“Turmoil”: Battle for the Han Empire sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“I… I understand, Mengde,” Xu Yòu insisted. “Only a madman or a fool would
make a friend of Lü Bu, much less invite him to cause more damage to the Empire: it is a similar shame
that Dong Gongren - whose decency I’d have sworn to the Heavens - has similarly lost his mind and
fled to Bu’s friend Zhang Yang rather than answer some questions about his conduct. You did what
you had to do with Zhang Miao. Perhaps… perhaps it indicates that Lord Yuan was right to dissociate
himself from the man years ago, rather than cling to the notion that his ‘unparalleled decency’
was something else altogether.”
“…Perhaps,” Cao Cao replied numbly. “…Will you be joining Benchu and
I for dinner…?”
“What, and be myself in the company of my lord…?” Xu Yòu chortled. “Not a
chance, Mengde: he’d never allow me to treat him as a friend now.”
“And… and I can expect the same…?” Cao Cao prompted.
“To him, you are an equal, or near enough,” Xu Yòu replied. “Anyhow…
I am to escort Wenruo to-”
“Wenruo…?” Xun Wenruo said with surprise.
“You have shifted your allegiance to a friend of my lord, and I know you to be a good man, and you
were ‘Wenruo’ to me before, Mister Xun,” Xu Yòu replied. “If I am not being
presumptuous, I would still like to refer to you as such.”
“I’m glad that Wenruo is in good hands,” Cao Cao said. “Now I must go to meet
Benchu… since he does not come to meet me.”
“He will meet you in the hall,” Xu Yòu chuckled. “He’s still a little paranoid
about Lü Bu sending someone to repay him for the assassination attempt, even though the man and his followers
are penniless vagrants hiding in Xu Province.”
“…I shall go to the hall then,” Cao Cao sighed. “Farewell for now, Wenruo.”
Xun Wenruo clasped his hands together and bowed slightly before he said, “I hope that you enjoy the
banquet, Lord Cao.”
Cao Cao smirked, turned to Xu Yòu and said, “You’d better move so I can get out of the carriage.”
Xu Yòu laughed apologetically and turned to move away: his gaze was immediately met by a towering hulk of a
man with crazed eyes and a strange, toothy grin.
“AYAH! I-! I…? …Wh-wha…? …What…?” Xu Yòu bumbled as
he stopped his instinctive retreat, regained his composure and turned to Cao Cao, who was laughing uncontrollably.
“…This is Dian Wei, Mister Xu,” Xun Wenruo said as he gestured toward Cao Cao’s giant,
muscular bodyguard. Dian was wearing fresh leather armour over plain brown robes, and he carried a sword at his side;
his toothy grin had been replaced by a humble smile and his eyes had calmed, but he was still somehow terrifying.
“I apologise for startling you, Mister Xu,” Dian Wei said quietly.
Xu Yòu started to laugh strangely as he replied, “I should have looked where I was going, fool that I am!
…Aiee… I thought I was dead then, for certain!”
“Oh, I needed cheering up!” Cao Cao cackled. “Now I am ready for my banquet!”
“I shall wait here until you return, Mister Xu,” Xun Wenruo prompted.
“I… I’ll take you inside, Mengde,” Xu Yòu replied as he tried, in vain, to turn
his gaze away from Dian Wei.
“He won’t devour you if you turn your back on him, Ziyuan!” Cao Cao teased.