House of Chen

Băo and his two packs arrived just as another missive came in from Chenxi. It was directed straight to Second Master and he was opening it as Băo walked in. Băo waited and watched Second Master's face drain of colour. "What's happened?" "Yiran has died. She gave up the fight about a week ago and was pronounced dead a few hours after she went quiet." Băo watched, as his face cycled through pain, agony, worry and then white fire rage. He touched Second Master's arm. "We will get them. We will bring them to justice. We will make them pay." "That feud has taken my children and now my wife. Is there anything left it can take?" He looked at Băo with tears in his eyes. "I loved her with my very life. She was my everything. What do I have now?" "You have a younger brother to protect and a sworn brother who will stand by your side. You have a Province to restore and peace to make. You are very important to us all brother and now...

  The sweep began as expected. The Blades took up positions to the west and to the north of the town, whilst the entire army moved like a tide over the town.  They went door to door, knocking until a frightened face appeared at a chink in their barricade. People had fled the safety of their compounds, carrying their valuables or their children. Some were shouting at servants, trying to keep up. Chaos was milling all around the soldiers whilst they calmly continued their work.  Civilians ran from one place to another, shouting and screaming. Some people, in their haste, had set their own places on fire; carelessly unattended fires, knocked over lamps, fire sticks still lit, lying against the fabric of a dress or shawl. The smell of burning filled the nostrils, it was getting out of control. "Make sure the doors are checked over there!" one sergeant yelled at his troops. "All clear in these streets, Sir!" "Move on!" he barked and as a swarm, unhurried and un...

  They were all there now, the whole of the Twin Hammers. They had assembled in their regiments, banners flying, tents up and the siege was in full swing. Tangun was completely locked down, both by water and by land. Any troops coming from across the border were intercepted and either detained or sent packing, their tails between their legs. Most civilians had also fled, but a few die-hards remained. They were invariably tied to the Mu in some way, usually financial. Second Master had arrived. He had left Yiran in the capable hands of the apothecaries. She didn't know where she was and was being kept under heavy sedation. He couldn't bare to watch as she thrashed about, screaming and calling for her children. It was from these screams and shouts, he had been able to piece together what probably had happened. Yiran had taken the two children up to Niao's house in the hills above the forge. Both children had been told to be extra careful, but the youngest was only four, and s...

More people were committing to the reparations division; accepting the brand and the tenure. Now the force was over five hundred men, young adults with no family to speak of, and a few women who had lost everything including their virtue. The teams had settled and women scattered into the groups, creating extended, working families. The women took up the roles of house keeper, tending to washing, cooking and mending. Some took on younger children and calling them theirs, began raising them. With working groups housing twenty or so men, the women felt useful, vindicated. Madam Min watched all of this and smiled. Slowly a new Chenxi was rising from the ashes. A new community was being created, one which accepted strangers, gave work to the beggar and dignity to the fallen, the lame, and the chronically disabled.  "Madam Min," a voice came from the door, making her jump back into the present, "may I come in and discuss things with you?" General Hao stood at the doorway...

  Madam Min stared at the remnants of her beloved town. Much of what she remembered had gone. The milliners which had stood on the corner was now a pile of burned out rubble. The butchers was boarded up as was the flower shop. The stalls which had once housed a bustling throng of people and sellers were just splintered wood lying, desolate on the floor. She walked further expecting to see carnage, but arrived at a scene which made her heart sing. Her boarding house was whole and vibrant. It had been rebuilt and repurposed, housing the children and some of the women she had collected and brought back. One saw her and yelled out, "Auntie!" Others looked up, and all came running to her, like chicklets to its mother. "You're here." "You're back." "Auntie, we missed you. Where's Tantan? She wasn't with us?" At that moment a frightened face appeared from behind Madam Min's skirts. "Tantan!" one little girl exclaimed and pu...

  Returning to Chenxi took longer than Madam Min had expected, but the sheer logistics of moving everyone, especially the children who insisted on running around, all excitedly, as well as all the reclaimed goods, required several journeys and controlled logistics. She had stayed behind until everything was cleared, ticking it all off her sheet as they went. Taking one final look around, she saw a little girl clutching a blanket, huddled under a tree. "Why are you still here, little one?" "I'm scared Auntie. What if the bad men are still there. What of they want to hurt me again?" Min's heart lurched as she looked into the little girl's face. She was another who had seen and experienced too much. "They are all gone now." she cooed, "the nice soldiers have sent them all away and now we've been told we can go back." "Are you sure Auntie?" Her eyes were filled with fear and tears spilled down her face. Min took her in her a...