Nearly a year has past since I woke to find my village in flames. I had thought that death would swift take me that day. Instead the hand of fate intervened. Sometimes I look back on that miserable night and smile. One moment of pain and torture gave way to another of freedom and happiness. The nightmares have begun to fade. So have the marks on my body. It has been wonderful to finally throw off the chains of the past and look towards a positive future.
Mei Li put her brush down and flexed her fingers. The day was warm and inviting. The scent of blossoms had been floating through her window all morning, tempting her outside. Its urge was strong. She had busied herself with composing songs and adding to her book of daily reflections since dawn. A break wouldn't hurt.
She decided to head for the stables. It was a walk that quickly became a habit over the course of her stay. As predicted, Lady Yang Xing had become Li's closest friend. The younger woman had learned the warrior's patterns within a month and found herself joining her often. Xing had tried to shush her out, telling her that a noble lady had no place in the dirty stables. Li refused to listen. Now the two of them shared the afternoon cleaning tasks amidst the horses.
Xing was cleaning out her horse's stall when Li joined her. "How's our resident artist this morning?" Xing asked.
Li grabbed an armful of hay and waited by the stall's entrance. "About as well as our resident stable boy." She looked down the length of the building. "It's rather crowded in here today. What's the occasion?"
"I'm not sure. Liu Bei issued an order that all horses be prepped for departure at a moment's notice." She motioned for Li to spread the fresh bedding onto the floor. "It's probably just a group of bandits or something. We'd know if a powerful force was attacking."
"That would explain why I haven't seen any of the men all morning. They're probably training."
"I think we should go bother them," Xing said, a devious grin plastered across her face. She turned to one of the stable boys. "Will you guys be okay if I step out a moment?" They nodded. "Let's go. It's always a treat to watch the men beat each other up."
Li laughed as they made their way to the training yard. "I like watching them just let go and be free. They're always so polite when they're in the castle. You get to see their true personalities shine on the battlefield."
"So have you picked one yet?" Xing nudged Li's shoulder when the latter frowned. It had become a constant conversation piece between the two of them. Xing and her husband enjoyed teasing Li about her long list of suitors. It hadn't taken people long to notice her charm and beauty. Liu Bei had only worsened the matter by offering suggestions for husbands once he caught wind of the situation. She was grateful for his help, but she had no desire to find a husband yet. The men were suitable, certainly, and she would do well with any of them.
She knew why she held back. Only Lady Yang knew the reasoning behind her hesitancy, and she had kept her secret well. It didn't stop her from teasing Li.
"I'm keeping my options open," Li said when Xing kept poking her.
"You're impossible."
They reached the training yard only to find it full of soldiers. Their own group of friends were easy to spot. A ring of onlookers usually encompassed them wherever they were. The hard part was pushing the crowd aside to reach them. Li and Xing watched as Ma Chao and Jiang Wei circled each other with their spears in hand. Mei Li in particular loved to watch the two of them fight. Their styles were complete opposites. Chao preferred offence while Wei excelled at defense. They played off of each other well on the ground. Only when horses were brought out did Chao present a clear advantage.
She enjoyed watching Zhao Yun join in the fray even more. Unfortunately, he was absent. "That's odd," Li said to no one in particular.
"He must be meeting with our lord," said Xing, who had noticed the same thing. "Maybe this possible skirmish is more dangerous than I thought."
"Indeed. I believe there is a possibility of deployment tonight." The women turned to the man next to them as he spoke. Li had seen him a few times before. He conversed with Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun frequently, although she had seen him a couple of instances discussing matters with Liu Bei or Zhuge Liang. He bowed when he noticed them staring. "Forgive me, ladies. I did not mean to speak out of turn."
"It's no trouble," Li said. "I have seen you before, but I'm afraid I do not know your name."
He took her hand and bowed to it. "Yin Shang, my lady. It is an honor to meet the woman behind Shu's most beautiful voice."
Xing laughed. "You have quite the way with words, Lord Yin."
"It is a skill I learned from Master Jiang Wei."
"I have noticed the two of you speaking frequently," Li said.
"We have been trusted friends since our days in the Wei kingdom. Zhuge Liang convinced master Jiang to defect, but he refused to leave without me. It was a noble act on his part. I have been a slave to the Shu treasury ever since the Northern Campaigns." He grinned despite his words. "It has been a privilege for me to befriend Lord Zhao Yun as well. The two of them have been wonderful companions. They like to make sure I'm working hard, getting fresh air, eating well…"
Xing smiled as he trailed off. "Someone should do that for them, too."
"I leave jobs like that to beautiful flowers such as yourselves." He looked up at the fighters. "Ah, I believe I've been noticed. Let the fussing begin."
"Lord Yin Shang!" Jiang Wei and Ma Chao hurried over after the former spotted his friend. Chao took his place beside his wife. Wei and Shang shook hands as he stood between his friend and Li. "I see they let you out of the treasury."
"I made good use of the front door. The others can finish what I've started in there."
"What's the occasion?" Wei asked.
Shang shrugged. "I've head the commotion over this upcoming mission and decided to investigate it. Zhao Yun is meeting with our lord, so I had to find you instead." Shang frowned. "It really isn't fair, you know. The two of you get to see each other all day and I'm lucky to catch a weekly glimpse of you."
"It is the curse of being good with money, my friend." He noticed Li's face and furrowed his brow. "Lady Mei, is something the matter?"
"What is this mission that I'm hearing about? This is the first mention of it that's reached my ears."
He scratched his head in a nervous gesture. "We received news from our scouts several nights ago. They have finally spotted your former master, Zhang Yui, close to where your village was. We thought to settle the matter quietly. Last night, another scout returned saying that Yui has amassed a bit of a force. It will require more manpower than we thought."
"Why didn't you say anything to me?"
"Zhao Yun and I wanted to surprise you with his capture. This new information has made that impossible."
Li felt conflicted over this information. While she was happy that Zhang Yui had finally been spotted, his gathering of troops made her nervous. Men who fled justice and then raised an army had only armed conflict in mind.
"Lady Mei?" Yin Shang gently touched her shoulder, looking quite concerned. "Are you okay?"
She managed a weak nod. "This news distresses me. I didn't consider how damaged Zhang Yui's pride would be after his encounter with Shu. To spend a year in hiding and building his strength means that he's planned some kind of attack. It is sheer madness. I don't like the idea of this escalating into a full-blown conflict."
"Nor do we," Wei said, "but we have to stop him now before this gets out of control. We can easily overpower him and his forces."
"How long will you be gone?"
"A few weeks. Most of that will likely be traveling time."
Chao smirked. "You sound confident in yourself, Lord Jiang."
Wei answered with a grin of his own. "He only escaped us last time through the betrayal of our men. He will not be so lucky this time." A horn sounded in the distance. The soldiers around them began clearing the field and heading back towards the palace. "That is our lord's horn. Lord Ma Chao, we need to hurry." "We're coming too," Xing said. "If this council involves Lady Mei's past, we have every right to be there."
"Will it be too distressing for her though?" Chao asked.
Li shook her head. "I want to go. If there is anything I can do to help, I want to know." She bit her lower lip. "I have not felt this nervous in a long time. Perhaps hearing your plan, Lord Jiang, will help alleviate some of my concerns."
"Of course, my lady."
Yin Shang bowed to them. "Then this is my cue to return to the treasury. Lord Jiang Wei, I hope you will not forget about me before you leave."
Wei took his friend's hand and grasped it firmly. "I would never dream of it."
Shang departed for the treasury room while the other four made their way towards the council room. Inside were Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang and the other four Tiger Generals. A map was spread across the table. Jiang Wei and Ma Chao took their places beside the other generals. Yang Xing and Mei Li stood against the wall closest to the group. Li noticed that Zhao Yun in particular looked troubled. She hoped it wasn't because of the mission. If Jiang Wei was as confident as he sounded, there should be no reason to worry.
Liu Bei acknowledged his generals with a nod and began. "I shall assume that the rest of you are aware of the situation. Lord Ma Chao, are the men ready to deploy at my command?"
"They are, my lord. Those who will likely take part have been briefed and are prepared to leave at a moment's notice."
"Supplies have also been readied," Huang Zhong added. "We are awaiting your orders."
Zhuge Liang stood. "Very good. Our scouts have informed us that Zhang Yui's numbers are not overwhelming. Most of his force consists of old Yellow Turban supporters, young and naïve troops, and the men who aided in his escape. Jiang Wei, what do you propose?"
"Yui and his men have taken up position in the remains of his village. All of the dangers that such a location presents are still the same. A night raid should be the most effective. We will have the cover of both darkness and the trees. If we can surprise them and scatter their forces, we can use the confusion to our advantage. I will also set up troops along the river so that he cannot escape in that direction again."
"It sounds like a solid plan to me," Liang said.
Li, however, had seen something else. "Lord Zhuge, may I contribute?" All of the men turned to stare at her, and she suddenly regretted her comment. Liang, however, nodded and urged her to continue. She stepped towards the table and pointed to a hill south of the village on the map. "Zhang Yui is not overly clever, and since a night raid was used the last time, he will expect another one. This area here is dangerous for incoming troops. When your forced arrived last year, it was a lookout on this hill that warned him and gave him enough time to flee. It would also be a good place to set up an ambush."
There was silence for a long while. Li began to wonder if coming to this council was a good idea. But after a few moments, Jiang Wei broke the silence with a chuckle. "Maybe I was too quick to agree to your singing position, Lady Mei. You have an eye for strategy."
Zhuge Liang agreed. "A lookout and an ambush would both be likely scenarios. Thank you, Lady Mei. Your contribution will prove invaluable."
She stepped back as Wei and Liang discussed how best to capture the hill. Yang Xing nudged her shoulder and grinned at her. "You've done it again, Li," she whispered. "You've won them over."
"This battle still doesn't sit right with me."
"What do you mean?"
"I mentioned that point because I'm concerned about our soldiers. But there are still too many unknowns in this battle. The terrain is treacherous. I'm actually surprised that they pulled the first raid off so well."
Xing patted Li's arm. "All the more reason why they should be fine. They're familiar with the area and they've done this once before. If they can obtain all the strategic locations around the village, it should be smooth sailing."
"That doesn't ease the nervousness I have about this mission."
"Is this about them leaving you behind?" Xing teased. "I'm hurt. You'll still have me around even if the men are gone."
Li smiled at her friend's protruding lip. "I guess you're right. Maybe I'm over thinking things."
Liu Bei's voice brought her attention back to the meeting. "So we're all in agreement then? Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, I'm counting on you to see this through. You have my permission to kill Zhang Yui on site if you believe you cannot capture him. The same goes with our defectors." Both men nodded. Liu Bei stood, followed closely by the rest of his men. "You will depart tomorrow morning. Make sure that your men are informed and ready to go. Good fortune in battle, generals."
The women watched the men head off in different directions. Only Ma Chao remained, immediately walking over to the two of them. His usual playful smile was absent. "Well, that was among the most jovial meetings I've attended," he said sarcastically.
Xing raised her eyebrows in confusion. "It sounds like it's supposed to be an easy mission."
"By all accounts it should be. But Yun and Wei seem concerned about it. They've been wracking their minds for days trying to examine this from all angles. The nervousness makes the rest of us edgy." He leaned against the wall next to his wife and shrugged one shoulder. "Wei's come up with a solid plan. We have the knowledge of terrain and our adversaries on our side. Even if they needed reinforcements, it won't take very long to request and receive them. I don't see what the problem is."
"Actually, I've been feeling uneasy as well," Li said.
"You guys all need to relax." Chao slipped an arm around Xing's waist and began steering her towards the door. "Li, go find Yun and tell him to lighten up. You're the only one he's going to listen to right now."
Li tried to shout something back, but they had already rushed from the room. Even if Yun did want her company, she had no idea where to find him. He wouldn't be in the training yard at this hour. He hated being in his chambers when he didn't need to be, but he didn't have any other favorite locations around the capital that she knew of. Li silently cursed the Ma family and their scheming. They knew she'd go and look for him as soon as Chao said something. She wondered if they liked stirring up trouble just for the fun of it.
Luckily for her, she didn't need to wander far to find him. Yun was a short distance from the meeting room, sitting at the top of the nearby steps with his head in his hands. His posture shocked her. She had never seen him look so defeated before. It broke her heart a little to watch him.
She took a few cautious steps forward until she was right behind him. "Lord Zhao Yun, is something the matter?"
He jerked his head up towards her but smiled when he noticed who it was. "Lady Mei, forgive me for troubling you. I have had a lot on my mind these past few days."
When he didn't move, she decided to sit on the steps next to him. He put his hands down but kept his head low. "I didn't think the Little Dragon was capable of looking so down. Would you share your thoughts with me?"
"I could never refuse you, my lady." He stared out at the gardens in front of them, saying nothing. Yun was not a talkative man by nature, but Li had never seen him this quiet before. She was usually good at coaxing information out of him. It seemed to make him feel better when he talked about his worries with her, and she greatly enjoyed his company. Clearly this matter was going to take some more work.
She stood and held out her hand to him. "Would you care to walk with me, my lord? Perhaps some fresh air will make you feel better. I'm sure the gardens will be empty by this hour, especially with deployment news being this recent."
He chuckled despite his mood, stood, and let her loop her arm through his. "You always know just what to say to me, Lady Mei."
"It was something I had to learn," she said as they walked. "You carry so much inside of you. It isn't good to keep everything locked away."
"I find that everyone has their share of burdens. It would pain me to add another."
"You are not a burden, my lord. You do so much to relieve others of their stresses, and it would be unfair for us to not do the same for you. Now tell me what is the matter."
He let out a long sigh. "The very nature of this mission has worried me since our first scouts returned. Something is not right with this. I cannot put my finger on it. This should be as easy as they come, but I cannot help but think this will not be the case. Even with the information you provided today, I feel as thought it will take a greater effort than we think."
"I understand. I have been feeling uneasy myself since I first heard the news."
"I'm sorry Jiang Wei and I said nothing before. We know how much Zhang Yui's capture means to you and we wanted it to be a surprise. I fear that will not be the case."
She shook her head. "Knowing that he has paid for his crimes is enough, no matter how it happens." She stopped to admire one of the peach tress in the garden. Yun paused beside her, his arm still entwined with hers. "The blossoms are late this year. Maybe they, too, are worried about this raid."
"I hope that the next time we walk under these branches, such worry with be in the past."
"As do I." Li looked up at Yun. His mouth was still a grim line on his face and his jaw was set tightly. "My lord, I need you to promise me something."
He turned his gaze to her. "And what is that?"
"Promise me that you and the others will return home safely. I know that if you say it, it shall happen. Perhaps it will ease some of my worry."
Something in his eyes changed. The shields that normally protected them began to crumble. She saw fear and anxiousness, determination and steadfastness, all mixed together with a sense of longing. It threatened to overwhelm her. Li knew that Yun was not one to be open with his feelings, but she had no idea that a single man could keep so much bottled up.
He seemed to sense her discomfort and looked back at the tree. "I promise that I will do everything within my power to bring the men home safely," he said.
A gong sounded from within the palace. It was time to return. "I guess that will have to do," Li said as Yun guided her back to where they came from.
"If I could make such a promise to you, I would."
"I'm sorry. I hoped to make myself feel better and now I've added to your worries."
He stopped walking and looked down at her. The shields were back up, she noticed, but his gaze had softened considerably. She watched, frozen, as he reached over with his free hand and tucked her hair behind her ears. His touch warmed her face. "I would come back for you above all else, my lady."
"I…" She trailed off. Li knew she was blushing like crazy. Luckily Yun was a gentleman and said nothing about it. Ma Chao and Lady Yang would have been merciless. "Thank you, my lord. Your words mean the world to me."
"I cannot bear the thought of you worrying yourself here while we are gone. You should have nothing to fear."
Li giggled. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"
"It is in my nature," Yun said. "Now it is my turn to extract a promise from you."
"What kind of promise?"
He pulled her back towards the palace. As they resumed their walk, he gave her that playful grin she had come to love. "You need to promise me that you won't pick a husband until Jiang Wei and I return. We have to approve of him. It'll ease my mind to know that such a decision will be made after our victory."
She could not hide her laughter. It was a game her two protectors had been playing since her first suitor appeared. Although they told her that she could pick whomever she wanted, they were always quick to point out flaws in the available men. She had told them long ago that she would only marry a man suitable in both of their eyes. It made her feel better to know that he could still joke during moments like this.
"I will make no decision until you return. All the same, you had better make your mission swift. A girl can only hold so many men at bay on her own."
It was Yun's turn to laugh. "When it comes to you, Mei Li, I believe it. Now come. I imagine our friends are placing bets on where we've gone off to. Let's not keep them waiting."