He LIVES!!!!
And he's not even FJ45, yet!
Seeing this in Revolutions should be cool.
Rensslaer
And he's not even FJ45, yet!
Seeing this in Revolutions should be cool.
Rensslaer
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Nishimura lay prostrate in front of Ieyoshi. Here was a man who was willing to die for the unity of the Empire. Ieyoshi smiled. He had not done so very often lately. Perhaps the burdens of his colossal responsibilities were taking a toll. Perhaps the vacant Throne in Kyoto was calling…No! That step he would not take. Could not take.
It is the way, a small voice whispered, seeking his ear. That voice had become much more persistent in the last three weeks. The Emperors looked down upon him and his shameful thoughts. All of them, from Great Jimmu to Ie Fujiro. He could not measure up to the least of them.
What about the Emperor lying in state in Kyoto, the voice teased. Can you measure up to him? A man whose senility was only bested by the arrogance of his youth?
He is not a man, but an Emperor.
That is merely your subservience to your antiquated traditions. The voice’s contempt was quite evident. Have you learned nothing from the Dutch? Or Tanaka? Or the Russian Frigate you have been purchasing lumber from these past few years in secret? Well, Ieyoshi? Do you lack the spine to do what is required?
Enough!
The voice fled.
Ieyoshi leaned back against the wall, heedless of Nishimura’s prone figure. Was he insane? He chuckled ruefully. Marukomo had once said that if you could ask yourself that question, you were not. Well, it was time to fix this crisis. He had vacillated and listened to that voice. The time for such things was over. The time for action had arrived.
He stood slowly. “Nishimura.” It was imbued with the tones of command.
Nishimura brought his face up, eyes averted from the Shogun’s visage. He still lay with his belly to the earth.
“Nishimura, in memory of our recently departed Emperor, I will spare your life, which might otherwise be taken by my hand. You organized a rebellion against the Empire, which was crushed at great loss of life by the Japanese people. Myself, I would strike you down where you lie. However, it seems that the Emperor has given you pardon."
“I have a mission for you. Go to the Europeans. Find Osahito, and bring him back.” He looked towards the assembled nobles behind Nishimura, and raised his voice."
“The Imperial Throne belongs to the line of Jimmu. However, in the absence of an heir, Jimmu’s command to the first of the Shogun still stands. I am honor-bound to nominate a regent, to keep the Imperial House ordered until the true successor returns. However, as the Empire has been wracked by chaos recently, I find it difficult to trust anyone. My decision will be announced tomorrow.”
Ieyoshi, then strode out of the tent, the daimyo gaping after him. None had quoted Jimmu in the past three hundred years. That was a mark of the time of trial, and they feared it.
It is the way, a small voice whispered, seeking his ear. That voice had become much more persistent in the last three weeks. The Emperors looked down upon him and his shameful thoughts. All of them, from Great Jimmu to Ie Fujiro. He could not measure up to the least of them.
What about the Emperor lying in state in Kyoto, the voice teased. Can you measure up to him? A man whose senility was only bested by the arrogance of his youth?
He is not a man, but an Emperor.
That is merely your subservience to your antiquated traditions. The voice’s contempt was quite evident. Have you learned nothing from the Dutch? Or Tanaka? Or the Russian Frigate you have been purchasing lumber from these past few years in secret? Well, Ieyoshi? Do you lack the spine to do what is required?
Enough!
The voice fled.
Ieyoshi leaned back against the wall, heedless of Nishimura’s prone figure. Was he insane? He chuckled ruefully. Marukomo had once said that if you could ask yourself that question, you were not. Well, it was time to fix this crisis. He had vacillated and listened to that voice. The time for such things was over. The time for action had arrived.
He stood slowly. “Nishimura.” It was imbued with the tones of command.
Nishimura brought his face up, eyes averted from the Shogun’s visage. He still lay with his belly to the earth.
“Nishimura, in memory of our recently departed Emperor, I will spare your life, which might otherwise be taken by my hand. You organized a rebellion against the Empire, which was crushed at great loss of life by the Japanese people. Myself, I would strike you down where you lie. However, it seems that the Emperor has given you pardon."
“I have a mission for you. Go to the Europeans. Find Osahito, and bring him back.” He looked towards the assembled nobles behind Nishimura, and raised his voice."
“The Imperial Throne belongs to the line of Jimmu. However, in the absence of an heir, Jimmu’s command to the first of the Shogun still stands. I am honor-bound to nominate a regent, to keep the Imperial House ordered until the true successor returns. However, as the Empire has been wracked by chaos recently, I find it difficult to trust anyone. My decision will be announced tomorrow.”
Ieyoshi, then strode out of the tent, the daimyo gaping after him. None had quoted Jimmu in the past three hundred years. That was a mark of the time of trial, and they feared it.
Ooh! Very interesting.
A portentous statement -- announcing tomorrow. There is no small degree of suspense, then, in this selection.
I wonder what Osahito's up to about now.
Great to see you back at work, FJ!
Rensslaer
A portentous statement -- announcing tomorrow. There is no small degree of suspense, then, in this selection.
I wonder what Osahito's up to about now.
Great to see you back at work, FJ!
Rensslaer
I think there is some further wrestling with temptation.
Interesting, to give a rebel the task of finding Osahito.
Interesting, to give a rebel the task of finding Osahito.
Rensslaer said:
I was doing some background history and research over the past couple days, and realized that my portrayal of late Tokugawa Japan is really bad, and ahistorical.
o However, when have I ever been governed by what actually happened?
I give y'all fair warning, this one is going to dabble in philosophy, history, the arts, and the nature of the Japanese national character before it's through. Perhaps a little bit of bloodshed while we're at it...
Anyways, addressing Osahito, he'll poke his head up in a while. But not where everyone else wants it to be.
It's great to be back at work.Rensslaer said:
Over the summer, I lost track of every single one of the AARs I was following, and now, I find that people were busy.
stnylan: I'm glad you liked the temptation issue. Though, this is more a long-term issue for Ieyoshi, and we shall see where it takes him.
As to Nishimura, remember he now will do anything to support Ieyoshi and the unity of the Empire. This may have an...adverse...effect later on.
All: Thanks for sticking through this rather interesting time. The story should pick up shortly.
MarcusCornelius: Welcome, and thanks for reading. Update is coming in about thirty seconds.
Aizawa Seishisai accepted the teacup without a word, and placed it on the mat without sipping from it. It was always better, when meeting with former enemies, to keep them on their toes. The subtle ways were best in his estimation.
The short, lean man across from him placed his own teacup as Aizawa had. He took a couple minutes to position himself comfortably before looking over at his guest.
“Aizawa-san, it warms me to see you well.” Aizawa kept himself from wincing at the false welcome. Still enemies, then. Well, he could match the insincerity.
“It pleases me also, old friend.” His host broke the forced smile for an instant, then resumed it, and broke eye contact from the strain. Aizawa would have guessed that had he not looked away, his face would have shattered like glass. A slightly amusing thought.
“The Shogun said he will choose the regent tomorrow.” All cool and collected. Ah, the man had learned something from his ordeal.
“Why would this matter concern me?”
His host leaned forward, peering into Aizawa’s eyes. “We have known each other as friends and enemies for years, Seishi. Do not pretend I am stupid.” Aizawa stared back in shock. Not only had he used the shortened name, like the accursed barbarians at Deshima, but that second part was a threat!
“You cannot address me—“
“Yes I can, Aizawa.” The hand interrupting Aizawa had an aura of compulsion about it. “But that does not matter at this point. You know who Ieyoshi will name. Himself.”
Aizawa gave the man a level look. “You have been saying this for two years past, even before Osahito disappeared. You said then that Ieyoshi would assassinate him.”
“He tried, but by a stroke of luck, the Prince survived. I don’t know where he is now, but my contacts sighted him after the attack, appearing to be uninjured.”
“And you haven’t found him yet?”
“No, I haven’t. Aizawa, do you truly realize how big these islands are? Or how many of them there are? It will be very difficult to find him, he is hiding, remember. But this is not why I came to you.”
“Then why?”
“If Ieyoshi takes the Imperial crown, the whole Empire will collapse. This is the thing Great Jimmu warned us of.”
“Yes, I know. It is my discipline, remember?”
“Well, will you take action?”
“You mean speaking to the Lord Shogun in his palace, surrounded by the Shogun’s Own?”
“I mean speaking to him, yes. You are more devious than I ever was. You will find a way, Aizawa.”
“I will try, but I believe that he will not listen if he already has his mind set. He always was stubborn.”
“I think I knew that, Aizawa.”
For the first time in years, Aizawa the Quiet burst into uncontrollable laughter. The joke wasn’t very funny, but the idea of a single man trying to arrest the collapse of an Empire was hilarious at the moment.
“Date, when this is all over, I see your head on a pike outside of the Dragon Gate in Edo.” The laughter collapsed into a wide grin, which Aizawa hated. It looked like a foreigner’s grin—all teeth. Date gave him a grim smile.
“Aizawa, that is all too likely to be prophecy. Now, go. There is much work to be done.”
The short, lean man across from him placed his own teacup as Aizawa had. He took a couple minutes to position himself comfortably before looking over at his guest.
“Aizawa-san, it warms me to see you well.” Aizawa kept himself from wincing at the false welcome. Still enemies, then. Well, he could match the insincerity.
“It pleases me also, old friend.” His host broke the forced smile for an instant, then resumed it, and broke eye contact from the strain. Aizawa would have guessed that had he not looked away, his face would have shattered like glass. A slightly amusing thought.
“The Shogun said he will choose the regent tomorrow.” All cool and collected. Ah, the man had learned something from his ordeal.
“Why would this matter concern me?”
His host leaned forward, peering into Aizawa’s eyes. “We have known each other as friends and enemies for years, Seishi. Do not pretend I am stupid.” Aizawa stared back in shock. Not only had he used the shortened name, like the accursed barbarians at Deshima, but that second part was a threat!
“You cannot address me—“
“Yes I can, Aizawa.” The hand interrupting Aizawa had an aura of compulsion about it. “But that does not matter at this point. You know who Ieyoshi will name. Himself.”
Aizawa gave the man a level look. “You have been saying this for two years past, even before Osahito disappeared. You said then that Ieyoshi would assassinate him.”
“He tried, but by a stroke of luck, the Prince survived. I don’t know where he is now, but my contacts sighted him after the attack, appearing to be uninjured.”
“And you haven’t found him yet?”
“No, I haven’t. Aizawa, do you truly realize how big these islands are? Or how many of them there are? It will be very difficult to find him, he is hiding, remember. But this is not why I came to you.”
“Then why?”
“If Ieyoshi takes the Imperial crown, the whole Empire will collapse. This is the thing Great Jimmu warned us of.”
“Yes, I know. It is my discipline, remember?”
“Well, will you take action?”
“You mean speaking to the Lord Shogun in his palace, surrounded by the Shogun’s Own?”
“I mean speaking to him, yes. You are more devious than I ever was. You will find a way, Aizawa.”
“I will try, but I believe that he will not listen if he already has his mind set. He always was stubborn.”
“I think I knew that, Aizawa.”
For the first time in years, Aizawa the Quiet burst into uncontrollable laughter. The joke wasn’t very funny, but the idea of a single man trying to arrest the collapse of an Empire was hilarious at the moment.
“Date, when this is all over, I see your head on a pike outside of the Dragon Gate in Edo.” The laughter collapsed into a wide grin, which Aizawa hated. It looked like a foreigner’s grin—all teeth. Date gave him a grim smile.
“Aizawa, that is all too likely to be prophecy. Now, go. There is much work to be done.”
It seems everyone is in agreement that Ieyoshi has desire for the regency himself. That way lays power and who could resist? However, he seems more controlled than his detractors give him credit for.
Aizawa finished donning the formal kimono of a Mito Scholar. It was time. He would request an immediate audience, as Ieyoshi’s afternoon tea was finishing up. For a while after his interview with Date, he had wondered what he could say to get an audience with the Shogun, with his hundreds of daily supplicants.
He had decided on a simple request for audience, anticipating that Ieyoshi’s curiosity would get the better of him. A risky plan, but one he believed could work. Date had been right. He was devious, though he tended not to see himself that way.
He stepped out into the bustling streets of Edo. The masses were bundled up in rough winter cloaks and heavy traditional jackets. He got more than a few glances on his way from roughly dressed folk, farmers mostly.
A line was forming in front of one of the bamboo stockade gates. He sighed in annoyance. Oh well, there was nothing he could do. Similar gates divided Edo into hundreds of small precincts, each easily isolated in case of hostile invasion…or popular insurrection. He grimaced at that thought. The most dangerous threat to the Empire did not come from the Daimyo, but from the destruction of the social structure that an insurrection would cause.
He made it through the gate, with some startled glances by the guards at the thin, formal kimono. He had declined the offer of escort that had inevitably been proffered. He must maintain the guise of a concerned independent citizen at all costs. Five gates later, the Dragon Gate appeared ahead. Oddly, it was deserted except for the stoic guards. At this time of day, even in the dead of winter, there were always people seeking access to the Shogun.
He strode forward to the gate. He spoke softly, but firmly. He was here for an audience. No, he was not expected. Yes, the Lord Shogun would want to hear what he had to say. Yes, he would submit to a weapons search. Yes, he understood the situation was not stable right now. No, he was not offended by the search. No, he really was not offended. Yes, he would follow the samurai to the waiting room.
The samurai entered a room, stepped to the side, and bowed deeply. Aizawa delivered a bow, neither too deep nor too shallow. He stepped in, and the samurai bowed once more, closing the door behind him, leaving Aizawa alone in the cavernous room. There were chairs, both plush and plain lined up on each side of the wall, the chair types separate, of course. A large, throne-like chair stood at the far end of the room, completely by itself.
Now that was a trap if he ever saw one. That would demonstrate a lack of humility if one were to sit in it, and prove unworthiness to see the Shogun’s person. Though, Aizawa admitted, sitting in chairs was very rare outside of the Imperial family. Perhaps this was an attempt by Ieyoshi to pretend to have such honor. He shook his head. That was not the Ieyoshi he knew.
On the near side, right next to the door, was a plain wooden fisherman’s chair, though no fishermen used chairs. That would be a good seat. As soon as he sat down, he realized there was a small vent on the floor underneath the chair spewing forth freezing air from outside. Hiding a grimace, Aizawa waited not very patiently for himself to be summoned.
He had decided on a simple request for audience, anticipating that Ieyoshi’s curiosity would get the better of him. A risky plan, but one he believed could work. Date had been right. He was devious, though he tended not to see himself that way.
He stepped out into the bustling streets of Edo. The masses were bundled up in rough winter cloaks and heavy traditional jackets. He got more than a few glances on his way from roughly dressed folk, farmers mostly.
A line was forming in front of one of the bamboo stockade gates. He sighed in annoyance. Oh well, there was nothing he could do. Similar gates divided Edo into hundreds of small precincts, each easily isolated in case of hostile invasion…or popular insurrection. He grimaced at that thought. The most dangerous threat to the Empire did not come from the Daimyo, but from the destruction of the social structure that an insurrection would cause.
He made it through the gate, with some startled glances by the guards at the thin, formal kimono. He had declined the offer of escort that had inevitably been proffered. He must maintain the guise of a concerned independent citizen at all costs. Five gates later, the Dragon Gate appeared ahead. Oddly, it was deserted except for the stoic guards. At this time of day, even in the dead of winter, there were always people seeking access to the Shogun.
He strode forward to the gate. He spoke softly, but firmly. He was here for an audience. No, he was not expected. Yes, the Lord Shogun would want to hear what he had to say. Yes, he would submit to a weapons search. Yes, he understood the situation was not stable right now. No, he was not offended by the search. No, he really was not offended. Yes, he would follow the samurai to the waiting room.
The samurai entered a room, stepped to the side, and bowed deeply. Aizawa delivered a bow, neither too deep nor too shallow. He stepped in, and the samurai bowed once more, closing the door behind him, leaving Aizawa alone in the cavernous room. There were chairs, both plush and plain lined up on each side of the wall, the chair types separate, of course. A large, throne-like chair stood at the far end of the room, completely by itself.
Now that was a trap if he ever saw one. That would demonstrate a lack of humility if one were to sit in it, and prove unworthiness to see the Shogun’s person. Though, Aizawa admitted, sitting in chairs was very rare outside of the Imperial family. Perhaps this was an attempt by Ieyoshi to pretend to have such honor. He shook his head. That was not the Ieyoshi he knew.
On the near side, right next to the door, was a plain wooden fisherman’s chair, though no fishermen used chairs. That would be a good seat. As soon as he sat down, he realized there was a small vent on the floor underneath the chair spewing forth freezing air from outside. Hiding a grimace, Aizawa waited not very patiently for himself to be summoned.
So Aizawa has been slightly caught out himself I see. Still, I can see why he might not consider himself to be devious. After all, is a fish aware of swimming? Are we are of breathing? Except when something does wrong that is, like the chair. Some people just perceive the world that little bit differently, and act according to those perceptions. To the rest of the world perhaps they appear devious.
This should be a most interesting meeting. I wonder why no one else wishes to gain an audience? That seems worrisome.
SO Japanese!fj44 said:
Great to see the plot beginning to unfurl once more!
Like Ieyoshi, I am curious to see what this man has to say.
Rensslaer
After a while, Aizawa heard slow footsteps echoing down the hall from the direction of the audience chamber. He stood slowly, turning towards the door. The door, previously shut tightly, swung open quietly, revealing a young man, unusually tall for a Japanese. He stood there, framed by the doorway, for a couple seconds, and then cautiously took a step forward.
“Aizawa-san, the Shogun will see you now.”
Aizawa strode towards him slowly, deliberately, no, majestically. “Lead the way to the Shogun, please.” His hand gesture prompted a slight wince from the…servant? Use of a servant for escort to an audience chamber was almost never done. The nature of an audience was to demonstrate one’s power by using armed guards and samurai to escort. Something had happened recently. Something that almost scared Aizawa.
He followed the young servant down the hallway. It was not very far to the audience chamber. Aizawa remembered his last visit, but that was just a ceremonial presentation of the Twenty-five Theses to Tokugawa Ienari, who was then a young, idealistic Shogun. That was before Takeda and Date.
The audience chamber as he remembered it was stacked with daimyo and samurai. It was considered a great honor to be present there. It also made spying on the leadership of rival clans and daimyo easier. Aizawa smiled at that thought. It seemed that was the nature of people, true for the lowest of fishermen of his village, true for the greatest of the samurai in Edo.
His escort signaled him to wait outside of the open ornate double doors. His escort stepped in, and to the side.
“My Lord Shogun! The Honorable Aizawa Seishisai to see Your Greatness!”
After a pause, the servant turned, and beckoned him in.
The great audience chamber was huge, and seemed even more so without any people. What had happened?
Ieyoshi sat on a mat in front of his throne. “It took you long enough, Aizawa.”
Aizawa was taken aback. He knew why he was here, and was waiting for him?!
“My Lord Sho—“
“Don’t start with that, Aizawa. I know why Date sent you.” Aizawa’s mouth worked a bit, with no sound coming out, before he started on a different tack. Caution and deference had been thrown to the winds.
“You cannot take the Imperial Crown. That will be the end of the Empire. If you recall your history of the Middle Kingdom, the history that I know Marukomo drilled into your dense skull, you will realize that every successful barbarian invasion, every sever famine and drought, and every civil war occurred after a usurper, not descended from the Pantheon, took the mantle of Emperor.”
“I know that story, Aizawa, but I disbelieve in the descent of the Imperial line from the Gods. As do a growing number of scholars.”
Aizawa’s mouth hung agape. “Do you actually mean that you are listening to the Western School?! Not even they are this radical! Do you know what this means? It means the downfall of the Empire. Civil war such that you have never seen. You will set brother against brother! Peasant against daimyo! Every clan rivalry will spill forth into bloodshed!”
Ieyoshi merely looked at him. Calmly. It made Aizawa’s blood boil, and that took some doing. Could Ieyoshi not see the storm that was coming?
“Come Aizawa, the entire palace can hear your rant.” Ieyoshi smiled tightly. “You’ve likely started a dozen different rumors, all of which will likely cause me trouble in the next few months. Come, we shall retire to a more private location so that I can hear your petition, and then let you know the course of action I intend to take. You will also leave knowing what has happened over the last few months. I would rather you be a friend then an enemy, Seishisai, but I will tell you in either case.”
“Aizawa-san, the Shogun will see you now.”
Aizawa strode towards him slowly, deliberately, no, majestically. “Lead the way to the Shogun, please.” His hand gesture prompted a slight wince from the…servant? Use of a servant for escort to an audience chamber was almost never done. The nature of an audience was to demonstrate one’s power by using armed guards and samurai to escort. Something had happened recently. Something that almost scared Aizawa.
He followed the young servant down the hallway. It was not very far to the audience chamber. Aizawa remembered his last visit, but that was just a ceremonial presentation of the Twenty-five Theses to Tokugawa Ienari, who was then a young, idealistic Shogun. That was before Takeda and Date.
The audience chamber as he remembered it was stacked with daimyo and samurai. It was considered a great honor to be present there. It also made spying on the leadership of rival clans and daimyo easier. Aizawa smiled at that thought. It seemed that was the nature of people, true for the lowest of fishermen of his village, true for the greatest of the samurai in Edo.
His escort signaled him to wait outside of the open ornate double doors. His escort stepped in, and to the side.
“My Lord Shogun! The Honorable Aizawa Seishisai to see Your Greatness!”
After a pause, the servant turned, and beckoned him in.
The great audience chamber was huge, and seemed even more so without any people. What had happened?
Ieyoshi sat on a mat in front of his throne. “It took you long enough, Aizawa.”
Aizawa was taken aback. He knew why he was here, and was waiting for him?!
“My Lord Sho—“
“Don’t start with that, Aizawa. I know why Date sent you.” Aizawa’s mouth worked a bit, with no sound coming out, before he started on a different tack. Caution and deference had been thrown to the winds.
“You cannot take the Imperial Crown. That will be the end of the Empire. If you recall your history of the Middle Kingdom, the history that I know Marukomo drilled into your dense skull, you will realize that every successful barbarian invasion, every sever famine and drought, and every civil war occurred after a usurper, not descended from the Pantheon, took the mantle of Emperor.”
“I know that story, Aizawa, but I disbelieve in the descent of the Imperial line from the Gods. As do a growing number of scholars.”
Aizawa’s mouth hung agape. “Do you actually mean that you are listening to the Western School?! Not even they are this radical! Do you know what this means? It means the downfall of the Empire. Civil war such that you have never seen. You will set brother against brother! Peasant against daimyo! Every clan rivalry will spill forth into bloodshed!”
Ieyoshi merely looked at him. Calmly. It made Aizawa’s blood boil, and that took some doing. Could Ieyoshi not see the storm that was coming?
“Come Aizawa, the entire palace can hear your rant.” Ieyoshi smiled tightly. “You’ve likely started a dozen different rumors, all of which will likely cause me trouble in the next few months. Come, we shall retire to a more private location so that I can hear your petition, and then let you know the course of action I intend to take. You will also leave knowing what has happened over the last few months. I would rather you be a friend then an enemy, Seishisai, but I will tell you in either case.”
Some feedback is required, as I believe I've thrown three updates out there without a word to my dedicated commenters.
kingmbutu: It does indeed. Stay tuned for more plot thickening.
coz1: Yes, Ieyoshi's personality is not truly known by many, but one more is about to figure it out.
stnylan: Very good point.
coz1: Well, you shall find out why no one wants an audience. And why the audience chamber is empty. In another couple updates.
Rensslaer: Glad you liked that passage. In fact, I think I was grinning to myself as I wrote it.
Many people are interested as to what Aizawa has to say.
As a historical footnote, Aizawa Seishisai was the leader of the Mito Learning, a traditional-oriented school of thought. Sometime between 1820 and 1835 he switched over to a moderate, between the traditionalists and westernizers. His focus was learning everything Japan could about the Westerners, particularly in terms of weapons technology, before throwing the 'barbarians' out.
kingmbutu: It does indeed. Stay tuned for more plot thickening.
coz1: Yes, Ieyoshi's personality is not truly known by many, but one more is about to figure it out.
stnylan: Very good point.
coz1: Well, you shall find out why no one wants an audience. And why the audience chamber is empty. In another couple updates.
Rensslaer: Glad you liked that passage. In fact, I think I was grinning to myself as I wrote it.
Many people are interested as to what Aizawa has to say.
As a historical footnote, Aizawa Seishisai was the leader of the Mito Learning, a traditional-oriented school of thought. Sometime between 1820 and 1835 he switched over to a moderate, between the traditionalists and westernizers. His focus was learning everything Japan could about the Westerners, particularly in terms of weapons technology, before throwing the 'barbarians' out.
The thing is, opinions about the Divine Descent of the Emperor notwithstanding, a usurpation is a usurpation, and it is the rare usurper who has an easy time of it. A breaking of tradition leads to breaking of all other sorts of things. Admittedly Japan might benefit from being shaken up some. I rather doubt however Ieyoshi has any real understanding of the likely consequences of such an act, as like all usurpers I think his own confidence might very well blind him.
Mmm, Aizawa strikes me as being too sutble simply to make an outburst for no reason. Oh he was off-guard, but perhaps he did want to start some rumours? Or did Ieyoshi arrange things to try to provoke that outburst to start those rumours?
Mmm, Aizawa strikes me as being too sutble simply to make an outburst for no reason. Oh he was off-guard, but perhaps he did want to start some rumours? Or did Ieyoshi arrange things to try to provoke that outburst to start those rumours?
I can't make up my mind about Ieyoshi. The way he is presented by others seems somewhat different by how he manages himself. From what others say about him, I'd fear he might have Aizawa silenced, but from the reading above I see him trying to gain favor with an important party - working togther rather than against. Very interesting and keeps the reader on his toes.
“Go ahead, Seishisai.”
“It is postulated by many that you wish to usurp the throne, and just minutes before this, you stated that you disbelieved in the divine heredity of the Imperial line. This, of course troubles me, and even the stupid peasants, who are ignorant in these matters, have heard rumors that you will seek to destroy the Empire, and place yourself at Japan’s head as dictator.”
“You know that such behavior in a ruler effects his people. They will behave much as he does. If a ruler is benevolent and merciful, his people will be friendly towards one another, and will remain in their place. If a ruler is cruel, or ambitious, his people will take to banditry, and may even revert to barbarism. Confucius leaves us many tales of this happening in the Middle Kingdom. It has happened several times in Japan, as well.”
“This situation is relatively unique, in that there exists no heir within 2 branches of the Imperial line, now that Osahito has disappeared. But, someone with a link to the Imperial line, even as much as six generations back, must be found. It is true that the head of the Tokugawa clan has a link to the Imperial House, but this was more than ten generations back, far too long ago to establish a claim.”
“I beseech you, Ieyoshi. Please do not bring sorrow down upon the Empire.”
Ieyoshi leaned back on his mat, and smiling, lifted his tea. He took a deep sip, and placed it back down. His grin was rather broad now.
“Is that all, Seishisai?”
Aizawa raised an eyebrow at that tone. It was a tone of smug superiority. It was the tone of a man who knew a great secret, and knew that no one else knew it.
“No. It is not.”
Ieyoshi coughed loudly, bringing his hand up, as if to keep the evil spirits inside, so as to not plague society. Aizawa could have sworn Ieyoshi was trying to hide laughter.
“There is more, Ieyoshi. It has come to my attention that you tried to have Osahito killed. In Kyoto.”
Ieyoshi leaned forward, eyes ablaze. “Aizawa. I did not try to kill him. I sent him an emissary, in an attempt to bring him in, so as to keep the Imperial line safe. I failed in this, as Date killed my emissary, and sent his own people to either capture Osahito, or to kill him, if necessary. We are indeed fortunate that Prince Osahito is very good in battle. He is alive, or so my last reports of him suggests. He has gone with the Dutch. I know nothing of his reasoning, but you can divine it as well as I.”
“Well, Ieyoshi, what will you do?”
Ieyoshi’s left eyebrow rose in question.
“What will you do in the Prince’s…no, the Emperor’s absence?” The only question that mattered.
“It is postulated by many that you wish to usurp the throne, and just minutes before this, you stated that you disbelieved in the divine heredity of the Imperial line. This, of course troubles me, and even the stupid peasants, who are ignorant in these matters, have heard rumors that you will seek to destroy the Empire, and place yourself at Japan’s head as dictator.”
“You know that such behavior in a ruler effects his people. They will behave much as he does. If a ruler is benevolent and merciful, his people will be friendly towards one another, and will remain in their place. If a ruler is cruel, or ambitious, his people will take to banditry, and may even revert to barbarism. Confucius leaves us many tales of this happening in the Middle Kingdom. It has happened several times in Japan, as well.”
“This situation is relatively unique, in that there exists no heir within 2 branches of the Imperial line, now that Osahito has disappeared. But, someone with a link to the Imperial line, even as much as six generations back, must be found. It is true that the head of the Tokugawa clan has a link to the Imperial House, but this was more than ten generations back, far too long ago to establish a claim.”
“I beseech you, Ieyoshi. Please do not bring sorrow down upon the Empire.”
Ieyoshi leaned back on his mat, and smiling, lifted his tea. He took a deep sip, and placed it back down. His grin was rather broad now.
“Is that all, Seishisai?”
Aizawa raised an eyebrow at that tone. It was a tone of smug superiority. It was the tone of a man who knew a great secret, and knew that no one else knew it.
“No. It is not.”
Ieyoshi coughed loudly, bringing his hand up, as if to keep the evil spirits inside, so as to not plague society. Aizawa could have sworn Ieyoshi was trying to hide laughter.
“There is more, Ieyoshi. It has come to my attention that you tried to have Osahito killed. In Kyoto.”
Ieyoshi leaned forward, eyes ablaze. “Aizawa. I did not try to kill him. I sent him an emissary, in an attempt to bring him in, so as to keep the Imperial line safe. I failed in this, as Date killed my emissary, and sent his own people to either capture Osahito, or to kill him, if necessary. We are indeed fortunate that Prince Osahito is very good in battle. He is alive, or so my last reports of him suggests. He has gone with the Dutch. I know nothing of his reasoning, but you can divine it as well as I.”
“Well, Ieyoshi, what will you do?”
Ieyoshi’s left eyebrow rose in question.
“What will you do in the Prince’s…no, the Emperor’s absence?” The only question that mattered.
I can see why Ieyoshi would have been amused by that speech. No matter how sincere Aizawa is, that spiel is rather portentous.