Cao Cao's Arrival

Two weeks passed since Guan Yu was demoted to soldier when a giant army appeared from the east. Yun was quite nervous since could be Yuan Shu who came to support Lu Bu.

Yun couldn't fight against Lu Bu and Yuan Shu at the same time. It would lead to his defeat since he would lose all of his men.

The nervous feeling disappeared when he saw through his binoculars that blue banners were being carried by the army having Cao written on them.

"It seems, Cao Cao has finally arrived," says Yun relieved because it was Cao Cao who was approaching them and not Yuan Shu.

"Finally," says Pang Tong as he was looking at the city with the others seeing a group of people standing on the wall.

"The enemy knows of Cao Cao's arrival as well," says Gan Ning happy that they won't be the only ones at the front.

"It will bring out the traitors as well," says Xu Shu calculative as he was holding his chin.

"Let's hope so," says Yun hopeful since he wanted to return home to see his wife and children as soon as possible.

At the same time on Lu Bu's side, Lu Bu was seeing a giant army approaching but couldn't determine if it was Yuan Shu's or Cao Cao's army.

"Who do you think is approaching?" asks Lu Bu his trusted men while looking at Yun's army finding out the answer real fast by doing so.

"Let's hope that it is Yuan Shu so we can break this siege," says Chen Gong in a hopeful tone while Zhang Liao did the same as Lu Bu and looked at Yun's army which wasn't getting ready to fight.

He saw that they continued to eat normally, making him question if Hou Cheng really managed to capture the supplies from Yun's army.

"I think that Cao Cao is approaching. General Zhao would have moved some moments ago to prepare for the incoming army," says Zhang Liao throwing his observation into the circle.

"So you saw it as well," says Lu Bu before he sees Yun's Black Eagle fly towards the north.

"It seems that Yun is scheming something now that Cao Cao has arrived with his army," says Lu Bu sounding ominous while having a bad feeling about what will happen next.

"Nothing will happen, we will fight until we win," says Gao Shun with confidence in his voice.

Lu Bu nods hoping that Gao Shun was right since he couldn't show that they most likely have lost this war by now except Yuan Shu would appear and help them.

Back on Yun's side, he sent Shadow to Tang Shi with orders which implied the release of the Yi and Si rivers to flood Xiapi and to change position towards the North of Xiapi.

"Now that it is cold enough and Cao Cao is near we should use Guo Jia's strategy against Lu Bu," says Yun to his inner circle before he stands up to get his food.

The very next day everyone could feel the ground shaking wildly. It wasn't like before when the storm approached them but it was still wild.

Yun took preparations beforehand as he ordered his troops yesterday to get to a higher position when they all saw why Yun gave those orders.

The rivers that seemed to have dried up over the last few weeks suddenly became fierce and flooded the terrain. Xiapi and its people were flooded and with the winter approaching it would kill a lot of people.

Lu Bu ordered to take the civilians to a higher position to dry themselves and live there until they find a way to get the water out of the city and its surroundings while Yun was watching everything from a nearby hill seeing that his former position was flooded with water as well.

"We are lucky that we moved yesterday or we would have been knee-deep in water," says Dian Wei relieved that they aren't covered in water because of the coldness this fall has brought them.

"What now? We can't attack Lu Bu under those conditions," says Gan Ning confused about what they are going to do now.

"We wait," says Pang Tong seriously as Xu Shu agrees with him.

"Cao Cao will be here in two days and the rats will slowly come out of the city trying to find shelter under him," says Yun looking at the city with anger in his tone.

The others notice the anger and say nothing knowing the reason why Yun was angry. He looked at the city gates that were closed when he turns around after clicking his tongue.

"We could make small boats to get to the city," says Gan Ning when Pang Tong and Xu Shu shake their heads hearing his idea.

"We would only paddle to our death. They still have archers stationed on the walls," says Xu Shu opening Gan Ning's eyes while Dian Wei only rolled his eyes at the younger General.

Two more days passed and Cao Cao arrived with his army when they see the city and its surroundings being flooded. The army couldn't advance further without getting their feet wet when an envoy reached them.

The envoy told the army of the position of Yun's camp. Cao Cao followed the envoy's words and they soon arrived at Yun's camp finding him looking at the city.

"General Zhao," says Cao Cao trying to get Yun's attention.

"Lord Cao, you took your time to get here," says Yun as he turned to Cao Cao who walked closer up to Yun.

"We found some rebels on our way here. They took some of our time," says Cao Cao looking at the city.

"Rebels?" asks Yun confused as Cao Cao nods.

"Yes, we didn't march on the direct path as you did, General Zhao. We used the south path encountering a small army which we had to fight," says Cao Cao going with his hand over his beard.

"You met Yuan Shu's army," says Yun puzzling it together as Cao Cao nods again.

"That's right," says Cao Cao as he turned to Yun again before saying, "They attacked us by surprise falling into our flanks. We were lucky that they mistimed their attack giving us the chance to fight back. In the end, it took us three weeks to defeat them before we could continue to march again."

"That means that Yuan Shu won't be joining us really soon," says Yun happy with what he just heard.

"I should send an envoy to inform the city about it," says Yun confusing Cao Cao.

"You want to inform the enemy?" asks Cao Cao confused as Yun only smiles at them.

"If we want to win this war we need to make the rats to leave the sinking ship or in this case the sinking city," says Yun making Cao Cao smile as well.

"I see now," says Cao Cao as Yun whistles and Thunder ran to his side.

"I will be right back," says Yun as he thought that the fight would be over soon then he expected thanks to Cao Cao defeating Yuan Shu's army on their way to Xiapi.

Yun rode Thunder into the cold water but the horse didn't care at all since it was accustomed to colder temperatures than it was feeling at the moment.

Yun was holding a white flag in his hand displaying that he was not there to fight but to talk making the troops on the walls relax again.

"I am here to talk to your Lord, Lu Bu!" shouts Yun with authority in his voice.

"What do you want, General Zhao," says Lu Bu to Yun since they aren't in private at the moment.

"Yuan Shu's army was defeated by Cao Cao some weeks ago. No reinforcements are coming to help you out," shouts Yun so everyone in the city could hear him.

"I can only recommend you to surrender to me," says Yun using Qi so only Lu Bu could hear it.

"You know my answer," says Lu Bu seriously trying to maintain his facade as the fearless leader so his soldiers wouldn't lose more morale than they already have from hearing that Yuan Shu's army was defeated.

"And I have told you what I came to say," says Yun before turning Thunder around.

Yun returned to the camp and Cao Cao's army had finished opening their camps, Yun was guided to Cao Cao's tent where he was questioned about the previous battles against Lu Bu since Yun had been laying siege on Xiapi for a long time.

Yun recounted everything that happened the last few months even that he let go of Lu Bu when he had him in his grasp. Cao Cao was furious about it since the war would have been over a long time ago.

Yun then left the tent to join his troops again. He finds his inner circle which surrounds him to find out how Cao Cao reacted to Yun letting Lu Bu go.

"It would be underestimated with saying that he was a little angry with me letting Lu Bu go," says Yun to them.

"I told you that it was a dumb idea of telling him the truth about you letting Lu Bu go," says Pang Tong laughing out loud.

"I am an honest man. But I think he would have found it out sooner or later. So better out of my mouth than of the mouth of another person," says Yun thinking that Cao Cao would have been even more furious if he hadn't told him the truth himself.

"So what comes next now that Cao Cao and his army are here?" asks Gan Ning wanting to finally fight again.

"Soon the battle will begin and I might clash one last time against my old friend," says Yun seriously thinking about Lu Bu feeling sadness because such a great warrior would soon die if he doesn't steer back.

"I feel exhausted, we will see each other tomorrow," says Yun leaving the group to get some sleep since the war was slowly coming to its conclusion.