To get from Mt. Ontake to Azuchi Castle, you have to head west, through Mt. Ibuki, and into the Omi border.

For the first time, Long Shaocong felt the uniqueness of Japan's Yamagata, which was almost always shuttled between mountains and hills, with rugged and difficult roads, and occasionally entering a flat area, which is also a basin surrounded by mountains.

Riding on a horse, Long Shaocong saw many cities of different sizes, but with the same appearance. These are all built on the hills, the scale is larger, there is a sub-city at the foot of the mountain, some small stones are even only made of logs, the labor is very simple.

In Long Shaocong's view, these simple small bars are very similar to the bunkers built in various villages and strongholds during the Japanese invasion of China in later generations. In reality, these two can also be said to be the same, both are limited garrisons, usually only one or two hundred people, as many as five hundred people can be called Daqi, its purpose is to protect the safety of the main city as a sub-city, and the scope of control is only one village.

In the cities, the family crest banners painted with complex patterns stretched out of the wall one after another, just like banners, swaggering in the wind, giving Long Shaocong a very uncomfortable feeling.

Because of being the companion of Genzaburo, Long Shaocong was able to ride forward on horseback, and there was a lot less pain in trekking. I saw him sitting on a high-headed horse, standing tall in front of Yoshimaru and Yamaguchi, and the envious two swallowed their saliva.

"It's all your fault, your mouth is fast, otherwise we might have been the companions of the young master, and the provincial people are here to carry spears and march on foot."

"Dead fatty, you dare to teach me a lesson!" The so-called jealousy and hatred, Yoshimaru's heart was also regretting, but he never thought that Yamaguchi, who was honest and honest, and was always bullied by himself, would actually teach himself a lesson.

"At that time, weren't you also in a hurry and grabbed straight up? I heard that being a flag is light, and the fat on Le's body trembled. ”

Yamaguchi still looked slow, and said slowly: "Like me, it is enough to give a flag." But you are different, in our Panxi Village, who among the young people is not only your head of the horse, why did he run in front of you. After speaking, he snorted at Long Shaocong's horse buttocks

"Don't talk nonsense, the master doesn't eat your set, Lao Tzu just wants to start from the lower-level soldiers, and climb up step by step by relying on military merits, that's called real ability, who likes to break the company...... Hey! Your boy's head is the horse's head. ”

Yoshimaru just came back to his senses, it turned out that this kid was burying himself in a corner, and he thought of Panxi Village, but this fat man had learned badly, raised a kick, and kicked Yamaguchi's ass again.

Yamaguchi may have been kicked comfortably, and he didn't fight back every time, but this time he smiled honestly, bowed his head and marched, and no longer spoke......

Compared with these two people laughing and playing, Long Shaocong had a dignified face. At this time, he was following behind Genzaburo's side, and on the left hand side was a bamboo and wood Xiaojiao, in addition to Princess Hideko, Meizi also sat in it as a maid.

Because the previous maid Alain died at the hands of Jiutian, Princess Hideko had a tribulation with Meizi, so she asked her father to keep Meizi by her side, and the two sisters could get along day and night again.

Yuan Saburo looked back at the silent Long Shaocong, smiled slightly, and said, "I heard my sister say that in order to save her, you would rather risk your life." ”

When Long Shaocong heard this, he lifted the reins, took a few steps forward, looked at the fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy in front of him, and immediately saluted: "Back to the young master, the situation forced me to fight hard, not only to save Her Royal Highness the princess, but also to keep myself alive." ”

Genzaburo clapped his hands and smiled, and said, "That's good, I like it." But I've seen your kung fu, but it's so-so, as for whether you can protect me in the future......"

How could Long Shaocong let go of this opportunity to show his loyalty, and immediately replied solemnly: "Young master, I will definitely practice martial arts diligently and protect the safety of the young master at all times." ”

Genzaburo laughed, waved his hand and said, "Who uses your protection?" I left you to be entrusted by others......" The child was open-mouthed, and when he saw that he almost missed something, he immediately changed his words again: "Although you saved my sister, I also saved your life, so we are even, and we don't owe each other." ”

Long Shaocong suddenly liked this young master a little, he was straightforward and didn't go around in circles, so he smiled and nodded in agreement. At this time, he saw that not far ahead, his master Miyamoto Muji and the old man Aizawa were walking side by side, so he asked Genzaburo for instructions to have a few words with his master alone.

When Genzaburo heard this, he hurriedly blinked his eyes and asked, "Your master?" Who is it? ”

Long Shaocong pointed forward with his hand and said, "It's the one riding a yellow-maned horse in front of him and wearing a blue samurai uniform." ”

"Oh......" Genzaburo smiled and said, "Mr. Miyamoto's swordsmanship is very good, and he has been accepted by his father as a retainer and made a swordsmanship teacher of His Highness. and the old man beside him, whose medical skills were quite exquisite, was accepted by his father as a medical officer. It turns out that Mr. Miyamoto is your master, haha, go ahead, go ahead. The child was quite talkative, and as if he had issued an order, he waved his hand at Long Shaocong.

Long Shaocong asked Yuan Saburo to answer, lifted the reins, and urged the horse forward. He couldn't help but think in his heart: There is still this one, in this way, doesn't Genzaburo want to call himself a senior brother, but, seeing this kid's nostrils facing the sky, bullish and coaxing, he doesn't look like a junior brother at all, one day in the future, I have to find it back when I get the opportunity......

Yuan Saburo watched Long Shaocong's back walk away, the little heart beat suddenly accelerated, turned his head, his bright eyes instantly revealed a trace of tenderness, through the small sedan curtain, and secretly looked at the soft shadow inside, of course he was not looking at his sister......

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In fact, Long Shaocong wanted to ask the old man Aizawa a few questions in the name of meeting the master, for the few words that Dalimaru said before he died, as well as the boy cut on his body, Long Shaocong always felt that there were too many stories in it, and the person who could reveal the mystery to him at present was probably only this hidden old man.

After listening to Long Shaocong's doubts, the old man Aizawa stroked his white beard and said: "Your father is right, your ancestors are indeed a branch of the source of Yorimitsu, and they are also a wealthy family, and during the Kamakura shogunate, they also served as the imperial family of the great general, but later they were deprived of their hereditary titles because they were involved in a rebellion......"

Speaking of this, the old man looked at Long Shaocong, who was looking down and listening, couldn't help sighing, and continued to say slowly: "Your father's ancestors have been farmers for three generations, and they can be regarded as keeping to themselves, and they have long forgotten the glory of their previous lives. But it was your father who always dreamed of restoring the glory of his ancestors, and lived in fantasy all day long. ”

"Maybe it's fate, your father has dreamed of it all his life, but he doesn't want to, but when it comes to your generation, he really waits for the day when he comes out. However, Shaocong, grandpa wants to explain to you, people are born, they have taken on their own different missions, no matter how big the difficulties and obstacles in the future, I hope you can bear the responsibility on your shoulders. After speaking, Xiang Long Shaocong's waist cut the boy, and couldn't help but look at it twice, sighing in his heart.

Long Shaocong saw the other party's complicated eyes, and guessed that there were still many words, but the old man didn't say it, whether he didn't want to say it to himself, or the time had not come, he didn't know, and he didn't want to ask any more, because what the old man Aizawa said above had already made Long Shaocong unable to digest it for a while.

recalled that Yiqingzi said that Yuan Laiguang had killed Jiutian with a child's cut, and he inadvertently rescued Jiutian, and the body he crossed was still the descendant of Yuan Laiguang, and he got this treasure blade by accident. Long Shaocong couldn't help but feel that since he came to this era, it was as if someone had arranged it, and he felt a chill down his spine when he thought about it.

Miyamoto didn't want to disturb the conversation between Long Shaocong and the old man of Aizawa, but when he saw his apprentice's ugly face, he couldn't help but ask with concern: "Apprentice, are you uncomfortable?" Or if you have something on your mind, you might as well say that Yu Weishi knows. ”

When Long Shaocong heard this, his heart was hot, and he immediately replied: "Thank you Master for your concern, the apprentice is safe." ”

Miyamoto Wuji saw that his apprentice was speechless, and asked, "Apprentice, do you know why the teacher traveled here from his hometown?" ”

"I don't know."

"The hometown of the division is the country of Tanba in the Kansai region, a few days ago, the army of Hashiba Hideyoshi swept through Tanba, and the village of Miyamoto where the division lived, burned to ashes, causing the division to be homeless, so he became a wild samurai, wandering here, and the general Hashiba Hideyoshi was the right-hand man under Lord Oda."

"Huh? But Master, you ......"

"As a teacher, he became a retainer of the Oda family and served his enemies. Apprentice, what do you mean? ”

Long Shaocong replied respectfully, "Yes, Master." ”

Miyamoto Muji smiled and said earnestly: "You must remember that you must not let your heart be burdened with hatred, killing, and fate, which will affect your judgment and even bury your life. It is true that Oda-sama's army has leveled my hometown, but now, in troubled times, the weak people will only become the morning frost and morning dew, and in a moment, they will go to Huangquan, just like the village where you are located. ”

Therefore, your thoughts, aspirations, grudges, and ambitions must not be limited to individuals, but must recognize that in this era, the person who can put an end to this troubled world is the real strong, not a martial artist like Master. Even if Oda-sama's army does not reach my hometown, and there are other armies that want to end this troubled time, they will not be able to bring the people into a stable life by virtue of their ability to be a teacher. So that's the choice of the teacher, apprentice, you know? “

Long Shaocong recalled the master's teachings, raised his eyes and looked around, only to see the mountain peaks in the distance towering, straight into the clouds, a round of sunset as big as a disc, is hanging obliquely on the mountainside, hidden between the glow, a few lone birds spread their wings and soared, flying over the top of the high mountain, reflected in the red sun...... I suddenly felt open-minded and open-minded in my heart, bowed deeply to the master, and solemnly replied: "The apprentice understands! ”