248 BC.
Northern Qin Territory - Su Barony.
The night was extremely dark, clouds overhead blocked the moonlight. Inside a decently sized castle on top of a hill, retainers and servants moved with unease.
Su Yin sat in his chambers. He was a young man with a fairly decent height and physical attributes.
In front of him, several scrolls layed about on the desk. He held a brush and wrote something down.
Su Yin frowned with an irritated expression before the brush broke in half. "Tch." He barely muttered before tossing it across the stone walled room.
I really don't remember anything else… Whatever… this will do.
Hearing the rapid footsteps approaching his quarters he swiftly took all the scrolls before stuffing them in a hidden compartment of the desk.
A moment later, the door to his quarters burst open however much harder than usual.
Su Yin raised a brow. His father's loyal retainer, Lu, stood drenched in sweat, knees buckling.
"Y-Young Master! The messenger arrived! The Lord… he… he has passed!"
Su Yin couldn't even process the fact, it felt all too like a dream.
But seeing Lu's disheveled appearance before him…
"What kind of bullshit are you spouting?!" He retorted in a mix of disbelief and anger before continuing. "Father's dead? Get the damn messenger over here now!"
His roar echoed through to the main hall.
Su Yin didn't initially feel sorrow or grief but rage. His father had died? What kind of bullshit is that!
He rushed out, half-carrying the weeping Lu. The old man's tears soaked the hallway.
Important retainers, family and the soldiers sent from the capital had gathered in the main hall.
Su Yin stormed in with Lu trailing after. His noble robe hung crooked and the sight of his face quite literally made the messenger flinch.
"Young Master! Please, these men endured much to arrive." His father's elite guard bowed.
Su Yin nodded briefly before he walked down the few steps and stood before the half-kneeling messenger.
"Stand." He said, a mix of order and fury in his tone.
The messenger rose, pulling a scroll from his armor.
"Reporting! Diplomat Su entered Chu borders 92 days ago! The last message he sent was 70 days ago! Five days past, Qin higher ups received intelligence that Diplomat Su had been slain in a merciless execution." The messenger read out loud.
He steadied himself under Su Yin's glare.
"It is known that the Chu scum had Diplomat Su imprisoned before they executed him in cold blood! The reasons are currently unknown!" He said and the entire hall could feel the fury oozing from Su Yin.
But before he could lash out, the messenger pressed on.
"In retribution! Qin has executed five of its noble prisoners belonging to Chu! Further details of Diplomat Su's death will reveal itself with time." The man lastly revealed before putting the scroll back in his armor.
Su Yin gritted his teeth and turned with his hands behind his back.
"Do we know where his body is? Is it in Qin possession?" He asked, although not loud his voice held a clear warning.
If his father's body had not been recovered to mainland… Su Yin could only imagine what those Chu bastards would do to the man's body.
"Young Lord! Diplomat Su's body has been recovered with his belongings. He travels here now." The messenger cupped his hands and delivered the 'at least' good news.
A breath of relief surged through the hall filled with grief.
What disgrace it would have been to lose the Lord's remains.
"Thank you for giving the Su family closure." Su Yin pinched his nose, turned and cupped his hands towards the messenger and his men in respect.
Su Yin sighed fighting off the tears forming. He looked toward the collapsed Lu and shook his head.
Fuck me.
"Jo, guide these men to the guest rooms. May they rest well before departing." Su Yin ordered to another important retainer to his late father.
The middle-aged battle hardened man cupped his hands and bowed slightly. "Understood, my lord."
Su Yin almost stopped in his tracks. Referring him to lord already? Without having the inheritance sorted at all…
But he feigned ignorance and nodded in response before scanning the hall.
He set his gaze on his step mother and half brother.
This woman had always been an eyesore. Not a single tear or expression of sorrow on her face. She was as cold as ice.
Su Yin broke the eye contact and climbed the small stairs towards the higher level of the hall.
He eyed the throne where his father used to sit.
"Mother…" he began, voice cold. "Do you not feel pain?"
His question silenced the hall. The few guards and other retainers who remained on the edges of the hall stopped their grief for a moment.
All attention was put onto the wife of the late lord and her bastard son.
She possessed beauty yes, but every man in this room knew her foul nature. Including those even loyal to her.
She smirked faintly before retorting. "Amusing. You shed no tear either."
Her response stirred something among everyone in the hall, she had a point. Why had the young lord not cried?
After-all he was only twelve years of age.
Su Yin let out a snort before approaching his father's beloved throne and touching it slightly.
"You do not know me, nor my father." He began with an even colder voice than before, eyes intense upon the woman. "I do not cry for he would descend and slap me senseless."
A slight smile appeared on his face from the thought and he breathed out before continuing.
"My father died doing his duty. Do I feel rage, grief and sadness for his passing? Yes I do, but even then I must respect what he decided to do." Su Yin said and paused clenching his fist.
"Every task, every tough mission, every step into enemy territory. He was always prepared for death. As a man belonging to Qin! It was of utmost honor to serve and die in duty!" He raised his voice at her.
"To cry for that! How could I! Father died doing what he loved! He served his duty to Qin and met his end with our ancestors watching from the heavens!" He finished and pointed upwards.
The silence was sickening.
Something in his words… no… if Lu had to describe it– it had to be the young lord's eyes, those eyes that were so bright, so bright that it spread across the entire hall.
"The young lord speaks true! Lord Su has passed– may the heavens bless him and Qin!"
The guard from earlier rushed forward and knelt deep, head nearly to the floor.
"Young… no—Lord! I pledge allegiance! Had Lord Su was heard your words… he would be proud!" The guard said, voice shaky as tears fell from his face onto the floor.
A surge of emotion filled Su Yin as he smiled and helped the man up.
With a wave of his hand, he ordered.
"Alert our people! My father, Lord Su, fell to Chu! A grand funeral will be held in the city of Su!" His voice tore through the hall.
Although hesitant due to his new position and non consolidated power. The retainers and servants humbly bowed before leaving.
"You two, stay here."
…
A/N: Yoo! Tuff aura author here, enjoy this fresh fan fic. Hopefully it will help diverse some of your reading