Preparing for New Year

Yun was preparing the fireworks for the new year as they are almost reaching the end of winter and they will all be one year older.

Yun was trying the prototype rocket he designed over the last two months as he wanted to make it visible from the naval base northeast of Puyang.

Yun was also looking into the east to see how the situation was unfolding since Yuan Shu had named himself Emperor because of the Imperial Seal the last year.

Cao Cao sent Liu Bei a letter to fight against Yuan Shu under the orders of the Emperor to punish Yuan Shu but in secret, he wants to see how they kill each other making it easier for him to defeat the weakened party.

What Cao Cao didn't see coming was that Lu Bu was displeased with how Liu Bei was running the Xu Province making him rise up while Liu Bei and Guan Yu were away to fight Yuan Shu.

It took Lu Bu only one night to take the Xu Province because Zhang Fei killed a man in cold blood who served the Xu Province for a long time. Zhang Fei managed to escape Xiapi but his guards were killed because of his imprudence.

Guan Yu was about to kill Zhang Fei because of it but Liu Bei got between both of them since he had an image to keep. If he were to let Guan Yu execute their sworn brother the people might look at him differently and leave him.

Guan Yu only sighs before warning Zhang Fei that there won't be a next time. They retreated and returned back only to find Lu Bu already in control of everything.

They couldn't do anything against Lu Bu since he now had more men than Liu Bei who was weakened from fighting Yuan Shu.

They saw the gates of Xiapi opening and Lu Bu riding out with his men making Liu Bei believe that his end came only to find out that Lu Bu gave him the title of Inspector of Yu before sending him to Xiaopei to serve from there.

Small skirmishes were happening between them all until sides were taken. Liu Bei allied with Cao Cao while Lu Bu allied with Yuan Shu since they couldn't let Cao Cao win.

Yun was firing one of the rockets to see if it works as it should while saying to himself, "The decisive fight between Cao Cao and Lu Bu is taking place later than it should. I should be standing in Xiapi right now if I didn't tamper with history."

"What are talking about?" asks Diao Chan who was holding her belly as she was pregnant with their fourth child making many nervous since she was in her thirties.

"I was talking to myself," says Yun as the rocket explodes in the sky illuminating it red for a moment.

"It seems like it is working," says Diao Chan happy that it finally worked.

"It did," says Yun before kissing his wife before saying, "Now I need to make some more of them with the others."

"Are you going to use the soldiers to mass-produce them?" asks Diao Chan confused with Yun's decision.

"No," says Yun smiling while shaking his head.

"I will be using just the Generals. We should let the simple people rest so the surprise won't be ruined on New Year," says Yun as he touches Diao Chan's belly caressing it.

"I am worried about you and the child. Last time you lost a lot of blood," says Yun worried to lose his wife to childbirth.

"Don't worry nothing will happen to me or the child," says Diao Chan as she caresses Yun's face with her hand.

Shadow then lands on Yun's right shoulder before another bird lands on his left shoulder. It has beautiful black feathers and a golden peck.

"Shadow, Fenghuang," says Yun to the birds which spread their wings as if trying to hug the couple when Diao Chan begins to pet the both while Yun stayed still.

This went on for a moment until Zheng arrived riding Snowflake while being followed by his older siblings which were curious about what their new sibling would be. Yun petted their head before he left to get the other so he could work on the rockets before the new year which was in two weeks.

They worked really hard to make this new year special as Huang Zhong was piecing the last rocket together when he says, "I really hope that all this work is worth it in the end."

"You will see it and it will give the men a morale boost for the upcoming war for the Xu Province," says Yun as they made a hundred functional rockets.

"We could use those as weapons instead of using them for the satisfaction of the people," says Pang Tong exhausted while Taishi Ci agrees with Pang Tong.

"We could still make more which are colorless to surprise our enemy since they have never seen such a thing before," says Guo Jia liking the idea of Pang Tong.

"The disarray it will provoke will be hilarious," says Sima Yi already thinking about strategies in which they could be used.

"How about we just enjoy them," says Hua thinking that it was fun to make them.

The next day the streets were clothed in red as children were playing around throwing small firecrackers which Yun sponsored by dissembling the failures that they created to not waste the black powder.

The city was lively as they all prayed together with a priest guiding the ceremony for the new year. The ceremony ended after two long hours and everyone returned to their houses to eat and drink to celebrate the new year until it was dark.

Once dark Yun and Hua ignited the rockets illuminating the night tinting it in red surprising everyone at first since they heard an explosion until they took to the street to see the spectacle.

The Generals and Strategists saw the faces of the people around them in excitement and knew that it was worth it to spend so much time creating those rockets in secret.

A man with red hair was spectating said festival as well with his wife when he asks, "How about we make it greater since it is their first time?"

"You know that we can't intervene in the mortal world," says the woman with long black hair as the man smiles at her.

"My father won't even notice it," says the man as he stretches his hand towards the red light.

He slowly formed it and turned it into a Dragon which flew towards the northeast helping Yun fulfill his promise before entering a cloud and exploding again brightening the dark sky for the soldiers stationed at the Naval Base. Yun, as well as everyone else, was surprised by what they saw just a moment ago.

"I am quite sure that we didn't trap a Dragon into those rockets," says Hua surprised looking at the last rocket in his hand before looking at Yun and he asks, "Should I light the last one?"

"Yes," says Yun with a smirk before looking at the sky and saying to himself, "It seems that Shura wanted to give me a new year's gift with this firework."

"Did you say something?" asks Hua looking at Yun who was the only one who could have heard him since the family was sitting at a safe distance away from them.

"Nothing just talking to myself," says Yun to his brother before placing his hand on Hua's shoulder while they see the last rocket illuminated the night.

They returned to the group as they sat in the pavilion eating and drinking until it was time for the children to go to sleep when the conversation became serious.

"The army will be moving soon," says Yun as he already received his orders to gather in Qiao to attack the Xu Province.

"You won't be here to see your fourth child be born then," says Madam Su worried since Yun was the only person that could help in an emergency with his Light Qi.

"If I don't go Cao Cao will be on the edge against us after the assassination attempt last year. He lost his oldest son Cao Ang in that assassination attempt and almost his life," says Yun talking about Zhang Xiu's assassination attempt on Cao Cao because Cao Cao couldn't keep his dick in his pants.

"How long will the war go on?" asks Diao Chan worried about Yun.

"It could go from half a year to two years depending on how much Lu Bu and Yuan Shu want to resist. Lu Bu will be the main problem while Yuan Shu is already weakened from all the skirmishes and the people that turned their back on him after he declared himself Emperor," says Yun explaining why the war wouldn't take so long in his eyes.

"What do you think will happen to Lu Bu and his family if he loses the war?" asks Diao Chan worried about Wei Mei and Huixiu and their future.

"I will try to get him spared from an execution," says Yun as Qing begins to yawn making Yun looks at his sister who was almost sleeping while leaning against Wei Yan.

"But maybe we should all go to bed. Tomorrow will be a new day," says Yun as he helps Diao Chan stand up before carrying her to their bedroom.

Xian wasn't as hopeful as Yun in the matter of Lu Bu not getting executed in the end since Lu Bu had betrayed too many people in the end. He could see Yun taking Wei Mei and Huixiu in but Lu Bu would be difficult in his eyes.

Hua was confident that his brother had a plan in motion to save one of the greatest warriors of their history.

Yun, on the other hand, wasn't even thinking about Lu Bu at the moment. He was thinking about his wife as he places her gently on the bed before saying, "It has been a long time since we were separated this long."

"You will leave some men behind?" asks Diao Chan looking at Yun who lies down beside her.

"Yes, two thousand men should be enough for my father to be able to defend Puyang and its surroundings until we return," says Yun knowing that he needs to leave in a week for Qiao to be there before Cao Cao.

"I love you," says Diao Chan as she feels Yun's lips on hers.

"I love you too," says Yun after the kiss before going to sleep.

The next day everyone was preparing for the upcoming war as they only had six more days before the march began with Yun spending some time with his three children since he won't be seeing them for a long time.