" Therefore the State Affairs (夏官, ka-kan) branches everywhere in the kingdom maintain supply departments. If troops are sent to regional riots, they receive supplies from the supply departments. However, if it is in a foreign country, and at the midst of a military rebellion, the supplies departments would surely not provide supplies, so you must bring all the supplies with you. Before considering how to transport, do you believe you can prepare at once the amount of food needed?"

" That is impossible in Kei."
" Even if we can turn all the supplies departments in the kingdom upside down for all the supplies stored, supplies departments only store the minimal amount of supplies in the first place. Also, Kei has no ship that can carry so much supplies and soldiers. How are we going to Tai then?"
" I see..."

" It is just impossible for Kei to send armies to other kingdoms in the first place. First of all, it is clearly stated in the Heavenly Commandments (大綱, taikou) that invading other kingdoms is prohibited."
" This is not invasion, right? We are not trying to occupy Tai."

Kantai tilted his head.
" Oh... That might be the case."
" Moreover, if that is the case, what am I going to be? I enter Gyouten (尭天, Kei's capital) because the Imperial Army of En helped me defeat the false emperor (gi-ou)!"
" That is also true."

" So all we can do is to find Tai-ou and Taiki..."
" Where are they now?"
" Nobody knows. -- How about this? How about sending one ryou (両, a military unit) of our air force (空行師, kuukoushi) that have flying kijyuus for searching?"

Kantai tilted his head.
" Just twenty five soldiers will simply not work. At least a whole sotsu (卒, a military unit) is preferred. Given 100 soldiers, they can split among themselves to search faster."
" A sotsu of our air force..."
That is not impossible. However, no official will agree. They will definitely question what she is thinking at a time when everything is in lack within Kei. Youko propped her head with her hands, and sank into thoughts for a while.

" ... It makes a big difference whether the emperor is at the throne, I guess."
Youko mumbled, and Kantai's expression turned sober.
" You are right. Leaving aside what kind of character Tai-ou is, with the emperor missing, Tai's people must be under a harsh time. Furthermore, winter in that country is just bitter. I might not put it right, but it might be better if Tai-ou were dead."

" If Tai-ou were dead?"
" If the emperor is dead, some time another emperor will ascend to the throne. The people only need to put up with the harsh time gap, that is what I mean. If the emperor is a fool, the Heavens will take back the throne. The people only need to put up with harsh time until the next emperor is chosen. Now the emperor is not dead, but is missing from the throne. This might be the worst case in some sense."

***

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