Post by Huang Zhong on Nov 5, 2009 7:46:23 GMT
Huang Zhong smiled brightly as he strolled the streets of Wan, waving to the people that passed by. Many waved back with a smile; already, they had gotten used to the Wei occupation. Huang Zhong was a careful prefect; he listened to the complaints and concerns of the people, and the trade route was doing wonderfully. Many goods and merchants lined the streets, peddling their wares to the common folk. The old general was on break at the moment; all the official work had him tired out. Other then paperwork, he had to formerly train Fei Wong and his men; the fiery youth was a good student, but had a temper which needed controlling. Nevertheless, the former bandit was loyal, and he had kept his word with honor; Wan had had no incidents with theft of looting amongst the ranks.
As the elderly man strolled along, he passed by an old antique shop. A bright light suddenly shone through the window, intnesely bright. It blinded Huang Zhong so that he had to cover his eyes. It all happened in an instant; the light then disappeared, and Huang's eyesight returned, readjusted. His curiosity got the better of him, and he decided then to walk into the shop to find the cause. When he enterd, he was greeted by a middle aged man, slightly chubby with cheerful eyes, who bowed respectfully.
"Ah, greetings, esteemed Director Instructor! What an I do for you? I highly reccomend our fine china; the designs are simply breath taking!"
Huang Zhong shook his head politely; he was not all too interested in buying himself elaborate food dishes or decorations; it was not becoming of a martial man to immerse himself in wealth, for it lead to corruption. His eyes gazed around the store, trying to find what he was seeking. Nothing caught his interest until he spotted a strange object with a cloth throw over it. He gestured towards it curiously.
"What is that in the corner there? I saw a bright light earlier...."
The merchant looked surprised, but quickly hid his shock with a smile. He motioned with great extravagence.
"Ahh, you saw the reflection of the 'Sun Lake Mirror', my esteemed friend. It is a bright mirror, a very special one. It reflects anything almost perfectly...Alas, too perfectly, for it also reflects the light of the sun quite brightly. That is why it is called 'Sun Lake Mirror', you see; it is just like the sun's reflection glittering off the lake."
Huang Zhong pondered to himself for a moment. For some reason, he was drawn to that light, intrigued by it. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it seemed..useful. Suddenly, his face lit up; he had an idea.
"I'll buy it my good man. Thank you kindly; I shall find a use for it indeed!"
The shop keeper was puzzled, but did not question the silver passed over his palm. He smiled as Huang Zhong Zhong walked out of the store, a wrapped mirror under his arm. The man rushed back to the palace as fast as he could, taking great care not to shatter the mirror. When he finally arrived, he took it into the scholar's quarters and put it done in front of the puzlled men of knowledge.
"This mirror has given me an idea for a fantastic new weapon! It reflects the sun so brightly, one can scarecely see a thing! If we can make shields like this, we can stop any oncoming cavalry charge cold!"
The men looked at each other in amazement; no one had thought of such a thing, and here the elder warrior had thought of it spur of the moment. Regardless, they liked the idea, and began their studies. It was not an easy task; procuring the materials was easy enough, but shaping the reflective glass into a shield proved a challenge. Furthermore, they could not find a way to make the shield useful for much else; it could not stand up to arrows, nor could it function covered in mud or dirt. Therefore, a special cloth wrap was designed to keep it covered and clean. And lastly, since they shields were rather large, they could not carry any weapon other then a small sword, and in order to use them, they would have to drop the shields. Finally, they settled on a final design; it was ready for testing.
Huang Zhong stood behind a row of men with the newly made shields at the ready, covered in cloth. Across the wall stood a mock army, armed with sticks instead of spears. With a yell, they charged at the lined up, kneeling shieldmen. Huang Zhong waited until they first colum get a certain distance before yelling the order.
"Reveal!"
The clothes came off, and the mock attackers yelled out in surprise and pain as they were blinded by the intense reflection and glare of the sun, cast from the multi-faceted shields. They covered their watering eyes, stumbling about like clumsy drunks as they tried to regain their sense and direction. Huang Zhong could only smile; it would certainly be an interesting use in actual combat situations.
As the elderly man strolled along, he passed by an old antique shop. A bright light suddenly shone through the window, intnesely bright. It blinded Huang Zhong so that he had to cover his eyes. It all happened in an instant; the light then disappeared, and Huang's eyesight returned, readjusted. His curiosity got the better of him, and he decided then to walk into the shop to find the cause. When he enterd, he was greeted by a middle aged man, slightly chubby with cheerful eyes, who bowed respectfully.
"Ah, greetings, esteemed Director Instructor! What an I do for you? I highly reccomend our fine china; the designs are simply breath taking!"
Huang Zhong shook his head politely; he was not all too interested in buying himself elaborate food dishes or decorations; it was not becoming of a martial man to immerse himself in wealth, for it lead to corruption. His eyes gazed around the store, trying to find what he was seeking. Nothing caught his interest until he spotted a strange object with a cloth throw over it. He gestured towards it curiously.
"What is that in the corner there? I saw a bright light earlier...."
The merchant looked surprised, but quickly hid his shock with a smile. He motioned with great extravagence.
"Ahh, you saw the reflection of the 'Sun Lake Mirror', my esteemed friend. It is a bright mirror, a very special one. It reflects anything almost perfectly...Alas, too perfectly, for it also reflects the light of the sun quite brightly. That is why it is called 'Sun Lake Mirror', you see; it is just like the sun's reflection glittering off the lake."
Huang Zhong pondered to himself for a moment. For some reason, he was drawn to that light, intrigued by it. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it seemed..useful. Suddenly, his face lit up; he had an idea.
"I'll buy it my good man. Thank you kindly; I shall find a use for it indeed!"
The shop keeper was puzzled, but did not question the silver passed over his palm. He smiled as Huang Zhong Zhong walked out of the store, a wrapped mirror under his arm. The man rushed back to the palace as fast as he could, taking great care not to shatter the mirror. When he finally arrived, he took it into the scholar's quarters and put it done in front of the puzlled men of knowledge.
"This mirror has given me an idea for a fantastic new weapon! It reflects the sun so brightly, one can scarecely see a thing! If we can make shields like this, we can stop any oncoming cavalry charge cold!"
The men looked at each other in amazement; no one had thought of such a thing, and here the elder warrior had thought of it spur of the moment. Regardless, they liked the idea, and began their studies. It was not an easy task; procuring the materials was easy enough, but shaping the reflective glass into a shield proved a challenge. Furthermore, they could not find a way to make the shield useful for much else; it could not stand up to arrows, nor could it function covered in mud or dirt. Therefore, a special cloth wrap was designed to keep it covered and clean. And lastly, since they shields were rather large, they could not carry any weapon other then a small sword, and in order to use them, they would have to drop the shields. Finally, they settled on a final design; it was ready for testing.
Huang Zhong stood behind a row of men with the newly made shields at the ready, covered in cloth. Across the wall stood a mock army, armed with sticks instead of spears. With a yell, they charged at the lined up, kneeling shieldmen. Huang Zhong waited until they first colum get a certain distance before yelling the order.
"Reveal!"
The clothes came off, and the mock attackers yelled out in surprise and pain as they were blinded by the intense reflection and glare of the sun, cast from the multi-faceted shields. They covered their watering eyes, stumbling about like clumsy drunks as they tried to regain their sense and direction. Huang Zhong could only smile; it would certainly be an interesting use in actual combat situations.
