Liang Provincial Roleplay

[Li Dao Wen]

The badly injured Ogre, despite the wounds, was in a rather lucid state. It appeared that his journey, his sacrifice had not been thrown to waste in this place. Whatever strength he had lost, he had simply replaced with this man's, and he felt satisfied that the men of Ma Dieu, who relied on him to vanquish the enemy generals in single combat, can sleep soundly as he recuperated.

He downed another drink, and another, until he was bursting from inside with the heaviness of his last great battle, until he felt the pain no more. It numbed down, suppressed by a courageous fire which was born out of something selfish. Something inside him has changed, and as he looked at his conqueror with tired and heavy eyes, he smiled contentedly. With the last drop of wine and the last morsel of food consumed, he bid his host goodnight and settled among the trees beside his steed. The next day was going to be a quick journey that will showcase thundering hooves and raised spears crashing to the gates of Xuyi, all for the glory of Ma Dieu.

[Jin Shi]

Situated in the middle of the three largest combined forces in China, Qi, Wu and Chu, Liang had little say in what it could do. Fight or die was the mantra Ma Su had picked up after these past months, getting close to a year since he had been called back into direct service from Wei. He had fought to earn respect in the capital, and ever since Yangcheng, had fought nonstop against one foe or another.

Ma Su had doubted himself ever since he left Chenliu, and the nightmares from Julu had returned in the dead of night. What if what he had done was not the right decision? Those people he executed, those he had left behind, what if the reasoning wasn’t just? What if they could have been saved? Could they have been saved?...

But as a leader of tens of thousands of soldiers and many more civilians, he had not let such doubts to spill out, hiding it beneath his gruff and blunt demeanor. If his people doubted him, then it would just make everything all that much worse. As he looked out on the city that night from one of the verandas of Dingtao’s castle, lit by many torches below, the city’s light barely penetrating the darkness surrounding Dingtao’s four walls, he wondered to himself what could be done. What should be done? He had sacrificed his own honor and the lives of the people of Chenliu in order to protect those in Dingtao and Waihuang. A military loss at Chenliu would have meant all the other cities would be exposed, no one to guard them. But what would happen when the rest of his cities were attacked? Would he sacrifice those too, and retreat to the countryside, fighting a guerilla war? Or simply leave his sword on the field and run back to Wei like a coward?

Chu was splintering like a ship in a rough storm, Qi was waiting for him to make a mistake, Wu would be on Liang’s doorstep if cousin Dieu falls. His allies were weak, his soldiers were tired, there was nothing sturdy to lean on. His sworn brother had disappeared so many months ago, his family was dead and gone, he could not find anywhere to draw strength from.

Roaring in his displeasure, he batted a pot off the veranda with his open palm and sent it sailing, probably causing some consternation to those below. He leaned against the wooden railing for a moment, as some of his elites came rushing to where he was, wondering what the trouble was, and without looking he waved them off, staring off into the darkness towards Chu. With some hesitation they went back to their positions, still looking at their distraught commander.

A man as ideological as Ma Su was coming to grips with the reality that the man he had called King and bowed to in person was a fiend, just as bad as he had been described by his detractors. But his detractors were no better. The man who should have lived Ten Thousand Years lived less than fifty. And the people did not provide guidance or help, they just called him callous for abandoning Chenliu. His mentor in Chu was now asking him for help. What could Ma Su lean on now? What could be called perennial, eternal, and just? A low whisper:

“Order. Whatever it takes.”

[Jin Shi]

Ma Su was vexed. He had solidified a pact with Qi semi-secretly in hopes he could wheel his attention westward, but once he had turned he found an army staring right back at him. And they had not yet sent an envoy.

What this meant was obvious in Ma Su's mind, but, so he wouldn't have the blame on his hands, he sent an envoy out to the encampment of Qing Bu's army. Many thousands strong, it certainly was intimidating to the small group of envoys sent out from Dingtao's gates bearing Imperial and Ma Su's colors. When they arrived at the camp, the captain leading the group introduced himself and presented a letter.

"This is to be delivered to General Qing, a missive from General Ma of Dingtao. We are to wait here until General Qing gives his reply."

[GoGo the Monkey]

Ma Su was vexed. He had solidified a pact with Qi semi-secretly in hopes he could wheel his attention westward, but once he had turned he found an army staring right back at him. And they had not yet sent an envoy.

What this meant was obvious in Ma Su's mind, but, so he wouldn't have the blame on his hands, he sent an envoy out to the encampment of Qing Bu's army. Many thousands strong, it certainly was intimidating to the small group of envoys sent out from Dingtao's gates bearing Imperial and Ma Su's colors. When they arrived at the camp, the captain leading the group introduced himself and presented a letter.

"This is to be delivered to General Qing, a missive from General Ma of Dingtao. We are to wait here until General Qing gives his reply."

It was not long before a man waltzed forward presenting himself as captain of the men currently stationed in the direction Ma Su's territory. "The lord is weary of those in Liang." he warned, which was partially true. Lowering his head a bit he attempted to give a respectful bow before pushing forward. "I will take the missive to Lord Ying. Or do you wish to enter the camp and do so yourself?" the man suddenly questioned. "I doubt the lord would care about a few men entering a camp of thousands. Surely you would like rest, would you not? I am not sure how the lord would react if you were to refuse his hospitality. Even if you are mere messengers..."

[Jin Shi]

The Captain simply examined the man before him while is men looked at each other with concerned glances. After a few moments thought the captain turned briefly to one of his men and whispered a few things to him, which the soldier nodded, saluted and proceeded back towards Dingtao. He turned back to Qing Bu's representative and replied

"The General's offer is most kind, and we shall accept. I have told my man to send word back to Dingtao so that Ma Su can join us shortly. I am sure he would not want his privates and sergeants taking all of his fun."

He smirked a little and started to walk into the encampment following the lead of the greeter....

...

Around an hour or so later, a larger entourage, though not much larger than the first group, made its way to Qing Bu's encampment. At its head was Ma Su himself, flanked by several other red robed guards and Liao Jian. Ma Su looked out on the encampment, not showing any emotion aside from the stern expression on his face, but nowadays that seemed to be the only expression he wore. He did not show it but he was impressed, it had been a while since he had last seen an Imperial army take the field. He smirked a little at the thought, now that there was peace they were here, when there was fighting not a single soldier could be found. But he wouldn't let that get in the way of his work here, he needed to stay focused.

Once they arrived at the edge of the encampment, one of the soldiers introduced the group

"Lord Ma Su has come at Qing Bu's request." Ma Su continued to look out on the grounds, estimating the strength of the force encamped in his lands.

[Jin Shi]

Ma Su had so many dreams, so many ideas, so many....

But now here he was, standing by his bedroom window, looking out on the city of Dingtao below him, a look of deep sadness awash across his face as snow flakes quietly tapped against the window. His independence was now gone. He had lost confidence in himself, and with that the dominos had begun to fall... as slowly as the white leaves of the withering trees during this bitter winter. Where could he find his fire again, amidst this blizzard?

Where is the horse and the rider now?

[Krimzon]

December 206

In his tent, Yi Guang sipped a cup of hot rice wine, unable to sleep. The winter had closed over the province and he thought he could well spend the coldest months in the field with his army. It was not such an unpleasant thought. He had suffered the worry and bustle of the city since Li Jiacheng took ill. He found the routines of camp life restful in comparison, perhaps because he had known them for eight months. Even there in the darkness, he could hear the murmured passwords as the guards changed and he knew a sense of peace. Sleep had always come slowly for him and he knew it was part of the stories amongst the men that he sat up night after night, the candle flame showing through the heavy cloth of the command tent. Sometimes he slept with the wick still burning, so that the guards thought he needed no rest as they did. It did not hurt to encourage their awe, he believed. Men needed to be led by one who showed none of their weakness.

He thought of the vast army around him and the preparations he had made. His bronze-clad soldiers alone were one of the most feared in the south-lands. Not even Ma Dieu would hit his lines head on. Simply feeding so many had stripped the storehouses of Huaiyin. The merchants could only wail in disbelief as he showed them the documents the Duke had signed. The memory made him smile. Those fat grain sellers thought they were the heart of the city. It had amused Yi Guang to remind them where the true power lay. Without the army, their fine houses were worth nothing.

To keep sixy eight thousand men fed all winter would beggar the farmers for a thousand miles east and south. Yi Guang shook his head at the thought, his mind too busy to consider trying for sleep. He shivered as the cold night seeped into his tent, pulling his blanket close around his massive shoulders. Nothing had been the same since Li JIacheng had taken ill. Yi Guang had given his loyalty utterly to the man, revering him. Truly, the kingdom had been shaken when the news spread. He shook his head, sadly. Seeing the kingdom, leaderless and without a figurehead ate at the foundations of his life. It was an end of an era and perhaps he should have left sooner once the rumours were confirmed true. Instead, he had hung on to see the kingdom established and fortified.

Yi Guang grimaced as the cold worked its way into his bones. The kingdom was being picked apart and without the King it was up to his Supreme Commander to keep the Chu forces in their place, but the months have moved on and now they dared to threaten the gates of Jiangcheng. If circumstances were different he would show no mercy when the time came. He would not let them take Wu. He would not rest until the last of them lay dead and Yue, Huainan, and Jiujiang were recaptured. However, it was decided that his final battle under the banners of Wu would be upon Ma Su. He would send a clear message and burn him out of the province, so in future, if another army dared to rise against the kingdom, perhaps they would remember Liang and slink away from their plots and ambitions. That was the only response he deserved. Perhaps that would've been Yi Guang's legacy, a vengeance so bloody and final that it would echo through the centuries ahead. He would be the death of Xiang Yu. It would be immortality of a sort and the idea pleased him. His thoughts whirled as the camp slept. He decided to leave the candle burning and wondered if he could get any sleep at all, for tomorrow he'd march for the last time... for his King.

Supreme Commander Yi Guang leaves the service of King Li Jiacheng!

[Phailak]

Peng Yue watched the Hegemon King leave the camp to meet with the new Duke of Liang. This time on the field only confirmed the rumors and his own suspicions, Xiang Yu was quickly becoming unstable. A quick glance back worried Yue more, this mad King still influenced a lot of men, not counting all those blood thirsty generals he sent out a year back.

With the Prime Minister exiled to the north and Lu Chen being too brittle to act in any way, Yue was starting to get desperate. He had not even been consulted, let alone asked for his advice about this campaign into Liang. He left Long Ju in charge of the army while he made plans.

Closed RP for GravenImages

[gravenimages]

Passing Xiang Yu's camp on the way to Dingtao, the soon-to-be Duke could not help but be impressed at it's size and the discipline of his men. He checked his horse when he recalled the significance of the man who had led the Chu army's support layer... A position he had once aspired to. He turned his horse off the road to Dingtao and rode towards the camp, seeking the man named Peng Yue.

[Phailak]

Yue intercepted him before he reached the camp, wanting to keep their meeting... secret.

"Lord Duke, I am honored you would consider meeting me in such a fashion."

Stepping out of the shadows, Yue was off his horse and presented with no weapons.

"Congratulations on securing Liang my Lord."

His eyes seemed to study the noble man before him.