I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

Chapter five hundred and eightieth about the sudden change in the painting style of this chapter [se

The names of all the doctors and apprentices that Ogata has been looking for that can remove the "immortality poison" are very similar, and many people may remember them confusingly, so for the convenience of everyone's memory, I will list the names of the three masters and apprentices of Xuanzheng.

Xuanzheng: Master.

Xuanzhi: Xuanzheng's big disciple. Xuanren's senior brother.

Xuanren: Xuanzheng's young disciple. I don't know anything about "immortality", and I have been practicing medicine in Kyoto before, but I accidentally offended a high-ranking official and was imprisoned. Fortunately, I was rescued by Ogata and Huluya (the plot of the fifth volume of Kyoto) , Xuanren is now settled in the base of Gourd House in Owari.

*****

"Is that person the weird Heyi?" Ogata raised his head and cast a surprised look at the "beggar" not far away.

Ogata didn't know if this guy's behavior was weird or not. But now he has a deep understanding of how strange this person's appearance is.

The "beggar" is now standing still, moving his eyes suspiciously and scanning the surroundings, as if he is looking for something.

"He seems to be alone..." Lin Ziping showed a thoughtful look, "...I'll go and negotiate with him. Mr. Ogata, if there is any accident, for example, he suddenly rushes over to bite me or something , Come and rescue me in time."

After all, Lin Ziping turned over the slope where he was hiding.

"Pira Chiyo! Long time no see!"

"Huh? Mr. Lin?" "Beggar" showed surprise, "Why are you here? It's been a long time!"

"I was just picking herbs nearby. When I heard footsteps here, I walked over to have a look, but found that there was no one here. I was wondering just now, wondering if I heard it wrong."

Ogata and A-Machi, who were still hiding under the slope, listened carefully to Lin Ziping's conversation with this "beggar".

A-Machi looked at Ogata and asked: What should we do now?

Ogata, who understood the meaning of A-Machi's eyes, pondered for a moment, then whispered:

"Let's go out too."

Ogata and Machi left the slope where they were hiding.

Looking at the two Ogata who suddenly appeared, the "beggar" with surprise in his eyes asked Lin Ziping:

"Mr. Lin, who are these two?"

"These two are my companions. My fellow travelers and research companions in Ezo."

"Oh! That's how it is." The "beggar" stood up straight and bowed to Ogata and the two, "It's the first time we meet. My name is Hirachiyo. I'm the village doctor of a nearby village called 'Kantou'. "

"We met for the first time." Ogata returned the salute, "I'm Mashima Goro."

"My name is Mashima-cho." Ah-cho can now switch back and forth between the two identities of "Ogata-cho" and "Mashima-cho" quite skillfully.

After introducing themselves with Ogata and his wife, the "beggar"... or Hira Chiyo, turned his suspicious eyes back to Lin Ziping again.

"Mr. Lin. Although I am very happy to see you again, why are you here?"

"I'm here for academic research." Lin Ziping is also a person who can tell lies without blushing or panting. "I visited this place before to study the topography and landforms of this place."

"But the last research was not thorough enough, so I want to do it again and conduct a more careful research."

"I see." Hirachiyo nodded, "Then how is your current research going?"

"Uh... no progress." Lin Ziping laughed a few times, "After all, I just arrived here today, and I haven't officially started the research work yet."

Hirachiyo looked up at the sky: "It's getting dark now...Mr. Lin, Mr. Mashima, Miss Mashima, have you found a place to stay overnight?"

"Not yet." Lin Ziping replied.

"Not yet... Then, if you don't mind, would you like to come to my house to stay temporarily? Mr. Lin should know that Kanto Village where I live is located nearby, and my herbs are almost collected, you guys If you want to come to my house to live temporarily, I can take you to my house right now."

"Huh?" Lin Ziping's expression was very weird from just now, but now after hearing what Ping Chiyo said just now, the weirdness on his face has become so intense that it cannot be added.

Not only Lin Ziping, but Ogata and Ah Ding also have complicated expressions now.

"Pira Chiyo, wait a moment. I'll discuss it with my companions."

"Okay. Discuss slowly." Ping Chiyo responded in a hearty tone.

Lin Ziping quickly returned to Ogata and the others, formed a small circle with Ogata and Ah Ding, and asked in a low voice:

"What should I do now? Are you going to follow Hirachiyo to his house?"

"Mr. Lin, this Hirachiyo is really weird..." A-Machi carefully glanced at Hirachiyo not far away, and whispered in a volume that only the three of them could hear clearly, "Didn't you say you Was it because he angered him for some reason last time and was kicked out of the village by him? Why did he greet you so enthusiastically this time to come and live at his house again?"

"I don't know either..." Lin Ziping was also full of doubts now, "If it wasn't because he could call my name accurately, I would have wondered if he had admitted the wrong person..."

"It seems that Hirachiyo is really weird..." Ogata muttered, "...Let's go to his house first."

Lin Ziping nodded: "Then let's do this."

After finishing the discussion, Lin Ziping turned his gaze back to Ping Chiyo: "Ping Chiyo, then I will bother you all night."

"Hahaha." Hirachiyo smiled, "If you like it, it doesn't matter if you stay with me for a few more nights."

"I'm usually the only one at home. Although I'm used to living alone, I still feel a little lonely occasionally. So I still welcome a few more residents to make the house more lively."

"Come, please come with me. The village where I live is not far away."

Hirachiyo led the way ahead, and the three of Ogata followed closely behind him.

Looking at Hirachiyo who was walking in front of him, Ogata's eyes couldn't hide his confusion.

Before meeting Hirachiyo, Ogata had doubts—could this weird Japanese doctor be one of Xuanzheng or Xuanzhen?

Just now, when Hirachiyo was talking to them, Ogata had been trying to check and identify Hirachiyo's facial features—however, his face was so dirty that he couldn't see the facial features clearly, so he couldn't Compare Ping Chiyo's face with the appearance of his master Xuanzheng and his senior brother Xuanzhen that Xuanren told them before.

Regardless of the weird thing that "Pira Chiyo seems to have forgotten the previous festival with Lin Ziping", what Pira Chiyo presents to Ogata and others now is a "very warm-hearted sunny man".

Just when Ogata was thinking about whether there was any way to see Hirachiyo's face clearly, Hirachiyo suddenly turned his head and shouted to the three Ogata who were following him:

"Here we are! Ahead is the village where I live—Canto!"

Ogata moved his eyes and looked forward, only to see several smoke billows rising in front of him, and under the smoke was a small settlement of a small scale. This settlement was surrounded by forests, giving it the atmosphere of a paradise.

It is impossible for them and their group not to attract the attention of the villagers.

As soon as Hirachiyo led the three Ogatas into the Kanto village, many villagers immediately surrounded them.

The villagers looked at Ogata and Atachi, and the emotions contained in them were only ordinary doubts and curiosity.

And the emotions they cast in Lin Ziping's eyes were much more complicated.

It seems that the villagers still remember the old man who was driven out of the village by them before.

The villagers looked at Lin Ziping and then at Chiyo Hira with strange eyes.

Facing the strange eyes cast by the villagers, Lin Ziping tried to hide the embarrassment on his face.

Hirachiyo, on the other hand, turned a blind eye to the gazes cast by the villagers.

Not only did Hirachiyo not seem to notice the strange look in the eyes of the villagers, but he also announced loudly to everyone with a smile on his face that he would invite Ogata and others to stay at his house temporarily tonight.

"Everyone! Do you all remember this one? This is Mr. Lin who came to our village before! The man and woman next to him are his companions!"

"They want to study the topography and landform of this place carefully again, but they haven't found a place to live yet, so I want to invite them to come to my house for a temporary stay!"

After hearing Hirachiyo's shout, the expressions of the villagers became more complicated and strange.

However, what was even weirder was that no one came forward and said to Ping Chiyo, "Did you have a fever, have you forgotten what happened between you and Lin Ziping before?" or something like that.

Everyone just stood aside silently, and looked at Ogata and his party silently with complex emotions.

At this time, a little boy suddenly ran towards Hirachiyo.

"Pira Chiyo! My mother's cough is gone! (Ainu language)"

"That's it, that's really great." Hirachiyo showed a gentle smile, "Remember to ask your mother to keep warm during this time, if you don't pay attention to keep warm, the cough may recur. (Ainu language)"

"Well! Good! Hirachiyo, can you come and see my mother later? My mother said she wanted to thank you in person!"

"Okay, if I have time, I will go and see your mother."

"Pira Chiyo."

As soon as Hirachiyo finished talking with the child, an old man on crutches staggered towards Hirachiyo, and Hirachiyo went on to say:

"My son has been feeling very uncomfortable in his stomach since noon yesterday. He neither wants to poop nor vomit. Can you please come and see my son later? (Ainu language)"

"Okay, no problem." Hirachiyo replied without thinking, "I'll go and see your son later. (Ainu)"

When Hirachiyo was talking with these villagers, Lin Ziping conscientiously translated their conversations for Ogata and Atachi beside him.

After the old man who came to ask Hirachiyo to look at his son's stomach left, Ogata said to Hirachiyo:

"Pira Chiyo, you seem to be very popular in this village. I think the villagers seem to trust you."

Through the dialogue between Hirachiyo and the old man and the child just now, it is not difficult to see that the villagers here trust Hirachiyo... at least they trust Hirachiyo's medical skills very much.

"I'm a doctor after all." Hirachiyo turned to look at Ogata behind him.

Although Hirachiyo couldn't see his current expression clearly because of his dirty face, Ogata could barely see—he seemed to be showing a shy smile now.

"As a doctor, you should save lives and heal the wounded."

"I've always been proud of myself as a doctor."

"Although it seems a bit boastful to say this, I will go all out for every patient, even those who are infected with common cold, and never slack off."

"I am also fortunate to be respected by the villagers because of my conscientious attitude. Ah, here we are, that is my home."

Ogata looked in the direction Hirachiyo's finger was pointing at—a rather large Ainu-style house.

After following Hirachiyo into the house, the layout style of the house is also the layout style of a classic Ainu house.

But there is only one very strange place-the northeast corner of the house is divided into a room with wooden boards.

The size of this room, if converted into modern Earth units, is about 7 square meters according to Ogata’s visual inspection—in the terms of this era, this is just a room that can barely accommodate more than 4 sheets. A small room with tatami mats.

This room is equipped with a simple wooden sliding door, and only this sliding door connects this room with the living room.

The wooden boards separating the room from the hall tightly wrap the room, so standing in the hall, you can't see anything in the room at all.

Even without Lin Ziping to introduce to Ogata, Ogata can tell at a glance that this room is probably the weird room that caused Lin Ziping to be kicked out of the village.

The last time Lin Ziping came to Kanto Village, he was received very warmly by Hirachiyo just like today.

But after Lin Ziping asked Ping Chiyo what the room was for, Ping Chiyo's face suddenly changed, from enthusiastic sunshine to hysterical, and drove Lin Ziping out of the house.

Immediately after Lin Ziping was kicked out of his home, he was kicked out by the villagers of Kanto Village.

"Come on! Sit down as you please!" Ping Chiyo put down the wooden basket containing herbs that he had been carrying all along, "I'm going to prepare dinner now! Do you have any taboos?"

"Ping Chiyo!" Lin Ziping suddenly shouted, "Today's dinner, let me make it."

"Huh? Are you going to make today's dinner?" Hirachiyo looked curious.

"Well. Because we are going to bother you all night." Lin Ziping smiled, "If I don't do something for you, I always feel a little bit uneasy. Let me make dinner today! You sit and wait It's good to have dinner!"

"This...isn't that good?" Hirachiyo scratched his hair, "If I'm sitting and waiting for dinner, I always feel that I can't thank the landlord..."

"Don't worry so much!" Lin Ziping then said loudly, "Just take it as our repayment for your stay."

Ogata glanced at Lin Ziping—after Lin Ziping said that he would cook tonight's dinner, Ogata knew what Lin Ziping was planning to do: he simply didn't want to touch the meals made by Hirachiyo.

Since Lin Ziping and Ping Chiyo reunited, Ping Chiyo's various behaviors towards Lin Ziping can be called weird.

Not to mention Lin Ziping, even Ogata is not willing to touch the meal made by Hirachiyo, who feels that there is something wrong with his brain.

Lin Ziping and Hirachiyo had been arguing for a long time, and Hirachiyo finally nodded:

"Okay then, let me, the landlord, be rude, and wait for dinner!"

...

During the daytime today, it was still a sunny day with a cloudless sky.

But in the evening, there were suddenly a lot of dark clouds.

After the night fell completely, the dark clouds had completely occupied the sky, blocking out the moonlight.

Lin Ziping's dinner tonight is just a very common broth known for its dried meat.

The ingredients and utensils used were all brought by Ogata and the others.

Lin Ziping's craftsmanship is not exquisite, it is not bad to say that it is unpalatable, and it is not so delicious if it is said to be delicious.

To put it bluntly - his craftsmanship is such that after a few days, he will forget the taste of the food he made.

During the meal, Ogata and others kept chatting with Heping Chiyo.

Hirachiyo is a very talkative person, thanks to his talkativeness, this dinner was spent talking and laughing.

During the meal, A-Machi frequently asked Ogata with his eyes: When shall we talk about business with Hirachiyo?

And Ogata, after receiving A-Machi's questioning eyes, continued to give the same answer with his eyes: no rush, we'll talk about it later.

Ogata just waited silently, waiting.

Wait until dinner is over.

After briefly washing the pots and utensils with A-Machi, Ogata cleared his throat, and then said to Hira Chiyo:

"Hirachiyo, in fact—we came to Ezo, apart from conducting academic research, we also have another purpose, which is to find two Kazutos."

"Two Kazutos?" Hirachiyo Asaogata cast a puzzled look.

"Yeah." Ogata nodded, "These two Kazuto are doctors, a pair of master and apprentice. The master's name is Xuanzheng, and the disciple's name is Xuanzhi."

When saying the words just now, Ogata and A-Machi looked into Hirachiyo's eyes, trying to find even a little strangeness in the eyes of Hirachiyo who heard Ogata's words.

Although Hirachiyo's face is so dirty that people can't see his facial features and expressions clearly, but the eyes, which are the windows to the soul, will not be hidden by dirt.

However—the Ogata couple stared at Hirachiyo's eyes together, and did not see any strange emotions in Hirachiyo's eyes.

Ogata was neither in a hurry nor annoyed, and went on to say:

"The age gap between their master and apprentice is quite large..."

Ogata listed the appearance characteristics of Xuanzheng and Xuanzhi that he had heard from Xuanren before.

After talking about the appearance characteristics of these two people, Ogata asked:

"Pira Chiyo, have you ever seen these two people or Kazuto who looks similar to these two people?"

"Xuanzheng, Xuanzhi..." Hirachiyo muttered, "No, I haven't seen it before."

Ogata carefully checked Hirachiyo's eyes - still didn't find any strange color.

At this time, Ping Chiyo asked back:

"Mr. Mashima, what are you doing with these two?"

"There is no complicated reason, I just want to invite those two people to see a doctor." Ogata smiled and said, "Those two doctors are well-known doctors in Beijing."

"After I got a very rare disease, a friend recommended these two doctors to me."

"After hearing that these two doctors were in Ezodi, they came all the way to find them."

"A very rare disease?" Ping Chiyo said, "If you don't mind, I can help you take a look. Although I dare not say how superb my medical skills are, I can treat some diseases that ordinary doctors can't treat. rule."

"No need." Ogata shook his head without thinking, "There should be no other doctor who knows how to treat my disease except for the master and apprentice. So I appreciate your kindness."

"That's it..." Ping Chiyo didn't stalk, seeing that Ogata declined his kindness, he didn't say much more on this topic.

"Since you haven't seen these two people, Hirachiyo, it means that those two people haven't passed by here." Ogata sighed lightly, "It seems that I have to look for it in another place..."

"Sorry." Hirachiyo said, "I couldn't help you."

"It's okay." Ogata shook his head, "We've long been used to this feeling of 'fleeing'."

"Ha~~~" At this moment, an untimely yawn sounded.

The one who yawned was Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping is already a 53-year-old man. Although he is in good health, he is far inferior to young people.

Today, I spent a lot of time running around in the mountains during the day, which consumed a lot of physical strength. When night fell and I was full of food and drink, sleepiness poured out of my body uncontrollably.

"Haha." Hirachiyo smiled, "It seems that Mr. Lin seems to be tired."

"There is a room next to it, and that room is my clinic. I usually receive patients in the village and do herbal medicine grinding and other work there."

"You can sleep in my clinic tonight. Although it is a little small, it should be more than enough to accommodate three people to sleep."

"Yes." Ogata nodded vigorously, "Thank you for your help."

"It's okay." Ping Chiyo waved his hand, "It's just a trivial matter."

...

After about an hour—

Although Kanto Village is a slightly isolated mountain village, their work and rest are no different from other Ainu people - after dinner, they all fell asleep.

After Ogata and the others had dinner, under the guidance of Hirachiyo, they entered the clinic near Hirachiyo's home, preparing to spend the long night in the clinic.

At this moment, the dark clouds in the sky have dispersed a little, and the moon appears and disappears above the thick clouds.

The moonlight is as hazy as light smoke, and the moonlight like light smoke flows quietly in the village of Kanto.

In Hirachiyo's house, all the lights for lighting have been extinguished.

Hirachiyo was lying in a corner of the house, and the quilt made of bear skin covering him rose and fell rhythmically.

He was sleeping soundly now - as it should have been.

Hirachiyo, who was supposed to be sleeping soundly, suddenly opened his eyes, then lifted the bearskin quilt covering his body, and stood up.

He looked around nervously first, and after confirming that there was no one else around, he tiptoed towards the room that was tightly surrounded by wooden boards in the northeast corner of the hall.

After gently opening the simple sliding door, Hirachiyo stepped into the room.

Then--

"Xuanzhi."

Ping Chiyo said slowly.

"A strange young warrior came today, and he threatened that he was looking for you and your master."

Ping Chiyo explained everything that happened today in a concise manner.

"Although I don't know what disease the young warrior wants you and your master to treat, I think you should avoid it for a while."

"...I really want to see what kind of disease the young warrior wants my master and I to treat."

"Xuanzhi, you should ignore that young samurai." Hirachiyo said sternly, "Who knows if they really came to see you and your master? You should obey me obediently and hide for now. "

"...Do you want me to hide first...Then where should I hide?"

"Hide in the nearby mountains first." Hirachiyo replied without thinking, "I will bring you back after the young warrior and his people have left."

"...While I'm hiding, are you going to deal with that young warrior?"

"Yeah. That's exactly what I mean." Hirachiyo grinned, "I'm quite confident in my acting skills. I'll always pretend to be stupid, pretending I don't know who Xuanzheng and Xuanzhen are, so you... ..."

When Hirachiyo said this, he couldn't say the rest of the words.

Because - a male voice from behind him interrupted his words.

"...Hey...what are you...doing?"

Ping Chiyo's pupils shrank suddenly, then quickly turned around and looked behind him.

Behind him stood Ogata and A-Machi who were supposed to be sleeping in his clinic.

Ogata and A-Machi, who were standing side by side, were looking at him with wide-eyed eyes in shock.

And in the eyes of their husband and wife, there is still a hint of...fear.

Looking at the two Ogatas who appeared behind him at some point, Hirachiyo was stunned for a moment, and then showed a ferocious face, like a hen protecting her own cubs, she opened her arms and blocked the two Ogatas and the room behind him between.

"Xuanzhen! Hurry up! I'll delay you!"

"...Okay, okay!"

Neither Ogata nor O-Machi moved.

They all just silently continued to look at Ping Chiyo with a look of shock and a little fear.

"I say……"

Ogata raised his left hand subconsciously, and put it on the big Shitian on his left waist.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What is Xuanzhi, what is 'Hurry up'?"

"Aren't you the only one in this room...from the beginning to the end?"

"...Huh?" Ping Qian said that he was in a state of stagnation.

He twisted his stiff neck and looked behind him.

There was no one behind him.