Kampaku, p.30
Kampaku, page 30
It was late into the hour of the dog, after dusk, before Mitsunari took his seat in the castle drawing room with Yaemon, Hideaki and a resurrected Yukinaga.
“Welcome Jibu,” said Yukinaga grinning, “Let me pour you a drink?”
“I see you still have your head,” Mitsunari replied, surprised to see him alive. Yukinaga, with both hands, excitedly grabbed his head and pulled. “Yes, it is still attached,” he said, laughing. “For which I owe the Lady Ocha my life. Lady Nene told me how Lady Ocha persuaded the Taiko to let me live and he spared me on the condition I was to prove my worth when I was back in Korea. So here I am, ready to lead the Taiko’s new invasion force, but enough of me we now have a new commander,” said Yukinaga.
“What happened to Ukita Hideie?” Mitsunari asked.
“The Taiko wants him to take up his position on the Go-Tairo council of elders,” said Yukinaga as he noticed Mitsunari glance over towards Hideaki who sat alongside his friend Yaemon, “I believe you two know each other?” he said with a wry smile as Mitsunari and Hideaki’s eyes locked on each other. Mitsunari acknowledged Hideaki’s presence with a cursory nod, only for Hideaki to ignore him and return to his conversation with Yaemon.
“He still holds a grudge, I see,” said Yukinaga, noticing the exchange.
“I make no apologies for reporting incompetence when I see it,” said Mitsunari. At only twenty years of age, Kobayakawa Hideaki was the fifth son of Lady Nene’s brother, Kinoshita Iesada, and the adopted nephew of Hideyoshi. Mitsunari had wondered what the Taiko was thinking of by promoting such an incompetent leader as overall commander of the second invasion force. His thoughts returned to Kato Kiyomasa’s failed assault on the Korean fortress of Haengju. He recalled it was in the depths of winter four years earlier that Kiyomasa, having suffered heavy casualties, wisely called off the assault on Haengju. He had incurred over ten thousand dead and wounded that day. It was then that Hideaki, as a junior commander, disobeyed Kiyomasa’s order to pull back and led three hundred men to their deaths in another futile assault against Haengju’s palisades. Hideaki was the only survivor of that action, an event that Mitsunari had witnessed and reported to Hideyoshi. He cited Hideaki’s actions as further evidence of the deadly mix of bravery and incompetence pervading Hideyoshi’s commanders in the field and a perfect example of why we were at risk of losing this war. It was because of Mitsunari’s candid report that Hideyoshi publicly scolded Hideaki and confiscated his domains in Chikugo province. A humiliation that Hideaki never forgot nor forgave Mitsunari for.
Yaemon also noticed the exchange between Mitsunari and Hideaki and moved to welcome his friend.
“You look well recovered,” said Mitsunari, addressing Yaemon. “The Taiko has sent me here to report on your invasion preparations.”
“The fleet is ready and 150,000 new troops stand ready to board,” said Yaemon. “We will soon begin loading the ships that are already docked below and intend to sail on the morning tide. When the army lands in Pusan, Kato Kiyomasa will spearhead the invasion force and if Yukinaga continues to keep his head, he has the honour of commanding the naval fleet.”
“Do you find any of this reckless enough to put in your report?” said Hideaki, in a sneering tone as he moved closer. Mitsunari ignored the slight and sipped the sake Yukinaga had just poured for him.
“Are you going to Korea as well?” Mitsunari asked Yaemon. Before Yaemon could reply, Hideaki interrupted.
“All of us here are going, except, of course, yourself,” said Hideaki. “Will you be staying to see us off or are you in a hurry to scurry back and make your report?”
“I shall leave on the next coastal vessel that docks here at Nagoya,” said Mitsunari as he rose to leave the room, politely nodding to Hideaki and ignoring the smug grin on his face. Upon returning to his quarters in the west wing of the castle, Mitsunari noticed a sealed letter addressed to him sitting on his writing table.
A woman has written this, Mitsunari thought, picking up the letter and having noticed the softer and more rounded technique used to form the characters. It must be from Ocha. He quickly broke the seal and read.
At the stroke of the ninth bell marking the commencement of the hour of the rat, I shall knock on your door. There is much to discuss.
Hatsume.
The midnight hour of the rat began with the ringing of bells and on the ninth bell stroke, Mitsunari looked up from his writing table in anticipation of the expected knock, which came as punctually as Hatsume had written. He rose and slid open the door, allowing his visitor to enter.
“Have you come to kill me?” said Mitsunari, inviting Hatsume to take a seat. “How did you find me?”
“A woman called Tomoe found me. She told me where you would be,” said Hatsume.
“So why have you come?” said Mitsunari.
“I came to warn you,” said Hatsume.
“And I have also sought to warn you, despite your attempts to kill me. The Taiko wants you dead and has agents scouring the land looking for you,” said Mitsunari. “Now, what is your warning about?”
“Hanzo knows you are Shingen’s, son,” said Hatsume.
“The Taiko also knows,” said Mitsunari. “I have told him everything.”
“Not everything I suspect,” said Hatsume. “Hanzo also harboured a suspicion that Hideyori might be of your loins.” A worried look quickly descended over Mitsunari.
How could he suspect that? He thought. If Hanzo suspects, then Ieyasu will also suspect by now.
“Is Hanzo still alive?” asked Mitsunari.
“He is both alive and dead in the hell of Jigoku,” said Hatsume, grinning. Mitsunari frowned.
“Then Lord Ieyasu will know you betrayed him and come after you,” said Mitsunari.
“I think not,” said Hatsume, smiling. “I have laid a trail that leads to Hanzo’s nemesis, Fuma Kotaro, the head jonin of the Fuma shinobi. The Fuma and Iga shinobi have long been enemies.”
“Fuma Kotaro?” queried Mitsunari aloud. “I recall that Katsuyori’s wife, Masako, was also from the Fuma clan.”
“Yes, and Hanzo had taken her head,” said Hatsume. “Masako was the daughter of Matsuda-dono, the concubine of the late Hojo lord, Ujiyasu and Matsuda-dono came from the Fuma Ninja clan led by Fuma Kotaro. As there was no place for women within the Fuma Ninja, Matsuda-dono made secret arrangements with her friend, the Lady Mochizuki Chiyo, from the rival Koka Ninja to raise Masako in the Koka arts.”
Mochizuki Chiyo, Mitsunari thought on hearing the name, she still reaches out from the grave.
“Hanzo served Ieyasu, so we must assume he also knows. He may yet tell the Taiko?” said Hatsume.
“I doubt it,” Mitsunari replied. “The Taiko would not believe it anyway and it would merely reinforce his suspicions of Ieyasu. It is more likely he would take steps to eliminate Ieyasu to protect Hideyori from scandal. I think Ieyasu knows this as well.”
“But, if the Taiko dies, Ieyasu will use this to discredit the heir to seize power for himself,” said Hatsume.
“Perhaps, but he is unlikely to act unless the Taiko dies. Maybe the time has come to take Ieyasu’s head first,” said Mitsunari, and Hatsume smiled and left the room without further comment.
The next morning around dawn, Mitsunari was notified of a cargo vessel out of Tsushima that was bound for Osaka. He quickly gathered his belongings and made for the door when the captain of the castle guard called out from outside his door.
“Forgive me, Sir,” said the captain. “We have a problem. The body of a woman has been found on the castle grounds.” Mitsunari’s heart immediately sank. Hatsume, he thought.
“Why are you telling me this?” asked Mitsunari.
“All the senior officers are down on the docks overseeing the loading of the invasion vessels, and as you are the Bugyo magistrate, we came to report it to you,” said the captain. Mitsunari left with the captain and headed towards the Honmaru, the castle’s keep. Outside along the high stone walls lay the body of a young woman, face down in the mud. Her brown kosode and hakama pants sodden by the overnight rain were torn, showing signs of a struggle. Mitsunari knelt and turned the body over and gasped when he recognised the white, ashen face streaked with mud. It was Tomoe. He then noticed the small Fukiya dart still embedded in her neck and withdrew it.
“That’s a shinobi dart,” exclaimed the captain. “We have intruders in the castle. Shall I sound the alarm?”
“No need, captain she is long gone,” said Mitsunari.
“She?” said the puzzled captain, and Mitsunari ignored the question.
“Take care of the body and be sure to give it a respectful burial,” said Mitsunari as he left to catch the waiting Bezaisen vessel.
Chapter Thirty
Summer/Autumn: Third Year of Keichoi (1598)
By the first full moon of the seventh month, the now sixty-two-year-old Hideyoshi’s deteriorating health had worsened. Frequently unsteady on his feet, and plagued by incontinence, a worried Nene successfully petitioned the imperial court for permission to perform the ancient ritual of the Mikagura at Fushimi and all the temples and shrines in Kyoto. Nene had hoped that the sacred music and dance would please the Kami and the prayers said would aid her husband’s recovery.
The Mikagura at Fushimi was held on one of the Noh stages Hideyoshi had built in his Yamazato garden. It was here at dusk that the Mikagura performers, a shaman, various priestesses, and dancers began leaving the stage, having concluded their performance. They left behind a worried Nene to continue her prayers alone for her husband’s wellbeing. Above her, the lanterns that had throughout the evening swayed rhythmically in the light evening breeze suddenly stopped and an eerie stillness descended over Fushimi’s grounds. Nene felt a cold shiver run through her as the evening silence was suddenly broken by the deafening chorus of awakening cicadas.
In the nearby complex of the daimyo mansions, screen doors were thrown open to receive the night air, hoping to provide some respite from the oppressive heat and humidity that had built up during the day. At the Tokugawa mansion of Lord Ieyasu, the lord of Edo slept uncomfortably alongside his new concubine, Lady Kageyama-dono. The nineteen-year-old niece of the late Hojo lord, Ujiyasu, spluttered and cleared her throat before falling back asleep, but it was the warm breath of a whisper in his ear that woke Ieyasu.
“Do not be alarmed my lord, but talk quietly,” said the whispering voice. A startled Ieyasu immediately sat up and his eyes widened in recognition of his intruder. “If you are thinking of calling out for your guard outside, do not bother. He is dead,” said the intruder. A bead of sweat ran down Ieyasu’s shaved pate, which he wiped away with his hand.
“Hatsume!” Ieyasu exclaimed. “You dare to show your face here?” Ieyasu glanced at his still-sleeping concubine and continued. “Am I to be your next victim?”
“No, my Lord, but there was no other way to see you,” said Hatsume. “I doubt I would still be alive had I shown up here politely requesting an audience?” Hatsume said sarcastically.
“You failed in your mission, and you have become a liability to me. The Taiko has ordered your immediate arrest and execution?” said Ieyasu as he again turned his attention to his still-sleeping concubine and became worried.
“Is she dead?” Ieyasu whispered.
“No, your lover is alive. I slipped her a sleeping draught while she slept. We can talk freely, as it will be several more hours before she wakes up,” said Hatsume.
“Why are you here?” said Ieyasu. “And what have you done with Hanzo?”
“I came to tell you I did not betray you and that your suspicions were correct. Jibu is a Takeda and from Shingen’s loins, as am I, but Hideyori is not Hideyoshi’s son,” said Hatsume.
“Do you have proof of this?” said Ieyasu excitedly.
“My Lord, may I ask how you know that your eldest son, Hideyasu, is your son? You have said he is the son of Lady Kogo, your late wife’s maidservant who you took as a concubine.”
“What of it?” snapped Ieyasu. “You have only to look at him to see the resemblance. See this?” said Ieyasu, pointing to the dark raised spot on his left cheek. “He has one identical. What more proof do you need?”
“As are the little fingers on Hideyori’s hands. They are both deformed, bending inwards.”
“What has this got to do with anything?” said Ieyasu.
“Well, it so happens that Jibu’s little fingers are also deformed, bending inwards. A coincidence perhaps?” Ieyasu remained silent for some time as he processed Hatsume’s observation.
“What of Hanzo? Did you have something to do with his disappearance?” Ieyasu asked. Hatsume knew she could not tell the truth. She had avenged her husband and son, but she also knew Ieyasu had no hand on any of it. It was all Hanzo’s doing. As a young widower, Ieyasu had comfortably provided for her, and it was a debt she would repay with her life.
“My lord, Hanzo had many enemies, and one of them, the shinobi leader, Futama Notaro, finally caught up with him. I believe him to be dead,” said Hatsume. Ieyasu sighed and wanted to ask how he died, but he knew she would just lie as she did just now.
“Futama Notaro,” said Ieyasu, speaking his name out aloud. “I know of him. You must tell me more about how Hanzo died, but first, I must deal with more pressing matters. I fear the Taiko is mad,” said Ieyasu as he got up and sat by a low table to pour himself a bowl of water from the flask that the servants had brought earlier. “He is distrustful of his commanders in Korea,” Ieyasu continued after wiping his lips. “He insists he will not be taken in again by their lies and has ordered that the heads of every Ming officer and the noses and ears of all those slain are to be pickled in salt and lime and sent back to Japan as proof. Already the first barrels containing the pickled heads, noses, and ears of thirty-seven thousand enemy soldiers have arrived in Kyoto. What are we going to do with them?” said Ieyasu. “Worse still, we are repeatedly made to swear oaths of allegiance to the Hideyori brat.”
“From what I hear, the Taiko’s health has deteriorated. He may not have long to live and then your problem will be solved,” said Hatsume.
“I wish it were that simple,” said Ieyasu. “But neither can I afford to wait till the Taiko dies or the brat comes of age. Prove your worth to me and quicken the Taiko’s death.” Hatsume fell silent in shock, but she would repay her debt to Ieyasu and melted back into the shadows to disappear as silently as she arrived.
#
A frail and delirious Hideyoshi lay dying in his golden tearoom at Fushimi while outside the Go-Tairo Council of Five Elders and their five commissioners, waited for news of the Taiko’s condition. Mitsunari, as a commissioner, was especially downcast. The thought of losing Hideyoshi tugged at his heart, for he was not just his lord and master, he loved Hideyoshi the same way a child loves his father. Hideyoshi had saved his life and rescued him from his entrapment as the Shogun Yoshiaki’s reluctant spy in his vendetta against Lord Nobunaga. He owed a lot to the frail lord who lay dying within the golden tearoom.
A despondent Mitsunari now reflected on his life; his successes, his failures and, importantly, what he had become. He felt guilt for the neglect of his own family who remained at Sawayama Castle in Hikone. The castle with its large estate was a reward from Hideyoshi for faithful service, but it came at a price. Being responsible for the day-to-day administrative business of the Taiko’s government meant that most of his time was spent at whatever place Hideyoshi chose as the seat of his government. He thought of his wife Kogetsu-in, who was left to run the estate and care for his three children, and he thought of his youngest son, Shigenari, whom he had not seen since he was born.
What kind of father am I? Eight long years have passed since I last saw him. I feel so alone. Yaemon should be here to help me. I do not even know if he is still alive.
Mitsunari also reflected on the swift passage of events that had taken place in such a short period. A year had passed since Yaemon left Nagoya to join Hideyoshi’s second invasion fleet. The reports from Korea, at first, were encouraging. It almost appeared as if the tide of fortune had at last turned in Hideyoshi’s favour. Yukinaga had redeemed himself by trouncing Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s turtle ships which were sent to prevent the fleet from landing. While on land, the headstrong Kato Kiyomasa lived up to his reputation with a reckless but successful offensive against the entrenched Ming positions on Pusan’s northern perimeter. Such was his progress, that his army now marches towards the southern capital of Hanseong, but more recent reports of ever-mounting casualties on both sides convinced Mitsunari that Kiyomasa will once again be forced into another stalemate.
Within the golden tearoom, a procession of both Buddhist and Shinto priests circled Hideyoshi, each chanting their special mantras, invocations, and prayers for his recovery. In a corner of the room that was shaded from the reflection of bright sunlight radiating off its gold leaf walls, knelt the Lady Nene, her head touching the polished floor as she, too, prayed for her husband’s recovery. Unseen by the Tairo and commissioners outside, the gilded doors that led to the Taiko’s quarters opened and Ocha, accompanied by Hatsume leading the young Hideyori by the hand, entered the room. Ocha knelt alongside Hideyoshi and, taking the boy’s hand, rested it on Hideyoshi’s limp arm.
“Your son Hideyori has come, my lord,” said Ocha, whispering in Hideyoshi’s ear. “His hand rests on your arm.” Hideyori stoically reached out to touch his father’s face, only to withdraw it quickly once he felt his father’s clammy skin. It was then that Hideyoshi’s eyes suddenly opened, his eyes fixated on the gilded ceiling above him. A long breath could be heard as he gulped air and then exhaled. Moments later the Taiko breathed no more. Nene approached to close his eyes, and Hatsume led Hideyori out of the room back to his quarters. The swiftness of time had conveniently overtaken Hatsume’s plan to shorten Hideyoshi’s life.
