Yashiro the Blind

We can't really let him tie up Tsukahara Takehira and then cleanly behead him in front of his brother, can we?

That would be incredibly inhumane.

Perhaps sensing Yashiro's confusion, Fumihiko Tsukahara shook his head and said with a wry smile, "You might think I'm too cruel, or that I have some personal grudge against my brother and want to take revenge... But in reality, it's just out of necessity."

“With my impetuous nature, even if I escape unscathed now, I’ll only cause bigger trouble in the future. One wrong move, and it could even implicate the whole family. Not only me, but even Father will be in dire straits, barely able to protect himself. So it’s better to be ruthless and decisive, minimizing potential losses… Besides, I wouldn’t have any regrets about dying by your sword.” He sighed, then suddenly changed the subject, “So, young lady, are you going to kill me?”

He was clearly asking someone whether or not to kill his brother, but if you only listen to Tsukahara Fumihiko's tone and ignore the content, you might think he was asking if you wanted an extra bowl of miso soup with your meal...

All I can say is that they are friendly and respectful to each other.

Yashiro was speechless for a moment, then sighed and said, "Forget it..."

"Are you really going to let it go?" Tsukahara Fumihiko was taken aback, as if he was still unwilling to give up, and advised again, "I have heard what happened. My foolish brother slandered and humiliated your reputation in front of everyone. For a warrior, reputation is sometimes more important than one's own life. Even if you kill him on the spot, no one will say anything—and even if they do, I will not let them act recklessly. So you don't need to worry about it, just kill him if you want."

"...Lord Fumihiko, are you really not at all grudges with your brother?" After hearing this, Yashiro hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question.

"Hahaha, how could that be!" Tsukahara Fumihiko laughed and waved his hand. "But since you're not going to hold a grudge against that guy, let's just let it go for now. If you change your mind in the future, just say the word, and you can take my head anytime."

You could even detect a hint of regret in his voice.

"..."

This is definitely the lollipop that got snatched away from me more than once when I was a kid!

"Well then... Dragon Prince, bring your friend and come with me." He turned to the Dragon Prince, who was lost in thought, and said this before turning and leaving without waiting for a reply. The Dragon Prince was stunned: "Uncle, where are we going?"

"Do you have any money on you?" Fumihiko Tsukahara asked instead of answering.

"No……"

"Are we going anywhere later?"

"nor……"

"Do you two have a place to stay tonight?"

"still none……"

"So, don't ask so many questions, just come with me." After he finished speaking, he took another step. Ryuko exchanged a glance with Yashiro, took the cane from the girl's left hand, took her hand, and jogged after her.

Although we've been busy for most of the day, dawn is still breaking. I estimate it's around three or four in the morning. The spring breeze is still and the night is desolate. Where does the moonlight drift with the flowers?

Fumihiko Tsukahara strode forward alone, while Ryuko, carrying a vine bow on her back and holding Yashiro's hand in one hand, tucked her cane under her arm and trotted behind her. Later, as the distance closed, she walked slowly. After a while, she took the girl's swollen wrist, rubbed her palms together to warm them, and gently massaged it for her.

"Wait, wait a minute, Ryuko..." Yashiro whispered to stop him.

"Don't be shy," Longzi said with a knowing smile.

"It's not a matter of being shy, it's that it hurts...it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Stop it!"

Well, perhaps the pressure was a little too much, causing Yashiro to wince in pain and want to hit her on the head with her cane. However, she discovered that the Dragon Prince was incredibly resourceful and had disarmed her first—truly worthy of being called the Dragon Prince!

"Does it really hurt?"

Looking at the girl's incredibly genuine expression, it didn't seem like she was faking it. Longzi pouted and withdrew her hand with a hint of regret, looking aggrieved, as if she had offered her heart to the bright moon but the bright moon shone on the gutter. If she had ears and a tail, they would probably have drooped down by now.

However, Lady Ryuko always recovers quickly. Less than two minutes later, she started chattering about other topics again. She was the one doing most of the talking, while Yashiro remained relatively silent, but would occasionally chime in with a few words. The two chatted happily and harmoniously. Tsukahara Fumihiko, who was walking ahead, listened quietly, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

"so good."

When their conversation came to an end, he smiled slightly and said, "When Longzi was young, he was always alone and didn't have any friends. I was worried about that for a while. Now that he can make a friend like you, Miss Yashiro, it is truly gratifying."

"Nonsense, I clearly have many friends." Ryuko snorted, then turned away to defend herself, "Yashiro, don't believe him, Uncle loves to lie!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Fumihiko Tsukahara suddenly stopped smiling and solemnly reminded her, "Ryuko, be careful what you say."

Ryuko blinked, finally realizing what she had said: "Sorry, Yashiro, I didn't mean to say that..."

"It's alright, it's not like they're talking about me... Even if they are, it doesn't matter. Blindness is blindness, there's no reason not to talk about it." Yashiro didn't care about this. As long as the words weren't malicious and were just stating an objective fact, there was nothing to hide.

If the other party truly harbors ill intentions, then what they say becomes irrelevant.

Fumihiko Tsukahara seemed somewhat surprised by her words, paused for a moment, and then burst into laughter: "Haha, this carefree and straightforwardness surpasses that of most mediocre people in this world."

"Uncle, don't just praise Yashiro, praise me too!"

"If you want me to praise you, Dragon Prince, you have to do something that will make me praise you first."

"Hmph..." Longzi was somewhat indignant. When facing her close elders, this usually carefree young girl couldn't help but show a charming and innocent side befitting her age.

But a moment later, her thoughts jumped to something completely unrelated: "Speaking of which, Uncle, didn't you only exchange one sword strike with Yashiro just now? Does that mean you know Uncle Takehira's words were false?"

“To prove something, one sword is enough,” Fumihiko Tsukahara replied.

Seeing that Longzi still didn't quite understand, he explained in more detail, "Although there are countless sword styles in this world, in essence, they are all a kind of self-defense technique. The method of killing enemies is secondary. This is also true of the ancient sword style that we Kashima priests have passed down from generation to generation. Its philosophy is to ensure one's own safety first, and then seek a way to defeat the enemy—this is also the instinct of all living things."

"However, the sword strike that Miss Yashiro just used injured herself first, and then the enemy. Moreover, I could sense that it was not a killing move intended to perish together with her, but just an ordinary strike... This is not a human technique."

He paused here, his previously gentle tone turning serious again, "So far, I've only seen similar techniques used on two people: one is my father, and the other is Jiro... Your father, Ryuko—"

"Bare for one's life, without fear of death or birth... This is the first sword technique that my father comprehended on Mount Ling, a martial art bestowed by the gods."

……

"This is it."

After the conversation about Ichinotachi ended, the three remained silent, each seemingly lost in thought, until the eastern sky gradually turned a pale white, and dawn approached. Finally, Tsukahara Fumihiko led the two to their destination—

It was a small courtyard. A few simple wooden houses were surrounded by a crooked wooden fence, and not far away was a plot of land that had been partially cultivated. At first glance, it seemed to be just an ordinary farmhouse that could be found anywhere, with nothing special about it.

There was no one inside, and a hoe lay beside the field.

"Since you have nowhere else to go, you two can stay here for the time being. I'll bring your belongings over later. If you need anything, you can ask someone to help you or go back and get it yourself... If you want to leave, you don't need to come and tell me. Just close the door and you're good to go... Any questions?"

After explaining other things to be aware of, Fumihiko Tsukahara asked this question.

Longzi shook his head: "That's all. But Uncle, whose house is this? Can we really live here?"

“This place was originally built by your grandfather when he had nothing to do. He said he wanted to experience the life of a farmer, so he built it all by himself, including that field. But later, he accidentally twisted his back and was bedridden. His mother and other family members persuaded him several times to give up the idea. So the house has been vacant ever since… Oh, right.”

Fumihiko Tsukahara, as if suddenly remembering something, added, "It seems that a few ronin took over this place for a while, but they left later, so it's empty now. You don't need to worry, just stay here."

“Well then… thank you, Uncle,” Longzi said with a smile.

"Thank you." Yashiro bowed his head in thanks as well.

"It was nothing, no need to thank me, it would be too formal." The middle-aged man waved his hand. "That's settled then. If there's nothing else, I'll head back now. I'll have A-Zhao come over later and bring over your clothes worth 130 guan, Longzi, as well as your bundle and pipa, Miss Ya-Xuan."

"Wait, Uncle, you..."

"Don't worry, I won't tell your mother." Seeing that Ryuko had suddenly panicked, Tsukahara Fumihiko winked at her. "Next time you want to buy something, if you don't have enough money, don't be shy, just ask your uncle for it."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle!" Longzi's voice sounded noticeably more excited this time.

Fumihiko Tsukahara didn't linger. After saying his piece, he put his hands behind his back and slowly began his journey home. Ryuko exchanged a glance with Yashiro and smiled happily, "So, isn't Uncle a good person?"

"really."

.

The girl nodded.

"Hmph." Ryuko was as proud as if he had been praised. "Then let's not delay. I'll go in and see what's inside and tidy things up. Yashiro, you can sit here and rest."

"I'll help too..."

"No need, the injured should just stay put!" She half-forcefully pressed the person down to the ground—of course, there was no cushion or threshold or anything like that underneath, so Yashiro just sat down on the dusty ground with a thud—as always, considerate, but not entirely considerate.

"Little Chu, you stay here too, protect Yashiro, understand?"

She spoke to the falcon flying overhead, and it's unclear whether the big guy named Little Chirp understood. Anyway, it chirped once, then actually folded its wings, perched on the wooden fence beside it, and looked back and forth at the two of them with its two round, dark eyes.

Seeing this, Long Zi put his hands on his hips and smiled with satisfaction: "That's it. You all stay put and don't fight. Wait for me to come back!"

"……it is good."

Having already sat on the ground, what could Yashiro say but nod in agreement? The falcon also cried out. However, no sooner had the dragon entered the house than it suddenly spread its wings, took flight, and soared away!

The eagle moved incredibly fast. By the time the girl looked up, the sound of its flapping wings had already faded into the distance. It was too late to stop it, and besides, she wasn't familiar with it. Even if she called out to it, the falcon probably wouldn't listen... Should she go look for it?

forget it……

Her old injury on her left shoulder had not fully healed, and her right wrist had just been dislocated. Although Fumihiko Tsukahara had put it back in place, it was still swollen like a bun and she was sweating profusely from the pain. She didn't know if it was just psychological or if Ryuko's "caring concern" had really had the opposite effect, but after sitting down, she felt that the sprained area hurt a little more.

Resting her cane on her shoulder, the girl looked up blankly, feeling the sunlight filtering through the clouds. She listened to the noise of Longzi making a ruckus inside the house—more like he was tearing it down than cleaning—and felt a sense of peace and tranquility wash over her.

Suddenly, from the direction the falcon had flown, a song drifted in from afar:

"We have to spin thread at night, and as soon as it gets dark, it's night—we have to hurry and spin thread, but the time is even harder to pass than spinning thread! Oh dear, it's even harder to pass!"

This is a folk song that Yashiro heard in Nara before. It was originally a song sung in the Kyoto area, and later it gradually spread to all parts of the country. People in Owari and Mikawa sang it, but I didn't expect to be able to hear it again in the Kanto region.

However, the person singing was not the usual young woman, but an elderly woman with a clear and powerful voice. She seemed more lively and energetic than many young people, and her singing was equally cheerful and carefree, exuding a wonderful sense of joy.

"..."

She listened intently and noticed that the singing was gradually coming towards her.

……

Chapter 81 Sword and Hoe

The same folk song, sung by different people, often has different flavors.

Yashiro had heard this spinning song a few times before. When the female textile workers sang it, they were either complaining about themselves and lamenting how hard life was. Those with a more positive and open-minded personality would also add a touch of finding joy in hardship.

As for those young people who are unaware of the hardships of the world and simply sing for fun, it inevitably makes the whole song frivolous, which is quite different from the original meaning of the ballad, making people frown and dislike it.

As for the aged song that was now echoing in Yashiro's ears, it was different:

It wasn't a lament or self-pity, nor was it a cynical laugh. The voice gave the feeling of an old garment that had been washed countless times, faded and whitened, with layers upon layers of patches that made it less bright and shiny than it used to be, but which added a touch of the sedimentation of time, the simple taste after the glitz and glamour had been washed away.

As the singing drew closer, the sound of an eagle flapping its wings could also be heard.

This eagle, usually so arrogant and dismissive of everyone except the dragon prince, now clung tightly to the old man, circling and occasionally letting out a few clear chirps, its attitude both affectionate and obsequious. Hearing this, the young girl finally understood the meaning of "hearing is believing," and why the dragon prince had given such a majestic and heroic falcon the adorable name "Little Chirp."

I wonder what those who suffered at the hands of this falcon—like Toyogoro—would think if they saw this scene… Speaking of which, she hasn't heard from Toyogoro since that day. Whether he made it safely back home, or perhaps he died on the way…

Just to be on the safe side, I should recite the Buddhist scriptures for him a few more times when I have time—Yahiro thought kindly, and slowly stood up while supporting himself with his cane.

The fact that the old woman could elicit such affection from the dragon prince's chicks clearly speaks volumes about her identity. It would be somewhat impolite for her to continue sitting on the ground like this.

I had just steadied myself when the singing was right in front of me.

The old man, barefoot in a pair of old straw sandals, kicked at the pebbles on the ground with a rustling sound. In his left hand he carried a fishing rod, and in his right, a large, fat fish. His face beamed with a childlike, genuine smile as he hummed another local folk song from Kashima, while using the fishing rod to chase away an eagle.

"Go away! I finally managed to catch this big fish, and I'm going to show it off to my granddaughter later. How can I let you, with your greedy mouth, eat it... Hurry up, or I'll hit you!"

"Chirp—"

The falcon let out a pitiful cry and flew a little further away, but its eyes remained fixed on the big fish in the old man's hand, its mouth watering.

The old man ignored it and continued walking. He eventually spotted the girl standing near the fence in the distance. Seemingly having poor eyesight, he squinted, and as the distance drew closer, he exclaimed, "You are…?"

"Hello, sir." Yashiro bowed to the other person.

After an initial moment of surprise, the old man quickly realized what was going on. He stroked his gray stubble and chuckled, "I thought it was my granddaughter who had somehow come to visit, but it turns out to be a new face... What's wrong, young lady? Are you a traveler passing through, thirsty and wanting to ask this old man for a bowl of water? Or are you hungry and wanting to mooch a meal? Oh, I see—you must know I caught such a big fish today, and you've come to congratulate me, right? Hahaha, how thoughtful!"

As he spoke, he vigorously held up the large fish in his right hand, looking like a samurai who had just taken the head of an enemy general on the battlefield, smug and full of vigor.

broken…

Just hearing those few words made the girl's heart skip a beat. She suddenly had a premonition that birds of a feather flock together and that this person was probably a very troublesome person... But thinking about it, it makes sense. How could a grandfather who could be so admired by the dragon prince be an easy person?

She was struggling to find a response when suddenly she heard a loud "bang" from inside the house. It sounded like Longzi had kicked over an iron pot. The old man seemed to be startled as well. Just as he looked up, he heard the half-closed door creak open, and a furry little head peeked out.

It was indeed the son of the dragon.

The old man and the young man looked at each other, and Longzi exclaimed in surprise, "Grandpa!"

"Oh, it's me..."

Tsukahara Bokuden still held the large fish in one hand, a kind smile about to appear on his face...

"You're not dead yet!"

As Longzi uttered his next sentence, his smile froze on his face.

Yashiro silently facepalmed to herself; the Ryuko-sama was as eloquent as ever…

"Pah, pah, pah, that's not what I meant. I meant..." Even Longzi realized that there was something wrong with what he just said and hurriedly changed his words, trying to make amends, "Grandpa, how come you're still alive!"

"..."

In some cases, the "补" in "找补" (to make up for something) can also mean the "补" in "补刀" (to finish off someone).

This makes sense.