(5)

"It was the autumn seven years ago that the new emperor of Tai was enthroned. -- His name: Gyousou Saku (乍驍宗)," said a nonchalant voice in the room.

It was a building called Sekisuidai (積翠台, lit. tower of accumulating lush green), a study located at the innermost of the inner hall. Distinctly summer-like thick heat wave stagnated at that cozy corner of the study, though not as hot as at the world below. Right outside the window that faced the center of the building stood boulders covered with lush green ferns and mosses. There, a small thin waterfall carried quietly down the rays which shone through lush green tree leaves, to a clear pond below the balcony. The sound of water and cool breezes flowed into the room, together with the songs of summer birds outside the wide-open windows.

"At the reign of the previous emperor, General Saku was appointed the general of Imperial Left Army. He was deeply entrusted by the previous emperor and admired by his subordinate soldiers and the subjects in his territory, and his fame echoed even beyond the Kingdom of Tai. Therefore, right after the previous emperor passed away, speculations were on whether the next emperor would be General Saku."

"He must be an outstanding figure..."
Youko (陽子) exclaimed to herself, half filled with admiration. Sounds so, lightly answered Koukan (浩瀚) the Tyousai (冢宰, prime minister), the head of the Six Ministers.

" After the death of the previous emperor, General Saku contributed greatly in supporting the government, and received high anticipation from around. Accepting such anticipation, he entered the Yellow Sea to request whether he was to raise the Imperial flag. He headed towards Mt. Hou (蓬山) at the east, did Syousan (昇山, lit. ascending the mountain), accepted Taiki's (泰麒) selection, and was enthroned. He was so-called 'Hyoufuu no Ou' (飄風の王, lit. the Sweeping-wind Emperor)"

"Hyoufuu no Ou?"
" An emperor chosen out of the first batch of Syousan people."
Kirins (麒麟) choose emperors -- the heavens choose through kirins, and this is termed the heavenly revelations. Kirins are born and raised at Mt. Hou of the Yellow Sea (黄海, Ou-kai), at the center of the world. When a kirin became mature enough to choose an emperor, signal flags were raised in all the shibyous (祠廟, lit. ancestry shrines) in the kingdom, and those interested to become an emperor will enter the Yellow Sea and head to Mt. Hou. There, they face the kirin and request for the heavenly will, a procedure termed Syousan.

" The term describes the emperor as arriving at the throne like a hurricane. However,it is also said that the sweeping wind never outlasts the morning (*), which means anything with a great momentum will quickly dissipate. So it is said that Hyoufuu no Ou can only be either outstanding or the exact opposite."
" Oh..."

" Well in the situation of Tai-ou (泰王), it took more than ten years for him to be enthroned, so strictly speaking he is not a Hyoufuu no Ou. Whichever the case, it occured to me that Tai Taiho (泰台輔) might share the same background with your majesty."
Yup, Youko nodded.

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(*) Translator's note:

The Japanese text has double meanings. Figuratively, it means "the sweeping wind never sees the end of the morning". The alternative interpretation is "the Sweeping Wind (Emperor) never completes a dynasty." The double meanings are due to that the kanji for "morning" and "dynasty" is the same (朝).

The Japanese text: 飄風は朝を終えず