A Tale of False Fortunes (8 page)

Although Takaie pressed the empress to write a letter, she hesitated to do so. Before she had the chance to take up the brush, Ukon no Naishi, the lady-in-waiting in attendance to the emperor, visited the Tòkaden Palace after dark.

The empress was in mourning, and was wearing a dark gray outer garment, yet she stood out among the young ladies-in-waiting clustered about her, all of whom were wearing the same robes of mourning. The empress’ grief-stricken appearance, with her sleeves drawn together, was so captivating as to surprise an observer that, depending on the wearer, dark robes could arouse such wistfulness.

“Since he has not seen your highness’ face for some time now, I can tell that the emperor is not in good spirits. With due respect for your highness’ grief, I ask that you take strength and meet with him. . . .” Ukon no Naishi’s tone was encouraging as she handed the emperor’s letter to the empress, who wiped her eyelids, swollen from weeping, and opened it. Looking at the
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beautiful, masculine cursive hand, the empress could not help feeling pleased that in the short time she had not seen him, his handwriting had matured to such neatness. Although he was the first man with whom she had been intimate, in the mind of the empress—who was five years his senior—he was always like a younger brother on whom she lavished affection.

Michinaga had already told the emperor that he must not meet with the empress because she was mourning the regent’s passing. Yet knowing that she was within the same palace compound, he simply had to spend at least one night with her. Since she could not be openly summoned, would she mind mingling with the ladies-in-waiting who would be returning with Ukon no Naishi? He missed her sorely, and moreover there were many things he needed to discuss with her. . . .

Such was the gist of the emperor’s letter. For some time the empress buried her face in the letter, her comely eyebrows beneath the forelocks tumbling over her face alternately appearing and disappearing as her eyes followed the vertical cursive lines. Although she was older than the emperor and possessed an unusually intelligent nature, her status in society was nevertheless backed by few years, and she had, up to that point, not been tempered by adversities. Fortune had been on her side when she, as the regent’s daughter, had met with favor. Now, with the sudden passing of her father, even Ukon was pained by thoughts of the fate that might be looming before the lovely empress.

Thus the empress ended up going secretly to the emperor’s evening quarters, mingled in the ranks of Ukon’s attendants.

There is no way of knowing what kind of sweet nothings passed between the two royal personages that night, but the emperor seemed to accept the empress’ petition, and was of a mind to have Korechika continue in the regency.

Although the ladies-in-waiting attending the emperor were strictly forbidden to tell anyone about the empress’ secret visit, it was immediately made known to the steward of the empress’

household. Michinaga at once informed the empress dowager, who went to Teishi the next day and determined that the latter’s residence would henceforth be the upper quarters of the Koki-Chapter Two c
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den Palace, which was linked to the emperor’s evening quarters by a single passageway. The empress dowager would easily be able to maintain surveillance, and it would henceforth be impossible for the empress to visit the emperor in secret. In spite of their proximity, it was as though they were separated by a raging torrent. They were reduced to helpless fretting, with no way to speak to one another.

In deciding whether formally to appoint Korechika to the regency or to hand it over to Lord Awata (Michikane), who had already been made minister of the right, the emperor had interests at stake that were in every way equal to those of the empress dowager, of Korechika, or of Michinaga. For that very reason Michitaka had given the emperor a warning shortly before his death. The empress dowager summoned the emperor to her quarters and once again admonished him, saying that appointing Michikane to the regency would be an impartial and magnanimous decision, the kind of judgment a sovereign should make. The emperor was astute enough to grasp the reasonable-ness of what his mother was saying, yet his heart was heavy when he recalled the promise he had made to the empress.

“The minister of the right has been afflicted lately by the illness that is going around, and doesn’t seem to be in good health. Even if I appoint him to the regency, would he be able to hold up to the demands of such a position?” The emperor raised his downcast eyes and spoke with hesitation, to which the empress dowager responded with a spirited laugh, “The minister of the right isn’t yet thirty-five. Even if he is ill now, I can’t imagine that he would suffer the same misfortune as my older brother. But then, if by chance something untoward should happen, you could cross that bridge when you come to it. Considering the future of the regency, I can’t imagine that anyone will accuse you of an inappropriate action. If you appoint Korechika to the regency at this time, neither Michikane nor Michinaga will think well of you for it, and I am certain that disorder would follow.”

“I realize that too, but . . .” The emperor looked at his mother with a nonplussed expression while he nervously stroked his knee with one hand. Then he said, his cheeks
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flushed, “Mother, I’m thinking of what might happen if the empress were to conceive in the near future.”

“That, too, is something to consider if and when it happens.

If the empress should bear a male heir, then the regency would of course be handed over to Korechika.” The empress dowager’s tone was magnanimous, but secretly it occurred to her that the possibility of the empress’ giving birth to a prince was all the more reason to hold Korechika’s advancement in check now; otherwise, she would face irreversible setbacks.

The empress dowager was not very fond of Michikane, but she always allied herself with him and Michinaga in opposing the former regent’s household, and in this case Michinaga also wanted the reins of power to be entrusted to Michikane. “If that should happen, it is all the more fitting at this time that the regency should be entrusted to Michikane,” said the empress dowager calmly. “Even if the empress does conceive sooner or later, we don’t know whether or not the child will be a prince.

But if it is, he will certainly be crown prince. By the time the prince is officially installed as prince imperial, you’ll be at the prime of manhood. And by that time, if Korechika has prepared himself and is in public service, he, too, will make a wonderful trusted counselor. Up to now, Korechika has been shown excessive favor by his father, the regent, and has come to think that he should always have his way about things. There is something arrogant about his attitude. If he were to attain the regency in that state of mind, he would end up becoming conceited, and might even slight you. When my late father was young, he, too, was out of favor with his older brother and for a long time bemoaned his fate. When he later took the reins of government, though, he was all the more attentive to everyone both above and below him, and was praised as an outstanding head of the Fujiwaras. Each human being is endowed with his own fate, and it isn’t necessary to go to extremes to take advantage of the circumstances of the moment. If one really has the capabilities, one’s time will certainly come around.” The empress dowager’s words conveyed the calm reassurance of her many years’ experience; they had about them a compelling strength that the young emperor was powerless to resist.

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In the end, he yielded to his mother’s persuasiveness and on the second day of the fifth month issued a proclamation appointing as regent the minister of the right, Michikane, who was recuperating from an illness at the home of one Sukeyuki, former governor of Izumo.

The empress was at that time still in the Tòkaden Palace. She was perceptive enough to anticipate that the reins of power would likely be handed over to Michikane according to the empress dowager’s entreaty, and even when she saw her ladies-in-waiting in a state of distraction, weeping with disappointment, she did not lose her composure.

Middle Counselor Takaie was the first to visit her, and said:

“You’re weak after all, aren’t you? At this rate, you’ll never win in any future rounds with the empress dowager.” In spite of her younger brother’s reproachful tone of voice, the empress said with a faint smile, “You still don’t understand the mind of a woman. No matter how spineless I seem to myself, when I really consider the matter, it’s the emperor who is to be pitied for having to agonize over this. I can’t bear to look at him.

If I said this to our older brother or to our grandfather, there’s no telling how much they might resent me for it. But yesterday when I heard that it had been decided to appoint Michikane to the regency, I was actually relieved.”

“It’s disheartening to see that you’re so weak-spirited, you who ought to provide the focus for our family now that our father has passed away. But the recent proclamation on the regency is only a formality at this point, and both Korechika and I think that the real battle is yet to be fought. Michikane is ill from the current epidemic, and is only getting worse. His life will probably soon end. What is really frightening is not Michikane, but the next person.”

“You mean the steward, Michinaga?”

“That’s right. I’ve been on rather close terms with that uncle of ours, but in my judgment, if the power of government passes on to him, I’m afraid it will never return to our family. The empress dowager looks on him with special favor, and I think she secretly harbors a desire to have the regency given to Michi-50 c
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naga rather than Michikane.” Upon saying this, Takaie drew closer to the empress and tugged at the sleeve of her dark gray robe. “If such a time comes, then you must not fail to manipulate the emperor’s feelings. No doubt, it must be painful for him to think that he has disappointed you and Korechika this time.

And, of course, his majesty misses your affection. But think, too, of what will become of the prince who is sure to be born eventually. Korechika is very talented, but there is something weak-spirited about him, and as a politician he is no match for our uncle. But I’ll be able to help our brother. I may be young and of low rank now, but one day when the prince you’ll bear grows up, I’ll be his advisor and wield as much power as our uncle. At certain times, of course, political power shifts because of circumstances, but at the same time it’s also a showdown. As far as I can see, the sway you hold over the emperor is in no way weaker than that of the empress dowager. What is weak is your own spirit. Resolve that you will not give in if another opportunity like this should come around. Otherwise, you’re sure to regret it later.”

Takaie’s words were spoken softly, but his eyes were brimming with an intense light.

The empress heaved a sigh and said, “I don’t believe that sort of strength of character is in me. All of you are unfortunate to have such a spineless sister.”

“You speak that way, but the rumor among everyone on the side of the empress dowager and our uncle is that the influence you have on the emperor’s mind is just like that of Yang Kuei-fei in China.”

“The fact that they see me as Yang Kuei-fei has less to do with me than with the Japanese and Chinese books I studied under our mother’s guidance since I was small. People may talk about a woman’s talents, but it seems to be difficult for them to ascertain her personal character. In my own real intentions, there is no such bold cunning at all.”

As the empress spoke, there was in her noble visage an unusual, severe luminance, like that of the moon on a cold night. For a while Takaie stared at her silently, as if absorbed by
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his sister’s austere mien, but then he reminded her, “At any rate, the hopes of our entire family are hanging on your resourceful-ness. I shall not mention this again. Please, give this matter serious thought. . . .” Then his demeanor brightened, and, after giving instructions with a self-assured, male air on such things as the arrangement of the decorations in the hall, he took his leave.

After Takaie’s withdrawal, the empress sat lost in thought for a time. She then wrote a letter in elegant, cursive hand on light gray Chinese paper and summoned Kureha. “You are to give this letter to Ukon no Naishi, saying that it is a reply from Shò-

nagon. There will no doubt be people like the emperor’s old nurse keeping an eye on him for the empress dowager, so be careful not to attract their attention. Please, be sure to give it directly to Ukon.”

Kureha nodded attentively at the empress’ instructions as if to show that she had comprehended each one of them. Ever since the late regent had become ill, the empress had been weighed down by many worries, and Kureha was moved to pity to see that her mistress’ round white cheeks looked as if a layer had been whittled away from them. It occurred to her that the empress had not met with his majesty for a long time. Kureha herself was attuned to such subtle emotions because she had recently come to know love herself. Her lover was not one of the courtiers in service at the empress’ palace who joked with the ladies-in-waiting, and so the affair did not come to anyone’s attention there. She was in love with the secretary of the imperial police, a young military officer named Tachibana no Yukikuni. The women serving at court cared only for the aristocracy, and showed no regard for such as the imperial police, who had the ignoble occupation of handling criminals. Kureha disregarded that and was alone in having such a lover. Her affair with him had begun with a dramatic episode: on returning from her usual secret visit at the New Year to the cottage of the nun who had been Michinaga’s nurse, Kureha’s party was attacked near Sagano by bandits. Her attendants fled, and as she was about to be kidnapped, she was rescued by Yukikuni who, as luck would have it, was passing by. Following the description of this episode,
A Tale of False Fortunes
notes:
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However, this too had something about it that bespoke
Michinaga’s cunning. Yukikuni was a handsome young
man with a strong constitution, and Michinaga often gave
him charge of tasks, saying that he was the surest among
the Imperial Police to accomplish an assignment. By having someone save Kureha at a critical moment on her
return from the nun’s cottage and thereby turning her
maidenly feelings toward her rescuer, Michinaga had prepared an underling to perform an important service. After-ward, putting two and two together, it could be seen that
everything was thoroughly arranged according to Michinaga’s wishes.