Dale Furutani - Kill the Shogun

“Demonstration! What kind of demonstration?” Honda demanded. “You surely don’t intend to give this man his musket?”

Kaze said nothing, looking to Ieyasu to await his decision.

Finally, Ieyasu said, “Go ahead. If it is true that they are not trying to kill me, then I may be more merciful to Yoshida’s clan. Otherwise, I’ll kill them all-men, women, children, and babies. They’ll all die.”

Kaze looked at Niiya. “Your master tried to reach for the stars. He has failed. Regardless of the result of our demonstration, he will go to the great void and so will you. But with your skill, you have an opportunity to save the lives of the others in your clan. Perhaps your own family. This is your one chance.”

Niiya remained impassive. Kaze untied Niiya’s hands. Then he grabbed the pouch with the musket balls from the ground. He reached in the pouch and took out one musket ball. He held it up to Niiya. After a second, Niiya reached out and took the ball, then picked up the gunpowder container.

“Good,” Kaze said. Kaze went to retrieve Niiya’s musket. From the workmanship, he immediately recognized it as an Inatomi musket. As he handed it back to Niiya, he said, “Do you have a flint and steel to start the fuse burning? It’s gone out.”

Niiya nodded.

Kaze started walking away from Niiya, pacing off 140 paces, the approximate distance of Niiya’s first shot at the castle wall. When he had reached the required distance, he looked around and saw a wild persimmon tree, its fruit past its prime but still a fiery orange. He walked over and picked one, then returned to his position.

Ieyasu, Honda, and the rest had dismounted to watch the exhibition. Kaze could see that Niiya had already used his flint and steel to get the fuse burning on the matchlock. Then Niiya loaded the matchlock with gunpowder and the musket ball given to him.

“I think Honda-san should stand away from Niiya-san, just in case Niiya-san decides that he’d rather finish his mission than exhibit his skills,” Kaze shouted.

“This is ridiculous,” Honda said. “I won’t stand aside.”

“Ieyasu-sama, please order him,” Kaze shouted, when he saw that Honda was going to be stubborn.

“Stand aside,” Ieyasu said. He did not raise his voice, but the tone of command was clear and overwhelming.

Honda gave a short bow and stepped to the side of Niiya, so Niiya couldn’t train his gun on him unless he made a complete turn. Kaze took the persimmon and held it up in the palm of his hand, just a hand-span away from his head. Niiya looked at Kaze and then raised the musket up to his shoulder, taking careful aim. Kaze saw the barrel of the gun move almost imperceptibly toward him.

“This is the only chance you have to exhibit your skills in front of Ieyasu-sama,” Kaze shouted to Niiya. “I can understand the urge for revenge, but surely you want Ieyasu-sama to know what a fantastic marksman you are. More important, by killing me, you will be killing the rest of your clan.”

Niiya put the gun down and wiped his palm on the side of his kimono; then he touched the side of his face where the rock had hit. Then he put the gun back up to his shoulder and in one smooth motion, trained the gun, took aim, and fired. The crack of the musket filled the quiet forest air. Three birds flew out of a tree at the report of the gun. Kaze felt the persimmon in his palm explode as the lead ball hit it.

Involuntarily, Honda exclaimed, “Incredible! That’s the finest shot I’ve ever seen.” Kaze shook the persimmon pulp from his hand, and simply said, “Messy.”

Niiya showed no pleasure or satisfaction at his accomplishment. He simply put his musket down and waited as Kaze walked back to the group.

Niiya turned to Ieyasu and dropped to both knees. “Would you accept my gun, Ieyasu-sama? It is a superb weapon, one of the last that Inatomi-sensei made, and one of his finest. I am sorry that I had to kill Inatomi-sensei and his household. The men that Matsuyama-san and Honda-san killed were the ones who helped me. Yoshida-san sent us ahead of him, before he arrived with the official party, to eliminate any possible link between Inatomi-sensei and us. That killing is the one thing I regret about this affair, but that regret doesn’t diminish the craftsmanship of this musket. Iwould not like to think of it falling into hands that would not appreciate it.”

Ieyasu nodded and signaled for one of his guards to step forward and take the gun out of Niiya’s hands.

Honda said, “I don’t understand this. What is going on? What was that demonstration supposed to prove?”

“It proves, Honda-san,” Ieyasu said quietly, “that I was not the target for the first assassination attempt. It was not the case of the assassin missing me and hitting Nakamura-san by mistake. This man hit exactly whom he intended to hit, just as he would have killed you, if the ronin had not interfered.”

“Why would Yoshida-san want to kill Nakamura-san and me?” Honda said. “I don’t understand it.”

“Because Yoshida-san understood he could not become Shogun, at least right now, even if I died. With you gone and Nakamura-san gone, there would be no other rivals for the top spot in my government. Yoshida-san would be in a position of trust, a position that would allow him to gather power over the years. When it was my time to pass into another existence, he might be strong enough to depose my son Hidetada and become the next Shogun. Even if he couldn’t do that, he would have a secure and respected position in the government and would surely prosper from it in the years to come. It’s a time-honored tactic for the number-two man to try and become number one when the opportunity presents itself.”

Kaze looked at Ieyasu and thought, That’s exactly what Ieyasu did when Hideyoshi died.

Ieyasu turned to Kaze. “What is it you call yourself now?” he asked.

“Matsuyama Kaze.”

“Well, Matsuyama-san, I owe you a debt. I can only imagine what you must have suffered. But I will restore your name and family, and also restore to you the fief that once was your Lord’s. Okubo-san is administering it now, but that’s only because he was able to conquer it, not because it was awarded to him. I need men like you to help create a new Japan. Perhaps there will also be a place for you in my new government.”

Kaze bowed to show that he was grateful for Ieyasu’s offer. “I’m sorry, Ieyasu-sama,” Kaze said. “That’s not the reward I want.”

Okubo arrived with a small escort, galloping across the field to the edge of the woods where Ieyasu and his party were waiting. The sudden summons to meet with Ieyasu had come as a surprise to Okubo, and he had no idea why the new Shogun wanted to see him.

Despite his injured leg, Okubo was able to jump out of his saddle in smart fashion, limping forward to the Shogun and dropping to one knee. “You asked for me, Ieyasu-sama?” he asked.

“Good. Did you bring your weapon?” Ieyasu asked.

“Yes, Ieyasu-sama. My daito is strapped to my horse.”

“But no armor?”

Okubo struck his chest, to show he had no chain mail under his kimono. “None, Ieyasu-sama.”

“I know this was an unusual request,” Ieyasu said.

“I live to obey,” Okubo responded.

Ieyasu looked at the daimyo impassively, then said, “Take your weapon and go into those woods. In a short distance, you will find a meadow. In the meadow is an old acquaintance.”

Okubo looked up in surprise. “Could you tell me what this is about, Ieyasu-sama? Who is this acquaintance you mentioned?”

“All will be explained when you get to the meadow.”

Puzzled, Okubo got up and walked to his horse. He drew the long sword, the daito, from its scabbard. Holding the weapon at the ready, he started walking toward the woods, with his escort following.