“Turmoil”: Battle for the Han Empire sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
JavaScript is off/unavailable on your browser. You will not be able to experience this website as it was intended without JavaScript enabled.
“…And I thought that I had been bounced from place to place, enduring ridiculous misfortune!”
Liu Bei cried. “You, Fengxian, have been made to suffer! Perhaps your service under Dong Zhuo was inexcusable,
but you have made up for it as well as any man could: for your efforts to save Xu from Cao,
you have atoned as far as I am concerned, and your soul should be at peace.”
Lü Bu bowed humbly and said, “You are too kind, Brother. Now please, come and meet my family!”
Liu Bei agreed; his bodyguard Chen Dao tried to follow, but Liu Bei dismissed him with a silent gesture
before he followed Lü Bu.
“Aiee: should he always be so trusting?” Mister Sun whispered.
“Every man here will die by my hand if Lord Liu is harmed,” Guan Yu replied audibly. “Why should
we worry about treachery?”
Chen Gong looked at the fearless Guan Yu and said, “Lord Lü is sincere in his invitation,
I promise you that.”
Mister Sun suspected that Lü Bu intended to provoke an invitation to the capital, which would be more
beneficial than a murder attempt on the border: he bowed humbly and replied, “I do not doubt that. I spoke
generally, for Lord Liu is like this with everyone: he would allow Cao Cao a private
audience without a bodyguard, I think, if Cao Cao were polite enough.”
“Is that so…?” Chen Gong chuckled. “Xuande has a kind and honest heart, then, as I had heard.
A deceitful man would never be so trusting of others.”
“Quite,” Mister Sun replied.
Lü Bu led Liu Bei to his personal tent, had him sit
on the bed reserved for his wife, and said, “My lady, please show courtesy toward my brother Xuande.”
Lü Bu’s wife, Lady Yan, knelt before Liu Bei and said, “You are now my husband’s brother, and
hence my brother-in-law. You are welcome here as family. I shall now prepare tea for you.”
“This is too much!” Liu Bei insisted as Lady Yan got to her feet and moved to a nearby kitchen area.
“It is I that should be grateful!”
“You saved us from Cao Cao’s wrath,” Lü Bu retorted. “I cannot be grateful enough.
Daughter! Come and greet your new uncle!”
Lü Bu’s teenaged daughter, Lady Lü - who had been sat on the opposite side of the room - got up, neared
Liu Bei, bowed penitently, and said, “Greetings, worthy uncle.”
Liu Bei was close to tears once again: he bowed, got to his feet, and said, “You are being far too kind, far
too kind! I am indebted to you, and it should therefore be me that extends such humility to you, Fengxian! We should
go to Xiapi, where-”
“I could not ask for such an honour,” Lü Bu insisted as he dismissed Lady Lü with a terse gesture. “Let
us stay here in Xiaopei and use our worthless lives to buffer you against Cao Cao.”
“Ayah! Ayah! You cannot expect me to abandon my region’s saviour to a violent death!” Liu Bei replied.
“I will not hear of it! You say that you are my brother, Fengxian: should my brother not be in the capital…?”
Lü Bu hid a smile as he bowed and said, “If you must insist.”
Liu Bei and Lü Bu returned to the command tent; Mister Sun guessed the new situation
and groaned reflexively.
“Something affects you, Mister Sun?” Chen Gong prompted.
“Oh, uh… I have pains in my feet,” Mister Sun lied. “It looks like we will all be travelling to
Xiapi, Governor!”
“Indeed yes,” Liu Bei revealed. “Fengxian and I are to protect this province together. Neither of the
Yuan brothers is trustworthy, and Cao Cao is a constant threat: we’ll need to be as solid as a stone wall to keep
this poor province safe from the villains on all sides. We shall leave as soon as it is possible!”