Kill the Shogun (Samurai Mysteries) Page 16

  “So this business makes a lot of money?”

  “Not as much as it should.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Boss Akinari is greedy. As greedy as the fools who lose everything gambling here. If someone wins too much, Boss Akinari arranges for him to disappear. Word gets around about that kind of thing, you know, and it really hurts business. Most of the big gamblers have stopped coming here, and they’ve gone to other gambling houses. That’s why the Boss is getting involved with things like tobacco. There’s no need to get involved with that evil weed. The Boss claims it has many health benefits, but, like their religion, I think it’s just another bad thing those smelly Europeans have introduced to Japan. If Boss Akinari would just show some patience, everyone’s luck turns eventually, and the big winner this month will be begging for a loan next month. That’s what makes gambling such a good business to be in. We don’t have to branch out into tobacco.”

  “Why don’t you point that out to him?”

  Nobu hesitated. There was something about this ronin that he liked, however, so he decided to be frank with him. “If anyone in the gang looks like they’re getting too independent, Boss Akinari makes them disappear, too.”

  “It sounds like Akinari is not a very good boss.”

  Nobu shrugged.

  “Perhaps Boss Nobu would do a better job for this gang.”

  Nobu started, then saw the ronin was serious. “You’re a devil, Matsuyama-san,” Nobu said. “It’s not healthy for someone to start thinking like that. Besides, it would be disloyal for an underling to think about deposing his boss.”

  “Nobunaga got rid of Imagawa, and Ieyasu, who was an Imagawa vassal, joined him, to their mutual benefit. Akechi, a vassal of Nobunaga’s, assassinated him. Hideyoshi said he was avenging Nobunaga’s death, but he eventually displaced Nobunaga’s sons as ruler of both their clan and Japan. Ieyasu was Hideyoshi’s chief daimyo, but he deposed Hideyoshi’s son and now rules as Shogun. A vassal replacing his boss is a common enough thing nowadays.”

  “And what about you? Were you loyal to your lord?”

  “Well, yes,” Kaze admitted. “But I’m a bit old-fashioned. That’s just me. It doesn’t mean you have to be.”

  “You are a devil!”

  “Perhaps, but perhaps also a sensible devil, Boss Nobu.”

  “Boss Nobu,” the big man said, muttering the words to himself, savoring their novelty.

  The door to Nobu’s room slid open. The big man looked startled, and Kaze looked at the door with interest, to see what was developing. It was a woman, one of the servants of the household. She held a tray with a teapot and two steaming cups of tea.

  “I saw you had guests, Nobu-san, so I thought you might like some ocha,” the woman said.

  “How did you—” Nobu started.

  Before he could finish his question, the woman shouted, “Now!” She threw the tea tray at Kaze.

  Kaze diverted his face to avoid the scalding tea, but he didn’t jerk himself out of the path of the tea, as another man might. Instead, he reached out to grab his sword. The tea splashed against his arm, sending a shock of pain as the liquid burned his skin.

  As part of the plan, the woman threw herself down on Kaze’s scabbard as soon as she had thrown the tray. She trapped Kaze’s arm and weapon under her body.

  Before Kaze could push her away, the room was filled with men, smothering the ronin with a tsunami of flesh.

  Boss Akinari sat on a raised dais, like a noble. He had a yojimbo, a bodyguard, standing next to him with a sword for protection. Akinari also had a sword stuck in his sash, and sitting before him on the dais was Kaze’s sword, “Fly Cutter.”

  Kaze’s arms were being held by two burly men. The only other person in the room was Nobu. Kaze’s arm hurt from the hot tea, but otherwise he only had a few bumps and bruises.

  “I had Nobu’s room watched, on the chance that you would return to talk to him. I’m very pleased you did,” Akinari said. “Your head will mean a great deal of money to me. But before I turn you over to Yoshida-sama for the reward, I think it’s fair to settle some scores. You killed two of my men the first time I tried to take your head.”

  “I’m sorry I killed your men, but it would have been inconvenient to lose my head,” Kaze said.

  Akinari frowned. “I’ll teach you to be disrespectful to me. Nobu, hit him.”

  Nobu looked at Akinari and shrugged. He turned to Kaze and drew back his huge fist, hitting the ronin in the stomach. It was like being hit with one of the battering rams used to burst castle gates. Kaze gave an “Oooff” and fought to get his breath back.

  “As I said, you killed my men. Then you embarrassed me by fooling me into thinking you had escaped, when you actually wanted to stick around and talk to Nobu.”

  Kaze looked at Nobu, and whispered, “He doesn’t trust you. That’s why he had your room watched. You said Akinari made men disappear. You’re next.” His whisper was even lower than normal; the effects of Nobu’s blow to his stomach.

  “What’s he saying?” Akinari asked, unable to make out Kaze’s whisper.

  “Just some nonsense, Boss,” Nobu said.

  Akinari snorted. “Then you embarrassed me with Lord Yoshida, escaping from the vegetable merchant’s house. That cost me a thousand ryo. Still, your head will bring me ten thousand, so maybe it has all worked out for the best.”

  “You’ll never see a penny of that,” Kaze whispered to Nobu.

  “What is he saying?” Akinari asked petulantly.

  “It’s just more nonsense,” Nobu responded.

  Akinari looked at the men holding Kaze. “What is it he’s saying?” he asked.

  “He’s saying you don’t trust Nobu, Boss,” one of the men said.

  Akinari remained silent for a moment, then said, “Nobu, it’s suspicious this man wanted to talk to you twice. Now you can prove your loyalty by doing the job of beating him up before we take his head. Hit him again.”

  Nobu nodded, then struck another blow, this time to Kaze’s side. Kaze almost expected to hear the crack of a rib, but instead he just felt pain from the hammering.

  “Look at him,” Kaze gasped. “He doesn’t trust you. Soon you’ll be as dead as me.”

  “Why are you just hitting his body?” Akinari asked Nobu. “Why not his face?”

  “I want Yoshida-sama to be able to recognize him when you take his head in for the reward. Blows to the body can be just as punishing as blows to the face.”

  “Nonsense. Smash his face up. And be quick about it!”

  “It’s a test.” Kaze smiled through the pain at Nobu. “He wants to make sure we’re not friends.”

  “I’ll show him we’re not!” Nobu said. He brought his fist back, and took careful aim at Kaze’s face.

  “Boss Nobu,” Kaze said.

  Nobu hesitated a moment, then he brought his fist forward with all his strength. The fist flew past Kaze’s face and caught one of the two men holding Kaze squarely in the cheek. This time, Kaze did hear the crack of bone. The surprised thug crumpled to the floor instantly.

  With a grace that seemed impossible for a man of his size, Nobu dove toward Boss Akinari. Akinari and his bodyguard started drawing their blades, but Nobu was not trying to reach the gambling chief. Instead, he snatched Kaze’s sword from the floor, turned on his side, and threw the sword and scabbard back to the ronin.

  Kaze caught the sword with the hand recently freed by Nobu knocking out the man holding it. Without taking the sword from its scabbard, Kaze brought the scabbard down across the head of the man still holding him. As he felt the man’s grip loosen, Kaze yanked his other arm free and grabbed the scabbard.

  He drew his sword, and got the blade extended in the aimed-at-the-foot position, just in time to block a cut at Nobu, still lying on the floor, made by Akinari. Akinari’s blade was close to Nobu’s face when Kaze’s blade intercepted it. The eyes of the big man grew wide as the two pieces of steel met just a finger’s width from his
skin. The clang of steel filled the small room, and Nobu took advantage of the small reprieve to roll away from Akinari and the yojimbo.

  The yojimbo stepped past Akinari and attacked Kaze with an overhead cut. With his sword so low to the ground after protecting Nobu, Kaze couldn’t parry the blow, so he took a lesson from Nobu and dove to the ground, rolling to one side as the cut flashed past him. As he rolled, Kaze reached out with one arm and slashed the yojimbo across the chest and belly.

  The yojimbo let out a cry of pain and staggered backward, eventually falling to the floor. Kaze quickly finished his roll just as Akinari rushed at him. Kaze was in a crouching position and put his sword up to stop Akinari’s blow. Akinari brought his sword back for a second blow as Kaze forced his way to his feet. Then, making a classic diagonal cut across Akinari’s neck and shoulder, Kaze killed the gambler.

  Breathing hard, Kaze glanced over at Nobu, who was shakily getting to his feet. Then he looked around and said, “Quite a mess.” He looked at Akinari and told Nobu, “You’ll need a coffin.” Glancing at the yojimbo, who was clutching at his wound and turning white with shock, “Maybe two.” Kaze walked over to the yojimbo to see if he should deliver another blow to put him out of his pain. The yojimbo stopped breathing, taking the decision out of Kaze’s hands. Kaze saw the other two were still unconscious.

  “I think we’re all better off with Akinari in the void. He’ll be reincarnated, but with the life he led, it’s probable he’ll come back as a particularly annoying mosquito. I’m sorry about the yojimbo, though,” Kaze remarked. “He was just doing his job. I wish he had done it less well, so I didn’t have to kill him.”

  “I said you’re a devil, and it’s true! Boss Akinari suspected me because of your habit of sneaking into my room to talk to me. Now he’s dead.”

  “Better him than you,” Kaze pointed out. “Boss Nobu,” he added.

  Nobu scratched his head. Then he smiled. “I suppose you’re right. You’re still a devil, but this might work out to everyone’s advantage. Except, of course, for Akinari and the yojimbo.”

  “What about the rest of Akinari’s men?”

  “They’re my men now. Those two are still out, and the yojimbo is dead. No one knows what happened here except the two of us. I can say I slipped and hit the wrong guy, and then you managed to get free and kill Akinari and his yojimbo. No one will challenge me if I take over and blame all this on you. If that one”—Nobu pointed with his chin at the man Kaze had knocked unconscious—“dares to mention that I’m the one who threw you the sword, then he’ll be sorry. As far as the gang is concerned, you’re the one who did it all.”

  “Happy to be of service, Boss Nobu.”

  “Now I can be of service to you. You said you needed money.”

  “Yes, and some help with other things.”

  “There would be plenty of money if I could deliver your head to Lord Yoshida.” Nobu grinned, to show he was making a joke.

  Kaze also smiled. “As I told the late Boss Akinari, it would be inconvenient for me to lose my head now. If I get some money and help from you, I am close to fulfilling a quest, and also discovering who actually tried to kill Ieyasu.”

  Nobu sat on the dais recently occupied by Akinari. Ignoring the unconscious men and dead bodies in the room, he said, “Tell me more.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Crush a young flower.

  Does it give you such pleasure?

  A perverted act.

  Irasshai!” The servant greeted the man at the door to the Little Flower Whorehouse with an enthusiastic shout. He also gave the man a close examination, because he was a stranger.

  He was dressed in good but not sumptuous clothes, in the style of a merchant. He looked to be in his early thirties, with muscular shoulders and arms. He was not carrying a sword, so he was a commoner. Outside, the ink of night had painted the street. Some establishments had brightly lit lanterns hanging in front of them to advertise that they were open and to guide patrons to their door. At the Little Flower, however, only the light that discreetly spilled out from the door marked the entrance.

  “How can I help you, sir?”

  “I understand that you cater to, ah, special tastes at this establishment. Fresh taste. Young taste.”

  “Well, yes sir, we do. However, you must understand that such entertainment is very expensive. I am sure the esteemed gentleman is very prosperous, but since you have not honored us with your presence before, I want to advise you that an evening’s entertainment might be very dear.”

  The merchant reached into a sleeve and brought out a pouch. He poured out some of the contents into his palm, and the servant’s eyes lit up at the sight of gold. “Welcome, welcome, sir!” The servant slid open an inner door. A guard at the door immediately looked up, ready for trouble. The servant gave him a sign that all was well and asked him to fetch the owner of the brothel because an important—that is, rich—guest had arrived.

  Within minutes a woman in a fancy black-and-yellow kimono arrived, with two young serving girls trailing her. “I am Jitotenno,” she announced, sitting on the tatami mat. She bowed until her head touched the ground. Her posture was humble, but Kaze suspected the woman was not. Her name, which had been taken when she entered the Floating World of prostitution and entertainment where few people used their own names, was the name of an empress who had ruled Japan a thousand years before.

  The serving girls helped remove the man’s sandals, which looked new, and replace his tabi socks, which also looked new, after washing his feet. While they did this, the brothel owner cooed over the new customer, making small talk and flattering him.

  Kaze was the customer. After getting money from Nobu, he had gone from the gambling house back to the theater Nobu offered to put him up at the gambling house, but Kaze decided it wasn’t wise to dangle too much temptation in front of Nobu, and simply said he would make his own sleeping arrangements. Kaze didn’t want his head removed by Boss Nobu, and he was careful he wasn’t followed to the theater.

  At the theater, he had a tearful reunion with Momoko. At least it was tearful on her part. He was surprised that both Goro and Hanzo seemed happy to see him again. Kaze looked over the costumes at the theater but didn’t see anything he thought was suitable for the part he was going to play, so he gave Momoko money to buy an appropriate merchant’s outfit.

  The Little Flower Whorehouse was a fortress, so the best way in was through the front door. To do that, Kaze knew he needed money. With money, all barriers would fall, and he could get them to usher him into the building and show him its inhabitants.

  “It is most fortunate the gentleman arrived now,” Jitotenno said. “We are about to have a viewing.”

  “Viewing?”

  “It is an opportunity for our esteemed guests to see the children, and to select the dear one they would like to be with. As you can guess, our clients demand freshness and newness from our children. Since we run only the finest establishment, I have many agents looking for orphans and other children that we can introduce to our clients. We always have new children for our guests.”

  Kaze’s heart sank, not only at the thought of a steady parade of new flesh coming through the Little Flower, but also at the thought that the child he was seeking might have already been sent away.

  He was led to a veranda facing an inner courtyard, open to the sky. As Kaze had suspected, this was how the Little Flower provided light and air to the building. Three other men were already sitting on the veranda, comfortably ensconced on zabuton pillows, drinking sakè served to them by a young girl. The courtyard was lit by several torches and, although it was mostly white sand, it was tastefully landscaped with rocks and a few evergreen plants.

  Kaze was seated comfortably and given a saucer of sakè. He gave a polite bow to the other three. They bowed back but didn’t say anything. Apparently the Little Flower was not a place where adults engaged in much conversation. When Kaze was settled, the showing began.

  Jitotenno walk
ed to the left side of the courtyard and slid back a shoji screen, revealing two musicians. One man proceeded to hit a shime daiko drum, and the other man held a staff festooned with bells, shaking it in rhythm to the drumming.

  Jitotenno continued walking around the veranda. At the far wall she slid back another screen. A half-dozen children spilled out of the room behind the screen and into the courtyard. There were three girls and three boys, and Kaze judged their ages to be between seven and nine. Two of the boys engaged in a mock sword fight with light bamboo poles, and the third started fussing with a kite he carried, although it was obvious he wasn’t going to fly it in the confined courtyard. Two of the girls knelt in the sand and started playing cat’s cradle with a piece of string, and the third started bouncing a shuttlecock on a decorative oibane paddle.

  Normally, a group of children playing would bring joy to Kaze’s heart, tinged with sadness over the loss of his own children in the war that made Ieyasu Shogun. In this case, there was only sadness. The play of the children had no spontaneity or laughter. It was a carefully rehearsed sham to display human flesh.

  Kaze closely examined the faces of the girls. It had been years since he had seen the child, but none of these girls looked even remotely like Kaze’s former Lord and Lady. Kaze’s heart, which was already low at the sight of these children, sank even lower when he saw that none of the girls was the child he was looking for. For the first time in almost three years of searching, Kaze was discouraged.

  Kaze looked at the faces of his three fellow customers, and he had to fight to keep a look of revulsion off his own face. The others were watching the children intently, two watching the girls and one watching the boys. On their faces were expressions of pure lust, the kind of lust a drunken teenage boy might have when he went to a brothel to lose his virginity. To see this expression on the faces of grown men when they were looking at children disgusted Kaze.