Oh, okay, this situation is actually more complicated than I thought, I didn't know we were auctioning off the argent vent site or trying to trade for it. Instead of a yes/no binary of share/don't share we have started a multiple choice answer sheet with a) share b) don't share, c) sell, d) make day passes, e) make this like an episode of Community where Abed takes over the school by being in charge of the fried chicken at the cafeteria. Don't share, I'm guessing, is winning by default because there's less vote dilution/conflict of opinion.
My view on that... I think Gu Xiulan would be more than happy with that sort of thing as it means she doesn't actually have to establish a relationship between herself and Su Ling and Li Suyin beyond a purely business one, but that - as Bai Meizhen points out - her family has regressed a bit into 'mercantilism.' Everyone else is going to find the situation moderately uncomfortable, especially when they realize that Bai Meizhen didn't have to pay anything for access to the site which makes it seem, increasingly, that we're her minion/deeply allied to her, moreso than we are allied to Han Jian and his group.
Hmmmm.
The problem with us approaching them is that we already owe them. They will see the Argent Vent as our discharging our obligation/debt towards them, and thus Su Ling and Li Suyin are non-factors and they won't have to worry about Su Ling and Li Suyin's feelings, especially if they pay them off. Am I getting warmer to what people who are afraid that Li and Su will get hurt think will happen?
Ideally, in my mind, is a situation where we don't acknowledge that this is us discharging our debt towards them, and that instead Su Ling and Li Suyin gain Han Jian's obligation and debt. He is honorable and he is rich, and he is surrounded by powerful friends (I think he probably has the most second realm cultivators that he can call up on at a moment's notice), I don't think he will skimp on repaying them somehow, in his own way.
I see, it is indeed trickier than I first thought, but then I didn't really envision this in terms of debts and obligations, but rather on what people would feel.
I have to go pick up my CT scan at the hospital, but let me ponder on this. I think we might want to set up an action this week (talking to Li Suyin) and asking her if she wants to invite Han Jian's group here or not. Not us invite them for her, but rather her inviting them.
And, if I were writing this, it'd be in exchange for something really quite interesting.
Honor.
You see, right now, Han Jian leads what is probably the largest contingent of second realm-and-soon-to-be-second-realm warriors here. He doesn't seem to like being someone in charge, he was notably quite uncomfortable during the meeting.
If Li Suyin would ask for anything, I think she'd ask that if Han Jian or his group see an injustice, that they interfere. If you see something wrong happening: ten people trying to fight two, stronger disciples picking on weaker disciples, that they intervene, like Cai Renxiang did in favor of Bai Meizhen.
There's no real way for her to enforce this. It's throwing down the gauntlet and forcing character development on both of them. Han Jian can refuse, Han Jian can accept and not do it (Su Ling would say that she wouldn't expect anything else), or Han Jian can accept and do it, and anyone else who accepts can come by the vent and cultivate.
But it's also not something that Ling Qi would find In-Character to propose to Li Suyin. It has to happen sort of... organically, I guess. EHHHHHH.
Whatever, I'm late, I gotta go!
