Chapter 9 Chapter Eight

After the sun went down, Mizuno Tokuro Nobukaku sneaked out of the city.The moon is not out yet.Lights were already lit in father's room, and there were a few wildflowers blooming indiscriminately by the window, which reflected on the partition, like paintings. "Father will also die soon..." Xinjin suddenly thought of life.He thought about these questions all the way, from the side gate leading to the rice warehouse to the outside of the city wall.The beautiful Tianhe River hangs in the night sky, and the sea water beats against the city wall facing the sea on the west side, making a soft sound.

Yu Da, who married Okazaki, will give birth to a child... It is incredible that a new life will come to this world.And with the birth of this child, it is also unbelievable that his father Zhongzheng will leave this world soon.In this world, no one can live a long life.However, in any era, there are old people and young people.Born and then died, dead and resurrected, there will always be many people in this world.In whose hands is life and death in the end?Is it a god or a Buddha? The crickets began to chirp.The blooming sagebrush is incredible, and human beings, old and young, are equally unpredictable.

Hojo, Takeda, Oda, Imagawa, they are fighting back and forth, how long will they fight?Just like this year's cicada is different from last year's cicada, although the length of time in the world is different, people and cicadas are the same.Those who are killed leave this world, and those who kill cannot live forever... When Nobuta walked around the rice storehouse and stepped up the stone steps leading to the north gate, he decided not to argue with his brother.During the day, his attitude was a little more arrogant.The thought of his elder brother Nobumoto joining Oda and letting himself and Tadashi go to attack the city where his mother is, Nobujin couldn't help but feel his blood rushing up.Perhaps blood is a matter of life and death to protest this stupid war.

I don't know what kind of life Yu Da's child will face, that little life has already been conceived.Xinjin often secretly prayed in his heart that the child would be born safely.This hope made him feel strongly against his brother's decision.And Nobukaki doesn't like the way Oda Nobuhide behaves.Although Tadomasa praised Oda Nobuhide for his bravery and fortitude, his attempts to change everything by force went too far.Perhaps Oda's behavior can also be understood as an extreme hatred of the rich and nobles. Xinxiu employs eclectic people, farmers, citizens, and ronin, all became forces in his hands under his ingenious instigation.He is eager to seize the world by force, hates all old things, sits on the throne made of the bones of the nobles of the past, and becomes the new overlord.Nobukaki couldn't understand Oda Nobuhide's behavior.The strong in the past must have worn a moral mask and did the same thing.These disguises can often prevent accidents from happening, but Xinxiu even throws away these masks.For his own sake, he instigated the people and unscrupulously made them sacrifice their lives for him.Bewildered by his brute force, Nobumoto is eager to sign a covenant with Oda.But now, after hearing what Xin Jin said during the day, will he change his mind at Xiong Mansion tonight? "I can't argue with my brother again this time. We must calmly persuade him." Xinjin thought this way, came to the moat, and softly asked the samurai who guarded the gate to open the door.He looked up at the night sky again, filled with emotion.

After leaving the city, the wind gently brushed his face.Is the same wind blowing at Okazaki Castle, caressing the cool night there?The shadow of his birth mother suddenly appeared in Xinjin's mind.At the beginning, Xin Jin went to Okazaki Castle to attend Yu Da's wedding instead of his father. The mother and son who hadn't seen each other for ten years hugged each other and wept.This kind of situation made him faintly realize the vicissitudes of life. The three of them could have shared family happiness together, but why do people always use inexplicable reasons to build a high wall to separate them?Why can't mother and son get together happily?Since then, doubts about the impermanence of the world have sprouted in Nobujin's heart.

It is understandable to protect the territory from being violated, but to ruthlessly kill the weak in order to expand the territory makes him disgusted and desolate.They forget that no matter how many people the fierce general kills, he will eventually grow old and become bones like the weak.In the face of life and death, everyone is the same, it brings solemn joy to people, and also inflicts cruel punishment on people.Can people realize this? Xinjin unknowingly left the dark woods of Jintai Temple and walked along the field path to Xiong's mansion.The rice has already formed ears, and the sound of frogs is all around.Xinjin once again told himself not to argue with Xinyuan, but to calmly tell his brother his perception of life and the sorrows of the world, and persuade him not to join this stupid war.

The ditches of the Xiong Mansion are illuminated by the lights, catching people's eyes.An earthen wall stood quietly in the darkness, and on the opposite side, the warehouse was hidden among the trees, like a strange rock.Xinjin carefully took out the turban from his arms.The weather is no longer so hot, and the sweat on my body has dried up.He put on his turban, quickened his pace, and hurried along the willow shade beside the earthen wall to the back door of the bear mansion that smelled musty. As previously agreed, the suspension bridge was slowly lowered under the traction of a thick hemp rope.The musty smell seemed to be coming from there.The frog was startled, and jumped into the water with a splash, causing ripples on the quiet water.

Xinjin carefully looked around and stepped onto the suspension bridge.He knew that there was a girl named Yu Guo in Xiong's mansion.When the old master of the family died, he decided to let the girl serve the gods for life.Xinjin has heard rumors about her, saying that she is as beautiful as a gourd flower raised in a deep house.He still doesn't know that this girl has been brutally possessed by his brother Xinyuan and has become a prisoner of crazy love.At that time, it was unthinkable for the lord of a city to have an affair with a woman outside the city. After crossing the bridge, Xinjin found a small door according to his brother's instructions, and knocked lightly three times, twice each time.The little door creaked open. "A Teng..." With a low call, a scent of orchid musk came to his nostrils.

Xinjin was not surprised when he heard the woman's call.Although there was no light around, he could feel that she was not a maid or a humble maid.Xin Jin vaguely saw her fair face and slender figure, exuding a beautiful temperament, and couldn't help being surprised: Could it be that she is Miss Yu Guo from the mansion... Since Xinyuan can call this woman who serves the gods back and forth, one can imagine his methods.Xinyuan once said that he had controlled Xiong Ruoguan, but now it seems that it was not just words, but really subdued Hataro. The woman closed the door softly behind the letter.She leaned over again, grabbed Nobuki's hand, brought it from the cuff to her chest, and continued walking.

"Is it Miss Yu Guo?" The woman hugged Nobuchi's waist from one side, her soft arms made Nobuchi almost dizzy.His fingers touched the woman's elastic breasts. "Hmm..." Yu Guo replied as he walked, "I've been waiting for you for a long time..." Her following words turned into shortness of breath.But these intermittent words made Xinjin even more confused.It was originally heard that Yu Guo devoted himself to serving the gods and had no knowledge of the world.Could it be that there are etiquettes here that are different from the world, and this practice is also unique?A seductiveness different from sensuality, a heartbeat different from seductiveness, stirring Xinjin's blood.

Passing through two firewood gates, I saw an unlit lantern and a few stones.There are a few places on the side of the corridor that are faintly lit. If it weren't for the sound of the water pipe, he would have thought that there were flowers blooming. "Give me the knife." Yu Guo said.When she said this, she still didn't let go of Xinjin's hand, she stuck her whole body on him, and buried her black hair into his arms. Xinjin touched the knife.According to the custom at this time, when you go to a woman's room, you should untie the knife and give it to the other party.However, when going to someone's house for the first time, it has become a habit to be puzzled.Okazaki retainers even carry knives when going to the toilet. "In this troubled world, we must be careful everywhere." They took such an approach as a routine with aplomb. If it weren't for his youth and vigor, Xinjin might not have handed over the sword to Yu Guo.But Yu Guo's intimate actions made him lose his mind.After Yu Guo let go of his hand, Xinjin handed the knife to her.Yu Guo happily walked towards the eaves of the corridor with the knife in his hand. Suddenly - a long spear pierced from behind the stone at the exit of the water pipe, without a sound. "Ah!" Xinjin groaned, and then whispered, "Miss Yu Guo... Yu Guo..." There are only subtle sounds from the cloverleaf and bamboo bushes. Xinjin tightly grasped the point of the gun that stabbed his thigh, and shouted: "Miss Yu Guo, the knife..." Yu Guo was a little surprised. "Knife?" Only then did she notice a slight tremor in the beard twigs opposite the washbasin.Both the attacker and the victim were so calm.She hurried back, handed the knife to Xinjin, and asked in a trembling voice, "Is there an assassin?" Xinjin didn't answer, he took the knife.At this time, two black shadows ran over from the sink.Xinjin drew his sword and slashed at a black shadow, but missed, only the sound of roaring was heard.The other shadow took a sharp step back and took a stance. Yu Guo didn't see anything, she just felt a murderous look in the air, and she trembled with fear. "There are assassins!" She wanted to shout, but she couldn't. "Wrong." Nobujin said in a low voice with his face covered, "I am Nobumoto Shimono—" He remembered Xinyuan's words and said his brother's name.Xinjin recognized each other's appearance in the dark. They didn't seem to be wearing night clothes, but Su Fangran, who was often worn by ninjas.As long as it moves a little, it will immediately disappear into the darkness. "They didn't retreat, it seems that they didn't recognize the wrong person." The other party was still standing there, motionless.Their target is brother.Who are they?Xinjin was secretly surprised and disgusted again. One of them was holding a long sword, while the other's sword was snatched by Nobukaki, so he took out a short sword and set up a posture.If it wasn't for being stabbed in the leg, Shinjin would have slashed at him furiously.Although there was not much bleeding, the wound was getting more and more painful. The man holding the long knife held his breath and tiptoed over.At this moment, there was a sound from the eaves behind him, and the figure of another person whizzed past. "Dangerous! Someone—" Yu Guo screamed.She felt something like a black silk thread fall on her head.The water falling from the eaves splashed onto the stone slabs where the shoes were placed. Xinjin saw the figure clearly, picked up the long knife and quickly slashed at it.Blood spattered, as if he had been severely slashed, but no moan was heard.The long knife swayed slightly, Xin Jin turned to the left, and swung the knife to the right.Almost at the same time, another black cat-like figure rushed towards Xinjin. "Ah!" The miserable scream was not like a human voice, but like the mournful cry of some kind of animal before it died. There were scattered footsteps in the mansion, and people rushed over with lanterns.Yu Guo only saw the first brother Hataro who ran over, and then lost consciousness. "What happened?" "Shimono Morimoto-sama... was killed." "What? Lord Shimono..." Yu Guo vaguely heard these voices in a coma. "Save him quickly, it's Mr. Xinyuan!" Another injured person was carried away, but Yu Guo was still in a semi-comatose state. When she woke up, she found herself lying quietly in the corridor, beside a man with a bandage on his leg, and the silvery moonlight shone on him.Yu Guo rushed over. "A Teng. Mr. Xinyuan..." She put her ears on his chest and her lips on his neck.She has forgotten the shame and just wants to know if her beloved is still alive.He still had a heartbeat and could feel his weak breathing, but he lay there motionless. "A Teng... Mr. Xinyuan." Yu Guo was a little dazed.What happened tonight was too unexpected for her.She lamented that if Xinyuan died like this, she would never live alone. "A Teng, you can't die. If you die, I...me too..." Yu Guo began to check the bandaged wound.A gunshot wound is different from a knife wound, and will not bleed so much, but the white flesh of the wound is turned outward, and the blood stains the surrounding skin red.She may have thought that the injured person had lost consciousness, and suddenly licked the blood with her mouth, trying to clean the other person's wound with her tongue. Seeing this woman behave so out of control, Xinjin finally understood that this is not an ordinary relationship. "This woman likes her brother..." Xinjin had a huge doubt in his heart.It's fine if Yu Guo made a mistake, even Hataro also regarded him as Xinyuan, which is really puzzling.He was attacked by two ninjas just now, and he expected that when someone attacked him head-on, there would be others sneaking up on him from the eaves, so he lay on his back on the ground and stabbed the opponent's chest with a knife from below, before the ninjas even had time to groan , then died.At that time, he deliberately made a noise, pretending to be stabbed by the opponent, and tricked the other ninja into withdrawing the sword.But he didn't understand, why didn't his elder brother who was supposed to arrive before him hear the mournful cry? "Could it be that my brother didn't come at all..." Xinjin began to suspect. "My brother lied to me..." At this time, Yu Guo hugged Xinjin's head and kissed his face frantically. "A Teng...you can't die! You can't die before me!" Yu Guo became more and more bold and crazy.She hugged Xinjin and kissed frantically.The moonlight became dim, no longer shining on Nobuki's body.I really don't know if this is a farce or a tragedy.If it was normal, the young Xinjin would have lost control.But today, the pain in his heart far exceeds the meaning of men and women.If Portaro knew what his brother was thinking, it would be impossible for him to let Nobuki pretend to be, but he also regarded Nobuki as Nobumoto.This is enough to prove: my brother didn't come at all! In the old days, Xinjin would have been furious.But today, he felt a chill, like a knife cutting across his skin.Is it because of his life insights along the way that made him feel that love and hatred are meaningless, or that the ninja who died before he could utter a mournful cry just now made him feel the impermanence of life?Everything was instigated by his brother-he was completely hopeless. Once the elder brother made up his mind, he would not let anyone go.However, it was too cruel for him to take advantage of the woman who loved him deeply. At some point, Yu Guo lifted the hood over Xinjin's face.She wanted her life to be one with the man she loved so much, to hold him tight and cry.What will happen when Yu Guo finds out that the person in front of him is not Xinyuan?Xin Jin suddenly felt that something was wrong, but he didn't know how to comfort Yu Guo when he was young.He reached for the hood that had been removed, trying to cover himself again.He didn't want to protect himself through this move, but to prevent the other party from being hurt. "Ah..." Yu Guo exclaimed, and then hugged him again.This woman may have known from the very beginning that Shinjin was not dead. "Wake up...you're awake." She seemed to be waiting for this moment, and she buried her head in Xinjin's arms with tears all over her face.Nobukichi quickly covered his face with one hand.Must get out of here ASAP!A decision had to be made, whether to go back and fight Xinyuan, or just go away and disappear from his brother's world? The moonlight was getting dimmer, and there was no light around.If he left with his face covered like this, perhaps the other party would not realize that he had identified the wrong person. "Miss Yu Guo." "Ok." "I kid you not." "Ok……" "I'm not Fujigo, I'm Fujiku, Nobuki." "what?" "Let go of me. I was plotted by my brother. I didn't know anything, so... I came here according to what my brother said. My brother planned everything." Yu Guo still hugged Xinjin tightly, but his body began to tremble violently.She didn't let go of Xinjin for a long time.At first, she thought Xin Yuan was joking.Xinjin was at a loss for what to do about this, so he could only say: "Miss Yu Guo... let me go. You have admitted the wrong person. But... I will never forget how you took care of me tonight." The sound is indeed like a cell, but it sounds younger than a cell.Moreover, Xinyuan has always called Guo by his first name rudely, and will not add the word "Miss".Yu Guo felt that his blood stopped flowing and turned to ice, and the flames of humiliation spread all over his body.She thought that the other party was the man who shared the bed with her, and she had been flirting with him since the moment she entered the door...but now she knew that she had admitted the wrong person.Things are getting out of hand. Yu Guo was stunned.She still hugged Xinjin, but almost stopped breathing, unable to find a suitable way out.She felt sorry for Xin Yuan more than she felt ashamed.Will Shin-won forgive himself for his indiscretion?At this moment she suddenly thought of death. She made up her mind and just let go of Xinjin.She has no time to care about Xinjin being deceived by Xinyuan and Xinyuan's cruelty to her. Seeing Yu Guo let go of his hand, Xin Jin breathed a sigh of relief.He hurriedly tried to sit up when he suddenly remembered that his leg was hurt.He frowned, gritted his teeth and stood up.Although the injury was not serious, the pain in my heart was far deeper than the injuries I had received on the battlefield before, and the pain pierced my bones. Feeling ashamed of dragging a lame leg, he limped toward the moonlight, preparing to walk out of the damp hallway.At this time, he heard someone open the partition. "Young Master Xinjin." "Who?" "This is the master here..." "Mr. Hataro?" Hataro didn't answer his question, but said calmly, "Dangerous." "What danger? Could there be an ambush?" "No. Mr. Xinjin, it's dangerous for you to go on like this. This matter is outrageous." "What did you say?" "Your brother is really a cruel and ruthless person." Potaro said emphatically, "The best way is to use his tricks. Fortunately, there is still a corpse. It is said that Mizuno Fujikurō Nobujin insulted the status of a samurai and died in the maid's room of Kumai What do you think? If not, your life will still be in danger..." Xinjin stepped down the corridor with one foot, and the other foot was still in the corridor, looking up at the moon in the sky. Yu Guo curled up in a dark corner, motionless. The moonlight is getting brighter and brighter.Shinji stood there motionless.He was tricked by his own brother.To kill, or to be killed, a burst of disgust welled up in my heart.The silver moonlight shone on him, making him look even more desolate.A decision must be made at this moment as to where to go from here on. "You are good at dealing with ninjas." Portaro remained calm. "This kind of ability may be enough to deal with Brother Ling, but listen to me, the murderer will always be killed. 'Ego' is just a bubble of human beings who are obsessed with themselves." Xinjin remained silent. looking at the moon in the sky.He felt alone and seemed to melt into the cold moonlight. "What do you think? It's better to fulfill his wish, and Fujikuro Nobukami will disappear from the world." "You want that ninja to replace me?" "Shimono Mori-sama will think that his plan has succeeded." "Oh." "Killed Mr. Xinyuan, and at the same time let Yu Guo bear the name of infidelity... Maybe he would also say that it was not Xinyuan who had secretly communicated with Yu Guo, but Xinyuan..." "You mean, he would spread such rumors?" "I venture to think so." Bo Taro lowered his voice and continued: "If Mr. Xinjin agrees to 'die' here, I will let Yu Guo go to 'die' with you." "Miss Yu Guo also—" "Yes." Hataro changed his tone, and said tactfully, "I have a friend in Izumo country. He is a blacksmith at a small shrine in Kitsuki Taisha, Fuchuan County. Although his status is humble, he is a confidant. His surname is Komura. , called Saburo Zuo..." Xinjin listened to him quietly, without saying a word.Hataro seems to want Yu Guo to use it as a shelter.He knew that Bo Taro wanted to tell him that if there was no place to hide, he could temporarily shelter there with Yu Guo. But he didn't answer, and went out into the yard.The chirping of insects pierced the silence of the night. "Thank you. After hearing this, I have made up my mind." "Decided to go—" "Let's make this plan for now." "Take care." Xinjin walked away.The buzzing of insects stopped for a while, and then it started again.The barking of the watchdog came from the back door, indicating that Xinjin had safely arrived at the small door. There was the creaking sound of the suspension bridge outside the city gate. "Yu Guo." Bo Taro said to Yu Guo in the dark corner, "Don't be sad. You just saw the hearts of the world. Poor...humble...people's hearts. Well, there is nothing to be sad about." The moonlight is getting colder and brighter, and the leaves of the sage branches are covered with dewdrops.When the suspension bridge was hoisted again, there was no other sound except the buzzing of insects.