Yoshika thought she’d be more nervous about the summit gathering, but once she stood before the leaders of the world, its fate hanging in the balance, she had no nerves to hide. A calm washed over her instead of the usual panic that plagued her in life or death situations. She had a long history of last second desperation moves, but this time she was ready. It felt more like the moments of resolve before a breakthrough, rather than the uncertain moments in the heat of an intense battle.
She’d yet to actually sit, instead bowing in the traditional mannerisms of Qin before greeting the assembly. Typically, it was proper to allow the royal representatives, as the final arbiters of imperial law, to guide the proceedings. Yoshika was breaking from that tradition slightly.
“Prince Qin Yongliang, Your Highness, I understand there are a number of items on the agenda which must be resolved before we can proceed to the heart of this summit. With respect, I defer to your judgment regarding which to address first.”
Only then, after verbally ceding control to the de facto ruler of the empire, did she finally take her seat. It was a small difference, but by tacitly ‘allowing’ him to take over, it established herself as his equal—an extreme breach of etiquette, normally.
He shot her a disapproving glance, but made no further rebuke as he rose to address the assembly.
“Indeed, Lady Empress. Before we may discuss the terms of peace between our lands, we must first settle a few matters resulting from the battle at Kucheon.”
The agenda was simple enough. Jiaguo’s ‘surrender’ rested on three crucial matters—Yan Yue’s status as both the new grandmistress of the Great Awakening Dragon sect and Jiaguo City’s high arbiter, the fate of the released prisoners and mutineers from Qin’s army, and Flowing Purewater’s association with Jiaguo.
Strictly speaking, the control of Baishulin province might have also been addressed, but that matter had already been handled behind closed doors. Indeed, after presenting the agenda, Qin Yongliang took a moment to make clan Bai’s fate official.
“I recognize that clans Xin and Yan have ceded their claim over the province of Baishulin to the Great Austere Mountain. As such, Elder Qian Shi is entitled to speak upon the behalf of the Labyrinthine Forest of Unbreakable Threads within his aegis.”
He paused, as if awaiting any objections or comments, but there were not—even if Yan Hao’s expression was sour. The prince nodded, then moved on.
“Then let us begin with the matter of discipline among the returning armies. I confess that I am ignorant of the full details. Elder Qian Shi, as acting commander of the imperial army, please describe the issue to us.”
The Austere Mountain grandmaster stood and bowed.
“Your Highness, during the battle, a number of cultivators were taken prisoner by Jiaguo’s forces. Later, several of those prisoners were returned under oath to quit the field—some even swore never to raise arms against Jiaguo again. Commander Yan De, wary of treachery or influence by Goryeo’s new Fox Princess—a known practitioner of soul magic—ordered the execution of any deserters.”
Qin Yongliang nodded.
“An appropriate response to demonic influence. Was this oath enforced by geas?”
“No, Your Highness.”
Sun Quan immediately rose and bowed, though he said nothing. The prince glanced over and nodded slightly.
“You have an objection, Elder Sun Quan? You may voice it.”
“Your Highness, Elder Qian misspeaks. I wish to clarify that we were unable to confirm or deny the influence of forbidden magic upon the souls of these men with any certainty. Grandmaster Yan De deemed it too great a risk to simply release the paroled prisoners or attempt to hold them captive within our ranks, and I concurred at the time.”
“At the time?”
The grandmaster of the Silver Orchard hesitated slightly, then nodded.
“While I believe that the risk of manipulation remains high, I have since revised my understanding of what those risks entail. At least, I believe we may have been able to hold the compromised individuals prisoner.”
“I see. Thank you for the clarification, Elder. Qian Shi, you may continue.”
Sun Quan bowed and returned to his seat as his peer went on to retell the rest of the battle, from the mutiny by those who objected to Yan De’s executions, to Yoshika’s battle with Yan De and her subsequent surrender.
He left out the part where the xiantian elders of the southern sects were prepared to tear Yan De limb from limb while he and Yoshika held each other in stalemate, simply saying that she used an illusion technique to break free from her seal. Interestingly, Yan Ren didn’t raise the issue, either.
Qin Yongliang deliberated for a moment before responding.
“I believe I have a grasp of the issue now. What disciplinary measures do you recommend, Elder?”
And here, the first of Yoshika’s preparations came into play. Shun Song and his brothers had been resigned to their fates, certain that they’d be punished harshly—perhaps even executed. Gao Yuanjun even felt he deserved it, though Yoshika felt how conflicted he was about it. Knowing he’d done the right thing, and thinking he deserved punishment for it created no end of cognitive dissonance.
But they were not the only soldiers Yoshika interviewed. Li Meili had paid a short visit to the army camp, under the guise of a low ranking member of the Flowing Purewater delivering food and supplies to the encamped soldiers as a sign of goodwill for their allies. It turned out that soldiers like to talk, especially to a cute girl handing out food that definitely wasn’t an enemy sovereign.
What she found was that the mutineers were mostly represented by members of the Austere Mountain and Labyrinthine Forest sects. Few if any Silver Orchard cultivators had rebelled against the order, perhaps because it had been Sun Quan who delivered it, and their representatives among the paroled prisoners felt horribly betrayed by that fact.
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The Austere Mountain was a more martial sect than most. Not that they literally practiced martial arts, but rather in their stronger military traditions and focus on strength at arms. All cultivators could fight, but there was a difference between, say, Xin Wei and Guan Yi. Qian Shi’s sect leaned heavily on the Guan Yi side of that equation. Despite centuries of fighting, Ashikaga Sae and Ienaga Yumi both advocated for Qian Shi as ultimately being a man of honor and discipline, and he’d been surprisingly receptive to Sae’s negotiation.
“You realize those are your soldiers on the chopping block, right?”
Elder Qian Shi eyed the barbarian with barely-restrained disdain as she took a swig from a gourd—the fumes stung his nostrils from across the room.
Shogun Ashikaga Sae was his sworn enemy. The leader of the barbarian lords of Yamato, who he’d been fighting for as long as he could remember. Her wild purple hair and careless posture represented everything he despised about his foes. Regrettably, she was also entirely correct.
“I’m aware of that, Lady Shogun. However, discipline must be maintained. That my people failed to act with honor is a stain upon my name, and I must take responsibility for that.”
The words were like bile in his mouth, but they had to be said. He grimaced as the Shogun kicked her feet up on the table and lounged carelessly, even spilling some of her alcohol on the expensive furniture in the sitting room their hosts had provided.
“Eh, if you say so. Makes my life easier if you don’t have as many fighters to throw at us anyway. Empress Yoshika gets pissy when we kill your lot.”
Qian Shi’s retort died in his throat as he processed what she’d just said.
“She does?”
“Oh, sure. Says it’s pointless for people to be dying over a patch of land that neither side actually wants anyway. Fighting for the sake of fighting.”
He blinked. He’d heard similar arguments from his fellow grandmasters hesitating to lend resources to protect the border, and it irked him.
“It keeps us sharp! If we give up that land, it’s just an invitation for you to push us further in. Next thing you know, barbarians are storming the Jade Palace!”
Lady Ashikaga took another swig of her drink and laughed—a sharp, loud bark that was the least ladylike thing he’d ever heard.
“‘Swhat I said—er, not in those words. But hey, she’s a bleeding heart, and I love her for it. You and your people fight and die to protect what you believe in. I can respect that—why can’t you?”
“How dare you—wait, what?”
Qian Shi’s outrage warred with his confusion. What was she talking about?
“I was one of Hayakawa’s top generals during the war with Jiaguo, until Yoshika showed me what her father, the shogun, was up to. He was corrupt—crazed. Willing to sacrifice our entire nation to demons for power.”
“And you sold him out for the chance to take his place.”
She shrugged.
“If that’s how you see it, sure. As I saw it, I had two options—I could either follow orders or I could do the right thing. You said your people failed to act with honor, but is that really what you believe? Do you teach your disciples honor, or do you teach them to follow orders?”
“That’s the same—”
He cut himself off, unable to even finish the sentence. No matter how much he hated her, he couldn’t be that contrarian. She was right. Qian Shi was, if anything, proud of his people for taking a stand against Yan De’s madness. Sun Quan was too blinded by his own hatred to see it.
Ashikaga Sae snorted.
“Uh huh. That’s what I thought. So your people die for doing the right thing, and Sun Quan conveniently loses almost nothing. Seems to be a theme in this ‘war’ of yours. Were you ever trying to kill us, or were you always aiming at each other?”
“Tsk. It’s always both with those damned weasels. Even I feel a bit of relief knowing that snake Bai Renshu is set to lose as much as I am.”
The shogun’s eyes glinted dangerously as she sat up and leaned forward, placing her gourd on the table between them.
“‘Bout that...as I hear it, he’s lost a major supporter, and you’ve been angling for his land for a long time. My liege has some sway with our hosts, and I don’t think they care that much about a province that’s effectively been independent for years.”
Qian Shi paused, his own expression sharpening as he met the Shogun’s intense stare. He was often mocked—behind his back, of course—by other grandmasters for being too straightforward, but he could play the game. He wouldn’t survive as the leader of a great sect if he couldn’t.
So, it seemed, could Yamato’s shogun.
He took a swig from the gourd and instantly regretted it—by the emperor, was she drinking distilled alcohol? He shook it off and ignored the burning in his throat and sinuses as he leaned forward.
“Keep talking.”
Qian Shi. A man of honor, and leader of the ‘weakest’ of Qin’s great sects, yet one of the largest. Jiaguo’s closest neighbor by virtue of the huge border along Qin’s southern frontier, and thus one of the people Yoshika was most interested in making peace with. So her offer was simple—she gave the man something he wanted in exchange for something else he wanted.
His land, his people, his honor. Yoshika didn’t need to ask for his support, because the nature of her gift encouraged him to take her side so that he could keep it. From his perspective, he got something for nothing, and from hers she gained his support and placed him in her debt. A win-win situation on both sides.
That was the kind of diplomacy she brought to Qin. Amongst all the backbiting and double dealing, she alone would offer genuine and wholehearted cooperation with no strings attached. Thus, the first of her new allies answered Qin Yongliang’s question about the fate of the rebellious soldiers.
“I believe their actions were just. Had I half the backbone of my people, I would have countermanded Yan De’s orders myself. I will meditate on my failure, but as for the so-called mutineers—I would pardon them.”
“What?!”
Sun Quan rose from his seat and slammed his hands on the table, ignoring Qin Yongliang’s reproving look.
“That’s preposterous! You would corrupt the entire hierarchy of the sects! Such insubordination cannot go unpunished.”
Qian Shi shook his head.
“Elder Sun, you are welcome to discipline your own people as you see fit, but the Austere Mountain values honor and strength. My people demonstrated both by refusing to kill their own brethren in cold blood.”
The Silver Orchard grandmaster opened his mouth to respond, but was silenced by Qin Yongliang rising. The two arguing elders immediately bowed and sat down, awaiting his judgment.
“Qian Shi has waived his right as army commander to discipline those under his command. As such, the soldiers may return to their sects and face whatever judgment their elders see fit. This matter does not require my arbitration.”
His word was final, and neither elder challenged him, but his eyes met Yoshika’s as he went on.
“However, the paroled prisoners are another matter. If they have indeed been influenced by forbidden or demonic magic, then we must resolve that uncertainty before they can safely be returned to their homes.”
Yoshika sighed, but met his gaze with a challenge of her own. That was one down, at least, and she knew they weren’t going to make it easy for her.
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