Nanyang Provincial Roleplay

[Crim]

The old grizzled veteran shrugged nonchalantly. "Judging by the distance to the garrisson, and how quickly the men can report? An hour if we are lucky. Half that if we are not." The man rose and sent a few soldiers out to ready the horses. He made no excuses for letting the other three Huynag troops escape, and pointedly ignored the question regarding their condition.

The woman looked to her uncle pointedly, only to find the man already packing his belongings and emptying his strongbox. She looked back to Jun with a smile and a shrug. "It would appear that we are going. And we are grateful for your protection." Her eyes lowered and her face blushed a little bit. "I must go to gather my belongings."

A short while later, the man and his neice were ready to depart, looking wistfully at the tavern, and then to the men from Chu. "We are ready," she said, with a hint of sadness in her tone, but with eyes that looked eager to start a new life.

((Jin Mei Liao; 20; 34-22-61-72-89; Assemble I, Civil Admin I, Doctor I, Haste I, Inspire I; has joined the forces of Xiang Yu.))

Xiang Jun approached Jin Mei Lao and gently lifted her chin. "Do not worry," he said. "If life in Chen doesn't suit you, I will do everything in my power to make your return to Huyang as safe and comfortable as possible. Just give me some time."

Bowing his head slightly to Jin's uncle, the youngster invited him to ride with one of his escorts. Another soldier carried with him the armor and the axe pilfered from Zao Xing. On the other hand, Jun asked Jin Mei Liao to ride with him.

When the pair was atop the steed, Jun winced as the wounds from the bout seemed to break again. Forcing a cheerful tone, he shifts his attention to Mei Lao. "This has been an unexpectedly memorable journey," he said, flashing a weak smile as he did so. "However, I'm afraid I still don't have your name, my lady." Without waiting for her answer, Jun signaled the start of the march back to Chen. With a scout riding ahead of the cabal, the men from Chu and their new companions took the least conspicuous route towards home.

[Taishi Ci]

A small force emerged from the croplands alongside the fork in the road. One man was on a thick bodied horse and he raised an ungloved hand in greeting. Though he had a halberd across his back he did not seem intent on using it. His men remained back a fair distance as he rode ahead, but even from the distance it could be seen that they were well armed. They gripped spears and were dressed in leather mail.

"Ho there traveler!" The large bearded fellow on the horse called out as he rode closer. "You and your men look confused? Where are you from and where do you head?"

The group turned to face the arrival of the mounted stranger, as Baocen took a few steps forward to come into view. The dust from the road had begun to collect in the folds of his robe, and he brushed some of it away before raising his own hand in return. "Hail. I am Baocen Peng, here in Nanyang on assignment from the King of Chu. Since I am unfamiliar with the terrain in this area, I've been out scouting with a few men. Tell me, do you know where these roads lead? And if I may ask, to whom do I have to honor of meeting?"

[Lurking Tyranny]

The group turned to face the arrival of the mounted stranger, as Baocen took a few steps forward to come into view. The dust from the road had begun to collect in the folds of his robe, and he brushed some of it away before raising his own hand in return. "Hail. I am Baocen Peng, here in Nanyang on assignment from the King of Chu. Since I am unfamiliar with the terrain in this area, I've been out scouting with a few men. Tell me, do you know where these roads lead? And if I may ask, to whom do I have to honor of meeting?"

Hama pulled on the reigns of his steed and the animal slowed and then came to a stop a few feet from Baocen Peng and his party. It's rider was a big man in his middle years, with a sizable gut and powerful looking arms. He had a thick beard and several small scars on his sun tanned face.

"King of Chu? Xiang Yu?" Gu Hama of Ba said with genuine surprise. "What sort of assignment brings you to Nanyang Baocen Peng?" there was obvious suspicion in his voice.

"I am Gu Hama of Ba." He thumped his chest with a closed fist. There was obvious pride in his voice. "I know these lands well for I am the protector of the Ba peoples here. I run the mountain village and will soon be taking command of the valley township to further protect my peoples." He pointed off the main road to a ill used trail that looked like it led through a forest valley surrounded by formidable mountains. "That way."

"This main road.." he said with a sniff and then gestured down one fork. "This one leads past the town of She... a miserable little place unfriendly to me or my people." He said with a shake of his head. "Though it does have a few good drinking holes." A chuckle escaped the man's lips. "Further that way you come to the city of Huyang. It's run by lord Zao. I don't rightly know much about him, save that he's got a warriors reputation and is well liked by the local non-ba nobility, mostly men of Qin and Chu."

"If you take this fork instead, well, the road will take you to the rather large township of Duyu, though my people call it Duyun. Go beyond that and you'll end up in Yingchaun. Too far north for my tastes." He then wheeled his horse around and circled around behind Baocen, thrusting a finger down the road in another direction.

"Head that way and you come to Yuan. Nice place. It's run by a fellow man of Ba, Gen He. Lord Gen is old now and doesn't much interfere outside his district's borders, but in his day he was something of a skilled general it is said. He fought with the Qin under Meng Wu I am told."

[Royalspork]

Lin Yue stalked the streets of Duyu, seeking a man about a horse. She looks high and low through the administrative district until she came upon Saofeng Can, to whom she inquired "I heard you were quite the horse breeder, and I am looking to get myself one hell of a fast horse, do you think you can help?"

[SwissStopwatch]

Saofang Can looked up from the pile of tax records he was sorting through when Lin Yue stormed into his office. He momentarily thought about taking her to task for her rather brazen manner, but decided against it; it wouldn't be the best use of his time right now to get into an argument with one of Baocen Peng's generals, and her request seemed like it would be straightforward. If he was quick about it, he could get back to his work.

"Hm. Yes, I do know a bit about training horses. There are different degrees of fast, though... and the faster the horse you want, the more it costs to find the right quality of horse to train. And it can be hard to haggle with the breeders on short notice, when there's not as much time to look. So, how fast are we looking for? Fast, very fast, very very fast?"

[Royalspork]

Lin Yue ignored whatever agitation may be showing on his face, and replied, "Very very fast, as fast as this can pay for, I imagine."
Lin Yue then wheels out a barrel of 350 gold, and places it in front of the desk, and says, "Do you think that will do?"

[SwissStopwatch]

The administrator blinked as Lin Yue rushed to wheel in the giant barrel of gold. "You br... nevermind. Yes, that would be more than enough to find and train something in the very very fast category, within a month even. Not a legendary horse, but a very good one. So, if you're willing to spend that much, I can have what you're looking for ready in a month's time, probably with some money left. Well?"

[Royalspork]

Lin Yue smiles from ear to ear and replies "If the horse is truly that fast, you can keep the rest." Lin Yue then leaves the office and the barrel left in the middle of it. She could be heard outside whistling and skipping all the way back home.

Lin Yue gives Saofang Can 350 gold

[SwissStopwatch]

Saofang Can sat still for a while, trying to process what he had just seen. Is this -really- how a competent general was supposed to behave? After a while, he decided that he wasn't really in a position to answer that either way, and further decided to stop working early for today, because horse trading would be a nice change of pace from chasing down delinquent taxpayers.

(350 gold accepted.)

[Royalspork]

A month later, Lin Yue returned to the office of Saofang Can. As she entered she bowed, and inquired, "How is that horse of mine?"