Hyakkimaru's Birth
Book 1 of the Dororo Novel Series
Toriumi Jinzō
Part 2 - Enlightenment
Sakuzō told Jukai that Oniwakamaru had asked about his mother. Oniwakamaru knew that his favorite hero had parents—a father and mother—so it was only natural for him to assume that he had a mother, too, and be curious about her. Sakuzō and Jukai had told him that his mother was dead, but logic dictated that she hadn't always been so. Oniwakamaru wanted to know about his mother as she'd been in life.
Jukai understood this well. His own mother had died when he was still quite young, but her face was burned into his memory forever. Oniwakamaru had never even seen his mother's face. The pain of that must be heart-rending.
Jukai closed his eyes and remembered his mother.
***
The Tanbano Clan lived in Kyōto on a small estate to the northwest of the Imperial Palace. The estate was surrounded by many others, some of them vacant. The city's poor made use of these empty estates in secret. The Tanbano Clan estate had once been larger, about the size of one square city block,1 but then the shogunate started restricting the size of plots that their retainers could live on within the capital. Three gates separated the lower city from the upper city, where the Imperial Palace was located. The Imperial Palace itself was over six times as large as Tanbano Hisamaro's estate.
Several smaller palaces and estates surrounded the Imperial Palace, all owned by influential samurai and government officials. The most prominent ones in Hisamaro's time belonged to the Hosokawa and Isshiki Clans. They choked out others with both the size of their palaces and their outsize influence within the Imperial Court.
Hisamaro's estate was much more modest than those that surrounded the Imperial Palace. He employed an elderly couple to help him and his wife with the housework, as well as a young woman who ran messages for the family.
In the spring of the year that Tajumaru turned ten, his mother Seiko took the messenger to the Kamo River Dispensary to bring back supplies and fresh medicinal herbs. She usually did this once or twice a month. This dispensary had a long history; it was established in the year 730 by the Japanese Empress Kōmyō, who was a devout Buddhist. She was committed to helping the poor and less fortunate. A workhouse and hospital were established in the same year. The dispensary, workhouse and hospital did much to help the sick, the poor, and orphaned children in and around the capital.
Seiko looked up to Empress Kōmyō as a role model of sorts. The Tanbano family were largely of one mind when it came to helping others; they used all the resources they could get their hands on to achieve that higher goal. The dispensary made regular deliveries of medicines to all of the doctors in the region, but these regular shipments often didn't provide enough for all the patients that Hisamaro and Seiko cared for.
Some herbs were always in high demand. Dried, high-quality Thunberg's geranium could only be picked in Ōhara at certain times of year; this was used in medicines for diarrhea and constipation. They also needed gastrodia elata, a special species of orchid whose petals could be used to create anti-convulsive and anti-seizure medicines.
Seiko met with the head of the dispensary, then made the rounds in the workhouse and hospital. She received sincere thanks from patients that she and Hisamaro had helped.
On her way home from the dispensary, Seiko decided to stop and make some visits to housebound patients who lived along the line of the Kamo River. It was an unusually bright and sunny afternoon; the weather practically encouraged wandering. Rice fields surrounded the river in neatly maintained squares. A sarugaku theater2 was right near the water; it was a crowded and lively place.
There was an execution ground directly across the river from the theater. The bodies of murderers and thieves intermingled with those of people who'd drowned, starved, or died of a widespread illness. The corpses floated in the sluggish current, unburied and unmourned.
Seiko and the messenger knew the area relatively well, so they weren't planning to go all the way down to the theater and execution ground. They always liked viewing the rice fields around the river from a high cliff, so that was where they headed after making the rounds with patients. They visited the grave of a former Emperor that lay at the foot of the cliff, then started climbing. When they discovered the bodies of some plague victims near the Emperor's grave, they paused to bury the bodies and perform a ceremony to appease the evil god of plagues and pestilences.
Unlike Hisamaro, who was a committed atheist, Seiko had a strong belief in the gods. She never prayed or worshiped openly in front of Hisamaro, but Hisamaro knew that she believed. He never tried to dissuade her from her beliefs; what she chose to believe was exactly that: her choice.
The grave of the former Emperor was in a lush grove of shady trees. Seiko and the messenger buried the corpses of the plague victims nearby, completed the ceremony to appease the plague god, then kept climbing up the cliff.
They reached a small pond behind Shōkoku Temple when they heard rustling in the trees in front of them. Several men emerged from the woods surrounding the pond.
"You women! Where are you going?" one of the men called out.
Seiko and the messenger shrank back in terror. Most of the men emerging from behind tree cover appeared to be ordinary soldiers, but some were dressed very strangely. While some men were fully armed and armored, others wore no hats or hakama and carried only spears, or no weapon at all. Some wore nothing but their underwear; others wore women's kimono.
One man stood at the edge of a clump of trees a little apart from the others; his armor and weapons were of higher quality than everyone else's. He took one look at Seiko and the messenger, pretended he hadn't seen them, then laughed.
This group of bandits was well-known in the surrounding area. Bandits generally had been something of a problem since the Kōnin Era (810 - 824). During that time, the officials inside the capital charged with keeping the peace often vied with each other for power and influence; these factions and divisions still existed, necessitating private armies for samurai lords. Keeping the peace was nothing more than a pretext that allowed these lords to build up their armies even further. The bandit leader's laughter summoned an echo of that lawless time.
These days, the leaders of samurai houses employed ashigaru foot soldiers3 as mercenaries, but if those men didn't have steady employment, they often joined up with the bandits that prowled the outskirts of the capital. Ashigaru who had worked to maintain peace for the shōgun one year attacked innocent travelers the next. They were hired back on whenever there was a revolt that the shōgun wanted to put down, but otherwise, they roamed the countryside setting fires, looting, pillaging and raping as they desired.
This particular group of bandits had their origin in the time of the Kamakura shogunate, some seventy years before. Nobles of the Imperial Court and and those who owned estates in the city often engaged in petty squabbles, attacking each other at night and engaging in theft, banditry, and piracy. None of this was illegal; a certain amount of it was expected.
When the Northern and Southern Courts managed to split the Imperial Court in two, Emperor Go-Daigo of the northern faction fought to regain his power by employing Kusunoki Masashige,4 who had his own personal army comprised of both soldiers and common bandits. Kusunori's army was used to going around and doing as they pleased, but their behavior completely changed after they started working for the Emperor. His band of outlaws transformed into loyal samurai and lawful retainers seemingly overnight. The Southern Court branded these men as traitors, of course.
After Emperor Go-Daigo unified the courts again and began his rule, his armies stayed near the capital and lived law-abiding lives, but peasant uprisings and revolts did still happen from time to time. The Emperor unleashed his army on the countryside; they left a trail of destruction in their wake. When the Emperor was deposed in favor of the Ashikaga shogunate some years later, the Ashikaga lords maintained the same general system.
The bandits that Seiko and the messenger encountered were, at least nominally, under the command of the shōgun. They were on their way to put down a labor revolt started by packhorse drivers. Packhorse drivers often instigated revolts. Their mounts made it easy for them to pass messages and escape from the shōgun's deputies. Packhorse drivers were also strongly influenced by the local economy where their livelihood was based. The rice crop had been good this year, leading to a severe drop in rice prices. Consequently, packhorse drivers were paid much less to transport it. This caused them to gather their like-minded compatriots and start a riot near the capital.
Seiko was a member of the Imperial Court—a low-ranked one, but a member nevertheless. She mastered her fear and answered the bandits bravely. "We were laying some poor souls to rest and are on our way home. Please let us pass."
The men laughed. They seemed not to hear her words at all. The laughter spread among them, a bloodthirsty and terrifying sound. The messenger crouched down and clung to Seiko in terror.
"Looks like Imperial Court women, don't it?" one of the bandits said. "First of the season. We've lucked out, boys."
"You've trespassed on our camp and haven't apologized," the leader spat. "Don't think we'll forgive your rudeness easily." He laughed again. His words were laced with pride and something like rage. "We'll make you apologize until we're satisfied."
These words acted as a signal. The bandits moved in on Seiko and the messenger. They picked them both up and dragged them deeper into the woods.
The bandits dropped Seiko in a patch of tall grass, pinned her down and gagged her. They flipped her over and started to remove her clothes.
"Lady Seiko!" the messenger cried out. The bandits dropped her as well. "Please!" she said, bringing her forehead to the ground. "Forgive us!" She was so overcome with emotion that she fainted.
The bandits held down Seiko's hands and legs so that she couldn't struggle; she couldn't even scream because of the gag. They cut off her remaining clothes, showing no regard for propriety or decency.
Only the messenger made it back to the Tanbano estate that night. Her clothing was muddy and torn. She spent some time in a confused haze. Hisamaro gave her something to calm her, and she slept. When she awoke some hours later, she told Hisamaro what had happened with tears streaming down her face. He listened to her without speaking and kept his expression neutral.
Hisamaro started searching for his wife immediately. It was normal to discard corpses along the shore of the Kamo River near the place where she'd been attacked, so finding her wasn't easy. Hisamaro, Tajumaru, their servants, the messenger, and the Tanbano family's neighbors searched all night and all morning before they finally discovered her body.
Hisamaro couldn't tell if Seiko had been murdered or if she'd killed herself. Her hair had been cut off. Her obi was gone. The clothes she wore were torn and ragged and not her own. Her chest was almost entirely exposed; her face and skin were covered in lacerations and bruises. There was blood under her fingernails. Weak as she was, she'd tried to fight them. Her face was frozen in a rictus of revulsion and hatred.
The spring sunlight glittered brightly on the calm surface of the river as if nothing terrible had happened at all.
The family dredged Seiko out of the river, then carried her body home. Hisamaro took the lead, crying openly for the entire way. Tajumaru had never seen his father cry before. He walked behind his father, crying so hard that he couldn't see. He wept for a day and a night before he ran out of tears.
***
Only close relatives attended Seiko's funeral. Her father, Fujiwara Kamonojō, and Tanbano Kōshō, the highest-ranked Tanbano court physician, were in attendance. Hisamaro sent invitations to members of the Board of Retainers, who worked directly for the shōgun, as was customary, but he received no response to these invitations for over a month. The funeral of a wife of a lower-ranked court physician was entirely beneath their notice.
Hisamaro went to visit Uiro for support. He laid his emotions bare and asked for his help in preparing a petition.
"There are samurai stationed at every guardhouse in the city, yet bandits continue to disturb the peace. Everyone knows this; it's certainly not a new problem. We need to start an investigation into this. It's time for the samurai in the city to take action."
"I agree," Uiro said. "Should we contact the regional governor directly?" The regional governor was Shiba Yoshiatsu.
"We can't be careless about this, Uiro. We'll have the incident fully investigated and send proof along with our petition to Lord Shiba."
Uiro sent out messages to the officials in charge of investigating violent crime in the city, but only one of the officials ever sent a reply back. It took three months for this reply to reach him, and when he read it, he was not encouraged.
"They say they've investigated the incident, and that they don't think it requires any further action on their part. Since it technically happened outside the capital, it's outside their jurisdiction."
"Outside...their jurisdiction?" Hisamaro asked in amazement. "Do they doubt the facts? We have a witness. The messenger who works in my household saw the entire thing. My wife is dead." Hisamaro's grief hardened into anger. "So our petition goes unanswered, then. They didn't even make a show of investigating."
"Hisamaro," Uiro said soothingly. "There is one piece of information in the reply that you should know. The men who attacked Seiko are known as Mad Dogs."
"Mad Dogs?" Hisamaro blinked in surprise. Mad Dogs were mercenaries who worked for the shōgun, putting down revolts and riots at his command, or resolving strife between Clans.
Uiro sighed. "Anyone who picks up a sword these days can get hired on as a Mad Dog. Surgeons aren't the only ones who know how to use knives. All we can do is try to make the world a better place through medicine—a world where more men pick up the scalpel instead of the sword."
Uiro's words tugged painfully at Hisamaro's heart. "You're right," he said. "You're right."
Uiro explained how difficult it would be to challenge the influential and powerful lords that gave the shōgun men for his army. Unlike Hisamaro, Uiro was well-versed in politics and knew how different people and factions operated in some detail.
If Seiko had been attacked inside the city limits, they might have been able to successfully demand action. The Imperial Court didn't like it when lords beneath them plotted and acted out of turn. Uiro's policy was to avoid stepping on anyone's toes. There was more advantage for himself in going along to get along. That strategy worked well for him when he visited foreign nations to conduct medical research. He had an enterprising spirit; he used his name and connections to procure rare ingredients and learn all that he possibly could.
Hisamaro was formed in a different mold. Uiro didn't always entirely understand him. He would never understand why Hisamaro hadn't agreed to go with Zheng He on his voyage around the known world.
Hisamaro's personality changed completely after his wife's death. He no longer bothered keeping his treatment of common people in the city a secret. He expanded his operations and accepted new patients in places he'd never set foot in before. He also discarded even the pretense of using the branch of medicine that involved magic, blessings, and curses. He devoted all his effort into using and researching practical surgical techniques.
Because he was no longer hiding his activities, they drew notice. The common people of the city loved him; most of the Imperial Court physicians shunned him. Hisamaro didn't care about what the Imperial Court thought of him any longer. He was following his own path and would not change his mind.
In the autumn of 1409, the sixteenth year of the Ōei Period, Hisamaro was summoned by the leader of the Imperial Court physicians. All administrative officials of the fifth rank were also summoned, as well as the official steward of the shogunate, Ise Sadayuki. Many clan heads of samurai houses also made an appearance. It was an unusual and eclectic gathering of people from many ranks and professions that came to witness Hisamaro's fate. Most supposed that it wouldn't be a pleasant one. It was exceedingly rare for the leader of the Imperial Court physicians to summon such a low-ranking physician at all.
For his part, Hisamaro did wonder what he was being summoned for, exactly. The message he received didn't say, though he could certainly make a few guesses. He answered the summons, prepared to defend himself against anyone who opposed him.
Hisamaro's seat in the audience chamber was lower than all the others. Ise Sadayuki waited for him to be seated, then asked him questions in a gravely serious tone. When he finished asking his questions, he said, "Court physician Tanbano Hisamaro, you are temporarily assigned to the shōgun's household in the Imperial Palace."
Hisamaro was stunned.
Apparently, the wife of shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimochi, Hino Eishi, was the true cause of this summons. Even after learning that, Hisamaro was utterly astonished at the spectacle she'd caused; it seemed like half the Imperial Court was here.
Hino Eishi's son and the son of the shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshikazu, had fallen from his horse and injured his hip. The official explanation for the injury was that the horse had been possessed by a demon or evil spirit. Yoshikazu was the same age as Tajumaru; both boys had turned twelve that year.5
This part happened much later, but is worth stating: Ashikaga Yoshimochi was very fond of drink and abdicated his position to Yoshikazu when he was still quite young. Sadly, Yoshimochi died of over-drinking, and his son governed as shōgun for less than two years before being thrown from a horse and killed. Witnesses to the event claimed that he was drunk at the time.
Hisamaro steeled his resolve and said, "Please forgive my impertinence, but I feel that my own expertise lies in treating other kinds of injury and illness, so I humbly beg to be excused from this case."
"Excused?" Ise Sadayuki glared at him.
"Yes," Hisamaro said. "A fall from a horse is an unfortunate accident, not something caused by demons or evil spirits. Attributing the injury to such a cause is simply ignorant." People whispered to one another in the chamber. "I defer to the expertise of another physician, Chin Jōyū, who has written extensively on these topics."
A ripple of confusion passed through the assembled crowd. Some court physicians stared at Hisamaro with their mouths agape. He had asked to be excused from a high-profile, very important case, and when pressed, he had maligned Imperial Court medicine and traditions in front of the entire assembly. An order from the shōgun's wife was the same as an order from the shōgun himself. Serving the shōgun and members of the Imperial Court was a great honor bestowed upon court physicians, not just because the shōgun was powerful, but because of the rewards and prestige that came along with the position. Special ranks and titles could be awarded to those who performed their duties well. Any one of them could rise to become the leader of all the court physicians one day—and yet, Hisamaro had just made a complete mockery of them and all their hopes.
The assembled officials started shouting at Hisamaro and at one another. The chamber descended swiftly into chaos. One of the samurai lords, Matsuda Buzennokami, stood up and said in a voice pitched to carry: "Tanbano Hisamaro, clarify your position."
"Sir," Hisamaro said, nodding at Lord Matsuda in acknowledgement. "I recommend following the guidance of the physician Chin Jōyū in this matter."
Chin Jōyū was Uiro's son. He had no love for the shogunate and didn't believe that superstition had any place in medicine. Why Hisamaro had deferred to his younger colleague's expertise was anyone's guess.
Ise Sadayuki rose to his feet with a sour expression. Other officials, court physicians and samurai left their seats as well. The gathering was officially dismissed.
Hisamaro fixed the leader of the court physicians with a hateful stare as people filed out of the chamber. His wife had been raped and murdered, and the shogunate had done nothing in response. He was committed to open defiance of the shogunate, if necessary, for the sake of justice. Defying the shōgun's will was not an action that could be undone. Hisamaro knew this and felt supremely self-satisfied with himself. He felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders: he'd unburdened himself from years of pent-up anger and frustration at the Imperial Court's backwards medical practices and struck a symbolic blow for his deceased wife at the same time.
When Hisamaro returned home that night, Tajumaru saw the loss of his mother plainly in his father's twisted, despairing expression. His own rage at the shōgun and the very idea of the shogunate and Imperial Court would grow from the seed of his father's.
1 The measurement given for the Tanbano estate is 4300 tsubo(坪). One tsubo is equivalent to 3.95 square yards, or 3.31 square meters. 4300 tsubo is roughly equivalent to an acre.↩
2 "Sarugaku, literally “monkey fun,” was a form of theater popular in Japan during the 11th to 14th centuries. It is reminiscent of the modern-day circus, consisting mostly of acrobatics, juggling, and pantomime, sometimes combined with drum dancing. Over time, the term sarugaku gave way to the current nomenclature, Noh.↩
3 Ashigaru were infantry employed by the samurai class of feudal Japan. In the Ōnin War, ashigaru gained a reputation as unruly troops when they looted and burned Miyako (modern-day Kyōto). Ashigaru became the backbone of many feudal armies and some of them rose to greater prominence.↩
4 Kusuonoki Masashige was a Japanese samurai of the Kamakura period remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty. Kusunoki fought for Emperor Go-Daigo to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate and restore power in Japan to the Imperial Court.↩
5 This chapter has a rare historical error; Yoshikazu’s dates put him at two years of age in 1409, not twelve.↩
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