A Rejuvenated Warrior

[Zhang Fei]

Working as a dockhand in Jiang Jin was fine, the pay was decent and for a man of Zhou Tai’s build it was easy enough to accomplish as many of the boxes that had to be lifted from the boats to the harbour were not of exceptional weight. This was a respectable job for any man to have, so if hypothetically Zhou Tai was not satisfied with his current form of employment then he certainly had no right to feel this way, yes?

Bah, the once great warrior Zhou Tai could never be appeased working as lowly as the peasants do around him. Once Wei succeeded in taking control of the land his world had come to a hasty and abrupt end, something that angered him so. He would not simply surrender to Wei like many officers of the time had planned or at least held secret desires to do, though he could not place full credit of this behaviour on his loyalty. Tai thought that his actions as a warrior, permanently a pain in the back-side to the Wei kingdom that if he even allowed the new lord, Cao Pi, to discover where he was then it would be off with his head as punishment, so he wasn’t going to walk straight into the Chambers of the Great Luo Yang.

Zhou Tai dropped the box where he stood, the crashing of the wood bringing everybody’s attention to him. A man rushed up to Zhou Tai, probably the one placed in charge of overseeing the progress, probably the man who was in charge of giving the people a ‘little nudge’ in the form of a whip if they were not working to standards, somebody that did not have the stomach to up to Zhou Tai’s hefty frame. Tai could tell this man’s reluctance as soon as he approached; any person would be foolish to be fully comfortable around the unpredictable warrior, and with only a sheath between the two, the fool backed off.

”I’m not going to be anybody’s lackey anymore, I refuse to spend my days moving back and forth carrying luxuries for other people that I am never going to get my hands on working in this business. The pay is not worthy of a man of my caliber”

Though sounding cocky it was simply the truth, Zhou Tai was unlike any other who worked in the docks of Jiang Jin and he was willing to allow somebody to prove him wrong… nobody? He chuckled then looked back at the ship he had just been servicing then looked away, he released the grip his hand had on the shaft of his blade and began to walk.

Everybody had heard of the rebellion uprisings that had been occurring around the land, and although some of them were small, easily crushed without much resistance, there were those who stood out. Those who, if chances were taken properly, could tear Cao Pi from his throne and cut him down just like the tyrant deserved. One of these notable men was Lu Meng, being located so close Zhou Tai had heard that he had began his rebellion close by in Jiang Ling, news that Zhou Tai welcomed whole-heartedly, news that gave him his opportunity to fight against the dogs of Wei once more, as long as his former Wu comrade willed it.

The journey to the town was relatively short, there were no men slowing down Zhou Tai’s advance and so he reached Jiang Ling without any troubles, once allowed through the gate, which was not easily solved by intimidation as the guards at the walls were numerous, well equipped and general arseholes, Zhou Tai made his way to the nearest Inn, unsure about what he desired the most: A good nights rest or a warm mug of wine… ahh it had been so long.

His journey was to begin tomorrow.

[Liu Bei]

Lu Meng was privy to much of the information that was flowing throughout Jiang Ling, including reports of a slowing in shipping. Meng found it extremely weird, as reports stood that they were still supposed to make a profit even though shipping had decreased by 25%.

Weird. That means the port had been pumping out 125% its normal. This intrigued him. He asked the civil servant why they had losses. Because of the rebellion becoming public knowledge? Lack of shipping?

No. Apparently a single man had quit. A man who went by Tai Zhou.

Zhou Tai.

Meng immediately sent out men to find where the man was located, standing at the top of the stairs to the palace. And there he remained, until early the next morning, when a very winded and very tired looking man finally arrived.

"He's in a inn near the western gate, sire."

Meng nodded, and clasped the man on the shoulder. He didn't speak; there wasn't enough time.

He grabbed a horse as he descended the stairs, going towards the gate at a full gallop, pushing the horse as hard as he could. He had to get to the man before he left Jiang Ling...



Within a few minutes, the sun now full risen and moving towards its apex, he arrived at the Inn. He jumped off the horse as it moved, and felt a slight strain in his ankle. No time.

He moved into the inn, and all traffic halted. The proprietors immediately began kowtowing, and trying to appease Meng.

"I need to know where a man is. He has a strange weapon. WHERE IS HE!?"

"He is upstairs. We will go tell him he is summoned."

[Zhang Fei]

’Wake up

Lord Zhou Tai

Wake up!’

The nervous twittering of the Inn-keepers son rang in his ears a bit too long, there were not many things that Zhou Tai hated more than being woken up, especially when he had paid to be able to stay. There was no reason they could possibly have for kicking him out, could they? That being said the memory of the night before did not come straight to his head, is it possible that in his alcohol influenced, deluded state that he vandalized the property-

’Zhou Tai, Lu Meng wishes to speak with you’

Tai’s eyes opened wide, he thought that he would have to do the work but apparently news of his coming had already reached the ears of all the right people. He stood up and stretched, wearing a minimal amount of clothes for maximum comfort as the other man in the room began to feel awkward.

’I’ll just leave you to it’

Zhou Tai kept his head still and followed the man out with his intentionally narrow-eyes. Once the young man had left Zhou Tai made an effort to seem presentable, though he did not take his time in doing this… couldn’t keep an old pal waiting. He pulled on some Silk Robes – admittedly they were stolen – and ran a hand through his long hair in a poor effort to manage it as he traipsed out of his door, still very tired, sheathed blade in hand.

He made his way downstairs and immediately spotted the former Wu strategist, he smiled as he reached the bottom step, greeting the wise man as he always used to yet with a more enthusiastic manner, after all – this guy was the boss.

”It is good to see you Lord Lu Meng, it hasn’t been that long has it? Join me for a drink?”

Zhou Tai asks yet he orders two drinks without awaiting a response, though naturally it would be unclear to anyone whether he planned on sharing the second with a friend...

[Liu Bei]

Lu Meng smiled as the man came down the stairs, dressed in his sunday best. Stolen, no doubt. He watched as the man was proper and rigid, and Meng only shook his head.

"No, good friend. You will not greet me this way."

Meng moved in, embracing the man, two large hard pats on the man's back before pulling away, holding him at arm's length like a judgmental father. He smiled; though the man looked rugged, though he also had the look of a warrior in his eyes still.

Meng walked away, towards a table, where they were sat. The drink were brought, and Meng took one, not allowing the man to take them both for himself. He sipped at it lightly, looking the man over once again.

"So... Where have you been? I'm assured it was as hard for you as it was for me after Lord Quan's death... what did you do?"

[Zhang Fei]

This man had not changed, Lu Meng was still of such a gentle and humble manner even in his increased position of power. It did not surprise Zhou Tai in the slightest that Meng was no different than how he remembered. As the two sat down and the drinks were brought over, one of them being hastily grasped and raised to Lu Meng’s lips, Zhou Tai grinned.

”Oh I’m sorry I wasn’t aware you wanted anything to drink…”

Tai lets out a slight chuckle before thinking back. Sun Quan was also a great man, he held a special place in Zhou Tai’s heart and it didn’t hurt much that the latter was one of Quan’s favoured personnel too. He mimicked Lu Meng as he took a similar sized sip of the mug.

”When our late Lord perished I didn’t think I had much left I could do in this world… Hah, I was a mess.” He then takes another sip of his drink, savouring the great taste for another moment before placing the drink back down. ”Still, I knew that I was not done until revenge was had and to achieve this goal still feels as far away as ever. I have been working at the docks at Jiang Jin ever since just waiting for somebody to make a move on the Tyrant Cao Pi, and it seems that moment has come hmmm?”

Zhou Tai then finished the drink he had been served, he was never one to take his time to finish off a beverage while Lu Meng had barely touched his own, bar the first testamentary sip.

"How about you? Where have you been?"

[Liu Bei]

Meng listened to the man. He did not drink much; it clouded a tacticians mind. However, he was intoxicated to hear that the man had been literally hiding under Wei's nose in Jiang Ling, right under the country's biggest prison.

It shocked him more than confused him that the man had no knowledge that Jiang Ling was a prison.

"I made life a living hell for Wei as I retreated. I wasn't with Quan during his final moments, which hurts me to this day. I was in the North still, hiding out in Ru Nan, guerilla forces and disgusting traps that I never want to think up again. I have maimed many people, and have created a class of cripples for Wei.

It hurts every day to think that I was making a difference while my lord was being hunted, when really I was only creating more problems for him.

I was arrested soon after the global 'pardon' had been issued by Cao Pi and that bitch of his, and I was imprisoned in Jiang Ling alongside a few other Wu generals. Guan Shao, the Great Betrayer, outlived his name and stuck to the Wu ideal, and together with Zhao Yun and Lu Bu, yes that Lu Bu, we broke out and killed the Wei garrison.

I am now lord of this city, Zhou Tai."

[Zhang Fei]

Zhou Tai was perplexed with the hearing of Lu Meng’s story, was he living under a damn rock?! It was a massive surprise that he hadn’t even realized that Jiang Ling was a massive prison, let alone not hearing about the break-out that was orchestrated only a short way away.

”Bah, I am a coward. While you have been doing all you can to be a pain in the arse to Cao Pi I have been sitting around twiddling my thumbs? The Lord Sun Quan will never forgive me”

Zhou Tai sighs, looking to the floor thinking about him, wondering how disgraced he must be to know that he had attempted absolutely nothing to prevent his Lord’s killer from spreading his influence. Though when he heard of Lu Meng’s newfound position he was given a large degree of hope.

”Lord you say?” A large grin appears on Zhou Tai’s face as he stands, pulling his blade from his sheath as he inspects it from the hilt to the tip while lifting it. He then completes a few practice swings and stabs before quickly putting it back. ”I am a bit rusty but I shall be back to my old self within days. Please Lord Lu Meng, allow me to serve you”

Zhou Tai bowed once more, he was happier than he had ever been since Sun Quan perished. It was only the life of the warrior that would satisfy him, nothing less and certainly not anything more! He was sure that he wished to follow Lu Meng due to the man’s reaction to their Lord’s death. Meng sounded truly distraught about the whole ordeal and it surprised Zhou Tai none, he was regularly at the side of Sun Quan, giving him necessary counsel, to serve such a wise master would be a dream.

[Liu Bei]

Meng smiled. Though he was a politician, and would've been able to find the wound to stick a sword into it, it seemed as though Tai was more than willing to join in with him.

Meng stood, and embraced the man.

"I would have it no other way. We are in this together; to the destruction of Wei...


And the revival of Wu!"