Though Wan may not expect it, his words made all three of the Woodsmen's demeanors shift, from something fairly relaxed to something a little tense. Ran actually took his gaze from their surroundings to look at Wan, and in general they seemed to be less amiable than they had been.

"I ... see," said Heojin at last. "We have of course been brokering a deal for the land, but I did not realise some had already, ah, laid claim."

"You've been squatting in the palace," Ran said flatly.

"What d- do we care about the palace?" Lin pointed out.

"It's the palace. It's also a graveyard. Would you want people tramping and living all over the place where your family-members suffered and died as if it meant nothing?" Ran shook his head. "And I thought you were exaggerating about Foreigners going around doing their own thing without considering anyone around them. Tch."

"D- didn't say it wasn't s- st- stupid," said Lin, "just like th- the--" He waved a hand toward the fire. "But we d- don't care about the palace. Th- that's why it's being demolished."

"That's not the point," Ran growled. "It's being demolished with consideration and with appropriate ceremony. He's been living there before the deal was finalised without even asking."