The Shrine Virgin

by I. J. Parker

  Matsuura stared at this. "I can't believe it, sir. Of course we do have our troubles with prowlers, but we are inland. More than likely pirates would be on the coast."

  "Yes, but someone is supplying them and collecting their loot."

  "And you think the high constable might be behind it?" Matsuura looked pleased by the thought. "He's been building himself a regular palace in the provincial capital, and even the hunting lodge he keeps here is said to be large and elegant and filled with all sorts of foreign luxuries. Mind you, there's no proof. Sukemichi owns a lot of good rice land and has been lending rice to farmers. There's money to be made from that, and it's perfectly legal.."

  That practice tended to be usurious and might well account for the man's wealth. And his bad reputation. People were resentful when pressed to repay their debts.

  Akitada said, "You may be right. I saw hum pass with a very impressive retinue. Is this hunting season?"

  "No. I was a little surprised. But great men will act strange. Take Lord Minamoto for example. He's been here twice, looking very agitated. The first time, he asked about prowlers, wondering if there'd been complaints lately. I told him there are always complaints, but nothing specific. Next he comes to tell me about nightly disturbances around his lodge. He wanted me to investigate. He couldn't really say what sort of disturbance, just that someone, maybe several people, had been snooping around his outer fence. Since his place is close to a road, I suggested he speak to the high constable. That made him angry and he rushed off with a curse.

  "Very strange indeed. I tried to see him earlier, but he wasn't home. Frankly, he doesn't seem to have any servants there. Just an old gatekeeper who looks past his work."

  Matsuura grinned. "that would be old Masaaki. He's a local man. Been with his lordship for years. His wife used to be his cook. She's dead now. One thing about Lord Minamoto, he treats his people well." Perhaps too well, thought Akitada, recalling the gatekeeper's rudeness.

  He rose with a sigh. "Thank you for the wine," he said politely. "I suppose I'll take a look around in case someone has seen him in town. Good luck with your murders, lieutenant, and keep my secret, please."

  15 The Manor on the Coast

  Feeling bitter against the entire world, Tora spent the day after his quarrel with Saburo on routine matters. Not only had Saburo insulted him, but Hanae had blamed Tora and read him lecture on how one was to treat one's friends.

  Friends!

  Worse, his head was aching again. He was beginning to wonder if he was suffering from some sickness. He missed Seimei, who would have had some helpful potion, and lady Tamako who was also skilled with herbs. Not only had Lady Yukiko shown no interest whatsoever in herbal remedies, but she was herself in such robust good health that Tora could not possibly go to her complaining of a headache.

  And now, when he wished to show his master that he could still be useful, he was not allowed to do so. He did not see Saburo all day. Hanae mentioned accusingly over their evening rice that Saburo had gone into town for his own meal and probably would have enjoyed Tora's company. Tora was convinced that Saburo had gone off without him on purpose and merely grunted. He went to bed before Saburo had returned. Thus he was surprised to find a cheerful Saburo waiting outside their quarters the next morning.

  "Good morning," Tora said uneasily. "Morning, brother. How are you feeling today?" Tora's head hurt but he said, "Great. What brings you?"

  "Last night I saw someone I used to know many years ago, a fellow sohei."

  Tora made a face. "Spare me. I've had enough of them for the rest of my life."

  "Can't blame you. This character is my age and was one of their warriors. He had a bad reputation even then. He was corrupt and could be vicious on occasion. When I recognized him last night, he'd put away his monk's robe but seemed to be up to something odious anyway. I saw him in a wine shop, talking to two rascally fellows from the harbor."

  Tora frowned. "Why are you telling me this? Why should I care about this former colleague of yours? Has he committed a crime here? Maybe you'd better tell Mori in that case." He started to walk past Saburo who snatched his arm.

  "Listen, Tora. I'm not done. I followed him. His next stop. was at the inn where your merchant stays. They threw him out, but he must have managed to leave a message, because a short while later a fat fellow in a fine silk robe came out and went up to him. He gave him something that looked like a bag of coins and then went back inside."

  Saburo had Tora's attention. "You think that was the merchant from Owari?"

  "I thought it possible, but wait, there's more. I followed this Hozo on his way out of town on the coast highway. Just about where I lost him because it was getting too dark there's some large estate. I think that's where he went. The manor house is close to the bay. I thought we might find out who lives there and what business they have with boat people."

  Tora stared at him. "That man at the inn, describe him."

  "Not young, short, with a round face and belly, small mustache, and sleepy eyes. His robe was dark blue or green. Hard to tell in the lantern light."

  "That's him. That's Takanami. Who exactly is this friend of yours?"

  Saburo made a face. "Not my friend! His name used to be Hozo when he was a monk. He's originally from the capital but we trained together on Mount Koya. He's older now, of course, but still quite strong, I think. I had a hard time keeping up with him"

  "Could he have become a pirate?"

  "I think he would do anything that involves money and violence. He's scum."

  "When do you want to go?"

  Saburo, noting that all had been forgiven and he was back in Tora's good graces, smiled. "After work this evening if it suits you?"

  "Fine. I'll have another talk with Mori before then."

  ==

  Lieutenant Mori received Tora with stiff correctness, saluting promptly but avoiding any friendly greeting or a smile.

  Tora returned the salute. He delved right into the subject of his visit. "Some additional information has been received," he said in a businesslike tone. "The accusation concerning a pirate attack made by merchant Takanami has been leveled at the province of Mikawa and its administration. We both serve the emperor here. Therefore, it is expected that we both investigate the truth of these allegations. I have asked questions in the harbor area and taken a look at the boatmen of Takanami's boat. From the looks of it, the merchant as well as his boatmen may have been lying. I think you must delay the issuing of any papers to Takanami until we know what happened."

  The lieutenant scowled. "It's not our custom here to suspect important men with good reputations of lying. It will give us a very bad name with traders and shipping all up and d own the coast. Besides, you're too late. I have duly issued Takanami's documents."

  Tora muttered a curse, and Mori raised his eyebrows.

  "He'll pack up and leave now and we have no way of stopping; him," Tora said angrily." There's every reason to expect that he will he indemnified for his losses and collect his fees from the government while he's selling the goods privately. And we get blamed for not making our coasts safe for shipping."

  Mori sneered. "He's entitled to his fees and you have no proof against him. We all know there are pirates here, but that's not my business. It's yours and your governor's. Now is there anything else you wanted?"

  Tora seethed. It was becoming obvious that the lieutenant was hostile to the new administration of Mikawa. It would make their work much harder. The head of a provincial police force was appointed by the central government and reported separately to the capital. Mori could damage a new governor's reputation. With an effort, he contained his rage.

  "There is another matter," he said. "What can you tell me about a place on the coast a few miles south of Komachi? There's a walled estate there."

  "It's private and belongs to a Fujiwara. I know nothing about him. He has a betto who manages his interests. "The estate is not under our jurisdiction."

  "You have a n
ame for the betto?"

  "He is called Kitagawa and is a very respectable man."

  Another "respectable" man, thought Tora. He gave Mori a cold nod and sketched a salute before leaving the station.

  The news that the suspicious estate belonged to a member of the Fujiwara family was troubling. As a rule, they were far too powerful to tangle with. Even if one forgot that the master was married to one of them.

  Of course there was no proof that any of this was connected with the pirates, dthe boat in the harbor, or the merchant at the inn. Saburo's former colleague might well be a villain of the first water, but he could be staying at a different house or had some harmless business with one of the servants.

  As it was still early, Tora decided to have a look himself. He returned to the tribunal for his horse and took the southern highway out of town. The sky was blue, the sea gulls swooped and dove above him, uttering their raucous cries, and the sun glistened on the surface of the bay. They had been blessed with fine weather ever since their departure from the capital. People said this coast was subject to terrifying storms this time of year, but so far autumn had seemed more like an extended summer than a time of turmoil and destruction. And yet there were signs of past devastations along the coast. Many trees still lay about splintered and broken. When they did not interfere with traffic or the growing of rice, people had simply left them where they lay.

  He soon saw the estate, and here, too, there was some evidence of storm damage. The wood was still new on some buildings and fences. It testified to the fact that the estate was well managed. The same could be seen in the rice growing in the fields, a second crop almost ready for harvest. Here and there, men and women worked among other crops, vegetables for Komachi's markets.

  He stopped near some men who were repairing an irrigation canal and shouted a greeting to them. They answered in a dialect that Tora recognized.

  "You're from the North Country?" They nodded, grinning.

  They were emishi, prisoners of war or their descendants.

  "You belong to Lord Fujiwara?" he asked.

  That got a blank stare. "In town they told me this land belongs to a Lord Fujiwara."

  One of the men shook his head. "We work for Kitagawa. All emishi work for Kitagawa. Planting, building, fishing, training horses."

  "Ah." Kitagawa was the betto. The land belonged to an absentee landlord Who probably never showed his face here. There were many high-ranking nobles in the capital who owned estates in distant provinces. He gave the men a nod and rode on, turning past the manor house toward the sea. This road was also well maintained and descended in easy curves to a tiny fishing village. A new-looking dock had been built out into the water. It all looked very practical and self-sustaining.

  Since it was daytime, there were no boats pulled up on the sandy beach. Seagulls had been feasting on discarded fish parts and rose into the air with angry noise. A couple of women emerged from the houses to stare at him, and children suddenly appeared and ran toward him.

  The children were poorly dressed but looked wellfed. They surrounded his horse and looked up at him with wide eyes. His uniform clearly impressed them. Tora smiled and reached into his sash for his string of coppers, then carefully counted out one copper for each of them. They came shyly, holding out their small hands.

  Before he could say anything to them, one of the women arrived, out of breath. "Go back!" she screamed. "Now! Or you'll get a beating."

  It took Tora a moment to realize she was speaking to the children. "They are no trouble," he called out to her. "I like children."

  She shot him a frightened and hostile look and drove the children away.

  Tora sighed. Perhaps these emishi from the North Country had come here recently and still distrusted people. He looked around one more time, and then went back to Komachi.

  16 The Betto Kitagawa

  Tora waited impatiently until Saburo dismissed his clerks and joined him.

  Saburo shook his head when Tora told him about Mori. "It will be very unpleasant working with the local police," he said.

  "I can't abide the bastard. We'll just have to handle the complicated cases ourselves. Speaking of which, I've had a look at your manor. It belongs to some Fujiwara lord. The betto is called Kitagawa. Shall we pay him a visit and see what they're about?"

  "Fujiwara?" Saburo frowned. "Have you mentioned it to her ladyship?"

  "No. I have no idea which Fujiwara it is, and Mori wouldn't tell me. There are emishi there working the land and doing the fishing. That could mean the place belongs to the northern clan."

  "Fishermen live on the estate? That's very interesting."

  "Well, they've got some houses near the water, but I thought so, too. It's close to the manor and a very good road runs from the manor to the shore where they have a sturdy landing stage."

  Saburo raised his brows. "Very well, we'd better see what this Kitagawa has to say."

  "We'll ride. Make it look like an ollicial call. I'd like to scare him a bit."

  Saburo was not fond of riding, but he accepted Tora's reasoning. Tora looked splendid in his armor and helmet, and Saburo switched his plain blue sash for one of green brocade and wore his hat. Otherwise he could do little to improve his appearance. His heavily scarred face was somewhat obscured by a beard and mustache, both trimmed neatly, and he customarily wore a plain black robe and trousers, though these days they were new and made of ramie.

  'They were trotting along the coast road, with the bay to their left and fields of ripening rice to their right. The bay was a deep blue under a lighter blue sky, cloudless and hazy, fading into the distance. The rice fields were golden and passed gradually into the dark green of forests climbing the hills and turning a purplish hue.

  Tora pointed toward the north. "If it were very clear, you might see Fujiyama."

  Saburo was looking the other way. "Yes. And beyond the bay in the west, you can imagine the Western Paradise. It is very beautiful here. "Truly the land of the gods."

  A reverent silence fell. They both loved their country but duties too often got in the way of remembering its beauty.

  After a while, Tora asked, "What will you do if you meet this Hozo?" He eyed Saburo's appearance. "I doubt he'd recognize you."

  Saburo smiled a little. "Let's leave it to the circumstances. On the whole it's better if he doesn't know who I am. We didn't get along."

  "But your name. Won't he recognize that?"

  "You forget that I had a diflerent name as a monk. For that matter, I doubt he calls himself Hozo these days."

  It was early evening of another hot clay. The sun was still shining, though at a slant, and on horseback they covered the distance to the manor quickly. The gates stood invitingly open because peasants and laborers were passing in and out.

  They rode in and stopped in the forecourt. A servant came running. He bowed deeply and asked their business.

  "Lieutenant Sashima, provincial guard, and Senior Secretary Kuruda. We want to see Betto Kitagawa." The servant ran toward the house, and they rode up to the stairs and dismounted. As they stood waiting, they looked around. The property was sizable and looked very prosperous. A large granary, roomy stables, and many other outbuildings surrounded the main house. There was even a treasure house, a small building raised on stilts and built of stone and plaster to protect it against floods and fire. Only very wealthy families owned such buildings.

  Tora wished he could look inside and mentioned this to Saburo, who nodded but was busy scanning the people in the courtyard for Hozo. There was no sign of him.

  The servant returned and led them into the main house.

  Kitagawa received them in his office, a room that contained estate documents and a heavy, metal-reinforced money chest. He rose from behind a low desk covered with papers, writing utensils, and an abacus or two.

  The betto was a tall, muscular man with a red face and bristling brows over sharp black eyes. He did not smile but looked at both Tora and Saburo with great att
ention as if he were trying to memorize their appearance.

  "Welcome, gentlemen," he said in a booming voice. "This is an unexpected honor. I regret my absence from Mikawa the day his Excellency and his staff arrived. It means that I have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. I hope you find Mikawa to your liking."

  Tora looked around the office. "Thank you. It seems a pleasant enough assignment so far. Lieutenant Mori mentioned this estate and we decided to have a look at it."

  "Ah, yes. Lieutenant Mori. A very fine police officer."

  Saburo cleared his throat. "It's just a friendly visit, Betto," he said with a smile.

  Kitagawa gave him a second look that lingered on Saburo's face. He nodded. "As I said, it's an honor to welcome you here. Won't you be seated? And how about some wine?"

  They accepted. Tora eyed the papers on the desk. "I see you're kept busy taking care of this place. It seems to be a large and prosperous estate. Who owns it, if I may ask?"

  "Oh, Lord Shigeie. Of the northern branch of the Fujiwara clan. He resides in Mutsu."

  "Really? That explains it," Tora said with great satisfaction.

  Kitagawa looked puzzled. "Explains what?"

  "The people who live on his land. I've served in the North Country and recognized their dialect. They're emishi. I suppose they are slaves of this Lord Shigeie?"

  Kitagawa bristled. "Not at all. We don't have slaves these days. They are all free. You are thinking of the bad old days when we were making war against them. These people are their descendants. They are now loyal subjects of the lords of Hiraizumi."

  Tora raised his brows. "Surely you mean they are loyal subjects of the emperor. Or are you implying that the northern Fujiwara occupy their own nation?"

  Kitagawa colored. "You misunderstood, Lieutenant. Of course, they are loyal subjects to his Majesty. As are we all. I only meant that their origin gives them ties to the northern clan of the Fujiwara. Really, you mustn't think that we are in any way different from any other privately owned manor in this country. We work and grow rice to pay our taxes to the emperor like anyone else."