Swallow Return

Chapter 284 Hye-jeong's secular name is Myo-guk.

The previous head of Izumo Taisha, Okuni, only entered the Buddhist order after stepping down.

It sounds a bit strange. "Izumo Taisha" is obviously a shrine, right? What's going on if the people who left the shrine went to the Buddhist order to become nuns?

If Liu Yun had the "Long Ship Long Light" sword with him, he could ask questions at any time without worrying about any doubts. But since he thought it would be a piece of cake before setting off today, he didn't bother to bring the precious sword.

There's no need to overthink it; since we've already got the other party under control, we can just ask the questions right away.

The old nun replied, "After Izumo Taisha merged with Ebisuji Temple two hundred years ago, although the former has always been the main body, the latter also accounts for one-third of the weight. It cannot be taken lightly or neglected, and there is a risk that it will become too powerful to control. Therefore, the sages set a rule that outstanding priests and priestesses must be ordained as monks and nuns after serving for twenty years, and powerful monks and nuns must also return to secular life and become priests and priestesses after serving for twenty years. This arrangement is to ensure that the two temples are of one mind and do not have any discord."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun paused for a moment.

The meaning is clear: it's equivalent to two companies merging into one group and agreeing to regularly exchange personnel to strengthen their cooperative relationship.

I never expected that shrines and temples in Japan could be used in this way.

Mergers and acquisitions are easy to talk about, since they are all for the purpose of making a profit and have the same goal; the only difference is the business.

But how were the religious institutions merged?

One worships eight million gods, the other worships Buddha and Bodhisattva, and they become one family, what will they do? Are they going to have to divide the week into odd and even weeks? On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we worship your gods, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, we worship my Buddha, and on Sundays we have a team-building party?

Liu Yun couldn't help but exclaim, "So shrines and Buddhist temples can actually be merged!"

The old nun offered a lighthearted explanation: "The priests and monks talked about the principle of 'manifesting traces in one's own land and manifesting in one's own form,' but the people below don't care. As long as the methods of collecting land rent and doing business remain unchanged, that's fine."

That makes sense.

After all, religious institutions in Japan were essentially landlords and merchants, focusing on managing secular businesses and not paying much attention to things like scriptures and rituals.

The Ikko-shu sect of Ishiyama Honganji openly claims that liberation can be attained simply by silently reciting "Amida Buddha" without any spiritual practice. Compared to this, what is so rare about the merger of shrines and temples?

Following this line of thought, Liu Yun nodded and said, "So, you're the one in charge of business at the shrine."

These were just casual remarks, but to everyone's surprise, the old nun sitting on the floor listened with a look of reminiscence, sighing softly, "Alas... Before I formally became a nun, I was a priestess who served the gods through dance, and I was the chief priestess among them, bestowed with the title of the thirty-seventh 'Izumo no Okuni' by the Grand Priest... It was only after I grew old and lost my beauty that I was sent to do business. Otherwise, otherwise, Your Excellency, upon seeing me, you would surely have immediately ordered me to serve you personally, how could you be so cold and aloof now, keeping everyone at arm's length, sob sob..."

At this point, the old nun suddenly revealed her deep sorrow and resentment, and couldn't help but shed tears.

Liu Yun truly did not expect this development.

To be fair, although the old nun wasn't young, she looked to be in her thirties or forties, and she was well-maintained; her face was still beautiful and fair, and her waist was still supple and shapely. The fact that she was considered "old and faded" only shows that there were too many lolicon and pedophiles in Japan at this time, and few people had the taste to appreciate the charm of a mature woman.

If this were the 21st century, I wonder how many brave young people, who aren't even afraid of steel wool, would be shouting "Madam, I love you!" and "Auntie, I don't want to work hard anymore!" all day long!

Of course, this does not include Liu Yun, who is upright and self-disciplined.

Although he has married more than a dozen beautiful wives and concubines since he transmigrated, and his harem is filled with beauties of all shapes and sizes, he only took them in out of a sense of responsibility to take care of everyone, and not because of any vulgar "illness of the king".

Every day, the abundant rain and dew are simply fulfilling the duties of the household. Physically, one is quite satisfied, but one's heart remains calm, without indulging in vulgar desires and pleasures.

In short, Liu Yun was unmoved by the old nun's flirtatious manner. (This quality wouldn't even be considered average in her own home.)

What concerned him was the title he had just received.

"You call me Your Excellency?" Liu Yun stroked his chin and asked suspiciously, "Do you know who I am?"

"This humble nun does not know." The old nun knelt down, touching her forehead to the ground and raising her buttocks, and replied respectfully, "But just now this humble nun was about to release a spell, but you easily neutralized it with a method of the same origin but of a higher level. This is enough to prove that you are undoubtedly the envoy sent by the Great God of the Nation!"

What on earth is this "same origin but higher level" nonsense...?

In other words, because the bewitching power within him is of the same origin as that of the other party, but is of a higher level, it can exert a stronger effect and control this nun who is quite powerful. Is that what you mean?

Liu Yun's knowledge of mysticism was insufficient to understand the reasoning behind it, but he didn't care much about it.

Anyway, getting the old nun in charge under control was a pleasant surprise.

Liu Yun dismissed any unnecessary thoughts and finally asked, "How should I address you?"

The old nun lay motionless on the ground, her waist swaying slightly as she said in a soft, shy voice, "My Buddhist name is 'Huizhen,' but it sounds so awful... Before becoming a shrine maiden and receiving the title 'Aguo,' my secular name was 'Miaoju'..."

Liu Yun nodded and ordered the middle-aged woman, "Miaoju," to cooperate with Iori and Asagi in their preparations to bring the two thousand boys and girls who had been sold as goods off the ship and settle them properly on Tsushima Island. He also instructed them to ensure that the children were well-fed and clothed, that hygiene was not neglected, and that medical treatment be arranged for the sick and injured.

It would be most appropriate for the righteous and justice-driven Igawa Asahi to take charge of this matter.

When the nun Huizhen, whose nickname was Miaoju, learned that Asagi was Liuyun's concubine, she acted with great respect and dared not be negligent in the slightest. She bowed and scraped before the girl who was more than ten years younger than her.

There were over a hundred members of the Chamber of Commerce on the six ships. When they saw a strange young man become a VIP and be respectfully addressed as "Your Excellency the Envoy" by his superiors, they all seemed quite suspicious and unconvinced, but no one expressed it.

Perhaps it was because the nun Huizhen had accumulated too much power that no one dared to disobey her.

Having explained the matter, Liu Yun immediately found Yaodaoji Nagafune Nagamitsu and asked what the so-called "method of the same origin but of a higher level" was.

However, Yaodao-hime was also very puzzled: "The Izumo Taisha enshrines Kunitsu-no-Kami, and the power within the master's body comes from Buddhism. There should be no question of them sharing the same origin. Perhaps when you were cutting Ranshatai at the Shosoin of Todai-ji Temple in Nara, you became entangled with the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the power within your body changed. If the Nine-Tailed Fox and Kunitsu-no-Kami have any connection, it probably goes back to before Xu Fu's eastward voyage, which is something I cannot know."

Upon hearing this, Ryuun wondered if he should go to Izumo Taisha Shrine to clarify the issue before returning to Kinki to communicate with Oda Nobunaga.

Although it doesn't seem necessary, I still feel a little uneasy. -----PV1 reader 1563893925

Chapter 285 The Resonance of Izumo Taisha

Ryuun was not one to procrastinate, so he immediately got up and headed to Izumo Taisha Shrine to see what was going on.

Since I've already decided to visit Oda Nobunaga in the Kinki region to catch up, traveling along the northern sea route is quite convenient.

It just so happens that the old nun Huizhen—or rather, the middle-aged Miaoju—also needs to return to Izumo Taisha to report, so she can keep her company temporarily.

So Ryuun instructed Asagi and the others to settle two thousand children on Tsushima Island, and then he packed his things and set off.

The women, seeing him traveling with a beautiful nun who looked rather improper and overly enthusiastic, must have all harbored some complaints. However, this time it was for a legitimate and important matter, so naturally, they could not voice any objections.

Only Iori can transform into a sword and follow Ryuun, just like her grandmother.

The reason given by the Demon Blade Princess "Osafune Nagamitsu" is that she fears her old enemies will come looking for her, and Iori, being powerless, will be unable to protect herself. However, she doesn't provide any specific details about these old enemies.

In short, Liu Yun agreed with this statement, leaving the others with nothing but envy, jealousy, and resentment.

Starting from Tsushima Island, after a long journey of 400 kilometers by water, we disembarked at a commercial port in Shimane County in eastern Izumo Province. The weather and wind direction were quite favorable throughout the journey.

On the way, Liuyun had already exchanged words with Huizhen, the nun who insisted on using the name "Miaoju," and learned the general situation of the place.

Although Izumo Province is not rich in agricultural products and has rugged roads, thus lacking significant commercial value, it is nonetheless situated at the crossroads of east-west shipping routes, making it inevitable for passing ships to stop and rest daily. Furthermore, the presence of several good-quality iron mines in the vicinity is enough to attract considerable attention.

These conditions enabled a small but well-equipped and exquisite commercial port to be established, attracting a considerable number of visitors.

However, the surrounding area had long been ruled by the Amago clan, and was only seized by the Mori clan a little over a decade ago. The people of Kansai are generally nostalgic and have a strong sense of local identity; they still yearn for their former masters, and from time to time, remnants of the old regime rise up in rebellion.

The most famous is Yamanaka Shikasuke, who is known as the "Izumo no Shika".

This guy was highly skilled in martial arts and had great strength. He was also quick-witted and good at socializing. He created three large-scale "Restoration Army"s, which at their peak numbered nearly 10,000 men. He almost made the Amago clan make a comeback. It took more than ten years of trouble before he was finally defeated by Yoshikawa Motoharu of the Mori clan.

Perhaps due to psychological trauma, the Mori clan has recently tightened its control over the Izumo region, deploying heavy troops to guard all major transportation routes and important locations, and checking everyone. Especially now that they are fighting the Oda clan on the front lines, they cannot afford to have any problems in their rear.

Both the commercial port and the shrine are on the list of places under surveillance.

As a long-established religious organization, Izumo Taisha retained the privilege of "neither accepting nor receiving" under the rule of the Mori clan, but in return, it had to cooperate with the Mori clan's management.

Otherwise, let alone retaining their privileges, they might not even be able to protect their assets.

—The nun Huizhen, who insisted on calling herself "Miaoju," told these things to remind Liuyun that as a stranger, she should be careful to hide her whereabouts and not easily expose herself, so as not to bring trouble upon herself.

Although they weren't afraid of the Mori clan's soldiers, dealing with them would be troublesome, so it was better to avoid trouble.

How exactly is it hidden?

The nun mustered her courage and cautiously suggested that Liu Yun pretend to be her new casual lover and stay by her side as much as possible, without going out.

Liu Yun, however, did not find this objectionable and did not feel that his dignity had been violated.

He really didn't want to waste time getting involved with the Mori family.

I couldn't help but mutter a sarcastic remark: "Looks like you've been traveling and bringing back gigolos quite a few times, to the point that no one around you is surprised anymore."

The nun, without any embarrassment, swayed her hips and smiled obsequiously, saying shamelessly, "Before I met the envoy, I spent money everywhere to find fair-skinned men to amuse me. Now that I have you, my body and mind are completely filled, and I will never attract any more men."

Liu Yun ignored her and gave her a disgruntled glare.

The nun reacted violently as if she had been electrocuted, her limbs tensing, trembling, and she groaned incessantly. Her expression was inscrutable, a mixture of pain and pleasure. She muttered under her breath, "Your Excellency, your angry gaze is truly wonderful..."

Seeing this, Liu Yun became genuinely angry and sternly ordered her not to cause any trouble.

Although the nun was in high spirits, she dared not disobey the order in the slightest and forced herself to calm down, though her expression was full of resentment.

It seems there's some truth to the claim that they "come from the same source," as the effects of mind control are indeed very powerful.

Thus the two of them went out together.

After disembarking and arriving at the port, we briefly checked the accounts and then took a horse-drawn carriage to Izumo Taisha Shrine.

Sure enough, they encountered three checkpoints by the Mori army along the way.

However, the soldiers were poorly equipped and their formation was loose, indicating a lack of discipline. The general in charge was also not very serious and seemed to be just going through the motions.

The last officer laughed and joked, "In the past, Abbess Huizhen would always bring back three or five pretty boys, and then whip and abuse them like cattle. Today, not only is there only one, but the treatment is completely different. It seems this kid must have some outstanding strengths!"

The nun immediately gave a knowing look.

Liu Yun didn't feel offended at all, and simply ignored it, his expression remaining unchanged.

Aside from this minor incident, there were no other plot developments along the way.

Izumo Taisha Shrine is very close to the port of Shimane; it takes less than an hour to get there.

The nun Huizhen, who insisted on calling herself "Miaoju," gave a general introduction to the society's thousand-year history and its current operations.

Liu Yun only heard some mundane details and gained nothing of substance.

Even Nagafune Nagamitsu, who had been transformed into a sword, couldn't come to a conclusion after carefully listening to the list of worshippers for Kunitsu-gami. He didn't know which powerful being was connected to the nine-tailed fox.

So all that is known is that Izumo Taisha is now a powerful organization with six or seven hundred priests, priestesses, monks and nuns under its jurisdiction, thousands of servants and laborers, countless tenant farmers and apprentices, more than ten thousand koku of land, and annual trade volume of around one hundred thousand kan.

With such a large site, occupying at least a dozen hectares of land at the confluence of two natural rivers, it is not surprising that it was built as the headquarters.

Liu Yun and the nun sat in the same sedan chair and followed the caravan through the gate, where they could see the bustling scene of people coming and going.

The nun Huizhen, who insisted on calling herself "Myoju," seemed to have a very high status. Her house was located deep inside the shrine, and everyone she encountered along the way greeted her very warmly.

They were also a bit reserved.

This might be because the nun was usually quite harsh?

What Liu Yun was concerned about was that, ever since entering the torii gate, he had indeed vaguely sensed something resonating with the power within his body in the north-central direction of the shrine. This resonance was extremely weak at first, but gradually grew stronger as he moved forward.

He then ordered the nun to lead the way.

The latter naturally complied.

The servants immediately changed their route, instead of resting in the residential area, they carried the palanquin to the main hall of the shrine.