The Tale of Xiao

[Inquisitor]

A private game between me and

@Miz.​

The Tale of Xiao

"The city of Hengxi, prepared as it was ever to be, awaited the arrival of the Imperial army under Xiao Jianyu. Their transgressions were grave, and would be dealt with accordingly."

​

~ The History of the Jinhai Dynasty

​

Hirad Shotori

The Imperial Scholar



​

Hirad lay prostrated before the throne of Feng Chiou, Lord of Xuwei and the surrounding region. The western lands had been tense of late, and with news of the Virtuist uprising in the south, tensions were only on the rise throughout the Empire. This mission was intended to re-secure the service of the most loyal of the western nobility, and hopefully establish Imperial control once more. Time would tell, but if Hirad's historical training were any indication, the delegation would have quite a battle on their hands. Nothing that the Emperor's trusted Eunuch delegates could not handle, but he worried for the Preserver that had been added to the mission.


He looked sidelong from his prostrated position toward Rao of the Way, the Preserver chosen for the job. Barely a man--not saying much when compared to Hirad, the Eunuch--he was worried for the younger one. All attempts were made to educate him in proper etiquette when dealing with nobles in their home courts, but Hirad worried how much of it had sunken in, and how much of it actually stuck. Ah well. Best for now to do the speaking, and keep the boy as quiet as possible. His time to speak would come, and if he stuck to the prepared topics, it would work out fine. This was hardly the Eunuch's first trip around the Empire, after all; he liked to think he knew what he was doing.


Come on, boy, remember your lines. Talk about the spirits, claim discontent among them and how they want to stay with the Emperor, not some local warlord. Keep it simple, and shut your mouth unless asked directly. We can do this.


He cleared his throat calmly, looking up at the foot of the throne. "My Lord, blessings unto you from the Blessed Emperor Jinhai. We bring to you his tidings, and desires to renew his ties with your family." He paused, sitting up to wave forward two members of the entourage. They carried with them a chest of medium size, which they opened before backing away. Within were neat rows of copper coins, laid out painstakingly carefully. "His Blessed Highness offers this to you, for your continued good service. He hopes that your support can be maintained in the region, in light of recent events and disturbances. We assure you that supporting him places you on the right and honorable side." He looked across now to Rao, gesturing to the boy to give his explanation.

 

[Miz]

Roa of the Way

A Preserver of Harmony
​

Roa had no difficulty prostrating in front of the throne of Feng Chiou, Lord of Xuwei. As a preserver he was trained in prostration. It was a helpful tool for relaxation and studying one's own body. The physical act of bending and remaining still for so long tested one's limits and resolve. So much so, that some elder spirits and gods deemed it necessary for any mediator to prostration on their behalf for extended periods of time. Only through that struggle would they prove to be worthwhile.


Roa was taught that nobles were no different than spirits or gods in that regard. They demanded prostration by visitors in their court. Yet the idea always perplexed Roa and his fellow student preservers. The dignified ones were certainly beyond that of common men. According to some, their soul's essence was pure and created through the repeated virtues of a noble's specific family over the eons. Nevertheless they were still men. They were not the Emperor nor had they ascended into elder spirits: disciplined, disordered or otherwise.


Roa silenced his doubts though. There were no time for them. Lord Feng was a powerful dignified soul. Regardless of his connections to the invisible world, he was needed in the greater conservation of the Empire. Roa heard his master, Meifen, in his head. Her calming but stringent teachings recited themselves over and over again. After all, it was Roa's duty as a preserver to hold himself in a matter fitting of such a lord. It was needed for the Maintenance of Harmony, the highest goal of a Preserver.


So when he was expected to speak in front of Lord Feng, when he was selected out of the Preservers in the Imperial temple to go forth to the West, Roa tried to remember all the etiquette he had acquired. He was certainly no common-bred. He was trained in the Imperial shrine, bowing before the Emperor at every major festival. Still, no one ever expected him to speak. He had not gained such honors before almost all of the authorities in the Central City. So he knew to hold his tongue in front of Lord Feng.


He knew this long before the adventure to the dusty hills and mountains of the West. Yet there was more to just being quiet, there was a whole language of diplomacy. Something that Roa had only started to learn in the past few years. The Imperial eunuchs taught him additional lessons of the required etiquette through their journey west. However they had little time to practice it. Lord Feng was the first noble to be visited. If it was a success, his mission to maintain harmony might be shortened.


"Great Dignified Lord, blessings unto you," Roa said. That was the easy part, his greeting basically copied the elder eunuch that was trained in such diplomatic affairs. The rest of his lines he had forgotten, yet he needed to say something. Quickly, he tried to act like he would in front of any elder. "I am Roa of the Way," he stated dropping many of the honorifics. "I have come to the West, to Xuwei, to quell discontent amongst the spirits. To ensure that they remain tranquil and disciplined. There is much discontent and disorder in this land."

 

[Inquisitor]

Hirad Shotori

The Imperial Scholar



​

Feng Chiao paused for a moment, frowning and shifting uncomfortably atop his jade-carved throne. He sat atop a flat, rock surface, no padding to protect himself from the harsh material. Perhaps it had something to do with hardships of ruling, but Hirad had no idea. Carved from a single, unified block of jade, it was quite the sight to behold; perfect lines, sharp corners, and beautiful pictures adorned its surface, contoured perfectly to this man's frame. No doubt was it made specifically for him, and further that a new one would be created for his son and grandson, and so forth into eternity. A waste of good jade, recreating a throne every generation. Perhaps, at least, they used the discarded throne for something. It was the best that could be hoped for.


No surname. These Preservers are so utterly strange. Referring to surname first was a custom among the Dignified Ones, and to present only a first name could be taken as an insult. Then again, so he had heard, these Preservers of the Way, as they called themselves, prided themselves on being a part of the "World Family," or so they put it. Perhaps they assumed that to mean that they were on a first-name basis with anyone they met. Hirad expected the Lord would not stand for that; such was an affront to the honor of the Dignified Ones. What remained was to come up with an alternative, then.


"Well, Preserver, I have seen the discontent you speak of. My lands are indeed in duress, though none of my counselors can seem to figure out why. They appear to be too ignorant of their own duties to me to know how to fix these problems. If you think you can fix our problems, then by all means, do what you must. If you, hardly a man, could solve our problems, I will give value of jade equivalent to this gift to the Emperor, and serve him without question until the day I die. All you must do is fix our predicaments. A man able to do such a deed is certainly worthy of veneration, yes?" He waved a servant forward, who delivered a scroll of parchment to Hirad. "Open that when you leave here. It is a report I was planning to send His Blessed Highness about our troubles. Read it, and fix our problems."


Hirad received the scroll, placing it gently before him. No need to anger this Lord by dishonoring his gift. Come on, boy, your time isn't done yet. Close it strong. He prostrates himself once more. "Thank you for this opportunity, most blessed Dignified One." He fell silent after that, hoping that Roa would seal the deal and make sure they made it out of here okay.

 

[Miz]

Roa of the Way

A Preserver of Harmony
​

The voice of Lord Feng Chiao was heavy and carried when he replied. Yet it had little to do with the dignified one's speech or his actual voice but relied solely on the acoustics of the room. The entire courtroom was semi-circle in shape and allowed sound to move in a unique fashion across its floor. The eunuchs had told Roa this, which is why he stayed his tongue. He wasn't sure what if anything the Lord could hear him whisper and how he would respond to such whispering. After all only a paranoid Lord worried enough to shape his court in a curricular way to listen on mere whispers.


Still, Lord Feng's voice echoed through the room like he was standing in a mountain pass or a theater stage. It made Hirad's voice sound soft and made Roa's voice sound even weaker than the eunuchs in comparison. So when Hirad rose to take the scroll from the Lord's servants, Roa was reluctant to change posture at first. Yet he did so when he saw the other servant's follow Hirad. It was at that time that he remembered that he was a member of the Imperial entourage and had nothing to fear.


Looking around the room, it s was hard for Rao to believe he was in a mountain. The walls were all polished stone and the court-room's floor an inscribed jade. However the entire place didn't feel dark or damp which Rao associated with being underground. The place was actually fairly well lit with tiny portholes that lined the room's decorated roof. The portholes were incorporated into the art with the eyes of dragons, people and mythical beings having sunlight instead of sockets. These lights manifest the most towards the jade throne of Feng Chiao which made even his silk in lined with furs shimmer.


The entire place was decorated to a similar level of austere. Depictions of the Western Folklore was on every surface. The people of the West, as they were known, were once a part of a great ancient kingdom. They were the one's to carve such works out of the mountain and build their fortresses here as well. Gifted powers form the Western Dragon and inspired to craft by his nature, the Western people thrived greatly until their kingdom fell to mercenaries and barbarians. To Rao's knowledge it was the Imperial forces that managed to calm the region, return it back to order.


Feng Chiao was a descendent of these armies. He was not a Westerner, not with his name. He merely took on the appearance of one as was accustom for a person who rules over foreigners. According to the eunuchs, the Feng Household was supposed to be loyal to the Emperor because their families' long connection with one another. However one's pride can grow quite large when living in a mountain. The feeling of security and the feeling of invincibility. Rao was aware of all of this when he sat before the lord.


Roa had little intention of failing to bring balance to the West but upon hearing the Dignified One's tone, he could only assume that his task were neigh impossible. Still he thanked the Lord for his words. "Thank you for the opportunity, most blessed Dignified One. I hope to prove my worth to a man such as you and perhaps become a man in the process," Rao said with the necessary honorifics. They weren't entirely right, he was copying from a dialogue he remembered in a text about Western spirit, but it was better than before.