novelraw Chapter 239 239
Chapter 239 239
This festival is held to drive away evil spirits.
The lord of Matsue City, the young Tadashi Horio, has a mild illness. Although it is not serious, it is unavoidably worrying.The people of Horio's tribe invited a famous doctor to visit them. In addition, they also specially held this ceremony to welcome the gods and drive away the darkness, and pray for the health of the city lord.
It was dark at night, but still lively.Tourists rolled iron rings, and blew out slender flames from torches; people wearing ghost masks shuttled under various lanterns.In addition to the Physalis lantern tied with willow bottle red thread, there is also a hexagonal lamp hanging between the branches, and a piece of paper is tied with a wire behind the lamp; This is the so-called "revolving lantern".
"This pattern...what is it painted?" Yuna looked up at the hexagonal lantern hanging on the branch, and asked in confusion.The figure that emerged from the surface of the lantern held a double-petaled flower in its hand, and its posture was funny.
Izumi Mori Kanesada came over, looked up, and said, "Oh... this is a children's game called 'throwing chrysanthemums'. Because many people's families are poor and cannot afford sandbags and toys for games, so Just pick the flowers in the field and use them as sandbags to count. The paintings on this lantern are all children's games!"
Sure enough, when the wind blew, the revolving lantern turned around, revealing shadows from other sides.Flying kites, gold and silver mountains, guessing who came, throwing chrysanthemums... are all popular children's games now.
Yuna nodded: "Mr. Jian knows a lot."
Hearing this, Izumi Shou showed a very sunny smile, unexpectedly looking a little childish.It was as if her compliment was some kind of rare treasure.
Yuna looked away from the lantern on the branch, and looked at the singing and dancing crowd on the street.A shrine is being carried slowly past the crowd by eight men.Behind the shrine is a line of musicians, painted in paint and wearing pine plums, playing drums and flutes, and dancing to the music with their feet wrapped in white leggings.
All this excitement is because the city lord, Tadashi Horio, contracted a disease.And she came here precisely to witness Lord Zhong's past with her own eyes.
"Mr. Jian..." She looked at the shrine and murmured, "Did you encounter any troubles during your practice? For example, after 'The First Lord is so pitiful, I can't help but want to stay with him'." Category……"
The ancestor of Izumi Mori Kanesada was Hijikata Toshizo, a Shinsengumi swordsman who was active at the end of the Tokugawa period.Because of the tide of the times, the shogunate, Shinsengumi, samurai, and swords all came to an end and withdrew from history, and Hijikata Toshizo also died in battle because he was hit by a bullet.
"Ah?" Izumi Shou looked sideways at her, and suddenly laughed, "This kind of thing...isn't possible."
"Isn't it?"
"Yes." Izumi nods his head, his eyes wandering, "When I was practicing, I witnessed Mr. Hijikata's death again. I didn't feel the sadness I imagined. Rather than saying it's 'illusory' or 'unreal', It's more like 'flat'. That's right... At the time, I just felt flat."
Yuna blinked slightly.She rubbed her chin and let out a soft voice of admiration: "It's really Mr. Kan who can't be shocked by the past. I don't seem to be able to do this yet. Thinking that Mr. Zhongshi will die soon , I feel a little uncomfortable."
He Quanshou touched his head and said: "After all, we
Is it to be loyal to the current lord?I am one of the most famous swords in the hands of the lord! "
indeed.
In terms of fame, Izumi Mori Kanesada is indeed a well-known sword.After all, the name of Hijikata Toshizo, the "Deputy Commander of the Demon" of the Shinsengumi is too resounding. As his saber, Izumi Mori Kanesada is also well-known in every household.I just don’t know that Hijikata Toshisan, with his vigorous and iron-blooded wrists, is the same as his favorite sword——like the big brother next door who loves to show off?
Yuna glanced at Izumi Mori next to him - he was staring at the masks sold by the small vendor, his eyes glowed, and his whole body seemed to be twinkling with stars.Someone like Izumi Mamoru is very suitable to stand on the brightly lit stage, blow a kiss to the screaming fans, and then start singing, dancing, and rap(...).
"Riguang, look at this!" Izumisho picked up the mask sold at the street vendor and compared it on his face, "Isn't it interesting? Do you like it? I can buy it for you!"
It was a prajna mask, with fangs sticking out, green horns standing up, cheeks painted pale, and mouth still tragically bright red; wearing such a mask on the face could scare the neighbor Toshiro to tears in minutes younger brother.
...Why did he think girls would like this kind of mask? !
Is this a real straight man? (Speaking by Xiaolong Jingguang)
"How is it? Do you like it?" Izumi Mamoru was still shaking the mask, as if he was sure that she would like it.
In reply, Yuna shook her head mercilessly.
"Ah..." Izumi Mamoru was a little disappointed.But soon, he put down this prajna mask, picked up another mask, and asked, "What about this one? How about it?"
This time it was a fox-like mask with red fringed tassels.Although the workmanship is rough, you can still see the appearance of a fox.So she nodded and said, "This mask is cute."
"Okay!" Izumi Shou Guang quickly bought the mask and handed it to her.
She took the mask, compared it tentatively to her face, only half of her face was exposed, and asked, "Mr. Jian...wouldn't it be strange for me to wear such a mask?"
Hearing this, Izumishou looked at her intently.Immediately, he was slightly taken aback. .
The woman is holding a mask, half-covering her face, looking at him with searching eyes.The shadow of the vermilion lamp fluttered over the mutsu paper gauze, illuminating her soft and fair cheeks.Her eyelashes are very long, dense and slender, like a newly made flower fan, casting a small shadow under the corner of her eyes.The fox mask covering half of the face has red tassels hanging down, slowly swaying under the eyelashes.
"Hmm..." Izumi Mori Kanesada hesitated for a moment, and turned his eyes away with some trepidation.
Yuna misunderstood his expression, put down the mask, and said, "It's weird. Ah... I don't suit you to wear a monster-type mask."
"No, no!" Izumi Mamoru shook his head quickly.While scratching his ears, he explained, "It's quite suitable, Sunshine, you can wear it. This...is a gift from me."
"Eh? Really?" She laughed and put the mask on.
There are many people wearing masks on the street, dancing around the torch near the shrine to the sound of the dragon flute.The dance steps are very simple, they just dance from side to side, but they have a strong sense of beauty.
The two were standing side by side on the street when five or six young
The girl rushed over, chattering and surrounded Izumi Mori Kanesada.This group of women in colorful Wufu wears the same fox mask as Yuna.Izumo is the country of gods, and the fox is also one of the famous gods in the mountains. This kind of fox mask is the most common in the streets and alleys.But at this moment, a group of fox masks surrounded him, it was inevitable that people could not tell the difference.
"Master Samurai! Where are you from?"
"Would you like to come to our house to rest? There are three sisters in my family, none of whom have ever married!"
"Master Samurai, you are really handsome!"
The sound of warblers and swallows, surrounding Izumi Shou Kanesada, fluctuated endlessly.
This group of girls came suddenly, and all of them were extremely enthusiastic, covering Izumi Shouli with three layers.Izumi Mamoru was a little at a loss, and didn't want to show an awkward posture, so he could only bite the bullet and laugh, pretending to answer the girls' questions skillfully.
"Ah... I, I'm a traveler from a faraway place! Oh, I don't intend to spend the night anywhere else... Don't hold out your hand... This is my purse, what are you doing! Let go of my purse!"
When Izumi was struggling in the pile of makeup, Yuna suddenly felt that her arm was being grabbed tightly.The next moment, three or four tall and strong men grabbed her throat and dragged her out.
Because Izumi Shou was surrounded by girls, this group of men easily succeeded. "Hurry up, run now!" One of the men dragged her while winking at his accomplice, "Aman may not be able to delay for too long, that man is carrying a knife, he is a samurai! It will be a disaster if he catches up!"
Yuna:?
Didn't this group of people notice that she was also carrying a knife?
She was a little dazed by being dragged, but she vaguely guessed that these men who were dragging her were in the same group as the group of girls who surrounded He Quanshou and flattered her just now.They are probably engaged in the business of abducting women - taking advantage of the excitement of the festival, kidnapping young girls and women, selling them to rich people as concubines, or sending them directly to brothels. This also often happened in the Warring States Period . .
But big brothers, you have to pick and choose who you kidnap, okay?
What's wrong with attacking a woman with a knife? Are you looking down on her? !Do you know what it means to have a charming eye in a colorful world, and you can't compare your face if you don't have the strength?Do you know what it means that the east is not bright and the west is bright, what about your father and me?
She was dragged staggeringly, and the men's rampant voices could still be heard in her ears.
"This girl is so beautiful! I've never seen someone with such white skin. Could it be a monster?"
"How much can she sell for? Can she sell for ten gold? Such a beautiful woman is rare!"
"I don't think so! Has she ever been married? That samurai is her man, and he might have had children. Six gold pieces!"
"Six golds are too much of a loss! How about selling eight golds to the old man in the oil house? They are very generous, and they will definitely be willing to buy it."
As Yuna listened, two small question marks gradually appeared above her head.
What, is she only worth eight gold coins?And the eight gold coins might not be sold?Please, when a samurai of this era goes out to practice, from Mino to Kyoto, the travel expenses will cost five gold pieces!
"Is your... pricing... a bit too arbitrary?" She couldn't help asking.
"Huh?" The men were stunned for a moment, and when they heard her voice, they were a little surprised that she dared to
Talk instead of curling up shivering. "Eight pieces of gold, that's reasonable! Why is it so random?" The man laughed and said, "If you were younger, only thirteen or fourteen, you would be able to sell for more than ten pieces!"
Yuna: ...
Do you understand the benefits of big sisters! !You scum!
She couldn't help but clenched her fists tightly, and punched the man who was dragging her violently—only a muffled sound of "boom", and this muscular, brute-force man flew high into the air. He got up, and then fell hard to the ground, smashing a huge hole in the muddy ground.
The smoke and dust scattered, and all the traffickers were stunned.
"Big... big brother?!"
"What's going on, who did it?! This woman beat her?"
"You are crazy! How can a woman have such great strength!"
The man called "Big Brother" had already fainted and passed out, and the rest of the younger brothers were in a mess, vigilant left and right like headless chickens, looking for possible enemies.
Yuna standing quietly in the corner: Heh.
——Everyone has a glorious moment, don't take a moment for eternity!The feasting and feasting are intoxicating, the eldest brother will take you to mix with the society!
"Who! Who did it! How dare you attack the elder brother!" The younger brothers were still looking around, completely unaware that it might be the seemingly weak woman in the corner who made the move.
At this moment, Izumi Mori Kanesada's cold snort was heard from the roof beside him: "It's really yours! How dare you attack my people."
The music of the festival came from a distance, and Izumi Mori Kanesada fell softly from the roof.The feathered cloak was blown into the shape of the night wind, and the white forehead was also blown by the wind.
Probably because his image was so dashing and handsome that the little traffickers shrank a little when they saw him.
"Why did you catch up so quickly..."
"What is Aman doing! Why can't you hold off even a man?"
"How about we run away? This man has a knife!"
The younger brothers took a step back and began to whisper timidly.It can be seen that the leading brother is gone, they have no backbone, and they don't have the courage to tie up women anymore.
"It's a shame to use a woman to delay my steps." Izumi Shou said with a smile.Immediately, he dropped his hand on the saber and pushed the knife out of its sheath with his thumb.
The knife only showed a little bit of light, and the younger brothers of the traffickers were frightened, and immediately began to beg for mercy: "Master Samurai! Please forgive us! We don't know this woman... this lady is your inner room! Please also Put away the knife!"
"Huh?" Izumi Mori Kanesada was taken aback for a moment.He looked at Yuna, and then at the kowtow-kneeling young man, and suddenly a pretty good feeling surged in his heart.
——Have you taken Sunshine Changguang as his wife?Sounds pretty good too.
"That's right!" Izumi Shou strode up to Yuna's side, and said as a matter of course, "This is my woman, you dare to touch her? It's too courageous."
"We knew we were wrong—" the poor little brothers begged for mercy, wiping their noses and tears.
"Go away?" Izumishou folded his arms and looked at the group of scum with contempt.If it weren't for not being able to change history, he would definitely beat this group of people until they couldn't get back to their old jobs.
"Yes, yes, yes!" The next moment, the group of gangsters quickly ran away
, Even ignored the elder brother who was still fainting on the ground, and let the poor elder brother foam at the mouth and faint in the mud pit.
Izumi Mori glanced at the fainted man on the ground and asked, "Nikko, did you do this?"
Yuna smiled softly: "The shot was a little heavier... sorry."
Izumi shivered and said, "It seems that I saved the lives of those people just now."
Yuna smiled softly.She asked Izumi Mori: "Mr. Kane, I have a question. How many gold coins do you think I can sell?"
"Huh?" Izumi Mori didn't expect her to ask such a weird question.But he is an honest man, so he began to conceive of the answer seriously-well, he was not an active saber during the Muromachi Warring States Period, and he didn't understand the prices in Izumo Kingdom today.After scratching his head and thinking hard, he tentatively said, "A gold coin?"
Yuna: ...
Depend on! !Why is it getting cheaper and cheaper! !
/ / /
After the two walked out from the corner of the alley, Izumi Shou said to her: "Write a letter to the master first? Tell the master that you have arrived in Songjiang."
"Ah... yes." She also remembered this matter.The tradition of Fusangshen's practice is to write a letter to Honmaru on the way.Pen, ink and letter paper were also placed in her package, just to make it easier for her to write letters back.
So, the two found two boxes on the side of the street and sat down casually.She spread out the letter paper and began to think: "What should I write...?"
"Anything is fine. For example, what do you think of Songjiang, is it different from what you remember, or you miss the master very much." Izumi Shou gestured and said, "I just wrote it casually, just ask if everyone is okay. Well, are you mad at me for not writing for so long or something?"
Yuna held the pen holder and began to think.
/ / /
Lord,
Thanks to the great love, I have set off to practice.
Tonight I arrived at Matsue in the Izumo Kingdom. This is the fiefdom of the former Lord Horio Clan, and it is also the place where the Horio Tadashiden passed away.As in memory, Songjiang is bustling and bustling, with beautiful festivals.However, the Hall of Zhongshi contracted a disease, and I am afraid that he will pass away soon.
I have always been a little concerned about the death of the First Lord.Not being able to "do my best" is something I've always been guilty of.I wonder if this practice can make me let go of this trouble?
I wonder if everything is safe there?
Please take care of yourself, my lord.I will still go to the letter.
sun long light
/ / /
After the letter was folded, it was handed over to Foxnosuke who came to ask for an inquiry. They would be responsible for bringing the letter of practicing swords back to Honmaru and delivering it to the lord.
After Foxunosuke left, Yuna looked up at the castle tower above Matsue Castle.The owner of the castle, Horio Tadashi-sama, lived in the black and white high pavilion decorated with gold and green.
"Sure enough, I still want to go to the castle tower..." Yuna raised her head and said, "If I don't see Mr. Zhongshi, I feel that something is missing."
Izumi folded his arms and said: "I can understand. I also sneaked into the Shinsengumi with the idea of 'see you again, Mr. Hijikata'. However, you are a woman, and it is very difficult for you to enter the castle tower justifiably. Is it difficult? After all, there are very few female warriors in this era."
Yuna was silent for a moment, then said: "Then I will directly turn over
Go in through the wall, just take a casual look at the window. "
Izumi Mori: "... is also a solution."
When he was practicing, he mixed into the ranks of the newly selected team by virtue of his identity as a man.But Nikko Nagako can't say that he is also a samurai of the Horio family!
So, after a while——
The sneaky shadows of the two appeared on the roof, running towards the castle tower one after the other.The hustle and bustle in Songjiang City gradually faded away, and the two quietly landed in front of the city gate of Your Excellency Tianshou.
"This castle tower is so big." Izumi Shou looked up at the five-storey loft, and said, "Besides the castle tower, there are many other buildings... Where did your former master live?"
Indeed, Matsue Castle is rich, so the corresponding buildings such as Ninomaru and Nishimaru were built outside the castle tower.Yuna lowered her head, thought about it carefully, and said: "He should live in the castle tower. The top three floors are the former master's residence... because you can see the whole city from there, and you can also see the guards nearby. Wolf Smoke has the best view.”
While the two were talking, a shout came from the side: "Who's there! This is the residence of the city lord, don't approach without authorization!"
Yuna froze for a moment, then turned her head away, only to see that there were several warriors guarding the gate of the Tianshou Pavilion.Perhaps it was because the city lord was ill, these warriors were extra vigilant at the moment, just the slightest approach, they drew out their knives and pointed at the two of them, as if they were about to fight.
"Uh——wait, if you have something to say..." Izumi Mori Kanesada waved his hand and quickly explained, "We don't mean anything malicious, so we don't need to be so tense..."
"Suspicious!" The samurai guarding the castle tower became more and more suspicious, "There is a ceremony in the city, but you took the opportunity to come to the residence of the city lord, what are your intentions?!"
Izumi Mori Kanesada scratched his head, glanced at Yuna, and said, "I just want to find a quiet place to get close to my woman, and I came here after walking all the way."
"...?"
After hearing this answer, the warriors were dumbfounded for a moment.
Getting close to a woman...?
So all the way here?
They couldn't help turning their eyes to Yuna.
At a glance, the warriors were all stunned.Not for anything else, just because this girl is really outstanding, more beautiful than any girl they have ever seen.
——This is really a real woman, not only has a beautiful face, but also a good figure.
No assassin would bring a woman to the castle tower. I'm afraid this man really came to find a place where no one was around to make out with his own woman.
"The beauty is not shallow..." The samurai slowly put away their knives, a little resentful in their mouths, "Why did they fall in love with you? You can't even afford a house, and you still want to go outside to make love!"
Izumi Shou touched his head and laughed: "Oh, this is a kind of fun!"
"Let's go!" The warriors curled their lips and said angrily, "It's great to have a woman? When you are down, women will be the first to run away!"
"That's hard to say! After all, I'm strong, handsome, and gorgeous." Izumi Shou smiled brilliantly.He turned around, put his arms around Yuna beside him, and asked, "Right? When I run out of money, will you leave me and run away?"
Yuna: ...
meeting!
◎The author has something to say:
Don't guess uu's mind