Ranmaru pulled up and said, "His Lordship ordered me to come after you. He desires to talk with you again. Would you return to Azuchi as quickly as possible?"
Leaving his men at the Mii Temple, he turned back toward Azuchi, accompanied only by Ranmaru. On the way back, Hideyoshi thought through what was likely to occur. Nobunaga would be furious at Murashige's rebellion. The first time Murashige had served Nobunaga was during the attack on Nijo Palace, when they had driven out the former shogun. Nobunaga was the kind of man who would show favor toward anyone who pleased him a little, and he showed recognition of Murashige's valor especially. Nobunaga had loved Murashige more than he had loved most men. And Murashige had betrayed Nobunaga's trust. Hideyoshi could imagine what Nobunaga's feelings must be.
As Hideyoshi hurried back to Azuchi, he blamed himself as well as Murashige. The man had been his second-in-command, and their personal relationship had been a close one. And yet he had not known that Murashige was up to this kind of foolishness.
"Ranmaru, have you heard anything?" Hideyoshi asked.
"You mean about Lord Murashige's treachery?"
"What sort of dissatisfaction might have motivated him to rebel against Lord Nobunaga?" They were a long way from Azuchi, and if they had sped all the way back, their horses would have become exhausted. As Hideyoshi trotted along, he looked back at Ranmaru, whose horse was coming a few paces behind at the same pace.
"There were rumors about this sort of thing before," Ranmaru said. "The story goes that one of Lord Murashige's retainers was selling army rice to the warrior-monks of the Honganji. There's a shortage of rice in Osaka. The land road has been cut for the most part, and the sea routes have been blockaded by our fleet, so there is not even the prospect of transporting provisions with the Mori's warships. The price of rice has gone way up, and if a man sells rice there, he can make an immense profit. That's just what Lord Murashige's retainer did, and when the affair was exposed, Lord Murashige took the initiative and unfurled the flag of rebellion, fearing that he would be questioned about this crime by Lord Nobunaga anyway."
"That sounds like a seditious rumor spread by the enemy. Surely it's a baseless lie."
"I think it's a lie, too. From what I've seen, people are jealous of Lord Murashige’s meritorious deeds. I think this disaster has been brought on by a certain person's slander.”
"A certain person?"
"Lord Mitsuhide. Once this rumor about Lord Murashige came out, Lord Mitsuhide had nothing good to say about him to His Lordship. I'm always at His Lordship's side listening secretly, and sure enough, I'm one of the people who feels miserable about this incident."
Ranmaru suddenly fell quiet. He seemed to realize that he had spoken a little too much, and regretted it. Ranmaru concealed his feelings about Mitsuhide as a young maiden might. At such times, Hideyoshi never seemed to pay attention to the conversation at all. In fact, he appeared to be completely indifferent.
"I can already see Azuchi. Let's hurry!" As soon as he pointed into the distance, Hideyoshi whipped his horse, completely disregarding his companion's concerns.
The main entrance of the castle was bustling with the attendants of retainers who had heard about Murashige's rebellion and were coming to the castle, and with messengers pouring in from the nearby provinces. Hideyoshi and Ranmaru shoved their way through the throng and into the inner citadel, only to be told that Lord Nobunaga was in the middle of a conference. Ranmaru went in and spoke to Nobunaga and then quickly returned telling Hideyoshi, "He requested that you wait in the Bamboo Room." He guided Hideyoshi to a three-story tower in the inner citadel.
The Bamboo Room was part of Nobunaga's living quarters. Hideyoshi sat down alone and gazed out at the lake. Soon Nobunaga appeared, shouted happily when he saw Hideyoshi, and sat down without formality. Hideyoshi bowed politely and remained silent. The silence continued for some time. Neither man wasted his words.
"What have been your thoughts about this, Hideyoshi?" These were Nobunaga's first words, and they indicated that a resolution had not emerged out of the various confused views given at the conference.
"Araki Murashige is an extremely honest man. He is, if I may say it, a fool who excels in martial valor. I just didn't think he was that much of a fool," Hideyoshi replied.
"No." Nobunaga shook his head. "I don't think it was foolishness at all. He's nothing but scum. He had misgivings about my prospects and initiated contacts with the Mori, blinded by the thought of profit. This is the act of a moderately talented man. Murashige got lost in his own superficiality."
"He's really nothing but a fool. He received excessive favors and had nothing to be dissatisfied about," Hideyoshi said.
"A man who is going to rebel will do so, no matter how favorably he's treated." Nobunaga was being frank with his emotions. This was the first time Hideyoshi had ever hear him use the word "scum" to describe someone. As a rule, he would not have spoken that way from malice or anger; it was because he had not openly expressed his anger or hatred that nothing had been decided during the council. Had Hideyoshi been asked, however even he would have been at a loss. Should they strike at Itami Castle? Should they try to mollify Murashige and get him to abandon the idea of rebellion? The problem was how to choose between these two alternatives. It would not be very difficult to capture the one castle of Itami. But the invasion of the west had just started. If they took a false step in this minor affair, they would in all likelihood have to revise their plans.
"Why don't I go as an envoy and talk with Murashige?" Hideyoshi suggested.
"So you think it would be better not to use force here, either?"
"Not if we don't have to," Hideyoshi replied.
"Mitsuhide and two or three others have advocated not using force. You're of the same opinion, but I think it would be better if someone else went as the envoy."
"No, I bear part of the responsibility for this. Murashige was my second-in-command and so was my own subordinate. If he were to do something foolish…"
"No!" Nobunaga shook his head emphatically. "There would be nothing imposing about sending an envoy with whom he's too familiar. I'll send Matsui, Mitsuhide, and Mami. Rather than appease him, they'll simply verify the rumor."
"That should be fine," Hideyoshi agreed. He spoke these few words for the sake of of both Murashige and Nobunaga. "It's a common saying that the lie of a Buddhist priest is called expedient, and a revolt within a samurai clan is called strategy. You must not be pulled into fighting, for it would play into the Mori's hands."
"I know."
"I'd like to wait for the results of the envoys' meeting, but I feel uneasy about the problems in Harima. I should probably take my leave soon."
"Really?" Nobunaga sounded a little reluctant to let him go. "What about the road back? You probably won't be able to pass through Hyogo."
"Don't worry, there's also the sea route."
"Well, whatever the outcome, I'll keep you informed. Don't be negligent about sending me news."
Hideyoshi finally took his leave. Although he was exhausted, from Azuchi he crossed Lake Biwa to Otsu, spent that night in the Mii Temple, and the following day turned toward Kyoto. He sent two pages ahead with instructions to have a ship waiting at Sakai, while he and his retainers took the road to the Nanzen Temple. There he announced that they would stop for a short rest.
There was someone in the temple whom he very much wanted to see. That person, of course, was Takenaka Hanbei, who was convalescing in a hermitage on the temple grounds.