Masahiro Abe was sitting very upright in the main hall of his home.
He looks to be in his thirties, wearing loose Wu clothes and with a serious expression.
Although he is no longer the first among the old men, the aura of being one person below ten thousand people has still remained.
Sitting opposite him was Zuo Cun.
The two people looked at each other, and the air seemed to be stagnant.
There was no third person at the scene, so Abe Masahiro ordered them all to go elsewhere.
Abe Masahiro looked at Samura's overly young face and spoke.
"I didn't expect that Ano Samura, the famous Yuuki-slayer in Japan, would be so young." His eyes were sharp, scrutinizing and correct, "Should I say...Young and promising?
"
Zuo Cun is indeed young, he is only eighteen years old.
Samura looked expressionlessly at Masahiro Abe, who was sitting opposite him.
Generally speaking, when a samurai is allowed to enter, his sword must be confiscated.
But Abe Masahiro unusually asked Samura to sit opposite him with a knife.
...Do you have absolute confidence in your own strength?
"That's ridiculous, Lord Abe." Zuocun bowed slightly.
In any case, Masahiro Abe is a person with a high reputation among the current Japanese ruling class, and he still deserves the respect he deserves.
"Lord Abe, what can I do for you?"
"Or do you just want to see a samurai who kills monsters?"
Abe Masahiro's heart was as calm as water.
Smiled slightly.
"I just want to ask how the powerful samurai, Yuukizan, views the current situation in Japan."
He stretched out a finger. His arm was thick and there were calluses on it. He must have practiced swordsmanship: "I am a person who likes to make friends."
"But... ordinary people will not become my friends."
"Strong people generally think more, so Anno Samura, can you answer my question?"
He thought for a while and then added: "As for the fact that you killed the Tianyingui... I still know that there are such things as monsters."
Zuo Cun looked at this sturdy middle-aged man and thought.
Masahiro Abe is the most courageous person Zuo Cun has ever seen.
"I can answer you, but you have to tell me something."
"I'm very good at answering questions, just tell me." Masahiro Abe smiled.
"That means... do you really have an attitude towards exterminating all foreigners?"
Masahiro Abe was stunned, and his serious face relaxed: "What a sharp question."
He coughed twice: "Then, based on the truth, I will tell you my thoughts."
"But there are rules."
Masahiro Abe stretched out his finger and pointed at the ceiling of this room: "Don't take today's words out of this room."
"These are my rules."
Zuo Cun nodded: "I understand."
He asked this question because Masahiro Abe was a foreigner on the surface, but his actions revealed many other meanings.
Promote Western gunnery and ease the ban on large ship building.
There are many signs indicating that this person who is openly anti-foreigner seems to be... not so anti-foreigner?
"Let me answer you, Anno Zumura." Masahiro Abe sighed, "Although I can have many ideas, as the leader of a faction, I must make a gesture in order to be stable in this officialdom.
to survive.”
"Does the gesture mean giving up the position of leader of the Lao Central Committee to a moderate like Masumu Hotta?" Samura asked abruptly, something that seemed very offensive.
But Abe Masahiro didn't care and just nodded: "What rulers pursue is not correct thinking, but balance."
"My thoughts, if I have to say it, do not belong to the moderates, nor to the anti-barbarians. The actual leader of the anti-barbarians should be that guy Tokugawa Saiaki."
"As for the matter of giving up the throne to Masumu Hota... it is also a helpless move."
Abe Masahiro put his hands on his knees and looked a little depressed: "At that time, I was forced to advise the general and dismissed the two weak guys, Lao Naka Matsudaira Jozen and Lao Naka Matsudaira Tadyu, in the court, instantly
It fell into a state of chaos.”
"In order to stabilize the situation, the general and I chose to promote Masumu Hotta to the top position in Laos and China."
"But...the radical anti-barbarian faction, the moderate founding faction...haha, in my opinion, there are no absolute ideas."
Masahiro Abe stood up, walked to the bed, and looked at the scenery outside the window.
"Sakuma Shozan and I, who were relegated to the countryside a long time ago, are actually the same kind of people."
"It is necessary to found the country." He lowered his head, then raised his head suddenly, clenching his fists, "But it is also necessary to fight against the foreigners!"
"So, Anno Samura, can you tell me what you are thinking?"
"A strong person is not a decisive factor, but it is definitely an important factor. You are strong enough to kill the great monster Amagakure." Abe Masahiro's eyes burned brightly, and he turned to look at Zuomura, "Swordsmanship of this level is rare in Japan.
There are not a few, so... I think it is necessary to know your position."
The current feeling given to Samura by Masahiro Abe is actually very bland.
"Standing position... founding the country? The country has been forced to open up and resist the foreigners? Is it also called resisting the foreigners to bow down in front of foreigners?"
Zuo Cunqi laughed.
"..." Masahiro Abe said nothing, just looked at Zuo Cun.
"My position..." Zuo Cun's broken hair covered his eyes.
"I only stand on the side of change. As for the shogunate..."
"Lord Abe, you are a respectable person, but..." Zuo Cun also stood up, "The shogunate... is hopeless."
"...I don't think so." Masahiro Abe said, "The shogunate should not have fallen like this."
The two people looked at each other.
"I can only say that I will not be your enemy." Zuo Cun sighed, "In other words, my thoughts are somewhat similar to yours, but I will never stand on the side of the shogunate."
"...Really?" Masahiro Abe remained serious.
"Then, let me give it a try..." Masahiro Abe's shadow began to tremble slightly, "Can you survive in the troubled times in the future..."
"Not siding with the shogunate may be a good excuse, but as long as people like you stand on Japanese soil and are not used by me... you are almost destined to become my enemy.
."
Masahiro Abe looked a little pity.
"Today... we had a great time chatting, and I understand what you are thinking, but..."
"Try to get out of this room alive." Masahiro Abe's eyes were sharp.
Zuo Cun smiled casually and put his hand on He He's knife handle.
"Then...I'll give it a try."
Several figures suddenly appeared from Masahiro Abe's shadow.