“Intention”: War for the Han Frontier sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“…To Yòu
Province…?” Yuan Xi gasped as he absorbed the words of his stepmother Lady Liu.
“I must go… to Yòu Province…?”
“Your lord and father cannot govern his domains without your help,” Lady
Liu said. “Isn’t that right, Mister Guo Tu…?”
Guo Tu and Shen Pei were standing to Lady Liu’s left; Guo Tu nodded and
said, “I know that you are only just married, young lord, but you must prepare
to travel to the capital Fanyang as soon as your domestic affairs are settled.”
“But… I thought that Liu Hè was governor of Yòu Province, a role
inherited from his father and restored to him once Gongsun Zan was defeated!”
Yuan Xi said.
Shen Pei smiled and said, “That was never the case, young lord. That
brash, ill-tempered young man was never the right choice. In any case, he
cannot be governor and never will be. He has… retired from public life.”
“…But Yòu Province is no place to be starting a family!” Yuan Xi
complained. “It will take a long time to stabilise the region!”
“Which is precisely why Lady Zhen shall remain here, in Yè, in your
father’s household, until you have stabilised the region,” Lady Liu replied.
Yuan Xi was exasperated, but he could not argue with his shamelessly
contented stepmother: he turned to look at the distant form of his new wife,
sighed miserably and said, “If that is Father’s wish, then… so be it.”
“What is going on…?” Yuan Cheng asked as he reached the gathering. “Why
is the groom so folorn…?”
“I… I am to go to Yòu Province while Lady Zhen remains here in Yè, at
Father’s request,” Yuan Xi explained.
“Tan will go back to Qing Province, and Gao Gan will continue to serve
as the protector of Bing Province,” Lady Liu said cheerfully.
“…So my nephew’s older sons will be in far-off places, while your son
Shang stays here,” Yuan Cheng replied as he glared at Lady Liu. “And this is my
nephew’s idea…?”
Lady Liu waved her hand dismissively and giggled, “Ask him.”
Yuan Cheng turned to look at Yuan Shao and muttered, “No… I won’t
bother.”
“Lord Yuan wants his trusted family members guarding his provincial
capitals,” Guo Tu said.
Yuan Cheng looked at the smugly-smirking Lady Liu and said, “I can see
that… the vision of the future is forming very clearly in my eyes. I only hope
that it is the right one.” Cheng bowed to each person in turn, said,
“Gentlemen… and Lady Liu,” and retreated to speak with some of Lady Zhen’s
relations.
“…It is,” Lady Liu said. “It will be.”
Guo Tu frowned and looked at Shen Pei; Shen was smiling as well, and Guo
Tu - who was quietly currying favour with Yuan Tan - suddenly realised that the
future that was being planned might not be one that was entirely to his benefit.
When the festivities were ended, Yuan Shao retired to his private study
while servants tidied the living quarters; Lady Liu joined him and said, “Now
your eldest boys are grown and gone on to start their own families… Shang will
be next.”
“I… I say this sincerely, not to appease you,” Yuan Shao replied. “I
would probably prefer Shang as my heir, as you obviously do.”