Scions of Heaven - Calamity

Chapter 31

A short chapter interlude, the next chapter will be posted next week!

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Tu Jian was impressed by the heirs plan, it was not the battle plan of an idealist, the actions, movements of troops and calculated results were all logical, relying purely on numbers and factual information he had, the estimated outcomes of each step were to her eyes, perfect, without flaw.

She was aware that she was not a tactician worthy of note, her skills and those of her people mostly related to non-frontline endeavours, supply lines, information, scouting and such things. She was curious about how the truly skilled tacticians of the ancient era would appraise the heirs' efforts.

She knew the elders would be interested in this clear view of the heirs mind and thought processes, so it was only a short while after she had informed them that they gathered in the dim side hall to view it.

She rose to greet the three elder generals as they entered the hall, "Elder Xiang Xu, Da Kai, Liu Cai, greetings." She greeted them courteously.

"Well done my little Tu Tu." Liu Cai praised as she approached.

It had been Liu Cai that told her to suggest the heir design a battle plan if the opportunity arose, so the praise wasn't unexpected. 'Tu Tu' was a play on the 'Tu' in her name, for 'map' and the 'Tu' for 'apprentice' sounded the same, so 'little apprentice Tu' was just something she'd had to put up with.

Even though she was a general in her own right, and had been so for the longest of the younger generals she still greatly respected her mentor Liu Cai, so she resisted the urge to sigh or roll her eyes at the older woman's antics.

"Map girl!" Da Kai greeted loudly, his voice echoed around the high vaulted ceiling and pillars.

Tu Jian had ceased long ago trying to get the man to use her name, perhaps it was her fault for picking a name so close to 'Jian Nu' or 'map girl'.

Xiang Xu remained silent.

"This is it then?" Da Kai asked as he sat on the floor.

"This is the plan Dijun's heir created, yes." Tu Jian confirmed.

Da Kai placed his large sabre across his lap and looked at the map intently, the elder nodded their head frequently, as if agreeing with his internal thoughts.

Liu Cai leaned over to look, while Xiang Xu merely kept standing and looked down upon the plan impassively.

After a few moments it was Liu Cai who stood up straight and spoke, "The heir lost his mother, has gone three days without sleep, ascended a mere hour ago and was able to craft this?" Liu Cai said, even Tu Jian could tell the elder was impressed.

"Map girl, how long did it take?" Da Kai asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Ten minutes to read all the information, the plan itself? Less than two." Tu Jian answered.

"Ha!" Da Kai let loose a bark-like laugh, "Tiger father, tiger son, impressive!"

"Not so." Xiang Xu spoke for the first time, their soft voice carrying further than it should.

Liu Cai looked at the feather mantled elder quizzically, while Da Kai narrowed his eyes at the pyrebird elder, but before either elder spoke, Xiang Xu answered them.

"He is softhearted." Xiang Xu said flatly.

At those wordsTu Jian re-analysed the plan the sovereign's heir had created with new eyes, noticing for the first time that although the logical, complex and very comprehensive plan shared similarities to Dijun's own, it lacked the ruthlessness often needed in war.