Operation story: HS-1
< HS-1
| This article is under construction and may contain incomplete and/or inaccurate information. |
| Operation | Story |
| Previous HS-ST-1 | Next HS-2 |
| Characters | |
|---|---|
| } Surprised Farmer Happy Farmer Veteran Tumu Tianshi Nongye Tianshi Apprentice Stray Stockbeast (Mianmian) |
|
| Backgrounds | |
 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 |
|
Before operation
| “ | Zuo Le visits Dahuang on official business. Shu, the proxy living in the city, seems to be a difficult customer. Troubles in the fields gives Zuo Le a headache, but also a chance to make a few friends. | ” |
| <Flashback starts here> | |
|---|---|
| <Background 1> | |
| Three months ago... | |
| Surprised Farmer | What? The broken line is the man line, not the earth line? So it's an addled brain I'll need to worry about? Not some illness? |
| Happy Farmer | Ha, told you that walnut tree was planted for you. Go give it some fertilizer before it's too late! |
| Shu | I wouldn't say that. The broken line just means you'll face a difficult decision around the age of twenty. But who gets to walk a path without a few twists and turns? Just let it be. The line runs much smoother after that, doesn't it? |
| Surprised Farmer | That's right on the mark! My family farm was ruined by Catastrophe when I was twenty-three. I didn't know how I could make a living in the city. But I've done well enough for myself, coming with the rest of the folk to Dahuang to study agriculture and keeping in my old occupation. |
| Happy Farmer | Wow... |
| Shu | No one can predict fate. It's only a justification for what happened. |
| Surprised Farmer | I've heard about the wonders of the Tianshis, but I didn't expect you to know so much... A young girl like you is already a Shouye Tianshi at your age, Shu? |
| Shu | We all gain wisdom at our own pace. I simply pass on the knowledge that I learned sooner than others. |
| Happy Farmer | Remarkable, remarkable. Say... That young man over there has been staring at you for a while... do you know him? |
| Shu | Ah... A guest. Sorry, we'll talk another time. |
| [The two farmers leave as Zuo Le approaches Shu.] | |
| Zuo Le | Zuo Le, Candleholder of the Sui Regulator, here to review the development of Dahuang and matters relating to the Sui. There are no restrictions on your daily activities, but I ask that you refrain from leaving Dahuang for the time being. Your cooperation is much appreciated, Madam Shu. |
| Shu | Ah, so you're the new Candleholder I've heard so much about. |
| Zuo Le | Yes. This is just a customary review. It will not get in the way of your agricultural research. Feel free to go about your business as usual— |
| Shu | You're young. Do you even count as an adult yet? |
| Zuo Le | What? |
| Shu | This place is pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. Did your journey go well? Any trouble with bandits? |
| Zuo Le | A few bandits are no trouble for me. Regarding work on the Twelve Pagodas and Five Cities, the Sui Regulator hopes that you will cooperate with the Ministry of Engineering to advance the project smoothly, and that you will maintain a cordial relationship with the Tianshi Bureaus. In addition, there are some matters that require... |
| Shu | Oh, you can walk through the fields if you want, as long as you don't step on the crops, but you should give the Tianshis a heads up if you want to visit the factory. |
| Zuo Le | I understand the scope of my work, Madam Shu. I still have... |
| Shu | That's the house the last Candleholder used. It's been refurnished and ready for use. |
| Zuo Le | I... |
| Shu | That's all. Any questions? |
| Zuo Le | Er... no. |
| Shu | Good. I have a lot to do in the fields, so I'll take my leave. Just ask around if you need any help. People here are very friendly to visitors. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Mischievous Girl | Wei! |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Mischievous Girl | Wei! |
| Zuo Le | Excuse me, I'm on official business— |
| Mischievous Girl | Here. |
| Zuo Le | What's this? A lunchbox? |
| Mischievous Girl | You're hungry, aren't you? You've been standing there all day like a scarecrow. Do you even know how to get food on your own? |
| Zuo Le | Oh... er, duoxie. |
| [Zuo Le takes a bite of the food.] | |
| Mischievous Girl | You like it? |
| Zuo Le | Yes, it's very good... |
| Mischievous Girl | You're just gonna eat without doing any work? |
| Zuo Le | *cough* *cough*...! |
| Shu | Mind your manners, Grain Buds. This gentleman is a guest. |
| Grain Buds | But you said everyone in Dahuang needs to sweat in the fields before they eat. This strange boy says he's on official business, but he's not working the fields or building houses. What's he here for? |
| Shu | He has his own job to do. |
| Grain Buds | What, like, staring? |
| Shu | Yes, just staring. |
| Zuo Le | ...Ahem. Is there... something I can help with? |
| Shu | Let me think... Do you know how to work a planting machine? |
| Zuo Le | No... |
| Shu | I didn't think so. You don't deal with farming equipment in your line of work. This little cube is a six-phase monitor. Use it to place pylons at appropriate locations in the fields, and we'll be able to monitor conditions zone by zone. Can you use it? |
| Zuo Le | I've never touched anything like it before... |
| Shu | Feeding stockbeasts...? |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Grain Buds | Pfft— |
| Shu | Well, if you're going to be here for a while, perhaps you could learn how to do farmwork. You could start by clearing the weeds. |
| Nongye Tianshi Apprentice | Is that you, Laoshi? I— |
| Shu | Good timing, Xiaohe. This is... ...a distant cousin of mine from the capital. He came to see Dahuang. My student, He Sheng. He'll teach you. |
| He Sheng | Huh...? |
| Zuo Le | ...Huh? |
| <Flashback ends here> | |
| <Background 2> | |
| [Grain Buds blows on her whistle.] | |
| He Sheng | Is this where the positioning device says the stockbeast is? |
| Grain Buds | Yeah! When I blow this whistle, Mianmian will know I'm looking for him and come out. |
| Zuo Le | Positioning device? |
| He Sheng | There's one on every stockbeast in Dahuang. They're not very precise, but they give us an idea of their rough location. |
| Zuo Le | Every single one? There must be thousands of stockbeasts in Dahuang. |
| He Sheng | Well, we've had a lot of stray stockbeasts. The ones that the older students kept for research had a tendency to elope— ... |
| Zuo Le | I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with such things. |
| He Sheng | Why did you join the army if you're a relative of Laoshi's? |
| Zuo Le | No important reason, really. |
| He Sheng | Is your family all mandarins? |
| Zuo Le | Why do you ask? |
| He Sheng | The way you talk, and the manner you carry yourself in general. Not a lot of people your age around here like that, except for a few blue-blood families. |
| Zuo Le | I mean no offense. |
| He Sheng | I didn't say you offended anyone. |
| Grain Buds | Weird, why isn't he coming out? Mianmian had a fight with Xiaobiar a few days ago. Is that why he ran away? |
| He Sheng | Did he get pulled in by a female again? |
| Grain Buds | What? But he likes Xiaobiar! They're always together when I take them out to the mud pond. Not like that, Candlestick! |
| Zuo Le | C-Candlestick? |
| Grain Buds | I'll draw a picture of him. Memorize it, and we'll split up to look for him! |
| [Grain Buds sketches a rough drawing of Mianmian and hands it to Zuo Le.] | |
| Zuo Le | Uh... it's, er, a very good drawing... |
| He Sheng | Are you serious? I, after all the time I spent caring for the stockbeast, can barely tell it's Mianmian. |
| Grain Buds | Four legs and some spots. What's so hard? Have you ever seen a stockbeast, Candlestick? |
| Zuo Le | Not often... |
| Grain Buds | It's okay. You haven't seen stockbeasts, I haven't seen nomadic cities. We've all got things we've never seen before. |
| Zuo Le | Have you never been outside—to other cities? |
| Grain Buds | No, but I heard about them from Xiaohe. The rice that we produce each year is sent outside. They're developing new crops so the people outside can have lots to eat. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| He Sheng | You'll have plenty of chances. |
| Grain Buds | No rush. I like this place. Oh yeah, take a whiff of this. |
| [Zuo Le pauses.] | |
| Zuo Le | Alcohol? |
| Grain Buds | Rice wine soup, my favorite snack! See where the steam's rising? That's the brewery. We could stop by on our way. |
| Zuo Le | So there are breweries here. |
| He Sheng | Part of the harvest is saved for brewing. The oldest batch is more than a hundred years old. Do you drink? |
| Zuo Le | I did, once, try wine made from maize leaves. It was a gift from a farmer on a mission. It had a very strong taste; almost made me gag. He said it would warm us up, but we didn't expect it to be like that. He said they barely had enough to eat and didn't have the luxury of brewing with grain. |
| He Sheng | People out there still don't have enough to eat? |
| Zuo Le | ... The land is vast. There are big differences between regions. |
| He Sheng | ... |
| [Some reeds rustle nearby.] | |
| Zuo Le | I hear something... over there? |
| [Zuo Le leaps ahead.] | |
| Grain Buds | Wow, Candlestick, you sure can jump! We'll find Mianmian soon enough! |
| He Sheng | Our drones can fly higher than that, and we have the positioning device to help us. No need to—Wait, over there... |
| Grain Buds | A fire?! |
| <Background 3> | |
| Assistant Minister of Engineering | Three months? |
| Veteran Tumu Tianshi | Three months. This project is no small thing, and every segment needs time to ensure there are no problems. Three months is already on the optimistic side. "Twelve Pagodas and Five Cities" isn't just a poetic quote. You know how long the... "prototype" has simmered in the minds of the Tianshis, from generation to generation. |
| Assistant Minister of Engineering | Of course. The first step is always the hardest. Though I am but a humble paper-pusher, I've had the honor to study at the Tianshi Bureaus myself. My command of the Arts is a far cry from the masters in the room, of course, but I'm hardly content with sitting behind a desk and drinking tea while staring at my Tianshi apparatus. Three months. That was how long it took us up in the north, in heavy wind and snow. Think carefully and give me an answer. How long will it take to finish the assembly of the last two plates of Dahuang's core section? |
| Veteran Tumu Tianshi | ... Maybe a little more than a month, given enough energy and supplies... |
| Assistant Minister of Engineering | There's no need to worry about energy. I have already given instructions for the supplies. Your only concern is the project's progress. At such a distance, simply transporting supplies is a massive undertaking. Every day delayed represents a huge expenditure of money and resources. There is no place for complacency, for the sake of the people and the hard-earned taxes they pay. We are in the sixth month of the year now. I sincerely hope you will be reunited with your families by Mid-Autumn. |
| [The veteran Tianshi leaves.] | |
| Assistant Minister of Engineering | Sigh. Sometimes you just have to ruffle the feathers a little. I'm sorry you had to see that. |
| Ning Ciqiu | Three months, in the north. You were talking about the Danyan project. The city was closed due to heavy snow. The imperial court decided to put things on hold until conditions improved, but when the Messenger arrived... ...He found that the Tianshi in command had rammed the frozen Originium layer open with a segment of the city, rescuing tens of thousands of villagers who were trapped by wintry conditions. The textbooks still celebrate the story, the event that took you to the position you hold today, Minister Wan. There was no need to be so humble. |
| Assistant Minister of Engineering | You flatter me. I'm simply an engineer who worked his way slowly up the Tianshi ranks. It's not my place to hold my nose in the air. But bringing this up is what it takes to get a bunch of stressed and overworked Tianshis to listen to me. |
| Ning Ciqiu | Seems like you're confident that construction of the Twelve Pagodas and Five Cities will progress smoothly. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Even if I'm confident, everything has been so rushed. There can be flaws in the best-laid plans. I will be counting on your backup, in that case, Assistant Minister Ning. |
| Ning Ciqiu | That's what I'm here for. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Now, you've only just arrived in Dahuang. I assume you're not familiar with the place yet. It may not be as prosperous as the heartland, but it is rich with gifts from the earth. The many delicacies made from local produce are a delight. Have you had the chance to try the local Wu Dou Porridge porridge, for example? |
| Ning Ciqiu | I'm afraid not. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Dahuang's Wu Dou Zhou is one-of-a-kind. The five beans, Wu Dou, are red, black, mung, soy, and white. They complement each other, but it is the local rice that truly makes the Dahuang Wu Dou Porridge stand out. The wonderful fragrance and rich flavor of Dahuang rice elevate an ordinary bowl of porridge to the symbol of Dahuang's culinary culture. The five beans each have their own flavor, but it is the rice that makes or breaks the dish. Cooking it is, therefore, far more than just dumping the ingredients into a pot and lighting the stove. Heat control is the key. The five beans must not be allowed to usurp the rice at center stage, else it becomes just an ordinary bowl of grain porridge. |
| Ning Ciqiu | ... |
| Assistant Minister Wan | You really must try it, when you have the time. |
| Ning Ciqiu | I will. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | On another note, how is High Minister Ning? |
| Ning Ciqiu | Grandfather is getting on in age, but he has been fortunate to avoid major illness. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Nevertheless, I hope he will be mindful of his health. Perhaps I should bring a little token when I report back to Baizao? |
| Ning Ciqiu | The thought will suffice. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Given Dahuang's ties to the Sui, I expect I will have plenty of dealings with the Sui Regulator and the Ministry of Rites. I have long been in awe of High Minister Ning's achievements, but age spares none of us... it would be better for the High Minister to be less involved in particular matters. |
| Ning Ciqiu | If my presence here in Dahuang is unwelcome, I can certainly submit a letter to the Grand Tutor immediately. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | You misunderstand. I only meant that the Ning family must be delighted you have risen to the post of Assistant Minister at such a young age, and that your grandfather must have taught you well— |
| Ning Ciqiu | Assistant Minister Wan. |
| Assistant Minister Wan | Yes? |
| Ning Ciqiu | If you simply intend to say, "The young and inexperienced Ning Ciqiu is not fit to work with the legendary Tianshi of Danyan," you'll hear no argument from me. But as long as we're working with one another, if you have something to say, just say it. Stop thinking yourself clever by beating around the bush. A truly clever man would be much more amicable than you. I will take my leave. |
| <Background 4> | |
| Nongye Tianshi Apprentice | Water, water! Good thing the fire just started and right by the river... |
| [The man hurriedly tries to pour water onto the fire...] | |
| He Sheng | Why did you start a fire by the forest?! |
| [While He Sheng and Zuo Le help him.] | |
| Zuo Le | Arson is a serious crime! |
| Nongye Tianshi Apprentice | I didn't do it on purpose! The fowlbeast that was another student's project ate my project! All it left was an egg! I'll get my revenge by cooking the egg! No, not revenge... I'll cook the egg in memory of my lost project! *sob*... |
| Grain Buds | Enough of that crap! The fire's starting to spread! Stomp it out! |
| Nongye Tianshi Apprentice | I have a hoe! We can make a control line while the winds are calm! |
| Zuo Le | I'll clear away any vegetation in the back and stop the fire from spreading that way! |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| He Sheng | Phew... |
| Grain Buds | *pant*... |
| Nongye Tianshi Apprentice | Ugh... |
| [A stockbeast wanders towards the tired group.] | |
| Stray Stockbeast | Oink... |
| Grain Buds | ...Mianmian? |
| Mianmian | Oink! |
| Grain Buds | Found you! What are you doing here? (Whisper) Hey, tell me, do you like Xiaobiar or not? |
| He Sheng | Where did Zuo Le go? He said he was going to clear the vegetation. But I don't see him anywhere. |
| Grain Buds | Did he... lose his way? |
| Mianmian | Oink... |
| Grain Buds | ...Should we look for him? |
| Mianmian | Oink... |
| He Sheng | ... Zuo— |
| [Zuo Le suddenly drops down from the trees.] | |
| Zuo Le | I'm right here. I didn't find... uh... Mianmian, but I did find this pair in a nest. |
| Zuo Le is carrying two stockbeast foals in his robes. They are so young that they have yet to open their eyes. | |
| He Sheng | You shouldn't have brought back foals so young. |
| Zuo Le | I shouldn't? But I checked the area and the mother was nowhere to be found. They wouldn't have survived for long if left to their own devices. Isn't it better to bring them back so they could survive under your supervision? |
| Grain Buds | We're not supervisors, we're friends! We help each other out. They give us wool, we give them tasty hay, chase away bugs, and scratch their itches. |
| He Sheng | We don't know if they're carrying any diseases, or if they can be domesticated. Plus... |
| Grain Buds | But they've got his scent on them. The mother wouldn't have them, even if she came back. |
| He Sheng | That's why he shouldn't have touched them. |
| Grain Buds | Well, he already did, so we need to take care of them. |
| He Sheng | Why do you keep standing up for him? He's clearly in the wrong. He doesn't know anything. |
| Grain Buds | I'm doing this because he doesn't know anything! |
| Zuo Le | I... |
| Grain Buds | Never mind. I'll go back and ask the teachers what to do with the little guys. Let's hurry, or they might catch a cold. |
| ??? | ... |
| [A haggard looking man haphazardly swinging an axe walks by.] | |
| Grain Buds | Oh! You again! Have you had lunch? There was a fire here, and you don't talk at all. You would've gotten burned, if it wasn't for us! |
| He Sheng | Keep your distance, Grain Buds! He might swing his axe at you. |
| Grain Buds | He won't. He calms down when I play my flute. He likes to hear me play. |
| [Grain Buds blows on her flute.] | |
| Old Lumberjack | ... |
| Grain Buds | See? You all say not to come here, but I come all the time when no one's looking. I just can't cross the river. He calms down when I play this tune. I've seen him smile. I can even lean over to touch his axe. He always keeps his hand clenched around it, but he's... |
| [The lumberjack swats her away.] | |
| Grain Buds | Ouch! Why did you hit me? Now you've made me mad. I'm not bringing you any treats next time! |
| He Sheng | That's enough, Grain Buds! Let's go! |
| Zuo Le | The foals... |
| He Sheng | ...We'll bring them back. Next time, think before you act. |
| Zuo Le | I... (What am I doing here?) |
After operation
| “ | The summer harvest approaches, but He Sheng's project does not go well. A bit of advice from Shu gets his hopes back up. On this quiet summer night, a few youths sit together on the ridges in the fields and share their thoughts. | ” |
| <Flashback starts here> | |
|---|---|
| <Background 5> | |
| Zuo Le | This is a report on the Shanhaizhong and Catastrophe countermeasures... and review of my own actions. I'm sorry I let you down, Father... |
| Zuo Xuanliao | ... |
| Zuo Le | Now, I will— |
| Zuo Xuanliao | No need. You won't have to participate in Yumen's return to the capital anymore. |
| Zuo Le | But... Are you giving me a suspension? |
| Zuo Xuanliao | It's not my place to interfere with the Sui Regulator's appointments, but as the warden of Yumen, I have authority over military personnel assignments. There's an important mission for you to undertake, away from Yumen. It's planting season in Dahuang, in the north, and they're short-handed. Go and help them. |
| Zuo Le | Planting season? You mean, agriculture? That's the "important mission"? |
| Zuo Xuanliao | Is that not important? |
| Zuo Le | I understand that agriculture is the lifeblood of the nation, and I've heard about Dahuang, but... I don't understand. Why me? |
| Zuo Xuanliao | So you might see. |
| Zuo Le | And after I see...? |
| Zuo Xuanliao | You think. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Zuo Xuanliao | Be ready to depart, once you've completed the mission handover. |
| Zuo Le | One last thing, Father. I discovered some suspicious activity when investigating the Shanhaizhong's movements. They appeared to be very familiar with Yumen patrol schedules and routes. If they really managed to obtain intelligence on Yumen's defenses— |
| Zuo Xuanliao | I have spoken. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Zuo Xuanliao | This is not your concern anymore. |
| <Background 6> | |
| [Zuo Le is practicing martial arts in the ricefields.] | |
| <Flashback starts here> | |
| <Background 7> | |
| Chongyue | Never forget what all you do is for. |
| <Background 8> | |
| Jieyun | A man like you can't be trusted! |
| <Flashback ends here> | |
| <Background 6> | |
| [Zuo Le punches a hole through his punching bag.] | |
| Zuo Le | *pant*... *pant*... |
| Record Keeper | Working in the fields by day and practicing kung fu by night for a whole month. You must be exhausted. |
| Zuo Le | *pant* Yun... it's you. |
| Record Keeper | You were focused. |
| Zuo Le | But I didn't achieve anything... ...I don't even know what I'm doing here. Perhaps, by focusing on improving myself here, I'll be able to do what I couldn't before. |
| Record Keeper | Well... perhaps. You know, there's this old Lungmen kung fu movie... The hero was an arrogant and haughty swordsman who spent all his life pursuing martial perfection, which always seemed just out of reach. His fortunes took an ill turn and he lost everything: fame, fortune, reputation, even one of his arms. Now a broken man, he found himself in a tiny, remote village. There, he lived amongst the peasants, eating with the lowly folk who used to lie beneath his notice. For three years, he chopped his own firewood and boiled his own water, not touching his sword even once. He finally drew his blade when his enemies came for him. To his surprise, his sword struck with a fury he had never known before. |
| Zuo Le | Are... are you saying that I'm arrogant and haughty? |
| Record Keeper | I'm just telling you what happened in the movie. |
| Zuo Le | Do things like that happen in reality? |
| Record Keeper | To my knowledge? Of course not. The audiences love it, though. Back to basics, the proud humbled, that sort of thing. However, it is true that one's temperament has an effect on many things. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Record Keeper | Have you felt your perspective change since you left Yumen? |
| Zuo Le | I don't feel like it has at all... |
| Record Keeper | How about a break? Water? |
| Zuo Le | Thanks. I have a question myself... Why did you come with me? Why not stay in Yumen? |
| Record Keeper | You're traveling across Yan as Candleholder. I felt like I could learn a lot by accompanying you on your journeys. |
| Zuo Le | I was demot—sent here by father. You could have learned just as much by going back to the capital with Yumen. |
| Record Keeper | I went with Laoshi to Baizao. It was prosperous, but little else. Dahuang seemed more interesting. |
| Zuo Le | You're talking like you're on holiday. |
| Record Keeper | Hah. |
| Zuo Le | I don't understand what Father wants me to see... |
| Record Keeper | What have you seen, then, during your time in Dahuang? |
| Zuo Le | What have I seen...? Dahuang used to be one of the rare places without much Originium pollution, due to its unique geography, making it an important Yanese breadbasket since antiquity. But thanks to the hard work of the Agricultural Tianshis, arable land area is growing year after year. Construction has begun on defenses against potential Catastrophes. Currently, the city has sixteen large plates, some sixty or so small plates, seven hundred and thirty Tianshis, and a population exceeding fifty thousand. Despite its remote location, the people are content and hardworking... |
| Record Keeper | Is that all? |
| Zuo Le | Just some insignificant details. |
| Record Keeper | Insignificant, eh? |
| Zuo Le | What about you? Did you find any sights that you couldn't have seen with the Grandmaster? |
| Record Keeper | Well... for example... The couple next door had a big fight after dinner last night. The husband had gone on a journey last month and found the other cities to be much more interesting. He wanted to move away. I saw the pair of fowlbeasts that make their nest in that tree outside taking turns to hunt and sit on their eggs. The eggs should hatch any day now. I also saw the strange sight that was Tianshis of all vocations coming together to fret, even cry their hearts out before Shennong's statue... The strangest scene I saw, however, was that of a few animals making a fool of a young kung fu master. |
| Zuo Le | Er... |
| Record Keeper | Did you find the stockbeast? |
| Zuo Le | When did you...? |
| Record Keeper | Many years ago, the Grandmaster instructed me in the moves of all the various schools of kung fu and had me record the clashes with experts from those myriad schools. But my innate condition prevents me from studying the martial arts. I said you must be exhausted, working in the fields by day and practicing kung fu by night. I envy you, as a matter of fact. |
| Zuo Le | ...I'm sorry. |
| Record Keeper | Even so, the Grandmaster allowed me to follow him, allowed someone who could not study kung fu to watch you do so. He didn't tell me what I was supposed to learn, only that I should pay attention to detail and accuracy. I recorded and studied according to his instructions. Then I began to realize that kung fu isn't just about moves. The Grandmaster's philosophies on the fist are also philosophies on life, and every action or lack thereof corresponds to the natural laws of wax and wane. This wisdom amazed me even further, focusing on the infinite mysteries of kung fu. Where do you even start? |
| Zuo Le | The Sui Regulator's kung fu is not just for self-defense, but also to suppress the enemy and protect the innocent. I don't think one should draw too many conclusions about it. It's just a skill. |
| Record Keeper | Right. I later realized that it wasn't so complicated. Kung fu is just kung fu, no more, no less. I didn't learn this through study of the martial arts. I learned this wisdom from everyday life as I grew older and wiser, correlating it with kung fu. Wisdom isn't about one thing. It's about everything. |
| Zuo Le | Everything. |
| Record Keeper | The Grandmaster wrote in the Book of Arms, 'See the other through the self; remain upright and wait for the proper time.' What he means is that one must ensure that one's posture is upright and firm, then seek the opportunity for victory. No matter the situation, one must remain composed, unaffected by outside matters... |
| [The shrill sound of a flute pierces the air.] | |
| Record Keeper | Eek! |
| Grain Buds | What's that? You look like you saw a ghost. There you are, Candlestick! So you were with Inkbrush. I was looking for you all day! |
| <Background 9> | |
| He Sheng | Rice Experiment Area A: Soil Originium activity was twenty percent during the growing period. Total production was approximately three hundred and twenty catties. Experiment Area B: Twenty-three percent Originium activity, one hundred and fifty catties' production; Experiment Area C: Twenty-five percent Originium activity, almost zero crop survival... Negligible change from last season's data, or the season before. The same goes for the other crop experiment areas. |
| Shu | I see. |
| He Sheng | You don't look disappointed at all. |
| Shu | No point trying to rush things. We take them one step at a time. |
| He Sheng | Twenty-five percent remains the critical line. Plant survivability drops off precipitously once soil Originium activity exceeds that level. This applies to both cash crops and cover crops. Yet the figure remains much lower than the level of natural soil Originium activity in the vast majority of regions... |
| Shu | Thinking about giving up? |
| He Sheng | No... I'm just not sure... if this is the only result, then there is no way to expand the application of the Wanqing "the Ten Thousand Qing of Fertile Fields" project. All these years, and nothing to show for it... not even a bud of hope. |
| Shu | ... Fifteen percent. Twenty-five years ago, that was the critical line that had us stumped. It took nine generations of crops before we found an Originium-resistant variant in the corner of one of the plates. |
| He Sheng | You and the Tianshis kept going for this long? |
| Shu | Did you know that people used to fertilize the fields with fluids from the Dahuang Fibrous Slug in order to protect crops from the impact of Originium? |
| He Sheng | Yes, but it's just folklore. There's no scientific basis to it. Originium doesn't infect plants like it does animals, it only changes the... |
| Shu | Yes, but that's what people in the past came up with when technology wasn't so advanced, the result of coincidence and misunderstanding. We tried so many different things, just to carve out a little piece of farmland for ourselves. It took generations after generations of trial and error to get agriculture to where it is today. As you said, the Wanqing project is one where hope is hard to come by. Perhaps, many years later, people will look back at us the same way as we look back at the ancients who fertilized their fields with Fibrous Slug fluids. Only one thing is clear, though. Plates on their own can't produce enough food for everyone. People will always go hungry in the remote villages, places where the nomadic city can't reach. And I'm willing to believe that, one day, we'll break the shackles of Originium, and then we'll truly have The Ten Thousand Qing of Fertile Fields... a certain someone said that to me, once upon a time. |
| He Sheng | Do you mean...? |
| Old Xiangzhang | Still working in the lab at this hour? The power bills keep piling up. |
| [The subprefect of Dahuang enters the lab.] | |
| He Sheng | I-I'm just here to submit some data. I'll be going now! |
| Old Xiangzhang | Oh, Xiaohe. Haven't seen you for a while. Look how tall you've grown! Why don't you stay for dinner? |
| He Sheng | Er, sorry, I, er, have things to do in the fields. Excuse me. |
| [He Sheng frantically leaves.] | |
| Old Xiangzhang | Why does he always look like he's terrified of me? |
| Shu | You're the big boss of Dahuang. People should be scared of you. |
| Old Xiangzhang | Doesn't mean everyone will listen to me. Isn't the hour a little late to still be working? |
| Shu | Alright, alright, I'll be going. |
| <Background 10> | |
| Old Xiangzhang | Cooking soup so late is rather tiring. Mm, smells good. Who are you treating? Your sisters? Or that "relative" of yours who came to visit? What's his name, Zuo Le? |
| Shu | Everyone's working hard in preparation for the summer harvest. This soup is for the hardest worker. |
| Old Xiangzhang | Did you have to poke fun at me before dinner? A little mean, don't you think? |
| Shu | Then bring the bowl over. |
| Old Xiangzhang | Alright. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Old Xiangzhang | All my life I've been dealing with things that grow from the soil. Now I have to learn everything about engineering from scratch. And it's not easy, dealing with the Ministry of Engineering, arguing all day about the assignment of a few Tianshis. It's even more tiring than farmwork. |
| Shu | Eat up, then. You've definitely lost a few catties. |
| [The old woman takes up her spoon.] | |
| Old Xiangzhang | Sure. Except... Three huge pieces of rib in one bowl? You're trying to burst my stomach. Three's plenty. One more and it's going to spill over. |
| Shu | ... |
| Old Xiangzhang | Spilled soup would make a mess, and it's even worse when someone gets burned. |
| Shu | You can put it down if you don't want it. |
| Old Xiangzhang | That won't do. So much effort went into this soup, we can't let it go to waste. |
| Shu | Do you have to talk like that today? |
| Old Xiangzhang | I'm just talking about this bowl of ribs and lian'ou soup. The ribs come from lovingly raised meatbeasts, while the lian'ou comes from ponds that we dug with our own hands. This soup represents the efforts of generations of people, and of your efforts all these years. We must not allow what should not be here to ruin this hard-won soil. |
| Shu | After all these years, you... |
| Old Xiangzhang | So many years. I've almost forgotten how I came to know you. Sometimes I wish I really did. If only you were just a diligent Nongye Tianshi, and me a humble farmer. But I could never forget. Even if I forgot, someone would help me remember. The scrolls of the Sui Regulator remember. The list of fallen Candleholders remembers. |
| Shu | Say no more. |
| Old Xiangzhang | You know what I mean. What I'm concerned about. Your... "brother". |
| Shu | ... |
| Old Xiangzhang | One person can fool another, but no one can fool time. It took me the better part of my lifetime to come to trust you. I don't have the time left to trust another. He shouldn't have come back at a time like this, Shu. Don't make things difficult for me. |
| <Background 6> | |
| Record Keeper | Good evening, Grain Buds. |
| Zuo Le | ... |
| Grain Buds | Inkbrush... why are you standing so far away? Alright, I promise, I know your book isn't a sketchbook and I won't add faces to the people in it. |
| Zuo Le | (Sketchbook? Does she mean your Record of Martial Combat?) |
| Record Keeper | (My fault.) |
| Zuo Le | (Don't ever let the Grandmaster or Qiubai see it.) |
| Record Keeper | (I know...) (Although, come to think of it, they might like the cartoonish style...) |
| Zuo Le | Ahem... Were you looking for me, Grain Buds? |
| Grain Buds | Here, this is for you. |
| Zuo Le | A bracelet? |
| Grain Buds | Weaved from Mianmian's wool. Thank-you gift for bringing him home today. |
| Zuo Le | I didn't do anything... except cause problems. |
| Grain Buds | Well, don't think too much about what Xiaohe said. He's alright most of the time, but he gets all angry and stubborn when it comes to farming. All the young Tianshis he tutors are scared of him. |
| Zuo Le | He's already a Shouye Tianshi? |
| Grain Buds | I think? He takes over Shu's lessons when she's busy. There are so many kinds of Tianshi, I just can't keep track of them. Say, why are you called Candlestick, anyway? |
| Record Keeper | Candleholder? |
| Grain Buds | Yeah! It's so weird. Nobody uses candles anymore. |
| Zuo Le | The title "Candleholder" comes from... Never mind. It means that I'm one of Yan's official Messengers. |
| Grain Buds | Well, mind that you don't accidentally set the letters on fire. |
| Record Keeper | Pfft. |
| Zuo Le | What are you snickering at, sketchbook Inkbrush? |
| Record Keeper | Nothing, Candlestick messenger. |
| The sky grows dark. The summer breeze brings the fresh scent of the earth. Insects sing amongst the grass as the stars rise. There is a figure wandering not far away, and Grain Buds picks it up right away. | |
| Grain Buds | Xiaohe! When are you gonna come over? Are you still angry that I asked you to help get the Tianshis to register the foals? |
| He Sheng | I'm not angry. I'm just exhausted after dealing with the foals he brought back. |
| Grain Buds | Oh... do you need to go to bed? And we need to name the pair. They were found together... I've got an idea! Let's name them Xiaoman like "Grain Buds" and Xiaohe like "Grain Stalk"! |
| He Sheng | No way. |
| He Sheng sits down on the grass. | |
| Zuo Le | Sorry. If you're still angry at me. |
| He Sheng | ... I'm not really angry at you... |
| Grain Buds | Candlestick! What is a Messenger like you doing in Dahuang? You're not delivering letters, just playing with us all day. |
| Zuo Le | I made a mistake. Father sent me here to learn. But I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to learn, or how I'm supposed to learn it. In my old job, there were a lot of things that hadn't been cleared up, but Father wouldn't let me investigate. I'm not even sure what I'm doing here... |
| He Sheng | ... |
| Grain Buds | Wow, your dad's scary. When the teachers at the Tianshi Bureau scold the kids even younger than me, they say that if you don't behave, your baba and mama will come and punish you. Well, Candlestick got punished by his baba. But I've made so many mistakes, so why don't my baba and mama come and punish me? |
| Zuo Le | Your parents...? |
| Grain Buds | Shu says my parents are Tianshis in a place far away. But she never told me what they do, or why I don't hear from them. The Xiangzhang says my parents named me Xiaoman, or Grain Buds, because they think we should be content with the little things, like grains in the field. |
| Record Keeper | General Zuo must be hoping that you'll live a happy and carefree life, Zuo Le. |
| Zuo Le | The Grandmaster must hope that you will be content and comfortable in whatever situation then, Yun. |
| He Sheng | Come to think of it, I never got the chance to ask you your name. |
| Record Keeper | Yun Qingping. People sometimes say it sounds like a girl's name. |
| He Sheng | Not at all. It's nice. Reminds me of lotus ponds in summer. |
| Grain Buds | Xiaohe's name has a story behind it too! The farmers found him in the rice fields. The old folks thought he was born from the rice crops, which is how he got a name that means rice stalk. Shu still has a picture from back then! I'll bring it tomorrow. |
| He Sheng | Grain Buds! |
| Grain Buds | Everyone loves that photo. Candlestick and Inkbrush should see it too! |
| Zuo Le | (Why doesn't He Sheng get a nickname beyond Xiaohe?) |
| Yun Qingping | (Why not contribute one? Grain Buds here seems quite amendable to suggestions.) |
| The summer evening breeze brushes their hair, to the accompaniment of cicada songs. A few fireflies take to the air, while stars fall from the sky. Grain Buds is no longer chasing the fireflies. She sits on the grass smelling of night dew, panting from the chase. There is no room for gloom or worry in the heart of the young and innocent. She only has eyes for the sincere joy of the present. | |
| |
| Grain Buds | Look! Shooting stars! According to Shu, the old Shennong stories say that crops grow well where the shooting star falls. Should we go and see where they fell? |
| He Sheng | She said that to get you to come down from your tree and go to bed. You seriously think it's true? |
| Grain Buds | Of course I do! |
| Yun Qingping | But it's very far away, way beyond Dahuang. |
| Grain Buds | Then we'll leave Dahuang. |
| Yun Qingping | What if they fell at the edge of Heaven? |
| Grain Buds | Then we'll go to the edge of Heaven! I'll go. You'll come too, Xiaohe, and the rest of you, too. There's a lot of time to look for them before the sun rises. Maybe we'll never find them, and keep walking until we're all grandpas and grandmas. |
| Zuo Le | Searching for stars? |
| Yun Qingping | Hah, yes, searching for stars. Has it occurred to you that this may be what you're supposed to be looking for? |
| Zuo Le | Stars? |
| Grain Buds | Yeah! Come, let's cross this stream! |
| [Grain Buds stands up and starts walking.] | |
| <Background 6> | |
| He Sheng | Hey, Zuo Le. How old are you? |
| Zuo Le | Nineteen. |
| He Sheng | Hm... |
| Zuo Le | What's the matter? |
| He Sheng | Nothing... I'm older than you. |
| Grain Buds | Wei, what are you talking about over there? Tomorrow is the Xiazhi. Dahuang will be holding the Shennong Festival, welcoming Shennong with songs and costumes. Let's go have some fun! |
| He Sheng | Didn't you say you wanted to look for the stars? |
| Grain Buds | I said, until the sun rises. |
| Zuo Le | The Shennong Festival? That's not for fun, is it? |
| Grain Buds | Of course it is! They put on plays and fairs, and there's lots to eat! The Xiangzhang says everybody has been working so hard, we should relax a little. Xiaohe's going. I'm gonna play the flute... there are other shows too! |
| Zuo Le | Alright, I'll go and see. I'll see... and think. |