New Years...

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Back with yet another installment of Flower of Winter!

Shout out to @abrownfeminist for checking this section over! <3\n

As always, <b>SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING OF THE SAIUNKOKU MONOGATARI NOVELS. YOU`VE BEEN WARNED.</b>You can find the previous chapters of Flower of Winter at my master post, here.

It`s about to get crazy in here, so let`s get started!

                                                             <b>New Year’s Greeting</b>

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The next

year, winter….

The stars

still faintly glistened in the sky, as a single crow perched on a branch inside

the palace.

<hr>Kouyuu

realized that dawn was approaching, and straightened his hemline, rising from

the platform. His hands and legs felt so cold that it was as if they had been

cut off. His head also hurt terribly. Even so, for the past three years, and

today as well, he had without fail changed the seven candles lit in the

mausoleum.

It was quiet

outside of the mausoleum. Today was the day that central and regional officials

of high status were supposed to visit the palace to give their new year’s

greeting to the emperor. The reason for quietness of the palace was not,

however, due to the snow that had continued to fall since the previous night.

In the

whiteness of the snow fallen garden, perched in a tree hanging with ice, was a

crow deeper than the darkness.

Kouyuu unconsciously

searched for the outline of the emperor in the snow laden garden. The year that

he had married the empress, the emperor could be found every day in the garden

picking flowers. Sometimes, he would also wander the inner palace in the middle

of the night.

When he

thought about the emperor who was younger than himself, pain spread throughout

Kouyuu`s heart. When was it….When was it, long ago, that the emperor had become

Kouyuu`s support rather than the other way around…

For these

two years, Kouyuu had barely slept. His legs were unsteady, and he held his

forehead, groaning.

The Prime

Minister, who had continued to deny all those who wished to meet with the

emperor, knew what was being said. The cool summers that had continued for

three years had begun the year before Shi Ryuuki had disappeared from sight.

Whispers flew about a traitorous scheme, but Kouyuu paid them no mind.

(…still, Riou`s bad reputation is a problem.

If he doesn’t change how he receives reports during the new year’s greeting…)

In the still

dark, Kouyuu stepped in the flickering light, and walked around the palace

without an emperor. It was like a palace of shadows.

The inner

palace was vacant, the throne empty, and the imperial office desolate.

The

Ministers of the four ministries and six departments, the military officials

and other officials who ran between departments and used to speak too much, now

spoke rarely.

It was quite

mysterious.

Riou, who

had been even more renowned than his father Shi Ryuuki, hadn’t particularly

made any mistakes while governing in his father’s stead. He even addressed

problems more accurately than Shi Ryuuki.

….However,

it was clear that a hole had been left in the imperial court.

Officials

realized for the first time just how truly different Shi Ryuuki and Riou were.

Likely, Riou had realized this himself as well. Shi Ryuuki hated wars, rarely

raised his voice, and even when others spoke ill of him behind his back, the

emperor had sat on the throne for many decades, and had carried the monstrous

burden of his subjects on his shoulders.

Just as the

emperor had vanished, so too did the light from the imperial court. In this

place, the Prime Minister walked alone with his feathered fan.

….The crow

in the tree turned his eyes towards the mausoleum from which the Prime Minister

had departed.

Since the

time when Shi Ryuuki began to wander the palace, the seven candles that had

remained lit were unknown even to him. Arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper,

which governed over death, forty nine small candles endlessly shone around

them. [1] Over the countless years, the seven candles would burn out. Every times

they would do so, Li Kouyuu would relight them. Although Li Kouyuu set fire to

five of the candles they would not light, even when he changed the wax. The

remaining two candles….

One

candle….and the other candle…the crow watched as the dim fire of the two

candles extinguished. After the smoke dissipated, the frozen darkness slowly

spread.

Just then,

in the deepest part of the inner palace, Shi Ryuuki, who had fallen unconscious

the day before the Imperial Princess Chouka`s birthday two years prior,

suddenly opened his eyes.

<hr>The black

crow perched in the tree, carefully observing the state of that year’s

greetings.

During the

unusually quiet state ceremony for new year`s greetings, the empty throne was

as bleak as last year, but there was one small difference. Last year, Prince Riou

had stood to the left of the empty throne, and listened to the reports to the

throne on behalf of the emperor, but this year the one standing in the highest

ranking position was the Prime Minister Li Kouyuu. Unrest and commotion spread

amongst all the officials like a ripple.

All the high

ranking officials gathered from the four ministries and six departments kept

their mouths closed, but messengers from the Eight Clans and regional officials

arrogantly and outspokenly gave their honest opinions. Both parties were

worried about the condition of the emperor, and although they had submitted

requests to meet with him, Prime Minister Li, without changing his expression,

rejected all of them.

The crow

thought of the time when he himself had once been Prime Minister. And of the

time before Gojyougen, when Tei Yuushun, who even after the emperor fled the

palace, and the Ministers of the six departments had seized the court, still

held the real power….[2]

But during

his time Senka was in the innermost palace, affixing his imperial seal, and

Yuushun`s time had been when Ou Ki was at the imperial court. Compared to that,

only this Prime Minister now had shown over the course of these two years the

he could manage the court in a way that was unchanged from its normal state.

Once upon a

time, thirty years ago, when the crow had chosen the emperor’s aides, he was an

immature and lost young man who made many errors. The current young officials

of the court would likely not believe such if thing if they heard it now.

The crow

looked down at the detestable representative present from the Ran Clan. That

brat had impertinently tried to fight him head on in the middle of the road.

The absurd father-daughter combo had kept their mouths shut about it on their

incident filled journey (`someone stop him` he had thought countless times).

Rather than pecking that man, he wanted to punch him with a fist.

That meeting

moment, that firefly lit night when that girl had announced she was returning

to court, floated to the surface of his mind, distracting him slightly.

At that

time, there was one complication. There were always problems. Particularly, the

fact the emperor was not on the throne.

Some

officials began to condemn Kouyuu as a traitor, and yelled out asking “Where is

the emperor?” They caused a commotion, insisting on appealing directly to the

emperor himself, refusing to speak to the prime minister who they believed to

be plotting treason.  Such a thing had

happened during the crow`s time as well. Without raising his eyebrow, Kouyuu,

with feather fan in hand, opened his mouth to reply.

At that

moment, a hush fell over the hall of the imperial court. The crow scooted

forward on the branch and leaned in close to listen.

“Is that so”,

a voice rang out.  It was one that had

not been heard in the palace for two years. “Then I shall listen.”

The sound of

a footstep and then another. The shape of a man who had vanished for two years

entered the hall.

Prime

Minister Lee Kouyuu and Prince Riou`s eyes widened.

With just a

single footstep of that man, it was as if the breath of  life itself had returned to the palace. The

crow had witnessed such a scene during the previous emperor`s time, but he

hadn`t thought he`d ever see such a thing during the son`s reign. The father

had inspired admiration and fear with the swing of a blade, as cold as ice. But

the son`s mercy and the depth of his love carried the warmth of the summer

winds.

Even if he were not wearing the clothing personally prepared by his daughter Chouka and the

head lady in waiting, and Kanshou were not in his hand, there would be no doubt

that the man standing there was the emperor. The crow narrowed his eyes. This

man who had been called a foolish emperor over the countless years, just when

was it that he had become an emperor that could not be replaced?

“But, if you

refuse to speak to my Prime Minister, I don’t really feel like listening to

what you have to say either.”

As the

imperial guards of the Plume Forest Army bowed their heads, two shadows came

forward. The Ministers and Military Chiefs of the four departments and six

ministries, feeling all of the tension of the last two year release, dropped to

their knees in a row. Those of the Eight Families and the regional officials

who had admonished the prime minister, bowed their heads in relief. They were

like a flower, gently caressed by the southern wind.

As the

speaker whose gently echoing voice they had not heard in two years walked

towards the throne, he addressed the remaining officials who were causing a

commotion.

“If your

feelings towards me have changed, you may remain standing. I will forgive you,

only for today.”

Everyone

turned their eyes away from those officials.

Gripping

Kanshou,  the shadow slowly advanced towards

the throne, and towards the prime minister.

“Kouyuu.

Nothing has changed in this imperial court. During these three cold summers as

well, you have supported the central government well.”

“Of course

he has”, the Minister of War grumbled. “The Prime Minister has been working so

much every day, without sleeping, that his face looks like a ghost`s. Who could

think that he was plotting a rebellion? Even Chief of the Censorate, Riku

Seiga, had no desire to expel the Prime Minister from his position after

conducting an investigation of the inner palace!”

The Minister

of Justice, Shiba Jin, also heaved a sigh, “If you`re obsessed with horses, the

Prime Minister`s become obsessed with the Emperor…”

And thus,

the imperial court returned to its usual state, as there was no way the prime

minister had rejected visitation with the emperor for some frivolous reason…

The scene

before the crow continued. The prime minister, with his feather fan, drew near

the emperor and said something.

The only

voice that reached the crow`s ears was the happy one of Shi Ryuuki.

“I

wanted to see Kouyuu`s face.”

Li Kouyuu

turned pale, and as if to block the emperor, took several steps forward to

stand in front of the throne. But the crow understood.

Because in

the end, the emperor had thrown away his own wish to return to the person who

was waiting for him.

What’s your reason for living?

He was the

stupid son who had run away from unpleasant things in the place countless times

before.

The emperor

smiled, coming to stand in front of the prime minister.

“I`m

back…looks like I made it in time.”

The feather

fan fell from Li Kouyuu`s hand. He caught the emperor`s staggering body in his

arms.

Ryuuki used

Kanshou to support himself. He could see the empty throne from over Kouyuu`s

shoulder.

Standing to

the left of the throne, Riou saw Ryuuki`s gaze and grew pale. Since Ryuuki had

collapsed, Riou had visited him many times. The emperor laying in his bed had

never opened his eyes, and had seemed to just be sleeping. But he had firmly

believed the words of To Eigetsu who remained at court and Kourin who became

head lady in waiting that the emperor would sometimes wake up. In fact,

whenever Riou would talk to himself about governing worries at the emperor’s

bedside, a response would appear on his desk written in the emperor’s

handwriting, so he had forcibly driven away all of his worries and bad

premonitions. If by resting, the emperor would get better, he thought it was

alright to let him be lazy.

But Riou

realized for the first time that the situation was more dire than he had known.

“For coming

to court late, I`m sorry. Rather than myself, let`s discuss the new year`s

celebrations.”

For many

decades, in this palace, in his office, that emperor had allowed anyone to

speak of anything and listened, replying with his calm and soft voice. Today,

his voice was so faint that it seemed as if he might expire.

“Since my

enthronement, thirty years have passed quickly. I caused many difficulties.

Good times….bad times… together with me….you have supported this country

well….both the central government and the other regions…I`m very grateful.”

Kouyuu

searched for Eigetsu, but Ryuuki raised his hand and stopped him.

The court

froze once again. First Prince Riou, and then the officials understood why Li

Kouyuu had denied meetings with the emperor. It would have been impossible for

him to sit on the throne in that sort of condition.

“For the

past two years, my Prime Minister gave me a vacation. To the court, and to my

subjects, I`m very grateful. I didn`t want to sleep any longer. Riou, I

selfishly forced you to become my heir… but it`s been weighing on my mind. I

wonder if your true wish is something else.”

“It`s fine.”

Riou stood so still one might think he had grown roots where he stood. When his

grandfather Ou Ki and the empress had passed, the emperor had been by his side.

He had never thought he could lose the emperor. He didn`t even want to think

about it. “It`s fine already. Even when I thought being your heir was the worst,

when my grandfather and father died, you were by my side because of that.

Though at first, I suppose I was forced into it…. But not yet. I won`t do it

yet. It’s too soon.” Riou blurted out, fear and refusal clear in his eyes.

“There`s

nothing I can do Riou…I don’t know how much longer.”

“Shut up.

You…you…didn’t say a single word to me.”

“When I’m in

front of you, I want to be by your side forever. When I see your face, I feel

better.”

Anger and

pain glittered in Riou`s eyes.

“About the

regions and central government, about the country….I prepared a copy of my

thoughts. They were things I wrote before I entered my vacation. I also made a

note about the succession of the throne. I plan to do it in a way that will

give Riou as much freedom as possible. Speaking of which, I left it in a box

addressed to Kouyuu, but it was left unopened. My daughter Chouka was entrusted

with it.”

Ryuuki

gathered his energy, and gloomily brushed the hair from his face.

“…Also,

about that. About Chouka. She said there`s something she wants to do, so let

her do as she pleases.”

With that

addition, Ryuuki separated from his pale prime minister, and took one

step towards the throne.

The strained

atmosphere relaxed, with the realization that there would be no talk about

abdication or transfer of power.

But, Kouyuu

grabbed the emperor`s arm tightly, forcing him to stop.

Without

fail, what others would fail to realize, Kouyuu alone surely would.

And then,

one more person.

“….Please

wait, Father.”

Behind the

emperor’s back, the small silhouette of a person who had held back until now

stopped clearly in sight.

Outside, the

crow’s wings flapped in shock.

The kneeling

officials of the court all raised their faces when they heard the word `father`.

She lowered

her hood. Her long black hair cascaded down, and the astounding beauty of the

now eighteen year old Chouka was visible for all to see. She showed no

hesitation, her black eyes were calm. It seemed that the whispered rumors that

the princess couldn`t speak, wasn`t as intelligent as Kou Shuurei, and

possessed no strong willpower were false after all.

“Please, do

not sit there any more, Father.”

Ryuuki

ignored his daughter, until he heard a ripping sound. Chouka ripped the thick

letters she had been entrusted with into four pieces, and heartlessly threw

them behind her.

All of the

officials realized in horror that the letters were the `thoughts about the

country entrusted to the daughter` that had just been mentioned.

The eldest

son of the Ran Clan who happened to be there, and the crow in the tree gasped

in shock.

“Chouka!! Do

you know how much time it took for me to write that? In order not receive

Kouyuu`s red marks, I worked on it without sleeping, fixed any missing

characters and made a clean copy.”

“Please

sleep without writing such a thing. Just a moment ago, Father said it was

alright for me to do as I like. I will do it.”

“Do it? Do

what?”

“If no one

will make Father rest, than I shall do it.”

Outside, the

crow pointlessly folded his wings, wandering three paces on the branch.

“I loved

assisting Father. But I can no longer call it assistance. Please leave this

place. If my brother Riou wants to call Father back, if he does not wish to

stand in Father`s behalf… on that vacant seat, I shall sit.”

As the

Princess`s words rang out like a gong, all of the high officials of both the

central and regional government fell in pandemonium.

Her cloak

did not hide the dust from her travels. Ryuuki turned to look in his daughter’s

eyes, black as the night sky.

There is

something I must do at the imperial court, so I will return, those words were

the only reason Chouka had given.

“So that

Father can rest without worries, I will do it. No matter the cost.”

She didn`t

appear to be the slightest bit happy. Her face said that being thrown in prison

over the indigo duck would be better.

`<b>After many decades pass</b>, I want you to

guide me around again`, she had said. Choosing to throw away her freedom, and

bury her true desire deep inside, she had returned to the imperial court.

“Is that

so?” Ryuuki replied to his daughter, standing, using Kanshou as if it were a

cane.

The

emperor`s strange sword. Two years earlier, when he had left the castle he

hadn`t left it behind.

“If that is

your wish, then you are welcome to try it. But Chouka, I am the emperor. I

am  not willing to concede that yet.”

The crow in

the tree heard a voice from the past.

I`m the emperor. Kneel to me, follow

me….

Universally,

those words had only resounded from the mouth of the emperor who reigned over

the world in both name and function.

“I didn`t

return reluctantly. I said it, didn`t I? I wanted to come back, to look upon

the faces of my subjects, to this throne. Just as you’ve decided, <b>no matter the cost</b>.”

Beyond

Chouka, he looked out over all of the officials gathered from around the

country.

If he sat on

the throne, someone would always be by his side. He had even been able to

sometimes meet senior statesmen and officials who had left the imperial court

long ago. If he looked towards his left and right, Kouyuu and Riou were there

to serve him. There were constantly problems, and he had no time to rest his

mind. It was a bitter, painful place of parting, that throne-like throne. He

had thought of standing from it and leaving a thousand times….but there were

also some benefits.

Once the

painful times had passed, he would wonder a thousand times more if it was okay

for him to sit on it once again.[3]

“To begin

with, there’s only one chair that Kouyuu will stay beside and support me in….”

But none

other than Kouyuu reached out and blocked Ryuuki with his arm. That was

different from what the crow had expected.

The prime

minister, who until now had not uttered a single word, opened his mouth.

“”….That`s

right. You are my only emperor. Not Chouka-sanma or Prince Riou. Who are you

trying to give your last will and testament to? If the Princess hadn’t stopped you,

I would have done so myself. You are my only emperor.”

He returned

Kouyuu`s gaze.

I`ll be waiting for your return, my

lord….

“That`s why,

I definitely won’t say such a thing as <b>if

you’re tired go rest already</b>.”

Ryuuki`s

heart was touched by Kouyuu`s sad wish, which he had mustered up all his

strength to express.

“I`ll do

anything you tell me. So I`m begging you, for just a little longer, let me

serve you.”

His heart

wavered. Rendered speechless by a flood of emotions, Ryuuki faintly sighed.

He wanted to

say yes. There had never been anything he had wanted to say more than that.

Although he

had left the palace for what he had known was the last time, he really wanted

to see Kouyuu`s face again after all. Even if it was impossible, he wanted to

return to the prime minister who was waiting for him.

Kouyuu`s image in front of him blurred into two.

Is it enough already? For tens of years the thought had repeated in his mind. In the

world where Chouka`s poor erhu resonated like a sandstorm, he thought that he

wouldn’t regret it in the slightest. And yet.

When he

looked at Kouyuu`s face, another wish welled up inside him, and poured out.

“Kouyuu…I

don’t want to die. When I look at your face, I really don’t want to die.”

Kouyuu

yelled out something. With that

fragrance covering his clothing, Kanshou fell completely from Ryuuki`s hand.

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<b>TRANSLATION NOTES:</b>

[1] I`m not entirely sure what the Big Dipper has to do with death, but the number 49 is associated with Buddhist funeral practices in Japan.

[2]

Gojyougen

is the place of the final showdown between Ryuuki and Ou Ki in the last novel. \n

[3] The first part of this sentence actually comes from a Japanese proverb:

喉元過ぎれば熱さを忘れる

Directly translated it means: Once it`s past the throat, you forget the heat (of the swallowed object). There are apparently similar proverbs in other places, such as `danger past and God forgotten`, `once on shore, we pray no more` . Basically, once the painful or diffifcult time has passed, we forget about that pain or trouble. There was no elegant way to keep the original `once past the throat`, in here, so I took some translation liberties. \n

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<b>WHALIN THOUGHTS:</b>

GO CHOUKA GO SIT ON THAT THRONE\n

I love Kouyuu and Ryuuki`s relationship so much in this chapter.

For those how don`t know, Riou is actually one of my favorite characters. (Also there`s a pic of him grown up in the illustrated version of Ask my Bones Volume Two that`s got me like *heart eyes*. \n

Sai Yukino is such a troll. \n

WAS THE ENTIRE JOURNEY JUST A DREAM?

WILL RYUUKI DIE?

Stay tuned for the next chapter of Flower of Winter!\n