Chapter 119 Chapter 29 Bloody May Rain

One group was busy gambling, the other was busy crying, and no one answered. "Hey! What's the matter?" Kojiro walked over to Kinajuro who was lying on his back and covering his face with his hands. "Ah! It's Master." Gujuro and the others hurriedly wiped away their tears, blew their noses, and sat up. "We didn't know Master was coming." Everyone felt embarrassed and hurried forward to say hello. "Are you crying?" "No, nothing." "That's strange, where is Xiao Liu?" "Follow the old woman to your master."

"Where am I?" "yes." "Strange, what does the old woman from Benbitian come to my house?" Another group of people who were gambling saw Kojiro and hurried away.And the others who were crying with Gujuro also quietly walked away. Kinojuro told Kojiro that he met Musashi at the ferry port yesterday. "It just so happens that the boss is going on a trip. After everyone's discussion, it is better to go to Master, so the old woman is in a hurry to find you." Kojiro's eyes lit up when he heard Musashi's name. "So, at the moment, Musashi is in the street of horse dealers?"

"However, I heard that he has left the inn and moved to the house of the knife sharpener Kosuke." "Oh! That's strange." "What's so strange?" "My favorite knife "clothes drying pole" is at Kosuke's place, ready to be sharpened by him!" "Ah! Master's long knife—this is really a coincidence!" "Actually, I came out today just to say that the knife might be sharpened, and I'm going to get it!" "You've been to Kosuke's shop." "No, I'll come here first, and I'll pass later."

"Fortunately, Yufu hasn't gone yet, maybe he will catch Musashi..." "I'm not afraid of Musashi. However, the old woman is not here, so what is there to discuss?" "I don't think she has arrived at Iwanzi yet. I'll send Scud to call them back." Kojiro waited in the backyard. It's time to light the lights. Only then did I see the old woman sitting in the sedan chair, accompanied by Xiao Liu and the scud man just now, and hurried back. That night, they discussed in the backyard room. Kojiro thought that he could avenge Musashi for the old woman without waiting for Banwa Yajibei to come back.

Although both Gujuro and Xiaoliu had heard that Musashi was strong in martial arts, they did not believe that Musashi would beat Kojiro. "Is this going to happen?" The old woman replied: "Yes, seek revenge on him." Although the old woman has a stronger personality, after all, time is not forgiving.Today, Yi Sanzi just went back and forth, which made her feel sore and backache.So Kojiro decided to stand still tonight and act again tomorrow night. noon the next day. The old woman bathed and changed her clothes, dyed her hair and teeth. At dusk, everything is dressed properly. In the old woman's desperate attire, the white underwear is covered with the seals of various shrines and Buddhist pavilions, which looks like the pattern of clothes.

These shrines include Sumiyoshi Shrine in Namika; Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto; Menshan Hachiman Shrine; Armor is much safer. She still didn't forget to put a suicide note to her son Youba on her belt, and attached a copy of "Parents' Grace Sutra" that she copied. Even more astonishing, she often kept a letter under her purse, which read: The old woman even prepared her own funeral.Then, she inserted a small knife in her waist, tied white leggings on her calves, wore gauntlets on her hands, and fastened a carefully sewn belt on her sleeveless blouse. After everything was ready, she brought a bowl of water and placed it on the on the table.

"I'm leaving." She seemed to be saying goodbye to everyone, with her eyes closed. Maybe he was speaking to Uncle Quan who died on the journey! Gujuro squinted his eyes and peeked inside the room through the latticed door: "Grandma, are you still okay?" "All right." "It's time to go out, Mr. Kojiro is waiting for you!" "I'm ready to go anytime." "Can you? Come to this room, please." Sasaki Kojiro, boy Xiaoliu, and Gujuro, the three of them are ready to help Asugi in the back room. They reserved a seat for Ashanpo.Ashanpo came to the room and sat down straight like a wooden figure.

"Cheers to this fight!" Xiao Liu took a triangular pottery cup and handed it to Ashanpo, and poured wine for her. Then he poured wine for Kojiro. After toasting, the four turned off the lights and left. Many attendants in the family expressed their willingness to help, but Kojiro thought that there were too many people, and even though it was night, they might attract attention in Edo Castle, so he declined their kindness. "Please wait a moment." As soon as the four people left the gate, an attendant immediately lit a lamp for them. It was a harbinger of storms outside, and the sky was covered with dark clouds.

In the darkness, the cuckoo's cries kept coming. There were dogs barking in the street. Even the animals felt that these four people were extraordinary. "……Strange?" The boy Xiaoliu stood at the dark crossroads, turning his head frequently. "What's the matter? Little Six." "It seems that there is a guy who has been following us since just now?" "It was the young people in the family. They kept asking to help, and although I refused, one or two people followed." After hearing Kojiro's explanation, Xiaoliu said: "These guys really can't do anything about them. Compared to eating, they like to watch people kill people. What should we do?"

"Don't pay attention to them. Those who insist on following despite my stop are considered men." After finishing speaking, the four people no longer took it seriously, and came to the corner of Mama Street. "Hmm! That's the shop of the knife sharpener Kosuke." Kojiro stood a little far away from the store. Everyone lower their voices. "Master, are you here for the first time tonight?" "Hmm! The knife I want to sharpen was sent by Iwama Kobei." "What should I do now?" "According to the original plan, the old woman and others hid under the shade of the tree."

"But what if Musashi escapes through the back door?" "No problem, Musashi, like me, can't run away. If he escapes, he loses his qualifications to be a samurai. So he can't escape." "Should we hide on opposite sides of the house?" "I'll lead Musashi out of the house and walk side by side on the street. About ten paces away, I'll draw my sword and chop him—then I'll ask the old woman to finish him off." The old woman kept thanking her. "Thank you very much, you are like the god of Hachiman Shrine." Ashanpo clasped her palms together and bowed to Kojiro. Kojiro walked towards the "soul grinding place". At this moment, his heart was filled with a sense of justice. Originally, there was no hatred between him and Musashi at all. However, as Musashi's reputation grew, Kojiro became more and more unhappy.What's more, everyone thinks that Musashi's strength is far above Kojiro's.Therefore, Kojiro has a different wariness towards Musashi. His mood has been going on and on since a few years ago.That is to say, at the beginning, both sides were young and full of vigor, just like when Hercules competed in martial arts, it was easy to cause friction. but-- In retrospect, apart from the problem of the Yoshioka Ichimon in Kyoto, there are Akatsuki who is suffering in pain, and Asugi who is from the Tian family. In the intertwined emotions of the three, even if there is no old grudge between Kojiro and Musashi, they are incompatible. adversarial chasm. In addition, Kojiro believed in Asugi's one-sided words and had prejudice against Musashi.The heart of justice prompted him to help the weak, and the distorted emotions became natural.So far, the two seem destined to be inseparable. "Knife sharpener, knife sharpener, are you asleep?" Kojiro stood in front of Kosuke's shop, knocking on the door and shouting loudly. Light streamed from the gap in the door.Although there was no one in the store, Kojiro was sure that someone must be in the back room. "Who?" It is the voice of the master. Kojiro called from outside the door: "I entrusted Iwama Kakubei from the Hosokawa family to come here to sharpen the sword." "Ah! Is that the long knife?" "That's right." "OK." Kosuke opened the door. He stared at Kojiro, blocked the door and said: "It's not finished yet." Kosuke said bluntly. "yes?" Kojiro asked back, the man had already entered the house and was sitting on the edge of the tatami. "When will you finish grinding?" "This..." Kosuke scratched his cheek.The corners of his eyes drooped, making his face longer, and his expression seemed to be mocking, which made Kojiro uneasy. "Didn't I ask someone to bring it early?" "I told Mr. Iwama that I don't know when it will be finished." "It's not good to delay for too long." "If there is something, you can take it back first!" "what?" That's not what people in business should say.From Kosuke's tone and attitude, Kojiro could see that he already knew that he would come to visit, and that he was so powerful because he had Musashi's backing. Therefore, Kojiro decided to go straight to the point. "I have one more thing to ask you, is there a Miyamoto Musashi from Sakushu?" "Who did you hear that from?" Kosuke was a little surprised: "He is here." Geng Jie is ambiguous. "I met Musashi in Kyoto. I haven't seen him for a long time. Can I ask him to come out?" "May I ask your name?" "Sasaki Kojiro, so he knows." "I don't know how he will answer, anyway, I'll help you convey it." "Ah! Please wait a moment." "Anything else?" "I came too abruptly. It would be bad if Musashi became suspicious of me. To be honest, I heard at Hosokawa's house that someone who looked like Musashi lived in Kosuke's shop, so I came to visit. I want to find A place to have a drink with him, please tell me." "yes." Kosuke went through the noren to the back. Kojiro thought to himself. Even if Musashi doesn't escape, he won't fall into my trap. What if he doesn't come out?Should I replace Ashanpo to challenge him? Kojiro thought of various countermeasures.Suddenly there was a cry from outside the dark house. "what!" This is not an ordinary cry, but a scream, which makes people tremble. Oops! Kojiro suddenly jumped up from the side. The opponent has seen through the trap! It's still against the opponent's plan! Maybe it wasn't that Musashi went around from the back door to the front to find Asugi, Gujuro, and the boy Xiaoliu first. "Okay, that's the case." Kojiro immediately hid in the darkness. The time has come. Kojiro thought so. His whole body is ready for battle, and his blood is full of fighting spirit. Looking forward to a showdown in the future. This is the oath that the two of them made in the teahouse on Ruishan to Otsu. Kojiro has not forgotten. The moment has finally arrived. Kojiro decided that if Asugi was killed, he must use Musashi's blood to sacrifice her. In Kojiro's mind, this idea of ​​chivalry and justice burst out like sparks.He ran about ten paces. "Master, Master!" Someone fell to the side of the road and groaned in pain.Hearing Kojiro's footsteps, he called out loudly. "Ah! It's Xiao Liu." "Chopped... I was chopped." "Where's Gujuro? Where's Gujuro?" "It's the same with Gujuro." "what?" Kojiro saw Gujuro lying in a pool of blood eleven or twelve meters away from him, dying. Only Ashanpo was nowhere to be seen. Even so, Kojiro has no time to find someone.Because Musashi could attack him from any direction at any time, he had to stay alert. "Little Six, Little Six." He called out to the boy who was about to die. "Musashi, where did Musashi go? Where's Musashi?" "No, not right." Xiao Liu could no longer lift his head.He lay on the ground and shook his head violently, and finally said: "Not Musashi." "what?" "Not Musashi." "You, what did you say?" "..." "Xiao Liu, say it again, isn't that person Musashi?" "..." The boy couldn't answer anymore. Kojiro seemed to have been punched, and his whole mind was in chaos.If it wasn't Musashi, then who would kill two people in an instant? This time, Kojiro walked up to Gujuro's body and grabbed the blood-stained collar. "Juro, cheer up, who is the other party? Where did he go?" Gujuro opened his eyes, exhausted his last breath, and said something that had nothing to do with Kojiro's questioning. "Mother... mother... my son is unfilial." The scriptures of "Parents' Kindness Sutra" had just seeped into his blood yesterday, but now they kept pouring out from his wound. Kojiro didn't know. "What are you raving about?" Saying that, he shook off Gujuro's collar. Ashanpo's cry came from nowhere. "Mr. Kojiro, Mr. Kojiro." Kojiro ran over to take a look at the sound—it was horrible. The old woman fell into the ditch, her hair and face were covered with vegetable crumbs and straw. "Pull me up, pull me up quickly." The old woman waved her hand below. "What's going on?" Kojiro almost lost his temper, he pulled the old woman up hard.The old woman collapsed on the ground like a rag. "Where did that man go?" Her question was exactly what Kojiro wanted to ask. "Grandma, who is that man?" "I don't know him, I'm sure he must be the one who followed us just now." "Did he surprise Gujuro and Xiaoliu?" "That's right. His movements were as fast as a whirlwind. He suddenly ran out from under the tree, and first chopped Gujuro and then Xiaoliu." "Where did you escape to?" "I was on crutches and panicked, so I fell into the stinky ditch. Although I didn't see it, I judged from his footsteps that he ran in that direction." "Towards the river?" Kojiro immediately chased after him. He ran across the open space of the horse market and came to Liuyuan embankment. The felled willows are piled up in the field.There were figures and lights there.Kojiro saw four or five sedan chairs, and the bearers were dozing off. "Hello! bearer." "yes." "Just now my companion was killed on the road, and an old woman fell into a stinky ditch. Could you please carry them to Banwa's house on Carpenter Street." "What? Someone was killed on the road?" "The murderer should have fled here. Has anyone seen him?" "...I didn't see it, was it just now?" "That's right." The bearer brought three empty sedan chairs. "Sir, from whom will the money be collected?" "Receive it from Banwa's family." After Kojiro finished speaking, he ran away again.He searched around the river, but found no clues. Was it hacked by someone on the road? Kojiro walked back and came to Tongshutian.He planned to go back to Banwa's house through the tung forest, because everything was unfavorable today, and the absence of Ashanpo also lost the meaning of crusade against Musashi.He didn't want to confront Musashi when his mood was disturbed. It would be wise to choose to avoid it, but it would be too stupid to rush forward with his head covered. He thought so, and suddenly—— Kojiro saw a white light flashing from the tung tree forest.In an instant, four or five tung tree leaves fell from his head, and at the same time, the white light had swept towards his head. "mean!" Kojiro scolded. "It's not despicable!" The man hit the knife again. Kojiro turned three times in a row, dodged the opponent's attack, and jumped seven feet away. "Are you Musashi? How could you sneak attack someone?" As soon as Kojiro finished speaking, he shouted in surprise again. "Who?...Who are you? You may have misidentified the person." The man who fought Kojiro shrugged his shoulders, panting.After he swung the sword for the fourth time, he knew that his attack method was wrong, so he held the sword in front of his chest, looking at Kojiro with sharp eyes. "Shut up! I'm not mistaken. I am a disciple of Xiaoban Kanbing Wei Jingxian in the territory of Pinghe Tianshen. My name is Hojo Shinzo. You know it by heart after hearing it!" "Oh! Is it Xiao Ban's disciple?" "You humiliated my master and killed my brother." "Oh, if you are not convinced, I will accompany you at any time, and I, Sasaki Kojiro, will not run away." "I'm here to seek justice." "Is it worth it?" "of course can." His blade was approaching Kojiro steadily. Seeing him approaching slowly, Kojiro quietly raised his head and chest, holding the big knife on his waist with his hand. "bring it on!" When Hojo Shinzo saw Kojiro's lure, he became even more vigilant.At this moment, Kojiro's body—it should be said that only the upper body suddenly leaned forward, and his elbow seemed to fly out. Suddenly - a clang. At this moment, his knife was already in its sheath. Of course, Kojiro had already drawn out the blade, and put it back into the sheath.But the speed is too fast to blink.I saw a white light flashing towards Hojo Shinzo's neck, and it was impossible to tell whether he had hit the opponent. However-- Xinzang just stood there with his feet open.No blood can be seen on his body, as if struck by lightning, he holds a knife in his right hand, and presses his left neck with his left hand. Suddenly, a voice—— "what?" There was a cry in the darkness.Kojiro was a little flustered when he heard the sound, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. "What's wrong?" It was Kosuke who ran over. He saw Hojo Shinzo standing there, and was about to support him when Shinzo's body suddenly fell down like a rotten tree. His body fell right into Kosuke's arms. "Ah! Killed, my God! People around here! Come on! Someone has been killed here." He shouted into the night. As he shouted, Shinzo's neck exposed a bloody wound like a cracked shell, and thick warm blood flowed out from his neck to Kosuke's cuff.