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Chapter 3
¤Two Forces Meet¤
¤Zhou An, Yang Yin, and Shu Tong Defect ¤
¤Huan Yu Appears By Order of the Provincial Offical¤
The trio came across a sight that wasn't very pleasing or a sign that things were well. Black smoke rose from inside the city's walls, appearing more like an ominous thunder cloud. There was a cluster of troops at one end of the castle, probably where the main gates were, their golden dragon helmets indicating that they were Jin Huang Long. There were also men in red uniforms, and white uniforms. They all recognized those white uniforms.
“Th-Those are the Emperor's units!!” Sima Ce exclaimed anxiously, pointing repeatedly at the white-clad horsemen that rode about. All wore silver-white helmets that glinted brightly with a silvery glimmer. Their weapons; spears and swords, were ensanguined with dark blood that reeked heavily of iron.
“So his men are here, which means that his generals....they must be here as well!” Yun Qiu added, “Good, we will need more than I thought. Their numbers did not seem so large back at Beitou. They must have received reinforcements. "
As they rode forward, Sima Ce called out eagerly in a quivering voice, half-afraid and half-excited. He had no weapon, he worried for his parents, but he had never experience anything so hair-raising, and it felt quite interesting. Yun Qiu and Yun Dong rode at the fullest speed that their steeds would take them, getting their spears out and holding them in good position for quick attack. They arrived faster than expected, rounding the corners of the capital's walls and getting to one of the gates that were spewing forth red soldiers. Yun Dong charged through first, thrusting his spear upwards and taking many rebels off of their horses, decapitating most and throwing them off their mounts. Sima Ce ducked to evade the spear that his friend spun, looking up with awe to see that many of the targets had fallen. Red soldiers crowded around Yun Dong.
“You there!” called a soldier from the infantry, “Who are you allied with? Are you secretly in a ploy made by the Jin Huang Long?!”
“Fear not!” Yun Dong yelled, gesturing to the red-clad soldiers with his left hand, " My brother and I are here to help you drive the rebels from Shangxia!”
The soldier turned to his men and told them of the news, and sent someone to tell a man named Peiyuan Tang and his sister. Then they rode past and began disposing of the new horde of golden warriors who had been ordered forward. Yun Qiu and Yun Dong, seeing that a few generals of gold were arriving, thought it now necessary that they stayed, and moved to the other side of the walls, seeing that there was a need of more men around the area. The two brothers proved their skills, honing them at the same time. Many men died at their spears, dying quickly from a fast pierce, or from being crushed under hooves. One of Peiyuan Tang's officers, Yu Liao witnessed their awesome battle skills and was instantly amazed. He felt honoured to be fighting near them, even aiding one of them. Two generals and their officers soon came, bringing along hundreds of men behind them.
Hua Zhen charged forward first, feinting his attack forward and hastily swerving to the side, taking out a good number of red and white men. He began to head for Yun Dong and Sima Ce, but as he had come into range, a white parasol was suddenly in his way, and he rode into it by accident before turning away in confusion. Yun Dong looked over his shoulder in surprise, seeing that Sima Ce appeared to be enjoying himself greatly.
“My! That was quite unexpected----but also exciting!” Sima Ce cried, and urged Yun Dong on, resting his parasol on his shoulder with pride. But as they began their turn, they saw that Hua Zhen was coming back again, though with another man, Lu Yi. Both had their swords in the air, gleaming brightly in the morning light. Immediately, some men appeared from Peiyuan Tang's force, running forward to try and get the two generals off of their horses, but Lu Yi and Hua Zhen's swords moved quickly, and resembled the tongues of flames, flickering left and right with no control. It seemed as if there was no way to stop them, until a white horse got in their way. They reared their horses, wondering angrily who had come into their path.
A young man of a pale, feminine jade face barred the way, wearing a silver helmet with white sun and moon ornaments on either side, a durable cloth backing it. His face was solemn, and for a long moment Hua Zhen and Lu Yi stared at him. Then, without warning, they rushed forward, one holding his sword high to behead, the other lower to halve. Both were blocked by twin coin blades, the sharp sound of metal blocking its own kind echoing throughout the battle field.
" What?! " cried Hua Zhen in shock, and he reeled his horse back, having expected the boy to be weak. " What is this?! Who are you?! "
Exclaimed the boy to Hua Zhen, " I am Lu Xun, Imperial General of Jianzhou! "
Hua Zhen glanced at Lu Yi for a second, his eyes widened. " Imperial General, you say? What businesses have you here? You are not of Pangzhou! "
" One of my responsibilities is to rid Cheng'an of foolish generals like you, who follow such rebellions to usurp a fine emperor. "
" Ha! Nonsense, that is nonsense! Your block was only luck, not skill! This time you will die! " With that, Hua Zhen kneaded his knees into his horse, urging it forward, his sword poised for a final attack. And final attack, it was. Lu Xu parried the sword with one blade, his arm almost broken by impact, but to make work of Hua Zhen he thrust his other coin blade into his heart, one of the curved, protruding blades striking Hua Zhen through his chest. The Jin Huang Long general died instantly. In blind fury, Lu Yi freed a battle cry and came. Lu Xun wasn't expecting him so soon, and just as he about to twist his other hand to attempt guarding, Lu Yi was stabbed, a spear ramming through his chest sideways.
Yun Qiu pulled back his spear, twirling it back into a resting position, Lu Yi slumping on his horse with crimson beginning to seep through his mouth.
Lu Xun pushed Hua Zhen from his blades, letting him fall from his horse and limply onto the ground. He led his horse in a slow trot towards the twins, smiling as if he had figured out something very special, and he looked as if he was trembling with excitement. Once he had come close enough, he said, " My! What amazing skills you possess! I must wonder why you aren't an Imperial General? "
Yun Dong rode up beside his brother, as Qiu explained, " My brother and I only came to aid Shangxia from the rebels. We came from a humble city; Beitou of Lingzhou. We have also brought this artist back to his hometown. " Yun Qiu gestured to Sima Ce, " We are only wanderers, we need not the busy rank of a general. It is only my brother and I. "
Lu Xun tilted his head slightly, a problem appearing in his mind. " But, if it is only you two that fight, with not even a small group of followers, then what if you were to come across this problem: soldiers ambushing you, and isolating you and your brother? You would not be able to help each other, and if generals were to join them, you would surely perish, would you not? You will need the aid of others if you wish to live. Why not join with us for a while? "
Yun Dong motioned to his brother to back up a bit, and leading the horses back a ways he whispered into his ear softly. " I fear he is correct, my brother. If we were to run into a difficulty such as that, then I am also certain that we would die. I think that we should at least ally with the Imperial Generals, we don't have to join them. "
Yun Qiu felt a grin pulling at his lips, " Yun Dong, if not for your words, I am certain that we would have perished! You have saved us. "
Yun Qiu and Yun Dong rode back to their place, facing Lu Xun. Yun Dong said, " Very well. We will join you against the Jin Huang Long. We shall be allies from now on. "
Lu Xun grinned happily, turning his horse. He looked over his shoulder, saying, " Good, good! Then we shall meet again at my camp when the battle ends. Now, let us fight! "
Lu Xun rode away in a gallop inside the city walls, the brothers following him, but going in an opposite direction. Just as they entered, soldiers of gold crowded around them. Yun Qiu swung his spear, cutting down many as he advanced, Yun Dong behind him to defend second attacks, and Sima Ce just knocking leftovers down. Back at Beitou, the brothers had decided to train hard under their teacher, Xiao Liaozhi, who had just passed away. Their skills were shown through this battle, and they found that there were generals and troops that were following them as if they were generals to order them around, and they listened obediently to commands. They attacked fiercely, as if they had gained morale from the very presence of the brothers. Their spears were stained heavily with blood, and everywhere they carried the scent of iron, frightening some men before they had reached them. The twins had never experienced a battle such as this.
Peiyuan Tang was waiting in the rear of the city, where some people were located, seeking refuge with him and regretting not fleeing to other towns. Yue Sheng and his brother were some way further, Peiyuan Ren and Xiao near Tang. They were all confident that Shangxia would successfully be defended, they were doing quite well, if soldiers weren't coming down here. Infantrymen had been sent down to them time to time so they could understand what was going on, and from what they were hearing, everything seemed to be fine.
The troops that were stationed about them were also sure that their forces were doing fine; when news arrived that Imperial soldiers and generals had arrived, the need to doubt victory was gone. Most were certain that they didn't even need to fight, and perhaps could rest, Peiyuan Tang even agreeing, though Peiyuan Xiao insisted that they stay vigilante(though even she doubted that vigilance was needed).
Yue Sheng felt that there was something to be worried about, a strong uneasy feeling that made his stomach churn, but he heard or saw nothing that would justify this. When he told of this to his younger brother, who was quivering with excitement and joy, Yue Ling only said that Yue Sheng was desiring battle like he. Yue Ling beamed brightly, telling his brother that there was no reason to have that feeling, and that he should just go back to his station. Yue Sheng listened to his advice, finally deciding that this feeling was nothing.
It was just the night before, when all was quiet in Quan Xu's camp. Everything was silent, except for the swift pattering of feet on dirt. Shu Tong had decided he couldn't take much more of life with the Jin Huang Long, even though he'd been under their care for so long, before father had declared sternly himself as one who also wanted revolt. That man was like a father to him, even though he never knew his name. But putting him in the further care of Quan Xu was a mistake. Ever since he had been put with Quan Xu, he had been verbally abused and insulted, the complete contrary of how he had been treated before. When camp was set up, every two soldiers got a fine tent of durable material, but Shu Tong had been given a thin patched up cloth, and when it rained and the others got extra covers, he didn't. By nature, Shu Tong was very delicate and quiet, and in strange surroundings he was suspicious of everything. He was easily hurt, and he was prone to hiding if he found the pain too great. His beloved father never made him feel that way, and made certain that he was treating Shu Tong with kindness. And Shu Tong let him have use of his powers in return. On that night, he had tried to sneak away from the camp, perhaps return to the commander and explain to him what Quan Xu was doing. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that Quan Xu was examining the perimeters of the camp with Wu Hong and An Zhao. Just when Shu Tong had slipped by the gate, he was found by Quan Xu and sent trudging back to his tent while rude curses and insults were thrown at him.
Zhou An came to him and told him that on the morrow when they attacked Shangxia, they could defect to the Imperial forces. Zhou An explained to him that he, too, was not keen of Quan Xu's behaviour, and wished to leave. When they stormed the back of the city, they would meet by one of the Imperial Generals and swear their new allegiance.
Today, Shu Tong couldn't find Zhou An anywhere, and was worried that maybe Zhou An had only said that from order of Quan Xu. Neither knew of his....or did they? When he had first met Quan Xu, his father had not discussed anything of the like.
Soon, infantrymen crowded around him, saluting and declaring that they were finished. Shu Tong nodded and they scattered. Groups of soldiers began marching up the ramps, Shu Tong jumping off of his mount and hastily joining them, raising his trident to his shoulder. He marched by Ling Huang and Yang Yin, the latter giving Shu Tong a strange look, as if he could see through the boy's mind and know of what had went on last night; the look was intimidating.
" Shu Tong....I heard of your conversation with Zhou An. " he whispered, after a moment's silence. " If you are going to join the Imperial forces, then I wish to accompany you as well. "
Yang Yin knew of Shu Tong's background, so the nervous officer was inclined to agree.
" I wish to join you...because I am afraid of Ling Xiu Wei. He is a frightening man, and I am sure he would rule with an iron hand. I do not want to think of the possibilities. I no longer desire to usurp the throne. I should have stayed as an official in Shipei. "
That was all he could say, for then the attack began. Golden soldiers charged down the walls, spilling forward like a golden waterfall, letting out in unison a loud battle cry. The two evaded as many red soldiers as they could, nearly passing the Peiyuan and Yue family. They ran quickly, pushing many out of their way, until they found Zhou An kneeling before a man of long ebon hair and high cheek bones. Yang Yin and Shu Tong approached him, also kneeling by his side.
" You three, " Huangfu Song began, " are from the ranks of the Jin Huang Long. What brings you kneeling before me? "
" Imperial General Huangfu Song, we three have realized our wrongs and find that the cause we used to follow was foolish. Please, allow us to fight with the Imperial forces. " Yang Yin explained.
" We will serve the emperor and only the emperor, and will take action in times of need. The rebels are no longer our allies, and we will not secretly turn our backs on you. " said all three in unison.
Huangfu Song was slightly daunted, knowing that the decision was his. These three men could swear an oath of faith, but Jin Huang Long, could they be trusted? The punishment would surely be his if the three defected again. When he looked down at Shu Tong, he sensed a strange aura around the young man, who was trembling and shaking with anxiety. Finally, sighing, he said, " I will agree with your request, though I am expecting that you will never again defect to an opposing force. If I find that you do, then expect to be hunted down until death. "
Zhou An, Yang Yin, and Shu Tong nodded together, taking white scarves from the fallen, and tying them about their foreheads. They poised their weapons, and came forth with Huangfu Song.
Quan Xu, followed by Wu Hong and An Zhao, rode down from the siege ramp, cutting down the men who had been trying to get rid of the ramp.
" Hah, finally that fool can do something beneficial for our army. In Qingxu, he nearly cost my life! " growled Quan Xu. “He was my own officer commandant, yet he left our strongholds open for attack!”
As they came down, Quan Xu was told by An Zhao to look afar, and with shock he realized that two of his best generals were fighting----against him. They wore white bands around their heads, and they took down golden soldiers. The commander noticed Shu Tong, whose loose helmet slightly fell over one eye, the white headband looking more like bandages to cover it. His eyes narrowed into a menacing glare.
" That....that imbecile! He must be the cause of their defection!! I should have never accepted Shu Tong as my officer! For once Ling Xiu Wei has made a terrible mistake! I see nothing special about this fool! " Quan Xu roared, and with a new found rage he galloped down the battlement, his sword in the air and ready to attack.
Zhou An noticed the general approaching them, hearing his loud growl. He informed Yang Yin and Shu Tong of Quan Xu's coming quickly, and they retreated a few meters back to Huangfu Song. Shu Tong was panic-stricken, and he could see his general's fuming face, red with anger. Without further thought he scurried away, the other two unaware of his leave.
Huangfu Song was explained to by Yang Yin that they needed cover, and they stayed close to him, bowing their heads to keep their faces hidden.
As Shu Tong ran, he pushed by soldiers of every force, stumbling over his own feet. Scenes flew by his sight, he wasn't sure where he was going, and all he knew was that he had to keep out of Quan Xu's sight. Most of the soldiers he dodged tried to attack him, and he suffered from a few minor gashes, tearing the thin linen that his shirt was made of. He parried a few attacks with his trident, but his fatigue carried throughout his frail body and his arms soon became weak. He was scared to death, as if Quan Xu found him and captured him; death would undoubtedly be his reward. There was almost nothing he was more afraid of. He wished that his father were here to take him back to Len'chyang, to their humble cottage in the Menglin mountains, where he could spend time with father by the waterfalls. That was before father had suddenly decided to revolt. The happiness he once feltwas to never exist again. Thinking of this made him miserable and the pain tore at him. He wasn't sure if he could handle any more running, when he suddenly ran into a horse's side.
Yun Qiu glanced down curiously at who had bumped into his horse, after finishing off the men who'd been crowding him. It was a young man wearing a golden helmet, though he had a white band tied around his forehead. His skin was naturally pale, perspiration coating it as if he'd been running for a long time, and his weak attempts to breathe also proved it. His face was thin, and looked feminine, his hair pushed away from his face. He held his chest, breathing hard, looking extremely shocked.
Yun Qiu lowered his spear and leveled it with man's face. " Who are you? Are you with the Jin Huang Long? Your helmet shows it. "
The young man attempted to calm himself, his breathing slowing, but he looked terrified, as if someone was chasing him. " N-No....I-I am with the Imperial forces, I defected from the Jin Huang Long with t-two other men. Pl-Please, do not kill me! I am only a lowly officer. "
" A lowly officer, you say? Why do you say that? "
" It is as my general tells me...." mumbled the boy miserably, and his gaze lowered to the ground. " I am but a fool, a worthless creation, helpless to defend even what I fight for. "
Yun Qiu stared at him, feeling empathetic, before asking, " What is your name? "
" Shu Tong. "
Yun Qiu was about to continue, when Yun Dong came galloping towards him frantically.
" Lord Yun!! " Sima Ce exclaimed, " There has been an ambush in the rear of the city! Some townspeople have taken refuge there! "
Yun Qiu took hold of Shu Tong's arm, pulling him onto his horse. " Come, Shu Tong! We will hold off the ambush! "
They rode together, and as they did, Yun Qiu was positive that he could feel Shu Tong quivering and shaking violently. The boy, whom he was certain was no older than sixteen, was already clutching his sides as hard as he could, and if that wasn't uncomfortable enough, he began shaking once he had started coming closer to the back of Shangxia. Obviously, the commander was the one that Shu Tong was afraid of.
Quan Xu was furious; three of his warriors (although he was thankful for Shu Tong's departure) had betrayed him and left to the Imperial forces, the very force they had to obliterate. Zhou An and Yang Yin were skilled generals, and he had lost them because of the influence of that fool. How dare he do such a thing! Wu Hong and An Zhao were sent to hunt down Shu Tong, and bring him back, so he could punish him for his doing. Meanwhile, Peiyuan Tang had been isolated from his family, and wasn't doing so well. Xiao's unit wasn't in the best of condition either. Yue Sheng and Ling were trying to get to the Imperial Protector, but to no avail, as officers attacked with fierce power.
He took his horse through many groups of infantrymen, grinning as they fell with ease. His sword swooped like a falcon, cutting their throats. He continued until he was close to one of the Imperial Generals, Huangfu Song by name. He saw Zhou An and Yang Yin, and immediately he began a charge.
Huangfu Song sensed his coming and raised his sword to parry. They held their stance, it was quite difficult on a horse, but both pushed against their weapons to gain the upper hand. It ended with neither gaining the advantage. Yang Yin and Zhou An moved forward with their sword and spear, though Quan Xu thrust his sword and hit their weapons away from him.
" You traitors! You shall pay for what you've done! " Quan Xu yelled, and he reeled his horse about to strike the two men.
They dodged out of the way in time, countering with two swift thrusts. Quan Xu blocked both, grinning darkly as he attempted to stab Yang Yin. The general was unable to react in time, suffering a deep gash in his arm. He whirled around, sheathing his sword and grabbing his arm, crimson seeping through his fingers. His arm became drenched in deep pain, and he could do nothing to stop it. Tearing a part of his sleeve he bound the wound, blood soaking through the bandage quickly.
" Yang...Yin! " Zhou An shouted as he nearly parried a blow from Quan Xu's blade, " Are you...all right?! "
" Keep fighting! I'll be fine! " Yang Yin replied, though winced from a sudden rush of pain.
Zhou An fought harder to avenge Yang Yin's injury, causing Quan Xu to work a bit harder to keep up. Quan Xu sighed mentally, If that fool were here, then I would use him as a sacrifice! Then I would defeat Zhou An easily!! Hah, so he is useful for something!
Huangfu Song took his horse into the middle of the battle, pushing his sword into the fight and interfering with both. Quan Xu scowled at him angrily, and swiped his sword at Song, who leaned back before he was caught. " Zhou An! Keep back! Help Yang Yin! "
Zhou An nodded to no one in particular, then led Yang Yin to a safer place. As they rode together, a black stallion passed by, and Zhou An's eyes widened as he recognized one of the passengers on it.
" Shu Tong! " he called in a panic-stricken tone, thinking that the poor boy was being taken prisoner.
Shu Tong seemed to have heard him, and gave him a cursory glance, his nodding replacing the words that would say he was fine. Zhou An calmed himself, bringing Yang Yin away from the battle field.
Lu Xun rode in between the houses in the middle of the city, where there were small groups of gold warriors sneaking around and invading homes to take valuables. He weaved through the lines of the houses, swinging his blades side-to-side, taking out a good number with each swing. But, even though he went to the same areas, there still seemed to be more and more soldiers walking around. It was as if two or three more appeared when one died. And if that was true....?! He found it quite frustrating after a while, then finding it unnecessary to go back, as there was probably no one in the houses anyway. He felt he could almost scream in annoyance, until two new generals appeared.
One had a very thin face, in fact, all his features were thin or narrow. He wore a green box-like hat, and green and white clothes. He wore a chest plate and pauldrons, with thick cloth covering his thighs, and durable boots. He held a really long bow, with a quiver of many arrows on his back. His hair was in a bun, though it still spilled down to the middle of his back like a black waterfall. His eyes were a keen gray, holding amusement and constant joy.
The other man was the complete contrary, holding even less expression than Huangfu Song. His shoulder-length hair was unkempt and stuck up awkwardly tied back, his brown eyes always looked tired as if he hadn't had much sleep. His clothes were black with a white lining, and he wore a long white sash; all of this wrinkled. He wore mere sandals on his feet, even with the cold weather coming. He had no armour except for the same thigh coverings the other had. He slumped on his horse lazily, seeming as if he would fall asleep any moment, and he held his oak sword loosely.
" Eh?! Well, if it isn't Lu Xun! Long time no see. Haven't seen you since Hyangzhou! " cried out the one with a lean face. He glanced at the other man with a big grin, " What do you have to say, Tao Xiu? "
" Hn....? Oh....yes, it has been long. How the years seem to pass by so quickly...." Tao Xiu mumbled, Lu Xun just barely hearing him. " You have grown, Lu Xun...."
Shui Chun glanced at Tao Xiu, " Eh? This is not a tea house, Tao Xiu. You are going to start an entire conversation and just help us lose this battle. Hmph, I suppose we should replace you with a fresh general, you are just too much now. "
" Now, now, there is no time for arguments, either. Let us split up and take care of the soldiers here. They keep on appearing as if there is some magic here! " Lu Xun said, and he sped by the two generals. Hm, I do not remember Shui Chun and Tao Xiu looking like that, or acting like that for that matter!. Can three years do that?
Shui Chun and Tao Xiu also rode in separate directions. Shui Chun, with honed archery skills, could use several arrows at the same time and hit the mark perfectly; taking out every man he aimed for. Tao Xiu used his strength to deliver powerful beats of his wooden sword, striking many in the head. The two were long time friends, even before they'd gone to the emperor. They had resided in Huangcho of Hyangzhou, where there were plenty of open meadows to practice their skills daily. However, their behaviour towards the soldiers was strange. After taking down twenty men or so, they would jump off their horses and walk towards each one, whispering into their ears, as if they could listen to their words. Lu Xun was unfortunately not there to take note of it. Then, without even trampling by accident on bodies, they would gallop away, looking around suspiciously.
Yun Dong and Yun Qiu had to dismount in fear of archers being able to shoot them with ease. The entire back of the city was smothered with golden men and women, brandishing their weapons and killing off anyone that came near. Their morale was high, since they'd caught the main commander without hassle, and had successfully isolated him, where he would most likely surrender of fatigue. To make matters worse, some of Peiyuan Tang's officers submitted to the Jin Huang Long. Peiyuan Ren and Xiao, caught together, were trying to hold off the soldiers as best they could, but it was evident that they were tiring out.
Sima Ce was ordered to keep as close to the brothers as he could without getting in the way, and he struggled to defend himself. He wanted to show Yun Qiu and Dong that he could take care of himself, but all he had was a parasol, whose canopy was made of simple leaves. That would easily be torn. He jabbed it as fast as he could to knock away simple infantrymen, opening it on crowds to push them away, pulling it back so that it wouldn't be caught with the swords. Shu Tong was too frightened to do anything, even dropping his trident several times. He later tossed it away, getting a few in the legs. He couldn't do anything and he resented Yun Qiu for bringing him back to where he was running from. He didn't want to die, not yet. He wanted to see father. He didn't want to die as the officer of the worst master he'd ever had. He didn't want to die as the often insulted young man who could hardly serve his force. He would die proudly as the son of a powerful man, one who had praised strength, one who was famous throughout the land of Cheng'an! That was what he wanted!
" I will not lose!! " Shu Tong screamed, his small voice sounding strange under stress. " I will not disappoint my father!! "
And suddenly, Shu Tong had his trident back in his hand, and he spun it with expertise and courage. He twirled on his feet with elegance and grace, jumping lightly and spinning his weapon. His loose clothing twisted and billowed out around him like small ice blue clouds. Yun Qiu and his brother watched with awe as Shu Tong flew about; he looked more like one of the gods sending their wrath on the people, not a nervous young officer. More men of golden armour still poured forth, and Shu Tong didn't falter. He kept going, and suddenly, ice began forming under his every step. It spread around his feet, smooth frozen water flowering around him. And it didn't stop there. As they blossomed into larger flowers of frost, they also started to grow into large columns, like stalagmites on a cave floor. It engulfed only Jin Huang Long soldiers, leaving the others to cold breezes from the ice. Soon, almost every enemy soldier was to forever be a statue of ice, their horrified expressions locked in place. Shu Tong fell to the ground as soon as it was done, his trident echoing loudly and lightly cracking the ice as it was dropped, and a thump as the officer dropped limply.
Everything was silent. There was no sound, except for the inhales and exhales that everyone took.
There was ice everywhere, and all soldiers observed it with awe, the tall towers of solid water looming high above them, corpses decorating the insides. Not many had noticed, but the ice had spread throughout the city, trapping many within frigid walls. No innocent families were hurt. The only ones that had been left untouched, were Shui Chun and Tao Xiu. However, they were terrified of the ice, as if they feared that it opposed them.
" It...it has swallowed up our allies! Where did this ice come from?! " Shui Chun exclaimed.
" Hn....I cannot sense who it originated from. "
" Well, there is no surprise in that!! We're only mere officers! " Shui Chun grumbled.
" Fools! Can you not do anything correctly as I asked? You were to follow the youngest Imperial General and dispose of him! He is their strategist, and if he is killed then I can easily take care of the emperor, since Jiang Ming has not been appointed strategist for three years! " bellowed a voice.
" A-A-Ah!! My Lord! Why do you-----How do you speak to us?! " Shui Chun cried, clamping his hands over his ears.
" You need not know, for to tell you would mean nothing. Now, you shall die. "
" Hah?! What do you speak of My Lord?! Surely you mean different? "
All of a sudden, Shui Chun and Tao Xiu were clawing at their throats, choking and gasping with pain. They fell of their horses, holding their necks tightly and coughing with raspy breaths. The pain welled up in their chests, and soon blood splattered onto the white ice, blossoming into a red garden of death. Both men's eyes bulged, crimson lining their eyelids. Then they gurgled up blood, the liquid bubbling from their mouths. And then, without anyone noticing, no one to mourn for them, Shui Chun and Tao Xiu were dead.
Quan Xu was extremely shocked as he saw columns of ice build over his own soldiers. Who was able to do evil sorcery such as this?! Did he underestimate the powers of Peiyuan Tang? Grrr, no matter, I will charge by myself. Wu Hong and An Zhao are still here with me!
With his decision set, he took Wu Hong and An Zhao into a full charge, towards the back of the city where Peiyuan Tang resided.
Yun Qiu and Yun Dong helped the Peiyuan and Yue family to get out from the walls of ice that had been created, accidentally secluding them. The ice was hard to break; but with hard work, it was done. Out of the refugees, there were Sima Ce's parents, and he united with them with joy, saying to the brothers that he would stay with his family.
" We will move to another city. I hope that you will be well on your mission. If ever you need my help, or you need to contact me, I predict that I will be in Xingba, near Shangxia Lake. " Sima Ce said, " The best of luck to you two. Farewell! "
And with two horses, Sima Ce left with his mother and father out of the back gates, northeast to Xingba.
Lu Xun had just seen the bodies of the two Imperial Generals he had just been speaking to, but he was puzzled as to why the other Imperial men had not been frozen solid or died spitting up blood. He rode around, inspecting who had been frozen and who hadn't. He concluded with the fact that none of his allies, or that of Peiyuan Tang had died. Only men of the Jin Huang Long ranks had perished. Did that mean....that all along, Shui Chun and Tao Xiu had been with them all this time? They were enemies? How....how was that possible?
" For so long, " began Lu Xun, " I trusted Shui Chun and Tao Xiu greatly. Was it for nothing? Had they been alive, would they have plotted to kill the emperor?! No! That is not right, they would have done so long ago, or...perhaps they wanted to gain trust before completing their task? How deceitful they have been! "
" Deceitful? What is it you speak of, Lu Xun? "
" What? Who is it that speaks? " Lu Xun asked cautiously, as he spun around with his horse to see who had spoken. His eyes widened as he saw two warriors dressed in colours of the emperor: dominant white paired with a lesser colour. " You...you two....you must be the real Shui Chun and Tao Xiu! "
" And why would we not be? " inquired the one that had a healthy, lean face. Bangs brushed against the side of his face, cupping it with two black locks. The rest of his hair was tied back with a white tie. He wore green and white clothing, with long sleeves covering his hands, and a white sash tied round his waist. He wore a helmet that had similar ornaments alike to Lu Xun's, although it was a different style. His boots were thick and durable, and he wore armour to protect his chest and thighs. His weapon was a long tai chi sword, with a long red sword knot at its hilt. He rested it on his shoulder, and already there was crimson dripping from it, his blurry green eyes concealing a solemn personality. Shui Chun had not been part of the offices when he had begun life. His mother had died when he was but a child, and so he had taken the duties she had done, cooking and cleaning. At the time, his father had been out doing services for the county officer, who had needed help with bandit infestations near his home. When his father returned, he was shocked of the son he had. He didn't practice skills of the sword or spear, or any weapon for that matter. He cooked and cleaned and repaired clothing for the village. His father had taken control there, and taking his son to the Bamboo Grove of Jianzhou, not too far from Liangchun, trained him hard everyday. Displaying astonishing feats to the emperor, who was one day riding through the grove when he was attacked by bandits, Shui Chun proved himself worthy of such a rank, and from then on, he and his father served the emperor with undying faith.
The other man had broad shoulders and a tough visage, and he had a light moustache growing. His hair was unkempt, though short, with a clasp at the top of his head that contained a bun. He wore thick earthly coloured clothing, and on top of that, white armour to further guard himself, and to display that he worked for the emperor. His hands were large and calloused, and to show his strength to all, he wielded a rod made of iron. By nature, this man, Tao Xiu, was hot-tempered and often acted rashly, and most of the time something bad occurred from his poorly thought decisions. When he had first met Lu Xun, all he could do was laugh rudely and ridicule Lu Xun's goal to become a strategist for the emperor. But when he had been done in by Lu Xun's clever thinking for a sparring match, he respected Lu Xun for his skills, though secretly he slightly resented the boy for being better than him. Tao Xiu had been recommended to the emperor when the man was the protector of three places; Qiaotan, Lungfo, and Choufan. He took excellent care of the three, and he took care of bandits and thieves who attempted to steal himself, and soon the three places were no longer threatened with threats such as these. He battled against small rebellions, even venturing from his own turf(after assembling militia),to help other villages and towns in need. To summarize the man, one could say he was stubborn and had some bad qualities, but he was helpful and generous friends.
" Ah, so you two are not deceiving me! " Lu Xun sighed, and he rode up to his companions and told them the story of the two Jin Huang Long officers who had impersonated their roles, and most likely sought to kill him. " They looked quite strange, but I know not what you two are always thinking, so I assumed you went for a change. How foolish of me, do you not agree? "
" Certainly, I agree! That was quite foolish of you to think! If other generals were to take advantage of your gullibility, then you would most certainly die ashamed of yourself! " Tao Xiu chuckled, and he laughed loudly, spit flying from his mouth.
Lu Xun's eyes narrowed, and he glared until Tao Xiu caught sight of it. " You are nothing but an old man who cannot think for himself, and has suffered more losses than victories. "
" Hah?! How dare you speak like that to elders! I have won more than I have lost, and I came from a famous and prosperous family. That was why I was Imperial Protector of three towns! You, you naïve wretch! You came from a lowly village, and were nothing more than a doctor's son, not a famous one either. "
Lu Xun gasped. “What are you talking about? My father was the doctor of Menglin! The capital of Len’chyang! Do you call that a lowly village?” The time most often that Lu Xun lost his patience and temper was with Tao Xiu, who agreed with every insult made to him every time, joining in on jokes and other mischievous things.
" Now, now, you two. Do not hold grudges against each other now! We are in a battle to keep Shangxia from the Jin Huang Long's clutches! Argue afterwards, when we are finished! " Shui Chun said, and he led the two to the back of the city, keeping the two on either side.
Since all the men had been disposed of, Yun Dong went for the officer that Yun Qiu had brought along. Yang Yin and Zhou An, having already recovered, went back for Huangfu Song, who was riding towards Quan Xu's location.
Yun Qiu followed his younger twin towards the shivering form that lay on the ice, almost cradled by icy arms.
Shu Tong lay as if he were asleep, his breathing slow and peaceful, as if he seemed immune to the cold, though he had a light shiver about him. His trident was held within a column of ice, never to be used again as it seemed.
" This young man said he was deemed a fool and a worthless creation by his commander. Though, he has shown remarkable power! " Yun Dong exclaimed. He looked to his brother with widened eyes, " Who is this young man? "
"Shu Tong. He is from the ranks of the Jin Huang Long, but he defected to the Imperial forces." Yun Qiu answered.
Yun Dong hopped off his horse, crouching by the resting boy. He lifted him from under the arms, his back facing him, but suddenly Shu Tong snapped awake, his eyes big with fear. He looked about, as if unaware of what he had done. He was still in Yun Dong's arms, and he glanced up at him in shock.
" Wh-Who are you?! What are you...what are you going to do?! Pl-Please don't kill me! I can explain! "
" Shu Tong, I am not here to kill you. I am the brother of Yun Qiu. My name is Yun Dong. "
" Yun Qiu...? Oh, then....please, hide me from Quan Xu. I sense him, his presence is nearing....! " Shu Tong whirled about, grabbing Yun Dong's arms and wrapping them around him. He huddled in there as if it could save him from anything, whimpering sadly. " I may not be in his service anymore...but I still fear him! "
" We will defend you from Quan Xu, I suppose. " Yun Qiu said, and he turned his head to galloping,
" Ah, here he comes. "
" H-Hn?! "
Quan Xu, his face red with seething anger, flourished his sword and was slapping at his horse's thighs constantly. Wu Hong and An Zhao kept behind him, trying to keep up with the angry commander. He was before the brothers in almost no time, growling with a low voice.
" Shu Tong! Where are you?! Show yourself now! " Xu spotted him in Yun Dong's arms, trembling fearfully. " Hm? Pathetic! You fool, you are nothing but dirt, yet you caused two of my best generals to defect! How dare you, a lowly officer, manipulate my generals to your liking! "
Shu Tong rose out of Yun Dong's arms, sniffling and wiping tears with his sleeves. " Lord Q-Quan Xu, I no longer w-work for you! Leave me be, I-I am serving th-the emperor now. "
" Yes, and they will be soon disappointed by your lack of battle skills. They will soon discover that you cannot lead troops, or even order them. I am surprised you had the siege ramps prepared properly! You carried a weapon with you, though you can hardly use it, and now it's stuck in the ice! "
Yun Qiu and Yun Dong poised their weapons to strike, Quan Xu his sword. Just as they were about to engage, however, a group of generals arrived.
" Surround him!! "
Suddenly, Quan Xu was surrounded by Peiyuan Tang, Ren, and Xiao. They had their weapons in position, and in unison they attempted to hack Xu to pieces. But as soon as they moved their hands, Wu Hong and An Zhao rushed in quickly to deflect the blows with their weapons. An Zhao took on both Peiyuan Ren and Xiao, Wu Hong with Peiyuan Tang, being assisted by Quan Xu.
Yun Dong assisted the two women, and with his minor help, An Zhao was slain. Yun Qiu jumped forth, ruffling the tassel before shooting it forward into Wu Hong, catching his arm. A thick gash appeared, blood gushing from it. Peiyuan Tang decided to leave it to Yun Qiu to handle Wu Hong, while he took on Quan Xu. Yun Dong joined in with his brother, bringing his spear down on Wu Hong's shoulder that his injured arm was on. He went down in pain, clutching his arm, giving Yun Qiu the chance to kill. Wu Hong was beheaded. Shu Tong cowered away by the twins' horses, hoping not to be noticed by his former leader. Unfortunately, his luck was out, and Quan Xu could see the golden helmet that was slowly sneaking behind the horses.
" Trying to escape?! " Quan Xu exclaimed, and he dodged three weapons to get to Shu Tong, who had fallen to the ground after hearing the yell directed to him. " I will kill you be it the last thing I do! "
A sword stabbed into the ground beside Shu Tong, and he gazed upwards in fear, seeing Quan Xu smirking darkly. He stumbled forward in an attempt to stand, and tripped as he began running again.
" Shu Tong is deathly afraid of him. " Yun Qiu explained as they ran forward to strike. " If we do nothing, then we will lose a great addition to our team. "
" Are we only letting him live because of his abilities? "
" Partially, but I feel that he wants more than to be called a fool every day. "
The battle was long, and all were fatigued, but finally, Quan Xu was defeated. Or so they thought. Refusing to accept the loss, Xu decided to retreat by himself, to hide away from Ling Xiu Wei to avoid death. However, the Jin Huang Long general was very unfortunate, and on his way out, he met one of the provincial officers.
His name was Huan Yu, a young twenty-three year old provincial officer. He had a face as perfect and genuine as the smoothest jade, and his eyes were honey-coloured, shining like stars. His topknot was bound with a gold crown, a jewel embedded in it. It had two long pheasant tails in it, curving over and touching the ground, striped blue and white. His body was lean and lithe, though powerful and brawny. He wore a battle robe that was decorated with lotus blossoms and coins, and was girded with beautiful armour of silver. His weapon was a halberd that had another blade on its side. He was known to be quite a warrior, and was often confident and sometimes arrogant when times called for it. Many said he was generous and caring, and he enjoyed feasts and parties. He was full of vivacity, and complimented for it.
After barring Quan Xu's way with cavalrymen, Huan Yu rode forward a few paces, pointing his halberd at Quan Xu. " You are Quan Xu, are you not? "
Quan Xu didn't answer, frightened to the bone.
" Huh? No answer? Then I assume I am correct! " Huan Yu shouted, and held his halberd above his head. He rode forward on his prized grey steed, Thundercloud. In just seconds, Quan Xu was run through, and was finally dead. Huan Yu grinned happily, drawing back his halberd and resting it on his shoulders horizontally, both hands hanging onto it on either side. " Well, that was an easy one! Father was right! "
He entered the castle with Quan Xu's head to report his victory, surprised when he found that the entire city of Shangxia was covered in ice and icicles.
" Lord Peiyuan Tang, Imperial Protector of Shangxia! I, Huan Yu, one of the provincial officers, have killed Quan Xu! " He held Quan Xu’s head in the air, dangling loosely as it hung only by hair.
No one answered to his declaration, so he tied Quan Xu by the hair to his horse's saddle, and he rode about with his five hundred man army, this again showed his arrogance. He rode carefully and slowly, making sure he wouldn't slip on the ice. It had become quite cold inside the castle, with the ice everywhere. The fall weather complimented it even more.
" It doesn't seem as if anyone is here...? "
" You there, are you a provincial officer? " called a voice.
Huan Yu responded to his rank name, looking out curiously. He saw a middle-aged man waving to him, assuming it was Peiyuan Tang. " Yes, I am. Do you happen to be Peiyuan Tang? "
" If I were not him, I know not who I would be. "
" Ah, then, " Huan Yu began, and displayed Quan Xu's head to the man, blood still dripping from the beheading. " I have disposed of Quan Xu for you. Your troubles are gone! "
" Oh, thank the Heavens! A mighty warrior has saved us! " said Tang, and he began laughing. " Come to my dwelling, officer. Enjoy a feast with me celebrating victory! I have many other guests who partook in the beating of the invaders. "
" Alright, partake in your feast I will! " said Huan Yu happily, feeling a bit hungry from travelling. The provincial officers lived in different areas of the province to ensure safety to all counties, and Huan Yu had come some way from Daoma, hurrying after he heard of the news. A feast was just what he needed to settle his hunger. He would allow his troops to be fed some as well.
The Imperial forces, which Yun Qiu and Dong had pretended to be part of, the three from the Jin Huang Long, and Huan Yu, were invited to delight themselves in the feast for the evening, which had come quickly after the battle. Everyone was relieved that the army had been dealt with, and that the Imperial army had appeared to their aid. Huan Yu was recommended again to the emperor for his feat of defeating Quan Xu.
There were also the staff of Peiyuan Tang's castle; his advisors, lieutenants, generals, officers, and favoured servants. Musicians of great talent played flutes and zithers, special violins and drums. The guests were treated to wine, animals hunted from hunting seasons, and delicious desserts. Pigs and various birds lined the table on platters, and rice in glass bowls. Quan Xu's head sat at the end of the table, bones thrown at it. Saliva dripped over his eyes.
The twins had never experienced great delicacies, as being under the care of a teacher of not much money for a majority of their life meant that quality wasn't important. They were unsure of how to properly eat them, watching everyone else with intent stares. Shu Tong was especially puzzled, as he had hardly eaten anything fresh or enough to make him full, thanks to Quan Xu. He sat beside Huan Yu, who offered him countless amounts of food, most of which were refused---due to the fact that Shu Tong's plate and bowl were already full, anyway. Huan Yu was extremely pleased with all the food served, taking large amounts to his plate. He had even broken the tradition of elders beginning food first, but he ignored the playful scorn and kept eating. He had several cups of wine, making him slightly intoxicated, and quite a lot of meat buns, which was his most favourite food. Many of the buns had disappeared before the feast had even properly begun, though he had a few arguments with Tao Xiu, who also had a penchant for the food. Most of the guests just had an equal liking for all the foods served, but others found that they were only going for one. As mentioned, Huan Yu and Tao Xiu fought each other for mere meatbuns; Lu Xun discovered that he really loved the taste of noodles(having had several bowls); Yang Yin battled Huangfu Song with chopsticks to gain the advantage over rice. Yang Yin and Huangfu Song, who had already settled as friends, got quite competitive when it came down to the last scoops of rice. They snapped at each other with chopsticks constantly, pinning the other to take over. It went like that for a few minutes, with everyone as an audience, until Peiyuan Tang told them to share, which they did with suspicion over how much either was taking.
The festivities and feasts lasted for three days, before the Imperial forces decided to leave for Huaxiong and recommend Huan Yu's rank promotion, and to show the three new generals that had defected. Yun Qiu and Dong were unsure whether they wanted to accompany them to the emperor's palace, for they were only of commoner status. The only relative they had was their grandfather, Yun Liao, who lived in Xiangzhou, in the town of Hanshu, a humble town near the Haizi Mountains. Lu Xun, who had become a good and close friend, assured them that it would be fine, based on his own instinct that formalities didn't matter.
" Why should it matter? Your rank will probably be raised, too. Maybe you'll receive a fief, and become a young magistrate. If you govern properly, you can rank even higher as a governor or something of the like. Wouldn't that suit your likes? " Lu Xun inquired.
" We would most likely be separated to different fiefs, " Yun Dong said, " I don't want to be taken away from my dear brother. Our uncle is the only one left, and neither of us are close to him, as for most of our years we spent time with a teacher. "
" Ah, I see. But, I suppose it is easier to follow us against the Jin Huang Long, than to be worrisome of your fief all the time. "
" Yes. "
As the forces assembled themselves, the generals separated by their respective ranks, Peiyuan Tang hoped for the Imperial army to have the best of luck against the Golden Dragons, and that he would respond to any call that they made on him. His entire family thanked them for saving Shangxia from destruction, offering them gifts of money and food. They were accepted with thanks, and then the journey back to Huaxiong commenced.