Swallow Return

Both the old man and the child were shocked upon hearing this.

Liu Yun, who had been silently standing to the side with her eyes closed, opened them, revealing a look of confusion and bewilderment: "My secular home?"

Upon seeing this, the middle-aged, disheveled samurai was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Indeed! Fifteen years ago, you, as the second son of the Sasaki family, went to Enjoji Temple in Kyoto to become a monk and studied under Zen Master Shunzan. Later, you moved elsewhere with Zen Master Shunzan... I searched for a long time before I found out that you were in such a remote place as Oshu... Now the Sasaki family's situation is urgent, and we must invite you back!"

After he finished speaking, the old monk hesitated for a moment and responded in an ambiguous tone: "We did come to Oshu from Enjoji Temple in Kyoto with our senior brother Shunshan, but as monks, we do not concern ourselves with worldly affairs and have not known about the origins of our junior brother Liuyun."

The young monk nodded in agreement.

But Liu Yun lowered his head and fell into thought.

He was the only one who didn't know!

As a transmigrator, I only acquired a physical body when I arrived, without inheriting any memories. Later, I never heard my master mention it, so I never knew that I had family in this world.

Chapter Two: The Desperate Widow

The Sasaki family's territory in Omi Province is located in northern Omi Province, on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, and south of the Seta River. It doesn't have a specific name, but is commonly referred to as "Sasaki Village".

Thanks to its fertile fields and rivers, this is a vibrant community.

Within a radius of a thousand paces, there are continuous paddy fields, divided into many fragmented small plots, separated by haphazard field ridges and boundary markers.

Then there were two or three hundred scattered houses, most of them simple thatched huts, with reeds often floating in the air.

The "Sasaki Mansion," which served as the central stronghold of the territory, was built on a small slope about two meters high on the shore. A courtyard was enclosed by a wall, containing seven wooden and stone buildings of varying sizes.

The most spacious room in the middle is called the "Imperial Palace," and the simple platforms built at the four corners can be considered "arrow towers."

Rather than calling it a "city" or "pavilion," it's more accurate to describe it as a mountain stronghold, camp, or earthen enclosure—yet it has survived for many years and still stands today.

It is said that at the height of the Sasaki family's power, they had a hundred samurai under their command and led ten thousand people.

But now the family has fallen on hard times and is barely surviving. The place is deserted and rarely visited, which is obviously not comparable to what it used to be.

On an autumn afternoon, a woman in white was kneeling on the corridor in the courtyard.

The woman was dressed in simple short-sleeved clothes without a cover-up, making her appear slender, elegant, and beautiful. Even though there were no guests around, she sat upright with her legs together, meticulous and dignified, clearly having received a good education in etiquette.

At the same time, she seemed preoccupied and worried, her face full of sorrow, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

She looked like a resentful woman waiting for her husband by the door.

But when she reached into her clothes, she didn't hold her lover's letter, but a short knife.

The handle is 4.2 inches long, and the sheath is 5.3 inches long.

It's so small that it would be awkward for even a strong man to hold, let alone use it in battle.

This weapon was originally intended for women to use for self-defense. However, more often, it was used by virtuous women as a last resort to end their own lives and avoid being insulted by villains.

The wooden handle of the knife is engraved with a line of small characters: "Kasakain Iori".

This was the name of the woman in white before she got married.

This is a gift prepared by the parents for the child's 12th birthday celebration.

Not long after, both parents contracted serious illnesses and passed away one after the other.

Overnight, she was no longer the young lady.

Grandfather disliked Iori intensely, and on many occasions slammed his fist on the table and angrily cursed, "The sons of the Kakaiin family disregard their wives, have not borne any children, and have instead been seduced by a female demon to give birth to an illegitimate child. They have truly brought shame upon the family!"

Grandmother was soft-hearted and would secretly send him food and clothes, but she dared not do it in front of Grandfather.

So you only accepted a hundred strings of cash as a gift, and then hastily married her, the daughter of a noble family, to an unknown country warrior?

The husband's name is Sasaki Kotaro. He has a bad temper, is not very literate, likes to drink, and often beats people. Occasionally, when he is drunk, he will say, "What a waste to exchange 100 kan for a woman! I really don't know what my father was thinking. That much money would have been enough for me to spend my whole life shopping at the Whale House!"

Those words were really hurtful.

However, in Iori's opinion, "the guy I got for 100 kan" was still much better than "the bastard born of a female demon".

Even if they are not recognized, at least they feel needed.

After all, she was the lawfully wedded "Lady Iori of the Sasaki family," not some "bastard" with mixed yokai blood who was constantly worried about being kicked out.

Even if I get punched, at least I have a place to belong.

Unexpectedly, only two years later, Iori's husband suddenly fell on the battlefield and never returned.

During that period, the Asai clan, a local power in the north, was no match for the Oda clan, a powerful force that had crossed the river. Thousands of soldiers were killed and large swathes of land were seized.

The Sasaki family, as an outer retainer of the Asai clan, was also affected.

Her husband's father, the previous head of the Sasaki family, had already retired but was forced to return to public life. After assessing the situation, he joined other "pragmatic" individuals in changing allegiance and submitting to the Oda family.

Unexpectedly, good fortune never comes in pairs, and misfortune never comes singly.

Before they could gain the Oda family's formal recognition, the old patriarch also died suddenly from a serious illness.

This is a big problem.

As a temporary outsider faction that had switched allegiance, the Sasaki family had no real connection with their new master, the Oda clan. Having lost all their direct male members, they were now facing extinction. Barring unforeseen circumstances, their territory would be confiscated, and their family name would be lost forever.

In other words, Iori not only became a widow, but also faced the prospect of becoming homeless.

After the incident, Iori was completely flustered and at a loss.

The only hope is that the second son of the Sasaki family was once sent to a temple to become a monk, and perhaps he can be found and returned to secular life. With a legitimate heir, there is hope of gaining the approval of the Oda clan, thus continuing the family name and preserving the territory.

At least some of them can be saved.

In this way, Iori can at least retain her status as the widow of the previous head of the family.

At least I have a home to stay in.

However, after so many years, no one can say for sure what happened to that second son.

The hope is slim, but it's better than no hope at all.

Therefore, the retainer Eguchi Sukezaemon was ordered to go.

Then there were no replies for twenty or thirty days.

On the other hand, they sent someone to the Oda family to plead for leniency, and the grace period they finally obtained was only one month.

The deadline is tonight, it's fast approaching.

What should I do if my territory is confiscated?

Should she return to her parents' home in Kyoto, seek refuge in a nunnery, or try to remarry?

Given the current state of the world, none of these options are easy.

As time went by, Iori grew increasingly desperate, gradually recalling memories of being scolded by her grandfather.

My hands and feet were trembling, and my whole body was ice cold.

More unbearable than physical pain is the sense of bewilderment in one's heart.

I don't know where to go or where to go.

Why did we end up like this?

After thinking it over, I guess I was the one who made the mistake.

Perhaps she was destined to suffer misfortune, which led to the deaths of her parents and her husband.

Lost in thought, Iori gripped the hilt of her sword, gradually becoming somewhat dazed.

Suddenly a man's voice came from outside the door.

"Is Lady Iori here?"

She was startled, but after listening carefully, she realized it was someone from her own group.

But then they immediately tensed up again—even though it was one of their own, it might bring back bad news.

……

Iori forced down her anxiety and summoned two tall and strong maids to open the tightly closed courtyard gate.

Entering was a spirited and capable samurai named Hayami Seibei, a retainer of the Sasaki family.

During the earlier discussion, this guy felt that finding the second son who was sent to the temple back then was like looking for a needle in a haystack and had no hope, which led to an argument with Eguchi Sukezaemon.

With this in mind, Iori sent him to Kinoshita Tokichiro at Yokoyama Castle to build relationships and gather information.

Kinoshita Tokichiro, the lord of Yokoyama Castle, is currently the powerful figure who represents the Oda clan in managing northern Omi.

For the Sasaki family to continue, they needed this person's approval. However, Iori was a woman, and it was not convenient for her to appear in public, so they had to send a retainer to act on her behalf.

After many days, Hayami Seibei has finally returned, but we don't know if he brought back good news.

As Iori watched the door slowly open, her heart was filled with unease.

Hayami Kiyobei's expression was somewhat complicated. As soon as he stepped through the door, he bowed deeply and solemnly said, "Madam, I returned today with Lord Hachisuka, who serves under Lord Kinoshita. The issue of the territory needs to be addressed immediately; the Oda clan will not allow any further delay!"

Iori was taken aback when she heard this, and then she realized that there were quite a few people following behind.

The first thing that catches the eye is twenty foot soldiers wearing helmets and tunics, carrying long spears. Without a word, they lined up in two columns and entered the gate, then formed a circle with perfect understanding, guarding the entrance and exit, clearly demonstrating their high level of training.

Then, a burly, imposing warrior slowly strolled over, looking pot-bellied and leisurely.

This person is dressed in a form-fitting samurai gokuzu (traditional samurai armor) with a haori (a type of traditional Chinese clothing) over it. The hilt and scabbard of the sword at his waist are decorated with rich patterns, clearly indicating that he belongs to the ranks of high-ranking samurai.

Iori had met him once and knew that his name was Hachisuka Masakatsu.

Sasaki Village originated in northern Omi Province and, within the Oda clan's organizational structure, was managed by Kinoshita Tokichiro, the lord of Yokoyama Castle.

Hachisuka Masakatsu is said to be Kinoshita Tokichiro's right-hand man.

To a large extent, this guy can decide the fate of the Sasaki family.

Thinking of this, Iori tensed up immediately, but forced herself to remain calm and bowed, saying, "Lord Hachisuka's presence is truly an honor for the Sasaki family. May I ask what brings you here today?"

"Madam, there's no need for such formality!" Hachisuka Masakatsu smiled amiably, walked a few steps to the eaves, and sat down on the veranda.

His demeanor was very amiable, but what he said was very heavy: "Actually, there's nothing else to do, just taking a look around and resolving a few lingering issues. Back then, we agreed with the Sasaki family that I would have a month to find an heir. Now that the deadline has passed, I haven't seen any heir, so... according to the rules, the territory has to be confiscated."

Upon hearing this, Iori lowered her head and remained silent for a moment. She then silently took two steps back, knelt down with her legs together, and replied, still gripping the hilt of the sword hidden in her clothes with her right hand, "I shouldn't have questioned Lord Hachisuka... but if I remember correctly, it won't be a full month until the first quarter of the 7 PM tonight!"

Her voice was soft, even trembling slightly, but unusually resolute.

"Sigh... Alright then!" Hachisuka Masakatsu looked around casually, his expression a mixture of boredom and pity. "It's probably around 3 PM now, so waiting two hours won't hurt."

"Thank you very much, Lord Hachisuka." Iori bowed deeply.