The Present- On the Border of Northern Wu
A lone man ran through the lines of tents, just barely avoiding a collision with others bustling around him. The sound of swords clinking against each other rang throughout the camp, their bell-like chimes contrasted with the heavy grunts of the soldiers wielding them. There were no clouds to be seen, but even with the expansive sky above them and the rays of the sun shining onto the military camp, the bitter cold of the north sank into the men's bones. The mountains in the distance were a beautiful sight; their snow-topped peaks gave the camp’s occupants a reprieve from the depressing barren view of the dead wasteland around them.
Soldiers worked and moved throughout the camp, chatting about nothing and everything. Some trained with swords, others in hand-to-hand combat. Others carried loads of food and clothing, setting about to do their chores.
The man stormed past the center of the encampment to the large tent that housed the leader of all these troops. Taking a steadying breath, the soldier called out to the people inside.
“Enter.” Said the voice from inside the tent, it was strong with a hint of steel running through it.
The man took another breath and prepared himself to enter the tent. Opening the canvas flap of the door, he went inside.
“General, there is a messenger enclave from the King.” The foot soldier bowed at his waist and clasped his hands in front of him. His voice was winded from running from the entrance of the military camp to the General’s tent. After he completed his greeting, he rose to face the people in front of him.
There were three people in the room, two of whom stood on either side of a large table. On the table was a map of all the kingdoms, littered with markings and figurines of encampments. One was tall and wiry, his face stony and his eyes sharp. The other man was short, his hair disheveled with little strands escaping from where they were tied in his topknot, his lips upturned, and a dimple on his left cheek poked through. Sitting just behind the table was the General, her face carved of white marble, and her raven hair tied up with a white ribbon. She sat straight, like a piece of bamboo or as if there was a thread from heaven that was connected to the top of her head. Her full lips and high cheekbones made her beautiful and gentle, but her eyes held far too much wisdom and knowledge for her to be considered anything less than intimidating. Rough and dangerous, her eyes glinted in the candlelight of the tent, a hardened gold that is symbolic of the Wu Royal family. No person would be comfortable looking into eyes such as those for too long. She looked every bit like her moniker of the God of War, an unshakable force of nature rumored to be blessed by fate.
“I see, I will prepare for the message and to receive the servant. Spread the word throughout the camp to gather before the main tent. If that is all, you may leave.” The General dismissed the man with a small wave of her hand from across the large table she sat behind.
“General, why would His Majesty send an envoy? Why now?” Haoran, one of the higher-ranking military officers, stood to the right of the General behind the table. His wiry frame cast a shadow on the map right over the northern mountain range they were currently stationed near, close to the State of Mu.
“Maybe the King has called for you to go back to the Capital?” Xiaobo asked, his voice tinged with hope and excitement, betraying his youthful countenance. His dimple emerged in full force as he tried, unsuccessfully, to maneuver his disheveled hair back into place.
“There is no use in speculation; when the messenger arrives, we will know the answer.” The General moved one of the encampments closer to the northern border, right next to the Northern Plains. She ignored her close subordinate’s excitement and instead maintained her composure. There was still work to be done before they met the messenger.
“General, why are you moving the soldiers there? There aren’t many bandits left in that region.” Xiaobo cocked his head to the side, refocusing on the map in front of them as he watched the General strategize, and leaned his hands on the table. More of his hair fell out of his hair ribbon as he moved.
“Preparedness is how wars are won, but it can also be how a war is prevented. We can’t leave room for error.” There were fewer attacks on the villages in the area, but there wasn’t any room for negligence. The general knew that negligence could be the reason for defeat, for death, and for more burials. She had seen far too many commanders and soldiers felled by their hubris and inattentiveness.
“I see. Thank you, General, for your insight.” Xiaobo had been in the military for years and was an excellent fighter, however, his understanding of strategy was not high. Haoran, on the other hand, was excellent in both strategy and fighting, but he was not always as compassionate as someone should be. Even in war, he still did not understand, there was room for compassion.
“General, shouldn’t you be getting ready for His Majesty’s messenger?” Haoran fidgeted with the sword strapped to his hips, a sign of nerves and anticipation. Even though the General had dismissed their speculative conversation, Haoran’s mind ran wild with different possibilities of why the messenger of the King had visited their military camp, although it didn’t show on his face. Normally, messages were delivered by couriers or other means; very rarely did an actual eunuch of the palace come to the camp. The last time had been to inform the General about the death of her mother, a year ago. While Haoran had been with the General for years, it was rare for the King to inquire, especially about the General. Even after numerous successes in battles and the defense of the kingdom’s borders, the congratulatory messages were brought by couriers along with meaningless rewards.
The General sighed, got up from her chair, and turned away from the table. She lifted the black cape from where it was hung on the back of the chair and began to fasten it to her armor.
“I suppose nothing will get done until you two find out why the messenger has come all this way to the northern border.” After she was done fastening her cape, she picked up a light piece of black cloth and tied it so that it covered half her face, only showing her fierce eyes, making her seem colder and more detached. She deftly tucked it into the collar of her innerwear so it wouldn’t be swept up by the wind.
“That is correct… General,” Xiaobo rocked on his heels in anticipation, and almost forgot to address her by her title. Xiaobo was the youngest out of all of them, and even with all of the blood of the battlefield, he remained youthful and unhardened. It was a blessing to be around someone who was still so full of life and lightness.
Haoran came up behind Xiaobo and lightly cuffed him on the back of the head. Xiaobo reached up to rub at his head and glared at Haoran, but Haoran kept a straight face, except for a slight upturning of his mouth on the right side.
The General shook her head, “Let’s be on our way then. They should almost be here.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to make any guesses about why they’ve come? We could place a bet?” Xiaobo had quite a vice for gambling, sometimes it would get him in trouble with the other soldiers.
“Tsk. You are asking the General to bet with you? Have you no sense of shame?” Haoran moved to hit Xiaobo again upside his head, but the other soldier ducked before his hand could come into contact.
“I’m just asking! I’m just asking! No need to be that serious, right, General?” Xiaobo cowered and moved behind one of the chairs that were cluttered around the table.
“There’s no need to make a guess, there is no one who could read His Majesty’s mind.” The General’s face cracked into a small smile; their antics were bemusing and filled the gloomy days at camp with some bright moments.
“Yes, His Majesty is a mystery to us all. But, but, if you could, would you?” Xiaobo pushed on with his line of questions, a mischievous smile pulling at the sides of his lips. Haoran sucked air through his teeth in irritation and glared at Xiaobo.
“If I had to guess, I would hope that it had something to do with peace between the kingdoms.” The General finally gave in to Xiaobo’s questioning, less so because she believed her guess to be true, but more so to say the dream she had out loud, to hopefully will it into being. After all the death she had seen on the battlefield for the nine or so years she had been here, she hoped one day to see a world at peace in her lifetime.
Xiaobo went silent at the General’s answer and fidgeted with his fingers. He walked behind the General as they made their way to the entrance of the tent. The one that the citizens called The God of War did not want war to continue; the irony was not lost on the soldier.
Haoran cleared his throat in the sudden silence in the tent, “Should we continue outside, General?”
“Yes.” With this short agreement, the General stepped to open the flap of the tent and let in the cold air of the barren northern region. To the side of the General’s tent, the cold sunlight glared off the swords into their eyes of the guards who practiced and sparred with them. The soil was too cold for any plants to grow, except for a few blades of grass and resilient shrubbery. Trees sparsely grew, their stripped bark was grey and unappealing to the eye, and their branches knotted and curled as they reached up toward the cloudless sky, ugly and menacing, they cast shadows on the dirt. The north of the Kingdom of Wu was a land without much color or life, it was too harsh a place for most. Only bandits and some scattered villages dared to call this place home, yet it was still part of their kingdom, and therefore important to protect. The bandits that lived in the northern mountains were vicious if left unchecked, not to mention the people of the Northern Kingdom of Mu, who lived just on the other side of the mountain range. They, on occasion, have disputed the borders of the kingdom, which has led to war. While the Kingdom of Mu was more peaceful than the Feng Kingdom of the South, they still needed to be wary of the future.
Xiaobo let out a hiss from suddenly being thrust out into the cold and rubbed his hands together to try to warm them up. The General did not comment or show any sign of discomfort from the weather conditions, she had been in the North for a few years now, after other successive battles throughout the kingdom. From border to border of their landlocked kingdom, the General had traveled and fought in various conditions and on less than ideal terrains. There were far worse places than the dry, cold region of the north.
“General, the messengers look to be almost upon us.” Haoran stepped beside Xiaobo, just behind the General on her right side. Soldiers from the camp were all gathered in front of the tent, waiting for the General’s directions. They glanced from side to side, shifting on the balls of their feet and craning their necks to see the messengers of the palace.
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“Yes, I see him.” It would be difficult to miss such a spectacle.
Compared to the dark, dirty, and rough linen clothing of the soldiers at camp, the eunuch and the party from the palace dressed in their finery contrasted sharply against the desolate land. The servants in the procession were clothed in a mix of white and black clothing with silver embroidery on the collars of their tunics and sleeves, showing their allegiance and affiliation with the palace. The fine fabrics were draped and pleated, the uniform carefully made and cared for. Black outerwear contrasted with the white pants and inner shirt worn by all servants. On each, they wore a black hair ribbon and a black belt where a small, white knotted charm dangled from. They carried deep red banners that rustled pleasantly in the breeze, bringing new life and color to the land. Each one had an emblem of a white tiger representing the Western State of Wu. In the procession, behind the banner-wielding servants, was a wooden carriage with a piece of white silk covering the door. More servants clattered after it, less ornately dressed with embroidery only on their sleeves, representing their lower status in the palace.
“Bow in courtesy to receive the message of the King!” The servant who had led the procession and who carried the largest banner at the front of the procession raised his voice to be heard throughout the makeshift courtyard of the camp. His eyes met the Generals with a sharp, conniving gleam in them. He was a man of small stature with a lofty air about him. Not only did his uniform have embroidered sleeves and collar, but his belt as well.
All soldiers in the area stopped their actions and glanced at the General, waiting for her to tell them what to do.
“Attention!”
Immediately, after the General’s word, they moved into strict, horizontal, regimented lines, prepared for their next order. The General made her way past all the soldiers, who moved to the side as she walked, creating an organized pathway to the King’s envoy. Only when she was in front of the procession and the servant did she speak.
“I will bow when the eunuch with the message comes forward.” Her voice was strong and held no room for disagreement. She would not allow her soldiers and those who have given their lives to be looked down upon by others or the servants of the palace.
“General Xinyue, the rules of etiquette dictate-“
“The rules of etiquette dictate that I must bow before His Majesty’s message and messenger, not before a servant such as yourself.” The General interrupted any excuse the servant may have had for his actions. She stared him down. Haoran shifted his hand to his sword, and Xiaobo smirked.
The servant looked around at his surroundings and all of the soldiers standing before him. The whole of the capital knew of the capabilities of the General before him, and for years the servant had heard the rumors about the God of War. Cold, bloodthirsty, and a person of great renown, a living and breathing god who had cut down armies from almost all kingdoms across the land, this is how the servant saw the being in front of him. Whether there was any truth to the gossip and stories, he didn’t know. All he knew in that moment was that his knees were weak and trembling under the General’s steely gaze. No sword needed to be drawn for the threat to be made. No matter what his uniform looked like, in the face of death, all are of the same status. He looked down and away, his hands trembling.
“Never mind that,” A creaking voice came from the carriage, dissipating the tension, and the curtains parted to reveal the slight form of an elderly man. He hunched over as he made his way out the doors of the carriage and down the small footstool the driver of the horse-drawn carriage put in place. His uniform was all black and covered in elegant, looping threads, his belt was white without any charms, and on his head sat a hat with white beads dripping down either side to connect into a strap below his chin that sat on his chest. He clutched an ornate scroll in his hands, covered in silver thread and black silk; inside the embroidered cloth was the message of the King. It was tied up with a piece of red silk ribbon that fluttered in the wind as the eunuch walked from the carriage to stand before the General and her men.
“Receive the message from the King.” The eunuch opened the scroll, removing the red ribbon and ceremoniously handing it over to the servant next to him, who bowed and accepted it with two hands. This was the signal that the General had been waiting for; the proper etiquette must be upheld now.
“Bow down to receive the King’s orders!” With the General’s command, all the soldiers in the camp knelt onto the cold ground, their hands clasped in front of them, and their heads bowed. The General was there with them, as were the servants who came with the eunuch to the military camp.
“By order of the King, General Xinyue of the State of Wu will return to the capital within two weeks to meet with the King. As signed and sealed by His Majesty.” With that short proclamation, the eunuch shut the scroll once again and held it out in front of him for the General to take. Head still bowed, the General’s mind raced with ideas of what this new order could mean.
“General.” The eunuch prompted, still holding the scroll out. His voice held no annoyance, but rather a strange amount of understanding and patience.
“Ah, yes, I accept my orders.” The General reached out and took the scroll with two hands, the embroidered material rough against her skin. She kept her head bowed until the scroll was firmly closed to her, and the message of His Majesty was finished and received. The General looked down at the scroll, the small scars on her hands looked out of place while holding such rich and embellished material. “I thank His Majesty for his grace.”
“You may rise, General.”
“Yes, thank you.” The General rose to her feet, still clutching her orders, which changed the trajectory of her life as she knew it. This was the first time she would be back in the Capital since she turned eight years old and was ordered to the temple to begin her training in martial arts and cultivation. What could have happened that led His Majesty to request her presence after all this time?
Haoran cleared his throat behind her, pulling the General out of her thoughts.
“Rise and salute!”
Immediately after the order was given, the soldiers of the camp rose from their kneeling positions and bowed their heads again to give a farewell to His Majesty’s messengers.
“I will not stay any longer. Your replacement shall be here within the next few days. Prepare to come back to the Capital. I will let His Highness know that you will arrive two to three days behind me.” With those parting words, the eunuch made his way back to the carriage that awaited him. As quickly as the procession had come to the camp, they left, taking the red pops of color back with them.
“General, you-“ Xiaobo began, but was quickly cut off by Haoran out of fear of what the young soldier would say next.
“General, how should we prepare?” Haoran was smart and resourceful, lacking the emotional depth of Xiaobo, but in this case, it helped the General to logically see the next steps. There was no time for rumination or pointless thoughts at a time like this. Who would know what His Majesty was planning but the King himself?
“At ease!” The General gave the order, not turning away from the path in front of her until she could no longer see the banners fluttering.
Turning on her heel, the General made her way back to the main tent and her quarters. As she walked, she gave orders, there was no choice but to follow His Majesty’s decree and set off for the Capital.
“Haoran, we need to move the encampment to the northern border within the next few days. Our regiment will make its way to the Capital.” The General’s strides were even and steady as she worked, “I will make a list of soldiers and supplies to bring back to the capital. As well as a list of those who will be sent to the encampment on the border. I entrust you to check over the qualifications of the men for both of these instances and make suggestions. Use your discretion.”
“Yes, General,” Haoran saluted, his right hand clasped his left in front of him.
“Xiaobo, check the supplies and prepare for the journey to the capital. Also, look over the armory and take inventory. I want the most updated lists for my replacement.”
“Yes, General,” Xiaobo saluted, as well, but his voice held a bit of disappointment. He was unsatisfied with having to do such administrative tasks.
Moving the flap of canvas that was the door to the main tent, the General continued to give assignments away from the cold.
“We will also need to contact Zixin and the spies.”
Haoran’s right eye twitched at the mention of the leader of the espionage group. “Are we sure that that’s necessary?”
“As of now, we are uncertain of His Majesty’s order or what the next steps will be in the capital. We must remain as informed as possible about all of the circumstances in our kingdom and the next.” The General removed her cape once again and slung it over the back of the chair behind the table of the map. In one fluid motion, she also took off her face covering and set it to the side. “Since Zixin has not made contact, we must assume that His Majesty’s decree was untraceable by our system of spies. Either that, or something has happened to Zixin.”
“Yes, General,” Haoran saluted and tried to keep a straight face without his emotions getting the best of him. He struggled, but couldn’t help the sneer that came to his face. He was not looking forward to contact with that weasel in human form.
“General, do you want to guess why His Majesty summoned you after all this time?” Xiaobo’s face lit up while thinking about a new bet he could make money off of, he was positive almost all of the troops at camp would want to join in on the good fun.
The tension in the General’s shoulders released, and she chuckled. It was good to have some semblance of normalcy when such an abnormal instance had occurred. “I do not presume to guess His Majesty’s mind. Start on your assignments.”
With those words, both Haoran and Xiaobo left the tent to leave the General with her thoughts.
When they left, the General sat on the chair and sank into the wood. She allowed herself to slump and relax now that she was alone, away from the scrutinizing eyes of others. Finally, she could process what had just happened and the implications behind it. After so many years, she would go back to the capital, she would see her father. Not even after her mother’s death a year ago, was she granted permission to leave to go back for the funeral. Why would her father summon her? What could be so important that even the Queen would allow her presence beyond the stone walls of the palace?
