Chapter 1600: Court Politics Are Always the Same

In ancient times, many emperors, seeking to escape the shackles of the powerful Fujiwara clan's control over the imperial court system, chose to take Buddhist vows and rule through cloistered government in the name of the Retired Emperor, establishing a separate central administrative system.

However, once the imperial court began to decline and no longer held actual ruling power, cloistered emperors appeared less and less frequently — the reason being a fear that their treatment would be downgraded, or that they would no longer be needed. The current Retired Emperor naturally harbored the same anxieties, for a Retired Emperor was never the legal or statutory ruler of the nation, and could very easily be sidelined.

The restoration of a Retired Emperor to the throne had never occurred in history, but Nijo Yasumichi had long been deeply dissatisfied with the reality of a female monarch reigning over the court, so he did not mind creating a precedent at this time.

Then, Nijo Yasumichi carefully folded the Retired Emperor's handwritten letter and placed it into his breast pocket, before bowing deeply to the Retired Emperor once more.

"Your Majesty, please continue to rest. Your servant takes his leave."

"Take good care of yourself, my beloved minister." The Retired Emperor gently waved his hand, his eyes filled with earnest anticipation. "That the nation's fate can encounter such a turning point depends entirely on my beloved minister's loyalty and efforts. I ask you to remain steadfast in the days ahead, and to take care of yourself. Should the day of restoration come for me, I shall not forget my beloved minister's contributions for even a single moment."

"Your servant shall devote himself utterly, sparing no effort until his dying breath!" Nijo Yasumichi replied with fervent emotion, slowly backing out of the room as he spoke.

After the Minister of the Right had departed, the Retired Emperor picked up his brush and continued writing calligraphy practice sheets. He did not stop until noon, when he set down his brush, picked up the completed sheets, stood, and left the Japanese-style room.

He walked out of his own residence, and then, surrounded by attendants, arrived at the Everyday Hall, where the Emperor lived daily.

Although it was called an imperial hall, due to the court's strained finances, the furnishings were, truth be told, extremely simple, with little luxury to be seen. However, permeated by a thousand years of court noble and imperial culture, it possessed a certain refined literary air.

The Everyday Hall was built quite late, constructed only a few decades ago by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. But because it was modeled after the imperial archives of the Heian period, with its architectural layout deliberately pursuing an archaic style, it had a more antique flavor than the other buildings in the imperial residence. Its interior contained a total of fifteen rooms, divided into three rows. The western side of the frontmost row had three rooms, divided into the Upper, Middle, and Lower Tiers.

These three tiered rooms were located in the deepest part of the hall, separated by doors painted with murals. They were generally ceremonial spaces, not used in daily life. In the highest-status Upper Tier room, a small space was partitioned off on the eastern side by a curtained dais. This was called the 'Sword-and-Jewel Chamber,' where two of the Three Sacred Treasures passed down through the generations in Japan — the Kusanagi Sword and the Yasakani Jewel — were displayed. (The third treasure, the Yata Mirror, was stored in the Kashikodokoro within the Spring Prosperity Hall.)

As one of the means of deifying themselves, the imperial family had, over a thousand years, imbued these three treasures with an immense mystique. Rumors said that during the great upheavals of the Genpei War, the Nanboku-cho conflict, and the Onin War, the three treasures had been destroyed amidst the chaos of shifting times, and that the current ones were all later forgeries — but to preserve their own sanctity, the court would naturally never acknowledge such rumors.

The Retired Emperor had certainly not come to see the three treasures. After reaching this innermost row, he went directly to the room opposite the Upper Tier. There were four rooms in total opposite it, and that was where the Emperor actually lived in daily life.

Within the secondary room among these chambers was where Emperor Okiko pursued her studies and arts. As today happened to be the day the Emperor studied with her imperial tutor, Acting Major Counselor Kazanin Sadayoshi, who was responsible for instructing Emperor Okiko, was also present.

Upon seeing His Majesty the Retired Emperor arrive suddenly, the grey-haired, long-bearded Kazanin Sadayoshi hurriedly bowed to His Majesty the Emperor. Emperor Okiko, however, was deeply absorbed in writing characters and did not notice her father's arrival.

Dressed in a yellow robe, she wrote stroke by stroke, following the copybook on the desk. Her fine hair drifted loose over her shoulders, and her head was buried among piles of books — the sight was rather charming.

Kazanin Sadayoshi had intended to call her to bow to the Retired Emperor, but the Retired Emperor stopped him with a wave of his hand, then walked softly to her side.

Emperor Okiko was completely oblivious, focused solely on finishing the copybook before her. She furrowed her brow, writing with extreme slowness, as if the brush in her hand weighed a thousand catties. Yet, in the Retired Emperor's eyes, the characters were already taking proper shape. Though they lacked an ethereal, flowing grace, the brush strength was adequate, and the structure possessed considerable charm in the running script style.

It was just the content that seemed somehow amiss, no matter how one looked at it.

Under the Retired Emperor's watchful gaze, Okiko slightly drew back her brush, finishing the character for 'li,' completing a section of the calligraphy sheet. Then, she gently set the brush down, stretched, and let out a long, deep breath, as if she had just completed some arduous task.

However, just as she was feeling rather pleased with her initial achievement and was about to call her teacher over to critique it, the paper before her was abruptly snatched away.

She raised her head and found that the one who had taken the calligraphy sheet was not the Acting Major Counselor, but the Retired Emperor.

"Father!" She hurriedly moved to bow, but the Retired Emperor pressed down on her shoulder with his hand.

"No need." The Retired Emperor comforted his daughter while picking up the calligraphy sheet and examining it carefully.

"The Han Emperor, enamored of beauty, longed to topple a kingdom; ruling the realm for many years, he sought but found her not. In the Yang household, a maiden had just come of age, raised deep within the inner chambers, unknown to all." The Retired Emperor recited expressionlessly, all the way to the final line. "Dust rose above the ninefold city gates; a thousand chariots, ten thousand horsemen journeyed southwest. Emerald banners swayed, then halted; west beyond the capital's gate, a hundred li and more..."

"Your Majesty's calligraphy is improving more and more," Kazanin Sadayoshi said with a sycophantic smile, walking to the Retired Emperor's side and speaking respectfully.

"The calligraphy is not bad..." The Retired Emperor remained expressionless, then raised his head and stared coldly at him. "But why have you made Okiko write this?"

"Your Majesty?" The Retired Emperor's harsh attitude caused some alarm in Kazanin Sadayoshi's heart, but he did not understand why His Majesty was angry. "This... this..."

"Making a young child learn to write such a long poem, and 'The Song of Everlasting Regret' at that — this is far too inappropriate!" The Retired Emperor frowned at him, his anger unmistakable. "My beloved minister, I had heard before that you were not enthusiastic about instructing Okiko, but I never imagined you would be so perfunctory as this! Okiko's education concerns the foundation of the nation. If you do not wish to shoulder this heavy responsibility, then simply tell me plainly, and I can certainly select someone more capable!"

"Your Majesty..." Kazanin Sadayoshi was so terrified by the Retired Emperor's fury that he was almost at a loss, his entire body trembling. "Your servant... your servant had absolutely no such intention! It was the Empress Dowager who told me that Your Majesty's scholarship had already advanced, and so she instructed me to begin teaching Chinese poetry... That is why I selected this poem to teach Her Majesty."

Since the Heian period, the Japanese had always greatly admired Tang Dynasty culture and held Tang poetry in high esteem. Nearly everyone could recite the works of famous poets. Among these poets, the most popular and revered was Bai Juyi.

In the 'A Thousand Fine Verses' compiled by the Heian literatus Oe no Koretoki, over a thousand poems by Chinese and Japanese poets were collected, and Bai Juyi's works alone accounted for more than five hundred — nearly half. In the poetry anthology 'Collection of Japanese and Chinese Recitations' compiled by the renowned courtier and literary figure Fujiwara no Kinto, close to six hundred poems were collected, of which Bai Juyi's poems numbered as many as one hundred and thirty-nine. In literary works that emerged during this period, such as 'The Tale of Genji' and 'The Pillow Book,' quotations from Bai's poems can be seen everywhere. 'The Song of Everlasting Regret,' in particular, became the central axis of The Tale of Genji.

Ever since the Heian period, Japan's literary circles had revered Chinese poetry and prose. Whenever literati or nobles gathered or held banquets, they would mostly recite Chinese poetry to display their talent. For most beginners learning Chinese poetry, it was difficult to compose good poems without any reference materials. This required a model or dictionary for reference and imitation. Because his poetry was so accessible that it could be understood even by old women, it could be appreciated by both refined scholars and common folk alike — whether they were noble literati who already loved his literary talent, or ordinary people. Bai's poetry naturally became the best teaching material in people's eyes.

By comparison, Li Bai was too ethereal and unrestrained, Du Fu too heavy and somber, while Bai's poetry, plain yet possessing a quiet melancholy, was more beloved by Japanese noble literati.

And among Bai's poems, the most revered and beloved was, of course, 'The Song of Everlasting Regret.' This long, desolate, and plaintive poem had deeply resonated with these court nobles for a thousand years. So when he received the order from the Empress Dowager to continue teaching Chinese poetry, his choice of 'The Song of Everlasting Regret' to teach Emperor Okiko was only logical.

He had never imagined that this would bring the Retired Emperor's thunderous wrath upon him.

Although in this present era, the court's power had long since waned, and the current Retired Emperor's authority could not compare to that of previous Retired Emperors, for a court noble like Kazanin Sadayoshi, His Majesty the Retired Emperor's anger still carried sufficient deterrent force.

His whole body trembled, wearing an expression of wanting to defend himself yet not daring to say more.

Okiko, meanwhile, looked back and forth between the two men in bewilderment, not understanding what had happened or why her father had suddenly become angry at the Acting Major Counselor.

However, in her heart, she did not like the stuffy, somewhat strict Acting Major Counselor, so she actually felt a little pleased by this.

"Even if the Empress Dowager issued such an order, you cannot arbitrarily select poems to teach!" The Retired Emperor still looked as if his anger had not subsided. "Among Bai's poems, there are countless fine works, many far more suitable for Okiko at her current age than 'The Song of Everlasting Regret.' Did you not know to choose something else?!"

"Your servant... your servant acknowledges his fault..." Kazanin Sadayoshi finally could not withstand the pressure and lowered his head.

"Forget it. Go and confess your fault to the Empress Dowager yourself." The Retired Emperor gave a heavy flick of his sleeve, gesturing for him to leave. "I know you have all grown accustomed to idleness and regard instructing Okiko as a bitter chore, thinking only of getting through it perfunctorily. Enough. If you are unwilling to put your hearts into it, then from now on, I shall teach Okiko myself."

"Your servant acknowledges his fault. Your servant takes his leave..." Kazanin Sadayoshi withdrew fearfully, then left the Everyday Hall.

Truth be told, he did indeed, just as the Retired Emperor had said, dislike this assignment in his heart. Generally speaking, being the Emperor's teacher was a good thing, but Emperor Okiko was a woman, and it was obvious that she would have to abdicate in the near future. Being her teacher would bring him no benefits, only a waste of time and energy. Ever since being assigned this task, Kazanin Sadayoshi had only found it unbearably miserable. If he could use this opportunity to be relieved of this duty, it would actually be a blessing in disguise.

After he departed with a heart filled with both alarm and delight, the Retired Emperor turned back to look at Emperor Okiko, who was sitting upright in a kneeling position before the desk. His expression now softened considerably.

"Okiko, were you frightened?"

Okiko shook her head, indicating she was fine, though she was clearly still somewhat afraid.

"It's alright. Father was only worried about you..." The Retired Emperor reached out and stroked her head with great affection. "I truly never imagined they would teach you so carelessly. As I just said, from now on, I will stay here. I will personally instruct you in your lessons, and I will certainly impart all knowledge and skills to you, so that you will be inferior to none of the previous Emperors."

Hearing her father's deeply emotional words, Emperor Okiko finally smiled. "Thank you, Father. Okiko will certainly study her lessons diligently and never make Father worry again."

She was not happy because she had gained a new teacher who would diligently instruct her in the arts. What truly made her overjoyed was that her father, who had been very indifferent toward her since childhood, was now being so warm to her, not only wanting to personally teach her but also to live with her. For a child, nothing was more important than the care and affection of a parent.

"Good child." The Retired Emperor gave his daughter a gentle hug, then took out the calligraphy sheets he had just written and placed them on the desk. "First, look at these sheets and copy them. Start with imitation. Your running script has a problem — the brush intent is too heavy and ponderous, not free and flowing enough."

"Yes!" Okiko immediately nodded, then picked up her brush and began to wield it on the paper, her earnestness somehow even greater than before.

The Retired Emperor wore a constant smile, occasionally offering comments from the side, and sometimes stroking Emperor Okiko's hair as encouragement. Yet, this scene of fatherly affection and filial harmony, so heartwarming on the surface, carried an indescribable undertone against the current backdrop of an arrow drawn taut on the bowstring.

The Retired Emperor's desire to live here was, of course, not solely for the purpose of teaching his daughter calligraphy.

He needed to keep both his daughter, who was the Emperor, and the Three Sacred Treasures representing Japan's ruling authority firmly in his grasp. Whether he eventually fled with them, or used the Emperor and the Three Treasures as a rallying call to stir people's hearts and preserve his own position, these were the most useful tools.

During the Nanboku-cho period, to resist Ashikaga Takauji and the Muromachi shogunate, Emperor Go-Daigo had escaped while taking the Three Sacred Treasures with him. After his escape, the Muromachi shogunate had installed a different Emperor to oppose him. Drawing lessons from this historical precedent, he too had to first reside in the place where the female Emperor lived and where the Three Sacred Treasures were kept, so that he could flee quickly at the opportune moment, and the shogunate would presumably be unable to hastily install another Emperor.

Father and daughter were happily writing calligraphy sheets together when, at this moment, the Empress Dowager Tokugawa Masako, having received word from Kazanin Sadayoshi, arrived at the Everyday Hall from her own palace, accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting.

Because earlier Kazan'in Sadayoshi had looked utterly terrified and beside himself, and had even said the Retired Emperor was in a thunderous rage, she too had grown somewhat afraid, worried that Okiko would suffer collateral misfortune because of it. Now, stepping into the room and seeing this scene of happy harmony, the Dowager Empress Kazuko's suspended heart finally settled back down.

"Your Majesty… what was it that made you angry just now?" She walked cautiously to the Retired Emperor's side and reached out to embrace him.

Because she had recently given birth to an imperial princess, her body was somewhat weak, her complexion pale, and her voice sounded rather frail as well.

"You've come?" The smile on the Retired Emperor's face faded. He then casually handed Kazuko the calligraphy sheet of "Song of Everlasting Regret" that Emperor Okiko had just been copying. "These people have taught Okiko far too perfunctorily! How old is Okiko, and a girl besides — yet they actually had her copy 'Song of Everlasting Regret'! This is simply preposterous."

Kazuko still did not quite understand. She silently took Okiko's calligraphy sheet and began to study it carefully.

Although born into a warrior family, Kazuko had received a traditional literary education from childhood, and having lived long in Kyoto, she was not entirely ignorant of literary pursuits — Bai Juyi's poetry was naturally no exception. She looked it over carefully and felt that her daughter's calligraphy was already very well done, and her heart was immediately filled with comfort and pride.

Kazan'in Sadayoshi's arrangement did not seem at all unreasonable in her eyes; a masterpiece like "Song of Everlasting Regret" was something Okiko could well be exposed to a little earlier. However, since the Retired Emperor was angry about it, she certainly could not voice that thought.

"Your Majesty is right, this is indeed somewhat inappropriate." She nodded gently, but soon smiled again and consoled the Retired Emperor. "But look — Okiko's calligraphy is improving more and more. Truly, everyone's devoted guidance has not been in vain."

"You needn't speak well of them. When have they ever taught with any real care? It is simply that Okiko is exceptionally gifted." The Retired Emperor still wore a frown. "And furthermore, you cannot simply push everything onto others. You must personally attend to Okiko's education yourself — otherwise how could she possibly learn well?"

"The Provisional Major Counselor indeed bears fault, and I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness. Yet the Provisional Major Counselor also acted with good intentions. Though he did some things wrong, I beseech Your Majesty to pardon him." The Dowager Empress Kazuko apologized in a low voice. "In the future we shall instruct her with even greater devotion."

"With you all so clueless, how can We possibly be at ease!" The Retired Emperor let out a long sigh. "We had thought that after We took the tonsure, you would be able to look after everything properly. Who would have imagined that even Okiko's education could not be handled well! The Emperor bears the hopes of all under heaven — how can you treat this so negligently! Very well, since that is the case, We shall trouble Ourselves once more. For this period, We shall remain here and personally take charge of Okiko's education. What you people cannot do well, We shall do Ourselves."

"Your Majesty… is this true?" Kazuko's eyes widened; for a moment she could scarcely believe what she was hearing.

"Of course it is true!" the Retired Emperor said crossly. "With people like you around, We cannot even rest when We wish to. This is truly outrageous!"

"That's… that's wonderful…" After a moment of stunned silence, Kazuko suddenly blurted out.