<div align="center"><strong>Shun Hideyoshi</strong></div><br/>(http://sengoku-database.tripod.com/avatar/odanobunaga.jpg)<br/><br/>Hideyoshi seemed nonplussed by the emperor's words, but he bowed his head shamefully. "I suppose it was my mistake to not send a word forth." He looked over to where the emperor's vassals were  dining, finding the blue hat of Lao Fang among the crowd. Hideyoshi<em>had</em>sent word forward, to the prime minister himself, but it seemed the man had left his emperor in the dark.<br/><br/>The Sunset Emperor was pleased when Shun Tai agreed to host the wedding within an hour, but his daughter immediately objected, and his dark eyes narrowed at the back of her head. She was speaking with Tai now, pleading her case, or perhaps just avoiding her father's venomous gaze. Then, the servant boy, or perhaps slave, spoke up as well, well out of turn. If it was in Hideyoshi's court, he would have the boys tongue ripped out, regardless of how beloved he was. It was a grave error for someone so low in status to advise the emperor of the entire Western lands. But the younger emperor seemed to value the boys counsel, and it was not Hideyoshi's place to take offense in another man's court.<br/><br/>"I would like to speak with my daughter in private-" he said, but he was interrupted by the emperor's wine servers, which he quickly waved off. "If... There will be time for wine later, begging your pardon Emperor Tai." He rested one hand on Midori's shoulder, fatherly and protective. "Emperor Tai, if we were to speak in private, where could we do so?"