Boundary of Neutral China

[Xiahou Dun]

These are the limits of Neutral China. You must post here before entering the Neutral area of China. If not, well, your post is basically irrelevant because you can't really be in Neutral China without crossing its borders.

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

Sun Jian arrived at the border of neutral china,

"I hope this is not just a empty promise of Yue Xifeng... I must hurry back and complete my work on the walls..."

Sun Jian was wearing light armor underneath his clothes and had two horsemen accompany him on the ride here. They were inexperienced soldiers, and Sun Jian wanted to see if they had any potentials to become captains. "No no, you are holding the sword correctly, but you are swinging it awkwardly. Empty your mind and let the blade and mind fuse together." He kept training them while waiting for Yue Xifeng.

[Xifeng Yue]

There wasn't that long of a wait. The female Officer had ridden out the day after she had sent the message, giving herself plenty of time to make it to Neutral China.

Her steed was currently trotting lightly along, her dogs loping behind them, acting like puppies again. This made the woman laugh lightly, voice musical. Those who hadn't known her would of mistaken the woman for some highborn's daughter, out for a forbidden ride.

She wasn't the Beautiful Devil for nothing, after all.

The officer of Shu reined her horse in as the gates appeared over the horizon. Not much farther now; though the emotion didn't show on her face, Yue was worried. Had she made the right decision in calling him out here?

They would just have to find out.

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

Already at the gates, Sun Jian asked the gate keeper there, "Has a lady named Xifeng, surname Yue, passed by?" When the answer was no, Sun Jian set his two soldiers distract the gate keeper while Sun Jian while Sun Jian ascended a tower to get a better view of who was coming. From high vantage point, he was able to see who was coming over the horizon, and among many a woman stood out, unconscious of circle of people admiring her beauty. Sun Jian could see from here that the woman was attracting a crowd of young man somewhat behind her, and saw for himself why.

Although Sun Jian couldn't tell what Xifeng was wearing, it looked beautiful from this distance. He descended, attracted the attention of his two companions, and left to greet the woman. Sun Jian dismounted when he was close enough, and said while Xifeng still had not noticed, "No one could mistake your beauty, and I admit I am pleasantly surprised to meet you for the first time. I am Sun Jian, and yours?"

[Xifeng Yue]

Already aware of the attention that was placed on her, the woman smiled. She had always been used to having admirers from both near and far, but instead of using that to climb the social ladder the easy way, by marriage... she had gone down the path of her father, and his father before him. War. that was a accomplishment to be proud of, not by her luck that she was pretty.

Though, it did help in some situations, believe her!

Having dismounted from her Mare, the woman held the reins in one hand left the other free, walking forward and pretending not to notice the people. She spoke to the horse lightly, her voice only another asset to her beauty. She carried no visible weapon, though did have a knife on her... any local trouble her animal guards could handle.

"No one could mistake your beauty, and I admit I am pleasantly surprised to meet you for the first time. I am Sun Jian, and yours?"

A slow smile reached the corners of Yue's mouth, before it reached and lit her entire face. Here was the part where she dropped the bombshell. She announced her intentions rather boldly, and everyone would be certain to get a shock.
"I am Xifeng, Yue... And I am here to meet Sun Jian."

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

"Well how convenient..."

Words were caught in his throat and his thoughts were befuddled. He had not felt such emotion ever since his honeymoon... It was intoxicating, crippling one's senses with a motion hotter than the burning fires of war. But then this too was surpressed very quickly, and once more Sun Jian cooly said, "Did you get the package I sent you? I only wished for you to enjoy it, but thinking back it must have cause you some trouble. Sending such a simple package is an incredibly hard task for some reason, and I was infuriated when the messenger told me he had just dropped that packaged in front of the gates without handing it to the mistress like I had paid him to."

Sun Jian wondered what had made him send the package. He believed that he had no real motive behind it, but then in his heart roared its disagreement. No more was Sun Jian was confused by this, but quietly laughed at himself inwards. I wonder if Yue Xifeng has come to crush my feelings before they grow. Has she guessed what it is? *italics mean thoughts*

[Xifeng Yue]

"Isn't it?" She replied serenely, golden eyes watching the man. As the word got around to the onlookers that the two before them were officers of different territories, they dispersed. Since they were still technically outside of the Boundary's of the Neutral part of China, there could be a fight.

But then again, why fight?

"Did you get the package I sent you? I only wished for you to enjoy it, but thinking back it must have cause you some trouble. Sending such a simple package is an incredibly hard task for some reason, and I was infuriated when the messenger told me he had just dropped that packaged in front of the gates without handing it to the mistress like I had paid him to."

"Must be due to the tension." She replied quietly, voice soft. He knew what she was talking about. Shu might of been a peaceful place, but unrest was growing in the other Territories. What other reason would they have been ordered to build up their defenses?

Her mare snorted, and it diverted her attention away from the man for a short moment. Yue stroked the steed's nose lightly, smiling to herself. If she had guessed remained a mystery, and would seem to for a while. "Shall we go into the city? Business is not best discussed sitting around out in the open like this." It was a play on words he had used very recently, though whether she knew about that little encounter or not... would be seen to later.

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

"Perhaps I can take a break from my endeavor and see the city for a bit." He had given the reins of his mount to his soldiers short time ago, and he offered to Yue, "Would you like my soldier to follow us at a distance with your mount?" The prospect of walking with the lady it pleased Sun Jian, perhaps a walk through the city would not hurt... How could it...

Sun Jian immediately caught himself from falling into a daydream, and blinked to bring himself to reality, for he had just heard the word "business" and increduously gave Yue a look saying "I'm listening, but what is going to happen?"

[Xifeng Yue]

Inwardly, the woman smirked. He hadn't thought this was a social call, had he? Or had he possibly tempoarly forgotten the imminent war at hand? The young woman knew that she had that kind of effect on people... even so much to lose their ability for speech for several moments.

Anyway, at the offer, she gave the man a dazzling smile. "I appreciate the gesture, Sun Jian." the last two words rolled over her lips slowly, as if tasting them... and the woman only smiled more.

Turning away from him slightly, the Shu officer gave over her horse to the men, then gave a short command of 'stay' to the dogs, they immeditaly sat, but Yue knew that they would soon wander off in search of shade, only to return to her call.

As to the business... he would just have to wait until she brought it up again, now wouldn't he?

"Shall we?"

---

((OOC: I'm done for the night, if you want to go ahead and rp out their leaving. I'll reply in the morning if you start a new thread, or we can wait.))

[Xiahou Dun]

Xiahou Dun enters the border of neutral china in hopes of recruiting new talent. He stops his horse at the guardspost.

Xiahou Dun
"Excuse me...have you heard of a man named Xu Huang?

Guard
"Thee Xu Huang? The man is a barbarian, a savage. He grumbles on about might and war like it is some instrument of manipulation. He terrifies us and Emperor Xian. We aren't sure when he is going to snap. Please, arrest the man, take him out of here."

Xiahou Dun
"Isn't that your job?"

Guard
"It is, but I feel if I go near that man my life is over."

Xiahou Dun
"I will not arrest an innocent man for a crime that has yet to be commited. Instead, I will speak with him. His talents are of interest to my master.

Guard
"May the gods have pity on your sould."

Xiahou Dun
"Pity is for the weak."

Xiahou Dun walks passed the guards on his horse toward Xu Huang's house.

[Xu Huang]

*Xu Huang traveled to boundary coincidentally at the same path as Sun Jian and Yue Xifeng. He realized the guards may not let him pass. They held no love for him and he knew it. One stepped in his path. 'Here we go' he thought.*
(Xu-navy Guard-green)

"Xu you know we cannot let you through."

"Yes I do but circumstances are different."

"What why? Some lord want you to serve under him?" *The guard snickered at what he thought was funny.*

"Actually yes. Xiahou Dun came personally to recruit me to Cao Cao's service."

"Are...Are you serious? I guess you can go through then."

"Thank you. See you around soldier."

*Xu Huang went through. He cast a glance at Sun Jian and his troop. 'The tiger eh? He's a threat but that woman I do not know.' Xu continued his trip to Xu Chang.*

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

As Yue and Sun Jian were leaving to discuss their "business", they were in midst of a coversation and failed to notice that they were seen by the two among many people. While talking the whole way, in no time at all the two arrived in the Peach Orchard.

[Pang De]

Pang De walks past the gate into the neutral zone.

[Xifeng Yue]

Yue guided her horse out of the hustle and bustle of town and toward the gates, her golden eyes scanning the area for the dogs she had left at the gate. They were nowhere to be found, as she figured, but still alot of people at the gate. The sun was setting, and people were leaving for their homes outside Neutral China.

The woman curled her tongue and whistled loudly. People turned to look at her, but even more did the same when two streaks of black and gray raced toward her, barking all the way. Xifeng smiled at this, her spirits suddenly lifted at the site of the animals. "Let's go!" She said enthusiastically, mounting her mare and then urging it off into a gallop, Annani and Roh close behind.

[Sun Jian (Numi)]

In deep concentration, Sun Jian let his soldiers guide his mount back home. "You both did very well, did you get some good experience?" The soldiers replied opposite answers, "Yeah, I want to get out more and study the world!" "I feel uneasy slacking off in our training." For a moment, the two faced each other, killing intent in their eyes. Sun Jian smacked both up their heads, saying "Not in public."

This goes to show that Sun Jian is never distracted, for he had not broken his concentration for even a moment.