“I know Ms Shufen,” she voiced with a bump of her shoulders against Bao’s side. “She is an apothecary for children and animals. Her cats I believe were twelve in number. Still a lot. She’s a nice old lady. She may appreciate the company.”
She too would listen to the story and wonder at boys painting cats as they pulled up to her home.
"Long ago, in a village whose name is now forgotten, these was a boy born to a poor couple. They tried to teach him the family crafts; herding sheep, tending to geese, but he was diffident and uninterested. At any hour, he could be found, making brushes and paint from whatever he could find, and painting cats. Cats painted on trees, on rocks, on the side of the barn, on their wagon..." Lung rolls his eyes.
"The couple were at their wits' end. They tried to sell the boy to be a servant to a wealthy family, but the boy just painted cats, no matter how he was thrashed or browbeaten. He was thrown out of the wealthy family's manse and left to fend for himself, where he earned a small living painting pictures of cats and selling them to passersby. But this was not easy, so he wandered, seeking his fortune."
Lung scans the mountains.
"After weeks of wandering, he found himself in mountains, not dissimilar to these. He came to a village, and tried to sell his paintings, but the merchants shrank back in fear. He tried to sell them to the rich patrons of the town, but they scurried down the street. No one would speak to the boy. Finally, he came upon an old woman tending her garden."
"'Old Mother, I am a traveler and a painter. I paint cats. But no one will buy them here, and everyone is afraid,' said the boy. 'Ah, the cats in this town have all been driven away, and everyone thinks they are bad luck--they did not save us,' said the old woman. 'Save you from what?' asked the boy. 'From the Great Rat Demon', she said. 'Years ago it came to the monastery up on that hill, and drove all the monks out, slaying many. Now it sleeps up there, coming out from time to time in the middle of the night to terrorize us. If we stay in our houses, we are usually safe,' said the old woman."
"'My cats have always brought me good luck,' said the boy. 'I will go to this monastery. Perhaps the paintings will help.' 'Very well,' said the old woman, 'I shall warn the burgomasters that you will go up there. But listen to me carefully--avoid large places; stick to small.' And the woman smiled at him, and the boy realized that she was a witch of some power, and shivered slightly. But, he gave her a painting of a cat, and she took it graciously and gave him some food and money and fresh ink for his brush."
"He hiked up to the old monastery in the warm afternoon, enjoying the sounds of insects and birds as he neared it. The door had been ripped off its hinges, and he could see the marks of the Demon upon the monastery floor--great gnawing marks, and even, awfully, some bones and robes that must have belonged to some monks. But he had brush and ink, and he decided to paint all afternoon. Methodically, he painted cats upon the walls of the monastery: on the doors, on the pillars, curled around the feet of fearsome demon- and god-statues. He painted spotted cats and curly tailed cats and pale cats and dark cats; he painted mysterious cats and playful cats and sleeping cats and jumping cats. He hummed as he painted, and his brush flew like a bird upon the surfaces of the temple."
"As the sun began to set, however, he could feel a chill growing within the temple, like a block of ice beginning to emerge from the floor. He hurriedly painted a few more cats on the tiles, then grabbed his bags and stuffed his ink and brushes back in. The insects and birds became silent, and the boy looked around the monastery. He was in the great chamber, full of broken censers and stupas and thangkas, and did not like being there. 'Avoid large places; stick to small', he said to himself. He found a battered lacquered cabinet that he could barely squeeze into, and sat inside in the dark, waiting for night to come, eating the food the old woman had given him, although he barely had an appetite. And finally he slept."
"In the night he awakened to a horrible chorus of yowling and bellowing, and banging and shaking as if the entire monastery was going to come down and collapse upon itself. Frightened, he stayed awake until the noises grew to a hellish crescendo, and then stopped. For the rest of the long dark pre-dawn, he shivered and remained still inside the cabinet."
Lung takes a sip of tea.
"Eventually he could hear the sounds of birds chirping again and he could feel the warmth of the morning sun upon the walls of the monastery. He uncurled himself from the cabinet, and with a stiff back and aching legs, he tiptoed back into the main hall of the monastery."
"There, as big as two oxen, lay the monstrous rat demon, bitten and bleeding from a thousand cuts. It lay there dead, its yellowed teeth visible as its mouth gaped in a rictus of death. The boy was astounded."
"He looked at the walls, floor, columns, and statues. Everywhere he looked, his cats looked sleek and fatter than before, and some were frozen in the act of licking blood off their paws or wiping it off their faces."
"The boy ran back to the village, and when the burgomasters and their men came to investigate the temple, they shouted and clapped their hands with glee, and they rewarded the boy. He became known as The Boy Who Painted Cats, and his art was sought after for anyone who wanted evil spirits and demons driven from their property."
Lung finishes with another sip and a smile.
Bao's expressions shift continuously from wonder, to sadness, to amusement, to fear, and finally ending with wide eyed wonder. Bao hops up and down on the cart bench.
"Please tell it's true! Oh please, oh please! I want to meet this boy and get a cat painting!"
He flops onto his back, almost rolling off the cart.
"I can't wait to have adventures like that..."
~~~
The story ends moments before the cart rolls up to Ms. Shufen's residence; a small squat stone building. Soft music and the occasional meow can be heard from inside.
Shiro thinks for a moment. "Ms Shufen has helped me before, poor Gou was sick and her medicine helped him get better. Hmm. I should pick up a gift of some kind. Piella, do you have any idea what she might like?"
Listening to Lung's story, the masked man is enthralled by the man's talent for storytelling. "There is a magic to the arts, worthy of respect... I think I'd like a cat painting as well."
To Shiro, there was a nearby meat vendor, and she thought that would do the trick. The way to a cat lady's heart is to give her cats presents.
"I think if you go down really quick to that meat vendor and get some scraps, and maybe a big bag of rice from the cart next to it, she'd like that. We could feed her cats, and when you are old or small, like me, you will learn to appreciate a good strong bit of help with heavy things like rice bags."
She waits for him to return to the cart before continuing on down the road.
Piella loves stories, so she listens with her eyes more imagining the story than viewing anything they were passing by in the city. The hustle and bustle didn't phase her as she followed along with Bao's reactions. It was like the two of them paired side-by-side in unison asking the same excitable questions of him.
"We are on an adventure, Bao! Ours is a quest of the Gods! You never know what's around the corner."
Gou had taken to sitting with Piella rather than Shiro, staying in the cart while his master went to buy rice. If the masked man was upset by this, he didn't show it, though he did try to convince the stubborn dog to come with him. Gou refused to budge and Shiro eventually went on his lonesome.
After a few minutes, the young man returned, visibly straining with a heavy bag of rice. He set it down in the cart before once again climbing in himself. Gou looked happy to see him, but did not move from his spot.
As they approached the Shufen residence, Shiro makes sure to help Piella off the cart before picking up the rice again. With a little effort, the weighed down ninja leaps off the cart into the dirt below. Gently knocking on the woman's door, Shiro speaks, "Madam Shufen? It's Shiro and Gou. May we come in?"
Piella had a way with animals, and with Gou, she used her wiles on him. Scratches in just the right spot, attention given in copious amounts, and with a general persona of someone non-threatening, she was well-liked in return. It always helped to secretly give your dog friend snacks too.
When Shiro returned, she was amazed at the size of the sack of rice Shiro had gathered. "I hate carrying those for the store. I'm glad he's doing it..."
They drove the rest of the way, and in front of the house, she looked to Bao and nodded, showing he could get off. Piella gladly took Shiro's offer to help. As he leaped off, there was a look of surprise on her face, as she could never do such a feat. At the door, a thanking hand reached out and patted the side of his leg. "Thank you for the help again."
She then turned to Gou and began to pet him and make doggy noises at him. It was not uncommon for Piella to make cute woofy noises at Gou or to ask him if he was a "good boy" and then tell him he was. Sometimes it almost looked like the two of them were actually in conversation.
After a few moments, the music comes to a gentle halt and then finally a venerable old woman answers the door. She looks inquisitively at the five of you and then a flash of recognition brightens up her face.
Well, if this isn't an odd mix of old and new faces. Piella, so good to see you again. And Shiro, is that Gou I see? He's growing up big and strong! And Little Bao, why I'd love to say I'm surprised to see you with these followers, but knowing your great-great grand-uncle, he probably had a reason."
You can barely hear Bao whisper with confirmation. "Aha, grand-uncle."
Shufen waves you all in.
"Come in, no sense dawdling on the front step. Mind the door, it's a bit low and be careful with the darlings. They're quite harmless but very affectionate."
She escorts you into a small inner garden and bids you to find a spot to set among the stones and grass. She heads back inside and returns a few minutes later with a tray of cups and a pot of tea.
She circles around, pouring each of you a cup as she speaks. "To what do I owe such a splendid visit then? Something to do with the Celestial Challenge perhaps?"
"Madame Shufen, yes, that is so," says Lung, accepting the tea graciously. "We have been gathered by Old Soeji to represent his clan in the Challenge. I am from Yinxu Monastery, a disciple of Jinyan Lineage. [b]"I am embarrassed to say that I have not had the honor of your acquaintance until now, despite being relatively proximal neighbors." He smiles and gives a small bow-nod while seated.
"I was telling Gao and the others the story I have read, of The Boy Who Painted Cats." He stretches out to gently pet one of the kitties. "It was always a favorite of mine as a child, along with other ghostly stories, and, if I dare say it around so many felines, the legend of the Dog Warriors. I suppose Gou would like that one."
"That's a lovely legend. I've told it once or twice before myself. I'm glad to know others still do too."
She sips her tea slowly.
"So, how can I help the Soejis? I'm sure there's more to this visit than tales and tea."
Piella bows slightly to her elder and gives her a bright smile. She looks to Shiro and nods toward the cart to see if he will grab the sack of rice and the treats for the cats. She then hurries to move inside so as to not let the heat out. Naturally, Piella goes right for the cats and starts petting all those who would come to her for affection.
She listens as Lung introduces why they are there and adds, "We've come to Paiofeng to stop at my parents house before we head up to the monastery. We want to research tales of a drunken master supposedly up in the mountainside who can help us in the challenge. As we were in town, we thought we'd pay you a visit, and Bao was wanting to see you quite keenly, so that's why we stopped by. We also thought you'd like some rice and treats for your cats." The fact that there is no desire of manipulation of Shufen is clear. They actually did come to see her, not for her information.
Piella takes a sip of her tea and then scooches back into the depths of the couch. Her feet don't even reach the edge of the couch due to her small size.
"Have you by chance ever heard of such a master up on the mountainside?"
Shiro nods at Madam Shufen's words, looking around for a spot to place the bag of rice he was carrying. The masked man moves slowly, his legs swarmed with cats. After finding a good spot and shooing away the playful felines, Shiro gently sets down the rice and joins the others in the garden.
Cats always seemed to like him, though he had no interest in them himself.
"I thought it was only right to repay you for the help you gave Gou. Piella recommended purchasing a bag of rice, I hope you find it useful."
Lung nods at Shiro and Piella's words. "While we are on our challenge, we did not want to miss greeting you. Journeys such as these are often rewarded by acts of kindness. I am reminded of the tale of two monks who were forbidden to touch women during their trials of chastity. They came to a river where a maiden could not cross for fear of harming her clothes. The first monk wordlessly knelt, offering the maiden his back, and carried her across the river, the second monk following somewhat astounded. Once they came to the other bank, the first monk deposited the maiden down and they went along their way. The second monk stayed quiet, fuming at the first monk, in disbelief that he would break their vows so easily. Finally he exploded at the first monk. 'That is against our vows during our trial! How could you do that, Brother?' he exclaimed. The first monk turned to him. 'I left the woman at the river bank, Brother.' he said. 'Why are you still carrying her in your mind?'"
Lung finds two more cats have occupied his lap during the short story. "We're also seeking the Qigangs, in addition to this drunken master, who may have the liquor known as Dahe," he says, a little apologetically.
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Yun was something of a night owl, he would have shared with Peilla during one of their nightly drinking talks. He was also stationed on a ship during the nightwatch and so now he generally drinks at night and sleeps through most of the day, something the party would have become familiar with during their multiple day travels. His loud snoring and coming in and out of consciousness may have at some times startled the group, especially Gou and Bao.
Yun would not have shared much with Piella at first, eventually her infectious demeanor would have gotten to even him; and this information would have trickled down to everyone else. His family were indeed the well renowned Mengqin family in Piaofeng, famous for their masonwork and in a town for masonry was so prized, he grew up rather well-to-do. But the constant meeting our desires and needs did not sit well with the wanderlust that grew in Yun’s heart and he eventually left his family on bad terms to explore and find himself. He found his way Shishang and became apprenticed to a sailor, eventually rising in the ranks of Yuan Wuying Shipping company, which specialized in shipping liquor.
Yun would have been woken abruptly to see if he wanted to meet Madam Shufen, and at first mumbled himself back to sleep before waking up and following the rest of the party. Upon seeing the cats though, his eyes would have gone wide and he would have immediately found himself attempting to pet as many cats as possible, almost forgetting the reason that they were there. Although at the mention of liqour, Yun’s attention would hav shifted back to the conversation.
”Yes alcohol, do you know where we could find these Qigangs, or if you don’t can you point us in the direction of the best drinks in this area? It may not be as good as Dahe, but I can feel myself sobering up, in fact do you have any drinks here Madame Shufen? We shall toast to the long life our your cats! And the successful of our mission, of yes and of course the Celestial Court”
Madam Shufen takes in your tales and questions and mulls them over.
"The Qigangs have an estate just north of Piaofeng, right before you embark on the Path of Jade to Qiao. It's surrounded by pretty large walls, you can't miss it."
She ponders a bit more.
"As for this drunken master, I'm sorry to say my knowledge of such things leaves a little bit to be desired." She chuckles to herself as she moves to the kitchen before returning with a small earth colored glass bottle and a plate of various nuts and dried fruit.
"But I'd be a poor guest to not offer something more celebratory. You've brought me fine gifts and good company."
She offers each of the adults a small cup of the powerful liquor.
"This baijiu's been infused with herbs, fruits, and I can't recall how many spices. It's certainly not legendary but I hope you'll like it."
She pours herself the last cup and raises it.
"To you! May you find everything you wish on this adventure!"
Madam Shufen's house had a garden in it, and to Piella, that was something she wished her home had. She began to grow a bit self-conscious about inviting all these guys over to her place, however, her father would love the company--if he wasn't working.
Piella tried to recall the estate with large walls north of Piaofeng. She had not gone there very often, as her home was more on the east side and in the outskirts, but vaguely she thought she could recall it.
As she headed into the kitchen, Piella moved back to the edge of her chair to let her feet dangle.
"I'm wondering if we should at least stop by my place before heading there. What if the Qigangs are violent toward us? We may never leave those walls again. I'd certainly, at least, like to let my father know we are heading there."
As Madam Shufen returned with the drink, Piella winced nervously at the strength of said drink. A slight sniff sent her reeling. She could handle simple ales, but she had never been drunk before, nor had strong baiju like this.
The toast went up and she raised her cup in kind, but only took a sip of the drink. This sent her into a fit of coughs that she tried her best to conceal as her cheeks turned a rosy hue.
"Thank you for the honor you bestowed upon us, and we appreciate the knowledge you've shared. I'm curious, why do you tend this garden yourself? It's very beautiful."
Despite his generally surly demeanor, Yun had taken a liking to the gnome over the trip, as she was the one who most consistently drank with him. Seeing her cough he gave her a knowing look, and offered to trade drinks with her when Madame Shufen was not looking in an attempt to help Piella not appear to dishonor Madame Shufen.
Whether or not she notices, if Piella follows through Yun downs the second drink as quickly as the first. ”Excellent. This may be one of the finest drinks I’ve ever had. Your honor is not in you offering it to us, but in your superb brewing capabilities Madame Shufen.I suppose if there are those that want to see their families before we should do that. Do you have any other students that you want to let know you may die Master Lung?” he smiles his trademark toothless grin.
Piella more than happily would swap drinks with Yun, as there was no way on earth she could finish hers. She tries her best but is not a sneaky person at all and it's quite obvious.
Shiro was not one to drink, but would not turn down one offered by his host. On occasion, his job would require him to drink alcohol, but the ninja did not seek out the comforts of liquor. Tilting his mask with one hand, Shiro lifted his cup with the other.
Coughing lightly, he downs the entire cup in one motion, sputtering afterward. Under his mask, Shiro's lower jaw is visibly dry looking and leathery. The ninja is quick to cover himself again though.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Madam Shufen. I hope your endeavors continue to be successful." The liquor was starting to suffuse itself into Shiro's body, bringing a warmth and a mild aftertaste of plums.
Lung sips his politely. "Please forgive me if I do not finish this," he says. "We are taught to practice forbearance and temperance in all things."
Oh the garden's just a little pastime of mine. Gives somewhere for the cats to play in."
She gathers the cups as you finish.
"I certainly wish you all the best. Do feel free to stop on by at any time. If I hear anything, I'll make sure to make a note of it for you."
"Thank you again Madam Shufen," Piella would say after standing from her chair to fully bow in respect. "Because we may see Old Soeji before you, is there anything you would like us to convey to him for you?"
Piella doubted that Soeji came all the way to visit or that she had much contact with the outside world due to her age. Even if Madam Shufen didn't know Old Soeji very well or even at all, perhaps her well wishes they could bring with them to his ears.
"Just my sincere wishes that he succeeds. I know how long he's wanted this."
She happily walks you back to the front door, cats darting and weaving around you as she waves goodbye.
"Thank you again for the gifts, they were truly appreciated."
"We thank you for the hospitality. May our paths cross again, and may the Court bless you and your friends," says Lung.
"You are welcome, Madam Shufen. We will regretfully take our leave as to hurry in our quest. Please pray for us that we win!"
After having left Madam Shufen's, Piella would ensure that Bao was feeling a bit better.
"Glad you were able to see her and her cats? I think she really enjoyed the company, as short as it was."
Piella could use someone's help once more climbing up to the seat of the cart or she would do so herself. It was time to head to her family's house, and it was not entirely close. The road would take another hour's worth of riding through Paiofeng central and into the outskirts. Eventually, the mine would loom ahead of them and the air would be filled with a strong smell of dirt. The wagon would pull up in front of a normal-sized house with a general store in front of it. On the front side of the wall facing the road, upon the gable of the roof was a crude clock, measuring shift times and the hours.
Her father was an eccentric gnome, and lover of gadgetry, time, and anything machinations. There were guns, clocks, and strange contraptions that didn't really offer a clue as to what they did, but were experimental to say the least. As the cart pulled up, no-one would come to greet them, but the light was on in the store up front, indicating that her mother was tending the store. A garden as promised was out front, sporting all manner of growing foods.
Shiro, as before, was there to help the gnome into the cart once more. He seemed relieved to be free of the cats and their clamoring. Once seated in the cart himself, he leaned in a much more casual fashion than before. He watched the festivities as they rolled by, looking for things of interest. Food, games and curiosities were the norm during the Celestial Festival and he wasn't about to miss out on a once in a lifetime experience.
The gnome's home seemed quaint to Shiro, having spent a good number of his early years in a farming community. It seemed so long ago now... The masked man stood before the general store, lost in thought.
"Piella, we must strike quickly to view the Qigang place--if your family is on the way, perhaps we can say hello," says Lung uncertainly. "Forgive me, when I set my mind to something, I am rather like an arrow to it. I grow concerned that the other teams will come to the same conclusions. Of course, they could be designing something novel."
As a precaution, he casts Detect Magic while back out on the road, as if looking for hidden threats.
"I know," Piella would answer Lung, "We have been riding day and night making the best time we can on the way here. We have ridden all day today too--except that short break at Madam Shufen's--and it is getting on toward evening now. We should at least give these beasts of burden the night to relax before heading out, and my home is safe to stay at for the night, even if it is not exactly on our way."
Having said her peace, she would have pointed the way to her home, and after having arrived, she would dismount herself, as Shiro seemed to be in a daze staring at her quaint home. It had a normal-sized door, as there were a number of humans who came to visit, and to a gnome, it was large enough. There were three bedrooms. One was her parent's, one was hers (decorated in a great amount of white lace and pillows), and the third was a guest bedroom with a normal human-sized bed. The living room and kitchen were open floor space with tubes of copper bending along the walls in some sort of crazed experiment. Some of them may recognize them as unique makings of a moonshine still for alcohol.
Piella would make her way up to the door of the General Store and a bell would ding as the door opened. A squeal of excitement would come as her mother rushed her to give Piella a slew of kisses and to greet her friends.
"Mother, this is Lung, Bao, Yun, and Shiro. This here is Gou. We would like to maybe stay the night here on our way to the Qigang estate tomorrow and perhaps up into the monastery region after that."
Noticing the others have gone in, Shiro follows them inside Piella's home. After being introduced, Shiro bows to Piella's mother, saying:"I am honored to make your acquaintance, Madam. Your daughter has been pleasant company on our journey and a staunch ally of the Soeji Clan. You should be proud of her."
@Shiro: Though Piaofeng is smaller than Xin, when it came to festivities the festival goers seemed to make double the effort to be as loud as possible. Dazzling and thundering fireworks lit up the sky as hawkers peddle wars, each trying to shout louder than the others. One particular vendor seems loaded with all manner of fireworks, ranging from small to positively enormous. People of all ages happily buy them from him before running off into the city to find a good spot to launch them.
~~~
Piella's mother is a tiny figure simply bustling with activity. In contrast to Miss Shufen's quiet demeanor, she quickly bustles you into the small house, bombarding you all (especially Piella) with both questions, refreshments, and baked goods.
A loud clatter from the workshop outside interrupts the homely assault. "Don't worry, he'll be fine," Piella's mother says, smiling.
"If he doesn't pop in in a few minutes, then we go check on him. Make yourselves comfortable, I'll fire up some supper and then find a spot for you to sleep."
Lung wipes his shoes and removes them at the threshhold. He bows to Piella's mother. "I am Lung of Yinxu Monastery. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, honored matron. We look forward to finding the Qigang estate tomorrow. May I assist you with anything? We can help with chores," he offers.
Lung seems happy to be in his adopted homeland of so many years, but remains formal and polite at first.
Piella was first to go in, naturally, and in the General Store, she would not take off her shoes, but would once stepping into the house itself through a door in the back. Her mother, however, greeted her in the store and it was clear where Piella got her good looks. She too was quite the looker, and while Piella's mother, she still looked young.
It was almost as if the two hadn't seen each other in months for how quickly they talked about the sights Piella had seen and what she had experienced with the festival, Old Soeji, and her newfound companions.
A loud clatter sounded from the workshop and she bit her lip. "Yeah, I usually count to one hundred. If I don't hear anything else, I usually will poke my head out. That's my dad out there, tinkering away. Yun, you may get along. He is a gun aficionado and loves good moonshine," she would offer up with a chuckle.
After removing her small shoes, it was funny the size of hers compared to the human-sized shoes of her friends.
"I can help too, mother. Bao, why don't you follow me and I can show you where you can sleep."
She would eventually get everyone's things settled for them in proper places, either on the floor in larger living spaces with extra blankets for cushions, or via actual guest beds of which there were only a few.
Shiro politely removed his shoes as he entered the gnome's home. After enjoying a small meal of baked bread and honeyed tea, he asks to be shown a room. Being first to ask, he was allowed the luxury of a guest room, which he put immediate use.
Changing clothes to a looser fighting gi the masked man rejoins the others. "I'm going to head out soon, see you tonight."
Shiro returns to his room and puts the finishing touches on his disguise. Removing the mask, he applies paints and a pliable putty to form the appearance of a heavily browed man with a stubby nose. A fake, brush-like mustache is gently set in place and the now brutish man is ready to hit the streets.
Shiro asks around the local gambling dens and vice clubs about the drunken master, claiming that he'd like to challenge the drunkard to prove his strength. The "brute" pretends to drink and staggers his way through town, leering at passersby.
As Lung and Piella busy themselves about the house helping, they are soon joined by a slightly signed but laughing gnome; Piella's father.
"I see we have company! I'd make myself presentable but heavens knows I'll be singed and soot-stained within the hour. It's great to meet you all!"
~~~
Meanwhile, Shiro surreptitiously sneaks out into Piaofeng. Within a few hours he finds himself sharing a table with two haggard drunks and the proprietor at the Yowling Yeti.
"The master <hic>... he never stays in the same place for long <hic>", one of the drunks confirms.
His friend only nods vigorously before slumping off his seat.
Groaning, the proprietor hefts the man back onto the chair and props him onto the table.
"If you want to meet Yijun, you'll have to be patient. He has a habit of scaling the tallest of Shijings Mountains during the festival. He should be back in a week, or two. If it's a pressing matter, you could always try going after him, but the mountains are pretty dangerous."
He leaves you and the other two to your cups.
"Alright, Shiro. We'll set aside some supper for you for later if you want it."
Piella would help her mother begin to prepare some fresh bread, would send Lung for some lentils and mushrooms grown in the garden, and would help him pick other vegetables as well for a vegetable broth with some amazing spices. For dessert, fresh fruits and a block of gnomish burblecheese.
After a short while, her father would come back in and she would greet him with a kiss on the cheek. She was taller than both of her parents and some sort of blessed mix of the two of them. On her cute little nose was deposited a bit of soot.
"I love you soot-stained, just as you are." In reality, she loved the smell of her father's frequently exploded self, much like a fisherman's daughter may miss the nasty stench of a fish on her dad. It wasn't that it was pleasant to her, but it reminded her how much she missed him all the more. "Father, this is Lung, Bao, and Yun. Shiro has left, but he will be back later."
"Daddy, Yun likes guns and spirits. You should show him what you have while we make dinner."
"Ahh...right." Lung goes to find the lentils, then realizes that there are sacks of dried lentils left over from harvest. "And mushrooms, hmmm..."
Lung finds a shed low to the ground with boxes set in the earth. He lifts them to find cloud ear and straw mushrooms and gathers a basketful of them.
He deposits them with Piella's mother, after washing them, and peers around her kitchen, taking care not to bump his head and shoulders on the copper tubing. "I would love to take a look at your cookbooks, Madame Pollyhum. One never knows when a scrap of ancient lore finds its way into a book."
Mrs. Pollyhum happily makes room for Lung in the kitchen as she pulls down book after book of family recipes.
"Not sure about ancient lore, but if it's good food you're looking for, you're bound to find something in here."
Amid the growing pile of cooking recipes, you find a sauce-stained copy of The Art of Fire, a semi-rare and definitely out of print tome on ancient Piaofeng cuisine, specifically when it comes to grilling and preparing meat. When preparing such meals, you earn a +2 circumstance bonus to Profession (chef) and does stack with masterwork tools.
If you point it out, Mrs. Pollyhum happily loans it to you, asking only for you to bring it back one day when you're done with it.
~~~
Meanwhile, Piella's father gives Yun a sharp look.
"So this one's got good tastes? Well, if you want to see my latest project and get a sip or two of what I've been brewing, feel free to follow me back to the workshop!"
If you follow him to the small workshop, you find that both the two tables, the workbench, most of the floor, and even the walls are littered with firearm parts, loose gunpowder, tools, and schematics.
"Been trying to combine fireworks with firearms for months now. Hasn't exactly worked all that well."
"Let me sit down for a bit--I must be rather distracted by all the good smells," says Lung, nearly fumbling the book.
Half an hour later, The brutish man drunkenly stumbled his way into the streets, glaring at ;people who dared to look at him funny. As he approached the gnome's residence, Shiro straightened up and carefully pulled the disguise off. Just before entering, the young man slid his mask back on and pocketed what he could save.
Shiro took his seat, making tea with whomever was still awake.
"There are some old recipes in this book, Lung. One I remember reading as a young girl about 'The Art of Fire'. Do you think it's related?"
She would hand him the book to peruse through and see. She had not considered that her own family would hold secrets of ancient lore before. In her mind, they were just poor nobodies, but evidently, because they lived so long as gnomes, they could have some ancient knowledge.
Her mother was a better cook than her. While she had tried to cook on their journey, it wasn't the best and fortunately for many of their meals, they had food that was gifted to them along the way. Piella checked in on Bao to make sure he was doing well and gave scraps of dried meat to Gou so he wouldn't be hungry.
When the food was about to be finished, she would set the table and ready everything for people to eat.
"Find anything of note in there?" she would ask Lung. It was not very long after that that Shiro would walk in and she would give him a wave. "I fed Gou for you."
Lung thinks.
"'The Art of Fire'. I will study that one. It occurs to me that, hmm..."
"Beneath the sunny world bright/Lies an underworld delight/Gems and metals of desire/Ruled by Hongwei's Arts of Fire."
"A preface I saw somewhere, probably on a book of poetry, nothing too religious. We are in Piaofeng, land of precious gems. I have no idea if it is connected. I would have to think if followers of Hongwei's favorite dishes of today are related. I'm more versed in Jinyan," he says a bit apologetically.
He starts to read the recipe, deep in thought, then looks up. "Oh, my apologies. Thank you, Piella. I get absent-minded when it comes to knowledge, er, or actually, with regards to niceties. Hmm-hmm..hmmm..."
Being one of positivity, she volunteers, "I bet it is connected. That recipe is a delight. I think it was a favorite of mine when I was younger, right mom?" She couldn't remember as that was a long time ago and since her mother had moved on to many newer recipes and styles of cooking.
Piella would smile in response toward the apology of Lung and would nod. That was very evident to her. He entered another world when he read. She was not quite so deep of a reader, but she too had her moments.
"Unforgivable," she would joke with him with a large smile.
She would turn her attention to Shiro and ask, "Enjoy your time out on the town?"
Almost instinctively, Shiro straightens himself and begins his report. "I asked around about the drunken master, Yijun. Seems he is currently climbing the tallest of the Shinjings Mountains. We must either await his return, or pursue him up the mountain. Else, we might be able to acquire the Dahe from his home, as I doubt he took it with him. However, I feel such an action would be shameful at best, especially with the eyes of the celestials upon us."
Having completed his report, Shiro once again slouches into a relaxed posture, enjoying his tea. "I shall look into the Qigang estate tomorrow, if you would allow me."
"The Qigang's you say?" Piella's mother perks up.
"They're such nice folks. We don't see much of them, but they've been very generous to the town. Ever since one of theirs won the Celestial Challenge way back when. They're the ones who pay for most of the festivities you see outside."
She finishes setting the table.
"Now, let's get you all a proper homecooked meal, and then to rest with you I think. No sense bothering folks at this late hour."
Piella would nod to Yung's assumptions. She would not be stealing into someone's house to get their ale, but at the same time, she didn't think she could climb a mountain.
"Wow, Shiro. How did you find all of that out?" she asked, rubbing a confused finger across one eyebrow. She wouldn't even know where to go to ask. "You certainly saved us some time."
At her mother's insisting, she would set out a washbasin for people to wash their hands, and would, of course, make sure Bao did so good enough.
"We should probably head there in the morning when the work bells ring. I think they should be up by then."
Her house was close to the mine, and ever since coming back to her home, something about Piella was off. Her eyes would dart around, loud noises would make her jump, and it wasn't until she was eating that she began to settle. The mine still brought back bad memories to her, as it wasn't too long ago her kidnapping happened.
"What is so special about Dahe?" she asked at the table. "You know I don't drink strong alcohol. Is it very good? Hard to make? Do people not sell it?"
As the conversation and supper come to a close () you all head to your sleeping spots. Despite the festivities, the warmth of the house and the smells of the street food make it easy to drift to sleep.
You wake refreshed the next day in time for a quick meal before the work bells ring out through Piaofeng. You hitch your wagon up, make sure to not forget Bao who's busy munching through Piella's mom's baking, and ride off to the edge of town.
You stop just in front of the Qigang estate's gates.
Shiro shrugged. "Before this, I acted as an imperial agent. A spy I suppose you could call it. Gathering information has always been what I'm good at, though before it was usually on the drug trade."
---------
Shiro woke early and prepared a new disguise. Taking a dull brown robe, he began to once again change his face, this time adding wrinkles and a deepening of color to add a sun-baked look. He used a ash mixture to artificially grey his hair and wore a soft cap. Finally, he stooped over adding the look of many years to his posture. Walking with knees partially bent was not easy, but the elderly were never fast to begin with.
Looking for all the world like an old man, Shiro set out to see what the other old-timers knew of the Qigang clan. They played simple games of dice, talking idly amongst themselves about their children and the current goings on.
Subtly, Shiro steered the topic of conversation to the Qigangs and the events surrounding them. Once the conversation died down, the ninja politely excused himself and sent a note to the others about what he knew. Not wanting to appear too suspicious, he played dice with his newfound companions for a few hours more then decided to head to the Qigang estate on his lonesome.
Lung notices Piella's furtive expressions. "Is something out of sorts?"
He looks at the gates, trying to read any story that the ages have written upon them.
"So many treasures lie within Piaofeng, and I've spent so much time in Yinxu or in a high mountain pasture.." he says to himself. Despite his ruminations, he keeps one hand near his Iron Scroll should danger arise.
Lung was appreciated for noticing the recoiled and cautious nature of Piella, but he wouldn't get an answer.
"No, everything is fine," she replied, however being the horrible liar that she was, it was clear something was bothering her a bit.
Piella ended up finishing her dinner and would talk with her parents later into the night about the things she saw, how Plod was a pain in her butt on the journey, and how she enjoyed the company of her traveling companions. Her father was always a bit protective of her, but after having spent the evening with her companions, he too seemed to be less concerned for Piella in their company. After all, Old Soeji trusted them to travel with his daughter.
The next morning Piella came downstairs with a mess of spiraled hair for breakfast and yet an hour later, she was ready to go. By that time, Shiro had completed his mission and the rest of them could gather their things and head to the Qigangs.
"I believe my parents," she volunteered to Lung at seeing him grip his Iron Scroll weapon. "I think if we are friendly, they will be too. We should thank them for paying for most of the festivities too. Care to knock?"