The next morning, I packed my things and got ready to leave. The lacquered pin I’d taken back at Surei’s dropped out of the chest of one of my robes as I folded it.
Damn, I forgot all about this. I need to give it back to her.
I fastened it to the front of my robe so I wouldn’t forget it again.
A servant knocked at the door. “Governor Abé requests you meet him in his study. I can show you the way.”
We walked around the garden and came to a small building. The servant knocked softly, saying “Governor, your guest is here.” He opened the doors, and I went inside.
Governor Abé asked genially, “How are you this beautiful morning, my young yóuxiá? What corrupt officials are you confronting this morning? Not me, I hope!” He laughed uproariously.
I was beginning to see Governor Abé was a man who liked jokes, and he appreciated his own humor as much as he enjoyed other people’s.
I laughed weakly, embarrassed by my behavior the night before. “No, I don’t think I will be championing any justice this morning, I still feel a bit under the weather from last night. I am sorry about the yóuxiá comments. I fear I got a bit carried away there at the end.”
The governor made a dismissive motion. “I didn’t see you involved in the brawl. So, tell me, how I can help you?” His genial manner disappeared, his face became serious, and he listened intently as I spoke.
“I’m doing unannounced inspections of selected locations in several provinces. Ikeda Minbukyou believes this is the best way to discover the general state of affairs in an area. Here in Isé, I was instructed to visit the Suzuka District. First, I would like the tax records, population reports, and land surveys. After that, I’ll need someone to show me around.”
The governor looked thoughtful. “I’m not responsible for collecting the rice taxes in the various districts. That’s done by local officials who submit it to the revenue bureau. The bureau keeps the tax records, but they do give me copies. Let’s take a look at those, shall we?”
He rang a bell, and an assistant entered the room. The governor turned to him and said, “Bring me the tax records for the last six years for Suzuka district.”
“I will rush to headquarters and return as soon as I locate them. It may take some time to find them, though.” He bowed and hurried out.
The governor frowned. “If you are going out to the district, the person to talk to would be the official responsible for revenue collection in that district. He has the responsibility for reporting the amount collected from each of the individual estates, so he will be familiar with the specific conditions of the shouen in the area.” He sighed, “It’s unfortunate, though.”
Curious, I said, “What is?”
Grimacing in distaste, Governor Abé said, “You are technically within your rights to ask questions of the local tax officials, but it is tricky to get them to actually answer questions. Since the imperial government is dependent on them for the collection of taxes from the estates, my actual authority over them is quite limited. Technically, they are supposed to answer to me, but in practice, as long as the rice taxes are collected, the government ignores most irregularities. Nothing short of open rebellion on their part will cause Kyoto to send troops. If I were to move against one of the district magistrates without sufficient cause, it would have the other magistrates up in arms, and collectively, they have more bushi than I do.” He grinned like a tiger. “Of course, I consider any attempt to weaken my position as tantamount to rebellion. They have all come to accept that.”
His face grew serious again. “They are arrogant, intransigent, and uncooperative for most routine administrative matters. At least they usually fulfill their duties to collect the taxes. They know if they don’t, I will be able to get troops from the capital.” He shook his head. “It is a most vexing situation. Their stubbornness makes getting information for my reports to the capital difficult.”
The governor gave a slight chuckle. “Most of my guests last night were district magistrates. There’s very little in the way of culture or entertainment here in Isé, so invitations to my parties are actually one of my strongest inducements to gain their cooperation. If they get too far out of line, then they will be forced to rely on their own resources for entertainment, and none of them wants that.”
That reminded me of something, “You pointed out someone and said I would likely need to talk to him. How did you know what I would be doing?”
He sighed again. “That man, Taira no Ryojun, is one of the richest men in the province. His local position is district manager, but he is related to almost everyone in Isé. Even my wife is his second cousin or some such. Taira no Kiyomori is the clan leader and his patron. District Manager Taira collects taxes for most of the large estates and has connections to just about anything producing income in the province. The chances were good that, no matter what you were doing here, you would be dealing with him in one way or another.
However, the real reason I pointed him out to you is that he is incredibly vain, and it boosts his pride to have me remind people of how important he is. It’s a sop to his ego that costs me nothing. He is hard enough to deal with at the best of times, so I take every chance I get to flatter him.”
“Oh, well maybe I won’t have to deal with him.” I decided to change the subject. “I’ve been in many of the great homes in the capital, and yours would stand with any of them. I’m impressed you have such a beautiful estate here.”
Governor Abé gave me a sly look, “You mean, such a beautiful estate out here in the middle of nowhere, don’t you?” I reddened a bit. I had not intended my comment as an insult. He laughed again, and continued, “Coming from a man of taste such as yourself, that is a real compliment, indeed.”
I asked, “A man of taste? I’m not sure what you mean …”
He remarked, “Oh, please, don’t be coy. I see you have the famous red hyacinth clasp from the Spring Palace. The Scarlet Hyacinth only bestows it on her most favored customers. We’ve all heard the stories of how she reserves her coveted mark of favor for only the most cultured of her clients—those with the most discriminating taste. Why, there are imperial princes on whom she has declined to bestow her favor! And there you sit, wearing her token as if it were some meaningless bauble. Modesty is all well and good, but don’t overdo it.”
I inclined my head in reluctant agreement.
If Surei finds out about this, she is going to kill me, I thought. I might as well take advantage of it, though.
“It is true I am rather close to her.”
The governor leaned forward, eagerly, “Is she really everything they say?”
Not sure how to answer, I temporized, “Well, I won’t reveal the lady’s secrets, but I will say no matter what you’ve heard about her, the truth is more astonishing still.”
The assistant returned. He handed several documents to the governor, then left. The governor spread the scrolls out on his writing stand and scrutinized them. After several moments of study, he gave particular attention to two of the scrolls, going back and forth between them several times. His brow wrinkled.
Still staring at the records, he commented, “There is something odd about one of the shouen in the district. Five or six years ago, it was producing an excellent income, and it exhibited all the characteristics of a well-run property. Just three years later, the income had dropped dramatically and the amount of land under cultivation had a sharp decrease. By last year, it was completely abandoned.”
He drummed his fingers on his desk for a moment. “Normally, a sudden loss of income like this is the fault of a drought or some other natural disaster, but none of the nearby shouen has suffered a similar drop in output. It’s strange.”
He looked up. “There definitely appears to be a problem there, but nothing in the record here gives any hint as to the cause. It just notes the sudden drop in the amount of land under cultivation.” He rolled the scrolls up and set them in a pile next to his desk. “It’s an old story. Something happens that causes an estate to become unworkable. The peasants abscond and the land lies fallow. Eventually, someone else will come along and try to bring the shouen back into cultivation. If they’re successful, the law allows them to become the new estate owners.”
“If you want to find out more, you’ll need to go talk to the local tax official.” He opened one of the scrolls and sighed. “As I suspected—Magistrate Taira. I believe he spent the night. I’ll see if I can get him to join us.”
Ringing the bell again, the governor summoned an assistant to ask District Magistrate Taira to join us. While we waited, Governor Abé showed me some landscape sketches he had done. He was quite an accomplished artist, and there were some truly outstanding efforts. One, in particular, caught my attention. It was a painting of a lone tree on top of a hill overlooking the sea. The entire panorama was tinged with a deep melancholy.
The governor seemed pleased by my reaction. “As a young man, I came to Isé to be an artist. When I got here, I met one of the local nobles and fell in love with his daughter, Hojo no Mayumi. He let me marry her, but he seemed to think I should do something more productive than draw pictures. So, I started working in the local land office, got promoted a few times, then before I knew it, Mayumi’s father got me appointed as provincial governor. The imperial government appreciated that I was born and educated in Kyoto, and the people in Isé liked the fact I had married into the local nobility. But, I still paint now and again. You’ve chosen one of my favorites. This is a truly lovely spot, and despite my poor skills, I believe I caught something of the spirit of the location.”
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
Magistrate Taira joined us. He was wearing the same garish robes as the previous night. His face was flushed, and he winced at every small noise. It seemed he was still recovering from the evening’s revels.
He craned his neck to see the picture, and commented, “Yes, it’s really a superb spot. You should see it before you leave.” He turned to the governor, “Thank you, that was a splendid party last night. We should do another one soon. It would be my pleasure to host it.”
He sat down heavily and his tone became more serious. “You asked to see me. How may I help you, Governor?”
Governor Abé unleashed his considerable charm. “Inspector Minamoto has some questions regarding a shouen in your district. I thought you could show him around the area, then answer any questions he might have. I would consider it a personal favor.”
Magistrate Taira frowned, his forehead furrowing in thought. “Governor, I’d love to oblige you, but this comes at a very inconvenient time. I have to prepare to make a trip to the capital to meet some very influential people.”
The governor seemed startled for just a moment, but his expression changed to one of polite interest so quickly I might have imagined it.
He smiled and said, “Make sure, while you’re in the capital, to make the time to see the Imperial Gardens and the Kiyomizu temple.” He gave a knowing wink. “And be sure and take the time to visit the Spring Palace. Believe me, there is nothing like the Hyacinth’s establishment anywhere else.”
Magistrate Taira looked embarrassed. “I’ll see the gardens and the temple, but I’ve heard it’s impossible to get into the Spring Palace. The proprietress is very particular about who she allows in, and it takes a personal invitation from her to be admitted.”
The governor feigned surprise. “Really? I thought your influential friends had the connections to get you in. I apologize.”
Magistrate Taira glowered at him for a moment.
The governor turned to me and said, “Inspector Minamoto, do you have any ideas about how to help our luckless friend here? It would be a shame if he were to miss out on the wonders of the Spring Palace.”
I took the hint. In a casual tone, I said, “Well, I suppose I could write Mistress Hyacinth a note. I ’m sure she would take care of the district magistrate if I asked her.”
Magistrate Taira’s eyes widened. “You’re a friend of the Scarlet Hyacinth?”
I smiled and answered, “Well, I have known her a long time, and have done her one or two favors. I think she would do me a small favor in return.”
Magistrate Taira looked at me suspiciously, “What do you get out of this?”
I cleared my throat and said, “Well, if you could show me around your district…”
The magistrate narrowed his eyes in thought and then came to a decision. “I suppose I could spare a day to show you around. I am not leaving for nearly a month, so there is still time.”
He nodded sharply. “Very well then, that is what we will do. It would be my pleasure. Not often do I get the pleasure of spending time in the company of an official of your stature.”
Magistrate Taira waved his hand at the picture the governor and I had been discussing earlier. “It is curious that you were talking about that seascape. There is a yozakura festival tonight at that exact spot. We will be eating, drinking, and viewing the cherry blossoms. Governor Abé, you could join us and our esteemed friend could see the place for himself. I am handling all the arrangements.”
The governor shook his head, “No, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I have to meet with my father-in-law tonight. Why don’t you go ahead to the viewing without me, so the inspector can see what he is missing.”
Magistrate Taira shrugged. “It is unfortunate you can’t join us, Your Excellency.” He turned to me. “Inspector Minamoto, we should go if you are to have enough time to properly look around before the party.”
He started to stand up, but I touched his arm, causing him to halt. “Just a moment,” I said. Getting some paper and a brush, I quickly wrote out—
Mistress Hyacinth, the bearer of this note is Taira no Ryojun. Please see to his needs with all the consideration you would give me.
— Yoshi
I folded it and closed it with my seal, then handed it to Magistrate Taira. “Here is your letter of introduction.” I gave him the pin and said, “Show this to the people at the Spring Palace, and they should convey your letter to the Scarlet Hyacinth.” Standing up, we bade the governor farewell.
I got my gear and retrieved my horse from the stables in the rear. Just outside the gate, Magistrate Taira was waiting on his horse with the rest of his retinue, all of whom were also mounted. He waved me over to him, then we headed off.
I noticed Mouse skulking across the street from the governor’s mansion, and loudly asked Magistrate Taira, “How long before we reach Suzuka district?”
“We should arrive around midday.”
The road went generally east, towards the ocean. There were few riders, but many ox-drawn wagons and hand-pulled carts used the route. Despite it being early spring, the day grew hot as the sun climbed higher in the sky. I began to sweat under my robes. Our horses’ hooves kicked dust from the loosely packed dirt of the trail into the air, and the grit lodged in our throats.
When we reached an open field with some trees to provide shade, Magistrate Taira finally called a halt. He sent one of his men riding off while the rest of us got down off our horses and rested in the cool shelter of the trees. “I have a small residence nearby,” he told me. “I’m sending for some refreshments and saké. We’ll just rest here until it arrives. After we have something to tide us over, we’ll set out again when it’s cooler.”
I nodded agreeably. I had no problem with taking a break in the heat. However, I was a bit worried about the time.
“How long will it take us to reach the shouen from here?” I asked. “I’d like to have a chance to look around a bit once we get there.”
“Don’t worry,” he said soothingly. “We’re not far from the manor, and the manor is quite close to where we’re having the yozakura. There’ll be no problems.”
We’d been resting just a short time when I noticed a rice cart out on the road. Looking for all the world like a noble taking his ease, Mouse lounged in the back, resting on the piled sacks of grain. He smiled and waved at me as he passed.
The food and saké arrived. We ate and rested for a bit, then set out again.
We’d been traveling through green and fertile rice paddies filled with hard-working peasants. They were flooded with water or plowed over to prepare for transplanting the rice plant in the next month or so. When we arrived at the shouen, the fields were completely different. The paddies were either overgrown with weeds or drowned in dank, fetid pools of standing water covered with algae and pond scum. Not a single person was visible. The peasant houses were abandoned, ceilings falling in and rooms open to the sky.
I looked around in shock. “What’s happened here? This looks more like an abandoned wilderness than a shouen.”
He sighed. “I haven’t heard the entire story, but I will tell you what I know.” He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “You have to realize I collect the taxes for many, many shouen. The only reason I remember this place at all is because the situation was so dire. The shouen owner was greedy and grasping, forcing his workers to over-plant the land, and working them so hard that they lacked the opportunity to perform necessary repairs on the irrigation canals. This reduced the amount of water the fields received, which steadily reduced the crop over several years. Last year, there was a tremendous storm and the primary canal broke, flooding the paddies and destroying the all the rice plants. The peasants saw there was no chance of saving anything, and, in fear of the owner, they ran off—leaving things as you see them.”
There was anger in his voice as he continued, “Situations like this are actually more widespread than you might think. Our esteemed governor likes to take a hands-off approach to the shouen, but if I were in his shoes, I would make sure the land was used more actively, that the estate owners took better care of it.”
He looked sideways at me as if calculating his next words. “Many feel as I do. It’s possible there may be changes in the air before long.”
I sat there, thinking about his story. Something sounded wrong. I couldn’t square Magistrate Taira’s description of the greedy estate owner with Akiko’s depiction of her husband. It was hard for me to believe Akiko could be so badly mistaken about something like that.
I need to get more information.
Finally, I said, “So, this whole situation came about because of the actions of the estate holder?”
Magistrate Taira nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’ve been told.”
I looked around at the overgrown fields. “I’d like to take some time and examine things more carefully.” Magistrate Taira furrowed his brow, so I hastily added, “The minister will expect me to make a detailed report of my personal observations of the district.”
The magistrate relaxed immediately. “Of course. I should have realized an official such as yourself would be most diligent in discharging his responsibilities. Take as much time as you need,” he said expansively. “It’s still hot out here, so we’ll wait for you in those trees over there.” He pointed to a small copse on the edge of the shouen.
I handed the bridle of my horse to one of the magistrate’s men and walked into the overgrown fields. It was difficult going. The paths had disappeared under wild plant growth or stagnant water. I wandered out of sight of the men in the trees.
“Pssst. Boss, come here.” It was Mouse.
I walked over to him. “What is it?”
“Been here for a bit, and had a chance to wander around. Bad stuff happened here. There’s a burned out village with unburied bodies over the hill there. I seen no signs of anyone working the place. People in the surrounding estates are scared.” He laughed. “One of them tried to tell me this shouen was haunted.”
It was getting late, and I couldn’t do much with District Magistrate Taira and his party waiting. I told Mouse, “Go ahead and find someplace to spend the night. I promised to attend a yozakura festival, viewing the sakura. I’ll meet you here tomorrow. We can investigate further then.”
Mouse grinned at me again, “Sure, Boss, you run along. Wouldn’t want you to miss looking at the pretty flowers.” His grin grew wider. “Or the sakura, either.” He went back in the direction of the road, careful to stay out of sight of the men in the trees.
I made my way to the copse. As I approached, Magistrate Taira rose from where he had been sitting and asked me, “Well, what do you think?”
“It looks pretty bad,” I admitted. “I’m not sure what to tell the Minister. I’ll have to write a full report on this.”
Magistrate Taira nodded in agreement. “Tonight, you can come look at the sakura. It will take your mind off your troubles. Believe me, it works for me every time!”