Hearing this, Shan froze mid-motion, his gaze fixed on Han Fei with expression unreadable. Remarkably, he did not even cough nor spill the tea. Clearly, Han Fei's ruthlessness leaves no room for preparation.
Before Shan could ponder his limited options, another voice broke the tense silence. Now serving as an armed guardian to a defenseless scholar, Mayumi's concerns are practical as much as protective, her formidable demonstration at the Gan Jin mansion is more than enough to justify.
"Director Han Fei," she said respectfully. "Given what occurred recently at the wedding, I believe additional security is warranted. There is a possibility that someone may attempt to disrupt the proceedings."
Her words alluded to the scandalous collapse of the marriage between the Ganjinese and General Sun Bin's family, a debacle that had rippled across the city, feeding both gossip and amusement from the Upper Ring affluent circles down to the inns of the Lower Ring. In the aftermath, the Gan Jin patriarch had abruptly annulled the wedding, returning both bride price and dowry in full.
"I believe your concerns, Takeko, are unnecessary," Shan replied, perhaps wishing she stay to guard this residence. "Even if such repulsive act might occur, yours truly would not hesitate to sever ties with the Te family. Moreover, it might be improper to bring an armed individual to—"
"Her presence is essential," Han Fei interjected. "And Shan, I find it distasteful that you would question Lady Te's integrity."
The White Scholar tried to open his mouth to protest but recognized the futility of opposing the museum director's judgment.
Youthful as Shan is, he had no desire to pursue the noblewoman. For Legalist scholars, merit and efficiency eclipsed familial connections. Yet the deep-rooted patrimonialism of Ba Sing Se ensured that the Upper Ring nobles wielded immense bureaucratic influence. While the Keju exam sought to curb aristocratic power and elevate talented commoners, the reality remained that the majority of civil servants hailed from affluent families. This entrenched hierarchy could not be overturned overnight. Han Fei, seasoned and pragmatic, understood this perfectly. In a city so dominated by aristocratic lineage, those who wished to reshape the rules must first learn to play the game themselves.
For now at least.
Han Fei shifted his attention to Mayumi, known to most in the city as Takeko, and offered her a measured nod of approval. He commended her remarkable acrobatic prowess, especially notable in one who wielded no bending, and in doing so quietly overturned Shan's earlier reservations. To the Upper Ring gentry, whose knowledge of combat is limited to second-hand anecdotes and ornamental spear displays, the notion that she was merely a theatre performer blessed with uncanny physical grace seemed entirely plausible. Among the Legalists, whose meritocratic ethos prized talent above lineage, even an individual of humble origin could earn respect, which is stark contrast to the Earth Sage traditionalists who clung faithfully to lineages and orthodoxy to the mainstream moral philosophy. In truth, Mayumi's martial aptitude verged on overqualification, and Han Fei appeared more than willing to entertain the idea of having this capable swordswoman serve as a guard during the upcoming meeting.
"Your expertise will prove most advantageous," Han Fei said. "Although this city is free from common ruffians who might ambush our carriage, it would be far from ideal for anyone to overhear a conversation between Lord Te and myself. So, a guard watching the venue's entrance would be most convenient."
A cardinal error among the Ganjinese is the assumption that others would instinctively exhibit aristocratic decorum, a notion Ximen Qing himself readily disregarded.
"Very well, my pupil, I shall grant you a brief moment to prepare," Han Fei stood up and walked to the courtyard entrance. "The meeting will commence in a few hours, and Lord Te is notoriously impatient with tardiness. I shall wait in the carriage outside."
Mayumi can see how Shan intends to adapt to the swiftly shifting circumstances, though with evident struggle. This unannounced meeting bore the unmistakable mark of the director who orchestrated to ambush his unprepared pupil, leaving Shan with no opportunity to devise an escape. The perfectionist, still seated rigidly upon the stone chair, clearly resented the disruption. His mind is unprepared, bristled at disorder.
Once Han Fei departed, Mayumi stepped forward, tapping Shan lightly on the shoulder to pull him from his reverie.
"There is no use overthinking this," Shan muttered, his mind still resistant to the unfolding reality. "If my mentor insists yours truly accompany Lady Te, further protest may well test his patience." He looked to Mayumi, maintaining his stoic composure yet genuinely seeking counsel from a person of simpler station. "Takeko, have you ever faced a similar dilemma? Since we are both at the exact same age, have your guardians ever thrust you into a situation where your consent mattered little? If so, yours truly am eager to hear any advice that might help extricate from this predicament."
Mayumi responded with measured caution, her guidance limited by her own fortunate upbringing with parents who, though not without their demands, had been at least selective in suitors. The true peril of arranged marriages, she reflected, lay with the guardians, leaving those in great cities like Ba Sing Se especially constrained.
"As you see, while the Upper Ring enjoys its wealth, it is hardly complete in every regard," she said, drawing a comparison between a noblewoman's comfort and a fishwife's modest autonomy in rural life, where women could not be wholly confined to their homes.
"Like a bird trapped in a gilded cage," Shan pondered, lamenting the hidden compromises beneath the Upper Ring's opulence.
Mayumi paused, slightly surprised by his florid analogy, which is a flourish to be expected from a Ba Sing Se scholar. "I might phrase it more plainly, but you expressed it better."
Her modest counsel could scarcely be considered wisdom for Shan. Though born in a small wooden hut, she and others enjoyed certain freedoms denied to those ensconced behind gilded walls.
Shan, unwilling to squander further time, resolved to act. "It matters little if Te Laoye is senile. His presence alone will not thwart my ambitions. Let us proceed." He moved toward the courtyard door, but Mayumi called after him.
"Wait, don't you intend to prepare first?" she asked in disbelief, questioning if the scholar is truly a citizen of the Upper Ring. "Perhaps change your attire?".
"Yours truly's attire suffices," Shan replied, his simple white changshan unaltered. Though its color is universally associated with mourning, he saw no reason to change. Yet Mayumi, recalling Han Fei's superstitious tendencies, doubted the mentor would permit a white robe at an ostensibly auspicious meeting.
"Shan, you are not attending a funeral," Mayumi further advised.
"My mentor will address the substantive matters," Shan said firmly. "As your role is to guard, your focus must remain on security." He allowed a faint edge of calculation in his tone, hoping the robe's stark hue might subtly vex the already cantankerous Te Laoye. For in a union with a Ba Sing Se Zhuangyuan, much risk fell upon Lady Te should the meeting falter.