Log: Penglai Dragon Studies
Tue Mar 10 11:39:42 2009
--[ Jade City(#2594RJ0) ]-------------------------------[ Penglai Empire ]----
The glorious city of Jade, refined jewel of the Penglai empire, is
marked by a perfection of design found nowhere else. Every point of
view has been considered in the building and expansion of the city, so
that wide graceful spaces are linked by stairwells and pathways whose
very steps are set to make the traveller pause at the right points.
The stately Haza River cuts the city in two, and even the poorer
buildings on the far side have their moments, when the mist and the
sunlight are right.
In the Imperial Quarter of the Immortal City of Lucky Stone, one is
surrounded by the spacious temples and homes of the wealthy, and the
more complex and ornate pagodas of the World Conquerors, the Lords of
Penglai. To the East of the city, on a rise above it, sits the Cloud
Palace. From there it must be possible to see even far into the North,
where the Jade Gate is.
Beatrice, Quina, and Taleyn are here.
--[ setting, views, lhelp ]-------------------------------[ Exits: N E D ]----
Beatrice invited Taleyn and Quina to come with her; she has a diplomatic assignment that takes her in and out of Jade with some frequency, and knew they'd both enjoy it as a day out. And so it has been! Duties and diplomatic packets dispensed with, Beatrice has been free to do some serious shopping and exploring with them. This has eventually wound down to a wine shop in one of the better parts of town. The Paradise View serves food, and in a better part of town, this means that the food is very good and the wine is just a bit odd to an Amber palate, though not so much to three seasoned travelers in the empire. They find themselves a table, but there is no sharp division between their seat and any others.
Quina has dressed properly for the trip of course, as befits a foreign Lady who actually exists in Jade. She's definitely enjoyed the day out, and seems in no rush at all. She does not order wine when they finally take a seat to relax, instead asking for tea. "Thank you again for inviting me, cousin. I've needed a bit of a break."
Beatrice nods, "It's been too long I think since any of us had a day together, at least in Taleyn and my own case, one that did not involve unwelcome intrusions. And you," to Quina, "I have seen far too little of you the last few months."
There is the general din of conversation around them -- the conversations of patronage, mostly in the Jade dialect of Penglai -- neighbors and regulars greeting one another, two old men playing Go. Occasional murmurs about the foreigners, but nothing rude...
Taleyn beams in her likewise existing in Jade mode! She has dressed appropriately of course, and enjoys the wines, teas, and happy conversation when opportunity strikes.
"You have, indeed." Quina agrees with Beatrice. "I must come by soon for a proper visit." She seems unconcerned with any conversation going on around her. "After all, I must allow you to gush, and laugh, over my impending parenthood." She smiles a bit.
Taleyn grins at this. "Congratulations, by the way."
Quina grins back to Taleyn. "Thank you."
Beatrice's brows lift. "Quina, you are..." She cannot help but steal a glance at the belly, but clearly finds no evidence there she overlooked. "Indeed! Congratulations. Or as they say here in the empire," she switches to Penglai, "May a thousand lanterns light the child's path."
Quina chuckles. "I am, and thank you. Lady Lucretia finally insisted, if her brother was going to continually do something hazardous."
Privately, to Beatrice, Taleyn seems to be crossing her legs extra-tightly, as if to ward off any possible contagion of pregnancy.
Taleyn nods. "It's very sensible. Get the heirs in place, and let everyone get on with their business."
Beatrice's good-humored response to this is cut off. Someone has caught the Penglai she spoke, and knows what that means, and soon the wine shop erupts in whispers, then quickly in effusion. One of the foreigners is expecting! The wine shop host and his wife quickly come to the table, bowing and offering congratulations. This is followed by all their table neighbors. Special "lucky baby health' buns are brought that Quina *must* eat. The wife hustles in the back, hiss-shouting at someone in the kitchen about some particular cake they feel must be served at once, as well.
Beatrice is gracious enough to give Quina a half-apologetic look for thrusting her into the limelight, but in general seems filled with mirth at the whole thing.
"Indeed." Quina says to Taleyn. "I could not fault her reasoning. Though, I think she more wanted someone along for the ride with her." she says with a smile, though by then word has spread and she's suddenly very much the center of attention. Her eyes widen some, and they she eyes Beatrice with a look that says she's sure that was intention. She is, however, smiling and entirely gracious in her acceptance of the well-wishes and food. In their native tongue though, she whispers to her cousin "I'll get you for this."
Beatrice murmurs indulgently, "May we both live to see the day." There is still a fuss being made. The host's wife appears with the cakes she wants Quina to eat, speaking in rapid Jadean Penglai, heedless of their degree of fluency, "You will eat these, please! They are a special family recipe, very good for pregnancy. Very good for keeping in all your food! Yes? I remember when I was pregnant with my number one son, I could eat nothing but these cakes, not for months.... " and on and on. She seems intent on sitting with them, and does so.
Taleyn giggles, quite beside herself with amusement at the whole thing. If it crosses her mind to ask the locals for Amulets Against Fertility, she stifles the mention of it.
Quina chuckles, welcoming their hostess to their table and at her encouragement eats the cakes. In her fluent dialect, she thanks the woman with all appropriate politenesses and flourish.
Taleyn attempts to engage their hostess in conversation while Quina eats cakes. "My mother kept nothing down for six months!"
Beatrice likewise troubles to introduce herself and her companions, and they all find out the host's wife's name is Miyu. She is delighted as she realizes all three *are* in fact fluent enough to follow her patter but to speak to her in her own language. This seems to impress not only her, but a few fellow patrons. The recent loser of the Go game gets up from his seat in favor of a new player, and plods over. He is elderly, and has evidently made Quina a paper crane. "Long life," he says, offering it with a bow.
Miyu introduces, "Master Daichi." Proud of her patron she adds, "Master Daichi studied at the university of Len-Shu and is a master of Hua."
"I have had that very esteemed honor," Master Daichi confirms.
Quina accepts the crane with a respectful bow of her own, remaining seated, and a few words of gratitude. She then invites him to join them as well. When Miyu introduces him, she shows that she understands the importance of such a man by rising a bit for a more formal bow. "We are truly honored."
Taleyn follows Quina's lead and rises for a proper bow. "We are honored for your company and your acquaintance, Daichi-sensei."
There are clearly some class distinctions at play. Miyu is at best middle-class, and clearly holds Daichi, a scholar, in esteem, and is not shy of boasting on his behalf. "Master Daichi once taught at the Imperial University, and was asked in his youth to create the scroll for the Shogun of the Glorious Descendants of the Dragon."
Again, Daichi offers a polite dip of his head, "I had that singular honor once, though unworthy, alas, now I am too blind for my brushes and ink."
Beatrice has likewise offered a proper bow.
"You are too kind, too kind," Daichi says at all the bowing.
Taleyn inquires, "Descendants of the Dragon? Please forgive this humble and ignorant foreigner in your land for not knowing the tales of this surely-illustrious lineage! Might you tell us more?"
Quina glances towards Beatrice, when that honor is mentioned, then turns her attention back to Daishi. "The art has suffered a great loss then. As has such an esteemed master, for being unable to express such a gift."
Beatrice is clearly struck by this honor as well, and likewise exchanges a small glance at Quina, brows raised mildly.
The scholar gives a whispy chuckle then, like autumn leaves swirling on the stones. He shakes his head and winks his still-merry if slightly glaucoma-ridden eyes and shakes his head. He is spry for a man of advanced years, black hair and moustache heavily streaked with light grey. Much the opposite of Miyu, who is shaped like one of the dumplings she serves (and is continuing to serve). He rejoins with an adage, "Praise no horse until you have seen its teeth. Alas, though, I cannot show you an example of my finest scroll-work; it is all in the hands of the Shogun and the other collectors who honored me with their patronage in my youth. Perhaps a finer painter than I could have afforded to keep some of his finer work for himself!" And thus shows himself adept at the art of the courtly art of false modesty.
Beatrice sips her wine a bit. She and Taleyn are sharing a jug in two cups. There is a separate pot of tea in front of Quina.
Taleyn sighs blissfully. "I am but a poor student of the arts, myself. I have nothing that would be considered skill or grace, but perhaps know just enough to appreciate the beauty that others produce. How I long to see some of your work, Master!"
"Alas," the master answers. "I am but a poor old man now who once was honored to call myself master of the brush."
Beatrice's companions may note she becomes deeply thoughtful at the 'poor old man' bit.
Taleyn sends a curious look Beatrice's way about her thoughtfulness. When Beatrice is thoughtful, it usually /means/ something. Something that is often important, and possibly safety-threatening.
Beatrice's thoughtfulness seems more assessing, of the old man. But the rest *could* be true.
Quina is quiet as well for the moment, having another bite of cake.
Miyu seems distracted, and so it is that Master Daichi ventures to the three lovely ladies of Amber, "Alas, also, a poor old man who was once honored to call himself master of the brush may find lengthy discussion of his honored youth much more tiring than a young man does, on such a dry afternoon."
The afternoon is not particularly dry; in fact rain is threatening.
Taleyn suggests, "Perhaps we ought to go in for a cool beverage?"
Quina smiles and nods. "Might we offer the Master some wine, to wet his throat?"
Taleyn looks willing to spring for a bottle for the Esteemed Master-- it might be worth a good story!
The Master was clearly waiting to hear this, and his half-moon eyes twinkle a bit. "You are most kind, most kind."
Beatrice takes care of the particulars, murmuring to Miyu, who scurries off and comes back with two more glasses and a jug of better-quality wine.
Master Daichu seems suitably pleased and impressed. "Now what is it you esteemed ladies were asking this humble old man about my scrollwork?"
Quina chuckles quietly, and waits for the man to be served. "We have had some opportunity to see some lovely work. Is there some way we might recognize yours?"
Master Daichu takes a few moments to help himself to a cupful of wine. It goes down in a swallow. Beatrice politely pours him more as he nods his head, "Oh yes, indeed, for always in my work is the sign of the crane who has lost a feather. But I am afraid that you will likely never see my work, for even my very best is very bad, and those foolish enough to purchase it from me in my youth for overly-generous sums now keep it all hidden away so as not to embarrass themselves as fine collectors of hua."
Taleyn says, "Oooh! Who were some of your Patrons, Master?"
Beatrice coughs politely as she observes Daichu downing his second cup as soon as these words are out of his mouth, "But Master, then, surely you can tell us a little about this work you did for the worthy Shogun -- the glorious descendants of the dragon, was it?"
Quina nods, looking very interested in the man's work.
"Alas," Master Daichi starts in answering Taleyn, "So many of the city's rich and influential in the days of my youth were duped into buying my work by the very great dealer The Keen-Eyed Kouhei. The work you ask of," to Beatrice, "Was made not for this Shogun, but for the Shogun-before-him, and I am sure was so very bad this Shogun could not bear to put his mark upon it, and has no doubt used it as kindling in the colder winter nights at the lofty Cloud Palace."
Taleyn's eyes widen in horror at the idea of Hua being used for kindling, even though it's merely a Jadean figure of speech.
"That would be such an awful waste." Quina says, though then she thinks before saying "Descendants of the Dragon. I am most curious about such things. Even in our home, there are stories of such a bloodline."
The old man is very fleet about downing his third cup of wine, and so there is hardly a pause before he answers Quina, "Ah, yes, you speak of the line of the august and esteemed Shogun, may He Live Forever, in your home land?"
Taleyn eyes Quina raptly to hear her answer.
Quina replies "There is only rumor, of course. In our homeland, so little is truly known. I would be grateful to know more, as I was raised among scholars and prize all knowledge."
Taleyn asks, "Master, we humble foreigners would love to hear more of your painting. But-- regretfully, I begin to feel the pangs of hunger gnawing at me like the sharp teeth of a Dragon, indeed. I would feel moved to shame were I to eat my evening meal before the Master without asking him to join me in partaking of the sumptuous repast laid before this unworthy traveler."
The 'raised among scholars' seems to impress the man, but of course they are speaking Penglai, and 'scholar' has a very specific meaning to him in that language. He's also taken with what Taleyn says, "You are all most kind, most kind. Of course, it would be the height of rudeness for me to refuse so kind an offer to share a meal."
Beatrice has a glint of a brief smile for Taleyn that says 'clever girl,' and speaks to Miyu about preparing not just many more buns, but also duck and some other things.
Quina looks very pleased by his acceptance of the offer, and also gives Taleyn a smile. She has another nibble from her cake, then.
Miyu, pleased to be selling such a quantity of food, runs off to the kitchen, already shouting her orders before her. It seems there is a hapless second-son manning the kitchen.
Taleyn beams at Quina and Beatrice, and at the Master as well, though the expression might be lost upon him.
The master now starts to wax eloquent at Quina, "Of course, I was very honored to be permitted to study the likenesses of the august ancestors of the late Shogun, May His Spirit Forever Smile Upon Jade. All fifty of them, back to the very first, who received his regalia from the Last of the Dragons, which is how we come to call the Shogun's line the descendants of the dragon."
Quina looks entirely rapt. "Indeed? How incredible. My House has great reverence for the Dragons, though they are now gone. I have had the good fortune to study what little I have found about them, but that is still so little." She purses her lips, then cannot help but ask "Did you learn the name of this Great one?"
Four cups in now, and eagerly awaiting food that may come too late for him to avoid hideous drunkenness, Master Daichi's focus is wavering a bit. "The name of the dragon? Nono. Dragon... not the last, no. Not the last. But he gave the regalia of the shogunate to the *first* of the Shoguns, may-they-be-forever-benevolent." He waves his hands a bit, hiccuping.
Taleyn pauses, interested. "There are... other Dragons?"
Quina smiles as she watches the older-looking man. She listens for his reply.
The man shrugs, "There are many dragons throughout the empire, they say. There were rumors of one flying from the ruins of Shu-Fen to Baekje just last year..." after that he gets a bit slurry.
Quina looks a little pleased about that one. And wistful. "The Majestic Monsoon, yes. The river of Baekje."