Teiin

Teiin was one of the most prominent shang merchants in Bin-Er.^[2][3]

History

With the rise of the shang system in the wake of the Platinum Affair, Teiin became a leading figure in Bin-Er.^[3] Like many shang merchants, Teiin was greedy and corrupt. He canceled a construction project of his own volition before it was finished, and decided that he did not have to pay for any of the work at all.

Teiin knew that his workers were upset with him for refusing to pay them, and became hard to find for the ordinary people of Bin-Er. He made a private reservation at Gidu Shrine for the anniversary of his grandfather's death, and Kavik ran the errand of copying the shrine's schedule of private reservations. Having prepared for people to confront him about the money, he brought along hired bruisers. When Teiin emerged from the shrine, he was confronted by the masses, but he gave a signal and his hired toughs poured out, slamming into the crowd. However, he made sure to only have people bruised, not wanting to violate the shang city's charter that forbade them from using military might.^[1]

Teiin was present with Avatar Yangchen's first formal meeting with shang merchants, where she saw the Air Nomad call for the system to be reformed, such as ensuring that its people would be fairly paid and allowing alms to be given out. The shangs were unresponsive, and Yangchen confronted Teiin about the riot after shortchanging his workers. Teiin answered with a very quiet, watery hiss, telling her that he was waylaid by violent ruffians whom he did not recognize, and that his dealings were entirely his own and no one else's.^[2] After Noehi stated that the Avatar had no authority in Bin-Er, the Avatar pleaded with the shangs to join her efforts and have their names be marked by history. Teiin simply responded that their duty was to manage trade between the four nations, not to throw bones at every barking animal in the street, and that Earth King Feishan did not care about how they managed their business as long as he got his portion of the revenues. Thinking he had bested Yangchen, Teiin declared that their meeting was done; however, Yangchen revealed that she knew that the shangs had violated the terms of the charter by allowing many more ships to dock than were legally permitted, and threatened to expose this to the Earth King if charitable reforms were not made.^[4]

When the shangs met together with Sidao to discuss what Yangchen had asked of them, Teiin started to lose it with Zongdu Henshe, saying that he did not like being pointed at, and that he had failed to handle the Avatar. He then turned around to Sidao, calling him an idiot for letting Yangchen scout the docks for a month, even though he was in the pocket of the shangs. Henshe promised to fix the situation, telling them he had a solution in the Unanimity project. Teiin was skeptical, thinking that the Unanimity project was just a theoretical obsession of Zongdu Dooshim. Henshe promised it was real, and that it would give them an extremely solid position, being able to get the king to sign any charter and rewrite laws across the Earth Kingdom with the power that they would have. Henshe and the rest of the shangs then toasted to the future.^[3]

The shangs of Bin-Er did not know the exact details of Unanimity, but heard very loud noises and saw bright lights from up in their manors.^[5] After Yangchen and her companions stopped the project in the middle of the display of power, the shangs of Bin-Er stayed out of sight, as if shamed by the increased attention upon Bin-Er.^[6]

Physical description

Teiin was a slight but hale man who was sixty years old during the implementation of the Unanimity project.^[1]

Appearances

Chronicles of the Avatar

The Dawn of Yangchen

• 102. "Voices of the Present"
• 109. "Theater"
• 110. "Keeping Score"
• 112. "Outside Options"

References