[D2, EA] Imperial Court, Part 1 (Open, Event)

[Viveki Doshi]

"Well, I am a half-god. Whether divine or not..." He shrugged. "That is up to the scholars. I am a leader, and a samurai, primarily. You are a merchant, if I gather right?"

"Yes. My family had a very significant trading business." She smiles. "My work has primarily been with managing our relationship with the Nezumi, but things finally reached a point where we believed further attention should be paid to your burgeoning nation."

[Hantei Genji]

"Yes. My family had a very significant trading business." She smiles. "My work has primarily been with managing our relationship with the Nezumi, but things finally reached a point where we believed further attention should be paid to your burgeoning nation."

"Oh? What kind of goods do you trade in, if I may ask?" He smiled in a friendly way. "Well, I hope you find our burgeoning nation to your tastes during your stay here. Have you seen much of the Empire?"

[Bayushi Sasori]

"Ahh Bayushi-san, it is unsurprising to see you again, and yet still a welcome meeting. I hope that the night's festivities have left you undiminished since we first spoke"

Sasori smiled and nodded to the man. "Not at all, Seems we will be stuck here for a while. Last evening I forgot to ask when would you like to get together for that cup of tea."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

snip

"No offense taken. You honor me with your proposal, I was just caught unaware."

He finally found Genji thanks to Kinsen's help. The resemblance with his father was uncanny... But where Hantei's presence would have radiated through the whole room (at a time literally), his son kept his aura in check. Ayumu didn't know the extent of the rift between the mother and the son, but he couldn't imagine Kinsen even trying to go unnoticed.

As for his current companion...

"Three decades ago, none of us had family names. Maybe in three more decades everyone will have one, from the humblest peasant to the most powerful lord.

I wouldn't be surprised if we had merchants joining the nobility even earlier than that actually, or the other way around, as all lords seem to have to deal with commerce in some regard. You wouldn't believe the numbers of petitions that make their way up to the Imperial throne that are commerce related. Any road that can be used for trade is basically an endless source of conflicts regarding tolls, tariffs and upkeep costs.

If your son actually likes taking care of that sort of things, his father might gleefully move part of the burden on him as soon as possible."

[Wu Zhe]

"I am sorry...may I?" Susumu gestures to the tame panda, reaching out a hand as if to pet it. "They are adorable"

"If I might ask, what is your task?"

Shu allowed the stranger to convey his admiration without making too much of a fusss

''They are but this one has a temper...you caught him on a good day.'' he took another sip of tea ''In the lands protected by the Wu I am put in charge of the harmonization effort from the agricultural angle.''

[Hantei Kinsen]

-snip-

Kinsen bows to Ayumu's acceptance once more, and takes a moment to process the Imperial's insights. "Genji-kun follows the steps of his father. He should be wise enough to allow those that understand better than him about these matters to take the lead, and both cherish and reward them for their successful efforts. So I hope."

[Viveki Doshi]

"Oh? What kind of goods do you trade in, if I may ask?" He smiled in a friendly way. "Well, I hope you find our burgeoning nation to your tastes during your stay here. Have you seen much of the Empire?"

"We move anything that is profitable. To give you a sense of scale, if we were line up all our warehouses side by side, we could likely fit a few castles like this one inside."

"As for the rest of your Empire," Viveki shakes her head. "I only just arrived before the snows set in two days prior. I saw the lands south of here in passing, but that is all."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

snip

"That makes me wonder: What is Genji's official role in the Stag current hierarchy at the moment? Of what, or maybe of who, is he in charge? I guess a heir has other duties that simply waiting for their time.

For reference, I think, though my information might be a bit out of date and should be taken with a grain of salt, that Shiba has planned some position for each of his children, with different duties and responsibilities, both for the present and for any distant future where he might not be in charge anymore. I don't know the details but for the fact it's one of these very complex and ironed out organizations Jiyo is famous for."

[Hantei Kinsen]

-snip-

Kinsen listens attentively to Ayumu. Worrisome thoughts start to sprout in her head. She rubs her chin and furrows her brow almost the entire conversation.

"Genji is the Prince of the Stag and heir apparent. His duties at this moment are, well, to find himself a suitable match. Then, dear husband will provide additional insights of his next duty." Kinsen explains it in a rather simple way.

She doesn't give her opinion about the very complex and ironed out organizations the Jiyo are famous for; yet, that does get recorded in her mind for future usage.

[Ryoshun Rei]

Now if only I could tell stories worth a damn...

"I may have to give that a try someday when I'm prepared for what I might call up."

"Is there a spirit in particular you have an interest in?"

[Jiyo Ayumu]

snip

"What would be a suitable match in your opinion? Another Kami child? Someone strong? Someone clever? Someone kind?

And do you have a grand plan up your sleeve to help find that perfect candidate?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Is there a spirit in particular you have an interest in?"

"There is, and your... associate, Kakita, might also be intrigued. But this isn't the best place to bring it up... some stories are best shared discretely."

[Hantei Kinsen]

-snip-

She takes a deep breath before replying. “The best bride, I believe, would be someone that he conquers through his own efforts. Someone he knows would provide him all he needs to be a fair and wise ruler in service of the Emperor.”

Then, she clears her throat, putting a hand in front, “I would prefer, although not themselves due being so close, some maiden with a comparable beauty like one of his cousins. Also someone strong, capable of providing many, many children to our Clan and Empire.”

[Ryoshun Rei]

"There is, and your... associate, Kakita, might also be intrigued. But this isn't the best place to bring it up... some stories are best shared discretely."

"Of course." she nodded. "Then I hope we find more opportunities for discussion."

[Wh'rr'kk]

Settled into one corner of the room, the Ratling ambassador makes a point to attend the court of the Emperor so he can record the memory.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Of course." she nodded. "Then I hope we find more opportunities for discussion."

"I look forward to it, Ryoshun-san... but I fear I've been monopolizing your time!"

[Ryoshun Rei]

"Our conversation has been a pleasure, Jiyo-san." she bowed.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Our conversation has been a pleasure, Jiyo-san." she bowed.

"Then I look forward to our next... Carry the Fortunes."

As he disengaged from the Bat... Sora spied a rather large rat.

Settled into one corner of the room, the Ratling ambassador makes a point to attend the court of the Emperor so he can record the memory.

Sora had an intense fondness for the Nezumi as a people, and he approached their ambassador with care- but also with clear enthusiasm.

[Wh'rr'kk]

"Our conversation has been a pleasure, Jiyo-san." she bowed.

Sora had an intense fondness for the Nezumi as a people, and he approached their ambassador with care- but also with clear enthusiasm.

The nezumi greeted the approaching Samurai with a bow.

[Jiyo Sora]

The nezumi greeted the approaching Samurai with a bow.

"Hello! My name is Jiyo Sora."

He returned the bow as he spoke, and reached to back of his obi and came up with a... stick?

"On my last visit to North-North Mountain City, Knowledge-of-Many made this for me. I think it might... do a better job of conveying my introduction to you. Was White Moonrise well the last you knew?"