As expected, the sky quickly darkened as soon as the sun set. As the sun set, the visibility, which could be seen from the original hillside, quickly dropped to a point where it was a little farther away from the fire.

However, the sky was already dark in a few moments, but the bonfire that had been prepared was lit, so that the group could still talk by the light.

Henry's group of 4 people, along with Joshua and Ryunosuke, the leader of the Ronin Group, sat loosely around the campfire, only 6 people, but formed a circle with a diameter far larger than the dozen or so people in winter. To escape the heat.

The other ronins around him gathered in groups to drink and laugh, making Narumi a serious and orthodox samurai frown. Although it was the height of summer in June, even at night, it was still very hot and humid, and getting too close to the fire really made people feel irritated.

But at the moment, Ryunosuke was a stone's throw away from them and his own side was not disarmed, and as a samurai, he was not guarding the surroundings and looked like he was drinking and talking, whether this was because he trusted Joshua and his own leader or simply did not care about the rabble, he could not judge.

The ronin leader, who noticed Narumi's frowning brow by the light of the fire, took a puff of cigarette, and when he exhaled, he saw that his brow was furrowed even tighter, so he knocked off the ash and put it next to him and didn't pick it up again.

"Your Excellency Xie cares, but even if it is the old acquaintance of the Red Ghost Qing, it is a contemptible guest. He didn't say it directly, but Narumi could understand what Ryunosuke meant.

The deeper meaning of this passage is that he deliberately lowered his guard and treated him with the courtesy of a guest. This was a sign of sincerity, so in return, he could not remain silent any longer.

"Your Excellency, how can you tell at a glance that we are from a certain background?" Narumi began, while the other three remained silent. The same was true of Joshua on Ryunosuke's side. This is social etiquette, and even the people of Rigal, who have come from afar, know it.

They are not a group of children talking and discussing, nor are they relatives and friends who get together during the New Year's holidays. At this level of formal communication, the dominant figure should speak up, while others should remain silent if they are not brought up.

This is one of the ways to keep the conversation centered at all times, and the fewer people who speak, the fewer factors that will affect it, so as to avoid the conversation falling apart.

"This summer, is it really hot?" Ryunosuke glanced at Narumi, and then subconsciously glanced at the tobacco that had been extinguished next to him, he didn't answer directly, but mentioned the temperature.

"Definitely. The sergeant's cultivation was very good, and even if the other party did not answer positively, he still maintained patience.

"The cotton and linen clothes worn by the people in the market will be made of light fabrics in summer, which are breathable and comfortable. However, even so, I was still sweating profusely in the hot sun. ”

"After the sweat dries, it becomes a layer of viscous paste and wraps around the surface of the body, which makes people tired and breathless. Ryunosuke said and subconsciously propped up his hands, then rubbed his fingers before realizing that he was not holding a pipe.

"The same is true of linen clothing, and even more so of the samurai in rich brocade. In order to cool off, try to avoid body odor and have to be aromatized daily. Ryunosuke looked at the pipe placed next to him and sighed helplessly, while Narumi nodded: "So Your Excellency, you can see it through the fabric?"

"Exactly. The leader of the Ronin Group smiled slightly.

"Then you can also dare to guess your identity?" Narumi said with a slight groan, and Ryunosuke nodded, looking very interested: "Please be pleased." ”

The samurai's favorite Nishijin weave was made of silk, and the ornate patterns that reflected the light after special treatment were usually symmetrical patterns such as tortoise shells, while the sides of the robe and the center of the back were tattooed with the patterns of their own families.

Earlier, Narumi thought that the reason why the other party judged that it was a domain at a glance was the family crest, which was an intuitive idea, but if he stopped a little, he would notice the discord.

When it is peaceful today, there are so many warriors and Chinese people in the Land of the Moon. There are no less than 1,000 styles of official family crests in various places, even if there is a difference between the north and the south, the Qingtian family, which is only at the level of the head of a town, is still a very low probability that the Chinese will be recognized at a glance.

If it is forgivable for a big nobleman such as a prince, although the Qingtian family is still famous for its bamboo trade, not every bamboo is printed with its own family crest.

Therefore, it is more in line with the facts to see the clues from the fabric, but this is not something that ordinary people can do.

"Qingzhou, that's not right. Narumi spoke, but shook his head again to deny the idea.

Qingzhou is the leading province of Zhangzhou further south, and it is another important economic source in the country of the moon, in addition to farming, the famous province of mulberry sericulture. After planting mulberry and raising silkworms, silkworm cocoons are used to make silk, and after many processes, it will eventually turn into noble and graceful brocade on the noble and graceful body of the scholars, Chinese and even the royal family.

"Are you from the south of Zhangzhou?" said the samurai leader, and Ryunosuke smiled and nodded, "Exactly." ”

The southern part of Zhangzhou borders Qingzhou, but due to the slight difference in climate and soil, it is not entirely suitable for large-scale mulberry planting. Therefore, castor silkworms are more often raised on a small scale.

Castor beans have low soil requirements and can be planted on the side of the road or in the small yard of the home. In addition to using castor beans as feed for silkworms, the bark of rhizomes is also one of the raw materials for papermaking.

Small-scale family workshops in the south of Zhangzhou are lined with paper and castor beans, making it a relatively stable area for the entertainment industry in the north, although it cannot grow as large as Qingzhou.

- Words go back to the original place. Castor silk is coarser than mulberry silk, and because of the poor production level of small-scale handicraft workshops, the price of brocade made from these silks is lower than that made of silk. Moreover, due to the origin and production volume, as well as some political factors, these brocades, commonly known as "zhangduan", were almost always supplied to the relatively poor samurai and Chinese in the domain.

The nobles of the major states directly under the jurisdiction of Xinjing wore "green forging", that is, the silkworm brocade produced in Qingzhou. Even the clothes worn by these "country warriors" in the domain are separated - this is also another link in the red tape of this 4,000-year-old civilization: in the secret there is actually far more attention than on the surface, although on the surface everyone is a class of scholars and Chinese, but in fact, the Chinese and scholars in the domain are much lower than the Xinjing state in various goods and rights.

On the surface, he is peaceful, but secretly he is obstructed.

Ryunosuke was clearly a nobleman, and if he was a businessman, it would not be good to have this kind of knowledge. However, as a nobleman, he can recognize Zhang Forging at a glance, excluding more groundless speculations such as personal hobbies, and the most reasonable inference based on his current location is obviously that he was born in such a region.

More than ten years or even decades of hearing and seeing can always make a person dye the color of the region, and Narumi's successful judgment of Ryunosuke's origin, coupled with these details above, has also become an opportunity for him to officially open the conversation.

It's all a temptation, and this ronin leader is quite skilled. He wondered if Narumi was a parallel import, and the samurai leader had proved to be a reciprocal person with his excellent qualities.

Only then could the formal conversation begin, and Ryunosuke went straight to the door and reported himself to the door - he was not a high-ranking scholar like a sergeant, but a former Chinese through and through. The former prefectural magistrate of Pingshan County in southern Zhangzhou, the original status was even higher than that of Yajiro's father, the head of the Qingtian family.

The town-level units of the country of the moon are county-level, but the Chinese people who head any county have two titles, depending on the population: the county order is the title that can only be owned by more than 10,000 households, and the county magistrate who is less than 10,000 is only called the county magistrate. There must be a long story about the fall of the Chinese clan to the ronin with such a large number of people, but at the moment, Ryunosuke did not plan to tell it, and it was difficult for the group to explore, after all, they were away after all.

"We belong to the Qingtian family in Qingzhi Town, the domain. "Gifts are still exchanged, and the other party has already informed himself of his identity, and Narumi also replied.

But the question that the former Chinese clan with messy hair asked next was extremely sharp, and as soon as he opened his mouth, Narumi and Yajiro didn't know how to answer.

"Oh, the famous place where bamboo is produced. It just so happens that I've heard of a rebellion in the north, is that true?" he got to the root of the problem, and for a moment Mira began to be glad that Aya wasn't here. Miss Doctor, though very knowledgeable, is a little less tactful, and she is afraid that she will write 'How do you know?' on her face when it is a topic that chokes both Yajiro and Narumi, even if the fire is dim.

The samurai leader hesitated for a moment, for he did not know whether the other party was friend or foe. It is not uncommon for deposed Chinese to be deposed in the history of the Moon Country, but it is rare for an official to lose his position in this era of peace. Usually he has committed some serious crime, and he also has a large group of armed men, even if he is friendly at the moment, asking about this kind of question will inevitably make people think that he wants to join the rebellion.

It's a lot of trouble to get involved, but silence is also an answer, and the stubble-covered Ryunosuke sighed and glanced at his pipe again: "I'll take you for sure." ”

He seemed a little helpless, but he didn't look agitated.

Narumi didn't give a positive answer, and came up with the agreed rhetoric to dispel the other party's vigilance: "I'm just traveling to prepare for the young master's coming-of-age ceremony." ”

"The nobles of the domain and the Nanban team, with the old and young women and children, in my opinion, is more like a flight than a journey. Ryunosuke pointed to the heart of the problem without giving an inch, and it seems that it was Joshua who came back to report to him that there was Rigal in the team that made the former Chinese interested. If their team was a little more pure, made up entirely of samurai and ashigaru, they might have just let them go - at least optimistically.

The complex composition of the staff, with old men like Cleric Alfonso and petite women like Aya and Lulu still visible from their postures, even if they are disguised with clothing.

The samurai leader fell silent again, and although he seemed very capable in other aspects, the situation he was in was quite tricky.

Ryunosuke is not easy to fool, he has excellent judgment and knows how to restrain himself. From the beginning, Narumi found out that he didn't like tobacco and put his pipe aside, and from his unconscious movements and from time to time, it was clear that the adult was a very addicted to smoking.

Being able to restrain his addiction to smoking, and being observant and meticulous, means that he is a person who can be strict with himself in order to achieve his goals, and his ability is not weak.

At this moment, the four of them are still treated as guests, but it is a bit naïve to expect that Henry and Joshua's old relationship will be completely withdrawn without revealing anything.

This is the land of peacemen after all, and the sages and red-haired swordsmen have the power to make suggestions at best, but they do not really occupy sovereignty. Even if Joshua had some prestige, it was Ryunosuke, not Joshua, who was really in charge.

But Henry's respect for Narumi and others does not depend on his connections, after all, the odds of fighting Rigal's old acquaintance are very small.

The reason why sages are relied on by everyone is because of their own ability.

"......" Narumi nodded silently to Henry, then took a few steps back and sat a little farther away.

"Oh?" these details were all taken in by the former county magistrate, and his expression was a little surprised. It is very rare that the leader of the samurai is willing to give up the leading authority of the dialogue to a Nanban, and the young master next to him has no complaints. Therefore, he also turned his attention to this tall man who had only thought to be Joshua's old acquaintance and was also a swordsman.

The sage who took over the initiative looked at Ryunosuke, and first made a gesture of please, pointing to the pipe that the other party was holding.

"Then forgive the contemptible faux pas. Ryunosuke immediately picked up the pipe next to him, refilled it with shredded cigarettes, lit it, took a deep breath, and turned his head to spit out the smoke in the direction of no one.

And Henry waited until he hung down his pipe contentedly, and then spoke in his usual gentle, unheaving tone.

"What is your intention in consulting this?" The other party will go straight to the point, and then it will also be the way of others, and since there is not enough information to judge friend or foe, then it will be necessary to advance and retreat to inquire more.

The former Chinese stared at Henry for a short time, shook his pipe and said, "There was turmoil a while ago, and people were panicking. If troubled times are coming, I wonder if there is a place where I can live in peace and seclusion. ”

He was quite relaxed in his posture and tone, and he did not raise his guard or pretend at this moment, which is the easiest time for people to speak freely, but this word is a little naïve and difficult to trust.

This relaxation is just acting?—— our Luo'an girl thought so, and while her teacher mastered the conversation, she alertly patrolled around, but the ronin next to her still didn't look at this side at all.

"An armed force with hundreds of men ready to go is the right way to seek peace. Henry shrugged.

"You have to find a way to protect yourself. Ryunosuke shrugged his shoulders and took another drag on his cigarette.

"Who's in that hands? The sage knocked on the side.

"From all who want to break our peace. The former prefectural commander exhaled smoke and replied.

"That is, not taking sides?" Henry pointed to the heart of the problem.

"I've been deposed. Ryunosuke's words silenced both Narumi and Yajiro - the world of samurai is extremely cruel, and once you turn away, it is impossible to go back. It is almost impossible for him to return to Xinjing's camp after being deposed.

"What about the other side. But Henry didn't buy it right away, but asked further.

"It's the same thing for the big guys in the end. ”

"Who would like a disobedient dog. Ryunosuke replied as he took another puff of his pipe and rubbed the stubble on his chin.

This conversation is very in the style of the Moon Country, and neither side has a clear goal, but the meaning is enough to convey to both parties.

Neutral position, only seeking stability. Whether or not this kind of utterance, which resembles a scene, is his true intention—to judge this, it cannot be judged by words alone.

Ryunosuke is obviously a person with skills and pursuits, and such a character is not willing to be ordinary and wants to do something, so it is possible to disobey his superiors. In the hierarchical society of the Moonland, sometimes even if you are right, the moment you speak out about your correctness, you can become wrong.

The 'disobedient dog' refers to this aspect – but it is not enough, and our Sage draws information from his surroundings in the same way as he always does.

"One soldier bears, one bear. This sentence is not rough.

The style of the generals greatly affects the soldiers under his command, and the casual and free-spirited appearance of these ronins around them also shows the casual and free side of this group.

People can lie, and the master can even pretend to be an expression. However, the body language and body details accumulated over the years of living habits cannot be easily faked.

Messy stubble and messy hair, relaxed mentality affects his followers. They used to shout loudly, and now they drank and talked about it—but were they undisciplined and sloppy and sloppy in the first place? Apparently not.

The team of hundreds of people still has the marching atmosphere of samurai and ashigaru, their equipment is well maintained, and their body is healthy and strong, and the leader of the team, Ryunosuke, also shows enough self-discipline in this dialogue - this team has considerable quality, they are not willing to fall, but abandon the red tape of the past.

Such a team is rare.

It is not by power and violence, and by strict military discipline, but simply because of the leader's personal charisma.

This is also in line with Henry and Mila's perception that Joshua was not a man who would follow the common man.

Dissatisfied with the world and planning to retreat to the mountains and forests, indeed, if you think about it from this angle, these people seem to be bold men who will do such a thing.

— but that's why Henry won't buy it.

"Who are you trying to kill? The moment the sage opened his mouth to ask these words, the people around him who had been drinking and chatting suddenly fell silent.

The girl held the hilt of the knife nervously.

"Is that still too naïve?" Ryunosuke took another puff of his cigarette, then exhaled and sighed.

"It's too purposeful and lacks realism. If you really want to retreat to the mountains and forests, who will go to great lengths to maintain your armaments. Moreover, the composition of your team is too pure, full of combatants, no logistics, no old and young, women and children, how can more than a hundred big men start a new life in the mountains and forests. Henry didn't seem to feel the pressure around him at all, and continued.

"From the very beginning, we have bumped into your mighty army of soldiers, and we are in a position to fight with someone. He continued.

There was silence in the audience, and Joshua, who had been quiet all the time, finally spoke to Ryunosuke: "Tell the truth, he will help you to be honest." ”

"Well, okay. Ryunosuke deducted the ash of his cigarette with some irritation: "It's a guy who also escaped from the domain, and now he's hiding in the depths of the swamp where Zhangzhou is full of poisonous insects and monsters." ”

"I heard that guy has a message about his contemptible enemies. ”

"The grapevine is that there was a rebellion in the domain, and the guy who had been hiding there fled all the way south to Zhangzhou. He refilled the tobacco, then picked up a small piece of red-hot charcoal from the campfire with two sticks, took a puff and poured it in, and when the tobacco was lit, he threw it on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

"I met you all from the domain, and I don't know if the rebellion is true or not. Maybe it's just a bamboo basket for water, and you have to lead your subordinates to plunge into a bloody battle just because of one 'possibility'. Whether the contemptible person is chasing the enemy or not has become crazy, it is precisely because of his unbelief and confusion that he has become a little indomitable, I'm really sorry. Ryunosuke looked away, smoked one cigarette after another, and said nothing more.

"......" The sage silently glanced at Narumi and Yajiro, and after receiving the answer, he spoke, "The rebellion did happen, and we have experienced it. ”

"But it's not large, I don't know if your enemies have fled here. ”

“...... With this possibility, it is sufficient. Ryunosuke took another puff of his cigarette.

"I have been chasing the enemy for more than 11 years, a man who is full of lies, can be used by women and children for his own interests, family and friendship are not worth mentioning in his eyes, and he always retreats completely. ”

"The last time I tried my best, I just grabbed his eye, this time I must ......" He didn't finish, but the key words were enough to get the attention of Henry and Mira.

"One-eyed?" The two looked at each other, and then Mira, who understood, got up and walked to the location of her own team behind her.

"Maybe it's a coincidence, but we may have some information on our side. And so the sage spoke.