The Twelve Kingdoms: Dreaming of Paradise

Shishou was using the Kasho Kada? He would know that his image of an ideal Sai was not a kingdom that ever would be. Hence—"
    Seiki sighed. "It's likely, but hard to say. We don't know the reasons, but it's somehow connected with the Kado Kada. And it began with Junkou-sama presenting it to Shishou."
    "Yes, it is," said Shuka, pressing her hand against her chest. "In which case, the fault would fall on Eishuku."
    "Eishuku-sama? Why?"
    "Because he was the one who originally recommended it."
    The surprise was obvious on Seiki's face. "Eishuku recommended it?"
    "I think so. I once came across Junkou and Eishuku talking about it. At the time Junkou wanted to offer Shishou some advice and was concerned that he had nothing to offer. He feared Shishou was going to give up on his useless little brother. That's when Eishuku made the suggestion."
    Shuka happened to be passing by in the shadow of a garden bower and hadn't caught all of the conversation. So all she heard was Eishuku suggesting that offering Shishou the Kasho Kada might prove helpful, and keeping this just between them, Junkou could take all the credit.
    "Oh my—" Seiki's face stiffened.
    Shuka furrowed her brows. "Why do you say that?"
    "Oh, no, it's nothing. I'm just a bit surprised."
    "That look on your face wasn't nothing. What is it, Seiki?"
    Seiki appeared to be completely at loose ends. He glanced around the room several times as if looking for a way out, and then back at Shuka.
    "Out with it, Seiki. Time is of the essence here."
    "Well, you see, Junkou-sama firmly denied it."
    "Denied what?"
    Seiki took a deep breath and let it out. "When I met him, the subject arose of Shishou-sama using the Kado Kada to confirm the correctness of his vision for Sai, and hence his conviction about the matter. Junkou-sama let me know in no uncertain terms that such a thing was not possible. The whole thing left me with a strange feeling."
    "Why?"
    "Because Junkou-sama had always put great stock in his older brother's opinions. If Shishou said that black was white, then that's what it was. He always measured himself as inferior to his brother. To hear this same man speak with so little reserve was unusual, to say the least."
    "You may be onto something there."
    "I have no grounds for the following speculation, but I have to wonder if perhaps Junkou-sama used the Kasho Kada himself."
    Shuka opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't think of what to say. It was possible. Depressed at his inability to offer any constructive advice, he'd obtained the Kasho Kada from Sarin and then before offering it to Shishou, had used it himself. It was very possible. If he could ascertain what sort of place this utopia was, he would have more productive counsel to contribute.
    The Kasho Kada was reserved for those who ruled the kingdom. But as a sibling to the king, Junkou should qualify.
    "So Junkou saw a vision of this Shangri La and realized that this Sai and the one Shishou had in his sights were completely different?"
    "I believe so. That would explain why he was so vehement in his denials. If so, however, things take an even odder turn."
    "An odder turn?"
    "Yes. If Junkou-sama saw a vision of Shangri La and realized that it and Sai were not the same place, then how could Shishou-sama also use the Kasho Kada and come away so convinced? In that case, perhaps Shishou-sama never actually used the Kasho Kada?"
    "That's—"
    "Shishou-sama really was at his wit's end. He visited the East Palace on a daily basis to confer with the Taishi and his mother. He must have known he was sitting on a throne that was just about to break. If he didn't fix things and soon, his world was going to come apart. Besides, offered the Imperial Regalia, would it be possible for him not to use it?"
    "I imagine it would be difficult."
    "Wouldn't it, though? But supposing he did use the Kasho Kada, was terribly disheartened at the results or abruptly turned the government upside down—either would seem the likely outcome. Except he did neither. He became all the more convinced of the rightness of his course. According to Junkou-sama's recollection of events, that was about the time he presented the Kasho Kada to him."
    "Did Shishou-sama use the Kasho Kada? And thus gain new confidence? That's not possible."
    "No, it isn't. But didn't Sairin-sama say repeatedly that the Kingdom of Sai seen in those dreams should not be confused with the real Sai? That the utopia you are shown by the Kasho Kada and the Sai we know