level_act31side_03_end

Mr. Ji.

Ah... you must be young Lord Zuo.

Alas, where are my manners? I didn't even prepare a gift for our first meeting.

You know me?

(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.

No need to be nervous, Lord Zuo. These are but harmless toys.

'Weave cause to effect, cut unreal into real'... are these your creations?

Just doing my part.

(Eerie cry)

The man waves his hand, and the strange creature turns to tiny threads before vanishing.

The ways of the Feranmut proxies are mystifying.

Petty parlor tricks. Not much use to them.

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.

My elder sister would chastise me for violating the laws of nature, if she saw me do this.

You shouldn't be here.

This is my childhood home, after all. I got a little homesick.

I didn't know your kind had childhoods.

We were all ignorant once, no matter how long our lifespans. New things left a deeper impression on us.

And we think more about those who around us, at the time.

Any meeting of you and your siblings is an important matter that should have been reported to the Sui Regulator in advance.

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.

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, <i>in<b>human</b>e?</i>

The Sui Regulator has instructions to keep a close eye on you.

Even though I've never broken a single rule in all these years?

It is not up to you.

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.

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.

There's no need to flatter me.

I've seen many a scion of blue-blood families in Baizao, plenty of them intelligent and learned.

But it would be a challenge to find more than a handful who could get down to business and do honest work like you.

In the eleventh month of last year, you entered the den of the Langyi Shanhaizhong by yourself and rescued dozens of innocent prisoners.

In the second month of this year, you braved numerous dangers in pursuit of that special goblet.

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?

Why should one mistake wipe out all the hard work you've done in the past?

You're not supposed to know of these things.

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.

And it's my business to know what kind of customer would pay what kind of price for information.

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.

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?

Your meticulousness is impressive.

But I would not underestimate the Sui Regulator, if I were you. We will get to the bottom of any suspicions we have.

I would caution you to toe the line.

Is this a word of advice from a friend?

A word of warning from a Candleholder of the Sui Regulator.

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?

Should you not be more concerned about the... things across the river?

...What?

Do you know how many Tianshis the Chamber of Heaven's Designs has lost in the past three months?

Don't you dare spread lies and rumors...

Trust is a merchant's greatest asset. I never lie, Lord Zuo. You can look into it yourself, if you don't believe it.

Then, think about what you want to do, and whether it might involve a deal with me.

Everything is just as usual.

The wind is silent.

Stockbeasts bury their heads in the grass.

The girl looks around.

Stupid Mianmian. How many times have I told him not to run away?

Stupid Xiaohe. He doesn't even remember my song! I'm not playing with him anymore!

Layer after layer of leaves block out the sky. The wind brings with it the pleasant scent of rice.

The earth is damp, and she leaves footprints in it as she steps upon it, walking forward while brushing aside the leaves that hide the skies.

Mianmian! It's time to go home!

Mianmian! Why did you run away? Get back to your pen, or I'm gonna get scolded along with you.

A gentle breeze brushes by. The large, dark eyes of the stockbeast reflect the skies, the clouds, and the fields.

Grain Buds sees her own reflection in those eyes.

I'm going away.

...Huh?

I don't want to eat grass anymore.

What?

Has Xiaohe been putting weird stuff in your fodder again?

I'll talk to him, and make sure you guys are eating properly!

It's scary here.

Death is coming.

Will you come with us?

You mean the flood a few days ago?

No need to be scared. The flood is gone. I'll build tougher houses for you, so you won't have to be afraid when Catastrophe comes! I'll protect you!

No.

It comes from across the river.

Look beneath your feet.

Beneath... what...?

Grain Buds sees her own reflection in those eyes.

A gentle breeze brushes by. The large, dark eyes of the stockbeast reflect the skies, the clouds, and the fields.

The girl looks around.

Stockbeasts bury their heads in the grass.

The wind is silent.

Everything is just as usual.

Uncle Wang? What are you doing?

Moving trees.

The peace tree? It was in perfectly good shape. Why are you moving it? What about those Tumu Tianshis?

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.

Everyone knows that there's no saving this land.

Xiaohe, you're a student at the Tianshi Bureau, but you're also from around here. Tell us, what's happened to the land?

I... I don't know...

...Hmph.

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.

But this is our home! My family has lived here for generations!

How could they tell us to abandon our home just like that!

This is my home too.

I promise I'll get to the bottom of what's happening here. I'll find a way to save the land...

What use are your promises? They promised to take these fields along when they started building the nomadic city.

Fine, I'll pretend I lost the land to a Catastrophe, but I'm taking this tree with me.

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.

...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.

The lumberjack looks down, a blank expression on his face.

After a period of silence, he opens his mouth.

Are you looking for something?

You can talk?

What are you doing here?

My stockbeast ran away. I came to bring him back.

What stockbeast?

Right here—

She points to her side.

The water underneath her feet reflects her figure, the clouds, the sky.

There is straw all around, but no sign of any animal.

She blinks.

...I could have sworn he was here.

Follow me.

I'll help you find your stockbeast.

Have a seat, Lord Zuo.

...Assistant Minister Ning.

What a coincidence.

From Shangshu to Yumen, and now to Dahuang. You must be an outstanding Candleholder to be handed such responsibility.

What are your instructions?

Please, no need for such formality.

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.

About the Sui proxies?

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.

There may be devastating consequences if someone with ulterior motives decides to cause trouble.

Do you mean to say that you already know someone intends to cause trouble?

Are you aware that the development of Dahuang has resumed?

The trader's supplies... he should not interfere with such matters.

All I know is that he had a meeting with Assistant Minister Wan from the Ministry of Works. Do you know him?

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.

What is Ji planning?

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.

He returns to Dahuang once every few decades. The last visit was sixty years ago.

You recall these details well...

Do you suspect that he intends to sabotage Dahuang?

Right now, we need to figure out why he came back to Dahuang. This is what I would like you to uncover.

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.

Where do you stand yourself?

As a Candleholder, my duty is to my orders, of course...

You want to be a good sword.

That way, it's not the sword's fault, even if it kills the wrong person.

I'm not trying to shirk responsibility—

Have you ever thought about why the Sui Regulator wants to eliminate the Sui by force?

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...

Do we really say 'We had no choice' about all the people who lose their homes and the soldiers who lose their lives?

Was there really no other way?

What prompts you to ask me to do this?

The welfare of the people. Not the cloaks and daggers of the court.

Honesty and integrity. I'm sure the answer is right there in your heart.

The man points at the calm surface of the river, smooth like a mirror, almost like it has frozen in place.

The water reflects the clouds in the sky, and the girl's face.

The stockbeast is inside.

In the river?

You want to find him, go down.

Hm...

Alright.

I'll find him down there and bring him back to his pen.

The river channel booms with the sound of crashing water and roiling air.

The girl steps forward.

Come back! You'll die!

The old lumberjack suddenly raises his axe high, before putting it back down meekly.

Let me go, Zushi! I'll bring her back!

I know how to handle it. She's not that far gone. Let me go, and I can bring her back!

Zushi, no! She can still be saved!

Zushiiiiiiii—!

There is only death there. She's beyond all help. You can't save her.

Go back. Put up a grave monument.

Where do you think you're going, you idiot?

Huh?

The stockbeast is down there. The old lumberjack told me so. I'm bringing him back.

You're the stockbeast, you dumb rice-brain!

Are you talking about me?!

Of course I'm talking about you! You think there's a stockbeast down there? Are you blind or stupid?

Oh, shut up—

Splat!

A piece of river mud hits Grain Buds in the face.

Whoa!

Pfft, bleh, argh!

Her sight remains surprisingly clear. She still sees everything before her.

What's going on?

Grain Buds tries to wipe the mud away, but there is something hard in the mud that sticks to her face.

Why are there two pieces of...?

Rice?

Uncle?

Where's the mute uncle?

What uncle? All I see is you trying to jump into the water, you crazy idiot!

Now throw that away!

Grain Buds washes away the mud by the river.

The angry girl turns around. There is nobody in the forest beyond the levee, but she stares long and hard into the woods and nods.

The footsteps grow distant, disappearing amongst the trees.

'...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.

You wouldn't tell it to my face?

You say you trust me, but will we ever have a chance to sit down and talk to each other again?