After meeting a few distinguished guests who really needed to meet in person, Yuimasa Yukikawa stopped meeting guests. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info but entertained Li Yan, who lives here, and Iida Yoshihiro and Maruhashi Tadaya, who are famous in Edo at the moment, to have lunch together.

Lunch is simple, but instead of a Japanese-style Fluttershy, she gathers at an octagonal table and eats meat and vegetables.

"This time, it's really hard for you. Tadaya-kun. Yui Masayuki raised his glass and said, "This glass, I want to salute you." If it weren't for your sacrifice, this plan wouldn't have gone so smoothly. ”

Li Yan looked at the few people in front of him with a smile, and also raised his glass to toast.

Maruhashi Tadaya hurriedly got up and said, "Zhengxue-kun is too polite. I've gone astray, can I go back a second time? This time the plan allows me to participate, and it is a salvation for me. ”

Yui Masayuki sighed, "But no matter what, in Edo, your reputation will not be good from now on. Everyone will say that the stupid Maruhashi Tadaya, who had the opportunity to take a thousand taels of silver, went to take fifty taels of silver from the samurai of the Satsuma Domain, and lost his status as a samurai and became a wandering samurai again. ”

"Reputation ......? If it weren't for the fact that he was a samurai of the Satsuma Domain and had a good reputation, how could he have done something wrong? Public opinion, many times is stupid. Listening to the crowd doesn't mean you're making the right choice. It's not too late to follow Zheng Xuejun and follow Daming's career, right? Maruhashi said sincerely.

"Of course it's not too late! But don't think about the gold. Iida Yoshihiro laughed and said, "These are all thanks to His Excellency Li Yan, and they are not our property." ”

"Hahaha...... A little thing, why worry about it. Li Yan humbled for a moment.

"At this time, I remembered the road of wealth without showing it, but it was too late. Don't think I don't know, the allowance for going to Luzon alone is enough for you to earn a daughter-in-law. Maruhashi Tadaya smiled.

Jinyiwei is a place with an inconspicuous reputation in China, and it seems that he is deliberately washing away his past identity and acting very low-key.

But after joining it, you will find that you may not be able to gain fame here, but it is very promising to earn a good fortune.

Jin Yiwei's Yu Lu even looks high enough in the eyes of the Ming people.

What's more, agents can break many restrictions, not only can they be merchants to complete tasks, but they can even open colonial companies and become mercenaries. As long as it is conducive to completing the task.

The result is ...... They each have good incomes.

Of course, it is also very dangerous.

In many cases, the leap in risk is directly proportional to the amount of money.

Talking and laughing, the wine has been three rounds, the food has been five flavors, and everyone has a closer relationship.

However, Yui Masayuki still showed some worried expressions.

He had planned to make persistent efforts to receive all the guests who came today. Especially those who claim to have an old relationship with Yui Masayuki and want to reach various cooperations.

However, Li Yan stopped him.

"It's really going to be stuck with the number of people...... Instead of seeing them all? In fact, if you prepare a grand feast, you can also solve the problem of hospitality. The dojo is now well funded...... The gifts we received today alone are enough for us to entertain for ten days and ten nights. Yui Masayuki expressed puzzlement.

Maruhashi Tadaya and Iida Yoshihiro glanced at each other and saw Yui Masayuki's solemnity. Obviously, this Li Yan's opinion is very important.

In fact, this is also the plan of Jinyiwei and the expedition company to join forces. As for who has such ability...... There is no doubt that this is straight to heaven.

"Receiving it in one go, this is really not in line with the status of Zhengxue Jun now." Li Yan said with a smile.

Yui Zhengxue shook his head and smiled: "Where is the status...... For the shogunate, it was just a grass people. ”

Li Yan's smile was sincere and confident, and he stretched out his hand to the reception house: "Perhaps, Zheng Xuejun was just a grass man in the past. But what about now? We have already set the tide of change at the beginning. Believe me...... Soon the whole of Edo will be dancing because of us. And this requires us to be more confident in dealing with those outside. ”

Following Li Yan's hand, there were more and more people waiting in the reception courtyard to meet Yui Zhengxue. In particular, many people seem to be worried that they won't be able to eat here, so they come in the afternoon.

Of course, Yui Masayuki also has to eat, and the lunch break is not for guests.

As a result, there were more and more people in the reception hall, and many people wanted to eat, but they were worried that they would delay seeing Yui Masayuki. Gobbled up one after another, and the reception courtyard was noisy.

"If it's too easy, let them see it...... Lost the mood of cherishing this opportunity? Yui Masayuki probably understood what Li Yan meant.

Li Yan showed a teachable expression and said with a smile: "Zheng Xuejun's intelligence is really amazing. That's right, if you want to get a suitable condition, you can hang them for a while. ”

"I see......" Yui Masayuki thought.

At this time, Kanai Hanbei hurriedly ran in, wiped the sweat on his forehead, looked at the relaxed appearance of several people in front of him, showed an envious expression, and said, "There are people outside, and I am going crazy to be busy with this registration." It's amazing that you can sit here in peace. Zheng Xuejun, Li Yansang, maybe I took the liberty of asking. But...... When will our plan finally be launched? I'm alone, and I've ascended the throne in one day with more than 300 children who want to sign up, but it's really ...... It's busy. ”

"Haha, don't worry. There is a shortage of people in the dojo, and someone will come over soon. As for the timing of the launch...... Soon, you'll find out. After Li Yan finished speaking, he ate the last bit of food and got up to say goodbye.

……

"In the dojo, it's been quite lively lately?" Yanagi Shibei returned to Yanagi's hometown, and couldn't help but sigh when he looked at the people coming and going in the dojo left by Yanagi Zongju.

It's a nostalgia for the past.

As the master of the art of war in the world, Yagyu Soju was the great eye of the shogunate, cultivating many talents, making countless daimyo silent, and losing the ambition to confront the shogunate. He was a pillar of the Tokugawa shogunate.

As for the disciples of the Yanagi sect, they scattered all over the world and struggled in various places. If the daimyo reject them and suspect them, they will face the dilemma of having no talent available. But if they are accepted, they will naturally not be able to prevent those spies who have been carefully cultivated by Yagyu Soju from stealing secrets.

Of course, more often than not, as long as Yanagi Zongju lives, the daimyo in various places will not dare to make a mistake.

Because, none of them knew whether the confidential information they talked about today would appear on Yagyu Soki's desk tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow they would see the shogun angrily attacking them and suppressing the rebellion.

But alas, Yagyu died.

The death of Yagyu Tajima Mamori caused the death of the legendary Yagyu Sandai dog, and although Yagyu Jubei was famous, he had a reputation for madness and could only monitor the daimyo in the shadows.

Such a gap can be described as really emotional.

As long as Yagyu is alive, he will be able to suppress those who dare to rebel.

But now that he has been replaced by Yagyu Shibei, he needs to use a sharp sword light to force back Tokugawa Yoribo's aggressiveness.

"Times have changed." Yagyu Shibei could not understand why times changed so quickly.

But since he learned about the shogun's secrets, he understood the reliance on which Tokugawa Yoribo's aggressiveness stemmed. Obviously, if it weren't for the fact that Tokugawa Iemitsu was not in good health, Tokugawa Yoribo would not have dared to be so aggressive.

The strong Tokugawa Raibo can attract the gathering of careerists, so that the yellow robe is added, and a cowardly imperial family will not be embraced.

It's just that......

The decline of the Yanagi family seems to be so obvious.

The dogs of Yanagi have withered one by one for three days, so will the next one to wither be his Yanagi Shibei?

He shook his head and went straight to Yagyu Tajimamoru's grave.

The tomb of Yagyu Soju was not built in a luxurious manner, but on the contrary, it was a little too ordinary, not only was it not as good as those old friends who had served as high officials of the shogunate, but even a wealthy samurai was more ornate than his tomb.

Sitting in front of his father's grave, Yanagi Shibei faced each other silently.

Behind him, countless warriors glanced at each other and silently opened a gap.

"Father, I'm in a quandary."

"Just three days ago, I obtained a most urgent secret - the general's life span is only five years. Although healers are not omnipotent, predicting life expectancy is often nonsense. But judging by the level of nervousness of the general, this news is probably true. At least, a large part of it is true...... That is, our generals, there are not a few years to live. Just yesterday...... Ah Neng went to Edo with one hundred and thirty samurai, and I know their fate......"

Ah Neng's full name is Liu Sheng Ah Neng, and he is the confidant of the Liu Sheng family. It was also Yagyu Jubei who led the participants in the capture of Yamada Shoichi.

As for the other one hundred and thirty samurai...... Without exception, they were all samurai who participated in that operation.

They went to Edo without warning, and the shogunate forcibly issued an order without even having time to weave one.

Yanagi Shibei silently chose to acquiesce, looking at the backs of one hundred and thirty-one people, his heart was like a knife.

"Only the dead will shut up forever and keep secrets......," Yagyu Shibei muttered, "When I was young, my father used to scare me not to inquire about things I shouldn't have heard. For the Aren, for the samurai...... I thought it would be enough to let them go and not hear the news. I didn't expect ...... But the general doesn't even believe in my arrangement......"

Obviously, Tokugawa Iemitsu was not worried that Yagyu Jubei's move would keep the news from being leaked.

So, an order that seemed to have no consequences was given.

plus Yanagi Aneng, a total of one hundred and thirty-one people's lives...... That's the end of it.

And he, Yagyu Jubei, as the leader of the samurai, was powerless.

Not only that, but in such a storm of distrust, even Yanagi Shibei himself is about to embark on a strange path. He can't even save his own fate, let alone save others?

At the beginning, he swore that he would definitely win the trust of the general.

But I never thought that trust is sometimes so fragile......

Once you encounter such cold words as power and inheritance, trust only needs to be blown by the wind to dissipate.

"Father...... I know. Times have changed, time has passed, life has ended. You...... There's no way to guide me anymore. Such a cruel reality is sometimes cold, but it is so real...... Ah, so be it. Yagyu Shibei exhaled softly.

He stood up and walked to a river.

At this time, above the river, lotus flowers bloomed, swaying and beautiful.

"How can such a beautiful scenery be without wine? Come on, look for wine! Yagyu Shibei shouted.

Soon, the samurai of Yagyu Jubei found wine and brought chairs.

In this way, Yanagi Shibei poured a glass of wine on the lotus flowers in the river and drank it all.

The alcohol content of the sake is not high, but the samurai brought high-quality sake from China. Although it is not a high-quality sake like distilled sake, it has a much higher degree than sake.

Yanagi Shibei doesn't seem to drink much, but in short, the amount of alcohol is not good, so he doesn't drink much, and he feels a little bit.

"Such a beautiful view, such a moment, can there be no food? Meat, food! ”

The wine and meat were quickly ready, and all the delicious food and wine reached the small table in front of Yagyu Shibei.

Drinking and eating meat, Yanagi Jubei seems to have broken the long-lost rules.

But he didn't care.

In a daze, Yanagi Shibei seemed to see his end, and shouted loudly: "Maybe...... It's almost as beautiful as it gets. Wine and delicacies, how can there be no beautiful woman pouring wine? Come on! ”

At this time, at some point, a woman came out of the corner.

He was so beautiful that countless samurai sighed at the woman's good fortune.

This seems to be a village girl, who walked over in a daze, heard the call of Yanagi Shibei, and walked over lightly.

A glass of wine was picked up by the beautiful village girl, and she was about to let Yanagi Shibei drink it into her throat.

"Idiot!" At this moment, a sudden shot rang out, and under the exquisite marksmanship, thirty paces away, no one could stop the power of the bullet.

Bang it......

The wine glass shattered, and Wei Yunshan walked over with a sneer: "I thought that the famous Yanagi Sangou in Japan was a very powerful character. ”

"But when I walked into the Sword Zen Dojo, I was skeptical."

"I thought that you were a smart person, but when I heard your confidence, I doubted it again."

"But at least, I thought you Yagyu Jubei Sanyan was a strong figure, but I didn't expect that you would add such a big shame to your Yanagi family! Let a little girl's skin poison you! ”

After speaking, a brocade guard rescued a bag of poisonous powder from the village girl's hand, and only spilled it into the mouth of a chicken, which immediately made the chicken's body stiffen and whimper.

Everyone just glanced at it, and they were all shocked.

"This ...... Someone is going to poison Yagyu-sama! ”