A/N: There are so many problems in China back then, corruption and the fight for power, just to name a few. Now there is getting to be a hand full of characters. I liked the beginning were there were only like five, but now with all those officials. I hope it doesn't get confusing.

Oh, and I have to change one thing. Inuyasha and Kagome are going to be nineteen. I really didn't think it through during the first chapter, but fifteen is WAY too young. I'll try to change the parts where I wrote fifteen. Sorry.

Hopefully, I portrayed everything in the correct manner. Enjoy!

Chapter Sixteen

Injustice

Inuyasha and the monk reached the burial grounds by noon. The skies were clear and the place was peaceful. There was already a large monument erected and a large rectangular hold right in front of it.

Around the area were many other sites of burial of the previous nobility. It was only the most powerful and wealthy that ever got to be buried on these mountains. These mountains were the highest in all of China, known to be the closest to heaven.

The king was to be buried not at the utmost peak, but on one of the sides. The monk got out the carriage and called to the other monks that were already there. They helped take out the coffin from in the back.

Inuyasha helped carry his father to his last resting place. They lowered the coffin down. The hole was about ten times bigger than the coffin itself. Around the coffin there were clay solders and horses, food and water, and gold. The king would be buried with these items to make his stay in heaven more enjoyable.

The monks got down to their knees and in unison, the monk that had traveled with Inuyasha, started the prayers. Inuyasha prayed with them. The prayers were soft and calming, taking the dead to their final resting place.

&

Sango and her mom were in tears. "Yang did not do anything wrong! Ximong set him up!" Sango's mother cried out even after Ximong had taken Yang away.

"Mother, don't cry." Sango was trying to fight back her own tears now.

Her mother shook her head in fury. She knew that her own husband would not do such a thing… but there was no way in proving it. "There's no way that Yang did it," she cried even harder this time. "He didn't do it." She stood up too quickly to walk over to the storage and felt lightheaded. Before she knew it, she fell back… unconscious.

&

The burial was complete when the sun had set. Inuyasha and the monks had shoveled back the dirt and prayed for the lost emperor one last time.

It had been a long day for Inuyasha, and he felt tired. The carriage pulled away from the burial grounds and for the first time, tears slid down his face. He didn't wipe them away, but let them drop and hit the carriage floor.

The monument disappeared from Inuyasha's view as their spiraled down the mountain. He turned to face the front.

"You will learn to rule like your father. You have his determination." The monk's voice was kind.

Inuyasha nodded slightly. He only wished to be like his father. To be just a strong and brave… and daring.

"He has left his nation to you, knowing you will be the only one strong enough to rule it. You must know that."

Truly, Inuyasha didn't know if he was strong enough, if he was even ready.

"You will be a good emperor to your people." And those were the monk's last words to him. They rang in Inuyasha's mind the entire ride home.

"You will be a good emperor to your people."

If only it could be true.

&

Sango and Kagome carried Sango's mother up to bed and called for a doctor. The doctor had said that what had happened in the morning had put her into shock and that she should not be angered at such a great extent anymore.

He prescribed her some medicine that should calm her and left. Even by sun set, she had not woken.

"Sango…" Kagome said worryingly looking over at her friend who was watching her mother intently.

"I'm okay," Sango said this even though she was far from being okay. Her father was in jail and her mother had fainted. Soon, they wouldn't have a place to live.

Miroku knocked on the door before entering. He brought in the medicine and set it on the table. "Mr. Matsuo," referring to Sango's father, "will be alright."

"Not with Ximong accusing him. He will do everything to get my dad imprisoned for life. Whatever he has wanted before, he has always gotten." Sango said in rage.

Miroku fell silent. "But maybe…"

"Maybe what? I've been thinking about it the whole day. Even if we do find the person that was behind all this we need proof and even with proof we might not even be able to prove my dad's innocence. Ximong is a strong official here and he's using this time when the new emperor has just came up to power to overthrow my father. With Ximong as the official and the judge here… he has unlimited wealth and power."

"You can always try going to court to pleading your case tomorrow. The judge might let your dad go. There's no way that Ximong will be that judge. Don't give up hope." He hugged Sango and she cried in his arms.

"Thanks, Miroku." Sango pulled back from Miroku and sat back down.

"I'll go with you tomorrow." She smiled at him.

"Maybe he is the right one for me after all," she thought.

&

Inuyasha had gotten back to the place late and had gone to bed. The next morning he woke up, hardly remembering what had happened the pervious day. It had seemed to be just a long dream.

Myoga rushed into the room. "Hurry, your highness. Today is going to be your first meeting with all the officials. They want to discuss what you plan to do during your reign."

"AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NOW!" He screamed at his servant. How was he supposed to give a speech to all the officials with about less than an hour to prepare?

"I'm sorry," he trembled with fear, "You had gotten back late and before I had a chance you were already asleep."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and tried to cool his temper. "Just hurry and get me my robe."

"What am I going to say…? I, Inuyasha as emperor of China, plan to… Plan to what?" he thought in frustration.

Myoga dressed him quickly and combed back his hair. "What should I say?" he asked at last.

"You're asking me?" Myoga raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha always liked to do things his way and never wanted Myoga's opinion.

"Yeah, I do," he said to the ground.

Myoga couldn't believe his chance. "Well, first of all, you have to address the issue about our military. We need troops on the northern frontier to suppress the nomads and we must complete the Great Wall. Also we should build a navy. The navy would able to maneuver quickly along the coast and transport troops efficiently. The navy would also help us supervise over our southern tributary nations. Next you must talk about the taxation. The levels a taxation have gone so high that the commoners will not be able to sustain an adequate living place. Afterwards, you have to make clear as how much power the officials of each city will have. Some officials will be trying to get a higher rank and soon threaten your power even. You have to stand firm on your principles and make sure that what you say is backed up with reason. You must never sway towards one of officials if what you said you know is right," he paused, thinking if there was anything else to add, "Do you remember what all I just said?"

Inuyasha looked at Myoga in astonishment. He knew so much, but had never shared it with him before. "I think so… Do you have any more information?"

Myoga smiled. After all those years of being around the emperor and helping him, the knowledge had finally come into use and he rattled off everything that would possibly be helpful.

&

Kagome had walked home by herself, leaving Sango and Miroku to care for Mrs. Matsuo. She wanted to help her friend out, but she didn't know how she could.

On her way back, she passed by Kouga's house. The lights were on in the living room and she could see Kouga and Ximong standing there, talking in whispers.

Acting on instinct, Kagome crouched down and walked around the back, where it was not gated, and crawled under the bushes. She crawled towards the window and tried to hear what the two were saying.

"What are we going to do to Mr. Matsuo?" Kouga asked his father.

"We're going to try him for corruption and send him to the palace for another one as soon as possible. At the palace he will be held there for life. I have talked to some of my friends there already and they can arrange for that to happen. With him gone… the position as judge will be mine."

They laughed.

"But what if we get caught. What if someone finds out that we had set Mr. Matsuo up with our rice…?" His voice was unsteady.

"No one will catch us… unless you spill your beans." His father's voice was firm.

"I won't," he said barely audible.

Kagome couldn't believe what she had just heard. Ximong was the one behind it. But how was she supposed to prove it to everyone. If she was to tell anyone besides Sango and Miroku, they would think she was accusing Ximong, and then she would find herself in jail.

She walked numbly back to her house and decided that in the morning she would know what to do.

&

Kagome rose the next morning still unsure of what to do. Still, she went to Sango's house.

"How is your mother doing?" Kagome was sitting at the living room with Sango and Miroku.

"She's better. She awoke and took the medicine last night, and then has been asleep ever since."

"That's good to hear…"

"What's wrong?"

Kagome paused, gathering her thoughts. "Last night, when I was walking home, I stopped by Kouga's house."

"WHAT? WHY?"

"I didn't go in. I was eavesdropping, outside. I heard… I heard that Ximong was the one to put all that rice in your storage and that… he wants to try your dad as soon as possible and that … he wants to send him to the palace."

Her friend stood there, stunned. "I knew it," she said faintly.

"I don't know how we can prove it though. Ximong wants your dad's position. He wants to be in totally control of this town." Kagome wanted to do more- help more.

"We're going to prove my dad innocence. We have to go to the courtroom," Sango said confidently, and hurried towards the door, with Miroku and Kagome behind her.

They stood outside the courtroom. Sango banged on the drum. "I have an injustice to report," she yelled out.

The doors were open to her. "What is it that you want?" an annoyed guard asked.

"I would like to speak to the judge immediately."

"Aren't you the judge's daughter?

"Yeah, but that's not the point. I need to speak to the judge in there," pointing to the double door that led into the courtroom.

"I have to know why before I can let you in."

Sango gritted her teeth. "It's about Mr. Matsuo. He was taken in yesterday."

"I will go tell the judge, in there, then." The guard himself didn't even know who the judge was.

"Who-" but the guard left before Sango could find out how the judge was.

"The new judge is anyone that is presently an official that Ximong appoints," Miroku told them.

"Whoever Ximong appoints? Then they are going to be on Ximong's side… How am I going to prove my dad's innocence? What should I say?" Sango didn't know what to do even though she had been pondering over if for the entire night.

"We will just have to counter question. We won't say that he is innocent. We first assume that he is guilty and prove that he can't be guilty, for all of what he has done. Ask all the officials or the people in the town, your father has done nothing but good. He tried people fairly and has never sought for more power. And if he was being corrupt. We will ask, 'With whom?'"

Kagome and Sango nodded at Miroku's reasoning. He was right. And hopefully with their argument, Mr. Matsuo will be let free.

The guard returned and led them inside. Sitting in Yang Matsuo's place was none other than Ximong.

&

Inuyasha was rushed into the main building. The same building that he had been taken to two nights ago for his inauguration. Inuyasha stood behind some curtains in a little room. He was standing right behind his throne.

"Are you ready?" Myoga asked.

Inuyasha nodded his head slowly. "I think so."

"Be confident." And he pushed Inuyasha out from behind the curtains and towards the throne.

The officials got to the knees and bowed to him. "Emperor."

"You may stand." Inuyasha walked over to his seat and sat.

He took a deep breath before being his speech. "I would like to address today and inform every one of my plans for our nation's future. The first issue is our military strength. I believe that we should have the finest and most well-trained men in our army. The Great Wall should be completed during my reign to keep out the northerners. I would also like to start a navy. We should build strong ships and navigate the oceans. On my trip, outside of China I have lived side by side with commoners and learned more from them then I had ever had before. I want to lower the taxation rates on them. They should be able to work and make enough to have livable conditions. The power of a nation rests in its people and with strong people we will have a strong nation." Inuyasha scanned the men. They were astounded that an emperor at such a young age could have such sophisticated thoughts.

He noticed his mother sitting diagonally from him. She nodded approvingly.

Then an official stepped forward. It was Sesshomura, one of the highest ranking officials. "I would also like to address some issues that the emperor has forgotten to mention."

Inuyasha didn't know what was going to. He wasn't even done. Sesshomura had just cut in when he had paused. Inuyasha, inexperienced, wasn't sure whether to object to what Sesshomura said or not.

Inuyasha tried to speak up, but couldn't. The rest of the meeting was in the hands of Sesshomura. He made some points that Myoga had told Inuyasha, but had also gone against some of the ones that Inuyasha had mentioned.

Inuyasha was frustrated. He had let his first meeting slip away from him. He was emperor after all, but he didn't have the power that Sesshomura had. Power to convince the officials that he was mature and ready for the position.

The meeting ended with the queen making some comments and Inuyasha walked out in dismay. "How could Sesshomura do that?" he questioned Myoga.

Myoga looked sad for his emperor. "Because… he is going to try to run things for you until you could prove yourself strong then him. He is going to try to act like an emperor. You're nineteen, still very young. You aren't even married yet. Marriage is a sign of maturity."

"You want me to get married? That is going to help me? Did you see what the officials were doing out there? They listened to me for about five minutes and then everything turned to Sesshomura. I couldn't even interrupt him. I tried to raise my hand a couple of times, waiting to speak, but no one bothered to care."

"Marriage would be a sign that you are a man and not a boy. A sign that you can handle being an emperor."

"Kagome…"

"What? You can't marry Kagome."

"Right. I was just thinking…"

Just then, the queen walked up to him. "Inuyasha, you did great." She hugged him.

"Sesshomaru did well, not me."

"Now, don't say that. It was your first time out there in front of the officials. They… they really don't think you're ready. Sesshomaru came to me before the meeting and asked me if he should help you and I said absolutely."

"You said that he could help me!"

The queen was taken back at her son's reaction. "Why, yes."

"You just ruined that meeting. I hardly spoke. I wasn't even finished. Those things that Sesshomaru said, I don't even agree with most of the issues. I thought…" he voice quieted, "I thought that I would be running things."

"Don't let the power get to you so fast. You're not ready yet."

"When will I be?"

"When you marry."

"When I marry…" His thoughts came back to Kagome. How he had married her. It would be nice for her to help him out by marrying him. He smiled at this thought. He knew it would never happen.

"I have already thought about your bride."

"But I don't want to get married yet. I'm too…young."

"Now if you keep on saying that, you're never going to get the officials to truly bow down to you. That respect and honor you must earn and the first step is to show that you are a man."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He knew he was ready. He could do it. But the officials now outweighed his power. He needed them to be loyal to him.

"Fine, who?"

"Suga's daughter, Kikyo"

A/N: OMG! Inuyasha's is emperor without the real power and Yang is imprisoned for an act he didn't do. Kagome and Inuyasha will have to somehow get back together soon. And then they'll have to solve all these problems. So much is happening!