Green smoke drifted away; the pine resin had already burned out. The Gold Talisman on the low table shone with golden light, yet the three people seated around it were not looking at the Gold Talisman, only maintaining a thoughtful silence. After a long while, Kakizaki Mitsuhiro finally looked to his father, Takeda Nobuhiro, performed a prostrating bow, and said in a low voice.
"Lord Nobuhiro! Your Buddha-light has illuminated the bodhi tree within my heart and greatly benefited me... May the Buddha bless you! Your son does not wish for storehouses full of gold, only that you gain more fortune and longevity, and continue to guide the path of our house!..."
After speaking, Kakizaki Mitsuhiro bowed again. Hearing his son's blessing, Takeda Nobuhiro felt somewhat comforted, but on his face he merely nodded slightly.
"Rise! There is no need for so much ceremony. My son, fortune and longevity are both fixed by fate, and cannot be begged for."
"Yes!..."
Kakizaki Mitsuhiro respectfully rose. Watching his father's expression, he pondered for a moment before saying softly.
"Father... I negotiated trade with that chieftain of the Sanda Tribe for an entire day. His speech and knowledge struck straight to the key points again and again, and he also understood poetry and Buddhist principles, and could calculate the prices of goods... He simply did not seem like an ordinary Sanda chieftain, but rather a little like a warrior house member who had received instruction from a famous teacher and had also seen much of the world. More importantly, he can write Classical Chinese and can converse in writing with Elder Kudo!..."
"Mm?! He can write Classical Chinese, understands poetry and Buddhist principles, and is versed in calculation?"
Hearing this sentence, Takeda Nobuhiro was visibly startled. He furrowed his brows and looked to