Alas, where are my manners? I didn't even prepare a gift for our first meeting.
Zuo Le
You know me?
Strange Fabric
(Eerie wail)
Zuo Le reflexively reaches for his sword, but finds only a Tianshi apparatus for controlling agricultural instruments on his belt.
His movement did not escape the man's attention. The corners of the man's mouth rise up slightly.
Ji
No need to be nervous, Lord Zuo. These are but harmless toys.
Zuo Le
'Weave cause to effect, cut unreal into real'... are these your creations?
Ji
Just doing my part.
Strange Fabric
(Eerie cry)
The man waves his hand, and the strange creature turns to tiny threads before vanishing.
Zuo Le
The ways of the Feranmut proxies are mystifying.
Ji
Petty parlor tricks. Not much use to them.
Ji
Pestilence and blight tend to follow a flood. Dealing with disaster you can't see or touch is hard; weave it into an object, and it becomes easier to deal with.
Ji
My elder sister would chastise me for violating the laws of nature, if she saw me do this.
Zuo Le
You shouldn't be here.
Ji
This is my childhood home, after all. I got a little homesick.
Zuo Le
I didn't know your kind had childhoods.
Ji
We were all ignorant once, no matter how long our lifespans. New things left a deeper impression on us.
Ji
And we think more about those who around us, at the time.
Zuo Le
Any meeting of you and your siblings is an important matter that should have been reported to the Sui Regulator in advance.
Ji
The imperial court's convoy was delayed by Catastrophe. I got word from the old Tianshi and immediately sent relief supplies out of my own pocket.
Ji
I only saw my older sister briefly and haven't even caught a glimpse of the younger ones. Isn't the Sui Regulator being a little, you know, inhumane?
Zuo Le
The Sui Regulator has instructions to keep a close eye on you.
Ji
Even though I've never broken a single rule in all these years?
Zuo Le
It is not up to you.
Ji
And yet, you're not wearing the garb of a Candleholder.
The man smiles. His demeanor is gentle, polite, relaxed.
But Zuo Le cannot help but feel a chill up his spine.
Ji
I have heard much about you, Lord Zuo. That we should meet here is certainly the will of Heaven, and I would very much like to make your acquaintance.
Zuo Le
There's no need to flatter me.
Ji
I've seen many a scion of blue-blood families in Baizao, plenty of them intelligent and learned.
Ji
But it would be a challenge to find more than a handful who could get down to business and do honest work like you.
Zuo Le
...
Ji
In the eleventh month of last year, you entered the den of the Langyi Shanhaizhong by yourself and rescued dozens of innocent prisoners.
Ji
In the second month of this year, you braved numerous dangers in pursuit of that special goblet.
Ji
The uninformed believed you to have risen to your position at such a young age because of your father. What do they know of the dangers of a Candleholder's duty?
Ji
Why should one mistake wipe out all the hard work you've done in the past?
Zuo Le
You're not supposed to know of these things.
Ji
Ah, a businessman hears many things. After all, the things one hears can be a commodity, too, if another is willing to pay a price for them.
Ji
And it's my business to know what kind of customer would pay what kind of price for information.
Ji
For example, I know what's on the other side of the river to the north of Dahuang. I know what Nian is building here.
Ji
I know you suspect that ulterior motives were involved in the Catastrophe that struck Yumen, but all your leads came up empty. Am I right?
Zuo Le
...
Zuo Le
Your meticulousness is impressive.
Zuo Le
But I would not underestimate the Sui Regulator, if I were you. We will get to the bottom of any suspicions we have.
Zuo Le
I would caution you to toe the line.
Ji
Is this a word of advice from a friend?
Zuo Le
A word of warning from a Candleholder of the Sui Regulator.
Ji
I'm sure you worry too much. The best Tianshis in all of Yan are all gathered in the Chamber of Heaven's Designs north of Dahuang. What can one little man do?
Ji
Should you not be more concerned about the... things across the river?
Zuo Le
...What?
Ji
Do you know how many Tianshis the Chamber of Heaven's Designs has lost in the past three months?
Zuo Le
—!
Zuo Le
Don't you dare spread lies and rumors...
Ji
Trust is a merchant's greatest asset. I never lie, Lord Zuo. You can look into it yourself, if you don't believe it.
Ji
Then, think about what you want to do, and whether it might involve a deal with me.
The peace tree? It was in perfectly good shape. Why are you moving it? What about those Tumu Tianshis?
Tired Farmer
Give me a hand and move that dirt over there... they've gone back to the factories. They'll be transporting materials through here in a bit.
Tired Farmer
Everyone knows that there's no saving this land.
He Sheng
...
Tired Farmer
Xiaohe, you're a student at the Tianshi Bureau, but you're also from around here. Tell us, what's happened to the land?
He Sheng
I... I don't know...
Tired Farmer
...Hmph.
Tired Farmer
Yeah, I know, every inch of land is business to the mandarins. How much money it takes to turn them into moving plates, and how much money they stand to make.
Tired Farmer
But this is our home! My family has lived here for generations!
Tired Farmer
How could they tell us to abandon our home just like that!
He Sheng
This is my home too.
He Sheng
I promise I'll get to the bottom of what's happening here. I'll find a way to save the land...
Tired Farmer
What use are your promises? They promised to take these fields along when they started building the nomadic city.
Tired Farmer
Fine, I'll pretend I lost the land to a Catastrophe, but I'm taking this tree with me.
Tired Farmer
My grandpa's grandma planted it. The people in the cities think home is something you can take with you. Well, this tree is my home, and I'm taking it with me.
He Sheng
...I'll help.
The old farmer lifts the peace tree onto his shoulder. Carrying his home, he leaves deep footprints in the mud.
He Sheng looks back at the core city as he carries the heavy tree.
From Shangshu to Yumen, and now to Dahuang. You must be an outstanding Candleholder to be handed such responsibility.
Zuo Le
What are your instructions?
Ning Ciqiu
Please, no need for such formality.
Ning Ciqiu
I would not be meeting you here, if this was official business. There is a matter that requires your assistance in a... less than official manner.
Zuo Le
About the Sui proxies?
Ning Ciqiu
The Twelve Pagodas and Five Cities project is of crucial importance to Great Yan. Having four proxies here in the same place, at a time like this, is a headache to say the least.
Ning Ciqiu
There may be devastating consequences if someone with ulterior motives decides to cause trouble.
Zuo Le
Do you mean to say that you already know someone intends to cause trouble?
Ning Ciqiu
Are you aware that the development of Dahuang has resumed?
Zuo Le
The trader's supplies... he should not interfere with such matters.
Ning Ciqiu
All I know is that he had a meeting with Assistant Minister Wan from the Ministry of Works. Do you know him?
Zuo Le
I'm familiar with him... he has been working on Dahuang's mobile plate development in recent years, but he also participated in Yumen's repairs a few months ago.
Zuo Le
What is Ji planning?
Ning Ciqiu
Ji was known to be close to Shu, and the two of them used to farm Dahuang a thousand years ago. Ji later left Dahuang to start a business.
Ning Ciqiu
He returns to Dahuang once every few decades. The last visit was sixty years ago.
Zuo Le
You recall these details well...
Zuo Le
Do you suspect that he intends to sabotage Dahuang?
Ning Ciqiu
Right now, we need to figure out why he came back to Dahuang. This is what I would like you to uncover.
Zuo Le
The Ministry of Rites and the Sui Regulator have long been at odds over the Sui issue. Yet now you're asking me to do this.
Ning Ciqiu
Where do you stand yourself?
Zuo Le
As a Candleholder, my duty is to my orders, of course...
Ning Ciqiu
You want to be a good sword.
Ning Ciqiu
That way, it's not the sword's fault, even if it kills the wrong person.
Zuo Le
I'm not trying to shirk responsibility—
Ning Ciqiu
Have you ever thought about why the Sui Regulator wants to eliminate the Sui by force?
Ning Ciqiu
If there comes a day when Yumen goes to the capital, ending the existence of both cities and the Feranmut to the sound of cannonfire...
Ning Ciqiu
Do we really say 'We had no choice' about all the people who lose their homes and the soldiers who lose their lives?
Ning Ciqiu
Was there really no other way?
Zuo Le
...
Zuo Le
What prompts you to ask me to do this?
Ning Ciqiu
The welfare of the people. Not the cloaks and daggers of the court.
Ning Ciqiu
Honesty and integrity. I'm sure the answer is right there in your heart.
'...has violated the statutes by entering Dahuang and meeting proxies without permission. The penalties hereof are temporary deferred in consideration of his assistance to the disaster relief efforts.
'It is hereby ordered that... depart Dahuang within three days under the supervision of the Sui Regulator... any delays will be subject to strict penalties.'
The red-stamped letter sits prominently at the center of the table. It seems that whoever placed it here knew when the master of the room would return, and how she would react.
Shu
You wouldn't tell it to my face?
Shu
You say you trust me, but will we ever have a chance to sit down and talk to each other again?
