by Shaun Curry
‘We have information regarding a foreign Christian priest and a group of Christians.’
‘What?’ the Shogun demanded.
‘A foreign priest approached our community seeking our help.’
‘And where is your community?’
‘Edo harbour, Lord Shogun.’
‘What did the priest seek?’
‘Use of our shipping vessel, Lord.’
Flushed with fury, the Shogun said, ‘Where did he wish to go? The Philippines?’
‘No, Lord. He asked to go to Nagasaki.’
‘And are they still at the temple?’
‘No, Lord. Our elder temple leader agreed to take them.’
‘Why would your temple leader betray me and the laws I have commanded?’
‘He said he would help them on grounds of compassion, but our loyalties lie with you, Lord Shogun. We serve only you and your regime.’
The Shogun pounded his fist on the mat in front of him before responding to the monks.
‘You are wise to serve me and to act as informants. In reward, you shall live and receive a small gift of silver. But your temple leader will not be so fortunate. He will die along with anyone else in league with him. Are you sure they went to Nagasaki?’
‘Yes, Lord. It is what the foreign priest requested.’
‘Collect your silver as you leave my castle.’ The Shogun snorted and huffed as he envisioned flaying the leader of the monks for daring to defy him.
‘This priest is far too unruly,’ the Shogun declared. ‘He should retreat to the Philippines, but has the audacity to return to southern Japan!’
‘They are an insolent group,’ responded Sakai. ‘They insult you with each act of defiance.’
‘But why return to Nagasaki?’ the Shogun pondered aloud. ‘Surely he knows they will face re-arrest.’
‘Their families are still in Nagasaki, Lord.’
‘You think they will try to rescue their families?’
‘It is possible, Lord. They are renowned for their brazenness.’
‘Never!’ The Shogun stood and thundered. ‘They could never be that bold!’
‘What would you like to do, Lord?’
‘Prepare our greatest red-seal ships. We will destroy them at sea!’
‘Yes, Lord. We will coordinate this at once.’
The red-seal ships were armed merchant sailing vessels bound for other Asian ports, with a red-sealed patent issued by the Shogun. Such patents were valuable because the regime limited them in number, and the Shogun sanctioned every red-seal ship, which protected them from pirates.
More often than not, the Shogun granted these coveted red-seal permits to his favourite daimyo and merchants in return for gifts, benefits, and other favours. The Shogun knew these were the safest and most reliable ships in Japan because no pirate or foreign nation dared to interfere with them.
Five minutes later, a senior administrator named Tadao hurried into the grand chamber to speak with the Shogun and his Roju cabinet. Well-known in the Shogun’s administration, he had administered more red-seal patents than anyone, and thus knew everything there was to know about vessels and the sea. The Bakufu regime considered Tadao the foremost expert on red-seal ships.
‘We need to destroy a Buddhist ship,’ the Shogun informed him. ‘The vessel is carrying a large group of runaway Christian criminals. We must catch them at once and destroy them.’
‘Yes, Lord Shogun.’
‘What do you advise?’
‘Send larger, faster vessels than the enemy’s, Lord.’
‘How many large ships do I have at my disposal?’
‘There are five large red-seal ships in Edo harbour at present, but you will not need five.’
‘Good, we will use all five.’
‘But, Lord, you will not need that many. I know the Buddhist vessel you seek. It is small and of no significance. You will need only two red-seal ships to catch and destroy it.’
‘I will not take any chances. I want those Christian criminals dead!’
‘But, Lord, daimyo have already loaded some of these red-seal ships with expensive goods and merchandise. There is no time to unload them for such an unexpected military mission.’
‘Then set sail with the goods aboard.’
‘But the goods and merchandise could be lost or damaged, Lord.’
‘I don’t care about goods and merchandise. I care about exterminating Christians!’
As Iemitsu shouted, members of his Roju cabinet cast anxious glances at one another. They knew the Shogun despised Christians, but perhaps these latest demands bordered on hysteria and obsession. They also knew full well that ships loaded with cargo were always a sensitive and contentious issue, given the amount of money involved and the number of people who could lose money. Any problems with lost cargo would be an administrative nightmare. The Roju cabinet members scratched the backs of their necks as they continued to glare at one another, though none dared raise objections given Iemitsu’s visible fury.
‘But what about the daimyo and head merchants, Lord? These vessels and cargo belong to them.’
‘I don’t care about the daimyo or merchants. They exist to serve me. Without me, they would not have their lands or red-seal patents!’
‘Yes, Lord.’
‘Prepare the vessels at once!’
‘And what about men, Lord Shogun? How many men should we send?’
‘How many can we load per ship?’
‘About 200 per vessel.’
‘Then put the maximum on each. We will send 1,000 men after them. And make sure they load all the cannons. I don’t want any excuses.’
‘Are you sure we require such a large force to destroy such a small, decrepit Buddhist vessel, Lord?’
‘I want this ship obliterated!’
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
15 July 1626
Pacific Ocean
With only a couple of monks tending to the boat’s navigation nearby, Joaquim and Tonia sat towards the bow, gazing out over the port side, watching the contrast of orange, peach and yellow colours emerging on the horizon.
Sensing Tonia’s grief, Father Joaquim sought to bring her some comfort. ‘You miss Miguel, Tonia?’
‘I do, Father, a great deal. He had a good heart.’
Glancing now at the Buddhist monks on the opposite side of the vessel, Tonia changed the conversation. ‘To be honest, Father, I’m surprised we have made it this far.’
‘Oh? Why’s that?’
‘Because the Shogun wants to destroy us, and the odds are against us. I am very surprised we found a boat.’
‘I’m surprised . . . and not surprised.’ The priest rubbed his chin.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m surprised the Buddhists are helping us, but I’m not surprised the Lord has answered us.’
‘I thought the odds were against us.’ Tonia’s stomach grumbled. The monks had given the Christians some rice and a little dried fish, but they did not have much to spare.
‘Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.”’
‘I like that passage, Father.’
‘All prayers are answered, Tonia, no matter how big or small.’
‘It is odd, but it almost seems like this boat was waiting for us.’ Tonia continued.
‘In a large harbour filled with ships, who can say? I do believe in God’s providence. And I do believe He has a plan for us. The Lord sometimes answers before we have even asked.’
For a few minutes, Father Joaquim and Tonia closed their eyes and sat in silence, facing the rising sun and praying.
‘I saw you were awake,’ Kansuke said as he approached them. ‘May I join you?’
‘Please, Kansuke-san.’ Joaquim made room for their benefactor. ‘Please, sit down with us.’
‘It is a beautiful morning, is it not?’
‘Very beautiful,’ Joaquim and Tonia answered in unison as they gazed at the brightening sky.
&
nbsp; ‘We would like to thank you again for your help, Kansuke-san,’ Father Joaquim said. ‘Without you, we would not have survived. How can we ever repay you?’
‘The survival of your village is more than enough.’
‘I am confused,’ Tonia stated. ‘Will the Shogun and his regime not make you suffer for helping us?
‘Yes.’ Kansuke smiled, revealing creases beside his eyes that reminded Joaquim of Master Yamaguchi. For a moment, he almost forgot to whom he was speaking.
Joaquim asked, ‘Why do you help us?’
‘The Shogun killed my son.’
Father Joaquim’s heart contracted with empathy. ‘I am sorry, Kansuke-san.’
‘He murdered him personally for helping a homeless man in Edo. He was slain for bringing him food when the Shogun was conducting one of his murderous sword-swinging expeditions in the city. The Shogun despises the homeless, and killed my son for helping the destitute.’
‘The Shogun is evil.’
‘And that is why I stand up to him now. I should have confronted him then, but I did not, and I have regretted it ever since.’
‘Living under an oppressor is never easy,’ replied Joaquim. He empathized with the Buddhist elder. On countless occasions, the priest could recall himself wanting to use his long-acquired martial skills to raise arms against his oppressors in Arima. But his deep Christian faith had inspired him to act otherwise.
‘I believe the strong should protect the weak. The Shogun is a dictator and, in time, all dictators fall.’
‘You are brave to oppose him,’ Joaquim said.
‘What about you, Father? The Shogun expelled Christianity from Japan over ten years ago. And yet you stay, at risk of losing your life.’
‘It is God’s will.’
‘But it is dangerous for Christians. Why do you do it, Father? What do you want to accomplish?’
‘Our Bible says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”’
‘And what does that mean?’
‘I am but a servant in this world. In this life, I seek nothing more than to spread the Word of God and to save the souls of many.’
‘Even if it means your own life?’
‘Our holy book assures us that even if we take on serpents, or drink that which is deadly, it will not hurt us.’
‘And, like me, you defy the Shogun.’
‘Then it looks as if we are both brave men.’ Father Joaquim chuckled.
Tonia jumped from her seat and pointed into the distance. ‘Look at that!’ she shouted as she ran to the edge of the boat to get a better view. ‘Do you see?’
Joaquim and Kansuke followed her. Behind them, a gargantuan wall of grey-black clouds moved towards the coast. This terrifying force of nature brightened briefly as bursts of lightning exploded within, then it rolled inexorably forwards, driven by a rising wind.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
The commander of the fifth and last of the five red-seal ships brought up the rear as the flotilla travelled in single file, enjoying a moment of calm on tranquil seas. The stout, five-masted ships were gaining on the smaller Buddhist boat, despite the calm winds.
Besides their cannons, the Shogun’s soldiers had armed the red-seal ships with many European arquebuses, whose round lead bullets would cut right through the Buddhist ship.
Joined by some of his men, the commander declared, ‘I feel sorry for those pathetic Christians. They don’t stand a chance.’
‘But why send so many of us?’ a samurai asked. ‘It’s as if we’re going to war.’
‘Because the Shogun despises them,’ the commander answered as he leaned against a railing.
‘I heard a rumour that the Christians embarrassed the Shogun with their superior fighting skills,’ another samurai added.
‘That’s not possible,’ the commander laughed at the idea.
‘It’s true. I was there,’ another samurai interjected. ‘The foreign priest and his female aide killed three of our samurai, including the great Suzuki-san and Daisuke-san. The priest and his aide were very skilled with the sword.’
‘It was luck,’ the commander huffed. ‘Only luck could allow them to accomplish such things. I can guarantee they will not be so lucky at sea.’
‘It will be a pleasure to blast holes through them,’ another samurai declared. ‘Then we can jump on their crumbling vessel and cut off their heads.’
The commander frowned and looked away, distracted from the conversation. He stared at the weather around him and at the way the sea was behaving.
A shout from a samurai lookout seemed to confirm his fears. He stared up at the man in the mast, and then in the direction he was pointing. ‘Look!’ the lookout yelled.
In the distance, the commander could see a massive black cloud mass appearing along the horizon. The bright day seemed to change in a moment, as though a candle had been snuffed out in a dim room. The dark clouds rolled forward with a speed that surprised the experienced commander, and a tremendous gust of wind slammed into the vessel, causing the sails to flap and billow with loud snaps and cracks. The ship began to heave and pitch as the sea developed ever-deeper peaks and troughs. Around him men ran to untie and luff the sails.
Ignoring his samurai companions, the commander barked out orders. ‘Lock down everything that can move. Guard the battens! Furl the sails!’ His hat flew into the sky as another powerful gust hit them.
In every direction the samurai looked, they could see roiling waters. The storm winds slammed their boat as if it were a toy. Rocked by the churning waters under their feet and the wind against their bodies, the soldiers, many wearing full body armour, stumbled, crashing to the deck.
‘Where did this storm come from?’ a samurai asked.
‘How can this be?’ the second mate shouted above the wind’s fury. ‘How can a storm rise from nowhere?’
‘I don’t know!’ the commander yelled. ‘Watch that mast!’
The mast bent as though it were a bamboo bow. A little more force, he thought, and it will snap.
Another gust smashed into the ship, stronger than the last. Junks have no keel, but nevertheless, the boat heeled over as a massive wave raised up one side and then broke over the deck. The surging wave swept three samurai into the raging water before the ship righted itself.
Darkness enveloped the ship as the storm hit them squarely. Rain lashed the deck, stinging anyone exposed to it. Huge waves crashed over the decks, meeting torrential rain driven almost horizontal by the furious winds. As the men looked for a place to escape the winds and water, a huge wall of water rose in front of the prow. The commander tried desperately to steer the ship along the wave and ride it. The green water curled towards them, and then struck the ship hard, releasing an enormous surge of water over the deck. As it washed along the decks the sea claimed more men as they lost their footing and were swept away.
Before anyone could recover, a fourth wall of water towered over the vessel, a giant fist of green and white foam that seemed to hit them amidships as though in slow motion. It snapped the masts and washed yet more samurai who had not tied themselves down into the foaming depths.
‘Look!’ the second mate yelled.
Through the pounding rain and black rain clouds, the sailors could barely see the ships ahead of them. A massive wave, unlike anything they had yet experienced, rose from the sea beneath the black cloud. As it rose, a huge trough appeared beneath it, pulling the ships back towards it, sucking up everything in its path until it could hold no more. The wave crashed down onto the lead vessel, cracking it in half, and sending debris in all directions.
Seconds later, another behemoth destroyed the second ship.
The commander of the fifth ship ran to the stairway leading below deck, but lost his balance as the vessel shifted under a huge wave. Falling to the level below, he regained his footing and dashed into his cabin, where he grabbed a pencil and wrote one line on a tag. He turned as fast a
s he could, to seize a carrier pigeon out of a cage that lined the wall, and affixed the tag to its leg.
When he reached the deck again, pigeon in hand, he could not see the Shogun’s other two ships anywhere. The full fury of the storm was now upon his own vessel.
‘Fly!’ he shouted and released the carrier pigeon into the air, watching it fight against the wind, its wings struggling to contend with the swirling air. A vicious squall threw him against the stern of the vessel. The sharp pain in his back was fleeting. He realized he could no longer feel his limbs, nor move as he wished. As he lay helpless, a mountainous wave swelled above his ship. It paused, and the water curled, seeming to lose its momentum. The commander stared at its beauty and power. It was the last thing he saw as it fell on him, as the last of the red-seal ships, its crew, and samurai sank to the bottom of the ocean.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
15 July 1626
Shogun’s Castle, Edo
Accompanied by three attractive young men, the Shogun had been drinking non-stop in his private chamber for several hours. As was typical, he had ordered that no adults enter his chamber and that no one disturb him.
‘Who would like to have a bath?’ the drunken Shogun asked as he gulped another shot of sake before stumbling towards his companions.
‘I already had a bath today,’ Eiji answered.
‘Who will have sake with me?’ Iemetsu lined up cups on the table and filled them, spilling rice wine all over the table.
A knock at the door interrupted them. ‘What is that?’ the intoxicated Shogun rumbled.
‘It’s the door, Lord. Someone is knocking.’
‘I left orders that no one disturb us!’ The Shogun stomped to the door and threw it open. Several petrified retainers stood before him.
‘Do you wish to die?’ the Shogun screamed. ‘I told you not to disturb us!’
‘We are sorry, Lord, but we have an urgent message. A messenger pigeon from the commander of one of your red-seal ships.’
The retainer handed the small tag to the Shogun.
Hurricane and tsunami. Fleet destroyed.
With flushed skin, the Shogun grabbed his sake bottles with a roar and smashed them on the ground, sending wet glass all over the chamber. He stormed over to a tall elegant cabinet and kicked it over, shattering the exotic chinaware that rested on top. Baring his teeth with shaking extremities, he turned to his male consorts. ‘Get out before I smash you.’