Yashiro the Blind

He was wearing a gray Buddhist robe and sat cross-legged on the floor of the meditation room. Opposite him were Master Jiro and Yashiro, but there was no sign of Hikogoro. The other party had left in a hurry after delivering the letter. After all, the letter contained the request to exchange Master Nankei's treasure for Tenjibu-ryu. Whether or not to agree was an internal matter of Ryutaiji Temple, and it would be awkward for him to stay.

Actually, Yashiro didn't want to come along. Logically and emotionally, Jiro should have consulted Master Nanke himself on how to decide. But after going and coming back, she was inexplicably dragged along again. As soon as she sat down, the old monk gave her a history lesson.

This old monk was none other than the current abbot of Longtai Temple, Nanxi Ruiwen. Once a renowned spearman who had defeated countless masters across four kingdoms, five capitals, and eight eastern states with his single red spear, he had now cultivated his character for many years and might appear to ordinary people as a kind and approachable old man. However, at this moment, just sitting and talking face to face like this, the young girl already felt a faint sense of oppression, making it a little hard for her to breathe.

But she understood that this was not Nanxi Monk's intentional pressure. In fact, Ba Xun could sense that the other party was already intentionally restraining his aura. Unfortunately, not only were her regular five senses... her fourth senses also exceptionally sharp, but her sixth sense was also exceptionally keen. With the twitching of her nostrils, she seemed to be able to smell a lingering bloody scent on the thin body opposite her. It was a scent that only someone who had been stained with countless amounts of blood over the years would have.

She had only sensed the same aura from a few acquaintances before, such as her father, or the old lady... her master. Such people were definitely not to be trifled with, so Yashiro sat up straight and behaved very well, which was completely different from her usual loose and unsteady posture after getting to know someone. This made Jiro, the monk next to her, glance at her frequently.

However, upon hearing the old monk's last words, she tilted her head and couldn't help but ask, "Master, do you mean that my father stole this military treatise from someone?"

“It’s not robbery, it’s theft, or to use your own words, ‘borrowing without asking’… My sins, my sins.”

Perhaps feeling that this statement violated Buddhist precepts, Nanxi then put his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and continued, "I am not entirely clear about the specific reasons and details, but several years ago, my benefactor Wulang suddenly visited me at night in a hurry and handed me a box, entrusting me to keep it safe for a while..."

“My benefactor Wulang is an upright man. Knowing that I had doubts, he showed me the contents of the box. It was a book that recorded many methods of military strategy and deployment. According to my benefactor Wulang, this is the military strategy book that Judge Jiulang stole with great difficulty—the Tiger Scroll.”

He paused, then sighed, "I have known Benefactor Wulang for a long time. Although I knew that this military treatise was bound to involve a certain incident, I still agreed to it... Who knew that not long after, I heard the news that Benefactor Wulang had been murdered by treacherous people and died a violent death. Not only that, but the other members of the Tianfeng clan also perished..."

The old monk glanced at Hachisaku, not explaining himself clearly, but only vaguely saying, "In this way, the book has remained in my hands for several years now... But tracing back to its origins, since you are the daughter of Benefactor Goro, this book should rightfully belong to you. As for this matter, I am now a recluse and do not concern myself with worldly affairs. The specifics of how to proceed, whether to agree to their demands and exchange the book for the person, are for you two to discuss and decide."

"This... this isn't right..."

Unexpectedly, the blame was passed around and ended up on her head. The girl had a strange expression and was about to say something when she heard the old monk push his hand and hand over a wooden box. "Jiro, take good care of the guest and don't neglect him."

"Yes."

Jiro, the monk, placed his hands on the ground, bowed, and then tugged at Yashiro's sleeve. Yashiro, a step behind, also bowed.

Knowing that the old monk's words were tactfully a dismissal, she said no more, picked up the wooden box, and left the meditation room with the woman. After walking a distance, she heard a soft sigh coming from inside the room, but for a moment she couldn't discern what it meant.

"Well……"

Yashiro weighed the light wooden box in her hand, her feelings equally complicated. She had thought this was someone else's problem, and that she could at most lend a hand, but who knew that she would end up involved with that cheapskate father again.

As the old monk said, if this military treatise is indeed the genuine article that Minamoto no Yoshitsune stole back then, it would be a real hot potato. Even if it is a handwritten copy from later generations, its reputation alone is enough to attract all kinds of covetousness and schemes.

Wasn't it precisely because of this that the Tianzhi siblings were targeted?

Especially considering that Tenfeng Wulang was killed not long after entrusting this thing to Monk Nanxi, the timing was so coincidental. From the worst-case scenario, her father's death might have some direct or indirect connection with this military treatise.

The box was a tangled mess, making the young woman quite annoyed. If she weren't concerned about how others perceived her, she would have liked to throw it far away, not caring what was inside since she couldn't see it anyway—that was the most infuriating part.

If it were a famous sword that could cut through iron and vegetables, a tea set that could be used to enjoy fine wine, or even an expensive silk garment that would at least be comfortable to wear, it would all be useless. But now it's just a book. What does it matter if it's some kind of legendary military treatise or a family heirloom, or what precious knowledge is recorded on its pages? What does any of that have to do with a blind girl like her?

The more I think about it, the angrier I get...

"Feel sorry."

However, an apology from beside him, like the soft click of an air conditioner remote on a sweltering summer day, soothed the growing anxiety in Yashiro's heart.

"Why do you say that, Master?"

"It's your master who's shifting the blame to you, not you..." She uttered these words twice, but ultimately didn't say them. The respect for teachers was still prevalent at the time, and speaking ill of one's master in front of others was an extremely serious offense, not much different from gossiping about one's parents. Even the most good-tempered person would inevitably feel some resentment.

Just like when she and Kato Danzo got together and started whispering about the old lady... It's okay for Master to joke around, but if an outsider really insulted her like that, not to mention Yashiro herself, even the Black-Hearted Tobi, whose fighting power might not even be able to beat a rabbit, would be so angry that he would jump up and down.

Putting herself in the other person's shoes, the girl naturally wouldn't want to intentionally lower the other person's favorability.

Completely unaware of her inner thoughts, Master Jiro paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "This book is clearly your father's heirloom, yet now I want to persuade you to use it to exchange for the life of a stranger. Standing on the side of your children, you always feel guilty."

"Huh? Oh... Oh."

Yashiro was taken aback at first, and then realized that the other person's "sorry" meant this.

“That doesn’t matter,” she shook her head, indicating that Jiro shouldn’t worry about it. “Father left behind more than just this one thing; even this walking stick was one he used. Look—”

As she spoke, the girl stopped and extended her cane, presenting the tip of the cane to the woman.

He hadn't noticed it from a distance, but now that it was almost right in front of him, Jiro squinted slightly and discovered a small gap around the edge of his hand: "This is..."

"This cane is a secret ninja tool of the Iga school. Not only is it hollow and contains a sword, but it also has specially designed mechanisms on both sides. When my father used it, it contained poisoned needles. As long as the mechanism was pressed, the needles could be thrown to kill in the heat of battle, often turning the tide of battle..."

Jiro's smile remained unchanged, but he secretly took a half step back.

"...Don't be afraid. I think this sneaky trick is a bit unfair, so I asked my senior brother to modify this ninja staff a little...Look."

As Yashiro spoke, he flipped his wrist and brought one end of the cane to his mouth. Then, he pressed down hard on one of the slightly protruding spots that was not easy to notice.

click!

With a crisp spring-like sound, the tip of the cane suddenly grew longer, and a refreshing fragrance filled the air. A clear liquid gushed down and poured into her mouth.

"Glug glug... Pfft ha."

Like rain after a long drought, Yashiro let out a satisfied burp. He was about to raise his hand to wipe his mouth with his sleeve, but then remembered that he was wearing someone else's clothes, so he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand instead. He grinned at the woman next to him and said, "See, it's very convenient, isn't it?"

Jiro's face darkened: "You've turned a killing machine into... a drinking vessel?"

"It could be used to store water in an emergency, but I prefer alcohol—oh wait, you can't drink alcohol in the temple, right? So this is water." The girl changed her mind at the last minute.

"...Then your water has a rather unique taste."

"This is top-quality water; its aroma is naturally unique. Would you like to try a sip, Venerable Master?"

"no."

Seeing that Yashiro handed the cane over again, the woman looked puzzled, took a few steps back, and tried to be serious as she said, "I appreciate your kindness... but let's get back to business."

"Hoohoo."

After a few lighthearted banter, she felt a little better. Yashiro put down her cane with a "thud." "In short," she said, "what I'm trying to say is that my father left me with many things to remember him by, not just this cane. If it can be used to save a life, that would be a tremendous blessing. Why would I refuse?"

"Then thank you in advance, benefactor."

"No need for thanks, on the contrary, I would like to ask the Venerable Master for a favor."

"What favor? Anything I can do..."

Unable to bear her serious tone, the girl quickly interrupted, "It's nothing serious, there's no need to be so solemn. It's just that Master Nanxi's explanation of the book's origins is so mysterious that I'm curious about what's written in it and whether it's really as miraculous as it seems. Before exchanging it, could you please read the contents of the book to me?"

"This..." The woman was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

"Is there any difficulty?"

"It's not a problem, the main issue is... after all, this is your father's heirloom, and an incredibly precious ancient book. Is it really appropriate to let me read its contents so easily?"

“Since this is now mine, I naturally have the right to decide who can read it and who cannot.” Yashiro said, tossing the box over. “Thank you for your trouble, Master.”

"it is good."

Jiro took the book without hesitation and immediately took it out. Yashiro heard the rustling sound of pages turning, which started and stopped, then started again. The other person even made a surprised "Eh" sound, but did not speak for a long time.

"what happened?"

Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she finally asked.

Jiro's heart pounded slightly. He hesitated for a moment, then, in a tone of disbelief, recited one of the lines: "The troops were divided into three groups. The vanguard was ordered to dig deep trenches and reinforce fortifications, ensuring no retreat. Banners were displayed, drums were sounded, and the defenses were complete... This..."

The more she read, the more surprised she became. After finishing one sentence, she looked at the girl with some doubt and apprehension.

Yashiro, like her, had a look of astonishment on her face.

"The Tiger's Scroll... So that's what it means?"

……

Chapter Twenty-Three: Another Battle Against the Ronin

Time flies by.

The moon sets and the sun rises, but the sun is not yet set, just hanging on the treetops halfway up the mountain. A gust of wind rustles, blowing fallen leaves into the river beside the mountain, where they are swept away by the rushing water and disappear without a trace.

There were still two figures. One was leaning against a tree trunk, eating a cold rice ball, while the other was disheveled, kneeling by the river, still wearing the same tattered, blood-stained clothes. He looked disheveled and dejected, his face pale, and he was on the verge of death.

"You mean...they'll really offer something to ransom you?"

He stuffed the rice ball into his mouth in a few bites, swallowed it whole with the cold river water, wiped his mouth, glanced at the person, and asked, "What do you mean, 'I'm asking you a question'?" After a while, hearing no reply, he kicked the person, knocking them to the ground.

The kick was quite forceful; the man on the ground coughed twice, spitting out another mouthful of blood. He then turned slightly, his sharp eyes glaring at Mishima Doppo through his blood-stained, disheveled hair, and replied in a hoarse voice, "They will definitely come. Because they are different from you and me; they are all people of feeling and righteousness..."

"Haha!" Mishima Doppo laughed loudly upon hearing this. "You seem to know your own worth quite well. To save your own life, you'd rather betray your friends and family. Tsk tsk tsk, how laughable."

“I don’t deny it…but that’s why I’ve lived this long.”

"Even if you were captured by someone else before, you will at least be spared your life until my employer... ha, my former employer prys everything they want out of you."

"Wrong. If they had caught him, Tenji Muryu would have died at that moment... completely and utterly."

"Ha, so this is what they call 'preferring death to surrender'? A stray dog, trying to act like a samurai and talk about self-respect." He sneered mockingly.

However, these words seemed to have suddenly stepped on the other party's sore spot. The young man, who had been keeping his composure, suddenly jumped up and struggled to crash into the other party, despite his hands being bound. He was then casually smashed away by a scabbard, and half of his body splashed into the river, making his already disheveled appearance even more wretched.

But he still shouted, "I... am not some stray dog, Father... he is a respectable man, a samurai who once received a salary of 500 koku in the Hojo clan! You are not allowed to insult my family name!"

"boring."

Mishima Doppo didn't take his rebuttal to heart, and even sneered, looking down at him as if he were watching a joke. However, he soon looked away as if he had lost interest, and looked up again at the blue sky that was gradually being dyed red by the afterglow.

After hurling a string of curses, Tianzhi Wuliu seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He lay motionless in the water, like a corpse.

"The sky is so big...so blue."

After a long while, the ronin let out a long sigh.

There was no response, and he didn't care. He just kept talking to himself, "You said you know my past and what I want. Is that true?"

"..."

"Forget it, whether it's true or not doesn't matter. Anyway, if the person doesn't arrive before sunset, you'll die. If the person arrives but doesn't satisfy me, you'll still die. Either way, you're going to die. You might as well think of a death poem now. Since you still consider yourself a samurai, you should recite a poem before you die."

"..."

"Silent and still, could it be dead?" he muttered, then shook his head. "Anyway, the goal has been achieved, so it doesn't matter anymore... So, who will come? Monk Nanxi, or perhaps..." As he pondered, the image of that petite figure from last time suddenly flashed through his mind—the orphan of the Tianfeng family, who had slain a single blade against the wind...

It's just a little dog running away with its tail between its legs.

ridiculous.

As night gradually approached and the sun set, the wind in the plain grew colder and colder, penetrating to the bone, especially for him who was shirtless. He slightly raised his hand to brush aside a tender leaf that was drifting towards him, and suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance.

He was slender and tall, with a white headscarf wrapped around his head. His robes billowed in the wind. He held a wooden box in his left hand and a red spear upside down in his right.

"Oh?"

Mishima Doppo narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the man approach step by step, unhurriedly. Just as the man was about to reach the edge of the river, he also saw the young man with half his body submerged in the river. His gaze sharpened slightly: "Tenji..."

At that very moment, he suddenly raised his hand, and the greatsword, scabbard and all, flew through the air and hurtled towards the person who had come!

The woman's expression changed. Seeing the menacing attack, she had no choice but to release the box with her left hand, grasp the spear, and with a swift upward flick, she deflected the incoming broadsword as she staggered backward.

But Mishima Doppo had already stepped forward, catching his weapon with a long reach, and then lowering it down, pinning Tenji Takeru to the ground. Amidst violent coughing, he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Jiro's expression grew even more hostile. He also placed his crimson spear beside him, banged it, and shouted, "Why are you the only one here? Where are the others?"

"Oh, I've already betrayed them, so now I'm basically fighting alone." The ronin grinned.

“Betrayal…so be it. I don’t care what your infighting was like or what. Anyway, I’ve brought the item. As agreed, I’ll return Tianzhi.”

"Of course, I will definitely release the person, but before that, you have to throw over that box you're holding. Once I've confirmed that the contents are correct, I'll return this kid to you."

Mishima Doppo casually extended his hand and made a gesture as if to beckon twice.

"Big...Big Sister..." Tenji Takeru lay on the ground, barely managing to lift his head, only able to see the woman's straw sandals. His voice was bitter, "I'm sorry..."

Before he could finish speaking, Mishima Doppo increased his strength even more, almost crushing his bones: "I advise you to hurry up, I don't have much patience, and I don't know when I'll change my mind."

"……it is good."

Jiro paused for a moment, then bent down, picked up the box, and threw it forcefully across the river.

The ronin reached out and caught it, weighed it in his hand, looked at the contents inside, and nodded seriously: "It is indeed a book, very good."

"That--"

Just as the woman was about to ask for the person, she saw that Mishima Doppo looked uninterested and casually threw the box, along with the books inside, into the river!

The river was swift, and with each swift movement, the wooden box drifted rapidly downstream. Jiro's expression darkened: "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Didn't I say that I have a short patience and I don't know when I'll change my mind—like now?"

Mishima Doppo tilted his head, his expression a half-smile. The next moment, he suddenly looked down at the young man who was being held by a large sword.

"But to be honest, I'm not interested in this damn Tiger Scroll at all. It's just that this kid begged me for mercy, saying that this thing is very important to you, especially to that old bald monk in Ryutai Temple. He said that as long as I ask you for this thing, to ensure that nothing goes wrong, you will definitely send your most powerful expert over in person—that way I can have a good fight."

"Just for this?" Jiro seemed somewhat incredulous.

Seeing this, the ronin sneered again: "Isn't this reason enough? To live in this world, you either kill or be killed. Even you bald monks who chant Buddhist scriptures and eat vegetarian food still eat vegetables and rice. As long as you live, you will inevitably plunder other things. This is an eternal truth!"