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When more than a dozen dark iron cannons were aimed towards the samurai of Imagawa and the Hojo family, those people immediately showed signs of fear.

Iron cannons could easily kill them. As for the samurai of the Hojo family, the threat it posed to the Mid-Tier Samurai was moderately lethal but the threat it posed to the High-Tiered Samurai were limited.

However, most of the warriors of the Hojo family had never encountered iron cannons in actual battle. Because of the inherent fear, even Nagasaki was deterred for a while.

At this time, Imagawa cried out in pain. He said while covering his chin, “Saionji Kotoka, the Imagawa family’s officers and soldiers are arresting a female prisoner! It has nothing to do with your Saionji Household!”

“Huh, nothing to do with us?” Facing everyone, especially the tall Hojo Dijon, Kotoka also felt that the situation was grim. “Your Highness Imagawa, this is Miss Kagami Lily, a distinguished guest of my family. How can you say she is a prisoner? Maybe there is some sort of misunderstanding or perhaps she is framed by some treacherous villain? My Saionji family can guarantee that Miss Kagami is innocent!”

“Hum! Innocent?” Nagasaki pointed his sword at Kotoka, “This Kagami Lily killed His Highness Hojo Motoshige, Daidouji Akira, and more than a dozen samurai of the Hojo family. She also stole the treasure and anima that we have conquered! She committed the most heinous crimes! How dare you say she is innocent?”

At this time Nanako took a step forward and shouted without fear of these powerful warriors:

“It is clear that Hojo Motoshige and Daidouji Akira were not able to buy iron cannons from my mother. So they ambushed and kidnapped me in the middle, and tried to intimidate my mother in this way. However, Miss Kagami saved me. Miss Kagami, a woman, faced with the siege of more than a dozen brutal Hojo samurai had to kill them for self-defense. All of this has been witnessed by me, Nanako of the Saionji family, from the beginning to the end.
I can testify! Who is the most sinful? Who, in spite of the samurai’s sense of honor, used such vile methods? My mother hasn’t reported this incident to the Genji of Kamakura to lay down punishments on you, and yet you have the audacity to come make trouble at our door?”

Nanako was also a well-mannered young lady. However, she was not hesitant about quarrelling in the middle of the street. She was courageous enough to speak up the truth in front of so many powerful enemies. After listening to Nanako’s voice, Lily felt moved. Her hand that was placed on the hilt temporarily stopped moving.

Imagawa Ujichika and his vassal Fukushima were stunned when they heard this. Fukushima asked Hojo Dijon: “My Lord, this seems to be a little different from what you said?”

“Hum, do you believe me, Hojo Dijon, or a little girl who is still immature and inexperienced?” Dijon had always discriminated against women so he glared at Nanako fiercely.

Nanako looked at Hojo Dijon with her hands on her hips and her small face bulging. Although she was fearless, the forceful Spirit Power of Hojo Dijon made her face pale. She could hardly stand looking at Hojo Dijon.

“Nanako, leave me alone. This is not some man you can deal with.” Lily was worried.

At this time, Fukushima said, “Your Highness Hojo, this is the eldest miss of the Saionji family of Fujiwara, not some little girl as you said. If the eldest Miss Nanako vouches for her with her family reputation, I can’t help but to believe it.”

Hojo Dijon frowned. If he turned against the people of the Imagawa family here, things would be a little more troublesome. It was unfortunate that he happened to run into Fukushima!

“Uncle Fukushima, it’s up to me, the youngest son of the Imagawa family, to judge whether it’s true or not!” said Ujichika.
“But, your highness…” Fukushima seemed to be troubled.

“It doesn’t matter—!” Suddenly, another team of soldiers from the Imagawa family appeared in the distance. They were carrying a litter¹ with eight bearers. A fat nobleman with a white face was sitting on it. It was Imagawa Yoshitada.

While the litter was carried over, Yoshitada grabbed the grapes in the fruit plate and ate them with a mouthful of juice. He said, “This woman dares to hurt my son, showing that she is cruel and rampant. Since she killed the members of the Hojo family, whether she is innocent or guilty, let the Hojo take her back for interrogation!”

“What!?” Kotoka’s heart tightened. She didn’t know that Lily had offended the Imagawa family. Imagawa Yoshitada brought nearly all the Imagawa troops here. The situation was extremely unfavourable. If she insisted, she would have to fight against the Imagawa family which would be considered as rebellion.

Since the master said so, Fukushima, of course, obeyed and said, “Keep a tight formation! Don’t let this girl run away! Your highness Hojo, you are welcome to do whatever you like!”

Hojo Dijon looked at the Lily surrounded by soldiers and samurai, and sneered.

“Arrest her!” Nagasaki and other samurai rushed toward Lily.
“Who dares?”
“Bang!”

The gun in the Saionji Kotoka’s hand opened fire. It was a grade two firearm which was shot in front of Nagasaki, making a big hole in the stone floor.

“Saionji!” Imagawa Yoshitada’s fat face twitched suddenly: “What is the meaning of this? I have ordered the Hojo family to arrest her, do you dare to stop me? Do you want to rebel against the Imagawa family?”

Kotoka replied without hesitation, “Miss Kagami saved my daughter’s life. She is the one that we, the Saionji family, will protect with our lives!”

“Get out of my way!” Kotoka raised her gun and forced the soldiers of the Imagawa family to retreat. With Nanako, Taihara father and son, and members of all Saionji family, she stood together with Lily.

“Miss Kagami, you go to my house and let me handle the situation here.” said Kotoka.

Lily turned around and faced the enemies together with the Saionji family. She whispered, “Madam, Dijon is very strong. You are by no means his opponent. I am afraid that I would not be able to escape today. Please don’t worry about me.”

“Miss Kagami, you enter into my house first,” Kotoka deliberately replied loudly. “This plaque of the Saionji family was personally written by Lord Chief Advisor a hundred years ago. I’d like to see who dares to break into our Saionji Household!”

Although the main force of Fujiwara was in the Kansai Region and the northernmost Mutsu Province², its power was comparable to that of the Genji Dojo and the Taira Dojo. Today’s Fujiwara Ayaka was the greatest onmyoji of Heian Capital, they were not an existence that the Hojo and Imagawa family dared to offend.

However, whom they wanted to arrest now was Lily who was not directly part of the Saionji family, so they had no real worries of offending the Fujiwara family, but still, they still had some minor concerns.

At this time, Taira Hachiro finally said, “Madam Saionji, don’t frighten people with Fujiwara out of every little thing. I haven’t even spoken up yet. It’s just a trivial matter of a wild female samurai killing other samurai. How is it related to Fujiwara? A poor woman has killed the aristocracy related to the Taira Dojo. No matter the reason, she should be left to the Hojo. Even the Genji family has no right to intervene! Brother Dijon, I, Taira Hachiro, am here. You just arrest the people. I’m sure no one can stop you here. No matter what happens, I, Taira Hachiro, will take responsibility for it!”

“Heed my command, the Imagawa army is to stop the female prisoner from running away. We don’t care about anything else.” Then, Imagawa Yoshitada took out a fan to cover his mouth and said with a sinister smile.

With the support of Taira Hachiro and Imagawa Yoshitada, Dijon paid no more attention to the Saionji family and also showed a ruthless expression: “Nagasaki, catch Kagami Lily! Kill whoever dares to stop you!”

1. HISTORICAL: a structure used to transport people, containing a bed or seat enclosed by curtains and carried on men’s shoulders or by animals.
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutsu_Province