Sano saw the logic of her reasoning, and the new political element in the case disturbed him, but he strove for objectivity. “That’s quite a leap to make from a few scribbled notes, a few troublemakers, and a few guns.”
“There were more than just a few guns,” Reiko said, “and the size of the arsenal means there must be hundreds, even thousands of troublemakers involved in the plot. They could launch a full-scale siege of Miyako at any moment.” She grasped Sano’s hands. “You must do something immediately.”
“Of course I’ll investigate the situation,” Sano said. “Any potential threat against the regime must be taken seriously. But let’s not jump to conclusions. You were in the house for only a short time, while you were under severe emotional stress. Maybe there weren’t as many weapons as you thought; maybe you misinterpreted what the men said.”
“I know what I saw and heard,” Reiko said stubbornly. “If you don’t arrest those men and seize the arsenal, there could be a revolt that turns into nationwide civil war. Entire provinces could fall under rebel control before the bakufu has time to mount an effective defense. Eventually, war could reach Edo.”
“That’s a distinct possibility.” While Sano could think of arguments against the theory, he hesitated to raise them lest he reawaken Reiko’s hurt and resentment over his deception. “Therefore, I have to proceed with caution. A revolt goes beyond the scope of the murder investigation. I must inform the shoshidai and Chamberlain Yanagisawa.”
“Soon, I hope?” Reiko said.
“Tonight.” Instead of the evening of rest that he’d wanted, Sano anticipated hours of secret meetings. “And tomorrow I’ll begin looking for the instigator of the plot at the Imperial Palace.”
20
At dawn, a brisk wind rattled the window blinds, awakening Sano in his room at Nijō Manor. He smelled smoke, heard bells clanging, and bolted up in bed, heart pounding as he recalled a fire that had almost claimed his life. But the inn was quiet except for the ordinary noises of guests rising. Sano washed and dressed. Leaving Reiko asleep, he took his morning meal with his detectives in their rooms and gave them their orders for the day. Then he rode to the Imperial Palace.
Smoke hovered over Miyako, adding an acrid pall to the hazy, oppressive heat. From newssellers who hawked broadsheets, Sano learned that the wind had blown down some Obon lanterns and started a fire that had spread across the southern part of town. Nervous citizens kept watch for more fires. Sano’s own mood was troubled as he recalled his meeting with Shoshidai Matsudaira and Chamberlain Yanagisawa at Nijō Castle last night, when he’d told them about the outlaws and guns at Lord Ibe’s house.
At first, Yanagisawa had scoffed at the possibility of an imperial restoration attempt. “The court is powerless. How could they dare to attack the bakufu?”
“It’s happened before,” Sano said, prepared to counter the objections that had occurred to him when Reiko had broached the idea. “Four hundred and seventy years ago, Emperor Go-Toba tried to overthrow the Kamakura dictatorship with the help of militant monks and rebellious samurai clans.”
“I’m familiar with history,” Yanagisawa said. “Go-Toba’s coup failed. So did the one led by Emperor Go-Daigo two hundred years later. Although he managed to seize control, his reign lasted only a short time. I doubt that the Tokugawa regime is in any danger from his descendants now.”
“Indeed,” the shoshidai murmured.
“I agree that those attempts were futile,” Sano said. “My point is that someone did try. And Emperor Go-Daigo’s coup eventually resulted in a shift of power to a new regime. This could happen again, if the revolt spreads and the daimyo unite against the Tokugawa. Miyako is a good starting place for civil war. It’s far from the shogun’s forces in Edo, and the emperor is a natural rallying point for malcontents seeking a new leader. Left Minister Konoe must have realized all this. An armed insurrection against the bakufu is high treason-punishable by death for everyone involved, plus their families and associates. Therefore, Konoe had to be eliminated before he could report his discovery.”
Yanagisawa frowned, and Sano knew he wanted to disagree for the sake of disagreeing. He must hate having Sano inform him about a development that he hadn’t managed to discover himself. Nevertheless, Yanagisawa couldn’t ignore any threat against the regime he controlled, no matter how little he liked acting on Sano’s recommendation.
“I’ll handle the situation at Lord Ibe’s house,” Yanagisawa said.
“My troops are at your service,” said the shoshidai, clearly glad that he wouldn’t have to take charge himself.
Sano hoped that the task would keep Yanagisawa too busy to cause new troubles for him, but he doubted it. He feared that he would live to regret his strange partnership with the chamberlain.
Now a party of nobles conveyed Sano into the palace. Courtiers huddled along the passages of the kuge quarter, conversing in whispers. They fell silent and bowed as Sano passed. Seeing the animosity in their eyes, he presumed they were discussing the murder, the false report of his death, and the arrest of Lady Asagao. Obviously no one wanted him here. Yet anticipation lifted Sano’s mood. The discovery of the arsenal and outlaw gang gave him a new chance to solve the case.
At Right Minister Ichijo’s estate, attendants had gathered in the courtyard. Down the stairs of the mansion came Ichijo, dressed in a formal black cap and robes and leaning on an ebony cane. When he saw Sano, he halted on the bottom step.
“Congratulations on your miraculous return to the world of the living, Sōsakan-sama,” he said, bowing with stiff dignity that bespoke his displeasure at Sano’s arrival. “Forgive me if I haven’t time to receive you, but I must go to my daughter. She is home now, but quite upset from her ordeal.”
Sano braced himself for a dangerous, difficult interview. The murderer had already killed one Tokugawa retainer, and antagonizing a suspect might provoke another attack. In addition, Sano had unintentionally created bad blood between the bakufu and the Imperial Court.
“I beg your pardon for my treatment of the honorable Lady Asagao,” Sano said, forced to grovel for the mistake connived by Chamberlain Yanagisawa. “Please accept my sincere apologies.”
Ichijo looked slightly mollified. “Thank you for freeing my daughter.” With a trace of waspishness, he added, “Of course, freedom is no more than Lady Asagao’s due. Certainly she has been exonerated.”
“Yes, she has,” Sano said, “and I won’t delay you long, but I must ask you some questions.”
“Such as?”
“Where were you during the murder the night before last?”
Shaking his head in annoyance, Ichijo walked past Sano. “My activities are none of your concern, since I was never under suspicion for Left Minister Konoe’s murder, and therefore not for this one, which was obviously committed by the same person.”
“I’ve spoken with Chamberlain Yanagisawa. He supplied information that changes your situation.”
Sano watched Ichijo halt, and saw the wary look on his face as he reluctantly turned. Ichijo had seemed surprised not to be questioned about Konoe’s murder, Sano recalled, and loitered around during the inquiries in the palace. He must have wondered why he hadn’t been targeted as a suspect. After his interrogation by Yanagisawa, he’d probably lived in fear for his life. Now Sano could see the crafty old politician marshaling his defense.
“I was here at home, asleep, when the scream woke me,” Ichijo said. “Soon afterward a servant came to tell me there had been another death. My household can verify that.”
Observing the closed faces of Ichijo’s staff, Sano knew these men would lie to protect Ichijo from the despised bakufu.