He changed Tiwat

“Tumen, you just asked me when you were closest to being ‘the best in the world’… Please allow me to give a different answer.”

Anzai stepped aside to make way for him.

"Now is the time."

"Once you defeat General Thunder, you will be the best in the world."

The two elderly swordsmen exchanged a glance and then burst into laughter. Their laughter echoed down the slope of Hanamizaka, where cherry blossoms fluttered in the breeze.

The night patrol of the Heavenly Territory Envoy Guard came upon hearing the noise. The leader of the patrol was none other than Ōkawara Goemon, the one who had stolen the Eye of God from Tsuchimon.

"Who dares to make such a fuss! They have violated the Heavenly Command's prohibitions! Seize them all!"

Okawara led his soldiers to capture the violators, only to discover that one of them was his former dojo instructor, who was even carrying the dojo's sign on his shoulder.

Upon seeing the disciple who had once defeated him, Tsuchimon drew his long sword from his waist and raised it above his right shoulder.

In "Mirror Still Water Flow", this stance is called "Eight-Symbol Dragonfly", which is the upper section where the dragonfly flies high.

All new disciples of "Mingjing Zhishui Liu" must practice this introductory stance every day, repeating it 300 times before proceeding to the next stage of cultivation.

However, the normal "Eight-Syllable Dragonfly" technique involves holding the sword with both hands, while Tsuchimon only used one hand—his left hand was still holding the dojo's plaque and hadn't put it down.

For Dahe Yuan, this was undoubtedly a provocation.

Okawara waved his hand to stop the soldiers beside him, and drew his own sword. Tsuchimon was nothing but a defeated opponent of his, how dare he claim to be brave?

He also raised his katana high above his head in the same "Eight-Phase Dragonfly" stance and lunged at Tsuchimon.

His eyes were fixed on the signboard that read "A Clear Mirror Remains Still."

He not only wants to defeat Tumen, but also to cut off the signboard on his shoulder!

More than a decade ago, Tumen used this same approach, carrying the sect's name on his back, to challenge various kendo dojos.

At that time, no one could stop Tumen, leaving behind the undefeated legend of "a clear mirror reflecting still water".

But those were those years, and now is now. The current Tumen has not only lost the Eye of God, but the people are also old and frail. How can they be qualified to bear the name of the dojo?

Several months ago, Okawara broke into the dojo and stole Tsuchimon's Eye of God, but he still left some room for goodwill, not damaging the dojo's reputation and saving Tsuchimon some face.

Today, Tumen dares to challenge the Heavenly Commander by bearing the name of the dojo, so no wonder he cut the "Mirror Still Water Flow" sign in two.

Okawara's attack was intended to shatter Tsuchimon's past glory and make him clearly realize that he was no longer the closest to being the greatest swordsman in the world.

Then, Okawara saw "Yunyao".

A beam of light descended from above, swiftly severing the katana in his hand, the helmet on his head, and the topknot of his hair, stopping just above his scalp.

The secret technique of "Mirror Still Water Flow" is "The First Sword - Cloud Radiance".

The "cloud radiance" in Inazuma's language does not refer to clouds, but rather to the beam of light that suddenly appears on the horizon when lightning flashes across the clouds—a light as sharp as a "sword without thought."

A trickle of blood flowed down his scalp and dripped into Ogawara's eye socket.

Amidst a long laugh, Tsuchimon carried the dojo's signboard and strode off toward the castle tower, with none of the Tenryo magistrate's soldiers present daring to stop him.

Anzai stepped forward with a half-smile and patted the still-dazed Ogawara.

"This is the 'First Sword'. If you want to learn it, go back to the dojo and become an apprentice."

Okawara did not answer. In his blood-blurred vision, he seemed to see a flash of lightning on the plaque that Tsuchimon carried, like... the light of the Eye of God.

In the early hours of September 2nd, Tsuchimon Hanamichi, the head of the prestigious "Meijō-Shisui-ryū" school of Inazuma Kendo, carrying the school's plaque, stormed the castle tower alone.

Tsuchimon broke through the patrol teams at Hanamizaka, the town, and the Tenryo Magistrate's Office by himself.

Okuzawa Shuemon Sakajiro and his two hundred soldiers from the Emonfu army blocked Tsuchimon in layers, surrounding him with a series of attacks. Tsuchimon was finally captured in front of the castle tower when he was exhausted.

—It is said that from beginning to end, the "Mingjing Zhishui" plaque carried by Tumen never got a speck of dust.

December 2st, early morning.

The izakaya "Uyutei" in the town was closed, with a notice of closure hanging on the door.

Even if the "Utopia Pavilion" has a powerful background, that's only in the shadows. On the surface, it still needs to abide by the "curfew order" enforced by the Heavenly Court.

After the "curfew order" was issued, izakayas that operate at night lost their customers, so there was no point in keeping them open; they might as well close down and rest.

However, "Wuyou Pavilion" has not actually closed down. In the elegantly decorated private room with partitions, several truly distinguished guests are gathered at this moment.

Inazuma's first "judging group" of noble families - Part Two

The current governor of the Matsukawa family and the deacon of the political office, Matsukawa Sozen;

The current head of the Nagaoka family, and the deputy head of the Masashiko (management office), is Nagaoka Hidemitsu.

These two are important figures who shouldn't be in the town's izakayas, but today they've met at "Uyutei".

Besides these two, there is another person who should least be in the tavern.

Okuzawa Shuemon-no-kyo, Shima Masaki.

If there is one of the three commanders of the Okuzawa clan who best fits people's impression of a "general's bodyguard," it would be Shima Masaoki.

He was the youngest hatamoto among the Okuzawa clan and was considered the most talented—some even compared him to Kujo Sara, a shogun of the Kujo clan, because apart from Sara, perhaps only Shima Masaoki best fit the description of a "model warrior".

Like General Salo, Shima Masaoki seemed to be born to be loyal to the shogun, and there was not a single part of his life that could be called "entertainment".

He neither drank alcohol, nor was he interested in women, nor did he enjoy music. He had no interest in poetry or tea ceremony. He was not involved in any of the hobbies of the Inatsuma aristocracy, and he was never seen in the social circles of the Inatsuma aristocracy.

Well, because Shima Masaoki was not originally a nobleman. Even the name "Shima Masaoki" was bestowed upon him by the elder of the Shima family, one of the three leaders of the Okuzawa clan, who recognized his talent and made an exception to adopt him as a son.

Shima Masahiro has always maintained his hard-working spirit.

He meticulously studied swordsmanship, trained soldiers, and then patrolled the castle garrison, carrying out his mission of protecting the shogun with utmost care—aside from these tasks, his life seemed to have no other pursuits.

If his soldiers were to hear that Shima Masaoki was sitting in an izakaya (Japanese pub), their first reaction would be to accuse him of spreading rumors.

"To be able to fight for the defense of the Heavenly Guard is such a precious thing! Having such an opportunity already makes you luckier than others. You should hone your skills and strive for advancement, just like me!"

"I am able to become a Hatamoto samurai now not because of my noble birth. I come from humble origins and it was only through my own hard work and diligent training that I was valued by Lord Ojima of the Hatamoto family and promoted step by step from foot soldier to Hatamoto. This family name that I have worked so hard to obtain is proof of my pride!"

"My experience proves that as long as you work hard and persevere, you will definitely succeed. If you can show the same perseverance as me, you will become a Hatamoto sooner or later!"

—Just like that, Shima Masaoki always encouraged his soldiers with his own experiences, and he also set an example by training and living with his subordinates, practicing "perseverance and hard work".

No one would doubt Shima Masaoki's loyalty to the Shogun, just as no one would doubt Shima Masaoki's past.

Every step of his promotion from foot soldier to hatamoto was witnessed by all the soldiers of Okuzawa—and for this reason, he was the most admired commander among Okuzawa, a true protagonist of "rags-to-riches" stories.

Kujo Sara is, after all, of the Tengu bloodline and has the prestigious title of the Kujo family, making her someone that ordinary people cannot touch. However, compared to Kujo Sara, Shima Masaoki's experience is clearly more likely to be replicated.

All his soldiers believed that as long as they studied and trained diligently, they would one day become the next Shima Masaoki.

This idea isn't wrong.

...But that's not entirely true either.

The Shima family did not adopt just anyone and bestow upon them the family name. No matter how talented someone was, there was always an insurmountable gap between the hereditary "royal servant" and the ordinary foot soldier.

Most people are unaware of what happened before Shima Masaoki entered the Okuzawa clan.

Masaoki Shima's original name was Sakon Tsutsui, and he did indeed come from a humble background.

His father was originally the magistrate's assistant, but because of a minor mistake, he was dismissed from his post and expelled from the castle by the then-magistrate's chief, Takatsukasa Isamu. At that time, Takatsukasa Isamu was a newly appointed official, ambitious and eager to make progress, and needed a target to establish his authority. Unfortunately, Sakon's father became that target.

His father died soon after, and the young Sakon lost his samurai status and became a ronin.

But Sakon, a ronin, did not succumb to despair. He was unable to inherit his father Doshin's position, but he took on Doshin's responsibilities on his own initiative. He patrolled the castle town, drove away wild beasts and bandits for the townspeople, mediated disputes between neighbors, delivered food and water to the lonely and widowed, and visited dojos everywhere to work to pay for his tuition, sincerely asking the teachers to teach him kendo.

As he himself said, through perseverance and diligent practice, his talent and reputation gradually spread throughout the castle town.

Then, it reached the ears of a nobleman.

That nobleman condescended to personally visit the humble abode nearby, and offered to give him half of his salary, asking him to become his advisor and work together to make the country better...

"Lord Okazaki, please give your orders."

Shima Masahiro bowed deeply to Okazaki Rikuto, the owner of the izakaya.

Chapter 182 The lament of Li Sao has ended, the song of heroic sorrow concludes today. [4k]

"Zakon, raise your head. I've said it many times, we are friends, partners, comrades... but not master and servant."

Okazaki Rikuto was still calling out Shima Masaoki's original name, which was also the name Shima Masaoki used when the two first met.

His usually carefree face was unusually serious; after all, they had gathered at "Utopia Pavilion" today not to drink, but for a very serious matter.

It could even be said that it is a major event that can determine the future of the country of Inazuma.

"Yes, Lord Okazaki." Shima Masaoki raised his head as instructed by Okazaki, but did not change his honorific title.

Not only that, he also stood beside Okazaki Rikuto in the most standard Shogunate soldier standing posture, looking like a loyal bodyguard.

Regardless of what others think or what Okazaki Rikuto says, in Shima Masaoki's heart, there is only one true lord: Lord Okazaki.

It was more than a decade ago that Okazaki Rikuto served in the Danjodai, and it was also more than a decade ago that he recruited Tsutsui Sakon with half of his own salary and introduced him to the chief retainer of the Okuzawa Shishima family.

This matter was unknown not only to the general public, but also to the Matsukawa and Nagaoka families, who were closely related to the Okazaki family.

In fact, the reason why these two important figures, Matsukawa Sozen and Nagaoka Hidemitsu, came to "Uyu-tei" today was to discuss "how to break through the blockade of the Okuzawa clan and meet the Shogun".

As a result, Okazaki Rikuto easily found a leader of the Okuzawa clan.

“Brother Lu Dou, I knew you had a wide circle of friends, but I never imagined you were already acquainted with the island commander?” Matsukawa Sozen raised his round-framed glasses, looking quite cautious.

Matsukawa Sōzen, who is fifty years old this year and serves as the steward of the government office, has seen many ups and downs in his life, but he never expected that one day he would see a leader of the Okuzawa clan bowing his head to an izakaya owner.

Okazaki Rikuto replied quite seriously: "Sakon's talent is unknown to the world, but I alone know it first."

Matsukawa Sozen couldn't help but chuckle at his feigned seriousness.

But deep down he couldn't help but admire Okazaki Rikuto.

For four hundred years, the position of commander of the Okuzawa clan has been held by three hatamoto (military commanders): the Naoe family, the Shima family, and the Kani family. Since the Okuzawa clan is a special position established by the shogun and is directly responsible to the shogun, it has no subordinate relationship with the shogunate magistrate or the court nobles. Neither the Kujo family, which is the magistrate of the shogunate, nor their administrative offices, the Matsukawa and Nagaoka families, have the right to interfere with the Okuzawa clan.

To put it bluntly, whether you're a hereditary daimyo or a Takaishi hatamoto, a government official or a minister, the people of Okuzawa don't need to pay you any attention.

Even "high-ranking officials" like Matsukawa Sōzen and Nagaoka Hidemitsu are not allowed to trespass on the castle tower without the general's summons; otherwise, they would be executed.

Apart from Kujō Takayuki, who was the Grand Minister of State, and Kujō Sara, who was specially appointed as the General of the Imperial Guard, anyone else who wanted to see the Shogun had to get past the Okuzume-shu first.

Matsukawa Sōzen had considered befriending Okuzawa Hatakemoto before, but the latter never gave him the chance... or rather, he didn't think much of civil servants in government offices who had no real power.

This is also the inherent attitude of the Inazuma samurai towards civil officials, especially close retainers of the shogun like Okuzume, who are usually very arrogant.

As a result, Lu Dou suddenly told him that there was one of his own among the leaders of the Otje clan, who was a close confidant he had known for more than ten years.

Despite his serious appearance, Matsukawa Sōzen was overjoyed inside. If he didn't have to maintain the noble image of a daimyo, he would be dancing with glee.

Hidemitsu Nagaoka was much more straightforward than Sozen Matsukawa. As a rare young and promising civil servant in the government office, his joy was palpable. His brows, which were usually furrowed, relaxed, and he was almost moved to tears.

He raised his wine cup, as if addressing a god or an ancestor: "Excellent! Excellent! There is hope for the new government, and hope for Inazuma!"

With one of the generals acting as an "insider," meeting the general would not be a problem.

At that time, Lord Matsukawa and he can lead the civil officials of the government office to submit a memorial, listing all kinds of evidence they have secretly collected over the years, impeaching the Tenryo Envoy and the Kansei Envoy, and requesting the Shogun to implement new reform policies.

This new policy is naturally the one that the government and its faction have been hoping for.

Rikuto Okazaki smiled, raised his glass, clinked it with Hidemitsu Nagaoka, drank one glass himself, and then drank one for Masahiro Shima, who did not drink alcohol.

To be honest, even Okazaki Rikuto himself didn't expect that Ayato Kamisato's prediction that "the time to reap the rewards has come" would come true so quickly.

The civil officials in the government offices had been sidelined by the authorities for many years and were full of resentment. They had been planning reforms for a long time, and had written countless impeachment memorials.

However, Kujo Takayuki held immense power and was deeply trusted by the shogun. Furthermore, his children, Kujo Masahiro and Kujo Sara, were in charge of the war effort. As a result, the civil officials in the government office had to step aside during the war, with everything taking a backseat to military supplies.

Matsukawa Sōzen, a steward of the government office, once complained after drinking: "Why does the war between the shogunate and the rebels continue for so long? Isn't it all for Kujō Takayuki's power! As long as the Sangokuni is there, the rebels will be there, and as long as the rebels are there, the shogunate army will have to quell the rebellion. The shogunate army can't do without Kujō Masahiro and Kujō Sara, so no one can bring down the Kujō family."

It can be said that as long as the war continues, the Kujo family's position will remain unshakable.

However, just two days ago, the day after Ayato Kamisato came to talk to him, the war situation suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.

Tenryo Magistrate suffered a series of defeats, Konoe General Kujo Sara was captured, and Hyōbu-kyō Kujo Masahiro surrendered... Kujo Takayuki essentially lost both of his arms.

At this moment, Han Fulai, the "successor of the Emperor" of Liyue, publicly issued a proclamation, openly condemning Kujo Kogyo, causing unrest throughout Inazuma. Even more terrifying, Han Fulai was able to withstand "Wushang's" blade!

Nothing is more convincing than "strength" in terms of "righteousness and legitimacy".

In addition, with the early publicity from "Yaedo", the call to "purge the Tenryo Magistrate" instantly filled Inazuma Castle. The Tenryo Magistrate could impose a curfew, but he couldn't stop people from exchanging glances while holding a copy of "Shenqiu Shijian Lu".

A children's rhyme has recently been circulating in the city:

What was in the Suruga Shogunate?

Night thieves, pirates, and forged contracts;