13. Doji Ren

Theory

Shiro Yogasha tells us about the art of gathering evidence, how to interview people and how to put everything together to build your case. He gives a lot of examples from his personal experience.
He concludes his lesson with a task for us. He provides us with transcripts of an interview and we have to come up with a verdict. As I'm still busy trying to keep up making notes I do not manage to give the correct answer. Yumako and Yoshi do provide Shiro with the right conclusion. He seems pleased with this.
Than as his final words he tells us "Even this castle and the people in it are not immune to infiltration by people who would tear down the empire".
He then wishes us good luck on our "mission". Could he know about our secret assignment?!

Practice

After lunch we retreat to our rooms to discuss how to approach our own investigations. I consider this an excellent opportunity to practice what we have been taught this morning. Yumako agrees so we head over to both the Lion and Crane clan representatives, while Aki, Yoshi and Takuya will pay So a visit, while trying to gather some evidence from the Emerald Champion rooms. Finally, Kyo will visit the Scorpion representative.

We find the Lion clan representative, Kitsu Tsuguri, in the dojo. Where he is working out. He observes me with a somewhat alienated look. Yumako asks him about her brother. Kitsu has spoken him a few times, and explains Akodo is still new in his role. He's only been working on it for a few months. I continue the conversation, playing the "practice investigation" trick, and ask him about Doji. Kitsu explains he has not been granted an honorable death, as word in the castle is, that Doji died of natural causes. He thinks Doji had deserved more honor in death as he was a very worthy, and even aggressive, opponent.
Yumako then asks if Kitsu ever duelled her brother. He acknowledges this and wonders if she also wants to have a go. Yumako would really like this and they both get a bokken. Afterwards Kitsu is very impressed by Yumako's performance.

Then it is time for us to pay Asahina Tadane a visit. She's found in her usual spot in the Dining Hall. I tell her how we are practicing our interviewing techniques and that we'd like to ask her a few questions about recent events in the castle. I propose that the death of Doji would be an interesting topic, although I keep the option open for her to provide us with another subject. I'm glad she doesn't make use of that opportunity.
She explains Doji was an excellent Emerald Champion in her eyes. I notice she's testing us, when she continues telling us that Doji sometimes implicitly or even explicitly ignored orders from above (read: The Emperor, who else gives the Emerald Champion his or her orders). She also explains she didn't have the best of relationships with Doji, just like his daughter, the Crane Champion, Doji Hotaru. Another detail about Doji's live we learn is, that he is blamed for the early demise of his wife, even by his daughter.
All the while, talking to Asahina, I notice she's got a hidden agenda, trying to influence who will be the next Emerald Champion. Obviously this has to be another Crane! And I can't agree more, but it'll be awhile before it is my turn.

Considerations

All the while, since the invitation by Agasha to start training to become an Emerald Magistrate I've got this nagging feeling something's wrong; Why do we as six youngsters who just finished their Gempuku, are asked to join the training program which usually takes several weeks? And we're expected to finish it in three days. I know I'm good, but this is pushing it.
Next, why ask us to investigate the death of Doji, inexperienced as we are in the art of investigation and just barely scratching the courteous surface. Is she looking for some scapegoat for his death, even though we've got perfect alibis? Are we supposed to distract everybody from what actually has happened. Might Agasha have something to win by a failed investigation into the actual cause of Doji's death?
Although Doji seems to trust us with basically the same task and I guess his incentives don't match those of Agasha. I wonder if I should talk to the others about this, or if I should talk to Kiji about this, although that would be really dishonourable...

But for now back to my notes, with only three days of training, I got a lot of studying to do, and I still need to arrange my notes. A lot to keep afloat.