[Quest]Burn the Bridge (Jian, Pu, Xian)

Xian was in the middle of a tactic training with his troops when he was informed by a messenger from Sun Jian, of the rebels' advance on Lu Jiang. He dismissed the messenger and immediately interrupted the training to brief the troops. He gathered his forces around the Wu camp and setted up a plan to carefully wipe out the rebels. He may not have been an experienced general but he knew well that the wrong moves could jeopardize him and his men. As he finished explaining the plan to his own troops, he sent a messenger to Sun Jian informing of his arrival and he left the camp with two platoons.

Two days later Xian had arrived from the northern provinces as planned and had a platoon of halberdiers in position on top of a hill, somewhere northeast of the river bank. He looked around and he could see Sun Jian's forces had commenced their advance trough the southern bank but there no signs of Cheng Pu's forces. He was aware of the fire plot thus decided not bring the cavalry platoon forth. He ordered twenty of his men to set up a temporary camp within the hill and began his careful advance down the hill with the rest of the troops. They marched towards the enemy's flanks while they were distracted attacking the southern force and progressed slowly being watchful for signs of the fire attack.

Xian slowly walked down the hill as he saw the Rebels charging hopelessly towards the Sun Clan Commander across the bridge. He could almost pity them, for all he knew they were nothing but confused peasants who did not know who to blame but the Emperor and the imperial eunuchs.
Some of the Rebel clusters remained in northern bank of the river to ensure the main force would not be flanked and as Xian approached some of the Rebels ran towards them hoping they would knock any of the enemy's men down but the moment they were in the halberds range they were were sent flying away with a single blow. Xian saw a young man running towards him with some sort of pitch fork, much younger than Xian himself. Xian positioned himself with his pike aimed at the young man in an attempt to persuade him to fall back but he kept running towards him without even shivering. Xian hesitated for a brief moment almost giving the opportunity to the young rebel to struck the pitch fork trough his armour but Xian made a move before the young Rebel could, sticking his pike trough his chest. He lied still as he saw the Rebel's life fading away in his eyes. He had just murdered a child and that took his confidence down.
One of Xian's men called for his attention as the Rebel cluster started moving up north, Xian pulled his pike out of the young rebel's body and look ahead of him as he saw the remaining force heading their way towards them. He looked at the soldier and said:

"Run back to the encampment at once and bring the oil bearers our enemy is in position, hurry up! Men! Hold your ground, your halberds are a wall to our enemy do not let them move any further from here!" - He shouted to his men as he lowered his arm with his palm stretched forth as an indication for some sort of tactical move.

Xian's men immediately formed two tight columns with their halberds facing the oncoming disorganized cluster of armed peasants. They could outnumber Xian's forces but their fighting skill and experience was not compared to that of the Sun clan's men. Xian stood side to side with the men in the first column as he awaited the oil bearers to come trough.

The Rebels kept pouring in but felt at the halberds of Xian's men. Though the line's were starting to give up, even though the main force concentrated on the southern bank, there were still too many troops to handle on the North. Xian's men stood in their position until the oil bearers came down the hill as ordered. At their sight Xian shouted:
"Push them back to the bridge get the two forces closer to each to each other!"

The rebels kept pouring in against Xian's ranks but they were slowly being driven back to the northern end of the bridge. There was still no sight of Cheng Pu and Xian was starting to get impatient about the general's whereabouts.
It took some time and losses to gather the rebels at the bridge, but about an hour later they were as near to the Han bridge as possible so Xian sent the order:

"Now! Pour the oil!" - with this aid , a couple of soldiers came forth holding a keg. They putted the kegs down and kicked the cover off letting it run over a large number of rebels and knocking them down to their feet, spreading over to the northern edge of the bridge.

With his part done Xian turned his head to his men and shouted - "Fall back! Stick together and fall back to the camp!"

The Rebels stayed back sinking in oil, but few still chased Xian's men on foot as they kept retreating into a safe position. The chasing Rebels had a speed advantage due to the fact their light garment, even though weak, provided them with less encumbrance, making them able to take out some of the escaping soldiers. Xian had done his part, it was all up to Cheng Pu now.

The oil had been poured. He would wait no longer. He would reveal himself to the allies and enemies, and he would carry out his mission, his part in the job. And at the same time he reminded himself that he would have to give a word or two to Zheng Xian, though it really wasn't a big deal changing plans a bit. Patience was the key, and Xian would have to master that if he were to become a greater general.

"Now. FIRE! BURN, FUCKERS!"

All 100 crossbowmen stood up, crossbows raised. 50 fired first, their arrows ignited, while the other half lighted their ammunition and fired in succession. Thus the pattern continued three times, as 300 arrows flew in a flurry of fire, raining upon the bridge and all who stood upon it. The fire burst. A living hell, the inferno suddenly blazed into the air, a momentary pillar of flame reaching up to the sky. Numerous and endless screams of horror...

Of course, Zheng Xian would have to move out of the way, along with his halberdiers, or they would simply risk being shot in the back by stray arrows. He would have to make up for the mistake he had formerly made with wits and a proper move now.

"The bridge is on fire. Lower your bows.

"AMBUSH UNIT, NOW!"

The battle began again. From the wet grass of the river banks rose Cheng Pu's swordsmen, scarce in number but strong in will.

"Push them into the fire!"

Demou himself leapt down from the hill, tumbling in the mud beneath for a short second before rising in a dirty mess. The crimson of his armor could barely be seen by the dirt, but it didn't matter. Wiping the gruel off of his face with his left hand, he charged into the battle, signaling left and right for his own army and his ally's to execute the final attack.

The Turbans were placed in confusion and terror, as the few survivors were stuck between the death by fire and death by blade.

"Kill them. All of them."

It was a suicide mission to send a militia to Jiangdong. If anyone came to be a threat, they would be rebelled, by the Tiger and his forces. After his small unit arrived back to him, Sun Jian ordered them into the trees incase any rebels escape, then turned, and watched as a volley of fire arrows were shot onto the Bridge, causing the Bridge to be ablazed, as a familiar figure, Cheng Pu, came out from the other side.

"Haha! Talk about grand entrances! It's time for the tiger, to rid these rebels from Jiangdong! All men, let's push them into the fire!", as he swung his blade and pushed it forward to force any rebels towards the burning bridge, "Knock them back!", he roared, so the rest of his forces would do the same to force them into the fire. Though some rebels managed to get away while risking others lives, Sun Jian and his forces focused on those infront, seeing as he had a small force in the forest to deal with those.

Sun Jian glared forwards as the burning bridge, began to fall into the river, as the hinges began to break off. The majority of the militia were pushed into the flames, to be punished for coming near the border of Jiangdong, with the remaining ones who had atempted to escape were rounded up, thanks to the unit he had sent into the forest to ambush and take down any that attempted to escape.

He glanced over where the bridge had fallen, where the river pushed against the old parts of the Bridge, as it went down the river. Sun Jian on one side and his officers on the other, Sun Jian laughed, "Our mission is complete. Jiangdong is once again safe from harm and the Yellow Turbans can no longer expand, while the men of Jiangdong are here!", as his men cheered.

The cheering continued until the small unit brought in the retreating turbans before Sun Jian. They all had scared faces after seeing their whole army burn in the flames with the bridge they were assigned to cross to attack another city, and now, they were helpless, and didn't know what to say.

"Our mission was successful with the threat repelled. And now, I need to deal with you bunch of cowards!", he motioned to his troops to take them to the river, as they were all lined up close to the riverbed with a spear behind their backs, as they all clsoed their eyes and trembled, for the lives that were lost and what would happen to them, until one of them looked up and shouted, "You will pay dearly for this!". The spearmen turned to face Sun Jian and after seeing a nod, pushed him into the river. The other Turbans gasped.

"Pull back, enough lives have been lost!", he roared, as his troops pulled away from the rebels, who took the advantage and ran upstream, hearing the tiger's roars, "When you report back...Tell others about our might, from the men of Jiangdong!", as his hands went into a fist, bringing it close to his heart, "And that no-one! Absolutely no-one! will bring harm to our land, for death will surely be the outcome!....Fear the warriors of Jiangdong!", as he lifted his sword in the air, before bringing it closer to him.

Once the Rebels were no longer in sight, he put his sword back in its holder, then turned to his men, "Time to go home", before glancing over the river, "Great work you too. See you back in Wu!". With the formalities out the way, he mounted his horse, pulled the reins, as the Tiger of Jiangdong, with his forces behind him, left the scene.