Chu Provincial Roleplay

[gravenimages]

Hin slumps against the tree in relief... So his head would remain on his shoulders a bit longer. He shook it slightly and provided what answers he could: "I have heard that ten thousand men rallied with my officer Guang Xiahuo and returned to Liang, but beaten men such as those could hardly be termed 'effectives' for at least a few months. Liang itself has naught but its garrisons and those that are being recruited... I could field a force of perhaps twenty-thousand men, albeit relatively undisciplined and ill-equipped, at month's end. As far as I know, my corps of officers in Liang remains loyal to me, with only Cao Can going over to the betrayer. "

The Duke closes his eyes a moment before continuing. "I've seen nothing of the officers of Chu since I left Ma Dieu's camp, and even that was conditional... Through a token veil of diplomacy I have been given an ultimatum of joining his cause by next month, or Liang will pay the consequences in March." He looks to Xiang Bo curiously. "I'm surprised that the betrayer did not require the King himself to be present to facilitate the exchange. It would go against what I know of him. "

[ann]

Xiang Yu listened and then said, "I would not present myself for execution. That would gain nothing and lose all." He narrowed his eyes and said, "We must consider what move to make next. Do you intend to return immediately to Liang? I would expect an attack there. We must find assistance in our quest for vengeance. What do you suggest?" As he spoke he watched Xiang Bo prepare the party to carry the body of the enemy champion. His equipment, without the treatise the King was reading, was gathered and the men prepared a sling to carry him.

Without interrupting the King and Duke the party of servants left the clearing with their heads hanging.


Mardagg

It was a long trek back to the command tent of Ma Dieu. The men were tired and somewhat afraid. There had been some argument over delivering the body but their leader was firm. Why, he argued, would Ma Dieu kill them? Xiang Yu would be completely unmoved and perhaps not even annoyed if they were killed. They were to present the body and wait for Xiang Zhuang to be released and then inform him of the whereabouts of Xiang Yu.

Eventually they reached the camp and approached the guards. The leader stepped forward and said, "We're here to make the exchange." They shuffled their feet and waited.

[gravenimages]

Xiang Yu listened and then said, "I would not present myself for execution. That would gain nothing and lose all." He narrowed his eyes and said, "We must consider what move to make next. Do you intend to return immediately to Liang? I would expect an attack there. We must find assistance in our quest for vengeance. What do you suggest?" As he spoke he watched Xiang Bo prepare the party to carry the body of the enemy champion. His equipment, without the treatise the King was reading, was gathered and the men prepared a sling to carry him.

Without interrupting the King and Duke the party of servants left the clearing with their heads hanging.

Xiang Hin watched the party of servants with some sympathy, he doubted things would go well for them. "Liang will not be able to muster an effective defense against the powers that border it. However, the betrayer has made enemies in the east... Qi, and Wu, both of whom have had at least a few months of relative peace to build their forces. We had what I thought was a productive talk with the messenger from Zhefu at the beginning of the month..." Was it truly less than a month ago? It seemed like a different lifetime...

Hin shrugged. "It seems that the smaller territories will soon be devoured by the larger, until they must fight against each other for control of all the Middle Kingdom. The men of Qi have not fought many battles, so I do not know well the quality of their officers. The men of Wu were difficult foes. We could approach either, or both... At this point we are but men of talent... We dare not hope to control the land when the battles are past, but we have the opportunity to shape it's destiny... And put men like Ma Dieu and Tian Rong in the ground while doing it."

[Mardagg]

In a sitting position Xue was unable to bow properly so he bowed with his head out of respect.

"I welcome the victorious conquerer."

He gave a smiled as he put his tea up in toast to the man but soon placed it down again

"I joined Chu to serve and make Chu prosperous again. My loyalties lay with chu whoever may be leading it and have abilities in both matters of states as well as warfare tactics"

Xue gestured with his hand for the man to sit

"Would you care to join us? I assume you enjoy tea?"

A tea had already been poured out for him and its smell was rising from the untouched cup.

''I am glad that you wish to help us and make Chu prosper again!! As much I wish to sit I have state affairs to attend to, but I will invite you personally to drink tea in my private hall as soon as the time will allow it. I have some fine aroma specially selected and I wish to share unique taste with you.''

OOC: you can post you OI and follow the instruction in the 1st page of the Status Changes (in the officer information tread) Welcome aboard!

[ann]

Mardagg

It was a long trek back to the command tent of Ma Dieu. The men were tired and somewhat afraid. There had been some argument over delivering the body but their leader was firm. Why, he argued, would Ma Dieu kill them? Xiang Yu would be completely unmoved and perhaps not even annoyed if they were killed. They were to present the body and wait for Xiang Zhuang to be released and then inform him of the whereabouts of Xiang Yu.

Eventually they reached the camp and approached the guards. The leader stepped forward and said, "We're here to make the exchange." They shuffled their feet and waited.

As they waited the body of the champion began to smell very ripe. Some of the men covered their faces. Receiving no response the leader stepped forward again and said, "Your lord told us he wished to make this exchange. Has this changed?"

[Mardagg]

It was a long trek back to the command tent of Ma Dieu. The men were tired and somewhat afraid. There had been some argument over delivering the body but their leader was firm. Why, he argued, would Ma Dieu kill them? Xiang Yu would be completely unmoved and perhaps not even annoyed if they were killed. They were to present the body and wait for Xiang Zhuang to be released and then inform him of the whereabouts of Xiang Yu.

Eventually they reached the camp and approached the guards. The leader stepped forward and said, "We're here to make the exchange." They shuffled their feet and waited.

They were brought in the inside court of Chen palace, all items where verify, Guan's horse was carrying his body and everything was found apart from the book... Ma Dieu came with a group of heavily armed soldiers a short moment after: Xian Long Rui was one of them he was much taller and larger than any men they ever saw. Ma Dieu could feel the tension in the air, the messengers where surrounded and many archers where ready to act...Talking to the men sorting Guan Huang items: '' Is everything in order?''

''Only the book your brother wrote is missing Marquis'' he answers lowing is head in deception. ''Bring Guan Huang body and prepared him for a proper funeral''. Six men went to his remain to carry him.... He turned his attention to the messenger '' I will keep my word and free Xiang Zhuang, I will seize his items to compensate the book Xiang Yu took from me... Tell your master that no officers were killed because by taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing over it, he is superior''.

Xiang Zhuang is release and the group is free to go.

[Wokimo]

Chu Province, January 205 BC
The recent battles in Chu had thrown up the greatest shock in the Middle Kingdom since the man who became the Hegemon King of Chu defeat Zhang Han of Qin at the battle of Julu: Xiang Yu and the might of the Imperial armies of Chu had been humbled by the cunning of Ma Dieu. Although he was first and foremost a man who cared about his own success and glory, Pang Zhou could not deny that he had thought well of Xiang and his ambitions to unite the land under the banner of Chu, even going so far as to fight for the Chu armies against the resurgent Qin armies at Bashang. It was with mixed feelings that he travelled to Chu to seek an audience with the recalcetrant General Ma, yet he felt in his gut that any man who could defeat Xiang Yu in such a masterful display of the art of war was the man to defeat all others and bring the shattered Qin empire together under one banner... and if such a glorious undertaking was going to be realised, then Pang Nanhu was certainly not going to be left out of it.

The fearsome warrior, accompanied by over two-thousand of his followers from Wu, followed the directions of whomever was willing to give him direction, travelling a huge distance in but a few days, until he came to where Ma Dieu was said to reside.

"Where is Lord Ma? Tell him that Tiger Pang of Wuxing has come to meet with him." he announced as he dismounted.

[Li Dao Wen]

The banners of Duke Ma's encampment flew high in the windy Chu skies, and everywhere in the camp there could be seen a bustle of activity which purported a lot of preparations for the vicious months to come. The victory against the Imperial armies was indeed ground-shattering; Ma Dieu intended for it to be the first of many more to come.

Yet the first one to meet the Tiger General of the South was not the Duke Ma, no. A few minutes after a couple of footdsoldiers carried news of the stranger's arrival to the command tent, it was another, much larger warrior, his younger aide and companion, and a retinue of weary-looking soldiers who came to the entrance. The man may have seemed strangely familiar to Pang, as if they had seen each other from another lifetime before, though they have never met each other. Dismounting from his own warhorse, the black-clad Xian Long Rui approached with dual halberds slung behind him, and Xiahou Ping in tow.

"Tiger General of the South, you seem strangely familiar," Xun Jiang began, dark eyes gleaming with appraisal at their visitor. Perhaps he had simply heard tales of the Nanhu general before, though he couldn't recall where or when, not that it mattered much to him. All that mattered was that this man seemed to have come in the news of the Duke's victory over the Hegemon. The first of many who would be coming to flock under the new master of Chu.

"Your men stay here, Nanhu Pang, you come with us. if you have aides, you may bring them along as well." He gestured an open hand for him to approach, whereupon he, Xiahou Ping and the soldiers under the task would take them to the command tent, where Ma Dieu was waiting. The heavily armed troop inside showed no emotion as they watched the regal line of powerful warriors make their entrance.

The Duke was busy with his other generals, reviewing a map of Chu in order to quell whatever pro-Xiang Yu factions are left. "Duke Ma, Pang Nanhu of the South requests an audience with you."

[Mardagg]

"Where is Lord Ma? Tell him that Tiger Pang of Wuxing has come to meet with him." he announced as he dismounted.

"Duke Ma, Pang Nanhu of the South requests an audience with you."

Near 40000 men were still camping outside the city when Pang Zhou arrives, it was in the middle of the temporary reinforce camp on the top of a hill that they meet. The camp was obviously well guard and the new recruit were already training everywhere... ''Greeting and welcome!'' Ma Dieu was dress in full armor craft by mastersmith and had a sword in his sheath and a Great axe behind him, ''I was happy to receive a lettre from you especially now that one of my Champion felt in the battle against Xiang Yu. I believe you are a man of action and that you seek to see the field of battle. I have draw to me many men with courage and great skills and I belive you are one of them. I can offer you a rank of General into my army and recruit all your men and promise you that you will see the fiel of battle very soon: is it something interesting for you? '' Ma Dieu went straight to the point he knew that most men of war where men of action...

OOC: the turn is changing tonight and I wish to use your PC if of course you are here to join us

[Wokimo]

@Mardagg
A General, eh? General Pang! It had a ring to it and it was certainly a higher position than Nanhu had ever occupied previously, even at the Battle of Bashang he hadn't been a General.

"Of course! With Xiang Yu gone it is only a matter of time before the warlords will set their armies in motion to gain control of the empire, yet I do not believe any of them possess greater cunning or vision than Lord Ma." he replied enthusiasticaly. "Now is the time for those capable of fighting to choose their side and decide the fate of the land."