Arknights story · Such is the Joy of Our Reunion
OR-7 Meaty Platter
Hundreds of mandarins gather before the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies. During this time, the Grand Commandant's Messenger finds Zuo Xuanliao overseeing Yumen. Leizi and Blaze sneak into the Feast, and just as Leizi stands up to remonstrate with the True Lung, a great conflagration overtakes the banquet.
2 scenes, 439 lines
1. Before Operation
242 linesYou sure are lucky.
All my years at the Judicial Review Office, and you are the first I have seen who has the chance to get out of this damn prison alive.
I myself never expected it to turn out this way.
Hmph. That's what's wrong with all you clerical types. Always living for the day, never thinking about the consequences.
All that time spent researching, all those years of blood, sweat and tears, all for a dish at the Feast and one very angry Lung.
You caused quite the ruckus and ended up in here. Are you happy?
It is as you say...
But my deeds were loyal and just. This, I know. My conscience is clear.
Those who peer into finponds to find omens will see omens... So, what comes next in your plans?
The order to transfer has already been issued. I will be joining the diplomatic mission to Victoria in three days.
After all that happened, I can no longer stay in Baizao. These arrangements are the fruit of Minister Ning's efforts.
Victoria? How are you supposed to get to Victoria with a body like yours?
To be favored with a pardon is all I need ask for.
Besides, I can consider going to Victoria returning home...
Can you really? I remember you saying your wife and child already passed away, no?
Yes... It has been many years since that day.
...Even if I did believe you, do you think other people will?
...
If you can remember things that happened back then, so can others.
Do you know how many eyes will be watching you when you return?
What am I to do...? Please, speak plainly.
Lend me your life, my friend.
That unvarnished truth you crave? I will give it to you.
The first time I came to Baizao to further my studies left a deep impression on me. Skyscrapers that blotted out the heavens, an unending sea of brilliant lights.
And in the center of all those lights was the Forbidden City.
A thousand feet it teetered, its lofty heights unseen from the ground.
My teacher said this was where every policy was decided, where every decree was handed down, each one affecting the lives of untold commoners. A duty heavier than mountains.
And thus it is here that every student can put to use all they have learned.
To serve the lands and the people.
But when I stood here, in the flesh, facing that palace of edifice and high walls—
I felt a chill sap away my breath.
...
You have arrived early, Mr. Liang.
Miss Ning...?
Hmm? You seem surprised. Do you not wish to see me?
Hardly.
I simply had not heard you would also be attending the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies, Miss Ning.
Minister Ning is ill, so for this year's Feast, the Ministry of Rites had no choice but to send me to attend in his stead.
It was a rather last-minute decision, so I did not have the time to tell you, my Lord.
I suppose that leaves us equals in silence, since it seems you never planned to tell me you were attending either.
I am merely here as part of my work. I did not wish to bother you, Miss Ning.
Hmm...
I am suddenly reminded of how, aside from Shangshu, we have not met for the better part of a year. Several of my letters to you during that time received no answer.
It can be hard to put words to paper, and I find myself often mired in official business. I have been negligent in maintaining my side of the conversation.
I cannot deny your blame, Miss Ning.
Where have I mentioned blaming you, my Lord?
During your time as magistrate, even the smallest needs of your hometown never left your thoughts. Now with expanded duties? The concerns have only increased.
But for some reason, after only six short months, I feel as though we have become estranged.
As if there are some things... we cannot say to the other.
...
Putting that aside for the moment, this is the first time you are attending the Feast, yes?
Yes. My early years were spent in Shangshu, so I had little opportunity to take part in government events such as this.
Major topics are often deliberated upon during these Feasts.
The question this year is, what decision will His Majesty make in regards to this war?
I dare not make any sort of wild conjecture on His Majesty's thoughts.
But you are a clever man, Mr. Liang. Your conjectures are always correct.
...
You did in fact have something on your mind the other day, and you wanted to discuss it with Grandfather, did you not?
I dare not lie to you, Miss Ning.
Phrase it how you will. I am always happy to hear that you wish to see me.
But I am afraid that for you, I have never been someone to be trusted, or to entrust things with.
I believe there may have been a misunderstanding, Miss Ning...
I do not mean to blame you.
Who among us did not detest the murky secrets of the bureaucracy when these red robes were first draped over us? But now, we must navigate all this wheeling and dealing, like it or not.
I may not be close to the center of the court, but there is one thing even I know.
It is difficult to speak the truth, and even more difficult to make others believe you are speaking the truth.
Once you enter the palace walls, the word 'sincerity' means less than nothing.
...
But all I have ever shown you is sincerity, Miss Ning.
...
No matter what may come, I have always hoped you would remember—
We should take our seats now, Mr. Liang. Let us head inside.
Come on, step on it! Check over your ingredients one last time when you're done! The guests are already seated! We need to start serving as soon as the order comes in!
Inspect ALL your ingredients! Check on the stews and soups while you're at it!
The Bliss Soup on stove number ninety... I don't know how, but the color seems to be a bit off.
What?! How many times did I say to cut the ingredients into finger-width cubes! No more, no less! And it's supposed to be on the fire for twenty hours! No breaks! Someone must have screwed something up!
*sigh*...! Alright, move aside, I'll come have a look!
(Quietly) Hey... Over here!
Why're you still wearing those clothes?! Scared people won't notice you or something?
Formal dress for formal occasions. I had kept these clothes at home just in case.
But this is the kitchen! Don't you have anything more... suitable to put on?
No.
What nonsense are you talking about? Deputy Minister at the Judicial Review Office is not some undercover ghost—
Though I have found myself sneaking around a lot lately for some reason...
Alright, enough muttering, change into these clothes. You follow the army of waiters into the banquet area as they're serving up the dishes, then change back into your fancy robe when you can.
Fine...
Hah... This kind of infiltration really does make me a little nervous...
You said you were going to stand up to see justice restored, so if you make the True Lung mad, is he just going to arrest you right away, or is he going to...
There is a tradition of remonstration during the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies. Besides, we're just going to request a reopening of an old case due to inconclusive evidence. Why would the True Lung be mad at me?
Although there is one thing...
Which is?
Have you ever thought about... What if...
What if the truth we manage to dig up on this case turned out to be the complete opposite of what we thought...
What if... you found out everything around you was one big lie...
What are you talking about?
Didn't we do all this to get to the truth in the first place? If it's a lie, we'll smash it to pieces! Why the hesitation?!
We've come this far already. What choice do we even have?
Okay.
Blaze... I think... Your father, he... He was likely a good man.
Huh? Why this all of a sudden?
...
Promise me this. If something unexpected happens, you must take care of yourself fir—
Shh! Someone's coming, hide! Under the stove!
Is everything ready?
R—Ready, chef.
These longevity noodles you are in charge of may be simple, but they are still vital for the feast. Make no mistakes while preparing them.
U—Understood.
You...
Although I do not know why your shifu did not wish to come to the Feast, I believe he had his reasons to choose you.
Once the Feast is over, I will give you the opportunity to take on my mantle.
Eh? Me?
Not happy to hear that?
Hahaha... There's a lot of chefs who would pinch themselves awake if they were told they were going to be your apprentice.
But I don't understand. Why're you entrusting all the skills you've learned your entire life to only one person?
Nonsense... Do you know just how many examinations a Ding Feng Lou head chef puts their prospective students through before they choose an apprentice?
Not to mention the fact that my own shifu was the one who penned the 'Book of Foods' with recipes from all four major cuisines and has served us well for decades worth of Feasts.
Out of the hundreds of chefs in this Ding Feng Lou kitchen who have honed their craft for many years, Shifu chose me to take the reins. Just me.
Generations of exquisite artisanship in these hands, you'd let anybody smudge it?
But, no matter how exquisite the artisanship is, you're making the dish for people to eat...
...Hmmm?
Haha... What I mean is, is teaching a single apprentice who's as good as you really more important than teaching a bunch of chefs who can do a decent job...?
The more you teach, the more can cook, which means even more of Yan can enjoy tastier food, or something...
...
...That's enough of your disrespectful rubbish!
Focus on your noodles.
...
Have the preparations been made?
Yumen has entered the highest state of alert, and the city defenses are all in position. The citizens have been evacuated, leaving twenty thousand soldiers and three thousand Tianshis able to take to the field at any time.
They await your orders.
Okay.
Let us see if the moons wax or wane in our favor tonight.
General, the Grand Commandant's Messenger has arrived.
At this hour?
Where is the message, then?
He didn't have one. All he had to deliver was... a box of mooncakes.
He said the Grand Commandant had only one thing to say to you, General.
'Eat them while they're hot. Don't let them get cold.'
...
...
You received my notice, Lord Zuo.
It has been a while... Are you faring well?
You...
No need to be so tense. This pawnshop has long since closed its doors. No-one will be bothering us.
Why meet me alone?
Shouldn't I be asking you that, Lord Zuo?
What do you mean?
I opened this pawnshop on a whim during my stay in Baizao, and for a time, business was booming.
Every day would see customers bring in all sorts of curios, scrolls, precious baubles and odd gemstones... In the end, many of them were taken by my wandering younger brother, and placed within his garden.
The most curious thing was that all the customers who came by this shop had one thing in common: they were looking for me.
You think far too highly of yourself.
Well, since you have come to see me, does that not mean you have something to discuss, Lord Zuo? Perhaps I could answer one or two questions plaguing you?
All I want to know is... Why have you come to Baizao?
If that convict has decided now is the time to declare war on Yan, all that awaits him is death and destruction... But I'm sure he knows that already.
Indeed. My elder brother is skilled at the art of the gridded board and naught else, though it is a formidable and well-honed skill at that.
Do you still remember the Shanhaizhong who appeared in Yumen, Lord Zuo?
During the Sui Regulator's analysis of the incident, we noticed traces of another Feranmut proxy's actions.
Wang is suspected of being involved...
What are you trying to say?
I'm sure you remember, Lord Zuo, that during that hunt a thousand years ago, the Feranmut of Yan were either put to the sword, or banished.
Has the Sui Regulator ever wondered, considering my brother was able to find one of them...
Could he, perhaps, have found more than just one?
—!
During the many years since the incident, the Sui Regulator have watched closely his every movement within Yan's borders. But have they never considered the possibility that one of his weiqi stones might leave the country?
Don't underestimate our intelligence network. The Sui Regulator have never stopped keeping an eye on the Feranmut outside. If they make any sudden movements, our Feranmutologists will surely sense something.
I'm sure they did. They should be on their way back to Yan right about now.
Please treat this information as my humble gift to you, Lord Zuo. How you use it is for you to decide.
Why are you telling me this? You're one of the convict's conspirators, so why tell us his plans?
In truth... Though I am indeed in collaboration with my brother, our hearts are not as one. We have our differences.
He insists on seeing a victor decided. I, on the other hand, prefer doing my business in a more... amicable fashion.
As for why I chose you, Lord Zuo, I feel like we are... kindred spirits.
What?
I profess I have some skill in reading people. My intuition tells me we will have the opportunity to do business once again in the future.
It is possible that the fate of us siblings will lie in your hands, Lord Zuo.
To be able to chat with you on this festive day, even but for a moment, is destiny at work... I hope that in the future, you can see me as a 'man' you can discuss things with.
Aiyo!
What's wrong?!
Sorry! M—My hand just cramped! Couldn't hold it steady!
You seriously... Bah!
Sorry! I'll go back to the kitchen and get a new one!
Do it quick! The mandarins are all seated already. Once the True Lung arrives, the banquet will start!
...
Do you need help, madam?
?!
Madam?
*cough*... I am here for the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies.
All the mandarins should have already been seated. May I ask why...
Forgive me, I was delayed on the road here. I will head in right away.
Please wait a moment.
Madam, please show your invitation to the Feast.
Why? Is me standing here not invitation enough?
A routine inspection. I beg your pardon, madam.
...
My Lady! You dropped something of yours!
You...?
You left in such a rush! How could you not have noticed you dropped something so important? Good thing I spotted it.
Ah, Madam Tang of the Ministry of Revenue. Please forgive my earlier impertinence.
There are no further issues here, but the Feast is about to begin. Please take your seat as quickly as you can.
That invitation is a forgery. It will only work the one time. Do take care when you're inside.
I know you... You're one of the ladies at the Ning Manor.
I'm also a friend of Blaze.
I spotted her name on the chef roster and guessed at your plan.
The rest, you will simply have to beg forgiveness from the True Lung after meeting him.
But don't you know... If this case is reopened, you'll be ruined.
But the one most heavily implicated by this case would be Blaze, no?
Didn't you already agree to help her find the truth? What else is there to worry about?
Besides... If you really do manage to pull back the curtain on all this, well, that's what I was after in the first place.
Thank you...
Despite all my years as a mandarin, I rarely set foot in the Forbidden City.
I see towering palaces press up against the sky, majestic and stately.
I see a banquet of incomparable bounty, each and every seat filled. The lamps are as bright as day, even as the moonlight envelops them.
But what I cannot see...
Is who hid away these names. Who does not want to see the truth come to light?
I suddenly recall the words.
'Will you be able to handle the truth?'
...
Yu Cheng... What exactly did you see...?
How strange. The Feast has already started, so why has His Imperial Majesty not yet arrived?
No need to panic. His Imperial Majesty is busy. Something urgent might have come up. All we can do is wait.
I heard he's been ill for a while now. What if it is something to do with that?
Shh! Stop blabbering.
Preposterous! Simply preposterous!
Don't you know where we are!? What right have you to obstruct a court mandarin?
What's all this noise about?
This man says he's Assistant Minister Tang Jian of the Ministry of Revenue, but we've already checked, and every seat under the Ministry of Revenue is already accounted for...
I AM TANG JIAN! None of this 'he says' rubbish! Look, do you see this seal in my hand? Whose name is on it?!
...Hmmm?
All falls silent.
Three blasts of the horn mark the seventh hour of the night.
The moons shine bright overhead, their light so clear they wash away all color.
All rise—
One by one, the mandarins stand, looking towards the center of the Feast with bated breath.
Waiting for the one meant to be seated at the head of the table—
I have something to report, Your Majesty!
Fire.
None knew where the burst of flame came from, but all it needed was a gust of autumn wind to engulf the entire banquet.
The flickering flames act like wild beasts, brandishing their fangs and claws as they pace about above the table.
The wind blows, and the beasts of fire grow and grow and grow with speed. The conflagration bloats and bulges, letting off unsettling noises. Some liken it to shouting, others to laughter—
Bizarre flames pour like falling rain. Having already tainted the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies, they flit and flicker as they climb up the faces of the panicking mandarins.
What the... What's going on?
2. After Operation
197 linesFire! FIRE!
Assassins! Protect His Majesty!
Guards, guards—
Put out that fire! Lock the dining area down!
Take care—
The source of this fire...
Everyone! Stay away from the wine in the cups!
(A fire that does not burn hot...)
(Who did this... and what are they up to?)
Lin Qingyan tries to calm down the panicking crowd, but her voice is quickly drowned out by the shouting and screaming.
In the midst of the chaos, she spots a familiar face.
Their eyes met for only a moment, but she is more sure than anything.
That person saw her, saw her attempt to cross the line of propriety in front of all.
But the target is not her.
—!
Blaze...!
What's going on? What's with all this ruckus?
This is bad! I heard some kind of demonic fire broke out at the banquet! No idea how it happened!
The guards have the dining area surrounded. No idea what's going on inside, or if His Majesty is hurt...
They're talking about... cutting the Feast short...
...
Lin Qingyan...!
We've been notified of unknown persons infiltrating the Feast. We will now be conducting an inspection.
I ask that everyone stay where they are and not move. Please cooperate.
(Dammit... What the hell happened over where Leizi is?)
(This is bad. I can't leave her to fend for herself. I need to go take a look...)
You there! Stop moving!
After her!
First Battalion, Fifth Battalion, seal off the southern entrance! Seventh and Ninth, close the northern gate!
Everyone else, sweep the palace from south to north. If you find anyone suspicious, arrest them immediately.
Our intel says there are at least two culprits working together to ruin the Feast, so take care!
So many guards... What a pain.
What kinda trouble did you manage to get yourself into here, Leizi?
Sounds like you haven't gotten caught yet, at least... So where the hell are you?
Tsch... This palace is way too big...
Why're you here?!
Shh—
I thought you two just wanted to ask His Majesty to reopen the case? How did it come to this?
I don't know either! That fire's not our doing!
But the timing...
You need to leave, right away! There's no talking your way out of it if they find you.
What I need to do is save Lin Qingyan!
...
...Let me go look for her.
How can I ask you to do something that dangerous?!
I'm more familiar with the Forbidden City than you are. Even If I did get caught, I'll have some leeway to explain myself.
Don't worry. I'll find her.
But...
You still don't trust me. What, still angry at me?
Of course not—
Head to the southern exit, before the guards seal it off!
We'll meet up at that restaurant once we're all out of here.
Wait, did the soldiers manage to get a good look at you?
Err... Yeah, I think so.
That's... not good.
Oh, I know! Let's swap clothes. Come on, get them off.
I saw someone running away up ahead! Over there!
*Sigh*...
The dining area's been cleared out... Deputy Minister Lin wouldn't be here.
But who started all this at the Feast...
I hope Blaze managed to make it out by now—
...
Why is she here?
These two...
Is this fate at work?
Found you...
Who's there?!
So it was you.
Damn... That's one hell of a sword!
You're not dressed like your average soldier. What are you, a general?
Save the chatter.
So you're the one Lin Qingyan has been hiding behind her back... But why would she bring you to the Forbidden City?
Err... So I know it's impolite to barge in on someone else's banquet, but would you believe me if I said we didn't mean anything bad by it...?
What I'm trying to say is that this is all a misunderstanding...
There is no misunderstanding here. The Imperial Guard have been searching for you for forty years.
You are her descendant.
What are you talking about? Whose descendant? Who's 'her'?
You really don't know—
No. It seems you're not lying.
All this time you've been hidden away, and nobody thought to tell you about your history?
Haha, got me there... I'm pretty curious about it, not gonna lie. Anyone I can ask about it?
But seriously, the Imperial Guard? Looking for me?
Forty years ago, only a single child was unaccounted for in the family of a treasonous mandarin.
You... What are you talking about?
Blaze... I need to confirm something...
You were born in 1062, in Victoria, right?
Yes. From as far back as I can remember, I lived in Victoria.
Your father seemed to have been spending a lot of time pursuing a certain 'truth' in the last few years of his life.
What if... you found out everything around you was one big lie...
You are a person of interest. We'll figure out what to do with you after questioning.
Come with me.
Forget that!
...
(Gah—!)
You're no weakling, it seems. I might not be able to take you in without hurting you.
If you don't wish to be harmed, then surrender immediately.
I'm not in the mood for jokes right now!
(Panting heavily)
Didn't I tell you... to save yourself if... something happened...?
...Lin Qingyan.
Lin Qingyan's eyes meet Blaze's.
She understands what has happened, but all she has to offer is silence.
She turns and stands in front of Blaze, shielding her.
Your deeds at the Judicial Review Office are worthy of my respect, Deputy Minister Lin. And I was kind enough to remind you before.
It seems you have decided to completely ignore my warning.
I am perfectly aware what I'm doing. I don't need your reminders.
You know who she really is. Yet to go so far as to protect the descendant of a traitorous mandarin...
Why?
For the truth. The truth you are all too afraid to talk about.
Lin Qingyan!
What are you two talking about...? What do you mean... I'm the descendant of a traitor?
My dad... Who is he? Why did he die...?
Forgive me. I was planning to tell you everything after tonight. But it seems now is not a good time.
I will make it up to you later however you like. Provided we make it out of here alive, that is.
She will be coming with me tonight.
As long as I am here, she will not.
Forget that. You will need three of you to simply obstruct me.
Lin Qingyan!
Go already!
A burst of lightning blasts open a hole in the palace wall. Before the dust has even settled, a somewhat gentler blast of energy strikes Blaze.
She is sent flying out of the Forbidden City, falling towards a distant patch of ground.
Blaze has done these sort of high-altitude leaps countless times before as a form of dynamic entry into the battlefield, or wherever happened to need her.
She has never once felt fear. She believed in her own strength, and in her many friends.
There was never any confusion in her mind either. She knew who she was. She knew where she must go. She knew what she believed in.
There is no plot that can hold back her heat, just like how the mist of dawn cannot hide away the sun.
But now?
What awaits her is no longer solid ground, but an endless abyss.
She closes her eyes.
Where...?
...
Ning Yin lies on the bed, her breathing faint.
The crutch in the old man's hand shudders, and he nearly falls over.
After having seen so many things across so many years, he thought nothing more in this world could shock him.
His lips open and close, yet try as he might, he can make no sound.
Until someone in the shadows begins to speak first.
She yet lives.
It's you—
Stay your steps, Mr. Ning. Come no closer.
You never saw me tonight, and she never left the house.
She... But why...?
She intruded upon the Feast of a Hundred Delicacies. She was with that girl when I discovered her.
If she had run into anyone else, she would not still be alive.
Impossible...
Forty years... I can't believe it's you again...
Forty years ago, you left her here. Now, you save her life once more, save her from a terrible fate.
Fate... This must be fate...
There's no escaping it. There never was.
I did not leave her here for her sake. It was you who saved her, Mr. Ning.
You once swore an oath to never let anyone know the truth of this case in exchange for her name. But it seems you are now wavering when it comes to past vows.
...
The True Lung will know of tonight's events.
The choice is yours, Mr. Ning.
A gust of wind, and it was like nobody was even there.
The old man stands in stunned silence.
His daze is interrupted as he hears a sound coming from outside the courtyard walls.
A sound like roaring, like weeping, like admonishment.
I must be going mad...
It's autumn. Why do I hear cicadas...?
Oh, finally awake I see.
I knew you were one tough Feline. Look at you, as lively as a fin on a line.
Jiang was making a fuss about calling a doctor. He was shouting so hard he forgot what time it was.
How long was I out... Wait, where are they?!
Lin Qingyan... Did Ning Yin come by here? I... Seriously, how did I get here?
Alright, slow down. I don't even know where to start with all these questions.
Last night I was on my way to the night market to get some cheap veggies when I found you lying down in the middle of the street. Thought you were drunk at first.
I was worried you'd freeze to death or something, so I brought you back here.
You were cursing up a storm in your sleep, hypocrite this, swindler that, and a lot more besides... Tsk, I don't know where you managed to learn such creative Yanese.
The Ning Yin you mentioned, and whoever this Lin Qingyan is... Never seen them before, so I dunno if they were here.
Whoa, whoa, where're you going?
The Forbidden City.
I just saw a whole bunch of guards patrolling around there. You think you can still get in?
I don't care. I have to go—
Who d'you think you're going to find, after having lost yourself like that?
You... What are you talking about?
Just speaking the truth here. You lost yourself, yeah?
You don't know where your self has gone, where it's wandered off to. You hear a few words from someone else and wouldn't you know it, you barely even know your own name, much less who you are.
Such absurdity...
A tangerine seed is blown from Jiangnan to Jiangbei, where it takes root and yields fine fruit. What let this seed grow so well wasn't Jiangnan or Jiangbei, but decades worth of rain and sun.
It's ultimately the same fruit. Jiangnan and Jiangbei might not be the same place, but an orange is an orange. Doesn't matter where you eat it.
All things begin, all things end. There is the outer truth, and the inner truth. Once you figure that out, then you can get back to asking your questions.
You... Do you know something about all this? What do you know?! Tell me!
What do I know? I'm a chef, all I know is how to season my ingredients, how to boil stuff, stir-fry stuff, regular fry stuff—
Oh, right. Seeing you reminded me of something.
Weren't you trying to find authentic tangerine cakes?
I think I know how to make those.