After locking himself in the room for a while, Imagawa Shigen's anger gradually dissipated, and he began to feel annoyed about his bad attitude just now. However, he couldn't bear to apologize now, so he paced around the room a little irritably, looking for something to pass the time. He glanced at the desk and several filing cabinets. They were all filled with various files and documents, and there was nothing new in them. In a wastebasket next to it, there were seven or eight broken writing brushes thrown away - does brother work so hard on weekdays? Is this the job that damn house superintendent has to take on...
Imagawaji Yuan felt annoyed just thinking about it.
He tried hard to search for some breath of life in the house, trying to find comfort for himself - his future career as a house supervisor should not be so boring, there should always be some entertainment - but he found nothing. So Imagawa Ujimoto started to rummage through the cabinets, determined to find something, and finally found a faded and worn-out Cuju ball in a corner of the closet - I have never heard that my brother likes to play Cuju ball? When he was playing Cuju when he was a child, his brother couldn't even kick Imagawa Ujimoto, who was many years younger than him.
Imagawa Ujimoto picked up the Cuju and found that although the Cuju was a little worn, it was not dirty. It seemed that someone had often taken it out and wiped it. For some reason, the more he looked at this Cuju, the more familiar it seemed. After thinking for a long time, he finally remembered - this was the Cuju he loved to play more than ten years ago when he was a child in Imagawa Hall.
Imagawajimoto was silent...
Brother, have you always kept it? And...will you take it out and look at it often?
Since you still miss me, why have you refused to visit me once or write me a letter all these years? Just to avoid suspicion? Are you afraid of causing trouble to me and my family?
Imagawa Ujimoto sighed and was about to put the Cuju back to its place, but found a small box where the Cuju was originally placed. Opening the small box, there was a thick diary inside. Imagawa Ujimoto opened the diary and looked through it seemingly casually. In fact, he still had some expectations in his heart. He expected that content related to him would appear in his brother's diary. However, this diary mainly recorded daily life. Turning to the last few pages, just when Kamikawa Shimoto was a little disappointed and wanted to put it down, he suddenly found a strange paragraph, that was one day two months ago:
·
As the sun was rising, I went to Shande Temple to visit my brother. My mother is going east to Fujinomiya. If she knew that my move would make her angry, it would be a sin to be unfilial. However, I missed my brother so much that I couldn't bear it anymore.
At seven o'clock in the morning, I saw my brother in the temple. Everything was fine. He was still innocent, free and easy. He seemed to have abandoned the Buddhist scriptures and still had not changed from his naughty attitude in childhood. Compared with last year, it seemed to be taller and thicker. I asked him to recite sutras for me and pray that disasters and diseases would stay away. Although my brother has not read the scriptures according to the scriptures, he still speaks them in detail. I am very relieved to see his talent. When asked about his recent diet, he still avoids meat and fish, and seems to be adhering to Buddhist precepts. But this is the time when we are harvesting seedlings. How can we satisfy our hunger by eating fruits and vegetables on an empty stomach? Master Xue Zhai has no scruples in speaking, why not teach this to my younger brother?
After reciting the sutra, my brother returned to the court and played Cuju with a group of young monks. He was so strong that even four or five people couldn't touch him when he was playing Cuju. He only allowed me to conceive him when he was a teenager. At just four years old, he is already proficient in this art, putting even Brother Yu to shame. After the play is over, he goes back to wash his hands, bathe, and put on his clothes. He hates the smell of sweat and the stains are still the same as when he was young, so he cleans himself at all times. I also smile when I see the cuteness.
Before leaving, my brother asked me where the market was, and I told him the location of the new town. I see my brother is overjoyed, he will definitely run away and travel in the future. Master Xue Zhai, don’t blame me, it’s hard to let go of the brother’s desire to protect his brother.
·
"This...this is..."
Imagawa Shimoto was stunned.
"That... that regular Zentokuji Temple patient with old ailments who told me about a newly opened town at the foot of the west mountain... is my elder brother?"
"But that benefactor comes often, once every two months...could it be..." Imagawajimoto muttered while quickly rummaging through Imagawajiteru's diary. Sure enough, basically every two months, you can see a diary of a visit to Zentokuji Temple to visit Imagawa Ujimoto.
Imagawa Shimoto felt a little confused.
The donor who claims to live in Imagawadate Castle Town and is in poor health... No wonder he always goes all the way to Zentokuji Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings; no wonder he doesn't let other more powerful monks chant sutras for him every time, even if I'm not around. I was specially asked to recite it; no wonder he came and went in a hurry every time, but he still had to chat with me for a few words; no wonder the old man would take more care of him every time and send him down the mountain personally...
Imagawa Shimoto felt that his eyes were a little moist.
The eldest brother has never forgotten him, always thinking about him, and always visiting him.
"Why do you want to hide your identity...Why don't you tell me..."
He quickly turned to the last page of the diary, wanting to see what Imagawa Ujiteru wrote in the last moments of his life, but found that the diary was only fixed on February 13, the fifth year of Tenmon (1536), when he set out for Odawara Castle as a guest. the day before.
·
Sigh, the world is in turmoil, the Eastern Kingdom is in chaos, and being in it is like walking on thin ice. A well-off family today can be separated from its wife and children tomorrow. A clan that is prosperous today may be in ruins in the coming year. The family dignity has passed away, and now all the heavy burdens of the Sichuan family are on my shoulders. To the west of Mikawa there is the Owari tiger, its eyes are eager; to the north of Suruga there is the fierce army of Kai, which is like a sword hanging in the heart; although the northern part of Kankan has been ruled by the Qin and Jin Dynasties for many years, it is ambitious and must be guarded against. The alliance is only for profit. If Imagawa is weak and useless, why should Hojo sit back and watch? Nowadays, the only thing I can do is visit frequently and make good friends with him.
The heavy burden is on our shoulders, and we can't accomplish it without working day and night. However, I have been suffering from illness for ten days and seven ailments. I cannot support myself even if I sit for a long time. I am also unbearable from fatigue. How can I protect the Imagawa family? Ushiki feels ashamed of his family strictness, his ancestors, and the entire Imagawa family. I pray day and night, hoping that my successor will be healthy, smart and capable. But I have no descendants, and so does Hikogoro, and his long-term illness is even worse than mine. If something unfortunate happens to us two, the responsibility of the family can only be entrusted to my brother Chengfang.
Although Chengfang is extremely talented, she has disliked government affairs since she was a child and has a free and uninhibited spirit. She puts her love first in flowers, birds, wind and moon, and can be regarded as a generation of literati and poets. What a good thing it would be if he were not born into the Wu family? I just lament that there is no one at home, and it is inevitable that a heavy burden will fall on him in the future. What a pity. I hope he will not be as weak and incompetent as Brother Yu, and will protect Imakawa on my behalf.
Please.
Please.
Chengfang, Brother Yu is so ashamed of you.
Unconsciously, he wrote hundreds of words expressing his difficulties. How can he look like a man from the Wu family? Disgraceful. However, I can't help myself, and I won't be happy if I don't spit it out. My brother Chengfang, I hope you are well and I will cherish you. When I return from Xiangzhou, I will go to Shande Temple and ask you to pray for Brother Yu.
·
Hot tears welled up in my eyes, and I tried my best to hold them back. The words of my late brother linger in my heart, but I am deeply saddened that I have no chance to see him again. What is even more sad is that when my brother was here, I never knew how much I missed him, and I never said a single word of thanks to him.
You want me to protect the Imagawa family on your behalf, big brother...
I……
Imagawa Shimoto couldn't bear to read any more, so he closed the diary and put it aside. However, he found several documents in the box. When I opened it, I saw that it was all a reply from Taiyuan Xuezai to Imagawa Ujiteru. The last letter was also answered in February this year. It was very brief and not too polite.
·
Kai Qi
Is Your Highness ever well? It is the fault of a poor monk that he neglects to greet me on weekdays. I hope Your Highness will forgive me. I am honored to receive a letter from His Highness today. However, please allow this poor monk to reject the things mentioned in the book. His Highness, the courtesy corporal, invited the poor monk several times to return to Imagawa Hall to serve as the family leader and to take charge of the military affairs of the family. However, the poor monk failed to appreciate the favor and shed tears of gratitude. He was really ashamed and deserved to die. First, the poor monk has little talent and little knowledge, so he may not be able to take up this position. Second, there are many crises in Jundong, and poor monks are still needed to guard Shande Temple.
Third, Chengfang is still young. Although he has great righteousness, he still does not understand the world's sophistication and the dangers of the world, which makes the poor monk uneasy. This poor monk's teachings are inappropriate. He only teaches him the bright and righteous way, and avoids the heretical ways. But Chengfang was pure and kind-hearted, extremely humble, and her wings were as sparkling as snow. She really couldn't bear to stain them with blood. The poor monk was self-willed, so he repeatedly protected him and lived in the temple, isolated from the filth of the world. She was afraid that after leaving him, Chengfang would be plotted and framed by others, so she didn't dare to leave him even an inch. The humble monk was so bold that he asked His Highness to take back his orders. The position of family steward can be entrusted to Master Lengquan. I hope that Your Highness will understand the wish of the poor monk and leave the poor monk to take care of Chengfang in Shande Temple.
Respectfully
Xuezhai
·
This time, Imagawa Shimoto couldn't bear it any longer, tears burst out from her eyes, her defenses quietly collapsed, and she burst into tears.
This old man...didn't he talk about his ambitions on weekdays, didn't he say that he wanted to return to the Imakawa family to hold an important position and show his ambitions? Why didn't his eldest brother go back when he invited him back to be the butler? Still refuse? What the letter said was to protect me... nonsense, who would believe it...
cut…
Imagawa Shiyuan opened the door and walked quickly to Taiyuan Xuezhai's room. It was late at night, but the lights were still on in the room, and the sound of pen and ink and Taiyuan Xuezhai's tired yawn could be heard faintly.
Stinky old man...
I don’t believe that nonsense of yours.
Imagawa Shigen quietly wiped away his tears, rubbed his eyes, then opened the door and walked in quickly, sitting down opposite the desk. Without looking at Taiyuan Xuezhai, he lowered his head, picked up the brush and documents, and began to correct in a muffled voice.
Taiyuan Xuezhai glanced at the tears in the corners of Imagawa Shimoto's eyes, and was about to ask, but Imagawa Shimoto himself interrupted first:
"Say it in advance, old man, I'm not here to help you out of fear that you'll be tired, nor am I changing my mind and wanting to be the governor of the family and protect the family or anything like that. This is just a deal." Imagawa Ujimoto said while holding back his tears. He awkwardly made an excuse, "After I finish processing these official documents, old man, you have to find a way to get me flower and bird pictures and a collection of Japanese songs."
"Haha, you are now the governor of the Imagawa family. If you want this thing, the people below who want to flatter you can get it for you with all their tricks. Do you still need to learn from me?" Taiyuan Xuezhai laughed and teased, Imagawa Shimoto's face instantly turned red with embarrassment.
"It's so noisy, old man, hurry up and approve it! After you finish the approval, go to bed! There's really nothing you can do... Damn it."
