“Let's continue this conversation inside,” said Lin Liqiu as she opened the door to the small cabin, motioning for the others to follow her as she entered. Lin Liqin was right on her heels while the three soldiers brought up the rear.
Lin Liqiu brought the fire in the hearth to life with a wave of her hand. Lin Liqin noticed a large pot near the fire and quickly filled a bowl with its contents. He sat down at a nearby table and began eating. It was clear that he'd lost all interest in this deal after his sister had stopped him from hitting on the female soldier or teasing the other two.
Just when the taller soldier was thinking that Lin Liqin not being involved might make the negotiations go smoother Lin Liqiu turned to him and asked, “Are you going to spit out the details or not?” It was obvious from her tone that she wasn't in a good mood and wanted to get this over with quickly.
-Maybe we should have come back in the morning. Perhaps it would be better if the commander handled this personally.- While the taller soldier was lost in thought the shorter one stepped forward, “We heard you were capable of chi forging. Our commander is interested in obtaining...”
“No.”
“But...”
“It's impossible. I'm sorry, but I can't carry out this request.”
“Why?”
Lin Liqin chimed in to answer the shorter soldier, “It's ki[1] forging not chi. While the Japanese ki refinement and the Gaian chi meditation are both derived from Emperor Qin Chen's[2] teachings, they are fundamentally different. A ki forged item requires the wielder to have an understanding of ki refinement, something I'm sure your commander lacks. Additionally, even if he could wield it, an item like that can be extremely powerful in competent hands. Creating one for a member of the Gaian military would go against our stance as a neutral party.”
At some point the female soldier had sat down next to Lin Liqin. After he finished speaking she began feeding him using the bowl he'd grabbed earlier. For some reason seeing this made the short soldier even angrier than their request being refused.
“Stop!” but it was too late, the taller soldier's order fell on deaf ears as the shorter soldier drew his sword.
The man was only able to take a single step toward Lin Liqin before a large hammer came swinging in from the side. It connected with his sword and snapped it like a twig beneath a boot. The hammer continued undaunted, striking the soldier in the chest and sent him crashing into the wall.
The female soldier quickly arrived at the taller soldier's side. They stood back to back, keeping eyes on the twins. Their hands were on their hilts, but they seemed hesitant to draw their swords.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
TING TING TING DRU WAH[3]
The soldiers didn't notice the zither on the table in front of Lin Liqin until the first few notes rang out. The room began spinning as they were hit with an intense sense of vertigo. The female soldier's legs gave out first causing her to sit on the floor. The taller soldier held out a bit longer, but eventually had to take a knee.
The zither continued its haunting melody as Lin Liqin's hands danced across it. The light in the cabin seemed to grow dim. The shadows cast by the fire in the hearth stretched into grotesque shapes behind Lin Liqiu as she towered over the fallen soldiers. The taller soldier couldn't help thinking -Now I see why they call her demoness-
“Tell your commander I will accept his request, but I have conditions,” Lin Liqiu's words were like sweet honey to the soldiers that had been expecting hammer blows. Lin Liqin wore a confused expression, but brought his melody to a close.
While the soldiers were recovering their senses, Lin Liqiu continued, “First, my commission for this job is three heavy boxes of silver and three casks of baijiu[4]. This is to be paid in advance. Second, the commander will have three months to complete their ki refinement foundation. If they can't complete it the deal is off and I'll keep the commission. Also I won't server as a tutor for ki refinement, they'll have to find someone else. Third, the commander will provide all materials needed for ki forging, these will vary depending on the item they request. Lastly, if the deal goes through I will then offer the same deal to the commander of the local Japanese regiment in order to maintain our position as a neutral party.”
The three soldiers were obviously shocked by the outlandish conditions, but the taller soldier was smart enough to grasp onto this opportunity to salvage the situation. He cupped his fist and gave a slight bow toward Lin Liqiu, “I will inform the commander of your generous offer.”
Lin Liqin added, “This is a one time offer. If your commander accepts we expect the commission by the end of the week.”
Hearing this caused the shorter soldier to harrumph. The taller soldier quickly shot him a look that shut him up before he could even speak. The taller soldier nodded at Lin Liqin, “You'll have your answer within the week.”
The taller soldier rushed the others out of the cabin before they could spoil the deal. After they'd left Lin Liqin exclaimed, “Dear sister you surprised me! I didn't expect you to accept their request. Being a neutral supplier to both sides could be quite lucrative, but it is definitely risky.”
“A risk we have to take because you can't keep it in your pants! Losing Farmer Yamada was a big blow to our finances. How can someone so smart be so dumb!?”
“Don't blame this on me. I'll go smooth things over with Ole Yamada in the morning. You know anytime your customers leave I always convince them to come back. Honestly, I think you knew that staying out of this war wasn't possible, so you created a path for us where, no matter who comes out on top, we'll be seen as a valuable asset,” Lin Liqin finished his statement with a big thumbs up.
Lin Liqiu just shook her head, but Lin Liqin caught a glimpse of a light smile as she turned away from him. She grabbed a bottle off the table and took a big swig from it as she headed towards the bedroom. It had been a long day and she was ready for it to be over.
Author's Notes:
[1] Ki is a Japanese word meaning spirit, life force, energy, or power. In Japanese philosophical and entertainment circles it is used in a very similar fashion as chi is used in China.
[2] Reminder: Emperor Qin Chen is the one that toured the Chinese empire and spread teachings on his understanding of meditation and chi. He was also the one that divided the country into 8 provinces. Reread chapter 1 for more information.
[3] Words in all capital letters are denoting a sound. In this case the sound of the zither being played.
[4] Baijiu is Chinese grain alcohol. It is often made from rice and is clear with a light taste and smell while also having a high alcohol content. For these reasons it is sometimes called Chinese vodka.