The wind and snow press heavily upon Kyoto at midnight.
Within the residence of the Great General leading the campaign against the barbarians, the lights still shone brightly.
At the tender age of twenty, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who had assumed the position of Great General of the Ashikaga Shogunate for nearly a decade, sat cross-legged in a kimono embellished with golden bamboo patterns on a white background, deep in thought with his eyes closed at the upper end of the main hall. Below him, the flow of visitors never ceased, with all sorts of news flooding in.
"Report!"
A visitor, taking small rapid steps and bowing, hastened inside; the sharp, loud sound of his wooden clogs striking the cypress wood floor gave Ashikaga Yoshiaki a sense of foreboding, like a chilling wind and cold rain descending upon him.
"Your Excellency, the Great General."
The visitor knelt down in the hall, reporting in a tone that he struggled to keep calm but still laced with panic, "The envoy sent to the southern chieftain, Lord Shin-na, was ambushed outside the enemy camp, his head... his head has been sent to the city outskirts, and the accompanying Bichide Tanba upper ninja has vanished..."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s brow imperceptibly furrowed, and then, expressionless, he waved his hand to dismiss the visitor.
The visitor rose, taking small cautious steps as he backed out of the main hall.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki slowly exhaled a long, murky breath and said lightly, "The art of ’sword hidden in the fish’s belly’ is, after all, a minor technique, hardly likely to succeed."
Just then, the slender, white-haired old man seated on the left side of the hall, at the place of honor, murmured in response, "What the Great General says echoes the thoughts in my heart."
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki slowly opened his eyes and calmly regarded the white-haired old man, saying, "Motonari-san is renowned for his cunning strategies in ruling the West, and has clashed with the enemy army numerous times. Now, as the rebel chieftain’s forces threaten the eastern provinces, does Motonari-san really have no useful advice to offer me?"
The white-haired elder stroked his beard, displaying a color of shame on his face as he bowed in apology, "I am ashamed, my lord. Though the Mouri clan’s samurai have joined forces with the Amako army to attack and block the enemy numerous times, every encounter ended in a rout. I remain as puzzled as ever about the number of the rebels and the reasons behind their invasion of our pure land of Fusang. What is their purpose with such acts of violence? The lands entrusted to the Mouri clan for generations have now almost entirely fallen... I only blame that treacherous and arrogant Tao Qingxian for underestimating the enemy, missing the best opportunity to investigate and eliminate the rebel chieftain, ultimately leading to this catastrophe!"
This white-haired elder was the former formidable ruler of the West, the great name of the Mouri clan — Mouri Motonari — who had been defeated by Yang Ge.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki silently watched the old man’s dramatic performance with tears and snot, an ancient well without ripples on the surface but beneath was anger so intense that he could hardly resist drawing his sword to slay the old dog, thinking, ’Tao Qingxian is a waste; does that mean you, Mouri Motonari, are not a waste as well?’
Mouri Motonari, sensing the murderous intent bubbling beneath his gloomy eyes, gave a forced smile and said, "Nevertheless, upon reflection, it is not exactly that we lack all knowledge. According to reports from our Mouri general Katsura Mototada, whenever the enemy army fights the combined Mouri and Amako forces, a golden-armored demon descends from the skies, wielding endless famed blades to carve out a path for the enemy. With the aid of this golden-armored demon, the enemy was able to take over a dozen of the Mouri clan’s castles... Now, the only course of action is to urgently request Sword Saint Tsukahara and Shangquan Sword Saint’s assistance to come to Kyoto as soon as possible to join in our defense, to help the Great General eliminate this demon and cleanse the world."
Upon hearing this, Ashikaga Yoshiaki suddenly furrowed his bushy brows, rose abruptly, leaning on his sword, and said furiously, "Such critical information, why did you only speak of it now?"
Mouri Motonari bowed deeply, crying out with all his might, "Your Excellency, as per ’The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu: ’War is the way of deception.’ Without verification, how could I dare disturb the Great General’s ears with such unfounded and misleading rumors? My wholehearted loyalty has always been for the Great General’s consideration, I beseech your judgment, Your Excellency!"
As he cried out, his thoughts were, ’My Mouri clan has lost territories and suffered disgrace. If you win this battle, what face will my Mouri clan have left to stand among the world’s heroes?’
Based on his understanding of the enemy forces, he was certain that Ashikaga Yoshiaki would not be able to summon the two wandering Sword Saints to Kyoto in time to fend off the attack on the city by the rebels.
If Kyoto were to fall, then his Mouri clan would have the chance to rise again!
Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s unblinking gaze bore into the old man, the raging flames in his pupils seemed ready to incinerate the old man’s withered body to ashes.
Suddenly, a cold draft swept into the hall, causing the flames to flicker. Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s gaze softened like the spring breeze bringing rain, he laid down the treasured sword and settled back on his heels, smiling lightly as he said, "It seems I have wrongly blamed Motonari-san. Just so you know, before Motonari-san arrived in Kyoto, I had already dispatched a capable guard with my calling card to pay a visit to Master Tsukahara and Shangquan. I received a reply from both teachers a few days ago... by my calculations, both teachers should arrive in Kyoto by tomorrow."
Mouri Motonari’s head still bowed, was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling a chill on his back, but he quickly composed himself and with feigned wholehearted sincerity, he bowed again and said, "The Great General has taken precautions, leaving nothing to chance. My intelligence is but a firefly’s glow against the bright daylight of the Great General’s wisdom. It seems, in Fusang, the revered title of ’Mastermind’ befits none other than the Great General!"
Those who rose to dominance in an era of unremitting warfare were no ordinary characters regardless of age.
Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s lips curled in mockery, but there was a lack of relief in his eyes... Even with two Sword Saints to counter the golden-armored demon who slaughtered in the fields, the eighty-four thousand demons that turned the West into barren lands still posed a great threat within.
Inside Kyoto at this moment, there were just over thirty thousand troops that he had urgently called from the Kinki region. Should the demon hordes breach Kyoto... the consequences were unthinkable.