Three Kingdoms: Chapter 5

I need to stop watching anime and work on this in the evenings. Then I'll be able to go to sleep earlier and not be tired in the mornings. Anyways, twists and turns. Let us begin. Feedbacks welcome, as always.



Chapter 5



Two riders were fleeing through the night. Neither of them knew for sure where the river lay. Merely hanging onto the bridle by a hope, they rode on with Polaris as their guide. Alas, it was not long before the Huans had discovered the fresh hoof marks by the pagoda and the lifeless monk nearby, his body still quite warm. The experienced horsemen did not lose a moment, and headed north. It was not difficult to spot two graceful young riders on a white steed, so foreign from the crude Huans.

“Right there, he's riding away!” someone shouted. Liu Bei kicked the horse's side and rode on faster. Some arrows whistled by his ear, but soon they were out of the range.

“The arrows don't reach them from here! After them, all of you!” a familiar voice commanded. It sounded like Quao's. But Liu Bei did not have time to ponder, for the horsemen had mounted again.

“What shall we do? I don't think they will be giving up so soon,” Lady Fu Yung said anxiously.

“Don't worry, Miss. The reverend said we will meet soldiers by the riverside. And we should be there by now,” Liu Bei assured her.

When they finally had reached the river, Liu Bei and Lady Fu Yung found yet another twist of fortune awaiting them. For the soldiers that the monk spoke of were nowhere to be found. Under the cover of night, it seemed as if the very existence of even the smallest ant was hidden from the riverbank. Only the very moon shone peacefully on the still water like a pearl, its reflection safe and sound from the approaching danger.

“What shall we do?” Liu Bei thought aloud Lady Fu Yung's previous question in urgency, though he did not wish her to be troubled as well. From the back of his head, he could hear the haunting hooves ringing throughout his restless psyche.

“It seems like everyone flew in the news that the Huans had attacked,” Lady Fu Yung said, a slight tremble in her voice, but still very much composed.

“I suppose we can only ride on,” Liu Bei said, drawing in the reins. The sound of hooves were nearer. The Huans were already on the riverbank.

“Giddy up!” Liu Bei tugged at the reins once more, but it was only a few feet before an arrow whistled, and the white horse gave a strangled cry and fell. They were thrown off violently in horse's death. Liu Bei promptly got up and reached for the sword by his side. It wasn't there. He bent over and reached for the cobblestones. Meanwhile, the Huans were dismounting. The horses' hooves raised a cloud of dust.

“I will not die so fruitlessly. Come, all of you!” Liu Bei said.

”Heh heh, whoever said don't judge a book by its cover was right. You're sharper than we measured, kid,” Gao sneered.

“Heh heh heh... a greenhorn hooked up with some cute one,” Chen chuckled, drooling at Lady Fu Yung.

“We will make a pet of her, so don't you worry about that,” another added.

Liu Bei did not waste another second. He launched the biggest cobblestone in his hand towards one of them. The Huan screamed and fell, and Liu Bei picked up the dead man's spear. Someone cursed, but he didn't mind. “Come on!” he challenged.

“Oh dearie, if you still want to be reckless...” Chen smirked.

“Brat, you are going to regret this,” Gao said, drawing his sword. The metals clanged. Liu Bei aimed for the heart, but Gao drew to his side and shielded it well.

“We are ridiculous for fighting a rookie like you,” he laughed and picked up a spear. “Lesson one, this is how you use a weapon called 'spear.' Here's a move you can learn,” Gao grinned, knocking Liu Bei's spear out of his hand. Soon a spear tip was under his neck.

“Hehehe... how about that? Do you know a bit more about spears now?” Gao jeered and added, “Poor thing, with all your life to live... But it's time for little sonny to shut his eyes now.” He was about to thrust when someone called out.

“Hey, wait!” a breathless voice shouted from the distance. A huge, dark figure was dashing faster than any squirrel Liu Bei had ever seen, that he almost mistook it for a black bear if it hadn't spoke. Soon it reached them by the river. Now that Liu Bei could see his entire form. The man was not just huge – he was a giant. He had a rough look about him, but the honest eyes couldn't be mistaken even in the dark.

“You... can't do that!” he said, panting.

“What, Fei? You only joined a few days ago,” Chen said.

“What can't I do?” Gao seemed annoyed.

“Hu– Hu– Man, it was hard... to catch up with the horses,” Fei wiped his forehead and continued, “You... You can't kill him. Hand him over to me.”

“What!” Gao jumped.

“By whose order?” Quao looked up quizzically.

“Hahaha, that's... my order,” Fei replied, scratching his head.

“What are you thinking? You think you can order us around when you're the new kid on the block?” Gao bawled.

“Hah hah hah!” Fei laughed as he picked Gao up with one hand.

“Wha– What do you think you're doing?” Gao squeaked. Not allowing him another second to speak, Fei smashed his body against the ground.

“Eek!” the rest of the gang screamed. Coming back to their senses, they started yelling. Some of them even had spears in their hands, but most of them were trembling.

“Fei, are you crazy?”

“Do you know what happens when you kill a comrade?”

“You will be punished according to the Huan order.”

“That won't happen. I haven't the slightest intention of being punished like mad dogs,” Fei said indifferently, rubbing his nose.

“What!”

“We are mad dogs?”

“Is there a single one of you that is actually human?!” Fei blared and the river shuddered with the Huans.

“You rat, I've heard enough!” Quao bawled as he swung a spear over Fei's head. Fei instinctively caught it and swerved the spear over to the other side, the Huan still dangling on it. He was instantly crushed onto the ground. Fei finished him off by slashing him into half with the wooden part of the spear. Half the bar landed alongside his gashed body.

“So, anyone else want to look like this?” Fei said casually, looking at the broken bar.

“Honestly, what a terrible power!” a Huan muttered.

“Wow...” another gaped.

“What, want to fight more? It will be better for y'all to change your minds and run away. Go and tell Ding, the biggest self-satisfying pig of all: 'We delivered Family Hong's Lady Fu Yung and the young man to Zhang Fei, who feigned surrender and became a member of the league when the castle was burnt up and the House of Hong was no more.'” Zhang Fei spoke again, this time with a presence and elegance of speech. No one could deny that he was of titled society.

“What did you say?”

“Then you were an adherent of Hongs!”

“Hm-hm,” Zhang Fei said with a chuckle and added, “Yep, my real name is Zhang Fei, zi* is Yide.** The lord was killed and the castle burned while I was away on a duty. Such is why I joined you rascals to seek a revenge.”

“You rat, if I had known earlier, I wouldn't have let you live!” Chen jumped. His courageous shout was muffled by Zhang Fei's fist crushing into his mouth. He fell over dead. Zhang Fei smiled and said, “I don't even have to draw my sword to fight you kids. I will take you on with my own bare hands. Let it be an honor to you, sires.” He cracked a knuckle or two. The Huans fought but without any further success. Zhang Fei threw them around as if juggling, and they crushed the ground one by one. Liu Bei and Lady Fu Yung watched in awe, frozen to the ground. After he was finished, Zhang Fei beat off his hands unaffectedly and said to himself, “Hu– Too easy. Told them to run away, didn't I?” He turned to face Liu Bei.

“Young Master, sorry that you had to go through such a hassle,” he said respectfully.

“Thank you very much. I lived on your kindness,” Liu Bei thanked him sincerely.

“Oh, right,” Zhang Fei said to himself as if he had forgotten something. Then he reached for the tea from his bosom and undid Liu Bei's sword by his side. “These are yours,” he said, handing them over to Liu Bei.

“How did you...?”

“Too simple when Ding is sleeping,” Zhang Fei said, in his ever-so casual voice.

“I really don't know what to say to express my gratitude,” Liu Bei bowed reverently.

“Don't mention it. You braved death with rescuing Lady Fu Yung. I'm the one who have the greatest admiration for your valor,” Zhang Fei bowed in return. To Lady Fu Yung, he said, “Lady, you can be safe now,” then turned to be on the road again.

“Wait, Master Zhang Fei, you said?” Liu Bei halted him.

“Yes. Did you need something?”

“I can't do anything about this tea, because this is for my mother... But I would like you to have this sword for saving my life,” Liu Bei said, offering the heirloom.

“What did you say! Offering such a fine blade for me?!” Zhang Fei exclaimed in disbelief.

“Yes. I think a hero like you will increase the merit and the value of the sword by using it,” Liu Bei said sincerely.

“Wow. My one prayer before death was to hold such a noted sword in my hand...” Zhang Fei said gleefully, looking at the presently unsheathed sword. Still having difficulty comprehending the situation, he asked once more. “Is it really, really ok?”

“Yes, please. As long as you wield it for good deeds,” Liu Bei affirmed.

“Then I will give you my sword. It's risky to be without one,” Zhang Fei handed Liu Bei his sword.

“I will accept it gladly,” Liu Bei said.

“I will be off now, since I need to take Lady Fu Yung to somewhere safe,” Zhang Fei said and Liu Bei nodded in awareness. Lady Fu Yung approached him.

“Pardon me, sir. You are my lifesaver, yet I don't even know your name...” she said shyly.

“I am Liu Bei from Mulberry Village. I weave mats and shoes for living,” Liu Bei replied, with a presence and a poise unlike an ordinary farmer. The sun was rising.

“All right, let us be off. Other parties may be after us,” Zhang Fei pressed.

“Yes,” Lady Fu Yung said, gracefully mounting.

“Be careful, young Master, and take care!” Zhang Fei bid Liu Bei farewell. With a regular beating of hooves, they rode off towards the new dawn. Liu Bei stood there for quite some time, gazing towards the bushes through which the beauty had vanished.

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* Zi is a Chinese courtesy name, an extra name that could be used in place of one's given name. A person could be given a zi by his parents, or adopt one later in life himself. There are two common forms of style name, the zi and the hao. You will find zi with almost every character in my story, for they are really historical people and all have zi. I haven't introduced Liu Bei's zi just yet.

** Zhang Fei's zi “Yide” means “firm virtue.”

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