East of the River: Home of the Sun Clan sample -- TPMThorne.com

“But all in all, the problem is Wan City, not the battles around it,” Sun Jian proposed. “The reason that Commander Huangfu was so successful in Yu - if you’ll forgive my apparently dismissing his efforts, for that is not my intention - is because the rebels did not have complete control of Yingchuan or any other major city. Indeed the reason that this province was not regained sooner by us, or lost to them earlier, was because Wan held out for so long.”
“I had the same idea, and am glad that we agree on it,” Zhu Jun said agreeably. “But Wan is theirs now, and only a sustained siege can break it. But how many more months before we break ourselves…?”
“A shock tactic is needed,” Sun Jian decided.
“…By which you mean what, Wentai…?” Zhu Jun asked cautiously. “What design do you have for ending this siege so quickly, when we are stuck with the same old solutions to the same old problem…?”
“…Do you trust me?” Sun Jian asked in response.
“Of course,” Zhu Jun insisted. “…Wait a moment… are you going to try some sort of madness…?”
Sun Jian smiled sheepishly and said, “I do not consider my plan to be ‘madness’, rather a tactic that will be unexpected and therefore highly likely to succeed.”
Zhu Jun sighed and replied, “I am at a loss, as I said, so if you have a plan, then by all means go ahead and try it. But do not endanger your life needlessly, Sun Wentai; you are a valued pillar of the state.”
Sun Jian bowed slightly and said, “I will do all I can to deliver victory, Commander.”

Sun Jian returned to his tent, where he was greeted by cynical and disapproving faces; Wu Jing, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Han Dang were all visibly worried, while Zu Mao was apparently enjoying the whole affair.
“…What…?” Sun Jian chuckled nervously.
“Reconsider this plan, Brother-in-law,” Wu Jing ordered.

Sun Jian looked at Cheng Pu with disappointment and said, “It was a suggestion, nothing more. Why did you-”
“Suggestions are suggestions; this is a plan in motion,” Cheng Pu scolded. “Sun Wentai, I really cannot approve of it.”
“Neither can I,” Huang Gai said miserably. “Such recklessness!”
“I admire your bravery, but this is not a task for you,” Han Dang suggested.
Sun Jian turned to Zu Mao, who grinned and said, “You’re crazy… nobody else I ever met would want to do this. If you insist on it, I’m in.”
“Don’t encourage him!” Wu Jing barked.
“Hey, look, I just said ‘if he insists on it’, Mister Wu,” Zu Mao replied. “If you talk him out of it, I’ll say no more.”
“And you can’t talk me out of it, Brother-in-law,” Sun Jian insisted. “I have to sit atop a horse every day, shouting orders at men, telling them to run up to those walls and be shot, stoned, crushed, buried alive and fried like market meat. Every day, I walk around the infirmary, and I look at men’s eyes as they stare up at me, trying to smile, looking for ample respect and thanks for what they’ve done, and… and… what level of respect or thanks can ever match such a sacrifice?”
Sun Jian’s allies were silent and sombre.
“The real heroes here are those men that run toward those walls day after day,” Sun Jian continued. “This war is about ‘ridding the land of heretics that intend a new age of theologically-founded anarchy’, isn’t it, Cheng Demou…?”
Cheng Pu nodded silently.

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