Shogun_ A Novel of Japan Part 149

"Now, please tell Gyoko to come here. I'll send for you again before I go. I have some other things to discuss with you."

"Yes, Sire." Fujiko bowed deeply and said, "I bless you for releasing me from life." She went away.

Curious, Toranaga thought, how women can change like chameleons-one moment ugly, the next attractive, sometimes even beautiful, though in reality they're not.

"You sent for me, Sire?"

"Yes, Gyoko-san. What news have you for me?"

"All sorts of things, Sire," Gyoko said, her well-made-up face unafraid, a glint in her eyes, but her bowels in upheaval. She knew it was no coincidence that this meeting was taking place and her instinct told her Toranaga was more dangerous than usual. "Arrangements for the Guild of Courtesans progress satisfactorily and rules and regulations are being drawn up for your approval. There is a fine area to the north of the city that would-"

"The area I've already chosen is nearer the coast. The Yoshiwara."

She complimented him on his choice, groaning inwardly. The Yoshiwara-Reed Moor-was presently a bog and mosquitoed and would have to be drained and reclaimed before it could be fenced and built on. "Excellent, Sire. Next: Rules and regulations for the gei-sha gei-sha are also being prepared for your perusal." are also being prepared for your perusal."

"Good. Make them short and to the point. What sign are you going to put over the gateway to the Yoshiwara?"

"'l.u.s.t will not keep-something must be done about it.'"

He laughed, and she smiled but did not relax her guard, though she added seriously, "Again may I thank you on behalf of future generations, Sire."

"It's not for you or them I agreed," Toranaga told her, and quoted one of his comments in the Legacy: "Virtuous men throughout history have always decried bawdy houses and Pillow Places, but men aren't virtuous and if a leader outlaws houses and pillowing he's a fool because greater evils will soon erupt like a plague of boils."

"How wise you are."

"And as to putting all the Pillow Places in one area, that means all the unvirtuous may be watched, taxed, and serviced, all at the same time. You're right again, Gyoko-san, 'l.u.s.t will not keep.' It soon gets addled. Next?"

"Kiku-san has regained her health, Sire. Perfectly."

"Yes, I saw. How delightful she is! I'm sorry-Yedo's certainly hot and unkind in the summer. You're sure she's fine now?"

"Yes, oh yes, but she has missed you, Sire. We are to accompany you to Mishima?"

"What other rumors have you heard?"

"Only that Ishido's left Osaka Castle. The Regents have formally declared you outlaw-what impertinence, Sire."

"Which way's he planning to attack me?"

"I don't know, Sire," she said cautiously. "But I imagine a two-forked attack, along the Tokaid with Ikawa Hikoju now that his father, Lord Jikkyu, is dead, and along the Koshu-kaid, from Shinano, as Lord Zataki has foolishly sided with Lord Ishido against you. But behind your mountains you're safe. Oh, yes, I'm sure you'll live to a ripe old age. With your permission, I'm shifting all my affairs to Yedo."

"Certainly. Meanwhile see if you can find out where the main thrust will be."

"I'll try, oh yes, Sire. These are terrible times, Sire, when brother will go against brother, son against father."

Toranaga's eyes were veiled and he made a note to increase vigilance on n.o.boru, his eldest son, whose final allegiance was with the Taik. "Yes," he agreed. "Terrible times. Times of great change. Some bad, some good. You, for example, you're rich now and your son, for example. Isn't he in charge of your sake factory at Odawara?"

"Yes, Sire." Gyoko went gray under her makeup.

"He's been making great profits, neh?" neh?"

"He's certainly the best manager in Odawara, Sire."

"So I hear. I have a job for him. The Anjin-san's going to build a new ship. I'm providing all craftsmen and materials, so I want the business side handled with very great care." very great care."

Gyoko almost collapsed with relief. She had presumed Toranaga was going to obliterate them all before he left for the war, or tax her out of existence, because he'd found out she'd lied to him about the Anjin-san and the Lady Toda, or about Kiku's unfortunate miscarriage, which was not by chance as she had reported so tearfully a month ago, but by careful inducement, at her insistence with Kiku's dutiful agreement. "Oh ko, Sire, when do you want my son in Yokohama? He will ensure it's the cheapest ship ever built."

"I don't want it cheap. I want it the very best-for the most reasonable price. He's to be overseer and responsible under the Anjin-san."

"Sire, you have my guarantee, my future, my future hopes that it will be as you wish."

"If the ship is built perfectly, exactly as the Anjin-san wants, within six months from the first day, then I will make your son samurai."

She bowed low and for a moment was unable to talk. "Please excuse a poor fool, Sire. Thank you, thank you."

"He has to learn everything the Anjin-san knows about building the ship so others can be taught when he leaves. Neh?" Neh?"

"It will be done."

"Next: Kiku-san. Her talents merit a better future than just being alone in a box, one of many women."

Gyoko looked up, again expecting the worst. "You're going to sell her contract?"

"No, she shouldn't be a courtesan again or even one of your gei-sha gei-sha. She should be in a household, one of few ladies, very few."

"But, Sire, seeing you even occasionally, how could she possibly have a better life?"

He allowed her to compliment him and he complimented her back, and Kiku, then said, "Frankly, Gyoko-san, I'm getting too fond of her and I can't afford to be distracted. Frankly she's far too pretty for me-far too perfect.... Please excuse me, but this must be another of our secrets."

"I agree, Sire, of course, whatever you say," Gyoko said fervently, dismissing it all as lies, racking her brain for the real reason. "If the person could be someone Kiku could admire, I would die content."

"But only after seeing the Anjin-san's ship under sail within the six months," he said dryly.

"Yes-oh yes." Gyoko moved her fan for the sun was hot now and the air sticky and breathless, trying to fathom why Toranaga was being so generous with both of them, knowing that the price would be heavy, very heavy. "Kiku-san will be distraught to leave your house."

"Yes, of course. I think there should be some compensation for her obedience to me, her liege lord. Leave that with me-and don't mention this to her for the present."

"Yes, Sire. And when do you want my son in Yokohama?"

"I'll let you know that before I leave."

She bowed and tottered away. Toranaga went for a swim. North-ward the sky was very dark and he knew it would be raining heavily there. When he saw the small group of hors.e.m.e.n coming from the direction of Yokohama he returned.

Omi dismounted and unwrapped the head. "Lord Kasigi Yabu obeyed, Sire, just before noon." The head had been freshly washed, the hair groomed, and it was stuck on the spike of a small pedestal that was customarily used for the viewing.

Toranaga inspected an enemy as he had done ten thousand times before in his lifetime, wondering as always how his own head would look after death, viewed by his conqueror, and whether terror would show, or agony or anger or horror or all of them or none of them. Or dignity. Yabu's death mask showed only berserk wrath, the lips pulled back into a ferocious challenge. "Did he die well?"

"The best I have ever seen, Sire. Lord Hiro-matsu said the same. The two cuts, then a third in the throat. Without a.s.sistance and without a sound." Omi added, "Here is his will."

"You took off the head with one stroke?"

"Yes, Sire. I asked the Anjin-san's permission to use Lord Yabu's sword."

"The Yos.h.i.tomo? The one I gave Yabu? He gave it to the Anjin-san?"

"Yes, Sire. He spoke to him through the Tsukku-san. He said, 'Anjin-san, I give you this to commemorate your arrival at Anjiro and as a thank you for the pleasure that little barbarian gave me.' At first the Anjin-san refused to take it, but Yabu begged him to and said, 'None of these manure eaters deserves such a blade.' Eventually he agreed."

Curious, Toranaga thought. I expected Yabu to give the blade to Omi.

"What were his last instructions?" he asked.

Omi told him. Exactly. If they had not all been also written in the will that had been given publicly to the formal witness, Buntaro, he would not have pa.s.sed all of them on, and indeed, would have invented others. Yabu was right, he thought furiously, reminding himself to remember forever that the pen's a long arm from the grave.

"To honor your uncle's death bravery, I should honor his death wishes. All of them, without change, neh?" neh?" Toranaga said, testing him. Toranaga said, testing him.

"Yes, Sire."

"Yuki!"

"Yes, Sire," the maid said.

"Bring cha, please."

She scurried away and Toranaga let his mind weigh Yabu's last wishes. They were all wise. Mizuno was a fool and completely in Omi's way. The mother was an irritating, unctuous old hag, also in Omi's way. "Very well, since you agree, they're confirmed. All of them. And I also wish to approve your father's death wishes before they become final. As a reward for your devotion you are appointed Commander of the Musket Regiment."

"Thank you, Sire, but I don't deserve such an honor," Omi said, exulting.

"Naga will be second-in-command. Next: You're appointed head of the Kasigis and your new fief will be the border lands of Izu, from Atami on the east to Nimazu on the west, including the capital, Mishima, with a yearly income of thirty thousand koku."

"Yes, Sire, thank you. Please ... I don't know how to thank you. I'm not worthy of such honors."

"Make sure you are, Omi-sama," Toranaga said good-naturedly. "Take possession of the castle at Mishima at once. Leave Yokohama today. Report to Lord Sudara at Mishima. The Musket Regiment will be sent to Hakone and be there in four days. Next, privately, for your knowledge alone: I'm sending the Anjin-san back to Anjiro. He'll build a new ship there. You'll pa.s.s over your present fief to him. At once."

"Yes, Sire. May I give him my house?"

"Yes, you may," Toranaga said, though of course a fief contained everything therein, houses, property, peasants, fishermen, boats. Both men looked off as Kiku's trilling laugh came through the air and they saw her playing the fan-throwing game in the far courtyard with her maid, Suisen, whose contract Toranaga had also bought as a consolation gift to Kiku after the unfortunate miscarriage of his child.

Omi's adoration was clear for all the world to see, much as he tried to hide it, so sudden and unexpected had been her appearance. Then they saw her look toward them. A lovely smile spread over her face and she waved gaily and Toranaga waved back and she returned to her game.

"She's pretty, neh?" neh?"

Omi felt his ears burning. "Yes."

Toranaga had originally bought her contract to exclude Omi from her, because she was one of Omi's weaknesses and clearly a prize, to give or withhold, until Omi had declared and proved his real allegiance and had a.s.sisted or not a.s.sisted in Yabu's removal. And he had a.s.sisted, miraculously, and proved himself many times. Investigating the servants had been Omi's suggestion. Many, if not all, of Yabu's fine ideas had come from Omi. Omi had, a month ago, uncovered the details of Yabu's secret plot with some of the Izu officers in the Musket Regiment to a.s.sa.s.sinate Naga and the other Brown officers during battle.

"There's no mistake, Omi-san?" he had asked when Omi reported to him secretly at Mishima, while he was awaiting the outcome of Mariko's challenge.

"No, Sire. Kiwami Matano of the Third Izu Regiment is outside."

The Izu officer, a jowly, heavy set, middle-aged man, had laid out the whole plot, given the pa.s.swords, and explained how the scheme would work. "I couldn't live with the shame of this knowledge anymore, Sire. You are our liege lord. Of course, in fairness I should say the plan was only if necessary if necessary. I supposed that meant if Yabu-sama decided to change sides suddenly during the battle. So sorry, you were to be the prime target, then Naga-san. Then Lord Sudara."

"When was this plan first ordered and who knows about it?"

"Shortly after the regiment was formed. Fifty-four of us know-I've given all the names in writing to Omi-sama. The plan, code name 'Plum Tree,' was confirmed personally by Kasigi Yabu-sama before he left for Osaka the last time."

"Thank you. I commend your loyalty. You are to keep this secret until I tell you. Then you will be given a fief worth five thousand koku."

"Please excuse me, I deserve nothing, Sire. I beg permission to commit seppuku for having held this shameful secret so long."

"Permission is refused. It will be as I ordered."

"Please excuse me, I do not deserve such reward. At least allow me to remain as I am. This is my duty and merits no reward. Truly I should be punished."

"What's your income now?"

"Four hundred koku, Sire. It's enough."

"I'll consider what you say, Kiwami-san."

After the officer had left he had said, "What did you promise him, Omi-san?"

"Nothing, Sire. He came to me of his own accord yesterday."

"An honest man? You're telling me he's an honest man?"

"I don't know about that, Sire. But he came to me yesterday, and I rushed here to tell you."

"Then he will really be rewarded. Such loyalty's more important than anything, neh?" neh?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Say nothing of this to anyone."

Omi had left and Toranaga had wondered if Mizuno and Omi had trumped up the plot to discredit Yabu. At once he put his own spies to find out the truth. But the plot had been true, and the burning of the ship had been a perfect excuse to remove the fifty-three traitors, all of whom had been placed among the Izu guards on that night. Kiwami Matano he had sent to the far north with a good, though modest, fief.

"Surely this Kiwami is the most dangerous of all," Sudara had said, the only one admitted to the plot.

"Yes. And he'll be watched all his life and not trusted. But generally there's good in evil people and evil in good people. You must choose the good and get rid of the evil without sacrificing the good. There's no no waste in my domains to be cast away lightly." waste in my domains to be cast away lightly."

Yes, Toranaga thought with great satisfaction, you certainly deserve a prize, Omi.

"Listen, Omi-san, the battle will begin in a few days. You've served me loyally. On the last battlefield, after my victory, I'll appoint you Overlord of Izu, and make your line of the Kasigi hereditary daimyos daimyos again." again."

"So sorry, Sire, please excuse me, but I don't deserve such honor," Omi said.

"You're young but you show great promise, beyond your years. Your grandfather was very like you, very clever, but he had no patience." Again the sound of the ladies' laughter, and Toranaga watched Kiku, trying to decide about her, his original plan now cast aside.

"May I ask what you mean by patience, Sire?" Omi said, instinctively feeling that Toranaga wanted the question to be asked.