The soft snow creaked under your feet, and it seemed like a thick carpet when you stepped on it. The snow had stopped and the sky was white, and although the north wind was still biting, it was only slowly blowing and no longer howling. The sun still can't show its face from the clouds, so people can't get rid of a feeling of dampness, but this also has the advantage of saving strong reflections and causing "snow blindness" on the snow field!

A group of more than 10 of us walked on the road to the north, and because we were well prepared, it didn't seem too difficult, not only did everyone wear thick cotton clothes, but even the shoes on our feet added a pair of large boots made of straw. This northern shoe for snowwalking is designed with a wide bottom, so you don't have to worry about your feet getting stuck in deep snow!

I took a deep breath, the snow around me was really pleasing to the eye, and even I felt a little strange that I could still adapt to such a long walk.

I have been sitting in the car for the previous journey, although it is worse than the palace car I usually take, but it also saves my foot strength! Nowadays, it is not good, all the cars are left in Shirakawa Town, and the merchants of this era, no matter how rich they are, cannot travel on horseback for a long time, so in order to avoid suspicion, I have to follow the local customs! But after walking for a while, I actually think it's okay, in addition to the factors that everyone deliberately accommodates my physical strength, I can't help but say that the perennial army campaign also has a certain effect. Although I don't usually participate in the intense "activities" on the front line, at least my physical strength has not dropped too much due to the galloping on horseback! After the initial fatigue was accepted, everyone gradually became attracted to the surrounding scenery and began to talk and laugh about light-hearted topics, except for Shinhachiro who was still a little stupid because he couldn't "see" the wolves.

"Gao Fu......" I turned my head to Mitsui Gao Fu who was following me and asked, "Has the news of our going has passed?" ”

As soon as we arrived at the White River, we passed the word, but we didn't hear back yet...... "As he spoke, he moved closer to me, and although there were no outsiders around, this kind of topic was not suitable for shouting." Although we have always had a close trade relationship with them, no one has yet fully understood their situation! In fact, people should still be allowed to go in and have a front station, and is it a little too risky for the boss to go over so directly? ”

"It doesn't matter!" I shook my head open-mindedly, after all, there are still people who ask for us this time. "I think our notice was a little hasty, and they didn't have time to react! We don't know them and they don't know us, so it's understandable to be cautious. As far as I know, once these people grasp their minds, it is not difficult to grasp them, after all, there are still many simple-minded people among them! ”

"Your ...... "Mitsui Takafuku is a shrewd businessman who has discovered the key to my words from a few small places....... He wondered how I could "know", but wisely didn't go any further.

I also changed the subject and talked to him about the situation in Kanto, Tohoku, and Hokuriku. Although compared with Masuda Nagamori and others, Mitsui Takafuku, who was born as a pure businessman, lacks a clear understanding of political ideas, but he can clearly grasp the "stakes" between various large and small forces.

The situation is basically the same as that of, and the daimyo of the eastern province have significantly accelerated the pace of mergers in the past 20 years, but because there is less interference from outside "help" here, it is still not as good as that of the west. Relatively speaking, the "ancient style" here is stronger, whether it is to suppress the wealthy clans in the territory or to fight externally, they all rely more on the personal talent and "charm" of the daimyo, and the forced truce of the snow season for most of the year, coupled with spring plowing and autumn harvest, increases the difficulty of rapid unification! Today's "one-eyed dragon" is still a yellow-mouthed child, two years younger than Xian Limaru, maybe Uesugi Kenshin is not so persistent, the current situation should not be like this, right?

As he spoke, he unconsciously walked into noon, and the sky became more gloomy instead of clearing, and the north wind whistled in the treetops. Although it didn't snow again, the ice slag on the ground was rolled up, and it hit the face, which was not only dazzling but also a little painful! I'm starting to panic a little now, and I can only rely on the experience of the locals that "it will be sunny for more than ten days after the early snowfall" to comfort myself!

"That's not right!" The companion Changxin noticed that the situation was not good, and said with a little blue face. Although Shinhachiro and Ayuki also accompanied a few guards, he was responsible for my safety on this trip.

"Front...... How far is it going? I asked, turning around. Accidentally, the cold wind carried the cold air into my nastrils, and the tingling sensation instantly approached my eyes, and a few tears unconsciously flowed out.

"Beyond this slope is a forest, you can take shelter there first!" Our guide was an experienced middle-aged man who had been a merchant in the entire Mitsunoku and Dewa area for a long time before coming to work at the Mitsugaya Shirakawacho branch.

"Alright! Walk a few steps there for lunch and wait for the wind to light up before hitting the road! I nodded hurriedly, the disparity in physical strength made me feel the worst in this group.

Lunch and trimming in the woods gave us some strength, but the wish to wait for the wind to light up did not come true! At 2:30 p.m., we had to continue in the stronger north wind, because if we waited any longer, we would not be able to reach the next town before dark.

"Boss...... "Because there are still people among these people who don't know my identity, the companion letter doesn't use my real name." This time things are like this, it's all the mistakes of the subordinates who are not well prepared! Let you suffer such hardship......" he said no longer, and the look on his face was extremely ugly. Mitsui Gaofu on the side was also full of guilt, and at the same time he couldn't stop inhaling cool air.

"Don't say that, after all, I have to go on the road at this time!" Although I was wrapped in a heavy fox fur jacket, I was still shivering, and I really couldn't adapt to the "suffering" now. But at the moment I still have to comfort them, firstly, it is also to boost their morale; Second, the responsibility is indeed on me. “…… It's just a bit of a storm, which is really no big deal for a businessman, and it's still on the road, at least we're not in danger of getting lost now! "Speaking of which, in order to liven up the atmosphere, I casually made a joke." Luckily, we didn't listen to Shinhachiro's bad idea, if we encounter wolves in such weather......"

"Wow~Wow......!" Unexpectedly, before I could finish my sentence, a long and terrible howl came from behind us in the distance. After that, there was a constant sound of this voice, which was full of creepy greed. Everyone's faces changed at this time, and their eyes were full of shock.

"Wolf...... Cry wolf! Mitsui Takafuku's face was like earth, and his voice trembled, although he had been in the east for a long time, he had never encountered such a thrill. In fact, there is no need for him to say it, everyone knows what is going on.

"There are about a hundred or so voices, and they follow our footprints...... "After listening to it a little, he roughly judged the situation." It won't take long to catch up, so is there a way closer to the next town? He grabbed the guide's arm and asked anxiously.

"Yes...... Yes, there is a ......" Because the companion Changxin lost control under extreme excitement, the guide was pinched and his face turned pale. "There's also a hill to the left, so you can save half the distance! It's just that because it's not regular, very few people walk, and now it's snowing all over the place, except for the medicine pickers...... Generally no one passes! He finally finished speaking, but beads of sweat broke out on his face in the cold air.

"So be it!" Ban Naganobu finally let go of his hand, turned to the crowd and said, "Please ask a few samurai lords to protect the bosses and go first from the shortcut, I will take some men to lure the wolves away, and we will meet in the next town after the end!" He pointed to the fact that the men were all ninjas who accompanied him, and at this time, the civilian Kanno samurai was also called samurai.

"I don't see any need for that!" Shinhachiro said dismissively, and slammed the iron rod in his hand into the air. “…… It's just a hundred and ten wild wolves, and I can take care of them alone, and since they keep up with them so desperately, then let me fulfill them! Of the crowd at the moment, only his face was excited.

"Samurai-sama!" At this time, the companion Changxin lost his usual caution, and even bluntly contradicted my military commander as a ninja. “…… Don't forget your responsibilities! Compared to all things, protecting the boss of Dale is the first priority, even if it is the loss of our lives! ”

"Then I'll listen to you......" Shinhachiro is not actually a "messy" person, and although he seems a little disappointed, he still accepts the instructions of his companion Shin.

"Then let's go!" Ah Xue saw that everyone had no other opinions, so she and Shinhachiro set me up left and right and ran forward with the guide. Several samurai-turned-bodyguards followed on either side, followed by Mitsui Takafuku. I looked back at the back, and the companion Nagasobu and the ninjas spread out and headed behind me. "Don't fight hard!" I shouted at their backs.

"This is it...... "After a while, we came to a large slope, and the guide pointed to this place and said, "Walk through here and go down, and you will be the town town ahead!" It's just that the ground here is not very flat, and now it is covered by snow, and it is not very clear to see, and there is already a thick layer of snow on the rocks at the top of the slope, which can cause an avalanche if you are not careful! ”

"You lead me out of the way!" Shinhachiro waved to the two guards and said to us, "You walk on the footprints in front of you, 20 paces apart!" ”

"Be careful!" I shouted again.

From the surface of the snow, it looks like a flat patch, but when you actually walk, you realize that there are actually many stones of different sizes on the ground, and it is really a bit awkward to walk on them. Shinhachiro and the two guards followed the guide in front, and from time to time poked the ground with their weapons. Xue followed me and watched nervously at everything around her, one hand holding my arm and never letting go.

"Squeak!" Suddenly, an unnatural crunch came from the front, and half of the guide's body sank below the ground. One of the guards reached out to pull him, and the others grabbed their weapons in shock.

"That's not right!" Xue let go of her grip on me with an exclamation and reached for the short sword in the hole.

"Ahh At that moment, I felt a limp under my feet and my body tilted to the side.

"Lord!" With a terrible exclamation, the snow swept down from the top of the slope like a tide, and my body was also swept in......

_____________________________________________________________________

Bear in Winter: Sorry it's late today! I just finished it because I was out there for a day.