Recommended Listening: [Dance Of The Lotus – By Yume Play]
"Lord Sun Ce," Zhou Yu, although older, addressed him formally. "Do not be alarmed by the troops behind me. I bear no ill intentions, only an act of aid in providing reinforcements for the Northern coalition."
Sun Ce frowned. Not because of the troops, but because of the way Zhou Yu addressed him. It didn't quite sit well with him, especially since they were close enough to avoid formalities.
"The northern coalition…" Sun Ce nodded solemnly.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 'No, I must consider our positions and the presence of his warriors. Perhaps it was rude of me to embrace him so blatantly.'
"Lord Sun Ce?" Zhou Yu called out to him, earning his attention. "Is all well?"
"Yes, ge—" Sun Ce answered but paused, reminding himself of formalities. "Chief strategist Gōngjin. You must be weary from your journey; please allow me to escort you to the Grand General."
Gōngjǐn was Zhou Yu's courtesy name. It was what he was commonly addressed as but it felt unusual coming from Sun Ce.
Nonetheless, Zhou Yu nodded in agreement.
His troops, numbering two thousand, which spanned the entire open fields of Jian Ye, were directed by Ling Tong to reside in a nearby stronghold.
A handful remained in Zhou Yu's company, following him through Jian Ye's gates.
The Capital of the Wu commandery stood formidably along the banks of the Yangtze river with city walls built from grey stone and watchtowers covered with sweeping black-tiled roofs.
Riding through the pathway with Sun Ce guiding his horse, Zhou Yu glanced ahead at the main building in the heart of the city, which was a mix of wood and stone.
There were vermilion pillars carved with coiling dragons and phoenixes as the main symbolism of the Sun family.
"Jian Ye was not always as grand and beautiful as it is now," Sun Ce stated, smiling proudly at the work of his father. "It was nearly a wasteland a few years ago when my father reclaimed it after the Yellow Turban Rebellion."
Although not present for the Yellow Turban Rebellion in this lifetime, Zhou Yu knew the struggles of quelling that conflict under the commands of the divided imperial court generals.
The Imperial Court were always in disarray with different factions scrambling for control. And now? Even the young child emperor of the Han was being exploited by one of the leading ministers of the Imperial court.
It was the second reason for which Zhou Yu was summoned by Sun Jian.
"Grand General Sun Jian is admirable for the prosperity brought to Jian Ye under his rule," Zhou Yu replied, but his praise was out of courtesy and not sincerity.
He paid more attention to the courtyards blooming with plum trees and lotus ponds where the courtiers passed through the gates and pebbled paths beneath paper lanterns.
Zhou Yu held no interest in the achievements of Sun Jian.
"It has become the home of the Sun family now," Sun Ce said, his gaze growing distant. "A land we call our own while putting behind the past days of our homeless wandering."
Zhou Yu glanced down at Sun Ce, noticing the tense change in his demeanour. The young warlord did not come from royal or even noble birth.
Whatever titles and wealth the Sun family possessed now were hard-won and claimed through many campaigns and years serving under different warlords across the provinces.
And now, finally, they were renowned and powerful enough to rival many provincial lords.
"Humble beginnings are not to be—" Zhou Yu began but paused shortly.
"...are not to be ashamed of." Sun Ce completed, remembering those words all too well. "The shepherd who tends his sheep and fields is more honourable than the emperor born in his palace of titles and gold."
Zhou Yu was surprised that Sun Ce remembered his words despite him only relaying them to the young warlord only once in his childhood.
Sun Ce glanced up at his sworn brother, a tender smile laden on his lips. "I have never forgotten your words. They have always been my saving grace in moments of darkness and loss."
Zhou Yu nodded proudly.
"I am honoured that your lordship values my words." Zhou Yu placed a hand over his heart respectfully.
A moment passed between them, and shortly afterwards, Sun Ce led his sworn brother and his small company of warriors to the stables.
Having stationed their horses respectfully, Zhou Yu walked alongside Sun Ce as they made their way to the court hall of Jian Ye.
The court hall itself was a solemn but also elegant chamber. It was built with a high-beamed ceiling etched with constellations.
There were rows of seated ministers and generals arranged before the Sun family's elevated dias, while there were ritual drums placed behind golden screens ready to signal council or battle.
Zhou Yu had convened with others in this very hall countless times across every lifetime, but returning to it always held darker memories than the last time.
He recognised each and every figure, some who would grow to be part of his close-knit circle and some who would view him as a threat to the Sun family's journey to establishing their own empire.
And there on the elevated dias, seated on an ornate chair, was a man well into his forties.
With a face hardened like stone, he was clad in red and gold armour, his head helmeted with red tassels extending from the back like a ponytail.
Zhou Yu knew his face all too well.
After all, how could he ever forget the face of the man who doomed him in the first place?
Sun Ce seemed to notice that his sworn brother was at ill ease. From the start, he could sense that Zhou Yu was not entirely fond of Jian Ye.
What had they done to earn his ill feelings? Or was the young warlord simply overthinking?
Nevertheless, he would need to observe for longer to decide what was truth and what was illusion.
"Gōngjǐn, I am pleased that you have arrived earlier than we expected," the Grand General, Sun Jian, seated on the ornate chair, spoke.
There was no kindness to his voice. No warmth to his words. The man held himself in esteemed regard; hence, there were no genuine pleasantries to his welcome.
Zhou Yu's jaw ticked. Bending the knee to a man who brought about his suffering initially was like having the weight of a mountain pressing down on his back.
It was as if his legs had turned to stone, but knowing his position and his promise to set personal feelings aside, Zhou Yu knelt before him.
His gaze was cast downward, cold.
"Your summons are urgent, Grand General," Zhou Yu replied as respectfully as possible. "I would not delay my arrival knowing the perils Jian Ye would face."