Swallow Return

Those who have been local tyrants for too long, if they accept the new dynasty's elegant policy of "retainers living together," wouldn't they become controlled, overly cautious officials? This would certainly be very unpleasant. It's almost like being a corporate slave forced back to work after a long vacation.

However, the other option Kinoshita Tokichiro offered was "returning to farming," meaning abandoning his samurai status and becoming a wealthy man with no privileges or social standing. This was even more unacceptable.

Even the Sasaki family of Ryuun, when they were under the Asai family, although they had many obligations, they could easily shirk and delay payment, leading a very leisurely life. Now that the Oda family is in power, the change in style is so drastic that the contrast is stark.

It's like a seasoned veteran who's been slacking off in a mundane department for over a decade, used to just coasting along, suddenly being transferred to a sweatshop with a 996 work culture. It would be a miracle if he could adapt.

Leaving aside others, take Liu Yun for example. At home, he's surrounded by women, doing whatever he wants, undisturbed—how comfortable is that! If he were to move to Hengshan City, although he'd be closer to the shops, he'd inevitably have to deal with boring social engagements and complicated interpersonal relationships all the time. Just thinking about it is exhausting.

Fortunately, he was listed as a "person of outstanding merit" by Kinoshita Tokichiro, so he was temporarily exempt from the "retainers gathering" order.

Besides Ryuun, several others also enjoy this treatment, such as Hori Hidemura and Tokoguchi Naofabu. They are said to be minor lords in the area who are recognized for their outstanding talents and have a high reputation.

From this perspective, Kinoshita Tokichiro employed a clever method to ensure the implementation of the "retainers living together" policy.

Making strict demands only on ordinary citizens while giving leeway to capable elites is a clear double standard and discriminatory treatment.

However, this differential treatment is indeed useful.

Without the participation of elites, it is difficult for ordinary people to unite and organize to fight against their superiors.

As a result, in just a few days after Kinoshita Tokichiro issued the "retainers living together" policy, dozens of local lords who received the order, despite being full of complaints and feeling depressed, still reluctantly moved into Yokoyama Castle.

Clearly, Liu Yun has no motivation to stand up for his neighbors.

As the second son who had returned home to inherit the land after leaving the monastic community, he was not familiar with anyone to begin with.

If anyone's to be a good person, it should be someone with so-called "high prestige." Like Hori Hidemura or Tobaguchi Naofako.

Six months ago, the Sasaki family was on the verge of extinction and their territory was almost confiscated. Didn't anyone come out to help or say a word?

That's pretty much the extent of the friendship between minor lords.

Furthermore, this "retainers living together" as the first step in "separation of soldiers and farmers" was originally brought about by Liu Yun.

I bet his neighbors hate him to the core right now.

Let them hate us. As Kinoshita Tokichiro said, there's no need to waste time and energy on these incompetent and unruly people.

Liu Yun never expected that this matter would be connected to his car in such a bizarre way.

……

"A widow has gone missing in the village?"

One early spring day, Liuyun, sitting in the courtyard, frowned upon hearing a report from his retainer.

Eguchi Sukezaemon, who was standing to the side, explained seriously: "There is a widow named 'Nana' from our area. She has no children and is thirty-six or thirty-seven years old. Two days ago, she went to visit relatives in Kamikama Village to the east and then disappeared. I went there to ask, and they said she came back that same day and didn't stay overnight at all."

Liu Yun sighed, "They must have been robbed. Although the Oda clan has patrols and is quite diligent in preventing theft, it is still a chaotic world."

Eguchi Sukezaemon shook his head and said, “My lord! If it were just a common theft, there would be no need to tell you. Actually, this matter… how should I put it, when I went to Kamikawa Village to inquire, I heard that there was also a widow who had gone missing there. I found it quite strange, so I rode to the castle town of Yokoyama Castle to ask around, and that’s when I learned that in the last four or five days, several widows in the vicinity have had their misfortunes.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun also found it suspicious: "Could it be that a flower thief has come specifically to target widows?"

Upon hearing this, Eguchi Sukezaemon looked embarrassed and coughed, saying, "Actually, my lord, the oldest of those missing widows is already fifty years old, practically an old woman. The younger ones aren't very attractive either. The one who went missing in our village had her house burned down, leaving large scars on her face... If there's a lecherous thief who doesn't harass young girls but specifically targets widows like these, then that taste... that taste is a bit too strange."

Liu Yun thought it made sense, so he asked, "Then what do you think?"

Eguchi Sukezaemon hurriedly waved his hands in a flustered manner, saying, "How could I possibly have any knowledge of this? It's just that yesterday in the castle town of Yokoyama Castle, I heard many people talking about how some villains might have kidnapped a bunch of widows and were planning to do something evil..."

Liu Yun suddenly remembered that on the first day of the new year, Igawa Asahi said that there was a faint demonic aura emanating from Odani Castle of the Asai family, and that Sasa Narimasa and Takei Yuan, sent by Oda Nobunaga, also said that there might be something strange on the nearby Toragozen Mountain.

During this time, Liu Yun remained vigilant, but without a clear direction or any unusual clues.

Could it be another evil ritual?

These days, how come there are so many villains who disregard human life and stop at nothing?

Whether out of conscience, to protect his own territory from invasion, or to make Oda Nobunaga's empty promises come true as soon as possible, Ryuun felt that he could not ignore this matter.

However, there's no need to rush into it.

In any case, we should first go to Yokoyama Castle and discuss it with Kinoshita Tokichiro.

One reason is to see if this guy has any more accurate and timely information.

Secondly, it serves as a backup plan, so that if the Asai family's grand conspiracy is truly thwarted, there is no need to worry about the achievement being buried.

Thirdly, it's an opportunity to ask for some necessary assistance. For example, to get a few more of those useful tools from before.

So Liu Yun immediately packed his belongings, took his valuables and bid farewell to his family, and headed towards Hengshan City.

Saeko volunteered to go along.

Liu Yun thought it was acceptable and agreed.

Iori was originally just helping to tidy up with a bit of loneliness and resentment, but upon seeing this, her resentment was magnified dozens of times, and she looked like she was about to melt into autumn water.

Fortunately, Saeko secretly said to her, "Madam, if Master encounters a friend like Miss Igawa again while we're out, we'll know in advance and won't be caught off guard."

Iori rationally felt that these words should not be taken at face value, but after hearing them, she subconsciously felt much more cheerful.

Chapter 102 Teaming Up with Mrs. Kinoshita (Part 1)

Liu Yun, accompanied by Saeko, arrived at Yokoyama Castle in simple attire. After greeting the guards, they entered the city without prior notice.

As was customary, he had his attendants wait at the residence first, while he went to visit the main palace.

As it turned out, Kinoshita Tokichiro was sitting barefoot on the porch with his legs crossed, clutching a book tightly in his hands, gritting his teeth, his eyebrows raised, clearly furious.

Liu Yun was a little curious. Wasn't this guy always calm, collected, and resourceful?

Who provoked me today?

Although special permission does not require notification, someone else will naturally be informed. Kinoshita Tokichiro saw Ryuyun out of the corner of his eye, but he was not surprised. He threw the document aside and forced a smile: "Brother, you've come at just the right time. I was just planning to invite you over."

Liu Yun frowned and asked, "What happened?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro sighed and asked in return, "Have you heard about the widow's disappearance these past few days, brother?"

Liu Yun nodded and said, "That's exactly why I came here."

Kinoshita Tokichiro breathed a slight sigh of relief: "That's good, saves me from having to explain it in detail again. Hey, don't laugh at me, but this is exactly what's been bothering me!"

Liu Yun was a little surprised, and half-jokingly probed, "Then you really are... a benevolent ruler."

Kinoshita Tokichiro smiled bitterly upon hearing this: "It's not what you're talking about—of course, I can't help but worry when the people in my territory are in trouble, after all, I myself come from a poor background! But what angers me even more is that dozens of local people from the surrounding area came and signed a petition, saying that it was because I insisted on 'retainers living together,' leaving no one to guard the villages in various places, which led to these widows being kidnapped."

"This is just an excuse to make a fuss," Liu Yun said, then added reassuringly, "A bunch of incompetent minor lords complaining won't shake your position, will it?"

"If it were just those bastards down there, of course I wouldn't be afraid." At this point, Kinoshita Tokichiro's anger flared again: "The most hateful ones are Hori Hidemura and Okeguchi Naofusa! They have connections to speak directly with Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga), and their status isn't much lower than mine! This time, they actually sided with the local lords, exaggerating their accusations against me! That's a different story. I even granted those two special permission not to be bound by the 'retainers' system! No good deed goes unpunished!"

"I see." Liu Yun, unfamiliar with the situation, simply listened quietly without offering much comment.

Kinoshita Tokichiro cursed a few times, but quickly regained his composure and analyzed the situation with a serious expression: "This matter has already reached the higher-ups, which is not good for me. The worst outcome might be dismissal, reduction of rank, and being confined to my home for several months without being allowed to leave. Moreover... and Brother Ryuyun will probably be implicated as well, after all, it was your idea... Sigh, I'm already unlucky enough to suffer myself, if it affects your future as well, I'll really have no face to show my face!"

Liu Yun was indignant about this: "When you first brought this up, Lord Tanzheng agreed to it, didn't he?"

Upon hearing this, Kinoshita Tokichiro looked embarrassed. After a moment of silence, he replied softly, "Brother Ryuun, after all, your time as a samurai is over. You should know that in any matter under heaven, if things are done well, it is due to the foresight of those above. If things are done poorly, it is the fault of those below who are incompetent."

Liu Yun paused, then shook his head and smiled wryly: "This is really..."

Kinoshita Tokichiro, however, took it in stride: "That's just how the world is. If you're not happy about it, then find a way to climb up the ladder!"

Liu Yun remained silent.

Kinoshita Tokichiro shook his head and said seriously, "Don't think about those things! The matter can still be resolved. As long as we find out about the widow's disappearance as soon as possible, we can prove that even after the 'retainers gather' is raised, we can still maintain peace in all directions. Then the people of the country will have nothing to say."

Liu Yun nodded upon hearing this: "I came to you precisely to resolve this matter. We should first hear Lord Takenaka's opinion, and then perhaps Hachisuka and the others can also offer their assistance."

Kinoshita Tokichiro shook his head bitterly and said, "It's a pity that Takenaka and Hachisuka are not here."

Liu Yun thought it was a coincidence: "You just happened to be away?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro sighed, "Ever since you, Ryuun, broke that 'Life-Extending Formation' of Takeda Shingen, our enemies in the Kinai region seem to be coming out to fight to the death. They've suddenly become incredibly bold. A few days ago, some Shugen monks from the Ikko sect in the south, along with Iga ninjas, caused trouble. I sent Takenaka and Hachisuka with two hundred elite soldiers to suppress them, and they won't be back for a while. Now, the people left in Yokoyama Castle are just enough to protect themselves. Even I myself dare not leave easily."

This is really not the right time.

Yokoyama Castle actually only has four or five hundred elite soldiers directly under its command; the troops that the surrounding local people can provide are mostly unreliable. It also requires Kinoshita Tokichiro's monkey-face transformation and the various supernatural abilities of the other retainers to barely maintain any fighting strength. Now that half of its core territory has been given away, the remaining half truly cannot be touched.

Liu Yun pondered for a moment, then frowned and said, "I heard that the Asai family is causing trouble at Toragozen Mountain? Could it be related to this?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro looked distressed: "I've heard about it too, and I think it might be related to the widow's disappearance, so I sent people to look for her. But it's a large mountainous area after all, who knows which cave she's haunting? Without Lord Takenaka's magic and Lord Hachisuka's patrols, things are going to be difficult."

Liu Yun sighed, "As long as we know who is responsible for the widow's disappearance, I am not afraid of any enemy, even if I am alone with my sword. The only thing we need to do is find out where the enemy is."

Kinoshita Tokichiro nodded and said, "Yes, when it comes to fighting, I believe Brother Ryuyun is invincible. But chasing criminals and investigating cases is not your forte. So—I originally planned to invite you over and assign someone who is good at this to help."

Liu Yun couldn't help but wonder, "Since you have such talents, why haven't you ever sent them out before?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro sighed deeply, his expression complex, and said with a wry smile, "With my background, where would I find any talent to use? The person I was talking about earlier was actually my wife, Nene!"

"Huh? You're kidding, right?" Liu Yun stared in disbelief, stunned for a long time before shaking her head and saying, "Isn't this inappropriate? You want me to act with Ling Nei?"

"It sounds a bit strange. But I'm being serious." Kinoshita Tokichiro's face was grim, but his tone was firm, clearly indicating his determination: "Nene, from a young age, was just the daughter of a small samurai family, and had no place to learn anything like Onmyoji, esoteric arts, or spiritual communication. But she has a very strong innate spiritual power, and she's exceptionally accurate in seeing things, even more so than ordinary Onmyoji, Shugen-sō, or Shinto priests. Of course, she's definitely not as good as Lord Takenaka. But she can still be of some help."

"This..." Liu Yun was still a little hesitant.

Although I'm also somewhat looking forward to it.

It wasn't that I wanted to have anything happen with her, but rather that I was curious about what this historically famous woman looked like.

"If I'm not afraid, what are you worried about, brother?" Kinoshita Tokichiro waved his hand, appearing very relaxed, and said, "I know Ningning's personality better than anyone. As for you, Brother Liuyun, although we've only known each other for half a year, your character is absolutely trustworthy. This time, I'm sending you out on serious business, so what's there to worry about?"

“That’s true.” Liu Yun nodded and said, “Since you, Lord Kinoshita, are so magnanimous, wouldn’t it be pretentious for me to refuse again? I will definitely cooperate with your wife to resolve this matter of the missing widow as soon as possible.”

"Thank you for your trouble, brother!" Kinoshita Tokichiro breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and nodded, saying, "I sent a letter four days ago, telling my wife Ningning about this and asking her to come over from our residence in Gifu Castle as soon as possible. Judging by the days, she should arrive tomorrow... or at the latest the day after. We can discuss it properly then and see how to arrange things."

"Does your wife have no objection to this?" Liu Yun asked curiously.

"Of course not." Kinoshita Tokichiro shook his head and said, "She is very clear about separating public and private matters, and she is more open-minded than me! As long as she knows that it is all for a serious matter, she will not care about trivial matters."

Liu Yun couldn't help but feel a little admiration.

They truly deserve to be called the most legendary entrepreneurial couple in Japanese history. Their goals are clear, their will is firm, and their ambition is unmatched by ordinary people.

If it were Liu Yun himself, he probably would never agree to let his wife go out on an adventure, let alone team up with another man.

Chapter 103 Teaming Up with Mrs. Kinoshita (Part 2)

Although a spacious and bright "Sasaki Residence" was specially built in Yokoyama Castle and servants were arranged for it, Ryuun still felt uncomfortable and did not like living there.

Fortunately, I brought Saeko with me this time, so we can do some good couples activities in the evening to pass the time.

After all, there were very few forms of entertainment in this era, such as playing cards or listening to operas, which cannot be compared with those in the 21st century.

Without video games and video websites, no matter how rich you are, you can only stay at home having kids and playing games.