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episode11.html
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<title>Bricklayr's Lair</title>
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<li><a href=dong.html>Dong Liu and the Lanying Stone</a></li>
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<h1> Episode 11</h1>
The plot points for this episode:
<ol>
<li> Creepy tone.
<li> Theft.
<li> None.
<li> A rare or unique social gathering.
<li> Stuck.
<p>Theft from whom (roll from list:) Ye Qingge. What is stolen? 'helplessly familiar'. Another Lanying stone? 50/50: yes. Gathering: Midautumn festival with riddles (no roll). Who is stuck? (rolled from list:) Dong Liu. Why? 'loosely amusing': forfeit for not guessing riddle correctly. Is Ye Qingge also invited? 50/50: yes. Is it known that she is a moneylender? 50/50: yes. Does she have a share in Xiao Chunhua's operation? 50/50: yes.</p>
<figure>
<img src=images/DL11.jpg alt=A Buddhist nun reads a lantern riddle. style=width:100%>
<figcaption>
A Buddhist nun reads a lantern riddle.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<body>
<p>It is already the eighth month and Xiao Chunhua invites all her friends to come and celebrate the autumn festival with her. She introduces Dong, Hou Fan and Yunru to other traders, smugglers and financiers of her trade. They have their meal in the garden, in the light of a large number of lanterns. As it should be, each lantern has a riddle on it. As a special guest, Dong has the honour of bringing down the first lantern.</p>
<p>- Two houses with wide-open doors. Millions of people enter them but they can't have the smallest grain.</p>
<p>Dong doesn't think for long. 'Those must be two temples. One for the Buddha and one for Taoists.'</p>
<p>The other guests look at her startled. It definitely brings bad luck that immediately the first riddle is already answered wrong.</p>
<p>- Drink three cups of wine for punishment, someone shouts but Dong makes a defensive gesture — she doesn't drink as a nun.</p>
<p>- Reverend, it was about eyes, says Chunhua but now that you have answered wrongly, you have to sit quietly on your chair and you are no longer allowed to participate.</p>
<p>A woman opposite looks at Dong inquiringly. She introduces herself as Ye Qingge and asks where Dong is from.</p>
<p>- Not far from here, says this one, but we recently went on a trip to Nanxing and Xiangshan. We are looking for a money lender, you see. We need to repay him to lift a curse.</p>
<p>- But then why are you here now? Have you already found the person?</p>
<p>- Hush now, someone shouts, Yunru is about to read out a riddle. Reverend, will you grab a lantern for her?</p>
<p>Dong wants to get up, but she can't get off the chair.</p>
<p>- I can't, she says, how strange. It's the punishment you imposed on me.</p>
<p>The others think she is making fun of them.</p>
<p>- No really. I'm honestly trying. I can't move.</p>
<p>Yunru looks worriedly at her teacher and then grabs a lantern herself.</p>
<p>- They eat only leaves and no meat. They work every day just to spin and weave for the people.</p>
<p>All the smugglers start yelling in chorus, 'Silkworms, silkworms, silkworms', even before Yunru can reply. Clearly an answer close to their hearts.</p>
<p>- Burn that lantern; the question is too easy and too painful, shouts someone who is clearly not happy about the stalled trade.</p>
<p>Spontaneously, the lantern catches fire. Yunru looks crestfallen, and also a little frightened. First Dong can't move and now this. Meanwhile, Dong, who has resigned herself to her immobility, tries to further sound Ye out.</p>
<p>- Are you familiar with moneylenders here in the city? (Question: interjection? very likely: yes and).</p>
<p>Even before Ye can answer, one of the traders says, 'Familiar? Familiar? She's a moneylender herself, and not one of the least.'</p>
<p>- Oh, and does the name Han Fenhang perhaps mean anything to you? (Question: does it? Likely: yes and … is it her husband? Very likely: yes)</p>
<p>The man starts laughing loudly, which earns him some perturbed looks from across the table.</p>
<p>- She won't know that one. After all, she is married to him. (Ye reaction: 12)</p>
<p>- Indeed, that's right.</p>
<p>Dong wants to respond to it, but it's Ye's turn to give a riddle. The lanterns have run out so she now has to come up with a riddle herself. She sticks her hand up her sleeve, then wiggles around and around, increasingly panicked.</p>
<p>- It was still in there earlier, she says, half to herself. Where has it gone now?</p>
<p>- That's not a riddle, someone shouts, immediately drawing laughter, but Ye jumps up shouting 'Theft! Theft! I've been robbed!'</p>
<p>The atmosphere is gone in an instant and everyone looks at each other.</p>
<p>- But what's gone, then? Chunhua finally asks. (Question: Does she answer honestly? 50/50: no)</p>
<p>- My … my stone. An ehhh, gemstone.</p>
<p>- But what kind of gem then? urges Chunhua, and why were you carrying it in your sleeve? (Reaction Ye -4: 7)</p>
<p>- That's none of your business. It was a repayment from a customer. A … uh … a … hmmm (Question: does she keep lying? 50/50: yes)</p>
<p>- A jade figurine.</p>
<p>- Oh, you call that a stone …, says Chunhua puzzled (Question: Is Yunru thinking of a Lanying stone? Unlikely: yes)</p>
<p>- Surely not a Lanying stone? says Yunru nervously (Question: Is Ye visibly startled? 50/50: yes, and)</p>
<p>- How did you know …, I mean … what … How did you come up with that?</p>
<p>Ye is clearly upset and it is obvious to all that Yunru has hit a bull's-eye.</p>
<p>- Just a hunch, says she.</p>
<p>- It's actually obvious, Dong now interjects, your husband gave such a stone to a hapless gambler.</p>
<p>The whole company now looks at Ye in horror.</p>
<p>- That' s witchcraft, they are forbidden, someone murmurs.</p>
<p>Ye flies up from her seat and before anyone can stop her, she runs out. Dong strains with all her strength to get up, but she only manages to fall into the path with chair and all, leaving her in everyone's way. The celebration is over. It could not have been less promising.</p>
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<p><a href=episode12.html>next episode</a></p>
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