There were constant cheers from the audience, and copper coins were thrown onto the stage while listening to the lecture.
Looking at the copper coins scattered like a rainstorm, they talked happily and smiled.
"But - it's useless even if Shinto Tokujiro doesn't come to Kanto!"
"Hasegawa Heizo-sama has always hated evil as much as hatred!"
"Once traces of a thief are found, even if the thief is at the end of the world, he will lead the officials who have changed the bandits to chase him!"
"I will not give up until the culprits are brought to justice!"
The yamen that specializes in catching arsonists and vicious thieves - Huosuke Thief Kai has a newly appointed chief in recent years: Hasegawa Heizo. His legendary stories have become the townspeople of Edo Castle and the samurai warriors in the past two years.
's favorite.
Everyone likes to listen, so storytellers like Tan Le naturally also like to tell it.
Not only storytellers love to tell stories, it is said that even some well-known rakugo masters have begun to compile various jokes based on Hasegawa Heizo.
Today, he once again successfully made a fortune with the story of "Hasegawa Heizo chasing Shinto Tokujiro", which made Tan Le laugh so hard that his eyes narrowed to a slit.
At this moment, a question suddenly rang out from the audience:
"Tanle! You just said that among all the thieves in the world today, the only one whose swordsmanship can surpass the real sword Tokujiro is the 'Executioner Ittosai'. Is this true?"
The person who asked this question was an ordinary young man dressed as a craftsman.
Tanle was stunned for a moment when he heard his question.
I recalled everything he just said.
I found that I actually said this sentence.
"Of course!"
Talk loudly.
"Although Shinto Tokujiro's swordsmanship is very strong, he is far behind compared to 'The Executioner Ittosai'!"
"Just comparing the number of people killed by the two is enough to show the difference between the two!"
As soon as Tan Le finished speaking, the audience immediately remembered the murmur of conversation.
"'Executioner Ittosai'...who is that?"
"I have never carefully inquired about any powerful thieves in the world."
"He's actually called 'Executioner'... could he be another murderer?"
"Don't you guys know that person... How closed-minded are you guys in your daily lives..."
"It's fine if people in remote areas don't know who 'Executioner Ittosai' is, but you fellow townspeople living in Edo don't even know...don't you usually leave your house?"
…
Looking at the audience discussing "The Executioner Ittosai" in the audience, Tan Le licked his lips.
If possible, he would like to tell everyone the story of "The Executioner Ittosai" right now.
After all - the story of "Ittosai the Executioner" is full of drama.
This kind of dramatic story is a favorite of storytellers like Tan Le.
But - Tanle dare not tell the story of "The Executioner Ittosai"...
Some listeners didn't know what "The Executioner Ittosai" did, but Tanle knew it all.
"The Executioner Ittosai" killed his lord and killed all of Hirose Domain's lord Matsudaira Gennai and more than a hundred of his guards. Although such a story is full of drama, as a young novelist, he did not dare to tell it openly.
Speak it out.
The person killed by "Ittosai" was a clan daimyo and the lord of Hirose Domain.
If an interested person discovers that he, as a storyteller, is preaching the heinous deeds of "Ittōsai" in public, I'm afraid it will cause a lot of trouble.
Therefore, Tan Le could only laugh and talk a few words, and brushed off the topic of "The Executioner Ittosai".
In fact, when he just told the story of "Hasegawa Heizo chasing Shinto Tokujiro", he said, "Among all the thieves in the world today, only 'Executioner Ittosai' can defeat Shinto Tokujiro."
——This sentence was said casually when he got excited about talking.
He didn't carefully study the skilled thieves in the world today.
Whether the skill of "Executioner Ittosai" is superior to the real sword Tokujiro, and whether there is any more powerful thief - Tanraku does not know the answers to these questions, and has no interest in finding out.
…
…
That night——
Kinki region, Tatsuno domain——
In a certain wilderness of Ryūye Fan, there is an ancient temple that has been abandoned for some time.
Inside this ancient temple, which is neither very large nor very small, five travelers gathered here who planned to spend the night.
These five travelers are all without exception - they are all robbers who have escaped from the feudal clan with swords in their waists, but have nowhere to go and no one to serve.
Four of the five ronin were sitting together, chatting.
Another ronin did not join in their chat.
Instead, he hugged his katana and wakizashi, sat in a corner of the ancient temple, covered his face with a bamboo hat, and wrapped the dirty light green haori around him tightly, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Ups and downs.
Judging from the appearance of this ronin, he must have fallen asleep.
The other four ronin sitting not far away looked at the ronin who seemed to have fallen asleep holding a knife.
These four ronin all have unique body shapes.
A tall man.
A short man.
A fat man.
A thin man.
"Hey." Thin Ronin said, "Would you like to wake him up and ask him to come over and chat with us?"
"No." The tall ronin shook his head, "They have already fallen asleep. It would be really rude to wake them up."
"That's right." The short ronin also answered at this time, "And don't provoke others before you understand their temper. They may be the kind of people who hate others disturbing their sleep. Let them sleep well.
Come on, let him sleep on his bed and let’s talk about ours.”
call--!
A gust of cold wind blew into the temple through the broken paper windows.
"Well..."
"It's so cold..."
"What bad weather..."
"Hiss... my teeth are starting to chatter..."
The four ronin tightly covered their clothes, rubbed their hands, or breathed into the palms of their own hands.
It is now January of the second year of Kanzheng (1790).
It's the middle of winter.
Tatsuno Domain, located in the Kinki region, was already covered in silver at this time.
It is a snowy day tonight, and patches of white snow are falling outside the temple.
Looking along the broken window and looking at the patches of white snow outside, the tall ronin muttered:
"Fortunately, we found this abandoned ancient temple tonight... If it weren't for this ancient temple, we would all be freezing to death here tonight."
"There is no need to express this feeling." Fat Ronin said angrily, "Quickly think of a way to block all these windows."
"We don't have the tools or materials that can be used to paste paper, and there's nothing like wooden boards here." The thin ronin smiled helplessly, "If we can't block it, let's just be patient for a little bit tonight. Let's just put it together.