The silence here is heavy, but necessary. I have brought the offerings of peach and apple to the spirit, as tradition demands. Some say a ruler must only look to the maps and the armies, but how can we march to victory if we have not first sought the balance of the heavens? The whispers in the court are loud, but the wind through the stalks tells a much deeper truth. Does anyone else feel that the more you try to prove your worth, the more the shadows seem to watch your every move?