"Yes. Since he went to the trouble of sending me an invitation, I sent a messenger back with my acceptance."

"When did you send the messenger, my lord?"

"About noon today."

"Then that must be exactly the trick I thought it was!"

"Trick?"

"You must on no account go tomorrow morning. The tea ceremony is a ploy. Shogen is planning to murder you. He has already met with a secret messenger from the Shibata and sent a written pledge to them. Make no mistake, his plan is first to kill you and then to raise the banner of rebellion."

"How did you find this out?"

"The day before yesterday, Shogen summoned three Buddhist priests from the nearby Shuf.u.ku Temple to perform a memorial service for his ancestors. I had seen one of those men before, and he was without doubt a Shibata samurai. I was surprised, and sure enough, after the service, he complained of stomach pains and remained at the camp after the other two had left. He left the next morning, saying that he was returning to the Shuf.u.ku Temple, but just to make sure I had one of my retainers follow him. Just as I had thought, he did not return to the Shuf.u.ku Temple at all, but instead ran straight to Sak.u.ma Genba's camp."

Hayato nodded as though he did not need to hear any more. "I appreciate your warning. Lord Hideyoshi did not trust Shogen nor Ogane, and said that we should be wary of them. Their treachery has become clear. What do you think we should do, Osaki?"

Osaki drew closer and offered his thoughts. Nomura's ideas were considered as well, and a plan was conceived on the spot. Osaki sent messengers to Nagahama.

In the meantime, Hayato wrote a letter and entrusted it to Osaki. It was a short note to Shogen, explaining that he could not attend the tea ceremony because of ill health.

As the day dawned, Osaki took the letter and went to call on Shogen at Mount Shinmei.

The custom of that time was to hold frequent tea ceremonies in camp. Everything, of course, was prepared with simplicity-the tea room was only a temporary shelter with rough plaster walls, reed mats, and a vase containing wild flowers. The purpose of the tea ceremony was to cultivate the inner strength needed to endure the fatigue of a long campaign.

Early that morning Shogen had swept the dewy ground and set the coals in the hearth. Soon Ogane and Kinos.h.i.ta arrived. Both of them were retainers of Shibata Katsutoyo. Shogen had taken them into his confidence, and they had taken a solemn oath to act with him.

Hayato's late, isn't he?" Ogane commented.

Somewhere a rooster crowed, and the guests both looked nervous. Shogen, however, acted as a host should and stayed perfectly calm. "He'll be here soon enough," he said confidently.

Of course, the man they were waiting for never came; instead a page appeared with the letter Hayato had entrusted to Osaki.

The three men looked at one another.

"What about the messenger?" Shogen asked.

The page replied that the man had left immediately upon delivering the letter.

The same anxious look darkened the faces of the three men. No matter how brave they were, they could not feel at ease, knowing that their treachery might have been exposed.

"How could it have leaked out?" Ogane asked.

Even their mumbling sounded like complaints. Now that the plot had been exposed, the tea ceremony was forgotten, and their thoughts turned to making good their own escape. Both Ogane and Kinos.h.i.ta appeared as though they could hardly bear to stay there a moment longer.

"There's nothing we can do after this." As that lament escaped Shogen's lips, the other two men felt as though they had been struck in the chest. Shogen, however, glared at them as if he were telling them to keep their heads.

"The two of you should take your men and go as quickly as possible to Ikenohara. Wait there near the big pine tree. I'm going to send a letter to Nagahama. Then I'll follow you right away,"

"To Nagahama? What sort of letter?"

"My mother, wife, and children are still in the castle. I can escape, but my mother and the others will certainly be held hostage if we wait too long."

"I suspect you're too late. Do you really think there's still time?"

"What am I going to do? Just abandon them there? Ogane, pa.s.s me that inkstone there.

Shogen began to run his brush rapidly over the sheet of paper. Just then, one of his retainers came in to report that Nomura Shojiro had disappeared.

Shogen threw down his brush in disgust. "It was him, then. I've been negligent about that fool for some time. He'll pay for this."

He glared as though he were giving someone the evil eye, and the hand that held the letter addressed to his wife began to shake.

"Ippeita!" he shrieked.

The man quickly appeared.

"Take a horse and hurry to Nagahama. Find my family and put them on a boat. Don't even think about saving their possessions; just scull across the lake to Lord Katsuie's camp. I'm relying on you. Go immediately, and don't waste a single moment," he ordered.

Almost before he finished speaking, Shogen had fastened the bindings on his armor. Holding a long spear, he ran out of the building. Ogane and Kinos.h.i.ta both quickly gathered their men and went down the mountain.

At about that time the dawn was turning white, and Hayato had sent out his forces. When the men led by Ogane and Kinos.h.i.ta reached the foot of the mountain, they were ambushed by Osaki. Those who survived the attack tried to flee to the big pine tree in Ikenohara where they would wait for Shogen. But Hayato's men had gone around the northern end of Mount Dangi and cut off their escape by that road. Encircled this time, almost all of them were annihilated.

Shogen was only one step behind them. He, too, fled in that direction with a few men. He wore his helmet with deer antlers and his black leather armor and carried his long spear under his arm as he rode. He truly looked like a warrior ready to cut through the wind and the bravest of Katsutoyo's retainers, but he had already strayed from the Way of the Samurai, and the sounds of righteousness and lofty ideals were lacking in the galloping of his horse's hooves.

Suddenly he was surrounded by Hayato's troops.

"Don't let the traitor get away!"

They heaped abuse on Shogen, but he fought as though he was not afraid to die. Carving out a road of blood as he pa.s.sed, he finally escaped from the iron cage. Whipping his horse at full speed for about two leagues, he soon joined up with Yasumasa's army, which had been waiting since the night before. Had the a.s.sa.s.sination of Hayato been a success, the two fortresses on Motoyama would have been attacked and taken at the appearance of Shogen's signal fires. But the plan had not gone as expected, and Shogen had barely escaped with his life.

As he listened to the way events had turned out from his brother Yasumasa, Genba looked disgusted. "What? You mean that Hayato got the first move on them because the plot was exposed this morning?" he said. "Well, Shogen's plan must have been poorly conceived. Tell all three men to come here."

Until then Genba had done everything to induce Shogen to betray his lord, but now that the scheme had fallen short of his expectations, he talked about him as though he were nothing but trouble.

Shogen and the two others were expecting to be well received, but they were to be greatly disappointed by Genba's att.i.tude. Shogen asked to meet Katsuie and report some highly secret information to him in order to make up for his failure.

"That sounds hopeful, doesn't it?" Genba's mood showed a little improvement, but to Ogane and Kinos.h.i.ta he was just as brusque as before. "The two of you stay here. Only Shogen will be going with me to the main camp."

With that, they left immediately for Mount Nakao.

The incident that morning, with all of its complications, had been reported in detail to Katsuie.

When, not long thereafter, Genba accompanied Shogen to Katsuie's camp, the latter sat waiting for them on his general's stool with a haughty look. Katsuie always looked dignified no matter what the situation. Shogen was quickly granted an audience.

"You failed this time, Shogen," Katsuie said.

The expression on his face as he spat out his real feelings was a complex one. It was commonly said that the Shibata uncle and nephew both had calculating, self-interested natures, and now both Katsuie and Genba waited with cold expressions for Shogen to speak.

The oversight was mine," Shogen said, aware that he could do nothing more than apologize. At that point he must have repented his decision bitterly, but now there was no way of going back. Bearing shame on top of shame and stifling his anger, he could only bow his head to the ground in front of that arrogant and selfish lord.

All he could do was beg for Katsuie's mercy. He did, however, have another plan with which he might curry favor with Katsuie, and it had to do with the question of Hideyoshi's whereabouts. Both Katsuie and Genba had a deep interest in that question, and when Shogen mentioned the subject, they listened eagerly.

"Where is Hideyoshi now?"

"Hideyoshi's whereabouts are kept secret even from his own men," Shogen explained. "Though he was seen during the construction of the fortresses, he hasn't been in camp here for some time. But he's probably in Nagahama, and he might make preparations for attacking from Gifu, while watching the situation here at the same time. He may be putting himself in a position to react to conditions in either place."

Katsuie nodded gravely, exchanging glances with Genba. "That's it. That must be it. He must be in Nagahama."

"But what kind of proof do you have?"

"I have no real proof," Shogen replied. "But if you'll give me a few days I'll verify the details of Hideyoshi's whereabouts. There were several men in Nagahama who took a kind interest in me, and I'm sure that when they know that I'm supporting you, my lord, they'll slip out of Nagahama and inquire about me here. Also, the reports from the spies I sent out should be coming in soon. Beyond that, I would like to offer a strategy that will defeat Hideyoshi," he concluded, with a look that hinted at the extent of his faith in his scheme "You should be very, very careful, don't you think? But let's hear what you have to say."

At dawn on the nineteenth day of the month, Shogen and Genba visited Katsuie's headquarters a second time. What Shogen carried with him that morning was certainly valuable. Genba had already heard Shogen's information, but as Katsuie now heard it for the first time, his eyes widened like saucers, and the hairs all over his body stood on end.

Shogen spoke with great excitement. "For the past few days Hideyoshi has been at Nagahama. Two days ago, on the seventeenth, he suddenly led a force of twenty thousand men out of the castle there and force-marched to Ogaki, where he set up camp. It goes without saying that by crushing Lord n.o.butaka in Gifu with a single blow, he would cut off any anxiety about being attacked from the rear. We can surmise, then, that he is resolved to raise his entire force, turn in that direction, and make a move for a decisive, all-or-nothing battle. It is said that before leaving Nagahama," Shogen continued, "Hideyoshi had all the hostages from Lord n.o.butaka's family killed, so you can understand the resolve with which the b.a.s.t.a.r.d moved on Gifu. And there's more. Yesterday his vanguard set fires in various places and is preparing for a siege of Gifu Castle."

The day we've been waiting for is coming, Katsuie thought, almost licking his lips.

Genba was of the same mind. He burned with the same thoughts, but even more so.Here was an opportunity-a matchless opportunity. But how could they make full use of it?

Little opportunities here, little opportunities there during hostilities came in waves of tens of thousands, but a truly great opportunity on which hung a man's rise or fall in a single blow came only once. Now Katsuie was at the point of grasping or of failing to grasp that kind of opportunity. Katsuie nearly drooled as he thought the possibilities through, and Genba's face was flushed.

"Shogen," Katsuie finally began, "if you have some sort of strategy to offer, please speak frankly."

"My own humble opinion is that we should not miss this opportunity, but should attack the two enemy fortresses at Mount Iwasaki and Mount Oiwa. We could act in concert with Lord n.o.butaka, even though Gifu is far away, and act just as quickly as Hideyoshi. Your allies could, at the same time, attack and destroy Hideyoshi's fortresses."

"Ah, that is exacdy what I'd like to do, but such things are more easily said than done, Shogen. The enemy is also not without men, and they're building fortresses too, aren't they?"

"When you look at Hideyoshi's battle formation from within, there is one very large opening," Shogen replied. "Consider this. The two enemy fortresses at Iwasaki and Oiwa are far from your camp, but you still consider them to be central strongholds. The fact is, however, that the construction of both of those fortresses is much flimsier and rougher than that of any of the others. Add to this that both the commanders and the soldiers protecting these places are under the impression that the enemy would never attack them. To all appearances, they have been extremely negligent in their preparations. If we mount a surprise attack, it must be there. Moreover, once we destroy the enemy's very core, how much more easily the other castles would fall!"

Katsuie and Genba both agreed heartily with Shogen's plan.

"Shogen has seen through the enemy's ruse," Katsuie said. "This is the best plan we could have made for confounding Hideyoshi."

It was the first time Shogen had been so highly praised by Katsuie. For some days he had been despondent and deflated, but now his expression suddenly changed.

"Take a look at this," he said, spreading out a map. The fortresses at Dangi, Shinmei, Mount Iwasaki, and Mount Oiwa stood on the eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Yogo. There were also a number of fortresses from the southern area of Shizugatake to Mount Tagami, the chain of camps stretching along the road to the northern provinces, and several other military positions. All were clearly shown, and the topography of the area-with its lakes, mountains, fields, and valleys-was delineated in detail.

The impossible had become possible. Clearly it was a great disadvantage for Hideyoshi, Katsuie gloated, that a secret map like this had been spread out in his enemy's headquarters before the battle.

It could be said that Katsuie derived great joy from that fact alone. Examining the map closely, he praised Shogen once again.

"This is a wonderful gift, Shogen."

Standing at one side, Genba was also scrutinizing the map, but looking up, he suddenly said with conviction, "Uncle, this plan of Shogen's-to penetrate deep behind the enemy lines and take the two fortresses of Iwasaki and Oiwa-I'd like you to send me as the vanguard! I am confident that a surprise attack with the necessary resolution and speed could be handled by no one other than myself."

"Well, now, wait a moment..."

Katsuie shut his eyes in quiet deliberation, as though apprehensive of the younger man's ardor. Genba's self-confidence and zeal quickly resisted that hesitation.

"What other plans are you entertaining for this opportunity? Surely there's no room in your thoughts for something else?"

"What? I don't think so."

"Heaven's opportunities don't wait, you know. While we stand here like this, our chance may be slipping away moment by moment."

"Don't be so hasty, Genba."

"No. The more you deliberate, the more time slips away. Are you unable to make a decision when a victory of such magnitude is right before your eyes? Ah, it makes me think demon Shibata is getting old."

"You're talking foolishness. It's just that you're still young. You've got the courage for battle, but you're still inexperienced when it comes to strategy."

"Why do you say that?" Genba's face began to flush, but Katsuie would not be agitated. He was a veteran of innumerable battles, and was not about to lose his composure.

"Think for a moment, Genba. There is nothing more dangerous than going deep behind enemy lines. Is it worth the risk? Aren't we at a point where we must think this through over and over so there will be no regrets?"

Genba laughed out loud. But behind the hint that his uncle's anxiety was of no value, Genba's youthful iron will was also laughing at age's discrimination and vacillation.

Katsuie, however, did not reproach his nephew's open derisive laughter. He seemed to show affection for the young man's lack of inhibition. He actually seemed to love Genba's high spirits.

Genba had been accustomed to his uncle's favor for some time. He could quickly read through the man's emotions and come to terms with them easily. Now he insisted further. "It's true that I'm young, but I fully understand the danger of penetrating the enemy lines. In this situation I would be relying solely on strategy, and not be impatient for merit. I'll dare to do it just because there's danger involved."

Katsuie was still unable to give his approval freely. As before, he was lost in deliberation. Genba gave up badgering his uncle, and suddenly turned to Shogen.

"Let me see the map."

Without moving from the camp stool Genba unrolled the map, stroked his cheek with one hand, and remained silent.

Nearly an hour pa.s.sed.

Katsuie had been concerned at the time his nephew had spoken with such zeal, but when he observed Genba silently contemplating the map, he suddenly felt sure of the younger man's reliability.

"All right." Finally putting an end to his own deliberations, he turned and spoke to his nephew. "Don't make any mistakes, Genba. I'm giving you the order to go deep behind the enemy lines tonight."

Genba looked up, and at the same time stood straight up from the camp stool. He was almost insanely happy and bowed with great civility. But while Katsuie admired this nephew who was so happy at being put in command of the vanguard, he knew it was a position that might easily mean a man's death if he made a mistake.

"I'm telling you again-once you've accomplished your goal of destroying Iwasaki and Oiwa, retreat with the speed of the wind."

"Yes, Uncle."

"This hardly needs to be said, but a safe retreat is extremely important in war-especially in a fight involving the penetration of enemy territory. If you fail to withdraw safely, it's like forgetting the last basketful of earth when digging a well a hundred fathoms deep. Go with the speed of the wind, and come back in the same way."

"I've understood your warning well."

His hope having now been realized, Genba was perfectly docile. Katsuie immediately a.s.sembled his generals. By evening the orders had gone out to each of the camps, and the preparations for every corps seemed to be complete.

It was the night of the nineteenth day of the Fourth Month. The eighteen-thousand-man army left the camp in secret exactly at the second half of the Hour of the Rat. The attacking force was divided into two corps of four thousand men each. They moved down the mountain toward Shiotsudani, crossed over Tarumi Pa.s.s, and pressed eastward along the western bank of Lake Yogo.