Chapter 3: Inhuman Life

Every day, Okouchi Nobutada taught him the fundamentals of Chinese studies, occasionally discussing military classics such as "The Tale of the Hōgen", "The Tale of the Heiji", "The Tale of the Heike", and "The Azuma Kagami". Fortunately, most of these texts were recorded in Chinese characters, making them relatively easy to learn. However, Okouchi Nobutada's teaching skills were quite lacking; he would first read through the material verbatim and then leave the rest for him to memorize, adhering to the Ming Dynasty method: "Reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning by itself." Fortunately, most of these texts were recorded in Chinese characters, making them relatively easy to learn. However, Okouchi Nobutada's teaching skills were quite lacking; he would first read through the material verbatim and then leave the rest for him to memorize, adhering to the Ming Dynasty method: "Reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning by itself."

Since his parents passed away one after another a few years ago, Kira Manshomaru smoothly took over the family leadership, only to find that his life had become even more difficult. He even began to reminisce about the days when his father was alive; at least during that time, those detestable hereditary retainers did not dare to openly show off in front of him, and Yamamoto Kansuke would not drag him around every day, bringing his good days to an end

The successive heads of the Kira family have received numerous bestowals from the Emperor and the Shogun, as well as gifts from closely related high-ranking samurai families. Having duplicate copies of the same version of books to exchange as gifts can also enhance friendships. Additionally, a considerable number of books have been acquired through various means, including purchases from merchants in Sakai Town.

This is not something a person should do. If I continue to learn like this from hetushu.com, I will eventually go crazy! This is absolutely deadly! Holding a volume of the Northern Song edition of the "Book of Han," Jiliang Wansongmaru carefully set up his posture and read each word earnestly. If he made a mistake in a single line, he would be stopped by Okouchi Nobutada, and then he would have to recite it repeatedly, striving for every tone to be flawless before he could proceed.

However, the heavens are unpredictable. Ever since his father, Kira Yoshiyasu, passed away, Okouchi Nobumasa felt that he was no longer able to assist the young lord. He immediately decided to retire and pass the responsibilities to his son, Okouchi Nobuzane. This predicament was unfortunate for Kira Mantsumaru, as this fellow's energy was no less than that of Yamamoto Kansuke, and he possessed a nagging habit that Yamamoto did not have. Once he started nagging, it would go on endlessly, reciting the Kira family genealogy fluently, spewing forth a barrage of samurai principles like a machine gun, until he was satisfied, having made Mantsumaru's eyes spin with dizziness.

This season coincides with the upcoming autumn harvest. The year has been relatively good, barely managing to benefit from favorable weather conditions. The farmers sing songs as they gather grain, celebrating the most important harvest season of the year. Perhaps the promising outlook for this year's autumn harvest will bring a considerable annual supply to the Kira family. Therefore, today, Okonai Nobutaka is in particularly good spirits. After listening to him read for over an hour, he simply asked a few straightforward questions about the reign titles of the Han Dynasty, the names of ministers, and related events, and then promptly let him go. Perhaps the promising outlook for this year's autumn harvest will bring a considerable annual supply to the Kira family. Therefore, today, Okonai Nobutaka is in particularly good spirits. After listening to him read for over an hour, he simply asked a few straightforward questions about the reign titles of the Han Dynasty, the names of ministers, and related events, and then promptly let him go.

Holding a book and shaking his head, he was reading, while sitting opposite him was Okunai Nobutaka, who was engrossed in a copy of "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government." It was truly puzzling how such an obscure book had been acquired by his ancestors back in the day. The cover was quite new, and it was preserved in excellent condition, appearing almost untouched. Okunai Nobutaka, under the guise of public duty, had come to urge him to study, while he himself nestled in a corner, slowly savoring the book. If he read even a little slowly, he would be reprimanded, yet Nobutaka leisurely enjoyed the tea brought by a maid, completely at ease. It appeared almost untouched, and Okunai Nobutaka, under the guise of public duty, had come to urge him to study, while he himself nestled in a corner, slowly savoring the book. If he read even a little slowly, he would be reprimanded, yet Nobutaka leisurely enjoyed the tea brought by a maid, completely at ease.

Kira Banshomaru truly cannot comprehend how he arrived at the above conclusion. It is evident that he remains a stubborn regional discriminator. During the Warring States period, the Kanto region always held a special status, being both valued and guarded against, while also carrying a hint of disdain and contempt. This principle is quite complex, and even Okouchi Nobusada would not know how to explain it.

As a long-standing minister of the Kira family, having served them for over 300 years, their family boasts a remarkable history filled with illustrious achievements. Overall, they belong to the Seiwa Genji clan, being descendants of the renowned figure Minamoto no Yorimasa from the Settsu Genji lineage. During the Kamakura period, they were granted the title of family steward in the Okouchi region of the Aida district in Mikawa Province. Their influence in Mikawa Province is significant, ranking as a powerful samurai family second only to the Matsudaira clan within the Aida district.

The previous head of the Kira family served closely beside the shogun for a long time, thus having far greater opportunities to acquire books than the feudal lords who remained hidden in the countryside. Moreover, the act of collecting books seemed somewhat desperate, indiscriminately gathering them regardless of their quality or usefulness. This trend of ostentatious book collection gradually ceased as the power of the shogunate waned. Although the collection no longer yielded any new acquisitions, the thousands of various books in the entire library still appeared quite overwhelming.

So much so that Okouchi Nobutada's father, the previous head of the Okouchi family, assisted the third head of the Kira family. Now, after more than a decade of seclusion, Okouchi Daizō Daisuke Nobomasa has provided him with an extensive reading list under the pretext of increasing his knowledge reserve, making his reading experience particularly arduous.

Although he disagreed with Takahashi Nobutaka's theory, he did not dare to refute it. Every day, he had to face this fierce teacher and was compelled to adopt a serious demeanor, reading each word with utmost care. One can only imagine the immense psychological pressure he was under. Sometimes, while practicing the basic etiquette of smiling, he would feel that his cheeks were somewhat stiff, a result of being forced into it.

It is precisely for this reason that since the time of the Kira clan, the Okouchi family, which has served as the steward of the Kira family for generations, has been responsible for managing the Kira family's archives and assisting in the education of the heir to the family head. Previously, this responsibility was fulfilled by the old steward of the Okouchi family. This old man, Nobumasa, was quite advanced in age and had poor eyesight; he would often start dozing off after reading a few lines from a book, thus leading a rather comfortable life

In the eyes of everyone during the Warring States period, the people of the Kanto region could never comprehend the unparalleled elegance of Kyoto. The Kanto dialect exudes a rustic air from top to bottom, and the Kanto warriors are a group of stubborn representatives. Lacking culture and appreciation, communication is fundamentally impossible. In their view, Kanto is the most terrifying place in the world, second only to Southern Kyushu, Yamaguchi, and Hokuriku, ranked as the fourth place that one must absolutely avoid.

Who said that reading a book a hundred times will reveal its meaning? It is absurd to insist on reciting it line by line in an authentic ancient Kyoto dialect! No wonder Kira Matsumaru grits his teeth in anger at this teacher. The almost perverse educational methods of the Okouchi family have tormented generation after generation of the Kira family heads. It is said that this tradition was established by the founder of the Kira family, Shinmido Kira Nagatoshi, who decreed that as a member of the Genji noble clan, one must be well-versed in knowledge and skilled in archery and horsemanship. The almost perverse educational methods of the Okouchi family have tormented generation after generation of the Kira family heads. It is said that this tradition was established by the founder of the Kira family, Shinmido Kira Nagatoshi, who decreed that as a member of the Genji noble clan, one must be well-versed in knowledge and skilled in archery and horsemanship.

Moreover, the Takeda family took the opportunity of collecting and preserving the documents of the Kira family to enrich their own knowledge. They followed the head of the Kira family to Kyoto to serve His Highness the Shogun, where they engaged in scholarly exchanges with intellectuals in Kyoto, thereby boasting of themselves as cultured individuals and a family of literary distinction from Mikawa Province

Since arriving in this era, he has realized that the vast majority of the population consists of uneducated, illiterate warriors, while those who can barely recognize some characters to read and write account for less than one percent. The truly cultured individuals are but a pitiful few, and those warriors who consider themselves cultured are likely to be high-ranking samurai with substantial backgrounds. Of course, there are also a minority of fortunate individuals who have studied under renowned scholars, but the probability of this is so minuscule that it is almost negligible. The truly cultured individuals are but a pitiful few, and those warriors who consider themselves cultured are likely to be high-ranking samurai with substantial backgrounds. Of course, there are also a minority of fortunate individuals who have studied under renowned scholars, but the probability of this is so minuscule that it is almost negligible.