POV: MING
LOCATION: THE CRANNIES
Due to the visit of the scholar,who had also traded his kimon and was now clad in a beggar wear, the crannies was in a mood you have never seen it before. The children who could walk and run were busy clearing the filty street, while the adult were putting up decorations. You were busy trying to shovel up what dung you could when I noticed my brother (who was supposed to be working) intently talking to the scholar and watching his paintings. This annoyed you to no end but you made no comment.
During one of their discussion, you notice that the young scholar trying to examine a child who can bearely stand.
"What is wrong with him?" The scholar asked.
Unable to control yourself you say
"He was not properly fed"
He then turned to you and asked
"Is he hungry?"
"We feed him what we can. He just did not have mother's milk"
"Well where is his mother?"
That question got you annoyed at the young nobleman
"Do you see any breastfeeding mother around?" You replied hotly
"What she means is that some soldiers usually come every month and take our grain and mothers as taxes for the lord who own these lands." Your brother explained
"How long has this been going on?" The scholar's mood was changing
"As long as the crannies I suppose" You reply "the only people who can do anything about it is the emperor himself but the sky will turn yellow before he does anything about it."
In the end every thing was set and the scholar began to paint you not as the way we were but as the way we wanted to be. As a group of healthy happy people under the protection of a mighty ant general who was clad in a fearsome white armor and standing as though challenging the whole world to come for his home.
Your brother shang was drawn as an archer on a roof top with his deadly looking arrow aiming towards the imperial palace. The concentration on his face showed that his intentions were deadly and the steadiness and strength of his arms showed that his aim was true. My brother loved that portrayal to no end.
The best though was his portrayal of you. If someone were to ask you he must have spent quite a lot of time and effort drawing you. How he achieved this without you poseing even for a second stood as a powerful testament to his skill.
You were drawn as a fearsome female warrior with a long sword strapped to her back. Your armor was made of red steel and it was fashioned in the way of a lion. You were also mounted on a white stallion and your helmet which was in my hand , showed the abundant cracks that could only belonged to a seasoned vetran. The fascinating thing is that your scars which you know to be an object of intimidation was made to be both an object of absolute terro and mystifying at the same time in a way that made it somehow ..... beautiful.
Needless to say you all liked how we were portrayed and you maid it clear to the intelligent mild tempered scholar who clearly knew how you wanted to see your self.
"Attention all of you" the ant master called "since we have nothing to offer to our great benefactor we will do a drama to show him his picture and show him how here will be in the way he sees it."
This brought about a cheer so loud that you decide to close your ears. Of course you did not see the need for the drama as the scholar was not even invited in the first place but one look across the cranny made it clear that your opinion won't win you any support.
The entire neighborhood began putting on their best clothes and the men and women began clearing a section of the alley to stage the drama. The preparations took some time (much sooner than you expected) but eventually the people you have known all your life began staging a beautiful drama in a way you have never seen before.
The drama was about two wayward boys who after a full meal were sent to deliver some food to their older brother who was working on the farm. However on their way they càme across a lake full of fish and decided to start fishing. They had so much fun fishing that they forgot about their errand untill about the night watch (evening). By the time they recollected themselves and turned back , they saw their brother, father and the town protector starring at them. This led to a hilarious scene where the boys tried to explain their actions which brought about an even more hilarious scene as the town protector had them hop like frogs all the way to the village center.
The drama made even you who did not see the see the need for it, laugh for a while as every single person was caught up in the same bouyant spirit. You did not trust the pompous nobleman, that much is certain but even you have to admit that he brought a light within the crannies that you have never seen in a long time.
"HORSES!!! HORSES!!! BLACK HORSES!!!!!!!" A call cried out
As soon as you heared that call you quickly grapped your brother and the confused scholar and ran to hide. Of course in the crannies this was tradition. Whenever you hear black horse, hide and let the ant master handle it.
True to tradition you and the scholar watched with fear as the ant master tried to look brave in front of two well armed soldiers mounted on dark horses.
"Welcome lords Go shi and Chin wa" he greeted with a Kow-tow "to what do I owe the honor?"
"We heared that the crannies have been quite lucky recently so we came for our own share." The one called Go shi answered
"But it not yet the end of the planting season is it?"
"The end of the season is for the lord. Everytime before that is for us." His companion explained
"But we..."
Before he could say another word Go shi sword flashed from his sheath and cut off the collar of the ant master clothes.
"The sword is a volatile weapon my friend. It would be a shame if there is some unexplainable accident wouldn't it?"
The ant master reluctantly handed over some of the copper pieces that the scholar had given him.
"This is what you should have done from the beginning" Go shi said
The two men then rode out on their horses in front of your bewildered stare.
"Are these the soldiers who take your women?" The scholar asked with his temper rising
"Yes" I replied "You wanted the truth about the crannies? Here it is"
"No" he replied with fire in his eyes "what you acted was the truth. What you believed in is the truth. This is just a bad memory, a bad story and from tomorrow we begin to change it."
He then turned towards you and said in a voice that commanded obedience
"Take me to where he lives"