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Post by Sam on Mar 11, 2011 23:02:54 GMT
Cheng Qi bowed, "My lord is indeed wise." Cheng took a moments pause and asked outright in his way, "Why does my lord wish for Zhang to join us? His forces yes would bolster our strength, but Zhang? The fool can't make up his mind, one day he's joining us, then fighting against us, who can trust such a man?" Then stroking his beard said, "The one advising him however, we need to learn who he is. He obviously has influence and Zhang trusts his council, if you want Zhang to fold you may need to win over this advisor of his; strength alone does not win wars my lord."
Looking at his lord directly Cheng chuckled saying, "We may need to trust to that saying in the future." Hinting towards Yuan Shao's rising power in the north.
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Cao Cao
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Post by Cao Cao on Mar 12, 2011 2:26:59 GMT
"It is not Zhang that I seek to acquire, Cheng Qi," said Cao Cao, with a smile slowly spreading across his face. "It is the land of Wan that I so desire. It and.... it's people."
Not the least of which was Zhang Xiu's aunt herself, thought Cao Cao. He quickly removed the smile from his face, however, and continued.
"Zhang is a weakling, but he supports the rebels, as well as Liu Biao, who is a powerful man that we will have to come to grips with soon enough. By removing the enemy's fodder, we weaken them while we ourselves are strengthened. While it may seem like we gain little, you must remember that each gain we make in this way is two-fold. By taking 100 men, we are not just gaining 100, but the enemy is losing 100, and thus a 200 man difference is made. Zhang Xiu, though unworthy of his position, will be an easy gain, and a meaningful loss to our enemies. Such opportunities should not be missed when they cost us nothing."
He nodded to Cao Zhang, hoping to impress upon his son the importance of this lesson by a moment of silence.
"If that is all, my loyal followers, then I believe that I should be readying my host for our coming feint. Cheng Qi, with your knowledge of the general layout of Wan and its castle from your visits, I hope that you will indulge me by helping to lead us?"
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Post by Guan Suo (Zeffy) on Mar 12, 2011 16:34:08 GMT
Zhang merely sat in silence and contemplated what his father had said. It was true enough, but Zhang never bothered with much strategy besides the basics.. Common sense and brawn had gotten him out of many a sticky situation before, but the way his father said it.. It came into a certain light in his mind. Perhaps he could try to learn, if only to serve his father better.
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Post by Sam on Mar 14, 2011 2:38:42 GMT
"Well said my lord." Cheng replied with a bow and a polite smile. Then to answer his lord's enquiry Cheng said at a comfortable speed so both father and son could keep track, "The topography around Wan is quite unique, it aids int he defence of the land, more than the assault. Our avenue of attack will come from Xuchang which leads us through a wide cut in the hills."
"The hills have 'layers' suitable for above-ground positions; which will cater to our defensive needs - should it come to that, and we need them..." Cheng paused for a brief moment with feeling of inner trouble at his last observation, but he quickly shook off the foreboding message in his heart and continued, "Our path towards the city has hills on either side, of two heights, we can use those to hold the roads and any counterattacks."
"As the road continues to Wan it crosses a river, flowing from the west, the road forks on the otherside, to follow the road leads to the city of Xinye in Jingnan held by Liu Xuande. Turning east leads to Wan."
"Wan is a stronghold, its grain is held within the city itself, it needs no supply route, so we cannot sever anything. Strong, high walls, it isn't the easiest place to attack. But everything must come to an end." Cheng's last sentence held many a meaning, it could have been referring to the current discussion, the Han Dynasty, Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Yuan Shu, the tyranny of Li Jue and Guo Si, or even of times past, it was for those listening to relate to.
"We need siege engines my lord for extreme circumstances and as a show of force, we wont win the wall through strength of arms alone - but by guile." Cheng Qi bowed to both his lord and Cao Zhang signalling he had finished speaking, waiting on their assessment and discussion, strategies and tactics. As he waited he thought of the feeling he had when he suggested the need of defences, could Zhang Xiu have actually have a plan ready to be put in motion?
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Post by Lei Yong on Apr 5, 2011 1:29:05 GMT
Dismounting his horse, and handing the reigns and his spear to his friend Huang Ping, who waited quite patiently.
Stepping confidently towards the awaiting gates, his boots making a distinct noise against the cobblestone on the ground, Zhang Shun then took off his helmet and announcing himself, he spoke with a deferential but yet somewhat arrogant tone in his voice to the guard,
"I have heard that the imperial forces are selling officer commissions. I have the funds to buy one, and thus I wish to present myself to the governor of the city; Lord Cao Cao, and thus acquire a position in his army. As you can see, I am holding no weapons."
Holding out his arms, Shun continued,
"If you feel the need to search me, then by all means do so. Otherwise, would you permit me to enter the palace?"
As he waited for a response, Shun looked at the man directly in his eyes, attempting to see if he was someone who was easily intimidated, and also just judging his intentions. Being a fairly large man, and having a stern face, he was used to getting such reactions out of people. But he had hoped that the guards and soldiers in Cao Cao's army truly had the qualities that were described in their reputation.
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Post by Zhōng Gôu on Apr 5, 2011 4:52:59 GMT
The day had seemed longer than necessary. The sun had risen into the cool morning, causing a sea of shimmering lights across the dew-covered ground while the stars dimmed into the background of the multi-colored sky. Both dawn and dusk seemed most beautiful in this way; there was more than one shade to catch the eye's attention. This had always been a daily routine since the beginning of the earth, and will proceed into the far future. It was as natural as anything else in this land... Well, as natural as the land itself. The inhabitants... They were a different story.
Zhōng Gôu had risen at dawn, done a bit of work in the fields, packed her things, and by noon she had set out. This was the day she was supposed to head to the capital's palace and meet with the governor: Lord Cao Cao. He seemed so intimidating from all the stories, and despite having never met him in person she could feel her body trembling in fear... and excitement. She could feel her blood pumping as she saddled her horse and set off. It would take some time to actually reach her destination, so hopefully she could cool off in the meantime. Better to be calm and assured than nervous and excited. She wanted to leave the best impression that she could. She was joining the army, after all! Z would be fighting alongside fellow soldiers for a common cause, fighting to protect their territory and their commanders. All Z could think about during the ride was how best to make an impression.
Upon arriving at the castle, she had decided what to do... But this was completely erased from her mind when she noticed another arriving just ahead of her. She slowed her horse to a decent pace and watched the man hand his reins to someone else and head for the gates, which she then noted to be quite extravagant. She had yet to travel past her village since birth, so witnessing a place like this was enough to throw her off her previous groove.
She then heard talking and turned her attention back to the man... and a guard. The man seemed rather stuffy, to which she wrinkled her nose. It wasn't her problem to deal with, but people should be at least a little respectful. Better to be humble than prove your power, or at least she personally thought so. Again, though, it was none of her business. She was here for one reason only: to join the ranks of Wei.
She slid off her horse, patting the stallion on the neck before dropping his reins to the ground. If anyone wanted to tie him up, then they were welcome to... but he had a nasty habit of biting. It was only fortunate for Z that he was obedient enough to stand still for a while, and even if he wandered off he was always eager to respond to her call. To this she was thankful, running her fingers through his black mane as he dipped his head to nibble at what grass was peaking through the cobblestone below.
With that taken care of, she walked toward the gate. Perhaps she could enter with the man she had seen before? Especially if he was there for the same reason that she was, but she wouldn't allow herself to get her hopes up. There could be many reasons for him being there, so she may as well just assume he wasn't willing to accept the company.
Upon closing in, she noticed that this older male was decently-built. She felt tiny compared to him the closer she got, and catching sight of his stare-down of the guard was almost slightly intimidating even if it wasn't directed at her.
Still, though, she wasn't the sort to back down, nor would she make too many assumptions about people she didn't know. Precautions, perhaps, but she wasn't about to tag someone as mean or unfriendly. Though she hadn't traveled far, she was at least open-minded to the fact that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. It was better to figure out by looking into it.
"Could I, perhaps, join?" The girl tiptoed her way behind the larger man and then to his left side, peering up at the guard. "Unarmed, friendly, and seeking to serve our lord." She raised up her hands as if to signal she was holding no weapons, smiling at the guard. "I hope you don't mind the intrusion." With this she glanced toward the larger man. Now she would likely find out a little more about this man, such as whether or not he would be provoked by the sudden presence of another. Hopefully not, but she was ready to dodge either way.
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Post by Lei Yong on Apr 5, 2011 5:22:12 GMT
Shun had sensed that there was a person who had come up behind him, so he was not entirely surprised at their showing up. However he was initially shocked to see a rather beautiful woman who was seeking to also join in Cao Cao's service. Thoughts quickly began to build up in his mind, largely having to do with not really understanding how a female would want to serve in a military capacity. Still, she was obviously willing, and she looked to be physically strong.
Being that Shun was not the kind of man to think someone beneath him, he turned to her and gave a rather pleasant smile, she wished to join him in serving Wei. Turning to her he smiled and responded
"I have no problem with the intrusion. In fact I think it would be a great idea if you would join in. The more the merrier after all. And besides, why waste time having to admit us in separately?
He nodded to the guard, who obviously could hear his intentions, but just in case he was not paying attention hopefully the nod would convey that Shun had wished for the newly arrived warrior to accompany him.
Turning back to her he said,
"We've not been formally introduced. My name is Zhang Shun, and my friend over there is Huang Ping. If we are to both serve lord Cao Cao, then we also will be fighting on the battlefield alongside one another. It would not be right for me to be unknown to a brother, or in this case sister in arms, likewise I would prefer to know the warriors I am fighting with as well."
(Just to make it a bit more exciting, since Mr. Cocoa Pebbles is currently away from both Xu Chang and the internet. So we may as well have an in character chat.)
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Post by Zhōng Gôu on Apr 5, 2011 6:41:31 GMT
She blinked as the man smiled down at her, immediately feeling the corners of her own lips tugging upward in a faintly larger smile than the one she already wore. This man certainly didn't seem as intimidating as she had first assumed. Quite the contrary, actually. Hearing him speak was almost... relaxing, in a way. Perhaps a deeper, softer tone of voice was more refreshing than she realized from the years of living with her mother's high-pitched squeaking. She could get used to this quite quickly, though it was certainly more than his tone of voice. His now calmer demeanor helped to settle her previous lasting nerves. She wouldn't be alone going in, now, and she breathed a sigh of relief as the man turned to the guard to nod.
When he continued to speak she perked up, listening intently to his words. Zhang Shun and Huang Ping; she would be sure to remember those names. These would be just a few of the faces she would be seeing often. She was just glad the first man she met was this one. He seemed to nice, despite having seemed intimidating at first. He was a take-charge sort, as well. She wouldn't have even known where to begin when she got to the gates and the guards. She wouldn't have put it past them to just toss her out. It probably wasn't common for a female to show up here.
"It's an honor to meet you, Zhang Shun~!" The young female gave a small bow in greeting. Best to be respectful, right? She was used to being familiar with the people of her village. She didn't want to upset anyone be not greeting them the proper way, so better safe than sorry. "My name is Zhōng Gôu. I came alone from not far away... Ah, I take that back!" A soft hum of laughter escaped her as she looked back at the black horse standing off in the distance, head and ears alert as if he knew he was being talked about. "Tao is with me. He might be upset if I didn't include him, at least." With a short nod she looked back up at Zhang Shun.
The thought of a brother of arms... it sounded nice. Someone she could count on? That was more than she had asked for when she first arrived. She had simply expected to be given a task, passing just barely, and making it into the army only to be either shunned or stared at for being female. She would admit that her views of men aren't the most perceptive... she did only grow up with a mother, but so far maybe she wasn't giving these men enough credit.
"I count it luck to have met you here. I'm honestly not sure what I would have done when I arrived. This place..." Z gazed back up toward the palace, once more in awe of its beauty. "It's breathtaking! I might have spent my time staring rather than finishing what I came here to start!" She grinned and shook her head slowly before looking back up at Zhang Shun. "Thanks to you, I've gotten past just arriving~"
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Post by Lei Yong on Apr 5, 2011 10:26:57 GMT
Shun chuckled at her comment. He was not sure where she was from, but it was obvious that she had not been near the palace of Xu Chang. Of course this was the first time Shun had been this close, but he had seen it countless times from his abode to the point that he had gotten used to it's grand size. However he realized that there is a first time for everything with every single person. Responding to her comments, he looked over towards Tao. "If I was Tao, I don't think I'd be happy if I wasn't included." He stepped over towards his own horse; Stranger, and patted him on his muzzle. "Stranger here wouldn't like it if I forgot him either.
Turning again to face her again, Zhang continued, "They are... temperamental creatures. But I adore them greatly." Coming back to her later statement though, he replied, "I don't think you'd have to worry about getting into the palace though. You might be awed by it, I'm sure you'd find some way through. Or at least be able to speak to the guards.
Coming closer to her, he whispered, "Just between you and me though, I've heard a story that a particular individual was brought to see Lord Cao for a disturbance of being drunk. Apparently he so impressed Cao Mengde that he was hired as an officer. So don't doubt yourself too much." All this time, Huang Ping was standing there without saying a word. He wasn’t a shy man normally, although he did find it difficult speaking to women, especially beautiful ones at that. Shun glanced over him, and with a motion of his head, Ping realized that he had wanted him to introduce himself. Calling out to him, Shun said, ”Come over here Ping, at least introduce yourself to the lady.” Reluctantly Ping did as he was asked, and said, ”He…Hello Lady Gou. It… it is a pleasure to meet you. Giving him a rough shake on his shoulder, Shun chuckled and while shaking his head said, ”Ping… You need to lighten up more. You don’t have to be so shy.” Ping responded, ”I’m sorry Shun, but I can’t help it. You know I’m like this when I’m around pretty wom-Ooops.” Shun gave a big grin. Hopefully the guard wouldn’t get annoyed by the pleasantries… But Shun was certain he wouldn’t mind too much. Such an event would have been a good story once he returned to the barracks.
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Cao Cao
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Post by Cao Cao on Apr 5, 2011 21:45:25 GMT
The guard had ordered his comrade to get one of the recruiting officers, and smiled to himself as he watched the drama unfold before him. He was always amused by watching cocky soldiers and officers try to win over women, who clearly had interests that were less carnal than their tempters. In fact, the guard began thinking of this one time, during the yellow turban rebellion, when his friend....
"All three of them?" asked the recruiting officer, having gotten to the gate ridiculously quickly. The guard nodded, and the officer walked forward, demanding the attention of everyone with his presence.
"You sir," he pointed to Zhang Shun, "seek to buy your office? Then you would do better going to Wu or Shu perhaps. Wei only enlists those who are worthy, be it by merit, deed, or potential. Being forced to rely on nothing other than your riches, well.. that suggests you have none of those qualities we seek."
"Likewise, the two of you," he looked at Ping and Z, "must prove that you are worthy. Do you have deeds or merits to speak of? Or are you here to prove your potential?"
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Post by Lei Yong on Apr 5, 2011 22:42:29 GMT
"Perhaps when the imperial court puts out postings for officer commissions, and mentions they are selling them, I should think the recruiting officer would know about it..." He looked the man up and down. He was clearly a veteran, but obviously he had no judge of talent or even people skills, speaking in such a way to a man who was significantly bigger than him. Shun stepped over to him, close enough that his height could be easily demonstrated to the man. With the recruiting officer’s eyes just meeting the centre of Shun’s chest, he spoke again, ”You can start over. I won’t hold this fault against you.” Such a stupid, petty individual this recruiting officer. Although Shun had seen it before among other men. They get a minor position, and once there they think they have all the power in the world. Still, he kept up his stoic demeanor. The officer obviously did not know who he was speaking to. Go to Shu or Wu he says… Hah, if he knew of my abilities, he’d be pleading with me to stay. I’ll give him a chance to recognize his mistake though. If he proves to be a fool once more, then I’ll put him in his place. Ping in the meantime was quite annoyed at the insult towards his best friend. It was taking everything within his soul to hold back his anger, and with the stern look on his face and it’s colour changing to a rather obvious red, he burst out with rage, ”YOU IMPOTENT SWINE! YOU HAVE NO DEEDS OF NOTE THAT SHOULD ALLOW YOU TO EVEN KISS ZHANG SHUN’S BOOT!” His breathing slowed down, and he continued, ”You think he’s here just because he has money? If you’re not going to take him on that basis, then you are an idiot. I do not think Cao-Wei is bursting at the seams with officers that you can be so selective like this. If you think him unable, then test him. Fight him yourself you lazy bastard! You probably paid for your office, but have no skills to –“ Shun cut him off just with a movement of his hand. ”That’s enough Ping. Let him speak.”
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Post by Cao Cao on Apr 6, 2011 0:20:26 GMT
"You have come to Wei, not to the fledgling Han." began the officer. "The imperial court has been selling offices, and look where it has wound up. Though Cao Cao keeps the Emperor safe, do not be mistaken. He will not allow the same treachery and corruption into his ranks."
He had been a recruiting officer for many years, and had seen many get angry or upset at being dismissed. These outburst were no different, and the office was all but ready to simply walk away, when he was challenged.
"If you would like to prove your worth by fighting against me, then lets do it and be done. Guard, please note that both participants are willing to duel, to the first blood, though if his hands end up being as money'd as his tongue, I may not restrain myself quite enough." He said, with a grimace. The continence of his face made it clear that he was not happy with this, and truly felt it was a waste of time... he was going to beat this upstart only because he had been insulted.
"If you can beat me, then the post is yours. If not, then your friend, Ping, right? will be thrown in prison for a night for slandering one who fought hard against the rebel Dong Zhuo and the fantatical turbans and earned his keep."
He drew out his sabre and began walking out of the ground, towards the open ground outside.
[OOC: Aaron has permission to god-mod the hell out of this upcoming duel...ie.. he can write as much as he wants, having the guard do whatever he wants, etc.]
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Post by Lei Yong on Apr 6, 2011 2:44:24 GMT
As soon as the officer drew his sabre, Ping tossed Shun’s spear over to him. Catching it lightly, he spun it around his head in a flourish and then followed the recruiting officer to where he was standing. Setting his spear at the ready, he nodded to the officer to note that he was ready. Shun was confident of his abilities, having trained with the Fangtian Ji for many years now, he had become proficient in interesting and unique techniques for it. Some of which only applied for dueling.
He held the weapon in what many inexperienced fighters would think is an awkward or useless position, keeping his hands close to the head, and pointing the queue towards the officer. Looking at him intensely, Shun narrowed his eyes and began his attack. He jabbed at the recruitment officer with the queue, aiming towards his chest and feet. Such a flurry of attacks was never meant to cause any damage, but rather to disorient and discomfort the opponent, forcing them to backpedal. It didn’t entirely work with the officer, and Shun had to concede that perhaps the man had some skill… Either that, or he was conceited and thought Shun was simply a boy who wanted to play war, and was not taking him very seriously. The officer drew close towards Shun, keeping his sword at an angled guard. He knew he did not have the reach, and the fighting would have to come into close range. So he stepped forward, using sweeping strokes of the sabre. His attacks were strong and fierce, but Shun was able to parry and deflect their energy with the shaft of his Ji. The strength of the officer actually worked to his disadvantage in this case, for Shun was able to greatly throw the blows away by using the leverage he gained in his guard position.
He saw the opportune time to strike. The officer had done an exceptionally fierce attack that Shun had been able to knock back again, and this time he thrust with the queue into the space between the officer’s sword arm and his torso. Moving in quickly, he put his leg in front of the officer’s, pushed with his spear shaft; which was now in the small of the officer’s back, and tripped him towards the ground. This would have been a perfect point to dispatch him, but Shun wasn’t looking to kill him. So he stood back for a distance and waited for the officer to stand up.
From there, Shun switched his guard; placing both hands near the queue, and holding the weapon over his right shoulder. It was an invitation to attack, as his left side was entirely open and looked vulnerable. The guard seeing this, decided to get more serious with this fight. He realized that Shun was no “little rich boy”, but that he was a competent warrior. However he made the decision to start the fight, and he wasn’t in the best of moods to be bested, even by someone with the skill that Shun had. He knew that this guard that Shun took was meant as bait. However it was too good of an opportunity to let pass by. So he stood there waiting for a moment, evaluating the situation. He slowly stepped towards the left side of Shun, who himself was following the officer’s movements. Turning to face him so that he wouldn’t be blindsided. Shun knew this was a dueling tactic; attempting to unnerve your opponent by circling around them, making them become agitated by your relative lack of attacks. Shun decided to look away from the man, giving him another opening.
The officer noticed this look away, as though Shun was getting bored, and he thought his tactic was working. So he moved to make a strike towards Shun’s unguarded left armpit. He swung upwards, and he hit… Air. He was astonished to see that Shun had quickly stepped back, and placed his hands over his head now. In an instant, his Fangtian Ji’s crescent blade came rushing down towards the officer’s arm. The force knocked the officer’s sword out of his hand, and in the same movement Shun followed through with a thrust towards the neck of the officer, but it appeared to miss. He had gone over the officer’s shoulder instead. The officer quickly tried to take advantage of this situation, but Shun had pulled his spear back, and hooked his opponent on his neck. With his forward movement, and now the hooking action, Shun pulled him to the ground. Another fall. Shun had enough of the fight now though. The officer was strong and skilled, but Shun had learned too many tricks and he had the advantage in reach. Now that the officer was on the ground again, attempting to get up, Shun quickly brought the crescent blade towards the officer’s cheek, and sliced across leaving a small cut, and visible blood on his blade. He looked down at the officer, and then towards the guard and said ”I believe that is first blood drawn. You have witnessed that I am not simply just talk and money, but that I can back both of them up with my fighting prowess.”
He handed his spear back to Huang Ping, and then continued, ”I am sorry for the insults my friend Ping had given. He is quite quick to anger. Do not hold it against him. As for you looking down upon me sir, I can forget that. You had reason to suspect me as some kind of popinjay of some sort. I have not dealt with Wei or the Han before. I had heard offices were being sold, and that your lord was the protectorate of the Han. Anyways, that is water under the bridge now.” Holding out his hand, he helped the officer up off the ground, and then giving him a warrior’s salute he said, ”I hope you will forgive my presumptions.”
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Post by Cao Cao on Apr 6, 2011 3:51:11 GMT
The office took Zhang's hand and quickly rose, dusting himself off. While looking down at his hands as they wiped the dust off of his pants, he considered how he should respond. His face his pointed firmly at the ground, as he was unsure of how he wanted to present himself to the victor. To be sure, he was humiliated to have lost after all his posturing, and in front of two guards no less...
However...
He smiled at Zhang. "Perhaps i was wrong. Surely, it is my own hands that have grown soft, working at a desk and in the security of my own realm. You have proven yourself a capable fighter, and your words have suggested that you are quite capable of dealing with people as well. However, a true leader must also be good with strategy and administrative duties. These are qualities that take longer to determine, but, surely you have proven that you have the potential."
Here he turned to Ping. "I assume that you are joining with Zhang, and as such, I will take you on the merit of his friendship. Please know that my anger was spurned by the thought of buying and selling office. I served under the Han during the reign of the Eunuchs, and concept the rich are risen from the ground, while the able are left in the dust, stirs me to action whether it be called for or not." He hoped that his apology was acceptable, as he was a prideful man and it pained him a bit to make it.
"Sir, Lord Cao himself is usually the one to promote men in Xu Chang, and I am simply acting in his absence. If you would like, I can present you with a seal, and you can see him yourself in Wan where he is currently warring against Zhang Xiu. Otherwise, you may wait here and familiarize yourself with the workings of Wei."
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Post by Zhōng Gôu on Apr 6, 2011 5:13:13 GMT
She clicked her tongue as Zhang Shun spoke, calling Tao to her. It was so nice meeting this sort of person right off. He was much more comfortable to be around, and despite his comforting, she still doubted that she could have gotten very far... Though mention of a drunken man making it into the army did pose promise. Either they didn't have high standards, or maybe they truly were that low on people? Though, she supposed, there was always the third option: "drunk" may have been a stronger word to describe what he had actually been... She wasn't about to find out anytime soon, though.
Tao nudged her shoulder, still chewing on the grass in his mouth. Z, however, was more concerned with smiling at Ping as he was called to approach. Being called "lady" was strange, indeed. "Lady Gou" seemed so formal and... unnecessary, but this was the army and it wasn't home, anymore. Such formalities felt awkward, but it would have to become a daily part of life.
She blinked at Ping's slip, her cheeks flushing slightly. She hadn't ever been complimented like that, before... Well, not by someone she didn't know. Her mom and other people from her village would say she was pretty and had a nice figure, but hearing it from someone else's lips was weird... but flattering. She couldn't help but feel her smile widen, only to be interrupted before properly greeting him.
She stepped back, looking toward the new face that had appeared. He was smaller than Shun, but held a lot more confidence... Or perhaps that was ego? He seemed so high and mighty, so much so that he could speak so rudely... But then again, how was she supposed to know how these things went? For all she knew, this was common-place. But did he have to be so--
She jumped slightly when she was addressed along with Ping, staring with wide eyes. She didn't quite know how to answer. "If I had any deeds to speak of, wouldn't you have heard of them?" She had wanted to say this, but she bit her tongue in order to think of something less sassy.
Before she could, however, both Zhang Shun and Huang Ping had stepped in with a few words of their own... And a fist or two. She simply watched the short skirmish between them, stroking Tao's nose as he seemed to glare fervently at the noise-makers. She just hoped that no one would get too badly injured.
She sighed in relief when the most visible damage done was a simple cut. Zhang Shun was more than just a good soldier. He was a good man, too.
She perked up when everything seemed to be drawing to a close, noting that, well... She was still left unanswered, really. But should she speak up? She certainly couldn't outdo what just happened, nor was she obviously very close friends with Shun like Ping was, so what to do? As if to make matters worse, he was talking about going straight into a battlefield to speak with the Lord Cao Cao, himself... Though that was obviously not directed at her.
Seemingly sensing her hesitation, or perhaps just to be a nuisance, Tao snorted and gave her a push with his head in the direction of the other men. The horse was plenty bigger than the girl, so the gentle nudge seemed more like a rough shove.
"S-Sorry!" She squeaked, catching herself and straightening up. "Uhm, about my, erm..." she brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes, peering up at the officer nervously, "proof of potential...?" Any assumption of how this moment to go had been thrown as far as the east is to the west. Again, how could she even compete with what had just occurred here? She almost felt as if she were standing alone, once more.
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