Chapter 4: The General
Evening: General Tang's Encampment
General Tang stood around the chart table, positioning the wooden representations of estimated enemy forces and his own on the map. Tang was tall and well built, his son resembled him in many ways, a skilled swordsman and a brilliant orator, but his son, Fai-Dan Tang, lacked the drive and perseverance that he had attained from his hard fought battles on the continent. He had always worried about Fai-Dan's luxurious and cushioned upbringing, that's why he had sent him to the Jao Basin garrison, a rough place, devoid of the pleasantries of the monastery. However his son had resented him every step of the way for doing so, Tang sighed and leant against the table, arms folded.
Realizing that moping wouldn't help him win the campaign he turned around and kept planning an attack on a fortress the Jade Brotherhood controlled several kilometres away. "So a unit of cavalry will swing around the side and... no, I'll have three units of catapult concealed in the forest to create that distraction, once that distraction has been made I can take the main force through the side gate, our spy should have been able to open that for us. Hmmm, maybe if I, no." Captain Tang yawned, "Perhaps I need to get some sleep, Lieutenant Lau, send a patrol out, and watch for the enemy's elementalists, I don't want to find the charred remains of my scout captain when I get up for my inspection." "Yes sir." The lieutenant bowed and departed. The General slipped off his armour and donned his night garments, rubbing his eyes he lumped himself onto the bed. General Tang dozed off within minutes.