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

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Seems to be straightforward enough. More Popularity is nice, but More Popularity is also a double edged sword as we've seen with increased pushbac.

Start slow, like an avalanche.
 
[X] Open the southwest (Lesser boost in popularity for Hanyi, may boost Weilu Reformer support in long term. Bond 1 with Meng Diu)

Hanyi popularity can be be built up slowly, most of this would be harder to gain.

P.S seems reactions might despise us for our xenophilla action and our twisting of welliu tradition.
 
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[] Open the southwest (Lesser boost in popularity for Hanyi, may boost Weilu Reformer support in long term. Bond 1 with Meng Diu)

We very much do not want to deal with the same levels of intrigue from the last concert while in the capital province, having to potentially deal directly with a Diao loyalist who hates us for simply being Renxiang's retainer would be incredibly frustrating without having the cultivation and reputation to back it up. Also the bond +1 with the clan head's sister is pretty important and our main function in Renxiang's court will be outreach to the Weilu cultures in ES, this furthers that goal as well.
 
Boosting Hanyi's popularity in Xiangmen would also mean a significant increase in revenue I think, and that would also be important long term (running a fief isn't cheap).
 
Weilu support is sort of our thing, and apparently we're only rocking a ~50% Weilu approval rating with the Meng. Southwestern performances seem like they could choke out the portions of our ostensible support base that don't actually support us, while netting us a closer tie with an important Meng in the process.

Unless anybody has a big brain idea about how we can snowball off of Hanyi's popularity in the short term, this seems like an easy choice.
 
I wonder what Bao Qian is gonna think as Hanyi's manager :V

He's obviously gonna want the capital but I think working with the Meng is a better choice.

Also:
yrsillar said:
From the west came no host, but only a darkness, a mist, a shadow. Coiling among the ancient trees, cloying and grey. The strains of zithers, the piping of flutes the only sign of the wayward scions of the Labyrinth.
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Interesting to see that this was Meng Diu and the current Meng Count's father who died at the hands of the Hui. Poor guy, at least he fought to remove the Hui.

[X] Open the southwest (Lesser boost in popularity for Hanyi, may boost Weilu Reformer support in long term. Bond 1 with Meng Diu)
 
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yrsillar said:
"More than we have had in centuries," Meng Diu said plainly, the pressure of her presence receding. "Your Duchess' rise broke many things. It broke many people. This included my Father, who came to her call under the Divine Tree. My brother resents this, I do not. My Father was right to come, and right to die to burn the webs which choked this province."
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yrsillar said:
From the west came no host, but only a darkness, a mist, a shadow. Coiling among the ancient trees, cloying and grey. The strains of zithers, the piping of flutes the only sign of the wayward scions of the Labyrinth.
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Hello Meng Diu´s dad. Interesting connection if nothing else.
 
yrsillar said:
"A fine choice," Xia Lushen said with an amiable nod. They exited the hall which passed under the stands stepping out into the sun outside the arena. The lands of the Ling will never suffer from parasites and weeds."
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That might work really really well with Zhengui's vitality infusing the area. Make sure that no weeds or parasites are being affected by Zhengui so that only the plants and crops we want are being grown.

And hey, who knows, maybe we can finally uncover the mystery of the yellow realm seed!
 
yrsillar said:
Meng architecture often used raised walkways due to the marshy ground, where they did not build directly into particularly old growth trees like Xiangmen in miniature, and favored loops and rounded shapes over straight lines and shapes. This informed their thinking, or so the common knowledge said.
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Aka the Meng cultivate a Lake philosophy: indirect and deflective, illusions and deceptions. As far as Meng Diu's actions go, she's being remarkably straightforward in her approach to Ling Qi; her actions are preceded by statements of support for Ling Qi and her agenda is plainly said.

yrsillar said:
This included my Father, who came to her call under the Divine Tree. My brother resents this, I do not. My Father was right to come, and right to die to burn the webs which choked this province.
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...That means Meng Diu's father was the sole Meng representative to support Cai Shenhua's march on the Hui's Xiangmen, as depicted in the Shadows of Xiangmen story? Or did he go after her ascension to the throne, and was executed for his part in the Hui-era's intrigues?

yrsillar said:
Meng Clan: 0
--Weilu Conservatives(50%): -1
--Weilu Reactionaries(25%): -2
--Weilu Reformers(25%): 2
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Looks like Ling Qi gets a +1 for being Weilu-leaning in general, and then the support and antipathy of the Reformers and Reactionaries cancel out. Leading to the clan as a whole not supporting or repressing Ling Qi, and thus resulting in internal decision paralysis. (The Reformers are actively helping; I'd be more concerned with the Reactionaries acting against Ling Qi if they weren't reactionary and isolationist, since they reject working with foreigners. Though, I'm not entirely unconcerned, since they can influence the Conservatives.)


[] Open the southwest (Lesser boost in popularity for Hanyi, may boost Weilu Reformer support in long term. Bond 1 with Meng Diu)
[] Promotion in the capital (High boost to Hanyi popularity, no change in reformer support)
To spread Hanyi's cult to the Meng's south Wall-facing lands or to the city with the highest population in the Emerald Seas.

The Meng lands are being worked on by the Meng to alter their spiritual ecosystem into the Weilu style. Spreading Hanyi's cult there cements her place in the budding Neo-Weilu traditions; they're probably being threatened by the migrating winter, too. Additionally, the success of the Reformers in digesting their post-Hui land gains probably means the Reformers have a geographical stronghold for their movement, allowing them to be more aggressive against the Reactionaries and Conservatives since they'll be less concerned with resource-throttling from the traditional Meng core. Additionally, their geographic location is right beside the Wang, whose civic visions aligns with the Neo-Weilu desires; strengthening alliance between the Meng and the Wang binds both of them further to the larger province, as was Renxiang's original task for Ling Qi.

Xiangmen, the capital of Emerald Seas as well as the home for Cai Shenhua's court, provides a large boost to Hanyi's cult simply because of the sheer population living there. Additionally, as the City of Art, Hanyi can enter the larger musical and artistic communities existing in the Empire, allowing her to network and find inspiration with people around the entire province (and maybe also the Empire). Picking this option probably makes Hanyi vastly more human-like, developing her Idol of Ice trait towards the musician side rather than the religious side, and consequently boost her cultivation. Also probably allows her to network businesspeople beyond Bao Qian and acquire more money.

I see benefits to both, though picking the Meng's southwest benefits Ling Qi's Renxiang-given goals while Xiangmen is purely Hanyi-only benefits with minor benefits to Ling Qi's Neo-Weilu appeal.
 
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It is somewhat concerning that Xia Lushen thinks that the Red Garden may be expanding. His soil studies might be even more vital in the future.
 
lioli said:
...That means Meng Diu's father was the sole Meng representative to support Cai Shenhua's march on the Hui's Xiangmen, as depicted in the Shadows of Xiangmen story? Or did he go after her ascension to the throne, and was executed for his part in the Hui-era's intrigues?
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He is the Meng representative in the Shadows of Xiangmen story. He apparently died fighting the Hui.
 
[] Promotion in the capital (High boost to Hanyi popularity, no change in reformer support)

Max idol promotion. A strong Hanyi cult could really snowball, to use LQ's analogy.
 
Thor's Twin said:
That might work really really well with Zhengui's vitality infusing the area. Make sure that no weeds or parasites are being affected by Zhengui so that only the plants and crops we want are being grown.

And hey, who knows, maybe we can finally uncover the mystery of the yellow realm seed!
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Ummm ... I'm almost positive he meant weeds in the metaphorical sense. Because you need "good soil" to grow a "good crop" of citizens. And sometimes "bad apples" and "weeds" need to be removed in "accidents".
 
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The reason this isn't hard for me is because Hanyi will come out ahead regardless. It's not like by choosing the first option we are taking something away from her. To quantify my thinking, look at it this way. We start the conversation at 0 "benefits", and we are offered two choices, one where it's +2 "benefits" to Hanyi, and one where it's +1 to Hanyi and +1 to Ling Qi. Either way Hanyi is further than where she started, and the first one helps us and leaves further cooperation open.
 
[X] Open the southwest (Lesser boost in popularity for Hanyi, may boost Weilu Reformer support in long term. Bond 1 with Meng Diu)
 
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