Swallow Return

It looks quite ordinary, but since it's located in the main citadel of Yokoyama Castle, ordinary people can't easily enter. Only the samurai in the castle can come to worship.

Due to the tense situation, most people had gone out to fight, and there was no one else in the courtyard at this time.

Ningning picked up the whisk placed next to the shrine, carefully wiped away the dust that might not even be there, and asked softly, "Lord Sasaki, why did you ask that question?"

Without hesitation, Liu Yun said sincerely, "That female demon, Hu Yuqian, said that she had cleared the entanglement between you and then calmly faced death. But judging from the signs afterward, it seems more like a part of her soul has merged with yours. I think this kind of thing is not so simple, and if left unchecked, there may be some bad developments, so I couldn't help but ask."

Ningning turned her head to look at her, lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, "Are you worried that I'll be possessed by an evil spirit?"

Liu Yun shook his head and said, "It doesn't seem like it. That Tiger King shouldn't be considered an evil spirit. I'm just worried about the aftereffects of schizophrenia."

Ningning smiled again and continued cleaning the shrine. Suddenly, she brought up an unrelated topic: "Lord Sasaki, look at this monkey-like statue. It is said that it was originally a deity that could transform into human form and use its magic to protect the people! However, later, when the holy monk Jianzhen went to the east, Buddhism gradually rose, and the people no longer believed in the gods. This monkey god gradually lost its power, and even its consciousness became blurred, leaving only a wisp of a soul."

Liu Yun sensed that the other person was talking about some profound secret, so he didn't reply and listened carefully.

After a pause, Ningning continued, "However, it was once a god after all. Even if only a wisp of its soul remains, it still contains an essence that is difficult for ordinary people to understand. Do you know why we set up the shrine here? In fact, Takenaka and Hachisuka both understand that this is to allow Lord Kinoshita to subtly absorb the status of the Monkey God."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun was somewhat surprised, but also a little bewildered.

Ningning clearly knew the situation was difficult to understand, and continued to explain: "Lord Kinoshita came from a humble background. During his travels as a young man, he coincidentally obtained the inheritance of the ancient powerful being 'Ape-Faced Martial Venerable,' but his power was too weak to be activated. Therefore, he tried every means to absorb the 'spirit' related to apes from various places to strengthen himself. Including the white ape guarding Yokoyama City, he has done this more than ten times."

Liu Yun pondered the other person's words, seemingly guessing something, yet not quite sure.

After a while, Ningning continued, "If it's not from the same source, it's very difficult to absorb successfully. But even if it's from the same source, and both are manifestations of the 'ape' concept, there will still be subtle differences. Because of absorbing too much external force, the current Kinoshita-sama, compared to back then, is still the same person, but his temperament and interests have undergone some minor but not negligible changes."

Liu Yun suddenly realized: "I understand. It means that you have absorbed a part of the soul of Torago-gozen, who is from the same source, for some inexplicable reason, and have undergone subtle changes. Perhaps I should call you Lady Nene, who has merged with Torago-gozen."

Lady Ningning smiled and nodded: "Thank you for your concern. Actually... judging from Lord Kinoshita's condition, absorbing power from the same source will only slightly change one's temperament and interests, and there are no noteworthy harms."

Liu Yun, already possessing keen senses, gained an extraordinary understanding of human nature after absorbing the "bewitching power" of the red magatama. After careful examination, he judged that the words were largely true and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "In that case, I have nothing to worry about. However, I still feel some regret about the passing of Tiger Goden... Should we stop someone with a death wish from taking their own life? I still cannot answer this question."

Liu Yun himself didn't know why he suddenly said those words.

Perhaps it's because too many enemies have suddenly appeared recently, forcing me to fight like a firefighter, and seeing too much blood has made me a bit irritable.

But upon hearing these unintentional words, Ningning's expression suddenly became somewhat unusual.

She stopped cleaning the shrine, put the whisk back in its place, and then walked slowly forward a few steps with her head bowed. She came to a large tree in the courtyard, gently stroked the newly sprouted branches, and said softly, "Lord Sasaki, before Lady Toragozen passed away, she said that you were truly her confidant. I have inherited this feeling, so there are some things I can only say to you..."

At this moment, Liu Yun inexplicably felt that listening further might be a bit ominous, but when she looked up and saw the other person standing alone in the deep courtyard, leaning against a tree and sighing in the spring breeze, she felt a unique sense of coldness and loneliness. She felt an inappropriate pity and replied softly, "I am all ears."

"Thank you." Ningning's back was turned to this side, and there was an ethereal quality in her voice: "As you probably know, Lady Torago is a yokai that is the embodiment of the Japanese people's shared obsession with the idea of ​​'Yamato Nadeshiko'. Although I am just a human with flesh and blood and not a yokai formed from obsession, I don't know why I seem to be from the same source as her."

Liu Yun nodded: "That's already known."

Ningning paused for a moment, then said, "Although we share the same origin, our thoughts are somewhat different. Lady Tiger Goddess only has admiration and tolerance for her husband. She only cares about his passion, gentleness, affection, and humor, believing that this is what a woman from Japan should be like. But I—"

Then he paused for a while, seemingly hesitating.

Liu Yun didn't urge him, and even hesitated whether he should stop listening and leave directly.

However, Ningning finally spoke up: "I used to think that pleasure and love are only temporary. A truly virtuous wife who deserves praise from future generations should pay more attention to her husband's talents and strategies. She should encourage and assist her husband to achieve success, stand out from the crowd, and bring glory to the family... This is the true meaning of 'Yamato Nadeshiko'."

Liu Yun fell into thought, somewhat not understanding the meaning of those words.

After a moment of silence, Ningning said softly, "But now, now... perhaps it's the part of the soul absorbed from Toragozen that's at work. These past few days, I've been constantly reflecting and hesitating, wondering if I did something wrong before, whether I should change... Lord Sasaki, which of these two ideas do you think is the right one?"

Without a second thought, Liu Yun said, "Each has its merits; there is no absolutely correct answer."

Ningning smiled wryly, "That's a cunning answer. Well then, let me ask you a different question. If you had two women, the first would be gentle and tolerant of everything, and the second would gently advise you to strive for success... which one would you choose as your wife?"

Liu Yun remained undeterred: "Only children make choices; adults would say, 'I want them all!'"

Ningning was dumbfounded and speechless.

Liu Yun finally caught his breath and adopted a serious tone, saying, "Although this was said in jest, there is some truth to it. For men, if they choose the first one, they will miss the second one later; if they choose the second one, they will miss the first one later... That's just the nature of men."

Ningning nodded thoughtfully, then covered her mouth and chuckled, "Men's nature is truly insatiable!"

Liu Yun responded with self-assurance: "That's exactly right."

Ningning, unusually, chuckled like an ordinary girl, her expression much more relaxed. She patted her chest and said, "Although it was a joke, I understand what you mean! It's pointless to agonize over which kind of life is more correct and more in line with the expectations of a 'Yamato Nadeshiko'. By the way... the others should be back soon, so please don't reveal what we just said. Keep it a secret between the two of us."

Liu Yun was taken aback: "A secret? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Ningning nodded and smiled slightly, "What good would it do for Lord Kinoshita to know what I just said? He's been very busy lately and hasn't had much time to think about me..."

Liu Yun hesitated and said, "Actually, Lord Zhu Zhong should also be able to see the abnormality on your body, even if I don't say anything..."

Ningning shook her head and said, "The most trustworthy thing about Lord Takenaka is that he will always play dumb when he needs to. Of course he will notice my situation, but he will never ask about it. He will just keep it to himself. Therefore, he is trustworthy, but not someone you can rely on."

Liu Yun wanted to say something more, but at that moment, voices came from afar outside the door, as if another team was returning from the battlefield.

If other people are present, it's not convenient to have too much private communication with the "mistress".

After a moment's thought, Liu Yun decided it was best not to make it public.

Although Ningning's soul has been altered somewhat due to the presence of some of Toragozen's elements, since it's not an evil spirit possessing her and there's no malice involved, everything is fine.

Ningning slowly walked towards the entrance of the citadel to greet the retainers returning to the castle.

After walking a dozen steps, she suddenly turned back, revealing a smile that was like that of a cunning young girl, completely lacking in elegance and grace: "Lord Sasaki, don't forget this is a secret."

Chapter 117 Absolute Honesty and Innocence

Liu Yun vaguely felt that she was feeling a little guilty for keeping something a secret from Kinoshita Tokichiro about having some kind of "secret" with Ningning.

After all, I am a civilized person of integrity and high moral character from the 21st century...

I scoff at and dismiss outdated cultural practices such as "I love my wife," "Nothing tastes better than dumplings," and "I will take care of your wife and children."

There was absolutely no such thought in Liu Yun's mind!

Even if it existed, it was fleeting and would never linger in one's mind.

Even if it remains in your mind, it will only occupy a tiny corner of space, with no room to grow, expand, take root, or sprout.

Even if it grows and takes root, and if it does generate inappropriate and evil thoughts, it will be restrained by reason and self-control.

Even when I occasionally lose my reason and self-control, I can't restrain myself...

No, that's impossible. Liu Yun firmly believes that with his character, he could never reach that level.

In short, there's no need to worry too much.

Although Sasaki Ryuun, as an outsider, had made a secret agreement with Mrs. Kinoshita without Mr. Kinoshita's knowledge, so what? Their relationship remained completely innocent and open, as pure as a blank sheet of paper without any ink. Ryuun pondered for a moment and realized that he had no reason to feel guilty.

Then he heard someone shouting loudly, "It's the lord of the castle!" "Lord Kinoshita has returned victorious!" "He brought back many enemy heads!" and so on.

At the same time, a commotion and the sound of footsteps came.

Not long after, Kinoshita Tokichiro appeared at the Honmaru of Yokoyama Castle, wearing exaggerated armor. Despite his short stature, he walked arrogantly at the front, his face full of fatigue and his body covered with blood and dirt. However, he was unusually excited and full of fighting spirit.

Liu Yun went to greet him, but before he could even say hello, the other man ran over laughing heartily and said loudly, "Brother, today went exceptionally well! This time, the Rokkaku remnants, the Sankumo group, and the Igayama Fushija Hyakuri family thought I was dealing with the Asai army up ahead, so they teamed up to try and sabotage us, but they fell right into their trap! Both forces lost more than two hundred of their core members. Given their size, they probably won't be able to cause trouble for a while! By the way, Brother Liu Yun, you should have been back not long ago, right? Did you run into anyone?"

Liu Yun gladly offered his congratulations, and then recounted his experience of encountering more than a dozen elite members of the Ikko-kyo sect and beheading six of them.

Hachisuka Masakatsu and several of his retainers overheard the description and deduced that several high-ranking officials, including the heads of the "Twelve Wards of Kitae," had been killed. They figured this faction would likely be quiet for a while.

Kinoshita Tokichiro laughed heartily, paused for a moment, then ordered a retainer to bring tea. He drank it down in a few gulps, let out a sigh of relief, and said smugly, "However, this is just a small battlefield after all. The best news is for our lord! Matsunaga Hisahide has gathered a coalition of thirty to forty thousand troops and has actually come up with the audacious idea of ​​launching a preemptive attack. Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) has also led thirty thousand men, and they have utterly routed the enemy. I heard they have beheaded several thousand, and the area around Kyoto has been stabilized again!"

Knowing the development of the "original history," Liu Yun was not surprised at all and continued to offer his congratulations with a smile.

However, the other retainers and citizens in the city were overjoyed upon hearing the news, their faces beaming with happiness, and they all felt honored to share in the glory.

Kinoshita Tokichiro, still not satisfied, gulped down two more cups of tea, his enthusiasm undiminished, and continued, "The most interesting part hasn't even started yet! As you know, we're surrounded by enemies, and our forces are stretched thin. We only have two or three thousand men left to defend the north, but Asakura Yoshikage of Echizen is a useless coward. Despite having over twenty thousand men, he drags his feet and dares not attack. The Asai clan of Odani Castle actually expects such a piece of trash to save their lives. How laughable, how laughable!"

Liu Yun thought to himself that Asakura Yoshikage was indeed a useless guy in the game, and felt his face was a bit stiff, but he still politely congratulated him again.

The retainers and the people of the state made a great fuss, expressing their contempt and disdain for the Echizen Asakura family, while also subtly boasting about their own bravery and fearlessness.

After saying these three things and drinking a few cups of tea, Kinoshita Tokichiro wolfed down some simple food and said to Nene, "The battle records, casualty records, food and weapon consumption, and preparations for the next troop deployment... a whole bunch of things, I'll leave it to you!" Then he lay down on the wooden planks of the palace hall and fell fast asleep without even going to his bedroom, let alone washing up.

Although he has always been very "down-to-earth," this level of "down-to-earthness" is astonishing.

Of the retainers and citizens who followed him back to the city, very few frowned in displeasure, showing their aversion to this. The majority burst into laughter, their laughter revealing a sense of agreement that may or may not be genuine.

Regardless, we've all been through a difficult time together, and as the situation gradually improves, our cohesion is undoubtedly strengthening. The conflicts arising from the forceful implementation of the "retainers living together" system have gradually subsided.

Ningning displayed her usual dignified and generous demeanor, bowed with a light smile to accept the order, and then instructed the servants to carry Kinoshita Tokichiro to the room to rest.

Liu Yun observed from the shadows and found it a bit strange.

It's fair to say that Kinoshita Tokichiro truly trusts Nene. The importance of tasks like recording battle achievements, tallying supplies, and preparing resupply is self-evident, yet he entrusts them with these responsibilities without any worries. It seems that this couple is extremely close and inseparable.

but……

However, it seems that Kinoshita Tokichiro was completely unaware of the subtle changes in Nene's words, actions, temperament, and interests.

This relationship is more similar to that of Duke Huan of Qi and Guan Zhong, and seems to differ somewhat from the normal understanding of a husband-wife relationship.

Of course, Liu Yun was just thinking about this casually. How a couple gets along is their private matter and has nothing to do with him. This is the way to be an honest and upright person.

Kinoshita Tokichiro was fast asleep when several strong servants carried him into his bedroom. An old woman who looked like a housekeeper whispered, "Remember to help the master wash up first..."

Hachisuka Masakatsu, fully aware of his role as vice-general, immediately ordered his retainers and local populace to line up and report their battle results and losses one by one, which were then verified and recorded. This burly man, with his imposing physique, was perfect for adding to the atmosphere.

Lady Ningning remained as dignified and graceful as ever, gentle yet authoritative. Although she smiled and talked, she possessed an aura of authority that commanded respect and made people dare not underestimate her, even surpassing the imposing figure of Hachisuka beside her.

Liu Yun vaguely felt that, compared to the past, Ning Ning's smile now seemed to be more than just a business gesture; it had gained a touch of genuine sincerity.

However, this is not something I should be concerned about.

Taking advantage of the calmer situation, Liu Yun decided to take leave and go home to rest and recuperate.

……

Two hours later, Liu Yun lay in the bedroom of the Sasaki residence, surrounded by the warmth and fragrance of beautiful women, and suddenly murmured to himself, "Women seem to really like keeping secrets."

Upon hearing this, Iori was shocked and stammered, "My lord, you already know... you already know that I... I have one-quarter demon blood in my veins?"

Liu Yun was taken aback, then smiled and shook his head, saying, "I already knew about this, but I never paid it any mind. Don't overthink it!"

Iori breathed a sigh of relief, but then looked doubtful and gave a wink to the side.

Saeko replied without hesitation, in an unquestionable tone, "I have no secrets, body or mind, from my master."

Iori gave a soft "oh" and muttered to herself in a barely audible voice, "If it's neither me nor Saeko, then... it's not someone from the family, but someone from outside?"

Seeing this, Liu Yun thought to himself that this woman was getting bolder and bolder and that he had to teach her a lesson. So he swung his stick and carried out the "family discipline" without any hesitation.

Chapter 118 Sudden Fame

In his past life, when playing games, Liu Yun had heard of the term "Oda Encirclement".

It appears that many forces have joined forces to besiege Nobunaga alone.

But it seems that there were no particularly noteworthy major turning points afterward, and the encirclement was broken up one by one.