It's long been said that women can transform themselves.
Well, it's now been ten days since Shurei started working in the Outer Court, disguised as a young man and doing odd jobs for the Senior Secretary of Finance.

Hello, I'm back!
Thank you Shu, and welcome back.
It must've been scorching hot outside.
It doesn't bother me.
Shu Hong.
Yes!
What can I do for you?
Put these letters in order of date and take them to the archives.
You can also tidy those shelves.
Throw away all the papers stacked over there.
Go to the archives, borrow the books listed here on the sheet and return these five texts.
On your way, drop this off at the temple, then tell the director, "What's the big idea submitting this garbage estimate, have your brains rotted away, you idiot?"
Say it exactly as I did, don't leave a single word out.
That's all.
Yes, sir.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step

I must admit I'm surprised to see her working harder than the men despite this heat.

Last time, she was acting as the royal consort.
This time, she's dressing like a boy, acting as a page.
She really is living a full life, isn't she?
But you came up with quite the idea, Koyo.
Not only did you manage to stick her into the short-staffed Department of Finance, you even specifically assigned her to Secretary Kou as his personal assistant.

Hi!
Hello, Father...uh...
Lord Shoka, I've come to return these books.
Hey, not to worry, Princess.
Right now, we're the only ones here.
It seems that Ensei's being put hard work as well, even though he only came to watch over Shurei.

While that man's as competent as they come, he's about as weird as they come, too.
Everything about Secretary Kou and his life is shrouded in mystery.
When it comes to misfortune, this might end up being the worst year of Shurei's life.

The thing that I'm nervous about is that someone's gonna figure out I'm female.
No worries about that, Princess, Koyu said so himself, didn't he?
There's no need to worry.
I mean with that figure of yours, there's no way anyone will ever notice that you're a woman.
Am I Right?
But, Senior Secretary Kou is very observant.
Don't worry, People will definitely see you as a boy, so have a bit more confidence.

What is that supposed to mean?
Uh, well...!
Wow! You're so amazingly feminine, Princess!
I mean, look, you're so good at cooking!
Nice try, you!
Once again, thank you very much, General Ran and Lord Koyu.
You brought us so much food as always.
Please, it was nothing.
You must enjoy cooking, given your lovely cuisine.
Just give us a rest.
Seiran, you're still out alone to help with hunting bandits, so make sure you eat properly, okay?
Sure.

By the way, shurei, How's work going?
Great, thank you! Every day is so much fun.
Really? Fun, huh?
Oh, Lord Koyu, if you don't mind, could you please help me study after dinner again?
Sure.
All right. We'll leave it at that for today.
Thank you very much.
Now, about today's homework...!
What an idiot.
Shu Hong.
Yes?
What can I do for you?
Tell me, if there was a surplus in the national budget, what would you do with the money?

um, that's a good question.
Well I think, I would establish financial aid for midwives and pregnant women, either that or perhaps set up some sort of financial assistance for poor and needy scholars.

Oh, and some of the money should be allocated for research on improving grains at their resistant to disasters.

There are plenty of ways to spend the budget.
Even if you have money left over, you can't feed people in a crisis, so it should be spent now in ways that would be useful in the future.

Hey, I'm back.
Ah, thanks for the hard work.
Hi, there, Ensei.
Shu Hong.
- Oh, yes sir!
Return these papers to the Koro Temple with Ensei.
Right away, sir.
That child really does work very hard, and make some pretty impressive comments too.
I can't help but think that it's such a waste.
It's only a one-month, temporary position.
Koro Temple
I had no idea Koro Temple is in such bad shape.
No wonder they've been giving such outrageous estimates. Who wouldn’t.
There’s only head that's working properly in this insane heat, that’s Senior Secretary Kou's.

Surely it's gotta be awfully hot wearing a mask like that?!
Yeah, but the rumor around the palace has it that he never takes that mask off in front of other people.
Come to think of it, he wears different ones, doesn't he?
I wonder how many those weird looking masks he's got at home!
I have to wonder why he wears a mask in the first place.
Supposedly he got rejected by a woman because of his looks.
What?
It is just a rumor.
But if it's true, then that mask of him must be hiding a really hideous face.
But looks aren't everything when it comes to people.
Secretary Kou's not a bad man.
And while he's hard on people, he's intelligent, rich, and has high social standing.

If you married him, you'd be able to live in great comfort!
That comments sure show your priorities.
What are you talking about?
Money is very important!
When it comes down to it, I'm glad Seiran asked me to be your guard these past few days.
It’s a lot of fun being with you, Princess.
I wonder if Seiran will come home safe today.
Hey, knowing him, he should be fine.
You're right.
But still, I'm really glad he has a good friend like you, Ensei.
What do you mean?
Seiran has a habit of keeping a certain distance between himself and others.
So it's really great that he has a friend that he's comfortable with, You know?

You're a good kid, Princess.
Shurei?! Is that you?!
That's strange, I could’ve swore I just sensed Shurei's presence.
But she can't be here, it must be the heat.
Wow, well, it's like he's got an animal sense of smell.

Those look heavy, please allow me to help you.
You're taking them to Secretary Kou, aren't you?
I heard that a really hardworking boy joined the Department of Finance recently, that's you right?

-So, what's your name?
-I'm Shu Hong.
Shu, is it, huh? Secretary Kou is very strict, must be difficult.
That's true, but on the other hand I find it a challenge.
What a good kid.
Um, thank you...
By the way, my dear young Shu, what do you think of me?
What do I think of you?
I don't mind if you want to be direct with me.
I think you're a nice person.
You really mean it?
Thank you for carrying all those books for me.
The Department of Finance is right over there, so... um, what's your name?
Who, me? Why... I'm your...
Never mind that, I have a better idea, please call me uncle.
You'd like me to call you uncle?
That's right, it's nice, uncle.
Well then, keep doing your best.
All right, thank you for your help.
Thanks, uncle.
Oh, music to my ears.
Goodbye, then.
I'm sure we will see each other around, my dear Shu!
Wow, the heat really does bring out the weirdoes.
Hello, sir, I'm back!
Huh?
Senior Secretary Kou must be absolutely exhausted.
He has such beautiful hair.
Wow! It's so soft, it’s like silk!
C-Could this be...?
What are you doing?
I... um...!
Shu Hong, calm yourself. What’s wrong?
Seiran!
My Lady Shurei!
What're you doing just standing there?! Back to base for now.
Yes, sir!
My Lady!

The Story of Saiunkoku

Hey, what's wrong?!
Calm down, Shu Hong! Hey.
Well there, everything's all right.
Oh, my gosh...I'm so sorry!
I got to see something really interesting today!
Stop, it's no laughing matter.
I was worried about you when the storm started, because you hate thunder so much.
But, I'm glad you didn’t have to endure it by yourself, My Lady.
This is awful! No doubt, Secretary Kou's certainly disgusted with me.
-I think this's been quite good.
-what do you mean?
Think about it, normally at this time of the year, you always get depressed and feel down.
It seems that working in the Outer Courts this month has been a good change of scenery for you, hasn't it?

Yeah, but the job is only gonna last for a month.
Shurei!
It's okay. I'm really satisfied, even if it is only for a month.
Here, a snack for our hard working Princess.
Why, Thank you, Ensei.
You know, there was a time in the past when I was thinking about taking the Regional Civil Service exams.

So you wanted to become a provincial official?
Well yeah.
And?
A number of things came up, so in the end...you know how it goes.
But hey, maybe you could take it next time, or sometime in the future.
Maybe I will. And if I do, I can study together with you, good idea huh?
Lord Koyu is an incredibly strict teacher.
Ah, wow, pass on that, then.
Hey, Ensei.
If someone keeps chasing after an impossible dream, does that make them foolish?
Let me guess, your dream is to become a court official, isn't it?
You knew
It wasn't difficult.
You're working hard like this every night until late.
And you seem to be really enjoying the work in the Outer Courts.
Yeah, but no matter how hard I try, it doesn't matter, women can't take the National Civil Service Exams.
And yet despite knowing that fact, you’re still studying hard.

I guess, but then we are free to chase after whatever dreams we desire.

You know, lately, it seems to be closer than ever.
Closer?
My dream and reality are so close right now.
Working in the Department of Finance every day, it's like the border of my dream is within reach. Like If I tried, I could grasp it in my hands.
I never really knew that becoming an adult makes it so much harder to keep chasing your dreams.

Even so, you still haven't given up, have you, Princess?
Well, no. I want to do as much as I can.
That's the Princess I know!
You gotta try, even if it’s a small bit at a time.
They say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and even small step might lead to a major goal. Especially for you.
Thanks Ensai, you've made me feel much better.
You're like fresh air in a way, aren't you?
I can sort of understand now, why Father and Seiran ended up sending you in here.
So how are you able to tell?
From how the rice balls are shaped.
Father's is the one that’s poorly formed, while Seiran's is the large, round one it’ll probably be light on salt.

After all, I did say something strange at dinner.
Wow! You're definitely a sharp one, aren't you, Princess?
And just for the record, I think you'd be really suited to become a court official.
So I hope you never give up on your dream.
Now then, back to work!
Are you still working on that proposal?
Talk about tenacious.
Well, it's lonely not being able to see Shurei, I wanna get this bill passed as quickly as possible.

In a certain sense, this is all selfishly motivated.
What are you talking about?!
This world is made up of men and women.
The idea that politics are only for men is completely outdated.
Opening the doors for women to become court officials will not only be good for them, but good for the country.

Your Majesty!
Just a little longer, Shurei.
Uncle.
Uncle, huh. I love the sound of that.
So, Reishin Hong, are you the one responsible for sending that woman to me?

No. You'd have to talk to Koyu about that one.
No doubt he thought that having you see firsthand how she worked would be the quickest way to bring you around to his way of thinking.

You knew she was a woman, yet still hired her.
We were simply short on people.
Introducing a bill for women to take the National Exams is an utterly impossible and foolish idea.

Because His Majesty wants it starting from the next exam, right?
That's why you walked out and killed it without a word.
There's not enough time to get things probably organized.
Not only will it take time to change the preconception that politics are only for men, but we'd also need to create a large number of programs for women to take the exams.
Why did you, the clever, cool-headed, cold-blooded, heartless, pitiless, icy head of the Department of Civil Affairs not oppose this ridiculous proposal?

What a foolish question. Just what have you been seeing in the child every day?
Are you suggesting she's at a level where she could pass the National Exams?
Of course. And in the top ranks, too.
That comes with Koyu's personal guarantee.
If you discount the fact that he's your adopted son, Assistant Secretary Ri is a wonderfully talented person to bear the burden of this era.

And if you ignore the regrettable fact that Shu Hong is your niece, she's actually quite superb.
Perhaps taking that young girl as my wife might not be such a bad idea.
What?! Absolutely not! I won't allow it!
You can't even tell her you're her real uncle, so what right do you have to oppose it?

This one’s my latest! Take it! Here!
I must admit this latest one of mine is a masterpiece.
It's the "slightly done in by summer heat" look.
If you wear this mask, no doubt the people around you will feel more sympathetic and realize that even great Secretary Kou must be having difficulties in this horrible summer heat.

I don't want it! Take it with you!
Um, Sir, I was wondering if you'd enjoy taking a short break?
Even if it's only once a day for tea, it won't hurt, honest.
All right.
For him to take a break so readily and drink tea, it's very unusual.
Is it Really?
Secretary Kou must be quite fond of you.
Of me?
Yes. By the way, Shu, have you taken the National Exams?
No.
What?
I was sure you would’ve tried it at least once.
In that case, you should write the next exam, and then join the Department of Finance formally, we would love to have you.

Um, I'm really happy to hear you say so sir, but to tell the truth, I'm not in a position to do the National Exams.

You can't take them?
Yuri, both Tengai Kou and Sonshi Heki have collapsed.
So the heat [is claimed] even those two in the end.
Summer will be over soon, we'll be fine if we hang in a little longer.
Sir, we'll be sure to keep doing our best. Right, Ensei?
Ah, oh yeah sure, of course.
Well, there's always something we can handle that is.
In that case, Ensei, as of now, you're a temporary administrative official of the Department of Finance.

You're responsible for the work of the two that just collapsed, I'll write a letter of authority later.

You can handle this, can't you?
Why? Why can't I get to His Majesty's rooms?
I've gone there countless times!
I don't believe this, how can I possibly get lost?
Assistant Secretary Ri.
Hello there, Assistant Secretary Kei.
I wanted to discuss something about Shu.
Have they found out she's a girl?
Has he been causing any problems?
Not at all, in fact, quite the opposite, he works really hard.
Secretary Kou seems to have taken to him as well.
Oh? The Senior Secretary?
I think he would make an excellent official.
When I asked him about it, he was evasive, and said that he can't take the National Civil Service Exams.
So, I was thinking, if there is some financial reason for that, then I would be very happy to become Shu's sponsor

Assistant Secretary Kei, I know for a fact that Shu Hong would be very honor to hear those words from you.

However, I regret to inform you he cannot accept your offer.
I believe you'll understand the reason later, once that person becomes an official.

Then, Shu will take the National Exams?
When the time comes, I think either my superior or I will take care of the sponsorship.
That's wonderful news.
By the way, secretary Kei,
Yes?
Where are you on your way to now?
Oh, actually I'm delivering a rush letter to His Majesty.
Oh, what an interesting coincidence.
As a matter of fact, so am I. Let's go together.
Hunting bandits again tonight, Ensei?
So you noticed then?
You could say that.
And even if I hadn't noticed you sneaking away, I'd figure it out, each and every bandit we've captured said that they were searching for a man with a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek

Oh boy.
I don't know what are you up to, but don't cause any trouble for the master or my lady.
What?
Nothing .
I was just thinking about how lucky you were to be taken in by such a good family.
Princess really works hard every night, doesn't she?
Yeah.
You know the two of you should get married.
What’d you just say?
That way everything would fall neatly into place for you.
She'd be able to continue studying and people around her would stop saying she should get married soon.

And as for you, well, given your rotten and crappy personality, there aren't too many women you’d want to spend your life with, are there?

Keep this up, and I'll inform General Haku that you've been going out and hunting Sa Province's bandits every night.

Sorry! I won't say another word! Later!
Honestly.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Next Episode
Just who is Ensei, anyway?
He's got a shaggy beard, and is pretty uncouth, but he works well and has a great heart.
He seems to be a good fighter. And he's being hunted by bandits.
Wait, What?!