Overview | History
After immortal master Lin Chi's Gold Imitation Technique brought Moon Plated Gold to the world, Jinping began to rapidly industrialize. As a result of the countless steam engines that drove this industrialization, an ever-present fog formed around the city, and it seemed to grow thicker every year.1
By Taiming 28, Jinping's industrialization, though already key to the city, was still rapid and new. Maze Station itself, hub of the Cloud Soaring Flood Dragons, was completed only in Taiming 26.1
In late spring of the twenty-eighth year of Taiming, during the celebration of the Grand Selection, the famed courtesan Jiangli won the Camelia Crown at the House of Overflowing Splendor's Flower Viewing Festival. She performed a simple song with only a single accompanist—Xi Ping. Xi Ping played the qin dressed as a woman, hidden behind a screen, and his expert qin-playing combined with Jiangli's pleasant voice and refreshing affect to win over the audience.1
After she was crowned, Jiangli's audience demanded to meet her mysterious hidden musician, and Xi Ping appeared before them dressed (somewhat poorly) as a courtesan. The Marquis of Yongning, Xi Ping's father, also attended the festival, and he encountered him as they were both leaving the brothel. Xi Ping, still dressed as a courtesan, fled the Overflowing Splendor chased by a group of his father's servants, leaving a crowd of onlookers in his wake.1
While running, Xi Ping's way was briefly blocked by Wang Baochang, an enemy of his. However, he bypassed him by playing up his disguise and shouldering past, not stopping to give the man a second look as he fled toward Prince Zhuang Manor.1