A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. - B.F. Skinner
Ch1: The Opening Moves
Tetsui was a special place to Gyousou, and he truly did desire to defend it. And it was that desire that made him suspicious.
When the reports of rebellion in Bun reached him he had merely sent a couple of generals off to deal with them. And then the rebels took Tetsui hostage. Rebels holing up in Bun were hardly new, but, as any citizen of Tai knew of General Saku and the Tetsui Shields, either the rebels were extraordinarily ignorant or aimed specifically to make themselves Priority Number 1 on the king's agenda. Most rebels had low goals and poor organization, and thus making placing themselves in the path of the king's wrath was the last thing they wanted, no matter what they professed. Only insurrectionists were different. Gyousou was sure to come to Tetsui if it was invaded, so that was the most logical recourse for someone aiming to lure Gyousou out.
And that's why he went.
If the rebels were able to anticipate his reaction it could only mean that the one planning this knew how he thought. Gyousou absolutely no evidence beyond his gut feeling on who that was, so he went. But he made sure to divide the Oushi Army of the Right in half first.
For some time now he had sensed an indescribable change in Asen. When it started or how Asen had actually changed he couldn't say, so he said nothing. Nobody else noticed anything, and Gyousou himself wasn't positive it wasn't just his imagination. But his instincts told him to not trust Asen.
Whether it was Asen or not who was the mastermind, as a recently enthroned king Gyousou was bound to be the target of every corrupt official who had seized power in the interim. Individually they were not a threat, but if they united against him it would mean a bloody civil war, so Gyousou had prevented that with the Winter Hunt. He was careful to keep Asen out of that affair completely by sending him off to Ren with Taiki, so he was certain none of the most obvious candidates to form a rebellion had been rescued from execution by Asen. It was a precaution, and perhaps an unnecessary one, but Gyousou's instincts had saved his life many times.
In the case of Tetsui his instincts said going was walking right into a trap laid out specifically for him by someone close to Gyousou if not Asen himself. But at the same time he could hardly steer Tai into a new era while constantly checking his back for assassins hidden among his closest retainers. If there was a person hiding in the shadows Gyousou would force them to expose themselves by obediently stepping into their trap.
Of course, he didn't leave Kouki vacated. Among the military officers left behind were Gashin and Ganchou, who were his subordinates from his days as General of the Left, and Risai. He doubted the mastermind (if there was one) was Risai because they had only met half a year ago and the mastermind (if Gyousou had not imagined him/her) knew his thought process well. Also, not to say she didn't understand strategy or plan her movements, Risai was more inclined to react rather than plot.
With those three in charge of the military back at home combined with the countless civil servants occupying every inch of the palace, he felt safe leaving Taiki behind. It's not like he could have taken a kirin to the battle lines with him anyways, and with the combined vigilance of his shirei and retainers it was impossible to hurt him. Gouran was definitely a match for any assassin.
