“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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Chen Fan turned to look at the diminishing group of supporters of his
cause. Many were now terrified, as Wang Fu was apparently correct in arresting
the Grand Tutor, and there were few that were prepared to publicly back a
seditionist that had resorted to illegal means to achieve his goal. He turned
his gaze back to Wang Fu, who was now smiling smugly, confident that his
victory was as absolute as ever.
“When Dou Wu returns, his part in
this will be challenged in the right and proper way,” Wang Fu continued. “In the meantime, Mister Chen Fan… consider
yourself stripped of your latest ill-gotten role. You will now be taken to
prison… where you will await justice.”
Chen Fan sighed miserably.
“Do you have anything else to
say?” Wang Fu taunted.
After a pause, Chen Fan replied, “Only
that I will argue my case relentlessly, and that justice will be done
eventually, Wang Fu: eventually, things will be right.”
“…Take him away, Captain,” Wang Fu ordered as he raised the Imperial
Seal to chest height as a reminder of his authority.
Dou Wu returned to the capital as dawn broke the next morning. He had
received a warning about the eunuch’s ‘coup’ at the court, so he had assembled
a small militia and a rabble of supporters by the time he approached the gates
of the palace. Once again, the eunuchs watched from a high place and pondered
what to do.
“He brings an army… and he commands respect from the forces in the
capital,” Wang Fu noted. “We might have some that will join him against us.”
“…Is the former ‘General that Subdues the Northern Barbarians’ Zhang
Huan still in his residence in the capital?” Cao Jie said suddenly.
“He is,” Su Kang replied. “But why would he cross your mind…? Are you
worried that he will support Dou Wu?”
“He wouldn’t necessarily do that,” Cao Jie suggested.
“…Ah, I see!” Wang Fu said with a smile. “Meet the inexperienced
Commander-in-Chief with an idolised general, a hero; but how will we convince General Zhang that we are correct
here?”
“In the same way that we dealt with Chen Fan; we use the evidence that
Dou Wu was kind enough to provide us with,” Cao Jie replied. “He’ll surely help
us then.”
“I shall go,” Guan Ba suggested.
“So shall I,” Cao Jie said. “Wang Fu, Su Kang; remember that we are the
four that will die first if this goes his way now…”
“Heavens speed you,” Wang Fu replied.
Within an hour, Commander-in-Chief Dou Wu’s forces were being met by a
battalion led by the retired veteran Zhang Huan, a respected hero of a series
of battles that saw the successful repulsion of the Northern Xiongnu
confederacy, who had been a nemesis of the Han Empire for generations. The
presence of a war hero among the ranks of the eunuch’s forces started a ripple
of unease among Dou Wu’s followers, and he was quick to notice it.
“Dou Wu!” Zhang Huan
bellowed. “Why do you rebel against His
Majesty, when he has shown you such favour? Is your greed that insatiable?”
“Aiee… how can it be, in a just world under Heaven, that those
crafty, wicked eunuchs are incomparable in strategy, and that now dooms me???”
Dou Wu lamented as a small group of his followers started to move to the side
of Zhang Huan.