160 The Assassination of Yuan Tan

Once at the gate of Nanpi, Yun could see his army creating order trying to let the people continue with their business as long as they followed the law of the empire.

The army also didn't ransack the city since they needed to continue to move North and carrying all the loot with them would only slow them down too much. Yun wanted to finish this campaign as fast as possible since he could always ask for a reward from Cao Cao which could be better than the loot they would gain from the cities they had taken.

They continued to ride into the city when some kids began to throw stones in the sizes of marbles against Yun. Yun ignored them since he could understand why they were doing it since it was his army that stormed this city most likely killing their parents if they were in the opposite army.

But the soldiers who saw what the kids did didn't stand by idle as they walked toward the kids. They wanted to punish them for even thinking of doing such a thing when Yun stopped them.

"They are only children. Leave them be and just take them home. Let their parents decide their punishment," says Yun seriously as he didn't want his soldiers to punish some children.

The soldiers nod and leave with the children to find their parents and deliver them to them. Yun continued until they reached an inn which was still standing with the innkeeper attending to soldiers who were celebrating their victory over the enemy.

Yun could see some familiar faces between them when he whispered, "We will let them enjoy their day today since it is Zheng's first campaign."

It was Fang and Zheng whom he saw drinking in a corner of the inn with Lu Xun and Sima Yi. Yun let it slide as he walked up some stairs followed by Dian Wei and Zhang He who were beside him while Yuan Tan was closely behind him with his small group.

"I can see that you aren't taking me to the manor of the Inspector of Nanpi," says Yuan Tan feeling a bit pissed thinking that Yun was trying to show that they aren't on the same level.

"I don't really know where said manor is and even if I did I wouldn't reside in it since I need to continue and move further north in the next few days. So this inn will do until I and my army move again," says Yun before sitting down at a table followed by Yuan Tan while Guo Tu glares at Zhang He who does the same.

'I can smell a story behind this conflict,' says Ysmrgra curiously to Yun who ordered some wine.

'It is no wonder since both stood once on the same side in the past,' says Yun back to Ysmrgra as he could see the hostility between Guo Tu and Zhang He.

The wine arrives and takes the wine and pours himself and Yuan Tan a cup of it before drinking it without hesitation. Yuan Tan does the same and Yun pours fills his cup again when Yuan Tan does the same.

"So what are we celebrating?" asks Yuan Tan curious since he heard that Yun would never drink while on a campaign making him think that something was going on at the moment.

"We are celebrating the end of the Yuan Clan," says Yun seriously with a grin on his face shifting the mood as Guan Tong went for his weapon only to find Dian Wei already placed his pike on his neck.

"Don't move if you want to keep your life," says Dian Wei in a threatening tone as Yun continues drinking the wine.

"What is going on?! I thought that Cao Cao were allies!" says Yuan Tan furious when he suddenly felt pain inside of his body and he spit blood out which fell to the ground.

"What have you done to me?" asks Yuan Tan surprised not believing what was going on when Yun took the wine and poured it onto the ground.

"You poisoned yourself by drinking the wine. I have a high poison resistance making it almost impossible for me to die from drinking poison," says Yun seriously as he was thankful to Asura who blessed him with this resistance.

Yuan Tan felt his energy leaving him when he tried to think when Yun could have poisoned the wine remembering that it was Yun that poured him the first cup.

"Qing will not fall easily as long as my army stands," says Yuan Tan in a threatening tone which made Yun only smile at him.

"Qing has already fallen by my calculations," says Yun seriously making the trio look at him in surprise as Yuan Tan became paler by the second.

"What do you mean by that?" asks Guo Tu confused as Yun stood up and walked toward Yuan Tan.

"Did you really think Cao Cao would ally himself with you just to help you unite the Yuan Clan under you and have a possible threat in the north? He must be already in Ye taking the city while we are talking here and with your army here Qing is defenseless to Zang Ba's army who was ordered to take the Province," says Yun explaining why he did what he did as he stood before Yuan Tan as he pulled out his sword.

"He would rather end everything and call the northern plain his," says Yun as he looks at Guo Tu and he stabs Guo Tu with his sword making him fall to his knees before separating the head from the body.

"And I have a personal grudge against you, Yuans. It was Yuan Shao's army and Guo Tu's strategy that killed my father," says Yun coldly as he looked at Yuan Tan.

Yuan Tan was feeling the last chills of his life before he saw his body fall to the ground and he only saw darkness slowly covering his sight. Yun looked at Yuan Tan's head which rolled on the ground joining Guo Tu's head.

"Now you have a decision to take Guan Tong. Are you going to join Yuan Tan or will you defect to my side and join my army," asks Yun looking at Guan Tong trying to assess if he is going to lie to him or tell the truth.

"Yuan Tan's army will never follow you," says Guan Tong seriously as Yun gets his answer.

Yun gave Dian Wei a signal and Dian Wei decapitated Guan Tong right there before Yun says, "Tell Tang Shi that we will raid Yuan Tan's army tonight."

Dian Wei nods and leaves, Zhang He wanted to follow him when Yun stops him and says, "No, you stay, Zhang He. I have a mission for you."

"Yes, my Lord, what should I do?" asks Zhang He curious since Yun seemed to have a special mission for him.

"You must know some of the men in Yuan Tan's army, am I right?" asks Yun as Zhang He nods and Yun continues, "Try to get them to our side before the night raid. And position them near the north gate those you could convince to join us."

"What about the ones that won't join us?" asks Zhang He as he could see on Yun's face that they won't face a good end tonight.

Zhang He left right away as Yun placed his sword back into its sheath while he thought, 'The end is slowly approaching.'

'Whose end?' asks Ysmrgra curiously as Yun looks at the bodies on the ground.

'Cao Cao's end is coming,' says Yun to Ysmrgra who begins to laugh out loud in Yun's head.

Yun then burns the three corpses before leaving some coins on the table and leaving the inn letting the soldiers celebrate a bit longer before the next battle begins.

He went to the east gate and looked down at Yuan Tan's army when he saw small groups slowly moving toward the north gate.

"So we are really going to kill all of them?" asks Pang Tong feeling pity for all the men and women in that army as Yun only nods coldly.

"Yes, the only ones that will survive today are only those that are camping at the north gate. I can't take any risks and have them fall into our backs later on," says Yun seriously as he turns around seeing Pang Tong with Taishi Ci and his army which was slowly manning the east wall to surprise the army with their attack.

"I see it the same way. I will make it fast and painless with my men," says Taishi Ci seriously as he knew that Yun was doing it for their safety.

They waited until midnight as more than a quarter of the army stationed itself near the north gate and Yun gave Taishi Ci the order to attack the resting enemy army.

Yuan Tan's army was caught by surprise as they didn't know what was going on until they realized that it was Yun's army attacking them from the wall making them run away from the wall in desperation as they moved wildly like a snake without its head.

This went on until the arrows stopped raining down making them believe that they were out of reach when they suddenly heard a powerful voice shouting, "Hua!"

They all looked confused when they realized that the gate stood open and a man on a horse shot out of it as if he was a hunting hound followed by a cavalry that went to finish the job that Taishi Ci started with his army.

This was a day Nanpi would never forget that easily as the next day the outskirts toward the east of Nanpi were filled with blood and gore making it look like Hell on Earth to everyone seeing the scenery.

The East Gate was also adorning two heads that belonged to Guo Tu and Guan Tong while Yun sent a messenger with Yuan Tan's head to Cao Cao knowing that he would be rewarded for taking care of this matter for him.

Yun left the men to rest for the next few days while taking Yuan Tan's supplies before moving to their next objective which was Dongpingshu.