Runan province was never renowned for its wealth, at least in regards to golds or monetary goods. If one looked at its value in terms of crop and export, however, one might have considered it being worth of being the constant target of recent bandit and Shanyue raids. Perhaps this was what pushed farmers to abandon their fields and replace their gardening tools with swords and spears, or perhaps it was a sense of pride and the resiliency to simply allow criminals to raid their stores and homes and trample their fields with no respect for their hard work and sacrifice. Or perhaps it was the reward that the young Sun lord from the south offered that appealed to their desire to free themselves from the monetary pitfall that they found themselves trapped in? Whatever the reason, Deng Dang was content with the turnout.

Even if it meant splitting the reward multiple ways, he preferred it that way. Better to split the earnings than to find himself and his unit horribly outnumbered when it came to dealing with the likes of the Shanyue barbarians.

In all honesty, Sun Ce's edict and reward were not entirely necessary to entice people to move into action against the ones that threatened to ravage their province, but it certainly didn't hurt when pulling in the numbers. To the people of Runan, there was no love or sympathy to spare for the barbarians that harassed them. 'And good,' Deng Dang thought as he looked over the rather hodge-podge troops that had gathered at the makeshift barracks with some matter of pride swelling in his chest. Outwardly there was little unity among the troops that had gathered and his own soldiers seemed to stick out among the crowd like a sore thumb, but to see so many farmers among them willing to take a stand, even at the risk of their own lives, gave him hope.

As well as the starting of an ulcer.

While Deng Dang was unimaginably pleased with the turnout, he was more than a little concerned about supplies, and more so than that, the condition of his growing unit. Few had ever fought in combat, even fewer of them had held a sword or spear! One recruit already managed to injure himself before they had even marched out and it took much convincing to make him leave to tend to himself. They needed training, his second Fa Shi said to him earlier in the day, and while he was absolutely correct, there was simply no time. Their solution was to train them on the road and pray that it'd be enough.

"With any luck, we'll act as either the supply line or back-up," Fa Shi said to him, catching up with the lieutenant as they marched on towards the edge of Fupo, eager to leave the village behind and get on the way. Despite their inexperience, there was little remorse in the recruit's eyes as they passed through the entrance of their village, for some might never see it again, and Deng Dang could only admire them more for that. Either bravery or ignorance, it was admirable to see none of them look back. As the scenery changed from a tattered and barely kept buildings and walls to open fields, littered with the farmers either too old or unable, and unwilling, to enlist, Deng Dang began to plot the next few days in his mind, trying to think of important dates and strategies, and how he'd squeeze in training for the new recruits between here and their next rendezvous with Lord Sun Ce himself. Not that Fa Shi was helping any. "Every horse we have is tied to a carriage and it won't be long before the new recruits start to complain about their legs and feet."

"I'm sure there will be something for our men to do, though I'm more concerned to keeping our supplies in our hands on the way there." Deng Dang looked back at their caravan and was content to see that all three carriages were surrounded by a fair number of soldiers. Though he'd prefer there'd be more security, as the Shanyue weren't opposed to altering their patterns and going out of the way to attack a heavily guarded caravan just to see what was inside. He said none of these things aloud to Fa Shi or any of his men, however, as he was more determined to get his men and the supplies to their destination before any barbarians caught wind of their movement. "I want eyes on them at all times. Lord Sun Ce's counting on us to deliver food and I certainly don't wish to disappoint any member of that family."

Fa Shi wore a smile that would have gotten him a good scolding, had anyone higher than a lieutenant were present now. "No, angering tigers is usually a bad thing."

That was another concern that Deng Dang had, but he knew better than to even mention it. Their route would take them through a dense forest and though none had seen a tiger prowling in this region, it didn't mean that running into one wasn't within the realm of possibilities. Every second his ulcer was getting worse and worse and he looked out into the open fields to take his mind off the matter of tigers and barbarians.

Curious eyes from the farmers were upon them as they passed by on the road, offering their silent appreciation, farewells to their fellow farmers who sought fame and glory elsewhere and general good luck in silent nods. Deng Dang returned the gesture with little thought, as his mind turned elsewhere. One farmer even bowed to them as they passed, reminding him of something very, very important. "Fa Shi, do me a favor and check the contents of the carriages."

It was a simple request and had he given the order to anyone else, they'd simply salute and obey. Fa Shi, however, wore a forlorn expression, all humor gone within seconds. He was obviously thinking the same thing as he was. "You don't think-"

"Just do it. Humor me."

And then Fa Shi wore a wry grin, bowing his head before he ran back to the caravan. "I'm afraid to, sir. The joke's getting old."

Deng Dang shared the same sentiments. Yes, it was getting old, except that he knew it wasn't a joke. As Fa Shi moved to the first carriage, Deng Dang took a moment to survey they farm, hoping to spot a familiar figure among the farmers to put his mind at ease. He didn't want to think that there'd be a problem so early in their operation, but the feeling in his gut wouldn't allow him to take any chances at this point. By the time Fa Shi moved to the third carriage, they were passing by the last stretch of rice fields, where a line of humble looking huts were stationed between the nearby forest and Fupo. There weren't usually people hanging around that area at this time of day, especially when the fields needed tended, but today seemed to be an exception. The wives, mothers and sisters of the newest recruits stood near the huts, too distraught to tend to their work just yet and those unable to work helping their fellow sisters cope with their loved one's departure. It pained him to see such a reaction and he hoped his recruits wouldn't lose spirit at the sight of it, but it seemed out of his power to instruct them to look elsewhere. They had made their decision and now they had to commit. For the sake of their village, their fields and, most importantly, for the people they loved.

His gaze immediately shot to the hut third to the end, distinguishable to him not due to any outward sign or physical differences, but the ones who resided there. Even from this distance, he could see two of the inhabitants of that hut, the elder woman comforting her neighbor who sobbed uncontrollably and her daughter standing at the doorway. There was a considerable distance between them, but Deng Dang could memorize every single detail of her beautiful, heart-shaped face. There was a sadness lingering in her dark eyes, but also, understanding and strength that most women her age lacked, but only because she had fought hard to earn it. Their eyes locked, even from this distance and she didn't spare a wave for him. Instead, she gave him an approving nod, and once he returned the gesture, she was content enough to retreat back into the hut.

As much as it did his heart well to know she supported him and their troops, she wasn't the one he longed to see. Instead, it was her younger brother and he looked until he spotted the youth. He was off near side of the hut, hoe in hand and his back turned to the unit that marched on, as if to will himself to ignore their presence when others were captivated by it. Despite the distance and the angle, he'd recognize that profile from anywhere and immediately, the fist in his stomach uncurled itself and allowed for the lieutenant to relax. And if that wasn't enough, Fa Shi's report eased the rest of his anxieties on the matter. "Checked every single one of them. Nothing but food, water and the usual stuff, sir."

"Thank the ancestors for that," Deng Dang said, pointing to the youth that outright refused to look towards them for Fa Shi to see. "Maybe he's finally found some damn sense."

"Or maybe she knocked some into him, if he couldn't find it. He seems resentful."

"You think so?" Deng Dang didn't bother to consider that possibility simply because he knew he was. He knew that family well, too well, and Fa Shi's assumption wasn't entirely inaccurate either. He hoped that wasn't the case, but it wasn't a concern of his anymore. Knowing that he was here, in Fupo, tending the fields even if begrudgingly, was enough for him to let the matter slide and focus on the more important task of mobilizing his unit to the rendezvous point and get his men prepared and trained along the way. The more he thought about it, the more he hoped Fa Shi was right one their role in the upcoming operation. He would address the matter with Lord Sun Ce when they reached Changsha, barring any unforeseen incidents. "Have a scout run ahead. I'll have Yu Mao act as the vanguard in case we run into any trouble. Take the rear and keep an eye out for any of our enemy or tigers."

Fa Shi gave a tight salute and had waited until he was well out of arm's reach before he commented in a low but snide tone. "Or Lü Meng's…"

"I really wish you wouldn't joke about that. Get going."

In a way, Deng Dang should have known better. His gut instincts had warned him several times throughout the trip to go back and check Fa Shi's work but his mind refused to let him obey, distracting him with the daunting task ahead of him and how he was going to train the new recruits along the way. They had made such good time that day and surprisingly enough there were fewer complaints than what he was expecting from the farmers turned soldiers. They only stopped when it became too dark and the path too dangerous for them to venture out alone, and even then, his gut was telling him to check the carriages, check the boxes, check the supplies. But he didn't. He busied himself with reports from his scouts and his men, allowing his soldiers to handle the supply carriages and the preparation for camp. He should have listened to his gut.

"Stowaway!"

He had been dreading that word, almost as much as news of their enemy or tigers. Someone might as well have screamed 'disaster' or 'ambush' at him, as though it brought confusion in the ranks, Deng Dang knew exactly what the shout had meant, and who it was referring to. He wanted to kid himself and think that it was someone else- a thief that was attracted to the horse-drawn carriages and the heavy patrol that guarded them, or an enemy spy that hoped to either overhear their plans or assassinate him in the middle of rest. Not that he was looking forward to any of those possibilities, but it would have been nice to pretend that it wasn't who he was dreading it'd be.

There was a slight ruckus and Deng Dang moved to put an end to it quickly. The last thing he wanted was the new recruits or the horses getting spooked because the guard that caught the stowaway overreacted. Recruits stood at the ready but thankfully no one had raised their weapons yet, as the officer pulled the stowaway away from the carriage and pushed him at Deng Dang's general direction. It didn't bring Deng Dang any pleasure to see the youth stumble on his feet and fall to the ground in front of him- if anything, it threatened to snap his waning patience and he checked the officer before he could remove his sword from his sheath. "Don't. That won't be necessary."

"But, sir-"

Deng Dang didn't say anything, raising his hand and giving the officer a stern look, before casting his gaze down at their stowaway. By now, the youth had managed to push himself into a more respectable position in front of him, prostrating himself into a kowtow though Deng Dang wasn't fooled in the least. Though he bowed, he was completely still, no shaking or trembling, which meant there was no fear in him when there should have been. It was enough to drive Deng Dang insane! "As for you, Lü Meng, I have every right to let this man cut you down right now, but I won't. For now. You, have Fa Shi and Yu Mao report to my tent," he said to the guard, trying so desperately hard not to let too much of his anger bubble out right now, though not for the youth's sake or even his own, but for the recruits right now. He didn't want to scare them so early in their journey and he was afraid that if he let them see just how deep that anger of his went that they'd find him more terrifying than any barbarian they'd face. "We'll discuss the fate of our stowaway there."

"Yes, sir!" The officer said, and once he left, Deng Dang leaned down and pulled the teenager to his feet, trying not to grunt when he offered some resistance though it was short lived. He stood but not quite at his full height just yet and he kept his head down, though Deng Dang wasn't sure if it was out of defiance or respect or fear that Lü Meng didn't look at him. He'd straighten that out once they were alone, and if there wasn't fear in him, he'd have to work it into him himself, because there should have been!

Neither officer made him wait for long and Fa Shi was besides himself when he arrived, barely waiting to take his helmet off before running his mouth, muffling out a part of his rant though no one felt the need to ask him to repeat himself. "... heaven's name did you manage to stowaway in the carriage? I checked them himself!"

"That's what I'm curious to find out as well." Deng Dang couldn't blame his second for his anger and he was grateful that he managed to keep it contained in a shout and not striking at the youth that had yet to say anything since he dragged him in. Yu Mao's reaction was more tamed, though he was relatively new to his unit and so he didn't have to deal with Lü Meng's antics nearly as much as he and Fa Shi had. Now that they were all present, he drew his attention back to the troublemaker and rejoiced in silence when he caught him flinch. "So, how did you do it this time? I know Fa Shi checked each carriage thoroughly. Explain."

He took in Lü Meng's expression, despite his efforts to keep his gaze diverted. He knew this game. He was pretending to be respectful or ashamed, but Deng Dang knew better than that. More likely he was hiding a grin, getting some measure of glee in outsmarting both of them for this long. Even now he caught a glimmer in his deep green eyes as he finally confessed. "He didn't check the ceiling of the second carriage. He never looks up."

"Ancestors…"

"Hush, Fa Shi." Deng Dang cut him off before he could give Lü Meng anymore fuel. He may have tried to hide it but Deng Dang could see the way the edges of his lips tightened to hide the desire to smile. He wished he'd try a little harder for Fa Shi's sake, but he came to expect little from the unruly teenager these days. "Alright, so you clung to the ceiling. For the entire trip, or only when he came to check?"

"Only when he came to check. I couldn't stay up that long."

'So the whole time.' Deng Dang shook his head, not meaning to suspect the worst out of the youth but far too weary to take him at face value now. This wasn't the first time he'd do thing and he felt the tingling of indignation swelling in his gut that Lü Meng had the nerve to think that he wouldn't have caught on by now. He wouldn't try that trick again, at least not from the ceiling. "From now on, I'll be inspecting them, ceilings and the undercarriage. Maybe even under the horses if you're stupid enough to try that, even! Alright, so now explain how you managed the trick on the field. Who was that?"

That definitely wiped the smile off of his face but Lü Meng was a good sport about it at least. That'd just mean he'd have to find another way of sneaking in the next time, and the lieutenant was irritated that he wasn't even willing to delude himself that there wouldn't be a next time. Lü Meng glanced away but said nothing, and Deng Dang took the silence at an opportunity to guess, immediately wishing he was wrong. "Was it Chinmai?"

Lü Meng didn't say anything but the way his shoulders hunched told him all he needed to know. Fa Shi and Yu Mao didn't understand that body language, but Deng Dang did, and now there was nothing that could contain the lieutenant's anger. "You… idiot! Using your sister like that!"

"She wanted to do it," Lu Meng said with a shout and now it made sense why he was holding himself in such a manner, as Deng Dang strode forward from his desk and cuffed the teenager on the head. Lü Meng let out a grunt but made no move to fight back or defend himself. The wisest decision all day for him, but one that would be undone mere seconds later by simply opening his mouth to speak. "I didn't even ask her to-"

He was cut off by another cuff, this time pelting him on the temple and Deng Dang suspected he might have hit him a little too hard that time, but he refused to apologize in front of his men. No, if there were to be any apologies and that'd be a big IF, it'd wait until he was alone with the teenager, but he didn't see it in the near future. After the second strike, Lü Meng's shoulders grew tense and his hands balled into fists, but he went silent once more, knowing that whatever he'd say would only earn him a third strike. "It doesn't matter, Lü Meng! Chinmai had no business being out there in her condition. You could have made it worse."

Only now did Yu Mao interject, but it wasn't for Lü Meng's sake that he did so. "Who's Chinmai?"

"Lü Chinmai, Meng's sister." Fa Shi answered, trying to fathom how not only Lü Meng but Chinmai managed to pull the deception off. "His twin sister, though they never looked too much alike. How did she manage to pull that off?"

Deng Dang didn't give Lü Meng a chance to answer, trying to reign his anger back in before it got the better of him but failing miserably. The only relief he felt that it was concealed to the rest of his troops besides Fa Shi and Yu Mao, as small of a reprise as that was now. "Hay, probably, stuffed under her garments. Not to mention being viewed at the distance they were at, there was no way we could have spotted the differences. For the love of… Lü Meng, what could you possibly have been thinking, coming with us like this? Do you have any idea what we're doing?"

It was an invitation to talk, but now Lü Meng was showing some hesitation. Maybe he struck him too hard that second time? He looked him over and saw no blood or cuts, but it'd probably bruise a little, nothing that the teenager couldn't handle and certainly not the worst he ever sported. Before Deng Dang could strike him again, he managed to collect his voice, no pain or fear in it though there was some hesitation as he spoke. "Yes sir. We're going to fight the Shanyue, and I wanted to help."

Deng Dang shook his head as he cried, "But you're too young! You're only thirteen!"

"Fifteen." Lü Meng corrected, and he braced for another attack that, thankfully, did not come. "And it doesn't matter. I want to help."

"Like hell it doesn't matter! You're too young to be marching into battle like this!"

Fa Shi stepped in before it could become a yelling match, though he was smart to keep his distance between the two. Though young, Lü Meng was tall and rather stout for his age and while he was willing to take a few blows from the lieutenant, he was certain that he wouldn't tolerate any of that from his officers. "Fa Shi, Yu Mao, can you please step out for a moment so that I can talk some sense into Lü Meng?"

Neither argued nor disobeyed. If anything, they seemed eager to get out of there, now that the tension was becoming near unbearable. They left without so much as a parting glance or a word to the youth nor their commander. The silence that filled the tent was thick, dense and downright suffocating, but neither one was willing to be the first to break it. Finally, Deng Dang cracked under the pressure and caved in, though his voice barely carried any weight and thus made whatever he had to say nothing more than empty words. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in? Or I'm in, for that matter?"

"A lot," Lü Meng answered promptly. Little by little, the tension was easing up but neither dropped their guard.

"Your mother will be enraged with us both, you know that, right?"

Again, not much good could be said for the troublesome youth, but he was at least quick to respond and never bothered to flatter him with words. "Very, very angry. She'll probably have us black and blue when we come back."

"She'll have -you- black and blue. I'll be dead! You'll make poor Yenji an early widow and then she'll beat you black and blue in my honor." Deng Dang shook his head, the impulse to smack Lü Meng again strong but the impulse to laugh even stronger. He kept his gaze averted so that Lü Meng wouldn't get any ideas that he wasn't taking the matter seriously. Anyone else and the punishment might have been swift, even deadly, and he was certain that Lü Meng knew that and was taking advantage of it in some way. "Did you even think of your family when you committed to this? Have you considered how much this will affect them?"

Now Lü Meng rose his head to look at him straight on, and for a second he almost forgot the teenager was only fifteen years old as his stare pierced him. With it being just the two of them, there was no need to act meek, and it reflected in his voice. "Of course I did. I'm doing it for them."

"For them?"

"I'm tired of being helpless! I don't care if I'm too young, I want to help get them out of Fupo where they'll be safe."

Deng Dang considered the youth's words and knew he was being sincere. Lü Meng, nor anyone in that family, weren't known for withholding their feelings or sugarcoating their words, though never did they come off as unfriendly or prickly. Just honest in regards to their feelings or opinions, whether the matter called for brutal honesty or not. So he knew that Lü Meng was being honest with him and that it didn't help Deng Dang in the least. "Alright, so you say, but how do you think you can accomplish that here?"

"By… killing barbarians." There was a small inflection in his voice at the end as confusion struck him at the last minute, as though he were perplexed that there'd be any more to his scheme.

"So, you're doing this to kill barbarians and not because of the reward that Lord Sun Ce offered?"

Neither answer was a good one. To admit that he wanted to kill the Shanyue indiscriminately would imply that he held bloodthirsty tendencies. However, to admit that he was in it for the reward would imply that he was greedy. Both were highly frowned upon and wouldn't fly well with his mother when he returned the youth home. Eventually, Lü Meng admitted, some hint of shame coating his words as he spoke. "I'd… use the money to buy Yenji's dowries, so that you can finally take us out of Fupo, like you promised you would."

It wasn't exactly what Deng Dang was expecting the teenager to say and he could not even bother to try and hide it. It was a rather taboo subject in and of itself within the family and to his officers as well, and for Lü Meng to bring it up so readily told Deng Dang just how much thought his future brother-in-law had given this matter. It brought Yenji so much shame that she couldn't afford the dowries but never had she asked or pleaded with another for help, even from her own kin. It'd be 'beneath her', she said, to expect others to give her assistance, and the lieutenant had tried to respect her decision, even when he wanted to bypass the matter entirely.

And now it seemed that Lü Meng had forced him to make a move, because he knew that the moment he confessed that, Deng Dang couldn't send him back, not without breaking Yenji's heart.

"You're going to be the death of me, Meng," Deng Dang said with a sigh, the last of his defenses breached but the fight still raging on though apparently on its final stretch. He wanted to feel angry and yet the feeling didn't stick. He was angry, but Lü Meng was no longer the cause of it. "You're too young to fight-"

"But sir-"

"Shut your mouth and let me finish before I pop you again. You're fifteen years old and you've never carried anything heavier than a hoe. Our swords are a lot heavier than they look, and with armor on it'd be even heavier, with an even shorter range than what a hoe could give you."

Again, Lü Meng tried to interrupt, but Deng Dang was a man of his word, cutting him off with an open-palmed slap to the back of his head before he could even get any further than a syllable. "What did I tell you, boy? Now, have you ever taken a life?"

Lü Meng was hesitant to answer, but not because of being ashamed to admit the truth. Deng Dang lowered his hands to his side to show that he wouldn't strike him for now, and only then did the teenager answer. "Once."

Deng Dang was almost impressed, but it didn't last long. "Animals don't count."

"... then no, sir. If animals don't count, then none."

"And with having no experience with a sword or moving around in armor and no blood on your hands, you want me to allow you to enlist? What if you can't handle it? What if you freeze up? What if you're better off staying home? If you're here, then who is at home, protecting your family?"

He did not mean to be so forward and he suspected he'd come off as cold and belittling, but he knew better. He couldn't let Lü Meng think, even for a second, that he could make such a decision on a whim and that there wouldn't be any consequences from his actions. He would be punished for stowing away on this operation, there was no question of that, but merely what his punishment should be. Then of course there was the matter of what -his- own punishment would be, for allowing one so young to accompany them on this operation. He'd already be receiving an earful from Lü Meng's mother and that alone would have been enough, but he knew it wouldn't end there. If he were to show up to the Sun lord with a child among his ranks, he'd be the laughing stock of the entire operation and the ridicule that he'd receive, or what Lü Meng and his entire family would receive, could have been even worse than anything that dear Shilimai would throw at them. And then, there was the possibility that Lü Meng could very well die, and then how could he ever face his family again? How could Yenji ever forgive him if he allowed any harm to fall upon her brother?

The easiest solution would be to send him home, and he knew he should have. But he knew he couldn't. Even before he confessed what he would use his reward money for, Deng Dang knew that nothing short of rendering him unconscious and strapping him onto a horse would send Lü Meng back to Fupo, and they didn't have the horses to spare as every single one was tied to a carriage. Even after he barraged him with what he thought was a dose of well-needed reality and after a few justly deserved swipes, he still stood there, feet planted firmly beneath him and the way he lowered his head did nothing to hide that determination he saw in his eyes and how it only seemed to grow in strength. Also, a part of him knew that the reward wasn't what called to Lü Meng, and it was knowing just how deep his near hatred of the Shanyue lied that made Deng Dang want to enlist him. Just like the rest of the new recruits that had joined at Fupo, Lü Meng's reasons to dislike the Shanyue was personal and Deng Dang couldn't blame him, or any of them. There was no love for the Shanyue, as sad as it was to think that. Knowing what he knew, he couldn't send him home. Not now.

"Fa Shi! Yu Mao!" He waited until both men were back in his tent before addressing either them or Lü Meng, and when he did, he made sure any mirth or anything that could be construed as mirth was void from his voice. Nothing he was going to say should be taken lightly. "Yu Mao, take Lü Meng here and have him suit up. His size shouldn't be a problem. Lucky bastard hit his growth spurt early on. Just pray he doesn't hit another one along the way-"

The atmosphere changed dramatically and neither man could hold in their surprise. The first to speak was Yu Mao himself. "But he's-"

"Shut up, I know. If he's old enough to decide to join us, then he's old enough to die with us." Deng Dang did not mean to snap, nor did he mean to be so grim, but he simply had no control left. Thus far, Lü Meng hadn't said anything, but he counted on him being too overwhelmed to say anything yet, not so much that he had suddenly been blessed with common sense. "Issue him a spear. It's the closest thing we have to a hoe and the range should do him some good. A sword's standard, but too different and he'll be too encumbered for it to be of any use to him."

Yu Mao was still baffled by his orders, but his surprises didn't last long at all. Eventually, his face shifted from surprised to something akin to anger, before he bowed his head and fled the tent to retrieve the armor and spear for their newest recruit. Thinking little of it, Deng Dang turned to Fa Shi now. "He'll be your soldier, Fa Shi. I want you to be strict, stricter on him than on the other recruits. Make him a sparring dummy, target, errand runner, whatever you need to make an example of. I want our men and him," he said as he glared at the teenager, ready to pop him the moment he even tried to look smug, "That he would be taken any less serious or treated special among the ranks."

"It would be my pleasure."

Deng Dang had a feeling that he would come to regret his decision but that would be a problem he'd deal with later. For now, his priority was getting Lü Meng suited up and putting him to work. "Lü Meng, from here until the end of this operation, you're a soldier, which means you're expendable. At any time, we can be attacked. You will be in danger, just as much as any other soldier out there. The enemy will show you no mercy, nor will we. In fact, from here on out, you and I are no longer family. You're my subordinate, and I am your superior officer. Do you understand?"

Lü Meng didn't understand, but he'd never admit to it. No, the way his eyes lit up and how he strained not to smile told Deng Dang that the teenager didn't understand, not truly. He thought he understood, but he didn't, and the lieutenant could only hope that there'd be life left in Lü Meng at the time he would come to understand exactly what he was getting himself into. "Yes, sir! I'll give you my all."

"Don't make promises you can't… ah, nevermind. Just go find Yu Mao and get suited up before I let my conscious get the better of me!" Deng Dang made a waving motion with his hand and hoped it'd distract the teenager from the slightest hint of a smile that crept onto his face, and thankfully, he was too excited and eager to notice it, as he bowed his head and all but fled from the tent. The moment he was gone, though, he spun to face Fa Shi and waved a finger at him, catching his smile and the starts of a chuckle and seeking to put an end to it immediately. "And you, that'll be enough of that. I meant every word I said. I want you to be extremely hard on him."

"Why? So that we can send him running back home?" Fa Shi was trying his best to stiffen his laughter, though the look in Deng Dang's eyes did a great job in helping in the matter. There was so much remorse in those eyes that it'd be impossible to hold a smile or mirth of any kind, as merely looking at them sucked all of it out of him. Still, he held nothing against the lieutenant for that and cleared his throat, his tone very serious and his smile more polite than humored. "Don't worry, sir. I'll do my absolute best, short of terrorizing him. We may not want to scar him too bad, unless you want an angry Shilimai on our case when we return."

Deng Dang scoffed. "When… you say that with such confidence. Very well, I'll leave the matter in your hands. Use your discretion, just try not to look like you're having too much fun with this?"

Fa Shi gave a bow of his head, his smile only deepening but at least it wasn't fueled by the glee he'd have with whipping the teenager into shape, or at least Deng Dang could hope. "I'll do my best not to smile, then."

"Good, now let's get back to work. And pray that we're not ambushed by barbarians or tigers… or his mother, ancestors help us if that happens."