The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

Summer is more deeply involved with the subjugation of the chaos than anything else. The Ministry of Winter is responsible for arming the troops. Haboku-dono is the Daishiba of the Ministry of Summer. Rousan-dono is the Daishikuu of the Ministry of Winter. Naturally, both of them were His Highness's subordinates when he was general. With His Highness gone from the palace, the Taiho is left behind by himself. But close by are Vice Minister Seirai of the Provincial Government and Kaihaku-dono of the Ministry of Heaven. And they were once His Highness's subordinates too. The only ones who weren't are myself, from the Ministry of Fall, Chou'un-dono from the Ministry of Spring, and Senkaku-dono from the Ministry of Earth. When it comes to the subjugation of the chaos, we have been mostly kept out of the loop. We haven't been filled in on the details. Apparently there is no need for us to know--"
    "The Chousai is here. It's not possible that the troops could be mobilized without the participation of the Chousai, and he wasn't one of Gyousou's previous subordinates. He was the Province Lord of Sui." Risai shook her head. "I think your suspicions are getting the better of you. His Highness was originally a general, so the first people to place their trust in him belonged to his army. That also means that those with the closest ties to him are going to have military backgrounds. Go back to the roots and it all makes sense, doesn't it? The people involved with putting down the rebellion are his subordinates. The people who aren't are newcomers. This doesn't strike me as some kind of stratagem, but simply the result of matching the right people to the right job. I think that's a better way to approach it."
    "I suppose so." Kaei uneasily touched her fingers to her forehead. "When people tell me about these rumors, they make me shiver. To be honest, I feel like I'm all alone on this."
    "Kaei."
    "No, I don't mean to suggest any sympathies for the devil. It's just that I'm unaccustomed to the way His Highness thinks. Everything happening all at once has left me at loose ends. I feel this sense of estrangement. Helpless and forlorn, I end up coming here and crying on your shoulder."
    Risai nodded.
    "I now concur. Things have been proceeding at a rapid clip. But not more rapidly than necessary. My anxieties have abated as well. I have reasons enough to trust in His Highness's actions. I once had qualms of my own, which may have been obvious to other people. They could well have been taken in a negative light, but I probably would have shrugged off such reactions as inevitable. Being misunderstood like that is to be expected."
    "Yes, but--"
    "Chou'un-dono of the Ministry of Spring is of a like mind. Previously he was vocally quite critical of His Highness, and I know that Chousai Eichuu as well had doubts of his own. Asen and Ganchou, as well as yourself, have been the subject of unsavory rumors."
    "Rumors about--me?"
    "Yes," said Kaei, her blue lips trembling. "While serving in the Palace Guard during the reign of King Kyou, Asen-dono and His Highness were known as the two jewels in the crown. One became the King and the other became his retainer. There should be nothing remarkable about that, but--"
    "I don't believe it. And I am similarly implicated?"
    "Yes. I find such rumors most distasteful, but you and His Highness went on the Shousan together. People say that you begrudge the fact that he was chosen instead of yourself. Ganchou-dono was originally one of General Gyousou's commanders, though he earned his fame in the Palace Guard. When a position opened up in the Palace Guard, Ganchou supposedly expected that it would be given to him. His Highness was chosen at a remarkably young age. Ganchou served under General Gyousou for a long time. But turn over that rock and people are saying that in reality Ganchou holds it against him."
    "This is crazy! With that kind of distrust swirling around, anybody's past could be turned against him."
    "I think so too. This is all nothing more than bitterness."
    "It's more than that. The Taiho chose His Highness right before my eyes. I've never harbored a moment of regret. Those who say I must be angry about it would themselves be furious and unforgiving if such a honor was snatched away from before their eyes, so they insist that I must be as well. They are convinced that everybody else must be just as despicable as they are. People like that--"
    Risai interrupted herself in the middle of the