The Old Men of Omi: An Akitada Novel (Akitada Mysteries Book 13)

by I. J. Parker

  The whole household had to be pacified. Tora managed to get cook to postpone her departure until after Akitada’s return. The rest of the family promised to be patient. He urged this by suggesting that Mrs.Kuruda would eventually return to her daughter’s house. Privately he had no such convictions. Saburo’s mother had declared firmly that her daughter and that good-for-nothing animal she had married no longer existed for her. She intended to devote her remaining years to her son. It was clear that she planned to assume control of the wifeless Sugawara household. She claimed her heart went out to Lord Sugawara, left without the support of a loyal spouse, and to those darling children who would need motherly supervision.

  When Tora mentioned this to Saburo, he listened with horror and told Tora that he was almost afraid that his mother intended to marry his lordship herself.

  This made Tora laugh heartily. But he was preoccupied with his own dilemma. On impulse, he said, “Saburo, I may need your help.”

  “Of course, Tora. What can I do?”

  Tora told him about the sohei. He described the scene at Otsu harbor. After an initial spark of interest when Tora described the warrior monks, Saburo’s face lengthened. When Tora finished with the abduction of Kinzaburo and the rape of his wife, he said nothing.

  Tora was surprised by this. He asked, “Well? You’re the expert in all things involving warrior monks and monasteries. We’ve got to do something.”

  With a sigh, Saburo said, “What did you have in mind?”

  “I’m going to Enryaku-ji to find Kinzaburo. It would help to know something about the place.”

  “You’ve never been to Enryaku-ji?”

  “No.” Tora was beginning to find Saburo’s lack of enthusiastic support puzzling. “Come on! Give! I need to know how to get him out.”

  “If there were a war, would you consider creeping into an enemy camp to abduct their general?”

  “You think it’s impossible? Pah. I’ve done harder things.”

  Saburo looked at him for a long moment. “So have I. That’s how I got this.” He gestured at his mutilated face.

  Tora gaped. “Monks did that to you?”

  “Sohei. It’s not quite the same thing.”

  Tora did not know what to say. Suddenly his endeavor looked not only difficult but foolhardy. To rescue Kinzaburo, he would have to get into Enryaku-ji. This was simple enough as many pilgrims came and went in the temple grounds daily. The problem was that Kinzaburo most likely would be kept by the sohei in an area that was not accessible to ordinary worshippers. Originally he had hoped to bluff his way in somehow, verify where Kinzaburo was kept, and then free him in the dark of the night. But if those cursed monks treated a fellow monk the way they had Saburo, he doubted he would be allowed to live if they caught him. The risk was too great for a family man.

  And there was another matter. He was getting too old for this business. Lately he had been plagued by headaches, and his encounter with the sohei seemed to have aggravated them. He felt discouraged. Putting his head into his hands, he muttered, “What can I do?”

  “If it weren’t for my mother, I could come with you. I know the place better than you. We might not be successful, but it would be worth a try.”

  Tora looked up. “Would you do that? After what they did to you?”

  Saburo gave him his crooked smile. “I remember some faces. They come to me at night. I’ll never forget.”

  “Oh. You mean you’d look for those who did this?”

  “Of course. That’s what I dream about when I’m awake.”

  “But why can’t you leave your mother? She’s safe here.”

  Saburo shook his head. “You don’t know her. I dare not do this to my new family.”

  Tora laughed. “Come on. She’s a busybody, but at heart she’s kind and she tries to be helpful. What could she possibly do?”

  Saburo said darkly, “She’s the one who sent me among the sohei, and you ask ‘what can she do?’”

  “Then send her back to your sister.”

  Saburo turned away. “I can’t,” he said dully. “They won’t have her. They know her too well. Besides, she’s my responsibility. It will be best if I leave. She can keep house for me, and I’ll find some work to feed us both.”

  “No. You belong here.” Tora paused. “Well, there’s nothing to be done then. I’ll tell the master. When he hears she’s your mother, I’m sure he’ll make her welcome.”

  Saburo’s head sank lower. “Yes. But it isn’t right.”

  “You’ll stay?”

  Saburo nodded. “For a while. But what will you do?”

  “I’m having a look at Enryaku-ji. See if I get any ideas. How about some directions?”

  Saburo looked at him anxiously. “What do you plan to do?”

  “I’d just like to get an idea of the place.”

  “You’ll go back to Otsu first?”

  Tora nodded.

  “There’s a road up the mountain. All roads to Enryaku-ji are good. The main temple is actually surrounded by smaller, outlying temples. But you want to know about the sohei. They have their own place in one of the smaller temples. Few visitors ever go there, but it has its own main hall, lecture hall, and several training halls. They call them training halls, but they are really dojos. They teach fighting skills there. The place is tucked away on a steep mountain ridge. You can get to it from the main road. There’s a path that climbs the side of the mountain before you reach Enryaku-ji’s main gate. The sohei are separate from the other monks and come and go this way when they need to visit Otsu. The path leads to a gate, but the gatekeepers there won’t admit you. The whole complex is walled and surrounded by watch towers.”

  “I was afraid of that. Any other way in?”

  “Yes. You can get there from the Enryaku-ji grounds. That path is behind the Kaidan-in, the ordination hall. It’s well hidden and is for the monks only, and the sohei if they’re summoned by the abbot or participate in any of the temple observances. If you encounter anyone there, you’ll be stopped. And if you’re not, you still won’t get into their compound.”

  Tora grinned. “I’ll be very careful.”

  Saburo gave him a hard look. “Promise that you’ll come get me before you try anything dangerous.”

  “I will. Thanks, brother.”

  ∞

  When Tora returned to Otsu, he found his master was preoccupied with the governor’s family. He was said to be visiting a shrine fair and had left no instructions for Tora. As it was not yet midday, Tora decided he had plenty of time for a visit to the temple.

  So he got back on his horse and took the wide road that led from Otsu up the side of Mount Hiei to the huge temple complex that was Enryaku-ji. This time of year and in this weather the road was busy. Most of the pilgrims in their rough white cotton robes and wide straw hats, walked leaning on staffs, their provisions slung in bags over their shoulders. Some of the upper class faithful traveled by horse or in litters. All in all, there was a steady stream going up the mountain and coming back down.

  Their spirits were high. For many of them, this was a welcome release from their usual labors and the long winter months inside their houses.

  It was, of course, also good for their souls.

  Above them rose the green mountain to a blue sky dotted with small clouds. The holy mountain, Mount Hiei, guardian of the capital. Tora believed mountains to be inhabited by ancient gods, but it was Enryaku-ji and other mountain temples that claimed to protect the people below.

  The road climbed through forest dotted here and there with cherry trees bursting into bloom. Birds darted through the branches, and small wildflowers bloomed in the grass.

  Soon Tora could see the tops of pagodas and some roofs of temple halls rising from the forest. There were many of these and they were widely separated. He began to realize the enormous size of the complex and got the first inkling that his plans might be beyond him. For the time being, he persisted. Closer to his destination, he came across the fi
rst roadside vendors. They sold all sorts of foods, amulets, straw sandals, straw hats, and straw coats, umbrellas, rosaries, and other items useful to pilgrims.

  As it was long was past midday, Tora stopped for a bowl of noodles at one stand. The food was vegetarian, and any hopes he might have had for a cup of wine vanished. There was water, though, at a token price.

  Eventually, he reached the entrance to the main temple—there were apparently many of these, scattered over the mountainside and associated with Enryaku-ji. He turned his horse over to a young monk, made a donation, and walked through the large, roofed Monju-ro gate into the temple grounds.

  There was little to distinguish this mountain temple complex from many others. True, the halls and other buildings were in excellent condition, the red lacquered columns, railings, and eaves brilliant in the sun, and the gilding even brighter and very rich. But he found the pagoda unsatisfactory because it had only three levels. On the other hand, the sheer number of buildings stunned and bewildered him. How would he ever find his way around this place?

  For a while, he just wandered about like the rest of the visitors. He paused before the Amida hall, thinking it rather small and unimportant looking. The Daiko-do, or great lecture hall, was more impressive. Following the general stream of pilgrims, he passed among many other halls, the Kanjo-do, used for initiations, the Yokokawashu-do, another large building, and the Komponchu-do with its colonnaded gallery. Beyond rose mountains, forests, and craggy rocks toward more halls and pagodas.

  The monks’ living quarters were tucked away behind the main buildings, and nearby were storage buildings.

  Ordinary monks in gray or black or pale robes stood or wandered about, offering to direct visitors and answering their questions, but Tora saw no sohei. He decided not to trouble the helpful monks with his own questions.

  The sun was setting and he was getting tired before he gave up on seeing all of the huge temple complex and turned back to the main compound. He located the Kaidan-in, a small ordination hall, and found it awkwardly close to the lecture hall where a great number of monks seemed to be stationed. The path Saburo had mentioned skirted the side of the building. It was unmarked, and a monk stood there to make sure none of the visitors would be tempted to explore it. In fact, the more Tora thought about it, security was very good here. The monks he had seen mingling with visitors and pilgrims, offering to direct them, seemed to have been placed there as guards. It gave him a creepy feeling. No doubt, someone had already noted him as neither a sightseer nor a pilgrim. He paused to scan the area casually and caught several monks looking his way.

  He had been careless.

  They had something to hide!

  Tora quickly mingled with the pilgrims, seeking out the heaviest concentration of people and moving with them, joining new groups, but always staying as close as possible to the Kaidan-in. A short time later, he got his chance. Across the way, in front of the pagoda, an outcry went up. Someone had fallen or fainted. Immediately, people started to drift in that direction, and with them went the watchers.

  When Tora saw that the monk next to the secret path had joined them, he slipped past the side of the building and jogged away from the crowds and into the woods. He saw no one. The path turned sharply left and then ascended toward the mountain ridge behind the temple complex. After a while, Tora slowed and steadied his breathing. No sense in alerting any other posted watchers. He proceeded more slowly and cautiously, especially when he neared the summit. But again he was quite safe. And then the path took a final turn, and Tora saw a complex of buildings before him. In contrast to the temple below, these were very plain. The wood was unpainted and had darkened from the weather. The roofs of the halls were covered with bark. Some of the buildings were more than one story tall and had wooden roofs weighted down with rocks like the row houses of the poor and the warehouses of merchants. The whole thing had a utilitarian look about it, but it was walled all around, and the walls rested on rock and had watchtowers, and the gate he saw from where he was looked heavily reinforced.

  It was closed.

  And it was getting dark and chilly. Soon he would not be able to see much anyway. Regretfully, he turned back. The light faded rapidly, and when the forest closed in on him again, he realized he had been foolish to take this path so late in the day. It was nearly dark under the trees. There were rock outcroppings and loose stones underfoot, and haste was of the essence. Soon he could do little more than descend the steep inclines by slipping, sliding, and catching himself by grasping tree branches. He had given up long since any effort to avoid noise or to listen for it.

  That was how it happened.

  He was wondering if he was still on the same path or if he had somehow left it to flounder about in the forest on a mountain side that might at any moment propel him into a gorge, when a hand seized his shoulder from behind. Before he could react someone kicked his legs out from under him. He fell heavily, and a large, heavy body fell on top of him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Searching for Tora

  On their return from the fair, the children reported gleefully to their father, showing off their kites and beads, and sticky faces and fingers. Kosehira laughed, eyed Akitada and Yukiko with some interest when they remained quiet, and then packed his family off to their home and baths. Akitada he begged to remain a little longer.

  They went to Kosehira’s study, where Kosehira gestured for Akitada to sit and offered him wine. Akitada accepted, though he would have preferred water. His mouth was uncomfortably dry.

  He drank, then asked,” What’s on your mind, brother?”

  Kosehira fidgeted. “I’m very grateful you looked after my family.” He gave Akitada another one of his searching glances. “Hmm. I hope the children weren’t too much of a nuisance. I know I’ve spoiled them.”

  “Not at all. They were delightful. I enjoyed the afternoon very much.”

  That got him another sharp glance. “Yukiko helped look after them, I hope.”

  “Oh, yes. I told you, they were no trouble.”

  “She’s old enough to have some sense,” Kosehira said. “Mature for her age. Don’t you think so?”

  “She is charming, Kosehira, and will make some deserving young man very happy.” Akitada had become embarrassed during this interrogation and asked, “But wasn’t there something else you wanted to discuss?”

  “Yes, of course. It’s just that I’m very fond of her. Fond of you, too.” Kosehira now looked rather red himself and emptied his cup. “As to the other matter …” He paused.

  Akitada wondered at this “other.” It sounded as if both Yukiko and the other matter had been on Kosehira’s mind when he brought Akitada back here. He waited.

  “Chief Takechi came to see me a short while ago. There’s been another death, it seems. He was anxious that you should be told.”

  Akitada’s thoughts flew to the unfortunate couple who had kept house for Judge Nakano. Had there been some sort of quarrel? “What happened?”

  “Another old man has died. Takechi says it looks like Nakano’s death. Only this one was some poor fellow who earned a few coppers sweeping streets.”

  “Strange. I’d better have word with him.” Akitada rose.

  “Tomorrow is soon enough. It’s been a long day.” Kosehira stretched. “You wouldn’t believe the number of petitions I had to read today. On second thought, maybe you would.”

  “I’ll be glad to take some work off your hands while I’m here, Kosehira. You only have to ask.”

  Kosehira chuckled. “Thanks. It may come to that. But let’s go home for today. I want a bath, some wine, and a good meal, and then bed.”

  That sounded wonderful and Akitada said so.

  ∞

  But it was not an altogether restful evening after all. When they reached Kosehira’s house, it became clear that Tora had not returned from the capital. After his initial irritation, Akitada worried. He worried enough to propose that he should get back on his horse and rid
e home to find out what had happened to Tora.

  Kosehira objected. “He’s just decided to spend another day and night with that pretty wife of his. You don’t need him, so what does it matter?”

  “I don’t know. He promised to be back this morning.” Akitada remembered that Tora had been angry with him when he left, and what he had been angry about. “I don’t like this at all. I think he had some wild idea of rescuing a man from the sohei on Mount Hiei.”

  This required explanations which effectively spoiled Kosehira’s good mood. “You’re sure that he meant to be back in Otsu this morning?”

  Akitada nodded. “By midday at the latest. I think he returned, found me gone to the fair, and decided to pay a visit to Enryaku-ji.”

  Kosehira was instantly relieved. “Oh, that makes sense. He’ll be back shortly then. Let’s go have that bath.”

  Akitada was by no means reassured, but he decided not to panic just yet. They had a relaxing bath and excellent hot supper on trays in Kosehira’s room with some of Kosehira’s good wine.

  They talked about the sohei, whom Kosehira deplored as much as Akitada. When Akitada shared Tora’s story, Kosehira made up his mind to send a message to the abbot, demanding explanations and proof that Kinzaburo was indeed one of the temple’s peasants.

  He said glumly, “Nothing will come of it, of course. They’ll have the proof. But at least they will be warned that I’m keeping an eye on their hired thugs.”

  “I think I’ll send a protest of my own. They did, after all, attack Tora. I’ll demand they turn the attacker over to the local police for public brawling.”

  They smiled at each other, satisfied for the moment.

  Refilling their cups, Kosehira returned to a more delicate subject.

  “Speaking of your household, brother,” Kosehira said, a little diffidently, “how are you managing it? I mean, it must be very difficult with the lovely Tamako gone. I recall, you always insisted that one wife was all you ever wanted. As you saw, I have three kind and cheerful ladies. They take all cares for my children and the household affairs off my shoulders.”