Edo, July 1698. Lord Mori is found murdered and mutilated in his bed, with the pregnant Reiko lying beside him and a blood-soaked chrysanthemum at the scene. She claims she entered the estate to investigate allegations that Mori abused and killed boys, but physical evidence appears to contradict her account.
Witnesses offer incompatible versions of the night, and Mori is made to accuse Sano through a spiritual medium. Unless Sano can establish what happened, Reiko, their unborn child and Sano himself face execution for treason. The case turns on memory, staged evidence and the political value of a story repeated with sufficient authority.
The political danger is heightened by Sano’s position at the shogun’s court, where an accusation against his wife can be interpreted as evidence about his own loyalty. Spiritual testimony, household rivalry and forensic clues therefore compete within a system in which rank influences which version of events is accepted. The investigation becomes a struggle not only to identify a killer but to prevent political authority from converting suspicion into irreversible judgement.
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