Chapter 233: Introspection

Chapter 233: Introspection

Stifling a yawn, Chu Tongzu forced himself out of bed at the break of dawn, his body aching and mind weary despite the full night's rest. Though the war for Sanshu was over and won, he still had much to do, with little good accomplished hiding beneath bed sheets. While getting dressed and eating his breakfast, he balked at the task before him, worrying how he could accomplish such a grand undertaking. Not even a full day after narrowly avoiding destruction at Yo Ling's hands, Tongzu now faced the arduous task of saving Sanshu from the Empire.

Three months, the minimum time it would take for the Grand Marshal's Inquisitor to arrive in Sanshu and an impossibly short deadline to accomplish Tongzu's goals. In light of Mao Jianghong's and the Coalition's betrayal, Tongzu's fall from grace seemed all but inevitable. Such was his legacy, presiding over the hotbed of corruption and degeneracy which gave rise to the largest Defiled outbreak in the history of the North, but Tongzu cared little for what the history books would say of him nor did his fate concern him. At worst, he'd be convicted of gross incompetence and sent to serve at the Bridge, a welcome change after years of drudging over matters of state of policy.

No, his concerns laid with the good people of Sanshu. In the wake of disaster, many would clamour for a full-scale Purge of the region, rendering all the efforts and heroic sacrifices of Sanshu's heroes for nothing. Tens of thousands of warriors dying in vain and millions of citizens put to the Question, he refused to allow such a fate to befall his city after fighting so hard to save it. Though the Shrike was dead and gone, her Master still roamed the Central Plains, his indefatigable zeal and insatiable appetite a thing of nightmares. Tongzu would sooner rebel against the Empire than allow the madman through Sanshus gates, a fanatic slaughterer who would cut the nose to spite the face.

This was all a matter for the future, something outside his control. Focusing on what could be done, Tongzu and his advisors devised the outline of a plan to restore Sanshu to its former glory before the Inquisitor arrived. By ensuring the city and its people were too valuable to kill, Sanshu would thus avoid calamity, but Chao Yongs promotion to Lieutenant Marshal made this task all the more difficult. Tantamount to giving the slimy toad complete control over all of Sanshus resources, it seemed a gross miscalculation on Major Yuzhens part. To rise from adversity, Sanshu needed dedication, hard work, and more than anything, coin, something he thought readily available with the Coalitions assets seized. With Chao Yong now in control and given his avarice and cunning, Tongzu would be lucky to get even a quarter of the taxes owed in time, buried beneath a mountain of bureaucracy and paperwork while the former Chief Councilman pocketed all of Sanshus wealth before its 'inevitable' destruction.

If Sanshu took on considerable debt, it would be a glaring flaw for the Inquisitor to fixate on. Hoping to avoid this, he requested a sizable personal loan from Chao Yong. The cunning merchant offered an acceptable rate at compound interest, though the calculations made Tongzus head spin. With such huge sums involved, the Chu family would be under the Chao familys thumb for decades, if not centuries, assuming Sanshu survived. Worst of all, the only collateral Chao Yong would accept was Tongzus family, with all his living relatives falling into slavery should he default or commit suicide. Cursing Yuzhen for a fool, he inscribed a copy and sent it to the future Marshal of the North, showing her the folly shed wrought. With that done, he signed and sealed the contract, resigned to his fate. He hoped to save Sanshu and all who fought to defend it no matter the cost, even if it meant dying a dogs death in service to a reprehensible master.

Upon receiving the signed contract, the slimy toad delivered the loan within the hour, likely dancing a jig in his carriage as he made his way to Shen Yun, seeking shelter in calmer seas. Though massive in size, this loan was but a single hair from nine oxen compared to the fortune he carted off. Disheartened by the thought of working for him, Tongzu threw himself into his work, setting Sovanna to scouring his ranks for betrayers, taking meetings and appointing officials to oversee construction and demolition, and purchasing huge swathes of property and materials at rock-bottom prices. The fleeing nobles couldnt take their homes with them and they snatched up his offers without bargaining, each one believing him a fool for thinking Sanshu would endure.

Faithless cowards, the aristocracy were a cancer to his city and he was better off without them.

Around dinnertime, he refreshed himself with a hot towel and a change of clothes before heading out into his city. Clouds of thick, oily smoke hung in the air as Tongzu rode through the streets, his heart heavy at the sight of so many grieving citizens. Stopping in at each funeral site, he spoke a few words to the gathered masses, reciting empty platitudes as he shook hands with parents and children, siblings and lovers, each one suffering from a loss. Servants and labourers, farmers and tradesmen, these were the people who would make Sanshu great again.

In a few days, his decree will have reached the surrounding areas, inviting all of Sanshus downtrodden into his walls. With coin secured and his dedication boundless, all that was left was the hard work, rebuilding his city from the ground up. To win the hearts of the people, Tongzu reversed his predecessors decision to turn Sanshu into a haven for the rich and prosperous. Sanshus unique circumstances were the reason Yo Lings rebellion almost succeeded. With the majority of the population living outside the walls and vulnerable to bandits and beasts, it fostered an environment tailored for the Defiled to hide and scheme out of sight from the close knit communities required to survive inside the walls.

To further his plans, he offered free food and shelter to all who came, promising property to everyone who aided in Sanshus restoration. Tearing down a single manor would make enough room for thousands of citizens and Tongzu owned hundreds of them now. To an entire generation whod grown up outside the city, the chance to own land inside Sanshu was a dream come true. Building their own homes seemed a minor hurdle, especially since the city was footing the bill for materials and offering guidance. Continuing his campaign of goodwill, he dined with his people, wandering the streets with a simple bowl of congee in hand while his people ate meat and rice, raising morale and offering hope wherever he could while simultaneously gauging the mood of his city.

Grieving aside, his people were on the path to recovery, with many a tongue wagging about future prospects. A good sign all things considered, though he heard more than a fair amount of grumbling, mostly aimed at Mao Jianghong and the Coalition. Others complained about the presence of the Azure Ascendants and the Mothers Militia, but those were drowned out by the voices singing praises about their valiant defence. Neither bandit group ever targeted civilians, which gave Tongzu reasonable justification to overlook their presence. A blessing in light of their backing, not to mention the considerable debt of gratitude owed.

What disturbed him most were the rumours flying about regarding the Bekhai, mostly bastardized renditions of Gens speeches blaming Falling Rain for the Defiled incursion. Fools to believe a cannibalistic fire-starting brat, but easier to blame outsiders than accept their own failings. Whenever Tongzu heard such grumblings, he moved to suppress them, extolling the Bekhai contributions and Falling Rains accomplishments. Gerels failure to kill Yo Ling aside, surviving a duel against the legend was cause enough to celebrate and the other Bekhai played no small part in their victory.

Still reeling in shock, Tongzu stammered his thanks and wandered off, unable to stay lest curiosity overwhelm him. He foresaw many a sleepless night ahead as he pondered Rains multitude of secrets, thanking the Mother for his presence in Sanshu. One could say that without Rain, Gerel would have never come and the city would have fallen to Yo Lings dastardly schemes long before Yuzhens arrival. Then again, Rain could also be said to have ignited the spark the which lit an inferno as without him, there would be no Gen. With no Gen, there would be no Purge and nothing to force Yo Lings hand. A minor player in the grand scheme of things, but perhaps history would see this as Falling Rains rise to fame, willing or not.

Hero or Villain, only time would tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gazing out over the battlements, Situ Jia Yang cursed his luck, his face twisted in an ugly mixture of vexation and relief. Rain fell overhead as he stared at the distant, battered ruins of the Northern wall and the corpses of Defiled and soldier alike littering the ground in a sea of red, brown, and white. Though numbed to the stench, he imagined it carried quite the distance, with crows and jattuyas arriving from afar, swooping in to partake in the waiting meal. Swarms of flies buzzed about the field as maggots writhed and squirmed in dead flesh, eager to join their brethren in flight around the charnel pit of a ravaged fortress.

The Defiled numbers were overwhelming and their Demons slaughtered elites as easily as turning a hand. Despite Akanais timely arrival with her reinforcements, the Bridge was all but lost. With defeat looming on the horizon, Jia Yang did as any competent commander would, ordering his men to withdraw in groups to reconvene in Shen Yun. Though they lost the battle, lives could still be saved and put to use defending the sturdy city walls for months, holding out until reinforcements arrived from the Central Province. After the Defiled broke through the second wall and swarmed into the province, his actions would be lauded as keen foresight, losing the battle only to win the war.

Except they didnt lose the battle.

Without rhyme or reason, the Defiled withdrew from under the inclement weather. The Demons fled first, disappearing in the blink of an eye as soon as the shower began while the Defiled fought on, but within the hour, the battle was over. Minutes stretched into hours as the defenders waited in place, unable to understand why the Enemy retreated whilst on the cusp of victory. It made no sense and now Jia Yangs actions looked like those of a coward, preparing to flee to save his own skin while Baatar and Akanai led the Empire to victory.

Grinding his teeth, Jia Yang swallowed his anger and waited, half hoping for the Defiled to return and finish what they started. His opponents would note his cowardice and pave the way for Baatar to claim the title Commander of the Wall unimpeded and unchallenged. Jia Yangs dreams of becoming Patriarch of the Situ Clan seemed fleeting and distant, all his years of effort and hard work undone in a single battle.

Losing to a half-breed bastard, even one who fought like a hero from legend... It was almost enough to drive him mad with rage, unbalancing him past recovery.

Almost.

Breathing through his mouth, Jia Yang fought for calm, preparing for his next move, but for the first time in his life, he wasnt sure what it would be.

Chapter Meme