AHN – Chapter 11 Africans board a ship from Mito (Part 1)

When Sukezo slid open the shoji screen and entered, Kamon was already seated inside.

“Kamon, you’re here,” Sukezo said.

“I just got here myself,” Kamon replied, shrugging slightly in his light yellow kimono.

The two men turned their attention to the master of the room.

Mitsukuni was hunched over a document spread out on the low table, his eyes fixed on it. Eventually, his shoulders began to tremble, and he started to chuckle.

The two men exchanged glances. Still grinning, Mitsukuni raised his right hand slightly.

“Sorry… It’s just that things have taken a rather amusing turn.”

“Is it another letter from Matsumae Norihiro?” Sukezo asked. Mitsukuni nodded, still smiling as he turned to face them.

“Indeed. You’re aware that since this spring, I’ve been corresponding with Shima-no-kami.”

“About the Kaifumaru?” Kamon leaned forward slightly.

It was already autumn. The Kaifumaru had completed its second voyage and returned to Nakaminato.

“That’s right. And the reason I summoned you today is related to this. I’ve already informed the key members, but—next year, we will conduct a third expedition to Ezo.”

The two men exchanged surprised looks.

The Kaifumaru’s explorations in Ezo had been hindered by the Matsumae clan, and despite the substantial costs, there had been no significant results. Sukezo had heard rumors that some ministers were beginning to quietly question the necessity of these expeditions.

“You must have some sort of plan, don’t you?” Kamon asked. Both men knew Mitsukuni wasn’t one to propose something without thoroughly understanding the situation.

Mitsukuni nodded slightly and began folding the letter.

“I questioned Shima-no-kami’s reluctance to send expeditions to Ishikari. It was partly a threat, but eventually, he confessed that their negotiations with the Ainu in Ishikari were stalling.”

“So…”

“They don’t want to complicate things further by bringing in outsiders, as it would confuse the negotiations.”

Mitsukuni sighed a little.

“The chief of the Ishikari Ainu is a man named Karibekaruheka. He is like a tribal leader. Above him is an elder named Hawukase.”

The two men nodded.

“This Hawukase was the general of the Ishikari Ainu during the Shakushain rebellion. He knew Shakushain personally and was approached for cooperation during the uprising, but Hawukase refused. While the reasons are unclear, there’s no doubt they preserved their strength. Consequently, the Matsumae clan finds it difficult to take strong measures against them.”

“I see,” Sukezo said, touching his chin. “But the Matsumae clan cannot afford to ignore the situation either. That’s a weakness for them.”

“Exactly,” Mitsukuni said, raising a finger. “So, I proposed to Shima-no-kami that the Mito domain would establish trade with the Ishikari Ainu in place of the Matsumae clan. I suggested sending the Kaifumaru to Ishikari. For the Ishikari Ainu, the Matsumae clan is an enemy they fought against during the Shakushain rebellion. They would resist negotiating with them. However, as a third party, the Mito domain might be more acceptable and less likely to provoke conflict.”

“Hmm,” Kamon frowned. “That seems like a clever plan, but it puts us at a disadvantage. We have to handle the troublesome negotiations while the Matsumae clan only needs to grant us passage. Won’t there be some demands from the senior council?”

Mitsukuni chuckled.

“I’ve already spoken to Nobumasa. We’ve covered all the bases.”

Sukezo smiled wryly.

“So, what did you offer in return?”

Knowing Mitsukuni’s reputation as a cunning negotiator, he was sure Mitsukuni wouldn’t take on such a task without securing something in return.

Mitsukuni waved the letter in his hand.

“Spot on. Shima-no-kami’s reply was that if we could bring Hawukase to the negotiating table, he would give us the ‘Secret History of Ezo.'”

Kamon gasped.

“The legendary book you mentioned before? So it was in the Matsumae clan’s possession?”

“It appears so,” Mitsukuni nodded. Sukezo looked uneasy.

“Is that book really that important?”

He asked Kamon. Mitsukuni laughed.

“I’ve told Kamon before. It’s a book written by a monk named Jion in the early Muromachi period. Its existence was rumored, but no one knew where it was. It’s a phantom book. I suspected it might be with the Matsumae clan, and I’ve been probing them for some time. They finally confessed.”

“What is the content of the book?” Kamon asked, folding his arms.

“It’s said to contain records about the origin of the Japanese people. There’s a theory that long before the time of Himiko, people from the northern continent traveled through Sakhalin to Ezo and crossed the strait, becoming the ancestors of the Japanese.”

Mitsukuni paused. The two men leaned forward.

“It’s said to contain concrete evidence of that.”

Kamon covered his mouth.

“That’s no small matter… It’s directly related to the compilation of the ‘History of Japan’ (later known as the ‘Great History of Japan’).”

Mitsukuni’s eyes sharpened.

“Exactly. We can’t ignore this, regardless of what Nobumasa says. I must get hold of this book, and—”

“And?”

“There’s another thing I’ve been curious about for a long time. I might find the answer in that book.”

Mitsukuni’s gaze grew distant.

“What is it that you’re curious about?” Kamon asked. Mitsukuni’s eyes returned to the present.

“It’s nothing I need to mention now. Forget about it.”

“Understood,” Kamon nodded.

“Anyway, that’s the situation.”

Sukezo nodded.

“I understand. So, what do we need to do?”

“I want you to handle the preparations for departure in my stead. The ship’s captain for this expedition will be Ichinai.”

“Ichinai… He studied navigation in Nagasaki, didn’t he? Has he returned already?”

Mitsukuni nodded.

“Coordinate the details with Ichinai. If you need anything, report to Nobumasa. Everything has been arranged. I’ll prepare a letter for Hawukase before the departure.”

“Understood,” Kamon bowed.

“That means Ichinai will have a significant role. He’ll not only be the captain but also handle the negotiations…”

Mitsukuni raised his hand.

“I forgot to mention. Ichinai will focus on being the captain and negotiating local trade. The negotiations with Hawukase will be handled by—”

He paused, looking at the two men.

“Demba and Kanga.”

“Huh?” The two men’s faces froze.

There was a moment of silence.

Kamon looked perplexed.

“Demba and Kanga? Will they be up to such a significant task?”

“I didn’t ask if they can. They will do it, even if it costs their lives.”

Mitsukuni’s eyes narrowed.

This was not the face of the kind old man they were used to.

It was the face of Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the ruthless strategist they knew well.

The two men bowed their heads deeply, saying nothing more.