Chapter 52 The old family - Cang Yongzaemon (Part 2)
But only one person's expression is different from the others.
This person is Hanbei.
Although Hanbei did not rush forward to surround Ogata like his disciples, he stood aside silently, feeling pleased for Ogata's smooth return while quietly listening to Ogata's brief description of his day.
feat.
After learning that Ogata defeated the 12 disciples of the Ishikawa Kenkan and retreated unscathed, the emotions that appeared on Hanbei's face were very complicated.
What dominated this complex emotion was shock.
And...a weird feeling that is indescribable and meaningful.
Hanbei silently stared at Ogata, who was now surrounded by stars, with complex eyes filled with shock and some strange emotions.
…
…
If you want to say who is the top leader of Hirose Domain, it is undoubtedly the lord of Hirose Domain - Matsudaira Gennai.
If you ask a hundred people on the street, they will definitely answer this.
But if you want to say who is the second-in-command of the Hirose Domain, if you ask a hundred people on the street, they will definitely give the same answer: The second-in-command of the Hirose Domain is the family elder-Saue Kurunaga.
Door.
The Hirose Domain is currently faced with a monarch like Matsudaira Gennai who is indifferent to political affairs and cruel and excessive. Logically speaking, the order of the Hirose Domain should have collapsed long ago, with riots and uprisings everywhere.
But so far, the Hirose Domain has maintained general stability, and there have been no major disturbances.
The reason is all due to the ability of the 54-year-old Kuronagazaemon, the patriarch of the Hirose Domain.
The so-called family elder is the highest-ranking official position among the vassals and can be regarded as the chief steward of each vassal.
The chief steward who assists the feudal lord in handling political affairs.
And Kurunaga, the great butler, can be said to be hard-working and devoted to his duties.
Matsudaira Gennai was running amok everywhere, but it was Kuronaga who managed to maintain the stability of the entire domain by relying on his own efforts.
Reading for a while every night is one of the few recreational activities Kuranaga does throughout the day.
Even after a day of work and his body is exhausted, Kuranagi will still read before going to bed.
In addition to being an outstanding politician, Kurunaga is also an outstanding Sinologist and is proficient in Sinology.
The books I usually read the most are various Chinese books.
Just like tonight - Kurunaga is reading a manuscript of "The Analects of Confucius".
When Kurunaga is studying, he doesn't like people making noise around him.
So every night when he was studying, Kurunaga would shut himself in the room alone and read alone in this silent environment.
In Kurunaga's room, the only sounds were Kurunaga's own breathing and the sound of turning the pages of a book.
However - at this moment, a voice came from the top of the ceiling, breaking the silence of the room.
"Lord Kurunaga."
After the sudden sound came from the top of the ceiling, Kuronaga didn't feel panicked, nor was he frightened.
He looked like he was used to it.
Kuronaga did not stop turning the pages of the book with his fingers. While continuing to turn the pages, he said in a calm tone that was neither salty nor light:
"It's Fei Yuan, what's the matter?"
As soon as Kurunaga finished speaking, a certain panel on the ceiling was removed, and then a short man wearing black clothes jumped down through the hole in the ceiling, and then stood neatly on the tatami.
The place where this short man landed was exactly behind Kurunaga.
The moment he landed, the short man knelt on one knee quickly.
This short man is Kurayaga's ninja, Hibiru.
Tobiru was born in the Shiranui Ninja Village.
For ordinary civilians, Shiranui Ninja Village may be an unfamiliar term.
But for a high-ranking person like Kurunaga, the name of Shiranui Ninja Village is like thunder.
Shiranui Ninja Village - the largest ninja force in Japan, best at cultivating ninjas who are good at assassination and fighting.
At the same time, only the ninjas who are best at assassination and fighting can obtain high positions in the Shiranui Ninja Village.
Ninjas who are not good at fighting will suffer discrimination among the Shiranui ninjas.
And Fei Yuan happens to be the kind of person who is not good at assassination and fighting.
Unable to bear this kind of discrimination, Tobiru escaped from the Shiranui Ninja Village and wandered to the Hirose Domain in the Izumo region. By chance, he met Kuronaga.
Although Fei Yuan is not good at assassination and fighting, he is quite good at sneaking in and collecting intelligence.
He was also appreciated by Kurunaga for this.
Admiring Hizaru's infiltration ability, Kuronaga took Hizaru as his own and made him serve as his ninja, specifically responsible for helping Kuranagi explore various intelligence within the domain.
When Kuronaga did not arrange specific work for Tobiru, Tobiru would wander around the domain, collect various useful or interesting information, and then report it to Kuronaga that evening.
"Hibiru." Kuranaga's eyes still did not leave the "Analects of Confucius" in his hand, "Is there anything interesting or noteworthy that happened in the domain today?"
"My lord." Feiyuan raised the corner of his mouth, "Something noteworthy really happened today."
"What's the matter?"
"A group of disciples from the Ishikawa Kenkan went to Sakakihara Kenkan to cause trouble. Not only did they force their way into the Sakakihara Kenkan, they also injured many people in the Sakakihara Kenkan."
"Huh?" Kuranaga's eyes still did not leave the "Analects of Confucius" in his hand, "Has the relationship between Ishikawa Kenkan and Sakakihara Kenkan become so bad that they start to make trouble with each other..."
"No, lord. The reason why the people from the Ishikawa Kenkan went to the Sakakihara Kenkan to cause trouble today is to find Ogata Issei, a disciple of the Sakakihara Kenkan."
"Because Ogata Issei happened to be away from the sword hall at that time, and there were problems with communication between the two parties, it deteriorated into a fight."
"Ogata Issei..." Kuronaga chewed on this name.
After searching in my mind, I couldn't think of this person, so Kurunaga classified this person as a minor character that I didn't need to care about.
"Then what? This kind of trivial chore is what you call noteworthy?" There was a hint of displeasure in Kurunaga's tone.
"Lord, please listen to what I have to say. The really noteworthy things are behind."
"After people from Ishikawa Kenkan went to Sakakihara Kenkan to cause trouble and injured many people at Sakakihara Kenkan, that Ogata Issei came back."
"That Ogata Issei saw that his senior brothers were being bullied by people from the Ishikawa Sword Hall, and without saying a word, he went straight to the Ishikawa Sword Hall alone."
"Challenge all the disciples of Ishikawa Sword Hall with one person's power."
"In the end, after successfully defeating 12 disciples from the Ishikawa Sword Hall, I escaped without any injuries."
"one person?"
"Yes, get ready before you break into the Ishikawa Sword Hall alone."
Kurunaga's pupils shrank suddenly.
And his eyes left the "Analects of Confucius" in his hand for the first time tonight.