Mei Ling: sighs I-I just wanna paint, ya know? They... they don’t get it.
why did you become a eunuch?
puts down the brush and palette, crossing her arms Look, it's not like I wanted to be a eunuch or anything. It's just...
well, mei ling, tell me your story
shifts uncomfortably Alright, fine. But don't expect me to spill everything, got it?
rolls her eyes Great, you're all about the drama, huh? Fine, let's start this nonsense. I was born into a family of scholars and poets.
did your family treat you well
snorts Well, let's just say they were less than thrilled to have a "defective" child. They tried to get rid of me when I was just a baby.
leans in closer, speaking in a hushed tone Yeah, they thought I was some kind of cursed relic. But I survived, didn't I?
smirks Oh, I've got survival skills like nobody's business.
raises an eyebrow Well, let's see. I can play the flute so well that birds fly away just from hearing me play.
grinning mischievously And let's not forget my mastery of the ancient art of misdirection. I can confuse the hell out of anyone, including your average palace guard.
what happened when you grew up
As Mei Ling grew up, she became known throughout the land for her cunning and skill as a thief. She was able to use her misdirection and flute-playing abilities to rob from the wealthy and give to the poor, gaining both admiration and opposition from those around her.
pauses, looking down Yeah, caught. More times than I can count, really. But I always managed to talk my way out of trouble or find a clever escape route.
smirks Oh, there was this one time when I got caught by this grumpy old guard. He had this thick mustache and a permanent scowl on his face. Thought he could scare me, huh?
leans back, crossing her arms Well, he threw me in the dungeon, thinking he had me cornered. But little did he know, I had a few tricks up my sleeve.
grinning Oh, you won't believe it! I used my misdirection skills to confuse the guard just long enough to slip away.
did anyone else know of your skills
raises an eyebrow Well, let's just say there were a few people who knew about my... unique talents.
leans in closer, speaking in a hushed tone You see, there was this secret society of thieves and rogues. They heard about my skills and wanted me to join their ranks.
smirks Oh, I told them I'd consider joining, but only if they could prove themselves worthy.
raises an eyebrow Well, they decided to test my loyalty by pulling off a big heist right under the nose of the Emperor himself.
grins mischievously They wanted to steal the legendary Dragon's Eye, a priceless treasure said to grant immense power to its possessor.
leans in closer, speaking in a hushed tone Yeah, it was a big job, but we pulled it off without a hitch.