The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

involved with the administration of the kingdom. Its portfolio was the palace itself, and serving the Empress and Saiho there. Those who couldn't take pride in working in such close proximity to the Empress probably weren't fit for the job.
    "And if you're harboring any sympathies with such sentiments, then you should rid yourself of them."
    Koukan wasn't one to sugarcoat anything, but his firm tone of voice surprised her a bit. She looked at him and he raised an eyebrow. "General Ryuu and the Tai Taiho filled me in about what went on after the Naisai and his underlings invaded the West Gardens."
    "You show up as well prepared as always."
    "A situation as grave as this demands it. I'd like to ask you again, just to make certain, but you didn't give credence to their grievances, did you?"
    Youko looked away. "They did have a point. They didn't know the whole story, and after observing my actions without knowing the context, it wouldn't be unreasonable to jump to those conclusions. Call me the wrong Empress for the job, and my answer is if that's what you think, then I'm not going to bother arguing with you. I'm certainly not going to go around declaring that only I can save Kei. That's not for me to judge or decide."
    "Then let me explain it to you," Koukan answered her at once. He set the document on the desk. "To start with, making any judgments about what kind of Empress you are all depends on who is doing the observing and when. In any case, what kind of Empress you are is quite unrelated to this particular incident. The minute they picked up those swords and decided to attack, they lost any right to claim the high moral ground and pass judgments on other people."
    "You are correct there."
    "The reason we maneuvered the Naisai and his clique out of the Roshin in the first place was because we feared developments of this nature. All the ministers agree that no untrustworthy individuals should be elevated to positions of trust that place them in your immediate proximity, and they did not warrant such trust. That's what it comes down to. The decision was based on an examination of their characters and temperaments. I see no errors in that judgment. First and foremost were intimations about hanjuu and rebels, wasn't it?"
    Koukan looked at Youko. "People who think that way are the ones likely to act on authoritarian impulses. Not the kind of people you want to give any authority to in the first place. Nobody should put weapons in the hands of people like that. Second, people who have shown no shame in saying such things can't be expected to know the right Way from the wrong, and certainly are not qualified to contribute in any way to the political process. Third, those who don't know the whole situation are not in the position to judge. Forth, those who, based on such speculations, concoct sins about which they know nothing, and then hand down judgments based on those speculations, and harbor no doubts the entire time--should in no form be given jurisdiction over anything. Fifth, no trust should be placed in those incapable of seeing their own faults and failings, and instead blame others for their own bad fortunes. Lastly, I should not need to add that those who go against the law and the Way in order to accomplish their purposes are a dangerous lot. And we cannot tolerate such risks in the presence of Your Highness. These are the reasons we felt it imprudent to advance them in their positions. Do you disagree on any of these points?"
    Youko looked back at him, a bit stunned.
    "Observing them in their day-to-day activities, they did not strike us as worthy of being elevated to serve directly at your side. Consequently, they were barred from the Roshin. I believe they have quite unexpectedly demonstrated the correctness of that decision."
    Youko rested her elbows on the desk and laced her fingers together. "Well, then, let me pose you this question. Don't you think that perhaps, if they had been promoted, they wouldn't have resorted to such actions?"
    "Let me answer with a question of my own, then. Could you really trust someone who would only hew to the straight and narrow when rewarded, but stray whenever frustrated?"
    Youko examined Koukan with uplifted eyes. She tented her fingers together. "Would you apply the same rule to yourself? If, perchance, your successes were overlooked, and attention paid only to your sins?"
    Koukan responded with a flinty gaze. "Should I take that as a personal criticism? As Your