Post by Sam on Jan 30, 2011 22:32:18 GMT
Just over a month had went by since leaving his brothers in Qiao, yet no first hand progress had been made in meeting lords of the realm, it was quite daunting actually, and franking foolish to waltz into a warlord's seat of power and demand answers regarding his goals, his purpose.
As such Cheng Qi as meerly wandering around the borders of the Xu, Yu and Yan Provinces, looking for indications. He had gained numerous clues from travelling commoners and in and around settlements. The names that always popped up with those of the Yuan brothers, Benchu and Gonglu, Qi scoffed at the thought of serving such noble cretins, knowing that his contributions would be looked over by their own egos.
Another name that surfaced was that of Sun Bofu, Qi would have regarded the suggestion highly if the boy wasn't fuelling his ambitions with the spirit of his old man alone, who by down would be the dust and rot plaguing his own gravesite. Lu Fengxian was another big name, but he was all action and no talk...Qi likes some of the talk. Fengxian was world reknowned for his insincere loyalties and brute actions, serving him was not even an option.
The two that stood out were the names of Liu Xuande and Cao Mengde. Liu Xuande an Imperial kinsmen, benevolent ruler, and man of the people; or Cao Mengde the cunning, mighty and ambitious warlord. He couldn't bear to serve one so blindly affectionate to his subjects like Liu Xuande, although such a trait has many merits, and he was a class made of Qi's, he was on the other side of Mengde's territory in Jing Nan and in a poor position, his prospects looking poor. If Liu Xuande was to achieve great things, it was for sure, not anytime soon...
Although he would accept any help with an open heart...pfft Qi thought and then spoke to himself, "Definately not the one, I don't want ready acceptance, I want them to judge my character, know who and what services they are getting..." He walked with his arms folded behind him, looking at the landscape thinking it over. "No not Xuande, we're slightly aquainted, but no..."
Qi turned on his heel and then wandered towards the border of Yu Province once more, "Cao Cao it is."
Walking at a steady pace Cheng walked through the day over the beatiful Chinese countryside and by nightfall had reached a small township on the border, wandering through the gates, which were to no surprise preparing to close up for the night.
Qi wandered around carefree for a while enquiring about for a good inn, the people pointed him to one in the central plaza, he went there at once and ordered a room for the night, paying then and there promised to be out of the innkeepers way around dawn the next day. The innkeeper accepted the money and led Cheng Qi up the stairs to a small single room at the end of the inn.
It had a window overlooking the northern side of the town which was propped open, walking over to it, Cheng leant on the window sill and asked the innkeeper, "How far is Xuchang from here?" The innkeeper replied as he unwittingly played with the key to the room while leaning on the inside of the door frame, "Not far, if you were in one of rooms on the eastern wing, you could see the walls. If you leave at dawn tomorrow you'll be there by noon no doubt." Cheng nodded thinkingly as he returned his gaze back out of the window and onto the glowing streets of lamplight.
The innkeeper took the opportunity to ask, "You're going to see Lord Cao are you?" Cheng Qi kept his gaze fixed on the streets and replied simply as gave a single nod, "Indeed." The innkeeper stopped playing with the key and put it on a small table next to the door, "Well the best of luck to you sir, our Lord's a good one, he wont just hire anybody."
Cheng looked over and said plainly, "I know. That's precisely why I'm here." The innkeeper sighed and shook his head and closed the door as he went out of the room. Cheng closed the window and removed his outer gartment, breastplate and shoes, lay his sword of the ground and his helmet next to the top of the bed, and went into an uneventful sleep.
Cheng woke up at dawn and hot water was ready for him, he washed his hands, face and bathed his feet, then wrapped himself up in his robe once more under which again was his breastplate, and tied the belt, and slipped on his shoes.
He reopened the window, fixing the wooden prop back into place, as the early morning sun made the room glow a bright yellow. He refixed his sword to his belt and putting his helmet under his arm, took up the key to the room and left the room, locking it as he left.
Descending the staircase he saw the innkeeper talking to a couple of other guests, he called him over and he came swiftly, and Cheng handing him the key to the room said "Here is your key. I'll skip breakfast, I must be off." The innkeeper nodded, "Good luck sir, best of luck to you." Cheng Qi clasped his hands and said as he stepped away towards the door, "It wont be a matter of luck, keeper, we'll meet again." He raised his hand and waved behind him, and headed west.
It happened to be a market day and Cheng bought some buns, an apple and a small flask of wine for the road, and continued on his path towards Xuchang, observing his natural surrounding as he wandered.
Shortly before noon Cheng arrived at the gate, he had a smooth journey, no trouble at all, he showed no sign of fatigue. He called over to the guards of the eastern gate, "Send a message to Lord Cao: There's a stranger desiring a meeting." Quite to the point and possibly rude, but Cheng still had a full hand of cards to play. He stood with his hands behind his back, observing the lay of the land around the mighty city of Xuchang, as he awaited the response from the guards.
As such Cheng Qi as meerly wandering around the borders of the Xu, Yu and Yan Provinces, looking for indications. He had gained numerous clues from travelling commoners and in and around settlements. The names that always popped up with those of the Yuan brothers, Benchu and Gonglu, Qi scoffed at the thought of serving such noble cretins, knowing that his contributions would be looked over by their own egos.
Another name that surfaced was that of Sun Bofu, Qi would have regarded the suggestion highly if the boy wasn't fuelling his ambitions with the spirit of his old man alone, who by down would be the dust and rot plaguing his own gravesite. Lu Fengxian was another big name, but he was all action and no talk...Qi likes some of the talk. Fengxian was world reknowned for his insincere loyalties and brute actions, serving him was not even an option.
The two that stood out were the names of Liu Xuande and Cao Mengde. Liu Xuande an Imperial kinsmen, benevolent ruler, and man of the people; or Cao Mengde the cunning, mighty and ambitious warlord. He couldn't bear to serve one so blindly affectionate to his subjects like Liu Xuande, although such a trait has many merits, and he was a class made of Qi's, he was on the other side of Mengde's territory in Jing Nan and in a poor position, his prospects looking poor. If Liu Xuande was to achieve great things, it was for sure, not anytime soon...
Although he would accept any help with an open heart...pfft Qi thought and then spoke to himself, "Definately not the one, I don't want ready acceptance, I want them to judge my character, know who and what services they are getting..." He walked with his arms folded behind him, looking at the landscape thinking it over. "No not Xuande, we're slightly aquainted, but no..."
Qi turned on his heel and then wandered towards the border of Yu Province once more, "Cao Cao it is."
* * *
Walking at a steady pace Cheng walked through the day over the beatiful Chinese countryside and by nightfall had reached a small township on the border, wandering through the gates, which were to no surprise preparing to close up for the night.
Qi wandered around carefree for a while enquiring about for a good inn, the people pointed him to one in the central plaza, he went there at once and ordered a room for the night, paying then and there promised to be out of the innkeepers way around dawn the next day. The innkeeper accepted the money and led Cheng Qi up the stairs to a small single room at the end of the inn.
It had a window overlooking the northern side of the town which was propped open, walking over to it, Cheng leant on the window sill and asked the innkeeper, "How far is Xuchang from here?" The innkeeper replied as he unwittingly played with the key to the room while leaning on the inside of the door frame, "Not far, if you were in one of rooms on the eastern wing, you could see the walls. If you leave at dawn tomorrow you'll be there by noon no doubt." Cheng nodded thinkingly as he returned his gaze back out of the window and onto the glowing streets of lamplight.
The innkeeper took the opportunity to ask, "You're going to see Lord Cao are you?" Cheng Qi kept his gaze fixed on the streets and replied simply as gave a single nod, "Indeed." The innkeeper stopped playing with the key and put it on a small table next to the door, "Well the best of luck to you sir, our Lord's a good one, he wont just hire anybody."
Cheng looked over and said plainly, "I know. That's precisely why I'm here." The innkeeper sighed and shook his head and closed the door as he went out of the room. Cheng closed the window and removed his outer gartment, breastplate and shoes, lay his sword of the ground and his helmet next to the top of the bed, and went into an uneventful sleep.
* * *
Cheng woke up at dawn and hot water was ready for him, he washed his hands, face and bathed his feet, then wrapped himself up in his robe once more under which again was his breastplate, and tied the belt, and slipped on his shoes.
He reopened the window, fixing the wooden prop back into place, as the early morning sun made the room glow a bright yellow. He refixed his sword to his belt and putting his helmet under his arm, took up the key to the room and left the room, locking it as he left.
Descending the staircase he saw the innkeeper talking to a couple of other guests, he called him over and he came swiftly, and Cheng handing him the key to the room said "Here is your key. I'll skip breakfast, I must be off." The innkeeper nodded, "Good luck sir, best of luck to you." Cheng Qi clasped his hands and said as he stepped away towards the door, "It wont be a matter of luck, keeper, we'll meet again." He raised his hand and waved behind him, and headed west.
It happened to be a market day and Cheng bought some buns, an apple and a small flask of wine for the road, and continued on his path towards Xuchang, observing his natural surrounding as he wandered.
Shortly before noon Cheng arrived at the gate, he had a smooth journey, no trouble at all, he showed no sign of fatigue. He called over to the guards of the eastern gate, "Send a message to Lord Cao: There's a stranger desiring a meeting." Quite to the point and possibly rude, but Cheng still had a full hand of cards to play. He stood with his hands behind his back, observing the lay of the land around the mighty city of Xuchang, as he awaited the response from the guards.