Journey to Seek Past Reincarnations Chapter 9: Accident

In Kyoto two years later, the situation seems to be getting more and more tense. The news that the fallen army was about to attack spread all over the streets and alleys, and everyone felt insecure for fear of going to war. During this period, the members of the Shinsen team seemed to be busier. Only Saburo, still unshakable, came to Omi House to help every now and then, asking for his health. Although Aju still didn't pay much attention to him, the eyes that looked at him seemed to soften.

Saburo sincerely expressed his apology in this way, Aju must have been a little moved.

And even Aju didn't expect that she was pregnant. According to the time calculation, her husband was conceived shortly before the accident, and it has only been more than two months, and it still hasn't shown up. This good news gave Aju a lot of comfort, and her smile gradually increased.

At the end of January, it finally snowed heavily. It snowed for three whole days, and Kyoto seemed to have turned into a silver-white snow capital.

The general manager's cough is getting worse and worse. Occasionally, when he is alone with me, he coughs non-stop.

The fourth day of February is the beginning of spring in Japan. Because I agreed to the general manager, I went to their garrison early. As soon as I got there, the general manager took me into the room, opened all the doors and windows, gave me a lot of beans with a smile, and asked me to shout with them, ghosts go out, Fu comes in, and sprinkled beans at the same time.

Hijikata, Kondo, Saito and a large group of people were smiling and looking at us.

This is the custom of the beginning of spring in Japan. In short, it also means exorcising ghosts and praying for auspiciousness. I also found it very interesting, so I sprinkled beans and shouted: "Ghosts go out, good fortune comes in! Ghosts go out, good fortune comes in!"

I felt a little funny again. I have studied spiritism for so long, but I have never heard that ghosts are afraid of beans.

"Xiaoyin, if you eat beans with the same age as you today, you will have good luck. You are nineteen years old this year, so hurry up." The director gave me another handful of beans with a smile.

"Oh!" I happily picked up a bean and put it in my mouth. As soon as he ate two pills, he saw that the director suddenly turned pale, bent down and coughed violently. Before he could cover it with his hands, he spurted out a big mouthful of blood, and the bright red blood melted on the white snow. The traces were opened, which was particularly shocking. Before everyone could react, the chief vomited a few more mouthfuls of blood, and the bright red drops were like blood-colored cherry blossoms blooming on the snow. I stood there blankly, only hearing the sound of beans falling from my hand to the ground. I have never seen the chief vomit so much blood like today...

Hijikata and Kondo immediately stepped forward to support him. The general manager wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, smiled slightly, and said, "I'm fine."

"Is it all right? You're vomiting blood, how could it be so serious! Didn't you see a doctor!" Tufang completely lost his usual calmness.

"No, don't worry, I'm really fine." The chief still smiled and comforted Hijikata.

"What's wrong with you?" Tufang asked anxiously, looking at the blood on the snow, his face suddenly changed, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Could it be..."

"It's a tuberculosis cough." Saito next to him suddenly interjected. There was no expression on his face, but there was a trace of sadness in his eyes. I looked at him in shock, it turned out that he already knew...

As soon as Saito's words came out, everyone's expressions changed.

"Consumptive cough, is it that kind of red terminal disease?" Kondo murmured.

"How could it be! Impossible!" Yongcang Shinpachi rushed forward, clutching the chief's shoulder tightly, with tears in his eyes, "Impossible, the chief is still so young, how could he have such a disease!"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I made everyone worry." The general manager still smiled gently, and there was a trace of uneasiness in his smile, which made everyone worry.

Everyone was just silent, and there were a few low sobbing sounds from the crowd. The general manager has always been the most popular in the Xinsen group. Hearing such news, some people naturally couldn't hold back.

A trace of heartache flashed in Tufang's eyes, and he said in a low voice, "You don't need to perform any more tasks. Leave here in a few days and go to Senda Valley to recuperate."

The director general was shocked, looked at the soil, shook his head, and said: "Deputy commander, I want to stay here, I can still fight."

"This is an order!" The native's tone became urgent, "Anyone who violates the order will be cut off!"

The director wanted to say something else, I knelt down, held his hand, and whispered: "Enough, director, you have tried your best, you have done a good job. Really, you are great , is the best samurai I have ever seen! If you don’t want everyone to worry anymore, just listen to Mr. Hijikata and get well.”

The general manager was silent for a while, and a faint smile bloomed on his face, "I'm worrying everyone, deputy chief, I will go to Sendagaya." When he said this, I clearly felt his emotion. His fingers were trembling, and he couldn't help but feel sore, and he held him even tighter.

Director, don't work so hard, it's time to stop...

Two days later, Hijikata and Kondo sent the head office away. I really wanted to be with the chief executive, but the mission was not completed yet, and I couldn't leave Kyoto, so I just sent him off on the day the chief executive left.

It snowed heavily that day, and everyone said a lot to the general manager, but I don't remember what they said. Watching the thin back of the chief executive go away, I just stood there quietly. The director looked back slowly, smiled slightly, and then said softly: "Goodbye." At that moment, my heart seemed to be hollowed out...

Director, we will definitely meet again...so, you must wait for me...

It must have been as cold as the snowy weather that day. Souji Okita, the captain of the first team, disappeared forever on the streets of Kyoto from then on, accompanied by only the cold Kikuichi Mononomune and Kaga Kiyomitsu.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and I turned my head inadvertently, only to see that Mr. Hijikata was still standing at the door, looking at the direction where the chief executive was going, with sadness and indescribable loss in his eyes. His black sleeves fluttered in the wind, and his tall figure looked very lonely under the snowflakes all over the sky.

"Mr. Hijikata..." I called out in a low voice.

He withdrew his gaze and said in a low voice, "You should go back too." After finishing speaking, he turned around and entered the garrison without another word.

Deputy Chief Devil, there must be a reason why he embarked on the path of Shura... Even without the mask of a devil, he is just an ordinary person with feelings and flesh and blood.

The days without the chief executive seemed to be deserted all of a sudden. At the beginning of March, there was a sudden news that the fallen army had approached the capital and was about to invade the capital city, and the situation seemed to be even more tense. Shogun Yoshiki Tokugawa's shogunate army and members of the Shinsengumi, who remained in Kyoto, also prepared for the inevitable battle.

That night, there were no guests in Omi House. Just as he was about to close the door, a person suddenly came in from outside the door, it was Hirama Saburo, his expression was unusual, as if he wanted to say something to Aju, Aju was also taken aback when he saw him, but his eyes did not There was no sign of disgust, but a fleeting light flashed on the contrary.

I immediately went up to the second floor wisely, walked into my room, and prepared to go to bed.

Not long after, I could vaguely hear some disputes coming from downstairs, and vaguely heard General Tokugawa's words about leaving Kyoto, but I didn't pay attention to it at the moment. After about four or five minutes, suddenly there was no sound downstairs, and there was a dead silence. I listened for a while, but there was no movement at all, and I felt a little uneasy, so I quickly put on my clothes and walked downstairs. As soon as I got down the stairs, when I looked up, I couldn't help gasping for air at the scene in front of me, and my brain exploded with a bang...

Saburo fell to the ground covered in blood, with a small Taidao stuck in his chest. And the one holding the handle of the Kodachi was Aju, who was also spattered with blood and had dull eyes. I quickly squatted down and stretched out my hand to detect Sanlang's breathing. He was still breathing, but very weakly. It seemed that he was hopeless.

"Why!" I stared at her, "Why did you kill him, to avenge your husband?"

She just looked at Sanlang foolishly, and suddenly burst into tears, shook her head desperately, and said incoherently: "I, I don't want to kill him, I don't want to, I don't know what's going on, I..."

"Aju, calm down, what's going on?"

"He just said that the general left them and the shogunate army fled to Edo overnight, so they are also going back to Edo. He said he wanted me to go with him. In a hurry, I..." She seemed a little Calm down a little.

"Then you don't have to kill him!" I said angrily.

She suddenly smiled sadly, and a strange look flashed across her face and said: "I said I refused, but, can you believe it, I also hope to go with him...I..."

I looked at her straight, and suddenly a thought flashed through my mind, and I said in amazement: "Could it be you, you already like..."

"Stop it!" She covered her ears, "I'm a bad woman, Xiao Yin, I actually treat my husband and enemy...I...I absolutely can't like him, I absolutely can't go with him, Only by doing this can I forget him..."

"You, you idiot!" I pulled her up violently, "You wake up, Aju, I promise, this will be the thing you regret the most in your life!"

She didn't say anything, just stared at Saburo in a daze.

What to do now? I try to keep myself calm. The only thing that can be done is to move Saburo out of here at night, and we must never let Saito or the rest of the Shinsengumi know that Aju did it. Just as I thought of this, I suddenly heard footsteps coming from outside the door. I was shocked for a moment, and was about to press against the door, when I heard a bang, and the wooden door was kicked open heavily.

I don't need to look up to know who is coming. That strong murderous aura, that depressing feeling, can only be possessed by one person here—Saitoichi.

I can't help but smile wryly, what should come will come after all.

He looked at Saburo lying in a pool of blood, a dark red glow appeared in his eyes, his pupils shrank suddenly, and he said to Aju in a cold voice: "Is it you?"

Aju nodded dumbly.

With a sound of swiping, Saito's sword was out of its sheath.

I was startled, and quickly stopped in front of Aju, reaching into my arms to take out the talisman.

"You, get out of the way." A slight surprise flashed in his eyes. He was about to step forward, but someone grabbed the hem of his skirt pants, and when he looked down, it was the dying Saburo. He struggled and said: "No, it's none of her business, let... let..." Before finishing the rest, he tilted his head and lost his breath. The dark red in Saito's eyes became more intense, and his hand holding the knife became tighter.

"Sanlang..." Aju called out in a low voice, "If this is the case, please give me a good time." She just closed her eyes when suddenly she seemed to think of something, and suddenly took two steps back, Trembling: "No, no, I can't die, please, let me go."

You still had an indifferent attitude just now, why are you so flustered all of a sudden? I glanced at her in confusion, and found that her hands were tightly placed on her stomach, and I suddenly realized that Aju was pregnant. No wonder she refused to die anyway, she did it for the child...Suddenly, I understood everything, the reason why Aju cast such a poisonous curse after death was because of this child... If I guessed correctly, Saito There must have been no chance for her to speak out.

Saito looked at her expressionlessly, his eyes even more murderous. There is no time, I was just about to take out the talisman from my pocket, only to feel a cold light flash in front of my eyes, his knife was already pointed at my neck, and he said coldly: "If you want to use the trick to deal with that kind of ronin, I will You're welcome."

I looked at him in shock, and my heart sank suddenly. It turned out that he had discovered it a long time ago... My hand is fast, or his knife is fast, I don't want to know the answer. So, I try not to take that risk if I can.

However, I can't let him kill Aju either. I quickly recited the Vairocana mantra silently, forming a simple barrier around Aju. In this way, at least he can't hurt Aju for a moment.

"Mr. Saito, can you listen to me and say a few words, just a few words." I said calmly.

He thought for a while and said, "Say."

"Mr. Saito said that if you are evil, you will be cut, and all evil will be cut to pieces, right?"

"Good."

"I know, in the eyes of Mr. Saito, Aju is evil now. Then I would like to ask, is the child in her stomach also evil?"

Saito's pupils shrank again, and said, "Child?"

"That's right, Aju is pregnant, this child is not evil. If Mr. Saito wants to kill her, he can cut her up together with the innocent child, but I think this is against your belief that evil is killing Let's go..." Seeing his hesitation, I continued, "In this era, everyone has their own difficulties and reasons for living. Even killing people is sometimes a kind of helplessness. But please, Mr. Saito, I ask you to give this innocent child a chance to see the world and see what the country will look like in the future with his eyes. Maybe his future will no longer have to be spent in blood and rain, Maybe I won't have to speak with the sword in my hand like you again... Please, give him a chance."

The expression on Saito's face was unpredictable, and fine sweat broke out on my forehead again. He looked at me silently, his murderous aura was not as fierce as before, the dark red in his eyes gradually faded, I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"I won't kill you today, but don't think that I just let you go like this. I will come to you when the child is born." He said coldly, putting the knife back into its sheath.

Seeing him retract the knife, I felt relieved, and touched my forehead, which was full of sweat. It's okay, it's okay, no matter what, the task is finally finished...

He bent down to pick up Saburo's body, turned around and walked out the door.

"Mr. Saito, I will go to see the general manager soon." I said suddenly.

He stopped, was silent for a moment, and said: "It's just right, I will go with you. Three days later, I will wait for you outside the village."

"Huh?" I opened my mouth halfway, not knowing how to answer.

He went straight out the door without waiting for my answer.

"Thank you, Xiaoyin." Aju touched her belly and said gratefully to me.

"You don't need to thank me, just thank this child if you want to thank me, and raise her well." I still have some grudges against her killing Saburo.

"But, Mr. Saito didn't mean to wait for the child to be born..."

"He won't." I looked in the direction outside the door and said in a low voice.

As recorded in the history books, before the fall of the shogunate army, Tokugawa Yoshiki, the last general of the shogunate, was already timid when he saw that the situation was not right. , back to Edo. The power of the world, which had been firmly controlled by the shogunate since the Tokugawa Ieyasu era, finally returned to the emperor's hands after more than two hundred years.

The members of the Shinsengumi also withdrew to Edo with Tokugawa Yoshiki.

Three days later, I followed Saitoichi on the way to Sendagaya. Before I met the chief minister, I didn't want to call Si Yin, and I didn't want to go back.