Igurashi had interrupted furiously. "Better to fall on Toranaga today while he"s got few men here! Better to kill him and take his head to Ishido while there"s time."
"Better to wait, better to be patient-"
"What happens if Toranaga orders our Master to give up Izu?" Igurashi had shouted. "As liege lord to va.s.sal, Toranaga has that right!"
"He"ll never do it. He needs our Master more than ever now. Izu guards his southern door. He can"t have Izu hostile! He must have our Master on his-"
"What if he orders Lord Yabu out?"
"We rebel! We kill Toranaga if he"s here or fight any army he sends against us. But he"ll never do that, don"t you see? As his va.s.sal, Toranaga must protect-"
Yabu had let them argue and then at length he had seen Omi"s wisdom. "Very well. I agree! And offering him my Murasama sword to fix the bargain"s genius, Omi-san," he had gloated, taken whole heartedly by the cunning of the plan. "Yes. Genius. His Yos.h.i.tomo blade more than takes its place. And of course, I"m more valuable to Toranaga now than ever before. Omi"s right, Igurashi. I"ve no choice. I"m committed to Toranaga from now on. A va.s.sal!"
"Until war comes," Omi had said deliberately.
"Of course. Of course only until war comes! Then I can change sides-or do a dozen things. You"re right, Omi-san, again!"
Omi"s the best counselor I"ve ever had, he told himself. But the most dangerous. Omi"s clever enough to take Izu if I die. But what does that matter. We"re all dead.
"You"re blocked completely," he told Toranaga. "You"re isolated."
"Is there any alternative?" Toranaga asked.
"Excuse me, Sire," Omi said, "but how long would it take to ready this attack?"
"It"s ready now."
"Izu"s ready too, Sire," Yabu said. "Your hundred and my sixteen thousand and the Musket Regiment-is that enough?"
"No. Crimson Sky"s a desperation plan-everything risked on one attack."
"You have to risk it, as soon as the rains cease and we can war," Yabu insisted. "What choice have you got? Ishido will form a new Council at once, they still have the mandate. So you"ll be impeached, today or tomorrow or the next day. Why wait to be eaten up? Listen, maybe the Regiment could blast a way through the mountains! Let it be Crimson Sky! All men thrown into one great attack. It"s the Way of the Warrior-it"s worthy of samurai, Toranaga-sama. The guns, our guns, will blow Zataki out of our way and if you succeed or fail, what does it matter? The try will live forever!"
Naga said, "Yes. But we"ll win-we will!" A few of the captains nodded their agreement, relieved that war had come. Omi said nothing.
Toranaga was looking at Buntaro. "Well?"
"Lord, I beg you to excuse me from giving an opinion. I and my men do whatever you decide. That"s my only duty. My opinion is no value to you because I do what you alone decide."
"Normally I"d accept that but not today!"
"War then. What Yabu-san says is right. Let"s go to Kyoto. Today, tomorrow, or when the rains stop. Crimson Sky! I"m tired of waiting."
"Omi-san?" Toranaga asked.
"Yabu-sama is correct, Sire. Ishido will bend the Taik"s will to appoint a new Council very soon. The new Council will have the Emperor"s mandate. Your enemies will applaud and most of your friends will hesitate and so betray you. The new Council will impeach you at once. Then-"
"Then it"s Crimson Sky?" Yabu interrupted.
"If Lord Toranaga orders it, then it is. But I don"t think the impeachment order has any value at all. You can forget it!"
"Why?" Toranaga asked, as all attention went to Omi.
"I agree with you, Sire. Ishido"s evil, neh? neh? Any Any daimyos daimyos who agree to serve him are equally evil. True men know Ishido for what he is, and also know that the Emperor"s been duped again." Omi was prudently treading through the quicksands that he knew could swallow him. "I think he made a lasting mistake murdering Lord Sugiyama. Because of those foul murders, I think now all who agree to serve him are equally evil. True men know Ishido for what he is, and also know that the Emperor"s been duped again." Omi was prudently treading through the quicksands that he knew could swallow him. "I think he made a lasting mistake murdering Lord Sugiyama. Because of those foul murders, I think now all daimyos daimyos will suspect treachery from Ishido, and very few outside of Ishido"s immediate grasp will bow to the orders of his "Council." You"re safe. For a time." will suspect treachery from Ishido, and very few outside of Ishido"s immediate grasp will bow to the orders of his "Council." You"re safe. For a time."
"For how much time?"
"The rains are with us for two months, about. When the rains cease Ishido will plan to send Ikawa Jikkyu and Lord Zataki against you simultaneously, to catch you in a pincer, and Ishido"s main army will support them over the Tokaid Road. Meanwhile, until the rains stop, every daimyo daimyo who bears a grudge against any other who bears a grudge against any other daimyo daimyo will only pay Ishido lip service until he makes the first move, then I think they"ll forget him and they"ll all take revenge or grab territory at their whim. The Empire will be torn as it was before the Taik. But you, Sire, between Yabu-sama and yourself, jointly, with luck you have enough strength to hold the pa.s.ses to the Kwanto and to Izu against the first wave and beat it off. I don"t think Ishido could mount another attack-not a great one. When Ishido and the others have expended their energies, together you and Lord Yabu can cautiously come from behind our mountains and gradually take the Empire into your own hands." will only pay Ishido lip service until he makes the first move, then I think they"ll forget him and they"ll all take revenge or grab territory at their whim. The Empire will be torn as it was before the Taik. But you, Sire, between Yabu-sama and yourself, jointly, with luck you have enough strength to hold the pa.s.ses to the Kwanto and to Izu against the first wave and beat it off. I don"t think Ishido could mount another attack-not a great one. When Ishido and the others have expended their energies, together you and Lord Yabu can cautiously come from behind our mountains and gradually take the Empire into your own hands."
"When will that be?"
"In the time of your children, Sire."
"You say fight a defensive battle?" Yabu asked scornfully.
"I think jointly you"re both safe behind the mountains. You wait, Toranaga-sama. You wait until you have more allies. You hold the pa.s.ses. This can be done! General Ishido"s evil, but not stupid enough to commit all his force to one battle. He"ll stay skulking inside Osaka. So for the time being, we mustn"t use our regiment. We must tighten security and keep them as a secret weapon, poised and ever ready, until you come from behind your mountains-but now I don"t think I will ever see them used." Omi was conscious of the eyes watching him. He bowed to Toranaga. "Please excuse me for talking at length, Sire."
Toranaga studied him, then glanced at his son. He saw the youth"s pent-up excitement and knew it was time to cast him at his prey. "Naga-san?"
"What Omi-san said is true," Naga told him at once, exultantly. "Most of it. But I say use the two months to gather allies, to isolate Ishido even more, and when the rains cease, attack without warning-Crimson Sky."
Toranaga asked, "You disagree with Omi-san"s opinion about a lengthy war?"
"No. But isn"t this-" Naga stopped.
"Go on, Naga-san. Speak openly!"
Naga held his tongue, his face white.
"You"re ordered to continue!"
"Well, Sire, it occurred to me that-" Again he stopped, then said in a gush, "Isn"t this your great opportunity to become Shgun? If you succeed in taking Kyoto and get the mandate, why form a Council? Why not pet.i.tion the Emperor to make you Shgun? It would be best for you and best for the realm." Naga tried to keep the fear out of his voice for he was speaking treason against Yaemon and most samurai here-Yabu, Omi, Igurashi, and Buntaro particularly-were open loyalists. "I say you should be Shgun!" He turned defensively on the others. "If this opportunity is let go.... Omi-san, you"re right about a long war, but I say Lord Toranaga must take power, to give power! A long war will ruin the Empire, split it into a thousand fragments again! Who wants that? Lord Toranaga must be Shgun. To gift the Empire on to Yaemon, to Lord Yaemon, the realm must be secured first! There"ll never be another opportunity...." His words trailed off. He squared his back, frightened because he had said it, glad that he had said publicly what he had been thinking forever.
Toranaga sighed. "I have never sought to become Shgun. How many times do I have to say it? I support my nephew Yaemon and the Taik"s will." He looked at them all, one by one. Lastly at Naga. The youth winced. But Toranaga said kindly, calling him back to the lure, "Your zeal and youth alone excuse you. Unfortunately, many much older and wiser than you think that"s my ambition. It isn"t. There"s only one way to settle that nonsense and that"s put Lord Yaemon into power. And that I intend to do."
"Yes, Father. Thank you. Thank you," Naga replied in despair.
Toranaga shifted his eyes to Igurashi. "What"s your counsel?"
The one-eyed samurai scratched. "Me, I"m only a soldier, not a counselor, but I wouldn"t advise Crimson Sky, not if we can war on our terms like Omi-san says. I fought in Shinano years ago. That"s bad country, and then Lord Zataki was with us. I wouldn"t want to war in Shinano again and never if Zataki was hostile. And if Lord Maeda"s suspect, well, how can you plan a battle if your biggest ally may betray you? Lord Ishido"ll put two, three hundred thousand men against you and still keep a hundred holding Osaka. Even with the guns we"ve not enough men to attack. But behind the mountains using the guns, you could hold out forever if it happens like Omi-san says. We could hold the pa.s.ses. You"ve enough rice-doesn"t the Kwanto supply half the Empire? Well, a third at least-and we could send you all the fish you need. You"d be safe. Let Lord Ishido and devil Jikkyu come at us if it"s to happen like Omi-san said, that soon the enemy"ll be feeding on each other. If not, keep Crimson Sky ready. A man can die for his lord only once in this life."
"Has anyone anything to add?" Toranaga asked. No one answered him. "Mariko-san?"
"It"s not my place to speak here, Sire," she replied. "I"m sure everything has been said that should have been said. But may I be allowed to ask for all your counselors here, what do you you think will happen?" think will happen?"
Toranaga chose his words deliberately. "I believe that what Omi-san forecast will happen. With one exception: the Council won"t be impotent. The Council will wield enough influence to gather an invincible allied force. When the rains cease it will be thrown against the Kwanto, bypa.s.sing Izu. The Kwanto will be gobbled up, then Izu. Only after I"m dead will the daimyos daimyos fight among themselves." fight among themselves."
"But why, Sire?" Omi ventured.
"Because I"ve too many enemies, I own the Kwanto, I"ve warred for more than forty years and never lost a battle. They"re all afraid of me. I know know that first the vultures will pack together to destroy me. Later they"ll destroy themselves, but first they"ll join to destroy me if they can. Know very clearly, all of you, I"m the only real threat to Yaemon, even though I"m no threat at all. That"s the irony of it. They all believe I want to be Shgun. I don"t. This is another war that"s not necessary at all!" that first the vultures will pack together to destroy me. Later they"ll destroy themselves, but first they"ll join to destroy me if they can. Know very clearly, all of you, I"m the only real threat to Yaemon, even though I"m no threat at all. That"s the irony of it. They all believe I want to be Shgun. I don"t. This is another war that"s not necessary at all!"
Naga broke the silence. "Then what are you going to do, Sire?"
"Eh?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Obviously, Crimson Sky," Toranaga said.
"But you said they"d eat us up?"
"They would-if I gave them any time. But I"m not going to give them any time. We go to war at once!" gave them any time. But I"m not going to give them any time. We go to war at once!"
"But the rains-what about the rains?"
"We will arrive in Kyoto wet. Hot and stinking and wet. Surprise, mobility, audacity, and timing win wars, neh? neh? Yabu-san was right. The guns will blast a way through the mountains." Yabu-san was right. The guns will blast a way through the mountains."
For an hour they discussed plans and the feasibility of large-scale war in the rainy season-an unheard-of strategy. Then Toranaga sent them away, except Mariko, telling Naga to order the Anjin-san here. He watched them walk off. They had all been outwardly enthusiastic once the decision had been announced, Naga and Buntaro particularly. Only Omi had been reserved and thoughtful and unconvinced. Toranaga discounted Igurashi for he knew that, rightly, the soldier would do only what Yabu ordered, and he dismissed Yabu as a p.a.w.n, treacherous certainly, but still a p.a.w.n. Omi"s the only one worthwhile, he thought. I wonder if he"s worked out yet what I"m really going to do?
"Mariko-san. Find out, tactfully, how much the courtesan"s contract would cost."
She blinked. "Kiku-san, Sire?"
"Yes."
"Now, Sire? At once?"
"Tonight would do excellently." He looked at her blandly. "Her contract"s not necessarily for me, perhaps for one of my officers."
"I would imagine the price would depend on whom, Sire."
"I imagine it will. But set a price. The girl of course has the right of refusal, if she wishes, when the samurai"s named, but tell her mama-san owner that I don"t expect the girl will have the bad manners to mistrust my choice for her. Tell the owner also that Kiku is a Lady of the First Cla.s.s of Mishima and not Yedo or Osaka or Kyoto," Toranaga added genially, "so I expect to pay Mishima prices and not Yedo or Osaka or Kyoto prices."
"Yes, Sire, of course."
Toranaga moved his shoulder to ease the ache, shifting his swords.
"May I ma.s.sage it for you, Sire? Or send for Suwo?"
"No, thank you. I"ll see Suwo later." Toranaga got up and relieved himself with great pleasure, then sat down again. He wore a short, light silk kimono, blue patterned, and the simple straw sandals. His fan was blue and decorated with his crest.
The sun was low, rain clouds building heavily.
"It"s vast to be alive," he said happily. "I can almost hear the rain waiting to be born."
"Yes," she said.
Toranaga thought a moment. Then he said as a poem: "The sky Scorched by the sun, Weeps Fecund tears."
Mariko obediently put her mind to work to play the poem game with him, so popular with most samurai, spontaneously twisting the words of the poem that he had made up, adapting them, making another from his. After a moment she replied: "But the forest Wounded by the wind, Weeps Dead leaves."
"Well said! Yes, very well said!" Toranaga looked at her contentedly, enjoying what he saw. She was dressed in a pale green kimono with patterns of bamboo, a dark green obi and orange sunshade. There was a marvelous sheen to the blue-black hair, which was piled high under her wide-brimmed hat. He remembered nostalgically how they had all-even the Dictator Goroda himself-wanted her when she was thirteen and her father, Akechi Jinsai, had first presented this, his eldest daughter, at Goroda"s court. And how Nakamura, the Taik-to-be, had begged the Dictator to give her to him, and then how Goroda had laughed, and publicly called him his randy little monkey general, and told him to "stick to fighting battles, peasant, don"t fight to stick patrician holes!" Akechi Jinsai had openly scorned Nakamura, his rival for Goroda"s favor, the main reason why Nakamura had delighted in smashing him. And why also Nakamura had delighted in watching Buntaro squirm for years, Buntaro who had been given the girl to cement an alliance between Goroda and Toda Hiro-matsu. I wonder, Toranaga asked himself mischievously, looking at her, I wonder if Buntaro were dead, would she consent to be one of my consorts? Toranaga had always preferred experienced women, widows or divorced wives, but never too pretty or too wise or too young or too well-born, so never too much trouble and always grateful.
He chuckled to himself. I"d never ask her because she"s everything I don"t want in a consort-except that her age is perfect.
"Sire?" she asked.
"I was thinking about your poem, Mariko-san," he said, even more blandly. Then added: "Why so wintery?
Summer"s Yet to come, and the fall of Glorious autumn."
She said in answer: "If I could use words Like falling leaves, What a bonfire My poems would make!"
He laughed and bowed with mock humility. "I concede victory, Mariko-sama. What will the favor be? A fan? Or a scarf for your hair?"
"Thank you, Sire," she replied. "Yes, whatever pleases you."
"Ten thousand koku yearly to your son."
"Oh, Sire, we don"t deserve such favor!"
"You won a victory. Victory and duty must be rewarded. How old is Saruji now?"
"Fifteen-almost fifteen."
"Ah, yes-he was betrothed to one of Lord Kiyama"s granddaughters recently, wasn"t he?"
"Yes, Sire. It was in the eleventh month last year, the Month of the White Frost. He"s presently at Osaka with Lord Kiyama."
"Good. Ten thousand koku, beginning at once. I will send the authority with tomorrow"s mail. Now, enough of poems, please give me your opinion."
"My opinion, Sire, is that we are all safe in your hands, as the land is safe in your hands."
"I want you to be serious."
"Oh, but I am, Sire. I thank you for the favor to my son. That makes everything perfect. I believe whatever you do will be right. By the Madon-yes, by the Madonna, I swear I believe that."
"Good. But I still want your opinion."
Immediately she replied, without a care in the world, as an equal to an equal. "First, you should bring Lord Zataki secretly back to your side. I"d surmise you either know how to do this already, or more probably, you have a secret agreement with your half brother, and you prompted his mythical "defection" in the first place to lull Ishido into a false position. Next: You"ll never attack first. You never have, you"ve always counseled patience, and you only attack when you"re sure to win, so publicly ordering Crimson Sky at once is only another diversion. Next, timing: My opinion is you should do what you will do, pretend to order Crimson Sky but never commit it. This will throw Ishido into confusion because, obviously, spies here and in Yedo will report your plan, and he"ll have to scatter his force like a covey of partridge, in filthy weather, to prepare for a threat that"ll never materialize. Meanwhile you"ll spend the next two months gathering allies, to undermine Ishido"s alliances and break up his coalition, which you must do by any means. And of course, you must tempt Ishido out of Osaka Castle. If you don"t, Sire, he will win, or at least, you will lose the Shgunate. You-"
"I"ve already made my position clear on that," Toranaga rapped, no longer amused. "And you forget yourself."
Mariko said carelessly and happily, "I have to talk secrets today, Sire, because of the hostages. They"re a knife in your heart."
"What about them?"
"Be patient with me please, Sire. I may never be able to talk to you in what the Anjin-san would call an "open English private way" ever again-you"re never alone like we"re alone now. I beg you to excuse my bad manners." Mariko gathered her wits and, astoundingly, continued to speak as an equal. "My absolute opinion is that Naga-san was right. You must become Shgun, or you will have failed in your duty to the Empire and to the Minowara." or you will have failed in your duty to the Empire and to the Minowara."