The end of the curtain

?It was night, and the cold wind was blowing into the room through the doors and windows, and the whole room was extremely cold.The dim candlelight flickered under it, swaying endlessly, like an elf dancing crazily on the flickering dagger edge, dangerous within reach.

I extinguished the flame that was still burning in the stove and began to organize the medicine box for my doctor's visit.It has been a few days since Xiaoxue traveled with Jiazi to Osaka Castle, and she also replied to several letters telling me that she is doing well now.

After all, Xiaoxue is good at swordsmanship, that or something... Jing Xin is wise.

In this era, life is carried out in such an orderly manner, day after day.I am also a little relieved about this, and take good care of the medical clinic.

As soon as I opened the sliding door, the biting cold wind pierced straight into my body. I tightened the haori around my body, turned around and closed the sliding door to lock it.I am going to Shimizu Town, located in Oshikoji, for a follow-up consultation for an old lady who is over sixty years old, but it will take 10 to [-] minutes to walk there.

During the nearly 10-minute journey, I chose the tree-lined path closest to the oshikoji and walked through it.I am not a person who is afraid of the dark, or rather, I am used to walking alone in the dark.

Although the weather is getting warmer, it is no longer snowing.However, Japan's geographical location is biased towards the Arctic Ocean, and it is natural that the weather is still very cold in January and February.

There are rustling sounds above the head, the moonlight is falling invincibly, the cold wind is howling, and the mottled marks of the whirling tree shadows have already been cut through the ground.

A black figure suddenly jumped from the tree in front of me, followed by a cold sword breath full of bloody smell.I don't know why, but I was able to detect it as keenly as the previous few times, and accurately judged that it was saber energy, so I quickly dodged subconsciously.

Wait, I haven't learned martial arts... But in just a split second, a scene that I never remembered but was so real flashed through my mind——

A girl with black hair and black hair in a black kimono embroidered with cherry blossoms was holding a Taidao in her hand. Her long hair was disheveled by the wind. When the Taidao in her hand turned sideways, a crimson hot liquid slowly flowed down from the blade. , drops of blood-colored flowers appeared on her delicate and soft face.

For just a moment, I felt a tearing pain in the depths of my mind, and it lasted only for a second, and the unexplained pain suddenly dissipated, as unreal as a dream.Before I had time to think about what was going on, I raised my eyes and saw the appearance of the visitor through the bright moonlight.

Long purple hair, dark blue eyes, and a cold look... "You, you are Mr. Saito?!" He also came that day, I remember him, a left-handed master of swordsmanship, the new selection group three The captain of the Ban team can be said to be a top swordsman with the same reputation as Okita.

Seeing that it was me, Saito just frowned, and then retracted the sword that was on my neck at some point, with a bit of inherent indifference in his voice: "Why are you here?" It's inappropriate for a girl to appear here alone at night, not to mention that this is an era of turmoil, wars and vagrants.

"I'm going to Qingshui Town for a follow-up consultation on an old lady who suffered a stroke." I said in a very soft voice, smiled helplessly, and lifted the medicine box in my hand.Feeling a bit strenuous, I immediately kept silent and said nothing more.Although I can already speak, I still feel very tired sometimes. I don't know the specific reason, and I don't want to pursue so much anymore.

"It's dangerous here, don't walk around at night." Saito's non-cold words made me feel that it was a kind of quiet warning in the dark, "I'll see you off."

Ah, what... When I raised my head again, Saito was already far away. I didn't say anything more, and hurried up with the heavy medicine box.

****************

A dilapidated log cabin, a boy of twelve or thirteen years old.The boy's name is Yanosuke, and he is the grandson of the old man.He was a very poor child whose parents passed away in this turbulent age.He lived with his only relative, his grandmother, since he was a child. He is a very sensible child, and he knew how to help his grandmother cultivate the poor little land left in the family at a young age.

"I'll go first, and you should be careful." Saito turned around without changing his expression, and just as I was about to say something, Saito's figure had disappeared into the vast shadow of the trees.

"Sister Sakurai...how is my grandma..." I was stunned for a while, and it wasn't until Yanosuke's voice came that I came back to my senses and realized that I still had work to do.

After a series of inspections, the grandmother's current condition is very stable.I took out some bamboo leaves from the medicine box, and I called Kami Yanosuke into the kitchen, intending to teach him how to decoct medicine.

Zhuru ginger juice is used to treat stroke without speaking.

(Everyone, don’t experiment with these. Although I’m not talking nonsense, I don’t know what will happen if I eat it.)

Zhuru is the dry middle layer of the stem of Datoudian bamboo or light bamboo, also known as San Zhuru.The stems are freshly picked, the outer skin is removed, and the greenish middle layer is shredded or thinly sliced.The chemical composition contains lignin, cellulose, slightly cold in nature, and sweet in taste.

Yanosuke was a clever child, and he quickly learned how to decoct medicine.So under his farewell, I set foot on the road back to the hospital alone.

****************

A bright moon exuding cold light hangs on the black sky, covering the earth with a layer of misty silver veil.

After going back the same way through the woods, I really regretted it, and finally understood why Saito had a vigilant look when he saw me.

The light onion-colored haori and white hairband turned around quickly, and the samurai sword in his hand rested on the opponent's neck without hesitation and mercilessly, and slammed it fiercely. The screams of Hyakki Yako, like a weeping cry, rendered the blood color of the bluestone slab , Shura's bloodthirsty eyes, the cold light of the sword under the cold moon...

I saw something I shouldn't have seen... I didn't cry out in fear as I imagined, but looked at it calmly, as if it was very familiar.In the scene close at hand, I was only two feet away from hiding behind the tree.Just when I was about to leave quietly, the forceful hand all the time dragged me out abruptly.

"Vice Chief Hijikata, it's a woman!" After the brutal killing, everyone in the Shinsengumi was calm about this, but seemed a little surprised to find my fart.

What woman!Why do people of your time refer to women collectively as women?It's so ugly, it sounds like I'm old-fashioned!

"Who are you?" The lines were familiar, the long black hair brushed against his handsome cheeks, and the dark purple eyes projected a stern and terrifying look just like his expression.Someone called him just now...Deputy Chief of Earthwork?Light onion-colored haori, that...huh?Hijikata three years old? ! !

It was extremely difficult for me to calm down the uneasiness that was about to surface on my face. I opened my mouth and just wanted to speak, but when I discovered this critical moment, I couldn't make any sound, and I didn't even have a chance to speak.

Well, I was really just passing by...

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