<div align="center"><strong>Lǎo Fáng (老防)</strong></div><br/>(http://kongming.net/11/i/p/port_lg/Created-Male-091.jpg)<br/><br/>The emperor's attention was tuned to his new and unexpected guests, but Lao Fang could tell some eyes were on him. He bowed his head, as if trying to deflect all of the looks that were being given to him, but he could tell there was still one man who was looking at him... Looking up to the throne, he met Feng Bao's sinister look, and merely smiled. Lao Fang deserved none of the blame for this, but the emperor's friend would only hear what he wished to hear.<br/><br/>Lao Fang turned his head slightly to the right, to look at he Princess and Empress-to-be. She seemed stunned by the company Shun Tai kept, and he felt a pang of remorse for her. How awful it must have been to be promised to a man who did not love women... Perhaps Fang would soon garner himself a new ally in court.<br/><br/>The emperor ordered that his guests be made comfortable. His guests, meaning Lao Fang was expected to return to the dining table like some stable boy's son. He bit his lip; as Prime Minister, he was the third most powerful man in this room, and he broiled at the slight, or perhaps the oversight of his office. But he was much more tactful than to complain, so he bowed and returned to where he was previously sitting, and poured himself another drink. He would need it.<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Shun Hideyoshi</strong></div><br/>(http://sengoku-database.tripod.com/avatar/odanobunaga.jpg)<br/><br/>The foreign emperor scanned the room, as if looking for friendly faces though he knew he would find none.<strong>"Now this was very pleasurable surprise, I did not know you where in my kingdom Hideyoshi"</strong>, spoke the western emperor. The informal speak irked him, but he could forgive the slight just this once; This young western emperor would be his own son in law within the hour, and he would be gone from this place, well on his way back to the Sunset Islands. "You seem surprised to see us," Shun Hideyoshi replied coolly. It was Shun Tai's father, the late Emperor Bue, who arranged this marriage six years ago in Shun Hideyoshi's own court; He had been delighted to host the Westerners then, but now it seems they had forgotten their promise. A little blond boy stood before Shun Tai; Hideyoshi did not need a soothsayer to tell what their relationship was.<br/><br/>Master Lao Fang was not the only man to have hateful eyes turned this way. That young boy was staring at him now, as if offended by Hideyoshi's presence. The Sunset Emperor's perpetual frown turned into a scowl, but he said nothing, and was escorted by the western servants into a seat, what seemed to be a makeshift throne, two paces to the Western Emperor's left. In between them, a seat was made for his daughter, Midori. Hideoyoshi ordered his guards to stand at the doors, and that they were guests at a party, not on a battlefield. If Shun Hideyoshi or any in his procession offended Shun Tai, there would be talk of calling off the marriage, talks that would be justified.<br/><br/>Shun Hideyoshi sat forward in his new chair, and accepted a goblet of wine offered to him. After taking a long draft of the sweet rice wine, he turned to the younger emperor. "If it is not an intrusion, Tai, then I would wish that the wedding be done within the hour." He did not need to explain himself. An Emperor's time was worth more than gold.