I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

"I was a swordsman in ancient Japan ()"

"Ah, that's right." Guasheng, who was leading the way, suddenly said to Ogata who was behind him, "Mashima-kun, there is one thing that needs to be reminded you in advance before arriving at the residence."

"Huh?" Ogata asked, "What's the matter?"

"A while ago, our Shirobei Club recruited a new teacher."

A faint look of disgust slowly appeared on Gua Sheng's face.

"This new teacher is Takikawa Heiichiro, he is quite annoying. To be honest, I really hope that he can leave the residence."

"Oh?" Ogata raised his eyebrows, "Is he a poor teacher?"

"No."

Guasheng shook his head.

"In terms of education, he can be regarded as an excellent kind of person."

"Takikawa is the banner, the eldest son of the Takikawa family."

"Although the annual salary of the Takigawa family is only 3,000 shi, and he is not considered the top family among the Banners, he can barely be regarded as a descendant of a famous family."

"He studied under Xiangsheng Shunsui, a well-known sinologist in Edo. It is said that his talent and attainments in Sinology are extremely high, and he is often praised by Xiangsheng Shunsui."

"At the same time, he is still studying Wudaojian swordsmanship at the Anyun Sword Academy in Edo. Last year, he just got the certificate of Wudaoli Exemption."

"He is a person with both civil and military skills, and he can also be regarded as a teacher. After he came to teach in Liuwu, many girls told me that he could speak well."

After listening to Guasheng's introduction to Takikawa, Ogata was secretly speechless.

Not only was he born in the banner, but he also has a certificate of swordsmanship exempted from passing on to everyone. At the same time, he studied under the famous scholars and has a lot of accomplishments in the most mainstream subjects of this era. According to Guasheng's description of this Takikawa, this Takikawa Chuan is the standard tall, rich and handsome in the Edo period.

In the Edo period, when the hierarchy was strict, the samurai class was also divided into ranks.

Banner, also known as Banner Samurai, is a warrior directly under the supreme ruler of the shogunate—General Zhengyi.

He is a direct minister of the shogunate and has the right to directly meet the shogun.

It can be regarded as the highest samurai in the Edo period, except for the shogun and daimyo.

Among the Banners, they are still divided into three, six, and nine classes.

The life of some bannermen is not generous, and their annual salary is not even 500 shi.

However, there are also some bannermen who live a very rich life, with annual salaries in the thousands.

The Takikawa family that Guasheng just mentioned was born with a salary of 3,000 stone years, probably belongs to the middle position in the banner.

It is neither considered the top giants in the banner, nor is it considered the bottom of the banner.

Thinking of this, Ogata suddenly recalled—Shimada Katsurokuro seemed to be from the Banner family in Edo.

Ogata remembered that Shimada had said that the family he came from had an annual salary of 9,000 koku.

This level of salary can already support a small-scale private armed force.

The annual salary of the Banner samurai would not exceed Wanshi, so the family Shimada came from should be regarded as the top class in Banner.

It's just that Ogata doesn't know Edo that well, and he doesn't know anything about the ranking of strength among these wealthy families in Edo.

Therefore, Ogata did not know what status the Shimada family, where Shimada was born, belonged to in Edo.

"Based on your description, this Takigawa seems to be a qualified teacher, capable and able to teach at the same time." Ogata said, "Is it because he has a bad personality that you hate him?"

"That's right." Guasheng nodded, "Takikawa's character... I'm not used to it."

"I don't know how to describe Takikawa's character."

"I have a question." Ogata asked at this moment, "Since that Takikawa is from the Banner family with a salary of 3,000 stone years, he shouldn't be short of money, right? Then why did he come to Liuya to teach? ?”

"That's one of the reasons why I hate Takikawa." Gua Sheng's mouth curled up, showing a sneer, "The purpose of that guy's stay in the house is not pure at all."

"He's totally here for someone.

"

"Someone? Who?" Ogata asked doubtfully.

"Who else could it be?" Gua Sheng sneered again, "Of course it's for Mrs. Fengling."

"Master Wind Chime?"

"Did I tell you just now? Mrs. Fengling is very studious, and she comes to stay in the house every day to read and practice calligraphy."

"That Takigawa probably learned from nowhere that Mrs. Fengling would go to Liuya every day. In order to get close to Mrs. Fengling, he accepted the recruitment of Liuya and became a lecturer here."

"Does he want to pursue the oiran? He has a lot of ambition." Ogata couldn't help expressing a little emotion.

The oiran is like the superstar of this era, only those who are either rich or expensive have the opportunity to contact the oiran.

Taifu Fengling has seen and known countless high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

Takigawa's Banner family—and people from a not-so-top Banner family may not be able to catch Taifu Fengling's eyes.

As soon as Ogata's words fell, Guasheng immediately responded:

"In my eyes, Takikawa just doesn't know what's good or bad. Taifu Fengchi doesn't seem to like Takikawa very much, but Takikawa still keeps going forward to curry favor with Taifu Fengchi."

Speaking of this, Gua Sheng sneered again.

After clearing his throat and looking ahead a few times, Gua Sheng stretched out his finger and pointed forward.

"Okay, let's stop chatting here. Mashima-kun, look ahead, the room in front is the lingering room."

Ogata looked forward - in front of him was an ordinary house from the outside. There were two lanterns hanging on both sides of the door of the room. On the lanterns were written the two vigorous Chinese characters "Liuwu".

After taking off the big Shitian from his waist and holding it with his right hand, Ogata followed Guasheng through the gate without a house.

Guasheng led Ogata to take off his shoes at Doma, walked through a short corridor, and stopped in front of a large paper sliding door.

Before entering the room, Xu could easily hear the voice of a woman chattering in this room.

Hearing this voice, Gua Sheng smiled and muttered:

"It seems that we came at the right time. They should have finished their classes and are resting now."

"If they are in class, we can't go in and drink tea, it will disturb their class."

Gua Sheng smiled faintly when he heard the chattering and laughing in the room.

After Ogata heard the voice in the room, he showed a strange expression.

Because besides the chattering girls talking and laughing, Ogata also heard some voices... that were quite familiar to him.

Gua Sheng slowly opened the wooden door in front of him.

After the door was opened, the first thing that caught Ogata's eyes was a fairly spacious room.

About 30 short black tables are neatly arranged in the room.

There are pens, ink, paper and inkstones on all the desks.

The most conspicuous scenery in this room is naturally the more than 30 wandering girls who are taking classes in this room.

It should be time for a break after class.

Some wandering girls are still sitting behind desks reading books or practicing handwriting.

Some wandering girls gathered together and chit chatted.

Some wandering girls lowered their heads, and their heads were bit by bit, as if they were dozing off.

However, nearly half of the wandering girls are surrounded by the only young man in this room.

This young man is sitting at the northernmost end of the room, and in front of him is a desk that resembles a lecture table. His desk is larger than the desks where pens, inks, papers and inkstones are placed. Some.

According to visual estimation, this young man should be about the same age as Ogata, around 20 years old.

She has a clean, neatly shaved head.

In this era, it is a status symbol to be able to keep the moon to replace the head.

The ronin basically don't keep their hair on their shoulders, because they often wander around, have a rest, and basically don't have the leisure time to take care of their hair.

Therefore, a samurai who can keep his head on behalf of the moon basically means that he is not a ronin, but a person who has spare time to shave his head.

The young man's clothes were as clean and tidy as his hair.

He is handsome, with a bookish look in his brows and eyes.

From the outside, this young man was impeccable, and he belonged to the type that many girls should admire him.

Even without being introduced by others, Ogata knew that this young man should be the Takikawa Heiichiro that Gua Sheng and he had mentioned.

At this moment, Takigawa was holding a thread-bound book, and on the cover of the thread-bound book were written the two Chinese characters "The Analects of Confucius".

Takikawa just held the "Analects of Confucius" and read it there.

"The master said: 'Guan Zhong's weapon is small!' Or said: 'Guan Zhong is frugal?' He said: 'Guan has three returns, and if he does not take care of official affairs, how can he be frugal?'..."

Takikawa knelt behind that "podium" and read "The Analects of Confucius".

And more than a dozen wandering girls sat around, casting admiration, surprise and other kinds of gazes at Takikawa.

Being able to read "The Analects of Confucius" is not a big deal.

The educated children of the Wu family can basically read the Four Books and Five Classics without hindrance.

In the Sakakibara Sword Gym where Ogata used to practice swords, there are many brothers whose family backgrounds are like Ogata's. Because of their low status, their family backgrounds are not considered rich, but they can basically read the Four Books and Five Classics.

They couldn't afford to go to the schools set up by the Hirose Clan to serve the children of the samurai family, but they could still afford to go to the temple houses run by temples.

Before Ogata traveled to the Edo period, "Ogata Hara" also completed basic education in a temple house run by a certain temple in the Hirose Domain.

If Takikawa recited "The Analects of Confucius" in Japanese, it would be nothing unusual, and it would be impossible to attract so many wandering girls to gather around him to listen to him read.

The reason why Takikawa was able to attract so many girls around him to listen to him read was entirely because—he was reciting chapters in "The Analects" in Chinese now.

Before the fall of the Edo Shogunate, the Meiji Restoration, and the comprehensive Westernization of Japan, Sinology, led by the Four Books and Five Classics, had always occupied the most mainstream position in Japanese academic circles.

If you can have a deep attainment in Sinology, you will be highly regarded by others.

So - if you can speak Chinese fluently, that is also something to be proud of.

The very familiar voice that Ogata heard outside the door just now was the Chinese spoken by Takikawa.

After coming to the Edo period for nearly a year and a half, Ogata couldn't help but feel a sense of intimacy when he heard Chinese that he hadn't heard for a long time.

Takikawa speaks Chinese fairly fluently.

But the accent is not flattering.

There is no r sound in Chinese in Japanese.

Therefore, when the Japanese speak Chinese, they always make no distinction between r and l.

The most typical example - when Japanese speak Chinese, they always pronounce "Japan" as "Liben".

Takikawa's accent when speaking Chinese is a fairly typical "Japanese accent".

Therefore, the only evaluation that Ogata can give on the Chinese spoken by Takikawa is "quite fluent".

As for the accent... Ogata didn't dare to compliment him.

However, Takikawa's fluent Chinese is quite enough to fool some people who don't understand Chinese at all.

After Ogata and Guasheng opened the door, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

Takikawa's reading sound also stopped abruptly.

After raising his eyes to see who the person pulling the door was, Takikawa immediately put down the "Analects of Confucius" in his hand, and with a faint smile on his face, he said to Guasheng:

"Miss Guasheng, good morning."

"Yeah." Gua Sheng nodded expressionlessly, "Good morning."

It seemed that Takikawa didn't intend to greet Guasheng so cordially. After a simple exchange of greetings, Takikawa ignored Guasheng, and Guasheng ignored Takikawa.

"Miss Guasheng." At this time, a traveling girl sitting closest to Guasheng and Ogata asked, "Who is this samurai?"

"This is Mashima Goro-kun who just joined our Shirobei clubhouse today."

Guasheng turned slightly sideways, revealing Ogata standing behind her.

When Gua Sheng helped Ogata make an introduction, Ogata bowed to everyone in the room and said hello.

"I'm taking Mashima-kun to familiarize myself with the layout of Yoshiwara, and I'm feeling a little thirsty when I walk near the garret house, so I just came here to drink some tea."

For Guasheng's behavior of coming here to drink tea, everyone in the room seemed to be familiar with it.

Hearing Guasheng's words, a certain girl who seemed to have a good relationship with Guasheng covered her mouth and smiled, and said to Guasheng in an intimate tone:

"Xiaoxiu, since you like the tea we keep in the house so much, why don't you buy some and drink it yourself?"

"Because it costs money to buy tea, but there is no money to drink tea here." After replying in a half-joking tone, Guasheng led Ogata to a corner of the room.

In the corner of the room was a small table with a big teapot and a lot of teacups on it.

Gua Sheng unceremoniously picked up the big teapot, then took out two clean cups, and poured a full cup into these two cups.

When pouring tea, Guasheng Asaogata introduced:

"The tea in this room is specially for the wandering girls who attend classes here to drink when they are thirsty. You can drink whatever you want."

The temperature of the tea is just right, not too cold and not too hot.

Holding the tea cup, after taking a sip, Ogata tasted that the tea was scented tea.

Compared with scented tea, Ogata prefers some bitter strong tea.

However, Ogata liked the floral fragrance of this tea.

After Guasheng and Ogata slipped to a corner to drink tea, everyone in the room resumed their business.

Takikawa continued to demonstrate the "Chinese version of Analects" to the dozen or so wandering girls in front of him.

The girls also continued to read and practice calligraphy.

Those who want to listen to Takikawa's "The Analects of Confucius in Chinese" continue to listen.

Ogata sipped the tea in his hand while looking at the girls in the room.

After turning his gaze around the room a few times, Ogata lowered the volume, and whispered to Guasheng at a volume that only he and Guasheng could hear clearly:

"Miss Guasheng, there are far fewer wandering girls who come to study in Liuwu than I imagined... Are there any wandering girls studying in other rooms?"

Yoshihara claims to have 3,000 wandering girls—these 3,000 wandering girls should be an exaggeration, but there should still be 1,000 wandering girls.

The number of wandering girls studying in the staying room is much smaller than Ogata imagined, which made Ogata feel a little surprised.

"Some wandering girls don't come to stay in the house until the afternoon to study."

Guasheng answered in a low voice that only she and Ogata could hear clearly.

"However, there are not many wandering girls who come to Liuwu to study."

"After all, not all wandering girls have the willingness and spare energy to come here to learn to read and write."

"Many wandering women don't have the energy to do other things during the day after they finish working at night."

"There are still many wandering girls who have no interest in reading and writing, and don't want to waste too much time here."

Just when Gua Sheng had just finished explaining to Ogata the reason why so few people stayed in the house to study, a pleasant female voice suddenly came from beside the two:

"Master Samurai, we meet again. Xiao Guasheng, can you pour me a cup of tea too?"

Ogata and Guasheng both followed the sound and turned their heads away.

The speaker is a very beautiful woman.

She did not comb her hair into a bun, and let her black hair hang freely.

Although she didn't comb her hair well, she wore light makeup.

Clear and handsome eyebrows, soft eyelashes, round and lovely nose bridge, full lips.

The black hair and black and white eyes fluttering with the breeze that accidentally blows into the room make people feel dazzling.

Ogata and Guasheng have different expressions now.

Gua Sheng looked relieved to see his old friend.

Ogata looked puzzled.

The second half of what the woman said just now was to Gua Sheng, but the first half was obviously to Ogata.

Ogata carefully looked at the woman's face several times - he thought it looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen this woman.

"That..." Ogata asked doubtfully, "May I ask who you are?"

"Did you forget me so soon?" The woman showed a faint wry smile, "You came to see me last night, did you forget?"

--last night……?

Memories and thoughts are connected at once.

Just as Ogata remembered who the woman in front of him was, Guasheng at the side said to Ogata in a helpless tone:

"This is the Wind Chime Taifu you just met last night in the 'Oiran Road'. The Wind Chime Taifu has changed her makeup and hairstyle, so you don't recognize her?"

Although he was very reluctant to admit it, Ogata had to admit that he really couldn't recognize Taifu Fengling after he changed his hairstyle and makeup...

The Taifu Fengling I saw last night was wearing white makeup, a neat bun, and armor-like clothes.

But now Taifu Fengling has long hair casually loose, and only light makeup.

In Ogata's eyes—the difference between the two is so great that he couldn't tell them apart for a while.

"I saw you when I was walking to Yangwu yesterday." Mrs. Fengling smiled, "I didn't expect you to work in Shirobei Clubhouse."

In Ogata's impression, when Mrs. Fengling passed by him last night, because there were "fanatic fans" yelling beside Ogata at that time, Taifu Fengling's attention was attracted.

Because of this, Ogata was caught a glimpse by Mrs. Fengling—just a glance.

Ogata remembered that he was only glanced at by Mrs. Fengling.

"Teacher, your memory is really good..." Ogata sighed with astonishment.

Ogata did not expect Taifu Fengling to be able to remember him who only glanced at him.

"My memory is pretty good."

After Guasheng filled the teacup handed by Taifu Fengling with a full cup of tea, Guasheng pouted at Takikawa, who was still sitting behind the podium, showing the "Chinese version of the Analects" to the girls.

"Teacher, what is Takigawa doing? Why are you speaking Chinese there for no reason?"

"There is no special reason." Taifu Fengling smiled while drinking tea with elegant movements, "When Takikawa was chatting with a few wandering girls after the first class, for some reason, Takikawa didn't know whether it was intentional or unintentional, he suddenly mentioned that he could speak Chinese."

"Those wandering girls were very curious, and then asked Takikawa to read Chinese to them."

"That Takikawa can actually speak Chinese." Guasheng muttered.

"After all, he studied under the great Sinologist Xiangsheng Chunshui."

"Teacher." Guasheng smiled slyly, "Aren't you going to listen to Takikawa speak Chinese together?"

"Xiao Guasheng." Mrs. Fengling showed a helpless smile, "I seem to have told you before? I don't appreciate the overly arrogant Takikawa...Hmm? Mashima-sama, what's wrong? It's my lips. Do you see anything weird?"

Taifu Fengling raised his hand and gently covered his mouth while talking. .

Because she suddenly discovered just now that Ogata had been staring at her lips since just now.

"Your lips are not stained with anything." Ogata said seriously, "I'm just curious about the lip gloss you used."

Lipstick - that is, ancient lipstick.

The lip balm that Mrs. Fengling put on her lips was not an ordinary red.

There was a touch of shimmer on the rosy lower lip, which was painted with lip balm, and it looked very beautiful.

"Oh, this one." Taifu Fengling smiled, "The lip gloss I use is called 'Sasa Sehong'."

"'Sasa color red'..." Ogata murmured softly the name of the lipstick Taifu Fengling just said.

"Mashima-sama, are you interested in lip gloss?"

"No, no interest, no research."

Whether it was the previous modern Earth or the current Edo period, Ogata did not pay any attention to women's cosmetics.

"I just... When I saw your lip gloss just now, Tai Fu, I suddenly felt that if a girl who is of great significance to me wears the same lip gloss as you, maybe it will look good."

"Oh?" Taifu Fengling looked at Ogata with intense interest, "So that's how it is, the 'Sasaise Red' I used is quite expensive, so a small box costs 1 Two gold."

After finishing speaking, Taifu Fengling put his right thumb and index finger together to form a small circle.

"One tael?" Ogata couldn't help raising his eyebrows suddenly in astonishment.

"Of course—that's because the 'Sasairo Red' I'm using is of the top grade, so it's so expensive. The ordinary 'Sasairo Red' is also expensive, but it's not as exaggerated as the one I'm using. "

"Mashima-sama, if you want to buy 'Sasairo Red' as a gift, I can recommend a store. The lip gloss sold in that store can be said to be the best in Edo."

"However, although the price of ordinary 'Sasairo Red' is cheaper, the quality is naturally not as good as the one I use."

——Sure enough, no matter what era it is in, cosmetics are luxury goods... 1 tael of gold can only buy such a small box of lip gloss... I am afraid that in the entire Yoshihara, only Mrs. Fengling can afford this kind of lip gloss...

Just when Ogata was still secretly feeling the law of "no matter in which era, cosmetics are luxury goods", the wooden door of the room was suddenly opened again.

As soon as the wooden door was opened, an old voice sounded from the door:

"Huh? Guasheng, have you come to Liuwu to drink tea again?"

The person who suddenly opened the door and spoke to Guasheng in a very familiar tone was a very dignified old man.

As soon as the old man appeared in front of everyone, Gua Sheng immediately let out a small exclamation, and then quickly bowed to the old man:

"Master Shirobei, why are you here?"

"It's just going out for a walk and relaxing. When I passed by the Liu's house just now, I stopped by to take a look at the Liu's house. Huh? Guasheng, who is that warrior next to you?"

"Master Shirobei, don't you know him? He is Mashima Goro who just passed the assessment of Kawajiro-sama and Keeimon early this morning, and joined our Shirobei clubhouse."

"Oh! So that's the case, no wonder I haven't seen him. I went to work outside Yoshiwara early this morning, and I wasn't in the clubhouse. Haha, yes, it seems that Qingweimen and the others have recruited a man who looks quite reliable. Samurai."

"So you two haven't seen each other yet..." Guasheng grumbled, then turned to Ogata and introduced, "Mashima-kun, this is the current head of our Shirobei Club—the Sixth Generation Shirobei guard."

As soon as Gua Sheng's words fell, Ooyoung immediately bowed to Shirobei and said loudly:

"Master Shirobei, I am the Izumo Rangren, Mashima Goro."

While saying hello to Shirobei, Ogata silently looked at Shirobei's appearance.

Shirobei...he looks like an official.

There seems to be hidden strength in the thin body, and it looks calm and majestic.

"Master Shirobei. Long time no see."

Takikawa, who had been showing the "Chinese version of the Analects of Confucius" to the girls just now, put down the "Analects of Confucius" he had been holding just now, and walked quickly to Shirobei.

While saluting Shirobei, he also greeted politely.

"Takigawa-kun, long time no see." Shirobei smiled back, "It's been a hard time for you to go to the linguya to teach."

"I feel very happy to come to Ruya to teach." Takikawa smiled, but he only smiled on his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes, "While teaching everyone knowledge, I can also review these Chinese books by the way. "

"Master Shirobei, you came just in time, I just have something to discuss with you."

"Oh? What's the matter?" Shirobei asked.

"In the next period of time, I want to devote all my energy and energy to the preparations for the subsequent 'Imperial Trial', so I want to ask for leave for a period of time after that, so I won't stay in the house to teach."

"Oh!" Shirobei showed a clear expression on his face, "Yes, I remembered, Takigawa-kun, you participated in the 'Gozen Trial', right?"

"I understand. Then you should prepare well for the 'Imperial Trial' from now on. You don't need to report to our clubhouse until the end of the 'Imperial Trial'."

"Thank you so much." Takigawa bowed deeply.

"Teacher." At this moment, a wandering girl suddenly asked with doubts on her face, "What is the 'Imperial Trial Match'?"

Ogata was not surprised that this wandering girl didn't know what the "Imperial Trial Match" was.

After all, even many ordinary people in Edo don't know what the "Imperial Trial" is all about.

"Hmm..." Takigawa pondered for a while, and then said, "Simply speaking, the 'Imperial Trial Match' is..."

Takikawa briefly introduced to the wandering girl what the "Imperial Trial Match" was.

As soon as Takigawa's introduction was finished, Shirobei said to Dragon Bed in a half-joking tone:

"Takigawa-kun, prepare well, and strive to get a good rank in both the literary and military tests of the 'Imperial Trials'."

"Master Shirobei!" Takikawa smiled confidently, "I can't guarantee that I can win the first place in the martial arts test, but I am determined to win the first place in the literary test of the 'Gozen Trials'!"

"I want to win the first place in the literary examination of the 'Imperial Trial', and attract the attention and appreciation of the old middle-aged man! I will strive to become the old middle-aged man's staff in the future!"

"Staff?" Shiro Bingwei suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Ogata, who had been listening in, also showed a faint curiosity at this time.

"Everyone." Takigawa turned slightly sideways, scanned the surroundings with his eyes, and said slowly, "I believe you should have heard of it more or less--sama Matsudaira Sadanobu-sama, after taking office as the new and old middle , has been actively promoting the reform of the shogunate government, in order to revitalize the national power!"

To Takigawa's words, some Yuu nodded, while others looked blank.

The new and old Nakamatsudaira Sadanobu has been implementing shogunate reforms in recent years-Ogata still knows about this.

After wrapping his arms around his chest and leaning his back against the wall behind him, Ogata continued to listen to Takikawa's words in silence.

"Your Majesty has received definite news—in order to complete the reform of the shogunate government, the old middle-aged man is recruiting talents!"

Takikawa's eloquence is not bad, and his impassioned speech successfully attracted the attention of everyone present.

Takikawa seemed to enjoy the feeling of being watched by many people. After a strong look of excitement appeared on his face, he said in a more passionate tone:

"Today, my Tokugawa shogunate has two hundred years of foundation, benevolence and virtue. Although there are occasional natural disasters, it has not shaken the shogunate at all. The general and the elders are now working hard to govern, and we are the people with lofty ideals. It's time for us to use our lives!"

"My classmates and I have made up our minds--we will show our talents in the 'Imperial Trial' and show our talents to the general and the elders!"

After quietly listening to Takigawa's speech, Ogata thought to himself:

——It seems that some of the people who participated in this "imperial trial" also came for fame and fortune...

I have to say—Takigawa's speech just now was quite contagious.

Many of the wandering girls present looked at Takikawa, who was now looking righteous and awe-inspiring, with reverent and excited eyes.

Of course, there are also some traveling girls who look flat. For example - Mrs. Wind Chime.

Taifu Fengling showed a smile that made it difficult to understand the specific emotions in it, and said:

"Takigawa-kun, are you going to be the aide of Mr. Laozhong?"

Seeing Mrs. Fengling taking the initiative to talk to him, Takikawa's eyes immediately showed subtle ecstasy.

"That's right!" Takikawa said in a firm tone, "Master Lao Zhong is very courageous! This time recruiting staff, you don't look at your background! You only look at your talents! So I want to show my skills in the 'Yuqian Trial'! Get the old man Appreciation from the Chinese adults, and then..."

Before Takikawa finished speaking, Taifu Fuling interrupted him with a new question:

"Takigawa-kun, do you have the ability to show off your skills in the "Imperial Trial"——this is irrelevant."

"If you really become the aide of Mr. Lao Zhong in the future, can you assist Mr. Lao Zhong to revitalize the country's national strength?"

"With all due respect - I think you are still too young, and you may not have the ability to take on the important task of being an "old man's staff"."

"Instead of setting the goal so high, it's better to be down-to-earth and start with ordinary officials."

Mrs. Fengling used a direct tone to persuade Takikawa to keep his feet on the ground and not to be so ambitious.

But for Taifu Fengling's euphemistic persuasion, Takikawa looked disapproving.

"Hahaha!" Takikawa, still smiling confidently, laughed a few times, "Master Fengling, please don't worry about me!"

"I am the eldest son of Takigawa, and a disciple of a great master of Sinology! Under the influence of my ears and eyes, I have quite a bit of experience in how to govern the country!"

After all, Takigawa waved his hand and said in a more passionate tone:

"In the future, if I become an aide of Master Lao Zhong, I will suggest to Master Lao Zhong to vigorously revitalize Zhu Xi's "Zhu Zixue"!"

After hearing the word "Zhu Zixue" from Takikawa's mouth, Ogata couldn't help frowning slightly.

Japan's Zhu Zixue - after Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism was introduced to Japan, it was transformed by the Japanese rulers according to local conditions to suit the Japanese.

*****

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This is what the "Sasairo Red" lipstick looks like→→

In the Edo period, not everyone could afford lipstick, and not everyone could afford "Sasaisehong".

Personally, I think this "Sasairo Red" is very beautiful.

Regarding the story of "Terakoya", you can read the "Japanese History Lesson" I wrote in the "Writer's Words" at the end of the last chapter.