Chapter 19: Volume 2 - CH 1.2

Jusetsu finds out more about the mysterious ghost~~

Also I wanted to make a post about my thoughts on episode 1 but got kinda lazy so I’ll just put it here: it feels a bit rushed but I think they did the best they could since the first chapter crams in a lot of information, although I think it would have been better if it was a one-hour episode instead, also I wish the op animation was better since when I first watched it I was like “wtf”, which is a shame since it’s a good song

Translation Notes

1. Star raven is the literal translation of hoshigarasu, or spotted nutcracker, but I decided to translate it literally in order to make the significance clearer

2. I don’t know if I mentioned this before but  夜猫子 or night cat is another name for owls

3. Cat-headed eagle or maotouying is the actual Chinese name for owls

4. Nuidono (縫殿, short for 縫殿寮) or the Clothing Bureau is the office in charge of the emperor/empress’s wardrobe and the court ladies in ancient Japan

5. Sanpaku eyes are “eyes in which either the white space above or below the iris is revealed.” According to Chinese/Japanese face reading, it’s believed that people with sanpaku eyes attract accidents and violence.

It was already late at night, so she decided to have Ishiha return to Hien Palace that night and go there the next day. It would be unfortunate if his lack of sleep interfered with his work and he got beaten again. Children had to get a good night’s sleep. That was one of Reijou’s teachings.

The next morning, Jusetsu left Yamei Palace, accompanied by Jiujiu. Her usual black ruqun was too conspicuous, so she wore a purple outer robe and yellow dress. Those were given to her by Kajou, one of the consorts of the inner palace.

“Wouldn’t it have been lovely if you had worn that comb? It goes so well with this outfit.”

Jiujiu grumbled. She was talking about the ivory comb patterned after birds and waves. Koushun had given it to her to match these clothes.

“I won’t wear that one.”

“Why not? His Majesty would be disappointed.”

Jusetsu sullenly stayed quiet. She didn’t know how to put it into words. Also, it was something she couldn’t tell Jiujiu about.

Jusetsu and Koushun were “friends.”

——I want to be your good friend.

When she recalled Koushun’s face as he pledged that, painful, warm feelings almost burst out and overflowed from her. Even though it wouldn’t repay any of her feelings until now or any of the pain in the future, Koushun’s words certainly did become a light that dwelled in Jusetsu’s heart.

A faint, gentle light. But, it was her only salvation.

However, because of that, Jusetsu didn’t know how to deal with Koushun. He often visited her and chatted with her over tea, but she still wondered what kind of attitude she should take with him. Should she welcome him as a friend? But, she didn’t know how to show her welcome. In the first place, what were friends, and what did they do? Unfortunately, Koushun didn’t know much about it either.  

As she was walking with her brow furrowed, Jiujiu asked her, “You have such a gloomy look on your face. Whatever is the matter?” Jiujiu peppered her with questions just by her changing expressions a little bit. Part of her thought, Leave me be, but she also felt lonely if she wasn’t questioned. She had never felt like this before. Once she became familiar with it, she couldn’t go back to how she was before.

“Oh, Niangniang, I see a strange bird.”

When they entered the laurel and rhododendron thicket that surrounded Yamei Palace, Jiujiu stopped in her tracks and pointed at a branch. There was a bird with brown feathers spotted with white perched on it. Its dark eyes seemed to be looking at them.

“That is a star raven.” (1)

It was called that because its white spots looked like stars. It was said to be the retainer of Wulian Niangniang—a goddess. Even on the mural of Wulian Niangniang in the back of Yamei Palace, it was drawn the biggest, and the shrine in the imperial palace was called “Seiu Temple.”

“This is the first time I’m seeing one. It lives in the inner palace, I see.”

“’Tis a bird that came from somewhere else recently. It seems to have taken a liking to this forest, so it is making it its home.”

There were no night cats (2) in the inner palace because Wulian Niangniang abhorred them. Even the word “owl” itself was a taboo, so names like “night cats” and “cat-eagles” (3) were used instead. Perhaps because of that, small birds lived peacefully here. That might also be the reason why that star raven was living here. It had a relatively loud call, so it was easy to be surprised by it. Even now, it had its beak pointed upwards, but instead of letting out a loud “gah,” it flew away.

“What a pretty bird. Ravens are all black, but the star raven’s white spots are adorable.”

Jiujiu seemed to have taken a liking to the star raven. She was saying things like, I wonder what it eats.

After passing through the thicket and proceeding through the walkways, the banksia rose hedges of Hien Palace appeared in their view. The flowers have already stopped blooming, but their greenery was still beautiful. The blue-glazed roof tiles gave off a refreshing shine in the white sunlight of the morning. There were tiles with sparrow ornaments on the roof, and there were several sparrows resting their wings there.

Jusetsu headed for the back entrance used by palace ladies and servants who performed domestic duties. It would be too troublesome to visit from the front. Jusetsu hadn’t met the Sparrow Mistress, who lived in this palace, nor did she know her name.

The kitchens, the sewing quarters (4), and the residences of the palace ladies were located behind the palace. Jusetsu could hear the women busily working inside the buildings.

“Is that you, Jiujiu?”

An old palace lady, coming out from the building on the right, spotted Jusetsu and Jiujiu and called out to them. She was holding a basket full of fabrics.

“Gugu!”

Jiujiu called out to her happily. It was the palace lady from the Palace Dyeing Bureau who Jusetsu met before. Her name was Ashuu.

“Didn’t you become an attendant at Yamei Palace? The girl next to you, if I remember correctly, is——"

Ashuu looked puzzled when her eyes turned to Jusetsu. When they met before, Jusetsu was wearing a plain coral ruqun, the uniform of the Palace Cleaning Bureau palace ladies. Right now, she was dressed in a beautiful patterned ruqun befitting of a consort.

“This is the Raven Consort, Gugu.”

Huh? Ashuu’s eyes widened. When Jiujiu explained that she was pretending to be a palace lady before, she looked more and more puzzled. Even so, she put down her basket and put her hands together, then bowed to Jusetsu.

“I want to see the rabbit-ear irises in the garden.”

Jusetsu said. Ashuu’s eyes seemed to ask Why?, but she led them there without saying anything unnecessary.

The garden was in the center of the palace. After walking down a stone path and passing by pagoda trees with lushly verdant leaves, they saw a clump of splendid rabbit-ear irises at the end of the path. The willow trees planted around the area swayed gently in the wind. The scent of water was dense. There was a magnificent palace in front of the rabbit-ear irises. That was probably the palace where the Sparrow Mistress lived. Blue flag irises, common irises, and yellow irises were planted up to the palace, partitioned off by stone paved paths. Each of them either liked wetlands or disliked moisture, so even though the flowers looked similar, they had different characteristics. It must have been a painstaking effort to grow them.

Under the bluish-white sky, Jusetsu stared at the rabbit-ear irises, but could see no ghost there. ——However…

“…”

She sensed a presence. The presence was between the rabbit-ear irises, flickering like a heat haze.

Jusetsu stood in the shade of the trees and stared at the flowers with narrowed eyes. She then called to Ashuu, who was standing behind her.

“Have you ever heard of a eunuch’s ghost appearing here?”

Ashuu briefly looked like she was tracing back her memories, but answered frankly, “No, I have not heard anything like that.” She was an old-timer palace lady, so she was well-versed in the rumors of the inner palace. If she didn’t know about it, then it most likely didn’t exist as a rumor.

However, Ashuu continued with unexpected words.

“I haven’t heard of a ghost, but I do remember hearing a story about a Hien Palace eunuch.”

“What sort of story?”

“A story about a eunuch who was in love with a consort.”

“Ho,” Jusetsu turned around to look at Ashuu.

“This is a story from the previous emperor’s reign. A eunuch from the Hatan tribe once worked at this palace. He was only ten. In that region, there are many children who are made into eunuchs in order to reduce the number of mouths to feed. For that reason, that region is also called the ‘Land of Eunuchs.’ That child also seemed to be one of them.”

Because she was talking to the Raven Consort, Ashuu’s way of speaking was much more polite, very different from before. As an old-timer, she seemed to know how to switch very easily.

“He was still an apprentice chu’er, but they say he was in love with the Sparrow Mistress at that time. Since he was still a child, I suppose it was an exaggeration to say he was in love. The Sparrow Mistress was a girl about fifteen or sixteen years of age. She was apparently a kind person who spoke to even the eunuchs without discrimination. They say that she was terribly fond of the bird feathers that the eunuch presented to her.”

“Bird feathers?”

“The tail feathers of a blue sparrow. They were beautiful, so she made them into hair ornaments.”

A sparrow with deep blue wings. They lived in the forests and thickets of the inner palace. Their feathers were beautiful, but their cries were also exceptionally clear.

“Of course, nothing could have happened between the eunuch and the Sparrow Mistress. They were children. I heard that the eunuch died after that, but I’m not sure of the details. It was said that after the death of the previous emperor, the Sparrow Mistress was given to General You of the northern Forbidden Army in marriage.”

When the emperor died, the concubines must leave the inner palace. Some returned home, while others married again. Most of them married retainers, but there were some who married merchants. The only consort who didn’t leave the inner palace even when the emperor died was the Raven Consort.

——Or perhaps I should say, she can’t leave.

“That is all I’ve heard. I don’t know any other stories about eunuchs at Hien Palace.”

“Do you know the eunuch’s name?”

“My apologies, but I do not.”

“Then, do you know any eunuchs who worked at Hien Palace during the previous emperor’s reign?”

“No,” Ashuu shook her head in bewilderment. “I don’t believe there are any among the eunuchs currently working here, but I’m not sure.”

“I see. Then, that will be all. I won’t impede your work any further. You were very helpful.”

Jusetsu thanked Ashuu and allowed her to leave. Ashuu bowed deeply while stealing glances at her with eyes shining with curiosity, and then returned to her station. Jusetsu wondered what kind of rumors she would bring to the palace ladies after this. It would most likely be something like, Listen, I met the Raven Consort. She actually exists, you see.

Jusetsu turned back to the cluster of rabbit-ear irises. She brought her hand to her hair, which was tied in two rings. There were peony flowers tucked into her hair. They were Jusetsu’s magic in the shape of peonies. When she was about to take one of them out, she heard someone shout, “Lady Raven Consort!” She dropped her hand and turned towards it. There was a eunuch running on the stone path from the palace. It was Ishiha.

“La…lady Raven Consort…”

It seemed that he had run here in a hurry, as he was breathing wildly, his shoulders heaving. He was about to kneel down and greet her, but Jusetsu stopped him.

“No need to bow. Is it okay for you to leave your shifu’s side?”

“It’s…it’s…okay. Shifu is…paying a courtesy call to the Sparrow Mistress right now…and I still can’t appear before her yet…”

He spoke between gasping breaths. Chu’er couldn’t appear before their mistresses—in this case, the Sparrow Mistress. It was only when the shifu deemed that they were ready that they could be in her presence.

Ishiha wiped the sweat from his forehead. A courtesy call wouldn’t take up a lot of time. She must hurry to confirm things with him. It would be troublesome if the Sparrow Mistress found them as well.

Jusetsu pulled Ishiha into the shade of a tree so they wouldn’t be conspicuous and pointed at the rabbit-ear irises.

“Can you see the ghost?”

Ishiha turned his head to the flowers. He immediately nodded.

“Yes, he’s there.”

Jusetsu nodded back and pulled a peony from her hair. It slowly transformed when placed on her palm. The pink petals came apart one by one and turned into smoke and dissolved. Jusetsu blew on the smoke.

The pink smoke trailed and drifted over to the rabbit-ear irises. Gradually, it gathered in one place, and the faint figure of a person appeared beyond it. Seeing it slowly becoming darker, Jiujiu let out a small “Ah” and hurriedly covered her mouth.

Within the faint smoke, there was a eunuch. He could still be called a child. He shared similar traits with Ishiha. Tanned skin, freckles, dark eyes, and a flat nose. It was a boy eunuch from the Hatan tribe.

He was standing in the middle of the blooming rabbit-ear irises, facing the Sparrow Mistress’s palace. His clear, almost transparent eyes were fixed on the palace. They were filled with sorrow. Even now, he looked like he was about to cry, and his eyes stirred her heart. There was nothing like a child’s crying face that made you want to do something about it.

He was gripping something in his hand. Something blue——

“…The feather of a blue sparrow.”

The boy eunuch was holding a blue sparrow’s tail feather.

She recalled Ashuu’s story from earlier. The story about the boy eunuch who presented blue sparrow feathers to the Sparrow Mistress. Was that eunuch this ghost?

Jusetsu moved smoothly towards him. His mouth was moving. He was murmuring something. His voice was high and thin. It seemed that he was murmuring only one word. But it didn’t make sense to her. As soon as Jusetsu turned towards Ishiha, he rushed over without saying a word. A smart child.

“What is he saying?”

She assumed that he was speaking in the language of the Hatan tribe. At Jusetsu’s question, Ishiha listened closely to the ghost’s voice.

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“——He’s saying, ‘I’m sorry.’”

“I’m sorry…?”

What was he apologizing for?

Jusetsu was about to ponder over it, but this wasn’t the time to be leisurely. She blew a breath at the pink smoke again. As the smoke dissipated, the ghost faded and could no longer be seen. It didn’t disappear; it was merely that no one could see it except Ishiha.

“…You were most likely able to see him because you’re from the same tribe and around the same age.”

As well as clear eyes that couldn’t be deceived.

“We’re finished here. Go.”

Jusetsu waved her hand and prompted him to return. Ishiha bowed and left, but he was glancing back at the rabbit-ear irises as though his hair was being pulled from behind.

“Ah. I forgot to ask his shifu’s name.”

She realized it after Ishiha left. She had thought that she needed to ask him.

“Why not ask someone around here to ask him to come to you…?” Jiujiu asked quizzically.

“Call Ishiha’s shifu, you say? If I ask him about the ghost, he would know that Ishiha has come to me for advice, in spite of being ordered to keep quiet.”

He might get beaten again.

“There would be no issue if I only happened to see the ghost, but…it would be too troublesome to question all the eunuchs one after another.”

All eunuchs wore gray robes, but the shade was differed depending on rank. It would be best if she could find a eunuch in dark grey robes, but she didn’t know how high their rank should be.

Even while muttering about how troublesome this was, Jusetsu headed for the palace. “Niangniang, you really do care for Ishiha quite a lot,” Jiujiu said as she followed her.

“Not particularly, it isn’t like that.”

“Niangniang, there are things you don’t realize about yourself.”

“What are they?”

“The fact that you’re kind, Niangniang.”

Jusetsu glanced at Jiujiu.

“Most people would feel pity when they see a child being beaten. It is not kindness, it is pity.”

“Yes, that is so. That’s why you’re kind, Niangniang. After all, aren’t you doing all that you can for him? Kindness isn’t thoughts, it’s action.”

Jusetsu was at a loss as to what to respond.

“…You’re quite soft-hearted. Better that you be careful,” she said with a sigh.

“Thank you very much,” Jiujiu laughed.

They went around one of the palaces and arrived at the back. At that moment, they heard a grating sound like something was being hit. Jusetsu furrowed her brow.

——This sound is…

Getting a bad feeling, Jusetsu broke into a dash. She ran between the palaces and ended up in front of the banksia rose shrubs that surrounded the palace. There were no stone-paved paths here, and the ground was bare. It seemed that the surrounding palaces were the residences of the eunuchs. There were a few eunuchs huddled together on the way. Two eunuchs were making a boy eunuch stand on his knees, and another eunuch standing behind him was holding a stick. Standing near them was a eunuch wearing gray robes that were darker than the other eunuchs. He was looking down at the boy with a stern look on his face. Without even needing to look at his face, Jusetsu knew that the boy was Ishiha.

The eunuch holding the stick was brandishing it aloft, so Jusetsu raised her voice.

“Stop it!”

The eunuchs looked at Jusetsu in surprise at her sharp voice. Jusetsu sped up her pace and approached them.

“What are you doing? Let go of him.”

When she glared at the eunuchs who were holding down Ishiha, the two hurriedly let go of their hands as though pressured.

“I sincerely apologize for showing you something so unsightly, Niangniang.”

The eunuch in the dark gray robes knelt respectfully and bowed with his hands clasped in front of his chest. He probably didn’t know who Jusetsu was, but he bowed after perceiving that she was a concubine. He was a eunuch with smooth cheeks and a bad complexion. His lips were thin and pale. He had a prominent forehead and seemed clever and good-looking, but his sanpaku eyes (5) showed that he had a short temper. This was probably Ishiha’s shifu. The color of his robes was darker than low-ranked eunuchs, but not as dark as those of high-ranked eunuchs.

“You must have been shocked, but this is a common punishment for eunuchs, Niangniang. Please disregard us.”

In a polite tone, he told her not to meddle. He probably judged that Jusetsu was a low-ranking concubine with only one attendant and looked down on her. Jusetsu looked at Ishiha. He was biting his lip and holding back his tears.

Jusetsu turned a cold gaze to his shifu.

“What is your name?”

“Ah, it’s Kouran.”

“Kouran, huh. I am the Raven Consort.”

For the first time, Kouran’s face, which had been shrewdly examining Jusetsu’s face, looked shaken.

“The—the Raven Consort is here? That’s—”

It seemed that he was hesitating over the correct way to deal with her. How should he handle the mysterious Raven Consort, who almost never left her palace and used uncanny arts?

“Why is this boy being punished?”

Jusetsu looked at Ishiha. Kouran bowed his head and answered.

“He left his post without permission and disappeared, so this is his punishment.”

“Then it is my fault.”

What? Kouran was about to look up, but immediately lowered his head. Eunuchs were not allowed to gaze at the faces of consorts.

“I found this boy and ordered him to lead me to the garden. His name is Ishiha, yes? I asked his name at that time.”

“Ah…yes, this boy’s name is Ishiha.”

“Therefore, the blame is on me. I apologize. Forgive Ishiha.”

“…I see, so that is the case.”

Very well, then, he answered, but she could see that he wasn’t convinced. She wondered if she should threaten him a little. It would be a problem if Ishiha was beaten after she left.

“By the way, there’s something I would like to ask you.”

“What is it, Niangniang?”

“Was there a eunuch who died in Hien Palace during the reign of the previous emperor?”

Kouran’s face stiffened.

“He was a eunuch from the Hatan tribe. He was still a child, see, about Ishiha’s age. He’s in the garden. Standing in the middle of the rabbit-ear irises, holding a blue sparrow feather—”

All the eunuchs paled.

“Ishiha was saying such nonsense to the Lady Raven Consort?”

Kouran’s pale face grimaced. Jusetsu looked down at him coldly.

“I have only told you what I saw with my own eyes. Are you calling that nonsense?”

“N-No—”

“Kouran,” Jusetsu fixed her gaze on him. “You know about the deceased eunuch, do you not?”

Kouran twitched in surprise, and this time he looked up. He met Jusetsu’s eyes directly and stiffened as though entranced. Jusetsu’s eyes were filled with the radiance of obsidian, and while they were a deep, unfathomably dark color, they were quietly clear. To a terrifying degree.

“You cannot hide anything from me.”

“Ye…yes, certainly, I do know that there was once a Hatan tribe eunuch who died at Hien Palace,” Sweat beaded Kouran’s forehead. His voice was shaking slightly. “I heard that he was beheaded for some kind of reprehensible act, but I don’t know the details. It’s the truth.”

——He was executed? Because he was in love with a consort?

“…Despite knowing that, you accused me of speaking nonsense?”

“M-My sincerest apologies. It was merely that I knew that the Sparrow Mistress would be offended if she heard about this.”

“So that was why you decided to remain silent when you heard that the ghost appeared?”

My apologies, Kouran repeated. “The area around the rabbit-ear irises is in front of the Sparrow Mistress’s palace, and it is the most beautiful spot in the garden. If a ghost appeared there…”

“Do you know the name of the deceased eunuch?”

Jusetsu interrupted Kouran’s tedious explanation and asked. No, he answered. She then asked, “Do you know any Hien Palace eunuchs from the previous emperor’s reign?” But he answered no again.

——If I ask Koushun, would he know about this matter?

She didn’t want to request anything from him, but there was no other choice.

“Listen well, do not carry out any more of this ridiculous punishment, for nothing good will befall you. I already know your name.”

Names used for curses. Jusetsu asked his name at the beginning in order to make this threat. Kouran bowed, his face chalk-white. Jusetsu glanced at Ishiha and saw that he looked slightly relieved.

Jusetsu left Hien Palace, and on the way back to Yamei Palace, she called out, “Onkei.”

A eunuch lightly got down from the laurel tree next to her. He knelt at her side. This beautiful eunuch who was just under twenty years of age was Jusetsu’s bodyguard. Onkei bowed his head, which had a horizontal knife scar on his cheek, and waited for Jusetsu’s orders.

“Give a message to Koushun. Tell him to come to Yamei Palace soon.”

Onkei simply said, Yes, and swiftly left.

When the kneeling Kouran could no longer see Jusetsu, he finally stood up. Even though he hadn’t been running, he was breathless.

“Are you all right, sir?”

A subordinate eunuch asked anxiously and part suspiciously. He seemed to be asking, Should you really be so frightened, even if you were dealing with the mysterious Raven Consort?

Kouran gulped, not even bothering to wipe the sweat on his brow. His sweat was cooling down.

“…In the Raven Consort’s eyes.”

The voice that spilled out of his mouth was hoarse.

“There is a monster in her eyes.”

Saying only that, Kouran’s body trembled.

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