"You sent for me, Sire?"
"Yes, Gyoko-san. What news have you for me?"
"All sorts of things, Sire," Gyoko said, her well-made-up face unafraid, a glint in her eyes, but her bowels in upheaval. She knew it was no coincidence that this meeting was taking place and her instinct told her Toranaga was more dangerous than usual. "Arrangements for the Guild of Courtesans progress satisfactorily and rules and regulations are being drawn up for your approval. There is a fine area to the north of the city that would-"
"The area I've already chosen is nearer the coast. The Yoshiwara."
She complimented him on his choice, groaning inwardly. The Yoshiwara - Reed Moor - was presently a bog and mosquitoed and would have to be drained and reclaimed before it could be fenced and built on. "Excellent, Sire. Next: Rules and regulations for the geisha are also being prepared for your perusal."
"Good. Make them short and to the point. What sign are you going to put over the gateway to the Yoshiwara?"
"'Lust will not keep - something must be done about it.'" He laughed, and she smiled but did not relax her guard, though she added seriously, "Again may I thank you on behalf of future generations, Sire."
"It's not for you or them I agreed," Toranaga told her, and quoted one of his comments in the Legacy: "Virtuous men throughout history have always decried bawdy houses and Pillow Places, but men aren't virtuous and if a leader outlaws houses and pillowing he's a fool because greater evils will soon erupt like a plague of boils."
"How wise you are."
"And as to putting all the Pillow Places in one area, that means all the unvirtuous may be watched, taxed, and serviced, all at the same time. You're right again, Gyoko-san, 'Lust will not keep.' It soon gets addled. Next?"
"Kiku-san has regained her health, Sire. Perfectly."
"Yes, I saw. How delightful she is! I'm sorry - Yedo's certainly hot and unkind in the summer. You're sure she's fine now?"
"Yes, oh yes, but she has missed you, Sire. We are to accompany you to Mishima?"
"What other rumors have you heard?"
"Only that Ishido's left Osaka Castle. The Regents have formally declared you outlaw - what impertinence, Sire."
"Which way's he planning to attack me?"
"I don't know, Sire," she said cautiously. "But I imagine a two - forked attack, along the Tokaido with Ikawa Hikoju now that his father, Lord Jikkyu, is dead, and along the Koshu-kaido, from Shinano, as Lord Zataki has foolishly sided with Lord Ishido against you. But behind your mountains you're safe. Oh, yes, I'm sure you'll live to a ripe old age. With your permission, I'm shifting all my affairs to Yedo."
"Certainly. Meanwhile see if you can find out where the main thrust will be."
"I'll try, oh yes, Sire. These are terrible times, Sire, when brother will go against brother, son against father. " Toranaga's eyes were veiled and he made a note to increase vigilance on Noboru, his eldest son, whose final allegiance was with the Taiko. "Yes," he agreed. "Terrible times. Times of great change. Some bad, some good. You, for example, you're rich now and your son, for example. Isn't he in charge of your sake factory at Odawara?"
"Yes, Sire." Gyoko went gray under her makeup.
"He's been making great profits, neh?"
"He's certainly the best manager in Odawara, Sire."
"So I hear. I have a job for him. The Anjin-san's going to build a new ship. I'm providing all craftsmen and materials, so I want the business side handled with very great care."
Gyoko almost collapsed with relief. She had presumed Toranaga was going to obliterate them all before he left for the war, or tax her out of existence, because he'd found out she'd lied to him about the Anjin-san and the Lady Toda, or about Kiku's unfortunate miscarriage, which was not by chance as she had reported so tearfully a month ago, but by careful inducement, at her insistence with Kiku's dutiful agreement. "Oh ko, Sire, when do you want my son in Yokohama? He will ensure it's the cheapest ship ever built."
"I don't want it cheap. I want it the very best - for the most reasonable price. He's to be overseer and responsible under the Anjin-san."
"Sire, you have my guarantee, my future, my future hopes that it will be as you wish."
"If the ship is built perfectly, exactly as the Anjin-san wants, within six months from the first day, then I will make your son samurai."
She bowed low and for a moment was unable to talk. "Please excuse a poor fool, Sire. Thank you, thank you."
"He has to learn everything the Anjin-san knows about building the ship so others can be taught when he leaves. Neh?"
"It will be done."
"Next: Kiku-san. Her talents merit a better future than just being alone in a box, one of many women."
Gyoko looked up, again expecting the worst. "You're going to sell her contract?"
"No, she shouldn't be a courtesan again or even one of your geisha. She should be in a household, one of few ladies, very few."
"But, Sire, seeing you even occasionally, how could she possibly have a better life?"
He allowed her to compliment him and he complimented her back, and Kiku, then said, "Frankly, Gyoko-san, I'm getting too fond of her and I can't afford to be distracted. Frankly she's far too pretty for me - far too perfect .... Please excuse me, but this must be another of our secrets."
"I agree, Sire, of course, whatever you say," Gyoko said fervently, dismissing it all as lies, racking her brain for the real reason.
"If the person could be someone Kiku could admire, I would die content."
"But only after seeing the Anjin-san's ship under sail within the six months," he said dryly.
"Yes - oh yes." Gyoko moved her fan for the sun was hot now and the air sticky and breathless, trying to fathom why Toranaga was being so generous with both of them, knowing that the price would be heavy, very heavy. "Kiku-san will be distraught to leave your house."
"Yes, of course. I think there should be some compensation for her obedience to me, her liege lord. Leave that with me - and don't mention this to her for the present."
"Yes, Sire. And when do you want my son in Yokohama?"
"I'll let you know that before I leave."
She bowed and tottered away. Toranaga went for a swim. Northward the sky was very dark and he knew it would be raining heavily there. When he saw the small group of horsemen coming from the direction of Yokohama he returned.
Omi dismounted and unwrapped the head. "Lord Kasigi Yabu obeyed, Sire, just before noon." The head had been freshly washed, the hair groomed, and it was stuck on the spike of a small pedestal that was customarily used for the viewing.
Toranaga inspected an enemy as he had done ten thousand times before in his lifetime, wondering as always how his own head would look after death, viewed by his conqueror, and whether terror would show, or agony or anger or horror or all of them or none of them. Or dignity. Yabu's death mask showed only berserk wrath, the lips pulled back into a ferocious challenge. "Did he die well?"
"The best I have ever seen, Sire. Lord Hiro-matsu said the same. The two cuts, then a third in the throat. Without assistance and without a sound." Omi added, "Here is his will."
"You took off the head with one stroke?"
"Yes, Sire. I asked the Anjin-san's permission to use Lord Yabu's sword."
"The Yoshitomo? The one I gave Yabu? He gave it to the Anjin-san?"
"Yes, Sire. He spoke to him through the Tsukku-san. He said, 'Anjin-san, I give you this to commemorate your arrival at Anjiro and as a thank you for the pleasure that little barbarian gave me.' At first the Anjin-san refused to take it, but Yabu begged him to and said, 'None of these manure eaters deserves such a blade.' Eventually he agreed."
Curious, Toranaga thought. I expected Yabu to give the blade to Omi.
"What were his last instructions?" he asked.