White Serpent Castle Read Free Page A

four men advancing on him. There were resonant thumps of foreheads smacking against iron studs.
    Matsuzo leaped for the other door. With a mighty push, the two ronin swept the door closed, pulling with it the officer whose sword was still stuck in the wood. At the same time the heavy door drove back three other attackers. The gate clanged shut with the three men left on the other side.
    Breathing fast, Matsuzo spared a moment to flash a grin at Zenta before he whirled around to meet another furious attack. The number of attackers had been substantially reduced. Moreover, the two men now had the advantage of the gate protecting their backs. There was still the officer trying to free his sword from the gate, but he could not count as an active combatant.
    By this time the chamberlain was jumping up and down in consternation, and even the heavyset Jihei was showing signs of wanting to join the fight.
    â€œI think it’s coming out,” said the officer, who felt his sword loosen slightly from the door.
    â€œOpen the gate!” yelled the three men on the other side.
    â€œMatsuzo, they want it open after all,” said Zenta, and cleared a space.
    With a sudden heave, Matsuzo pulled open the gate and quickly stepped aside. The three men pushing on the other side crashed into the attack of their own comrades.
    The sudden jerk of the door jammed the officer’s sword back into the wood.
    In the confusion, Zenta and Matsuzo were again working their way to the open gate.
    â€œClose the gate!” shouted the chamberlain. “Can’t you decide how you want it?” Matsuzo yelled back at him. In his excitement, he slipped on a patch of blood and crashed to the ground. Instantly two men were above him with raised swords. Zenta kicked the feet from under one man and drew the other away with a feint.
    â€œAt last! I got it out!” cried the officer, triumphantly waving his free sword. He swung it hard at Zenta, who quickly swerved. The sword sank back into the door.
    In the tangle on the ground, Matsuzo found a hairy arm in his mouth. He bit. Struggling with the writhing heap above him, he thought, “Why is it that in all the great epic poems, fights were never so messy as this?”
    Without warning, Matsuzo’s opponents loosened their grip, and the young ronin realized that all sounds of fighting had stopped. In the background, an authoritative voice was speaking. Sitting up, Matsuzo looked around and found all the chamberlain’s men crouched on the ground bowing to a figure high on the steps behind the chamberlain.

Chapter 3
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    â€œWhat is the meaning of this disgraceful exhibition?” demanded the new arrival.
    Zenta saw that everyone, even the chamberlain, was bowing down to the ground. The new arrival was a man of very high rank indeed. Aside from Lord Okudaira’s immediate family, who could possibly outrank the chamberlain?
    â€œP-Pardon, m-my lord envoy,” stammered the chamberlain. “This is all a dreadful mistake!”
    Envoy from where, Zenta wondered. He risked a look and was slightly surprised to find that the envoy was a youngish man. His features were handsome but severe, with thick, lowering eyebrows. Two deep lines ran down either side of his nose to the corners of his lips, giving him a disdainful expression. From the deepness of the lines, Zenta guessed that the sneer was habitual.
    The envoy frowned at the groveling chamberlain. “As the man in command of this castle, you are responsible for this disturbance. When the daimyo hears of this, he might judge you unfit for your position.”
    An envoy from the daimyo! The daimyo had been Lord Okudaira’s feudal overlord, and the presence of his envoy meant he was so concerned about the succession problem that he found it necessary to send a mediator.
    Zenta had finally succeeded in controlling his breath, ragged from the fight. He raised his head and said respectfully, “My lord envoy,