Casca 3: The Warlord (10 page)

Honor was shown to the new lord, responsibility was given and none could dispute it. The word of the Emperor was law and the law would be obeyed, for such is the order of things in civilized countries.

"You have my permission to go to your province now," said the Emperor and, with the wave of his scepter, informed Casca that the audience was over. Repeating the same procedure used on entering, Casca backed out, averting his eyes from the Presence and not rising until the chamber doors closed behind him.

"Baron!
He's made me a Baron of Tsin. Well, why not, I was a god once."

Casca left the Capital a noble with a retinue of men-at-arms and knights, along with servants and carts to carry his possessions – enough to outfit a Persian palace. He departed riding a bay stallion with white stocking, a brave flash on his forehead. He cut a dashing figure on the beautiful and high spirited animal and the brass rings which held his feet made the ride much easier. Casca stared at the brass rings thinking, "Why didn't we ever think of them? These people have had them for centuries and can make the most ungainly foot soldier into a horseman. Shit, it took me years to learn how to ride without them and not fall off every time that damned horse shied at a bush or snake."

Behind, faithful, tough old Glam was being led on a tether by a slave. Casca looked at him fondly. "If there is fighting in the deserts and hills, I would rather have him than ten of these thin-blooded race horses."

Behind shaggy Glam came Mel Cho giggling to
herself as she recalled how the hair on the ugly one's chest had felt the first time. But he was naive. She was his first girl and as such had seniority over any others he might take. She lounged in her palanquin stretched between horses and thought how she would make life miserable for the other girls if they didn't jump at her commands. Her only regret about her appearance was that her feet were large. She had been born to slaves and was unlucky enough not to have had them bound as a baby, for the tiny feet that came with binding made them slow when it came to following orders, but the big nosed one didn't even seem to notice. "He is really kind not to hurt my feelings by commenting on how ugly my feet are."

The way back was pleasant and the weather cool. Winter was not far off and the leaves were just turning gold and red, setting the hills on fire with color. Twice he had the pleasure of running into some of the same bravados he had met going to the capit
al and thoroughly enjoyed making them perform Kowtow as he now outranked them by some distance. Through winding valleys and rivers they rode, taking their time and enjoying the countryside, watching the villagers on their daily business. "How could they allow their feet to be mutilated" he mused, thankful Mei didn't have such a deformity? The girls who worked at the factories had to be brought in on wheelbarrows, in baskets on the side to do their work and returned to their homes in the same manner.

Boundary stones marked the limits of each province and, after a month, a rider came to him to tell him the borders of Chung Wei were just over the next rise. Spurring his horse in the flanks, he raced ahead with his bodyguard and stopped at the stone marker. Over a thousand villagers were prostrated on their faces waiting for him to cross. They had come to see their new lord and make him welcome. Dismounting, he stepped across the boundary.

Calling out and talking to the backs presented, he called to the backs presented, “I am your lord. Serve me well and I will serve you likewise. If you have complaints, I will find you justice. If you are dishonest, I will punish you. Be loyal to your Emperor and to me. Follow his commands and we will get along. Now, rise and face me as men should."

The villagers rose to their feet at his command, watching as Casca mounted his horse and rode among them, following the trail to the castle. Village leaders and elders came forward and made gifts of pigs and grain while gongs were beaten to frighten off evil spirits that might try to bring bad
fortune to this day and their new master. He was strange looking enough to them without having a curse put on him by a jealous ghost. They had not had a real master for some time now and only the tax collectors came at the end of each harvest to collect the Emperor's tithe. They were a glad people now. Without a master they felt incomplete. There was no one to give them justice or tell them what to do.

The deserted castle of Chung Wei held enough room for a thousand warriors and a hundred horses. Dust covered everything but nothing had been removed. All had been left as it was when the previous master had been sent to join his ancestors for trying to incite rebellion and make alliance with the Hsuing-nu.

Mei Cho gave everyone hell, shouting orders and threatening the most vile of punishments until in a remarkably short time, the castle was restored to a decent condition, making maximum use of the new furniture and paintings she had so carefully packed before leaving the capital. This was her home now and would look like one...

Casca's first act was to send for the commander of the garrison at the Jade Gate. Next he set about organizing his forces and familiarizing himself with their weapons and tactics. The most amazing finding was their use of the crossbow, those miniature arbalests: Five bolts could be set in a wooden slot on top and fired as fast as the operator could
re-cock with the lever provided for such a purpose. A powerful and most efficient weapon. Like the Hsuing-nu and the Huns, they relied heavily on mounted archers for the mobile units and placed men with long spears to the front to ward off enemy cavalry while crossbow men behind them would pick them off with their bolts, swordsmen and auxiliaries filled the rest of the ranks. But their structure was too rigid and not given to making use of maximum mobility in turning to face an enemy who attacked from the oblique or flank position. "Well" thought Casca, "a few weeks of good Roman short order drill would take care of that."

In the stables he found a number of stout-looking chariots that had been there for an unknown period of time, but in good repair. An idea began creep around the edges of his mind. "True, by today's modern standards chariots had long since become outmoded for warfare against individually mounted units, but still, they might be useful..."

Casca ordered the chariots refurbished and the wheels greased so they could be used instantly if needed. He also had a strong loop of brass tied to each side of the chariots and connected under the floorboards by a strong brass band, the purpose for which he kept to himself.

Sung Ti presented himself in a flash, racing into the courtyard with a small escort. He swung down from the saddle and strode to the great room where audiences were held. Casca rose at his entrance and spoke to him: "Get up, Sung Ti. You are my first friend in land of Chin and I welcome you as such. You have my permission to enter my presence and not perform Kowtow. You're a
man, stand like one and as an equal. You are welcome. Now, come and sit with me. We have much of which to speak."

Casca dismissed those present and he and Sung Ti were left alone together except for Mel Cho who stayed to serve her man and his friend, though with a slight sense of displeasure at the honor the Baron had shown this common soldier.

"Bring me up to date on what's happening on the frontier, Sung Ti. And what may I do to help you?"

Sung Ti eyed Casca's woman. "A pretty thing, even if she does have ugly feet," he thought. Turning to Casca, he spoke, "My lord, the Hsuing-nu are becoming bolder. It has been too long since last they were taught a lesson and their numbers increase with each year. They are like desert fish which lay eggs by the thousand and each year there are more. As of late, they have been attacking caravans with impunity and taxing those they choose to let pass.

Casca thought a moment then spoke
. “Has a messenger from his Highness gone through the Jade Gate to Kushan?"

"Yes, several have gone through, all with strong escorts and well mounted. At least one should make it. Can you tell what is happening?"

Casca laid out the Emperor's orders. Depending on the response which came back from Kushan next spring, they could mount a combined offensive against the Hsuing-nu. The general plan was for the armies of Tzin to ride wide across the desert and come in from behind the barbarians, thus forcing them to the mountains where the Kushan forces would ambush them in the passes and hold them, until Tzin’s army could come up and, between the two, could eliminate these human vermin once and for all.

Sung Ti fairly glowed with pleasure. "Good, it has been too long." Then, with a touch of anxiety, "You will take me with you, my lord?"

Casca clapped him on the shoulder. "Yes, I want to see how you use that long blade of yours. In Han, I have seen no other like it. They all have conventional looking swords with straight edges and points. I want to see how your weapon compares, if it's good, we might make it standard issue for my men.

"By the way, has a caravan come through with a young girl named Li Tsao? She is being sent to the Emperor as a gift. I met her and her escort on the trail here some months back, and was
just wondering if they made it through."

Sung Ti shook his head. "I would know if they had come through the Jade Gate, but as I said, the savages have been killing and plundering with impunity and who knows, she may now be servicing a barbarian or may yet be in one of the cities on the edge of the Silk Road, waiting until it is safe to pass. One does not take chances with the Emperor's property."

Two seasons passed for Casca in his mountain stronghold. The castle resembled the more familiar structures of Rome and the Empire; square and solid, with sharp angles and parapets, it had been built for the security of the Emperor Shi
h Huang Ti, whose workers built this section of wall six hundred years ago. It was as solid now as when the first stones were joined.

Sung Ti had long since returned to his post and visited on several occasions to let Casca know the Emperor's gift had come safely through and the girl Li Tsao was now in residence in the capital. Casca wondered how she fared with the young Emperor.

Imperial messengers and inspectors visited to see how the new Baron was faring and if he was administering his domain properly. They returned with good reports of the state and readiness of the army he had gathered and trained. His habit of listening personally to the complaints of his peasants gave him an ear to the people.

The emperor sent word that in the spring they would march against the Hsuing-nu. Messengers had come and gone between the Han and Kushan Empire. Between them, they would smash the Hsuing-nu once and for all. In the spring when the snows melted and the high passes were clear, the armies of Kushan would march while the forces of Tzin followed on the Silk Road. They would crush the Hsuing-nu between them in the passes of the high plateaus.

Casca's admiration for the stamina and intelligence of his subjects knew no bounds. They were absolutely loyal and would follow orders to the letter, even when they found them strange. Most confusing was their lord's refurbishing and ordering of new chariots to be built. They had long since been an obsolete weapon, but still the carpenters toiled to produce even more of them and the blacksmiths made long chains of iron, for what purpose they could not fathom. They had learned that their round-eyed master had a reason for all he did and that was enough. They would know in good time what lay in the mind of their scarred lord.

With the swelling of the streams and rivers from the first thaw, messengers rode to the castle with the word that the Son of Heaven approached with a great army and that Casca should make ready to march. Stores were readied for transport and caches of food were sent by advance parties far ahead to be used on the trail where there would be little to feed an army of the magnitude that would soon be riding over the dry wastes of the deserts. Sixty thousand warriors and cavalry, the cream of the empire were already near the Jade Gate. Casca would join them there in seven days.

Casca's five thousand soldiers and two hundred chariots left their land behind. The women wailed and children tugged at their fathers' sleeves. All knew many would not return. Like the mystical serpent, the army marched through winding valleys and canyons. Cavalry in front and in scouting positions followed by the chariots, each carrying its load of chains
. Behind came the slower infantry with a cavalry escort covering the rear of the column.

Dark was upon them when they reached the Jade Gate. The lights of the cooking fires below them lit the valley like a million fireflies, stretching for miles. Leaving his forces to bivouac on high ground, Casca first washed and clothed himself in fresh robes of sky blue silk and went to pay his homage to his liege lord, T
zin.

Presenting himself to the imperial steward, he was announced and admitted to the Presence. Entering as required, he performed Kowtow and was given permission to rise and make his report to the emperor.

The two years had filled the youngster out, his shoulders were wider and there was a trace of a beginning beard, but his eyes still sparkled with the good humor and brilliance of youth. Several general officers and councilors stood silently, gorgeous in the royal uniforms and armor of red and black. A reclining figure on a divan to the left and rear of the Emperor made him catch his breath as he had on the desert. Li Tsao. More beautiful than he remembered, more of a woman now with promise of even greater beauty to come.

"I was right. The little bitch has done well by herself to be permitted to travel with the Emperor and be present at a meeting of the general staff.

Li Tsao smiled at him and covered her mouth with an ivory fan painted with love scenes.

Clapping his hands, tables were brought to the Emperor and set in front of him forming a half circle on which were placed maps showing the regions they would be fighting and crossing. Using the map as a reference, the Emperor's generals outlined their plan. In the valleys between Changyeh and Chini-a, they would trap the Hsuing-nu between the armies of the Empire and that of the Kushan, but they needed something that would make the Hsuing-nu gather at the proper moment. Hsuing-nu prisoners and slaves had been permitted to escape after first working on a great treasure of jewels and gold, enough to make the most wary barbarian throw caution to the wind, enough to buy an empire in the west if they chose. The escaped slaves reported to their chieftains that it was the wedding gift to the Emperor from the King of Kushan and that he was to take a daughter of the Kushan king as his Empress. Ten thousand warriors were to take the treasure to Kushan and return with the Emperor's bride. This had also been confirmed by spies in Kushan. The Hsuing-nu were determined to have the treasure for themselves and ten thousand imperial warriors meant they would have to call all the tribes together to ensure victory. They had faced the disciplined warriors of Tzin before. Even now a hundred thousand barbarians were gathering in great conclaves at the oasis and marshes along the route of march that the treasure must be brought. The ten thousand were already two days ahead on the trail in the valley of Changyeh. They would halt and once again escaping slaves would take a message to their chieftains that the royal emissary had become too ill to be moved. Physicians were in constant attendance to him, a cousin of the Emperor. The treasure party would remain where they were until he was well enough to travel and from the talk of the physicians around the campfires, it appeared he would be ill for some time, perhaps even weeks.

Hearing this news, the Hsuing-nu council of chieftains decided to move. Controlling the wild warriors was difficult at any time but to sit idle for an unknown period of time was impossible. Besides, if they struck now, numbers would be on their side and they would be able to strike and get away before any reinforcements could be sent. True, they would have the garrison of Yumen behind them but they were of a few numbers and little consequence. The treasure waited for them.

The tribes gathered in the thousands, riding in several long columns miles apart like a line of ants, crossing the deserts and plains, converging on the valley. "Sly bastards," mused Casca, “these yellow men certainly don't suffer from a lack of deviousness. It's a good plan and the army of Kushan is already on the march now that the Hsuing-nu have withdrawn their tribes from their borders for this great raid."

The Hsuing-nu had no fear of the Kushan; never had their forces left their boundaries in pursuit of them. The Kushan were content to remain at home and if a fight was necessary, they would do it there. Kushan, they knew would be no threat.

Tzin questioned Casca as to his need for the two hundred chariots he had bought. Of what use could they be against the more agile and faster cavalry of the savages. The horsemen would merely, ride around them and shoot them down from the rear. The Roman begged permission to explain and the Emperor then broke into pleased and delighted chuckles once he heard the Baron's plan. Nodding among themselves, the generals agreed that perhaps there could still be a use for chariots, at least once more.

The army formed for the march – archers and cavalry, pikemen, lancers and knights, all ready – the baggage train alone called for thousands of pack animals to carry provisions required. Three days they remained encamped until fast riders changing horses in relays brought word the treasure train had reached the valley.

The army of Tzin poured upon the Jade Gate. Sitting on his shaggy mount, Casca watched the well-drilled men of his division with pride. In a short time he had turned them into the equals of the best the Emperor had to offer. Spurring Glam, he rode to the Emperor's tent and entered to be greeted by Li Tsao as she and her retinue were preparing to return to Ch'ang-an. Gliding to him with that well-remembered grace, she looked up into the face of the Roman, a somewhat quizzical expression playing around the corners of her mouth. Had Tzin told her of his condition?

Touching his chest with a long beautifully manicured nail, he heard her musical voice, "Well, ugly one, I see you have prospered. That is good. As you see, I have become more than I was also." She traced her nail along the scar on his face, standing close enough for him to smell the perfume of her breath. "We shall meet again, when we will have time to get to know each other better."

Casca felt his heart race and, taking a great gulp of air, shook his head. He then reported to the general staff and after a small argument as to the placement of his chariots in the column, the matter was settled to his satisfaction. He then returned to his troops and gave the order to take their places and begin the march.