To Find a Lord: Observation of Cao Cao (Open)

[Ai Rui The Guardian Wolf]

Mengzhong was growing chaotic with the times. He wanted to protect the people of Luoyang, but with the lords of the land at one another's throats he could make no real difference. He saw the turmoil in the world and had resisted the corruption of the warlords for as long he could. Even I can resist this corruption no longer, an ambition is growing within me. Service to a lord will satiate it for the time and should the war end soon they'll be no further concern.

Mengzhong knew he'd only be content if he could make a difference, and he could only make a difference if he found his way into this war. He would have to find an appropriate lord to serve. He would not see the land ruled by a ruthless tyrant or and incompetent buffoon. Nor could he allow a ruler with no love for Luoyang.

Mengzhong trudged through the crowds of Luoyang's merchant district looking for someone he could trust. Zhen Caiwan had been his friend from childhood and he knew he could trust her to give an honest opinion or the lords of the land; or more specifically Cao Cao.

As he approached her father's stall he noticed her running it today. "Caiwan, I have a question of great importance to ask you. May we find a place where we can speak freely?"

"Certainly Mengzhong; Father can tend the stall alone for a time and he'd never object to our spending time together." Zhen Caiwan stepped away from her family's business and accompanied Mengzhong home.

As they entered his home Mengzhong noticed his dearest friend Dao Jiang presently sitting in his living area. "You called for me?"

"Yes my friends, I have chosen to end this war myself, but it is something I cannot do alone. I wish you two to accompany me on my current venture, to learn all that I can of this Cao Cao. He has taken Luoyang and things have drastically improved so he certainly cares, but I must learn what motivates this man. We must know the publics opinion of him even that of his officers if possible. I beg the aid of you both in this matter, you are the only ones I can trust to be honest with me.

Dao Jiang and Zhen Caiwan agreed to help Mengzhong and asked no further questions before setting out to learn all they could. Mengzhong too set out into the city in search of anyone with an opinion of the man.

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Any and everyone is welcome and encouraged to join in this thread weather to convince Ai Rui to follow Cao Cao, or to turn him against the man.

[Ai Rui The Guardian Wolf]

Ai Rui walked through the market district to eavesdrop on the conversations the people were having there. He notice three men standing near an alleyway and edge close by to hear what they were saying.

"That Cao Cao is a man among men! The bandits have lessened since he's come around."

"Please, Cao Cao has done nothing to hinder the bandits. Their disappearance is due to the efforts of Ai Jin's son. I heard he killed most of them and made the survivors walk through town naked. He is a protector, the Cao Cao is simply leeching the Ai boy's deeds and calling them his own; he is a man with no honor!"

"Even if he lacks honor as you say, you must admire his loyalty to the emperor. And on your charges I must allude that if he knew of Ai Jin's son would he not seek out the boy?"

"You're both insane! Ai Jin's son is dead. He perished during Dong Zhuo's terrors. The boy was young and lost himself on the battlefield, to that Lu Bu I hear."

Great! Nothing useful from this lot. Asking might draw suspicion my way, especially as they were just on the topic. Mengzhong made off with no useful information.


Ai Rui's opinion of Cao Cao remains unchanged.

[Mikey]

The months following Ba Zeng's departure from Lu Bu's kingdom were filled with chaos, travel and obscurity. The former Mastermind had been reduced to acting like he were nothing more than a wandering scholar; what good would it be to reveal oneself to be a deceptive former Prime Minister in the domain of Cao Cao. The lord proclaimed to be deathly loyal to the Han, Ba Zeng, on the other hand, was much less than 'loyal' to the former regime.

Lou Yang was quite large, easy to allow oneself to get lost in. It was the place where Ba Zeng had decided to lay low, to recollect. They were "behind enemy lines" as Ba Zeng's faithful bodyguard, Kao Ba, had put it. Cao Cao was never fond of Lu Bu, and Ba Zeng was keen on not flaunting his presence in Cao Cao's face.

Socially invisible, Kao Ba had been sent to buy a basket of apples; Ba Zeng, dressed in rural clothing and a large cloak, was two stalls down perusing several scrolls, manuals and treatise. There was an increase in book stores, Ba Zeng noted, due to the efforts of one Wu Long, or so he had heard. A noble cuase, Ba Zeng thought as he handed the stall owner a few coins for a manual on herbal medicines. Although for most it would take months to finish, Ba Zeng considered it 'light' bed-side reading, and tucked the manual into a small tote bag, already filled with different books gathered from other cities.

It was at that moment that a man named Ai Rui turned brusquely and came face-to-face with Ba Zeng. The man had been quite obviously intent on eavesdropping on a conversation that Ba Zeng had not been adamant in listening to. "Oh," Ba Zeng started, wondering how ordinary he looked, "Excuse me sir..." he considered leaving it at that, and walking to the side, forgetting this confrontation ever happened.

But, he hesitated and asked, "Sir, would you happen to know the location of another bookstore? I can't seem to find the manual I'm looking for." Ba Zeng smiled, flustered, he hadn't been to Lou Yang since Dong Zhou burned it down during the War of the Iron Whale... a long, long time ago.

[Ai Rui The Guardian Wolf]

Mengzhong jumped as nearly collided with Ba Zeng. "My apologies, my mind is rather clouded at the moment." Mengzhong's rose snapped under his headband and fell to the ground. Mengzhong bent down to collect his rose as Ba Zeng began to take his leave.

As Mengzhong closed his hand around the rose Ba Zeng again startled the young man. "A book stall? You have indeed come to the right person." Mengzong grinned as he faced the man.

"I know where the best tomes lie within this city." He said as he arose to his feet. "There is a travelling merchant who has sat up a stall in town earlier this week and he has some rare writings from what I've witnessed. He hides within the poorer district as the aristocrats disturb him deeply." He waved his hand for Ba Zeng to follow.

This event had convinced Mengzhong he'd found someone of greater intellect than the majority of the people he'd meet. This was the sort of man who'd heartily consider the state of affairs within the land. But he could not be asked directly, he would have to benefit from Mengzhong before he'd offer his opinion. He led Ba Zeng to the poor district and the travelling merchant's stall.

Mengzhong's arrogant smirk returned as he thought about what this man might tell him concerning Cao Cao.

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OOC: Thanks for joining in, this would have probably been rather boring for myself and any readers if I had done it alone.

[Mikey]

Ba Zeng smiled politely whilst sizing up the youth in front of him, bright and young. Not raised as a street urchin, nor the son of a farmer. His attire, and affinity for the finer things like roses, led Ba Zeng to believe this youth not to be of an impoverished background. Ba Zeng's face lit up with happiness, subverted by a small amount of puzzlement; a youth, no older than seventeen, reading? Or at least, Ba Zeng assumed so, as he began to talk about the assortment of tomes at a travelling merchant. Ba Zeng walked alongside Ai Rui as he led him to the merchant's stall.

"Greetings sir, this young man assures me that you have an excellent inventory." Being a salesman, the stall holder could not help but agree, and urged Ba Zeng to buy a book. After careful scrutiny, Ba Zeng picked up a book about a faraway city called Babylon. The stories that others had on the Silk Road greatly intrigued Ba Zeng, a former traveler himself.

"Thank you sir," Ba Zeng started, revealing his coin purse, and subsequently a large amount of wealth a travelling scholar probably shouldn't have. Nonetheless, Ba Zeng was more concerned about Kao Ba, his faithful bodyguard had followed him into the poor district.

Kao Ba cringed at the sight of Ba Zeng's wealth as he prepared himself to tackle any urchin who would dare try to snatch Ba Zeng's coin purse from him. Even with his back turned, Ba Zeng sensed Kao Ba's eyes on him, his bodyguard had remained socially invisible, pretending to be but an entertained onlooker to a street performer.

Ba Zeng tucked the scroll into his tote bag, and bid the stall holder a farewell and good luck, Lou Yang was turning out not a bad decision after all. A prolonged visit however, was not in Ba Zeng's agenda. If he were identified by even one city guard, the odds were he'd be dead in a heartbeat.

"So tell me young man," Ba Zeng started again as he began to walk away from the stall, Ai Rui was still in ear shot, and hoped that when he heard Ba Zeng's voice, he would follow, "Do you like to read?"

[Ai Rui The Guardian Wolf]

Mengzhong observed closely to Ba Zeng's behavior. He selected a tome that Mengzhong had traded to the merchant for one he'd not yet read. He'd always intended to again collect the writing, but he had found something far more valuable than a tale of Babylon.

But as Ba Zeng made his selection, it dawned on Mengzhong that the tome in question would not come at any common rate. He then began to closely scrutinize his new companion. Ba Zeng dressed plainly enough, more plainly than the flamboyant robes Mengzhong always chose. It was his purse that betrayed him. There was more to this man than he would easily unveil. But that only cemented Mengzhong's opinion of the man. He was a traveler with wealth, he held information that Mengzhong wanted.

Mengzhong hurried to reach Ba Zeng as he began to walk off. "Reading is necessary in the pursuit of knowledge." he conceded. "Though I was raised in the arts of war by my father Ai Jin, I chose to walk the path of the scholar. I rather enjoy literature and it usually serves to quell my deep unease in this time of conflict. My father and brothers never understood it; I feel that is why they did not survive this war."

It dawned on Mengzhong that he was offering far more than what Ba Zeng had requested. "The writings you've just purchase originally came from my collection. I despise surrendering my tomes, but he did have something of such interest that I could not allow it to leave this city."

Mengzhong was enjoying the conversation he was having with Ba Zeng. He stepped before his new companion and bowed. "My lord, I would be honored if you would come to my home for some tea. We could further discuss matters of literature further there. Mind that I certainly understand if you are in a rush; it merely seems to be the proper coarse of action at this point."

[Mikey]

Ba Zeng was pleased when Ai Rui chose to follow him and answer, he was a curious youth, one filled with brightness and strength. Great things could come from such young people, Ba Zeng knew - he was used to be one of them. Though instead of a path of righteousness and justice, Ba Zeng instigated turmoil that threw the land into chaos.

Chaos, that Ai Rui revealed, had killed his father and brothers.

Ba Zeng stopped cold in his tracks, a pang of guilt hit him like he had never felt before. The fond affection he had of Ai Rui had all but disappeared, and was replaced with nothing but guilt. Ba Zeng was so similar to him in his youth, but he had a father, and siblings (despite never hearing from them again after his nineteenth birthday.), to find out so suddenly that he had a part to play in devastating Ai Rui's childhood gave him a blank face.

"The war..." Ba Zeng whispered audibly. He had been so happy, happy to have known that Ai Rui read, that he was inviting him to talk about literature, but now he recoiled. The situation suddenly became dangerous. If Ai Rui found out who he was, the Prime Minister whose very tactics led to the coalitions defeat at Tiger Trap-- the most likely place where Ai Rui's relatives died, Ba Zeng was almost certain that he would turn him in. This youth is probably still loyal to the Han, Ba Zeng realized and cursed inside his mind.

"I can't-" Ba Zeng interjected, cutting off Ai Rui's last sentence abruptly, "I can't reveal my nature to you... I'm sorry, this has been a pleasure, truly. Thank you for the book." Ba Zeng backstepped, and added without the slightest hint of a threat, "If you follow me, the man in black will kill you."

Ba Zeng turned around and hesitated, again he hesitated. He turned once more to face Ai Rui, tentatively, yet sincerely he said, "Cheng Du..." Ba Zeng started, torn, "I'm going to Cheng Du..."

Whether that was an invitation, or telling Ai Rui where not to go, was up to his interpretation.

Ba Zeng turned once more and briskly walked down the street, Kao Ba was no longer trying to be invisible, his hood's shadow covered his face, yet his eyes pierced straight through Ai Rui like a spear. It was obvious that he wasn't meant to follow Ba Zeng.

Once Ba Zeng had passed Kao Ba, the shrouded bodyguard turned and followed his client and lifelong friend, a long black cloak shadowed his movement.

[Ai Rui The Guardian Wolf]

Ba Zeng made his retreat hastily, only confirming Mengzhongs suspicions. This man had not lead an honest life. He walked with a bodyguard, had a rather extensive wealth for a traveling scholar, and walked cautiously trying to obtain all he could from those around him. Mengzhong knew that at one time they'd been the same at one time.

Mengzhong knew that if he made the wrong decision now that his future was Ba Zeng's way of life, a path he had no desire to walk. But Mengzhong needed to know just what that choice was so he'd know to avoid it.

Ba Zeng may not have desired to be followed, but Mengzhong would set out for Cheng Du the moment his friend Dao Jiang returned. Until then, he would continue to gather information on Cao Cao. He knew that this choice would be the one to decide if he would follow the path of Ba Zeng or not.

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Ai Rui has become distracted from his task making his decision far more difficult to make until he has quelled his mind.