“Turmoil”: Battle for the Han Empire sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“Lü Bu aided Wang Yun’s plot to destroy Dong Zhuo’s regime,” Chen Gui continued, “and although
that plot ultimately failed to remove all of Dong’s followers - some say because of Bu’s arrogance - it was Bu
that killed the tyrant Dong Zhuo, and for that we must thank him.”
“Your words are valid,” Liu Bei declared. “Please, Mister Chen, do go on.”
“Thank you, Governor,” Chen Gui said with little evident reverence in his tone. “I might say the same of Dong’s
adviser Jia Xu, who now keeps a tight leash on the regents’ bloodlust and makes shrewd political decisions, but that is another
conversation entirely. Bu fled Chang’an after that debacle, and after wandering aimlessly for a time, he aided Yuan Shao in an
assault on the Black Mountain Bandits that severely weakened them and relieved many suffering people. Thirdly - and most importantly -
he aided the benevolent Chen Gong’s coup in Yan Province, an act that was carried out to spare us further harm.”
Mi Zhu sensed additional intent in Chen Gui’s charismatic oration and exhaled heavily.
“Like it or not, the actions of Lü Bu, Chen Gong and Zhang Miao are the sole reason that we were not ground into dust,”
Chen Gui said as he turned to face Mi Zhu. “They saved us… so the least we can do is repay that great debt we owe.”
Most of the officials murmured agreement with Chen Gui’s words.
“You do not need to convince me, Mister Chen,” Mi Zhu retorted.
Chen Gui smiled and asked, “Then why did you sigh…?”
Liu Bei sensed the tension between the two influential clan chieftains and said, “I do not think that we need to
discuss this further, gentlemen.”
“I quite agree,” Chancellor Cao Bao declared. “I shall personally inspect the stores and ensure that the
rations are revised to account for the extra mouths. And now that we can view our visitors as friends, we should actually
hope that there are many, many mouths.”
Zhang Fei sneered at Cao Bao and flicked his sleeve; Liu Bei noted his actions and glared at him silently.
The warlord Lü Bu and his entourage neared the Yan-Xu border after several bouts of fighting with Cao
Cao’s forces: Lü Bu remained at the rear of his battered army so that he could preserve as many men as possible, but
the toll of his failed invasion of Yan Province had been high.
“They’re pursuing again!” Lü Bu’s cousin Wei Xu said as he fled from an attack on a scouting party.
“It’s-!”
“I don’t care who it is, Wei Xu!” the tall, athletic Lü Bu declared as he readied his heavy halberd.
“They’re all chaff to me! Let them come!”
“We should have Chen Gong, Wang Kai or Xu Si here to give us advice,” a tall, powerful officer suggested.
“It may be Li Dian again, or-”
“Shut up, Gao Shun!” Lü Bu retorted. “I need no advisers to scatter some rats!”
Another intimidating cavalry officer pointed his spear and said, “They approach.”
“The let us smash them, Zhang Liao!” Lü Bu replied.
The small Yan pursuit force comprised fifty infantrymen and twenty riders; two of the riders charged at Lü Bu simultaneously.
“Worthless!” Lü Bu heckled as he struck down one man, twirled his halberd as though it weighed nothing
at all and swung it at the second, horrified horseman.