Avatar:Keeping Score

"The Earth King cares about being cheated. He cares about treason."

— Yangchen threatens the shang merchants.

Template:Chapter infobox"Keeping Score" is the tenth chapter of The Dawn of Yangchen.

Overview

Yangchen's appeals to the shangs of Bin-Er are dismissed, until she changes tactics and threatens to expose their illicit dealings to Earth King Feishan.

Synopsis

Avatar Yangchen is reeling from Noehi's dismissal of her authority. Boma cannot help her, and Sidao hesitates, unwilling to risk his wealth. It is Zongdu Henshe who attempts to salvage the meeting, thanking Yangchen politely for her advice, which the shangs interpret as a trivial offering.

Yangchen continues to plead for compassion and long-term investment in the people of Bin-Er, but her words are mocked. Noehi points out that the spirits have shown no discontent with the city, drawing laughter from the others. Yangchen offers partnership and status as her companion, but even that carries no weight with the shangs.

Teiin bluntly reminds her that their only duty is to manage trade revenues for the Earth King Feishan, and that the king does not care how they manage their business. He declares the meeting over, dismissing Yangchen's concerns as irrelevant. At that moment, Yangchen decides to stop offering advice. She stands and accuses the shangs of treason. Her words stun the chamber into silence. When pressed, Yangchen reveals she has been secretly surveilling Bin-Er from the air, and counted forty-four grand junks docking instead of the twenty-eight permitted by charter. She points out that the discrepancy must involve bribery of harbormasters, generating hidden profits that the Earth King would see as a betrayal and a security risk, as unauthorized ships could be carrying spies and other threats to the Earth Kingdom's security.

Yangchen suggests that the extra money could be reconciled by redirecting it toward charitable causes, adding that she will be meeting the Earth King in three months' time. The implied threat leaves the shangs silent. Henshe, wearied, promises that a reconciliation can be achieved.

Production notes

Character revelations

• Yangchen's official arrival in Bin-Er was a ruse, and instead she had been secretly surveilling the city for weeks beforehand.