Swallow Return

Upon reaching the outside of the palace, Kawajiri Hidetaka stopped, turned around, placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, gave a slight bow, and solemnly said, "Lord Sasaki, the lord requests that you enter directly without prior notice."

Liu Yun thought that, according to custom, he should send some silver to bribe the officials. After all, even a minor official is subject to the prime minister's authority. He didn't expect them to help him, but at least he hoped they wouldn't cause him any trouble.

Although Hidetaka Kawajiri looks upright and doesn't seem like the kind of person who would accept bribes.

There's no harm in giving it a try.

And thinking about it, it actually seems quite fun.

So Liu Yun silently took a small gold coin from her bosom, as if she were a butterfly flitting among flowers, and pretended to hand it over.

If the other party doesn't answer, just take it back as if it were just a little trick.

Then, Kawajiri Hidetaka's expression remained extremely serious, without any change, but his right hand skillfully took the gold coin and swiftly stuffed it into his clothes.

The entire process was completed in one go, and was incredibly smooth.

Liu Yun was stunned for a moment, realizing that he was still too young, inexperienced, and naive.

So that's how it works...

Then Liu Yun stepped into the imperial palace of Hengshan City.

The waiters on both sides watched him approach and opened the door together.

Then Liu Yun immediately noticed that the person sitting cross-legged in the main seat was no longer the down-to-earth city lord Kinoshita Tokichiro, but a lean, wiry, and arrogant samurai in fine clothes.

This person did not shave his hair in the popular style, but instead tied it into a bun. He wore a white Wufu and a dark blue haori with the "Five-Seven Paulownia" pattern printed on it. He was playing with a folding fan in his hand, and his expression was somewhat lazy, as if he was bored and had no interest in anything.

Liu Yun examined the man closely and saw that he had thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, bright eyes, a high nose, tightly pursed lips, a thick beard, and a distinct profile. Compared with the character illustrations he had seen in games in later generations, he did bear a resemblance of three to five points.

It was undoubtedly Oda Nobunaga.

I finally got to see this person up close.

At this moment, seated on the left side of the hall were Kinoshita Tokichiro, Hachisuka Masakatsu, and Maeno Nagayasu, all local samurai of Yokoyama Castle. They were all sitting upright and cautiously, not daring to utter a single extra breath.

Liu Yun didn't recognize the people on the right. Half of them wore black armor and the other half wore red armor. They all stood tall and looked very energetic. They must be members of the "Black Mother Robe Clan" and the "Red Mother Robe Clan".

At the same time, Liu Yun immediately sensed that, setting aside his own aura, there was indeed some mysterious, invisible connection between Nobunaga and the people on his right.

Chapter Seventy: Demon King Nobunaga (Part 2)

After carefully examining the man and fully satisfying his curiosity about "historical figures," Liu Yun suddenly remembered that, according to the etiquette of this era, he should have taken the initiative to bow to Oda Nobunaga.

He wasn't that averse to it.

Modern people certainly dislike the elaborate rituals of the feudal era, and especially dislike bowing and scraping to others.

But I still understand the principle of adapting to local customs.

As a high-ranking samurai with a rank of 2,000 koku, Ryuun is actually more of a beneficiary of the hierarchical system, and he should have that much self-awareness.

however--

Just as he was about to step forward to pay his respects, Liu Yun suddenly noticed many gazes on him, and it seemed that quite a few people were staring at him from the right.

Subconsciously looking up, I saw that those gazes were clearly coming from the warriors, half of whom were wearing black armor and the other half red armor.

These are Oda Nobunaga's "Black-Clothed Clan" and "Red-Clothed Clan".

Those gazes were anything but friendly, but they weren't overtly hostile either; they were just expressionless, icy stares.

Logically speaking, what's the big deal about being stared at a few times?

At most, it will only scare people with weak mental fortitude.

However, what Liu Yun felt from those gazes was a heavy pressure that was both ethereal and tangible.

It was as if countless voices were whispering in my ear, accusing me of my rudeness. Or perhaps it was a multitude of respected elders, all rebuking me for my arrogance.

At the same time, a giant of immense strength pressed down on his shoulders and head, forcing him to the ground.

Liu Yun felt heavy pressure from both mental and physical aspects.

This must be some kind of secret technique performed by a group!

The purpose of the "Black Mother Robe Clan" and the "Red Mother Robe Clan" seems to be to make Liu Yun submit to this pressure.

Meanwhile, Oda Nobunaga, sitting high in the main seat, seemed to be lost in thought, completely unaware of what was happening here.

However, Liu Yun was convinced that the secret technique used by the group must have been instructed by that guy.

Damn it, that's exactly how the "Demon King" behaves!

At first, Liu Yun didn't think there was anything wrong with bowing. A 21st-century person bowing to a 16th-century person—it was simply a sign of respect for elders!

But now that they are being forced like this, they are starting to rebel.

Originally, I offered my greeting voluntarily out of consideration for you. But in this situation, you're forcibly stripping me of that consideration. If I obediently bow, wouldn't it make me seem incompetent and afraid of you?

Where is your dignity?

Looking at Oda Nobunaga on the main seat, he stared at the roof with a bored expression, as if he had no interest in anything. He looked so irritating that it made you want to throw him into an internet addiction school for electroshock therapy.

At this moment, Kinoshita Tokichiro on the left remained sitting upright and cautiously without making any movement, but he secretly sent a meaningful glance over.

After a moment's thought, Liu Yun decided to resist the secret technique jointly unleashed by the "Black Mother Clothes Clan" and the "Red Mother Clothes Clan".

His back did not bend; instead, he tried his best to keep it straight.

At the same time, he ignored the subtle mental pressure and turned his head to respond with a smile that was neither weak nor defiant.

Then, the "Black Mother Robe Clan" and the "Red Mother Robe Clan" on the right glared at each other angrily, showing their dissatisfaction.

Then Liu Yun realized that they might have increased their output.

The pressure felt, both mentally and physically, has become heavier and more intense.

There were several "Black Mother Robe Clan" and several "Red Mother Robe Clan" present, totaling fifteen or sixteen people.

These individuals might not be particularly strong individually, but within Oda Nobunaga's aura, each one was a formidable fighter. Now, using some unknown secret technique, they had combined the strength of over a dozen people, making their power quite considerable.

But Liu Yun was determined not to show weakness, clenching his fists and standing tall.

Since swallowing the "red jade," he has acquired "bewitching power," which has greatly enhanced his resistance to external mental attacks. Those illusory accusations, rebukes, and threats are not enough to shake his mind.

As for the physical force field felt by the body, it is withstood by relying on the body's innate talent.

Liu Yun had exhausted all his fighting spirit; it was not easy at all. He had to grit his teeth and use all his strength to barely hold on.

Fortunately, the situation on the other side was even more difficult than his.

A moment later, the dozen or so "Black Mother Robe Clan" and "Red Mother Robe Clan" sitting on the right side of the hall could no longer hold on.

The one at the very bottom let out a soft groan, swayed twice, and immediately deflated.

But if one person can't keep up, the burden on the rest will inevitably become even heavier, creating a vicious cycle. As a result, within a short time, more than a dozen people were forced to stop.

Liu Yun instantly felt a sense of lightness, as if the burden on her mind and body had vanished.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, slowly bow down, and loudly proclaim, "My name is Omi Sasaki Ryūun, I pay my respects to Lord Oda Danjō."

"Haha... Interesting..."

Oda Nobunaga, seated at the head of the table, let out a carefree laugh, straightened up, and slowly focused his gaze on Ryuun.

He was no longer bored; instead, he stared at him with great interest.

That look even made Liu Yun feel a little cold.

I remember reading in my past life that Oda Nobunaga was a man who didn't discriminate against meat and enjoyed the kind of passionate, intimate relationship with men.

It's the same as the Suzukayama Ōtakemaru.

It seems that in this strange place called Fusang, both humans and yokai have a wide range of interests!

Fortunately, Oda Nobunaga soon looked away, gazing at the roof and recalling, "I remember the last time someone could remain composed in a situation like this was Orange Head, and the time before that was Monkey... and you are much more relaxed than either of them."

The orange-headed figure is Mitsuhide Akechi, and the monkey figure is Tokichiro Kinoshita.

Being compared to these two historical figures is an honor for a time traveler.

However, Ryuun had never met Akechi Mitsuhide, and the person he knew, Kinoshita Tokichiro, was actually a capable but extremely lewd and vulgar person. Therefore, he did not feel honored, but rather a little disgusted.

So he simply replied, "You flatter me, Lord Tanzheng."

Oda Nobunaga hummed in response, then looked down at Ryuun and said lazily, "Sasaki Ryuun, is that it? I already know about your situation. I heard that last night you were mistaken for a member of the Takeda clan, but it turned out to be a misunderstanding... Uchizōsuke, you tell us!"

It seems he was too lazy to waste his breath, so he just randomly called someone out to speak on his behalf.

A black-armored samurai, who was in the lead on the right, stood up solemnly and said "Yes," before turning to Liu Yun with a stern expression. "Lord Sasaki, good day! Last night, our ninjas' final report concluded that you are unlikely to be a spy for the Takeda clan. However, after careful consideration, we still believe that there are three suspicious points in your recent words and actions."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun showed no anger or fear, but instead asked with great curiosity, "I would like to hear the details."

The black-armored samurai, known as "Naizo-suke," cleared his throat and read aloud: "Firstly, you collected information on the crimes of Mizuno Tadahiro, the magistrate of Yokoyama Castle's town seat, which led to his seppuku. He was from the Mikawa Mizuno family, and his relatives harbored considerable resentment towards him. Mikawa is located on the front lines close to the Takeda forces, and the Mizuno family's influence there is deeply entrenched. If their stance wavers, it will cause considerable trouble."

Liu Yun nodded in realization: "I see, thank you for clearing up my confusion."

The black-armored warrior remained calm and was not angered by Liu Yun's frivolous attitude. He continued, "Secondly, since you began serving the Oda clan, you have frequently engaged in sword fights and hand-to-hand combat, repeatedly injuring your colleagues or allowing your retainers to do so. This has caused conflict within Yokoyama Castle, making it impossible for everyone to unite."

Liu Yun nodded: "That's an exaggeration, but it's not entirely unfounded."

The black-armored warrior remained unaffected. After a pause, he continued, "Thirdly, it is said that you have had close contact with women of unknown identity. Those women are clearly martial artists. The Takeda clan has always been adept at using female ninjas to gather intelligence and carry out defections. Therefore, some people suspect that the women you had close contact with may have been spies sent by the Takeda clan."

Liu Yun nodded again: "This accusation is wrong, but I find it difficult to explain."

After saying those three sentences, the black-armored warrior sat back down expressionlessly, as if he were just a tool without any self-awareness.

Oda Nobunaga, seated at the head of the table, revealed an expression of great interest and said, "Ryuun, you don't seem to be afraid."

Liu Yun reacted calmly: "Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) doesn't intend to punish me, so why should I be afraid?"

"Is that so?" Oda Nobunaga suddenly opened his folding fan, covering the lower half of his face, and asked, "What makes you say that?"

Liu Yun smiled slightly, confidently saying, "First, if they intended to capture me, they wouldn't need to go through all this trouble. Second, if I were in trouble, Lord Kinoshita Tokichiro wouldn't have this expression. Third... Oda Danjo, who built such a powerful empire, couldn't be a fool, nor would he consider the Takeda clan, such an important rival, a fool."

"Haha!" Oda Nobunaga laughed loudly, threw his folding fan on the floor, pointed at Ryuun and praised, "Well said! Takeda Daizen (Takeda Shingen) is of course not a fool, so you can't possibly be a member of the Takeda family."

Chapter 71 Demon King Nobunaga (Part 2)

Oda Nobunaga's words were concise and to the point.

But you've hit the nail on the head.

After Ryuun entered the palace gates and withstood the combined secret technique of the "Black Mother Robe Clan" and the "Red Mother Robe Clan," he had already proven his strength to Oda Nobunaga.

It's easy to imagine that if Takeda Shingen had such a capable confidant, he would obviously have placed him in a more important position. How much of a role could he have played by sending him to Yokoyama Castle as an undercover agent?