( Which is how, some minutes later, Fu Xuan arrives with a nicely packed box of tea and snacks, as well as her own boba. The Seat of Divine Foresight is quiet this late at night -- most having already gone elsewhere or to rest. For all that Jing Yuan is the source of a great many of Fu Xuan's headaches, he is a competent Arbiter-General. Likely one of their best, if she were to fully immerse herself in the histories to compare. But that doesn't change her desire to beat him at chess.
Which she is going to do this time, she's certain of it. )
Good evening, General. ( Wait, no. ) Jing Yuan. Boss Du sends their regards, and reminds you that should you wish to visit the Du Teahouse in person you will not be charged.
( It's the publicity the owner wants, at this point. )
[ He’s standing at the edge of the large board that makes up the floor of the Seat, his back to her as she enters, though he does turn his head to look at her over his shoulder for a brief moment, closing his eyes as he gives her a brief smile. ]
One should be properly compensated for their work, and their work should stand on it’s own, without the testimony of someone the people admire.
[ He’s fully aware that it’s the publicity and nothing else that Du wants. But he’s not interested in being an influencer. ]
( They are agreed on that much, and Fu Xuan gives him an incline of her head in greeting and agreement. The tea and snacks are worth the trip, but she knows what drives people's hearts just as much as the General. She has to, with her job. )
A sharp nose. ( She confirms, before delicately setting the items down on a table off to the side of the board -- likely placed there by Jing Yuan himself in preparation. ) Freshly made, despite the hour. The teahouse does a bustling business late at night now that the Alley has been revitalized.
( Catering to people like the two of them, no doubt. )
They have truly been one of the best for a while, [ he muses, finally turning to face her fully as she sets the box down. ] It is no surprise to me that those of us burning the late night candle would need such a place to relax and unwind after a hard day of work.
[ Not him, though. He relaxes right there on the job. In fact, he’s doing so right now, settling down on a cushion he’d also prepared. Hers is on the other side of the table. The game board may be the floor, but they’ll control the pieces here. He settles, propping one knee up, resting his forearm on it. ]
( She raises a brow at the ease with which he relaxes, almost annoyed by how effortless he makes it look. Fu Xuan has never had that ability -- her job requires all that she has to give it, and she is more than happy to do so when it means lives hang upon her decision. Destiny may remain immutable but it is her responsibility to see that the path they travel to reach it is the best option out of all of them. It requires much from her, it always does, but she does it without complaint.
Save for the matter of her future.
But now is not the time to lecture Jing Yuan on the matter of succession. )
Sugar. The Dragon Lady has written a new prescription for my tea. ( She says, setting the tea tray out and beginning to pour the hot water over the leaves in the gaiwan, slowly so as to let the aroma waft up between them. ) And my boba, of course. I have been asked by the Alchemy Commission to do a divination for them early tomorrow morning regarding some recently found records, and must keep my energy levels up.
[ He hums in response, nonchalant, reaching for the cup of tea when she’s finished pouring. ]
And early morning? And yet you came to visit me. I must thank you, Lady Fu. There aren’t many who would give up their rest to indulge me in a game of starchess.
( Fu Xuan settles onto the cushion set aside for her, boba in hand once the tea has been served. That he appreciates her company and her indulgence is nice; for all they disagree, there is respect between them, enough that while she wouldn't exactly call them friends (she doesn't know who she would call a friend, in fairness) the idea of spending an evening playing starchess with him is not a burden. )
A game I intend to win, Jing Yuan. There is only something to gain by indulging you. ( Though she hasn't won yet. Perhaps this will be her time. ) Nothing that threatens the Luofu at this moment, but they wish to determine whether or not to follow through on the research presented within them. I believe it was about any potential application of the water from the Scalegorge Waterscape. Anything involving the Vidyadhara must be approached with caution, therefore I agreed to do the divination myself.
[ Ah. That. He'd seen the information come through his desk, and he vaguely remembers the request. There'd been no reason not to approve, and so he had, though it had left him with an odd heavy feeling in his chest. One that threatens to return now, and he does his best to metaphorically shake it off, nodding at her assertion. ]
And I would ask no other to do it. You are the least likely to make mistakes in the rite.
[ He turns on the board, the floor illuminating in brilliant gold and blue, the ambient light dimming enough to give them a better view of the pieces. ]
( Fu Xuan preens, in a way that she likes to think is not noticeable but very much is when he praises her abilities. Of course she's the right person to make that divination. There are no others in the entire fleet that can match her skill. It's good that he recognizes it, though. Sometimes, given how long he is content to put off naming her as his successor, she wonders if he even notices.
Anyway. )
You are correct on both counts. As I have your moves. ( But, frustratingly, that doesn't mean he will always make them in a way that guarantees her victory. Fu Xuan finds it, at the very least, an exercise in reminding herself that divination cannot fully account for all variables. Just most. ) Perhaps this night will be the night where true victory lies within my grasp. I would accuse you of cheating, for I know I am the better strategist when it comes to matters beyond starchess, but -- infuriatingly -- you never have.
[ He won’t argue or belabor the point. At least, not yet. Instead, he simply makes his first move. Predictable, comfortable. He silent for a moment, and when she goes to make her first move, he speaks up, keeping his gaze on the board. ]
Tell me, Fu Xuan. Your enemy is at the gate. You are easily outnumbered, ten men to one, but to surrender here would be akin to surrendering the entire war. You must not let your ship fall. Any plan you might put into place will be easily known by your rival strategist, and so any attempt to bluff will be called.
[ He looks up at her, his one visible eye looking right into hers. ]
( Of course she is. He knows it, the rest of the Luofu knows it, and it is only a matter of time before it is recognized in the way she desires. The way she has seen. She makes her own move, confident and unfazed by his seeming amusement.
Then again, the General always seems to find something amusing in all situations except the most dire. Fu Xuan takes a sip of her boba, hands curling around the cup before she sets it aside. )
That would depend. A plan cannot be made with so little knowledge -- what else do I know about my enemy? I do not think I would be so foolish as to find myself in a position where I am not facing a battle completely blind.
[ He takes a long moment to survey the board, leaving the silence in the air between them, before he reaches for his piece and moves it. Again, predictable. ]
( Fu Xuan very purposely avoids acting like she is a child -- aware of a person's first assumption based on her height alone. But the way she wrinkles her nose at the blatant manipulation of the question to put her at a disadvantage is almost childlike enough to convince anyone else.
Ugh! She moves another piece, farther away from his own -- the beginning of a gambit she knows he will not fall for. But that's aright, she's learned enough to attempt to begin another one and hope he is distracted enough with the first. )
Attempt not to win but to break even. A truce, perhaps -- we both stand to lose, even if they ultimately outnumber us. A convincing enough argument will, if nothing else, buy us time to await reinforcements from the Alliance.
[ If anyone understands that she isn't a child, it's him. A child wouldn't be capable of holding down the Divination Commission as effortlessly as she does, and while she does question his decisions regularly, it isn't the petulant rebellion of a teenager, but the honest questioning of a member of his team. None of this makes the way she wrinkles her nose in distaste any less cute, and he smiles to himself over it.
He nods as she speaks, watching her move her piece. He already knows her gambit, can see the different ways he could fall for it.
He chooses one, as he speaks. ]
And if your truce leads to surrender, and a loss for your people?
( Off to a decent start, Fu Xuan thinks, and moves another piece along that plan rather than starting the side attack. Next turn, once she can be certain he has committed to her gambit. It gives her time to chew over his question -- as loaded as it may be.
Taking another sip of her milk tea, she considers. It is a question asked by Jing Yuan, so the answer is never going to be as simple as it may seem. And it means he already has a viable solution in mind; one that is a winning gambit to his strategist mind. It's infuriating, the way he plays these games, and she sets down her drink harder than she intends. )
It is a truce, Jing Yuan. If crafted correctly then I can keep my people safe. Is not the lives of those who I am charged with protecting the most valuable asset a General can have? If my enemy breaks it, then their dishonorable actions speak louder than an outright victory could.
( She doubts it is the answer he is seeking, but likely he knew that before asking. Infuriating! )
[ He hums in response, his gaze never leaving the board as he watches her move her piece, though his eyes flick to her hands once as she she sets her drink down on the table.
She's irritated. No need to keep dragging it out. ]
A truce is a fine choice, [ he says eventually, the piece he moves likely one she wasn't expecting at all, clear on the opposite side of the board from where she's setting up to corner him. ] The lives of your people are indeed your most valuable asset.
[ He settles back again, against his seat, resting his head on his hand, propped up on his knee. ]
And that is why you prevent needing a truce to begin with. [ He closes his eyes and gives her a small smile. ]
( His move has her narrowing her eyes, a crease forming in her forehead only interrupted by her third eye. She's focused on trying to make a move and adjust for his unexpected play -- annoying, but typical of when she plays starchess against Jing Yuan -- that for a moment what he said doesn't register. When it does-- )
You bluff? ( The look she turns on him is shocked at first, before it melts back into annoyance at his smile. So yes, he knew she wouldn't think of it, and her hands form into fists for a second before she very carefully places them on her thighs. ) Jing Yuan, that is--
Absolutely ridiculous. You would place the lives of those we are to protect on the weight of someone's ability to lie?
( Her head spins, because Fu Xuan cannot possibly account for all the ways that such a bluff could go horribly wrong. It's distracting enough that she doesn't make her move just yet, her gambit forgotten in the way her mind reels at his revelation. )
[ He waits patiently for her to make her move, closing his eyes briefly. ]
Naturally, it's a strategy that could only work on one person — someone who knows you as well as you know yourself. Your rival knows you as well as you know yourself. And, so, you bluff. Because they will know you are bluffing. But they will also know that your bluff could be a trap — for what other reason would you possibly bluff in the face of certain defeat? Surely, then, calling that bluff will lead to the defeat of your rival. And if there is so much as a chance they will lose, why take it?
[ He opens his eyes and watches her, gaze dropping to her balled up fists on her thighs, up to her position on the board, back up to her face. ]
And, so, you have won, without drawing a single blade.
( Fu Xuan is very certain she is going to kill him before he's even marastruck. Out of frustration, most likely, or out of a deep desire to keep the Luofu safe from one of his absolutely insane decisions. It isn't that she can't see the logic of it, or understand why it would work -- but the flaw in it is exactly the reason why it would succeed: it only works for one person. )
And what if that person is not your rival? Do you suggest bluffing your way through that encounter as well? ( Fu Xuan snaps, and moves a piece upon the board in her irritation that exposes her gambit too early. She sighs in annoyance -- Jing Yuan has an uncanny ability to get under her skin, no matter how she might be willing to admit that he is a man deserving of his reputation. ) But I suppose you'll simply say that a good strategist will work out unique scenarios to deal with enemies every time.
( Which is fair, she supposes. But that doesn't mean she's not annoyed by the fact that he is right. )
[ He looks at her in surprise — both at her response and the move she makes on the board. And then his surprise turns into a lazy smile as he leans his chin onto his fist. If he was a cat, he might even be purring. ]
Of course, Lady Fu. That's what strategy is. Every scenario is different, even in the most minuscule of ways. Certainly you can have plans prepped, gambits you use as a jumping point. However—
[ and he moves one of his pieces into check, an example ]
Should you rely on those gambits too often, you risk defeat, because your enemy will be able to counter predict your every move.
( Her eyes narrow, though she knows she hasn't foreseen this outcome and therefore cannot rely on it now. But there's something about his smile that makes her itch, as near predatory as it is. Fu Xuan would be a lesser woman if she let a bad temper get the better of her, but she makes no hint of hiding her displeasure with the situation they've gotten themselves into. )
Was this really necessary to prove to me that I am not yet your match in strategy in all forms?
( She is going to take the fact that she can still best him in some, however. And she moves another piece, an attempt to reassert her control over the board itself -- it is clearly an attempt at making the best of the situation, and likely the best move she could make in such a scenario. )
Yet, [ he confirms, sweeping his gaze over the board. ]
And you hardly need proof of that.
[ It might be cruel, but it's the truth. They both know he's the better strategist, despite her capability as a diviner. He respects her enough to not mince words, or even outright lie. ]
What is necessary is helping you understands that mistakes made can cost you dearly.
[ Case in point: her best move is, unfortunately, not good enough to keep him from keeping her in check. ]
( Ugh. She takes her time again, scanning the board and running through divinations during the silence -- taking sips of her sweet tea and her boba while she does so. There are ways she can claw back from the position she's in, certainly, but they all rely on Jing Yuan being less intelligent than he is. And as frustrating as he can be, and is to her in this moment, she's not going to do them both the disservice of pretending otherwise.
Fu Xuan moves a piece at long last, cutting off another line of attack. If she must surrender, it will only be with one of his pieces in check. )
As is recovering as best as one can from those mistakes. Unless you are willing to admit that you have never made one.
( Arching a brow at him, Fu Xuan is satisfied if he does not expand upon whatever answer he gives her. There's no point in drudging up his illustrious past, though he would never describe it as such. )
To say I have never made a mistake would be folly. It’s truly impossible for someone of my age to have never made one, [ he says after an almost too long moment of contemplation. ] What mistakes I have made have been lessons learned, and nothing more.
Mistakes, [ he continues, sliding a piece across the board, ] do not define us. They simply are. No more, no less. Check.
( A wise answer. Fu Xuan thinks Jing Yuan is many things, and some of them not particularly kind, but she would be the first to admit that he possesses a keen insight and understanding not only with regards to the Luofu but also with himself. Know thyself, she muses, though her favorable view of the General is shattered with his word -- check? Again?
She splutters. )
What, how--
( Getting to her feet, Fu Xuan peers over the board, seeking what she might have missed. )
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Ah-- of course, Gen-- Jing Yuan.
( Which is how, some minutes later, Fu Xuan arrives with a nicely packed box of tea and snacks, as well as her own boba. The Seat of Divine Foresight is quiet this late at night -- most having already gone elsewhere or to rest. For all that Jing Yuan is the source of a great many of Fu Xuan's headaches, he is a competent Arbiter-General. Likely one of their best, if she were to fully immerse herself in the histories to compare. But that doesn't change her desire to beat him at chess.
Which she is going to do this time, she's certain of it. )
Good evening, General. ( Wait, no. ) Jing Yuan. Boss Du sends their regards, and reminds you that should you wish to visit the Du Teahouse in person you will not be charged.
( It's the publicity the owner wants, at this point. )
[ He’s standing at the edge of the large board that makes up the floor of the Seat, his back to her as she enters, though he does turn his head to look at her over his shoulder for a brief moment, closing his eyes as he gives her a brief smile. ]
One should be properly compensated for their work, and their work should stand on it’s own, without the testimony of someone the people admire.
[ He’s fully aware that it’s the publicity and nothing else that Du wants. But he’s not interested in being an influencer. ]
Do I smell nian gao?
A sharp nose. ( She confirms, before delicately setting the items down on a table off to the side of the board -- likely placed there by Jing Yuan himself in preparation. ) Freshly made, despite the hour. The teahouse does a bustling business late at night now that the Alley has been revitalized.
( Catering to people like the two of them, no doubt. )
[ Not him, though. He relaxes right there on the job. In fact, he’s doing so right now, settling down on a cushion he’d also prepared. Hers is on the other side of the table. The game board may be the floor, but they’ll control the pieces here. He settles, propping one knee up, resting his forearm on it. ]
And what else have you brought?
Save for the matter of her future.
But now is not the time to lecture Jing Yuan on the matter of succession. )
Sugar. The Dragon Lady has written a new prescription for my tea. ( She says, setting the tea tray out and beginning to pour the hot water over the leaves in the gaiwan, slowly so as to let the aroma waft up between them. ) And my boba, of course. I have been asked by the Alchemy Commission to do a divination for them early tomorrow morning regarding some recently found records, and must keep my energy levels up.
And early morning? And yet you came to visit me. I must thank you, Lady Fu. There aren’t many who would give up their rest to indulge me in a game of starchess.
[ The smile he gives her is real, if tired. ]
What records have they found?
A game I intend to win, Jing Yuan. There is only something to gain by indulging you. ( Though she hasn't won yet. Perhaps this will be her time. ) Nothing that threatens the Luofu at this moment, but they wish to determine whether or not to follow through on the research presented within them. I believe it was about any potential application of the water from the Scalegorge Waterscape. Anything involving the Vidyadhara must be approached with caution, therefore I agreed to do the divination myself.
And I would ask no other to do it. You are the least likely to make mistakes in the rite.
[ He turns on the board, the floor illuminating in brilliant gold and blue, the ambient light dimming enough to give them a better view of the pieces. ]
And so I ask, have you divined your own victory?
Anyway. )
You are correct on both counts. As I have your moves. ( But, frustratingly, that doesn't mean he will always make them in a way that guarantees her victory. Fu Xuan finds it, at the very least, an exercise in reminding herself that divination cannot fully account for all variables. Just most. ) Perhaps this night will be the night where true victory lies within my grasp. I would accuse you of cheating, for I know I am the better strategist when it comes to matters beyond starchess, but -- infuriatingly -- you never have.
[ He won’t argue or belabor the point. At least, not yet. Instead, he simply makes his first move. Predictable, comfortable. He silent for a moment, and when she goes to make her first move, he speaks up, keeping his gaze on the board. ]
Tell me, Fu Xuan. Your enemy is at the gate. You are easily outnumbered, ten men to one, but to surrender here would be akin to surrendering the entire war. You must not let your ship fall. Any plan you might put into place will be easily known by your rival strategist, and so any attempt to bluff will be called.
[ He looks up at her, his one visible eye looking right into hers. ]
What do you do?
Then again, the General always seems to find something amusing in all situations except the most dire. Fu Xuan takes a sip of her boba, hands curling around the cup before she sets it aside. )
That would depend. A plan cannot be made with so little knowledge -- what else do I know about my enemy? I do not think I would be so foolish as to find myself in a position where I am not facing a battle completely blind.
[ He takes a long moment to survey the board, leaving the silence in the air between them, before he reaches for his piece and moves it. Again, predictable. ]
What do you do?
Ugh! She moves another piece, farther away from his own -- the beginning of a gambit she knows he will not fall for. But that's aright, she's learned enough to attempt to begin another one and hope he is distracted enough with the first. )
Attempt not to win but to break even. A truce, perhaps -- we both stand to lose, even if they ultimately outnumber us. A convincing enough argument will, if nothing else, buy us time to await reinforcements from the Alliance.
He nods as she speaks, watching her move her piece. He already knows her gambit, can see the different ways he could fall for it.
He chooses one, as he speaks. ]
And if your truce leads to surrender, and a loss for your people?
Taking another sip of her milk tea, she considers. It is a question asked by Jing Yuan, so the answer is never going to be as simple as it may seem. And it means he already has a viable solution in mind; one that is a winning gambit to his strategist mind. It's infuriating, the way he plays these games, and she sets down her drink harder than she intends. )
It is a truce, Jing Yuan. If crafted correctly then I can keep my people safe. Is not the lives of those who I am charged with protecting the most valuable asset a General can have? If my enemy breaks it, then their dishonorable actions speak louder than an outright victory could.
( She doubts it is the answer he is seeking, but likely he knew that before asking. Infuriating! )
She's irritated. No need to keep dragging it out. ]
A truce is a fine choice, [ he says eventually, the piece he moves likely one she wasn't expecting at all, clear on the opposite side of the board from where she's setting up to corner him. ] The lives of your people are indeed your most valuable asset.
[ He settles back again, against his seat, resting his head on his hand, propped up on his knee. ]
And that is why you prevent needing a truce to begin with. [ He closes his eyes and gives her a small smile. ]
You bluff.
You bluff? ( The look she turns on him is shocked at first, before it melts back into annoyance at his smile. So yes, he knew she wouldn't think of it, and her hands form into fists for a second before she very carefully places them on her thighs. ) Jing Yuan, that is--
Absolutely ridiculous. You would place the lives of those we are to protect on the weight of someone's ability to lie?
( Her head spins, because Fu Xuan cannot possibly account for all the ways that such a bluff could go horribly wrong. It's distracting enough that she doesn't make her move just yet, her gambit forgotten in the way her mind reels at his revelation. )
[ He waits patiently for her to make her move, closing his eyes briefly. ]
Naturally, it's a strategy that could only work on one person — someone who knows you as well as you know yourself. Your rival knows you as well as you know yourself. And, so, you bluff. Because they will know you are bluffing. But they will also know that your bluff could be a trap — for what other reason would you possibly bluff in the face of certain defeat? Surely, then, calling that bluff will lead to the defeat of your rival. And if there is so much as a chance they will lose, why take it?
[ He opens his eyes and watches her, gaze dropping to her balled up fists on her thighs, up to her position on the board, back up to her face. ]
And, so, you have won, without drawing a single blade.
And what if that person is not your rival? Do you suggest bluffing your way through that encounter as well? ( Fu Xuan snaps, and moves a piece upon the board in her irritation that exposes her gambit too early. She sighs in annoyance -- Jing Yuan has an uncanny ability to get under her skin, no matter how she might be willing to admit that he is a man deserving of his reputation. ) But I suppose you'll simply say that a good strategist will work out unique scenarios to deal with enemies every time.
( Which is fair, she supposes. But that doesn't mean she's not annoyed by the fact that he is right. )
Of course, Lady Fu. That's what strategy is. Every scenario is different, even in the most minuscule of ways. Certainly you can have plans prepped, gambits you use as a jumping point. However—
[ and he moves one of his pieces into check, an example ]
Should you rely on those gambits too often, you risk defeat, because your enemy will be able to counter predict your every move.
Was this really necessary to prove to me that I am not yet your match in strategy in all forms?
( She is going to take the fact that she can still best him in some, however. And she moves another piece, an attempt to reassert her control over the board itself -- it is clearly an attempt at making the best of the situation, and likely the best move she could make in such a scenario. )
And you hardly need proof of that.
[ It might be cruel, but it's the truth. They both know he's the better strategist, despite her capability as a diviner. He respects her enough to not mince words, or even outright lie. ]
What is necessary is helping you understands that mistakes made can cost you dearly.
[ Case in point: her best move is, unfortunately, not good enough to keep him from keeping her in check. ]
Fu Xuan moves a piece at long last, cutting off another line of attack. If she must surrender, it will only be with one of his pieces in check. )
As is recovering as best as one can from those mistakes. Unless you are willing to admit that you have never made one.
( Arching a brow at him, Fu Xuan is satisfied if he does not expand upon whatever answer he gives her. There's no point in drudging up his illustrious past, though he would never describe it as such. )
Mistakes, [ he continues, sliding a piece across the board, ] do not define us. They simply are. No more, no less. Check.
She splutters. )
What, how--
( Getting to her feet, Fu Xuan peers over the board, seeking what she might have missed. )