The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 535 Conditions
On the 26th day of the fourth month of the 26th year of the Jiajing reign, at night.

It is still 200 li away from Izumo Taisha Shrine.

Li Miao, with his sleeves tucked in, eyes squinted, and head tilted, leaned against a large rock. Nanako carefully massaged his shoulders. Every time Li Miao made the slightest movement, she would tremble like a startled rabbit. After a long while, she dared to continue massaging Li Miao's shoulders timidly.

Lu Wushuang sat cross-legged on the side, practicing her internal energy.

She was about the same age as An Ziyang, and her physical constitution was slightly better than his, yet she quietly cultivated her martial arts to the highest level. Besides her natural talent, she naturally also practiced martial arts diligently and tirelessly every day, which led to her current level.

Li Miao casually gave her a couple of pointers, and she was overjoyed and began to meditate, even giving up the "favorite job" of massaging Li Miao's shoulders to Nanako... However, every ten or so breaths, she would open her eyes to observe and keep a close watch on Nanako.

"As far as I know, the women you've made since you started your journey through the martial world are all around your age and have gentle personalities... No, there's also Shen Xun Ning from the Songshan Sect. He doesn't care about age."

"Since age isn't an issue, I'm at a disadvantage in terms of personality... Fortunately, the adults seem to have some deep-seated prejudice against the Japanese, but we can't let our guard down."

"Tsk, back then I was only thinking of leaving a good impression on the master, that's why I chose such a noblewoman. Now it seems I've only made trouble for myself!"

Lu Wushuang opened her eyes again and glanced at Li Miao.

"At his speed, even if he goes to Hachiman Shrine first and then returns to Kyoto, it won't take more than two months. I must capture him within two months! Otherwise, once I return to Osaku, it will be difficult to see him again!"

"I've already expressed my feelings, and he hasn't resisted, which means I have a chance... so why don't I..."

Lu Wushuang's mind raced.

She wasn't one of those delicate women; coming from the Blood Robe Tower, she had plenty of strength and methods. If aphrodisiacs were effective against Li Miao, the first thing she would do upon meeting him would be to drug him, close the door, make the bed, and undress herself—she wouldn't have waited until now.

Seeing that Li Miao seemed to be asleep, she stopped circulating her internal energy and was about to get up to send Nanako away, and try to make the relationship irreversible!
But before she could get up, Li Miao suddenly spoke.

"Speak of it."

"Little Deer, translate this."

Nanako shuddered.

Li Miao continued speaking with his eyes closed.

“It seems that Matsuura Takanobu recognized you before and even tried to use your identity to save his life. Koshinobu said you have a Kyoto accent from Honshu, yet you were recognized by a daimyo from a faraway region... Your identity is not simple.”

"Since you have nothing to do, don't you want to talk?"

Lu Wushuang relayed the information one by one with a gloomy face.

After hearing this, Nanako remained silent, only shaking her head vigorously at Li Miao, and looked like she was about to cry again.

She didn't want to talk about it, and she didn't dare to.

Although the words spoken by Matsuura Takanobu were in the Mandarin of the Central Plains, the Japanese language originated from the Central Plains and many of the pronunciations were similar, so she could vaguely understand some of the words.

For example, Kyoto, Ise Grand Shrine, and the Emperor.

Given her status, if she were to reveal the truth, she was genuinely afraid that Li Miao would use her as leverage to threaten her family... If that were the case, she would rather die on that merchant ship.

She bit her lip, refusing to answer, already prepared to be slapped to death by Li Miao.

But Li Miao was not as fierce as he was in Hirado Castle; he simply waved his hand.

"Forget it, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I'm not that interested anyway. It's just about whose daughter, whose sister, whose fiancée ran away from home."

"But since you won't tell me, I won't ask again in the future, and I won't listen even if you want to. If one day I turn my back on your father, husband's family, friends, or relatives, don't regret it."

"Remember this: from today onwards, the credit you've earned as my guide will only be enough to save your own life."

Lu Wushuang translated it with a beaming smile.

Nanako became even more conflicted and silent, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, her mind a complete blank.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.

Moonlight streamed over the giant rock, silent and still.

Time passed slowly, and Lu Wushuang finished her cultivation. She got up and walked towards Li Miao, waving her hand to send the sobbing Nanako aside. She was about to lie down next to Li Miao's back.

But before she could get into her cloak, she suddenly heard several footsteps faintly coming from the woods.

"Tsk!"

Lu Wushuang suddenly turned her head, her face filled with murderous intent.

"You blind bastard, trying to ruin my good time!"

"Come out!" As soon as the words fell, several Japanese men emerged from the woods, all with their hands on the hilts of their swords. They approached slowly, until they formed an encirclement several feet away before stopping together.

The one leading them was none other than Yamanaka Yukimori.

He first glanced at Lu Wushuang, whose eyebrows were raised in anger, and snorted disdainfully. Then he looked at Nanako beside him, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, before shifting his gaze to Li Miao, who was lying on his side.

"Master Li."

He spoke in Central Plains Mandarin.

"I apologize for visiting so late at night."

Li Miao, who seemed to be taking a nap, suddenly closed his eyes and replied.

"Little Deer, why do I feel like you're not very useful? There are quite a few Japanese people who can speak human language."

Lu Wushuang's face darkened, and she glared at Yamanaka Yukimori again.

Li Miao opened his eyes and waved his hand.

"Alright, take a break. You can't get involved."

"Um--"

He shook off his cloak, stood up, and stretched lazily, seemingly oblivious to the watchful eyes of several Japanese men. Then, relaxing his shoulders, he looked towards Yukimori Yamanaka.

"From Izumo Taisha?"

Yamanaka Yukimori nodded.

"Yes."

"Just got back from Hirado Castle?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to stop me, kill me, or just say a few words of nonsense first?"

Li Miao said with a smile.

Yukimori Yamanaka answered calmly.

"I still want to say a few words of nonsense."

"Sir, could you please return to the Central Plains? We can guarantee that as long as you are alive, no one from Japan will ever set foot on the territory of Da Shuo again."

"Including the daimyo who sent men to Dengzhou Guard that day, we can also cut off a sufficient number of heads from their men and send them to you, sir, to show our sincerity."

"We can even open a path for you if you wish to go to Enryaku-ji Temple, provided that you return to the Central Plains and cease interfering in the affairs of our Shinto religion."

Very sincere.

Although it is unknown whether he will fulfill his promise in the future, judging from the conditions that Yukimori Yamanaka has put forward so far, he is showing great sincerity.

He didn't want to be enemies with Li Miao, at least not now.

Shintoism is currently clashing with a real enemy, and Li Miao's appearance could very well tip the scales of victory.

If Li Miao agrees, he will genuinely try to fulfill these conditions, at least until the "war" ends.

Unfortunately... he arrived too late.

Unfortunately... he was facing a madman unlike any other in the world.

Li Miao clapped his hands with a smile.

"Hmm, not bad, but lacks sincerity."

"How about this... you give me the whereabouts and stories of Master Zhang Sanfeng, Bodhidharma, and Master Jianzhen, as well as all the traditions of your Shintoism, and I'll consider it. What do you say?"

Yamanaka Yukimori let out a long sigh.

"Then there's nothing to discuss."

"Then—I'll have to offend you!"

(End of this chapter)