Battle for the Xu Province part 1

Two weeks passed and Sun Quan left the same day Yun and his army left Puyang since it would give them a natural cover to hide by marching with Yun's army.

They separated when Yun thought that it would be too dangerous for Cheng Pu and Sun Quan to follow them since they were going into a war and Sun Quan only had Cheng Pu to defend him.

Once separated Yun began to march the army faster. It is the first campaign for his son and daughter and he wanted it to succeed as fast as possible.

He was marching openly with eighty thousand men following him at the moment while leaving ten thousand veterans behind with his father to defend Puyang since he was still the lord of the city.

Yun knew that Liu Bei had less than twenty thousand men and he had to split them in two since he and his brother had to defend a whole Province on their own making it quite easy for Yun and his army to retake the Xu Province and drive or kill Liu Bei off.

Mulan was riding her mother's horse, the Huntress, while Fang was riding on one of Thunder's offspring. They were beside Yun at the moment since he wanted them close by his side to protect them as his father did before for him.

They arrived near Xiaopei when they opened camp and Yun was in his tent surrounded by his Generals and strategists as well as his children since he wanted them to learn.

"We will be splitting our army here," says Zhuge Liang as he was chosen as the main strategist this time since he didn't join the last war.

"I would send Lu Bu and his troops to conquer Xiaopei while the rest continues riding towards Xiapi," says Zhuge Liang as he wanted to keep the enemy army separated from each other to facilitate a fast and easy victory.

"I would recommend sending out scouts to surround the city so no messenger could inform the troops in Xiapi about the incoming attack," says Guang Jia since it wouldn't help their cause if Xiaopei could inform Xiapi about what is going on.

"Pang Tong has already seen to that two weeks ago, but it is good that you brought it up after Zhuge Liang didn't mention it," says Yun praising Guang Jia since it was a massive flow if the enemy could get past them and inform Xiapi before they arrive.

"So I will get my revenge on Liu Bei," says Lu Bu with excitement in his voice as he was showing a smile that told them all that Lu Bu wanted to crush Liu Bei into the ground.

"Yes, but if he flees and leaves his wives behind don't do anything to them. They will be a bargaining chip far more valuable alive than dead," says Yun seriously as Lu Bu nods agreeing with Yun since he must have a purpose for them.

"I will also give you Xu Shu and Guang Jia to help Chen Gong since three plans are better than just one," says Yun with confidence that Lu Bu and his thirty thousand men will take Xiaopei easily with the help of the three strategists.

"Once Xiaopei has fallen I want you to join me in Xiapi. If Liu Bei and his brother flee don't chase after them. Our goal is to capture the Xu Province and not to kill Liu Bei," says Yun reminding Lu Bu of their goal.

"I will keep it in mind, while I ram my halberd into his chest," says Lu Bu happy enough to punish or kill Liu Bei for betraying him.

"The rest will be following our Lord and take Xiapi. Xiapi is weakened from all the battles that took place there. It will be easy for us to conquer it since they shouldn't be able to repair the gates in such a short time," says Zhuge Liang calculating everything, showing Yun that he took everything into consideration for the battle Yun would be fighting in Xiapi.

"Good, then this gathering is over," says Yun as he looked at his son and daughter while the people left the tent.

Yun looked at his son and says, "You will be following Lu Bu into battle while your sister will be accompanying me to Xiapi. I want you to listen to your uncle's commands and don't do anything reckless. You don't gain Glory on the battlefield."

Fang seemed to not understand his father since his uncles seemed to say the opposite most of the time except for Dian Wei who has the same opinion as his father.

"So I shouldn't stand out is what you are saying?" asks Fang confused when Yun shakes his head.

"Yes, Liu Bei and his youngest brother hate me to their core. If they find out that you are my son...," says Yun worried as he looked away for a moment thinking about the worst before looking at him again and saying, "They will try to kill you just to get to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but still, I will be in the first line," says Fang seriously as he was a shield-bearer.

Yun sighs knowing that as he says, "Just don't stand out that is all I ask of you."

Yun then places his hands on Fang's shoulders before saying, "There will be more wars in the future in which you can stand out as much as you want but for this war, I ask of you to not stand out. If you don't want to do it for me then do it for your dead mother."

That hit Fang deep seeing that Yun had to bring up his mother who disappeared a day after she gave birth to Yang.

"Fine," says Fang not wanting to discuss with his father any longer who smiled at him warmly.

"Good, you won't be fighting much after killing the first time anyway," says Yun remembering how he was vomiting his meal after killing his first man.

"What do you mean?" asks Fang confused when Yun only smiles at him.

"When I killed the first time I had my meal on my boots afterward. The feeling you get from it turns your stomach inside out after the adrenaline stops rushing through your veins," says Yun to Fang trying to prepare his son for what was going to happen to him soon.

"You threw up the first time," says Mulan feeling disgusted with what her father was talking about.

"I did, you can ask your grandfather. He must have seen some of it on my boots and near my mouth," says Yun trying to get them to understand that it wasn't something shameful if it happens for the first time since it is a common occurrence that your brain can't handle it once the deed is done.

"I remember it well. It was a spy that tried to kill me from behind after he laid dead on the ground I still had adrenaline running in my blood but once I calmed down I throw up my dinner. I know that you will feel a similar reaction once the battle is over. If it happens don't be ashamed of it and try to deal with your emotions by asking your uncle," says Yun to Fang since he wouldn't be there to help him in this matter.

Yun then pets his son's head while saying, "You will do great, I have a feeling for those things."

"I won't disappoint you," says Fang seriously as Yun stops and lets them leave the tent leaving him alone.

The twins left to get their dinner since this would be the first time they would be separated from each other since they were born. Yun was looking at the map and Pang Tong enters the tent holding two bowls with their dinner.

He places one of them on the table right beside Yun when he hears, "Tell me that I have made the right decision regarding Fang."

"You did," says Pang Tong after taking a moment to think about it making Yun sigh in relief.

"Lu Bu is a great instinctual general from which Fang can learn a lot. You on the other hand are the most reckless general I have ever encountered," says Pang Tong before shoving some of his food into his mouth which made Yun chuckle.

"I won't deny that," says Yun as he grabs the food and he moves his eyes from the map.

"He won't learn much from you since you are a general that plans everything to the last detail in your mind. You always have a counter hidden in your sleeves for your enemy. He won't be able to mimic your patterns until he gets older," says Pang Tong giving Yun an argument for why he chose right for Fang to follow Lu Bu at the moment.

"You are right," says Yun as he began to eat with Pang Tong.

"How about we eat outside with the others?" asks Pang Tong as he moved to the exit.

"I will be right behind you," says Yun as he finished planning everything already for their march towards Xiapi.

They move towards the campfire and sat down to eat with the others as they were telling stories to Fang and Mulan about funny things that happened during their campaigns with Yun making the twins laugh as well as the people around them.

Yun was enjoying the moment since the next day they would leave while the rest was going into battle. This went on for a while before they all retreated to their tents to sleep.

The next day Yun and fifty thousand men left for Xiapi leaving Lu Bu behind with thirty thousand men. Lu Bu gave ten thousand men to Zhang Liao and Gao Shun as well as Xu Shu and Guang Jia to take the city as fast as possible.

Xiaopei wasn't a fortress like Xiapi. It was a city with thin walls and gates made out of wood instead of iron. Liu Bei was only residing in Xiaopei because it wasn't devastated like Xiapi who was still recuperating from the war.

Lu Bu started his offense by attacking from three sides, the east, south, and west. Fang was stationed in the south as a member of the first wall holding a heavy iron shield in one arm and an iron spear in the other showing that he inherited his father's strength as he didn't feel any restrain from holding them.

Liu Bei was standing on the walls as he ordered the archers to shoot at the approaching army as he didn't have the men to defend Xiaopei nor did he have someone that could face Lu Bu in a duel since the younger brother that could fight Lu Bu is in Xiapi defending the city.

"Did he go crazy?" asks Lu Bu confused Chen Gong seeing Liu Bei ordering the Archers to attack them while they aren't in range.

"I heard from Pang Tong that Liu Bei falls easily into panic when his younger brother Guan Yu isn't around," says Chen Gong as Pang Tong informed him of Liu Bei's weaknesses so they can take advantage of them.

"And we really lost to him," says Lu Bu feeling ashamed that he lost to such a wrack of a person.

"It is because he trusts the people around himself that he is still alive while they take advantage of him," says Chen Gong as he sees someone pulling Liu Bei from the wall while taking command from him.

"That isn't Zhang Fei," says Lu Bu since Zhang Fei was taller than Liu Bei and the person in command was as tall as Liu Bei.

"I think that must be Mi Zhu," says Chen Gong a bit surprised that Mi Zhu dragged his Lord from the wall to take command himself.

"He must be planning something," says Lu Bu suspicious as the archers stopped shooting arrows at Mi Zhu's order.

"He seems to have a good head on his shoulders too bad that I will separate them from each other," says Lu Bu excited as a real opponent was now before him.

"We advance," says Lu Bu pointing with his halberd at the south gate making his army approach the gate slowly.