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- Jul 6, 2008
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The Hospitality of the Hei Brothers
“Very well, I will remain here to enjoy your hospitality.” You offer to stay behind while Xiahou Yu and Yunzi are escorted to meet Liu Chanfeng in the cells. Yunzi makes a noise of protest. “I should be here-“
“I know you cannot bear to be apart from me, my dear,” you say quickly, interrupting her, “but this is for the best. I am sure your uncle would agree – he did leave you in my care at the mansion after we reunited. Trust me on this.” To her credit, she understands instantly; you are referring to Vahista, and implicitly telling her that you have not forgotten about the ambush on the Fire Cult at Wufushan. She will have to trust you to squeeze some details out about that incident on her behalf. “Fine.”
With an exasperated sigh, she turns away from you, her shoulders resigned. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Right back at you.”
The doors close behind them with a heavy bang as they leave with the guards, leaving you with Hei Zuolong and Youlong. The elder Hei has a sly grin on his face. “Your wife?” You can tell that he is trying to calculate how to use this to his benefit. “It is a long story,” you sigh, “but we are not properly wedded. She is a real handful.” He lets out a little chuckle in response. “Yes, I can tell. A real fiery steed, that one. It won’t be easy to break her. Perhaps I should teach you how?” Hei Zuolong’s eyes shine with amusement.
“No, thank you. I like her unbroken,” you reply firmly, trying not to let his casual remarks shake your focus. In doing so, you mirror his arrogant grin, staring right back at the man. He raises his eyebrows and shrugs. “Suit yourself. Now, what did I want to do next? Ah, that’s right. Youlong.” Zuolong waves his fingers lazily. The brawny younger brother nods, getting off his chair. Hei Youlong begins to walk towards you, his stance growing in menace with every step.
You remain still.
A few more steps and he will be in range to strike.
You try to keep your focus, suppressing the urge to take up a fighting stance.
It is clear what he will attempt, but the question is: will it hit?
Hei Youlong draws even closer, step by step.
Then, he lashes out at you.
His fist is fast. In your current condition there is no way you could evade it even if you see it coming. His attack skims the side of your face; it was never going to hit you. You look at the well-built man in front of you, a slightly quizzical expression on your face. “Well?”
Youlong grimaces. “You are Zhang Jue’s disciple, aren’t you? But I sense no killing intent of any sort, even when I attacked.” That is because you know that you cannot hurt either of these men in a fight at the moment. Any killing intent is wasted, and would likely inflame Hei Youlong's desire for a fight. Besides, you saw through his attack, understanding that it was never meant to land – they are merely testing you for now. What you say, however, is this: “That is because I am a pacifist.” You smile as kindly as you can manage.
“A pacifist?” rumbles Hei Youlong. “What nonsense is that? You, a pacifist?”
“Oh, I am deadly serious. I am a pacifist following the path of non-violence. I truly believe in rendering my enemies pacified so that they will not commit violence against me.” Your gaze sharpens, though your smile never leaves your face. Hei Zuolong shifts ever so slightly on his ornate chair, your words and confidence serving to wipe that grin away and put a thoughtful expression on his face. His younger brother only frowns and takes a cautious step back. You beam at them. “You may put my pacifism to the test if you wish.” Of course, you are running on pure bravado at this point. You know for certain that you will be unable to defeat even one of them, let alone both.
“There is no need. No more tests, you have proven yourself to be a worthy guest at the Black Dragon Society,” replies Zuolong with his usual grin. “Let us entertain you while you await the return of your friend.” He snaps his fingers and barks out a quick order. A few female servants hurry in, setting up a table for drinking. You recognize the cowed heads, the familiar behaviour of slaves ruled by fear. A slight disquiet nestling in your chest, you sit down at the table with the two brothers. After you subtly make sure that the wine and cups are not poisoned, the drinking begins, the slave girls coming to refill your cups every now and then. You drink in little, occasional sips, taking care not to imbibe too much too fast. The conversation kicks off with talk of the tournament, as Youlong asks about your fights, and goes on to talk about the current state of the jianghu: from what you can tell, the brothers seem rather optimistic about the future for some reason.
“If I may ask, Masters Hei,” Taking an advantage in a lull in the conversation, you change the topic. “I have heard that you deal with the transaction of bodies.”
“Dead and alive, yes,” replies the younger Hei. “Even the prefect of Xiangyang recognizes our contributions in this matter. There are some criminals that the law cannot touch.”
“Criminals that we can certainly touch,” says his older brother, laughing as he pulls a slave girl onto his lap. She does not struggle but only looks at the floor meekly – the girl cannot be older than fifteen. You wonder what crimes she had committed to become a legal slave; free commoners could not be enslaved by the law of the Tang. Zuolong continues, “We will not claim to do Heaven’s justice, but nonetheless when there is no other option for redress, we stain our hands for the betterment of all.”
“Indeed, and nothing is bettered more than your purses,” you say, giving them a knowing wink. The brothers laugh. “You are correct, Xu Jing,” says Zuolong. “Very much so.”
“Indulge my further curiosity, please,” you say, “I have heard rumours that you attacked the Wunan Sect and have made captives of its members for sale. Is that so? It sounds… illegal.”
“You are a strange one, Xu Jing. When did you start caring about the law?” grins Youlong good-naturedly. “What we do is illegal in the eyes of the world anyway.”
“Slavery of free Han has always been something the government has viewed harshly,” you point out. “Forgive me, but I think it a rather risky venture. Does the prefect know of this?”
“As it turns out, it is quite acceptable if they are enemies of the state, and thus traitorous criminals.” The grin on Zuolong’s face turns cold and mocking. His eyes are fixed on you now. “Which is why I was wondering… are you an enemy of the court? Is your friend one? As I said, there would be some very important people interested in anyone who is acquainted with a traitor. After all, we were tasked with dismantling an entire sect as a lesson to her.” A brag, you think: aimed at making you fear the supposed ease at which they destroyed an entire sect and also the power their backers wield in ordering such a thing over a single person's transgressions.
“I suppose these important people pay handsomely?” you ask innocuously, swirling the wine in your cup.
“It is not merely money that we deal in, Xu Jing,” replies Zuolong.
“Rich and powerful important people, then?”
“Is there any other sort?”
You shake your head. “No, I guess not. Well, if these very important people are interested in anyone with anything to do with her, she must have been rather traitorous. What did she do?”
“She killed some agents of the court,” shrugs Youlong. “That’s a death sentence, usually, but this time they have other plans for her.”
“Well, I am sure they are some very interesting plans,” you say, pondering the information you have just received.
The atmosphere at the table has changed, and not for the better. Hei Zuolong bares his teeth at you and asks, “So, tell me, Xu Jing, why are you here? I cannot imagine the disciple of Zhang Jue involving himself with affairs of the Imperial Court, but here you are.”
“I’ve already told you,” you say calmly, “I am here to help out my friend.”
“Is that so?” sneers Zuolong, continuing to press his line of enquiry. “In my line of work, I must always think the worst of people. I do not believe that is your real reason for coming… no, if I were you, it would surely be an excuse for some other reason. The question is, what is it a cover for?”
“No, the question is, why do you seem so enthralled with voicing out your own suspicions?” you say, laughing. “Do you think it makes you look smarter?” His face, already slightly flushed from the wine, turns red. You smile at him; you are not going to make the mistake of thinking he is actually drunk, and underestimating him as a result. That he did not immediately lunge at you over your casual provocation shows as much; it is a risky thing to do, but it is also vital to keep up your act of apparent confidence in your strength. “You think you are so clever,” he says with fierce amusement. Hei Youlong tenses up, preparing to go to his brother’s aid if necessary.
You look at the wine in the cup, your mind working to figure out your next step. It is confirmed now that they are in cahoots with at least one faction in the Imperial Court. Further attempts at enquiry would be difficult, however, and you still don’t know if there is a trap waiting to be sprung.
***
A. You reveal the silver crest, attempting to impersonate an Imperial agent. You should have enough knowledge of their organization to pass for one. This seems to be the only way you can get more information out of the two, and change the situation beyond what Hei Zuolong is expecting; if there is a trap, waiting passively will not help you much. You need to act.
B. You elect to keep things as they are, and continue drinking with the two masters until whatever happens next. Impersonating a member of the palace’s secret police is too risky: if you slip up in the act, they will have no qualms about attempting to capture you on the spot, not to mention word may spread that you are in possession of said crest, rendering it useless in the future.
“Very well, I will remain here to enjoy your hospitality.” You offer to stay behind while Xiahou Yu and Yunzi are escorted to meet Liu Chanfeng in the cells. Yunzi makes a noise of protest. “I should be here-“
“I know you cannot bear to be apart from me, my dear,” you say quickly, interrupting her, “but this is for the best. I am sure your uncle would agree – he did leave you in my care at the mansion after we reunited. Trust me on this.” To her credit, she understands instantly; you are referring to Vahista, and implicitly telling her that you have not forgotten about the ambush on the Fire Cult at Wufushan. She will have to trust you to squeeze some details out about that incident on her behalf. “Fine.”
With an exasperated sigh, she turns away from you, her shoulders resigned. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Right back at you.”
The doors close behind them with a heavy bang as they leave with the guards, leaving you with Hei Zuolong and Youlong. The elder Hei has a sly grin on his face. “Your wife?” You can tell that he is trying to calculate how to use this to his benefit. “It is a long story,” you sigh, “but we are not properly wedded. She is a real handful.” He lets out a little chuckle in response. “Yes, I can tell. A real fiery steed, that one. It won’t be easy to break her. Perhaps I should teach you how?” Hei Zuolong’s eyes shine with amusement.
“No, thank you. I like her unbroken,” you reply firmly, trying not to let his casual remarks shake your focus. In doing so, you mirror his arrogant grin, staring right back at the man. He raises his eyebrows and shrugs. “Suit yourself. Now, what did I want to do next? Ah, that’s right. Youlong.” Zuolong waves his fingers lazily. The brawny younger brother nods, getting off his chair. Hei Youlong begins to walk towards you, his stance growing in menace with every step.
You remain still.
A few more steps and he will be in range to strike.
You try to keep your focus, suppressing the urge to take up a fighting stance.
It is clear what he will attempt, but the question is: will it hit?
Hei Youlong draws even closer, step by step.
Then, he lashes out at you.
His fist is fast. In your current condition there is no way you could evade it even if you see it coming. His attack skims the side of your face; it was never going to hit you. You look at the well-built man in front of you, a slightly quizzical expression on your face. “Well?”
Youlong grimaces. “You are Zhang Jue’s disciple, aren’t you? But I sense no killing intent of any sort, even when I attacked.” That is because you know that you cannot hurt either of these men in a fight at the moment. Any killing intent is wasted, and would likely inflame Hei Youlong's desire for a fight. Besides, you saw through his attack, understanding that it was never meant to land – they are merely testing you for now. What you say, however, is this: “That is because I am a pacifist.” You smile as kindly as you can manage.
“A pacifist?” rumbles Hei Youlong. “What nonsense is that? You, a pacifist?”
“Oh, I am deadly serious. I am a pacifist following the path of non-violence. I truly believe in rendering my enemies pacified so that they will not commit violence against me.” Your gaze sharpens, though your smile never leaves your face. Hei Zuolong shifts ever so slightly on his ornate chair, your words and confidence serving to wipe that grin away and put a thoughtful expression on his face. His younger brother only frowns and takes a cautious step back. You beam at them. “You may put my pacifism to the test if you wish.” Of course, you are running on pure bravado at this point. You know for certain that you will be unable to defeat even one of them, let alone both.
“There is no need. No more tests, you have proven yourself to be a worthy guest at the Black Dragon Society,” replies Zuolong with his usual grin. “Let us entertain you while you await the return of your friend.” He snaps his fingers and barks out a quick order. A few female servants hurry in, setting up a table for drinking. You recognize the cowed heads, the familiar behaviour of slaves ruled by fear. A slight disquiet nestling in your chest, you sit down at the table with the two brothers. After you subtly make sure that the wine and cups are not poisoned, the drinking begins, the slave girls coming to refill your cups every now and then. You drink in little, occasional sips, taking care not to imbibe too much too fast. The conversation kicks off with talk of the tournament, as Youlong asks about your fights, and goes on to talk about the current state of the jianghu: from what you can tell, the brothers seem rather optimistic about the future for some reason.
“If I may ask, Masters Hei,” Taking an advantage in a lull in the conversation, you change the topic. “I have heard that you deal with the transaction of bodies.”
“Dead and alive, yes,” replies the younger Hei. “Even the prefect of Xiangyang recognizes our contributions in this matter. There are some criminals that the law cannot touch.”
“Criminals that we can certainly touch,” says his older brother, laughing as he pulls a slave girl onto his lap. She does not struggle but only looks at the floor meekly – the girl cannot be older than fifteen. You wonder what crimes she had committed to become a legal slave; free commoners could not be enslaved by the law of the Tang. Zuolong continues, “We will not claim to do Heaven’s justice, but nonetheless when there is no other option for redress, we stain our hands for the betterment of all.”
“Indeed, and nothing is bettered more than your purses,” you say, giving them a knowing wink. The brothers laugh. “You are correct, Xu Jing,” says Zuolong. “Very much so.”
“Indulge my further curiosity, please,” you say, “I have heard rumours that you attacked the Wunan Sect and have made captives of its members for sale. Is that so? It sounds… illegal.”
“You are a strange one, Xu Jing. When did you start caring about the law?” grins Youlong good-naturedly. “What we do is illegal in the eyes of the world anyway.”
“Slavery of free Han has always been something the government has viewed harshly,” you point out. “Forgive me, but I think it a rather risky venture. Does the prefect know of this?”
“As it turns out, it is quite acceptable if they are enemies of the state, and thus traitorous criminals.” The grin on Zuolong’s face turns cold and mocking. His eyes are fixed on you now. “Which is why I was wondering… are you an enemy of the court? Is your friend one? As I said, there would be some very important people interested in anyone who is acquainted with a traitor. After all, we were tasked with dismantling an entire sect as a lesson to her.” A brag, you think: aimed at making you fear the supposed ease at which they destroyed an entire sect and also the power their backers wield in ordering such a thing over a single person's transgressions.
“I suppose these important people pay handsomely?” you ask innocuously, swirling the wine in your cup.
“It is not merely money that we deal in, Xu Jing,” replies Zuolong.
“Rich and powerful important people, then?”
“Is there any other sort?”
You shake your head. “No, I guess not. Well, if these very important people are interested in anyone with anything to do with her, she must have been rather traitorous. What did she do?”
“She killed some agents of the court,” shrugs Youlong. “That’s a death sentence, usually, but this time they have other plans for her.”
“Well, I am sure they are some very interesting plans,” you say, pondering the information you have just received.
The atmosphere at the table has changed, and not for the better. Hei Zuolong bares his teeth at you and asks, “So, tell me, Xu Jing, why are you here? I cannot imagine the disciple of Zhang Jue involving himself with affairs of the Imperial Court, but here you are.”
“I’ve already told you,” you say calmly, “I am here to help out my friend.”
“Is that so?” sneers Zuolong, continuing to press his line of enquiry. “In my line of work, I must always think the worst of people. I do not believe that is your real reason for coming… no, if I were you, it would surely be an excuse for some other reason. The question is, what is it a cover for?”
“No, the question is, why do you seem so enthralled with voicing out your own suspicions?” you say, laughing. “Do you think it makes you look smarter?” His face, already slightly flushed from the wine, turns red. You smile at him; you are not going to make the mistake of thinking he is actually drunk, and underestimating him as a result. That he did not immediately lunge at you over your casual provocation shows as much; it is a risky thing to do, but it is also vital to keep up your act of apparent confidence in your strength. “You think you are so clever,” he says with fierce amusement. Hei Youlong tenses up, preparing to go to his brother’s aid if necessary.
You look at the wine in the cup, your mind working to figure out your next step. It is confirmed now that they are in cahoots with at least one faction in the Imperial Court. Further attempts at enquiry would be difficult, however, and you still don’t know if there is a trap waiting to be sprung.
***
A. You reveal the silver crest, attempting to impersonate an Imperial agent. You should have enough knowledge of their organization to pass for one. This seems to be the only way you can get more information out of the two, and change the situation beyond what Hei Zuolong is expecting; if there is a trap, waiting passively will not help you much. You need to act.
B. You elect to keep things as they are, and continue drinking with the two masters until whatever happens next. Impersonating a member of the palace’s secret police is too risky: if you slip up in the act, they will have no qualms about attempting to capture you on the spot, not to mention word may spread that you are in possession of said crest, rendering it useless in the future.
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