Prologue
As the dust began to finally settle on the camps of the yellow rebels, Zhang Bao looked upon the horde of men sitting by their fires covered in alcohol. They had just come back from sacking a local village Bao's brother Zhang Jue ordered to be burned for it violated the laws of Heaven. But what his brother didn't see was the sins of his soldiers as they brutally massacred the defenseless women and children. What his "divine brother" didn't witness was the unnecessary act of burning the fields and salting the earth so nothing would grow for years to come. What Jue didn't see were his men becoming devils and hooligans for the "holiness" had other things to attend to that required his presence. Even the whores of Lianzhou needed to be enlightened now and then…
Zhang Bao looked at the army of the Yellow Dragon with disgust as he entered his generals tent barracks. The tent was massive and was filled to the top with several manuscripts on battle tactics and wartime strategies. There was a time when Bao was younger where he would have immediately dove into these books and spent entire days of just studying every word, but those times have dissipated into the cruel breeze of the past. He had seen way too many deaths since he began his holy crusade with his two brothers Zhang Jue and Zhang Lian against the tyrannical Han Empire. When Zhang Jue told his brothers that he had been enlightened by the gods and was commanded to carry the burden of the Book of Heaven every one believed him. It wasn't that the people were naïve, it was just the fact that with the Han ruling the people with an iron fist everyone needed a symbol to give them hope, and what better symbol is there then one from the Heavens?
The early days of the Yellow Dragon army were proud and honorable. The men fought with passion for they fought for hope, courage, and for a new beginning with the end of the corrupt Han Empire. But like all things it too began to darken within the confines of time. Jue became more of a tyrannical prophet than a enlightened being of light. When we started becoming richer his ideas of purity became the same as the earthly pleasures that he enjoyed. He always traveled with several concubines to please his lustful desires and his weight had grown tremendously for he no longer participated in the battles. This turned the soldiers of the Yellow Dragon into beings without discipline and a love for small power instead of a love of country and peace. His brother spoke how great the Yellow Dragon was and what it stood for, but Jue had become blind and in some ways we were worse than the Han. At least they lasted for hundreds of years while the Yellow Dragon couldn't even last 20. Bao sensed that the end of the Yellow Dragon army, and himself as well, was coming to an end in the near future.
A young man stepped into Zhang Bao's tent, and broke the self-reflection of Zhang Bao. The man was very young in appearance and had to only be around the age of 16, but with his youth he gave an awesome presence. Zhang Bao somehow felt that this man's destiny didn't lie within the corroded wings of the Yellow Dragon, but would flourish under another.
"You asked for me sir?" asked the Private who bowed in respect and stood in attention.
"Yes I have young man, at ease. Tell me private, why did you join the Yellow Dragon?" said Bao.
The young man looked up proudly and answered, "To fight for justice and abolish the evil reign of the Han Empire!"
Zhang Bao looked at the man and chuckled to himself.
"Justice you say? Ha! An evil empire? I fear you are looking at the wrong side…" said Bao.
"Sir? Is something troubling you?" asked the private.
Zhang Bao ignored the man's question and began to ask one of his own, "Tell me private, tell me why you joined the Yellow Dragon?"
"I don't mean to be rude sir, but I have already answered that," said the private.
"Ah yes you did, but now give me a more personal answer. What were the reasons that forced your mind to join the Yellow Dragon instead of the Han?" asked Bao.
"Well sir I joined when the Han had taken away everything I loved. I grew up in the province of Xuchang with my father, mother, and two sisters. I was the youngest of the three children, but as the next male of the house I needed to be the provider for the future. Well on one summer day my father had given me such a task and told me to go hunting. Like always I did what my father said and packed up to go hunting. I had done it several times before and enjoyed it greatly. Well after a day or two I noticed some smoke coming from the general direction of my house. It didn't bother me at first for I just thought it was a local farmer burning some crops to fertilize for the new patch, but as I got closer my heart began to ache. It wasn't a routine burning, but my house. When I entered my yard all I saw were these three soldier's standing over what appeared to be my sisters. They were only thirteen and fourteen, but that didn't stop them from defiling their bodies."
With that said the private began to falter in his speech, but gathered an inward strength to finish his heart-wrenching tale.
"Anger filled my soul as I drew back my bow and unleashed an arrow at the man that had been watching my sister's being raped. It struck him in the neck instantly killing him. My sisters' rapists stopped what they were doing and grabbed their blades to attack. I had never killed a man before so I was quite nervous. I pulled another arrow onto the string and fired but it had only hit Tiosing's rapist in the leg. He stopped in his tracts and began to curse as he tried to pull the arrow from his leg. Yuling's rapist didn't stop to check up on his fellow soldier and was ready to kill me. I grabbed my bow this time like a sword and swung it as hard as I could towards his face. I was only eleven at the time but I had the strength enough to knock him down. I took out an arrow and jabbed the blade into his eye," said the young man with sudden anger.
"After I made him blind I began to work on his throat. Within a few strikes he was dead. The wounded rapist had now successfully removed the arrow and screamed with fury as he ran towards me. With my bow broken I just began chucking the rest of my arrows, but they did nothing. So I picked up the dead man's sword and prepared to die. The man swung down on me, but I managed to block it. The power had knock my hand way over my body. He swung again but this time I just ran out of the way, but the man was upon me again. I blocked his next shot but it knocked me to the earth. I swung my blade mindlessly, and my assailant just kicked my hand knocking the sword out. I stared into my sister's rapists eyes as a defeated boy who couldn't even honor his family. Within an instant though the man had been knocked to the side with tremendous speed. I thought it was my father for all I saw at first was the tremendous pole-ax that was the family's weapon throughout the ages, but with more look it was my mother who stood among the farm's ashes. Behind her were my weeping sisters," said the private.
"My mother had just saved all of our lives and dropped the mighty ax to the ground. I ran to her for her loving embrace, but as I hugged her I saw the deep wound inflicted on her side. My mother collapsed to the ground and later died in my arms. She managed to place the huge ax in my arms and her last words were "protect them". I told her I would and after burying her I found my father crucified with his head by his legs. I removed his carcass and buried him alongside my mother. I took my sisters to my uncles house where he would care for them. I wasn't strong enough to wield the ax yet, but I was strong enough to carry it. I traveled the land just practicing and working my body to become like steel. I later learned that the soldiers that attacked my family worked under the flag of the Han. I also learned that they killed my father for he was gathering a small rebel force to fight the Han."
"But what stuck the most were my mother's last words. She said, "protect them" but I don't think she just meant my sisters. By 'them' she meant everyone. The farmers, the citizens, the children, etc. I needed to protect the ones that couldn't do it by themselves. When I was fifteen I found the Yellow Dragon army and two years later here I am. Sorry if I was a bit long winded, sir," finished the private.
"No young man that was what I was looking for. You are a proud man that has led a tragic life that will most likely die a tragic death. Please tell me your name," asked Zhang Bao.
"My name is Xu Huang, sir," said Huang.
"Yes, and I see that is your family's pole-ax that you spoke of?" asked Bao.
"Yes sir. The very one. Sir if I may ask, why did you call me here? Was it just for my history?" asked Huang.
"No it isn't. I was walking by the soldier barracks a few moments ago and I overheard you talking," suddenly Zhang Bao began to look serious and stern. "You say that the Yellow Dragon is a just cause, Xu Huang?"
Huang suddenly began to grow cold. Bao had always been an easy going man but when he grew angry he grew it 12 feet high. "Y-yes sir."
"Than why were you speaking against your fellow soldiers earlier today Huang? Don't deny it for I heard it with my own ears and I couldn't ever forget your weapon. If you do lie you shall die like your father before you, now speak!" yelled Bao.
"I was speaking against my fellow men and also against are leader Zhang Jue," replied Huang.
"Why did you do such a traitorous deed if you hate the Han so much?" asked Zhang Bao.
"I do hate the Han! It's just….the men are acting like those that raped my sisters. They are no more than rogues raping the land for they now have power. And your brother he is no longer a just ruler. He hides away like a coward while we fight. I can not fight with honor with such a leader, sir!" Huang realized what he just said and to who and fear once against pierced his stomach like a blade.
Bao stood up and slowly walked over to Huang and rested his hand on his shoulder. He gazed into the young man's eyes and walked towards his bookcase. Huang couldn't see what he removed, but Bao was now walking back to him holding his book.
"Do not fear my soldier, for I too have thought your words for years now. I won't let harm come to you if I do the same and against my own blood. You are a good man and if you want to leave the army you may do so," said Bao.
"Sorry sir but with you still here I can never leave for then I would be a traitor. I shall fight alongside you until the day you die!" said Huang.
"Thank you friend. But I fear that day is coming soon. The Han is crumbling but there are other forces gathering that will takes its place of power. Strong forces that is lead by great spirits, great minds, and great warriors, and the only way they can do so is with our downfall," said Bao with a strange look on his face.
"No sir, the Yellow Dragon shall live forever!" said Huang.
"Don't be so naïve boy. Nothing will ever last forever, and your stay with me shall end soon too. Like I said I feel your destiny lies elsewhere. That's why I give you this book," with that said Bao handed Huang an old text. The manual that every great general had Sun Tzu's Art of War.
"Read that wisely my friend Xu Huang. Study it as I did once, but not only for war. Study it to learn about peace so you don't become corrupted. Now it is late and we must rest up for the day of battle is coming. When you have as much experience as I do you will gain this uncanny technique as well," said Zhang Bao.
"Goodnight sir," Huang said as he bowed again with his mighty ax and manual.
Bao looked at his men and then diverted his eyes towards the Heavens. The sky was clear that night and the stars were gathered in the thousands. Every twinkle sparked an idea in a young man's mind as it did once for him and his brothers. And several men had been gazing at the stars that night, and in each one a new idea had been born…
As the dust began to finally settle on the camps of the yellow rebels, Zhang Bao looked upon the horde of men sitting by their fires covered in alcohol. They had just come back from sacking a local village Bao's brother Zhang Jue ordered to be burned for it violated the laws of Heaven. But what his brother didn't see was the sins of his soldiers as they brutally massacred the defenseless women and children. What his "divine brother" didn't witness was the unnecessary act of burning the fields and salting the earth so nothing would grow for years to come. What Jue didn't see were his men becoming devils and hooligans for the "holiness" had other things to attend to that required his presence. Even the whores of Lianzhou needed to be enlightened now and then…
Zhang Bao looked at the army of the Yellow Dragon with disgust as he entered his generals tent barracks. The tent was massive and was filled to the top with several manuscripts on battle tactics and wartime strategies. There was a time when Bao was younger where he would have immediately dove into these books and spent entire days of just studying every word, but those times have dissipated into the cruel breeze of the past. He had seen way too many deaths since he began his holy crusade with his two brothers Zhang Jue and Zhang Lian against the tyrannical Han Empire. When Zhang Jue told his brothers that he had been enlightened by the gods and was commanded to carry the burden of the Book of Heaven every one believed him. It wasn't that the people were naïve, it was just the fact that with the Han ruling the people with an iron fist everyone needed a symbol to give them hope, and what better symbol is there then one from the Heavens?
The early days of the Yellow Dragon army were proud and honorable. The men fought with passion for they fought for hope, courage, and for a new beginning with the end of the corrupt Han Empire. But like all things it too began to darken within the confines of time. Jue became more of a tyrannical prophet than a enlightened being of light. When we started becoming richer his ideas of purity became the same as the earthly pleasures that he enjoyed. He always traveled with several concubines to please his lustful desires and his weight had grown tremendously for he no longer participated in the battles. This turned the soldiers of the Yellow Dragon into beings without discipline and a love for small power instead of a love of country and peace. His brother spoke how great the Yellow Dragon was and what it stood for, but Jue had become blind and in some ways we were worse than the Han. At least they lasted for hundreds of years while the Yellow Dragon couldn't even last 20. Bao sensed that the end of the Yellow Dragon army, and himself as well, was coming to an end in the near future.
A young man stepped into Zhang Bao's tent, and broke the self-reflection of Zhang Bao. The man was very young in appearance and had to only be around the age of 16, but with his youth he gave an awesome presence. Zhang Bao somehow felt that this man's destiny didn't lie within the corroded wings of the Yellow Dragon, but would flourish under another.
"You asked for me sir?" asked the Private who bowed in respect and stood in attention.
"Yes I have young man, at ease. Tell me private, why did you join the Yellow Dragon?" said Bao.
The young man looked up proudly and answered, "To fight for justice and abolish the evil reign of the Han Empire!"
Zhang Bao looked at the man and chuckled to himself.
"Justice you say? Ha! An evil empire? I fear you are looking at the wrong side…" said Bao.
"Sir? Is something troubling you?" asked the private.
Zhang Bao ignored the man's question and began to ask one of his own, "Tell me private, tell me why you joined the Yellow Dragon?"
"I don't mean to be rude sir, but I have already answered that," said the private.
"Ah yes you did, but now give me a more personal answer. What were the reasons that forced your mind to join the Yellow Dragon instead of the Han?" asked Bao.
"Well sir I joined when the Han had taken away everything I loved. I grew up in the province of Xuchang with my father, mother, and two sisters. I was the youngest of the three children, but as the next male of the house I needed to be the provider for the future. Well on one summer day my father had given me such a task and told me to go hunting. Like always I did what my father said and packed up to go hunting. I had done it several times before and enjoyed it greatly. Well after a day or two I noticed some smoke coming from the general direction of my house. It didn't bother me at first for I just thought it was a local farmer burning some crops to fertilize for the new patch, but as I got closer my heart began to ache. It wasn't a routine burning, but my house. When I entered my yard all I saw were these three soldier's standing over what appeared to be my sisters. They were only thirteen and fourteen, but that didn't stop them from defiling their bodies."
With that said the private began to falter in his speech, but gathered an inward strength to finish his heart-wrenching tale.
"Anger filled my soul as I drew back my bow and unleashed an arrow at the man that had been watching my sister's being raped. It struck him in the neck instantly killing him. My sisters' rapists stopped what they were doing and grabbed their blades to attack. I had never killed a man before so I was quite nervous. I pulled another arrow onto the string and fired but it had only hit Tiosing's rapist in the leg. He stopped in his tracts and began to curse as he tried to pull the arrow from his leg. Yuling's rapist didn't stop to check up on his fellow soldier and was ready to kill me. I grabbed my bow this time like a sword and swung it as hard as I could towards his face. I was only eleven at the time but I had the strength enough to knock him down. I took out an arrow and jabbed the blade into his eye," said the young man with sudden anger.
"After I made him blind I began to work on his throat. Within a few strikes he was dead. The wounded rapist had now successfully removed the arrow and screamed with fury as he ran towards me. With my bow broken I just began chucking the rest of my arrows, but they did nothing. So I picked up the dead man's sword and prepared to die. The man swung down on me, but I managed to block it. The power had knock my hand way over my body. He swung again but this time I just ran out of the way, but the man was upon me again. I blocked his next shot but it knocked me to the earth. I swung my blade mindlessly, and my assailant just kicked my hand knocking the sword out. I stared into my sister's rapists eyes as a defeated boy who couldn't even honor his family. Within an instant though the man had been knocked to the side with tremendous speed. I thought it was my father for all I saw at first was the tremendous pole-ax that was the family's weapon throughout the ages, but with more look it was my mother who stood among the farm's ashes. Behind her were my weeping sisters," said the private.
"My mother had just saved all of our lives and dropped the mighty ax to the ground. I ran to her for her loving embrace, but as I hugged her I saw the deep wound inflicted on her side. My mother collapsed to the ground and later died in my arms. She managed to place the huge ax in my arms and her last words were "protect them". I told her I would and after burying her I found my father crucified with his head by his legs. I removed his carcass and buried him alongside my mother. I took my sisters to my uncles house where he would care for them. I wasn't strong enough to wield the ax yet, but I was strong enough to carry it. I traveled the land just practicing and working my body to become like steel. I later learned that the soldiers that attacked my family worked under the flag of the Han. I also learned that they killed my father for he was gathering a small rebel force to fight the Han."
"But what stuck the most were my mother's last words. She said, "protect them" but I don't think she just meant my sisters. By 'them' she meant everyone. The farmers, the citizens, the children, etc. I needed to protect the ones that couldn't do it by themselves. When I was fifteen I found the Yellow Dragon army and two years later here I am. Sorry if I was a bit long winded, sir," finished the private.
"No young man that was what I was looking for. You are a proud man that has led a tragic life that will most likely die a tragic death. Please tell me your name," asked Zhang Bao.
"My name is Xu Huang, sir," said Huang.
"Yes, and I see that is your family's pole-ax that you spoke of?" asked Bao.
"Yes sir. The very one. Sir if I may ask, why did you call me here? Was it just for my history?" asked Huang.
"No it isn't. I was walking by the soldier barracks a few moments ago and I overheard you talking," suddenly Zhang Bao began to look serious and stern. "You say that the Yellow Dragon is a just cause, Xu Huang?"
Huang suddenly began to grow cold. Bao had always been an easy going man but when he grew angry he grew it 12 feet high. "Y-yes sir."
"Than why were you speaking against your fellow soldiers earlier today Huang? Don't deny it for I heard it with my own ears and I couldn't ever forget your weapon. If you do lie you shall die like your father before you, now speak!" yelled Bao.
"I was speaking against my fellow men and also against are leader Zhang Jue," replied Huang.
"Why did you do such a traitorous deed if you hate the Han so much?" asked Zhang Bao.
"I do hate the Han! It's just….the men are acting like those that raped my sisters. They are no more than rogues raping the land for they now have power. And your brother he is no longer a just ruler. He hides away like a coward while we fight. I can not fight with honor with such a leader, sir!" Huang realized what he just said and to who and fear once against pierced his stomach like a blade.
Bao stood up and slowly walked over to Huang and rested his hand on his shoulder. He gazed into the young man's eyes and walked towards his bookcase. Huang couldn't see what he removed, but Bao was now walking back to him holding his book.
"Do not fear my soldier, for I too have thought your words for years now. I won't let harm come to you if I do the same and against my own blood. You are a good man and if you want to leave the army you may do so," said Bao.
"Sorry sir but with you still here I can never leave for then I would be a traitor. I shall fight alongside you until the day you die!" said Huang.
"Thank you friend. But I fear that day is coming soon. The Han is crumbling but there are other forces gathering that will takes its place of power. Strong forces that is lead by great spirits, great minds, and great warriors, and the only way they can do so is with our downfall," said Bao with a strange look on his face.
"No sir, the Yellow Dragon shall live forever!" said Huang.
"Don't be so naïve boy. Nothing will ever last forever, and your stay with me shall end soon too. Like I said I feel your destiny lies elsewhere. That's why I give you this book," with that said Bao handed Huang an old text. The manual that every great general had Sun Tzu's Art of War.
"Read that wisely my friend Xu Huang. Study it as I did once, but not only for war. Study it to learn about peace so you don't become corrupted. Now it is late and we must rest up for the day of battle is coming. When you have as much experience as I do you will gain this uncanny technique as well," said Zhang Bao.
"Goodnight sir," Huang said as he bowed again with his mighty ax and manual.
Bao looked at his men and then diverted his eyes towards the Heavens. The sky was clear that night and the stars were gathered in the thousands. Every twinkle sparked an idea in a young man's mind as it did once for him and his brothers. And several men had been gazing at the stars that night, and in each one a new idea had been born…