Writing a Letter

Yun and his men marched continuously in their actual rhythm over the next three weeks without incident when they finally reached the border of the Xiapi Commandery and they could see the city just in front of them in the distance.

"It might take us five more days to get there," says Yun as he grabs the binoculars out of the bag hanging on Thunder's saddle.

He looks through it and sees a standing army outside of the city before he throws the binoculars at Pang Tong who catches it.

Pang Tong looks through it as well before passing it back while saying, "They seem to be prepared to defend Xiapi and hold us far from the walls so we can't siege them."

"That will make it even more interesting," says Yun as he catches the binoculars and put them back into the bag.

"I would suggest taking Mount Tai first and making Zang Ba surrender to us. The fewer allies Lu Bu has the easier it will be to defeat him," says Xu Shu who was beside Dian Wei and Gan Ning.

"No, we marched for too much and Zang Ba is not Lu Bu. He wouldn't let us rest and attack us immediately," says Yun since he couldn't split his army at the moment since he has lesser men than Lu Bu going by the sight of men he saw a moment ago.

"Then what do we do?" asks Dian Wei curiously since Yun was a magnificent strategist as well.

Suddenly a scout came towards them holding a message for Yun when he says, "I have news from the main army."

Yun received the letter and opened it before clicking his tongue and saying, "Pengcheng has fallen into Cao Cao's hands and Guangling has surrendered to Cao Cao. It seems that Lu Bu is losing on all fronts at the moment."

"Isn't it great that they already have conquered Pengcheng thanks to us fighting the enemy back three weeks before," says Xu Shu not understanding why Yun clicked his tongue after reading the good news.

"It is but the men need to recover which means that Cao Cao will let us fight Lu Bu alone with Liu Bei who I can't trust," says Yun seriously as the main army will be resting at Pengcheng while Guangling will be sending their men towards Pengcheng instead of Xiapi to help them besieged the city.

"How about we ask Tang Shi to block Zang Ba from sending help," says Pang Tong suggesting that Tang Shi wouldn't need the whole army to block the two rivers so they can flood Xiapi once the winter comes.

"No, I have a better idea," says Yun as he takes his bag and rumbles through it searching for something when he takes out his brush, as well as an inkstone and paper, out of the bag.

He jumps off Thunder's back and begins to write a letter for Cao Cao in which he recommends that one army blocks off Zang Ba and his men from aiding Lu Bu.

He blows on the letter while using a bit of Fire Qi so the ink dries up so it wouldn't mess up the message making the letter unreadable before handing it over to the scout.

"Take it to Cao Cao and pray that he follows what I asked from him or this war won't end as fast as he might want it," says Yun seriously to the scout who leaves right away.

Yun then looked at Gan Ning with a smile on his face making Gan Ning look at him confused before he heard Yun say, "I have a special job for you."

"No," says Gan Ning without even hearing Yun out knowing that it would be reckless since Yun was smiling at him.

"Come on, you just need to bring Lu Bu a letter. I would have sent Shadow but she is indisposed at the moment taking another letter back home," says Yun as he began to write a message for Lu Bu.

"What do you have in mind?" asks Pang Tong curiously as Yun looked at Xiapi.

"I know that Lu Bu won't surrender but we can disorient him and Chen Gong by sending him a letter telling him that I and my men will besiege his city. If he believes that I come with my full force-," says Yun as Pang Tong interrupts him.

"He will believe that all the soldiers you are leading are our elite instead of normal soldiers from a different general. He will be more careful where he is going to step and sooner or later make a mistake," says Pang Tong with an evil smile on his face as he looked at Gan Ning as well.

"But why sent General Gan Ning?" asks Xu Shu confused as Dian Wei suddenly remembers something that happened at Yun's wedding.

"It is because Lu Bu will definitely remember Gan Ning," says Dian Wei as he began to smile at him as well.

"Why would he remember the General?" asks Xu Shu confused when Yun finished writing the message before drying it up.

"Because at my wedding, Gan Ning drank too much and got into a wrestling match with Lu Bu who manhandled him easily," says Yun explaining to Xu Shu why he was sending Gan Ning instead of a regular messenger.

"It was a friendly competition between me and him. Also, I didn't lose I just let him win," says Gan Ning trying to clarify it to Xu Shu who wasn't there when it happened.

"Right, that's why you were sent flying by him and I needed to catch you to prevent the worst," says Dian Wei as Gan Ning looked at him angrily.

"Now now," says Yun as he hands the folded message to Gan Ning and continues, "You know that he won't hurt you since you are my messenger. Don't answer any question with your sarcasm and you will be fine."

"Alright alright," says Gan Ning a bit annoyed that he was being used as a messenger because of his dark past with liquor.

He rides off immediately knowing that he would need a day to reach Xiapi and would at least stay a day in Xiapi for Lu Bu's response before returning to his Lord's side.

Yun sees Gan Ning leave before he turns around and says, "We will rest here for the next few days. We can't put Gan Ning in danger by advancing further toward our destination. Also, try to space them out and create more campfires than needed. The enemy will think that we have a bigger army and will make what I have written more believable."

"I will inform the men," says Dian Wei while Yun stored his equipment back in the bag before hanging it on the saddle again.

"In three days you two will have to come up with a strategy to make the enemy retreat into the city if my letter doesn't get them inside," says Yun to Xu Shu and Pang Tong as he mounts Thunder again.

Gan Ning arrived at Xiapi while carrying a black banner with Zhao written on it telling everyone who he was serving when he shouts, "I am General Gan Ning and serve under Lord Zhao Yun! I have come to deliver a message to your Master, Lu Bu!"

Lu Bu was standing on the wall with Chen Gong, Gao Shun, and Zhang Liao. They were looking down as they see the banner when Lu Bu begins to move.

"My Lord, are you going to receive the message?" asks Chen Gong confused with Lu Bu moving towards the stairs.

"He is, General Zhao would never send an assassin since they both are tied together because of their children," says Zhang Liao hinting at Huixiu and Fang being betrothed since young.

"A betrothal is easily broken off if the opposite side doesn't see the benefit in it," says Chen Gong warning them but Lu Bu didn't listen to him.

Chen Gong was happy that Lu Bu already listened to him and Gao Shun and agreed to place men outside the walls to prevent a siege.

"Yun is different than us who do everything to survive," says Lu Bu as he was smiling while his blood was burning because his rival was almost at his doorstep once again.

"He never used an underhanded strategy which involves assassination since he was promoted to Commander," says Lu Bu not able to hide his excitement.

Gao Shun didn't move from the wall as he shouts down at the soldiers blocking Gan Ning's path, "Make way! The Lord wants to meet him!"

The soldiers made way for Gan Ning but didn't drop their weapons just in case something would happen. The gates opened and Gan Ning could see Lu Bu on his horse coming toward him.

"He sends the kitten instead of his brother," says Lu Bu curious about why Yun sent Gan Ning instead of Hua.

"I don't know, I don't care, I am just here to give you a message and return with your answer," says Gan Ning as he reaches for his inner pocket and pulls out the letter.

"So are you inviting me in?" asks Gan Ning sassy as Lu Bu rides toward the gate again confusing Gan Ning.

"Are you coming or do you want to sleep in the dust?" asks Lu Bu sassy back at Gan Ning before Gan Ning followed him inside.

They entered Xiapi and Gan Ning could see that Xiapi was far better-kept than what he heard about Xiaopei from Yun and Dian Wei.

"Do you have some liquor?" asks Gan Ning since he wanted to get a drink.

"I prohibit liquor until the war is over," says Lu Bu sounding serious when Gan Ning looked at him seriously.

"You can pull that with your own men but not with me," says Gan Ning when Lu Bu stopped and turned to Gan Ning.

"You will follow the rules or I will send you out right now," says Lu Bu seriously making Gan Ning spit on the ground.

"Fine, but I hope that you have some good tea then," says Gan Ning as Lu Bu nods.

"We have I will ask the servant to prepare you some tea while you stay here," says Lu Bu as they reached the stables.

They jump off their horses and hand them over before walking the rest of the way to Lu Bu's manor. They enter it and Gan Ning sees two familiar faces staring at him.

"Lady Wei, young princess, I can see that you are quite well," says Gan Ning to Wei Mei and Huixiu as Huixiu seemed to hold back the urge to run over and hug Gan Ning.

Gan Ning was like a funny uncle to her and the other children as he always had a joke for every situation the children got into in the past.

"It is nice to see you again, Naval General Gan Ning," says Wei Mei remembering that when they last parted Gan Ning left Puyang to build a naval fort for Yun.

"Gan Ning came with a message from Yun. He will stay until I have written my answer to Yun's message," says Lu Bu to before leaving since he needed to see Chen Gong and the others to talk about it with them.

"It seems the mean tiger left. Where is the little kitten which you received before?" asks Gan Ning to Huixiu since Lu Bu left taking the tension out of the room.

"She is doing fine living in the same room as me," says Huixiu more relaxed since her father wasn't around.

"Well, I was promised some tea," says Gan Ning jokingly as he scratches his cheek making both women laugh at him.

"I will call a maid to prepare it. How about we join you until my husband can show you some hospitality," says Wei Mei as she guides Gan Ning to the courtyard while ordering a maid to prepare some tea for them.