Qi Provincial Roleplay

[King Tao]

"He undoubtedly attacked our lands by orders of Xiang Yu of Chu." Baihu replied to his father, "He told me when we first met before his capture that his King, Xiang Yu, had betrayed him and that he sought to join you despite fighting us at the moment. I know he must be sincere, he has nothing to return to in Chu... Xiang Yu has had his wives and children slaughtered by now and his household is probably nothing more than rubble now. No offense to Lord Tian, but given his history with Qing Bu, can we expect an unbiased response from him? If we were going to judge Qing Bu based on a biased view, why not have given me orders to execute the man upon capture instead of bringing him to Qi and giving us the chance to grant him freedom? It would make this display little more than a performance to make us look like people who toy with our prisoners rather than grant them a quick painless death. This would be little more than torture, not physical but mental and emotional." Baihu sighed and continued, "I cannot say whether he killed your Emperor or not, but if he did, who is to say it was on purpose, or if the orders to do such didn't originate from Xiang Yu's mouth and caused Qing Bu to leave the man's service, driving him eastwards towards our lands?"

[Mikal]

Zhefu considered these words at length before replying.

"But did you not say he wished to parley? If so, then why did your battle continue afterwards? Is he truly so undisciplined that he cannot hold his forces long enough to come to Linzi to speak with me? And it is said Qing Bu is close to Xiang Yu. If that is the case, and yet he now flees, what character does that speak of the man, especially as, rather than him to come here and speak of peace, he comes here and attacks us."

[Mikal]

Zhefu considered these words at length before replying.

"But did you not say he wished to parley? If so, then why did your battle continue afterwards? Is he truly so undisciplined that he cannot hold his forces long enough to come to Linzi to speak with me? And it is said Qing Bu is close to Xiang Yu. If that is the case, and yet he now flees, what character does that speak of the man, especially as, rather than him to come here and speak of peace, he comes here and attacks us."

[King Tao]

Baihu shifted his stance and looked to Qing Bu, looking for some sort of help in his explanation, all based on assumptions. He then looked back to his father and said, "He refused to risk his army being taken away from him by virtual strangers, it is something even I could relate to. If I risk myself or my troops being massacred in a manner that is not in any way noble, I would rather go down fighting and die that way. If Qing Bu and Xiang Yu are as close as you say they are, where is Xiang Yu? Why did he not send help? He was in Liang while we were fighting in Jiaoxi, he could have sent aid or at least a messenger to parley for Qing Bu's release, but I have seen no messenger and I have heard of no such offer. If they are still close, if he is still one of Xiang Yu's favored generals, why have we not yet been offered terms?"

[Mikal]

"Because Xiang Yu does not begrudge failures, even from those loyal to him. Look at Liang for example. Ma Su was supposedly loyal to Chu, even providing aid to Ma Dieu in his battles against the East. Yet Xiang Yu invaded and cast him aside." Zhefu too, looked to Qing Bu.

"Even this one would admit Xiang Yu's temperament is not one towards fostering loyalty from those who fail him, even in impossible tasks."

[King Tao]

"I hear nothing but bad words of Xiang Yu and his intolerance for failure," Baihu began, "But what of Hin Wu? He had his city sacked and razed to the ground by those mercenaries months ago and I heard nothing of him being punished. In fact, my scouts report that there are rumors circulating that the cities Xiang Yu took from Ma su were given to Hin Wu. That seems far from punishing failure to me. Ma Su may have had failed to defend his city against us and the other bandits, but Hin Wu did such a poor job defending his city that even today we are uncertain if occupying the city is even worth it. Yet Xiang Yu still rewards Hin Wu! Ma Su was willing to open peace talks with us and Hin wu wasn't, that is why Xiang Yu attacked him, not because of his failure to defend a city from us or to attack us! This man," Baihu pointed to Qing Bu, "Has been scorned by Xiang Yu and dispelled from his lands! He has reason to hate Xiang Yu and to exact revenge on the man, let us use that to our advantage and grant him life and allow him the chance to take revenge upon the man all of us wish to see dead."

[Mikal]

"...Your words have merit. I will have to consider them. Though again, I will wait to hear from Tian Rong, Qing Bu himself, and my bride. After all, wisdom comes from many things, not just one source. Still, for now, he will live. Under heavy guard. His fate to be decided before my marriage."

[Kymvir Raemiz]

Qing Bu had been silent during the discussion of the two men, his face impassive, and his eyes cold. Finally, he spoke, his voice a croak from disuse. "I raided Qi at the behest of the Hegemon King. I assaulted Jiaoxi at his request. I murdered the Emperor at his suggestion. I would do all of it again, and had I the support that was promised me, I would not have lost."

Qing Bu straightened, "What's more, I do not disagree with what Xiang Yu wanted me to do. I supported him, for I felt he was the man to rule the Empire. He rewarded those around him with armies and domains, and those who did not support him were ignored. In the end, though, he chose to support fools who do nothing, and refused to give me the officers and men I needed to break your power."

He sneered, "As for your questions about why I assaulted your forces after the parlay, I was not offered sufficient assurances. The army was mine, and your . . . man . . suggested it would be taken from me and given to others. I do not relinquish my command while it is intact. Ever. It is mine."

[Mikal]

Qing Bu had been silent during the discussion of the two men, his face impassive, and his eyes cold. Finally, he spoke, his voice a croak from disuse. "I raided Qi at the behest of the Hegemon King. I assaulted Jiaoxi at his request. I murdered the Emperor at his suggestion. I would do all of it again, and had I the support that was promised me, I would not have lost."

Qing Bu straightened, "What's more, I do not disagree with what Xiang Yu wanted me to do. I supported him, for I felt he was the man to rule the Empire. He rewarded those around him with armies and domains, and those who did not support him were ignored. In the end, though, he chose to support fools who do nothing, and refused to give me the officers and men I needed to break your power."

He sneered, "As for your questions about why I assaulted your forces after the parlay, I was not offered sufficient assurances. The army was mine, and your . . . man . . suggested it would be taken from me and given to others. I do not relinquish my command while it is intact. Ever. It is mine."

"Direct. And more honest than I had thought you might be, with your life on the line. Still, honesty may not serve you well here. For what reasons should I spare your life? From all intents and purposes you sound like you are a man who will cause naught but anquish and chaos in these times, if not for Xiang Yu, then for its own sake." Zhefu steepled his fingers under his mask, looking at Qing Bu directly.

"Tell me, then, what you would do if freed."

[Zhao Ren]

Tian Rong, glowering with indignation over the offenses dealt to him over these several months, was blunt and to the point in his response, "He murdered the Emperor, that is a heinous crime to overlook. That... boy was the man who united these forces against the Qin, and Xiang Yu-" Tian Rong said with venom in his tone, "- cast him aside without a care, seeking to usurp power for himself. Perhaps our captive here now knows what kind of man Xiang Yu is now." Tian Rong leaned forward, his voice lowering to a threatening grumble, "I am no fool. I refused to aid Xiang Liang for a reason. I did not wish to see the Xiangs simply take the place of the Kings of Qin and continue to oppress the people so. The Middle Kingdom has seen enough tyrants." Looking back to Zhefu with an icy gaze, Tian Rong shrugged, concluding, "If this man here refuses to see the fault of his ways, he is no use to us alive. Though he may not return to Xiang Yu, he is still that man's dog, and thus would only been disorder and ruin to the land on his own, as you said. His own words, that he would do all that he did again if he could, only confirms his desire for this chaos, rather than expressing regret that he is at fault for the current state of this land."