WHISPERS OF A STORM

POV: LIU XIE (Second prince of Han, lord of the crannies)

LOCATION: Neighbouring district close to the crannies

TIME: Two months after the new year

As you manover around the crowd of people living in the districts close to the crannies, you can not help but notice the large amount of beggars pleading for alms. True there had always been beggars in this parts of the city but you are willing to bet your prize horse on the fact that they have increased. The worst part is that some of these beggars still have the remains of silk around them.

Is this what the bad harvests and corruption has reduced us to? Forcing men of substance to beg on the streets?

"My prince?" You turn to see a woman carrying a large pot of rice

"May I be excused?"

"Apologies." You say and gently step aside

As she walks past you and enters into a food house, you could not help but give yourself a mental pat on the back for taking good advantage of the situation.

Already Yin Bosi had established over twenty food houses in almost all the district of Luoyang and they all had a large portrait of you so that the people would know who to be thankful to. In addition you have also paid for several doctors to ply their trade on the refugees for free in the food houses.

Needless to say, these actions have made you so well know that any disguise on your self became practically useless.

As always these actions won you no friends in the imperial court. The enuchs accused you of spending too much on the common people while the generals accused you of weakness and sentimentality. The empress called your action madness and even the emperor made it clear that his was displeased with your generosity. The only form of support you receive was from the empress dowager who candidly reminds the court that your efforts to help the poor comes from your own pocket and not from the imperial treasury and thus they had no right whatsoever to tell you what to do with your tales.

However as wonderful as it is to watch your fame grows by leaps and bounds and the refugees make toasts in your name that is not the reason you are here today.

"Is it not obvious my friend?" One of the refugees asks his follow.

"What else can explain all the calamities we have been facing?"

You step back in order to remain unobserved as you listen

"But do you know what you are saying?" His fellow whispers

"If anyone hears words like that, it could very well mean your death."

" But dose that makes it false?" The first man insists

"The rain has refused to fall for two years now and the pox is killing whatever hunger has left. Can all these point to any thing other than that the emperor has lost the divine mandate?"

"Even if he has lost the mandate what are you and I to do about it?"

"We should go to the imperial palace, demand he steps down and ask him to put someone better in his place."

The second one looks around the hall cautiously

"Be careful what you say around here." He hissed

"Do you not know that the prince has eyes and ears here?"

"And what will he do? Kill me?" The second one's voice begins to rise

"My wife was killed by the pox last year, my children died due to hunger and my father's land was stolen from me in the name of tax. Tell me my fellow why should I fear death when I have nothing else to live for?"

Even though Yin Bosi had informed you earlier about the rebellious sentiments that was growing amongst the people, hearing it and seeing it burn from the fanatical eyes of so many people are two very different things.

When you had initially researched the rebellion (in your former life) you had thought that Zhang Jue must have sent his followers to all conners of china to cause trouble but being here and seeing things for yourself has made it crystal clear that no such thing was ever needed.

The continuous drought, the plagues, the high taxes and the corruption has made China a powder keg and the people badly needed some where to vent. At this rate, you are very sure that if Zhang Jue had not provided the spark, someone else somewhere would eventually have.

"If only I can just my hands on one of those aristocrats." The man declares

"I would tear every piece of flesh from his bones and hang it on the top of mount Tai itself. Then at least I can die in peace."

"Are you aware that I am also an aristocrat?" You decide to speak up much to the surprise of the two men who did not know they are being watched.

"What is your name?"

The second one was shaking like a leaf under the summer breeze but the first one stood up with a quiet dignity that is beyond a common man.

"My name is Ho Chin my prince." He replies

"Do you mind if we speak outside?" You ask

"I follow your lead my prince." He says with a slight bow

However as soon as you both got outside, Ho Chin flees down the nearest alley at what you believe to be his top speed.

Rather than chase him, you simply turn to your left where a woman dressed as a serving maid was waiting for you.

"You see what I have been trying to explain my prince?" Su min asks

"These rebellious sentiments are quickly becoming strong amoungst the people."

"But are you certain that all this is not the work of more than one man?" You query

"I have worked tirelessly with madame Yin for many days my prince." You could hear the exhaustion in her voice

"If this is the work of a group of men I dare say we would have apprehended them by now."

"So is there no way to stop the rumors?" You ask

"The only way to stop it would be to arrest everyone who speaks of it." She answers

"But then that would leave half of the city in prison."

You take a deep breath as your mind runs through possible solutions.

"Did you do what I expected from you?"

Su min beamed a bright smile

"Follow me my prince

You and Su Min quickly move past the small number of people in the road and entered into an alley.

Once there you folllow her through a confusing maze of passages untill you both stopped at a simple door.

She then knocked thrice at the door and it opened to reveal two other members of the Lin Kwie...

and a bound and struggling Ho Chin

"Did you really think you could escape from me?" You ask calmly

"What do you want with me?" Ho Chin asks back without fear,.

"I want to know who told you the stories you have been spreading?"

"Stories?" His tone sounds offended

"You call the truth about our daily lives stories? With respect my prince you are very lucky my hands are tied when you said those words."

"And if they were not, What would you have done?" You ask

"I would have grabbed the first aristocrat I can get my hands on (meaning you) and tear him limb from limb." He replies without any hesitation.

"And you would have allowed yourself to die afterwards?"

"As long as I get my revenge on one of those who stole from me. I would die a happy man."

Yep this is a fantatic

"Very well."

You pull your sword, step towards him and then waves it in a downward arc.

He watches in surprise as his bonds fall away.

"I want you to continue what you have been doing" You explain

"I want you to call into question not the mandate the emperor but rather the seven virtues of the enuchs surrounding him. And above all I want you to convince your fellows to band up together,go to imperial palace and make your demands before emperor's face."

If Ho Chin was surprised at your earlier action of freeing him, this one sends him into outright shock.

"Can you do it?" You ask as you jingle a coin pouch

"Why should I do it?" He quires

"How do I know that this is not a trick to get me and thousand others killed?"

"Because if I wanted you dead, would I really need to go that far?"

He looked at the guards around him and shakes his head

You smile to yourself because your small desperate guess was correct

"I have tried Ho Chin." You cry in a deeply pained voice

"I have tried to make my father see reason. To make him realize what his actions are doing to the land but he will not listen to me. He will not listen because his eunuchs will not let him see what is happening even when it is right in front of him."

"And this concerns me because?"

"If he will not listen to my whispers, then he will listen to your roar." You say fiercely

"Will you help me to make him listen?"

Ho Chin thinks for a while and then says

"I will help you." He replies

"Not because of your coin or because of your guards but because you are the only aristocrat who has tried to help us in the little way you can. (He bows with both palms in front of him) Good day to you my prince."

You give him a slight nod and the Lin Kwie knocks him out in order to return him where they took him from.

If you are to be truthful to yourself, you can think of at least a hundred different ways you could have used that encounter to your personal advantage. At the very least you could have paid or persuaded that man to spread the word about how you would be a much better emperor. So then why didn't you?

Is it because you feel a bit of pity for the large number of people who will die in Luoyang due to this rebellion?

Or is it because you have begun to aquire a fondness for your little domain?

You shake your head to clear it.

"Make sure he gets his money one way or the other." You tell Su Min

"I would not have a man working for me for free."

"Yes my prince." She answers and then turns to you

"Do you really mean to use the the peasants against your father?"

"No." You reply

"Then why....."

"Do you really believe that the emperor will do something even if he knew just how severe the situation is?" You ask

She did not respond

"Well even if he wants to do something about the situation, my father cannot risk doing anything that will harm the interest of the ten attendants." You continue

"The people are tired of keeping quiet Su Min. Sooner or later a storm will break out. At least this way I can convince them to take up arms against the eunuchs rather than the emperor."

"And what makes you think they will take arms against the eunuchs and not your father?"

You smile

"The people may not love my father anymore but they still worship him and are reluctant to oppose him. The enuchs however are a much different case as they are already blaming them for the high taxes.

"And what if they do take up arms against the emperor?" She counters

"What will you do then?"

You pause for a long moment

"I don't know." You reply truthfully

"The fury of the commons is a very deadly thing my prince." She warns

"I hope you know what you are doing"

"So do I Su Min. So do I"

As soon as you got back to the open road, the dragon begins to burn and you quickly take a look at the paper.

Do you finally see why I had brought you back? The rebellion is due to occur in there months time. You have an army, enough savings and the love of the common people. All that is left is a calvary and a side to fight for.

Mission(should you choose to accept it): pick a side of the conflict in three months and commit all your formidable resources to helping them win.

Rewards: New subordinates and a personal armor set

As always should you fail this misson I will make sure you die a painful death and suffer much more in the afterlife.

The storm is coming professor and this is a conflict that you can not remain neutral. Question is will you survive?

GOOD LUCK PROFESSOR

You simply shut the letter and look up to the sky.

Zhang Jue what the hell are you up to?

......

Dear reader

Thank you so much for following up to this point and watching closely the events that has unfolded. I hope you will continue to watch the events that are yet to unfold.

As you can see in this chapter China is about to go up in flames due to the yellow rebellion so your

Mission (should you choose to accept it) is to help the author in answering this question.

Where should prince Liu Xie fight?

X- At the head of the yellow rebels due to his sympathy for the common people and their struggles or

O- At the head of the imperial suppression force due to his status as the prince of the Han and the great rewards that will come after.

Remember, your vote has the power to decide the course of the story so use it as much as you like.

As always if you fail this misson I will make sure you die a painful death and make sure you suffer much more in the afterlife.

GOOD LUCK READER

(Liu Si)