Kaustubh Dudhane’s Reviews > Shōgun > Status Update

Age was so unfair to women.  Not to men, only to women.

Men need to whisper secrets, Lady.  That's what makes them different from us—they need to share secrets, but we women only reveal them to gain an advantage.  With a little silver and a ready ear and I have both— it's all so easy.  Yes.  Men need to share secrets.  That's why we're superior to them and they'll always be in our power.

"Terrible, isn't it, not being able to trust anyone."

"Oh, no, Anjin-san, so sorry," she answered. "That's just one of life's most important rules—no more, no less."

And then, when their whole world fell to pieces and they were on their knees slitting their bellies or cutting their throats, or cast out into the freezing world, they would tear their topknots or rend their clothes and bewail their karma, blaming gods or kami or luck or their lords or husbands or vassals—anything or anyone—but never themselves.

Perhaps that is why we love life so much, Anjin-san.  You see, we have to.  Death is part of our air and sea and earth.  You should know, Anjin-san, in this Land of Tears, death is our heritage.

The Chinese understood the art of negotiation, of compromise and concession and reward.  But the Japanese were pride-filled and when a man's pride was injured—any Japanese, not necessarily just samurai—then death was a small price to repay the insult.

The Taikō had loved power.  And he had loved gold for the power it gave over men.