Edo (Tokyo), January, 1689
Niu Yukiko, daughter of a powerful Daimyo
Noriyoshi, a pornograhic artist
Tsunehiko, Sano's assistant
O-hisa, servant girl for the Niu's
Niu and Noriyoshi were murdered, tied together, and thrown into the river to make it look like a double lovers suicide, or Shinjū.
Eii-Chan, on orders of his master, Lady Niu. Both commit suicide at end.
Lady Niu wanted to cover up the plot by her son Masahito and 20 others to asassinate the Shogun. Masahito is killed by Sano in battle at end.
Sano's superior tries to cover up murder (and then has sumo wrestler executed for it) because Lady Niu knows he took a bribe and threatens to expose him. Sano is fired for a time, but saves the Shogun's life and is promoted from Yoriki to Sōsakan-sama. Sano meets and loves Wisteria, Noriyoshi's prostitute lover, and buys her freedom. Also meets Midori, another daughter in Niu family.
Edo (Tokyo), April, 1689
Kaibara Tōju, hatamoto
Tōzawa Jigori, rōnin
Endō Azumanaru, priest
an Eta
All were decapitated with the head mounted on board as a trophy (Bundori).
Chūgo Gichin, Captain of the Guard, Edo Palace (captured, tried, executed).
Insane effort to avenge murder and defeat of ancestors many years earlier.
Sano meets and loves Aoi, a ninja "profiler," but she disappears at end. Also meets Hirata, a doshin, who becomes his main retainer. Also has first meeting with future wife Reiko and family. Yanagisawa tries to kill Sano a couple times, latter comes close to being fired, but saves Y.'s life on a boat with the killer in the final scenes.
Nagasaki and Deshima Island, June 1690.
Jan Spaen, Dutch trader, shot
Peony, courtesan, stabbed
Servants at Sano's house, burned
Iishino, interpreter (part of smuggling ring involving Governor, Dutch, Chinese Abbot, and Deshima police chief). Fate?
Insulted by Spaen
Story opens with Sano solving case of body-snatching by sword testers. Yanagisawa sends him to Nagasaki to get rid of him. He takes on murder case, is accused of treason, and saved by Hirata at last moment. Smugglers hide behind superstition of floating lights.
Edo (Tokyo), October 1690
Lady Harume, shogun's favorite concubine, via poison ink for tatoo
Choyei, poison seller
Lady Miyagi (killed by Reiko, pushed over cliff)
Demented jealousy (thought husband had made Harume pregnant, when real father was chief of Eta).
Sano marries Reiko, but they fight frequently, until she saves him from frame up by Yanagisawa (who tries to make Sano accuse shogun's mother and lover Buddhist priest Ryuku of treason). Yanagisawa saved from treason charge himself only when boy actor takes blame. Ainu informer The Rat appears.
Miyako (Kyoto), July 1691
Konoe, Left Minister to Emperor (also Tokugawa spy)
Aisu, chief retainer to Grand Chamberlin Yanagisawa
Both killed by "Spirit Cry (kiai)."
Prince Momozono, (crippled) cousin to Emperor. Killed by Yanagisawa.
Momozono wanted to stop foolish plot by Emperor and Left Minister to overthrow Tokugawa regime. Left Minister instigated plot to get back his wife, Kozeri, who went to nunnery after she found out he killed her former husband.
Reiko is along on trip. Yanigisawa tries to outdo Sano and get him killed, but Sano saves his Yanagisawa's life by scaring away killer in nick of time. Yanagisawa takes up with Miyako police chief Hoshina.
Edo (Tokyo), September, 1693
Chief Police Commander, woman, and child (fire)
Minister of Temples Fugatami and wife (stabbed)
Priest Kumashiro and Abbess Junketsu-in, both captured and executed, plus High Priest Anraku (killed by Reiko).
Cover up of plot by Black Lotus religious fanatics to destroy Edo and poison its people.
Yanagisawa is out of town. Sano and Reiko sharply at odds over culprits. Labyrinth of tunnels under Zōjō temple, abductions of children.
Edo (Tokyo), December, 1693
Matsudaira Mitsuyoshi, shogun's cousin and successor (stabbed with hairpin through eye while with courtesan Wisteria)
Unknown courtesan (decapitated)
3 others falsely accused of first murder (executed).
Lightening, Mori gangster, at behest of Wisteria (both caught and executed).
Jealousy and revenge (unpaid gambling debt) for Lightening, revenge for Wisteria, who frames several people she hates, including Sano.
Sano and Reiko have nearly 2 yr-old child, Masahiro, whom Yanagisawa's wife tries to drown. Wisteria fakes pillowbook to incriminate Sano. Yanagisawa works to get son named shogun's successor. Hirata and Midori marry. Sano owes Hoshina favor at end.
Edo (Tokyo), June, 1694
Keishōin, Reiko, Midori, Lady Yanagisawa (kidnapped)
100 others murdered. All on trip to Mt. Fuji.
Dragon King, Dannoshin Minoru, Inspector for Min. of Temples (killed by Sano), plus retainer Ota (killed by Reiko) and hired Black Lotus thugs.
Revenge: Dannoshin's mother (and lover) was killed by father when he found out she was having affair with his own lover, Hoshina, 12 years earlier.
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 竜 ryū = imperial dragon
Prologue with 1682 murder-suicide at Lake Biwa near Miyako. Ransom note demands Hoshina's death, Sano has to repay him favor. Women held at old island palace on Izu peninsula. Sano and Yanagisawa (much weakened) work together to avoid execution by Shogun. Midori has baby girl Taeko while in captivity. Lady Yanagisawa tries to kill Reiko. Hoshina leaves Yanagisawa.
Edo (Tokyo), November 1694
Senior Elder Makino (beaten), Daiemon Matsudaira (shogun's heir apparent) (stabbed)
Makino killed by accident by actor Koheiji, executed. Daiemon killed by Lady Yanagisawa, exiled.
Makino passed out during sex games with Koheiji and Okitsu, former beat him to disguise reasons for death. Yanagisawa had his wife kill Daiemon to remove rival to his son Yoritomo for Shogun's affections.
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 香 kō = perfume
Looming civil war between Yanagisawa and Matsudaira forces. Yanagisawa loses and is exiled with family (except Yoritomo) to island of Hachijo. Sano becomes Chamberlain. Hirata badly wounded saving Sano's life, redeems honor.
Edo (Tokyo), May 1695
Ejima Senzaemon, Chief of Metsuke, and other high officials, by "touch of death" (dim-mak). Hinin family and Tama, by stabbing.
Kobori (high officials), kill by Sano, and Yugao (hinin family), executed.
Revenge for defeat of Yanagisawa (Kobori). Punishment and to impress lover Kobori (Yugao).
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 標 shirushi = target
At request of her father, Reiko investigates murder of hinin (outcast) family, and finds that accused Yugao is lover of criminal killing off Matsudaira supporters, whom Sano must catch to save regime and his position. Hirata leaves to follow Master Ozuno and try to regain health. Hoshina continues as main threat to Sano.
Edo (Tokyo), May 1698
Lord Mori (stabbed and mutilated)
Lady Mori and maid Ukon (executed)
Lady Mori: Revenge for abuse of her son by husband. Ukon: Revenge on Reiko for getting her son executed for murdering his girlfriend.
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 真相 shinsō = truth
Reiko, pregnant with second child, is framed for murder of Lord Mori. Sano is framed for treason against Matsudaira. Both nearly executed. Sano kills Hoshina, Reiko forces Lady Mori to confess. Yanagisawa escapes prison and starts plotting return to power with his son Yoritomi and Lord Mori's stepson Enju, tries to frame both Sano and Hoshina for rebellion. Hirata has breakthrough in learning dim-mak which saves his life and Sano's, and returns to Ozuno for more training.
Hokkaido, October 1699
Tekare (shamaness Snow Princess), Ezo mistress of Lord Matsumae, Japanese ruler of Ezogashima (poison arrow from spring bow trap). Also Wente and Lilac, who knew who murdered Tekare.
Gizaemon, Lord Matsumae's uncle, using Tekare's sister Wente as a lure (killed by Matsumae in final battle).
To save Matsumae from Takare's bad influence
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 雪 yuki = snow (3 variations)
Lord Matsudaira kidnaps Sano's son and sends him to Ezogashima to get Sano out of Edo. When Sano arrives there, he finds Lord Matsumae crazy and possessed by Tekare's spirit and has to promise to find Tekare's murderer to save himself and Reiko from execution. Matsumae recovers and Tekare's spirit departs after Gizaemon is killed. Sano leaves him in charge. Masahiro fights first battle. Hirata develops unity with nature.
Tokyo, March 1700
Tadatoshi Tokugawa, cousin of Shogun (hacked to death 43 years earlier, during great fire started by burning kimono).
Sano's mother Etsuko, tutor Egen, and bodyguard Doi.
Tadatoshi was insane arsonist who had killed thousands.
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 火 hi = fire (3 variations)
Sano convinces Shogun to spare his mother, because Tadatoshi almost killed Shogun himself. Yanagisawa uses Matsudaira ally Arima to stage attacks on Sano and Matsudaira and try to start civil war. Matsudaira tries to kill Sano and family. Arima betrays Matsudaira, latter commits seppuku. Yanagisawa reveals himself when Sano stages fake execution of son Yoritomo. Shogun makes Yanagisawa joint Chamberlain with Sano. Etsuko and Egen reunited.
Tokyo, June 1701
4 women kidnapped and raped: Sano cousin Chiyo, gangster Jirocho daughter Fumiko, nun Tengu-in (suicide) and Shogun's wife Lady Nobuko.
Kennel master Nanbu (killed by Fumiko), rice merchant Ogita (killed by Chiyo), temple chief Joju (exiled). Plus unknown for Nobuko.
Lust, except Nobuko was taken at Yanagisawa's behest as punishment for refusing to marry stepdaughter to his son.
Character behind chapter numbers (hardcover edition) is 雲 kumo = cloud (4 variations)
Yanagisawa pretends to cooperate with Sano, but schemes to make his son Yoritomo heir to shogunate, and makes Sano take blame for Nobuko assault. Sano and Hirata demoted, but Sano reconciled with mother's family (Kumazawa). Hirata being stalked by someone with super mental powers. Masahiro begins playing detective. (Cloud Pavilion is a boat where women were taken to be raped.)