Edo, somewhere, the home of Nishino Hosejiro, "the best crime-solving master of the Northern Bureau"——
Working in an administrative office with an average income that was the highest among most shogunate offices, Nishino's living standard was not considered rich, but it was by no means poor.
The soft sunlight in the early morning filtered in from the window sill and fell on the tatami, dividing the small living room into two.
On one side is half of the hall covered with light yellow color.
On the other side is the Nishino family, shrouded in shadow and enjoying breakfast.
As the current head of the family, Nishino naturally sits on the throne.
His family members sat below him in order according to their status in the family.
"Chotaro! Don't be picky! Hurry up and eat all the pickled radish!"
The sharp voice of Xi Ye’s mother, Ah He, resounded inside and outside the hall.
"Yes Yes!"
Changtaro... Nishino's son was so frightened by Ahe's sudden rebuke that he could not help but shrink his shoulders.
After responding quickly, he quickly pulled all the pickled radishes on the plate in front of him into the bowl.
Nishino's family is a very typical family of four - himself, his mother, his wife, and his son.
Nishino's father died of illness in his early years.
Six years ago, with the efforts of his mother, Nishino married a daughter of the samurai family who was also from the royal family.
The following year, Nishino had his first child, Nagataro, who was 5 years old this year.
After years of getting along, the Nishino family's daily interactions are still harmonious, although there are still occasional conflicts.
As the saying goes: A strict father and a loving mother.
However, the situation of the Nishino family is somewhat different from this common saying-his family not only has a strict father, but also a strict mother.
When Nishino's father was still alive, he was an unsmiling man who was very strict with others and himself.
And his mother is even worse than his father.
Ahe comes from a conservative family that regards tradition and ancestral laws as the supreme truth.
After getting up every morning, the whole family would respectfully bow three times and kowtow in the direction of Edo Castle.
Before eating, they would express their gratitude to the General in a sincere and pious tone. They would express their gratitude to the General for his kindness, and thank them for being able to eat.
Growing up in such an environment, Ah He developed a rigid and conservative character due to his influence.
She often talks about words such as "bushido", "self-denial and devotion to the public", and "loyalty to the death". The book she reads most often is "Hagakure Wenshu" by Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
Ah He's diligence in reading "Ye Yin Wen Shu" is not appropriate to describe it as "Wei Bian's Three Wonders" - Xiye couldn't even count how many copies of "Ye Yin Wen Shu" his mother had torn through. .
[Note: Hagakure Bunsho: The book was written in 1716. It was dictated by Tsunemo Yamamoto of the Saga Domain and transcribed by Tashiro Jinki over a period of seven years. This book is rated as a classic of Bushido. This book is to Bushido what the Analects of Confucius is to Confucianism. The book begins with the clear statement that "those who practice Bushido are called to die" and advocates that "'going to death and being loyal and righteous' is the ultimate pursuit of Bushido"]
One can imagine how Ah He, whose mind is filled with these decadent thoughts, will educate his descendants...
"Chotaro, how many times do you have to tell me before you understand? As a samurai, you must not be picky about your food!"
Although Ah He is older, her eyes are still sharp and lively.
"How many people in this world can't even eat dried radish, let alone pickled radish!"
"Do you know how lucky you are to be able to eat pickled radishes as much as you can now?"
"The country is in a precarious situation, and regardless of the overseas barbarians, the Changshu Domain of the Western Kingdom and other rebellious officials and traitors may take advantage of the situation to rebel at any time."
"When the world is in turmoil, let alone rice and pickled radishes! Millet, red rice, and barnyard grass may not be available!"
"If you don't eat this, you won't eat that. This is not what a samurai does!"
“You must eat everything to keep your body strong and healthy!”
"Only by having a strong body can we better serve the general and the shogunate in the future!"
Chotaro lowered his head with a depressed expression.
"Yes...grandma, I understand..."
Ah He seemed to want to say something more, but was stopped in time by Xi Ye.
"Okay, mother, stop talking."
Xiye looked at Ahe and sighed.
"Choutarou is still young, and it is understandable that he makes small mistakes occasionally. Look, Chotaro already knows that he was wrong, so please forgive him this time."
As soon as Nishino finished speaking, his wife intervened and advised him from the side.
"Yes, yes, mother-in-law, Changtaro already knows that he did something wrong. Please calm down."
With the kind words of Mr. and Mrs. Xiye, the stern lines on Ah He’s face softened slightly.
"snort!"
Ah He snorted coldly through his nostrils.
"Hojiro! You are just too gentle!"
"All young children are like a piece of iron ore with many impurities. They must be tempered more before they can be cast into steel!"
"Indulging Chotaro and being too gentle to Chotaro will not make him a strong and excellent warrior!"
Nishino smiled helplessly and did not reply.
The family continues to eat.
After a moment, Chotaro put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, placed them neatly on the bowl, clasped his hands together, and bowed to the bowls, chopsticks and the table in front of him.
"I'm done eating."
"Um."
Nishino nodded slightly.
"Chotaro, you can go back to your room and study."
"yes."
Chotaro stood up and walked out of the hall at a leisurely pace.
Just as one of his feet had already crossed the threshold of the living room——
"Chotaro, wait a minute!"
Behind him, Ah He's loud shout suddenly sounded.
"Chotaro, there is leftover rice in your bowl."
Ah He stretched out his hand and pointed at the few grains of rice left in Chang Taro's bowl.
"I have given similar teachings countless times!"
"As a samurai, there should never be any leftover rice in the bowl!"
"Not even a grain of rice!"
As if hearing the most terrifying curse in the world, Chotaro's face suddenly turned pale.
"Yes, it is!"
While responding urgently, he turned around and returned to the dining table as quickly as possible, picked up his chopsticks, and used the tips of the chopsticks to pick up the remaining grains of rice in the bowl.
Looking at Changtaro's move, Ah He nodded, a trace of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
"Well, yes, that's it! Even if you only have a grain of rice, you must use chopsticks or a spoon, and you must not do any indecent behavior such as grabbing the rice with your hands or sticking out your tongue to lick the bowl."
Changtaro had already finished the leftovers, but Ahe still didn't stop preaching.
"Chotaro, who do you think you rely on to eat such good rice?"
"This is all thanks to the General!"
"It is thanks to the kindness of the General that we can eat such good rice in such a good house."
"The general has shown us such great kindness, how can we waste food?"
"Every meal and porridge, remember the kindness of the general!"
"Every piece of clothing should be worn with the feeling of a general!"
When he said the words "I should think of the general's kindness" and "I should think of the general's affection", Ah He straightened his waist extremely straight, a look of reverence appeared on his cheeks, and his expression was solemn like a fanatical believer.
Just when Aheyou was intoxicated... Changtaro suddenly spoke and asked:
"Grandma...there's something I haven't quite understood."
"Huh? What's the matter?"
"You have always said to me, 'Don't forget the great kindness of the General,' and 'It is thanks to the kindness of the General that we can have food to eat and clothing to wear.'"
"But... I don't understand - since when has the General ever been kind to us?"
As soon as Chotaro said this, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Be it Xi Ye or Ah He, everyone looked horrified.
Especially Ah He - her eyes suddenly widened, and her eyeballs bulged out like goldfish.
Chotaro didn't notice the change in the atmosphere around him. He continued on by himself:
"This rice was grown by farmers, and these clothes were woven by craftsmen."
"The money to buy rice and clothes is my father's hard-earned money."
"The fragrant rice and clean clothes are all cooked and washed by my mother."
"Whether it's eating or getting dressed, the General has never given me any help."
"I really can't think of any reason for me to thank General..."
"I think about it...the people I should really thank are the farmers who grow rice, the craftsmen who weave, the fathers who work hard, and the mothers who work hard..."
Snapped--! !
Before Chotaro could finish his words, he was interrupted by a huge collision of limbs.
Ah He flew up to Chang Taro and slapped him hard on the left side of his face.
Judging from the wind pressure created when throwing out the slap, Ah He showed no mercy at all, she almost used all her strength.
Although Ah He is old, she is still an adult.
The adults hit hard with all their strength...how could the 5-year-old Chotaro withstand it?
The moment Ah He's slap hit Chotaro's left cheek, Chotaro flew straight away and flew two steps away before landing back on the tatami.
As if by magic, the left half of Chotaro's face swelled up at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just the blink of an eye, the originally delicate face swelled up into a tall hill.
Chotaro did not react to the sudden change in front of him for a moment.
It wasn't until a moment later that he covered his injured face and burst into tears.
"Ooohhhhhhhhhhhh!"
However, even so, Ah He still refused to let him go.
"You beast!"
Ahe yelled and ran towards Changtaro again.
Seeing this, Mr. and Mrs. Nishino stood up.
Nishino's wife protected Chotaro.
As for Nishino himself, he stood between his mother and his son.
"Mother! Please calm down!"
Nishino used his own body as a shield and hugged Ahe tightly, preventing Ahe from getting close to Changtaro.
In terms of strength, the aging Ah He would naturally not be Nishino's opponent.
However, Ah He was not inferior at all in terms of momentum.
"You beast! What the hell are you talking about!"
Ah He's eyebrows were raised, his eyes were blazing with anger, and his face was red due to blood congestion in his head. He looked like a Yaksha from hell.
"If there is no General, where would you be?!"
"How could you say such an outrageous thing!"
"Are you still a warrior?"
"Hojiro! Let me go! Let me go!"
Nishino knew very well that God knows what would happen if he let go of his mother who was now in a fit of rage.
So, not only did he disobey his mother's orders, but he hugged her even harder.
"Asu! Take Chotaro back to the room!"
Nishino took the opportunity to turn his head and shouted to his wife behind him.
Asu - the name of Nishino's wife.
When Nishino's wife heard this, she didn't dare to delay, so she quickly picked up Chotaro and escaped from the living room.
After confirming that his wife and son were far away, Xiye turned back and concentrated on comforting Ahe in his arms.
"Mother! Please calm down! Are you planning to kill someone like this? Are you planning to beat your grandson to death?"
Xiye's words restored some clarity to Ahe's eyes.
She stopped making noises and struggling violently.
After taking several deep breaths, she looked up to the sky and sighed:
"The family is unfortunate! The family is unfortunate! Our Nishino family has always been loyal and loyal from generation to generation, how could such a scum come out!"
After saying that, Ah He looked like he was about to cry.
Nishino comforted:
"Mother, please don't be sad or angry."
"Changtaro is only 5 years old this year, and he is not old enough to be sensible yet."
"When he grows up, he will naturally understand the great kindness of the General."
As soon as Xiye finished speaking, Ahe turned his sharp eyes towards him.
"Hojiro, stop using your age as an excuse!"
Ah He gritted his teeth and looked ferocious.
"Look at how old you are at the age of 3! Chotaro has such rebellious thoughts at such a young age. Will he still have it when he grows up?"
"I must rebuke him severely and correct his wrong thinking!"
"As a royal family member, it is inappropriate to question the kindness of the General!"
Looking at his still-angry mother, Nishino turned his helpless emotions into a voice.
Just when he was about to say something more, he suddenly paused as if he remembered something.
Then, he turned his head and looked at the sky outside the window.
If conditions permit, Xiye really wants to persuade Ahe a few more words to calm her down completely.
However...he still has important things to do.
Since not long ago, he and my grandson Chutaro, the "Dragon of Fire", worked together to capture the suspicious person who was lingering at the murder scene of the Kanazawa brothers and sisters, Nishino has been busy interrogating this person today.
Three poles in the sun - before I knew it, it was already this time.
If he continues to get entangled with Ah He, it will have a very negative impact on today's work.
Therefore, Xi Ye had to say to Ahe:
"Mother, I must go to serve now."
"Until I return home, please refrain from admonishing Chotaro for the time being."
Hearing what Xi Ye said, Ah He suddenly looked dissatisfied.
She opened her mouth, ready to speak out, but Nishino interrupted:
"Changtaro was indeed rude just now."
"He does deserve to be reprimanded."
"But you shouldn't reprimand him in the way you are now."
"Even if you want to educate the younger generation, you should not act like you want to kill someone!"
Xi Ye's sharp criticism directly refuted Ah He speechless.
"……I see."
Ah He took a deep breath.
"You're right... I'm really a little emotional now."
"I promise you, I won't reprimand Chotaro before you return home."
As soon as Ah He said this, Xiye felt relieved.
If you want to talk about Ah He's greatest advantage, it must be that she never doubles up.
She is strict with others as well as herself.
While using Bushido to strictly demand her children and grandchildren, she set an example and also used Bushido to strictly demand herself.
She would never do something that seriously betrayed samurai ethics, such as "breaking one's word."
Now that she has made a promise, she will never break her promise.
Even if she breaks her promise, Nishino won't be worried about it.
After all, even if he is no longer at home, his wife is still there.
As long as his wife is around, Nishino doesn't have to worry about whether Ahe will secretly beat or scold Changtaro while he's not at home.
Nishino's wife looks weak at first glance, but after all, she is the daughter of the martial arts family.
Nishino's wife has not only learned martial arts such as Jiu-Jitsu and Tangshou, but is also very good at them.
If Ahe wants to do something excessive to Changtaro, his wife will definitely step forward to stop him as soon as possible.
The family affairs finally stopped for the time being, and Nishino didn't stay any longer.
He quickly grabbed the saber on the knife holder next to him and walked quickly towards the entrance.
Ah He followed Xi Ye and sent Xi Ye out.
When Nishino put on his snow boots at the entrance, Ahe straightened his face and said seriously:
"Hosejiro, you should concentrate on serving the Lord."
"Remember! You are a warrior! It is your bounden duty to 'obey your orders'!"
"He who has no loyalty has no honor!"
"Those who are disloyal are not worthy of becoming warriors!"
"I would rather be shattered into pieces than do anything disrespectful of your orders and disloyal to the shogunate!"
Nishino, who was sitting in the entrance hall and putting on shoes, now had his back to Ah He.
So Ah He didn’t see it—Xiye was sighing silently at this time
Ah He would always nag these words every time he sent him out to serve his duties.
"Yes, I understand……"
Xi Ye turned back and smiled at Ah He.
"Don't be so playful!"
Ah He shouted fiercely.
"You are a samurai! Since you are a samurai, you must set an example for all people! How do you look like laughing like a child?!"
"Yes, I understand……"
After saying that, Nishino put away the smile on his face and put on a serious look (￣︿￣).
*******
*******
Today’s chapter has nearly 5,000 words! Definitely more tomorrow! (Leopard’s arrogance.jpg)
"When will the General be kind to us?" - Today's chapter is the most satisfying chapter that the author has written in the past two months.
(End of chapter)
