The Emperor's woman

by I. J. Parker

  “Well, being fond of the daughter, she hasn’t much good to say of the father. She blames him for what’s happened. And she really dislikes the brother. Says both were hateful and talked cruelly about Lady Masako after the scandal. Calling her names.”

  “Really? I assume the cook thinks her death was suicide.”

  “Yes. Says the father’s to blame. Berating his daughter for failing with the emperor is what caused her to jump off the cliff.”

  Akitada grimaced. “She has a very loose tongue for a servant.”

  “She loved the girl and is very angry.”

  “Didn’t she know about the affair?”

  “She knew, but she thinks her lady’s unhappiness made her a prey for the prince. She thinks His Majesty and Lord Masaie both are to blame. They didn’t protect her against overeager young men, it seems.” Tora smirked a little.

  “The prince is my age,” Akitada said dryly. “Hardly an eager young man any longer.” Sitting here in his study and looking around at his father’s books and his own, and at the few scroll paintings he had gathered on his many journeys, he felt that most of his life was already over. Yes, he had once been eager. But also foolish, he reminded himself. The prince, it appeared had never grown up.

  “Let’s call him a man in the prime of his life then.” Tora grinned at his master.

  That got a chuckle and a headshake, but Akitada sobered quickly. “The woman isn’t far wrong, though. Lady Masako became a victim when she left her father’s house and entered the imperial apartments. There’s enough blame to go around. The prince is a notorious womanizer, as I know from a past incident. He probably forced his attentions on her. The father, on the other hand, played politics with his daughter. And His Majesty was openly uninterested in her. He is, of course, still very young and cannot be expected to handle such situations diplomatically. And where was the young woman’s mother? Why wasn’t she more supportive under the circumstances?”

  “According to the cook, she’s a timid mouse. Come to think of it, it’s surprising that a man like Lord Masaie, who seems to keep his womenfolk in fear, should have spoiled his daughter with so much love and attention.”

  Akitada snorted. “Love?”

  “Oh, Cook says he doted on her. Preferred her to his son, taught her to ride and shoot like a man, then offered her to the emperor. I bet when he found out about her and the prince, he snapped like the string on a bow.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t call that love, but you’re quite right about the probable reaction. But would he have killed his own child?”

  Tora made a face. “Maybe. Yes, I think he might have. Thinking she’s dishonored his name or something. Or maybe he had her killed. Yes. What do you think?”

  “I don’t know, Tora. I’d like to meet the man. It seems inconceivable that a father could do such a thing.” He thought of his own little girl and shook his head. He definitely did not want her to go to the palace when she grew up. Never. But then he was not Masaie. “But killing her didn’t really prevent the scandal.” He frowned, then added, “It’s very interesting that he has returned to the capital, bringing only soldiers and a cook.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not sure. It looks as though he was in a hurry and expected trouble. But it may mean nothing. Much as your cook blames her master, it’s too early to call anyone a killer.”

  They did not miss Genba. Everyone assumed he was celebrating by spending the night with Ohiro.

  Akitada was discussing the day’s chores with Saburo when he discovered that Genba had not spent the night in his room. Saburo thought he had probably celebrated by staying with Ohiro. Akitada was shaking his head at this when Tora showed in Superintendent Kobe.

  Akitada saw at a glance that something unpleasant had occurred but thought of Kosehira. He told Saburo he could leave, but Kobe stopped him.

  “It concerns Genba,” he said in a tight voice. “He’s in more trouble, and this time I frankly don’t know if we can extricate him. Saburo may be helpful.”

  “Please sit down.” Akitada looked from one to the other. “I take it this concerns the murder of the brothel keeper?”

  “Tokuzo. Yes. It appears someone stole the women’s contracts from his house the night after the murder. The thief may also have taken a great deal of gold. Today these contracts were returned to the women, who promptly started a street celebration that alerted the constables. When the police arrived and learned about the reason for the party, they looked for Genba and found him with the young woman he intends to marry. Given the fact that Genba had threatened the man the night before the murder for beating his girlfriend, the theft of the contracts is being laid at his door also. Genba clearly had a better motive than anyone else.”

  Akitada noticed that Saburo had paled. The scars on his face stood out sharply. He met Akitada’s eyes and nodded his head slightly.

  In view of Saburo’s involvement, Akitada was at a loss for a moment. He could hardly tell the superintendent about this. It would simply suggest that Genba was the instigator.

  Kobe noted both his hesitation and Saburo’s guilty reaction. “I see,” he said heavily. “I had hoped you two would clear Genba and the girl.”

  Akitada said quickly, “We have information that someone else visited the brothel last night. In fact, Saburo was attacked by this person. I think it must have been the thief.”

  “Really?” Kobe looked pained. “Surely you can do better than that. What were you doing there, Saburo?”

  “I went to have another look at the place, sir. I thought I might be able to find out what happened.” He paused and gave Kobe one of his horrible grimaces that passed for a smile. “We’re a household of men curious about murders.”

  Kobe scowled at him. “Don’t make stupid jokes. Why would you do such a thing in the middle of the night?”

  Saburo wiped the smile off his face. “Nighttime is the best time for thinking about a problem, I find. And I think best by looking at a place. At night there are no distractions.” He glanced at Akitada. “Perhaps I should have mentioned something I saw before I was attacked.”

  Kobe was clearly getting angry. “What?”

  “Two people came out of the brothel. A man and an old woman. They had a key and locked up after themselves.”

  “If they had a key, they weren’t thieves.”

  “Perhaps or perhaps not. I thought it interesting that the man carried a large bag. It looked heavy and clinked. Sounded like coins to me.”

  Kobe looked at him. “It sounds like Tokuzo’s brother and mother,” he said slowly. “Both claim that the thief who stole the contracts also took Tokuzo’s gold.”

  Saburo shook his head. “Sadly, people will tell lies. If they say the gold has been stolen, they’ll escape the tax collector.”

  Kobe stood up abruptly. “There’s nothing to be gained here,” he growled. “I suggest you leave Genba’s case to the courts. Now you will excuse me. If I stay any longer, I might find myself arresting your entire household.” He turned and made for the door.

  Akitada tried to catch up. “Wait, Kobe,” he called out. “There must be something that can be done.”

  But Kobe merely grunted and walked faster. Akitada followed him to the veranda where he stopped and looked after the superintendent as he strode toward the gate. His figure was rigid, and his every step looked angry.

  Thoroughly shaken by the scene, Akitada returned to his room. Saburo fell to his knees and knocked his head on the floor. “I’m sorry, sir,” he muttered. “Please forgive me. I should’ve told you.”

  “Sit up,” snapped Akitada. “Seimei never behaved in that groveling fashion.”

  Saburo sat up. He looked ashen but said nothing.

  “I take it you stole those contracts?”

  Saburo hesitated. “Yes, but I didn’t take the gold. That was taken away by Tokuzo’s brother.”

  “It makes no difference. I will not have a common thief in my household.”

  Saburo’s fac
e worked horribly. He started knocking his head on the floor again.

  Akitada roared, “Stop that. What in all the devils’ names, possessed you to steal those contracts?”

  “I tried to help Genba and Ohiro, sir. Genba is a good man. He was kind to me. And those women had a terrible life. That monster raped and beat them.”

  Akitada felt reproved for his anger. Saburo, who had found so little kindness in his life, had felt gratitude for Genba’s kindness. Perversely, the notion that he could have been too harsh made him lash out again.

  “It’s not a question of motive,” he snapped. “It’s a question of breaking the law. When you serve in the household of someone who represents it, such behavior cannot be tolerated. You heard the superintendent just now. He was my friend and trusted me until this happened. Now he thinks me implicated in your law-breaking.”

  Saburo bowed his head. “Yes. I didn’t think of that. I’m truly sorry. I’ll leave if you wish.”

  A brief silence fell.

  Akitada sighed deeply. “I regret this, Saburo, but it’s clear that your background simply makes you unfit for my service. Your nightly excursions will get you into some other trouble sooner or later. So perhaps it will be best for all of us if you found employment elsewhere.”

  Saburo bowed. “Please convey my gratitude to your lady, sir. I shall always remember you and your family for the goodness you have shown me.” He rose and walked out quietly.

  Akitada sat still for a long time, feeling nauseated and ashamed of what he had done. There were times when he wished his work did not lay such burdens on him.

  It had been doubly hard to dismiss a cripple. Saburo’s disfigurement still caused him inward shudders, and he could never quite relax around the man. What would happen to him now? Perhaps it was his disfigurement that caused Saburo to break the law. He must feel resentment for what people had done to him and for the disgust he saw in their faces and the rejections he received when he asked for work. Akitada had felt it his duty to help this unfortunate man, but though he had tried to, he had not overcome his discomfort in Saburo’s presence. He was ashamed of it, and yet his decision was just. Saburo had admitted to stealing the contracts.

  Needing to unburden himself, he went to his wife’s chamber.

  Tamako was brushing their daughter’s hair. Instantly his heart warmed to both of the women in his life. Yasuko was in her seventh year and a very pretty, fairylike creature. Her fragility was deceptive. It hid an enormous firmness of purpose that usually got her what she wanted from her doting father. He admitted it freely. Yasuko had ensnared his heart. This reminded him of Lady Masako, the favored daughter of Masaie.

  Oh, how variable had been that man’s heart!

  He sat down heavily to watch his wife and daughter. His wife’s room pleased him as much as his study did, yet it was very different. Tamako had colorful painted screens, while he had landscape scrolls painted in ink. And here there were pretty feminine boxes and knickknacks. A large silver mirror caught the light as Yasuko shifted it to eye her hair. Was she vain already? He put the thought from his mind as frivolous in view of his interview with Saburo.

  Tamako saw his expression and stopped brushing. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Or rather, I’m worried that I may have done a cruel thing.”

  Yasuko fixed him with bright, inquisitive eyes. “What did you do, honored father?”

  Tamako said quickly, “It may not be any of your business, Yasuko. Run along. I’m done with your hair.”

  Yasuko got up, but she was curious and not at all afraid of her father. She said, “I want to know what my honored father did. If he was cruel, then I hope I never do such a thing. But my father would never do a cruel thing, so I don’t understand.” She gave her father a melting smile. “Please allow me to stay and learn.”

  Tamako cried, “Yasuko!” She looked shocked, as if her child were some sort of changeling.

  Yasuko gnawed her lip, gave her father a teary look, then bowed, and turned to go.

  “No, wait,” Akitada said, secretly amused by the act. “You’re quite right, Yasuko, though Master Kung Fu would be shocked at your manner. He did not consider women and children capable of understanding and disapproved of their voicing such opinions.”

  Tamako flushed. “The old sages had some very old-fashioned notions about women,” she said tartly.

  Akitada suppressed a smile. He had known his comment would break the impasse between Tamako’s disapproval and Yasuko’s curiosity. But he was not at all sure that a seven-year-old would understand his dilemma.

  “I’ve had to dismiss Saburo for theft,” he said bluntly and waited for reactions.

  Tamako cried, “For theft? Are you sure?”

  Yasuko asked, “What did he take?”

  Akitada explained. He directed his account to Tamako, but Yasuko listened avidly.

  Tamako, dismayed, just shook her head.

  Yasuko protested. “He was helping Genba. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? Don’t you want us to help others?”

  “Yes, but we mustn’t do it by breaking the law.” Akitada knew that would puzzle his daughter. She would think of it as breaking a rule, while the law was a complex and profound concept. To the child, Genba was part of their family. He added lamely, “We mustn’t do so by hurting someone else. And stealing hurts someone else.”

  Yasuko looked stubborn. “But the man he stole from was a bad man. You said so yourself. He beat Genba’s girlfriend. That’s breaking the law, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we stop bad men from beating women?”

  Akitada sighed and looked at his wife. “Yes, Yasuko. But that is why we have laws, and we must let the police take care of such matters and not have everybody make their own rules.”

  His daughter pondered this with a frown, then nodded. Brightening, she ran to the door. “I’ll talk to Saburo and explain it,” she cried and was gone.

  Akitada chuckled weakly.

  Tamako was still frowning. “You’ll have to see what you can do for him.”

  He stiffened. “I cannot recommend a thief.”

  She looked at him. “You’ll find a way.”

  Akitada stared at his wife blankly, then got up to leave. “I don’t know how, but I’ll think about it,” he muttered, a little resentfully.

  He went in search of Saburo, though he had no idea how to soften the dismissal. Maybe something would come to him. When he got to the room Saburo and Genba shared in the stables, he found it empty. The neat blue robe and black sash Saburo had worn in his service lay neatly folded on his bedding roll.

  As he walked back to the house, he met Tora, who held Yasuko’s hand. Tora’s normally smiling face looked grim.

  “You dismissed Saburo, sir?” he asked, anxious eyes searching his master’s face..

  “Yes. He stole the contracts. I cannot employ a thief.”

  Yasuko cried, “I explained it to Tora, Father, but he doesn’t understand.”

  Tora said bitterly, “All he did was try to help Genba and his girl. And you know damned well how Tokuzo’s been treating her and the others.”

  Shocked by this attack and Tora’s language, Akitada glanced at his daughter. She looked back at him, unsmiling. With some difficulty, he controlled his anger.

  “Tora, I will not have you use that tone or language. Especially not in front of my daughter!”

  Tora flushed. “Sorry.” He bent to Yasuko. “Leave it to me, sweetheart,” he said. “Don’t you worry, Tora will take care of Saburo. All right?”

  She nodded. But she gave her father a look so filled with doubt that he was struck to the core. His own child had turned against him.

  Tora was unaware of the bitter resentment that was building in Akitada’s heart. “Saburo didn’t steal the contracts,” he said in a calmer voice. “Someone else took them from Saburo after attacking him. There’s your thief.”

  That might be true, but Saburo had been the first thief. Akitada said nothing and stepped past Tora to head f
or his study.

  Tora followed uninvited. They sat down, and Akitada glowered at Tora. Apparently he was still unaware of how deeply he had offended. They had all turned against him. What ill fortune had marked this day for his entire family to oppose him as if he were an ogre? Controlling his anger with difficulty, he said, “Kobe was here. He accused me of covering up for a murderer. You know I’m engaged in a very important case concerning Lord Kosehira and the prince. I relied on Kobe’s help in that matter. The last thing I needed was for my people to get into trouble over conditions in a brothel.”

  Tora raised his chin. “Genba’s important, too. And so is Saburo. What will he do now? He has no work or money. Nobody will hire him.”

  “I’ve paid him his wages. How can he not have any money?”

  “He gave his savings to Genba to buy out Ohiro.”

  Akitada chewed his lip. They were all set on proving him in the wrong. Even Tamako had not been supportive. “What am I to tell Kobe?” he demanded.

  “It seems to me,” said Tora, “that you ought to find the bastard who attacked Saburo. I bet it’s the same man Genba ran into in that alley outside Tokuzo’s place. There’s your killer. That’s the man Kobe wants.”

  Akitada stared at him. “Someone tangled with Genba before the murder? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?”

  “Because you make snide remarks when we mention the Willow Quarter.”

  “Tell me now.”

  Tora recounted the tale of the polite stranger who had dropped an assassin’s needle Saburo was very eager to own, and that was taken from him the very next night along with the contracts.

  Akitada followed the tale with frowning concentration. “Great heavens! Spies and assassins seem to roam the streets of the capital these days. What have we come to?” After a moment, he got up. “I’ll speak to Kobe again and look in on Genba. You go back to the quarter and start asking questions about that mysterious stranger. But be careful.”

  Tora grinned with relief. “I’m on my way, sir.”

  Genba Takes the Blame