Pathway to Japanese Literature

Author: Kunieda Shiro

I

"The world has grown quite peaceful, hasn't it?"

Thus spoke Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Tokusen'in.

"It is entirely due to Your Highness's august influence."

Tokusen'in began grinding sesame seeds.

"But I'm bored."

"This is most troubling."

“Don’t you have any ideas? Any novel ideas?”

“How about gathering some beauties for Your Highness?”

"I've grown somewhat bored with that, truth be told."

“Moreover, Lady Yodo is present.”
He smirked while closely observing the expression.

"Yeah, Yodo... She’s a cute one."
Drawn into the mood, Hideyoshi also smirked.

A crane cried out in the rear garden.

The diseased leaves of the crimson maple seemed to have scattered into the garden pond.

It was a splendidly clear autumn day.

"Don't you have any ideas? Any novel ideas?"

Hideyoshi threw a tantrum.

"Well..."

Though Tokusen'in had spoken, he didn't seem capable of producing any particularly good ideas. Tokusen'in sat dejectedly.

“Ah!”

And Hideyoshi clapped his hands.
“I’ve got it! A brilliant scheme!”

"I must hear it! What might that be?"

"Let’s hold a tea ceremony—a grand tea ceremony!"

What? How dull—is that all? Though he cursed venomously in his heart, outwardly he maintained an air of profound reverence, even going so far as to slap his forehead in exaggerated approval.

“Truly an ingenious scheme befitting Your Highness’s recent endeavors.”

“The venue will be Kitano—a hundred-tea-house ceremony.”

“As expected of Your Highness—such an ambitious undertaking!”

Tokusen'in outwardly complied but secretly mocked the idea in his heart.
“Heh heh... Let’s hope you don’t get the runs.”

“Issue the proclamation! Issue the proclamation!”

Hideyoshi was characteristically impatient.

“The retinue’s started playing pranks, I tell you.
“Now we’re busy! Busy!”
Tokusen’in exited.”

×

Ishida Jibu-no-shō and Masuda Uemon-no-jō—these two were appointed magistrates.

In due course, the two men received their orders, selected participants, and issued proclamations to those devoted to the Tea Ceremony.
The daimyo and lesser lords received this command and thought, "What a novel and most intriguing spectacle! How might we present tea to His Highness?" Yet even if they desired it, such a wish could not be granted. Grateful for this gracious decree, they each took plots of land in the four directions around Ukon's Riding Ground and erected tea arbors.

While this appears in documents from that period, it was nothing but an outrageous falsehood.
All had been sorely inconvenienced.

"Now then—with rare treasures from Japan and China, ink traces of master calligraphers through the ages, and cherished heirlooms from every household—since if not at this moment, when else should they be unveiled?—they were produced with zealous determination, each owner probing their deepest reserves."

This seems to have been true after all.

It appears they had ostentatiously displayed their wares from such base motives—whether hoping to gain the honor of having Hideyoshi purchase their items at exorbitant prices after winning his favor, or aiming to present them as tribute upon catching his eye in order to receive increased land holdings.

As time passed and the event drew near to the morrow, Lord Hideyoshi declared: "With a hundred tea gatherings to be held in a single day, how might we manage from dawn?" Thus he commanded that preparations commence from the Hour of the Tiger.
For his retinue, he selected Hōin Gen'i and Hōkyō Jōhaku.

This too was precisely as described.

"The candles before the enclosures of the daimyo and lesser lords differed not at all from myriad lanterns; with it being a gathering of a hundred tea ceremonies, each indeed appeared remarkably brief."

This too appeared to be no different.

Thus as time passed, the hundred ceremonies were duly completed by His Highness, who then called for his return procession.
When Lord Hideyoshi gazed westward, he withdrew slightly, and the thatched hut came into view.

“Gen’i! Gen’i!” Hideyoshi called out.
“A touch of avian elegance.”
“Who is this?”

“He is an amusing tea practitioner.
He is said to be a resident of Sakai.”

“Ah, I see. Let us go take a look.”

With bamboo pillars erected and a rough fence slightly enclosing the exterior, he had exquisitely leveled the earthen floor, hung the peerless Ashiya kettle with practiced ease, arranged cloud-patterned legs beneath it, and selected humble, unglazed ware for the tea bowls and water jars.
In all other matters as well, he made novelty his guiding principle.
He wore a rough hempen robe dyed in persimmon tannin and used a thin rope as his belt...

This was both the appearance of the hermitage and the visage of its master.
The tea master pressed his forehead to the ground and sat rigidly in reverence.

II

“An intriguing artifice at work here.”
“Show yourself.”
“Prepare tea.”

Hideyoshi assumed formal seating.

The tea master bowed reverently and arranged the cloud-footed implements.

“You’ve shown remarkable attentiveness.
“A hundred tea ceremonies have glutted me with brews.
“To serve kōsen so carelessly—this defies all reproof!
“...Your name. State your name.”

“Mudoku Dōjin Ishikawa Goemon.
“A rōnin of the capital.”

“Ah. This I shall remember.”

And so, Hideyoshi returned to his residence.

×

The inner palace chambers of Fushimi Castle.
——

Hideyoshi had been seized by listlessness.

Yodo-dono looked about to burst into tears.

The child Hideyori was crawling around.
The maidservants were pacing about in confusion.

What in the world had happened?

The collar of His Highness the Retired Regent’s robe had been sewn with a dagger hilt.

Their shock and fear were only natural.
The collar of the robe had indeed been sewn.
Had they intended to stab the chest, they could have even done so.
Or perhaps they had intended to stab the chest and deliberately sewed the collar instead.

“There’s a traitor here!”
“There’s a traitor here! There’s a traitor here!”

Both the front and back erupted into chaos.

In the end，suspicion fell upon a ronin from the capital named Ishikawa Goemon.

It was decided he should be apprehended.

The investigation proceeded under Hideyoshi’s authority.
Goemon was captured without resistance.

For immediate purposes，Nagatsuka Masaie received appointment as chief interrogator.

“As for sewing the collar of the robe, it was indeed I.”
“Because the stitching didn’t look quite proper.”
“...I had no ulterior motive whatsoever.”

This was Goemon's formal statement.

"Because the stitching appeared improper—or should I say...?"
"Hmph."

And Hideyoshi tilted his head slightly.

"I will personally interrogate that man."

Hideyoshi said this to Masaie.

Thereupon, Goemon was brought before Hideyoshi in an exceptional manner.

"You’re saying there was an opening in my defenses, then?"

"Exactly as Your Highness says."
Goemon showed not the slightest fear.

"And when was there an opening?"

"At the moment of your withdrawal—when your body tilted."

"Hmm, so you saw an opening at that moment?"

"Yes, exactly as you say."

Hideyoshi thought for a moment.

“Well said—those are words with spirit.”
“Tilted? Tilted?”
“The flank, eh?… No—truth be told, this world’s full of bastards who only ever target flanks.”
“Especially that Tokugawa Naifu. … What say you, Goemon? Will you not serve me?”

“This is truly most humbling.”

“What’s your specialty? Your particular skill?”
“Your specialty?”

“Yes—some small skill in Iga-ryū ninjutsu…”

“Well now—ninjutsu? This is interesting.
“I’ll employ you as a spy. … Here—have this man granted a residence.”

In this manner, Goemon slid into becoming one of Hideyoshi’s retainers.

×

“You there?”

The one who entered while saying this was Sorori Shinzaemon of the court entertainers.

“Hey Shinza, come on in.”

Goemon patted the seat.

The two were exceptionally close friends.

That contrast was amusing.

Shinzaemon was a strikingly handsome man, his beauty so radiant it seemed water might drip from him. In contrast, Goemon—as befitted a ninjutsu practitioner—stood short and bull-necked, his wrinkled face that of an ugly man. Shinzaemon sprang from commoner stock; Goemon descended from northern-facing samurai. One served as a jovial court jester; the other operated as a shadowy handler of spies. Yet between them lay common ground.

“The world looks so utterly foolish that I can’t stand it”—this was precisely their common ground.

And it was precisely this that made the two men get along so remarkably well.

“Goemon.”

Shinza grinned. “I made a killing.”

“Given it’s you, you’d indeed turn a profit.”
Goemon pulled the tea kettle closer.

“Well then listen up—I sniffed ears.”

“What? You sniffed ears?”
“Why did you do such a thing?”
Goemon too seemed astonished by this.

“It’s a method—a method for making money.”

“So whose ear did you sniff?”

“His Highness’s ear—goes without saying.”

“Huh—so that’s your money-making scheme?”

“While glaring at Kato, Kuroda, Asano, Ikoma—those bastards—I sniffed His Highness’s ear.”
“Then the bribes came pouring in.”
“They must’ve thought they’d been ratted out.”
“Though admittedly, that was the catch.”

“Ahahaha! Makes sense.”
“That’s just like you.”
“One glimpses life’s subtleties in such things. …But hey Shinza, don’t you recognize this kettle?”

“Let me see.”

Having said that, he looked over. “Ah! This is the Narashiba!”

“Your Highness’s treasured Narashiba.”

“Why do you have it?!”
Shinzaemon was astonished.

“What was I supposed to do? I borrowed it.”
“It’s what you call unauthorized borrowing.”

“Then you’re a thief, aren’t you?”

“Why is that bad? It’s perfectly fine.”
“It’s a kettle that’s just sitting idle anyway.”
“I’ll borrow it for a couple of days to brew some tea, then sneak it back—no one’s gonna notice.”

“You really think you can get away with that?”
Shinzaemon was impressed.
“So basically, it’s ninjutsu, huh.”
“…Ninjutsu really is something else.”

"That's right—about as much as your wit."

"What the... Stupid. Not funny at all."
He made a disgusted face.

“Hey Goemon,” Shinzaemon said.
“What’s the secret? The secret of ninjutsu?”
“So it’s about targeting openings, I suppose?”

“There’s no doubt it’s about targeting openings.
But it’s no ordinary opening… An opening that leaks from vigilance.
It’s an opening that crumbles from being fortified.
Ninjutsu can hardly be applied against those who leave themselves wide open.”

“Ah! So that’s how it is. This is astonishing.”
“It’s exactly like the essence of wit—wit means striking at weaknesses.”
“The ones who seem most vigilant are precisely those riddled with weaknesses.”
“You seize those weaknesses with a firm grip and nibble around the edges… Strike head-on, and it becomes sarcasm.”
“Turn it into sarcasm, and you’ll get scolded.”
“So you strike lightly there… Right—there was a time something like this happened.”
“‘They say my face resembles a monkey’s.’”
“‘Well? Is it true? Do I resemble one?’ His Highness said something like this.”
Not a single person among those assembled uttered a word.
This was an impossible question to answer.
“In truth, it does resemble a monkey—but when that person is Your Highness, one cannot say so.”
“And so it became an endless silent vigil.”
“So that’s when I spoke up.”
“‘No no, that’s not it at all.’”
“‘That is to say, it is the monkey’s face that resembles Your Highness.’”
Then His Lordship was overjoyed.
“The reward came right away, you see.”
“Ahahaha! That’s the rhythm of it!”

“No—it’s amusing. It must be exactly like that.”
Goemon seemed impressed.
The water in the kettle hissed steadily.
Early-blooming cherry blossoms rustled down.

Somewhere, a bush warbler sang.

Truly, there was a tranquil room and leisurely hours.

×

“Can you fly?”

One day, Hideyoshi asked Goemon.

“With perfect ease, Your Highness.”

This was Goemon’s reply.

“Can you fly with me?”

“It would be a most simple matter, Your Highness.”

“I hear the capital is bustling with the Gion Festival. Show me that spectacle.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

Goemon said this and took out hawk feathers from his pocket.

“Now, if you would kindly prepare yourself, Your Highness.”

The scene that followed is recorded thus in ancient documents.

"...and so they ascended to the field of clouds.
When he gazed down at the distant world below, the azure sea stretched boundless, chilling his very soul.
In a state unlike himself, he felt uncertain of what would become of him.
When he thought this state would last endlessly and lifted his gaze to look, before long they had landed atop a towering cedar on Mount Daisen.
When His Highness inquired, 'What land is this place?' it was explained: 'This is Mount Atago in the Western Hills of the Capital. As the Gion Festival has yet to commence, please rest here awhile. However, should you desire any manner of repast, I shall prepare it shortly.' Having delivered this message, he stood to depart—but when they looked again, he had vanished from sight.
Amidst these goings-on, Ishikawa Goemon swiftly returned and, urging His Highness to deign to attend, prepared a sumptuous repast served upon resplendent vessels.
His Highness surveyed it and, deeming it a feast prepared with utmost haste, partook of the meal with due ceremony.
Presently, intending to serve rare wines, he gathered numerous renowned varieties from various regions and urged [His Highness] to partake.
As time thus came to pass and the hour of the Gion Festival's commencement drew near, they prepared to attend by mounting those very hawk feathers once more and soaring through the void. In but an instant, they alighted upon the corridor gate of Gion—truly at the height of the sacred rites—where nobles and commoners alike from capital and countryside filled all directions, thronging every house without limit.
Goemon spoke thus: 'Observe, Your Highness—those samurai warriors approaching yonder, their great swords reaching full height, elbows thrust out as they swagger down the avenue in such detestable numbers! To enliven this spectacle for Your Highness’s diversion, let us stir a trifling quarrel.' So saying, he plucked moss growing upon the roof ridge piece by piece and cast it down with sharp snaps. 'You,' remarked [Hideyoshi], 'do ever provoke others with sudden mischief!' But even as he spoke, Goemon rained flying stones like a downpour, whereupon all spectators fell into tumult. Deeming no fool among them should escape unscathed, they drew swords and daggers—here forming knots of villagers cowering in fear, there clashing in groups of five or three—grinding blades until sparks flew brighter than festival flames.
The girl, seeing this, fled in panic to all directions.

“Look there, Your Highness! Look there!”
“Is this not the most amusing diversion?” he said. His Highness commanded: “There’s no need to torment people and create sins over such trifles. Cease this at once!” At this gesture westward—two or three swift motions—both spectators and brawlers scattered in all directions like startled birds.
Thus did time flow onward as the Gion Festival’s towering floats processed with clamorous fanfare.
Finding this vantage point too remote for proper enjoyment, Goemon guided His Highness to a resplendent mansion in Shijō district where finer viewing might be had.
Now from where had he procured them?
Cedar boxes of delicacies, silver-inlaid trays—he pressed these upon His Highness in lavish array.
When every last float had passed from sight and nothing remained worth watching, they prepared their return. Mounting those hawk feathers once more, they alighted at Fushimi precisely as the sixth hour bells began to toll.
After returning to the castle keep, His Highness declared he felt like one awakening from dreams—and speaking thus, Goemon brought matters to their appointed conclusion.

IV

But ever since this incident, Hideyoshi had come to regard Goemon with wariness.

"It was because he thought, 'What a terrifying man.'"

"Naturally, Goemon came to understand this too, and Goemon likewise began to resent Hideyoshi."

"Finally one day he nonchalantly departed Fushimi Castle."

"It was from that moment he became a bandit."

The one who was disappointed more than anyone else by Goemon leaving Fushimi was his close friend Sorori Shinzaemon.

He was discontented and found no joy.

"I'm not amused... Not amused at all."
His Highness is too petty.
He can't even make use of someone like Goemon.
……Maybe I should resign too.
When I think about it, someone like me is nothing but a glorified court jester for the nobility.
A man is born only to become a court jester!
There's truly no cause for pride here.

Since such thoughts had arisen, his lighthearted wit had ceased to flow.

"I am definitely not a court jester. I may be like this, but I am a satirist. With the tip of my tongue, I mock and ridicule these so-called successful people of the world when they brandish their wealth and power head-on to indulge in selfishness."

For instance, there was a time when such a thing occurred. Yes, it was when Jurakudai Palace was completed—during the celebratory banquet, His Highness had commanded that the word "fire" be avoided as taboo.

But I thought: What’s the point in tabooing words? Fires arise from negligence. Fires don't start from words. To me, this Jurakudai was unbearably unpleasant from its very foundations.

Who cares? I'll use reverse tactics and give His Highness a good thrashing in reverse. And so, I said: “Your Highness, I possess a splendid zelkova-carved kettle.”

“A zelkova kettle?” he snapped. “Don’t be absurd! It would burn if you put it over fire!”

“Your Highness, that’s a fine! Did you not utter a taboo word?”

“Ah! Indeed I did say ‘fire.’”

“Precisely so—and twice at that!”

And so I collected the fine and distributed rice to the residents of Kyoto, Osaka, and Fushimi... I am absolutely not a court jester.

"I am a social critic who uses my three inches of tongue to suppress the whims of upstarts!"

I had truly believed this until today, but now that confidence had begun to crumble from its very foundations.

Just how much had my wit actually benefited the world? This was the first point of doubt. At best, wouldn't it all just end with me pilfering Your Highness's belly button string and doling out some rice?

And yet His Highness's selfishness remained not the least bit restrained because of it.
Next, when I considered myself—though I made a habit of declaring "I am a social critic" and "I am a satirist"—my conduct bore no resemblance to such claims.
I offered witty remarks, and if His Highness laughed at them, I became inexplicably happy.
No matter how I tried to explain this feeling, it remained a servant's base mentality.
Controlling, controlling—or so I believed—yet all the while being controlled by the puppets. What a pitiful, foolish puppeteer I was!
Apparently, that fellow was me.
"Ah... Now that I see it this way, Goemon was clever to become a ronin indeed."

He was discontented and found no joy.

V

After becoming a bandit, Goemon was literally a free person.
He acted on instinct.
He acted based on pleasure and displeasure.
As a so-called thorough utilitarian, he conducted himself with the boundlessness of sky and sea.
“If even the result brings pleasure, why should motives matter?”
This was Goemon’s state of mind.

However, regarding Goemon’s villainous deeds as a bandit, I expect most readers already know them through kōdan storytelling or kusazōshi illustrated books.
There will be no need to elaborate in detail.

The reason he served Imperial Regent Hidetsugu was his connection through shared affiliation with Hidetsugu’s steward, Kimura Hitachinosuke.

“Hey! Serve him.”
“Yeah, alright.”

In this manner, through Hitachinosuke’s mediation, Goemon came to serve Hidetsugu.

At that time, Hidetsugu resided at Jurakudai Palace, indulging in debauchery and drink day and night.

“The realm will belong to Hideyori anyway! I’ll likely be disinherited! This fleeting world holds no joy! If this wretched existence brings no pleasure—why not make it entertaining?”

And so, he continued to indulge in debauchery and drink.

For the hedonist Goemon, Hidetsugu was an ideal lord.

Splendidly enjoyable days continued.

One day, Hitachi made such a remark.

“Goemon, I need you to pull off a job for me.”

“Alright. Just give me the orders.”

“Infiltrate Fushimi Castle.”

“…”

Even Goemon fell silent.

He had fully grasped its meaning.
“Ah! So you’re trying to make an assassin out of me, Hitachi, you bastard!”

After a short while, Goemon said, “Agreed.”
“I once stitched a dagger hilt into Hideyoshi’s collar.”
“In other words—now I’ll just plunge that dagger hilt in deeper.”

×

When Hideyoshi heard that Goemon had entered Hidetsugu's service, he was seized with terror.

Thereupon, he issued a decree to various provinces and summoned honorable ninjutsu practitioners.

From among them, he selected ten individuals, named them the "Ten Ninjutsu Masters," and assigned them to guard the inner palace.

Ichijō Yahei and Isshiki Kidō were practitioners of the Takuma-ryū school of ninjutsu.

Goza Kojiro, Iga Saburo, and Tsuge Shiro were masters of the Kōga-ryū school of ninjutsu.

Shikishima Matsubee and Ununhachi—these two were of the Hakkin-ryū school.

Ogasawara Minbu was the founder of the Minbu-ryū school and the leader of the Ten.

Ren Takehiko and Kiri Kobungo—these were ninjutsu practitioners of the Kiri faction.

From its very origins, ninjutsu was something that could not be counted among the Eighteen Martial Arts. It had been regarded as a heretical path. Exactly when it first emerged remains unclear. When examining Japanese mythology from the Age of the Gods, we find that all deities were ninjutsu practitioners—birthing lands and flames, drying seas and moving mountains, even casually journeying to the land of the dead.

Ninjutsu first appeared in Japan’s artistic circles as a so-called "art" during the Fujiwara period.

By the Sengoku period, ninjutsu came to be most extensively employed in military formations. Particularly those whom Shingen valued highly—scout warriors called the Mukade-shū—were mostly excellent ninjutsu practitioners.

Nobunaga did not employ them extensively, Hideyoshi likewise did not value them, and even when Ieyasu came to use them to some degree, they gradually declined.

By mastering seven disciplines—chemistry, physics, disguise techniques, sprinting, nerve, shortsword combat, mechanical gymnastics-style light body techniques, and wit—one could generally attain mastery in that path.

As for their daily carried items: one tsubaless-hilt-wrapped shortsword (less than one shaku in length); a metal syringe (with which they would pour sulfuric or nitric acid onto an enemy's face); an exquisitely crafted ignition tool (of the flint variety); a collapsible iron ladder; capture ropes; a lantern; various musical instruments (used to mimic insect sounds at times, bird calls at others, along with river murmurs, wind whispers, or frog croaks); along with small amounts of hypnotic agents...

And they carried detailed maps, layout diagrams of coveted castles—such things they possessed.

"Heijutsu" was also required.
(That is to say, it was a martial art devised by Ito Banyuemon Takatoyo specifically as a technique for use in ordinary quarrels.)

"Battōjutsu" (the Sudden Draw Strike technique) was also required.

"Waist movements in close combat" were also required, along with "arresting techniques."
"Jujutsu was also essential."
"Kōhōjutsu (strong sorcery) was considered even more crucial, and mastery of shuriken techniques was also deemed necessary."

"Eight Directions Body Division: Instantaneous Transformation"
This was the motto of ninjutsu practitioners.
They abhorred the concept of "stationary positioning."

“Desiring to be in front, yet suddenly appearing behind”
This was what it had to be.

“Though the clear moon is one, the moons of Sarashina and Tagoto reflect each viewer’s mind.”

It had to be this way.

Six

One night, Hideyoshi gathered his storytellers and held a tengu haikai poetry game.

The sword-seller gapes at witnessed blade-wound incident

Striking the wooden fish—Namu Amida Butsu—Lord Shinza

Homage to the Three Treasures—night deepens for the masterless samurai.

In Kyoto’s Tsukushi Field, a dog barks while tugging a horse.

Under heaven far and wide spans the whale seller

Mosquito-repellent incense stands lit, quietly spreading through the dark night.

A maddened swarm of mosquitoes—Fushimi Castle.

A sutra desk in Kyoto-Fushimi—how poignant.

Beneath slender branches—a tsujigiri's testing ground, yet here chants a prayer monk.

Demon roof tiles—long and short—armor chest.

A ninjutsu monk’s stole—the cuckoo departs.

Such masterful verses came forth one after another.

At this, everyone burst into laughter, creating a wonderfully cheerful atmosphere.

When Hideyoshi suddenly looked, there was an unfamiliar man sitting between Hosokawa Yusai and Shinzaemon.
He wore a black kosode, donned a black hood, wore Iga hakama trousers, and had straw sandals on his feet—a figure clad entirely in black.
It was impossible to tell when he had arrived.
Not a single person had noticed.

Startled, Hideyoshi called out.

“Who the hell are you?!”
“Who are you?!”

The man bowed respectfully but,
“I am Ogasawara Minbu.”

That was Ogasawara Minbu Ichinensai of the "Ninja Ten."

“Ah, Minbu! Well now...” He couldn’t help but give a wry smile.

“When and where did he get in?”
“Ah—but you’re a ninjutsu master! Asking such things might be uncouth of me.”
“So... business brings you here?”

“Tonight, since earlier, Ishikawa Goemon has infiltrated the premises.”

At these words, the entire assembly paled as one.

“Hmm, I see. Capture him!”

Hideyoshi fiercely commanded.

Hideyoshi fiercely commanded.

“We are currently engaged in fierce combat, Your Highness.”

“What’s this ‘fierce combat’?
“What are you talking about?”

“We have divided our ten men into ten directions and fortified our positions, but Goemon is an unparalleled ninja in this land, steadily pressing forward.”

"Hmm," Hideyoshi pulled a sour face.

“Therefore, I have come to humbly request Your Highness’s attention.
...No matter what strange phenomena may occur, I humbly request that you absolutely do not utter a sound.”

“Am I not allowed to make a sound?”

“You must absolutely never do so under any circumstances.”
“This applies to everyone present.”
“You must not make even the slightest sound.”
“Furthermore, I most humbly entreat you to concentrate your thoughts entirely upon one single matter.”
“Do not let your mind wander elsewhere.”
“...With that said, I beg your gracious compliance.”

He slid open the fusuma and exited.

After that, the assembly fell completely silent.

×

However, I have not deeply studied ninjutsu. And so, how Goemon and the ten-man squad fought—unfortunately, I cannot recount it in detail. A splendid contest of techniques must have unfolded in the darkness.

In any case, as a result of this, ten people were killed on the Fushimi Castle side.
And thus, Retired Regent Hideyoshi narrowly escaped death thanks to Sorori Shinzaemon’s wit.

Excluding Ogasawara Minbu alone, the remaining nine ninjutsu practitioners had all been outmaneuvered by Goemon’s exquisite sorcery within those roughly two hours.
It is said that Goemon then boldly infiltrated the inner palace of the castle, making his way right into the adjacent room where Hideyoshi was present.

Suddenly, at that moment, the sound of a child crying reached Hideyoshi’s ears.
It was a cry like ignited fire.
Moreover, it was Hideyori’s voice.

“Ah, the young master is crying.”

The instant he thought “Hah!”, Hideyoshi’s body slid forward about a shaku.
It was pulled forward by some unseen force.
The moment he realized “Oh no, I messed up!”, the child’s crying abruptly ceased.

An eerie and deathly quiet fell.

Then came the sound of a voice calling.

“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
“Are you not there?!”

Just as he was about to unconsciously answer “Yes”—

“...The seed of bandits shall never perish in this world!” shouted Sorori Shinzaemon in a loud voice.
“Goemon, give me the upper verse!”
Then a laughing voice came from the adjacent room.

“Hmm… Shinza? So you were here after all!”
“Ah hahaha, so that’s how it was.”
“...Even if the Ishikawa River runs dry and the beach’s sands are exhausted—”
“...Saami! Saami! Is Saami not here?!”

The monk Saami clumsily gave a loud response: “Heeey!” And then, Saami’s body was smoothly pulled all the way to the adjacent room.

But after that, nothing happened.

Saami’s corpse was discovered the following day by the edge of the garden pond.

VII

With his grand scheme to assassinate Hideyoshi thwarted and his honor lost, Ishikawa Goemon became a ronin under Hidetsugu. He once again joined the bandit group.

After Hidetsugu committed suicide at Mount Koya, some time passed, and Goemon too was captured by Shinzaemon.

It was not that he had been startled by the crying sound of the plover-shaped incense burner, stepped on Sengoku Gonbei’s foot, and had his sorcery broken, leading to his capture.

He had been captured because of a single melon.

Monk Tokusen'in Maeda Gen'i, who was in charge of guarding Kyoto, took several attendants with him one day and strolled through the Oharano fields.
Among them was Sorori Shinzaemon.

It was mid-summer's peak heat, and the scorching sunlight beat down.

And there stood a single wayside shrine.
From beneath the veranda, two human legs jutted out abruptly.
And beside it lay a single melon that had been split in two.

The party was about to pass by without stopping.

Only the ever-resourceful Shinzaemon fixed a suspicious gaze upon it.

“Lord Tokusen’in! Lord Tokusen’in!”

He whispered softly.
“There’s someone sleeping here.”

“Nearby peasants, exhausted from their labor, are taking a nap at the wayside shrine,” Tokusen'in remarked nonchalantly.

“Please look at the feet.”

“They’re human feet—nothing unusual.”

“They’re white, smooth, and slender.
Those aren’t a peasant’s feet.”

“Now that you mention it, those aren’t a peasant’s feet.”

“There’s a melon placed beside them.”

“Hmm, indeed—there’s a melon placed here.”

“The flies are swarming densely.”

“Flies and horseflies are swarming.”

“That is a bandit.”
Sorori Shinzaemon declared with confidence.

“A bandit exhausted from working at night is taking a nap here, using a halved melon to ward off poisonous insects.”

“Hmm, indeed, that might be the case.
Arrest those scoundrels at once!”

A fierce struggle ensued, and as a result, the bandit was apprehended.

That was Ishikawa Goemon.