East of the River: Home of the Sun Clan sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“I admit, I don’t see why you’d be sent all that way when there is a
much closer threat from the Yellow Turbans,” Cheng Pu replied. “But on the
other hand, Liang is in need of heroes, so it’s no surprise that you’re being
asked to do this.
“…Demou, you are a more worthy adviser than I will ever be,” Sun Jian
said honestly. “Maybe you should accompany me.”
“Of course I will, if that’s what’s best,” Cheng Pu replied. “Wu Jing
and Zu Mao will no doubt force or be forced upon you… so at least you’ll have
plenty of support.”
“…Right, well… I’d better go and tell my family,” Sun Jian sighed.
“Don’t tell me,” Lady Wu scoffed as Sun Jian entered the living quarters
and smiled cheerfully. “I know that look: you’ve volunteered for something
else.”
“…Not exactly,” Sun Jian replied. “I’ve been asked to go to Liang
Province to-”
“Liang???” Lady Wu exclaimed.
“That’s the far northwest!”
“Yes.”
“That’s the opposite side of the country!”
“It is.”
Lady Wu shook her head and said, “But there’s no point us talking about
this, is there…? Being ‘asked’ is more a case of being told.”
“In this case, not really,” Sun Jian admitted. “Once again, Zhu Jun has
put a good word in for me, and it could mean rewards.”
“…Alright,” Lady Wu said miserably. “But try and beat them quickly, else
we’ll all start to forget what you look like!”
Sun Jian nodded sheepishly and said, “I’ll do my best, as always.”
Zu Mao and Cheng Pu, meanwhile, were waiting for Sun Jian.
“Aha! Here he comes,” Zu Mao said as Sun Jian left his house.
“Should I take Wu Jing?” Sun Jian wondered. “My wife did not suggest
it.”
“She trusts you… besides, you’re an adviser on this one,” Zu Mao
replied.
“…Quite right,” Sun Jian decided. “The three of us will find some good
men to help us with our baggage, and set out tomorrow. Wu Jing can ensure that
my family are safe, and Mister Huang Gongfu and Mister Han Yigong are busy
enough.”
“Yes,” Cheng Pu said with a smile. “You were right to suggest that they
kept our militia alive unofficially; the north is nothing but fools, telling us
to disband!”
“And more besides, the way they shafted Mister Sun Jian out of any real
rewards,” Zu Mao scoffed. “They’d better reward you this time, or by Heaven,
they’ll have my sword to answer to, the bunch of rotten-”
“Let’s get the job done first, shall we…?” Cheng Pu said with laughter.
And so Sun Jian, Cheng Pu, Zu Mao and a small retinue of assistants
began a journey north and west to the unstable Liang Province. Once they had
crossed the Yangtze into Lujiang Prefecture in northern Yang Province, their
journey would take them through Yu Province and the north of Jing Province,
where they had already rendered near-thankless service to the empire.
“I really don’t want to see Yu Province again, especially not so soon,”
Sun Jian admitted as the trio and their assistants travelled along a dirt road
in the south of Lujiang. “I don’t want to see Jing either.”
“We’re going a little further northward this time,” Cheng Pu replied.
“Administrator Lu Kang has promised us safe passage and said that we can use
his southern residence if we need it.”
“A good man, Demou,” Sun Jian sighed. “He’s done wonders here, hasn’t he
…?”