Edo, somewhere——
Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap...
Amidst the sound of wood rubbing, messy footsteps could be heard in the distance.
Footsteps from far to near.
Nishino's eyelashes fluttered a few times.
Then, he slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing that caught his eye was the unfamiliar ceiling that he was still not used to seeing, and the mesh wooden fence that sealed him in the cramped space...
"What time is it now..."
Nishino muttered and subconsciously raised his head to look at the sky.
"Ah... I almost forgot... I am being imprisoned..."
Looking at the thick ceiling above his head and the solid stone walls without any windows around him, a self-deprecating sneer appeared at the corner of Nishino's lips.
Although Nishino did not hate Western utensils as much as those who opposed the foreigners, he still had an attitude of respect and insensitivity.
Therefore, he did not buy a Western watch, and still relied on traditional observation of the sky to tell time, and listening to the bells that sounded every once in a while in various places in Edo.
But, to be honest, it would be useless even if Nishino owned a Western clock.
Before being imprisoned, all the belongings he carried, including his money bag, seal cage, and sword Zhenzhu, were confiscated.
The current Nishino is a "breeze on both sleeves" on the physical level. He had nothing on him except his clothes.
The sky couldn't be seen, and the surrounding temperature had not changed significantly, making it impossible for Nishino to judge the change of time based on the temperature of the room.
Fortunately, the ventilation is acceptable, and even if there are no windows, you won't feel stuffy.
Although Nishino didn't know where he was being locked up, judging from the constant temperature environment, he speculated that he was being locked up in a place similar to a basement.
Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!
The sudden sound of footsteps was getting closer and louder.
——It’s so noisy...
Nishino didn't care who the owner of this string of footsteps was or what he was doing.
He closed his eyes in boredom and continued to rest with his eyes closed.
The footsteps are still coming, still getting closer, still getting louder.
After a while, Nishino heard footsteps moving to the door of his cell, and then stopped motionless.
Even with his eyes closed, Nishino could feel the light in front of him dimming and someone's shadow covering him.
"Nishino-kun! Nishino-kun!"
A male voice I have never heard before...
Nishino was unmoved.
He ignored the call of the strange male voice and continued to close his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
But at this moment, a new male voice sounded outside the cell door:
"Nishino-kun~~"
As soon as the male voice finished speaking, Nishino's eyebrows suddenly jumped.
The last note of his voice was drawn out... This is a way of speaking that Nishino will never forget for the rest of his life!
Nishino opened his eyes suddenly and looked forward intently.
I saw two young men of similar age standing outside the cell door.
One of them, Nishino had never seen before.
As for the other person... Nishino is too familiar with him.
The reason why he is locked up in such a dark and miserable place is all thanks to this person!
"My grandson...!"
Nishino clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Words burst out one after another from his clenched teeth.
"Great~ You really didn't fall asleep~~"
The corners of my grandson's mouth extended to both sides and he smiled.
"Nishino-kun, you look good~~I feel relieved to see you so energetic~~"
"Thanks to you, I now live like a domestic animal. I sleep when I eat and eat when I sleep. Can I look bad?"
Although Nishino's tone was calm, there was sarcasm as sharp as a blade hidden in his words.
"Don't be so angry~"
My grandson spread out his hands in a helpless manner.
Nishino snorted hard.
If looks could kill... my grandson's body has been penetrated by Nishino's gaze thousands of times.
Suddenly, a gentle male voice intervened between Nishino and my grandson.
"Okay, okay, be patient and don't be impatient, be patient and don't be impatient."
The young man standing next to my grandson clapped his hands hard twice.
Before my grandson could speak, the strange male voice that Nishino heard came from that young man.
Nishino turned his eyes sideways and looked at the other person carefully.
This man is about 25 or 6 years old, with regular features, sharp eyes, and a tall figure. Although he has a fair and delicate face that is very popular among Taoists, his movements show that he is capable and capable. of masculinity.
Nishino asked in a deliberately rude tone:
"who are you?"
Faced with Nishino's rude attitude, the young man was neither anxious nor annoyed.
I saw him smiling elegantly and having a gentle and courteous temperament.
"I have no name or surname, you can just call me 'Rakshasa'."
Rakshasa - upon hearing this name, Nishino's pupils shrank instantly.
"Rakshasa...are you the murderer of Kanazawa Chusuke and Kanazawa Qin!"
Nishino stood up like a carp, immediately rushed forward, and threw himself on the wooden fence. He grasped the railing with both hands on the left and right, and pressed his face against the gap between the fences.
He stared straight at the face of Rakshasa who was very close at hand, as if he wanted to imprint the other person's facial features firmly in the depths of his mind.
"Exactly down there."
Rakshasa smiled slightly and openly admitted his "relationship" with the Kanazawa brothers and sisters without any hesitation.
His polite demeanor and gentle tone of voice... It's hard to believe that such a gentle gentleman could actually be a cold-blooded killer and powerful swordsman who killed innocent people and instantly killed the "Dog of Fire".
Nishino looked at Rakshasa, and then at my grandson. His eyes were filled with a cold light of hatred and anger, with a sharp aura.
"As expected... My grandson, you and the murderer of the Kanazawa brothers and sisters are indeed the same group!"
My grandson smiled but said nothing.
Nishino asked:
"When did you start conspiring together?!"
"That's been true from the beginning."
My grandson said with a charming expression.
"At the beginning?"
Regarding Nishino, who was obviously shaken enough to ask questions, my grandson still had a cynical and frivolous attitude. He said in a joking tone:
"Didn't you understand? What I said was 'from the beginning' - from the very beginning, I was an undercover agent of the Fa Zun Party who was buried under fire to pay for thieves."
My grandson paused. It wasn't until Er that he continued:
"Nishino-kun, if possible, I don't want to kidnap you."
"But there's no way... who makes you the 'number one crime-solving expert' of Beifan Institute."
The smile on my grandson's face gradually disappeared... replaced by a solemn expression with cold and hard lines on his face.
"If you continue to investigate, the consequences may be disastrous."
"So - sorry."
After finishing speaking, a look of regret appeared on my grandson's cheeks.
Judging from the appearance alone, it is difficult to tell whether his apology is genuine or false.
However, it was alright no matter what - Nishino didn't care about his apology at all anyway.
His attention at this time was sucked away by the unfamiliar term my grandson just spit out.
"The law punishes the party...? What is this?"
"This is a good question!"
Suddenly, the Rakshasa on the side intervened.
"Nishino-kun, I will keep the story short."
"The Fa Zhu Party is a secret society to which my grandson and I belong."
"We are determined to overthrow the Edo shogunate! Kill the Tokugawa family! Eliminate evil spirits! Clarify Uuchi!"
"I have always valued talents! I will not hesitate to praise and win over anyone who is capable and meritorious!"
"Nishino-kun, I have heard of your name and deeds a long time ago!"
"You are not only very skilled, but also good at solving cases. You are exactly the talent we are lacking!"
"I appreciate you! Join us!"
After saying this, Rakshasa stretched his hand in front of him, toward Nishino, as if seeking a handshake from his compatriots.
Rakshasa's words were like dropping bombshells in Nishino's mind.
After a while, he used all his strength and roared like boiling hot water suddenly overflowing:
"Down with the Edo shogunate? Kill the Tokugawa family? What a joke!!"
Nishino's roar was so loud that it almost shook the dust on the beams.
"My grandson! I thought you were just collaborating with the thugs, but what you did was worse than I expected! You actually turned traitor and collaborated with the enemy!!"
Faced with Nishino's roar, my grandson's reaction was... very dull.
He cast a look at Nishino with a relaxed smile, rolled the tip of his tongue, and asked in a low voice:
"Treason? Collaboration with the enemy? Which country am I rebelling against? Which enemy am I collaborating with?"
"As a son of the banner, you actually turned your back on the shogunate! You turned to the bandits! Isn't this treason and collaboration with the enemy?! Do you know how to write the word 'honesty'? Where is your 'loyalty'?!"
"Integrity...loyalty..."
My grandson carefully chewed on the two words Nishino just revealed.
After a while, he chuckled a few times through his nostrils, then raised his chin and looked down at Xiye.
"Is it noble and loyal to be the shogunate's dog wholeheartedly like you?"
There was no hidden bitter sarcasm in my grandson's eyes, expression, and tone.
In an instant, the atmosphere at the scene changed.
There was a tense feeling everywhere that made people gasp.
"Okay, okay, you two calm down."
Rakshasa stood half a step to the side, blocking between Xi Ye and my grandson, acting as a peacemaker.
However, as soon as he opened his mouth, he was sharply refuted by Nishino.
"Shut up! You traitor!"
Driven by indescribable anger, Nishino cursed regardless of image:
"I am a son of the royal family, and I have been favored by you in this life! I should serve my country bravely! How can I follow the example of Mei Xue in dedicating the city and selling it to the owner for glory? How can I follow the example of Hong Jiu of the Ming Dynasty, who bent his knees to become a thief, became famous all over the world for his rebellious deeds, and was known to the government and the public for his rebellious deeds! "
[Note: Umeyuki presents the city: Umeyuki, namely Aneshan Umeyuki (1541-1582), a military commander during the Warring States Period and a retainer of the Takeda clan. In 1582, Umeyuki Anayama, who was stationed in Suruga, felt that the Takeda clan was over. He secretly communicated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was attacking Suruga, and demanded that his son Nobuharu Anayama be recognized as the successor of the Takeda clan in exchange for Suruga's "bloodless Kai". Castle", Tokugawa Ieyasu agreed, and Anayayama Umeyuki opened the castle and surrendered. 】
[Note: Hong Jiu of the Ming Dynasty: Hong Jiu, that is, Hong Chengchou (1593-1665), whose courtesy name was Yanyan and whose name was Hengjiu. At that time, the scholar-bureaucrats respectfully called him Hong Jiulao. He was defeated by the Qing army in the Battle of Songjin and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. From then on, he devoted himself to being a dog of the Qing court. Not only the Ming people despised him, but also the Qing people looked down upon him. During the Qianlong period, he was included in "The Biography of Erchen"]
Nishino's words are not impassioned.
He resolutely refused the olive branch offered by Rakshasa.
His decisive eyes seemed to pierce through the devil in front of him who came to tempt the world.
However... Rakshasa stared at Nishino as if he were watching a child misbehaving.
"Nishino-kun, you... are really stubborn!"
"What did you say?!"
The anger on Nishino's face was extremely intense.
"Nishino-kun, let me ask you: Justice is now at a loss and corruption is rampant. Why is this happening?"
"Is it because the Westerners came in?"
"It seems not."
"Long before the 'Black Ship Incident' occurred, the country was already in turmoil."
"In the eighth year of Tianbao (1837), Oshio Heihachiro rebelled, and Osaka, the commercial capital, fell into war, and the whole country was shocked. Can you say that the uprising of Oshio Party was because of Westerners' interference?"
"Is it because the great names of the Western Kingdom are ready to take action?"
"It seems not."
"It's only in the past few years that the Daimyos of the Western Kingdom are ready to take action. Before that, the Western Kingdom vassals, including the Choshu Domain, were more obedient than rabbits in front of the shogunate."
"So, what is the reason why we are so poor all over the world?"
"The answer is simple - it's all because of the Tokugawa family's evil deeds!"
"In these two hundred years of peace, the Edo shogunate became increasingly arrogant and extravagant."
"Between high-ranking officials and important people, bribes are given and gifts are given to each other, regardless of morality and justice."
"So, he only sought personal gain for one person and his family, and received large sums of money from the people."
"For many years, it has been extremely difficult for the people to cope with the annual tribute service. Now they are being plundered again, and the civilian supplies are increasingly depleted."
"Like this situation, from the shogunate to the various vassals, they all learned from each other, and eventually the whole world was impoverished and everyone complained."
"The grievances of the people are reported to nowhere, and then they lead to chaos, and the people's grievances are soaring to the sky."
"However, the Tokugawa family is still unaware of the situation. The villains and treacherous people continue to take charge of political affairs. Japan is planning to squeeze out golden rice and hates the world!"
"The common people are hungry and trapped and have no place to stand."
"The ones above are wealthy with farms and newly cultivated land, and have plenty of food and clothing. They may have delicacies from the mountains and seas, and are surrounded by wives and concubines. Or they may seduce famous retainers to a wine shop in Youkuo, where they drink and feast lavishly and spend a lot of money."
"In this difficult time for people's livelihood, the superiors are still well-dressed and well-fed, enjoying themselves among the prostitutes and prostitutes, just like in the past. This situation and situation are really the same as King Zhou's banquet in the wine pond and the meat forest!"
"Seeing the chaos in the country without knowing how to self-examine, and ignoring the people begging for food, being loyal to such a family and such a shogunate is no different from helping the emperor to commit evil!"
"This is the time when people with lofty ideals put their lives to good use! People with insight should be enthusiastic!"
"If you want to help the troubled times, there is no other way except for the righteous deeds of reckless people to unite!"
"Although we don't have the power of Tang or Wu, nor the virtues of Confucius and Mencius, when it comes to this, we can't bear it anymore. We have no choice but to dare to take the world as our own responsibility! Risk the disaster of annihilation of our clan!"
"Now my lord has gathered people with lofty ideals, raised up the souls of warriors, formed brothers with different surnames, and without a trace of selfishness, has risen to kill the people and officials! We are conspiring together to help the country rejuvenate!"
"I want to wipe out the shogunate and revive the political principles of Emperor Jimmu! Rebuild the moral code and wipe out the arrogance and extravagance of the past few years!"
"What we did is not the same as the generals and wise men of this dynasty, nor is it due to the selfish desire to steal the world!"
[Note: Taira Shomon: (?-940), a wealthy Kanto family and military commander in the middle of the Heian Period in Japan. In 939, he raised an army against the Kyoto court and called himself the "New Emperor". In 940, he was attacked by Taira Sadamori and died from an arrow. This is known as the "Taira Shomon Rebellion" in history. 】
[Note: Akechi Mitsuhide: (1528-1582) a military commander during the Warring States Period and a retainer of the Oda clan. In 1582, he launched the Honnoji Rebellion and betrayed the Oda clan, resulting in the death of Oda Nobunaga. 】
"The sun, moon and stars should be a clear reflection of our purpose! Gai Wei is just imitating the sincerity of Tang, Wu, Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, and Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty to punish the people and fight against evil!"
"Why don't you try to achieve great feats, but instead act like a tiger spreading its wings? Isn't that absurd?"
Rakshasa is very eloquent and knowledgeable.
He is eloquent, has a lotus tongue, and is full of witty words. He is not afraid of Nishino, who has received strict martial arts education since childhood.
However, even though he talked a lot, the feedback he received... could only be described as bleak.
"..."
Nishino said nothing.
He glanced sideways at Rakshasa.
Then he withdrew his gaze and looked into the void ahead.
Silent again and again, expressionless.
Only silence is the greatest contempt.
Knowing that he was being despised, Rakshasa smiled helplessly.
"Sure enough, it's impossible to persuade you so easily..."
Rakshasa took a deep breath and then let out a long sigh.
"Forget it, I didn't expect you to agree to me immediately."
"As I said just now, I value talents the most."
"Whether it's seeing talents abandoned in the countryside or killing talents, I can't bear it."
Having said this, Rakshasa habitually raised his left hand and touched his right collarbone.
"Just stay here for a while."
"I believe you will realize your righteousness sooner or later."
After leaving these meaningful words, Rakshasa turned around and left without any nostalgia.
My grandson followed closely behind the Rakshasa.
Just when my grandson was about to leave Nishino's cell door, he turned his head and looked at Nishino deeply.
The footsteps of the Rakshasa and my grandson faded away.
Nishino closed his eyes again and closed his eyes to recuperate.
After a moment, Nishino's body returned to silence, as if nothing had happened...
…
…
As soon as Rakshasa left the basement where Nishino was imprisoned, he met a subordinate who was in a hurry.
"Lord Rakshasa, I have something urgent to report!"
Hearing this, the Rakshasa stopped and leaned towards his subordinates.
The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then stood on tiptoes and put his lips close to the Rakshasa's ear.
The Rakshasa looked forward, calmly, and listened carefully.
Maintain this posture for a long time.
Finally, the subordinate stopped whispering and placed the soles of his feet back on the ground.
Rakshasa raised the corners of his mouth and said to himself:
"Onodera... found you...!"
*******
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I originally wanted to work hard on updating today...but today's chapter was really difficult to write!
Nishino is an elite warrior who is capable of both civil and military skills; Rakshasa is the "supreme power person in the Kanto region" who punishes the Party, and is also capable of both civil and military affairs.
Therefore, in order to fit the personality, we cannot let them speak too harsh words. Their lines...especially Rakshasa's lines, I deleted and rewrote so many times today...so much so that Baobaozi has been working hard up to this point and has only written 5,000+ words.
For the sake of Bao Baozi’s dedication, please be sure to vote for this book a little monthly!
(End of chapter)
