New Loyalty(Cao Cao)

[Zhang He]

The situation seemed hopeless, futile to resist, but Zhang He would not fall like a coward. The spear in his hands flashed furiously around him, warding back the group of enemies that had closed in on the graceful warrior, nervous to approach him. Had he more strength, Zhang He would not feel so dire about the situation, but the blood that flowed from his wounded leg caused his power to slowly ebb away.

It was only a matter of time before he appeared weak enough for the pathetic Yellow Turban men to finish him off.

Everything had happened quickly, as most things in battle did, and before Zhang He could do anything his charge had fallen, along with many of the other men that had been there to protect their lord. The small group protecting Fong Du, so that they might travel without gaining the Yellow Turban's attention, had fought bravely, slaying a great deal of the ambushing troops, but it had not been enough. The others had fallen or surrendered, an act that Zhang He refused to commit, leaving the butterfly as the only man left.

One of the Yellow Turban stepped forward, incorrectly judging that Zhang He was weak enough to defeat, receiving a slash across his chest for the poor choice. He would not die without honor, that much was certain.

[Xiang Yu]

[[This won’t be a great post. It’s late in England and I’m really tired. Brilliant post by the way Zhang He.]]

The turbans surrounded their now dead comrade, their spirits torn and deflated by the challenge. It seemed futile to resist, to fight, and yet there he was, the final general, the final string that attached the works of this simple event – beaten but not defeated. It startled them, though they fenced the final general in without care or concern. He had slain too many of them that day – slain too many friends and danced within their blood. He would not be forgiven.

They had been raiding and ambushing caravans ever since the Turban Rebellion began, and never before had they received such a challenge by a single man. It was perplexing, and the warriors gathered again before charging forward. Some died, others cried their furious calls and welcomed the spears thrust – either way, the wave was repelled, and they stood once more in confusion at the man’s evident vigour and skill.

A small group of bandits had collected those who had surrendered; the fools and the guards who valued their lives. They were lined up before Zhang He, and one by one their heads were felled and left to roll within the blood stained dirt beneath their feet. They laughed, and as they prepared for the final assault the beckoning war drums rang, and the earth shuddered.

A platoon of four hundred cavalry came storming across the field, led by a known general, a hero of chaos and a slayer of turbans. The men faltered before the cavalrymen, yet turned to Zhang He hastily. It was clear what their intentions were, and as Cao Cao neared the battle-front they wondered if they had the time to dispose of such a menace. They charged again, swarming the young general who had caused them such grief and delivered him blows of iron and wood.

[Zhang He]

The fools.

Those men, comrades no more, who had decided to surrender so that they might keep their lives were lined up where Zhang He could see them, and then put to death. Their heads bowed in shame, the only small solace that Zhang He was able to take from their deaths, though that was not much. The Yellow Turbans did this to punish him for his resistance, to break his spirit so that his life might be ended more quickly.

The foolishness.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed, the earth trembling at hundreds of footsteps in unison. Even Zhang He paused for a moment to witness the large force that approached, calvary come to beat back the rebellion. The futility of fighting was swept away at the sound of the war drums, replacing it with certainty that survival was not such a wasted effort. The Yellow Turban turned on him, intent upon bringing him down before they moved into a full retreat.

It was nothing short of chaos.

Zhang He moved with a speed most men could not dream of achieving, deflecting and dodging attacks, doing all that he could to fend off the mass of men upon him. One man left himself open to attack, a weakness that Zhang He took advantage of by piercing his gut with the spear. The weapon resisted freedom as Zhang He attempted to pull it out, forcing the warrior to take the Chinese sword that the Yellow Turban had held instead.

He only had to resist the tide of steel that surrounded him for a small time longer.

[Xiang Yu]

[[4am. So apologies again if this doesn’t turn out how I want it to in my head.]]

Cao Cao could only marvel in the battle ahead. He had seen many things in his time, from bloodbaths to slaughterhouses, but he had never bared witness to such proficiency in his life. The boyish warrior handled his spear with a paramount that he himself could never possess, a skill so finely tuned that the senses blended into one at the mere viewing of such sportsmanship and courage. It was a feat worthy of his viewing, and he could only gasp in awe as the blade rotated seamlessly between flanks to secure, counter and attack his enemies.

He had heard of similar men with such skills, men such as Guan Yu and Lu Bu, though he had never believed it would present itself in the form that it had. Though he also knew that it would not be long until the exhaustion kicked in, and the young hero turned to his generals to urge them forward. He would save this man, or pray be to those who killed him – for their lives, families and friends would all be hunted down and murdered. It was rare for Cao Cao to find a general appealing, and yet everything about this one man stood beyond all others. He would favour this general, and the images of the future, where cities fell and armies lay dormant passed his beckoning call. Yes, he would have this man, or the very heavens would be forced to weep.

He kicked his mount again at the thought, urging its haste, but it did not come. The cavalry unit was galloping at top speed, and Cao Cao felt himself sweat beneath the brow as the battle continued to rage. He drew closer, and he pulled free his sword and faced those who stood behind him.

“Show no mercy!” He retorted, “We must save the general who fights with such superb ability and form.”

His men agreed, and the cavalry unit finally reached its designated target. Zhang He had survived, though barely – he had turned to face another turban warrior, only to be caught off guard by the surge of another. It was too much, even if he could repel a few waves, the human condition would never prosper for long periods of time.

Thankfully however, such a heavenly demise was avoided, as the turbans panicked in their moment of glory, turning to face the cavalry of Wei. They watched as their ranks became divided by the charge, and soon over-run. They stood at only a few hundred, and peasants with swords knew not how to tackle men of metal, armour and horse.

It was a quick battle, and Cao Cao’s army drove deeper into the ranks as Cao Cao forced his way to the centre, pushing passed a turban whilst driving his sword into the unsuspecting throat of another.

“Come!” He called, his sword twisting for a moment as it caught the weight of a turban’s ribcage, “Now!”

Cao Cao, Cao Hong and Li Dian all adorned the centre of the battlefield, and after the initial shock of the charge the turbans were already lining back up in the distance, their anger their new resolution for war.

“We have little time. Li Dian, escort the man to safety. He has shown too much skill to be allowed the right to die.”

[Zhang He]

[For four in the morning you're doing great.]

A man screamed out, drawing Zhang He's attention for a moment. The owner of the voice was charismatic, a leader no doubt, and in that art he was one to be respected. Zhang He had heard of Cao Cao, and the man that led the charge of calvary left little uncertainty in the general's mind; it was surely the hero of chaos.

Zhang He blocked the sword strike of an enemy, sweeping through the Yellow Turban's guard with an attack that left his foe crippled and bleeding on the ground. From the corner of his eye he caught another blow aimed for him, barely stepping aside in time to avoid a fatal hit, though that did not mean he was able to dodge the attack completely. Blood flowed from a new laceration across his ribs, but the cut was shallow, it would not be the death of him.

The Yellow Turban broke further as Cao Cao's men delved deeper into the battle, eliciting screams of terror and pain. It was not long before they had the rebellion fleeing from the battle, temporarily forgetting their malice towards Zhang He so that they might survive. The general, though he no longer deserved such a title, felt weary as the adrenaline rush passed him, leaving his body to feel as if it was made of lead. He refused to falter, refused to fall, as Cao Cao approached, commanding another man to escort him away from the battle.

Though he knew it to be for the best, Zhang He could not help but glance at the fleeing Yellow Turbans as he was taken away, intending vengeance for the events that had transpired that day.

[Xiang Yu]

(Sorry for the delay. I have explained my circumstances in another thread and Lu Xia should know the situation regarding my mother, so my time is half/half right now. I should be able to reply regularly now that I’m set up in the new house.)

---

Cao Cao turned to watch as Zhang He was removed from the situation. He had seen too many valiant generals fall to the qualms of peasants and bandits, and had hoped to spare the life of at least one more hero before moving on to the next village. He had not come to destroy bandits, or to ransack the remnants of the dying turbans. Although a hater of such ideology, he was in fact present in the area to rally for support, support he would later use against men of the court and not the fleas that nibbled the ankles.

He had spent too long fighting the bandits and the rebellions, and in the end he knew his enemy was not the turbans or the bandits, but more the reason they existed in the first place, and after digging so long – that reason was evidently the Han.

The Han had been the cause of corruption, poverty and famine, and although his armies never paused in their charge against the bandits he had condemned; he could not help but picture them riding through the court ministers and eunuchs that had ruined them all. He turned back, wiping the thought from his mind. He would not act against the Han so soon, and turned to watch the horsemen ride down the last few bandits from the centre of the battlefield. In the distance, he watched as a much larger bandit army assembled, and felt the need to retreat back to the carriages where goods and supplements were being transported. He had set up a small perimeter before the fight, and was reunited with Zhang He at the gates of his small encampment.

He did not talk right away; though he did bid a greeting to the man as he entered. He stood and gazed down at the defeated warrior, his eyes rising in question. He liked the man, but he felt for the defeat he had suffered.

“I am Cao Cao.” He started, though without conviction, “I have exterminated the fleas that wear you down, but the host gathers in the distance.”

He turned his head and pointed by the open trees and hills, showing the location of the gathering army, he did not wish to fight such a gathering, “and now you must decide, for I have seen what they have done to you and your master. Fight to the end or flee back to my main army.”

He turned back to Zhang He, a smile on his face. He tried to show the man the worth of living, and although he himself knew what he would do in the same predicament, a part of him could not help but doubt whether or not engaging such large armies would prove fruitful in the long run “Whatever you decide to do is up to you, but now is not the time for vengeance. My cavalry army is no match for the masses they have assembled to the north. If…”

He paused for a moment as he thought, his voice strained by the warning drums of the enemies advance. He glanced back, staring off into the distance and then turned back to Zhang, “If you return with me then I can rally more support and gather all of my forces, and we can pacify this once brilliant land. I have seen your skill and it has impressed me greatly…but this is a fight I am not prepared to meet, not with only cavalry.”

[Zhang He]

After a small while the man that Zhang He believed to be Cao Cao joined him, giving a small nod in greeting while remaining silent. Zhang He could see the Yellow Turban's forces composing itself, and gaining more numbers as well. There were too many of them, and though Cao Cao's own force appeared formidable, it was clear that if they engaged it would be a bloody battle. Would the losses be worth it? Was taking part in this battle a tactically intelligent maneuver?

In Cao Cao's position, Zhang He would not believe so. He wished vengeance for the death of his former lord, as well as the comrades who had fallen honorably, but the circumstances did not seem fit to fulfill that desire.

The lord spoke, confirming his identity as Cao Cao, stating what Zhang He could see clearly. The Yellow Turbans moved to avenge their own fallen comrades, giving them little time to consider their options. Zhang He hung his head low as Cao Cao continued, speaking of what the Yellow Turban had done to his master, laying out what options he had with the Yellow Turbans approaching.

Cao Cao gave words to the thoughts that had entered Zhang He's mind not minutes ago, stating that the force was too large for them to safely engage. The governor continued on, though, stating that if Zhang He returned with him that they would gather support to return and crush the Yellow Turbans that plagued the land. The talk of Zhang He's abilities, while it did help to heal some of the damage done to his pride, was not necessary to convince him to join Cao Cao's cause.

Zhang He moved into a kneel before Cao Cao, his head bowed. "Then allow me to pledge my loyalty to you here, Lord Cao Cao. You will have my blade, and my mind, as long as this body draws breath." There would be no regret.

Only fealty.

[Xiang Yu]

Cao Cao could only smile as Zhang He offered his aide to the dreams he had in store. He had never intended to gain the man’s allegiance, but after having bared witness to the man’s skill in battle he had sought nothing else. It was a miracle the man even survived, but he showed his gratitude with a fond smile and a nod, it was the least he could do.

“Then join me in flesh and blood, and let us bring an end to this chaos.”

The two generals took fresh horses after he had spoken and had begun their march back to the city of Chen Liu, where his base was erected and where his army could be found. He smiled, even in the meekness of the drought-like day he had received a blessing from the heavens, and he turned finally to compose himself before his new general.

He had not spoken, only nodded as he had gathered his gear, but now that the two stood before his cavalry he felt it was time to address the issue. His eyes hardened.

“Tell me, Zhang He….what happened earlier?”

He turned to face the general, knowing the grief the man must have felt, or the embarrassment at failing. He did not press the issue, but he was intrigued at the events that had transpired. He had arrived all too late, only to watch a man fend of the blows of many; it had told no story other than what a marvel Zhang He truly was.

“Who was your master?” He continued, piecing the events together in his mind. Behind no doubt stood the turban army, readying themselves to pursue. He doubted they would, even the turbans had heard of Cao Cao’s armies and no one had dared face him in open battle.

“I have seen many things, but I must admit I have never seen a man wield a spear so skillfully. You truly are a marvel Zhang He – with the right hand and master, you would be an invaluable asset to any kingdom. I am only grateful the heavens led me to you on this day, for even the gods would utter their cries if one as talented as you had their blood spilt without purpose.”

He nodded his head as he marched, turning back to see the yellow banners fade in the distance. They had stopped their pursuit.

“We will return for them.” He muttered, “and you shall be the one leading my armies.”

[Zhang He]

Zhang He nodded at Cao Cao's words, new energy flowing through his veins. The governor would lead Zhang He to a revenge unobtainable on his own, but that would only be the beginning. It was clear to the warrior that Cao Cao had a brilliance, and men with brilliance commonly held ambition as well. Such traits combined would see to it that Cao Cao's name be written down in history, and with it Zhang He would be known as well.

The notion was simply beautiful.

Cao Cao summoned a horse for Zhang He, which the warrior mounted with an ease that portrayed a good knowledge and skill of riding such a beast. The ride was taken in silence, Zhang He believed it to be rude to speak to his lord out of turn without good reason, and Cao Cao seemed to be busy contemplating his own thoughts as well.

Some time later the governor addressed Zhang He, inquiring into what had happened to cause the death of his master and comrades. Zhang He remained silent for a moment, contemplating his answer before speaking the words.

"We were only a small group, traveling with little numbers so that we might avoid attention. The Yellow Turban noticed us regardless, and set an ambush."

Cao Cao pressed the subject, asking who the man Zhang He had served had been.

"My former lord was Fong Du. He was one of the first to fall in the ambush."

The subject was clearly difficult for Zhang He, but he would not shy away from the topic simply because of the shame that it brought him. Cao Cao deserved to know these things, and Zhang He would have it no other way.

Though the wound on his pride was great, Zhang He was able to repair the damage with the flattery spoken by his new lord, who claimed to have never seen such skill with the spear. He dipped his head down slightly in gratitude, it felt good to hear such praise. The final words that Zhang He would be leading the army against the Yellow Turbans, that felt even better.

"You honor me, my lord."

[Xiang Yu]

Cao Cao brushed the comments aside as he continued on his journey to Chen Liu. He had seen the large hillside rise from the city above, and turned to Zhang He to comment on its strategic value to the provinces of central Zhongyuan. It had been a brief exchange, but it had left the young hero feeling better, and he glanced back again to check the road behind them. It was empty.

“Fong Du was only known in my province.” He eventually stated, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the burning sun. “It is a pity he met such an end.”

He did not pursue after that, only shook his head in annoyance. It had pained him when he had heard the news in Chen Liu, and how the turbans had ransack the city for its worth, now…other noble magistrates and land-owners were dying by their fleeting armies, and he could not refrain from sighing at the idea of other innocents meeting their wrath. They were not as powerful as he was, and because of that the turbans never dared oppose Cao Cao’s reign.

“Once we arrive, rest and take whatever army you see fit. You shall have your revenge, and whilst you’re at it go to the nearby villages and towns – and proclaim our victory.”

He sighed again, though faked a smile as his eyes crossed with his generals. “I do not mean to use this to my advantage.” He urged, though without conviction, “But the villages must realize my resolve, they must see that the turbans can be defeated and who better to send then a man who has felt their wrath, their anger and have returned to finish them off once and for all.”

He smiled, though he sank his head for a moment, “You will gain renown, and with that you will gain the recognition a man of your skill deserves. Serve me well, and more then name will bestow your entitlement.”

He turned back to the city as it drew closer and smiled openly. He was happy to be home.

“Remember what I said.”

[Zhang He]

Zhang He nodded his agreement with Cao Cao's words, there was no greater pity then to see a brilliant man fall. Fong Du had held his flaws, as every man did, but they were not great ones. He would have certainly achieved greatness if only allowed more time on the land, his reputation would have stretched far beyond the domain of Cao Cao. Zhang He chose to remain silent, he had said all he could when it came to the matter of his former lord's death, and there were other things that required his attention.

The death of the Yellow Turban being the highest priority.

Cao Cao spoke once again, giving Zhang He direction and goals. The villages in Chen Liu would know of Cao Cao's victory over the Yellow Turban, once Zhang He had led his lord's men to victory. He did not have room for doubt in this goal, he had been a valuable strategist to Fong Du, surely that meant he was superior in skill and intellect to a mere group of pheasants. He did not underestimate the enemy, they had become great simply because of that reason, but he would not fear them, either.

The governor went on to claim that he did not do this for his own benefit, a fact that Zhang He cared little to know the truth of. A man in his position fought for the betterment of the land, sometimes that meant bettering their own position first. The reasons that Cao Cao gave to explain announcing their victory to the villages were logical, very much so, and without it the victory would be almost pointless. Han had to understand that the Yellow Turban could be defeated, all it took was conviction and passion.

Zhang He nodded at Cao Cao's promise, a promise that meant great things for his name and the name of his family. He had no closely related relatives who still lived, but Zhang He was certain that fatherhood would be bestowed upon him one day, and it would greatly benefit his child to hold such favor.

"I will do as you say."

They would be at the city soon, and then Zhang He would prepare for the destruction of the Yellow Turban.