Eastern Wu: Realm of the Sun Clan sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“Liu Xun isn’t loyal to Yuan Shu’s cause now, but he’s determined to
destroy us and be lord of something more than Lujiang, whether that’s the court’s
will or not,” Sun Ben replied. “Now that Xun’s got a growing army, he’s been
sending scouts to places that we haven’t taken yet and envoys to our enemies
throughout Jiangdong: that indicates that he’s planning more raids to gather
food and stage a ‘pacification operation’, whether it is of his own design or
on behalf of the Han or Cao Cao, and that’s bad. We need to take Lujiang, turn
his new army’s thinking to our way of thinking, and then show Cao Cao that
we’re loyal to the Han; if Liu Xun achieves too much, he’ll fully inherit Yuan
Shu’s army, say we’re rebels and eliminate us.”
“…I really cannot be bothered with any of this anymore,” Sun Fu said.
“We never get a moment’s rest!”
“Don’t worry, it all changes after Liu Xun and Liu Biao are defeated,”
Sun Ben replied. “We’ll get recognition from the Han government for our
efforts, and then we can start to enjoy life a little more.”
“…I hope so,” Sun Fu sighed.
Liu Xun was determined that he would secure the allegiance of all of
Yuan Shu’s former officials; he had already coerced an oath of allegiance out
of Yuan Shu’s cousin and former adviser Yuan Yin, but General Zhang Xun and the
adviser Yang Hong - both of whom were part of Yuan Shu’s retinue when he
attempted an escape to Xu Province - were proving to be more difficult. Liu Xun
had each of the two men brought to him individually so that he could reason
with them.
“I don’t understand,”
Liu Xun chortled theatrically. “If Yuan Shu is dead, then who is it that you
follow now, Zhang Xun…? If Yuan Shu’s blood cousin can forget a dead past and
look to a living future, why can’t you…?”
Zhang Xun looked around Liu Xun’s private study and asked, “What part of
this room - the room itself, or what is in it - came into your possession
without Lord Yuan’s having willed it so…?”
Liu Xun sneered and replied, “Your attempts at turning my arguments
against me will not work, General! I am nobility, unlike you, little
shopkeeper’s boy! I watched you crawl up from the rank of private to where you
are now, fighting and grovelling for every promotion! I am Administrator of
Lujiang Prefecture because I am entitled,
as a scion of the royal house, to a position of high status! Yuan Shu gave me this place after Sun Ce took it
from Lu Kang, because Sun was a rustic soldier, while I am an educated
official! I have what I have not because of Yuan Shu, but because status is my
birth-right! I would be an administrator or governor anyway! Where would you be, though…? That’s why you are
loyal: I see that. But he’s dead. Not only that, General, but he died a beggar
after betraying the Son of Heaven, by having the audacity to announce to the
world that His Majesty was no longer mandated, and that the sun now rose for
him!”
“Yet you remained loyal, despite that announcement reducing the status
of you and your clan,” Zhang Xun retorted. “Why,
Administrator Liu…?”
Liu Xun stifled rage and said, “Because, little soldier, I valued the
bond of lord and vassal, as you do… but when the lord is no more, the vassal
must be open-minded.”