SHIGEKO'S DOSSIER: Horse was once a vassal of the Shinjo family (Shinjo Yoshifusa, Shinjo Sanefusa) but has recently switched her allegiance to Bayushi Korechika, who made her a remarkably generous offer. I heard that Horse will be exempt from all formal duties to Korechika for a year, in exchange for her loyalty.
Horse runs an extensive stable which has produced some of Ryoko Owari's finest steeds. There are rumors that Korechika is pressuring her to concentrate less on producing a few outstanding mounts; instead, she is to produce large numbers of steeds of lesser (but still good) quality.
This makes me deeply suspicious. Through Sharp, Korechika already has a well developed river transport network. If Sharp can get a supply of fine horses as well, he could begin to compete with his cousin's land transport business.
I wouldn't care a fig for such merchant maneuvers if I didn't suspect Sharp of being Bayushi's opium smuggler. That suspicion makes me deeply uneasy about him forging paths into Rokugan's heart