D9 [LE] Would I Lie To You?! (Suteichi's Yurt)

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"And a rumor about me drinking with someone is supposed to dissuade people?" she questioned critically.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Admittedly it is a start. It is like a pebble hitting water. It is a ripple effect."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"Because I went drinking with a friend?" she questioned, pointing out where she found a flaw in this plan.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"People do not care about if it is a friend or not. Appearances are what people care about. A drink with a friend can easily become...something else. Honorable woman goes to have a drink today and suddenly becomes a good time girl by tomorrow. Courtiers can take such information use it for their gain. Killing one's reputation means controlling the narrative. In a competition like this, the less people looking your way the better." Suteichi held her hands.

"Unorthodoxed, manipulative, cheap... but it got them distracted away from you. Would you rather I talk more about us being a couple of renown? Suddenly we become a target for others, and the narrative will be far, far worse. For that matter, no one wants little ol me. I am a Scorpion, I am not trusted. I made a narrative to make you look less attractive to others for my own gain. I am a selfish asshole, but I am your selfish asshole."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Fei listened, and then let the moment fall to a silence. Uncomfortably so. Expression solid, tone flat, she said, "So, your method of getting people to look away from me was to make an attempt at dragging me through the mud? Not only that, but you chose to use my actual life in order to do so. With what you are trying to make people think. Did you even consider what damage that could have done beyond myself? What if because of this you ruined Yasuki Tomonaga's relationships as well? Hmm? You used a friend of mine for your-.. our.." she shook her head, unable to decide between those two. "You decided to drag a friend of mine into this mess, without consulting me."

Fei didn't let anything show, she was a stone faced wall, "I am so disappointed in you Suteichi."