Chapter 535: Conditions

26th year of Jiajing, April 26th, night.

Two hundred miles from Izumo Taisha.

Li Miao tucked his hands in his sleeves, narrowed his eyes, tilted his head, and leaned against a giant rock. Nanako was carefully kneading his shoulders. If Li Miao moved slightly, she would tremble like a frightened rabbit, and only after a long while would she dare to continue kneading Li Miao's shoulders timidly.

Lu Wushuang was sitting cross-legged on the side, practicing internal energy.

She was about the same age as An Ziyang, with slightly better bones, but she had silently cultivated her martial arts to the peak. Apart from her talent, she naturally worked hard and practiced martial arts every day without rest, which led to her current realm.

Li Miao pointed out a few things to her casually, and she began to meditate with joy, even giving up the "beautiful task" of kneading Li Miao's shoulders to Nanako... it's just that every ten or twenty breaths, she would open her eyes to observe, strictly guarding against Nanako.

"As far as I know, the confidantes the lord has met since walking the Jianghu are all women of similar age and gentle personality... No, there is also Shen Xun of the Huashan Sect; he doesn't care about age."

"Since age is not a problem, I am at a disadvantage in terms of personality... Fortunately, the lord seems to have some deep-rooted prejudice against Japanese people, but I can't take it lightly."

"Tsk, at the time, I only thought about leaving a thoughtful impression on the lord, so I chose such a noble girl. Now it seems I've found trouble for myself!"

Lu Wushuang opened her eyes again and glanced at Li Miao.

"At his speed, even if he goes to Hachimangu first and then returns to Kyoto, it won't exceed two months. I must take him down within two months! Otherwise, when we return to Great Ming, it will be difficult to see him again!"

"I have already expressed my heart, and he did not resist, which means I have a chance... How about..."

Lu Wushuang's thoughts turned.

She wasn't one of those delicate women; born in the Blood-Clad Tower, she had plenty of strength and means. If aphrodisiacs were useful to Li Miao, the first thing she would have done upon meeting him was to drug him, lock the door, make the bed, and strip. Why would she wait until now?

Seeing Li Miao seemed to be asleep, she stopped her internal energy, was about to get up to drive Nanako away, and try to cook the raw rice into cooked rice!

But before she could get up, Li Miao suddenly said:

"Speaking of which."

"Little Lu, translate."

Nanako trembled.

Li Miao continued with his eyes closed:

"Matsuura Takanobu seemed to recognize you earlier and wanted to use your identity to exchange for his life from me. Little Lu said you have a Kyoto accent from Honshu, yet you could be recognized by a Daimyo living in a remote corner... Your identity is not simple."

"Nothing to do, don't you want to talk about it?"

Lu Wushuang translated with a gloomy face.

After Nanako heard it, she remained silent, just shook her head violently at Li Miao, and was about to cry again.

She didn't want to say, and didn't dare to say.

Although the words Matsuura Takanobu said were all Central Plains official language, Japanese was born from the Central Plains, and many pronunciations were similar, so she could vaguely understand some nouns.

Like Kyoto, like Ise Grand Shrine, like the Emperor.

With her status, if she really said it, she was really afraid that Li Miao would use her as a bargaining chip to threaten her family... If so, she would rather die on that merchant ship.

She bit her lip and refused to answer, ready to be slapped to death by Li Miao.

But Li Miao wasn't as fierce as he was in Hirado City, just waved his hand.

"Forget it, if you don't want to say, I don't have much interest. It's nothing more than whose daughter, whose sister, whose fiancée ran away from home."

"However, since you don't say, I won't ask again in the future, and I won't listen even if you want to say. If one day I kill my way to the heads of your father, husband, friends, or relatives, don't regret it."

"Remember well, from today on, the credit of being my guide is only enough to save your own life."

Lu Wushuang translated with joy.

So Nanako became even more conflicted and silent, her two hands twisting the corners of her clothes, her brain in chaos.

The breeze shook the leaves, rustling.

The moonlight flowed over the giant rock, silent.

Time passed bit by bit, Lu Wushuang finished her practice, got up and walked toward Li Miao, waved her hand to drive the sobbing Nanako to the side, and was about to sleep directly behind Li Miao.

But before she could get into the cloak, suddenly, a few footsteps came from the woods.

"Tsk!"

Lu Wushuang turned her head abruptly, full of killing intent.

"Blind dog thing, coming to disturb my good deed!"

"Get out!"