IC Tao Yaun Estates

Li steps lightly in soft brown shoes, heading towards the estate. My feet are weary, my friends. Might we stop and rest?

Kong lu was tired from the road but dismayed at the state of the estate. "Let us rest and investigate what is going on. the state of this place is unacceptable and should be corrected." As lu pressed forward waving at the peasants wishing them a good day.

Lion snorted at the ramshackle look to these accommodations. They were in poor repair that was obvious. Not at all fitting for Xian Shī, but, he would not debase himself to admit it.

"Yes, you all need rest."

Lion assessed the country side for any obvious reason that he could see as to why the estates were in disrepair. Looking to see if the stream had dried up, or if a landslide had blocked the road. Or perhaps breaks in the fences which would denote something more sinister. Anything out of order, disturbing the harmony. Lion was, firstly, a scout, and saw the world in terms of these things. Leverage points, points of weakness, points to exploit for his own gain.

Shaun looking around at the run down condition of the grounds can't really believe it."I guess we see now why they called in the young bloods. Not for manual labor but to get this place back on its feet."

Shi Zi's piercing gaze, while keen, is interrupted on occasion by the prying and bobbing of a woman from the entourage who is dressed in a manner that could decidedly be called garish, but whose garments can be identified by the discerning eye as not being of particularly fine make. The journey has been long, and the sight that greets them not especially reassuring, but her smile has yet to fade.

"Aiya, there's no need to look so grim, tough guy! I'm sure this will be an easy job! Come on, let's see what we can offer the locals, yes?"

Without waiting for much of an answer, she trots over to the glum-looking girls tending the animals. "Lovely morning to you, my dears! We, the emissaries of the Xian, have arrived! Could you point us to whoever has been in charge of holding down the fort up till now?"

Lion's perpetual scowl did not relax when he saw the same people harvesting grain were also those responsive for the upkeep. "Provincials..." He muttered under his breath. Sighing he resumed scanning the area. While not himself of great import or station like his parents, he was a killer, not a speaker.

He offered a wan smile, to Yaoqi in response. She was only trying to lighten his spirit. But, nothing ever broke Xian Shī's perpetual seriousness. He lived as if crushed by mountains in his father's shadow.

By right Lion should not be here - he had advanced enough in military service that legally he was exempt from labor. He had accomplished much in his military service, enough that he should be off overseeing some wealthy land on the edge of the empire. Yet, the Emperor had not granted him land, instead he had sent Xian Shī to a hermitage. Now, an expert of Legalism and Taoism, Lion had returned. Only to be sent on this errand upon the day of his return by Xian Yu. He had not even seen his mother, or young siblings. The entire court knew this, and it only made it more the scandal that the Number 2 man in the Empire was Lion's father.

No one could have been more confused than Xian Shī at this seemingly bizarre assignment. Lion who's continued bewilderment was evident as he stood firmly in place looking around for explanations. The only things he knew of the provinces outside the court were war and state sanctioned executions.

Finding no reason that the retainers of this parcel should be killed, the young master resigned himself to the situation. He looked angry, and hopelessly out of his element. In spite of this, he fell to duty, as Lion was not allowed to be merely human. Duty, that he surmised need-must have him learn something from this. He sighed, heavily, unsure of what he could possibly learn from provincials.

Yaoqi shrugged, her pibo shawl swaying slightly in the wind as she noted the terseness of the young girl's gesture. "Not the talkative type, hm? We'll see if we can't work on that." But there was more business to attend to. She swanned on over to the rows and rows of wheat, the hem of her hanfu periodically catching on or sliding over the leaves of the stalks of wheat. Entering into conversing range of Yu Jian, she gave him a little lean and a wave, as if trying to get a shopkeeper's attention. "Hello there! You must be the steward of this place. We of the Xian have arrived to lend our assistance, as is His Majesty's decree. Would you like to give us a little rundown of the state of affairs?"

Li briefly removed his slippers, one at a time, rubbing bottoms of his feet, then quickly placing them back on. He walks to the fields with Yaoqi and addresses one of the adults.

Greetings. I’m Li, from Xian Estate. Who is the noble residing on the hill? Is it but you and one other adult, tending all this wheat?

Lion sympathized with the plight of the backbreaking work. He had done more than his share, stealing cropshares in the military. He wasn't much a fan of the dismissive attitude of the peasant, but he supposed in the same circumstances he would give preference to the work rather than conversation.

Lion set to flailing down what grain he may in the short time they had for conversation. It was a good way to warm up his muscles as he flailed through the stalks of mixed grains. A whirling tempest of steel as he demonstrated the noble use of the meteor hammer. Carving through 10ft swaths of grain.

Shaun soo not being much of manual labor guy will walk around and note damage and disrepair so it can be fixed and get this place set right."It is shame to see this place starting to fall apart. Hopefully we can remedy this."

"I agree" Kong lu thinks the says to peasant "how much is the toll?" After getting his answer. "We will talk to the sisters see if we can get this this place back on the road to greatness" with that Kong lu heads to the inn. To have a very serious discussion and strategy to get this place back on track..

"Mmmn..." Contemplative for the moment, Yaoqi produces a small notebook and a stick of charcoal wrapped in a strip of cloth from inside her sleeves. Like that, she jots down some of the major points.

- Get more farmers in to work the fields, we can't all be lions with spiked chains.

- See what we can do about the toll?

- Figure out what's needed to patch up this dreary place. It's bringing me down just looking at it.

- Get the word out about the inn, have more people coming in. That'll get the cash flowing.

This was what she was supposed to be good at. Bringing people together so they could meet each other's needs. And all the less work for her, really.

With that duly noted, she snapped the book shut. "Thank you so much for your cooperation, Mr. Ko. Rest assured, we want to make this work as much as you do, and we'll give it everything we've got."

Joining Kong Lu in entering the inn, Yaoqi cast her gaze around, smiling pleasantly. "Such a lovely place we have here, isn't it?" And then she moved to addressing whichever sister was present. "To whom do I have the pleasure of acquaintance?"

Looking at the others"Shall we go to the inn and see how the grub is? Good grub is always good to pull in patrons." He will head off to the inn.

~Earlier~

"Yaoqi, I see you are taking matters with the gravity they are due." Lion nodded, he *almost* smiled. He was extremely direct, though not in the sense that he was barking orders - Yaoqi would get the sense that Lion had no time to make nice and saw every waking minute as a moment to be conquered. He really did not know how to relax. "To that end. These farmers must be made to know, firstly, this field must be razed. A field gone wild is a breeding ground of pestilence. Second, it must not be tilled. Third, this winter they must plant either soy or hmong beans. Finally, during the spring harvest, only the pods must be harvested. The vine must be left to wither and die. Only then can these fields be tilled. Can you make them understand?"

~Now~
It will take 2 hours to get to the woods, just so happens it is also near Jiayu (where the potter lives)

His feet tired from trekking, our half-elven fellow kindly approaches the Inn. Is this one giving you trouble, Li asks the younger, muscular woman. You heard the lady, Li says pointedly to the heavy-set merchant!