<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/>He bristles when he hears his name, turning to accost the jester. Lao Fang was not a humorless man, but that court jester had a talent for making him uncomfortable. He scowled at Paiyou. "That's Master<em>Lao</em>," he corrected, before he turned back to his wine and drained the last sip. He stood up uneasily, steadying his weak knees by resting a hand on Paiyou's shoulder. He retrieved his walking stick from the ground and planted it, finding a sense of balance now. "That's better. Paiyou, I have a surprise for the emperor, one that is quite ironic. Do you know what irony means?"<br/><br/>Not waiting for an answer, he left the table, indicating with a nod of his head for the jester to follow. "Quite ironic indeed, if you consider the type of company the emperor keeps." He didn't have to explain himself; The emperor was currently enjoying his young slave boy on his throne. The two of them left the throne room down an empty hallway, Lao Fang hobbling quite quickly on his lame knee and walking stick. A door loomed ahead, and Fang swung it open gingerly. Outside was a group of sixteen soldiers, wearing foreign armor; these were not the Emperor's soldiers. At their forefront was a man in golden armor, topped in a traditional kabuto. Lao Fang quickly knelt before this man. "<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Shun Hideyoshi</strong></div><br/>(http://sengoku-database.tripod.com/avatar/odanobunaga.jpg)<br/><br/>"Rise, Lao Fang," the man in the golden armor commanded, and Fang did quickly find his feet. "I do not wish to linger here long; I will meet with the emperor, and be gone within an hour of the wedding's end."<br/><br/>If Paiyou was confused, he would soon become more confused. From behind Shun Hideyoshi, Emperor of the Sunset Islands to the East, a beautiful young woman (http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/f6/Asian%2Ccg%2Cdigital%2Cart%2Cfantasy%2Cillustration%2Cjapanese-e57a1738bfc29abac2af8ebcc4fd71e6_h.jpg) made her presence known.<br/><br/>Lao Fang smiled. "This is Princess Shun Midori, Tai Shun's bride to be. They were engaged six years ago, during the reign of Shun's father... I imagine he does not remember this agreement, but it must be honored." He had a thin smile on his face, as if he found this all amusing. And he did.