Until the last day, Zhang Heng still couldn't decide which katana he should bring back to reality.
Zhang Heng thought about it and decided that it was better to consult a professional for professional questions.
So, he carried Kiku-ichimonji and Juzumaru, as well as the nameless katana that Akane Koyama gave him, to the most famous katana in Kyoto.
Since he had been coming here to look at the katana and specifically told the shop owner to keep the famous katana for him, the shop owner and the little monk (waiter) already knew him.
When they saw him, they immediately smiled. "Abe-sama, today isn't the day to stock up. Why are you here?"
Zhang Heng casually gave the little monk who opened the door five cents, and the latter's grin almost reached the back of his head.
"Ah, I'm not here to buy katana today. I have a few katana that I want to have appraised."
The agent and the producer (senior manager) looked at each other and laughed.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng asked.
"You're here at the right time today. The boss is usually not in the shop. I don't know why, but he came here early today. This is a good opportunity. There's no sword in this world that the boss doesn't know. From the works of famous masters to the weapons made by ordinary blacksmiths, he can identify them at a glance."
"Is he that good?" Zhang Heng was a little surprised.
"So, no matter what questions you have related to katana, just ask him. Of course, it's best if your katana can catch his eye," the shop owner said with a smile.
"That's the only thing you don't have to worry about. Please introduce me to him," Zhang Heng said.
"Come with me." The shop owner brought Zhang Heng to a tea room behind the katana house.
A skinny old man was brewing tea there.
"This customer hopes that you can appraise his katana," the shop owner bowed and reminded him.
"Thank you for your hard work," the old man replied and nodded in thanks.
The man then left the house, and the old man pointed at the tatami on the ground. When Zhang Heng saw this, he saluted and sat down. He had spent some time in Japan during the Tokyo Drift quest, but etiquette wasn't as important back then. Basically, he could sit however he wanted.
Now, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. He also learned a little bit about the traditional Japanese sitting posture. The joints of the feet were stretched as far as possible, the instep and calf were kept flat on the mat, and the heel and toes were used as support … Of course, it was still not very comfortable. It was said that this kind of sitting posture, which was similar to corporal punishment, was also brought over from China.
However, in the subsequent history of China, it seemed that no one had ever sat like this again.
The boss did not mention anything about evaluating Zhang Heng's sword, and Zhang Heng was not in a hurry. Anyway, it was still early, and there was still half a day before the end of the quest. He sat there and watched the boss make tea.
The Japanese tea ceremony was divided into two major sects, matcha and jiancha. But in fact, both originated from China. The former was passed down from the Tang Dynasty, and the latter from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Of course, after it came to Japan, it developed separately. It was said that the earliest tea seeds were brought back by Tsutomu, who studied in China during the Nara Period.
Senrikyu was the master of the tea ceremony, and his thoughts and ideas had a great impact on later generations.
The boss was obviously quite knowledgeable about this. He lit the charcoal and boiled the water in one go. Then, he warmed the bowls and placed the hand-ground tea powder into the bowls. He mixed the cream and the tea, stirring it with a teapot until it produced a thick foam (you can imagine how to brush the pot). His movements were full of rhythm. Finally, he poured the tea into two bowls.
Zhang Heng took one of the bowls from the boss and showed the pattern on the bowl to the boss to express his gratitude.
After that, he took a sip.
Well, he couldn't taste much of a difference.
"Good patience," a smile appeared on the boss's thin face. He seemed to know what Zhang Heng was thinking and shook his head. "Forget it. Let's talk about the sword."
Zhang Heng took out the first sword and handed it over.
"Juzumaru." As expected, the boss only took a glance and said, "Heian Era, forged by Qingjiang Hengji. The blade is two feet, five inches and one minute long. The bracelet on the saber belonged to its previous owner, Master Nichiren. This is a famous Buddhist saber, but it fell into the hands of the executioner. It was entrusted to the wrong person, and the evil energy that had disappeared has returned. I need to find a Buddhist temple to recuperate for a while. "
"Boss, you are indeed a person who can recognize knives." Zhang Heng handed over the second knife.
"Heh, Kiku-ichimonji, you have quite a few good swords." The owner stroked the blade, "Do you see the quenching marks on it? It's deeper than ordinary swords. This technique is called Ichimonji Tetsu, a work of the Ichimonji school. The author was the Ichimonji Tetsu of the Kamakura period. The blade is two feet and four inches, and its most famous owner is Okita Soki. It's a pity that this famous sword finally found its destined owner, but he died young. If you listen carefully, you can still hear its mournful wail. A sentimental man with a sentimental sword, in the end, is just a mistake made by love."
After listening to the boss's comments, Zhang Heng fell into silence. After a while, he raised his head, "What I want to ask is, which of these two swords is more suitable for me?"
The boss did not answer immediately. Instead, he said, "Don't you have another sword? Why don't you take it out?"
"That sword is just a gift from a friend. Although it means a lot to me, I'm afraid it won't catch your eye," Zhang Heng said.
The boss did not retract his hand. "It's up to me to decide whether it catches my eye, not you. So, do you want to comment on it or not?"
"As you wish." Zhang Heng finally handed over the ordinary Tachi that Akane Koyama gave him.
"Hmm, this saber is really so-so. The person who made the saber is so-so, and the original owner is also so-so. It doesn't even have a name, and the inscription is also blank. Maybe it's too embarrassing. I can't find a single word or sentence about it in the history books. It can't even compare to the ones I have in my shop."
Zhang Heng did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had already said that the sword was mediocre, but the old man in front of him insisted on commenting on it. In the end, he gave the sword another round of harsh criticism. It was a classic example of looking for trouble.
"Anyway, this sword was given to me by a friend. It's a token of his appreciation." Zhang Heng reached out, wanting to take back the sword.
However, the boss did not let go immediately. "In that case, choose this one," he said.
"Huh?"
"I said, choose this one," the boss said faintly. "Juzumaru belongs to Master Nichiren, and Kiku-ichimonji belongs to Okita Soki. Both of them left their own mark on the sword in their own way. So, this is their sword, and only theirs."
Zhang Heng was moved when he heard the boss's words.
It doesn't matter if it doesn't have a name. You can give it a name. It doesn't matter if it doesn't have a history. You can write it yourself. Writing your history is also its history. What's more, this sword has been entrusted with your feelings. This is your sword. "The boss was like a devil, constantly tempting Zhang Heng.
"So, you don't want me to bring these two famous swords out of this quest?" Zhang Heng asked. He had already vaguely guessed the boss's identity, so he decided to lay his cards on the table.
The boss took a sip of tea and smiled. "This is your choice. I'm only responsible for providing advice. Once you've made your decision, don't regret it."
"But even after you said so much, you can't hide the flaws of this sword." Zhang Heng was speechless.
"You know very well that nothing in this world is perfect," the boss said leisurely. "Swords are the same as people. Who doesn't have times when they are down and out? Many emperors, generals, and ministers also started out in the wilderness. The key is to have a benefactor to help them."
"So … I'm wondering if you're saying that I'm the sucker who gave you a hand?"
"Hehe." The boss's smile was very annoying. He had long lost the sage-like demeanor he had when he was making tea. "I said, the choice is yours. Maybe it will help you someday."
Little Adorkable said.
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