Changsha Provincial Roleplay

[Lin Xin]

Lin Xin

Jian shrugged. "Well, we are only as good as the company we keep, or at least I've been told. But I suppose one could think that you, being a man of honor, are in the best position to do some good working for someone who is not. Then again, perhaps he isn't so bad if you were willing to give up your former position in order to serve him. That was also a reason for my wishing to meet with you. To gather your insight in to the man. I see he has gathered many in his quest to rebel against the Emperor and King of Chu, maybe there is much that remains to be seen about him. Would you be opposed to enlightening me a bit?" He knew he was being rather direct, but assumed that his guest wouldn't be opposed to getting right down to business having come this far.

With a shrug, Xin replied, "Well, honor can be relative, can it not? It all depend one's perspective. Confucious teaches us to honor our elders and obey the Son of Heaven. However, how righteous is the Hegemon King? What says he holds the Mandate of Heaven? While he may have declared himself a noble and ruler, the rest of China still suffers and there is no peace. He rewards bravery and ability with disdain and death. Because of that, I do not see Xiang Yu as the rightful heir to the Empire and believe those who bow at his feet to be of the same stock."

[Trendkill]

With a shrug, Xin replied, "Well, honor can be relative, can it not? It all depend one's perspective. Confucious teaches us to honor our elders and obey the Son of Heaven. However, how righteous is the Hegemon King? What says he holds the Mandate of Heaven? While he may have declared himself a noble and ruler, the rest of China still suffers and there is no peace. He rewards bravery and ability with disdain and death. Because of that, I do not see Xiang Yu as the rightful heir to the Empire and believe those who bow at his feet to be of the same stock."

Jian listened intently. He too had reservations about serving the king which remained to this day. "So," he began with sincere curiosity, "what makes you qualified to interpret the mandate of the heavens? I am no expert, obviously, but it seems to me that the Heavens abandoned the Qin in favor of Chu. So wouldn't it be only right to assume that they are currently supposed to rule?"

[Lin Xin]

((sorry bout the delayed replies. Vacationing on the US Virgin Islands))

"First off, the land is still in turmoil, which indicates that the Mandate has not been given yet. Second, Chu's brutal reign is not in line with the enlightened rule of a legitimate Emporer. Finally, the self-proclaimed Hegemon King has shown he only cares for his ego, not the people. This is clearly demonstrated in the unnecessary sacking of the Qin capital. If one stops to consider all this, it is evident that the Chu is an illegitimate tyrant."

[Trendkill]

Jian sat and listened intently, nodding his head every so often. When Xin finished speaking Jian remained silent for a few moments before replying, "I see, well there's more than a kernel of truth to what you say, but again I'm no interpreter of the Heavens, so I dare not argue. I guess I just go by my heart, and for now it tells me to serve Chu, as my father did, as my brother does now." He took another sip of his drink. Looking across the fire at his very wise guest, he then asked, "so do you serve Deng Yue because you feel he could be the next Emperor, or is it a temporary arrangement?"

[RuffRydeR]

Jian kept walking for a moment, a smile on quickly forming on his face as she followed after him. He turned on heel to face and stared into her eyes for a moment before replying, "yes, I could. I've been riding horses since I was a boy. I could show you how, but it would take time and patience. At the rate you've been progressing I could have you riding well in no time." His eyes glimmered with pride at having finally found something to use as his in with the enchantress.

Since you were a boy? Are you rich then? These beasts are expensive to get, and more expensive to keep alive. My clan never kept them due to this. She pondered curiously, before finally smiling, So, will you teach me? I am told warriors here often battle mounted, and while I could still muster enough strength to best the...it would be more difficult, I think.

[Trendkill]

RuffRydeR

Again Jian smiled, elated by the chance to spend time with Anshui in whatever capacity he could. "Well no, not rich, but my father was a general, so horses were always made available to us. I wanted to fight, like him, so naturally I had to learn," he said as he walked over to the horse and took it by the reigns. Patting it gently on the snout he looked back to Anshui before saying, "it's a simple, beautiful bond that a rider forms with his horse that, with practice, can make it seem as though the animal is one with you. Allowing it to read your slightest gestures and move accordingly. In the north there are nomads who begin to ride before they can walk. As they get older they can fire an arrow, at full gallop, and hit their target with deadly efficiency every time."

He then shifted his eyes towards her bow and quiver before adding, "so I think that you, given your skills with archery, would be even deadlier with skills like that."

[Shen Feng]

For the first time, Shen Feng's armies marched to battle without him. Oddly, this left the young Marquis feeling more nervous than he had been when he accompanied them. He had faith that the battle would be won. Baocen Peng's host was sizable and his commanders exceptional, but the King of Han had many able men in his service as well. It would certainly be a bloody conflict, but the time had come to leave those conflicts to the men skilled at them.

"Milord?" The greeting started Feng from his reverie. He was in a small garden on the grounds of his administrative complex in Zhu, taking a rare break from his work. He looked over to the messenger who had come and gave a small grin, motioning him to continue.

"Milord, Li Jiacheng's troops are pouring into Jiujiang. They seem poised to eradicate the Swordbearer, Xiang Jun." The grin faded, replaced by a frown, as Feng considered the news.

"Have they asked us for aid?" "No, no messenger from them has yet come. These reports come from our border scouts by Qianzhong." Feng nodded at the news, wondering if the proud Xiang Jun would come to him. Feng had, of course, requested Jun's aid in pacifying Deng Yue, aid that Jun had denied him. Furthermore, distressingly to some in his court, Deng Yue had proceeded northeast after his defeat and aligned himself with Xiang Jun, helping him in battles within Jiujiang. While some warned Feng that it was an ill omen, Feng was not overly concerned about it. Deng Yue's power had been broken, and if he were to resume his banditry, it would be the problem of the Swordbearer now.

"Should we recall our army to prepare?" This question came from Feng's bodyguard, Shan Lue, present as always. Feng glanced to him and shook his head. "No. We are already committed. I do not believe we will be asked for help anyway. There is another man that the Swordbearer will turn to in his time of need, one who can help him more than I could. This will be the act that will rouse the Hegemonic King from his slumber. I hope that Li Jiacheng knows what he has awakened."

Again, Feng thought about the raids that had ravaged Wu, probably at the behest of Xiang Yu himself. The Emperor was now apparently dead, along with the young bodyguard Feng had personally granted to his cause. The Prime Minister and his wisdom had been banished from the court. If ever there was a time for the King of Chu to mobilize, this would be it. Feng was glad that he wouldn't be the one standing against his fury.

[Trendkill]

After arriving at his destination, along with the rest of Shen Feng's armies, only to find that Liu Bang had pulled out of the city, Luo Jian could only shake his head and sigh. Hoping to have had at least one more good battle for his current liege, Jian then decided it was time to inform Lord Shen of his decision. After a brief ride he arrived before the tent of Lord Shen and, after announcing himself, presented himself before Feng and bowed low. "Lord Shen, I have served you faithfully and now, after helping you to solidify your hold on Changsha, I feel it is time for me to depart. I made a promise to Ma Su, before leaving Chu, that I would return to help in securing Liang. He and I are as brothers, and I hope that, in time, you will be able to forgive me, but I must return to my native lands and help Lord Ma and the King secure the province."

With that said he then waited for Shen Feng's response.

[Shen Feng]

As the news was delivered, Feng frowned, but nodded slowly. "It's disappointing to hear, I'll be honest. You were one of the two main bulwarks I've built this state on, alongside the Cang brothers. I'm not disappointed in you, though, just that we won't be able to work together further. The news from Liang concerns me. Chenliu was razed by Qi, and my understanding is that Ma Su permitted that without attempting to fight. I was born and raised not far outside Chenliu. I have yet to hear from my family, to know their well-being."

He let out a long breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. He'd been so busy carrying out the King's will and trying to bring peace to the south that he hadn't allowed himself to worry about his family like he should have been. A lapse in filial duty, to be sure. He should have sent for them to move south as soon as he'd claimed his first city, but he'd assumed it would be a risky proposition, with his foothold less than secure. By the time he had defeated Deng Yue and captured a solid base, Qi had moved. Feng closed his eyes, concentrating, determined not to weep in front of his mighty general. He would need to be strong in Luo Jian's absence, he would need to demonstrate to him now that he could manage without him.

"You have my blessing to go to Ma Su, but I have two requests to make of you. The first is simple. See if you can find how my family has fared. They have a farmstead several li to the southwest of Chenliu itself, in a small village. I am hoping the destruction wreaked by Qi was limited to the city itself, but..." He trailed off, realizing how callous that sounded, how selfish that sounded. He gave a frustrated sigh as he tried to compose himself, before continuing. "The destruction is unacceptable, any destruction on that scale is unacceptable. But I hope that my family is alive. If they are, if you can find them, then see if they wish to relocate to the south. If they do, I shall send an escort for them. I do not know that they will want to come, Father is quite set in his ways. But make the offer."

"The second request is a little more complicated. From my own experience working with him, I know Ma Su is a fighter, a scrapper. He is not one to give in. But what happened in Chenliu concerns me. The lack of a fight. He is in the center of a dangerous storm, and I do not know that he will be able to ride it out. You are well-grounded, Jian. I know you are a warrior first and foremost, but you also know what is right. You saw, in working for me here, that a just man can triumph over one who takes shortcuts, one who seeks profit rather than peace. I need you to try to guide Ma Su down the right path. Be a moral compass for him. I cannot imagine how he is feeling after what Zhefu has done to him and his people. I... I hope he is feeling something. I don't know. But it's necessary for him to be strong and to do the right thing, for the sake of Chu and for peace in the land. If you are to go to him and help him, do not just help him with your sword arm. Help him as a person. I worry that he needs that help most of all."

"Know too that you are always welcome back here, should things go poorly, or exceptionally well. I have more battles ahead of me, though I know I am not in such dire straits as General Ma is. There will always be a place for you in my armies, Jian." Feng managed a smile, then stood and bowed before his erstwhile warrior. "Go with honor."

[Trendkill]

Jian listened intently to Feng, for he knew him to be wise beyond his years. True, the situation in Liang was fierce, but that of course was why he was going there. Like Feng, Jian too had family in the area and wished to take part in protecting them. When the two requests were made Jian smiled and nodded, both happy to provide his former Lord with one last service, and relieved that he approved.

"I will send word once I hear anything. With any luck they evacuated before the Qi armies arrived," he said with a look that conveyed both sadness and hope. As to the other request Jian nodded. "I hope that I can do just that. I met Su before, while in the capitol, and we had many of the same goals and ambitions. But hopefully I have learned enough from you to pass it along and keep him on the proper path. Trust that the defense of Liang will be first and foremost to me."

He then bowed deeply before Lord Shen. This was not at all easy for the young warrior, after all, he had been most generous to Jian during his time in Changsha. Rising he then added before departing, "I just may return one day, hopefully after defeating the Qi. But should I fall to their blades just know that I will have been proud to have served with you and that I will have died with dignity and honor." With that he turned and departed for Liang, confident that the Chu forces would be able to repel the hordes ravaging their lands.

((Luo Jian has left Shen Feng's forces))