#rep.yongqi

[ashencranes]

@afacere has started a new adventure with Yongqi

The lawyer looked calmly at the other in front of her and sighed. This would not be the first time she was being scolded by fumi for overworking herself. The only problem was that she'd promised not to do so one too many times, and it seemed that fumi was finally done with hearing Yongqi's excuses. There was only one option she could think of to save herself. Hitting the nostalgia points.

With the most innocent of smiles, the woman moved to press her hand on fumi's shoulder, an innocent smile on her lips. "Do you remember when we first met? How I told you what I do and you said it was impressive? Where is this energy now?" The face of what was Yongqi's best attempt at a cherub, as now focused on fumi's features, her eyelashes working their magic as if somehow, making them flutter innocently would cover up the sickly purple of the undereye shadows that looked nearly like two black eyes on Yongqi's face.

"I promise... I'm guite alright. I just need to get myself a coffee, and I should be fine. This particular case is just a little difficult. I just don't want the girl to get completely thrown to the side by a man who picked her up when she was so young she barely understood the world around her, only to toss her to the side. You know that in his claim, he says she contributed nothing to their marriage? The fact that he doesn't even know how to turn on the washing machine though, doesn't give him any hints as to what she may have been up to during the day..."

[ashencranes]

a new story begins with @apricxty

The summer festival was approaching at a pace that - to Hua Yongqi - felt quite worrisome. She'd been tasked with making sure it was safe, so her entire division was hard at work trying to find any potential danger zone - be it to find where the construction of the stage and decorations could need reinforcements or where to safely store fireworks, even down to checking which sectors of the main street had to be kept away from lanterns and the likes, not to cause a fire. She'd had lost so much sleep over this that when it finally came time to actually start the festival, she was exhausted and half-awake during her guard.

The first screams of people around her escaped the young Captain as she dismissed them, thinking it was just the normal ruckus of a few people that got into wine a little too early and started fighting among themselves. When the screams did not stop, that's when she realised something was off. "A riot--!" She exclaimed and jumped off her horse, rushing toward the sound of the turmoil, which was already looking to be bigger than anything she could deal with alone. She whistled, hoping her troops would understand, but it would take time for them to join her. It was only by the corner of her eye that she saw a young lady, dressed in elegant clothes, running next to her, an expression that was somewhere between determination and delight. Yongqi did not stop, but looking toward the girl, she simply exclaimed. "Young Lady, I ask of you to stay back, this will be dangerous, and I cannot guarantee you will be safe!"

[ashencranes]

@yiyiren sent in a letter.

❝ you've got a lot of people counting on you to come home every night. (From Mingze) ❞

As always, sitting in a straight, military position, trying her best to appear well-mannered, Hua Yongqi took a sip of the tea she had been served. She thought about the words the Daughter of the He family spoke and frowned, unable to decide whether she agreed.

"Madam He..." The cavalry captain put down the emptied cup and looked towards the other woman. "I think you see me as more than I am. I have no family, my... brothers... lived a life without me for years, thus my disappearance would not--" She paused. She could not say those words openly, the audacity of placing doubt on the love and respect that the brothers gave her, even with her common birth too grave to be ever forgiven.

"I am but a captain. I am no provider, not one person leans on me directly." It was something she understood well and accepted. "I--" The woman fell silent, allowing her eyes to rest on a censer. Would her death affect anyone for longer than the customary mourning time? Would people even bother to keep it?

"If I may be so bold, I would want to humbly suggest that it is yourself, Madam, who carries on her back many and for whom you need to persevere every day. My worth comes from the willingness to throw my tomorrow away."

[ashencranes]

@fateguardian sent in a letter.

😴 Carry the unconscious receiver somewhere safe after a brutal fight. // hundun + yongqi

Yongqi hated escort missions given to her by Jiming. They never went the way they should have, almost as if Jiming personally wanted to make her life difficult or -- maybe even get rid of her. Every single time she was sent with a delivery, somehow she'd end up being ambushed, every single time, there would be a fight.

When the robbers appeared, she didn't feel anything. No surprise, no shock, nothing. She took out her sword and fell into the fight almost mechanically, as if it were just a typical day for her.

That was her undoing.

Yongqi could not say when exactly the men pulled out the nets and when exactly she got tied up, she only understood what was happening when she was almost completely immobilised. Had it not been for a short dagger hidden in the inner pocket of her underarmour garment, she'd probably be dead. All her companions already were, she was the last person standing about to herself be eliminated before she managed to break free and stab in the ribs one of her assailants. She ran into the forest, hearing yells and two men following. She whistled loudly, and two of the Hua falcons dropped through the branches and started clawing at the men's faces, giving her much-needed time to escape.

She didn't get far, only managed to get to a big tree with an opening, and she quickly hid inside. She didn't notice that her own bleeding had weakened her. As she rested, her blood started pumping more slowly, and she became lightheaded. She fainted soon after.

When she came to, she was being carried. Her instant reaction was to escape and she panicked, trying to wiggle off, but the soothing tone of a voice she recognised almost immediately made her body relax. "What are you doing here?" She asked the man, her voice raspy and showing signs of strain. "Do not tell me this was your doing?" That wasn't fair. If he wanted to ambush her, he had better opportunities and carrying her away from the forest and away from the bandits was hardly a sign of ill will. Plus, even as a woman, in her armour (which he gratiously let her retain), she weighed quite a lot, and yet he said nothing. They moved slowly but surely forward. When they reached the outskirts of the city, a guard noticed them and came running.

"If you don't want to deal with them, you can leave me here. You know where I reside. I owe you a debt. No matter the time, if you ask, I will stand by your side to repay it."

[ashencranes]

@tiantangs continued.

Hua Yongqi stood silent, observing every gesture of the man before him. She knew better than to speak first, better than to make herself more visible than she already had become. In fact, she wondered what Jiming had in his mind when he chose to send her to speak and greet Chen Mozhang, instead of his blood brother. Surely, this had to be a test for her. What were the expectations? She still remembered the sly smile and that glimmer in the prince's eyes when he said she'd have to be cautious as the man she was to see would be... a challenging personality.

Now she understood what was meant by those words. Mozhang was... fascinating. A man who showed himself weak the way he did must have carried unseen horrors so dark that nothing that pertained to humanity scared him anymore.

When the man spoke, she straightened herself and lightly lowered her head before speaking. "I am thankful and unworthy of your concern. There is no terrain nor land that a soldier will look down upon -- the commandery is well-organised and working properly despite the dangers and challenges surrounding it. Your excellent grandeur and leadership have created a well-smoothed mill in the middle of fallow land."

In truth, she was impressed. The world she saw here should not have rendered the commandery as ordered as it was. Truly, only a master commander could perform such a feat. "If this humble soldier may ask... was it you who built this? Are you following a legacy?" A bold question, yet one that would eat away at her had she not asked it.

Yongqi's eyes were wide open, and her ears were focused on taking in all that Chen Mozhang was saying, but also on hearing what he did not say. Her expression softened as she noticed the clearly concealed micro-reactions from old wounds and painful scars. She knew the feeling, she also could understand the pride of not wishing to admit to them. For now, while she tucked these bits of fact about the man in her memory, she dared not let him even see she noticed them.

"My brother is..." shrewd, eccentric, illogical, audacious--- none of these, while accurate, could be used. "...a tactician. He may not look intimidating, but he is like an old fox. This humble soldier was sent here to give our greetings and..." She paused, weighing the words to come next. "Ensure the great commander Chen Mozhang knew that the Hua Clan wishes him well and is willing to support you now and in the future. Our-- Their father... respected your family. The Hua Prince wishes to continue that."