Lu Bu's Strategy Council

Lu Bu was reading the message Gan Ning brought to him before he placed it on the table so Chen Gong and the others could see the message Yun wrote to Lu Bu.

Chen Gong picked it up and says, "Why would he inform us of Chen Ding's betrayal? It would only benefit him not to inform us of it."

"He is trying to make us surrender to Cao Cao so he won't waste the lives of his soldiers. Yun always thinks of his soldiers first," says Gao Shun seriously as he looked at his Lord.

"Are we going to surrender?" asks Zhang Liao curious about what his Lord was thinking about.

"We are not surrendering even if Cao Cao has his whole army placed outside of Xiapi as Yun told us," says Lu Bu seriously cementing that they wouldn't surrender to Cao Cao without a fight.

"We should continue with our current strategy and keep most of our men outside the walls to protect ourselves from a siege," says Chen Gong suggesting to Lu Bu who agreed with him.

Zhang Liao was a bit worried about this strategy but couldn't say anything about it since he couldn't reveal that he went against Lu Bu's orders and ambushed the exhausted enemy.

"I am for attacking the enemy right now that they are still exhausted. It will be an easy battle," says Gao Shun seriously when both Lu Bu and Zhang Liao shook their head.

"We can't do that or we will run into a massacre," says Zhang Liao seriously rebuking Gao Shun.

"He is right, I would have allowed it if it was another enemy but we are talking about Yun and his Deathseekers. They wouldn't be exhausted after such a long march even more Yun must have adjusted the marching speed so his men would still be fresh to fight if we thought about a bushing them," says Lu Bu explaining to Gao Shun why it was a bad idea to engage Yun directly without a good strategy.

"So we are sitting ducks?" asks Gao Shun confused when Lu Bu shakes his head.

"Yun might be able to predict certain scenarios but what if he gets attacked from his blindside by our allies," says Lu Bu as Gao Shun and Zhang Liao looked at him confused.

"And who would attack him from behind?" asks Zhang Liao curious as Chen Gong points to the west.

"Yuan Shu," says Chen Gong with confidence not letting both Generals notice his insecurity since Yuan Shu hasn't replied to their call for help.

"We sent Wang Kai and Xu Si to Yuan Shu to request reinforcements and supplies since Cao Cao would place his eyes to the south once he has dealt with us since he wouldn't let Yuan Shu fall into his back before engaging Yuan Shao," says Lu Bu informing the two Generals.

"Still who is going to stop General Zhao from going rampage on the battlefield?" asks Zhang Liao a bit worried since it took three Generals just to hold him down.

"I will," says Lu Bu with confidence as he had a grin that goes from ear to ear.

'I hope he is right,' think Zhang Liao hoping that his Lord knows what he is doing.

"Then we will reinforce our defense against Cao Cao's army. Do you think they will engage us soon?" asks Gao Shun curious about what the others were thinking.

"We should, Cao Cao outnumbers us two-to-one. If we can pull off a successful defense against Cao Cao we could turn the ties in our favor," says Chen Gong guessing the numbers of Cao Cao's army.

"I wouldn't be that sure that they will let us just reinforce Xiapi short before the decisive battle," says Zhang Liao warning them.

"We don't have to do it in plain sight. The enemy didn't use the roads to hide their movement we can do the same by reinforcing the inside side of the wall instead of the outside one.

The civilians and the soldiers that are inside the city would help us with it while the soldiers positioned outside will be doing what they do every day since we don't want to attract the enemy's attention to what we are doing," says Chen Gong suggesting something interesting to the group.

"They wouldn't notice it. You are really cunning sometimes," says Gao Shun complimenting Chen Gong even if it didn't sound like it.

"What will you reply to General Zhao?" asks Zhang Liao curiously as Lu Bu only smirked at the group.

"Something that will make him laugh quite hard when he reads it," says Lu Bu as the group looked at him confused before he says, "Anyway, we should keep an eye on the hill and make sure that Yun doesn't attack us by surprise."

"So he might be attacking soon," says Zhang Liao as Lu Bu nods.

"He sent Gan Ning because he knew that I wouldn't hold him hostage because my daughter sees him as a funny uncle. If I were to do something to him underhandedly she would hold it against me for the rest of my life," says Lu Bu a bit grim since Gan Ning is a capable General and has become far stronger since they faced each other the last time.

He knew that it would lead to trouble to let Gan Ning leave Xiapi again but Yun let them go as well without being punished the last time. He needed to return the favor even if he didn't want to do it.

Lu Bu leaves them to write his response when he sees Gan Ning wrestling with Huixiu's tiger while Huixiu and Wei Mei were laughing before he leaves for his office.

Wei Mei was walking her left hand over her abdomen once in a while before Gan Ning stopped playing with the tiger and returned to drinking tea when he asks, "Does your husband know?"

"What?" asks Wei Mei back in a confused tone trying to play Gan Ning.

"That you are expecting. I have seen many women that were expecting or are but they all have the same habit of touching and petting their abdomen unconsciously," says Gan Ning since he saw it many times.

"He doesn't know yet and with the war before our door... *sigh* let us just say that I hadn't had the time to tell him yet," says Wei Mei sadly as Huixiu looked at her mother in excitement since she wanted a sibling badly all this time.

She was always jealous of Mulan who had her older and younger brother while she was an only child but it seemed that fate had another plan for her.

"What do you want a little brother or a little sister?" asks Gan Ning to Huixiu who had her excitement written all over her face.

"A little brother," says Huixiu excited about it as she touches her mother's abdomen to feel the baby like she did before with Diao Chan which made Gan Ning laugh.

"Princess, the baby is still too small to feel it. You need to at least wait for a month or two before your Mother shows signs of it," says Gan Ning to Huixiu who stared at him angrily.

"I hate you, uncle Ning," says Huixiu before storming off with her tiger leaving the grown-ups alone.

"Who will win this war?" asks Wei Mei scared that something could happen to her and her daughter.

"Your husband thinks that he can win but the war is already over because of Guo Jia. The little bastard already constructed a master plan that will defeat anyone that is occupying Xiapi," says Gan Ning seriously as he looked at Wei Mei with pity in his eyes.

"Yun already said that he would make sure that nothing happens to you and Huixiu but he can't promise that Lu Bu will survive. It will be Lu Bu's decision in the end," says Gan Ning explaining to Wei Mei the situation they were in at the moment.

"So we have already lost the war," says Wei Mei a bit disappointed that it didn't even matter if they fight since they all were only dancing on Yun's palm.

"So it seems, Yun will talk to Lu Bu the next time they meet to decide if Lu Bu is willing to follow him or if Cao Cao executes him," says Gan Ning making Wei Mei turn pale from hearing about her husband's death.

"Lu Bu is useful, why would Cao Cao kill him?" asks Wei Mei worried as Gan Ning looked at her seriously before he sighs.

"Your husband's reputation is at fault. He killed both his adopted fathers and betrayed Liu Bei while Liu Bei was fighting against Yuan Shu. The only way for him to live past this war is to win it or serve under Yun for the rest of his life," says Gan Ning since Yun had the only key at the moment to save Lu Bu.

"And Yun would safe him?" asks Wei Mei worried as Gan Ning nods.

"Of course, but it will be Lu Bu's decision in the end that will show us if he chose to live or die," says Gan Ning when he finishes the tea before him.

"I should get some sleep since tomorrow I will be returning to Yun's side. Do you want me to tell him something?" asks Gan Ning as he stands up.

"He should help my stubborn husband from dying, for my sake and my daughter's," says Wei Mei as Gan Ning nods before he leaves when a maid that was waiting for him brought him to his room.

Lu Bu finished writing his response as he was letting it dry on his desk before he left his office to look for his wife finding her alone drinking tea while enjoying the night.

"Did the kitten leave for his room already?" asks Lu Bu while Wei Mei only nods before giving a long sigh from herself.

"What is wrong?" asks Lu Bu curious about what she and Gan Ning were talking about when he only sees sadness in her eyes.

"Did he do something?" asks Lu Bu angry that Gan Ning said something to Wei Mei.

"He only told me that it is only your decision if you live or die. Nobody else can make this decision except for you," says Wei Mei before leaning against her husband.

"Please take the right decision. For me, our daughter, and our unborn child. I don't want him or her to hear stories about who you were but have you in their life," says Wei Mei as Lu Bu was surprised by Wei Mei's revelation that she was with child.

He wanted to throw her into the air to show his happiness but it was a bad idea so he looked at the sky while hugging his wife before they enjoyed the tea together.