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Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

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[X] Leave the subject alone, there is no point in making things awkward. Try to continue as before.

good update. Im sus that xuan shi might be a bastard child or some such. Sent far away to prove himself in a different sect. Or something like it
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.

Given that a seeming majority of the thread discussion seemed to be, "five GS for another social tie to Xuan Shi is a worthwhile trade, and the additional security doesn't hurt" it's frustrating to see the plot thread of "Ling Qi is being paranoid about protecting her family" emerge from that choice. Entirely understandable, because that kind of calculation isn't really her thing, but--it'd sort of be like if thread consensus on tanking the knife to the throat was mostly, "we REALLY want a defensive insight, and sometimes you've got to supply your own Heavenly Tribulation" rather than "oh god, Xiulan is so squishy." In that situation, I think it'd be understandable to be bothered that we got the story arc that followed in the story as-is ("Ling Qi needs to trust people rather than throwing herself into any more knives"), rather than something like "Ling Qi, even I, Xiulan of the Extra-Crispy Arm, think that was a bad life decision."

I'm hopeful that it's reflective of Qingge's other failures of understanding in that update, and that Ling Qi's "oh, it's no problem, keeping you safe is more important" is just her reflexively reaching for the more defensible of the reasons involved in her choice. But I know that isn't very likely.
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.

I expected to have to argue for this one but, ah... apparently not. So yay on that one?

I think, though, that this is the time to consider Xuan Shi as a potential husbando. I have some concerns with it. In particular, he's a ducal. He's apparently the most promising of his generation, and it's the duke of a different province. He's a solid support in a fight, and has no issues with fragility. The two work pretty well together on the battlefield. He'd make a useful party member... but Ling Qi is not in a position to marry for "useful party member". She needs someone who fits the life of the Black Left Hand of Lady Cai Renxiang. In that... well, it's another connection to the Xuan. That isn't terrible for the current diplomatic situation, but it's also not particularly necessary, I think. There's very little friction there to dispel. If anything, we'd want more links in to the Bai. Instead, we have a situation where Xuan Shi is too important to the Xuan for him to truly marry in, and Ling Qi is entirely too important to the Cai for her to marry in (assuming she doesn't fail miserably) and there's always going to be that division of loyalties there. That sort of thing might be made to work, but it's not ideal.

Worse yet, Zhengui doesn't like him. This isn't a huge issue all by itself, but apparently it's fundamental to the breed, which means that Little Brother (who we're already committed to forever) is always going to have at least some friction with him. I'd rather not have that friction be part of our life.

By contrast, Bao Qian fits into that part of our life pretty much perfectly. He's a capable but not core member of one of the most important subordinate families of the Emerald Seas. Marrying him helps tie the Bao to the Cai that much better and also doesn't generate conflicts of interest. He's already started a mutually beneficial and satisfactory relationship with Zhengui, and the core of it is strong enough that there's every reason to believe that it will persist. (Zhengui likes being useful! Bao Qian is all about figuring out how to leverage opportunities like Zhengui in useful ways.) He's working on something similar with Hanying. Moreover, he fits us. He has that same sort of greedy-yet-generous ambition, but one that could easily be in support of and complementary to our own. His comparative social rank is near-perfect. He's just enough below us that he's obviously the one in the "support spouse" position, but not so low that it's really unbalanced, and the nature of his ambitions mean that playing support spouse for us is actually an advantage for him. He'd free us to run around the empire on errands and spend large chunks of time attending the Cai at court while knowing that our own territory is in good hands. He really, really fits our needs as Baroness Ling, Handmaiden to the Cai. We're not going to find better.

I mean, that's almost purely a pragmatic argument, but the pragmatic side does matter... and he also has nice abs, and we can respect him, and he respects us, and he's willing to put in a fair bit of effort to make the relationship work, if we're just willing to let him. It's not like the absolute perfect fit he brings on the pragmatic side is the only thing he has going for him.
 
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Orkus Majorkus said:
As a general things you are correct, however Ling Qi (and the thread) over spending like this as a habit is not a good pattern to start off a new barony fief with. We're gonna be off on the border in a year or two and won't have the armies of the Sect to protect us. What then?
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The idea that Ling Qi, who all but literally runs her life on a spread sheet, has a habit of overspending will never not be funny to me.

I can't think of a single person, ever, anywhere and anywhen that could credibly be considered as efficient and calculating as Ling Qi.
 
Andelevion said:
... It's kind of bland to me. The only aspect of Xuan Shi being appealing to Ling Qi being his inoffensive and nonthreatening status....rubs me the wrong way as a foundation? I think being nonthreatening is such a.... meh reason To like someone.
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The thing is, what is considered by you to be a bland and boring reason to like someone is probably the only reason LQ may ever consider him a close friend.
Note that when I say close, I mean as close as Meizhen. Rank 4 SL.
I think in most cases, plenty of people would find those aspects boring--but LQ's baggage is very unique and so the reasons she might consider any guy a romantic prospect ever would have to be pretty unique too. Inoffensive, nonaggressive, reserved...all things that I'm sure many people would find boring in a character but nevertheless are necessary for LQ.
 
yrsillar said:
Ling Qi joined her Mother in the garden after Xuan Shi left, taking a seat beside her on the stone bench that overlooked the pond. She was still pondering what she had learned from him.

"Ling Qi, can you truly afford to spend even more coin on this temporary home?" Ling Qingge asked quietly, startling her.

"I- Of course Mother," Ling Qi said quickly. "Why would you even ask that. You-"

"I ask because I have been studying cultivation," her mother replied firmly. "And I have become aware of how much wealth you must need to continue growing as you do."

"You and Biyu are more important than wealth," Ling Qi replied.

"I do not doubt that," Ling Qingge replied. "But you did not answer my question. Can you afford such expenses, without harming yourself?"

Ling Qi frowned and glanced away. "...I should be able to afford this one." Numbers danced in her head, the budget of green Stones she had remaining, her month to month needs. Her savings were dwindling, given the price Xuan Shi had named for the materials.
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We should probably spend a bit of time going over our spreadsheets general green stone income and expected expenses with Qingge. We don't need to keep her up to date on every minor detail but "I get X per month from here and spend Y per month on this" doesn't seem unreasonable.
 
I mean, the idea that Xuan Shi is blandly McBlanderson is a bit unfounded.

This is the guy that went to a distant sect because he was so deeply invested in a book series he was reading that he then braved an actual literal Adventurer Dungeon for it.

Just cause he's not a sexual tyrannosaurus or whatever doesn't mean he's bland.
 
qwolfs said:
Just cause he's not a sexual tyrannosaurus or whatever doesn't mean he's bland.
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Yeah and just 'cause he's not as suave, smooth, confident or overtly badass as Liao Zhu doesn't mean he's bland either. It took us seeing him in action last turn to realize how badass he can be. Liao Zhu on the other hand makes it obvious how cool he is, which has its own narrative appeal. I can't see that realistically getting past LQ's defensiveness and paranoia. Ignoring everything else Liao Zhu is her superior and thus is in a position of power--not something most people would be comfortable with, let alone LQ.
 
DangerKitty said:
[X] Leave the subject alone, there is no point in making things awkward. Try to continue as before.

good update. Im sus that xuan shi might be a bastard child or some such. Sent far away to prove himself in a different sect. Or something like it
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He probably wouldn't be named Xuan then, the Xuan(to my knowledge) aren't like the Bai where it's more ethnicity than Clan.


Its more likely to be standard orphan stuff or the Xuan might just not do parents.


Wait....sea turtles don't have parents....they hatch in sand then return to sea as their family migrates back past only knowing that they're part of the same hatching group and family unit.

Huh.
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.

I don't think we're going to end up romancing him. That said...I think LQ needs to consider it.
 
Katreus said:
Xuan Shi is in fact very unimportant to the Xuan. He would indeed be marrying into Ling Qi's family.
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I don't think I believe that.

yrsillar said:
"The hatchling," The older man chuckled, his laughter little more than a rasp. "Yes, mine grand nephew has exceeded the measure laid for him by elder eyes," there was a twinkle of amusement in his storm grey eyes. "It is this old ones hopes that the young miss will offer him support in turn."

"Xuan Shi is a valued ally," Cai Renxiang agreed. "It would be my pleasure to do so."

Ling Qi kept herself from fidgeting through an effort of will, as the two of them spoke, keeping herself alert by surreptitiously noting the faces of the guests passing nearby, she could not match names to most of them, but she figured it would be good practice regardless. She was careful not to let her attention wander too far though, and she was glad for it as the Xuan's gaze turned to her.

"And what of you, little Baroness," the man asked. "I would hear your thoughts on the young one."

Ling Qi's eyes widened marginally and she felt a thrill of alarm. Why was he asking her? She was acquainted with Xuan Shi but they hardly knew one another well. "Sir Xuan is a dedicated and hard working young man," she said with only a slight pause. "While we have not had many opportunities to speak, he has provided me with helpful advice on the matter of caring for Zhengui. He is a good ally and a credit to your house."

Cai gave her a faint look a of approval out of the corner of her eye, so she hadn't screwed that up too badly. Still, she couldn't help but feel that the elder Xuan looked faintly disappointed, which was alarming. There was no sign of it in his voice when he spoke next though. "Yes, the precious one," he chuckled instead, making Ling Qi flush slightly. "Perhaps thy wings should carry the two of you north in the future. It would do the child good to meet his kin."

"I would have no objection," Cai Renxiang said smoothly. "Though I would need ask that you not borrow my retainer for too long Lord Xuan."

"I am no thief," the older man huffed, glancing at her again. "...Yet I must express disappointment in mine grand nephews lack of rigor in some matters," the man said with a sigh.
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The Twin Admirals of the Xuan came to his testing, and commented that he had progressed beyond expectations. He was noted as the grand nephew of one of them. Possibly the grandson of the other? They were attempting a bit of matchmaking, and CRX felt the need to warn them off of trying to poach us, after having officially taken us as handmaiden, and having had us represent her formally. I'm not fully certain that the Twin Admirals are the head of the Xuan, but I really wouldn't be surprised if they were.

That all doesn't say "is in fact very unimportant" to me.

I mean, if you have evidence to back it up, then great. I'm not saying that I'm opposed to the idea that it might be true... just that so far, I've seen evidence indicating that he's important enough for it to be an issue, and none suggesting that it's not.

Really, I suspect that he's about the level of Meizhen right now, for their respective clans. He might be a bit below, because his recent successes have not been quite so viscerally satisfyingly glorious, and because of the sudden rise of Suizhen, who has a personal fondness for Meizhen, but otherwise quite similar. The Bai aren't about to let Meizhen out of the clan in order to marry her to the assistant of a clan heir, and I wouldn't expect the Xuan to do that with Xuan Shi either.
 
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[X] Leave the subject alone, there is no point in making things awkward. Try to continue as before.
 
I'm sure he's more important now than he was pre-Sect, but Xuan Shi was both allowed to go to Sect, is not a mainline Xuan or at least, not important enough for a xuanwu companion, and was at one time scheduled to be engaged with Meizhen pre-Sect when Meizhen was not a particularly high ranking white serpent. None of that speaks to importance.

I'm sure they're fond of Xuan Shi, but that the Twin Admirals chose to show up is indicative more of Cai Shofenhua and Bai Suzhen's appearance just as Bai Suzhen's appearance at the New Year's Tournament was more to cement the alliance with Cai Shenhua than her niece, of which Bai Meizhen has clearly indicated that so far, she is second fiddle to Bai Suzhen's work and politicking (i.e. in her interlude, she says she's only seen Suzhen a few times).
 
[X] Find a way to broach the subject, and figure out what he wants. You don't want him to misinterpret things.
 
As someone on Team no/minimal romance, I am kinda worried that if people push for romance now, Xuan Shi is gonna get an insurmountable first mover advantage in the husbando wars, and that the war itself will be short and decisive. I would much prefer marriage to be put off till way later.

When do cultivators normally get married anyway? 20-30's? Or even later?
 
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