- 9 hours ago
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CreativityTranscript
00:00The main item on today's agenda will be the scheduled ceremony taking place in the mid-afternoon.
00:08Right.
00:16I know you have a lot on your mind, but you mustn't let it affect you. The palace requires your focus.
00:23I know. Thank you.
00:30Master Li-Haku? What's wrong?
00:34We've got a problem on our hands.
00:36And by problem you mean...
00:38You remember that warehouse fire a while back?
00:41Uh-huh.
00:42Yeah, well, looks like a different warehouse got robbed on the same night.
00:46They probably took advantage of all the noise and chaos. No one saw a thing.
00:51So a crime of opportunity, then. What was it that the thieves stole?
00:56Hmm?
00:57Not something to discuss openly, it seems. Glance.
01:06It was ceremonial equipment. Thieves lifted a whole set of tools.
01:10They were just kept in a warehouse with no oversight?
01:13Yeah. That came as a surprise to me as well. The last overseer passed away over a year ago now. Seems like without him a lot's been slipping.
01:21What about the new one? He has to know the basics of the job, right?
01:26You'd think. But food poisoning took him out of commission a little while back.
01:30Food poisoning?
01:31He got sick one night eating his favorite seaweed and has not awoken since. Which, as you can imagine, isn't helping with the organizational skill gap.
01:40Why does that sound so familiar?
01:43This official of yours. Does he happen to have a taste for rare foods?
01:47Wait, how'd you know that?
01:49It's kind of a long story.
01:50A theft taking place during a fire. A warehouse manager conveniently absent due to food poisoning. Coincidence after coincidence.
02:02What can you tell me about the previous manager, the one who passed away last year?
02:06Uh, I remember he was absolutely obsessive about doing things by the book.
02:11I forget his name, but I think he was widely known for having a sweet tooth or something.
02:16A sweet tooth? Was it Master Conan by any chance?
02:20Yeah, that was his name. Wait, how did you know that as well?
02:25It's kind of a long story.
02:27I heard about it from Master Jin-Chi. The official with a sweet tooth, who ironically died of a salt overdose.
02:35Could these really all be coincidences?
02:38In isolation, each incident does appear accidental.
02:42But when viewed as a whole, they're like stitches in a tapestry still being woven.
02:46So is there a reason you're telling me this?
02:48Of course. The point. Do you remember this ivory pipe that you handed off to me?
02:54Oh yeah, from the fire.
02:57I tried to have it returned, but the owner flat out refused to take it back. Said he didn't want it.
03:02With expensive craftsmanship like that, I assumed it would have been important to him.
03:07Apparently it was just given to him by a lady of the court.
03:10By a lady of the court?
03:11Sounds off, doesn't it? Giving a fine thing like this to a random warehouse guard?
03:19He claims he found the lady walking alone one night and escorted her outside the castle, concerned for her general well-being naturally.
03:27She gave him the pipe as a token of gratitude for his kindness.
03:31Receiving such a luxurious item would have compelled him to sample it right away.
03:35Orchestrating a fire to divert the guard's attention and pilfering another warehouse into chaos.
03:42Could that be the reason this mysterious court lady gifted the patrolman the pipe?
03:48This lady. What do we know about her?
03:50Well, I tried to get as much detail as I could, but unfortunately it was dark and she had a scarf covering her face.
03:58Perhaps she was shielding her features more from onlookers than the elements.
04:01Maybe. All I know for sure is that she was quite tall for a woman and smelled a bit like medicine.
04:09Does anyone come to mind? You don't fit the height and medicine's your thing, so I figured I'd ask.
04:16A tall, statured lady of the court, smelling of medicine.
04:21You know conjecture shouldn't be spoken aloud.
04:23Have there been any other irregularities recently? Anything that strikes you as being out of the ordinary?
04:30Let's see. Nothing's jumping out at me. Why? You think there's something we might have missed?
04:37There's a good possibility we have. And a good possibility we haven't.
04:43Which one is it?
04:46Two coincidences can often occur simultaneously.
04:51Three at once isn't unusual either.
04:53But when many coincidences manifest one on top of the other, intent emerges in the overlap.
05:00In this case, we may find that what connects them is a certain tall court lady.
05:05Uh-huh.
05:07If he follows this logic, even if Suire's name comes up, it won't link back to me.
05:12Ha ha ha ha! Amazing!
05:15You know you're a lot smarter than you look, you little pipsqueak!
05:20Conversely, Master Liaku, you are every bit the brute you appear to be. Now stop hitting me.
05:25Hmm?
05:25Having fun without me.
05:28Having fun without me.
05:31Having fun without me.
05:34I promise I am having zero fun.
05:36I'll take my lead now. Farewell!
05:38What was the nature of your rendezvous with that officer?
05:46The nature? Afraid there's not much to tell. He had some questions and thought I would have some answers.
05:53Tall for a woman. Can't entirely rule Master Jinchi out with that description.
05:58Hmm?
06:00Would you like to know the details of our conversation?
06:05A strange collection of events to be sure.
06:08Indeed.
06:09So then, what do you think is behind them?
06:12I don't know. It's hard to say with any certainty just what was by design and what was simply by chance.
06:18There are too many unknowns at play for me to formulate a real theory.
06:22Connections then. Could there be other such occurrences we've been overlooking?
06:26If only it was that easy to say.
06:28The banality of these events make them difficult to classify one way or the other.
06:32Besides, it is still perfectly possible that it's all just coincidence.
06:38Mm-hmm. You're not excited by this?
06:42Excited?
06:43I am but a humble servant, I fear. I exist only to do as I'm told.
06:51Yeah.
06:53How about an incentive then?
06:56You see, just the other day, I stopped by the local trader.
07:01He had quite a fascinating item in stock.
07:06I don't suppose you recognize the name.
07:08Ox bezoar!
07:11A medicinal bovine goldstone!
07:13A coveted curative found but once in a thousand cones!
07:16You would grant me this rare and priceless remedial treasure?
07:19Seriously?
07:20You wouldn't lie to me, right?
07:25What?
07:25I do!
07:27Ciao, Mao!
07:35Apologies.
07:36Yeah, I'm glad to see you're motivated.
07:39You'll really give this to me, no joke?
07:41You bring me results, and it's as good as yours.
07:45Understood.
07:47As you wish, Master Jinxi!
07:49Very well, Kaoshun. Give her what she needs.
07:52Finally, the record of absence.
08:00Looks like the officer who came down with food poisoning was from the Board of Rights.
08:04Which one was that again?
08:06The board that oversees education and foreign affairs, or...
08:10I really should have studied for the court lady exams properly.
08:15Found some more for you.
08:18Perfect, thank you.
08:20No need.
08:20If you have any questions about anything, I am happy to help.
08:24Well, I am curious about this division.
08:28Board of Rights.
08:29They're the ones that deal with logistics surrounding ceremonies.
08:33Ceremonies?
08:37Fetch me something to write with, quick!
08:40Of course.
08:42Ceremonies, ceremonies.
08:43The food poisoned official and Master Conan were both involved in administration of court ceremony.
08:49So if the pipe incident was intended as a diversion for the theft of ceremonial equipment...
08:54Then these events, disguised as coincidences, must be in service of something bigger than mere larceny.
09:00Given the trouble they went through to acquire them, the tools are most likely used for a ceremony of some importance.
09:09I should make a list.
09:11All upcoming ceremonies whose skills range from moderate to major.
09:14Come to think of it, Master Jinji often performs purifications.
09:19If you're interested in ceremonies, perhaps this would intrigue you.
09:23An illustration of a ceremonial building?
09:30Yes.
09:31It's the altar of the sapphire sky at the west end of the outer court.
09:35Quite a curious design, isn't it?
09:38You notice a large pillar there?
09:40Suspended from the ceiling?
09:43Vibrant banners fixed across its length, draped down above the altar.
09:47They lowered the pillar ahead of festivities to change out the decorative texts.
09:50You know a lot about this.
09:54Ah, sorry. It shames me to admit it.
09:56But before I was assigned to the archives, I was actually on the board of rights myself.
10:01I offered my thoughts a touch too freely to my superior's ones and got demoted.
10:06I was quite concerned with the issue of its build strength, but I guess it has held up better than I expected.
10:11What had you so troubled?
10:14Even though a series of floor-anchored tethers keeps it aloft, the pillar itself is humongous.
10:19I was convinced it was an accident waiting to happen, but when I voiced my concerns about it, I was bummed down to Archivist and reassigned here.
10:28Hmm. That's ample cause for concern indeed.
10:31If the tethering holding the payload in place were to break, and the pillar crashed down to the floor below,
10:36then the person conducting the ceremony beneath would be pulverized.
10:43Someone of truly noble birth could be lost.
10:47Issue of strength.
10:49Of strength.
10:50I wonder, what were the ceremonial tools they stole anyway?
10:55If they were of such pressing importance, you'd think they'd just replace them.
11:00Replace them.
11:03Excuse me, when are they conducting the next ceremony at the Sapphire Sky Altar?
11:08When, you say?
11:09Well, it seems they're having one today.
11:11If I'm right, then this is a conspiracy that's been constructed with meticulous patience.
11:28Not every gambit would have played out as they'd hoped.
11:31But by creating consistent possibilities for success, enough of them were bound to coalesce and connect to this.
11:36You know it may be nothing more than simple conjecture, but if there's even the slightest chance that I'm right, then so what?
11:49Almost there.
12:00Hey!
12:01Hold it.
12:02Where are you going?
12:04I need to get in.
12:06No way.
12:07It's an emergency!
12:08That's enough, servant!
12:10You've no business being here!
12:14He's right.
12:15I'm just a servant with no authority to speak of.
12:18But if something happens, it'll be too late for anything but regret.
12:21That's always the case with things that can't be undone.
12:26People's lives are at stake here.
12:28Let me stop the ceremony!
12:30That's not your decision to make, girl.
12:32But if you can't keep your opinions to yourself, then go stick them in the suggestion box!
12:37We don't have time for that!
12:39Beat it!
12:40The altar's defective!
12:42Someone's likely tampered with the mechanism!
12:44Whoever's inside of there is in imminent danger!
12:46And if you don't let me do something about it, their death will be on your head!
12:51You hear me?
12:52How can you still be so indifferent after everything I just told you, huh?
12:57Where could it be that you already knew about this?
13:00That's it.
13:02That's why you're obstructing me.
13:04You don't want anyone to stop it from happening, do you?
13:07Which means, you must be in league with the saboteurs yourself, right?
13:11I think I might pass out.
13:33Hard thing for a proud man to swallow an insult from a little girl like me.
13:38He reacted exactly the way I wanted him to.
13:40It's not enough, though.
13:44Commotion of this size won't stop the ceremony.
13:49Pull yourself up.
13:50You can't afford to lose consciousness yet.
13:56You feel better now?
14:01Please let me through.
14:05You are stationed out here because there's a highborn noble in there, correct?
14:10If any harm should befall them, every one of you will pay with your own heads!
14:14I won't ask you to cancel the ceremony.
14:18Please, just let me through.
14:21Tell them there was a rat, that I lied!
14:26Anything!
14:27Let whatever consequences be on my head alone!
14:29You would have me trust the word of some hysterical little girl!
14:34Well then, would my word be sufficient?
14:44Sir, this is...
14:47Tell me something.
14:51How could a self-respecting soldier strike a harmless young girl?
14:55You have hurt her.
15:02At any rate, why don't you do as the young lady desires and kindly step aside?
15:07I'll assume responsibility.
15:09I don't even want to see who's behind me.
15:13That timing's too convenient to ignore.
15:16No.
15:17I can't be sidetracked by superfluous details.
15:20I need to focus on what I came here for.
15:22I must look terrible.
15:32Once this is done, I'll ask Master Gaoshuan if I can take a nice, long, relaxing bath.
15:38But first...
15:39I have to get through this with my head intact.
15:43I have to get through this with my head intact.
16:13Oh!
16:14Oh!
16:14Oh!
16:16Ah!
16:26Oh!
16:32Ah!
16:36Need a stitch to that?
16:39Hey?
16:41Oh?
16:43Any chance you want to tell me what's going on here?
16:48Master Qin Shi...
16:52Can I have the Oxbys or no?
16:56That's where your mind is right now.
17:00Your face...
17:03How did this happen?
17:06I don't understand.
17:09Why is Master Qin Shi here?
17:12And why does he have such a sad look in his eyes?
17:18My apologies, but I have to tender my leg now.
17:25Mau Mau...
17:28Hey, come on.
17:31Please stay with me.
17:33Hey, say something.
17:36Hey, please...
17:39Please...
17:41Please stay with me.
17:43Think of me.
17:44I don't know.
17:46I don't know.
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