Toranaga saw the firm old eyes measuring him. “You can speak freely.”
“Have you ever known me not to, Sire?” The old man was grave.
“Please excuse me for keeping you waiting.”
“Please excuse me for troubling you. What is your pleasure, Sire? Please give me your decision about the future of your house. Is it finally Osaka—bending to that manure pile?”
“Have you ever known me to make a final decision about anything?”
Hiro-matsu frowned, then thoughtfully straightened his back to ease the ache in his shoulders. “I’ve always known you to be patient and decisive and you’ve always won. That’s why I can’t understand you now. It’s not like you to give up.”
“Isn’t the realm more important than
“No.”
“Ishido and the other Regents are still legal rulers according to the Taikō’s will.”
“I am the vassal of Yoshi Toranaga-noh-Minowara and I acknowledge no one else.”
“Good. The day after tomorrow is my chosen day to leave for Osaka.”
“Yes. I’ve heard that.”
“You’ll be in command of the escort, Buntaro second-in-command.”
The old general sighed. “I know that too, Sire. But since I’ve been back, Sire, I’ve talked to your senior advisers and gener—”
“Yes. I know. And what is their opinion?”
“That you should not leave Yedo. That your orders should be temporarily overruled.”
“By whom?”
“By me. By my orders.”
“That’s what they wish? Or that is what you’ve decided?”
Hiro-matsu put his sword on the floor nearer to Toranaga and, now defenseless, looked directly at him. “Please excuse me, Sire, I wish to ask you what I should do. My duty seems to tell me I should take command and prevent your leaving. This will at once force Ishido to come against us. Yes, of course we will lose, but that seems to be the only honorable way.”
“But stupid,
The general’s iron-gray brows knotted. “No. We die in battle, with honor. We regain
“I’ve never enjoyed expending men uselessly. I’ve never lost a battle and see no reason why I should begin now.”
“Losing one battle is no dishonor, Sire. Is surrender honorable?”
“You are all agreed in this treason?”
“Sire, please excuse me, I asked individuals for a military opinion only. There’s no treason or plot.”
“You still listened to treason.”
“Please excuse me, but if I agree, as your commander-in-chief, then it no longer becomes treason but legal state policy.”
“Taking decisions away from your liege lord is treason.”
“Sire, there are too many precedents for deposing a lord. You’ve done it, Goroda did it, the Taikō—we’ve all done that and worse. A victor never commits treason.”
“You’ve decided to depose me?”
“I ask for your help in the decision.”
“You’re the one person I thought I could trust!”
“By all gods I only wish to be your most devoted vassal. I’m only a soldier. I wish to do my duty to you. I think only of you. I merit your trust. If it will help, take my head. If it will convince you to fight, I gladly give you my life, my clan’s life blood, today—in public or private or whatever way you wish—isn’t that what our friend General Kiyoshio did? I’m sorry but I do not understand why I should permit you to throw away a lifetime of effort.”
“Then you refuse to obey my orders to head the escort that will leave for Osaka the day after tomorrow?”
A cloud passed over the sun and both men looked out of the windows. “It’ll rain again soon,” Toranaga said.
“Yes. There’s been too much rain this year,
They looked at each other.
“Well?”
Iron Fist said simply, “I formally ask you, Sire, do you order me to escort you from Yedo, the day after tomorrow, to begin the trek to Osaka?”
“As there seems to be advice from all my counselors to the contrary, I’ll accept their opinion, and yours, and delay my departure.”
Hiro-matsu was totally unprepared for this. “Eh? You won’t be leaving?”
Toranaga laughed, the mask fell off, and he was the old Toranaga again. “I never intended to go to Osaka. Why should I be so stupid?”
“What?”
“My agreement at Yokosé was nothing more than a trick to gain time,” Toranaga said affably. “Ishido took the bait. The fool expects me in Osaka within a few weeks. Zataki also took that bait. And you and all my valiant, untrusting vassals also took the bait. With no real concession whatsoever I’ve gained a month, put Ishido and his filthy allies in turmoil. I hear they’re already scrambling for the Kwanto. Kiyama’s been promised it as well as Zataki.”
“You never intended to go?” Hiro-matsu shook his head, then as the clarity of the idea suddenly hit him, his face broke into a delighted grin. “It’s all a ruse?”
“Of course. Listen, everyone had to be taken in,
