Odawara, 1600
Ujinobu has finally achieved peace in the nation of the warring sates. Instead of keeping the old clans, he replaced them with clans of his retainers and family members. Ujinobu was appointed Seii Taishōgun in 1599 in Kyoto by emperor Keichō. He also reformed the country and has set clear rules for the clans. For example: No clan is allowed to have any soldiers, every soldier has to be part of the Hōjō goverments army. Daimyō are just there to collect taxes, enact reforms and tell the Shōgun if there are any problems that need the military. Instead of Samurai keeping order, he established a police force and made one currency, one measurement system and one law system.
"Lord Shōgun, there is a letter from the Adachi clan that just arrived." A servant said.
"Shigesato? Sure, bring it to me." Ujinobu said.
The servant handed him the letter, on it was written: "Dear lord Shōgun, I am writing this because a foreign ship was found at the coast of Bungo, it was heavily armed and the crew was aggressive. Noone died, but I still sended the ship and crew to Sagami, they appeared to speak portuguese, so I requested lord Nobushige to come too."
"Interresting, when will they arrive?" Ujinobu asked.
"They already have, should I bring lord Nobushige and foreigners in after you're done eating?" The servant asked.
"Yes, thank you." Ujinobu said.
"A foreign ship, what is that, father?" Kippōnoshi asked.
"You know, it's a ship from another part of the world, once you're Shōgun, I will tell you more about it." Ujinobu said.
"Ok." Kippōnoshi said.
"What do you think Shigesato meant with heavily armed?" Fumiko asked.
"Cannons, most likely." Ujinobu answered.
"This is, unsettetling." Fumiko said.
"I know, I'll be going then." Ujinobu said.
"Good luck." Fumiko said.
He walked down to the main yard and saw Nobushige, Yukimura, Shigesato and Ujikatsu standing there, together with twenty men. They wore strange clothes and had brown overgrown beards, they had a look of anxiety on their faces.
"Good morning, lord Sadaijin, lord Daijōdaijin, lord Kampaku and lord Udaijin." Ujinobu said.
After Ujinobu was appointed Seii Taishōgun, he appointed Uesugi Ujikatsu as Daijōdaijin, making him his right hand man. Shigesato was appointed Sadaijin, making him headminister. Nobushige was appointed Kampaku, but he held much less power than Toyotomi Hideyoshi, instead he acted as a advisor to the powerless emperor (he still had some power, but not as much as the Shōgun or Daijōdaijin). Yukimura was appointed Udaijin and also as a minister of war. Date Masamune was appointed Ōshū Tandei but he wasn't able to come to Odawara. The remaining Daimyō were appointed as various ministers or Kanreis, only exception were the children of Toyotomi Hidetsugu, they held greater prestige.
"Good morning, lord Shōgun." They all said and kneeled before him, also forcing the foreigners to get on their knees.
"Come on, get up. Who are they?" Ujinobu asked.
"They claim to be dutch sailors, this one is their captain." Nobushige said.
"What did he tell you?" Ujinobu asked.
"Not much, he only stated that he is a sailor." Nobushige said.
"Let me see the ship, ask the man a bit about it on the way." Ujinobu said.
"What shall we do with others, lord Shōgun?" Shigesato asked.
"Do as you please with them." Ujinobu said.
"My lord, the ship is docked at the port, fifteen minutes away." Nobushige said.
"Good, let's go to our horses then." Ujinobu said.
They rode on their horses for a time until they arrived at the port. There Ujinobu saw it, a big ship, full with cannons and guns. It wasn't a normal ship, it was a ship for piracy or war.
"They are for sure not merchants or missionaries, they're pirates." Ujinobu said.
"The Murakami and Kuki clans are too, they could be of use for us." Nobuahige said.
"How so?" Ujinobu asked.
"War with the Toyotomi is only a matter of time, just imagine a fleet of these ships, clad in steel." Nobushige said.
"Do you even know why I left Toyotomi Senchiyomaru alive, lord Kampaku?" Ujinobu asked.
"No, lord Shōgun." Nobushige answered.
"I don't want to be remembered as a child murderer, or that my regime is based on the death of children." Ujinobu explained.
"I didn't know, I'm sorry my lord." Nobushige said.
"Don't worry, I'm still up for a war in the next twenty years." Ujinobu said cheerfully.
"What should we do with the ship, lord Shōgun?" Nobushige asked.
"As you suggested, we will build a fleet of these ships, clad in iron." Ujinobu said.
"They are much more complex than our ships, it'll take years." Nobushige said.
"No, we got the captain." Ujinobu said.
"Are you sure, my lord? He doesn't even know our language, and we don't know from where he is." Nobushige said.
"His ship is dutch, and it violated our trading laws: all ships have to dock at designated trading ports." Ujinobu said.
"They claimed they didn't know." Nobushige said.
"That's strange because, we gave a map of trading ports to the portoguese and dutch a year ago." Ujinobu said.
"Maybe they've been on sea for a year or two." Nobushige said.
"No, they still got alot of supplies, they most likely wanted to go to China or Joseon." Ujinobu said.
"Should we talk to them about it?" Nobushige asked.
"As I know Shigesato, the crew is dead and the captain beaten up." Ujinobu chuckled.
"Do you remember the battle of Mimasetōge, my lord? Aftar you somehow won the battle although we were ambushed, Shigesato executed every captured soldier and general." Nobushige reminisced.
"Oh yeah, I saw Shingen's face when he lost a battle he thought he'd win." Ujinobu said.
"I think we should head back." Nobushige said.
They rode back to Odawara, and saw the corpses of the crew, beheaded.
"Shigesato, just as I'm used to your actions." Ujinobu said.
"Hehe, people have to know the penalty of piracy." Shigesato said.
"The captain, where is he?" Ujinobu asked.
"Lord Daidoji Naohide is guarding him." Shigesato answered.
"Bring me to him." Ujinobu commanded.
Shigesato led Ujinobu into a room with the captain in a cell.
"Lord Naohide, you may go now." Ujinobu said.
"So, what else do you know about him, lord Kampaku?" Shigesato asked.
"His name is William Adams, he's english and traveled her with his dutch ship." Nobushige said.
"I can't say that name, we'll call him Kaizoku (pirate)." Ujinobu said.
"He's pleading to be allowed to leave and live." Nobushige said.
"I hear it." Ujinobu said.
"We could suggest to him that he builds a fleet of these ships and in return he may leave." Nobushige said.
"Suggest it to him then." Ujinobu said.
"He accepts, lord Shōgun." Nobushige said.
Kishiwada castle, Izumi, 1604
William Adams, now known as Kaizoku Harutaka, has build one hundred of these western ships, clad in iron. He also learned Japanese fluently, and wished to stay in Japan as a Hatamoto to the Shōgun, because he saw how much more peacefull and nicer it is in Japan. He also married a woman and already got two children. In the north, Toyotomi Senchiyomaru has come of age and took one Kanji of Ujinobu's name, he is now known as Toyotomi Ujitsugu, his siblings are yet to reach adulthood.
"Harutaka, I have to say, these ships are magnificent." Ujinobu said cheerfully.
"Thank you, lord Shōgun, it took us four hard years of failing, trying and success." Harutaka said.
"You did succeed, and that's all what matters." Ujinobu said.
"I thought of lord Shigesato to also be present." Harutaka said.
"Lord Sadaijin...has taken ill, he's already 64, so it could be deadly and his son, Shigehide, won't come because of Shigesato's health." Ujinobu explained.
"Oh...this is...bad." Harutaka said.
"Yeah, the butcher of Musashi, dies of illness, not in battle. How ironic." Ujinobu said.
"Every retainer I know has a nickname, but not which, could you explain them to me, lord Shōgun?" Hartaka asked.
"Well, you already know Shigesato's nickname. Nobushige, he's known as Kantōs Mōri Motonari. My wife, she's known as the female god of war, due to her being a skilled Onna-musha. I am known as the third great unifier, Saisei no ma Senshi or the greatest warrior of the time." Ujinobu explained.
"Wow, I didn't know that." Harutaka said.
"It isn't of matter anymore, a period of peace is already achieved." Ujinobu said.
"My lords, I bring a message, for lord Ujinobu." Nobushige said and handed Ujinobu a letter.
On the letter was written: "Dear lord Shōgun, I am sorry to inform you, but lord Shigesato has passed away.
"No, Shigesato, our Shigesato, has passed of illness." Ujinobu said.
"I am terribly sorry, lord Shōgun." Harutaka said.
"I'll sort it out later, tell me more about these ships." Ujinobu said.
"Well, they are heavy, can't carry many supplies and they're slow but most cannons can't penetrate their hull, we are building the same ships, just not clad in iron, so they're faster. You have to see them as floating forts, my lord." Harutaka explained.
"One last thing, move them to Wakayama castle after they're done, the Toyotomi will prepare for war. A few Rōnins in exile were employed by Toyotomi Ujitsugu." Ujinobu said.
"Very well, lord Shōgun." Harutaka said.
Next chapter will be the end.