Kako je Jorinobu premagal upornika Tadacuneja

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Kako je Jorinobu premagal upornika Tadacuneja

Long ago, when Yorinobu, later Governor of Kawachi, was serving as Governor of Kōzuke, there lived in the eastern provinces a warrior named Taira no Tadatsune. Since Tadatsune treated the governor’s commands as though they were nothing, Yorinobu raised a large force and marched against his dwelling. Tadatsune had built his house on the far side of an inlet that reached deep inland. To go around it would take seven or eight days, but a force crossing straight over could attack that very day, so Tadatsune had hidden all the ferryboats. With no apparent way to cross, Yorinobu’s warriors rode out onto the shore, thinking they would have to follow the coast around. But the Governor of Kōzuke said, “If we follow the shore to attack him, it will take days. In that time he may flee, or prepare defenses we cannot breach. If we reach him and attack today, we shall catch the fellow unawares and throw him into confusion. Yet he has hidden all the boats. What are we to do?” His warriors answered, “There is simply no way for you to cross. You will have to go around.” Then Yorinobu said, “Surely among all these warriors there must be someone who knows the way. This is my first visit to the eastern provinces, but there is something I have heard handed down in my family. Through this inlet runs a path like an embankment, about ten feet wide, leading straight across. I am told the water there reaches only to a horse’s belly. That path must lie somewhere near here. Surely, among so many warriors, someone knows it. Let him go ahead and lead us across. I shall follow.” With that, he urged his horse forward toward the water. Perhaps they knew the way: four or five mounted men rode down into the sea and began crossing straight over, and some five or six hundred horsemen followed them. Just as he had said, the water reached only to the horses’ bellies. Yet of all those warriors, only two or three knew of the path. The rest knew nothing whatever of it; they had never even heard of it. “This is our lord governor’s first visit to this province,” they whispered to one another in awe, “while our families have lived here for generations. Yet he knows what we have never so much as heard of. Truly, his mastery of the warrior’s art surpasses that of other men.” As they made their way across, Tadatsune was calmly mustering his forces, thinking, “He will have to come around the inlet to attack. I have hidden every boat, and I alone know the shallow passage, so he cannot cross straight over. While he follows the shore, I shall have time to make whatever arrangements I please, or even escape. He will not be able to attack me without difficulty.” Just then, a retainer stationed near the house came running in alarm. “The Lord of Kōzuke has found a shallow path through the inlet,” he cried in a trembling voice. “He has brought a great force across and is already approaching! What will you do?” Everything had gone against Tadatsune’s preparations. “I am about to be attacked,” he said. “I must submit to him in this manner.” At once he drew up a written pledge of allegiance, set it upright in a split stick used to hold letters, and sent a single retainer out in a small boat to present it to the governor. Seeing this, the governor had the pledge received and said, “By sending a pledge of allegiance with a letter acknowledging his fault, he has already submitted. There is no need to press the attack.” Taking the document, he turned his horse back, and all his warriors returned with him. Thereafter, people spoke of the governor with still greater admiration, saying that he was a truly formidable man, far surpassing others.