Luertasi Rzvastiro
What are the Gods but the servants of man? Duke Tiarjia of Liang
The waters gushed out of the river and rushed out into the surrounding plains. Fields of grain were wiped out in an instant with the homes near the riverbanks being overwhelmed with waves of water. Fortunately, the people living in the homes had long abandoned their fields with what they could take for them. This land did not breed fools; when it did, they died quickly. The point of mistakes was to learn from them, not to suffer them in ignorance.
Yet overlooking the terraced farmlands were the people who had lost much in this flood. And with them were men of a rare breed, men much whispered and discussed even in such a faraway place. The villagers looked on while their most distinguished and respected members were engaged in deep conversation with the two young men. It was remarkable.
How odd it must be to be a villager.
We have told you all you wanted to know, where are the promised monies and support? asked one of the village elders suspiciously. Promises and assurances by armored men had not often been fulfilled in the past. Life had hardened him yet time after time, the hope and expectation of a kept promise remained. The young men remained expressionless and with one simply asking one question:
Do you not trust us? Not without an edge to his voice. The situation quickly became tense. Villagers were after all villagers, quick with words of blame and praise depending on the context of their lives. The young of the group grasped their pitchforks and simple bows, as if their farming and hunting tools would be capable of defending against highly trained practitioners of war.
No. Not at all. You have done little to earn our trust and nothing to merit our beliefs. You ride into our village a simple fortnight ago and expect us to trust your words as if they were the words of Heaven. We dont know who you are, where you come from, and what your purpose is. You simply came and expect to be obeyed. So we ask you this, who are you and what do you want?
We are men: men of honor and dignity. That is all you need to know. And if our presences are no longer welcomed, we will beg your pardons and proceed to leave. And without any further words, the two men marched off to their well-equipped steeds and gently trotted away. Leaving the villagers naught but memories of something they were not, and a ray of hope.
Yet far off, the two men conversed amongst themselves
Baiji, what are your thoughts?
My Prince, it is my firm conviction that we have garnered the sufficient amount of information and knowledge as we were requested to, said Baiji with the utmost solemn nature. Tiarjia threw his companion a quizzical look, taking care not to fall off his mount in the meantime with that simple gesture.
You agree with my fathers actions then? was what Tiarjia asked of his long-time friend. You know that my father has been doing naught but combating the will of the Gods themselves. Our Gods are incapable of mercy. If they choose to turn against us, men have long resigned themselves to suffering their gods wrath. I will not. If the Gods weaken us, then we will rather cast off the Gods. Man is the arbitrator of their own destinies, not relying on the goodwill of the Heavens. Does that make sense? Or does it smell of heretical Avaese thought?
Baiji as he had for much of his life, remained possessing a bland expression. It was rather pointless in his mind to fight against the will of the Gods and he had known that fact long ago.
It can be said that because of those reasons that the new wandering aesthetic is doomed to fail. The mans, I believe Kongfuzi, ranting is rather abysmal considering the nature of the social order. As we have so cleverly seen, the fact is that the peasants do not know their correct place in this society with their lords. And because of that, we can see his mad dream of social harmony between the classes to be what it is: the insane ramblings of an insane man. How can social relations become so static? Fluidity is the nature of things, the nature of all things. That is why the Gods are there. They exist because we exist and we continue to believe in them. Should all the Ming states suddenly cease to exist, would our Gods remain? Or do they only exist because we believe them to?
The two said nothing, simply remaining vigilant over the border of their thoughts.
