Kōfuku-ji and the Daimyo

Hashirama below the stage, watching his son curled up, trembling, and utterly defeated on stage, he felt a pang of sadness and bitterness in his heart.

He knew perfectly well that the Yūki was just an act, and the emotional Suggestion that Izuna had exerted earlier had long since dissipated; his son would no longer be troubled by fear.

But as a father, seeing his child in such a vulnerable and desperate state still breaks his heart.

He looked at Madara beside him. "Madara, do you know the rest of the story?"

Madara was silent for a moment, then said, "The Taira perished. Although I don't know the exact fate of Koremori, his end... was unlikely to be good."

In chaotic times, what good can come of a noble young master burdened with the shame of a crushing defeat?

Hashirama let out a long sigh, the pent-up frustration in his chest still lingering.

He knew it was a drama, history, but it was precisely because he knew the bleak ending, and watched the characters in the play walk step by step into the abyss, that he felt even more powerless and burdened.

He turned his attention back to the stage that had now changed.

On the stage, Kiyomori flew into a rage upon learning that Fujikawa's 70,000-strong army had collapsed without a fight and that its commander, Koremori, was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Useless! All of you are utterly useless! Seventy thousand people were terrified by a flock of water birds! The Taira has lost all face!"

His chest heaved with rage, his eyes blazing with fury. "Koremori! That good-for-nothing! Exile him! Exile him to a deserted island! And Fujiwara no Tadamichi! Cut off his head! As a warning to others!"

"Father, please calm down!" Tomomori and Shigehira hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him.

Tomomori said, "Koremori has suffered a devastating defeat; exiling him now would be tantamount to driving him to his death! Although General Zhong Qing has made mistakes, they do not warrant death. Moreover, executing a general at this time would further destabilize the army!"

Shigehira spoke earnestly, "Father, Minamoto no Yoritomo's power is great, and the Eastern Provinces are unstable. Now is the time when we need capable people, and internal stability is even more crucial. Koremori simply needs time to recover. Please, Father, reconsider!"

The two brothers pleaded with him repeatedly, explaining the consequences, before they were able to suppress Kiyomori's almost bursting murderous intent and the exile order.

However, misfortunes never come singly.

News of the disastrous defeat at Fujikawa spread like wildfire, severely damaging the prestige of the Taira.

The Relocation to Fukuhara was already unpopular, and now, under pressure from various forces and undercurrents, Kiyomori had no choice but to make a humiliating decision.

They abandoned Fukuhara and moved the Capital back to Kyoto.

Throughout the court, whether they were nobles who genuinely missed Kyoto or members of the Taira who had long been fed up with seaside life, everyone was eager to begin packing their bags.

The returning convoy was even more panicked and disheveled than when they arrived, as if behind them was not the sea, but a ferocious beast ready to devour them.

But Kyoto is not all smooth sailing.

The monks of Kōfuku-ji in Southern Capital were restless once again.

They were already dissatisfied with the Taira, and when they learned that the Taira had been forced to return to the capital, their first reaction was not relief, but suspicion and fear.

It is suspected that the Taira's return this time is to thoroughly Settlement and take revenge on the temple forces that previously supported Prince Mochihito their Kōfuku-ji being the first target!

Suspicion is like a poisonous vine, growing and spreading rapidly.

Kiyomori's original intention was to ease tensions, so he sent an unarmed Envoy to Kōfuku-ji to try to explain and appease them, and to show his sincerity.

However, the monks, blinded by fear and hatred, refused to listen to any words.

They viewed the Envoy as the vanguard of the Taira's revenge, and launched a ruthless attack under the pretext of "avenging Onjōji!"

The Delegation of sixty people perished. Their blood stained the stone steps in front of the temple.

When the news reached Kyoto, it was like pressing a red-hot iron onto Kiyomori's already boiling anger caused by the humiliation of returning the capital and the rise of Minamoto no Yoritomo.

"This is outrageous! This is outrageous!!" Kiyomori was completely enraged, his last shred of reason burned away.

He no longer cared about political repercussions or his reputation for posterity; he only wanted to crush anything that dared to challenge the authority of the Taira in the most ruthless and direct way!

"Shigehira!" he shouted sharply, his eyes filled with a madness that sought to destroy everything.

"Here." Shigehira stepped forward, a sense of foreboding already creeping into his heart.

"Take your troops to Southern Capital! Raze Kōfuku-ji to the ground! Leave not a single one of those bald monks alive!" Kiyomori's voice was like a chilling wind from hell. "I will let the world know what the consequences are for those who rebel against the Taira!"

Shigehira's heart sank. He knew what this order meant. But he could neither disobey his enraged father nor change the irreconcilable conflict between the Taira and the temple forces. He could only obey.

The army marched towards Southern Capital Nara.

Initially, Shigehira attempted to control the situation, ordering his army to suppress the enemy with Archery and dispatching Ninjas for precise raids and decapitations, hoping to force the Warrior Monks to surrender with minimal losses and end the battle as soon as possible.

However, the Warrior Monks of Kōfuku-ji resisted with exceptional tenacity. They were familiar with the terrain and used the temple buildings to set up layers of defenses. The battle continued from day to night and remained deadlocked.

His subordinates anxiously advised, "Lord Shigehira! The longer we wait, the more complications may arise! The Warrior Monks are fierce and brave, and we fear they may receive reinforcements from other temples! We must act swiftly and decisively!"

Looking at the silent temple complex that stood like a giant beast in the night, Shigehira knew that this battle had dragged on for too long and a swift victory was necessary.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only a cold resolve remained.

"... Ignite the fire," he said hoarsely. "Light up the battlefield, launch a full-scale assault."

Torches were lit, and the crowd ran towards Kōfuku-ji, torches in hand.

A spark landed on the dry wood.

Flames shot up and spread rapidly.

Once the fire started, it became uncontrollable thanks to the night wind.

The orange flames greedily licked at the ancient beams, exquisite murals, and mountains of scriptures...

Kōfuku-ji, a temple with a long history and a prestigious status, was transformed into a burning inferno before Shigehira's eyes.

Kakkō shot into the sky, illuminating Shigehira's pale face and his fiery red hair.

A wave of heat hit me, accompanied by the crackling sound of wood popping and the acrid smell of something being completely burned.

He stood there, motionless.

Even knowing it was just an act, with familiar companions and audience members below the stage, and the flames burning on stage being merely Genjutsu, the chill that rose from the depths of one's heart felt incredibly real.

Flames, flames again.

The raging flames of Onjōji are now the devastating fire of Kōfuku-ji... each time more intense, each time closer to utter destruction.

This fire, as if possessing its own life and will, burned down Kōfuku-ji and, not content with that, the night wind carried the sparks across the streets and towards Tōdai-ji, which was not far away.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Southern Capital Nara, was engulfed in flames.

Kōfuku-ji, Tōdai-ji... and many other ancient temples were reduced to ashes in this out-of-control fire.

On the stage, the Genjutsu created a raging inferno that turned half the sky an ominous blood red.

Uzumaki Sōsuke, playing the role of Shigehira, stands before the "sea of fire".

His striking red hair danced in the heat, as if it too wanted to merge into the flames of destruction.

Uzumaki Sōsuke finally understood why Senju Yūki's mind had been shaken and even collapsed for a moment because of this mere theatrical performance.

Although the "sea of fire" before us was Genjutsu, the overwhelming sense of despair, symbolizing the destruction of Civilization, was so real and heavy.

This is not a life-or-death struggle between two armies; this is the barbaric destruction of culture.

When the order is given, flames ignite, and regardless of the reason, the executor will be branded with an eternal mark by this raging inferno.

And he, Uzumaki Sōsuke, merely acting out the scene, merely witnessing the simulated spectacle, felt a chill and suffocation from the bottom of his heart.

In real history, what must Taira no Shigehira have felt as he stood before the actual Great Fire of Nara, watching the flames he himself had set engulf the ancient temple?

The audience.

The young Daimyo was completely immersed in the drama, his folding fan opening and closing unconsciously in his hand.

From initial skepticism and scrutiny to now being deeply captivated by the joys and sorrows of the characters on stage and by this meticulously constructed audiovisual world, his emotions rise and fall with the rise and fall of the Taira.

In the past, when I listened to the Biwa Hōshi reciting "The Tale of the Heike", the descriptions of "birds startling the army" and "flames burning the temple" were just trivial records in the history books to him. It was hard for him to imagine what kind of scene it was that could cause tens of thousands of troops to collapse and cause a family to bear the infamy for thousands of years.

Now he understands.

When the simulated flapping of birds' wings roared like Heavenly Punishment, when the Genjutsu flames illuminated the stage as if it were purgatory.

When Koremori huddled on the ground, when Shigehira stood woodenly before the fire... the shock and despair that struck the soul were far more intense than any words could describe.

He also vaguely sensed that Uchiha Izuna's purpose in orchestrating this whole charade might actually be quite simple.

This proves that his Biwa skills are sufficient to support a grand narrative, and incidentally demonstrates that Genin can also perform high art, thus securing a better image and more favorable terms for alliances for the village.

But by now, everyone understands that this has long since transcended a simple "talent show."

This is a magnificent feast, a profound depiction of the complexities of human nature and the vicissitudes of fate.

It is foreseeable that when this play comes to an end, the nobles, Daimyo, and even ordinary audience members present will have a greatly changed perception of "Ninjas ".

It turns out that Ninjutsu can not only be used for assassination and destruction, but also to create such a realistic and artistically captivating illusion.

It turns out that Ninjas were not just killing machines who knew only how to obey orders; they could also delicately interpret joys and sorrows, and understand and portray the weight of history.

For these pampered and refined nobles, a performance that could immerse them and touch their hearts was sometimes far more valuable than ten victories on the battlefield.

Of course, displaying force is also one of the purposes, but this force has been cleverly packaged under the guise of drama, so that people do not feel threatened and therefore do not feel afraid.

The young Daimyo gently waved his folding fan, thinking to himself: It seems that the alliance with Konohagakure will proceed much more smoothly than expected.

Who wouldn't want a Ninja village that could provide both strong military support and cultural satisfaction for the nobility?

Especially... he glanced at the whispering nobles around him, clearly captivated.

To be more specific, who wouldn't want a loyal and reliable Guardian Ninja like "Higa Shintarō" in the series?

Or perhaps a nimble yet close bodyguard like "Higa Takuichi"?

Like Hinata Rei's portrayal of "Higa Shinrei," a special existence who is beautiful, calm, and Strength, and can also accompany the female members of the main family, bringing some warmth and comfort?

Uchiha Izuna's character development was terrifyingly successful.

Even he himself felt heartbroken for the fate of these fictional Ninjas several times while watching.

He looked helplessly at his wife, Wakako, who was intently watching the stage.

Wakako was muttering to herself, "Ugh, why hasn't Shinrei appeared yet? Why are we even showing those stinky men fighting, killing, burning, and looting? Hurry up and let my Shinrei appear! I want to see her play with the Little Prince, I want to see her Tokuko, even just standing behind Kiyotsune in a daze would be fine!"

Daimyo sighed inwardly. My foolish wife, * the Tale of the Heike * is the history of the rise and fall of the Taira, a tragedy of many caught in the torrent of time, not a "biography of Higa Shinrei"...

However, judging from her infatuated expression, perhaps after the play ends, she should really find an opportunity to talk to Hashirama Senju and see if the Shinrei Hyuga Clan girl who plays Mare is willing to be hired as Wakako's personal bodyguard or lady-in-waiting for a period of time?

Given Konoha's current proactive approach to expanding its external relations, coupled with Wakako's obvious fondness, perhaps it could work out?

But... will Konoha really not rebel?