The Fires of the Gods Read Online Free PDF Page B

the nobility, Kiyowara was now very eager to make a name for himself. The old guard, like Kunyoshi, despised such men. But why was this provincial gentleman bent on persecuting him? Unless it fell under the heading of busywork to impress his brother-in-law and others in power. Akitada thought his case might look a little more hopeful if Kiyowara simply labored under a misconception and could be made to see reason.
    ‘What exactly is his position?’ he asked.
    The archivist made a face. ‘Junior Controller of the Right.’
    Impressive. That put him in the senior fifth rank, many steps above Akitada and several above Kaneie. More importantly, as a controller he had a significant voice in the administration of those ministries that formed the right arm of the government, and that included the Ministry of Justice.
    ‘I see,’ said Akitada. ‘Do you happen to know where he lives?’
    Kunyoshi cackled. ‘You should know his house well. It used to belong to your former chief.’
    Akitada was taken aback. The Soga villa had been the homeof his old nemesis, the late Minister of Justice, Soga. The knowledge brought back memories of being ordered to report there to feel the lash of Soga’s tongue and hear threats of immediate dismissal.
    Under the circumstances, it was a very bad omen.
    It suddenly struck Akitada that he was reliving the past. A little more than a year ago he had also faced dismissal. And though he had kept the position, while Soga had died, the same plague that took Soga had taken Akitada’s son. He was not by nature a superstitious man, but fear seized him again: a year ago he had lost Yori. Would he lose Tamako and another child this time?
    Akitada left Kunyoshi with muttered thanks.
    His earlier determination now quite undermined, he set out to make the acquaintance of this official who had happily destroyed a stranger in order to make himself appear conscientious and hard-working.
    The Soga house had always been far more luxurious than his own, which had fallen on hard times. The Sugawara family had suffered the disfavor and persecution of the Fujiwara rulers and had eventually sought refuge in the anonymity of poverty. Thus, the Soga villa occupied a much larger property, allowing for extensive gardens, many courtyards, and separate service buildings. The new owner had found it necessary to embellish the property further. The thatched roofs of the main hall and front gate had been replaced with shiny new green tiles, and fresh white sand covered the entrance courtyard. Trim, railings, and banisters were newly lacquered in brilliant red.
    Numerous servants in white uniforms with black sashes were busy placing tubs of ornamental trees about. An older man in a dark silk robe, who had a long, pale face, supervised them. When he saw Akitada, who wore his second-best silk robe and his court hat with the rank ribbons, he came to greet him.
    ‘Sugawara Akitada,’ said Akitada in the brusque manner likely to get service. ‘From the Ministry of Justice. I’m here to see Lord Kiyowara.’
    The man bowed deeply, identified himself as Major-domo Fuhito, and led him past the main hall, through an interior courtyard with artistically placed rocks and bamboos, down a hallway, and into a reception room, where he offered him a silk cushion and promised to announce him.
    The room was elegant but sparsely furnished. Akitada looked around at a number of handsome paintings, one of which depicted a large manor house surrounded by rice fields cultivated by many peasants. No doubt this was Kiyowara’s provincial home, here displayed to demonstrate a background of wealth and importance.
    Open doors to a veranda overlooked a part of the private garden. There, too, improvements had been made. The shrubberies were neatly trimmed; an elegant pagoda-like roof with gilded bells rose above them – by its size and decoration it was probably a garden pavilion in the Chinese style – and water glistened between tree trunks where he