Jiaodong Provincial Roleplay

[ann]

For roleplay in Jiaodong.

[Shi Tong]

Riding in a carriage through the streets of Beiping, Shi Tong surveyed his recently acquired surroundings. It hadn't taken much to convince the local populace to install him as their administrative leader and since that time, Shi had taken the time and effort to make his face known to the people, to give them a sense of comfort, to know that their lord was watching over them. But this was only the first step that Shi Tong had come up with. His recent delivering of words to the populated centers of the Middle Kingdom would hopefully attract men and women of talent. And when they came, and pledged their services to his banner, the next step in his plan would begin.

[OneEyedDrgn]

Liang Zhuwen began to stir as the morning sun began to shine on his eyes. Annoying. He hated the damn sun, ruining his peaceful slumber after a full night of partying. After trying to ignore the sun's rats for a minute or so, he finally opened his eyes. His first action was to turn to the girl who had her arms around his chest and was sleeping with her head placed sideways on Zhuwen's arm, wrapped around her body. Zhuwen hated waking up girls, but he wasn't about to lye in bed for the next few hours. hoping the girl would wake up.

"Hey Linze," he softly spoke, as he gently rubbed the girl's cheek. The girl slowly opened her eyes, and Zhuwen was glad she wasn't a heavy sleep. Smiling, the girl kissed him on the cheek and Zhuwen returned the smile.

"I have to go now," he simply stated. The girl's smile faded, as she looked away.

"So soon? You were here only for a day..."

"Yeah well... I told you the night before. I'm a man who wanders. Sorry." The girl said nothing, as she nodded and removed herself from the man. Now free, Zhuwen stood up from the bed and began to put on his light armor and sword.

"Will you come back to see me again?" the girl asked sadly.

"Of course, can't forget a cute girl like you," Zhuwen replied with a gentle smile, assuring the girl. He however was lying. There was no reason to come back. Walking to the girl, he kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room. Going down the stairs, he paid the innkeeper the gold and went outside. Stretching his hands with a yawn, he lazily stood there for a minute before finally moving, planning to leave the village and Jiaodong. Like always, he would just wander about the land, searching for things to do and sleeping with women.

Open RP

[Shi Tong]

It was as stretched that he could hear the shifting sounds of feet meeting ground, a large number of them in fact. After a few moments Zhuwen would see the reason for the ruckus. A unit of soldiers, totally near four hundred men if not more, were marching through the roads. They didn't necessarily look all that tough, however. In fact, most were baby-faced and were struggling with their uniforms. Still, there were a few old guard leaders, including their sergeant, whose scars on his face telling a different story of struggle than the baby-faced. As the sergeant eyed the local inn, he gave the command for a stop in front of the establishment.

Giving orders for his squad leaders to prepare refreshments for the men, the sergeant cracked his neck and fingers, himself grateful for the slight pause in their itinerary for the day.


In A Separate Instance:

The ride to Gaomi wasn't too long. The city that had been his home for nearly his entire life now seemed as if it was both worlds away and inches from his grasp. Waving a feather fan inside of his carriage, Shi Tong cursed the stuffiness of his closed-in vehicle and wished that the ride would end even sooner than anticipated.

Thankfully, in accordance with his wishes, the carriage stopped. Sarcastically wondering if he had divine providence on his side, Shi Tong exited the carriage and found himself in front of the administrative center of the city of Gaomi. He, of course, knew of Gaomi's military background, once a key holding for Qi in the prior era. Now, he hoped, it would be a key opportunity for him as well.

Wearing the attire he normally reserved for important visits, and carrying with him the seal of the town of Beiping, Shi Tong waved his fan a few times to feel the cool breeze upon his face before approaching the guardsmen to the building. He hadn't any contact with the city since his departure and wondered what the fates had in store for him today.

"Greetings, guardsmen of Gaomi. I am Shi Tong, newly installed administrator of Beiping. In accordance with such a responsibility, I have come to pay respects to the governor of the city."

[Zhao Ren]

The ride to Gaomi wasn't too long. The city that had been his home for nearly his entire life now seemed as if it was both worlds away and inches from his grasp. Waving a feather fan inside of his carriage, Shi Tong cursed the stuffiness of his closed-in vehicle and wished that the ride would end even sooner than anticipated.

Thankfully, in accordance with his wishes, the carriage stopped. Sarcastically wondering if he had divine providence on his side, Shi Tong exited the carriage and found himself in front of the administrative center of the city of Gaomi. He, of course, knew of Gaomi's military background, once a key holding for Qi in the prior era. Now, he hoped, it would be a key opportunity for him as well.

Wearing the attire he normally reserved for important visits, and carrying with him the seal of the town of Beiping, Shi Tong waved his fan a few times to feel the cool breeze upon his face before approaching the guardsmen to the building. He hadn't any contact with the city since his departure and wondered what the fates had in store for him today.

"Greetings, guardsmen of Gaomi. I am Shi Tong, newly installed administrator of Beiping. In accordance with such a responsibility, I have come to pay respects to the governor of the city."

The guards bore a grim disposition, several were scarred from conflicts ages before Shi Tong was born. At first glance, it wasn't evident who was in charge of this shift, but eventually one of the men, standing a head taller than Shi Tong, grunted and replied, "Follow me, Chief Shi." He turned around and barked out an order almost more noise than words. The gates slowly creaked open and soon Shi Tong was led into the inner courtyard of Gaomi's administrative palace. As they walked, the guard idly spoke to his guest, his voice a deep rumble, "You are to meet with Governor He. Address him as nothing else. He is a man who has seen many years, fought many wars, and he has remained the Lord of Gaomi. The Qin could not topple him, nor now the Chu." He glanced over to Shi Tong and gave him a wry grin, revealing several missing teeth. "So you had better not think you will be the one." With a brief bark of a laugh, he shook his head and carried on.

As Shi Tong was then escorted into the main administrative building on the palace grounds, he would find it almost spartan, the wooden walls devoid of any ornamentation save for the occasional banner that fluttered briefly from the cool winter breeze. The guard took a moment to explain, "Look you there, see the banners of ten thousand armies-" Nevermind the fact that there were at most a dozen, which still proved to be an impressive sight if they were truly claimed in war. "- All of which Governor He seized himself. I wasn't joking when I said the empires couldn't topple him." The guard slowly grinned once more. Soon enough, they arrived at a pair of large, plain doors, likely the entrance to the audience hall proper. The guard briefly spoke, "Governor He, remember that. He has earned that respect."

With that, the massive guard then swung open the doors, revealing the audience hall where Governor He Quan took court. Those dozen banners in the hall were but a showcase of what he had claimed throughout the years, for there were several dozen more in the room alone, lining the top of the walls. While truly an awe-inspiring sight, the governor himself was perhaps not. Crippled with age, Governor He sat hunched over on his simple throne, crowned only with the lengths of white hair that so clearly displayed his age. While He Quan may have been a great general, he did not seem to be so any longer. He bore several scars of the conflicts he was renowned for, the most prominent being one down the entire length of his cheek. Even so, the Governor still took to wearing military attire, wearing a short jacket and breeches, as though he could be set in armor at a moment's notice. In a ragged whisper, the Governor asked, "Who is it...?" His eyes, already narrowed in the exhaustion of ages narrowed just the slightest bit further, his gaze set upon the young man there before him.

With the sort of discipline that only comes from years of service in the military, the guard respectfully replied, "This is Chief Shi Tong, of Beiping town. He has come to pay his respects to you, Governor He."

"Ah..." crooned the aged warrior of a man, "I see..." He gave a sagely nod, all the more sagely in sight with this man's age. He continued, "Another peasant who has come to pay his respects. Tell me, my son, did your father serve with me? You have the countenance of one of my lieutenants long... long ago..." He trailed off, a wistful gleam in his eyes before he sighed, "But that was forty years ago. So tell me, my child, what is it I could do for you? What questions do you have?" With the sort of benevolent smile that only a grandfather could have, He Quan waited to hear what Shi Tong would have to say to him.

[Shi Tong]

The guards bore a grim disposition, several were scarred from conflicts ages before Shi Tong was born. At first glance, it wasn't evident who was in charge of this shift, but eventually one of the men, standing a head taller than Shi Tong, grunted and replied, "Follow me, Chief Shi." He turned around and barked out an order almost more noise than words. The gates slowly creaked open and soon Shi Tong was led into the inner courtyard of Gaomi's administrative palace. As they walked, the guard idly spoke to his guest, his voice a deep rumble, "You are to meet with Governor He. Address him as nothing else. He is a man who has seen many years, fought many wars, and he has remained the Lord of Gaomi. The Qin could not topple him, nor now the Chu." He glanced over to Shi Tong and gave him a wry grin, revealing several missing teeth. "So you had better not think you will be the one." With a brief bark of a laugh, he shook his head and carried on.

As Shi Tong was then escorted into the main administrative building on the palace grounds, he would find it almost spartan, the wooden walls devoid of any ornamentation save for the occasional banner that fluttered briefly from the cool winter breeze. The guard took a moment to explain, "Look you there, see the banners of ten thousand armies-" Nevermind the fact that there were at most a dozen, which still proved to be an impressive sight if they were truly claimed in war. "- All of which Governor He seized himself. I wasn't joking when I said the empires couldn't topple him." The guard slowly grinned once more. Soon enough, they arrived at a pair of large, plain doors, likely the entrance to the audience hall proper. The guard briefly spoke, "Governor He, remember that. He has earned that respect."

With that, the massive guard then swung open the doors, revealing the audience hall where Governor He Quan took court. Those dozen banners in the hall were but a showcase of what he had claimed throughout the years, for there were several dozen more in the room alone, lining the top of the walls. While truly an awe-inspiring sight, the governor himself was perhaps not. Crippled with age, Governor He sat hunched over on his simple throne, crowned only with the lengths of white hair that so clearly displayed his age. While He Quan may have been a great general, he did not seem to be so any longer. He bore several scars of the conflicts he was renowned for, the most prominent being one down the entire length of his cheek. Even so, the Governor still took to wearing military attire, wearing a short jacket and breeches, as though he could be set in armor at a moment's notice. In a ragged whisper, the Governor asked, "Who is it...?" His eyes, already narrowed in the exhaustion of ages narrowed just the slightest bit further, his gaze set upon the young man there before him.

With the sort of discipline that only comes from years of service in the military, the guard respectfully replied, "This is Chief Shi Tong, of Beiping town. He has come to pay his respects to you, Governor He."

"Ah..." crooned the aged warrior of a man, "I see..." He gave a sagely nod, all the more sagely in sight with this man's age. He continued, "Another peasant who has come to pay his respects. Tell me, my son, did your father serve with me? You have the countenance of one of my lieutenants long... long ago..." He trailed off, a wistful gleam in his eyes before he sighed, "But that was forty years ago. So tell me, my child, what is it I could do for you? What questions do you have?" With the sort of benevolent smile that only a grandfather could have, He Quan waited to hear what Shi Tong would have to say to him.

Old. That was the first thought that had sprung into the mind of Shi Tong. He had not expected the man to be of such age. Surely he must have been born even before Qin Shi Huang himself. Furthermore, he had not expected the governor of the city to have remained the same, even after the domination of the Chu forces. Had this old man really been able to stave off the Chu onslaught when not even the Qin army could? Surely there was something more at work, something deeper.

Outwardly, however, Shi Tong was like an example of pure composition. Raising his hands to his chest, Shi Tong offered the elderly governor a customary salute, a deference to a man superior in rank to he, at least for the time being. Eyes downcast, he began to speak.

"What an honor it is, Governor He, for this young and inexperienced town leader to meet you. I have been recently been instilled as the town administrator for Beiping, not too far from this grand city that you have developed and nurtured for many years. Truly, it is an awe inspiring sight to lay eyes upon a man who has been able to maintain his independence and right to rule where so many others have fallen to the claims of imperialism. I salute you, Governor He, and wish to humbly ask of you how you were able to ensure the stability of this city and the domination of your foes."

[Zhao Ren]

"Oh..." He Quan uttered, trailing off into a thoughtful silence before he added, "Yes, the... new Chief of Beiping... that's right..." He Quan's smile widened, pleasant and kindly. He replied, "No, child, it is a pleasure to meet with the leaders of the future." He glanced Shi Tong over with an appraising eye before he remarked, "A... scholar too, are you? Too weak to be a farmer's child. Good, good... some intellect in Jiaodong would be helpful." He gave a laugh, which soon turned into the briefest fit of coughing. He sighed, "It isn't as though I will be around here much longer, after all. Ninety years..." He trailed off again, seeming to reminisce upon each and every one. The fact that he was ninety, appearing at least twenty years less than that, was surely a testament to his fortitude.

Eventually, he awoke from his day dreams and continued, "Ah, but you wish to hear how I came to defend Jiaodong from Qi's many enemies." He took a wheezing breath of air. "You might not know it, but I am a distant descendant of the Elder Duke, the man who set the Zhou up." He gave an enigmatic smile and, for a little while, it was as though this would be the only explanation, but eventually he explained, "Yes, the Grand Duke Jiang, Master of Strategy... combined with the learning of Sunzi, none could ever prevail against me. Yes, I... I studied the Methods of the Sima too." The soft smile returned to the aged general's face as he rhetorically asked, "Qi has had many brilliant minds, hasn't it? Yes, this... this is how I have kept the people of Gaomi safe." He gave a slow nod, falling silent once again.

[Shi Tong]

Ninety! Heavens, this man was not only older than Qin Shi Huang, when this man was a child Meng Ke was still alive. That stunned even the usually composed Shi Tong enough that there was a slight lengthy pause before proceeding to continue with the conversation. Still, a descendant of the Grand Duke was impressive indeed. Still, in order to achieve his own desires, the old guard, the men of the past, would need to make way for the next generation of leaders to take what was rightfully theirs.

Once again, Shi Tong saluted the Governor, though this time at the man's words, before speaking.

"You are a testament to ancestral lineage, Governor He. Truly, one could suspect the Grand Duke helping you through the whispers of the Heavens themselves."

Pausing for a moment, debating on where to next take the conversation, Shi Tong eyed the banners unfurled and waving from their hanging places. Suddenly, a thought overtook him as he decided on the course of action to follow.

"Indeed, these banners of your fallen foes must be a symbol. A warning and ward to both evil men and spirits that would dare to try and plague your city. Surely, the celebrations that your people must have in Gaomi to bring good tidings from the heavens and long life to their lord are strong and true, as you have indeed long reigned in this city, seemingly unaffected by the chaos that seems to be plaguing the rest of the land."

[Zhao Ren]

"Mm," the Governor replied, thinking a mere, subdued grunt was more an appropriate response than words. He gave a brief nod and then managed to form a more coherent sentence, "Yes, many times I have heard that distant ancestor speak to me. Dreams, mostly... the occasional reflexive thought as well... Yes, the Grand Duke has been most kind to this son of his, but that is what good breeding is for, is it not?" He smiles down to Shi Tong, perhaps considering over his heritage.

Regardless of whatever conclusions he drew, He Quan soon laughed at Shi Tong's remark, saying, "If one is wont to believe such! No, no, I believe it is a just hand that brings peace to Gaomi. These banners though..." He gazed over the hundreds of them before setting on one. He smiled. "That, my son, is a banner from General Wang Ben's army. I met a detachment of his army with my own... It was but a small skirmish, but... I managed to seize that... that banner before... hmm..." As before, He Quan trailed off, getting lost in his thoughts again. With a sigh, he dismissed it all. "But that is a past. These banners, indeed, are a warning to those who wish Gaomi harm. I... I just hope that whomever is to succeed me will do as good a job." He smiled, a far off look in his eyes as he sighed.

[Shi Tong]

Realizing that the old man was faltering now, perhaps due to an excessive tiredness, Shi Tong quickly attempted to conjure another course of action. He had gained some insight into the man that was holding the seal that was going to be his. In a quirk of irony, the old man didn't even come to realize that he was looking at his successor, truly, Shi Tong had been called a peasant in their first introduction! What gall! Normally such a title would have caused Shi Tong much offense, but he had swallowed and held his tongue, in respect for the man's great age. But it was time for the next generation in Gaomi. Now, he would just have to find some way to achieve that goal.

This time giving the Governor a deferring bow, Shi Tong held the stance for a few seconds before straightening and speaking.

"Surely with the combined wishes of your ancestors and your people, you will reign even longer here in this city. I have taken too much of your time, Governor He and I apologize profusely for this. I will depart and return to my small town and hope that I, in due time, am able to achieve as much as you have in your extensive time as this city's administrator. I humbly ask, however, if the Governor He has a political member of his court present? I wish to discuss the maters of Beiping's relationship with your city and, since the matter involved is a monetary issue, it would not be becoming of me to discuss this with a man of your status. Perhaps your city's treasurer? Or any of your lead advisers?"