Before we begin the narrative, let's rewind the clock to December of the 10th year of Keicho (1605). Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

It's also Chikuzen Country, but the location has been changed to Akizuki City in the territory.

The place of Autumn Moon City can be described as a strategic place. It is located in the interior of Chikuzen Province, bordering Chikugo Province and Bungo Province, and is an important place for the Kuroda family.

Because of this, the current city generation of Autumn Moon City is served by the younger brother of the old lord Rushui, Naoyuki, who is the uncle of the current head of the family.

However, now we are not focusing on the person Naoyuki Kuroda, but on another person in this city.

"Our heavenly Father, may your name be exalted, and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you for giving us daily bread, and please forgive us our sins as we forgive others......"

In a dimly lit and quiet small room in Autumn Moon City, a slightly emaciated middle-aged man was quietly praying with his hands folded alone.

The man's face was the standard Oriental face, but his dedication and devotion to prayer were no less than those of the missionaries from the West.

This man who believes in Catholicism is named Akashi Shobu Tou Quanden. He is the son of Akashi Keiko and one of the former ministers of the Uki family.

As for why he is now at the Kuroda family, it has to start with the Sekigahara Battle in the fifth year of Keicho (1600).

At that time, Akashi Hontobu was one of the retainers of the Uki family. He married the daughter of the Ukita Naoya family and was an important minister who was valued by the Nao family. And Jeon Deng did not live up to the value of the Nao, and after the death of the Nao, he became a loyal retainer of his young only son, the Xiu family.

During the Battle of Sekigahara, because the lord Hideya joined the Western Army, he also went with him. After the defeat, the Akiya fled to the Shimazu family in Satsuma, where he took refuge in the domain of Kuroda's younger brother Naoyuki. As for why the Naozhikai was willing to shelter Quanden, it was because he was a devout Catholic like Quanden. Because Quanden is a member of the church, Naoyuki did not hesitate to take in Quanden who was on the run.

Not only did he take refuge in the place where the parishioners took refuge, but his son Jing Xing also came here with his father Quan Deng. Many of his retainers loyal to the Ukita family and Catholics also followed Jeonden to this place and accepted refuge.

Later, under heavy pressure from the Tokugawa family, the Shimazu family had to hand over the Hideya family to the Tokugawa family. However, at the request of the Shimazu family and the Maeda family, the maiden family of Hideya's wife Haohime, the Hideya family was only temporarily exiled and imprisoned in Kunoji Temple in Suruga Province. Later, there was an incident in which "the Ukita Hideya family was killed by thieves at Kunoji Temple". Of course, that incident was an illusion planned by Xiuguang and the Wind Demon.

Although Xiuguang and the others knew the truth of the incident, it was definitely impossible for outsiders to guess it. When Naozhi told Jeonden this sad "news", the loyal Jeonden was so grief-stricken that he even had the idea of dying for the lord Junxiu's family. However, because he was a Catholic and could not commit suicide, he had to stop thinking about it.

In the past few years since the Xiu family's "death", Quan Deng's mood has not been as high as before.

In December of the 10th year of Keicho (1606), after Jeonden had finished praying and walked out of the small room, he met a very strange person.

It was early in the morning. Jeonden used to get up early to pray. Usually at this time, after he prayed, Naoyuki and his retainers had not yet woken up from their sleep, and the room where he prayed was in a relatively remote location. So at this time, there was absolutely no human figure in the wooden corridor outside the room where he was praying.

But at this time, Quan Deng saw a tall and sturdy man coming from the wooden corridor outside the door.

"Excuse me, is it Lord Akashi?"

“…… It is under that. Is there anything please? ”

After receiving an affirmative answer, the man took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Jeonden.

"What? Letter? ”

"Yes. I have been entrusted with the task of forwarding this letter to you. ”

After the man successfully handed the letter to Jeon Deng, he immediately turned and left.

"That! Please wait......"

Although Jeon Deng tried to stop him, the man walked away quickly, and disappeared from under Jeon Deng's nose in the blink of an eye. Jeonden chased after him, but the man disappeared like the wind.

"Who the hell is that person......

Jeon Deng thought back to the faces of all Naoyuki's retainers, and found that none of them had the faces of the man just now.

So, he wasn't Naoyuki's retainer?

Thinking so, Jeon Deng looked warily at the letter from the man he was holding.

"It's suspicious."

Jeon Deng thought so. After all, since the Battle of Sekigahara, he hadn't received anything like a letter for a long time. And the man just now was not a retainer of the Kuroda family.

After all, how the hell did he get into Autumn Moon City?

Could it be a ninja......

Jeon Deng frowned and opened the envelope.

Inside the envelope was only a thin piece of stationery, which looked very good and was by no means affordable for ordinary families.

Jeon unfolded the folded letter and began to read. But as he read it, Quan Deng's breath changed from calm at the beginning to extremely chaotic.

“…… What the?! ”

Jeonden's eyes widened, and he clung to the letter as if he wanted to penetrate the paper with his gaze.

There was beautiful handwriting in ink on the letterhead, and it was not very long, only a few lines.

"Akashi sweeper, respectfully:

Regarding the matter of your former master, Ukita Hideya-sama, we would like to meet with you once to explain this matter clearly. As for the time of meeting, it is probably set at the beginning of February of the 11th year of Keicho. We hope you will be able to contact you when we do. ”

It was these few lines that filled Quan Deng's heart with worry and surprise, as well as ecstasy and anticipation.

“…… Lord Xiujia, are you still alive? ”

With such anticipation in mind, Jeon Deng seemed to feel hope again.

But he also has doubts. After all, it was the Tokugawa family official who spoke like this. If the Xiu family wasn't dead, then could they have said that?

Or perhaps, the killing of Lord Xiu was originally disguised by some people?

If it is disguised by someone else, then for what purpose?

Quan Deng was secretly happy, but also a little worried.

However, if the Lord Jun Xiu family was still alive, it would be a matter of joy for him more than anything else.

So, after thinking about it, Jeon Deng decided to wait for the time being, waiting for the stranger who sent the letter to contact him.

So, two months later, Akashi Junto, a loyal man, finally received a contact from those people.