Early Seeding

No need to be nervous, Lord Zuo. These are but harmless toys.

'Weave cause to effect, cut unreal into real'... are these your creations?

Just doing my part.

(Eerie cry)

The ways of the Feranmut proxies are mystifying.

Petty parlor tricks. Not much use to them.

Pestilence and blight tend to follow a flood. Dealing with disaster you can't see or touch is hard; weave it into an object, and it becomes easier to deal with.

My elder sister would chastise me for violating the laws of nature, if she saw me do this.

You shouldn't be here.

This is my childhood home, after all. I got a little homesick.

I didn't know your kind had childhoods.

We were all ignorant once, no matter how long our lifespans. New things left a deeper impression on us.

And we think more about those who around us, at the time.

Any meeting of you and your siblings is an important matter that should have been reported to the Sui Regulator in advance.

The imperial court's convoy was delayed by Catastrophe. I got word from the old Tianshi and immediately sent relief supplies out of my own pocket.

I only saw my older sister briefly and haven't even caught a glimpse of the younger ones. Isn't the Sui Regulator being a little, you know, inhumane?

The Sui Regulator has instructions to keep a close eye on you.

Even though I've never broken a single rule in all these years?

It is not up to you.

And yet, you're not wearing the garb of a Candleholder.

I have heard much about you, Lord Zuo. That we should meet here is certainly the will of Heaven, and I would very much like to make your acquaintance.

There's no need to flatter me.

I've seen many a scion of blue-blood families in Baizao, plenty of them intelligent and learned.

But it would be a challenge to find more than a handful who could get down to business and do honest work like you.

...

In the eleventh month of last year, you entered the den of the Langyi Shanhaizhong by yourself and rescued dozens of innocent prisoners.

In the second month of this year, you braved numerous dangers in pursuit of that special goblet.

The uninformed believed you to have risen to your position at such a young age because of your father. What do they know of the dangers of a Candleholder's duty?

Why should one mistake wipe out all the hard work you've done in the past?

You're not supposed to know of these things.

Ah, a businessman hears many things. After all, the things one hears can be a commodity, too, if another is willing to pay a price for them.

And it's my business to know what kind of customer would pay what kind of price for information.

For example, I know what's on the other side of the river to the north of Dahuang. I know what Nian is building here.

I know you suspect that ulterior motives were involved in the Catastrophe that struck Yumen, but all your leads came up empty. Am I right?

...

Your meticulousness is impressive.

But I would not underestimate the Sui Regulator, if I were you. We will get to the bottom of any suspicions we have.

I would caution you to toe the line.

Is this a word of advice from a friend?

A word of warning from a Candleholder of the Sui Regulator.

I'm sure you worry too much. The best Tianshis in all of Yan are all gathered in the Chamber of Heaven's Designs north of Dahuang. What can one little man do?

Should you not be more concerned about the... things across the river?

...What?

Do you know how many Tianshis the Chamber of Heaven's Designs has lost in the past three months?

—!

Don't you dare spread lies and rumors...

Trust is a merchant's greatest asset. I never lie, Lord Zuo. You can look into it yourself, if you don't believe it.

Then, think about what you want to do, and whether it might involve a deal with me.

Stupid Mianmian. How many times have I told him not to run away?

Stupid Xiaohe. He doesn't even remember my song! I'm not playing with him anymore!

Mianmian! It's time to go home!

Mianmian! Why did you run away? Get back to your pen, or I'm gonna get scolded along with you.

I'm going away.

...Huh?

I don't want to eat grass anymore.

What?

Has Xiaohe been putting weird stuff in your fodder again?

I'll talk to him, and make sure you guys are eating properly!

It's scary here.

Death is coming.

Will you come with us?

You mean the flood a few days ago?

No need to be scared. The flood is gone. I'll build tougher houses for you, so you won't have to be afraid when Catastrophe comes! I'll protect you!

No.

It comes from across the river.

Look beneath your feet.

Beneath... what...?

...

Uncle Wang? What are you doing?

Moving trees.

The peace tree? It was in perfectly good shape. Why are you moving it? What about those Tumu Tianshis?

Give me a hand and move that dirt over there... they've gone back to the factories. They'll be transporting materials through here in a bit.

Everyone knows that there's no saving this land.

...

Xiaohe, you're a student at the Tianshi Bureau, but you're also from around here. Tell us, what's happened to the land?

I... I don't know...

...Hmph.

Yeah, I know, every inch of land is business to the mandarins. How much money it takes to turn them into moving plates, and how much money they stand to make.

But this is our home! My family has lived here for generations!

How could they tell us to abandon our home just like that!

This is my home too.

I promise I'll get to the bottom of what's happening here. I'll find a way to save the land...

What use are your promises? They promised to take these fields along when they started building the nomadic city.

Fine, I'll pretend I lost the land to a Catastrophe, but I'm taking this tree with me.

My grandpa's grandma planted it. The people in the cities think home is something you can take with you. Well, this tree is my home, and I'm taking it with me.

...I'll help.

...

...

Are you looking for something?

You can talk?

What are you doing here?

My stockbeast ran away. I came to bring him back.

What stockbeast?

Right here—

...I could have sworn he was here.

...

Follow me.

I'll help you find your stockbeast.

Have a seat, Lord Zuo.

...Assistant Minister Ning.

What a coincidence.

From Shangshu to Yumen, and now to Dahuang. You must be an outstanding Candleholder to be handed such responsibility.

What are your instructions?

Please, no need for such formality.

I would not be meeting you here, if this was official business. There is a matter that requires your assistance in a... less than official manner.

About the Sui proxies?

The Twelve Pagodas and Five Cities project is of crucial importance to Great Yan. Having four proxies here in the same place, at a time like this, is a headache to say the least.

There may be devastating consequences if someone with ulterior motives decides to cause trouble.

Do you mean to say that you already know someone intends to cause trouble?

Are you aware that the development of Dahuang has resumed?

The trader's supplies... he should not interfere with such matters.

All I know is that he had a meeting with Assistant Minister Wan from the Ministry of Works. Do you know him?

I'm familiar with him... he has been working on Dahuang's mobile plate development in recent years, but he also participated in Yumen's repairs a few months ago.

What is Ji planning?

Ji was known to be close to Shu, and the two of them used to farm Dahuang a thousand years ago. Ji later left Dahuang to start a business.

He returns to Dahuang once every few decades. The last visit was sixty years ago.

Right now, we need to figure out why he came back to Dahuang. This is what I would like you to uncover.

The Ministry of Rites and the Sui Regulator have long been at odds over the Sui issue. Yet now you're asking me to do this.

Where do you stand yourself?

As a Candleholder, my duty is to my orders, of course...

You want to be a good sword.

That way, it's not the sword's fault, even if it kills the wrong person.

I'm not trying to shirk responsibility—

Have you ever thought about why the Sui Regulator wants to eliminate the Sui by force?

If there comes a day when Yumen goes to the capital, ending the existence of both cities and the Feranmut to the sound of cannonfire...

Do we really say 'We had no choice' about all the people who lose their homes and the soldiers who lose their lives?

Was there really no other way?

...

What prompts you to ask me to do this?

The welfare of the people. Not the cloaks and daggers of the court.

Honesty and integrity. I'm sure the answer is right there in your heart.

The stockbeast is inside.

In the river?

You want to find him, go down.

Hm...

Alright.

I'll find him down there and bring him back to his pen.

Come back! You'll die!

Let me go, Zushi! I'll bring her back!

I know how to handle it. She's not that far gone. Let me go, and I can bring her back!

Zushi, no! She can still be saved!

Zushiiiiiiii—!

There is only death there. She's beyond all help. You can't save her.

Go back. Put up a grave monument.

Where do you think you're going, you idiot?

...

Huh?

The stockbeast is down there. The old lumberjack told me so. I'm bringing him back.

You're the stockbeast, you dumb rice-brain!

...

......

Are you talking about me?!

Of course I'm talking about you! You think there's a stockbeast down there? Are you blind or stupid?

Oh, shut up—

Whoa!

Pfft, bleh, argh!

What's going on?

Uncle?

Where's the mute uncle?

What uncle? All I see is you trying to jump into the water, you crazy idiot!

Now throw that away!

You wouldn't tell it to my face?

You say you trust me, but will we ever have a chance to sit down and talk to each other again?