The documents Uesugi had provided to account for rice collection and storage were as neat and careful as the earlier three. They specified what amounts were stored locally and what had been shipped north as provisions for the fighting troops.
The difference between the court report and the others, as Hamaya had explained, was that anything involving the collection of rice and tribute was in the hands of the high constable. The appointed officials had simply approved documents prepared elsewhere.
It was an appalling situation.Akitada was effectively without the authority he needed to govern.
When Tora and Hitomaro reported, he said, “Sit down! The day for registering civil suits is past. I fully expected a stack of depositions by now, yet not even a single case has been filed. Since human beings cannot live together for a whole year without disagreeing, we must assume that the people have been instructed not to file their claims with this court.”
“But why worry?” asked Tora. “It’s less work.”
Hitomaro shot him an impatient look. “Think, Tora. If there’s no work for him, our master will be recalled.”
“Exactly,” said Akitada. “Someone wants to be rid of us, and everything points to the Uesugi.”
Tora thought about it. His face darkened. “What if we don’t leave?”
Hitomaro grunted. “What? Five of us against hundreds of Uesugi warriors and thousands of locals? And the provincial guard are not exactly our friends either.”
The five were, of course, all male and included, besides Akitada and his three lieutenants, the aged Seimei. Akitada said, “I’m glad you understand our position.” Unlike Tora, who was the son of a farmer, Hitomaro belonged to provincial gentry and was therefore better educated and quicker to see political intrigue. “Since, as you remind us, we are without military support, we must find allies as quickly as possible. We need the support of the local people and must try to win their trust. That is why I wish we had court cases. They attract the curious, and we might gain a bit of respect among the townspeople that way.”
Hitomaro scratched his short beard. “There is always the case of the innkeeper’s murder. They brought in the suspects last night. Chobei and his men have been questioning them all night and say they have confessions. You could hear the case instead of Judge Hisamatsu.”
“I have to show cause to do that.” An uncomfortable silence fell. Akitada’s stomach growled noisily.
Tora and Hitomaro exchanged glances. Tora said, “I bet they beat those confessions but of them, sir.”
Akitada shifted in his seat.Constables customarily flogged prisoners to encourage confessions. By law, a confession was necessary for conviction of a crime, but these confessions had come very promptly, and the questioning might have been rather too efficient.He frowned and said unhappily, “I suppose I could take a look at the documents.Tora, go get the transcripts of the interrogation!”
Tora returned with a fistful of loose papers and a grin on his face. “That threw them into a proper tizzy. Didn’t want to turn them over. Said they were for the judge’s eyes only. I had to use a bit of pressure.”
Akitada noted his bruised knuckle but said nothing. Instead he took the papers and sorted through the badly written pages of questions and answers. They did not take long to read.Akitada laid down the last page with a sigh. His lieutenants looked at him expectantly.
“I’m afraid the evidence is solid. There are witnesses who have identified two of the men as belonging to a notorious gang which has been robbing inns up and down the northern road. The one called Takagi had the bloody knife still on him when he was caught. He is from this province.” Akitada paused. “And the other two, Okano and Umehara,have signed confessions.”
Tora and Hitomaro said simultaneously, “But, sir-” and broke off. Tora nodded to Hitomaro. Hitomarosaid, “If you will permit, sir, Tora and I’ll have a look at the prisoners.”
“No. I don’t want to give that judge any more reason to complain that I have been interfering in his affairs.Just return the transcripts with my thanks.”
They exchanged glances again.Hitomaro bit his lip. “Tora and I heard screams during the night. It soundedlike torture. The prison is part of the tribunal. What goes on there falls under our jurisdiction.”
Akitada thought about the brutish Chobei and his men. “Very well. But make it an inspection rather than an investigation.”
They returned quickly. Hitomaro was grim-faced, and Tora barely suppressed his outrage.
“The inhuman bastards nearly killed them,” he snarled the moment he entered. “There’s no way those poor devils could have done it. I’ll never believe it. You’ve got to investigate,sir. It’s just common decency.”
Akitada looked at Hitomaro.
“Tora is right, sir. If you would take a look at Umehara and Okano, you’d see that they could not possibly be robbers. A mouse would send them scurrying. Those confessions were beaten out of them. We’ve seen their backs.”
Akitada still hesitated.Uncooperative defendants often got a taste of the “green bamboo,” but both Tora and Hitomaro knew that. “Hmm,” he said. “What about the third man? The one withthe knife.”
“He looks worse than the others. And he never confessed. They got tired of beating him.”
Tora said, “They’ll kill him,poor brute.”
“Hisamatsu has already released the body for cremation. Tell me again what you found at the inn.”
They did. Tora laid much emphasis on Chobei’s officious behavior and the judge’s lack of interest in thecase.
Akitada sighed. “Very well.Bring the prisoners to me one at a time. And tell Hamaya to come in and take notes.”
The first to arrive was Umehara. He was in his fifties, a skinny fellow with alarge runny nose and a continuous shiver. When told that he was before the governor, he crouched on his knees and trembled so badly he could hardly support himself. His eyes were red, either from his cold or from weeping.
Akitada saw that the man was on the point of physical collapse. “Get him a cup of warm wine, Tora,” he said. “Have you had your morning meal, Umehara?”
The prisoner gaped at him.Someone had knocked some of his teeth out recently and his gums still bled a little. Akitada repeated his question and got a shake of the head in answer. “Can you speak?”
“Yes.” It was a croak, like an old man’s, hoarse and quavery. “I don’t think I could swallow food.” He received the brimming cup of wine with trembling hands and drank, then asked timidly, “Is there good news? Have they found the real killer?”
Akitada raised his brows. “No.According to the documents you have confessed to the murder of the innkeeper.”
Tears rose to the man’s eyes.He trembled again. “Will there be more beatings?”
“No, but it does not look good for you.” Akitada watched him sink back dejectedly and added, “I wanted to heary our story myself. From your deposition I see that you arrived in town two days before the murder. What made you choose this particular inn?”
Umehara recited hopelessly, “Ia lways stay at Sato’s. It’s cheap. I sell weaving supplies. In my line of work,you can’t afford to spend your income on high living.” He paused. “But it was different this time.”
“How so?”
“Old Sato was sickly, and his new wife didn’t want to be bothered with commercial travelers. When I got there, she was angry with him for giving me a lower rate. He walked away, and she told me to sleep on the kitchen floor or pay extra.”