Yongzhen looked sadly at Isshin's raised right hand, which dropped weakly. The satisfied sword master finally breathed his last breath without any worries.
"Click~"
The door of the gymnasium also opened at this time. Led by Genichiro and three veteran generals with white beards and hair, a large number of senior officials from the Ashina Kingdom filed in. They knelt down around Isshin in rows based on their status and looked solemnly towards the passing away.
The old king bowed in greeting.
Genichiro said in a low tone: "Grandpa, I wish you a safe journey on the road to Huangquan."
Judging from Genichiro's tired appearance, he must have just hurried back to the city.
Among the three veterans behind him, the leader, Lu Xiao, whom he had met before, was Masako from the Ghost Court Criminal Division who was supposed to be responsible for guarding the city gate.
The other two veterans should be Mayaji, the master of the ghost garden, and Yamauchi Shikibu Toishi, the only remaining members of Ashina's seven guns.
Just like the names of Oniwa Masataka, Oniwa Masaji and Yamauchi Toshikatsu's middle names are their official positions. Samurai who have not yet received official positions usually put their nicknames in the middle.
For example, Master Oda Yoshi Nobunaga, Matsudaira Takechiyo Motoyasu (Tokugawa Ieyasu), Sanada Genjiro Nobushige (Sanada Yukimura).
"Your Excellency Genichiro, Lord Punishment is here, that gate..."
After sorting out his mood, Genichiro returned to his previous calmness: "Don't worry, Mr. Lu Xiao, we have initially completed the mass production and ripening of the insect possessors, and have invested about a hundred insect possessors near the gate. This is just the right opportunity.
Give them a chance to test their quality."
The reason why Genichiro stayed in the Valley of the Fall for a long time was to personally witness the catalytic effect of the water of the source on the immortal insects.
Facts have proven that the method recorded in the Book of Everlasting Journey: The Gift of Insects is true and effective.
Genichiro, whose confidence was greatly enhanced, rushed back to Ashina Castle when he suddenly heard about Owl's rebellion and Isshin's final performance.
He immediately took the last three remaining members of Ashina's Seven Guns to the outside of the small dojo. As the battle progressed, officials at all levels from Ashina heard the news and came over, forming a large farewell team.
As Isshin's only direct relative, Genichiro will be responsible for hosting Isshin's funeral.
Taking into account the current situation in Ashina Country, Genichiro rejected the proposal of civil officials to organize a grand funeral and arranged for Isshin to be buried quickly in as low-key a manner as possible.
The warriors didn't have any objections to this. They knew that this was also the way Isshin wanted to send off without being formal.
After Yixin died, Yongzhen was a little confused for a while.
After losing the patients and elders who had been caring for her for many years, she suddenly seemed to be unable to find her next goal in life. She stood outside the annex building where Yishin lived for a long time, staring blankly at the flaming clouds in the evening sky.
"Yongzhen."
Lu Xiao walked up behind Yongzhen and reminded: "I know you feel uncomfortable right now. You might as well change your thoughts temporarily and focus on other places."
Yongzhen turned around blankly, his eyes a little dull: "Other places?"
"Severance never dies."
Lu Xiao said firmly: "This is also Isshin-sama's wish during his lifetime. Don't you want to help Kuro complete it?"
At Lu Xiao's reminder, Yongzhen's eyes finally regained focus.
"I understand. I will do my best to help Master Jiuro fulfill his wish. As for future goals... we will leave it to you later."
…
As Genichiro returned and led the army in person, the solitary shadows who followed the owl saw the opportunity and quickly hid in the shadows again. They hid in every corner of Ashina and secretly observed, providing the inner palace army with information about Ashina City that was about to launch an attack.
all information.
Genichiro was very troubled by these inner ninjas who were difficult to completely eliminate, and Lu Xiao took this opportunity to tell Genichiro his plan.
"Mobilizing young men from the Wu family to serve as spies for surveillance?"
Genichiro didn't understand Lu Xiao's true intention. He asked dubiously: "Is it possible? These children are the treasures of each family. If they accidentally expose their identities..."
"Master, please don't worry."
One of Ashina's seven guns, Yamauchi Shikibu Toshikatsu, interjected: "Heiroku has informed me of this matter. I, Lord Ma, and Lord Punishment all agree with Sir Lu Xiao's plan."
"Now we have reached a critical moment for Ashina's life and death. If those little brats can contribute to the rear of the battlefield, us old guys can only dream of it."
Toshikatsu Yamauchi is the grandfather of Genichiro's nickname, Heiroku Yamauchi, and Ashina Shichimoto are die-hard supporters of the Ashina Kingdom. They were the only remaining veterans of the War of Thieves, and their words carry considerable weight.
Genichiro solemnly bowed to the three veterans and thanked them: "Thank you three for your support. Then let's act according to Mr. Lu Xiao's plan."
Recruiting young soldiers is only the first step. Lu Xiao hopes to use the positive actions of these underage little guys to awaken the numb hearts of the residents of the Weiming Kingdom, so that they can also join this mass war and completely submerge the Guyingzhong in the human race.
nautical miles.
During the Warring States Period, the people had gradually become numb to the war. The Weiming Kingdom had many signs of youth, leaving only the old, weak, sick and disabled working in the fields.
Ashina, whose foreign trade routes are blocked, is very poor. In order to maintain the basic expenses of the army, Genichiro has to impose a very high tax rate. The people of this country have no hope for the future and can only endure the hardship day after day.
torment.
The total amount of treasures Lu Xiao obtained from Xianfeng Temple was very large. In order to continue the experiment of Son of Change, these thieves earned a lot of money by selling Buddhist candies. The Luanbo crowd also secretly plundered a lot of people's treasures.
Ashina's foreign trade routes have not yet been opened, leaving too many precious possessions and not being able to buy anything good.
At Lu Xiao's suggestion, Genichiro kept hard currencies such as gold coins and copper coins, and distributed other treasures that could not be converted into resources for the time being to the people of Ashina City, making a cake for them.
As long as the attack by the inner government is repelled, Ashina can reopen the trade routes. At that time, these treasures can be converted into money and food, which will greatly improve the quality of life of the people of Ashina Kingdom.
Seeing with their own eyes the young masters of the Wu family actively running around the city, and seeing the treasures in their hands representing hope for the future, the indifferent people of Ashina finally gained motivation.
Based on the teaching materials written by Lu Xiao, the young Wu family secretly trained the people in the city in batches, teaching them how to identify ninjas from hostile countries, and then told the intelligence to these Wu family young people running around, and then compiled it and handed it over to Yi Gosying.
Headed by the eagles.
In the next few days, the Lone Shadows hiding in various places in Ashina found that their intelligence gathering operation became extremely difficult.
In the past, information that could be obtained by just asking the residents would now often arouse the suspicion of local people, and may even be discovered by the hawks who came over at some point.
Without accurate information coming from the city, the inner army could no longer easily understand the military movements of the Ashina Kingdom.
Coupled with the recent appearance of those strange and invincible soldiers on the battlefield, the generals in charge of the inner army gradually felt that something was wrong, and the originally stable situation was experiencing changes.
…
Mobilizing the enthusiasm of the masses in Ashina's country, Lu Xiao bid farewell to Kuro, Yongzhen and others and set off again.
This time, his goal is to refine the last ingredient of Origin Incense - the Stone of Incense.
But before jumping into the pit and entering Ashina's bottom, Lu Xiao first came to the dungeon to meet the legendary "genius" chemist-Daoshun.