Thar Shaddin

Piao Bai had managed to put away a few of the baozi and took the refreshed cup of tea gratefully. He started to take a sip but choked at Cai's words. A coughing fit ensued and a horrified look crossed his face. He had not considered he would be unable to return home. Piao Bai returned the cup to its place, looking a little put off and shocked. Slipping from the pillow he moved away from Cai. A sense of agitation and worry communicated itself clearly across their shared connection. The sensation was accompanied by Paio Bai's mini-pace from the pillow and back to it.

"I must return home."

He had to. Given Beitzya's behavior, Piao Bai was worried for his parents. Speaking of Beitzya, Cai had yet to ask about the large black dragon. Probably for the best...

Cai sipped at her tea. It was not her way to comfort with falsehoods, nor to brutally dash hope when that might be all a person had to cling to. A hint of sympathy came through the bond to Piao Bai, but Cai didn't touch upon the subject directly. "It is only within my power to ensure you reach Yulongjing, and wish you fortune thereafter, Piao Bai."

Cai had spent some time that morning contemplating the little dragon's dilemma. The Yi Jing method of exorcism worked primarily on the non-corporeal, as did Cai's own binding trigrams. To banish a physical manifestation of the Astral Plane would require destroying its physical component and then banishing the remnants of its energies. And there was no guarantee that such methodology would not do irreparable harm to the entity so banished. Up until now, though, that hadn't been an issue. Only those entities which had caused destruction and death had required exorcism. How to help something forced entirely onto the material plane back home? It was a quandary.

The problem had thus far appeared incapable of resolution. To Cai's knowledge, nobody had previously saved such a creature's life. Cai had other concerns regarding the matter, but those would have to wait for another time. She would have many hours to contemplate the conundrum during their travels. Cai finished her tea and set the cup on a table. "I think it is time to discharge my responsibilities to Yunshan Village."

Cai retrieved her writing kit from from her travel pack. As with all of Cai's belongings, it was simple and unassuming: a sandalwood case, engraved only with the binding trigrams, containing the accoutrements required for calligraphy. Opening it with care, Cai inspected each brush, deciding ahead of time which to use. "This will become tedious, I think, Piao Bai. If you find the proceedings not to your taste, you are not beholden to witness them, and may find the open air far more enjoyable. Still, I should make my way there now, so that I can prepare the ink and ensure that they have not forgotten to obtain paper for me." Cai closed the case gently and smoothed the wrinkles on her tunic.

Piao Bai was pacing, so at first what he heard was little. But, once he realized Cai was going to leave him for whatever it is she does, he stopped.

"It might be boring, but what else am I to do?" Piao Bai sighed and moved to Cai, placing a paw upon her leg as he looked up at her.

"I could scribe for you if you would like. My calligraphy is excellent."

Cai smiled to herself. The questions which would be asked of her if a writ came through with her seal and another's handwriting. She could just imagine how that conversation would go: 'I was in haste, your Excellency, and let a little dragon write it out for me.' Yes indeed, impregnable logic, the most perfect of explanations. "I regret, Piao Bai, that protocol demands that it be written in my own hand, lest accusations of forgery hinder the processing of Yunshan's paperwork. But thank you for the offer."

Cai patted the little dragon's paw absent-mindedly as she performed a swift mental catalogue of the likely requests and haggling points. At least this time there would be no sense of doubt as to Piao Bai's capability to perform the task of calligraphy through their bond. "Let us be off. Did the villagers happen to mention where they planned to hold the meeting? It would be beneficial to expediency, I think, to surprise them there and thus control the initial pace of proceedings." Cai picked up her calligraphy case.

"A pity." Truly, because that meant he would have to keep himself entertained. Perhaps he would watch the proceedings until he grew bored then wander off to find more interesting things. He wondered if the people of the Village would claim their gifts amongst the reimbursements. That would be very telling of the type of people they truly are.

"They did not mention it specifically, but from the sounds of things it appears the Temple is big enough for community gatherings." Piao Bai still felt agitated, but he seemed to be keeping it under control.

"Cai, may I ride upon your shoulder?" At least earlier lessons stuck with him. He wanted comforting, but he was smart enough to ask this time instead of just assuming she was his personal carriage.

A temple would, in some ways, make a certain amount of sense in the context of typical peasant superstition. Ancestor worship was not uncommon among the citizens of Tian Xia, though it was not something Cai particularly adhered to. Why worship a dead ancestor when, in Cai's opinion, something as near to a perfect being as could be imagined ruled the empire? Admittedly, Emperor cults were quietly discouraged, as Imperial ethical policies dictated that citizens should take personal responsibility for their lives. But in the further reaches of the empire, superstitions of all varieties were often deeply entrenched.

Cai halted her mental tangent as Piao Bai made his request. There had been a marked improvement in the little dragon's behaviour from what it had been prior to her restorative trance. Indeed, Cai was almost ready to discard those chaotic first impressions as a result of crisis-driven stress. Not that the stress was over for the small draconic stranger to Tian Xia. Far from it. The Jinyiwei could afford a certain amount of compassion under such circumstances "You may, Piao Bai." It certainly would not hurt in grasping the villagers' attention and dictating the pace of the meeting. Cai paused by the table to give Piao Bai a chance to find his way to her shoulders. "Fortunately, this should be the only paperwork I will have to deal with until I lodge my reports at the regional magistrate's office. The rest will, hopefully, be an uneventful journey devoid of horrible weather."

The present day, at least, was promising to be pleasantly warm. Leaving the small house, it was not difficult to locate where the temple was. In Yunshan village, though, 'temple' was stretching the definition of the word quite a bit - even taking into account politeness. A shrine attached to a communal hall could not be considered a temple save in all but the loosest terms. But it was certainly large enough to take care of business dealings, presumably under the watchful eyes of the village's ancestors. The Jinyiwei's steps were military in their precision and sense of purpose as she began the walk to the building.

Piao Bai leapt with ease to Cai's shoulder. "Thank you. Just a moment..."

Curving himself, he looped around the back of her neck and carefully grasped the fabric of her shirt with both sets of paws. He also wrapped his tail around the upper part of one of her left arm. His head was near her right ear. He looked for all the world like a lizardy stole. Piao Bai's skin was cool to the touch and smoother than one would think. He gave off a slight musky smell. The pleasantness or unpleasantness of his scent would be in the nose of the beholder.

"I hope during our trip, you will understand that I may need to ride with you or within the bond mark we share."

Once the pair were outside of the house, Piao Bai lifted his head for a moment, then touched his nose briefly to Cai's cheek.

"I smell incense and many people to your right ."

Speaking of scents and sensations, it was unusual. Piao Bai could feel Cai's skin against his and smell nuances that were previously unnoticed from across the room. Coupled with the subtle emotional nuances that came across the bond mark, Piao Bai felt almost disturbingly intimate with the half-elf. Not that that would stop him from taking advantage of the free ride on her shoulders, no, just that it was kind of ... odd.

Cai inclined her head slightly when Piao Bai made his request regarding travel "Understandable. The road will be long, and conditions likely to be less than favourable until we come closer to the capital.

The touch of the little dragon's nose to her cheek was reminiscent of the stray cat she had fed as a child. Cai almost, almost, reflexively scratched Piao Bai on the head. His, and her, dignity was only saved by his speech interrupting the movement of Cai's hand, which diverted itself to her own chin. "Then let us greet them, and by our early arrival snatch the momentum of proceedings from their grasp. Feel free to look regal and lordly."

Cai marched into the communal hall, her gait identical to that of any Tian Xian soldier. She paused her advance to the writing desk only to turn and offer her respects to the village shrine from where the scent of incense had earlier reached Piao Bai. She did not speak a word aloud until she reached her desk and placed her writing case down upon it. The villagers' chatter had ceased upon the sound of her entrance, and Cai took a moment to examine her audience before commencing her own introduction. Six villagers - four men and two women - sat prominently on cushions. Cai recognised two of them, though only one by name: the carpenter Shun. The rest of the villagers were seated behind the six in a somewhat haphazard fashion. Among them Cai saw Mei Li and the woman who she had taken as a servant of the Headman's house when she had first visited.

Cai pressed her palms together and offered a slight bow "I am Wénshēn Cai of Yulongjing, Jinyiwei and member of the Imperial Household. By the grace and benevolence of The Tianlong Emperor I call to order this formal hearing for the purpose of evaluating a Writ of Restitution for the Village of Yunshan." Cai sat down and opened her writing case, swiftly and methodically preparing the ink and selecting a brush. The villagers had successfully retrieved more than enough paper for her purposes, which Cai appreciated. Cai began composing the opening structure of the Writ of Restitution as she spoke, her brushlines neat and precise, albeit lacking in artistic flourish. "Those who speak for Yunshan Village, introduce yourself and your profession, that I may record your names."

The first to speak was an elderly lady, whose sour expression was a match for Cai's on the best of days. "Esteemed Jinyiwei, my name is Aiju, village elder and midwife." Second to speak was an equally elderly man, who looked half-mummified from years spent working the fields "I am Dachun, village elder and farmer." It became apparent to Cai from the discomfort Shun was trying to hide that the six people before her were speaking in order of village hierarchy, and it seemed he hadn't even fought his way into the top three. It seemed not everyone liked his fawning ways, despite his courage.

Third to speak was the burly man Piao Bai had warned her of on the night she struck the gong, who had argued that Yunshan should try and get as much from the writ as the village could. "I am Chao, village mason." Cai supposed only his relative youth prevented the man from being assigned the honorific of 'village elder'. How many of the villager's elderly had died during Wenli's time here? Fourth to speak was a short and stocky man who responded curtly, gaze never leaving the floor before him "Zhong. Blacksmith." There was no sense of malice from the man, despite what a more petty and pedantic official might well have deemed rudeness. Fifth was a somewhat subdued Shun, and sixth was a young woman wearing utilitarian clothes typical to hunters. She seemed uncomfortable in her spot and responded swiftly "Yongzhi, village birdcatcher".

As each village representative spoke and performed the customary bows and sundry courtesies the occasion demanded, Cai nodded, her calligraphy brush moving non-stop as she wrote their details. As a mental aside to Piao Bai, Cai noted "It seems the village is already recovering its equilibrium. Aiju and Chao, I imagine, will press me hardest for concessions. You spent some time among the villagers whilst I was recovering, Piao Bai, is there anything you can tell me of the six people before me?"

A sense of amusement permeated their bond. As if I could be anything less! Piao Bai knew that Cai had already put him in one or two situations that were less than regal. With his tail wrapped around her left arm, Piao Bai pushed up onto his forelegs head held high. He was the son of the Lord and Lady of the Silvery River! It almost shone off of his white skin. Certainly, the sun gleamed off of him, giving him a opalescent glow. As they entered the hall, he surveyed the attendees with all the training he'd been given, fixing each with a golden eyed stare. He recognized them all from the celebration the nights' prior.

Piao Bai adjusted easily with his flexible body to Cai's bow. Indeed, he even pressed his two front paws together to give a bow, just as Cai had done. He timed it when she mentioned the Emperor. The timing was mere coincidence. As Cai settled to begin, Piao Bai gracefully leapt from her shoulder to sit beside her. He sat up, upon his haunches, and placed a paw on the table. As each villager introduced his or herself, he looked at them.

At Cai's request, he shared what he'd learned. "Yes, they will. They have suffered, these people. Little was kept to keep them healthy for the coming winter, though I have no idea where Wenli might have stored all the goods. That would bear some investigation." Piao Bai drifted off in thought for a moment.

"The old lady can drink much baijiu and speaks roughly after a bottle. She is also very handsy with the younger men, much to their dismay..." Piao Bai gave a little shudder. "She appears to have the best interest of the village in her heart. She views everyone as extensions of her family."

"Chao was also forthright. He spoke honestly about the experiences and losses the village experienced. I think he wants to make the village's experience better from this, though."

"Zhong is the blacksmith. He wants nothing to do with politics and was glad Shun was given the role. He confided, after many cups, that he thinks the widow Shunchan Pai is a fine woman and asked that I play Song of the Lilies for her"

"Dachun is wily and extremely good at fan-tan. What I won was hard earned. He seems to have suffered the least from Wenli's time here, I think."

"Yongzhi is quiet and kept to herself. She seemed quite shy. I think she may have been engaged to Liu, but I am not sure." Piao Bai looked up at Cai for a moment, "Another you should know is the girl by Mei Li. She is Guo's daughter, Li Lan." With that, he waited for the proceedings to begin.

In truth, he would have become a magistrate or minister of some kind. He had never bothered to pay much attention, but never really had to either. Now, now that he knew these people, suddenly what he might have become was a little more real and... a little more interesting.

Piao Bai's shudder as he described Aiju's fondness for younger men caused a slight surge of amusement to seep through their bond, though Cai herself remained stonefaced as her brush marched down the first page of paper in neat characters. When the little dragon had finished, Cai responded "Thank you, Piao Bai. That will assist me greatly." And it would, at that. Honest farmers were, by and large, the easiest to deal with. Merchants and the gentrified progeny of high-ranked officials, by contrast, tended to be the worst.

The bureaucracy of Tian Xia was almost ritualistic at times, demanding certain forms be followed rigidly for its various procedures. Cai spoke from years of rote learning and usage "By the mandate invested in me through the auspices of the Tianlong Emperor and the Sānshěng Liùbù, I thank you all for the introductions, and hereby commence the formal part of the hearing. Starting with spokeswoman Aiju, we would understand the sum of your suffering". It was not so much an Imperial 'we', but rather a bureaucratic speaking-for-the-government 'we', and yet it felt as pompous to Cai now as it had the first time she'd needed to learn it. A hint of that distaste for the formal trappings of the process also slipped through her bond with Piao Bai

The elderly lady bowed and spoke. "Thank you, esteemed Jinyiwei, and all respect to the Imperial Household." It was a solid form of etiquette, and Cai suspected Aiju had at the very least taken the training for the imperial examinations. "Our village has been under Wenli's domination..." Aiju's face soured even further just speaking the sorcerer's name "...for almost two entire seasons. Our planting was late, and our harvest will suffer as a result." Dachun looked as if he wanted to speak, or spit, but Aiju continued. "It is our hope and request that Yunshan Village is waived the taxes for this, and next season's, harvest so that we may rebuild our stock of rice seed."

Chao, too, seemed like he was about to speak. Cai cut him off through the simple expedience of speaking in response to Aiju. It was critical to keep things at her pace, rather than let things drag on with early debate. "The Tianlong Emperor and Sānshěng Liùbù recognise the plight of Yunshan Village, and waive two seasons' worth of rice tax at the next collection." Cai's brush continued its methodical assault on the page, forming neat columns of instructions for the Imperial Tax Collectors. "Do the representatives of Yunshan Village have any further matters to bring forward?" Cai often found villagers were surprised when she acceded to their requests without argument. But the restitution system worked precisely to ensure the continued goodwill and contentment of the Empire's citizens. However, Cai knew there was at least one other matter which would need some kind of remedy via Writ of Restitution, and she was curious to know who would raise it.

Cai had expected it to be Chao, or Dachun, but it was the birdcatcher Yongzhi who spoke. The young woman tended to quiet speech, but the hall carried sound well "We have lost several members of this village, and it will be a hard winter because of the late planting and harvest. I request that we be exempt from weisuo conscriptions for a year, and our surviving conscripts given the coming year as leave from military duty."

The Jinyiwei was impressed. Normally, in her experience, villages tried to obtain additional economic benefits to help in the aftermath of deaths in a village caused by the supernatural. Most Tian Xians had a fairly pragmatic temperament. From the look on Chao's face, it seemed Yongzhi had stolen his thunder. However, the hint of surprise there suggested he had been preparing to ask for the more typical fiscal restitution. Cai responded "The Tianlong Emperor and Sānshěng Liùbù offer condolences for your losses, and ask that you speak their names that they may be remembered". It was a more tactful way of saying 'list the dead', as if they were tallies to be counted. Sometimes, the ritualised forms served a positive function.

The elderly Dachun spoke then, his voice raspy from the cold morning "Yunshan Village has lit incense for Guo, our headman; Liu, Guo's son and weisuo conscript" The jinyiwei noticed that Li Lan and Yongzhi were careful to lower their heads slightly, hiding their emotions as best they could. Mei Li's arm was around Li Lan's shoulder. Perhaps Piao Bai had been correct about Liu and Yongzhi. Dachun's voice continued on, the old man recounting each name slowly and gravely "Heng, Guo's younger brother and weisuo conscript; Huan, farmer. Xiang, farmer and weisuo conscript. Xiu, Huan's wife." Cai was careful to write down each name and profession, taking note of which were part of the weisuo militia conscripts.

When Dachun finished reciting the village's dead, Cai spoke, again adopting the formal trappings required of her "The Tianlong Emperor and Sānshěng Liùbù witness and grieve over the losses in Yunshan village. Yunshan village is granted leave until the following year's census, until which time it is not required to meet the village quota of military attendance for its category. This does not prevent those who wish to take the fallen's place and engage in military service from doing so, should they so choose." Cai had, in essence, granted them over a year, closer to a year and a half.

Cai's demeanour throughout the proceedings had not altered. The tattooed woman was seated straight-backed and expressionless, her brush moving swiftly as she performed her duty with the utmost attention to detail. Still, through the bond, Piao Bai might well feel the strong undertone of sympathy from the jinyiwei. "Do the representatives of Yunshan Village have any further matters to bring forward?"

Finally, Chao spoke, though it was not quite what Cai expected. The mason scratched the back of his neck as he said "Only our thanks, to yourself and Piao Bai, esteemed jinyiwei. For freeing us from Wenli, and for your generosity in helping Yunshan survive what will be a hard year to come."

Cai bowed in response, perhaps a bit awkwardly compared to her previous courtesies, and Piao Bai would definitely feel a sense of embarrassment flooding through the bond from Cai as she sought a way to bridge, from what was for her an awkward moment, back to something more resembling the mental script she had been working from.

Cai's discomfort filtered through the bond and Piao Bai turned to look at the Jinyiwei. Piao Bai moved to Cai's side, perched on his haunches, and placed a paw on her leg. He glanced up to Cai before looking out at the villagers assembled before them. The dragon tattoo on her arm warmed and a golden light limned the lines of the marking. The little dragon's golden eyes seemed to intensify in colour, too. Somehow, someway the little dragon's voice was heard throughout the room, though his mouth opened only slightly.

Around them, the little dust mote sprites glowed and danced, falling like snow before getting caught on an updraft and floating away.

I will never forget what I have seen, felt, and learned here. Truly, you are a people worth respect and honor. Your joy of life, your sense of community, and the care you take in remembering those who have gone before you, are what unites you and makes you strong. They are blessings to cherish.

Drawing on Cai's obvious respect for her position and the Emperor, Paio Bai continued.

The Emperor truly cares for his subjects, as shown by the laws so lovingly put in place to ensure your success and by the presence of those as skilled as the Jinyiwei. Your thanks humble us and are more than we expect for doing our duty.

Piao Bai knew he had not really done much of anything, but also knew how to speak like a courtier when required. The connection faded, evidenced by the dulling of the glow in Piao Bai's eyes and the glow limning the line art on Cai's arm. Paio Bai's color was off again. Doing what he had done had required more energy than he'd expected.

Cai, I need to rest. Forgive m.... Paio Bai's physical form disappeared in a soft glow of gold followed by the soft glow limning the artwork for a moment. As before, the artwork remained exactly as it had been, but now superimposed over it was the color of Piao Bai's body, curled into a ball. She could, of course, cast him out as she had done before. Piao Bai would not fight it.

Cai's reputation for iciness stemmed typically from her stone-faced demeanour and a history of vanishing from a place once a task was complete. Enduring accolades and farewells was not something she was fond of, and tended to avoid at all costs. She was, therefore, saved from further embarrassment by Piao Bai's timely interjection and speech. Certainly, the little dragon had a flare for showmanship, and tt bought her enough time to gather her wits and follow Piao Bai's lead.

As the little dragon faded into the tattoo to rest, and the villagers' eyes seemed to grow to the size of teacups in surprise, Cai sent her thoughts internally before speaking. "Thank you, Piao Bai, that was well said. Rest for now. The road beckons soon." Cai looked across the villagers and spoke "What I have done for you was merely an extension of the Tianlong Emperor's desire that each citizen of Tian Xia lives in safety. Be at peace Yunshan Village, and prosper, for the prosperity of the village is the prosperity of the empire. By the mandate invested in me through the auspices of the Tianlong Emperor and the Sānshěng Liùbù, I bring this hearing to an end. I request that representative Aiju remain to collect the Writ."

Once again, Cai's knack to turn any phrase into a tacit dismissal shined through, and the villagers started filtering out as the Jinyiwei methodically finished composing the last section of the writ. Only Aiju remained, seated patiently, by the time Cai melted wax onto the writ and pressed her stamp in it. Finally, with the Writ of Restitution completed, stamped, and signed, Cai beckoned to Aiju "Representative Aiju. Please approach the desk." Cai handed over the document, and advised "Keep this safe, and dry. Thank you for your village's hospitality in this time."

It was another clear dismissal, and Aiju left Cai to clean her writing kit in readiness for travel. The Jinyiwei pondered the trip ahead. The terrain between Yunshan and Jin's provincial capital Shenyi was not particularly easy, mostly mountainous and hilly terrain, and the trip would likely take close to two weeks. The Imperial stone roads reached as far as Shenyi, but past that it was mostly dirt roads and mountain paths, saving the broad stone roads leading from Shenyi to the mining towns. Were it not for Jin's plethora of mines, there might not have been an Imperial road to Shenyi at all.

When Cai did leave the hall, she made straight for the house, to begin packing and planning their trip. Her every move, it seemed, was followed by the curious gaze of Yunshan's residents. The constant prickling in her left arm was a reminder of just why that might be. Well, she was used to receiving strange looks, one more reason for them would be no hardship. Once inside, Cai carefully went through her belongings. The loss of one set of clothes did leave space in her pack for Piao Bai's changshan, though she suspected it would end up used by the little dragon as a glorified blanket. Why not an actual blanket? At times Cai was unable to fathom the minds of people.

Her pack was, she had to be honest, a mess. She would need to replace it as soon as she reached Shenyi. The rusty spots where blood had splattered it would alone be cause for raised eyebrows. It bothered her also not to have spare travel clothes. If it rained, she would be unable to change to dry clothing once the rain stopped. That too was a recipe for disaster in mountainous terrain. Cai pursed her lips. Well, she had endured worse in her time, but it didn't mean she wanted to go through it again.

Cai placed all their belongings in neat piles, in order of what would need to be packed first. Packing would take no time at all when the time for their departure arrived. With half the day gone, Cai decided a dawn departure would be for the best. Cai spent the afternoon in meditation, resolving herself and settling her spirit for the journey - and related discomforts - to come.

As twilight settled over Yunshan village a knock on the door caused Cai to exit her meditative state. "Who is it?"

Piao Bai felt as if he was floating weightless, in some sort of limbo. Cai's words sounded as if they were spoken in a wind tunnel, coming as if from a long distance. Sound happened and then resolved into words. Something changed at her words. First he felt superimposed beside her, parallel to her, then he felt as if they had merged in some ethereal way. The sensation was not quite relaxing, it prickled. But, not so much that it kept him from drifting off. His energy began to recharge faster as Cai slipped into meditation.


When he opened his eyes, he had taken the form of the tattoo, giving it depth and color. Cai spoke in response to something he did not immediately hear. His desire to see and hear did something unexpected.

He could see. He could hear. But, he was still part of the tattoo. What magic was this? Piao Bai did not fight it. He was curious. It was as if he and Cai were one, but separate. When she exited her meditative state, the small astral creatures Piao Bai saw constantly froze in place then skittered off in different directions like roaches do when the lights come on.

Out of the corner of his eye (or was it Cai's eye?) a little sprite scrambled across the flooring and disappeared into the wall. The movement of Cai's gait was disorienting and Piao Bai shut his eyes and ears. It was too much. He felt nausea well in his stomach. Piao Bai forced himself from the connection, fleeing the dual body sensation.

He landed neatly upon all four feet.

That was odd. Smells like Mei Li is at the door. With that, Piao Bai put his nose up in the air and inhaled a deep breath. "And she's got more baozi!"

Mei Li did have a plate of baozi for them. She also had a bag.

"Honorable Jinyiwei and Long Piao Bai, I humbly request I be allowed to accompany you on your journey to the capital."

It was the only chance she had. In the near future, the village elders would decide she needed to be married to some wrinkly, smelly old farmer.

"I am strong and cook well. I could be a great use to you."

Piao Bai, who had dug into the baozi, paused in mid-bite to stare open-mouthed at Mei Li.

Cai was, she had to acknowledge, becoming appreciative of Piao Bai's nose. Cai stirred herself and rose awkwardly to her feet as stiffness from old wounds hindered her movements. And that was without the chill of the mountain's night air sinking in yet. The Jinyiwei opened the door and accepted the baozi before Mei Li's words registered. Cai used the excuse of setting down the steamed buns to hide her irked expression. Children. Always so irresponsible.

When Cai turned back to face Mei Li, her expression was serene, a perfect mask "Mei Li, I must politely deny your request. To accept it would be the height of irresponsibility on my behalf, as it would be directly endangering your life." Cai knew that such reasoning wasn't going to solve the matter: children often felt invincible in their excitement, right up until reality beat their confidence down and spat upon their presumption. "I understand the desire to see the capital. It is a marvellous city. But it is a city which only lets those who have earned their way there to stay as a resident." Of course, that didn't stop people from making their way there in the hopes of finding work. But without proper references and resources, those people's impetuous dreams came to a swift end. "If it is your desire to see Yulongjing, Mei Li, study hard for the Imperial Examinations. Earn yourself a place there with your own hands and mind."

Cai had no idea of Mei Li's capabilities in the academic fields such study required. The village didn't seem to have an official teacher of any kind, but there were provincial academies that villages could refer their members to in an attempt to earn a grant. But whether Mei Li was suited to that path or not, Cai was not quite done with her refusal, resorting to a time-honoured technique for restraining recklessness "Please give some thought to this, Mei Li. Yunshan has lost a lot, and the coming harvests will be difficult enough even with your help. Is now truly the right time to abandon your home village and its people? Think carefully on this."

Internally, despite her calm exterior, Cai was irked by the entire scenario. "A prime example, Piao Bai, of the foolhardiness of youth. The path to success is paved with hard work and dedication, and is not to be traversed by clinging to someone else's sleeves. The child does not realise how dangerous even the journey home is for a Jinyiwei. At any time, when I report in to a regional magistrate's office, I could be called upon to assist in matters beyond the capabilities of the regular bailiffs. Just as the Magistrate of Shanyi requested my investigation of Yunshan." And look how that had turned out. Cai had been wounded so badly it had taken her two days to recover. If she'd had someone like Mei Li in her room when the two Yaoguai struck, then that person would have been carved up like a duck in the hands of a Ji street hawker.

Mei Li shook her head.

"I do not care about the Capital. I wish to serve the honorable Jinyiwei and her companion." She had interrupted an elder to say as much, so she crouched down in a bow, touching her forehead to the floor.

"Yunshun requires me to birth more children to help with the crops. I would not be granted the luxury of studying for the exams."

Piao Bai, for his part, had resumed chewing on the baozi.

"An excellent example of someone attempting to change the fate forced upon them." He repiled to Cai's comment. For the first time Piao Bai thought about his own fate. He should have been married off, become an administrator, and fathered children. Now, his fate was uncertain and his future unknown.

Many thoughts bubbled up in Piao Bai's head flipping and flopping the nuances of responsibility until it gave him a headache.

"This is all about responsibility and accountability isn't it?" Piao Bai reached for another baozi and ate it. "I hate that she is stuck with such a fate, but agree that having her with us creates an obligation for her health and well-being neither of us want to meet. That is what makes retainers and servants so troublesome. Right?"