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This year, however… this year was different. She was both content and excited because of what she had been doing since she got back from Master Jin’s and had been feverishly preparing for the expedition to the south. She had gone to the coast, past Grass Sea City, to talk to the shipwrights and sailors there and had barely made it back to the capital in time. Normally the roads were relatively clear as it rained more than it snowed in this region of the Azure Hills, but when it did snow the thick white blanket that covered the ground sometimes rose higher than a man’s head.

It had been a horrid slog, and it was only thanks to her fine guards that she had managed to get back at all.

She had not even been back for three hours, yet had to spend all that time preparing for the current feast, getting into her best dress, and applying makeup to cover the small scratch that she had on her cheek from wandering through one of the cold forests when they had stopped for the night. Then she had seen the seating chart.

Chyou was seated to the left of her Grandmother, and Bo to their Grandfather’s right, displaying the head of the Trading Company’s clear and undeniable favour.

It felt good to be seated in a preeminent position, rather than off to the side as a mere supporter. Chyou’s eyes roamed the richly appointed room from her seat on a silk cushion. The hundreds of men and women in the room, all part of the Guan extended family, were a sight to behold—as was their dinner.

Let it never be said that the Azure Jade Trading Company skimped for their family—each and every person here had a steaming bowl of Gold Grade rice; overtop the delicacy was the only thing they had to match it, and something that Chyou had brought back with her. A recipe of Master Jin’s, given to her by Wa Shi.

Maple glazed duck breast, over a bed of the finest Xiānggū mushrooms, and the winter lake grasses that still grew under the iced over Pale Moon Lake.

Compared to Master Jin’s table, it was lacking something. Perhaps Master Jin’s attention to detail, or Wa Shi’s fine palate, but it was still one of the most delicious meals Guan Chyou had ever eaten.

Conversation had been notably muted ever since the meal had been brought out, only the clinking of chopsticks and soft sounds of pleasure echoing through the hall.

“So, Granddaughter, how did your trip to the coast go?” Grandmother Daiyu asked after Chyou finished swallowing the sweet morsel as if she didn’t already know the answer.

“It went excellently, Grandmother. The Wave Piercer Trading Company’s representative was intrigued by our terms for use of their ships and crews, and seemed receptive. They are sending a member of the main family after the spring storms to discuss further, but with the current terms you gave me things should progress quite quickly. They were most interested in the journal I found of the first expedition as well.”

At first, Guan Chyou had thought to keep everything “in the Azure Hills” as it was for the purposes of mounting an expedition to the Southlands, before she realised that such a thing was foolish beyond measure. Why do everything from scratch? They were a part of the Empire after all, even if most of the time the Azure Hills seemed isolated. They could simply pay for experienced crews and ships that could brave the dangerous waters, and the Wave Piercer Trading Company sailed in some of the worst seas imaginable.

“Good. Always remember to take advantage of any pre-existing infrastructure if you can.” Grandmother praised. “Now, how have the guards been doing?”

Chyou smiled at the question.

“Mister Rags, is, contrary to his appearance, a consummate professional.” She supplied. “I feared nothing throughout my trip.”

Indeed, the trip to the coast, the auction, and the deals with the Wave Piercers had gone off without a hitch. The man looked like a vagabond, but his word was his oath. He even knew nice places to eat along the way!

“And your interactions with the Sects?” Grandmother continued.

“Polite.” Chyuou responded, and the Elegant Lady Daiyu snorted.

“Oh, how things have changed.” the older woman mused, looking at Chyou’s robes.

“Indeed. They are quite polite and accommodating for Master Jin’s personal assistant and liaison.” Guan Chyou said calmly.

Her grandmother’s chuckles intensified.

Indeed, it was a mighty weapon she could use. She told no lie. She was just Master Jin’s personal assistant and liaison, but her robe, tied in such a manner to signify that she was a taken woman, made people jump to all sorts of conclusions.

The culmination of her new weapon came when an Elder of the Azure Horizon Sect had started to make advances upon her once he saw her unavailable status. The man’s tastes in married women were known. In the past, they would have to spend their company’s hard-earned reputation and wealth to gently and politely refuse any who dared… but even they had their limits, and an Elder of the Azure Horizon Sect was pushing what they could get away with. Now? She got to smile and watch his eager grin wither like fruit on a vine, giving way to an ashen complexion and fear.

The Azure Horizon Sect was remarkably accommodating after that. Why, their caravans had never been more protected in that stretch of the Azure Hills.

Chyou made small talk with her grandmother for the rest of the meal, luxuriating in the warm room, until the older woman sighed.

“It's time.” She said and nodded at Chyou’s grandfather.

The older man stood, and the room went silent as he strode across it to where there was a small stage prepared so that he could give his presentation.

He took a breath as he stared across the hall, and a smile came across his face.

“My family, my dear family. How has this year treated you all?” he asked, and a great cheer answered him as people banged on tables and raised their cups.

“Ha! I see you think we’ve done well, eh? You all have been wondering, haven’t you, about what we sold, and our profits for this year?”

Another cheer answered him.

The Master of the Azure Jade Trading Company smiled, a little vicious thing.

“Well, who am I to deny you?” he reached up to where a board was covered by cloth and pulled. “Behold! Our profits for this year!”

The curtain was pulled aside, and gasps echoed around the room as the graph was revealed.

Specifically as the red line that rose towards the ceiling, nearly vertical from its previous position to the point where another board had been nailed to the first, and even still, the line nearly ran off that too.

Servants scurried about, putting more sheets in front of the members of the company, handing out a more detailed analysis.

“Magnificent, is it not?” her grandfather asked as he paced across the stage. “Everything we have been working towards, after all these years—it is but the beginning! Our legend begins here, my dearest family. All our lives, we have been preparing for this moment! Next year shall be our time to rise! Like the Phoenix of the Empire! Like a Dragon ascending to Heaven!”

Eyes gleamed as merchants stared at the profits they had received.

“Before you is our plan as it stands now; all section heads have been informed, and upon the melting snows shall our expansion be put into place! Now, we shall give thanks to the man who has made it all possible!” The master of the Trading Company lifted his cup.

“Praise be to Master Jin!”

“Praise be to Master Jin!” The roar of merchants answered him.

Chyou lifted her voice with them, her grandmother looking slightly surprised by Chyou’s enthusiasm.

It was after all thanks to him that she was worth something besides her body and the family she had been born to. Without his aid, Chyou would never have had the opportunity to prove herself.

“We shall now begin to assign merit! Guan Bo! Guan Chyou! Come to this old man and get your rewards!”

For the first time in forever, Chyou enjoyed the New Years ceremony. Wine flowed freely. The tables were pulled away, and instruments were brought out, so the party could begin in earnest.

Chyou glanced at her brother, who was smiling, before turning her eyes to her bracelet, made with a blue fish scale. A gift from a talking fish.

Ah, the spring had never seemed so far away. She couldn’t wait to show Master Jin how much she had accomplished!

And with luck, continue to accomplish, before the spring came.

Present—The Spring.

“Go, and bring that to Master Han.” Chyou commanded, her voice rising above the scene of organized chaos. Preparing for a long journey always was hard, and always brought at least some measure of chaos.

“You’ve gotten good at this, sis.” her brother complimented as he sat back and just watched, having delegated to her. Chyou smiled. Normally, her brother being lazy was annoying, but sometimes, when he just sat back and let her take care of things… well, it was a victory in both their books.

“Miss Chyou, we’re ready when you are.” Rags said as he walked up beside her.

“Excellent, Mister Rags. You said it wouldn’t be an issue that you were accompanying us?”

“Big Boss Man and Sister Tigu said it was fine.” the man said negligently, shrugging his shoulders, before grinning and reaching out, grabbing a short young man who had been approaching them. “And we got my other Brother here, so we’ll make good time! This here is our Loud Boy, official member of the Farrow Gang! If the going gets tough, you run to me or him, all right, Miss Chyou? He looks like a chump, but he's strong and good in a scrap!”

The young man sighed, irritation crawling across his features as well as a slight blush.

“Zang Wei, a member of the Farrow Gang. We’ll get you where you need to go, pretty miss.” ‘Loud Boy’ said respectfully.

Chyou smiled at the boy. He was a cute little thing, and he seemed just… content with the world.

“I feel quite safe in your hands. Now, we’re just waiting on the last—” Chyou cut herself off as she saw a nervous looking young woman approaching the caravan, constantly glancing at a piece of paper in her hands then back up at the caravans. She was accompanied by two guards wearing heavy armor and carrying several large cases with them.

“Biyu! Miss, are you Mengde’s Biyu?” Chyou called out and the woman, that had spectacularly fluffy hair, and wide, owlish eyes, perked up.

“Yes, I’m Biyu!” She exclaimed. “Are you Guan Chyou?”

“Yes. Your Masters have already arranged everything. Your goods are to go in caravan three, middle of the pack. I swear upon the Azure Jade Trading Company’s honour, it is the safest location for the Illustrious Mengde’s!”

Thus, did they travel north, the caravan eating the road. With not one, but two cultivators with them any amount of hardship was reduced to nothing. Stuck caravans were lifted out within the minute; broken axles were repaired within the hour.

It was an exceedingly pleasant and speedy journey as Chyou read and reread the terms of the Wave Piercer Company. For using their ships and sailors to travel to the southlands, the deposits for the ships, what they would have to pay if the ships were destroyed…the list and terms were some fifty pages long.

When she wasn’t doing that, she was talking to her brother, the guards, or their other important travelling companion.

Biyu of the Crystal Emporium was surprisingly good conversation—at least when one got her on the top of either crystals or cute clothes. Biyu spent her time sewing bows and small hats that were the proper size for dolls, using a hand-carved wooden armature so she could make the sizes right. She had a wondrously accessorized Demon Slaying Orchid doll, and it got Chyou thinking.

What about better proportioned, wooden dolls? Like the armature Biyu used? Poseable, with all sorts of little hats?

Her Brother's eyes started gleaming when she mentioned it to him.

“This is where we stop for tonight!” Rags shouted. It was the last place to really rest, instead of camp before arriving at Verdant Hill, so everyone was determined to make the most of the little inn.

They unpacked efficiently as Loud Boy and Rags performed a quick sweep of the town, and satisfied that there was nothing to worry about they walked with Chyou through the front door of the inn—and froze.

Chyou felt her heart begin to beat faster as both men tensed up… before Rags started laughing and a shit eating grin spread across his face.

“Hey, Handsome Man!” Rags shouted, moving forwards and letting Chyou get a good look at the tall, well-muscled and freckled man who had a mouthful of dumpling.

He looked mildly constipated even as Loud Boy’s own grin spread across his face.

“Small world, eh?” Loud Boy asked, and for a brief moment an ethereal blue dragon tail coiled around his arm.

“Look at him, trying to steal a march on you, Loud Boy! Skulking about and trying to sneak to our Sister!”

“Handsome Man” groaned.

Chyou had the feeling that she was missing something.