The Lost Legion Part 6

6

Centurion

Our journey would take two days to travel,but with a hundred and fifty men marching; you just to add in three more days especially when they also include new recruits who are not used to forced marching. One third of my men are those and I wondered if all of them would reached there before they become deserter. We been training the new recruits hard but they seem to be able to take it. I have to reward my Decanus soon for the job well done.

I have seen them in doing the formation required in battle but in an actual battle, that is the real test.

I see the Optio is with the new recruits as if he buying favors from them. This could be bad as he ignores the veterans. I need to sound it to him. Tiber of late has been acting strangely and this is worrying me. Our coming war will be a real test since Carrhae, and I need all my men to be ready and above all, trust my commands. If my second in command renegade on me, I am a dead officer within seconds. We have not spoken much since my return from the Tavern. I wanted to apologies for my outburst but it was an unavoidable excuse for the Optio to act in that manner. He should had waited for me.

So was Decanus Marco; keeping much to himself. I know he wants to go home but with so little gold I hold, I cannot but him a free passage let alone a farm here. Its an expensive affair to feed and housed one hundred and fifty men when works are less and the idle days are more.

"Centurion, we have arrived." My scout has reported in. Now the real negotiation would take place.

"Optio, have the men make camp outside the walls. Tell them not to expect a long stay. We may be moving soon." I given my command and I looked at the so called fortress. Its not what I expected; its more like a baked mud plastered walls that reached three times the height of man. The rampart above are manned by archers and there is the great wooden double gate in the center. The wall ran for some distance before its breaks away to the sides to formed a rectangle fort. I was told that the inner walls housed nearly three thousand people including the two thousand army. Chieftain Zhizhi has announced himself as a Lord of the Land, and his control over the subjects he called his own people.

Zhizhi

"Lady Peng Rei, you mean to tell me that the Legion highly spoke of has only a hundred over soldiers. Where are the thousands the trader said in his report? Answer me, Lady Peng Rei." I am growing weary of this. I have been fighting for years and running from pursuers. I revolted from my brother and I ran here to seek shelter with another and yet I quarreled with that person. Now I am in pursuit by my old enemy.

"Your reinforcement may numbered hundred as your golds does not reflect what in your treasury report. But the men you see before you could fight their worth in those golds you have faked in your report. So do you choose them or I will exchange your god for silver to pay for peasants and woman to fight for you." The woman is insolent and yet I liked her as she is more than my cousin. She is to be my Empress when I do claim my rightful position.

"Let the barbarian in. I will see him in my Hall and be quick. I am getting restless of this wait."

I walked to the Hall and sit myself at my seat. I disliked the wait but its needed as the barbarian has a long way to walk. My adviser, Scholar Kang Hu was with me. The scholar is fanning himself with the hand fan and muttering his words as I am not listening to him. I am more keen to see this barbarian. I see his type before and they impressed me much with their fighting skills. There are about twenty of them in my army but they are uncontrollable. They won't listening to orders and they spent time fighting with my men.

He arrives and he is carrying dirt into my Hall. He comes with three of his men all carrying that square shield. He wears that peacock hair on his head and wearing that the metal chest and half skirt like a lady. The leader does not carry any shield but he is armed with that short broadsword.

"Welcome!" My scholar adviser speaks before me. I must talk to him later on his conduct.

Centurion

Our discussion was long but we made some headway. We could had completed faster if not for the stupid adviser who keep insisting on confirming everything twice or thrice. So our rates are agreed but now we are discussing the payment. We hit a stalemate soon enough.

"I had enough. We go now." I got up to walk but I was soon to stopped as I see the lady come in dressed in fine silk and colorful brocades. I gave her my curtsy bow and wait for her to come in. "Lady Peng Rei."

She walked past me and walked up to the Chieftain. She whispered to his ears and he was soon to frown but he nodded his head. He agreed to it and I walked back to my men with the news. The Legion will move into the Fort and be stationed there. The other legionnaires' will joined mine as part of my army.

I assigned the Decanus to train them and even officers are considered as new recruits.

Lady Peng Rei

I see the four men ride away and I feel elated they are with us. I do want to see the man again, but not so soon. But later when there is time. Zhizhi is a fool to think he can run and fight every time. I shall do what is needed to win but I am not sure we would win.

"When will the gold arrived?" He is a fool to buy the tale I just told him. Men are fools but some are just bigger fools.

"Soon, cousin. Soon." Just like our death, it may be soon.

"And soon we will living happily ever after." He laughs at his own words as I walked away.

Fools, they are. I have also my escape plan for this war. It would involve my lover too.

Zhizhi

The lady walks away; ever proud like peacock but there will be a day she is one of mine. Then I will show how the Dragon can quell the Peacock to be submissive to him. Its unusual for a lady to volunteer to be my emissary but I allowed it when she asked for the task. She was most persuasive and I have to dismissed my other officer appointed for the task. She was gone longer than expected and even missed the schedule meeting date. I wondered where and who she met out there.

I am not a jealous man but with her, I am becoming more than that. I am becoming possessive as well as ignoring my own wives. Truly lust can make a man so mean yet war are rage on their behalf. I wondered if the current war was for the same reason as I know the General leading the Han is also known to her. He was courting her before I exile myself to this land. Maybe he is waging the war for her and using me as an excuse to gather the army. I was told that the Emperor did not approved of this campaign, yet the Governor was deceived by the General Chen Tang to raise this army.

General Chen Tang; I met him before. An excellent warrior and strategist in his field. He may be seeking me to gain more credit to his valor in battle. Something which the Lady Peng Rei might want to see more in her lover. I am a great warrior too, but I sometimes win by discussion and negotiation rather than by physical fights.

"My Lord, the scouts has returned." Its good to know the scouts I send to trail the General's movement are back.

"Let them report to me now." I await their news.

"A party of several thousand Kangju cavalrymen, returning from a raid on Wu sun, stumbled onto the rear of the Chinese army, attacked it, and made off with a large quantity of food and weapons." I laughed at that as its good to know my other adversary also disliked the Han. Its calls for a celebration if General Cheng Tang is losing his supplies.

"But my Lord, I have more to tell you. General Chen Tang sent his H troops back and defeated the Kangju, killing 460 of them and freeing 470 Wu sun captives. They hide now in the valley and await your new order."

I threw my cup of win at the scouts. This is uncalled for.

"And my Lord. Several Kangju nobles defected to the Chinese and provided information and guides."

"What? And who are they? I want their names so I can remove their heads."I am now seething with anger and I drew out my sword. "Tell me more or it would be your head I removed."

"The Han are here. They are encamped about 30 Li from the fortress." The scouts are all on their knees and await my reply. I told them to go and rest. Now I need to think. The tiger has come down to the plains and I need to don my hunter's garb to counter the tiger.