Author's Note: Hey guys, just picked up Bladestorm. As a tribute to its parent game, Dynasty Warriors, my mercenary leader is a Chinese dude. But due to the severely limited voice options, he has a Scottish accent.

Bladestorm and Dynasty Warriors are owned by Koei Tecmo.

My name is Zhao Jing.

Why did I come to this Kingdom of France? Work, that's all. Aye, work alone is a fine reason.

Even as far as Chengdu, I had heard the stories of a great war in the west between two kingdoms that my people called "Ying Guo" and "Fa Guo". I was just some peasant with no martial trainin'. Ever since I was a lad, the only fightin' I've ever done was defend my village from bandits a handful of times. They say I'm not bad with a weapon on my hands, but I've never trained with any wushu masters, never been to the Shaolin Temple or the Wudang Monasteries.

I probably don't need it. If a simple sword strike ta' the face can take down a base commander, it's all I need.

Ye'r probably wonderin' why I sound like a Scotsman. I learned these Western tongues from a band of 'em! They were mercenaries, just like I am now. But they died just after I got to Normandy, fightin' against the French.

Ever since I got here, I had so many of these other mercenaries givin' me strange looks. But most o' them had never seen a Chinese man before, so I can't blame 'em. But I learned that there are other foreign mercenaries around too. Another Chinese, just like me. I hear one of 'em Japanese fighters is among them too. Sah-moo-rai, I think.

I've already fought on Normandy, alongside Edward the Black Prince. I have fought for the English many times, and the French only once.

So many mercenaries at the taverns are alway askin' me. "Jing, why are ya always workin' for the English? Yer a mercenary, ya don't have ta' pick sides! Go where the coin is!"

And I tell them "Aye, but I have, lad. Have ya been payin' attention? English contracts always pay better, so fer now I may as well be an Englishman. If the French want me on their side, they'll need ta shell out more coin than the English!"

It's always about the pay for a mercenary. But fer now, I may as well be bathin' in English coin!