บท 36: Chapter 36: How Arrogant
The convoy entered the city and quickly settled into a courtyard. This was Oda Hirakura's property in Kyoto.
Although a daimyo had their own territory, in Kyoto, they all had to restrain themselves and follow the rules. If they wanted a place to live, they had to spend money to buy land and a house. It was impossible to sleep wherever they wanted like they could on their own land.
"Now that the news of Horiuchi Soh's death has probably reached the emperor's ears, I might get summoned today," said Zhou Ming.
However, Zhou Ming's words did not relax Oda Hirakura, who remained anxious and could not come up with a proper solution to the matter. In his view, Zhou Ming's rash behavior in killing Horigoshi Tatsu was like putting him on fire, and he had no way to deal with it.
Moreover, everyone saw Zhou Ming as his samurai at the city gate, and they were bound together. Even if Oda Hirakura wanted to distance himself from Zhou Ming, no one would believe him.
"It's just Horiuchi Soh. As a daimyo, the emperor should not do anything to me. I'm just worried about those bastards who take advantage of the situation and stab me in the back. That would be troublesome," said Oda Hirakura.
It was clear who Oda Hirakura referred to as "those bastards." Besides other daimyo, who else would he describe in such a way?
In contrast to Oda Hirakura's reaction, Zhou Ming was leisurely practicing his swordsmanship while waiting for the news he wanted to hear.
Inside the palace.
As he passed through each gate, Hirakawa Taisho entered a spacious bedroom where he was led to the bed by a palace maid dressed in thin silk. The three-meter-long solid wood bed was draped in blue curtains, behind which were the elusive and alluring figures of women.
"Your Majesty."
Hirakawa Taisho knelt before the bed, bowing his head.
"Hirakawa-kun." A hoarse voice, tinged with the musty smell of decay, came from the bed.
The heavy curtains were lifted layer by layer, revealing an old man with a skeletal frame, sunken eye sockets, and a strong odor of death emanating from his body. Supported by three palace maids, he sat up and looked towards Hirakawa Taisho with his yellowed eyes.
Nohara Momonosuke, the "Demon King" who unified the Tosho Island Country and ushered in the Moonlight Age.
"Your Majesty, Horiuchi Soh, is dead." Hirakawa Taisho remained motionless, still looking up, and spoke in a deep voice.
"I already know." Nohara Momonosuke breathed heavily, speaking with great effort. "That little guy who killed Horiuchi Soh, his name is Zhou Ming, right? He's a very interesting little guy. Cough, cough!"
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself." Hirakawa Taisho took a few steps forward in his kneeling position, expressing his concern.
"I'm fine." Several palace maids patted Nohara Momonosuke's back and chest, helping him regain his breath. "Tell Oda Hirakura to come and see me, along with that little guy. I want to see him with my own eyes. I want to...reward him."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Hirakawa Taisho readily accepted the order.
Leaving the bedroom, Hirakawa Taisho walked towards the palace, still unable to shake the image of Horiuchi Soh's headless body and the comical way his head was placed to the side. It was really quite amusing.
Especially after seeing Nohara Momonosuke's reaction to Horiuchi Soh's death, Hirakawa Taisho couldn't help but want to burst out laughing.
"Horiuchi Soh, do you really think the Emperor trusts you? Your death wouldn't even make him angry!"
"Idiot, the Emperor has always trusted me, Hirakawa Taisho!"
As the personal guard of Nohara Momonosuke, Hirakawa Taisho always believed this. However, the favor that Nohara Momonosuke had recently shown to Horiuchi Soh Sohna had caused him to feel a sense of crisis.
He knew that he shouldn't have such emotions. The Emperor had always trusted him, and that was unquestionable. Why should he feel threatened by someone like Horiuchi Soh?
He had deeply blamed and feared himself for this, but fortunately, with Horiuchi Soh's death, all of those emotions had disappeared.
"Zhou Ming, what kind of person are you to dare to slay Horiuchi Soh at the gates of Kyoto?"
Hirakawa Taisho narrowed his eyes and stepped out of the palace gate.
His loyalty to the Emperor was unquestionable, and the Emperor's trust in him was also unquestionable.
No one could shake that, no one!
....
"Zhou-kun!"
In the courtyard, Zhou Ming was refining the true essence within his body when Oda Hirakura suddenly walked over, looking serious.
"The emperor has summoned me to the palace, and..." He stared at Zhou Ming, his serious expression tinged with surprise. "The emperor has specifically requested to see you."
"Then let's go," Zhou Ming said calmly, standing up.
Zhou Ming's calm demeanor surprised Oda Hirakura even more.
"Why aren't you surprised at all, as if you already knew the emperor wanted to see you?" Oda Hirakura couldn't help but ask.
"I guessed," Zhou Ming replied.
"... " Oda Hirakura felt like he was being made a fool of by Zhou Ming.
"In fact, the reason is simple." Zhou Ming turned his head to glance at Oda Hirakura, smiling slightly as he walked away, casually explaining, "Because I have enough strength to ensure that even if Nohara Momonosuke gets angry and orders my arrest and execution, or sends troops to surround and attack me, I have the ability to survive, escape, fight back, or even directly break into the palace and kill my way through."
"My strength is powerful enough, so I don't need to be so cautious when doing things."
"Moreover, since Nohara Momonosuke is able to hold the world's number one samurai tournament, how could he bear to kill me before the tournament even starts?"
Oda Hirakura was stunned by Zhou Ming's words. He felt that Zhou was too audacious and rebellious, and extremely arrogant, to the point of being overbearing!
So much so that he even overlooked the fact that Zhou Ming called the emperor "Nohara Momonosuke" by his full name.
"When shall we go to see him?"
"Now" Zhou Ming asked hastily as they walked a few steps.
"No, two hours later, after the emperor has finished his lunch," Oda Hirakura replied.
"Yes, it's already noon, we should eat too." Zhou Ming suddenly realized, "Let's eat first, let's see what special dishes Kyoto has to offer. Can you arrange it for us?"
"Fine, fine," Oda Hirakura nodded helplessly, suddenly feeling very tired.
Meanwhile, at the west gate of Kyoto City.
A team of over three hundred people approached the foot of the city gate in a grand manner.
Two people were guarded in the middle by a group of bodyguards. One was a middle-aged man riding a chestnut-red horse, with a square face and a majestic aura that permeated his entire being. The other was a young man riding a black horse, with cold and stern features, a straight posture, and an overall appearance like an unsheathed knife, menacingly sharp.
The middle-aged man looked up at the city wall and a myriad of emotions appeared on his face. He whispered, "Kyoto... I'm back."
With a sigh, he turned his head and cast a look of appreciation and anticipation at the young man.
"Oishi-kun, this is where you will make a name for yourself!"
<quillbot-extension-portal></quillbot-extension-portal>
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง