"Board the ships and sail on, I will not tolerate the audacity of Zhou Yu for killing my messenger."
"This is your opportunity to prove your loyalty to the Han Emperor's cause, General Cai Mao and General Zhang Yun."
The autumn winds howled against the sails. The sound of river waters splashing against the creaking wood chorused as the vanguard fleet sailed downstream. The vanguard flagship led by Cai Mao and Zhang Yun was front and center of their naval formation. Synchronous war drums guided the soldiers to row as one.
For the rest of the soldiers not assigned to rowing or focused-tasks, some found themselves against the rails, throwing up or feeling nauseous. The boats bobbed against the waves. Their heavy armor displacing their balance on the deck.
It was more like a floating sick bay than a warship.
Ai Xin and her unit were assigned to the boat headed by Yu Jin. Knowing the general's heavy-handed methods of discipline, her unit refrained from raising an objection or complaint of motion-sickness. The lady officer herself tried to keep face despite the nausea.
"I am pleased to see that the soldiers on my ship are not weak over water," Yu Jin said.
Ai Xin glanced up, reading for any signal that allowed her to speak. When Yu Jin cast a stern but questioning look, she squeaked out her observation.
"Our own soldiers are not as flexible as the Jing forces. It took a lot of mental toughness to brave the movement of the ship alone," she said.
Yu Jin agreed, "Yet, we can lead by example in the form of showing them the right posture while on board. Keep focus on the horizon."
The stalwart general spread his feet apart. His knees slightly bent with ease along with the bobbing of the boat. Ai Xin mimicked the stance and kept focus on the steady horizon. The nausea improved.
There were minor protests to the inclusion of her unit to the vanguard, especially to General Xiahou Dun. However, she insisted on still going to test her knowledge on naval tactics. And what better way to figure it out than with General Yu Jin?
"Have you ever tried fighting on water before, General?" she asked.
"Before I came to serve Lord Cao Cao, I did for quite a while. However, it has been a long time indeed," Yu Jin said.
Ai Xin's eyes widened with curiosity. She found it an internal achievement to be able to be in speaking terms with Yu Jin. Most of the time, she cowers or shies away just like the other soldiers.
"So… were you a river pirate too when you were younger?" she pressed her luck further. No turning back from trying to be friendly now.
Yu Jin raised an eyebrow. "Some of the generals have warned me well with your coy way of prying information, Lady Ai Xin. I know a little too well that you have been spending a lot of time with the likes of Master Jia Xu and Master Guo Jia. You may have charmed many men with that facade, but it will not budge me. Do you have any malicious intentions if I provide you an answer?"
"No, I wouldn't sir," Ai Xin answered truthfully, taken aback by the accusations. "Even if I do have a lot of information inside this head of mine, I wouldn't use it for such nefarious schemes that would undermine our lord's ambition."
General Yu Jin is truly one man no one should ever mess with, she thought.
"Make sure of it," Yu Jin said with a nod. "And the answer is no."
"No pirate stories then…" Ai Xin said. She immediately shuffled away to avoid Yu Jin's heavy glare.
On the other side of the river, a pirate turned war veteran led the vanguard. Gan Ning styled Xingba, of the Bells, stood on the edge of the stern. A mischievous glint etched on his face. He waved his arms up and down in tune with the beat of their own war drums, increasing the morale of the sailors under his wing.
"About time Commander Zhou Gongjin sizes up this northern army," he said. "We finally get to whip them down for throwing threats at us."
"Easy on the excitement there, Xingba. Our priority is to defend first," Lu Meng chided. "Although, it was unclear to me why Master Zhou Yu has been losing his cool lately. It is against warfare ethics to behead an opponent's messenger, especially when we have not listened to the message."
"It's that know-it-all Zhuge Liang," Ling Tong answered, entering the conversation. "He still managed to keep his lord, Liu Bei safe by having Guan Yu around during their visit to our base. Who wouldn't be pissed with having a good plan thwarted by your so-called ally?"
Gan Ning cocked his head and gave a look of annoyance for having been intruded on. "Aren't you supposed to be on the other ship, General Gongji?" he asked with disgust.
"Someone needed to make sure you don't fall off the river, you pirate," Ling Tong answered back. "You looked like a headless duck flapping his wings."
Not wanting to deal with unnecessary drama on the ship, Lu Meng smacked both men downwards with gloved hands. "Now is not the time to bicker like children," he reprimanded them. "Our enemy right now is Cao Cao."
Exchanging final glares at each other, Ling Tong left the group and leapt back to his own ship.
A soldier arrived and knelt in salute. "Report! The helmsmen have identified the enemy warships. They counted four tower ships - sailing in one row, six combat ships - three on each edge, and ten patrol boats - five in front and five at the back."
"Who's the identified commanders of their fleet?" Lu Meng asked.
The sailor replied, "Former Jing military men Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, General Lu."
Lu Meng nodded and dismissed the sailor. "So Cao Cao used the Jing navy as his forces, this must be relayed to Master Zhou Yu. Send a fast boat to him at once."
"Yes sir!"
Gan Ning placed a hand over his eyes and peered ahead. "They say Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were experienced navy veterans, eh? They don't seem like it."
He pointed out the formation and relayed it to Lu Meng.
"They made use of a walled city formation, however their boats are too close to each other. They did not give themselves enough room to maneuver the ships around. Heh heh heh," he observed. "Once we reach the curved edge of the next gorge, the downstream flow will slow down. That way, we can send a detachment of fast ships to shoot hooks and draw them into our line of fire. Our arsenal of explosives and arrows will sink the flimsy northerners into the water."
Lu Meng laughed and crossed his arms. It was advantageous to have a pirate become one of their officers. Despite his raucous ways, Gan Ning has proven himself to be a capable leader.
"Alright Xingba, I await your command," he said.
Gan Ning smirked. He smacked his bells to let their sound echo across the valley.
"Get your arrows ready, men! We are fishing some Han traitors."
A helmsman reported to Cai Mao. "General! We have reached a gorge. We have also sighted the enemy fleet flowing upstream. They have released a detachment of fast ships heading towards us."
Cai Mao nodded, "Send word to every tower ship and combat ships to line up the archers and ready the catapults. We will show these men the might of our new lord."
Moving up to another level of the ship, Ai Xin admired the beauty of nature. It was a wonderful sight and would have been a great place to explore if only the land is in peace. The sound of thundering footsteps against the floorboards caught her attention. Red flags were waving with signals from the other boats.
"Focus your attention back to the battle, Lady Ai Xin," Yu Jin's stern voice spoke from behind. "General Cai Mao relays his orders to prepare arrows to shoot the enemy down."
As the men scrambled to their positions to prepare their attack, Ai Xin drew her bow from its quiver. She took a good look at their current position and observed the direction of the wind and waters.
"We have slowed down," she uttered. That should give time for their men to readjust and get their bearings for the attack. However, something was gnawing at her gut. Something felt ominous.
"General Yu Jin, permission to raise an opinion," she said.
Yu Jin nodded, "Speak."
"We must engage defensively rather than offensively. Even though we have the upperhand in terms of numbers and men… We are up against more experienced water fighters," she said.
Yu Jin could only answer with a nod. The lady officer has a point, however his firm belief to follow the chain of command prevailed. He answered, "I appreciate your concern and made the same observation. However, we must not deviate from our naval commander's orders."
Ai Xin sighed inwardly. "I understand, General."
"I trust you should at least know how to swim, Lady Ai Xin," Yu Jin said. "If we reach that point, you must discard everything that would weigh you down in the water."
"Right…"
The Cao and Jing soldiers on all ships lined themselves and readied their bows. With Cai Mao at the helm, he waited for the first detachment of ships to reach their arrow range.
"FIRE!"
Even though the enemy ships were being rained with arrows, they continued to sail upstream. The Wu soldiers were shielded from the arrows by hay roofs and continued to row fast.
"Commander Cai Mao! We're wasting our arrows over nothing," Zhang Yun said. "Our arrows are useless against hay roofs."
A Cao soldier on the frontline boat asked aloud, "Are those jagged spikes on the front side of the ships?"
Cai Mao frowned, "This does not bode well. The spiked ships will destroy our first row and the tower ships will crash into them."
The enemy had outsmarted them into a false sense of security.
The sudden silence in the chain of command brought out the anxious morale among the soldiers. The enemy boats were drawing in faster. Should they fire arrows again or not?
There was not enough time to row their boats away.
"BRACE FOR IMPACT!"
The Wu ships collided with the first row of combat ships. The jagged metal spikes breaking through the wooden rail. The impact sending soldiers falling over into the water or losing their balance on deck. Riding on the momentum, the Wu soldiers appeared from under the hay roofs and boarded the Cao ships.
"Slay them! Slay the enemies!" Cai Mao hollered out his orders.
The order was immediately echoed to the other ships. The combined Cao and Jing troops began engaging the Wu soldiers that had boarded.
Ai Xin stayed on the deck level above, using her archery skills to cover the melee troops. The impact of the ships sent waves that rocked the boats behind. The motion triggered many of the infantry's nausea. She held onto the ledge and spat out to ease the gag reflex.
Just when things were about to stabilize, the foreboding beat of the war drums caught her attention. The rest of the enemy ships arrived and they brought more bad news.
On the other side of the battlefield, Gan Ning was enjoying the battle. Everything went according to his plan. Metal clashed against metal. The sounds of war echoed across the gorge.
"Alright, men! Let's show them how a real naval battle should be fought!" he cried aloud. He picked up the two drumsticks and began a slow beat on the war drum.
It was soon followed by the beats of the war drums from the neighboring ships. The synchronous beats were followed by a war chant to instill fear against their enemies. Wu soldiers beat their swords against their shields and cried out in unison,
"DEATH! DEATH! DEATH TO THE TRAITOR!"
That was the signal. From the Wu tower ships, the catapults released their stone burden and hurled towards the other side of the battlefield.
Aboard his own flagship leading the reinforcements, Cao Cao and his officers and advisers watched the battlefield unfold. Loss is imminent. Their men were not yet skillful enough to fight on water. He watched with interest as the boulders that landed into the water, making the water rise and bob the ships. The enemy war chant had reached them.
"DEATH! DEATH! DEATH TO THE TRAITOR!"
It took the veteran generals orders to ease the soldiers' morale.
"Darn it!" Xiahou Yuan cursed aloud. "We got some good men on the vanguard!"
Jia Xu stroked his beard, as if he had expected them to lose. He did his best to dissuade the warlord's anger of the beheading. Maybe, this loss would make Cao Cao rethink his next moves more carefully. He noted that the man had been reckless as of late.
The strategist quietly wished that they have Guo Jia's presence right now.
"Call for a retreat," Cao Cao ordered. It made everyone turn their attention to him. "We have learned enough for today."
Jia Xu frowned, "What about the rest of our men?"
"Send out the smaller ships and have them look for survivors," Cao Cao said. He turned around. He squeezed the bridge of his nose to ease the pressure of a headache.
Jia Xu glanced at the officers who were still in a daze. He snapped at them, "You heard our lord. Initiate the retreat!"
"At once!" They all marched off to carry out the order.
Xu Zhu noticed the changed mood of his master. "Is everything alright, my lord?" he asked.
The question was left unanswered as the warlord walked past Xu Zhu.
Cao Cao reached his shaded sanctuary and slumped on his cushioned seat. Anger gripped at him, but he felt challenged. How long has it been since someone had tickled the tactician in him? Facing Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao became minor experiences to the threat that Zhou Yu and Liu Bei posed.
"When we return to the main camp, I want Cai Mao and Zhang Yun on their knees and groveling towards my feet. They should beg for their lives."
Chaos erupted among their ranks as boulders landed in the water and broke through the wooden floors. The ships bobbed up and down with the waves, eventually crashing into each other. The Wu fleet was not yet finished with their onslaught. It began raining endless arrows on their ships.
"Lord Cao Cao thru Commander Cai Mao has ordered us to retreat! All forces retreat!" a helmsman announced.
Ai Xin looked and immediately rolled away as another boulder landed on the deck she was on. The boulder broke through the floors, creating a hole. Water gushed up, flooding the lower decks as the soldiers struggled to run up to the higher levels. Their tower ship was sinking.
Getting back on her feet, Ai Xin began sprinting towards the back part of the ship. The survival instinct kicked in. She glanced around and did not find any other soldiers still standing with her. Her hand rolled into a clench. She was unsure if all her soldiers were able to get to safety. She lifted a shield and began making her way to the back portion of the tower. She found the last patrol boat about to row away.
She called out and waved her hands.
"Hey! Hey! General Yu Jin!"
On that same patrol boat, Yu Jin looked up and saw that Ai Xin was left behind. His face was a mixture of relief and annoyance. Of all places that the lady found herself stuck in, it had to be at the highest floor of the tower ship. It was a high jump from the tower ship into the water, and the patrol boat was a good distance away from them as well. He wondered what Ai Xin would do?
"Find a way to get here, Lady Ai Xin!" Yu Jin yelled back. "We can't row back without risking the ship falling on us."
"Give me a second!" Ai Xin yelled and disappeared from view.
In the midst of the mess, Ai Xin found a long, coiled rope. A crazy idea popped inside her mind. Moving quickly, she tied it to the end of her arrow. She notched the arrow and aimed at the wooden stern of the boat. Upon release, the arrow whizzed and found its mark. The other end of the rope was tied to a sturdy beam.
"Okay… This is crazy, but I can do this!" She encouraged herself.
Ai Xin swallowed, gathering her courage. She picked up the handle of a broken spear and placed it over the rope. She gripped the handle tight, praying that the rope would be strong and taut enough to support her weight. When another boulder rocked the tower, Ai Xin made the jump and slid across towards the other ship.
"Heavens help this woman," Yu Jin uttered, watching the whole thing happen. "She's crazy."
Another boulder broked through the base planks, toppling the tower down to the water. The result led to the rope loosening up. Ai Xin felt the tension drop and braced for impact into the water.
"Aaaaaahhh!" she screamed.
SPLASH!
The soldiers on the patrol boat moved towards the rail. Worried chatters exploded among them. Is the lady safe?
Yu Jin thought it was a trick of the sunlight when he saw a blue ball of light shimmer underwater. From that same spot, a person emerged from the water - it was Ai Xin. She waved while holding a rope, signaling to pull her aboard.
The men on the ship cheered. Their lady officer survived!
Yu Jin walked towards the stern and pulled out the arrow with the rope tied on the end. He handed it to the soldiers. "Pull on the rope and get that officer out of the water now."
When Ai Xin was safely back on board, she immediately asked for a thick cloak. She wrapped it around her shoulders and sat on a box.
Yu Jin sighed, "I am relieved that you know how to swim at the very least."
"You were right earlier… with removing armor…makes swimming easier..." Ai Xin uttered through shivering teeth. She wrapped the heavy cloak tighter around her, trying to keep warm.
She now feared what would happen if they were this unprepared for the grand battle.
Yu Jin gave one good sweeping look over the chaos on the water for any more survivors. Determined that there were no more survivors left, he ordered the rested men to row back.
As the waters calmed down, the men on the Wu ships cheered with their first win against their enemy. Gan Ning kept watch for any more enemy movement that would still be a threat to them.
"Congratulations are in order, Xingba," Lu Meng said, patting the pirate's back. "However, Commander Zhou Yu ordered that we pull back now."
Gan Ning raised an eyebrow, "What? Why? We have the momentum. We can sink all of their tiny ships!"
"We can sink all their ships, but we are not numerous enough to deal with their soldiers if we reach their main camp," came Zhou Yu's voice.
The two generals immediately bowed in salute. "Commander Zhou!" they greeted in unison.
Zhou Yu nodded, "As you are. I am pleased with your victory, Xingba. You certainly made your reputation well-known today."
Gan Ning grinned, "Can I at least get permission from the commander to loot the sunken ships? We could use some good weapons and supplies if there's anything good there."
Zhou Yu nodded, "Permission granted. Gather the best that our men can use."
"YOU HEAR THAT LING TONG?!" Gan Ning yelled over to the other ship. "I GET TO LOOT WHILE YOU CAN'T!"
Lu Meng sighed when he heard Ling Tong yelling curses back.
Upon the defeated army's return to the base harbor, the camp was filled with tension. It was never a good sign in the fate of a campaign when they started out losing a skirmish. But the veterans who accompanied Cao Cao since the start, knew that the leader would be able to bounce back from this defeat.
At the war conference hall, Cao Cao spared no mercy in displaying his anger at the failure of the two naval commanders. A spear was thrown and it landed perfectly in between the two officers.
"You call yourself naval warfare veterans," Cao Cao growled. "Yet, all I see are two blundering shepherds leading cattle into the slaughterhouse!"
Zhang Yun kept his head bowed and answered, "Forgive us, Lord Cao Cao! The Jing navy has not seen battle in many years. The soldiers from the north are used to land battle. Fighting on water needs more time for practice."
"So what have you been doing for the past month?" Cao Cao roared back. "Dilly-dallying with wine and women? I gave you the command, I gave you power, and this is how you repay that grace?"
The two Jing commanders cowered further in fear.
"We admit our incompetence against Zhou Yu's brilliance, and the expertise of the veteran generals he has under his command," Cai Mao said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "In order to regain our honor under your eyes, Lord Cao Cao, we will make up by training the men in naval drills every day until they are fit by your standards."
Cao Cao picked up his own sword this time. "Swear your lives on it. I will not hesitate executing you for failure," he hissed.
Cai Mao and Zhang Yun kowtowed until their heads bruised on the floor. They replied together, "We swear on our lives that we will bring victory to you on this campaign!"
Content to have expressed his anger so clearly, Cao Cao's expression returned to his usual countenance.
"This council is over. Return to your posts," he ordered.
"Yes, Commander!" the council chorused. In organized lines, they departed from the hall.
Cao Cao let his shoulders relax with a sigh of relief. He walked back up to his seat and slumped on it, feeling the headache attack him again.
"Such idiocy," he uttered under his breath.
Jia Xu remained where he stood beside the warlord's seat. He placed a hand over his chest and bowed, "May I voice out some opinions, Lord Cao Cao?"
Cao Cao closed his eyes and placed a hand over them. "Speak freely, Jia Wenhe. I am listening."
"If I may suggest, my lord… to postpone the next battle until our men have sufficiently trained. I foresee it will take them until the start of spring," Jia Xu said. "We must first secure the fealty of the other governors and city administrators in the province so that they will not deprive our men of the needed supplies."
Cao Cao replied, "You know I will not listen to that advice, Wenhe. The momentum of ambition still rides with us. We will lose our opportunity to take over the southern lands if we stay in place. This Zhou Yu is merely a hindrance that needs to be overcome."
"In fact, I am more enamored with the idea of recruiting Zhou Yu's talent. It would prove to be useful to pit the man against Liu Bei," he said.
Jia Xu chuckled, "And sneak away his wife from under his nose?"
"The Qiao sisters are but flower buds to the majestic garden of my lost conquest," Cao Cao answered light-heartedly. "But alas, she sleeps forever."
While the living proof her love for another man walks in their midst.
Jia Xu kept his silence. How uncanny a woman's power has over man.
When the headache had ceased, Cao Cao removed his hand and opened his eyes. His attention focused on a man bowing in front of them.
"Jiang Gan, what brings you here?" Cao Cao asked.
Jiang Gan straightened up. "I couldn't help but overhear your desire to have Zhou Yu serve under your banner. I have known the man since my childhood and youthful days with him. Zhou Yu and I were classmates then. Let my talent for persuasion be put to good use, Lord Cao Cao."
"Oh? What are your odds of success?" Cao Cao inquired.
"Trust me, my lord," Jiang Gan said. "My wits are high enough to match Zhou Yu's. I will persuade him with the right words."
Cao Cao snorted, "Do you not think that Zhou Yu will think of you as my spy, Jiang Gan?"
"I will take heed of all precautions, my lord," Jiang Gan said. "In fact, I will merely request for a small boat, a soldier, and two servants to accompany me."
Cao Cao was silent for a short while. He looked over to Jia Xu who had a look of interest in his eyes.
"What do you think, Wenhe?" Cao Cao asked his adviser.
Jia Xu shrugged his shoulders, "An interesting strategy, my lord. I only have one request to add to Master Jiang Gan's request of the company."
At the harbor, the last surviving patrol boat made shore. The remaining soldiers descended from the boat, wrapped in whatever dry cloth they could find to keep themselves warm. Xiahou Dun keenly searched for a particular face.
If only he knew it would have been dangerous for her to be assigned to the vanguard, he would have protested her assignment. But she was confident in herself, so he believed her.
Oh, how wrong they both were. Their enemy was prepared indeed.
Cao Ren ordered his soldiers. "Escort the survivors to the camp farthest from the water's edge. Give them food and dry clothing. The last thing we would want is to have disease plaguing us."
"Is there anyone else left in that ship?" Xiahou Dun queried a survivor.
"General Yu Jin is still there, sir," the survivor answered before being escorted away.
Xiahou Dun boarded the ship. He found Yu Jin with his back turned, visibly busy with something.
"Wenze," Xiahou Dun called out, immediately walking over.
Yu Jin turned around. "I was wondering when you would show up, Yuanrang," he said.
The general stepped aside to reveal a bundled human. It only took a second for Xiahou Dun to register the person's face.
"Lady Ai Xin!"
The woman was asleep, curled into a ball to keep herself from shivering. Xiahou Dun knelt down and stroked her cheek with his hand. By instinct, Ai Xin opened her eyes and made contact with his.
"Lord Xiahou…" she murmured. She wanted to sit up but her arms felt so heavy.
"Lady Ai Xin," he called out to her. He felt relieved to see her safe.
Yu Jin remained stoic, unaffected by the touching reunion. "Consistently foolish as appraised by our colleagues, but a remarkable and resourceful warrior indeed," he commented. "I shall disembark from the ship. I suggest you bring her someplace to warm up. We lost a few men from the cold."
"Thank you, Wenze," Xiahou Dun said earnestly.
"You're welcome."
With that, the tall general left them alone.
Xiahou Dun helped Ai Xin upright, then proceeded to embrace her tightly. The worry from his heart at ease with the truth that his lover was thankfully alive.
"My men… I lost all of my men, my lord," Ai Xin uttered.
She wanted to cry for them, but she could only shiver from the cold. The cloak she wore had become chilly from absorbing the wet air. Xiahou Dun became more aware with the urgency of her situation.
"Will you let me carry you?" he asked softly.
Ai Xin nodded weakly. Xiahou Dun let her wrap an arm behind his neck. Her cold breath making a mist against his chestplate. He carried her up easily in his arms, noting the distinct lack of armor.
Before he could ask her where she had discarded her hard-earned armor, the woman had fallen asleep once more in his arms.
As the Grand Commander Zhou Yu returned to his own camp, he was greeted by victorious cheers from the army. As a display of modesty, he redirected the praise to Gan Ning who had successfully led the vanguard. All the more it improved the morale of their army.
"Take this opportunity to celebrate men! For we have won the first battle against Cao Cao! Raise your cups for Gan Ning and relish in the victory his leadership has brought to our army!" he announced jovially.
Leaving the men to celebrate, Zhou Yu returned to his quarters. There, he was greeted by Lu Su.
"Let me extend my congratulations to your successful victory, Master Zhou Yu," Lu Su said with a bow.
"Thank you for your kind words, Master Zijing," Zhou Yu answered.
Lu Su said, "Master Zhuge Liang told me to extend his congratulations to you should you come back successful."
Zhou Yu felt his eyelid twitch at the sound of that name. Had Zhuge Liang predicted this win as well? He still had not forgotten how the Sleeping Dragon managed to keep his lord safe by bringing in Guan Yu to play bodyguard.
He hated how he fell for such a cunning plan that it nearly cost them the entire campaign. Luckily, Gan Ning's experience in naval warfare managed to crack the impervious shell of Cao Cao's massive army.
Sun Quan's ambition has yet to be fulfilled now that they actually stand a chance against the traitor of the north.
"No doubt Cao Cao will resort to using underhanded tactics to sway the campaign to his favor," Zhou Yu said. "We just have to be five steps ahead."
Lu Su, ever so curious, asked, "What do you think will this great tactical mind throw at us next?"
Zhou Yu sat on the couch, running through his thoughts. "Cao Cao is known for recruiting men of talent," he said. "Now that he has seen how I have handled throwing an insult at him and eventually winning the battle… It will pique his interest."
"I see," Lu Su said, catching on to Zhou Yu's meaning. "So he will send a spy to try and persuade you."
Zhou Yu nodded, "It is only a matter of time when that will happen. Of course, I have just the right plan in mind when the opportunity comes."
Lu Su chuckled, "Quite crafty, Master Gongjin. Quite crafty indeed."
The room was brightly lit with a singular lantern. A man with a blue hooded cape sat across her. The sound of his golden chains clinked against each other as he leaned over. His voice was smooth, soft, and dark.
"You do sleep like a dead log when you've pushed yourself to exhaustion, but I guess that makes you susceptible as well."
She tilted her head to get a good look of her visitor's face.
"Master Guo Jia… when did you arrive?"
"I haven't. I will, at the right time."
She tried to sit up, but felt as if her limbs were chained down to the bed. He leaned closer. His breath was warm against her cold skin. His cool eyes staring deeply into hers. She could see a fiery passion for ambition burn through his gaze. The dangerous and ruthless persona finally revealed.
"The question now is, will you rise up to the challenge for what's to come?" he asked.
He whispered words to her ear. Her mind swirled as if in a trance. Her eyes slowly felt heavy.
Guo Jia had pulled away from her. Casting a mischievous wink, he turned around and left the room. Along with it, the light of the lantern.
In that darkness, the world around her disappeared and she could feel herself falling into an endless abyss. The sounds of dying men drowning out her screams.
"Wake up! Wake up!"
Two warm hands held on to her shoulders, shaking her. The familiar voice of Xiahou Dun breaking through her invisible terror.
Her gray eyes opened wide in fright. She blinked away the tears that had formed when she saw Xiahou Dun's worried face.
"Ai Xin, it's okay. You're safe," he said.
He pulled her up to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Ai Xin lifted her hands and touched his cheeks. Her cold palms felt warm against his skin. She could smell the scent of his favorite perfume. He was real.
"My lord," she sighed in relief.
"My love," he responded gently.
Xiahou Dun let himself be drawn to her lips to a warm and loving kiss. How he missed her touch, the sensation of her flesh against his own. How she tasted so sweet with his tongue.
They pulled away to catch their breaths. He placed a hand on her forehead to wipe away the sweat that had formed.
"It seems your fever has broken too," he said. "You tossed and turned so much in your sleep."
"The cold can make one really sick," she uttered. "But I feel better now. Your presence gives me strength."
Ai Xin released her hands from his face and ran them down to his chest before withdrawing them back to her lap. She took a moment to get a good look of their surroundings. It was the very same room in her dream. Was that conversation with Master Guo Jia real or a hallucination?
Shaking away the thought, she was just glad right now to be by her lover's side.
"Thank you for taking care of me, General," she said. She leaned against him, basking in his warmth.
"General Yu Jin was impressed by your skills," Xiahou Dun said. "Even I would find it hard to believe that you used a rope and stick to slide all the way from a high tower towards the boat. Miaocai would be proud of you if he heard of that."
Ai Xin blushed at his compliments.
"That makes me a conqueror of great heights," she replied with a giggle.
Their fingers subtly intertwining with each other. She scaled upwards and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. She could feel his free hand touch her neck, slowly pushing away her silk robe.
A cold draft and the sound of footsteps disrupted the momentum. Ai Xin immediately pulled her robe back to cover herself from the intrusion.
"Ahem…"
Xiahou Dun glared at the direction of the entrance. Clearly pissed at having their private moment ruined.
"What do you want -!" he snapped but he immediately regretted having to raise his voice.
Cao Cao stood at the entrance, his hands proudly crossed his chest. A smug look on the warlord's face, and he chuckled, "Have I arrived at the wrong time, Yuanrang? If it were me, I would have not stopped."
"Lord Cao Cao," Ai Xin greeted meekly. What an awkward situation.
Cao Cao simply nodded in acknowledgment.
Xiahou Dun frowned, "Yes, you have arrived at such a wrong time, Mengde. But we have no choice but to listen, because it seemed to be a very important matter to have you personally intrude us."
"Of course it is an important matter," Cao Cao said, clapping his hands together. "Our enemies may be celebrating their latest victory today. But, tomorrow is another day to execute a strategy that would lead to their downfall."
Ai Xin straightened her posture when the commander turned his attention at her.
"Lady Ai Xin, you are to accompany our eloquent Jiang Gan as a maidservant. He will be sailing downstream tomorrow afternoon to pay Zhou Yu a visit. Ensure that he succeeds in persuading the Wu strategist to come over and serve under my banner," Cao Cao ordered.
Ai Xin was about to say something when Xiahou Dun stood up to raise his protest.
"But she has not yet fully recovered from her ordeal, Mengde!"
Cao Cao answered coolly, "She is still a soldier, Yuanrang. She has sufficient time for rest."
Before either men would say another word, Ai Xin had gotten on her knee and saluted, "I accept the mission, Lord Cao Cao."
Cao Cao smirked with triumph. He knew very well that neither officer would refuse. He turned around and said, "Settle your affairs for now. It takes a day or two to sail downstream towards the enemy camp."
With that, the warlord left the tent.
Xiahou Dun clenched his fists. "Darn it!" he cursed. "Screw the military adviser who suggested your name!"
He sat back on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair.
Ai Xin pushed herself back up to her feet. She had an inkling as to who could have made such a suggestion. She couldn't help but admire Cao Cao's excellent use of his position to issue out the order. Xiahou Dun couldn't stand a chance because of his loyalty to his cousin. She turned her attention back to Xiahou Dun and decided to interrupt his grumblings by straddling his lap.
"Ai Xin!" he blurted out in surprise. His hands instinctively wrapping around her back and waist to keep her from falling off. His annoyance at his cousin diminished.
Ai Xin casually unclasped the clips and knots of his clothing. "I will keep safe, my lord. If Master Jiang Gan is confident in his prowess, Lord Cao Cao wouldn't need a safeguard," she said softly.
Xiahou Dun went along with her actions, stripping off his robe and tunic. He resisted a growl when her hand ran down his bare chest downwards to his groin. He leaned close and spoke to her ear, "I don't think I can trust you fully to keep yourself out of trouble, Ai Xin. Not when you can be this desirable to other men."
His lips pressed against her neck, sucking her skin, and leaving a mark.
She cocked her head and looked at him. She found it adorable the way Xiahou Dun expressed his jealousy-mixed concern. She kissed him deeply in a display of her love for the man. She teasingly nipped his lower lip as she pulled away. Two can play this game of physical dominance.
"It's annoying, isn't it? How Lord Mengde handles his talents. But, that is why those of talent who serve him shine and become well-renowned throughout the land," she panted in between breaths.
When they had stripped each other down to bare skin, they found themselves once more in a tangle of passion. In hindsight, Xiahou Dun got around to heeding Cao Cao's advice of settling their interrupted affair.
How irritating that the warlord had to even order that.
The following sunset, a lone soldier was sprinting up the steps towards the grand commander's tent.
"Grand Commander, I bear news!" the soldier said while kneeling in salute.
Zhou Yu set down a war report he was reading. He looked at the breathless soldier.
"Relay it now," he ordered.
The soldier clasped his hand over his fist and bowed his head. "A certain Master Jiang Gan has crossed the river to visit you."
"Tell him that I shall personally accompany him to my tent," Zhou Yu said to the soldier.
"At once, commander!" the soldier said. He stood up and ran out of the tent.
Lu Su glanced towards Zhou Yu and noticed the smug look on the commander's face. "Your prediction came true, Master Gongjin," he said.
"Cao Cao thinks he is a master of strategy," Zhou Yu said as he stood up. "Well, it is time we show him how tactical warfare is executed."