Yashiro the Blind

Yashiro has recently developed a fondness for music.

Although it started simply because she had acquired a pipa, and it seemed a waste to leave it gathering dust, and coincidentally, Mochizuki Chiyome, who loved to teach, was there to give her pointers, she eventually decided to seriously learn it. But as she progressed and her studies deepened, she gradually focused her attention on it.

On one hand, it's because of the beauty of the music itself; on the other hand, perhaps it's because she can feel some kind of connection to her past life through it. Those melodies that once remained in her memory are now being played anew in this world through her own hands, giving her a feeling of time intertwining, like a dream... It's a past that belongs only to her.

As night deepened, the noisy chirping of insects subsided. In the stillness, she walked for a while with her cane, recalling the two eccentric brothers who had either robbed her or begged on the street. She felt a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and a strange feeling welled up within her. She immediately sat down on the ground, held her pipa horizontally, and gently plucked the plectrum.

A moment later, there was another soft sound.

At first, it was just a series of monotonous syllables, not a melody, but it gradually transformed into a complete ballad. Yashiro looked up at the sky and softly sang: "When will the moon be clear and bright... I raise my cup to ask the blue sky, I wonder what year it is tonight in the celestial palace..."

The lyrics are from the Song Dynasty, the music is a modern sequel, and the person playing the piano and singing is a solitary traveler from another time and space. It is as if three different periods of time have overlapped and converged in this warm moonlight—although she cannot see it, she feels that the moon must be very beautiful tonight.

The ancients did not see the moon of today, but the moon of today once shone on the ancients.

Her mind was completely absorbed in her memories. Even when she heard two footsteps approaching from afar and sensed that the other party meant no harm, she did not stop playing until the song ended and the singing gradually stopped. Only then did she put down the pipa and turn her pale eyes toward the two strange bandits who had come closer.

"You two heroes have returned. Is there something else? Perhaps you think the two coins you just received weren't enough... But I truly have no more money."

With a sigh, she reached out her left hand and grasped the cane lying beside her, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "How about this? I'll give you two heroes another ten coins, making it six coins each... How about that?"

In the dead of night, when two people meet on a narrow path, it's either a robbery or a murder. Money is just an external thing; giving it away is fine. But if these two are truly plotting something sinister...

She could afford the mere six coins for the ferry crossing.

But these two "robbers" did not play by the rules. As soon as she uttered a word, the two of them suddenly knelt down with a "thump".

This kneeling left Yashiro somewhat bewildered.

"What...do you two mean by this?"

"Miss, we are so sorry! We shouldn't have had such evil thoughts and wanted to become robbers. Here is your money, please accept it!" The cold-blooded "expert" spoke first, and at the same time stretched out his hand and returned the two coins that he had just taken from her... oh no, it should be said that he stole them.

Yashiro hesitated before taking the coin, still not understanding what had happened, but she felt that the two people on the other side clearly breathed a sigh of relief as she took the coin.

“That’s good… We’re sorry, my brother and I have made a big mistake before, but from now on we will definitely turn over a new leaf and try to be good people!” After saying that, the man pulled his stuttering brother and bowed to the woman sitting on the ground. “Thank you for your guidance, young lady, which has made us realize our mistakes and prevented us from going down a dark path!”

"……Oh."

No, what did I tell you?

Yashiro looked bewildered, but noticing a certain sentence the other person said, his brows furrowed slightly again: "You have committed a grave mistake?" His fingers, which had loosened, gripped the staff head again.

“That’s right,” the other said in a regretful tone. “Although we’ve been bandits for so many days and only managed to steal two coins from you, young lady, the very thought of becoming outlaws is already a disgrace to our ancestors!”

"..."

So that's what it meant.

She released her left hand again, suddenly feeling a bit tired. What a pair of clowns...

"That's it... Goodbye, young lady."

The other party apologized sincerely again, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart. He then took his younger brother's hand and got up to leave. After taking only a few steps, the younger brother stammered, "Brother, are we...we're not going to be robbers anymore?"

"Yes, I'm quitting."

"That's great... but in that case, how will we eat?"

"...There will always be a way. In any case, we're not going to be robbers anymore."

The older brother sighed, and his stomach rumbled again as he spoke. He licked his dry lips and decided to find a nearby stream and fill his stomach with cold water... But just then, he heard the female musician behind him say, "Wait."

But what held him back wasn't that simple sentence—though her voice was indeed very pleasant—but rather the sudden aroma of food wafting out.

He swallowed involuntarily, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the musician take out several rice balls from his bundle, tie them with straw, and place them in front of him. Then he stretched out his hand and smiled slightly, "I see that you two seem quite hungry. If you don't mind, please have some."

"This……"

The younger brother next to him lit up and instinctively wanted to rush over, but was suddenly pulled back.

"Brother, brother?"

"Thank you for your kindness, but we can't eat it."

"Why?"

"He who does not work shall not eat!"

He gritted his teeth, enduring the churning hunger and pain in his stomach, and insisted on speaking. Just hearing this, one would think that the other party must be a tough and resolute man, and would never guess that just a few minutes ago, they were two "ruthless" thieves.

"I see……"

Yashiro nodded thoughtfully, her smile deepening. "How about you two heroes do me a small favor?"

"W-What kind of help?" This time it was the younger brother who took the initiative to speak. Although he was talking to the woman, he didn't look at her at all. He just kept staring at the rice balls and swallowing his saliva. He was obviously very hungry.

"It's very simple. I wish to visit the Kashima Shrine in Hitachi Province, but as you've all seen—"

She raised her hands, showing the two brothers her slender arms. "I'm a weak and frail woman, utterly powerless. It was only thanks to the two heroes who turned over a new leaf and showed you their chivalrous hearts that a major disaster was averted. If it had been other robbers, I'm afraid..."

"So, if you two heroes don't mind the trouble, could you please help escort me all the way to Kashima Shrine?" As if she couldn't bear to imagine what might happen, Yashiro shrugged and looked pitiful.

"This……"

The older brother was still hesitating.

"Of course, although I can't offer much in return, I can certainly afford to cover the expenses for food, lodging, and other necessities along the way... I would never let the two heroes go hungry or cold." Yashiro smiled and offered another bargaining chip.

"Brother, brother..."

His younger brother called out to him hesitantly, clearly already having a plan in mind.

The older brother took a deep breath and made a firm decision: "Alright, I promise you, even if it costs us both our lives, we will make sure you get to Kashima Shrine safely!"

……

Chapter 87 Cuckoo in the Nest

The journey was uneventful.

Perhaps because the war was approaching, the number of samurai patrolling in various parts of Shimosa had increased significantly. Although the main purpose was to capture enemy spies and secret agents, it also indirectly deterred the bandits in the vicinity from causing trouble, which made the local security much better for a time. Regardless of what the locals thought, the two bodyguard brothers who were temporarily assigned to their posts secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In the heat of the moment, they impulsively agreed without thinking, promising to deliver the person safely to Kashima Shrine. But if they were to encounter vicious robbers on the way, could the two of them really protect the other person?

Even if you risk your life, you still can't do what you can't do.

Unfortunately, a promise is a promise, and words spoken cannot be taken back. The two brothers secretly discussed the matter and prayed silently to the Bodhisattva Hachiman several times before finally steeling their hearts and embarking on the journey with the blind biwa player.

"La la la, la la la..."

Completely unaware of their tragic resolve, the young woman was also tapping her cane, carrying a pipa, and humming an unknown tune along with the chirping of two birds on a branch. Her carefree and oblivious demeanor was even somewhat repulsive to the two brothers.

"Ah Zuo, Ah You, are you going to figure out your own accommodation fees tonight?"

As soon as the singing stopped, she suddenly turned around and asked softly.

Before setting off, the three exchanged names. The two brothers were named Tarozaemon and Jiroemon, which were simple and easy to remember. However, it made people wonder what their parents would name their son if they had another son. There shouldn't be a name like "Chūemon".

"Correct."

The older brother, Zaemon, nodded. "As I said before, how can a real man let a blind, weak woman make a living for us? That would be too shameful! So the two of us will find a way to solve our food and lodging problems ourselves, so you don't need to worry about it, girl."

"I see..." Yashiro smiled upon hearing this, but didn't say much, only reminding them, "Then you all be careful."

"clear."

Perhaps some people in this world are just not suited to doing bad things. Originally, according to Yashiro's opinion, since these two lively brothers could even turn a potentially lucrative profession like robbery into begging on the street, they would probably be even more pathetic if they did other things. However, after a few days, their behavior unexpectedly changed her opinion.

Originally, she had asked the two men to escort her to Kashima Shrine in exchange for the rice balls and the food and lodging along the way. However, starting from the next day, the two brothers decided to go out and find odd jobs every day to earn their daily expenses.

If they don't have enough, the two of them would rather sleep outside hungry than spend a single penny more than Yashiro has. And if they are lucky enough to earn a little more, they don't save it, but instead buy some cheap food and drinks, invite Yashiro over to eat and drink together, and then have a good night's sleep. The next day, they wake up empty-handed again, worrying about money.

However, to be honest, in today's world, it may not be easy to make a living, but it is easy to earn enough for two meals a day in towns or villages - either go to the construction site on the street and help out the bricklayers and carpenters who are working hard and sweating.

You can either help those who are struggling with weeds in their yards or dirty walls and doors, or lend a hand to people pushing heavy loads on the road. As long as you put in the effort and are sincere and friendly, others will usually be generous and give you some money or food. It's not much, but it's enough to cover the cost of a cheap hotel.

From Shimosa Province all the way to Hitachi, the two brothers had hardly ever gone hungry. And because they were busy working from morning till night, their complexion and spirits had improved a lot compared to when they first arrived. In their daily conversations, they finally showed some of the vigor that was appropriate for their age.

"If only it had been like this earlier... Although I'm very tired, I feel very... very fulfilled." One night, the two were in the same room, and the younger brother, Uemon, stretched his tired and sore hands and feet and suddenly said.

Zaemon remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Yes."

But a question lingered in his mind: if making money was so easy, why had they endured hunger and cold all this time? To survive, they had even been forced to become outlaws... As he pondered this, he suddenly understood.

Because neither of them was willing to accept this outcome.

Although my father's generation was just an ordinary farmer, a few generations back, they were once renowned warriors. From a young age, my father told them, "The blood of a warrior flows in your veins. Even if you have unfortunately fallen from grace, you must never forget the pride in your hearts!"

So he and his brother initially aimed to make a name for themselves and traveled around, hoping to serve under a great lord, achieve fame and success, and restore the glory of their clan... They always looked up at the sky but never looked around. So when they were really down on their luck, they would rather steel themselves and rob and plunder with swords than work hard to earn a living.

But is this idea wrong?

If a great man is born between heaven and earth but has no ambition and cannot realize his grand plans, what difference is there between him and the corpses lying by the roadside?

He shared this idea with his younger brother, trying to get his approval. The usually shy and introverted young man hesitated for a moment: "Brother, if being a bricklayer has no future, then being a bandit... does that have a future?"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, Zaemon was at a loss for words.

Finally, he could only turn over, his back to the dark clouds outside the window: "Go to sleep, we still have a long journey ahead tomorrow."

"Mmm, mmm..."

The two young people had been busy all day and soon fell asleep. Their snoring drifted through the walls to the next room.

Yashiro was lying on her back, using her bundle as a pillow, with her cane in her arms and her ear to the window. But she could hear their conversation much more clearly than the noise outside.

They were two interesting guys, though.

Despite looking younger than the two brothers, she had an old-fashioned attitude and laughed happily.

Inviting the two to come along was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. I thought that the two of them didn't seem to be any major villains. Although they had gone astray for a time, they hadn't committed any serious mistakes... or rather, they hadn't even had time to make any minor mistakes. Since we had the chance to meet, I might as well lend them a hand.

While she ostensibly asked them to be her bodyguards, in reality, with her abilities, she could travel the world freely and wouldn't need any bodyguards. Her main purpose was to use this journey to ascertain their character. If they were truly not villains, she would write a letter of introduction and ask Master Bu Chuan to arrange some work for them, so they wouldn't die inexplicably by the roadside one day.

That can be considered doing a good deed every day.

That said, their desire to be self-reliant is commendable, but when will these two brothers realize that... this current way of getting along—disbanding in the morning to earn money, meeting up in the evening for dinner, and then going back to their own rooms to sleep—is not "escorting" at all?

……

As the sun rises and sets, another few days have passed in a flash.

The three of them left the village and entered the wilderness as dusk fell. Normally, Saemon or Uemon would agree on a plan: one would go ahead to scout, while the other would stay behind with Yashiro. But today, Yashiro was unusual; she took the initiative to walk in front.

“Miss Yashiro, be careful…” The younger brother, Uemon, followed closely behind, watching the blind girl’s increasingly rapid pace with trepidation, as if she would trip over something and fall to the ground at any moment. He reached out to help her but dared not, stammering a reminder.

"It's fine."

Yashiro waved her hand, her pace quickening without slowing down, making the young man beside her sweat profusely with anxiety: "It's not...it's alright, miss, please...please slow down..."

He kept trying to persuade him, while Zaemon, holding a long sword, swept aside the stones and debris on the ground that might trip someone up. Ironically, although he had the blood of a so-called samurai flowing through his veins, he was more comfortable using the sword as a stick and broom than as a weapon to cut people.

I wonder if that deceased samurai would be so enraged if he knew this that he would come straight back from the Land of the Dead...

"Miss Yashiro, is there...something urgent?"

After forcefully knocking a fist-sized rock away, Zaemon wiped his sweat and finally asked the question that had puzzled him for so long.

"It's not exactly an urgent matter..."

Realizing that she had indeed acted a bit out of line, Yashiro slowed down and gave the panting Uemon an apologetic smile. "Sorry... I just couldn't help getting a little excited when I thought about the time I lived here."

"Have you lived here before, young lady?"

“Yes.” She nodded, then added, “Actually, I didn’t stay there for very long, about a year.”

"One year..."

Zaemon was a little surprised to hear this, but Yashiro didn't explain further, only smiled and said, "Let's rest there tonight, I'll lead the way... There shouldn't be anyone staying there now." After saying that, she started walking again, and the two followed closely behind her. The people who were trying to persuade her stopped, but the road sweeper was still busy.

After walking for about half an hour, the sky gradually darkened. Only during this brief moment did the boundary between day and night become blurred. No wonder the ancients called this time "the hour of demons," when it was said that many monsters would emerge in droves during this period, with a hundred ghosts roaming the night, choosing people to devour. However, as the world became chaotic and people's hearts became more treacherous than monsters, few people were afraid of the monsters in those stories anymore.

"Ah, I see the house!"

Zaemon spotted a shadow in the distance and immediately cried out with joy. He had been walking all day and was exhausted. He had thought he would have to sleep in the wilderness that day, but after learning that he could stay in a house, he was filled with renewed energy.

The younger brother, Uemon, was equally exhausted. Both of them were so tired that they didn't even notice that the blind girl, who had been with them all the way and should have been even more exhausted, remained calm and composed, with only a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. Compared to the two young men who were about to collapse, she appeared much more elegant.

"……etc."

His pace slowed down and then gradually came to a stop. Yashiro frowned slightly, then suddenly raised his cane to stop Uemon, who was about to run forward, and said in a low voice, "Something's not right."

Unfortunately, it was too late; his brother, Zaemon, had already run towards the house in the shadows...

"ah!"