Chapter 19: Suddenly an Earthquake Strikes

  Kira Yoshinobu had a dream, and he knew it was a dream because in the dream he saw his father Kira Yoshiyuki again. This man who loved to trim his whiskers neatly, with a gentle disposition, well-versed in Chinese studies, and skilled in the traditional art of archery and horsemanship, was Yoshinobu's first teacher, instructing him on how to be a samurai.

  He dreamed again of his mother, whose name was Nakaniwa Oki, the princess of the Nakaniwa family. She was a beautiful woman, and in his memory, she seemed more like a young girl who loved to play with flowers, write meaningful haikus on letter paper, and stare blankly at letters from Kyoto. She was a sentimental person, and even on her deathbed, she couldn't forget about Kyoto.

  Fragments of memory suddenly became abnormally disordered, sometimes he would dream of the red lanterns and green wine of modern metropolises, sometimes he would dream of galloping warriors in fields. The enchanting sounds emanating from the demon capital intertwined with the sounds of shamisen and taiko drums, when suddenly a loud rumbling sound reached his ears.

  Rumble!

  Kira Mimasaka Maru slowly came to, opening his eyes to a dull haze in his head. The Tenjukaku emitted creaking and groaning sounds, and faintly audible were the cries and wails of people. Kira Mimasaka Maru rubbed his eyes, still disoriented, trying to stand up, "Huh? What's going on?"

  A dense rustling sound came from afar, and the orange-yellow flames illuminated the Tengoku Pavilion. Ah Jue's face turned pale as she hastily opened the paper door, and only when she saw Kiryu Manzoumaru still looking bewildered did she let out a sigh of relief. Without explaining anything, she quickly picked him up and rushed out of the Tengoku Pavilion without looking back.

  "What's going on? Why is everyone in an uproar?" The noisy crowd shouted and the horses neighed, all mixed together. Faintly visible was the glow of fires rising from the town below the castle, and the sound of anguished cries filled the air. Kiryū Manzōmaru suddenly came to: "Is this an earthquake?"

  A group of disheveled samurai, armed with katana, rushed into the main circle and upon seeing Akane holding Kirishima Manzanmaru immediately knelt down, "Master! I'm late!"

  "Master of the mansion! Safe and sound! Master of the mansion is safe and sound!" Immediately, several samurai rushed out of the main circle, just in time to meet Yamamoto Kanbei, who hastily bowed and stepped aside. Yamamoto Kanbei didn't have time for formalities either, and he quickly dispatched the samurai to report the news. In the midst of the great earthquake, the lord's safety was paramount, and it was essential that all vassals knew about the master's well-being; otherwise, a great riot could erupt at any moment.

  Yamamoto Kan no Suketake hastily came and made a brief bow, then said with a stern expression: "Honorable Master! The town below the castle is in chaos, fires are breaking out everywhere. To prevent any unexpected changes, please move to Jikōan Kokoku-ji Temple temporarily!"

  "Is it really that serious?"

  "Be careful, there's no big mistake! In fact, Anquan Temple is the original Bodhi Temple, and Master Xishan will not have any ill intentions towards the master of the temple. Now, Ichikawa Jirō and Taiyuan Chan Shi also dare not make a move in the temple."

  Kira Manshirōmaru's face suddenly turned ugly, "You mean, be careful of the Imagawa family lurking in the town below the castle and waiting for an opportunity to stir up trouble? And even set their sights on our family's residence, is that what you mean?" Yamamoto Kanbee stood with his hands down, neither confirming nor denying.

  "What's going on! How detestable!" In the face of Yoshida Mantarōmaru's angry glare, all the attendants and Mibu samurai lowered their heads. However, he also knew that scolding his own retainers was pointless. Under Akane's worried gaze, he could only force himself to say: "Well, for now, let's temporarily relocate to Jishōan Kokoku Temple!"

  "Yes!" The samurai quickly returned to the house to gather their belongings. At this time, the earthquake's movement gradually stopped, but the flames and cries outside the castle did not cease. Occasionally, there were rumbling sounds from the collapsed houses, making the Kira family's samurai even more tense. Under the escort of Yamamoto Kansuke, a group of over 50 people quietly left through the gate and successfully entered the nearby temple of Ankokuji.

  The earthquake also awakened the monks inside the temple, and when they heard the shouting outside, the monks were still reluctant to open the temple gate. In the end, it was the warriors of the Kira family who threatened to break down the door that forced the monks to open the gate and welcome them in. Sōzaemon himself came out to greet them, his face apologetic as he said: "I didn't know you were coming tonight, I'm afraid I wasn't able to come out and meet you properly."

  "Master Sōen doesn't need to be polite, there's been an uprising in the castle and we're here seeking refuge." Kira Yoshinaka looked at the high priest's tired face, apparently having sat in meditation until late at night before resting. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he excused himself due to fatigue, and Sōen kindly prepared accommodations for the Kira family.

  Yamamoto Kanbee only showed up at the temple and left in a hurry, telling Kira Yoshinaka before he left that he would urgently gather 800 regular foot soldiers to guard Saijo Castle, because the temporary chaos caused by the earthquake could not allow petty thieves to take advantage of it. At a time when one gate was missing and the spectrum was assisting, these 800 regular foot soldiers played a decisive role.

  Kira Yoshinaka would not hinder his actions, as it is now the autumn harvest season and everyone is busy supervising the grain harvest. It just so happens that this matter coincides with a great earthquake, and all one can say is that luck is not on their side, but they cannot blame others. Fortunately, in addition to the 800 regular troops of the Kira family, there are also 200 mounted samurai and several dozen close attendants, so protection is not a major issue.

  The Mōri samurai temporarily defended the Saijō Castle, and these people had a high exposure rate. Just standing on the castle head could suppress the thoughts of ordinary townspeople who were in a state of panic. Of course, it was still a bit difficult for them to stop the rioters. There were also twenty Mōri samurai who followed Kira Yoshinaka into the temple and defended it together.

  Akane was worried that he wouldn't sleep well, so she took her bedding and lay down beside Kira no Mantsurumaru to keep an eye on him as he slept. In order not to worry Akane, he closed his eyes and pretended to fall asleep quickly, but in reality his mind was racing like a stormy sea, constantly battering his spirit.

  "It's not just human disaster, now there's also a natural disaster. If we declare opposition to the Mikawa house after this disaster, won't it be used as material by those with ulterior motives? It's really a season of troubles! " Yoshida Mitsumaru couldn't help but think of his promise to Otsu again and sighed: "Perhaps I should go to Kyoto after all."

  From birth to now, he never thought that the war would be so close to him. He originally thought that the distance between Suruga and Mikawa was not very close, and even if he wanted to fight against the Imagawa family, he would need to mobilize within his territory, set up an array in Mikawa, and finally decide the outcome of the battle. Before that, he could have a lot of time to make a choice between advancing or retreating.

  Reality told him that war in the real world is cruel, and the duel on the battlefield has long been divorced from the elegant armor of the Genpei era, riding a war horse, arching and shooting arrows with the enemy, and the form of one-on-one combat. The tactics of today's soldiers have already transcended the simple hand-to-hand combat of one-on-one, abandoning the condemnation of night raids, unannounced attacks and other cunning tricks. The Kiri family must keep up with the changes of the times, otherwise they will be ruthlessly eliminated by the tide of the times.

  "Although it's hard to accept, the power of the Kiryuu family is still too weak. Is it really necessary to go to Kyoto? The newly formed Mononoke-ban has only been around for a few days, and at most, it's just getting used to the new environment. It's not like they have a thorough understanding of the Kiryuu territory yet. Even if they were to summon Hattori Yasunaga to scold them now, it would be pointless."

  Even if Hattori Hanzo's intelligence was effective, the various groups were like gods, and it was impossible to turn the Kira clan into a solid iron plate in a short period of time. The Imagawa family could still infiltrate the Kira family, let alone in times of natural disasters and man-made calamities, where there would always be people who were not willing to remain silent and would stir up trouble everywhere.

  In the middle of the night, several strong aftershocks occurred one after another. The samurai were startled and panicked for a while before calming down. Kira Yoshinaka was tossed about back and forth several times until he fell asleep in a daze as the sky gradually lightened.