Chapter 31

Summary

• The chapter is set at the end of the day with a sea colored red by the sunset and a kind wind blowing.
• Blackthorne walks to the house given to him by Mariko, passing samurai and villagers along the way.
• Upon arriving, an old man greets Blackthorne in Japanese, which he replies to, trying to learn the old man's name, Ueki-ya.
• Mariko and another woman named Fujiko meet Blackthorne at the house and offer him hospitality.
• Blackthorne, troubled by Lord Yabu's threat to the village, drinks saké but remains sober, much to Mariko and Fujiko's surprise.
• Mariko reveals to Blackthorne that Fujiko, who is recently widowed and dishonored, is to be his consort by Lord Toranaga's arrangement.
• Blackthorne vehemently refuses Fujiko as his consort and vocalizes his dislike of Yabu's threat and the concept of a forced consort.
• Mariko attempts to explain Japanese customs regarding duty and death to Blackthorne, emphasizing the idea that life and death are one and the same in Japan.
• Blackthorne learns about Fujiko's tragic past and the custom that allows a father and liege lord rights over life and death within their family and subjects.
• After a misunderstanding, Blackthorne grants Fujiko the respect of a samurai consort, accepting her though reluctantly.
• Omi, a samurai, interrupts to confiscate Blackthorne's pistols on Yabu's order but Fujiko steps in to protect them, asserting her status as his consort.
• Blackthorne thereafter agrees to leave his pistols with Fujiko and accompanies Omi to meet Yabu without them.
• Once at Yabu's, Blackthorne negotiates his terms of service offering to train Yabu's men in European warfare strategy.
• Blackthorne tries to bargain with Yabu to rescind his threat against the village in exchange for his services.
• Yabu doesn't accept, forcing Blackthorne to threaten suicide due to dishonor, in line with Japanese custom, shocking everyone.
• As Blackthorne attempts to perform seppuku, Omi and Igurashi intervene, preventing the act. This action secures Blackthorne's request as Yabu agrees on Blackthorne's terms.
• Yabu then doubles Omi's fief for providing good counsel, but berates Igurashi for his wrong assessment of the situation.
• Blackthorne survived his brush with death and slowly regains his footing, while everyone respectfully waits for him to recover.
• Mariko observes that Blackthorne has been reborn, and he is now able to experience the world with renewed senses.
• Other political maneuvers are discussed, including the status of Lord Toranaga's family and their impacts on the power balance in Japan.
• The chapter concludes with Yabu contemplating his next moves and his intention to eventually kill Blackthorne after learning everything he knows about European warfare.