I don't own DW/ROTK

WOE- Thanks for the review, I bet this chapter remains you of the book and movie a lot

Chapter 4: The real world

Jianus- Thanks for your review, oh about the idea of writing a story about Gou Jia, I am working on a idea, of another non book based story, and he is going to be a big character in that, I just can't pick the main character right now.

Liu Bei sat in his chair in his plain simple office. He after what only could be described a year of learning was now the magistrate of Ping Yuan County. It was a decent but not overly great position, but one that took a long a hard road with help from friends to be able to get. Now though he new he was going to have to meet with one of those friends soon, and begin a march on a evil villain that he could of stopped earlier.

As Xuande fell asleep he his mind took him back to the begging of the long journey. It began a year before when he had meet with Liu Yan the governor of the district he was in. Yan gave the brothers a good welcome, and then had h is commander Zou Jing lead them out. Things got interesting as the neared the Zhou district, for when they got in the area a large force of Yellow Turbans under the command of Cheng Yuanzhi was marching in there path, the force was quite of bit large then theirs when they lined up across the battlefield. Xuande was at the very front of the lines when he saw the force.

He smiled to himself looking at the much larger force, and then yelled loudly "Traitors to the Han, surrender now."

He was happy when he noticed that his comment offended the commander of the turbans sent his second in command, Deng Mao out for a challenge. Xuande then notice happily that Yide rode out to meet the challenge. Yide leveled his serpent spear and ran Deng Mao though in just one pass. Then Yuanzhi quickly rode out to catch Yide by surprise, but Yuncheng noticed the move and rode right at the commander, giving his horse free ran as he moved. He hit Yuanzhi so quickly he was unable to put up a guard, and as a result was cut in two. Xuande smiled as he though about the how great of warriors his two brothers were, wondering if there were any in the empire that would even could beat them. After the defeat of there leaders the turbans ran in panic, dropping even there weapons as they ran. Xuande and his imperial force were able to capture a lot of men on that day, and Xuande hoped against hope that ever battle that was in front of him would be so easy.

After returning to Youzhou with the captured army, he and his brothers set out again to help out his old teacher Lu Zhi who was surround in Qingzhou, and after a long and hard fight they were able to break though. When they entered the city, Xuande went to find Lu Zhi who was sitting in his tent look at maps of the region planning out his next attack. Xuande walked up and sat across from his teacher waiting for him to be finished.

"Ahh, so one of my students has come to see me, good, well I must thank you for your help," Lu Zhi said still looking at the map.

"Well it is nothing that you would not of done for me," Xuande replied in his normal polite tone.

"Well you have a point there," Lu Zhi said looking up at his student, "Then again from the news I have heard you have done quite well in the fighting so far."

"I have done what I have had to, the credit for the victories should go to my men, without them, I am really nothing, but a ..," Xuande started to say before being interrupted.

"Peasant with was just lucky to have any skill at all," Lu Zhi finished, "Yeah you have sad that so many time, I can remember. Now you listen, you have as much talent as anyone out there, I can see great things in your future, I believe that you and Bogui will have more then a chance to change this world we live in."

"I don't think I am in the same league as Bogui but I will do my best," Xuande replied.

"Fine, if you want, I think I might need your help, imperial forces in Yuanchuan are attacking Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang, they might need your help, so I am adding 1000 troops to your command, and sending you there."

"Yes, I will do so, and I will help any way I can," Xuande said walking out of the room.

"He just may be the empires last hope for a great and peaceful ruler," Lu Zhi said to himself as Xuande left.

Xuande and his men left to go to help, but when they arrived they found the battle had already been won, and returned just in time to hear about how Lu Zhi had been dragged to the capital as a prisoner. Xuande found the first person and asked way.

"An imperial inspecter came through and wanted a bribe, but Lu Zhi being the honorable man that he is refused to do so, and as a result of this he was imprisoned and taken away," The soilder replied.

Xuande just looked at the ground thinking how messed up the world was that a great solider would have to give bribes to stay in command. He and his brothers began to leave, but as they did they noticed that the turbans were in battle with imperial force, and were getting beaten really badly. Xuande stopped thinking what he should do, and rode right into the turban lines from behind, as they did it caused chaos among the turbans that did not know where the attack was coming from, and ran. The battle was soon over, and Xuande got a messenger from the imperial commander who replaced Lu Zhi, a man by the name of Dong Zhou. Thought after Xuande reported back who he was; Dong Zhou would not even thank or meet with the brother, not seeing them as peasants not worthy of talking too. Soon Yide had had enough as was about to go kill Zhou when Liu Bei stopped him.

"Brother, this is not a wise move, there are to many commanders around, and this would make us a enemy of the empire, lets just go home," Xuande said looking at his brother.

"That man will cause us all problems some day," Yide replied.

As they left camp, that day, Xuande had a bad feeling that his brother was very correct in what he said.

Xuande would see much more action in the battle with it climaxing in the final battle of the rebellion. A group of followers of the turban wanted revenge for the death of the Zhang brothers. They were trapped in the town of Wancheng, and surrounded by imperial forces, and short on food. The remaining troops sent out a request to surrender.

Zhu Jun the commander of the forces throw the piece of paper away, right in front of Xuande.

"Should we not take that surrender, that is what the leaders of old would have done," Xuande asked curious to why Jun had done what he had.

"Yes, that would have been what they have done, but then there was not central power, so they accepted surrender I think as a term of allegiance, but now if we let criminals go free what will be learned, nothing just more violence will come about," Jun state in a determined fashion.

"I see, but the men trapped like this have nothing to live for, and will sell there lives dearly, and there will be much bloodshed, what I would do would be to pull back from the southeast wall, and focus are attack from the northwest, this will cause panic and they will run. At this point they will lose interest in battle," Xuande replied.

"Fine, sound like a working, and good plan, now ready your men," Jun said.

Soon the battle took place, and the plan worked perfectly, Han Zhong, the enemy commander was killed in the battle, and Jun forces then went in to clean up the remaining forces, but things quickly turned and two more turban element came in under the command of Zhao Hong, and Sun Zhong. The two quickly drove Jun's troops back splitting his force from the rest under Liu Bei who was preparing his troops for his next move but in the mean time, a large number of imperial troops under the command of the famous Wentai or Sun Jian came on to the field, Jian who was the magistrate of three counties already, was a rising star in the empire, the fact he was a descendent of the famous Sun Tzu, and a member of that all important family help a lot as well. Wentai quickly made work of Zhao Hong, causing Sun Zhong and his men to pull back right to Xuande who carefully aimed his bow and killed Sun Zhong with a single shot. The rest of the army surrendered. As a result of the battle Jun was made commander of Chariots, and Cavalry, and Wentai was raised to the rank of district commander. Xuande almost laughed when he though about what he got for his actions, nothing. He was seen as just a common fighter and not given a job for his duty. Later he was given a job as a judicial officer.

Then one day, and imperial officer came and addressed him, he called him a liar, and a thief trying to make the biggest scene possible. He said that he had made up the fact he had been in over 30 battles during the turban war. Of course all of what he was false, but that did matter, when Xuande found out that the officer was just creating a scene to get a bribe, he still refused to pay, and left. The next day, Xuande was not even able to talk to the officer. Yide who had enough of it all went and tied the officer to a tree and whipped him. When Xuande saw this he stopped his brother.

"Brother this man disrespected you, we should have his head," Yide said.

"Yes, kill him, give back the seal for you job, and lets go home, "Yunchang added.

Luckly for the officer, when it came down to it, Xuande was a bit of a warm hearted man, "Xuande put the seal around the officer neck, "For what you have done to the people I should take you life, but I won't, and I will take my leave."

After they left Xuande soon found out that he was a criminal by the law and was force to hide with Liu Hui, who help in part because of the fact Xuande was a the imperial line, and his actions on the turban war. Later the charges against him were dropped and he was given the magistrate job of Ping Yuan. Xuande would find out that this was all thanks to Bogui stepping up for him, and supporting him.

Soon after Xuande woke up and got his men ready, he began his march out to meet Bogui to join him in his campaign against Zhou.

Name guide

Liu Bei- Xuande

Zhange Fei- Yide

Guan Yu- Yunchang

Sun Jian- Wentai

Gongsun Zan- Bogui