V9-A C26

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I've posted

chapter 26 (book 1) of

Hills of Silver Ruins, a Pitch Black Moon.

The Taiho is also the province lord of the capital province, hence his close connection to the provincial Rikkan. The

Rei'in (令尹) is the Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Provincial Rikkan.

The

Chousai (冢宰) serves as the

Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Rikkan. In the governments of dynastic China, the Chousai was the Minister of Heaven and served as the minister-in-chief or prime minister. But in the Twelve Kingdoms, the Chousai need not be a member of the Rikkan. And there is the Taiho.

I think the Taiho better fits the literal meaning of

prime minister. In Japan, the Chief Cabinet Secretary "coordinates the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch," a good description of the Chousai. Though in many kingdoms, the Chousai ends up running the government on a day-to-day basis.

I can imagine Keiki and even Youko being actively involved with the Rikkan while Shouryuu and Enki delegate most of their bureaucratic responsibilities. With the right people in charge, both approaches work.

In Japanese politics, the portfolio of the

Chief Cabinet Secretary includes the duties of both the White House press secretary and the American vice-president. When Shinzo Abe resigned earlier this year, Chief Cabinet Secretary

Yoshihide Suga was elected prime minister by a large margin.