Hann Roleplay Thread

[Radical Dreamer]

His adviser's obvious discomfort didn't go unnoticed. Ranzhen discreetly called over his melee commander, Weihuai Qiu, and whispered instructions for the young general to keep an eye on the Chief Aide's health during the battle and to make him as comfortable as possible.

However, the wheels of war stopped for no man. Yingchuan had to be brought low and pacified for their own good even if it came at the end of a sword. Ranzhen hoped that perhaps they would decide not to fight and join the Hegemon King for the good of Hann, but somehow he doubted it...

[Vanguard]

"It is a bright day," Ying Ranzhen, governor of Hann, mused as he shaded his eyes from the sun. He was standing on a raised platform looking out over the mass with the leading generals of the army. Beside him was the commander of the host and the Chief Aide of Hann, Zhang Liang. The young ruler turned to his adviser and tilted his head to the side. "We are fortunate that Yingchuan is only a few days march else the army's suffering would be too great."

There were five generals in all heading to Yingchuan. At a motion from their ruler, they bowed to the Chief Aide and Ranzhen unsheathed a decorative sword. It looked as though it had been freshly made; on its pommel was both the symbol for Hann and Chu, signifying the dual authorities of the state Ranzhen administered. He twirled it, careful not to cut anything off, and held it out to Zhang Liang hilt-first. "Let this sword silence your critics and herald your successes. You are my appointed in this fight - the arm of Yangdi and of this state. Bring honor to our state and peace to our kingdom, Master Zhang."

With the help of his aide, the elderly scholar knelt painfully on the ground to accept the sword and to say his thanks. Rising to his feet with difficulty, he laboriously drew the sword from its sheathe and held it aloft in the air. "For Lord Zhang, for Hann!" he said through clenched teeth. He was quickly bundled into his carriage by Huai Leng, where he collapsed to its floor with painful back spasms.

Being one of the officers that was assigned to the campaign, Bei Tianmeng was there to present himself along with the other generals. The army he would be a part of was impressive to Bei and he was happy to be a part of it. He had yet to any real meetings with the Chief Aide, but he knew of the man's reputation, and the honor of serving under him was something he would forever carry in his heart.

When Zhang Liang accepted the decorative blade presented to him, Bei Tianmeng cheered loudly, pumping his fist into the air for his commander and for his liege. Bei hoped to live up to the expectations of them both in the coming battle that was sure to come. As much as taking lives was not the path one hoped to travel, he knew it was sometimes necessary, and he could rationalize it by the belief that the aftermath and the future would be worth the suffering soon to come.

[JG Chan]

Vanguard

"Oh, whatever's more convenient for him is fine," Shu'er replied nonchalantly, still smiling. "This is mostly a courtesy call, really, and I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy. But if he's free, then if you could take me to his office..."

[Vanguard]

Vanguard

"Oh, whatever's more convenient for him is fine," Shu'er replied nonchalantly, still smiling. "This is mostly a courtesy call, really, and I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy. But if he's free, then if you could take me to his office..."

Nodding, the guard gestured for her to follow him and he escorted her through the administrative building, passing busy halls and modestly decorated rooms, as well as the occasional corridor that led to still empty spaces. It was obvious that many things were still expanding and being done both internally and externally. After a few moments, the guard stopped before an open room and politely asked her to wait there while he stepped inside. In the room the guard's voice could be heard, "Excuse me, Master Bei. A young woman is here to see you. Would you like me to send her in?" Another voice came in reply, "Ah! Yes, of course. Please, allow her in."

The guard then stepped out of the room and bowed to Shu'er before backing away from the doorway and gesturing for her to enter. Bei Tianmeng's office was rather barren. It was not that the room was kept bare and plain, but that it had yet to be filled with personal touches and worked in enough to broken in. Bei Tianmeng was sitting behind a small table set in the back of the room, and he was just finishing with rolling up what appeared to be some sort of map. Seeing Shu'er enter, Bei rose to his feet and smoothed the grey robes he wore before bowing deeply to her. A bright smile spread across his face as he welcomed the young woman with open arms. "Welcome to Yangdi. I am Bei Tianmeng as I'm sure you could guess." He chuckled softly, then pointed his hand to a softly cushioned seat across from his table. "Please, have a seat if you wish. Also, is there anything I can have brought for you, Lady... um," Bei's voice trailed off a moment and a soft redness in his cheeks began to appear. "Uh, I'm sorry, I don't believe I got your name... and I don't wish to make a fool of myself by guessing wrongly." The warm smile held despite his apparent embarrassment at not knowing who exactly, that she was.

[JG Chan]

Vanguard

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," Shu'er declined the offer of refreshments as she took the seat, returning Bei's bright smile with the same. Despite being in a government office in a strange city, she seemed pretty much at ease with herself, her clothing the only thing on her that's red. "And my name is Tu Shu'er, Master Bei...recipient of one strangely intriguing letter, from you." Grinning, she pulled out the smudged document and showed it to its writer, before continuing curiously. "Do you often get visited by young women, Master Bei?"

[Vanguard]

Nodding when she declined the refreshments, Bei Tianmeng sat back down across from Tu Shu'er. When she introduced herself and spoke of the letter, Bei's curiosity grew as to why it was intriguing. Then, when he actually looked at the letter, he couldn't help but laugh and cover his mouth with his hand, as it all started to make some sense. Her question did make him feel apologetic, as if she asked because he didn't know her name. Whether or not this was the case, Bei immediately replied, "Oh, no! No, no, no." The reddish hue making its return trip as he fumbled with his words. "Actually, I rarely... I mean, you're the... well, really, this is a first for me."

Chuckling lightly, Bei Tianmeng took a breath and continued with what he tried to say, "I've never had a young woman visit me, Lady Tu, which makes you the first. I did write a few letters to some other individuals, another of which was another young woman further North. Having never actually met or seen either of you, I just didn't want to take the risk of causing insult by presuming anything." Glancing down at his desk, Bei Tianmeng paused a moment to take another breath. His smile still lingered from mixed emotions. "However, now that I have met you, Lady Tu, I'd like to say it's a pleasure to see you, and actually a great surprise." Bei then tapped the letter. "This, is probably even more of a surprise. I'm almost positive that it did not leave my possession in this manner."

[JG Chan]

Vanguard

Shu'er giggled. "Oh, don't worry about it, Master Bei, I was just teasing. Sorry for that, and it's a pleasure to meet you too." She inclined her head from her seating position. "I'd guess that your messenger had a hard time catching up with me to deliver the letter. I don't really have a permanent home currently, so even I'm not sure exactly where to find me sometimes. I've picked up some notices from various leaders during my travels, but I haven't had a reason yet to tie myself down."

Her smile settled into a small curve, showing a little curiosity still. "When I saw Master Bei's letter, though, I wondered whether it was missing anything important. So now that I'm here, maybe you could answer that question?"

[Vanguard]

As Shu'er reassured Bei that that it was simply a tease, his expression softened and he began to worry less about the little things. Bei nodded in agreement about how the letter may have ended up in its current state. "Yes, you're probably right about that. I had heard that you traveled, but I just never imagined something would end up the way of this." He then raised the letter and set it back onto the table. "I also find there being no surprise that others have sought you out, as I think there are many reasons they would do so from what I've just gotten to see, as well as many more I've yet to see or hear."

Once the topic moved more towards the contents of the Bei's letter, he took a deep breath and looked away briefly as if he was just caught doing something he shouldn't. Bei then folded his hands into his lap, returning his gaze to match hers. "I really don't think there was anything important in the letter that you might have missed due to the smudging, I'm afraid," he said softly and sincerely. Bei let that admittance hang in the air for a few seconds, then continued, "However, the answer to your question, Lady Tu, is yes. That letter, is missing everything that is important."

The tone in Bei's voice took on a more serious temperament, though the kind smile could still be faintly seen as he began to speak more openly. "All the things that are important cannot be put into words and letters. Real emotions like: fear, anger, pain, sadness, hopelessness, and helplessness are not in here," Bei said ever more softer as he lightly tapped on the letter. "Nor are feelings of joy, warmth, hope, love, and comfort; the ideas, visions, lives, sacrifices and of countless dreams of everyday people and the ones that they look to, to help make them come true. None of these things are in this letter, and they're all important, and more important than myself and the small things I am trying to accomplish with the small words that I cannot write to capture them."

Bei Tianmeng let out a soft sigh. Suddenly, Bei stood up and moved towards a small window on one side of the room. The view looked out towards one small part of the city, and if one listened quietly, they could hear the people of Yangdi. Leaning against the frame of the window, Bei gazed out of it. "They're what's important," he said as he pointed out. "Those people. Everything that can and should be done, should be done for them. I don't mean just in the little things, either. Every policy, every treaty, every friendship, enemy... all the skirmishes and battles and campaigns... every choice that those in a position of authority should make, should be done with them in mind. If they were all swept away by a mighty flood this very instant, then there would be nothing left for me or for my Lord. Without them, we are nothing... but without us, they are simply the food for predatory people in this world, who don't care about them or what happens..." Bei's voice fell silent, and he remained standing at the window, looking out almost as if he forgot that Shu'er was even there.

[JG Chan]

Vanguard

Shu'er listened with what were truthfully mixed emotions, her smile fading to match Bei Tianmeng's seriousness. That he genuinely cared was obvious, yet she found that something was...off. Perhaps it was the suddenness of the shift in mood, like how that Ma Shensun fellow off-handedly claimed he would marry her after their first meeting, but it wasn't quite as bad as that. Sitting on her cushion and gazing out the window along with Bei, the young woman took the pause to think, trying to pin down what she was feeling. It wasn't like she had a good reply for him, sadly.

[Vanguard]

Before the silence grew to much, Bei Tianmeng turned around to look back upon Shu'er. Bei then forced a larger smile and rubbed at his forehead as he continued speaking to her. "I don't mean to sound so dramatic, but that is how I feel and how I see the situation. Recent circumstances haven't really helped keep my mind more at ease, but that is another story for another time." Leaning back against the wall next to the window, Bei rested one of his hands upon the other in front of himself.

"I'm sure you're probably asking yourself how this pertains the simple context of the letter." Bei Tianmeng's voice was still softer than it was during their initial exchanges and his smile had all but faded by this time. He had both avoided the basic meaning behind the letter, and expanded upon it. Now, however, he had to lay it out bluntly. This was the part that he wished to not really have to speak about, but it had to be done. "Well, Lady Tu... I see the need of a great many talented and willful people to tend to these ideas and needs and in many forms, as well. Ideally, I sought you out to meet my Lord Ying, and consider employment in order to tend to the needs of the people. Realistically, I knew this was a long shot and your mere presence here is enough of a surprise to know that I cannot ask anymore of you, than you've already given."

Slowly, Bei moved back towards the table and gently sat back on his cushion and looked more calmly and carefully at Shu'er. "I am... curious, to know what kind of reasons, or lack thereof, that you declined other such offers or requests of possibly a similar nature?"