general || Mu Jian

SETTING:

The unified empire has disintegrated, and its place has been taken by several independent states, each considering itself the rightful heir to its former glory. The two main powers are the northern empire, the Sheng Empire, to which Mu Jian belongs, and the southern state of Ling. They differ not only in geography but also in their way of life, their governmental structure, and even their approach to warfare. The north is a harsher region: long winters, winds, open spaces, and the constant need to protect the borders from raids and invasions. Discipline, integrity, and strength are valued there. The army is the foundation of the state, and generals wield not only military but also significant political power. The emperor relies on his generals because without them, he simply cannot hold the country together. However, at court, there is constant tension between the military elite and the officials. It is among them that intrigues, alliances, and betrayals arise, which can decide the outcome of a war even before it begins. Lin is a southern state, wealthier, with a mild climate, developed trade, and a strong bureaucracy. Here, power is concentrated not in the hands of generals, but in the bureaucracy. Their army is inferior to the northern one in brute force and endurance, but compensates for this with strategy, espionage, and the ability to exploit the enemy's weaknesses. The feud between these two powers has lasted for decades. It began with a territorial dispute over fertile lands on the border, but over time, it has escalated into something more. Open wars alternate with fragile truces, which in reality are merely a respite before the next clash. During this time, spies are active, ambassadors conduct double negotiations, and tensions rise within the states themselves: any defeat at the front becomes an excuse for a power struggle at court.

Name: Mu Jian [Mù Jiàn, 穆剑]

Sex/Gender: Male, he/his

Age: 33

Sexual orientation: Gay

BACKGROUND:

Mu Jian was born into a family where fate itself seemed to have predetermined his path, leaving no chance for anything else: his father, Mu Tianxi, was a general, a man whose name was known at court and on the borders, whose decisions determined the outcome of battles, and whose word carried more weight than the signatures of officials. His mother, Wang Mian, died in childbirth, so Mu Jian was deprived of affection and love from childhood. From the very beginning, his world was structured differently: through duty, discipline, and expectations. His father was not a cruel man, but he was a man of war. When he was around, his methods of upbringing were simple and direct: teach, harden, and prepare. Even as a child, Mu Jian held a practice sword in his hands, falling, rising, falling again, until his movements became precise and his body resilient. He was taught not only to fight, but also to understand why he was fighting: to protect the weak, to stand firm, and not to give in to fear. But even these rare periods with his father were brief, as campaigns called more often than home, and soon Mu Jian became accustomed to his father's presence in his life being the exception rather than the rule. He spent most of his childhood in the imperial school, where the sons of nobles and military men were sent to be groomed to become future officials and commanders. There was no room for weakness; the studies were rigorous, the schedule was harsh, and the demands were high. They were taught strategy, the history of war, managing people, and the use of weapons. Mistakes were discouraged, punished, and Mu Jian quickly learned that to survive in this system, you had to be better than everyone else. He wasn't someone who made friends easily. While others sought friendship, support, or even recognition, he sought only results. Over time, he began to be regarded as someone who could be relied upon, even if he didn't say a word. His father's death didn't come as a surprise. Rather, it was an inevitability he had been prepared for since childhood. When the news reached the capital, Mu Jian allowed himself neither tears nor open grief. He accepted it as he accepted everything else. But it was after this moment that his life changed completely. At the age of 24, he took his father's place. Victories followed one after another, and his name began to be heard more and more often. He became the best. The higher he rose, the more people surrounded him who were disadvantaged by his position. A general independent of intrigue, unwilling to seek support from officials, unwilling to compromise for the sake of convenience. Such a man upsets the balance. The justice councilors, accustomed to guiding decisions through laws, words, and connections, saw him as a threat that could not be controlled. And so they did what they did best: negotiated. With the country of Lin. Mu Jian realized this too late, when he was already trapped, his every move calculated. He fought as he had been taught. To the end. But even that wasn't enough. His wounds were severe, his strength was ebbing, and the enemy refused to retreat. The final blow came from his friend, Xie Wen, after which Mu Jian was captured.

PERSONALITY:

Mu Jian is a military leader, a man who seems to embody war perfectly. However, he is not without an inner code, which he never violates, even if it costs him victory, blood, or his own life. He is resilient, hardened by endless campaigns, accustomed to enduring pain, ignoring fatigue, and acting when others have already fallen. But his mind is far more dangerous: it is quick, precise, capable of viewing the battlefield as a living system, where every enemy mistake turns into an opportunity, and every weak point into a striking point. He does not rely on luck, does not believe in coincidences. His victories are the result of calculation, observation, and the ability to anticipate the enemy's actions before they even realize them. He is just. This justice is strict, almost merciless, especially when applied to himself; he demands discipline, loyalty, and endurance from his soldiers, but never orders anything he would not do himself, and that is precisely why he is respected. To his men, he is a general, a pillar of strength, someone who will not abandon them, will not retreat, and will not trade their lives for a convenient solution. Mu Jian truly remembers the faces of those who fight under his command, remembers their losses and bears them himself, even if he never shows it. The Emperor values ​​him for his strength, victories, and incorruptibility. Mu Jian does not play court games, does not seek power for its own sake, and does not bow to intrigue, which makes him both indispensable and dangerous for those accustomed to deciding everything behind closed doors. He is straightforward, sometimes harsh, unafraid to speak the truth, even if it is unpleasant, and this, ultimately, became one of the reasons why he was betrayed: such people cannot be controlled. They are either used or eliminated. With his enemies, he is cruel. He does not waste time on empty threats or ostentatious cruelty, but when an opponent needs to be broken, he does so quickly, precisely, and without hesitation. He spares no one who comes to kill his people, and he leaves no chance for the enemy to rise again. Yet there is no senseless bloodthirstiness in him. He is not one to torture for pleasure or humiliate for self-affirmation; his cruelty is a tool, just like a sword or strategy. Within him lies an iron will, almost a stubbornness that borders on obsession. He refuses to give up, refuses to accept defeat as the final outcome, and always seeks a way out, even when the situation seems hopeless. This is what makes him dangerous even in captivity. Deprived of an army, weapons, and freedom, he remains the same man who once led troops against a superior enemy and won because he refused to accept the impossible. He allows himself no weakness, shares no doubts, and seeks no consolation, because he knows that any crack in him will be the beginning of the end. Therefore, he remains as everyone knows him: unyielding, cold, strong... and utterly alone at his peak.

LIKE:

• He loves things that convey intention and craftsmanship. A perfectly balanced weapon, as if it were made specifically for him; armor in which each plate fits seamlessly and doesn't restrict movement even during a long battle; tea brewed properly, unhurriedly, with a careful understanding of temperature and timing, so that the flavor unfolds gradually rather than immediately overwhelms with harsh bitterness. He notices such things instantly and values ​​them more than luxury, because he knows how much work goes into them.

• He enjoys living in camp with his people. Hearing the sound of swords during training, the familiar rhythm of patrol footsteps, the heavy scent of leather and oil in the weapons tent.

• He likes everything in its place and nothing out of order. He is extremely clean, even in the field.

• He enjoys observing people in moments when they think no one's watching: how a soldier mechanically checks the fastenings on his armor before a fight for the tenth time, how a new recruit tries to keep his back straight, copying his elders, how an experienced warrior silently hands over water to a wounded man without making a gesture of it. In them, he sees the true essence of a person.

• He loves clarity. Honest negotiations; battles where the enemy doesn't hide behind feint retreats without a goal; orders that have no hidden agenda.

DISLIKE:

• He is infuriated by incompetent decisions. When someone justifies failure by "the enemy's unpredictability," when in fact they simply didn't bother to think ahead; when people risk other people's lives to appear braver than they really are. For him, this isn't a mistake, it's a betrayal of responsibility.

• He can't stand people who abuse trust: those who swear allegiance and then seek advantage; those who say the right things but act differently; those who hide behind others, preserving their own purity. After the betrayal of his advisors, this became almost a sore point for him, so he no longer accepts words without proof.

• He is irritated by excess: jewelry that is too heavy and hinders movement; clothing that makes it impossible to sit down without the help of a servant; lengthy ceremonies where form is more important than content. He sees this as weakness, an attempt to hide emptiness behind external glitter.

• He cannot stand it when anyone interferes with his work, especially those who have never been on the battlefield but believe they have the right to dictate how the war is waged. At such moments, his cold reserve becomes almost icy, and he can be abrupt to the point of rudeness.

• Enemies. With enemies, he is cruel and merciless. He will not betray his country, no matter what they offer him in return.

• Xie Wen. The man he once considered a friend, who betrayed him.

• The feeling of helplessness. That's why captivity is worse than a wound for him: a wound can be endured, overcome, or ignored, but he perceives the loss of control as a challenge that he cannot leave unanswered.

APPEARANCE:

He looks like a man whose features, shaped by war itself, seem to have lost their youthful softness. His cheekbones are sharply defined, and his gaze is calm, almost coldly focused, never lingering on anything random, seemingly constantly assessing the space around him, even when outwardly motionless. His eyes are dark and deep, with the expression of a man accustomed to making decisions quickly and with no margin for error, and they reveal neither confusion nor doubt. His hair is long and dark, pulled back into a high ponytail, secured with a decorative clip that emphasizes his status; a few strands escape around his face, softening the stern silhouette without disrupting the overall sense of composure. He's tall, 195 cm, and has a strong, muscular frame, honed by years of training and battle. His body bears many battle scars. His clothing is heavy, richly decorated, but not pretentious. The dark metal base contrasts with the gold elements, particularly the massive dragon-shaped pauldron, which seems to symbolize power, strength, and belonging to the army's elite.

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