Komachi's Travel Guide
The western embassy is more military ground than social gathering space, and houses the bulk of the clan’s presence in the city. From here the Lion recruit, organize, and train, all under the watchful eyes of their commander.
Tadaji's Memoirs
I will confess, T___ won this bet. While I knew—everyone knew—the Matsu were upset, I never believed Matsu Tsuko would be bold enough to actively march against Lord Torturi. I believed her loyalty would be stronger than her anger, but never underestimate a Matsu’s anger.
The entire Lion business is why I so insist on the importance of political strategists alongside any military voices. As T___ and I discussed, the Matsu were so focused on their own petty complaints they created the very problem against which they were trying to rebel.
Consider: one of the Matsu’s complaints against Akodo Totori was that he was not being aggressive enough in maintaining the Lion’s position as protectors of the Emperor. But in creating an uprising within Lion lands, the Matsu forced Toturi to return there, withdrawing himself from the Emperor’s side and forcing the Emperor to rely more on his Utaku guardians in general and Magistrate Rima in particular. One could argue that without a war to fight, Totori’s presence at the Emperor’s side would have continued, thus maintaining the Lion primacy.
It’s possible Toturi’s presence might also have tempered the Emperor’s response in other situations.