Original subtitles

It is still customary for the Prime Minister...

to sign documents with a written seal, or "kao."

This was a mark unique to the individual.

Here are "kao" of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Masamune had a wider variety of styles than most daimyo.

Here are some of them.

In his youth, the brush strokes were energetic,

like that of spirited young warrior.

Masamune used this famous wagtail seal till the end of his days.

However, as years passed, it grew smaller and rounder.

It reveals Masamune's declining years as the daimyo of a new age.

Masamune probably adopted the wagtail design,

because it was a clever and nimble bird.

Such a written seal had placed Masamune in danger again.

MASAMUNE, THE ONE-EYED DRAGON

Episode 27: Cross of Gold

TOKAIDO

Spring, 1591...

Suspected of being a traitor by Hideyoshi,

Masamune was forced to go to Kyoto to explain himself.

Would he ever be able to return alive?

The journey mean certain death.

For some reason Hideyoshi left Kyoto...

and awaited Masamune at Kiyosu Castle in Owari.

Show no resistance.

I understand.

Rest assured. Your wife is well at Jurakudai.

She is on good terms with the regent's wife.

I most grateful.

First, offer the regent your condolences.

His brother Hidenaga passed away last month.

I know.

You have no regrets?

No.

Come forward.

It's an honor to see you again, My Lord.

Raise your heads.

The loss of your brother must grieve you.

I offer my deepest condolences.

We all have to go sometime.

Indeed.

Death comes to young and old alike.

Age matters not.

Some could die young.

The inquiry will now begin.

I, Ishida Mitsunari, shall now conduct the inquiry...

as you have ordered, My Lord.

Date Masamune, answer my questions truthfully.

Yes, sir.

According to Oshu governor, Asano Nagamasa...

and General Gamo Ujisato,

you turned traitor against the regent,

inciting the rebels of Osaki and Kasai and supporting the rioters.

What say you?

I humbly submit...

I am shocked at his accusation of treachery.

Unaccustomed to fighting in snow country,

perhaps Lord Gamo was carried away by his imagination.

What?

In the past, warlords mistook the sound of waterfowl for the enemy,

and fled in fear.

You're saying Gamo acted in fear?

My innocence is proven by the fact that...

I rescued Lord Kimura and his son from Sanuma castle.

Your conspiracy failed, so you took another strategy.

If I were guilty, would I be here now?

Loyalty to the regent is foremost.

That is why I obeyed and sent my wife here.

Look at this letter.

It should be familiar to you.

It's the letter you sent to the rebels!

Incredible. The handwriting resembles mine.

No.

The style, the wagtail seal... It IS in your hand!

I never wrote this.

Date Masamune...

Do you mean to lie, before the regent?!

Indeed not!

Your handwriting is familiar even to the regent.

Whatever the case, I am innocent!

Summon Gamo Ujisato!

Come forward, Ujisato!

It is an honor to see you, My Lord.

Masamune, give your testimony before Ujisato.

Very well.

You said Ujisato was a coward?

I did.

Be a man, Masamune.

Why do you accuse me falsely, Lord Gamo?

It is no false charge. Search your conscience.

My conscience is totally clear.

Your repeated denials are cowardly.

Your letter has been discovered. It's over.

Pitiful. Getting excited over a forged letter...

An uncommon blunder for you, Lord Gamo.

We'll see if it's a blunder.

Masamune wrote this pledge in Osaki.

Let me see.

They're the same.

This proves your treachery! No more arguments!

I wish to say something!

Get back!

Speak!

Suda Hoki, who took the letter to Lord Gamo,

was our secretary, familiar with Lord Masamune's writing.

I believe he forged that letter!

A poor argument!

No forgery could be this precise!

Suda Hoki is cunning!

He forsook his obligation to the Date and resorted to trickery for personal gain.

He claims to owe the Date nothing.

When his father followed Lord Terumune in death,

despite his many valorous deeds,

his son received no promotion or increase in stipend...

Hoki killed himself after a ban on suicide was decreed.

Please summon Suda Hoki.

That won't be necessary.

These were written by the same hand.

Masamune's!

I beg your indulgence!

Please examine the wagtail seal!

In anticipation of such a forgery,

I purposely devised a point of discrepancy!

The wagtail has a pinhead-sized eye!

If the eye is open, it is indeed my seal!

If the eye is closed, it is a forgery!

In the wagtail a pinhead-sized eye?

Please examine it!

I'll examine it!

Indeed.

Oh, I see.

Masamune is right.

The wagtail in this pledge has an eye.

The one in this letter has none.

Ridiculous! It's an act of desperation!

Please summon Suda Hoki!

Silence!

Ujisato.

As Masamune says,

the wagtail in this pledge has an eye.

The one in the letter does not.

Therefore, Masamune is not guilty.

Ujisato, thank you for coming so far.

You may go.

Go.

Wonderful! The case is closed!

Thank you!

A warlord must be cautious.

But being too cautious gets one into trouble.

Masamune...

Ujisato did it out of loyalty to me. Don't resent him.

You were betrayed by your retainer.

You won't betray me, will you?

Never!

I swear to serve you faithfully!

Then go to Kyoto.

Pledge your loyalty before the other lords.

Yes, my lord. I shall do whatever you wish!

This ends the inquiry.

Masamune.

Kyoto people enjoy novel amusements.

Think of something original.

How is your bellyache?

Thank you, sir!

A clever escape.

You don't fool me.

Look at my eyes.

The left is genuine; the right is fake.

I don't understand.

That was hardly an investigation.

Perhaps the regent spared Masamune,

in full knowledge of his conspiracy.

What?

Masamune's secret letter is genuine.

Yet, he boldly appeared before the regent as ordered.

Indeed.

He was fearless and unwavering before the regent.

His explanation was eloquent and daring.

The regent was impressed by Masamune's ability.

Why kill Masamune and invite more trouble?

Why not forgive him and make him serve us? Right?

Excellent deduction.

The regent's genius is a hundred times that of Masamune's.

Such is our regent.

Having escaped certain doom,

Masamune sent a letter to inform Yonezawa.

Your performance was particularly good tonight.

I nearly danced without a head.

Have another drink.

Ujisato must be sick with vexation.

We must be careful on our journey.

Ujisato will not give up so easily.

Hideyoshi is also dangerous.

He could kill me as I breathe a sigh of relief.

He wouldn't!

He's a monster.

He knew my plan from the start.

Is that how a ruler is?

Look at the difference in your ages.

When he was your age, he was still a sandal-carrier.

Don't try to comfort me!

The sandal-carrier is running me ragged.

Ironically, as I get closer to Kyoto, I'm farther away from ruling Japan.

Absurd!

Today's inquiry went perfectly.

The other daimyo were impressed by your ability.

By the time you reach Kyoto, the reputation of our clan will have grown.

Under Hideyoshi's orders,

Masamune left Kiyosu Castle one day later...

and turned to Kyoto where Mego waited.

Sister!

Sister!

I hear laughter!

The vassals are mocking me!

No, you are compassionate! And strong!

I know you are.

Don't try to comfort me!

Are you not the reincarnation...

of Saint Mankai?

I care for you.

No matter what happens, I'll never leave you!

You are all that I live for.

I have been lonely without you.

Mego...

My lord...

Someday, I'll go to Kyoto and rule this land!

I'll take you with me.

Our son won't be heir to the Date.

He'll inherit Japan!

Our second son will rule Tamura.

I'll give him Oshu and Ushu, too!

Soma, Satake, Mogami and Ashina!

I'm so glad!

Please don't leave me.

Never!

Sire...

The regent expects something original for your entrance.

Death-garb?

We can't do that again.

Everyone knows the regent loves fancy amusements.

How about gongs and drums?

Are you crazy, Samanosuke?

Kyoto people love novelty.

Yes.

I'll make their eyes pop.

- With drums and gongs? - No.

I'll show them the spirit of the Date

and astound Hideyoshi.

Kyoto

In the spring...

Masamune arrived in Kyoto.

A cross of gold?!

I'm too shocked for words!

The entire castle is abuzz with the story.

- Gold, yet! - Wasn't it heavy?

It was gold gilt on wood.

You fooled everyone completely!

Do you mean to crucify the regent?

Absolutely not.

If you so order,

I am always prepared to submit to execution.

Showing off?

I'm being original.

A cross of gold foil is presumptuous.

A wooden cross is only for common criminals.

Such conceit.

Mitsunari, don't you understand refinement?

The journey must have tired you. You shall have tea.

An act of refinement must be rewarded with such.

Thank you, My Lord.

I understand you missed seeing Sen Rikyu in Odawara.

You shall be served by Rikyu.

How is it?

I'm most honored.

Everyone knows of Lord Date now.

Especially after walking the streets with a golden cross.

Masamune will steal all the girls away!

We haven't enough tiger liver to help you!

I am Rikyu.

I am Date Masamune.

I am Katakura Kojuro.

I have looked forward to this day.

Thank you.

This meeting with you is a blessing from Heaven.

Thank you.

Perhaps because of your kind letters,

this does not seem like our first meeting.

It's nice to see you.

I'm most honored by your kind words.

Rikyu had served Nobunaga and Hideyoshi as tea master.

He was 70.

Daimyo fought for the chance to become Rikyu's student.

He was the era's master of refinement and beauty.

Thank you, sir.

Strange.

Your heart is one.

Heart is one?

There are many tea masters in Kyoto.

Countless men have knocked on my gate.

However, you are the first to touch the soul of tea...

at our first meeting.

I am but a crude and ignorant country samurai.

No, indeed.

The regent himself has called you a Kyoto rustic.

I can see why.

I am honored to receive such praise.

Who taught you the art of tea?

I consider you my only master.

Please allow me to be your pupil.

Thank you for such words of courtesy.

I shall teach you everything I know.

I am overjoyed to receive such an unexpected honor.

I shall do anything I can for you.

There is one thing I would like.

Tell me.

While I'm in Kyoto,

I would like to see your prized "Hashidate" jar.

Master Rikyu, what is the matter?

"I would but go."

"If you know of My loved one,

"Tell me, o Ama no Hashidate."

I didn't know it meant so much to you, sir.

That's not it.

The Hashidate Jar is no longer in my possession.

Sir?

The regent ordered that it be taken to Daitokuji.

In other words...

the regent has taken it from me.

Date Residence

My lady!

Lord Masamune has arrived.

Mego.

Sister...

Thank goodness you're safe.

We escaped with our lives.

The regent is in good spirits!

Good work.

You're thinner.

It is your eyes which are sunken.

How's life in the capital?

Like it?

I hear and see nothing.

I only awaited your return.

I told you not to worry. I'm invincible.

But...

I'm sorry. I left you all alone.

You were found innocent of treason, were you not?

It was merely a groundless rumor?

You want to know?

If you must know, I'll tell you.

But never ask again.

I'm innocent.

I never plotted treason.