Censorate

The **Censorate** (御史台 *Gyoshidai*) is a high level supervisory agency in the Outer Court of the Imperial Palace. The seal bears a crest of the **Rising Sun and Paulownia Flowers** (旭日と桐 *Kyokujitsu To Kiri Hana*). They are in charge of inspection and has independent investigation and apprehension rights (specialises in the inspection of government officials).

## Information

The Censorate is one of the two major secret meeting places of the Noble Faction. The organisation is composed mostly of members of the Noble Faction, so there is some doubt about their impartiality. There are undercover officials for unofficial and covert inspections. Stories tell of righteous Censors revealing corruption as well as Censors who accept bribes. They are feared and disliked, and have to move around constantly to perform their duties but their mobility renders even the Emperor speechless.

* The highest position available in this Ministry is **Chief Censor** (御史大夫 *Gyoshitaifu*). The Chief of the Censorate is ranked above the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and the holder of the Upper Senior Third Court Rank. Previously, the Chief’s rank was at the same level as the Vice-Ministers of the Six Ministries, but it was raised during Ou Ki’s time as Chief.
* The second highest position available in this Ministry is **Deputy Chief Censor** (御史中丞 *Gyoshichūjō*). They are the holder of the Uppers Senior Fifth Court Rank.
* The third highest position available in this Ministry is **Attendant Censor** (侍御史 *Jigyoshi*). They are aides to the Chief Censor and Deputy Chief Censor. They are holders of the Lower Senior Sixth Court Rank.
* The fourth highest position available in this Ministry is **Palace Censor** (殿中侍御史 *Denchūjigyoshi*). They are holders of the Upper Junior Seventh Court Rank.
* **Investigative Censors** (監察御史 *Kansatsugyoshi*) are the **King's Officials** (王の官吏 *Ō no Kanri*). They are described as the "Eyes and Ears" of the Emperor who check officials at each level to prevent corruption and malfeasance, a common occurrence in that period. Their official rank may be low, but they possess dismissal rights not even Provincial Governors have. They have vast independent authority to indict any official regardless of their rank, including their own Chief and the Prime Minister. They are holders of the Upper Senior Eighth Court Rank.
* **Patrol Censors** (巡察御史 *Junatsugyoshi*) are Censors that travel around the country, collecting information and investigating wrongdoing. It is a long-term and laborious task so only young officials with considerable physical strength and stamina are given this job. Though the job is difficult, Patrol Censors amass a lot of investigative experience and knowledge of provincial politics. More often than not, they return to the Outer Court with undeniable strength and growth.

## Members

### Ou Ki

**Ou Ki** (旺 季 *Ō Ki*) was a Chief Censor during Shi Senka's reign. Ou Ki rose the Court Rank of this position. Before becoming the Chief, he spent ten years as a Patrol Censor. On his travels, he went to Ran Province and stopped the practice of human sacrifice here. He told the locals to throw manjuu instead of people into the sea to calm the whirlpools, becoming a sort of legend. He retired from this position after becoming the Secretary of the Department of Royal Commandment Affairs. He was succeeded by Ki Kouki.

### Ki Kouki

**Ki Kouki** (葵 皇毅 *Ki Kōki*) was the last known Chief Censor during Shi Senka's reign and the first during Shi Ryuuki's reign. He retired from this position after becoming Prime Minister. He aimed to be Chief Censor since his mentor and guardian Ou Ki, who he respected greatly, was one. He was succeeded by Riku Seiga.

### Shiba Jin

**Shiba Jin** (司馬 迅 *Shiba Jin*) was an Attendant Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. This fact wasn't well known. He stayed in this position for one year before becoming the Vice-Minister of Defense.

### Riku Seiga

**Riku Seiga** (陸 清雅 *Riku Seiga*) was the last known Chief Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. He joined the Censorate when he was only 14 years old and immediately became Kouki's favourite and most trusted Censor, so he is referred to as the **Chief Censor's Dear Child** (御史台長官の秘蔵っ子 *Gyoshidai Choukan no Hizokko*). He likes to go undercover during investigations. Seiga was feared by all officials while he was an Investigative Censor because he was willing to do anything and use anyone as long as the people he is suspicious of were indicted. His ruthlessness cause people to start calling him the **Official Killer** (官吏殺し *Kanrigoroshi*). He became an Attendant Censor for about a year before succeeding Kouki as Chief Censor when Kouki became Prime Minister.

### Shin Suou

**Shin Suou** (榛 蘇芳 *Shin Suō*) was a Patrol Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. After being dismissed from the Department of the Central Secretariat, his father bought him a position in the Censorate. But by then, he no longer cared about doing work since he was never rewarded for his hard work. After the counterfeiting incident, he was dismissed from the Censorate as well and demoted to Joukan. Kouki originally didn't care if Suou was executed along with his father, Shin Ensai, since he believed he was useless. But while he was a Joukan, he made a deal with Kouki which was, in exchange for saving his father, from execution, Suou would join the Censorate. Though Kouki had become aware of his sharp intuition and keen observation skills by this time, the real reason he was asked to join was to observe Shuurei. He became Shuurei's assistant when she was recruited for this purpose. Kouki said he was valuable because he didn't stand out in any way so people would underestimate him, allowing his talents to become a great weapon for the Censorate. When Shuurei was about to be fired for entering Kyuusai Cove against Kouki's orders, Suou told him to fire him instead. However, acknowledging that he was too valuable to let go, Kouki promoted him to Patrol Censor. He was sent to Heki Province so he could investigate the locust plague and then with Shuurei to Kou Province. In the future, he becomes a renowned Censor.

### Kou Shuurei

**Kou Shuurei** (紅 秀麗 *Kō Shūrei*) was a Investigative Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. While she was a Joukan, Suou had managed to convince Kouki to give her a job in the Censorate and find incriminating evidence in relation to the counterfeited money for her to use to find a job. It was later revealed that Ou Ki and Yuushun had recommended her to the Censorate. Although Kouki was originally skeptical about her ability to do this job, he recognised her potential to be as good as Seiga one day. Being someone who wanted to help everyone, she often had an idealistic and reckless approach to problem solving but she changed drastically in her years as a Censorate. Shuurei remained the same person on the inside, but approached issues more calmly and rationally. She eventually did meet Kouki's expectations of her, inheriting Seiga's nickname as the **Official Killer** (官吏殺し *Kanrigoroshi*). Kou Shuurei was given a job as a Patrol Censor and stayed on the job for three years before returning to her original position. She managed to travel across the whole country. Shuurei eventually retires to marry Ryuuki.

### Rou Ensei

**Rou Ensei** (浪 燕青 *Rō Ensei*) was an Investigative Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. He gave up his chance to take the Imperial Exams to become Shuurei's assistant which Kouki approved. Kouki had previously offered him a position as an Investigative Censor but he declined, saying that he promised to support Shuurei until her time as an official ended. When Shuurei finally becomes Ryuuki's Consort and enters the Imperial Harem (and retiring from being an official), he chooses to take over her position and become an Investigative Censor.

### Mei Sai

**Mei Sai** (茗 才 *Mei Sai*) was an Patrol Censor during Shi Ryuuki's reign. He actually went undercover in Sa Province to gather information on the Sa Clan's activities and the state of Sa Province. Apparently, he was overworked by Ensei and Yuushun so Ensei would bring Mei Sai's reports to Kouki at New Year's. Because of this, Ensei knew that Mei Sai was a Censor.