In the conversation between Toyotomi Nobuhide and the old monk just now, the two of them kept their voices down the whole time, so neither Hasegawa nor Isshiki Naoshu and others could hear the conversation clearly.
However, although he did not hear the conversation clearly, Hasegawa still vaguely heard some words.
He heard Toyotomi Nobuhide seem to call the old monk "Master"...
——Master...?
Hasegawa's brain was working rapidly at this moment.
"...In my impression, the abbot of Sengen Temple in Koyasan is an old monk who is respectfully called Sengen Master and has profound Buddhist teachings. Could it be that you...are Sengen Master?"
Hasegawa stared at the old monk's face and said every word.
"Huh?" The old monk raised his eyebrows and looked at Hasegawa, "...Yes, the poor monk is Master Xianyuan. It's really surprising. Mr. Hasegawa, you actually know me. Have we met before?
?”
"I have always remembered it..." Hasegawa gritted his teeth, "The reason why I am locked up here now... is because of your gift from Xianyuan Temple!"
Hasegawa felt that he might never forget how he ended up in the situation he was in today.
It was because Sengenji Temple in Koyasan reported to the government that Buddhist utensils in their temple were frequently stolen, and ordinary officials could not catch the culprits for a long time, so they dispatched the Huofu Thieves Gai, who are specifically responsible for catching arsonists and thieves.
After being caught by the Toyotomi clan, Hasegawa got confirmation from Nobuhide Toyotomi that the so-called stolen Buddhist utensils from Sengenji Temple were actually a carefully designed plan to capture Hasegawa and lure Hasegawa to Mount Koya
It's just fishing bait.
"You guy..." Hasegawa glared at Master Sengen fiercely, "As a monk, and a monk who is respectfully called 'Master' by the world, you actually collaborate with the thugs who are trying to overthrow the shogunate!"
"Do you still have any sense of self-consciousness and shame as a monk?!"
Hasegawa's tone was impassioned.
Facing this passionate criticism, Master Xianyuan looked at Hasegawa with indifferent eyes.
"Criticize me for not having the self-consciousness and shame of a monk..." Master Xianyuan sneered, "Well, Mr. Hasegawa, I want to ask you a question - what do you think the self-consciousness a monk should have? What should a monk have?
What is your shame?"
"Concentrate on worshiping Buddha with a compassionate heart and do not interfere in worldly affairs." Hasegawa replied without thinking.
"Ha." As soon as Hasegawa finished speaking, Master Xianyuan sneered again, "Your answer is exactly the same as what I expected."
"At present, the vast majority of people in the world are probably like you. They think that the duty of a monk is to concentrate on worshiping the Buddha and not to interfere in anything other than worshiping the Buddha."
Master Sengen slowly turned his head and asked Toyotomi Nobuhide beside him.
"Toyotomi-sama, may I tell Hasegawa-sama what the true duties of a monk are and why I want to join the Toyotomi Army??"
"Please." Toyotomi Nobuhide smiled and made a "please" gesture towards Master Sengen, "But be careful not to talk for too long."
"I understand." Master Xianyuan nodded, and then turned his gaze back to Hasegawa.
"Time is tight, so I'll keep it short."
"Mr. Hasegawa, let me tell you what the true duties of a monk are."
Master Xianyuan's tone suddenly rose a few degrees at this time.
"The true duty of a monk is to make as many people as possible believe in Buddhism."
"This is what we monks should do."
"I have spent most of my life preaching."
"But in the end, I found that the power of just one person or a temple is too weak."
"If we can get the full support of the government, we will be able to do twice the result with half the effort when we perform our true duties as monks."
"However - the Edo shogunate that currently rules Japan has no intention of letting people who worship Buddhism spread all over the world. Not only is it unwilling to do so, it also uses various methods to suppress Buddhism."
"On the other hand, Toyotomi-sama - he is willing to support Buddhism and spread Buddhism widely after rebuilding Toyotomi's world."
"It would be impossible for the Edo shogunate to change its mind and devote all its efforts to supporting Buddhism."
"So, I chose to stand with Toyotomi-sama. I chose to do my best to help the Toyotomi clan regain the throne of the 'people of the world', so that people who worship Buddhism can one day in the future, in the Toyotomi clan
With his help, it spreads all over the world.”
"So, Mr. Hasegawa, do you understand? I have not lost the self-consciousness and shame that a monk should have. Rather, it is the opposite - I am now fulfilling the duties of a monk more conscientiously than any other monk."
duty."
As soon as Master Xianyuan finished speaking, Hasegawa, who had already shown an expression of "I can't stand it anymore," suddenly put his hands on the railings of the cell and pressed his face against the gap between the railings.
"Ever since I became the commander who punished thieves and reformed them, I have heard all kinds of fallacies from many criminals who were unrepentant after being arrested."
"But this is the first time I have heard such outrageous and crazy things!"
"What crazy things were you saying just now!"
"Let me ask you - to you, as long as people who worship Buddhism can spread all over the world in the future, it doesn't matter even if the country falls into war and countless people are killed or injured?"
"Yeah. That's right." Master Xianyuan didn't even hesitate, and nodded directly, "The country is in war, and the people have suffered countless casualties. These are just short-term pains."
"If we can achieve the great cause of 'extensive spread of Buddhism', this little pain will not be worth mentioning at all."
Hasegawa had expected that Master Xianyuan would definitely come up with some lies.
But he didn't expect that Master Xianyuan's response could be so fast, with almost no hesitation or thinking.
He also didn't expect that Master Xianyuan's principles could be so crooked... Hasegawa couldn't help but froze in place due to shock.
At this time, Toyotomi Nobuhide, who had been silently listening to the audience, suddenly stretched out his right little finger and picked his ear.
"Master, it is too much to ask Mr. Hasegawa to understand your ambition and good intentions in a short period of time."
"Well." Master Xianyuan, with a hint of melancholy on his face, let out a silent sigh, "I have long been accustomed to this feeling that my ideals and ambitions are not understood by others."
"Okay, it's almost time. Come on, Master, you and Mr. Hasegawa have talked for long enough. It's time to go see my sister together."
"Well, okay. Toyotomi-sama."
"Let's go, Mr. Hasegawa." Toyotomi Nobuhide smiled elegantly and waved his hand towards Hasegawa, "I will come and talk to you next time when I have time."
After finishing speaking, Toyotomi Nobuhide put his hands behind his back and turned around to follow the corridor they came from just now and in the direction in which they came. Master Sengen followed closely behind Toyotomi Nobuhide step by step.
"Wait! Come back!"
Hasegawa roared and shook the bars of the cell vigorously, shaking off a lot of dust.
The two Toyotomi no longer paid attention to Hasegawa and continued walking outside the cell.
After the two of them walked to the place where Hasegawa's roar could no longer be heard, Master Sengen lowered his voice and whispered to Toyotomi Nobuhide:
"Lord Toyotomi, look at Mr. Hasegawa's appearance... According to this poor monk, it is not easy to surrender him..."
"Well... as expected." Toyotomi Nobuhide smiled, "He is a shogunate after all, and has a high status and reputation in the shogunate and among the people. He is far from those who have no fixed abode, no money and no fame.
The Ronin is comparable."
"If we want to persuade him to abandon the shogunate and switch to my side, Toyotomi, it will take a lot of time and a lot of effort."
"I'm afraid that after spending a lot of effort and time, Mr. Hasegawa is still stubborn and swears to be loyal to the shogunate." Master Xianyuan said silently.
"If, in the end, we still fail to convince Mr. Hasegawa..." Toyotomi Nobuhide's face slowly showed an intriguing color, "Then...it would be such a pity. We couldn't let such a person who is good at training soldiers...
Precious talents become our companions."
After this brief conversation, Toyotomi Nobuhide and Master Sengen stopped talking.
The two of them were silent and walked quickly along the dim path.
After crossing countless avenues and paths and turning countless corners, the two of them finally stopped.
They stopped in front of a cell.
This is a unique cell, mainly unique in two places -
1: The outside of this cell was heavily guarded. Eight musketeers armed with flintlock rifles stood solemnly outside the cell door, guarding the cell. These eight musketeers were watching Feng.
After Chen Xinxiu and Master Xianyuan came, they immediately bowed and saluted them.
Two: This cell is extremely luxurious.
The space is quite spacious, even if there are 6 people living there, it will not feel crowded at all.
There are tatami mats on the floor of the cell, and daily necessities such as bedding and toilet bowls are placed in the corners of the cell. Everything in the cell is brand new, and the tatami mats on the floor even exude the fragrance of straw.
Such a luxurious and spacious cell has only one inhabitant.
A young girl was leaning against the wall, eyes closed, and snoring faintly.
Looking at the girl in the cell, Toyotomi Nobuhide's eyes softened instantly.
"Xiao Lin... long time no see..."
Toyotomi Nobuhide released his hands that had been behind his back just now, and as if he was going to caress the girl's cheek, he stretched his hands in front of him, and placed his fingers gently on the cell railing that separated him from the girl.
"Last night, after the musketeers of Division 16 successfully captured Miss Toyotomi alive, they immediately followed your order and sent her to Mount Koya without stopping."
Master Xianyuan on the side replied slowly and respectfully.
"Because Ms. Toyotomi struggled continuously after being arrested, trying to get out of trouble, so in order to avoid an accident, the 16th team used the drug that you allowed to use on Ms. Toyotomi to make people sleep soundly."
"According to the dosage used in Chapter 16... Miss Toyotomi will probably not be able to wake up naturally until the afternoon."
"Toyotomi-sama, do you want to forcefully wake up Miss Toyotomi now?"
"No, no, no," Toyotomi Nobuhide said quickly, "My lovely sister is sleeping soundly, why should I wake others up? I'm not in a hurry to talk to Xiaolin right now."
"Just let Xiaolin continue to sleep."
"Let's wait until she wakes up naturally."
After saying that, Toyotomi Nobuhide turned to the eight musketeers who were responsible for guarding Lin and said sternly:
"You continue to stay here. When the girl in the cell wakes up, she must notify me as soon as possible."
"Yes!"*8
The guards responded in unison.
After giving these instructions to the guards, Toyotomi Nobuhide continued to look at Lin through the railing as if he were looking at some exquisite work of art.
"Lord Toyotomi." Master Xianyuan asked, "Do you want to open the cell..."
Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Toyotomi:
"No need. I just stand outside the cell and look at her through the bars like this."
At this time, Toyotomi Nobuhide, who had been looking at Lin through the railing, his eyes became a little softer.
"I haven't seen her in so many years... Xiaolin's height doesn't seem to have gotten much taller, she's still so short."
He continued in a half-joking tone:
"I used to have a vague feeling that Xiaolin looked a lot like my mother, but now it seems - it really is true."
"Just now I almost thought I saw my mother getting younger."
"Miss Toyotomi looks a lot like you." Master Sengen looked at Lin in the cell, and then at Nobuhide Toyotomi next to him, "Especially the area between the eyebrows."
"After all, we are brothers and sisters from the same father and mother. People have often said that my sister and I look alike before. But - unfortunately, my sister and I only have similar facial features." Toyotomi Nobuhide smiled.
Shrugging, "Otherwise, whether it's height or personality, there's no similarity at all."
After finishing speaking, Toyotomi Nobuhide took back his hands on the railing and stood up straight.
"Let's go, Master, we're going back."
"Master Toyotomi, do you want to leave now?" Master Xianyuan raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Aren't you going to look at Miss Toyotomi for a while longer?"
"Xiao Lin is still sleeping now. It's pointless to keep looking at her who can't move. When she wakes up, come and meet her properly and talk in detail."
Without any hesitation, Toyotomi Nobuhide turned around and walked out along the way he came, without even looking back at Xiaolin.
After walking only a few steps, I heard him ask Master Xianyuan abruptly:
"Ah, by the way. Master Xiaolin, is her saber at your place now?"
"Yes. Miss Toyotomi's two sabers are currently being temporarily stored in Sengenji Temple."
"Send Xiaolin's saber to me later."
"yes."
"Ah, there's also——"
As if Toyotomi Nobuhide was not going to give Master Sengen any chance to breathe, he immediately threw a new question at Master Sengen:
"Master, what time is it now?"
Master Xianyuan took out a pocket watch from his pocket:
"8:43."
"Is it 8:43...then there is still some time before noon...Master, can you do me a favor?"
"Please tell me."
"Today at noon, I plan to hold a banquet to celebrate the reunion of my sister and I." Toyotomi Nobuhide's mouth slowly raised an elegant arc, "Can you help me prepare it?"
"Are you going to hold a banquet again?" Master Xianyuan, who has always looked calm and unwavering, now had a rare look of helplessness in his eyes, "Lord Toyotomi, you really like banquets...
Banquets can always be held for various reasons."
Toyotomi Nobuhide spread his hands:
"I like to have a lively meal with a bunch of people."
"Okay... I understand." Master Xianyuan put the pocket watch back into his arms, "I'll prepare it later. Fortunately, there's still an hour and a half until noon, so there's plenty of time to prepare..."
"Excuse me, Master."
"Who are you going to invite to the lunch party?"
"Just ask all the cadres who are currently staying in Koyasan."
As soon as he finished speaking, Toyotomi Nobuhide seemed to have remembered something. After a moment of pause, he continued:
"...Invite Prajna to the banquet."
"Prajna?" Master Xianyuan frowned slightly.
"Hannya made great contributions to last night's 'Osaka Spring Formation and Battle of Xu'." Toyotomi Nobuhide said eloquently, "It was he who discovered that Ogata Ittousai is currently in Osaka."
"I decided to take advantage of the banquet held at noon today to reward him well."
"Ah, and - by the way, let's let Kikutaro from Shiranui attend the banquet."
"Shiranui?" Master Sengen frowned even more tightly, "Why is this? In terms of status and merit, they should not be qualified to attend the banquet, right?"
"Those idiots in Shiranui seem to be criticizing me a lot lately."
Toyotomi Nobuhide's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I feel like I hid them and didn't give them a chance to make meritorious deeds."
"They were making a fuss a few days ago, saying that they would also participate in the 'Osaka Spring Formation and Battle of the Era', and they wanted me to give them a chance to personally avenge their Shiranui."
"Oh, those idiots talk so nice, but if they really want to deal with Ogata Ittousai, they will have to run faster than anyone else."
"However, although they are just a bunch of idiots, they are still part of our Toyotomi Army, and we cannot ignore them too much."
"Let's just calm them down during the banquet at noon today."
"Okay...I understand." Master Xianyuan nodded and silently wrote down all the instructions given by Toyotomi Nobuhide.
"Master, I'll leave it to you at noon today."
"...Toyotomi-sama."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"It's a rare visit to the prison today... Do you want to see Xuanzheng?"
"...No need." Toyotomi Nobuhide said coldly, "What's the use of meeting him? If I go to see him now, he will only make noises and make me uneasy."
"Let's go see him again when he calms down."
"……yes."
…
…
The cell where Hasegawa is imprisoned——
Hasegawa was pacing in the cell with an angry look on his face.
——That Toyotomi Nobuhide...is really not a kind person...!
Through the words of Master Sengen just now, Hasegawa has already seen clearly - to be able to partner with such a twisted person, Toyotomi Nobuhide must not be a normal person!
"You really can't stay in a place like this for long..."
Hasegawa, whose feet ached from pacing in the cell, sat down on the ground and vigorously scratched his hair, which had become pale due to age.
"I have to think of a way quickly to escape from here..."
Hasegawa turned around and looked around the cell.
Although Hasegawa has seen the inside of this cell a thousand times these days.
But even so, after once again taking a look at the internal structure of the cell where he currently lives, Hasegawa couldn't help but twitching his lips in deep shock.
——Escape from here... That's nice to say... But how can you escape like this... There's not even a window...
"well……"
Hasegawa sighed and dropped his head on his chest.
"Woo...Woo..."
As soon as Hasegawa's head dropped, he suddenly heard several low sobs.
Hasegawa, who raised his eyebrows slightly, turned to look at the sound.
These sobs came from the cell where a new resident had just arrived.
Isshiki covered his face and cried.
Her husband, Yi Se Ru Shui, and her father-in-law, Yi Se Ru Shui, looked concerned and comforted her.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Hasegawa-sama, did I disturb you?" After noticing Hasegawa looking towards them, Isshiki Naoshu smiled apologetically at Hasegawa, "Please forgive me.
She was sent to a new place, and my daughter-in-law is very scared now..."
"It's okay...I don't care."
"Thank you...for disturbing you." After smiling at Hasegawa a few more times, Isshiki Naoshu concentrated his energy and continued to concentrate on comforting his daughter-in-law with his son.
Hasegawa pursed his lips and looked at Isshiki Minoru who was still crying, and even though his spirit was extremely poor, he was also working hard to comfort Isshiki Minoru's Rusui and Naoshu.
——...What am I doing?!
Hasegawa raised his hand and patted his face hard.
——The innocent people who are being imprisoned by that Toyotomi Nobuhide now... it's not just me...!
A determined light slowly bloomed in Hasegawa's eyes.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands and wrists.
——This is the first time for me...that I am so lucky to have opened a prison camp that specializes in teaching prisoners skills...
Hasegawa grasped his left wrist with his right hand.
Kara.
There was a sound of bones breaking apart that only Hasegawa himself could hear.
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