Read Online Concubine's Tattoo by Laura Joh Rowland - Free Book Online
Authors: Laura Joh Rowland
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Tokugawa Tsunayoshi trembled beside Yanagisawa. "The Dream of the Red Chamber."
Boldly Yanagisawa sat on the dais and read from the classic, erotic Chinese novel. His reading, perfected by childhood study and punishment, was flawless. He paused between passages, smiling provocatively into Tsunayoshi's eyes. Tsunayoshi blushed. Yanagisawa held out his hand. Eagerly the future shogun grasped it.
There was a knock at the door, and an official entered. "Your Excellency, it's time for your meeting with the Council of Elders. They're to brief you on the state of the nation and solicit your opinion on new government policies."
"I, ahh... I'm busy now. Can't it wait? Besides, I don't think I have any opinions on anything." Tsunayoshi looked to Yanagisawa, as if for rescue.
At that moment, Yanagisawa saw his path to the future he'd envisioned. He would be Tsunayoshi's companion, and furnish the views that the foolish dictator lacked. Through Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Yanagisawa would rule Japan. He would wield the shogun's power of life and death over its citizens.
"We'll both attend the meeting," he said. The official frowned at his impertinence, but Tsunayoshi nodded meekly. As they left the room together, Yanagisawa whispered to his new lord, "When the meeting is over, we shall have all the time in the world to become acquainted."
When Tokugawa Tsunayoshi assumed the position of shogun, Yanagisawa became chamberlain. Former superiors fell under his control. He seized Lord Takei's lands, turning the daimyo and all his retainers- including Yanagisawa's father-out to fend for themselves. Yanagisawa received urgent letters from his impoverished parents, begging for mercy. With a gleeful sense of vindication, he denied aid to the family that had brought him up to be exactly what he was. Yet Yanagisawa never forgot how precarious a position he held. The shogun doted on him, but new rivals vied constantly for Tsunayoshi's changeable favor. Yanagisawa dominated the bakufu, but no regime lasted forever.
Senior Elder Makino's crackly voice drew Chamberlain Yanagisawa out of his ruminations. "We should discuss the possible epidemic and plan how to prevent serious consequences."
"There will be no epidemic," Yanagisawa said. As the sky's brightness diminished, forest trails vanished into the tangle of trees, but Yanagisawa maintained his pace. "Lady Harume was poisoned."
The elders gasped and exclaimed. "Poisoned?" "But we've heard nothing of this." "How do you know?"
"Oh, I have ways of learning things." Chamberlain Yanagisawa had spies in the Large Interior, as well as everywhere else in Edo. These agents maintained surveillance on important people, eavesdropping on their conversations and riffling through their belongings.
"There will be trouble," Makino said. "What shall we do?"
"We needn't do anything," Yanagisawa said. "Sosakan Sano is investigating the murder."
Suddenly a brilliant plan burst into his mind. By using Lady Harume's murder case, he could destroy Sano-and his other rival. Yanagisawa wanted to rejoice aloud, but the plan required extreme discretion. He needed the sort of accomplice not offered by the present company.
Halting the procession in a clearing, Chamberlain Yanagisawa told his entourage, "You may go home now." The elders departed in relief; only Yanagisawa's personal attendants remained. "I wish rest and refreshment, " he said."Put up my shelter."
The servants unloaded supplies and erected an enclosure like those used by generals as battlefield headquarters: white silk curtains hung from a square frame, open to the sky. Inside they spread futons, lit lanterns and charcoal braziers, and set out sake and food. With bodyguards stationed outside, Yanagisawa smugly reclined on a futon. He had no real need for this makeshift shelter, with the entire castle at his disposal. But he loved the spectacle of other men toiling for his comfort, the clandestine air of a night rendezvous outdoors. And was he not akin to a
Boldly Yanagisawa sat on the dais and read from the classic, erotic Chinese novel. His reading, perfected by childhood study and punishment, was flawless. He paused between passages, smiling provocatively into Tsunayoshi's eyes. Tsunayoshi blushed. Yanagisawa held out his hand. Eagerly the future shogun grasped it.
There was a knock at the door, and an official entered. "Your Excellency, it's time for your meeting with the Council of Elders. They're to brief you on the state of the nation and solicit your opinion on new government policies."
"I, ahh... I'm busy now. Can't it wait? Besides, I don't think I have any opinions on anything." Tsunayoshi looked to Yanagisawa, as if for rescue.
At that moment, Yanagisawa saw his path to the future he'd envisioned. He would be Tsunayoshi's companion, and furnish the views that the foolish dictator lacked. Through Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Yanagisawa would rule Japan. He would wield the shogun's power of life and death over its citizens.
"We'll both attend the meeting," he said. The official frowned at his impertinence, but Tsunayoshi nodded meekly. As they left the room together, Yanagisawa whispered to his new lord, "When the meeting is over, we shall have all the time in the world to become acquainted."
When Tokugawa Tsunayoshi assumed the position of shogun, Yanagisawa became chamberlain. Former superiors fell under his control. He seized Lord Takei's lands, turning the daimyo and all his retainers- including Yanagisawa's father-out to fend for themselves. Yanagisawa received urgent letters from his impoverished parents, begging for mercy. With a gleeful sense of vindication, he denied aid to the family that had brought him up to be exactly what he was. Yet Yanagisawa never forgot how precarious a position he held. The shogun doted on him, but new rivals vied constantly for Tsunayoshi's changeable favor. Yanagisawa dominated the bakufu, but no regime lasted forever.
Senior Elder Makino's crackly voice drew Chamberlain Yanagisawa out of his ruminations. "We should discuss the possible epidemic and plan how to prevent serious consequences."
"There will be no epidemic," Yanagisawa said. As the sky's brightness diminished, forest trails vanished into the tangle of trees, but Yanagisawa maintained his pace. "Lady Harume was poisoned."
The elders gasped and exclaimed. "Poisoned?" "But we've heard nothing of this." "How do you know?"
"Oh, I have ways of learning things." Chamberlain Yanagisawa had spies in the Large Interior, as well as everywhere else in Edo. These agents maintained surveillance on important people, eavesdropping on their conversations and riffling through their belongings.
"There will be trouble," Makino said. "What shall we do?"
"We needn't do anything," Yanagisawa said. "Sosakan Sano is investigating the murder."
Suddenly a brilliant plan burst into his mind. By using Lady Harume's murder case, he could destroy Sano-and his other rival. Yanagisawa wanted to rejoice aloud, but the plan required extreme discretion. He needed the sort of accomplice not offered by the present company.
Halting the procession in a clearing, Chamberlain Yanagisawa told his entourage, "You may go home now." The elders departed in relief; only Yanagisawa's personal attendants remained. "I wish rest and refreshment, " he said."Put up my shelter."
The servants unloaded supplies and erected an enclosure like those used by generals as battlefield headquarters: white silk curtains hung from a square frame, open to the sky. Inside they spread futons, lit lanterns and charcoal braziers, and set out sake and food. With bodyguards stationed outside, Yanagisawa smugly reclined on a futon. He had no real need for this makeshift shelter, with the entire castle at his disposal. But he loved the spectacle of other men toiling for his comfort, the clandestine air of a night rendezvous outdoors. And was he not akin to a
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