Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) (86 page)

"Permanent camp?  You're staying here?" Yabu asked.

"No, only my men.  If the attack's as good as I hear, we'll be forming nine assault battalions of five hundred samurai each."

"What?"

"Yes.  I've brought another thousand selected samurai for you now.  You'll provide the other thousand."

"But there aren't enough guns and the train—"

"So sorry, you're wrong.  I've brought a thousand muskets and plenty of powder and shot.  The rest will arrive within a week with another thousand men."

"We'll have nine assault battalions?"

"Yes.  They'll be one regiment.  Buntaro will command."

"Perhaps it would be better if I did that.  He'll be—"

"Oh, but you forget the Council meets in a few days.  How can you command a regiment if you're going to Osaka?  Haven't you prepared to leave?"

Yabu stopped.  "We're allies.  We agreed you're the leader and we pissed on the bargain.  I've kept it, and I'm keeping it.  Now I ask, what's your plan?  Do we war or don't we?"

"No one's declared war on me.  Yet."

Yabu craved to unsheath the Yoshitomo blade and splash Toranaga's blood on the dirt, once and for all, whatever the cost.  He could feel the breath of the Toranaga guards all around him but he was beyond caring now.  "Isn't the Council your death knell too?  You said that yourself.  Once they've met, you have to obey. 
Neh?
"

"Of course."  Toranaga waved his guards back, leaning easily on his sword, his stocky legs wide and firm.

"Then what's your decision?  What do you propose?"

"First to see an attack."

"Then?"

"Then to go hunting."

"Are you going to Osaka?"

"Of course."

"When?"

"When it pleases me."

"You mean, not when it pleases Ishido."

"I mean when it pleases me."

"We'll be isolated," Yabu said.  "We can't fight all Japan, even with an assault regiment, and we can't possibly train it in ten days."

"Yes."

"Then what's the plan?"

"What exactly happened with Jozen and Naga-san?"

Yabu told it truly, omitting only the fact that Naga had been manipulated by Omi.

"And my barbarian?  How's the Anjin-san behaving?"

"Good.  Very good."  Yabu told him about the attempted seppuku on the first night, and how he had neatly bent the Anjin-san to their mutual advantage.

"That was clever," Toranaga said slowly.  "I'd never have guessed he'd try seppuku.  Interesting."

"It was fortunate I told Omi to be ready."

"Yes."

Impatiently Yabu waited for more but Toranaga remained silent.

"This news I sent about Lord Ito becoming a Regent," Yabu said at last.  "Did you know about it before I sent word?"

Toranaga did not answer for a moment.  "I'd heard rumors.  Lord Ito's a perfect choice for Ishido.  The poor fool's always enjoyed being shafted while he has his nose up another man's anus.  They'll make good bedfellows."

"His vote will destroy you, even so."

"Providing there's a Council."

"Ah, then you do have a plan?"

"I always have a plan—or plans—didn't you know?  But you, what's your plan, Ally?  If you want to leave, leave.  If you want to stay, stay.  Choose!"  He walked on.

Mariko handed Toranaga a scroll of closely written characters.

"Is this everything?" he asked.

"Yes, Sire," she replied, not liking the stuffiness of the cabin or being aboard the galley again, even moored at the dock.  "A lot of what's in the War Manual will be repeated, but I made notes every night and wrote down everything as it happened—or tried to.  It's almost like a diary of what was said and happened since you left."

"Good.  Has anyone else read it?"

"Not to my knowledge."  She used her fan to cool herself.  "The Anjin-san's consort and servants have seen me writing it, but I've kept it locked away."

"What are your conclusions?"

Mariko hesitated.  She glanced at the cabin door and at the closed porthole.

Toranaga said, "Only my men are aboard and no one's below decks.  Except us."

"Yes, Sire.  I just remembered the Anjin-san saying there are no secrets aboard a ship.  So sorry."  She thought a moment, then said confidently, "The Musket Regiment will win one battle.  Barbarians could destroy us if they landed in force with guns and cannon.  You must have a barbarian navy.  Thus far, the Anjin-san's knowledge has been enormously valuable to you, so much so it should be kept secret, only for your ears.  In the wrong hands his knowledge would be lethal to you."

"Who shares his knowledge now?"

"Yabu-san knows much but Omi-san more—he's the most intuitive.  Igurashi-san, Naga-san, and the troops—the troops of course understand the strategy, not the finer details and none of the Anjin-san's political and general knowledge.  Me, more than any.  I've written down everything he's said, asked, or commented on, Sire.  As best I can.  Of course he has only told us about certain things, but his range is vast and his memory near perfect.  With patience he can provide you with an accurate picture of the world, its customs and dangers.  If he's telling the truth."

"Is he?"

"I believe so."

"What's your opinion of Yabu?"

"Yabu-san's a violent man with no scruples whatsoever.  He honors nothing but his own interests.  Duty, loyalty, tradition, mean nothing to him.  His mind has flashes of great cunning, even brilliance.  He's equally dangerous as ally or enemy."

"All commendable virtues.  What's to be said against him?"

"A bad administrator.  His peasants would revolt if they had weapons."

"Why?"

"Extortionate taxes.  Illegal taxes.  He takes seventy-five parts from every hundred of all rice, fish, and produce.  He's begun a head tax, land tax, boat tax—every sale, every barrel of saké, everything's taxed in Izu."

"Perhaps I should employ him or his quartermaster for the Kwanto.  Well, what he does here's his own business, his peasants'll never get weapons so we've nothing to worry about.  I could still use this as a base if need be."

"But Sire, sixty parts is the legal limit."

"It was the legal limit.  The Taikō made it legal but he's dead.  What else about Yabu?"

"He eats little, his health appears good, but Suwo, the masseur, thinks he has kidney trouble.  He has some curious habits."

"What?"

She told him about the Night of the Screams.

"Who told you about that?"

"Suwo.  Also Omi-san's wife and mother."

"Yabu's father used to boil his enemies too.  Waste of time.  But I can understand his need to do it occasionally.  His nephew, Omi?"

"Very shrewd.  Very wise.  Completely loyal to his uncle.  A very capable, impressive vassal."

"Omi's family?"

"His mother is—is suitably firm with Midori, his wife.  The wife is samurai, gentle, strong, and very good.  All are loyal vassals of Yabu-san.  Presently Omi-san has no consorts though Kiku, the most famous courtesan in Izu, is almost like a consort.  If he could buy her contract I think he'd bring her into his house."

"Would he help me against Yabu if I wanted him to?"

She pondered that.  Then shook her head.  "No, Sire.  I don't think so.  I think he's his uncle's vassal."

"Naga?"

"As good a samurai as a man could be.  He saw at once the danger of Jozen-san and his men to you, and locked things up until you could be consulted.  As much as he detests the Musket Battalion he trains the companies hard to make them perfect."

"I think he was very stupid—to be Yabu's puppet."

She adjusted a fold in her kimono, saying nothing.

Toranaga fanned himself.  "Now the Anjin-san?"

She had been expecting this question and now that it had come, all the clever observations she was going to make vanished from her head.

"Well?"

"You must judge from the scroll, Sire.  In certain areas he's impossible to explain.  Of course, his training and heritage have nothing in common with ours.  He's very complex and beyond our—beyond
my
understanding.  He used to be very open.  But since his attempted seppuku, he's changed.  He's more secretive."  She told him what Omi had said and had done on that first night.  And about Yabu's promise.

"Ah, Omi stopped him—not Yabu-san?"

"Yes."

"And Yabu followed Omi's advice?"

"Exactly, Sire."

"So Omi's the adviser.  Interesting.  But surely the Anjin-san doesn't expect Yabu to keep the promise?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Toranaga laughed.  "How childish!"

"Christian 'conscience' is deeply set in him, so sorry.  He cannot avoid his
karma,
one part of which is that he's totally to be governed through this hatred of a death, or deaths, of what he calls 'innocents.'  Even Jozen's death affected him deeply.  For many nights his sleep was disturbed and for days he hardly talked to anyone."

"Would this 'conscience' apply to all barbarians?"

"No, though it should to all Christian barbarians."

"Will he lose this 'conscience'?"

"I don't think so.  But he's as defenseless as a doll until he does."

"His consort?"

She told him everything.

"Good."  He was pleased that his choice of Fujiko and his plan had worked so well.  "Very good.  She did very well over the guns.  What about his habits?"

"Mostly normal, except for an astounding embarrassment over pillow matters and a curious reluctance to discuss the most normal functions."  She also described his unusual need for solitude, and his abominable taste in food.  "In most other things he's attentive, reasonable, sharp, an adept pupil, and very curious about us and our customs.  It's all in my report, but briefly, I've explained something of our way of life, a little of us and our history, about the Taikō and the problems besetting our Realm now."

"Ah, about the Heir?"

"Yes, Sire.  Was that wrong?"

"No.  You were told to educate him.  How's his Japanese?"

"Very good, considering.  In time he'll speak our language quite well.  He's a good pupil, Sire."

"Pillowing?"

"One of the maids," she said at once.

"He chose her?"

"His consort sent her to him."

"And?"

"It was mutually satisfactory, I understand."

"Ah!  Then she had no difficulty."

"No, Sire."

"But he's in proportion?"

"The girl said, 'Oh very yes.'  'Lavish' was the word she used."

"Excellent.  At least in that his
karma's
good.  That's the trouble with a lot of men—Yabu for one, Kiyama for another.  Small shafts.  Unfortunate to be born with a small shaft.  Very.  Yes."  He glanced at the scroll, then closed his fan with a snap.  "And you, Mariko-san?  What about you?"

"Good, thank you, Sire.  I'm very pleased to see you looking so well.  May I offer you congratulations on the birth of your grandson."

"Thank you, yes.  Yes, I'm pleased.  The boy's well formed and appears healthy."

"And the Lady Genjiko?"

Toranaga grunted.  "She's as strong as always.  Yes."  He pursed his lips, brooding for a moment.  "Perhaps you could recommend a foster mother for the child."  It was custom for sons of important samurai to have foster mothers so that the natural mother could attend to her husband and to the running of his house, leaving the foster mother to concentrate on the child's upbringing, making him strong and a credit to the parents.  "I'm afraid it won't be easy to find the right person.  The Lady Genjiko's not the easiest mistress to work for,
neh?
"

"I'm sure you'll find the perfect person, Sire.  I'll certainly give it some thought," Mariko replied, knowing that to offer such advice would be foolish, for no woman born could possibly satisfy both Toranaga and his daughter-in-law.

"Thank you.  But you, Mariko-san, what about you?"

"Good, Sire, thank you."

"And your Christian conscience?"

"There's no conflict, Sire.  None.  I've done everything you would wish.  Truly."

"Have any priests been here?"

"No, Sire."

"You have need of one?"

"It would be good to confess and take the Sacrament and be blessed.  Yes, truthfully, I would like that—to confess the things permitted and to be blessed."

Toranaga studied her closely.  Her eyes were guileless.  "You've done well, Mariko-san.  Please continue as before."

"Yes, Sire, thank you.  One thing—the Anjin-san needs a grammar book and dictionary badly."

"I've sent to Tsukku-san for them."  He noticed her frown.  "You don't think he'll send them?"

"He would obey, of course.  Perhaps not with the speed you'd like."

"I'll soon know that."  Toranaga added ominously, "He has only thirteen days left."

Mariko was startled.  "Sire?" she asked, not understanding.

"Thirteen?  Ah," Toranaga said nonchalantly, covering his momentary lapse, "when we were aboard the Portuguese ship he asked permission to visit Yedo.  I agreed, providing it was within forty days.  There are thirteen left.  Wasn't forty days the time this
bonze,
this prophet, this Moses spent on the mountain collecting the commands of 'God' that were etched in stone?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Do you believe that happened?"

"Yes.  But I don't understand how or why."

"A waste of time discussing 'God-things.' 
Neh?
"

"If you seek facts, yes, Sire."

"While you were waiting for this dictionary, have you tried to make one?"

"Yes, Toranaga-sama.  I'm afraid it's not very good.  Unfortunately there seems to be so little time, so many problems.  Here—everywhere," she added pointedly.

He nodded agreement, knowing that she would dearly like to ask many things:  about the new Council and Lord Ito's appointment and Naga's sentence and if war would be immediate.  "We're fortunate to have your husband back with us,
neh?
"

Her fan stopped.  "I never thought he'd escape alive.  Never.  I've said a prayer and burnt incense to his memory daily."  Buntaro had told her this morning how another contingent of Toranaga samurai had covered his retreat from the beach and he had made the outskirts of Osaka without trouble.  Then, with fifty picked men and spare horses, disguised as bandits, he hastily took to the hills and lesser paths in a headlong dash for Yedo.  Twice his pursuers caught up with him but there were not enough of the enemy to contain him and he fought his way through.  Once he was ambushed and lost all but four men, and escaped again and went deeper into the forest, traveling by night, sleeping during the day.  Berries and spring water, a little rice snatched from lonely farmhouses, then galloping on again, hunters always at his heels.  It had taken him twenty days to reach Yedo.  Two men had survived with him.