Of Knives and Kin

[Li Wang]

Li Wang beamed as he entered his new quarters in the center of the military officer's district; as the highest ranked military officer in the city (excluding the Vanguard Prefect, who had his own quarters in the city's government building), his quarters were positioned precisely in the center of the district, and were also the most extravagant, 3 stories boasting reception and council rooms on the first floor, a few guest suites on the second, and the Commander's (in this case Wang's) suite on the third.

Wang's smile never left his face as he transferred all his personal effects save one of his twin blades into his personal suite.

I really need to keep an eye out for a good pole-arm. he mused to himself; he'd need one to dehorse Chen Wu so he could get close enough to kill him with the twin blades. The thought of Chen Wu losing his head to Wang's hand brought a grim smile to his face as he re-entered the reception room to meet with his executive officer, one Huangfu Liang.

"General?" The man in question queried as he entered the room followed by a few other high ranking officers (all fully armored, but unarmed of course; only the Commander and the Prefect were allowed to be armed without guards in attendance).

"Ah yes Captain, gentlemen, please follow me; we'll be here for at least an hour so we might as well be comfortable. He returned their salutes as he stepped into the Council room beyond, holding the door for the other officers.

An hour later, he'd set the officers loose, with the beginnings of a problem already showing itself in the form of dissent; they had NOT been happy when informed the fitness program would begin anew the next day, never mind that they'd just gotten home from a battle 3 days before. If the officers were already complaining, he was terrified to witness the effect on the soldiers' morale. He had a plan to fix that though, and as soon as Lu Fei showed up, he could begin to implement it.

With a sigh, Wang returned to the reception room to wait for the man whom he needed to work his plan.

[Lu Dun]

Lu Fei was in his quarters looking over the Art of War so he could understand battlefield tactics and strategies better. While in the middle of his studies, a messanger entered the room, Forgive me sir, but Lord Li Wang wants to see you, He said as he bowed.

Lu Fei looked up at the man, I will be there shortly, thank you, He said as he rose and started to head towards Li Wangs quarters. Was it to talk about stories from the past, was it to talk about batlefield tactics, or just politics.

As he walked into Li Wang's quarters," Ah Lord Li Wang, congrats on your promotion, What is it you need of me?

[Li Wang]

Wang smiled as the man entered right on cue; the day seemed to be fitting perfectly into his schedule.

"Advisor General, thank you for coming on such short notice. Wang smiled amicably as he guided Lu to the council room, exchanging pleasantries as he went. Soon, however, he cut to the chase.

"Now General, you remember when I challenged Chen Wu to single combat during The Battle, yes?" Wang grinned as he said this; although the only other officers who could have seen it were Huang Gai and Sun Ce, Lu Fei had been nearby and surely had heard the prideful boast he'd made towards Chen Wu.

"I'd like to have the story of why my hatred for Chen Wu runs so deeply distributed for purposes of increasing the troops' morale when we finally march against the remaining Shanyue. For this, I request the service of your pen." He then went on about other potential benefits of this undertaking, not the least being Lu Fei might see another example of military tactics. He also promised the man some martial arts lessons should he want them.

"So what do you say?"

[Lu Dun]

Lu Fei and Li Wang were walking towards the council room and they were exchanging pleasantries then Li Wang asked him if he remembered his challenge to Chen Wu, Ah, I remember, sadly I did not see your duel with him, as my archers and I were firing on the enemy archers, He said reliving that day.

Lu Fei then heard Li Wang said this, "I'd like to have the story of why my hatred for Chen Wu runs so deeply distributed for purposes of increasing the troops' morale when we finally march against the remaining Shanyue. For this, I request the service of your pen." He thought about it for awhile and decided that he might as well.

Alright Lord Li Wang, I will lend you my pen in exchange for martial arts lessons. He said as he extended his hand to sell the deal.

[Li Wang]

Li Wang chuckled as Lu Fei mentioned that he hadn't witnessed the duel.

"That's because the coward ran off, merely swearing to kill me as he fled." He spat into an urn; Chen Wu must die.

Wang stared straight into Fei's eyes as he shook his hand.

"Now it all started with the arrival of my cousin Dailai Ba from Nanman..." he began as he sat down, gesturing for Lu Fei to take a seat across from him.

OOC: Don't post, I'll post my whole narrative (somewhere between 3-5 posts) and then we can take it from there.

[Li Wang]

OOC: This tale takes place near Wu about three years ago, but as Li Wang is relating it to Lu Fei in Jian An, I believe Jian An to be the more appropriate place to put it.

It had been a cloudy day in the province of Eastern Wu, and whilst the sky preached a message of tranquility, the earth made a sharp contrast as it told a different story. Two armies faced each other across a pass in the Wuyi mountains near Wu; on the one side, towards Hui Ji, sprawled a horde of Shanyue, barbarians from the area around Wu. On the other, towards Jian Ye, sat a much smaller yet much more structured force comprised of volunteers from the Jiangdong area. These were many and varied, with men from Jian Ye, Jian An, a few from the Hui Ji area and even a couple from southern Shou Chun. Nationalities were many, as were loyalties, but the purpose remained one; to eliminate the plague upon merchants and peasants that was represented by the Shanyue.

The two armies had been like this for days, each searching for an opening to exploit in an attack. Thus far, none had been found, but whilst the Shanyue were probing the volunteers' front, two men from the volunteer side sent an expedition into the heart of Shanyue territory, their mission being only the complete and utter destruction of Shanyue morale.

5 li to the rear of the Shanyue sprawl lay an inlet valley. This valley was aproximately 3 li long and 1 li wide, with the only entrance being the pass in which the two armies camped. Along the walls of the valley were several caves, mostly uninhabited, large enough to host a variety of different creatures within their dark bowels. Shanyue scouts had been sent through here several times over the last few days, and while they found plenty of wolves, tigers, and bears, not once had they found even a trace of a pair of deadlier creatures, two beings equally infamous for the massacre of Shanyue supply convoys. An-Chuai, Shadow Treader, and Hei-ru-ye, Dark as Night, were a thorn in the ass of the Shanyue and a spigot in their collective heart, prowling the night and vanishing into shadows...
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OOC: will add to this post tomorrow, I'm not done with that part yet

[Li Wang]

Li Wang, known to the Shanyue only as Yuàn-líng, grinned as he crept out of the cave he and Dailai Ba, his cousin from Yun Nan, known to the Shanyue of Eastern Wu as Mèng-yǎn, had been encamped in for the last three days. Yesterday, Yuàn-líng had led a small group of soldiers into this cave, and Mèng-yǎn had ambushed them with only a dagger and his pet tiger, Yǐngzi (Shadow). The bodies now lay honorably buried in the back of the cave, though it was highly unlikely the graves would ever be visited save by the occasional insect or rodent.

After that ambush, scouts had been sent into the valley in droves, attempting to discover the infamous "Xiōngdì de hēiàn" (Brothers of the Dark), whom the Shanyue supposed were at the head of a whole company of soldiers, but not a trace had been found of them.

Now, Yuàn-líng and Mèng-yǎn were preparing to sneak out of the valley undetected so they could perform their final strike before fading back into the volunteer lines, where they would pick up three companies of men and attack the Shanyue sprawl on both flanks, at which point the rest of the volunteer force under the command of Liu Yong would begin a frontal assault on the severely demoralized barbarians...
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"You sure this is going to work, Yuàn-líng?"

Yuàn-líng. Wraith. Captain Li Wang had done much over the last month to earn that name, some examples being the inexplicable (that is, inexplicable to the Shanyue) disappearance of a whole company of barabarians at their hands and the complete and total massacre inflicted on the company sent to relieve them. The former incident had occurred when the Shanyue had been led into the caves, where they'd died one by one as his two companions meted out slaughter with a generous helping of horror. The latter had been sent into the valley to find them, and had quickly met their deaths when Yuàn-líng had set off a rockslide. Only a single man out of the whole two companies survived to report the tale.

That alone had been reason enough for the Shanyue to come to fear the names Yuàn-líng and Mèng-yǎn, (or Nightmare), even without the ten other attacks they'd carried out this month.

"Yuàn-líng?"

Wang turned to address the speaker. Dailai Ba, or Mèng-yǎn, was a young man from Nanman; when his parents had died, he'd been sent to live with his cousin Li Wang in Jian Ye. Much had transpired, and eventually they'd ended up volunteering to counter-raid the raiders.

Ba was a small men, with skin so dark that you couldn't even see his outline in the dark of night. He had an eager mien, and was often regarded as impulsive.

"Of course it will, Mèng-yǎn," Yuàn-líng whispered, "Who ever heard of someone actually trying something like this? It has to work!" Yuàn-líng grinned; he was convinced of it's infallibility simply because the concept of it was completely inconceivable. He told his companion so.

I suppose you have a point! Mèng-yǎn chuckled boisterously but quietly as well; they'd come into position just opposite the valley they'd been hiding in, just above a herd of wild cattle. When the next convoy came by, the two of them and Ba's pet tiger,Yǐngzi, would drive the cattle to a stamped over the men, and would then mop up any survivors.

The two of them proceeded to chat silently until Yǐngzi's nose went into the air.

"It's time." Yuàn-líng thought as he crept forward to scout. Sure enough, a convoy was coming through, approximately 100 soldiers guarding twenty wagons. He hurriedly crept back.

"Here they come!" He whispered to Ba as he took his place behind the herd. He waited a few minutes, then:

"NOW! (still a loud whisper). Just like that they charged down the slope, driving the herd of terrified cattle before them.

A few of the soldiers on the flank of the convoy looked up as they heard the cattle, but it was already far too late; before any of them could do anything, the entire escort as well as most of the drivers had been trampled to death and all but one of the wagons had been smashed. And this last wagon had only a single bewildered driver standing beside it; all the pack-animals had been knocked loose and had joined the stampede.

This man did not live long, however, as less than twenty seconds after the dust settled Yuàn-líng had shoved a blade through his throat. After this, he and Mèng-yǎn exchanged congratulations as Mèng-yǎn came around the other side of the cart. It had been a job well done, and it was now time to ghost back to the volunteer formation.
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OOC: Now would be the time for Chen Wu to spring out of the back of the wagon with a henchman and initiate a double duel.

[Li Wang]

Mèng-yǎn was in the midst of giving a congratulatory comment when he suddenly cut off and was pressed forwards; time seemed to slow as a spear sprouted from his abdomen. The man's eyes did not go into shock, however. They merely narrowed in rage and locked on a point just above Yuàn-líng's shoulder. In that moment, Yuàn-líng saw the brilliance of the plan; lure the wraith and the nightmare into attacking a supply column, and when they think the battle is won, slay them.

Yuàn-líng did not even think as he spun to the side, bringing his blade up to parry a potential blow as he did so. He was rewarded with the ring of steel and a shock through his arm, but he easily deflected the attack. As he used one hand to force the blade down, he used the other to draw a dagger, and in the blink of an eye he'd rammed it into the Shanyue's throat. He did not even stop to finish him off, instead whirling to face his other opponent.

In the meantime, Mèng-yǎn's murderer had found that the Nanman native would not die without finding wreaking vengeance; Mèng-yǎn, eye's widened in pain and rage, seized the spear in his right hand and pulled it through as the bandit desperately fought to pull it free; by now, Yuàn-líng had dispatched his assailant.

The Shanyue let go of his spear just in time, causing Mèng-yǎn's blade (thrust backwards with his left hand) to miss his gut and just barely pierce the thigh; Mèng-yǎn collapsed dead having expended his strength.

Yuàn-líng rushed forward, raining abuse upon the Shanyue as they attacked each other with swords. The combat lasted 20 bouts before a large body of Shanyue approached along the trail.

Yuàn-líng remembered the Shanyue's face as he swore to visit vengeance upon it's owner, whom he soon learned to be Chen Wu. He made a feint upon Chen Wu's head, then turned and ran as the bandit dove back to avoid the slice. Yuàn-líng disappeared into the forest, and after finding Yǐngzi, Mèng-yǎn's tiger, made his way back to the volunteer army.

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"We made it back to our lines," Yuàn-líng told Lu Fei in the present, "and I was even promoted, but it wasn't long before we were crushed. Chen Wu was soon reinforced by Yan Baihu, and once they attacked, we were routed. Rather than return to Jian Ye and resume life as an officer, I journeyed to Yun Nan to relay the tragic news of Dailai Mèng-yǎn's death.

"After mourning, his family asked me to stay on, and as I had nowhere else to go, I accepted, and remained in Yun Nan for a year. I became bored, however, and my desire for revenge ran strong, so bringing only a few of Mèng-yǎn's relatives I returned to Jian Ye, ready to bring vengeance upon Chen Wu."

Li Wang's eyes were swollen; much weeping had occurred upon reminiscing about his dead cousin. Deep down, he knew he would always weep when he spoke of Dailai Ba. But he knew that once he slew Chen Wu, peace would be restored to his vindictive heart. After giving a final sigh, Wang readdressed Fei.

Fei, I thank you for your time here today. And I thank you also for listening as a friend and colleague as I related my woes. Please, be gone from this place and have my tale published, and do visit me tomorrow for some martial arts lessons. With final pleasantries exchanged, Wang summoned a guard to escort Fei back to his residence as Wang himself retreated to his bed chamber. It would become the first peaceful night he'd had in years.

OOC: Lu Fei is gone for a week, and I have obtained permission to godmod his character in this thread. He leaves with the guard and converses with my character where noted.

OOC: The task portion of this(where Li Wang gets the burden off his chest and sends Lu Fei to relay the tale to the troops) is completed, but as far as the subplot goes, this is approximately 1/3 - 2/3 of the way done; it will depend on what happens between now and the final confrontation with Chen Wu, and then will be finished on the battlefield with either the death of Wu or Wang.

[Gong]

I really did enjoy reading this, especially the point where Li Wang looks tells Lu Fei of the unfortunate fate of his cousin; also..like the addition of a Nanman ;P hah! I was a bit worried while reading it that there was a sense that Li and Dailai were a double-act of unstoppable gods, seeing as every they did were gaining an abandance of successes; which you do get in the few last posts as I'm sure that some of the people in the entourage could have easily dodged the herd...as usually cattle follow each other instead of going off in all directions, instead they could have quickly made a move to evade it. ~ maybe a sense of realism, that yes they're physically strong, but that doesn't mean success is inevitable..especially to the proportion that everything goes their way.

I get the idea that Li Wang likes stabbing people in the throat? haha. Anyway, it was moving how Dailai came to his end and how Li Wang became emotional towards the end when finishing the tale.


Lets get to the results....



Rewards


Wu Military:

As this was another late rewarding, which I apologise for, this shall take effect in the Action Phase only [Invasion of Wu]. - After being told the tale of Dailai's relations and fate, with the long suffering Captain and his desire for brethren vengeance, troop loyalty is strengthened. Thus, the troops under control of Li Wang, only, shall have a reduced Morale penalty.


Li Wang:

+ 45 Reputation Points


Lu Fei:

+ 10 Reputation Points

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After Note:
- Once again, any Admin checking this may edit what I have given if they believe anything to be unreasonable.
~ Lu Fei gains a small amount of Reputation for involvement and relaying the story onto the troops.