War against Japan

Early the next morning, dark clouds blanketed the sky, making it look utterly gloomy.

The Emperor had requisitioned the largest restaurant in Heian-kyo, and today's banquet would be held there. For some unknown reason, he had chosen not to hold this royal banquet at the Imperial Palace.

"Ha ha, the head of the Abe family is here too! Please, take the seat of honor."

As soon as they spotted the head of the Abe family, several heads of smaller families hurried to guide him to the seat nearest the Emperor.

"Ha ha ha, you're all too kind."

Abe Jinyuan made no attempt to refuse. His status entitled him to that seat. He smoothed his beard, sat down, and waited for the Emperor to arrive.

Just then, someone approached and asked, "Lord Abe, do you know why the Fujiwara Northern House hasn't sent anyone to this banquet? Could they have something against us?"

The man asking was also the head of a fairly powerful family. His words were clearly intended to pin a charge of disrespect toward the Emperor on the Fujiwara Northern House.

"Ha ha ha, I don't know much about the Fujiwara Northern House's affairs. If you have questions, you can ask them yourself. They aren't far from Heian-kyo, after all."

Abe Jinyuan refused to take the bait. The man clearly wanted him to lead the charge against the Fujiwara Northern House. Everyone knew what had happened to them, and plenty of self-important fools were hoping to claim a share of the spoils.

He stroked his goatee and surveyed the bustling crowd, finding them utterly foolish. A bunch of idiots. No matter how far the Fujiwara Northern House has fallen, they aren't someone you can lay a hand on.

"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"

Just as he was about to put these lesser family heads in their place, a guard announced the Emperor's arrival from outside. Everyone hurried to the entrance to greet him. They were the Emperor's subjects, after all. Being charged with gross disrespect now would hardly be worth it.

"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor!"

Following Abe Jinyuan's greeting, the other family heads spoke in unison.

"Family heads, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Since you've come to my banquet, simply eat and drink to your hearts' content," the Emperor said with a smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Once everyone had returned to their seats, platter after platter of sashimi was brought to the tables. Those family heads who enjoyed drinking began exchanging toasts.

Then, without warning, the Emperor spoke. "I wonder what you all think of those barbarians?"

"Well..."

Hearing the Emperor ask about those lowly barbarians, the family heads who had been gorging themselves hurriedly stopped and turned their gazes toward Abe Jinyuan.

"Ahem. They're nothing more than lowly barbarians. What is there to think about?" Under everyone's scrutiny, Abe Jinyuan had no choice but to speak. Apart from the Emperor, he was the most distinguished person at the banquet.

"I have an idea. Would you care to hear it?"

The Emperor swallowed the wine in his cup. Beneath the table, his hand still trembled slightly, whether from excitement or fear.

"Please speak plainly, Your Majesty." Abe Jinyuan frowned, but he had no choice but to hear the idea out.

"I hope all your families will send troops together and conquer these barbarians, contributing to the unification of our Japan."

The moment the Emperor said this, the family heads erupted into an uproar.

Umechuan Kuko fixed the Emperor with a hostile stare and slowly asked, "What pretext does Your Majesty intend to use to launch this campaign against the barbarians?"

Umechuan Kuko's face was livid. Attacking the barbarians was a thankless undertaking. Not only would he lose his family's elite troops, but there would be no gold, silver, or treasure to plunder. He would rather attack bandits than do something so foolish.

After Umechuan Kuko spoke first, Yoshiko Kawashima, who had clashed with him at Heian-kyo's city gate, immediately followed. "How much gold does Your Majesty intend to provide for our military expenses?"

To her, it was simple. Her family wasn't particularly large anyway. At worst, she could send troops without having them do any real fighting. Picking up some gold along the way would be fine too.

Abe Jinyuan merely stared silently at the wine cup in his hand, his thoughts unreadable.

"Ha ha, surely you jest."

A soft chuckle broke the tense atmosphere. The Emperor straightened his back, trying to lend his voice a trace of a ruler's dignity.

"What does Your Majesty mean? Were you merely trying to liven up the atmosphere?"

Yamashima Tsuto also spoke up. As far as he was concerned, the Emperor couldn't possibly have the backing to say such things. With only that small guard force under his command, no one present took him seriously. If the Emperor insisted on attacking the barbarians, then this trip to Heian-kyo would become a visit to mourn His Majesty's passing.

The Emperor rose, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle. Slowly, he said, "You may have misunderstood me. I mean that I won't provide a single tael of gold for military expenses. All of you will have to pay out of your own pockets."

"What?!"

Umechuan Kuko immediately lost his temper. He drew a long sword from his waist and slammed it onto the table. "Surely Your Majesty must be joking." His tone was deeply hostile, and he was ready at any moment to summon the three thousand personal guards stationed outside Heian-kyo.

"Have you been sitting on that throne too long, Your Majesty? Are you looking to die?!" Abe Jinyuan could no longer restrain himself either and began hurling abuse.

"We only call you Emperor to give you some face, you damned idiot! Have you forgotten who put you on the throne in the first place?"

The Emperor remained entirely unbothered by Abe Jinyuan's furious insults and simply spoke.

"I'm giving you an order. This isn't a discussion, and you have no room to negotiate."

At those words, every family head rose to his feet, anger showing on their faces to varying degrees. Some even drew their swords, intending to teach the Emperor how to keep his tail between his legs.

"Idiot! Has the Emperor lost his mind? How dare he act so arrogantly today?" Yoshiko Kawashima was furious too. She had only wanted to pocket a little gold for military expenses, yet someone was being even more shameless than she was.

"Yoshiko Kawashima, the powder on your face is falling off." Umechuan Kuko turned and caught sight of a horrifying scene. Her violent trembling was making the powder on her face shower down, coating several platters of sashimi in front of her. It looked utterly disgusting.

"You damned fat pig! I haven't settled the score with you yet, and you still dare mock me!"

Enraged, Yoshiko Kawashima drew two daggers from her waist, her eyes darting between the Emperor's face and Umechuan Kuko's.

Thirteen family heads had attended this banquet. Aside from the strongest of them, the Fujiwara Northern House, every family from the various territories was present. Their combined personal guards numbered over ten thousand. The entire population of Heian-kyo was only a little over a hundred thousand, while the Emperor's guard force numbered just three thousand.

"Why are you all getting so worked up? Don't you wish to contribute to peace in our Japan?"

The Emperor's expression remained calm and unruffled, which instead intimidated the thirteen family heads below him. They exchanged glances, afraid he might still have some trump card hidden away, then put away their weapons and sat down.

"Please explain yourself clearly, Your Majesty. Otherwise, the Abe family will be the first to oppose this." Abe Jinyuan looked at the Emperor seated above them, weighed his tone, and finally spoke.

"I've already made myself quite clear. I need each of you to send your family's elite troops to wipe out the barbarians and contribute to peace in our great Japan. Why do you refuse?"

"Does the Emperor truly refuse to provide even a little gold?"

Although the Emperor was merely a figurehead, he still controlled the treasury. Combined with the various nominal taxes paid each year, his wealth was far from negligible.

"Since all your families are to contribute together, naturally I won't be providing gold for military expenses."

"Ha ha! Such arrogance! I don't know what secret weapon you have, but if you have one, go ahead and use it against me!"

Umechuan Kuko's face alternated between livid and pale. Finally unable to contain his anger, he stood and headed toward the entrance. He was ready to summon his three thousand personal guards.

The remaining family heads exchanged glances and prepared to leave as well. In their eyes, the Emperor had gone mad. They might as well start preparing for the next Emperor's succession ceremony.

Just then, a powerful force pinned everyone in place, leaving them unable to move. Umechuan Kuko, who had already reached the entrance, had an arm sliced off before he was forcibly flung back inside.

Suppressing their terror, everyone slowly turned their heads. Only then did they realize that, at some point, the Emperor in the seat of honor had become a monster with four eyes and four arms.

"Do you want to die, or do you want to live?"