After finishing the ‘ceremony’ without a hitch, I hurry out the cavern to escape everyone’s reverent gazes. Thanks and praises follow me as I leave the former slaves to rest their overtaxed bodies and recover from their horrific ordeals. Though they’ll remain hidden for now, after we leave they’ll be given free reign of the island, albeit under the watchful eyes of Gerel’s hand-picked Sentinels. Grateful as Yo Ling’s workforce might seem, I can’t risk them getting loose and spreading word of our newfound wealth. Still, seeing their joyous expressions filled with hope and serenity made it all worthwhile. It’s nice saving lives without killing anyone. There's been too much fighting lately, I’ve almost grown indifferent to the bloodshed. I’m a little surprised everyone survived the cleansing process. Seeing their gaunt frames and sickly appearances, I was worried they’d crash and die the second I removed the Spectres’ influence, but it seems the citizens of Sanshu are made of hardy stock.

Either way, they’re all alive and well, eighty-seven souls saved from a life of slavery followed by eternal torment in the afterlife. Good feelings aside, the reward was well worth it. After absorbing a quarter of the Spectral remains, Baledagh claimed he couldn’t absorb anymore and returned to his room in the void, leaving the rest for me. I’m not gonna be polite and decline, but in a rare moment of foresight, I left my experiments for another time, just in case something unexpected happens. The energy isn’t going anywhere and even though Baledagh hasn’t had any adverse effects, I’ve only taken in a small portion of Spectral remains when I was drained and exhausted. I’m not sure how well my... soul, for lack of a better word, will handle the large influx of energy, so caution seems appropriate. I’d hate to slip onto the dark side or explode or something.

Not far from from the cavern entrance, I find Lin fast asleep on the stony floor. Lifting my sweet little wifey into my arms, she comes awake with a cute yawn and nuzzles against my chest. “Hi hubby,” she murmurs, her eyes still closed. “How’d everything go?” While filling her in on all the relevant details, BoShui and Dastan catch up, jostling at my elbows like a pair of overeager dogs. Having my personal space invaded by two sweaty, muscular men is not my idea of fun, the whole matter made worse by the burning adoration in their eyes. Thankfully, they’re content to bask in my presence without a word, silently listening as I chat with Lin and smile at her adorable responses.

“You showed Blobby to BoShui?! No fair, show me, show me!”

“Where’d it go hubby? I wasn’t gonna drink it, I just wanna know what it tastes like. Bring it back out, ya?”

“Yay! We’re rich! Don’t give it all to Nai-Nai either, give some gifts to Daddy and Baa-Baa too.”

“We’ve been over this before Rainy, you’re too kind, always helping strangers. Are you gonna support them for the rest of their lives? Enough adventures, stay home where it’s nice and safe, ya?”

Okay, so not everything she says is adorable and heartwarming. Though she means well, Lin is a product of her environment, capable of being... pragmatic when the situation demands it. Knowing I’m only placating her, she puffs her cheeks and pouts while BoShui leaps in to join the conversation. “It’s not possible, Lady Mei Lin,” he says, panting to keep up with our pace. “How can your betrothed live such a simple life? Falling Rain is a man destined for greatness. With the Mother's blessings, he will cleanse the Empire of corruption in one fell swoop.” Turning and bowing while we walk, he adds, “Please, accept this lowly one as your retainer, I will serve you with all my heart.”

Dastan snorts in contempt and answers in my place. “You think too highly of yourself. As a mere Han successor, what qualifications do you have to stand at my Master’s side? He is a phoenix among chickens and a dragon among men. Once he reveals his prowess, all devout warriors of the Empire will flock to his side and pledge their lives in service to his cause.”

“Stop.” They've got a strange, childish rivalry going on, and I don't like it. “I’ll do what I can provided my secret remains hidden, but I have no intention of cleansing the Empire or revealing my gifts. I’m gonna go home, open a school slash orphanage, study healing, raise my pets, and wait for all this newfangled fame to die down before doing absolutely nothing.”

Putting aside their new-born rivalry, Dastan and BoShui join voices to ask, “What?! Why?”

Stifling a laugh at their mutual exchanged glares of annoyance, I answer, “Because treasuring a jade is a crime. Blobby is the source of all my purifying powers and I, merely its vessel.” I'm starting to regret giving it such a silly name but it’s too late to change it now. “It’d be naive to think no one will try and steal it from me.” Jokes on them if they do try, Baledagh’s doing all the work. Then again, we’d probably be dead before they find out, so maybe the joke’s on us. Forestalling Dastan and BoShui’s arguments, I continue over their protests. “It’s possible the Emperor or devout warriors will come protect me, but it’s more likely they’ll decide Blobby would be better off in someone else’s hands. Like their own. It’s not worth the hassle.”

“But you must reveal your abilities for the betterment of the world! You are blessed by the Mother, the people will flock to your side to take a stand against tyranny.”

“I will lead the Han Clan to be your sword and shield. If one assassin comes, then one assassin will die. If two come, then two die. Even if the Emperor himself comes to take your life, then we will overthrow him in bloody revolution!”

“You’re both idiots,” I retort. “Stand against tyranny? Bloody revolution? You know not the heights of heaven or the depths of hell. I’m one person, easily killed or controlled, and then what? Everything goes back to the way things are, while we become a footnote in the annals of history or worse.”

“Praise the Mother,” Gerel chimes in from the back. “You’re not a complete moron after all.”

Looking like a wounded puppy, BoShui stutters, “B-But... these gifts are from Heavens. How can you keep them to yourself? You must use them lest you incur the Mother’s wrath. You can show everyone the truth, guide the lost out from the Father’s clutches, show the world she wasn’t wrong...”

It takes a second to catch his drift. “You mean about your cousin? I’m sympathetic and I’ll publicly speak up for her, but nothing more. If my Mentor agrees, I’ll even reveal everything to your uncle, but that’s it.” Dastan looks similarly betrayed but keeps his mouth shut, both my admirers hanging their heads in defeat. Sighing, I roll my eyes and explain. “You both accept danger and violence will follow a reveal, yes?” I wait for them both to nod before continuing. “Okay then, let’s pretend I agree with your views and lead the world in bloody revolution. A stupid thing to do with the Defiled knocking at the gates, but whatever. Let’s take it one step further and say we succeed, in spite of the overwhelming odds stacked against us. Then what? Do you really think the world will change so easily? Take a few heads, write a few laws, and in the blink of an eye, greed, corruption, discrimination, and inequality all just disappear? I can see it now, nobles and merchants willingly making amends and redistributing their wealth while newly freed slaves and formerly oppressed half-beasts sing and dance in the streets. Pfft. Grow up.”

On a roll, I continue my rant despite not really knowing what my endgame is. “Dastan, you want to give power to the common people and make their lives better. BoShui, you want to cleanse the world of the Father’s touch and root out corruption. I agree with both your dreams, but your thinking is all wrong. Bloodshed and rebellion will only bring upheaval to the Empire at a time we can ill afford it, with the Defiled besieging us from within and without.”

“Oh?” The Guard Leader’s voice sends a chill down my spine. After noticing the rocks were Spiritual Hearts, she pretty much zoned out of the proceedings, standing around with cold indifference, but now she’s chosen to join the conversation. “How strange. With your sympathetic bleeding heart, I’d have thought you ready to die fighting for the downtrodden and oppressed. Then please, enlighten us on you plan to fix the Empire without raising your sword.” Her tone turns sarcastic and biting. “Hypothetically, of course.”

Annoyed by her verbal jab, I respond without thinking. “The Empire has been around for tens of thousands of years, yet if you look back in history, you’ll see nothing ever changes. We use the same weapons, study the same tactics, wear the same clothes, and even draw with the same art styles.”

“So?” The Guard Leader doesn’t seem to understand my point, and neither does anyone else, judging by their silence.

“So? It means the world is stagnating. We’ve made no strides forward in millennia which would be impressive if it weren’t so horrifying. In fact, I’d even say the Empire’s regressed. Did you know there’s no record of how the Wall was built? Who designed it, what materials and techniques went into its construction, how much it cost, how many people worked on it or years it took to complete, nothing. Either the knowledge has been suppressed and kept secret by a chosen few, or more likely, it’s been forgotten because it was so damn long ago. It gets worse. The last city built in the Northern Province was the Society Headquarters, thousands of years ago. They didn’t even give it a name, because technically, it’s not an imperial city, just a massive checkpoint between provinces. It’s asinine. There are millions of people living in the wilds because we've either forgotten how to build walls that last, or we can't be bothered to do so.”

Dastan seems to catch on, having heard his uncle Diyako’s similar rants, but BoShui is still lost. “What does this have to do with... anything?”

“If civilization isn’t improving, then it’s in decline, and the Empire has been declining for a long time. Rampant corruption of those in power and systemic abuse of civilians have helped deprive this world of progress, strangling innovation and forward thinking. Both these problems stem from the same source: too much power in the hands of the few. Therefore, in order to have progress, the balance of power must be restored.”

Hmm... Balance. There it is again. Is it possible the Empire is maintaining the status quo because they believe in balance? Diyako ranted about how the nobles were keeping technological advances at a standstill, and while his reasoning might’ve been off, there could be some truth to it. It’s true, nothing ever changes in the Empire, and I don’t think that’s normal. Could it be they believe that if technology progresses and favours human ingenuity over raw strength, it’d somehow throw the world out of balance? It’s something to think about, but I still think change is necessary.

Picking up where I left off, I continue. “So the question on everyone’s mind is: how? How do we take power from the few and redistribute it to the many? In my opinion, we can’t. Giving power to the people is pointless. They must rise up and take it for themselves.”

“Yes, and you will lead them as the Mother’s chosen.” BoShui isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but I’ll cut him some slack for being exhausted.

“No, like I said, bloody revolution isn’t the right way. Unity is all that keeps the Defiled from killing us all. Slow, gradual change is required, and I believe education and meritocracy are the keys to success. Help the people by teaching them how to help themselves, while offering incentives to share their successes instead of hoarding them. By giving them the tools to succeed, the people will naturally enrich and empower themselves. If we raise the standard of living through new technologies or techniques, then the people will naturally gain more power as they gain intrinsic value.”

Seeing everyone’s questioning gazes, I try to explain in simpler terms. “Life is cheap because your everyday commoner isn’t worth much. They're really only good for manual labour, while most subsist through scavenging or hunting, living hand to mouth with no time for concerns of tomorrow or making their lives better. If a million people like this disappear, the Empire wouldn’t be affected at all, so we look down on them and treat them like trash. Now, what if someone developed a cheap, powerful, and easy to manufacture crossbow? With a weapon like this, all of a sudden, hunting and defending livestock isn’t as difficult or dangerous as it once was.”

Dastan’s eyes shine as he adds, “If every man, woman, and child in Sanshu had a crossbow like you describe, then the Emperor would pay dearly if he attempts to Purge it.”

Always with the fighting. “Yea, but that’s not the point. The crossbow is just an example. What if instead it were a tool which made farming faster and easier? Or a new crop with significantly higher yields? These are just examples of possible world changing discoveries, because it raises the value of each commoner. Every person would be worth more, because they can grow more food or bring more meat, or whatever. What's more, it allows commoners to better provide for their families. If they’re no longer scraping by, then they, and by extension, their children, will have time and energy for other pursuits. Who knows what new, wondrous inventions they might dream up? A vehicle which flies through the air, a method to transmit messages vast distances in an instant without using Heavenly Energy, machines to drill deep into the earth and uncover vast riches, the possibilities are endless.”

“Hmph.” The Guard Leader snorts. “The idle fancies of fools and children.”

I snort back, having learned from the best. “We do all sorts of weird and unbelievable things that only seem normal only because someone took a fancy to something thousands of years ago. Think about it, we cook food because someone took a fancy to fire. We ride horses because someone fancied the animals. We wear silk because someone saw a cocoon and thought ‘I should make a dress out of that’. Dreams are what separate humans from beasts.”

Pausing in my rant, I realize everyone is staring as if I’ve grown a second head. Lin is the first to speak up, examining her silk sleeves. “Hubby... is that really where silk comes from?”

“Yea.” Are things different here?

“Yucky. What kinda cocoons?”

I shrug. “Silkworms, I guess? I dunno, they’re like caterpillars or something. After they turn into cocoons but before they become butterflies or moths or whatever, you boil them and harvest the threads. Isn't this common knowledge?”

Lin giggles. “Silly Rainy, only descendants of the Royal Family know how silk is made, it’s one of the best kept secrets in the Empire. If you’re right and we produce our own silk, we’ll either be rich or branded as thieves and traitors.”

... Oh. Oops. “See, that proves my point, there’s too much wealth and power concentrated in the hands of the nobles.” Shutting my mouth, I hasten my steps, hurrying towards the surface. Thankfully, no one asks how I know what I know, since my customary excuse of ‘read it in a book’ probably won’t work this time.

Whatever. It’s not important. During my rant, I came to an epiphany. I arrived in this world a slave and was lucky enough to escape my fate. Since then, all I’ve done is survive, going with the flow while trying not to make waves. That’s obviously not working so I might as well try something new, while paying it forward. I’ve always wondered why I’m here. Maybe it was divine intervention to save Baledagh or maybe just a random twist of fate. Hell, maybe I’m crazy and my memories are the product of a ravaged mind, but either way, it’s time I did something with them. I want to contribute to the world, not for fame or glory, but to make a difference in people's lives, even if only a select few.

Things won't change too much for me, personally. I can’t give up on the Martial Path, because strength of arms is all but required to live in this era. The world is too fixated on martial prowess, as even Magistrates need strength to hold their positions. It’s ass backwards, what does managing a city have in common with swinging a sword? Whatever, I won't give up on learning Healing either, because I’m terrified of dying or losing loved ones. This means I’ll be relying on Diyako’s brain trust and spending my newfound wealth to figure out how to make my half-baked ideas a reality. If they’re successful, others will try and copy me by gathering their own academics and scholars to research new, innovative ideas. Once I get the ball rolling, I can leave the rest to greed and fate.

The school/orphanage is another way for me to make a difference without working too hard. It’s won't just be giving food and shelter to kids, but educating them and giving them the skills necessary to survive. If I instill an academic mindset into a mere handful of young minds, then that's a bonus. Maybe they’ll go on to do great things, or maybe they’ll live a life of mediocrity, but either way, I'll have done my part. Better yet, I should talk to Yuzhen about opening state schools in every city of the North. I can paint it as a way for the Empire to nurture young talents beholden to the Empire itself, using the People's system as an example. She’s a smart woman, she’ll see the benefits, I’m sure of it.

It all sounds easy, but it take years, maybe even lifetimes before progress is made, not to mention some out of the box thinking and a metric shit-tonne of luck. Still, I might as well give it a shot. At worst, I spend my fortune for nothing, but easy come easy go. I can always earn more money. Maybe I’ll die along the way and nothing changes in the long run, but if I don’t even try, I’ll always be wondering ‘what if?’. That’s no way to live a second life.

Besides, I’m tired of shitting into buckets and emptying them in the forest. I’d love it if indoor toilets became a thing, but maybe I’m setting the bar too high.

You never cherish what you have until it’s too late.

Chapter Meme

- End of Volume 13 -