Pulchritude of Circumstance [Wei]

[Madame Zhen]

peace was not yet known throughout the entire land but things have gotten less hectic within the palace more or less. her young ran around the palace with a wooden sword as if he were already a great commander of an army. within her faint smile, madame zhen was both happy and sad. an internal conflict of emotions. she was aware of the age of conflict she and her family were in but she also knew that there's was nothing she could do about it. that feeling alone. the feeling of being powerless, was already enough to erase a happy emotion in her daily life. madame zhen wished that she could raise her son without having to condone him to fight in war. he is only nine years old....

the brown haired maiden walked calmly in her natural composed manner behind her playful son. she tried to smile before her young but she could not help but notice a strong foreboding of something happening. she was struck still and placed her hand before her chest. it almost seems as if she was in possible pain but that was not it. it was a feeling of loosing air but only for a second. “madame zhen! are you alright my lady?!” asked one of her female servants whom quickly came running after witnessing her lady's face expression.

madame zhen paused and did not answer for a small moment of time. her violet lips would twitch and eyes would close gently. in her stance, she almost appeared as a living statue of some sort. her frail body and delicacy have bloomed like a flower without its thorns. she appeared vulnerable. madame zhen would then wave her hand as a sign for her servants to leave her be and opened her eyes. “i am alright.” the lady of wei said gently as her servants stepped a few feet away from her. she turned her head to her right, looking down on the palace grounds. “thank you for your concern.”

although she did not looked directly at the specific servant who showed her concern, madame zhen's expression of gratitude was directed towards her. as she faced forward and continued on wards, her son stood before her in curiosity. the woman of mocha tresses kneeled down to her beloved son and asked, “is something troubling you my dear young one?” she said gently with a smile on her face. “i've been mening to ask you the same thing mother”, was his reply. madame zhen could not help but faintly smile anew. cao rui has always show intellectual promise since the moment he was given life. for this was the reason why her son has become a favorite of her husbands.

the almond eyed consort embraced her son with care and began to tear. her silk robe covered her young as if it were a pair of extra arms. this age of war was the sole reason why zhen was so careful and protective of her son. this was a protective feeling that only a mother could understand. she couldn't bare the thought of loosing a child. loosing her elder brother years ago was already pain enough. as her embrace only lasted for a still moment, another male servant came rushing through palace halls gaining the lady's attention. “my lady, the kingdom of wu has declared war on wei! we must get you and the young master to a safe place within the palace.”

madame zhen's eyes widened as she gently rose up from the ground similar to that of a blooming flower that has tasted the sun's morning light. she held her son's small hand and was struck still once again, staring into space. yes, this must be the foreboding feeling that she experienced earlier. a calamity was bound to befall any of the three kingdoms and now was the unexpected moment where sun ce declared war on wei. the male servant stood beside the mother and bowed his head. “my lady, we must move. sun ce's forces could attack anywhere.”

the princess quickly became alerted after realizing her foreboding experience. her jade earnings gently slapped the pale flesh of her neck as she turned to the male servant beside her in an apprehensive manner. “but what of the mother consort?!” zhen expressed with consort of her mother-in-law. “i can assure you that the consort is in safe hand but we must move.” the middle aged princess nodded her head in agreement and gazed at her son. she quickly approached him and caressed her young one's cheek. “i love you my dear rui. your mother is here to protect you. you do understand what we must do?” she said in her light silk voice. the maiden knew that her son was able to understand what she has been informed of and she gave a faint grin as her son nodded.

the madame zhen held her son's hand gracefully and hastily walked from corner to corner of the palace as the servant guided her to safety. her many female attendants followed suit as her silk robe dragged upon the palace grounds. with her head up high in confidence, she knew how serious the event that was to occur. as she held her son's hand with one hand, she lift her silk dress with the other in order to prevent her falling. wei has won the last battle against wu many months ago. there is no doubt that the little conqueror has rallied up more soldiers since his last defeat. this is an invasion that will serve as an act of vengeance. zhang liao is wei's current iron defense and the mighty lu bu serving as a fist. the kingdom of wei may prevail in its defense but madame zhen never seems over confident.....


tagged. cao pi, jia xu
outfit. default.
notes. since its within the wei palace, only wei members may join ~
credits. carolyn's sweet blasphemy *

[Cao Pi]

Cao Pi stood silently on the balcony as he heard the news of Wu's attack. He knew it was coming. All of China knew it was coming. His stern face was a statue as it looked out across the courtyard. Guards and messengers were scurrying to and fro with orders from officers and administrators. The imperial palace was very low on the probability for attack, but Cao Pi knew that sometimes the least likely thing is probably the greatest thing that you could do. Cao Pi stroked his chin and thought long and hard.

He knew that he needed to help in the defense, but he was unsure if he should go to the front lines, or stay and help his father in running the kingdom. He had been by his father's side for the past few years, learning the mechanisms that ran the entire country. While he was by no means a master, he knew that he needed to learn to lead as well. His mind debated with itself, and he was unable to decided. So he turned and began walking, exiting his room and deciding to take a stroll.

He was not the crown prince, but some say the best candidate. Cao Pi loathed the fact his older brother died, Cao Ang, who was a much better candidate than him. Now, he has to go against his brother, Cao Zhi, for the throne. He cared not for his brother, as Cao Pi now wanted the throne, but he despised that it was tearing them apart. When they were younger they used to be close, but it seemed that the scrambling for the throne had caused a rift between them. Regardless, he carried on.

Cao Pi walked alone, as he hated having guards travel with him, despite the fact that guards were posted every hallway, he was lost in thought as he traveled. He heard voices and he looked up, spotting his wife and his son. He smiled warmly at the both of them, his wife as beautiful as ever, and his son, a greater man than what he would probably ever be, much like his grandfather.

"Hello son." He walked up to his son and ruffled his hair. He then turned to his wife and smiled, "Good evening. Looking as beautiful as ever. Though something seems to be troubling you. He looked at his wife with concerned eyes. They were not the closest of husband and wife, this he knew, but he cared deeply for her. Many times he wondered if she still had feelings for her last husband, the one that Cao Pi stole her from, but he never asked.

Before she could answer a messenger ran up suddenly, handing a scroll to Cao Pi. He opened it and it read, "Lord Cao Pi,
It seems as if Wu is attacking south, hoping to demolish our iron defenses. While many think that Zhang Liao will hold out indefinitely, I beg to differ. Zhang Liao is only one man. I beg you to send some reinforce- Cao Pi rolled it back up before he finished it. He needed to read no more. A darkness fell over him as he thought about this predicament. If the famous Zhang Liao couldn't hold out on his own, then he should receive some help.

[Jia Xu]

Jia Xu over hearing the unmistakable voice of Cao Pi, slowly crept into the scene. His aims were not to spook the child or madame zhen, but to speak with Lord Cao Pi. He would stay at least a good six feet away from them as to not alarm them when he spoke. "Lord Cao Pi, it would appear that Wu is ever-more a thorn in your side,(more so your fathers) but after Master Zhang Liao's awe striking display of skill they have come to fear him. We shall use this to our advantage, Lord Cao Pi."

Jia Xiu cleared his throat and continued. "Word has been sent that Lu Bu shall be arriving to aid in the defenses. I propose that Master Zhang Liao were to strike solely at the heart of Wu, Sun Ce. If Master Liao's spirit is up to the task he should be able to slay him. Dealing a crushing blow to Wu. If Wu is dealt this blow I believe that they would never again rise to enough power to contend with you ever again."

He would recover his breathe as he had a lot to tell Lord Cao Pi. He had so much to tell him, but so little time. However, Jia Xu believed that if Lu Bu could be controlled to defend the Wu forces from advancing any farther into Wei controlled land. As Master Zhang Liao strikes out at Sun Ce. Jia Xu believed that Wu could be held here, now and forever with his advice.

[Madame Zhen]

as madame zhen turned to her last corner within the palace, she paused and was struck by the appearance of her husband. In a matter of seconds, she witnessed the charming smile that was directed towards her. “ your humble consort bows before you. ” the beauty said gently as she prostrated herself. her husband caught her by surprise and a slight blush appeared upon her face as she began to rise. the maiden turned her face and looked down at her son after his father greeted him. a warm smile painted itself when she saw her son respond with intelligence and utmost respect. just as she raised him. zhen would then face her husband once again. her eyes locked again with hers but only for a moment. she then looked down in shyness. the young consort placed her hand on her chest as she did not know what to say next.

when she first encountered lord cao pi in ye, she was terrified for her life. but once he held her and looked into her eyes, the fear melted away and she felt more at ease. although madame zhen had no power or say of her own when she was remarried, she reluctantly accepted and gradually came to care about the young lord, even more so that she bared his child. the browned eyed consort never knew love before her marriage to cao pi. what she had for yuan xi was respect for him as his wife. although their marriage was harmonious, her time with him was short. there was no possible way for her to have known who he was or his personality for that matter. but when cao pi took her hand in marriage, and spending time with him as he favored her, madame zhen grew to love the man.

her relationship with him has been a bit distant recently ever since his growing harem of concubines. she knew however that cao pi favored her and the more that her favor grew, the more she belittled herself. this is the same quality that she shared with her dear mother-in-law and ultimately what would bring them to become so close to each other. madame zhen gracefully curled her small right and positioned it near her breast as she leaned forward to say something to her husband. however, she was cut off as a another messenger suddenly appeared and handed cao pi a scroll. zhen immediately guessed that it was about the attack that sun ce has planned on wei and was surprised to discovered that she was informed before him.

the browned haired maiden witnessed that her husband did not fully read the scroll and saw his expression. she didn't want to concern him anymore than he already was. “ ling, yin. ” madame zhen called out two of her ladies-in-waiting in her soft and clear voice. “ please escort our son to safety and have Concubine Li watch over him. ” the woman of Zhongshan new that her beloved maids cared for her but they knew not to question her. she watched as the servants ling and yin took her son whom complied and waved goodbye. the maiden then faced her husband and looked at him with concerned eyes. her ears tingled when she heard a familiar male voice with stating a message directed to cao pi about the recent attack.

as she heard the male voice come closer, madame zhen faced towards him while she stood beside her husband. her gentle hands came together as she waited for the man to finish his statement. “ master jia xu. you are in confident spirits i see. ” the long haired consort replied to his suggestion. madame zhen then turned to her husband and held his hand. “ my dearest husband. we should head to your father's current location to discuss the matters of the invasion. i am sure that master jia xu has many valuable plans up his sleeve. ” she expressed. “ i wish to accompany you. ”

the lady was never much into politics of war. she always concerned herself with domestic affairs. but for this invasion, she felt that she needed to speak out and share information that she think would be valuable to the kingdom's cause. after all, wei was her home now and her family are currently here. she wouldn't want anything bad to befall them. what zhen had on her mind was currently bothering her. a feeling sparked by her foreboding earlier....

tagged. cao pi, jia xu
outfit. court dress.
notes. we should go to a more private place in the palace.
credits. carolyn's sweet blasphemy *

[Cao Pi]

Cao Pi smiled warmly at his beautiful wife, who was by far, the woman of his heart. Despite the few others he had kept, despite the rumors of over twenty, he only had four others whom he had even remote feelings for, but none of them had the grace and beauty of the woman before him. But before he could respond to insanely cute blush that permeated her face, he heard a voice behind him.

He turned to see his trusted adviser, Jia Xu speaking strategy. Cao Pi was annoyed, he had come across his wife and son and Jia Xu was only thinking about strategy. Despite that, he knew that Jia Xu was not at fault here. Cao Cao had recently come secluded and didn't do much. He hadn't actually had a war council in a month, yet, Cao Pi said nothing. He knew that he would hold these war councils himself soon if his father didn't grow any.

He nodded at Jia Xu and then at his wife, who had suggested they go elsewhere. An extremely pleasant surprise happened when she took his hand, which had caught him off guard. He felt himself stir a bit and he smiled at her in his special way. He then turned to Jia Xu and said, "To my chambers. It would be the best place to talk." With that, Cao Pi led them to the very room he had just left.

As he led the small group to his room, he stole glances at his beautiful wife. He immediately thought of the first time he saw her. As he was on the battlefield he slaughtered her guards and saw her as a prize. Cao Pi wanted the most beautiful flower of the north. Eventually, he had her. And what started out as a prize turned into true love. As he held her in his arms for the first time, he felt for the woman. Soon it turned into true love.

He shook himself out his daze and opened the door to his room. It was pretty dull, only a bed, a table, and a decorative set of swords on the wall, it was the room he stayed in when he wanted to be alone. Very few people ever came in here, and since that, it was probably the best place to avoid any spies that Wu might have inside the palace walls.

He motioned for Jia Xu and his wife to sit down. His demeanor changed from the loving husband to the now analytically and tactical man, looking much like his father when he got in this kind of mood. He nodded towards Jia Xu, "I do agree with your plan. But I think that some else should go and help in defense. If Zhang Liao AND Lu Bu were to push through they could easily stomp Sun Ce."

[Jia Xu]

As lord Cao Pi and Madame Zhen lead him into these chambers, he felt a little unease. Jia Xu had seemed to stumble upon them in a personal moment. A moment that he wasn't very familiar with and as such didn't recognize it until now. As they took their respected seats Jia Xu listened to Cao Pi carefully. He respected what the man had to say. He would wait for his turn to speak and then he did so,

"First of off Lord Cao Pi, I would like to apologize for interrupting you and Madame Zhen." He would look more at Madame Zhen now. "These domestic affairs were never apart of my life, I apologize ma'am." He knew that he wouldn't need to direct this towards Cao Pi much for he would understand the most here, but that wouldn't mean that he would need to be rude to Madame Zhen.

Preparations would need to be made for this attack, Wu needed to be put into their places. They had been an annoyance for far to long. In his own eyes, Jia Xu had believed Wei to be the strongest power in the land, for he wouldn't of sided with them if he hadn't believed in it. He would redirect his attention to Lord Cao Pi. "Master Liao and Lu Bu will route Sun Ce will little resistense my lord. The only issue I see is the defenses themselves. Who would you recommend for the task?"

[Madame Zhen]

the northern beauty nodded in agreement to follow her husband to his chambers. it was a better idea to not interrupt the king especially when neither of them were summoned to discuss the sudden attack. zhen would turn her head towards jia xu as he caught her attention when he spoke to her. she would then gracefully smile and nod once more in response to his apoligy. “ it is alright master jia xu. ” she said softly. “ in times of crisis, domestic affairs become less relevant than politics. ”

she knew that her relationship with her husband was not a matter to be discussed right now. wei is being under attack and a plan had to be executed for the lands defense. as the brown haired consort followed the prince, she glanced at him for a quick second and quickly regained focus when she arrived to the room. madame zhen picked her dress up and elegantly sat down on a nearby chair. her eyes roamed the room as jia xu entered. she had never seen this room before.

the maiden's hands came together as the men before her began to prepare a plan for wei's defense. she observed their theory and concluded her opinion. “ the kingdom must be defended. ” the madame said gently but loud clear enough for the men in the room to hear her. “ a defense should be executed to prevent the loss of any of the kingdom's lands. ” she continued, “ it would be unwise to send two of our strongest generals to attack during an invasion. ” growing up within the yuan palace and learning of her former lord's mistake, her intelligence grasped one of yuan shao's downfalls. sending put the strongest generals would leave the kingdom open to surprise attacks.

it was very rare to see a woman speak out just as she did, especially to be involved in politics. the consort was lucky that she currently did not have a large audience for she did not know what the consequence would have been if she had done so. zhen gently rose from her chair witnessing silence as she patted off the dust from her silken dress. her ladies-in-waiting usually did the job for her but since they were not currently present, she did not mind doing it herself.

madame zhen began to walk, her jewels tingling and came to a stop near the walls decorated with a set of her husband's swords. she placed her hand on her chest and began to think aloud. “ we have the most feared man in the country within our ranks; a beast that he is so called. but sun ce possesses a weapon that can tame the beast. ” the northern beauty added. “ if we send him to attack, there is no doubt that his emotions will take the best of him and will affect the outcome of this battle. ”

the browned eyed maiden turned her head and recalled how diaochan used her charms to pin lu bu and dong zhuo against each other. knowing that she was within wu's ranks, and lu bu was still affected from his former mistresses' betrayal, madame zhen feared that he would not be able to be controlled in battle if the concubine was present.....


tagged. cao pi, jia xu
outfit. court dress.
notes. finally posted~
credits. carolyn's sweet blasphemy *