Chapter 161 Chapter 14

who? Musashi looked at the two or three figures, but couldn't figure out who they were.He is always on guard against sneak attacks from others.Not only Musashi, but survivors in the current situation must always be vigilant. In an era full of killing spirit, there is no order at all, and the lingering winds of war have not yet been eradicated.People are in the midst of conspiracy and spies, and they have to be careful everywhere, even their wives have to be on guard, and the bond of flesh and blood is destroyed—the evil tumor of society is deposited in the bottom of people's hearts.

Plus-- To this day, many people have died under the sword of Musashi, or have lost their social status and reputation because of Musashi. Originally, these were legitimate contests, and Musashi was not at fault, but the result of the contest—if you look at it from the perspective of a loser, you must regard Musashi as an enemy.Youba's mother is a living example. Therefore, in this situation, anyone who is interested in this path is often in danger of life.After one danger is removed, another danger is created, another enemy is created.However, for a practitioner, danger is like a whetstone, and the enemy is in some respects the best teacher.

Musashi was in danger, and he was trained so hard that he didn't dare to take it lightly even in sleep, and he kept using the enemy as his teacher.Moreover, I often hold a wish in the way of swordsmanship, to be able to activate people's hearts, rule the world, elevate myself to the realm of Bodhi, and share the joy of life with everyone-in this rough and restless journey, the exhausted result is trapped in nothingness. In the meantime, suffering from the pain of doing nothing—at this moment, the enemy who stood in the way suddenly showed up. Under the Yahagi Bridge Pier. Musashi clung to the ground.At this moment, the inertia and confusion of the past days disappeared without a trace from his pores.

Being exposed to the danger in front of him made him feel a chill in his heart. "strangeness……" Musashi held his breath and focused, deliberately drawing the enemy closer to see who the enemy was.Unexpectedly, those figures didn't seem to find Musashi's body, and seemed to have sensed Musashi's movements, so they hid in the dark and peeped at the bridgehead where no one came and went. Their movements are very agile. Although he was wearing black clothes, but judging from the saber, leggings, and straw sandals, he didn't look like an ordinary ronin or wild samurai.

If they were feudal vassals around here, they should belong to the Honda family in Okazaki and the Tokugawa family in Nagoya, neither of them had any reason to endanger Musashi.It's very strange, maybe the other party has admitted the wrong person.It's not like admitting a mistake, because they have been peeping into the open space since just now, and searching for themselves from the bamboo forest, even the couple from the pen shop next door noticed it.I think the other party must know that he is Musashi, and wait for the opportunity to strike. "Oh... there are people from them over the bridge."

Musashi took a closer look and found that the three people hiding in the dark were lighting matchsticks and waving them to the opposite bank continuously, signaling. There were people on the other side hiding with guns, and there were enemy companions on the other side of the bridge.It seems that the other party has come prepared and is gearing up. Must catch Musashi tonight. Musashi often went to Bateji Temple, and he would definitely pass this bridge.The enemy must have already figured out the geographical location of the surrounding area and made perfect preparations. Musashi didn't dare to leave under the pier carelessly.

As long as he comes out, there will be bullets.If you ignore the existence of the enemy and forcefully cross the bridge, it is even more dangerous.Even so, blindly hiding under the bridge is not the best policy.Because the enemy and his companions on the other side have been using matchlocks to signal, Musashi is at a disadvantage in terms of time and space. At this moment Musashi thought of a solution.His method is not based on the theory of the art of war. All theories are only applicable to general events. When it is actually used, it must have the ability to judge instantly.This is not to think according to theory, but to judge according to human intuition.

The general theory still includes an intuitive component.However, this kind of rational reaction is relatively slow, and it is unable to cooperate in an emergency, so it often fails. Intuition also exists in less intelligent animals, so people tend to confuse it with ignorant instinct.Generally speaking, intelligent and trained people will cross the boundaries of theory, play to the extreme of theory, and be able to make decisive decisions in an instant. This is especially true in swordsmanship. The same is true of Musashi now. Musashi lay on the ground and said loudly to the enemy: "Don't hide, I've seen your matchlocks, and it won't help if you hide any more. If you need to find me, Musashi, just come here, I'm right here."

The wind on the river was strong, and it was impossible to determine whether the other party heard Musashi's voice.Instead of answering, it turned out to be a second bullet, which hit the place where Musashi had just made the sound. Musashi is no longer in his original position.He was already about nine feet away from the bridge pier, just in time to miss the incoming bullets, and in the darkness, his body had already jumped towards the hiding place of the enemy. The opponent has no time to load a bullet, let alone get angry.Because Musashi had rushed to them, the three of them were in a panic.

"Ouch!" "Hey, hey." The three immediately attacked Musashi with their swords, but judging from the difficulty of their fight, it can be seen that they have not yet reached a tacit understanding. Among the three enemies killed by Musashi, facing the oncoming enemy, he waved his sword and fell down.Then, Musashi drew out his dagger with his left hand, and chopped down the man on his left. The last one ran away in a panic, stumbling up the Yahagi bridge like a headless chicken. Musashi walked along the railing and walked across the bridge at his usual pace, nothing happened.

He stopped in his tracks, waiting for the next attacker, but nothing happened. He went home to bed. the next day. As Mr. Wuke, he continued to appear in the private school to teach students to practice calligraphy, and he himself wrote at the desk with a pen. "Sorry." Two samurai called the door from under the eaves.Since the doorway was full of children's shoes, they walked around to the back door and stood under the eaves. "Is this Mr. Wuke's home? We are the retainers of the Ben family, and we are here today to visit at the master's order." Sitting among a group of children, Musashi raised his head and said: "I'm just helpless." "Wubu is your pseudonym, your real name is Kanmoto Musashi!" "yes." "Is there something to hide?" "I am indeed Musashi, what can I do for you?" "Do you know Mr. Watashima, the samurai commander in the domain?" "do not know." "He knows you very well. May I ask if you have made two or three appearances at Okazaki's haiku poetry gathering?" "A friend took me to participate. It's not my pseudonym, but a name that suddenly came to me when I participated in the haiku poetry gathering. It's the name I wrote haiku." "Ah! Is that your haiku name? That doesn't matter. My master, Mr. Gen, also likes poetry, and there are quite a few poetry friends at home. He hopes to have a good chat with you one day. I wonder if you can come?" "If you want to talk about poetry, there should be other elegant people who are more suitable. Although my friend once took me to the poetry meeting here, my personality is born as a savage and I don't understand elegance." "Oh! It's not to invite you to write poems and lyrics. Mr. Gen knows you very well. His main purpose is to meet you and talk to you about martial arts." The students who came here to practice calligraphy all put down their pens and looked at the teacher and the two warriors outside the door. Musashi remained silent, looking at the messenger under the eaves, as if he had made up his mind. "Okay. I'll accept your offer and pay a visit. What's the date?" "How about tonight, if you don't mind?" "Where is Mr. Gen's mansion?" "If you promise, we will send a sedan chair to meet you." "If so, I will wait at home." "So--" The two messengers looked at each other, nodded and said: "I'm leaving. Mr. Musashi, it's rude to interrupt your class. Then, please prepare early tonight." After speaking, he went back. The proprietress of the pen shop next door poked her head out of the next kitchen uncomfortably. When Musashi waited for the envoy to return, he looked around at the schoolboy whose face and hands were covered with ink, and said with a smile: "Oh! Oh! Just listening to other people's speech, the hands stopped. This is not good. Hey! Everyone continue to practice. The teacher should also practice! Now everyone concentrates. You can't hear other people's voices in your ears, and you can't I heard the sound of cicadas. If I was lazy and didn't study hard when I was young, I would be like a teacher and only practice calligraphy when I grow up. This is not good." at dusk-- Musashi prepares to go out. He put on culottes. "It's best not to go, give them a reason to reject them!" The proprietress next door went to the eaves to dissuade Musashi from going, and she almost cried. Soon, the sedan chair to welcome Musashi came to the open space.It is not like a sedan chair on the street, but beautifully decorated like a mikoshi.In addition to the two samurai in the morning, there are three followers. What the hell happened?People who lived nearby stared wide-eyed, and some people went to the sedan chair to watch.When Musashi was greeted by the samurai and sat on the sedan chair, everyone said that the teacher of the private school is really great! The little ones gathered together and said: "The teacher is so majestic!" "That kind of sedan chair can't be used by people who are not great." "I don't know where to go?" "Are you not coming back?" The samurai who carried the sedan chair pulled up the sedan door. "Hey, get out of the way, out of the way." The samurai drove away the crowd and ordered the bearers: "On the road." In this small town, the rumors were immediately rendered as red as the sunset at night.After the crowd dispersed, the proprietress next door immediately took out melon seeds and rice grains, mixed them with water and sprinkled them in front of the door to ward off evil spirits. At this time a monk with young disciples came here.You can tell from his cassock that he is a Zen monk Yunshui.His skin was as dark as a cicada, his eyes were sunken, his eyebrows were high, but his pupils were shining.About forty to fifty years old.But it is difficult for most people to tell the age of family members. His body is short and skinny, but his voice is as bright as a bell. "Hello, hello." He turned his head to the disciple who looked like a white melon and said: "Another eight! Another eight." "yes." Matahachi, who was peeping at the houses on the side of the road while walking, immediately ran to Monk Yunshui with a greasy face, bowing his head respectfully. "Have you found it yet?" "I'm looking." "Haven't you been here?" "Yes, every time he goes up the mountain to look for me." "Go over there and ask!" "As ordered." After walking a few steps, Youba turned back again. "Monk Yutang!" "Oh!" "found it." "did you find it?" "There's a signboard on the house in the front lot. It says 'Enlightenment Academy, instruction in reading and writing—nothing'." "Hmm! Is there?" "I'll go ask, Monk Yutang, please wait here." "What? I'm going too." The night before yesterday, after Yatahachi had talked with Musashi, the two broke up.So I have been worrying all the time, I don't know what is going on with Musashi now?But today there was one thing that made Matahachi very happy. Because Matahachi and Musashi were waiting for the monk Dongshi Yutang, who had already returned to Bate Temple in a hurry. Youba immediately reported to him about Musashi, and the monk still had a fresh memory of Musashi. "I want to see him, you go and fetch him. Oh no, he's a handsome man now too. I'll go find him!" After speaking, Monk Yutang rested for a while at Bate Temple, and then brought Youba to the city. In the Honda family in Okazaki, everyone knows that Wataru Shima is one of the important ministers.But Musashi knew nothing about him. Why on earth did you pick me up here? Regarding this question, Musashi could not find a clue.Maybe I chopped down two black-clothed samurai by the Yahagi bridge last night, who looked like Honda's retainers, so now I want to make things difficult for myself. There is another possibility—— Usually there are people who hide in the dark and want to attack him, maybe they are Genshima's subordinates, under his behind-the-scenes instigation, and now they want to confront Musashi head-on, so they set up this trap. No matter how you say it, nothing good will happen.And since Musashi came, he had already realized it in his heart. What kind of consciousness do you have? If someone asks this question, he must use one sentence to describe it, that is—— Immediate response. How can you get tiger cubs if you don't enter the tiger's lair?In this case, you must not rely on the theory of the art of war, only to make a decisive decision-is the best way. Will this change happen midway, or will it be triggered at the destination? Will the enemy treat each other with softness, or with strength? This is also an unknown. Musashi's sedan chair wobbled as if floating on the sea.It was dark outside, only the sound of pines.There are many pine trees in the area from the north gate of Okazaki Castle to the outer gate, and it must be passing through the pine forest now. It was not obvious from the outside that Musashi was on guard secretly.Because he half closed his eyes and fell asleep in the sedan chair.The sound of the door opening rang. The bearers slowed down, and then the retainers whispered softly, and soft lights were lit everywhere. "It's here." Musashi stepped out of the sedan chair.The retainers and attendants greeted him attentively, and everyone was silent, leading him into a spacious living room.The door curtain is rolled, the doors are wide open on all sides, and the sound of the wind blowing the pines fills the ears, making one forget the heat of the hot summer. The candlelight in the room is flickering and flickering. "I'm Watashima." Master comes out. He is about fifty years old, with a strong and stable appearance, a typical Mikawa samurai. "I'm Musashi." Musashi returned politely. "Please don't be polite." After Zhimo finished speaking, he said sanctimoniously: "I heard that two young samurai from my family were killed at the Yahagi Bridge last night... Is this true?" The other party cut to the chase. Musashi didn't think about it, and didn't want to hide it. "Is the truth." Then Musashi looked into Shima's eyes, trying to read how he would make a move.The candlelight flickered and shone on the faces of the two. "Regarding this matter?" Zhimo spoke earnestly. "I must apologize to you. Mr. Musashi, please forgive me." After finishing speaking, he lowered his head. However, Musashi did not accept the apology. "I just heard about it today." Wataru continued: "Someone came to the domain to report that one of the retainers was killed at the Yahaba Bridge. I sent someone to investigate and found out that the person was Your Excellency. I have long admired Your Excellency, but before that, I didn't know that you lived in the outskirts of the city." It seems that Zhimo's words are not false.Musashi believed it, and continued to listen to Shimo. "Later, I sent people to investigate why they wanted to attack you, and I found out that some of the diners in my house were subordinates of Miyake Gunbei, a strategist of the Dongjun style, his disciples, and four or five people in the clan. this matter." "what?" Musashi looked puzzled. But after listening to what Wataru Shima said, he slowly began to understand. It turned out that among Miyake Gunbei's direct disciples, several were once disciples of the Yoshioka family in Kyoto.Also, among the disciples of the Honda family, dozens of them are also Yoshioka's disciples. Among these people, there is one thing circulating—— Recently, there was a ronin near the city, whose alias was Wuke. He used to hack and kill the Yoshioka family successively in Rendai Temple, Sanjusangendo, and Ichijoji Village in Kyoto, and finally drove the Yoshioka family to the point of extinction. The official version of Musashi. After the news spread, people who still hold deep hatred and resentment towards Musashi are even more angry. "It's an eyesore to see him." It was also said: "Can't you kill him?" In the end everyone decided: "Kill him!" They planned carefully and waited for the opportunity, but they didn't expect that they were defeated miserably when they attacked last night. The name of Yoshioka Boxing is still spread all over the world, and it has traveled all over the world, and no one is unaware of it.It can be seen that during Yoshioka's heyday, his disciples must have spread all over the place. In Honda's family alone, there are dozens of people who have learned Yoshioka's sword technique.Musashi believed this to be true, and understood the feelings of those who hated him.However, this kind of emotion is not at the level of Wumen, but a pure emotion in the world. "I was in the city today, and I have severely reprimanded these despicable and shameful guys. My guest, Mr. Miyake Gunhei, is very sorry because his disciples also participated in this incident. I hope to see you and apologize to you in person. I don't know what you think? If it doesn't cause you any trouble, I'll invite him over and introduce him to you." "It's fine if Mr. Gunbei doesn't know about it. For a samurai, what happened the night before is just a trivial matter." "No, you can't say that." "There is no need to apologize at all. If you want to talk about bushido, I have heard of Mr. Miyake's name. It doesn't hurt to meet up." "Honestly, Mr. Gunbei expects the same. I'll invite him right away." Genshima immediately ordered his retainers to convey his intention. Miyake Gunbei was already waiting in the next room.Hearing the notification from the retainers, he immediately brought four or five disciples to the living room.Of course, the disciples around him are all the retainers of the Honda family with a lot of background. It appears that the crisis has been lifted. Genshima introduced Miyake Gunbei and other disciples to Musashi, and Gunbei said: "Please forgive me for what happened the night before." He apologized for the mistakes made by the disciples, and the two sides talked about martial arts and world affairs in a harmonious atmosphere. Musashi asked: "It's rare to see the same genre in the world as the name of Dongjun School. Could it be that Your Excellency is the founder?" "No, I'm not the founder." Junbei replied: "My master is Kawasaki Keyonosuke from Echizen, who once lived in seclusion in Baiyun Mountain, Shangzhou, and opened the forerunner of the genre. Although it is written so in the biography, in fact, he learned the skills of the Dongjun style from the Dongjun monk on Tiantai .” After speaking, he looked at Musashi again. "When I heard your name before, I thought you must be very old. I didn't expect you to be so young. I was very surprised. I hope I can take this opportunity to ask you for some guidance." His tone was menacing. Musashi said: "There is still a chance in the future..." He took it lightly. "I'm not familiar with this place, can you send someone to guide me?" He was about to bid farewell to Zhimo when Junbingwei said again: "It's still early, when you go back, I will send my men to take you to the street." He asked Musashi to stay, and continued: "To be honest, when I heard that two people under my door were killed by you at the Yahagi Bridge, I ran to examine the corpses. The positions of the two corpses, as well as the fatal knife marks, made me very sad. Strange... So, I asked the doorman who escaped back, and he said that he couldn't see clearly in the dark, but he could see you holding a knife in both hands. If that's the case, your kind of knife technique is rare in the world. Could it be called two-sword style? " Musashi smiled and said that he never consciously used two swords.Usually it is one body and one sword, and I have never claimed to be a two-sword style. After hearing this, Junbingwei didn't believe it. "No, you are too polite." Then, he asked a lot of naive questions about the technique of Er Dao, how to practice it, how much strength should be used to use Er Dao freely, and so on. Musashi was overwhelmed and just wanted to go home.These people can't be satisfied just by asking questions, and they will never let Musashi go back.Therefore, when Musashi saw two guns in the bedroom, he asked his master Karashima to borrow the two guns.After the master gave permission, Musashi picked up the two guns and walked to the middle. "What is he going to do?" Those present looked at Musashi suspiciously.Let's see how he responds to the two swordsman with two guns. Musashi knelt down on one knee, holding the center of the gun in each of his left and right hands. "Two swords are one sword. One sword is two swords. The left and right hands are one. All the truths in the world are the same, the truth is the ultimate, regardless of genre-I will show my shame in front of everyone." After speaking, take the gun and show it to everyone. "excuse me." As soon as the words fell, there was a sudden loud noise, and the two guns began to rotate. Immediately, a stern cold wind blew up at the scene, and the gun in Musashi's hand was like a whirlpool, like a rapidly spinning spinning wheel. "..." Everyone was stunned and pale. Musashi stopped, put the gun back in place, and got up to leave before everyone recovered. "I was sorry just now." He smiled, and left without explaining the second sword technique. Everyone was dumbfounded and completely forgot about themselves.So it was planned to send someone to send Musashi back, but in the end, there was no one to see him off. Musashi looked back at the gate. In the dark pine waves, you can see the faint light in the living room, which seems to be expressing infinite regret. "..." Musashi breathed a sigh of relief. Escaping from the tiger's mouth tonight is more dangerous than breaking out of the siege.In the face of an unknown enemy, in fact, he has no countermeasures at all. Now, everyone here knows the identity of Musashi, and with tonight's incident, it is the best policy not to stay in Okazaki for a long time, and to leave overnight. "I don't know what happened to the appointment with Youba?" He walked alone in the dark pine forest, thinking about it.When he walked to the end of the street and saw the lights in Okazaki Castle, Matahachi's voice suddenly came from his ear. "Brother Musashi, I am Matachi. I am worried about you, so I am waiting here." He saw that Musashi was safe and sound, and his tone was filled with joy. "Why are you here?" Musashi asked another eight. Without waiting for You Ba to explain, he had already seen the figure sitting under the eaves by the side of the road, and immediately stepped forward. "Isn't this a Zen master?" Musashi kowtowed at his feet. Monk Yutang looked at Musashi's back and said after a while: "long time no see." Musashi also looked up. "long time no see." He said the same thing as Monk Yutang. However, this simple sentence made Musashi feel mixed. For Musashi, he has been trapped in an empty shell of inaction recently, and the only one who can save himself is the monk Yutang who is looking forward to day and night, except for Ze'an.Therefore, Musashi looking up at Yutang's figure is like looking up at a bright moon in the dark night. Matahachi and Yutang have been worrying about whether Musashi will return safely tonight.With bad luck, Musashi might not be able to get out of Watashima's mansion.They were very worried and were about to go to confirm, so they came to wait on the way worried. Yatachi told Musashi: At dusk, we find your home.Unfortunately you have left.The wife of the proprietor of the pen shop next door told us everything about your daily affairs and the visit of the samurai today. After hearing this, we decided to go near the Watashima mansion to see if there were any countermeasures. After hearing this, Musashi said: "I'm sorry, I didn't expect to worry you." Musashi thanked them for being so kind.But he kept kneeling at the feet of Monk Yutang, without any intention of getting up. Finally, he called out loudly: "Grandmaster!" He looked up into Yutang's eyes. "What's up?" Like a mother who can read a child's eyes, Monk Yutang immediately noticed Musashi's eyes asking for help, but asked again: "What's up?" With a snap, Musashi put his hands on the ground. "It has been almost ten years since I first saw you in the meditation hall of Miaoxin Temple." "Has it been this long?" "I have walked through these ten years, but I don't know how much land I have stepped on. Looking back, I still have a lot of doubts in my heart." "It's the same. Always talking about scumbags. Don't you already understand?" "I regret that." "why?" "I haven't reached the peak of my practice yet." "When you are still talking about practicing, it is indeed impossible." "What if I give up?" "If you give up practice, it will be worse than an ignorant person who has never practiced, and will eventually become a dregs in the world." "If I let go, I'm going to slide down, and I can't climb up. I'm on the way right now, both in swordplay and my own problems." "That's the problem." "Master, do you know how much I long to see you again, how can I escape from this confusing shell of inaction?" "I don't know about this kind of thing. You have to help yourself." "Let Youba and I kneel in front of your knees and listen to your lesson again! Otherwise, give us a slap in the face and wake us up from the dream of leaving nothingness...Master, please." Musashi threw himself on the ground and spoke loudly. His voice was choked, but no tears were shed.The distressed choked sobs were full of grief, making one faint. But Monk Yutang was not moved at all.He was silent and was about to leave the prison room. "Another eight, come here." He just said this and left. "Grandmaster!" Musashi got up to catch up, grabbed Yutang's cuff, and asked Yutang to give him an answer. This time - Yutang shook off Musashi with his hands without saying a word.But Musashi held on tighter, Yutang said: "Nothing." Then he said: "Nothing. I can't give you any more or say anything. Some are just a slap in the face." He raised his fist while speaking. Yutang really wants to fight. "..." Musashi let go, and was about to speak, but Yutang walked away without looking back. "..." Musashi stared blankly at his back and left.Matachi, who stayed where he was, quickly comforted Musashi and said, "The Zen master doesn't like to be too wordy. When I met him in the temple, I told the Zen master about the two of us and my thoughts, and hoped that when he would accept us as disciples, He didn't listen to me carefully either. He just said, 'Really? Then you help me tie the straw sandals first'... So I told you that you'd better not talk about trivial matters, and he will naturally appear in front of you. Wait for his mood When it's better, you can ask him questions again!" At this time, a call came from afar. It turned out that it was Yu Tang who called You Ba.Youba answered loudly, and asked Musashi again: "That's what we'll do, shall we?" After finishing speaking, he hurriedly caught up with Yutang. Yutang seems to like Youba very much.Musashi envied Youba to be Yutang's disciple. Because Youba is indeed simpler and more honest than himself. "That's right. No matter what Yutang says, I can't give up." Musashi's body seemed to be on fire - facing the angry fist of Monk Yutang, he also accepted it willingly.But even so, he still didn't get any words of instruction from Yutang, and he doesn't know when he will meet again next time.The sky and the earth are long, stretching for tens of thousands of years. Among them, seventy years of life are as short as lightning.In this short life, it is such a precious opportunity to meet a rare person! "I must grasp this precious fate." With tears in his eyes, Musashi looked at Monk Yutang's back, thinking that he was about to lose this great opportunity. I will follow him closely. Until you get a word of advice. Musashi chased in the direction where Yutang left. Yutang knows?Or don't know? He didn't go back to Batie Temple.His feet have no intention of going back to the Badie Temple. He is like a cloud and flowing water, and he is at ease with the situation, without a fixed place.After walking to the Tokaido, I went in the direction of the capital. Yutang lived in a simple inn, and Musashi slept outside under the eaves. In the morning, when Musashi saw Matahachi tying the straw sandals for Master, he was also happy for this friend.But when Yutang saw Musashi, he didn't even say hello. Musashi still didn't give up.In order not to be an eyesore to Monk Yutang, he kept a distance as far as possible and followed him every day—that night, he did not go back to Okazaki’s house, the flowers on the bamboo vase on the table, the proprietress next door, and The expectant eyes of the girls nearby, as well as the love and hatred of the people in the domain, all of this has now been completely forgotten by Musashi.