Saiunkoku Book 15 Chapter 6

Ki Kouki walked right into the prime minister’s office without going through the guard.
He took one step in, and then stopped. Right after that, he closed the door so that the guard couldn’t see.
He approached Yuushun, who had collapsed on his desk as if he had used up all of his strength, and put a hand to his forehead. His face was deathly pale.
Kouki immediately pulled Yuushun down from his chair, and spread out his own outer robe and placed Yuushun lying on top of it.
“…You fool. If you don’t wake up after three seconds, I’m calling a doctor.”
Although he whispered this softly, Yuushun heavily opened his eyelids.
“Please stop, Kouki. I’m just anemic. I was only resting a little.”
Kouki then brought some hot water. He took some medicine out of Yuushun’s breast pocket, and mixed it in with the hot water. He propped Yuushun up, and made him drink some of the medicine. Yuushun swallowed it very slowly. It was as if he had come to find it difficult to even swallow water.
Even so, after he had drunk it all, some ruddiness returned to his white face. Kouki was relieved.
“If you collapse, it’ll be a problem for me. Look after yourself.”
“…Yes, yes. I know…. I didn’t collapse because I wanted to collapse.”
“Should I call your wife?”
“…..Ah, if I see her I might get better. But, you shouldn’t.”
“Because she’ll worry?”
“Because it’ll make her sad. I don’t want to see her sad face….”
Soon there silence fell. Outside, there was the sound of the insects.
“I heard the king came before. Why did he come?”
“Mm—-various things. He’s at that troubled age. Well, it will be soon, I thought.”
“It’s clear that you’re under suspicion. Shi Seiran has begun to search around, that worst of all eyesores. How pathetic. Even though you work till you collapse, your allies don’t trust you.”
“It can’t be helped. It’s much better than when they weren’t worried at all before. Also, their suspicions are correct. Isn’t that so?”
Kouki, still letting Yuushun rest on his arm, put a cold hand to his forehead and neck.
His face was like that of a dead man.
“….What about quitting already?”
“….Wha? Please, don’t say the same thing as Reishin… Who is there other than me? I have to say, you would be hopeless at it. You couldn’t betray him. You’re not suited to such a role. You should obediently serve Ou Ki-sama. Anju is out of the question.”
“That’s because he only tells the lies he likes to tell.”
“That’s why I came back. Isn’t that right?”
It is, muttered Kouki.
“…However, honestly, I didn’t think you would return.”
Yuuhun faintly smiled.
“Yes, me too. …..But, I thought….why not gamble, on this first and last opportunity?”
“Going this far? But you said you didn’t want to see your wife’s sad face.”
“….You had something more important than your most beloved person, and even having lost that person, you walked here, right? Honestly, when I saw Riou-kun….I was surprised. He resembles Hien-hime a lot….”
“…………..”
“You, and Ou Ki-sama as well, have let go of important people, and finally come this for. Probably, I returned because I felt that. Now that I have come this far…. I may be able to make it happen.”
When he closed his eyes, pure white pear blossoms scattered behind his eyelids. He felt that was strange. He had not thought that he would be that attached to that time.
His far off hometown had been long gone.
“….The first time I saw Ou Ki-sama…more than surprised, I was shocked. I had heard of him, but I hadn’t believed it at all. How could such a person exist….Well, maybe since that was after I met Reishin and King Senka, I could see that even better.”
“Don’t compare him to them.”
“I thought that I would try living.”
He had thought that he wouldn’t mind much if he died. What about living, even a bit? If he could live at the side of that person, then he wouldn’t make trouble for others.
“I had no intention… of becoming an official. Ah….”
“Ou Ki-sama said this: what you fear the most is yourself.”
Yuushun dexterously opened one eye only. Then he closed it, and sighed.
Why had that person found out?
“….That is true. That is why our clan hid themselves in the mountains. Because if they came down the mountain, usually nothing good came of it. I thought, ‘just this once would be okay.’”
Just this once, he would use all of himself, and try living in earnest for someone’s sake.
If he could make that person, who was always living in such a way that it wouldn’t be strange for them to die sometime, live.
“….If I don’t do it now, won’t that person die pretty soon?”
Kouki glared. This guy had always had a habit of mentioning unpleasant things disinterestedly.
“Don’t say unlucky things. By the way, now you look much more likely to die. Even though you’ve gone through such trouble to become prime minister, and Ou Ki-sama was so pleased.”
“I’m okay. I think I’m fairly sturdy. I won’t die. Not yet….”
Not yet. It was as if he had decided that he would die sometime.
“Even if I am suspected, what must do hasn’t changed. If I destroy myself, then so be it. However, even if various things are exposed, it won’t matter much. …..So, it’s fine to give no quarter like this.”
“Wha? Thanks to that pack of fools who are always being a drag on you, we’ve continued to rack up easy wins.”
“…Yes, actually, did I miscalculate a bit, not expecting them to be all such fools this far?…. Though, I thought, ’should I take it a bit more easy?’ ….. No, It’s okay. I’m used to fools. It’s enjoyable to watch them, yes. I’ll think of these as several handicap games in go, and give them to you.[note]”
“What are you muttering with such a deathly pale face? Even if you make suggestions to yourself, the reality won’t change. I’ll say this, I despise fools. Who’s going to go easy on them? I have no intention of looking up to that fool as king.”
Yuushun smiled. As Shouka had said, of the three of them, certainly Kouki was the one who following in Ou Ki’s footsteps the most.
“…Then, Kouki. Has there been any contact from Heki Province?”
“Not yet. It’s too slow…. Maybe something else has happened.”
“……Couldn’t it be that due to the earthquake there’s been a landslide somewhere? It bothers me that recently there have been many weak earthquakes… According to statistics, in Kiyou earthquakes hardly ever occur, though.”
“Recently, reports of signs that natural disasters will occur are coming in from each province to the Censorate. It seems something irregular happened at the Sealed Stone Cave in Heki Province. Following that, the Ministry of the Cave of the Immortals also seemed abnormal.”
Yuushun made a face as if he wished that he had immediately died without having heard that.
“….Isn’t that a matter for ‘over there’? …. Ahhh, how about leaving that alone already?”
“Don’t whine.”
“Yes, yes. I just thought I would try saying it. I was just trying it. I should probably work like a horse.”
“Don’t get desperate. What about the Ministry of the Cave of the Immortals and the Hyou clan? Should I send someone from the Censorate?”
“I don’t need you to do that. It really should be okay to leave it alone.”
“Hey.”
“Right now, where does the Censorate have personnel or time to spare? If there’s someone who’s free, then send them. If reports have come to you in the Censorate, then Uu Uu-sama must have already noticed these disasters. It’s the duty of the shrines belonging to the Hyou clan to gather reports of unusual weather conditions and disasters and send them to the Ministry of the Cave of the Immortals. During the epidemic in Sa Province, their information gathering power was so much that they knew far in advance of us at the governor’s office. If they don’t say anything, then they’ll probably do something. In general, our jurisdiction is government, not mystical matters. If ‘that place’ doesn’t handle their duties, that will be a problem.”
“You think they intend to do something?”
“Who knows? Ask the old lady of the Hyou clan. Anyway, if they don’t, that’ll be the complete end of the Hyou clan. Actually, even if these abnormalities are supernatural in origin, there’s nothing we can do. Our work is to deal with the damage, and it’s impossible for us to stop strange earthquakes before they begin. Impossible. Since we’re normal, run of the mill human beings, we’ve got our hands full with the grasshoppers…… Why are you making that face?”
“….No, I had thought that you could use some magic in case of an emergency. You’re “Hourin.” When you told me about the change in the color of the locusts, that was the first I had heard of that.”
Kouki’s face was serious. It really seemed that he believed it. Yuushun put a hand to his forehead.
“….I am different from “Ryuuren.” I’m a normal human, I am. It’s simply that on our mountain, there’s a great number of surveys and results of research which my ancestors made to pass the time over the generations, and because of that, I have more strange knowledge than the ordinary person. If I could use magic, I wouldn’t be dying like this…. Anyway, Uu Uu-sama will tell us if the power of the government is needed. It’s better to do things without relying too much on others. ……Only.”
“Only? What?”
At that moment, they heard the footsteps of the guard, who had come running. The time was already midnight.
–Express messengers.
Yuushun and Kouki exchanged glances. Kouki helped Yuushun up and put him in his chair.
“….has it come?”
“It seems so…”
Yuushun pressed a little between his brows, and closed his eyes.
Before, his face had been sweaty, and he looked as if he were dying, but in a blink, he returned to his “usual face.” It was enough of a change to impress Kouki. It would be hard for others to know that Yuushun was not as usual. What the guard who had come running in after shouting only once saw was Yuushun, with his normal calm, gentle face, and Kouki, with a cold expression. When he saw the two, the guard looked relieved.
“Excuse me! At this time, messengers have arrived from the Heki Province office and the Shi province office! The seal is bright red, showing the emergency condition! They would like to see the prime minister and the head of the Censorate as soon as possible! Also, a signal fire on the checkpoint on the Kou Province border has been confirmed. It seems a message is being sent from there by fast horse!”
Yuushun slowly nodded.
“After letting them drink lots of water, send the express couriers here. First the head of the Censorate and I will hear there report. While this is going on, please run to gather his majesty and the heads of the Four Ministries and Six Departments.— We will open an emergency court session in the Hall of Governance.

****
After Shuurei had finished hearing about what had happened at Nine Colors Cove, she simply nodded once, instead of saying something. It was as if she was checking to see how the pieces fit together.
Shuuei and Riou exchanged glances.
“Shuurei-dono, could it be that just with that, you knew what’s happened in the Hyou clan?”
“Eh? No, how could I? It’s around the same as you, General Ran, I know that ’something’s happened in the Hyou clan.’ Only….. I probably understand why Ruka-san leaves me alone.”
“Eh?!”
Suddenly, Shuurei gave Shuuei a strange, probing look. It was as if that up till now, there had been a mystery which she had only noticed for the first time now.
“….By the way, General Ran, it’s really late for me to say this, but is it okay for you not to return?”
“That is pretty late…. If you tell me to go back, I will. Up until then, I’ll stay here.”
It hadn’t been the case from the beginning that Shuuei had come here because he had been ordered to do something. He was worried about the king, but he thought that he would see how Shuurei was doing, and until things calmed down, he would stay with her. Especially, now that he knew that Hyou Ruka was after Shuurei’s body, he couldn’t leave her here and go back. Also, there was the matter of Jin.
“Also, right now, things are such that even if I wanted to go back, I can’t.”
Shuuei flinched a bit at Shuurei’s inscrutable eyes. She was searching for something from Shuuei.
“…. But, General ran, it can’t be that you came here without knowing how to get back.”
“No, I tried asking. Uu Uu-sama said that I could get someone here to open the way for me.”
“….Someone here? But Riou-kun said that even if we wanted to go back, we couldn’t. So you say that Uu Uu-sama sent you here, and told you to have someone here open the way back.”
The color of Shuurei’s eyes grew deeper. It was as if she had hooked something, and was now reeling it in full force. Shuuei was astonished.
(Hey, wait a sec! What, with only this?)
Shuuei had aimlessly revealed this, but he had intended to take care with the details in his conversation. He definitely hadn’t intended to speak unguardedly, but when he though back on it, it should have been a very normal conversation.
(Would it have been better for me to say ‘nah, I don’t know how to get back, but I came anyway.’??!)
No, it wouldn’t. That definitely would have been far more suspicious. Shuurei would have understood how hard it was for Shuuei to be away from Ryuuki, considering his condition now. Shuuei had come because he knew that there were at least two ways of returning, either Jin’s ‘connections’ or ‘if someone of the Hyou clan opens the way, you can return.’ If he had been told there were none, he had been prepared to search for them and then come, even if he had to ask Ryuuren.
He hadn’t intended to fail in carrying the thread of the conversation. However…
“…General Ran, could it be that something has happened back there? Something big?”
Riou looked at Shuuei with a shocked expression on his face.
Shuuei put a hand to his forehead. How had this been fished out from ‘Uu Uu-sama said to get someone here to open the way.’? It was natural for someone to ask ‘what happened?’ Because, even if he said ‘no, nothing really,’ Shuurei had noticed something, so could he say that?
….He hadn’t intended to say ‘there might be a plague of locusts.’ Especially since he had seen with his own eyes how hard Shuurei had worked herself. It had been Shuuei and the others who had relied all the time on Shuurei, and finally backed her into resigning. If he talked about the locusts now, and Shuurei decided to leave, not worrying about her own life, then they really would have killed her. “After this, you shouldn’t say that ‘really, Shuurei-chan was necessary,’ even if they split open your mouth.”
Just as Jyuusan-hime had said, he no longer had the right to say that. That was why he had come here very carefully, so as not to hint at anything. However, if he lied now, Shuurei would see through it. Since he had been found out, he could only proceed honestly.
“…How’d you draw that out? That. Please tell me, so I can learn from this.”
Shuurei’s eyes went round. She had thought that he might reply ‘why?’ or ‘nothing really.’ She had a sense that she could clearly see the instant that something had changed within Shuuei regarding Shuurei.
“Although Riou, who’s a ‘person from here,’ can’t return even if he wants to, Uu Uu-sama said ‘have someone from there open it for you.’ That means if we ask them, they’ll open it, but then he wouldn’t say ‘we can’t return even if we wish to.’ In other words, unless we ask someone who even Riou-kun finds it difficult to ask, we can’t return….. There are a limited number of people who Riou-kun, the son of the head of the clan, would find it difficult to ask.”
Shuuei stared at Shuurei….. Since when had she been able to come out with these marvelous deductions in such a brief moment? If that was the ability she had accumulated in the Censorate, then that was excellence that would put other officials to shame.
“I see that it’s because it’s been closed off from the inside that we have to ask someone from here to open it. That’s only natural. But, couldn’t it mean that we should have the person who closed it open it?”
“…..”
“This is only based on what I’ve heard, but the probability that it’s Ruka-san is high. I think it means that unless Ruka-san, or someone of the same level of power opens it, we cannot return.”
“…..Even if that’s so, why does it mean ‘did something happen back there?”?”
“Since Riou-kun is here, now Uu Uu-sama is the acting head of the Ministry of the Cave of the Immortals.”
Shuuei’s expression changed. This was because he had sensed that Shuurei was reeling in a fish that was swimming at a level deeper than he had expected.
Riou, rather than Shuuei, answered.
“……Yes, right now, definitely Uu Uu is acting as the head of the Ministry in my place.”
“General Ran, was Uu Uu-sama at leisure?”
“….No, it seemed that he was hard-pressed to make some time to see me, because of both his body and his work. From before, Uu Uu had been overdoing it. He was also elderly. Riou wanted to return quickly, so he was irritated he couldn’t return.
“Despite that, he took time out of his schedule to meet with you. General Ran…. uh, now your rank has dropped quite a bit.”
“Yeah. I’m at the lowest of those doing odd jobs, and I don’t have a written appointment from the king…. In other words, it’s strange that Uu Uu-sama, the busy acting head of the Ministry would deliberately meet with, and send off, an underling with unclear goals who hadn’t been ordered to do anything?”
Both Shuuei and Shuurei took on cautious expressions. So as not to let the hooked prey escape.
“…Did Uu Uu-sama say ‘have them open it.’?”
“No. What he actually said was this: ‘Please return after making all of the tightly shut doors of the Hyou clan open, from that side,’ and by whatever means.”
While he said this, Shuuei combed through his bangs with a stern expression.
“Really? Certainly, now that I’ve listened to it, it seems it could be taken as a request from the acting chief of the Ministry. No, saying ‘by whatever means,’ makes it nearly an order.”
He remembered that since the Ministry of the Cave of the Immortals distanced itself from political matters, it was a rule that they could not say things directly.
What Shuuei knew was only about the grasshoppers. Even if Uu Uu had already known about the grasshoppers, he didn’t think that the Hyou clan, in charge of religious matters, could do anything about it. Even if they could do something using some mysterious spell, Riou had said that now, all of the magicians and priestesses above the middle rank had been sent out.
(….What does this mean?)
There was a sound.
When he turned around, Riou’s face was deathly pale.
“….Hey, what did Uu Uu say?”
Shuuei hadn’t said anything excessive.
“He said: ‘Please return after making all of the tightly shut doors of the Hyou clan open, from that side.’”
Both AShuuei and Shuurei knew that Riou was thinking about something so hard he was getting dizzy.
Almost groaning, Riou asked for confirmation.
“….make all of the doors open, he said?”
“Yes, that’s what I heard.”
“After we disappeared, did something happen? Some kind of disaster?”
Shuuei was shocked.
“….When I came here, it hadn’t happened yet. I heard that it seemed it would happen.”
“What?”
Shuuei breathed in slightly. It couldn’t be helped any more.
“A plague of locusts.”
The instant she understood his meaning, Shuurei’s eyes widened. Locusts.
Riou flung the documents he was holding on the floor.
“—Tell me about it quickly, you fool!”
His shouting was loud enough to make someone wonder if the whole palace was shaking.
Somewhere, the mouse was squeaking.
****
“…..This time it’s locusts.”
Kan Hishou, who was the Secretary of Public Works, narrowed his brows. He flashed a glance to the seat next to him. His second in command Ouyou Gyoku was expressionless. Expressionless. Due to their long acquaintance, Hishou knew that it was because he was suppressing the many feelings swirling about inside of him. That came as no surprise. Heki Province was Ouyou Gyoku’s homeland, as he was a member of the Ouyou clan, which served the Heki clan.
Kan Hishou’s clan was in both Haku and Koku Provinces, which were located in the freezing north, so it was difficult for the locusts to break out there, as they could in the central plains and in the south, so there would be little direct damage from the locusts. However, there would be a mountain of indirect effects. The two northern provinces, where every year people died from the cold and hunger, especially depended on Kou Province and Shi Province, which were rich in food supplies. However, if there was a plague of locusts, they would eat up all of the crops which were there. In the end, there were many cases where, because the food supplies didn’t come, the two northern provinces were the ones who suffered the most from the great famine caused by the locusts. Especially when midwinter came, without there being any food supplies.
Soon, that winter would come.
“The affected areas are as follows. The source of the outbreak is mostly the Tenzan River banks in Heki Province, and it is thought that they will gradually invade Kou Province and Shi Province. It’s probably safe to think that the crops of Heki Province will be mostly destroyed.”
Ran Shunshin, looking at the documents on the state of the locusts, raised his eyebrows.
“…The places of the outbreaks and damage seem to vary widely. Especially, there seem to be few incursions into Shi Province. It seems that they haven’t yet become a large swarm, as was expected. Is the lessening of the damage due to that…?”
Ryou Anju, while looking quickly at the documents, tilted his head a bit.
“….Hm? When I look at this, aren’t the places where the damage has been suppressed to the minimal amount mostly where Ou Ki-sama in the past was posted and patrolled?”
At those words, the high officials’ eyes widened.
The Undersecretary of Civil Administration, You Shuu, narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. Of course, the changes in the major positions in the provincial administration were all, without exception, carved in You Shuu’s head. Especially, the demotions and promotions of the high officials.
“….Certainly, that does seem to be so. Ou Ki-dono, could it be that when you were posted in those places and patrolling them, you gave lectures on countermeasures?”
“That was my duty. It was only to be expected.”
The second Ou Ki calmly let drop those words, every single one of the high officials looked at the king. Ryuuki was trying with all of his might not to look down. Up til now, he had never felt anything this cold. It was a veritable bed of nails, but he also knew that they were legitimate denunciations and criticisms. To endure that, he was with all of his might mustering whatever courage he could find. It was even more heavy because he knew he was paying for what he had done.
Anju continued on, whether he knew this or not, in a voice without any trace of malice.
“Locusts… The character is ‘insect’ and ‘emperor.’ It is said that long ago, there was a great ruler, who, when there was an outbreak of locusts, ate them himself and prayed, and then the locusts were suppressed. Certainly, from ancient times, it has been said that The one with the power to suppress the locusts is the true king, and so that character was made. Your majesty must also try his best.”
At Ryou Anju’s words, he could feel the atmosphere in the place cool.
Ou Ki rubbed at his temples. He darted a look of irritation at his second in command.
“Ryou Anju, don’t say foolish things. Can locusts be suppressed by eating them and praying?”
“Ah well, that’s right. Because they do say that during the reign of a wise lord, there won’t be any locusts plagues.”
The high officials exchanged glances, and began to quietly whisper as if they were remembering something.
“….Speaking of that, it says that in the Book of Changes…. From the disorder of the king comes the disorder of the world, and there are outbreaks of locusts. Certainly, during the reign of the previous king, there were no outbreaks…”
“From the time of his coronation, it’s been around four years…. Come to think of it, there was also an epidemic in Sa Province. Although, shouldn’t there be no connection between an epidemic and governing?”
“The former Undersecretary of the Military died suspiciously all of a sudden…”
“He angered the Kou clan and the number of officials decreased, there was an embargo, now there’s an outbreak of locusts, which hasn’t happened in decades…”
“Recently the frequency of earthquakes has been odd…. What about that…”
In a second, there fell a bottomless silence. A cold silence, like an eternal void. Ryuuki sensed that cold sweat was gushing from his forehead. He was dizzy, as if something was crushing him, and he sensed that his vision was blurring. Like a fish out of water, he couldn’t breathe well.
“—-Now we will open discussion on the locust plague. Immediate countermeasures will be prioritized. Those who wish to break in with useless interruptions at a time like this are invited to withdraw immediately.”
Yuushun smacked them down with a strong tone.
Since it was the first time he had done this since he took office as prime minister, everyone was shocked.
Ou Ki alone did not change expression, and rubbed at his temple.
“….That’s correct. Historically, the Censorate has taken charge of countermeasures against locusts—”
Yuushun gently interrupted Ou Ki.
“First let us have his majesty’s thoughts.”
Ryuuki slowly raised his face. Undersecretary of Finance Kei shivered. His face was deathly pale, to the point where he could see that out of his side vision. After reading the documents, anyone would immediately understand the reason why the Finance Department’s budget for the countermeasures against locusts had been left shorn as it had been during the war between the princes, and not revived. Ryuuki was up to his neck in wordless criticisms from all four sides, and his mind was in turmoil. If he made a decision and said something foolish—no, rather what would happen if he couldn’t say anything? — Undersecretary Kei felt uneasy. Should he help him?
(Our….thoughts?)
Probably, Ryuuki didn’t know what was being said to him. Long ago, when his mother would beat him, if he curled up into a ball so he couldn’t see anything, stayed totally silent, and endured it, it would eventually end. If he waited, his brother would come and save him. However, now no one would come. No one would tell him anything. Riou was not there either.
(Yuushun…what did he say should be done about this matter…?)
He hadn’t asked him. Yuushun hadn’t told Ryuuki anything about what should be done.
What could he say? He didn’t know a thing, so….what?
Yuushun prompted him, his feather fan in his hand, his eyelashes lowered.
“My lord, what you think best is?”
The one with the power to suppress the locusts is the true king. Ryuuki had also read that in the books. Then.
(We..)
Going and suppressing them. But, was that the best idea?
To Ryuuki that might be the best course of action. But.
What about for those other than Ryuuki? For the people of Heki and Kou Province, what that good?
Making a fist, Ryuuki looked at that person, though he felt a heaviness as though he were dragging lead.
“Ou Ki-dono.”
Ou Ki slightly raised one brow, as if being called by him were unexpected.
“—We would like to give you all authority to deal with the locusts. What do you think?”
Kouki and Anju both, unusually, showed some real surprise. Son Ryouou was also a little surprised.
Despite Anju deliberately saying “The one with the power to suppress the locusts is the true king,” he was giving the exercise of that power to Ou Ki. And moreover, right now the king was surrounded. Ou Ki himself, without the slightest flinch, took in Ryuuki’s gaze straight on.
For awhile, there was a leaden silence.
“—So be it. If that is your order, I shall carry it out at once. However, there is one thing. I wish to borrow the right to command the military. Those are my conditions. What do you think of this?”
—The authority to command the army.

He had said this so dispassionately, that it took awhile for the impact to spread.
If Ou Ki, who as head of the Chancellery was at the Council of State level, said he wished to receive the right to command the army, then it meant that he was saying ‘give me the authority to command the entire army.
Characteristically, Kan Hishou opened his mouth.
“….Wait a second. One army, okay, but you don’t need the right to command the entire army. Don’t you have Son Ryouou, the Secretary of the Military, at your beck and call? No matter what, that’s too much authority.”
“I am the Chancellor, and so I have the authority to make that request. Also, I do not intend to mobilize the entire army at once. It’s because we don’t have time to spare for sending requests to Kiyou when it’s necessary. Unlike humans, locusts won’t wait dutifully for the reply to arrive.”
Secretary Kou’s brows also drew together under his mask.
“….Aren’t there few examples of the central army moving to the provinces, except when there’s a war? However, if they’re going out to exterminate the locusts…. If the army is necessary, I think it would be normal to borrow the armies in the provinces and towns.”
“Is there a law that says the army must not be sent out to exterminate the locusts? Secretary Rai.”
“There is not. Therefore, I won’t mind if that’s done. Locusts are the worst of all natural disasters. While waiting for a reply, two or three villages may be eaten up. Once they arrive, they won’t fly off right away, normally. Of course, if the army is sent out, I would like you to send it with many supplies. If there aren’t enough, the food supplies of the affected areas will be eaten up by the central army instead of the grasshoppers…….As long as you avoid such a ridiculous state of affairs, I have no complaints whatsoever.”
Kouki made an irritated face, but Ou Ki and Son Ryouou only lightly nodded, and did not get angry.
Up until King Senka had become king, such things were everyday occurrences.
“That is only natural. I asked to borrow the army so that a vast quantity of supplies could be sent to each place at once at the fastest speed. Thankfully, due to the Kou clan’s recent embargo, there are many unused food supplies and charcoal supplies from various places left in the government warehouses. Please allow me to use them. —Your majesty, prime minister, what do you think of this?”
To give Ou Ki the authority to command the military.
It was as if it was unclear which one of them was king.
Ryuuki, in the midst of his blinking field of vision, finally….dazedly nodded.

“….We see. We will give to Ou Ki-dono…the authority over the military.”
He could sense that Yuushun was smiling.

Notes: Just as Gyokukan earlier borrows her name from Yang Guei-fei, Hien-hime is named after another famous historical beauty.

Handicap games in go: I’m not entirely sure what Yuushun means by this, but a handicap game in go is when, if there’s a big difference in skill between opponents, the stronger player will voluntarily start out at a disadvantage. (Similar to how it is in golf)

Yes, actually, there was an emperor of china who ate locusts. See here

I also found an interesting article about ancient Chinese methods of pest control.

Commentary: 0____o Yuushun and Kouki are weirdly….. cute in this scene. Kouki’s stock rises again! He’s even able to put up with Yuushun’s whining. (Note that unlike normally, Yuushun actually makes dismayed facial expressions; also, he changes the honorific he uses for Ou Ki)

People in the Japanese fandom were all like “Lol, does Kouki believe in Santa Claus too?” On the other hand though, so many weird things happen in Saiunkou that it doesn’t seem crazy to think that “Hourin” is also magical.

Up till now, it’s seemed that Jin’s master is Ou Ki, but if that’s so, it really does seem odd that Kouki and (apparently) Yuushun are unaware of whatever’s going on at the Hyou clan.

Shuuei, like Riou, withholds information from Shuurei out of concern for her, and see how it backfires?

Anyway, the Council of State is pretty intense. However, Ryuuki probably made the right decision. On the other hand, it’s uncertain whether this will be enough to save him.