To fangking's review. Let me explain my character a little bit. He is basically the Sean in charge of all the worlds related to romance of the three kingdoms. My Profile is now updated with info on the Seans. Please take a look! Ps, sorry that the chapter before is short and if you find this one short and terrible, my apologies. So sorry it took so long
"This is the situation." Explained Kazuto as he showed everyone a map of the are around Luoyang. "According to scouts, the rebels are being lead by three leaders(the three men in the anime who are always different people in every episode), so their attacking by three directions." Concluded Kazuto as he pointed the north, east and west of the Capital with his finger, showing the most possible routes they will appear.
"So what do you think we should do to suppress them?" Asked Sousou. "We only have 30000 troops. And even if we have Shoon's 15000 troops, we are still outnumbered by 15000 troops. So, does anyone have any strategies to defeat them?" She asked that to everyone in the room.
Before anyone could reply to the question, a young and lively voice was heard throughout the room.
"I have a brilliant one to use to beat them up with!" It exclaimed with excitement.
Everyone turned to see T'anchou with four women wth him. While three of them were complete strangers, one of them was recognized instantly.
"Suikyou-sensei!" Exclaimed Koumei and Houtou as they ran towards their teacher and hugged her with tears of happiness on their eyes. Their teacher did likewise when she too embraced her students with happy and waiting arms.
"I am so proud of both of you ( in this version, Houtou had went along with Ryubi and the others to get the Nanman elephant bellybutton lint and also helped in the battle by offering the idea of using the green butterfly mask to disguise Choukaku to be Ryubi and using that box to hid away the real Ryubi instead of Koumei )! You have brought peace to this world after all this time. I am more than happy to call you both my daughters." She said happily, embacing them even tighter.
"Mo...other." Choked both Koumei and Houtou, clearly deeply touched by what their teacher had called them and are crying even more now.
"Aisha, who is she? She seems very motherly to both Shuri-chan and Hinari-chan." Asked Kazuto curiously, cocking his head a little ( in this story, he hasn't met Shibaki before ).
"This is Shibaki-dono, Shuri's and Houtou-san's teacher. She adopted them when they lost their parents in the war." Answered Kan'u with an affectionate smile on her face.
"So that's what Shuri's and Hinari's teacher looks like, sure is beyond my expectations." Thought Kazuto thoughtfully.
"Sensei, have you forgotten about us?" demanded the first girl on the left who shouted just now in the first place.
"Oh, right. Shuri, Hinari. These girls are my new students that I had adopted after you were both gone on your trip." She then started introducing the two girls, along with the others, to the girl on the right. The young girl was of same height as the other two, which is the same height as Koumei and Houtou, had short brown hair with a golden hairpin holding up the rest of her long, tied up hair, she was also wearing a similar outfit just like the two other girls, Koumei and Houtou except that it is a dark-orange colour and that her ribbon-attached hat is a small orange top hat. She was reading a book but immediately looked at both Koumei and Houtou with calculating but sincere saphire eyes when they approached her.
"This is Ryokare, she was the daughter of a rich merchant who was a friend of mine. Unfortunately, he and his wife were killed during a robbery on a trip across the Chang River. According to his will, she would be in my care if he were to die suddenly untill she is old enough to inherit his fortune. She is quiet but she loves books as much as you two of you."
"Hello, Ryokare-san!" Greeted Koumei happily to her
"Ni...ni..nice to meet you!" Exclaimed Houtou nervously, closing her eyes tightly and extending her already trembling hand to their new sister-student.
Ryokare held her book with one hand, took Houtou's hand with the other and shook it firmly but tenderly. "Nice to finally meet you both, Koumei-san and Houtou-san. Suikyou-sensei has told me so much about you. Please call me by my Real name, Himari." She said with a small smile on her face.
"Then please, call me by my Real name as well, Himari-chan." Replied Koumei with a smile on her face.
"Mi...mine too." Muttered Houtou quietly, her cheeks flushing a little.
"Then, it is please to meet you, Shuri-san and Hinari-san." Ryokare bowed politely in response, the latters doing the same. Suikyou-sensei then introduced them to the second girl in the middle. She had white shoulder-length hair, ruby-coloured eyes, a grey-cloured dress with a matching french feather hat with bow and a cold but kind smlie on her face.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shiba 'i, but you can call me by my Real name, Erika. It is a pleasure to meet you" She shook their hands as she said that.
"Her older brother sent her to my care after their parents had disappeared after a meeting with some corrupt officials. He sent her to me should they try to come after her while he is now in hiding." Shiba 'i had a somber face when Suikyo explained her background.
"It happened right at the night of my birthday. They promised to be there to celebrate it with me." She muttered sadly, her eyes almost at the brink of tears.
"Don't cry, Erika-chan! I'm sure your brother misses you everyday and hopes to be reunited with you as soon as possible. Until then, you have us and Sensei to be with you!" Exclaimed Houtou suddenly, much to Koumei's and Suikyo's surprise at her outburst.
"Th..thank you, Hinari-chan. I too wish to be with him and together try to look for our parents. But untill then, I am glad to be in your company" Replied Shiba 'i as she wiped away the tears on her eyes and put on a cheerful smile on her face.
"I'm also happy to have a sister like you. Welcome to the family, Erika-chan." Said Koumei happily.
"Thank you for accepting me, Shuri-chan. May we become good sisters." Wished Shiba 'i as she took both of Koumei' hands with her own and shook them gently, surprisng her a little bit.
"Hey! Have you all forgotten about me!" Exclaimed the third girl in the row, tapping her foot impatiently.
Koumei, Houtou and Suikyo looked at the last girl, surprised at her outburst. She was wearing a dark-green dress with a cowboy hat with ribbon, with amythest eyes and short, spiky azure-coloured hair.
"The name is Joshu, but call me by my Real name, Wari." She said in a tomboyish manner.
"How did get to know Suikyo-sensei, Wari-san?" Asked Koumei.
Josho then became a little somber"My parents sent me to Suikyo-sensei's place to teach me the art of strategy. But when we got there, Mother and Father were lost in the fog." Said Josho with a sad smile on her face.
The two girls, and everyone else were stunned hearing this.
"Kinda funny, huh? When the fog had cleared, Sensei, Erika, Himari and I went to look out for them to look for them. When we found them, they were at the bottom of a crevice." She continued, tears already seeping out of her eyes.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Wari-san." Houtou offered her condolences.
"Me too." Agreed Koumei sadly.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm just happy to finally meet you both. Shuri-chan and Hinari-chan." Replied Josho, wiping her tears away and facing them with a cheerful smile on her face.
"Now that I have introduced my officers to you. Let us now hear Miss Wari's plan." Said Shoon as he approached to the map, implying to continue the discussion.
"Shoon, you don't mean to say that these girls are your generals?" Asked Kazuto in surprise.
"Yes, they are. When I took over both Xuzhong and Xingye pass, I dismissed the officials working there as they were corrupt and pleasure-seeking. I then went to Suikyo-sensei's home and managed to get their services. I also brought her along to look after them." Replied Shoon happily. "Now, Wari-chan. What is your strategy to beat them?"
Josho then her attention to the map and started to give out instructions. She first started giving instructions to the Shoku generals.
"Right, of course my Lord. First, Kan'u-san and Chōhi-san will take on the attack on the left side with 5000 troops. Bachō-san and Cho'un-san, with 5000 troops, would then launch an ambush on the enemy's rear with Kōchū-san covering them. The right side would be protected by both Kakōton-san and Kakōen-san while Gakushin-san, Ukin-san and Riten-san with the same number of troops. Finally, Kannei-san and Shūtai-san will do the same with Kōgai-san, Kayū-san and Bunshū-san as the ambushers. Any questions before I continue?" She asked after she was done explaining her plan to everyone.
"What about the rest of us? What are our roles for this battle?" Demanded Enshō, irritated that she isn't part of the plan.
"All the faction leaders, remaining generals and advisors are to guard Luoyang with the rest of our forces and to make emergency prepartions to escape from the battle and head to Xuzhong along with the people residing here and the imperial court should the Rebels manage to enter the Capital while fighting us." Explained Josho calmy.
Before anyone could reply, an angy scream was heard.
"What! Do you expect us to not participate the battle and run away like rats if we lost the battle! Don't expect me, a noble to protect and escort peasents when we could simply fight them with all we got!" Exclaimed Enshō angrily at Josho.
Josho was frightened by this outburst and would have backed off if Shiba 'i hadn' t stepped in between them and protected her student-sister from the furious leader of the En faction.
"Aren't you a noble because of your family's loyalty towards the Empire and the people? If you do this, your fame as a kind subject of the people will spread throughout the land, resulting to even more people coming to serve you as soldiers and advisors And besides, the imperial court might handsomely reward you for your services of protecting the Capital or protecting the Emporer." She said with a reassuring smile on her face.
"You do have a point." Replied Enshō thoughtfully, grinning from ear to ear of the fame and glory she would gain from this battle.
"Thanks for the help, Erika." Said Josho as she heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of Enshō forgeting about her.
"No problem." Replied Shiba 'i.
"Hmmm, she seems to be able to convince people to obey anything that was ordered to them." Thought Sousou to herself. "Of course, this is Enshō we are talking. She might just only be luky at that point. Still..."
"What a clever and persuasive tongue you have, Shiba 'i-san. I have heard that the Shiba Clan was known for it's talented speakers, you are a good piece of evidence to show the reliability of this rumour." Praised Sousou with a nod as a sign of respect and acknowledgement.
"Karin-sama..." Muttered Juniku quietly to herself
"Thank you for the compliment, Sousou-dono." Replied Shiba 'i witha nod in return. "Long have I myself heard that the young Queen of Gi is well known for her taste of talented people, now I know that this is indeed an actual fact."
"Can we get back to this now please?" Asked Kazuto politely, everyone else nodded and turned back to the current situation
"I'm sure that it is fair to say that everyone agrees to this plan?" He asked
Everyone nodded in unison.
"Good, while we were disscussing about this matter, a scout had given me the latest report. I t seems that even though it will be an attack from three sides, the leaders themselves aren't in their respective groups but are actually making a fourth attack on our south gate." Explained Kazuto as he placed abother army token representing the Rebels on the south side of Luoyang.
"A sneak attack, how cunning." Commented Sonsaku with a sly smile on her face.
"How are we going to handle this little problem?" Asked Enjutsu curiously.
"It's simple, Lord Kazuto, Ladies Ryubi, Sonken, Sousou and Lord Shoon will handle that with a night raid." Explained Ryokare.
Everyone, except the ones involved in this new addition to this plan, screamed. "Ehhhh!"
"Hmmm, no problem." Replied Kazuto, the three young Queens also agreed to this plan.
"This is going to to be fun." Muttered Shoon delightfully, rubbing his hands together.
