To Become the Light to Each Other's Shadow
They are two very different people. One whose actions helped to cause many innocent deaths, and one of them who rised to avenge the deaths of their loved ones. By understanding each other through very different point of views when they're able to support each other for a greater cause. Jia Xu and Wang Yi friendship. Oneshot.
Today is a fateful day. The Xiliang coalition, led by Ma Chao, who had allied with Cao Cao for years has suddenly rebelled, amassing their forces to fight against Cao Cao's army at Tong Gate. Cao Cao's forces, however strong it is, are outnumbered against Ma Chao's.
His trusty strategist Jia Xu, however, thought otherwise.
"We may be heavily outnumbered. However, their leader Ma Chao is brash, stubborn, and ignorant, and with one right move we could shatter their coalition with a mere swatter."
"Hmm…" His lord nods in approval.
"Well, that plan of yours seems nice, but how are we supposed to do it?" asked Xiahou Yuan.
"Well, we just need to look for a chance. Perhaps our Lord's old friend Han Sui could provide one…"
"Hmmm…I understand. Now, I see it that you will be an invaluable asset in this battle, Jia Xu."
That one sentence surprised the strategist in question a little bit, but he quickly accepted his responsibility.
"...understood, my lord."
The Prime Minister of Han then left.
"Our Lord surely puts great trust in you, doesn't he?"
"Hmph. All too much, I'd say."
"Huh? Why is that? Heh, come on Jia Xu, this is the first time our Lord gave you full control. You gotta make the best of it."
He's got a point, thought Jia Xu. Later, somebody entered.
"Are the preparations ready?"
"Oh! There you are. Yes, by the way." answered Xiahou Yuan.
"Good. And now…you're Jia Xu, the leading strategist, correct?"
"Correct."
"Hmm…that's good. Come, let's get going."
"Alright! And oh, by the way Jia Xu, have you known?"
"What?"
"That woman we just met. Her name is Wang Yi. She's our newest recruit, and this is her first battle."
Oh, so that's her. Jia Xu has heard about a new recruit into Cao Cao's army named Wang Yi, but never has the chance to meet her until today. He wasn't even aware that Wang Yi is a woman at first, due to the fact that it's very odd for a woman to join an army at her own will.
"Well, what do you think?"
"Ah?"
"Her. So how's she?"
"Hmm…well, she's fine, I suppose."
"Hah, I suppose you're right. However, she's already known to be distant and fierce to those around her. Be careful!"
Seems a lot like me, he thought. Indeed, just one look at Wang Yi and Jia Xu could see that there's really something different about her air. Something so determined, almost ambitious. He knows that she's not a woman to be messed with.
"Well, whatever it is, she'll be an invaluable asset to our army."
"Oh, you bet she will. She really is quite an exceptional lady, I must say."
"Hm."
Later….
Jia Xu was overseeing the preparations for the next battle against Ma Chao. Just then, Wang Yi approached him.
"Hey."
"Hm? Ah, Lady Wang Yi."
"Is everything going well?"
"Yes, I suppose."
"That's good. Hrmf…"
"…why? You seem worried."
"Hmm…ah, no. It's just that…if we ever going to win this battle...then…then I'll finally get to kill…him…"
"…huh?"
"…oh, I'm sorry. I was…spacing out."
"Hm. It's alright."
However, Jia Xu starts to feel suspicious at the new recruit. From the look of her face, Jia Xu feels that Wang Yi is more concerned about killing Ma Chao rather than actually winning the battle.
"…okay. It's alright. We can win this battle."
"Of course."
Jia Xu took one glance at her, before saying another.
"…and kill Ma Chao, as well."
And from that moment, Wang Yi's expression brightened.
"…yes. You…you're correct. When that bastard is dead…I…"
"…yes?"
"…ah! I…I'm sorry, I was…"
"It's alright. Come on, we have a lot to do."
"Yes. Excuse me."
Jia Xu sighed as Wang Yi left. His suspicions were confirmed. Having encountered cases like this before, now Jia Xu knows that Wang Yi has to have an eye kept on her to prevent her own goals from causing trouble to Cao Cao's army. Yet one question remains: why would she want to kill Ma Chao?
The next day…
At the second day of battle against Ma Chao's army, Jia Xu was looking for Wang Yi. There, he found her sitting alone while drowning her sorrows, something that she's been often doing since she joined Cao Cao. He approached her.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
"…you know what, you fought quite well yesterday."
Indeed, yesterday was Wang Yi's first ever battle against Ma Chao, the one battle in which she showed her incredible prowess as a warrior, enough to impress Jia Xu and the others.
"…hmph." Wang Yi continued drinking. Jia Xu saw at around 5 bottles of wine that Wang Yi has drunk. He then sat down next to her.
"You know, it's not good to enter battle while being drunk."
"I know that," she continued drinking. Jia Xu could only sigh at her attitude.
"Hmf…look, I know what you actually want, okay."
"You do? You think you actually do?"
"I do. All you want is to kill Ma Chao, right? It's the reason why you even joined us at the first place."
Her eyes widened upon hearing Jia Xu's answer. However, she continued drinking again.
"Hmph! So what?! It's weird that you're concerned about that, given that you never cared about anything anyway." was the blunt response.
"Sigh…it's true that I never really cared about anything else. But I do care about this attitude of yours."
She turned and looked at him with a confused look.
"Why is that?"
"Well, first of all…why do you want to kill Ma Chao, anyway?"
She seemed surprised upon hearing Jia Xu's question, with her eyes staring at blank space, as if she's reminiscing something.
"…that's none of your business." She immediately went drinking again.
"Hmph…I see. Well, it's alright if you don't want to tell me the reason. However, it's important to know that the enemy could use this against us."
"What do you mean?"
"After all, you really only cared about killing Ma Chao, right? You don't seem to be concerned about actually winning this battle for our lord. If the enemy side knows about this, they could easily manipulate you using your own rage and anger, and that definitely means disaster to us. As a strategist I have to make sure that nothing like this will ever happen."
She fell silent upon hearing Jia Xu's explanation, before letting out a small chuckle.
"Well, that really does seem like something you would do if you were on the enemy's side, doesn't it?"
"Haha…you know me all too well, my lady."
"Hah."
Wang Yi took another drink again before turning to Jia Xu.
"Huff…you know…I'm sorry if I was being too rude to you. It's just that…I…I…"
Unexpectedly, Wang Yi tightly hugged Jia Xu while crying.
"H-huh?!"
The act obviously surprised the strategist. He surely never expected Wang Yi, the fierce yet distant warrior woman to suddenly break down and hug him like this, didn't he?
"Sob…sob…that…that bastard Ma Chao…he…he took everything…from me…sob…"
Jia Xu kept silent as he let Wang Yi let out all of her grief at his lap.
"Sob...I…I still remembered it…he came…and then he burned everything down…and then…he took my husband….and my children away from me…sob…"
And only then Wang Yi let go of Jia Xu, who looked at her with a puzzled look.
"Sob…I…I'm sorry. That was all so sudden, I know. But...I have been holding this back for so long, and now that you brought it up, I just can't hold it anymore…"
Wang Yi wiped away her overflowing tears.
"You see…this…this is why his death is the only thing that can satisfy me. You…you're actually right. I don't care about anything else as long as I get my revenge. I…I don't even know what I will do after all is said and done…I never really cared for my own future…"
And at that moment, Jia Xu realized one truth. In reality, Wang Yi really is nobody special. She was an ordinary woman with an ordinary family living an ordinary life. That is, until one event, the moment where Ma Chao invaded he hometown. The one moment that changed her life forever. The one moment that turned her into the fierce, vengeful warrior she is now.
Jia Xu truly never expected any of this. To him, and pretty much any other warlords and people serving them, such losses have always been regarded as mere minor casualties that happen during a war. But for the victims, they are such life-changing occurrences that sometimes they can rise and become another Wang Yi.
However, with Ma Chao, that is a whole different story entirely. Having been in constant opposition against the Xiliang forces ever since the beginning of his career under Dong Zhuo, he knows exactly what kind of monsters Ma Teng and Ma Chao really are. Him raiding Wang Yi's hometown really had no excuse beyond Ma Chao's own greed, and he deserved Wang Yi's enmity.
But that doesn't mean that Jia Xu and the others are entirely innocent, either.
"Umm…Jia Xu?"
"You know…you really are one of a kind."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean…look, you know what we do here, right? We're in a war. Casualties for innocent civilians are to be expected. For the longest time, we have always dismissed them as they're needed to help a greater cause. And, of course…we never expected you, one of those casualties, to suddenly rise up and become so determined to fight for everything you lost."
"Ah…I…"
"Huff…but, I know that what Ma Chao did was inexcusable. Believe me, I've seen other things he and his father have done. He deserved this."
"Hmph…I know."
It's really weird, Jia Xu thought. At first he only approached Wang Yi out of concern of the victory to Lord Cao Cao's army, and not Wang Yi herself. It's only after he heard Wang Yi's true motivations that he now actually cares for her for real.
"Huff…you know, despite that, I can't really say that I know how you feel. Obviously not. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"Hmm…yes?"
"Of course…we are all different human beings. Even if we went through a same thing, there's no way we would feel the same way as with the other. We can, however…"
He looked straight at her piercing, gray eyes.
"…care for, and stand by each other."
Such answer obviously made Wang Yi surprised.
"Ah…I…Jia Xu…why?"
"Hm?"
"I mean…this is all too weird…coming from someone like you..."
"Why is that? I mean, heh, I know that it's weird that I actually care about someone, but that's because I want you to know that you don't have to go through this alone."
Jia Xu held Wang Yi's hands.
"I'm not saying that you have to let go of your hatred of Ma Chao, obviously not. If his death is the only thing that can satisfy you, then so be it. None of us are preventing you from achieving it. But I don't want you to be astray after all is said and done. Having no future for yourself. No. We are your new family here, Wang Yi. You're not alone."
Wang Yi's eyes widened upon hearing such words from Jia Xu. To be honest, Jia Xu himself can't believe that he actually said that. But he knows what's the most important thing to do at the moment; aside from winning the battle, of course.
"Jia Xu…I…"
Tears start flowing from Wang Yi's eyes, and then she hugged Jia Xu again.
"Sob…thank you…sob…sob…thank you…so much…sob…thank you so much…"
Jia Xu returned the hug while trying to comfort her.
"Hm…there, there…it's alright. We will win, and that demon will be dead. I promise."
After long days of fighting, Jia Xu finally managed to shatter Ma Chao's coalition by turning him against his own ally Han Sui, throwing his army into complete disorder and confusion, allowing Cao Cao to finally land a crushing defeat despite being outnumbered. Even though his army was lost, Ma Chao and his remaining allies managed to survive and went to serve Zhang Lu. Nevertheless, it was a major success to Cao Cao's army.
At the victory banquet…
When Cao Cao's army was celebrating their success against Ma Chao, Jia Xu, as always was withdrawn from the others. However, he remembered about Wang Yi, who was drinking herself up again in the corner. He approached her.
"Hey…you alright?"
"HAH! Huff…I can't believe it! That bastard managed to escape even though I very nearly got a hold of him! Huff…"
"Sigh…I see."
To be honest, Jia Xu felt bad about Ma Chao managing to survive the battle, given that he promised Wang Yi that they will kill Ma Chao and earning Wang Yi her revenge.
"I know. Huff…it really sucks. But I don't blame you for it." said Wang Yi as if she can somehow read Jia Xu's thoughts.
"Huh?"
"I mean, well…I suppose he just got lucky that day. Not even your intellect can prevent him from escaping. Nobody is perfect, after all. But I swear that I will kill him, I can assure you."
Jia Xu chuckled.
"Well…after he's dead, what are you gonna do?"
"Hm?"
"You still haven't thought of that yet?"
"Well…not really, I guess."
"Heh. I mean, you're not really going to drown yourself in wine all the time since you've got nothing else to do, right?"
"Of course not! It's just that…"
Just at that moment, Xiahou Yuan came and surprised them both.
"HEY!"
"AH!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Oh, give us a break, Master Xiahou Yuan!"
"Hahaha, oh, sorry! By the way, what are you guys talking about, anyway? Why aren't you joining the party?"
"Well, umm…"
"We were just talking about what are we gonna do after this battle."
"Oh, really? Hmm…actually I am going to have plenty of activities with Ba and Zhang He after all of this is over. Maybe you guys can join!"
"Really?"
"Uh-huh!"
Jia Xu and Wang Yi looked at each other before nodding simultaneously.
"Great! I'll see you soon!"
"Okay!"
Then Xiahou Yuan left to join the celebration, leaving Jia Xu and Wang Yi in the corner.
"Sigh…so?"
"What?"
"What do you think of us?"
"You? Well…"
"…?"
"…all of you are fine, I suppose."
The two of them laughed loudly, which was drowned in a cheer of celebration in the victory banquet.
"…what a wonderful family I have."
THE END
Well, I might be the only one around here who ships Jia Xu with Wang Yi. Well, not romantically, but more as friends than outright lovers, mainly because I feel Wang Yi is really the only fitting woman for Jia Xu, but I just can't see Jia Xu romantically with another woman in the series.
And yes, as you can see here, I did paint Ma Chao in a somewhat negative light; because he was a monster historically, and I really just feel that Wang Yi is simply misunderstood, just like nearly everyone else in Wei.
Well, as always, please leave a review and have a good day!