บท 48: Chapter 47: The Death of Tokugawa and the Spread of Bloodshed
In the courtyard, Tokugawa Hidetada scattered fish food into the pond and watched as the fish competed for it, one by one surfacing with the sound of splashing tails. Ripples spread across the water's surface, swaying the emerald green lotus leaves.
Tokugawa Hidetada laughed.
"What are you laughing at?"
Zhou Ming stepped out step by step from the shadows, emanating a strong scent of blood, and approached Tokugawa Hidetada.
As if sensing the arrival of a natural enemy, the fish in the pond scattered and sank to the bottom, leaving the water's surface in ripples, gradually becoming calm and lifeless.
"Look at these fish. How much they resemble the people of this world!"
Tokugawa Hidetada continued to scatter the remaining fish food into the water, but this time no fish dared to come up and snatch it.
"Proximity breeds fondness, while distance instills fear. Kindness brings support, while severity instills apprehension. Zhou kun, do you have any thoughts on governing the world?"
"..."
Zhou Ming remained silent as he slowly drew his long sword from his waist.
"I have no interest in governing the world, but I am very interested in a chaotic world because... I can take advantage of it."
As the blade fell on Tokugawa Hidetada's shoulder, Zhou Ming calmly said, "Do you have any last words? Speak them now."
Tokugawa Hidetada looked steadily at Zhou Ming, suddenly seeming to understand something, and let out a long sigh. "So, you're not a samurai."
Zhou Ming smirked, "I never claimed to be a samurai."
"It seems there's nothing more to say," Tokugawa Hidetada sighed, willingly leaning towards the blade. With a gentle stroke, he cut open his own windpipe.
Blood gushed forth.
Thud!
Tokugawa Hidetada's body fell limply to the ground, his eyes fixed on Zhou Ming, refusing to close even in death.
"Seems like you understood." Zhou Ming's face remained expressionless as he kicked Tokugawa Hidetada's body into the pond and turned to leave.
Blood dispersed, thread by thread, piece by piece, staining the water red. The fish resurfaced, eagerly devouring the blood, gathering around Tokugawa Hidetada's floating corpse, gnawing at it with force...
"It's almost over. Everything is coming to an end."
Zhou Ming looked up and saw the twilight sun gradually setting, with a crimson sky and a ghostly figure flickering and disappearing.
...
"Has Zhou Kun returned?"
Oda Hirakura paced anxiously in the courtyard, restless and uneasy. He would occasionally inquire with Matsui Kyoshin, but when he couldn't get the answer he desired, he continued to fret and pace.
"Why hasn't Zhou Kun come back yet?"
"This doesn't bode well. I knew it wouldn't bode well!"
"That's Tokugawa Hidetada we're talking about! Although Zhou kun is powerful, he's still too young compared to Tokugawa Hidetada..."
"If I had known, I would have stopped Zhou Kun and prevented him from going to the rendezvous!"
"Zhou kun is too impulsive, too impulsive! If something happens to him on this trip, I'll be in trouble!"
"Sigh, why didn't you remind me earlier?"
Oda Hirakura rambled on, sometimes blaming Zhou Ming, sometimes blaming Matsui Kyoshin beside him.
Matsui Kyoshin, innocently caught in the crossfire, felt quite helpless. However, he also knew that they were currently in a very dangerous situation.
Tokugawa Hidetada was not someone to be trifled with. Once something happened to Zhou Ming, leaving them without a bargaining chip, they would face the formidable Tokugawa Hidetada...
They might not even have the chance to return to Koriyama Castle and reclaim their lordship!
"Report!"
At that moment, a samurai burst in, his face full of anxiety, and knelt before Oda Hirakura.
"How is it? What happened to Zhou-kun?"
At this point, Oda Hirakura had completely lost his usual composure and rushed forward, grabbing the samurai and asking.
"Zhou, Lord Zhou Ming...," the samurai stammered, finding it hard to believe the news he had received. He struggled to find the right words.
"What happened to him? Speak up! Hurry!" Oda Hirakura grew increasingly anxious, shaking the samurai forcefully.
Even Matsui Kyoshin abandoned the formalities of being a subordinate and approached, wanting to know about Zhou-kun's condition.
"Lord Zhou Ming... he... he has slain Tokugawa Hidetada!" The samurai shouted with all his strength.
"We won?" Oda Hirakura exclaimed in joy. "Where is Zhou-kun now? Has he returned?"
"My, my lord," the samurai swallowed hard, cautiously saying, "After Lord Zhou Ming's victory, Tokugawa Hidetada had set up an ambush with about a hundred soldiers. They stormed into the Tokugawa residence, intending to kill Lord Zhou Ming..."
"A hundred soldiers!" Matsui Kyoshin gasped, taken aback. "With such a commotion, isn't there anyone in Kyoto to intervene?"
"Well..." The samurai hesitated, unsure if he should continue.
"That Tokugawa Hidetada, that scoundrel! Filth! Trash!" Oda Hirakura grew furious, completely disregarding his image as he stomped and cursed.
Matsui Kyoshin's expression turned grave, and he asked in a mournful tone, "Then, has Zhou-kun...?"
"Lord Zhou Ming, Lord Zhou Ming..." The samurai said, his eyes suddenly gleaming with infinite admiration as he exclaimed, "Lord Zhou Ming repelled over a hundred men, killed dozens of them, completely crushing the enemy! And then..."
"And then what? Has Tokugawa Hidetada learned of this? Although this sounds so unreal, I can't even believe it myself! But Tokugawa Hidetada must have gone mad when he heard this! He must have!" Oda Hirakura felt his spirit being greatly stimulated, and he began to question the reality of this world.
Is it possible for a person to fight against a hundred opponents? Am I dreaming?
The samurai swallowed hard once again, his eyes shining with even stronger admiration than before. "Tokugawa Hidetada is already dead! Lord Zhou Ming went to confront him and killed him with a single strike!"
"Oh, he's dead then. I thought he went mad and was planning to launch a massive army to annihilate us," Oda Hirakura relaxed and burst into laughter, and then...
"Gah! Tokugawa Hidetada, he's... dead?"
"He was killed by Zhou-kun?!"
...
The news of Tokugawa Hidetada's death spread rapidly throughout the upper echelons of Kyoto.
The strongest among all the daimyos, the one considered most likely to become the next ruler, Tokugawa Hidetada's death left many people with thoughts similar to Oda Hirakura's. They once believed they were living in a dream or hearing a tall tale.
After confirming the authenticity of this news repeatedly, the emotions of all the daimyos became complicated, unsure of how to face the current situation.
In theory, with Tokugawa Hidetada dead, they had one less major competitor, which should have been cause for celebration. However, none of the daimyos could feel joy.
It was like a heavy, dark cloud pressing on their hearts, and they could sense a brewing storm, a storm of chaos. Tokugawa Hidetada's death was the harbinger of an imminent eruption of chaos.
The storm was coming...
What was even more astonishing to the daimyos was the attitude of Nohara Momonosuke.
After learning of Tokugawa Hidetada's death, Nohara Momonosuke showed no reaction. Instead, he sent messengers to instruct the daimyos not to delay the scheduled banquet.
Tonight's banquet will proceed as planned.
As the daylight dimmed and the last shadow of the sun dipped below the horizon, the crescent moon rose in the east. Under the night sky, countless lights illuminated Kyoto, bustling with extraordinary excitement due to the amnesty decree of the ruler.
However, beneath this lively atmosphere, unbeknownst to everyone, the color of blood was slowly spreading, gradually covering the entire city of Kyoto...
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง