Lu Ying's Audience Hall - Yanyu

[ZhangCo]

Liao Qian inclined his head respectfully to the young woman, glad that she didn't waste time in asking questions. "My name is Liao Qian, and I'm here to join you. I have around two thousand men waiting outside, that would quite happily wave their swords for you if you wanted them to. What do I want of you? Nothing, really. A few heads to bash or a little town to take care of wouldn't go amiss but I'm not too fussed,"

[RuffRydeR]

"The battle for Yanyu went well, with the aid of the King of Zhao, Wu Chen, supporting my supply lines my own forces were free to take the brunt of the battle. I personally took 27 heads. "Lu Ying said with more then a hint of pride. "Not that I like to kill of course, but I can hardly expect my followers to do something I would not lower myself to."

"As for my wealth distribution work. Its so much more efficiant now I have control of this territory. Now I simply have to tax the right people to distribute the wealth of Zhao"

"So tell me of your father, he is well Lady Xia? I cant imagine it was easy for him to let you out on the battle field!"

"The King of Zhao..."

Liangyu pondered that, for she had not paid the announcement much heed. She rarely read anything that didn't grab her interest in the first couple of lines. Though she did believe a minister had told her that it was requesting her father's presence for a discussion. Still, Father was busy in a metting with a previous commitment with the...erm...King that Wu Chen had, technically, rebelled against. Frowning, she asked,

"Hmm...What do you make of this 'King of Zhao', Lady Lu. I heard he invited my Father to meet him...I don't exactly get why him and Master Chen of Chu aren't getting along. And really, it's us in Yin, and you, here in Yanyu, who are in between the two. What's to say that 'King of Chu' won't go to battle, and the two kings won't fight this very month? And on our soil too, of all places, I'd wager...if I did stoop low enough to partake of the gambling vice."

She shook her head. Her poor adopted province was right at the crossroads of five leaders. Sooner or later, one would pay unwanted attention towards it. It was just bound to happen, really. Sighing, she then chuckled when asked about her father,

"Oh, he came along and watched. I felt fairly safe. I figure he would've stepped in and done something if I found myself in over my head. I notice he trusts me with more andm ore responsibilites, but I believe he always has a plan to back me up if I get into trouble. I expect as much, anyways."

Giggling, the younger lady then noted,

"As for letting me out...well, it was going to happen sooner or later. Otherwise, I would've just kept nagging him."

[Lu Ying]

Liao Qian inclined his head respectfully to the young woman, glad that she didn't waste time in asking questions. "My name is Liao Qian, and I'm here to join you. I have around two thousand men waiting outside, that would quite happily wave their swords for you if you wanted them to. What do I want of you? Nothing, really. A few heads to bash or a little town to take care of wouldn't go amiss but I'm not too fussed,"

Lu Ying stood up from her dias and walked down to the man before her. "New recruits to my little corner of Zhao are always welcome. I will place you as governor of one of my towns, and from there you can prove yourself worthy of moving up in rank." Lu Ying said with a smile.

OFFICER INFO PLZ!

[Lu Ying]

"The King of Zhao...." Lu Ying said slowly "The king is a good man. I helped him take his capital of Julu and he helped me take my city of Yanyu. After the battle of Yanyu I met the king in a restraunt in the city centre and while he has a very businesslike mannor at first, I found him to be sweet and charming. I feel thats something could happen....." Lu ying said wistfully as she trailed off.

"Of course lady Xian An would not like that at all" Ying giggled before turning her attention back to the young woman before her.

"What about yourself? Have you met a man yet? Or is your father planning to marry you off to anybody?"

[RuffRydeR]

"I see... Sweet he may be, but I'm not sure that helps us see how he would be as a leader, not as a lover. I've heard tales of the sweetest fellows turning into the nastiest people in the political arena or on the field of open battle. I do hope he proves to be a good fellow, through and through..."

She then shook her head as she saw Ying was rather enamoured with the man, and then chuckled as she remembered the odd An. Oh, what a pair those two were, and she was starting to suspect this was in more ways than one. Shrugging, she said,

"Well, I don't know. I don't realy think about it, as well, I like being with my Father and my friends in Yin, and my marriage would almost certainly make me leave his side and maybe Yin altogether. I'm in no rush to do that..."

She looked down oddly at a pendant she wore, a deep glowing green that hung on an exquisite golden necklace, and then her mouth twisted a bit,

"...Nor have I met a man I would deem to spend the rest of my years with. So until then, I am still my Father's little maiden princess."

She giggled at this, then settled back into a dignified stance...

[Lu Ying]

"Indeed" Ying said at the young womans words "It will take time to tell of the Kings ruling ability, but I have faith in him"

"As for your father, I am glad he is doing well and I am happy to see you are glad to stay there."

"Your father, does he have any more plans for expansion now he has settled into control of the Yin province?" Lu Ying asked quizzativly

[RuffRydeR]

"Well...I do hope he turns out to be a fair leader...I'm surprised to see he's happily sharing Zhao's leadership with you, instead of wanting everything under his direct control. But, well, I guess that's just another mystery amongst many."

Then, she found herself quizzed about her Father's intentions. Shrugging, she answered plainly,

"I don't know. Even I, his closest confidant, has no clue what he wants to do. But expansion? We have everything we need in Yin, the province is at peace, and we're happy with what we have. We'd definitely rather everyone else go make their wars in other places. I don't know what my Father plans, but why need we expand? That simply means making lots of enemies all over the place with people and I'd rather be friends, really. But I'll do what my Father needs me to do, is all. What about you? Are you satisfied with Yanyu, Ying?"

[Lu Ying]

"Yanyu is a fine city, and I still control much of the countryside here in Zhao as well." Lu ying said "However, there is much chaos in the northern lands. I hear barbarians have taken the trouble with Qin and Chu to heart and are making incursions into the middle kingdom."

"With dangers like that I cant help but want to expand my control of the land. The north is divided among petty rulers all out for themselves. with one united force we could hold back the barbarians from without and the bandits from within"

[RuffRydeR]

Liangyu pondered this, not exactly able to grasp what something like that would mean. Therefore, she asked for clarification,

"United? And who would be part of this union you propose? Not alliance...not friendship, but union. It is quite a bit of a jump, don't you? And mayhaps I could be wrong, but doesn't union mean there can only be one leadet. Who would you propose?"

Liangyu settled uneasily at the thought. No, she didn't think her father minded being a provincial governor. He was doing that right now for the Qin. But actual union instead of this semi-autonomy? How would that work?

With a tight, iron fist crushing all free will, that was the only way she could see. After all, that was the only way it had ever been done, by that blessed man formerly known simply as Ying Zheng...

But who possessed such a fist? Better yet...who possessed such a will?

[Lu Ying]

"You missunderstand. I prepose a union built on friendships and trust. As the Qin emperor has shown, kingdoms and empires and unions and federations, any of these things built on fear and power"

"while I may plan to expand over the lawless lands to the north, I am not a tyrant. After all, were I just out for myself I would not be trying to forge a friendship with your father and the King of Zhao."