The First Favor

Cao Cao entered the city as he opened camp at the west gate since he didn't want to stay longer than needed in Xiapi since he wanted to return to Xuchang.

Yun regrouped with Pang Tong and the others that have captured Gao Shun before his real army showed up which came in through the North Gate. They came with the company of Chen Gong who was tied up by them.

Lu Bu saw that Gao Shun and Chen Gong were still alive as they all walked toward the mansion. Once there Yun ordered Dian Wei to put chains around Zhang Liao since they had to make appearances while telling Tang Shi to guard Wei Mei and Huixiu.

"Why sent them out of the mansion?" asks Lu Bu as they are walking toward the West Gate.

"They are safer surrounded by my army than in the mansion," says Yun because Dian Wei was still protecting them.

They soon reached the West Gate where Cao Cao saw Hou Cheng's corpse laying in the dirt when Yun arrived. He presented Lu Bu before Cao Cao who was sitting on a chair as well as Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and Chen Gong.

"The enemy has surrendered," says Yun seriously as he looked at Cao Cao who could see that Yun brought not only Lu Bu but also his Generals before him.

"Well at least you captured three of the four prisoners before me," says Cao Cao seriously taking into account that Yun did something when he entered the city.

"Now what should I do with you, Lu Bu? I could use a General like you," says Cao Cao trying to persuade Lu Bu to join him.

Lu Bu wanted to answer Cao Cao when Liu Bei interrupts him by saying, "You can't trust this, Beast."

Lu Bu looked furiously at Liu Bei but Yun smacked his head making him calm down again while Liu Bei says, "He killed both his foster fathers and usurped me killing almost my youngest brother while I was away fighting Yuan Shu."

"Your youngest brother is a drunk that doesn't know how to govern your territory that's why I took it from him. I let him escape because I didn't want to taint my blade with the blood of someone this unworthy," says Lu Bu taunting Liu Bei and Zhang Fei as Guan Yu stands up wanting to decapitate Lu Bu for what he said just for Yun to smack Lu Bu's back of the head again.

"See can you trust a person like that to watch over your territory while you are away fighting an enemy? He will just do the same to you that he did to me," says Liu Bei with poisoning words making Cao Cao look at Lu Bu now differently.

He wanted to recruit Lu Bu since he would be useful un his future campaign against Yuan Shao. He would have two of the strongest warriors of his time serving under him making the battle against Yuan Shao easier.

But now after hearing Liu Bei's words he looked at Lu Bu differently. Yun could see a bit of fear in Cao Cao's eyes while calculating what to do with Lu Bu and his Generals.

Cao Cao thought for a moment and Yun could see in Cao Cao's eyes blood which means that he was about to order Lu Bu's execution when Yun steps forward and says, "Lord Cao."

This took Cao Cao's attention as well as everyone else's. Yun walked towards Cao Cao placing himself between Lu Bu and Cao Cao looking like a shield that was protecting Cao Cao as well as Lu Bu.

"If I remember correctly I still have three favors that I can claim if I am right?" asks Yun as he looked at Cao Cao seriously.

"That is right when you granted me your allegiance I told you that I would grant you three favors," says Cao Cao surprising the other Generals since they didn't get such privileged treatment from Cao Cao.

"Do you want to use one of those favors?" asks Cao Cao in a serious tone while being curious about what Yun was thinking of at the moment.

"It would be a favor that would benefit you greatly, Lord Cao," says Yun seriously while having a smile on his face.

"And the favor would be?" asks Cao Cao now sounding curious since curiosity got the best out of him and he wasn't the only one.

"The favor I am asking out of you is to spare Lu Bu and his three Generals and put them under me," says Yun causing an uproar when Liu Bei suddenly stood up and pointed at him furiously.

"You ba-" says Liu Bei furiously before Yun looked at him releasing some of his Qi to intimidate the former governor of Xu.

"You should hold your words, Liu Bei. I am talking with Lord Cao and not you," says Yun coldly making Liu Bei stumble back into his seat while Cao Cao was thinking again.

"We need a General like Lu Bu for the upcoming war against Yuan Shao and you know that Lord Cao since with Lu Bu that war will be smoother compared to having only me," says Yun seriously seeing that Cao Cao's eyes changed no longer showing his desire for blood.

"The only person that can control someone like Lu Bu is someone that he respects and is stronger than him. I am the perfect candidate to do so or don't you think so," says Yun seriously as Cao Cao was thinking about what to do.

"I will grant you this favor but it has a price," says Cao Cao seriously surprising Liu Bei who couldn't believe that Cao Cao pardoned Lu Bu.

"Cao Cao, you can't be seriously thinking of par-" says Liu Bei angry when Cao Cao looks at him coldly.

"I am not you, Liu Bei. Just because he betrayed you doesn't mean he will betray me," says Cao Cao coldly warning Liu Bei not to butt in this conversation since this didn't involve him.

"As I said before, I will grant it. But the price will be that you won't get Xiapi since it would be too much of a risk at the moment," says Cao Cao seriously denying Yun Xiapi as they previously negotiated back in Zhending.

Yun only smiled at Cao Cao knowing full well that Cao Cao will lose Xiapi and the Xu Province to Liu Bei sooner or later because he wasn't in Xiapi to hold him back.

"I understand, but let me give you a warning," says Yun accepting what Cao Cao said to him before saying, "Xu will fall again because I won't be here to defend it."

"I will keep that in mind," says Cao Cao as Yun grabs Lu Bu by his shoulder and drags him away as if he was a child with him while the others grab Chen Gong, Zhang Liao, and Chen Gong.

"But I still have a question for you, General Zhao," says Cao Cao stopping Yun in his track.

Yun let go of Lu Bu and turn around again towards Cao Cao when Cao Cao asks, "Do you know what happened to Hou Cheng?"

"I killed him myself. It seems he didn't know who he was speaking to when he claimed to that he wanted to taste my daughter-in-law. Now tell me, what would you have done in my place," says Yun cold as he looked at Cao Cao as he was ready to kill them all right then and there.

Yun wasn't the only one as Lu Bu was first shocked to hear that before he became furious. Lu Bu wasn't looking at Cao Cao but at Song Xian and Wei Xu making them feel quite uncomfortable since Lu Bu was still alive.

But what surprised everyone else even Lu Bu as he looked behind him was that the army behind Yun seemed to be completely in rage when Yun raises his hand making them calm down.

"You need to excuse them. They all know my daughter-in-law personally since she lived for quite some time with my family in Zhending and Puyang," says Yun explaining to them why the army, or at least the veterans, was feeling rage from hearing what Yun just said.

"I understand," says Cao Cao calmly not showing any emotions.

"Then I will be returning Xiahou Dun's men to you and return to Puyang since this campaign is over," says Yun to Cao Cao asking of him to let him return home.

"The war is over. You can return to Puyang. I will be returning to Xuchang shortly after you," says Cao Cao dismissing Yun so he could return to Puyang with his army.

Yun gives a slight bow before moving toward Lu Bu grabbing him like before and dragging him away again.

Yun gave Xiahou Dun's men one last command which was to serve their General as they served him before ordering them to return to Cao Cao who would return them to Xiahou Dun.

Then he left with his army and Hua was beside Yun when he says, "How could you let Cao Cao take Xiapi away from you just because of him."

"He is the father of my daughter-in-law and my friend. What do you think would happen? That I would just look at how Cao Cao kills him before me while I do nothing," says Yun to his younger brother while riding towards the camp outside Xiapi since it was getting dark.

Yun sat down beside a tree and leans against it when he hears someone say, "You recruited your first Commander."

"I have," says Yun before turning his head to the left only to find Shura sitting against the tree as well.

"But I am more curious about what happened some weeks ago. The earth was trembling under the pressure that someone released," says Yun curious about the incident.

"You will find out sooner or later anyway," says Shura before turning serious as he says, "Your wife has died that day."

Yun looked at Shura in disbelief before saying, "Oh, so funny."

"I am not joking about this. She died as she gave birth to your youngest son," says Shura lying to him trying to protect him from angering a God that could smash him to pieces at the moment.

"The day she gave birth was the day she died. The trembles made it impossible for the midwives to help her," says Shura as he explains to Yun what happened leaving everything out that could harm Yun in the future.

Yun couldn't believe what he just heard and Shura could see it on his face which was drained of emotions. His eyes were lifeless and Shura puts his hand on Yun's shoulder trying to help him mourn.

"Your wife doesn't want you to feel pity because she can't be with you, but to enjoy the time that you still have with your children. They need their father," says Shura trying to cheer him up when the lifelessness in Yun's eyes disappeared and was replaced with rage.

"Can you tell me which God killed my wife?" asks Yun in cold fury as he was glaring at Shura.

Shura was surprised to see that Yun flipped this fast from mourning to wanting vengeance for what happened to his wife.

"Even if I tell you, you won't be able to fight against him since he can flatten you with just one finger," says Shura seriously as Yun didn't care about that.

"That doesn't mean that I can't kill him in my next life," says Yun coldly as Shura thought for a moment that Yun's eyes could see through him.

Shura sighs before he says, "Even then you won't be able to face him. He is a God and you are just a Man."

"I might be only a Man but I know that Gods can bleed like everyone else," says Yun coldly since rage wouldn't help him to keep a cool head.

"That is true," says Shura before looking at Yun with pity in his eyes.

"I will tell you who it was when you are strong enough to face him. You have a long way before you anyway. Just concentrated on your children and life until I reveal you his name," says Shura sounding like he was trying to bargain with Yun.

"Fine, but when the day comes I want an honest answer," says Yun as he subsides his vengeance making him mourn again.

"At least she had a happy life before she was taken from me," says Yun sadly as tears began to run down his cheeks.

Shura then leaves since he had things to do when Ysmrgra appears before Yun and says, "Losing a loved one is hard. I know that better than anyone else but losing yourself in it won't help you nor the men trusting you with your life."

"What do you think should I do? Not weep for my dead wife," says Yun as Ysmrgra points at Yun's face.

"You shouldn't weep with this," says Ysmrgra before pointing at his chest and continues saying, "But with this. You need to learn that pain is something that will always follow you since you are a mortal as is everyone around you."

"Memories are even more painful and you who can never forget will have it thrice as hard as a normal mortal. So I give you a suggestion which is to bury this pain deep in your heart and to release it at the right moment," says Ysmrgra seriously before he points at Yun's spear.

"Or they will take it and use it as an advantage against you," says Ysmrgra talking about the other Dragons sealed in Yun's armor and weapons.

Yun looked at his spear before looking at Ysmrgra who then says, "*chuckles* Also Shura was clearly lying take it from an old Dragon that knows people."

"So she is still alive," says Yun with hope in his voice.

"She could be but even then she would be out of reach until you release and submit all the Dragons under you," says Ysmrgra trying to give Yun a goal that would help him get over his current situation.

"But never forget the people beside you on the path that you are walking or you will begin to feel lonely walking down that path as it becomes narrow and dark," says Ysmrgra warning Yun at the same time to not forget his family and friends while following this path before him.

"I will keep that in mind," says Yun wiping his tears away as his sadness was replaced with hope while Ysmrgra disappears again.

Yuan then looked at the sky and only says, "I will find you, Diao Chan."

Then he leans back against the tree and begins to sleep since the way home would be long and slow but at least he had his friends by his side who still didn't know what was awaiting Yun at home.