Enemies Meet, Eyes Burning Red!

Yamauchi Kazutoyo had no money at all. The moment those words left his mouth, Sobue Kan'emon was already panicking.

Yet Yamauchi Kazutoyo showed no sign of panic. Meeting the blazing gaze of the village elder called Chubei, he said without backing down, "I am Yamauchi Iemon, head of the Yamauchi family of Kuroda Township, Haguri District."

Yamauchi?

Chubei did remember that surname. After all, this place had once been territory of the Iwakura Oda clan.

But seeing Yamauchi Kazutoyo empty-handed, Chubei still instinctively asked, "My lord honors this humble residence with your presence. This humble one is deeply honored."

"However, those ten kan of coins..."

"Who have you ever seen carrying ten kan of coins on them?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo replied with a curl of his lip.

Ten thousand copper coins weighed dozens of pounds. What decent person went out with that much money on their back?

"Is this how you receive guests, sir?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo's expression darkened.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo had publicly declared a ten-kan wedding gift and looked so utterly fearless that Chubei could not gauge his true background for the moment.

Still, this was his own turf, and Chubei was not afraid that Yamauchi Kazutoyo had any ill intentions.

"Yes, yes, this humble one has been discourteous. Lord Yamauchi, please come inside and take a seat." Chubei hurriedly ushered Yamauchi Kazutoyo through the door.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo did not stand on ceremony. He swaggered straight into Chubei's residence.

Chubei clearly had a solid fortune. He actually lived in a residence with its own courtyard. A main house stood in the middle, with several rooms on either side. He had skimmed quite a bit of fat over the years—his home was nearly on par with Maeno Tokiyuki's.

Several loquat trees grew in the courtyard, their golden-orange fruit giving off an enticing fragrance.

Dozens of men and women, young and old, turned their eyes toward Yamauchi Kazutoyo, all curious about his identity.

"My lord, please take the seat of honor!" Naturally, Chubei did not dare place Yamauchi Kazutoyo at one of the seats beneath the outer veranda. Instead, he invited him into the inner room.

Sobue Kan'emon and Kichibē followed at Yamauchi Kazutoyo's left and right. Once they entered, a newlywed couple was kneeling before a Buddhist statue, seemingly in the midst of a ceremony.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo distinctly felt Kichibē beside him shudder. His right hand had already gone to the short sword at his waist.

Not understanding why, Yamauchi Kazutoyo gave a soft snort and sat down as though nothing had happened.

Chubei went over to the monk in the corner and whispered a few instructions into his ear. Soon afterward, the chanting resumed.

The wedding ceremony was underway, so Chubei could hardly step forward to discuss the wedding gift with Yamauchi Kazutoyo. After sitting back down, he immediately put on a smile and watched his son with keen interest.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo turned his head and asked, "Kichibē, what is it?"

Kichibē's fingers clenched tightly around the short sword at his waist, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

"My lord, it's him!"

"When we encountered those fallen-warrior hunters last time, he was the one leading them." Kichibē stared fixedly at the groom in the center. He would never forget that figure for the rest of his life.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo narrowed his eyes and examined him closely. He, too, confirmed that today's groom was one of the fallen-warrior hunters who had attacked the Yamauchi party last time. Kichibē's mother, Goto's wife, had died at the hands of that group of fallen-warrior hunters.

That man seemed to be called Nehei?

Just then, the wedding officiant finished reciting the blessing, and the name "Nehei" appeared in it as well.

A glint of killing intent surfaced in Yamauchi Kazutoyo's eyes. Truly, enemies met on a narrow road.

"Come, come, Lord Yamauchi. Please try the sake this humble one prepared."

"It is not some famous specialty known far and wide, but it is no easy thing to find such a drink in the countryside. I hope Lord Yamauchi will not disdain it."

After the ceremony ended, the newlyweds went to change clothes. Chubei carried a jug of sake and sat before Yamauchi Kazutoyo, his eyes studying him all the while.

Earlier, he had been stunned by the "ten kan" and Yamauchi Kazutoyo's imposing air. But now Chubei had come back to his senses. Yamauchi Kazutoyo would not visit a temple without cause; these "ten kan" were probably too hot to handle.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo lifted his cup with an amused smile. "Chubei, this does not seem like the place to discuss business, does it?"

"Look at this foolish head of mine!" Chubei slapped his forehead. "Right, right, right. Lord Yamauchi, please come with me."

With that, Chubei left the gathering to his family and led Yamauchi Kazutoyo toward the back of the courtyard.

Not simple at all—Chubei even had a Buddhist hall in his home.

Sobue Kan'emon and Kichibē stopped at the doorway, while Yamauchi Kazutoyo bent over and entered the cramped little room.

"There will be no outsiders here to disturb us. Lord Yamauchi, please speak plainly."

Chubei had now recovered from his surprise. Yamauchi Kazutoyo must be asking something of him, or he would never have declared a ten-kan wedding gift.

Earlier, Chubei had also asked the young retainers who had led the way. Yamauchi Kazutoyo appeared to be a samurai of the Maeno family at Matsukura Castle.

Thinking of how Inagi Estate had recently been granted to Maeno Nagayasu by Oda Nobunaga, Chubei had already guessed the purpose of Yamauchi Kazutoyo's visit.

"One does not speak falsehoods before the Buddha. I have come regarding this year's annual tribute from Inagi Estate." Yamauchi Kazutoyo respectfully bowed to the statue of the Medicine Buddha in the center of the hall.

Chubei wore an expression of having known it all along, then said in a low voice, "Lord Yamauchi, are you the magistrate sent by the Maeno family?"

"Yes." Yamauchi Kazutoyo handed Chubei the letter of appointment signed by Maeno Tokiyuki.

Chubei could not read at all. He stared at the seal mark on it for a long while but could make neither head nor tail of it.

"Since you are a magistrate sent by the Maeno family, then the annual tribute certainly ought to be paid."

"It is only... our village truly has its difficulties." Chubei silently folded the document and handed it back to Yamauchi Kazutoyo.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo understood that this was merely an excuse. He had never expected to collect the annual tribute on the strength of a single document.

"What difficulties, specifically?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo followed Chubei's lead.

Chubei answered, "That is a long story."

"Inagi Estate lies at the junction of the territories of the Iwakura Oda clan, the Kiyosu Oda clan, and the Inuyama Oda family. In previous years, the annual tribute amounted to 450 kanmon."

"Although the four villages including our Yamajiri Village paid annual tribute to the Iwakura Oda clan, the Iwakura Oda clan was not our only lord. We also paid annual tribute to Inuyama Castle."

"After the Iwakura Oda clan lost the great battle at Ukino last year, Inuyama Castle sent men to collect the annual tribute early this year."

"Lord Yamauchi, you know how things are. With war raging year after year, farmers have hard lives."

"Yamajiri Village has just paid its annual tribute to Inuyama Castle. In such a short time, we truly cannot gather enough money to send to Matsukura Castle." Chubei laid out Inagi Estate's circumstances for Yamauchi Kazutoyo in detail.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo curled his lip. I didn't come here to listen to you tell stories.

Still, it was true that farmers lived hand to mouth in this era. Yamauchi Kazutoyo had felt that deeply of late.

Wait, I'm a samurai—the ruling class of feudal Japan in the Warring States period! How can I sympathize with these lowborn peasants?

No, no. That way of thinking is far too dangerous!

"What kind of reasoning is that?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo said indignantly.

"Farmers suffer, but do you think samurai lords have it easy?"

"You farmers only need to cultivate the land, while we samurai lords have far more to consider."

"If a few farmers starve to death, the land will still be yours. But if the samurai lords starve to death, who will provide you with protection?"

Chubei began pouring out his hardships again. "Lord Yamauchi, the people of this village truly have no money left. How about this? This humble one will grit his teeth and scrape together a few kan for you."

"A few kan?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo raised a brow. Was he feeding a beggar?

"The wedding gift I offered you was ten kan, yet you think a mere few kan will send me away?"

Chubei immediately became displeased.

"Lord Yamauchi, if you put it that way, then we need to have a proper talk."

"This humble one has not seen those ten kan. You cannot use something that does not exist as a bargaining chip, can you?" Chubei's expression turned unfriendly.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo leaned forward slightly, a faint smile in his eyes. "Who said it doesn't exist?"