The next day, Xiao Xia was going to take two more furs and prepare to go to Takajo Shitama Town to exchange for general supplies. Although she persuaded me to get out of the mountains, she continued to store food as if she still wanted to live.

"Xiao Xia, I'll go with you today, right?" I say.

"The lord is ready to go out of the mountain?" Xiao Natsu's hand with the fur trembled, and the fur that she was about to take fell off the wall. I stepped forward and picked up the fur on the ground.

"This ...... You have to look at the situation first. I replied vaguely. Actually, it was Xiao Xia's words last night that made me want to go out to work. It's already very difficult for Xiao Xia to prepare for the winter by herself, so should I just do nothing to make her work harder and survive the winter more difficult?

"Isn't it okay to go out like this?" Xiao Xia asked.

"No problem, there are no people from the Benshan family in Gaocheng now. Moreover, if I wear this cloth and leave Haiyue at home, who will know that I am a samurai? I said.

"Yes!" Xiao Xia thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, "Please sit down first." ”

"Do what?" I asked.

"Bun up!" Xiao Xia blinked, "It's still a little shorter, but it's barely okay." ”

"Oh...... Good. I sat down cross-legged in obedience. Natsu tore a strip of cloth from her clothes and tied my hair.

"Just tear my clothes." I say. For girls, Xiao Xia's habit is really not good.

"It's already tied." Natsu's movements are fast.

I felt like something was on my head, and I was a little unaccustomed. It's a pity that there are no mirrors, otherwise you can see what your first bun looks like.

"Let's go, then." Touching my head, I said.

"Yes."

So the two of them hit the road. Along the way, Xiao Xia was very active, pointing out and telling me from time to time what was behind this ridge, when and what prey was hunted here. The mountain road is very narrow and rugged, but with her kind of noise, it doesn't seem difficult to walk.

After going over two hills, I decided to get down to business.

"Konatsu, what does the castle town look like?" I asked her.

Anyway, I "grew up in a monastery", and it's normal to not know this.

"It's a place where the peasants exchange what they need, and some of the handicraftsmen live in the town, and then the samurai lords of the city come out to collect food and collect taxes......

"Well, is there a place where I can work?" I say.

"It's a very small town, and it seems to be ...... It doesn't seem to be. Xiao Xia shook her head, and then suddenly understood what I meant, "You want to go out to work?" But you're a samurai, how can you ...... in that kind of place?"

"Xiao Xia, the samurai also have to survive."

"Lord, is it Xiao Xia who is not attentive to his service? Then Xiao Xia will definitely serve you harder in the future! Xiao Xia was really anxious, and there were tears in her eyes.

"But I can't always trouble you, you've worked hard enough." I continue to persuade the work.

"It is an honor for Xiao Xia to be able to serve the lord. If the lord is allowed to work in the town, then as a retainer, Konatsu will feel ashamed. Natsu stopped and fell to the ground.

"You get up first...... Well, it seems that the lord wants to give money to his retainers. "I touched my nose.

"This ......" Xiao Xia thought for a while and replied very seriously, "You can owe ...... first"

"Anyway, I have to try to find a job and earn some money, otherwise the winter will be difficult." I didn't care about her opinion, "Since Takacho is too small, let's go to Hasuike Town." Natsu, you lead the way. That's an order! ”

Xiao Xia stopped talking and walked in front of me with her head down.

Seeing her so silent, I had to try my best to amuse her. She had a serious face, and I told jokes with a more serious face. After all, Xiao Xia is a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, and she is also very lively, so she can't help but laugh out loud after a while. Then, naturally, she didn't want to continue to keep a straight face. After a few casual words, I began to make up the story again:

"...... in a far, far away place"

"How far? Is it farther than the Northeast? Xiao Xia asked.

"Well, it's farther than the northeast. It's on the other side of the sea......"

"That's Mingguo over there, you said it last time." Xiao Xia said loudly, looking a little proud.

"Well, in the Ming Kingdom, there is a ...... Well, there is a daimyo whose son is a hostage to another daimyo and is having a very bad time. At this time, a shrewd businessman saw Proton and had an idea. He deliberately approached Proton and gave him a pregnant side chamber of his own. The side chamber is beautiful and Proton is very pleased. Then the merchant returned to Proton's territory and used the money to buy off the main room of the daimyo, so that the main room recognized Proton as his son, so Proton was taken back to China and made him the young master of the family. After two years, the daimyo died, and the young lord succeeded to the throne, and he made the merchant a large official and a large territory. ”

"Where's the side room?" Xiao Xia didn't forget.

"The side room was very favored, and after giving birth to a son, it became the main room. Later, the son he gave birth to also became a daimyo, and eliminated six other daimyo and several wealthy families, unified the entire Ming Kingdom, and became a general. But in reality, he was just the son of that businessman. ”

"And does he know it himself?"

"He didn't know until he was older. At this time, the merchant was already the chief elder and commissioner of his family. He was very taboo about it, so he found an excuse to kill his own father, the merchant......"

"What's so taboo about this," Xiao Xia really didn't understand, "He has inherited the family business, so what does it matter if he is the biological son of the previous daimyo or not." His retainers will support him...... However, if you kill your own father, such a person will definitely go to hell after death! ”

I scratched my head. This is the so-called "cultural generation gap". In this book, there is not so much emphasis on blood, and the family name is the most important. Only by keeping the name of the family can the retainers be effectively loyal, and the territories under their jurisdiction can be blocked. Therefore, the status of the adopted son who inherits the family name and family business is much higher than that of ordinary relatives.

Something suddenly occurred to me.

"By the way, Xiao Xia, if there is another person who inherits the Kira family, what will you do?"

"As long as the lord is still there, no one else is qualified to inherit the Kira family!" Natsu replied.

"The same cannot be said. You should know that I also have a sister, and if someone from my family marries my sister, she will become the righteous son of the Kira family. Coupled with the support of the Chosamune family, it makes sense to inherit the Kira family. I reminded her. In the original history, Kira was married to the daughter of the Kira family, my titular sister.

Xiao Xia slowed down and thought for a while. I followed her slowly.

"Like...... Yes, you can do that. She nodded.

"Then you still want to be my retainer? When the time comes, I will probably be forced to leave home, and the name of your Kamikawa family will not be restored. ”

"But I am already your retainer, so I naturally have to be loyal to the end. Although the name of the samurai is important, it is even more important to uphold the righteousness of the samurai. My grandfather thought so. Otherwise, my grandfather wouldn't have run away. Xiao Xia said seriously.

"You can have your own ideas, too." I continued to guide her.

"My thoughts?" Xiao Xia looked at me, suddenly blushed, and lowered her head.

"Yes, what you think."

"I thought, in case something like that happens...... You can inherit the Kamikawa family! Xiao Xia whispered.

"Let me inherit? Am I not a member of the Kira family, how can I inherit your Kamikawa family? I asked curiously.

Xiao Xia glanced back at me, her eyes fluttered slightly, and then quickly turned around.

"Oh!" I understand. For a while, neither of them could say anything, and the atmosphere became very delicate.

……，……

When I arrived at Hasuike Town, Xiao Xia first found an izakaya and then ordered a pot of sake for me, and poured a bowl full of it: "You wait here for a while, I'm not familiar with this place, please don't walk around." Xiao Xia will come back as soon as she changes her things. ”

"I still want to find a job!" I say.

"Anyway, please don't move around, or I'll be hard pressed to find you!" As she spoke, Natsu walked out of the izakaya with her fur in hand.

"Hey!" I also wanted to go out, but was blocked by the boss at the door.

"Guest, the wine money hasn't been paid yet!"

I have to admit that Xiao Xia's trick is really good. Hold me here first, wait until she comes back, and drag me away, I can't refuse much. In this way, my money-making plan naturally fell through.

"Calling the lord over and over again, is this the attitude towards the lord?" I thought indignantly, very dissatisfied with Xiao Xia's wanton behavior. However, now I have no choice but to drink sake in a depressed mood. It's a pity that I came to the castle town for the first time in the Warring States period, but I couldn't get a good look, what a pity!

I was bored, so I had to look at this Izakaya from the Warring States period over and over again, listening to the messy conversations of the other people in the room.

A young man dressed as a samurai walked in with steady steps, followed by two ashigaru. He walked straight to the middle table, and the guests who had been at that table immediately gave up their seats. For ordinary people, the samurai could never be provoked, and they could kill civilians on the spot at any time without any responsibility.

I looked at his outfit curiously, and he immediately noticed my gaze and turned his head to look me up and down. Seriously, as a superior person, the samurai of this era does have a momentum, at least I can't stand his scrutiny. It was only two times before I was defeated and turned my head away.

The samurai suddenly threw the wine bowl to the ground: "Take down this Benshan family's annihilation!" ”

Benshan's annihilation? I'm just inexplicable! However, before I could tell, two ashigaru next to the samurai had already rushed over, two bamboo spears aimed at my throat.

"Tie this guy up!" The samurai commanded.

Then I was tied into a rice dumpling.

The samurai paced: "What do you have to say?" ”

"Wronged, my lord! I'm just a hunter waiting for my ...... Sister, she went to get the fur and used it! The owner of the izakaya can testify! ”

"Is that so?" The samurai looked up at the ceiling.

The owner of the izakaya hurriedly came over: "My lord! Indeed, a woman came with him, and left him here, and he had not yet paid for his drink! Adults, villains are small businesses, adults can't you ......"

"Can you guarantee it?" The samurai turned to look at him.

"This ......" The izakaya owner hesitated under the forced gaze of the samurai, "It seems to ...... It's not like a sister......"

"Then wait for her to come. Pingsan, you go to the door and guard; Hachiro, shut this guy's mouth. The samurai commanded.

"Thank you, thank you, your lord!" The owner of the izakaya nodded, probably thinking that the wine money had been settled.

……，……

After a while, Xiao Natsu walked into the izakaya. The fur on his hands was gone, replaced by a paper bag and a pair of cloth shoes. She noticed Ashigaru standing in the doorway, but she didn't care, and walked briskly into the door, humming a song I taught her.

The izakaya owner nodded in the corner, and the samurai gave the door a look, and Ashigaru's bamboo spear immediately pressed against Konatsu's waist. Xiao Xia's whole body was shocked, and his right foot was slightly raised. At this time, the samurai stepped out of the way, revealing me with a lot of flowers tied up behind him. Xiao Xia saw it, so she had to give up her plan to pull out the ribs.

"Say it! Who is this person? The samurai shouted.

"It's me......" Xiao Xia bit her lip, "...... Husband! ”

I rolled my eyes: it's over!

"There's nothing to say now, do you?" The samurai tore off the cloth bag from my mouth, "Tell me what you're here for, maybe I can spare your life!" ”

"My lord! I'm really not a ...... of the Benshan family," I shook my head helplessly. Although I have described the horror of this troubled world to Natsu many times, it is only now that I have truly experienced it firsthand. In such a situation, if the samurai tried to kill me, I would not be able to resist at all, and after I died, my body might be hung on a log as a corpse. A wave of powerlessness and fear welled up from the bottom of my heart.

"Bastard!" Hachiro had a gun in both hands and was about to stab at me, but the samurai stopped him.

"Do you know where you're showing your flaws?" The samurai pointed to my leggings. There, a fan-shaped family pattern looms.

I see, it's my family crest on the hem of my samurai dress.

Hachiro immediately untied the leggings and presented them to the samurai. The samurai touched the material, and then raised it in front of my eyes: "You still want to deny it?" What is this family crest? Such clothing is affordable for a hunter? ”

"My lord! There's something to say below! Xiao Xia said loudly, "Please take a closer look at the family crest, it is not the fan pendant pattern of the Motoyama family, but the five-bone fan pattern of the Kira family!" We are the people of the Kira family! ”

The samurai looked at the family crest carefully again and nodded, "That's right." ”

"Then adults can let us go, right?" Xiao Xia hurriedly said.

"But you have deceived me after all. So, I can't fully trust your words right now. Since you said that you are from the Kira family, you have to come up with more evidence. ”

"There's evidence, please let us go and get it, I can stay here as a hostage." Xiao Xia preemptively said.

"Well, it seems that you are the more important one." The samurai nodded at me. Then he instructed Heisan, "Let the woman go and let her go back to get evidence." ”

"Thank you, sir!" Xiao Xia bowed her head and saluted, then stood up and was about to turn and leave.

"Wait!"

"What else do you have to say?" Xiao Xia had no choice but to turn around.

"Let's pay for the boss's drink first!"

;