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effective. In Sha’angh’sei it is often said that the direct approach is not always the most successful. I talked quite briefly with Du-Sing when he came with his escort to take the body of his son. His mind is quite made up on this matter, I am afraid. Now I must try other means to attain a reconciliation.”
    â€œHow can I be of help?” Moichi said.
    The Regent nodded. “There are two things, quite unrelated. First, come with me to The Screaming Monkey to aid in the investigation.”
    â€œYou mean you wish to prove that Omojiru was murdered by someone other than a Red.”
    Aerent smiled. “I wish to get at the truth. Omojiru may indeed have been felled by a Red assassin. There is certainly enough motivation; his gambling debts had risen alarmingly recently.” He shrugged. “Perhaps he was expecting money from Du-Sing which was not forthcoming.” The Regent stood by the table now. It had been brought from his old barracks-house on Dawndragon Lane on his insistence. It had served him well and faithfully when he was a rikkagin, he had said, and it would do so again. He had wanted no part of the ornate silver-and-crystal desk which had initially been ordered by the contractors for this room. He leaned over it now, took a large-bowled pipe from a black wooden rack and made himself very busy for several moments filling it with a dark tobacco. Only after he had methodically tamped down the full bowl and got the thing going did he continue. His profile was to Moichi as he said, “Second, I have just received a message of state from Ama-no-mori. A fast clipper out of the southern out-islands brought it in early this morning.” Moichi sat up, certain that here was news of his friend, the Dai-San. “I am told—” he sucked at his pipe—“that the Kunshin’s daughter will arrive on tomorrow morning’s tide.” He swung around to face the navigator. “I wish you to keep her safe during her stay—”
    â€œYou mean baby-sit, by God!” Moichi cried, standing up.
    Aerent smiled genially, calm as ever. “You know Azuki-iro, my friend. Do you believe that he would send us a helpless girl?” He shook his head by way of emphasis. “Not the Bujun. No, the Kunshin sends us a daughter who he wants made aware of the world outside Ama-no-mori. Besides”—he grinned broadly—“the message of state specifically requested your aid in this matter.” Aerent paused, his pipe in his hand. A thin curl of smoke drifted up against the side of his face making him squint as if he were gazing into the sun. The Regent’s dark eyes were on Moichi. Never had they seemed so clear nor filled with such compassion. He put his hand on the navigator’s shoulder. “My friend,” he said evenly, “don’t think that I don’t know you. I understand your restlessness here, your desire to return to the sea. Be assured that I have talked with Llowan. But for the time being, there is nothing either of us can do. There are no ships available now and we can only exert so much pressure on the shipowners’ guild. The time is not yet right for you. But soon, eh? Soon.”
    Rain beat down out of a low fulminating sky as they rode through the streets of the city. They were without an escort, an encumbrance Aerent would not tolerate. The seals of state were emblazoned on the Regent’s mount’s harness and on his own dark swirling cape and this was all he felt was required. As for the newly rekindled war, if Du-Sing—or Lui Wu, for that matter, the tai-pan of the Reds—learned that he had been attacked, the assailants would be summarily executed by the tai-pans’ own hands. An attack was hardly likely, in any event, since the Regent was well known throughout Sha’angh’sei.
    There was construction on Brown Bear Road and the ground there was mired in mud so they detoured, taking Quince Street, then