Tora and Hitomaro were sitting in their quarters, their noses in their morning rice bowls, shoveling the steaming food down with the help of chopsticks, when thefirst eerie sound reached their ears from across the tribunal compound. Bothlowered their bowls simultaneously and looked at each other. And both startedto laugh.
“That infernal flute!” cried Hitomaro, shaking his head. “It’s worse than ever.”
Tora set down his bowl and slapped his knees in glee. “It means he’s feeling better. I was worried. There’sthat nasty cut. And then his fretting about the little boy. That has beeneating away at him like a hungry rat at a rice cake.”
Hitomaro snorted. “Consideringour other troubles, what’s so special about the child?”
Tora looked at him in feigned surprise. “I don’t mean to offend you, Hito,” he said, “but any moron can seeour master is fond of children. You shouldn’t have told him the boy wasprobably dead. That was not a kind thing to do to him.”
Hitomaro flushed. “So that’swhy he got so angry.” A particularly discordant note sounded from the mainhall, and he flinched.
“Well,” said Tora magnanimously, “we all make mistakes. The main thing is that his wife has taken him in hand. I knew he’d be all right when she looked for him at the hearing yesterday. Did you see his face?”
Hitomaro smiled. “He was embarrassed. Who wants to be checked up on by his wife? Imagine, he never toldher about being wounded. She had to find out from Hamaya. I bet she had a few things to say to him.”
“Nothing like a good argument with a pretty wife to give a husband ideas about settling the matter withoutwords,” Tora said with a grin.
In the distance, the flute started over with the same exercise. They sat and listened to its wailing and shrieking for a moment, then shook their heads and burst out laughing.
“Especially,” chortled Tora, “aman who’s really fond of children.”
The door opened and Akitada’selderly secretary came in. “And what is so funny?” Seimei asked, seatinghimself.
“Seimei, my wise old bird,”Tora greeted him. “Glad to see you up and around again. Why didn’t you manageto lose that infernal flute?”
Seimei gave Tora a cold look.
“Welcome,” said Hitomaro with abow. “We are honored by your visit.”
Seimei smiled graciously and bowed back. “Thank you, Hitomaro. It’s a pleasure to see you well.”
“So how’s the master today?”Tora asked, undaunted. “Did his lady’s special touch put things right with him?”He winked broadly at Hitomaro.
Seimei shuddered. “There is nomedicine against your foolishness, Tora. As Master Kung Fu said, ‘Rotten woodcannot be carved, nor a wall of dried dung troweled.’”
Hitomaro grinned. “What did hislady say about the master’s injury?”
“When she found out, she couldn’twait for the end of the hearing. She came to see him for herself.” Seimei shookhis head. “So impulsive!”
“I like spirit in a woman,”observed Tora. “What a day! First the master solves the case of that mutilatedbody and locates a missing deserter when a whole garrison of soldiers could notfind the bastard, and then the master’s wife makes him send everyone home soshe can take care of him. He went like a kitten, too. And now listen to him.”He laughed again.
Across the yard the flute performed a series of elaborate but jarring trills before rising to a climactic shriek and falling silent. They held their breaths, but all remained quiet.Seimei said in a tone of reproof, “You should have looked after your masterbetter, Tora. It’s lucky only the master and I knew she was there.”
Tora flushed and hung his head.
Seimei was pleased with this reaction and added for good measure, “He was extremely feverish. It was all he could do to walk to his room.”
“Oh, come on,” said Hitomarowith a glance at Tora. “You know how he is when he thinks it’s his duty.”
Seimei sniffed. “Her ladyshipmade him comfortable and sent for Dr. Oyoshi. The doctor’s face still looks very bad, but I must say I was glad to make his acquaintance. A very knowledgeable man. His medicine eased my cough right away. We consulted together and made up a special tea from some of my herbs for the master-it was ginseng and mint, with a touch of gardenia and a pinch each of willow bark andcinnamon, so soothing to a weakened constitution-and added an interestingpowder the doctor brought with him. The medicine soon produced a sound sleep,and the master awoke this morning feeling much better. This is what I came totell you. Also that he wants both of you in his office now.”
“Well, why didn’t you say soright away?” Tora was up and out the door, before Hitomaro and Seimei could getto their feet to follow.
The scene they found in thecourtyard stopped them.
A group of about twenty armed and mounted warriors, with Uesugi emblems on their clothes and on the flyingbanners, waited in the wintry sun in front of the tribunal hall. There wereseveral riderless horses, one of them with a gold-lacquered saddle and crimsonsilk tassels fluttering from its shining tail and halter.
“Surely not the Emperor of theNorth himself?” Tora said. “Do you suppose Uesugi’s found the boy?”
“Let’s go find out,” said Hitomaro.
For Akitada, the Lord of Takata was an unexpected and, at the moment, unwelcome visitor.
After a restful night covered with scented silken quilts and protected from the cold drafts by carefully placed screens, he had woken to the tender ministrations of his wife. Greeted with fragrant hot tea and Tamako’s soft eyes and sweet smile, he had dressedand started his day in a very pleasant frame of mind in spite of his worries.His morning gruel was subtly flavored with herbs, and a new, much largerbrazier made his office very comfortable. And then he had played his flute.
The Lord of Takata and twosenior retainers were announced by Hamaya just when Akitada had felt nearsuccess with a particularly tricky passage. He reluctantly put down the flute.His visitors looked slightly taken aback by Akitada’s scowl.
Now Uesugi was seated on a silkcushion on the other side of the broad desk, while his companions knelt behindhim. Akitada watched sourly as his wife poured some wine for his visitors.
Hitomaro and Tora came in,glowered at Uesugi’s men, and took up position at the door. Tora said, “I hopeit’s good news for a change, sir.” He received a frown from Akitada and lookedsheepish. Tamako smiled and poured more wine, but her husband looked grim.
“I had not expected to meet your noble lady,” Uesugi remarked to Akitada, bowing graciously to Tamako and ignoring the others. “I am afraid the tribunal is not a fit place for a refinedperson in her delicate condition.”
Akitada felt a surge of angerfollowed by fear. Uesugi kept himself too well informed about them. Controllinghis voice, he said, “My wife is understandably concerned after the attack onme.”
Uesugi looked solicitous. “Anattack? I heard a rumor that you sustained an injury. My dear Governor, youshould have sent for me instantly. I had no idea that things had gone so far inthis city. Too bad that Kaibara has disappeared. He was checking on some trespassers and has not returned. I think I should move my troops into the tribunal compound. That will straighten matters out fast enough. I wonder ifthe attack on you had something to do with your recent activities? I trust you are recovering?”
Akitada regarded him coldly. “Yes.No thanks to your man Kaibara, however. It was he who attacked me while I wasout taking some exercise. I was unarmed and he fell upon me with his sword.”
Uesugi jumped up, pretending an almost comical surprise. “Kaibara attacked you? Impossible. Kaibara would neverdo such a thing. He had no orders.”
Akitada raised his eyebrows. “Thenperhaps he anticipated them?”
Uesugi tried to cover his slip.“No, of course not. That is not what I… if it happened as you say, it musthave been a mistake.”
“Are you calling me a liar or afool?” Akitada asked.
Uesugi reddened. “Neither,” heground out. Then he sat down again heavily and muttered, “It will be best todiscuss this calmly. I was referring to a mistake Kaibara made. He must havethought you someone else.”