Rihito
The envoys from the country
Jinshi
as if sizing him up. At first glance, their manner was courteous, but it was easily seen through by Jinshi, who had been appraised countless times in the rear palace.
The difference in national power
Li
was several times, even dozens of times greater. However, the existence of a powerful allied nation behind them bred complacency. Perhaps it was also a characteristic that many of them were of larger build and hairier than the people of Li.
That was why he had chosen tall, robust men as guards.
Lihaku
would have been resourceful enough and could be trusted to some degree, but he had been napping ahead of his night guard shift, and he had also accompanied the visit to examine the one who appeared to be the Fourth Prince, so Jinshi decided against using him.
Recently, he had grown quite a bit,
Basen,
but his height was still developing, and with his youthful, beardless face, he was dressed as a civil official rather than a guard. The man himself seemed reluctant, but Jinshi made excuses about letting the other party lower their guard and managed to convince him.
The venue for the meeting was not the government office nor the main residence, but at a place said to be the finest upscale restaurant in the western capital, which had been entirely reserved,
Hiryuu
and his uncle,
Gyokuen
the second son, presiding over the proceedings. Rikuson had declined, citing remaining official duties — even though Jinshi had wanted to have him along, the man apparently would not trouble himself with such things.
Just in case,
Korou
and
Suzume
,
Baryou
He had turned down both of them for the same reason as Li Bai. Ma Liang and Que looked the part, but they were actually gifted linguists, and he would have wanted them serving as interpreters. Still, nothing could be done about it.
Diplomacy was exactly that much of a nuisance. When it came down to trading accusations, there was no obligation to show restraint to a country that wasn't even an ally.
However, Jinshi knew that his face could be useful in a negotiation setting. When he was shown to the room and came face-to-face with the envoys, they froze for an instant. Then they stared at the scar on his right cheek and let out a sigh of disappointment.
It was the sort of appearance that sometimes made one think he was being made a fool of, yet this man who possessed a smile like a heavenly maiden seemed to work on foreigners too. If his sex had been female, it would presumably be even more effective, but Jinshi knew that would only attract further trouble. He was frequently told that it was a good thing he was a man and the kingdom hadn't collapsed because of it.
If someone was going to give him this joke of a face, he wished they had paired it with more practical talent—how many times had Jinshi made such an ungrateful complaint?
That said, his appearance had caused him plenty of trouble, but it had also proven useful on many occasions. If it could be put to use this time as well, he would gladly take advantage of it.
The content of the meeting was surprisingly direct. The man who had come as envoy resembled someone from Li in appearance. He had yellowish skin with dark brown hair and eyes. However, the thickness of his body hair and the larger nose and eyes suggested foreign blood.
"A nobleman from our kingdom has gone missing. Have you heard anything?"
That was the gist of it. The interpreter was conveying the message, so it was impossible to tell how much consideration the man was showing in his wording toward Jinshi.
Not royalty, but a nobleman—the exact age hadn't been specified, but it roughly matched what he already knew.
"There is also the possibility of kidnapping. If you have any information, we would like you to share it immediately."
His appearance genuinely seemed to convey concern for this nobleman. The downcast eyelashes and the slight trembling of his hands. If it was an act, he was a remarkable actor.
If that eccentric military strategist were here, he would have seen through the mask no matter how skilled the actor. But Jinshi lacked the courage to deploy him in a diplomatic setting. That would be like having a conversation while smoking inside a powder magazine.
Jinshi needed to consider every possible scenario.
"If my brother has caused any trouble, please allow me to take part in the discussions as well."
This was Feilong, speaking with a solemn expression.
"The nephew's misconduct falls under my responsibility. Please do not trouble yourselves over us and render a fair judgment."
That was Yuanyuan's second son.
Even if they were blood relatives, he was prepared to accept punishment, but "fairness" was easier said than done. Normally, such a judgment could not be made without clear information.
Still, if he had to prioritize, which matter should come first?
Let us set the noble in question as the Fourth Prince for the time being.
If he were to take the envoy's words at face value, then the Fourth Prince had been kidnapped and taken to Li. In that scenario, it would be natural to assume that
the Strix Owl
had acted as an accomplice.
No matter how much of a good-for-nothing he was, if he was involved in the kidnapping of another kingdom's royalty, he could not be shielded. It would be better not to be associated with him at all. If anything happened, Jinshi had to be prepared to cut ties immediately.
It may sound cold, but that is diplomacy. Leave unattended someone who creates friction with other nations and provides the spark for war, and the resulting casualties will be tens or hundreds of times greater.
However, the story changes if the envoy's account turns out to be a lie.
Sometimes you are forced to make decisions without clear information. All Jinshi can do is order that surveillance on Shikyō not be neglected for the time being. Depending on the situation, it may become necessary to ban them from entering the main residence or the government offices.
The meal ends without anyone having actually eaten at the restaurant. The envoys from the Rijin Kingdom have announced they will be staying at the inn for a while.
He did not know how long they would remain, but he could not afford to let his guard down.
Trouble always seemed to arise precisely at times like these.
He left the restaurant and climbed into the carriage.
He received water and drank it down as though washing away a meal he barely felt he had eaten. Although Basen had not needed to draw his sword, the stiff official's robes must have made it hard to breathe, as he had loosened his collar slightly.
Someone knocked on the carriage door.
"What is it?"
Basen narrowed his eyes and peered out the window.
"A messenger, sir."
He was handed a letter sealed simply with beeswax. It was from Baryō.
"What does it say?"
"...The timing couldn't be worse."
Jinshi pressed a hand to his forehead.
The letter stated that Shikyō had shown up at the main residence and that a scuffle had broken out when they tried to force their way in.
And—
"..."
"Lord Jinshi, you don't look well."
"...That fool."
That the wounded and fleeing Shikyō had been treated by
Maomao
— that is what was written.