General Zhànshì motioned for a stable hand.
“I’ll explain more at the inn,” he told his companion.
He handed the boy who ran up a few pieces of silver. “Our horses are staying overnight,” he told him. “Take care of them well.”
“Yes, General!” the young boy quickly replied, honored he was chosen to care for General Zhànshì’s warhorse.
The general looked at his friend and rolled his eyes at the humored expression.
“It isn’t the reward you think it is,” he said solemnly as he started to walk toward the inn.
“Where are we going?” the younger man asked, following closely.
“To bed,” General Zhànshì replied.
“Why, General!” the man gasped playfully. “I didn’t know you felt that way!”
General Zhànshì pushed the laughing man away with a huff. “Wait until we’re off of the street. I’ll explain everything then.”
The man nodded and grew concerned at the serious tone as they walked quickly to the nearest inn.
“Lieutenant Chéng!” called out a voice from the dining hall as they entered.
“Crap!” the young man exclaimed. He tried to use the general’s large frame to hide him as they hurried to the check-in desk. “I forgot to pay him before we left for the last battle,” he explained quietly.
General Zhànshì huffed and pulled him around to face the angry tavern owner.
“Pay your debt and meet me at the stairs,” he ordered.
The lieutenant nodded and quickly put on a cheerful smile. “Jīnglĭ! How have you been? Did you miss me? Of course, you did!”
The owner tried to pull away from the sudden embrace, but Lieutenant Chéng held tighter and raised the shorter, chubby man off the ground.
General Zhànshì shook his head at the mischievousness of his subordinate and paid for two rooms as Lieutenant Chéng paid his old bill.
“A round for everyone,” Lieutenant Chéng called out from the steps as he tossed more silver to tavern owner Jīnglĭ.
“You’ve been gambling again,” General Zhànshì accused as they reached their doors.
Lieutenant Chéng leaned against the wall and grinned. “I know you’re against it, General, but as long as I keep winning, why should I not? It pays better than war, and I meet the most interesting people.”
“You mean debt collectors, scammers, criminals, and crooked businessmen?” General Zhànshì replied while opening his door.
“Precisely!” Lieutenant Chéng answered as they walked in. “Without those contacts, we wouldn’t have important information on the rebels.”
“And you love it,” General Zhànshì noted.
“And I love it!” Lieutenant Chéng laughed.
He set a jug of wine on the table as the general sat hard onto his bed. He poured them each a cup and slapped General Zhànshì’s boot.
“At the risk of being disciplined for insubordination,” Lieutenant Chéng said, “you’re not going to sleep until you tell me about this marriage decree.”
General Zhànshì tilted his head to look at the door.
“Make certain no one is listening,” he ordered.
He sat up and moved to the table as the lieutenant did as told. He then recounted his conversation with King Rénlóng to Lieutenant Chéng from beginning to end, including the abuse and danger the king’s niece was in.
“You’re going through with it?” Lieutenant Chéng asked as he swirled his wine around in his cup.
Other than the occasional prostitute, he had never seen the general pay attention to a woman. Suddenly, he agreed to be married within a matter of hours.
“What other option does his majesty have?” asked General Zhànshì. “It doesn’t matter. There is no way I’m sitting back doing nothing while Quán’s daughter is sent to Shāngrén Yán. Quán was like an older sister to me. She would haunt me and I would deserve it.”
Lieutenant Chéng watched him drink down his wine and set the empty cup aside. He knew the general was fiercely loyal and he cared for this girl’s safety. However, it would place the kind of burden on him he tried to avoid.
“There’s always me!” Lieutenant Chéng replied in an attempt to lighten the mood. “I’m only seven years older than her and unlike you, I don’t mind leaving a little wife behind while I go off to war. It makes returning even sweeter!”
General Zhànshì only shook his head at the suggestion he knew wasn’t serious. The lieutenant played too much. He walked to his bed as he haphazardly shed his sword belt and his robes, tired from his journey and a lack of sleep.
Lieutenant Chéng stood and stretched. “If you’re turning in for the night, I’m going elsewhere. Do you want me to bring you back anything?”
By the twinkle in his eye, General Zhànshì knew he meant women.
“Don’t stay out late,” he cautioned like an older brother. “We don’t know how any of this will unfold tomorrow. Get sleep and don’t drink anymore tonight.”
“Yes, Father,” Lieutenant Chéng replied with a bow and hurried out before the general could catch him.
General Zhànshì had barely begun to dream when he heard banging on his door. Moments later, the lieutenant burst in with two vulgarly clothed women from the brothel.
“I brought a surprise!” he announced excitedly.
Before the general could stand from the bed, the women ran up to him.
“General!” they squealed.
“They missed you,” Lieutenant Chéng laughed at General Zhànshì’s annoyed expression.
The two heavily made-up courtesans hopped onto the bed beside the general and hugged him tightly. He glared at the chuckling lieutenant as he wrapped his arms around them both.
“I’m happy to see you, but I’m trying to rest,” General Zhànshì told them.
“But we haven’t seen you in months,” whined the one on his right.
She snuggled closer and tried slipping her hand into his tunic. He sighed impatiently and pulled it out.
“Lieutenant Chéng says you’re getting married soon,” the one on his left told him as she, too, slid her hand across his body. “We may never see you again,” she pouted.
General Zhànshì glared up at his lieutenant for speaking of the secret edict.
“No details,” Lieutenant Chéng quickly defended himself. “I only mentioned that you were planning on a wedding soon.”
The general shook his head intolerantly as he grabbed the women’s hands to stop their wandering.
“I apologize for the lieutenant’s thoughtlessness,” he told them, “but I have to send you away. I want to go back to sleep.”
He gently pushed them to stand, but only one went to Lieutenant Chéng.
“I’ll tuck the general in for the night,” the one who had been on his right giggled.
Lieutenant Chéng grinned as he pulled his woman closer and out of the room.
General Zhànshì watched as the one who stayed behind began loosening her sheer robe. He held her hands to stop her.
“I said I’m tired,” he repeated.
“I can help you relax,” she purred and tried to climb onto his lap. Undaunted when he removed her, she continued with her seduction. “You’ll probably marry a sweet little virgin,” she said against his cheek and kissed it with her red stained lips. “This may be the last time you get to be with a real woman,” she breathed into his ear and licked his neck.
The more she talked, the more he thought about the girl. She’d survived a fire meant to kill her and a life of physical and psychological abuse, but all this whore could talk about was that she wouldn’t please him in bed.
“Out,” he said in a softer tone than the order was intended.
“What?” she giggled. “Come on, General, I know you don’t mean that.”
He grabbed her wrist as her hand boldly moved across his privates.
“Get out now unless you want me to behave like your other customers,” he said, cruelly brushing his finger across a fading bruise on her cheek.
She stared at him in shock over his uncharacteristic coldness. She quickly pulled her robe tightly around herself and climbed from the bed. As she neared the door, she stopped and turned to him in tears.
“You promised me before you left that you would pay my family’s debt and buy my freedom,” she cried as she shook through her courage. She breathed faster and stumbled back as he walked toward her. “I don’t care if you kill me,” she cried. “At least I’ll be free.”
General Zhànshì grabbed her hand and held it. He pulled out three silver taels and placed them in her palm.
“So you’re not blamed when you go back early,” he explained.
She looked at him in shock then fear again when he held her face in his hands.
“You’ll be free by the end of the week,” he told her.
He continued to hold her as she shut her eyes tightly and cried. He rubbed her tears away with his thumbs.
“Clean yourself before you leave,” he quietly ordered.
She nodded and wiped her face with her sleeves as he turned away to walk to his bed. She quickly left, closing the door behind her and praying he would keep his word.
Comments (2)
See all