Yasushi Inoue - The Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan

“Capturing a castle, you say it so easily, but…” Harunobu started; then Kansuke interrupted.

“Yes, there are secret principles on the capture of castles and the subjugation of territory.”

“Have you mastered the secret principles?”

“Yes.”

Kansuke’s curt answer bore an insolent air to it. Then Kansuke heard Amari’s bold, laughing voice.

“How many times you have participated in battles?” Amari asked.

“Not even once.”

A burst of laughter erupted from the lower seats.

It did not disturb Kansuke at all. Something was building up within him that made it difficult for him to sit quietly. It was his confidence and bravery, which made him believe that he could capture many castles easily.

After a pause Itagaki said, “You may leave and rest.”

Kansuke left Harunobu’s mansion.

As soon as he had left, Amari knelt in front of Harunobu and said, “We cannot help thinking of him as a fake who simply wants a stipend, especially when he talks about his ability in military strategy without having participated in a battle even once.”

Then, Obu also added, “How about keeping him one year to see what he can actually do. However, since our lord has divine abilities to judge people, you might have some special thought on him.

Then Harunobu simply said, “Ten years ago, when I was thirteen years old, I went to Ushikubo in Mikawa Province and met Kansuke. At that time we exchanged an agreement as lord and vassal, and since then I have let him travel around the country.”

Harunobu did not change his expression at all. Everybody knew that his words were false, but it was Lord Harunobu who had spoken and nobody dared to challenge his words. Only Itagaki knew the reason why Harunobu protected Kansuke: Since Harunobu had been ignored by his father and had lived an ill-fated childhood, he had a tendency to show his favor to people who had a strange appearance or were in adversity, simply because they were not trusted by others.

Kansuke spent the second night in Kai under the protection of Itagaki in the samurai residence in front of the Takeda mansion.

The next afternoon, Kansuke climbed up the slope behind the mansion. Right behind the mansion, the base of the gentle hill spread. Even before he was halfway to the top, he could see not only the castle town of Kofuchu, but also part of the plain of the Kai fiefdom.

It looked so easy to attack and destroy the Takeda mansion. It was totally defenseless when viewed from the mountain. The only reason they had kept their fiefdom intact until now must have been that the Takeda family always fought away and never drew the enemy inside their fiefdom. In the eastern coastal region, the castle would never have survived a day in this defenseless situation.

Wind was blowing up from the foothills. It made Kansuke feel good as the wind brushed the perspiration from his skin.

Kansuke sat on the bank of a rice field, which was cultivated along the slope, and continued looking down upon the plain. Kai was said to be a mountainous country. Indeed, along the plain he could see the severe line of the mountain ranges.

All of a sudden, Kansuke saw a horseman riding up the slope where he was sitting. When the skillful rider neared Kansuke, he dismounted from his horse and approached him. He asked him politely, “Are you Yamamoto-san? You are summoned to the castle.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Somebody saw you climbing this hill.”

Kansuke stood up and said, “I shall be there right way.”

The samurai mounted his horse and swiftly disappeared.

Kansuke thought it was the Lord Harunobu who had summoned him. When he entered the castle, red and white striped curtains were hung all around the square, and the sound of drums was heard everywhere. A few samurai ran toward him and said, “Please follow us.” He was immediately taken inside a tent.

Amari sat in the center of the tent on a stool and many samurai were sitting on either side of him. Kansuke was immediately taken in front of him.

Amari said to Kansuke, “Yamamoto Kansuke, you are going to show me the way of Gyoryu swordsmanship.”

“What an absurd request, I came here thinking that our lord was calling me.”

“I have heard that you excel in Gyoryu swordsmanship.

Unfortunately we have nobody who has mastered that school, but we have several masters who studied Shintoryu. I would appreciate it if you will have a match with them.”

Kansuke had no interest in the game. It was simply a rumor that he was a master of Gyoryu swordsmanship, just as his journeys all over the country were. He had never even held a wooden sword in his hands before this. The only experience he had with a sword was the time he killed Aoki Daizen in Suruga. Even he did not know how he had succeeded that time. He knew that he had to defend himself, so he jumped in and struck at Daizen’s forehead, legs, then shoulder, forehead again and, in the end, split his shoulder. He struck him because he thought he had to kill him. But that was enough of the art of swordsmanship! He knew nothing of the Gyoryu, or the Shintoryu. He did not even know the rules of handling a sword.

A few samurai ran toward him and handed him a wooden sword. They then tucked up his sleeves with a sash.

“What a nuisance!” Kansuke uttered. Without giving him time to complete his words, he was taken to the center of the square.

“Nuisance!”

Kansuke tried to escape to the corner, but was taken back to the center again. Then, he saw a middle-aged samurai slowly approaching him with a wooden sword in his hands. Since Kansuke had no intention of fighting, the game started one-sided.

“What a nuisance!” He yelled when his shoulder was struck hard.

“This is absurd!” He yelled again, when the other shoulder was numbed. He could not regain the feeling in either shoulder for a while. Then, his legs were swept from under him and Kansuke fell awkwardly on the ground.

Laughter and cheers spread around the square.

Suddenly the noise dwindled to total silence. One part of the curtain was split open and Harunobu appeared with his pages behind him. Kansuke was summoned.

“I hear you had a match,” said Harunobu with his low, but resonating, voice.

“Yes, I won the game,” he continued, holding his painful shoulder. “My partner would be no use in real combat. He would be killed with a single blow.”

“Why is that?”

“His eyes were dead. Just like the eyes of a dead fish. He could be struck down by a nameless foot soldier.”

Harunobu nodded nonchalantly. It was hard to tell whether he believed Kansuke or not. In the square a new game started.

Kansuke bowed and left the lord. Both his shoulders and his back were aching. What a nuisance, he thought.

Amari came close to him and said hatefully, “Don’t tell an obvious lie when it was so clear that you were beaten.”

“Was it your house retainer?”

“I have just hired him recently. He was a ronin from the east, but he has skillful hands.”

“But he will be useless in real combat. He will embarrass you.” Kansuke then laughed and lifted the curtain and slipped behind it.

That night, Kansuke was invited by Lord Harunobu to visit the castle. Itagaki, Amari, and five or six other generals were with Harunobu.

“Are the samurai and common people different in each fiefdom?” Harunobu asked Kansuke.

“I traveled all over the country and studied family customs.

I happened to study Lord Yoshimoto’s 21court and became acquainted with some ronin while I was in Suruga for nine years.

I believe that the entire country could be divided into three categories. First, the eastern mentality; second, Shikoku 22and Chugoku 23; and then Kyushu 24would belong to the third category.”