"Koukan--" Youko couldn't hide her surprise. "Kantai, are you a citizen of Baku Province?"
"My name is Sei Shin, former general in the Provincial Guard of Baku. And these are two of my regimental commanders--"
The two men Kantai indicated bowed deeply as well. One of them spoke up. "Pardon me, Empress, but I regret to inform Your Highness that soon after the pretender usurped the throne, my troops surrendered to her army. Given the opportunity to wipe away that disgrace, I followed General Sei here."
"I see," said Youko, gazing down at the three bowed heads. Of course, Kantai was no ordinary person. He was here with his comrades-in-arms, who had once been his officers. And now that she thought about it, Kantai's mates had always showed him the greatest deference.
"There is something I wish to ask you, first. Did you gather here in Wa Province on Koukan's orders?"
"That is indeed the case."
They had met once before at her coronation, but Youko couldn't remember his face. But based on the men he had gathered around himself, she could imagine what kind of a person the Marquis was.
"Kantai, I wish you to express my appreciation to Koukan for all he has done. Tell your lord that if he can find it in his heart to serve this foolish empress, then I would indeed ask him to visit Gyouten as soon as possible."
Kantai lifted his head and for a moment looked up at her face before bowing once more. "Upon my word, it shall be done!"
Youko nodded and walked over to Koshou, who still seemed completely at sea. She patted him on the arm and pointed at the guard tower. "Why don't we open the gates? There's no need to keep them shut any longer."
"Ah, right," said Koshou, with a big grin.
As he hurried along behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and asked, "Is there anything you'd like, Koshou?"
"Nothing comes to mind. Just seeing Shoukou brought to justice is enough for me."
"Nothing at all?"
Koshou smiled a bit sheepishly. "This here's all I've been thinking about." He stopped walking and Youko paused as well. "Am I going to be punished?"
Youko sighed to herself. "Why would you think that?"
"I made a pretty big mess of things around here."
"Well, if I punished you, Koshou, then wouldn't I have to impose those same penalties on myself?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Koshou grinned. "Oh, that's right!" he said, looking at her. "Now, I'm just asking you as a good mate, see, as a fellow soldier who ate out of the same pot with the rest of us. But there is a small favor I'd like to ask of you."
"What's that?"
"You being some sort of real important person and all, I was thinking maybe you'd know the right people who could make it happen. I was just wondering if you could arrange for Sekki to get into a good school in Ei Province--?"
Watching this exchange, Suzu and Shoukei burst out laughing. Even Youko couldn't keep a straight face.
"Eh? What'd I say?"
The ramparts filled with warm laughter brighter than sunlight.
21-2
The second regiment of the Palace Guard sent to Meikaku returned to Takuhou five days later.
Youko had stayed behind to help put the ship of state aright in Takuhou. But she eventually got fed up with the people of the city prostrating themselves at her feet right and left and confined herself to the castle compound. There she could converse at ease with Suzu and Shoukei as they inventoried the weapons and prepared meals for the wounded. Koshou was the same old Koshou. Having fought the long battle alongside her from the beginning, Koshou's mates grew relaxed around her as well, and went back to calling her "Youshi" the same way they had before.
Kantai and his lieutenants remained on a more formal basis with her, but that was no doubt because he was a general in the military and it was too late to teach that old dog new tricks.
"The Imperial forces approach!" came the shout from one of the turrets.
Youko climbed to the top of the castle wall in time to see a horse-drawn wagon entering Takuhou. She ran toward the main castle gate. The wagon stopped as soon as the driver recognized Youko. He climbed down and bowed deeply, then helped a small man off the wagon.
"Enho."
Enho turned his gaze from the soldier to Youko. "Well," he said, his face breaking into a smile, "I see you're doing well."
"Are you all right?"
Enho nodded, and his eyes darkened. "Rangyoku and Keikei?"
The question was like a dagger in her chest. She buried her face in her hands. "Rangyoku, she--"
A big hand thumped down on her shoulder. It was Koshou. He pointed at the middle gate. "Don't keep the old guy standing around chatting like this. Find a place to sit down."
Youko nodded, and Enho's eyes narrowed a bit. "I believe we've met once before."
"You were a great help to my little brother."
"And how is he?"
"Doing well, thank you. I'd like to bring him by later, if you don't mind. He's been wanting to see you again."
"I look forward to it."
Koshou bowed and continued on toward the main gate. At Youko's urging, she and Enho headed to the middle gate.
"I'm really sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?"
"I wasn't at the rike when I should have been. If I had--"
"How is Keikei?"
His soft query stung her ears. "He's in Gyouten. He seems to have made it through the worst."
"I see," said Enho, with an understanding nod. "It's not your fault, Youko. You should stop tormenting yourself about it. If anything, it was my responsibility. They were aiming for me, after all."
Youko lifted her head. "Why would Gahou--or Seikyou--wish to harm you?"
"Well--" said Enho, hanging his head, "I previously lived in San County in Baku Province."
"At the Evergreen Seminary, you mean?"
"So you've heard about it?"
"Then you were there?"
Enho flashed her a self-deprecating smile. "I was. Seikyou made overtures to me there, overtures I rejected. That was the beginning of the trouble."
"Obviously, Seikyou--"
"The Imperial government had uses for the seminary, he said, and we were all to become his underlings. Seikyou is a crook at heart. Cooperating with him could only divert us from the Way. I consulted with the superintendent of the seminary and urged him to turn down Seikyou's offer. As a result, many people lost their lives."
Enho's shoulders slumped as he walked.
"Did they hurt you in any way?"
"I'm as well as I need to be. Don't worry about me. My resolve was to stay fast to the Way, not to sacrifice so many innocent lives in the process. What is such a personal resolution worth, then? Even at my age, this is a question I cannot answer."
"Indeed."
"Now and then, more than teaching the Way, I have to believe that tilling the land or taking up arms to fight would be more meaningful. Look what happens when I try to stay above it all and only teach. The farmer who plants in the spring and gathers his harvest in the fall sees a far greater reward."
"But haven't you been sowing seeds of righteousness among the people all along?"
Enho looked up at Youko. "I see. " He sighed and smiled. "Even living as long as I have, some things take a while to sink in. But a young piece of work like yourself gets it right off. There's no need for you to think so little of yourself."
"I suppose so." Youko hung her head for a moment, and then nodded. "There's something I like to ask of you, Enho."
"What's that?"
Youko stopped in the courtyard. "I'd like to invite you to the Imperial Court and appoint you Lord Privy Seal."