story_ju_1_1

You still won't leave?

That one started this war which has ravaged the lives of thousands. We were not the ones who began it. Why is it we who have to leave?

It' is intentionally causing strife, and it is my duty to intervene as fellow kindred. But this is not your fight.

Long have we followed your teachings. If you choose to stay, so shall we.

...Is this your doing too, Carpenter?

The old man's hair is white, and his eyes have begun to grow cloudy.

But there is fire in his stubborn brow, the strength of which has not faded in the slightest.

You should not have involved them in this mess. How could you be so stubborn?

You knew—

Are you not just as stubborn? Your method of 'ending conflict' is not something that can be forced.

You know as well as I do that throwing yourself into a conflict is not the way to resolve it.

If you dislike conflict, you should not intervene or chase us away, and you most certainly should not... make such futile attempts to end conflict.

The wise stay away from danger... but it is not the solution I am looking for.

(Sigh)

If you will not leave, we can seek another solution. The land is vast, and there must be another way!

If we find the legendary Stone... the divine destiny of Yan.

This Stone is hardly easy to find...

He personally dispersed them, and eventually closed His in the hunt, but the stone was never found.

Yet He was not only searching for the stone, the solution.

He wanted there to be no conflict, no suffering across the land.

You mean this stone will make all your dreams come true?

There is a stone in the mountains, inside which dwells a deity.' That's what the books say, but who can truly tell if they're real or not?

If I get my hands on the stone, I'll dream about endless fertile fields!

Why not dream about endless granaries filled with grain?

I've got two arms and two legs, I ought to plant my own food. Granaries filled with grain? I doubt the deity in the stone would be willing to see someone who wants to reap without sowing.

What are you trying to say?

What? What did you think I was trying to say?

At it again, you two? Come on—

Stop it!

Demon stone! Demon Stone!

STOP!

What are you?!

The stone leaves the hand with a strange cry.

The girl picks up the stone again, then cranks her shoulder, tightening her body like a bow.

NOT INTO THE RIVER!

Wh-What are you?!

...You can hear me?

Of course I can!

Ju looks at Himself. The elaborate clockwork of his body is no more; all that is left is this broken, fist-sized core.

Centuries ago, His followers had salvaged it from the Great Hunt, preserving a vestige of His existence.

Interesting... I have been awake for a few years and seen many people on this river bank. You are the first to hear my voice.

As the girl readies to throw the stone again—

Stop it, you brat!

I was a... craftsman. I was imprisoned in this stone because of the mistakes I made.

'Mistakes I made?' I knew I should have thrown you!

It's not what you think—

No! Stop!

Didn't your parents teach you how to behave?

It's none of your business!

I don't take many students... but you'll study with me from this day forth! You ought to learn some rules!

I'd rather throw you into the water!

Little Wood—

Chief!

Why are you playing by the river again? I told you, the river's sick. You should stay away.

The girl hurriedly puts her stone away and walks towards the town chief, her cheeks puffed red.

Your dad's talking to folks from nearby towns about how to heal the river. I'm going there now... you should go home. This place is dangerous.

I'm coming with you!

...Very well. But behave yourself.

You're finally here! These two are at it again.

Hmph.

How old are you guys? You act like children!

Go sit in a corner, girl! We're talking about serious business.

I heard everything you were talking about! Some stone? Does this look like one that makes dreams come true?

(Girl!)

...Let's get back on track. Basically, the river is yellow and salty from this town to the next one down the river. It can't even be used for irrigation, much less drinking.

Do we know the reason?

I went up the north mountain to check on the source, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong there.

No warning from the provincial government either, which means it's probably something with this segment of the river, rather than a Catastrophe.

(Salty water... looks like drinking water is the most urgent issue.)

You know this stuff?

Little Wood!

(I told you, you're the only one who can hear me.)

Drinking water is the most urgent issue. The wells in town have become polluted as well. If we can't fix the river, we'll have to try to get water from the north mountain directly.

But what can we do?

('Guide spring water into the village with bamboo.' It was one of the Carpenter's ideas, one that never came to fruition due to resource and manpower limitations at the time.

(You actually know this stuff?)

(Just repeat what I say. If anyone asks, tell them that you heard a traveling merchant talk about it by the riverside.)

G-Guide spring water into the village with bamboo.

Yes! When I was in Shangshu, I saw people make pipes out of bamboo to transport salty wellwater.

Apparently, proper setup and placement will filter out sand and prevent algae from forming, resulting in clear, clean water.

How do you know about these things?

I heard a traveling merchant talk about it by the riverside!

Well, no reason not to give it a try.

We have a plan. Construction for spring plowing can wait until the bamboo pipes are completed.

It will take tremendous manpower and resources...

It's expensive, but it must be done. Our two downs should work together to overcome this crisis.

We'll follow your lead.

Do you want to study with me now?

Not really.

But you seem to know a lot. 'Guide spring water into the village with bamboo'... you helped us. I guess you're not a bad rock after all.

But why do you want me to study with you?

Ahem. It's rare to meet someone who can hear me. Besides... let's just say I saw it as my duty to teach some manners into an unruly brat like you.

You talked about the mistakes you made. Can people who made mistakes become teachers?

All you need to know is that I can give you knowledge and help you help the others.

The storage tank outside the town is complete, and the bamboo pipes have been connected, but we haven't had time to prepare the lacquer and flax to seal the connections.

Spring plowing will be delayed at this rate. We need to plant seedlings more efficiently.

But what can we do, besides putting more resources and manpower into it?

There must be another way, just like these bamboo pipes.

Yes, this seeding tool allows seeds to be planted with the foot. It saves energy and is easier on the back.

Remember your lessons, Little Wood. What can be done to improve this contraption?

Using lighter wood for the top and a hollow design will make it lighter and more comfortable to wear, allowing it to be used for long periods!

Good, good.

I'll go tell the farmers!

A waterwheel? But it's quite different from the ones I know...

Show it to me, Little Wood!

Alright—Burdenbeast! Keep at it! I'll give you a treat when we're done here!

The waterwheel begins to spin, the blades picking up the water sent by the bamboo pipes and pouring it into the newly built wooden reservoir.

The splashing water form drops in the sun, then lines as it flows into the fields that have been waiting for so long.

The waterwheel brings the water into farmland, which grow the crops that sustain the people. It is a scene that Ju has seen thousands of times.

But there are still new surprises waiting in store.

You seem to know so much, but you've never seen this?

No. This is the first time.

We made this ourselves! The farmers figured it out as they plowed the fields year after year!

Using burdenbeasts to pull an axle that moves the waterwheel... it is indeed much more efficient than the old ways.

If there comes a day when all the troubles are gone, I would love to be a straw man in the fields, enjoying the peace and quiet.

You just want to slack while everyone's working in the fields!

Why, you insolent brat—

You have learned the theories. Now it's time to practice them.

Huh? Now?

A student must not be lazy. One cannot gain true knowledge through words alone, if without practice.

From this day forth, you will walk through the town with me, and try to repair any instrument that is damaged.

Do not let anyone discover the secret of the stone.

—Alright!

Did you see it? It's so weird!

It was nighttime. Maybe it was just a fowlbeast running across firewood in the dark.

Not that! It was a ghastly figure the height of—the height of this little girl here!

Have you decided to go into storytelling after all your travels?

(See what I told you? No one must find out!)

(He said it was a 'ghastly figure'! He didn't say it was me...)

Speaking of strange things, I've been hearing a lot about them lately. Good things, though.

Ms. Wang was mourning her broken broom a few days ago. The next morning, it just fixed itself, good as new!

(Listen! Dad's praising me!)

(Wipe that grin off your face. How long did it take you to repair a single broom?)

There were other things too...

Maybe a deity of fixing broken things happens to be staying in town?

Deities aren't real, are they? Probably a craftsman in town just decided to do it in his free time...

Well, if there was one, I hope he'll pay me a visit, because I need to get the rice milling machine fixed before the autumn harvest.

The autumn harvest is exactly what I'm here about...

The stalks are heavy with grain this year. It will be a good harvest.

Of course! Everyone worked so hard from spring through autumn.

And you're slacking off while they're working in the fields.

I'm not slacking off! How many things did you think I repaired lately?

All the things they broke these past few months, from shovels to brooms to buckets to carrying poles—you saw me fix them, didn't you?

You say that again, and I won't take you to see the new stuff in town again!

Why, you brat—

Can you tell me know, Mr. Ju? What was the mistake you made?

A long time ago, I lived with a group of people who dwelled amongst the mountains and seas. I taught them the knowledge of crafting... and they repaid me with loyalty.

But war came to their lands, in the end.

You think you should have listened to them and left that country, rather than taking them to face that king's armies—and your own kind?

Did you think you started the conflict between them?

But—I don't think leaving is the best way! Dad said that turning around to leave is the easiest thing to do... it's just running away!

Dad said that I'll run into a lot of tough things when I grow up, like bad harvests, or that sickness of the river a while back, and... many more things!

But we've got arms and legs. We can't reap without sowing!

That's why I don't think just going away is the best way to solve a conflict. There must be a better way!

The words of a young, naive child.

She has a long journey ahead of her, many things that she will need to learn about.

What solution was there, in the conflict that It instigated?

What solution is there, for all the conflicts of the land?

You're up early, girl.

Don't be in such a hurry, be careful—

You can't stop her. Everybody's got a smile on their faces from the bumper crop. The girl's eager to help her dad.

The harvest this year has certainly been remarkable...

Will you stay in town next year, or will you be seeking your fortune elsewhere again?

Who would want to risk the Catastrophes out there, if every year is a bumper harvest?

Yeah... say, I heard you've started writing story books, about the Stone and the strange events of our town.

Folks from the next town say it's really popular there. It's even selling as far as Shangshu!

Treat us to a nice meal for the new year if you make it big, won't you?

Chief...

Chief...

We worked tirelessly from winter to autumn, building bamboo pipes, digging ditches, building canals, and working on waterwheels and other farm tools...

We poured our heart and soul into this soil, but...

There'll be a way.

Call on every able-bodied person in town. We need to clear up the clogged ditches first.

But we haven't had time to repair the tools after using them in spring and summer.

Then drain the water standing in the farmland first! We need to save as much rice as we can!

How do we do it without tools—

Then get on repairing them! Use bowls and hands if there's no time!

Chief...

Now's not the time, girl—

What if... the tools are already fixed?

This is no time to be joking around, girl...

I'm not joking! Go see for yourself!

...Let's go!

How did these tools—

Buckets, shovels, hoes... the tools that are broken through wear and tear now lie scattered in the old warehouse.

And most of them have been repaired—not quite good as new, but in working condition.

It's not a lot, but it's enough for now!

Get everyone on it—

Slow down, careful—

Chief! What are you gonna do with the water sitting in the fields?

The man is exhausted from a long journey. There is the smell of morning dew on him.

...You've repaired all your tools?

Hoes, buckets, carrying poles, water wheels... with these tools, perhaps...

We need to borrow the tools, chief!

What are you...?

Our town isn't in great shape either, as you can see.

<i>Gan ni niang!</i> Who was it who was talking about working together to overcome the crisis?!

Now is not the time to fight.

...I'm sorry. But even without the tools, even with bare hands, I'm sure your town can overcome the crisis if everyone works together.

You're really going to put this stone into a shrine?

You haven't let your own books get into your own head, have you? It was just a rock that the girl picked up. How could it be the 'legendary Stone' itself?

I thought it was only a legend at first...

But think about it... ever since it appeared, we've had broken things repair themselves, then a bumper crop, and then those tools that somehow got fixed...

Could the legends be true? I would rather err on the chance that it's real.

But we saved that harvest with our own hands, our own hard work.

You're not wrong, but how do you explain the tools that fixed themselves?

Maybe it was a craftsman in town...

How many craftsmen are there in this town?

Why did you come to the shrine? I thought you didn't believe in deities.

...Erring on the chance that it's real, I guess.

What's that commotion outside?

What are you people doing—

Thieves! That's my stone!

Get out of the way, girl! We're just here for the stone!

Being a thief is bad enough, now you're bullying a little girl?!

We're just borrowing it! You got lucky that the rain didn't flood your whole town, and now you won't let other people have a good harvest either?

You're rambling! Look at all the hard work we put into these farms! The bamboo pipes, tools, water wheels, rice mill... we made it with our two hands!

You're the one who's rambling! Why did you come to this shrine if you didn't believe in the lengendary stone?

I—

The peddler's here too! You wrote the storybook, you tell us about it! Is story about this girl coming up with the seeding tool improvements real, or did you make it all up?

...I heard it from that farmer.

And what about the stories of this girl wandering around the town carrying the stone?

(Glances at Little Wood)

Regardless, the stone belongs to us.

That's right!

The other townsfolk yell in agreement, but the people from the neighboring town do not back down—

How did all those tools get fixed after the rain?

Why is it that your town alone weathered the crisis?

There must be some sorcery... it must be the legendary stone!

I heard everything you were talking about! Some stone? Does this look like one that makes dreams come true?

G-Guide spring water into the village with bamboo.

How do you know about these things?

How does a little girl know about these things?!

If it's indeed the legendary stone that brought all this, we need it, and we'll have it even if we have to fight for it—

(Listen, girl, I have an idea to stop a fight from breaking out.)

(Mr. Ju?!)

(Do what you tried to do when we first met. Throw me into the river. There will be no conflict if there is no Stone.)

(You want to solve the problem by leaving?)

(It's the best way to go to avoid things from going out of control.)

(You have learned your lessons well... you can continue to hone your skills on your own.)

It looks like a fight might break out at any moment.

(No...)

STOP IT!

The child's voice rings loud and clear in the tiny shrine.

(Girl—)

(Raises the stone)

You call this a 'legendary stone'. Look at it. Does it look like there's anything legendary about it?

The crowd bends in to take a closer look at the green stone lying quietly in the girl's hand. It is dull, unremarkable, looking no more magical than any ordinary stone picked up from the fields.

I-I was the one who fixed the tools after the rain!

You? Hah, I guess the stories have gotten to your head, girl!

...Watch me!

The girl takes a broken hoe and ties the broken pieces together with vines. The hoe is now even stronger than it used to be.

Haven't we been planting our rice with our own hands all these years?

Why do we stop trusting our hands after one rain? Why do we have to believe in some stone... believe in deities?

Why do we wish for a stone to solve all our problems?

Why are we fighting like this over a rock?

We should be counting on ourselves!

The sun is pale today. The empty fields lie fallow, like a heavy snow had just fallen.

There!

You really let the girl build a strawman around the stone and put it in the field.

This is both a... closure for what happened that day, and a symbol of hope that next year will be a good harvest.

If there's really a deity in the stone... I think he'll be glad to see us work together and make all this land fields of golden grain, extending as far as the river banks.

For the first time in centuries, Ju has a body again.

If there comes a day when all the troubles are gone, I would love to be a straw man in the fields, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Seriously, where did the girl learn all these words?