I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

Ezo, somewhere in the north——

"...After my third letter was ignored by the lord of the Sendai domain, by various chances and coincidences, I received news that the country of Lucia frequently engaged in various small actions in Ezo."

"After my investigation, I feel that if the country of Lucia is ignored, the country of Lucia will be a serious problem for our country in the future."

"I think: We should live in a friendly relationship with the Ainu, and then develop the Ezo together with the Ainu, and build the Ezo as a forward position to prevent the Lucians from going south."

"So in order to realize my long-cherished political wish, 8 years ago, I landed on Ezo for the first time, and began to personally survey the topography, landforms, natural resources, and Ainu culture of Ezo."

Lin Ziping, who was sitting behind Ogata, was talking eloquently, while Ogata and Atachi were listening carefully while controlling the horses to jog forward.

The process of rushing is always boring.

And on the way, the only thing that can be used to pass the time is small talk.

To pass the boring time, Ogata and his wife chatted with Lin Ziping about various things alternately.

From what I saw and heard during my travels, to talking about various things I have personally experienced, I will talk about everything.

At this moment, Lin Ziping was chatting about his life so far.

Just now, he has briefly outlined his life from childhood to youth: a Sendai samurai born in Edo, who was scorned by others as a deviant since childhood, was studying Confucian classics when his peers were studying Confucian classics hard. Various miscellaneous books on history, geography, art of war, economics, etc.

When he was young, he began to travel around to study. During the study tour, he discovered all kinds of corruption and incompetence in the shogunate, so he gradually began to worry about the future of Japan.

He has written to the lord of the Sendai vassal three times, suggesting to the lord of the Sendai vassal to reform the internal affairs, to enrich the country and strengthen the army, all of which were ignored by the lord of the Sendai vassal.

And now, Lin Ziping is telling the story that after his third letter to the lord of the Sendai domain was ignored, he began to notice the threat that the Lucia people posed to their country, and then began to go to Ezo for investigation.

"Eight years ago, after a careful inspection of Ezo, in the 5th year of Tianming (1785 AD), I published an important military topography describing Korea, Ryukyu, Ezo and other places: "Three Kingdoms Overview Maps" ". It's a pity that there is no response...no one is interested in my book..."

After all, Lin Ziping sighed heavily.

"Your book even covers North Korea and Ryukyu?" Ah-Ming interjected at this moment, "Have you been to all these places?"

"Uh...no." Lin Ziping laughed a few times in embarrassment, "I have never been to other places except Ezo. I compiled the records of North Korea, Ryukyu and other places based on other people's classics made."

After all, Lin Ziping coughed a few times, and used blunt methods to bring up this embarrassing topic for him.

"Okay, let me continue."

"In short - after the publication of this "Three Kingdoms Overview", the response was mediocre. Whether it is the shogunate or the people, no one is interested in my book."

"Officials of the shogunate also scoffed at my proposal to build coastal defenses and work together with the Ainu to build Ezo.

"

"Probably because people like me who criticize the lock-up policy are too annoying. So some time ago, I was caught by the officials, and then I was taken to a prison in Edo for confinement."

"I seemed to have been sentenced to 'permanent confinement' by the government."

"Fortunately—not long after being imprisoned, I was rescued by a group of unknown people."

"Those people seem to want to invite them to work there."

"I'm not interested in being an official at all. When I was thinking about how to escape, those people seemed to be attacked by their enemies, and I was able to sneak out while taking advantage of the chaos."

"As soon as I sneaked out, I learned that the Lucians are doing more and more tricks in Ezo."

"I happened to also feel that in my "Three Kingdoms Overview", the part that introduced the Ezo land still needs to be optimized. So I set foot on the Ezo land again not long after I regained my freedom. The land of Ezo is ready to conduct an in-depth investigation on the Ezo land again."

"You all know what happened next - when you came near the Red Moon Fortress, you were mistaken for a spy and arrested, and then you met."

After listening to Lin Ziping's overview of his life so far, Ogata said with deep emotion: "You are also a person with a particularly rich and tortuous life experience... You just said that you escaped from prison with the help of others , isn't it very likely that Japan has already posted your wanted warrants?"

"Well." Lin Ziping nodded, "It should be. So now I am also thinking about how to avoid being hunted by officials while continuing my academic research after I return to China, so that the shogunate can adopt my opinions and start Shogunate reform."

"You are amazing." A-Ming said in a tone of unadulterated admiration, "If I were you, I wouldn't have the courage to write letters to the shogunate again and again, criticizing the shogunate for this bad and that bad .”

"There is no way that you are willing to travel around in such a bitter cold place for the country like you... Maybe this is also related to my dislike of the shogunate."

"I've only been in Ezo for a few months, and I can't take it anymore..."

"I miss tatami so much now, and the taste of miso soup..."

"When I was very young, I started to travel around to study." Lin Ziping smiled, "So I have developed a fairly good physique, so when I travel around and investigate in Ezo, I don't feel very tired. Hard work... eh? Ogata-kun, look at the sky in the north, there are big dark clouds drifting over."

"Yeah. I saw it." Ogata nodded. "Keep your mouth shut and don't talk. I'm going to speed up my horse. I have to build a hunting lodge before the snowstorm comes down."

After finishing speaking, Ogata tapped the horse's belly lightly with his heel, and steered the radish towards a forest not far away.

After entering the woods, Xu Bian quickly found a big tree suitable for building a hunting lodge.

Earlier, when he moved to the Red Moon Fortress with the villagers of Kina Village, Ogata had learned the Ainu hunting lodge.

After making this big tree into a hunting lodge that can barely accommodate 4 people with a slightly rough technique, the large dark clouds floating from the north will cover the entire sky and bring down wind and snow.

"Huh..." After rushing into the hunting lodge, Lin Ziping glanced at the wind and snow blowing outside, and tightened his clothes, "Ezoland really deserves to be a place of bitter cold. "At this time, spring is approaching in all parts of Japan, but here it is still the same as severe winter."

"Fortunately, this hunting lodge was built in time." Ogata also glanced at the wind and snow that was blowing louder and louder outside, "If it was later, we would be blown by the wind and snow Become a snowman."

"Looking at the thickness of the dark clouds, the wind and snow will not stop for a while." Lin Ziping sighed softly, "I can only wait slowly. I hope the wind and snow will stop soon..."

"How far is it to that so-and-so village where that weird Dr. Kazuto lives?" asked Atachi.

"It's Kanto Village." Lin Ziping showed a helpless smile, and corrected what Ah Ding said just now, "The settlement where the weird Kazuto doctor lives is called 'Kantou Village'."

A-Machi: "It's such a hard-to-remember name..."

"There is still a short distance." Lin Ziping replied, "If there is no accident such as a blizzard, we have to go north for another 2 days, and we must first reach a settlement called 'Tuohe'. Then the doctor and the doctor Kantuo Village where I live is in a deep mountain in the northwest of Tuohe Village."

"I still have to go so far..." A-Ming twitched the corners of his mouth.

"Although it's still a bit far away, luckily the road is still easy to walk." Lin Ziping said calmly, "Actually, I can't remember exactly where Kanto Village is in that deep mountain."

"So when we arrive at Tuohe Village, we may have to entrust people from that village to help guide us."

"Huh? Are you familiar with that Tuohe villager?" Ogata asked.

Lin Ziping nodded: "It's pretty familiar. I've been here several times before, so after going here and there, I'm familiar with many villagers in Tuohe Village."

"I'm going to ask those people I know to show us the way, and they should readily agree."

"Is that so... I feel a little embarrassed..." Ogata said, "I have to trouble you to sell favors to that person from Tuohe Village."

Lin Ziping smiled: "Compared to the life-saving grace I owe you, it's just a trivial matter."

"If you hadn't repelled the shogunate's army, I'm afraid I would have died in the chaos."

"You two, just treat my actions as repaying a favor, and accept it with peace of mind."

call--!

At this time, a very loud gust of wind suddenly blew outside the hunting lodge.

Ogata and the others couldn't help but be startled by this extremely loud wind.

"This wind and snow seems to be getting stronger..." Ogata murmured.

"Look at the intensity of the wind and snow, we probably won't be able to move within half an hour." Lin Ziping scratched his half black and half white hair.

"Let's do something to pass the time." A-Ming said, turning his gaze to Lin Ziping, "Mr. Lin, let's tell your story next?"

"My story has basically been told just now... There is nothing else to tell."

"Then how about you tell me about the various experiences you have seen and heard during your study tour? I also like to hear this."

"All kinds of things I've seen and heard during my study tour... let me think about if there is anything more worth talking about... more interesting things worth talking about, I have already said these days... Ah,' Yamada Asemon Have I told you about family abducting people to make medicine?"

A-Ming shook his head: "Nope. 'Abduction for medicine'...? What is this?"

"The Yamada Asemon family..." Ogata frowned slightly, "It's the 'Executioner Family' from Edo, right?"

"That's right." Lin Ziping nodded, "Since I haven't told you this story, let me tell you about it."

Lin Ziping cleared his throat.

"This is a story I heard in an izakaya when I was studying in Kanto. I don't know if it's true or not. I personally feel that it should be false, so you should just listen to it with the mentality of listening to books."

"You all should know, right? What does the Yamada Asemon family do, who are named 'Shogunate Sword Testers'?"

"The members of their family have been the imperial sword testers of the shogunate for generations. They are responsible for executing the death row criminals in the execution ground, and they are also responsible for testing swords for the Yueqing Yunke headed by the general."

"The title of 'Knife Tester for the Shogunate' gives the members of the Yamada Asemon family great authority in sword appraisal."

"When a big family gets a new treasured sword, they are willing to invite people from Yamada Asemon to test the sword and appraise the grade of the new sword."

"This is the famous 'trip to test the knife' of the Yamada Asemon family - a certain rich family invited someone from the Yamada Asemon family to try the knife, and then the Yamada Asemon family sent someone to try the knife. "

"Some people from distant places, such as some nobles in Kyoto, often come to Edo to invite people from Yamada Asemon to try their knives, so the Yamada Asemon family will send them from time to time when they have spare time. People go far away to try their swords on people from far away places."

"Their family has been beheading people for generations. It is said that in one year, members of their family can behead 2,300 people. Gradually, they developed a very profitable side business: selling 'human gall pills' made from human gall." .”

At this time, A-Ming gave a soft "ah": "I know this medicine, it is the medicine that is very useful for treating lung diseases, right?"

"That's right. It's the medicine. After the Yamada Asemon family kills the condemned criminals at the execution ground, the dead bodies will be left for the Yamada Asemon family to deal with."

"They used the human gall of the dead body to make the 'human gall pill' which is very useful for treating lung diseases. This medicine is extremely popular, and the supply has always been in short supply. This medicine is basically out of stock, and as soon as one is made, it will be sold out quickly." Buy it."

"Then——I'm going to start talking about the topic now, don't be distracted."

"It is said that the Yamada Asemon family often kidnaps and sells human beings in order to solve the problem of short supply of human bile pills and to make more money."

"Specially abducting those who no one will pay more attention to even if they disappear. For example: wanderers, beggars, and dirty people."

"After abducting these people, use the guts of these people to make new medicines."

As soon as Lin Ziping finished speaking, Ah Ding rubbed his arms as if his body was cold: "I don't like this kind of horror story..."

"This is a story I heard from hearsay, I don't know if it's true or not." Lin Ziping smiled, "But according to my judgment - this story should be false. The Yamada Senemon family is a sinister family to ordinary people. Mori's family, so they often put all kinds of messy stories on the Yamada Asemon family."

"The Yamada Asemon family is not short of money. Even though the supply of bile pills has been in short supply, they will not be able to traffic people and use living people to make medicine."

"So I think this story should be false. You don't need to take it too seriously."

...

...

Edo, the mansion where Gourdya and his party lived——

"Senior Asai, there shouldn't be anything wrong with my appearance, right?" Shimada raised his arms horizontally, showing off his clothes to Mucun in front of him.

"Hmm... not bad." Mu Cun nodded, "You look good, and you have a lot of style."

Today is the day Shimada decides to go home.

It would be unseemly to come home sloppy, so Shimada borrowed some money from Lin to buy a new set of custom-made clothes embroidered with their Shimada family's crest.

Even the scabbard at the waist was waxed and polished.

Shimada also fulfilled his promise - when he decided to go home, he asked Mucun, who had long wanted to see the face of the famous Shimada Soichiro, to accompany him.

In order to accompany Shimada home, Mucun also changed into a very stylish outfit.

Mucun has never been in the habit of wearing a sword on his left waist. In order to accompany Shimada home this time, he also specially bought two new swords to wear, so that he can look more like a samurai.

The two checked their clothes, and after confirming that there was nothing wrong with them, they finally faced Lin and Jiangong who were standing beside them and seeing them off.

"My lord, I will try my best to go back quickly." Shimada said seriously.

"It doesn't matter if you don't have to come back so soon." Lin said, "You can come back whenever you want."

"Makimura, don't cause any trouble." Mamiya said in a half-joking tone, "You are a troublemaker just like Gen-sama."

"When it comes to love causing trouble, I think you don't give up too much." Mucun retorted unceremoniously, "You guys always cause troubles from time to time."

"But every time I make trouble, I will solve it quickly and beautifully." Mamiya's response was also extremely sharp.

"Okay. Stop talking here." Lin interrupted the chatter between Mamiya and Mucun, "Mihachi, Katsurokuro, since you are ready, let's go early."

Makimura: "Okay." Shimada: "Yes!"

...

...

Shimada and Makimura walked side by side on the way to the "high-end samurai residence".

As he went straight to the "high-class samurai residence", the surrounding scenery was constantly changing.

The people passing by the two gradually changed from commoners to well-dressed warriors with swords around their waists.

"Shimada, let me confirm—your father shouldn't be a man of etiquette, right?" Mucun turned his head and asked.

"My father belongs to the typical kind of person who is tolerant to outsiders but strict to his own people." Shimada smiled wryly, "If you do something that is not in line with etiquette, my father may not say much. But if I did something rude..."

Having said that, Shimada didn't say any more, and just gave Mu Cun a "you understand" look.

Maybe it's because it's still early in the morning, so there aren't many pedestrians on the road.

Since the end of the "Imperial Trial Cooperation", Edo no longer swarmed in a large number of ronin like before, so the security situation has improved a lot.

The two arrived in front of a magnificent mansion unimpeded all the way.

Looking at the majestic mansion in front of him, Mucun smacked his mouth a few times: "It really deserves to be a samurai family with a banner of 9000 Shijialu..."

"Okay, come with me, there's nothing to see in this broken house, let's go in quickly." After that, Shimada walked towards the gate of the mansion.

There are 2 guards at the gate of the mansion.

The two guards stared wide-eyed when they saw Shimada walking straight towards them.

"Master?!" The two guards shouted in unison.

"I'm back." Shimada smiled and nodded, "Is father at home?"

"Yes, yes!" One of the guards nodded hastily, "Young master, wait a moment! I'll report to the inside!"

After finishing speaking, the guard quickly dodged and rushed into the mansion.

After a while, the guard who had just left led the old man back within Shimada's field of vision.

"Master!" The old man shouted excitedly.

"Hachibei!" Shimada's tone became a little more excited.

The old man who was called Hachibei by Shimada came to Shimada in three steps and two steps: "Master! You are finally back!"

"Sorry, Hachibei, for worrying you."

"Master, who is this?" Hachibei looked at Mucun beside Shimada.

"This is my friend."

"Meet you for the first time." Mucun bowed to Hachibei respectfully, "It's Xia Mucun Yahachi."

"Ah, so it's the young master's friend." Hachibei hastily returned the gift and introduced himself.

"Master, come on, come in quickly. Don't stand here anymore." Hachibei greeted Shimada and Mucun to enter.

After following Hachibei into this luxurious mansion, Shimada asked Hachibei in front of him:

"Hachibei, where is father now? Are you busy?"

"No. Master, he's not busy right now. He should be with the Yamada Asemon family right now."

"Yamada Asemon?" Shimada raised his eyebrows, "Why are people from Yamada Asemon here?"

"Master got a precious sword in Osaka before: Mataju Fujishima, who lived in California. After returning to Edo a few days ago, he invited people from the Yamada Asemon family to try the sword. Today, Yamada Asemon The Men Clan finally has a spare man who can be sent over to test the knife."

"Now the knife test should start soon."

***********

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There are a lot of chores to deal with yesterday and today, so today's update time is a little bit late.

Once again, I miss that college time with plenty of time every day...

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