Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower: Volume 11 [Parts 1 to 10] by Miri Mikawa

Author:Miri Mikawa
Language: eng
Format: epub

II

Shohi stood on the walkway and looked out onto the garden, which was lightly blanketed with snow. For the first time in a long while, he had no business to attend to this morning.

Wrapped in a cotton robe, he was in a daze as he looked at the glittering snow, his breaths coming out in white puffs. Unsurprisingly, he’d gotten little sleep the night before. Perhaps that was why the Quinary Dragon had seemed restless during the night. Now, she was finally snoozing away, curled up on the emperor’s bed.

Clumps of snow clinging to the shriveled trees almost looked like little flowers. People called them snowblooms. They were used as a metaphor for something beautiful and fleeting.

Shusei’s execution is the day after tomorrow. Then, it will all be over.

Shohi was relieved that things would soon be resolved. He didn’t want to think too deeply about his friend’s execution. It would weaken his resolve again, putting his personal feelings at odds with his duty as an emperor.

“About time you headed in, don’t you think? You’re going to make yourself sick,” Jotetsu suggested from behind him.

“Yes, you’re right,” Shohi said. He was about to return inside when a servant appeared and announced Kojin’s arrival.

The emperor stood and waited, wondering what business his chancellor could have so early in the morning.

Kojin approached slowly with the hem of his robe raised above the snow. He bowed and then raised his head.

“What is it, Kojin? I didn’t think we had any important business today,” Shohi asked.

“You are correct, we do not,” the chancellor replied. His expression was strained.

“What is it?”

Usually, Kojin would answer immediately, yet he stayed silent. It was like he had something bouncing around inside of him that he was trying to keep from bursting out. He appeared to have come there to say something, yet he was now hesitating at the last moment. Shohi had never seen the chancellor so unsure. Ordinarily, Kojin would never come to the emperor looking like this. He was the type of man who liked to have his answer ready.

Yet there he was, standing in front of the emperor, looking lost.

It suddenly occurred to Shohi that maybe the chancellor had come with a problem he couldn’t answer. Perhaps he was here because he wanted the emperor’s judgment. It seemed he was torn about asking him to make a decision.

“What troubles you, Kojin?” Shohi asked.

Kojin’s expression turned pained.

“Tell me, and I’ll make a decision. Leave it to me. I am the emperor,” Shohi urged.

If Shohi had learned anything from his time on the battlefield, it was that sometimes simply acting like an emperor had value. If a man like Kojin couldn’t solve his own problem, there was likely no man alive who could. Shohi certainly wouldn’t be able to. But if someone was lost and needed a decision to be made, then he would do his duty as an emperor and decide for them.

Kojin took a deep breath, then another, and finally spoke.

“Rimi has gone to the prison to speak with Shusei.

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