Palace of Jiang Xia

[Liu Bei]

Where the courts and prefect reside.

[Huang Zhong]

*Hastily, Huang Zhong moved through the hallways of the palace. He was late, something which rarely happened. It was the fighting of yesterday. Even though there was no real bloodshed, Huang Zhong was exhausted the next day. Was old age catching up to him? Could it be that... No! Huang Zhong would never be beaten. And the world needed him too much. Two strategists defending a city that is in the frontlines? A powerful and experienced veteran general would have to be among them. Without such a hero, the city was already lost. He could not leave this world. His lord Liu Bei needed him.*

*Still, tired as he still was, he pushed open the large doors of the throne room. Empty. There was no-one. Huang Zhong looked around in the large room, which used to be filled with officials, guards and a prefect sitting on the throne. How could this be possible? The city was taken, yet no prefect was established in Jiang Xia to govern the city! How was Huang Zhong to know what missions had the priority to the city? The system was failing him, while he was trying to co-operate. Desperatly, thinking someone would anser him, Huang Zhong yells through the room.*

"Where is Fa Zheng, prefect of Jiang Xia?"

[Fa Zheng]

A coughed response was what greeted Huang Zhong, barely being heard, despite the completely silent room, the echoes of Zhong's voice dying down.

"Over here, Lord Huang."

It was Fa Zheng, laying down on a makeshift bed behind the throne and desks that were at the center of the room- invisible from the doorway which Huang Zhong had entered from. But the strategist wasn't in such a fine state, following his occupation of Jiang Xia. He had contracted an illness for several days, and after battling against the painful symptoms, he had eventually been forced to give up and rest himself, not wishing to risk further damage, particularly with a potential conflict with Wu approaching. He forced himself to sit up, though looking very weary as Zhong approached, and coughed again whilst he reached for a nearby scroll of parchment.

"It is good to see you, general. S-shao Jiang has just gone to fetch some herbs so that I might recover somewhat. Here...take this parchment, it lists all of the tasks that our lord has instructed us to carry out. I will join you as soon as I recover, but for now, it is in your hands, my friend."

His voice was fading away almost completely, and he smiled very slightly, and nodded to Huang Zhong.

[Huang Zhong]

*Huang Zhong bows to Fa Zheng after having taken the scroll form the prefect. He smiles and quietly leaves the throne room, knowing resting is the best medicine for almost everything. Fa Zheng would be alright, he knew that for sure. Now Huang Zhong would have some tasks to have carried out. His hands were itching to undertake something. His life was long and everyone could be the last. Huang Zhong wasn't planning to not live his life to the fullest while he still can.*