Imperial Treasurer – Yoritomo Utemaro

The Conclusion, Part 2

 

by Shawn Carman

 

 

The twenty-first day of the Month of the Dog, year 1170

 

The young woman finished the last of her soup and dabbed lightly at her mouth with a cloth napkin. She smiled politely at the other young woman who seemed to materialize at her side and removed the dishes, leaving only a fresh cup of tea that exuded a truly luxurious aroma. She savored both the scent and the exquisite taste, then left a generous number of coins on the table as she departed. As she exited, she reflected upon the unique nature of the restaurant.

The Mikado was perhaps unique in all the Empire. It was a well renowned establishment, constructed with the finest materials by the most brilliant craftsmen, using a lifetime of profits gained by the successful management of various teahouses and inns in Ryoko Owari Toshi. The result was one of the finest eateries in the whole of Rokugan, and one that was constructed in such a way that the entire building could quickly be disassembled and moved anywhere, then reassembled. As a result, wherever the most powerful men and women of the Empire were located, the Mikado was present. The young woman had enjoyed sampling its exquisite cuisine at the Jade Championship, and now again at the Celestial Tournament near Seppun Hill.

The thought of the Tournament caused the young woman’s mood to darken somewhat. She had never fancied herself a student of history, and yet it was a subject that had come easily to her in the dojo. She was quite certain that the events of the day were completely unprecedented in the whole of recorded history, and following the proclamation by the Voices of the Heavens earlier in the day, the future was more uncertain than she had ever known. Perhaps that was not a statement of significance, given her young age, but she had lived in interesting times.

“Yashinko-san.”

The young Yoritomo turned to see a Tsuruchi approaching. She frowned at first, surprised with the peculiar coloration of his kimono, but as he grew closer she smiled. “Mochisa-san,” she said. “I almost did not recognize you.” She pointed to the swatch of differently colored cloth that had been sewn into his kimono, and the mon on it. “The chrysanthemum suits you.”

“Thank you,” the archer said with a smile. “I have found that service to the Imperial families is alternately interesting and mind-numbingly boring.”

Yashinko raised a hand to cover a slight giggle. “So scandalous! You should not say such things.”

“I needed to get it out of the way before my ‘colleague’ caught up,” Mochisa said. “He is quite stodgy.”

Yashinko looked over the archer’s shoulder to see a broad-shouldered Dragon following Mochisa. He bore a daisho, but his head was shaven in the traditional manner of a monk. “You should not move so quickly through the crowds,” the man said. “We need not be separated.”

“Of course,” Mochisa said. “My apologies. Yoritomo Yashinko, please meet Togashi Kazuki, chief yojimbo of Miya Shoin, the Imperial Herald.”

She bowed. “I am greatly honored.”

“The honor is mine, my lady,” Kazuki said. “Have you delivered the message, Mochisa-san? There is much that must be done and we should be in the company of our charges.”

Mochisa looked exasperated. “Your charge asked us to deliver the message in the first place, Kazuki-san.”

“All the more reason to use haste,” the Dragon replied. “My lady, your presence is requested at the largest of the Imperial storehouses near Kyuden Seppun.”

Yashinko blinked in surprise. “Requested? May I ask by whom?”

Mochisa smirked. “You will not believe it, but…”

“That is not our place to say,” Kazuki said, cutting the other yojimbo off. “It may be a matter of privacy, or a matter of security. It would be best if you went there to discover for yourself.”

She nodded. “I have heard that the Seppun and their Unicorn allies have secured the entire area. Will I be able to gain access?”

Mochisa nodded. “You are expected. There will be no difficulty.”

Yashinko frowned, confused by the entire affair, but she concealed her dismay as a woman of her position should. “Of course. I will go at once. I thank you both.”

Kazuki returned her bow. “It is our pleasure and honor to serve the Imperial bureaucracy.”

Mochisa’s mischievous grin surfaced. “As perhaps you will soon know for yourself.”

 

           

The security detail for the area surrounding Kyuden Seppun, Seppun Hill, and a number of the buildings around the family’s estate was staggering. Yashinko had rarely seen anything like it outside of the Imperial Palace itself in Toshi Ranbo. The storehouse itself seemed to have very little significance as near as the young courtier could tell. It was not in disrepair, but neither was it of particularly elaborate construction. She could discern no immediate indications of religious or historical significance either. Frowning, she slid open the doorway and stepped inside, then gasped. Her surprise was so great that she did not think to use her fan to conceal her expression, although at first glance no one else appeared to be within.

The storehouse was full of containers of all sorts, from small handheld baskets to larger boxes that she had seen countless times being loaded into the kobune her clan used to ship goods. Almost all of them were open, and every single one that she could see was filled to the brim with koku. Even among the Mantis, who enjoyed wealth that most clans could only envy, Yashinko had never seen such a grotesque excess of wealth. Well accustomed to wealth, beyond that which most samurai were ever exposed to, even she found herself thinking that such things were not for samurai, and yet she should not dismiss an eerie fascination with the room.

“Is it not glorious?”

Yashinko turned at the sound, and saw a man standing amid the thousands upon thousands of metal disks. “Utemaro-san?”

“I have seen the splendors of the islands, and the sun rising on a victorious army,” the older man said, his voice strangely soft and distant. “But I have never seen anything like this. Never seen anything so glorious.”

Yashinko’s strange sense of euphoria dissipated as she wondered if Utemaro was ill. “Are you well, sama?” she asked.

“The Emerald Champion has many burdens,” Utemaro said. “That is the opinion of the Divine One. The Voice of the Emperor told me this much. Shosuro Jimen and those who serve him oversee the collection of the Imperial taxes and adjudicate the laws of the Empire. It is the opinion of the throne that the adjudication of law must supersede all concerns as trivial as commerce.”

“A proper magistrate would lack the knowledge necessary to oversee mercantile interests,” Yashinko agreed. “We have seen it many times. An honorable man can easily be fooled by greedy underlings if he depends upon them to oversee such things.”

“Yes,” Utemaro agreed. “Thus the Divine One has created the position of Imperial Treasurer. A single individual, responsible for overseeing the management of taxes and the allocation of Imperial funds. It frees the Emerald Champion and the Otomo from such… distasteful tasks.”

Yashinko nodded appreciatively. “That seems wise.”

“Do you know what my first thought was, when I was informed that I had been chosen for the task?” Utemaro asked, turning to face her for the first time.

“You?” she said. “You are the Imperial Treasurer? Utemaro-sama, I offer you my heartfelt congratulations and…”

“There was a fleeting moment of excitement,” he continued, appearing not to hear her, “and then, crushing disappointment.”

She stood for a moment, uncomprehending. “Disappointment?”

“I have spent my life in pursuit of wealth for the Mantis Clan,” he explained. “I do it because it is my duty, but also because the history of an Empire can be found within the surface of these tiny disks.” He reached into a basket and lifted a single koku. “Do you see this insignia? This was minted in the Phoenix lands, in the year 1023. How many hands has it passed through since then? What battles were won using forces paid for with this coin? How much blood stains its surface, invisible to our eyes? Each one is a record, a story that no one in the Empire can see or appreciate. But I see them. I see them, and I love them. I crave to know them, to understand what impact they have had on the Empire as a whole.”

“But then,” she said, frowning, “why disappointment?’

“Because my life has been a glorious game,” Utemaro answered. “Like a complicated game of go or shogi, constantly working against others to gain an advantage, using everything at my disposal to advance the position of the clan. Samurai are made for war, and while the average bushi looks upon commerce with distaste, I know full well that there is no greater war than that fought with koku. Steel can end a life, but enough of these and the lives of entire cities, families, and clans can be destroyed.” He sighed. “And then I realized that the game was at an end. I have emerged victorious, it seems. All the pieces are mine to control, and there are no enemies remaining.”

She could think of nothing to say. “I see.”

“And then it occurred to me. If I cannot continue the game, I can reinvent it. I can create it anew, using whatever rules suit me.” He smiled. “I will need to establish an efficient system of overseeing the Empire’s taxes first, of course. I estimate it will take perhaps a year at the most. After that… the games will begin.”

Yashinko smiled wanly. “Why have you summoned me, my lord?”

“I had a moment of inspiration,” he admitted. “Your associate Moshi Minami, she serves the Jade Champion, does she not? As his voice in the courts, so to speak?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

“Excellent. I will have need of similar services. I have selected you.”

“Me?” She was taken aback. “But my lord, I have seen you in the courts many times. You need little assistance in such matters.”

“That is a matter of opinion, of course, but the ultimate issue is that I need someone who can assist me with more… shall we say, traditional parties?” Utemaro ran a hand over one of the bushels, apparently savoring the feel of the cool metal beneath his hand. “I will be directly associated with things such as this, and in the eyes of some I will be distasteful in the extreme. You, on the other hand, will be only tangentially associated with commerce, and as such will be looked upon more favorably.” He smiled again. “A lovely young woman burdened with an unpleasant task but serving her Empire with honor. Yes, I think that sort of thing will appeal to the parties I have in mind.”

Somehow, Yashinko suspected declining was not an option. “Why me, my lord?”

“There are many fools who will succumb to your presence simply because of your beauty,” he admitted. “But I am familiar with your father’s work. He was one of the clan’s most successful and ruthless merchant patrons. I suspect those instincts lay within you as well, although you have suppressed them within a discrete and appropriate exterior. Either way, you will serve me quite well indeed.”

Yoritomo Yashinko tried to think of something to say, but she could not. So finally she simply bowed and said, “Yes, my lord.”