suggesting—”
“It is an avenue of approach. I have a specific plan, nandi.
I
am in a situation of personal debt to Lord Tatiseigi—who sheltered me during the Farai occupation of my apartment. Granted it was a favor to the aiji-dowager. But one is still indebted. He ishead of a group that is most likely to oppose this agreement. And
if
one, with great delicacy, chose just the right gift—”
“Porcelain.”
“—then opening a conversation on Marid imports
and
the agreement with the aiji-dowager would be so much easier. Enlist him regarding trade with the Marid, in precisely this commodity…and we might sway his opinion on other matters, even in a face-to-face meeting.”
Machigi heard this, gave an almost silent snort, and took a sip of brandy. “Gods unfortunate, paidhi, you can put a fine gloss on the most amazing situations. You want my agents to scour up a second exhibition piece. A gift for this man.”
“At my expense, nandi. Though I have no shortage of funds, it should not be embarrassingly extravagant. I am not of his rank. And one wishes to keep these pieces attainable in trade.”
“Understated,” Machigi suggested with a circular wave of his hand.
“Of that nature, yes. Tasteful. And understated.”
“You are a
scoundrel,
paidhi-aiji. One would like to hear your description of a proposed assassination. We hope to
bribe
the head of the opposition.”
“We hope to adjust his view of the south, nandi. As I think will happen if he begins to concentrate on the cultural opportunities in the agreement.”
“Diri-ji, can you arrange it? Price will be no object. Quality is paramount. Deliver it with the other to the paidhi’s bus.”
“Yes,” Gediri said, making a note in a small book. “Would the paidhi wish to examine the items before they are crated?”
“One would by no means doubt the quality of your selection, nandi,” Bren said. “I shall utterly trust your choice, since the lord of the Marid entrusts the matter to you.”
“So we please the lord of the Atageini,” Machigi said with an airy gesture. “We cast our collective lives on the willingness of the aiji-dowager to turn up from her holiday in due season. We cast our reputations, nand’ paidhi, on
your
promise for anexchange of votes between us and the Edi. One had as soon expect the sun to rise in the west, but you have a gift for turning things on their head, so I should not wager on that event, either, if you had a finger in it. Now on what date, nand’ paidhi, may I expect the Guild to begin to obey my orders?”
Change of line. A very dangerous one. Fast thinking and, very carefully, no change in expression. “Again, nandi—”
“Upon signature on the line, do I take it? Or at some future date?”
“One cannot speak for the Guild, nandi. What my aishid would tell me, I know: make a request through your own aishid, and you should find that the Guild responds now, through them. Each of you who have Guild protecting them should feel no hesitation in making requests. And this will be the case with
all
the Guilds. Your local Guild members should represent
you.
Always.”
That drew at least a thoughtful stare from Lord Machigi, and attention from the others.
“One urges, once the master document is signed,” Bren said, venturing further, “that the Tasaigin Marid become signatory with
all
Guilds of the aishidi’tat. The same with the other Marid clans. If Dojisigi and Senji had accepted the Guilds before Murini’s coup, they would have gotten much better advice. If they had taken a proper cue from the Guild in Shejidan, nandiin, and understood that they were not gaining recruits, but harboring an outlaw splinter of the Guild, they would have asked for help and gotten it. But they were otherwise inclined. Which is why Lord Machigi—” He paid a little nod of respect toward Machigi, who sat stone-faced. “—is now in authority over the whole of the Marid. And why he will remain so.”
“The East does
“It is an avenue of approach. I have a specific plan, nandi.
I
am in a situation of personal debt to Lord Tatiseigi—who sheltered me during the Farai occupation of my apartment. Granted it was a favor to the aiji-dowager. But one is still indebted. He ishead of a group that is most likely to oppose this agreement. And
if
one, with great delicacy, chose just the right gift—”
“Porcelain.”
“—then opening a conversation on Marid imports
and
the agreement with the aiji-dowager would be so much easier. Enlist him regarding trade with the Marid, in precisely this commodity…and we might sway his opinion on other matters, even in a face-to-face meeting.”
Machigi heard this, gave an almost silent snort, and took a sip of brandy. “Gods unfortunate, paidhi, you can put a fine gloss on the most amazing situations. You want my agents to scour up a second exhibition piece. A gift for this man.”
“At my expense, nandi. Though I have no shortage of funds, it should not be embarrassingly extravagant. I am not of his rank. And one wishes to keep these pieces attainable in trade.”
“Understated,” Machigi suggested with a circular wave of his hand.
“Of that nature, yes. Tasteful. And understated.”
“You are a
scoundrel,
paidhi-aiji. One would like to hear your description of a proposed assassination. We hope to
bribe
the head of the opposition.”
“We hope to adjust his view of the south, nandi. As I think will happen if he begins to concentrate on the cultural opportunities in the agreement.”
“Diri-ji, can you arrange it? Price will be no object. Quality is paramount. Deliver it with the other to the paidhi’s bus.”
“Yes,” Gediri said, making a note in a small book. “Would the paidhi wish to examine the items before they are crated?”
“One would by no means doubt the quality of your selection, nandi,” Bren said. “I shall utterly trust your choice, since the lord of the Marid entrusts the matter to you.”
“So we please the lord of the Atageini,” Machigi said with an airy gesture. “We cast our collective lives on the willingness of the aiji-dowager to turn up from her holiday in due season. We cast our reputations, nand’ paidhi, on
your
promise for anexchange of votes between us and the Edi. One had as soon expect the sun to rise in the west, but you have a gift for turning things on their head, so I should not wager on that event, either, if you had a finger in it. Now on what date, nand’ paidhi, may I expect the Guild to begin to obey my orders?”
Change of line. A very dangerous one. Fast thinking and, very carefully, no change in expression. “Again, nandi—”
“Upon signature on the line, do I take it? Or at some future date?”
“One cannot speak for the Guild, nandi. What my aishid would tell me, I know: make a request through your own aishid, and you should find that the Guild responds now, through them. Each of you who have Guild protecting them should feel no hesitation in making requests. And this will be the case with
all
the Guilds. Your local Guild members should represent
you.
Always.”
That drew at least a thoughtful stare from Lord Machigi, and attention from the others.
“One urges, once the master document is signed,” Bren said, venturing further, “that the Tasaigin Marid become signatory with
all
Guilds of the aishidi’tat. The same with the other Marid clans. If Dojisigi and Senji had accepted the Guilds before Murini’s coup, they would have gotten much better advice. If they had taken a proper cue from the Guild in Shejidan, nandiin, and understood that they were not gaining recruits, but harboring an outlaw splinter of the Guild, they would have asked for help and gotten it. But they were otherwise inclined. Which is why Lord Machigi—” He paid a little nod of respect toward Machigi, who sat stone-faced. “—is now in authority over the whole of the Marid. And why he will remain so.”
“The East does
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