Chapter 21 third quarter

The next morning, Niu Yi returned to Tianman. The hermitage has been cleaned up and looks refreshed, as if waiting for the return of the master.When the late Fushimi old woman was around, she never felt this way.Saya must be there.For some reason, Niu Yi became excited like a young man. "Saya, Saya." He whispered, and as expected, the sound in the kitchen behind stopped, and someone seemed to be running over in a hurry.Niu Yi felt relieved, and at the same time, the fatigue from the journey suddenly hit him, and he sat on the door frame, unable to move even a step. Soon, Shaye brought a footbath full of warm water, trotted over, lowered her head shyly, approached Niu Yi, then squatted down, skillfully untied his straw sandals, pulled the footbath over, and said in a low voice Said: "I'll soak your feet." At this moment, Niu Yi noticed that Saya's shoulders were quite thin.

"You've lost weight. Are you feeling unwell?" "No, I'm not sick." Saya shook her head slightly, this action made her thin shoulders even more fragile. The night when I saw Saya for the first time, the stubborn girl's shoulders didn't look so weak.Niu stretched out his feet.Let her fiddle with it.Shaye held Niu Yi's feet in her arms, put her face very close, and began to scrub.Soon, with the heat rising from the warm water in the basin, the scent of hair oil on Shaye's hair wafted slightly. Niu Yi took a deep breath greedily, sniffing the woman's fragrance secretly.Just when he was quietly enjoying it, a drop of warm water suddenly fell on Niu Yi's calf.These are not water droplets or sweat beads on Saya's hands, but her tears.

(Is she that lonely?) Niu Yi never dreamed that he would be so sad at this age. "I'm sorry. Originally, I planned to stay for two or three days. I didn't expect the conversation with Taige to take so much time. Besides, I'm nestled in the house on the mountain, so I can't send someone to deliver a letter to you." In fact, Niu Yi can send someone to deliver a letter anyway, but he doesn't know how to write the recipient.If you write your own name, the letter will be delivered, but the polite Saya will not open it, but put it aside.If her name is written, it will become a boring topic among the people in the city, and maybe it will be questioned by the Taige because of it.He concealed the inside story.

"Don't say sorry." Saya still lowered her head.Niu Yi secretly enjoyed the feeling of those tender hands touching his feet.During this process, the sense of exhaustion that plagued him on the way home gradually grew in his heart. Because of this sense of exhaustion, Niu Yi looked blankly at the neatly trimmed purple azalea in front of the door, and blurted out a complaint: "I hate writing." Shaye lowered her head and asked softly, "Why do you say such things?" "emptiness." "Empty? Writing articles and passing them on to future generations is an important task."

"Important work? Where is it important?" Niu Yi looked up at the skylight and laughed at himself, "For a long time, I have carefully recorded what I saw and heard, and based on this, I wrote articles with great conceit. Now, what I see , I can’t believe what I hear. Maybe what I, Niu Yi, saw and heard in this world are all false.” "False?" Saya looked up in surprise. "Yes. Maybe I'm an idiot, taking the fake as the truth, and writing a written article. When I think of this, I can't stand it. I even want to gather all the books I have written here and burn them down."

"That, that... what a pity." "It's a pity? No, compared with those works, my reputation of Ota Ushiichi is more cherished. Saya, don't you think so?" Although he is very old, he still wants to find someone to rely on. "This, this kind of thing, people like me don't understand, so it's hard to answer." Sha Ye stood up slowly, as if she wanted to escape from Niu Yi, holding the foot basin, she quietly backed away.There were no tears on her melon-seeded face, and there seemed to be a coquettish smile on her face. "When you were away, Shaye, I lost weight, and my wrists were so thin. It's not because of my poor health, but because of my heart, because of you, my lord."

She laughed suddenly, then held back, and ran to the kitchen. It happened so suddenly that Niu Yi was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Saya's back. (Women, it's unbelievable.) Niu Yi suddenly remembered the first night he met Saya.When Niu Yi gave her the name of his dead daughter.This woman has a complex expression. Why?The answer unraveled.Serving Niu Yi not as a woman, but as a daughter... Saya was disappointed by this.That must be the reason.Yes, that's right. Niu regretted it at first. He was a man, but he was too timid. For the next twenty days or so, Niu Yi was idle, lacking the energy to wield the wooden knife and gait.Although he also knew that his body was getting dull day by day, he just couldn't cheer up.Every day, he ate the breakfast and dinner prepared by Saya in silence, and lazily returned to the study, but he couldn't read and write, so he lay on the ground, feeling that he had fallen to do nothing.The frequent phantoms of Yuji also disappeared.Every time I wake up, my body must be covered with a thin spring quilt.He didn't bother to thank Saya for her silent care.

The only way to relax him is to go for a walk. He doesn't like to go to nearby shrines, temples.Ever since he met Taige, he was not interested in writing his wishes on the prayer boards in those places. Instead, he goes to the Tianman market almost every day.The vegetable market was originally formed naturally in front of Ishiyama Honganji Temple. Later, because of the conflict between the eunuch and Nobunaga, Ishiyama Honganji Temple was moved to Kishu Lusen, and the original temple was abandoned. A hermitage is close at hand, and the voices of merchants buying and selling can be heard endlessly.

Niu Yi likes the hustle and bustle of the vegetable market. Everyone rushed early, and Niu Yi also dressed up as a small townsman early in the morning to go shopping.At two o'clock in the morning, people from nearby villages and towns arrived with carts, and wholesalers started trading at four o'clock in the morning.They yelled loudly, handed slips of paper with prices back and forth, and applauded vigorously after the transaction was successful.In this process, it seems that someone has set the rules, and everyone bids in an orderly manner, and the transaction is carried out smoothly.No one doubts those rules and accepts them from the bottom of their hearts.

Every day before sunrise, people get up as busy as the day before; after sunset, they go to bed as the night before.There, no one thinks about why people are alive.In those nearby small farm shops on the roadside, the atmosphere of the transaction was even more enthusiastic, with laughter and coquettish voices everywhere.Niu Yi once thought it was stupid to live as a writer, but whenever he saw such a scene and immersed himself in it for a few hours, he would forget those troubles. One evening in early May, as soon as Niu Yi came back from Kyobashi Market, he received a letter from Kiyohachi, the owner of Owari House in Kyoto.This letter cheered up Niu Yi, who had been bored all this time.

I heard that Master Taiko fell ill again on the 5th, so he was unable to go to Arima Hot Spring on the 8th... The moment he read the letter, Niu Yi smiled wryly. (In just half a month, I almost didn't receive ten gold coins.) Next, Niu Yi's brain was running at high speed, and from nowhere came a kind of certainty——Hideyoshi was going to die. After Hideyoshi's death, the young Hideyori was unable to unite the retainers of the Toyotomi family.Those retainers had split into two factions long ago, the faction headed by Masanori Fukushima, who advocated the rule of the world by force, supported Hideyoshi's main house; the Wenzhi faction headed by Sanshi Ishida gathered around Mrs.It has been rumored that Tokugawa Ieyasu, the head of the five elders, skillfully took advantage of the confrontation between the two factions to take the opportunity to seize the world.If Hideyoshi dies.Ieyasu will act more blatantly, and it is impossible not to have conflicts between the two factions of the Toyotomi family who have been instigated, and the general situation of the world will change suddenly. However, Niu Yi at this time is not interested in worldly struggles, and he is more worried about the safety of the "Nobunaga Ji" he has stored in the Zhouen Institute. (No matter which side guards Kyoto and Osaka, Fushimi is a battleground for military strategists. Therefore, the flames of war will inevitably spread to Fushimi Castle. As a result, the works stored in the Funaku Institute will also...) Although it was sold by himself, and there are many unsatisfactory parts in the content, but thinking that if the war breaks out, the institute will not be safe and sound, Niu Yi is restless. (It is now necessary to transcribe a copy. Even if it is impossible to insert "Nobunaga's Pre-Ki", there is no other way at this time.) "Saye, Saya, are you there?" Niu Yi yelled in a panic, and Saya ran over from the kitchen.Niu Yi said with a sad face, "I'm sorry, I have to go to Fushimi again, and I'll be back in five or six days this time." "Is it that long?" Saya slowly loosened the red belt wrapped around her arm during labor, and raised her head resentfully. "It's my work. If I can borrow it, I'll be back right away; if it can't be borrowed, I'll have to copy it at the Learning Institute. It will take six days at the earliest." "When are you going? Not tonight?" "No, I'll leave early tomorrow morning." "Please be sure to leave tomorrow." From her tone of voice, she seemed relieved.Saya smiled enigmatically and quietly backed away. That night, after dinner, Niu Yi went to bed early in order to catch up early tomorrow.Since I slept during the day, I couldn't fall asleep.He has no interest in writing anymore, and his empty heart is filled with a sense of emptiness, and the more he lies down, the more he wakes up.Niu Yi got up helplessly, and re-lighted the candles on the candlestick.Sitting bored at the desk. At that moment, he suddenly felt someone outside the study door. "Who?" Niu Yi's hand instinctively stretched out to the crutch with a hidden blade standing beside the desk. "It's me." It was a woman's voice.Through the floor, there was also the sound of clothes being scraped. "Is it Saya? Right?" Niu Yi sat down again. "Before you leave tomorrow, I want to tell you something..." "Okay, come in." "I won't come in, I just took a shower and changed into my pajamas, so let's talk outside." "Really, I won't embarrass you. Then it's the same as usual, let's talk there." "A few days ago, my lord, you came back and told Saya me that writing is boring." "Yes, what's wrong?" "Your words reminded me of my dead mother." "Your mother is dead?" "I've been dead for almost twenty years. When Mitsuhide Akechi attacked Tanba, the father who guarded Heijing Castle died in battle, and my mother was molested in the castle. In order to keep her chastity, she killed herself by biting her tongue. Before that, I was sent back to my grandfather's house. No harm was done." "That's really pitiful. As an old minister of the Oda family, I apologize for those who molested your mother. By the way, you said you missed your mother, what's going on?" "My mother used to put a word on her lips - the world is false, but the Buddha is true." "That's what Prince Shotoku said." "Yes, this world is full of hypocrisy. My mother taught us this way. However, she also said this sentence - just because the world is false, you can't see through everything and act rashly and falsely. In that way, this world will be It's over. It's because it's full of falsehoods that it's necessary to take the falsehoods as real, to burst into tears while working hard, and this will move the morals of the world. You have to remember this and do things that will move the morals of the world. You have to do this alive." "Well, that makes sense." Niu Yi suddenly woke up.Isn't what Saya said was his writing?The distinction between true and false is very subtle. Even if false content is mixed in a work, as long as it is written carefully, future readers will be able to forgive it, and it will definitely move them more than telling the truth. "Yes, that's right." Niu Yi patted his knee and sighed. "It's really good of you. After listening to your words, I feel that the pimples that have been entrenched in my heart for more than half a month have disappeared at once." "You can say that, Saya, I am also very happy. Well, I will leave." "Don't... wait a minute, Saya, can you stay a little longer? After listening to your mother's teachings, I suddenly had the courage to rectify the book that was not handed over to the Taiko, which described the events before Nobunaga's entry into Beijing. "Nobunaga Preface". Moreover, I even thought of the title that has been empty all the time. Why didn't I think of it before? It's too dull. Before I forget it, write down that title now, only for You can watch it alone, okay?" "I'm dressed like this. I'm sorry. I'll go back to my room and change my clothes before I come back." "No. Time doesn't wait. I'll take off the casual clothes with narrow sleeves and put them on the edge of the sliding door. You can put them on and come in. Don't have any worries. I, Niu Yi, forced you." Niu Yi hurriedly took off his narrow-sleeved casual clothes made of linen, and put them beside the sliding door.Saya outside the door seemed to hesitate for a while, but soon the sliding door was opened a small crack, and the narrow-sleeved casual clothes were gently pulled out. Soon, the sliding door was opened, and Saya walked in with her skirt pressed down. Niu Yi's slightly bulky casual clothes with narrow sleeves were worn over her white cotton pajamas. "Then I will write." Niu Yi couldn't wait to turn around and take a good look at Saya, so he opened the inkstone box inlaid with gold and silver in front of the desk, dripped a few drops of water on the inkstone, and sharpened the ink with his hands and feet. The moment he finished grinding the ink, Niu Yi closed his eyes.Every time before writing an article, Niu Yi would do this, believing that by doing so, he could get the protection of the god of writing - the literary star.At this time, he did not forget to do so.Soon, he opened his eyes and yelled at Saya. "Looking good!" The writing brush in Niuyi’s hand seemed to come alive, dancing on the white cover of "Xinchang Preface", and soon, two large characters with wet ink were written on it, "First Volume". "That's it! The word 'first volume' is the title I've been looking for, and I've tried many titles—the preface, the other volumes, the main volume, but none of them are satisfactory. For a long time, I've wondered Why is there no suitable title? In this way, together with the fifteen volumes of "Nobunaga Ji" handed over to Taiko, the whole work has sixteen volumes. For some reason, I did not think of this title before. Thanks to you I suddenly thought of what my mother said. Thank you." "Mum will be delighted to hear that." "Where is your mother's grave?" "She doesn't have a cemetery. Even the stele my parents built under Heijing Castle was taken by Akechi Mitsuhide's army to build the city. They don't have a cemetery now." "What? Take it to build a city?" Destroying the cemetery of the villagers and taking the stones as the foundation of the city is one of the evil deeds that Lord Nobunaga once committed.Maybe Mitsuhide is following his example. "We found a place on the high ground behind the grandfather's house and planted white plum trees. Make a mark. We plan to use it as the cemetery of our parents in the future and build a conspicuous stone grave." "Who lives there?" "Grandpa and my younger brother live nearby. My grandpa is ninety-eight years old." "Ninety-eight years old? Are you still in good health at this age?" Niu Yi was really surprised. "Yes. Eyes and ears are normal." "What does he do every day?" "Every day, my grandfather and younger brother are busy making and kneading the clay. The grandfather prepares the clay, and the younger brother shapes it. Because the younger brother is not experienced enough, the firing work is all handed over to the grandfather." "Really? Then, when I come back from Kyoto this time, you must take me to see it. I want to see the pottery kiln, and more importantly, if I don't burn a stick of incense for your mother there, I will feel sorry for you." .For the author. It is not easy to think of a topic. In addition, I also want to ask your grandpa how to live forever." Saya nodded silently. "By the way. There is Western red wine I got from Kyoto. As a thank you for thinking of the topic, I'll pour you a glass too. Don't you like it?" Niu Yi felt relieved. "Red wine?" Saya was a little puzzled. "I can tell from your expression that you haven't drunk it. The name of this wine is a bit strange, but it's the wine that Nobunaga, who likes new things, likes very much. It was very precious at first, and many ignorant people even made a fuss about Westerners drinking blood. In fact, it is just wine made from grapes. Now that the spread of Christianity is prohibited, it is difficult to get it even in hotels in the Sakai Port area.” "Is it appropriate for me to drink such expensive wine with you?" "Yes, yes. Can you take out the wine bottle on the shelf and the western clear glass in the paulownia box next to it?" "understood." Saya tidied up her clothes, stood up, and carefully carried the wine bottle and paulownia box over. "First take out two cups from the paulownia box and put them here." Saya nodded, and carefully took out the glass.The glass is shiny. "Oh, it's so beautiful." Saya gently took the cup in her hand, raised it to her eyes, and looked at it carefully. "It's beautiful, but it's cold and hard. It doesn't feel warm and rustic like Japanese porcelain tea bowls. Mr. Nobunaga didn't like it in the past. However, it's incredible that only this red wine matches the glass." As soon as Niu took the wine bottle, he opened the lid with difficulty, then poured the dark red wine into two glasses, and handed one of them to Saya. "Tonight, "Xinchang Ji" written by my Niu Yi will be truly completed. Let's celebrate, Saya." "OK." Saya replied clearly, and responded with a soft smile. "A bit sour, but soon a sweetness melts on the tongue. Drink and watch!" Saya closed her eyes, and took the wine in the glass to her mouth in fear. "What an incredible wine." Saya muttered in ecstasy. "You drink well, don't you?" "My parents can drink, but I can't. After drinking such a little, I feel like I'm going to be drunk. However, the taste of this wine is good, and I like it very much." Saya squinted her eyes and looked at Niu Yi with blushing cheeks. "Really? Have another drink, I'll teach you to learn bad, you can hate me." Niu smiled and poured another glass. "You are so bad!" Saya acted like a baby. "Oh, I was joking just now. In fact, this wine is good for your health. You are a little thin, and you will recover immediately after drinking this wine. After I leave tomorrow, you don't need to take medicine, just drink this. I am in Kyoto can find a way to buy some more, so it doesn’t matter if you finish this bottle of wine.” Although you can no longer buy Kopeito, as long as you have money, you can still get smuggled red wine in Fushimi. "Thank you. But when you're not around this time, the reason why I'm thin is not because of heart disease." "Isn't it because you miss me?" "That's a lie to you." "That's a shame, a disappointment." Niu Yi could only smile wryly. Saya frowned and said, "The truth is even more terrifying." "Let me hear it, you say it!" "While you were away, Lord Taige's subordinates came to search for the remnants of the former opposition party." "What? Search for the former remnants? They know my hiding place?" Niu unconsciously raised his voice. "Yes. For some reason, Taiko-sama stepped up his search for the women of the Maeno family after viewing the flowers. All the maids of the Maeno family I knew were caught and beheaded in Osaka. This happened not long after you left matter." The maid that Saya mentioned might be a female ninja.Recently, Niu Yi also heard that in order to avenge the death of Changkang and his son, they joined forces in private and were severely pursued by the Taige. "I didn't know about it. Fortunately, you are safe and sound." "The chaser seemed to know your name, my lord, and didn't come near here. But you were not at home, so I didn't know what would happen, so I borrowed a farmer's clothes, disguised as a man, with a dagger in my arms, and hid quietly .I can’t light a fire and cook in the kitchen at will. I survived by drinking water, which is also the reason for my weight loss. I’m sorry for saying such boring things to you.” Sha Ye smiled, picked up the wine bottle, and poured red wine for Niu Yi. "No, no. I didn't know you had suffered so much. As soon as I got home, I told you many silly things about being with Taige. It's me who should apologize." Niu Yiyi apologized, took the glass, and drank the wine in one gulp. "No, Master Ota." Saya suddenly sat upright and said solemnly, "Just now I apologized, now I want to thank you." "Thank you for what?" "As I said just now, apart from me, the women of the Maeno family, including the maids, are treated inhumanely. To me, you are my benefactor, and you hid me here. I don't know how to repay this kindness. " "You're welcome. What you told me about your mother just now is enough." "That's what my mother said. I'm still sorry for that." "Then what are you going to do?" "Then—" Saya nodded slightly, slowly got up and moved the candlestick between the two of them to the corner of the room, dimming the light.The study was dark immediately, Shaye took off the plain clothes with narrow sleeves that Niu Yi lent her, and folded them quietly. "If I say to repay my kindness, Ota-sama, you won't like it. If I say that in this false world, let me experience the true feeling of love between a man and a woman, you won't be offended?" Shaye gently unbuttoned her belt, took off her pajamas, and threw herself into Niu Yi's arms with only her inner skirt on, handing over her naked white body to him. "This skin may be the only real thing in this world." The cow nodded, and touched the small bouncy udder calmly.Saya gasped slightly.At the same time whisper to the cow. "Before that... before you do that, please take back the name 'Saya'. If you still use the name of your daughter, sir, I will resist being hugged by you. I want to be a real woman." "Understood, please forgive me for being superficial. I won't call you 'Saya' anymore." "Then please give me a new name. Right here, now." "Can't it work in the future?" Niu Yi tried to gently open the woman's inner skirt. The woman held Niu Yi's hand desperately, with unexpected strength. "No, sir, please give me a new name first, and then take good care of this body." "I don't think so. Real men and women don't have names when they're crazy. Names are a nuisance." "but--" "Stop talking, woman." Niu Yi gently blocked the woman's mouth with his mouth.Maybe she gave up, the woman nodded slightly, closed her eyes in silence, opened her mouth suddenly, and slipped her soft tongue into the cow's mouth. For a moment, Niu Yi was at a loss.He once heard people talking and laughing at a banquet - some foreign women would adopt this kind of emotional expression, but Niu Yi, who was born as a vulgar man, had not experienced it before. This is an incredible sweet moment that I only realized that night. Saya became an unknown woman again, and Niu Yi also returned as an unknown man.Soon, the two were frantic and rolling on the bed, unable to control themselves.