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Tora sniffed the air. “Their food smells good. I could do with some fried fish or even just a bowl of noodles.”
Akitada shook his head. “Later. It will soon be dark. We don’t have time. They’ll have something to eat when we get there.”
“Did you notice those strange houses a while back, sir?” asked Saburo. “They were all plaster and tile, short, ugly, squat little things.”
“It must be the Chinese settlement,” Akitada said. “I’m very interested in that myself. You’ll get your chance to explore, Saburo.”
Akitada’s own curiosity had been aroused by the size and prosperity of Hakata. Trade must be good, he thought, and remembered the instructions passed to him in the capital.
Riding inland on an excellent road that followed a river and co
Still, it was a disappointment after Hakata and the impressive signs of road construction and fortifications along the way. The relatively small and plain walled enclosure of the provincial headquarters seemed to contain little more than a modest residence and stables. A flag hung limply above the gate, which stood open. There was no sign of either soldiers or servants.
They rode into the forecourt, dismounted, and looked about them in consternation.
“Ho? Anybody home?” Tora shouted.
Where were the guards? Where were the servants and the tribunal staff? Where was the outgoing governor? What had happened here? Was the man merely too rude or angry to receive him, or had something happened to him and his people? Akitada put his hand on his sword hilt and sca
Tora had to shout again before a young groom finally appeared to take their horses. The boy looked unkempt and frightened.
“I’m the new governor,” Akitada told him. “Where is everyone?”
The boy spoke in a strange dialect. He made out, “Gone. All gone. Old man inside.”
“Gone where?” Akitada asked, but the answer was incomprehensible.
Tora muttered a curse and gave the groom a hand with the horses. “Wait for me, sir,” he said. “I don’t like this one bit.”
“It’s all right. We’ll be careful.” Akitada headed for the residence, followed by Saburo, who still carried the small trunk.
“The old man” met them at the door. He was a thin, gray-haired, bent figure with the face of an ascetic. To Akitada’s surprise, he had a large bruise on his cheek. “I am Mori Kiyomi,” he said, bowing deeply. “The tribunal’s secretary. Welcome to Kyushu, Your Excellency.”
“Thank you, Mori. Where is everybody?”
“Governor Tachibana left two weeks ago after dismissing his staff.”
Akitada raised his brows. “He dismissed his staff? Why?”
“It was thought your Excellency would bring your own people.” The secretary peered past Akitada, encountered Saburo’s visage and stared.
“This is Saburo, one of my two retainers. The other is Sashima Kamatari, also known as Tora. He’s outside putting the horses in the stable. I brought no one else.”
“Oh. Oh dear.” Mori wrung his hands. “That’s a problem. What about baggage? The house is empty.”
“Don’t tell me my predecessor has also removed all the furnishings.”
The old man twisted his hands. “Well, there were some things, but I’m afraid they are gone. They came last night and took everything.” He touched his bruised cheek with a trembling hand.
Akitada felt like cursing, but he could not express his disgust with ex-governor Tachibana. Some of the governors were known to enrich themselves during their terms of office, but walking off with the contents of the governor’s residence and abandoning the compound to thieves was a bit much. He said, “Very well, Mori. It’s not your fault. Take me to my office first. We’ll sort out the other accommodations later.”
The room designated as the governor’s office had been stripped of everything. Pale spaces on the yellowed plaster walls must have held picture scrolls, and darker squares on the wooden floor marked the locations of mats. Akitada saw a small desk, badly worn and of a size customarily assigned to a scribe. It lay on its side in a corner. A rickety bamboo rack held document boxes, but most of them were piled on the floor. Some had been opened and the papers scattered across the room. A bent candlestick lacked its candle, and the cushion near the desk had a big tear in its cover.
Akitada stared at all this and heard a sniffling sound. When he turned around, he saw the old man was weeping. “I’m sorry, sir,” he said. “I couldn’t stop them. I’m only one old man, and the boy was useless.”
“I’m not blaming you. But how could this have happened?”
“After Lord Tachibana left, some of the dismissed servants and their friends came back and helped themselves to things. They hadn’t been paid for a long time.”
“I see. Saburo, set the box down. Well, we must make the best of it. What about the official seal and administrative funds? Or did they disappear also?”
“No, Excellency. I took those to my room. If you’ll allow me …” He hesitated. “The money box is rather heavy. Perhaps your er …” He glanced at Saburo.
“Right. Saburo, give Mori a hand, please.”
Akitada was gathering up the scattered papers and putting them back into the document boxes when Tora walked in with a face like thunder. “They’re all gone, and they’ve taken everything with them. Horses, fodder, carts, everything. And that boy Koji isn’t right in the head. That’s probably why he didn’t run away, too. Should I go back to Hakata for that police captain?”
“No. The former governor’s secretary is still here. He says Governor Tachibana left after dismissing his staff. They hadn’t been paid, so they helped themselves to whatever wasn’t broken or nailed down. I’ll have to leave for the Dazaifu in the morning. They should have some answers there. Meanwhile we’ll manage. By the way, you will go by your full name while we’re here.”
Tora nodded. Given the fact that he would have to fill the role of assistant to a governor, his master had decided that he must have an official name. Many years ago Tora had adopted the name Tora, or Tiger, when he had been in fear of being arrested as a deserter and highwayman. He had eventually divulged his given name Kamatari, and they had decided that his family name ought to be that of the district where he was born. So he had become Sashima Kamatari and gained the status of a well-born man, much to his secret satisfaction.
Mori came back, reverently carrying a beautifully carved wooden container in both hands. Behind him, Saburo lugged a large iron-bound chest. Tora went to help him.
“Never mind. It’s nearly empty,” Saburo told him. They set it down together.
The old secretary passed the box to Akitada. “The seal, Excellency. There is some money in the trunk, as well as papers for properties belonging to the tribunal.”
Akitada took out a heavy seal carved from soapstone. “Saburo, please hand me my orders.”
Saburo opened the leather box with a key tied to his sash and handed Akitada a document. Akitada compared the seal to the imprint on his orders. “Yes. Thank you, Mori. That was well done. Now let’s see what funds we have.”
The old secretary unlocked the trunk. Inside were more official-looking papers and a small brocade bag. In the bag were twenty-two pieces of gold and about fifty pieces of silver.
Akitada replaced the money. “Is this all?” he asked, aghast.
“I’m afraid so, sir. It hasn’t been a good year, and His Excellency drew some funds for his removal.”
Tora grunted. “Bet he travels in style.”
Akitada shot Tora a reproving look.
The old man flushed. “It’s a long way to the capital from here,” he pointed out.