Basen's job
was
guarding Jinshi. In principle, he should have been in Jinshi's office, but today was different.
(He was pretty sure training days were scheduled every few days.)
If he had injured someone in the morning, that meant today was supposed to be an all-day training day.
(Unless he was summoned by a superior.)
The training grounds were full of sweaty bastards. It must have been break time—they were wiping sweat with towels and drinking water from bamboo canteens. Some were bare-chested, and a few wore nothing but loincloths.
It wasn't exactly a rare sight, so Maomao passed through without paying it any mind.
When Maomao told Physician Li she was going to the training grounds, he gave her a "Shall I come along?" look, but she refused. Having both of them away from the medical office at the same time would be troublesome. Besides, the soldiers wouldn't lay a hand on Maomao. She didn't want to be thought of as the eccentric strategist's crony, but she had to admit the association offered at least a small advantage. As a result, even gruff soldiers tended to treat her with courtesy. Unless someone was exceptionally ignorant, they wouldn't pick a fight with her.
(Cunning, if you wanted to call it that.)
But Maomao was small and weak. If she didn't use whatever advantages she could, she wouldn't survive.
The soldiers would glance at Maomao, crane their necks for a better look, then either look disappointed or make a face like they'd touched a festering wound.
(She was under the eccentric strategist's jurisdiction, after all.)
Honestly, Physician Li's request came at just the right time for Maomao. After midday, the eccentric strategist was likely to make one of his rare appearances and drop by the medical office to kill time. If she had to face that old man, she'd rather be sent somewhere that reeked of sweat.
While everyone else was taking a break, there were some who were engaged in fierce sparring.
A large soldier and a comparatively smaller one.
Rikaku
and Basen.
Rikaku and Basen were using wooden swords and small shields. From the look of their sweat-drenched faces, they had been sparring for quite some time. They wore leather armor despite the heat—probably to avoid getting hurt.
(No matter how you looked at it, Basen was at a disadvantage.)
Even Maomao, who knew absolutely nothing about martial arts, could tell that. Size made all the difference.
Rikaku stood about six shaku four sun tall, while Basen was perhaps five shaku seven sun.
But—
(Were they putting up a good fight?)
Basen expertly deflected Li Bai's sword. He caught it cleanly on his small shield, let the blade slide off to dodge, and swung his own sword at the moment Li Bai raised his arm for the follow-up strike.
Li Bai didn't fall behind, deflecting in turn with his small shield.
(I knew Li Bai was strong, but still.)
The bearish man—a bear wearing human skin—was putting up a good fight. He must have been quite strong. She couldn't track every subtle movement, but he used not just his hands but his feet to feint, employing his core to throw his opponent off balance. Li Bai looked like a dumb brute, but he wasn't short on brains. He hadn't relied on his physique alone as a weapon—he'd honed real technique as well.
But Basen, who made what should have been an overwhelmingly disadvantageous size difference vanish entirely, was terrifying.
(Normally you'd expect the smaller one to be the technique type.)
Li Bai was the technique type, and Basen was the power type. Of course, it wasn't as if Basen had no skill whatsoever. He was simply a monster who compensated for the size difference with sheer muscular strength. Unless you were born with some kind of unusual muscle composition, you'd never end up like that.
(Wow, this is going to take a while.)
Maomao slipped into a patch of shade nearby and sat down. The military officers already lounging around watched her from a distance.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
An officer who had probably crossed paths with her a few times came over to ask. She certainly didn't remember his name.
"Please, don't mind me."
Maomao sipped the tea she had brought along. She'd prepared it in case this turned into a long affair. She'd even packed rice crackers.
(At this rate, he might get heatstroke.)
She should have something to drink and something salty on hand. She had the drinks, but she should set aside some rice crackers to offer if needed.
She had been planning to watch in peace when someone approached.
"What business does a court lady have here?"
A young officer strode over. The surrounding officials began to panic.
(Must be some real know-it-all.)
Maomao quietly looked up. A trio of officers, glaring at her with suspicion.
"This isn't a place where women should come flitting about. Or did you come here to hunt for men, looking the way you do?"
At the middle man's remark, the other two laughed.
Judging by how flustered the surrounding officers were, this young officer must have held a fairly high rank.
Maomao stood up and brushed the dust off her backside.
"My apologies. I was sent on an errand by the physician. If I'm in the way, I'll move elsewhere."
As Maomao turned to leave, a young military officer grabbed her shoulder.
"Hold it."
"Yes?"
*Don't let him pin something on you,* Maomao steeled herself.
That was when it happened.
A wooden sword soared high into the air, tracing a looping arc before slamming into the ground.
"Ahh, that's enough, that's enough."
It was Li Bai who raised both hands. He wiped his sweat-drenched face and let out a long breath.
"Let's call it here, Master Bashen."
"......"
Bashen wore a vaguely dissatisfied expression.
Li Bai noticed Maomao and waved at her.
(*Did he actually lose, or did he stop because he spotted me, or did he throw the match to save Bashen's face?*)
Either way, it didn't matter.
Li Bai and Bashen, still drenched in sweat, walked over toward Maomao.
"Hey, young lady. What's the matter? Even if you come to a place like this, Grand Commandant Han — your old man — isn't around."
"G-Grand Commandant Han?!"
The young military officer flinched.
Maomao felt a twinge of displeasure but forced a smile. Normally, Li Bai was the eccentric strategist who called Han "that old coot." He must have used the formal title deliberately to make sure this young officer understood.
"Hey. You were talking to that court lady there — are you done with your business?"
Bashen spoke. Sweating through everything, he untangled the cords and removed his armor. It was leather armor, and even from a distance the stench was overpowering.
"No, there's nothing in particular."
The trio departed.
"Hey, young lady. What business could you possibly have in a place as grimy as this?"
Li Bai wore a troubled expression.
"I've come to take Sir Bajin's statement about this morning."
"A statement? Boss, did you do something?"
"You didn't know?"
"I was buried in paperwork all morning. Once you get promoted, there's just no escaping it."
Maomao nodded.
"It was nothing."
"The officer who clashed with Sir Bajin was carried to the infirmary. He had severe bruising with hairline fractures in his ribs. Recently, there have been a number of near-duels among officers as an extension of their factional rivalries. For the infirmary staff, it's become a real nuisance, so we've taken to asking patients and those who injured them to confirm the circumstances of the injury. So. We'd appreciate your cooperation."
"Ugh, what a pain."
Li Bai wiped his brow with a weary expression. When Maomao offered him a senbei, he started eating it with relish.
"It was nothing worth fussing over. I just put an officer through his paces — one who was coasting on his family name to hold a rank he didn't deserve."
"Your version of 'putting someone through their paces' is pretty harsh, boss. Even I'm winded. And picking on some sheltered kid who doesn't know the first thing about how the world works — that's a bit much, don't you think?"
"I held back."
"When a bear 'holds back,' that's instant death for a human."
"Is that so?"
(These two seem to get along pretty well.)
Was it because they were both the athletic type, or was Li Bai simply gifted at winning people over? She couldn't tell.
She hated to interrupt their banter, but Maomao pressed on with her work.
"
Risu
-sama was insulted, and that's what started the fight. Is that correct?"
"‼"
Bajin was visibly shaken and averted his gaze.
"My, my."
Li Bai grinned as he leaned in toward Bajin.
"Is that really how it happened, Boss?"
"Y-yes, but what's the problem with that? Lady Risu is the direct daughter of the Mao clan. On top of that, she was once a consort of the highest rank, even if only in the past. So why should she have to be called 'a harlot cast out of the rear palace for infidelity'?"
"So that's what they said."
The patient and
Ujun
had apparently been discussing it — and the account had been considerably softened.
"Lady Risu's sins are not her own. She was merely swept up by those around her! So why must she be subjected to such unfounded accusations!?"
Basen stamped his foot hard in frustration.
"And that eventually led to a quarrel, which turned into a physical altercation."
"Yes. If I'm at fault for anything, it's that I didn't make the other party wear iron armor instead of leather."
"Wearing leather armor, and still breaking ribs."
He really is a monster, Maomao thought with genuine awe.
As they talked, the three of them
made their way to the gazebo.
They would need some kind of table, even just for taking notes.
"What really gets my blood boiling is that Ujun fellow. He's Lady Risu's own kin, and he just stood there smiling and letting it all slide!"
Even after sitting down on the stone chairs, Basen's agitation wouldn't settle.
"There, there. Here, have some of this."
Li Bai tossed a rice cracker into Basen's mouth. Basen's face went through an indescribable expression for a moment, but he didn't spit it out and began crunching on it.
(They really do get along.)
Li Bai didn't actually have any business here, but he'd come along anyway. It would have been difficult handling Basen alone, so this was honestly a relief.
"At that moment, Ujun wouldn't have been able to say anything, you know."
"Are you defending that spineless wretch?"
Basen glared at Li Bai. Though it was less of a glare and more of a sulking look — he didn't seem to be truly angry.
"Do you know Lord Ujun, Li Bai?"
"Well, he's technically going to be my subordinate. He was originally a civil official, but got reassigned here because of some family issues."
"That explains why he looked so frail."
"Right. A guy like that gets tossed in among military officers and he's in for a rough time. Pushed hard enough, it could drive him to suicide. That's why I took him under my wing. A bit of a nuisance for me, though."
Li Bai is the considerate type. He'd at least provide some minimum protection for his subordinates.
"For what it's worth, Ujun does have the character for 'U' in his name, but the main branch of the U clan doesn't officially acknowledge him. His father,
Uryū,
did all sorts of unsavory things. He cast out a daughter of the main branch to live as a recluse, bringing shame to the clan's name. No one would make the son of that man's concubine his heir."
"You certainly know your stuff."
"You've got to keep track of your subordinates. Seems this Uryū fellow was doing whatever he pleased, taking advantage of his father-in-law's advanced age and retirement."
Unlike Maomao, Li Bai is thoroughly dependable. He's capable and not unintelligent. He'd be practically perfect if not for his fixation on courtesans —
Hakurei
— but I do wish he'd keep frequenting the pleasure quarter for her sake.
"The U clan — Risu's grandfather reportedly adopted a boy from among the relatives to raise. It's hard on his aging body, but he must have decided he couldn't entrust the clan to his son-in-law any further."
"A boy?"
"A boy. Not a girl."
Masen takes a sip of water, thinking, *What a stupidly obvious thing to say.*
"No, I just thought — if it were a young man of marriageable age, they might try to recall Risu and arrange a marriage."
"*Pffooh!?*"
Masen choked. The water went down the wrong pipe, and he started coughing. Unlike Maomao, he couldn't just spit it out, so instead he looked quite miserable. Li Bai patted him on the back.
"W-what are you saying!?"
"Well, even if she's an active consort, with the sovereign's permission she could be bestowed upon someone. I hear the sovereign and Risu haven't consummated their relationship, and that he thinks of her like a daughter."
"H-haven't consummated..."
Masen's face turns completely red.
"Once the dust settles from all the family turmoil, they could quietly send Risu back to her parents' home and have her take a husband. It doesn't seem impossible."
"Th-that's...!?"
Masen slams his fist hard against the stone table. His face has gone pale.
"The boy they took in probably hasn't even turned ten yet, or just barely."
"Then given the age difference, there's little chance he'd be made the son-in-law and Lady Risu sent back to her family home, right?"
Masen's complexion shifted from red to blue before finally returning to its original color.
"No, it seems the Usa clan feels sorry for their granddaughter and wants to see her happy somehow. They've apparently been trying to arrange a marriage into a good family."
"That's the first I'm hearing of it!"
"Yeah, I only recently heard about it myself."
Li Bai was licking the salt off his fingers from the senbei. Maomao wished she had brought more senbei.
"Do you think any of the named families have heard similar talk?"
"The named families... Come to think of it, there's supposed to be a gathering of the named families for a discussion soon."
Masen spoke as though recalling it just now.
"Oh? They might bring up Lady Risu's situation at that meeting, don't you think?"
"That is certainly possible."
"Mmmhh..."
Masen clutched his head.
"If you're that concerned, why not attend yourself, sir? You might hear the truth behind the rumors."
Li Bai said this offhandedly, as though it were no big deal.
"But, no. Still..."
Masen fretted, groaned, and began writhing around. Maomao found the spectacle entertaining and kept observing him while writing up her report. As a result, she made mistakes in her writing.
"...Fine."
"Oh!"
"What do you mean, fine?"
Maomao was about to twirl her brush when she froze mid-motion.
"You're one of the named families too. Since you're the one who set me on this, you're coming with me."
"Huh?!"
Maomao dropped her ink onto the report.