• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Wow, this rapidly went south for Hu Zan... first losing his wife, then revolting over nothing and even losing it! I hope he'll find a better home. And a wife, for that matter.

Also, the real Tan Zhihan (JaceX's character) appeared! He's totally not overpowered or so.
 
  • 1Like
  • 1
Reactions:
192-193: Xiao Ru Settles Old Scores
192-193: XIAO RU SETTLES OLD SCORES
20201126164439_1.jpg


His “side business” during the war with Qing Province had proven lucrative, yes, but it had not rid Xiao Ru of his main problem. He wanted control of Fei County ever since he convinced Ying Shao to invade it two years ago, but he had yet to make any headway toward this goal. He had hoped that Zhuge Gui, the current administrator of Fei County, would be killed in the war, which would leave him to take over once his rival was dead and the war had ended. Instead, Kong Rong had allowed the magistrate to surrender peacefully, even welcoming him as a precious guest for the duration of the war. Now the war was over and Zhuge Gui still held control of Fei County!
20201126150141_1.jpg


Even worst, Zhuge Gui’s young son Zhuge Liang had proven a torn in his side since the war had ended. It seemed that the boy was curious about the supply that never arrived and began to investigate the whole affair himself. He accused Xiao Ru of having gotten rid of the supply to hinder his father. Xiao Ru tried to stutter his way through an explanation, but everyone found him unconvincing and a bit suspicious. Zhuge Liang pressed the accusations so much that Ying Shao actually considered opening an official investigation on the matter. The well-known scholar was impressed by Zhuge Liang’s pursuit of the truth and was also curious about what had happened to the supply. Xiao Ru had told him that the supply had been delivered, but he did notice that the man suddenly had a lot more wealth at his disposal. Surprisingly, it was Zhuge Gui who came to Xiao Ru’s defence. He was a bit naïve and honestly couldn’t think of a reason for Xiao Ru to screw him up like that. Surely the supply had been captured by the enemies and Xiao Ru, wanting to save face, lied about it and confirmed Zhuge Gui’s theory. Yes, it looked bad, but it wasn’t treason. Zhuge Gui’s intervention convinced Ying Shao to drop the whole affair.
20201123164912_1.jpg


But while Zhuge Gui did this as a friendly gesture of support, Xiao Ru saw it as his rival rubbing his victory in his face. Xiao Ru couldn’t save himself, so Zhuge Gui “kindly” came to his rescue. So while the whole incident was passed over, Xiao Ru came out of it bitterer than ever. His desire to gain Fei County and his one-sided rivalry with Zhuge Gui continued to plague his mind. He began to talk with his wife Xia of what he should do about his rival. She pleaded him to not do anything stupid that could jeopardise their place in Ying Shao’s court. They had their first child, a daughter named Xiao Xiaowen, the previous year. It wasn’t time to go on some revenge scheme. For the time being, Xiao Ru agreed, although only to calm his wife.
20201123165021_1.jpg


But then he received an invitation from Zhuge Gui to join him in Fei County for a feast. Zhuge Gui hoped that by inviting him, they could finally put aside the animosity that existed between them and continue forward as loyal servants of Ying Shao, working together to help their lords. His son tried their best to dissuade their father, but Zhuge Gui insisted. It was simply going to be a nice little chat between adults. So against his sons’ advice, Zhuge Gui went on to organize a lavish banquet for him and his guest. Xiao Ru arrived and could only see this as Zhuge Gui showing off his wealth. Prideful as always, he promised himself to organize and even bigger feast in the foreseeable future.

Zhuge Gui personally welcomed Xiao Ru in Fei City. The Zhuge children refused to attend, but it didn’t stop Zhuge Gui from receiving his guest with all honors possible. As they ate, he came forward with his big proposal. Their disputes had been a problem for everyone, and so it was better for it to end today. So why not become sworn brothers? “Let us stand together as brother so we do not have to stand apart.” he said. “It would end any possible dispute between the two of us.” But Xiao Ru refused this overture. If he accepted, he would indeed have to renounce any grudge he had against Zhuge Gui, as it would mean acting against his own brother. And the punishment for such action would be far harsher, and rightfully so. Xiao Ru thus left the meeting no closer to his rival or his goal. But as he left he found Zhuge Gui’s coachman alone and saw an opportunity. He offered to handsomely pay the coachman to ensure that Zhuge Gui had an “unfortunate accident”. Lacking any scruples, the man accepted the offer. A week later in April 192, Zhuge Gui’s carriage crashed down a cliff as it left Fei City.
20201126163522_1.jpg


Xiao Ru was ecstatic when he learned of what had happened. He had arranged the death of his rival and he was going to get away with it! He secretly had coins sent to the coachman has promised and told him to disappear away. He had won! Now Ying Shao would obviously appoint him as the new magistrate of Fei County. He even declared to his wife “See? You were worried for nothing. If I had listened to you, Heaven would have ignored us and left us to rot.” His wife was far less enthusiastic about this whole deal, and rightfully so. Xiao Ru would soon learn to his surprise that Ying Shao had not in fact appointed him as Zhuge Gui’s replacement. Instead, in an act of kindness toward the family of his late follower, he appointed the oldest of Zhuge Gui’s sons, Zhuge Jin, as his replacement. The young man thanked his lord and made way to Fei County, to Xiao Ru’s annoyance.
20201123164835_1.jpg


Zhuge Jin had just returned home when his younger brother Zhuge Liang began to pester him about their father’s death. The boy claimed that his father had in fact been killed. While he ignored him at first, Zhuge Jin was convinced by his younger brother’s insistence and began to agree that their father’s death might not have been the accident they believed it to be. After all, the coachman who drove the cart was never found after Zhuge Gui’s death. Zhuge Liang already had a suspect in mind: Xiao Ru, that scum who had always wished to take Fei County from their father. Zhuge Jin agreed that Xiao Ru was the most likely suspect, remembering how Xiao Ru never delivered that supply during the siege.

The two brothers went to Ying Shao and publically accused Xiao Ru of being behind their father’s death. Having a lot of respect for Zhuge Gui and his children, and knowing full well the ambition that Xiao Ru harbored, the Administrator of Taishan Commandery agreed to listen to their theory. Xiao Ru, who was present at court that day, was in a state of shock as Zhuge Jin spoke. The first son of Zhuge Gui had the whole court in the palm of his end, taking in his every words. He was such a natural talker that by the time he was finished, everyone believed that Xiao Ru had to be behind Zhuge Gui’s death. What could Xiao Ru do except stutter? He tried his best to formulate some excuse to counter the great rhetoric of Zhuge Jin, but to no avail. Still, Ying Shao allowed him the benefit of the doubt, if only because he had been a useful servant over the past two years.
20201126163532_1.jpg


When news arrived a few days later that Zhuge Liang had somehow managed to track down the coachman, Xiao Ru decided that it was time to go. He fled in the middle of the night with his wife and daughter, throwing his wealth around so to bribe anyone who might block his flight. By next morning, Ying Shao found out that Xiao Ru had escaped and sent orders to have him captured and arrested. The Zhuge brothers could only curse as their father’s killer escaped. Meanwhile, Xiao Ru cursed Heaven for favoring the Zhuge Clan over him. He made his way south with his family and whatever wealth he had left. He couldn’t stop until he was out of Yan Province. While Liu Dai might appreciate his services, it was doubtful that the Inspector wouldn’t hang him for the murder he had committed. So he fled the province altogether and instead went to You Province.
20201123165121_1.jpg


There he went on to offer his services to the governor himself, refusing to once again serve a small administrator. That had led him nowhere. If Xiao Ru wanted to advance in life, he had to serve the powerful. And as it turned out, the current governor of You Province was quite influential and famous. Liu Chong was, like many in the realm, a member of the imperial Liu Clan, descending from the second son of Emperor Ming (58-75) the second emperor of the Eastern Han. However, many knew him by his title, the Prince of Chen. The Prince of Chen was an incredible administrator, possibly the greatest of his age. His amazing stewardship of his province and his efficient management of his army made the jealousy of his neighbours, Yuan Shu especially.

He was truly a great man to serve, Xiao Ru thought. When he arrived to his court, he quickly asked for an audience with the governor. As he was the son of a gardener who had only served as a small town official, his audience was pushed back on many occasions, long enough for news of his crime in Yan province to reach Liu Chong. Liu Dai even asked his distant cousin to give him back the criminal so he could be judged. The Prince of Chen, curious of this possible murderer asking for a job, had Xiao Ru brought before him. The stuttering man was unimpressive, and so Liu Chong asked why he shouldn’t just hand him over to Liu Dai. Xiao Ru did his best to explain that these accusations were fabricated by his enemies of the Zhuge Clan. He also asked to prove that he could be a great asset to You Province. He would be useful if allowed to. While hesitant to employ a potential murderer, Liu Chong had no desire to bow to Liu Dai’s demands and send back the man. The two warlords were experiencing growing tensions and he was not going to be the one to bow down. So he offered Xiao Ru a chance to prove himself.
20201123165045_1.jpg


Xiao Ru was set free and given an official position in law enforcement, although he was limited to the provincial capital. By doing so, Liu Chong was publicly vouching for Xiao Ru and proclaiming him innocent of the crime he was accused of. After all, no sane ruler would put a criminal in charge of enforcing the law. He even petitioned the Emperor to grant a pardon for Xiao Ru, which the Emperor (or more exactly, the Emperor’s regents) gave without much fuss. Xiao Ru would prove worthy of the trust put into him, and his bravado about his talent was proven correct. He was an efficient law official, enforcing justice with a cold cruelty that left no place for corruption or mistakes. Efficiency among Xiao Ru’s subordinates went up out of fear of their new superior. His efforts were impressive enough that Liu Chong told one of his close subordinates “To say I almost deprived the Han Dynasty of such talent. He understands laws and policies far better than other officials.” In July, Liu Chong would even send a recommendation to the Imperial Capital, a clear sign that he valued Xiao Ru.

But Xiao Ru’s harsh handling of the law made him many enemies, including the magistrate of Ku County, Luo Jun. Luo Jun was decent enough at his job, but somehow got it in his head that he was so good that law didn’t apply to him. It helped that he had a good relationship with many of the Prince of Chen’s advisors who always tried to protect him. So when he came to the provincial capital for a casual report to Liu Chong, he surprised to be arrested over some minor offence. Xiao Ru actually had the magistrate throw into a cell over the issue, and while Liu Chong eventually had the man released, the governor agreed that Xiao Ru was right. Luo Jun complained again and again, which made Xiao Ru nervous. There was no way he was going to let another good talker ruin his life. Thankfully, one of his subordinate found a correspondence between Luo Jun and Liu Dai, talking about the possibility of invading You Province.
20201123165054_1.jpg


This time, it was not Xiao Ru who fled in the night. When Liu Chong demanded explanation, they discovered that Luo Jun was nowhere to be found. Once he had returned to his county, the magistrate decided that he might as well revolt now that the gig was up. Luo Jun raised his troops against the unjust and tyrannical laws of Liu Chong. In his propaganda, he went as far as to compare the Prince of Chen to Qin Shi Huang, the cruel first emperor of China whose tyrannical legalistic laws were hated by all. But unlike Qin Shi Huang, Liu Chong was loved and respected. Luo Jun found no one willing to support him in his little revolt. He had seemed to have forgotten one fact: Liu Chong was an even better commander than he was an administrator. The Prince of Chen happily took the field of battle and defeated Luo Jun and his troops decisively by the end of the year.

Panicked, Luo Jun fled and to Ku County. He wrote an urgent missive to Liu Dai, asking the Inspector of Yan Province to come to his aid so they could defeat Liu Chong together. He soon realized that even if the letter reached Liu Dai, the Prince of Chen would still captured Ku County before any help could be sent. So in January 193 Luo Jun fled the province. He would flee to Yang Province, offering his services to Chen Wen, where he would live until his death in 202. Liu Chong found Ku County without its magistrate and the rebels all too happy to surrender. Still, even with the county back under country, there was a need to rout out all criminals and true traitors that remained. Liu Chong decided that Xiao Ru was the best man for the job, appointing him as the new magistrate of Ku County. With that done, the Prince of Chen turned his attention to bigger issues he had to deal with.
20201126163744_1.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20201126163744_1.jpg
    20201126163744_1.jpg
    114,2 KB · Views: 0
  • 1Like
  • 1Love
Reactions:
He would flee to Yang Province, offering his services to Chen Wen, where he would live until his death in 202.
I think this line has more importance than a first glance shows. Will Yang Weili have frictions with the newcomer? Probably.

Of course, congrats to Ru! He rid the world of that Zhuge prick, succesfully fled and became a magistrate! Pretty good career :D
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
  • 1
Reactions:
Xiao Ru certainly landed on his feet. But I wouldn't get too comfortable, the two very gifted sons of Zhuge Gui won't forget their father's murderer.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
Yeah, its been a while.

So far, Kong Rong and Hu Zan had some differences. And well, my boy Hu Zan should definitely not have done open rebellion after... a year. Happy he got a kid, lost a wide, mad he f**ked himself over. All in less than two years. Well, he tried. Not sure what's going to happen next.

And Xiao Ru, well, he's got helps lucky even when he plan falls down - so good for him at least!
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
191-193: Yuan Shu and Sun Jian
191-193: YUAN SHU AND SUN JIAN
20201203222309_1.jpg


The Battle of Sui against the Jing forces allowed them to push their enemies out of their lord’s territories and link back with Tan Zilong and his men. Finally, after months of being stranded in the middle of nowhere, Sun Jian, Feng Zian and Chang Nu were back home.

Tan Zilong was quick to congratulate them and offer the supply they badly needed. Sun Jian thanked Tan Zilong for his help in the battle, which led the two to have a friendly conversation with one another. Sun Jian really liked Tan Zilong, and later in life he would say “What Tan Zilong saw in Yuan Shu to deserve his undying loyalty, I will never understand.” The two had a nice meeting until Tan Zilong brought up Yuan Shu. This ruined the mood for Sun Jian, who asked Tan Zilong what their lord wanted. The general informed him that Yuan Shu wished to see them all now that victory had been achieved, probably to reward them for their service. Sun Jian tried to say that he needed no reward, but Tan Zilong politely told him that it was better for him to attend. Who knew how their lord would take a refusal. While annoyed, he couldn’t disagree with what that. Unwilling to give Yuan Shu an excuse, Sun Jian accepted the invitation.
20201126172418_1.jpg


For his part, Yuan was mostly just annoyed about the whole situation. Yes, he had been the one to diminish the supply to his own army, but he had a good reason for that! He couldn’t allow Sun Jian to get all the glory, after all! What if it gave him ideas? But then the troops of Jing had cut of the line of communication between the two. He had expected Sun Jian to immediately return to save him, not to linger for a year in enemy territory! Did he not hear of his lord being in danger? Was Sun Jian trying to humiliate him, or maybe attempting to seize his army while he was occupied? Clearly, his Commandant had some explaining to do. Or former Command, to be more precise. Tan Zilong was clearly a better choice, and he would announce it once everyone had arrived.
20201126172314_1.jpg


As it turned out, Yuan Shu was a lot more critical of Sun Jian behind his back than in his face. When he saw how Sun Jian was praised as a hero as he entered the city alongside Tan Zilong and the other generals, the scheming warlord could only curse. But once the man was in front of him, he couldn’t stop but shower him with praises. Sun Jian, the most loyal of loyal generals! Yuan Shu smiled and praised his Commandant, hoping to charm him back into submission. This sudden friendliness only put Sun Jian on alert and made him more suspicious of his lord. But to his credit, Yuan Shu did receive Sun Jian as a hero and had a large feast in his honor.

And then Yuan Shu spent the rest of 191 preventing Sun Jian from leaving.

The moment Sun Jian wanted to go back to the frontline to fight the forces of Jing Province, supply suddenly became a problem again. Cheng Pu told him about this issue, which led Sun Jian to go ask Yuan Shu what was happening. Yuan Shu explained that his city needed to be resupplied first. In case there was a siege. Then Sun Jian kept being called to banquets and feasts and ceremonies, keeping him stuck in Yuan Shu’s court. Celebrations after celebrations after celebrations… All of which Sun Jian was forced to attend at Yuan Shu’s order. After a month, this started to annoy him to no end, but he always found himself unable to go back to his troops and return to the war.

Sun Ce, Sun Jian’s eldest son, decided that he had enough of this and tried to leave, angrily pushing his way through the city to go take command of the troops. When soldiers came to stop him, Sun Ce angrily demanded that they step out of his way. The soldiers continued to explain that Yuan Shu had yet to give him permission to go take command of the troops. Sun Ce killed one of them after the discussion got heated as they tried to physically stop him from leaving. When Yuan Shu heard of this, he saw an opportunity to get a hold over Sun Jian. He ordered Feng Zian and Chang Nu to go capture him for his crimes. The two generals agreed and were able to get a hold on Sun Ce, having him arrested for the murder. Now, the fact that they were a bit too “overzealous” in the arrest proved controversial, but it did the job. Fearing for the life of his son, Sun Jian was forced to bow to Yuan Shu and beg for Sun Ce’s life. Yuan Shu relished this victory and mercifully allowed the boy to live. Now Sun Jian owed him, so of course he would remain loyal! Yuan Shu was such a genius!
20201126172356_1.jpg


Still, better be safe than sorry. Yuan Shu continued to prevent Sun Jian from leading troops even after this incident with his son. Thankfully, Yuan Shu had realized that he needed to send someone to lead the troops. So he sent Tan Zilong and Feng Zian to lead small forces and retake cities and territories captured by the forces of Liu Biao. This produced mixed results. Tan Zilong proved excellent at the job, administrating his troops excellently and even managing to get one or two towns back through diplomacy and negotiations, usually involving trading supply with the people in exchange of surrender. Feng Zian proved a lot less calm when it came to sieges, often losing his calm or wandering to go have fun with other women at times according to the reports. Still, the scholar knew his Art of War, using surprisingly good tactics to take the cities, including using the night to make it look like his army had been reinforced, making it look like he doubled his army’s size.

Sun Jian wasn’t happy with this one bit. His frustration at Yuan Shu and the treatment he was receiving grew so much that by late December he had enough. When Feng Zian and Tan Zilong returned for a celebration, Yuan Shu made sure to praise them publicly in hope of shifting the troops’ loyalty from Sun Jian to these more loyal officers. Sun Jian saw what he was doing. As they were celebrating at a banquet, Yuan Shu asked how Sun Jian liked the event. Sun Jian stood up and shouted:

“Unlike you, I am a general, not a swine! My place is on the battlefield fighting your enemies and b ringing glory to our cause! But you stop me from leading troops! You are so blinded by your own jealousy that you are slicing your own right arm! When I swore to serve you, I will admit that I never realized that you were such coward! But it does not matter now. I am a general, and I WILL lead my men! Or are you finally going to be a man and tell me no instead of stabbing me in the back while praising me?”

Yuan Shu was shocked and panicked at this. The room fell silent as Sun Jian advance toward his lord, looking down at him as he awaited an answer. Feng Zian almost jumped up to tell what he thought of Sun Jian insulting their lord, but Tan Zilong stopped him from interfering. Yuan Shu, put in an awkward position, exclaimed that it had never been his intention to hinder Sun Jian.

“Then can I go back to leading your armies to victory?” the general asked.

“Y-Yes! Of course, Colonel Sun! Why would I not want you fighting for our noble cause?” Yuan Shu answered.

Sun Jian’s only answer was a nod before he left. By the end of the day in was in the camps, preparing the troops to go fight the war. By the end of the week, he was already marching the troops away from Yuan Shu’s seat of power. Yuan Shu was quick to regain his footing and sent Feng Zian and Chang Nu to “assist” Sun Jian and his officers. He couldn’t have Sun Jian running around without supervision, after all. He hesitated to send Tan Zilong too, as the general had a good relationship with Sun Jian, unlike Feng Zian who had known issues with Sun Jian or Chang Nu because he was too loyal to ever be swayed by Sun Jian. Sun Jian was annoyed by their presence, but did with it. He led the army against the enemy and in January 192 they defeated a larger army of troops from Jing Province led by Liu Biao’s brothers-in-law. The sheer amount of competent generals stacked against these incompetent nobles ensured a quick and decisive victory. Sun Jian was once again celebrated as a hero and Yuan Shu could only curse them.
20201203222446_1.jpg


Liu Biao soon had his armies retreating into his territories to deal with threat from his eastern border, which left Sun Jian and the other generals free to focus on completely taking back Yuan Shu’s occupied territories. And while Yuan Shu worried about Sun Jian once again leading troops, things were going… mostly well. For first two months of 192, Sun Jian and Feng Zian were able to regain territories, turning the war decisively in their favor. They even began to advance once again into Jing Province. The generals were understandably hesitant to do so again, as last time they had been stuck there for a year without supply. But this time Sun Jian prepared and ought his own supply without passing through Yuan Shu.

By leaving for Jing Province, Sun Jian and the other generals forgot to leave some troops to protect Yuan Shu’s territories. Other than the standard garrison, there were no army to protect the cities should a third party decide to invade. Zhang Lu, the cult leader of a Taoist sect known as the Way of the Celestial Masters, noticed that his eastern neighbour had lost all his defences. Seeing an opportunity to expand the influence of his theocratic state, Zhang Lu launched an invasion of Yuan Shu’s territories in March, just as Sun Jian was entering Jing Province. The cult leader was supported by barbarians paying him tribute and by Yi Province, although Liu Yan had his own war to deal with before he could send any help. A dangerous force to face.
20201203222539_1.jpg


Yuan Shu quickly sent Tan Zilong to Sun Jian, warning the army that an invasion was coming. Yuan Shu also sent orders telling them to return immediately to come save. But Sun Jian refused to move. They had to first free the territories still held by Jing forces. Sun Jian couldn’t in good conscience leave a pocket of enemies that could strike them in the back should they live. Feng Zian was quick to call this reasoning a load of bullshit, accusing Sun Jian of abandoning their lord due to his personal enmity with him. Tensions went up as Sun Jian did not refute these accusations, simply brushing Feng Zian aside. Then, two months after Tan Zilong had arrived in their camp, Sun Jian summoned everyone and asked them why they were following Yuan Shu. Why serve such a scheming bastard? Where they all willing to fall with him right now? These questions led Feng Zian to punch Sun Jian, accusing him of treason. Sun Ce was quick to come to his father’s defence, and a fight would have surely broken out if Cheng Pu and Tan Zilong hadn’t stepped in. Tan Zilong was quick to tell Sun Jian that these kinds of talk should never be spoken again before leaving the meeting, quickly followed by Feng Zian and Chang Nu. The next morning, the three generals would find out that Sun Jian had disappeared from camp with half of the men.

Yuan Shu awaited reinforcement to help him fend off the incoming armies of Zhang Lu. It had been months since he sent Tan Zilong, yet no one had come to his aid! How could they refuse to come save him, their lord! As he began to wonder who could have been behind this, he saw the Sun Jian’s banners appear at the horizon. Sun Jian had come to his aid! Even if he had ordered him to do so, Yuan Shu couldn’t stop himself from being suspicious. A normal lord might have opened the door to welcome his army, but Yuan Shu decided to have him wait outside. This decision saved his life, as Sun Jian came demanding the be relieved of his service and allowed to go his way with his men. Yuan Shu refused, declaring “Sun Jian! I offered you a home, and this is how you repay me? By betraying me? You call yourself a righteous man, yet you steal my men in my hour of need!” But Sun Jian no longer listened to him. Since Yuan Shu would not agree to release him from his obligations, Sun Jian ordered his men to lay siege to the city.
20201203223136_1.jpg


Sun Jian was quick to send his trusted general Cheng Pu to go negotiate a deal with Zhang Lu’s army. He had no desire to fight the Celestial Masters if it was avoidable. Cheng Pu arrived in front of the sect leader in June and was able to establish good relations with him. The general explained that they didn’t have to fight. Their beef was with villain Yuan Shu, not with each other. Zhang Lu couldn’t agree more. He told Cheng Pu that he would not hinder Sun Jian’s efforts against Yuan Shu, but he would not help him either. Satisfied, Cheng Pu returned to his lord, only to find that he had just come out of a battle.
20201203222500_1.jpg


Having realized that Sun Jian had fled, Feng Zian quickly ordered the troops left in a rapid chase against him. He claimed that Sun Jian was now a traitor, which left him in charge of the campaign. The troops weren’t sure if it was the right thing to do, at first looking at Tan Zilong for new leadership. But the tall man was slower to act after the disappearance of Sun Jian and was hesitant to label the former Commandant as a traitor. This uncertainty left Feng Zian in charge, his authority solidified by the support he received from Chang Nu. Feng Zian marched his army back to Yuan Shu as he had been ordered. With Sun Jian gone, nothing stopped him from going to his lord’s rescue.
20201203222517_1.jpg


His scouts quickly reported that Sun Jian was now besieging Yuan Shu, something even Feng Zian was surprised. For all his calls that Sun Jian was disloyal or a traitor, he had never expected the general to actually take direct actions against Yuan Shu. At Tan Zilong’s advice, Feng Zian waited until he had enough information on the enemy force before engaging. They were roughly of equal size, with Sun Jian having a small numerical advantage from the troops that had linked up with him since his betrayal. The loyal generals still decided to engage, believing that once pushed against the walls of the city Sun Jian’s army would collapse. This plan edged on the idea that Yuan Shu would come out of the city to attack Sun Jian in a pincer manoeuver, which would annihilate the rebellious general. It all relied on Yuan Shu’s courage. So it was a total disaster. Not only Sun Jian managed to keep cohesion among his men, but Yuan Shu chose to hide behind the protection of the walls instead of helping his generals. Following the defeat, the loyalists would found themselves harassed by a pursuit force led by Sun Ce, would was more than happy to be a thorn in Feng Zian’s side.

After they finally pushed back Sun Ce’s advance, Feng Zian and his fellow generals were forced to take a difficult decision. They all knew that Yuan Shu expected them to come to his aid, but with the troops they had left it would be a suicide to get back into a fight. So Feng Zian decided that it was better to simply wait and besiege the territories occupied by garrisons of Jing Province as they waited for new recruits. An ironic decision, considering how he questioned Sun Jian’s loyalty for doing the exact same thing. Meanwhile, Sun Jian continued the siege, annoyed at the fact that Yuan Shu hadn’t surrendered yet. As it turned out, Yuan Shu had once again been hording supply that should have gone to his troops. At the time, it was only to annoy and hinder Sun Jian, but it turned out to be a useful decision for once.
20201203222528_1.jpg


It was only in December 192 that Feng Zian decided that they had enough troops to once again come to their lord’s aid. Tan Zilong pointed out that they barely had more troops than Sun Jian, but Feng Zian refused to listen. He knew full well that victory wasn’t assured, and in any other circumstances he would have waited for more favorable circumstances. But he feared what would happen to his lord should the city surrender. And what about his family, which was still at Yuan Shu’s court?

Feng Zian morale was boosted by news that Sun Jian’s supply was depleted, giving him hope that he would fight demoralised soldiers. Sun Jian had also noticed this problem, so when his scouts told him of the approaching army, he told his men that their only hope would be to capture Feng Zian’s supply. So in the middle of the night, as Feng Zian and Tan Zilong were preparing battle plans for tomorrow battle, Sun Jian attacked their camp. The ensuing fighting was chaotic and disorganised, but it saw the Feng Zian and his army routed again. Chang Nu did his best to fight to the bitter end, but it only got him severely injured and captured by the enemy. When Yuan Shu heard of this, he was forced to bitterly admit defeat. No help would come, so he might as well give Sun Jian what he wanted. He told Sun Jian that he could leave with his army. Yuan Shu recognized his autonomy fully and completely, a difficult pill to swallow for the schemer. Satisfied, Sun Jian broke his siege and left for his domain and released Chang Nu from his custody before leaving.
20200927212135_1.jpg


And so 192 ended with Sun Jian breaking his siege… only for 193 to start with Zhang Lu starting his own. Yuan Shu abrely had room to breathe that Zhang Lu came with his army to besiege his seat of power. He quickly sent messengers to Feng Zian ordering him to come back to defend the city, but by the time the scholar arrived the Celestial Masters had already encircled the city. Tan Zilong advised him not to engage, as they were badly demoralized and far too weak to fight the full force of Zhang Lu. Feng Zian grudgingly agreed, but as they left they were actually pursued and forced into a bat5tle, which they once again badly lost. Yuan Shu used this opportunity to flee the city, with half of his court following. They spend a month travelling around until they reach what remained of his army. He was quick to berate his officers for not saving him and for losing so much. Thankfully, he was there to make sure they won now. And by winning, he meant avoiding any battle. Yuan Shu instead moved to… go remove the Jing Province garrisons left in his territories. With some luck, this might lead to Liu Biao surrendering to him and finally acknowledging him as his lord.

He continued to hold these hoped until June 193. Suddenly the troops of Jing Province all retreated back home, abandoning all the territories they still controlled. Confused, Yuan Shu sent envoys to Liu Biao’s court, demanding his surrender. Maybe he was abandoning the fight? When his envoy returned a few weeks later, he came back with a frustrating story. He hadn’t been able to speak with Liu Biao because Liu Biao wasn’t in charge of Jing Province anymore. No, it was Inspector Chen Wen of Yang who ruled the province. And Chen Wen had told them in no uncertain terms that their little ambitions were over. Frustrated, Yuan Shu had no choice to abandon his ambitions on Jing Province, as he didn’t want to get drag in a conflict against Tao Shang. Besides, he had Zhang Lu’s Celestial Masters to worry about.
20201203222743_1.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20201126172356_1.jpg
    20201126172356_1.jpg
    109,7 KB · Views: 0
  • 20201203222517_1.jpg
    20201203222517_1.jpg
    106,4 KB · Views: 0
  • 2Love
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Impulsiveness keeps him from what he could truly accomplish.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
Impulsiveness keeps him from what he could truly accomplish.
True, but would a cool head have changed anything to this mess?

By the way, there won't be a chapter this week everyone. I'm in my last week of the session and I want to focus on my projects I have to finish for next week. Here a preview of what I have planned when I come back.
  • Yang Weili and Chen Wen chapter, telling how they took Jing Province + Liu Siyuan story during that war (his story is related to theirs so I though it was easier to mix both chapters)
  • Lü Bu's campaign against the Northern Xiongnus + what Han Sui has been doing following the war with Guo Si
  • The growing instability in Luoyan within the imperial regime.
If I remember correctly (but will check my notes just in case), we should then start moving into 194, which is a pretty bloody year.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
For some reason the forum did not send me notifications of the AAR since late September, so that's a good surprise I have 6 pages to read !

XD
Well just happy you found your way back!
 
Last edited:
  • 1
Reactions:
192-193: The Yang Expansion
192-193: THE YANG EXPANSION
20201217203905_1.jpg


When the dust settled, everyone agreed that the annexation of Changsha had been a smooth affair. Su Dai was happy to still be in charge of the commandery and had no issue obeying Chen Wen. Yang Weili had proven to be Cheng Wen’s key commander and right hand man, cementing his place at his lord’s side. Even Bu Baoxun, the general who had ran a mock of the Yang armies, had finally agreed that serving Chen Wen was a good opportunity for the officers currently serving Su Dai. Everyone was happy.

Chen Wen was quick to invite his new subordinate to Hefei to celebrate their new relationship. Su Dai quickly made his way to the provincial capital, where he was welcomed to a large feast and honored as an esteemed guest by Chen Wen. At first amazed by the length his new liege would go to make him welcome, he quickly found himself a bit put off by Chen Wen’s more aggressive personality. He acted far more commandingly than what Su Dai had expected, at least from Yang Weili’s description of the man. Still, it wasn’t something that the mild Su Dai had a problem dealing with, quickly easing himself into his new position as a subordinate.
20201205205936_1.jpg


Soon after the banquet, Su Dai found himself welcomed to Chen Wen’s court, where Chen Wen publicly welcomed him among his vassals. The formalities dealt with, Cheng Wen asked everyone their thought on the current situation. Tao Qian was dead and his son Tao Shang now ruled Xu. Liu Biao was still waging war with Yuan Shu. He wanted to know what should be their next move. The old Lu Jun was the first to step forward, saying his mind as he always did.

“With Changsha rallied to us, prosperity will come to Yang. If we stay strong and silent, we will prosper as others suffer, and soon wealth will never be a problem for us. My liege, why risk everything by inviting chaos upon our land? Our sight should on our home, not on futile ambitions.”
20201205205902_1.jpg


This wasn’t a surprising position from the old man, who still selfishly refused to see the province expand. Chen Wen had to admit that Lu Jun made some good points. After all, why risk it all? But he didn’t want to take a decision without hearing Yang Weili’s opinion. He turned to his Commandant and friend, asking the strategist what he believed they should do. Yang Weili was actually yawning when everyone turned to him, leaving him quite embarrassed. Never the less, he quickly rose to his feet and presented his humble opinion. Now, what Lu Jun had said sounded nice. The part about never worrying about wealth definitively had his support. But he pointed out that as long as they were forced to bow to Tao Shang, most of that wealth would never truly be theirs.

No, they needed to break free from Xu Province. Xu Province had probably realized that too. At the time they were speaking, Mi Fang and Liu Siyuan were leading troops against Anyang after a successful campaign to take Chengfu. Tao Shang was expanding his power, so they needed to do the same. At this, Lu Jun balked, calling Yang Weili insane for suggesting such course of action. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Chen Wen who came to support Yang Weili, but Su Dai. The new vassal was all too happy to be useful to his new lord, and so told him that Liu Biao was actually weakened due to the efforts of General Sun Jian. Jing Province was weak, and if a campaign was their solution then he would gladly have Bu Baoxun lead troops beside Chen Wen.
20201205205848_1.jpg


Chen Wen, now completely convinced, announced that he would lead the troops personally. This made Yang Weili flinch. He knew for a fact that Chen Wen had never led any soldier in battle and had no knowledge of military affairs. But he saw the joy on his lord’s face and decided that it would be easier to assist him than to change his mind. Chen Wen ordered the troops to assemble in Changsha Commandery, where Bu Baoxun received orders to meet with them. The inspector decided to leave Lu Jun in charge of Hefei and Yang Province in his absence. While the old man had disagreed with this campaign, he gladly accepted this appointment and promised to make the province prosper in Chen Wen’s absence. While Lu Jun would fail to uphold this promise, he was at least able to keep Yang Province united in the absence of its inspector. In March 192, Chen Wen officially announced that he was invading Jing Province to “expand the peace and order of Yang Province to its neighbour”.
20200927194947_1.jpg


Once they reached Changsha, Su Dai welcomed Chen Wen and Yang Weili in his home. He wanted to show his loyalty to his new lord by welcoming him like he had. However, while Chen Wen was thankful, he was also mightily annoyed. Now was not the time to feast! Yang Weili did his best to calm his lord and then went to meet with Bu Baoxun. The general knew the region far better than they did, so he was appointed head of the vanguard. Discussions were tense as they had been fighting only a few months ago, but they were none the less able to discuss strategy together. Bu Baoxun was worried when he realized that it would be Chen Wen and not Yang Weili who would lead their troops, but Yang Weili did his best to reassure him. “Our lord lead by his presence alone, not by example” he said. Bu Baoxun wasn’t convinced, but Su Dai trusted Chen Wen and he trusted Su Dai’s judgement.
20201205205944_1.jpg


The army left and entered Jing Province by late June. Liu Biao, who had learned of their invasion through his spies, had his troops recalled from their war against Yuan Shu, who himself was pinned down by his war with Zhang Lu and the celestial masters and the revolt of general Sun Jian. This meant that Liu Biao could focus exclusively on these new invaders. There was one problem though: Liu Biao had less than a thousand men left after his defeats at Sun Jian’s hand. Meanwhile, Chen Wen was entering his territories with almost four thousands loyal soldiers who had just come out of a successful war. So for the time being, Liu Biao ordered his brothers-in-law to stay away from Chen Wen and recruit new troops.
20201205205951_1.jpg


This left the field open for Yang Weili and Bu Baoxun to besiege as much cities as they pleased. Chen Wen wanted these sieges to be fast and quick, a success on all fronts. Bu Baoxun tried to explain that sieges take time, that you had to be resilient in this kind of warfare. Chen Wen replied that a quick siege would be better for everyone, as the people of the city would be freed without having to suffer. Yang Weili tried to tell Bu Baoxun that maybe they could bribe the city garrison or have a deal with the local official to speed things up. Not taking the hint, the general continued to argue that NO, you win a siege by waiting until the other guy surrendered! It didn’t take long for the stubborn general to get on Chen Wen’s nerves.

Within a few weeks, Yang Weili was the one relaying things between the two, as the Inspector of Yang Province now refused to talk with Bu Baoxun. This became such a problem that Bu Baoxun ended up asking Yang Weili to be allowed to go off his own way. When Yang Weili told Chen Wen, the latter was incensed. Bu Baoxun kept criticizing him and now he wanted an autonomous command? Chen Wen refused. Undeterred, Bu Baoxun asked again, and again, and again. By October, Chen Wen finally had enough and gave him the ok to venture off on his own.

A month later Bu Baoxun returned. Chen Wen was still angry at him, but it was a fact that he had taken a few towns in Chen Wen’s name. At the very least, this made Bu Baoxun deserving of a reward. So he welcomed back the general in his tent and offered him a great piece of art, which the general bluntly refused. Thankfully, Yang Weili was able to calm Chen Wen and convince him to listen to Bu Baoxun. The general, now allowed to speak, explained that he had returned because he had been spotted by Liu Biao’s army, which was now coming this way. Yang Weili, realizing that Bu Baoxun had given them an opportunity to finally face the enemy on the battlefield, was quick to insist that they needed to plan a strategy so they could be ready. Chen Wen trusted his Commandant to handle the matter, allowing Yang Weili and Bu Baoxun to plan the coming battle.

Said battle took place outside of Shaxian, a city that had just surrendered to the Yang forces. Yang Weili worked out a strategy to lure the enemy forces into a trap. Sure, Liu Biao’s brothers-in-law were decent commanders, but they would surely fall for the right bait. A trap was sprung, with the cavalry waiting in the wing, ready to swoop in to finish the job once ordered. When the smaller Jing army appeared at the horizon, the troops were all in position. Then Yang Weili got the news that Chen Wen was leading a charge against the enemy. Panicked, Yang Weili had to break formation and abandoned the whole plan to come to his rescue. Chen Wen attacked everyone he saw like a madman and had to be dragged out of the battlefield by Yang Weili’s men. As the strategist tended to his wounded lord, Bu Baoxun was able to keep control of the situation and destroy their enemies, ensuring that the battle would be a victory.
20201217181734_1.jpg


As 192 ended and 193 started, Lu Jun received news of this great victory and of the fact that their lord had been wounded in battle. He could only sigh in disapproval. Just another proof that this whole war was a mistake. He had tried to keep the province running, but it was beginning to be difficult with the war requiring so much resources. And then, in early January 193, he learned that there was an army camping outside the walls of Hefei. At first wondering how Chen Wen had returned so fast, Lu Jun quickly realized that it was in fact the army of Xu Province. At its head was Liu He, the Prince of Pengcheng and the Commandant of Xu Province.

The Commandant asked to be allowed in as a guest. Lu Jun agreed, although he was visibly nervous as he met the man. Where they here to attack? But Liu He told his fellow old man that he had nothing to fear. He was simply leading an expedition against some barbarians in Yang Province. Tao Shang had ordered them to submit and pay tribute. Since they refused, Liu He had been dispatched to go fight them. Lu Jun could only sigh. This expansion of Tao Shang’s power south was no going to make Chen Wen happy. It certainly didn’t make him happy. He welcomed the Prince of Pengcheng as a guest, a decision he would come to regret. During his stay, Liu He quickly took notice of the lack of troops around the provincial capital and the constant supply sent east. He had his men investigate the situation discretely while making excuses as to why he had to stay for just a few more days. Soon he learned what was happening: Chen Wen was invading Jing Province. This put Liu He on high alert, and soon enough he sent a messenger back to Tao Shang to warn him of this expansion.
20201217194211_1.jpg


Meanwhile, Chen Wen and his generals were making their way toward the provincial capital. Bu Baoxun had been amply rewarded for his actions during the Battle of Shaxian and had made up with Chen Wen over their earlier dispute. By April, they had put the provincial capital under siege, with Liao Biao stuck inside of it. This time, Chen Wen was convinced that waiting would cause fewer casualties than charging head first against the walls of the city. So they set up their camp and began their siege.

Soon after setting up shop, Chen Wen was notified of a young man wishing enter his service. Intrigued, and always happy to offer a job to great men, he had the man brought to his command tent. The young man had a dozen men with him and a baby son. As he entered, he fell to his knees and thanked Chen Wen for the kindness of allowing him this audience. He presented himself as Hu Zan, a general of Qing Province unlawfully expulsed of his domain by Kong Rong. Searching for a new lord, he heard that Chen Wen was a kind master and wished to serve him.

Now, none of this was really true. Hu Zan’s flight from Qing Province was actually due to his failed revolt. After his defeat, he heard that Liu Biao was facing an invasion and wished to offer him his services, convinced that he could turn the war around. He also hoped that a desperate lord would be far more willing to take him in than a winning one. But by the time he arrived Liu Biao was under siege and seemed doomed to lose. Taken by surprise, Hu Zan quickly adapted to this new situation and offered his services to Chen Wen instead.

Chen Wen was all too happy to welcome this seemingly talented young man and welcomed him in his service, all while Hu Zan continued to thank him. Chen Wen also took pity on the man and his family, offering them a lot of gold to help improve their life. Now, if Hu Zan had first joined him due to circumstances, the sigh of wealth convinced him to devote himself to this man, especially when he realized that Chen Wen always rewarded his servants handsomely.

The inspector then summoned Yang Weili, asking him to find some command for the young man. Yang Weili simply put him in charge of supply without much thought before returning to the siege. Annoyed at what he saw as a lowly appointment, but undeterred, Hu Zan would come back a week later with a plan to reorganize supply in a more efficient way. Yang Weili, who had been too focused on the war to add this task to his workload, was impressed by Hu Zan. The strategist recommended Hu Zan for a promotion, and by the end of the siege the young man was actually helping Yang Weili supervise the whole operation.
20201217193846_1.jpg


By June, it became clear that Liu Biao was about to lose. It was clear to him to. His brothers-in-law came to him with a plan to salvage the situation, however. They could simply invite Chen Wen in and kill him. As Chen When only had two daughters, his death would leave a power vacuum that would force the Yang troops to return home. Liu Biao was hesitant to use such dishonorable tactic, but he told them that he would sleep on it. The next morning, he found out that most of his allies had deserted him, including his brothers-in-law. Now with no one to enact the plan, the Governor of Jing Province ordered the gate open and invited Chen Wen in, surrendering for real. He gave his governor’s seal to him, after which Chen Wen was paraded in the camps by his men. Victory was at hand! They had conquered Jing Province!
20200927220027_1.jpg


As the army of Yang made their way home, they were met with a messenger from Tao Shang. The Governor of Xu was all too happy that Chen Wen had conquered Jing Province for him, yes, but now it was time to give him the governor’s seal so he could appoint someone to rule Jing in his name, like Chen Wen was doing in Yang. Chen Wen perceived this as an insult. Men of Yang had died to win this war, to ensure that Jing could be used for the betterment of Yang Province. And now he was supposed to give it all to someone who didn’t deserve it? No, he would not waste the sacrifice of his men. Chen Wen sent the messenger packing, after which he asked his generals for advices.

Hu Zan was the first to step forward, as he was making a genuine effort to become indispensable to his new lord. He told Chen Wen that they should not disband the army once they reached Hefei, a suggestion Yang Weili quickly agreed with. Tensions with Tao Shang were at an all-time high, and so each side began to prepare for the worst. But as it would turn out, it wasn’t the invasion of Jing Province that would cause the inevitable clash between Chen Wen and Tao Shang. Not, it was something entirely unrelated, the actions of a proud scion of the Han.
20201217194332_1.jpg


_____________________
PS: Liu Siyuan's chapter will be the next one.
 

Attachments

  • 20201217181734_1.jpg
    20201217181734_1.jpg
    120,5 KB · Views: 0
  • 2Love
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Awesome chapter. What is that new trait that I have?
The flu xD

Or do you mean the yellow thingy next to the duelist trait? That's Famed Administrator. Probably one of the easiest to get. So yeah, Liu Siyuan did a great job ruling Xincai it seems.
 
  • 2
  • 1Haha
Reactions:
192-193: The Rivals Fight It Out
192-193: THE RIVALS FIGHT IT OUT
20201225125223_1.jpg


Following the conquest of Anyang in July 192, Liu Siyuan made a quick stop home before being summoned in front of Tao Shang. He was pissed at the idea of jumping back into the backstabbing court so fast, but had no reason to refuse. His cousin Liu He, the Prince of Pengcheng, also advised him to come. So he did, leaving his domain under the loyal protection of his trusted strategist Jiang Gong as he left for Xu Province. He knew that Mi Fang and his brother Mi Zhu were already there, slandering his name. When he arrived and presented himself in front of his lord, he was quickly made aware that the two hadn’t spared a minute to manipulate Tao Shang. While Tao Shang had declared that he would keep Anyang for himself, he appointed Mi Zhu as his estates’ manager there, giving him the town of Jiangting as his personal headquarter.
20201225125030_1.jpg


The general couldn’t understand this sudden decision until his cousin took him aside. Liu Siyuan was furious, asking his cousin why he didn’t stop this. Liu He slapped his cousin for his insolence, after which he simply responded by saying: “I manage our lord’s army while Mi Zhu manages his finances. Which one do you think was he going to trust with his estates?” Liu He also explained how this was actually a ploy by the Mi brothers. By giving Mi Zhu some authority in Anyang, he might be able to support Mi Fang should the younger brother try to take Xincai. While Liu He insisted that it was just a theory, Liu Siyuan couldn’t get this idea out of his head. Having Mi Fang as his neighbour was difficult enough to endure. But now he had to worry about Mi Fang aiming after Xincai? His cousin told him to stop worrying and go back to their lord’s side. They were member of the Liu Clan. It was time to show that they were above the rest, their higher birth radiating on the less fortunate. These words had the desired effect, and Liu Siyuan was now good to go.
20201225125043_1.jpg


A few days later, Tao Shang summoned his court and his advisors. He told them that the recent wars had proven the strength of Xu, but that there were still people resisting his authority. Notably, he pointed out that many barbarians still lived in the south without paying him tribute. At the suggestion of his Commandant Liu He, he decided that by the end of the year they would launch a war against one of these tribes. Yes, it was time for everyone to rally together against the savages.

While he praised Mi Fang and Liu Siyuan (in the order) for their recent successes, he thought that this time the Commandant himself should lead the expedition, with Mi Fang and Liu Siyuan serving as his lieutenants. The Mi brothers cringed at this, but Mi Fang still accepted the appointment without flinching. Liu Siyuan also agreed, although he was surprisingly unenthusiastic. Liu He had expected that this would excite his cousin, the Liu Clan leading an army without Mi Fang being able to give him orders. But Liu Siyuan didn’t trust Mi Fang enough to be by his side anymore. He didn’t even trust his rival enough to leave his home. So when Tao Shang dismissed them and told them to go home to prepare for the start of the campaign in a few months, Liu Siyuan raced to Xincai as fast as he could.
20201225125146_1.jpg


Once home, Liu Siyuan talked with Jiang Gong about his current situation. If he left for campaign, he feared that this would leave Xincai vulnerable to an attack. Even if Mi Fang was with him on campaign, there was no saying what Mi Zhu might do. Jiang Gong advised him to stay in Xincai at all cost, or else he would lose his home to his enemies. While Jiang Gong had his own beefs with Mi Fang, most notably the fact that the general stole his city, he was saying this out of pure consideration for Liu Siyuan. The imperial scion agreed that he couldn’t leave like that. While he felt bad about disobeying his cousin, not doing so would undermine the position of the Liu Clan in Xu Province. Liu Siyuan thanked his advisor, who was simply happy that he could be of use. After all, Liu Siyuan had saved his live even though they were enemies, and had even gone as far as welcome him in his service. Serving him loyally was the least he could do.
20201225125329_1.jpg


Liu Siyuan then consulted his wife on the issue, but found ha lot less enthusiastic than Jiang Gong about the idea. Hao Huitong was the love of his life, which made his time away from her on campaign harder at times. He had hoped that she would be happy that he was now staying longer than planned. But once he explained to her why he was staying, her smile faded. Lady Hao was hesitant about this course of action. Wasn’t it wrong to disobey orders like that? She was worried that that her husband by be going down the wrong path, acting against the orders of his liege like that. However, she also reassured him that she trusted him. If this was the path he wanted to take, she would walk it with him. She trusted him to choose what was best for them. While shaken by his wife hesitation, Liu Siyuan still decided that it was better to remain in Xincai.
20201225125337_1.jpg


By the time the campaign against the barbarians was underway in late October 192, Liu Siyuan was recalled from his home. But instead of going, he sent a messenger saying that he couldn’t leave Xincai due to… hum… illness! Yes, he was too sick to command the troops. While Tao Shang bought the excuse, Liu He didn’t. The Prince of Pengcheng sent his emissaries to Xincai to verify his cousin’s story. In a stroke of luck, Liu Siyuan actually caught a bad case of the flu shortly after he sent his messengers. So when the emissaries arrived, they did indeed find the general sick in his bed. Obviously a man of such strong constitution would survive flu, but still.

When the emissaries returned and told them that Liu Siyuan was indeed sick, Liu He allowed his cousin to stay home, grudgingly accepting that Liu Siyuan was sick. Mi Fang did not such thing. He became convinced that Liu Siyuan was planning something, so he left the camp at night to return to Chengfu in case Liu Siyuan tried anything. Needless to say, both men then refused to leave their respective homes, preparing for what they believed would be nothing less than a war.

The flu had been opportune, but it did leave Liu Siyuan in a bind. He was too sick to really participate in the military preparation of Xincai, and his wife insisted that he didn’t train with the men or lead by example until he had recovered. So he left the preparations to Jiang Gong and instead turned to managing the daily affairs of Xincai, something he had had little time to do due to the wars and the court politics around Tao Shang. And as it turned out, he was actually pretty good at it. He ruled justly and did what he could to improve. Reports of his good governance were sent weekly to Tao Shang, who could only praise him in front of his court, to Mi Zhu’s annoyance. His wife also helped in this. While she wasn’t any good at administrative duties, she was extremely popular among the smallfolk of the county, who loved how she often gave them gifts and brought their concerns back to her husband.
20201225125523_1.jpg


By the early months of 193, Liu Siyuan decided that he simply couldn’t wait anymore. He needed to act, especially as Mi Zhu was currently at Tao Shang’s side, unable to help his brother. He had one final meeting with his wife to tell her that tomorrow he would act. She simply nodded and told him he would always have her support. The next day he informed Jiang Gong that he was going to lead troops against Mi Fang and take Chengfu. It should have been his after the war, and now it was time to fix that mistake. Jiang Gong was happy to hear this and began to make preparations to march as soon as possible. Lady Hao insisted that her husband use that time to recuperate, which he did.

In order to occupy his mind, he read the letters his father had sent him from Luoyang. It seemed that the imperial court was a mess. The emperor was surrounded by bickering courtiers vying for influence. One of them had already died, a barely veiled assassination. Liu Siyuan could only curse. These fools would not restore the glory of the Han. Only members of the Liu Clan like himself could be trusted to come to the Emperor’s rescue. He had tried to convince his father to join him in Xincai, but the old man had refused. “Siyuan, my duty is to serve in the capital and protect the Emperor. I might not be able to do much, but nothing will come from abandoning the Son of Heaven.” Liu Siyuan could only agree.
20201225125535_1.jpg


As it turned out, not everyone was loyal among Liu Siyuan’s ranks. One greedy soldier rode to Chengfu and decided to tell Mi Fang of what was coming, hoping that he would be amply rewarded. Mi Fang instead had the traitor executed. A true loyal man would never betray his liege, even if his liege was a man like Liu Siyuan. After having dealt with the soldier, Mi Fang could turn his attention to what was coming. Now alert of Liu Siyuan’s plan, he decided that the best option he had was to attack first and take Liu Siyuan by surprise before the general as prepared.
20201225125553_1.jpg


He assembled his troops far faster than Jiang Gong could and entered his rival’s territories to the strategist’s surprise. Mi Fang was met by a small garrison in the town Zhanghuatai, where Jiang Gong was in the middle of assembling troops. When Jiang Gong learned of the approaching army, he immediately assembled the few dozen men he had at his disposal. He told them that he would not abandon them and would fight with them until the end of necessary. This galvanised the soldiers, who were now in good spirit even against these insurmountable odds. Still, Jiang Gong had the good sense of sending a messenger to Liu Siyuan, hoping that his lord could come as soon as possible. As it would turn out, the sooner would prove a few hours later, just as the battle was starting. Liu Siyuan had been too impatient and had chosen to go join Jiang Gong directly with the rest of the troops instead of waiting for his signal. This meant that Liu Siyuan surprised both Mi Fang and Jiang Gong when he appeared at the horizon to defeat Mi Fang’s army.
20201225125750_1.jpg


Unwilling to risk another fight in the open against his rival, Mi Fang retreated all the way back to Chengfu, where he prepared for a siege. He became horrified when he learned that people were celebrating Liu Siyuan arrival as he advanced toward Chengfu. As it turned out, many still had fond memories of Jiang Gong and his wise rule. They saw their former lord at Liu Siyuan’s side, praising the general and asking the people to rise up against Mi Fang and give Liu Siyuan their support. And they did, welcoming Jiang Gong and Liu Siyuan as heroes. But this also slowed down their advance considerably, with Liu Siyuan only reaching the walls of Chengfu in June.

It was around this time that both rivals received a surprising news. Chen Wen had annexed Jing Province into his territories and refused to give it to Tao Shang. In a last ditched attempt, Mi Fang tried to use this to convince his rival to abandon his foolish campaign. Chen Wen was unlawfully expanding, ready to strike at their lord at the first opportunity. They should be preparing to lead the armies of their lord instead of fighting. But Liu Siyuan refused. Mi Fang had been the one abusing him, stealing the glory and reward that should have been his. Mi Fang was the one in the wrong.

In the weeks that follow, some soldiers inside Chengfu began to wonder why they were fighting for Mi Fang. Clearly they should be helping Jiang Gong and Liu Siyuan instead. So in early July, some of them opened to gate and allowed Liu Siyuan to enter. Jiang Gong made sure that no soldier was harmed, and soon they were marching on Mi Fang’s mansion. He was as surprised to see them here as he had been oblivious to the treason among his ranks. Mi Fang coldly asked Liu Siyuan if he was going to kill him or simply imprison him. His rival simply answered: “I shall do neither, as even you do not deserve such fate.” If Mi Fang agreed to recognize that Chengfu was his, he would allow Mi Fang to go free. Having no choice, the defeated general agreed to these terms.
20200927220540_1.jpg


While Liu Siyuan celebrated his victory, Mi Fang made it straight for Tao Shang’s court, where he told his liege how Liu Siyuan had treacherously forced him out of Chengfu. This needed to be punished, he insisted. Mi Zhu was quick to give back up his younger brother, pointing out that Mi Fang was the rightful magistrate of Chengfu. He also gave some “gifts” to his lord, which were clearly unrelated to the current situation. Obviously. To his credit, Tao Shang wished to hear Liu Siyuan’s side of the story, at Liu He’s request, but no one came to give it. Liu Siyuan had assumed that everyone would simply share his view that he was in the right here, and so did not dispatch a messenger to tell Tao Shang of what had happened. This sealed his fate in the eyes of Tao Shang, who wrote a letter to his unruly general.

Liu Siyuan was shocked when he read it. He was to give back Chengfu to Mi Fang and present himself in front of Tao Shang for punishment. Liu Siyuan could simply not accept these terms, not after he had just taken what was rightfully his. He sent a letter back to Tao Shang, which was read in front of his liege. It was a complete refusal to cooperate, explaining that he had full right over Chengfu, and pleading his liege not to be manipulated by the Mi brothers anymore. Now personally insulted, Tao Shang sent an ultimatum. He had a month to come to his court or he would be considered in rebellion. Liu Siyuan now found himself hesitant and shaken. His lord was telling him to come or else. His cousin was pleading him to come, as he believed the punishment would be light if he did. But presenting himself in front of Tao Shang would mean playing right in Mi Fang’s hand. For a first in his life, he found himself paralysed by hesitation, fully aware of the weight his decision would have on his future.

______

20201225130214_1.jpg


Yang Weili nodded in thanks to the man who ordered the gates opened. The garrison commander had been quick to let them in once he was told of the reason of their visit. Good. Yang Weili had been afraid that they might be stuck outside waiting for hours until someone finally decided to let them in. Or worst, they might have been turned back entirely. But once they had proven that they weren’t here on Tao Shang’s orders and that their intentions were genuine, they were all allowed in within the hour. He could only hope that the coming meeting would go just as smoothly.

Tensions were high between his lord Chen Wen and Tao Shang. The Governor of Xu Province insisted that Jing Province should be his. What a joke. It was a fact that Chen Wen was the one who held authority over Jing, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon if he had something to say about it. They all soon realized that war with Tao Shang was inevitable and that they had to prepare for it. But then Chen Wen took him aside and told him of the situation that General Liu Siyuan had found himself in. Everyone agreed that this was an opportunity. Liu Siyuan would have been one of the most dangerous commanders to face once they rose into revolt, but now he was finding himself on the out with Tao Shang. What if they instead convinced him to side with them against his lord?
20201225130222_1.jpg


Chen Wen asked him if he could do that. After all, the two of them had a relationship from their meetings during the campaigns of 190. Yang Weili admitted to his lord and friend that relationship was a bit of an exaggeration. Yes, he had met Liu Siyuan, and yes, both men admitted having respect for the other. Yang could only be amazed at the man’s ability to use his spear on the battlefield. But other than this professional respect and the fact that they got along, there was nothing between them. Yang Weili had hoped to keep a correspondence with the scion of the Han. Sadly, his duties to Chen Wen had preventing him from writing often. As it became clear that they would one day try to free themselves from Tao Shang, Yang Weili was told that it was better not to write to Liu Siyuan anymore. After all, the general might wonder why his messengers had to go to Jing Province even though Hefei was right next door. Never the less, Chen Wen insisted that they ought to recruit the great general to their side, and so Yang Weili was now in Xincai to do just that.

As they approached the mansion of the general, Yang Weili could hear the sigh of surprise of the man accompanying him.

“This is the home of the great Liu Siyuan?” Hu Zan asked, seemingly a bit confused.

“Yes. Did you expect something else?”

“Is it so… ordinary. I expected something grandiose, with golden gates and clear symbols of successes everyone. Instead it reminds me of my former home in Chunyu.”

“I heard that the interior is probably more to your expectations.”

“Still, don’t they keep a little bit for their own enjoyment?”


“General Liu is an imperial clansman.” Yang Weili reminded him. “He has enough for whatever he or his wife would want.”

Hu Zan simply shrugged. Yang Weili took a moment to look at the younger man accompanying him. Chen Wen believed that his new officer could prove helpful. From what he had seen of the newcomer, Hu Zan was competent in most domains. Certainly, he also had a talent for court politics, something Yang Weili spend little time worrying about. From what he had been able to see, Hu Zan was clearly motivated by power and wealth. While the strategist had little interest in the former, he could understand what the interest in the latter. People might normally be worried that these characteristics would prove dangerous, but so far Hu Zan had proven loyal to Chen Wen’s cause. And if Chen Wen put his trust in Hu Zan, who was he to question the man’s dedication?
20201225130231_1.jpg


They dismounted their horses in the stables and walked the rest of the way to the mansion, leaving their bodyguards outside. The guards made it clear that only the envoys of Chen Wen would be allowed in, and neither man had time to waste arguing on the issue. Once they entered, Yang Weili could see that he had been right about the place. While the exterior was a bit rustic, the inside had drapes of high quality and recently made potteries as decorations. They were welcomed inside, where Lady Hao Huitong welcomed them. She was wearing a nice dress, worthy of a woman of the capital. Yang Weili had to admit that the woman knew what clothes looked good on her. Hu Zan certainly seemed to have a good reaction, murmuring a nice comment for his ears only.
20201225130252_1.jpg


“Lady Hao.” Yang Weili said as he bowed to the woman. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”

“General Yang.”
she said with a smile. “It has been a few years since our last meeting.”

“Ah yes!”
he laughed a bit before turning to Hu Zan, the younger ma already giving a polite nod to the lady. “And this is Hu Zan, another loyal officer of Yang Province.”

“My pleasure.”

Hu Zan allowed himself a small wink. Lady Hao smile out of politesse, but did nothing to indicate that she appreciated the attention.

“How are your wives?” she asked.

“My wife is fine, thank you for your concerns.” Yang Weili informed her. “She is currently in Xipingru awaiting our second child. As for Hu Zan, the man is sadly a widower.”

Hu Zan shot him a dark look, probably feeling like he had been looked down upon for some reason. Yang Weili couldn’t understand why. He had simply stated facts, after all. Hu Zan was a widower, so what was the issue with pointing that out.

“Lady Hao.” Hu Zan started, clearly intent on changing the subject. “May I ask when we can hope to speak with the General?”

“My husband is currently training in the garden.”
she informed them.

The two men gave themselves a look of confusion.

“Isn’t the general sick?” Hu Zan asked.

“Yes, but he needed a breather to get away from the current crisis we are facing, so I gave him the ok to go train this time.” Lady Hao explained. “Would you like me to go fetch him?”

“We wouldn’t dream of interrupting his training.” Yang Weili interjected. “But if you could just point us toward the garden…”

“Please, follow me.”
she said.

Lady Hao led them through the mansion, finally stopping at the entrance of a small garden, right down the middle of the building. It was an open area, a little larger than a normal room. She nodded to them to enter as she left, wishing to give them some alone time. As Yang Weili stepped in the garden, he could see the muscular man practicing with a spear in silence, the only sound being the ones of the weapon piercing the air and the steps he took as he moved. Yang Weili could only be impressed by the talent Liu Siyuan was showing at the moment, moving that well even though he was sick. He noticed that Hu Zan had the same reaction. Once he turned back to Liu Siyuan, he found the spear right in front of his eye. Taken by surprise, Yang Weili fell back at the sight of the weapon.
20201225130300_1.jpg


“It seems I was too focused on my training to notice you.” Liu Siyuan said, offering him a hand.

Yang Weili took the hand and got up on his feet, still a bit shaken.

“Still as passionate about your weapon as ever, I see.” Yang Weili commented.

“One has to train to keep his skills.” the Liu clansman answered. “It has been a while since our last meeting, General Yang.”

“Almost three years.”
Yang Weili added.

“How time passes…”

Liu Siyuan was quick to turn his attention to the other man standing next to Yang Weili.

“And this is?”

“I am Colonel Hu Zan.”
he presented himself. “You might have heard of my exploits in Qing Province?”

“My mind has been solely focused on my duties, so I didn’t have much time to learn of events elsewhere.” Liu Siyuan answered.

Hu Zan’s face crisped. It was clear that this wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. He probably hoped that he could have the same kind of mutual respect with Liu Siyuan that Yang Weili shared with the general.

“Commendable.” Hu Zan said in a sarcastic tone, “Too bad that you aren’t appreciated by your lord anymore.”

Liu Siyuan frowned at this comment. He turned around and planted his spear in the ground, making it clear he was finished with his training.

“So? Why are you two here?”

“We heard of the predicament you are in, General Liu.” Yang Weili informed him.

“And why are you interested in my situation?”

“Well, Inspector Chen Wen believes that he can help your situation.”

“How?”

It was clear that Liu Siyuan wasn’t that interested in hearing what they had to say, mostly asking out of politeness. It was also clear that he had yet to figure out why they were having this discussion.

“In a mutual way.” Hu Zan said, keeping the whole thing as nebulous as possible.

While Hu Zan seemed to have no problem hiding details, it wasn’t the case for Yang Weili. He wanted no part in that, and so instead chose to be straight with the general.

“General Liu, correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like you are headed right toward a fight with Tao Shang.”

“My fight with the Mi brothers, not Tao Shang!” Liu Siyuan insisted.

“Inspector Chen is also on a collision court with Governor Tao. My lord thus believe that we could cooperate toward that same goal.”

“It is Mi Fang and Mi Zhu that I wish to fight!”

Liu Siyuan was really insisting this specific detail.

“It doesn’t change the fact that Tao Shang listens to them, not to you. You need our help as much as we need yours.”

“It is treason that you ask of me, General Yang!”

“Tao Shang was the first to commit treason toward you.” Yang Weili countered.

“My cousin Liu He is loyal to Tao Shang. Do you want me to fight him too?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time Liu has fought Liu.”
Hu Zan pointed out. “Emperor Guangwu defeated the pretender Liu Penzi and the Genshi Emperor before he could unify the realm.”

“Do not speak of my imperial ancestor like he was a common thug.”
Liu Siyuan warned him.

“I wasn’t. I was pointing out the sacrificed his late majesty had to do to restore the Han.” Hu Zan explained. “Are you going to waver where he remained strong?”

“Explain.”

“I heard that you dream of saving the Great Han Dynasty from the corrupt officials and violent villains. But how can you achieve this goal if you allow yourself to be destroyed by Tao Shang?”


“I will find a way.” he said, although his resolves were wavering.

“Will you really allow Mi Fang to trap you against the wall like that? What about the Emperor?”

Liu Siyuan stopped to think, walking in circle as he considered all that Hu Zan had told him. Yang Weili kind only look in amazement. Chen When was right; Hu Zan indeed proved useful. Still, he felt a bit wrong using such manipulation against a man he respected so much.

“And why should I abandon one lord just to serve another one?” Liu Siyuan finally asked.

“Inspector Chen would never dare to ask you to serve him.” Yang Weili replied. “He wants you to fight side by side with him, not under him.”

“And what after the war?”

“You can rule Xincai and Chengfu as you see fit, knowing that you have a friend, not a lord, in charge of Yang Province.”

Liu Siyuan fell silent once more. Yang Weili exchange a look with Hu Zan, wondering what was in the mind of this great warrior. Had they succeeded in convincing him? Or were there doubts now creeping in his mind?

“If you need time to think about it, we can…” but Hu Zan was cut off.

“No. I have already decided. It is clear that I am now at a crossroad. The road I now take will determine my destiny and how useful I will be to the Emperor. The fact that you two came here is nothing if a sign from Heaven. I must be free to act on my own if I want to save the Han. Tell Inspector Chen that I will fight by his side against Tao Shang.”

He offered Yang Weili a hand, which the strategist quickly grabbed.

“It will be a hard fight, but together I have no doubts that we will triumph.”
20201225130402_1.jpg


_______
PS: Happy Christmas everyone!
 

Attachments

  • 20201225125030_1.jpg
    20201225125030_1.jpg
    114,8 KB · Views: 0
  • 20201225130252_1.jpg
    20201225130252_1.jpg
    110 KB · Views: 0
  • 2Love
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Thank you for the update today. Merry Christmas to you as well.

I greatly enjoyed this chapter. Hard not to when my guy is the center of the story. Looking forward to how this goes for him. Why did my guy's piety suddenly plummet into the negatives?
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
I greatly enjoyed this chapter. Hard not to when my guy is the center of the story. Looking forward to how this goes for him. Why did my guy's piety suddenly plummet into the negatives?

That I don't know. I was playing Dong Huang so while I got some notifications I dont't have all the specific events. I have three guesses:
- The war goal he used against Mi Fang cost piety
-a series of really shitty events
-the "attending court" events, can be costly

But I cant say for sure.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
I haven't played much in the RoTK CK2 game. Does it cost piety when you rebel? I only ask because Chen Wen's piety also took a large fall.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: