The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

Chousai Seikyou, looking at her.
    "The conduct of the Rikkan is your responsibility. Treason arose from within the Rikkan under your watch. You will step down as Chousai and take over the Ministry of Heaven in place of Taisai."
    The gathered ministers gasped. Youko laughed softly. "There are openings in the Sankou. The ministers of Spring, Fall and Earth are hereby appointed to those posts."
    "Empress . . . . " said Keiki.
    Youko silenced him with a look. "The remaining positions I leave to the ministers to fill at their own discretion. However, for the time being, Keiki will assume the post of Chousai."
    The cries of distress arose. "This is unheard of! Giving acting authority to the Saiho!"
    Youko only response was, "Consider it an Imperial Rescript!"
    With that, she stepped down from the throne and left the room.

Chapter 20
    Y ouko retreated to her rooms deep within the Inner Palace where the ministers could not follow her. She left word with her attendants that no one was to enter but Keiki. She opened the window.
    A damp breeze blew off the Sea of Clouds, bringing with it the briny smell of the ocean.
    "After all that and I just slink away . . . . "
    She couldn't resist a wicked smile. She'd taken Chousai down a notch and relegated the leaders of the two warring factions to the Sankou, where they could exercise no de facto authority. With one fell swoop, she'd wiped clean the political map of the palace. She must have been considering it all along. That's why when she opened her mouth it all just came out.
    "Empress," came Keiki's stern voice.
    Youko turned around. Keiki was wearing as grim an expression as she had hitherto observed.
    "What are you doing? It has long been stipulated that the Saiho has no acting authority. That is--"
    Youko cut him off. "I'm going to Kankyuu. I'm going to have the Royal En teach me political governance."
    Keiki's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"
    "Please give my regards to the ministers." Youko leaned back against the window frame and folded her hands in her lap. "And I thought I'd live for a while in a city."
    "What!"
    Youko examined her fingernails. She left her care in the hands of her servants and they made sure her nails were always polished and beautiful. All this luxurious clothing and jewelry, it wasn't anything she needed.
    "I never wanted the throne of Kei."
    "Empress!"
    "Even if I wished to be made empress, that doesn't mean I wanted to live here amidst all this opulence. I was told the kingdom would crumble into chaos without a king. I was told that the Divine Will reflected the will of the people. It's hard not sleeping in your own bed at night. It's hard going hungry. I know that down to the marrow of my bones."
    Youko had been suddenly spirited away to this strange world from Japan. Not knowing her left hand from her right, she had come very close to dying a dog's death by the wayside.
    "Getting hunted down by youma is the worst. If I hadn't acceded to the throne, the people of Kei would have met the same fate. That's why I accepted it. That's why there should be a king. Certainly not to make the bureaucrats happy, and not to make you happy. Isn't my reason for being here to make the people happy?"
    "That is why--"
    Youko shook her head. "Keiki. I don't know a thing about this kingdom."
    "Empress, that is--"
    "What do the people think about? What do they wish and hope for? How do they live? I don't know the first thing."
    "First finding the right path is the most important thing."
    "The right path?" Youko smiled. "There's this girl, see. She has homework six days a week. Then there are the clubs she belongs to and cram school, besides. She practices the piano and takes lessons. Midterm exams are the worst and there are two of those every semester. Besides midterms, there are practice exams for college that could determine the rest of her life. Get too many demerits, fail too many classes, and she'll get held back a year. Fail her entrance exams and she'll become a ronin. The hem of her skirt must reach the knee, her tie must be black. Her nylons must be sheer or black. So tell me, what's going to make this girl happy?"
    "Huh?" said Keiki.
    "In the society I've just described, what path should she take?"
    "I am sorry, but--"
    "You don't have the slightest idea, do you?" Youko said with a wry smile. "The same way you don't understand, I don't understand. What path should I take? I examine the faces of the ministers and take measure of their attitudes; I consider