Searching for Cao Cao

Two weeks passed and Yun dragged Li Dian and Li Zheng onto the training field every day without showing pity towards them since they are old enough to understand that training is a serious matter.

Tang Shi was out of Xuchang dealing with bandits on the path towards Puyang with Guo Jia assisting him, while the rest stayed in Xuchang training, waiting for orders when Li Qian arrives at the training field.

He was having a pale face making Yun who sees it feel excited since it meant that Lu Bu attacked Cao Cao's main camp.

"What is wrong, General Li?" asks Yun playing dumb about what was going on.

"A messenger arrived not too long ago telling me that our Lord, Cao Cao, was attacked by surprise by Lu Bu. He retreated West towards territory that we control," says Li Dian nervous about the well-being of Cao Cao.

"Are we ordered to move out and secure Cao Cao?" asks Yun seriously sounding like he really cared about Cao Cao's well-being.

"We are ordered to march to Qiao and secure the retreat of our Lord and the army that was left behind," says Li Qian informing Yun about their orders.

Yun pulled someone to his side and told him to get a horse and inform Tang Shi about their deployment to Qiao when Yun asks, "I will be going. You should stay behind and keep Xuchang safe."

"I will do so," says Li Qian agreeing with Yun.

They couldn't all leave Xuchang leaving it defenseless for anyone with enough men to take it. Li Qian has half of Yun's men under his command making it also reasonable to send Yun who has more men available for this task.

"I will leave the Lord in your hands," says Li Qian seriously as Yun whistles making everyone stop training.

"We are moving out in an hour! Take everything that is necessary and meet me at the East Gate! If someone arrived late he will be put before Military Law and be executed by my spear!" shouts Yun sounding serious to everyone.

They began to move to prepare while Yun turned to Li Qian and puts his hand on Li Qian's shoulder while saying, "Cao Cao will arrive at Xuchang safe and sound. Just make sure that no enemy finds out that we have lost in the east until Cao Cao and the others return."

Yun then looked at the horizon while looking serious when he says, "Yuan Shao could use this opportunity to attack us smelling our weakness."

"I will keep it in mind. If someone asks where you are going I will tell them that you are going to play out some practice battles near Qiao to not disturb us," says Li Qian thinking ahead of Yun who only smiles at him.

"Then let me prepare as well," says Yun as he puts the spear and shield back on the weapon rack before leaving the training field as well.

After an hour Yun and his men left through the East Gate of Xuchang to travel to Qiao which would take them at least three weeks if they march normally but since he had to keep appearances so he pushed his men to march faster making them arrive at Qiao in only two weeks.

They were standing before the West Gate of Qiao which is quite a big city compared to Puyang. Hua was leading the army while Yun was in the middle of the army beside Dian Wei and Pang Tong.

The gates opened seeing the banner and Hua slowly entered the city while having everything and everyone in sight not trusting anything since they could be walking into a trap.

He raises his right hand giving the signal for the army to advance into Qiao. Once at the city, Yun sent out small groups outside the city towards the east to look for Cao Cao and the others to bring them to Qiao.

"So we are here to be the rearguard and secure the safety of Cao Cao until the vanguard returns," says Pang Tong to Yun as they entered the city not pleased with Yun's decision of rushing to Qiao.

"We have to show Cao Cao that we are worth our money. He knows that we aren't loyal to him and if we take too much time he will show his hostility towards us and we both know that it won't help us gaining his hostility and suspicion for the next few years," says Yun calm as Dian Wei was looking out for potential danger.

"I really hate you sometimes," says Pang Tong as he looked at the front seeing an exhausted Sima Yi riding on a black horse.

"Sima Yi seems to be completely exhausted like all the new recruits," says Yun seeing the same thing as Pang Tong.

"But we have a reputation to keep and that is that we are the best in the Empire," says Yun as he was exhausted as well like every other soldier in his army, they just don't show it.

"The scouts will curse your name by the end of the week," says Pang Tong joking about it making Yun laugh.

"It is better for me if they curse my name from exhaustion than laying dead on the ground," says Yun stating that he wanted them rather exhausted and alive rather than dead.

"They should all rest until the scouts return. We will move again once they returned," says Yun seriously telling Pang Tong that the situation they are in is quite severe.

If they don't find Cao Cao soon they will be feeling Cao Cao's wrath sooner than expected and that would destroy the plan in Yun's mind since he will be restricted to not raise too much attention from Cao Cao's suspicion on himself.

They stayed for two days in Qiao when the scouts returned to the city when Yun, Pang Tong, and Sima Yi went through all the reports to sort out the information before getting to the conclusion that Cao Cao must be hiding near Qiao.

"He is either in the cave in the southeast waiting for the others to return or he is near the hill northeast of Qiao to have a spot to see everything," says Sima Yi as Yun looked at all the information on the table and map that they have written on.

"My head is telling me that he is in the cave but my gut is telling me that he is near the hill since he wants to return with the army making it look like he retreated because he wanted to and not because he was forced," says Pang Tong telling them what he was thinking since Cao Cao is an intelligent man.

"You are right, he won't let his people find out that he retreated because he was forced except it was a critical defeat. He must be near that hill waiting for the vanguard to catch up before entering the city of Qiao with them to make appearances," says Yun as nobody in Qiao knew why Yun and his army were there except for the army itself and Li Qian and his army in Xuchang.

"But if that is the case he won't be coming to Qiao with us even if we find him," says Sima Yi seriously thinking that Cao Cao is suicidal by staying outside the city because of his pride.

"He is quite intelligent if you ask me," says Pang Tong as the young Sima Yi looked at him confused.

"Pang Tong is right as are you, Yi. A normal person would do as you are thinking and enter the city but Cao Cao is not a normal person. He is suspicious of the people of Qiao since it was quite recent that he conquered it. What if someone betrays him and kills him pretending to be loyal to him. He can't take that risk without any guard by his side," says Yun to Sima Yi who is intelligent but doesn't have the experience of the Mastermind which he will gain after some years.

Suddenly the door opens and an exhausted Tang Shi enters with an unconscious Guo Jia being on his back when Tang Shi asks, "Did we make it in time?"

"You came just in time, but we will be moving out tomorrow in the morning," says Yun with a smile on his face.

He was happy that Tang Shi made it to Qiao before they left to get to Cao Cao's side and protect him until the others return.

In the meantime near the hill northeast of Qiao, Cao Cao and Xun Yu are sitting at a campfire eating some of their remaining rations when Xun Yu says, "A large force entered Qiao some days ago."

"Do you think that news of our defeat already spread and Yuan Shu sent an army to Qiao to cut our path back home?" asks Cao Cao suspicious of the movement.

"No, the news shouldn't have spread yet. But it seems the force deployed scouts to search the areas in the east going by the locals," says Xun Yu as he went to a small village to get some food and water for them.

"Yuan Shu's men won't scout around Qiao since they should know the area. It must be someone that doesn't know the area as well as we do," says Cao Cao now curious when only one man comes to his mind.

He grins first before saying, "Our reinforcements have arrived."

"Reinforcements?" says Xun Yu confused at first since all of their Generals know the area around Qiao before remembering that they have a new General in their ranks that isn't familiar with the area.

"General Zhao," says Xun Yu as Cao Cao nods.

"He would be the only one that would need to send out scouts to learn about the area. He should be here soon," says Cao Cao as he was looking at the dark sky seeing the stars.

"We are saved. We can finally enter Qiao without worries," says Xun Yu happy not knowing that they will be staying where they are until the others return from the frontline.