I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

"I was a swordsman in ancient Japan ()"

There is no way Inamori is as indifferent to the generals who landed on the island as Matsudaira Sadanobu.

Although Matsudaira Sadanobu raised his hand to signal him to be quiet, Inamori still whispered to Matsudaira Sadanobu with an unwilling face:

"My lord, there are many doubts about what this monk said just now."

"I think there should be more careful interrogation."

However——Sadanobu Matsudaira, who didn't feel that what happened to the generals who landed on the island, was so important, said indifferently:

"This kind of question will be discussed slowly in the future."

Hearing Matsudaira Sadanobu's words, Inamori's heart immediately sank.

He is too familiar with this kind of official language.

Coupled with Matsudaira Sadanobu's indifferent appearance, I am afraid that he will not spend too much energy in the future to find out the truth about the death of all the soldiers who landed on the island.

After silently sighing, Inamori then said to Matsudaira:

"My lord, if what this monk said is true, then I think we should go after those who killed our generals immediately. They are still prisoners after all, and the six prisoners should not be allowed to get away with it like this."

Matsudaira Sadanobu did not object to Inamori's suggestion, and nodded slightly.

"Hey!" Inamori shouted at Zonghai, "Where did the six prisoners who escaped in the small boat go?"

Zong Hai pointed to the west: "Flee to that."

After glancing at the direction Zonghai pointed, Inamori immediately issued a military order to the general beside him, asking him to organize troops to chase in the direction Zonghai pointed.

Of course - Inamori was skeptical of everything Sokai said from start to finish.

So Inamori didn't foolishly send pursuers only in the direction Zonghai pointed, he sent pursuers in all directions.

Of course—not only the number and appearance of the prisoners are nonsense, but the direction Zong Hailian is pointing is indeed the wrong direction.

Ogata and the others never fled west.

Inamori also wanted the soldiers to check the list of prisoners to see which prisoners matched the appearance characteristics Zonghai had just mentioned.

But after thinking about it, Inamori gave up his idea.

If we really check according to the extremely popular appearance characteristics that Zong Hai just mentioned, at least half of the prisoners on the prison list meet these characteristics.

As for Matsudaira Sadanobu—after agreeing to allow Inamori to send troops to pursue the escaped prisoners, he said to Zonghai in a slightly joking tone:

"Since you have learned from the mouths of those prisoners that our shogunate has decided to bloodbath Butterfly Island, how dare you come to us?"

"You just said that you came here to tell us important information about the ogre - I'm afraid it's a lie?"

"You came here to convince us to let you islanders live, am I right?"

After quietly listening to Matsudaira Sadanobu's words, the smile on Zong Hai's face was bitter.

"...You are right. The reason why the monk came here is to seek a way out for the common people of Butterfly Island."

"...Then tell me about it." Matsudaira Sadanobu stood with his hands behind his back, "Try to tell me the reason why I can make up my mind to let you live."

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself."

"It's really rude for me to delay introducing myself after talking for so long."

"My name is Matsudaira Sadanobu, please give me your advice."

After knowing the name of this middle-aged man, both Zonghai and Matsumoto's expressions changed.

Needless to say Matsumoto.

Even Zonghai, who lives in seclusion in a remote place, has heard of the daimyo of the new senior middleman of the shogunate.

Neither of them thought that the person they wanted to negotiate would be the senior middleman of the shogunate.

Although Matsumoto was a well-known doctor, it was the first time he saw such a high-level official. He was already a little nervous, and his face became even paler because of this.

Even Zong Hai felt his heart beat a little faster.

After taking a few deep breaths and trying to calm down his heartbeat a little, Zong Hai uttered the speech he had already prepared with fluent articulate.

Zong Hai briefly described to Matsudaira Sadanobu and others what happened to him before the "Ogre Rebellion" broke out.

From Heshi and Hezhi, the strange pair of masters and apprentices who moved to their Butterfly Island, all the way to the sudden departure of the two and Hezhi specifically warned him not to drink the water of the Linong River on the eve of departure.

However, in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Zong Hai concealed the fact that "He Zhi also gave him the medicine that can suppress the immortal poison".

At the end of the story, Zong Hai came up with a conclusive evaluation:

"The instigator of this series of changes in Butterfly Island is most likely the mysterious pair of master and apprentice He Shi and He Zhi."

Speaking of this, Zong Hai paused, raised his eyes to observe the reaction of Matsudaira Sadanobu and others at this time.

Whether it was Matsudaira Sadanobu or the other important officials beside him, his face was full of astonishment at this moment.

Especially Matsudaira Sadanobu - the look on his face immediately sank.

Whether the disturbances on Butterfly Island were natural or man-made - the difference between the two is worlds apart.

If the riot on Butterfly Island was really caused by the suspicious pair of master and apprentice, then Matsudaira Sadanobu had to re-evaluate the degree of harm of this "ogre riot".

Seeing Matsudaira Sadanobu and these people all looking serious, Zong Hai felt a little relieved.

It made Matsudaira Sadanobu and others feel a sense of crisis—it was the initial achievement of Zong Hai's expectations.

After clearing his throat, Zong Hai went on to say:

"If this ogre disaster is man-made, then the little monk thinks—we must be prepared. Hurry up and study the ogre."

"And us islanders who will become ogres after death are the best subjects for research and observation!"

"Keep us, the research on ogres is absolutely beneficial and harmless!"

This is what Zonghai and the villagers headed by Jinnosuke concluded after discussing, and they may persuade Matsudaira Sadanobu to give them a way out - let Matsudaira Sadanobu keep them as the research and observation objects of the ogre research.

This is the only value in them.

Apart from this card, they have no cards to play.

It is better to be the research object of the experiment than to die without knowing why.

Although as the research object of the experiment, life may not be much better, and life may even be worse than death... But under the instinct of survival, the islanders headed by Kinnosuke decided to go all out.

Matsudaira Sadanobu did not immediately respond to Zonghai's words.

Instead, he frowned slightly, pursed his lips, and thought.

At this moment, the famous doctor Hanai standing beside Matsudaira Sadanobu said in a deep voice:

"My lord...if the ogre rebellion on Butterfly Island is man-made...then I think the research on ogres must be restarted."

"While keeping the islanders of Butterfly Island, thoroughly investigate the source of the Linong River."

"If the islanders of Butterfly Island became cannibals because they drank the water of the Linong River, then there must be something wrong with the source of the Linong River."

Seeing Banjing help them speak in disguise, Zonghai and Matsumoto Kiyohito showed joy on both sides.

However - Matsudaira Sadanobu still did not immediately make a statement.

Matsudaira Sadanobu, who has been slow to make a statement, made Zong Hai gradually anxious.

— Take a gamble!

After shouting in his heart, Zong Hai gritted his teeth and said loudly to Matsudaira Dingxin:

"My lord! Don't you want the shogunate to have the power to make people immortal?"

Zong Hai's words made everyone present look astonished.

After hearing Zong Hai's words, Matsudaira Sadanobu even raised his eyebrows, and a strange light shone in his eyes.

"Although the little monk doesn't know much about ogres."

Zong Hai continued.

"But—I am sure that the culprit that turns the islanders of Butterfly Island into cannibals is not a disease!"

"Ordinary diseases don't have such a great ability to make people immortal!"

"My little monk here boldly speculates that the chief culprit who causes the islanders of Butterfly Island to become cannibals is a special power!"

"Similar to the special power of mermaid meat that can make eight hundred bhikkhunis immortal."

"A special power that can rival the power of gods, devils and Buddhas!"

"Don't you want to hold this powerful force in your hands, my lord, so that the Edo Shogunate can last forever?"

This set of rhetoric was just improvised by Zong Hai.

Although Zong Hai didn't know much about the new old Nakamatsudaira, he had heard some rumors about him.

As far as Sokai knows—Matsudaira Sadanobu is a person who is extremely loyal to the general and the Edo shogunate

He is a person who can do whatever it takes to protect the Edo shogunate.

The major reforms he is now carrying out in full swing with the general are to revitalize the Edo shogunate.

So Zong Hai temporarily came up with this set of rhetoric to persuade Matsudaira Sadanobu.

The culprit that caused the islanders of Butterfly Island to become cannibals was a special power-this was actually Zong Hai's nonsense.

The reason why he casually said that it was a special force that led to the "ogre rebellion" was just to facilitate him to persuade Matsudaira Sadanobu to make up his mind to study ogres and leave them, the islanders of Butterfly Island, a way out.

After saying these words, Zong Hai couldn't wait to observe the change of Matsudaira Sadanobu's expression.

Although it was very subtle, Zonghai really noticed that after listening to what he said just now, Matsudaira Sadanobu's expression was a little different from that just now.

Matsudaira Sadanobu cast meaningful eyes on Sokai.

After a long while, Matsudaira Sadanobu finally slightly opened his mouth that had been tightly closed since just now.

In a state of apprehension, Zong Hai finally waited for Matsudaira Sadanobu's answer...

...

...

After Zonghai and Matsumoto Kiyohito set off to negotiate with the shogunate, Konnosuke and others all lay on the fence of the warship, waiting for Zonghai and the others to return.

After waiting anxiously for nearly an hour, they finally saw Zonghai and Matsumoto reappearing within their field of vision.

The two returned to the warship in the small boat in which they had set out.

As soon as they boarded the deck of the warship, Konnosuke and others surrounded Zonghai and the others nervously.

"Zonghai..." Konnosuke took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, "The shogunate...how?"

Zong Hai did not immediately answer Konnosuke's question.

Instead, he looked around at the surrounding islanders expressionlessly.

Then--

smile slightly.

"Fortunately, life is not humiliated."

Following Zong Hai's words, cheers that seemed to lift the entire sky erupted on the deck.

Zong Hai simply told everyone about the condition that Xia Songping Dingxin issued to them-they could let them live.

But they will be placed on an uninhabited desert island not far from Butterfly Island.

Although there is no freedom, the shogunate will guarantee their daily food and safety.

And what they have to do is to obediently obey the arrangement of the shogunate, not to leave the island without the permission of the shogunate, and at the same time obediently cooperate with their research on ogres.

For Konnosuke and the others, as long as they can continue to live.

Even if it may be very aggrieved to live, as long as you can continue to live.

As long as you can live, these obligations are not a problem at all.

Because of being too excited, Konnosuke hugged Zong Hai directly.

"Zong Hai... Thank you for your hard work..."

Regarding Konnosuke's gratitude, Zong Hai just smiled and did not speak.

Zong Hai raised his head.

I looked at the sky that had been dyed orange by the sunset.

Then he said in a low voice that only he could hear clearly:

"Ogata benefactor... we... survived..."

...

...

After the warships of Konnosuke, Zonghai and the islanders left Butterfly Island, Ogata and the others parted ways with Konnosuke and the others on one of the small boats carried on the warship.

Ogata and the others are leaving in the direction—the south heading toward the depths of the sea.

Make a big circle near the sea, go around to a place far away from the shogunate army barracks, and then land - this is Ogata's plan.

But after parting with Konnosuke and the others, Ogata and the others did not leave immediately.

Instead, they have kept a distance from the warship that Konnosuke and the others were on, so that they can always see the figure of the warship.

The reason why they didn't leave immediately was mainly because Ogata and the others wanted to know whether Konnosuke and the others had succeeded in persuading the officials of the shogunate.

Even though they were far away, Ogata and the others could clearly hear the loud cheers from the warship.

Hearing the cheers, Mucun had a gratified smile on his face, and said:

"It seems... Kinnosuke and the others succeeded..."

"Yes." Mamiya also sighed, and then took the two oars next to him, "Then——let's go too."

After dipping the two oars into the sea, Mamiya rowed the boat with extreme skill, and the boat moved quickly on the sea at a frighteningly fast speed.

"Mamiya, do you know how to row a boat?" Ogata couldn't help asking Jiangong.

"I have learned the methods and skills of rowing a canoe in Satsuma before."

"I don't know if the shogunate will really keep their promise and won't take Konnosuke's life again..." A-cho, who was sitting next to Ogata, couldn't help muttering.

"Who knows..." Ogata couldn't help but shrugged, "This kind of thing is beyond our control."

"I can only hope that the officials of the shogunate will really keep their promises, and I hope that Jinzhi will help them good luck..."

Speaking of this, Ogata couldn't help turning his head, and glanced at the warship that was rapidly shrinking from his field of vision.

"I feel that Konnosuke and Zonghai are a bit pitiful..."

Ogata said softly.

"If you want to survive, you have to negotiate with people in a low voice."

"I have to say something like 'Use us as experimental observation objects' to find a way out..."

Zong Hai had told Ogata and the others about the rhetoric that Zong Hai was going to use to persuade the shogunate to let them live.

"I can't help it." Mu Cun said blankly, "No matter how the times develop, this kind of helpless common people will always be the most miserable people."

"For helpless ordinary people like Konnosuke and Zonghai, if they want to live, they have to do their best, and even have to discard self-esteem and freedom, which are incomparably precious to others."

After hearing Mucun's words, Ogata couldn't help lowering his eyes to his calloused hands.

"...to what extent do I have to become stronger, so that I don't humbly beg for help like Konnosuke and Zonghai..."

The tone of Ogata's words seems to be asking others, but also seems to be asking himself.

"Become unparalleled in the world!"

Mamiya, who was sitting in Ogata's seat and steered the boat seriously, said casually.

"Whenever you reach the level of Genda-sama who is unparalleled in the world, when you can fight thousands of troops with one man's strength, you will be able to treat the shogunate as nothing."

"Unparalleled under heaven..."

Ogata chewed on the word Mamiya just spit out, looked up at the orange sky.

A thoughtful look appeared on his face.

But I just don't know what he was thinking.