Not realy, if I managed to guess what the figure on the poll represented someone who is both smart and native from the culture should be able to do the same.
Why do you think that? It seens pretty clear knowledge trial to me, do you follow your heart and help one old man right now or keep folowing the path and don't risk the opportunity to help your whole family for the rest of your life ? This is not just a trial of virtue, but a trial of wisdom, so I fell long term thinking is key.
"Oh god, hahaha, you're pretty funny" Xiao Fang laughed. She looked up at the man, noticing his stony face. "Wait, you're serious? That just makes it funnier, hehe!"
"All life is sacred? What an extraordinary idea! Hahahahhahah-"
Why do you think that? It seens pretty clear knowledge trial to me, do you follow your heart and help one old man right now or keep folowing the path and don't risk the opportunity to help your whole family for the rest of your life ? This is not just a trial of virtue, but a trial of wisdom, so I fell long term thinking is key.
It's not just a trial of 'virtue' but of the 'virtues of the phoenix' which afaik are, in Chinese symbiology, all about being super great people.
Or rather, why would we not just start inside the exam in that case? What about the exam is necessary for showing our knowledge to whatever is making this illusion? Isn't practical situations better for showing that kind of thing?
Also, the whole 'help random old probably poor guy for obviously no profit or even at a loss' is a very common 'old poor guy wasn't actually old and poor but was testing people for virtues' kind of stories.
What i'm saying is, would the Phoenix' virtue of knowledge be something as mundane as 'doing good on a test'? I very much doubt it. Although i am not the Author so i could of course be wrong.
I can't bring myself to see "help the old man" as a bad thing on a virtue test. Even though it's a knowledge and/or wisdom test, it's hard to convince myself that this could be a bad choice
Any advice, corrections or criticism are welcome. If you are reading this, please take a moment to vote. It takes no time at all and is integral to the questing process.
"Well deary," the old man asked. "Since my cane is broken, would you mind helping me to my home? It just on the other end of the city."
Ciang Lu bit her lip. Her manners demanded she helped the old man, but if she did she could miss the provincial exams and she doubted they would give her a second chance!
However, eventually, she decided she would help him. Respect for one's elders was an integral virtue, and to ignore it for personal gain would be shameful.
"Of course, Senior," Ciang Lu smiled. "Let me help you!"
She leaned down to pick up her loaves of bread, which she held carefully in one hand. Then, the young girl lifted his arm over her shoulder so his weight was leaning on her.
"And what way is your home, Senior?" Ciang Lu asked.
The old man pointed north, and Ciang Lu began to slowly lead him in the direction he had indicated, supporting his weight with her shoulder.
"So, what brings someone like you to the capital," the old man asked, breaking the silence.
"Hmm? Someone like me?" Ciang Lu questioned confused.
"A commoner," the old man clarified.
"Oh, I came here to take the Provincial Exams," Ciang Lu admitted.
The old man nodded, before looking at her strangely.
"... You know the tests start at midday?" the old man asked. "You've just missed them."
"I couldn't just leave you there," Ciang Lu shrugged helplessly. "It would be immoral to abandon an Elder in need just for an exam."
"You have a good ability to distinguish right from wrong," the old man observed. "But the Exams will not give you an exception for being moral. Don't you think it would be wiser to have gone to the exams?"
"Maybe it would have been smarter, but it would not have been wiser," Ciang Lu disagreed.
"Oh?" the old man grunted, surprised. "Do you think there is a difference?"
"Wisdom is the ability to differentiate good from evil and make the correct decision. " Ciang Lu continued.
"I think we've arrived at my destination," the old man said, halting Ciang Lu, who looked up surprised.
"Are you sure you are not mistaken?" Ciang Lu asked. "isn't this the Ministry Building?"
"It is the Ministry Building," the old man confirmed, "But I am not mistaken."
The Ministry Building towered over all nearby buildings, a massive three-story complex. It was surrounded by metal fences and a small moat. A single gate surrounded by guards led into the complex.
The old man whistled loudly, waving an arm. Immediately several of the guards ran over, staring at him warily.
"What's going on here?" one of the masked.
The old man reached into his robes, retrieving what looked like a sheet of carved jade. The guards stared at the jade, immediately bowing.
"We greet scholar Liang!"
"I'm here to see Examiner Qing," the old man replied. "Open up the gates at once."
"Of course!" the guards nodded, running back towards the large
"What was that?" Ciang Lu asked, shocked.
"I'm old friends with the head examiner," the old man replied. "It would simply be a travesty if someone like you failed to get an Offical position simply because you decided to help a Senior."
"Senior..." Ciang Lu replied, at a loss for words.
"Being a Scholar is about more than just memorizing books and reciting poems," the old man continued. "The best Officials must have a strong moral compass and the convictions necessary to keep to it. I think you've already proven that to me today."
"Thank you, Senior!" Ciang Lu said, bowing deeply.
"Think nothing of it," the old man chuckled. "Heaven rewards the virtuous, after all."
Ciang Lu and the old man made their way past the gate and towards the massive ministry building.
Suddenly, the world began to shimmer and tremble, distortions of light filling the air.
For a moment Xiao Fang found herself fully aware once more as the world seemed to shift.
The bustling city around her, chock full of massive buildings and bustling streets began to melt away into an enclosed office. Dim sunlight streamed into the office through an uncovered window along with a warm summer breeze.
Xiao Fang could feel the 'memories' of Ciang Lu disappearing, draining away from her mind, only to be quickly replaced by a new illusion. However, Xiao Fang was prepared this time, blocking off a tiny portion of her subconscious even as the rest of her was once more overwritten.
Xiang Gong sighed loudly, rubbing her forehead. The bright morning light illuminated the stacks of paper before her. Requests that needed approval, permits that needed renewal, budget adjustments that needed her stamp.
She had served as the Minister of Liu Province for over a decade, and yet she was still not used to it. Her hand ached sorely from hours of non-stop writing jolts of pain travelling up her arm.
Xiang Gong grabbed another sheet of paper, quickly skimming through it. It was an agricultural report from the Biang county, detailing grain production, consumption and storage. Xiang Gong quickly looked it over, and, failing to see any egregious errors, signed it and moved on.
Next was a document asking for her to approve funding for the construction of a river moat to surround Biang River in case of flooding, Xiang Gong quickly looked through it, then at the monthly remaining budget. The document was requesting ten thousand Jing to pay for the moat, but the monthly discretionary budget only had fifteen thousand left, all of which would eventually be needed for numerous other requests. Xiang Gong clicked her tongue, scribing down a denial.
"You have failed to demonstrate a special need for emergency funding at this moment. You may apply for another grant next month," Xiang Gong wrote.
After a moment, Xiang Gong suddenly bit her lip, a strange feeling in her gut.
"River moat... River moat..." Xiang Gong muttered, thinking deeply. For some reason, she felt like she remembered something related to a river moat...
"I remember!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Didn't I recently get another request to approve a river moat?"
Xiang Gong stood up from her desk, walking over to a large filing cabinet next to it. She opened the top drawer and began to quickly flick through dozens of documents until she found what she was looking for.
"Here it is," the woman exclaimed reading through the document. It was marked as being from the same place that had just sent her another request.
"If I already approved funding of ten thousand Jing to construct a moat around Biang River last week, why is there a second one?" she questioned, narrowing her eyes. "Don't tell me the Minster of Biang County has embezzled the funding?"
Xiao Fang Perception check DC75
D100 + Smart + Law + Buissness + Court Politics + History + Science
94 + 10 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 113 Pass
Xiang Gong notices that there has been a double request for funding the contruction of a river moat around Biang River.
After a moment of thinking, Xiang Gong shook her head.
"It's possible that the Biang Administration Office simply sent the same request twice by accident..." Xiang Gong said slowly. "But I need to investigate before deciding."
[] Question the Minster
Head right to Biang City and directly question the Minster. If it was an honest mistake, you will find out right away, and if it was a purposeful fraud, you will find out all the same
[] Be discreet.
Send a subordinate to sniff things out discreetly, without letting the Minster know you are investigating him. If he is embezzling money and think you are on to him, he may destroy evidence.
[]Report the error
Let the Minster know he must have sent the request for funding twice and that you thankfully caught his mistake
Discretion is wise here. If we question the minister directly or report the error and he is embezzling, he will just destroy the evidence and change his methods.
