Pawn Crossing the River

Toyotomi Chiyo looked at the palace secretary who was fixed on the pillar with iron ropes: "Is it necessary to ask this question?"

Xu Kou said calmly: "Such a cunning offender doesn't need any means, so I won't attack him."

Toyotomi Chiyo frowned slightly: "I'm afraid this is against the instructions of the master of the army. Before the offensive started in February, the master of the army had made it clear that the main thing was to be gentle and appeasing, and violence should not be used at will, let alone mass killings. . Zhenzhen Zhangjun also quoted a saying from the Confucian sage: If people from afar are unwilling to come, then cultivate virtue and make peace with them."

Xu Kou said expressionlessly: "Of course I obeyed the instructions of the real person in charge of the army, and mainly used gentleness and comfort."

"Is this how you are so gentle and soothing?" Toyotomi Chiyo asked.

"Otherwise?" Xu Kou asked, "If there were no instructions from the real person in charge of the army, then at least half of them would have died, with their heads hanging high on the city gate. Even those who were still alive would not be so well-dressed. And Now, they can still stand here well, but their freedom is restricted. Isn't this a kind of kindness and comfort?

"You!" Toyotomi Chiyo said angrily.

Xu Kou said calmly: "Miss Toyotomi, don't forget, we are fighting now, not children playing house."

Both of them talked in Mandarin Chinese, and since Toyotomi Chiyo was dressed as a female Taoist priest, everyone in the shrine thought she was from a Taoist sect.

Until Toyotomi Chiyo turned to look at the two ninjas and ordered them to stop in Japanese.

A ninja hesitated and said: "Your Highness Princess..."

The other ninja was unmoved: "Your Highness, we are only loyal to the current Guan Bai. The current Guan Bai is His Highness Hidemao."

Everyone in the shrine was shocked to realize that this female Taoist priest turned out to be the princess of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Although usually the daughters of daimyo lords would be honored as princesses, the princess in the mouth of Hattori, the royal ninja of the prime minister's palace, could only be the princess of Toyotomi Prime Minister's palace.

Xu Kou did not put the two ninjas in trouble: "Okay, since Miss Toyotomi has objections, then you can just stand down. At worst, I will come in person. I once served in the Qingluan Guard and have some experience in this way."

Toyotomi Chiyo took a deep breath: "Master Xu, how can you let them go?"

Xu Kou said: "It's very simple. As long as they tell the hiding place of the Hudao sect in Duoji County, I can let them leave this place safe and sound. Miss Toyotomi, don't forget that the previous generation Guan Bai is your dearest one." My elder brother died in the hands of these traitors. He was the one who raised you and sent you to Fenglinzhou Taoist Mansion. But he died like this, at the hands of these traitors. In your hands, don’t you want to take revenge?”

Toyotomi Chiyo fell silent, his eyes gradually became firm, and he whispered: "I understand."

"What now?" Xu Kou asked.

Toyotomi Chiyo said: "Give me half an hour and I will talk to them. If it doesn't work, it's not too late for you to take action."

"Okay." Xu Kou nodded, "That's it."

After saying that, Xu Kou turned around and walked out, while the others still stood still and stayed at their posts.

Toyotomi Chiyo suddenly said: "Master Xu."

Xu Kou stopped and asked, "Does Miss Toyotomi have anything else to do?"

Toyotomi Chiyo said: "I am from a noble family. I once read a sentence in a book and wanted to give it to you."

"Please tell me." Xu Kou turned around.

Toyotomi Chiyo looked at Xu Kou and said slowly: "The old family in this world for hundreds of years is nothing more than accumulating virtue. The best good thing in the world is studying."

Xu Kou smiled: "Teach me a lesson, but it's a pity that I am no longer an ordinary person after doing this job. If necessary, I must abandon that big and round compassion at any time. There is no way, dirty work must be done Someone has to do it, and someone has to take the blame.”

"Come here without being disrespectful. I also want to send a few words to Miss Toyotomi. After all, Miss Toyotomi is no longer the princess of the prime minister's house, but a Taoist priest of our Taoist sect. She also wants to move up."

"If you are good at learning, you will become an official. Reading books is for display. But if you want to show off your skills, if you don't have the ability to carry a three-foot sword to achieve immortal achievements, you will have to be worldly and harmonious."

"People like Deputy Hall Master Zhang, Vice Hall Master Qi, Vice Hall Master Li, and Assistant Hall Yao are naturally different. They want to accomplish great achievements, perform extraordinary feats, display their ambitions, and do things that ordinary people cannot do. But we are just ordinary people. We don’t have such capital, nor do we have such ability, so we can’t generalize. So I send a message to Toyotomi: don’t talk about current affairs and try to be a hero, just be gentle and be humble. . All human affairs must be hazy, and there is no need to refute or discuss them.”

Xu Kou stopped staying, turned around and strode away.

Toyotomi Chiyo watched Xu Kou leave here, then turned to look at the people in the shrine, and his eyes happened to meet Asai's head.

"Are you...Princess Chiyo?" Asai asked cautiously.

Toyotomi Chiyo said softly: "As Master Xu said, I am no longer a princess."

Asai bravely asked: "Why does Your Highness want to be a female Taoist priest?"

Toyotomi Chiyo said: "Because only Taoism can help me take revenge."

Asai Dang stopped talking.

Toyotomi Chiyo suddenly stretched out his hands to hold Asai's shoulders, still looking directly into her eyes: "My brother, my only relative, died in Ise, in the hands of the rogues. I am now I am not ordering you as a princess, nor threatening you as a Taoist priest. I am just asking you as a sister who has lost her brother. Please tell me the hiding place of the murderers. I want to avenge my dead brother. In return, I can guarantee your safety."

…

Ise is close to Omi. Although Ise was the main battlefield of the February offensive, Omi was also mostly captured by the Domen. After all, there is a swordsman affiliated with Toyotomi Prime Minister here who is personally in charge of Hikone Castle, and Asahi Jingu Shrine, Ni The forces of the Shoji and Koga ninjas were severely damaged in the previous battle. Due to the ebb and flow, the Zunbo faction was no longer able to control Omi.

The two sides faced off from afar with Lake Biwa as the boundary.

Renzheng Temple has been abandoned and has become the garrison of the Taoist army.

In fact, Ninshoji Temple is called a temple, but it is actually the same city. It can also be called "Ninshoji Domain".

Therefore, Nishōji Temple occupies a very large area. In addition to the common treasure halls, pagodas, and forest of steles, there is also a man-made lake. It is said that it can be connected to Lake Biwa through a ditch.

After the Taoist sect occupied this place, the monks who did not choose to escape were only placed under unified supervision and their freedom was restricted, but they were not shackled or massacred.

A "Purple Dragon" flying boat landed slowly, causing a spring-like light rain on the lake, filling the air with water vapor.

On the front line of the lake embankment, there is a row of black-armored spiritual officers with tall and straight postures.

Next to the gangway, in addition to a second-grade spiritual officer, there was a Fenglinzhou warrior wearing a boat-shaped black hat and a plain coat.

A Taoist priest who looked about thirty years old came down the gangway.

All the spiritual officials and Taoist priests saluted one after another, and the warriors also leaned forward to show respect.

The Taoist wears a black crane cloak, a sword of wisdom, and a white jade lotus crown on his head.

He was clearly not smiling, but he always gave the impression that he was smiling. After he motioned for everyone to excuse themselves, he fixed his gaze on the warrior and walked over: "I've heard about Shizhouzhai's name for a long time."

Yagyu Zongzheng saluted and said: "Zongzheng has met Li Zhenren."

Within the Taoist sect, there are not a few real people named Li. It is precisely because there are too many real people called Li that it is difficult to call them by their last names. In many cases, they have to be distinguished by their first names, or simply by title. If someone respectfully addresses Zhenren Li without any distinction, it usually refers to one person in particular, that is, Li Wugou, the second-ranking figure in the Li family.

As for the national master, it is Li Dazhen.

Master Qingwei said: "This time the Taoist sect was able to successfully capture most of Omi, Shi Zhouzhai made a great contribution. Let me get straight to the point. How credible does Shi Zhouzhai think that monk's words are?"

Yagyu Somasa pondered for a moment and said: "About 70%, he does not dare to use nonsense to deceive Master Li, but he may have reservations, or he may be true and false."

Master Qi Qingwei smiled lightly and said, "It's already very high."

Then he ordered the second-grade spiritual officer: "Take us to see that monk."

Under the leadership of the second-grade spiritual officer, they came to a monk's room.

There is a tall void monk here, wearing a larger canopy and exposing a pair of large flat feet.

This monk exudes danger from the inside out.

However, after seeing Master Qingwei, the monk immediately became humble and docile, and took the initiative to take off the canopy on his head, revealing his true appearance.

Not only does he only have one eye, but his skin is cyan, which is very scary. He is more like a demon than a human.

The second-grade spiritual official said: "He was recruited by Deputy Hall Master Zhang, called 'Master Qingfang'. Considering that he is a monk, we arranged for him to be in Renzheng Temple."

Master Qingwei nodded slightly and signaled the second-grade spiritual officer to step back.

"I heard from Qingxiao that you want to talk to me and say that you know the secrets about Fenglinzhou." Master Qingwei looked at Master Qingfang.

The master of Qingfang answered the question: "Before I turned into a monster, I was a monk. I wandered around and had a home all over the world. I would give lectures to people and persuade them to reach bliss early. If they didn't want to reach bliss early, I would send them there. I will reach bliss early. I will also debate Buddhism with others. If someone can answer my doubts, I will reward you. Many people think that I am a monk who breaks the precepts, and even call me a Buddhist demon. I do not object to this statement. He said, "How can you be alone in the turmoil? How can you be happy when you are suffering? Ghosts are everywhere, bones are everywhere, and Buddhism is pure. I thought for a long time, and finally got the answer. The time is coming when the robe is stained with blood and the Zen staff subdues the devil." Entering the mortal world, carrying the green lantern after enlightenment, breaking the precepts to help the common people, and realizing the Zen mind."

Master Qingwei said noncommittally: "Our Taoist sect teaches without distinction and is inclusive. In the Taoist sect, there are Buddhist disciples from the Central Plains who submit, and there are also demons who submit to the demons. We have always treated them equally, so I don't care whether you are a Buddha or a demon. "Monk."

Master Qingfang clasped his hands together and said: "I don't want to prove my identity, because I am indeed a demon. After I transformed into a demon, I had murderous and demonic intentions, but I lost my original intention. Only by suppressing it with Buddhism can I regain it for a while. Qingming. According to Taoist standards, I am only at the immeasurable stage of cultivation, but without the suppression of Buddhism, I can have the cultivation stage of creation. This is the change brought about by becoming a demon. "