Chapter 27 Chapter 9

"I lost, I lost." Musashi muttered to himself, walked on the dark path in the forest, and set foot on his way home. Occasionally, shadows would leap swiftly across the fir trees.It turned out to be a herd of deer, frightened by Musashi's footsteps, and fled in a hurry. "I won the competition—but I left Treasure House with a feeling of failure. Although I won on the surface, I actually lost?" He was unwilling, and scolded himself for not being good enough as he walked. "what!" He remembered something, stopped and looked back, the lights in the Treasure Courtyard were still bright.

He ran back and came to the entrance just now: "I'm the Musashi from just now." "Oh?" The monk at the gate poked his head out. "What's the matter? Forgot something?" "Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, someone may come here to ask about my news. Please tell him that Miyamoto Musashi is resting near Sarusawa Pond and ask him to find me at a nearby inn." "Ah! That's it!" Seeing that the other party was absent-minded, Musashi added another sentence: "The person looking for me is called Jotaro, and he is still a child, so please tell him the truth."

After finishing speaking, he stepped on the road with big strides, and Musashi muttered again: "Sure enough, I lost—just because I forgot to tell Jotaro about it, it means that I have completely lost to that old monk named Hikan." How can I become the number one sword in the world?Musashi couldn't sleep or eat because of this. this sword!This sword! Why do you feel that you are young, incompetent, and immature when you have won the Treasure Academy? With a heavy heart, he came to the bank of Sarusawa Pond full of doubts. The private houses newly built during the Tensho period were distributed randomly along the lower reaches of the Sakai River with this pond as the center.A few years ago, Okubo Changan, a small official of the Tokugawa family, built the Nara Magistrate near here.There is also a descendant of Chinese immigrant Lin Hejing. It is estimated that his steamed buns will be popular here, so he opened a shop by the pool.

Looking at the little lights in that area, Musashi stopped in his tracks.Which inn do you want to stay in?There are countless inns here, but the money on his body is limited. If he lives in a small inn that is too shabby, he may not be able to find him. He was full at Hozo-in just now, but when he passed Soin Manju shop, Musashi was hungry again. Musashi went in, sat down, and ordered a plate of steamed buns.The word "Lin" is printed on the skin of the steamed bun.The steamed buns are delicious, unlike eating cucumbers in Baozangyuan. "Guest officer! Where are you staying tonight?"

The waitress who brought the tea asked about it, and Musashi just opened his mouth to explain to her.She said that a relative of the owner happened to be running a sideline hotel at home, and asked him to live there, and before Musashi could answer, she said she was going to call the owner, and ran to the back, bringing a woman with black eyebrows. The young proprietress. This family is very simple, not far from the steamed bun shop, and the environment is elegant. The young woman led him to knock on the small door a few times, and after hearing someone answering from inside, she turned her head and whispered to Musashi:

"This is my sister's home, so don't worry about rewards." A little girl came out to answer the door, whispered to the young woman, and then took Musashi to the second floor with confidence. The young woman said: "Then, please rest slowly." After finishing speaking, I went back. As an inn, the room and furnishings were too high-end, which made Musashi feel uneasy. He is full, and he only needs to take a bath and then go to sleep.However, judging from the situation of this family, they should not have to worry about food and clothing. Why did they accept tourists?Musashi was suspicious, sleepy but unable to feel at ease.

He asked the little girl, but she smiled and did not answer. The next day, Musashi said to her: "Someone will come to me these days, so I want to stay here for a few more days." "Please." The little girl went downstairs to tell the story, and the hostess of the house finally came forward to say hello.She was about thirty, fair-skinned, and a beauty.Musashi immediately expressed his doubts, and the beauty explained the reason with a smile. She said she was the widow of someone who is a musician.In today's Nara, there are many ronin who don't understand etiquette, and their morals are beyond description.

In order to please these wanderers, many lively restaurants and prostitutes suddenly increased nearby.However, these wanderers who don't know what to do are not satisfied yet.They took local young people and claimed to be "visiting widows" to raid families without male masters almost every night. After the Battle of Sekigahara, the war seems to have stopped.However, the annual battle has caused the number of ronin to surge.Therefore, on the outskirts of the cities of various countries, villains roam around at night and robbers run rampant.Some people also believe that this corrupt atmosphere began to appear after the Korean War, so they blame it on Lord Taihe.Anyway, the atmosphere in the whole country has been completely corrupted now.

In addition, after the Sekigahara War, ronin from all over the world flocked in, and the newly appointed executive officer of Nara Castle could no longer restrain them. "Hahaha! So you want travelers like me to stay overnight just to guard against this?" "Because there is no male in the family." The widow and beauty replied with a smile, and Musashi also smiled wryly. "You know why, it doesn't matter how long you live." "I understand. During your stay, you can rest assured. But I have a friend who is looking for me, can I put a sign on the door or something?"

"no problem." The widow wrote on the paper: Stick it outside the door like a talisman. That day, Jotaro did not come.The next day, three warriors broke in. "We would like to meet Miyamoto-san." They looked like they would never leave unless they saw anyone, so Musashi had no choice but to meet them.It turned out to be the trainee who mixed in the crowd when Musashi defeated Oiwa of Hozoin that day. "Oops!" They sat down around him as if they were old friends with Musashi. "Oh my! What a surprise!" As soon as they sat down, the three of them flattered Musashi with exaggerated tones.

"I'm afraid that among all the people who visited Baozangyuan, no one has ever been able to defeat the so-called seven-legged disciple with a single blow. Especially the proud Ah Yan, who only groaned, vomited blood and died. It's really satisfying." "You are highly respected among us. The local ronin are talking about you, and everyone is asking: 'Who the hell is Miyamoto Musashi?' And Hozoin has lost its reputation!" "Your Excellency can be said to be unparalleled in the world." "And so young!" "There is a lot to do in the future!" "I may be a little rude when I say this, but it's a pity for someone as powerful as you to be a ronin." When the tea came, they drank a lot; when the cake came, they devoured it hungrily, and there were crumbs all over the floor. What's more, it's hard to feel comfortable with praising Musashi with all his three-inch tongues. Musashi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he had to wait for the other party to chatter enough before asking their names: "Everyone is..." "What a disrespect. He is Gamo-sama's retainer, and his name is Yamaso Danpachi." "This is called Dayoubanli, who specializes in divination and transmission, has great ambitions, and believes that the times make heroes." "And me! My name is Yasukawa Yasuhei, the son of a ronin, and also a ronin... Hahaha!" Now everyone knows the name.But if Musashi didn't ask why they were sacrificing their precious time to bother others, it would be endless.So as soon as I found an opportunity to speak, I asked: "What are you doing here?" "That's right, that's right!" After this question, they seemed to have just remembered the purpose of their trip, and immediately stepped forward, saying that they had something important to discuss. "It's not a big deal! We are running some popular business under the spring day in Nara. When it comes to fashion, people may think it is a drama or a popular performance. In fact, we are engaged in tournament gambling, so that The public knows more about martial arts. Although it is only a small shop, it has always been very popular. However, the three of them are really too busy, and maybe one day a master will come to gamble and take away the vested interests... That's why I came to discuss with you whether I can invite you to join. If you agree, the benefits will be split equally, and during this period, all board and lodging will be included, so you can make a lot of money and save money, how about it?" The other party was eloquent, and although Musashi listened to it with a smile, he finally said impatiently: "No, it's useless to talk about this kind of thing, please go back!" Musashi flatly refused, and the three were very surprised. "why?" The three of them questioned at the same time. At this point, Musashi couldn't bear it any longer. He revealed the stubborn side of a young man, and said angrily: "I never gamble. Also, I eat with chopsticks, not a wooden sword." "What? What did you say?" "Don't understand? I, Miyamoto, will be a swordsman even if I starve to death. Idiot! Go back!" Humph——a sneer appeared on the corner of one person's mouth; the other was so angry that his face was flushed red, and before leaving, he dropped a sentence: "F!" The three of them knew in their hearts that even if they joined forces, they would not be his opponent.So with a bitter face, suppressing his anger, he hinted at him with his footsteps and attitude: It's not like we'll be fine if we leave! Then leave in a mighty way. These few nights, the breeze is gentle, and the moonlit night is hazy.In order to thank Musashi for staying overnight, the young owner of the downstairs house invited him to have dinner downstairs for the past two days.After dinner today, Musashi returned to the second floor in a happy mood, lying on the ground with his drunken body, without lighting the lamp, just stretching his young limbs wantonly. "Really sorry!" The words spoken by the old monk of the Akuzoin Temple resounded in his mind. Those who were defeated by his sword, or those who were beaten half to death by him, quickly disappeared from Musashi's mind like a bubble, completely forgotten.But as long as he was better than himself——someone who made him feel pressured—Musashi would never forget it.They haunt Musashi like ghosts, making Musashi unable to get rid of his desire to defeat them. "Really sorry!" He lay, clutching at his hair.How can we beat Sun Guan?Facing his strange eyes, how can we turn a blind eye and not feel oppressed? He has been depressed for the past two days and cannot forget this matter. "What a pity, what a pity!" he murmured, sounding more like his own moan than cursing. Am I too bad?Musashi thought. He had to doubt his abilities.After encountering Riguan, he began to doubt whether he could reach that state.Originally, he didn't learn his swordsmanship from his master, so he didn't know the extent of his own skill. In addition, Riguan said: It's too strong, it's better to be weaker. This sentence, Musashi still can't accept it.As a strategist, isn't the stronger the more dominant, why is it a disadvantage? etc!What the hunchbacked old monk was going to say is also a doubt.Maybe he saw that Musashi was still young, so he deliberately told the false truth as if it were true, leaving him in a fog, and then laughed at him behind his back, maybe—— Is reading good or bad? Musashi has been thinking about this question a lot lately.After studying in a small room in Himeji Castle for three years, Musashi is quite different from before. He has gradually developed the habit of thinking rationally when encountering any situation.You have to go through your own rational thinking before you can sincerely admit one thing.Not only the swordsmanship, but also the observation of society and people are completely different. Also because of this, compared to his youth, he is not so brave now, and has gradually become much weaker.However, that Nikan actually said that he was still too strong, and Musashi knew that what he was referring to was not the bravery in strength, but the wildness and domineering nature that he was born with. "For strategists, it may be wisdom that does not require books. Perhaps it is because they have little knowledge and are very sensitive to changes in other people's hearts or moods, which makes them timid and dare not make a move. If you close your eyes and look at the sun, wave With one punch, he might be as fragile as a clay puppet!" At this time, footsteps came from downstairs, as if someone had come upstairs. The little girl showed her face, followed by Jotaro.The dirt from the journey made his already dark face look even darker.His hair, like a kappa, was stained with dust and turned gray. "Oh! You are here. You really know how to find it!" Musashi welcomed him with open arms.Jotaro stretched his dirty feet and sat down in front of him. "Oh! I'm exhausted!" "Have you been looking for it for a long time?" "Of course. I'm courting death." "Ask the Treasure Institute?" "I asked the monks there, and they said they didn't know. Uncle. Have you forgotten about me?" "I haven't forgotten. I even asked them specifically——Okay, okay, you've worked hard." "This is a reply from Yoshioka Mukan." As Jotaro said, he took out the reply letter from the bamboo tube hanging around his neck and handed it to Musashi. "Then, another thing, I haven't seen the person named Moto Matahachi. However, I have told his family to help me spread the word." "It's hard work! Go take a bath! After washing, go downstairs for dinner." "Is this an inn?" "Well, it's similar to an inn." After Jotaro went downstairs, Musashi opened Yoshioka Seijuro's reply letter. We look forward to playing again.If you don't visit before winter, we will consider you a coward and avoid seeing you.Let the world laugh at your cowardice.I hope that you will be well thought out. This letter looks like it was written by someone else, and the words are clumsy and barely convey the meaning.Musashi tore up the letter and burned it on a candle. The ashes fell on the soft tatami like a scorched butterfly, still fluttering.Although the letter said it was just a competition, it was actually no different from a duel.This winter, I don't know who will be turned into ashes. Musashi has long realized that the life of a strategist is at stake.But these awakenings are just a kind of psychological comfort. If his life really ends this winter, his spirit will definitely not be stable. I still have a lot to do!I haven't done the practice of military art, and what I need to do as a real person!Musashi thought. He wants to be like Bu Chuan or Kamizumi Ise Shou, with many attendants, eagles in his hands, and spare horses to patrol the world. Also, marry a good daughter-in-law who is well-matched, have children, be a good husband and run a warm home to make up for the shortcomings of childhood. No!Before entering this fixed life mode, he also wanted to secretly make friends with women in the world. ——In the past few years, what I think about day and night is the art of war, and I have naturally maintained my virginity.However, walking on the road for a while, seeing beauties in Kyoto or Nara would brighten his eyes—it should be said that his body was shocked by them. At this time, he will immediately think of—— A pass. That Atong who knew he was far away, but was still worried about him. Although Musashi just thought of her blankly, perhaps she had already soothed his lonely heart during his lonely journey, subconsciously without his own awareness! At some point, Jotaro had returned to the room.He was bathed, fed, and the task was done, relaxed, more exhausted, cross-legged, with his hands between his knees, drooling, and dozed off comfortably. early morning-- Jotaro got up early in the morning and jumped out of bed rejuvenated.Musashi was also planning to leave Nara early today, and he had already informed the hostess downstairs, so when he was changing his travel clothes, the hostess came up. "Hey! Are you leaving so soon?" The young widow here seemed a bit reluctant, and brought a stack of clothes and said: "It's a shame, this is the small sleeve and feather weaving I started sewing the day before yesterday. I want to give it to you as a parting gift. I don't know if you like it, but please accept it." "Huh? Give me this?" Musashi widened his eyes. It's just a gift from the inn, there's no reason to give such an expensive gift. Musashi declined, but the widow said: "No, it's not something expensive. There are a lot of old acting clothes and men's old sleeves left at home. It's useless to put them away. I just happened to meet a young man like you who is practicing martial arts, so I asked Modify it, I hope you can wear it. I specially sewed it according to your size, if you don’t accept it, it’s just like trash, so please accept it..." After speaking, he walked around behind Musashi and put it on for him. These were too extravagant for Musashi, and he didn't know what to do.Especially the sleeveless feather-weaving fabric, which seems to be an imported product, and its style is luxurious, with gold edging, two layers of cotton heart sewn inside, and even the tie is very particular, it is leather dyed purple. "It fits so well!" Jotaro followed the widow, also fascinated, and asked honestly: "Auntie! What are you going to give me?" "Hehehe! But you are a follower, so it's fine for a follower to dress like this!" "I don't want those clothes!" "Then what do you want?" "Can you give me this?" He suddenly took down the mask that was hanging in the next room, and he seemed to have loved it since the first time he saw it last night. "This, give it to me." After speaking, put the mask on your face. Musashi was surprised by Jotaro's sharp eyes.In fact, the mask caught his attention on the first day of staying here.Although he didn't know who the author of this mask was, he could tell that if it wasn't from the Muromachi period, it was at least a work from the Kamakura period, so it should be a prop in a play.The ghost girl's face was carved very finely. These alone are not exciting.This mask is different from other ordinary theater masks, it is very peculiar.Ordinary ghost girl masks are mostly painted in a strange blue color.This ghost girl mask is beautiful and dignified, her white face looks very noble, no matter how you look at it, she is a beauty. The only place where the ghostly female features of the mask are revealed is the corner of the beauty's smiling mouth.The crescent-shaped lips are raised sharply to the left side of the face. The carving method is neat. I don't know which famous craftsman's meditation came from the expression. The expression has an indescribable poignant charm.Obviously, she must have been sculpted to imitate the smile of a living crazy girl.These days, Musashi has always admired this work. "Oh! This won't work." It seems that this mask is also a treasure for young widows.She reached out to snatch it, but Jotaro put the mask on his head. "What's the matter? No matter what, I'm going to order this thing!" He danced and fled in the room, refusing to pay back what he said. Once a child is naughty, there is no end to it.Musashi noticed the embarrassment of the widow, so he reprimanded: "Jotaro, you can't do this." Not only did Jotaro not listen, he put the mask in his arms. "Okay! Auntie! Give it to me! Can you? Auntie!" After finishing speaking, he quickly climbed downstairs. The young widow kept crying: "No! No!" Knowing that it was a child messing around, she wasn't angry, but ran after him while laughing.After a while, wondering why he still didn't come up, he heard Jotaro climbing up the stairs alone. You must scold him when you come up, Musashi thought so, and sat upright facing the entrance, but suddenly—— "drink!" The smiling mask of the ghost girl was revealed before Jotaro's body. Musashi was startled, his muscles tensed, and even his knees trembled.Why did he suffer such a big impact?He doesn't know either.Even so, when he looked carefully at the mask in his hand at the stairs, he suddenly realized it.It turned out that it was the boldness left by the famous craftsman on the mask that shocked him.From the white chin to the crescent-shaped lips that turned up towards the left ear, there was a bit of a bewitching aura hidden. "Okay, uncle! Let's go!" Jotaro stood there and said. Musashi didn't get up. "You haven't returned it yet! You can't take that kind of thing." "But, Auntie said yes, and she has already sent me off." "It's impossible for her to agree, take it downstairs and return it." "No way! Just now I said that I would return it to her downstairs, but the aunt said she would give it to me because I liked it so much, as long as I cherish it. I promised her that I would cherish it, and she really gave it to me. " "There's really nothing I can do about you." How can you accept such a precious mask and sleeves for no reason!Musashi was brooding. He thought it was right to at least return the salute.But in terms of money, this family seems to have no shortage, and there is nothing to give around, so I have to go downstairs, apologize for Jotaro's unreasonable troubles, and return the mask to her.But the young widow said: "No, if you think about it carefully, it might make me relax a lot if the mask is not at home. Plus he likes it so much, so don't blame him." Hearing what she said, Musashi was even more sure that the mask must have an unusual history, and insisted on returning it.However, Jotaro had already put on his straw sandals triumphantly and waited outside the door. Compared with the mask, the young widow seemed to be more reluctant to part with Musashi, and she kept reminding her that she must stay for a few more days next time she was in Nara. "Farewell." In the end, Musashi had no choice but to accept the other party's kindness, and while he was tying his shoelaces—— "Great! Guest officer! You're still here!" The proprietress of the steamed bun shop, a relative of the hostess, ran in panting.Facing Musashi and his sister, the widow in charge, he said: "No, guest officer! You can't leave! It's terrible, go back to the second floor first." Her teeth chattered in fright, as if something terrible was chasing her. Musashi raised his head quietly after tying the laces of his straw sandals. "What's the matter?" "The monks in Baozangyuan knew that you were leaving this morning, and a dozen of them headed towards Banruopo with spears." "Oh?" "The second-generation abbot of Baozangyuan was also there, and everyone looked at him. I thought something important must have happened, so I asked one of the kind-hearted monks to find out. The monk replied that there was a man named The man from Miyamoto stayed at your relative's house four or five days ago, and he heard that he was leaving Nara this morning, didn't he ask us to meet on the way?" The black eyebrows of the proprietress of the steamed bun shop were trembling.She was terrified and said that leaving Nara this morning was tantamount to dying, so it was best to hide on the second floor first and escape at night. "Ha ha--" Musashi sat on the threshold, neither going out nor going back to the second floor. "Did they say they would wait at Prajna Slope?" "I'm not sure about the location, but I'm going in that direction anyway. The person in charge of my house was taken aback after hearing this, and went to the street to inquire again. I heard that not only the monks of Baozangyuan, but also the intersections of Nara were crowded. Ronin, everyone said that today he will capture the man named Miyamoto and hand him over to Hozo-in—did you say something bad about Hozo-in?" "Don't remember that happening." "However, Baozangyuan said that you sent people to post mocking limericks at intersections, which made them very angry." "That's not the case, did they get the wrong person?" "So I said, if you lose your life because of this, isn't it not worth it?" "..." Musashi forgot to answer and just looked up at the sky.He figured it out!He had almost forgotten about it, maybe it was yesterday or the day before yesterday, but three rogues said they were opening a casino and invited him to join. He did remember that one person was called Yamazo Danpachi, and the other two were named Noshu Kawanhei and Otomo. Musashi speculated that at that time, those people left with evil expressions, and they might have made up a bad idea in their stomachs, which led to today's incident. They may fake their names everywhere and speak ill of Treasure Institute.Posting limericks at crossroads is probably also their masterpiece. "Let's go!" Musashi stood up, tied the belt of the travel bag on his chest, and took a bamboo hat in his hand. After thanking the proprietress of the steamed bun shop and the widow of the Kanshi family, he stepped out the door. "Are you going to leave anyway?" The widow of the Guan Shi family sent her to the door with red eyes. "If I wait until dark, I will cause trouble for you. Thank you for your care these days." "It doesn't matter to us." "No! Let's go—Jotaro! Don't you want to thank me?" "Aunt!" Jotaro yelled, followed by bowing his head.He also suddenly became heavy-hearted, not because he was reluctant to leave, but because he hadn't fully understood Musashi. Since he was in Kyoto, everyone said that Musashi's martial arts were mediocre. , waiting for his master.Even a child would feel a tinge of uneasiness—his heart sank.