This is a full-life novel that follows Mitsukuni Mito from his childhood all the way to his death.
水戸光圀が幼名で呼ばれていた頃から没するまでを描く一代記。
Anyway, Mitsukuni is portrayed as quite mischievous and high-spirited, and there were moments when I found myself chuckling.
とにかく、光圀が『やんちゃ』に描かれていて、ときどきクスクス笑ってしまう。
Between the main chapters, which are told in the third person, there are section titled Meisou-joki that chapters written as Mitsukuni's own monologues.
In those, the phrase "the man I killed" appears again and again.
When I finally found who "that man" was, I was terribly shocked.
"Why?" ... I had been wondering, but when Mitukuni and "the man" confront each other, everything makes sense.
It is based on historical fact, though the details how it came about are historically unknown.
The author fills in those gaps so convincingly, which is truly impressive.
三人称で語られる本編の間に『明窓浄机』と題した光圀の独白の章が挟まれる。
『余が殺したあの男』という記述が出てくる。
「あの男」が誰なのかわかったときのショックが大きかった。
「なぜ？」と思っていたけれど、ふたりが対決する場面で謎は氷解。
史実に基づく事実だが、どんな経緯でそうなったのかは歴史的に解明されていないのこと。
そこをみごとにつじつまを合わせて描いている著者に脱帽だ。
I also liked how Mitsukuni's death is described very simply, almost casually. It feels strangely right.
光圀が世を去る場面が、あっけないほどサラッとえがかれているのもいい。
I listened to this on Audible, so I didn't have to struggle with the poetic messages written in classical Chinese.
I didn't mean that i could read them smoothly.
Maybe, I think I understood about 60% of the meaning
Audibleで聴いたので、詩文（漢文）に苦労しなくてすみました。
スラスラ読めたってことじゃありませんよ
まあ、6割くらいは理解したとは思うけど…
The whole thing, both volumes together, runs about 30 hours. With so many characters, sometimes a bit hard to follow, but I never got bored and kept listening all the way.
That alone should tell you how engaging it is.
上下巻併せて30時間。
登場人物が多くて、ついていくのはなかなかたいへんだったけれど、あきることなく最後まで聞き通しました。
それだけ十分におもしろいんだ、ってことはわかってもらえることでしょう。
Even just the first volume, with the young Mitsukuni and his mischievous behavior, is a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
水戸黄門さまの若き日々のやんちゃぶり（上巻）だけでも、けっこう楽しめると思いますよ～