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It is also a requirement that you come to terms with and appear to be friendly with all of the people in your domain. Your feelings must be sincere when they are expressed, although your thoughts may be grounded in deception. There can be no room for mediocrity in the shogun’s thinking. This will permit insolence and subterfuge to develop which must be guarded against wholeheartedly with regard to both friends and enemies. It will also permit flatterers to interfere with your decisions.

Flatterers must be especially guarded against, but they can be used to your advantage by deceiving their affections. It is better to use them if you feel they have any value at all, and it doesn’t matter who they know or the power they may think they wield. If they are useless, rid yourself of them.

Remember, if you will, when Nobunaga Oka was governing Miai Province. He constantly found himself surrounded by well-wishers who only sought to maintain their own positions when Emperor Antoku gave him special consideration during the Taira reign. The people in his domain continually sent him gifts of all types entreating him to intercede on their behalf with the emperor until Oka became enamored of himself. It was then that he found himself unable to deal harshly when it was required. He soon lost control of the government, fell out of favor with the emperor, and was deposed by his own generals. They saw he was not being sincere with anyone, including themselves, unless he was approached with a gift. Nobunaga’s acceptance of flattery led him to arrogance, and he thought he could demand anything of anyone in his court. Eventually, no one would heed his orders. In dishonor, he was requested to commit suicide.