I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

Ogata and Matsudaira, who was kneeling in front of him, were only a little more than 2 steps apart.

When he met Songping Dingxin for the first time in Yangmei House, Songping Dingxin was nearly 6 steps away from him.

Because of being closer now, Ogata was able to see Matsuhira's face more clearly.

Matsuhira's face, the first impression that Ogata brought to Ogata was mature and full of majesty.

According to Ogata's estimates, Matsudaira's age is about 30 years old.

In the Edo period, when medical treatment was underdeveloped and the diet was very casual, so the average life expectancy was not much longer. At this age, Matsudaira was already in the category of "middle-aged men."

The skin quality is very poor. Just by looking at it, Ogata can see that Matsudaira's skin is rough and a little sallow.

There are faint dark circles under the eye sockets, and there are quite obvious red blood streaks in the white of the eyes.

Although his brows and eyes were mixed with a faint tired color, his eyes were quite sharp.

These sharp eyes made Matsuhira Dingxin look very majestic. He was just kneeling on the ground without saying a word, but Ogata felt like a big rock standing in front of him.

It is the kind of person who can hold the audience down with just his eyes during a meeting-Ogata is so sure.

"The doors and windows are all closed tightly, and it really feels a bit stuffy. Goro-kun Mashima, I'll open the windows a little bit, don't you mind?"

"Don't mind." Ogata said, "I'll open the window."

After all, Xu facilitated the gesture and prepared to stand up.

But before Ogata had time to stand up, Matsudaira Masonbu stood up first and said:

"No, I'm closer to the window, let me open it."

Matsudaira directly stood up and walked slowly to the window just behind him, leaving no room for rebuttal for Ogata.

Seeing that Matsuhira had said so, Ogata also put down his left knee obediently.

The night breeze tonight is not strong, so weak that it can't even blow people's scarves.

The window was opened, and the cool night breeze flowed into the room along the opened window.

The candlelights of the candles placed in 6 different positions in the room shook slightly.

Even the elongated shadows projected on the wall with Ogata and Matsudaira Sadashin also shook together.

After opening the window, Songping Dingxin was not in a hurry to return to his original position.

Instead, he put his hand on the window frame and looked at the scenery outside the window blankly.

"...Yoshihara is really a beautiful place."

Without warning, Matsuhira Dingxin suddenly said something as if he was talking to himself.

"The lights are bright, there are beautiful women everywhere, and nice fragrances."

"But Yoshihara is also a place that shocks me."

Matsuba Dingxin slowly tightened his hand holding the window frame.

"Mashima Goro-kun, you are serving public duty here at the Shiro Bingbei Club. It should be clear that there are so many samurai lingering in Yoshihara every night.

"Two hundred years ago, when Yoshihara was first built, the samurai knew what shame was, and they knew they would wear a hat to hide their faces when entering and leaving Yoshihara."

"And now no one feels ashamed to go in and out of Yoshihara anymore."

"Some people are not only not ashamed, but proud of it."

The corners of Matsuhira Dingxin's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a sneer that was elusive to his specific emotions.

"The samurai is really getting worse and worse now. It's really worrying..."

After saying this with emotion like talking to himself, Matsuba Dingxin returned to the position he had just sat in, and sat down again.

"...Majima Goro-kun, you are really amazing." Matsuba Matshinbu cut his sharp gaze towards Ogata.

Ogata raised his eyebrows: "Why do you say that?"

"I've seen quite a few young warriors." Matsudaira puts his hands around his chest, "Whether it's a noble-born son, a Kibmoto warrior, or an ordinary feudal warrior, I've seen a lot of them."

"However, young people, regardless of their status, are either quite nervous after seeing me, or they write the words'please reuse me, please appreciate me' on their faces."

"It's not uncommon to be so calm and calm like you, but it's really rare."

Hearing Matsuhira's words, Ogata couldn't help but smile.

——Do you think people who have killed the lord and smashed Nijo Castle will be afraid of the old master of the shogunate...

Even if the shogun who holds the highest authority in Japan appears in front of Ogata himself, he has already done a lot of earth-shattering things, and he has already developed a big heart, he can continue to remain calm and calm-about Ogata. Quite confident.

It was naturally impossible for Ogata to tell what was in his heart. After smiling, he said unhurriedly:

"I'm just an ordinary samurai. In my previous life, I had never seen a prominent figure."

"I can't understand what kind of big people are."

"At this time, after someone really appeared in front of me, I only felt an ‘unreal’ feeling."

"Maybe it is precisely because of this that I can maintain my composure in front of Old Master Zhong."

"Like a frog at the bottom of a well doesn't know how vast the sky is."

Ogata's answer with a bit of humor seemed to make Matsuhira Datsunobu amused, and a few faint smiles appeared on Matsuhira's face.

"Unexpectedly, there is a character like you in the little Shiro Bingbei club."

While talking, Matsuhira Dingxin changed his original posture from sitting to a casual cross-legged sitting.

"Mashima Goro-kun, let's change our sitting posture, sit with seriousness, and can't help being serious when talking."

"No need." Ogata said neither humble nor arrogant. "I can just continue sitting upright. Sitting cross-legged in front of the old man is really rude anyway."

Matsuba Dingxin is not overly particular about sitting posture.

Seeing Ogata still sitting upright, Matsudaira did not say much.

"Mashima Goro-kun."

At this time, Matsupira, who had changed to a casual sitting posture, said slowly.

"I am very curious about the scene I saw in the Yangmei house just now, and I hope you can help me out."

"When the Kachimoto samurai rushed towards you holding the sword high, I clearly saw that you had bent your body and raised your right hand, ready to draw the sword."

"That person is a Kimoto samurai, and he is much noble than you in terms of status."

"The connections behind you, the power and financial resources in your hands, may also be much stronger and richer than you think."

"You swing a knife at him, even if you didn't kill him, you will definitely cause a series of very difficult troubles."

"However, even so, I still saw firmness in your eyes, who was ready to draw the sword."

"Aren't you afraid of causing trouble to yourself after swinging your knife at the flag?"

"Or you didn't actually think about so many twists and turns at the time, but with a recklessness, you planned to swing a sword at a Kamoto samurai?"

Until now, Ogata didn't know why Matsuhira Dazunbu, who was supposed to be in two different worlds from him, showed up in Yoshihara tonight, or why Matsuhira Dazunbu suddenly summoned him, whom he had never met before.

As of just now, the atmosphere around the two has finally become more serious.

Ogata feels instinctively that Matsudaira may not be in love with him or just for ordinary small talk, and throw this question to him.

After listening to Songping Dingxin's question quietly, Okinawa tightened his lips slightly.

For no reason, Ogata suddenly thought-this seems to be the first time someone has asked him this kind of question: Isn't it scared when you swing a knife at those who are above you?

No one has ever asked Ogata this question with such a serious attitude.

...

...

"...Of course I know what the consequences will be if I swing a knife at these banner children."

After pondering for an unknown period of time, the plain voice was slowly spit out from Ogata's mouth.

"I'm just a ‘former Ronin’ who finally found an ordinary job in Yoshihara a while ago."

"I also know the troublemaker Qimoto just now. He is Takigawa Heiichiro. He has a family salary of 3,000 shi. With their family's financial resources and power, if he offends him, if he decides to avenge me, he will definitely have a lot of trouble. Find me."

"If a low-level warrior like me offends a high-level warrior, it will end up like this."

"The low-ranking samurai is being insulted by the high-ranking samurai... I have seen it with my own eyes a long time ago and experienced it firsthand."

A face and a picture appeared in Ogata's mind.

That face is the face of Inoue-the senior warehouse officer who was killed by Matsuhira Gennai when he accidentally bumped into Matsuhira Gennai while inspecting the warehouse with Matsuhira Gennai...

That scene is the tragic scene that Ogata saw that the master and his brothers were killed by Matsuhira Genoui after returning to Sakura Sword Museum that night...

"...Since you know what the consequences are, why did you pull out the appearance of planning to draw a knife at the time." Songping Dingxin asked.

A faint smile slowly appeared on Ogata's face.

...

...

"Because I don't want to just give in."

...

...

Concise and concise.

The tone is plain.

But there is a mountain of firmness.

However, after saying this, Ogata chuckled a few more times. Then changed to a half-joking tone:

"Of course-the reason why I was able to put the sword in the posture of pulling the sword against that Takigawa just now was because I was kind of reckless to help."

"That Takikawa really hates it."

"I was angry just looking at his hysterical appearance."

"Thanks to Takikawa's annoying face, I had the courage to reach the knife at my waist."

Matsudaira's eyes have never left Ogata's body since just now.

As soon as Ogata's words "because I don't want to just give in." fell, an imperceptible light flashed in Matsudaira's eyes.

"...Hahahaha." Songping Dingxin laughed, although it was just a low laugh.

"Mashima Goro-kun, you really surprise me."

"Since the first meeting in Yangmei's house just now, you have always brought me surprises and surprises."

"Majima Goro-kun, I don't know if you paid attention to the release of the literary test last night. Did you know that you were the number one in the literary test?"

The topic of Matsuhira Dingxin changed suddenly, and the topic suddenly changed from "serious discussion" to "talking about parents' short stories."

Although I don’t know why Matsuhira Matsuba changed the subject so suddenly, Ogata replied immediately:

"Since I participated in the'Imperial Examination Combination', I naturally paid attention to last night's essay test release list."

"To be honest, I can't believe that I will be the number one in the literary examination."

"Then do you know who corrected the papers of the literary examination?" Songping Dingxin asked.

Ogata shook his head.

Ogata has never paid attention to who is responsible for the revision.

As far as Ogata knows, the shogunate also kept strict confidentiality on the identity of the person who made the revision, and did not let any outsiders know who was responsible for the revision.

"It was two groups of people who changed the volume."

"The first batch of people is responsible for correcting the previous'posting scriptures'."

"The second batch of people is responsible for judging the last question on the paper."

Post the scriptures-that is, fill in the blanks.

The "last question" in Matsudaira's mouth is naturally the essay question for everyone to comprehend the sentence "knowing that it cannot be done".

"But in fact, there is only one person in the so-called second batch."

"And that person..."

Matsubishi Dingxin slowly raised his finger and pointed at himself.

"it is me."

"The person responsible for judging the last question on the paper is me."

Matsuhira Masanbu's words made Ogata's eyes flash involuntarily a little surprised.

The second-in-chief of the country with a wealth of wisdom actually personally checked the composition question-this is something Ogata has never thought about.

"Then, I also judged you to be the first name in the literary examination."

The words Matsuhira Matshinbu said immediately afterwards directly caused the expression of surprise in Ogata's eyes to expand at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"The'posting of the scriptures' in front of you is actually wrong for 21 times."

"But it doesn't matter."

"In this essay test, the really important topic is not the previous'Posting Classics', but the last one."

"As long as you answer the last question well, you can get a good place in this essay test. And vice versa."

"The top 10 in this literary examination are all so."

"And you are the one who answered that question best in my opinion, so I gave you the first name in the essay test."

"...Is that problem that I played so well?" Ogata raised his hand and scratched his hair, "How can I get such a high evaluation from the old man..."

In Ogata’s impression, his question was just written on the go...

"Who is going to follow the script, and who really has a deep understanding and understanding of the sentence'knowingly knowing that it cannot be done'-I can see it at a glance."

"Many people just wrote the explanation of this sentence they heard in the school completely on the paper."

"Even if it is decorated with gorgeous rhetoric, it can't change the paleness of the content."

"But-Mashima-kun, you are different."

Matsuba Dingxin's eyes became sharper.

"Through your words, I can truly feel that-you are not doing the teaching according to the text. You have your own unique and profound insights into this sentence."

"After I read your papers at the time, my first thought was-someone who can have such a profound insight into the sentence'knowingly knowing that it is impossible to do it' must be a man of spine. ."

"I like what you wrote about ‘knowingly do not do it’."

"So I made you the first name in the literary test."

"In order to verify the suspicion that'I think you must be a man with integrity', I specially chose to come to Yoshihara to see you tonight without a schedule."

"And you really didn't disappoint me."

"There are not many samurai like you who have a backbone and dare to say things like "I don't want to give in"."

"Mashima Goro-kun. I admire you very much."

Songping Dingxin's face gradually became serious.

"Don't stay in Yoshihara anymore."

"Come and follow me."

"In other words—promote you to my little surname."

call……

A night breeze that was much stronger than the previous one poured into the room.

The light and shadow drawn by the candlelight changed slightly with the expression and look on Ogata's face.

...

...

"Haha..."

The remarks Matsuhira Masabinobu just said were so impactful that Ogata didn't know how to answer for a while.

In order to buy himself time to think, Ogata let out a few laughs and said in a half-joking tone:

"Before participating in the "Queen Examination", I heard people say that the old man planned to select available talents in this'Queen Examination' and promote them to their own staff."

"So this rumor is true."

"No, this rumor is false." As soon as Ogata finished speaking, Matsuhira Masanbu shook his head. "It's just a rumor that I don't know who sent it."

"I never thought about who I would choose to be my assistant among the participants of the'Imperial Examination.'"

"Until...just now."

"And I don't want to promote you to my staff."

"I just promoted you to my little last name."

"I can't directly entrust a person who has only met tonight and knows nothing about his specific political abilities."

"So I will explain all the ugly words first."

"After I promote you to my little surname, I will observe and examine you carefully."

"After my investigation, if you feel that you are indeed worthy of use, I will not begrudge the reward and reuse of you."

"But if I find that you just have a spine and can't take on a big responsibility... Then I can only ask you to go back wherever you come from."

Although Matsuhira's harsh remarks looked terrifying, Ogata was sure that most of the young samurai, after listening to Matsuhira's cruel remarks, would still hurriedly agree to be Matsuhira's surname.

What's the surname?

At first glance, it seems that they are just ordinary chores, who are responsible for the personal life and chores of the monarch. If the monarch you serve likes all ways, then you have to help your monarch to vent.

But in fact-it looks like a little surname for an ordinary handyman, but it is a profession that many people dream of.

At the end of the day, the little surnames may spend more time with the monarch they serve than the family members of the monarch.

Staying with the monarch more means-you have more opportunities to behave in front of the monarch, and more opportunities to develop feelings with the monarch.

Many celebrities in history started from the little surname of so and so, and then, under the appreciation and cultivation of so and so, they went straight to success.

The most typical examples are Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the Warring States Period.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was born as a poor peasant, was able to go out of the Oda family by various coincidences.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi first came out of the Oda family, although he was not the surname of Oda Nobunaga, he was a handyman who often showed his face in front of Oda Nobunaga.

Because he could frequently show his face in front of Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobunaga soon discovered the talent of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

With the help of Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi began a "grass-roots counterattack" that was even more exaggerated than the novel.

In ancient Japan where class and class were extremely important, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was born as a poor peasant, became a "world man" step by step with the help of Oda Nobunaga.

Throughout the ages, this kind of occupation that can frequently show up in front of senior leaders has been the most sought-after and most people squeezed their heads to grab.

The degree of solidification of this class is even more exaggerated than in the Warring States period two hundred years ago. In the Edo period, when it was almost impossible to cross between classes, it became the minor surname of Matsudaishin-this is already a step up to the sky.

Although according to Matsuhira Dingxin's statement just now, becoming his surname is only a qualification to "be able to ascend to the sky in one step."

Whether you can really make it to the sky in one step depends on your ability afterwards.

But even so, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that can be said to be a pie in the sky, and a great opportunity that you can't even dream of.

The vast majority of samurai will definitely be busy taking the olive branch thrown by Matsuba Matsushita.

However-Ogata happened to be the small group of people who didn't immediately nod their heads in agreement.

After pursing his lips and being silent for a while, Ogata leaned over and said respectfully:

"Old Master, I am very honored to appreciate your appreciation. But please let me think about it."

Matsuhira Dingxin's face flashed a little puzzled: "There is nothing to consider, right?"

After another moment of silence, the corners of Ogata's lips slowly pulled up and laughed.

"Master Zhong, I am so excited."

"Unexpectedly, I would have the opportunity to become your surname, the old middle-aged man."

"Because I was so excited, my head went blank all of a sudden."

"This is a big deal. I want to think about it later when my head recovers."

"...Hmm." Songping Dingxin nodded slowly, "It's fine."

I don't know if it was Ogata's illusion. He always felt that after hearing him say "let him think about it", he always felt that a smile flashed in his eyes.

"Then I will give you some time. Go back and think about it later."

"There will be no time limit for you."

"When you think it through, come to my mansion and find me directly."

"My house is easy to find. You can find someone who is familiar with Edo and ask him, "Where is Matsuba Matshinbu's home"."

"Yes!" Ogata leaned over and said in response.

...

...

The secret meeting between Ogata and Matshinanobu ended with "Matsuhira Matshinbu wooed Ogata, and Ogata used the word "drag"."

Matsudaira Ogata left the room one step at a time.

Ogata, who is not in a hurry to leave, stays in the room.

After confirming that Matsuba Matshinbu and his entourage named Tachibana walked away, and there were no other people outside the room, Ogata looked at the blank tatami in front of him where there was no Matsudasa Matsuda sitting anymore, and then smiled wryly.

"When did I become so popular..."

Ogata spit out this emotion in a low voice, and the sound hit the ceiling, forming particles, and then blending into the air.

...

...

Edo, the base of Shiranui.

"Whirring whirring……"

With his upper body exposed, Shuntaro held a straight-edged Shinobi sword in his hand, and meticulously practiced Suzhen against the air in front of him.

Shintaro is now practicing swords in his dedicated practice field.

The open space is neither wide nor narrow, and there are several big trees planted around the open space. Under the cover of the dense foliage, the clearing is not too hot and stuffy.

In Shiranui, only the Flame Demon and the Four Heavenly Kings have the privilege of "enjoying a dedicated practice site".

"Whirring whirring……"

Shuntaro's inhalation and exhalation matched the rhythm of his sword swing.

The effective combination of inhalation and exhalation made every knife shot by Shun Taro full of power.

Every time he swings and raises the sword, he can bring out a piercing sound of breaking wind.

Because Shintaro had his upper body exposed, he could clearly see the rock-hard muscles and the hideous scars dripping with sweat on his upper body.

When he raised the sword high again, Shuntarou's movements suddenly stopped, and he didn't cut it down.

Keeping the posture of raising the sword high in this way, Shuntarou slowly turned his head and looked to his right side.

"What a rare visitor. Shintaro, in my impression, the last time you came to my practice venue was last year."

Shuntaro's dedicated practice site is located in a small forest.

After Shuntaro turned his gaze to his right, a young man with a cold face and indifferent expression was slowly emerging from the woods on Shuntaro's right.

And this young man is Shintaro who is also the "Four Heavenly Kings" with Shuntaro.

"...Shuntaro, it's so late, you are still practicing. You are really hardworking. UU reading www.uukanshu.com"

After walking until the distance between both sides can clearly see their facial features, Shintaro paused.

"Shuntaro, only for this, I admire you quite a bit."

"You practice qigong every day, regardless of whether it is cold or hot, cloudy or sunny. The intensity of the exercise is like torturing yourself."

"I asked myself I couldn't do this at all."

Shintaro slowly put down the Shinobi in his hand: "Only when I practice kung fu and fight people, do I really feel that I am actually alive."

Shuntaro walked slowly to a tree stump next to him, picked up the cloth placed there, wiped his sweat, and asked Shintaro:

"Sintaro, what can you do for me?"

"With your personality, you shouldn't come here specifically to find me just to chat with me, right?"

"Shuntaro, you are right. I came to your practice site to find you. I am indeed looking for you." Shintaro said sternly, "Shuntaro, I was ordered by Lord Balrog, so I will come here to summon you by the way."

"Hurry up and wipe your body clean, and then go to the Balrog's mansion with me."

"A visitor is coming."

"Guest?" Shuntaro frowned slightly, "Is another high-ranking official from the shogunate coming?"

"No." Shintaro shook his head, "It's a much more interesting guest than the high-ranking officials of the shogunate."

"It's Iga's ninja visiting."

"Iga?" Shuntaro's voice was a bit out of control because he was too surprised. "Isn't Iga no Sat gone as early as 40 years ago?"

"Yes, so the visitor now is the remnant party from Iga no Sato 40 years ago."

"The shogunate’s ‘former ninja’, come to see the ‘present ninja’..." Shuntarou twitched his mouth and smiled, "Sure enough, it’s a very interesting guest."