******************************************************
Death's Head - Disclaimer time… I don't own Dynasty Warriors 4. Koei does. I do however own a copy of the game, and soon Dynasty Warriors 4 Extreme Legends, as well as copies of the 2nd and 3rd installments of this series. This is my first DW4 story, so please bear with me.
This story is based on Dynasty Warriors 4, specifically it's edit officer option. Yes, this is a story with Original characters in it, interacting with the officers of each main force. There's going to be two original characters in this story, which I own both of them. The first officer is a Wu warrior called Shao Kang, and the second is his younger sister, Seung Mai.
******************************************************
Chapter Three :
Two Years later :
Inside Xu Chang palace :
In one of the gardens within the palace, the sound of a flute could be heard floating through the air. Zhang Liao, Wei general, walked into the garden, the music calling to him. He smiled as he saw the musician, sitting on a bench, playing a beautiful tune.
"Nice, very nice. You truly are an artist, Lady Zhen Ji."
Zhen Ji lowered her flute and smiled at the general.
"Thank you Lord Zhang Liao. At least someone around here, appreciates fine music."
Zhang Liao smirked and leaned against a nearby tree.
"I prefer to think of myself, as a cultured individual. But what about your husband? Does he not enjoy your music?"
Zhen Ji frowned and leaned back on the bench.
"Husband? Cao Pi? He's not my husband, all he wanted was someone to give him an heir. I gave him that and now he doesn't want anything to do with me."
Zhang Liao nodded slowly.
"A sign of the times, a woman's place is just to give children to her husband. If I were you, I'd go and find a life of my own."
Zhen Ji smiled.
"I have been thinking of the exact same thing myself Liao. I have nothing here. My son… I have not seen him, since I gave birth to him, a year ago. My… 'husband', has one of his concubines raising him."
Zhang Liao sighed.
"I know, I've seen how Cao Pi acts around Sun Li. He doesn't deserve you Ji, he doesn't even deserve to be…"
Zhen Ji stopped him.
"Don't say it Liao. You know of Sima Yi's ears, and how he gathers information around here."
Zhang Liao nodded slowly.
"And you know how I feel about him."
Zhen Ji sighed.
"I have to see my son Liao. He has to see his true mother, not that… imposter!"
Zhang Liao looked at the young woman before him and was amazed at her transformation from when he first encountered her. When Cao Pi brought her back to the Wei capital of Xu Chang two years ago, Zhen Ji was still a young woman, having only been married to Yuan Xi for a short period, not even a month, when Cao Cao's forces defeated Yuan Shao. Cao Pi had been the one to first encounter Zhen Ji, where she had been disguised as a simple maiden, in an attempt to escape. Cao Pi fell for her, and took her as his wife, and he was everything a husband should be… until Zhen Ji gave birth to his son, where he ignored her and spent more time with one of his own concubines.
Since that time, Zhen Ji has spent all of her time in this garden, playing her flute and silently wishing for the chance to see her son. To Zhang Liao, Zhen Ji deserved more, but he was in no position to do anything formally. However, he had also vowed to do anything in his power to assist the young woman, in her quest to find her place in this world, a world where women are expected just to bear heirs.
Zhen Ji looked at the older man.
"I know what you are thinking Liao. I'm sure I'll find my place, one of these days, and it will not be as a subservient maid to any man!"
Zhang Liao smiled broadly and bowed to Zhen Ji. He was about to respond, when the one eyed general, Xiahou Dun entered the garden.
"Zhang Liao, Zhen Ji, I should've guessed the two of you would be here," he smiled "Plotting evil thoughts and planning your united uprising."
Zhang Liao rolled his eyes.
"Really Dun, do you really think that's what Zhen Ji and myself are up to?"
Zhen Ji nodded, adding.
"Besides, Liao and myself could've been discussing other things…"
Xiahou Dun smirked.
"Like how inept your worthless husband is Ji?"
Zhen Ji sighed.
"That's just… one topic, up for discussion."
Xiahou Dun just nodded, as he crossed his arms across his chest.
"Well, even myself and brother Yuan, feel the same way about Pi. Still, all things considered, he's not the one to be worried about. Sima Yi is the one to be concerned about, which brings me to the reason I'm here."
Zhang Liao and Zhen Ji looked at each other and faced Xiahou Dun. Zhang Liao speaking first.
"Tell us, what has that snake thought of this time?"
Xiahou Dun shook his head, as if to shake the news away from him, but failing that he spoke.
"The two of you are to accompany myself, Yuan and Sima Yi towards the Wu territory. He convinced Cao Cao to initiate a surprise attack on Wu."
Zhang Liao sighed.
"Sounds to me as if Sima Yi wants to get rid of one of us."
Xiahou Dun nodded.
"Exactly. After all, it was he who had Huang Zhong assigned under Han Xuan, and looked what happened there."
Zhang Liao nodded.
"Sima Yi's agents tried to get Huang Zhong executed, but it was Wei Yan who not only saved the old man, but also killed Han Xuan, and the two defected to Shu, with some of their troop."
Xiahou Dun frowned.
"In any event, Yuan found out a little of Sima Yi's plan. He intends to get rid of one of you, permanently. With a death, Sima Yi will use that death to unite his faction and that of Cao Cao's together, in an attempt to lay down the foundation for his own dynasty."
Zhen Ji sighed.
"That sounds like him, to think of something like that."
Zhang Liao snorted.
"That snivelling weasel! I ought to…"
Xiahou Dun stopped Zhang Liao.
"Have no fear my friend. I intend to thwart Yi's plan, as does Yuan. All I ask of the two of you, is to be on your guard. You know how wily Yi is, so we must be cautious."
Zhang Liao nodded.
"You are correct Dun. Very well, I, Zhang Liao, shall endeavour to keep myself and the lady Zhen Ji safe, on this journey and subsequent battle."
Zhen Ji added.
"And if Sima Yi tries anything…"
Xiahou Dun smiled.
"In that case, I'm glad I'm not Sima Yi" he turned and headed towards the exit of the garden "Come on, Yuan is finishing the preparations. We leave as soon as he's done."
As Xiahou Dun left, Zhang Liao looked at Zhen Ji and was about speak, when a familiar scent wafted through the air. Zhen Ji smelt the same scent as well.
"That's a beautiful smell. I wonder, what could it be?"
Zhang Liao, knew all to well what that scent was. A scent he had only smelled once before, when he served under Lu Bu, at the imperial court of Luo Yang. The scent had belonged to the same household, Diao Chan had come from, in particular, the daughter of Wang Yun, Seung Mai. As soon as that name appeared in his mind, he thought immediately of the young officer, the brother of Seung Mai, Shao Kang, and wondered where the two siblings were now.
Zhen Ji looked at him.
"Liao? Is something the matter?"
Zhang Liao shook his head and then smiled at the young woman.
"Nothing's wrong. Come, let us join our comrades."
With that said, Zhang Liao turned and made his way to the exit. Zhen Ji watched him go, a look of concern on her young face.
*I wonder… could Zhang Liao be thinking of his past? Of the officers he had to abandon, thanks to Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo's escape?*
The young musician stood still, her flute by her side, then she turned and left the garden, the scent lingering in the air. However, after the garden was empty, Sima Yi stepped forth from the shadows, Zhang He by his side.
"Well, it would seem you were correct He. This scent had the desired effect upon Zhang Liao."
Zhang He nodded.
"But of course. Zhang Liao had a fondness for valuable warriors, and this scent combined with his own desire for justice, would obviously cause he to remember those he abandoned."
Sima Yi smiled.
"Good. Now all that remains is to deal with that witch."
Zhang He smirked.
"That shall be simplicity itself. After all, do we not have the permission of her lord to dispatch with her?"
Sima Yi chuckled evilly.
"That we do. He has grown sick of having her around. Hmm…, excellent. Soon, I shall be rid of one nuisance, and the other will remain out of duty they feel towards Cao Cao."
Zhang He bowed.
"And then, even our 'lord' may deign to address you, as lord."
Sima Yi laughed.
"Yesss… everything is proceeding according to plan, MY plan!!"
***********************************************************
Death's Head - I know, I know. Sima Yi is always the bad guy in my stories. What can I say? I just do not like the guy, he's too much of a sneaky, underhanded type of villain. Basically, he's a version of Dick Dastardly from Wacky Races, that's just pure evil. Besides, you have to have a villain in every story, and Sima Yi is the villain in my stories.
Sorry about the late update guys. Unfortunately, I won't be able to update my other Dynasty Warriors stories, for a little while. Reason being my main hard drive crashed, and I lost everything, all my stories, MP3's, AMV's, everything. I was fortunate enough to have this story, as well as three other, non DW related stories on a disc. I'll try to get the updates for the others ready ASAP. R&R please.