"It is the rarest material known to man." The smith explains. "Some call it spirit jade, others call it dragon tears, some even call it the blood of the gods. It is a willful, stubborn material that even master craftmen struggle to work with, if they even see it in their lives. It can choose to be soft as wet clay or as strong as iron if not even more durable or so the stories say. Legends say that this jade was left behind when the dragons ascended to the heavens crying as they did so. Other say it's jade that the spirits inhabit. But legends are useless, spirit jade is real and it is a durable material. You think this coin is crudely made? This is possibly some of the best cuts one can make on it. It's rarity is such that it is often hoarded by noble families or rich merchants as an emergency fund all on it's own. The more foolish think they can gift it to powerful families in hopes of winning favor rather than selling it off. One can buy a sizable plot of land and build a home on it as well with a peice half this size. My Lord, your mother treasured her necklace both because of it's value and because of what it meant for your father to give it up so easily, despite my protests before I worked on it. Compared to it's true value, crafting it into a necklace is akin to forging gems into children's toys. Trinkets ill befitting their new purpose. That you did not know it's true value speaks volumes of it's rarity." The fox holds the coin once more to the light, to you it seemed like regular jade and you could not help but pose the obvious question.

"But...it looks like regular jade. Besides it's rarity and properties...what makes it so special? One can find an oddly shaped rock that shares it's shape with no other but that alone does not make it valuable."

"Tell me, have you held it up in the moonlight?" He asks. You shake your head.

"It glows much like metal that had been heated enough to forge. If you looked at it long enough, you could almost think it had somehow melted from the heat of your hands. That is what makes it so alluring and why there are countless legends surrounding it. It's value is one of the many reasons it's so dangerous to hold. Many have been killed over the mere suspricion that they might have been holding this jade only for the murderer to realize it was regular jade they had stained their hands for. Of course, one must know of it's true value first but greed is a powerful thing." He explains as he studies the coin. You expected to be a glint of the avarice he was talking about but there was none. Something was holding him back.

"What is the other reason that makes the coin so dangerous?" You press.

"Whoever, your 'companion' got this coin from will be very eager to retrive it if they are still alive. This coin is a very important token beyond it's ability to purchase a compound. I know why it was left to you if they wanted to be found."

"You do?" You ask without thinking, heart beating eagerly.

"Madam Web." He says simply. This time not even Hien seemed to recognize the name.

"Who?"

"An information broker. One who deals with very specific clientele and one who's prices may rival that of priceless art for a simple question. From what I've heard she is never wrong, she is never without information regardless of how scant or well guarded it is. It is said that her network of information rivals that of the Empire's. However, one with this coin gets a free pass. Not once, not twice, but for as long as they hold it. Now one knows where they orginiated from, who forged them, or how Madam Web managed to source enough spirit jade to craft more than one coin but one can only imagine what it would require to receive such a gift from her. Once a few years claims of a coin surface only for it to suddenly vanish once again. It's impossible to tell how many exist in circulation and no doubt those that do are guarded zealously. Especially by those who wish to be informed on underworld dealings." The coin is tossed back to you with an almost unnerving amount of nonchalantness. You catch the jade token and look at it.

So many things seemed to fall into place. How Xin Lan's assassin order was so powerful and well informed. Did they have a deal somehow with this Madam Web to keep their existence scrubbed from any known record? What could they have done to earn this coin or was the information broker part of them? It made so much sense why they were so vague in their note. If the mongols had somehow found this coin and a note detailing exactly what it was...you shudder to think of it. Not only that but the rushed nature of the note seemed to imply that it was a last minute decision. There simply too much risk involved to leave something like this in hopes you might find it. The whole thing reeked of desperation and you didn't like that. Xin Lan must have decide to fully trust you with out reservation then and there. To finally give you the last peice of their past and entrust it to you. You clench the coin to your heart. If you thought things logically, it was meant to be used to defeat the mongols but part of you knew that deep down Xin Lan wanted to be found again and that realization only strengthened your resolve to see them again.

"Where can I find her?" You ask. "You know, don't you?"

The fox looks at Hien, who slowly nods. Without hesitation he replies, "As you wish my lord. She's here in this city. I suppose even the secretive have some vanities. You'll find her in the oldest market district, there is a medicine store who's windows are clean and yet it's wares all caked in dust as if it had not been open in many years. You'll see many things in baskets and jars but what you need to find is a small jar containing an single eye in it. If it is clean then proceed inside. Regardless of who is running the shop, step to the counter and present the coin stating that you wish to have it evaluated. The person behind the counter will attempt to take it but do not let them. Should they do so then you've lost it forever. They will never return it to you. Simply take the coin back and ask if they can evaluate it with a glance. They will then offer you a price which you must deny. They will then offer you another, then another, until finally they will offer the entire shop at which point you must respond with, 'What I see is more valuable than coins. It is something all men seek but die ignorant of'. That is when you will be allowed to the back of the shop. From then I cannot say what will happen. All I can tell you is that you must go alone. She will not see you with guests. That coin is yours and yours alone now. It cannot be shared."

You stare at the man. "How do you know all this?" You ask. "Who exactly are you?" He doesn't respond.

>What do you say?
>Ask something else.
>Tell Hien you're ready to go see the Empress.
>Say that you want to go and see if this coin is really all it's supposed to be.
>Write in.

>>5296652
>"Thank you Patriarch Fang, I appreciate the information more than I think you can know."
>Assess his musculature and stance. The guy seems like he isnt entirely unschooled in kicking ass

>>5296652
Welcome back Luo, hope life isnt kicking you too hard!

>>5296652
>>Say that you want to go and see if this coin is really all it's supposed to be.

>>5296652
>Tell Hien you're ready to go see the Empress.

>>5296652
>thank him.
>Tell Hien you're ready to go see the Empress.

>>5296901
>>5296920
>>5296713
We're going to see the empress. Writing.

>>5296719
Life's doing what it wants but I'm managing! Just glad I can keep the quest going.

"Thank you Patriarch Feng, this information means more to me than I think anyone can know." You say as you study him. He was well built as expected for a master of his profession but not overly so. That is to say, the fox was naturally burly and large for a man of his species and any muscle he aquired from his work was only added ontop of what he had before. He was fit before he became a smith which conflicts slightly with what Hien told you. His story mentioned that he had won a contest to replace the old master smith but how could one that never studied smithing all his life best some the greatest smiths vying for the same position. Then again, the patriarch's challenge did not have him directly compete against the others and he had locked himself away before presenting his work to the Emperor. Did he cheat? No. You can tell even by speaking with him that despite his guile, he was not one who would stoop so low as to take credit for someone else's work. That was more in line with his son. Furthermore, if he had cheated then it would soon be discovered when tasked with offical work once he took the position.

What talent lay dormant in the man before you? Furthermore, where did he come from before? Especially if he was aware of information such as this information broker that not even the prince himself knew. You couldn't help but start to believe the rumors that he was part of some triad group and part of you started to also believe that he enjoyed maintaining that rumor. Regardless, it would be best not to pry and you doubt you'd get much anyways. Instead you turn to Hien. "I think I'm ready to speak to your sister." You say.

"No." The blacksmith says. The two of you turn to face him. "You won't."

"We have to." Hien says. "It's a matter of great importance and she has to know. He'll be with me."

"I'm sorry my lord, but even I have my limits. I will not allow you to take him to speak with her. My duty is to your family and I will do anything in my power to keep the empress safe." He says. "You may be secure in who he is but he is a criminal and he does have crimes to answer to. My family and I will not allow him to be near her Highness until we are sure. Even if you order it."

"We have to do this. If we don't you'd be putting her in danger regardless and you'd be betraying your duties then as well." You explain.

"Then whatever you wish to tell her, you'll tell me." The fox says.

"I'm sorry but if you mean to imprison me, I will have to fight." You warn.

"And if there is any inkling that you may pose a threat to the royal family, so will I." Jian Feng replies, slowly drawing a glittering blade of steel and ruby. The crimson edges shimmering menacingly and almost appearing to vibrate in place.

"Enough." Hien says moving between the two of you. "Tai Lung. It's best we play along with this. I'm certain Master Feng will allow us to see my sister if he hears what we wish to tell her. This is not the time for us to go at each other's throats over paranoia. We've already suffered a great loss and can't afford to stir up trouble. Espeically here, where our people are supposed to be the safest."

Neither you nor the patriarch lower your guard. "You heard your lord." Jian Feng says quietly, his eyes sharp and ready.

>What do you say?
>Tell your story. Like Hien mentioned, it's best not to rock the boat just yet.
>Say that you'll only speak to the empress. If you have to sit in this room until she arrives or you're taken to her then you will. Until then you won't say anything.
>Say that the Five will be coming to the captial soon. If you wait for them to arrive and they serve as a sercurity force, would you be allowed to see the Empress?
>Try and leave. This is more important than not upsetting the city.
>Write in.

>>5297204
The guy is a direct member of the empress' inner council.
He's above reproach

>Tell him the story. Not everything but the pertinent details, the destruction of the sacred library, the crows, the Mongolians [stress the identifiers], the Alesander figure.

We want to avoid a war, but we need official sanction to move as a scalpel.

>>5297334
Oh, and why not.
>"The spiritual world has been punctured by the act, it's an act of utter barbarity and malice that's already had catastrophic effects that can and shall radiate out into wider China."

>>5297204
>>Tell your story. Like Hien mentioned, it's best not to rock the boat just yet.

>>5297204
>Say that you'll only speak to the empress. If you have to sit in this room until she arrives or you're taken to her then you will. Until then you won't say anything.

>>5297360
>>5297339
>>5297334
We'll tell our story. Writing.

>>5297334
Err wait, do you want to argue that you and your group be sent in first why they prepare for war or that they shouldn't go to war at all? Just so I know how to word it.

>>5299231
we came knowing their is going to be war. noting we can do about that.
>ib4 the empress tries to conscript us.

>>5299231
I say that we dont want a war.

Send us ahead, with a small force so that we can identify, then punish and return with the people who did it. A war us too costly if it can be avoided.

>>5299415
that's like your opinion man. Personally I don't think their is anything we can do to stop a war. It might be different if china was the aggressor. They have a right to defend themselves. the Mongols straight up slaughtered most of the city and stole state secrets unprovoked.

>>5299445
Whom mongols? Where Mongols? and importantly, Why mongols?

If a small team of elites can find and punish the enemy mongolians, then why risk the lives of so many of our countrymen?
And the lives of the unaffliated mongols would not need to be disrupted again in a cycle of retaliatory strikes.

Of course, if we found evidence of everyone being in on it. . well, at least they now have solid proof, rather than a hazy idea of what they are dealing with.

"War is on the horizon." You say. "The Sacred Library is gone and it's people scattered. Burned to the ground and cursed on top of that. This wasn't just a simple raid by some bandits that got lucky. It was took well thought out, too malicious and too devestating to be anything but a sign." Jian continues to stare you down, seemingly unperturbed but there was enough of a flash in his eyes that showed you were holding his attention.

"What exactly a sign of?" He asks.

"That everything we hold dear is nothing to them." Hien replies. You nod.

"They didn't strike at some important outpost or city. Not in the conventional sense. They struck at what we considered the heart of knowledge in China. One that even the most unadventerous person would dream fondly of visiting. The library that held all of our knowledge. Should anything devestating happen to China now, we'd be crippled and unable to rebuild. Not only that but this was a hidden location only thought of as legend and rumor. A place only the royal family and those near them knew for certain was real. A place that they trusted to put their own knowledge in." You say. "And there's only one group of people who knew the location and had connection to it that could do it. It was the mongols of the north. I've seen the armor they wear. It bore no insignia or any distinctive markings to connect them to an organization but they style they were made in was unmistake able. Something that a master blacksmith knows is unchangable when crafting protection."

"I agree, the similarities in the armor was exactly the same and to outfit an army big enough to wipeout a city of that size would be unreasonable if the intent was to try and shift the blame onto the northern people. It would be far easier to commit another raid, have people live and spread the tale but this...this was barbarism unlike I've ever even read about." Hien's voice trails off.

"We encountered two crows as we investigated the ruins." You explain. "They seemed to be expecting me or at least someone to come back to see it. They raised the corpses of the dead, both their own men and the bodies of those who fell defending the city, to attack us and we somehow managed to survive and drive them off. When we continued our search, we found signs of some kind of sorcery that drained the victim. They used their own troops as fodder for this magic, draining them of fear and emotion then finally using their very life to finish the ritual. Now the mountain remains in an endless cycle of death and rebirth being fueled by anyone else who dies there as well. Whether or not the mastermind behind all this knows, this action has brought more damage to the world than losing a mere city. The dragons are in an outrage, an untold ammount of spirits have been used as part of this sacrifice and their Chi will never return to the earth once more back to their parents. I don't know the extent to who this will affect the mortal realm but the spirit world is in disaray."

"This can only be as a sign of more to come." Hien says. "My sister has to know. We have to tell her and Tai Lung needs to be there. It's the only way the other noble houses will give us any credence. You know how they can be. Even they cannot deny it if we both tell them and we'll need their support as well."

The patriarch slowly sheathes their weapon and moves to look out of a nearby window to contemplate, never giving away what was on his mind, his face stoic as always.

>What do you say? What do you do?
>Write in.

>>5299685
>nothing, it's obvious he needs time to think.

File: 1650899423729.jpg (102 KB, 792x528)

102 KB JPG

>>5299685
>So now you know why it is so important that I speak with the empress. Do I have your permission for that?

>>5299445
what weapon of mass destruction do you propose the elite team use? a few men cannot hold off an army, so that is the only punishment that can be given, to kill them all quickly. It will be tough to get useful prisoners (eg, ones that have answers) that way.
And if they fail China cannot afford it.
>And the lives of the unaffliated mongols would not need to be disrupted again in a cycle of retaliatory strikes
sharing an idea from another qst here: there are no noncombatants. Women and children are replenishment, emotional support, others still provide support through resources.
War is a messy thing and the only way forward here (besides conquering) is to not just eliminate the trespassing soldiers here now but to invade mongolia in return and destroy more than they've destroyed us. Then the mongolians in charge will think twice about ever invading us again, and the more common mongolians will hesitate to support their government if they decide to attack us again. War is political, and since they've decided to test us we have to displayour power.

File: dynasty_cycle.jpg (81 KB, 652x298)

81 KB JPG

and in addition to putting on a show for the mongols, china needs to put on a show for its own residents. picrel, and how would they feel if the response is not glaringly obvious?

>>5296630
Oh shit, I forgot to check up on the new thread.
>>5299685

>>5299771
>>5299781
Conquering back doesn't really work with mongols, they are an eternal remaking federation of multiple different ethinicities and languages, living in a cold desert with little to no resources to forage or to "requisition" from local (since the village will just pack up and leave).
You can't march on the steepes with an army, catch all the nomads and put the fear of china on them, because the steppes are three times bigger, and there will always be 4 or 5 different nomad empires. (If we are facing a khagan that somehow already united all the nomads, something that nothing Temujin did before invading China, than there is nothing we can do other than kill him and let his heirs and subject khans battle royale)
An army will have to be deployed, conquer the frontiers where the semi-settled nomad kingdoms are, repair the great wall and protect china, but to actually put an end to this army we have to deal with the the top dog.
The Khan has to fall, and maybe his clan too. But if we just put then all to the sword, the next big boy will use this as an excuse.
So I suggest to do what Rome did, and have the heirs of the largest clans "study" and "live" in the capital. Not the imperial city, but nearby. Also they can't go back, otherwise we get a gaul rebellion.
Under no circustances do what China did with Xiognu and marry off princesse to them or pay tribute. Otherwise they will never go away, and will have legitimacy to conquer land
>Inb4 it's the big calm are the snow leopards and we will have to fight our blood family to protect our adopted one.

>>5299685
>My group and the five already turned back one raiding arny from the mongols. They found a hidden library containing the entire lineage of the imperial family. These mongols somehow have acess to secrets of China, and they don't want tribute or to conquer, but to completly destroy our nation.
>If I wanted the imperial family dead, I would just have to wait. If I could turn back the army alone, I would be there. If I knew Hien could convince the entire court without me as a witness, I would not be risk coming here.

>>5299830
>>5299846
I'm a new anon to this converstaion by the way, I'm of the opinion that a war will happen no matter what, but China should stay on a more defensive position instead of a full on invasion.
Also we can't use too much of our real world knowledge. I know taht it invalidatea what I had posted, but we know in this setting China had already invaded and ravaged the mongols, so it's possible. But since ut's something taht was already done, there is a big risk that nothing will change.
I think there is something bigger going on here, and we need to know more. But an elite vanguard force on a decapitation strike might be the best of the two worlds if there is no grand conspiracy.

>>5299771
>A few men cannot hold off an army.
Yes they can. We've done it. And if you dont even try to hold them off but we instead a knife thrust into their back line at a point of importance, we can do much more.
We are a weapon of mass destruction, as is every master near our skill level.

The thing is though, we are a weapon who wants to minimise loss of life. We dont kill people anymore, close as it sometimes feels to breaking that rule. So finding alasander and beating the ever loving snot out of him, then dragging he and a few of his commanders all the way back to the forbidden city is the best we can try to do.

Special forces may not have our compunction, but hopefully they are at least skilled enough to keep up with us in travel speed and stealth.

>>5299846
This sounds about right.

>>5299958
We did that with hit-and-run tactics and a defenders advantage. we didn't even beat the army then and their either we were forced to retreat. we attacked their camp after.

Dunno what's going on just yet, but it's taken days to literally get close to the end of the archive. Thank you for writing mang. Now to spend another day or two to finish the library.

Well it seems like there's opnions on how to proceed in the overall incoming doom. Tomorrow I'll get to writing and will settle on the "now you know why I need to speak to the empress." angle. I'll put in a mention of the five coming to discuss the issue as well and maybe urging to get a meeting together as soon as possible.

>>5301073
For now they are just ideas until we can get the input from hien's family, the cunning fox, find Xin and maybe some info from the spider.
Making a plan based only on assumptions would bite us in the ass.

"Now you know why I need to tell the empress." This goes beyond just you or me. This affects the whole country and we need to figure out what needs to be done." You insist. When the blacksmith does not respond you add, "The Five are also on their way to help with the situation. It's possible that they know what is on the horizon as well. That should quell any apprehensions about me being here. They'll of course serve as body guards or whatever the nobles want for me to be able to speak with them and the empress." Silence remains for a while longer before the blacksmith pulls himself away from the window.

"I will go speak to the Empress to hold a meeting." He says simply as he begins to leave. "As mentioned before, we are containing you here for the time being. You are free to wander the grounds as you wish. I trust the young lord to keep you in check as he is probably the only one who can. Nonetheless, expect guards whereever you go." He adds in an uncharacteristic distracted after thought. The two guards peek through the doors, rather confused at seeing the owner of the home leaving without his lord and more importantly, leaving a major criminal alone with him. They awkwardly stand at attention as the doors slowly come to a close once more.

"I suppose that is a step in the right direction." Hien says looking at the door for a moment. "Master Feng rarely ever calls for a meeting of the nobles and asks to speak with Empress even less so. As I recall, Father has to go out of his way to spend time with him despite the two being friends. I think it might be one of the few things Lord Feng enjoys, seeing the old Empreror himself going to see him rather than the other way around." He turns to face you. "For now, I suppose we'll have to play along..." He says voice trailing off and giving you a sly look.

"For now." You say. "It's better we wait until night before we decide to start breaking house arrest. Otherwise, we'll lose what little trust we have. You're on thin ice as well it seems. Given that you also broke out of here as well. Perhaps we shouldn't make the blacksmiths look bad for now." You think for a moment. "At the very least, it seems we were taken seriously. Enough that it seems like the old man is just willing to leave us here alone."

"That or he's one of the very few people who don't harbor the fantasy of being able to stop you...at least when he's not willing to kill himself to kill you." Hien admits. "You saw it too right?"

"Yes." You agree, remembering the unfazed look in the fox's eyes when he held his weapon at the ready. "He wasn't afraid to trade his life for mine. As if it were no different than deciding to take a walk or looking at the time. Simply another task that didn't take a second thought to do. Be glad that he chose to follow your family's lead. He might not have inner peace but perhaps he might have something a bit more volatile. Loyalty with a disregard of one's own life is a dangerous thing."

The two of you leave the room, and the guards outside flank you once more. It was rather amusing to see the soldiers slowly slot back into place as you went through the halls until you had a small little group around you once more. "We are bound here but at the very least we can walk around in peace." Hien says.

>What do you do?
>Ask Hien to show you around. Might as well make the most of it. Perhaps a bath is in order or maybe seeing the famous smithy would be better. It's your first time ever in the capital. Might as well make the most of it.
>Say you just want a room to sleep in. Actually use a bed for once.
>Look around for a library. You could spend some time reading.
>Wait until nightfall then speak to Hien about sneaking out. You want to use your coin. (Skip to night)
>Write in.

>>5302317
>Ask Hien to show you around. Might as well make the most of it. Perhaps a bath is in order or maybe seeing the famous smithy would be better. It's your first time ever in the capital. Might as well make the most of it.
we haven't really bathed in like a week or something.

>>5302317
>Ask Hien to show you around. Might as well make the most of it. Perhaps a bath is in order or maybe seeing the famous smithy would be better. It's your first time ever in the capital. Might as well make the most of it.

>>5302317
>Ask for a bath first, then Innocently ask to see the best smithy outside the Patriarchs.

It's time to be a cheeky elder and see what our boy's bride to be is like.

>>5302317
>>Ask Hien to show you around. Might as well make the most of it. Perhaps a bath is in order or maybe seeing the famous smithy would be better. It's your first time ever in the capital. Might as well make the most of it.

>>5302326
>>5302410
>>5302443
>>5302484
Bathing because nothing awkward has ever happened in regards to baths when it comes to the big guy. Writing.

>>5303867
it's fine neither bunny is here to tease us so were fine.

File: koi-fish-pond-in-a-tradit(...).jpg (324 KB, 1300x957)

324 KB JPG

"Well...then I should take advantage of the hospitality." You muse as you look around the compound. "Where can I take a bath here. It'd be nice to finally enjoy some basic luxuries once more."

"I would have guessed food would have been the first thing on your mind." Hien says as he begins to lead the way around the stone paths. You shrug.

"Easy for you to say, you're completely pampered. If it wasn't for that hair of yours, I'd have thought you to be a cousin or something." You say as you adjust your bag. "At the very least I have some clean clothing. But after that we can have you demand a feast in our honor. That's what princes do right? Feast and then find another reason to hold a banquet?" You tease.

"Well not exactly in that order." Hien says with a laugh. "But that sounds about right given some of my generation. Come on then. The bath houses are over here. We'll use the family ones."

"Houses? For a single family?" You say. "I mean I was joking about the feasting. I know the nobility is rich..."

"And so was I." Hien smirks. "But the Feng family does have private baths while the servants have their own bath houses." Hien leads you deeper into the compoun and the extravagance was not relegated to the front it seemed. You pass various gardens and ponds in the intersections. Various exotic fishes swam in them and you see servants tending to the plants among them. Despite their social status, the servants were dressed nicely and seemed to be in good health as they chatted away while they worked only to be stunned into silence as your group passed. They did their best to genuflect at their prince but were too busy trying to fight through the fear of your presence and the confusion of you being there to do it properly. The guards merely waved them back to work as you continue towards the back of the home.

As you wander the open halls, you being to note the wealth that the Feng family had amassed and your mind struggles to even think about how much more wealthy Hien's family was and how it was even possible to live more lavishly than this. Compared to your home, which you had once thought to be quite wealthy if not adhering to a more ascetic lifestyle, you now realize the vast difference between your social status and those around you. Lost in your thoughts, you only realize you had arrived when your group stops. "Here we are." Hien says motioning to a row of doors lining one side of a hall. Across from there were lockers much like those you saw in the public bath houses though these were more ornate and contained no real security, evidence of how safe the Feng family felt in their home. Along the wall was also a set of benches which you knew to be there for social gatherings as people waited for their turn to bathe.

You never could understand how people could do that. Socialize while the only decency someone could be wearing was a simple towel. You simply couldn't get over your sheepishness. Something the a certain bunny always enjoyed pouncing on. You step forward to place your things in a locker but as you walk down the hall, you note two guards following you and you couldn't catch yourself before saying rather defensively, "What do you think you're doing?"

The two guards look at each other nervously before glancing at the rest of the group who was already moving away with Hien. "We're here to make sure you don't try something and keep an eye on you." They say as they try to keep the waver out of their voices.

Instinctively you brace yourself, expecting some teasing to come along but none arrive and the feeling of emptiness seems to grow in you. Still, you couldn't let this go. Not if you wanted to honor your best friend and little sister. They would kill you if they found out you had let this golden opportunity pass by when they hear about this. So you give the two guards your biggest smirk and say, "Sorry but I'm taken and I'm not in the mood of ruining any more marriges, as fun as it is to see. Before you ask, yes being a master of all martial arts does includes those arts as well. It's all in the tail kids. Women love a fluffy tail." You turn around with a flamboyant flick of your tail and put your things away as you feel the eyes of the guard burning a hole in the back of your head.

You grab a towel and step into one of the bathrooms. It was quite spacious and could comfortably sit a group of people. Though quite sparse, the walls had intricate tiles laid upon them as were the tiles on the floor. Curiously, the pool of water was in the back most part of the room and was next to a strange contraption. It looked rather like an exaggerated fireplace, with a place to put firewood underneathe a large metal barrel. A spout was attached to it with a long trough that lead into the pool of bathing water. Beside it, almost set aside for optional use was a clay heater, the kind water was poured on in saunas. It dawns on you that this must be some kind of mechanism to heat up water. By boiling the water in the device one could simply pour the hot water to mix in the with cold and heat it to the desired tempurature. It was far more efficient than heating up the entire pool and one could also turn the bathroom into a small sauna.

Delighted by the novelty of the device, you undress and begin to light a fire with some of the firewood neatly set aside in the corner of the room. As you worked to light some tinder, you feel your face grow slightly warm as you realize how comfortable you were working in the nude. You brush those thoughts away and hope where ever Renshu was, he couldn't read your mind at this moment.

Warmth begins to fill the bathroom and you sit at the edge of the water as you wait. Even though you had put everything else away in the lockers, you kept one thing on your person. You reach over to grab your pants and pull out the golden medallion once more. By now it was habit to simply stare at it and run your finger over the small images. There was comfort in your birthday gift despite 3 of it's members missing and now that you finally had some peace and quite, you frown as you realize how dirty the thing had become. This wouldn't do. This was your family after all and so you take the time to scoop up some water and begin delicately polishing the emblem.

Your mind strays to your friends and you do your best to try not to imagine them hopeless and lost or injured or gone. Instead, you do your best to imagine them if not safe or happy then grim but determined. This was just another trial you would all get through and write down in a book somewhere. Maybe just simply forget it. You open the spout a bit to let some hot water into the pool, enjoying the hissing sound as cold water touched hot water. Steam floats around you and you feel your pores open almost sing in joy as the feeling of mist feels like its melting the grime away. But before you can settle into enjoy your bath, you hear heavy movement outside.

Your heart skips and you feel adrenaline spike through your body.

>What do you do?
>Leap out into the hallway. If this was a trap, you could try and surprise whoever was attacking first.
>Listen at the door. See if you can hear what's going on. Could someone have gotten the idea of trying to capture you here? Some insane attempt at cashing on your bounty? If so, did they not hear the news Hien caught you? Someone that crazy would surely be a danger to everyone around you.
>Settle down. These past weeks are simply getting to you. Even if you were in "custody", you were safe. No one would dare attack here and your nerves are finally getting to you. It wasn't healthy. Best of you took full advantage of this bath. Maybe even annoy everyone with how long you were taking.
>Write in.

>>5304042
>Settle down. These past weeks are simply getting to you. Even if you were in "custody", you were safe. No one would dare attack here and your nerves are finally getting to you. It wasn't healthy. Best of you took full advantage of this bath. Maybe even annoy everyone with how long you were taking.

probably just Hien geting his ass kicked by his childhood friend. he's really got that anime protagonist presence.

>>5304042
>Throw some more water onto the flame to create a cloud of steam, then take cover by sinking into the water.

Even if it's nothing, this wont appear suspicious should it be discovered.
Unlike leaving the room naked.

>>5304042
>>Leap out into the hallway. If this was a trap, you could try and surprise whoever was attacking first.
Nimble like the mongoose, let's get ahead of this.

>>5304042
>Settle down. These past weeks are simply getting to you. Even if you were in "custody", you were safe. No one would dare attack here and your nerves are finally getting to you. It wasn't healthy. Best of you took full advantage of this bath. Maybe even annoy everyone with how long you were taking.

>>5304090
+1

>>5304078
>>5304090
>>5304297
>>5304443
Technically a tie. I'll just mix them. We're just settling down. Writing.

You grab a bucket full of water and toss it into the flames causing steam to fill the room as you slip into the water and wait. The movement outside continues for a moment long and judging by the sound of armor, you can assume it was guards outside. You move forward to the edge of the pool closest to the door and listen in. In an attempted hushed tones, the voices of the two guards that were waiting for you outside speak.

"Did you see her?" One says.

"Yeah...did you?" The other says cautiously.

"Yeah...should we stop her?" The first asks.

"Did you see the look in her eyes? I'm not getting between her and Lord Hien. Let the rest of the squad deal with that. I thought the hammer was gonna snap in two with how hard she was gripping it."

"Yeah...me either. I think I'll try my luck with murderer in the bathroom. At least he'd make my death quick."

"That or steal your girlfriend. Not like anyone needs to try though. When's the last time you saw her? Last year?" The second guard snorts.

"Shut up! You know he was screwing with you, right? No such thing as sexy martial arts." The first snaps back.

"Well if you saw what I saw then you'd be scared. Dude's huge." The second guard says offhandedly in at attempt to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah because height is what girls look for. Funny coming from someone who is 4 feet tall." The first guard snorts derisively.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I'm saying the guy is hiding a dragon in his pants. It was that big. I thought the whole martial arts thing was to compensate for something but-"

"You actually looked?! I-I was joking! You're going to get us killed if he finds out!" The first guard half hisses half screams.

"He's not gonna find out! Are you gonna tell him? Besides, I'm pretty sure he's too busy doing some weird meditation thing. You can see all the steam slipping out of the door."

"Yeah...what's he doing in there?...wait you don't think..."

"Yeah, no. You can see if he escaped. I'm not gonna look in there. He's probably waiting for us to look so he can kill us in the steam. I'm planting myself here and waiting. If he did get away, we'll just say he snuck out or something."

"Right...Yeah. I think I'd rather get fired than get set on fire or mauled. You know I heard he can do this thing where he sucks your organs out of your body by using the suction in his hands. Just cups his palm over your mouth and bam, no lungs."

"And you're calling me gullible..."

You sink into deeper into the water. Why did weird things have to happen to you during baths? Now there was no way the bunnies were going to not find out once Renshu got back into your mind. Furthermore, what exactly were you doing? Wasn't this supposed to be relaxing? Just a bit of noise from what you assume to be Hien's friend going to beat some sense into him after escaping and you were acting like the whole city was being raided. You weren't wrong in hiding, it was second nature to always be ready for a fight to the death but...maybe you were being too high strung. Eventually you were going to make a mistake by being so on edge all the time. Blowing some bubbles in the water as opposed to sighing, you quietly slip out and restart the fire, shivering now that you were realizing how cold the water still was. The wood was soaked through and now you had to restart everything from scratch meaning you'd have to wait again.

It takes an uncomfortable ammount of time before you're pouring hot water into the bath and sliding into it. Your feel your muscles tense up for a moment from the heat before the heat begins to work it's magic and slowly melt away the tension in your body. You sink deeper into the water, allowing it to rise to your nose as you feel your mind grow hazy and drowsy from the heat. This...was nice. Nothing to worry about, nothing to do but just let the heat wash over you and feel nice and relaxed. So much so that you decide when you did build a home that it definitely needed a bath like this, bigger perhaps to accomadate you, Ming and the bunnies. It'd be nice to just feel the steam and chat.

But Ming is a girl! And Xin sometimes too! A small voice in your head protests.

Yeah...but that's what towels are for. Another voice replies, perhaps too unconcerned but at the moment you didn't really mind. No...the first voice was right but...hot bath with the people who cared about you sounded too nice. Maybe build a home near a hot spring. That'd make it all ok...

You cough and snort loudly as you breath in a nice lungfull of water. Shaking your head and stand up quickly, you rub your nose and hope no one noticed. Relaxing was dangerous you realize as you replay the last few thoughts of conciousness. Best thing was to never let your inhibitions loosen, ever.

Well...maybe not around Renshu. He'd definitely love to see you let go... The second, more mischivious, voice says before you banish it from your mind forever. You didn't like the fact that you couldn't shake off it's suggestions. Perhaps cold baths needed to be added to the list of things you'll only do from now on you think somewhat sadly.

---

You emerge from the bathroom fully dressed and very fluffy. Luckily for everyone, you all avoid each other's gaze. With a soft cough, you say, "Am I supposed to wait here for Hien to return?"

"N-no. We-we're just waiting on orders is all." One of the guards says trying to avoid looking at your front. "Someone should be here to tell us where to escort you to-"

"The public baths are on the other side of the house. Now move aside pesants or I will be letting your captain know of abandoning your posts. " A obnoxious voice scoffs. It sounded vaugely familiar and for some reason your level of irritation spiked several levels from the sound alone. "I swear, father allows a few of them to enter the grounds and they think they own the place..." The voice continues until it's owner bumps into you. Looking down, you see who you assume to be Yan Feng's younger brother or as you actually know him, the young man who An Bo was being forced to marry.

"I said step aside oaf! Do you know who I am?!" He shouts trying to push you aside though he had as much of a chance of doing that as trying to push a mountain. Failing to get you move, he stops and finally looks up at you though only the barest of recognition seems to flash in his eyes. "You seem familiar..." He says as the two guards behind him look at him in horror too stunned to draw their weapons in an attempt to protect him from any of your wrath he had inccurred.

>What do you do?
>Simply step aside an let him pass. The boy's arrogance and idiocy were rather astounding. So much so that you want to see more of it.
>Scare the boy. He had caused a very innocent girl a lot of grief and only as a way to try to impress his own father. You think An Bo deserves a little bit of justice. (what do you tell him?)
>Lie. Make something up about being a repairman or architect. See if you can make him not bathe. It'd be rather funny to see him make a fool of himself.
>Tell him the truth about who you are. You actually very curious to see how he'd react to know that the guard who annoyed him was actually Tai Lung the known criminal. The levels of cognative dissonance would probably go through the roof.
>Write in.

>>5305488
>Speak up "You remember me from Takashi, your man Chongan was acting suspicious in his search for that hags daughter.
How is the quiet man anyway?"

He seemed to enjoy the idea of punishing him if he failed, that year ago in the town. We will give him the time to hang himself with slack rope, but we are not moving out of the way.

>>5305488
>Simply step aside an let him pass. The boy's arrogance and idiocy were rather astounding. So much so that you want to see more of it.

>>5305488
>>Simply step aside an let him pass. The boy's arrogance and idiocy were rather astounding. So much so that you want to see more of it.

>>5305488
>"You look familiar as well."
>"Oh, now I remember! You were the little lord that had an indebted blacksmith act as hired muscle to search for his bride of an arranged marriage while I was staying in Taishi. Is he well?"
>"I would normally let you pass, it's your house afterall, but prince Hien and your sister are currently occupied"

Looks like there's a tie between confronting the boy or letting him go on his way.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5306104
Flip it.

>>5305818
I also support this option with my other nne here.>>5305506


Talking about Hien being occupied is a good way to firmly establish our loyalty to the prince.
And may prompt the little bastard to try bad mouthing.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5306104
Rollin
>>5305818
I'm this anon by the way, I don't want to samefag.

>>5306150
>>5306196
Well shit, the tie-breaker rolls tied.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5306199
Last roll then.

1 is confront.
2 is let be.

I cant really think why we would let him by, being completely honest.

>>5306229
Let it be it is.

I'll change my votes, as needed, with the cachet if someone else comes in and makes this a tie again by voting for the confrontation, I will revert.

Because deadlock is frustrating as fuck.

>>5306229
Me neither, but we are the confront gang, of course we wouldn't.
>>5306233
Anyway, I agree, deadlocks sucks.

>>5306229
>I cant really think why we would let him by, being completely honest
Well, my reasoning for the first option was this.

Let him by, mostly because you're still quite chill from your bath and somewhat amused by how much of an ass the boy makes of himself. Especially considering whatever political sway he has because of his family name has no effect on you. You're a wanted man and even if that wasn't the case, you've faced far worse things in life that whatever an little shit like him can dish out. You've died, gone to hell, nearly seen your loved ones killed in various situations. This is comic relief compared to all that. It's less of giving in to his demands and more of him being beneathe you. He's not even worth the energy to get angry at. There are far more dangerous and evil foes that have earned that.

Though it looks like just letting him by wins?

>>5306335
>Though it looks like just letting him by wins?
It's what the RNG has decided.

Then it is decided. Sometimes it just comes down like this but its nice to see so many votes. Writing.

>>5306335
I now get your reasons and accept it is a good one. But the predominant part of me exhults in even small acts of rebellion, like forcing him to wall around me.

You stare for a moment longer before stepping aside and motioning that the way was clear. The young man turns his nose up at you and huffs before taking a few steps forward. "Well at least you're not completely useless. Quiet even. All of the other servants would be begging and apologizing. Useless snivelling. At least you're smart enough to keep your mouth shut. Perhaps if you play your cards right, I might hire you as a body guard. You have the look of it. Perhaps you'll do better than the last oaf I employed. I'd had half a mind to fire him and have him thrown out of the property but no, my sister and her bleeding heart." He sighs, though your very keen eyes note a wince as he mentioned his sister. No, not a wince. A flinch. Like that that originates from pain. It was very subtle, no doubt from something that occured long ago. You can only surmise that his sister had more than just words with him and that made you smile.

Still, you continue to say nothing and make your way to leave as the young man continues to mutter to himself and enter the bathroom. Perhaps it was the last few weeks you had gone through or maybe it was simply because you had a nice relaxing bath but you really couldn't care less about what the boy was talking about. The sheer arrogance in the young man was astounding and quite facinating compared to nearly being murdered or kidnapped. Even if you took all the joking bravado and self obsession Xin Lan put out, it would still pale in comparision to what you saw here. Part of you wonders if you were like that as a child. You certianly had reason to be given your talents.

You decide leave before you took advantage of the situation and tried to test to see how far the boy's ego would go but before you can leave or at least tell the guards to take you to Hien, you hear shouting in the bathroom. "What is this mess?! Is the help so clearly incompetent that they can't maintain a simple bathroom?!" You hear the boy running back towards the hall, no doubt to scold or berate you, only to hear him yelp. He slides out the door and crashes into the lockers on the other side of the wall. The guards look at you and you simply shrugged.

You may fight like a wild animal but you weren't uncivilized. You had done your best to clean up after yourself but steam had an annoying habit of clinging to every surface and no ammount of mopping could ever dry the floor after a bath like that. The two gaurds rush over to try and help the young man up but he flails around and screams, "Don't touch me! I can pick myself up! Get out of my sight! You saw nothing!" He stands up and shoves the guards out of the way. As he turns the corner his foot slips once more and you catch him mid fall.

"If I hear one word about this." He threatens as he wrestles out of your grip. "Just one word. I'll have your heads." He stomps off and despite his best attempt, fails to hide the tears in his eyes. It seems to you that the bigger the ego, the more fragile it is.

"What a handful..." One guard says.

"Where is Hien?" You ask but the ensuing shouts and movement from across the compound answer that. Without waiting for permission, you quickly leap onto the roof and run over to the source of the noise. No doubt Hien was safe but you didn't want to miss what was happening.

You leap and land a few feet away from a large group of guards pulling apart two individuals and have a very hard time of doing it too as it seems like the agressor, a female fox, was fighting tooth and nail to swing at Hien. Hien's clothes were now dusty and his hair was back to it's ussual messy form but he was alright if not a bit worried. "Miss Feng, you can't attack the prince! It's against the law!" One of the senior guards grunts in exasperation.

"Oh he'll know what the law is when I'm through with him! You lied to me! I trusted you!" The young woman shouts, swinging both a hammer and a torn sandal in her hands.

"Please Miss Feng. Your words. Remember to use your words." A meek servant calls out from a few feet away. "Or you might kill his highness. Accidentally! I mean accidentally!" The young Feng breaks free from the guards and huffs. She takes a few moments to settle down and adjust her clothing which was a mixture of a rather nice dress and smithing attire. Judging from the way her clothing was arranged, you can easily tell she had tried to change into something nice from her working clothes before giving up an going to confront the young lord for lying to her.

"Nonesense. A man like Hien can endure so much more." She says a matter of factly. "He is the son of the emperor and our ruler after all."

"That doesn't make me invincible." Hien mutters as he dusts himself off. "Still, I'm glad to see you in good health Yan."

"Well one of us will be after the guards are gone." Yan Feng replies. "Do you realize what a fool you made me and my family out to be? I had half a mind to go out there and drag you back here! And I still have a full mind to break those knees of yours so you stay put! Your place is here! Not out there!"

"She doesn't mean that!" The servant replies as she hugs a clipboard tightly. "Just a few nights ago she was talking about how proud she was of his majesty! She was saying how nice it was that the man she was going to marry had the cunning and nerve to escape his capture. And...and...I wasn't supposed to say that was I miss?" She whispers. Yan Feng sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Of course I was proud." She says a bit reluctantly. "He's finally becoming a real man but I'd much rather he do it here! I'm not to going to marry you posthumously Hien!"

"In other words, you were worried." Hien teases. The guards begin to shuffle nervously as Yan tightens her grip on her sandal.

"Other women might be happy fantasizing about you galavanting about the country and pretending to be a hero but I happen to see the reality of the situation. You're a noble Hien and it's your job to remain here and lead the rest of us. You running off to gods' knows where and leaping into danger isn't your job. It's ours. The Feng Family has a duty to yours and you're not making it any easier on any of us! Let alone your sister!" She says jabbing at Hien's shoulder with her sandal. "And now I'm being told that you've brought China's number one criminal into my house! What exactly is your plan here?"

"I can answer that." You speak up causing everyone to turn and face you evientally unaware of your arrival. The young assitant screams and runs to hide behind one of the guards. Yan Feng simple drops her shoe to the ground and crosses her arms, completely unafraid of you. Now that you had the time to study her, you note that she had her mother's sharp features but her father's eyes which gave her a rather severe and serious look. Her arms were her more prominent feature, as they were muscular and yet not overly so. It was obvious that she did more than just hammer at a forge all her life and actually took the time to even out the growth of muscle not just in her arms but the rest of her body as well. More than likely she was also traind to defend herself which you did consider to be uncommon in nobles. You did wonder though which parent her temper came from.

"Well? Hien might be a crybaby with a bleeding heart but he's no fool. Undoubtfully, he convinced you to come here willingly because I've yet be given a reason to bring my hammer down upon your skull. What exactly do the two of you have to gain to be working together? Father wasn't at the forge today and I know we had no buisness to attend to. Our contracts are fully booked. There's only 4 people in the world who can pull him away from work and they all happen to be related. Meaing you spoke to him...and it must have been of grave importance if he let you in." She turns and glares at Hien for a moment, the hot tempered anger slowly giving away to something more cold and calculated. "What exactly did you talk to him about?"

You look at Hien who shakes his head no. No? Did he want you to not say anything? To lie to her?

>What do you say?
>Tell the truth. Say you're here to warn the empress of danger and the patriarch is the only one who can get you into the palace.
>Say that you can't tell her the whole story but you're here to talk about something more important than your crimes.
>Lie. Say you're here to pay for your crimes or that Hien managed to convince you to turn yourself in. You're hoping to speak to the Empress in hopes of some kind of forgiveness or lighter sentence given that you've been doing good.
>Write in.

>>5306537
>"I'm afraid I cannot say, for both my health and that of the young princes. As for what can I gain by working with him? Do I need to gain anything from my friend?"
>Divert attention from the matter at hand.
>"Though you seem incredibly astute, picking apart the facts to create a cohesive picture. I wonder then, how you expect him to become his best self if you try and restrain him here? Unless you intend to make him learn stealth and parkour, you are better suited to letting him roam and learn. He is nobility as you so aptly pointed out but so are you, Nobility doesn't restrict one to the back lines cushioned from the real world, that is the choice of those who have the means and preference for comfort.

>Hien is, as we both know, not one for comfort when he could be serving his people."

distract her from the question by challenging her on a matter she really cares about. Hien's safety. If she goes for us, all the better.

>>5306562
+1

>>5306537
>"It's quite a long story, and very sensitive. Walls have ears, and rumours spread like wildfire. You will know about it soon though, your father is arranging a imperial meeting, and there is no doubt you will be there."
>"How about we talk about your worry for Hien? He is far from helpless you know, I've seen him block hammers strikes from a boar using a broken sword. I bet if he didn't like you, he could just wrestle that sandal out of your hands"

>>5306537
>Say that you can't tell her the whole story but you're here to talk about something more important than your crimes.

>>5306851
>>5306704
>>5306653
>>5306562
It's a secret miss, btw you totes love the prince don't you? I'm his bff. Writing.

Side note. Also doing a small side story as well. I'll post the link to that once it's done.

"I'm afraid I cannot say, it's quite a long story and very sensitive. Walls have ears and rumours spread like wildfire. However, I suspect you'll find out soon enough. You seem to incredibly astute, picking apart facts to create a choesive picture. I wonder then, how you expect him to become his best self if you try and restrain him here? Unless you intend to make him learn stealth and parkour, you are better suited to letting him roam and learn. He is nobility as you so aptly pointed out but so are you, Nobility doesn't restrict one to the back lines cushioned from the real world, that is the choice of those who have the means and preference for comfort. Hien is, as we both know, not one for comfort when he could be serving his people." You ask.

Yan Feng scoffs though less to deride your claims and more that you're simply stating the obvious, "Of course I am. Hien deserves no less than a woman who can match his wits rather than some who think simply sitting around looking pretty is enough to satisfy him." Hien blushes slightly and shuffles awkwardly on his feet. "And Hien can serve his people here just fine. He's spent his entire life learning diplomacy and law. He's gone over seas to learn forgien policy. So don't tell me I'm trying to restrain him. I'm telling him that he doesn't need to be out there risking his life, a life people are willing to give up theirs to keep I might add, just to get a sense he's helping people. That's what the guards are for and that's what you were supposed to be for before you decided to throw it all away and become a murderer."

"He's far from helpless you know. I've seen him block hammer strikes with a broken sword and if he really wanted to, he could just wrestle that sandal out of your hands." You point out. "You claim that you're not like other women but here you are trying to have him be like other nobles."

"Don't you dare imply that I'm lowering Hien to our level. He is far more than we'll ever be." The young woman snaps. "But that kind of attitude is precisely why he needs to be here. The idiot had a perfectly capable sword at hand and he decides to use one of inferior quality never mind the fact that hunk of scrap metal could barely be called a sword by the time he had his hands on it. If he's willing to do something as stupid as that then...It's my job to keep him safe and alive, and if that means locking him in a room until he sees that he's not just a regular man then that's what I'm going to do." She turns to face Hien. "You're our prince! These men and women have dedicated their lives to keeping you safe and alive. Every law abiding citizen knows that your safety is paramount. So are you willing to go and tell them that their efforts don't matter because you want to go and 'help'?" Yan Feng turns back to face you, face angry but the pain clearly in her eyes. "You're dead right Hien isn't like other nobles. They can go play hero all they want but that fool needs to get it into his head that he will never be like us and we can never be like him, no matter how much some us of want it to be otherwise. He's going to need to make some choices he won't like because that's what his duty is, to serve his people in the way they need him to not the way he wants it. Just like his sister and just like his brother. People think that the wealth and luxury are the only things that come with rule but they can't see the weight the royal family bears, the fact that every word they say, every action and decision they make has ripples that affect every person in China. Maybe other nobles can wash it all away with wine and feasts but not the Empress and the General and certanly not Hien. That is the responsibility that comes with power."

Even without Xin Lan and Renshu's training of reading people, it was quite clear to you that Yan Feng knew the full extent of what she was saying. No matter what she wanted, Hien would always be her ruler and not her equal. Despite all her claims and casual attitude with him, she knew that she was condeming both herself and Hien to do what had to be done rather than what they thought should be done. There was no room of idle fantasy or the luxury of idealism in her life even if that meant crushing Hien's as well. In a way, she was right. She really was someone worth marrying the prince rather than a wife who was in it for a luxurious life. Someone who could say no and voice her opinion rather than simply being docile and agreeable. Someone to ground Hien's ideals with pragmatism. Knowing this, you couldn't help but feel an ache in your chest when you spoke. "Even if it means that he has to marry someone other than you for political reasons?" You ask, your voice soft and sharp.

The young girl's hands clench into fists and you see her bare her teeth at you. You expected tears, perhaps her to turn and walk away like her brother. The question was rather cruel. You were forcing her to listen to her own words, to properly think about what she was saying and then decide if she had the resolve to move forward or back off and realize her hypocrisy. Instead, her eyes harden with resolve and she speaks to you loud and clear. "Yes. Even if he has to debase himself and marry a woman not worth his time." She says. "Even if I have to marry a useless man as a husband for him. What ever it takes. Whatever must be done. I am a Feng and I will do what I must." She says.

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5308018
>"Your dedication and your will to follow through on your principles is worthy of my respect, Yan Feng. There is a great strength to your conviction, and I admire those who have it.
>But you are mistaken by a very large margin, with your ever present focus on cynicalism, the virulent poison of what 'Must' be done rather than what 'Should' be done. Hard choices will have to be made and sometimes there shall be hopeless situations where the lesser of many many many evils must be chosen. But you are rigid, unyielding in your preconception of sacrifice to the greater good that you would not see the chance to take a different path, A riskier play, one where the game is perhaps lost but the result is all the better than anything that had not been gambled upon.
>You see your duty and it's grip on you, this gnawing voice that tells you to step aside because this worthless woman is what could be best for him, see this worthless man and stay silent as the proceedings occur."

>*Whip an arm for emphasis*
>"The voice lies! it is the sound of the pragmatist who refuses their nature as a person, rather than the dangerous whisper of hope. There are other ways, there is always another way, be it in the lands of Eureka, Hell or China, there is always another way.
You fit him because your loyalty is unbreakable, your mind is sharp and your worldview loud but he completes you because he is as audacious as you are loyal, diplomatic as you are sharp and above all as hopeful as you are jaded.
I'd sooner throttle myself than believe that together you couldn't, or wouldn't, find a better path even if Hien had to drag you kicking and screaming towards it. Do not let your duty blind you to possibility, Yan Feng!"

Yeah. . . I honestly can't see TL as anything but an abject idealist when confronted with this shit. If we ever didn't have faith in the best of outcomes, we'd have never made it across the sea, let alone done anything of significance in this quest.
Your pragmatism is for people who don't have the time, wits or bravery required for the best outcomes. Not for the Son of heaven or any being with sufficient will.

>>5308018
>You know, that kind of attitude was what he was preaching the first time I met him, and was the reason he had escaped tge first time. Also what nearly led him to take a decidsion that would scar him forever. I think all your belief did quite a mark on him.
>Do you know how he got that sword? I gave it to him. Because he was a hero, an example of a true noble. Not a plotting, spoiled brat that look down on others, but a leader that inspirea hopes.
>Now why would a replica of the sword of heroes given by a criminal would matter? Because it was given to me by Luo, the forger and owner of the original. He was the first person to recognise I was trying to turn my life around.
>Oh, and if either of you got into an unhappy arranged marriage, I would break it off before it happened. I got experience with that, just ask your brother.
>On a side note, the dragons and spirits are real, and so are the judges. Death is is extremely unpleasent, and hell much more, so you should take care of your soul.

>>5308065
Oh, and tell the story of Luo and the Sword of Heroes, how because he refused to become a hero and believed he should be a smith, his entire family died, and only when he accepted it, and fought for justice and not revenge, that he did true good.
It symbolic and shit.

>>5308065
Why would we say anything about breaking up their political marriages? It would ultimately be their choice to go along with them, something we've been very clear about caring about. That's not reassuring, that's disrespecting an individuals free will.

The blunt statements of an afterlife, the unpleasant reality of hell and the reality of spirits is. . completely unrelated? This being ancient china, everyone believe in the state mythology, and invoking it makes it seem like we are trying to provoke authority from spirituality.

Your reasoning on the replica is also . . . somewhat faulty. I get what you're going for, the sword of hero's is the weapon you wield when you are accepting the path of a hero, turning over a new leaf to fully commit to doing good.
But how you phrase it is unrelated to the main thrust of the argument you are making, because you are saying the blade only matters because it was given to us by the maker of the actual blade who in turn matters because he recognised we were trying to be better.

In short, fair enough first point, good second point, the third and fourth and fifth, I have serious reservations and questions about.

>>5308072
It matters because it was suposed to lead into luo's story bit I forgot to put into that vote.
The spirituality one is important, because the imperial line got power from the madate of heaven (from firey boy). Also, argument of authority is one of the key type of arguments, and spiritual authority is the only one that is above noble and imperial, and tge only one we can pull on her. We got to remember that the bats were tyranical and the mythical founder of China fot help from Shenlong because she was not an asshole and reapected the spirits. Not only that, but we know that this type of pragmastism leads to more chaos than order, given the whole civil war and Kai vs Oogway. So it's a reminder to her, that the sacrifices he has to makes are excuses, not what is demanded by the dragons.
Basically, it's telling her that keep up thinking like that and someone is going to lose their very important scroll. And Tai Lung knows very well about going down dark paths and losing dragon related documents.
The marriage part was just to have a jab at the boy because we missed that opportunity, you can ignore that one.

Posted last one too early.

>>5308077
I am still largely unconvinced, mostly by the disconnected nature of the thrust. Spirituality and her immortal soul isn't going to make her hesitate. She and her father are utterly dedicated to the royal family, they would likely willingly go to hell if they were ordered to, she and her father don't give a shit about the spirits, the other worlds or their afterlives, they are dedicated and loyal to their royal masters. that's the ultimate line and that's what matters to them.

I'd suggest a re-write to your sword one to the effect of
>Do you remember that half broken piece of junk he handed you? It was a replica of the sword of heros, a mirror of the fabled blade of the great master Luo. But I think a better name is the Blade of renewed purpose, for each hand that touched it has faced trial and found a renewed sense of how they will serve China, away from their cowardice, fury and indecisiveness. If they had thought as you did, of what must be done rather than what should be done, then a village would lie abandoned and ravaged, a corpse would lie kneeling over two others who otherwise would have been kin and the eyes of hope would have become glassy marbles of guilt.

I will also have it noted, that she isn't wrong. Her pragmatism is essential for running an empire, even in the face of personal sacrifice and pain. TL just isn't built like a normal person, so can quite easliy say "No, fuck that, take a risk". Because he has so very little to lose or so very little that he can't do most of the time. That he keeps winning helps.

File: Hien.png (148 KB, 915x1449)

148 KB PNG

>>5308065
Actually, let me rewrite my vote for what I intended to tell, without the joke part.
Also here's a picture of what we told Hien. Telling Kai's story is always good for this pragmatism above all types.
>You know, that kind of attitude was what he was preaching the first time I met him, and was the reason he had escaped the first time. Also what nearly led him to take a decision that would scar him forever. I think all your beliefs did quite a mark on him.
>Let me tell you three tales, and try to understand why I believe that path will lead to ruin
>The first one a tale of pragmatism, of a man who fought to unify a broken China. He and his brother-in-arms had lost all purpose on the unending war, losing a great battle, when they were rescued by a people with the power to heal. His brother, had his faith rekindled, learned from his rescuers and became a pillar of China. Meanwhile, he saw that technique could be used differently, and that he could destroy any of China's warlord and bring peace, if only he betrayed his rescuers and broke the dragon's commands. He did so, and brought only greater misery, until his old friend had to stop him. That was Kai, Master Oogway's companion, whose name has been all but erased from history.
>Next, is a history of purpose. A smith, who believed that was his place in life and destiny. When bandits came to his village, and ran rampant, he did not lift a finge, for it was not his place to fight. So his brother went instead, and one by one they fell, from youngest to oldest. Until his own father went to fight, before he lifted a finger. Because he was a smith, not a soldier. Only then, did he gather the scraps of the weapons of his family, reforge into a sword, and put an end to the threat. That was Luo, who became a philosopher and storyteller when fighting back was no longer needed. The man who gave me the replica of the Sword of Heroes, which I gave to Hien when he rose to become a hero in his own right.
>Next, a history of method. A young prodigy, heir to the most illustrious school of all of China, who would surpass any challenge throw at his way through talent and hard work. Eventually, he decides that the ways of his teachers are ineffective, because he only only believed in the practical without the spiritual. So he decides to attack his own masters and take what he believes to his by right, devastating his home until he is brought down by his own father. That is Tai Lung, who only realized his mistake when he had the Dragon Scroll in his hands, and saw that the dragons do not look favorably on those who choose a dark path.

>>5308086
I like that one.
Anyway, the spirituality point wasn't suposed to hers, but Hien's and tge Imperial Family.
Like if they pull too much evil shit the dragon is going to retract their blessing.
Which after I reread what I said is indeed a non-sequitor to what she just said other than the part of Hien having to abandon the whole help people part, since the Feng would be the onea getting their handa dirty, so your right.
Also I like what you rewrote about tge aword, maybe Luo can fit it in somewhere in my rewrite.

>>5308086
>>5308101
I can combine these two if this is the final write up you guys are good with. But has TL met someone as stubborn as he is?

>>5308250
so your saying we have finally met our equal. are argument will be legendary.

>>5308250
I still maintain my first post is the one we should use.

It can still work, albeit be rather wordy, to go in order of >>5308101
>>5308086
>>5308049

>>5308324
Talking too much is a Tai Lung quest tradition

>>5308396
Oh, and by that I meant that I agree with that order.
I doubt she will change her mind though. But TL must do what TL does.

>>5308429
That is talk about our beliefs in a nigh incomprehensible manner with such conviction that none may deny us.

Also, can we appreciate the guards and servants that are stood there, watching the terror of china debate/Berate one fo the premier blacksmiths of the imperial court on the matter of duty.

Two days of bad sleep and headaches make it very hard to write.

So what bits are we fusing together?

>>5308433
I don't think anyone wants to get between a mass murderer and the daughter of a noble who can openly threaten and harass the prince with impunity.

>>5310587
Open with this write-in
>>5308065
Then go for this one
>>5308101
And put this one where it fits, probably either at the end or together with Luo's story
>>5308086
That way we explain our viewpoint, and back it up on how we see that hers is a problem, that being the three stories which lead to bad results, plus Hien's old beliefs, which shows to her that what she thinks would stop him going into adventure is exactly what start it to begin with.

>>5310587
>>5310612
Fuck, I linked the wrong ones, both IDs where a similrlar shade of blue.
Start with this one
>>5308049
Then this
>>5308101
And end with this
>>5308086

>>5310587
Nobody does, but their lack of ability to flee just adds a little bit of schadenfraud to the whole proceedings.

but yeah, >>5310615 this is a mostly coherent thread of logic and argumentation. As usual feel free to chop it up to make it flow better.

Glad to see you back bro.

Then I'll get to writing.
>>5310627
Always good to be back. Don't really like the idea of leaving the quest unfinish but at this point, I'm still trying to get to the end game so to speak. We'll have a few more adventures of that I'm sure.

"Your dedication and your will to follow through on your principles is worthy of my respect, Yan Feng. There is a great strength to your conviction, and I admire those who have it. But you are mistaken by a very large margin, with your ever present focus on cynicalism, the virulent poison of what 'Must' be done rather than what 'Should' be done. Hard choices will have to be made and sometimes there shall be hopeless situations where the lesser of many many many evils must be chosen. But you are rigid, unyielding in your preconception of sacrifice to the greater good that you would not see the chance to take a different path, A riskier play, one where the game is perhaps lost but the result is all the better than anything that had not been gambled upon. You see your duty and it's grip on you, this gnawing voice that tells you to step aside because this worthless woman is what could be best for him, see this worthless man and stay silent as the proceedings occur." You throw your arm aside, whipping your cloak around. "The voice lies! it is the sound of the pragmatist who refuses their nature as a person, rather than the dangerous whisper of hope. There are other ways, there is always another way, be it in the lands of Eureka, Hell or China, there is always another way."

"Spoken truly like someone who abandoned their duty long ago. Those in power don't have the luxury of choice. Unlike what the average person thinks, we are bound to use that power in the service of other, not as a means of self service. I can see that look in your eye already, you think this home, my way of living, contradicts what I say? Do you expect me to say something about how my family rose above poverty as a means of disproving the hypocrisy you think you see? Our wealth and luxury do not free us, murderer. This compound, a means of housing the workers in comfortable living. The servants, a means of providing work and ways of feeding their family. My forge only employs the best, not just because we have pride in our work but because our buisness is the difference between life and death. One single life lost due to shoddy armor is far worse than whatever loss of reputation others would care about. However, we must also maintain our reputation lest we lose the ability to feed and care for those in our employ. We can't live in this idealist fantasy of yours were we can simply choose to do what 'we think is right' because we don't like what we have to do." Yan Feng retorts. She motions to everyone around her. "Go ahead. Tell them. Tell them that they can no longer live here. Tell them that their families and children will starve because we wanted to do what we wanted and our money gives us some right to play with their lives. No? Now multiply it by a million, several million. Those are the lives that rest on the royal family. Their decisions are not ones to make lightly simply because of flights of fancy, or because they wish they can do something different. You confuse duty for fear of change or risk but only because you fail to see that even we have people to care for. We maybe willing to do what is nesscary but that does not make us heartless monsters." She says, eyes still firm and resolute.

"You know, that kind of attitude was what he was preaching the first time I met him, and was the reason he had escaped the first time. Also what nearly led him to take a decision that would scar him forever. I think all your beliefs did quite a mark on him." You reply with a small smile.

"It wasn't me. Even I can't claim that. It's merely a result of the world we live in." Yan Feng replies.

"Then let me tell you three tales, and try to understand why I believe that path will lead to ruin." You say. "The first one a tale of pragmatism, of a man who fought to unify a broken China. He and his brother-in-arms had lost all purpose on the unending war, losing a great battle, when they were rescued by a people with the power to heal. His brother, had his faith rekindled, learned from his rescuers and became a pillar of China. Meanwhile, he saw that technique could be used differently, and that he could destroy any of China's warlord and bring peace, if only he betrayed his rescuers and broke the dragon's commands. He did so, and brought only greater misery, until his old friend had to stop him. That was Kai, Master Oogway's companion, whose name has been all but erased from history. Next, is a history of purpose. A smith, who believed that was his place in life and destiny. When bandits came to his village, and ran rampant, he did not lift a finge, for it was not his place to fight. So his brother went instead, and one by one they fell, from youngest to oldest. Until his own father went to fight, before he lifted a finger. Because he was a smith, not a soldier. Only then, did he gather the scraps of the weapons of his family, reforge into a sword, and put an end to the threat. That was Luo, who became a philosopher and storyteller when fighting back was no longer needed. The man who gave me the replica of the Sword of Heroes, which I gave to Hien when he rose to become a hero in his own right. Next, a history of method. A young prodigy, heir to the most illustrious school of all of China, who would surpass any challenge throw at his way through talent and hard work. Eventually, he decides that the ways of his teachers are ineffective, because he only only believed in the practical without the spiritual. So he decides to attack his own masters and take what he believes to his by right, devastating his home until he is brought down by his own father. That is Tai Lung, who only realized his mistake when he had the Dragon Scroll in his hands, and saw that the dragons do not look favorably on those who choose a dark path. Do you remember that half broken piece of junk he handed you? It was a replica of the sword of heros, a mirror of the fabled blade of the great master Luo. But I think a better name is the Blade of Renewed Purpose, for each hand that touched it has faced trial and found a renewed sense of how they will serve China, away from their cowardice, fury and indecisiveness. If they had thought as you did, of what must be done rather than what should be done, then a village would lie abandoned and ravaged, a corpse would lie kneeling over two others who otherwise would have been kin and the eyes of hope would have become glassy marbles of guilt."

"Tales of warning no doubt, of apathy, of abuse, in an effort to change my mind. Kai who was right in securing power to keep his country safe, fell to his own selfishness and used it against any who disagreed with him rather than focus on his enemies. Luo who chose to willfully ignore the needs of those around him despite having the talent to aid them and you who decided that their talent was an excuse to let their ego grow. Each one of you chose to put themselves above those around them. To use their talents and power to serve their own needs rather than those around them. You think our devotion and loyalty blind us, that they will make us unfeeling monsters simply because we're not afraid to do what must be done. Yet, you seem to be actively forgetting that what we do is done in service of our country, not ourselves. The only thing your stories seem to tell me is that you've grown too comfortable with your own power. There are very few men and women who can harm you physically and even less so who can hurt you otherwise. What can you do to a man who has nothing to lose? Can we take away the home he does not have? The rights given to him by laws he choses not to follow? Ruin the reputation he does not care for? You claim that anyone can choose a different path. That there is always another way. What about the farmer who needs to work all year to feed his family? Can he simply choose not to work so that he can train and fight off any bandits that might threaten him? Or perhaps to roam the land because he is tired of working? No. He has a family to feed. What about the guard who is tired of dealing with drunks? Should he just decide to become a bar keep because that makes more money and then they no longer become his problem? No, because he knows that without him there is no one to keep the street safe. All I hear coming from you are the words of someone who is self serving, who has never had to care for the well being of others, and has run away from their responsibilities under the excuse of finding another way. You have no place to be talking about rigidity when you so stubbornly refuse to take responsibility for your actions and can only follow their own so called philosopy simply beause they are strong, not because it is a better way. Not everyone is a walking army and you'll never change my mind living selfishly like you do."

"That's enough." Hien says stepping forward. "Both of you. I'll have the final say on how I choose to live my life and I'll not have this devolve into berating one another. Yan, we are here for a reason and that is all you need to know. I've always welcomed your opinion but there is much you do not know. About the current situation and of other things. So reserve your judgement and trust that I know what I'm doing. Go back to your forge Yan. I don't doubt your father will call for you and let you know what is going on later. Believe me, I understand your apprehensions but we're no longer the children we used to be and I no longer need you to protect me from bullies." He says gently. "But what I do need is your support. I commend your dedication to me and my family but even you stated that one day I will need to make my own choices so all I ask is that you place that same faith in believing that I will make the right one." He says. The young woman gives Hien a conflicted look before giving him a bow.

"If that's your wish. But know that I won't let anything happen to you. Even if it costs me my life." She says evenly before turning around and heading off. The young assistant peeks out for a moment to look at you before bolting off after her. The guards seem to snap out of whatever stunned silence they were in and look around sheepishly before slowly merging back to surround the young Prince.

"Well...that went far better than I expected." You admit. "Admittedly, she did have some good points but...does seem rather stubborn in her views."

"I do belive you've met your match in that regard." Hien says. "Perhaps we should go to our rooms before we run into anymore surprises." He suggests though you feel like something is hanging in his mind.

>What do you do?
>Go to your room. You could use some rest.
>Ask Hien more about Yan Feng.
>Ask about Yan's little brother.
>See if you can go see the forges. Yan might not like it but you are curious to see what they're like.
>Write in.

That's a lot of talking and it was a bit of a pain to post it without breaking it up in weirder chunks. sorry for the spam posts. Also I felt like I went rambling and all over the place. Think I lost my train of thought here and there with the responses.

>>5311113
Her counter arguments were firm and concise. Oh Hien, I like her.

>Tell me more about Yan Fan.
>Retrie to our rooms.

>>5311113
>Go to your room. You could use some rest.
Sleep time.

>>5311114
It's ok boss, it just make it seems the stubborn says what's on their mind following their hearts.

>>5311113
>Go to your room. You could use some rest.

>>5311543
>>5311426
>>5311220
Going to bed. Maybe our favorite bun will crawl into bed with us and we won't have to look anymore.

"Good idea." You say and begin to follow Hien. Despite their best efforts, you can hear murmurs among the guards. Small whispers here and idle gossip. You and Hien however remained silent and you didn't much feel breaking that silence rather letting Hien go through his own thoughts. As you round the corner, you and your group bump into the young Feng which accentuated by him shouting, "Out of the way! Can't the a man of the house walk in peace?!" The guards part on cue and you are face to face with the boy once more. You prepare for the incoming blow up once more but instead are once again astounded by how dull witted the child is. It was almost painful.

"O-oh! Hey Lord- I mean. How's it going Hien?" He stammers as he solely focuses on the prince.

"Busy." Hien says absentmindedly before catching his own inattentiveness and quickly adding, "How are you doing Gui? I've not heard much about you from your sister. Keeping out of trouble?" He asks attempting some awkward banter. The uneaseness falls upon deaf ears or is taken as intented as the young man leans against the wall to appear casual.

"Oh you know, just doing stuff around. Got a new blademaster to train me." He says. "Been working on my swordsmanship."

"Another? Is this not the third one?" Hien asks somewhat surprised. Gui waves his hand flippantly.

"Well you gotta work for the best. Get my money's worth. You'd know all about that though. It's why you hire my family." He says with no attempt to hide his arrogance.

"Yes...I suppose so." Hien replies while attempting to maintain a polite conversation but soon goes quiet with nothing much to add and the silence soon goes awkward once more.

"Well anyways, I've been picking up a few moves here and there. We should spar sometime. Work on our forms together." He offers. You can't help but frown in disgust. The way he used the word. It was as if it was a game to him. Something juvenile and fun. Even when you and Xin Lan fought each other, the enjoyment was far deeper than showing flashy moves and running around. It was a test of skill, a criqitue and amalgamation of years of experience. There was a deep mutual respect between both combatants and what they brought not only to the fight but to the art as a whole. Here, the child spoke just like that. A child who wanted to impress and show off something they learned to do not how to use. You bite your tongue though and allow Hien to speak rather than risk confronting the boy.

"Perhaps. Maybe in the future. Right now I'm afraid I have some buisness to attend to." Hien replies diplomatically after thinking about it for a while.

"Oh, right. No I understand. Have prince duties and all that. Not at all afraid that you'll lose." Dui attempts to tease with a finger snap. Hien lets out a forced laugh. "I'll uhh... see you around then." He says before leaving and completely oblivious to everything around him.

"The boy is completely clueless." You say after he leaves earshot. Hien doesn't say anything.

You finally arrive to your room. It wasn't as fancy as you expected it to be and you assume it to be a basic room for servants but at the very least it had a real bed in it. "I'm afraid this is where we have to part for the night." Hien says. "I fear a few people might have a very violent fit if I choose not to accept their hospitality and sleep in the room they prepared for me."

>What do you say?
>Bid Hien goodnight. Its time you went to sleep yourself.
>Ask Hien to stay for a bit longer and chat. You're not quite tired yet.
>Wait some time and try to sneak out into the city. Go explore.
>Let Hien go and try to chat with the guards. They're technically not disallowed to speak with you. (what do you talk about?)
>Write in.

>>5313514
>Bid Hien goodnight. Its time you went to sleep yourself.
The bed beckons.

>>5313514
>Ask the guards a few questions

"I'm not going to run off in the night like Hien did, but I have to ask if you have orders to stand guard.
If you do, I'd advise that you don't come in unless shouting starts, I'm a restless sleeper.
When am I expected to wake?"

and lastly, just to satisfy my personal curiosity.

"I've also a question for you all, What do you think of Hiens choice to have me brought here? You're obviously skittish about the prospect."

Ask in just the nicest way we can, because if we can bait out some of their personal feelings, it will go a long way to the general perception china has of us.


I also want to ask:
why are you afraid of me? You should be aware that I'll cause no trouble unless it's to save Hien or help China, so why do I intimidate you?

but I feel like that's out of character and sorta evident. After that
>Go to sleep.

>>5313514
>Bid Hien goodnight. Its time you went to sleep yourself.

>>5313514
>Bid Hien goodnight. Its time you went to sleep yourself.

>>5314142
>>5313669
>>5313534
>>5313529
Going to sleep. But we can try and chat a bit because I like write ins. Writing.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow." You say. "Have a good night." Hien turns to leave and you enter the room. Giving it a better look, it was as much as you expected a room at an inn to be. A simple bed, wardrobe, and table with a pair of chairs were the only things you had as furniture leaving much of the room empty to be filled with the inhabitant's objects. You sit on the bed and find it to be much softer then you expected. Adjusting yourself to get some sleep, you notice the silhouette of guards outside. Somewhat annoyed, you open the door and look outside to see a few guards standing outside for your door and one standing outside your window. You sigh and grab the chair. Setting it in the open doorway, you speak up, "I'm not going to run off in the night like Hien did but now I need to ask if you have orders to stand guard. If you do, I'd advise that you don't come in unless shouting starts, I'm a restless sleeper."

The guards try their best to ignore you and stand at attention. "Listen, I know that I'm not the more approachable person given my history but you don't need to be alert all the time. I know you're going to have a long night even when you'll have to rotate shifts. It'll be a lot easier for you all to just relax a bit and besides, a bit of talk will make things go by a bit faster." The guards don't response nor do they seem to heed your words. Shaking your heard, you get up and get back on your bed leaving the door open for now. "When am I expected to wake?" You ask casually as you rest your head on your arms.

Fortuantely, the guard's vow of silence doesn't stop them from answering that. "We don't know. All we are here is to keep an eye on you." You frown slightly, no scheduled wake up means that you're not needed which means in turn that any meeting with the Empress will not happen tomorrow. After all, if you were meeting the most powerful woman in China then surely they'd want you to be punctual and to be appraised ahead of time to make sure she is safe. Now you're beginning to wonder how long you'd be here. Turning your mind away from the anxiousness of having to wait longer than a day, you look around the room once more and imagine what you're family would be doing right now.

Ming would probably be reading or messing with the group's supplies. Mostly likely if she could afford to, she would have a snack next to her. Some sweet bread or perhaps a candy she could hold between her teeth. She'd be taking the space next to the window to use the moonlight to supplement whatever candlelight she had. Xin Lan would definitely be hogging the pillows, wrapping their legs around it or maybe simply laying on it to sleep. That is if they weren't busy stealing Ming's snacks or clinging to their brother. Maybe they would be playing some games with them. But the most likely senario would be that they would be flopped ontop of you, their face buried deep in your chest's fur and their ears blinding you. After a long day's of travel, sleep was always their priority after food.

Renshu, without a means of making food, would be playing music or perhaps simply sitting in a corner of the room and being quiet. Sometimes you found him playing board games with Ming, the only one with the patience and skill to keep up with her barring Hien's accompanyment. You now wonder how things would change next time you meet with him. Would he prefer to be with you now, just enjoying your company? Would you keep an arm around him as you see so many couples do? More than likely he'd simply laugh at the idea and say nothing was different even if he secretly would enjoy it.

Thoughts of throwing feasts and parties run through your head. Things to make up for lost birthdays or to simply celebrate the fact you were all together once more. You wonder what everone else was doing? Where they ok? Had each taken up some kind of task that prevented them from looking for you? Surely at least one of them would have come to warn the Empress or to at least find you. Then a thought crosses your mind. Why didn't Renshu come here? He surely would have had a coin like Xin Lan. Did he lose it when his younger sibling murdered him? Or like Xin Lan, it was a mark of the past they simply didn't want to use lest they bring up bad memories? You shuffle uncomfortably in the bed deciding that you had enough thinking for the night. You get up, close the door, and slip under the covers to once again dream of Xin Lan and Ming.

---

Dawn seems to come too quickly, even for someone who rises as early as you. Given the fact you woke up on your own terms, nothing happened last night. Still, it wasn't as quiet as you had hoped. You can hear the distant conversations of the servants as they toil around the compound and more importantly, hear the whispers of the guards just outside your door.

>What do you do?
>Listen in. Maybe they have information they were unwilling to share.
>Get out of bed and step outside. You don't want to listen to whatever rumors the guards are sharing.
>Tell the guards that you want to take a jog. Seeing as they won't leave you alone, you can have some fun putting them through their paces around the Feng Family grounds.
>Ask to go see Hien. See if his night was just as quiet.
>Say you want to go see the forge. You want to talk to Yan.
>Write in.

>>5314445
>Get out of bed and step outside. You don't want to listen to whatever rumors the guards are sharing.
>Go do a bit of training, ask them if there is a proper yard. Also invite them, we were a teacher once, we know how to pull our punches.

>>5314445
>>Listen in. Maybe they have information they were unwilling to share.
>Tell the guards that you want to take a jog. Seeing as they won't leave you alone, you can have some fun putting them through their paces around the Feng Family grounds.

>>5314445
I support >>5314459

Keep up you slow shits.

>>5314548
>>5314459
Gonna listen to some gossip then run. Writing.

You get out of bed and begin making it as quietly as you could so you could listen in onto the guards. If you had learned anything, people tend to be quite more open about details when they think no one is listening. "Man I just wanna go home a sleep. Why'd we ever get the night shift?"

"Dunno. I can't imagine any reason why the Sergeant would be mad at you." You hear a voice reply sardonically before yawning loudly. "We only have like an hour left or so. Just calm down. Besides, the captain told us we have to keep watch while the General is away. If he of all people find out we let Tai Lung slip away from our city, he'll have our hides."

The two voices go quiet before one speaks up again. "You hear about one of the guys saw Tai Lung naked yesterday?" They say out of the blue. "Apperantly he's-"

"Seriously? We're standing in the home of one of the richest families in China and that's what you're going to talk about?" You hear a voice from the window speak up.

"Yeah. Why can't you have a normal conversation for once? It's every day with how good this girl looks or how great that one was last night. Like your whole mind is in the gutter. No wonder you're on night shift." The other voice says.

"Well fine. What do you guys want to talk about? Not like that guy is waking up anytime soon." The first guard says. Again, silence.

"Why do you think he's here anyways? You'd think we'd all be dead by now."

"He's probably scoping out the city. I bet he's planning to bring his army here to take over and force himself on the Empress."

"Really? Always have to go back to- never mind. Don't be daft. Even he can't take on an army. Besides, where's he gonna get an army? No one's gonna work with a guy like him."

"What? I bet any kind of criminal would. Better to be on his goodside right? What if he suddenly decides your racket isn't in his plans? Nah, I bet he has one hidden somewhere."

"But what's he doing with the prince? Do you think he captured him?"

"Lord Hien? Dunno...he's nothing like his brother. I don't know if he's got the muscle to do it."

"Maybe he tricked him? They when to speak with Lord Feng. Maybe he was making demands? Like a treaty, you know? He'd leave us alone if we pay his ransom?"

"Then why is he still here?"

"Probably waiting for the money to be brought?"

"Maybe it's something else. Hien was awfully friendly with the guy. They talked like they knew each other forever."

"You don't think he's in on it...do you?"

"Do you even listen to yourself? Like seriously, does your mind ever stop to think because you seem to like to spew nonsense more than anything. Hien, LORD HIEN, working with Tai Lung to hold his sister ransom? Why would the man who owns all the country's riches want to steal them, from HIMSELF!"

"As stupid as that sounds, did you guys hear about the fight Tai Lung got into with Lord Feng's daughter? She was talking like Hien and Tai Lung were talking to Lord Feng about something really important but neither of them would speak up about it. So it must be something far more important than just money. Especially if the prince wants it kept quiet."

"Maybe the rumors are right then, there's been stories that Tai Lung's been doing some kind of vigiliante thing. Killing bad guys and gangs and stuff. Do you think that might have something to do with it?"

"Maybe he's trying to negotiate a mercenary fee..."

"Or maybe I just want a nice morning to jog." You say as you step out of your room and stretch. "Always like to start my day with a warm up." You pretend to appraise the the grounds. "Oh...maybe 300 laps for a warm up, then another 1000 for a workout? A bit light but I guess I could take a bit of a break from training." The guards all stiffen in fear as you surprise them and slowly turn to face you.

"You're not allowed..." One says.

"Oh no no no. Lord Feng himself I had free roam of the grounds. Just as long as I don't leave. You can even ask Hien. Actually, it might be best you get him. Last time we traveled, I never let him skip a work out. Even princes need to stay in shape." You turn to face the guards and point to the one guarding the window. "You can go. You're clearly not doing anything important and you two can follow me. After all, I might try to escape." The guards stutter and try to come up with some counter to what you're saying but your confidence seems to smother any attempts of resistance. Before they can even come to their senses, you run off.

"Wait! STOP!" You hear behind you and you chuckle. You decide you could have some fun after all.

>What do you do?
>Sprint at full speed. They'll never catch up. Hell you'll just overlap them to hammer the point in.
>Jog but stay just ahead of them. Slowly burn them down. You'll basically be walking but you're curious to see how well they can keep up while wearing armor.
>Just jog normally. No reason to compromise your daily workout to mess with guards.
>Run to Hien's room. You're sure you can keep away from the guards while talking to servants to figure out where he's sleeping.
>Write in.

>>5314930
>Just jog normally. No reason to compromise your daily workout to mess with guards.

>>5314928
>>Jog but stay just ahead of them. Slowly burn them down. You'll basically be walking but you're curious to see how well they can keep up while wearing armor.
>burn them down
>You'll basically be walking
lulz option detected

>>5314930
Jog normally, but if they start to gain, speed up.

Cheeky master martial artist.

>>5314930
>Just jog normally. No reason to compromise your daily workout to mess with guards.

>>5315143
>>5315045
>>5314972
Just jogging normally. They'll never keep up. Writing.

You pick up the pace and decide that messing with the guards wasn't worth compromising your workout. It doesn't take longer than a few seconds before the guards are lost behind you unable to keep up with all their equipement. Admittedly, they were quite fast but compared to you? There was more than an oceans worth of distance between your skill levels. It really did put into perspective how far Ming had come in just a few short months. You make a turn as you come up to the wall of the compound and head towards the gardens. You can hear the faint sounds of the guards running trying to keep up with you. Eventually they'll simply have to start asking where you went because you leap over a large hedge and land precariously on a small wooden fence pole that surrounded a small pond. Front flipping off of one foot, you land on the other side of the pond and continue your run across the lush plantlife and various decorative stones and statues. Everything here seemed to have a somewhat minimalist and practical approach. At least, you think things did. All the flowers were in one spot, small trees lined the pathes to provide shade, small stone paths marked less traveled routes and helped mark cut off points for sections.

You leap over another hedge and onto a nearby roof. Running in a straight line had gotten boring a few decades ago and it would help mess with the guards a bit more. Since you were being followed it would be nice to remind them that you weren't actually escaping. With a quick glance you find them wandering around keeping a look out and asking around for you to very puzzled servants. A small hop and you land gracefully next to them. "Gentlemen." You say politely before speeding off in another direction.

The guards shout at you to stop once more but you're already gone around the corner towards another area of the large home and back up onto the rooftops. Feeling a bit more creative, you do flips between jumps as you go from roof to roof. You see various people wandering around the place notice you and stop to stare. You flip sideways to fall from the rooftops and land near them only to backflip over the heads of the stunned and confused servants and run back towards the guards. You find them panting and heaving but still refusing to remove their heavy gear. You felt a bit of respect for their dedication to their job but also a bit bad for leading them around. Maybe you should cut your jog short.

>What do you do?
>Keep running. There's no need to stop on their part.
>Mess with the guards a bit more. (What do you do?)
>Stop your exercise and give the guards a bit of time to catch their breath.
>Write in.

>>5317086
>Flip over their heads, calling as we go.
>"I respect the dedication, but you should probably sit down, I'll be done in 10 minute."

>>5317086
>Stop your exercise and give the guards a bit of time to catch their breath.

>>5317086
>Slow down a bit for them to catch up

>>5317086
>>Stop your exercise and give the guards a bit of time to catch their breath.
to mess with them more. tell them to remove their armor, and then keep running. so either lose sight of a dangerous criminal or follow him unarmed!

>>5318559
>>5317576
Giving the guards a breather. Writing.

You come a halt and and stretch your arms and legs a bit. "I'm not done yet but I'm starting to get worried." You say with a smirk. "Normally, people tend to not wear armor when they job. You might want to consider taking yours off if you want to keep up with me. After all I might just run off." The guards glare at you exhausted and angrily begin to strip their armor off. At least they weren't stubborn fools, that was your job.

"You can't get away that easily." One grunts.

"That's the spirit!" You say with a thumbs up. "Remember, there's always someone better than you. Complacency and overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer. I've learned that through experience." The guards grumble and as they seem to be ready you quickly resume your jog with them in tow. "Remember, proper sprinting form is essencial!" You call back. "Backs straight, elbows at 90 degrees, and swing those arms. Breathe in through the nose and out the mouth. Land on the balls of your feet and take quick short steps! If you're not feeling like your bouncing along then you're not being effiecient and you're just wasting energy!" You hop over a bench and leap onto a small fence. "Balance is key! Use your arms swings to measure and dictate the pace of your steps. They are the pendulum to your body's clock." You continue to shout as you flip from hand to hand on the fence poles.The guards run around and try to flank you as each runs on the other side of the fence but you're just to fast and always quite a distance away. You leap onto a roof top and then over the guard's head. "Consistency is key but remember not to become rigid! Always be ready to anticipate change! A flexible bamboo pole always survives the storm but a stiff wooden plank will always be broken." You land into a roll and turn the corner, nearly crashing into an entourage of well dressed people surrounding Hien. Digging your heels into the ground, you backflip to create more distance.

"Taking a morning jog I take it?" Hien asks good naturedly. "Or just giving the guards a hard time?"

"Bit of both." You admit. "You know I'm not one to sit still. Are we...?"

"No, I'm afraid not. The nobles are not so easily roused and several are not at home. At the moment we're mustering all we can to get them back but I suspect we may have to convene without them which will bring issues further down the road." Hien admits.

"So then what do we do? We can't just wait forever." You say.

"I agree. Currently we're pushing to convene now but the nobles have a set of expectations. They are used to all being there to hear what is being discussed. While the Empress often hears their suggestions and remarks in order to formulate a decision, it is ultimately her decision. If they have an issue with that then they will have to be reminded that they are still her subjects and not her equals and that China will not wait for their whims." Hien replies. "For now, we need to make an attempt to appear that we will wait. At least then we can mitigate any unease and objections."

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5319751
>Do you at least have a general time frame?
>Well I better get back to it before he guards catch up. See you later.

>>5319751
Not a vote, but do you lads think that there will be spiritual representation at this meeting? I know it sounds unlikely and perhaps even a bit insane, but the attack wasn't against china alone. The dragons are furious, the spirit realm in disarray. The imperial family may have divine blood, but judging by Hien's surprise at what he's seen on our travels together, they may not be the most in touch with it. Given the meeting is to discuss what to do in response to that attack...do you think there's going to likely be an emissary?
Would be neat to see a representative of the other dragons than just our own buddy's.

>>5319777
+1

>>5319929
nope, figure the dragons are going to get revenge whatever mortals decide

>>5319777
I support this.

Tell them that we can wait maybe 2 days, a week at utter most.
Getting into the fight is important.

>>5319777
Support
>>5319751
>Do you think it would be possible to visit that informant while we wait, or would be better for after the meeting?

>>5319777
just noticed I forgot a the T in the.
Damn you auto correct.

Asking for a time frame. Writing.

More importantly, if Ming is based off of a lynx or a bobcat, then that means TL is the only one of the family that has a full length tail. No wonder the others love to hug him, they get to hug the fluffy tail like a blanket.

"Do we have a time frame at least?" You ask.

"No. At the very least, I'm only waiting 3 days. If nothing happens by the second then I'll approach my sister myself. We can't afford to just sit around." Hien says. "Like I said all we can do is wait for now."

"Then what do we do until then? Can I at least...get my errands done?" You ask.

"No. Remember, you're a prisoner now. Just because we allow you to wander the grounds doesn't mean that you're free." Hien lies, his eyes twinkling with mischeviousness. "Once we're done talking with the Empress, then we'll decide what to do with you. Perhaps at night, you might want to spend your time looking at the stars because it may very well be the last time you see them." By now the guards manage to catch up, doubling over and trying to catch their breath. They were soaked in sweat and don't seem to notice Hien. "Actually, that reminds me. We'll need to get you some clothing."

"Clothes?"

"Yes. Unfortunately politics is a game of looks as much as it is words. First impressions matter as much as the substance of your actions. We'll have to make you...presentable." He says eyeing you up and down. "We need to show that you're a warrior but you're also a philosopher. You fight just as much with your words as you do with your fists."

"How...do I do that?" You ask thoroughly confused. Images of armor and robes mixing in conflicting combinations run through your mind.

"I have no idea." Hien says with a smile. "But I know someone who might. They've been making clothes for my family since I was a child. If anyone can do something like that it would be her." Hien thinks for a moment. "We'll need to bring her here. I'm willing to bet the challenge of outfitting you would be enough to grab her attention."

"Is this really something we need to do?" You protest.

"I'm afraid so."

"Fine..."

"Good we actually something more to discuss but that needs to be in private." Hien concludes. "Let's go to my study. It's best we have somewhere quiet to talk." He motions to one of the people around him, a man in rather fine robes doing his best to look down at you which was a rather mean feat considering he was two feet shorter than you. You were almost afraid you'd commit another murder simply because his neck might snap from craning it back so far. "Go get us something to eat and drink. I suspect we'll be talking for quiet some time. Whatever the kitchens have on hand will suffice, we don't need anything fancy."

"My lord?" The man asks confused to be treated like basic staff.

"The rest of you go and get me some reports. I want to know exactly where the rest of the council members are right now and what they're doing. If they're not doing anything of substance, tell them to come see me tomorrow. You all know who I've spoken to already." He continues and turns around to walk off. Everyone looks around for a moment before scurrying off lest they get asked to do some less meaningful chore. You follow in Hien's step back towards the rear of the home where you suspect the Feng family spends most of it's time. The prince leads you to a small study which contained several confortable chairs and couches. There were books of various kinds, inkwells and quills, boards to pin notes and even a foldable wall to break up the space. Hien motions you in and locks the door behind you. He moves over to a chair and colapses into it, resting his head in his hand and letting his exhaustion fall on his face.

"Before we start, I need to know. What exactly are you going to do?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"You have something in mind. You're not just going to talk to my sister. I know you. You're not the kind of man to simply tell her what's going on and then just escape or leave to let us handle it. You have something in mind, don't you? I think it's better we figure out what and how we're going to propose this. We can't just rely on spur of the moment speeches as good as they are."

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5321431
>Honestly It depends on Madam Web's information. All I know right know is Xin's scared and running, and I haven't the faintest clue how the others are fairing right now. Xin trusts me to find them and I'm not letting them down... not again.

>>5321431
>I need my family first Hien. Gather them as quickly as I am able, and then push for mongolia to capture those who were behind this. Retribution is required, but maybe war isn't.

>>5321431
>"I was going to propose that the empire create an army, but set them to repair and re-man the Great Wall, meanwhile form an elite troop of the greatest fighter in China to go into Mongolia and try to stop this. These mongols seem to have too many plans, I fear that a full scale war and invasion might be plsying into their hands."
>"But I need to talk this Madame Web and find Xin as soon as possible. They were the ones that wrote the note explaining what happened, and the only one I have a clue how to find, they will have more information."
>"I also worry about Xin, they wrote the letter as if they had failed me and thought I would abandon them. I miss my family, every night I dream of them"

So, we're suggesting to build an army and the great wall while we go deal with whatever is happening in Mongolia? or did any other anons wanted to suggest something else to the empress?

>>5322319
It's the best compromise I could think of between the no war, punish them and the deal with it ourself ideas that were mentioned a few posts ago, China would be protected, we would have a chance to see what is going on and the people would be appeased since there would be a force marching there, even if it would just be our group, the five, any other master around and a few specialists.
But I would like some input from the other anons first so my vote doesn't go through just by default.

>>5322319
Manning the wall is sensible, but we need to find where they got in first.

Which is the real benefit of reneforicng the wall. Finding out how they got in, then stopping it from happening.

Surgical strike of perhaps 10 people with the combat power of an army going in to enact chinese punishment and destabilise the Mongolians power structure to prevent their future aggression into china is also the plan that has been pushed for the past few threads.
Nobody wants innocents to die, especially our soldiers.

Get to the root of the evil, kill it, protecting China from future attacks and dishing out retribution for what happened on the spiritual side.
We need more information to decide if we should invade and how. And if anything dangerous, like state secrets that would've undoubtably be in the most hidden, most secure, greatest library in the country, were nabbed.
Let's visit the informant instead of waiting for the Empress. And find the survivors from the sacred library so they can tell us exactly what happened.
Oh wait. *checks task list* we were already planning to do that. Empress can wait, or Hien can tell her, let's do those things first instead of turning into a dawdling politician.

>>5322574
While getting more information is all well and good, we are stuck here waiting for the meeting, and if we sneak out it's going to make it even harder for it to happen unless everyone covers it up.

>>5322621
No wait, are you proposing that we abandon the plan to talk to the empress altogether and go do our own thing instead? If that's the case I heavily disagree, we can't solve all this entire problem alone, and we already came too far to quit without even being denied by the empress or the nobles.

>>5322319
we could offer to help train recruits. Honestly we aren't going to avoid war. Doing so would lose the empress to much face.

So at least we have some concensus. We plan to be a strike force while China marshals it's forces. What we plan to do now seems up be up in the air. We go to Madam Web but then we either leave to find our friends or meet the empress.

>>5323513
I think ot depends on wheter Xin is in the city or not, if they are here and we can find then before the meeting, it would help, but if she is far away it's better to find them after the meeting, and to search for Ming.
And it's very good that we can meet Web before the meeting, it's going to help get more infornation.

>>5323558
Exactly. The empress will be met, but it is after we have information.

Alright. I'll get to writing.

"I think war is unavoidable and to wait until later to raise an army is foolish. I can only believe that your sister will see the same thing. However we can't just wait until an invasion comes nor can we just send an army to Mongolia. I'm afraid that China invading is part of some kind of plan. Nothing would unify the north than seeing us as a group of agressors. Instead I think we should send a group to try and quell whatever is going on up there. Some small force of elite soldiers. Maybe we can stop all this before war comes to our homeland but if we can't then aleast we're prepared. Before any of that, however, I need to find my family. The others are out there scared and alone and...and I don't think I can fail them again. I dream of them every night and I can't tell if they're meant to be nightmares hidden as plesant dreams. Things to remind me of my failures or just memories of times gone by to keep me going. Reminding me of why I do this. I have to see Madam Web." You explain as you take a seat. Finally voicing your feelings outloud seemed to take a lot of energy out of you. Though it felt like a weight taken off your shoulders it also seemed to take some life out of you much like when adrenaline wears off.

"What you're suggesting is not something that will be taken lightly." Hien says. "You're asking to put the nation in a state of alert. That alone with raise tensions within the country, not to mention amassing such an army will remove workers from other places. We'd need to train people, arm them, even pay them. I know what you're going to say and we do have armed forces but nothing that can fend off another army without pulling away from the rest of the nation. If we simply raise what we have then we'd leave the rest of the nation defenseless. We'd be stretched thin if we try to do both and end up sacrifcing everything. Therefore, we can't keep this hidden from the nation if we do as you suggest. News will spread and that will also take it's toll. It's possible that many things will grind to a halt because of this. The toll will be more than just money. It'd be food and lives as well. I am agreeing with you here. We cannot be caught unawares and no doubt my sister will see it as well but the nobles will not. Their livelyhoods will be in jeporady and they will not like it even if they sympathize." He links his fingers together and seems to think. "Our first task will be to convince them that war is indeed on the horizon. Otherwise they'll be more than likely to dismiss it as a random bandit attack, even worse they may agree with us but demand that offical soliders be sent to investigate and that's time we do not have to waste. We have to remember that they are regular people and half of our experiences do not apply to them."

"They have to believe." You insist. "These things are real. Everyone knows that."

"Do they?" Hien asks. "Yan was right about one thing. I believe somewhere along the line, you've become somewhat detached to what the average person sees. Not in some vain sense of superiority but it is simply the nature of things. You've lived your life around masters of your craft, interacted with major notable figures and seen things no one else has. To you that's normal. To you, who's seen the truth of the world, is what things really are. But ask the average farmer about spirits and he'll simply tell you that they are something akin to a luck or a prayer. They bring good harvests if appeased and nothing more. He does not know that they have feelings and natures, he does not know that they live and die just like you and I. To the average person a ritual is simply a prayer or a habit done because they are told it brings good luck. Stories of speaking to the dead or to make increadible objects...that's relegated to fantasy or in the one and a million chance they'll ever see it in their lives. Yet you speak of them as if they are a common occurence. You leap buildings like a child leaps over a small stream. You have become more than a mortal Tai Lung. You and your family are legends. Heroes. You know the rules no longer apply to you but sometimes you fail to see that they still very much exist and shackle the rest of us. My friend, I am telling you this because the very future of China may very well hang in this next meeting and we must choose our words carefully or we may not get the support we so desperately desire. So I ask you, how do we convince the noble houses to lend us their support? If there is any information I can give you to assist in this, then don't be afraid to ask."

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5323739
>"Then we will need to prove to them that Chi and healing works. Maybe ask a few favors from some sprites, read emotions, and if nescessary, heal a small wound. Although the last one would be troublesome, since I would fall uncouncious."
>"The information on that scroll, what did it say exactly? Did it have anything nore other than the name of the imperial lineage? And do you know if the sacred Library had a copy, or even other important documents? If we show that they are willing to utterly destroy towns and villages, and have acess to way to kill off the your family, than the nobility would have to accept, or admit to not follow their oaths."
>"If only I knew how to share my what I saw through visions, like I once did with Renshu, I could so easily solve this. But I'm afraid it was due to our unique nature."
>"Convincing the people would be harder, but perhaps if we had the support of beacons of China it would help. The five, the masters who were friends with Oogway, and everyone that they helped along the way, could help give credence to our words."
>"You know Hien, they way you talk now, perhaps high priest should be your new court profession. You probably the noble that knows the most about them in allnof China."
Last part is meant to be more of a joke.
Also I'm not really sure what else to propose, so these ideas are probably bad

>>5323765
Proving Chi exists doesnt really matter, "desecrated the sacred library" is good enough.
If we require it, then we could do some of our more obvious supernatural feats, like make the wind pick up, set out hands on fire, whatever.
I dont think that's required though.

We have the testimony of the prince and ourselves, plus the empress and what Shifu told us, as well as the prisoners from Mongolia.

We need to press on the nobles that their lives and livelihoods are in danger. So inform them that many years ago we invaded Mongolia, and now they have come for their revenge, and they are utterly elite. It's a simple and human understanding, revenge.

Amd we shouldnt tailor our speech to everyone. We should tailor it to key leaders of blocs.

>>5323821
I accidentaly just said prove Chi instead Chi and the spirits. You are right that it's not nescessary though, so let's put it as a last case scenario if we need to shock the audience.
I agree on the top down approach, hence my idea of going for key figures and they do the rest, but going even further is better. Let's ask Hien who are the most influential and powerful families and officials, and ask him how to best convince them.
Explaining why the mongols would want to invade in a simple way is a good one.
How do we prove that the mongols are really moving in? If the leopardess is atleast a bit wise, she would lie or deflect the queations, and by how Hien has said, just our witness report might not be enough for them without going through some beaurocracy. Maybe the monk's clothes we have? The exarch's name being Sangpo? Actually, would they even believe that the Sacred Library is real and not just a rumour? Maybe Hien should try to gather documents to prove the existence of the scroll, the sacred library and the mongolian invasions, so it's not just our word.
If the five get here in time, and if the rumours we heard are accurate, then they can confirm that necromancy is real, so the threat of an army that gets bigger the more it fights should be reason enough to put the nation at alarm and to try to cut the head instead of fighting it and feeding it more corpses.
We have a motive, the means, now we just need an opportunity. How are they know how to move into China undedected and all of these state secrets? It's probably one of the hardest part to believe of it all.

>>5323899
Oh, and sorry for the stream of consciousness style post, I'm trying to get out all the worries and ideas that I can to see if any are valid.

>>5322625
>are you proposing that we abandon the plan to talk to the empress altogether
if we have nothing else to say than "mongolians attacked! we should prep!", even hien can do that. so we should, as new update asks, find more to talk about.
>we already came too far to quit without even being denied by the empress
doesn't seem like she is coming soon (which is pretty bad, and perhaps concerning, as dealing a legendary criminal and a vagabond prince is pretty high-priority), so. aren't our friends and mme web in the city? shouldn't take long at all. one can help us find the other.

>>5323739
>"Hunt down the refugees from the Sacred Library, and have them give testimonies. Or perhaps I could ask Shenlong or one of the other dragons to back me-- they'll surely want vengenance..."

>>5323965
Web is in the city, and potentially Xin, but I think Ming and most of the refugees went to the Valley of Peace.
Unless the five brought them here, or I'm remembering it wrong .

I'll be posting tonight. Just been busy today.

"There must be some way to convince them. We can go and find some of the survivors of the city. They can give their own accounts."

"You'd be leaving here and for who knows how long. Even if they agreed to let you go, we'd still have to wait until you returned. Even if this informant knows where the others are, there's still the task of catching up to them and bringing them back."

"Then what about someone coming to us? The Five are on their way. They know what we faced. The raiders who first stole the scrolls. They can vouch for me."

"Yes. If anyone would be the most credible it would be them. They did deliver the news the first time and they would be the most trusted. Even the nobles can't deny the knowledge and experience the Five bring. They agree with us and ask for an army to be raised, then even the nobles would be hard pressed to deny them. After all, that would ammount to saying they know better in the art of combat than they. We just have to hope that they arrive soon."

"What about Shenlong? Surely he would be the most trusted of all and the Dragons are more than enough reason to want vengence. If we call upon them to agree who attacked the library then we cannot be denied. No one would ever go agaisnt their word."

"I don't even know how we would go about doing that." Hien admits. "No one has ever called a dragon down from Heaven. Even attempting to do so is claiming to be their equal. I'd be more afraid of what will happen to the room if you managed to do it. We'd surely be burned to death for our folly. Even my ancestors have never spoken to a Dragon to support their causes."

"I can attempt it." You say. "Though recently, my connection to the other side has been limited at best. It's not just our world that is in turmoil. The spirit realm is in chaos as well. The destruction of the Library took a heavy tool on the children of the dragons as well and they are been rampaging ever since. Should a war occur, I do not think that it will only be the lives of mortals that will suffer even if our enemies had intended it to happen this way."


"I think it's best we leave that as a final resort. Being able to communicate with dragons is not something to be taken lightly....but I worry that such thing will be needed." Hien admits. "We maybe be heading to dark times..."

"Not if we stop it now." You say. "We can still be pragmatic without giving up hope. The moment we decide that there is no price we are willing to pay to succeed is the moment we lose who we are. We set rules for ourselves not because we are weak but because we are strong. We both know what happens when the strong realizes that they don't need to restrict themselves with rules or morals. So let us strive to make sure our enemies learn that today is not the day to find out why we have so many."

Hien nods. "Yes...if we choose to abandon everything we stood for then we have forgotten everything we wanted to fight for. So the only thing to do is to continue to hope." He says.

"If the nobles are worried about their way of living then we will use that to our advantage. If war comes then everything they worked for and now live without thinking will be at risk but if we lose the war then it will be lost forever. They must know that the Mongols are here for revenge. No amount of money or bargining will change that. Unless we act know, we put them more and more at risk." You say.

"Yes...it would be the most prudent way of going about this. If we hit them close to home then even the plight of the outside world will become something to worry about. The Five can help us with that as well. They too know the actions of those seeking vengence for wrongs done to them." Hien says.

"Even before that...I need to see Madam Web. I will be going to Mongolia even if I'm told not to and to do that I need the others. Even if it's only for one night. I have to talk to her." You say.

"Even if I told you no, you'd still end up doing it." Hien says. "How do you plan on going?"

>What do you say?
>Ask Hien to make a distraction for you. Long enough for you to slip in and out of the compound unnoticed. You'll return long before anyone can tell what happened.
>Ask Hien to allow you to go. If he orders it, then the guards can't stop you. It'd probably be the easiest but you're unsure of how this will be seen by others.
>Tell Hien, you'll be doing this on your own. You can't risk this being tied back to him and compromise his position in the city.
>Write in.

>>5326585
>Tell Hien, you'll be doing this on your own. You can't risk this being tied back to him and compromise his position in the city.
we don't need a reason for the nobles to try and discredit him.

>>5326585
>I will go myself. No need to compromise your place in the city.

>>5326585
>Tell Hien, you'll be doing this on your own. You can't risk this being tied back to him and compromise his position in the city.

>>5326585
>Tell Hien, you'll be doing this on your own. You can't risk this being tied back to him and compromise his position in the city.
Captcha says Mad DK, so crazy gorilla when?

>>5326585
>>Tell Hien, you'll be doing this on your own. You can't risk this being tied back to him and compromise his position in the city.

>>5326891
>crazy gorilla when?
I dunno but I'll put that down in my notes. I like the idea of a gorrilla enemy.

>>5326592
>>5326754
>>5326853
>>5326891
We're going on our own. Writing.

"The less you know the better. It won't do us any good if you're caught trying to help me escape for a night. We can't have you compromise your standing with everyone else. Best if I just continue the the act. I'll be in and out before anyone knows." Hien gives you a look but says nothing to that regard. Instead he leans back a bit and tries to relax.

"To be quite honest, I'm rather nervous about all this." He says. "I've never have done anything this important before."

You shrug. "Then you'll do fine. Just speak as you normally do. You've already have the part down well whethere you think so or not."

----


Night falls and once again you're escorted to your room and guards are placed in every possible entrance to your small room. Escape without notice was impossible for you...at least here it was. You lazily fling the door open causing the guards to whip around with their weapons at attention. "I'm going to the bathroom." You say equally lax and eyeing the weapons with boredom. You casually push aside one of them with your finger. "And you can either follow me or stay. You've already seen me naked. I don't really care anymore. It's not like you can stop me." Before the guards can say anything in protest, you saunter off towards the restrooms. The sounds of armor behind you indicate that you were being followed as you expected. Part of you wonders how far they were willing to go to keep an eye on you. Unfortunate that you had to test it tonight. You enter the bathroom as loudly as possible and slam the door shut behind you. Even without the noise, you could tell they were positioning themselves to prevent your escape. Shame really, if complacancy and confidence were slow and calculating killers then repitition and routine were the quick and devestating ones. You didn't even need to look as you threw open the door and reached you to chop both guards in the neck and instantly knocking them out.

You quickly catch them and drag their bodies into the bathroom before anyone could see them should they have taken a nightly stroll. With no one to stop you or, more plausibly, see you escape, you leap onto the roof and over the walls of the compound as you jump from rooftop to rooftop to the old shop the elder Feng told you about.

---

The shop itself is dusty. It seemed like the last time anyone cleaned the place out was long before you were born with each footstep leaving a real imprint on the floor and yet you got the feeling that it was always this dusty despite the fact there were dozens of people who had entered before you. As if dusty was just the natural state of being for this place much like mountains being covered in snow. One simply couldn't change it no matter how hard they tried. You approach the counter of the small shop only to find it manned by a very old dog. The man says nothing but simply eyes you with an impatience that belies a sharpness that the rest of his body does not.

Not wanting to waste any time either, you pull out your coin and show it to him. "I would like to know the value of this. I was told you could show it to me." You say. The old man reaches out for it but you quickly snatch it back and hold it up for him to see clearly. "I'm sorry but this is a family treasure. I'm afraid I can only let you see it not hold it. How much?"

The dog gives you and grumpy "Harumph" and eyes it. "It's old. I'll give you 100 for it." You shake your head.

"I'm not here to play games old man. We both know that this coin is worth more than mere money. What else can you offer me for this?" You say sternly. The old man is unfazed but instead pouts his lips at you irritably. He turns around grumbling about how the youth of today no longer respect tradition and the old ways as he reaches for something under one of the many shelves. You can't see what he's doing but you hear a quiet click and the grinding of gears. A long staircase slowly reveals itself behind the counter and the old man lights a small torch and stuffs it in your hand. You give him a small shrug of apology but what you were here for was more important than some facade you were expected to play.

The stairs were far more maintained than you expected as you see none of the dust that overpowered the main building. As you make your way down, you half expected some kind of trap to spring forth. Perhaps arrows from the walls or spikes under some steps but none came. Even so, you couldn't help but feel on edge. Something was wrong, very wrong. You could feel it in the air like some kind of presence that permeated it and smothered you but never quite could enter you. Every so often you could hear skittering around you but as you turned to shine light on it, the sounds vanished and there was naught to be seen as if it was never there. The steps continue to wind around for a while longer until you arrive at small room with a single table.

You stand there surprised. You expected a large open area with ornate decorations or maybe some kind mystical objects. Instead you got a crystal ball on a pillow. You were almost insulted. "Tai Lung. It seems even you have a flair for the dramatic fantasy but I assure you. That you're at the right place." A voice comes from behind the table. Candles light up around you and the dim light reveals a woman of your age and more surprisingly, a panda.

You raise an eyebrow, "You're a-"

"Panda, yes and you're a snow leopard. We're both species on the verge of extinction, child. You'd think being part of that would have taught you not to point it out." She says calmly.

"I just expected-" You being before you stop and realize what you were told. "Wait what do you mean-"

"A spider? I'm afraid you're about a 3 generations too late for that." The woman says ignoring your follow up. "I have some ideas about why you are here but I'd like to hear it from you. There are many bad things to be said about assumptions, although you of all people would know more about that. Good work by the way these last few years. That mess in Zhengyi was quite a nuisance and bad for buisness. Always a hassle having to see one power base grow too large for it's own good. Even messier when it implodes upon itself. Luckily, you were there just in time to sweep it under the rug so to speak." She say as she idly brushes away some cobwebs. It was rather easy to see that enjoyed the sound of her own voice but what was more dangerous was the fact that not only could she play the know it all, she had every bit of information to do so.

"Well it does get rather boring sitting down here every day. So, yes, I rather do enjoy being able to hear myself talk to another living being."

>What do you say?
>Play along. Ask about her. It's only fair seeing as she knows so much about you plus you are geniunely curious. You were told that your coin gave you access to information without pay.
>Get to the point. Ask where your friends are. That is why you're here.
>Do what you always do, defy expectations. Ask her if she's ever dealt with the mongols before.
>Write in.

>>5328657
>Play along. Ask about her. It's only fair seeing as she knows so much about you plus you are geniunely curious. You were told that your coin gave you access to information without pay.
no need to be rude. no matter what the guards are going to tell people that we knocked them out when they wake up. We got all night.

>>5328657
>play along
Let's not ask her age

>>5328657
>Do what you always do, defy expectations. Ask her if she's ever dealt with the mongols before.
>And ask about Xin's and Renshu's old order too.

>>5328657
>>Play along. Ask about her. It's only fair seeing as she knows so much about you plus you are geniunely curious. You were told that your coin gave you access to information without pay.
and
>ask about the location of any more pandas, any more snow leopards (possible family)?

>>5328717
>>5328804
>>5329259
We'll play along. In the meantime, while I'm getting over a fever (not the plague thankfully), you guys can organize a few questions if you're interested in some lore dumps beyond where husbun, bunfu, and Mingbun are. Of course as all mysterious info brokers go, not everything will or can be answered but that's the fun of things isn't it? Writing.

>>5328832
I read this vote! Don't worry, it's on the list!

>>5330623
Well off the top.

>You wouldnt know oogway would you?
If she does "hows he doing?" A trip up
>do you know where any more snow leopards are?
While I'm not fond of the "I want to know my parents" plothook, because frankly speaking it doesnt matter in the slightest, idle curiosity and some sense of closure would be nice.
>Where did you aquire the ball?
>I dont think your name is Webb anymore than mine is Xuebo, what's your birth name?

>>5330623
Got to ask her about the hiddens libraries and if she knew about any of them, if it isn't included in the mongol question.
If she heard the whereabouts of any survivors that didn't stick Ming, if there are any.
Ask if she ever heard the name of that panda that wrote the chi scroll, oogway's old friend. If she knows any descendents or inheritors so we can train in the future.
If she knows the location of pools, or somewere or someone that might. I still want to finish the pilgramage due to pure stubbornness someday.
And most important of them all
How is her day going?

"I...uhh...how...did you know I was coming?" You ask lamely, your mind too surprised to come up for some kind of witty retort and attempting to figure out what was going on.

"Now what a completely original question." The woman says sardonically. "Why don't you take a seat? It seems like we will be talking for a quite a while." She says motioning to the other side of the table. The shadows retreat despite no more light being summonged and reveals a simple wooden chair. You eye it suspiciously. "Come now, I didn't allow you to enter my home just to trap you. It's bad for buisness. Can't have my clients thinking they'll never return. I'll never make any money that way. Speaking of which I can answer your question if you answer mine. Do you mind pulling out that coin in your pocket? Left one if you want to be smart about things." She says. You take a few steps forward and slowly pull the coin out of your pocket. Much like the elder Feng said, it glowed brightly as if it had been heated in a forge yet it remained as cool as it ever was. Madam Web gives you a smile.

"So, we have a very special guest among us. A very very special guest." She says and begins to remove everything off of her table. "Mere trinkets." She says answering your thoughts once more. "For fools who wish to be tricked into thinking what they want to believe. Bones, cards, orbs. There are many things people assume I'd use to divine the information they want. Same people willing to spend fortunes to see me. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have one of those coins. You see...I'm rather meticulous with my money and I know the story behind every single coin I've ever given out. I know where each is, who owns it, and where they are....all except one. There was one single coin that I could never find. One coin that up until recently was thought to be lost. You can imagine my surprise when I realized that it had popped up in the hands of China's most well known criminal." She says with a smile. "So naturally, I knew you'd want to use it." She says, though you know she was holding back more information. "Now, if I must say, you are by far the most boring owner of one of my coins I've ever met." She says.

"I'm sorry. I haven't had much time to go and have fun." You reply gruffly. "Not to mention I've only had this coin for a few weeks." Madam Web shakes her head amused.

"Oh no no no. Your deeds don't interest me. I know everything there is to know about you and everything that will be known. You're not the most subtle person you know." She says giving you a longing look. "You see, everyone who comes to me has a secret. Something they don't wish to be known or something they wish to know of others. And can't you imagine how tiring it is to play this game of double meanings and guessing, on their part by the way I already know what they are hiding and what they want, before we get to the point? But you? You have nothing to hide, more to the fact, you don't wish to hide anything. But that's what makes you so alluring. I suppose that its why you have so many fans. There is not one person in the country who doesn't know who you are and what you did and you never attempt to hide it. Have you ever heard of the phrase 'The truth shall set your free'? When your secrets are you, they aren't there to burden you. They cannot shackle you with guilt or doubt. They cannot be used against you for everyone knows it. Information is power, especially when one attempts to use it against you. But if everyone knows? Then it becomes as common and worthless as a pebble. So you, whom everyone knows your secrets and who the most powerful man in China, are the most free out of all of us. Can anyone stop you? Can anyone use anything against you to prevent you from getting what you want? Even the young prince you're friends with, with all his power, is not free. Especially him. Any secrets he has are even heavier than the average man's."

"So what about you? With all this information...all these secrets of others that you posses. All the lies and guilts and terrible truths that you have hidden, does that mean your are the biggest prisoner of us all? Even bigger than I when I was in jail?" You counter. Despite her logic being used against her, Madam Web gives you a mock gasp and playful smile.

"My, my! Not just a strong handsome cat but a philosopher too! Careful there Tai Lung or you might just make your way into my heart." She says. "Of course I am a prisoner. Can I leave knowing that every criminal, politician, and desperate animal in the world would stop at nothing to have me on their side? Think of the power they'd have knowing everything I know. Of course I do induldge myself in a bit of travel but I must not exist in the eyes of regular men."

"Well...at the risk of endearing myself to you further, " You say as you sit down on the chair and put the coin away. "Why don't we talk about you? This coin...I was told it functioned as...unlimited funds to ask whatever I wanted. I suspect that would suffice as payment to ask for information about you." Madam Web's smile grows wider. She laces her fingers together and rests her head on them.

"Not a frequent question I am asked. As much as people are willing to spend money to ask their questions, they so very rarely ask about me. Not that I'd answer of course. However, with a guest as uniqe as you...I might be able to risk a bit of endearment." Madam Web says.

"Then let's start with the obvious. You're name isn't Web anymore than mine is Xuebao. What is your birth name?" You ask.

Madam Web makes a playful tutting noise. "Spoilers." She says wagging her finger at you and giggling. "However not an unexpected question given how straightforward you are. I'm afraid that will die with me and with the previous Madam Web and will never reach the ears of the next as I take hers to my grave. As you might have suspected, the name is a title. You're more familiar with the way masters take on the name of the Kung Fu style they embody to better understand it. They become their style and it becomes them. In the same way, I took the name Madam Web and in the same way I shackled myself to this role. Finally, in the same way, I will find someone to take my place. You needn't worry however, Miss Ming is indeed on my list of candidates and I must thank you for elevating her and bringing her to my attention. However, she's not ready. Not yet at least." Your chair clatters to the ground as you find yourself standing. "Calm yourself, the position isn't madatory." Madam Web says. "I won't harm her nor force the issue on her. She is free to say no. It works out for me either way. The title must be taken voluntarily. It's much easier to train and accept the role if it is and people knowing of my existence means I continue to make money. Chan Ming is intellegent. Frighteningly so. Surely, you must have noticed how quickly she can adapt and absorb knowledge despite it's complexity. Perhaps it might not have crossed either of your minds but she is dangerous. Her mind can absorb so much knoweldge but you know the danger of that."

"Knowledge without experience is a spark of fire within the forests." You say, repeating one of Oogway's man proverbs.

"Not all knowledge is meant to be taken in so fast. Last I heard, you were having her study rituals and Chi. Rituals are dangerous and are often written by dangerous people is she chooses to persue that dark path. Power is already corrupting, how much more would it be if it's taken in as quickly and easily as she can?" Madam Web says.

"That's...more straightforward than I expected from you." You say.

"You are my client. It's in my best interest that I keep them alive." She replies. "Even if you don't pay me monitarily, you pay me in other ways."

You shake your head and grab your chair. "You sound like Oogway sometimes. You wouldn't know him, would you?"

"I know of him. Unfortunately, I've never met the man though it would have been interesting to pick his mind. The mind wonders what knowledge he contained." Madam Web muses. "Perhaps you figured that because I was a Panda I would know him? I'm afraid you are many generations too late. While I was born before my race was subjected to genocide, I'm afraid Oogway's meeting with my race was long before that."

"Oh...I'm sorry." You say going quiet, unsure what to ask next.

>What do you say?
>Continue asking more about her. (What personal questions do you ask?)
>Ask about something else. (Organize the write ins)
>Ask about your friends' location.
>Write in (because it's tradition to have it as an option)

>>5330668
>And most important of them all
>How is her day going?
I'm asking this last because I geniunely like the idea of Tai Lung ending the conversation with something polite and pleasant. No one ever asks that to an information broker. Might as well surprise her with something nice.

>>5330722
>If you were chosen, then what marked you for the role? Ming is intelligent in ways that I'm aware of, and some I'm probably not but forgive me for saying it like this I doubt that you are a prodigy like she is.

I wonder, what does it take to be noticed

>>5330722
>That is unfortunate, I hoped that with your knowledge, you would know about atleast some enclave of your kind. So both I could walk in Oogway footsteps, and to help a friend know more about his own people.
I already wrote all ideas I had, soxIbhave nothing else to say.
Also my internet just went down, so my ID probably changed.
>>5330725
That was the idea. A bit of a lighthearted, polite fun. We can afford it afterall, In both meanings of the words.

>>5330750
I do have one more.

"Do you enjoy your work? If you have so many trinkets and baubles, then you should have some fun with messing with people"

>>5330722
Only thing I'd have to add to what everyone else has written is
>What do you know about the Mongolians?
and
>Which Nobles are going to oppose our proposals the most, and what are the best ways to convince those specific nobles?
The second one she's probably going to be EXTREMELY useful in. She has dirt on everyone, ESPECIALLY nobles.

>>5330722
>Ask about your friends' location.
>Ask if she know the location of the pool of sacred tears twin.

>>5331286
Oh, that srcond question is a really good one.

File: Questions.jpg (37 KB, 192x296)

37 KB JPG

I made a little checklist of all the questions we wrote so far, plus the ones we already asked.
I also fused a few related ones into more vague topics.

Working on the write up. Trying to get the questions to flow well into one another.

"I was hoping that perhaps you knew of some remnants of a Panda village or camp. Perhaps I could follow in Oogway's footsteps and to help a friend know more about his own people." You say.

"The Dragon Warrior will find his people in his own way." Madam Web says. "Fate has a funny way of working like that. Nonetheless, that information is not for sale. Not for anyone or anything. My knowledge is vast but not all that knowledge is for sale."

"Has anyone ever asked for something that you wouldn't sell?" You ask out of curiosity.

"Rarely. People can be so very boring in their questions." She replies. "The most common one happens to be for information regarding a buisness's secrets or a notable person's past. After a while it all becomes rather dull. It's rather ironic that the most boring person I've met is the one asking the most interesting questions."

"Then is there no way you'll tell me about the pandas?" You press. "If you know all about me then you know it is not information I ask for lightly."

"None at all. My reasons are my own but your interests are not the only ones I have in mind." She states.

"If not Pandas then what about snow leopards?" You counter. "Surely, you must know something about them?"

"I know far more about them than anyone alive would." Madam Web says.

"But you won't tell me?" You guess.

"Lucky for you, I can. As cruel as it is to say, I've no attachments nor obligations to your people. That information is still up for sale. However...is this truly information you wish to know?" She asks.

"You make it sound like my people were part of some great tragedy." You say slightly amused. "I've lived long enough without knowing of them, hearing more about them won't change who I am. Not unless you're going to tell me that even my own parents saw me as some kind of monster and abandonded me."

"Perhaps there's more truth to that than you may think." Madam Web replies. You raise an eyebrow. "I jest of course. Your people were not known for any precognative abilities. Perhaps is they were, you'd have known who they were. More than likely, you wouldn't be the exotic specimen you are today." Madam Web turns around and seems to reach behind into the darkness. Despite the fact you couldn't make anything out, it seemed that to her things were quite clear. "The question becomes, what exactly do you want to know about your ancestors?"

"I guess I could ask you the same thing. How much do you know?" You ask.

"Oh almost everything." She says quietly and shiver runs down your spine. "Yours is a tale lost through time, preserved only by happenstance and luck. A mircale of sorts I suppose, I doubt even your own people know the full extent of their own tale. It just so happens that the ancestor of what would be the ancestor to what would become the first ever Madam Web managed to somehow preserve tales of the Ancients. What would be known as the unknown. A kingdom lost to time as well. Although it is no longer lost is it now? After all, you subdued one them." You quietly eye the woman now wary. You had known she would have had secrets and tales. How she got them was never something you cared about until now. How much information did she have? How old could it be? Did it surpassed the library's? Was that even possible given how old Sangpo was?

>What do you say? What do you want to know about the Snow Leopards?
>Write in.

>>5332878
>Are they wandering nomads or do they have a settlement? Do you know why they dropped me off at the valley of peace? Where are they now?

>>5332878
>Where do they come from? Why are there were so few? Where did they went?
>The one with the mongols, was she just a lost one like I am, or are they now nomads in the steppes?
>Why did they leave me? It doea not make sense to abandon someone when there are so few, unless they were to go on a dangerous journey or to a harsh land, and wanted for me to grow in a better place.

>>5332878
>Where they are.
>Why my parents left me
>About the current state of the leopards.
>What's this about a fallen empire?

And here is an interesting question.
>If they were an old empire, they must have done something well. Do they have any anscestoral arts? A crafting method, a dance, song, mystic method.

I'm really curious. The bats had chi stealing.

>>5332896
>>5332904
>>5333632
Asking about the olden days and about mom and dad. Writing.

"Where do we come from? Why are there so few of us?" You ask as you try to stem the tide of questions you never knew you had. "Why leave me to be raised by someone else?"

"Where do any of us come from? Dogs, cats? Pigs? We just are, child. Snow Leopards have been with us as long as any animal has been." Madam Web explains. "However we came to be doesn't change the fact how we are and what you are is a dying race. I'm afraid there is no helping it. Unless there is some hidden enclave of snow leopards hidden even to myself, there is no stopping the slow progession you've been put on. Eventually, your people will be no more. While I said I had no obligations to your people, it is a plight I can sympathize with. The same can be said of the Pandas. Fortunately, or unfortunately if you wish to see it that way, the scars of the past have long since been covered over where as my are still fresh as the days the killings started." She says sadly. "For all our power and knowledger, there is nothing we can do. Ours is a path we tread against an impossible current."

"How did this happen? Who did this?" You ask.

"China." Madam Web says simply.

"What?"

"Not in the modern sense but it was the creation of this country that drove your species into oblivion." She continues and pulls out a scroll. It was cracked and chipped, so old that you worried it might simply crumble to dust from breathing on it. "As far as the stories that were passed down up on go, it all began so long ago. In the time before time. When dragon and man lived together. Whether this is meant to be taken litterally or figuratively it does not matter."

"You've mentioned this empire several times. Why does no one remember it? If it was so vast and powerful, surely it must be known for something." You ask.

"Such things have been lost to history." Madam Web says. "No one but me is alive to speak of it. But if it was to be known for something, that would be subjugation. When you go to the market, when you see the rabbits and the cats and the birds mingling and trading. You see equality. Of course there is the old societal woes of those with money and those without but ultimately, one can rise above their station regardless of the fur they wear. Regardless of beak or muzzle. In the time of the Ancient rulers, only they rose above. All others were beneathe their notice save for when punishment or orders were needed. According to what little I have, they ruled for thousands of years and several hundreds by the same people. There are allusions of these ancient oppressors being able to live forever and would have continued to rule for enternity had it not be for a betrayal among their ranks."

"Yes, I've heard this before." You say, your voice hollow as you remember that Hei Lin couldn't even be bothered to get your species right. What kind of tiger are you? It was as if you were barely worth paying attention to, like differenciating flecks of dust. "It was a bat that lead some kind of rebellion. United the other species against their masters."

"Of course, you know that no war is fought without soldiers..." Madam Web says.

"Snow leopards..." You breathe.

"From what little I have, your people, being the strongest of all the races, were the first in the front lines. For what reason, I do not know. Perhaps they intended to take leadership away and become the new rulers of the land. Perhaps they saw they possesed a gift that no other creature had and chose to sacrifice themselves to spare the weak. Either side fits you neatly if we look at your life. Regardless of their motives, pure or ill, to fight against such beings that subjugated and ruled for countless years uncontested would not come without a price. Over the years, as our history becomes clearer, your people became less and less. Already decimated and scattered by such a brutal war, they had no time to heal. Perhaps if the other species cared enough to try, they could have been saved but the imminent power vacuum only served to cause more strife. The selfish whims of the other animals, those who survived relatively unscathed in comparision, lead to more wars and more fighting. By the time written history was in a more preservable state your people were already nomads that kept to themselves. Like wounded animals, you kept to yourselves, only trading what little you had and trusting no one while being considered untrustworthy yourselves. A horrific cruelty given the forgotten sacrifices your people had made. The unfortunate fact was that your own strength was your most desirable asset and it is well documented that snow leopards were commonly known as mercenaries and sell swords. Such a lifestyle was only further pressed when the War of the Three Kingdoms broke out and the need for warriors was needed. With another war came another mass cleansing of history and the destruction of more knowledge. It was only in the ashes of that civil war and the following war against the north that we come to China as we know it. Built upon the ragged remains and bones of a once proud species. I do not know who your parents are or what clan you could have come from. Despite all I know and the dark and cynical secrets I hold, I choose to believe your parents gave you up in hopes of giving you a real life. Given that none of the snow leopard groups I keep tabs on live or even come near the Valley of Peace, I can only assume that you belonged to the remnants of a dying group. Rather than raise a child in the death throes of a dying caravan, your parents choose to give you up in hopes of giving you a stable life rather than risk you dying along with the rest of your family."

"Why didn't they stay then?" You whisper. "They could have settled down. Could have lived among the others in the valley. Oogway would never have let them go knowing something like that."

"That we'll never know. We may not even know if was your mother that gave you up. It may have been a stranger to you. Your mother may have already died and only out of sheer desperation to keep some part of the clan alive, that you were given up before the last member wandered off to die alone and unbothered by the world that abandonded them." Madam Web says.

"What about the rest?" You ask.

"Is this a line really worth following?" Madam Web asks, her voice cold and neutral. "Even if I told you where to find other snow leopards. What would that accomplish? They would never see you as one of them would they? A stranger with no clan or family name. Someone who never struggled like they did. And even if they did accept you, what then? You cannot save them. They cannot give you the family you would like to have. This is not a matter of strength or will Tai Lung. It's simply mathematics. There are not enough of you left to repopulate." Her voice softens and she gives you a sympathetic look. "As someone who speaks from exprience, it would be better for you to drop this entirely. The pain you feel right now is nothing compared to what will dawn upon you when you see the reality of it with your own eyes." She says gently.

"There was one of the mongols I fought. She was a snow leopard too." You counter. "There are more out there. I know it and maybe they want to wage a war against China. If know more then I can stop them! Maybe-"

"Don't." Madam Web replies. "She is an outlier. I doubt she would have even known her own heritage. Much like you, I don't even know if any of your people know of their heritage being so scattered as you are now."

"But you do! Somehow you do! So they can too!" You shout.

"And if they do? How does that save them? How did that save you when you clung to false hope?" Madam Web says coldly. "My knowledge is my job. As I've said, it is only by miracle that my line knows what we know. If they don't they at the very least they can die in peace. Never knowing that they were abandoned by everyone else. I'll ask you once. Is this truly something you wish to persue?"

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5334181
>down up on go
what is this? I meant "passed down long ago" I think something's going on with my typing lads. Might need to revisit mario teaches typing.

>>5334184
>Yes. You say that we'll go extinct like that matters. You would rather have us go quietly into the night separated, alone, wondering if their are others out there. If we are together we can at maybe find comfort in the dying embers, comfort that we aren't alone.

this makes me wonder if only same species can have children or if close species can have hybrid children (could Tai and Ming have child). I wonder how Rome (probably Hawk people) is doing in this universe.

>>5334184
>yes
>No one but me is alive to speak of [the empire]
>lol at her and say that we knew of it, you're not allknowing, and a little hope goes a long way

and another q for the bucket list
>do all species have a talent like pandas' affinity for chi?

>>5334194
Renshu's a tiger-rabbit hybrid

>>5334199
Renshu is a result of barbaric and inhumane dark sorcery. He is not a natural birth.

>>5334184
>Yes
>It doesn't matter if they are my family, or my people, no one deserves this fate.
>Even if the snow leopards are to end, then let them be remembered and united, not forgotten and scattered. The shadow of the bats of the ancient empire returned, the war against the mongols is betaing consequences, crimes against the dragons and spirits are being repeated. This are times of change, and we can't escape the past. So instead let's live the present and build the future.

>>5334194
Rome is probably either eagles and wolfs because of Romulus and Remulos and the aqulia.
But then again it was multicultural place, even before it started expanding, due to presence of greeks, gauls, phoenicians and other italian people like the etrucans.
Two of their founding myths says they are foreigners and/or mixing with other populations.

>>5334545
Forgot to say "so any animals would probably still fit" after talking about the mess Italy was.

>>5334545
Proposal:
Julius Caesar was a Boar.
Reason: It took stabbing him 23 times to kill him.

>>5334932
I was betting on bull, because it was the standard of the Legio X Equestris that he raised while being governor of Hispania
But maybe it's that the spanish that are bulls instead, it was an important animal in the native Iberian culture and religion back them, and still is to this day after even multiple mixing and cultural shifts
Also the gauls are represented by a painted boar in Tome Total War, so I can only see them as boars and horses. But having the Julii hate the Gauls while also being boars themselves is a funny thought.

>>5334194
Tai Lung and Ming could conceive a child. That way I'm treating it is that the closer the species is to one another, the more likely it is to have a healthy child. Ming or Bao could have a child with Tai Lung but TL and say an avian would be impossible. Though we all know that we need snow leopard bunny hybrids for maximum stealth and assassination prowess.

The biggest thing is the social stigma that comes with it. On top of the regular social pressures of preserving one's family line and marrying into a good family, having a kid outside of one's species is looked down upon as well. They're no longer a full snow leopard or fox or lynx and that at least in society's eyes dimishes how much they are a part of "the family". Sure you can be married into wealthy family but if the child isn't of the same species (or looks close enough that they can hide their mixed breed) then how much are they a part of the family? The latter kind of thinking has mostly been seen as far too old fashioned given how insanely difficult it is to keep things within the same species given that villages and towns are far too small to even make it viable. Such thinking is mostly kept to old blood and wealthy families who can afford the money to travel or have the luxury to set up arranged marriages. Still, seeing people of different species togethe is seen as setting oneself up for a failed relationship or a tragic still birth for vastly different species or simply as strange and uncomfortable for those of similar species.

Adoption however? Seen as an okay thing if not an altruistic one. Frankly, the Valley of Peace is one of the more progressive parts of the country. Most likely because it's somewhat isolated nature forced it's inhabitants to shed those conceptions or simply have the Valley die out.

Of course that's my autism acting up now isn't it?

>>5334353
>Renshu is a result of barbaric and inhumane dark sorcery. He is not a natural birth.
Exactly right. As one anon put it, Dragons know what kind of dark and evil shit Ren's mom did to conceive him and Xin. Even more so given their powerful supernatural abilities. Perhaps she was following the gator's ideology and wanted throw in magical superiority as well or perhaps she wanted to make the perfect killer? In the end she goes something else. The perfect combination to create the black rose and a pair of members who could kill without remorse.


>>5334194
>>5334545
>>5334932
>>5334972
Haven't given much thought to rome but I'm digging these ideas. Currently have no plans to go there with the group and I don't think the quest has much sequel potential to run a second one there but who knows. Game is all over the place enough that maybe romans could exist. Not like I'm sticking to any real time period beyond just semi medieval fantasy.


Finally, I'll get the next thread up tomorrow with the votes. Thanks for participating!

>>5335302
well Rome and (Han dynasty) China knew about each others existence mostly through traders (and some obscure that may or may-not mention roman mercenaries)

>>5335302
Don't worry about it boss, I was just posting about those ideas for fun, I don't expect romans to show up out of nowhere.
Unless we decide to do a journey to the west and travel through the silk road, meeting the indians and persians along the way, but we would have no reason to so that.

New thread is up! >>5336114