Swallow Return

Instead of resorting to force, he secretly investigated and identified the core members of the village. He bribed one, threatened another, and had Jiang Kou find fault with and arrest the third. Then he announced: the first village to cooperate in completing the population and land verification would have its annual tribute reduced by 20% within three years, the next would have it reduced by 10% within two years, and the slowest would have to pay the full amount.

Thus, the loose alliance that the poor people had painstakingly formed was immediately shattered. The villagers of the three villages all turned into hard-working individuals, vying to curry favor with Hayami Seibei and actively exposing the neighboring villages' methods of concealing and covering up.

Throughout the entire process, the young monk followed Hayami Seibei around, gaining a great deal of insight. Upon returning, he claimed that he "felt he had learned some principles of governing and managing the people."

After hearing the report, Liu Yun felt somewhat guilty. It seemed he had become a classic example of the reactionary class in textbooks, cunningly and cruelly exploiting and deceiving the working class and peasantry…

Especially since Junior Brother Suifeng is only fourteen or fifteen years old, he was originally an innocent and unpolished gem. Is it really appropriate for him to embark on this path?

After much deliberation, Liu Yun realized that while his position had been changed, his mindset wasn't so easily adjusted.

Once the data was collected, it was sent to the old monk Xinghe for compilation.

Uncle Xinghe was more concerned about the construction of the new temple, and his face was sour and reluctant about the financial matters. However, he was never good at refusing, and he couldn't refuse the request from his junior apprentice Liuyun.

After several days of painstaking calculations, statistics show that the combined income of the three newly granted villages is 20-30% higher than that of Sasaki Village. If Sasaki Village's income is 1,000 koku, then the new territory actually yields more than that.

The amount was calculated to be 1,000 koku, which was probably a special favor from Kinoshita Tokichiro of Yokoyama Castle.

According to Uncle Xinghe, Liuyun is actually a "great warrior" with a theoretical knowledge of 2,000 shi and an actual knowledge of 2,500 shi.

Congratulations! Congratulations!

Clearly, having only Eguchi and Hayami as generals wouldn't be enough. Even including Oki and Suifu, who are not officially part of the staff, there are only four.

Thus, the two yokai, Aotabo and Kurotabo, appeared as newly recruited samurai. The titles "Aotabo" and "Kurotabo" were no longer appropriate.

Liu Yun gave them perfunctory names without any sincerity, calling them "Aota Taro" and "Kurota Taro" respectively.

However, Aotabo and Kurotabo accepted without much thought.

They donned tailor-made Wu clothing and carried proper katana, becoming guards of the "Sasaki Mansion".

This perfectly aligns with the mission of secretly protecting Iori.

As for Iori, her health gradually recovered and her temperament returned to normal. She was no longer clingy and dependent on Ryuyun like she had been on that night with the high fever, nor was she shy or avoiding him anymore.

However, when she heard that Liu Yun had clearly defined the roles of his retainers and that things were going very smoothly, she felt a little unsettled.

"My lord is truly accomplished in both literature and martial arts. I... am of no help whatsoever. As the wife of a military family, I am utterly incapable of fulfilling my responsibilities!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun said, "You can't say that. Some responsibilities cannot be accomplished by one person alone; at least two people need to work together..."

The person who said that didn't think it through and didn't come up with anything ridiculous.

But before she could finish speaking, Iori's cheeks suddenly flushed red, and she lowered her head, revealing a shy yet somewhat coy demeanor.

"Two people together..."

She repeated those words softly.

Liu Yun then realized that he might have said something ambiguous and easily misinterpreted.

Looking at the delicate and plain-looking woman beside him, he subconsciously tried to explain, but then inexplicably said, "At least we should wait until you've fully recovered..."

At this moment, Iori blushed even her neck, shrank her shoulders and curled her legs into a ball, and then gently uttered a "yes" from her lips in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

This sight almost made Liu Yun burst into heroic spirit.

But later, out of rationality, they stopped.

Iori has been recovering slowly over this period of time, and is still very weak.

……

Liu Yun had originally thought that this period would be a quiet and leisurely rural life. But the reality was quite different from what she had imagined.

He did not actually participate in the military campaign, yet he received a fiefdom of up to a thousand shi of land. This news quickly spread and was learned by those who were interested.

As a result, many local lords came to curry favor with Sasaki Ryuun, wanting to see what made him so special.

Some invitations are for banquets, which you can decline by making an excuse.

But many more come to visit respectfully with gifts, and there's no reason to refuse them entry. After all, one doesn't hit a smiling face.

However, the small families in the vicinity, such as "Iguchi," "Tomura," "Natsuzu," and "Ono," sent some really boring people.

His speech was bland and tasteless, and his demeanor was sleazy and short-sighted. He would often subtly inquire about the relationship between Ryuun and Kinoshita Tokichiro after only a few words, hoping to curry favor with them.

His eagerness for quick success and instant benefits is evident.

No wonder they weren't qualified to appear in Koei Tecmo's games in later generations.

Liu Yun had no good feelings towards these people.

I only mustered up the patience because of my purpose in investigating the social class structure.

……

After more than ten days of observation and analysis, Liu Yun discovered that these lower-level lords were generally long-established local strongmen with considerable influence in the countryside. They had studied literature and martial arts for generations, but none of them possessed any outstanding talents.

Because they struggle to gain the trust of daimyo, they consequently lack loyalty to them, becoming accustomed to fickle allies and prioritizing self-preservation. They are preoccupied with trivial, immediate gains, but have no energy left to consider long-term goals.

On the battlefield, they're mostly useless teammates who steal kills when things are going well, but surrender at 20 minutes when things are going badly.

However, on the other hand, there are certainly more mediocre generals than good ones in the world. How to make even "pig teammates" play a certain role is the real test for rulers.

For example, being sacrificed at a crucial moment can be considered to have served a purpose to some extent.

If it weren't for the emergence of Ryuun, a man of unparalleled martial arts skills and political acumen, the Sasaki family would have been completely unable to control their own destiny.

Chaotic times are cruel.

In half a month, Liu Yun received seven neighbors who came to visit, established a superficial friendship with them, and gained a general understanding of the political situation in the vicinity.

Then, a very important guest arrived.

Kinoshita Tokichiro of Yokoyama Castle, accompanied by Takenaka Shigeharu, Hachisuka Masakatsu, Maeno Nagayasu, and a full five hundred followers, arrived in Sasaki Village in a grand procession.

It really scared the villagers.

The memories of the devastation caused by war in the first half of the year were still vivid. The people could not quite understand the family crests and horse markings. Some villagers would rush to flee into the mountains, forests and lakes as soon as they saw the billowing smoke and the forest of guns and flags in the distance. Only after they learned that they had misunderstood did they run back.

Upon meeting, Kinoshita Tokichiro remained the same humble and eager-to-appreciate talent.

This act might be a politically motivated charade, but if it's so convincing and consistent that even the actor gets used to it, then it's practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

Today, Hachisuka Masakatsu and Maeno Nagayasu stood quietly to the left and right, respectively, without saying a word.

Shigeharu Takenaka appeared to have finally recovered from the aftereffects of the "Empty Cicada Technique," though his face still looked tired and weak.

Kinoshita Tokichiro's visit was not merely a formality. His main purpose was to demonstrate his support for Sasaki Village's self-built new temple through concrete actions.

This is also tantamount to a formal demonstration against the traditional religious forces led by Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, reaching into the territory they have long monopolized.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun knew that there must have been a change in the upper echelons of the Oda family.

Sure enough, after the core members were seated in the Japanese-style room, Kinoshita Tokichiro said with great interest, "About ten days ago, the Echizen Asakura army secretly marched south along the west bank of Lake Biwa, intending to join forces with the remnants of the Miyoshi faction to attack Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga). However, Lord Danjo had already seen through their scheme and turned the tables on them, defeating the Asakura army in a rout! Hehe, our Oda clan is not so easy to mess with."

Liu Yun smiled without saying a word, knowing that the main topic had not yet been addressed.

Kinoshita Tokichiro had no time for boasting and hurriedly continued, "We originally had a chance to capture the Asakura clan's commander, but the monks of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei actually sent out warrior monks to cover for us, which allowed the defeated Asakura soldiers to escape back to Echizen. When Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) heard about this, he flew into a rage on the spot, summoned several of us generals, and announced that he would burn Mount Hiei!"

Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Plot to Seize the Treasure Using Both Public and Private Means

Upon hearing the words "Burn Mount Hiei," Ryuun was not surprised at all, and at the same time felt quite satisfied.

It's not just about demonstrating one's political judgment to the "natives"—that's secondary, actually. The key is to confirm that the "historical inertia" one is aware of still exists normally and can still serve as an important reference in the future.

Kinoshita Tokichiro paused for a moment, then continued excitedly, "When Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) said that, Sakuma, Akechi, and the others were immediately stunned and desperately tried to dissuade him from burning it. Shibata, Niwa, and the others also remained silent, secretly opposing it. Only I... hehe, thanks to Brother Ryuun's reminder, I was prepared and immediately told everyone that Lord Nobunaga's attack on Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei was not just a momentary outburst of anger, but a long-term strategic decision!"

Liu Yun smiled reservedly and did not reply.

Kinoshita Tokichiro, however, was smug and laughed heartily. He squinted and recalled for a moment before continuing, "I told my colleagues that it's one thing to occasionally protect the Asakura family. But a greater crime than Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Eizan is that they occupy too many shops in the Kinki region, claiming them as temple property and never paying taxes. Our Oda family started out on trade, how can we tolerate such a thing? When I said this, not only did Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) immediately praise me, but Shibata and Niwa also thought it made a lot of sense."

Seeing that the guy had finished bragging, Liu Yun offered a polite compliment: "It seems you're about to be promoted again. Congratulations in advance."

Kinoshita Tokichiro immediately put on a friendly face, patted his chest, and vowed, "I will definitely not forget Brother Ryuyun when the time comes!"

His smug expression, combined with his pointed mouth and monkey-like face, made him look extremely vulgar and sleazy, completely unlike a great man who could keep his emotions in check.

In the old Tang Dynasty parlance, he "does not look like a ruler."

However, Kinoshita Tokichiro's words and actions made him seem very down-to-earth and sincere, without any hint of affectation.

Moreover, he is indeed generous in sharing material benefits; it's not just empty talk.

He is a somewhat unconventional leader.

If we also consider his ability to increase favorability, he certainly has the potential to stand out from the crowd.

After spouting a bunch of nonsense, Kinoshita Tokichiro's expression turned serious, and he concluded, "Therefore, the next thing we need to consider is the issue of attacking Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei."

At this moment, Takenaka Shigeharu, Hachisuka Masakatsu, and Maeno Nagayasu all focused their attention on Ryuun.

Upon seeing this, Liu Yun pondered, "If it were a regular large-scale military operation, they wouldn't need to specifically seek me out."

Kinoshita Tokichiro's eyes gleamed, and he nodded: "That's right! That group of monks only has three or four thousand monk soldiers, which is not worth mentioning. We can easily take them down with tens of thousands of men! The reason we haven't made a move yet is firstly because we are wary of the connections behind the monks, and secondly... because there is a very powerful barrier in that mountain."

"A barrier?"

Liu Yun frowned, realizing that this matter seemed to be more complicated than it appeared.

“Yes, a barrier…” Kinoshita Tokichiro said with a troubled expression, “I don’t understand the specifics either, let’s have Takenaka-sama explain it!”

“Alright.” Takenaka Shigeharu immediately took over the conversation, smiled at Ryuun, and began to recount the past events: “Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei has always considered itself the direct descendant of the holy monk Jianzhen, and its reputation has always been the best in Japan, making it quite a few enemies. Although there are many masters in the temple, there are still times when they are careless, and important people have been assassinated many times. Six hundred years ago, the twenty-ninth abbot of the Tendai sect, whose Dharma name was Myōzun, was said to be a master of esoteric arts who was extremely skilled and had supernatural powers. He was worried that after his death, no one among his disciples would be able to suppress the heroes, so he exhausted countless rare and precious materials to refine seven magical artifacts, and then used the seven magical artifacts as a pivot to set up a sophisticated barrier.”

Liu Yun asked, "What effect does the barrier have?"

Takenaka Shigeharu said, "It is said that when all seven magical artifacts were still in existence, all the monks of Enryaku-ji who had signed a life-or-death pact would have their strength, agility, physique, senses, mind, and will greatly enhanced simply by standing on Mount Hiei. Their combat power would be more than ten times their original strength. At the same time, they would be immune to bewitching, fearless of water, fire, wind, and thunder, and their injuries and poisons would heal automatically unless they caused immediate death..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun clicked his tongue in amazement. What's the point of fighting? Isn't this practically invincible?

But he immediately realized the hidden meaning in Takenaka Shigeharu's words.

So he asked, "Are the seven magical artifacts no longer complete?"

“Indeed.” Takenaka Shigeharu smiled. “As far as I know, over the past few hundred years, one of the seven magical artifacts has been destroyed and two stolen. The barrier set up by the Venerable Mingzun was extremely complex. Each missing key element would reduce the effect by about 30%. Now that three are missing, its power is less than half of what it used to be.”

Liu Yun then asked, "Since there is such a powerful barrier, how could it have been destroyed or had its magical artifact stolen by the enemy?"

Takenaka Shigeharu laughed and said, "It's a long story, but it was all caused by internal strife and traitors. In the end, it was because Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei had become increasingly corrupt, with most of the monks only knowing how to pursue profit and having no heart for worshipping Buddha and neglecting their secret arts, that we have come to this situation."

At this moment, Kinoshita Tokichiro interjected, "That's how it is. The barrier on that group of monks' mountain only has a little bit of power left. But even with that little bit, we can't underestimate them. If we rush into battle, even if we win, we will definitely suffer heavy losses. That would give Asai and Asakura a chance to catch their breath, and the remnants of Miyoshi and Rokkaku will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble."

Liu Yun understood immediately and said, "So, the tactic is to first send people infiltrate to destroy or steal the remaining four magical artifacts, and then the main army will attack."

Kinoshita Tokichiro nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, that's it. Actually, we don't need to destroy all four. We plan to send four teams, and if two teams succeed, we'll dare to launch a frontal attack." Then his expression turned serious, and he slowly said: "I heard that the monks of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei have not been as powerful as they used to be, but they are not as careless as before. They are still more cautious and united. Of the remaining four ritual implements, only two have been exposed and cannot be hidden. The location of the other two is a secret, and they are heavily guarded."