Volume 5: Kyoto Summer Campaign Chapter 338: United Front Against Shiranui
Ezo, later known as Hokkaido, is located at the northernmost tip of the Japanese archipelago.
In this era, Ezo was synonymous with words such as "backward" and "barren".
Beyond the virgin forest is the virgin forest.
Although the Edo Shogunate had begun to consciously strengthen its control and management over Ezo during the Edo period, due to financial constraints and a lack of attention to this barbaric land, the development of Ezo was still almost at the same level as if it had never been developed at all.
So it is not difficult to understand why Lin, Ating and others were so shocked when they heard that Xuanren’s master and senior brother actually ran to Ezo.
In the eyes of people of that era, Ezo was an extremely remote place.
To give a more vivid example, it is almost the same as if someone in modern Earth told you, "My master and senior brothers ran away to Antarctica."
"...Sir Xuanren." Ogata said as he took off his kimono. "Do you recognize injuries like this?"
Ogata pointed at the large patch of dark purple skin on the left side of his neck.
Seeing the large patch of dark purple skin on Ogata's left neck, Xuanren exclaimed:
"Sir, may I ask if you are... poisoned?"
"...Mr. Xuanren." Ogata continued, "May I ask you a question - do you know that there are monsters in this world that cannot be killed no matter how hard you try?"
"A monster that can't be killed no matter how hard you try?" Xuan Ren was stunned for a moment, then he chuckled a few times, "You must be joking. How could there be a monster in this world that can't be killed no matter how hard you try?"
Ogata... No, it should be Ogata and Rin and others around him who were carefully observing the expression on Xuanren's face.
After noticing that the expression on Xuanren's face was very natural, Ogata couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.
——Doesn’t he… know that immortals…
This time it was Lin's turn to ask:
"Master Xuanren, before your master and brother set off for Ezo, did they behave in any strange way? For example, they behaved very strangely for a period of time."
"Strange behavior..." Xuanren muttered, "It's...really..."
Hearing Xuanren say this, everyone present perked up.
After clearing his throat, Xuanren said slowly:
"About 2 and a half years ago, my master said something very strange: 'I have discovered something incredible.'"
"I asked the master what he had discovered, but he refused to tell me anything."
"It was the same when I asked my senior brother, but he refused to say anything."
"Since Master said this, Master and Senior Brother's behavior has become strange."
"They almost never come to the clinic to see patients anymore. They leave early and come back late every day. I don't know what they do..."
"During that time, the master looked very happy every day, but the senior brother looked...sullen and troubled every day."
"No matter what I asked them about their recent trips, they were very secretive."
"Because my senior brother and my junior brother were no longer in the clinic during that period, the work of seeing patients in the clinic during that period was basically handled by me."
"I also tried to follow them, but they were both very alert. Every time I followed them, they discovered me halfway."
"After a while, my master and my senior brother suddenly told me that they were going on a long journey."
"He said he had to go to Kii for something."
When he heard the place name "Ki", Ogata's pupils shrank slightly.
The expressions of the other people around also changed.
"Neither of them was in Kii for long."
"After a trip to Kii, they returned quickly and in a hurry."
"They came back in a hurry. It seemed like they rushed back without stopping."
"After Master and Senior Brother hurried back to Kyoto from Kii, they packed their luggage, told me they were going to Ezo, and then left again."
"Since then, I have never seen Master and Senior Brothers again..."
"Didn't your master and senior brothers tell you where specifically in Ezo they were going?" Ogata asked.
"Master didn't say...but...Senior Brother told me quietly before he left."
"My senior brother told me that he and Master were going to Kyonabe in Ezo and might not be home for a long time, so he asked me to take good care of the house."
"Yonabune?" Ogata rolled his tongue and repeated this word which was obviously not Japanese.
"...Judging from the name, this should be a tribe of Ainu people." Asai, who had been silent since a while ago, suddenly said at this moment.
Ainu people - the indigenous people living in Ainu.
Its main ethnic group is the Ainu people, who are known to many people on the modern earth.
After quietly listening to Xuanren's not-so-long story, Ogata closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and sorted out the information he had just heard from Xuanren.
The latest information obtained from Xuanren is completely consistent with the old information known to Ogata.
Zong Hai of Choudao also said that about two years ago, a pair of doctors and their apprentices with Kyoto accents moved to Choudao, and after living there for a short time, they suddenly left.
I got one piece of good news, one piece of bad news, and one piece of news that was both good news and bad news from Xuanren.
The good news is that this trip to Kyoto was finally worthwhile. It was confirmed that Xuanren’s master and senior brothers, Xuanzheng and Xuanzhi, really had problems.
The bad news is that Xuanren, the junior fellow apprentice, has no idea about "immortality". Xuanzheng and Xuanzhi have gone to Ezo.
It was obvious that Xuanzheng and Xuanzhen intended to keep Xuanren from getting involved in their affairs, so Xuanren had no idea about "immortality" and didn't even know what his master and senior brothers were doing.
The news that could be considered both good news and bad news was that Xuanzheng and Xuanzhen ran away to Ezo.
Now that we know where these two people went, from this perspective, it is good news and we can continue to track them.
But the place these two people went to was Ezo...From this perspective, this is bad news.
Considering the transportation conditions of that era, it was extremely difficult to travel to Ezo.
Just then, Feng Mo, who had finally prepared the tea, returned to the living room carrying a tea tray filled with teacups.
After taking the teacup handed over by Fuma and taking a sip of the tea in the cup, Atachi, who was sitting next to Ogata, suddenly pulled Ogata's sleeve:
"Ayi...are you planning to go to Ezo next?"
"……No."
After a long silence, Ogata put down the teacup and shook his head gently.
"There's no need to rush to Ezo or something like that."
"Let me finish another important matter first."
"Another...important thing..." Ah Ting asked in confusion, "What's the important thing?"
"Do I even need to ask?" Ogata smiled, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, "Of course, I will kill Shiranui!"
Hearing what Ogata said, Atachi looked surprised, while Lin, who was sitting opposite Ogata, raised her eyebrows and looked at Ogata with a little more interest.
"If you don't find a way to deal with Shiranui, it will be like a piece of shit hanging over your head. You never know when it will fall down and disgust you."
Ogata raised his finger and pointed to the top of his head, giving a strange and vivid metaphor.
"I don't want to run to Ezo and have a few Shiranui ninjas come out and attack me while I'm fighting a bear."
"Instead of waiting for them to come to us, it is better to take the initiative and eliminate the threat from Shiranui once and for all!"
As soon as Ogata finished speaking, applause suddenly broke out from the opposite side of Ogata.
Ogata turned his head and looked forward.
I saw Lin clapping softly.
"'Instead of waiting for them to come to you, it's better to strike first.'" Lin repeated what Ogata had just said. "That's right! That's a very good saying."
"Ogata Ittosai, let me confirm this - why did you attack Nijo Castle four days ago? Was it to kill those Shiranui ninjas in Nijo Castle?"
"I guess so." Ogata replied.
"Why is that? Is there some deep hatred between you and Shiranui?"
Hearing Lin's question, Ogata turned his head and cast a questioning look at Ating beside him. He asked Ating with his eyes: Can you tell me?
Atachi understood the look in Ogata's eyes and nodded slightly.
After getting O-Ming's permission, Ogata said slowly:
"To put it simply, my companion defected to Shiranui for various reasons."
Ogata explained the matter about Atachi in a concise and clear manner.
After listening to Ogata's words quietly, Lin said in a half-joking tone:
"Shiranui had just started cooperating with the shogunate, and you messed up Shiranui's mission to defend Nijo Castle. I'm afraid Shiranui will fight you to the death in the future."
"That's why I said I want to destroy Shiranui before she starts targeting me and Atachi." Ogata responded in the same half-joking tone.
After looking at Ogata with a meaningful look for a few times, he straightened up slightly.
Just as Lin opened her mouth and was about to say something, she suddenly stopped.
After a flash of hesitation and struggle on his face, he sighed softly.
"Before talking about the real thing, let's talk about that first..."
After muttering this, Lin once again turned her serious gaze towards Ogata in front of her.
"Ogata Ittosai." Lin called Ogata's name in an extremely serious tone.
"What?" Ogata, who didn't understand why Lin suddenly looked so serious, asked back in a puzzled tone.
After Lin stared at Ogata seriously for a while——
He suddenly lowered his upper body and bowed solemnly to Ogata.
"Um...how should I put it...I'm sorry."
Lin hesitated, looking as if she wanted to say something but was reluctant to, but finally she mustered up the strength and continued speaking.
"I... did something very rude to you when we first met."
"I beg your pardon."
Ogata was slightly stunned by Lin's sudden apology.
Then he immediately realized that Lin's apology was directed at the not-so-pleasant experience that had taken place between him and Lin when he had visited their Hulu House before.
"It was just a small matter," Ogata said. "I never took it to heart from the beginning. Please raise your head."
"Hey." A-Machi nudged Ogata next to her with her elbow and said in a voice that only she and Ogata could hear clearly, "What are you talking about with Ms. Kinoshita?"
"I'll tell you more about it later." Ogata answered in a low voice like Atachi.
After straightening up again, Lin cleared her throat:
"Thank you for your generosity."
"Well then—let's get down to business."
Lin turned her serious gaze towards Ogata again .
"Ogata Ittosai, Ms. A-Machi, are you two willing to cooperate with our Huluya?"
"Cooperation?" Ogata raised an eyebrow. "Cooperation on what?"
Lin's mouth curled up slightly:
"Of course we should destroy Shiranui together!"
Lin's words caused the surrounding space to fall into a brief silence.
After a while, Ating said with a look of astonishment:
"Do you guys in the Calabash House also have a grudge against Shiranui?"
"Of course. And the revenge is not small." Lin responded without hesitation, "They are just afraid of my uncle, so they dare not come to seek revenge."
"Now Shiranui and the shogunate are cooperating with each other, which is bad news for us in Huluya."
"Given the current Flame Demon's vengeful personality, he must be thinking about revenge all the time."
"They are now cooperating with the shogunate and have gained its support. Their strength has greatly increased. Who knows what they will do now that they are so powerful?"
"Ogata Ittosai, my philosophy is the same as yours."
"Instead of waiting for the enemy to attack, it is better to take the initiative and attack first."
"I have the same idea as you. There's no rush to go to Ezo. First, try to get rid of Shiranui who might pop out and disgust you at any time!"
"Although we have the Lord in charge of the Gourd House, the number of people who can fight is still a little small. In my Gourd House, including the Lord, myself, and Mamiya, the total number of people who can fight is only 6."
"It's a stretch for six of us to fight against the largest and most powerful ninja force in Japan."
"So - I welcome allies."
Lin directed her gaze directly at Ogata and Atachi.
"How about it, you two? Are you willing to cooperate with our Huluya and destroy Shiranui together?"
Ogata and Atachi looked at each other.
"What do you think?" Ogata asked Atachi for his opinion.
"If there are allies, that would be the best..." Ating whispered his thoughts.
Ogata turned his gaze back to Lin in front of him.
After a long silence, Ogata said:
"...I don't mind working with your Calabash House to fight against Shiranui. After all, whether it was on Chou Island or that night four days ago, I have cooperated with your Calabash House before."
"We have already cooperated twice, so I don't mind doing it ."
"But I have two conditions."
Ogata held up two fingers.
"Condition 1: If A-Ting and I find that there is no need for further cooperation, we can withdraw from cooperation with you at any time."
Lin nodded gently.
"Second condition: A-Ming and I have always been your allies, not your subordinates, so you can give us suggestions, but you cannot order us to do anything."
"Of course." Lin said softly, "This is not the first time I have formed an alliance with others. I can still tell the difference between allies and subordinates. Are there any other conditions?"
"No more." Ogata shook his head.
"Then..." Lin picked up the cup full of tea that Feng Mo had just handed over, "I wish you a happy cooperation."
Ogata also picked up his cup of tea: "Happy cooperation."
The two of them used tea instead of wine, toasted each other from a distance, and then put the cup to their lips.
Just as Ogata took a sip of warm tea into his mouth, he suddenly heard a scream in front of him:
“Aaaaaaaahh! It’s so hot!”
The scream scared Ogata so much that he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.
I quickly put down the teacup in my hand and looked forward, only to find that Lin was covering her lips tightly with both hands.
His face was a strange red, and there were tears in his eyes.
The teacup that Lin had just held in her hand now fell beside her knees, and the tea in it spilled all over the floor.
Seeing Lin's tea spilled, Fengmo immediately stood up and prepared to get a rag.
But Asai, who was sitting next to Lin, had already taken action.
Sitting next to Lin, Asai sighed softly, then took out a handkerchief from his arms and cleaned up the tea that spilled all over the floor with skillful movements, while speaking to the lord:
"My Lord, didn't you check the temperature of the tea before drinking it?"
"I checked it... I just wanted to take a sip, but I accidentally drank it..."
