Swallow Return

Her reaction was a bit strange. She seemed to no longer care about the ancestral property of the twenty plots of land, but she was filled with gratitude and admiration for Liu Yun. She said several times that she "didn't know how to repay his kindness."

This doesn't make sense logically.

If one is particularly attached to ancestral property, then it is understandable that one would be extremely grateful to one's brother-in-law for helping to return the precious item intact.

If you didn't care about it in the first place, and you just got back something that was dispensable, why get so worked up?

However, Ryuun gradually got used to his sister-in-law's affected and exaggerated acting, and Iori was already exhausted and stopped paying attention to her, letting Sara perform to her heart's content.

……

After a while, the group arrived at the place where the Twenty-Fan Famous Fields were located, riding in an oxcart.

The area of ​​20,000 square meters is located on the banks of a tributary of the Dianchuan River. It is a narrow strip of land, about 40 meters wide and 500 meters long. It appears to have abundant water resources and the soil fertility should be quite good.

It's almost Chinese New Year now, and the rice has been harvested long ago, leaving the fields as bare, shallow puddles.

It should have been empty.

but--

From a distance, Liu Yun could see two burly men who didn't look like farmers, each holding a bag and scattering something in the field.

Their behavior is highly suspicious.

When the two men saw the oxcart approaching, they quickly scattered their saddlebags and ran away, clearly feeling guilty.

Liu Yun hadn't really cared about this real estate, but now he couldn't let it go so easily. With a thought, he sprouted wings and flapped them out, capturing the two suspicious people.

Sara's eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had seen a god descend to earth. Her face was filled with both admiration and astonishment. She instinctively grabbed Iori's arm and said in a trembling voice, "Brother, you... you can actually fly?!"

Iori lowered her head and sighed, seemingly lost in thought.

Liu Yun captured two suspicious men, but before he could even interrogate them, he merely glared at them and intimidated them. The two men immediately began to cry and confess: "An unknown person hired me to scatter cursed salt grains on this field... I was only tempted by the money, sir, spare my life! Spare my life! I have an eighty-year-old mother to support and a three-year-old child to raise..."

Regardless of what they said, Liu Yun grabbed the two cloth bags and saw that they were indeed filled with coarse salt.

Moreover, it does seem to contain some kind of eerie demonic aura.

Chapter 139 The Enemy of the Hanakain Family

In the scientifically-minded world where Liu Yun lived in his previous life, sprinkling salt on fields was just a joke; it wouldn't actually cause any damage. After all, the small amount of sodium chloride you could sprinkle was negligible compared to the vast expanse of soil—the dosage was far too low.

But now we live in a world where supernatural forces exist, and it's hard to say what the effect of sprinkling cursed coarse salt into a field would be.

Regardless of whether it was useful or not, the hatred behind such a heinous act must be extraordinary.

Liu Yun immediately turned to Shara beside him and asked, "Has the Kakaiin family made any enemies recently?"

Sara looked blank, and after a moment of recollection, she still shook her head: "Apart from the real estate lawsuit with the Baihe family two years ago, I can't think of anything else."

Liu Yun frowned and pondered for a moment, feeling that the answer was ambiguous, and shook his head without comment.

Upon hearing this, Iori was immediately thrown into disarray. After hesitating for a moment, she stammered softly, "Speaking of grudges, perhaps we have to consider the Kuroi family..."

Liu Yun quickly pressed further, "What grudge do you have against the Kuroi family?"

Iori appeared preoccupied and sorrowful, lamenting, "It concerns my late father... Back then, my grandfather forced my father to marry a young lady from the Kuroi family as his principal wife, but... but my father was very cold towards that principal wife, ignoring her completely, and spending all his time with my birth mother. Later, my father and mother met with misfortune, and that lady moved back to the Kuroi family. The resentful look in her eyes when she left... was terrifying."

At this point, Sharo nodded hurriedly, pretending to be sympathetic, but it was clearly not very sincere.

It seems my sister-in-law doesn't remember that incident very well.

Liu Yun casually asked a couple of questions about the past, but had no intention of becoming a famous detective.

It's much more satisfying to use superpowers than to think carefully and search patiently.

Liu Yun pulled the two people who were scattering salt in the field in front of him, reached out his hands, grabbed their heads, and activated the "bewitching power" within his body.

A red light flashed, and the two people were instantly controlled, turning them into lifeless, zombie-like figures.

Iori and the servants were not surprised as they already knew about this, but Sara was shocked again, covering her mouth with an incredulous expression.

Liu Yun then withdrew his hands and asked, "Who are you people? Who sent you? The one on the left, speak first!"

The tall, thin man on the left mumbled, "I've been making a living in Settsu, Kansai since I was a child, for many years now. Last year, I was targeted by the daimyo's henchmen, and my former boss died, so I sneaked into Kyoto to try my luck. I just received this job at the tavern this morning. The person who paid me was a veiled woman, whose voice sounded like she came from a wealthy family... I've already paid half the deposit. I don't recognize the person next to me; the employer insisted on having both of us together so they could keep an eye on each other... I don't know anything else."

The short, short-haired woman on the right continued, “I used to work on Mount Hiei, but then something happened and I was kicked off the mountain, so I lost my livelihood, which at least saved me from being burned to death. Now I can only do odd jobs, I’ve done all sorts of things. This time I’m spreading cursed salt in the fields, which is a despicable thing, but the pay is two hundred mon, enough to last a month. The employer is wearing a veil, but she’s probably a woman in her thirties from a wealthy family. I used to serve the women of temples, so I have experience.”

Based on the testimonies of these two individuals, the most noteworthy point is that—just this morning, the court proposed a retrial of the real estate lawsuit from two years ago, and the mastermind behind it immediately received the news and sent people to cause trouble before the Hanakain family could reclaim the land. This indicates that the other party must have been closely monitoring the Hanakain family.

Liu Yun nodded, ordered the two to be tied up, and then said to Yi Zhi, "It seems that the lady of the Kuroi family is somewhat suspicious."

Without expecting a reply, they ordered a return trip.

They remained silent the entire way.

Upon returning to their residence in Ichijoji Terauchi, before even settling down, Ryuun immediately asked Sara, "In recent years, besides being swindled out of their ancestral property, has the Kakaiin family encountered any other troubles?"

Unlike the previous calm and undisturbed atmosphere, Liu Yun's expression was somewhat solemn at this moment.

This subtle hint of seriousness, subtly conveyed in her words, sent a chill down Sharo's spine—a genuine chill, not a feigned weakness.

She hesitated to speak for a moment, carefully recalling and thinking for a long time before saying in a somewhat uncertain tone, "Before my grandfather passed away, he seemed to have encountered several entanglements with the court or with money... Recently, when we were selling our old property, we were also cheated by unscrupulous merchants... There were also ominous events such as thieves visiting our mansion..."

In short, I talked about ten trivial things, in fits and starts, but in short, my luck was extremely bad.

For a time, it was impossible to know how much of it was genuine bad luck on their part, and how much was a result of being framed by a mastermind behind the scenes.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Yun said nothing, told Yi Zhi and Sha Luo not to move around easily, and then took the two criminals he had just caught and left.

Sharo sat obediently in the house, watching Liuyun's figure disappear into the entrance hall for a long time without saying a word, lost in a strange daze. After a long while, she finally broke free and immediately grabbed Iori's arm, asking impatiently, "Did my sworn brother just use a secret technique to control people's minds? Does such a mysterious thing really exist in the world?"

Iori glanced at him and said meaningfully, "Lord Ryuun does indeed possess various extraordinary abilities and secret techniques. Ordinary people's selfish thoughts and desires cannot escape his discerning eyes. Therefore, not a single person among the people and servants in the territory dares to have the slightest intention to deceive him."

Upon hearing this, Sharo's eyes flashed with fear and trepidation, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a radiant smile and a delicate, swaying demeanor. Then, as if she had thought of something exciting, her face inexplicably flushed.

……

After thoroughly interrogating the two hired troublemakers, Liu Yun handed them over to the Oda family's "Kyoto Magistrate" for imprisonment.

They'll probably be forced into hard labor to atone for their sins, but that does solve the employment problem for these two idlers, which is a small contribution to the employment rate.

Then Liu Yun immediately contacted the Oda family's connections and his own arrangements, trying his best to gather intelligence.

It is now almost certain that the Hanakain family was framed due to some grudges and feuds.

Compared to the open and covert power struggles among the powerful figures of the Warring States period, these schemes, in terms of both scale and methods, were rather petty and unsavory, amounting at most to the squabbles among small and medium-sized landowners. It can only be said that the aristocratic class had been powerless for far too long, and had severely degenerated in all aspects.

However, even if it's just a power struggle within the household, it's still very unpleasant and impossible to ignore.

As a relative by marriage, Liu Yun felt that he should bear certain responsibilities towards the Huakaiyuan family.

He wasn't interested in actually engaging in any "domestic power struggles," but rather planned to use his influence and power to launch an asymmetrical, devastating attack on his insignificant rivals behind the scenes, without spending too much time on it.

Of course, if any noteworthy enemies are discovered later, it would be perfectly acceptable to deal with them as well.

Chapter 140 Liu Yun's Night Visit to the Nunnery

Kōtokuzan Jishu-in, which belongs to Tsūgen-ji Temple in Kyoto, is also known as "Hakuun Gosho". It is one of the few temples in Japan that is specifically set up for female monks, namely bhikkhunis, and it is also one of the most well-known among them.

This place was originally built by the wife of the fourth shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, and by the first year of Tensho, it had a history of 150 years.

Historically, the abbesses of Cishou Temple on Guangde Mountain have all been noblewomen from the imperial family, the Five Regents, or the Ashikaga clan. Therefore, their status is extremely high. Ordinary women have no way to enter the temple. Only ladies from noble families are qualified to shave their heads and practice.

Although it is called shaving the head, unlike the baldness of ordinary monks, female nuns usually only need to cut their heads to shoulder length, and at most wear a headscarf, without having to say goodbye to their beautiful hair forever—it is unknown where this rule came from.

Although the temple owns almost nothing and has little secular power, the nuns probably don't care about that. According to insiders, the temple relies solely on daily offerings to ensure the basic needs of everyone, from top to bottom, are met.

The location is roughly one and a half kilometers north of Nijo Castle and Ōuchi-zato.

Although it is no longer in the core area of ​​Shangjing Ward, it is still on the edge of the bustling city. There are always people passing by the sparsely populated area at the entrance, and few stop.

It occupies an area of ​​approximately 50 meters wide and 70 meters deep.

It is said that this temple was home to twenty or thirty noblewomen, and considering the necessary servants and guards, the overcrowding inside is naturally imaginable. Standing outside the walls, one can vaguely hear the sounds of people sweeping, washing clothes, and chatting inside.

To protect the reputation of high-ranking officials and dignitaries, the Cishou Temple on Guangde Mountain is never open to the public and does not receive any pilgrims; it is under closed management.

The gates are closed except for a few events each year.

Occasionally, some servants would come out from the side or back gates to make purchases or run errands.

In short, it can be described as a secluded paradise where "great seclusion is found in the city".

Mrs. Kuroi, who kept causing trouble for the Hanakain family, is said to be a nun who has been practicing asceticism here for ten years.

Based on clues from various sources, Liu Yun found this place in a very short time.

Then he was in a dilemma, tossing and turning outside the door, quite hesitant.

It's not that I'm worried about not being able to offend the powerful backers of this temple.

The nobles, monks, and priests of Kyoto, though all of noble birth, are all past their prime. Their martial arts, magic, and Yin-Yang skills have long since fallen into disuse. Now, they barely maintain their presence by virtue of their ancestors' legacy; otherwise, the samurai would not be in charge. The imperial court can control no more than a thousand troops at most, which can be completely ignored.

The problem is that it's hard to save face.

In a courtyard that is only a few dozen meters in diameter, so many noblewomen who have become nuns live there and have never received outsiders, if a man were to force his way in, it would definitely cause chaos. No matter how powerful he is, it would be difficult for him not to make any noise.

If this causes a commotion and gets out, people will say that the samurai of Omi, Sasaki Ryūun, brazenly broke into a nunnery in Kyoto...

Wouldn't that make it difficult to explain?

Being considered a womanizer with questionable morals is one thing.

What if people think I went to the nunnery to commit violence because of my unique tastes and unusual interests, such as liking older women? Wouldn't I become a laughingstock?

With various concerns, Liu Yun decided to proceed cautiously and not act rashly, and to observe for a while.

When I found the "Guangdeshan Cishou Temple", it was already close to evening. I concealed myself and quietly circled around it twice, observing it briefly, before the sun had set.

During this time, there was indeed no movement at the main gate of the temple. Two old women who looked like servants walked around the back gate carrying bundles. At the side gate, a man wearing a blue shirt and a black belt was led in, and left in a hurry a quarter of an hour later. He was probably hired to do something for the temple.

It just so happens that Liu Yun was also wearing a blue shirt and a black belt today, so she had a vague impression of the passerby's attire.

Based on this frequency, the number of servants going out to purchase goods at Guangdeshan Cishou Temple each day is no more than twenty, and the number of visitors is no more than ten, so it's really not easy to sneak in.

Moreover, after calming down and carefully sensing the situation, Liu Yun gradually felt that there seemed to be a powerful master performing a ritual inside the temple, faintly revealing a subtle but undeniable aura.

This makes it even more important not to act rashly.

That formidable expert shouldn't include Mrs. Kuroi, who has a grudge against the Hanakain family—otherwise, why would she keep resorting to underhanded tricks? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to just draw her sword and kill someone directly? But perhaps there is some connection between them.

Liu Yun stood at the side entrance of Cishou Temple on Guangde Mountain for a while, thinking it over. He decided it was not advisable to act impulsively and that he should think of another way.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, an old woman dressed in plain clothes suddenly came out from the side door carrying a lamp. She looked around and, seeing that there were no onlookers, walked closer and gave a meaningful look with a smile, as if she was hinting at something.

However, Liu Yun was completely baffled by what the other person meant.