Warning: swearing and several yaoi lemons.
Chapter Seven: The Sword and the Chrysanthemum
Ping swayed his arms around in graceful movement and paused, grinning to his audience and sang, "I put him in the doghouse," he shifted and pretended to look in shock, covering his mouth at the soldier that volunteered to get included in his little skit, "he ran off to the cathouse!"
The men roared in laughers. Shang chuckled as he watched, leaning back on the grass and enjoying the skit Ping was putting on. After some begging from his Lieutenants and agreeing that the men had improved and was doing excellent, he allowed Ping to perform. When he told Ping of the news when the camp took a day respite to go into the local village nearby, the smaller man looked overjoyed. Shang all but wanted to drag his lover away and do unmentionable to him but refrained as Ping shot off into the marketplace to get supplies. He started to give out performance every other night and begun recruiting soldiers to get involved in the shows, and all of his men looked forward to the next performance.
Ping bowed, singling the end of the play and laughed as the men whined and then cheered, "I can't keep going on all night! If I did, you all would be very disappointing tomorrow and become an easy target for the Huns!"
One soldier shouted, "Nah. You're our secret weapon! All you have to do is sing, and the Huns will bow to you!"
"Yeah!"
Shang stood up and waved, "go on to bed now! The show's over!" The men got up and grumbled, and they dispersed. He turned back and grinned at Ping, "good show again."
Ping nodded and swept his long hair over his shoulder and stepped down from the makeshift stage, and they started to head toward Ping's tent. He asked, becoming somber, "Chi Fu sent a letter to your father that your army was ready weeks ago."
"Yes," Shang was beginning to worry. He would get a weekly letter from his father but it had been a couple of weeks, and he had not heard from him. It had been nearly six months, and they trained through the winter in the valley. The weather was mild and dry, it hardly snowed, yet the mountain that surrounded the valley was thick with snow. Spring was coming around the corner. Chinese New Year was approaching fast.
Ping ducked into his tent and grabbed his things and threw off his dress and exited the tent. He saw the mournful look on Shang's face and grinned, "preferred me in a dress?"
Shang reached over and mussed up Ping's hair. "you're just too tempting either way." They disappeared under cover of the forest after seeing that no one had been watching and he pulled Ping to him. He turned his lover around and pushed him up against the tree, kissing along his jawline and down his neck, making him moan. "But, I very much preferred you in nothing…" he reached up to Ping's ear and bit the earlobe before whispering, "writhing under me as I drive myself into your pink chrysanthemum over and over… and over." He bucked his hip with each emphasis of the word 'over.'
Ping fluttered his eyes closed and wrapped his legs around Shang's waist, pulling him tight, feeling the hardness against his own and groaned, "please Shang, I want you now."
Shang pulled back and let Ping down, "not here," then he pulled Ping toward the river to their spot and glanced around to be sure they were alone. It was late, and no one wanted to bathe in the cold water that night. It was a chilly night. His skin felt heated against the cool air as he hurriedly pulled his tunic off and turned to proceed nearly ripping Ping's under tunic and pants off, his lips tasting and sucking the skin as he went.
Ping tangled his fingers into Shang's hair and rolled his head back as Shang took him in his mouth and proceeded to suck him off. "Shang… ah! Please!" He gasped as a finger entered his back hole and nearly buckled as his knees went weak.
Shang smirked and let go of Ping's length and helped him down on his tunic and pushed his pants off. He grabbed the bag and searched for the familiar pot and pulled it out. "we're going need to get you more of these." He shook the pot, it was running low on the scented oil.
Ping nodded and pulled Shang down to kiss him and rub his hands over the defined muscles and scraping his nails down over the sensitive tits, causing the older man to groan in wants.
Shang couldn't wait and proceed to make his length slick and pushed slowly into Ping, biting down the slender shoulder as he went. Soon, they were thrusting, reaching their lustful high.
"I can't believe you spilled the sauce all over me!" Ling's loud voice carried over to them, and they froze.
Shang cursed and held a finger to his mouth, still deep inside Ping. He glanced up, they were still hidden, but he could see through the hedge that Ling was approaching the bank several yards away from their place.
Ping's eyes went wide and bit his lips worriedly, not wanting to be caught. It would not have mattered if they had been captured, it was more of not wanting to deal with the trios ribbing and Chi Fu finding out and giving Shang a hard time. He liked the secret and the sneaking off, it made it all the better. He bit back a moan as Shang shifted to look through the hedge, his hard length hitting the sensitive spot in him. He clawed at his shoulders, leaving red marks.
"It was your own fault for sneaking the food into our tent!" Yao grumbled. "You got it all over me too!"
"I do not fancy a bath in the cold river tonight!" Ling complained and proceeded to remove his soiled tunic and fingered his hair, "ew, it's all over in my hair."
Shang narrowed his eyes and whispered to Ping, "stealing food… those two are more trouble than I thought."
Ping softly whimpered as Shang shifted again and pulled his face down. "Please! I am so close! Ignore them, they can't see us."
Shang looked down and felt his length being squeezed and remembering what he was doing. "Ah… they'll catch us. You're too vocal."
Ping narrowed his eyes and smirked his little fox-like grin. Shang swallowed and felt himself being pushed up and Ping threw his leg over, twisting around but never breaking contact with him. Shang bit back a moan at the movement and saw Ping was now facing down and he was straddling him in dog position. It was a position they had just started to experiment with recently. Ping pushed back against Shang, drawing him in deeper. "I'll be quiet. Get going!"
Shang needed no encouragement and started to ram into Ping's backside. He reached down under the smaller man and stroked his member in rhythm with his thrusting. Ping was arching under his ministration and biting his lip, trying not to make a noise. They could hear Ling and Yao squabbling away several feet away and washing.
They reached their climax and Shang fought to hold down a lustful moan as he spasmed into Ping. Ping let out a tiny cry as he came hard, splattering all over the inside of Shang's tunic.
"What was that?" Yao asked as he looked around, pausing from scrubbing his hair. He and Ping were kneeling at the riverbank, trying to clean the sticky sauce off their chest and hair. He thought he heard a cry.
Ling looked up, "I heard that too." He stood up and walked over to the hedge that divided him apart from the two other men.
"You two! What did you do to the sauce in the mess tent!?" Chi Fu's shrill voice stopped Ling from pulling the shrubbery apart.
Shang's eyes widened, and he buried his head into Ping's shoulder, hoping he would disappear. Ping held onto him tight, watching the hedge, he could see Ling's head over the top edge of the leaves. Too close.
"Ah, heh…" Ling nervously laughed as he turned to face the skinny governor, "I don't know what you are talking about."
"The sauce for tomorrow lunch! I just was in there, and it's gone! You two happen to be here, obviously eating it!" Chi Fu accused, wagging his finger at Ling and Yao.
"Hey, if you're blaming us, what are you doing in the mess tent at this time of the night then?" Yao grumbled.
Chi Fu stepped back, realizing he had been caught sneaking into the mess tent too. "Ah, doing inventory."
"At midnight?" Ling grinned, leaning down on Chi Fu's shoulder, "shame. It would be a real shame if the Captain found out the Imperial Officer has been stealing food from the army and report it to the Emperor?"
Chi Fu stammered. "Well. Excuse me, I think I can hear Captain Li calling me." He ducked under Ling's arm and ran off.
Shang and Ping had slid away into the river during the interrogation and silently waited in the freezing water, hiding behind the rock around the bank.
"That little asshole," Shang softly muttered as he held Ling to his chest.
Ping smiled and leaned his head back against Shang's collarbones, holding the larger man's hands to his chest, "you going to tell?"
"Nah."
Ling chuckled, "Captain Li wasn't calling for him." He turned to Yao and held up a pair of pants, "He's somewhere around here," Shang's eyes widened. Ling pushed the shrubbery apart and pulled up another piece of cloth and whispered, "and Ping."
Yao peered at the clothing in Ling's hands, "where are they then?"
Ling stuck a tongue to cheek and grinned and whispered, "oh, I have a better idea." He turned and reached over and grabbed the rest of the clothing and turned back to Yao and loudly said, "let's get back. I am tired. I am clean enough."
Yao grinned and replied, "good idea. I am getting sleepy," then he followed Ling back to the camp, laughing silently.
"They're gone," Ping softly said.
"Good. That was too close a call. I think we need another spot." They swam back to shore and shivered. The water was cold, and their heated passion had been effectively smothered for the night. He stood and glanced around, frowning. "Where are our clothes?"
Ping's eyes widened and searched through the hedge and over the rocks in the area and turned back to Shang, glowering. "They took our clothes."
"Shit!" Shang spat.
"They know now too."
"Too?"
Ping gave a shrug, "Chein Po knows. Nothing gets past him, but he said he would not tell."
"So, I have three men in my army, the worse bunch of them all, knowing of my rendezvous with you." Shang pursed his lips and rubbed his face. "We need to get back."
Ping nodded. "How? I can't be streaking across the camp to my tent naked, it's right out in the open in full view of the entire campsite, being at the edge where it is. They'll figure it out."
The taller man nodded. "I have some extra clothes in my tent. We can sneak in around the back." He saw Ping grin, the smoldering kind and shook his head. "No, no more tonight," Ping whined and followed Shang after picking up his bag of supplies. They stole through the forest around the edge of the campsite to the opposite end and ducked behind several tents, keeping watch for anyone who would be out. Finally, they reached the back of Shang's tent and entered, sighing relief.
Shang dug into his chest and pulled out a spare tunic and pants, tossing them over to Ping. He then pulled his own on and turned to find Ping in his bed, patting the side for him to lie down. He shook his head, "oh, no, no. You're going back to your tent."
"Aw, why not? I'll leave before dawn."
"It is before dawn, go."
Ping sat up and grabbed Shang's hand, pulling him down and whispered, "I'm cold…" He nipped the other man's lips, "I won't be able to sleep if I am cold." He moved to nip the chin and traced a kiss down his neck, "just until before dawn, and I'll be gone."
Shang felt his resolve break and slipped into bed and pulled Ping tight to his chest, kissing him.
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"Still no news?" Shang asked as he stepped out of his tent, greeting Chi Fu the next morning.
Chi Fu shook his head as he read his scrolls. "No. I just sent a runner out with another letter. We should know soon."
"All right," Shang observed his campsite, the men were just finishing up breakfast and starting to assemble, waiting to start the day. Six lieutenants approached him and Chi Fu. He gave them a nod as they bowed to him, "we'll continue to train. Zhong, take your team for a mountain run this morning and archery this afternoon. Fang, cannon practice and sparring. Fu, archery and mountain run. Dong, sparring, and weaponry. Young, join with Zhong and, Ruchang with Fu. I'll be with Dong."
"Yes, sir!" the six men replied in unison and bowed.
Chi Fu held up his hand, "before we start, there is a matter I need to settle."
Shang cursed inwardly and gave the governor attention, "yes?"
"there has been improper activities at night. The men are sneaking around into each other tents, and I believe it should not be condoned."
Shang reached up and pinched his nose bridge in agitation. So that's what Chi Fu wanted to bring up? "And what is your point on this?"
"Sharing bed lead to distraction and issues!" Chi Fu spat. "And it's improper!"
"What's your evidence on this?" Ruchang, a homely man with a scar down his left side of the face from being burned in the previous war, asked. He was known to share a bed with other men and was open about it. "The men needed to be stated, or else they'd be suffering cases of blue balls. They have not seen women for a long time. There is no whorehouse around here. The nearest one would be two hours away."
Chi Fu sputtered and held his ground. "It matters not. It is improper!"
Shang held his hand up before Ruchang could retort back, "enough. Chi Fu, drop the matters. What the men do after dinner and before breakfast is none of our business as long they keep it to themselves and shows up for duty and perform well. Shut up and maybe consider getting yourself laid. You're too uptight."
The lieutenants snickered under their breaths, and Chi Fu gaped like fish at Shang. "Why you!" Shang gave him a challenging look. "If I catch any one of the men sneaking about, I'll report to the Emperor and have them dishonored!" He stuck up his head and walked off.
"You're more than welcome to," Shang called after him and turned back to his lieutenants who were openly laughing. "Shut it, you guys. Let's get on with the day."
Shang and Dong met with their troops and led them to the field where they would start the day with exercises and sparring. They decided to make a game of it by putting their teams against each other and see who would earn the most point.
The morning wore by, and Shang smirked with pride as his men did very well with their sparring practice. Ping was holding his own very well and using his smaller frame up against the larger men. No one could pin him down or beat him. He watched as Ping duck and swept his leg around, knocking the larger soldier down with a crash.
Chi Fu joined them with disdain on his face and brushing notes on his scrolls. He had been going around and observing the other groups. He saw Ping bowing to the other soldier as they finished their match. He muttered under his breath, "I don't get it why that man is still here."
Shang glanced over, "what was that?"
Chi Fu narrowed his beady eyes, "that man. Why is he still here even after you ordered him to go home a while ago?"
"He proved himself. He retrieved the arrow after I ordered him to go."
"Then he broke the regulation!" Chi Fu argued.
Feeling agitated and irritated, Shang turned and snapped, "enough about Fa Ping. You have been harping about that man since day one. What is your problem?"
Chi Fu stuck his head up and glared, meeting with Shang's challenging gaze. "the army is no place for a man like him."
"Oh, what kind of man is he?" Shang seethed, taking a step toward Chi Fu, towering over him
"A man with no honor, a whore that sleeps around." Chi Fu spat and gestured widely, unknowing bringing attention to himself from the other soldiers. "He wears a dress!" he sneered in disdain, "he is a woman!" his words were coated in an insulting tone.
Shang narrowed his eyes, "so if he wears a dress? You forget your place. He is the son of Fa Zhou, the honorable general lieutenant of his time. He is also the famous nan dan throughout these providences in this area. I know for sure he does not sleep around, he works harder than most men here because of his size and stature but excelled. He has more honor as the son of Fa Zhou and as the opera house singer than you could ever have by kissing the asses of the politicians. You, on the other hand, are not suited for army nor war. Remember your place and stop interfering with my job." He poked a finger on Chi Fu's chest hard, causing the man to step back. He followed growling, "you do your job and nothing else. Keep your flapping mouth shut."
Chi Fu sputtered and stepped back. His heel caught the stone sticking out of the ground and fell back, into the mud puddle behind him. The roar of laughers erupted around him, and he pushed his toppled hat up, gaping in humiliation. He stood up and brushed his robe to shake the mud off. He glared at Shang and stormed off in a huff.
Ling leaned against Ping, his arm on the smaller man's shoulder, "about time the Captain shut the scrawny guy."
Ping stared at Shang, slightly feeling hurt at what Chi Fu had said about him. Shang had defended his honor. Chi Fu had not been kind and had always given him the nasty attitude, more than any others. "Yeah," he agreed.
Yao grumbled next to Ping, "ah, he doesn't know what he is going on about. We all know you do not sleep around."
Ping turned his head to the burly man, "what?"
Yao shrugged, "everyone here knows you belong to Captain Li."
Ping paled, "Yao…" he glanced over to Ling and saw the skinny soldier grinning ear to ear and asked, "what…" He was not sure if he wanted to deny or ask how everyone knew.
"Oh, pssh," Ling waved his hand, "don't fret. We don't give a fuck. We can see how much of a googly-eyes you both have been giving each other from the start. Only we have just confirmed what everyone thought last night."
Ping dropped his head into his hands, "oh gods, why me?"
Ling and Yao laughed, slapping Ping on the back, nearly knocking him off balance. "When are you going to steal your clothes back? They're starting to reek in our tent." Yao asked, guffawing.
Ping closed his eyes and punched the two men with his fists on their arms, making them yelp in pain. "You guys can keep it for all you want. Didn't they say, finder keepers?" He walked off, leaving the two men to gawp after him.
"Oi! I don't even want your clothes!" Ling called after him, "there's a stain on one of them, and it's nasty!"
"Still yours," Ping called back, smirking as he heard Ling make disgusted noises.
The training resumed for the rest of the day in relative peace. Chi Fu was nowhere to be seen, and nearly everyone sighed in relief, happy the blue-robed governor wasn't around sniping and muttering.
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The weather was beginning to warm up, and the river was more pleasing again after a long hard day. Ping waded in the water, enjoying the cool temperature the river offered. Shang popped up before him and grinned, grabbing him and pulling him under.
They rose to the surface, and Ping spluttered and smacked Shang and broke away from him. They gave each other a merry chase in the water before settling on the large rock protruding from the depth.
Ping combed his hair with his fingers, untangling the strands and started to braid them. "Everyone knows, except for Chi Fu, about us." He stated.
Shang snapped his head to his lover and asked, "how did you know this?"
"Ling and Yao." He saw Shang clench his fists and turned to him, clasping his fisted hands. "No. They explained that everyone knew from the start. Only they just confirmed when they stole our clothes the other night." He felt Shang's hands relaxed and let go, "they said no one cared. I am all right with it."
Shang sighed in defeat, "I suppose. My father knew too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He warned me not to let it get to me. I am afraid it's too late."
"Shang." Ping climbed higher and sat next to Shang and leaned his head on his shoulder, "you did well. We're ready to go on first notice."
"I know. That's what I am afraid of. It is not easy… the war that is."
Ping nodded and glanced up to see a group of men coming to shore and stripping. "Look like we can't use this spot."
"That's disappointing," Shang murmured as he felt Ping sit up and move slightly away from him, feeling the loss of the other body's heat against his body. "I had a hope of putting this rock to use."
Ping laughed and nudged Shang. "Oh, come on."
Ling looked up and yelled, "oi there! No hanky-panky allowed!"
Yao yelled as he made a running head start and jumped into the river, "Cannonball!" He made a splash and surfaced in time to see Chein Po following and yelped. Waves rolled, and the water swished as Chein-Po rose to the surface.
Shang shook his head and chuckled.
"How's the water?" They looked to see Fang undressing and wading in. Soon, the river was filled with a quarter of Shang's army.
"Good," Shang replied. "What bring you all here?"
Fang made his way to the rock and leaned on it with his arms, "the weather's getting warm and we just felt like getting a swim. We're all in high spirit. I heard about what happened. About time you shut him up for good the other day."
Shang shook his head, "I don't know how long he will stay quiet. He's like a cockroach, keeps coming back."
Fang laughed and nodded toward Ping who was chatting with some men on the other side of the rock. "So, you guys open about it now?" Shang glanced down to his lieutenant, and Fang laughed, "we suspected from the start. You both proved a really juicy gossip for the camp, keeping us on our feet with your drama."
"Pleased to provide." Shang sarcastically replied and slipped into the water. "It is nobody's business. We're the Imperial Army, and we're to serve the Emperor with honor."
"Yeah." Fang agreed and turned to rest his back on the smooth side of the rock, appreciating the cool stone against his aching muscles. "Hear anything from General Li?"
"No."
"Think we should go ahead up to the Tung Shao Pass? We are ready."
Shang rubbed his chin in thought, "maybe. We're supposed to defend the valley."
"Leave some men behind, a group or two," Fang suggested.
"I'll consider it." He felt more than saw Ping slide up to his side and looked down to see him emerge from the water. "Hey there."
Ping nodded to Fang, greeting him before looking up at his lover's face, "I'm going to get out now. I am tired." He winked and swam past, gliding against Shang's chest and waved farewell to Fang.
Fang's eyebrow rose at the smaller man. "He can really fool anyone into thinking he is a woman. I wouldn't want to cross with him after seeing how good he fights." He saw Shang staring after Ping and nudged his shoulder, "I think that was an invitation to join him."
"I know," Shang replied, grinning. "I'm going to make him wait a little bit. He is really a tease."
"Perhaps he is a fox spirit sent by the gods. He is also good with pranks."
"Perhaps. Good night and make sure the men behave themselves." Shang started to swim after Ping.
Fang called after him, "you two behave too!"
"Fuck off!" Shang replied, and Fang laughed.
Shang got out of the river and quickly dried himself and pulled on his clothes. He wondered where Ping had disappeared and started to walk down the beat down the path and paused. "Where would I find him?" He then heard familiar tinkling laughers. He immediately imagined a fox-like Ping, with the ears and a wagging tail and followed the sound of laughers and found Ping sitting in a hidden clearing. "You little fox," He said and joined his lover, pulling him close to kiss him.
Ping arched his back and started to pull Shang's tunic off and wiggled to lie under Shang and wrap his legs around his waist. "I want you."
"Ay. You'll be the end of me." Shang murmured against Ping's skin as he peeled the clothes off Ping's body and grasped the hardening member, causing Ping to moan. He enjoyed making and hearing Ping being vocal in their lovemaking. He gasped as the slender hand grabbed his length and started to stroke. He bit down the slender shoulder and moved his hand down to tease the tight ring.
"We have no oil here," Shang said against Ping's lips before kissing. He could feel Ping pushing himself down on his finger wantonly, begging.
Ping grasped Shang's hand and brought it up to his lips and sucked on two of his fingers while watching Shang with hooded eyes. Then he pushed the hand down to his bottom and gasped as Shang stuck the saliva coated fingers into him. He turned his head and slicked up his palm, coating it with saliva and grasped Shang's member, stroking him. "Now, please."
Shang positioned himself and pushed in, groaning as the tight muscles sucked him in.
"Ping! You're so hot…" He started to rock against the smaller man and crashed his lips down to kiss him passionately.
"Shit…" Ling muttered as he glanced around, "got to find him." Chi Fu had come by the river, searching for Shang, saying that he had a message for him. Fang noted that Shang must have gone back to the camp, not wanting Chi Fu to bumble around the wood. He knew Shang had gone off with Ping somewhere privately. Once Chi Fu headed back to the camp to look for Shang, he told Ling to find him, guessing the general area where Shang and Ping might be.
Ling stumbled into the clearing and yelped, finding the two of them on the ground in the middle of passionate throes and instantly turned around. "Sir!"
Shang cursed colorfully, he was so close to finishing when Ling stumbled onto them. He withdrew and stood up, grabbing his tunic and barked, fighting down the blush, "what is it, Soldier Ling?"
Ling kept his back to him and sputtered, "Chi Fu was looking for you. He said he had a message. Fang sent him back to camp so he wouldn't find you two and sent me out to tell you."
The Captain frowned and pulled his pants on, "all right, thank you." He hurried past Ling.
Ling asked, "can I turn around now?"
Ping had already pulled his pants on, "yeah."
"Oh. I need strong soap to wash that picture out of my mind." Ling commented, grinning at Ping.
"Shut up." Ping blushed as he pulled his shirt on and tying it off. "What's going on?"
"Don't know." They started to walk back to camp, "Chi Fu's appearance really put a damper on our fun, and I am sure everyone is back at camp now."
"He sure does have that effect," Ping muttered darkly.
"So… tell me." Ling slipped his arm over Ping's shoulders, "sword in the chrysanthemum," he snickered as he saw Ping turn red. "when I told you about it, you decided to give it a try, eh?"
"Shut up."
"Come on, we're buddies here."
Ping rolled his eyes and shoved Ling off, "fine. Yes." Ling laughed, and they reached the camp.
References/Notes for this chapter:
none.
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