Chapter 429
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 429: The First Sword Strike of the New Year
Hokusinn Xuanma began from the beginning.
“There have been some changes in the Yingzhou government recently.”
“Many important officials have been accused, and numerous secrets have been uncovered, leading to the collapse of many high-ranking officials overnight. Several influential families have crumbled.”
“The general’s strict enforcement of the law, without regard for personal relationships, has caused many grievances among the people below.”
“If it were just that, it wouldn’t shake the government’s control, because the government has a strong military force… In the past, there have been incidents where the general massacred high-ranking officials with the samurai.”
“But recently, I’ve noticed something else. Some people seem unwilling to continue being suppressed by the government. They’ve begun trying to undermine its foundation, attempting to buy the government’s loyalty.”
Bai Wei asked, “Are you talking about the Sword Hunters?”
Hokusinn Xuanma nodded. “The Sword Hunters are all sword masters, chosen through competition. They’re the best in the art of swordsmanship. However, in recent years, the activities of the shogunate have been decreasing. Along with the downfall of many high-ranking officials, their control over the parliament has weakened. Even though the shogun holds veto power, the parliament and the cabinet are still responsible for governing the country. It’s a constant back-and-forth.”
Bai Wei could understand to some extent.
If the shogunate’s power weakens, another ruling power will rise — in this case, the imperial family.
Historically, it’s not uncommon for the imperial family to rebel, even before the Meiji Restoration. There were discussions about respecting the emperor and expelling foreigners… in other words, overthrowing the shogunate and restoring the emperor.
The irony is that even if they succeeded in overthrowing the shogunate, the emperor would remain a figurehead. To seize power, they’d need to weaken the samurai class and the government officials. But as soon as they attempted that, they’d be sidelined, and a new shogunate would rise.
The current weakening of the shogunate’s power is linked to the downfall of a group that had apparently been threatened by followers of an evil deity. They reported this, with Bai Wei being their target. It can’t be said that he has no connection; in fact, he’s the main culprit.
Bai Wei pretended to be confident and innocent. “What does this have to do with me?”
“You defeated Ishida Kiyoshimasa before,” Hokusinn Xuanma said slowly. “Although it was later discovered that there were internal issues within the shogunate and no one pursued the matter, your accomplishments were widely spread. Many people have secretly investigated for days… They dare not target you because you’re from the Ming Country and bound to return someday. They cannot keep you, so they’ll target your sister.”
Bai Wei frowned.
“This is normal,” Hokusinn Xuanma explained. “You have strength, and your sister’s rapid progress under your guidance has drawn attention. She possesses significant potential and has entered the sight of that group.”
“They’ll try to win her over, and if they fail, they might act secretly,” Bai Wei bluntly translated.
“With you here, that won’t happen… for now,” Hokusinn Xuanma said in a deep voice. “But if she participates in the imperial martial arts competition, it’s a real fight with life at stake.”
“Some can be won over, but some cannot,” Bai Wei crossed his arms, seemingly unaffected. “The power struggle between the Emperor and the Shogun has reached this point. It seems you’re also under pressure.”
“I anticipated this early on,” Hokusinn Xuanma replied lightly. “It’s not a matter of pressure, but it did come quickly. Not only the Hokusinn family but other dojos as well have faced varying degrees of pressure.”
He had spent ten years patching up the Hokusinn family, like a plasterer. Now, with Hokusinn Kichyō’s rise, he finally saw hope for restoring the family’s glory.
“What do you plan to do?” Bai Wei asked. “Are you going to take sides or stay neutral?”
“In this situation, we can only take sides,” Hokusinn Xuanma said gravely. “The Hokusinn family has been the swordsmanship guide for generations of the Tokugawa family, and their swordsmen have been the vanguard of the general. It is truly impossible to betray the ancestral precepts and join the cabinet.”
“The emperor is the true ruler, right?” Bai Wei commented.
“But the Hokusinn family is loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate,” Hokusinn Xuanma said slowly. “I didn’t have a choice.”
From the depths of his eyes, Bai Wei saw hatred—flames burning. He also noticed an exclamation mark floating above Hokusinn Xuanma’s head, half yellow and half black. It was still evolving, indicating that his mindset was constantly changing.
Suddenly, Bai Wei recalled Hokusinn Kichyō mentioning her mother. Hokusinn Hua was a genius in the Hokusinn Itto-ryu swordsmanship, widely respected. Though she never joined the realm of immortals, her swordsmanship was exceptional, able to control the sword with her energy and sweep through various sword styles. However, this knowledge couldn’t be passed down outside the family. She had the potential to become a master swordsman. Why did she suddenly pass away?
Killing Hokusinn Hua would not have been easy for any ordinary swordsman.
In fact, she passed away at home, not through assassination or disappearance, which Hokusinn Kichyō deeply remembered.
Hokusinn Xuanma continued, “I understand whatever choice you make. Even if we are opposed, great gratitude and kindness cannot be forgotten.”
Bai Wei yawned. “How many times have you said that to others?”
“This is the first time,” Hokusinn Xuanma replied softly. “No one has made me owe them so much, like you.”
“I am from the Ming Country,” Bai Wei said indifferently. “I don’t care about the grudges between the shogunate and the emperor. If it turns into chaos like the Three Kingdoms, I can just take Simozi back to the Ming Country and open a martial arts school.”
Hokusinn Xuanma paused and realized that Bai Wei had a point. Rarely did he envy others, but he couldn’t help but say, “You’re truly admirable for being carefree.”
“You didn’t have to live such a tiring life either.”
“You will understand in the future,” Hokusinn Xuanma said with a deep, nostalgic tone. “For the woman you love, all hardships are worth it… Otherwise, when I’m gone, I won’t have the face to meet her.”
When Hokusinn Xuanma said this, he looked gentle, like a well-educated scholar reminiscing about his childhood sweetheart.
Bai Wei thought to himself, “I may not understand your thoughts, but I understand how your wife thinks because both your wife and I died early.”
Wait, does that mean Liliana equals Hokusinn Xuanma?
Damn… don’t overthink it.
Bai Wei discarded the extra thoughts from his mind, and at that moment, someone rushed past.
“Mr. Bai!” a sword witch shouted from a distance, “Hurry, stop them! We can’t persuade them…”
“What happened?” Bai Wei asked.
Could it be that they changed from a beauty contest to a fencing match?
“They’re about to fight. So many people have gathered. I can’t find Lady Funeral Attendant. Please help persuade them.”
Bai Wei and Hokusinn Xuanma exchanged glances before quickly walking toward the crowd.
Ten minutes earlier…
Saki Jingūji, accompanied by several women, arrived at the shrine to collect the items.
There were many visitors, so the shrine had prepared small gifts, divided into three levels — big, medium, and small. In Yingzhou society, different gifts were given according to status.
Igarashi Shimizu was assisting, her makeup done, exuding confidence. She greeted them cheerfully.
“You’re just in time! We have New Year gifts for those who come here. I’ll let you choose a big gift bag to take home. Normally, only members of parliament get medium-sized bags…”
Just as she finished speaking, a middle-aged couple, who had just completed their visit, walked by. Upon hearing Igarashi’s words, they froze. The woman, dressed in formal kimono, frowned, thinking, “Who raised this girl with such bad manners? Can she really say that to someone’s face?”
Igarashi realized she had spoken too loudly. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and apologized with a bow.
The members of parliament watched the young girls, noting that they didn’t look like sword witches from the shrine.
This brief silence made the atmosphere awkward. Then, the daughter of the Asakura family spoke up.
“Who’s this uncultured wild girl? She has no manners.”
Igarashi Shimizu bristled with anger. As a young lady and a member of parliament, her family’s status wasn’t inferior to anyone else’s. She had apologized, and yet this woman dared to insult her?
The member of parliament stopped his daughter and glared at her. “What nonsense are you talking about? This is a sacred shrine.”
“Father, she was disrespectful…”
“Quiet!” The member of parliament glared at Igarashi Shimizu and apologized. “Sorry, my youngest daughter was rude.”
Igarashi Shimizu ignored them, nodding curtly before looking away. She didn’t want to show her true spoiled nature. Before she turned fifteen, she had been a troublesome young lady. Anyone who dared mock her would regret it, even if she couldn’t open a bottle cap.
The member of parliament remained composed, though displeased. His daughter, however, was beyond restraint.
“What are you so arrogant about? Do you know who the Asakura family is?”
Igarashi Shimizu raised an eyebrow. Saki Jingūji stepped forward and imitated Funeral Attendant Kokonohana’s calm tone.
“No matter who you are, let’s put an end to this. This is a shrine. Why cause unpleasantness on the New Year’s visit? If we continue, no one will save face. Please leave.”
As the evening grew late, the expression of the Asakura member of parliament soured. He swallowed his pride. A member of parliament, with influence in the political arena, knew better than to escalate things in front of the shrine, an organization with power rooted in violence.
Not everyone knew him, but they all recognized Saki Jingūji. She was a confirmed heroic spirit, her presence alone spoke volumes. The rise of the shrine was inevitable, and he didn’t want to invite trouble.
The spoiled daughter of the Asakura family, humiliated on the first day of the new year, threw the gift she had received on the ground. The beautifully crafted box shattered, the wrapping torn, and the contents scattered.
A finely carved talisman, the size of a jade Guanyin, fell out. It was painted in gold, depicting a young man sitting under a golden tree, resembling Shakyamuni under the bodhi tree.
But the Asakura girl didn’t even glance at it. With a burst of anger, she stomped on it with her wooden clogs, crushing it into pieces.
This scene caused a stir, catching the attention of many.
Just finishing her makeup, the Sword Witches, Tsukuyomi and Yanagi, came out laughing. Suddenly, they froze, looking down at the shattered talisman. Their smiles disappeared, and the playful gleam in their eyes faded, replaced by a suffocating silence.
