"Sorayama, Sana, there's big news!" Kiriko ignored the snowflakes shaking off her body and shouted excitedly to the two of them: "Little Kenshin's confession was rejected because Yukiyoba's fiancé was killed in Kyoto!"
Seeing that the two people cuddling together looked like they had no interest in listening to her gossip, Kiroko couldn't help but said loudly: "Hey, think about it, why did Yukiyoba reject Kenshin? What does Kenshin have to do with her fiancé's death?
What? If you really care, why are you following Kenshin all the time? Wouldn’t it be better to go back to her home in Edo and slowly grieve?”
After hearing Kiriko's questions, Sanai couldn't help but hold her waist, straighten out her growing belly and sit cross-legged, frowning and asked: "Kiriko, you mean... the death of Yukiyoba's fiancé and the sword
Heart related? So she approached Kenshin for revenge?"
"That's right! That's it! I told you that we should kill that woman, but you haven't seen that little Kenshin is now turning into a farmer!"
Kazuyo Sorayama shook his head, "Sure enough, that boy is a mortal, and is actually not suitable for learning the swordsmanship of the Feitian sword style. Although his will and understanding are top-notch, his weakness in character cannot be compensated for."
Sanai said angrily: "Now is not the time to discuss things like swordsmanship. Kiriko, do you find anything else? I have seen the look in Yukishiroba's eyes towards Kenshin many times. That look is definitely not hatred. I don't believe it.
She will do something to hurt Kenshin."
Wuzi pouted: "There's no evidence! Sorayama, what do you think we should do? Do we just watch little Kenshin being killed?"
Kazuyo Sorayama chuckled lightly, and the solution he gave was as simple and direct as his swordsmanship: "Why guess? Let's go together tomorrow and ask the authorities clearly. If the woman lies, I don't believe she can hide it from me."
"What if she is really hiding next to little Kenshin and plotting evil?"
"Let that stupid boy figure it out on his own!"
In the early morning, Iizuka and Yukino Yuki, who had not seen each other for many days, sat together at the door of a hotel.
"Yuan, maybe you can return to Edo with your sister after tomorrow."
"That guy... As long as Battousai disappears, my sister will come back. What I said is right!"
"Ah, yes, then everything will be over, and the mission will be completed by then. It's the same for you and me." Iizuka answered absentmindedly, thinking about how to solve this huge trouble of Sorayama Kazuha!
It is impossible to accomplish anything by just relying on those few ninjas who have been frightened out of their courage. However, no matter how much bounty they give themselves, they will not accept this kind of mission. After all, you can only spend money if you have a life! However, if it is solved as soon as possible,
Battosai, even if that person noticed it, it was too late... I hope everything goes well...
At the same time, Kenshin and Yukidaiba were sorting out their backpacks full of herbs. This was the last takeout sale this year. There was nowhere to collect herbs after the heavy snow closed the mountains, and the mountain roads were rugged and not easy to walk, so they had to purchase them this time.
Enough necessities to survive until next year.
Just as he stepped down the steps, he saw Kiriko's figure appearing in front of him. Kenshin was a little surprised. After coming to live here, he only visited the Sorayama family once, and he never interacted with them again.
I really don't want to face Kazuyo. This senior is undoubtedly very kind to me, but his words are often accurate and precise, but he can get to the point directly without being able to refute, which makes me miserable.
However, Kenshin liked this young lady Kiriko who always loved to tease him but was very simple. He put down his backpack and showed his signature gentle smile: "Sister Kiriko, why are you here? The mountain road is not easy to walk...
"
"Phew! Fortunately, I caught up. I didn't expect you to go out so early. What a little Kenshin, making a living is not easier than killing people, right?"
Kiroko's words made Kenshin stunned, and then he smiled bitterly and said: "Xiaosheng would rather be poor, and..." He glanced at the woman standing quietly beside him, "I am very willing to live the life I have now..." In other words, this kind of life is the best way to live.
It’s what I want!
"Hmph, you have inherited that from Hikou. You, the Feitian Sword Style, are indeed not vain people."
Sorayama Kazuyo's unique hoarse voice came over, and Kenshin suddenly felt that the morning chill was particularly strong. He hurried down the steps, bowed and saluted: "Korayama-senpai, Sanai-san, long time no see."
Sanai slowly walked over with the support of Sorayama Kazuha, stroked Kenshin's hair and said: "Since you were a little kid, I have never seen you as happy from the bottom of your heart as you are now."
She smiled at Tomoe and handed her a souvenir - a jar of pickled vegetables. "It seems that Tomoe is really virtuous."
"Um...Senior, two sisters, I didn't know you were here today..."
Kazuyo Sorayama waved his hand, "Go in and tell me, I have something to ask you - and Yukidaba."
Kenshin was stunned, and Yukiyoba had no idea that this legendary figure had anything to say to him. Although he had met him several times, except for the words that threatened him when they first met, he had never spoken to him.
Did I say something? Could it be that...it shouldn't be possible...
Xuedaiba got rid of the ominous premonition in her heart and followed everyone into the house. Then, like the most standard virtuous housewife of this era, she opened the fire and prepared to make tea.
"No need to bother," Kazuyo Sorayama waved to her and motioned for her to sit next to Kenshin, his emotionless eyes locked on Yukiyoba from the beginning to the end.
The atmosphere slowly started to get thicker.
"Senior...what's going on..." Kenshin couldn't help but ask.
"I want to know," Kazuyo Sorayama stared into Yukiyoba's eyes, "whether your fiancé's death is related to Kenshin."
"Senior!" Kenshin jumped up and exclaimed in disbelief.
Sorayama Kazuyo ignored Kenshin and his eyes still stayed on the woman.
At this time, Yukidaiba was biting her lip, her whole body was trembling, her mind was blank, her head was lowering and lowering, until her long hair completely covered her face.
Deathly silence.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Xuedaba's response, but the blood drops and tears left by biting the lip seemed to have given the woman the answer...
At this time, Kenshin seemed to be trembling more seriously than Yukidaba. He wanted to raise his hand several times to touch the woman in front of him, but no matter how hard he tried, his stiff fingertips always refused to obey.
The questions that had been there for many days, the truth that I didn't dare to think deeply about, the thoughts that I admired the woman... were severely shattered at this moment! Kenshin's cheek, which had been healed for many days, suddenly cracked, and blood dripped down!
Kazuyo Sorayama looked at each other solemnly with Sana and Kiriko. It seemed that the worst case had happened...
"Yes." Yukidaiba's tears still didn't stop, but her voice seemed unusually stable. She whispered this word, which pushed Kenshin out of the abyss of despair again.
Yukiyoba raised his head, and his face seemed to be blank, but his pupils did not focus on any point, and he said as if whispering: "His name is Kiyosato. As the second son of a samurai family, he cannot inherit the family business. After getting engaged to me, although I
I was very happy, but I didn’t know how to express it... Did he think that I would dislike the life that was destined to lead to poverty in the future... In short, for the sake of future happiness, although he had no confidence in his martial arts, he still went to Kyoto to gain merit...
...He died, and an executioner named Battousai killed him cruelly..."
With a pop, Jianxin collapsed to the ground.
"I cried and cried, and my tears ran dry... I went to Kyoto to find Battosai and take revenge... They found me. Battosai's swordsmanship was so amazing that he missed several ambushes... He created an accident and let me get close to Battosai.
, carefully observe his weaknesses, pass on the information... and finally execute the Heavenly Punishment on Battosai... right here."
Yukidaiba spoke softly, but tears kept flowing. She turned her head, focused her eyes on Kenshin who was curled up on the floor, and smiled: "When you are not killing people, you are too gentle...
Feicun…san.”
She whipped out the sword she had hidden in her sleeve for some time, aimed it at her throat and stabbed it hard!
How could Kazuyo Sorayama watch her commit suicide? At this distance, even if Yukiyoba kept holding the tip of the knife to his throat, he would have a hundred ways to save her.
He grabbed the woman's wrist, exerted slight force, and firmly clamped the blade of the sword between his index and middle fingers. The sword in Yukidaba's hand was put into Kazuyo Sorayama's hands without scratching its oily skin.
"Death can't solve the problem, and it also prevents the living people from making up for their mistakes." Kazuyo Sorayama said expressionlessly, "It's not wrong for the stupid boy to kill your fiancé, it's not wrong for you to want to take revenge, and it's even less wrong for you to fall in love.
As long as you live well, the problem will be solved one day."
Kazuyo Sorayama grabbed Kenshin's lapel and shouted: "Get up! You idiot lying on the ground pretending to be dead! You have killed people, and you can still bring him back to life? Listen carefully to what Yukiyoba said.
Who are 'they'? Who are they who want to kill you? Xuedaba, you tell me."
Hearing Kazuyo Sorayama's involuntary tone, for some reason, Yukidaiba's desperate heart seemed to be a little relieved. She stopped her tears, silently recalled for a while, and said: "They are a group of ninjas, and the leader is for
Old men, I don’t know their names, but they must be serving the shogunate. I... They are now hiding in an abandoned temple two mountains to the north from here.”
"Hmph, a bunch of rats, nothing to worry about." Sorayama Kazuyo sneered.
"Is it Yutingban?" Wuzi asked warily.
Kazuyo Sorayama shook his head: "It's not their style. Although Yu Tingban is a bit more insidious, he can only do 'frontal assassination' and will not degenerate into such a sneaky style. Moreover, as far as I know Yu Tingban
There are still a few masters, such as the Aoiwu man from the Choshu clan. His martial arts skills are not as good as those of the stupid boy. You don’t have to go to such trouble to kill the stupid boy."
Then he turned to look at Yukiyoba and said: "You are only responsible for delivering the news. As for finding the stupid boy's weaknesses... that is just to coax a little girl like you who is not good at martial arts. How can you still practice swordsmanship to the level of a stupid boy?
Is there any weakness to exploit? You are the stupid boy’s real weakness!”
Yukiyoba and Kenshin's bodies were shaken violently.
"So this is it...I...have been taken advantage of?" Xuedaba seemed to understand.
"No matter what, this is always a matter between the two of you." Kazuyo Sorayama stared into Kenshin's eyes and said leisurely: "Stupid boy, I just hope you don't regret anything you do, just like you
As you once told me, for the sake of the so-called reform, you can even wield the sword than Gu... Well, I have nothing to help you with the matter between you and her. As for the group of ninjas in the back mountain, I have no interest in helping you.
When to figure it out, when to solve it yourself, remember, don’t let yourself die.”
After saying that, Kazuyo Sorayama was the first to leave the house. In his opinion, some things are very simple, just like now, whether they can finally untie the knot is Kenshin and Yukiyoba's own problem, nothing more.
As for the so-called weaknesses and arrangements, if Yukiyoba, a woman with extremely poor martial arts skills, had not been mentioned earlier, even if Sorayama Kazuha pointed out Kenshin's weaknesses and asked the group of ninjas to kill them, they would not have been able to do it!
For example, Kenshin lacks physical strength and is not good at fighting protracted battles, but how many people can drag him down until his physical strength is exhausted? For example, Kenshin's wrist strength is weak, but who can knock his sword away...
Those ninjas must also know this very well, so the so-called plan to let Yukiyoba find weaknesses is just a cover. The real insidious and vicious thing is that once Kenshin learns the truth of the matter when he is caught off guard, his own heart will first be
Dead, just like before, he just collapsed to the ground.
At that time, even if you swing the knife based on instinct, you will be nothing more than a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
However, once the problem is solved in advance, all the conspiracies will no longer be conspiracies, so Kazuyo Sorayama leaves very relieved.
Kiriko made a cheering gesture towards Kenshin and jumped up to catch up with Sorayama Kazuha.
"Is your fiancé named Kiyosato? If Kiyosato really likes you, he...will also want you to be happy...Ba." Sanai walked at the end and whispered in Yukiyoba's ear.
Xuedeba stood blankly on the spot for a moment.
The figures of Sorayama Kazuha and the three others gradually disappeared into the wind and snow. No one in the room spoke or moved. They didn't know how to face each other...
The images of her fiancé and Kenshin kept appearing in Yukiyoba's eyes. Her resentment towards Kenshin had actually dissipated long ago. Even though the information she gave about the so-called weakness of Kenshin's swordsmanship was casual, she couldn't really forgive herself. She thought everything
Disasters are all your own fault...
The sun has reached dusk.
Yukiyoba tried her best to stand up with her numb legs, but she still couldn't help but fell to the ground. At this moment, a familiar hand appeared in front of her, and Kenshin's gentle voice carried a tone that had never appeared before.
Determined: "I...I will protect you...with your fiancé's share...Ba, I will protect you, forever!"
The woman covered her mouth with her hands and burst into tears.
A woman like me will only bring misfortune. I will never seize the happiness in front of me, but that is my fault. My fault is that I did not tell him my feelings. If I had the courage at that time... I would become more and more...
I feel that if I don’t hate someone, I will go crazy!
Devoting yourself to the plan to assassinate you has even become your weakness. The enemy is close at hand... A woman like me... Even so, do you still say you want to... protect me... A woman like me can also get it
Are you happy……
She hesitated, hesitated, faced the fingertips that were getting closer and closer, stretched out her hand tremblingly, and touched the two fingers, then the palm, then the arm, then the cheek, then the chest... until they were indistinguishable from each other...