Return from War

Yun was standing inside Dongpingshu as he was watching his army celebrating their victory over the enemy. He was sighing while feeling disappointed with how this campaign was going.

"Is something wrong, my Lord?" asks Dian Wei worried about Yun as Yun only poured him a cup of wine before handing it over.

"I was awaiting some challenges in this campaign but it seems that I will have to wait for the next one," says Yun giving his disappointment some words as he drank from his cup.

"Isn't it good that we didn't face some hindrances in this campaign except for Yuan Tan who you cunningly removed with poison," says Pang Tong joining Yun and Dian Wei.

"How are Lu Bu and Wei Yan advancing?" asks Yun curious since they have their own objective to take before meeting Yun at Nanpi again.

Wei Yan had the objective to go after Xindu while Lu Bu would take Boling next before turning back and retreating to Pingyuan to meet with Yun there again.

"They should be done with it if the cities are as empty as Nanpi and Dongpingshu," says Pang Tong informing Yun about the situation the others are in.

Yun was still suspicious of their situation since Dongpingshu didn't have any soldiers protecting it making Yun believe that it was a trap or that the soldiers went to Ye to help against Cao Cao.

Yuan Shao's army wasn't what it used to be in the past after his defeat in Guandu. The army couldn't fight on all fronts as it was used to before.

This is why Cao Cao used an all-out attack strategy attacking the northern plain from multiple angles which made it collapse in the eastern front which was further away from Ye.

They stayed for three unadventurous days before marching back to Nanpi. Once there the messenger he sent to Cao Cao was awaiting them.

"My Lord, I bring some good news from Ye," says the messenger as he kneels on one knee before Yun.

"What did Cao Cao say?" asks Yun curious to find out what Cao Cao will offer him for sending him Yuan Tan's head.

"He told me that you have done well in taking the head of Yuan Tan. He also said that he would reward you handsomely for your effort in preventing a future war," says the messenger telling Yun everything he was told by Cao Cao.

"What do you think the reward will be, Pang Tong?" asks Yun wanting to know what Pang Tong has in mind.

"It might either be gold or a title such as Duke or Marquis which would make sense if he wanted to tie you down to him," says Pang Tong telling Yun what he believed the reward Yun would be receiving from Cao Cao.

"I hate it already," says Yun seriously as he had other plans in the future, and following Cao Cao wasn't one of them.

They rested in Nanpi for three days before continuing their march to Pingyuan. There they would wait for the other two armies before retreating back to Xiapi.

Yun was resting in his camp outside the city because it was easier for him to keep an eye on Thunder. They stayed for a week with Lu Bu's army arriving second and Wei Yan's army as third from there they moved south.

'It seems your sons are in a hurry,' says Ysmrgra to Yun seeing the anticipation in Fang's and Zheng's eyes as they marched back to Xiapi.

'It must be because he will be marrying soon with his sweetheart,' says Yun back to Ysmrgra as that was the reason for Fang to return home eagerly.

Zheng on the other hand has Sun Ren waiting for him at Xiapi since the Zhao and Sun Clan are feigning a prisoner exchange between Sun Ren and Mulan in everyone's eyes when in reality Mulan is married to Sun Quan, while Sun Ren will become a daughter-in-law of Yun.

The whole world still didn't know of the scheme happening in Yang except for an exclusive few who could hold this secret for themselves.

They arrived at Xiapi after roughly four months of war and slaughter. Yun was already calculating how many years he would have to wait for the next big war he would be participating in.

Yun let his men celebrate their safe return while he returned to his manor wanting to see his children and wife. Arriving at the gate he dismounted from Thunder when he saw Rin rushing towards him with her arms wide open making it look like she wanted to hug him.

In reality, she bypasses him and goes straight for Thunder and Yun hears, "I hope Father treated you well."

Thunder rubs his head against the girl making her relax while she only hears from behind her, "Yeah, I am also fine and alive, thank you for asking."

"Come on, Dad, we all know that you will most likely die out of old age and not because of a lucky strike of the enemy," says Rin back believing that her father was a superhuman that could survive anything.

"I really hope to rest in a bed when I meet my end but until then I will have to grab my weapon and fight until I can't hold it any longer," says Yun half serious as Rin turns around and hugs him tightly.

Yun passes his hand over her head before kissing her forehead and he hears, "I missed you a lot."

"I know," says Yun before Rin let go of him and turned to her older brothers.

The next one storming Yun was Yang who Yun lifted up easily before placing him on his shoulders when he saw Sun Ren and Huixiu run past him going for Zheng and Fang.

While Huixiu openly showed her affection by jumping into his arms directly, did Sun Ren almost the opposite scolding Zheng while showing her affection for him differently.

Yun ignored them while telling Rin to bring Thunder to the stable with the other horses when Yun saw Zhen Luo holding his youngest as she was trying to walk slowly with the help of her mother toward Yun.

Yun was watching Ai not trying to diminish her effort of trying to walk as she soon arrived before Yun who placed Yang down and picked Ai up holding her in his arms.

"Did you miss me? I missed you a lot," says Yun with warmth in his voice.

He lets Ai play with his free hand while Yun turns his attention to his wife and kisses her before saying, "Did something happen while I was away?"

"Not really except for Ai trying to spontaneously walk around the manor when nobody except for the tigers is looking," says Zhen Luo as she passes her hand over Yun's face.

"You need to shave your beard again. It is getting too long," says Zhen Luo seriously as Yun is confused when he gets his hand back from Ai and passes it through his long and fuzzy beard before realizing that indeed it grew longer over the campaign reminding him of an old wizard just that his beard was black.

"I will give it some form later," says Yun since he doesn't want to get rid of his whole beard but only trim it.

"I hope so," says Zhen Luo getting Ai from Yun's arms when Zhen Luo remembered something.

"Right, Mulan sent us a letter informing us that she might be pregnant since her bleeding didn't sit in. I wrote her back telling her that it could be normal and that it could just be late. I also told her to wait for another two months before announcing it," says Zhen Luo looking out for Mulan because she is wearing a big target on her back at the moment.

Yun nods while frowning a bit because it is good and bad news at the same time but with Mulan giving birth to Sun Quan's child it will spread rumors wide and Cao Cao will find out about it revealing this farce earlier than needed since Cao Cao would be having his guard up against him when his Campaign against the South begins.

"I need to send Mulan and Sun Quan a letter informing them to keep the secret of who the mother of the child is until the end of the Campaign between Cao Cao and the Southern Alliance," says Yun wanting Cao Cao in the dark as long as possible.

Yun walked straight toward his office when he caught a glimpse of his mother sitting in the main hall waiting for the family to return it seemed as wasn't the youngest any longer.

Yun forgot what he wanted to do and entered the main hall and joined his mother instead as he sat down beside her while saying, "I am back."

"I know, you always return without a scratch on your body, son. But how long will your body continue to move the way you want it to," says Madam Su worried about her son since Yun is her only child ambitious enough to bring an end to the Han Dynasty just to rise another Dynasty.

"It will hold on until my work is done, mother," says Yun as he feels his mother lean against him.

"You are much like your father, except your ambition. I pray that it doesn't shovel your own grave," says Madam Su feeling reassured now that she was feeling Yun's warmth.

"Never worry about me, mother. I can look after myself. You should worry about Fang and Zheng as I do. They brought glory to the family by helping take the city of Nanpi. You should have seen how Zheng opened the gate using his unique green fire and how Fang commanded his men in taking over a gate by himself," says Yun as he was retelling his mother the deeds her grandsons performed while everyone else was watching the moment between mother and son from outside the main hall not wanting to interrupt this moment between them as they could see a smile on Madam Su's face while listening to Yun's story.