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Love Drops
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You chat a bit with Rutu about the lay of the land. It sounds like this is mostly a farming town built up around an old monastery near the lake, but that in the last 20 or so years it has become a stop traders would make when traveling up the twin rivers.
A lot of the farmers, including their family, live on the northwest bank of the Nanfang Qingren, which feeds the lake from the south. The Monastery is east of the town, which lise on the south bank of the Xibu Qingren that feeds the lake from the east. There's a main road that heads down toward where most of the farms are, and most of the people in the region are farmers that live within a few miles of it - if you go much farther west of town or across either river you mostly find solitary hunters or people that aren't much interested in living in a community.
"You mentioned Yu?" You ask, "I met him by the river, and he showed me the way to town."
"Oh, yes!" Rutu pipes up, "He's a quiet boy that wandered in a few years back. His shack is in the lee of a hill near our farm, so he's basically our neighbor!"
Li chimes in, "Always seemed a bit shady, but he's good people. Helped us out a few times when we needed it."
You nod, "He helped me out, too. I was accosted by a ruffian in the woods, and he took care of it."
Rutu nods, "That sounds like Yu all right. He's a moody boy, but he can look pretty scary when somebody tries to get rough with people around him." Li nods, and starts to say something, before Rutu suddenly yelps "Wait, ruffians in the woods?! Did you tell the magistrate?"
"Magistrate?"
"Magistrate Kun, he's ... some kind of imperial official, I think? He's supposed to be the head of a town guard, but I don't know if there actually is one beyond him. That's him over there," She points over at the snake in an imperial uniform slumped at another table, "I can go get him for you right now if you want!"
You glance over at him, and would prefer to avoid speaking to any imperial officers at the moment, "He looks a bit preoccupied, and either way I don't think the fellow will be causing any trouble after Yu ran him off."
"He ran off?" Li chuckles, "Sounds like the boy might have gotten a bit soft, might be turning into a proper old man."
The young otter that had been slurping at his saucer tugs on your sleeve, "I like Yu. He takes me fishing."
"Oh, so the way he fishes is a local style?"
Rutu bursts out laughing. "Ohoho! That thing he does with the lines? Nobody else around here can do that. Li spent the better part of a week trying after he saw it and just got wet pants and cut fingers!"
"Rutu!" he barks, blushing, "It's not like I can't, it's..."
"You know, dear, you could ask him to teach you if you were a little less stubborn."
"Listen honey, a man can't just ask a boy to teach him things. That's not how it's done."
"Oh, so you're hoping he'll teach your son so that you can steal some pointers?" She smirks
He leans over the table to peck her on the cheek, "Exactly, I knew you'd understand."
She titters, and you move on to another topic, "So you seem like you know a lot about everyone around here," she nods proudly, "What about Fanqie? The innkeeper girl. She's the only other person here I've spoken to and she seems ... on edge."
"Oh, the poor dear," Rutu begins, "she grew up on a bean farm, and married the heir of a goat herder that used to live up at the edge of town. A few years back he sold his whole herd to start up his trading business, and they converted the old stables into that Inn she runs. Them and the restaurant are the places that bring in the most money around here, since most everyone else still just barters goods and favors and those are places that traders stop by and patronize as they pass through. We don't really get many other travelers."
"Anyway, he went upriver with the workers from the manor the trademaster's trying to build; they were itching to go home and bring out a new crew to work for a few seasons, but without them being around she's cooped up all alone in that old farmhouse, no clients and no husband either. And from what I hear, it's been more than a week since he was supposed to be back - so that's probably weighing on her mind too. She's always been a bit ... flighty, but that kind of loneliness can't be good for the girl."
"It's a damn shame," Li adds, "I've known Mubiao for a long time, and he never seemed to be the sort to skip out on such a nice girl. Hope he's okay."
You sit quietly for a second, before picking up on something she said, "You say most people around here barter goods and favors instead of currency? What sort of work is there to do? I may be staying for some time."
"Well," Li starts, "Most folks here work family businesses and farms - there's usually plenty of work around harvest time and people are happy for the help, I know that's what Yu did when he first got here before he established himself as a fisherman."
"So d..." You start, as Rutu starts to grin, but he holds up his hand to stop you.
"We've actually just finished the brunt of our work for the season, before you ask." He bows his head forward slightly, "We came into town to celebrate it. You could possibly find one of the other farms if you need work, or try your luck with some of the tradesmen in town; if you're able enough you may be able to find an apprenticeship at one of them."
Rutu smiles sadly and shrugs, mouthing 'sorry.'
At least the food is delicious.
Is there anything else you want to speak to the otters about, or anyone else in the restaurant you want to speak with? Bowu has stopped cooking and begun to clean the kitchen area, so you won't have time for more than a short conversation.
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