Warring States Survival Guide
Chapter 133 - 84: Haogui’s New Wine Ball

Chapter 133: Chapter 84: Haogui’s New Wine Ball

After Nozawa met Ningning, satisfied his nostalgic feelings, he didn’t do anything inappropriate. He just gently praised Ningning and Ah Cheng, then continued to chat idly with Asano Nagasuke. However, Asano Nagasuke seemed to have lost interest in chatting and instead showed more concern about Nozawa’s personal circumstances and future ambitions, testing him in his words.

Nozawa didn’t mind, brushed him off for a while, and then took his leave early, politely declining even Asano Nagasuke’s invitation to stay for a meal—there would be ample opportunities in the future, and for a first visit, it was enough to just get acquainted. He would come back to bother the Asano Family often later; one step at a time was best.

Asano Nagasuke genuinely wanted to keep him for a meal, hoping to get to know him better, but seeing his determination to leave, he didn’t insist and courteously escorted him to the gate. Just as the two were exchanging polite farewells, a cavalry team galloped from afar.

The commoners and peddlers on either side of the road quickly dodged out of the way; those who couldn’t avoid in time knelt by the roadside, eyes fixed firmly on the ground, never daring to look up. Nozawa and Asano Nagasuke, of course, didn’t have to do this, but Nozawa was still a little surprised to see the cavalry—seemed to be Oda Nobunaga’s horse-retainers, though there were no banners displaying their heraldry, as if it were just a routine outing.

Sure enough, after a small group of horse-retainers passed, Oda Nobunaga rode a magnificent steed, followed by a contingent of attendant household retainers, passing in front of Asano Nagasuke’s family residence. Spotting Nozawa standing roadside, he was slightly taken aback, reined in his horse, and asked with a curious look, "What are you doing here?"

"Here to pay respects to Lord Asano."

"Oh?" Oda Nobunaga turned to glance at Asano Nagasuke, a puzzled look on his face, and directly asked, "What did he want with you?"

Asano Nagasuke didn’t quite know how to reply. He wasn’t sure what Nozawa’s real intention was either. He looked at Nozawa, who hadn’t expected Oda Nobunaga to be so nosy—even wanting details when he was just visiting a friend. So Nozawa answered, "I’ve long heard of Lord Asano’s renown, so I came to call on him—no other business."

Oda Nobunaga looked at both of them again; though his suspicion didn’t fade, he didn’t press further. He just said, "Your soy sauce is not bad. I’ll have a few barrels sent over later," then urged his horse forward. But as he rode away, he asked something quietly to a large, burly man riding beside him, who had been dozing on horseback. The burly man rubbed his eyes, turned to take a careful look at Nozawa, and when his gaze swept over Ah Man, he paused, said something to Oda Nobunaga, then left the troop and circled back from a distance.

Nozawa didn’t pay it much mind. After bidding farewell to Asano Nagasuke, he was about to leave with Ah Man and Ah Qing. But when he called out to them, neither responded. Following their gaze, he saw the big man slowly returning on horseback and asked in surprise, "What’s wrong?"

Ah Man’s face, for once, was deadly serious, none of her usual friskiness about her. She reached out and lightly shielded him behind her, saying, "That man... something’s not right! You stay back!"

Nozawa instantly became alert as well, but rather than stepping back as Ah Man suggested, he put his hand inside his robe and studied the burly man intently. The man looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, about six feet tall, with a robust, muscular build. His hair was unkempt, like a lion’s mane draped over his broad shoulders. He wore a wash-faded blue jacket, with an old tachi slanted at his waist; the rough hemp rope wrapping on the handle was darkened from sweat, and a slick, shiny sake gourd hung from it—an air of natural boldness and wildness about him, a kind of presence rarely seen on this island called Japan.

As he appraised the big man, the man trotted the horse closer, dismounted from afar, and strode straight toward them with a broad smile and a kind look on his face. Suddenly, Ah Qing stepped out from behind Nozawa, tilting her head slightly and glancing down, her hand gently gripping her sword, her voice clear and cold: "Stop."

At the same time, Ah Man pushed Nozawa aside diagonally, using the leverage to sidestep, hand resting on her own sword hilt, upper body lowered, forming a pincer stance with Ah Qing. Dou Dou crouched low, staring dead at the big man, unblinking, as if ready to pounce and attack his weak left rib at any moment, growling, "Just stand there! We can hear you from here!"

The burly man looked at the two of them, then cast an apologetic smile at Nozawa and actually stopped in his tracks. But he ignored Ah Qing, who was facing him, instead tipping his head, studying Ah Man’s eyebrows for a moment before asking with a friendly smile, "You must be Ah Man, Izumi Hichiji’s disciple? How is your master’s health these days?"

Ah Man held her stance, ever ready to spring, only replying, "You’ve seen me before?"

"Of course. Only that was... seven or eight years ago? Maybe longer." The big man seemed in a good mood, even gesturing with his hand as he spoke, "Back then you were just this little, but your looks haven’t changed much."

"Really? I don’t remember you." Ah Man crouched even lower, hand clenching the hilt tighter, voice steady, "You... know our old man?"

The man shook his head gently, took half a step back and laughed easily: "You misunderstood, no need to be so tense. I have no grudge with Master Izumi Hichiji. Quite the opposite, I owed him a lot back in the day. Now, seeing his disciple, I just wanted to say hello—how is Master Izumi Hichiji? Still in Owari?"

Ah Man still didn’t relax, but after a brief hesitation answered, "He’s healthy as ever, just gotten lazy these past years. He’s farming in Koka Village now!"

"Ah, is that so—what a pity. I wanted to talk some things over with him." The man’s regret seemed genuine. He smiled once more at Ah Man, then approvingly at Ah Qing, then turned to leave.

"Wait, may I ask your name, sir?" Nozawa also realized he was not an ordinary man—after all, the fine hairs on the back of Ah Qing’s neck were standing up, bristling with tension. He urgently needed to find out—on the battlefield, Ah Qing had always been calm and unruffled, showing barely any emotion, and it was his first time seeing her so nervous.

The large man looked back, face still friendly: "Thanks for asking, Lord Nozawa. Just call me Shinshu-maru, no need for formalities. After all... we’ll be seeing much more of each other in the future!"

With that, he mounted up and rode off to catch up with Oda Nobunaga.

Only then did Ah Qing slowly relax, straightened up, and silently retreated behind Nozawa, head bowed as if deep in thought. Ah Man, meanwhile, kneaded her left chest hard, spat viciously at the ground, and muttered curses under her breath.

Nozawa pondered a moment—he couldn’t make sense of what that parting comment meant, and couldn’t help but ask Ah Man, "Shinshu-maru... who is he?"

Ah Man spat again, but her mouth was too dry and the spit just clung to her lips. She hastily wiped it away, her face full of irritation: "Looking like that, with wild hair and a rope-tied sword—he must be that fierce monster from the Owari Banquet Village. But whether he’s really called Shinshu-maru, I’m not sure; maybe it’s a new alias. I never got the details of his past, only ever heard some sordid rumors—he used to roam for many years around Koka, Iga, and Kyoto, loved dueling, and would often kill for no reason. Dozens of skilled fighters died at his hands, he was a notorious killer back in the day."

"Anyway, this guy is bad news. He... I have a feeling he could finish off me and Ah Qing easily, with just two or three strokes! Ah Qing might hold him off for two and a half—me, I probably wouldn’t even have a chance to run."

She cursed low again, "Unbelievable! How could that demon show up here? I haven’t heard a word about him since I grew up—I thought he’d have died ages ago!"

Just now, she’d half thought some old enemy of their mentor had tracked them down—a legendary figure, no less—and she was totally unfit for direct conflict. If Ah Qing lost, killing her would be no trouble at all; she’d nearly pissed herself from fright.

She’d eat two chickens later to recover. This was way too much, she’d almost died today!

"So, a Sword Master?" Nozawa watched Shinshu-maru’s figure recede, surprised that such people truly existed in Japan’s Warring States Period. Maybe someone like Takahara Bocchuan? Fought thirty-seven battles in his life, nineteen duels with famous swordsmen, killed two hundred and twelve men without a scratch?

Ah Man hesitated, then shook her head: "His sword skills must be good, but he’s certainly not a Sword Master, maybe not even a Swordsman. He’s more like one of us, a member of the Koka crowd; he’ll kill people however he likes... Except most of us don’t kill unless necessary—he doesn’t mind at all, may even enjoy it. He’s a weirdo, even among us!"

Nozawa nodded slowly—that made sense. Looked like this Shinshu-maru was the "senior ninja leader" Oda Nobunaga had just recruited. Oda Nobunaga was now putting together his own "ninja" corps—must really be feeling the pressure, grasping for any way to strengthen himself.

Or, maybe after suffering some setbacks, he’d started taking intelligence work seriously and was looking for the right people. In any case, he was maturing rapidly.

Thinking this, Nozawa quickly waved at Ah Man and Ah Qing: "Let’s get going too!"

It’s a little dangerous out here. He needed to get back home and hole up for a while, to grow a bit more.

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