The man who would be king

KouRyu PoV

Kanyou was bustling like always. The welcome we got from the people was incredible, to say the least. This was a great achievement, and under the circumstances, it was something like a miracle.

From this day on, a saying started among the people of Kanyou: "Generals may win battles, but the Heavenly Dragon General can achieve the impossible." It sounds a bit much, but this was the way people thought in this era.

I, of course, embraced the adoration with a smile and waved at them. The walk to the palace took longer as people crowded to see and cheer for us.

We were cordially invited into the Royal Court, where the civil servants greeted us with a bow.

The King applauded our arrival, and Ryofui came forward and stood in front of me with a smile as he spoke. "It seems we have found another great general, one whose age can be compared to the likes of Bai Qi, Ou Ki, or Kyou. You have certainly made your ancestors proud, my boy. I shall send a nice gift personally as a reward. I pray that you may achieve more victories for Qin."

I smiled and replied, "Thank you for your generosity. I shall strive to do so."

I walked in front of the King and bowed deeply, and he actually came down from the throne and pulled me up with a jovial laugh as he spoke, "Congratulations,

This needs about 10 years or so and such an army can't be hidden. We can do this by taking all the territories up to Shuofang. We can hide those troops in Wuwei and Jincheng to unleash a surprise for Zhao.

This army will be separate from the Qin army. We must also establish better diplomatic relationships with the other states and make sure to recruit worthy generals who would never commit another Choyou."

The King was shocked to hear this and asked, "Why do you need to be proclaimed dead then?"

I sighed and replied, "Because if I'm alive and fighting, other states will be on guard and mobilize more troops than usual. They can't prepare for a dead man.

My death will make them let down their guard and Qin can enjoy a brief chance to grow. Even if we don't claim that I'm dead, we need to spread the word that I have been poisoned or sick, thus unable to fight and on deaths row. We must post more soldiers at our borders so that they can't take advantage of this.

As long as I live, these states will become stronger to defend against me. Having a strong enemy breeds stronger adversaries. so I need to move from the centre stage and let others take the spot light while I build that army in seclusion.

I already have news that both Chu and Zhao will be sending assassins to get my head. We can take advantage of that and pretend I died in their hands. My generals will take the entire north in the meantime and we will be ready after 10 years to return. "

The king thought for a while and replied, "Are you certain of this? Can you do it? "

I sipped my wine and replied, "It is possible to achieve. But I won't do anything if your majesty forbids it."

The king stood up and so did we, as we all knew the next words uttered by him would bring a new era.

He took a deep breath and said, "So be it. I will send you my sealed order before you leave. Once you decide to begin the plan, we will act on it.

Rather than being dead, I would spread news that you have been injured by assasin's poison and are unfit for war. We can even give up some small castles, like Hongnong, to the enemy to fool them if necessary.

I hereby appoint Great General KouRyu as the leader of the 6 greats of Qin's next generation and entrust both my son and Qin to your strong hands. Although we don't possess the bond that my father and the previous greats had, I have decided to put my faith upon you. Make me proud."

Three of us kneeled immediately as I replied, "I have received your majesty's decree and shall act upon it. Until the time comes, I shall take my leave and raise an army to conquer the 6 states under your son, the next king of Qin. I shall watch over him and make sure he doesn't stray from his path."

We both stood face to face and clasped hands as I thought, "If only he wished to unite these lands, I might have agreed to help him."

Similarly, the King himself thought, "If only I was younger and had the dreams my son possessed, I might have achieved them standing beside this man." We both smiled and left without any further words as we both steeled ourselves for the challenges to come.

Wudu, Mountain tribes region

Yotanwa PoV

Our lives have always been tough. When I became the tribe leader at 16 years old, I had a dream. To unite all the tribes as one and build a future where we will live peacefully alongside Qin people.

It was only fantasy and a childish dream until one day I received a letter from the nearby Qin region from a man called KouRyu. I never thought that a single letter would change my life.

I smiled with fondness as I caressed the swords he gifted me. He was the only one who told me my dreams could come true and that he would support me in achieving them. When he took our people to his city to live, everybody disapproved and said they would be shunned or, worse, killed by Qin. I stood tall against such words and waited to see.

When I visited Shangjun city, I was astonished by the beautiful fortress. People were living happily under his rule and they seemed to care for him a lot. My ultimate surprise was seeing our people who were living here.

They seemed to be a part of the population as they talked and worked together alongside the Qin people. The children were playing happily without any care and nobody looked at us weirdly for different outfit and looks.

This was what I wished for, and this man seems to have granted my wish. I looked at him with a smile as he made some paper flowers with the kids. For some reason, I wanted this moment to last, I wished to stand beside this man and see what more he can achieve. Even the old geezers were supporting him after seeing this.

After touring the city, we went to his mansion and had a banquet. We kept talking as the night went on and somehow we found ourselves at his bed. A small part of me was telling me to take it slow, which I ignored as we engaged in blissful lovemaking.

I wanted to make him mine, and I knew with his charisma and talent, a lot of women would be vying for him. So I decided to make the first move and he reciprocated it. We both gave each other a matching necklace of tiger teeth, which, according to our tribe, is a token of marriage.

It seems he understood, as well as teased me to come live in my husband's house rather than in the mountains. For the first time in my life, I could be just another woman being showered with affection from her lover.

He gave me some designs to create better homes in the mountains as well as some tools for mining, which would help us a lot. He also gave me some luxurious ornaments, despite my protests, saying they would be with me to remind me about him.

I would never forget the only man I gave my heart to. I wish I could just be with him but I have my responsibilities as well. I need to take care of all the mountain tribes and unite them as a single force capable of reaching heights never seen before.

But soon, we will be together. Then I will hear about his grand adventures and hold him in my arms as I fall asleep. When we were leaving, he came along for a bit to escort me and kissed me goodbye in front of everyone before he left.

My tribesmen were shocked as I returned his kiss with a smile. The geezers were nodding with a knowing smile, which was surprising but good. He also told me to keep our relationship a secret for now, as people might try to harm me if they found his weakness.

I was worried about the assassin's trying to kill him, but he assured me he got it under control. He made me more determined to fight for my dreams, as he showed that dreams can indeed come true.

Until then, I will work hard so that I could be a proper leader for my tribes and stand beside him as his woman rather than just chasing his shadow. I will make this dream come true at any cost.

Next Chapter

The thin thread that holds the balance