Fifteenth year of Toturi IV's Reign Month of the Dragon, 3rd Day. (Spring)
It had been an exceptionally mild spring, already some were calling it a sign of the blessing of the gods for your coming nuptials. Others simply noted that the Order of Inari had seen a swell of recruits in recent years for one reason or another. You didn't know yourself, and to some extent, you didn't care.
Oh it would be nice if Lady Sun smiled on you along with Benten-no-kami and Musubi-no-kami. (And truth be told you suspected that she was the sort to enjoy that given her choice in Lord Moon...) It wasn't where you had focused on. Instead pouring your energy into teaching Kana the steps, about how to well, be an Empress, it was something your mother had done for Kaname but well...she still lived albeit as a Hida now and you hadn't been the most filial of sons.
That was a bridge to mend one day maybe, but not right now. Kotaro said she was happy enough, that would satisfy you in terms of that duty.
Kana herself had stepped into the role of Empress to be. Although uncomfortable your long conversation allowed it to proceed without too much awkwardness. The young Doji Yuriko quietly making friends with the earnest woman you hope they balance each other out.
Thoughts of Yuriko brought you back to the present as the rest of your council filed in to the warm spring garden that you had elected to hold this council meeting in. The sun was too nice to simply ignore by being inside a stuffy room.
Even if Shika had decided to dress in a monk attire because of it.
As Kakita Noritoshi sits down, you look at the rest of them. Hida Ginchiyo lounging out against a rock, as irreverent as ever. Shem Zhe resting in a lotus position by the pond, Yuriko and Chitose sitting beside each other on the bench underneath the still blooming willow trees.
Which leads to Noritoshi sitting at your right side and Shika for whatever reason laying on the ground by the lamps.
"Let us begin people" you call. "And come closer" you order.
The five of them stand up and move to sit around you in a half circle, kneeling in the formal seiza position. An errant crow caws above you.
"I hope you have all found no difficulties with my wife to be?" You ask.
A shake of heads. Yuriko gives a Crane smile, the kind where only her eyes light up, but nothing else betrays the careful neutrality she is supposed to have.
"No my Emperor, if I could begin this time?" Shem-Zhe asks.
Normally you went from the political to the spiritual but you suppose there's no reason for that.
"Hai, go ahead."
"After the death of the Hagaos. We expected something from the Zanj, but no new missionaries, no new priests, nothing if anything they seem to have disappeared entirely. However, while this has given us time to reteach the Tao of Shinsei to those who have lost their way, it's worrying. I would like permission to dispatch the Jade Legion out of Rokugan to the Jeweled City." He says.
"The Jade legion is only barely rebuilt from retaking Otosan Uchi, and as the Imperial Throne wills, we have been focusing on developing the North. We cannot continue to do that and support such a large scale expedition. I am sorry Horiuchi-san, really I am!" Chitose says in her cute voice.
"When a neighbor gives you a rake and you use it to kill his dog, he will ask for that rake back" Shika says.
"...The Jade, but the Ivindi...?" Begins Ginchiyo.
Shika leans back slightly looking up.
"Why should I give my fish to my cousin in law when I know they will give it to my son in law who I hate?" She asks.
"I tire of these Zanj, have the Invindi actually indicated that they were going to step away from the agreement?" Noritoshi asks tersely.
"Well no, not yet anyways." Shika admits.
"Then let's not go borrowing trouble and making Yasuki-san squeal more." Noritoshi says.
"....Kakita-san..." Chitose says her cheeks red.
"Apologies" Noritoshi says. "To pull back a bit to domestic matters. I believe I've narrowed down the locations of the Kolat, and would like permission to bring the Emerald Legion in full force on them."
"Would this be sanctioning violence on the clans?" You ask.
"Potentially, we intend to investigate them before throwing our net. However, they are wily and we will have to move fast."
"I must ask that you wait at least a little then Kakita-san." Yuriko says speaking up. "We all remember what happened to the Hare. The Throne was able to avoid scandal as it was the Scorpion who acted, but if the Emerald Legion itself acts and is found in error...no there will be no denying that the Champion must resign in that case." She says softly.
"I do not make errors like that" Noritoshi says.
No one looks at the eye patch he wears, no one needs to. Still the threat hangs in the air. You have had somewhat distant relationship with Noritoshi, a charming man when he wanted to, he had grown colder over the years, particularly after his rival had left
"Moving on then Doji-san, what would you say is our priority this year?" you ask.
"Ara it's a little ambitious, but we all know that Shosuro Jimen is in a word compromised." She says. "I would seek to have him removed as Imperial Chancellor."
"...that is bold" Shem-Zhe says the words you didn't.
The Imperial Chancellor had once been the most powerful political position in the Empire, but you, your father and grandfather had gradually sidelined it in favour of the Imperial Adviser, a position you controlled not the clans. In turn you had had little use for the snake Jimen which had only further pushed the Chancellor into irrelevance.
That didn't mean it was easy to remove the Chancellor, long precedent even written into your laws now was that only the Clans could choose a Chancellor and only they could remove him.
Ginchiyo looks around.
"Okay I'll say it. Why do you want to do this Doji-san? While all of us would like to put a hole in him, he's mostly harmless."
"He's mostly harmless for now. But for Toturi V? I do not know and if there is Heaven's forbid a regency..." Yuriko shakes her head. "He will be a poison in the reign of Minoru. Even if I wasn't concerned about that, the fact is I feel the Clans deserve better than that man representing him. With Imperial support I believe I can engineer his removal, without...I will have to be more circumspect, slower." Yuriko says.
You stroke your chin idly wondering how your father got his beard when you couldn't.
"Yasuki-san, you said you wanted to focus on northern development?" You ask.
Chitose nods, and with a glare at Noritoshi, begins to speak.
"Hai, I realize my initial proposal was too broad, too diffuse to yield quick results. However, with the coming problems, I believe that if we focus on the Dragon lands, we will have a number of results that would be beneficial. There are countless untapped veins of minerals there for lack of people." She says.
Chitose twiddles with a netsuke and opens it revealing a folded map that she opens up.
"The other clans will of course want considerations for this, but I believe so long as we set the stage, we can do it...unless that is if we send Horiuchi-san's legion. The logistics are just too much to do both without significant strain you commanded me to avoid" She finishes looking over the map.
"I see and Hida-san? You have the final speaking role today it seems." You say.
Ginchiyo looks uncomfortable as she glances around.
"I still want to fortify the Jeweled City, but we're working on that, I have had officers draw up plans for the Yodotai fight, and they want a reconnaissance of the northern plains. Our records from the Senpet show that the Yodotai are fond of sending pincer armies to attack us and the North has been quiet for a while now so seems like a good time to check it out." Ginchiyo says.
"Would that anger the Pelmyrians? I know they were upset over the Yobanjin" You ask Shika.
"What care have the ice and snow for trees or plains?" She answers.
A moment to parse, the Pelmyrians would prefer against it but ultimately, neither of you have enough interests in the area to make a fight of it. Togashi speak is exhausting.
"Very well then. Let us depart then I will make my announcement soon"
In the end you decide to go with....
[] Remove Shosuro Jimen, he knows what he did. (DC 30 Clan rating effects: Unknown)
[] You can't kill Shahai, but Kolat are the next best thing. (DC 25: Crane, Unicorn +5 \ Scorpion, Phoenix -5 )
[] Ginchiyo has a good idea, send a detachment to check out the Yobanjin lands (DC 20: Phoenix, Lion +5 / -5 Dragon, Scorpion)
[] The Zanj are not your friends, finding new Jade sounds great though (DC Variable: Dragon, Crab +5 / -5 Lion, Crane)
[] Yeah the Zanj are definitely going to do something to the Jeweled City, better get the Jade Legion over there (DC 25: Unicorn, Scorpion +5 / -5 Dragon, Crab)
AN: Sorry about the delays, on the plus side we got the old colours back so yay!
