I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Drunk? Uchida, you're the one who's drunk! I'm perfectly sober!"

The fifth generation... that is, this guest who was "drunk and disorderly" rebuked Uchida in a rude tone.

Then, he slowly turned around and looked at the geisha who had just played "Tiger Tiger" with him... As if by magic, his expression suddenly changed, and the twisted lines of his face gradually relaxed.

"Come on, let's keep playing! I'm sure I can win this time!"

He said this in a pleasant and gentle tone.

One second he's furious, the next he's all smiles and gentle breeze... Such a fickle nature doesn't make people feel at ease; instead, it sends chills down their spines.

The geisha's body trembled slightly.

Despite trying to appear calm, a strong sense of fear still lingered between his brows.

It's not hard to see that she just wants to get as far away from this man as possible right now.

However... a geisha's professional ethics do not allow her to say even a single "no" in front of her guests.

Moreover, the Samoans' notorious brutality and the gleaming swords at their waists made her dare not show any attitude other than "submission".

So she swallowed hard and forced a smile:

"Okay, okay! Let's keep playing!"

Similar scenes appeared throughout the room.

……

"Wait, wait a minute! Guest! What you're doing is bothering me!"

"Oh, it's just a few shoulder massages and back rubs, what's the big deal?"

……

"Guest, please have some self-respect! I am a geisha, not a courtesan! Please withdraw your hand!"

"Geisha? Courtesan? What's the difference? Aren't they both just trying to make a living by pleasing men? Don't worry, I'll just touch your feet, I won't do anything else. Hehehe~ Your feet are so beautiful~~"

……

"Come on, drink! Drink! Have some more! Have some more!" (He shoves the bottle directly into the geisha's mouth.)

"Excuse me, sir! Let me catch my breath! Ugh, ugh! (glug), (glug), (glug)..."

"Hahaha! This is how you drink! Drinking straight from the bottle in big gulps is what real drinking is all about! Taking small sips from a glass is just so boring!"

……

Upon learning that they would be entertaining Satsuma people that night, most of the geishas present felt a chill run down their spines, and their hearts skipped a beat.

The poignant feeling of "The wind howls, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs, never to return" arises spontaneously.

The reason for this is not complicated.

If a list of "the least popular guests of geisha" were compiled, the Satsuma people would definitely be at the top of it.

In the eyes of Kyoto residents, the highly developed Kanto region is a wild and desolate place, and Satsuma, located on the edge of Kyushu Island, is even more so, practically a "primordial ancient world"!

The arrogant people of Kyoto naturally wouldn't have a very positive view of the Satsuma people who grew up in the "primordial ancient world".

Although regional discrimination is an undesirable and impolite behavior, in fact, as an early version of "big data," some regional discrimination does have some merit.

For example, people in Edo liked extravagance and luxury, people in Kyoto liked eccentricity, and people in Osaka were so enthusiastic that they had no sense of boundaries... These statements are too absolute, but they are not entirely made up.

When people talk about Samoans, the first words that come to mind are definitely "rude", "savage", and "uncivilized".

To be fair, the Samoan people are indeed unpleasantly rough and uncouth...

Firstly, he loves drinking.

Secondly, he is very rough and likes to touch others inappropriately.

Thirdly, he has a very loud voice; once he opens his mouth, it's as if he wants everyone on the tenth street around him to hear him.

Take tonight, for example—at the very beginning of the feast, these Samoans were quite well-behaved.

But as they drank and became more animated, they gradually revealed their true nature.

There are perpetrators of sexual harassment.

Some people force others to drink.

Some people also get drunk and act crazy.

The entire hall became chaotic and noisy.

Everywhere there was the sound of bottles clashing, laughter, shouting, and angry yelling...

Such a scene resembled a chaotic dance of demons.

Faced with this scene, the younger and less experienced geishas all showed timid and fearful expressions.

However, not all the geishas present were frightened by the Satsuma people's crazy antics.

Ziyang, sitting calmly in the main seat, appeared completely unfazed—which was indeed the case.

A geisha of Ziyang's caliber would have been a seasoned veteran for a long time.

What kind of guests hasn't she served?

What kind of situation hasn't she seen?

Even if the guests before you are “a constellation of stars,” you must still wear an impeccable smile and serve them wholeheartedly—this is the professional demeanor of a geisha.

Those fortunate enough to be accompanied by Ziyang were naturally the most prestigious and influential figures among the Samoans.

The person sitting next to Ziyang was a young warrior with fair skin and regular features.

He was distinctly different from his complacent and arrogant companions.

He stood upright and solemnly, always maintaining a certain distance from Ziyang beside him, and never did anything inappropriate.

He raised his gaze, glanced at the chaotic scene before him, and sighed softly.

"Really... this has gone too far..."

Having said that, he turned his head to the side and said to his companion not far away:

"Go quickly and inform Saigo-kun: come quickly, the situation is getting more and more chaotic."

The man nodded vigorously, then without a second thought, he put down his wine glass and strode away.

Soon after, his figure disappeared from everyone's sight.

Ziyang blinked her beautiful eyes a few times, her curious gaze falling on the young warrior.

"Saigo-kun? Do you know Saigo Kinosuke?"

The young samurai smiled slightly:

"Yes, of course! We are Saigo-kun's good comrades-in-arms."

Ziyang pressed further:

"Judging from your attire and manner of speaking... you must be high-ranking officials of the Satsuma Domain, right?"

The young man shrugged, a smile playing on his lips:

"High-ranking officials... our official positions within the domain are only so-so."

The young man had barely finished speaking when he heard someone nearby say in a mocking tone:

"Lord Komatsu, you are too modest. If even you are considered 'so-so,' then what are we lowly soldiers?"

As soon as the man finished speaking, Ziyang's eyes widened in surprise:

"Lord Komatsu? Could it be... that you are Komatsu Tateto, the retainer of the Satsuma Domain?"

The young samurai gave a wry smile.

After taking a sip of his drink, he nodded slightly.

"Yes, that's right, I am Komatsu Tateto from the Satsuma Domain!"

Komatsu Tateto – a name that anyone with even a slight understanding of the current political situation in Satsuma would know.

The Komatsu clan was a prominent family in the Satsuma Domain, with a family status of "Ichi-ichi," meaning they were large lords with at least 5,000 koku of land.

Families with this lineage are destined to hold important official positions throughout the Satsuma Domain.

With such a privileged family background, Komatsu Tateto's life can be described as an unstoppable success.

In 1861, Komatsu Tateto was promoted to a close aide by Shimazu Hisamitsu because of his talent.

Following that, his subsequent promotions were not just "rocket-like" but "flash-like"!

In 1862, at the age of 28, he was directly promoted to chief retainer of the Satsuma Domain.

The so-called "family elder" can be understood as the prime minister of a vassal state.

He became the prime minister of a country at the young age of 28...

Although this was not unusual in the Edo period when nobles held hereditary positions, it was still quite remarkable that he became a powerful figure within the domain before the age of 30.

The three men – 29-year-old Komatsu Tateto, 33-year-old Okubo Ichizo, and 35-year-old Saigo Kichinosuke – form the “iron triangle” of the Satsuma Domain.

Okubo Ichizo was in charge of civil affairs, Saigo Kichinosuke was in charge of military strategy, and Komatsu was responsible for diplomacy with a sword; their roles were clearly defined.

Compared to Okubo Ichizo, who was stationed in the domain, and Saigo Kichinosuke, who was stationed in Kyoto, Komatsu Tateto, known for his cheerfulness and eloquence, was often away on diplomatic missions, such as acting as a liaison between various domains and handling negotiations.

Ziyang's expression was initially dominated by intense surprise, which then turned into delight.

"I have long admired the name of Komatsu Tateki, and it is truly an honor for my daughter to meet you today!"

Just as Ziyang opened his mouth, preparing to continue his conversation with Xiaosong Daodao—

"Damn it, why did I lose again?"

A sudden, loud shout interrupted all the surrounding sounds and drew everyone's attention.

It turns out that the guy who played "Tiger Tiger" with the geisha has lost his temper again.

Because no one was paying attention to what was happening on their end, no one knew exactly what had happened.

But judging from the current situation, one thing is certain—he lost the game again, and his emotions became extremely agitated, his face turning bright red.

Under the influence of alcohol, in order to vent his anger, he kicked again.