After filming the first episode of Diplomacy, TV! (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2794.msg25575;topicseen#msg25575)—ugh, he'd never get used to that name—Guo Tianming was feeling much more confident in himself. Not that he was ever anything less than confident to the point of self-indulgence, but now this self-confidence was beginning to jump into nearly lethal levels. The next episode was to come two weeks later, with none less than the Emperor of Daito himself. Heaven, it felt weird to say that out loud. After all that the Feng Kingdom and Daito had done to each other when the Feng were under the dominion of the Ardian Empire, how could he dare to suggest that friendly terms could be found less than a year after The Democracy's emergence? And, perhaps more to the point, how could he dare suggest that The Democracy's earliest treaties should be with monarchs?
With Clysperis, there was hardly any risk. People will forgive inviting an autocrat to tea if they are far away, benevolent, and (most importantly) beautiful, but the Emperor was close, vaguely menacing, and, well, thought Tianming, also beautiful, if he was honest. Still, one out of three was not good.
Despite these obstacles, Tianming had successfully convinced his bosses that if the show was to succeed, it had to "take Wei through the Devil's Gate",[1] it had to take this risk, both quickly and head-on. It had to show that it was willing to take on everything that diplomacy meant, and that meant doing their best to make old enemies into friends. Of course, this didn't mean he would take any unnecessary risks either. For one thing, the audience had been carefully screened for anyone with anti-Daitojin sentiments. He didn't tolerate heckling on a normal show, how could he allow it when dealing with a real Emperor? He'd also had to take extra precautions for housing the Emperor. The Great Peace Hotel was obviously out after being the site of the Pharaoh, so he made a reservation with the Everlasting Democracy Hotel, which, in addition to being in a more discreet location, served a better breakfast, which made up for the gilt and glitziness left behind at the Great Peace.
Looking over the darkened stage, he took a deep breath and signaled to the translators to ready themselves. And then the lights came on...
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"Welcome to Diplomacy, TV!" Tianming waved to the crowd, smiling as he walked toward center stage. He smiled at the table the crew had set for the occasion. In addition to the chrysanthemums placed next to the tea set in the center, they had also left out a bowl of mochi filled with sesame paste. He didn't think the Emperor would eat any, but he hoped the thought wouldn't pass unnoticed. "We have here tonight a wonderful guest, just a short trip away from his home across the waters from Old Ardia, the Go-Tenshi Emperor of Daito!" The crowd was helpfully exuberant. Things were going to be great, he thought.
"Emperor," he said, "or Eijiro, if I may be so bold, before we invite our negotiators onto the stage, we like to get to know your nation a bit first. After all, a lot has happened in both our countries since 1954! How has your country been in the last 70 years? I've heard you have a man on the moon, the real moon, now, is that right?"