"See, he agrees."

"- I see. Is there not much diplomacy between China and the jianghu and the world outside of it, historically, that we could draw on for examples?"

"The Korean peninsula has joined the jianghu at times and other times looked more inward, the same with Mongolia... of course, we have long maintained relations with Japan... but you must understand, Japan is a vassal state and the others are outlying regions."

"Yeah, you guys aren't going to kowtow in submission to the Chief Cultivator."

"It is difficult to imagine poor Nie Huaisang demanding it."

"If it would help I'm sure we'd at least consider it but it seems like possibly the underlying attitude is at least as important as the gesture."

"A gentleman submits to his betters. Certainly if they behave with benevolence and responsibility. --But we are not so used to having betters, and many of us are not wise."

"It isn't submission we're looking for, but maybe the distinction feels a little academic."

"What are you looking for?"

"Powerful beings from the stars, not exactly one of the Five Relationships."

"...cooperation?" tries Nelen. "With making all the - benevolence - happen in the way that's best for everyone here. Communication, if something isn't working right and needs to change - not an assumption that we know what we're doing, because for all that we've done this before we've never done this here before and everyone's different."

"Hm. I could guide the Lan into supporting you, and lean on a few of the minor clans known for uprightness and probity. The Jin are an easy sell, Sect Leader Jin will do whatever Lan Sizhui tells him--"

Bright pink ears.

"The Jiang will present some difficulties but they're not insurmountable if carefully handled. The Chief Cultivator would go along with it if presented as a fait accompli. Younger Brother, with respect, I suspect the Wei sect should stay out of this. The new rules may even help if handled carefully. You give us wealth, as a sect leader to his juniors, and teach us new magics, and in turn we obey your commands--"

"With all respect, Zewu-jun, you can do it. Uncle can't and doesn't want to."

He rubs his eyes. "That is the difficulty. I doubt I can spend the next year continually listening to calmness songs, especially since-- Jin Guangyao--"

"Jin Guangyao murdered his and Lan Xichen's mutual boyfriend through musical cultivation. The song was supposed to calm the mutual boyfriend down but Jin Guangyao altered it to make the mutual boyfriend angrier and then he had a qi deviation. --Uh, got so angry he exploded. Anyway, it's a whole thing."

"- oh dear," says Nelen. "Uh, we can get in a subtle artist or a psion for this if it's a blocker, though I don't know offhand what exactly one would recommend."

"What do they do?"

"They have more freeform mental powers and some of them work as therapists - I don't know if that word translates. Like physicians but for the mind instead of the body."

"Our physicians work on both the mind and the body, but I can understand having more specialized people. Could the services of such a person be arranged?"

"Yes. If it winds up being that the best person for the job is a psion are you willing to travel? Psionics doesn't work outside the world-neighborhood of its origin."

"I'd like to see the world, I think."

"All right. Do you have any other preferences for what kind of healer you'd find it easiest to relax around, work with, talk to...?"

"Other planets have a China, I understand?"