Just as Jiro Nishino finished proudly talking about the masterpiece he was about to complete, he noticed that the two strangers in front of him had strange expressions on their faces.
"Huh? What's wrong with you?" asked Jiro Nishino.
“No…” Ogata raised his hand and rubbed his face, so that his expression could look more natural. “I just felt very surprised… I didn’t expect that you would actually plan to write a Kabuki play based on the executioner Ittosai…”
"I have been fascinated by Ogata Ittosai for a long time!"
"Knowing that the enemy outnumbers us, we still resolutely raise the sword and charge at the cruel master."
A look of longing appeared on Jiro Nishino's face.
"I learned about the executioner Itosai's heroic act of killing the tyrant at the beginning of this year."
"After learning that such a hero had appeared in this world, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep for two days."
"Wouldn't it be a shame if we didn't write a Kabuki play as moving as "Chushingura" based on such a hero?"
"So I spent several months preparing, collecting the true details of Ogata Ittosai's killing of the tyrant from various official and private channels."
“Then I officially started writing the script last month.”
"But as soon as I started writing, I encountered the troubles I just described."
"I've never been to Izumo, and I don't have any friends there, so I don't know what the local food is, or what the dialect is."
"The Ogata Issei I created... no, I should say that all the characters I created, speak with a Northeastern accent..."
"So in order to ensure the completion of my script, I have been looking for outsiders from Izumo during this period."
"You have pretty high standards for your scripts..." Ating's expression is still quite strange.
"Of course!" Jiro Nishino puffed out his chest, "My goal is to write a work that is just as good as "Chushingura"... No! A work that surpasses "Chushingura"!"
Kabuki is a traditional Japanese art, similar to Chinese opera.
The Edo period was a time when the art of Kabuki flourished.
A large number of excellent plays and well-known Kabuki artist families were born in the Edo period.
For example, the "Chushingura" mentioned by Jiro Nishino just now was created 42 years ago in the first year of Kanen (1748 AD).
Although it is an old play with a history of more than 40 years, "Chushingura" still exudes strong vitality and is still one of the most famous and popular Kabuki plays.
Kabuki plays are generally divided into two types.
One is a script that the playwright made up completely.
The other type is a script based on a historical fact.
"Chushingura" belongs to the latter, and is based on the "Ako Forty-seven Ronin Incident" nearly 90 years ago.
The nature of the "Forty-seven Ronin of Ako" and Ogata's "One Hundred Man Killing" are very similar, both of which are about the lower class rebellion and the ministers killing people of high status.
90 years ago, the lord of Ako Domain was murdered by a traitor.
In order to avenge their lord, 47 retainers of the Ako domain sneaked into Edo , broke into the residence of the high-ranking shogunate official who killed their lord, and chopped the man into meat paste.
After successfully avenging their lord, they voluntarily surrendered themselves, and all of them were required by the shogunate to commit seppuku to apologize.
Except for one of the 47 volunteers who managed to survive due to special reasons, the other 46 all died bravely and cut open their own stomachs beautifully .
The incident of "Forty-seven Ronin of Ako" had a far-reaching impact. Because the story was so twists and turns and heart-wrenching, it was soon adapted into various secondary stories.
It was first adapted into a puppet show, and then into the Kabuki play "Chushingura".
"...I understand the specific reason." Ogata subconsciously raised his hand and touched his neck, "I didn't expect you to have such great ambitions..."
"You actually want to write a book about the executioner Itashisai..."
At this point, Ogata changed his tone to a joking one.
"As far as I know, Ogata Ittosai is still alive."
"Aren't you afraid that he will read your script in the future and think that it is far from the real situation, and then come to trouble you?"
"So I should write it more seriously." Nishino Jiro's eyes were full of fighting spirit, "Write a script that even Ogata Ittosai himself would be satisfied with!"
"Therefore! Samurai-sama! I need your help!"
Jiro Nishino once again cast his fiery gaze towards Ogata.
"I'd like you to help me finish my script!"
"Teach me the local customs, accents, and idiomatic expressions of the Izumo people!"
Ogata once again showed a strange expression.
"...It's not impossible for me to help you."
"But - you should know that rice doesn't fall from the sky."
"What will you pay me?"
As soon as Ogata finished speaking, Nishino Jiro patted his chest.
"I just heard from my eldest brother! You plan to let our merchant ship give you a ride and send you to Ezo!"
"It may sound a bit self-boasting, but my father actually loves me very much."
"As long as you are willing to assist me, I am willing to persuade my father to give you a ride before he sends a merchant ship to Ezo next time!"
After listening to Nishino Jiro's words quietly, Ogata asked back in a calm tone:
"Are you absolutely sure you can convince your father?"
Ogata's question made Nishino Jiro's expression freeze.
After hesitating for a while.
Nishino Jiro stammered and said:
"As long as I ask my father, he will probably agree. After all, it's not like we're sending a large group of people to Ezo. It's just two people..."
"That means you are not absolutely sure that you can convince your father..." Ogata sighed and continued, "Then how about this - you go ask your father tonight and see if you can convince him to give us a ride."
"I will come to your Yuanjuya tomorrow morning to receive the reply."
"If your father is willing to give us a ride, I will help you."
"If your father doesn't want to take us with him, there's no point in helping you write a Kabuki play."
"Okay!" As soon as Ogata finished speaking, Nishino Jiro nodded vigorously. "Let's do it!"
"I'll meet you at the Orange House tomorrow morning at 5:00 (8:00 AM), is that ok?"
Nishino Jiro nodded vigorously again:
"Okay! No problem! I'll go ask my father now!"
After saying that, Jiro Nishino turned around and ran away.
However, after running a few steps, he suddenly stopped as if he remembered something, then turned back and ran back to Ogata and Atachi.
"Oh, right! I haven't asked for your names yet!"
Ogata: "Izumo Ronin, Majima Goro."
"His wife, Atachi." Because Ogata's current identity is "Mashima Goro", Atachi did not give her current full name: Ogata-machi.
"Mashima-sama! Please come to my Minamotoya on time tomorrow morning!"
"I will convince my father tonight at all costs!"
After saying that, Jiro Nishino turned around again and ran towards the direction of Genjuya without any hesitation.
After a while, he disappeared.
After Jiro Nishino completely disappeared from their sight, Ogata and Amachi looked at each other tacitly, and then smiled helplessly.
"What a vibrant and energetic young man..." Ogata said.
Although Jiro Nishino didn't say his age just now, Ogata estimated that he should be around 16 years old, definitely under 20 years old.
"I never thought someone would want to write a Kabuki play based on your deeds..." Atachi said with a wry smile, "But this is not surprising... After all, your heroic act of killing the tyrant is indeed very suitable for adaptation into a Kabuki play..."
"If that Jiro Nishino really convinces his father to give us a ride, do you really want to help him finish his script?"
"Of course I will." Ogata nodded without hesitation. "If we miss this opportunity to board the ship to Ezo, we don't know when we will encounter such a good opportunity next time."
"Don't you mind if that person writes a Kabuki play based on you?" Atachi asked.
"I don't mind if my deeds are adapted into a Kabuki play or something else." Ogata gave Atachi a helpless smile. "I only mind if my deeds are messed up..."
As early as when he just left the Hirose domain, Ogata was mentally prepared for his deeds to be adapted into various secondary stories.
After all, as Atachi just said, his deeds are very suitable for adaptation.
With a strong beginning, middle and end and a thrilling climax, this kind of story is quite suitable for adaptation into a Kabuki script, a puppet show or a storyteller's joke.
Ogata doesn't mind others adapting his story.
He only cares about him and his deeds being changed...
People's imagination is still very limited nowadays, so even if Ogata's deeds are revamped, they will not be distorted too much.
But it will be different in the future...
As a time traveler, Ogata is well aware of how rich the imagination of people in the 21st century is...
He remembered very clearly that in his previous life, there was a very famous game. He had never played it, but he had heard of it, so he had a certain understanding of this game.
This game is called "Fate grand order", or "Fate" for short.
The gameplay of this game, to put it simply, is to summon those famous historical figures to fight various enemies.
This game has a peculiarity.
That is, it always feminizes some historical figures into cute women...
For example: In this game, King Arthur Pendragon, the great swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, the swordsman Okita Souji... these famous tough guys in history are all cute and delicate girls...
So sometimes, Ogata couldn't help but fantasize:
If in the future of the time and space where he is now, there is also a work similar to "Fate Grand Order" that feminizes historical figures into women... will he, who bears the names of "Executioner Ittosai", "Hitslayer Itsuki", and "Shura", also be included in this game? Will he also be feminized into a woman?
When he thought of this, certain images would involuntarily appear in Ogata's mind:
More than two hundred years later, in modern times, he was included in a game similar to "Fate grand order".
In order to attract fans, the game producer made him a cute female swordsman who is only about 1.5 meters tall, has a bob haircut, holds a sword, and shouts "Ogata Nosuke~~" and "Are you my master~~" in a soft voice...
Then there will be a bunch of game fans shouting "Ogata Issei is my wife!", "I will always love Ogata Issei!", "Ogata-chan is mine, everyone, draw your swords!"...
Then, a bunch of derivative works were born, and a bunch of erotic comics or erotic novels with him as the heroine were circulated and used by a lot of people...
Every time I think of these scenes, I can't help but shudder...
Ogata shuddered at the memory of these bad scenes, and was glanced at by A-Machi with a puzzled look.
"What's wrong with you?" A-Ting asked, "Are you cold?"
"It's okay... I just suddenly remembered something bad..." Ogata said with a bitter face, tightening his haori, "Anyway - let's wait until tomorrow morning. See if his father agrees to give us a ride."
"If that Nishino Jiro fails to convince his father, then we will leave Kinno-cho tomorrow and go to the next town to see if there are any merchants willing to help us."
"Well. Let's do it this way. Ayi, what should we do now?"
Ogata raised his head and looked at the current sky.
The current time is around 5pm.
Because it is winter now and this is in the north, it gets dark very quickly.
At this time, the sun has sunk below the horizon and the sky has turned gray and black.
"Let's go find a restaurant for dinner first," Ogata said. "After dinner, let's go for a walk together, how about that?"
"Yes!" Ating nodded vigorously, "I agree!"
…
…
Ogata and Atachi randomly found a soba noodle restaurant, had dinner for tonight, and then wandered aimlessly around Kinno-cho together.
Kinno-cho is the largest town that Ogata and A-machi have encountered since they left Edo.
Curious about the size of Kinno Town, Ogata asked a passerby about the total population of Kinno Town.
According to the passerby, Kinno-cho now has a population of about 100,000.
Although this scale cannot be compared with a behemoth city like Edo with a population of one million, it is not small either.
After wandering to the center of Kinno-cho, Ogata and A-machi discovered a shrine.
After asking someone, I found out that this shrine is called "Kinei-jinja Shrine" and it enshrines the famous god, Inari-Okami. It is the only shrine in Kinno-cho.
Inari Omikami is one of the most famous gods in Japan. In Japanese mythology, he is the god of grain and food in charge of the harvest.
Because the god Inari is in charge of a good harvest, shrines dedicated to him are found all over Japan.
Legend has it that he sometimes appears in the form of a man, sometimes in the form of a woman, and can even change into other forms such as a spider.
The main messenger of Inari is the fox, so fox sculptures can be seen in every shrine dedicated to Inari.
This Kinei Shrine is built on a high point in the center of Kinno-cho. To enter this Kinei Shrine, you must first pass through the torii gate and then climb more than 20 steps.
The so-called Torii is a building that every shrine must have - a vermilion gate shaped like "π".
The Torii gate represents the entrance to the divine realm and is used to distinguish between the divine realm where gods reside and the secular world where humans live.
The existence of the Torii is to remind visitors that stepping into the Torii means entering the divine realm, and all their subsequent behavior should be particularly careful.
Ogata and Atachi originally wanted to enter the shrine and take a quick look around.
But before I passed through the torii gate, a passerby told me that Kinei Shrine was closed after dark and that I would have to wait until tomorrow morning to do anything.
So Ogata and Atachi had no choice but to give up and leave the torii gate of Kinei Shrine to go somewhere else for a walk.
The two of them wandered around Kinno-cho until 10 o'clock in the evening.
At this time, there are few pedestrians on the road.
Ogata and his companion walked around most of Kinno-cho, but apart from the Kinei Shrine, no other buildings or facilities succeeded in piqued their interest.
In just a few hours, they were only able to visit half of Kinno-cho.
They originally had enough energy to continue shopping, but as it was late at night, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road and most of the shops on the street were closed . There was no point in shopping any further, so they had to go back to the hotel and do something else to kill time.
…
…
Last night, after Ogata and Atachi returned to the hotel where they were staying, they did some very strenuous physical work inside the hotel and did not fall asleep until the early hours of the morning.
The next morning, Obe arrived at Gentachibaya at 8 o'clock in the morning in accordance with the agreement made with Jiro Nishino yesterday.
Ogata and Atachi came to the gate of Minamoto Tachibana together, and Ogata saw Jiro Nishino standing outside the gate and looking around.
He should be waiting for Ogata.
After seeing Ogata and Atachi walking towards him quickly, Jiro Nishino immediately ran towards Ogata with a happy face.
"Mashima-kun!"
"Good morning, Nishino-kun." Ogata smiled, "How was your conversation with your father last night?"
"Well..." Nishino Jiro raised his hand and scratched his hair, "My father said he wanted to meet you first."
"See me?" Ogata asked doubtfully.
"Yes. My father said he wanted to ask you in person where in Ezo you want to go, and what is the latest departure time you can tolerate."
"After I have clarified these matters, I will decide whether to agree to give you a ride."
"...Okay then." Ogata nodded, "Nishino-kun, take us to see your father."
"Yes! Please follow me!"
Jiro Nishino led Ogata and Atachi into the Minamoto Tachibana house, up to the second floor, and then stopped in front of two paper sliding doors on the second floor with beautiful pictures painted on them.
"Father! It's me!"
As soon as Nishino Jiro finished speaking, a middle-aged male voice with full energy sounded from behind the door:
"Come in."
After obtaining his father's permission to enter, Jiro Nishino opened the door, followed by Ogata and Atachi.
This room should be the office of Jiro Nishino's father.
The room was a little messy, with various scrolls and books scattered around the room.
What is striking is that there is a stuffed deer head hanging on the east wall of the room.
There was only one person in the room—a middle-aged man whose facial features were very similar to Jiro Nishino and Ichiro Nishino that Ogata had seen yesterday.
He was kneeling behind a desk, writing something with a pen.
When he saw Ogata and others coming in, the middle-aged man immediately put down the pen in his hand, then moved his eyes and looked at Ogata and Atachi.
"Father." Jiro Nishino knelt in front of the middle-aged man, "These two are the couple I mentioned last night who wanted us to give them a ride."
"Hello." Ogata knelt down behind Jiro Nishino and bowed to the middle-aged man. "I am Majima Goro. This is Uchiko Atachi."
"Hello." The middle-aged man returned the greeting. "I am Nishino Jiro's father, and also the owner of this Genjuya - Nishino Sotaro."
After briefly introducing himself, Soutarou Nishino looked at Ogata again.
"I heard you're a ronin from Izumo?"
"Yes." Ogata cleared his throat and switched to Izumo accent, "I am indeed from Izumo."
Because his accent was distorted by Atachi, Ogata felt a little uncomfortable switching to the Izumo accent which he hadn't used for a long time.
As soon as Ogata finished speaking in Izumo accent, Nishino Sotaro raised his eyebrows: "It is indeed the Izumo accent..."
"Do you recognize Yunqiang?" Ogata raised his eyebrows.
"I've been to Izumo a few times, so I recognize what the Izumo accent is like."
"But I can't speak Izumo dialect, and I don't know much about the local customs of Izumo, so I can't help with the Kabuki script that Inuko is currently writing."
After a wry smile, Nishino Sotaro put on a serious expression and tone again.
"If you are willing to help Inuko finish his script, I will let you take our merchant ship to Ezo."
"It's just that our merchant ships will only stop at Hirahiro-cho in Matsumae-han."
"So we can only send you to Hirahiro-cho in Matsumae. Can you accept landing in Hirahiro-cho in Matsumae?"
"Yes," Ogata said, "as long as you can get us to Ezo."
"The next time we sail will be in January of next year." Nishino Sotaro continued, "Can you wait until then?"
"January of next year?" Ogata frowned slightly, "Do we have to wait that long?"
It is only the end of November now, which means we have to wait for more than a month before we can board the Minamotoya ship.
"It's not just us. All businesses will not send ships to Ezo this year." Nishino Sotaro said slowly, "It's the end of the year now, and every household is preparing for the New Year."
"No matter which merchant you go to, it will be impossible to travel to Ezo by merchant ship this year."
“Is that so…” Ogata raised his hand and scratched his hair.
After thinking for a moment, he nodded slowly:
"...I understand. Then let's wait until January next year and go to Ezo after the New Year."
"In that case—" Nishino Sotaro bowed to Ogata, "I'll leave my son's script to you."
"When you help me finish his script, I will keep my promise and give you a ride when I go to Ezo to buy new products next January."
…
…
The negotiation with Sotaro Nishino took less than 5 minutes from start to finish.
After leaving Nishino Sotaro's room, Ogata said softly to Nishino Jiro who was walking beside him:
"Your father is very kind to you. He is very interested in your script."
"Yeah." Nishino Jiro smiled, with a bit of pride and happiness on his face, "My father has always been very supportive of my ambition to become a Kabuki playwright."
"I also always feel that I am very lucky... to have a father who always supports me."
"only……"
A bitter look appeared on Nishino Jiro's face, and he spoke softly in a voice that only he could hear:
"The reason why my father supports my ambitions so much is also due to some cruel reasons..."
Nishino Jiro took a deep breath, and after slowly exhaling, he said to Ogata in a serious tone:
"Mashima-sama, let's start writing the script now without further ado!"
"Yeah." Ogata smiled meaningfully, "You found the right person by finding me... Before I left Izumo, I heard a lot about Ogata Nosuke's deeds."
"I can not only help you introduce the living habits and speaking habits of the Izumo people."
"I can also help you fill in some of Ogata Noriyoshi's deeds."
"Really?" Nishino Jiro grinned, "Then I'm looking forward to working with you more and more!"
After saying that, Jiro Nishino walked straight towards the stairs next to him.
"Mashima-kun, Mashima-san! Come with me, I'll take you to my room!"
Ogata and A-machi followed behind Nishino Jiro and followed him to his room on the second floor of the Minamoto Tachibana house.
Jiro Nishino's room is totally inconsistent with his cheerful and carefree personality.
The room is as big as six tatami mats, and everything inside is neatly arranged.
The tatami made of tatami mats is very clean and can be described as spotless.
There was little furniture in the room. There was almost nothing else except books.
A large number of books were piled up into small hills of varying heights, filling every corner of the room.
Because of the presence of these books, this originally spacious room became quite small. Only the area in the center was free of books and could be used for people to stand or sit.
"Mashima-kun, Mrs. Mashima, please take a seat!"
Jiro Nishino took two cushions and placed them on the tatami space that was not occupied by books.
“This is the first draft I just finished writing a while ago.”
Jiro Nishino handed Ogata a book that was half the thickness of an adult's finger.
"Let me show you a little bit first!"
"Because real names cannot appear in Kabuki scripts, I changed 'Hanyu Isyo'!"
"Yes." Ogata nodded gently, "Have you finished the first draft? Then let us read it."
Ogata was also aware of the rule that real names could not appear in Kabuki scripts.
Although kabuki plays can be based on real events, the use of real names is prohibited.
In the Kabuki play "Chushingura", which is based on the real "Forty-seven Ronin of Ako", all the characters' names have been changed.
During the "Ako Forty-seven Ronin" incident, the man who commanded the righteous men to kill the person who humiliated their lord was named Oishi Kuransuke.
Oishi Kuransuke was undoubtedly the protagonist of this incident.
When later Kabuki playwrights adapted this incident into the play "Chushingura", they changed the name of the male protagonist of the incident: Oishi Kuransuke to Oya Yunosuke.
The names of all other real people have also been changed.
Ogata knew the rules of the Kabuki world, so he was not confused or surprised when he learned that his name in the script was changed.
Ogata turned to the first page.
Jiro Nishino has made detailed character designs for each character in his scripts.
The first page of this draft is the character setting he made for his character "Ogata Noriyoshi".
When he saw the first line, Ogata's expression froze.
(Hanyu Isei, 18 years old, a handsome man with a neat shaved head.)
There are no mirrors nearby.
But even without a mirror to look at, Ogata was sure that his face must have turned dark by now.
As for Atachi, she turned her head away after reading the first line of the first page with Ogata.
Her cheeks were puffed up and her body was trembling slightly - she was trying hard not to laugh.
"... Nishino-kun."
"exist!"
"You can rewrite this script."
Nishino Jiro: ('°ω°｀) "???"