125 Zhen Luo

Yun was wearing black clothes similar to the ones he wore when he mourned for his wife. They were waiting for Hua to return while Yun was playing with Yang, his youngest son.

Yang was just like his older brother Zheng wanting to play with the tigers. Zheng always helped Zheng on the back of the tigers so he could ride on them.

Yun was watching his two youngest play together with their cousin Wei Kang not knowing that their grandfather have died. Playing with the three was Dian Man, he is the son of Dian Wei.

Yun often thought that Dian Wei's wife lucked out because Dian Man came after Dian Wei and not after her. He was happy that his children and the children of his Generals understood each other.

A maid entered the room finding Yun there when she says, "My Lord, your brother has returned with his troops."

"I will meet him right away. I want to find out how much he could get from the Yuan Clan," says Yun standing up, leaving the maid to look after the children.

Yun arrived at the entrance finding his brother there with a carriage pulled by four horses on which three chests were on.

"Is everything in them gold?" asks Yun wanting to make sure.

"Yes," says Hua nervously as he hadn't shown the last gift yet.

"What is wrong?" asks Yun suspiciously after hearing his brother's voice.

"Well, how do I put say mildly?" asks Hua himself out loud while scratching his head when his horse passed through the gate with the last gift on it.

Yun saw it and his face turned cold, Hua could feel the killing intent coming from his brother and he says nervously, "I have nothing to do with this. It was the Yuan Clan that send her as recompensation. They seem to not know what a person you are, brother."

"It seems I was far too generous to Yuan Shao. I should have cut his tongue off as well," says Yun trying to hide the fury in his tone before looking at the gift which is a teen maybe a year or two older than his twins.

"Is she part of the Yuan Clan?" asks Yun suspiciously of his brother.

"Well, she was there when Lu Bu and I negotiate with the Head of the House which was Lady Liu in the absence of her husband, Yuan Shao. She was right beside Lady Liu the whole time in the negotiation not saying anything," says Hua informing Yun of everything he knows about the teen.

Yun looked at the teen and asks, "Are you part of the Yuan Clan?"

"I was until some days ago. Now I am part of the Zhao Clan since they sold me off to you to become your wife," says the teen in a polite but cold way.

She was sold by her family to become the wife of someone who she hadn't met before. Yun looked at her still suspicious as he takes some steps toward Hua's horse which she was riding at the moment.

"It seems you were part of the Yuan Clan but not by blood, am I right in my assumption?" says Yun as he began to think who the teen could be.

'She could be a daughter of Yuan Shao birthed to him by a concubine or one of his daughters-in-law. Lady Liu is a cunning woman when we go after the records on her that I learned from,' thinks Yun while waiting for the teen's answer.

"I do not share the same blood as the Yuan Clan," says the teen making it easy for Yun to narrow it down a bit.

"Which family do you share blood then?" asks Yun to narrow it further down.

"I am the fifth daughter of the Zhen Clan of Wuji County in the Zhongshan Commandery," says the teen making Yun cover his face with his hands.

'It had to be her,' thinks Yun as he takes a deep breath before saying, "Then you must be Yuan Xi's wife, Zhen Luo."

'Also known as the wife of the first Emperor of the Wei Dynasty and future mother of the second Emperor of the Wei Dynasty. Why are the Gods toying with me?' thinks Yun while waiting for confirmation.

"It is right that I am Zhen Luo. But my marriage with Yuan Xi was dissolved before I was sent here. Lady Liu didn't want her adoptive son to start a war against you because of me so she dissolved it," says Zhen Luo informing Yun that she wasn't married any longer which made Yun sigh.

"Well, I can't d-," says Yun when he gets shoveled to the side by someone.

He turns to look who it was when he hears, "Maybe the Heavens have heard my pleas for a daughter-in-law."

It was Madam Su who was still standing above Yun in the family hierarchy. Her words are the law when it comes to family or intern matters while Yun's words are the law when it came to outside matters.

Yun looked at his made seriously hoping that she was joking about it when he hears, "It would help you since nobody will be sending us mail knowing full well that you only have one wife and never more. It will save us enough time which we can spend on other things."

Yun seemed to accept the idea seeing how his mother put it when his mother suddenly surprises him by saying, "And it wouldn't hurt to have some more grandchildren at least some cute girls since we are overpopulated by boys at the moment. Her family seems to be able to produce fine women since she is the fifth daughter."

"Mother!" shouts Yun at his mother making Zhen Luo giggle seeing that the Zhao Clan was different than the Yuan Clan.

"Can you read and write, girl?" asks Madam Su knowing that most women can't read Diao Chan wasn't an exception.

Madam Su had to teach Diao Chan in the past how to read and write beside Qian who was learning at that time and Zhen Luo says, "I can my mother wasn't that fond of it. But I learned it thanks to my older brothers teaching me."

"Good, you will become a stand-in wife for Yun. But first, take the veil off. We haven't seen your face yet," says Madam Su deciding everything.

Zhen Luo did as told and removed the veil showing her long raven hair and her dark brown eyes which almost looked black. She has a beauty mark under her right eye and another one under her lips on the left side under the corner.

Yun wasn't surprised by her beauty since she was recorded to be one of the most beautiful women in her era putting her on the same level as the Qiao Twins. But to Yun it didn't matter for him she only graced Diao Chan's beauty not coming near it while Madam Su was quite surprised by the beauty that was hidden behind the veil.

Hua wasn't surprised by her beauty since he had already seen her face before while inspecting her. Zhen Luo could see the indifferent face of Yun making it clear that he wasn't impressed with her look while Madam Su seemed surprised by it.

"I would have never believed that they would part with a beauty like you," says Madam Su in a surprised tone before looking at Yun seeing his indifferent face.

"I was sent because I am still pure and didn't do the deed with Yuan Xi. They also didn't want to send a normal-looking person thinking that General Zhao might take it as an insult," says Zhen Luo informing them why she was chosen above everyone else.

"I like her," says Madam Su being honest about Zhen Luo before looking at Yun and whispering, "She isn't your previous wife but you will need a determined woman beside you for when I am no longer around."

Yun wanted to say something when his mother interrupts him, "Your sister belongs to a different family and won't be of much help to you since she has to deal with her own family problem while the future wife of your brother will be occupied with her own division while taking care of their children. You will need a woman to look after the household while you aren't there."

"How can you trust her so easily?" asks Yun suspiciously when a bird suddenly overflew them.

It wasn't Shadow nor did Shadow attack it which made Yun's heart raise for a moment when a familiar cry entered his ears making him shout in excitement, "Fenghuang!"

He wanted to catch the flying Phoenix but was too late as it disappeared in a small rift made of Darkness. Yun could only see Fenghuang disappear in the rift with the only lead to his wife.

"She sent you a letter," says Yun suspiciously and Madam Su could only sigh before looking at Yun.

"She did with some gifts for Fang and Mulan for being successful in their first campaign. She also informed me about meeting your father," says Madam Su happy to know that Xian was beside their daughter-in-law.

But Yun was now only more suspicious about who Diao Chan is when Madam Su says, "She also said that the teen brought by Hua could bring you happiness if treated well or be our downfall if not."

Yun looked at Zhen Luo before looking at his mother and holding his hand out while asking, "I want to see it."

Yun wasn't believing the words of his mother that easily just because Fenghuang appeared before them. Madam Su knew that Yun wouldn't believe him in this if he hadn't read it himself so she put her hand into her sleeve and pulled the letter out handing it over to Yun.

Yun read it and it was really written in the letter that Yun should take Zhen Luo in as his wife. Yun was feeling betrayed by the beginning of the letter when he continues and read, 'You shouldn't waste your life just because I am not around any longer.'

Yun folded the letter and returned it to his mother with a heavy heart wanting to keep the letter for himself since it belonged to Diao Chan before.

He turns to Zhen Luo and says, "Don't expect anything of me while we are married since I am doing this to silence the noises of everyone trying to get in my good book."

"So I will be a stand-in as your mother suggested," says Zhen Luo trying to make sure she understood her current place.

"Yes, but how old are you?" asks Yun wanting to know her age.

"I am seventeen winters old," says Zhen Luo making Yun's face turn black for a moment.

"We will have to wait for another winter it seems," says Madam Su knowing her son too well.

"What do you mean?" asks Zhen Luo confused when Hua jumped into the conversation.

"My brother doesn't see you as an adult until you survived eighteen winters," says Hua informing Zhen Luo as Yun turns his back to them.

"Hua, take the gold to the treasury but don't unpack it. We will be leaving soon. Mother, show her the ropes around here before we leave for Xiapi," says Yun which surprised Zhen Luo who looked at them confused.

"Isn't General Zhao the Lord of Puyang?" asks Zhen Luo confused with Yun moving to Xiapi.

"He was before he was tasked to stop the rebellion in the Xu Province by Cao Cao. Now he is the Prefect of Xu which makes Xiapi his new residence. He was absent for too long and needs to return to strengthen the Xu Province again-" says Hua informing Zhen Luo when Yun turned around again and gave Hua a glare which made Hua stop talking.

"Tang Shi and Pang Tong already know the plan. I hope you will follow his lead until I return to Xiapi," says Yun confusing his brother.

"What are you going to do?" asks Hua concerned about his brother.

"I will be taking father to Zhending to bury him beside our Ancestor as he wished it," says Yun which made Hua look at him as if Yun was a madman.

"Are you crazy!?" asks Hua in a raised tone.

"No, it will be less suspicious if a lone man travels to Zhending than using the army since we are talking about enemy territory. Just me would be enough," says Yun when Zhen Luo seemed interested in what Yun said.

"Could I go with you? It would be only a day's travel from Zhending to Lunu. I would love to see my family again before going to Xiapi since the distance between my family and me will only grow bigger than before," says Zhen Luo with a pleading sound.

She hadn't seen her family for a long time which made her quite sad. This was a chance for her to meet them again.

"He can at least do that since it would be less suspicious for a couple to travel together," says Madam Su trying to get Yun to take Zhen Luo with him like he usually did with Diao Chan.

"No, it is already dangerous enough if I go alone. If I take her with me she could die," says Yun seriously not wanting the blood of an innocent woman on his hands.

"You managed it with Diao Chan. You should be able to do the same with her as well," says Madam Su retorting back at Yun.

"Fine, but if something happens it will be on our conscious," says Yun not wanting to discuss it with his mother any further.

He rushed off immediately since he didn't want to get dragged even further into the mess that was slowly being concocted by his mother as he leaves he sees his twins who didn't seem pleased with the new arrangement that their grandmother and mother made for Yun.