A/N: Hey all. This is crazy late once again. Very sorry about that. Life keeps getting in the way. Hope you enjoy the new chapter and I will try to get them out faster. Fair warning, might fail miserably in those attempts.

Yuan Xi – Xiǎnyì

Zhao Yun – Zǐlóng
Zhuge Liang – Kǒngmíng
Zhang Fei – Yìdé

Liu Bei – Xuándé
Xu Huang – Gōngmíng
Yuan Shang – Xiǎnfǔ

Guo Jia – Fèngxiào
Xun You – Gōngdá
Zhang He – Jùnyì
Shi Huan – Gōngliú
Xiahou Dun – Yuánràng

Xiahou Yuan – Miàocái
Zhang Liao – Wényuǎn
Li Dian – Mànchéng

Yue Jin - Wenqian

Over the sounds Liu Shan's cries and the thudding of his horse's hooves beating against the ground as it galloped, Hu Zhong could hear the sound of another horse galloping somewhere behind him. Zhong felt a pang of sadness. His pursuer meant that Zhao Yun had failed and was most likely killed as he doubted the man would have allowed himself to be taken captive.

Zhong pushed his horse to move faster. He could not fail Yun's last request. He had to ensure that this child reached his father safely. Zhong snapped the reigns over and over, pushing his mount to the brink. They had to hurry!

Zhong snapped the reigns once more, but instead of the familiar sound of the bridle slapping against his horse's neck, a much louder snapping filled his ears instead. His horse let out a pained neigh as it pitched forward throwing Zhong and Shan off of its back. Zhong covered Shan as best he could and tried to twist his body in the air so his back could take the brunt of the impact, but only succeeding in turning to his side.

He crashed to the ground hard, his left side taking the brunt of the damage. With a groan he looked to Shan who he had been trying to protect. Shan's wailing had intensified, but it was hard to see if he was truly injured. Zhong rolled to his back and forced himself into a sitting position. He could see his horse lying not far from him in a pitiable broken heap.

It seems he pushed his steed too far and it had broken its leg. The snapped bone was clearly on display as it protruded out of the broken leg. Zhong tried to push himself to his feet and nearly fell backwards. It seems his horse wasn't the only one who was lame; the pain he felt when he stood told him that he either sprain or broke his ankle during his fall. He steadied himself on his feet as best he could and began to limp away. Normally, he would have put his horse out of its misery, but his enemy was in sight now. On horseback, it wouldn't take him very long to catch up.

Zhong limped as fast as he could, his mind focused on nothing more than escaping, but the thundering sound of the enemy horse was a dreaded reminder that his enemy was getting ever closer. Frustration began to set in with every labored step and Shan's never ending crying was starting to grate on his nerves.

The sound of the hooves was so close now. Foolishly Zhong looked over his shoulder to see a stern man astride a horse with war trident in hand.

"Shit!" Zhong exclaimed. He turned around and tried to hobble away as fast as he could. He could see a bridge ahead and he imagined his people were just beyond it, but he doubted he could make it.

'I'm sorry Master Zǐlóng. I won't be able to fulfill your last command.'

"There is no escape!" Yu Jin declared as he stirred his horse on with his war trident at the ready to cut Zhong down.

"Not while I'm here Wei scum!"

Blazing across the bridge on his mount with his double-bladed viper spear was Zhang Fei.

"Yìdé!" Zhong cried out in relief. In that moment of seeing his ally hope welled up within him. Maybe they would make it after all.

Fei's horse leapt into the air, clear over the heads of Zhong and Shan and was directly in Jin's path. Zhong was surprised by the sudden action and dropped to his knees in awe. He twisted his body around to see a flummoxed Jin who hastily tried to prepare himself for the charging Fei.

Jin was startled by the appearance of a new adversary, but he did well in preparing himself for the sudden attack; unfortunately for Jin, Fei had no intention of making things quite so simple. The minute Fei's horse got within striking distance he jumped off of its back and into the air. Jin's attention was now split between the still charging steed and the now airborne crazy eyed warrior descending on him from the air.

Jin understandably chose Fei as the more immediate threat. He lifted his trident to prepare to block his strike, but was knocked off balance and nearly off his saddle as Fei's horse crashed into his own. As Jin tried to right himself on his saddle, Fei's steed reared itself on its hind legs and with a wild neigh began to flail its hooves in Jin's direction. Fei's horse was just as crazy as he was! Jin's horse was eager to get out of the way of the opposing steed and defend itself. It did an awkward gait to the right and attempted to turn its hind legs towards the other horse and hit it with a back kick.

Jin was dragged along for the ride during all of this; he had to lower his guard against Fei's attack in an effort to get his own horse under control. It was the perfect scenario for Fei to strike Jin down and if it wasn't for him crying out 'Gotcha', Yu Jin would have been dead.

It was Jin's great fortune that Fei was such a boisterous fighter. His declaration of attack gave him the split second he needed to throw himself off of his horse and out of the way from the deadly overhead strike that would have surely killed him. Jin's horse was also quite lucky as Fei's spear collided with the saddle leaving the horse relatively unharmed. Frustrated that he missed, Fei whirled his double bladed spear around and sliced through the horse's neck; the brief luck that the steed had was gone in a spray of blood as the spear sliced through one of its arteries. The horse collapsed under the strike of Fei's spear. Jin got to his feet and glared at Fei as he wiped at some of the blood that had gotten on his armor.

"Don't know why you dodged," Fei said as he spat on the dead horse. "You're just delaying the inevitable."

"Silence you mangy dog," said Jin as he readied his trident. "Let your weapon speak for you."

With a roar Fei charged. Spear met trident in a furious struggle in which neither man was willing to relent. Muscles straining, both men knew they could not keep this stalemate up for much longer. In an unspoken agreement, they separated from each other. Both men eyed each other whilst loosing up their strained muscles. They circled each other angrily and Fei noticed in the corner of his eye that Zhong was still sitting on the ground.

"What the hell are you still doing here idiot? Get your ass across that bridge!" Fei barked angrily.

Zhong nodded quickly and with great effort got back to his feet. Zhong felt badly about leaving Fei behind, but he knew that his mission was one of great importance; Liu Bei's heir had to survive. Zhong spared a glance at the child in question. During all of this, his crying hadn't desisted. It was a wonder that the child could keep up his with his sobbing for so long. After sucking in a deep breath to brace himself for the pain, Zhong began his slow hobble towards the bridge once more.

"Not on my watch," Jin growled as he dashed towards Zhong.

"Don't forget about me!" Fei roared as he moved to intercept.

Their weapons clashed together once more giving Zhong the time he needed to escape.

Zhong was on the bridge now. He could see Zhuge Liang standing on the opposite side with a dozen archers. Safety was within sight! He hobbled as fast as he could towards his salvation.

"Master Kǒngmíng!" Zhong cried out in relief.

Liang did not spare him a glance as he got closer. His eyes were fixed on the tense battle between Fei and Jin, his feather fan swaying slowly back and forth in his hands as he did so.

"Hu Zhong…where is Zǐlóng?"

Zhong who had stopped to catch his breath next to Liang let his eyes linger on the ground as he thought of his fallen master. Shan's cries were ear piercing and he had a blistering headache from it and everything else that had happened. It was a terrible thought, but for a split second, he wanted to abandon the child just to get a break from him and deal with the grief of his fallen master.

"He gave his life to ensure the young lord's safety," Zhong said over Shan's cries.

Liang finally looked towards Zhong and Shan, his eyes falling on the bundled wailing child being held protectively by Zhong.

"There is a horse behind me," Liang said as he gestured in the direction with his fan. "It is imperative that the young lord reaches his father. Go and do not stop until you are by Lord Xuándé's side."

"But Master Yìdé –"

"Will be fine," Liang interrupted.

Despite Shan's wailing and the situation happening around them, Zhuge Liang did not raise his voice. He was calm…peaceful like a serene lake without even the slightest ripple to disturb its surface. In the face of such a halcyon veneer, Zhong could not help but submit himself to his will and follow his order. He nodded dumbly and hobbled over to the horse Liang had pointed out earlier. He cast one final glance back to Fei and Jin who were still embroiled in battle before mounting the horse and riding away to safety.

Fei and Jin were at a stalemate yet again. Jin could feel his muscles burning as the two men struggled for dominance over each other. While Jin may have thought of Fei as a foul smelling alcoholic, his vigor could not be ignored. Having a battle of strength was not the wisest thing to do, so he decided it was time to change tactics. With a burst of strength, Jin pushed back against Fei's weapon forcing him a few steps back. Jin quickly slammed the butt of his trident into the ground. Using the weapon as a conduit he forced his chi into it sending spiraling down into the earth causing it to splinter and quake beneath Fei's feet.

Fei teetered on the shaky ground and Jin wasted no time in capitalizing on his temporary instability; he kicked the shaft of his trident sending the butt of it towards Fei's stomach. Despite being off balance Fei was able to grab hold of the spear and yank it forward attempting to bring Jin along with it.

Jin knew he couldn't risk being within close range of Fei so he released his hold on his trident and Fei promptly tossed it aside. Jin cursed under his breath at the loss of his weapon and Fei cackled in triumph.

"Ha! You Wei fools are—oof!"

Fei's bragging was cut short by Jin spearing him and knocking him to the ground. Both men, now weaponless began to wrestle with each other on the ground. Despite their struggle as close to the earth as they were, they could feel the rumble of approaching horses. Jin realized that his allies were approaching. Fei seemed to realize it as well and he increased his struggle against Jin, desperate to get away from him before he could be surrounded. Finally he managed to throw Jin off and scramble a few feet away from him. From their position on the ground, the two men faced each other, their eyes darting between each other and their weapons.

Fei looked behind Jin and could see his allies in the distance. They will be here within a minute or two; he had to make a move. Fei made a dash to get his weapon and Jin did the same. Both now on their feet and armed, the two men rushed at each other once more.

"Yìdé, withdraw immediately!"

Fei stopped in his tracks but Jin didn't. Fei had to block Jin's oncoming attack and once again the men were locked in battle.

"Yìdé, withdraw," Liang called out once more.

"I'm a bit—argh—busy!" Fei said as he managed to push Jin back.

"You will be overwhelmed soon. Retreat so that we can cover you," said Liang.

"No shit," Fei muttered.

He could see Jin's allies getting closer and closer. Despite not wanting to, he began to slowly move backwards towards the bridge. Jin moved with him, intent on not letting him get away. Fei chanced a glance over his shoulder towards the bridge. He doubted he would be able to make a run for it, but maybe…"

Fei let out a sharp whistle and his horse came galloping towards him from behind Jin. Jin dodged out of the way of the charging horse and Fei made use of the distraction to make a mad dash towards the bridge. Jin recovered and gave chase after him with Xu Huang, the first of his allies to arrive, following close behind on horse back.

Fei was near the bridge now. His horse was now galloping by his side and without breaking his stride Fei grabbed its reigns and hoisted himself onto its saddle. Jin and Huang gave chase but their pursuit was cut off by a hail of fire arrows. Within seconds the bridge was engulfed in flames leaving Jin and Huang helpless to do anything but watch Fei ride away to safely.

Now safely on the other side of the bridge, Fei brought his horse to a stop near Zhuge Liang. He brought his horse around to face the bridge and watched as the flames blackened and splintered the wood.

"Thanks for the assist," Fei said as he looked over to Liang.

A loud series of snaps could be heard as wooden boards broke off under the assault of the tumultuous blaze.

Liang pulled his own eyes off of the bridge to stare at Fei.

"The next time I give an order, please do everything in your power to follow it in a timely manner. Had you been just twenty-seven seconds slower, I would've had to report news of your untimely death to our lord. We already lost one warrior today; I would rather not lose another, especially considering how few true warriors we have under our flag."

With his piece spoken, Liang turned swiftly on his heel and went to his horse. Once upon it, he gave a gesture with his fan signaling for his archers to move out. Fei watched, dumbfounded by his gall. While it may have been true that Liang may have just saved his life, he really hated that man.

"Dick," Fei muttered under his breath as he stirred his horse into motion to follow after him.

=#=

Jin continued to stare in the direction Fei and his companions had fled long after they had gone. Jin stabbed his trident into the ground at the base of the bridge. He could feel the heat of the flames licking him, threatening to singe him much like the remains of the bridge it continued to hungrily consume. He was frustrated and humiliated that Zhong and Fei managed to slip through his fingers.

"YOU WERE TOO SLOW," Jin shouted as he turned to look back at Xu Huang; it was clear that Jin just needed to vent his anger towards someone and Huang being the only person present at the moment was the unwitting target.

Were it any other man, a shouting match would have instantly ensued, but Huang was not a man who was easily riled. He knew Jin and knew that he would deflect his failure to someone else. Instead of getting into a shouting match with him, as Jin undoubtedly would have liked as a way to blow off steam, he replied in a calm tone with undeniable logic.

"You were given an order to not give chase," Huang replied, his words spoken with a sense of confidence letting Jin know immediately that he not one to attempt to intimidate.

"An order given by a moron," Jin countered. "And last I checked, I do not answer to him."

"There was no reason to give chase. Zhao Yun is a greater prize than the man that got away."

"That man had a baby with him!" Jin cried as he jabbed a finger in the direction the Shu forces had fled.

"I am aware of that—"

"Are you? Because you certainly don't act like you are! Just who do you think that child was?"

Huang opened his mouth to speak, but Jin cut him off before he could utter a word.

"Do you think Zhao Yun would have risked his life for just any child? That child had to be of great importance. It was probably Liu Bei's son or at least the child of one of his sworn brothers! Had we killed it—"

"Killed it?" It was Xu Huang's turn to interrupt. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Was Jin truly suggesting that they kill a child?

"It was a child, not our enemy. How can you even suggest such a thing? Where is your honor?"

"Where is your spine?" Jin countered. "If that was the child of Liu Bei or his sworn brothers, they would become our enemy later anyway. I am simply stopping the inevitable from happening and ensuring an easier path for our lord."

"By paving it with the blood of an innocent? You are right. It may become our enemy later on; if that happens, we will fight it on equal ground as honor dictates!"

Jin tsked and pulled his trident out of the ground.

"I swore to serve Lord Cao Cao. His enemies are my enemies and I will kill anyone that stands in the way of his goal. You swore the same oath, Gōngmíng. I think it is time you remember that."

=#=

-Within Liyang-

"DAMN HIM!" Yuan Tan exclaimed as he threw his cup in frustration.

Unfortunately for the soldier who had just delivered to him the most recent news of Yuan Shang's actions, he was in the path of the cup his master had just hurled. He ducked the cup, narrowly avoiding a nasty bump on the head but his clothing was not spared from the liquid that was still inside.

Tan was much too upset to notice or care about his unjustified assault of his lowly solider. He was furious that Shang had dared to set up his own base of operations in Liyang. This was HIS city. How dare he try to claim it from him.

"WE GO TO WAR!" Tan exclaimed angrily.

"My lord, please calm—"

"If you tell me to calm down I will have you beheaded!"

The advisor let out an audible gulp and quickly stepped back, hoping to make himself as small as possible in Tan's eyes.

"You are of course correct, my lord. We cannot let this offense stand," said another advisor.

The first glowered in his direction very aware of his obvious brown-nosing.

"I don't need you to tell me I am right! I know I am right! I need you to tell me how we will attack him!" Tan said angrily.

The advisor bowed his head low. "Of course, forgive my impertinence. We cannot attack your brother head on. Unfortunately, he has more troops than us—"

"Then we go to Xiǎnyì for help!" Tan declared.

"I don't know if that is feasible, my lord," said the first advisor.

Tan eyes burned into him making him regret opening his mouth. Truly if things continued to go the way they were he doubted he would live to see another day.

"W-what I mean to say is that he is too far away for us to go to him for aid…I mean after all, that is why we went to Lord Shang for assistance in the first place—"

"And who's fault was it that Shang was brought here in the first place?! Was it you? Do I have you to thank for my brother usurping me?"

"Oh well err I—" Words suddenly failed the advisor. He couldn't come up with a single thing to say in his defense and he knew it spelled his end.

"My lord," the second advisor spoke up once more. "I think I have an idea on how we can defeat your brother."

The first advisor could clearly see that his colleague was making yet another attempt to suck up to their lord. He would normally feel annoyed by such tactics, but this time it saved his life. He slowly and quietly began to move himself away from Tan, hoping to hide himself behind the other advisors who wisely remained silent.

"Explain," Tan commanded.

"You may find this idea a bit…foolhardy, but I assure you if you would just—"

"Spit it out," Tan said angrily.

"O-of course," the advisor said with a cough. "I think we should seek out Cao Cao for an alliance against your brother."

"What?!"

"That is madness!"

"Are you insane?"

The previously silent advisors seem to come alive all at once upon hearing this suggestion. Voices overlapped each other with each advisor eager to have their voices heard; despite the chaos, the message was clear, no one thought joining with Cao Cao was a good idea.

"SILENCE!" Tan demanded.

Tan's voice was like ice water being suddenly doused on to them. Some of the advisors visibly flinched, while the others were stunned into silence. Tan's eyes focused on the advisor who suggested the alliance with their current enemy. The advisor in question had to muster all of his strength to not falter under such a withering gaze.

"You dare suggest that I ally myself with the man who killed my father?" Tan spoke in a deep and threatening tone.

"We have no choice!" The advisor squeaked. His panicked voice was a noticeable contrast to Tan's own; it was clear to see who held the power between these two.

"Kill him," Tan said with a wave of his hand.

"Wait! No, NO!" The advisor screamed as guards began to slowly move in.

The guards had hold of him now and the advisor tried to fight them off, an effort that was cut short with a swift punch to the gut. The advisor was temporarily winded allowing the guards to begin dragging him away. The advisor recovered and continued his shouting as he was being forced away.

"A marriage alliance! A marriage alliance will stop him from betraying you! Please! Just listen!"

"Wait," Tan commanded.

The guards stopped as ordered and released their hold on the advisor letting him drop to the floor. The advisor immediately got to his knees and bowed low. He wasn't a proud man. If prostrating would save his life he would gladly do it.

"A marriage alliance?" Tan repeated as he folded his hands across his chest and looked down to the groveling advisor.

"Yes. YES! With a marriage alliance, he will not betray you! Cao Cao Is many things, but he is loyal to his family! After he deals with your brother, he will allow you to keep Liyang!"

Tan remained silent as he thought over his advisors words. Morally, this was a deplorable choice. Not only would he ally himself with his father's murderer, but he would marry into his family as well. Just how much dishonor did he intend to heap at his ancestor's feet? Alternatively, what did he care for his ancestors? He honored them and his father; he was the perfect son and where did it get him? Nowhere. His father favored that pretty boy Shang and he, the oldest, was to be left as his servant? Screw that. He deserved to be his father's heir and if siding with his father's killer would accomplish that goal than he would gladly dance with the devil.

"An alliance with Cao Cao…Yes…I think that it is an idea crazy enough to work—"

"My lord! NO!" shouted an advisor.

"Silence! I have made my decision. I will use Cao Cao to defeat Xiǎnfǔ. With my brother out of the way, I will be able to inherit my father's legacy as I was meant to. We will play the role as loyal followers to Cao while we gather power and once we have enough strength, we will get revenge for my father and our people."

From the skeptical looks on his advisors faces, it was clear they did not agree with this course of action, but they understood that Tan would not be dissuaded from his path. They had no choice but to follow along.

"Send a messenger to Cao Cao, let him know that I wish to meet with him."

Hesitantly, his main advisor bowed his head and saluted. "It will be done."

=#=

"How very, very interesting," said Cao after dismissing Tan's messenger.

His army had only just returned from their sojourn to Jing and Cao did not expect to find evidence of Tan and Shang's infighting quite so soon.

"First Jing and now Liyang; How lucky for you to have such brilliant advisors at your side."

"Yes, I am very lucky to have such loyal and modest advisors," Cao said in reply to Jia Xu's quip.

"See Fèngxiào? Lord Cao thinks that I am modest. You are the only one who thinks that I am not."

"My lord, you really should not encourage him. He becomes rather insufferable when you do," said Guo Jia.

"Noted," Cao replied. "Regarding Tan's request for an alliance…how sincere do you think it is?"

"Not very," Xun You replied. "According to the report we received from Gōngliú, Yuan Shang has the upper hand. He has the advantage of forces and the support of the people. If Yuan Tan reached out to you for an alliance, it was made out of desperation, not fealty."

"What's to say he would not be loyal later on?" asked Cao as he slumped in his chair and propped his chin onto his fist.

"He has his father's pride," Xu replied. "No my lord, I think our grim faced Gōngdá is correct," said Xu as he threw an arm over the man in question shoulder.

"I don't have a grim—"

"Fact is, I doubt he would forget that you killed his father," Xu continued, cutting You off. "He will use this alliance to get rid of his brother, probably play the role as the loyal subject while sneakily gaining power then betraying you the moment he thinks he has an actual shot at beating you."

"I agree," said You as he pushed Xu's arm off of his shoulder.

"Then we will use him instead and be rid of him once we are done."

"But what of the marriage alliance? I am certain he plans on using whoever the unlucky bride is as a shield,"said Man Chong.

"He will not have a bride to use," Cao replied. "I will let him think that we have agreed to the marriage…I will even offer my own daughter up as the prize, but he will not be able to claim her."

"We will have to give him the illusion that you are complying with his wishes though. Without the proper bait, the trap will fail," Chong warned.

"Hmm…you do have a point," said Cao as he lifted his head and rubbed his chin. "Well then, bait he shall have. We will send an escort for my three daughters; let him think I am giving him the choice of which he wishes to marry. I am certain Yuan Tan will insist on sending men of his own to accompany them to assure himself of the sincerity of our agreement. They will go to my daughters as agreed, but they will not return and my daughters will be escorted to Xuchang instead."

"Xuchang? Why?" asked Man Chong with a furrowed brow.

"I have need of them for something else…," Cao replied cryptically.

Chong knew his lord well enough to know that he would not reveal his plans before he was ready so pressing him on it would be a pointless venture.

"So we will have to eliminate him before he catches wind of the change of plan," mused Xu.

"And we will need competent warriors to take care of Yuan Tan's men when they go to retrieve your daughters," You added.

"We only need one warrior. For such a simple task like escorting their guard will be down. A clever assassin could take them out easily. Besides, I would rather not expose my daughters to unnecessary bloodshed."

"I am guessing you are going to pick Gōngliú for this task. While I admit, he is good at what he does, I would hesistate to send him to complete this task alone. If he is unable to take them out quietly or if they catch wind of his attempt, he will be unable to adequately defend himself," said You.

"Hmm…," Cao hummed as he rubbed his chin. "Then we shall send someone along with him. That will be Yuánràng and Miàocái. I believe that Yuan Tan will be more convinced of my sincerity if it is my family members that I send to retrieve my daughters. Shi Huan can follow in secret which will give him a better chance to carry out the assassinations. If things go awry, my cousins will be able to handle it. I also wish to send our newest prisoner back to Xuchang with them."

"Is that wise? Won't that tip Yuan Tan off?"

"I will advise Yuánràng and Miàocái to be discreet with him."

"Why take the risk at all? Why not just leave him here?" asked Chong.

"Because the last time we had a prisoner from Shu in our grasp and had him so close to battle, he managed to get away," Cao replied in a brusque tone. "I would rather not lose our newest prisoner. His loss is undoubtedly devastating to Liu Bei and I would like time to try to win him over to our side."

"And you truly think he would join us? He seems to be the loyal until death type," said Xu.

"It would be a waste to kill a warrior of such skill, but if death is what he prefers than death is what he shall receive. That said I will at least make the attempt to sway him to our cause, though my patience in doing so will not be as generous as it was with Guan Yu…"

Everyone present remembered well the great effort Cao went through to try and get the mighty Guan Yu to join his side. He bent over backwards in his attempts to sway the man only to be rebuffed at every turn. The entire experience understandably left Cao bitter and it surprised no one that he would be a bit more stringent in any future attempts to recruit enemy officers.

"Summon Yuan Tan's' messenger. It is time to let him know that a decision has been made."

=#=

"I am glad we can come to this agreement Cao Cao."

"As am I," Cao replied with a beguiling smile.

Yuan Tan wasted no time in meeting with Cao Cao after he heard from his messenger that Cao agreed to the alliance. Under the cover of night, he snuck out of Liyang to meet with the warlord and the two shared a few drinks as they discussed the terms of their agreement. Both men sat opposite each other, their smiles hiding their true intentions.

"And for you to offer your daughter to me; not only that but you give me the option to choose between three of them…When I suggested a marriage alliance, I did not think you would offer your own flesh. I am truly honored."

"How could I offer anything less?" Cao asked. He lifted his cup towards Yuan Tan and saluted. "I hope this is the beginning of a fruitful relationship."

"As do I," Tan agreed as he mimicked Cao's gesture.

Both men drank, draining their cups. Immediately a servant refilled their cups and hurried to the side until they were needed again.

"You do not mind me sending my men along with yours to retrieve my intended?"

"How could I? I would be offended if you did not see to the safety of my daughters. Seeing that you are sending your own men show that you truly value them and this knowledge greatly pleases me."

Tan nodded and took another drink. A servant moved to refill his cup but he raised a hand stopping him in his tracks. Cao waved a hand dismissing the servant and obediently they left the tent leaving the men alone.

"I hate to interrupt such a pleasant gathering, but I must know…when do you plan on attacking my brother?"

"Immediately," Cao replied as he sat his cup down on the table in front of him. "I have no wish in making you wait to claim that which is rightfully yours. Our men will go to retrieve my daughters tomorrow morning and we shall move out at the same time to attack Ye—"

"Attack Ye?" Tan interrupted with brows knotted in confusion. "Xiǎnfǔ is here in Liyang, not Ye!"

Cao Cao simply smiled, the gesture hiding the annoyance he was currently feeling. He was not accustomed to being interrupted, especially by such stupid questions. It was clear that Tan thought them to be on the same level when reality couldn't have been further from the truth. It didn't matter, Cao would indulge him for now; in the end he will get the last laugh.

"You are correct, your brother is here in Liyang, but Liyang belongs to you. For me to attack it…it would be as if I am attacking you. To get to Yuan Shang, we must attack his main base which is in Ye. If I march on Ye, I can guarantee that Yuan Shang will retreat from Liyang to defend it."

"But you don't understand! Xiǎnfǔ is going to attack me very soon! Before you will have a chance to even reach Ye! I do not have the means to hold out against such an assault! He has more troops than I do. I need you here! I need you to attack Xiǎnfǔ now!"

Cao's irritation rose with each foolish word that stumbled out of Tan's mouth. Could he be anymore dim-witted? How disappointed would Yuan Shao be if he saw the legacy he has left behind, but then again they followed in their father's footsteps with depressing similarity. Better for Cao that Shao's children were as brainless as he was.

"We will move quickly. Though my forces are large, they are efficient. We will reach Ye in a week and a half. You only need to hold out until then."

"I'll be dead by then!"

"Liyang is your land. You know all of its ins and outs. You can delay your brother and buy yourself the time you need. I have faith in you."

Tan's hands balled into a fist and he was visibly shaking. This wasn't what he wanted at all. Cao's plan would be the death of him. He just knew it. He had faith in him? Pah what a load of bullshit. Cao probably thought he would be able to kill two birds in one fell swoop. He would defy his plans and survive!

Tan stood from his seat. He no longer wished to indulge Cao's company any longer.

"I sincerely hope this plan of yours works Cao Cao. My life is in your hands."

"You are my future son in law; you are family. I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety."

"Very well. We shall go with your plan."

"There is one more thing," said Cao as he stood from his own seat. "When Yuan Shang turns his troops to prevent me from taking Ye, I need you to assault him from behind."

"W-what?" Tan stammered, obviously flummoxed by this request. How could Cao expect him to attack Shang? It will take everything his troops have just to defend against his assault.

"Your brother will be so focused on attacking me that his flank will be completely exposed. Besides, he has wronged you the most by trying to steal what was rightfully yours. I believe you deserve the honor of dealing the fatal blow. Of course, once we get word that Shang is heading towards us, I will have my forces back you up."

"Yes…yes…I see what you are saying. He would not expect me to attack him…"

'And I relish the chance to see Shang's face when I bury my sword in his chest,' Tan thought to himself.

From the sneer that had formed on his face, Cao could guess that he agreed with this plan. Even so, he would confirm this aloud.

"So I can count on you to attack him once his forces are focused on mine?"

"Yes," Tan agreed. "My dear brother will fall to my hand, as it should be."

=#=

Tan stepped out of Cao Cao's war tent into the cool night air. Cao's bodyguard Dian Wei spared him a brief glance before entering the tent to check on his master. Tan turned his head up to the night sky as a breeze swept over him. It was a chilly night and the cold air sent a shiver through Tan's body. Tan tucked his hands into the sleeves of his robe and nodded his head to his own bodyguard indicating that he was ready to leave. His bodyguard led the way through Cao's camp. Tan followed silently as he thought over the details of his meeting with Cao. It didn't go exactly the way he hoped, but at least he would be rid of his troublesome brother soon.

"I don't believe it."

Tan's attention was pulled to his bodyguard who had stopped in his tracks.

"What are you dawdling for?" Tan snapped angrily.

"My lord, look over there! It is the treacherous Ju Shou and Zhang He!"

Tan looked in the direction his bodyguard was staring and he did indeed spot the two men in question walking in the opposite direction. It seemed as if the two men hadn't noticed them as they were engaged in conversation.

"My lord, allow me to strike down these traitors that turned their backs on you and your family!"

Tan turned his attention from the men to his bodyguard and even in the pale moonlight it was easy to see how anxious he was to exact justice in the name of the Yuan family. His hand was already wrapped around the hilt of his sword and he looked ready to spring into a run after the men the moment Tan gave the word.

"No. I wish to speak with them and give them a chance to redeem themselves."

The look of surprise on the bodyguard's face was almost comical. Tan was fairly certain he had never seen someone's eyes bulge out of their sockets quite that far before.

"My lord, they cannot be trusted! The only sound we should hear from them is their blood spilling to the ground in penitence for their betrayal."

"I have told you my wish. Now shut up and follow me."

Tan strode over to the two men with his grumbling bodyguard at his heels. Zhang He spotted him first; his beautiful face dropped into a frown the minute he spotted who was heading toward them. Shou seemed to notice Jùnyì's reaction and turned to see just what held his attention; once he did, he tensed and wore a frown that mirrored Jùnyì's own.

"You don't look happy to see me. You would think you would be more please to see someone you once served," said Tan.

"As you said, we served you once. The key word being once which as I'm sure you know means no longer. It is only natural to be wary when confronted with someone you had a former alliance with," Shou answered.

"I suppose that is true…especially as it is my right to kill you where you stand for your treachery."

Jùnyì reacted immediately placing himself in front Shou, though he was unsure exactly how much he could do. He was unarmed. There wasn't a reason to walk around with their weapons in camp. Tan's bodyguard moved to attack Jùnyì, but he was stopped by his master.

"But I am willing to forgive your transgressions," Tan continued.

He removed his hand from his sleeves and reached into his robe. From within his robe he revealed a seal of his authority. He presented it to the pair who glared at it with naked suspicion. From the looks that they were casting at it, you would have thought he was holding out a poisoned apple to them instead.

"Accept this," Tan continued. "Accept this and be redeemed in my eyes. Right the wrongs you have committed and wipe the stain from your honor. Rejoin your true master."

"W-wrongs we have committed?" Shou sputtered.

He could hardly believe his ears. What of the wrongs committed by Yuan Shao and his people? What right did they have to kill his wife? Now this impudent little shit has the audacity to tell him to beg for forgiveness in order to restore his honor? His first reaction was to tell Tan exactly where he could shove his seal, but his logic quickly won out over his emotions. What Shou realized was that in his clammy little hands, Tan held the very tool that would help spell his doom.

Shou lowered his head and in as contrite as a tone as he could muster, he apologized.

"W-we are so sorry. In our cowardice we turned our back on your family…on our oath. Forgive us…forgive us."

"My forgiveness is not without a price. Take this seal; swear a new oath to me that when the time is right, you will serve me."

To Shou's surprise it was Jùnyì who reached for the seal. He took it in into his hands and saluted Tan.

"You only need to call on us, my lord."

Tan nodded and tucked his hands back into the sleeves of his robe. "I will be in touch."

With those parting words, Tan turned from the pair and headed out of Cao's camp. With Tan finally gone, Shou chose to address his companion.

"I didn't expect you to take that," he said with surprise and caution in equal measure.

"I thought I should follow your lead," Jùnyì replied. "You were doing such an exquisite job of pretending to be subservient to Yuan Tan that I thought I should play along."

"I was hoping you would know that it was all an act."

"Of course I did. I am more than aware that the terrible death of your wife is not easily forgotten."

"No. No it is not," Shou replied in a grim tone. "For him to suggest otherwise…it makes my blood boil."

"As inspiring as your performance was, I must ask what was the point of it all? You told me that Lord Cao Cao plans to betray Yuan Tan anyway. Why go through this farce?" Jùnyì asked as he handed Shou the Seal.

Shou took the seal and turned it over a few times in his hands. "It is true. Lord Cao is going to betray Yuan Tan, but he has just given me the means to make that betrayal so much easier."

In all the years Jùnyì has known Shou, he had never seen him make a face like the one he was currently making. In Jùnyì's honest opinion, it was a terribly ugly face that could only be conjured up by a person suffering from deep rooted anguish. May the heavens have pity on Yuan Tan because Jùnyì was certain that Shou's revenge will be quite the unpleasant experience for him.

=#=

Liu Bei tossed the empty wine jug to the side. The soft grass cushioned the jade colored celadon jug enough to prevent it from shattering. With bloodshot eyes and wavering vision, Bei groped the ground around him for another jug. His hands only grasped air and the occasional tuft of grass. Frustrated at his failure to find more alcohol to dull his pain, Bei let out an exasperated cry and flopped backward onto the grass. He stared up at the dual moons swaying back and forth in the night sky. A figure blocked his view and even shrouded in shadow, he could recognize the visage of his sworn brother Guan Yu.

"Have you always -hic- had twin, brother?" Bei asked as he closed his eyes in an attempt to stop the world from spinning around him.

"I do not have a twin," Yu replied with a frown. "There is only one of me. Get up brother."

"Leave me be," Bei whined as he swatted the air to shoo his sworn brother off. "I am enjoying the moons the heavens have seen fit to grant us!"

Fei, who had been standing nearby turned his head towards the sky and saw only one moon hanging above them. He looked down to his sworn brother with pity.

"He's really drunk."

"I am aware of that," Yu snapped. "Help me get him up. We must get him back to his tent before anyone sees him."

Fei and Yu went to either side of Bei and tried to lift him to his feet, but he twisted out of their grasp and planted face first into the grass below. Bei's fingers dug into the soil as he tried to push himself to his feet. Dirt and bits of grass embedded itself into his fingernails as his hands clawed at the earth. Seeing as he was making no progress in his attempts to get up, he abandoned his efforts and laid his cheek against the ground with the intent of going to sleep.

"Geez…it's hard to see him like this. I'm not this bad when I'm drunk, am I?"

Yu gave Fei a poignant stare. "I do not think you wish to compare the two of you brother."

"Shit…that means worse then, right? Damn…"

Yu did not bother to respond to Fei. He had no time to assuage his ego; he needed to focus on Bei.

"Let's try to get him up again," Yu said as he reached for Bei once more.

"Leave him."

Bei's sworn brothers turned to see Zhuge Liang standing behind them; the fan he usually carried with him was presently absent and his hands were instead folded behind his back.

"You mean to prevent us from helping our brother, Master Kǒngmíng?" asked Yu.

"I do," Liang replied.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Fei spat out angrily.

"Brother—"

"No," Fei said as he pushed off the hand Yu had placed on his shoulder. "I've kept quiet about this guy for brother's sake, but now he tells us to abandon him when he is in need? There is no way I'm staying quiet now!"

Fei walked right up to Liang and jabbed a meaty finger into the center of his chest.

"Our brother threw away his pride and practically begged you to join us. Then once you and that ugly bitch wife of yours do decide to come down from your lofty mountain perch, you act as if you lead this army instead of our brother!"

Despite the pure venom Fei was spewing at him, Liang remained eerily impassive. He did not even so much as bat an eye as Fei's mannerisms became more and more aggressive and he was practically screaming in his face. He simply stood there, the picture of calmness as if they were having a completely normal conversation.

"Brother that's en—"

"I won't stand for it anymore! You will treat my brother with the respect that he deserves and know that you serve him not the other way around!"

"Ugh..too loud," came Bei's muffled voice from the ground.

Bei's drunken garbled complaint was the only thing that could make Fei pause. Liang took it upon himself to take advantage of the brief respite from Fei's rant to regain control of the situation.

"Are you done with your tantrum?"

Fei snarled as he turned his attention back to Liang. His face had grown so red it looked as if he was about to explode. Before he could even say a word, Liang continued.

"Your little outburst has garnered unwanted attention."

Fei's head snapped back towards their camp and he saw that Liang's words weren't false. Several people, most likely drawn by Fei's shouting, were standing at the edge of the camp looking in their direction in an attempt to see what was going on. Fei let out a grunt as he felt the fire that fueled his rant begin to die out.

Yu sighed and looked back to his brother who was still lying on the floor. Thankfully it was night and it was hard for the people near the camp to see Bei in his lowest moment.

"This is exactly what we were trying to prevent," said Yu.

"What you were doing was coddling him," Liang replied. "How many times have you had to baby Lord Xuándé during one of his drunken pity parties?"

Now it was Guan Yu who got in Liang's face. He towered over the other man, his massive frame imposing as he scowled down at him.

"He just lost his wife and we lost a close companion. Show some compassion!"

"Do you think Cao Cao cares about Lord Xuándé's hardships? Do you think he or anyone else will stop an attack because Lord Xuándé is having issues? Do you think they will wait for him to sober up and act like a lord?"

Fei and Yu were struck silent. They could not refute the truth of Liang's words.

"Lord Xuándé asked for my help in uniting this land. He asked me to help him make this ragtag group into an army that can achieve that dream. In order to do so, issues within said army must be addressed and right now the biggest issue plaguing this army is Lord Xuándé himself. He needs to learn how to be a leader; someone who those hundred thousand people who left their lives behind to follow him can depend on."

"He's done the best he could," Yu offered lamely."

"And his best is not good enough. He must be better. What makes a leader is not the nature of the adversity he faces, but how he faces it and from what I have seen and heard, Lord Xuándé has handled every adversity he has faced thus far poorly."

This was not a point they could argue. After every set back, Bei had broken down. Fei, Yu and others were always there to pick up the pieces and get him back on his feet.

"If you truly wish to help Lord Xuándé, disperse of that crowd of on lookers and let me deal with him. He will be a better man for it."

Yu and Fei looked at each other, each searching for an answer to their dilemma. Do they trust Liang or do they just keep doing things as they have always done? In order for Bei to evolve, in order for their army to evolve, something had to be changed and perhaps Liang can bring about that change. It certainly couldn't hurt to let him try.

"Come brother," said Yu as he started walking back to the camp. "Let's get rid of the crowd."

Fei hesitated. He wasn't quite as sure of this path as Yu.

"Come brother," Yu called out once again as he paused to look over his shoulder to Fei.

Begrudgingly, Fei obeyed and followed behind Yu leaving Bei and Liang alone.

"Get up, Lord Xuándé."

Bei groaned in response but did not move.

"Get up, Lord Xuándé," Liang said once more in a slightly firmer tone.

"Just….just let me sleep."

"If you wish to sleep, do so in your tent, not on the ground after binging on wine like a common drunkard."

These words stirred Bei. He rolled onto his back to see who had dared to speak to him in such a way. Looking up, all he could see was the ever swaying sky. To see the face of his insulter, he would have to sit up. With a labored groan he did so and saw that it was none other than Zhuge Liang staring down at him with the look of a disappointed father that had just caught his son up to no good once again.

"Go away Kǒngmíng. I have no need of your council."

"I think you need my council now more than ever."

"I lost my wife! I lost one of my best warriors and friend! Am I not allowed to grieve?"

"In front of those you lead you must put up a strong front. When faced with calamity you must show those who look to you for leadership that you are as a fierce as a raging fire, calm as a lazy river and as sturdy as a juniper tree. If you need to mourn do it away from their eyes. If they see you break then they will break and morale will plummet."

"I'm..." Bei paused and rubbed a dirt laden hand over his face smearing a bit of it onto his face.

"I'm not strong enough for that," he continued. "I am but a man not some unfeeling warlord that only lives and breathes battle."

"And your compassion is why I agreed to serve you," Liang replied. "Never lose that part of you. Just know when that side should be revealed."

"Easier said than done."

"And I will be there with you every step of the way as long as you try…now get up."

With a heavy sigh Bei rose to his feet and stood. His legs wobbled threatening to send him careening back to the ground but he remained strong.

"Now let's go," said Liang as he started walking back towards the camp which was now free of onlookers thanks to Fei and Yu.

With a dejected sigh Bei followed behind him.

=#=

It had been over a week since Shang launched his attack on his older brother Tan. He honestly thought the battle would have been over with already, but Tan was proving to be surprisingly resilient. Shang was in no danger of losing, but the time it was taking to finishing out this battle was starting to become wearisome. At least Cao Cao had finally given up on trying to take Liyang. It would have been difficult dealing with both of them.

"Come my little bunnies, I need a lot of attention tonight. It has been a trying day," said Shang as he opened his robe revealing his naked form to the two women he summoned to his room.

The women were two local courtesans from Liyang. They were average in beauty and Shang had no intention of taking them with him when he went back to Ye, but they were adequate in keeping him company while he was in town. They made his time here a bit more bearable, especially during this drawn out battle with his brother.

"Yes, my lord," one replied. They both bowed low and began their seduction ritual honed from years of serving men's desires.

First they removed the pins that held their hair up and let the silken strands cascade down their backs. Next they slowly removed their own robes and under garments with practiced hands, making sure to accentuate every movement. Shang sat forward slightly on the bed rapt in the performance they were putting on for him. His eyes followed every strip of garment that left their bodies, his excitement growing each passing second. When they finally joined him in bed he wasted no time on pouncing on the nearest one.

It didn't take long for things to escalate between the trio; moans of pleasure and giggles could be heard by anyone that walked past his room or in this case someone standing right in front of it.

The soldier currently standing outside of his door truly regretted having drawn the short stick for this task. He swallowed hard knowing that Shang would not take being interrupted during his 'playtime' well, but this was news that could not wait.

"Lord Shang, I have urgent news."

The giggles and moans stopped abruptly and was followed by a period of silence. After a few moments the door opened. Shang stood in the doorway with the look of murder in his eyes. He did not bother fully closing his robe and the soldier could see several love bites adorning his neck and chest. It looked as if he had interrupted an enjoyable time indeed.

"You have three seconds to convince me to not have you killed."

"M-my lord, I apologize for in—"

"Two seconds."

"Right, sorry. I was sent here—"

"One second."

"Cao Cao is attacking Ye!" He screamed out in fear!

Shang stared at the soldier and the soldier nervously stared back. His eyes darted back and forth as he was unsure as to how Shang was going to react to this news.

"Come again?"

The soldier blinked in confusion. He was certain that Shang heard him. Even the enemy forces on the other side of Liayng probably heard him as loud as he yelled; yet Shang was asking him to repeat himself?

"Um…Cao Cao has attacked Ye?"

"Are you asking me this or telling me this?" Shang hissed.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, My Lord! I am telling you! Lord Cao Cao has attacked Ye!"

"Damnit, get out of my sight."

"Yes, My Lord!" the soldier replied quickly. He was all too happy to get as far away from there as possible.

Shang slammed his door shut and angrily stalked back to his bed. He sat at its edge sullenly, the news he just received weighing heavily on him. One of the courtesans crawled across the bed to him and wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his neck and attempted to pull him onto his back, but Shang pushed her away."

"No more time for play, my bunnies," Shang said with a frown. "I must go back to Ye."

=#=

Tan walked through the devastated streets of Liyang. Most of the residents that had survived the bloody battle between the brothers remained hidden in their homes not trusting that this period of peace would last. Tan looked between the bodies that still littered the ground and the burnt out husks which were once homes.

"We are certain that Xiǎnfǔ has left?"

Tan has asked the same question over a dozen times. The battle with Shang was an uncomfortably close one. One more day…maybe two and Shang would have definitely sealed the victory.

"Yes, My Lord," his main advisor replied. "Cao Cao has successfully lured him away with his attack on Ye."

Tan sighed. "And now Cao Cao expects us to attack Xiǎnfǔ from behind. What is the status of our troops?"

"We've lost a great deal in the last week, my lord. We do have many that are still willing and able to fight, but we will be severely outnumbered if we attack Lord Shang as he is right now."

"Then we let Cao Cao deal with him. Let him see how it is to fight against Xiǎnfǔ with no support."

"So we are to offer no aid at all?"

"We will help," Tan replied with a smug smile. "We will prevent his retreat, but we are not to engage at all. Let Cao Cao do the bulk of the work."

=#=

"I must admit, I am surprised. I did not think someone like Cao Cao could produce such beautiful daughters," quipped one of the guards Tan had sent along with Dun and Yuan to escort Cao's daughters.

"Pah, Lord Tan can get better. I don't think he should go through with this alliance at all," responded the other.

"Keep your voice down!" the first guard said in a harsh whisper as he looked at the backs of Yuan and Dun who were just a few feet ahead of them beside the carriage that held Cao's daughters.

"Sorry," the second guard muttered. "I just hate this. I hate the idea of working with men who killed our former lord."

"I know but we have no choice."

"Who's that hooded man?" The second guard asked as he nodded his head towards the third man riding besides Yuan.

"No idea," the first guard responded.

"His hands are bound. Do you think he's some sort of prisoner? He has to be, right?"

"I don't know. I know I don't like it though. We didn't hear anything about him and I definitely don't like that we haven't seen his face."

"So we should demand that he rev—"

"Yo. We will be coming up to a small town in a bit. Let's stop and get something to eat," said Yuan in his usual boisterous tone, completely drowning out the two guards whispering.

"Tch, does his fat ass ever do anything but eat?" groused the second guard.

"I rather we keep going. I wish to get back to my lord with the ladies as soon as possible," said the first guard.

"Your lord sent you here to watch over these women till he chose which he wanted, right? Well that includes feeding them. They are the ones asking us to stop," said Dun.

Both guards looked extremely annoyed with this answer but it was clear that their hands were tied. They could do nothing but comply.

"I guess we have no choice. We will stop."

Forty five minutes later, the group arrived at the town Yuan mentioned. It was a fairly small town and the only place to eat was a rundown shop on its outskirts. The exterior resembled a dilapidated building rather than a restaurant. Seemingly all the windows had broken panels and the dry rotting wood looked as if it hadn't been treated in years. The interior was no better. Its sparse furniture consisted of only a four tables and chairs, some of which were broken and tossed haphazardly in a corner. Dust covered the ground showing that not many had tread its insides in quite some time.

The group headed towards the tables. At least they looked as if they had been recently cleaned. Cao's daughters sat at the middle table, Tan's guards sat at a table to the left of them and Dun and Yuan and the hooded man sat to the right.

"We should go somewhere else," the second guard complained loudly. "I can't imagine this place having good food."

"I have to agree," said the first. "Such elegant women deserve better than…this," he said as he waved a hand to the decaying structure they were currently seated in.

"Shouldn't be so rude, the owner just might take issue and poison your food," said Dun.

"Pah. I am merely being truthful," the second guard replied.

The 'owner' of the establishment hurried out of one of the back rooms to greet his guest. He cast a glance to Dun and Yuan's table and gave them a quick wink before addressing everyone else.

"Hello dear customers! So good to see you! You came at the perfect time. I am preparing a delicious meal as we speak. Please be patient."

"We haven't even ordered yet!" The second guard cried out.

"Oh…I am truly sorry but business hasn't been very good lately. Because of that, I do not have much. There is only one meal I can currently offer you, but I swear it will be to die for."

The second guard sucked his teeth loudly. "Just hurry it up. I want to get back on the road as soon as possible."

The 'owner' humbly bowed and hurried away. Before long the guard's wish was granted. Steaming plates of food was placed in front of each person. It was a basic meal of rice and fish which definitely did not win any awards in taste or creativity, but it would satisfy a hungry stomach.

"Everything to your liking?" the 'owner' asked as he came around to check on his patrons.

"This food is crap. To die for my ass," one of the guards replied.

"I'm sorry it is not to your liking. Can I offer you some free wine?"

"Hmph, it is the least you could do."

Dutifully the server retreated to the back and returned with a jug of wine. He poured the first cup for the guards and watched them both quickly drink it down. He quickly refilled their cups and left the jug there for them to finish at their leisure. The 'owner' then went to the table where Dun and Yuan sat.

"What about you three? Are you enjoying your meal?"

"Gōngliú, how exactly did you manage to get the owner to let you run his shop?" Yuan whispered.

"Teals are an excellent persuader and by the way, I am not merely running the shop. This is my shop. I bought it from him." Huan replied with a grin.

"Why the hell did you buy a whole shop from him?" Yuan asked.

"The owner was an old guy. His business had been failing for years now. He didn't want to do it anymore. I felt bad for him so I offered to take it off his hands."

"Is it wise for you to be over here? Won't they get suspicious?" Dun asked.

"Oh they are already dead," Huan said nonchalantly. "Speaking of, you might want to get the ladies out of here soon. It's going to get pretty gross soon."

"Is this how Cao Cao normally handles matters? With such underhanded assassinations?" asked the hooded Yun.

"No. If he did, your Lord Liu Bei would have been dead long ago," Huan replied.

"He is no longer my Lord," Yun replied tersely.

Huan, Yuan and Dun all looked at each other. That was a rather strong answer for someone who risked their lives to save the child of said Lord not long ago.

"Hmm…well the point I was trying to make was that while I wouldn't call Lord Cao the most virtuous man in the world, I would say that for those he respects, he wouldn't go through such means. He would fight them honorably on the field of battle rather than doing this. That is why your Lor—"

Huan stopped and corrected himself. "I mean that is why Liu Bei wasn't poisoned and believed me. I offered."

Part of Yun wished Cao had taken him up on that offer. If he did, the lives of so many innocent men would not have met such an dishonorable end. But no, that wasn't the proper way. No matter how much he despised Bei, he couldn't condone such an underhanded tactic.

"I know you probably don't think much of me. Most people don't. What I do is dishonorable and cowardly…I know this, but I do it because there are times when such methods are necessary. I know what I do is for my lord and for peace in this land. I have no qualms about getting my hands dirty for his sake for that end."

"The path you walk is a slippery one. Just how much dirt are you willing to get on your hands for the sake of your Lord?"

Yun knew that Fei and Bei would claim their horrid cannibalism was for a greater means, but how could it be? How could eating someone that vowed to lay their life down to you be for an honorable purpose? They could have survived on rice or nuts and berries from the forest. ANYTHING would have been better than desecrating the bodies of the injured in such a way. Was Cao the same way? Would he ask for the unthinkable just for the sake of the "greater good"? Would Huan blindly follow such an order for the same reason?

"I have my limits. There are some lines I would never cross and Lord Cao knows and respects that. Luckily, he has never asked me to do anything truly reprehensible."

Yun tilted his head and looked at Huan, really looked at him. He could find no deceit in his words. He truly meant what he said. He did have his limits and he hadn't been pushed past them by Cao.

"At least you are honest. That is more than I can say about some people I know," said Yun.

"Oh…that sounds like a juicy story," said Yuan.

Yun did not reply. Instead he lowered his head and focused on the food in front of him.

"Aww, no fun. We were just getting to the good parts," said Yuan with a grin.

Yun kept silent as he maneuvered his chopsticks as best he could with his bound hands and picked up a piece of fish. He lowered his head close to the plate as he could not raise his arms too high because of the bindings and placed the morsel in his mouth.

It was clear that Yun was done talking. It was a surprise he spoke as much as he did since he has been silent since they captured him.

"Okay then," Yuan said as he switched his focus back to Huan. "So what did you do Gōngliú? Poison their drink?" Yuan asked.

"I put it in the food and drink. Pretty much everything they put to their mouths brought them closer to the grave. That's why it tasted like shit."

"This food taste like shit to me too. Sure you didn't accidentally slip it in ours too?" Dun asked as he tossed his chopsticks onto the table.

"No, no of course not…I mean…I'm pretty sure I didn't…"

"That is not funny Gōngliú."

Huan laughed. "It was hilarious to me. I'm an assassin not a cook. What kind of food did you expect me to make?"

"Something edible," Dun replied. "I can make something better than this."

"Oooh, so you are inviting me to your home for dinner? I can't wait to get back to Xuchang!"

"I didn't—"

"Too late, its done," Huan said with a laugh as he cut off Dun's protest.

"It tastes fine to me," Yun muttered as he put another bite in his mouth.

"Wow. What the hell as Liu Bei been feeding you if you think this shit is good?" asked Yuan.

'If only you knew' Yun thought glumly.

Meanwhile, the two guards were watching the four of them interact.

"That's strange," one remarked. "They seem awfully close."

"Yeah," the other replied distractedly as he filled his cup up with wine once more and quickly downed its contents.

"Hey, slow down with that. This is an easy job, but we still need to be alert."

"I know…it's just…that food was really bad. It's messing with my stomach," the man replied as he hunched over the table.

"Yeah, my stomach isn't feeling so good either."

Huan took the opportunity to glance back to the table with Tan's guards. Even from where he was sitting he could see that they were perspiring heavily despite it being relatively cool within the shop. They both took another drink of wine hoping to settle the odd churning in their guts and soothe the strange burning sensation in their throats, but what they did not realize is that the wine would only serve to exacerbate their issues. Everything was proceeding perfectly.

"I gotta say, Master Yuánràng, I am surprised," said Huan as he turned his attention back to Yuan and Dun.

"Why's that?"

"That whole owner poison joke you made? Man it was hard for me to keep a straight face when I first came out here."

"Ha yeah. That was a good one brother," Yuan said in agreement.

"You two act as if I don't have a sense of humor."

"That might be because the only face I have ever seen you make is a frown," Huan replied.

"Tch, whatever. My joke was better than your whole to die for thing."

"Aww you hurt his feelings," Yuan said with a laugh. "Brother really is funny once you get to know him."

"Well, perhaps I will get to know him more when during dinner at his home and by the way, that to die for thing was pretty damn good."

"I never agreed to that and no it wasn't."

"I think you did, brother," said Yuan. "I'll be there too, by the way and it was funny."

"You are an odd bunch," Yun remarked with a shake of his head.

"Ha, you haven't even seen the weirdest of us yet," said Yuan with a grin.

Back at the table with Tan's guards, one of them let out a series of loud coughs. It seemed innocent at first, but Huan knew it would get worse very soon.

"And that is the beginning of the end. Seriously, you should probably get them out of here. It's going to get nasty."

Dun nodded and stood from the table with Yuan and Yun following. They headed over to the girl's table and began to usher them away.

"Hey-cough-where…where do-cough, cough-do you guys think you are going?"

Neither Dun nor Yuan replied as they hurried the women and Yun out of the shop. The guard that spoke tried to follow them, but he felt himself overcome with a series of painful coughs that stopped him in his tracks. He looked over to his companion and saw him on the floor by their table convulsing with foam spilling out of his mouth.

"W..what the fu—" was all he was able to get out before his own body was racked by convolutions. He looked up to see the owner walking towards him. He reached out towards him, but he did not move to help him at all. The servile nature he once had seemed to be completely gone and what was left was cold eyes intent on watching every bit of his suffering.

He felt as if his body was tearing itself apart from within and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The pain was so terrible that his mind went completely blank. His vision seemed to go to white and he could feel something coming out of his nose…or perhaps going up it. It was hard to tell. The pain only seemed to intensify with each passing second to the point where it was unbearable. The guard prayed to the heavens for death and after what seemed like an agonizing eternity that wish was granted.

Once the last guard had finally stopped his writhing, Huan inspected their twisted bodies. Their limbs were bent in impossible ways; their eyes were rolled to the back of their heads with tears of blackened blood still streaming from them. Foam tinged with the blackened blood covered their mouths and throats mixing with the blood still flowing from their nose. That same tainted blood dripped freely from their ears to the wood paneled floor below. It was a ghastly sight to behold and a gruesome way to die.

"Glad I don't have to clean this up," Huan muttered as he looked around the dilapidated building.

He grabbed hold of one of the men and pulled his body atop the other then headed to the back of the shop where the wooden logs beneath the stove still crackled with a moderate flame. He took the four torches he prepared ahead of time and lit them. The first he tossed into the back room. The dry wood paneling easily became inflamed; the small fire quickly grew from a tiny flame into a raging blaze. Huan left the back room and returned to the main room. He tossed the second torch on top of the two bodies. He wanted to make sure no evidence of what happened here would be found. The last two torches he took with him outside and tossed it onto the straw and wood roofing.

Thick black smoke curled into the air as the old restaurant burned. Those living nearby would be along to see what happened soon. He needed to make his exit and meet Dun and Yuan at the proposed meeting place. Taking one last glance at his handy work, Huan gave a satisfied nod and calmly made his way away from the town leaving the burning building behind him.

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Cao Cao managed to seize control of Ye a day before Shang's arrival despite Shen Pei and Feng Ji's best efforts. While they put up a decent fight, the fact of the matter was that they were both mediocre strategist. They could not compare to the combined genius of Cao's strategists and were easily outwitted and taken prisoner.

Had Shang traveled with his army normally, Cao and his men would have had a few days to recuperate and prepare for the next battle. Unfortunately, Shang pushed his men to travel day and night to get them to Ye as soon as possible giving Cao little to no time to recover. Shang was in a similar same position however as his men were exhausted from the constant travel. Cao had his men engage in light skirmishes to keep Shang's attention on him and to keep him from fully recovering but he made no real effort to truly engage him. Instead, he waited for Yuan Tan to attack him from behind, but it seemed as if the attack would never come.

"My lord, it does not look as if Yuan Tan has any inclination of attacking," Ju Shou reported.

"You have a great dislike the Yuan family. Can I trust that your words are not tainted by that?"

"He speaks true, My Lord. We have all heard pretty much the same report from several sources," said Xun You.

"So Yuan Tan has betrayed me not once but twice," said Cao as he rubbed his chin. "We will deal with him soon enough but we have to deal with the fledgling Yuan first."

"We have no recourse but to fight," said Pi.

Cao looked over to his son with a hint of surprise at his boldness. Previously, Pi would have asked him what to do rather than suggest a course of action. Truly over the last year his whole attitude seems to have change. He seemed more self assured and no longer like a child seeking approval for every action. Cao approved of this change wholeheartedly.

"Indeed. We must attack. What is the status of our forces?"

"My Lord, I ask that you allow me to be on the front lines. My men and I stand ready to fight," said Xu Huang as he saluted Cao.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm and I gratefully accept. Wényuǎn, you and Lingqi will assist him."

"Liao and Lingqi saluted in acknowledgement to his order.

"The rest of you will serve as the second wave. Yuan Shang forces are tired and I am willing to bet that their morale is low from the constant skirmishes. We should be able to easily win this fight but do not be careless."

Cao's forces saluted and let out a cry in acknowledgement.

"Gather your men and prepare for battle."

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Xu Huang approached Shang's enemy lines. He dismounted and slammed the butt of his axe into the ground and stared defiantly towards Shang's camp. In a booming voice he called out to his enemies.

"I am Xu Huang, styled Gōngmíng. I ask anyone who is brave enough to accept my challenge!"

Huang stood as still as a statue as he waited for someone to answer his challenge. Over a half an hour passed before someone finally answered his call. A large man armed with a spear made his way towards Huang. As he passed, his allies cheered for him showing that he was popular amongst his them.

The man stopped a few feet from away from him, thrusting the butt of his own weapon into the ground to mimic Huang's stance.

"How ridiculous you look standing out here for so long by yourself hoping that someone will face you in combat. And for you to fight with such an unwieldy weapon; I did not know Cao Cao employed fools."

Huang kicked at the shaft of his weapon causing it to fall backwards. Before it could fall too far, he placed both hands on the shaft and twisted it in his hands causing the axe head to swing back up in a crescent arc. While the move it self was a simple one, the power behind it was not. When Huang swung the blade upward a strong gust of wind followed it and it was enough to make the large man stumble backwards two steps. The man was startled by the small display of power and raised his spear defensively in preparation for Huang's next attack. His eyes were wild with confusion and fear at the sheer power he felt slam into him.

The attack the general expected never came. Huang instead calmly rested the axe on his shoulder.

"I have told everyone my name. Will you honor me with yours?" Huang asked.

The general did not respond, his mind still reeling from that display of power. He was no match for this man. That small display made that abundantly clear, but he couldn't flee. His men looked up to him and a loss would make their morale plummet even further than it already has. The man swallowed hard. He had to do something. Then it hit him; he would not fight him alone.

"I see no reason to give my name to the likes of you! Why are you here?"

"As I have already stated, I wish to challenge any amongst you to a duel."

"Ha! Why should we duel someone who is obviously below us? "COME MEN! JOIN ME IN TAKING OUT THIS TRASH IN OUR LORD'S NAME!"

At first his men seemed confused by this request. They, like Huang, thought he would face him in one on one combat. Their confusion was only temporary as they soon rallied and charged Huang with their cries renting the air.

Huang frowned. How could he ever hope to test his mettle in battle if he could never get a true duel? No matter, he would still fulfill his role in the plan that Jia Xu has set for him, Liao and Lingqi.

The general carefully stepped back, making sure to put enough distance between him and Huang till his forces attacked. He inwardly applauded himself for his cleverness. With this many numbers against him, surely he this brash man would fall.

Over one hundred men strong rushed towards Huang. Huang did not seem overly worried about the development choosing to slam the butt of his weapon into the ground and mimic the stance he had when he first arrived. He stood there patiently waiting for his enemies to come within his range.

The moment they were within range the impassive look on Huang's face shifted to one that was reminiscent of a demon. He kicked the base of his axe, but instead of bringing it into an upward arc as he did before; he twirled it around effortlessly in one hand and placed the shaft at his back, the head of the axe pointing towards the ground with the blade facing upward. Huang quickly infused his weapon with his chi and before his enemies could surround him, he attacked.

"Try and keep up!" Huang shouted as he unleashed his musou attack. He brought his axe in a forward arc motion; the blade of his axe bit into the ground, but instead of being stopped by it, Huang forged through, using his weapons to cut through the very earth. With protuberating muscles, Huang continued to pull his axe into his upward arc eventually ripping it free from the ground. As Huang's axe came free, the ground itself seemed to come along with. Under the feet of his enemies three large rocky spires exploded upwards tossing those unfortunate enough to be under them into the air.

Huang was not finished just yet. He released more of his chi into his axe causing the blade to become wrapped in purple flame. He leapt into the air and met his now aerial foes. With a ferocious roar he let loose another musou attack this time spinning his body and axe into full circles unleashing several strikes as he descended. With each spin, more lives were claimed and those that did not die immediately to the deadly blade were consumed by the purple flame that surrounded it. Huang landed and all around him raining from the sky was the severed body parts of his enemies that did not even realize the trouble they were in before they were brought to their final end.

The general and his soldiers that remained on the ground could only look on in pure shock as arms, legs and all manner of other body parts dropped around them. Several of them ran at seeing such carnage while others seemed outraged at the slaughter of their allies. They foolishly charged at Huang who was far from done fighting. He met them head on, striking them down with relative ease. More enemies poured out of the base threatening to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. He was a hearty fighter, but even he would eventually lose this battle. Luckily for him, he knew he didn't have to worry about that.

This was all going according to Jia Xu's plan. While Huang got their attention, Zhang Liao was to sneak to a cliff that overlooked Shang's camp. Thanks to Huang, most of the attention was drawn to the front of the camp and he only had to contend with a few guards, which he was able to quietly take out. He needed only to wait for Lingqi to launch her attack and create a diversion so he can initiate his own attack on the main camp.

Lingqi watched from the sidelines as reinforcements poured out of Shang's main camp. Huang asked Lingqi to wait until it looked as if he was going to be overwhelmed before attacking. She had to stop herself from attacking many times before as she was excited to try out a new move she had been practicing.

After her loss against Xun Yu, she wanted to learn how to effectively fight against a magic user. While she hadn't encountered one since Xun Yu, she knew that eventually she would have to fighting someone like that again and wanted to be prepared. The war between Cao and the Yuan sons was long and tedious one so she decided that it would be the perfect time to learn how to fight against an enemy like that and the best way to do that was to go to one that used a similar technique and that man was Guo Jia. She had seen him fight on the rare occasion he actually did and his attacks defied logic in her mind.

Lingqi begged him to teach her and he completely refused, preferring to spend his nights with a drink and reading one of his scrolls. Lingqi was not to be daunted however. She asked him every night until he finally relented knowing he wouldn't get a moments peace until he did. What he showed her was how to control her chi. Previously, Lingqi would only force her chi into her weapon and launch a powerful attack, but Guo Jia taught her how to use her chi to build a connection with her weapon and allow her manipulate it even if it wasn't in her hand, much like he did with his own weapon. She practiced every night since this war began and she could now effectively control her blade for a short time when it wasn't in her hands and even call it back to her after she had thrown it! She couldn't wait to teach it to Zhuyue as she was certain such a tactic would aid in her own fighting style.

More cries filled the air. Lingqi turned her attention towards the camp and the sheer amount of forces streaming out of the camp surprised her. It looked as if Huang was doing a good job of antagonizing him. She could wait no longer. At this rate, he would get overwhelmed. Stirring Red Hare into a gallop, Lingqi charged into battle from her hiding spot. Red Hare blazed across the battlefield and plowed straight into her enemies. For the enemies that weren't crushed under the hooves of Red Hare, they were mercilessly sliced by Lingqi's blade. Lingqi leapt off of Red Hare's back into the air.

"Begone!" she cried as she unleashed a musou attack, throwing her chi infused cross-bladed voulge into a throng spinning into her enemies like a bladed wheel. She landed gracefully and watch the carnage her attack would wrought unfold.

Curiously enough, the spin Lingqi put on her weapon when she threw it did not slow down upon hitting the first enemy; in fact, the speed of it seemed to increase and soon it became akin to the center of a tornado, sucking in all enemies that were unfortunate enough to be near it. The enemies caught up within the attack were minced by the fast whirling blade.

"Scatter before me!" she cried as she sent a little more chi to her weapon causing an explosion of energy to shoot outward sending everyone, or rather what was left of them, propelling into their allies. Lingqi recalled her blade to her hand. It worked! Just like she had practiced! She grinned feeling victorious and wished that Liao and Zhuyue were there to see her. Red Hare made its way back to his master. She wanted to celebrate, but there was still a war going on. She pulled on Red Hare's reigns and brought his face close to her own.

"Go help, Wényuǎn. He needs you."

Red Hare gave a snort in acknowledgement and Lingqi ran a gentle hand over his face.

"Thank you," she said as she turned to face her enemies that were starting to gather around her once more.

With a cry she ran into her foes while Red Hare galloped in the opposite direction to where Zhang Liao waited.

Liao peered over the cliff edge. The camp was in disarray. Generals and soldiers alike were scrambling to get ready for battle. The sound of hooves approaching filled his ears. He stepped back cliff's edge and went to meet the magnificent beast.

"It is time for us to ride into battle," said Liao.

Red Hare let out a neigh in apparent agreement and Liao mounted him.

Liao stirred Red Hare on and the horse galloped towards the edge Liao had been peering over moments ago. Fearlessly Red Hare sailed off the edge and landed right in the middle of camp to the surprise of Shao's forces and the unfortunate soldier that served to break Red Hare's fall.

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"My Lord! We must flee!" shouted a soldier as he burst into Shang's war tent.

"W-what? What are you talking about? What's going on?" He glared at his advisors.

"You said it was only one man and there was nothing to worry about!"

His advisors were utterly speechless. They had no idea what was happening.

"Some madman flew from the cliff overlooking the camp and began slaughtering everyone. We must flee!" the soldier cried out.

"Where were the guards?" one of the advisors demanded.

"Who cares! What are we going to do?" said another.

"I-I must flee!" said Shang in a shaky voice.

"But your brother blocks our escape!" said one of his generals.

"Then you get your men out there to cover our escape and deal with Cao's forces!"

"That is a death sentence," the general argued.

"I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T DO IT!" Shang countered. "At least die with honor!"

The other generals and advisors could only helplessly look at each other. It seemed Shang cared nothing for their lives, he only wanted to save his own.

Resigned to their fate, they agreed and Shang's generals hurried out of the tent to try and scramble together a counter attack from what was left of their troops.

=#=

From atop Red Hare, Liao cut down his foes. The element of surprise was in his favor as he was able to take out many enemy soldiers. However, that would not last much longer as he could see generals now amassing a coordinated attack against him. He dismounted from Red Hare, preferring to fight the upcoming throng of enemies on his feet rather than atop a horse.

"Go back to your mistress," Liao commanded.

Red Hare let out a loud whinny and charged through a group of enemies towards the entrance of the camp to rejoin with Lingqi.

Liao looked towards the group that had formed around him. Even amongst the generals there didn't seem to be anyone of exceptional strength to test himself against. How unfortunate. How can he better himself and find the true meaning of being a warrior if he was constantly pitted against weaklings? Still he had a job to do and he intended on doing that job well.

The general ordered his troops to attack. Liao dashed forward and attack, alternating strikes between his dual Ji's. Liao effortlessly mowed down his enemies but they continued to attack, wave after wave. Something was off. It didn't make sense that they were throwing themselves at him like this. They had to be trying to distract him from something.

Liao heard a familiar cry from behind him. Lingqi was fighting her way towards him which means that the second wave of Cao's forces had arrived. Even with reinforcements, Shang's forces did not retreat. They were definitely trying to distract him. Lingqi arrived at his side astride Red Hare before she could say a word, Liao spoke up.

"Lingqi, I believe they are trying to buy time for Yuan Shang's escape. Take care of these enemies here. I am going to go after them."

"Understood," said Lingqi as she stirred Red Hare on sending him towards enemies that blocked the way towards the rear of the camp.

Her actions created a path through the enemy and Liao took it, heading towards the largest tent in the camp. Enemies continued to try to block Liao, but he would not be daunted from his path. He dispatched them quickly and before long he burst through the mouth of the tent only to find it empty. Yuan Shang had fled.