A cool mist descended upon Jian Ye, enveloping the town in its moist embrace. The moon shown very bright, and appeared bigger than usual. Torches lit up the palace, but most of the grand building was left to the shadows until dawn. Inside, two men were drinking tea.
None of Jian Ye's elegance and mystique would be possible without it's protector; Liu Yong. An administrative genius, he was solely responsible for Jian Ye's impressive growth. With a trained army, a capable navy, and a large city, Liu Yong's position seemed concrete in the region. He was a local hero for rescuing his uncle from bandits at the age of nineteen, and very popular amongst the Han court. In all aspects, he was a loyalist to the Han to the very end.
It was because of this that Yuan Shu's proclamation of Emperor-ship worried him greatly; and now Sun Ce, the ambitious son of Sun Jian, even joined the false emperor. The recent events were cause for great concern in the region of Eastern Wu. The moment Liu Yong heard of Yuan Shu becoming Emperor, he wrote a letter to his faithful ally: Wang Lang, the governor of Wu. And although Wang Lang's possessions and resources were few, he was still one of Liu Yong's greatest allies, and highly intelligent.
The two sat there, in the palace at Jian Ye, as they usually did at night, drinking tea. A few guards were still on duty, though less stressed because of the diminished activity in the throne room. Everyone else was gone for today. Though one visitor was still en route, one that only Liu Yong was aware of.
Wang Lang brought his bowl-shaped cup to his lips. The steaming tea soothed his throat, which had been suffering a cold all week. They talked, like they always did, of new policies, current events, ways to improve order and productivity. Wang Lang and Liu Yong shared a mountain of interests. They both shared their administrative talents, and concerns about the current political atmosphere. But they were also different, not only in age, with Wang Lang being an aging fifty-year old, and Liu Yong, a stalwart youth in his twenties. They also held different views on a few touchy subjects.
One of them was of the bandit king of Eastern Wu: Yan Baihu, the White Tiger Yan as he was called amongst his Shanyue brethren. Yan Baihu was the bane of Wang Lang's life, Wang Lang held only contempt for the bandit lord. Yan Baihu himself was not of the Shanyue, but aided them anyway in their raids on Han villages. In time he became just like them.
Wang Lang commented on Yan Baihu, as he was currently the topic of their conversation: "He adopts the Shanyue culture, sleeps in the caves that they reside in the mountains of Wu, and breeds with Shanyue women. In aspects, he is a savage." Wang Lang creaked, his cold still getting the best of him.
Liu Yong couldn't help but agree, yet... that didn't stop him from announcing: "I've invited Yan Baihu here tonight..."
He took a sip of tea.
Wang Lang raised an eyebrow, "Why?" Though he seemed not too concerned.
Liu Yong placed his bowl-cup down on the table with some force, "Wang Lang, we can't face Yuan Shu alone. Together, we have 30,000 able-bodied men at most. Yuan Shu can conjure thousands of men out of nowhere with that Imperial Seal of his. People will buy into anything, mandate of heaven or not. The only other person who has that capability is Yan Baihu. He commands tens of thousands of Shanyue!"
Wang Lang frowned, "What has that fake emperor reduced us to?" He asked quite concerned, "My men, fighting alongside Shanyue... I can't fathom it."
"Fight together, maybe not..." Liu Yong agreed, even that idea sent shivers down his spine. "I have prepared a large sum of gold to present to him-"
"How much?" Wang Lang interjected, suddenly very curious.
Liu Yong couldn't help but soften his voice, "A thousand gold pieces..."
Wang Lang thought about it for only a second, "Did that include the five-hundred I donated for civil projects...?"
When Liu Yong didn't reply Wang Lang couldn't help but sigh. After a long, calm, debate they both agreed it to be a necessary evil.
Yu Fan, the overall commander of Wang Lang's forces, walked up the lonely cold steps of the palace at night. The guards at the open double-doors saluted him, he saluted back before he entered. Wang Lang and Liu Yong looked up. Yu Fan was more cautious than Wang Lang was, and usually advised against any form of diplomacy with Yan Baihu, but tonight, the general held his tongue. In a twisted fate of irony, he was now being compelled to say a sentence that sent a pang of trepidation into his heart:
"Introducing, the Virtuous King of Eastern Wu, White Tiger Yan." He bowed, and then retreated behind the side columns. The general walked forwards, towards to where the two governors were sitting. Wang Lang raised an eyebrow, and almost chuckled to himself, but kept it in -- he didn't want to disrespect Yan Baihu, meeting his bane for the first time in person.
'Virtuous King', Wang Lang thought.
Life must be a comedy, and we're all at an author's whim.At that very moment a silhouette appeared at the top of the stairs, the moon was at his back.
Liu Yong started to clap, as Yan Baihu walked into the light pulsing from a nearby torch. All of the stories were true; he was a brute, a man among men, a pale tiger. Every single analogy rang true. Yan Baihu stood at six feet, had no beard, his hair was brought back into a short pony tail, and his skin was strikingly pale. Tattoos stained his skin, traditional Shanyue tattoos. His appearance sent shivers down Wang Lang's spine. Attached to his sash was a very long thin sword in an elaborate sheath.
Yan Baihu walked towards the table, he aura was a demeanor of confidence and authority. His armour was notably battered, and after so many raids and battles, how could it not be? They were trophies to him, kept to remind him of his past victories. White Tiger Yan, his prowess shook the battlefield. A dark maroon cape draped down his shoulders. Wang Lang asked himself, how could a savage dress so much like a general such as Yu Fan?
Liu Yong stopped clapping, his admiration however, wasn't finished, "We've had our run-ins White Tiger, but you are marvelous."
Yan Baihu smirked, a cocky, vicious smile: "That's flattering, but I'm not here for mere words." Liu Yong nodded and produced a large box. It was quite heavy, and he even faltered whilst placing it on the table. He did not hesitate to open the box, to tempt the Tiger. The light from the torches in the hall made the gold glint.
The Tiger was intrigued, and sat at the table. "You have my attention..." He then suddenly noticed Wang Lang's inspecting gaze, "Are you Governor Lang?" Wang Lang half-nodded, Yan Baihu laughed, "I must be a sight for sore eyes!" He laughed at his own joke.
Wang Lang hesitated, "I can honestly say, it's a
pleasure...." The last word, obviously overflowing with disdain, he then poured another cup of tea, to be courteous, "Tea?"
Yan Baihu cringed, "Wine. Your best." Wang Lang snapped a finger, a maidservant, whose breasts Yan Baihu found most engrossing, arrived instantly with a large container of wine. The White Tiger instantly downed a goblet, and poured himself another. Wang Lang sipped at his tea, he was quite disgusted only after thirty seconds of pleasantries.
Liu Yong nodded eagerly, "Well Yan Baihu, I'm sure you're aware of the situation to the west-"
Yan Baihu interjected by simply answering with a shake of his head, his mouth too busy in the act of quenching his thirst for quality alcohol.
"Well," Liu Yong continued, unhindered, "Sun Ce has swore fealty to the false Emperor Yuan Shu, who claims he has the Mandate of Heaven."
"That piece of jade that Qin Shi Huang had?" Yan Baihu inquired, Liu Yong nodded, quite annoyed to be reminded of it's importance.
Liu Yong went on, "Yuan Shu can call upon the people to answer his call, and rally around his Imperial Seal. Wang Lang and I think that the best course to counteract this is to form a Confederation of Eastern Wu. With the founding lords being Wang Land, yourself and I..."
Yan Baihu was about to ask 'but what's in it for me?' when Liu Yong answered first, "Think about it White Tiger, after Wang Lang and I are gone, who's next? You can go about raiding Sun Ce's villages, but I can assure you that Sun Ce will come after you with as much conviction as Sun Jian had in his river campaigns. You will be eliminated."
Yan Baihu pondered, "It's as simple as that... if the circumstances were different I would say no just to spite my friend Wang Lang over here," Wang Lang chuckled, even he was amused.
"But it so happens that my people are experiencing a shortage of food, and our last raids have been less than yielding..."
"My apologies," Wang Lang offered, "I retreated most of my resources, after harvest, to safer positions."
Yan Baihu only scowled, as he sensed another proposition to be made with Liu Yong, who was already nodding and forming a compromise: "I shall send a shipment of rice and other amenities then, Jian Ye is prosperous."
"Okay," Yan Baihu said with finality, he was becoming quite bored already, "We've reached an agreement, I will stop my raids of Eastern Wu, and proceed to co-operate with your military operations, and you will provide food to the struggling Shanyue communities that I designate."
"Yes." Both Wang Lang and Liu Yong said together. It was odd how such a nemesis could be brought to a suitable and reasonable conclusion...
"...and I shall be payed a thousand gold coins!" Yan Baihu exclaimed as he shut the box and pulled it towards him. Liu Yong suddenly remembered that the deal started as a bribe, and lost what faith he gained in Yan Baihu as a person with moral standing.
Yan Baihu rose, he called a maidservant over to carry the box for him. A gale of wind burst through the double doors as the White Tiger rose. Broken leaves flooded the throne room, the wind sang a solemn song. The lords inspected the disturbance.
Another man had the moon to his back. A short cape fluttered in the wind over his left shoulder. As he stepped into the torch light, Taishi Ci's crimson armor glistened, a stark contrast to his stern face.
"Taishi Ci!" Liu Yong greeted his Commander-in-Chief heartily with a quick bow, he then gestured to the brutish Yan Baihu, "Our guest-" Liu Yong was interrupted by Taishi Ci's rough voice, his tone was only filled with vengeance:
"You don't have to tell me..." He began to unsheathe his sword, a high pitched 'clink' clearly audible from the sharpened blade.
Wang Lang only raised an eyebrow, he didn't have the voice currently to question the quarrels of others. If Taishi Ci had killed Yan Baihu right here, Wang Lang wouldn't have necessarily lost an important ally. Liu Yong smirked.
"Taishi Ci!" Yan Baihu half-growled, it emanated within the palace's empty hallways, bouncing off walls, and into the depths of the night. "I believe last we met you tried to tear my heart out, while I was still breathing..." Yan Baihu said this without a hint of hate, and just smiled, in turn he also unsheathed his long sword, and threw away the sheath.
Taishi Ci laughed cockily, "Then I say we still have a battle to settle!"
The guards grew uneasy, they readied their spears for an impending confrontation. Taishi Ci and Yan Baihu held a different air, as if it were a game to them. Yu Fan emerged from the shadows, and raised an arm: "Stand down." The guards hesitated, but then followed orders. To Yu Fan, a contest between warriors shouldn't be interrupted.
They charged at each other, each yelling a battle cry. Both champions struck with their swords, and their weapons clashed amongst each other in a competition of parries, thrusts, and agility.
Yet apparent on each warrior's face was mutual understanding, and a grin.