Read Online The 47 Ronin Story by John Allyn - Free Book Online
Authors: John Allyn
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Action & Adventure, Literary Collections, Japanese, 47 Ronin, Ronin
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I'd like more than to launch an assault on him this very minute. But ..." and he paused as his jaw tightened, "... we should not be hasty in rushing into action. I hardly think that this group is sufficient in size or armament to undertake a punitive expedition to Edo to attack someone behind the walls of the Shogun's castle. We'll leave such discussions until later. At this meeting we are only concerned with the coming surrender of the castle
and I have certain recommendations to make in this regard."
This was more than some of the men could take. Their mutterings sounded mutinously in Oishi's ears but only Hara was bold enough to stand and speak. He addressed his leader formally, but with an undertone of incredulity in his voice.
"Please, Oishi-dono, I don't think I understand you correctly. We have just been told that our lord's enemy, the one who caused his death, still lives, and you say there are more important things to discuss?"
He looked to the crowd for approval and received it in their shouts. Bolder now, he continued to lay it on the line. "Does not even the peaceful Confucius say that no man may live under the same sky with the murderer of his lord?"
The men shouted again in agreement until Oishi held up his hand in a commanding gesture.
"You forget yourselves," he said. "Your loyalty ^ is to the house of Asano. Our first duty is to follow the command of our lord's brother and the rightful heir to this fief." He paused to look directly at Hara. "Does not Confucius also say that of the five virtues, loyalty dwarfs all other moral obligations?"
"Our lord's brother is not our lord!" came a shout from the rear and there were answering murmurs of assent. Hara excitedly took the floor again and addressed Oishi directly.
"There is no question of loyalty," he said. "We're all loyal. The only question is how we can best show that loyalty. And I say that if we don't take revenge on Kira, we're bound to appear as cowards and weaklings in the eyes of our countrymen!"
Oishi answered him icily. "And I say it doesn't matter what anyone thinks as long as we're convinced
'62'
Chapter Four
in our own minds that we're right. Think for a moment of our mistress, Lady Asano, and of her little daughter. Will taking the life of a miserable creature like Kira help regain their home? More likely they would only be executed along with the rest of us for our unsuccessful attempt. Consider also what such open rebelHon would mean to Ako. Will the ancestors of the Asano family be pleased to have their tombs desecrated in view of a ruined castle?"
"Will those ancestors sleep peacefully in death knowing that Lord Asano's followers were too cowardly to avenge his death?" shouted back Hara. There was a cry of agreement from many of the men and Oishi hesitated, then quietly signaled to Yoshida in the crowd. The gray-haired old man stood and made his way to the front of the group.
"I must reprimand you, Soemon Hara," he said sternly, "for what you have just said to our leader. There is no reason to impugn his loyalty, just because he doesn't agree with you on the best way to show it. For my part, I find his position entirely reasonable. By showing no resistance and obeying the Shogun's commands to the best of our ability we will gain more toward what we want than by seeking a blood bath. If we remain blameless, the Shogun may in time see where the true blame lies and punish Kira himself."
" 'He may in time?'" mocked Hara. "You're an old man, Yoshida. Don't you want to see justice done before you die?"
"I am an old man," agreed Yoshida. "And more than anything before I die, I want to see this house restored. I say we should appeal the Shogun's decision before taking any other action."
There was a murmur of approval to this course of
action which Oishi was relieved to hear. At least they were not all against him. There was a possibility now that he could reach a compromise that would satisfy both factions, at least for the time
and I have certain recommendations to make in this regard."
This was more than some of the men could take. Their mutterings sounded mutinously in Oishi's ears but only Hara was bold enough to stand and speak. He addressed his leader formally, but with an undertone of incredulity in his voice.
"Please, Oishi-dono, I don't think I understand you correctly. We have just been told that our lord's enemy, the one who caused his death, still lives, and you say there are more important things to discuss?"
He looked to the crowd for approval and received it in their shouts. Bolder now, he continued to lay it on the line. "Does not even the peaceful Confucius say that no man may live under the same sky with the murderer of his lord?"
The men shouted again in agreement until Oishi held up his hand in a commanding gesture.
"You forget yourselves," he said. "Your loyalty ^ is to the house of Asano. Our first duty is to follow the command of our lord's brother and the rightful heir to this fief." He paused to look directly at Hara. "Does not Confucius also say that of the five virtues, loyalty dwarfs all other moral obligations?"
"Our lord's brother is not our lord!" came a shout from the rear and there were answering murmurs of assent. Hara excitedly took the floor again and addressed Oishi directly.
"There is no question of loyalty," he said. "We're all loyal. The only question is how we can best show that loyalty. And I say that if we don't take revenge on Kira, we're bound to appear as cowards and weaklings in the eyes of our countrymen!"
Oishi answered him icily. "And I say it doesn't matter what anyone thinks as long as we're convinced
'62'
Chapter Four
in our own minds that we're right. Think for a moment of our mistress, Lady Asano, and of her little daughter. Will taking the life of a miserable creature like Kira help regain their home? More likely they would only be executed along with the rest of us for our unsuccessful attempt. Consider also what such open rebelHon would mean to Ako. Will the ancestors of the Asano family be pleased to have their tombs desecrated in view of a ruined castle?"
"Will those ancestors sleep peacefully in death knowing that Lord Asano's followers were too cowardly to avenge his death?" shouted back Hara. There was a cry of agreement from many of the men and Oishi hesitated, then quietly signaled to Yoshida in the crowd. The gray-haired old man stood and made his way to the front of the group.
"I must reprimand you, Soemon Hara," he said sternly, "for what you have just said to our leader. There is no reason to impugn his loyalty, just because he doesn't agree with you on the best way to show it. For my part, I find his position entirely reasonable. By showing no resistance and obeying the Shogun's commands to the best of our ability we will gain more toward what we want than by seeking a blood bath. If we remain blameless, the Shogun may in time see where the true blame lies and punish Kira himself."
" 'He may in time?'" mocked Hara. "You're an old man, Yoshida. Don't you want to see justice done before you die?"
"I am an old man," agreed Yoshida. "And more than anything before I die, I want to see this house restored. I say we should appeal the Shogun's decision before taking any other action."
There was a murmur of approval to this course of
action which Oishi was relieved to hear. At least they were not all against him. There was a possibility now that he could reach a compromise that would satisfy both factions, at least for the time
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