Mount & Blade: Warband in the Sengoku period of Japan

Chen Daoyuan wandered around the town below the castle with money in his pocket.

During the previous battle, Chen Daoyuan had seized several pieces of gold and silver, as well as some copper coins. Liang Chuan Xinji helped him weigh and appraise them. The two gold coins he took out of the samurai's money bag and the gold ornaments he had taken from his body weighed a total of forty-one yi, and the silver weighed thirty-five yi, which was a considerable sum of money. In addition, the more than sixty copper coins were "fine coins" minted by the Ming Dynasty, which were also very valuable in Japan.

(Note: The character 匁 is a purely Japanese-made kanji, roughly meaning "memorial item" or "monograph". It cannot be typed using input methods. It refers to a unit specifically used to weigh gold and silver, approximately 3.7 grams. It is said to be a shortened form of "ryo", but this weight is only about one-tenth of the old Chinese ryo. Japan also has the concept of "ryo", specifically referring to standard-cast gold and silver tatami mats. Therefore, for ease of understanding, I will use "money" to refer to it in the following text.)

In addition, after Liang Chuan Xinji arrived home, he gave him two strings of copper coins. However, the two strings of coins were quite heavy, so Chen Daoyuan casually tossed them to Yi Xia to keep.

Chen Daoyuan's immediate priority was not to verify the purchasing power of the gold and silver, but to buy himself some clothes.

The kimono he was wearing now was made for him by Ichika from the finest navy blue linen in the village when he was at Dafang Fortress. As for his underwear, he was just using the t-shirt and shorts he wore when he time-traveled. He would take them off before going to sleep, wash them, let them dry overnight, and then put them back on in the morning... He could manage this because of the warm and sunny weather lately, but he was afraid he would get moldy if it rained.

Of course, ready-made clothes were out of the question. Firstly, there were few ready-made clothing shops in ancient times, and secondly, even if there were, given Chen Daoyuan's physique, it would be impossible to find a size that fit him in the entire Warring States period of Japan.

Chen Daoyuan touched the fine linen kimono he was wearing and couldn't help but sigh. Although Ichika didn't look like a typical anime girl, her sewing skills were extremely rare among modern girls. Although the kimono was made of a rough material, it was sewn to fit her perfectly. Even with its wide sleeves and loose fabric, it didn't feel cumbersome at all, but rather very comfortable to move in.

The passersby on the street were dressed similarly to Chen Daoyuan, but when they saw Chen Daoyuan's brand-new kimono and the sword stuck in his belt, they consciously moved aside and bowed their heads.

Chen Daoyuan was already used to this kind of behavior from passersby; the commoners he passed through earlier had already demonstrated it to him when he entered the city. He could only say that the residents of these towns were relatively calm, at least not like the farmers of Dafangzhai who would kneel and kowtow by the roadside at the drop of a hat.

Scratching his head, Chen Daoyuan decided to pull a young man from the roadside rather unceremoniously.

The young man was about 155 cm tall. His complexion was much better than that of the farmers in Dafangzhai. He could barely be described as fair-skinned. Of course, his fair complexion was probably more due to the fright he received after being grabbed by Chen Daoyuan.

"Where are the fabric shops in town?" Chen Daoyuan asked.

During his few days at Dafang Fortress, Chen Daoyuan quickly became familiar with contemporary Japanese under the guidance of Liangchuan Xinji. It wasn't too difficult, and as a "samurai from the Ming Dynasty," he didn't need to use those complicated honorifics. After memorizing the differences between ancient and modern Japanese in the fifty-sound chart, his daily communication was no longer a big problem.

"Ah... sir, Bu Zuo is there. Turn left at the alley entrance, then turn right at the first intersection. It's the third house on the left." Despite his pale face, the man still stammered out the answer.

Chen Daoyuan nodded, casually thanked him, released the man, and quickened his pace to find the "cloth seat" following the man's directions.

Chen Daoyuan knew that the so-called "Zuo" referred to the folk commercial guilds during the Warring States period, and here it specifically referred to the "flagship store" opened by the "Zuotou".

The sight before the cloth shop made Chen Daoyuan stop and squint: four neatly dressed warriors, each holding a sword, stood in a semicircle with the shop entrance as the center. They were clearly guards on a security mission.

Chen Daoyuan stood by the roadside for a moment. His tall stature and unwavering gaze quickly attracted the attention of the guards. However, before the guards could come over to ask him anything, the curtain at the entrance of the table was lifted.

Under the obsequious escort of the cloth-carrying attendant, a girl wearing a shawl was the first to emerge from the shop, followed by two more girls carrying rolls of cloth, dressed in simpler and more plain attire.

The girl in the shawl was clearly the important figure being protected by the guards. She walked to a small horse tied at the door of the seat, and easily and nimbly mounted it. The four guards and two maids naturally surrounded her.

The girl pulled on the reins, about to leave, but glanced around before starting. When her gaze fell on Chen Daoyuan, she paused noticeably, then turned her horse around and rode towards him with a clattering hoof. The guard beside her called out "Your Highness," seemingly trying to stop her, but the girl raised her hand to interrupt him.

As Chen Daoyuan watched her approach, his gaze lingered for a moment longer on her face, which was peeking out from under her shawl.

"Village Beauty" is a fabricated story, but "City Beauty" doesn't seem to be one at all. The girl has a small, round face, but her eyes are quite large. When she approached Chen Daoyuan, her large, round eyes first showed a hint of shock, then curved into two kind crescent moons with a smile: "Excuse me, sir, are you the Ming Dynasty warrior from Dafang Fortress?"

The girl's clothes consisted of short sleeves and hakama, somewhat resembling a modern archery uniform. Upon closer inspection, not only were the clothes clean and tidy, but the fabric, which shimmered slightly in the sunlight, was clearly made of high-quality silk.

The pony she rode was also quite spirited. Although it wasn't large, it was well-proportioned with strong and powerful limbs. It should be considered a good horse, at least much more presentable than the skinny horse that Chen Daoyuan had captured.

Chen Daoyuan withdrew his observing gaze and said gently, "It is indeed I."

The girl, controlling the horse, took another step closer, seemingly assessing Chen Daoyuan's actual height, and exclaimed, "Just as the military report described, he is indeed a powerful and extraordinary man, like a demon... Ah, excuse me, my apologies, I am Shiba Nobuko, may I ask how you should address him, sir?"

"I am Chen Daoyuan, and I greet Your Highness." It was difficult to judge the age of the girl in front of him. If this were modern times, Chen Daoyuan would guess that she was thirteen or fourteen years old, because although her complexion was fair and rosy, and she did not look like she was lacking in nutrition, her height of less than 150 cm was just the average height of a 7th or 8th grader.

But considering that Xia, who is dark-skinned, thin, and shorter than the girl in front of him, is already 15 years old, then the girl in front of him must also be 15 years old.

As introduced by Nobutsugu Ryukawa on the way, the current head of the Shiba clan, Tsunetaka, is 64 years old this year. His eldest son, Tsuneaki, who has already been established as the next head of the clan and is waiting to succeed him, is currently stationed on the front line of the standoff between the Iwate District and the Nanbu clan. Tsuneaki's adopted son, Tsunetaka Shiba, is 17 years old and has been coming of age for several years. Under the guidance of his grandfather and several elders, he has come out to participate in political affairs as a member of the clan.

Judging from her age and tone, this Princess should be Shiba Tsuneaki's granddaughter and Shiba Tsuneaki's daughter. She is indeed a genuine "princess" in Takasui-ji Castle.

"Has the news about my military report already spread throughout Gaoshui Temple Castle?" Chen Daoyuan asked curiously.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Shiba Nobuko's round face as she explained in a low but light voice, "Not yet... Actually, I was worried about my father, so I went to my grandfather's to secretly read the military reports from the northern front... My lord, did you really single-handedly repel the Nanbu clan's five hundred-strong army and even take down two generals from the Nine Household Department?"

There were five hundred enemy soldiers that day... Chen Daoyuan recalled the sparse group of elementary school students on a spring outing; there must have been three or four hundred, five hundred... Never mind, don't easily undermine Liang Chuanxin's military report: "Yes, it was me. But it was also thanks to the Nanbu clan's disorganized and undisciplined formation that I had the opportunity to launch a surprise attack."

"I see. But your bravery is still truly admirable."

The two then exchanged a few more perfunctory pleasantries.

Persephone gave Chen Daoyuan a unique feeling. On the one hand, this young girl's every move was full of etiquette and ritual, naturally creating a sense of aloofness, elegance, and a touch of shyness.

However, in her demeanor and speech, she appears poised, gentle, and sincere, revealing a friendliness that is quite different from her noble air.

The girl combines these two seemingly contradictory qualities very well, neither keeping people at a distance nor subtly maintaining just the right sense of propriety.

It is indeed a quality rarely seen in modern women.

As he watched the young woman leave, surrounded by ladies and guards, Chen Daoyuan had no other thoughts besides simple appreciation. His views on men and women were typical of the "value responsibility so he never makes promises" type. Enjoying life while he could and parting ways amicably was the mainstream of his romantic history. He always avoided virtuous girls who were obviously someone he would be involved with and who would bring him heavy responsibilities.

He walked into the shop, and after Shiba Nobuko's conversation at the door, the shopkeeper was naturally very polite to Chen Daoyuan. Coincidentally, there were several bolts of fine fabric on display for Shiba Nobuko to choose from. Chen Daoyuan immediately took a liking to two bolts, asked about the price, felt it was quite reasonable, and decided to buy them after a little bargaining.

The head eunuch seemed rather puzzled. When he took out a scale to weigh the silver, he specifically asked, "Sir, are you buying fabric for the women in your household?"

"Of course I bought it for myself." But when Chen Daoyuan was asked this, he seemed to remember something and asked about the two pieces of fabric that were slightly lower quality placed next to him. After paying for them, he left the fabric stall with the deliveryman, amidst the somewhat puzzled looks from the seat attendant.

Back home, Chen Daoyuan called Xia over and showed her the fabric he had just bought: "Here, these two bolts are for you. Do whatever you want with them. Use this white cotton fabric to sew two sets of underwear for me. But don't rush, this bolt of fabric is a bit urgent. Can we use it to make a kimono tonight? I plan to wear it at the evaluation meeting tomorrow."

Ichika's expression shifted repeatedly with Chen Daoyuan's words, from being moved to being resolute to being surprised. Finally, with gentle movements, she picked up the piece of silk that Chen Daoyuan had specified to be made into a kimono, and hesitantly asked, "Master... are you really going to wear this color to the judging meeting tomorrow?"

"Is there a rule that says you can't? Would it be impolite?"

"I've never heard of such a thing before... but... but... I understand! Master, I will definitely make this kimono for you tonight." Ichika stammered for a long time, and finally gritted her teeth and loudly agreed.

However, as she held up the fabric and compared it to Chen Daoyuan, her expression remained quite strange: "I wonder if those well-informed VIPs at the evaluation meeting will be as surprised as I am when they see the owner..."