"We don't have cotton mills though Struan's have. There's more: To muzzle certain powerful factions on both sides of the House they're going to order all our opium plantations in Bengal torched and tea pl--"
"Jesus Christ!" Struan was aghast, Jamie purple and Dmitri in shock. "Then how do we trade in China for God's sake?
Opium to silver to..."
"Parliament don't give a tinker's fart for our Heavenly Triangle," Norbert said grimly, "or Asia, or China, or trade, only staying in office. They want to replant with tea." He replaced the paper in the folder and sat back on the desk, knowing full well the others would dearly love to know the veracity of the document, and what else was in it. "The Old Man said to tell you we've an informant close to the P.m.'s office, his whispers always been true in the past, and that's the God's truth. He says rightly we've got to get this bloody pair out, fast. Dmitri you've got to pressure them from your side. Tyler says whatever's necessary we'll do and asks you to do the same. Agreed?"
Dmitri said, "Agreed. Jesu, I can't believe it."
"I do." Struan raised his glass, wondering where Tyler Brock's trap was. "May they burn in Hell."
Solemnly they drank with him. Norbert refilled their glasses. His face had hardened to focus on Struan. "Next: we're all party to our duel. I don't need seconds and we agreed Wednesday dawn. Sorry, I'm on Ocean Witch tonight, sorry, Tyler's orders--so Wednesday's off. I sugg--"
"Why put it off, there's light enough now." The words were out before Malcolm could stop them and he was pleased that he had reacted so quickly and firmly though suddenly his brain seemed stretched. The silence intensified. Jamie had blanched.
"Not now." Eyes glinting and hiding his amusement, Norbert turned to Jamie and Dmitri, the formal seconds. "I suggest we postpone, gentleman's agreement, till I get back, about three weeks, eh? Then it'll be next day, whenever."
Jamie said, "That's a better idea, Tai-pan. Yes?"
After a moment the tightness in Struan's head seeped away. "Fine," he said, neither pleased nor disappointed but content that he had thrown down the gauntlet again. He did not notice Jamie and Dmitri cover their relief. They finished their drinks and left.
When he was quite alone, Norbert took out Tyler Brock's letter and reread it, his palms sweaty. The first part dealt with their spy's information.
The letter ended: "Get thy arse aboard Ocean Witch and leave on first tide, just thee no other passengers mind. Bring thy inner books, the Jappo gold-mining contract, and all bullion in thy control. We's to meet in Shanghai, secret--that's Witch's first port of call though manifest says direct Hong Kong-- Morgan, me and thee, fast as possible and secret, no one to be wiser. When thee returns to Yokohama, mayhaps thy bed'll be in godrotting Malcolm Struan's room, ay, with his doxie's tongue fawning all over thee if that's thy pleasure--soon she be for sale too.
We's just heard her Dad's fled Bangkok, like Hong Kong, more fraud and swindles, Frog officials this time. They be catching him, trying him and then the guillotine--Frogs bain't like our lily piss-arsed Peelers. Missus sends best wishes."
KYOTO Sunday, 16th November
KYOTO Sunday, 16th November: Well after dark, Yoshi and his guard, muffled and disguised in nondescript clothes as ordinary soldiers, wearily picked their way through the deserted streets of the sleeping, ancient capital where Emperors and the Imperial court had lived for centuries.
The city had been constructed in Chinese fashion with straight streets, the cross streets at right angles, with the sprawling, Forbidden Palace and grounds central to it.
Only the roofs could be seen behind its tall walls --six Gates in the walls. Yoshi avoided it carefully, wanting to elude Ogama's patrols and samurai guarding the Gates, and when he arrived, unheralded, at the Shogunate barrack complex, he went to his own quarters and soon sank gratefully into a steaming bath that could easily hold eight.
"How many fighters do I have in Kyoto, Akeda?" he asked, the aches of his days of forced march beginning to seep away.
Grim-faced, the old general lowered himself into the water beside him, the bath a metre deep. The bathhouse was within the inner redoubt, all maids had been dismissed and sentries posted outside.
"Eight hundred and two of which eighty are sick or recovering from wounds, all sworn to you, all trustworthy, all mounted. Plus the eighteen you brought with you," he said in his gravelly voice.
The moment Yoshi had arrived, Akeda had doubled all guards. He was a tough, hatomoto retainer whose family had served the Toranaga clan for generations and now he commanded their Kyoto garrison. "Not enough to protect you."
"I'm safe here." By Legacy law, this was the only defensible complex in Kyoto, capable of billeting five thousand men if need be, all other daimyos restricted to a maximum of five hundred men--with no more than ten daimyos in Kyoto at any one time, their comings and goings strictly controlled. Time and weak Councils of Elders had whittled Shogunate numbers to under a thousand. "Do you doubt that?"
"Inside our walls, no. So sorry, I meant outside."
"Allies? How many daimyos can I count on?"
Akeda shrugged irritably. "It was totally wrong to put yourself at such risk travelling with so few guards, even more dangerous to come to Kyoto.
If I had been warned I could have met you and escorted you in. If your father were alive he would have forbidden such dan--"
"But my father's not alive." Yoshi's lips set into a hard line. "Allies?"
"If you raised your own standard in Kyoto, Sire, your very own, most daimyos and most samurai would rush to your side, here and throughout the land, more than enough to enforce whatever you wanted to enforce."
"That could be construed as treason."
"Ah so sorry but truth is usually treasonous at your level, Lord--and very difficult to obtain." The weathered old face broke into a smile. "The truth: If you raise the Shogunate banner almost none, the daimyos here will not combine against Ogama of Choshu, not while he holds the Gates."
"How many samurai does Ogama have here?"
"They say over two thousand, handpicked men, all well placed in fortified guard houses around the palace, close to nominal guards on our Gates." Akeda smiled mirthlessly seeing Yoshi's eyes narrow. "Oh everyone knows it's against the law, but no one reminded him and no one has stood up to him. He's been sneaking them in in tens and twenties since he threw out that old fox Sanjiro, Katsumata and his Satsumas. You know they escaped by boat to Kagoshima?" He slid deeper into the water.
"Rumor has it Ogama has another two to three thousand Choshu samurai within ten ri."
"Eh?"
"His grip tightens on Kyoto, every day a little more, his patrols control the streets, except for an occasional shishi band who pick a fight with anyone they fancy does not honor sonno-joi, particularly us and anyone allied to the Shogunate. They are fools because we are equally opposed to gai-jin, their foul Treaties and want them out."
"Are shishi here in strength?"
"Yes. Rumor is they are getting ready for some mischief. A week ago some of them picked on an Ogama patrol, openly calling Ogama a traitor. He was furious and has been trying to hunt them down ever since. There is ..."
A knock stopped him. The Captain of the Guard opened the door. "Excuse me, Lord Yoshi, an emissary from Lord Ogama is at gate, requesting an audience with you." Both men gasped.
Yoshi said angrily, "How could he know I have arrived? For the last fifty ri we have been disguised. I waited outside Kyoto till dark, we bypassed the barricades and met no patrols. There must be a spy here."
"There are no spies inside here," Akeda grated. "On my head, Sire.
Outside they are legion, everywhere, for Ogama, shishi, and others--and you are not easily disguised."