The Battle for Puyang part 3

Two days before Yun arrived on the battlefield, Yun was sitting with Pang Tong, Guo Jia, and Sima Yi around a fire.

"Now where do you think they will be taking the fight?" asks Yun from his strategists as he instructed Pang Tong to answer last since the other two were still green behind their ears.

"If you ask they must have moved outside of the city trying to protect the fields since they are the most important thing at the moment. If we don't protect our field we will be starving over the winter," says Sima Yi being rational about everything.

"I will agree with Sima Yi. If we lose our field we will starve over the winter and people might even resort to cannibalism to survive until we finally can harvest again," says Guo Jia agreeing with Sima Yi as they looked at a rough map of Puyang which wasn't as detailed as the map Xian and Huang Zhong had.

"I would place the defense around here. It will block the enemy from destroying our fields as they are blocking the path to the west and south gate leaving the north gate open which is just a barren land since the river could destroy the field," says Guo Jia guessing what the other would do.

"It is possible or they are thinking that Cao Cao will supply us with food and they will be holing themselves inside the city holding it with their numbers," says Sima Yi giving another point of view which was the complete opposite to what he said before.

"Both of you are right. They could be doing as you said but you are forgetting something. Two Veterans are defending the city," says Yun as he looks at Pang Tong.

"They are most likely be defending the fields and the city at the same time. They must have separated their force making the army outside bigger than the one defending the city," says Pang Tong giving his opinion on this matter.

"The city is not Zhending as mentioned before but if they managed to finish the trenches and the scout did their job in making the map, they should be able to defend the city. The only problem is Lu Bu," says Pang Tong as he looked seriously at Yun.

"Lu Bu isn't the problem, we have Huang Zhong to deal with him. The real problem is Gao Shun, he is known to be able to break through everything that stands in his way. If he finds a weakness in the line he will break through it and have one foot closer to the city," says Yun seriously as he threw wood into the fire to keep it alive.

"What do you have in mind?" asks Pang Tong knowing Yun better than the other two.

"We are almost there and it needs time to find out the real weakness of our formation," says Yun as he looked at the fire.

"There is a weakness in our formation?" asks Sima Yi and Guo Jia as they didn't believe that.

"There is, but the enemy won't find out except Huang Zhong or my father forget the weakness which is quite difficult since they are veterans," says Yun as he looked at the two before he sighs and looks at the sky.

"What is the weakness?" asks Sima Yi curious about it.

"You can find out just by looking at our infantry," says Yun as he points at two infantry soldiers while asking, "Do you notice the difference?"

Sima Yi and Guo Jia looked at the two soldiers and looked first at the armor which was the same before looking at their weapons seeing no difference between them as they are carrying one sword and a spear as everyone else.

"What is the most important weapon of our first line?" asks Pang Tong of the two strategists knowing the weakness of their formation.

Now the two realized that the shields both are carrying are made of different materials and Yun says, "Our Frontline is known for our Heavy and Long Shields that protects our body and that of our comrades. The problem is that manufacturing them costs a lot of money and not everyone can use them."

"So once the formation grows bigger the flaw becomes visible that some shields are only made out of wood," says Sima Yi finding out why blacksmiths in Zhending were after so much iron the last few years Yun lived there.

"That's right," says Yun as he took a stick of wood making a line that represents the first line on the ground before drawing more lines a bit further ahead while putting dots between the lines.

"Those are the weaknesses of our formation," says Yun pointing at the dots before saying, "That's why we have the second line carrying those shields as well. But the others only have wooden shields at the moment."

"And if the line grows bigger the more people need to join the first line so no space opens which the enemy can use to breach us. But once the line gets to stretch out that people of the third and beyond have to join the line gets weaker.

That's why we are the best in the defending territory and why we were left behind to defend Cao Cao's territories while he is fighting against Tao Qian," says Pang Tong as he knew that they have a more defensive than offensive nature.

"But this time this army will be the aggressor," says Yun as they could see Fire and Lightning in his eyes.

"The cavalry will be the vanguard followed by the infantry that will be coming from behind Lu Bu and his troops," says Yun as he began to draw the strategy on the dirt.

"The Archers will be sitting in the southwest ready to shoot at the enemy backline. If Lu Bu doesn't give up it will be a slaughter may he be my friend or not, I have to keep my word to Cao Cao and keep his land safe until his return," says Yun coldly since it would damage his reputation if he would just surrender Puyang to Lu Bu.

"What if Lu Bu surrenders?" asks Hua who overheard his older brother as the other Generals also join them.

"Then I will give him a little push towards the west. If he is intelligent enough he will know what I want to tell him with that," says Yun since he would keep Cao Cao's land safe that doesn't mean he will make sure that Cao Cao has a long life.

"I see," says Pang Tong as he knew Yun's real objective with all the time they talked in Zhending.

"Lu Bu is only a pawn in our grand scheme of what is to come. Cao Cao isn't the Lord I want to serve but only a mean for our purpose and to maintain our army as it grows bigger and stronger," says Yun clearly as he looks at everyone.

They all looked at Yun wanting to know who they will be serving if it wasn't Cao Cao when Yun smirks at them and he only says with determination behind it, "It will be my son-in-law which I will give my loyalty."

"So you have decided on supporting Sun Quan," says Hua as many looked surprised since they didn't know about Yun and Sun Jian making such arrangements.

"No, it could also be one of Cao Cao's sons that Mulan might marry since I will allow her to choose her husband. Once she has chosen there is no turning back for us," says Yun as he stood up and the fire only illuminated parts of his face but his blue eyes were shining in the darkness.

"I ask you, will you follow me even in death?" asks Yun with determination out of them as they kneeled down.

"We will follow you even in death!" shout the Generals while Hua only smirked at Yun knowing that he didn't need to kneel before him.

"It seems my niece is holding all of our future in her small palms," says Hua joking about it which released the seriousness in the air for everyone making Yun smile at him.

"Anyway, we should go to sleep, soon the enemy should know that we are almost there," says Yun as he sat back down beside the fire while Hua and the others joined him.

They marched for two more days as they tried to be as unnoticeable as possible for a big army but that is quite impossible since the earth trembles under their feet because of their marching.

Dust was picking up as they were approaching their destination and Pang Tong was sitting on a horse not happy about what he was going to do next because it was being in the Vanguard attacking the enemy.

"Do I really have to be in the Vanguard with you and the other?" asks Pang Tong rhetorically knowing that he didn't have a choice since Sima Yi was with Dian Wei and Huang Xu while Guo Jia was with Taishi Ci and Tang Shi.

They both can't fight as well as Pang Tong who has more experience on the battlefield. They were near to the battlefield as they can hear shouts and cries of people fighting against each other when Yun looks at his brother.

"Time to show them the Monster Brothers of Zhending," says Yun smirking at Hua who only puts his helmet on correctly.

"It has been long since I heard that nickname. It must be since we entered the military," says Hua as his eyes were full of determination.

"Are you going to lead the cavalry?" asks Hua as he wasn't sure what his brother was going to do.

"I will lead the first attack but once I and Lu Bu clash against each other you will be leading the cavalry," says Yun as he puts his helmet on before they find themselves near a small hill and they see a cavalry flanking another one.

"It seems they have begun before us," says Hua as he points the too of his spear to the enemy before them while shouting, "Spear Formation! Follow the Lord into Battle!"

Yun touches Thunder on the side of his neck before Shadow flies away from Thunder's head as Thunder was now ready to begin the charge. They begin to move and Shadow gave a cry from herself revealing that she returned to Puyang.

The people looked in the direction from where the cry came from as a cavalry of at least five hundred men coming their way with Thunder leading the charge as Yun was holding his spear pointing it at one person only and that is Lu Bu.