The Crane Pavillion

15

The Office of Central Affairs, or Nakatsukasa-sho, was not far from the Justice Ministry, but Akitada’s feet became heavy as he made his way there. The Nakatsukasa-sho was the most powerful ministry of the government, but its enclosure was deceptively modest. Akitada passed under a simple gate into a small graveled courtyard. Nobody stopped him. A few clerks walked quickly between halls, and two senior officials stood chatting. He climbed the steps to the main hall, his feet like lead. Inside the building, a servant finally approached and asked his business.

“My name is Sugawara. I came to make my report. Will you please advise His Excellency’s secretary?”

The servant bowed and disappeared. Akitada stood, gathering his courage. Within the next half hour he might be ruined. Actually, he might be ruined already and merely have come to get confirmation of the fact. He thought what he would do in that case and came up with nothing.

A clerk in a black silk robe appeared. He bowed. “May I confirm that you are Lord Sugawara Akitada, governor of Chikuzen province?”

“I resigned that post, but yes.”

The clerk’s brows shot up. “Resigned?” he asked. But he corrected himself quickly. “If you will please follow me.”

So the news of his resignation had not reached the Office of Central Affairs. This would be awkward. Akitada’s heart started to beat unpleasantly fast. He tried to calm himself by breathing deeply as he followed the clerk.

He was led into a large office, furnished plainly with a desk and some cushions, as well as the customary assortment of books on a stand. Three men stood in its center, looking curiously at him. He saw by the rank ribbons on their hats that all three outranked him by several steps, and one held the lesser third rank. He did not know any of them but bowed deeply.

The oldest man, gray-haired and smooth-shaven, was the highest ranking official. He had tired eyes that studied Akitada morosely as if he wondered who had saddled him with this new nuisance.

The next in rank was middle-aged and portly. The last was a young man, only in his early twenties. He had a stylish mustache as many young sparks did these days. He smiled, but not in a friendly manner. He seemed to be enjoying the coming confrontation.

The elderly man said, “I’m His Excellency’s senior secretary, Soga. His Excellency is unavailable. Did I understand the servant to say that you wished to report?”

Akitada bowed again. Another Soga? He still chafed under the memory of the late Minister Soga, his superior and Kaneie’s predecessor. It was unlikely that this man would treat him more fairly. “Yes, your Excellency. I had the honor to serve briefly as governor of Chikuzen province while certain crimes were committed there, and these led me to look into treasonable activities between Hakata businesses and China.”

The three men looked at each other. Secretary Soga said, “The Grand Minister has received a report from the Assistant Governor General at Dazaifu. It does not explain what you are doing here.”

Akitada swallowed. “Sir, I resigned my post when I received news of my wife’s death. I came home to look after my family.”

The portly man harrumphed. “You cannot resign. I assume you took unauthorized leave,” he said.

The young man’s grin broadened. It struck Akitada that they knew already what he had done and had merely waited for him to show up. That he had walked in on their meeting must give them great satisfaction.

The secretary asked, “Well, was it authorized leave?”

“Authorized?” Akitada felt himself flush. Did they not understand how a man might feel about the death of a beloved wife? No, clearly they did not. He said, “I properly informed my superior, the Assistant Governor General of the situation. I have two young children who were left without a parent. I also formally resigned my position, seeing that my return to the capital would take months. I thought it best to allow His Excellency, the Assistant Governor General, to appoint a replacement.”

A silence fell while they stared at him.

Then the young man said in a high, nasal voice, “You surprise me. I thought only the emperor made such appointments.”

“I meant an interim appointment,” Akitada corrected himself. He was beginning to sweat and could feel the moisture on his face and back.

The secretary frowned. “I see. Do I take it that the Assistant Governor General authorized your departure?”

“I assume so. I left before he could respond.”

Another silence. Akitada saw satisfaction on their faces. They had him now. He had left his appointed position without permission.

The heavy-set man asked in a silky tone, “And you returned to the capital when?”

“Early in the sixth month, sir.” Another pregnant pause ensued. In desperation, Akitada added, “I have been ill.” It was not a lie, though it hurt him to say it. He had been unable to function all this time, all these weeks, the entire summer. No wonder he was in deep trouble.

The admission, however, won him a temporary reprieve. The secretary said, “Well, it does explain some things. However, I think you will find that His Excellency, and indeed His Majesty himself, will consider your leaving your post so abruptly a serious offence. I shall inform His Excellency of your visit. You will, no doubt, hear from him.”

He was lost. The faces of his children and of his people, all trusting him to provide for his family, flashed across his mind. He bowed deeply again. Then, in despair and rising anger, he looked the secretary in the eyes and said, “Given the fact that I have served His Majesty well in uncovering the conspiracy and perhaps averting an invasion by our enemies, I had hoped for more understanding, sir.”

They were taken aback by his daring. The secretary cleared his throat and said coldly, “You will have to leave the decision regarding your service to His Excellency.”

Akitada bowed again and left.

Outside in the corridor a cluster of officials had gathered. They ducked away when he appeared or pretended to be in conversation. He bit his lip and walked away quickly. Behind him, he heard whispers and suppressed laughter.

It was the most humiliating moment of that day. He had been a fool to think that his reputation would see him through this trouble. His effort had been as pointless as hitching a horse with a rotten rope.

Many years ago, when he was still young, he had found himself in front of the censors to receive a stinging rebuke. That, too, had not been altogether deserved, but he had been young then, untried, and humble in his own inexperience. Now he was middle-aged and had served his country for more than twenty years. He had risked his own life and that of his retainers. He had lost Seimei, and Tamako had died in his absence because of the demands of his position.

Perhaps he might have averted her death if he had been here. He would at least have had a chance to ease it, to hold her in his arms, to tell her how much he loved her.

And for all his sacrifices and the many significant services he had performed for his country, he was now being humiliated, laughed at by men who had never had to risk anything. Anger welled up again and was instantly suppressed.

What did it matter when he had lost his wife-and the child he had never had a chance to get to know?

But he felt in need of some kindness and turned his feet toward the Ministry of Ceremonial. His friend Nakatoshi served as senior secretary there. Nakatoshi had once been Akitada’s clerk. His capabilities and family connections had earned him his present rank and position, and he had reached the same level as Akitada. Unlike others, Nakatoshi had been sorry to leave the Ministry of Justice and had in time become a close friend.

Nakatoshi was in-he had always been a most conscientious official-and greeted Akitada by getting up and coming to embrace him. His face shone with pleasure and concern.

“How are you, my dear friend?” he asked as he released him and invited him to sit. He studied Akitada’s face. “You look pale and thin. Are you well?”

Akitada gave a snort of bitter amusement. “Seeing that I’ve just lied to Kinsue’s Senior Secretary about having been too ill to report in a timely manner, that’s probably a good thing. No, my health is well enough, but I seem to have created a problem for myself.” He paused, then added, “And for my people. I seem to have lost my post at the ministry and am likely to be dismissed from government service.”

Nakatoshi gasped. “You must be joking.”

“It’s no joking matter, Nakatoshi.”

“Are you quite sure? I cannot believe it.”

Akitada gave him a bleak smile. “I come to you directly from the meeting. The truth is, I only know the Senior Secretary by name. The others didn’t bother to introduce themselves. One was middle-aged and fat. He had the look of one of the Fujiwaras of the chancellor’s family. The other was in his early twenties and supercilious. They enjoyed themselves.”

“But that’s outrageous! After all you’ve done and sacrificed for them! Does Kinsue know?”

“I have no idea.”

Nakatoshi sat stunned, shaking his head mutely. It was clear that he felt Akitada’s humiliation personally. It was why Akitada had come to his friend, and he started to feel a little better.

“Well,” he said more firmly, “I must make the best of it. If you know of any post that I might fill, anything at all that will keep the roof fixed and food on the table, I’d be very grateful.”

“Of course, but there is nothing a man like you could accept. Those posts are in the hands of the chancellor and his brothers. We must change their minds-if they have indeed already made them up. What about your old post at the ministry.”

“Already filled.”

“Already? Akitada, that suggests planning. Who hates you enough to want to ruin you?”

“Many people. The Sugawaras have never lacked for powerful enemies. We don’t have to do anything to make new ones. I should have known, but when the news came about Tamako … I wasn’t thinking straight. Nothing mattered then. All I felt was rage against fate. When fate itself was bent on destroying me, a few Fujiwaras hardly mattered.”

Nakatoshi frowned. “Yes, I can understand that. But we cannot be certain that the ruling family is behind this. There’s something about it that seems to be very bureaucratic. The censors?”

“These days I don’t even know who the censors are. Never mind. I must look about for something to do. And that reminds me. There was a time when I was forced to earn some money solving problems and finding people. I could do so again. As a matter of fact, it was you who brought a case to my attention. I refer to the lady who hanged herself in Abbot Genshin’s mansion. Just what was your interest in this?”

Nakatoshi looked embarrassed. “Well, Akitada,” he said after a moment, “it was really only that I had heard of it and hoped you might be interested. I had no other reason. It seemed to be a bit of a puzzle and I thought it would be a good idea to get you out of your room, that’s all.”

Akitada had suspected as much. “Then Genshin didn’t ask you to contact me?”

“No. But Akitada, if there’s anything odd about the death, we could bring it to his attention. He’s quite rich.”

“I’m aware of it. But I will not beg for work, especially not from Genshin.”

Nakatoshi hung his head.

After a moment, Akitada said, “What was Genshin’s involvement with the lady?”

Nakatoshi looked up. “None at all, as far as I know. Or rather that’s what he claims. He heard of her abject poverty and offered her refuge in his residence. She had no income, but he provided a small amount of his rice income to pay for her food.”

Akitada thought of the bare room and the two trunks, one filled with costly costumes, the other holding a few ordinary, rough pieces of clothing. But this charitable Genshin was nothing like the Tasuku he once knew. “And what do you think?” he asked.

“I have no knowledge. All I can say is that I believed the story. He’s well known for his charities and has done similar things before.”

Akitada nodded. “So they say. I used to know him many years ago. He chased women then, but only those most highly placed. He ruined many of them and cost one her life. I cannot get those tales out of my head. The similarities to this lady’s situation are too great. She seems to have ended up in such a destitute condition because of some scandal.”

“Oh.” Nakatoshi absorbed this. “If he’s involved, that would be very shocking indeed. Genshin is very highly respected and serves as Her Majesty’s religious teacher. It means he has access to the private apartments of the imperial ladies.”

“Dear heaven. Setting the fox to watch the chickens.” Akitada shook his head. “I wonder if I made a mistake many years ago when I agreed to keep his secret.” He sighed. “It’s so hard to know what to do sometimes. I must trust that others certainly knew what I knew then.”

Nakatoshi, though deeply shocked, had no comment, and the two friends parted soon afterward.