Discretion

Because sometimes, I have the oddest feeling Kouyuu might die young with his responsibilities. And dealing with Shuuei might lead him to commit bloody murder one day.

And because Shuuei is actually tactful, though Kouyuu might find it too easy to think the worst of him.

And because I pity Ryuuki. Really.

Not really shounen-ai, more of friendship, I suppose.

The sun was shining brightly directly overhead Saiunkoku.

"SHUUEI? YOU SENT SHUUEI TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOREIGN DIPLOMATS?"

Ryuuki did his best not to cower.

It was a difficult thing, for all that he could defeat Kouyuu quite easily in a sword fight if worst came to worst.

"We," he said shakily, careful to use the royal 'we' and wondering if Kouyuu might kill him. "We thought to entrust them to Kouyuu, but they might end up showing him around instead."

Kouyuu bristled as he paced the floor and pondered the possible diplomatic repercussions. "And you thought SHUUEI would do a better job?" he demanded.

"Yes?" Ryuuki ventured unsurely. It was the wrong answer.

"You chose Shuuei. SHUUEI. He has no tact for such matters. He'd as soon show them the red light district and calmly explain everything about it!"

"Um... Well..."

Kouyuu flung his hands up in the air as he spun towards the door. "I'm going after him."

When he was alone, Ryuuki slumped tiredly in his chair. "Kouyuu is scary," he remarked to the room at large. "The worst thing is if Shuuei is the one who will find him first."

Kouyuu stomped the corridors irritatedly. It had been a while now, and still he found no sign of Shuuei.

The more precise time was a bit after sundown, but Kouyuu didn't like thinking of how he spent from noon to dusk searching fruitlessly for Shuuei.

"Oi, Kouyuu!" an obnoxiously cheerful voice called behind him. "How are you?"

Kouyuu whirled around to face the Ran general. "You!"

"Yes?" Shuuei asked.

"You! What did you do to the foreign diplomats?"

"If you must know," Shuuei smiled a bit smugly. "I toured the Imperial Palace with them, then showed the best of Saiunkoku..."

Kouyuu's eyes widened frantically. "What? Don't tell me you--"

"-- toured the markets and the village, why yes we did," a distinguished older man interrupted Kouyuu.

Kouyuu subsided abruptly. "What? Oh. Oh, right."

"Kouyuu has forgotten that the glory of Saiunkoku is in its people, correct?" Shuuei inserted slyly.

Kouyuu looked trapped. "I trust Shuuei has been polite?" he said instead.

The old man chuckled. "Yes. Ran-shogun has been most kind."

"Oh. Alright." Seemingly dazed, Li Kouyuu stumbled off into the night.

"I thank you for you kindness," Shuuei informed the man.

"That was Li Kouyuu, then?"

"Indeed."

The old man grinned. "I understand why you asked me to go along with you. The poor boy looked like he was going to drop dead on his feet."

"You should see him when he finds out that I did show you our red-light district," Shuuei confided. "He might have to be sent to a doctor."

"I did ask," he pointed out reasonably as he readjusted his robes. "And it was a fascinating place. He probably should never know, though."

"Thank you for understanding." Shuuei paused. "I should probably show you to the Emperor now. Soon."

"Is the infamous Kouyuu lost, then?" the man asked, interested.

Shuuei sighed theatrically. "Well, he was headed to the armory."

"Saiunkoku is a very interesting place, isn't it?"

"It's a unique place. We have a good Emperor."

"I've heard the rumors."

"Some of them good, I hope?"

"You had a green female official and a young boy co-govern one of the main provinces, I hear."

"That young boy is the youngest person to ever pass the civil service exams," Shuuei responded. "The female official earned third-rank, an accomplishment especially since it was the first year of the implementation of the new system. They were assigned Sa Province, and they uncovered a conspiracy of the noble family and Sa Province is now being developed as the center of education in Saiunkoku."

"Exceptional people," the old man commented, stroking his beard.

Shuuei looked concerned as he looked towards the Palace armory, and the man chuckled. "Young Li Kouyuu used to be the youngest person to pass the civil service exams, right?"

"He was also the Jougen of his year. His intelligence is at odds with his sense of direction."

"He's rather... eccentric isn't he?"

"That he is," Shuuei agreed. "And I should probably excuse myself tonight."

"I agree. I shall find the Emperor myself. I trust there should be no problem with dismissing you?"

"No problem at all, sir."

"Good night, Ran-shogun. A bit of good luck wouldn't go amiss, I'm sure."

"Good night, sir. I hope Saiunkoku met to your approval?" Shuuei asked, before he hurried off to find Kouyuu.

The old man smiled as he turned to meet Ryuuki.

"You are considering an alliance with our country?" Ryuuki sat straight.

"Correct. Saiunkoku seems to be a most promising country, recovering from the civil wars years ago and with a capable leader."

"We are most pleased." Ryuuki hesitated, before asking, "Has Shuuei seen Kouyuu?"

"Ran-shogun has gone after Li-san. They seem like very interesting men, deserving of the Emperor's trust."

Ryuuki nodded stiffly. "Now, we are supposed to negotiate on the contact our countries are to have, correct?"

"Of course."

Shuuei grinned as he walked home. A blustering Kouyuu was amusing.

As it turned out, when he had finally found him, he had been in the armory, the archives, the stables, the garden, and had finally been on his way to the servant's quarters.

See, Kouyuu? Not everyone has to be defended from Shuuei. *snickers* Except maybe you.

This was spawned, unfortunately, by seeing a real red-light district. Scarred for life, I swear.