Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) (175 page)

"I don't agree," Hiro-matsu said.

"Nor I, so sorry," Yabu said.

"But I agree," Toranaga said, as flat and as grave as Sudara.  He had not yet told them about Zataki's possible agreement to betray Ishido when the time was ripe.  Why should I tell them? he thought.  It's not fact.  Yet.

But how do you propose to implement your solemn agreement with your half brother to marry Ochiba to him if he supports you, and at the same time marry Ochiba yourself, if that's her price?  That's a fair question, he said to himself.  But it's highly unlikely Ochiba would betray Ishido.  If she did and that's the price, then the answer's simple:  My brother will have to bow to the inevitable.

He saw them all looking at him.  "What?"

There was a silence.  Then Buntaro said, "What happens, Sire, when we oppose the banner of the Heir?"

None of them had ever asked that question formally, directly, and publicly.  "If that happens, I lose," Toranaga said.  "I will commit seppuku and those who honor the Taikō's testament and the Heir's undoubted legal inheritance will have to submit themselves humbly at once to his pardon.  Those who don't will have no honor. 
Neh?
"

They all nodded.  Then he turned to Yabu to finish the business at hand, and became genial again.  "However, we're not on that battlefield yet, so we continue as planned.  Yes, Yabu-sama, the southern route's possible now.  What did Jikkyu die of?"

"Sickness, Sire."

"A five-hundred-koku sickness?"

Yabu laughed, but inwardly he was rabid that Toranaga had breached his security net.  "Yes," he said.  "I would presume so, Sire.  My brother told you?"  Toranaga nodded and asked him to explain to the others.  Yabu complied, not displeased, for it was a clever and devious stratagem, and he told them how Mizuno, his brother, had passed over the money that had been acquired from the Anjin-san to a cook's helper who had been inserted into Jikkyu's personal kitchen.

"Cheap,
neh?
" Yabu said happily.  "Five hundred koku for the southern route?"

Hiro-matsu said stiffly to Toranaga, "Please excuse me but I think that's a disgusting story."

Toranaga smiled.  "Treachery's a weapon of war,
neh?
"

"Yes.  But not of a samurai."

Yabu was indignant.  "So sorry, Lord Hiro-matsu, but I presume you mean no insult?"

"He meant no insult.  Did you, Hiro-matsu-san?" Toranaga said.

"No, Sire," the old general replied.  "Please excuse me."

"Poison, treachery, betrayal, assassination have always been weapons of war, old friend," Toranaga said.  "Jikkyu was an enemy and a fool.  Five hundred koku for the southern route is nothing!  Yabu-sama has served me well.  Here and at Osaka. 
Neh
, Yabu-san?"

"I always try to serve you loyally, Sire."

"Yes, so please explain why you killed Captain Sumiyori before the
ninja
attack," Toranaga said.

Yabu's face did not change.  He was wearing his Yoshitomo sword, his hand as usual loose on the hilt.  "Who says that?  Who accuses me of that, Sire?"

Toranaga pointed at the pack of Browns forty paces away.  "That man!  Please come here, Kosami-san."  The youthful samurai dismounted, limped forward and bowed.

Yabu glared at him.  "Who are you, fellow?"

"Sokura Kosami of the Tenth Legion, attached to the Lady Kiritsubo's bodyguard at Osaka, Sire," the youth said.  "You put me on guard outside your quarters—and Sumiyori-san's—the night of the
ninja
attack."

"I don't remember you.  You dare to say I killed Sumiyori?"

The youth wavered.  Toranaga said, "Tell him!"

Kosami said in a rush, "I just had time before the
ninja
fell on us, Sire, to open the door and shout a warning to Sumiyori-san but he never moved, so sorry, Sire."  He turned to Toranaga, quailing under their collective gaze.  "He'd—he was a light sleeper, Sire, and it was only an instant after . . . that's all, Sire."

"Did you go into the room?  Did you shake him?" Yabu pressed.

"No, Sire, oh no, Sire, the
ninja
came so quickly we retreated at once and counterattacked as soon as we could, it was as I said. . . ."

Yabu looked at Toranaga.  "Sumiyori-san had been on duty for two days.  He was exhausted—we all were.  What does that prove?" he asked all of them.

"Nothing," Toranaga agreed, still cordial.  "But later, Kosami-san, you went back to the room. 
Neh?
"

"Yes, Sire, Sumiyori-san was still lying in the futons as I'd last seen him and . . . and the room wasn't disturbed, not at all, Sire, and he'd been knifed, Sire, knifed in the back once.  I thought it was
ninja
at the time and nothing more about it until Omi-sama questioned me."

"Ah!" Yabu turned his eyes on his nephew, his total
hara
centered on his betrayer, measuring the distance between them.  "So you questioned him?"

"Yes, Sire," Omi replied.  "Lord Toranaga asked me to recheck all the stories.  This was one strangeness I felt should be brought to our Master's attention."

"One strangeness?  There's another?"

"Following Lord Toranaga's orders, I questioned the servants who survived the attack, Sire.  There were two.  So sorry, but they both said you went through their quarters with one samurai and returned shortly afterward alone, shouting '
Ninja!
'  Then they—"

"They rushed us and killed the poor fellow with a spear and a sword and almost overran me.  I had to retreat to give the alarm."  Yabu turned to Toranaga, carefully putting his feet in a better attack position.  "I've already told you this, Sire, both personally and in my written report.  What have servants to do with me?"

"Well, Omi-san?" Toranaga asked.

"So sorry, Yabu-sama," Omi said, "but both saw you open the bolts of a secret door in the dungeon and heard you say to the
ninja
, 'I am Kasigi Yabu.' This alone gave them time to hide from the massacre."

Yabu's hand moved a fraction.  Instantly Sudara leapt in front of Toranaga to protect him and in the same moment Hiro-Matsu's sword was flashing at Yabu's neck.

"Hold!" Toranaga ordered.

Hiro-matsu's sword stopped, his control miraculous.  Yabu had made no overt motion.  He stared at them, then laughed insolently.  "Am I a filthy
ronin
who'd attack his liege lord?  This is Kasigi Yabu, Lord of Izu, Suruga, and Totomi. 
Neh?
"  He looked directly at Toranaga.  "What am I accused of, Sire?  Helping
ninja?
  Ridiculous!  What have servants' fantasies to do with me?  They're liars!  Or this fellow—who implies something that can't be proved and I can't defend?"

"There's no proof, Yabu-sama," Toranaga said.  "I agree completely.  There's no proof at all."

"Yabu-sama, did you do those things?" Hiro-matsu asked.

"Of course not!"

Toranaga said, "But I think you did, so all your lands are forfeit.  Please slit your belly today.  Before noon."

The sentence was final.  This was the supreme moment Yabu had prepared for all his life.

Karma
, he was thinking, his brain now working at frantic speed.  There's nothing I can do, the order's legal, Toranaga's my liege lord, they can take my head or I can die with dignity.  I'm dead either way.  Omi betrayed me but that is my
karma
.  The servants were all to be put to death as part of the plan but two survived and that is my
karma
.  Be dignified, he told himself, groping for courage.  Think clearly and be responsible.

"Sire," he began with a show of audacity, "first, I'm guiltless of those crimes, Kosami's mistaken, and the servants liars.  Second, I'm the best battle general you have.  I beg the honor of leading the charge down the Tokaidō—or the first place in the first battle—so my death will be of direct use."

Toranaga said cordially, "It's a good suggestion, Yabu-san, and I agree wholeheartedly that you're the best general for the Musket Regiment but, so sorry, I don't trust you.  Please slit your belly by noon."

Yabu dominated his blinding temper and fulfilled his honor as a samurai and as the leader of his clan with the totality of his self-sacrifice.  "I formally absolve my nephew Kasigi Omi-san from any responsibility in my betrayal and formally appoint him my heir."

Toranaga was as surprised as everyone.

"Very well," Toranaga said.  "Yes, I think that's very wise.  I agree."

"Izu is the hereditary fief of the Kasigi.  I will it to him."

"Izu is no longer yours to give.  You are my vassal,
neh?
  Izu is one of my provinces, to give as I wish,
neh?
"

Yabu shrugged.  "I will it to him, even though . . ."  He laughed.  "It's a lifetime favor. 
Neh?
"

"To ask is fair.  Your request is refused.  And, Yabu-san, all your final orders are subject to my approval.  Buntaro-san, you will be the formal witness.  Now, Yabu-san, whom do you want as your second?"

"Kasigi Omi-san."

Toranaga glanced at Omi.  Omi bowed, his face colorless.  "It will be my honor," he said.

"Good.  Then everything's arranged."

Hiro-matsu said, "And the attack down the Tokaidō?"

"We're safer behind our mountains."  Toranaga breezily returned their salutes, mounted his horse, and trotted off.  Sudara nodded politely and followed.  Once Toranaga and Sudara were out of range, Buntaro and Hiro-matsu relaxed but Omi did not, and no one took his eyes off Yabu's sword arm.

Buntaro said, "Where do you want to do it, Yabu-sama?"

"Here, there, down by the shore, or on a dung heap—it's all the same to me.  I don't need ceremonial robes.  But, Omi-san, you will not strike till I've made the two cuts."

"Yes, Sire."

"With your permission, Yabu-san, I will also be a witness," Hiro-matsu said.

"Are your piles up to it?"

The general bristled and said to Buntaro, "Please send for me when he's ready."

Yabu spat.  "I'm already ready.  Are you?"

Hiro-matsu turned on his heel.

Yabu thought for a moment, then took his scabbarded Yoshitomo sword out of his sash.  "Buntaro-san, perhaps you'd do me a favor.  Give this to the Anjin-san."  He offered him the sword, then frowned.  "On second thought, if it's no trouble, will you please send for him, then I can give it to him myself?"

"Certainly."

"And please fetch that stinking priest as well so I can talk directly with the Anjin-san."

"Good.  What arrangements do you want made?"

"Just some paper and ink and a brush for my will and death poem, and two tatamis—there's no reason to hurt my knees or to kneel in the dirt like a stinking peasant. 
Neh?
"  Yabu added with bravado.

Buntaro walked over to the other samurai, who were shifting from one foot to the other with suppressed excitement.  Carelessly Yabu sat cross-legged and picked his teeth with a grass stalk.  Omi squatted nearby, warily out of sword range.

"Eeeeee," Yabu said.  "I was so near success!"  Then he stretched out his legs and hammered them against the earth in a sudden flurry of rage.  "Eeeeee, so near!  Eh,
karma
,
neh?
 
Karma!
" Then he laughed uproariously and hawked and spat, proud that he still had saliva in his mouth.  "
That
on all gods living or dead or yet to be born!  But, Omi-san, I die happy.  Jikkyu's dead and when I cross the Last River and see him waiting there, gnashing his teeth, I'll be able to spit in his eye forever."

Omi said, meaning it, though watching him like a hawk, "You have done Lord Toranaga a great service, Sire.  The coastal route's open now.  You're right, Sire, and Iron Fist's wrong and Sudara's wrong.  We should attack at once—the guns will get us through."

"That old manure heap!  Fool!"  Yabu laughed again.  "Did you see him go purple when I mentioned his piles?  Ha!  I thought they were going to burst on him then and there.  Samurai?  I'm more samurai than he is!  I'll show him!  You will not strike until I give the order."

"May I thank you humbly for giving me that honor, and also for making me your heir?  I formally swear the Kasigi honor is safe in my hands."

"If I didn't think so I wouldn't have suggested it."  Yabu lowered his voice.  "You were right to betray me to Toranaga.  I'd have done the same if I'd been you, though it's all lies.  It's Toranaga's excuse.  He's always been jealous of my battle prowess, and my understanding the guns and the value of the ship.  It's all my idea."

"Yes, Sire, I remember."

"You'll save the family.  You're as cunning as a scabby old rat.  You'll get back Izu and more—that's all that's important now and you'll hold it for your sons.  You understand the guns.  And Toranaga. 
Neh?
"

"I swear I will try, Sire."

Yabu's eyes dropped to Omi's sword hand, noting his alertly defensive kneeling posture.  "You think I'll attack you?"

"So sorry, of course not, Sire."

"I'm glad you're on guard.  My father was like you.  Yes, you're a lot like him."  Without making a sudden movement he put both of his swords on the ground, just out of reach.  "There!  Now I'm defenseless.  A few moments ago I wanted your head—but not now.  Now you've no need to fear me."

"There's always a need to fear you, Sire."

Yabu chortled softly and sucked another grass stalk.  Then he threw it away.  "Listen, Omi-san, these are my last orders as Lord of the Kasigis.  You will take my son into your household and use him if he's worth using.  Next:  Find good husbands for my wife and consort, and thank them deeply for serving me so well.  About your father, Mizuno:  He's ordered to commit seppuku at once."

"May I request that he be given the alternative of shaving his head and becoming a priest?"

"No.  He's too much of a fool, you'll never be able to trust him—how dare he pass on my secrets to Toranaga!—and he'll always be in your way.  As to your mother . . ."  He bared his teeth.  "She's ordered to shave her head and become a nun and join a monastery outside Izu and spend the rest of her life saying prayers for the future of the Kasigis.  Buddhist or Shinto—I prefer Shinto.  You agree, Shinto?"