91 Rumours

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 even practiced then.

"Oh, yes, that young man and his small unit of men, I remember." Xin stopped for a moment and a light bulb went on in her head, " was that Hao Yang?"

I smiled. "Yes, that was the first time we met him. I saw him again whilst camped out. He asked to join me and be my apprentice. "

"Did he now. Was he smitten by you even then?"

" I have no idea, but not many weeks after being with me a group of mercenaries came in the hope of taking him hostage." I paused and remembered the fight. Short, swift and over in moments.

"I presume they lost."

"Yep. Left them out for the birds and the beasts."

She stopped in front of a narrow fronted dwelling. The door was wide open and looking inside, I could see it had been vacant for some time.

"This it?" I inquired.

"Mm. Thought it would suit us. Out the way, small and insignificant and enough to see us through the winter." She paused and gestured at the front door. "What do you think? Shall we look inside?"

We went in and adjusting to the light, I saw a small room with a wood stove in one corner. There was a tub, but I'm not sure if it would still hold water. Off to one side was a second room with what looked like the remnants of a bed. That was it.

"Any latrine area?" I asked.

"Not found one, but we could easily dig one round the back. There's nothing behind it, no houses or alleyways, I checked."

"Seems doable." I looked around. "Let's get the place cleaned out first then assess what we need straight away."

With that, we set about finding a broom or two, a bucket and most importantly, water.

Those with senior rank were gathering in the meeting hall. Commander Zhang would be addressing the meeting.

Rumours were rife and men huddled in groups discussing the probable arrival of troops from the Mu prefecture.

Commander Zhang came in with a flurry of importance. His senior colleagues flanked him as he walked to the head of the table. Those who had assembled there were unceremoniously pushed aside.

Sitting down with a flounce of his cape, he began to speak. "Gentlemen, be seated." He waited for those gathered to sit and pay him full attention.

"As you may or may not know, I sent out messengers a few weeks ago, requesting extra support in our fight against those invaders from the north."

"Join us," one of the Chen men muttered to his colleague, "from what I can see, we have done most of the fighting."

Commander Zhang cleared his throat, noting displeasure at being interrupted, then, with a fake smile, continued. "We have received a message back saying relief troops are on their way and should be with us in just under a week. Now this will mean a change in boarding arrangements as these new arrivals will be tired from their trip and require barracks to settle into." He looked around the room, pinpointing Second Master with his gaze. Members of Zhang's army all nodded in agreement. The men from Chen looked on, they had a sneaking idea what was coming.

Commander Zhang looked directly toward Second Master as he spoke, "so you can understand my dilemma. I think it only fair in the circumstances that we make provision for your men to be housed outside the barrack block and move you to a part of town where you will feel, how shall I say, more comfortable? After all, it is highly probable you will be given leave to return to your home prefecture." Commander Zhang stared once more at his perfectly manicured nails inspecting them with pride.

Second Master smiled, "Commander Zhang are we being sidelined or side swiped?"

"Nothing like that General Chen, you and your men have done a sterling job maintaining order especially at the frontier. We wouldn't dream of side lining you now." He picked up his scabbard and inspected it for cleanliness. Turning to his orderly, “have this cleaned more thoroughly will you, I cannot go on parade with it like this.” His orderly bowed and Zhang returned his gaze once more to Second Master. It was clear from this interaction what Zhang really thought.

"No, of course not." The sarcasm was not lost on Commander Zhang, but he chose to ignore it.

"So, gentlemen, I think you will agree, this meeting has come to an amicable conclusion and I am sure you will find suitable places to house your troops." Commander Zhang rose to leave.

"So, we are being dismissed? Does that dismissal take effect as of today or when the other army arrive?" Colonel Chen had not finished and hammered the point home. If he and his troops were to be sidelined, then they would return home as soon as possible, there was no point in staying.

"My dear Colonel Chen, as I said, your contributions have been invaluable but fresh eyes, Colonel Chen, fresh eyes." and with that he left, leaving the Chen men dumbfounded but not surprised. The conversation only confirmed the suspicions which many had, by now, expressed to Second Master.

General Chen looked at his senior officers. "Gentlemen, I think we have been told to leave. This I am happy to do." He looked around the room, "unless anyone wishes us to stay?"

"No!"

"No!"

"None of want to stay, Sir. If we could say, 'end of campaign' we would."

Second Master looked around, "so its agreed, we pack up, sort ourselves out and when we are ready, leave. No fanfare, no farewells, just move out in three days time?"

He looked around the room. "Are we in agreement, gentlemen?"

A resounding, "yes, Sir!" reverberated around the room.

"Okay, down to logistics. Firstly, do not allow this to leak out to the other troops. Secondly, let them think we are moving to an area closer to the gates because we're being chucked out."

"Well, that's true enough..." everyone nodded at the interjection.

"Thirdly, make sure Bǎo's men and the two women also know, I do not wish to leave them behind. Hao Yang, I ask you to find them and tell them to meet us on the road in three days."

"Sir, I'll get on it straight away." With that Hao Yang left the meeting room. He didn't need an excuse to find the ladies. He was keen to meet up with Bǎo too. He'd missed them all.

" The rest of you, get everything organised so we can load up and move to 'new quarters' which in fact, will be our one way ticket out of here and back on the road home."

"Sir? What do we do about Master Chen Senior?" One of the more senior officers looked nervous.

"Leave him to me. He's my father after all. I have argued enough with him recently for him to give way now, albeit reluctantly. If he doesn't, then he will be physically restrained into his carriage and we leave like that. He can blaspheme as much as he wishes once we get moving away from this hell hole."

There were nods and smiles all round.

"That's it gentlemen, meeting adjourned."