West End Boys

OP: Why couldn’t traditional Chinese Yinpiao银票/silver drafts be forged if they were merely slips of paper? (cr大明宝钞，渐越)

Traditional Chinese yinpiao/silver drafts were paper vouchers issued by private banks starting from the Song Dynasty(960–1279). People could exchange these slips for physical silver at bank branches across the country.

Silver drafts were made in multiple copies with matching serrated seal edges. One copy went to the customer and others stayed at the bank. All edges had to fit perfectly together to withdraw silver. The unique split edge marks were almost impossible to copy.

This mechanism is known as qifeng骑缝 (split-joint seal) in China. It first originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046–771 BC). The Rites of Zhou records that contracts were written on bamboo or wooden slips in duplicate. Notches and marks were carved in the middle before splitting the slips, with each party keeping one half. The two halves would be matched by their notches for verification.

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770–221 BC), this idea evolved into hufu虎符/tiger tally tokens. A military tally was split into two pieces with identical inscriptions carved along the split edge. Troops could only be deployed if the patterns and characters on both halves perfectly aligned, serving as a metal version of the split-joint anti-counterfeiting system.

The technology matured in the Tang Dynasty (618–907). Government documents and private contracts commonly used split-joint seals stamped across the dividing line. The Chinese character "hetong合同" (contract) was written across the middle before the paper was torn apart, so the complete characters would only appear when the two halves were put together. This split-coupon system was later adopted for Song Dynasty (960–1279) jiaozi paper money and yinpiao/silver drafts of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912).

Official Song dynasty paper money (Jiaozi交子) was abolished in 1107. Private silver drafts issued by Qing-era piaohao票行 (ancient exchange banks) vanished completely in 1951, hit hard by modern banks and currency reforms. Nowadays silver drafts no longer circulate as currency. Their collectible value depends on their rarity and physical condition.

First they were called "chirographs", but later the word "indenture" (in its earliest meaning as just a legal document of any kind between two people) came to be used, originating from the practice of a contract being written twice on a single piece of parchment and then cut in half with serrated edges (as in dent, "teeth" -> indents -> indenture) in order for each party to take one half, so they could later piece them together and verify that there had been no forgery -- same as the Chinese silver drafts!

(Charter of the Clerecía de Ledesma, 1252, showing the serrated indents at the top -- presumably they are cutting rather than tearing because they're using parchment, which I expect is much harder to tear than wood-pulp paper like the Chinese were using)

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy this week's selection of fics!

RECENT MFLs

"...and then the rains came..." by notjustmom (NR, 563 w., 1 Ch. || TRF Divergence / Sherlock Returns, Established Relationship, Angst & Fluff) – He was beginning to forget him.

The Song of the Whale Road by fresne (T, 1,409 w., 2 Ch. || Viking Omegaverse || Beta John, Omega Sherlock, Viking Sherlock, Byzantine Greek John, Female John) – Jinis Blackheart had been born to be a Berserker. Sherlokr Quickwit of Holdalanda had been born under a wandering star. He'd have sailed his ship over the edge of the world if he were able to find it. It was to his good fortune that Ioanna of Byzantium was of the same mind. Part 24 of Variations on an Equation; Part 33 of Phrygian Choices

Overdue by Rachelea3 (G, 4,503 w., 1 Ch. || TEH, Missing Scene, Sherlock's PTSD, POV Sally, Apologies) – Not much of an apology, perhaps, but long overdue.

The Fifth Pip by Calais_Reno (T, 14,993 w., 5 Ch. || TGG Fic, Missing John, Abduction, Oblivious Sherlock, John is So Done, Angst with Happy Ending) – “He hasn’t noticed you’re missing. What does that tell you?” John says nothing. “You keep waiting, wondering when he will ask too much of you. You fear it because then you’ll have to choose between your self-respect and your compulsion to follow him. That’s it, isn’t it? You shot the cabbie, and it gave a whole new meaning to your life.” Moriarty smiles, his eyes empty. There’s no answer to this. John has been waiting, thinking he’ll reach the limit, but Sherlock only pushes, and asks, and John keeps giving. “I have an idea,” Moriarty says. “Let’s find his limit.” Part 7 of More Words

We need to talk more about the fact that Crowley does stress cleaning… 

And also the fact that he READS. He lied to Aziraphale that he doesn’t…

Evidence provided by @brightwanderer​

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Lots of GO fics on my MFL list, so here's another list of recent fics! Enjoy!

RECENT MFLs

Unnaturally Bright by PrincessOfHouseNightstar (G, 1,178 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S2/S3 Speculation, Supreme Archangel Aziraphale, Headaches/Migraines, Comfort, Fluff, Protective Crowley, Soft Crowley, Sick Fic, Soft Aziraphale) – The Supreme Archangel Aziraphale is dealing with a terrible headache and Crowley comes to his rescue. Part 10 of Good Omens Oneshots

Gleams On Volumes Of Old by Poet_to_None (M, 6,078 w., 3 Ch. || Idiots in Love, Through the Ages, Banter, Affection) – Vignettes over time featuring a touch starved demon and very dear angel who errs in too much restraint.

Crowley's Herbal by CopperBeech (G, 9,915 w., 10 Ch. || Post S1, Through the Ages, The Arrangement, 6000 Years of Pining, South Downs Cottage, First Kiss, Canon Scene Vignettes, Gunshot Wounds, Soft, Angst, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Protective Aziraphale, Language of Flowers, Gardener Crowley, Gardening, Oblivious Aziraphale, Hurt/Comfort) – I thought it would be fun to write a series of little vignettes about the floriographic symbolism of the plants Crowley chooses for his cottage garden, and then centuries of pining happened. I'll show myself out.

The Loophole, or, How to Convince a Demon God Exists in Three Easy Steps by fellshish (E, 24,371 w., 4 Ch. || Post S2 Divergence, POV Aziraphale, Humour, Loss of Virginity, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Coming in Pants, First Time, Spanking, Gay Pride, Church Sex, Hand Jobs, Rimming, Masturbation, Facials, Object Insertion, Object Penetration, Ass to Mouth, Exhibitionism, Begging, Safe Words, Apology Dance, Long Haired Crowley, Begging, Crying Crowley, Emotional Sex, Hijinks/Shenanigans, Dom/Sub Undertones, Prophecies) – Ah, yes. Being an Archangel is going splendidly. Aziraphale accidentally erases God from the Book of Life.

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[#FFF365 Blood on Your Hands]

This prompt has been brought to you by @itsmoonpeaches; thank you very much! Is this a crime scene? Who died and why? Is this even a murder or more a metaphorical exclamation? Either way, we want to know all about it! Tell us who is guilty, what they've done and what the consequences will be. Go and write, write, write!

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Sherlock fandom. TW: canonical suicide, blood, depression.

It Was My Fault

Somehow, I can’t shake the feeling that I was to blame for Sherlock’s suicide. I should have observed more carefully. When I think about our last encounter – before the roof incident – God, I was so angry with him! But now, I’m able to peel away his obnoxious behaviour and to see how anxious he was. He already knew what he was about to do next - once he got me to leave - and it must have terrified him. Even the great Sherlock Holmes couldn’t have been indifferent to jumping from a building to his inevitable death.

“You have blood on your hands, Watson. His blood.”

This is a mantra I tend to torment myself with when I wake from a nightmare; a horrible dream where I see him fall in slow motion to prolong my agony. When I finally reach him - no one stops me this time - I place my palms on his beautiful face, wipes away the blood, closes his eyes, and pecks his lips.

“Sleep tight, Sherlock. I love you. I’m sorry.” I whisper in his ear.

The dream always ends with people appearing to take him away. I fight them like a tiger, but to no avail.

I wake with his name on my lips, tears streaming down my cheeks, and my heart shatters once more.