I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

"I was a swordsman in ancient Japan ()"

The tip of Da Shitian's knife was pressed against the throat of the "majestic warrior".

As long as Ogata is willing, he can easily pierce the throat of the "majestic samurai" as long as he pushes the sword forward.

The "majestic warrior" who was pressed against the tip of Da Shitian's knife could clearly feel how sharp the knife was against his throat. Cold sweat began to pour out from his forehead.

"Put the knife back, then sit back obediently and wait patiently for the noodles."

Hearing Ogata's words, the "Majestic Samurai" subconsciously wanted to scold Ogata.

But after opening his mouth, he couldn't spit out half a word.

The cold and sharp touch constantly coming from the throat reminded him differently all the time...

Click.

The "majestic warrior" with cold sweat on his face silently retracted the blade that had been ejected from the sheath, and then stepped back half a step cautiously, away from Da Shitian's blade tip.

After confirming that Ogata had no intention of chasing him, the "Majestic Samurai" retreated to his own table with a face that hadn't recovered, and then sat down again.

After the "majestic warrior" retreated, Ogata also slowly put down the scabbard in his right hand and Da Shitian in his left hand, and then put the saber back into the sheath.

Even after withdrawing from Ogata's attack range, the "Majestic Samurai" still looked shocked, and the cold sweat was still breaking out on his face.

Before he sat down for a long time, the "majestic warrior" gritted his teeth, stood up again with a "huh", and rushed out of the soba noodle shop without waiting for noodles.

No one in the audience was surprised by the departure of the "majestic warrior".

After all, no matter who it is, after encountering this situation, there is definitely no way to eat noodles calmly.

Seeing that the "majestic warrior" had left and there would be no more conflicts, everyone in the shop heaved a sigh of relief.

While heaving a sigh of relief, some people—mainly those samurai who also had swords—began to have the courage to ridicule the "majestic samurai" just now for not defending the samurai's honor to the end, and fled like this .

There are still some people who are even talking about why the "majestic samurai" didn't draw his sword just now. At that distance, there is still a good chance to make a move before Ogata's knife point pierces his throat. The sword-drawing technique cut off Ogata's head—the people who said this were basically ordinary people without swords.

Although these people have intentionally lowered their voices, because the hearing of Ogata and his group of sword masters is far better than that of ordinary people, Ogata and the others can still hear those people's speeches about the "Majestic Samurai" quite clearly. ridicule, ridicule.

"Oh." Asai sneered, "Those who said why the idiot didn't draw his sword just now are really stupid. Anyone who has learned a little bit of swordsmanship can see that the idiot just now has no chance to draw his sword, right? ?”

Asai's evaluation was not wrong.

Anyone who knows a little bit about swordsmanship can see that Ogata's way of pulling the scabbard up just now is extremely beautiful, clean and neat, without any unnecessary movements.

Just now, when Ogata used this extremely beautiful sword-drawing technique before the "majestic samurai" used the sword-drawing technique, and pressed the tip of the knife against the throat of the "majestic samurai", people who knew swordsmanship could see it—— The negative has been divided.

"That guy just now knows how to assess the situation."

Yuan Yi interrupted at this time.

"After realizing that I am not Ogata-kun's opponent, I obediently put away my sword and left."

"Have a level of swordsmanship that can clearly see the gap between yourself and Ogata-kun, and the awareness to escape with your tail between your legs. That guy just now can be regarded as a malleable talent."

"Is that kind of person considered a malleable talent?" Mu Cun raised his eyebrows.

"Of course." Yuan Yi smiled, "In my eyes, all those who don't stick to the so-called 'samurai glory' are malleable talents."

"The kind that can advance and retreat,

Only those who are not bound by the so-called 'glory' have the opportunity to become a hero. "

"Look at Nobuzuna Kamiizumi, Yagyu Ishifusai, Miyamoto Musashi and other great swordsmen who have left a strong mark in the history books. Which one is the kind of pedantic person?"

While Genichi was explaining to Mucun in a preaching tone why he thought that guy just now was a malleable talent, Shimada, who was sitting next to Ogata, was looking at Ogata with admiration.

"Master Ogata, what's the name of the way you drew the sword just now?" Shimada said while raising his hands, imitating the way Ogata drew the sword just now.

"No name." Ogata shrugged, "It's just a technique that I figured out by accident before that I can draw a sword with only a small range of movements."

Although the system can help Ogata improve his physical fitness and swordsmanship at an unimaginable speed.

But the system can't help Ogata get one thing.

That is the enemy experience.

The sword-drawing method just now was Ogata's own method of drawing the sword when he left the Hirose Domain and was chased and killed by various bounty hunters who looked at other people's heads.

Holding the knife with the sheath in one hand, while raising the knife and aiming the blade at the enemy, quickly draw the sheath up with the other hand.

This knife-drawing technique has a very small range of movement, which is very suitable for places where there is not enough space left and right, but there is plenty of space up and down-such as in narrow alleys.

While Shimada was actively asking for advice on the key points of the sword-drawing technique just now, the female middle school girl who was made trouble by the "majestic samurai" just now walked quickly towards the table where Ogata and the others were sitting with a large dinner plate.

The noodles and drinks ordered by the six of them were placed on the dinner plate.

Kneeling respectfully at the table of Ogata and the others, while placing the bowls of soba noodles on the table on the table, the female middle school whispered to Ogata in a tone full of gratitude:

"Master Samurai, I really thank you just now."

"You're welcome." Ogata replied without thinking, "It's just a trivial matter."

"I used to work at an izakaya."

"So I hate this kind of people who make trouble when eating and drinking."

"I just did something I used to do in passing."

"Huh?" Yuan glanced at the number of wine bottles on the plate, "I remember we didn't order that much wine."

"The extra wine is a thank you gift from the store manager. Please accept it with a smile."

"Hoho~~" Yuan Yi grinned, "Thank you. Then we won't be polite."

"Master Yuan." Mamiya smiled wryly, "Don't drink too much."

"Don't worry." Yuan Yi waved his hand, "This kind of sake won't make me drunk."

After serving the last bowl of noodles on the table, the female middle school sighed softly, then complained softly:

"It's actually the second time today that ronin made trouble..."

"At noon today, there was also a ronin who caused trouble because the soup was too hot."

"Sigh... recently, I always feel that there have been a lot more ronin gathered in Edo recently..."

Hearing the girl's words, Ogata raised his eyebrows.

Because he suddenly remembered what he had overheard from a woman when he found this soba noodle shop.

"There have been so many ronin in Edo recently, is it because there are any festivals or events to be held here?" Ogata asked.

"I don't know the details..." the female middle school said softly, "I seldom pay attention to these things... But I have heard that we in Edo seem to be holding some kind of 'imperial trial'."

"'Imperial trial match'?" Ogata repeated the unfamiliar name, "Test match...is it some kind of competitive activity? A sword competition? Or a competition of knowledge?"

After hearing the word "trial match", the first word that came to Ogata's mind was the "sacrifice to the gods" he had participated in before in the Hirose domain, commonly known as "sacrifice to the gods".

This vocabulary seems to be unfamiliar to the surrounding Mamiya and others, and they all cast doubtful gazes at the female middle school like Ogata.

"I don't know the details..." After saying this in an apologetic tone, the female middle school girl bowed slightly, "I'm sorry, I still have a lot to attend to, so excuse me."

"Yeah." Ogata nodded, "I'm sorry, it took you so long, you can go to your business first."

After the girl quickly walked away with the plate in her arms, everyone focused their attention on Shimada, who was born and raised in Edo.

"Shimada." Mu Cun said, "Explain. What is the 'Imperial Trial Match'?"

"I don't know either..." Shimada shook his head blankly, "It's the first time I've heard of this too..."

"It seems to be a new activity in Edo recently." Mamiya said softly.

"...I'm a little interested in this 'Imperial Trial Match'." Yuan Yi grinned, "This name sounds very interesting."

"Then go get some information." Mucun grabbed a bottle of sake on the table.

"Where are you going to find information?" Asai asked.

"I've noticed just now—the guests at the second table counting west, they speak with a Kyoto accent."

Ogata and the others turned their heads and looked at the second table on the west side.

Sitting at that small table were 4 youths dressed as civilians, chatting about something enthusiastically.

As soon as everyone cast their eyes on the guests at the table, Mucun strode towards the guests with the bottle of sake and a wine glass.

After quickly walking to the side of the table of guests, Mucun naturally squeezed his ass into the gap between 2 of the 4 guests at the table.

"Hey, let me tell you, you are from Kyoto, right?"

After sitting down, Mucun greeted the four people at the table with the extremely standard Kyoto dialect.

A stranger of great stature suddenly squeezed into their table, and anyone would have been startled.

The four people at this table were first shaken by fright, and then looked up and down Mucun with curious eyes.

Seeing that Mu Cun was not carrying any weapons, and was only holding a bottle of wine and a wine glass in his hand, with a pleasant smile on his face, and speaking the very kind Kyoto dialect for them, the guard of the four people slowly dropped. up.

"Yeah." One of the four replied in the same fairly standard Kyoto dialect, "Are you from Kyoto too?"

"Of course! My Jing Yanye speaks so standard, who else can I be if I am not from Kyoto?" Mu Cun said in a half-joking tone, while opening the bottle of sake in his hand, giving this The wine glasses for 4 people are poured with wine.

Jingyan Ye - the elegant name of the Kyoto dialect. Many people in Kyoto like to call their dialect "Jingyan Ye".

After Mucun poured out the wine in the bottle, the rich aroma of the wine immediately penetrated into the nostrils of the four people.

Seeing that Mucun spit out the extremely friendly word "Jingyanye" so skillfully, and poured them such good wine, the faint guarded look on the faces of the four people finally dissipated.

After pouring wine for all 4 people and filling the glass he brought for himself to drink, Mucun took a sip of the wine in the glass, and then asked the 4 people:

"My friend, I just came to Edo today. It is said that Edo will hold some kind of 'Imperial Trial'. Do you know what it is?"

"Oh! 'Imperial Trial'." One of the four youths said after taking a sip of the fine wine in the glass, "We don't know about the details."

"We went to Edo to sell rice with the master, so we just came to Edo a few days ago, and we don't know much about many things in Edo." Another young man answered, "We only have a very shallow understanding of this 'imperial trial match'."

"It's okay." Mu Cun laughed boldly a few times, "Just say as much as you know."

"I only heard that this 'Trial Match' is an event related to warriors."

"Oh?" A strange light flashed in Mucun's eyes, "What else?"

"Also... I heard that it was the old Nakamatsu Taira's idea to hold this 'Imperial Trial'. As for the others... Sorry, as for the others, we don't know much. We only know so much .”

"That's it...it's okay! These are enough for me! Come on, let's have a few drinks together!"

After drinking a few glasses with these four people, and chatting casually, Mucun returned to Ogata and the others with the almost empty wine bottle.

After returning, Mucun spit out the information he just asked to everyone one by one.

After Mucun finished talking about the information he just obtained, Shimada said in a reverent tone:

"Senior Mucun, you are so amazing that you can squeeze into a group of strangers so naturally."

"It's just a skill that I learned in the past in Kyoto." Mucun smiled.

"But you didn't ask for too much information at all." Several black lines appeared on Asai's face.

"any idea."

Makimura shrugged.

"They are just a bunch of civilians who have just been in Edo for a few days. How could they have a deep understanding of Edo?"

"Let me ask the warriors at that table, maybe they can know more things."

After that, Mu Cun turned his attention to another table of guests not far from them. The guests at that table had a knife on their knees and a wakizawa on their waists.

"...Forget it." Ogata said at this time, "Gathering information and other things, we will do it slowly later, the most urgent thing now is to finish eating the noodles quickly, and then buy something to eat back. Don't forget—— There are 2 people waiting for us to bring food back."

Ogata's words immediately had an enlightening effect on Mucun and the others.

They suddenly remembered—now is indeed not the time to leisurely collect information.

There are 2 other people who are waiting for them to go back hungry at the hotel.

Everyone finished the noodles as fast as they could, and then ran out of the soba noodle shop, looking for a store that sells that kind of food that is easy to carry.

Ogata remembers that Machi prefers red bean-based sweets, so he bought some Daifuku with yokan and red bean paste.

After everyone rushed back to the hotel with the food they bought for Lin and A-Ming, they told Lin and A-Ming what they had just heard about the "Imperial Trial Match".

...

...

"'Imperial Trial Match'?" Lin, who was sitting on the quilt, frowned while eating the dorayaki that Mamiya bought for her, "Katsurokuro, don't you know what this is?"

Everyone in the Gourd House except Ogata and A-Machi are now gathered in Lin's room.

In order to hand over the food bought for A-cho to A-cho, Ogata is currently in A-cho's room, and is not staying in Lin's room with other people.

Because the room where Lin lived was very small, except for Yuan Yi who sat cross-legged beside Lin's bed casually, the rest of the people were standing.

Hearing the question from Lin, Shimada shook his head blankly:

"I've never heard of this 'Imperial Trial Match', it should be a new activity this year."

"My lord." As soon as Shimada's words fell, Mamiya said, "I think it is very necessary for us to understand this 'Imperial Trial'. Maybe we can collect unexpected useful information."

"...Well." Lin nodded, "It is indeed necessary to learn more about this 'imperial trial match'."

"But—not now."

"Whether it's looking for information related to Shiranui, or looking for information related to the 'Imperial Trial', all these things will be discussed tomorrow."

"Today we went to Edo again by boat and on foot. Everyone should be tired."

"Let's all have a good night's rest tonight."

"The rest will be discussed tomorrow."

"Yahachi, please tell Ogata Ittosai and Atachi-san later, let them both rest well tonight."

"Yes." Mucun nodded vigorously.

"That's all I have to say." Lin looked around at the people around, "Let's all go down and rest."

...

...

After Lin ordered the disbandment, Mucun followed Lin's order and told Ogata and Atachi the news of "rest well tonight, and we'll talk about the rest tomorrow".

Lin's arrangement was exactly what Ogata wanted.

He originally wanted to rest well after dinner tonight.

Before 15:00 today, he has been drifting at sea.

After floating in the sea, I went to Edo on foot with A-Machi on my back.

With the blessing of his physical strength, which had risen to 13 points, Ogata would not feel overly tired after such a few strokes.

But after such a tiring journey, Ogata still felt "tired", and his concentration was involuntarily slackened.

After finishing the pile of sweets that Ogata bought him, A-Machi yawned big.

After a big yawn, A-Machi blinked vigorously, looking like he was about to be unable to open his eyes.

"Are you tired?" Ogata asked.

"Hmm... a little... After all, I just finished eating."

"Do you still feel dizzy?"

"When you went out to eat just now, I slept for a while, and I feel much better now. After taking a nap, I should be completely fine after dawn tomorrow."

"That's good. Since you're sleepy now, go back to sleep." Ogata said as he picked up the Da Shitian placed on the tatami beside him, and stood up, "Maybe there will be a lot of people tomorrow." Things have to be done, and I plan to go to rest early tonight."

"Hmm..." A-Ming, who could only half-open his eyes, lay back on the bedding, "Then I'll continue to sleep...good night..."

"OK, good night."

Ogata and Machi didn't sleep in the same room.

Because when they entered Edo Castle this evening, the symptoms of seasickness of Lynn and Ah-cho had not been completely relieved, so the people who were eager to find a hotel did not have the extra time to slowly choose which hotel had enough rooms, just wanted to Quickly find a hotel that can accommodate 8 of them.

When they found the hotel, there was only one big room and two single rooms left in the hotel.

That big room was big enough for Ogata and his six men to live in.

People who didn't have high requirements for living and just wanted to quickly find a hotel where they could settle down didn't hesitate too much and chose this hotel directly.

The two single rooms were naturally occupied by two women, Yurin and Atachi, while Ogata and his group of men lived in the large room that could accommodate six of them.

After Ogata returned to the large room where they lived with a knife in hand, he saw that six futons had been laid on the tatami.

The six beddings are arranged in two opposite characters of "Chuan".

Shimada was already lying down in the futon, and Mamiya, Makimura, and Asai had also changed their clothes, and they looked like they were going to bed too.

As for Yuan Yi, he was sitting in the corner of the room, drinking a wine bottle and glass silently by himself.

"Are you all ready to sleep?" Ogata raised his eyebrows.

"Otherwise?" Mu Cun cast a playful look at Ogata, "I'm on a boat and walking again today, I'm not in the mood to do other things anymore, I just want to sleep quickly. Is it possible that Xu Brother Fang, do you still want to take advantage of the good night tonight and go to Yoshihara to have fun?"

"I won't go to Yoshiwara." Ogata said angrily, untied the Ozawa around his waist, and then began to take off the haori on his upper body and the hakama on his lower body, "I'm also going to sleep well. Today is another I'm also a little tired after taking the boat and carrying A-ding on my back."

"Let's wait until tomorrow to talk about the matter in Shiranui and the matter of the 'Imperial Trial Match'."

After quickly stripping off his body until only his kimono remained, Ogata got into his futon.

"Are you ready to go to bed?" Mamiya, who was sitting next to the candle lamp, turned his head and asked Mucun and Asai who were still sitting.

Asai didn't answer Gamiya's question, and just lay down in his futon silently.

"Master Yuan." Mucun cast his eyes on Yuanyi who was sitting in the corner, "Are you ready to sleep?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about me." Yuan Yi waved his hand, "I plan to drink a little more wine before going to sleep, you guys should turn off the lights."

The sake Genichi is currently holding is the sake he bought at that soba noodle shop just now.

"Master Yuan..." Mucun smiled helplessly, "Don't drink too much."

"Hohohoho, for an old man like me, drinking a little wine occasionally will be very beneficial to the body."

"The amount of alcohol you drink every day can no longer be described by the words 'occasionally' and 'liquor'..." Mucun said while winking at Jiangong.

After understanding the meaning of Mucun's wink, Mamiya waved his hand, and after turning off the only light source in the room, he and Mucun both lay down in their respective quilts.

In the room, except for Yuan Yi, the other five people were all lying down in their respective futons.

However—the room was not quiet for long.

After all five Ogata lay down in the futon, Genichi suddenly let out a low laugh, and then said:

"I said - if you have time later, would you like to go to Yoshihara to have fun together?"

"Yoshihara is..." Shimada hesitated, "Is that Yoshihara?"

"Of course it is the Yoshihara who has the reputation of 'Edo's Nightless City' and 'Japan's No. I have never seen Yoshiwara Oiran's 'Oiran Tour', so I really want to see it."

"Oiran..." Shimada muttered, "I remember that to be an oiran, one must not only be beautiful, but also know how to play piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and be very knowledgeable, right?"

"That's right." Mucun nodded, "So it's very difficult to be an oiran. In terms of knowledge, those oirans may be more familiar with memorizing the Four Books and Five Classics than us."

"I don't know if the oirans memorize the Four Books and Five Classics, but they are definitely better than you, Mucun." Asai, who always liked to quarrel with Mucun, retorted mercilessly.

"That's true..." Mucun nodded seriously, "Among all the people present, I seem to be the least educated one... Ah, Brother Ogata, have you ever studied?"

Mucun raised his head and cast a look of "longing for the same kind" at Ogata.

However, Ogata turned a blind eye to his "longing for the same kind" gaze.

"Of course I have studied." Ogata said angrily, "I'm not bragging. I basically recite the Four Books and Five Classics backwards. I also recite a lot of Tang poetry and Song Ci."

——At the same time, he can speak very standard Chinese. It's just that I haven't spoken Chinese for more than a year, and I may be stuttering when I speak Chinese now.

Ogata silently added this sentence in his heart.

What Ogata said just now was indeed not bragging.

Before traveling to the Edo period, because Ogata's parents highly respected Chinese studies, they always asked Ogata to study Tang poetry, Song Ci, Four Books and Five Classics and other Chinese studies in private.

He also specially invited an old teacher of Chinese studies with high morals and profound knowledge to be Ogata's private teacher.

This old teacher is very accomplished in Chinese studies—especially in the Four Books and Five Classics. He is the kind of master who has published many well-known papers related to the Four Books and Five Classics.

Under the tutelage of this old teacher, Ogata really memorized the Four Books and Five Classics fluently, and it was the kind that had been engraved into his DNA and could never be forgotten.

However, it is also because under the strict requirements of his parents, he has learned these Chinese studies so hard that Ogata now feels a serious psychological discomfort after reading the Four Books and Five Classics.

After learning that Ogata was also a person who had studied and could memorize the Four Books and Five Classics, he failed to find a similar Mucun, so he buried his raised head again.

"Well . . . I do seem to be the least educated of us here . . . "