Swallow Return

There was something strange about the idea of ​​going on an adventure with Oda Nobunaga's wife. If something went wrong, the consequences could be extremely serious!

He immediately came up with another excuse: "You see, Madam Ningning has suffered such a great blow and needs your comfort, so it is inconvenient for you to go out at the moment."

Lady Guidie nodded upon hearing this, her attitude softening slightly, but she immediately shook her head and argued, "The Nagaoka region is only half a day's journey from here. I can go and come back quickly, it won't take much time. Although Ningning has encountered unimaginable things, her mind has always been as firm as a rock, she won't be short-sighted because of this."

At this moment, Ningning, who had been silent all along, took two steps closer and gave a forced smile: "You two don't need to worry. I just need a few days to recover."

Lady Guidie immediately agreed, "It's just a trip to Nagaoka. I'll be back in two days at most."

Seeing that this reason wouldn't work, Liu Yun had no choice but to tell the truth: "That so-called 'One-Eyed Lord' seems to be quite capable. I'm going there most likely to fight him. If Lady Guidie gets caught up in the war and is unfortunately injured, I can't bear the consequences."

This is his true thought.

Don't tell me that he is of very high status; a son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof.

Even an ordinary person doesn't need to take on this unnecessary risk.

Unexpectedly, Lady Guidie was displeased upon hearing this and angrily retorted, "Lord Liuyun, what makes you say such a thing? Do you think I am a weak and feeble woman who cannot even kill a chicken, and that I would be a burden to you if I went with you?"

Liu Yun smiled without saying a word.

Although the meanings are slightly different, it's not wrong for the other party to understand it this way.

Unexpectedly, Lady Guidie was now determined to take things seriously and said very solemnly, "Since childhood, I have been learning various combat skills from my late father and have practiced diligently for decades. Although I dare not say that I am comparable to Lord Liuyun, the 'Number One Warrior in the World,' I do not think I will be a burden."

Liu Yun then realized that his words might have hurt the pride of the "domineering female CEO".

That was a huge miscalculation.

But once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back, and for a moment, I didn't know how to make amends.

Lady Guidie gripped the hilt of her sword, staring intently at him. She said solemnly, "Lord Liuyun, why not have a match with me before drawing any conclusions?"

Liu Yun tried to concede: "How about we just consider it an unintentional mistake? There's no need to be so insistent."

Lady Guidie remained silent for a moment, but still did not give up. She came up with an alternative solution: "How about this? If Lord Liuyun insists on not traveling with me... then why don't we each go to Changgang separately and see who can solve the problem of this 'One-Eyed Lord'? Consider it a competition."

Liu Yun was utterly helpless. He sighed, "It would be better if we went together... Fine, fine, I agree to go with you, Madam."

Lady Guidie then smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your understanding..."

“But there’s a condition,” Liu Yun suddenly interjected.

Lady Guidie looked somewhat unconvinced, but at this moment she took a step back and bowed her head to indicate that she accepted the conditions: "Please speak."

Liu Yun pondered for a moment before speaking directly: "The condition is... Madam, could you please change how you refer to yourself in the future? At least in front of me, please don't use the word 'this old woman' anymore. I can't see anything about you that makes you 'old,' and it always feels very awkward to me."

Upon hearing this, Lady Guidie stood there stunned for a long time, blinked, and showed a very complicated expression on her face. After a long while, she nodded and smiled and said, "Alright, from now on, I will change the way I refer to myself in front of Lord Liuyun."

At this moment, Ningning, who was standing next to her, seemed to have temporarily forgotten her own worries. She looked up at the flowing clouds and then at the returning butterflies, a subtle emotion rising in her eyes.

Chapter 152: The Question of Lady Guidie's Self-Reference

The "ruins of Kaiinji Temple" mentioned by "Mr. Enuma" are located in Nagaoka-go, Otsukun-gun, Yamashiro Province, about 15 kilometers southwest of Kyoto.

Neither Liuyun nor Lady Guidie were slow-paced people, so they immediately set off, riding at full speed, and traveled for only half an hour.

This place briefly served as the capital of Fusang seven hundred years ago, but now it is completely rural, with no trace of its former urban past. There are not even any historical sites left, as the relevant structures were completely demolished when the capital was moved to make way for the construction of the new capital, Heian-kyo.

Now there are only five small villages scattered around, with a total of just over three hundred households. The former palaces, official residences, courtyards, and streets have all been turned into rice paddies.

Located in the central latitude and longitude of Japan, the Nagaoka region enjoys a mild climate with four distinct seasons, avoiding extreme temperatures. Its flat terrain facilitates cultivation, and it is surrounded by the Koizumi and Obata rivers, providing abundant water resources, making it a highly productive and suitable region for agriculture.

Looking around, the fields were flat and the houses were intact, suggesting that the area had not been greatly disturbed by war.

Occasionally, people would walk by, and their faces generally did not show obvious signs of hunger; their clothes, though old, had few patches.

Liu Yun couldn't help but sigh, "The lord here can be called a wise and capable person!"

Lady Kicho dismissed this, saying, "As far as I know, this place was originally the territory of the court noble Takatsukasa family, and later it was granted by the Ashikaga family to a branch of the Hosokawa clan. Whether it was the former or the latter, they were both weak lords with noble lineage but no ability to govern their subordinates. They were helpless against the 'Sōmura' organization formed by the common people. How can they be considered capable?"

"I see." Liu Yun suddenly understood and continued, "It is precisely because the lord is weak that the 'Sōmura' organizations formed by the people have a high degree of autonomy, which can prevent them from being overly exploited. That's why the villagers seem to be doing well, at least to the point of being able to eat and be fed."

After saying this, he received a surprised and curious look from Lady Guidie.

Liu Yun asked, puzzled, "Is there anything wrong with what you said?"

Lady Guidie shook her head: "There is nothing wrong with it. It's just that I have never seen any warrior who, when arriving in a strange place, would first pay attention to the people's food and clothing, rather than matters related to military equipment, as you do."

Liu Yun was speechless for a moment, then said with a hint of self-deprecation, "It's probably because I only became a samurai last year; before that, I was just a monk."

Lady Guidie smiled enigmatically, but still shook her head in denial: "No! When a monk arrives in a new place, his primary concern is what religion the local people follow and whether they are devout believers. Then he sees if there is an opportunity for him to spread his faith."

Liu Yun sighed, "It seems I was never a qualified monk either."

Lady Guidie suddenly became quite interested. She looked up, paced back and forth for a while, and then said, "As far as I know, the people who care most about the people's food and clothing are the disciples of the Ikko-shu sect. However, when they see fields lying fallow and people's grievances growing, they are overjoyed because it is easy to incite a rebellion; conversely, when they see abundant land and people living in peace and happiness, they are greatly disappointed because it is difficult to profit from it."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun sighed, "The people of Fusang truly suffer many calamities."

Upon hearing this, Lady Guidie laughed again, saying sarcastically, "Could it be that Lord Liuyun, based on what he just witnessed, has suddenly developed the ambition to quell the chaos, restore order to the world, and bring happiness to all people?"

Liu Yun ignored the other party's sarcasm and replied in a sullen tone, "There are two lines of poetry in Tang Dynasty that are not widely circulated in Japan. The gist of it is that no matter whether a country is strong or weak, the people are equally suffering."

Lady Guidie pondered upon hearing this: "Why would someone say that?"

Liu Yun sighed softly, his tone slightly desolate: "Just look at the current situation in Fusang and you'll understand. Powerful daimyo can guarantee safety, but they demand high annual tributes and labor. Conversely, weak lords who are unable to exploit their people have no power to protect their territories and can only watch as their people are plundered by foreign enemies or harassed by monsters."

“I see…” Lady Guidie said thoughtfully, “In my life, I have seen countless so-called ‘heroes and virtuous monks,’ but I have never heard of such a principle before.”

Liu Yun shook his head and smiled, putting these heavy emotions behind him, and changed the subject, saying, "Madam, the promises you made before you came have already been broken several times in a row."

"My promise?" Lady Guidie was taken aback.

When she realized that it was about "no longer using 'this old woman' as a self-reference," she found that she had unconsciously violated the rule again.

The domineering female CEO's aura instantly crumbled, leaving her somewhat embarrassed and flustered. She coughed a few times in a mock manner, then said calmly, "This concubine... this concubine was momentarily negligent. I'm so sorry, that was definitely the last time."

It is a cause for celebration that this still charming lady in her thirties has finally stopped using the rather incongruous term "this old woman."

Liu Yun felt a little relieved, but at the same time felt another sense of unease.

Upon closer examination, the self-reference "妾身" (qièshēn) seems to be a humble and respectful term used exclusively by upper-class women, carrying an elegant and classical connotation, while also implying a sense of weakness and willingness to be subordinate.

Therefore, Iori is a good fit, Sara is barely suitable, and Nene, a noblewoman of humble origins but who has reached a high position, is also a good choice.

However, for the domineering female CEO, Madam Guidie...

Hmm... It's like a scene of Mulan and Mu Guiying taking off their battle robes, putting on dresses and hairpins, and embroidering in their boudoirs.

However, Liu Yun only thought about it briefly and had no intention of saying it aloud.

I've already given her a reason to change her original self-reference. If I say it's still wrong and needs to be changed again... that makes no sense.

You're nobody to them, so why are you interfering so much?

So be it.

……

The ruins of Haiyin Temple mentioned by "Mr. Enuma" are not hard to find.

The small villages on the plain are all visible, but one village stands out conspicuously, far from the houses and farmland, forming its own separate entity.

After exchanging a few casual words, Liuyun and Guidie walked up to them.

Judging from the area occupied by the ruins, it should have originally been a large Buddhist temple with a length and width of more than 100 meters.

But now it's just a charred ruin, rotting in the mud.

Perhaps due to its predominantly wooden construction, the building's skeletal structure has been almost completely lost, leaving only piles of ashes.

The place was completely silent, as if no creatures had been around for a long time. It didn't look like there were any people or monsters left to guard it.

There were no traces of human activity, nor could any demonic energy be detected.

However, Lady Guidie had complete faith in "Mr. Enumara" and advised Liuyun not to doubt him.

Liu Yun continued to look around on his own before nodding and muttering to himself, "Since this temple was burned down during the Onin War, which is a hundred years ago, but there is no filth left by birds or beasts in the ruins, it is reasonable to say that a monster was left to guard it."

Lady Guidie glanced at it and said, "I didn't expect you to be such a meticulous person. Then let's do as we agreed earlier, cause some trouble here, make some noise, and attract the monsters left behind to show themselves!"

"The problem is..." Liu Yun stroked his chin thoughtfully, "This place is already in ruins, how much more destruction can be done?"

Chapter 153 The Monster Guarding the Ruins of a Famous Temple

Lady Guidie drew her long sword and slashed around aimlessly, trying to attract the monsters guarding the ruins to appear.

The blade in her hand was incredibly sharp, and with every move she made, she effortlessly sliced ​​the charred ruins into pieces, much like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox.

but--

After sheathing the sword, it felt like nothing had changed.

It was already a ruin; if you cut it down, it just becomes a more fragmented ruin, which doesn't seem to constitute any "destruction."

It only caused dust to fly and sand to fill the air.

The promised "monster guarding the ruins" did not come out to interfere.

Lady Guidie frowned and pondered for a while, then decided that this was not a solution. She took out the flint she carried with her and prepared to set the pile of ruins on fire.

However, after several attempts, none of them succeeded.

It was probably soaked through from the wind and rain.

Lady Guidie was somewhat perplexed, frowning as she muttered to herself, "It's already in ruins, how can we destroy it any further?"

Liu Yun couldn't think of a solution for the time being.

What can we do?

Flood it with water? Dig up the land three feet deep? Destroy it by throwing stones?

These are all massive undertakings, not something that can be accomplished with a few simple gestures.

Since there are no traces of dirt or filth from birds and beasts on the ruins, it means that they were probably taken care of, and the theory that a monster stayed behind is credible.

How was the question raised?

and many more……

The filthy traces left by birds and beasts...

Liu Yun, quick-witted, came up with a plan and said to Lady Gui Die, "I have thought of a way to lure out the monsters that are left behind, but I need you to leave for a moment, Madam."

Lady Guidie asked suspiciously, "What method is it? Why do I... cough cough... why do I need to leave?"

Liu Yun's expression immediately turned somewhat embarrassed: "This method is a bit vulgar, I'm really embarrassed to say it."