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Japan, 1709. The shogun is old and ailing. Amid the ever-treacherous intrigue in the court, Sano Ichir has been demoted from chamberlain to a lowly patrol guard. His relationship with his wife Reiko is in tatters, and a bizarre new alliance between his two enemies Yanagisawa and Lord Ienobu has left him puzzled and wary. Sanos onetime friend Hirata is a reluctant conspirator in a plot against the ruling regime. Yet, Sanos dedication to the Way of the Warriorthe samurai code of honoris undiminished.Then a harrowing, almost inconceivable crime takes place. In his own palace, the shogun is stabbed with a fan made of painted silk with sharp-pointed iron ribs. Sano is restored to the rank of chief investigator to find the culprit. This is the most significant, and most dangerous, investigation of his career.