Since the army of the Miyoshi family was still stranded in South Hanoi, Yu Qiuping did not dare to lead the army to leave Gaoya Castle. Therefore, Mori Kecheng's funeral can only be held in Takaya Castle, and there is no way to bury Mori Kecheng back to his hometown of Mino. Yu Qiuping asked someone to carve a body for Sen Kecheng out of agarwood and buried him with his head. Due to its location on the front line, the funeral was simple and even a little deserted. The only high-ranking samurai present were Yu Qiuping, Takigawa Kazuki, Ikeda Tsunekoko, and Mori Kotaka's widow and his children.

However, perhaps such a cold and simple funeral is what Sen Ke people want.

Yu Qiuping looked at the women and children wearing linen and filial piety crying in front of the tomb, and it was not a taste in his heart. Although he has been fighting for more than ten years, it stands to reason that he should be accustomed to parting with life and death. But a close friend who has been with him for more than ten years, he was fine in the morning, but it turned out to be gone, and he still couldn't come back to his senses.

He always felt that even if a great samurai like Mori Kecheng was going to die, he should die vigorously on the battlefield, leaving a tragic death sentence before he died, and then died helplessly. I will accompany him to the last moment of his life, holding his hand to say goodbye. However, he died in a sneak attack by the traitor ninjas. And Yu Qiuping, who didn't even see his last face, didn't see how heroically he fought before he died, only saw the embarrassing picture of him being cut down by a few ninjas and cutting off his head.

Why is this happening...

He vaguely remembered that when he first came to Owari, where he was unfamiliar with his life, he joined the Oda family as a rebel general, and endured everyone's eyes. At that time, there were only a few people who were willing to look at him and be friends with him, and Senke was one of them. He will never forget that friendship.

The man who always doesn't smile; The stranger who always wanted to return to Minon's hometown; The samurai who never boasted easily and was always serious; The warrior who is very brotherly and always rushes to the forefront in battle.

The good brother who gambled his life without hesitation in order to give himself a chance to escape at the moment of life and death.

Let's go.

Yu Qiuping silently drained the wine in the bowl - he almost never drank. But for Sen Kecheng, he must drink this bowl of wine. He poured another bowl of wine and slowly poured it in front of Sen Kecheng's tomb, as if he was drinking with his best friend. Tears flowed down her cheeks unconsciously.

·

"His Highness Momiji... His Royal Highness Momiji. Just when Yu Qiuping looked at Sen Kecheng's tomb, Sen Kecheng's widow Ah Ying suddenly called softly, "Concubine is brave, can you ask Your Highness for a favor." ”

"Why does my sister-in-law have to do this? Senpai Senpai and I have been brothers for so many years of birth and death, and Senpai Senpai died to save me. If my sister-in-law has any requirements, just say it, I should do my best to calm down. Yu Qiuping hurriedly turned around and helped Ah Ying up. The latter was already in tears at the moment, crying so much that his voice was a little hoarse. Yu Qiuping also had a sour nose, and said softly: "Please also ask my sister-in-law to mourn." ”

"His Highness Momiji... The future of the Mori family is up to you. After Ah Ying was helped up by Yu Qiuping, she bowed slightly to Yu Qiuping and said, "The Governor's Hall has sent someone to say." The Mori family's fiefdom in Minami-Omi is located in Kochong, which is not a responsibility that a child like Kolon can bear. Therefore, we will transfer our Mori family back to Mino. Our Mori family's troops will also leave in the near future. ”

"That's it..."Yu Qiuping sighed helplessly. In the troubled times of the Warring States, Oda Nobunaga could indeed only make such a choice. After all, Senkolong is still young, and it is too early for him to take on the responsibility of guarding Minami Omi.

"But the old territory of Mino is remote, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to make a profit in the future. Kolon was at the age when a samurai had made great achievements, and if he had wasted his time like this, he would be sorry for his father who had made a mistake and the ancestor of the Mori family. Ah Ying whispered her bitterness, "So the concubine is bold, and plans to let the second son, Changke, temporarily take the position of family governor, and send the eldest son Kolon and the third son Ranmaru to you first." Whether it's letting them follow you to the battlefield or handling government affairs, it can be regarded as learning some skills, and you can revitalize the Sen family in the future. ”

"Naturally, there is no problem. But..."Yu Qiuping glanced at Ah Ying with some hesitation when he heard this, "Is it allowed from the lord?" Also, let the second son temporarily act as the governor of the family... There may be trouble later. ”

"The Governor's Hall has already agreed, letting Kolon and Ranmaru follow you, and letting Changke temporarily act as the Governor is also a decision that the retainers of the Mori family agree to." Ah Ying saluted Yu Qiuping again, "Please, His Highness Red Leaves." ”

"Naturally, there is no problem, let the children follow me." After Yuqiu Ping readily agreed, she hesitated for a moment, and finally accepted Ah Ying's gift - hoping that this would make her feel at ease, "I will let them be my guards first, and then let them take on greater responsibilities when they grow up." ”

·

The sun sets and the stars begin to appear in the sky. Ah Ying's body was weak because she had cried for too long, and she had been helped back by Sen Kolon and the other children. And Yu Qiuping has been sitting in front of Sen Kecheng's tomb, looking at the tomb silently. At some point, Ryuko gently walked behind Yu Qiuping and helped him put on a dress.

"Your Highness, it's time for dinner. You haven't eaten lunch yet. Seeing that Yu Qiuping did not react, Long Zi said timidly.

"Alas... Senpai-senpai didn't eat lunch either, he didn't eat breakfast. Yu Qiuping suddenly sighed when he heard this, "Where would I have thought before, Sen's predecessor was suddenly gone." I still have so much to say to him, so many things I want to do with him, and I want to watch the children grow up with him... As a result, he was gone in an instant. ”

"Samurai, samurai. Maybe I'm not enlightened enough. As a samurai, one should get used to these things. Yu Qiuping sighed again, shook his head and said, "Friends who can still talk and laugh in the morning may be separated by heaven and earth at night." If there is anything you want to do with him, what you want to say to him, you really can't bury it in your heart and not say it, otherwise you may never have a chance. It will become a regret hidden in the bottom of my heart and a lifetime. I always thought that there was time and opportunity in the future, but the life of a samurai may be as short as cherry blossoms. ”

Yu Qiuping looked at Sen Kecheng's tomb and chattered. didn't notice Longzi standing behind her, because of his words, his body was already trembling slightly, and even tears were surging in his eyes.

"Oh yes, Ryuko." Yu Qiuping seemed to suddenly remember what it meant, slowly stood up, and turned around, "Why are you still wearing that scarf with you?" I remember you haven't been around it in a long time. Didn't you throw it away at the time? ”

"When he moved to Kuroda Castle, His Highness left him in a box. When I saw it, I picked it up and kept it in my arms. Long Zi was stunned when he heard this, and replied honestly. She reached into her arms and fumbled with her little hand, and slowly pulled out the burgundy scarf. Because of the long time, some of the open lines have faded, and they are too old to be old.

"Then since you took it out, why didn't you see you surrounding it? How can there be any reason to keep a scarf in your arms and not wear it? Yu Qiuping was amused by the dragon and laughed dumbly.

"I can't bear it." Long Zi was stunned for a moment and replied in a low voice, while quickly lowering his head in case Yu Qiuping saw the tears in the corners of her eyes, "I'm afraid I'll take it badly." You see, Your Highness, even though I took care of it every day and never wore it, it is now the same. ”

"It's so old, why do you still have it, just change it. It's just a scarf, and it's not like we can't afford to wear it. Yu Qiuping touched Longzi's head with a smile, and whispered a little dotingly: "Is it that I didn't give you enough money." ”

"That's not the case..."Long Zi shook his head slightly dissatisfied, his hair was messed up with Yu Qiuping's hand, and the satin-like black hair was scattered to his waist, "It's because... This scarf it's different! ”

"What's the difference? The quality of this scarf is not very good. Yu Qiuping glanced at the scarf that was carefully held in Ryuko's arms, and didn't see any difference in it.

"Because it is..."Long Zi pursed his lips, and the memories that he had cherished in his heart for more than ten years suddenly poured into his mind, and the tears in his eyes suddenly couldn't stop flowing.

·

Suddenly, in the night sky far to the west, there was a meteor with a long tail, swaying, quietly streaking across the sky.

"Shooting Star!" Ryuko suddenly exclaimed with some excitement, "Can you make a wish?" ”

"That—" Ryuko let go of his hands covering his neck, folded his hands reverently, and closed his eyes facing the meteor. However, as soon as she left her hand, her neck was cold and aching again.

"I want my neck not to be cold...", Ryuko's first wish blurted out.

After saying that, Ryuko seemed to feel that this wish was a little too ordinary, and he was sorry for this rare meteor. She narrowed her eyes into a slit again, and glanced at the meteor quietly, as if hoping that the gods on the meteor had not heard her wish.

"That doesn't count—" Ryuko reverently folded his hands again, facing in the direction of the meteor.

"Hmm—" she pondered how to make a great wish and make the most of the opportunity. However, the cold wind blew on her neck like a knife, urging her to make a decision quickly.

"Yes—" she said timidly, as if she had brought up something very perverse.

She thought of the countless snowy nights in the past, when she shuttled alone through the streets and alleys, looking at the brightly lit houses, and the family smiling and sitting around the table; I thought of begging on the side of the road, and the parents led the children to walk along the road, and the children held a string of sugar gourds in their hands, and handed them to their parents to take a bite of it...

The word "home" is so distant and unfamiliar that I think of it.

"Can you give me a home?"

Suddenly, there was a soft touch on the neck, and the cold feeling was replaced by a warmth. The warmth, starting from the neck, gradually spread throughout the body, quietly penetrating into the cold heart.

She lowered her head, her chin touching a soft mass of silk. As far as the eye could see, it was a burgundy scarf. It's soft and comfortable.

She raised her head, and the young man who gave her food just now, wearing a shawl of red leaves, didn't know when, had already walked to her side. At this moment, he was gently wrapping the scarf around her neck for the last time.

"Silly boy," Yu Qiuping, who followed Longzi and witnessed everything, said softly, "Come home with me." ”

"Both wishes will help you come true."

He wrapped a scarf around her neck. But it also took away one of her hearts.

"Home...", that once unattainable wish.

Ryuko raised his head and watched the red leaves rustle in the wind, tears gushing out of his eyes for some reason.

Maybe it's because the neck isn't cold.

·

The girl suddenly cried, but the man was stunned.

Long Zi choked up for a long time, and suddenly whimpered softly: "It is the first gift from His Highness to me... It was the scarf that His Highness helped me put around. It was His Highness who said... You want to give me a home. ”

"Ryuko, what's wrong with you?" Yu Qiuping was frightened by the appearance of the dragon, and hurriedly took a step forward, wanting to see the situation of the dragon, but was pushed away by the dragon. She stood one step away from Yu Qiuping, and lowered her head deeply, hiding in a deep, deep shadow. After a long time, as if she had made a great determination, she bit her little lip, suddenly raised her head, and said softly with rain:

"Your Highness, you... Will you listen to me? Don't interrupt me, okay? ”

Yu Qiuping froze in place, not knowing what to say. And his silence was also understood by Ryuko as permission. The girl, who had been shy and afraid to speak, spoke softly and told the words that she had buried in her heart for many years

·

My first life was like living in a nightmare that I would never wake up from. I have no home, I have no relatives, I have nothing, and I am walking in the barren mountains and mountains hungry and cold. I don't know where I've come from or where I'm going back.

It was His Highness, and it was His Highness who gave me a second life. When I woke up for the second time, it was His Highness who gave me a home, a home, a warmth on a snowy night. From that moment on, I only had His Highness in my heart, and I was full of His Highness. I think about Your Highness when I eat, I think about Your Highness when I sleep, and I think about Your Highness all the time. Your Highness, you are so nice, so warm...

So I'm sorry Your Highness, Longzi can't get married, because I can't pretend to be someone else anymore in my heart.

I don't understand what love is, I don't understand my feelings for His Highness, which are different from Madame's feelings for His Highness. But if this is not love, Ryuko has no better feelings...

I have been following His Highness's back like this, hoping that His Highness can understand my feelings, but His Highness does not understand at all. I don't know why His Highness, who is so smart and powerful, can't see the feelings in my heart clearly.

I'm afraid that if I don't talk about it this time, I may never have a chance again. You are also a samurai, and a samurai who has been on the brink of life and death several times. No one knows if you'll be so lucky the next time it's a matter of life or death. I'm afraid to express it, but I'm more afraid than to express it, I'm afraid that I'll never get a chance to tell you about it... I'm scared...

Don't worry, Your Highness, I'm not trying to take away Madame's place in your heart! I love my wife too! I just want to be with you, to be with you for the rest of my life, to wait for you, to watch you, to stay with you. So I don't want to leave, I don't want to get married, I just want to be the dragon son of His Highness.

So, so. Your Highness... I would like to say... I like you.

I want to be by His Highness's side, that's all it takes.

·

Long Zi blushed shyly, and after saying this long paragraph, as if he had lost all his strength, he suddenly collapsed into Yu Qiuping's arms. Yu Qiuping was completely stunned in place, unable to say a word, just silently holding the girl who kept sobbing in his arms.

Unexpectedly... Ryuko she... The reason why she has refused to marry for so many years is because of the person she likes... Is it me?

But... What about me...

Longzi lay in Yu Qiuping's arms, listening to Yu Qiuping's heartbeat, from the beginning of the violent, lighter and slower, and finally almost returned to calm, and a touch of unnamed uneasiness suddenly surged in his heart. She raised her head, looked at Yu Qiuping with tearful eyes, and whispered tentatively:

"Your Highness... What about your reply? ”

She wanted an answer that would reassure her.

Even if it's not acceptance, even if it's not consent.

Even if it's just one sentence of "silly girl, of course you can always be by my side".

However, she only heard a somewhat unfamiliar voice.

·

"Ryuko, I'm sorry."