Motu Proprio (The King and the Neko) - Volume HaiYin

The Crown Trials Commence

The Crown Trials will span all the half-year it takes for the Imperials to travel around Wanqiang - first to the south where warmer climes prevail even during winter. Next would be west, during spring, and the last north where it would be cooler when summer comes along. At least, this Crown Trial would follow that schedule, as the last monarch died in winter. There are three challenges to the Crown Trials, with each challenge roughly taking place every two months when they reach the designated venue.

Their first stop is the southernmost city of Jinyi. It is farther south than the port city of Tian, but unlike Tian, no beaches lined the coast of the city. Instead, a line of massive mountain cliffs rose along its borders with the ocean, an effective barrier against the more volatile part of the Storm Sea. More than a millenia would be needed before the sea can bring down the mountains, but as of the moment, the city of Jinyi lay protected in its shadow.

In olden times, Jinyi was a powerful kingdom in its own right. Unfortunately, the greener pasture, so to speak, was found on the other side - two sides, actually - of the forked river where the city sat on. Rock dominated the land mountainside and towards the ocean; the open, but unprotected Zhaikou Plains spread out across the river, which also happens to be its floodplain. Only temporary settlements pockmarked the area, as the winter thaw north brought enough water to flood it the whole early spring. Towards summer, the land transformed into the lush, fertile area immortalized by prose and paintings of numerous artists that have passed by the area. It evoked a certain kind of feeling for Jinyi - the fertile plains on the foreground and the stark mountains on the background.

But it was a much preferable view, to Bai Luoyin's opinion, than the currently stark landscape he's seeing. Traveling in the deep of winter, what else is there to see than white, brown, grey and more of the same. Sticking his head and shoulders out of his carriage window and looking out over their traveling party, the sea of winter-functional black capes and jackets and other outerwear did nothing to alleviate the monotony. His face crumpled at the thought that Jinyi in winter would look the same - the summerscape in his mind would be impossible to see if he's at the other side of the kingdom by then.

Three days out of the capital and he's already bored out of his mind. He frankly misses the work at court - the constant discussion, the constant debates, maybe even the power struggles going on in and around the college of courts. The college had given him a proper sendoff the day before they started traveling to Jinyi, and though he is still officially the Imperial Courtier, much of the daily grind had been taken off his shoulders as he participates in The Crown Trials. After... he didn't really delve too much on what happens to him after The Crown Trials, knowing that future is still half a year away.

He was jolted out of his thoughts as he heard Gu Hai's horse come trotting from behind his carriage. He twisted around to find Gu Hai riding up and match his horse's trot to the carriage's pace. He stuck out an arm and let his hand trail along Black Knight's side, earning a huff and a neigh from Gu Hai's temperamental black stallion.

"If you're bored, Yin Zi, you can take a horse and ride, too," Gu Hai suggested. Up ahead, they could espy the white and gold pennants following Jin Lulu's current location. Behind them flew Gu Yang's green and gold. Scattered along the party were patrols of Palace Guards, Army soldiers and personal guards holding their corresponding banners.

Bai Luoyin shuddered at the suggestion. Traveling with a party as large as theirs was a nightmare in logistics - everyone started and stopped slow. Though he knew a ride would alleviate the boredom, he said instead, "I'll consider it at the next stop." No sense delaying the parade just so he could switch to a horse. They had left the last camp at the break of dawn, and it was too cold then for Bai Luoyin to contemplate riding - the carriage was definitely warmer and more comfortable.