Chapter 4 Daily Practice

In ancient Japan, there was an almost obsessive dedication to rice cultivation. He could not quite understand why they insisted so vehemently on growing rice. Although the rice produced in Japan is fragrant and delicious, it is contrary to natural laws to force farmers to cultivate rice on any type of land. Moreover, through his observations, he found that Japan during this era not only lacked cultivation techniques but also the use of plowing oxen and fertilizers, resulting in consistently low grain yields. In some barren regions, it was difficult to harvest even one koku of rice from a full tan of land. However, it is contrary to natural laws to force farmers to cultivate rice on any type of land. Furthermore, through his observations, he found that Japan during this era not only lacked cultivation techniques but also the use of plowing oxen and fertilizers, resulting in consistently low grain yields. In some barren regions, it was difficult to harvest even one koku of rice from a full tan of land.

Thus, the loyal retainers strictly fulfilled their duty to keep secrets, privately gathering all informed parties to sign a confidential oath, swearing before the deities that they would never disclose this secret for all eternity, and that they would not inform their descendants in any form in the future. Unbeknownst to Kira Matsumaru, a segment of dark history had already been buried.

In this era, the food consumed by Kira Banshomaru is undoubtedly contrary to tradition and the rules of the samurai. A small piece of roasted wild boar meat drizzled with soy sauce, a carp about the length of a palm meticulously stewed with scallions, ginger, and vinegar, accompanied by a bowl of miso soup and fragrant white rice, finally liberates him from the troubles of rustic dishes like salted fish and pickled radish. Of course, his actions are viewed by the lesser clans as indulgent, and they believe he will face punishment from the gods.

Even the most extravagant samurai families of this era would not have the opportunity to enjoy such meals. Not only do they not eat them, but even if they wished to, the cooks would not know how to prepare them. These dishes were all learned by forcing the cooks of the Kira family to replicate them. Despite the cooks suffering injuries to their heads, they could not sway Kira Matsumaru's determination. In order to remain loyal, these cooks could only shed tears while reciting the names of deities, preparing one plate after another of "impure food" for their master.

They can hardly eat white rice a few times throughout the year, which makes them particularly envious of those who can have it with every meal. In order to ensure their right to eat white rice, they do not hesitate to confront the landlords and even the rulers. Although this is quite absurd, it persists. As for the farmers, their situation is even more tragic; after paying their annual dues, they sell the rice to buy coarse grains to make do. Most farmers have never eaten the white rice they have grown in their entire lives

This day truly felt like a punishment! I finally managed to endure it!" Silently watching his teacher exit the large library, Kira Mansamaru let out a deep sigh, sat in place for a while, and estimated that Okouchi Nobusada had already gone far away before stepping out with a light stride.

After enjoying a sumptuous lunch, he would typically have half an hour of rest. Woken up early by Yamamoto Kansuke, he was able to recover during this brief nap. Following this, he had to promptly head to the Honmaru to practice military strategy. This arrangement was the result of discussions between Yamamoto Kansuke and Okouchi Nobusada, with cultural studies in the morning and military strategy in the afternoon, while special circumstances would be arranged separately.

The practice of having two meals a day was not created by the Wujia family. In a country as impoverished as Japan, very few people can eat their fill throughout the year. The custom of having two meals a day to conserve food has been a tradition for thousands of years. Apart from a few agriculturally developed regions like the Kinai area, most distant regions such as Mikawa still retain traditions from hundreds of years ago. Furthermore, the collection of annual tributes from the three public officials and two commoners is extremely harsh, with an unprecedented variety of exorbitant taxes and levies. The severity of these taxes is almost several times that of the Ming Dynasty, and can be described as tyrannical.

However, even so, the samurai, as the ruling class, did not lead particularly happy lives. Both samurai and farmers faced the difficulty of securing food. The powerful warrior families could rely on the collection of annual tributes to maintain a daily diet of two meals, enjoying rice, pickled radishes, and small fish soup. In contrast, the lesser noble families and the lower samurai class had a much harder time; in order to survive, they had to humble themselves and work alongside the farmers in the fields.

Seeing that the sun was just right for lunchtime, he could not tolerate the custom of only having two meals a day due to his character. Therefore, a few years ago, he quietly advocated for the small clans to adopt a new habit of having three meals a day. However, the results were not as expected; the small clans of the Kira family stubbornly insisted on the tradition of two meals a day, which caused him considerable distress. To this end, he exerted a great deal of effort in persuasion, such as arguing that eating more would lead to greater height and strength, and that they would become better warriors in the future. Even so, some of the small clans still chose to refuse.

The so-called military strategy in Japan, as the name suggests, is not merely about marching and fighting. Military strategy refers to the art of bravery and combat, the techniques of offense and killing, in essence, it signifies swordsmanship. Practitioners of military strategy are also known as sword masters, and the most outstanding among them are great sword masters. The most formidable of all is the Sword Saint. In contemporary times, the most powerful military strategist is undoubtedly the Sword Saint of Kashima, Tsukahara Bokuden, a superlative figure who has remained undefeated for over forty years and is revered by countless samurai as a venerable master.

The martial arts practiced by Kira Banshomaru are derived from the teachings of Yamamoto Kansuke. This new style of swordsmanship is primarily based on the Kyoryu of the medieval period, while also incorporating elements of the Shintō-ryū and traditional Katori Shinto-ryū sword techniques. In contrast to the Kyoryu, which emphasizes the customs of etiquette and formality, this style leans more towards the Shintō-ryū approach, focusing on powerful, aggressive strikes aimed at defeating the enemy in a single blow, completely overwhelming the opponent in both momentum and force.

Regarding this new swordsmanship that is neither here nor there, Kira Bansho Maru has always harbored doubts. He raised his heavy wooden sword and struck the thick tree trunk repeatedly, muttering to himself: "What kind of school is this? It is certainly not the Kyohachi style, nor the Katori Shinto style. And why is it called the Shindō style? Isn't this the school of Tsukahara Bokuden?"

Fortunately, Kira Mansamaru's actions were carried out very discreetly. Apart from his trusted aides and the cook, only a few members of the horse-riding community were aware of it. Even Yamamoto Kansuke was not fully informed; he might have his suspicions, but Kira Mansamaru and the *Tushu* would never admit to it. In an era when everyone was eating pickled radishes with mixed grains and rice, consuming such food would certainly be shocking. If this matter were to be leaked, both his and the Kira family's reputation would be ruined.

What is even more peculiar is that this is a country that has prohibited the consumption of meat for nearly a thousand years. Since Emperor Tenmu issued edicts banning the consumption of cattle, horses, dogs, monkeys, and chickens, and established a fishing moratorium every summer, Buddhism flourished. According to Buddhist teachings, eating meat leads one to be reborn in the realm of animals. To avoid falling into this realm after death, no one has consumed the meat of four-legged animals since then. Later, Shintoism also flourished, absorbing many of Buddhism's rules, and regarded the act of eating corpses as impure. As the representative of deities and Buddhas in the human world, the Emperor further prohibited the consumption of meat.

Originally, the samurai did not care about this decree. The early samurai were merely the household troops of the Fujiwara clan, tasked with guarding the estates of their noble masters. However, following the outbreak of the Genpei War, when Minamoto no Yoshichika suffered humiliation in Kyoto, the samurai began to realize how unsophisticated their previous lives had been. Consequently, in order to keep up with the trends, they also started to prohibit the consumption of meat, although fish and seafood were exempted, as it was unrealistic for them to abstain entirely from animal products.