For as long as anyone could remember, the Hua Rhen (what Akareans are referred to in Jazado) had lived in the southern parts of Jazado and legends even tell of their great journey. Though much of the historical facts were lost to the ages, scholars speculate that a great exodus took place and they fled from the lands now known as Cenaesia. We are not sure whether it was a forced migration fueled by conflict or the path taken by men and women seeking new homes, but the truth of it all matters little, the fact is that they are here and we have great legends stemming from their traditions.
It was sometime around noon in the city of Ba Singh Se, the roots of the name elude most scholars and the administration seems to care little about deciphering the name. The sun was high and the skies blue, Ze Jian walked down the road in Market district 7, he was new to Ba Singh Se and Jazado, being an immigrant from Akarea the customs of Jazado were not as similar to his as he was told. Beside Jian was Xueliang Markov, he explained the traditions and all the "acceptable" mannerisms that there were. As they walked Jian was suddenly stopped by Xueliang,
"You see that guy over there?" Asked Xueliang, but Jian was having trouble finding the man in the crowd, afterall Market District 7 was a busy place.
"Where?"
"I forgot, normally for us these guys stand out a lot more. See the guy over there waiting at the bus station?" Jian shifts to see an man with a green hat standing across the street.
"Yeah, but I don't see whats wrong." Xueliang rolls his eyes, every time he loathes explaining this to newcomers.
"Look closely at what hes wearing, the hat, the shirt and the jacket. What do you see?"
"They're branded?"
"Exactly, now do you know why I stopped you?" "Not really, I don't see anything wrong with the brands or the symbols, wait lemme guess the outfit is part of the mob." Replied Jian sarcastically.
"Don't let the Daili hear you say that, and no that's not at all why I stopped you. How much do you think his clothes cost, give me a rough estimate."
"I don't know like five thousand Taels maybe more if the shoes are also branded."
"Exactly, you see, I'm not quite sure how you have it in your country but here in Jazado that is what we call decadence." Xueliang now seemed certain that Jian had understood what he was trying to show him, sadly that was not the case.
"I still don't get it, what's wrong with having expensive clothes?" Asked Jian.
"Why do people buy expensive clothes with very visible branding?" Asked Xueliang.
"To show off?" Replied Jian.
"Exactly, its purely for posterity, for attention and a waste of money. Look at the clothes I wear, they're simple, no brands, low cost, I wear what I need and there's not much to show off. Now we have an ascetic tradition here in Jazado, which basically means that people tend to live simple lives, we observed the weekly fasts and live modest lives. People buy expensive branded clothes to cry out for people's attention, because they believe that material possessions can make their problems go away, because they think they desire it! But, once they do inevitably buy such things, they are filled with emptiness because all they do is feed their passions and passions can only hunger. They promote materialism and make spending money seem like something that frees people when it - "
"Yeah but what's wrong with materialism and spending money on expensive crap?" Jian seemed to be more confused as Xueliang explained Jazadoan culture, it almost seemed as if there was too much to learn.
Xueliang sighs, "Have you not been reading the Philokalia and the works of - forget it, lets just go do whatever it is that we were doing. I'll explain it to you later, its a lot to wrap your head around, just don't go buying expensive clothes unless its for a formal event or something." Having given up Xueliang and Jian continued their day in the busy streets of Market District 7.
PART 2
Residential District 8 was and still is quite a splendid place, perched on hills 731 to 749, or the Emerald Crest as it was known before the ministry. Apartments and various other housing units built on the hill and along its western slope had a great view of the lake. Every notable place in Jazado seems to have at least three names, one in Khitai, another in Rhen (the language of the Akarean minority and the Akar Khitai) and another in Zizek the language of the Slavoj however it was exported to the Donbass Isle.
Jazadoan buildings were designed so that it is integrated seamlessly into the natural formations of Jazados' varying terrain, thus the houses and few apartments built on the western slope of the Emerald Crest also contained underground sections that connected the housing at the top with both sides. Most of the exterior design was based off traditional Khitai architecture but the interior (referring to the parts underground and not the interior of the house) was given a Gora design, the highlands fostered some of the most talented stone carvers the nation had seen. However neither the scenery nor the architectural designs are the most prominent feature of Residential District 8, no it was the close proximity to Historical District 2. The historical districts may be the only places that aren't designated a specific role. Historical district 2 and 1 are where the city of Ba Singh Se first sprang out off, the uneven cobblestone roads and tight alleys make for a great maze, perpetually filled with the smells of Khitai street food.
It is here in between Historical District 2 and Residential District 8 where we find Jian, Xueliang, and Boyan. He was a long time resident of Ba Singh Se, but Boyan is also one of the Slavoj, a minority located in the northwest of Jazado. There are many differences between the Slavoj, Gora, Ankar Khitai and the Akareans, however it is through the Khitai that they are brought together. The cultural differences between the Khitai and the various ethnic groups of Jazado seem to be nonexistent, as a matter of fact it is the cultural similarities of the Khitai with the other cultures that bring them together. But Boyan being from the North and Jian from the South didn't mean that they could spend an afternoon touring Historical District 2 together. As they walked, Boyan stopped at a stall to buy some skewered Tahr offer some to both Jian and Xueliang. Once they all had their fair share they continued to walk down the old streets of the district. Then suddenly, two Daili agents approached Xueliang saying:
"Xueliang Markov, we are in need of questioning you, please come with us."
And before Xueliang could answer the two agents lifted him up off the ground and dragged him away, and as Xueliang was taken away his two friends could hear him ask:
"You're not taking me Admin 32 are you?"
There was no response from the agents as they left.
Jian and Boyan then continued on without saying a word, neither of them wanted to get in any trouble with the Daili. They stopped at a restaurant named теня олен.
"The um... The prancing, no dancing something? Boyan whats an Olen?" Being an immigrant from Akarea Jian did not fully master the Khitai language yet.
"Oлен means deer, the name is the dancing deer. They have the best roast meat, skewered Tahr and by far the best recipe for водян олен there is in the city."
"Water deer, what the hell is that?" It was still evident that the Jian was not not entirely acquainted with the wildlife found in Jazado
"водян олен are basically deer, but instead of having antlers they have tusks, normally they are found near the hills closer to the lake, I know, its not a thing you outlanders see or eat in this case everyday."
Having entered the restaurant the two were seated in the back where they then proceeded to order food. But Jian couldn't even keep his eyes on the menu, the design of the restaurant had him looking from left to right not wanting to miss out on any detail. The wooden pillars that held up the roof and consequently the second floor was covered in carvings none of which Jian had ever seen, the light bulbs on the wall were in hollowed out Ibex horns which were no doubt use to hold torches in the old times. The lama skin couches and Fir wood chairs and Maidenhair tables were worn down by the previous attendants over the course of many years leaving their own individual marks on the furniture.
"I can't believe that its so peaceful here. When I lived in Nanphang Province there were protest against the provincial government or working conditions in the factories or anything actually, but here, here there's nothing to suggest that anything like that would happen." Jian commented as he looked through the menu.
"It's the capital of course it's going to be peaceful, it represents what all of Jazado ought to be. Those protests you talk about, the ones in Nanphang they occur in Cеверная Шан as well as Birkbek the province my family is from. But that's only because they don't pose any threat to Jazado, how easy do you think it is for the Daili to just swoop in and lock em all up? Pretty fucking easy, the only time I've seen a protest get shut was when the Donvians started rallying for independence a couple years back, and guess who crushed them?"
"I dunno, the Daili?"
"Wrong, the Slavoj, and we're proud to have done it. The Khitai are never the ones who are sent to crush a riot or stamp a protest, but that means we get all the fun. Do you even know how many times Notenlander protest were broken up by Donvians? Too many to count! and in all this you never hear about the Khitai stomping on the neck of an Ankar or the Daili breaking up a demonstration. Why the Khitai never get involved is probably something political, and if you know Jazado, politics is best left for discussing outside of the country." The waiter approached them just as Boyan finished speaking, without even glancing at the menu he knew what he wanted to order.