"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, neh?"
The general's iron-gray brows knotted. "No. We die in battle, with honor. We regain wa. The Kwanto is a spoil of war, but we'll not see the new master in this life. Shigata ga nai."
"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 Taiko - 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, neh? The rains must stop soon or the harvest'll be ruined."
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 Yokose 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, neh? Zataki, everyone, even you! Or spies would have told Ishido and he would have moved against us at once and no good fortune on earth or gods in heaven could have prevented disaster to me. "
"That's true . . . ah, Lord, forgive me. I'm so stupid. I deserve to lose my head! So it was all nonsense, always nonsense. But . . . but what about General Kiyoshio?"
"He said he was guilty of treason. I don't need treasonous generals, only obedient vassals."
"But why attack Lord Sudara? Why withdraw your favor from him?"
"Because it pleases me to do so," Toranaga said harshly.
"Yes. Please excuse me. That's your sole privilege. I beg you to forgive me for doubting you."
"Why should I forgive you for being you, old friend? I needed you to do what you did and say what you said. Now I need you more than ever. I must have someone I can trust. That's why I'm taking you into my confidence. This has got to be secret between us."
"Oh Sire. You make me so happy...."
"Yes," Toranaga said. "That's the only thing I'm afraid of."
"Sire?"
"You're commander-in-chief. You alone can neutralize this stupid, brooding mutiny while I'm waiting. I trust you and must trust you. My son can't hold my generals in check, though he'd never show outward joy at the secret - if he knew it - but your face is the gateway to your soul, old friend."
"Then let me take my life after I've settled the generals."
"That's no help. You must hold them together pending my pretended departure, neh? You'll just have to guard your face and your sleep like never before. You're the only one in all the world who knows - you're the only one I must trust, neh?"
"Forgive me for my stupidity. I won't fail. Explain to me what I must do."
"Say to my generals what's true - that you persuaded me to take your advice, which is also theirs, neh? I formally order my departure postponed for seven days. Later I'll postpone it again. Sickness, this time. You're the only one to know."
"Then? Then it will be Crimson Sky?"
"Not as originally planned. Crimson Sky was always a last plan, neh?"
"Yes. What about the Musket Regiment? Could it blast a path through the mountains?"
"Part of the way. But not all the way to Kyoto."
"Have Zataki assassinated."
"That might be possible. But Ishido and his allies are still invincible." Toranaga told him the arguments of Omi, Yabu, lgurashi, and Buntaro the day of the earthquake. "At that time I ordered Crimson Sky as another feint to throw Ishido into confusion . . . and also had the right parts of the discussion whispered into the wrong ears. But the fact is, Ishido's force is still invincible."
"How can we split them up? What about Kiyama and Onoshi?"
"No, those two are implacably against me. All the Christians will be against me - except my Christian, and I will soon put him and his ship to very good use. Time is what I need most. I've allies and secret friends throughout the Empire and if I have time .... Every day I gain weakens Ishido further. That's my battle plan. Every day of delay is important. Listen, after the rains, Ishido will come against the Kwanto, a simultaneous pincer, Ikawa Jikkyu spearheading the south, Zataki in the north. We contain Jikkyu at Mishima, then fall back to the Hakone Pass and Odawara, where we make our final stand. In the north we'll hold Zataki fast in the mountains along the Hosho-kaido Road somewhere near Mikawa. It's true what Omi and lgurashi said: We can hold off the first attack and there shouldn't be another great invasion. We fight and we wait behind our mountains. We fight and delay and wait and then when the fruit is ripe for plucking - Crimson Sky."
"Eeeeee, let that day be soon!"
"Listen, old friend, only you can hold my generals in check. With time and the Kwanto secure, completely secure, we can weather the first attack and then Ishido's alliances will begin to break up. Once that happens Yaemon's future is assured and the Taiko's testament inviolate. "