Dongying.
Kyoto.
Tokugawa Ieyasu's mansion.
In the spacious and luxurious wooden house, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was wearing a black robe, sat comfortably on the tatami. He held an exquisite white porcelain cup in his hand and quietly watched the snowflakes outside the door.
Beside him, a simple stove was burning brightly. On the stove, a simple iron pot was boiling fragrant tea. The steam was dense, and the fragrance of the tea filled the air. There was a simple wooden table in front of him, and an exquisite tea set was placed on top of the wooden table. On the tall sword rack behind him, seven swords of different lengths were placed horizontally on it.
In the flower pond outside the door, a red plum blossomed proudly. The red plum blossom was ancient and handsome. In the heavy snow, it swayed gently in the slight cold wind. It looked extremely delicate, like a dancing flame.
Tokugawa Ieyasu loved snowy days the most. Every time it started to snow, he would reject all his official business and return to the mansion. He would sit alone in the house and then open the door wide. He would drink tea and drink wine while admiring the snowy scenery. It was only at this time that he could calm his heart down.
Today, it was snowing heavily and the plum blossoms were blooming in the garden. Tokugawa Ieyasu was in a good mood. He rejected all his official business early and quietly drank tea and enjoyed the scenery alone in the house.
"General." Outside the side door, a woman's voice sounded. "There's a guest outside the door."
"Hmm?" Tokugawa Ieyasu looked a little displeased. "Didn't I tell you not to see anyone at this time?" The woman outside the door was one of his personal guards. She was mainly responsible for Tokugawa Ieyasu's safety and food in the mansion.
She knew her habits very well. What was going on today? Tokugawa Ieyasu was confused.
"General." The woman outside the door said respectfully, "Yes, the person outside is Yagyuu."
"Yagyuu?" Tokugawa Ieyasu asked impatiently, "Which Yagyuu?"
"General, it's Yagyuu Ryūnosuke." The woman's tone was very serious.
"Yagyuu Ryūnosuke?" Tokugawa Ieyasu was shocked when he heard the name.
He immediately put down the white porcelain cup in his hand and quickly walked to the side door. He pushed the sliding door open.
Outside the side door, a woman in a bright red kimono was kneeling there. Her hair was tied up in a bun, her skin was like snow, and her face was like the rosy clouds of the morning sun.
"Are you sure it's him?" Tokugawa Ieyasu lowered his head and asked the woman kneeling there.
"It is indeed him." The woman lowered her head and said.
"How are you sure?" Tokugawa Ieyasu asked again.
"The saber on his body is the Black Dragon Saber," the woman replied.
"It's really him?" Tokugawa Ieyasu sounded excited. "Then what are you waiting for? Quick, invite him in! "
"Yes." The woman kneeling on the floor bowed and nodded.
"No, no, no," Tokugawa Ieyasu said as he walked quickly into the room. "Keiko, hurry up and change my clothes. I'll do it myself!"
The woman outside the door immediately stood up and walked into the room. She helped Tokugawa Ieyasu change his clothes.
In Dongying, other than the Emperor, the only person who could make Tokugawa Ieyasu personally welcome him was Yagyu Ryuuke. This person was like a legend in Japan. Everyone knew about him, but very few people had actually seen him.
It was rumored that this person was the reincarnation of a black dragon. When he was born, a black dragon appeared in the sky above his house. What was even more amazing was that this person was born with a black dragon-shaped birthmark on his right arm. The head, eyes, scales, and body were very lifelike. His father saw that this child was born with auspicious signs and a black dragon, so he named him Ryuuke.
Not long after Ryuuke was born, an envoy from Ise Grand Shrine came. This Ise Grand Shrine was a national shrine in Japan that worshipped the Amaterasu God. It was made up of two shrines. The outer shrine worshipped the Harvest God while the inner shrine worshipped the Amaterasu God.
This Ise Grand Shrine was very mysterious in Japan. Every 20 years, it would be burned down and rebuilt. It kept one of the three divine weapons that symbolized imperial power, the Yata no Kagami. It was rumored that the Amaterasu God once said that seeing this mirror was like seeing her real body.
There were hundreds of clergy in the shrine. There were two highest positions, called the Head of Sacrifice and the Grand Palace Secretary. The Head of Sacrifice had to be a woman, but the Grand Palace Secretary didn't have any special requirements.
Every year, at a certain time, the Emperor would personally come to Ise Grand Shrine to pray for peace and prosperity.
Seeing that the envoy from Ise Grand Shrine had come, Ryuuke's parents didn't dare to be slow. They hurriedly knelt down and bowed. The envoy told them that this child was the reincarnation of the black dragon under the Amaterasu God. This time, they were bringing this child back to the shrine.
When Ryuuke's parents heard this news, they were overjoyed. One had to know that it was already a great honor to be able to enter Ise Grand Shrine to serve the Amaterasu God. Now that they knew that their child was the black dragon under the Amaterasu God, they were even more overjoyed.
After saying a few words of blessings, the envoy brought the newly born Ryuuke back to Ise Grand Shrine.
This Ryuuke was the reincarnation of the black dragon. In addition, he had been nurtured and blessed by the clergy in the shrine. In just 18 years, he had grown into a young expert with unfathomable cultivation and mysterious spells.
It was rumored that whenever a monster appeared in Japan, Ryuuke would appear there. After subduing the monster, he would return to the shrine.
The Black Dragon Sword in his hand was said to be given to him by the Amaterasu God himself. It was used to slay monsters and demons. Its power was amazing. There was once someone who went out to sea at night to fish. He saw a young man with a long sword and dragon tattoos on his arm fighting with a strange fish in the sea. He also saw the power of the Black Dragon Sword with his own eyes. It was said that there was a black dragon coiling around the blade. When the strange fish spirit saw the sword, it obediently surrendered without any resistance.
Of course, these were only rumors. Other than the people from Ise Grand Shrine, no one had really seen Ryuuke's true face. Even Tokugawa Ieyasu had only seen the Black Dragon Sword placed beside the altar in Ise Grand Shrine. The female guard named Keiko had also seen the Black Dragon Sword because she was with Tokugawa Ieyasu at that time.
Who else could wield the Black Dragon Sword other than Ryuuke?
Tokugawa Ieyasu thought as he changed into a simple and solemn formal suit. He had grown up listening to the rumors of the Dragon Realm. He had always hoped that one day he would be able to see this legendary hero with his own eyes. Now that Ryuuke had personally come to visit, how could he not be happy?
After dressing up, Tokugawa Ieyasu quickly walked out of the house and came to the door.
Keiko held the umbrella for Tokugawa Ieyasu and followed closely behind. She was his personal guard. No matter where Tokugawa Ieyasu went, she had to follow him closely.
After Tokugawa Ieyasu tidied up his clothes, he personally opened the door respectfully.
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