearance. She stood and felt a shiver wash over her body as he seemed to be undressing her with his eyes. She had a vague feeling that she had seen this man before but she couldn't be sure. In her mind, he was a stranger and she did not like strangers.
"No need to fear me, girl," Fei said as he took a step towards her.
Xiahouji took a step back, but there was little room for her to maneuver as the stream was currently at her back.
"You have a pretty voice," He said as he took another step towards her.
Xiahouji felt frozen. She wanted to run, to scream, but she could do nothing but stare at this man in despair.
"And you are beautiful too," He continued on. If he was aware of her discomfort, he didn't show it.
His large frame now bore down over her. He cupped her chin with her large hand and she let out a whimper.
"You are shaking like a leaf. Are you afraid of me?"
Silent tears slipped from Xiahouji's eyes in response.
"Leave her alone!"
Fei turned around to see another girl charging at him with a thick branch that must have fallen off of a tree. He had the feeling he knew this one, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen her before.
"And what do you plan on doing with that, girl?" He asked in amusement.
Xiaolian swung the branch at him. He caught it easily but that was exactly what Xiaolian had intended. Xiaolian did a slide right between his legs and with her dagger, swiping at his exposed calf as the momentum pushed her through to the other side.
Fei let out a loud cry. Instinctively he kicked Xiaolian away with his good leg. She felt an explosion of pain as his boot connected with her side. She grit her teeth, bearing the pain and forced herself to her feet as Fei bent over to examine the damage done.
Xiaolian charged at him again. Fei looked up, his face twisted in a ferocious sneer. He put his hands out with the full intention of grabbing her but Xiaolian was quick on her feet. The moment he reached out for her, Xiaolian jumped up causing him to catch only air. She kicked her feet out landing a solid blow right into his nose.
Fei let out another cry as he grabbed his nose. Blood flowed freely from it and his anger was now at a boiling point. Xiaolian landed on the ground and hopped back a few feet to give herself space. She took a few quick breaths and eyed Fei.
"Leave her alone," she repeated.
"You got a few lucky hits and you think you can take me kid?"
"Leave her alone," Xiaolian repeated.
"Make me!" Fei taunted.
Xiaolian began to circle towards Xiahouji. Fei moved with her to keep the two of them separate. Xiaolian did not know what to do. He was right. The hits she had got on him thus far was out of luck. He underestimated her and from the look he had on his face and the aura he was giving off, that wasn't a mistake he was going to make again.
If she had a suitable weapon, perhaps she could have done more, but with a dagger only in hand, she could only do any real damage if she managed to get close to him. Xiaolian took a deep breath and rushed toward him.
"Run," she cried out to Xiahouji. Xiahouji seemed to snap out of her stupor and she turned to run along the stream's edge, away from Zhang Fei. For a brief second, Fei was distracted. He turned his attention to Xiahouji and grabbed her. He leveled a quick punch to her stomach, knocking the wind straight out of her. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
"No!" Xiaolian screamed as she leapt through the air towards Fei. She swung her dagger, the tip of the blade biting into his cheek, but Fei was not fazed by the blow. A meaty fist smacked into Xiaolian's face, sending her flying back and crashing into the ground below.
Bright flashes of light filled Xiaolian's vision. She had never been hit so hard before in her life. Fei stalked over to her, blood dripping from the cut she made on his face and his lips twisted into a sneer. He stood over her and knelt down.
"I'm going to make you regret this," he said as he raised a fist to strike her again.
With a cry, Xiaolian swung the dagger with all her might and found her target in his left side which was not covered by armor. Fei's fist colided with Xiaolian at the same time her attack hit, knocking her unconscious. Fei stumbled back, surprised and angered by the attack. He pulled the dagger from his side with a hiss and dropped it to the ground. He pressed his hand against the fresh wound and looked down to Xiaolian in disgust.
"Fucking brat," he hissed. He looked over to Xiahouji, and saw that she was still unconscious. After all this trouble, he refused to leave without his prize. Fei stalked over to her and threw her over his shoulder. He cast another angry glance at the unconscious form of Xiaolian before walking deeper into the forest to meet up with his companions.
