Li Zhu's Audience Hall - Zhaoge

[Nanjun Tiger]

"Perhaps I do appear to be indecisive, then," he replied. He paused for a second, then smiled awkwardly. "No matter. If I do not appear to be a threat, then perhaps that will also serve to the protection of my lands. There is no need to apologize. It is difficult; my position. I control armies and lead men, but I rarely have the chance to interact with my people. So what they are saying rarely reaches my ears, unless I bring them in to speak with me and allow them to speak freely," he said as he motioned to the entrance, "such as I have today."

"But yes, I do need men of ability, and I have heard that you possess a good deal of it. To explain your duties would be difficult, however, because I have yet to see you in action, or to hear you describe yourself. My reports are vague, but lean along the lines that you are a capable fighter and possess some knowledge of leading men as it regards battle. If this is true, then I would use you along those lines, likely either to replace a man that has moved into Zhao, or to move into Zhao yourself. I do not know if I would commit you to battle, because I do not know where your expertise lies in this. Really, I would want to know precisely where your talents lie before I would consider assigning you anywhere. I believe one of the mistakes lords make before all others is in the mismanagement of their own men. The more I know about your own talents, the more effectively I can use you, which benefits both of us."

"I understand. It would be foolish to hand over command of your soldiers to someone you know little about," Shi began, nodding his head in agreement. And it certainly would be. The King could not commit himself or his kingdom to mere rumors and entrust blind faith to someone whom they absolutely nothing about. Perhaps now was the time to remedy.

"I was originally a man of Nanyang. During the rise of the Qin, my family fled their homes and traveled west to a land called Bactria. It was there that I recieved education in warfare and military tactics, and have since devoted my life to such studies. When news arrived of a civil war brewing in my homeland, I immediately returned to see where I could make the best use of my skills..."

Pausing, he recalled the skills and talents he possesed that he could put forth to King Xia. "I am capable and talented at leading the vanguard of an army into battle, and can have a keen eye in shoring up defenses and weaknesses in such formations. But along with being able to perform such feats with my own front line soldiers, I have also been effective at exploiting the weaknesses of attacking enemy formations as well... I am adept in the verses of personal combat and the sword arts, and feel that I am a more than competent warrior in my own right..."

Giving pause, he tried to recall more, but it was difficult given the situation. "I also believe that I possess exceptional administration skills in terms of military law and jurisdiction, and can efficiently manage any cities or fortifications I should be given charge of... But above all, I have excellent judgement and reaction capabilities. Whether it is in the field, on peacetime duties or in a diplomatic responsibility, I can be trusted to perform my duties with great effectiveness and skill."

Pausing once again, Shi believed he had explained himself adequately and Xia Xi should have a good idea as to his talents. "Does that satisfy you, Your Highness?"

[Xiang Zhuang]

((I'm not ignoring you, Nanjun Tiger. This is just a weird post to put in another RP afterward. I'll respond later tonight.))

Duel Between Huangfu Chu and Xia Liangyu!

((Yes, this is from about a week or so ago.))

On the dueling grounds of Yin, Huangfu Chu and the Xia Gongzhu faced off against one another. Both on their mounts, they prepared their gear, then, after both confirmed they were ready, a maiden dropped her scarf, signaling the start of the duel. Starting out, they exchanged missile attacks, then rushed one another. Huangfu Chu lunged forward with his billhook but missed, leaving an opening for the lady to strike him with her sword. A second attempt proved more successful, though, and the Princess was knocked from her horse. She fell awkwardly, but quickly came back up and hit the mounted man on the leg.

As the two separated, Huangfu Chu attempted to throw a javelin at Liangyu while she was distracted. It landed, but it did not faze the young woman. She stood proud, and motioned once more for Huangfu Chu to move. He seemed shocked that she was so confident despite the disadvantage she faced, and did not react quick enough to the bolt fired his direction. He broke the arrow off at the tip, and rushed into battle once more.

The rest of the fight boiled down to brawn versus brawn, and while the dainty fighter was holding her own on foot, eventually fighting against a mounted opponent took its toll, and after a couple of critical hits with his spear, the two separated. Both were nearly spent. With the last of his energy, Huangfu Chu hurtled a javelin at Liangyu. She was struggling to fire off one last arrow and was unable to dodge, as it hit her in the left shoulder, knocking her to the ground. As she seemed beat, maidens came to her aid, and the victor was apparent.

Bout 1:

Round 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 95 Might: 95
Xia Liangyu HP: 98 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(7)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(9)

Round 2:
Huangfu Chu HP: 86 Might: 95
Xia Liangyu HP: 91 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts to unseat Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu fails to unseat Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu fails to hit with the attack!
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(9)

Round 3:
Huangfu Chu HP: 77 Might: 95
Xia Liangyu HP: 91 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts to unseat Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu unseats Xia Liangyu!
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(9)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(5)

End of Bout 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 72 Might: 95
Xia Liangyu HP: 82 Might: 98

Bout 2:

Round 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 72 Might: 95
Xia Liangyu HP: 82 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(8)
Huangfu Chu's quick shot fails to cancel Xia Liangyu's intimidate attempt.
Xia Liangyu attempts to intimidate Huangfu Chu.
Xia Liangyu succeeds!
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(8)

Round 2:
Huangfu Chu HP: 64 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 74 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts a swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu's swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu fails.
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(10)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(6)

Round 3:
Huangfu Chu HP: 58 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 64 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts a swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu's swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu fails.
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(7)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(8)

End of Bout 2:
Huangfu Chu HP: 50 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 57 Might: 98

Bout 3:

Round 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 50 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 57 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(8)
Huangfu Chu's quick shot fails to cancel Xia Liangyu's frighten horse attempt.
Xia Liangyu fails to terrify Huangfu Chu's horse.
Xia Liangyu unleashes a critical blow!
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(9)

Round 2:
Huangfu Chu HP: 41 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 49 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu fails to hit with the attack!
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(8)

Round 3:
Huangfu Chu HP: 33 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 49 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts a swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu's swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu fails.
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(11)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(9)

End of Bout 3:
Huangfu Chu HP: 24 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 38 Might: 98

Bout 4:

Round 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 24 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 38 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu unleashes a critical blow!
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(15)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(8)

Round 2:
Huangfu Chu HP: 16 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 23 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu unleashes a critical blow!
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(12)
Xia Liangyu lands the attack.(9)

Round 3:
Huangfu Chu HP: 7 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 11 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu attempts a swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu.
Huangfu Chu's swift pass attack on Xia Liangyu fails.
Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(7)
Xia Liangyu fails to hit with the attack!

End of Bout 4:
Huangfu Chu HP: 7 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 4 Might: 98

Bout 5:

Round 1:
Huangfu Chu HP: 7 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: 4 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu lands the attack.(9)
Huangfu Chu wins!
Xia Liangyu attempts to retreat, but is captured!

End of Bout 5:
Huangfu Chu HP: 7 Might: 83
Xia Liangyu HP: -5 Might: 98

Huangfu Chu is victorious!

[Xiang Zhuang]

"I understand. It would be foolish to hand over command of your soldiers to someone you know little about," Shi began, nodding his head in agreement. And it certainly would be. The King could not commit himself or his kingdom to mere rumors and entrust blind faith to someone whom they absolutely nothing about. Perhaps now was the time to remedy.

"I was originally a man of Nanyang. During the rise of the Qin, my family fled their homes and traveled west to a land called Bactria. It was there that I recieved education in warfare and military tactics, and have since devoted my life to such studies. When news arrived of a civil war brewing in my homeland, I immediately returned to see where I could make the best use of my skills..."

Pausing, he recalled the skills and talents he possesed that he could put forth to King Xia. "I am capable and talented at leading the vanguard of an army into battle, and can have a keen eye in shoring up defenses and weaknesses in such formations. But along with being able to perform such feats with my own front line soldiers, I have also been effective at exploiting the weaknesses of attacking enemy formations as well... I am adept in the verses of personal combat and the sword arts, and feel that I am a more than competent warrior in my own right..."

Giving pause, he tried to recall more, but it was difficult given the situation. "I also believe that I possess exceptional administration skills in terms of military law and jurisdiction, and can efficiently manage any cities or fortifications I should be given charge of... But above all, I have excellent judgement and reaction capabilities. Whether it is in the field, on peacetime duties or in a diplomatic responsibility, I can be trusted to perform my duties with great effectiveness and skill."

Pausing once again, Shi believed he had explained himself adequately and Xia Xi should have a good idea as to his talents. "Does that satisfy you, Your Highness?"

"Indeed," he replied. "What I have heard of you aligns well with your own story, although hearing your own words makes it that much more illuminating. I have a few men who I believe are capable of leaving the van in battle, although only one, my Supreme Commander Li Zhu, has proven himself. I would welcome the opportunity to test you in this capacity at some time, although I would be hard pressed to even consider replacing my Supreme Commander. Then again, it's unlikely that I will always be able to fight on only one front. If you were dedicated to the position, I would try to insert you whenever I could. As you might understand, a good King needs to have a general at home when another general is away at war. That is not to say that I would consider you my alternate force commander, but that I would use both of you in different fashions. I do have another man who I would rate similar to your own capabilities, I think. I would have to see both of you in action to decide who would rate higher, though. This other man has some excellent support tactics, from what I've seen, so perhaps an appropriate situation could be determined.

"I am glad to hear that you are a capable fighter. Such a thing would be greatly useful to me. However, I would have trouble entrusting you to fight as a champion in battle if you are serving as the general of the van. There's too much to risk in such a situation, as you might imagine. When it came to battle, I would want to focus you on one or the other."

His face seemed to light up, as if he suddenly remembered something. "I am in need of administrators at this point. My Supreme Commander is one of my best, but he is at war now. I have people to replace him, but with new territory in Zhao becoming ours, we are in need of more. This sort of function might be the most immediate I would try to place you in. That is, if I believe that you are better suited than those I already employ."

Xia Xi stifled a yawn. The muck outside made the days seem very short, and he had been worrying about the battles in Zhao for some time now. He said, "You said you are from Nanyang, right? I suppose, then, that you were a loyalist to the kingdom of Hann? I imagine the Qin victory then must have left a bad taste in many people's mouths. Recently, a new lord has come to power in Nanyang. However, I hear that he bows to the Emperor in Henan. Perhaps this is only a means to an end, though, and your homeland may be under control of a man who does not seek to bow to the Qin after all. I can't say I know much about him, though. But it would seem that the influence of Qin stops here in Yin, and vertically throughout the rest of the land. This means that, when my business in Zhao is finished, I may have to prepare myself to fight the lords to the west. I suppose that might be an added bonus if you were to decide to serve in my kingdom; a chance to fight with the Qin. But we will see. The era of the Qin is nearing its dusk, but the sun has not set yet."

[jiangbao]

Jiang Bao rode his horse from the city of Shouyang to the city of Zhao Ge. He came almost unarmed except his crossbow. The King of Yin, Xia Xi has captured many provinces of China and the latest province that fell was apparently, Zhao City of Zhongmu. He hoped that he got that information right, otherwise he would look silly.

As he arrived to the gates, he dismounted and handed over his crossbow to the guards and said "I would like to meet with your king or any of his representatives. I am representing my Lord Liu Jin of the city of Shou Yang and I come in peace or rather we hope to establish some sort of relations. You may search me if you like but I have nothing to hide anyway."

He smiled at the guards and let them do their job. Hopefully they are not too hard on him.

[Xe]

Zhen bowed, placing his blade in the guards hands. He followed the guard quietly, before arrivving at the main hall. He bowed, waiting for the guard to speak.

The guard put the blade with his subordinate, then headed inwards, to the hall, where he coughed slightly to grab the father and daughter's attention,

"Pardon me, Master and Mistress Xia, Sir Zhen is here to meet with the Lady."

And he moved aside so that Zhen could speak to the pair...

Zhen remained bowing. "Wang Xia, Gongzhu Xia, I have come to pledge me service. I am but a humble warrior, but I swear to do all in my power to aid you." He remained bowed, not looking up.

(It'd be longer, but I've a massive headache.)

[Nanjun Tiger]

"Indeed," he replied. "What I have heard of you aligns well with your own story, although hearing your own words makes it that much more illuminating. I have a few men who I believe are capable of leaving the van in battle, although only one, my Supreme Commander Li Zhu, has proven himself. I would welcome the opportunity to test you in this capacity at some time, although I would be hard pressed to even consider replacing my Supreme Commander. Then again, it's unlikely that I will always be able to fight on only one front. If you were dedicated to the position, I would try to insert you whenever I could. As you might understand, a good King needs to have a general at home when another general is away at war. That is not to say that I would consider you my alternate force commander, but that I would use both of you in different fashions. I do have another man who I would rate similar to your own capabilities, I think. I would have to see both of you in action to decide who would rate higher, though. This other man has some excellent support tactics, from what I've seen, so perhaps an appropriate situation could be determined.

"I am glad to hear that you are a capable fighter. Such a thing would be greatly useful to me. However, I would have trouble entrusting you to fight as a champion in battle if you are serving as the general of the van. There's too much to risk in such a situation, as you might imagine. When it came to battle, I would want to focus you on one or the other."

His face seemed to light up, as if he suddenly remembered something. "I am in need of administrators at this point. My Supreme Commander is one of my best, but he is at war now. I have people to replace him, but with new territory in Zhao becoming ours, we are in need of more. This sort of function might be the most immediate I would try to place you in. That is, if I believe that you are better suited than those I already employ."

Xia Xi stifled a yawn. The muck outside made the days seem very short, and he had been worrying about the battles in Zhao for some time now. He said, "You said you are from Nanyang, right? I suppose, then, that you were a loyalist to the kingdom of Hann? I imagine the Qin victory then must have left a bad taste in many people's mouths. Recently, a new lord has come to power in Nanyang. However, I hear that he bows to the Emperor in Henan. Perhaps this is only a means to an end, though, and your homeland may be under control of a man who does not seek to bow to the Qin after all. I can't say I know much about him, though. But it would seem that the influence of Qin stops here in Yin, and vertically throughout the rest of the land. This means that, when my business in Zhao is finished, I may have to prepare myself to fight the lords to the west. I suppose that might be an added bonus if you were to decide to serve in my kingdom; a chance to fight with the Qin. But we will see. The era of the Qin is nearing its dusk, but the sun has not set yet."

Raising his hand to his mouth, he gently wiped away the small amount of sweat that had formed just above his upper lip. This meeting had been longer than anticipated, yet it had also been more fruitful than had thought. The King was certainly an insightful man and had many interesting things to say, and made his thoughts quite well known to his guest.

Nodding at times, Shi took in all that the King said, genuinely interested in his concerns and expectations. "I do not wish to take the position of Supreme Commander from someone whom you both trust and has proven his worth in battle, although that does not mean that I won't strive to attain the same type of standing. I am confident in my abilities and would want to be tested before any further responsibilites or rank are bestowed upon me."

When mention came administering a city, Shi paused for a moment as he pondered it's implications. "I don't know whether I am better suited than those you already employ, for I do not know of them or their strengths, Your Highness. I am, however, confident in my abilities and if given the chance I know that I shall not disappoint." Being the leader of a city certainly was a great honor and one not to be taken lightly, but Shi knew that he could get the job done. "I would perform my very best for you in whatever capacity you deemed was most appropriate."

When Xia Xi spoke of his homeland, Shi could only listen, unsure of how to respond. Several moments passed by, before he finally cleared his throat and responded. "I was very young when my family relocated to the western lands of Bactria, and honestly, I do not know much of Nanyang nor it's loylaties and political environment. I do know that I hold no loyalty to the Qin, but I also have no specific dislike for them either. But none of that concerns me. For if I were to enter your service, I would fight whomever you directed me to, without hesitation."

[Zeren]

Huangfu Chu brought his horse closer to Xia Liangyu, and dismounted next to her. He patted his horse on the head and stroked its nose as he regarded his defeated opponent. "You are quite the warrior, madam" he said, offering her his hand to help her up. "You nearly got the best of me, a warrior who has seen many more winters and presumably many more battles than yourself."

Silently, he wondered whether she could hold her own so well in the heat of battle, but he did not want to insult the young princess, so spoke nothing of it. "I wonder, would you consider introducing me to your father? I have been wandering these lands for many months now, and without a place to call home, I have grown weary. I would consider enlisting in his army."

[Xiang Zhuang]

jiangbao

The guard took the crossbow as the attendant came forward. He gave him a polite bow and said, "The King will be pleased to meet with you. There's no need for a search, though. First, though, could you please give me your name and position within your master's force, and your master's title, so that I can properly announce you?"

<hr>
Xe

The King, from atop his dais, looked down on the man with a bit of curiosity. "You may rise and stand," he said, his voice betraying amusement. "I want to get a good look at you, anyway. So you are Zhen Sai. What is it that brings you seeking to serve me? And what is it that you can offer me?"

<hr>
Nanjun Tiger

"That is good to hear," he replied, "although I don't expect my men to follow my commands without wanting to understand why. But I don't think you are some mindless drone, either. Loyalty is a two-way street, I guess."

He pondered for a moment what a two-way street was, since he hadn't ever heard of there being one-way streets. He shrugged it off, then said, "I think I have heard enough that I would be well-served by your service in my kingdom. That's only half of the equation, though. Is there anything else you wish to ask of me?"

[Nanjun Tiger]

"That is good to hear," he replied, "although I don't expect my men to follow my commands without wanting to understand why. But I don't think you are some mindless drone, either. Loyalty is a two-way street, I guess."

He pondered for a moment what a two-way street was, since he hadn't ever heard of there being one-way streets. He shrugged it off, then said, "I think I have heard enough that I would be well-served by your service in my kingdom. That's only half of the equation, though. Is there anything else you wish to ask of me?"

"Well," the warrior began, "there is a fine line between understanding why a liege makes and order, and performing that order. Of course I would raise objections or concerns, if there were any that I had, but once you were to give the command, that is where the complaints must cease and the command obeyed... It's a matter of discipline, Your Highness. For without proper discipline, the seeds of discontent and treachery are easily sown..."

Giving a sigh, he lowered his eyes for a moment, thinking if he had any questions for the King. "I don't believe that I have anything further, Your Highness. But, I am thoroughly impressed by you, your mannerisms and your administration here in Yin. I must, however, ask for leave and some time to come to a decision. it is not an easy thing..."

Bowing low, he awaited the King's response...

[Nash]

General Chang didn't last very long on the trip before the fill of meatbuns pushed him over the edge and slumped back, asleep. It was a matter of Liangyu waking him upon their arrival...and hoping he was still General Chang when he awoke.