Phew...
Waves of cold night wind penetrated into the room along the cracks in the window.
The cool breeze blows and the candlelight flickers.
The swaying light cast dappled light and shadow on the cheek of Ii Naobi, who was currently leaning his right elbow on the armrest and supporting his head with his right palm.
The atmosphere in the room became a little more solemn with the words Ando Nobumasa just said.
As soon as Ando Nobumasa finished speaking, Ii Naomi immediately asked Ando Nobumasa in a tone that was neither salty nor indifferent, as if he did not contain any emotions:
"...Ando, is the information accurate? Have you found out when they plan to assassinate and who will be the assassins?"
"..." Ando Nobumasa nodded solemnly, "Several spies we placed in Mito Domain all received the same information at almost the same time."
"The information should be very accurate."
"As for the specific time of the assassination and the person responsible for the assassination... it has not yet been determined."
The room became silent again, and you could hear a needle drop...
After a while, I saw Naobi Ii take a deep breath and sit up slightly:
"Assassinate me...hehehe. This day has finally arrived."
Nobumasa Ando raised his head and cast a surprised look at Naoki Ii in front of him.
"Boss, listen to your tone...did you expect that a feudal lord from Mito Domain would come to assassinate you?"
"Oh, that's right." Ii Naobi sat up a little straighter, "As early as two years ago, when I accepted the position of 'Elder', I had already thought that such a day would come."
"My thoughts and those of the Mito Domain people have always been incompatible with each other."
Ii Naobi raised the corner of his mouth, sneered, and then continued.
"I advocated the founding of the country. I punished the old traitor Tokugawa Saishaki first. I ignored the emperor and forcibly signed the "Five-Nation Treaty" with the barbarians. I have already given up to the Mito clan who shouted every day to "reject the barbarians" and "respect the emperor."
Totally offended."
"If they didn't take some drastic measures to deal with me, I would be surprised."
"...Those people in the Mito Domain...are just a bunch of lunatics!" Nobumasa Ando seemed to have recalled some bad memories at this time, his face turned livid, "They are shouting 'reject the barbarians', 'reject the barbarians' every day..."
"
"Don't we want to drive the Yi and Di out?"
"I dream of driving all these barbarians out as soon as possible!"
After saying that, Ando Nobumasa gritted his teeth suddenly, clenched his right palm tightly, and punched the tatami under him hard.
"But if we don't become stronger, what are we going to do to fight off the invaders?"
"Are we going to fight against Yi Di's steam battleships with just the swords on our waists?"
"We must found a country, we must communicate with these barbarians, and we must learn the advanced technology of the barbarians. Only in this way can we truly have the ability to fight off the barbarians."
"Why don't those people in Mito Domain... just understand this?"
"Do they really think they can defeat Yi Di with swords and spears..."
Looking at the indignant Nobumasa Ando, Naomi Ii smiled helplessly.
"Ando, calm down."
"...I'm sorry, boss, for making you laugh." Ando Nobumasa took several deep breaths and then slowly released his fist.
Ii Naobi waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind: "Ando, you can make arrangements later so that the spies lurking in the Mito Domain can step up their investigation to find out who they are, where they want to assassinate me, and at what time."
At this point, Ii Naoki changed into a humorous tone:
"I haven't heard enough of Aku's Japanese songs, but we can't just let the people of the Mito clan get killed like this."
Nobumasa Ando, who was amused by Naoki Ii's witty words and had a smile on his face, lowered his head:
"Yes, I will go down and make arrangements immediately."
"I also ask you, boss, to strengthen your vigilance and increase the number of guards in the near future."
"This country...can't live without you, the elder."
"Now, only you, the elder, can control the imperial court in Kyoto, control the lords in Satsuma and Choshu, and control the careerists in the shogunate."
"If one day you are no longer here..."
Ando Nobumasa's fist that had just been loosened was clenched again.
"I can't even imagine what the future of this country will be like..."
Listening to Ando Nobumasa's words, Ii Naobi smiled slightly, and then nodded:
"Don't worry, I will be more vigilant."
"Ando, apart from this 'Mito feudal lord intends to assassinate me', is there anything else you want to report to me?"
Ando Nobumasa shook his head.
"In that case, let's break up." Ii Naobi stood up with an elbow on his side, "It's getting late at night, so you should go back and rest early."
Nobumasa Ando: “Yes!”
After sending his family's attendants to see Ando Nobumasa off, Naomi Ii walked slowly to a room on the highest floor of the mansion without any entourage.
This is the bedroom of Naoki Ii and his wife, Ii Jiu.
As soon as he returned to the bedroom, Ii Naobi saw his wife, Ajiu, kneeling in front of a table with pens, inks, paper and inkstones, writing something furiously.
Since it was bedtime, Ajiu was only wearing a white bathrobe, and her long hair with a lot of white silk was spread naturally.
There is a heater in the room for heating, so you won't feel cold even if you only wear a thin yukata.
"Ah, you're back." After noticing Ii Naobi's return, Ajiu quickly put down the pen in his hand, turned around, and faced Ii Naobi with a smiling face full of warm smiles.
"Well, haven't you slept yet?" Ii Naobi smiled at his wife, and then walked slowly towards his wife.
After arriving at his wife's side, he collapsed - his head rested on Ajiu's legs, and he lay carelessly on his side on the tatami.
"What's wrong?" Ajiu raised his eyebrows that still retained a lot of charm at Ii Naobi, who was resting on his lap.
"It's nothing..." Ii Naobi adjusted his posture from lying on his side to lying on his back. He half-closed his eyes and looked up at the face above that was also covered with wrinkles like his, "I just... want to see you after a long time."
I’m just looking at you from this angle.”
Ajiu smiled: "So - look at me from this angle after a long time. Is there any difference between me and before?"
"..." Ii Naobi put away the smile on his face and looked at Ajiu's face seriously without blinking.
He just kept looking at Ajiu and didn't speak for a long time.
When Akudu couldn't help but feel a little impatient and wanted to "urge" Ii Naobi, he saw Ii Naobi let out a "plop" and showed a faint smile.
"It's no different. Just stare at it for a while and you can't help but be fascinated by it."
Ajiu laughed dumbly, showed a happy smile, raised his hand and caressed Ii Naobi's face.
Naoki Ii slowly closed his eyes as if he was enjoying Aku's caress.
Neither of the old couple spoke anymore.
But the strange thing is that no one feels that this atmosphere of silence between each other is awkward.
"...Ajiu, do you want to hear me tell a story?"
"Um?"
Before Aku could respond, Ii Naobi, who had his eyes closed, continued to talk to himself:
"There was an old scalper...it was dragging a grain cart and wanted to drag the grain in the cart to the market to sell."
Ajiu's hand that was caressing Ii Naobi's cheek suddenly stopped.
"The cart used to load grain... was a broken cart, crumbling."
"The old scalper must hurry up and pull the grain on the cart to the market before the cart falls apart."
"It didn't dare to slack off and worked day and night to pull the truck."
"This cart is too big, and there is too much food on it. The old scalper has to work hard to drag the cart."
"It's already very hard work to drag this broken car that could fall apart at any time."
"As a result... the old scalper had to devote his energy to dealing with some ants that kept coming to his feet to harass him."
"Those ants pointed to a very conspicuous cliff and said to the old scalper: You are pulling in the wrong direction. It is impossible to reach the market in that direction. According to me, the direction I pointed is the correct direction.
!”
"The old scalper ignored these abnormal-minded ants and continued to work hard and pull the cart diligently."
"When the ants saw that the old scalper did not take their wise advice, they became furious, biting the old scalper's legs, and insisted on asking the old scalper to pull the grain cart to the cliff."
"Some people saw the old scalper's hard work and praised the old scalper's diligence."
"But after hearing the praise from these people...the old scalper didn't feel very happy."
"Because the old scalper has always been confused."
"It has actually been unsure whether the road it is currently taking is the road leading to the market..."
"It would be better to say... the old scalper is not even sure whether there is a market that can be used to sell grain..."
"It's really hard work...this old scalper..."
After Ii Naobi started telling the story of this old scalper, Ajiu stopped talking.
She listened quietly to Ii Naoki telling this brief story.
After the story was told, she was still quiet.
After a long while, her palm moved again and continued to caress Ii Naobi's cheek.
The room... was so quiet again that only the sound of the burning fire was left.
After time flowed calmly for a while, Ii Naobi took a deep breath and slowly sat up.
"Sorry, Ajiu, I seem to have told a not very interesting story."
"It's already late, let's go to bed."
"Yeah." Ajiu smiled and nodded gently.
At this time, out of the corner of his eye, Naoki Ii caught a glimpse of the desk where Aku had been writing. There was a piece of paper half-way covered with words as tiny as tadpoles.
"Speaking of which, when I entered the room just now, I saw what you were writing. What were you writing?"
"It's a new waka." Aku showed Naoki Ii a gentle smile with both eyes completed with crescent moons, "I recently got inspiration for a new waka."
"Oh." A joy flashed across Ii Naobi's brows, "Have you finished writing the new Japanese song?"
"Not yet."
"That's it... Then I'll take a good look at it after you finish writing."
Ii Naobi paused for a moment as if he thought of something.
"Speaking of Waka... I also recently had a new inspiration for Waka."
"Really? What is it about?"
"It's related to snow." Naoki Ii turned to look at the fire not far away, "Isn't it always snowing in Edo recently? When I was enjoying the snow two days ago, something related to snow popped up in my mind.
new inspiration.”
"I plan to write this new Japanese song when I have free time in the near future."
"Snow..." Ajiu raised his hand gracefully, covered his mouth and smiled, "Then I'm looking forward to it. You have never written a Japanese song related to snow before. After you write this new Japanese song, you must write it.
Let me take a look at it as soon as possible."
"Okay." Ii Naobi raised his lips, "I will do it."
Suddenly, a deep voice came from outside the room:
"Lord Ii, the official of Kitabansho Town is: Chujiro Usui, please see me."
"... Bo Jing?" Jing Yi was startled, his brows suddenly furrowed, "He came to see me at this time?"
Ii Naoki pursed his lips.
Then he lowered his head silently and looked at Ajiu who was kneeling in front of him.
"go quickly."
As soon as Ii Naobi glanced at Ajiu, Ajiu smiled tenderly at him.
"If you finish the business discussion early, you can come back and sleep early."
"...I'm sorry." Naobi Ii showed an apologetic smile to Ajiu, then straightened his face and walked out of the bedroom quickly.
…
…
Naoki Ii returned to the spacious room where he had just received Nobumasa Ando.
The room has not changed, but the people have.
The neatly dressed Hakui knelt down respectfully where Ando Nobumasa had been sitting just now.
It was already very late now, and Ii Naobi was a little sleepy, so he did not say any more greetings to Hakui, who suddenly came to visit late at night.
After entering the room and sitting on the main seat, he immediately asked Bo Jing:
"Bosui, why did you come to visit late at night?"
Bo Jing lowered his head, responded respectfully, and said in a deep voice:
"Sir, my lord, I just received an urgent letter from my subordinates: There is a French businessman. He and his family were attacked by a large-scale 'anti-barbarian' mob on their way to Edo."
"What?" Ii Naobi's expression changed, "A French businessman was attacked?"
Ii Naobi clenched his fists tightly and asked urgently:
"What happened to the French businessman who was attacked?"
"He... he and his family are all fine." Bo Jing's expression became strange at this time, "A subordinate of Xiaguan... is the person who sent me this urgent letter. He led the Second
More than ten guards repelled nearly 200 incoming 'anti-barbarian' thugs and protected the safety of the Frankish businessman and his family members."
"...What?" Naobi Ii, who suspected that he heard wrongly, tilted his ears slightly forward in the direction of Hakui, "Boui, say it again."
…
…
Tokaido, Kanagawa-juku——
Kiryu, who was kneeling in front of the bare-chested Aoto, looked at the wounds on Aoto's body and said softly in a praising tone:
"Hey... Mr. Ju, you are recovering from your injuries very quickly."
"Yeah." Qingdeng nodded and said casually, "I've been like this since I was a child, and I recover from my injuries very quickly."
After casually dealing with Kiryu, Qingden lowered his head, glanced at the wounds on his body, and thought to himself:
——The effect of this newly copied talent is much stronger than expected...
After successfully defeating Suehiro Mamoru, Aomori successfully copied a new talent from him: the recovery speed of wounds far exceeds the "physical fitness" of ordinary people.
It must be said that this new talent came just in time, just right for Qingdeng who had suffered several injuries after a great battle.
That "snowy night chaos"... happened six days ago.
A handful of more than 30 people fought against more than 200 "anti-barbarian" thugs, killed more than 60 of them, and forced the incoming enemies to flee. Judging from the ratio of the number of people on both sides and the results of the battle, this was an undoubted victory.
However, the price paid is also quite high.
After the war, the number of casualties was counted. Xiaoshi and his group of guards only had 18 people left alive, and basically all of these survivors were injured.
Although they had won a great victory, it would not be surprising when the "anti-barbarian" thugs would counterattack again.
God knows how many of them there are. Will they immediately gather a large group of people and attack again?
Therefore, we cannot stay in the wild any longer, nor can we go to Edo any longer.
So, after a brief discussion, Aomori and the others made up their mind: to seek refuge at the nearest camp, and then send a letter to Edo, requesting Edo to send people to help them.
Anthony's horses were either dead or ran away, and there was not a single one left.
Without a horse that could pull the cart, Anthony, Elodie and the others could only walk with Aoto on two legs through the night to the nearest accommodation at that time: Kanagawa Juku.
After arriving at Kanagawa-juku safely, Aomori immediately asked Kanagawa-juku's Wenyaba to send a letter jointly written by him, Anthony, and Komuro to Edo, informing them of the situation on their side, and
Ask for reinforcements from people sent by the administration.
At the same time, Kanagawa Juku's Manyaba was also entrusted to help transport back the bodies of the fallen guards who had to be temporarily left on the battlefield due to lack of transportation capacity.
It's impossible for Edo not to send someone over.
After all, Anthony is a Westerner, and he is also French.
In recent years, the cooperation between France and the Edo shogunate has been closer, so during this period, the Edo shogunate will pay more attention to matters related to the French.
As long as Anthony's identity as a Westerner is revealed, Edo will definitely take it seriously and will immediately send a large team of people to take them back to Edo.
After sending this letter, Aomori and others waited for reinforcements from Edo to arrive while silently healing their wounds.
In the past few days, Boss Kiryu was mainly here to treat their injuries.
Previously, Boss Kiryu told him humbly: He only has some medical skills.
But after these few days of observation, Qingden discovered that Kiryu's boss's medical skills were not at all what he said was "just a little bit"...
Skin injuries, bone injuries, internal injuries... He seems to be able to treat any injury, and he heals it very well.
In that "snowy night battle", Qingnobo suffered a total of 5 injuries, all of which were skin injuries. The more serious ones were the knife he received on his right shoulder after breaking into the enemy group, and the wound on his chest that was cut by Suehiro's wind.
The stroke made by the tip of the spear.
By the way, the knife that Fujisawa received in his leg when he was trying to save Mai Kinoshita and others was torn apart by Aoto's violent activities during the "Snowy Night Fight".
But thanks to the newly copied "Physical Fitness" talent, Qingdeng recovered from these injuries at a very fast speed.
Normally, it would be impossible for Qingdeng to recover from these injuries in less than ten days and a half.
But because of his "Physical Fitness" talent, Qingdeng estimated that the wounds on his body would only need to rest for a few days to heal.
"Hahaha..." Kiryu chuckled a few times at this time, then picked up a box of ointment next to his leg and began to apply new medicine to Qingden's wound, "Your body with amazing resilience... reminds me of me
An old friend of mine."
Kiryu's eyes now flashed with a hint of reminiscence.
"Boss Kiryu, does that old friend of yours also have amazing resilience?" At this moment, there are only two people in the room where Aoto lives.
Saito just went to the toilet and won't be able to come back for a while.
Qingto has always been quite fond of this gentle old man who helped him enter the trial guard hall, so he is also happy to chat with Kiryu to pass the boring time of changing medicine.
"Yes. That old friend of mine... his body's recovery ability is not that strong." Kiryu smiled slightly, "If you think about it carefully, I haven't seen my old friend in a long time."
"At this point in time... he must be lazily basking in the sun with his wife on the street."
Kiryu applied the ointment quickly, and after a while, he evenly applied ointment to all the wounds on Qingden's body.
Just as he was taking out the linen and preparing to wrap up Qingden's wounds, Kiryu suddenly changed the topic to a weird topic that had nothing to do with what he was just talking about:
"... Mr. Ju, looking at these injuries on your body, I can't help but sigh: You are really brave."
"Huh? What's wrong? Why do you ask so suddenly?"
"I saw the battle clearly six days ago." Kiryu said unhurriedly, "You stepped on the tip of the spear that the man stabbed at you, jumped on the gun shaft, and then jumped along the gun shaft to
In front of the man, a blow severely injured the man's left shoulder."
"This kind of fighting style... you can't do it without a certain amount of courage."
"If you fail to spot the spear that your opponent is stabbing at, and if you fail to step on the tip of the spear smoothly, your foot may be stabbed."
"After jumping on the opponent's gun barrel, if you fail to stand firm and run steadily, or if your opponent reacts a little faster and throws you off the gun barrel, then you are probably going to die."
"Fall to the ground from the barrel of the gun, get up from the ground and stand firm... Such a long time is enough for your opponent to stab you to death several times."
"Tachibana-kun, when you decided to use this kind of fighting method that will lead to tragic death if you are not careful...don't you feel scared?"
After finishing speaking, Kiryu raised curious eyes towards Qingden in front of him.
"Ah... this..." Qingden smiled with a strange expression, "To be honest - I didn't think much about it at the time."
"...Thinking nothing of it?"
Qingdeng nodded.
"At that time... I was only thinking about defeating Suehiro Moriyuyo." Qingto said softly, "At that time, I only thought of this method to get close to Suehiro."
"Because I only thought of this method and felt that I had a certain degree of success, I put this method into practice without thinking too much."
After saying that, the scene of the fierce battle with Suehiro 6 days ago flashed through Ayoto's mind.
The heartbeat... was a little faster at this moment.
Even though several days have passed, everything he experienced in the fierce battle with Suehiro is still clearly engraved in Aomori's mind——
The blood in my whole body felt like it was burning, and I felt a different kind of joy in my heart.
Whenever I thought of a strategy that seemed to be effective, I used it boldly, without feeling any fear, and without worrying about failure, injury, or death.
There is only one thought left in my mind: fight and win!
Listening to Qingden's answer, Kiryu lowered his head slightly, with a deep and inexplicable light shining in his eyes.
"...Tachibana-kun, are you interested in the sword-drawing technique?"
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This chapter has been completed!