Warlords: Three Kingdoms

Lai nodded.

"Good, good. Plans are not yet set, seems Dieu was insulted by something and therefore some people will likely die. But he has some loyalties to Chu and well I had heard of your commitment to your group, seems I am the only one yet to have found a cause. Any estimates how quickly you can be with us if needed, considering your plans? I would like to plan around having you there to lead the vanguard and I doubt Dieu wants to lead anything without you there. We only need your assistance 1-2 months I would venture. We have not yet determined a target location or target group or I should say Dieu has not shared that with me yet. One thing I know, you will gain great fame since Dieu was reluctant to involve me, which means more danger than usual even..."

Lai knew that last statement would have an effect on Rui, only times Dieu left Lai out of anything was when he joined Chu. Outside of his duty to Chu, Lai was always needed, it spoke volumes of what the commander thought of the situation and Rui would love anything that would be too dangerous for Lai or more likely anything that resembled impossible odds.

Trendkill wrote:Jin Shi

Jian tilted his head to one side, a bit confused by the somber tone which had befallen the conversation. "Ahhh, don't worry, I'm proud of how my father died. That's how all warriors want to go, isn't it?" He shook his head at hearing of Ma Su loosing his parents at such a young age, but it impressed him that Su was able to pretty much raise himself. He raised his bowl of wine in a toast to his and Su's departed parents and said, "may they never be forgotten!"

When the question of his goals was approached, Jian smiled coyly then nodded. "Aye, a general of course, I want to be as great as Qing Bu," he admitted with an air of pride. "I don't have any real urge to be a king or anything like that, but to be a commander with a reputation for success and the respect of his men would be a dream come true." After taking another bite of his meal he looked at Su and asked, "what about you? I can only assume that greatness is in your grand plan as well."

Ma Su laughed a little. "I would have thought you would want to be as great as Xiang Yu instead!" He finished his rabbit and his wine in two swift motions. "Indeed, a general respected by his men and feared when he takes the field is what all us military types aspire to right?" He paused, looking into the fire for a moment, thinking back to Julu.

He then turned back to Jian and said "It seems like you and I share much in common. That is good." He smiled a smile of appreciation. "We should have a more proper dinner sometime, and you could come meet my oath brother. Whenever I spot him again." He smirked. "So are you planning on camping out here tonight? It is already nightfall." He looked up at the sky, the stars already out.

ann wrote:Xiang Yu paused a moment before responding. Then said, “I believe that those who have brought us armies, led the armies, and who have won us so much ought to be rewarded according to their service. It is my view that such rewards can, at the same time, expand our sphere of influence.”

After a moment Xiang Yu continued, “As to the location of your capital, Righteous Emperor, I am merely pointing out that there is much tradition on the subject and that the current location is not fitting for you.”

And so no answers were given. Was this Xiang Yu's intent? The Emperor nodded absently, wondering what Xiang Yu was planning. "Yes, it would please us greatly to give rewards to our most faithful followers." But was there more to be said? The Emperor decided to take the bait and thus declared, "Let us reward our followers in accordance to their tenure. If it is reasonable, we ask the Hegemon King of Western Chu to outfit Qing Bu, who has served us faithfully these few years, so that he may conquer those who reject our Imperial will. Let this be done before the harvest is collected." And so Qing Bu would be out of the current Imperial capital within the year, if Xiang Yu heeded the decree.

But there was still the issue of the Imperial capital itself. Surely this was some scheme by Xiang Yu to undermine his power, but he did have a point. Chen was a rather small city, inappropriate for the capital of the new reigning regime. There was Xiangcheng and Guling, both of which were still within Xiang Yu's domain, likely playing to his interests. Surely there had to be another way... "As to the issue of the Imperial capital, we are in agreement with our most humble supporter. Chen is not deserving of being the capital of our Empire. Therefore, we ask of our greatest general that he may task his servants to survey the land and determine a more fitting capital for us to reside in."

"Lü Tang and Ma Su will be my subordinates in the main army," stated the general after several moments of thought, "Minister Baocen will take care of my support."

Pausing, Ji Bu turned to look upon those officers that had gathered. "We march on the morrow for Yangcheng at dawn . . . and forcibly teach the Middle Kingdom once again that the Hegemonic King and Chu are not to be trifled with lightly. Are there any questions? Good . . . then I shall see you three here tomorrow morning."

Jin Shi

Jian nodded, then smiled, as the concept of an oath-brother was still a bit of a mystery to him, likely because he had a blood brother around. "Oath-brother you say? That would be splendid. Is he an officer of Chu as well?" he asked with curiosity. When asked if he'd be camping, Jian shook his head and chuckled. "No, at least not tonight. I enjoy the stars. I used to stare at them for hours as a young boy, even making up my own constellations as I went," he added with a slight bit of embarrassment on his face.

For a second his face grew downtrodden, as if he were grappling with something he wished to address. Then, eyes facing skyward, asked, "What is your impression of the King?"

Campaign
Very excited to be chosen, he gave a sharp bow and salute, and retired to his quarters, prepping for the next day.

Trendsetter

Ma Su shook his head. "No, he is still a free soul. He finds court life to be stifling. He's off traveling or something." He looked out into the blackness of the plains, as if he were trying to pick out his oath brother in the darkness. He turned back to Jian and laughed Stars are wondrous things. My father left behind some old astrology books, so I already had their names right before me. It was hard to read in the night outside though." He chuckled as he remembered staying out late to all hours.

When Jian asked him of the King, he sensed a tinge of worry from his companion. Curious, he approached the question slowly. "He is a great warrior and commander, there's no mistaking that... He could use better advisers I think though. Good overall I think... Why do you ask?"

Jin Shi

He shook his head, "no reason really, well, I guess one. I have discussed it with Xiao, my brother, but I haven't had any real solid answers," he said with a hint of dismay to his voice. Again he looked at Su before returning his gaze skyward. "I am no stranger to war, and I know death and chaos are inevitable, but my father taught us to be noble and honorable, to respect life whenever possible. Some of the actions associated with the King, namely his dealings with enemy prisoners, have caused me a bit of a moral crisis. I am honor bound to fulfill my filial duties and continue the service to Chu which my father could no longer maintain due to his passing. I consider myself loyal and will not let such concerns interfere with my duties, but I am having a hard time rationalizing why he would do such things."

((Trendsetter? Really?! No, I kill trends! ))

Taking a twig, he poked it in the fire as he listened to Jian's troubles. Su had been where Jian is now back at Julu, and he had made his choice. Xiang Yu's rationalization of why it needed to be done had made sense... but it did not feel good to do it.

"At Julu, we were ordered to kill thousands of prisoners." He paused. "They were broken, destitute, no doubt the military was their main source of income. If they were let go, all 200,000 of them, what would they do? They shared a common enemy, Xiang Yu, and were trained in the art of war. If one of those soldiers stood up, and they went back to their homes and resupplied, what do you think would have happened? Mass uprising, many becoming bandits, the rest marching on Chen. You can spare some prisoners, but so many of them can only be destroyed. How do you ensure they would be loyal if you tried to hire them, or even to just stay inert after releasing them?"

He was silent after this. He still had doubts, despite what he said. Could they have been bought, or won over? Having a former Qin army at your beck and call would be incredibly powerful.

Jian nodded as he listened to Su. It was a familiar explanation, the same he had heard from Xiao and the few others he had trusted with his dilemma. He managed a smile before replying, "I understand, and I believe he knows better than me, but I would be lying if I said it didn't cause me some level of concern. I fear being put in the situation you were, being ordered to slaughter captives. I am a soldier, and therefore would have to act, but I am weary of how my conscience will do, and of how those souls will torment me in the nine-springs."

Shrugging his shoulders he then added, "I suppose they would have expected that, right? I mean if I'm captured I would only expect death as the outcome." After a few minutes of silence he managed to smile again before asking, "so you were at Julu? That is where my father died. I was supposed to go with him but had become ill only a few days before, and so he would not permit it despite my trying to convince him that I was fine."

He nodded in understanding. He had serious doubts that in this day and age that if he were captured his life would be spared. He hoped that the men he had defeated both as enemy combatants and as prisoners would not be vengeful when he passed.

He remembered Jian tell him about his father before. Nodding in understanding, he replied "It is good that you weren't there in many respects. You still have a shred of innocence left in you." He laughed a little. "No doubt you will be able to serve in battles far more glorious than Julu in the future. And we will be sure to bring along the court ministers to reeducate our prisoners instead of slaughtering them next time." He grinned at the thought of all the ministers chasing after the army, with their soft pillow cushions under their arms and scrolls of paper in their pockets. "We should head back before our fire invites a third, hairier party here."

He rose and patted his horse. He took out a carrot and broke off part for his horse while he waited for Jian to get ready to go. He said in passing "Who else have you met around here that you feel you can trust?"