Attendants tend to Yalia’s injuries as Sheng approaches.
YESHENG: Yalia, are you-
YALIA: Impressed and a little surprised. You have clearly (coughs) mastered your chi focus Sheng.
YESHENG: I-I’m sorry Yalia, I should not have struck with such
YALIA: Sheng… You won – the goal of these exercises is to strengthen us all. Winning and losing are means to an end. I see no dishonor in learning from the experience; neither should you.
YESHENG: But…but you are right again, Yalia. Your words carry the day better than fist or foot.
YALIA: (nods)
YESHENG (turning away, whispering under his breath): but not every victory is without great cost my love
CAPTION: Later that evening in the Zheng Zhu’s command tent
ZHENG: Before we conclude for evening meditation and prayer, I am reminded of our charge.
QUAN ZHE: Lord?
ZHENG: We are the watchers on the wall…the overseers of Pandaria. It falls to us to see before things are seen. What did you see today in the competitions?
QUAN ZHE: Great demonstrations of skill and prowess, especially Yeshung.
JIAO: Yalia is wise to wait but in the end her waiting proved her undoing.
ZHENG: Interesting view Jiao…to strike first is to lose is it not?
JIAO: Yes but…to wait without cause is idleness – surrendering the initiative is to surrender the battle.
ZHENG: Mmmm…unless the initiative is to wait and watch…
QUAN ZHE: Yalia’s timing was off – she could have struck immediately after disarming Sheng. Hesitation-
ZHENG: Taran, what do you see?
TARAN: I…saw something unexpected…something I did not anticipate. I saw power where there was weakness, great spirit and strength where there should have been defeat.
ZHENG: Well…said. We wait and watch to know our threats before they know us. I think Yalia won today…
ALL: Lord?!
JIAO: Clearly we were victorious. We saw the strength which Yesheng brought-
ZHENG: Yalia used the Stunning Serpent form – a wise choice, almost aloof to lure the hasty and impatient into a trap. What form did Sheng use to counter it I wonder?
Silence…
ZHENG: Anyone? Which of the Aspects styles did he use?
TARAN: I cannot tell which form Lord Zhu, it was unfamiliar…
