The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

you understand what kind of people are gathered here?"
    "I have a pretty good idea."
    Saibou nodded. "Wa Province is a reflection of the temperament of Marquis Gahou. He oppresses the people, disregarding the honor of the Empress and the will of the kingdom. Corrupt retainers who would shake the roots of Kei cannot be left to their own devices."
    "Yes."
    "By all rights, the Empress should direct the affairs of the kingdom, but our new monarch has not been on the throne long, and the Royal Court is in the back pocket of officials who took advantage even before the Late Empress Yo-ou. Having been enthroned for barely half a year, it is doubtful that the current Empress has the means to resist them. Taking control of the court and extending the rule of law to the Nine Provinces by itself would be next to impossible. On top of that, the Empress is a taika, and knows little of Kei."
    Shoukei nodded.
    "If we investigate Gahou here, and raise a stink about the chaos in Wa Province and about Gahou's misrule, the Empress is bound to pay more attention to the suffering in all the Nine Provinces. And when she deigns to start paying attention, we shall petition her with all of the resources at our command."
    "I understand."
    "For the good of Wa Province, more than toppling Gahou, more than anything else, the Empress must be made aware of conditions here in Wa. Not overthrowing Gahou would be acceptable if the Empress were able to judge the situation correctly. Otherwise, we will no doubt be named enemies of Gahou and the crown, and will be destroyed. In light of all this, will you still stand by Kakutai, Shoukei?" Saibou addressed Kantai as "Kakutai."
    Shoukei tightened her hand into a fist. "Yes. I truly believe the Royal Kei will recognize our cause." She had to believe, because of the way Rakushun cared so much about her. Even having attained the throne in her unfinished state, an Empress who worried so much about whether or not she was fit for the role should be nobody's fool.
    Saibou smiled. "I see. Our guest from Hou believes in the Empress. There's something ironic about that."
    "And you don't believe in her?"
    "Because there are those who believe, I would like to as well."
    "Eh?"
    Saibou didn't respond, but rapped lightly on the desk. "In any case, we welcome you, Shoukei. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
    "And I yours."
    Next to her, Kantai tilted his head quizzically. "You didn't come all the way here to see Shoukei, did you?"
    "Of course not," Saibou smiled. "Yes, I did have something I needed to do. I came to tell you, Kakutai."
    "What is it?"
    "A man by the name of Enho, the superintendent in Hokui, Ei Province--more specifically, the town of Kokei--has disappeared."
    "By disappeared, you mean--"
    "Yesterday, the rike in Kokei was attacked and a girl was murdered. Her younger brother and the superintendent were apparently kidnaped. Nothing was stolen from the rike. I have no idea why it was attacked. Men had been observed hanging around the rike. The word is, they were from Takuhou."
    "Takuhou."
    "Yesterday in Takuhou, the gates opened after sunset to admit a single carriage."
    "Yes, of course."
    Shoukei looked up at Kantai. "Meaning?"
    "There is another beast in Takuhou, a man by the name of Shoukou. The gates could only have been opened after they were closed on the orders of somebody very high up. In the case of Takuhou, the first name that springs to mind is Shoukou. Turn over that rock, and you will definitely find Gahou there."
    "So Gahou commanded Shoukou to kidnap the superintendent?" asked Shoukei.
    Saibou smiled thinly. "Let's not rush to conclusions. That's what I'd like you to investigate."
    "Oh. Yes."
    "And one other thing. A package will arrive here tomorrow. I'd like you to deliver it to Rou in Hokui."
    Kantai replied with a ironic smile. "Rou moved to Houkaku. Seems there was someone sniffing around his place."
    Saibou furrowed his brow. "Rou moved?"
    "I'm sure he'll fill me in when we deliver the goods."
    Saibou nodded. "It's a shipment of winter weapons, twenty pieces. I shall leave their disposition to your good offices."
    Kantai bowed low. "By your command."

Chapter 58
    K oshou and company moved to a brothel in the southwest corner of Takuhou. It was a brothel only in name. With so few women about, there weren't many left to do the entertaining. The remaining working girls had moved to higher class establishments in the eastern part of the city. The only ones who remained were two women