Rather Than Zhang Ran, Zhang Bao’s Eldest Daughter

With the wager formalized, only the outcome remained to be decided.
As I raised my previously lowered sword, Chokupak drew hers from across her back. Slightly crouched with arms extended in a graceful draw stance, she resembled a dancer summoned to perform a sword dance.
‘Perhaps she hails from a performance troupe background.’

Without preamble over who would initiate the attack, Chokupak immediately charged me the moment her sword cleared its sheath. Her light, nimble footwork belied the weighty power behind each descending strike.

Kaang!
Steel clashed against steel – both full-weighted sharpened blades, not blunted practice swords for sparring. Wielding live blades capable of severing flesh and life itself rendered this more akin to actual combat than a mere exchange.

Yet Chokupak displayed no trepidation despite the intrinsic menace of crossing razor-edged blades. She seemed devoid of actual battle experience – perhaps the maids regularly crossed blades during training as well?

The offensive initiative lay with Chokupak, her flurry of rapid strikes reminiscent of wuxia heroes – while seemingly all stylized flamboyance over pragmatic substance, such ceaseless aggression could quickly overwhelm the unwary.
Like dismissing the relentless striking patterns of Japan’s Shinkage-ryu school, only to collapse like a pierced barrel once subjected to that unremitting onslaught.

But such assessments only applied against comparably skilled opposition – not against a truly superior foe, which I would now demonstrate.

Ttaang!
A distinctly different metallic ring reverberated as I finally responded in earnest instead of merely deflecting. Firmly planting my stance, I powerfully forced back Chokupak’s blade, momentarily shattering her balance.
An ideal opening to decisively finish via a Zwerchhau strike, but I intentionally held back, allowing Chokupak to recover her footing.

Unaware I had deliberately spared her, Chokupak seemed to interpret it as a misstep, instantly renewing her assault in the same lightning cadence. Only to be overwhelmed by my overhead Scheitelhau descending like an avalanche:

“Kuhh!”
A guttural groan escaped Chokupak as she strained to receive the plunging downward trajectory along her blade’s length.
Females did indeed develop faster than males initially – factual.
And my physique mirrored my father Zhang Fei’s formidable growth – also true.
Yet Zhang Fei could never be considered an ordinary man – that too, was undeniable truth.

Having already metaphorically perished once to my technical riposte, Chokupak now succumbed utterly in this naked contest of brute force.
Unable to even grip her sword properly as her wobbling arms buckled against my inexorable downward pressure, her blade ultimately clattered to the courtyard floor in surrender.

Chaingsrang.
The pitiful clang of the fallen sword echoed hollowly across the silent inner courtyard.
As my blade hovered at Chokupak’s throat, she lowered her head in dejected defeat. Shifting my gaze to Lady Sun, I declared:

“Travel safely.”

Shuriong.
Nonchalantly sheathing my sword, I was promptly tackled by Zhang Yan, who had anxiously witnessed the entire exchange, now embracing me in a tight hug.
“Sis! That was so awesome!”
“Was it now? Were you worried?”
“Nuh-uh! I knew you’d win!”

Despite her bravado, Zhang Yan’s reddened eyes betrayed the truth – no tear streaks visibly, but undoubtedly concealing her frayed nerves out of consideration for avoiding causing me undue concern. For one so young, my little sister demonstrated remarkable thoughtfulness.

Observing our sisterly interaction, Lady Sun finally spoke up in a contemplative murmur:
“I see now…”

Momentarily closing her eyes, Lady Sun inclined her head towards me – not a full ceremonial bow with joined hands, yet the mere deferential gesture alone stunned her maids into shock.
Just how arrogant must one be for such a minor courtesy to elicit that degree of disbelief?

“I now understand why Commander Zhou sought you as his daughter-in-law. Please accept my apologies for my earlier disrespect towards the Governor of the Southlands.”
“I gladly accept your apology, my lady.”

Though fated to inevitably part ways, it seemed prudent to conclude matters cordially here for the sake of the alliance.
Reciprocating her apology with similar decorum, once Lady Sun raised her head, she inquired:
“There is one matter I am curious about. When you initially deflected Chokupak’s strikes – was that to gauge her true caliber?”
“Indeed. Having scant opportunities to cross blades with peers my own age, I wished to ascertain how my current abilities measured up through the vaunted Chokupak you had praised.”
“Then why did you not finish her after that initial counterattack?”

Of course Lady Sun had grasped my intentional leniency – a fact the oblivious Chokupak herself seemed incredulous about, gaping at me in disbelief.
I answered honestly:
“It was an intentional barb.”
“A barb? From you?”
“As Zhang Fei’s daughter, a barb aimed at him.”

Perhaps my earlier remark about her denigrating Zhang Fei’s reputation had stung. Regardless, I had defiantly demonstrated his full might in response.
“You still harbor such childish caprices, I see. But I suppose it would be futile to invite you into my service?”

When I silently affirmed her presumption, Lady Sun nodded understandingly.
“I see. After even Commander Zhou failed to sway you, how could I possibly succeed? Very well, let us depart.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“B-But my lady, what of me…?”
Chokupak forlornly called out as Lady Sun made to leave, but her plea was curtly rebuffed.
“Have you forgotten? From now on, you shall attend to that girl, not me.”
“…Understood, my lady.”

Leaving the crestfallen Chokupak behind, Lady Sun departed as abruptly as she had arrived, her earlier assurance to uphold Jingzhou’s laws and the gifting of Chokupak being her parting acts.

‘How to manage the aftermath of this incident…’
Doubtless, word of the confrontation between Lady Sun and myself would rapidly spread among the populace before long.
The servants of my household combined with Lady Sun’s maidservant entourage already exceeded a hundred potential sources. Even if they all remained silent, Lady Sun abiding by our wager’s terms would inevitably arouse suspicions from witnesses seeking to uncover the truth, ensuring this tale disseminated regardless.

Treating the emergence of such anecdotes as inevitable, I would need to curb any unfounded embellishments instead.
‘The fake news must be dispelled.’
An era where fact verification remained arduous – while unlikely to undermine the alliance over mere rumors, needlessly inflaming tensions helped no one.

“Now then, was it Chokupak…?”
Upon my addressing her, the despondent Chokupak obediently responded despite her dejected demeanor:
“Yes, Zhang Ran.”
“I shall have to introduce you to my parents upon their return. If they do not accept you into the household, I shall return you to Lady Sun. But Father’s word should suffice for her to comply.”

“N-No, that won’t be necessary! Lady Sun has entrusted me to you, Zhang Ran. You are my mistress now, not her.”
“Is that so? Then let us start with that form of address first, and wipe that sullen look from your face. You make it seem like I stole you away against your will.”

Chokupak flinched in surprise before frantically gesturing denial.
“Not at all! It’s just…I had never lost to any of my peers before the senior maids, so…that’s why I’m like this. I absolutely do not object to serving you, Zhang R- …No, I mean…”
“Since I have yet to receive a style name, just address me as Ran for now.”
“I do not mind attending to you at all, Ran. Please do not make such presumptions.”

Finally resembling her actual adolescent age amidst this unfamiliar experience of defeat, Chokupak’s dejected pout proved almost endearing.
“Eheh. Very well, I understand. Then you shall have to make a good impression on my parents later. I cannot imagine they would reject you outright.”
“Yes, Ran.”
“Should Zhang Yan introduce herself as well? You two will be living together from now on, it seems.”

Until now, I had no personal attendants to speak of. Unlike aristocratic maidens with ornately coiffed entourages, my life revolved around either accompanying Zhang Fei to the military camps or immersing myself in martial training. What need had I for servants?
‘Though Chokupak should prove a decent sparring partner at the very least. Not a bad outcome.’

Observing the two girls exchanging introductions, I reflected that my schedule would likely become increasingly hectic going forward.

§

“My lady, are you truly certain about this course of action?”
One of Lady Sun’s maids inquired as they departed the Zhang estates.
The implicit meaning – that this incident may become a humiliating anecdote tarnishing Lady Sun’s reputation – was self-evident.

Yet Lady Sun Rin scoffed dismissively at her maid’s underlying concern.
“Hmph. So you expect this Sun Rin to be a hypocrite now?”
“N-No, that was not my intent…”
“Enough. Is that girl not far more intriguing?”
“You mean Zhang Ran?”

A wistful tone tinged Lady Sun’s voice, heavy with retrospection as her eyes seemed to gaze inward toward the past, her father’s teachings from childhood echoing faintly:

“Joining the military world as a woman – a path I abandoned long ago. For I could never defeat my brothers, after all.”
“My lady…”
The maid who had attended Lady Sun since childhood could keenly perceive the lingering regret permeating her words.

“I wonder…if my brothers had been weaker, could I have ventured onto the battlefield like that girl…?”

The physical differences between men and women were undeniable and substantial. Yet that did not negate Lady Sun’s formidable prowess altogether.
Trained with ample nourishment unlike the malnourished rank-and-file, combined with access to weaponry circumventing gender limitations, Lady Sun’s martial abilities far surpassed what ordinary soldiers could attain through gender alone.

And yet, Lady Sun had still abandoned pursuing the path of the martial realm, all due to…

“A lack of courage. Fear of being scorned as unwomanly. I gave up out of cowardice from censure.”

But Zhang Ran was different. To Lady Sun, she resembled a parallel version of herself.
Born the daughters of peerless martial demigods – the fabled ‘Peerless Brother-in-Arms’ Zhang Fei and the ‘Tiger of Jiangdong’ Sun Jian.
Sharing the common background of descent from matchlessly renowned warriors coupled with similarly overbearing elder brothers. And the peculiar inclination towards the martial arts despite being female.

If any difference existed, it was that Lady Sun’s brothers had proven too overwhelmingly strong, inevitably inheriting their father’s martial legacy – while Zhang Ran’s had not.
Yet it was Zhang Ran who ultimately mustered the resolve to wield the blade despite being scorned as unwomanly, which Lady Sun could not.

“I wonder what she will become.”
‘It was intentional provocation – to prove myself Zhang Fei’s daughter,’ she had declared.
“When she reaches adulthood.”

As time passed, the girl would inevitably fall behind. With superior heritage, nourishment and training, she could surpass common soldiers for now. But against males receiving the same advantageous upbringing, could she truly prevail when they too reached physical maturity?

Alongside the derisive scorn urging her to resign herself to a woman’s path as Lady Sun herself had, she instead hoped:
That unlike herself, Zhang Ran would fearlessly stake her name as a peerless martial heroine shocking the realm.

Harboring such paradoxical aspirations, Lady Sun gazed back towards the Zhang estates.
“I shall watch your progress with great anticipation…Zhang Ran.”