Chapter 119 Saving Face

Toyotomi Hideyoshi did not bring any troops to Oshi Castle. He only brought a dozen or so samurai, his elder brother Toyotomi Hidenaga, and his adopted son and heir, Toyotomi Hidetsugu. He believed that the situation was still uncertain, and that bringing a large army to Oshi Castle would likely cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi entered Oshi Castle without any trouble, and then began to doubt whether his decision had been a mistake. Inside the castle, Narita Uchinaga, who was there to greet him, was surrounded by dozens of samurai. Their dark iron armor made Toyotomi Hideyoshi somewhat nervous, and he stayed close to Hideyoshi, not daring to stray even a step.

"Narita, are you welcoming me... or intimidating me?" Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the calmest of them all, pointing at the armored warriors whose eyes were the only part of their bodies, and questioning Narita Uchinaga.

"Of course, we are here to welcome our distinguished guest. Your arrival was rather hasty, and Narita did not make any arrangements for a welcome. Please forgive us! Please come inside for tea." Narita Ujichō was showing off all his wealth to Hideyoshi. If I were to fight you to the death, I might not be able to crush your brother Hideyoshi, but Hideyoshi, you certainly won't escape.

Narita politely invited the two inside for tea, while Toyotomi Hidetsugu was told to stay outside and keep watch, as it would be troublesome if dozens of armored soldiers suddenly rushed in.

Princess Maki's tea ceremony skills were excellent, and the tea she used was even better. The pure aroma of the tea wafted through the air, piquing the interest of two important figures from the Toyotomi family.

"Narita, this tea is quite good. Your Oshi Castle produces such fine things? It truly is a wonderful place." Hideyoshi sipped his tea slowly, speaking casually.

"This tea is not produced in Oshi Castle, but was brought by my eldest daughter from Daxia as a gift for her old father, hehehe!" Narita Ujinaga also liked the Daikan-style roasted tea brought by Kaihime. Now that Hideyoshi has come to Oshi Castle, he can be considered an extremely honored guest, and this is all he can offer.

"Oh! Now that Kai is back, why not have him come out and serve tea?"

Narita noticed the greed in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's eyes and felt a wave of disgust: "You want my Kai to serve you tea? Are you out of your mind? She doesn't even make tea for me anymore, who do you think you are?"

"For over a year, Kai has only known how to fight the orcs and has forgotten how to brew tea. Lord Hideyoshi, please try my daughter's cooking!"

"Oh! In that case, summon her. I have some questions to ask Kai. This matter concerns the whereabouts of many of my Japanese soldiers, many of whom are from Kyoto. I... naturally cannot ignore it." After saying this, Hideyoshi concealed the lustful glint in his eyes and lowered his head to drink his tea.

Light footsteps approached, and a pair of tabi socks came into Hideyoshi's view. He looked up and saw a beautiful face; Kaihime had become even more beautiful after a year apart.

After entering the room, Kaihime glanced at the two men before kneeling to Narita's side and slightly behind. Her gaze was devoid of emotion, filled only with indifference, like an executioner looking at a dying prisoner.

After Kaihime sat down, she lowered her head, appearing very polite. Only she knew that she didn't want to see Hideyoshi's old, orange-peel-like, disgusting face. Having followed Qin Mo for so long, even her standards had become discerning; she wouldn't look at anything ugly.

"Kai, many of my sons from Kyoto went to the Great Xia, but never returned. It is said that you were their leader when they fought against the orcs. So, did they die or where did they go?"

Toyotomi Hideyoshi came from a poor farming family and rose to the position of "Kanpaku" (regent) after many hardships. His long experience had given him a deep understanding of human nature. In addition, he had been in power for many years, so his words naturally carried an air of authority. Now, facing Kaihime's imposing question, he maintained his composure and exuded an aura of power.

Unfortunately, Kaihime was no longer afraid of these Japanese "regents" and was completely unaware of Hideyoshi's so-called "intimidation." She casually replied, "From the moment they left Japan and boarded the ship, they already belonged to Prince Heng of Great Xia. Both sides have signed a contract, and whether they live or die, stay or leave, is no longer anyone else's business."

Hideyoshi's dim old eyes narrowed, and those who knew him well knew that this was a sign of his impending rage, followed by bloodshed.

A strong hand landed on Toyotomi Hideyoshi's shoulder, stopping his outburst. Toyotomi Hidenaga was calm and composed, unlike the highly aggressive Hideyoshi. He was more adept at resolving disputes with gentle methods, even though he was the strongest warrior in the Toyotomi clan.

"It is not wrong for the men of Fusang to use their bravery to earn money, but it is disrespectful to them if they cannot return to their homeland after death. Therefore, please inform them of their exact whereabouts."

Compared to the sharp-tongued Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Toyotomi Hidenaga's questions were much gentler and more reasonable.

"Reporting to the Grand Councilor, they are all currently serving King Heng of Great Xia. Please do not worry." The Grand Councilor was the official title of Toyotomi Hidenaga. Kaihime finally used a respectful term for him. In her eyes, Yellow Realm cultivators still held some status.

"Then why don't Inoue Hideo and Heisato Oji return? Since they have already entered the Dao, they naturally have a respected status, so why would they still risk their lives for... outsiders?"

The cultivators in Fusang are few and far between, and their status is extraordinary. Toyotomi Hidenaga is very suspicious of the two's actions. After all, staying in Daxia, where there are many cultivators, is far less comfortable than returning to Fusang.

"I wonder, when the Grand Councilor practices her combat skills, with whom does she spar?" Kaihime's words were calm and even, without a trace of her inner disdain.

"The Toyotomi family still has a few cultivators, and every year I travel around Japan to visit several powerful figures, exchange martial arts techniques, and benefit greatly."

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!