The first year of Wanyan (1860), August 29th——
Edo, Xiao Town——
The weather today is very sunny...or maybe too sunny.
The sky was clear and clear early in the morning.
The puddle of blue in the sky is as clear as if it had just been washed by rain. It reaches to the other side, and even the distant sky can be seen clearly.
It is obviously the end of August, which is approaching September, but there is no sign that summer is far away.
The midsummer sun is blazing and scorching.
Edo Castle was shrouded in a sticky heat wave, and the scenery as far as the eye could see was filtered by the heat wave, and the whole world melted into a viscous liquid state.
The trees planted on both sides of the street and the potted plants in the courtyards of private houses rustled under the hot wind, and countless summer cicadas on the trees chirped tirelessly.
The sound turned into a sound wave that was loud enough to surround Aoto who was walking straight along a certain street in Shou Town with an overwhelming sense of presence.
The street, covered with a lot of dust unique to dirt roads, but quite orderly, continues along the rows of shops on both sides.
The time now is around 7 o'clock in the morning.
Although it was still early, many shops were already open.
"Master Samurai! Autumn is coming! Our store has a new batch of autumn clothes! Do you want to come and take a look?"
From time to time, some very enthusiastic shopkeepers would ask Qingdeng to take care of their business, but they were all declined by Qingdeng, who was busy... to be more precise, he was on a mission.
After passing this commercial street and walking down a set of stone steps with mottled wooden railings, the buildings on both sides of the street began to change.
It has become no longer just shops, it has become old and sparse.
There are many more alleys of different lengths. The intersecting lanes make this neighborhood look like a maze.
In this extremely hot weather, even if you do nothing, you will sweat like rain just by doing it.
Qingdeng stopped and took out the pocket paper he always carried with him, which could be used to wipe sweat in normal times and wipe swords during battles. He wiped the sweat off his face with the pocket paper and raised his head. He looked around at the street scene.
"This should be the 6th-chome of Xiao Town..."
At this time, Qingdeng saw an old man walking towards him, walking towards him.
"Old man!"
Qingdeng called to the old man.
The old man who was suddenly stopped by the famous warrior was so startled that his body shook a few times, and then he quickly looked up.
"Sir Samurai, what can I do?"
"Old man, is this the fourth chome of Xiao Town?"
"Ah, yes, yes."
"Then do you know where Tsukinomiya Shrine is? There should be a shrine named 'Tsukinomiya' nearby."
"Tsukinomiya Shrine?"
The old man tilted his head and frowned slightly, showing an expression of confusion and contemplation.
Seeing that the old man was silent, Qingdeng couldn't help but ask aloud:
"Old man, don't you live here?"
"No, I am a resident of Xiao Town. Wait a minute, Tsukigong Shrine...I seem to have some impression. There seems to be a new shrine opened nearby..."
The old man turned sideways and pointed behind him.
"Samurai-sama, you go along this street to the end. When you hit the first intersection, turn right. Then go straight. When you go to the end, you can see a set of stone steps. After walking down the stone steps, turn left. Go straight along the path on the left and you will see a newly opened shrine. As for whether that shrine is the Tsukinomiya Shrine you are looking for, I am not sure."
"That's it...I understand, thank you for your guidance."
After Qingdeng bowed to the old man to thank him and said goodbye, he walked straight along the road pointed by the old man.
After a while, Qingdeng discovered that the further he walked, the more desolate the surrounding street scene became.
At the beginning, there were some private houses on both sides of the street.
Gradually, there are fewer and fewer houses... and the smoke and fire atmosphere also becomes duller.
Xiao Town is located in a remote area near the outskirts of Edo.
Ayoto felt sincerely: He was heading to a remote area of Edo...
Finally——Qingto found the newly opened shrine that the old man just mentioned.
"Is this right here...Is this Tsukinomiya Shrine...?"
Qingden looked up at the huge red torii gate in front of him with a rope hanging on it... A complex emotion, mainly confusion, gradually climbed up his cheeks.
"So..." Qingden took a deep breath, and then sighed heavily, "Why on earth are you asking me to find a miko...?"
…
…
Turn back time to yesterday——
Edo, Edo Castle, Black Academy——
"Moon Palace Shrine? Yu Du Miko?"
Aomori's eyes widened even more, and he repeated in astonishment the two words that Tokugawa Iemo had just said that made him very concerned.
"Yes."
Tokugawa Iemo nodded.
"Due to various reasons, I can't tell you too much details right now... When you arrive at Yuegong Shrine tomorrow and meet the Yu Du Miko, you will know the details and reasons for this mission."
"The only thing I can reveal to you at the moment... is that this task was personally assigned by me, Tokugawa Iemo. It is very important."
When he said the words "very important", Tokugawa Iemo specifically emphasized his tone, the solemn look on his face gradually became thicker, and the lines on his face became much colder.
"Please don't neglect or slack off."
After finishing speaking, Tokugawa Iemo pursed his lips and remained silent, saying no more, leaving Aonto time for digestion.
I have to say that Tokugawa Iemo's move to leave enough time for Aototo to digest was indeed very considerate.
As soon as Tokugawa Iemokata appeared, he said straight to the point that he had an extremely important task for you...
The so-called "extremely important task" is to go to a shrine that I have never heard of and find a witch named "Yutu"...
Why are you looking for this witch? have no idea……
Why could a mere task of finding a miko become an "extremely important task" that made Tokugawa Iemo, the general who conquered the barbarians, show a very serious expression? have no idea……
Why was this task given to him? have no idea……
The thick "fog" instantly captured Qingdeng's brain.
Qingdeng really needed some time to digest this huge amount of information.
There was a paucity of information, and Tokugawa Iemo refused to disclose anything to Aonto on the grounds that "I can't tell you too much details yet."
The lack of information made it impossible for Qingdeng to think and clear up the "fog" that trapped his brain layer by layer.
Therefore, after only a moment, Qingdeng gave up thinking about these "whys".
Confusion is still confusion, but what should be done now is still very clear.
"...Yes." The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he bowed to Tokugawa Iemo, "I understand."
Who is the young man in front of me? The de facto "emperor" of Japan today... Aoshito's most distinguished boss.
Could it be that Qingdeng could still say, "I'm not free tomorrow, General, please hire someone else?"
I have no choice but to bite the bullet and take on this bizarre mission...
Tokugawa Iemo nodded slightly towards Aomori who responded loudly and saluted.
Then, the lines on his face slowly relaxed.
That friendly smile appeared on his face again.
"Okay, I've finished talking about the important business... I can finally start talking to you about some relaxing and pleasant things."
As his facial lines relaxed, Tokugawa Iemo's sitting posture gradually became natural and casual.
"Ju-kun, the first time I heard your name was at Jing Yi's place."
"Elder Jing Yi?" Qingdeng was startled.
The old face of Ii Naobi, who had once had a relationship with him, appeared in Yu Qingdeng's mind.
"When Jing Yi was still alive, he recommended you to me..."
Tokugawa Iemo briefly and comprehensively described the general process and reasons why Ii Naoki recommended Aonto to him.
Aonto noticed that when Tokugawa Iemo mentioned Ii's name, there was a layer of reminiscence and a hint of... regret and loss on his face.
After finishing speaking, Tokugawa Iemo paused for a moment. After sorting out his emotions and words and taking a deep breath, he continued:
"As early as when I first learned about your name and deeds from Jing Yi, I thought about meeting you."
"Let's see what this young man who can be caught in the eyes of Jing Yi, who is always picky, looks like."
"But you were just an imperial family member at that time, and you didn't have an imperial eye."
"The achievements you have made are far from high enough for me to summon you out of the ordinary."
Speaking of this, Tokugawa Iemo raised the right corner of his mouth, revealing a self-deprecating look full of helplessness.
"If I ignore these established rules and forcefully summon you...those old ministers and those guys who are always looking forward to me stepping down from the position of general, I'm afraid they will drown me with their spit."
"Therefore, the meeting with you... can only be postponed for now."
"It's been delayed until now...Finally, begging for mercy will lead to mercy."
Yumujian: The qualification to meet the general.
In this society where bloodline and family status are valued unprecedentedly and class is extremely solidified, royal eyesight is not only a kind of power, but also a privilege and reward.
The samurai who are directly subordinate to the shogun...the direct ministers of the shogunate are divided into two types: Hatamoto and imperial family.
The most significant difference between the two is that the former has imperial vision, while the latter does not.
Therefore, Hatamoto samurai can hold a series of important official positions such as "shogun's valet", but imperial samurai cannot.
Generally speaking, only feudal lords, samurai warriors, and people in certain special positions can possess Omami.
Aoto's family has been upgraded to a flagstone, so Aoto can enter Edo Castle with such arrogance today and meet Tokugawa Iemo and Tenjoin.
"Tangerine-kun, you can tell me in detail how you led a few two to thirty samurai on that snowy night half a year ago to defeat nearly two hundred rebels...and what you did two months ago. What is the whole experience of fighting alone against the main force of the rebel group in a Western settlement?"
Tokugawa Iemo's upper body leaned forward slightly, his eyes flashing with anticipation.
Tianzhang Yuan on the side also looked directly at Qingdeng, his beautiful eyes unblinking.
Qingdeng had no reason to refuse such a reasonable request.
And there is no right to refuse...
After thinking about his words for a while, Qingdeng carefully described each word to the mother and son in front of him, detailing his "battle history" with the anti-barbarian group.
Telling others about the various grievances and grievances between himself and the anti-barbarian group... Qingdeng has done similar things countless times, and he has long been familiar with it.
Because of his rich experience, Qingdeng spoke in a cadenced and vivid manner.
Tokugawa Iemo and Tianzhangin listened very carefully. The facial expressions repeatedly change slightly as the "storyline" rises and falls.
The story is very long, and Qingdeng told it for nearly half an hour before he could finish it.
Tokugawa Iemo let out a long "huh", grinned with unfinished meaning, and said with a wry smile:
"Is this gone? I really want to listen to it for a while longer."
"Going to a meeting alone, charging into the battlefield alone, fighting against a group of enemies alone... Hahaha, the more I listen to it, the more fascinating it becomes."
Tokugawa Iemo slapped his thigh suddenly.
"Sure enough, what is recorded in the official document is just the tip of the iceberg of facts."
"It is still necessary to let the person involved describe it personally to know the more detailed and meaningful details of the story."
"I never imagined that in the current world where wastefulness and pleasure are still prevalent, there could be such a... such a passionate and great work that can make people's blood boil."
Speaking of this, Tokugawa Iemo pursed his lips.
Then he smiled calmly and changed to a half-joking tone.
"I really hope the shogunate can have more talented people like you, Tachibana-kun..."
"Speaking of which, Tachibana-kun, your skills are indeed very strong."
"I enjoyed the competition just now."
"There have been a lot of government affairs recently, and I have been busy with paperwork. I haven't had such a hearty swordsmanship with others for a long time."
As soon as Tokugawa Iemo finished speaking, Tenzouin, who showed a malicious smile, interjected in a playful tone:
"Sir General, you are really looking forward to the contest with Mr. Tachibana."
"Uh..." Tokugawa Iemo, who was teased by Tianzouin again, smiled dryly, then coughed a few times, bringing the topic back on track.
"Although I knew that I would definitely not be your opponent, Mr. Ju, I didn't expect that I would be defeated so miserably that I wouldn't even be able to fight back."
"Tachibana-kun, through the competition just now, I am more sure that entrusting you with the task of meeting with the Yu Du Miko is indeed the right thing to do!"
Suddenly, I returned to the original topic...
At this moment, Qingdeng finally couldn't restrain his curiosity. After hesitating for a while, he cleared his throat:
"Sir General. Please forgive me for being presumptuous, but who is this Yudu witch...?"
Tokugawa Iemo showed a meaningful smile and shook his head:
"About this... wait until tomorrow, you will know who the witch Yudu is."
"Although this may be a bit long-winded...but I'll remind you again."
"Junior Jun, this task I entrusted to you is quite important."
"Remember: at five o'clock tomorrow morning, go to the Tsukigiya Shrine at the 6th-chome of Shouchou Town, and meet the Yutoku shrine maiden in the shrine!"
…
…
Turn back time to the present——
Tokugawa Iemo, who feeds ten things at a time, has no time to give every day.
Yesterday, Aoshito described in detail his "battle history" with the anti-barbarian group, and then chatted with Tokugawa Iemo and Tenzouin for a while. Finally, because the time was up, Tokugawa Iemo had to deal with today's government affairs. Don't let the meeting end temporarily.
Both Tokugawa Iemo and Tenzouin left a deep impression on Ayoto - of course, a deep impression on a positive level.
Both of these guys are very approachable and have no pretensions.
When chatting with them, Qingdeng didn't even feel that he was talking to the "Emperor" and "Queen Mother" of this country. It felt more like he was interacting with two old friends who had known each other for a long time.
People who don't know may not imagine that such a kind and easy-going young woman could be the current general of the Edo shogunate and the great imperial office.
Overall, yesterday's meeting with these two big guys was quite smooth and successful, and the atmosphere was very harmonious and harmonious from beginning to end... Except for being entrusted with a strange and puzzling task, there was no Anything strange!
Tokugawa Iemo, the general who conquered the barbarians, actually asked him to go to an unknown shrine to meet a certain miko... This mission was so weird no matter how you thought about it!
——No matter...it's useless no matter how much you have doubts. As long as you go to Yuegong Shrine and see the Yudu priestess, all your questions should be solved.
After comforting himself, Qingdeng put his hands on his hips and turned to look around.
——Is this shrine Tsukinomiya Shrine? Tsk...isn't there a signboard or something like that...?
Qingdeng looked around and found no sign, but found a stone statue.
A stone statue of a fox standing next to the torii gate.
——Fox... Is the god worshiped by this shrine the God of Inari...
Inari: The god of grain and food in Japanese mythology.
Originally a god in charge of good harvests, since the Middle Ages, industry and commerce have gradually developed, so Inari God has also begun to symbolize wealth and is worshiped by the industrial and commercial circles.
Because he is responsible for high agricultural yields and prosperous commerce, Inari is considered one of the most popular gods in Japanese Shintoism and the most popular among the people.
There are many shrines dedicated to the God of Inari throughout Japan, and Inari shrines can be found everywhere. The most important one is the Inari Taisha Shrine in Fushimi, Kyoto.
Since the Middle Ages, Japan has regarded foxes as messengers of the God Inari, so all shrines dedicated to the God Inari will have one or more fox statues erected next to the torii.
Since he couldn't find anything like a sign, couldn't verify the name of the shrine in front of him, and there were no passers-by around him who could ask questions, so Aomori decided to enter the shrine to have a look.
The so-called torii is an ancillary building that every shrine must have. It represents the entrance to the divine realm and is used to distinguish the divine realm where gods live from the secular world where humans live.
The existence of the torii gate is to remind all passers-by and travelers that there is a divine realm ahead, so please be careful in your words and actions.
Behind the torii is the approach to the shrine.
It is said that the center of the torii gate and the shrine is where the gods pass, so it is best for ordinary worshipers and tourists to avoid walking in the center of the torii and the shrine to show respect for the gods.
Qingto does not have any Shinto beliefs... to be precise, he does not have any religious beliefs.
However, in line with the mentality of doing as the Romans do and respecting other people's culture, Ayoto still walked through the torii gate from the side in an orderly manner.
There are many stone lanterns on the left and right sides of the shrine, and there are many lush trees that Aintome cannot name.
The branches are intertwined and the leaves are lush, blocking out the sun and bringing a shade to the shrine.
There were many dead branches and leaves scattered on the road to the shrine.
Click... click... click...
The sound of fallen branches and fallen leaves being trampled became the only sound in this space besides the sound of wind, which greatly highlighted the tranquility of this place.
Compared with other shrines, Inari Shrine has another obvious difference in addition to the fox statues erected near the torii. That is, the color of the torii of Inari Shrine is a uniform bright red, and it is often placed in front of the door. There is a row of torii gates, some big and some small. The most spectacular one is Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Thousands of torii gates are divided into several rows, arranged from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain. It has the reputation of "thousands of torii gates".
The shrine that Aoto is entering has a very classic layout of Inari Shrine - on the approach to the shrine, there are a row of torii gates with hanging ropes hung at very neat intervals.
All the torii gates are bright and bright red, and they are very new. You can tell at a glance that they were built not long ago.
After a while, after passing through the last torii gate and reaching the end of the shrine, Aoto, I suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment - a spacious open space spread out in front of me.
On the north side of the open space, and directly in front of Qingden, stands an imposing temple with black and white as the main colors.
On both sides of the open space from the approach to the shrine, there are also a large number of stone lanterns that add a sense of tranquility to the shrine.
At this time, Qingden suddenly noticed that at the end of his field of vision in the corner of his right eye, there were two shadows composed of red and white shaking slightly.
I turned around and looked - it turned out to be two shrine maidens!
She wears white clothes, scarlet hakama, white stockings and red straw sandals on her feet, and her hair is tied up with a piece of white sandalwood paper...a very classic miko look.
The so-called shrine maiden is an existence similar to the "spokesperson of the gods" in Shintoism.
Legend has it that witches can accept God's support and convey God's will. At the same time, witches also perform duties such as praying, exorcising evil spirits, and offering sacrifices.
The two shrine maidens were of the same height—indistinguishably short... both were less than 1.4 meters tall.
Because they were quite far away and the two women had their backs to Qingdeng, Qingden couldn't see their faces clearly.
At this moment, the pair of petite witches were each holding a large broom that was a head taller than them, sweeping a corner of the open space in front of the temple.
——Let’s ask these shrine maidens if this is the Tsukinomiya Shrine...
Thinking of this, Qingden walked quickly towards the pair of witches and shouted loudly:
"Excuse me! I want to ask a question!"
Attracted by Qingden's shouts, the pair of shrine maidens stopped their broomsticks and looked towards Qingden following the sound.
After taking a closer look, Qingto discovered that the two mikos were actually twins! And he looks very cute!
Fair skin, clear and handsome eyebrows, bright eyes, round nose bridge, and rosy lips.
He is very young and looks to be the same age as Elodie, around 12 or 3 years old.
The appearance of the two people is almost identical. Just looking at their appearance, it is impossible to tell who is who.
I don’t know if it’s the twins’ personal hobbies or to make it easier for others to distinguish them. One of them wears a red ribbon on her left temple, and the other wears a blue ribbon on her right temple.
——Can a shrine allow such a young child to become a shrine maiden?
Qingto frowned slightly... He didn't have a deep understanding of Shintoism, so he didn't know what the shrine's employment standards were.
"can I help you?"
The miko, who tied a blue ribbon on her right temple, glanced up and down at Qingteng with vigilant eyes and asked softly.
"Ah, I want to ask you: Is this Tsukigong Shrine?"
"Yes, this is Tsukigong Shrine."
After saying that, "Blue Ribbon" seemed to have recalled something. He paused and raised his eyes, looking at Qingdeng again.
"Coming to my shrine at this time...could it be that you are Tachibana Aoden?"
Qingden raised his eyebrows: "Yes, I am Ju Qingden."
"You are Tachibana Aoden!"
At this time, someone interrupted - it was the miko with a red ribbon on her left temple.
She held the broom in one hand and put her hand on her hip, and continued to shout with excitement:
"You're finally here! It's so slow! But since you're not late, we won't hold you accountable!"
"Eight layers."
"Blue Ribbon" glanced at "Red Ribbon" expressionlessly, with anger in his eyes.
"Don't be so rude, this is Master Yu Du's guest."
After scolding "Red Ribbon" in a calm tone, "Blue Ribbon" returned his attention to Qingdeng.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tachibana, for making you laugh. My sister is rude, so please forgive me."
Having said this, "Blue Ribbon" took half a step back and bowed to Qingdeng with a standard movement that could not make any mistakes.
"First time we meet, my little girl is the shrine maiden of Tsukinomiya Shrine: Sayege."
Shazhong turned sideways and stretched out her hand to show the "red ribbon".
"This is my sister: Yae. Yae, please say hello."
"Gu...!"
Yae glanced at his sister Saege in embarrassment, and then at Aoto... Finally, with an expression as if he was about to go to the execution ground, he spoke to Aoto with a tough expression and a very unskilled honorific. :
"First, first time meeting... Xiaoxiaoxiaoxiao, my little girl, my daughter is Yae..."
"You're welcome." Qingdeng smiled, bowed and returned the courtesy to the two women, and formally introduced himself: "I am Ju Qingdeng."
"Master Yu Atsushi informed us last night that the 'Nioh' Tachibana Aoden, who has recently become famous in Edo, will visit our company this morning, so that we can be prepared to welcome him." Sashige said, "Then ——Mr. Ju, please come with us. I will take you to see Master Yu Du. She has been waiting for you for a long time."
After saying that, Sasaka turned around without waiting for Qingden's response and strode towards the distant temple with a broom in hand.
Yae also turned around at almost the same time and walked side by side with his sister Sae.
——That witch Yu Du had already known that I would come to see her this morning?
Qingdeng was shocked... and became more and more curious about the identity of the Atsushi witch.
Sae and Yae walk surprisingly fast.
In just a moment, the figures of the two women had shrunk to the size of a thumb.
Seeing this, Qingdeng quickly suppressed the doubts in his heart and quickly followed the twin sisters.
Through the brief contact just now, Qingdeng already had a general understanding of the temperaments of the two little girls.
My elder sister, Shazhong, often has a cold and expressionless face, her tone of voice has almost no fluctuations when she speaks, and her temperament feels very calm.
As for my sister Yae, her expression, behavior, and tone of voice all carry an... irritable aura...
Qingdeng smiled in his heart:
——What a pair of sisters with distinctive personalities...
…
The road leading to the temple is unexpectedly long.
In order to pass the boring walking time, Qingto raised his head and looked around at the architectural layout of Tsukinomiya Shrine and the scenery inside the shrine.
The area of this Moon Palace Shrine is not small.
However, there are no buildings.
Qingden looked around and saw that the only large building was the temple where he and the Sazoge sisters were heading.
The lack of buildings makes the entire shrine look empty and deserted.
The old man who just showed the way to Aoto once told Aoto: This is a newly built shrine.
Now it seems that it is indeed the case.
Not only the torii gate at the entrance, but also the stone lanterns and shrines inside the shrine... all the buildings, without exception, are so new that I dare not touch them for fear of getting them dirty.
Getting closer and closer to the majestic temple.
The temple is mainly painted in black and white, solemn and solemn.
At this moment, Qingdeng suddenly noticed that there was an old man sweeping a broom in front of the temple door.
He was a hunchback with a severely curved back. He has a pair of white eyebrows and a wrinkled old face like a dried orange peel. He looks to be at least 60 or 70 years old.
He has an ordinary appearance, and the only unique thing about his body is his clothes.
He was wearing the kari robe, the common garb of the male clergy of the shrine.
He wears a tall black gauze hat on his head, a dark green hunting coat on his upper body, a light green t-shirt on his lower body, and a pair of gray shorts on his feet.
Since he is wearing hunting clothes... he must be one of the priests of this shrine. Qingdeng thought to himself.
The old man is very old, but his prematurely gray hair and eyebrows are incompatible with his vigorous sweeping movements and energetic appearance.
For some reason, the old man's "very energetic despite his age" appearance reminded Ayoto of his sword-fighting master: Boss Kiryu...
Qingdeng didn't pay much attention to the old man. He glanced at him and then looked away.
"God, please be safe."
"God! Good morning!"
Saege and Yae greeted the old man one by one.
"Well." The old man, who was called "God" by the twin sisters, raised his head and showed a kind smile to the two girls, "Good morning to you... eh? Who is this?"
"Oh my God," Saege said, "This is the 'Nioh' Tachibana Aoto. Yae and I are taking him to meet Lord Yu Atsushi."
"Oh...!" Two conspicuous snow-white eyebrows raised slightly, "Mr. Tachibana, I have long admired your name. I am the palace minister of this Moon Palace Shrine: Amakura Owl. I welcome you."
After saying that, Tiancang Xiao, who was facing Qingdeng, had a peaceful smile on his face and lowered his already extremely bent waist.
"You are welcome."
Just when Qingdeng bowed his head in return—
"?!"
Qingdeng suddenly felt an indescribable and overbearing aura rushing towards him!
He looked up - a broom was stabbed straight at his head.
The Tiancang Owl holding this broom had a fierce look in his eyes, and an astonishing murderous aura flourished from his brows!
*******
*******
The new month is here!
Ask for a guaranteed monthly pass! Please be sure to vote monthly and recommend this book! (Leopard head crying.jpg)
By the way, can anyone guess the reason why Tokugawa Iemo asked Qingto to meet with Yu Du Miko~? (leopard fat.jpg)
(End of chapter)
