It is fairly demanding to ask for a write-in vote on a letter to a character we've seen for the whole one update, while we don't even have a defined personality.
The suggestion looks feasible, and I don't have many insights to offer myself, so I was content to just watch where it is going.
But sure, for the sake of legitimizing the vote...
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
Besides,
As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives
It is fairly demanding to ask for a write-in vote on a letter to a character we've seen for the whole one update, while we don't even have a defined personality.
The suggestion looks feasible, and I don't have many insights to offer myself, so I was content to just watch where it is going.
But sure, for the sake of legitimizing the vote...
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
Fair enough. I didn't ask for this vote for the sake of a challenge or a detailed response, I mainly asked for the write-in because I wanted to know why you guys wanted to speak to the Elder, and give you an opportunity to ask him for something if you wanted to, or perhaps ask him some questions about things he might be knowledgeable about, perhaps even advice.
It is fairly demanding to ask for a write-in vote on a letter to a character we've seen for the whole one update, while we don't even have a defined personality.
The suggestion looks feasible, and I don't have many insights to offer myself, so I was content to just watch where it is going.
But sure, for the sake of legitimizing the vote...
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
Haha I sort of extrapolated from "[X][Reading] Romance novels – while Shaohuo was skeptical of their trustworthiness, perhaps these novels would give him a better understanding of girls' mindsets and how people of other social classes live (+1 diplomacy, +1 knowledge)."
I figured this option was broader than just pulpy romance, and also covers general fiction touching upon the lives of people of classes far removed from our own. I could somewhat see young Shaohuo fascinated with the completely different life of the less fortunate, and starts vaguely questioning his own station in life -- as adolescents are wont to do.
@Timewinders Honestly, I don't know why either. Thank for answering my question BTW, now I can't wait to get escalate our protagonist to the path of greatness. Oh and I didn't read or play in Forge of Destiny quest because, it has female protagonist tag on it. I'm very picky and sexist when it come to protagonist.
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
Yeah, the main reason why I didn't make an original vote or whatever is just that I couldn't think of what to say/write. *shrug*
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?".
[X] Make a brief and humble update on how our training is going. We are studying the classics, and dutifully going through the discipline training under father. Recite a bit of poetry about all in their place under heaven, and that we're aware and willing to fulfil our duty. We have made friends in our future subordinates, and we are proud to learn under a renowned tutor.
[X] Segue into asking Elder Li for a moment of his time to converse about the old sagas and other classic works of fiction he might have read, and talk about the world of cultivators. As the romance novel option seems to imply we want to learn more about how the common man lives, let's make this the main thrust of our impression towards the guy. "Why was the world created so that cultivators rule over the common unenlightened man?" "Are cultivators always wise rulers?" "What happens if a commoner is treated unjustly by his cultivator lord?" "How can cultivators fairly judge the issues of commoners when they are so far removed from them?"
Chapter 1.2 – A Mostly Ordinary Adolescence (Part 2)
It took Shaohuo a few days to decide what to say in his letter to the Honored Elder. He had several reasons for wanting to speak to the Honored Elder. For one, cultivating a healthy relationship with him would be greatly beneficial to Shaohuo's future. Having regular contact with the Honored Elder would help Shaohuo govern the county more effectively once he succeeded his father. And, of course, the Honored Elder's advice on cultivation methods could be invaluable.
However, looking at it from the Honored Elder's perspective, neither of those reasons would offer much benefit to his great-great-grandfather. As an important, busy man, what benefit would he see in spending his valuable time on someone with low potential who would one day govern a mere fraction of the province? The answer Shaohuo arrived at was that he needed to show he was worth investing time in. Though Shaohuo dreamed of surpassing his mediocre talent and one day becoming a great cultivator, in his heart of hearts he knew this was unlikely. Many others more talented than him had failed, and if Shaohuo couldn't convince himself of this then he would be unable to convince others. So he would have to rely on the areas where was talented: his wit and his knowledge, which even his tutor occasionally acknowledged were impressive for a boy his age.
With this in mind, Shaohuo tried to show in his letter that while he might not become a great cultivator, he had the potential to become a great leader. He drew on his education and personal reading on etiquette and the classics to write a letter describing his studies that hopefully conveyed a sense of both humility and wisdom for his age, as well as a genuine interest in the lives and well-being of his future subjects. He only hoped hadn't overdone it with the poetry and come across as pretentious instead. He ended the letter with a request that he might speak with the Honored Elder over tea if there was time. All that was left to do was wait.
In the end, it took a little over a month for Shaohuo to receive a reply. Until then, he was left with more free time than usual. It was harvest season, meaning that the entire province was busy and even his father had more business to deal with than usual, leaving him little time to train Shaohuo. He instead spent a few hours in the morning on physical conditioning and practicing the spear with the guards, if only to maintain his previous efforts. With all this extra time on his hands, Shaohuo decided to try reading some of the romance novels that Xiaoli had recommended. If nothing else, he was curious about what Xiaoli saw in them, and in how they depicted the lives of the common folk. Details like that were usually not considered important enough for the history books. Unfortunately, Meiling failed to see the importance of this task.
"Whatcha doing?" Meiling said, bouncing into his room without knocking. Shaohuo had given up on trying to teach her.
"Reading a book," Shaohuo said, tearing his eyes from the pages briefly. And he'd just gotten to the part where Han Jie was finally going to confess his love, too…
"I'm bored, play with me Shao-shao!" Meiling said, looking up at him with wide eyes framed by auburn pigtails, and he felt a twinge of guilt. He was spending nearly all his time doing things to prepare for the future, and he had a duty to do so. But he hadn't been spending much time with his little sister, and she was growing up so quickly.
"Alright, what do you want to play?" Shaohuo said, putting down the book. He'd request a servant to use an illumination art on his room later that night so he could continue reading.
He soon regretted his decision when it turned out that by 'play' Meiling had meant 'tea party'.
"You be the mommy and I'll be the daddy." Meiling said, holding out a stuffed cloth doll with pink string for hair. Shaohuo swallowed his pride and reluctantly accepted it, holding it up in front of the miniature tea table with its tiny, porcelain tea pot and cups that his parents had apparently bought for Meiling's room at some point. Meiling picked up one of the tea cups with the doll's hand, bringing it up so the doll could 'drink' from it.
"This tea is yucky. I didn't pay your dowry for this." Meiling said with as deep a voice as she could manage, which came across as more like a young boy's voice than a man's.
"Uh, sorry?" Shaohuo said, nonplussed. None of the tea parties Xiaoli had forced him to participate in had gone quite like this.
"This food is terrible too. What were you thinking!" Meiling said, shaking the doll's fist.
"I'll do it right next time, I promise!" Shaohuo said, wondering if this was how battered housewives felt.
"Maybe you'd be better at this if you hadn't spent so much time as that pretty boy's whore." Meiling said, to Shaohuo's mounting horror. To his relief, Meiling didn't seem to understand what that actually meant.
"Meiling, did you read my book?" Shaohuo said, trying to appear stern. His heart pounded – maybe he could control the damage before his parents found out.
"Maybe?" Meiling said, tilting her head innocently. "You're always reading it, so I took a look."
Shaohuo rubbed his forehead. He'd known his parents were starting Meiling's tutoring earlier than his since they already had a tutor available, but hadn't realized she'd learn to read so quickly.
"Whatever you do, don't tell Mother and Father what you just said to me, okay? You'll get in big trouble for reading my book without permission. They might even ban you from eating sweets…forever."
Shaohuo patted her on the head. "Don't worry, Meiling. Your big brother's always here to take care of you." He'd have to do a better job of hiding his books in the future.
Xiaoli laughed so hard she began to cry, rolling on her bed in mirth when Shaohuo told her what happened. Shaohuo tried not to pay too much attention to how the hem of her skirt drew up in the process, showing her legs.
"It wasn't that funny," Shaohuo pouted, though the corner of his mouth twisted into a small smile at Xiaoli's antics.
"I have to teach her how to handle you one of these days. I see great potential in your sister, Shaohuo." Xiaoli said with mock seriousness.
Shaohuo shuddered. "Please don't. She doesn't need to be as scary as you."
"What was that?"
"Uh, nothing. Anyway, I finally finished Love Amongst the Cherry Blossoms. I still don't understand what you see in it, though. It was interesting seeing how the families of merchants and farmers live, but the actual romance was pretty bad."
"You think so?" Xiaoli said, tilting her head. Now that Shaohuo thought about it, some of her mannerisms were eerily similar to Meiling's. It did not bode well for his future.
"Well, Ma Dongmei wouldn't have had to get married to her husband in the first place if she'd just told Han Jie how she felt. Then there were all those misunderstandings that they could have dealt with if they'd just talked to each other," Shaohuo said. He could understand the need for narrative tension, but it just seemed a bit contrived.
"They had their own duties to their families though," Xiaoli said. She was sitting up on her bed now, with no trace of a smile to be found. "They couldn't just do what they wanted."
"But then, shouldn't they have not been together at all? They should have just made a decision and stuck with it," he said.
Xiaoli shook her head, frowning. "It's not that easy. Not when you are stuck between your duty and what you actually want to do." Finally Shaohuo connected the dots, and Xiaoli's unusual behavior made sense.
"What do you mean? Is it like that for you?" he asked. It sounded like this topic bothered Xiaoli a great deal, more than one could tell from a glance unless they were familiar with Xiaoli's usual carefree attitude.
.Xiaoli was silent at first, and Shaohuo just sat and watched her closely. She wasn't easy read to read, her expressions shifting with mixed emotions. Perhaps worry, uncertainty, or dissatisfaction?
"I am the future heir," Xiaoli said at last. She sighed. "It's a great honor, I know that. And I know a lot of people would kill to be in my position. But I have no freedom. It's like I'm trapped, with no way to escape."
"What do you mean, you have no freedom?" Shaohuo asked, increasingly concerned. He couldn't believe he'd known her for so long without noticing that she was harboring such dark thoughts.
"I mean that literally everything I do is decided by the clan." Xiaoli pulled her knees closer to her, wrapping her arms around them. "Your dad asked you what weapon you wanted to learn with, but I didn't get a choice. I wanted to use a sword, but Mother thought it was too manly, so I'm learning to use daggers instead. And I know you want the Honored Elder to pay attention to you, but trust me, it's not that great."
"It isn't?" Shaohuo said, suddenly a bit worried about the letter he'd sent. Too late for that now, though.
Xiaoli sighed again, and got up from her bed, pacing back and forth across her room, increasingly agitated.
"Because I'm talented, I have to do everything just the way the clan wants me to. I know I spend much more time on studies than you. I don't even have time to make friends. And when I'm not studying or training, the Honored Elder teaches me about politics and makes me go with him on formal events. Everyone there talks in exactly the same stuffy way, and it's just so…stifling. I have to be this pretty, proper girl and I have to say the exact right things at the exact right times no matter what. I just…don't want to be a governor."
"You don't?" Shaohuo said, his voice betraying his surprise. "Then what will you do?" He'd always taken it for granted that she was fine with her role in life. She'd never let on otherwise before. But in retrospect, Xiaoli was a free spirit, too free for a life of politics in many ways.
Xiaoli stopped pacing, and if anything the dejected way her head was hung worried Shaohuo more than her previous anger. "I can't do anything," Xiaoli said, her voice filled with despair. "I have to do it, there's no one else who can do it. I know that. The clan does need me. Still…I just wish I could be a normal cultivator."
It was a strange reversal. At times, Shaohuo had envied her high potential. Hearing her say that she wished she was normal was like having the world flipped on its head. But that was something he could worry about later.
He stepped forward and pulled Xiaoli into a hug. She buried her head in his shoulder and began to cry, rasping sobs muffled by his shirt, which quickly became damp with tears and snot. He didn't loosen his grip.
"I don't know how much help I can be. But I promise, I will do everything I can to help you. You won't have to deal with everything on your own." Shaohuo said, and he truly meant it, even if he didn't know how he would do it. He wouldn't let the world tear down his friend. He wanted Xiaoli to be able to stay her carefree self.
Xiaoli nodded against his shoulder, her sobs slowly fading in intensity. It was a sound he'd never wanted to hear.
The update got longer than expected, so I will be cutting it off here again. I hadn't planned for the initial Meiling scene but I thought it would suck to get through Shaohuo's entire childhood arc without a single proper scene with her. The next update will include the results of Shaohuo's letter.
Nothing bad ever comes from learning life from romance novels, after all.
I wonder where the quest will be going. A lot of people around us are more suited to being a protagonist of their stories than we are of ours. I wonder when the shoes start dropping, then.
Nothing bad ever comes from learning life from romance novels, after all.
I wonder where the quest will be going. A lot of people around us are more suited to being a protagonist of their stories than we are of ours. I wonder when the shoes start dropping, then.
Depends on where people want it to go, really. I'll be providing some plot hooks, and then see which the thread bites. You'll see more of those once Shaohuo starts cultivating.
Suppose there's only one option. We have to marry her so that we can take care of all the boring stuff while she goes off and does whatever it is she wants!
It's actually fine to marry your cousin, the vast majority of humans in our entire history did just that. To become inbred enough that it meaningfully impacts your health is actually quite difficult in contrast to how it's perceived, the best metaphor is that your family tree (if you can think about what it looks like) needs to become a family circle. Otherwise, the negatives of marrying close relations are marginal on your health outcomes if every couple generations fresh blood is introduced. Marrying your second cousin has a negligible health impact.
This isn't counting cultivators somehow being immune to the small downsides too.
The clan heir's daughter is also a potential waifu (she's only a third cousin, so the relation is distant), though it depends on political circumstances.
Chapter 1.3 – A Mostly Ordinary Adolescence (Part 3)
The first frosts of the year had just begun when the courier arrived at Shaohuo's family estate, handing him the letter in person. It was with trembling hands that Shaohuo finally opened it at his desk.
Elder Lee's reluctance to make time to talk to Shaohuo in person: 20/100
Shaohuo Diplomacy at time of letter writing 6/10 –> 6d10 = 49 – Passed
Dear Shaohuo,
It pleases me to hear that you are dutifully preparing for your future. I would certainly be happy to drink tea with you. I will be visiting your father at the end of the month. We can speak that evening after I finish my business with him.
Best Regards,
Elder Li Lee
Shaohuo let out the breath he'd been holding, carefully folding the letter and returning it to the envelope on his desk. He was relieved that he hadn't somehow offended the Honored Elder. On the other hand, now he had to prepare for the meeting, which was just over a week away. Not that there was much to prepare, but he felt anxious about how it would go. He very much needed to make a good impression, which meant brushing up on his etiquette lessons and preparing some conversational topics so that he'd have something to talk about.
Etiquette was simple enough, but Shaohuo struggled to come up with conversation topics. He knew very little about the Honored Elder, and neither did his parents when he asked them. All his father could say was that the Honored Elder was more charitable than his appearance and presence might lead one to believe, and rarely took offense except at the most serious breaches of etiquette. Duty was the only thing he showed much interest in, at least as far as Shaohuo's father could tell from their occasional interactions. Shaohuo decided to focus the conversation on his interest in his duty to his future subjects. A dry topic to be sure, and one he had already mentioned in the letter, but it was at least a safe subject to begin with while he tried to get a better read on the Honored Elder's personality.
Shaohuo stood between his parents in front of the estate as they waited for the Honored Elder to arrive.
"Stand up straight!" his mother scolded, pressing a hand against his back.
Shaohuo straightened his back, and his mother fussed over the collar of his blue silk robes, worn for the occasion. It was difficult to stay presentable when they didn't know exactly when the Honored Elder would arrive.
They had been standing in silence for perhaps another fifteen minutes when they began to hear the clopping of hooves against the road around the corner. It was followed soon after by the Honored Elder's carriage, an elegant red coach with bronze dragon engravings pulled by a pair of white horses. It stopped several yards in front of them, and the driver stepped down to hold open the door as the Honored Elder exited. Shaohuo and his parents bowed deeply as he did, and then gave the customary greetings.
The Honored Elder looked the same as ever to Shaohuo, a man of average height with silver hair and a neatly-trimmed beard. Despite being over eight hundred years old, he could easily pass for an eighty year old commoner just a few decades too old to be called middle-aged. The only acknowledgement he gave to Shaohuo was a brief greeting and then a nod, and then he and Shaohuo's father returned to the carriage, setting off for the county's annual inspection.
Shaohuo retreated to his room and continued reading another romance novel that Xiaoli had recommended, Dark Heart of Temptation. It was a strange story in which for some reason the female protagonist fell in love with her barbarian kidnapper. Though perhaps the illustrations depicting a mysterious, handsome, and muscled man easily holding up a swooning woman in his arms explained the appeal. Shaohuo found it difficult to concentrate though, often reaching the end of the page before realizing he couldn't actually remember what he had read. It was difficult to keep his mind off of the meeting to come.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed when one of the servants informed him that the Honored Elder had returned. Shaohuo stood in one of the side rooms where the servants had already left a pot of oolong tea, supposedly the Honored Elder's favorite. The Honored Elder arrived a few minutes after, and Shaohuo bowed once more.
"You may sit down now," the Honored Elder said, before the customary length of the bow was over. Shaohuo straightened, and seeing that the Honored Elder was already seated on a chair at the table, joined him at the other end. Shaohuo poured the tea into the two porcelain cups next to the pot and handed one to the Honored Elder, who sipped at it for a few seconds and then put it down. "How go your studies?"
"They go well, Honored Elder." Shaohuo said. "I have read most of the classics, and my training with the spear is progressing without issues."
"Good. You will be a fine successor for your father," the Honored Elder said. He lifted the tea cup to his mouth again, and drinking the rest, laid it down with a clink against the tableware. "Tell me, why did you wish to speak to me?" The Honored Elder's silver eyes watched Shaohuo closely.
Shaohuo blinked. He hadn't prepared for the Honored Elder to be so blunt and to the point, though he supposed it saved time for a man who surely had to attend many meetings, especially when dealing with those who wouldn't take offense.
"If I may, Honored Elder, I realized that I could learn from your wisdom as I prepare to govern this county." Shaohuo said, deciding that it would be best to get to the point. "If you would lend me your ear or your pen from time to time, I could better fulfill my duty to the clan. For today, I wished to ask your advice on what it means to be a proper ruler."
"An admirable endeavor," the Honored Elder nodded, his tone seeming mildly approving though not particularly enthusiastic or impressed. "I would not mind answering a few questions from time to time. Do you have anything to ask today?"
"Yes, Honored Elder. Firstly, I wished to know why the world was created so that cultivators rule over the common man." Shaohuo said, glad that the conversation was back on track. He'd prepared the question as a good lead-in to a philosophical discussion on the duties of leadership. There was a brief pause before the Honored Elder spoke.
"Of course, the Heavenly Spirits created cultivators as the natural leaders and protectors of the common man, and the Emperor as the protector and divine ruler of mankind, as dictated by the Heavenly Mandate," the Honored Elder said, stroking his beard. "Before we continue, Shaohuo, would you accompany this old man on a walk?" His eyes had a strange gleam to them, as he turned to the door and looked at Shaohuo from the side.
"Of course, Honored Elder," Shaohuo said, jumping to his feet. He wasn't sure what was going on, but far be it for him to contradict the Honored Elder. He hastily strode to hold the door open for him, and they headed outside, walking in silence for a few minutes through the grassy knolls east of his family's home.
"Tell me, Shaohuo, have you ever flown?" the Honored Elder said, to Shaohuo's surprise.
"No, Honored Elder. I have never had the opportunity," Shaohuo said. His own father, being only a green cultivator, could only manage flight for a few minutes at a time and had never offered to take Shaohuo with him.
"Take my arm," the Honored Elder said, holding out his arm with an unreadable expression. Shaohuo gripped it gingerly. He knew intellectually that the Honored Elder was very strong, but his arms were still thin like any old man's.
His train of thought was interrupted as wind swirled around them with a louder and louder whistling sound until suddenly they were drifting up above the ground even though the wind was quite light, as if they were weightless. The ground became smaller and smaller underneath them until his family's estate appeared to be the size of his finger. Suddenly they stopped floating upward and then began moving east once more until they were just above a group of clouds. They floated down until they were sitting on top of the clouds, which somehow felt as solid as a wood floor.
"What do you think?" the Honored Elder said, his lips stretching into a rare smile.
"The view is amazing," Shaohuo said, peering over the patchy white edge of the clouds at the view of endless hills and rice paddies below, before turning to face the Honored Elder again. "But, why are we here, Honored Elder?"
The Honored Elder's expression became serious once more. "You will find, Shaohuo, that there are certain subjects that are best spoken of away from prying ears. You may have grown up with servants and guards, but trust no one but family."
"I don't understand." Shaohuo said, setting aside concerns about the servants' trustworthiness for now. "What did I say that couldn't be spoken of in public?"
The corner of the Honored Elder's mouth twitched into a strange half-smile. "Nothing that couldn't be spoken in public during the reign of the previous emperor. But the current Emperor does not tolerate even the slightest defiance of his authority. He won't hear anything that questions whether his rule is backed by the Heavens."
"I see," Shaohuo said. It made sense, though it seemed overly harsh. "Then, what would your real answer to my question be?"
"The truth is that no one knows why the world was created the way it is. There are stories, but nothing more. And, of course, cultivators, nobles, and even emperors rule because they can, by their strength of arms alone. The idea of rights to rule are convenient fictions." The Honored Elder said, smiling wryly. "Though you won't find mention of it in the history books, the Emperor rose to power by betraying the previous emperor, breaking his oaths of loyalty in the process."
It was a strange idea to Shaohuo. He'd known the world was not perfect, but it seemed so…cynical.
"But then, why would people…" he began, then cut himself off. "Never mind. I think I see now."
The Honored Elder nodded. "Indeed. No one pays attention to whether the Emperor's rule is legitimate because he is too strong to oppose. He was the most skilled general in the previous emperor's army, and he is a white cultivator as well. And after all these centuries, no one cares to oppose him anyway. He is a tyrant, to be sure. But he is not a particularly cruel one, so there is little benefit in opposing him."
Shaohuo was silent, letting the information digest. He supposed that it didn't really change things, but it explained many things he'd wondered about in the past. Why only cultivators could be granted noble titles, and why the Emperor was said to live in luxury that bordered on the extremely wasteful. These things didn't make sense if you considered the bonds of loyalty to be a mutual relationship, but they made more sense if you considered that while both sides might benefit, the relationship had been formed with the benefit of the powerful as the priority.
The Honored Elder spoke again, smiling slightly. "You are still young and idealistic. I could tell from your letter. Many nobles don't care about the commoners one way or another. However," and here his expression became serious once more, "It would be best for you to maintain a more balanced view in the future. The wellbeing of your subjects is your duty, but the clan's wellbeing must be your highest priority. Though we might be living comfortably now, that could change in time. But that's enough talk for today."
The Honored Elder stood up, and Shaohuo quickly stood as well. They suddenly became heavier, slowly falling to the ground until they were back on the same patch of grass as before.
The next year and a half continued much as before, with Shaohuo continuing his training and education while occasionally spending time with his friends. The only new addition was that every few months he would exchange letters with the Honored Elder, who usually took a while to reply but never failed to respond eventually. Shaohuo found that he was quite knowledgeable about a wide variety of subjects, as one might expect from his age.
Before he knew it, it was the month of Leaf, just two months before his sixteenth birthday. It wouldn't be long after that until his Ghost Eyes would awaken and he'd finally be able to cultivate.
Shaohuo's base stats at age 16:
Talent – 4
Qi: 1/1 (inaccessible)
HP: 8/8 > 10/10 (+2 from growth)
Diplomacy – 6/10 > 8/10 (+1 from growth, +1 from reading)
Knowledge – 5/10 > 7/10 (+ 1 from education, +1 from reading)
Deception – 2/10 > 3/10 (+1 from growth)
Intelligence – 9/10
Perception – 5 > 6 (+1 from growth)
Martial – 3/10 > 4/10 (+1 from training)
Strength – 7 > 9 (+1 from growth, +1 from training)
Defense – 4 > 5 (+1 from growth)
Flexibility – 3 > 4 (+1 from training)
Balance – 3
Speed – 6 > 8 (+1 from growth, + 1 from training)
Stealth – 3 > 4 (+1 from growth)
Stamina – 6 > 8 (+1 from growth, +1 from training)
Shaohuo has a few more months until he turns 16. What last-minute preparations does he make?
[X] Extra physical conditioning (+1 strength)
[X] Spend more time on stretches (+1 flexibility)
[X] Spend some time with Suyin (???)
[X] Spend more time with Meiling (???)
[X] Spend more time with Xiaoli (???)
[X] Spend more time with Chin, Fang, and Daquan (???)
Does Shaohuo ask the Honored Elder anything in particular in his letters?
[X] Spend more time with Chin, Fang, and Daquan (???)
I'd like to see more of these folks, if possible. Not sure what to ask of the Honored Elder. Apparently the risk of offending him is fairly low unless we just go for something very stupid. We could ask him how we would best serve the family I guess, but that's seeming like it'd probably be unclear until our qi and the like gets figured out. I'll hold off on that for now.
[] Extra physical conditioning (+1 strength)
[] Spend more time on stretches (+1 flexibility)
These two are the obvious training
[] Spend some time with Suyin (???)
Local shy girl. Very smart(int training?). We hadn't really spent much time on her though. She'll become a Cultivator at the same time as we would, and our father had suggested shipping us as a political marriage.
Might get married to her whatever we prefer
[] Spend more time with Meiling (???)
From what we know, she's about the Diplomacy(Tea Party and all), so that's probably where we'd get a point. She seems to like reading too, so maybe Knowledge boost?
This would be the last time in a while we'd have time to spend with our little sister though.
[] Spend more time with Xiaoli (???)
Deception and diplomacy I think, would be her focuses.
She wants to have a friend to help deal with clan political crap. She might become a Cultivator at the same time as us, but a clan heir might also be sent elsewhere instead.
She also seems to be the favored waifu on the meta level.
[] Spend more time with Chin, Fang, and Daquan (???)
Male friends, they're commoners and well educated. Going to be a mixed bag, but last we saw them they were doing board games.
This would be meeting bros before they all go their separate ways. Might be valuable connections in the future, or might not amount to anything.
I'm opting Meiling, but basically any of our friends are a solid pick.
[X] Spend more time with Meiling (???)
[X] Ask the Honored Elder about the land your clan governs, especially what it was like back in his early days.
Okay, keeping in mind the letters WILL be read by others.
Nothing politically hazardous, but also nothing which is just a grab for personal power either.
[X] Spend more time with Xiaoli (???)
I feel the force of this choice...
[] Ask the Honored Elder about the land your clan governs, especially what it was like back in his early days.
This is solid question that we can ask but, I still want to know how to see talent in people.
Maybe..
[X] Ask the Honored Elder about how to know who is a cultivator. You have mediocre talent so, you should find the way to notice talented people before you accidentally offend them.
we can ask but, I still want to know how to see talent in people.
Maybe..
[X] Ask the Honored Elder about how to know who is a cultivator. You have mediocre talent so, you should find the way to notice talented people before you accidentally offend them.
