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Naoe and Yasuke traveled to the Old Port of Aga, where they found Konishi Yukinaga also doing his own investigation into the incense.
Yukinaga:Oh, damn it all. That smell of incense. Are they involved?
The two spoke to him.
Naoe/Yasuke:Lord Yukinaga. You look troubled.
Yukinaga:Naoe. You remember that smell, yes? When Lord Hideie was taken?
Naoe:I remember that scent. I'm hoping it might lead us to the young Lord Hideie. Tell me more about it.
Yukinaga:I have encountered this particular fragrance before. Many times, in fact. Business associates of mine. They are keen on helping Lord Naoie and I with reconstruction of holy sites. They are a strange group, to be sure. And that smell is unmistakable.
Naoe:Lord Yukinaga. Did you know the attack at the rengakai would happen?
Yukinaga:No, no! I—I admit, I—I never bothered to learn more about them. But, please, do not confuse my ignorance for malice.
Naoe:Both roads can lead to the same ditch.
Yukinaga:There is one thing I know about them. These merchants are from Bizen.
Yukinaga:The Ukita clan is powerful, but not without its share of enemies. It is not unrealistic that someone from the western territories would target my lord's alliance with Lord Hideyoshi. And now, these men are expecting another shipment. Immediately after the attack. Why? They come here every day in large droves. I do not plan to give this shipment to them.
Naoe:Let me go in your place, my lord. I've got some questions for these merchants.
Naoe headed to the port where he found a group of armed merchants.
Naoe:Never seen merchants armed like this. Who are these men, really?
She approached and spoke to the representative.
Merchant:Who are you? Where's lord Yukinaga?
Naoe:He's not coming. Sent me instead.
Merchant:He picked an amateur like you? Will this batch of shipments arrive as promised?
Naoe:Whatever you're doing, we know it's not reconstruction.
The merchants attacked Naoe but were swiftly defeated and cut down by the shinobi.
Yukinaga:Yasuke. You remember that smell, yes? When Lord Hideie was taken?
Yasuke:A strong smell of incense on the rōnin. I'm hoping it might lead us to the boy Hideie. What is it to you?
Yukinaga:I have encountered this particular fragrance before. Many times, in fact. Business associates of mine. They are keen on helping Lord Naoie and I with reconstruction of holy sites. They are a strange group, to be sure. And that smell is unmistakable.
Yasuke:My lord. If your relationship with these strange individuals goes beyond business... you should tell me now.
Yukinaga:No, no! I—I admit, I—I never bothered to learn more about them. But, please, do not confuse my ignorance for malice.
Yasuke:Given enough time, the difference between malice and ignorance tends to fade.
Yukinaga:There is one thing I know about them. These merchants are from Bizen.
Yasuke:The home of Lord Ukita Naoie. And Lord Hideie.
Yukinaga:The Ukita clan is powerful, but not without its share of enemies. It is not unrealistic that someone from the western territories would target my lord's alliance with Lord Hideyoshi. And now, these men are expecting another shipment. Immediately after the attack. Why? They come here every day in large droves. I do not plan to give this shipment to them.
Yasuke:Let me go in your place, my lord. I have got some questions for these merchants.
Yasuke headed to the port where he found a group of armed merchants.
Yasuke:Heavily armed for merchants. And in large numbers.
He approached and spoke to the representative.
Merchant:Who are you? Where's lord Yukinaga?
Yasuke:I am here on his behalf.
Merchant:He picked an amateur like you? Will this batch of shipments arrive as promised?
Yasuke:It's possible you hold ulterior motives beyond reconstruction.
Merchant:Damn. One of Kanbei's dogs. Kill them!
The merchants attacked Yasuke but were swiftly defeated and cut down by the samurai.
On the representative's body, they looted a note.
Inventory Order
The time to move approaches. I expect you can manage the inventory in stock at Hontokuji Temple when the time comes. You know what to do.
Naoe/Yasuke:Hontokuji temple. They are storing the inventory there? A boat might help me reach Hontokuji faster.
Naoe and Yasuke took a boat and sailed to the port near the temple, where they overheard two merchants talking about the shipment.
Merchant 1:When's the next shipment coming in? It's supposed to be a big one, from what I hear.
Merchant 2:It won't stay here for long. Going to Himeji, just like the last one.
Naoe and Yasuke head up the road and found the temple heavily guarded.
Naoe:Merchants mingling with ashigaru, heavily armed. All for a temple.
Naoe investigated one of the sleeping quarters.
If I were going to hide something, it would be in some place like this.
Inside, she found shipments of firearms with an accompanying incense smell.
Naoe:Incense and the acrid smell of gunpowder. No wonder it stood out at the rengakai. Lord Yukinaga's hunch was correct. His business associates are gun-runners.
In a study room, she found a shipping bill on the table.
Naoe:These were all shipped from Bizen. Signed by Lord Yukinaga. Interesting. Why does Himeji Castle need temple supplies?
In one of the altar rooms, she recovered a map of western Himeji with a mark.
Naoe:A shrine that sits outside of Himeji. Marked on the map, but no mention of any shipments going there. I got a strange feeling from this place.
Naoe concluded her investigation.
Naoe:I need to talk to Lord Yukinaga.
Having found all clues, Naoe left the temple and returned to Yukinaga in Aga.
Naoe:Lord Yukinaga. I've located shipment of incense. Heavily guarded incense, at that. And signed off by you. Incense? Ring any bells? For example, those ronin that attacked the rengakai? You've been shipping weapons, my lord. Disguised as incense. Did you know this?
Yukinaga:Incense from Bizen? Yes, of course. But, weapons? Of course not! A potential conspiracy has followed Lord Naoie all the way to Harima, it seems. Using temples as cover for their schemes?
Naoe:And shrines. There was reference to a particular shrine of interest.
Yukinaga:What are they moving there?
Naoe:Nothing that I can tell. But I intend to find out. These places of worship are only temporary stockpiles. Part of the weapons they were moving have already gone to Himeji Castle.
Yukinaga:Lord Naoie tried to help Harima. His son's new home. And these monsters have desecrated his work. They would stoop to any level. Use a noble cause to get what they want. Utterly shameful behavior.
Naoe:Monsters indeed. It will be best if you stay hidden until we set this right.
Yasuke:Heavily armed merchants and ashigaru. An overzealous amount of security.
Yasuke investigated one of the sleeping quarters.
Yasuke:Good place to hide things. I might be close to the incense.
Inside, he found shipments of firearms with an accompanying incense smell.
Yasuke:The smell of incense... mixed with rifles and gunpowder. So that is what we smelled at the rengakai. These merchants are moving weapons. Lord Yukinaga was right to distrust them.
In a study room, Yasuke found note on the table.
Yasuke:Lord Yukinaga's approval. All shipped from Bizen with a final destination of Himeji Castle.
In one of the altar rooms, Yasuke recovered a map of western Himeji with a mark.
Yasuke:A shrine on the outskirts of Himeji. But no shipments go in or out from there. Only... what, exactly?
Having found all clues, Yasuke left the temple and returned to Yukinaga in Aga.
Yasuke:Lord Yukinaga. I have found shipments of incense signed off by you. An innocuous enough good, yet heavily guarded. And then, I remembered your reaction to the smell of incense of those men that attacked the rengakai. The incense you signed off on was actually weapons from Bizen. Do you know?
Yukinaga:Incense from Bizen? Yes, of course. But, weapons? Of course not! A potential conspiracy has followed Lord Naoie all the way to Harima, it seems. Using temples as cover for their schemes?
Yasuke:Not just temples. I found information pertaining to a suspicious shrine.
Yukinaga:What are they moving there?
Yasuke:Nothing that I can tell. But I intend to find out. These places of worship are only temporary stockpiles. Part of the weapons they were moving have already gone to Himeji Castle.
Yukinaga:Lord Naoie tried to help Harima. His son's new home. And these monsters have desecrated his work. They would stoop to any level. Use a noble cause to get what they want. Utterly shameful behavior.
Yasuke:Keep a low profile, my lord. This is far from over.
Naoe and Yasuke helped Yukinaga to investigate the incense, tracing it from to shipments that included weapons smuggled from Bize. They also recovered a note marking a shrine out the outskirts of Himeji.
