Sun Shao's Simulacrum isn't heading to meet Lady Cai, instead the Count Lu will be.
this is such a mega-brain move from Sun Shao holy moly
Let's look at this line:
"Well, I guess we managed on our own, just like always,"
the Sun and other rebellious Bai Vassals feel that they must rely on their own power always. Just as the Bai were unable to protect their families. Just as the Throne was unwilling to protect the complacent Bai when push-came-to-shove. Just as the plans of the Throne and Sun Shao to contain the Bai diplomatically have fallen to pieces.
We were recently talking about the difficulties in the establishment of a Port in Red Garden, especially a Port that the Jin could access with relative safety. I suspect Sun Shao has seen the weakness of the coalition's will, and has decided instead to bolster his own strength rather than continue failing to find a connection with his Eastern Allies. If he's able to go through Emerald Seas, or launder movement from Throne to Red Garden as movement South to the new holdings of the Sun and Cai, then he can secure a land route which the Bai will be unable to contest without bumping into Shenhua's turf.
In addition, I suspect Sun Shao and some of his vassals will have no issue folding Cloud Tribe techniques into their cultivation styles. I say that Shenhua has seemingly done it by replacing beast-binding with binding each White Plume to a Weapon-Spirit. Who knows what Sun Shao's faction will do with access to Imperial, Red Garden, and Cloud Tribe styles to mix and match as he wills. Something tells me we'll see the return of those plant/animal/man fusion warriors of the old Red Garden within a century or two. But with Imperial Domination paradigms, wealth and manpower at their back.
Disturbing.
[X] Rare reagents (Begin Forgotten Elixir Quest, complete Part 1 of 4 immediately)
[X] Soil Studies (+10 bonus development rolls in fief)
These two seem worth 200 Green Stones. The insights, eh, could be a cool narrative but I don't think they're worth 200 Green Stones.
Something tells me that a guaranteed +10 on development rolls is excellent to get, while the Rare Reagents +1 is 25% of the Quest done instantly and that's awesome. Quests are cool and have cool rewards.
As for Ji Rong, yo the mans really wants to talk to us but he can't, oof. If we have an option to seek him out you know we should be seeking