Chapter 29 Section VI
Under the influence of Jihei's plea and Ah Jin's aura, Shengzhisuke hurried to Wadaya at night.
Kazuka and his wife from Wadaya came to welcome them. Seeing that Jihei and Shengzhisuke had unusual expressions, they felt uneasy.
"Please let Mr. Sheng hide here for a while. No matter what happens or what he says, please don't let him go." After hearing Jibei's plea, the two of them turned pale.
"Next, I want to see Lord Donggu. Brother Sheng, please wait patiently before Master Donggu gives instructions, and don't act rashly."
Jibei hurriedly left, and Shengzhisuke didn't say a word until he went to Kazuka's living room to be alone with her.
He Xiang recently went completely without a headscarf in Wada House.Since she came to greet her today, she has not hidden her face at all.At this time, she also had no turban to cover her, and her face was covered with sorrow.
"I..." Shengzhisuke finally spoke, his gaze turned to Kazuka. "After I meet Master Donggu, I have to return to the domain immediately. Even if Master Donggu reprimands me and forbids me to do this, I still have to go."
"I understand." He Xiang looked calm. "Since Mr. Furuhashi said so, there must be your reasons. No matter what Mr. Jihei says, or how Mr. Higashiya scolds me, I will not stop you. Just let it go."
After Kazuka finished speaking, her lips were tightly pressed, she stared at Sheng Zhisuke's eyes, and said nothing more.
The two were relatively silent for a long time.
He Xiang moved her knees suddenly, ready to get up. "Let's prepare first, so that you can start at any time."
After all, Sheng Zhisuke couldn't hold her back.The incense is really good and strong. "What happened? I don't know the cause and effect, please tell me what's going on." If Hexiang cried like this, Shengzhisuke would be more relaxed.
"Miss Hexiang, please sit down." Then he told the whole story.
He Xiang listened calmly and carefully.She didn't move until Shengzhisuke finished speaking.From time to time, there will be black shadows shaking, which should be the lights of the seat lamp shaking due to the night wind blowing in through the crack of the door.
There was another silence between the two.
"I used to..." Kazuka said, looking away from Shengnosuke's face to the window.
"Before I met Furuhashi-san, I read the transcript of the former Murataya owner from Jihei-san."
That is an old book.
"It was a book handed down in the era of General Gang Jigong of the Five Dynasties, called "The Legend of the Horse". The horses, wild boars, crows, and sparrows in the book can all talk and joke like humans, but the birds and animals in the book are all It was compared to a general or a big man in the city, and it was listed as a banned book at that time."
Murata House even has this kind of book, and Kazuka has read it.
"The writing on the manuscript has a unique style, which matches the absurd content very well. I am deeply impressed."
——The words written by the former shopkeeper are really interesting.
Jihei also laughed when he heard what Kazuka said.
——The style of this word is weird, right?
"So..." He Xiang whispered. "When Mr. Furuhashi mentioned the readings written by Oshigome Gomenrou, you said that the person who transcribed it was the former owner of Murataya, and the handwriting was neat and beautiful. I was puzzled at that time."
I thought I made a mistake——Hexiang continued. "I wish I had told you right away."
Shengzhisuke shook his head and said, "Even if I heard you say that, I probably wouldn't think it's so important, and I wouldn't take it to heart."
I can't see anything, like Jihei's other side - and my brother's real thoughts.
"It will not be of any help for me to tell you this, and I am afraid it will annoy you."
Hexiang still whispered as if whispering.
"I don't think it's wrong for Mr. Jihei to do that."
Didn’t it work in the end—He Xiangdao.
"But the last one didn't make any difference."
"Why not?" He Xianglang said clearly there was. "Didn't the person concerned come before you? It became an opportunity to change the whole thing." The person who had been searching for a long time finally found——
"Mr. Guqiao is looking for such a person everywhere, so I'm not sure if he will tell the truth. Even if we show a tough attitude to threaten or win him over, he shouldn't give in easily or be obedient, right?"
Because he is a cynical, bad-hearted person who decides what he does based on whether it is interesting or not.
"The reason why he took the initiative to report his name is all because Mr. Furuhashi, you have read Oshigome Yumenrou's book and put forward different opinions. You poked his sore spot. He said that you don't understand the world at all."
Sheng Zhisuke was silent.
"From this point of view, can you forgive Mr. Jihei a little bit? Please."
Hexiang bowed deeply with his fingers on the ground.Her hair was cut almost to her shoulders now, and now the black hair fell, completely covering her face.
Suddenly a tear dripped from Hexiang's black hair and landed on the back of her hand.
Sheng Zhisuke was dumbfounded.
"You must be in great pain. I really sympathize with your father's experience." He Xiang lowered her head. "But I am concerned for your safety."
The tears dripping down the back of the hand glistened with pearls.
"I'm going back to the longhouse."
Sheng Zhisuke put his hand on the saber at his waist and stood up.He Xiang raised her face, her hair was cut to cover the right half of her cheek.
"I have no reason to hide. No matter who comes, I am not afraid."
I'll come and wait for you, but before that...
"I am very glad to have met Miss Hexiang. Although I don't know what will happen next, I want to thank you for your care."
After saluting, Shengzhisuke turned and left.He thought to himself, I didn't come here to ask her to let me hide, I just came to see Hexiang.
After returning to the longhouse, there was another commotion.Ah Jin burst into tears, and Taichi yelled at Shengzhisuke, "Why don't you stay there obediently!" Granny Tatsuzu also came out to see what was going on, and even the steady Ah Xiu panicked.
"There won't be an assassin coming today." Shengzhisuke forced a smile on Ajin and Taiyi. "Jihei-san is so excited, and I have work to do."
"Assassin, assassin?"
How can this be done—Ajin and Axiu screamed, but Shengzhisuke ignored them and closed the door.
This is the only thing I can do while waiting for Jibei.That is to take out the most difficult book among Oshigome Gomenrou's books-the content of that book is boring and vulgar, and the plot is ridiculous, which made Sheng Zhisuke very troubled, and he stayed by his side to revise.
He lit the oil lamp, re-examined the book, and the beautiful handwriting appeared in front of his eyes.In the book, the young samurai who was used and manipulated by the villains, who wanted to resist but was in vain, and instead hurt himself even more, was full of powerlessness. With the neat and beautiful handwriting in front of him, it felt like a cruel mockery of his regret .
No matter how determined to go on the right path, those who are powerless can only go to destruction.What rules this world is strength, not kindness, loyalty, or sincerity.Behind the tragic story written in admirable brush calligraphy, you can see Oshigome Gomenrou's face flushed from drinking, as if he was talking impassionedly.
His expression was full of ridicule, the same as when he scolded Sheng Zhisuke and his father before.
--you are wrong.
People who are framed and used are not stupid, nor are they sacrificed because they are weak and useless.We are all human beings.Those who are proud of their strength are human, and those who are abused by their power are also human.
Soon, Mr. Wubu arrived.I don't know who he heard what, he pulled open the paper door forcefully, almost tearing down the door, his eyes widened when he saw Sheng Zhisuke by the desk.
"What, so you are safe and sound."
"I'm fine."
Wubu teacher lowered the corners of his mouth and stood proudly. He looked Shengzhisuke up and down as if checking, and said:
"Let's go eat soba noodles."
The two walked out of the longhouse together.Takebe-sensei, who was silent until the bill was paid after eating the soba noodles, said on the way back:
"It's not good to involve the residents of the longhouse in this turmoil. I'll stay at Torazo's house."
Sheng Zhisuke responded frankly: "I am grateful."
"If any suspicious person is found, no matter who the other party is, I will never show mercy. You must have this kind of determination."
Shengzhisuke nodded and replied, "Thank you for your reminder."
"If I had known this kind of situation, brother Sheng should go to the dojo to practice sword frequently."
Teacher Takebe made a joke and smiled.
Sheng Zhisuke devoted himself to revising the reading.The big villain in this book is Edo Zacha, who has a wealth of thousands of dollars, and can control Xiaofan's finances at will. He has repeatedly lent money to the financially strapped daimyo, and finally even the core high-level officials in the domain also borrowed money from him.At the same time, he is a big pervert, and he even wants to get his hands on the wife of the lord served by the main character (a young warrior) in the book.This villain manipulated an important minister in the feudal domain in an attempt to steal the real power in the feudal domain and take the gold mine buried in the local mountains as his own. All the officials in the domain of the mine and the important laborers who were recruited for the trial excavation of the mine were all killed.In this way, everyone who knew the details of the gold mine disappeared from the world and got nothing.
What is the origin of Oshigome Gomenrou, and why does he distrust people so much?Sheng Zhisuke wondered again.I didn't know it before, and when I read it, I just thought that the author of this book only wanted to describe the scene of killing people, but now Sheng Zhisuke has a different view. "People only think about what is in front of them, and the world is full of ignorant people." Oshigome Yumenro has always conveyed this concept.Not only good people are stupid, but also bad people.The only exception is him, who wrote the story.
To what extent does a person who has lost his dignity, his tenderness and thoughtfulness, and his heart have been severely wounded be so cynical and disregard people as human beings?Sheng Zhisuke felt a chill rise from the bottom of his heart.
In about two hours, he finally edited about 80% of it, and he will re-transmit it next time, and he wants to make the protagonist's personality more sound.The protagonist's fiancée was originally seduced by the villain, and finally sold into prostitution in Huajie and Liuxiang. If this continues, she will be reduced to a doll at the mercy of others. The end is too sad, even to the point of being comical.At least she has to be a little wiser and try to escape the clutches of the villain.Just as he was thinking about what to do, the sound of the paper door sliding came.
"Please come in."
Outside the door, Jihei's face looked more haggard than during the day, like a ghost.
"You have been away for a long time."
Jibei walked into Doma and closed the door behind his back. "Brother Sheng, what are you doing here?"
"Staying up all night to catch up. I'm revising Oshigome Mimiro's reading."
Zhibei bowed his head in a slumped manner.
"What did Master Donggu say? Mr. Jihei, you seem to have been severely scolded." Sheng Zhisuke tidied up the table neatly, and stood up with a knife on his waist. "If you're done, I'll see Master Donggu next."
Sheng Zhisuke should have no chance to come back here and revise all the reading materials.If he returns to the vassal state at this point, he may not come to Edo in the future.
"It is impossible to complete all the revisions, and the follow-up work will be done by Mr. Lao Zhihei."
"...Master Donggu is not in the mansion." Zhibingwei said weakly. "Master Donggu is waiting for Brother Sheng at Tone. That unpalatable eel shop has now become a cheap and delicious izakaya."
This shop used to be an eel shop and has a lot of connections with Shengzhisuke.
"Master Donggu said that it is an affordable shop, which just meets his needs."
Sheng Zhisuke understood. "How about you, Mr. Jihei?"
"I can not go."
"I understand that..."
"I will do my business at Murataya as before." I am just a small person - Jihei whispered.
"That's it." Shengzhisuke put on the clogs. "These days have been taken care of by you in many ways."
In just one day, Jihei's whole person was a little smaller.The anger of last night was gone, and at this time Shengzhisuke calmly expressed his feelings.
Sheng Zhisuke stepped out of the house, but Jibei did not turn his head to see him off. "Thank you, Mr. Murataya."
When he came to the wooden door of the longhouse, Takebe-sensei quietly chased him from behind in the darkness of Xia Ye, and walked beside Shengzhisuke.
"Where are you going?"
"Go to 'Leagan'."
"Oh, the store my students used to bother with, wasn't it?"
Takebe-sensei took a big stride, following Shengnosuke who was walking in a hurry.
"Teacher, aren't you going to be the bodyguard for the residents of the longhouse?"
"Since your client is not here, the long house doesn't have to worry."
"I will return to the feudal kingdom as soon as I finish talking in Ligenyi."
"Then you will need bodyguards along the way."
Sheng Zhisuke smiled naturally. "The teacher is really nosy."
"You will know if you try to be a private school teacher. In just two years, even Bao Bao, who was a slacker who refused to do anything before, will definitely become very hardworking."
"Diligence and nosy are two different things, aren't they?"
"Not much difference."
"Li Genyi" store is brightly lit, and there is a mouth-watering aroma.
"I really want a drink."
Wubu teacher opened the paper door first.Welcome, welcome - the "Li Genyi" couple greeted each other loudly.
"Oh, Takebu-sensei, Furuhashi-sensei."
Shengzhisuke stopped.There are five customers in total.Three townspeople and two samurai sitting in the shop seat faced each other, toasting and drinking.One of them turned his back to them and couldn't see his face, but Shengzhisuke had seen the samurai facing the door.
— I remember him as...
That was Shigehide Sakazaki's confidant, and he served as a vassal in the Edo domain.This person is the same age as his elder brother Katsunosuke, and although they are not familiar with each other, they have studied together in the feudal school for a period of time.
The other party met Sheng Zhisuke's eyes, and immediately turned his face away.The samurai with his back to him didn't look back from the beginning to the end.The other three acted as if they didn't know Sheng Zhisuke.But the man in front of him, about thirty years old, with a beard and green skin, although his eyelids were downcast, secretly raised his eyes to look at Shengzhisuke.
"Your friend is waiting on the second floor." The friendly smile of the owner of "Tone" Kantaro was slightly stiff.
"Boss, bring me a pot of wine and dishes."
Takebe-sensei sat down near the soy sauce bucket.
"I'll wait here, Mr. Sheng, for you to finish talking." Mr. Wubu said with a relaxed expression. "The izakaya is open until late at night, so there is no need to rush, but my wallet is limited, and the consequences of drinking too much at one time will be disastrous. Please finish the matter quickly."
Shengzhisuke walked up the creaking stairs to the second floor.All the paper doors on one side of the corridor were closed.
"Ligenyi" is a small shop with only two wing rooms upstairs.
Shengzhisuke knelt down on the spot and called loudly: "Guqiao Shengzhisuke is visiting."
A reply came from the paper door on the right. "Over here. Come in."
After Shengzhisuke opened the paper door and saluted, he raised his face, and his whole body froze.His whole body was as stiff as an icicle in the cold winter.
Shigehide Sakazaki sat in the room.Dishes, small bowls and wine jugs are set before them.He is not alone.He was sitting on the upper seat, and another person was sitting about four feet away in the small wing room of "Li Genyi".
There are dishes in front of this person.Despite the difference in status, the two warriors sat in the same room and drank together.Just looking at the scene in front of them, anyone would think that the two people sitting facing each other are a sergeant and a corporal, or maybe a father and son.
The young man in the next seat lowered his head and placed his clenched fists on the thighs of the skirt pants.
The age gap between the two is larger than that of father and son, and they look like a pair of grandparents.The two are not related by blood, but have a little relationship.
They have this relationship through their mother Lie, just like Shengzhisuke and Dongya.
Sheng Zhisuke hasn't seen his eldest brother for a long time, but his appearance has not changed at all, and his physique has also remained the same.The eldest brother Katsunosuke continued to exercise physically and mentally.Only the expression on his face at this time is quite rare, but it is not unheard of.
Sheng Zhisuke saw his elder brother showing such an expression that night.The night when his father Munezaemon performed seppuku.The elder brother who intervened after being his father in the courtyard had this expression at the time, and said something disdainful—too ugly.
It was an expression of unwillingness, anger, and contempt.
That night, the faint moonlight shone on his face, but tonight the box was filled with the soft light of seat lamps.
But at this moment, Furuhashi Katsunosuke was extremely pale as if only his face was exposed to the moonlight.
"Brother." Hearing Shengnosuke's call, Katsunosuke began to move.The originally drooping head was raised high arrogantly, and turned to look at him.His eyes were burning with bloodshot eyes.
"Finally I can drink with the two of you."
Shigehide Sakazaki said, but the tone of his mouth was extremely heavy.
Sheng Zhisuke stood there for a long time, he couldn't believe the real scene in front of him.
"Shengzhisuke, come and sit down. The dishes will be delivered soon."
Sheng Zhisuke was still unable to move under Higashitani's urging, when someone came up the stairs behind him.It's Kantaro.He holds the lunch box in both hands.Shengzhisuke walked into the box and sat with his back to the paper door, making way for Kantaro.Kantaro respectfully arranged the lunch box, leaned forward, and raised his hips high.
"Sorry." Shigehide Sakazaki called out kindly. "I'm causing you trouble. Then you can leave before I call you. For those people downstairs, you just get some food and drink to get rid of them."
"Yes, I understand." Kantaro bowed down, saluted, and quietly walked out of the room.Back when it was an eel shop, there were few people in the shop and the business was in jeopardy. Kantaro's unmotivated slacker is no longer there.Now he is the owner of a thriving shop, showing the manners of a shop owner.People change.Sheng Zhisuke shouldn't be thinking about this kind of thing at the moment, but if he doesn't, he won't be able to connect with the reality in front of him, like being trapped in a nightmare and unable to get out.
"This store is really good." Shigehide Sakazaki said.
Shengzhisuke looked at him.It was a rough face floating in the light of the seat lamp.The part that the light can't reach is particularly dark, covering his whole body.He seemed to be carrying a great darkness.
"Master Donggu." As soon as the words came out, Shengzhisuke immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing.At this time, he cannot be called Donggu.He is Shigehide Sakazaki, who stayed behind in Edo in the Tone Domain. "Sakazaki-sama, what's going on here?"
Sakazaki Shigehide didn't answer, he picked up the jug and poured wine into the cup on the lunch box, ignoring Shengnosuke's question.
Shengzhisuke slowly turned his head to look at Katsunosuke.The eldest brother is still there and has not disappeared.
"When will Big Brother come to Edo?"
Even though Katsunosuke received Shengnosuke's gaze and heard his question, he remained as still as a rock.
"I brought him to the residence this morning." The person who answered was Shigehide Sakazaki. "As for when he will arrive in Edo and why, you can ask him directly."
His tone was calm but implying.
After hesitating for a long time, Shengzhisuke calmly asked him what was in his mind.
"Mum, is everything okay?"
He scolded himself in his heart, is this the time to ask such a thing?But I couldn't think of what to ask for a while.Compared with the cipher text that made Nagahori Jingoro very troublesome, and because of this, Mr. Takebe's students filled the sliding doors and paper doors of this store, the current situation is even more puzzling for Shengzhisuke.He couldn't see it at all.
"Katsunosuke, how many times have you come to Edo?" Shigehide Sakazaki asked leisurely again. "I mean, how many times is this the first time you've been in this job?"
His tone remained the same, but his eyes slightly opened with sleepiness and shone slightly.
"How do you tell Li Jiang every time? She probably doesn't know what you're up to?"
These words made Furuhashi Katsunosuke's head droop even deeper, but he didn't just bow his head.Although his back is arched, the eldest brother is not depressed.He was suppressed by a powerful force and was tightly bound like a hoop.
Shengzhisuke could feel the anger of his elder brother. "You should have known." He made a low voice as if crawling on tatami.
"Please don't ask such meaningless questions like a cat playing with a mouse."
Katsunosuke finally raised his head and looked straight at Shigehide Sakazaki. He shrugged his shoulders with a strong sense of challenge.
"It's about this time, Sheng Zhisuke and I have nothing to talk about. Why are you still teasing me like this on purpose?"
Shigehide Sakazaki looked back at his blazing eyes, and replied with his eyelids still slightly closed: "No, you should have something to say to Shengzhisuke. Whose camp did you join, whose scheme did you follow, and whose control did you frame? Mr. Zongyouweimon, you don’t hesitate to do this, what are you planning, you should confess everything yourself and apologize to Shengzhisuke.”
Sheng Zhisuke sat where he was, his heart almost stopped beating.
Sure enough, it was the elder brother who did it.
He framed dad.
As if the hoop that was originally encircling him bounced off, Katsunosuke suddenly straightened up and faced Shengnosuke.At that moment, Shengzhisuke felt as if his elder brother was about to rush towards him.
Katsunosuke's eyes were like a tiger's.
"I'm not sorry at all. I do what I should do for the Guqiao family. You won't understand, and you don't need to understand. You have never tried to respond to your mother's expectations, and you have no ambitions. The family affairs are not related to yours. It doesn't matter at all."
The fierce tiger, which was aiming at its prey, trembled slightly with excitement, and then turned its head to stare at Shigehide Sakazaki.
"Shengzhisuke, this Sakazaki Shigehide-sama is a liar at all."
Bathed in the light of the seat lamp, Katsunosuke sputtered from his mouth.
"No one manipulates me at all. The one being manipulated is you, Shengnosuke. The one who manipulates your puppet with strings behind your back is none other than Sakazaki-sama."
Only then did Shengzhisuke remember to breathe, and his heart that had stopped beating was beating with doubled force.Big brother is crazy.He was just a small householder, and he was still being punished behind closed doors, yet he dared to call this important official in the feudal clan a liar.
"Brother—" the voice was stuck in his throat and couldn't come out.
"Sheng Zhisuke."
This is the voice of Shigehide Sakazaki.His back was straight and his sitting posture was upright, in sharp contrast to Katsunosuke's frantic posture.
"That's right, I was indeed manipulating you. I lied to you to drive you into action. I have to apologize for that." Shigehide Sakazaki put his fists on his lap and bowed his head. "I kowtow to you, sorry."
Sheng Zhisuke was very puzzled.He and the two people in front of him seemed to be in different time and space.Sheng Zhisuke was left far behind.
"But no matter what method is used, I want to save your brother. Save Li Jiang's son. Only you are suitable for this job. I must drive you to take action."
"Rescue me?" Katsunosuke said in a mocking voice. "You just want to hold on to power. For this purpose, you deliberately obstruct us!"
Shigehide Sakazaki remained calm.
"What's wrong with protecting your own safety and position? It's you, the cunning schemer who uses a few sweet words to make you blind to right and wrong, and has no thought of protecting yourself. Once the deeds are exposed, all crimes will be pushed to young people like you Junior, why don't you understand this truth?"
Although Shigehide Sakazaki's tone was unceremonious, the way he looked at Katsunosuke was gentle, with a hint of sadness at the same time.
I want to save Lijiang's son——
"Shengzhisuke, your brother participated in the conspiracy of the Ito and Miyoshi faction, and served as an errand for them."
Is the Ito and Miyoshi faction behind the scenes?Sheng Zhisuke trembled all over.
"It's Rie's fault to blame. She is too obsessed with making Katsunosuke a military officer. That's why she got on line with Ito."
Lie's natal Nishima family originally belonged to the Imasaka and Kuroda schools.But Rie hoped that Katsunosuke would become a military officer and shine in the family, so he frequently made connections with the Ito family and started seeking officials.
"People who were not relatives or relatives now insist on establishing relationships with others, which naturally gives the cunning people an opportunity to take advantage of it."
What a stupid woman—— Sakazaki Shigehide whispered.
"Please don't insult my mother." Katsunosuke, who had gritted his teeth and remained silent until now, finally spoke. "What happened this time was all my own idea. My mother didn't know about it."
"I'm not blaming Lijiang. I'm just lamenting her ignorance and pity."
"That's not the same."
Katsunosuke said displeased, and Sakazaki Shigehide stared at him intently.
"I'm asking you. Can you raise your head and answer in front of your brother? Who chose Furuhashi Zongzaemon as a victim of the conspiracy?"
Shengzhisuke held his breath.He was afraid to hear his elder brother's answer under his normal breathing.
Although he didn't hear the answer, the elder brother's expression said it all.It's all written on his face.
—I suggested it.
Furuhashi Katsunosuke said: "This is the best way to show that I have no second thoughts."
Brother, don't say such things.
"Who wrote this play? Who has such a good relationship with Bo Yeqian and planned this conspiracy together? I guess it's Onochi Cansuke."
Katsunosuke was shocked.Shigehide Sakazaki told Shengnosuke after looking away from his face. "Ono Nai Zangsuke is Ito's follower. He is one of the bosses, and he always puts on a shrewd and capable appearance. Bribery is also a specialty of the Ono family. He and Bo Yeqian should have had money exchanges. If you think I It would be naive not to know anything.”
Katsunosuke clenched his fist tightly.The whites of his eyes were red, as if he was crying blood at any moment.Those eyes were fixed on Sheng Zhisuke.
"The Guqiao family is like a prison to me." Want me to be a small tenant?Katsunosuke continued with a sneer. "As long as I continue to stay at Guqiao's house, I will inherit my father's position. I will ask the lord's family what daily necessities they need all day long, and there is no hope of promotion. It is a waste of talents, as if holding the breath in my chest."
I want to break this cage, make my father Sozaemon disappear from the world, and destroy the Furuhashi family.
"Why was I born in Guqiao's family? I didn't want to be born here, and it wasn't my choice. My father was timid, spineless, and like a lazy cat basking in the sun. I was born as his son. my choice!"
"Stop talking!" Sheng Zhisuke shouted.He shouted loudly, his voice was hoarse, and he looked very useless.
"Father is an upright warrior!"
"It may be so in your eyes. Because you are a lazy cat that loves to bask in the sun just like Dad."
Because you are also a timid, spineless wimp - Katsunosuke said bluntly.
"I'm different from you. I'm a tiger. Daddy wants to sharpen my claws and suppress my nature. I just fight him and knock him down."
Sheng Zhisuke seemed to be submerged in ice water, and suddenly realized everything.What happened that night, the memories that will never be erased, all rushed to him.That's not an afterthought.The eldest brother forced father to cut through his stomach and cut off his head.
"If dad had listened to my advice earlier, he wouldn't have ended up in such an ugly situation."
It's too ugly—so that's what Katsunosuke meant by his disdainful words?
Dad died under the knife of elder brother.
"No matter what the reason is, as long as the Furuhashi family removes the family name, Katsunosuke will not be able to have a bright future." Shigehide Sakazaki said: "The other party must say that even if the Furuhashi family is gone... no, only ruined Only by joining the Guqiao family can we promote you without restraint, and you also trust the other party's sweet words. This is Ono's idea, right? He should have a daughter who is of marriageable age. If everything goes well, you Will you marry Ono's daughter and join the Ono family?"
Katsunosuke sneered back. "It doesn't matter now."
"If you want, it's not difficult to find a good family for you to marry into as your son-in-law. You are an elite in the troubles of Genfan. Even if you don't help the tyrant, you can still walk on the path you want to take."
At this moment, excitement appeared on Katsunosuke's face, it was not anger, but hatred.Undisguised hatred burned in his eyes.
"As a member of the Sakazaki family, what do you know!"
Katsunosuke wants to say, your family has been important ministers in the feudal clan for generations, and there is a world of difference between the Furuhashi family that collapses at any blow, do you understand?
"You said the Furuhashi house is your prison?" Shigehide Sakazaki's voice was extremely heavy. "Do you really hate the Guqiao family who gave birth to you and raised you so much?"
At this time, a certain thought shocked Sheng Zhisuke, as if he was hit by lightning from his body.
——Could it be that the elder brother figured out a way to get dad involved in the bribery incident from the very beginning?
He didn't push his father out as a victim just to respond to the request of the mastermind behind the scenes, expressing that he had no intentions.
Katsunosuke himself wants to sacrifice his father.He wanted to get rid of his father and destroy the Guqiao family.
Does he hate dad that much?Shengzhisuke asked himself in his heart, and heard his own whispered answer - just like mother hates father.
Mother's life has been very difficult, and later she remarried Furuhashi Zongzaemon, and Sato had nothing but regret and dissatisfaction.Shengzhisuke recalled the past, and her mother always told her dissatisfaction with her father, using vicious words and thorns in her words.The Guqiao family, where his mother Mei Kai married three times, is a prison.After several setbacks and frustrations, he was finally trapped in this prison.Katsunosuke's mother's anger and anxiety about the end of his life were all borne by Katsunosuke alone.
"During the bribery incident, some people lost their lives in Minami." Shigehide Sakazaki said gently without losing his composure.
"The former shopkeeper was sentenced to death. The current shopkeeper who brought him into such a desperate situation also hated the former shopkeeper, so he designed to frame him. Katsunosuke, don't you feel a little bit of hesitation when you see such a thing?"
Katsunosuke raised one eyebrow, and seemed to find it interesting to respond: "Master Sakazaki, don't even you know what kind of person the current owner of Nanaqian is?"
"The current shopkeeper, Minami, is the younger brother of the previous shopkeeper."
"He and the former shopkeeper have the same father and half mother, and were born of his father's concubine. He has been looked down upon for a long time."
It really is a fight between flesh and blood.
"Although his status is different, he was trapped in a cage, unable to achieve his aspirations, and suffered all kinds of suppression, just like me."
Hate the cage, the monk hates the person who put him in the cage, this is the same as me——
"Since this is the case, I think you must have been congenial and happy to cooperate when planning this conspiracy."
Shengzhisuke could hear Shigehide Sakazaki's words mixed with a cold knife of anger.
Katsunosuke ignored what he said.
"Hey, Shengzhisuke." His eyes were bloodshot, and the corners of his mouth were lightly raised, mocking. "You still haven't changed at all. When you are frightened, you will only look around like a white mouse, and you will never speak loudly or get angry."
You are the same as dad—— Katsunosuke said again, and now this sentence is clearly insulting him.
"What do you mean I was manipulated by Mr. Sakazaki?"
Shengzhisuke opened his voice and said, in exchange for Katsunosuke laughing wildly.
"Why don't you ask me, why don't you just ask Sakazaki-sama directly."
Shigehide Sakazaki, who was scolded as a liar, did not avoid Shengnosuke's gaze.He opened his mouth slightly, hesitated for a moment before saying: "When I first asked you to come to Edo, I had already roughly investigated the conspiracy to forge the suicide note."
Sakazaki Shigehide told the truth in the same way as Jihei.I knew it a long time ago, I knew what you didn't know.
"Ono Uchizosuke and Ito's subordinates kept an Edo scribe. I also found out about this. But the scribe acted strangely. He neither hung the signboard of the bookstore nor had a fixed residence. He wandered around in the Where there is wine and women."
It turns out that Oshigome Yumenrou lived such a life.No wonder Sheng Zhisuke asked around among decently run bookstores, but couldn't find any news.
"That man has Kanoya as his back."
Sheng Zhisuke whispered, Sakazaki Shigehide nodded.
"You also found this clue, it's not easy."
"It was pure chance. I was just lucky."
Katsunosuke looked at Shengnosuke with probing eyes.Sheng Zhisuke didn't respond to him.
"I am a little concerned about one thing. When you heard the wife of Wadaya mention this matter, was the girl named Hexiang present?"
"Yes. If there is no intermediary arrangement with Miss Hexiang, Madam will not disclose this matter."
Shigehide Sakazaki picked up the jug to pour wine again, but he didn't drink it and said, "This is also a kind of fate."
Katsunosuke chuckled mockingly. "What. I'm running around for major events in the feudal clan, but you, Shengzhisuke, are flirting with girls from Edo. It's such a leisurely time."
Sheng Zhisuke pretended not to hear it, and Sakazaki Shigehide also turned a blind eye.Katsunosuke's malicious ridicule only echoed in the dark space on the second floor of "Tone".
"The people downstairs at this time are all my subordinates."
Sure enough.
"Those town people were hired by me in Edo, but they have served me for many years, and everyone can trust them. Their eyes, noses, and ears are sharper than ordinary people."
These people acted as the hands and feet of Sakazaki Shigehide, the left-behind Edo guard of the Tone Fan, and worked for him.
"Thanks to their running around to investigate, the scribe who was as slippery as an eel and as good at hiding as a mole was found to be in and out of a bookstore called Murataya in Fukagawa Saga Town from time to time."
Sheng Zhisuke thought that nothing would surprise him, but he was still surprised.He opened his eyes wide and couldn't help but want to ask questions, but Shigehide Sakazaki raised his hand to stop him.
That's why they came up with this petty plan.
"In front of me, the Edo left-behind, I planned a big conspiracy that could influence the future of the feudal kingdom. I walked around sneakily like a mouse, thinking that I could hide it from me, that I would not be discovered. They expected that I would not will be aware of their actions."
Shigehide Sakazaki scolded in a small but sharp voice. "It's really stupid."
It's like a frog in a well - he said.
"They only see the small well of Daogen Fan. They don't see the overall situation at all. They only see the benefits and rights they can get, and they think it's for the sake of the clan."
Hmph - Katsunosuke responded with a nasal voice. "In this case, why didn't you clean us up earlier?"
Shigehide Sakazaki looked at the provocative Katsunosuke, with a shadow cast over his eyes.
"Didn't I say that. I want to save you."
What should be done to pull Katsunosuke Furuhashi out of the stupid conspiracy, polish his dusty eyes, and restore his sanity?
"I don't want to destroy you together. You are just a running dog under the conspiracy. If I come forward, the Ito family and Ono Uchizasuke will take the lead in drawing a line with you and sacrificing you."
Before that, he had to shake Katsunosuke awake to let him realize that this conspiracy was not so easy to accomplish, and if it continued like this, it would cause trouble for the upper body.What should be done to make him sober?Who should be sent to do this?
笙之介说：“所以您找我来，指派我这项密令。”
除了他之外，派谁都不适任。不论是坂崎重秀的手下、捣根藩的隐目付，还是密探，都办不到。他们无法影响胜之介。但如果胜之介知道流有相同血脉的弟弟笙之介正一步步接近阴谋，他一定无法置之不理。这不是因为他们是一家人，他很重视笙之介；而是笙之介像极他已故的父亲古桥宗左右卫门，他打从心底嫌弃对方继承父亲胆小的血脉。被这样的弟弟出面阻碍他，胜之介绝对无法忍受。
“胜之介，你亲手杀了你爹。”
如果这次你弟弟敢从中阻挠，就算得挥刀杀他，你恐怕不会有半点迟疑。
“你一定会到江户。到笙之介面前。我一直在等这个机会到来。”
胜之介一语不发。摆在腿上的双拳握得更紧了。
“你打算杀笙之介吧？”
坂崎重秀的声音无比冷澈。就像要与之对抗般，座灯的灯光一阵摇晃。
“只要问出笙之介奉谁的命令行动，你就用不着他了。你打算像之前杀你爹一样，杀了自己的弟弟吧？不过，接下来你会怎么做？如果你知道在笙之介背后操控的人是我，你接下来打算杀我吗？要把知道内幕的人一一斩杀吗？以为这样就能天下太平，真是井底之蛙。”
胜之介脸泛红潮。
笙之介感到血气不仅从脸上抽离，也从身体逐渐流失。和香的脸庞，以及津多提防的眼神，一一浮现眼前。津多果然好眼力。不久前胜之介便开始监视笙之介。他多次靠近笙之介。津多发现的可疑武士不是别人，正是笙之介的大哥。
坂崎重秀就是为了诱胜之介上钩，才让笙之介当诱饵。
当然，他为了确保笙之介安全无虞，肯定事先派出手下在他身边监视。东谷办事不会有疏漏，他的手下个个精明能干，也许就是此刻守在楼下的那群男人其中之一。
想到这里，笙之介猛然发现一件事。
——川扇的人们也是。
梨枝、晋介、阿牧，全都是。
——富勘先生也是。
他的身分刚好可以清楚得知笙之介的动静，并向“东谷大人”通报。
什么也没发现、浑然未觉的就只有笙之介一人。
就算押込御免郎没做出轻率之举，胜之介早晚会无声无息，像一道暗影般出现在笙之介面前，但偏偏代书突然造访笙之介，痛骂他一顿，顺便说了些不该说的话。幕后黑手就不用说了，连胜之介也大为惊慌。这种情况很适合用“眼珠子都快掉出来了”来形容。
他得赶紧收拾笙之介才行。性急的胜之介采取行动，对一直等待机会围捕他的坂崎重秀而言，可说是天赐良机。
治兵卫虽然不知道背后情况如此复杂，但就结果来看，他要笙之介马上离开富勘长屋的判断无误，而催促笙之介赶快行动的阿金同样判断正确。所以笙之介才会平安无事。
如今胜之介在这里。
——我想解救里江的儿子。
“我已派人去见今坂源右卫门。”
听闻坂崎重秀此言，笙之介马上抬起头。今坂源右卫门是捣根藩的城代家老。
“我向他通报时机已成熟，那些存心辱没望云侯遗志的不忠不义之徒该一网打尽。我早在这之前便持续与一之介互通讯息，一切早准备妥当。就算他们化为飞鸟飞上天也为时晚矣。”
你们的阴谋到此为止——坂崎重秀道。
一之介是城代家老的乳名。坂崎重秀故意用乳名称呼是让胜之介明白，我们重臣间关系紧密，不是你这种毛头小子有办法对抗。
“你死心吧。再继续坚持己见，你将无路可退。你要是返回藩国……不，你踏进江户藩邸一步，你就会以叛逆的身分被囚禁。”
明明是夏夜，但包厢里寒意袭人。尽管咬紧牙关，笙之介全身不住颤抖。
胜之介一动也不动，宛如化为一具人形岩石。
岩石开口说话。“现在的我除了坚持己见，还有什么路可走？反正我早无路可退。”
“听我一言。”
逃走吧——坂崎重秀说。
“只要让命你跑腿的幕后黑手以为古桥胜之介早一步看出事迹败露，逃逸无踪，那就不会有事了。舍弃捣根藩、舍弃藩士的身分、舍弃古桥家，对现在的你来说应该不会不舍。”
人形岩石再度陷入沉默。半晌过后，大哥的声音再度传来，笙之介感到不同于先前的另一种颤抖。仿佛有人用温水淋向他冰冻的身躯一般。
“要是我逃走的话，我娘会被问罪。”
大哥还会担心母亲的安危。他还保有为人子的一颗心。
Great.
“要是你被囚禁，里江为了救你会不惜捏造谎言，极力辩解。她就是这样的个性。不可能什么也不做。她也许会想将罪状都推到别人身上，要是被逼急了，可能会替你顶罪。但你逃出藩外，她就没必要那么做。”
胜之介颓然垂首。
“新嶋家也没办法救她，不过，只要里江削发为尼就不会有事。我是这么打算。”
她的余生就伴随青灯，为宗左右卫门先生祈冥福吧。
“这样对里江也好。”
笙之介心想，父亲会原谅母亲吗？
父亲在世时，可曾爱过母亲？他与母亲结为连理，真的幸福吗？
人形岩石用如同岩石般刚硬的声音问道：“坂崎大人，为何您这般费心保护家母？”
面对他的问题，饭崎重秀提出反问。
“胜之介，你从来不会爱过人吗？”
此话一出，胜之介旋即用破裂的声音大笑。他笑得东倒西歪，双手捧腹，然后定睛瞪视坂崎重秀。蕴藏寒光的一对眸子，几欲从他眼眶中掉出。
“哼，说到底，还不就是情欲。”
龌龊——他大声痛骂，口沫飞溅。
“你才是狗呢。和畜牲没两样！”
坂崎重秀哀伤地静静注视古桥胜之介。
“畜牲不懂爱。”他的声音无比平静。“情爱并非限于男女之间。就算里江是男人，我一样爱她。”
爱她的侠气、她的野心、她的好胜、总是不断追求人生的炽热之心。
“胜之介，我很欣赏里江这个女人。”
我很赏识她。
“尽管人们背地里说她是悍妇，她也没低头，她绝不屈服的强悍让我想到年轻的自己。”
我曾是个离经叛道的人——坂崎重秀道。因为家世的缘故，坂崎家这位长子尽管是人人称颂的厉害人物，但还是当不了家老。
“更何况里江曾是我坂崎家的亲人。可惜造化弄人，无缘成为亲属，而里江的人生也一再受挫。我觉得这样的她既可爱，又值得怜惜。就如同我抱持这样的想法……”
坂崎重秀停顿片刻后接着说道。
“我相信古桥宗左右卫门先生同样怜惜里江，以慈爱包容她。”
一道强劲的波浪打向笙之介心头。他被波浪吞噬，不自主地脱口问道：“坂崎大人您曾和家父交谈吗？家父可曾谈过家母的事……”
坂崎重秀阖上眼，嘴角挂着浅笑地摇摇头，打断笙之介的提问。
“这件事，等日后你娶妻生子再跟你说吧。”
笙之介默默点着头。点了几下后，他逐渐热泪盈眶。
“希望往后的日子里，里江可以慢慢回想起古桥先生是怎样的男人。我希望里江好好活下去。”就只是这样——坂崎重秀道。“你也是，胜之介。你要逃走，然后继续活下去，并用心去想——用你的后半辈子好好想你爹是位了不起的武士。”
侍奉主君、守护藩国、为领民着想、爱自己的妻子。
“人们都有自己的路，用不着说大话，而是要全心全意、认真地过活。忠义可不是挂在嘴上说就行了。掌握权势这种事并没什么好夸耀的。”
笙之介脑中浮现父亲耕着田，眯着眼睛说“这块田也有鼹鼠靠近了”时的侧脸。
“胜之介，你临走前没有话对你弟弟说吗？”
以后再也无缘相见——坂崎重秀道。
笙之介很自然地端正坐好。他眨了一下眼，隐藏泪水。但古桥胜之介没看笙之介。他仍旧如同岩石，用截至为止最低沉的声音问坂崎重秀：
“你是不是我爹？”
笙之介感觉如同重重挨了一拳。都这时候了，大哥竟然问这种事。
胜之介要问的是，里江是否曾经与坂崎重秀私通。
包厢上座的捣根藩江户留守居背后的黑暗更浓了。那是因为座灯的灯油即将耗尽，仅只如此。
“就算是谎言也好，你希望我回答'没错'吗？”
岩石没开口。
“就算以此贬低自己母亲的人格，也希望我回答'没错'吗？想听我亲口说，我就是因为这样才想保护里江和你吗？”
笙之介望向地面。他无法看自己大哥。
“既然这样，我就让你如愿。没错，你是我和里江生的孩子。我是你父亲。现在我以父亲的身分与你断绝父子关系。”
你离开这里——坂崎重秀说。待这句话尾音消失后，坂崎重秀缓缓拍手唤人前来。来者不是店主贯太郎，而是刚才在楼下见过的那名绑着町人发髻，眼神锐利的男子，他无声无息地出现。
“我们谈完了。接下来就照原先的安排进行。”
“在下明白。”男子恭敬地行礼，动作不显丝毫破绽。虽然他腰间没插着十手，但笙之介觉得他像一名捕快。
“古桥胜之介大人。”男子口齿清晰地唤道。“我们走吧。在下替您带路。”
胜之介坐着不动，依旧是一座人形岩石。
大哥竟然手按刀柄。刹那间，笙之介感到有人拿着冰块贴向他背后般全身颤抖。他心想，大哥该不会不顾前后，当场杀了坂崎重秀和他，然后逃之夭夭吧。只见古桥胜之介那具人形岩石，仿佛身上的诅咒缓缓解除般逐渐恢复原本的肉身。他的手在挪动，手指微微颤抖，紧紧按向眉间。
笙之介的大哥站起身。他迅捷如风，如同压在身上的重石已卸去般变得轻灵。
他就此离去。途中不会看笙之介一眼，也没看任何人。
就只是望着灯火照不到的幽暗。
包厢只剩笙之介和坂崎重秀后，贯太郎旋即上楼在座灯里添灯油。
“不知大人您想吃点什么……”
贯太郎态度恭敬地悄声说道。坂崎重秀回以一笑。
“抱歉，我还有事，待会就要离开。我派轿子在外等候，请吩咐楼下的人唤轿子来。”
料理就你留下来吃吧——他对笙之介说。
“我要去川扇。今晚会在那里过夜。梨枝应该会很高兴。”
坂崎重秀准备起身时，笙之介唤住他。“我大哥会去哪里？”
“这你没必要知道。”
“那位代书呢？押込御免郎人在哪里？”
坂崎重秀突然双唇紧抿。“抱歉，让你受惊了。”
果然如同笙之介所料，他早派人监视押込御免郎。坂崎重秀的手下一定是在神不知鬼不觉的情况下暗中监视。
“那名代书前往长屋找你时，我没能马上阻止他。”
哦，原来他是为此事道歉啊。
“他来到我面前，当面辱骂家父。”
“那你如何反驳呢？”
笙之介此时思绪纷乱，无法好好说明。
“等哪天你觉得可以跟我说了，再来告诉我。”
坂崎重秀的声音无比温柔，他再度恢复为原本的东谷。
“现在已经没必要远远地监控那名代书。他是重要的人证。我已把他押送回藩邸。都这么晚了，听说他和平时一样喝得酩酊大醉。应该是睡得直打呼。”
接着东谷突然问：“你还想见他吗？”
Sheng Zhisuke was taken aback.
“你还有话想问那个男人吗？还有话想对他说吗？”东谷接连问道。“笙之介，你想斩杀那名代书吗？”
他是杀父仇人。
笙之介心中激起阵阵涟漪，无法好好思索，但还是回答：
"No."
"why?"
“我不认为家父希望我这么做。”
现场陷入一阵沉默。
父亲的脸庞和声音并未浮现脑中。此时他眼前浮现的以及耳畔响起的，全是三八野藩御用挂长堀金吾郎的身影及话声。那是略显苍老，但充满温情的声音。长堀金吾郎曾在“利根以”对店主贯太郎说——你自己好好想想令尊真正希望的是什么？
"I think so."
笙之介胸口一紧。
“你是古桥先生的儿子。你对你爹的看法很正确。”
这句话的意思是——笙之介想回答，但发不出声音。
“你很在意你大哥和那位代书的未来，却不担心自己。”
你真的和古桥先生一个样。
“这次古桥家真的毁了。你已无家可归，打算去哪儿？”
东谷认为，哪儿也别去，回家就好。
“富勘长屋有你的容身处。你也有你的生意。”还有好朋友——东谷莞尔一笑。“去和那位当你保镖的老师喝一杯吧。”
东谷站起身，下摆发出一声清响，就此步出包厢外。笙之介拜倒在地上，听着他下楼的脚步声逐渐远去——我是受操控的人偶。
之前觉得这一切全是偶然，其实不然。这世界虽小，但在这狭小的世界里会有各种不同的想法相互激荡，形成漩涡，而被卷进漩涡中的一切都变了样。
不过现在可以确定一件事。
笙之介令押込御免郎展开行动而那个男人前来痛骂笙之介，这件事对策划阴谋的一方以及想毁掉阴谋的一方来说都没有任何意义。
但对笙之介认为这件事意义重大，只有笙之介听得懂他辱骂的含意。
笙之介甚至连回他一句“你错了”都办不到。
“喂——笙先生。”楼下传来武部老师的叫唤。“再不快点，烧烤都凉喽。”
楼下果然传来令人垂涎的香气。笙之介双手用力朝脸抹一把。
他此刻好想见和香一面。
Notes:
Notes: