[LP CYOA] 傳

[Stygian Lurker]

C

 

[Nevill]

How would you know who will be around to pick up your cries of help? You have no way of knowing that. As for exits, there's a small wooden window.

Also, the concept of saving face is very important. Our character understands that fully.

If we give him the slip and run in circles across the whole encampment - pretty much everyone wil hear us.
I am not exactly sure who needs to be saving face here. We are not going to lose face if we do not fight several armed men, each one stronger and more experienced than us.

 

[Azira]

Give him the slip and run around like a head-less chicken.

Good and well for Jing. Do you think Cao'er's going to be nimble/acrobatic enough to give him the slip?

 

[Nevill]

As I said, if he could off a kid in broad daylight, he might as well not have bothered with poisons.
We would be risking more by accepting his forest escort.

 

[Tigranes]

C for now, Indeed it must be C or E.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

As I said, if he could off a kid in broad daylight, he might as well not have bothered with poisons.
We would be risking more by accepting his forest escort.

It's not broad daylight. Changes stuff a lot.

 

[Nevill]

It's not broad daylight. Changes stuff a lot.

Semantics. It is still a place full of people, with paper for walls. We are not going to disappear silently without a trace here.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

Another thing that might be to our (slight) advantage if a confrontation is that he doesn't know anything about us. For all we know he thinks that we are a physician's apprentice who only knows about medicines and herbs. If it comes to a fight, which I don't think will happen unless our luck kicks in, he might underestimate our, admittedly meager, abilities enough for us to get the jump on him. He seems to be an asshole, he might underestimate us.

 

[Baltika9]

Kashmir is right, I can't see him taking Tigerbro seriously, Tigerbro to him might look like a somewhat strong herbalist (probably hunts in his spare time or something) not a dangerous martial artist. We know he's a swordman but he doesn't know shit about us.

I think he already considers Jing to be insignificant, in no small part tanks to Jing's experiences in nobility in the Palace and dealing with clients in this past year. Tigerbro played his servility off rather well

“This is Rong Zhiyu. May I come in, apprentices?”

You know he will come in whether you allow it or not. “Please do, Young Master Rong,” you call out.

Rong Zhiyu walks in, grinning thinly. Falsely. In his left hand he is carrying a sword, in the other, a book. Another sword is tucked in at his waist. You tense up, shifting your body instinctively so that Cao’er is behind you. Even so, you force your face into a smile. It is probably more natural than his on account of your constant practice.

“I’m just here to tell you the good news. Father is fully recovered now, and won’t be needing your assistance tomorrow.”

There is no need to even think about it - he is lying. Cao’er will not be wrong about the amount of treatment required.

“I am unsure what reward you would want - Mother said that you did not demand the Killing Physician’s fee, and I am grateful for that. Unfortunately, as you know we are not a very rich school. I thought of giving these to you,” says Rong Zhiyu, as he tosses the sword and book at you.

“That sword has been passed down through the ages in the Rong family, and the book instructs you in the Songfeng Swordplay. These are our prized heirlooms.”

You look at the sword, drawing it partially from the scabbard. The design is old - perhaps more than a hundred years old - and when you wield it there is something off about its balance, though you cannot tell what exactly. You have had experience with swords in the palace, and this sword just feels wrong in your hand. Perhaps it is just badly made.

Then, you look at the book. There is only one page within - the first step of the Songfeng Swordplay.

“The rest of the steps are school secrets - if you want them, you will have to join and pay a fee,” smiles the young master. The 'gifts' are clearly meant as insults. You can feel Cao’er grabbing your sleeve.

“These are marvellous treasures, Young Master Rong. Are you sure we can have them?” you say, chuckling with feigned pleasure.

“Of course. They are really more than you deserve, but I would say it is fitting payment for curing my dear father.”

“Thank you, Young Master Rong,” you bow politely. “That must not be the only reason you are here, right?”

His eyes narrow. “Since your business here is done, perhaps you can be on your way, apprentices.”

“I would, but the road is dark at night, Young Master. Where would you have us go? We have walked a long way today,” you reply.

“I have arranged for an inn’s room at Tuzhonglin, just ten minutes away. I will have four of our school’s disciples escort you there,” he says, staring at you. It looks like his mind is set and he will not be swayed. You are not wanted here.

You are also not new to the jianghu any more. Grinning at Rong Zhiyu, you know that there is a chance that those disciples will attempt to cut you and Cao’er down in the dark, once you’re safely away from the school. Of course, in the woods you could always try to lose them, but if you walk away now, you are certain that Master Rong will die. You would be betraying Madam Rong’s trust, and your master’s own reputation.

On the other hand… Cao’er’s grip on your sleeve tightens, as she is starting to get nervous at the situation.

Notice how we played the perfect idiot, I'm sure Rong considers us a non--threat (which we may well be ).

 

[treave]

I am not exactly sure who needs to be saving face here. We are not going to lose face if we do not fight several armed men, each one stronger and more experienced than us.

Not in context of the current confrontation, but the whole situation. Which would really help in making a more accurate appraisal of the reasoning behind the son's actions.

 

[ScubaV]

Definitely C or E. I think I'll pull an Esquilax and abstain, though I'll vote for either if somehow another choice makes a come-from-behind move.

 

[Tigranes]

I am not exactly sure who needs to be saving face here. We are not going to lose face if we do not fight several armed men, each one stronger and more experienced than us.

Not in context of the current confrontation, but the whole situation. Which would really help in making a more accurate appraisal of the reasoning behind the son's actions.

Let's revisit the update. The first thing we haven't really talked about is that the strange circumstances behind our entry and invitation.

You make a courteous bow and introduce yourself and Cao’er. “We are apprentices of the Master Physician Yao Shunshi. I believe we are expected?”

The two look at each other, whispering.

“No, we didn’t-” begins one of the disciples, before a woman’s voice is heard from the courtyard, its owner approaching the gate swiftly. “Are the physician’s apprentices there?”

At first glance, it looks as if the Madam has kept the illness secret and has sent for Yao personally. But consider that she walks up to the gate - where the two guard-disciples are still standing - and talks all about how she sent for you. She doesn't mention who is sick, of course, so it's a possibility that the Master's illness is not known to all the sect. But an even more compelling hypothesis is that the disciples were instructed by somebody to not let you in. If so, it could be the son, trying to ensure help does not reach the Master - but heck, it could even be the Madam herself, who decided upon seeing us that actually, it would be even better to have us framed. Her excessive bounciness raises my suspicion. Takeaway: there's a distinct possibility that many disciples are not fully or even partially aware of the situation, and that the Madam herself is not off the hook.

“Perhaps a week, then. Father fell off a horse and has never been the same since,” replies the young man absent-mindedly, his brow creasing.

To be fair, this kind of ridiculous lying really puts the son in the suspect's chair. I'm just not quite sure if it's a loyal Madam versus scheming Son affair, or even if there's other issues at hand between the two. Still, there's not enough there to really figure out if there's something strange going on with the Madam.

As you walked, you had asked around Tuzhonglin about the school that you are heading to, finding out a bit of its background. Rong Muben is the master and founder of the school. He had once been a senior disciple on Huashan, reputed for his light swordsmanship. After creating a reputation for himself, he had married and settled down in the forest near Tuzhonglin twenty years ago. There, he had built his Songfeng Sword School. The school is relatively reputable but not large - there are at most thirty or forty students. Apparently Rong Muben has combined his honour with an utter lack of ambition, lacking the will to expand his school. He has not challenged any other schools in ten years, preferring to spend his time cultivating himself in meditation. Times have been hard recently, and the son has just returned a few months ago from a year’s stay at Huashan Sect, where his father had trained.

The last piece of information is perhaps the role of the Huashan. Is there something shady going on here - maybe the son would like to submit the Songfeng school to the Huashan sect, or some other kind of connection? But given the small size and stagnancy of the Songfeng school would it really be of import to the Huashan? If anything is going on there it is surely a personal sort of ambition or debt involving the son.

I don't know. Maybe someone else can prise out more from here - but I'll go E > C for now, just to be a little more circumspect and find out more. Given the disciples may be partly ignorant and the Madam is not necessarily 100% trustworthy for all her 'niceness' I'm not too confident of what will happen with a ruckus.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

I didn't think about the wife being in on it. That is an interesting idea.

Unless treave is trying to mess with us, though I don't think that it would be the case. She has no apparent motive. They have been living there for twenty years. There have been no challenges in the past ten years. Nothing has happened during that period of time. Unless the wife is a lot more crafty than we think, the timing is just too good for her to be the main figure behind it. Also, she didn't seem to flinch when Cao'er started to say "poison," so I don't think she is in on it. Someone who is guilty would probably be very nervous when even a slip like that is mentioned. She also seemed genuinely relieved that the death price was waved.

The son has the obvious motive behind poisoning his father, and the timing lines up. The master was apparently healthy until after his son returned.

Now I am not saying that the mother might not be an accomplice to the poisoning, but it just fits that this is the son's plan.

Though her coming to check up on us so many times is kind of fishy...

Hmmm.

 

[Baltika9]

At the risk of overthinking this, I too think there's a hidden depth here.

Rong Jr. , as obvious as the conclusion is, is an arrogant brat with an ambitious streak. It's entirely plausible he would be the type of prick to poison his own father and do it quietly, so as to save the face of his, or soon-to-be his, orthodox school.

But why would the Madam keep it under wraps? I don't think we overheard any of the students expressing concern or approaching us, the medics, to inquire about the Master's state. Which means he's either not well loved and there really is a takeover in progress, or the Madam is keeping his illness on the low-down.

Again, why? Maybe she knows more than she shows and is trying to save her family's rep of having her husband poisoned by his son, she does regard him rather highly. Must be a mother's live or something. Damn, that PER bonus sure would be useful.
treave, what are the votes?

 

[treave]

C is ahead I think, though I haven't done a full count. Will be counting very very carefully this time.

 

[Tigranes]

I think to assume Madam Rong had a hand in the poison is not really substantiated by what we know, I just don't think we can assume that if we kick up a fuss with C she will be on our side. The worst thing would be if it resulted in us being denied the chance to save him, since once he dies the question of our innocence will be decided for good. I really think E is the smarter thing here, I think Cao'er isn't stupid enough to say HELL NO then and there.

 

[treave]

Also, not trying to mess with you guys with the comment of face, but it was meant to get you guys to this conclusion:

Rong Jr. , as obvious as the conclusion is, is an arrogant brat with an ambitious streak. It's entirely plausible he would be the type of prick to poison his own father and do it quietly, so as to save the face of his, or soon-to-be his, orthodox school.

Which is what Jing already suspects. It is not a matter of not being strong enough to kill his father, it is a matter of not wanting to be known as a killer of his own father. Poison has no bearing on his strength, as ERYFKRAD mentioned. It doesn't mean he is strong enough to kill his father either. I had thought this wouldn't be in dispute and didn't think to elaborate.

As for Mdm. Rong, Jing doesn't suspect her at all. You can make of that what you will.

None of these are arguments against C, just making some things that the character has thought about clearer.

edit:

Current tally, as far as I can see:

m4davis - C
ERYFKRAD - E
Azira - B
LWC1996 - A
Zero Credibility - E
XenomorphII - C
Ifeex - C
The Brazilian Slaughter - C
Smashing Axe - E
Kipeci - C
Kashmir Slippers - C
Jester - E
Storyfag - E
Baltika9 - B
Bloodshifter - C
Nevill - C
Stygian Lurker - C
Tigranes - E
Cassidy - E

A - 1
B - 2
C - 9
E - 7

 

[Baltika9]

I think to assume Madam Rong had a hand in the poison is not really substantiated by what we know, I just don't think we can assume that if we kick up a fuss with C she will be on our side. The worst thing would be if it resulted in us being denied the chance to save him, since once he dies the question of our innocence will be decided for good. I really think E is the smarter thing here, I think Cao'er isn't stupid enough to say HELL NO then and there.

Not saying she did, she may just be in a "son vs. husband" position. On the one hand, Junior is an ambitious douche; on the other, he's still her "baby boy." Everything points to her being a completely selfless, emotional housemaker (she was apparently even ready to give her life for her husband's). The stereotypical Good Wife, if you will. I don't think we can count on her support if Junior assaults us, her primary concern seems to be preserving her family's integrity (My boy would never do such a thing!), which explains the secrecy.
Hm, I'd go E, but I'm kinda suspicous of it because it was thrown in for "kicks" along with D, you know how paranoid I can get. Plus, we never know just who may be listening in with our luck.

 

[LWC1996]

Though her coming to check up on us so many times is kind of fishy...
Hmmm.

The grateful Madam Rong escorts you personally to your room. Cao’er had refused to sleep in a separate one, and with the clucking of a disapproving mother hen Madam Rong had grudgingly allowed it. Very grudgingly, as she continues knocking on the door every ten minutes to find out if you need anything. You spot her shadow hovering through the paper walls, listening in. It seems that she’s guarding Cao’er’s chastity as fervently as she would her own daughter’s.

Nothing fishy with Madam Rong checking up on them many times. Back in the days, it's a taboo to have an unmarried maiden alone with an unmarried man.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

Nothing fishy with Madam Rong checking up on them many times. Back in the days, it's a taboo to have an unmarried maiden alone with an unmarried man.

I know. I was just going tinfoil hat on all the ways that anything could be a trap or not be what it seems.

 

[Cassidy]

E

Until a miracle cure can fix all the bad luck of the protagonist, straight confrontations sound like a risky road unless he is about to confront a wimp.

 

[Baltika9]

Still, if we put our foot down and say "We're the doctors here, and he's not healthy until we say so," what's he gonna do about it? If he took all these precautions to cover his ass, would he risk killing the apprentices of the world's most skilled physician just like that, in his own home? Then again, I doubt he committed to going Full Dio to just up and quit like that and Yao is a recluse with a killer's rep, so whom will the authorities believe?
treave, are we sure there isn't anyone listening in right now? I'd sure hate to be busted like that.

Between B, C and E I'm starting to like B more and more, while C is getting increasingly dubious.

Edit: in fact, let me flop to B>E.

 

[LWC1996]

Nothing fishy with Madam Rong checking up on them many times. Back in the days, it's a taboo to have an unmarried maiden alone with an unmarried man.

I know. I was just going tinfoil hat on all the ways that anything could be a trap or not be what it seems.

That paranoid, huh.

Still, if we put our foot down and say "We're the doctors here, and he's not healthy until we say so," what's he gonna do about it? If he took all these precautions to cover his ass, would he risk killing the apprentices of the world's most skilled physician just like that, in his own home? Then again, I doubt he committed to going Full Dio to just up and quit like that and Yao is a recluse with a killer's rep, so whom will the authorities believe?
treave, are we sure there isn't anyone listening in right now? I'd sure hate to be busted like that.

Between B, C and E I'm starting to like B more and more, while C is getting increasingly dubious.

Edit: in fact, let me flop to B>E.

You must be uber confident with your skill level 2 pressure point. You might accidentally kill him if you hit the wrong points...

 

[treave]

treave, are we sure there isn't anyone listening in right now? I'd sure hate to be busted like that.

Sure, I'll tell you who's around. Want to know what the son's thinking and what the mother and everyone else in the compound is doing at the moment while I'm at it?

edit: Anyway there's a listening technique for that. Heightens perception. You'll probably want to track it down to prevent a repeat of this particular worry.

 

[Nevill]

it could even be the Madam herself, who decided upon seeing us that actually, it would be even better to have us framed.

I didn't think about the wife being in on it. That is an interesting idea.

I did. And, well, I discarded the idea - it is highly implausible. The reputation of the Killing Physician is too well-known for her to make such a gambit. She could not have planned for your mercy - for all she knew, you would heal the head of the school, and you would take her life. There is nothing she stands to gain by involving herself in the nefarious plot and then letting you in.

The only shady thing I can think of is that she knows of poisoning and wants to keep her son's involvement a secret, but even then her priotity seems to be her husband's health.

Rong Jr. , as obvious as the conclusion is, is an arrogant brat with an ambitious streak. It's entirely plausible he would be the type of prick to poison his own father and do it quietly, so as to save the face of his, or soon-to-be his, orthodox school.

It is not a matter of not being strong enough to kill his father, it is a matter of not wanting to be known as a killer of his own father.

If this is what you meant by 'saving face', then this is another reason he can't afford to gut us in the open - if the future master attempts such a feat, the school of honorable swordsmen is done for.

I really doubt there is much more to what is going on. There might be deeper motives, but the bulk of the situation should be clear.