Lu Bu, the Thunder General, is my adoptive father in Genshin Impact.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, distinguished guests," she said softly.

The girl had delicate features, with thick bangs above her gray-blue eyes, and her long, snow-white hair styled in a high ponytail. A faint beauty mark adorned the corner of her left eye.

She wore a gradient blue haori and a dark blue pleated skirt, the skirt printed with patterns of falling cherry blossoms and flowing water, and the black armor covering the outside added a touch of heroism to her.

Princess Shirogane, the eldest daughter of the Kamisato family, who is also the head of the Inazuma Shogunate.

As Miss Kamisato entered the room, Xiao Yi quietly took a small step back and stood slightly behind Miyamoto Jiro.

Linghua first looked at Xiao Yi and respectfully said, "Brother, you are busy with official duties and unfortunately you are out on an inspection tour today. So I will be the one to entertain you, Yi..."

Xiao Yi's winking expression forced Linghua to swallow back the words "adopted son".

He glanced at Miyamoto Jiro beside him, shaking his head slightly and making funny faces, subtly hinting at his thoughts to the young lady.

Since he had just stepped back and his gaze was on Miyamoto, who was focused on Kamisato, he naturally wouldn't have noticed Xiao Jun's strange behavior.

But Miyamoto Jiro noticed the change in air caused by his head shaking and quickly turned to look at Xiao Yi. At this moment, Xiao Yi had already returned to his normal state, as if nothing had happened.

In an instant, Ayaka had a completely bewildered expression, like a cat's head.

However, the girl, who has been taking on some of the family affairs since her parents passed away, has always been witty and intelligent.

Her little brain quickly analyzed the situation.

The adopted son arrived with another guest, who was dressed in rags and looked like a wandering samurai. The adopted son seemed unwilling to reveal his true identity...

Understood!

The adopted son, traveling incognito, met a kindred spirit, a ronin. To prevent the difference in their social status from causing a rift in their friendship, he resolutely concealed his identity as the son of Narukami.

As expected of an adopted son, he disregards his noble status and actively approaches the poorly dressed commoners. I was really shocked when I first heard that the general had taken in an adopted son, but now it seems that he is a kind person who is unconcerned with trivial matters and close to the common people... What a god?

Linghua stopped her wild thoughts and began to reorganize her speech according to her own speculation.

"'Righteousness'?" Miyamoto Jiro recalled the young lady's abrupt pause at the end of her poem and asked in confusion, "Righteousness what?"

The quick-witted Ayaka Kamisato continued, "Welcome to my humble abode, Mr. Xiao, a man of great integrity and honor. My elder brother is away and I am young and inexperienced; please forgive me if my hospitality is inadequate."

Chapter 29 The food at the Kamisato family's house is delicious!

"Hahaha..." The equally quick-witted Xiao Yi immediately chimed in, "Miss Kamisato is too kind. I only did a small favor for Inazuma. I really don't deserve such praise!"

Miyajiro was full of questions, and just as he was about to ask about the story, Ayaka Kamisato interrupted him.

She turned to Miyamoto: "Nice to meet you, samurai sir. May I ask your name?"

Xiao Yi was secretly delighted: Linghua-chan, you're amazing! We didn't rehearse our lines beforehand, and if my brother keeps digging into it, we'll definitely be exposed. Changing the subject is the best course of action!

Actually, Ayaka unintentionally hit the mark by accident.

Because of the name Miyamoto Jiro, he was wanted by both the shogunate and the Sangoku-no-miya, so he couldn't reply to the young lady with his real name. He had to rack his brains and make up a name on the spot to divert her attention from "the righteous and noble Mr. Xiao".

“Fujiwara, Fujiwara Kojiro,” Miyamoto Jiro said nonsensically. “Just call me Fujiwara.”

Aside from the soldiers of Umijima who arrested and imprisoned him, no outsider had ever seen Miyamoto Jiro's face. The samurai of Narukami Island basically didn't recognize him, so he could get away with making up a fake name unless someone checked his household registration.

Xiao Yi continued his lie: "This Mr. Fujiwara is not only an excellent samurai, but also a wandering gourmet who has vowed to taste the delicacies of Inazuma. As the magistrate of the guild, responsible for culture, he naturally has to do research on food, so he made a special trip to visit the Kamisato family..."

This way, we can both broaden Miyamoto's thinking and prevent his identity as the Son of God from being exposed, while also allowing him to enjoy good food in a legitimate way—a win-win situation.

Since the three of them met, they haven't said a single truthful word to each other, which is quite unusual.

Ayaka Kamisato unfolded her fan, covered her mouth and chuckled: "I see. Then I must have the kitchen prepare more dishes. I cannot neglect the friends of Mr. Yi... the righteous and generous Mr. Xiao."

The three sat at the wooden table, enjoying the tea and snacks that were served while chatting.

Although they were supposed to eat and chat, it was Miyamoto Jiro who was mainly doing the talking. Having wandered around, he hadn't seen any delicate snacks in a long time, let alone the skills of a top chef from a noble family.

Whether it's the colorful takoyaki skewers, the fragrant quail egg omelet, or the sweet and crispy hibiscus mochi, none of them can escape the clutches of "gourmet Fujiwara".

Strangely, Miyamoto Jiro's eating manners were particularly refined. He ate the most, yet he chewed slowly and made no noise, which was completely opposite to his unkempt appearance.

Miyamoto often reads various ancient books, meticulously searching for methods of bomb making. Occasionally, he would come across miscellaneous notes on etiquette, which he would then memorize.

Therefore, although he was a bandit, he was a cultured and knowledgeable bandit. If he shaved his beard, changed into clean clothes, and claimed to be a nobleman, it would be difficult for anyone to suspect him.

As for why he is displaying aristocratic etiquette now, it stems from Miyamoto Jiro's way of life: he believes that he should repay kindness with courtesy and not trample on Miss Kamisato's good intentions, as well as the favor Xiao Yi did for him by helping him get a meal.

Xiao Yi wasn't particularly interested in the snacks on the table; he'd already eaten enough of similar good things during his three days at the Otaku Castle.

He reminded Miyamoto Jiro, teasingly saying, "There's still a proper meal coming up, so don't stuff yourself too full, or you won't be able to appreciate the delicious main course, Mr. Gourmet."

"In addition to the main meal, there will be fresh fruit afterward," Ayaka Kamisato said with a smile. "Please save your appetite so you can enjoy the following dishes."

Miyamoto swallowed the dumpling in his mouth and replied, "As everyone knows, the stomach that stores snacks and the stomach that stores main meals are different. There's no need to worry about overeating. As long as Ms. Kamisato dares to provide delicious food, I can even eat the plate."

Linghua squinted, unfolded her fan to cover her mouth, and smiled shyly.

Xiao Yi glanced at his older brother's recently developed beer belly: "This is the price of having two stomachs, I guess."

The reception room was filled with cheerful laughter.

Before long, a sumptuous meal was served. Normally, lunch should be enjoyed in the restaurant, but Xiao Yi and Miyamoto were not so particular, and Ayaka was not a stubborn girl either, so she followed their suggestion and ate her meal right there.

The main meals at the Kamisato family's residence are not much different from those at the castle tower. They consist mainly of delicacies from the mountains: chicken, duck, goose, and wild game; seafood: abalone, lobster, sea cucumber, and fish roe; and various grains, vegetables, and pastries. All of these are combined to create a sumptuous feast.

The food was of high quality and plentiful, and served quickly. The small table in the reception room was almost too small to fit everything, but thankfully Miyamoto handled it quickly, and empty plates were soon removed.

Nevertheless, Miyamoto Jiro ate quickly but not hastily, still adhering to table manners and not disgracing the righteous Mr. Xiao.

After the meal, Xiao Yi secretly tallied everyone's culinary achievements: Ayaka Kamisato, half a bowl of rice; Xiao Yi, two bowls of rice; and Miyamoto Jiro, zero bowls of rice, plus more than ten plates of meat and vegetables.

Of course, Miyamoto, who was really hungry, was not a "table bully". He waited until the two of them stopped eating a certain dish, and only after confirming that it was the right one did he finish it, and finally successfully completed the "clean plate" campaign.

Ayaka Kamisato was surprised because, due to her status, she rarely invited commoners to her home for banquets. Only a certain white floating object could match her appetite.

Miyajiro couldn't help but give a thumbs up and exclaimed, "The food at the Kamisato family's house is delicious!"

Hearing the guest's heartfelt praise, Linghua smiled happily. Seeing that her elder brother, who always ate rough and unpaved roads, finally had a good meal, Xiao Yi also smiled with relief.

The heartwarming scene gave Xiao Yi a strange feeling: the poor older brother came to visit his younger brother, and the young couple warmly welcomed him; everyone was enjoying themselves...

How wonderful!

But one can't just keep thinking about food forever; one is also a guest, and must leave once the meal is finished.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they went for a walk in the courtyard to digest their food, and unintentionally arrived at the open space where they practiced martial arts.

Miyamoto picked up a training wooden sword from the weapon rack and lightly swung it in the air. He had always used real metal weapons since he was a child and had never seen such an exquisite work of art.

“Speaking of which, I have a question I’d like to ask Mr. Fujiwara,” Ayaka Kamisato suddenly said. “I’m very curious about the swordsmanship of ronin. Would you be willing to spar with me a few times, Mr. Fujiwara?”

Miyamoto Jiro put the wooden sword back and said with a wry smile, "Let me go. I'm a man in my thirties. My stamina can't compare to yours, you young guys."

He then raised his chin and whispered to Xiao Yi, who was examining the weapon rack beside him, "There's someone your age over there, whose swordsmanship is about the same as mine. You, the clever young lady, will surely understand what I'm trying to say."

“No, that won’t do.” The usually generous Linghua suddenly became somewhat resistant. “It’s not allowed for her to spar with Yi… or Mr. Xiao.”

Miyajiro was completely bewildered. He could understand each word the young lady spoke individually, but when put together, it became difficult to comprehend.

Young people these days speak in riddles.

So he began to analyze and interpret Ayaka's meaning from the perspective of a young person.

What should young people be doing at this age? ...

in love!

Could it be that the young lady has a crush on Xiao Jun, but due to the difference in their status, she cannot admit this feeling that is not recognized by the world, and refuses to fight with Xiao Yi in order not to gradually fall in love with him?

No wonder the people of the society treated Xiao Yi with utmost respect, no wonder the young lady dressed up and made herself up for Xiao Yi; it turns out there was such an unspeakable secret behind it all!

The older people get, the more stubborn they tend to be. Miyamoto firmly believed in his guess, to the point that he had already devised a plan to bring the two of them together.

In fact, Ayaka refused to spar with Xiao Yi because of her status and position—it was considered extremely disrespectful for the son of the god of the morning to wield a sword, even if it was just a wooden sword.

Chapter 30 Fencing

Xiao Yi overheard the entire conversation between Miyamoto and Kamisato. Knowing that Ayaka had her reasons, he could only help persuade her.

“Brother Fujiwara, since Princess Shiraga has invited you to demonstrate your skills, don’t refuse. Perhaps the young lady will be pleased with your swordsmanship and keep you working as a magistrate.”

"Forget it, my swordsmanship is just so-so." Miyamoto persisted in declining, creating a non-existent opportunity for Xiao Yi. "You're young, you're more skilled, you should go first."

Xiao Yi was puzzled: Could it be that his elder brother was afraid of accidentally hurting Linghua, which is why he made so many excuses?

Thinking about it carefully, it's quite possible. After all, Miyamoto's swordsmanship is the result of years of actual combat, gradually shaving off the excess to extract the best essence. Its unexpected characteristics combined with its unpredictable danger make it a bit excessive to use it on Ayaka Kamisato.

After a moment's thought, he leaned closer to Miyamoto and suggested in a low voice, "As long as you add a little acting skill, there won't be any problem."

Afraid of hurting the young lady, they decided to just start the performance and be done with it.

He casually exchanged a few blows, then deliberately created an opening to lose to Ayaka, thus fulfilling her request to witness the swordsmanship of a ronin while also repaying the favor of Hu Yue.

The plan seemed foolproof, but unfortunately, Miyamoto Jiro misunderstood it.

Because his basic understanding was based on the assumption that Xiao Yi and the young lady had a complicated relationship, who could have imagined that they were only meeting for the first time today?

Miyamoto Jiro's idea of ​​acting was to cooperate with Xiao Yi in a play, with himself playing the villain. During the sparring session, he would launch a full-scale attack on Aya, and at the critical moment, Xiao Yi would step forward and sacrifice himself to block the wooden sword that was about to hit Princess Bailu.

Then came the poignant scene of deep affection and misty rain, where he himself left without a trace, concealing his merits and fame, which could be considered as doing a good deed by bringing together the star-crossed lovers.

Ah, youth is truly wonderful!

Miyamoto smiled with pleasure, secretly praising Xiao Yi: "You little rascal, you're quite the charmer. I'll play along with this act. I'll give you a good beating later!"

Ayaka Kamisato didn't know what Xiao Yi had said to Fujiwara. She stood there blankly, waiting for the two of them to come to a conclusion.

“Alright, young lady, I’ll practice a few moves with you.” Miyamoto picked up the wooden sword again.

Ayaka was very happy. Although she didn't know how her adopted son had persuaded the gourmet, she was sincerely grateful to Narukami's son.

She had fought against ronin before, but the precious opportunity to exchange ideas after the battle was nonexistent. Therefore, eager to improve her martial arts skills, she hoped to spar with Fujiwara.

Linghua quickly took out a wooden sword.

The two players then separated by about ten meters.

With one foot forward and the other back, Ayaka raised her wooden sword and assumed a fighting stance, earnestly experiencing this hard-won learning opportunity.

Miyajiro held his wooden sword dangling beside his left leg, looking nonchalant and showing absolutely no intention of fighting.

Ayaka thought to herself: The Nobushiji I've encountered before didn't seem to do this. Is this a new version of the Ronin's starting move?