The Twelve Kingdoms: Dreaming of Paradise

swallowed it all whole. Shishou was the one who didn't believe Junkou, the one who doubted him. Who doubted us. I didn't mention treason. He concocted it it on his own."
    "That hardly constitutes an explanation, Eishuku."
    "Why not? I didn't do anything to Junkou. Shishou was the one who got angry at him, who grabbed his sword and flew off in a rage. A single dream was all it took for him to close his eyes to the impending destruction of the kingdom and turn all that self-conviction into arrogance. Filled with paranoia, incapable of disciplining his own emotions, he let his passions drive him to mortal sin. That's the kind of person he's become. And that's why Heaven has abandoned him."
    Shuka shook free of his grasp. "You just want to lay our failures at the feet of another."
    "I'm not the one who assaulted Junkou and the Taishi!"
    "But you incited Shishou to commit a sin that would surely lead the kingdom to destruction. While saying that we bore responsibility for the way things have become, you were only excusing yourself. You excused yourself and blamed everything on Shishou. And in order to prove it to yourself, you led him to the edge of the cliff and pushed him off."
    "I—"
    "Yes, wouldn't it be so much better if you weren't one of those who'd lost his way? For example, instilling in Shishou suspicions about an insurrection, even if it meant being hauled off to gallows? Who would believe a compromised leader like Shishou? The sin would rest entirely on his head. Even if you ended up dying, you would be remembered as the wronged man."
    "And so I would be."
    "No," said Shuka, shaking her head. "Shishou should be no different than a brother to you. Your friend and your lord. You betrayed him. Far from saving him, you incited him to do the wrong thing. To salvage your own reputation, you forced all of our sins upon him. If that isn't a crime, then nothing is!"
    Eishuku blanched.
    "What could possibly be right and good about what you did?"
    Eishuku was at a loss for words. Before he could summon up an answer, there came a fierce pounding on the door. "Pardon me!" exclaimed Seiki, pushing the door open.
    "What's going on?"
    "His Highness. He's been found," exclaimed Seiki, running toward them.
    Behind Seiki came a flood of ministers and officials, their faces twisted in grief. "He has abdicated!"
    Shuka froze on the spot. "What did you say?"
    "The White Pheasant has sung. His Highness has stepped down from the throne and abdicated."
    "Shishou—" wailed Shuka.
    Seiki caught hold of her to keep her from slumping to the floor. His hair and clothing unkempt from having run here, the Daisouhaku, head of the Ministry of Spring, buried his face in the sleeves of his robes.
    "Along with his abdication, we have his parting words."
    The White Pheasant sang out at the king's enthronement and abdication. If possible, it repeated the final words spoken by the king before he stepped down.
    "His parting words?"
    "Nothing can be gained by finding fault with others," Daisouhaku recited, and collapsed in tears.

Part VIII
    he hall filled with cries of grief and lamentation. Seeing how dearly Shishou was still loved, Shuka felt a painful tightness in her chest.
    "Shishou—" She heard Eishuku's subdued but dumbfounded voice behind her.
    "Shishou didn't run away from his own mistakes," Shuka whispered. "He chose instead to make things right."
    Eishuku groaned faintly. He brushed past her and left the Imperial Court. As if following his example, the other ministers came to their feet and departed as well. But unlike the rest of the ministers headed toward the large complex of government offices east of the Imperial Court—undoubtedly to spread the news of the king's demise—Eishuku alone turned south.
    "Nothing can be gained by finding fault with others."
    Shuka turned at the sound of Seiki's sad and painful voice. He smiled a crumpled smile and wiped his face with his sleeve. "Just the kind of thing I'd expect Shishou-sama to say."
    "I wonder what was he trying to say exactly?"
    "He said exactly what he said. Blaming others and tearing them down accomplishing nothing."
    "But what did he mean by it? I've criticized and blamed him—"
    Seiki shook his head. "No. I believe Shishou-sama was referring to himself. He likely wished the ministers to take his own fate as moral instruction."
    "Shishou? I don't understand. Finding fault with whom?"
    "With King Fu."
    "With King Fu?"
    "I'm certain that's what he meant. I recall my mother also