Post by Yuan Shao on Jun 19, 2010 2:04:57 GMT
Four years have passed. Four long years. I’ve sat complacent for far too long, happy but brooding within my high walls, already a dank creeping into their new façade. The palace hasn’t been renovated in 10 years, as it crumbles around me. Every day I wake to a new thin layer of dust on my sheets.
And to be honest?
I’m fucking sick of it.
For four, long, years I have sat and stewed over this. Brooded over this. I defeated Gongsun Zan, and the Imperial decree stated I’m not allowed any more conquest. It was because of those bastards, Li Jue and Guo Si, that I was bottled up in the north, the area around me ripe for the picking, but unable to be grasped by me and my men. We sat outside these cities, besieged them, each time called back by the Han, told not to worry about them, focus on strengthening your bond with us.
Bullshit. All bullshit. To what end? I dumped thousands of pounds of gold into a failing empire that has done nothing for me except lose me men and favor with other lords. Who is it for them to say how I should spend my money? Who is it for them to claim to be able to tell me what I should and shouldn’t rule over.
Bullshit.
I thought about this every night, in between opium puffs and consulting with Guo Tu. That man has saved me from more bad decisions than any other in my entire life. I could not be where I am today without him. He has been my greatest ally. No other compares to his sage advice, though many try.
Shen Pei. My tactical moster. He has developed the battle plans for every siege I’ve had, every single one that’s failed and every single one that’s succeeded. I would not entertain having anyone but him to plan my road to victory. He alone is smart enough to architect the battles that will be won to put me into power.
Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong. My sword and spear. Liang fights with vigor unmatched. Chunyu defends the empire with almost inappropriate zeal. The two combined are a tour-de-force, and I couldn’t imagine how difficult the past 10 years would have been without them.
Wen Chou. He is a wildcard. He is as strong as Yan Liang, hell, he’s probably an even better general. The people love him. My son loves him. Everyone loves him. Except Guo Tu, and he is one of my most trusted advisers. I don’t know what to do.
Gao Gan. Another of my trusted generals. He was instrumental in defending Ye from bandits while I was in Nan Pi, and he has my eternal thanks for that. He proved instrumental in protecting us all at Bei Ping, and that’s why he will always be held dear to me.
Yuan Tan. My son. My heir apparent. Edged out his brother Shang, and shall be the one to take over my kingdom upon my death. My time on this earth has been long, and I do not know how much longer I can last… but it shall be long enough to see my empire solidified. I do not trust Tan right now, I do not think he will be able to lead Yuan into victory after my death. And I fear he may make a bid for power sooner than that.
This is my memoirs of what I’ve done to do what I will do later today. It is a testament to my will an my power. No other man is as strong as I am. No other man is as powerful as I am. No other man is as influential as I am. No other man…
Is me.
And it is for this reason that I am making my declaration today. I am the emperor. I have no Imperial Seal; I don’t need it. My people are fanatical for me, and my officers know that I alone am the only hope for China. There is no other person who is more fit than myself for leading everyone, both spiritually and in the government. It is for this reason that I declared myself emperor this day. It is for this reason that I burden the responsibilities that are associated with being a ‘pretender’ emperor.
Let it be known. I alone knew this was the way the world must break down. I alone must be king of all of China, I must be the emperor. I will abolish the nonfactual belief that we have to have an Emperor and then someone to watch over the emperor with a prime ministry. My Prime Minister will be dedicated to Guo Tu, and it will fulfill an advisory role. The rest of my men will all be treated the same, all of them given ranks, even Wen Chou. No one is exempt from my gratuity towards carrying me to this point.
Yuan Shao laid down the quill. His hand hurt. This was the longest thing he had wrote in years, usually designating his secretary towards taking down every thought he had. He hadn’t had a puff of opium in almost an entire day, using the rough clarity that came from the few sober moments he enjoyed. He feared that he would wax too poetically in his declaration should he be under the influence.
He stood from the chair and walked to the balcony that was outside his room. His personal balcony was empty of any guards, but the two balconies to either side had men, there were a few dozen arches on his roof, and archers on every roof adjacent to his palace, as well as on the walls surrounding. He was as safe as he ever would be. Yet this nagging declaration continued to pull at his mind. What had he really been through in the past four years?
Nothing. Nothing. It was just empty words.
He sighed as he leaned on the rail. The guards on either side of him shifted nervously, hoping he wasn’t inebriated and hoping to god that he didn’t injure himself. God forbid the Lord Yuan Shao take a tumble over the rail and end this entire crazy act. Tan would take over, and the Yuan’s history would be completely changed. The entire history of China would be different.
However, tonight was not the night for Shao to die. He knew that he would die by his son’s hands. He was sure of it, a moment of stark future predicting by Shao. He didn’t know if it was the opium that gave him that ability, but he knew for a fact that he was going to be killed by his son, and his son would inherit his empire. And that’s why Shao decided not to throw himself over that railing.
He knew that Tan would be able to step up to the plate as long as the burden was placed upon him. Give him an open destiny and he would flounder, but hammer out that destiny before he had a chance to make his own decisions. That would be Shao’s everlasting will, the Will of Ages, something he had been writing since he was a boy, an outline of how to successfully rule, and how to make sure that everyone under the Yuan banner was loyal.
He knew that Tan would follow it. He knew he would.
Wouldn’t he?
Shao walked back into his room. He sat back down and decided to finish what it was that this proclamation needed.
And with this, I sign my name.
皇帝袁本初
Emperor Yuan Benchu
And let no man stand in my way. There will be no quarter for enemies of the Yuan Empire.
And to be honest?
I’m fucking sick of it.
For four, long, years I have sat and stewed over this. Brooded over this. I defeated Gongsun Zan, and the Imperial decree stated I’m not allowed any more conquest. It was because of those bastards, Li Jue and Guo Si, that I was bottled up in the north, the area around me ripe for the picking, but unable to be grasped by me and my men. We sat outside these cities, besieged them, each time called back by the Han, told not to worry about them, focus on strengthening your bond with us.
Bullshit. All bullshit. To what end? I dumped thousands of pounds of gold into a failing empire that has done nothing for me except lose me men and favor with other lords. Who is it for them to say how I should spend my money? Who is it for them to claim to be able to tell me what I should and shouldn’t rule over.
Bullshit.
I thought about this every night, in between opium puffs and consulting with Guo Tu. That man has saved me from more bad decisions than any other in my entire life. I could not be where I am today without him. He has been my greatest ally. No other compares to his sage advice, though many try.
Shen Pei. My tactical moster. He has developed the battle plans for every siege I’ve had, every single one that’s failed and every single one that’s succeeded. I would not entertain having anyone but him to plan my road to victory. He alone is smart enough to architect the battles that will be won to put me into power.
Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong. My sword and spear. Liang fights with vigor unmatched. Chunyu defends the empire with almost inappropriate zeal. The two combined are a tour-de-force, and I couldn’t imagine how difficult the past 10 years would have been without them.
Wen Chou. He is a wildcard. He is as strong as Yan Liang, hell, he’s probably an even better general. The people love him. My son loves him. Everyone loves him. Except Guo Tu, and he is one of my most trusted advisers. I don’t know what to do.
Gao Gan. Another of my trusted generals. He was instrumental in defending Ye from bandits while I was in Nan Pi, and he has my eternal thanks for that. He proved instrumental in protecting us all at Bei Ping, and that’s why he will always be held dear to me.
Yuan Tan. My son. My heir apparent. Edged out his brother Shang, and shall be the one to take over my kingdom upon my death. My time on this earth has been long, and I do not know how much longer I can last… but it shall be long enough to see my empire solidified. I do not trust Tan right now, I do not think he will be able to lead Yuan into victory after my death. And I fear he may make a bid for power sooner than that.
This is my memoirs of what I’ve done to do what I will do later today. It is a testament to my will an my power. No other man is as strong as I am. No other man is as powerful as I am. No other man is as influential as I am. No other man…
Is me.
And it is for this reason that I am making my declaration today. I am the emperor. I have no Imperial Seal; I don’t need it. My people are fanatical for me, and my officers know that I alone am the only hope for China. There is no other person who is more fit than myself for leading everyone, both spiritually and in the government. It is for this reason that I declared myself emperor this day. It is for this reason that I burden the responsibilities that are associated with being a ‘pretender’ emperor.
Let it be known. I alone knew this was the way the world must break down. I alone must be king of all of China, I must be the emperor. I will abolish the nonfactual belief that we have to have an Emperor and then someone to watch over the emperor with a prime ministry. My Prime Minister will be dedicated to Guo Tu, and it will fulfill an advisory role. The rest of my men will all be treated the same, all of them given ranks, even Wen Chou. No one is exempt from my gratuity towards carrying me to this point.
Yuan Shao laid down the quill. His hand hurt. This was the longest thing he had wrote in years, usually designating his secretary towards taking down every thought he had. He hadn’t had a puff of opium in almost an entire day, using the rough clarity that came from the few sober moments he enjoyed. He feared that he would wax too poetically in his declaration should he be under the influence.
He stood from the chair and walked to the balcony that was outside his room. His personal balcony was empty of any guards, but the two balconies to either side had men, there were a few dozen arches on his roof, and archers on every roof adjacent to his palace, as well as on the walls surrounding. He was as safe as he ever would be. Yet this nagging declaration continued to pull at his mind. What had he really been through in the past four years?
Nothing. Nothing. It was just empty words.
He sighed as he leaned on the rail. The guards on either side of him shifted nervously, hoping he wasn’t inebriated and hoping to god that he didn’t injure himself. God forbid the Lord Yuan Shao take a tumble over the rail and end this entire crazy act. Tan would take over, and the Yuan’s history would be completely changed. The entire history of China would be different.
However, tonight was not the night for Shao to die. He knew that he would die by his son’s hands. He was sure of it, a moment of stark future predicting by Shao. He didn’t know if it was the opium that gave him that ability, but he knew for a fact that he was going to be killed by his son, and his son would inherit his empire. And that’s why Shao decided not to throw himself over that railing.
He knew that Tan would be able to step up to the plate as long as the burden was placed upon him. Give him an open destiny and he would flounder, but hammer out that destiny before he had a chance to make his own decisions. That would be Shao’s everlasting will, the Will of Ages, something he had been writing since he was a boy, an outline of how to successfully rule, and how to make sure that everyone under the Yuan banner was loyal.
He knew that Tan would follow it. He knew he would.
Wouldn’t he?
Shao walked back into his room. He sat back down and decided to finish what it was that this proclamation needed.
And with this, I sign my name.
皇帝袁本初
Emperor Yuan Benchu
And let no man stand in my way. There will be no quarter for enemies of the Yuan Empire.
