Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) (69 page)

"Saké, Anjin-san?"

"
Domo,
Toranaga-sama."  Blackthorne bowed and accepted the small cup from Fujiko, lifted it in toast to Toranaga and drained it.  The cup was immediately refilled.  Blackthorne was wearing a Brown uniform kimono and it felt easier and freer than his own clothes.

"Lord Toranaga says we're staying here tonight.  Tomorrow we arrive at Anjiro.  He would like to hear more about your country and the world outside."

"Of course.  What would he like to know?  It's a lovely night, isn't it?"  Blackthorne settled himself comfortably, aware of her femininity.  Too aware.  Strange, I'm more conscious of her now that she's clothed than when she wore nothing.

"Yes, very.  Soon it will be humid, Anjin-san.  Summer is not a good time."  She told Toranaga what she had said.  "My Master says to tell you that Yedo is marshy.  The mosquitoes are bad in summer, but spring and autumn are beautiful—yes, truly the birth and the dying seasons of the year are beautiful."

"England's temperate.  The winter's bad perhaps one winter in seven.  And the summer also.  Famine about once in six years, though sometimes we get two bad years in a row."

"We have famine too.  All famine is bad.  How is it in your country now?"

"We've had bad harvests three times in the last ten years and no sun to ripen the corn.  But that's the Hand of the Almighty.  Now England's very strong.  We're prosperous.  Our people work hard.  We make all our own cloth, all arms—most of the woolen cloth of Europe.  A few silks come from France but the quality's poor and they're only for the very rich."

Blackthorne decided not to tell them about plague or the riots or insurrections caused by enclosing the common lands, and the drift of peasants to towns and to cities.  Instead he told them about the good kings and queens, sound leaders and wise parliaments and successful wars.

"Lord Toranaga wants to be quite clear.  You claim only sea power protects you from Spain and Portugal?"

"Yes.  That alone.  Command of our seas keeps us free.  You're an island nation too, just like us.  Without command of your seas, aren't you also defenseless against an outside enemy?"

"My Master agrees with you."

"Ah, you've been invaded too?"  Blackthorne saw a slight frown as she turned to Toranaga and he reminded himself to confine himself to answers and not questions.

When she spoke to him again she was more grave.  "Lord Toranaga says I should answer your question, Anjin-san.  Yes, we've been invaded twice.  More than three hundred years ago—it would be 1274 of your counting—the Mongols of Kublai Khan, who had just conquered China and Korea, came against us when we refused to submit to his authority.  A few thousand men landed in Kyushu but our samurai managed to contain them, and after a while the enemy withdrew.  But seven years later they came again.  This time the invasion consisted of almost a thousand Chinese and Korean ships with two hundred thousand enemy troops—Mongols, Chinese, and Korean—mostly cavalry.  In all Chinese history, this was the greatest invasion force ever assembled.  We were helpless against such an overwhelming force, Anjin-san.  Again they began to land at Hakata Bay in Kyushu but before they could deploy all their armies a Great Wind, a
tai-fun,
came out of the south and destroyed the fleet and all it contained.  Those left ashore were quickly killed.  It was a
kamikazi,
a Divine Wind, Anjin-san," she said with complete belief, "a
kamikazi
sent by the gods to protect this Land of the Gods from the foreign invader.  The Mongols never came back and after eighty years or so their dynasty, the Chin, was thrown out of China," Mariko added with great satisfaction.  "The gods protected us against them.  The gods will always protect us against invasion.  After all, this is
their
land,
neh?
"

Blackthorne thought about the huge numbers of ships and men in the invasion; it made the Spanish Armada against England seem insignificant.  "We were helped by a storm too, senhora," he said with equal seriousness.  "Many believe it was also sent by God—certainly it was a miracle—and who knows, perhaps it was."  He glanced at the brazier as a coal spluttered and flames danced.  Then he said, "The Mongols nearly engulfed us in Europe, too "  He told her how the hordes of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan's grandfather, had come almost to the gates of Vienna before his onslaught was stopped and then turned back, mountains of skulls in his wake.  "People in those days believed Genghis Khan and his soldiers were sent by God to punish the world for its sins."

"Lord Toranaga says he was just a barbarian who was immensely good at war."

"Yes.  Even so, in England we bless our luck we're an island.  We thank God for that and the Channel.  And our navy.  With China so close and so powerful—and with you and China at war—I'm surprised you don't have a big navy.  Aren't you afraid of another attack?"  Mariko did not answer but translated for Toranaga what had been said.  When she had finished, Toranaga spoke to Yabu, who nodded and answered, equally serious.  The two men conversed for a while.  Mariko answered another question from Toranaga, then spoke to Blackthorne once more.

"To control your seas, Anjin-san, how many ships do you need?"

"I don't know exactly, but now the Queen's got perhaps a hundred and fifty ships-of-the-line.  Those are ships built only for war."

"My Master asks how many ships a year does your queen build?"

"Twenty to thirty warships, the best and fleetest in the world.  But the ships are usually built by private groups of merchants and then sold to the Crown."

"For a profit?"

Blackthorne remembered samurai opinion of profit and money.  "The Queen generously gives more than the actual cost to encourage research and new styles of building.  Without royal favor this would hardly be possible.  For example,
Erasmus,
my ship, is a new class, an English design built under license in Holland."

"Could you build such a ship here?"

"Yes.  If I had carpenters, interpreters, and all the materials and time.  First I'd have to build a smaller vessel.  I've never built one entirely by myself before so I'd have to experiment. . . . Of course," he added, attempting to contain his excitement as the idea developed, "of course, if Lord Toranaga wanted a ship, or ships, perhaps a trade could be arranged.  Perhaps he could order a number of warships to be built in England.  We could sail them out here for him—rigged as he'd want and armed as he'd want."

Mariko translated.  Toranaga's interest heightened.  So did Yabu's.  "He asks, can our sailors be trained to sail such ships?"

"Certainly, given time.  We could arrange for the sailing masters—or one of them—to stay in your waters for a year.  Then he could set up a training program for you.  In a few years you'd have your own navy.  A modern navy.  Second to none."

Mariko spoke for a time.  Toranaga questioned her again searchingly and so did Yabu.

"Yabu-san asks, second to none?"

"Yes.  Better than anything the Spaniards would have.  Or the Portuguese."

A silence gathered.  Toranaga was evidently swept by the idea though he tried to hide it.

"My Master asks, are you sure this could be arranged"

"Yes. "

"How long would it take?"

"Two years for me to sail home.  Two years to build a ship or ships.  Two to sail back.  Half the cost would have to be paid in advance, the remainder on delivery."

Toranaga thoughtfully leaned forward and put some more aromatic wood on the brazier.  They all watched him and waited.  Then he talked with Yabu at length.  Mariko did not translate what was being said and Blackthorne knew better than to ask, as much as he would dearly have liked to be party to the conversation.  He studied them all, even the girl Fujiko, who also listened attentively, but he could gather nothing from any of them.  He knew this was a brilliant idea that could bring immense profit and guarantee his safe passage back to England.

"Anjin-san, how many ships could you sail out?"

"A flotilla of five ships at a time would be best.  You could expect to lose at least one ship through storm, tempest, or Spanish-Portuguese interference—I'm sure they'd try very hard to prevent your having warships.  In ten years Lord Toranaga could have a navy of fifteen to twenty ships."  He let her translate that, then he continued, slowly.  "The first flotilla could bring you master carpenters, shipwrights, gunners, seamen, and masters.  In ten to fifteen years, England could supply Lord Toranaga with thirty modern warships, more than enough to dominate your home waters.  And, by that time, if you wanted, you could possibly be building your own replacements here.  We'll—"  He was going to say "sell" but changed the word.  "My Queen would be honored to help you form your own navy, and yes, if you wish, we'll train it and provision it."

Oh yes, he thought exultantly, as the final embellishment to the plan dropped into place, and we'll officer it and provide the Admiral and the Queen'll offer you a binding alliance—good for you and good for us—which will be part of the trade, and then together, friend Toranaga, we will harry the Spaniard and Portuguese dog out of these seas and own them forever.  This could be the greatest single trading pact any nation has ever made, he thought gleefully.  And with an Anglo-Japanese fleet clearing these seas, we English will dominate the Japan-China silk trade.  Then it'll be millions every year!

If I can pull this off I'll turn the course of history.  I'll have riches and honors beyond my dream.  I'll become an ancestor.  And to become an ancestor is just about the best thing a man can try to do, even though he fails in the trying.

"My Master says, it's a pity you don't speak our language."

"Yes, but I'm sure you're interpreting perfectly."

"He says that not as a criticism of me, Anjin-san, but as an observation.  It's true.  It would be much better for my Lord to talk direct, as I can talk to you."

"Do you have any dictionaries, Mariko-san?  And grammars Portuguese-Japanese or Latin-Japanese grammars?  If Lord Toranaga could help me with books and teachers I'd try to learn your tongue."

"We have no such books."

"But the Jesuits have.  You said so yourself."

"Ah!"  She spoke to Toranaga, and Blackthorne saw both Yabu's and Toranaga's eyes light up, and smiles spread over their faces.

"My Master says you will be helped, Anjin-san."

At Toranaga's orders Fujiko gave Blackthorne and Yabu more saké.  Toranaga drank only cha, as did Mariko.  Unable to contain himself Blackthorne said, "What does he say to my suggestion?  What's his answer?"

"Anjin-san, it would be better to be patient.  He will answer in his own time."

"Please ask him now."

Reluctantly Mariko turned to Toranaga.  "Please excuse me, Sire, but the Anjin-san asks with great deference, what do you think of his plan?  He very humbly and most politely requests an answer."

"He'll have my answer in good time."

Mariko said to Blackthorne, "My Master says he will consider your plan and think carefully about what you have said.  He asks you to be patient."

"
Domo,
Toranaga-sama."

"I'm going to bed now.  We'll leave at dawn."  Toranaga got up.  Everyone followed him below, except Blackthorne.  Blackthorne was left with the night.

At first promise of dawn Toranaga released four of the carrier pigeons that had been sent to the ship with the main baggage when the ship was being prepared.  The birds circled twice, then broke off, two homing for Osaka, two for Yedo.  The cipher message to Kiritsubo was an order to be passed on to Hiro-matsu that they should all attempt to leave peacefully at once.  Should they be prevented, they were to lock themselves in.  The moment the door was forced they were to set fire to that part of the castle and to commit seppuku.

The cipher to his son Sudara, in Yedo, told that he had escaped, was safe, and ordered him to continue secret preparations for war.

"Get to sea, Captain."

"Yes, Lord."

By noon they had crossed the bight between Totomi and Izu provinces and were off Cape Ito, the southernmost point of the Izu peninsula.  The wind was fair, the swell modest, and the single mainsail helped their passage.

Then, close by shore in a deep channel between the mainland and some small rock islands, when they had turned north, there was an ominous rumbling ashore.

All oars ceased.

"What in the name of Christ . . ."  Blackthorne's eyes were riveted shoreward.

Suddenly a huge fissure snaked up the cliffs and a million tons of rock avalanched into the sea.  The waters seemed to boil for a moment.  A small wave came out to the galley, then passed by.  The avalanche ceased.  Again the rumbling, deeper now and more growling, but farther off.  Rocks dribbled from the cliffs.  Everyone listened intently and waited, watching the cliff face.  Sounds of gulls, of surf and wind.  Then Toranaga motioned to the drum master, who picked up the beat once more.  The oars began.  Life on the ship became normal.

"What was that?" Blackthorne said.

"Just an earthquake."  Mariko was perplexed.  "You don't have earthquakes?"

"No.  Never.  I've never seen one before."

"Oh, we have them frequently, Anjin-san.  That was nothing, just a small one.  The main shock center would be somewhere else, even out to sea.  Or perhaps this one was just a little one here, all by itself.  You were lucky to witness a small one."

"It was as though the whole earth was shaking.  I could have sworn I saw . . . I've heard about tremors.  In the Holy Land and the Ottomans, they have them sometimes.  Jesus!"  He exhaled, his heart still thumping roughly.  "I could have sworn I saw that whole cliff shake."

"Oh, it did, Anjin-san.  When you're on land, it's the most terrible feeling in the whole world.  There's no warning, Anjin-san.  The tremors come in waves, sometimes sideways, sometimes up and down, sometimes three or four shakes quickly.  Sometimes a small one followed by a greater one a day later.  There's no pattern.  The worst that I was in was at night, six years ago near Osaka, the third day of the Month of the Falling Leaves.  Our house collapsed on us, Anjin-san.  We weren't hurt, my son and I.  We dug ourselves out.  The shocks went on for a week or more, some bad, some very bad.  The Taikō's great new castle at Fujimi was totally destroyed.  Hundreds of thousands of people were lost in that earthquake and in the fires that followed.  That's the greatest danger, Anjin-san—the fires that always follow.  Our towns and cities and villages die so easily.  Sometimes there is a bad earthquake far out to sea and legend has it that this causes the birth of the Great Waves.  They are ten or twenty feet high.  There is never a warning and they have no season.  A Great Wave just comes out of the sea to our shores and sweeps inland.  Cities can vanish.  Yedo was half destroyed some years ago by such a wave."