Jozen said, "Ah, Naga-san, it must be good to be so young. You know, my Master agrees with much of what you said about the barbarians. I've heard him say many times, 'Keep them out - kick them out - kick their arses away to Nagasaki and keep them bottled there!' You'd kill the Anjin-san, eh? Interesting. My Master doesn't like the Anjin-san either. But for him-" He stopped. "Ah, yes, you've a good thought about guns. I can see that clearly. May I tell that to my Master? Your idea about new laws?"
"Of course." Naga was mollified, and calmer now that he had spoken what had been bottled up from the first day.
"You've given this opinion to Lord Toranaga?" Yabu asked.
"Lord Toranaga has not asked my opinion. I hope one day he will honor me by asking as you have done," Naga replied at once with sincerity, and wondered if any of them detected the lie.
Omi said, "As this is a free discussion, Sire, I say this barbarian is a treasure. I believe we must learn from the barbarian. We must know about guns and fighting ships because they know about them. We must know everything they know as soon as they know it, and even now, some of us must begin to learn to think like they do so that soon we can surpass them."
Naga said confidently, "What could they possibly know, Omi-san? Yes, guns and ships. But ,what else? How could they destroy us? There's not a samurai among them. Doesn't this Anjin admit openly that even their kings are murderers and religious fanatics? We're millions, they're a handful. We could swamp them with our hands alone. "
"This Anjin-san opened my eyes, Naga-san. I've discovered that our land, and China, isn't the whole world, it's only a very small part. At first I thought the barbarian was just a curiosity. Now I don't. I thank the gods for him. I think he's saved us and I know we can learn from him. Already he's given us power over the Southern Barbarians - and over China."
"What?"
"The Taiko failed because their numbers are too great for us, man to man, arrow to arrow, neh? With guns and barbarian skill we could take Peking."
"With barbarian treachery, Omi-san!"
"With barbarian knowledge, Naga-san, we could take Peking. Whoever takes Peking eventually controls China. And whoever controls China can control the world. We must learn not to be ashamed of taking knowledge from wherever it comes."
"I say we need nothing from outside."
"Without offense, Naga-san, I say we must protect this Land of the Gods by any means. It's our prime duty to protect the unique, divine position we have on earth. Only this is the Land of the Gods, neh? Only our Emperor is divine. I agree this barbarian should be gagged. But not by death. By permanent isolation here in Anjiro, until we have learned everything he knows. " Jozen scratched thoughtfully. "My Master will be told of your views. I agree the barbarian should be isolated. Also that training should cease at once."
Yabu took a scroll from his sleeve. "Here is a full report on the experiment for Lord Ishido. When Lord Ishido wishes the training to cease, of course, the training will cease."
Jozen accepted the scroll. "And Lord Toranaga? What about him?" His eyes went to Naga. Naga said nothing but stared at the scroll.
Yabu said, "You will be able to ask his opinion directly. He has a similar report. I presume you'll be leaving for Yedo tomorrow? Or would you like to witness the training? I hardly need tell you the men are not yet proficient."
"I would like to see one 'attack.'" "Omi-san, arrange it. You lead it."
"Yes, Sire."
Jozen turned to his second-in-command and gave him the scroll. "Masumoto, take this to Lord Ishido. You will leave at once."
"Yes, Jozen-san."
Yabu said to Igurashi, "Provide him with guides to the border and fresh horses."
Igurashi left with the samurai immediately.
Jozen stretched and yawned. "Please excuse me," he said, "but it's all the riding I've done in the last few days. I must thank you for an extraordinary evening, Yabu-sama. Your ideas are far-reaching. And yours, Omi-san. And yours, Naga-san. I'll compliment you to the Lord Toranaga and to my Master. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm very tired and Osaka is a long way off."
"Of course," Yabu said. "How was Osaka?"
"Very good. Remember those bandits, the ones that attacked you by land and sea?"
"Of course."
"We took four hundred and fifty heads that night. Many were wearing Toranaga uniforms."
"Ronin have no honor. None."
"Some ronin have," Jozen said, smarting from the insult. He lived always with the shame of having once been ronin. "Some were even wearing our Grays. Not one escaped. They all died."
"And Buntaro-san?"
"No. He-" Jozen stopped. The "no" had slipped out but now that he had said it he did not mind. "No. We don't know for certain - no one collected his head. You've heard nothing about him?"
"No," Naga said.
"Perhaps he was captured. Perhaps they just cut him into pieces and scattered him. My Master would like to know when you have news. All's very good now at Osaka. Preparations for the meeting go forward. There'll be lavish entertainments to celebrate the new era, and of course, to honor all the daimyos."
"And Lord Toda Hiro-matsu?" Naga asked politely.
"Old Iron Fist's as strong and gruff as ever."
"He's still there?"
"No. He left with all your father's men a few days before I did."
"And my father's household?"
"I heard that the Lady Kiritsubo and the Lady Sazuko asked to stay with my Master. A doctor advised the Lady to rest for a monthher health, you know. He thought the journey would not be good for the expected child. " To Yabu he added, "She fell down the night you left, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"There's nothing serious, I hope," Naga asked, very concerned. "No, Naga-san, nothing serious," Jozen said, then again to Yabu, "You've informed Lord Toranaga of my arrival?"
"Of course."
"Good. "
"The news you brought us would interest him greatly."
"Yes. I saw a carrier pigeon circle and fly north."
"I have that service now." Yabu did not add that Jozen's pigeon had also been observed, or that falcons had intercepted it near the mountains, or that the message had been decoded: "At Anjiro. All true as reported. Yabu, Naga, Omi, and barbarian here."
"I will leave tomorrow, with your permission, after the 'attack.' You'll give me fresh horses? I must not keep Lord Toranaga waiting. I look forward to seeing him. So does my Master. At Osaka. I hope you'll accompany him, Naga-san."
"If I'm ordered there, I will be there." Naga kept his eyes lowered but he was burning with suppressed fury.
Jozen left and walked with his guards up the hill to his camp. He rearranged the sentries and ordered his men to sleep and got into his small brush lean-to that they had constructed against the coming rain. By candlelight, under a mosquito net, he rewrote the previous message on a thin piece of rice paper and added: "The five hundred guns are lethal. Massed surprise gun attacks planned - full report already sent with Masumoto." Then he dated it and doused the candle. In the darkness he slipped out of his net, removed one of the pigeons from the panniers and placed the message in the tiny container on its foot. Then he stealthily made his way to one of his men and handed him the bird.