The Feudal Lord's Mansion.
An old gentleman in his fifties, with a head of silver hair and still handsome features, nervously read and reread the speech in his hands.
He was the Grand Councillor in the Daimyo's bureaucracy. His main duties were to convey the Daimyo's edicts to the public and review government policies. Put simply, he was the head of a propaganda department that handled both internal and external messaging.
The Grand Councillor had worked diligently his whole life. He'd thought he could retire in a couple of years, return to his hometown, and enjoy his twilight years.
But he lowered his eyes to the speech in his hands and began to doubt that would happen.
The Grand Councillor asked the samurai who had brought him the message, "Are we really supposed to say it like this?"
The samurai replied coldly, "It's the decision of the lords."
Not "the lord," but "the lords."
That meant the great clans had reached this decision after conferring among themselves.
The news that the Akatsuki's assassination attempt had failed had already reached them. All the great clans knew Lin Qing was wandering around Kyoto City with Oda Ieyasu.
The clans had sent their privately held samurai and ninja forces to hunt down and intercept Lin Qing and the others. Meanwhile, they planned to act swiftly and decisively, and establish the official version of events.
The people outside began to cheer.
The decorated carriage procession that had set out from the Water Source Shrine arrived in front of the Feudal Lord's Mansion, surrounded by townspeople from all over the city. They waited for the Daimyo to come out and deliver his annual speech.
The old Grand Councillor stood up.
"Well, off I go."
He kept glancing back as he walked, hoping the messenger would