IW-ST-1 The Arrival

Ten jars of Husong, three jars of Yunliao, six jars of Guixing reserve... hmm...

Liu, why are our numbers here so much lower than across the river?

Don't blame me! They went crazy with banquets at the start of the month. Of course they sold more than us!

How much difference can a few parties make?

Aiyo wei! You don't even know the half of it.

You were out of Shangshu then. You don't know how ridiculous that hoo-hah was... Those two days of business could pay half a year's worth of bills, no exaggeration.

We were beating them for months, and those two days completely sunk us. You can't keep letting them make a fool of us, Mr. Zheng.

Remember, we were here first, and were the first to do it well. If you ask me the other places should be bowing to my old man here.

Don't be fooled into loving your grandkids while you forget your son here.

What are you even blubbering about? Since when am I your old man? I haven't even said anything.

Yeah, and it'll be all over for me once you do.

It was just bad luck. If I were the one to meet those nobles...

If it's just bad luck, then where's all your good luck to balance it out?

Gah! Nobles, nobles, where did all those nobles come from...?

We've always relied on word of mouth from our regulars, and you won't even do ads. If we could just invite a few pretty boys and girls to...

(Glare) ...

You heard nothing. That was the wind just now.

Running a restaurant-inn depends on customers with taste and connections, true. But what do you know about who's connected and who isn't?

If I knew, I'd be running the inn.

Then sit tight and learn.

Anyone with eyes can discern if someone rich, powerful, stylish, and wise, that's plain as day. So why can't you?

Erk...

Whether you're a kung fu adventurer or a settled person, so long as you're alive you'll mingle with plenty of other people.

So keep mingling, and you'll get a good eye for this. Knowing people, and knowing what they know, is what lets us live well.

Meanwhile, you spend all day fiddling about, and run off to the mahjong parlors every night. What kind of future do you expect when...

......

Why'd you stop the lecture?

Don't you see our two guests at the door?! Why aren't you greeting them?!

Aiyo... I completely missed them! Quick, quick, get them in! The first two customers of the day! Get them two plates of salted peanuts and a pot of chrysanthemum tea!

Might our luck be looking up?

We are early. Let me treat you to dinner in Mr. Liang's stead.

Take a seat! Tea will be with you in a moment!

I thought we'd have made a beeline for his residence.

Your 'friend' there is still a magistrate. Busy, in any case.

Busy enough to overlook a friend? Must be busy as can be.

......

(Sir, sir, what do you think, then? Are these two noble-types?)

Pah.

Don't ask, observe. You can't judge at first glance.

Slow down mate, what's a Tumu... Tianshi? 'Heavenly Master of Earth and Wood'?

You might be unaware, benefactor, but Yan has multiple bureaus of tianshi, Celestial Masters. Any student of the land even a mite accomplished at Originium Arts may apply to join, take layer upon layer of examination, and so serve the country.

Originium Arts have a dizzying array of applications, and the science of Originium is developing by the day. The tianshi of Yan are naturally classified by profession and specialty—civil engineers, for example! The artists of earth and wood indeed.

And here I thought cool titles like that would be reserved for Casters like Leizi—y'know, ones with crazy battle prowess.

Would Leizi be that Yan official in Rhodes Island you mentioned before? My my, it may have been like that in the past, but times have changed. Now the welfare of the people comes first.

Originium technology benefits the masses, and every tianshi of Yan's Ministry of Works pours their life's blood into researching Originium's Arts and testing new materials.

Other countries couldn't dream of moving whole mountains onto nomadic cities, that's for sure...

Indeed. While landscapes may soothe the soul, it certainly wouldn't be worth such monumental efforts if it broke the backs and the banks of the people in the process.

Still, most of the credit belongs to the civil engineers of the tianshi who loved their home enough to put in the work. And moving mountains was easy compared to convincing the local villages and estates to agree to the project.

Yan has an old proverb. It's a land that raises its people.

A shame I can't speak much on Originium Arts, or else I'd have the same things on my mind as one of those nomadic city architects.

Is everyone from Yan like this?

It's these rivers and hills before us, see—

The limitless sights. Early springs so tranquil you can hear the snowflakes land. There's a lasting charm about it.

If you'd lived here since the cradle too, perhaps you'd think the same way.

Maybe. Who can say?

Phew—now that's refreshing.

'Where the winds blow high, and the clouds part to show off the moon.' I can see how it earned that.

Within Shangshu lie the renowned 'Three Mounts and Seventeen Peaks,' and they draw plenty of tourists. Some foreign nobility even make the trip out here simply to admire them.

Presumably the common folk owe it only to the pains of crossing the land that these landmarks aren't swarmed by such visitors coming in droves.

There's a comfy breeze up here. I was worried it'd rain and delay us from heading up the mountains today.

Quite right, benefactor. The spring breeze caresses one's cheeks, the drizzle falls finely, all silent and slick in the rain.

Been meaning to ask, actually. You're a martial artist, right? So how'd you get so... bookish?

My master often instructed us that practicing the martial arts hardly precludes the study of culture. Indeed, the arts come both martial and cultural. To learn them well is but the duty of the modern soul.

Besides, the art of gab can be a gateway to making some money.

Benefactor, what say we visit the nearest summit on the way? I hear more people have taken to the mountains these last two years; there's been quite the hubbub.

Pass. We'll rest in the city for a day or two, wait for the sisters to meet up with us, and head on our way...

*Sigh* Never felt so bad about missing all the scenery on the way though.

You've always been singularly devoted, benefactor. A mind only for the objective, not a whit more. And as proof of your conscientiousness, you never take a break.

Never take breaks? Me?

But of course!

Whatever, flattery will get you nowhere. We're not going.

Er, but you're merely taking me to the office for onboarding. Such a minor errand needn't be so urgent.

And did I not hear Lava mention you undertook this journey intending a vacation? Surely nothing impedes you from a good tour of the scenery then?

*Sigh*.

If only Lava were here... I'm not the only one who needs to sort out her head right now.

Benefactor Lava just happened to be tasked with a sudden commission taking her a different way—I imagine she'll pass by scenery just as fine.

I don't think she's the type to gawp at the view. Not in a million years.

Haha, so she isn't.

To be honest though, she wasn't always this way. Me neither, of course.

You needn't brood, benefactor. Things change, we change. The world's affairs are inconstant.

Let's hurry on our way, then.

Found them, Miss Du.

You sure?

No mistake. They came in at Zhengshan Crossing, and got to Yingfeng Road in Weichang District. He got someone reliable to come with him the whole way.

And the Lungmenite's carrying an antique little box on him, correct?

Yep. Clear as day.

If anything goes wrong, you're responsible.

You left this to us. We won't let it go wrong.

Good!

Then we're paying this buccaneer a visit in place of those yellow-bellied oldies!