Lin Xin's Audience Hall - Panyu

[In Ferro Veritas]

[Europeans... I made my post a 5am. I'm trying to get my awful schedule back on track, so don't expect any stroke of genius today. I've got a feeling my notes from this morning's class aren't even intelligible.]

The diplomat raised an eyebrow, and took a sip of tea to ponder the remarks.

"And how, esteemed marquis, do you know that I'm not lying? The nature of my trade is such that it is rewarding to be exceptional when it comes to telling lies. Fabrication and half-truths are more important to my trade than honesty in these troubled times.

"I suppose that if you wanted to see how people react under stress, you might order your guards to brandish their weapons and throw menacing glares, and half-mumbled threats of dismemberment and evisceration. But I imagine that would not be good for public relations."

Xiao Jing leaned back into her chair, and concluded that it was time for the proverbial toss of the dice.

"I wish to test my interpretations thus far," she commented, "not that you've given me a great deal to work with. To begin, you took the time to meet with a person who holds no official rank -- a woman, no less. This tells me you are either a commoner who has not lost touch with his roots, so to speak, or you are a noble who has no concern for tradition. You granted my audience in a room with a desk, and offered me a seat without my asking -- standard protocol, it would seem, is to force me to stand formally at a great distance, while you sit on a raised chair. This tells me you, again, do not stand for tradition, and that you are either a hands-on sovereign or a sovereign who plays at ruling.

"I have not seen any self-important men lean in to whisper you the answer to difficult questions, so you cannot be simply playing at ruling. While I cannot yet rule out the possibility that you are noble-born, chances are you are of low birth like myself. If you don't mind my saying, lord, scars are not exactly common amongst noblemen. Since you make your own decisions, and since the odds are against you being noble-born, I will venture to draw the conclusion that you have worked your way to your present rank through your own merit. Because you have not lost touch with your base, and because you inquired as to my off-hand comment about your interest in your subordinates, you strike me as a man who does not stand for tradition.

"I conclude, then, that you are not simply waiting for Heaven to give the mandate to someone. I suspect that you are striving to make yourself the prime candidate for the Mandate of Heaven, and that you, at present, have every intention of uniting the Middle Kingdom under one banner. I ask for your forgiveness for going off on a tangent, and subsequently going off on a further tangent, but, please, indulge me. Am I correct in my assessment, or have I made some error?"

[Lin Xin]

[Europeans... I made my post a 5am. I'm trying to get my awful schedule back on track, so don't expect any stroke of genius today. I've got a feeling my notes from this morning's class aren't even intelligible.]

The diplomat raised an eyebrow, and took a sip of tea to ponder the remarks.

"And how, esteemed marquis, do you know that I'm not lying? The nature of my trade is such that it is rewarding to be exceptional when it comes to telling lies. Fabrication and half-truths are more important to my trade than honesty in these troubled times.

"I suppose that if you wanted to see how people react under stress, you might order your guards to brandish their weapons and throw menacing glares, and half-mumbled threats of dismemberment and evisceration. But I imagine that would not be good for public relations."

Xiao Jing leaned back into her chair, and concluded that it was time for the proverbial toss of the dice.

"I wish to test my interpretations thus far," she commented, "not that you've given me a great deal to work with. To begin, you took the time to meet with a person who holds no official rank -- a woman, no less. This tells me you are either a commoner who has not lost touch with his roots, so to speak, or you are a noble who has no concern for tradition. You granted my audience in a room with a desk, and offered me a seat without my asking -- standard protocol, it would seem, is to force me to stand formally at a great distance, while you sit on a raised chair. This tells me you, again, do not stand for tradition, and that you are either a hands-on sovereign or a sovereign who plays at ruling.

"I have not seen any self-important men lean in to whisper you the answer to difficult questions, so you cannot be simply playing at ruling. While I cannot yet rule out the possibility that you are noble-born, chances are you are of low birth like myself. If you don't mind my saying, lord, scars are not exactly common amongst noblemen. Since you make your own decisions, and since the odds are against you being noble-born, I will venture to draw the conclusion that you have worked your way to your present rank through your own merit. Because you have not lost touch with your base, and because you inquired as to my off-hand comment about your interest in your subordinates, you strike me as a man who does not stand for tradition.

"I conclude, then, that you are not simply waiting for Heaven to give the mandate to someone. I suspect that you are striving to make yourself the prime candidate for the Mandate of Heaven, and that you, at present, have every intention of uniting the Middle Kingdom under one banner. I ask for your forgiveness for going off on a tangent, and subsequently going off on a further tangent, but, please, indulge me. Am I correct in my assessment, or have I made some error?"

(lol. Not Europe. Afghanistan...at least for another 2 months. )

Xin leaned back and clapped his hands in delight. Shaking a finger at the young woman, the Marquis laughs and says, "My you are perceptive. You are correct in everything you say except for the last one. I am a mere commoner, born in a small village called Shanxue where my father was the Village Chief before me. As you have so accurately pointed out, I have no background with court procedures nor do I wish to learn. If someone chooses a leader or lord based merely on the level of self-importance the so-called 'noble' displays, then good riddance. Those types probably hope to strive to the same self-serving position."

His hand unconciously brushes upon his scar on his cheek and forehead. The memory of how he got the scar is still burned in his memory. "These scars I carry will always remind me of where my roots are. I bear them proudly for they were gained in the defense of Yue against a barbarian raid. Before these injuries, for there are others you cannot see, I was a great fighter. Now, I am merely an average one...but I still have my mind and good people who serve me."

"But I do not wish to bear the Mandate of Heaven," Xin continues after a slight pause. "I'm sure there are others more qualified than myself. On the other hand, who am I to deny it should Heaven choose me?"

[In Ferro Veritas]

[Boo. It's heating up there, too. I just saw Iron Man last night, too. Weird.]

The woman was stupefied.

"That... was a scholarly trap. If you said you were after the Mandate, you would look like a pretentious, power-hungry dog. If you said you were not seeking it, you would look like a weak-willed swine who was graced with the fortune to have things fall into place for him. And not only that, your response bears the vague implication that you would surrender power to a subordinate if they appeared to have the Mandate, which would inspire the spineless and power-hungry to join your cause."

Xiao Jing leaned forward slightly offering a smile. She couldn't quite decide if it was dumb luck that gave him the best possible answer, or he had considered the issue intensely.

"In any event," she began, "I suppose you have seen my boast fulfilled to an extent. I have some small knowledge in the subtle hints that sway people and can make more of what they say than they intend to reveal, so perhaps I would, indeed, be of some use to you? You mentioned oversight of your 'diplomatic corps' earlier -- what, exactly would this entail?"

[Lin Xin]

[Boo. It's heating up there, too. I just saw Iron Man last night, too. Weird.]

The woman was stupefied.

"That... was a scholarly trap. If you said you were after the Mandate, you would look like a pretentious, power-hungry dog. If you said you were not seeking it, you would look like a weak-willed swine who was graced with the fortune to have things fall into place for him. And not only that, your response bears the vague implication that you would surrender power to a subordinate if they appeared to have the Mandate, which would inspire the spineless and power-hungry to join your cause."

Xiao Jing leaned forward slightly offering a smile. She couldn't quite decide if it was dumb luck that gave him the best possible answer, or he had considered the issue intensely.

"In any event," she began, "I suppose you have seen my boast fulfilled to an extent. I have some small knowledge in the subtle hints that sway people and can make more of what they say than they intend to reveal, so perhaps I would, indeed, be of some use to you? You mentioned oversight of your 'diplomatic corps' earlier -- what, exactly would this entail?"

((well, activity spiked, then stabilized, and now we're seein a decline going into winter. Business as usual. ))

Leaning forward, Xin said, "There are many rumors circulating about me and my allies. I feel like my political position with the neutral powers are declining. With your talents, I feel you are the person who is able to help me organize a counter-propaganda campaign to promote the truth...and give people reason to stand by me rather than against me."

The Marquis added a knowing look to that last sentence. While Lady Xiao has been very astute in her observations, Xin had so far been pretty obvious with his unsaid intentions. Now, he is seeing if the young politician can read deeper between the lines.

[In Ferro Veritas]

Xiao Jing leaned back into her chair, pondering the question. The answer came pretty easily, as it usually did, but presenting that answer was the hard part.

"I cannot answer that question. Spreading propaganda is easy, but if you want it to be effective, you have to understand your targets. I do not know of the men to which you refer, and so I cannot offer you advise on the matter. While you may consider my ignorance on this matter displeasing, who would be better to objectively analyze these men than one who does not know them?"

The lady took another sip of her tea, not overly pleased with her response.

[Lin Xin]

Xiao Jing leaned back into her chair, pondering the question. The answer came pretty easily, as it usually did, but presenting that answer was the hard part.

"I cannot answer that question. Spreading propaganda is easy, but if you want it to be effective, you have to understand your targets. I do not know of the men to which you refer, and so I cannot offer you advise on the matter. While you may consider my ignorance on this matter displeasing, who would be better to objectively analyze these men than one who does not know them?"

The lady took another sip of her tea, not overly pleased with her response.

Xin leaned back as well, mirroring the woman's body posture. With a slight shake of his, he smiled and said, "Of course, I don't expect you to know how to best proceed at this point. I only say you have the capability to aid me in that respect. The details will come as you become more involved in kingdom affairs...if you deem me the right lord to serve."

"Speaking of which," the Marquis continued, "I would like to know your motiviations, passions...desires. What drives you and what do you hope to accomplish in this world?"

[In Ferro Veritas]

The diplomat chuckled, smiling.

"I wish to see this land unified," she responded. "But on a more personal level, I must confess that I have no desire to grow old alone. By the same token, I have no desire to raise a family in a land so ravaged by war. And so I seek to see this land unified, and hope that I can find the right man along the way.

"As for my passions and desires, honored Marquis, I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

Offering a sly glance before returning her attention to her fast-dwindling cup of tea, the woman was curious to see how the man would respond to a less-than-obvious clue.

[Lin Xin]

The Marquis nodded, his eyes showing he caught the unspoken words and returned the unspoken message, but he just simply said, "Well, I guess you'll just have to agree to assist me then. Otherwise, how will I ever find out?"

[In Ferro Veritas]

"It would appear so," she said, standing. "I shall offer my talents and skills to... accelerate the unification of this land. But it has been a very long journey from Wei, and you will pardon me if I request lodging at this time."

[Lin Xin]

"It would appear so," she said, standing. "I shall offer my talents and skills to... accelerate the unification of this land. But it has been a very long journey from Wei, and you will pardon me if I request lodging at this time."

Xin stood and bowed, smiling. "Of course, Lady Xiao. A servant will escort to you our temporary lodging until a more permanent one is prepared. Please take time to rest and refresh yourself. Come see me in my office whenever you are ready."

((Xiao Jing joins Yue! Post in OI and PH will be granted shortly!))