Zhao Yue's Audience Hall - Shangdang

[Satyrus]

Niou Sui arrived at the city of Shang Dang by foot, behind him came a dozen of his men. Still relatively new to the military life they'd chosen under Niou Sui they carried their pi spears a bit uncomfortably.

Sui on the other hand, carried himself with the disposition of a weathered soldier, his face bore several visible scars and his skin was calloused. His armor was relatively simple, but effective. No guady fabrics or gems, but his hips were assorted with accessories of war. A pair of daggers, a short sword, and a finely crafted battleaxe.

Niou Sui watched them out of the corners of his eyes, disappointed by his soldiers lack of discipline. 'No matter,' he though 'Kai will have them as a proper soldiers in no time.'

Approaching the audience hall Niou Sui presents himself to the guards in a strong voice

"I am Niou Sui of Di come to seek an audience with Yuan Shu, General of the Xu Ying Guard."

He presents the letter from Shu that one of the soldiers was carrying.
Looking at some of the weapons gathered behind the guards in neat piles, Sui adresses the guards one more time.

"I am afraid that I won't consent to giving up my weapons, their are too many men of deceit in this land for me to go anywhere without some weapons. I will wait here for him if I must, or be accompanied inside by a troupe of guards if need be."

Niou Sui folds his arms over his chest as he awaits a response.

[chandler_19]

A middle aged man arrived at the gate of Shangdang's audience halls approaching the guards, he introduced himself.

Ci Ha My name is Ci Ha! I come in peace in the name of Lord Huang Zhao of Bei Di. May I seek an audience with your master?

The man waited for the reply.

[Unchained Phoenix]

yup!

Once Kijo Akki emerged from her momentary lunacy, she had the option to duel one of his finest duelists, Lie Enxia. After a battle of wooden swords, Akki proved herself most worthy in the martial arts, earning the respect of the Prefect who previously doubted her potential as an officer. Despite her dangerous quirks, he knew this would be the right match for him. "You will be a most excellent bodyguard for me. Welcome to Shangdang."

Kijo Akki has been accepted into the ranks of Shangdang!

"If there's nothing else, an attendant will show you to your temporary quarters, where thereafter you can choose a permanent suite at your leisure. Good day."

"Hiya, I'm Sun Rin. I came here for an audience with the Prefect, do you know where he is?"

"Yes," the burly guard captain said with a slightly fatherly look, although his tone was far from comforting. "But you will have to submit to the two mandatory searches ordained by Shangdang's policy. We can fetch a female attendant to do the job so you are more comfortable. Agreed?"

Riding up to the guards, the man in the carriage descended and walked up the stairs to the gate. Bowing to the defenders, he stated, "Greetings men of Shangdang. I am Hua Gao, a minor official from King Zhao's court. Could you inform lord Zhao Yue that I wish to have a dialog with him?"

A few of the younger guards lurched forward to perform the search, but the captain held them back by simply raising a hand. "Of course, Lord Hua. Follow us," he said, then motioning to the men beyond to open the bronze gates, showing the representative through the courtyard and to the actual entrance to the building, which they easily bypassed after the captain had a word with a fellow captain. Soon enough, the entire party was engulfed by the darkness of the archway.

The entire first floor of the complex was dedicated to audiences, what with all of the suites for exalted officials located higher up in the building. The walls were like a maze, painted with dragons and symbols and all sorts of things, though sliding doors were hidden throughout where men and women alike conducted their daily business. Eventually, they were taken to the opposite side of the floor where they were motioned to remove their shoes, the doors then sliding open to reveal a large room with plenty of decor. The room was painted a golden hue, with small statues and intricately crafted antiques dotting the perimeter. Opposite the red rug in the center of the room was a raised platform equipped with two steps. Behind this platform was a draped tapestry that had a poem woven in, speaking of a new spring and the joys that are brought with it. The focus was not on this literature, however; it was on the man sitting crosslegged on his own floor mat on this platform.

"Presenting Hua Gao, a ranked man under the King of Zhao," the guard captain noted, bowing before departing. The Prefect calculated the man before him before parting his previously pursed lips. "Welcome to Shangdang, Lord Hua. How fares the King in this declining weather?"

It was a pleasant afternoon that Yuan Rui arrived at Shangdang's city hall. He smiled a little at the guards in front of the hall.

"Greeting. Could you please tell lord Zhao that a man named Yuan Rui would like to meet him in response to his invitation?"

"Of course," the tall and somewhat lanky guard captain said in a tenor tone. "But regardless, we have to perform mandatory searches in order to ensure safety in the capital. Do you consent to this?" he asked.

Niou Sui arrived at the city of Shang Dang by foot, behind him came a dozen of his men. Still relatively new to the military life they'd chosen under Niou Sui they carried their pi spears a bit uncomfortably.

Sui on the other hand, carried himself with the disposition of a weathered soldier, his face bore several visible scars and his skin was calloused. His armor was relatively simple, but effective. No guady fabrics or gems, but his hips were assorted with accessories of war. A pair of daggers, a short sword, and a finely crafted battleaxe.

Niou Sui watched them out of the corners of his eyes, disappointed by his soldiers lack of discipline. 'No matter,' he though 'Kai will have them as a proper soldiers in no time.'

Approaching the audience hall Niou Sui presents himself to the guards in a strong voice

"I am Niou Sui of Di come to seek an audience with Yuan Shu, General of the Xu Ying Guard."

He presents the letter from Shu that one of the soldiers was carrying.
Looking at some of the weapons gathered behind the guards in neat piles, Sui adresses the guards one more time.

"I am afraid that I won't consent to giving up my weapons, their are too many men of deceit in this land for me to go anywhere without some weapons. I will wait here for him if I must, or be accompanied inside by a troupe of guards if need be."

Niou Sui folds his arms over his chest as he awaits a response.

"General Who of What?" the guard captain asked, a few inches shorter than Niou Sui in height. The entire unit was perplexed by the statement. "Perhaps you took the wrong turn somewhere. This is Shangdang, a city under the jurisdiction of Prefect Zhao Yue. There is no Yuan Shu or Xu Ying Guard here."

A middle aged man arrived at the gate of Shangdang's audience halls approaching the guards, he introduced himself.

Ci Ha My name is Ci Ha! I come in peace in the name of Lord Huang Zhao of Bei Di. May I seek an audience with your master?

The man waited for the reply.

"Surely," the guard captain said whimsically, "but you'll need to submit to a couple searches. No big thing, just a little pat here and a little pat there. Here a pat, there a pat, everywhere a pat-pat. You might wanna hand over your weapons too."

[chandler_19]

Ci Ha looked at the guard with a funny look.

Ci Ha I'll submit to it.

He waited for his audience.

[Unchained Phoenix]

Ci Ha looked at the guard with a funny look.

Ci Ha I'll submit to it.

He waited for his audience.

The gate guards nodded, searching the man and removing all suspicious and malicious items. "These will be returned to you upon your departure," the captain simply stated, signaling for the men beyond to open up the gates. The envoy would then be directed to the entrance guards, who again patted him down and removed anything threatening they could find. With the two searches completed, it was time to enter the Administration Building of Shangdang.

The entire first floor of the complex was dedicated to audiences, what with all of the suites for exalted officials located higher up in the building. The walls were like a maze, painted with dragons and symbols and all sorts of things, though sliding doors were hidden throughout where men and women alike conducted their daily business. Eventually, they were taken to the opposite side of the floor where they were motioned to remove their shoes, the doors then sliding open to reveal a large room with plenty of decor. The room was painted a golden hue, with small statues and intricately crafted antiques dotting the perimeter. Opposite the red rug in the center of the room was a raised platform equipped with two steps. Behind this platform was a draped tapestry that had a poem woven in, speaking of a new spring and the joys that are brought with it. The focus was not on this literature, however; it was on the man sitting crosslegged on his own floor mat on this platform.

"Good day," said the seated man with a stoic expression. "Is there something I can help you with?"

[GreenFabre]

<table border="1" cellspacing="5" width="100%" align="left" bgcolor="black"><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="black">

Bodyguard!

<font color="#CD8C95">The Kijo mumbled something in her native language while looking at the wooden sword in her clawed hands.
Back in her own place, people prove their mettle with real swords, not with mock-up woods.

Giving a simple bow to the Prefect, she acknowledged him.
Never let it be said that the Kijo doesn't know how to be polite when she has to.
She was having a hard time bending her knees, her spine as stiff as steel, unwavering in its strength.

"I'll send word for the Jinkotsu's arrival... Prefect."
The Kijo said to him adding the title belatedly, not really used to bowing to anyone.

She then allowed herself to be escorted towards her temporary lair, the wooden sword in hand.
Heaven only knows what is going on her mind, let alone what she would do with the sword . . .</font>

</td></tr></table>

[Satyrus]

"General Who of What?" the guard captain asked, a few inches shorter than Niou Sui in height. The entire unit was perplexed by the statement. "Perhaps you took the wrong turn somewhere. This is Shangdang, a city under the jurisdiction of Prefect Zhao Yue. There is no Yuan Shu or Xu Ying Guard here."

Niou stands for a moment, utterly still before turning on his heel.

"My apologies, I was misinformed."

He walks away, never looking back as his men have to trot to keep up with their leader.

[Radical Dreamer]

A few of the younger guards lurched forward to perform the search, but the captain held them back by simply raising a hand. "Of course, Lord Hua. Follow us," he said, then motioning to the men beyond to open the bronze gates, showing the representative through the courtyard and to the actual entrance to the building, which they easily bypassed after the captain had a word with a fellow captain. Soon enough, the entire party was engulfed by the darkness of the archway.

The entire first floor of the complex was dedicated to audiences, what with all of the suites for exalted officials located higher up in the building. The walls were like a maze, painted with dragons and symbols and all sorts of things, though sliding doors were hidden throughout where men and women alike conducted their daily business. Eventually, they were taken to the opposite side of the floor where they were motioned to remove their shoes, the doors then sliding open to reveal a large room with plenty of decor. The room was painted a golden hue, with small statues and intricately crafted antiques dotting the perimeter. Opposite the red rug in the center of the room was a raised platform equipped with two steps. Behind this platform was a draped tapestry that had a poem woven in, speaking of a new spring and the joys that are brought with it. The focus was not on this literature, however; it was on the man sitting crosslegged on his own floor mat on this platform.

"Presenting Hua Gao, a ranked man under the King of Zhao," the guard captain noted, bowing before departing. The Prefect calculated the man before him before parting his previously pursed lips. "Welcome to Shangdang, Lord Hua. How fares the King in this declining weather?"

Hua, himself bowing slightly, lazily looked around the room with an amused smile. "Ah, the king is very well if rumors are to be believed. I do not believe I have ever heard of him being so active."

However, this visit wasn't about exchange pleasantries as Gao soon revealed. "The business that brings me to your wonderful court is fairly simple. Really, my staff would have asked me to send a letter but I would think it rude to not come in person."

"I have heard that the King holds you in some regard so it would be an affront if I did not announce myself. On orders of the King, I am moving into this province to secure a base of operations in preparation for the capture of Jinyang. To that end, I shall be absorbing the town of Hangu this coming month. I would not so inconvenience you as to ask for aid, but I felt it best to inform you of my men's movements so that there weren't any...lapses in communication."

[SituJinrong]

A trio rode up to the city gates of Shangdang. One of them, a lightly robed man who was clearing not armed, step forward.

"I am an envoy from Liu Jin, and I come to negotiate prisoner exchange. Your miserable soldiers had a clash with our vanguard general Xu Nie. They lost and ran away like dogs with their tails between the legs. Unfortunately they also took hostage of some 200 of my brothers and we will like to take them back."

The look on the messenger was almost full of disdain and contempt. He looked back at the other 2 fully armed men and said

"Both of you stay back outside the city gates. I am an envoy and should have diplomatic immunity and not be harmed. If these dogs were to even disregard such basic courtesy, please tell our dear leader to not mourn for me for my life as it is of inconsequence compared to his lofty ambitions."

[yoshi]

A small group of people were approaching the iron gates to the courtyard. As they drew closer, one could make out the conversation going on between a man carrying a spear across his back like a yoke and another man in robes.

Man with Spear: So you're saying that... until I open the box, not only don't I know if the cat is dead or alive, it actually isn't dead OR alive?

Man in Robes: Precisely! Because you see...

Man with Spear: That's stupid.

Man in Robes: But...

A third, much taller man with a long beard looked perplexed.

Man with Beard: Why would you want to put a dead cat in a box? Are you burying it?

Man in Robes: 'Why' isn't important...

Man with Beard: Going around sticking live and dead cats in boxes? 'Why''s a pretty important question for it if you ask me. Proves you're not funny in the head...

Man with Spear: Stopping messing around, we're here already.

The man approached the gate and got a guard's attention.

Man with Spear: Right. Pan Rui, here to talk to the governor. Should be expecting me.

He tossed his spear to one of the other guards.

Pan Rui: Don't lose that. I just bought it and it's worth a lot more to me than your life.

He turned to a young woman who was standing at the head of the group behind him.

Pan Rui: Sister Zhen, you're with me. Li Gun, Xiang Chong... keep out of trouble. We'll be back in a bit.

He turned back to the guard.

Pan Rui: Right. So get on with your jobs, I ain't getting any younger. But watch the hands. And watch them around her too... she bites.