Chapter 873 The story of [The Executioner] continues! [5400]
The sudden sound made Okada Izo's brows tremble slightly.
He opened his eyes with difficulty, turned his head, and listened.
After seeing the face of the visitor clearly, he opened his mouth and showed an excited and expectant smile.
"Oishi...Jun...I haven't seen you for a long time...Teacher Wushi...have you brought any message...come here...?"
Okada Izo knew Oishi Yataro.
The other party had sent messages to Wu Shi Hanping Tai several times.
Either to express condolences to Okada Izo, or to encourage him to continue to persevere.
Although they are all content that is not nutritious, every time Oishi Yataro brings a message to Takeichi Hanheita, Okada Izo will feel that new strength surges out of his body, and he can persevere again.
Seeing Oishi Yataro coming here, Okada Izo subconsciously thought that Takeichi Hanheita had said something again.
Faced with Okada Izo's inquiry, Oishi Yataro shuddered suddenly, his eyes wandered around in mid-air a few times, and then he stammered:
"Wu Wu, Teacher Wu Shi didn't ask me to take the message. I just came here to visit you on a whim..."
When Okada Izo heard this, he immediately looked disappointed.
"That's it...but...thank you...except for you...no one else...in this world...will come to visit me..."
Oishi Yataro blinked his eyes, and a trace of sadness flashed across his eyes.
He forced out a forced and ugly smile and repeated the question just now:
"Yi, Yi Zang, do you want to eat steamed buns?"
As he spoke, he took out a snow-white steamed bun from his arms.
"This is the steamed bun I secretly brought, please eat it quickly."
Before he finished speaking, he stretched out his arms, grabbed the steamed bun's right hand, passed through the gap between the railings, reached into the prison, and stretched out towards Okada Izo, as if he wanted to stuff the steamed bun into his mouth right away.
Okada Izo stared at the snow-white steamed bun so close at hand, his expression stagnant.
"……Steamed bun……?"
"Yes, yes! Steamed buns! Filled with red bean paste! Very delicious!"
"..."
Okada Izo stopped talking.
He neither said anything nor reached out to pick it up, he just stared at the steamed bun.
Sadness, pain, confusion...all kinds of emotions appeared on his face.
In the end, all the emotions turned into self-deprecating smiles on both cheeks.
"Oishi-kun...you can't do this..."
"Your hands...are shaking like this...it's hard not to make people...suspicious..."
"There's something wrong with this steamed bun... right...?"
Oishi Yataro trembled even more.
"How, how, how could it be possible! This, this, this, these are the fresh steamed buns I just bought, how could there be a problem!"
Okada Izo laughed—laughing as hard as crying.
"Dashi-kun...you don't have to say it...I understand everything..."
"I know this steamed bun... is a poisonous steamed bun..."
"And it's... the poisonous steamed buns sent by Teacher Wu Shi..."
"This day... has indeed come..."
After saying that, Okada Izo raised his head, leaned against the corner behind him, and let out a sigh of relief.
"Oishi-kun... put down the steamed buns... I will eat them..."
"After you put down the steamed buns...just leave quickly..."
"If others...discover that you secretly brought...food to me...you will be implicated..."
Oishi Yataro has long wanted to leave.
The thought of "I'm killing someone" almost caused him to collapse.
It was all by willpower that he managed to regain his footing.
Hearing what the other party said, he seemed to have been burned. He hurriedly threw down the poisonous buns in his hand, and then ran away from the scene as fast as he could without even saying a word.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away... and silence returned to Okada Izo's body.
"..."
Okada Izo silently picked up the steamed bun, held it in his hands, and stared at it dully.
——Eat it!
He said to himself word by word.
——As long as you eat it, you will be free! You don’t have to suffer anymore!
——As long as you eat it, you can keep the teacher’s secret forever!
——This is the last thing I can do for my teacher!
After a short period of "ideological mobilization", he made up his mind and vowed to die to thank his teacher.
At this time, he suddenly recalled his life.
From his miserable youth, he followed Takeshi Hanheitai, and then helped Takeshi Hanheitai eradicate his political opponents, killing countless people, and became the powerful "person-killer Yizou" in Kyoto.
As he recalled it, he had a satisfied look on his face, and various emotions surged in his heart.
What a short life...
But, thanks to my teacher, my life has become very meaningful!
I am a lowly "ashigaru", so poor that even the tenant farmers look down on me.
When I first met my teacher, he was already a well-known sage.
Although he was a person of such noble status, he never looked down upon me. He not only accepted me as his disciple, but also sponsored me to study abroad in Edo.
It is thanks to the great help of my teacher that I can achieve this skill.
After joining the Tosa Kinou Party, my teacher never allowed me to attend meetings.
Whenever there was a meeting, he always excluded me and ordered me to wait outside.
This is of course because the teacher wants me to focus on kendo and not let me waste my precious energy on other things.
No matter what, it couldn't be because he felt that I was an uneducated and uncultured old man who was not worthy of participating in the meeting.
After arriving in Kyoto, I finally had the opportunity to show off my skills.
The shogunate's thugs are everywhere inside and outside Kyoto.
There are also many people who respect the people with lofty ideals, but are against the teacher.
For the sake of the development of the Tosa Kinwang Party and the early realization of the great cause of respecting the king and repelling the barbarians, my teacher ordered me to assassinate these thieves.
This is of course because the teacher trusts me and values me.
No matter what, it couldn't be because he felt that I was simple-minded, loyal and had good swordsmanship, and was actually a very useful tool, so he just threw all the dirty work to me.
After being arrested and imprisoned, it was clear that the teacher could save me from torture as long as he frankly admitted the crimes he had committed, but he never opened his mouth and allowed me to struggle in hell.
This is of course because the teacher has a huge mission, so he cannot give in to thieves.
No matter what, it can't be because he doesn't care about my life and thinks his own life is more important than mine.
Although I had a premonition, the teacher actually gave me poisonous steamed buns to eat.
This is of course because the teacher loves me so much! He couldn’t bear to see me continue to suffer, so he helped me to escape!
No matter what, it can't be because the teacher thinks I know too much, so he wants me to shut up forever and prevent future troubles.
Teacher, thank you!
…
…
…
…
"...wuwu..."
Suddenly, huge tears rolled down from Okada Izo's eyes.
First a whimper or two, and then it turned into a howl.
His body softened and he fell forward, lying on the ground, his body shaking violently from crying.
"I don't have a lot of knowledge..."
"I don't have any extraordinary charm..."
"The only thing I have... is my swordsmanship... and my loyalty to you...!"
"I will do my best for you...!"
"It is precisely because I admire you, and precisely because I believe in you, that I will willingly take over all the dirty work...! That is why I will willingly become 'cutting people to hide them'...!"
"Now that things have come to this...are you unwilling to protect me?!"
"Aren't you just trying to survive by cutting off your tail...?!"
"Traitor...you traitor...!"
"I don't want to die...I don't want to die...!"
"I don't want to die in vain...!"
"Even if you are as humble as me, I don't want to die in this way...!"
"Traitor...! Traitor...! Traitor...!"
Gradually, he stopped howling.
All that was left in the cell was low whimpering and repeated whispers of "traitor."
…
…
Goto Shojiro ran towards Okada Izo's cell in three steps at a time.
At this moment, many people had come outside Okada Izo's cell.
They surrounded the cell tightly and stood ready.
Seeing Goto Shojiro coming, these people saluted and greeted him one after another.
Goto Shojiro didn't care about anything else and ran to the cell door with a sprint, his eyes fixed on Okada Izo inside the cell.
I saw Okada Izo hanging his head, his face was ashen, as if he had lost his soul, and his eyes were dim.
Goto Shojiro glanced at Okada Izo, then turned to look at the other people present:
"You all stand down first."
Everyone responded in agreement and then filed out.
After only himself and the other party were left at the scene, Goto Shojiro said seriously:
"...Okada Izo, I have heard the specific reasons. You are willing to expose Takeichi Hanheita's sins, right?"
Okada Izo nodded numbly:
"I'm willing to confess...but I have one condition."
Goto Shojiro was not surprised at all by Okada Izo's request.
He raised his chin and said:
"Have said that, as long as you are willing to identify Wu Shi Hanping Tai, I will try my best to satisfy you in whatever way I can."
Okada Izo's expression remained unchanged, and he said slowly:
"I don't want to die... As long as you let me live, I will tell you everything I know."
When Goto Shojiro heard this, he frowned slightly:
"Okada Izo, you have killed so many people and your crime is unforgivable. Even now, you still want to survive?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Okada Izo said in a tone that left no room for doubt:
"That's all I ask for."
"Let me live - it's that simple."
"If you don't agree, I won't say anything."
"Even if you torture me for another five or ten years, I won't open my mouth."
"Your goal is only to overthrow the King Tosa Kin's gang, kill Takeichi Hanheita, and avenge your uncle, isn't it?"
"I'm just a dog adopted by Takeshi Hanpingtai, worthless."
"To you, my life and death don't matter at all, right?"
Goto Shojiro lowered his eyelids and his eyes were deep.
"...Okada Izo, you have killed countless people and committed heinous crimes."
"Do you know how many people hate you to the core?"
"Do you know how many people are eager to eat your flesh and drink your blood?"
"Even if I can spare you, no one in the world can spare you."
"The 'Hitoko Izo' who was already imprisoned is walking around the city with great arrogance - if this thing gets spread, how will the world view me, Goto Shojiro, and me, Tosa?"
"Therefore, it is impossible for you to stay in this country and this land any longer."
Speaking of this, Goto Shojiro paused for a moment, and then changed the topic:
"But...just in half a month, there will be a merchant ship heading to the United States."
"As long as you remain anonymous and promise never to come back for the rest of your life, I can help you get the ticket for this merchant ship."
"After you go to the United States, whether you live or die, whether you die in old age or thrive, it all depends on your destiny."
"This is my biggest concession."
"If you can't accept it, then there's nothing left to talk about, so you can just continue to stay here."
After hearing the word "America", Okada Izo frowned and showed strong disgust - under the influence of Takeichi Hanheita, Okada Izo was disgusted with all Western things.
However, he did not refuse.
Although he was an ignorant and reckless man, under the influence of his desire to survive, his brain became particularly bright at this time.
He knew very well: This was indeed Goto Shojiro's biggest concession.
Based on the crimes he had committed, even 10 heads would not be enough to cut him off, not to mention letting him go free.
Goto Shojiro is willing to risk his reputation and help him escape to the United States, which is already very sincere.
No matter how much Izō Okada talks, he can't get the other party to come up with a better plan.
If he dared to say "no", Goto Shojiro might really turn around and leave, too lazy to deal with this greedy guy again.
After pondering for a moment, Okada Izo asked bluntly:
"...You talk empty talk...How can I believe you...?"
Goto Shojiro put on a straight face and said seriously:
"Who do you think I am? A cunning and ruthless rogue?"
"I am Goto Shojiro."
"Tosa Domain's political participation, Yoshida Toyo's nephew, Goto Shojiro!"
"'Reputation' is what I rely on to make a living."
"Since I can say it, I can definitely do it!"
"I swear in the name of my uncle and the dignity of a warrior that what I just said is true and I will never break my promise!"
After saying that, Goto Shojiro raised his hand to reach for the sword at his waist, pulled out the small half, and then took it back heavily. The blade collided with the sheath, making a loud clang.
Breaking the gold and swearing an oath - a very serious oath-taking ceremony for warriors.
Upon seeing this, Okada Izo nodded slowly but solemnly.
"...Okay...it's settled...!"
…
…
The next day, a piece of news like a bolt from the blue spread throughout Tosa, and then spread to all directions - Okada Izo confessed!
Not only did he admit to the various crimes he had committed, but he also confessed in detail the crimes of Takeichi Hanheita.
According to what he said, Takeichi Hanheita was very jealous of Yoshida Toyo and believed that Yoshida Toyo, who advocated openness, innovation, and reform, was a heinous evil. It was only because of this person's suppression that the Tosa Kinnoi party was unable to rise to power.
As a result, Takeichi Hanheita secretly contacted the conservative forces that had lost power due to Yoshida Toyo's rise to power, and worked together to assassinate Yoshida Toyo.
Takeshi Hanheita sent Nasu Shingo, Oishi Danzo, and Yasuoka Yoshisuke to kill Yoshida Toyo when he returned home.
After beheading Yoshida Toyo, Nasu Shingo and the other two fled the feudal clan and disappeared without a trace.
Based on Okada Izo's confession, Goto Shojiro immediately sent out a large number of troops to arrest and bring to justice all relevant personnel who had no time to escape or who were lucky. Finally, it was confirmed that Okada Izo's words were not false.
.
The case has been solved... The "murder case of Toyo Yoshida" that has been investigated for more than a year has finally been solved.
Faced with the ironclad personal and physical evidence, Wu Shi Hanping Tai no longer had any room for argument.
After learning that Okada Izo betrayed him, Takeichi Hanheita acted very calmly.
He was neither furious nor dejected - as if he had expected it.
Unsurprisingly, Takeshi Hanheita was sentenced to death.
In memory of his meritorious service, Shannai Tang ordered him to commit hara-kiri to preserve his dignity.
Before committing seppuku, Takeichi Hanheita wrote a letter to his wife Tomiko, asking her to make a white shoulder jacket (a sleeveless top worn by Taketsuchi) and send it to her.
On the day of seppuku, he wore a white shoulder garment sewn by his wife and died calmly.
As we all know, because seppuku is too painful, there are "wrong people" to help it escape.
At first, after cutting open the stomach, the wrong person could wield the knife.
Later, it developed to the point where you could stab the wrong person with a knife and swing it.
Then, without even pretending, the seppukuri raised his hand and touched the handle of the knife, and started to swing the knife at the wrong person.
There is even a "fan cut", where a fan is used to scratch and pull on the stomach, and the wrong person will be chopped off his head with a knife.
Hanheita Takeichi, who considers himself a "noble samurai", did not choose these cheating methods.
On the day of seppuku, he calmly picked up the sword on the table in front of him and rolled up the handle with white paper.
Then, everyone at the scene heard three lucky sounds of "Eh!", "Eh!", "Eh!" - Takeshi Hanping Taiyi went all out and cut his abdomen three times in a row.
This was not over yet. After completing the "Sanmonjiri", he put the sword back on the table, touched the mat with his hands, and bowed his head to express his gratitude.
It was only then that Jie CuoRen, who had never seen anything like this before and was so shocked that his whole body went stiff, finally came to his senses and chopped off the head of Takeshi Hanheita with a swing of his sword.
The leader of the Tosa Kinou Party, Takeshi Hanheita, died!
At this point, the once prosperous Tosa Kinnobu Party completely withdrew from the stage of history and became a topic of conversation after dinner.
Afterwards, Takeichi Hanheita's remains were carried in a sedan chair by Yanagawa Zamon, a member of the family of Anekokoji Kōkō, and sent to Takeichi's home in Shinmachi Tabuchi by jailer Oishi Yataro that night. The next day, he was buried next to his ancestral grave in Fukii Village, Nagaoka County.
As for Okada Izo...he has been responsible for countless murders and should be sentenced to death.
The Japanese punishment is quite different from the Chinese punishment.
The latter involves cutting the flesh from the bones, amputating the limbs, and then slitting the throat; the former involves tying the victim to a high wooden post and then repeatedly piercing the body with a spear. This is an ungraceful and painful execution.
In view of his meritorious service, Goto Shojiro changed the sentence to "beheading".
Although "beheading" is still very unseemly for a samurai, it is much more pleasurable and can be done as soon as you close your eyes.
In this way, Okada Izo was pushed into the execution ground and lost his head.
The "people who were killed to hide" who once shocked Kyoto ended up with such a miserable end, and even the whole body could not be preserved, which is infinitely sad.
Of course, there are countless people who applaud this.
When "cutting people to hide" caused a bloody storm in Kyoto, countless people died tragically under his knife and their bodies were left lying on the streets.
But... somehow, not long after Okada Izo's death, a rumor popped up in the market: Okada Izo was not dead.
The person who was pushed to be beheaded that day was Okada Izo's stand-in, another death row prisoner who was about to be executed.
Goto Shojiro wanted to spare Okada to save his life, so he specifically changed the sentence to beheading, which was easier to "change a civet cat for a prince".
Although this rumor has spread widely, the truth cannot be verified.
Many years later, it is said that someone in the United States encountered a Japanese swordsman with superb skills and a face that looked like Okada Izo... Whether it is true or not is still unknown.
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Please give me monthly votes! Please vote for recommendations! (Leopard Head Cries.jpg)
PS: Since opening the new volume, Leopard and Leopard are in great condition! This chapter is another chapter that makes me very satisfied! In just a few thousand words, it shows the bleak end of "killing people to hide them", which is sad!
According to historical facts, Takeichi Hanheita has always looked down on Okada Izo. Of course, there are also reasons for this because of Okada Izo himself. This man indulged in drinking and sex, had a rough temper, and could not hold up a wall with mud.
Bao Baozi spent so much pen and ink writing about Okada Izo, so he naturally had ulterior motives.
Many book friends know that Bao Baozi is planning to write the "Sword and Halberd Trilogy", and the three works share a world view.
The first part is the previous work.
The second part is this work.
The main stage of the third and next part is the United States in the 1920s.
