I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

……

……

"Father's memory is getting worse and worse..." Chiba Jutaro sighed heavily as he walked back to his bedroom, clutching his hair tightly.

Chiba Sadakichi suddenly called him over simply to ask him why he hadn't returned the ledgers of their Little Chiba Sword Hall.

Upon hearing the question posed by Chiba Sadakichi, Chiba Jutaro felt both confused and aggrieved: Didn't I already return it to you?

Because he wanted to see firsthand how the Chiba Sword House was doing recently, Chiba Jutaro borrowed the ledger seven days ago and returned it to Chiba Sadakichi just two days later.

Therefore, Chiba Jutaro was completely dumbfounded when faced with Chiba Sadakichi's sudden questioning.

Chiba Sadakichi exclaimed, "Really? So you've already returned the ledger to me?"

Chiba Jutaro: "Yes! Father, look in your room! I've definitely returned the account book to you!"

After much searching, the father and son finally found the account book in the closet of Chiba Sadakichi's bedroom.

This seems to be just a very ordinary little thing.

But Chiba Jutaro was quite worried about this... Chiba Sadakichi's memory has been getting worse lately.

Often, we forget what we said or did just yesterday.

Seeing his father growing older and older, Chiba Jutaro couldn't help but feel extremely sad.

That once formidable swordsman, who, together with his brother Chiba Shusaku, brought the Hokushin Itto-ryu style to its full glory, has finally grown old...

Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, Chiba Jutaro returned to the outside of his bedroom.

As soon as he returned, Chiba Jutaro was taken aback—his bedroom door was wide open.

Didn't Sanako close my door for me...? With this question in mind, Chiba Jutaro quickened his pace slightly.

Upon arriving at the room and looking inside, the scene inside caused Chiba Jutaro to freeze in place.

Inside the room, Sanako sat gracefully on a tatami mat with the most perfect posture imaginable, her small, fair feet buried beneath her plump, peach-shaped buttocks.

With her elegant swan neck held high, she lowered her gaze slightly, looking at a booklet she was holding in both hands.

When Chiba Jutaro saw the booklet in Sanako's hand, he was stunned at first, then quickly reached down to his lower back, only to find nothing there...

“…Brother, you’re back.” Sanako turned her head and looked at Chiba Jutaro.

His eyes were indifferent, showing neither sorrow nor joy.

Chiba Jutaro subconsciously looked away, avoiding eye contact with Sanako.

Silent... Silent...

An awkward atmosphere lingered in the air for a while before Chiba Jutaro chuckled dryly, then sighed silently, strode into the room, and casually closed the door behind him.

"Sanako." Chiba Jutaro knelt down opposite Sanako. "How did this book end up in your hands?"

"I just found it by your room door," Sanako said casually, flipping through the pages of the "Preparatory Brother-in-Law Handbook."

Swish... Sanako turned to the first page of the booklet.

The first page of the booklet... just like the page with Qing Deng's name on it, only had one person's name written on it.

Ryoma Sakamoto.

This person's name, like most of the names in this booklet, has a huge "X" marked on it.

But this name is a little unique compared to the others that have been crossed out: there is no comment written below it.

Looking at the name on the first page of the booklet, Sanako's beautiful eyes closed slightly.

After taking a deep look at the name on the first page of the booklet, Sanako closed the booklet and handed it over.

"Brother, here you go."

"Sorry, I looked at your stuff without your permission."

"When I saw this notebook lying on your door, I was going to put it on your desk, but a gust of wind blew it in and opened it, allowing me to see its contents."

"I couldn't resist and started looking through this book without your permission."

Chiba Jutaro hesitantly accepted the booklet that Sanako handed back to him.

Sanako's reaction... was much calmer than he had expected.

Anyone who isn't an idiot can understand what this booklet is for after reading its contents.

He had assumed that Sanako, with her strong personality and who had repeatedly told him "not to worry about her marriage," would be displeased, if not angry, after seeing this booklet...

Chiba Jutaro's gaze lingered between the returned booklet and Sanako's pretty face.

“…Sanako.” Chiba Jutaro took a deep breath and asked hesitantly, “Aren’t you… angry?”

“What’s there to be angry about?” Sanako said expressionlessly. “I’m not the kind of little girl who gets angry over things like this anymore.”

"My only feeling right now is that you're wasting your time doing this, brother."

"Brother, please stop doing such pointless things."

I appreciate your kindness, but I really don't need you to do this for me anymore.

"A pointless act..." Upon hearing this word from Sanako, Chiba Jutaro's eye twitched involuntarily.

Anyway, Sanako saw the booklet... A "what's the use" attitude welled up in Chiba Jutaro's heart.

"Sanako." Chiba Jutaro straightened his back and raised his voice, "You don't really intend to remain unmarried and single for the rest of your life, do you?"

Chiba Jutaro opened the booklet in his hand, turned to the first page, and turned to the page with the name "Sakamoto Ryoma" written on it.

Upon seeing this name, Chiba Jutaro's expression involuntarily turned strange.

"Or... are you still thinking about Sakamoto Ryoma?"

Sanako, who had been calm and collected all along, showed a flicker of wavering in her eyes when she heard Chiba Jutaro's final question.

"Zanako, don't blame me for being blunt."

"Three years ago, when Sakamoto Ryoma left our Chiba Kenkan and returned to his hometown, he clearly told you, right? He has absolutely no feelings for you and has always only regarded you as an ordinary friend."

"It's been three years already, so much time has passed, shouldn't we let go of the past and look forward?"

“In this world… no, let alone this world! In Edo alone, there is no shortage of young people who are as good as Sakamoto Ryoma, or even better than Sakamoto Ryoma.”

"For example, Tachibana-kun."

Chiba Jutaro flipped through the pages of the book with a "whoosh," and landed on the page with Aoto's name on it.

"Sanako, don't you think Tachibana-kun is pretty good?"

"He has a good appearance and personality, and although he is very busy, he has a respectable official position with both status and income. He is currently rising rapidly in the officialdom and has a bright future."

"In addition, he also possesses unparalleled swordsmanship skills, which are a perfect match for our Chiba family. As long as he can persevere in honing his swordsmanship, he will surely achieve remarkable success in the path of swordsmanship in the future."

"And he's also very tall."

“Zanako, you’re already quite tall, and Tachibana is just a head taller than you, so there won’t be any awkward situation where the man is shorter than the woman.”

Chiba Jutaro wanted to say something more, but Sanako interrupted him.

"Alright, brother, stop talking."

Sanako lowered her eyelids, her red lips parted slightly, and she let out a silent sigh.

Immediately afterwards, she raised her head and looked at her brother with a calm smile that seemed to indicate she had seen through the ways of the world.

"I will never fall in love with Tachibana-kun."

"So there's no need to waste any more breath telling me how good Tachibana-kun or anyone else is."

Chiba Jutaro's expression changed slightly, and he asked urgently, "Why? You...aren't you interested in Tachibana-kun?"

"To be precise, I have absolutely no interest in matters between men and women right now." Sanako raised her voice slightly. "Let me answer your question first, brother."

"I don't like anyone right now, including Sakamoto-kun."

“A long time ago, I no longer had such strong feelings for Sakamoto-kun, who explicitly rejected me and said such harsh things as ‘bringing me along would only get in the way.’”

"If it were a few years ago, I might have been more concerned about my future marriage."

"But times have changed."

"I'm past my prime, and I'm no longer a little girl who would yearn for things between men and women."

"Right now, I only want to focus on honing my martial arts skills and assisting my father and brother in running the Chiba Sword Hall. I have no other thoughts."

*******

*******

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

Speaking of Sanako, I suddenly remembered that some readers, for some reason, told me that if Aoto and Sanako developed a special relationship, it would be like taking over someone else's burden...

I just want to ask these readers: Do you guys have some kind of misunderstanding about the term "taking over"? What kind of "taking over" could Sanako, a virgin who's never even been in a relationship and has only ever had a one-sided crush, possibly have? She could take over a share of the massive Chiba family business, though (laughs).

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets!

The author has started a book club on Tencent!

Group number: 1162513690. Simply answer one question that anyone who has carefully read this book will know the answer to to join the book club.

The author occasionally appears in the group chat.

Chapter 166 The New Cadre of the Law-Slaying Party: Wind Demon Kamaitachi [6500]

"This..." Upon hearing Sanako's words, Chiba Jutaro's expression and tone became slightly out of control. "Sanako, do you really intend to live a solitary life forever?"

“Brother.” Sanako paused, and when she parted her red lips again, she still gave Chiba Jutaro a slight smile, but her tone was more playful, “These kinds of feelings can’t be forced.”

"You can't force me to like someone, or force me to marry someone, can you?"

Chiba Jutaro was speechless for a moment and could not say anything to reply to Sanako.

Chiba Jutaro could only recommend men he considered excellent to Sanako and do his best to bring them together, but he could never force Sanako to marry anyone—this was a bottom line that Chiba Jutaro would never cross.

Chiba Jutaro's brows furrowed uncontrollably at that moment.

Although the country had long since opened its doors and the Edo Shogunate had fully opened up exchanges with foreign countries, Japanese society was still largely a feudal society.