Lao Yongrui's Audience Hall - Qufu

Lao Kong · Post by **Lao Kong** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:23 pm

Marzy wrote:"Wine?" Kong asked, offering his jug to his friend from horseback. Shing Kong was on a light brown charger affectionately named 'Blackie'. He always seemed amused by it, but no one else really shared in it. Gan Lu waved his hand in refusal from atop his nondescript colt.

Shing Kong shrugged and finished it himself before stowing it away again with great difficulty. Gan Lu sighed, wondering why the man always insisted on the stuff, but knowing better than to ask by now.

"District Manager Lao seemed like a fine enough fellow from the letters," Kong remarked as the walls to Qufu rose up in the distance.

"I would hope so. Why would we meet him otherwise?" Gan Lu asked.

Kong didn't answer. He was starting to regret finishing up the last of his wine here before a meeting like this. But it wasn't like he drank much today, they'd just been riding all morning and he hadn't touched the stuff until now. And it was only half a jug. Maybe not even that. It'd be ok, right?

He didn't have time to think about it. Before he knew it, the large north gate stood open before them. Rather than wander through the city and it's distractions, Kong decided to get the attention of one of the guards. Catching sight of one, he shouted out...

"Excuse me! We've received a letter from District Manager Lao. Could one of you help us find him?!"

The guards gave the pair a curious look. "We can take you to him, if you wish. Or you can continue to travel up the road, and you'll see the Hall of Qufu. Pretty big place, not hard to miss."

Ishida · Post by **Ishida** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:28 pm

Ming Fuu approaches. she had recently met with the Lord of the area and was impressed with what she had heard. It also helped that she was from this region so it wouldn't be so far of a move for her.

Ming: I have been asked to come her for employment my i please speak with the lord of this region.

Marzy · Post by **Marzy** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:52 pm

Lao Kong wrote:The guards gave the pair a curious look. "We can take you to him, if you wish. Or you can continue to travel up the road, and you'll see the Hall of Qufu. Pretty big place, not hard to miss."

The two looked at each other, then shrugged. Kong turned back and replied, "Thank you for the help! We can handle it from here!"

With that, the two urged their horses forward in a walk. Shing resisted the urge to stop for a drink in some of the taverns he noticed, and he tried to look away from the wares of small stands an stalls near market. It was not long before they made it to the administration complex.

Shing Kong and Gan Lu dismounted from their horses and led the equine over to the Hall. "Excuse me," Kong said, getting the attention of a couple of guards. "We've come to meet with District Manager Lao." He reached into his pouch to show the guards letters from their lord.... but they were missing. He looked calm at first, then panicked.

"Gah! Gan Lu, do you have the letters?!"

Gan Lu's eyes widened in shock. "He wrote to you! I thought you had them!" he shouted back. With a sigh, he turned back to the guards. "I'm sure if you told your lord that Shing Kong and Gan Lu have come to meet, he would come out for us."

Lao Kong · Post by **Lao Kong** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:34 pm

Ishida wrote:Ming Fuu approaches. she had recently met with the Lord of the area and was impressed with what she had heard. It also helped that she was from this region so it wouldn't be so far of a move for her.

Ming: I have been asked to come her for employment my i please speak with the lord of this region.

The guards had been waiting on a lady named Ming Fuu, and from the description given to them by Lao Yongrui, this must be her. "Yes, certainly. He is expecting you."

Leading her into the Hall and into Yongrui's office, the guard ushered her in, where Yongrui sat before a table, practicing his calligraphy. When he saw Ming Fuu, he stood and bowed. "Thank you for coming, Lady Ming. I am glad you've come." Pushing his studies aside, he sat back down, assuming Fuu sat opposite of him. He then looked back to her. "So have you considered our discussion from last month?"

Marzy wrote:The two looked at each other, then shrugged. Kong turned back and replied, "Thank you for the help! We can handle it from here!"

With that, the two urged their horses forward in a walk. Shing resisted the urge to stop for a drink in some of the taverns he noticed, and he tried to look away from the wares of small stands an stalls near market. It was not long before they made it to the administration complex.

Shing Kong and Gan Lu dismounted from their horses and led the equine over to the Hall. "Excuse me," Kong said, getting the attention of a couple of guards. "We've come to meet with District Manager Lao." He reached into his pouch to show the guards letters from their lord.... but they were missing. He looked calm at first, then panicked.

"Gah! Gan Lu, do you have the letters?!"

Gan Lu's eyes widened in shock. "He wrote to you! I thought you had them!" he shouted back. With a sigh, he turned back to the guards. "I'm sure if you told your lord that Shing Kong and Gan Lu have come to meet, he would come out for us."

'Come out for us?' the guard thought incredulously. Surely these men were inept of mind! Before he could retort, however, he felt a hand clap on his shoulder, and when he turned, Lao Yongrui was there in his winter robes. "I see I came just in time. You're Shing Kong, then? It's good to finally meet you. If it isn't too cold, would you wish to take a walk?"

Marzy · Post by **Marzy** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:37 pm

Neither Shing Kong nor Gan Lu noticed the incredulous look on the guard's faces (nor the shock after, actually), now that Lao Yongrui was out.

"Compared to the snows of Yan province, this feels like a refresing spring breeze. I'd gladly walk with you," Shing Kong replied. He and Gan Lu handed their reins over to the guards, with Kong adding, "Take care of Blackie for me." If the guards thought him a fool before, they must have thought him to be mad now, calling a brown charger Blackie...

"I'm afraid you'll have to lead us around Manager. My friend and I have not yet toured your fair city and we won't know our way around for the life of us," Gan Lu spoke after Kong had his fun.

Ishida · Post by **Ishida** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:43 pm

Ming sat across from him.
Ming: yes i have come i weighed the options and it was down to you and one other lord. I thought long and hard as both of you had impressed me. ultimately i decided i wish to serve you. I am fimiliar with the area and i feel its a good opportunity to get some experience quickly. I hope you are still willing to accept me into your force.

Lao Kong · Post by **Lao Kong** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:36 pm

Marzy wrote:Neither Shing Kong nor Gan Lu noticed the incredulous look on the guard's faces (nor the shock after, actually), now that Lao Yongrui was out.

"Compared to the snows of Yan province, this feels like a refresing spring breeze. I'd gladly walk with you," Shing Kong replied. He and Gan Lu handed their reins over to the guards, with Kong adding, "Take care of Blackie for me." If the guards thought him a fool before, they must have thought him to be mad now, calling a brown charger Blackie...

"I'm afraid you'll have to lead us around Manager. My friend and I have not yet toured your fair city and we won't know our way around for the life of us," Gan Lu spoke after Kong had his fun.

"Good to hear," Yongrui said, as he set off. The guard he left behind grumbled as he lead Blackie to Yongrui's own stables. Taking a minute to decide on a destination, Yongrui finally lead them west. "There's a breeze coming off the river to our east, it's cold enough for me."

Assuming the pair followed, Yongrui set forth, and smiled and cast his eyes to the ground with humility when the occasional passerby would call his name with pride. Looking over to Gan and Shing, he said, "I'll tell you now how I came to acquire Qufu. I had done some snooping through the city some months prior, and had discovered the officials were taking money that didn't belong to them. When the public found out, they insisted I stay on as Manager. They were pretty ah, insistent." They passed by a grove of bare apple trees covered in fine frost, and Lao Yongrui slowed down to admire them, before setting on again.

"Anyhow, I'm sure you are curious about the proposal I hinted at in my letter. Or perhaps not," Yongrui said, leaving Shing Kong and Gan Lu unsure whether this was a declarative statement or a question.

Ishida wrote:Ming sat across from him.
Ming: yes i have come i weighed the options and it was down to you and one other lord. I thought long and hard as both of you had impressed me. ultimately i decided i wish to serve you. I am fimiliar with the area and i feel its a good opportunity to get some experience quickly. I hope you are still willing to accept me into your force.

Yongrui smiled, glad she was eager to serve. "Thank you for your choice, Lady Ming. Your quarters will be ready for you in hours. Do you have any questions?"

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Marzy · Post by **Marzy** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:47 pm

Shing Kong and Gan Lu walked in silence as Lao Yongrui made comments and led them on their way. Shing Kong was content to survey the scenery for the moment.

They admired and passed an apple grove for a moment before Manager Lao spoke again. "Anyhow, I'm sure you are curious about the proposal I hinted at in my letter. Or perhaps not," Lao Yongrui said, trailing off a bit towards the end, leaving that uncertainty in the air.

"I wouldn't come here for idle chatter I'm afraid Manager Lao. It is your proposal that has brought me here," Kong replied, displaying a serious demeanor. It wasn't exactly common for him normally, but he found himself using it more as he traveled these days. "However, I wonder if you have any questions for me or my friend here. Anything you'd like to know?"

Lao Kong · Post by **Lao Kong** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:26 pm

Marzy wrote:Shing Kong and Gan Lu walked in silence as Lao Yongrui made comments and led them on their way. Shing Kong was content to survey the scenery for the moment.

They admired and passed an apple grove for a moment before Manager Lao spoke again. "Anyhow, I'm sure you are curious about the proposal I hinted at in my letter. Or perhaps not," Lao Yongrui said, trailing off a bit towards the end, leaving that uncertainty in the air.

"I wouldn't come here for idle chatter I'm afraid Manager Lao. It is your proposal that has brought me here," Kong replied, displaying a serious demeanor. It wasn't exactly common for him normally, but he found himself using it more as he traveled these days. "However, I wonder if you have any questions for me or my friend here. Anything you'd like to know?"

"Well..." Yongrui said, smiling faintly. "I've heard a few things about you, Shing Kong, but I would like to hear it from the horses mouth itself. Tell me about yourself. Gan Lu as well." He continued to walk on, waiting for them to speak. The skies to the north foretold of snow, the first of the season.

Marzy · Post by **Marzy** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:39 pm

"Gan Lu here taught me since I was a wee lad. Took me in, pushed me to learn. Taught me how to ride, how to fight. I'll admit I'm not that bright, but Gan Lu taught me enough on how to live and be a man. He is a man of honor. A true asset to anyone he deems worthy of him. I'm grateful to him for what he's done for me..." Shing Kong started. He looked over to Gan Lu, who didn't really betray any emotion whatsoever. Kong figured he'd continue from there.

"Like I said, I'm not too bright. And I make some rash decisions. But I'm strong and I know how to lead. I'm great with a spear and I'm good on horse. If you need a martial man who will leap at opportunity, I'm your guy."