Saiunkoku Monogatari: Kouryou no Yume Vol 1 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shuuei was dumbfounded at the point of the sword thrust at his throat. It happened in a blink.

‘Could I have a match?’

Shuuei asked Seien as soon as he saw him when he attended the Court because he wanted to redeem his honor even a little.

But at the moment they faced each other, his all other thoughts were blown away. He knew well he did not stand a chance. He just wanted to be recognized no matter how little. He assumed a position with that one thought. All other thoughts including clearing his name disappeared from his mind.

He challenged in earnest seriousness. There wasn’t even a little carelessness. But…

Even then, it did not last even five exchanges of swords.

Prince Seien did not even use unorthodox techniques he had shown when he was engaged with the assassins. He fought the match with only the proper technique to go along with Shuuei, and furthermore, it was evident he was using not even the half of his true capacity. On top of that, Shuuei lost so quickly.

Even if no one else noticed it, nothing could be more miserable for Shuuei. He had tears in his eyes from humiliation and frustration.

On the other hand, Seien was feeling boiling anger.

‘I thought of making him my subordinate, but…’

Judging from his responses, he certainly was not as stupid as he had thought. But his heart was already with his brothers and the Ran family. He did not even realize his doubtless loyalty that was like instinct for him.

It was possible to use him with that in mind, but he was too green in so many ways, and too genial. It was almost pointless to get this forth son at his point.

Seien reached out with a smile. His anger was deep because he had quite high hope for him. While he was helping Shuuei to stand up, Seien murmured coldly.

“I will tell your brothers that I don’t need a useless one.”

… Come again when you become more useful.

Shuuei could not find a word to return at the blunt words drummed into him.

After he watched the match, the emperor looked around. Advisor Shou was elusive as usual, but General Sou frowned. The emperor observed the expressions of concubines, princes and Seien’s grandfather in detail.

He took notice of Ou Ki and Ran family in particular. There was only one of the triplets. He did not know which one was there. The emperor did no even intend to distinguish them. But he guessed it was the eldest, Setsuna, who did not appear in public often. There was no reason. It was just an intuition.

It wasn’t because they were from the Ran family that the triplets, who were not even 20 years old, were holding important positions. The only ones who could confront them are Shou Yousen and a few others, and Kou Shouka. And…

‘… And Ou Ki.’

When he found Ou Ki, he was closing his eyes quietly. It was enough for the emperor.

… Seien made a fatal mistake. Seien did not notice, but his fate was almost decided.

‘It was unlike Seien.’

Seien was usually very careful in public, but today, his real self came out. The emperor stopped his eyes at the forth son of the Ran family. … He might have been drawn in by that boy.

The emperor looked at his second son one more time.

It was a childish mistake. But the age was no excuse at the cut-throat Imperial Court. 

Right then, the older childhood friend who gave him those bean bags appeared at the edge of his mind.

‘Children should be easygoing! Senka, I want to see the country where children can be happy.’

He remembered the favorite phrase of the woman whom he could only see in his mind now, and clicked his tongue. She was still annoying in her death.

‘…. I should give him time…’

He originally planned to give them to him later…

The emperor suddenly stood and everyone at the site stirred. Even Ran Setsuna was staring in slight amazement, not to mention Advisor Shou and Ou Ki.

Noticing the two swords, General Sou opened his eyes wide. Those are…

“They are ‘Kanshou’ and ‘Bakuya,’ aren’t they?”

The emperor took the swords, and the atmosphere changed. For the subjects who followed him, it was almost a reflex.

The piercing tension reminded them of the old days. High-ranking aristocrats and the Seven Families were no exceptions, the supreme ruler of the great massacre even killed his parents and siblings. It did not matter if they are enemies or allies, if they displeased him, their heads rolled at once.

Impulsive and cruel. But he promoted anyone who had real ability. It didn’t matter if they were farmers or bandits, if they did great service, the emperor loosened cold lips and gave the praise of “Good job” to even a common soldier. They competed each other to distinguish themselves both as soldiers and scholars and served him with their lives to hear those rarely-heard words. He possessed overwhelming appeal to make them wish to serve him even if they might be killed.

When the emperor started to walk toward Seien, everyone lowered their heads with excitement.

-- There is only one emperor to serve.

Advisor Shou wrinkled his nose. The emperor reined in the sprit of his subject who started to get used to the peace in an instance.

‘Why doesn’t he always do it?’

Seien bent one knee in haste to welcome his father. It was another rarity as well as the other day.

After given a glance to the forth son of the Ran family who was also kneeling, the emperor threw the twin swords to Seien casually like he threw him the bean bags the other day.

“They are yours. Do whatever you want with them.”

It became completely quiet.

Only the emperor turned his heels as if nothing had happened. Since the situation was such, it would be difficult to turn it around, but this should make it last at least a year. The rest was up to Seien.

Seien, who received the words, stirred in amazement.

There was a general stir after a second.

Just as Seien’s grandfather, whose eyes were shining, thought, it looked like a proof of naming the next emperor.

Ou Ki stayed right there and cast a glance.

Their expressions were distinctly different depending on whether they were the supporters of Seien or the other princes.

The concubines were seen here and there, each one of them with an expression like an ogre. The first prince, who lost his face, cast a cursing glance at his younger brother and followed his mother. On the other hand, Prince Seien’s grandfather was showing an extreme delight. Suddenly, Ou Ki noticed the sixth concubine. She should be the only one for whom it did not matter who would become the heir, but probably because she was often silenced by Seien, her gaze was just as malicious.

She was the one who was convinced that the second concubine was the Emperor’s favorite, and drove her out of the harem. She had a tendency to act on her emotion.

‘… It’s dangerous.’

But if the things went as Ou Ki expected, the one who truly dangerous was not her, but…

Ou Ki looked at Seien and the sixth concubine alternately, and gave a few instructions to subordinates of the Administrative Inspection.

“… Keep eye on the sixth concubine. She will be assassinated BY SOMEONE soon. Get the evidence. It can be used for depose."

… Six months later in early winter, the body of the sixth concubine was found floating in a pond. It was her son, Ryuuki, who found the body, but probably from the shock, the memory of the incident was completely erased from his memory.

The face of the concubine was terribly disfigured. It was because of the poison mixed in a bottle of cosmetics, but the poison was not lethal. The cause of her death was an impulsive suicide from the derangement triggered by the disfigurement, since the concubine had been making her way through the harem only by her beauty.

As soon as Ou Ki realized there wasn’t any evidence, he quickly concealed all the information and handled the incident as a ‘death from a disease’ publicly. There was no need to make it a serious matter. The incident was closed without much problems.

Ryuuki never found out that the pond where his mother died was the same place where his brother made a sarcastic remark before.

Chapter end