Sai Provincial Roleplay

[Brother Dun]

The man's wish was soon granted for attention. The villagers, not being too used to the sight of a war torn looking set of travelers in their town anymore began to muster. Some came out from their houses, others simply poked their heads out of windows to watch what was happening. At the villa, a well built, middle aged man opened the door and cocked his head to one side, surprised to see the pale man making his way up to the house, "'Lo stranger," the man called out, "It seems you have had some troubles," he said, noting the wagon, "I am Gongsun Duan, steward of Master Zu Yanghei's household, how can I help you?"

[Kymvir Raemiz]

The man's wish was soon granted for attention. The villagers, not being too used to the sight of a war torn looking set of travelers in their town anymore began to muster. Some came out from their houses, others simply poked their heads out of windows to watch what was happening. At the villa, a well built, middle aged man opened the door and cocked his head to one side, surprised to see the pale man making his way up to the house, "'Lo stranger," the man called out, "It seems you have had some troubles," he said, noting the wagon, "I am Gongsun Duan, steward of Master Zu Yanghei's household, how can I help you?"

The man bowed, somewhat fluidly, white, even teeth flashing from a wide smile, "Master Duan, I am but a poor refuge from Bashang. I am known as Sai Sai. My family and I fled from the Chu invaders before they attacked our great works there. Once, I held high position as a chief Engineer. Now I have very little, as few have such uses for men such as I. I had hoped that an out of the way village such as this one, I might find temporary refuge. I would not, of course, impose upon this village without permission from your master . . Zu, was it?. May I have the honor of speaking with him?

[Brother Dun]

The man bowed, somewhat fluidly, white, even teeth flashing from a wide smile, "Master Duan, I am but a poor refuge from Bashang. I am known as Sai Sai. My family and I fled from the Chu invaders before they attacked our great works there. Once, I held high position as a chief Engineer. Now I have very little, as few have such uses for men such as I. I had hoped that an out of the way village such as this one, I might find temporary refuge. I would not, of course, impose upon this village without permission from your master . . Zu, was it?. May I have the honor of speaking with him?

Duan thought for a moment, trying to figure how his master would react to having a visitor unannounced. However, a sound from behind soon informed him that he was not alone. Duan looked back and noticed the Master Zu Yanghei standing in the foyer behind him. Truly, this was a bit unprecedented. The scholar motioned for him to stand off to the side, and soon made his way forward, "Sai Sai of Bashang you say? I am Zu Yanghei, scholar and headmaster of this village. You are more than welcome to enter my home, come and discuss with me what you have learned upon your travels away from Bashang," the scholar said motioning inside, before disappearing into the house.

Duan stood by the doorway, awaiting the guest, ready to lead him to where he was to speak with Zu Yanghei. The scholar himself had already gone deeper inside, settling himself in a sitting room. A warm fire crackled in a pit off to the side, giving the room a warm, welcoming feeling. A servant came in, and the scholar sent him off to prepare and bring tea for his guest. Once Sai Sai was brought into the room, Zu Yanghei, seated on a plush cushion next to a table, motioned for the man to take a seat upon a cushion across the table from him, "Please, make yourself comfortable. Rest a while, it would seem from the state of your wagons, that the journey was both rough and eventful. Now tell me Sai Sai, how many are in your party with you, and what of its make-up? Men, women, children and the like?"

As the scholar spoke, Gongsun Duan took a seat near the doorway, casually listening in to the conversation.

[Kymvir Raemiz]

Duan thought for a moment, trying to figure how his master would react to having a visitor unannounced. However, a sound from behind soon informed him that he was not alone. Duan looked back and noticed the Master Zu Yanghei standing in the foyer behind him. Truly, this was a bit unprecedented. The scholar motioned for him to stand off to the side, and soon made his way forward, "Sai Sai of Bashang you say? I am Zu Yanghei, scholar and headmaster of this village. You are more than welcome to enter my home, come and discuss with me what you have learned upon your travels away from Bashang," the scholar said motioning inside, before disappearing into the house.

Duan stood by the doorway, awaiting the guest, ready to lead him to where he was to speak with Zu Yanghei. The scholar himself had already gone deeper inside, settling himself in a sitting room. A warm fire crackled in a pit off to the side, giving the room a warm, welcoming feeling. A servant came in, and the scholar sent him off to prepare and bring tea for his guest. Once Sai Sai was brought into the room, Zu Yanghei, seated on a plush cushion next to a table, motioned for the man to take a seat upon a cushion across the table from him, "Please, make yourself comfortable. Rest a while, it would seem from the state of your wagons, that the journey was both rough and eventful. Now tell me Sai Sai, how many are in your party with you, and what of its make-up? Men, women, children and the like?"

As the scholar spoke, Gongsun Duan took a seat near the doorway, casually listening in to the conversation.

Sai Sai bowed deeply to Zu multiple times as he took the offered cushion. "Master, I have learned that the roads are unsafe, and that there are many unscrupulous sorts who would take what you have if they can. Other than me, my family numbers twenty-three, your lordship, ten of them being brothers and cousins of my line. The rest of the number is made up of their wives, six in total, and their living children. If I did not have my good strong brothers with me, I would have made it here with much less than the loss of two of my wagons, and one child who was killed in a skirmish."

He smiled sadly, "It is a sad time, this." He glanced at the wrapped package he carried, and sighed, "There has been so much lost. The Chu barbarians undid much of my work near Bashang, and I and my family were only able to save a few treasures from our great Master's work."

[Brother Dun]

Sai Sai bowed deeply to Zu multiple times as he took the offered cushion. "Master, I have learned that the roads are unsafe, and that there are many unscrupulous sorts who would take what you have if they can. Other than me, my family numbers twenty-three, your lordship, ten of them being brothers and cousins of my line. The rest of the number is made up of their wives, six in total, and their living children. If I did not have my good strong brothers with me, I would have made it here with much less than the loss of two of my wagons, and one child who was killed in a skirmish."

He smiled sadly, "It is a sad time, this." He glanced at the wrapped package he carried, and sighed, "There has been so much lost. The Chu barbarians undid much of my work near Bashang, and I and my family were only able to save a few treasures from our great Master's work."

The scholar nodded as the man discussed his losses. The servant who had went to get tea returned to the room, pour tea for three, and giving one to Zu Yanghei, Sai Sai and Gongsun Duan, before setting the pot upon the table and exiting the room. The scholar took a sip of tea before speaking, "Indeed, it is a very tough time. I originally hailed from Xianyang, where my family was once minor nobility in the Qin court. I served as an Imperial Records Keeper myself, however, I began setting up here in this village during the reign of the Second Emperor. I left the city upon Liu Bang's arrival, fearing that he would be the one to bring about the destruction. I was not entirely wrong, just about who would perpetrate it. I also lost family during the destruction. My family was too stubborn to leave Xianyang, I have returned to the city a few times, only to learn that everyone else of my line perished in the destruction caused by the Hegemon King of Chu," he said, his voice trailing off.

The librarian paused a moment to take another sip of tea before continuing, "I too have seen much of what I worked for perish due to the horrors of war, but I was able to save some of what I worked with, and bring them to the library here. I have also sifted through some of the ruins and come across a little more to add to my collection. It is a shame to see such wonders destroyed by a vile man. I can only imagine that with your chosen profession, the destruction much have been even worse," he said, not wanting to draw the conversation to what Sai Sai carried until the man was ready to talk about it, even though the thought and curiosity had occurred to him.

[LoyalistGuardian]

Outside the evening air burst through the heavens and the stars revealed their heavenly positions to those who felt the compunction to look above. Cai Meng lazily walked on the side of the main road, humming to himself happily. From Xianyang he was now walking, happy to haul him some nice finds. From the ruins from Xiang Yu's pillaging, he had come into possession of two wonderful artifacts and he had also laid waste to a number of naive, fair young maidens all up and down the roads.

His humming gradually changed into song:

"Oh how nice the evening air is,
when you just relaxed,
a nice girl cooing, stroking your chest,
she may be in love, but I, I, I Cai Meng
will leave in the mo-o-o-rning.
That is unless you have some artifacts to give,
then I'll stay another night but rest assured,
I don't want to settle down with youuuu."

Cai Meng chuckled, pleased with this improvisation. He went back to humming, looking for some adventure or mischief in the evening air

OOC: Open RP

[Radical Dreamer]

[quote]The city of Xianyang had burned for almost three months and now it laid as little more than ruins. The city had been gutted by the fires of war and the people forever ravaged. Those few survivors had a ragged and exhausted look to them. Their clothes dirty with soot and their skin blackened from exposure. Sickness ran rampant through the streets and men, women, and child alike held a starved edge to their appearance. Their forms slight from malnutrition even with the slight aid they received from the weak and unstable government which had risen from the ruins of Xianyang. The city had been forever gutted and the once beautiful city forever maimed by the flames of war.

Finding a inn, much less so close to the palace, proved a challenge. Finding a untouched inn all but impossible. Yet, finally, Ying Ranzhen came across a mostly untouched inn. The building's frame had been scorched, but, it remained upright. Its double doors lay opened, one left ajar while the other had been knocked free from its frame. Revealing a faint hint of movement within the darkness. A quick investigation provided a writhing, but, solemn mass of humanity. Their faces drawn with the anguish of their losses, countless men and women filled that makeshift shelter. Occupying its depths while a single man stood behind the counter. He was openly armed, a unsheathed dao hastily slipped within the hem of his belt. While the man held a hint of fat and health the others missed. Even the man's skin and clothes seemed properly clean. Yet, the source of his prosperity was more than obvious. A soup, while watery, had been seemingly sold to those within the building. Offering a small reprieve against their gnawing hunger while in return the man had a growing mound of valuables within a opened and visible storage room.

The bar was tense, its atmosphere solemn, and perhaps the only thing keeping the greedy barkeep from being mauled was four slight, but, fed men who held onto a motley assortment of weapons within inexperienced hands.[/quote]

Zhang Ban walked in front of his charge for once as they entered the inn. Although he wasn't willing to make a display like the inn owner, he did have his hand resting on the head of the axe he had holstered to his belt. Putting himself between his master and the other occupants, he provided a deterrent from wandering eyes looking to loot unsuspecting travelers.

The young noble, unconcerned with any danger he might be in, leisurely walked up to the bar. "I would like to rent a room," Ranzhen began, not giving the inn master time to get the first word in. "On the first floor, with meals, and a set of clothes. Something more suited for working around the city." He smiled pleasantly and reached into his robes, pulling out a solid gold coin and sliding it discreetly over to the man across the bar so that the other people wouldn't see. "That is an advance; there will be four more if you provide a reliable guide around the city and don't ask too many questions."

The man could not help but raise a brow when the question arose. It was rare that the people who looked for him knew his name. The thought unsettled him, his grip upon the hilt of his weapon tightening. He was sure that Xiang Yu had destroyed most if not all of the records. Positive that little survive after the battle of Julu he could not bring himself to believe someone knew of his existence. It must have been Zhang Han's doing once more he thought, a traitor to even the smallest of people. Had he observed the massacre and watched those few that escaped only to have them hunted? The mans face begun to twist at the thought of it all.

"And who exactly is your master?" Shou questioned, turning his horse in the mans direction. His thoughts beginning to bounce around inside his head, eyes shifting in every direction. He refused to die today just as he refused to die at Julu.

"I serve lord Zhang Ranzhen, a former resident of Sai. He has been looking for General Shou since his reemergence into political society." Zhang Ban held is ground even against a man mounted on a horse, but it was clear he was starting to get concerned. "My master only wishes to ask the man a few questions and he has traveled a great distance to do so. There would be a meal in it for you if you could pass along that message."



[quote]The scholar gave Ranzhen a sly smile, taking note of the man's tightness of voice, "Hmm... That... Might be difficult to track, to say the least. Depending on how the noble feels about the particular birth, it may or may not be under their name. However, more than likely, the birth will be listed under the mother's name, and the noble will be given an assumed name... If there is a particular person you're looking for, in that particular situation it would be much easier to find out the truth with these records then. You can generally trace the birth through the mother in such a situation... To simply comb through them looking to find someone who, perhaps, is of the Ying family caste, without actually looking for someone in particular, would be impossible. If you want, you may begin to look through these birth records of the Ying family, however, I can tell you, if you wish to look for a commoners child... It will take far more time. They were quite expansive, and not necessarily accurate. Peasants were not the most, organized people to say the least. Many births went unrecorded."[/quote]

"Time to linger is not something I have in abundance," Ranzhen replied. "I am not certain as to the mother of the person I am trying to find, but it is a fact that he was brought up in the palace with the rest of the peasant-born children. He would have been born three years before the founding of the Qin." The young man held onto no hopes that, that would have been enough information to begin a search, though. "Is it possible I could find records at the palace ruins that would aid in my search? There must have been some records that recorded birth names and parentage, even of lower-born relatives."

[Zhao Ren]

The scholar thought for a moment, "Then that truly is a problem Magister Fang... If you feel that the people blame you for what has befallen them..."

"Perhaps you could create a new hero? Believe me when I say that not all heroes have died. Many perished at Julu, far too many... However, there are those that survived. Perhaps you could make a hero out of one of your men, or perhaps another? If such a strategy should not work, then I would fall back upon civil improvement. Fix that which is broken, place a bounty upon criminals and devote your soldiers towards reconstruction, rebuilding. With the bounty upon the bandits, then your men will not have to root them out, and if they rebuild the city, then the people shall be thankful for your aid. What's done is done, you cannot rewrite the past, however, you can still dictate the future. The people, whether they accept it or not, look to you for leadership. You must be both hard and soft, stern, but lenient. The people themselves have turned towards banditry for lack of having anything left to work for... However, if you rebuild the city, rebuild their shattered lives, they will have more to do. Enrich the people, and they will smile upon you. If you outlaw banditry, and put a bounty upon them, the people will stop doing such vile things once a few examples have been made... Examples more so than what has been done already. Once people begin to see the reward of the turning in of bandits, the bandits will cease to exist, as it will be too dangerous for them. You must focus upon civil services, to replace what it is that a career in banditry has to offer, Magister Fang. Once you have done so, and once the people see that you actually care for them, then they will follow you. They will love you. As a first step, declare a holiday to honor the dead. The dead of the war, the dead of the disaster. All the while, paint Xiang Yu as the true villain, do not draw attention to your own actions, do not draw attention to those who came before you. You must first deflect any ill thoughts away from yourself."

Fang Lun remained quiet for some time, listening to the sagacious advice of Zu Yanghei. While much of the advise was perhaps wise, the Magistrate of Xianyang was not heartened. With a sigh, he replied, "It would be much work, Master Zu, to find a man the people could trust. I... I do not know if I could find any such man in these bleak times. If I could..." Fang Lun trailed off into silence, shaking his head after a few moments. He sighed, "The situation here is most bleak, Master Zu. I am sure you can see that. What you have said would be good advice under ideal conditions, but... it simply is not so. What men I have, I need to keep the denizens of Xianyang in line, they cannot be moved to civil projects, it would bring about a fall of this government." Fang Lun sighed once again before asking, "Was there anything else you wished of me, any other words you wished to impart to me, Master Zu?"

[GoGo the Monkey]

"I serve lord Zhang Ranzhen, a former resident of Sai. He has been looking for General Shou since his reemergence into political society." Zhang Ban held is ground even against a man mounted on a horse, but it was clear he was starting to get concerned. "My master only wishes to ask the man a few questions and he has traveled a great distance to do so. There would be a meal in it for you if you could pass along that message."

Why would the man offer a meal? Shou thought, confused. Did he not establish when he first addressed the man he did not need a meal nor tael? It was almost as if this man was now mocking him. His teeth beginning to grit the man took a deep breath before letting out a scoff. The thought slowly creeping from the back of his mind that perhaps he should just run this man through. Yet then it struck him!

"I know of a man named Shou." he blurted, throwing his Billhook back upon his shoulder. "If you want to lead me to your master I suppose I could show him where the guy is..."

[Belial]

[quote]The city of Xianyang had burned for almost three months and now it laid as little more than ruins. The city had been gutted by the fires of war and the people forever ravaged. Those few survivors had a ragged and exhausted look to them. Their clothes dirty with soot and their skin blackened from exposure. Sickness ran rampant through the streets and men, women, and child alike held a starved edge to their appearance. Their forms slight from malnutrition even with the slight aid they received from the weak and unstable government which had risen from the ruins of Xianyang. The city had been forever gutted and the once beautiful city forever maimed by the flames of war.

Finding a inn, much less so close to the palace, proved a challenge. Finding a untouched inn all but impossible. Yet, finally, Ying Ranzhen came across a mostly untouched inn. The building's frame had been scorched, but, it remained upright. Its double doors lay opened, one left ajar while the other had been knocked free from its frame. Revealing a faint hint of movement within the darkness. A quick investigation provided a writhing, but, solemn mass of humanity. Their faces drawn with the anguish of their losses, countless men and women filled that makeshift shelter. Occupying its depths while a single man stood behind the counter. He was openly armed, a unsheathed dao hastily slipped within the hem of his belt. While the man held a hint of fat and health the others missed. Even the man's skin and clothes seemed properly clean. Yet, the source of his prosperity was more than obvious. A soup, while watery, had been seemingly sold to those within the building. Offering a small reprieve against their gnawing hunger while in return the man had a growing mound of valuables within a opened and visible storage room.

The bar was tense, its atmosphere solemn, and perhaps the only thing keeping the greedy barkeep from being mauled was four slight, but, fed men who held onto a motley assortment of weapons within inexperienced hands.

Zhang Ban walked in front of his charge for once as they entered the inn. Although he wasn't willing to make a display like the inn owner, he did have his hand resting on the head of the axe he had holstered to his belt. Putting himself between his master and the other occupants, he provided a deterrent from wandering eyes looking to loot unsuspecting travelers.

The young noble, unconcerned with any danger he might be in, leisurely walked up to the bar. "I would like to rent a room," Ranzhen began, not giving the inn master time to get the first word in. "On the first floor, with meals, and a set of clothes. Something more suited for working around the city." He smiled pleasantly and reached into his robes, pulling out a solid gold coin and sliding it discreetly over to the man across the bar so that the other people wouldn't see. "That is an advance; there will be four more if you provide a reliable guide around the city and don't ask too many questions." [/quote]

For a long moment, the bartender gazed upon the stranger and finally did he give a nod of his head. "Can be arranged. Ya'll have to sleep in the wine room if you expect first floor. However, four coins ain't gonna do it, stranger." the man greasily cooed. "It's obvious ya ain't from around here and it's a bit obvious ya got some money to spare. Come on and help out us poor victims, I'm tryin' to run a proper establishment and feed these blokes. Can't do that without a bit of proper coin. Have a bit of charity and help a few of us poor ones, ey?"

"But, there ain't gonna be no guide who will go about this city for ya. To damn dangerous it is if you get out and away from the palace. However, I'll go on and answer any questions ya might have for a proper good bit."