Yiye Shan's Audience Hall - Dai

[ann]

Set in the capital of the backward province of Dai, the audience hall of the governor was not exactly at the image of its country, but not far. The plain walls of the building and the simple decorations that characterized it made its charm. It was far from the beautiful decorated and extravagant palaces of the Southern provinces, but it radiated with a certain might, much to the image of the simple peach tree petal that could grasp the eyes of a thousand men, that of a peasant woman that could catch the eye of a magistrate or, even more concrete, the image of a man with no name nor fame that could achieve great things.

The visitors' entrance, the corridors that led to the audience chamber and the chamber itself was heavily guarded. These three different parts of the administrative building were rather small compraed to the rest of it, though. The entrance, guarded by a dozen men and outside patrols led into a small waiting room guarded by six soldiers. Two were posted on each side of the entrance, two at each side of the door that led further inside and two on each side of the ten per fifteen feet rectangle room.

The twenty five feet long corridor that led into the audience Room was also guarded by multiple guards, which were posted at each door and at regular intervals back to the walls. After that comes the audience hall itself. With its dozen of doors that led into many different chambers, it's large throne in the center of the big room and bookshelves and desks in the back, the room was more impressive than the last two. Heavily guarded at all time, not even a mouse could slip by the watchful eye of the ex-members of The White Bridage, the men who were and still are protecting Yiye Shan.

[Big Grizzy]

Jin Kai and his entourage walked toward the plain building that he understood was the home of Yiye Shan. At the gate he presented the letter from the magistrate to the guards there.

"I have come to take Magistrate Yiye up on his offer to meet with me," he said simply.

[TGC]

Jin Kai and his entourage walked toward the plain building that he understood was the home of Yiye Shan. At the gate he presented the letter from the magistrate to the guards there.

"I have come to take Magistrate Yiye up on his offer to meet with me," he said simply.

The guards examined the three men for a moment before giving them the usual speech about them having to be searched for weapons and disarmed before they could proceed. If they consented to the search, they were allowed to enter and asked to wait in the first room until Yiye Shan could be contacted. The wait was rather short, after less than ten minutes, the guards came back and escorted Jin Kai and his companions through the long corridor and into the main Audience hall, where Yiye Shan was sitting on his humble throne.

The men were announced as they came in and the magistrate rose to his feet and walked down the short staircase that led to his slightly elevated seat. Upon reaching the same floor level as the three men, whom had ben brought closer to him, at about ten feet, the young lord bowed before them as if they were equals and spoke on a friendly, but serious, tone.

"Welcome to Dai, master Jin Kai. I am pleased to see that you traveled to my humble city to meet with me. How were your travels?"

[Big Grizzy]

Three of the four men returned the bow, while the other man merely grinned instead, revealing an incomplete set of teeth. Jin Kai smiled as he straightened from his bow.

"My travels went well, Master Yiye. Your letter said you wished to speak with me and others of ability. Seeing as my ability is so petty, I have brought with me those that have true ability. These are my brothers Zhang Mai," he said pointing to the mostly gray haired man on his right, "and Wu Bei," indicating the grizzled soldier on his left, "and the former bandit-lord Bianmi Fu," with a wave at the wild-looking old man behind him. "What do wish to speak about? Your letter indicated a dream of development for yourself and the world at-large..."

[TGC]

Three of the four men returned the bow, while the other man merely grinned instead, revealing an incomplete set of teeth. Jin Kai smiled as he straightened from his bow.

"My travels went well, Master Yiye. Your letter said you wished to speak with me and others of ability. Seeing as my ability is so petty, I have brought with me those that have true ability. These are my brothers Zhang Mai," he said pointing to the mostly gray haired man on his right, "and Wu Bei," indicating the grizzled soldier on his left, "and the former bandit-lord Bianmi Fu," with a wave at the wild-looking old man behind him. "What do wish to speak about? Your letter indicated a dream of development for yourself and the world at-large..."

Yiye Shan smiled took a step forward, toward them. Accompanying his words with casual gestures of his hands, he answered the man's question on the same friendly tone as earlier.

"I indeed have a dream and that dream implies uniting the land under my banners to bring it back to a peaceful state. I will not lie to you or try to throw dust in your eyes ; I am not a man of greatest ability, nor am I a man of incredible fame nor influence, but I am determined and ready to do what is necessary to bring back peace. I am realistic and am able to see that the land is governed by multiple ideals and stubborn men, maybe even I am one for them, but I can see that diplomacy alone will not quench the thirst for power that slumbers in most people. I will resort to diplomacy to end conflicts, but I will not refuse to fight when there is no other choice in neither the short nor long run." He paused there for a moment, to catch his breath back.

"I intend to gather men of great ability under my banner, but I will not unecessarily insist nor force them to come to me. Even if they choose not to join my quest after meeting me, I assure you that it would be no waste of time, for it is by listening to my fellow men that I will learna nd understand how to truly bring back peace and joy to Dai, and eventually to the land." He paused there for a few seconds, marking the end of his speech. Before the men before him could speak, however, he threw a question at them on a more casual and mysterious tone. "Why do you speak lowly of yourself, master Jin Kai?"

[Big Grizzy]

Yiye Shan smiled took a step forward, toward them. Accompanying his words with casual gestures of his hands, he answered the man's question on the same friendly tone as earlier.

"I indeed have a dream and that dream implies uniting the land under my banners to bring it back to a peaceful state. I will not lie to you or try to throw dust in your eyes ; I am not a man of greatest ability, nor am I a man of incredible fame nor influence, but I am determined and ready to do what is necessary to bring back peace. I am realistic and am able to see that the land is governed by multiple ideals and stubborn men, maybe even I am one for them, but I can see that diplomacy alone will not quench the thirst for power that slumbers in most people. I will resort to diplomacy to end conflicts, but I will not refuse to fight when there is no other choice in neither the short nor long run." He paused there for a moment, to catch his breath back.

"I intend to gather men of great ability under my banner, but I will not unecessarily insist nor force them to come to me. Even if they choose not to join my quest after meeting me, I assure you that it would be no waste of time, for it is by listening to my fellow men that I will learna nd understand how to truly bring back peace and joy to Dai, and eventually to the land." He paused there for a few seconds, marking the end of his speech. Before the men before him could speak, however, he threw a question at them on a more casual and mysterious tone. "Why do you speak lowly of yourself, master Jin Kai?"

Jin Kai smiled. "I speak at what I feel is my station. Were I to speak above I would seem arrogant and ambitious. Were I to speak below I would seem foolish and wasteful. Indeed, my own skills are no match for those of my companions, though they allow me to speak for them. My question for you, Master Yiye, would be why do you think so highly of me?"

[TGC]

Jin Kai smiled. "I speak at what I feel is my station. Were I to speak above I would seem arrogant and ambitious. Were I to speak below I would seem foolish and wasteful. Indeed, my own skills are no match for those of my companions, though they allow me to speak for them. My question for you, Master Yiye, would be why do you think so highly of me?"

The magistrate chuckled at the man's humble words. "Do not underestimate your ability, master Jin Kai. To each their own. Some are skilled warriors, but poor poets, while Great poets may be poor commanders and skilled commanders may not be the best on the frontlines. Maybe you lack skills that stand out, but your ability certainly has its use somewhere. Please tell me about them."

[Big Grizzy]

The magistrate chuckled at the man's humble words. "Do not underestimate your ability, master Jin Kai. To each their own. Some are skilled warriors, but poor poets, while Great poets may be poor commanders and skilled commanders may not be the best on the frontlines. Maybe you lack skills that stand out, but your ability certainly has its use somewhere. Please tell me about them."

Jin Kai thought for a moment. "I can think of no skills that would be of value to one such as you. I was a merchant in Ji for several years, and moderately successful. My brothers and my man Bianmi Fu are men of real talent. My brothers were both officers in the government of Ji, before they became disillusioned and began following me on my travels."

"Bianmi Fu lead a group of mountain bandits that were known to maraud throughout Yan. With some convincing from Zhang Mai, he decided to give up his bandit ways and follow me as well. It was decided that he and his men would be better off away from the reputations they had made in Yan, thus we came to Changshan and settled in the town of Kuailang."

[raine]

Fei Xun and his companions walk into the audience hall on the heels of the others, their heads held tall as they go through standard routine. Kneeling before the throne Fei Xun unleashes a great cry of exultation.

"I have traveled long and far with my entourage, wandering from place to place for many, many years. Finally, three months ago, a dream came to me and spoke many secrets to me while I lay beneath the stars. In this same dream, I was warned of a great man who would call me to him, and the next morning I received your dispatch."

"Hail and well met Yiye Shan. I am Fei Xun, your servant. My skill, my knowledge, my life is yours until you say otherwise."

[TGC]

Jin Kai thought for a moment. "I can think of no skills that would be of value to one such as you. I was a merchant in Ji for several years, and moderately successful. My brothers and my man Bianmi Fu are men of real talent. My brothers were both officers in the government of Ji, before they became disillusioned and began following me on my travels."

"Bianmi Fu lead a group of mountain bandits that were known to maraud throughout Yan. With some convincing from Zhang Mai, he decided to give up his bandit ways and follow me as well. It was decided that he and his men would be better off away from the reputations they had made in Yan, thus we came to Changshan and settled in the town of Kuailang."

Yiye Shan nodded at the spokesperson. He looked rather please by what he saw as he was examining the men, except for Jin Kai. He did not dislike humble persons, but he wanted people to be praised and recognized for their ability. Speaking on a most confident, but still warm tone, Yiye Shana ddressed Jin Kai's companions.

"Masters Wu Bei, Zhang Mai, Bianmi Fu, if your spokespersons speaks the truth, then you are fools ; fools for following someone with so humble skills, as he says. Please prove me wrong and tell me of the ability of the man you respect and have chosen to follow, let not his "self-humble-ness" make me mistake him for a mere peasant without use."

Fei Xun and his companions walk into the audience hall on the heels of the others, their heads held tall as they go through standard routine. Kneeling before the throne Fei Xun unleashes a great cry of exultation.

"I have traveled long and far with my entourage, wandering from place to place for many, many years. Finally, three months ago, a dream came to me and spoke many secrets to me while I lay beneath the stars. In this same dream, I was warned of a great man who would call me to him, and the next morning I received your dispatch."

"Hail and well met Yiye Shan. I am Fei Xun, your servant. My skill, my knowledge, my life is yours until you say otherwise."

Yiye Shan eyed the man up and down in surprise for a moment before rising to his throne to walk down the few stairs that led to the ground level. He continued his movements toward Fei Xun and commanded him to rise on a serious, but surprised tone. "Why do you kneel before one who has yet to prove his worth to the world? Please rise and look at me as an equal and brother. Allow me to be the one asking for your skills and help to realize the dream that is mine and the land's. Be not my servant, but that of the common dream of your brothers and sisters who suffer throughout the land."

Please post your Officer Information in the Yiye Shan's Officers thread located in the Officer Information board.