Shogun

"Yes, Kiri-chan!" Toranaga patted her vast rump affectionately.
"Please don't Kiri-chan me!" Kiri laughed. "I'm an old woman and I need lots of respect. Your other ladies give me enough trouble as it is. Kiritsubo-Toshiko-san, if you please, my Lord Yoshi Toranaga-noh-Chikitada!"
"There, you see, Hiro-matsu. After twenty years she still tries to dominate me."
"So sorry, it's more than thirty years, Tora-sama," she said proudly. "And you were as manageable then as you are now!"
When Toranaga was in his twenties he had been a hostage, too, then of the despotic Ikawa Tadazaki, Lord of Suruga and Totomi, father of the present Ikawa Jikkyu, who was Yabu's enemy. The samurai responsible for Toranaga's good conduct had just taken Kiritsubo as his second wife. She was seventeen then. Together this samurai and Kiri, his wife, had treated Toranaga honorably, given him wise counsel, and then, when Toranaga had rebelled against Tadazuki and joined Goroda, had followed him with many warriors and had fought bravely at his side. Later, in the fighting for the capital, Kiri's husband had been killed. Toranaga had asked her if she would become one of his consorts and she had accepted gladly. In those days she was not fat. But she was equally protective and equally wise. That was her nineteenth year, his twenty-fourth, and she had been a focus of his household ever since. Kiri was very shrewd and very capable. For years now, she had run his household and kept it free of trouble.
As free of trouble as any household with women could ever be, Toranaga thought.
"You're getting fat," he said, not minding that she was fat.
"Lord Toranaga! In front of Lord Toda! Oh, so sorry, I shall have to commit seppuku - or at least, I'll have to shave my head and become a nun, and I thought I was so young and slender!" She burst out laughing. "Actually I agree I have a fat rump but what can I do? I just like to eat and that's Buddha's problem and my karma, neh?" She offered the cha. "There. Now I'll be off. Would you like me to send the Lady Sazuko?"
"No, my thoughtful Kiri-san, no, thank you. We'll talk for a little, then I'll sleep."
"Good night, Tora-sama. Sweet dreamlessness." She bowed to him and to Hiro-matsu and then she was gone.
They sipped their tea appreciatively.
Toranaga said, "I'm always sorry we never had a son, Kiri-san and I. Once she conceived but she miscarried. That was when we were at the battle of Nagakude."
"Ah, that one."
"Yes." This was just after the Dictator Goroda had been assassinated when General Nakamura-the Taiko-to-be - was trying to consolidate all power into his own hands. At that time the issue was in doubt, as Toranaga supported one of Goroda's sons, the legal heir. Nakamura came against Toranaga near the little village of Nagakude and his force was mauled and routed and he lost that battle. Toranaga retreated cleverly, pursued by a new army, now commanded for Nakamura by Hiro-matsu. But Toranaga avoided the trap and escaped to his home provinces, his whole army intact, ready to battle again. Fifty thousand men died at Nagakude, very few of them Toranaga's. In his wisdom, the Taiko-to-be called off the civil war against Toranaga, though he would have won. Nagakude was the only battle the Taiko had ever lost and Toranaga the only general who had ever beaten him.
"I'm glad we never joined battle, Sire," Hiro-matsu said.
"Yes."
"You would have won."
"No. The Taiko was the greatest general and the wisest, cleverest man that has ever been."
Hiro-matsu smiled. "Yes. Except you."
"No. You're wrong. That's why I became his vassal."
"I'm sorry he's dead."
"Yes."
"And Goroda - he was a fine man, neh? So many good men dead."
Hiro-matsu unconsciously turned and twisted the battered scabbard. "You'll have to move against Ishido. That will force every daimyo to choose sides once and for all. We'll win the war eventually. Then you can disband the Council and become Shogun."
"I don't seek that honor," Toranaga said sharply. "How many times do I have to say it?"
"Your pardon, Sire. I know. But I feel it would be best for Japan."
"That's treason."
"Against whom, Lord? Against the Taiko? He's dead. Against his last will and testament? That's a piece of paper. Against the boy Yaemon? Yaemon's the son of a peasant who usurped the power and heritage of a general whose heirs he stamped out. We were Goroda's allies, then the Taiko's vassals. Yes. But they're both very dead."
"Would you advise that if you were one of the Regents?"
"No. But then I'm not one of the Regents, and I'm very glad. I'm your vassal only. I chose sides a year ago. I did this freely."
"Why?" Toranaga had never asked him before.
"Because you're a man, because you're Minowara and because you'll do the wise thing. What you said to Ishido was right: we're not a people to be ruled by committee. We need a leader. Whom should I have chosen to serve of the five Regents? Lord Onoshi? Yes, he's a very wise man, and a good general. But he's Christian and a cripple and his flesh is so rotten with leprosy that he stinks from fifty paces. Lord Sugiyama? He's the richest daimyo in the land, his family's as ancient as yours. But he's a gutless turncoat and we both know him from eternity. Lord Kiyama? Wise, brave, a great general, and an old comrade. But he's Christian too, and I think we have enough gods of our own in this Land of the Gods not to be so arrogant as to worship only one. Ishido? I've detested that treacherous peasant's offal as long as I've known him and the only reason I never killed him was because he was the Taiko's dog." His leathery face cracked into a smile. "So you see, Yoshi Toranaga-noh-Minowara, you gave me no choice."
"And if I go against your advice? If I manipulate the Council of Regents, even Ishido, and put Yaemon into power?"
"Whatever you do is wise. But all the Regents would like you dead. That's the truth. I advocate immediate war. Immediate. Before they isolate you. Or more probably murder you."
Toranaga thought about his enemies. They were powerful and abundant.
It would take him all of three weeks to get back to Yedo, traveling the Tokaida Road, the main trunk road that followed the coast between Yedo and Osaka. To go by ship was more dangerous, and perhaps more time consuming, except by galley which could travel against wind and tide.
Toranaga's mind ranged again over the plan he had decided upon. He could find no flaw in it.
"I heard secretly yesterday that Ishido's mother is visiting her grandson in Nagoya," he said and Hiro-matsu was at once attentive. Nagoya was a huge city-state that was, as yet, not committed to either side. "The lady should be 'invited' by the Abbot to visit the Johji Temple. To see the cherry blossoms."
"Immediately," Hiro-matsu said. "By carrier pigeon." The Johji Temple was famous for three things: its avenue of cherry trees, the militancy of its Zen Buddhist monks, and its open, undying fidelity to Toranaga, who had, years ago, paid for the building of the temple and maintained its upkeep ever since. "The blossoms will be past their prime but she will be there tomorrow. I don't doubt the venerable lady will want to stay a few days, it's so calming. Her grandson should go too, neh?"
"No-just her. That would make the Abbot's 'invitation' too obvious. Next: send a secret cipher to my son, Sudara: 'I leave Osaka the moment the Council concludes this session - in four days.' Send it by runner and confirm it by carrier pigeon tomorrow."
Hiro-matsu's disapproval was apparent. "Then can I order up ten thousand men at once? To Osaka?"
"No. The men here are sufficient. Thank you, old friend. I think I'll sleep now."
Hiro-matsu got up and stretched his shoulders. Then at the doorway, "I may give Fujiko, my granddaughter, permission to kill herself?"