House of Chen

The journey through the night had met with little trouble. The animals were hand led so they were following not leading. They felt safer and stepped out as if it were broad daylight.  The injured slept; the rhythmical movement of the wagons coupled with the coolness of the dark night, lulled them like babies. Those who walked supported each other. All were tired and desperately fought their desire to sleep. Men moved in pairs, not speaking but aware of each other imminent collapse. Second Master looked at them. He knew he had to stop, but where. He called over Bǎo.  "We've got to stop, rest and sleep or we'll lose more troops." Bǎo nodded, "I've had people out looking for the best spot. If we can get off the main road it would be better, but we're also acutely aware of the need for water and provisions." He paused and looked ahead in the hope someone would be returning. "Niao and Xin have gone off hunting but warn us this isn't the best time...

Everyone was settled.  The old Master had been moved further up, along the track. He could cuss and become as difficult as he wished, his noise wouldn't carry to the main path and the physicians could administer whatever was needed to keep him calm. Horses and mules were taken into the forest where they happily grazed, again, well away from noises.  My main concern was they would startle.  Men went with them to keep them quiet. They all had lead lines so could be taken deeper if needs be. The sick and injured were positioned such that their smells would not transmit outside the side track and the rest remained quiet but alert. Bǎo and his men had placed themselves at the entrance to the side track. If anything went wrong and any of the Mu army came nosing, they wouldn't live long enough to send any messages back to their superiors. Xin and I were positioned further back, near the wagons which contained the injured men. They had fought so bravely protecting the garrison to...

"So, how do we play this?" Second Master looked at Officer Bǎo.  He and half a dozen of his men had appeared in front of them, dragging large branches behind them. "We have a good place to leave the main track and stop a while. It might also be good to check the injured, make sure nothing has slipped under them, check they're comfortable." "Okay, and the branches? Clearing our tracks I presume?" "Yes," Officer Bǎo replied, "if we start clearing them lightly now and then more thoroughly as we approach the turn-off, the approaching army won't know of our whereabouts." "Then go ahead, put your plan into action." Second Master paused before he continued, "I presume," he said, looking directly at Bǎo, "you'll be leading us? Is it far?" "No, it's less than two hours away. We calculated it shouldn't take longer than that to get us all safely off the main track and settled ready for their a...

Within a couple of hours of walking, the fog had lifted and the winter sun shone in an uninterrupted blue sky. My request had been answered. Mentally I bowed to the Heavens for their generosity.  The sound of hooves approaching from behind pulled me from my revelry and reaching for my two knives, which resided permanently at my waist, I spun round. In an instant I relaxed. It was Hàorán. Stopping, we waited for him to catch up. "Good, I was hoping to catch you around here." With that he grabbed both reigns in one hand and vaulted down to the floor. "I'm looking for Officer Bǎo?" He looked around and saw a man approaching him. "Ah, you must be Officer Bǎo," he bowed toward him, "let me introduce myself, I am Hàorán, the chief scout and messenger for Young Colonel Chen. He wanted me to ride with you so we could arrange a suitable point to pull off the road and avoid the Mu Army as it passed." Bǎo nodded to him, "do you have any suggestions...

Midday arrived. All was ready,  it was just Senior Master Chen and he was being difficult.  "But I don't want the soup, it tastes bitter." He pushed it away from his face making things very difficult for the attending physicians. How come he was awake already? Second Master shook his head, 'stubborn old coot'. "Here," Second Master said, "give me that bowl." With an annoyed flourish his took the bowl and supporting his father's head so he couldn't move, "father, drink this. We have to move quarters today and it will be better if your nerves are calmed." With that he held the bowl to his father's lips, and like a recalcitrant child, tipped his head back as he poured. The mouth automatically fell open and the liquid went in. "Swallow, father, or you'll choke!" His father attempted to fight him,  but age, coupled with the first bowl effects administered several hours before, meant there was more strength with Se...

As usual, Xin was still fast asleep whilst I sat watching the light come up. Rising, I went to the door and looked out.  Everywhere was coated with a heavy dew and the air hung with fog. I liked mornings like this, they may herald a wet bed, damp belongings and a weak fire, but once the sun burnt through, it often became a bright winter sun day. 'Please let today bring the blessings of blue sky and bright sun'. Having offered my request to the sky I turned back to see Xin propped up under her skins, looking at me. "So we pack and move out today?" "Yes. We might as well have a good breakfast then get ready to leave. This is a good time to slip out unnoticed, especially if the fog hangs about." "How long before the gates open?" It was a good call. If we could get on our way when the gates open we could be a long way down the road by the afternoon. Xin got out of bed and threw some clothes on. "You get breakfast sorted and I'll go and check w...

I listened, as two soldiers walking past us at the gate. They were deep in conversation and failed to notice us. "You heard who's likely to be coming?" "Coming where? Here?" "Yeh, here, and in about a week I heard." "Who!" "The Mu army." "No, I don't believe you. They wouldn't. Why?" "No idea, but I've been bashed about by that lot so many times. Why are they coming? To support the Zhang army and slaughter us no doubt?" They continued walking. Xin grabbed my arm to stop me following further. "What was all that about? We're here by the way, come on, the place I saw was round the back here." She lead the way whilst I still digested the news, if it were true that is. "It was the House of Mu who attacked that group do you remember? The group on the road? Those young men? We helped even the odds." I laughed at that. We took out the majority from what I remember and we weren't ev...

It was over a week before we got a reply and it came in the form of strange, muffled sounds coming along the track; a procession of heavy, rolling carts. It was nearly dusk when I heard the sound. "Sir, something is approaching. Think you need to take a look, Sir, " my attendant was agitated, " the other officers have been informed, Sir." 'Three sirs in one interaction, he is nervous,' and with that thought, I went outside to join the others. It looked odd. A long column of heavily built carts, probably off the farms, were being pulled by a variety of mules, heavy horses and plough oxen. Each cart had a thick bamboo roof with heavy, sacking sides. The animals doing the pulling, also had a roof protecting them from aerial attack. I grinned, 'my brother has been thinking this through, clever man'. "When the first one gets close enough, open the gates so they don't need to change their speed. These animals have pulled a long way, let's make...

I'd stood and watched as Bǎo's unit had left. The two ladies had left a month ago and now, with them all gone, the place felt bare, empty. I looked at the men remaining. Each had the same expression: dead eyed, character-less zombies. "Attendant!" I called out, as I watched these listless, lifeless men move about. They had stopped protecting themselves. If one was shot, they looked, momentarily, then walked past. There was no reactions any more.  This had to stop. "Sir," as always, as if by magic, one appeared. "I need to get a message to Colonel Chen as a matter of urgency. Do we have any runners available?" "I'll go and check, Sir." With that he vanished. Hopefully, there's someone willing to do the run. It's been a bit difficult getting messages through recently; too many archers on the high slopes again. "Sir, we have one remaining. He's just back from the town and says it's safer to travel at night, if that...

Waking up as dawn broke,  I looked about. Some of the pack had woken and were tending fires, others were off with their muslin rags, to wash in the paddy fields, others just lay there looking at the colours in the sky. "I'll never get tired of looking at that, do you?" He turned toward me and I nodded. "Imagine this being your everyday wake up call. The sounds of birds and trees rustling, breaking the silences."  I smile at him. In a way he was like me, he preferred outdoors.  His name was Zǐmò and from what he told me, he and his wife lived in the countryside not far from Chen House.  They rented a small holding from the estate and raised goats for their cheese and milk. He had a garden where he produced all the fruit and vegetables they needed. So apart from rice, they were pretty much self sufficient.  We'd sat together many times, comparing lifestyles, and it was interesting how much we learned from each other.  "Zǐmò, do you think there are a few o...

Many of the gardens had been abandoned, so vegetables grew unchecked, unpicked. We had plenty to choose from, so we set ourselves up on the edge of the stand of trees not far from the most unkempt ones. "I'll stay here with you for a few nights," Bǎo looked at me almost asking permission.  "Of course," I smiled at him, "it's your face she'll want to see and your arms she'll want to sleep in."  He relaxed. The rest looked round, "can we stay, even overnight? We've not had a night off in nearly ten months!" I wept with delight, " oh, it would be so good for us all to be together. There's plenty to gather, plenty of extra rations secreted away in our bundles for all of us to enjoy. The carp pond isn't far...." "I'll go!" One of the men stood up, "point me in the right direction. How many do we need? I'll get a full dozen, maybe more if I can. Who's coming?"  Another two stood and ...

We left the open fields and walked the short distance, through the town gates and into the central square. I looked around and was surprised by the lack of people. Xin was looking too and seemed as puzzled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say this is becoming a bit of a ghost town. Where is everyone?" I nodded. Apart from some women and their gaggle of small children, few were left. "I suspect as the trouble arrived, the people departed. Question is, where to? And are they safer there than here?" "Well, we won't have difficulty finding an empty building," she wafted her right arm around, "it's more a case of which one do you fancy?" "None of them." No. I didn't want to  stay here, there was a definite feeling of unease permeating the air ; then my hackles twinged, someone was stalking us and not to smile and say hello. . "No. Xin, we need to leave now but do it smoothly and purposefully. Imagine a stalking wild...

I woke as day was breaking. The clouds revealed narrow glimpses of a soft, autumn, blue sky. I smiled, it was a pleasing sight to open one's eyes to. The orange from the morning sun cracked the horizon bringing hope for a pleasant day, 'cold night though' my brain muttered. The camp was covered in a thick layer of dew, but inside the skins, it was warm and dry. The waterproofing was still holding up. The fire had been well made. The embers still glowed red, ready to be ignited once more, with fresh wood. I looked across at Xin. She was sound asleep. It was probably the first deep sleep she'd had in months; I didn't disturb her but stripped off and went to the river to bathe. With my comb on a leather thong around my neck and my muslin cloth in my hand, I lowered myself into the crisp waters. Today, I would luxuriate and allow the cold waters to wash away the thoughts which had begun to haunt me.  The waters eddied where we camped and fish rested here. It made fishin...