I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Page 441

Just now, what Kinzaburo whispered to Sasaki was, "Father is here! He's summoning you!"

"Hmm. Nothing went wrong."

Sasaki gave Shimizu Eiichi a brief report on the current situation near Ryogoku Bridge.

"That's it," he paused, then changed his tone to one of doubt, asking Shimizu Eiichi in return:

"Father, what brings you here so suddenly? Is it to inspect the territory of our 'Clear Water Clan'?"

"You're overthinking it. There's no complicated reason."

Shimizu Eiichi chuckled softly a few times and put his teacup aside.

"I just wanted to come out for some fresh air, rest a bit, and enjoy my favorite fireworks."

"When I was just an unknown nobody on the street, my favorite activity was the annual fireworks festival in Edo."

"Fireworks are...equal for everyone."

After saying this, a look of reminiscence flickered in Shimizu Eiichi's eyes.

"Whether rich or poor, whether samurai or Eta, everyone can enjoy the beautiful fireworks."

Having said that, Shimizu Eiichi picked up his teacup again.

"The reason I suddenly summoned you here is to ask you to help me get a pleasure boat."

"The fireworks are really more immersive when you're watching them from a pleasure boat on the Sumida River."

“No problem, leave it to me.” Sasaki nodded without hesitation. “Dad, give me 30 minutes… no, 20 minutes, and I’ll arrange the most luxurious pleasure boat for you right away.”

"No need for such a grand display. Just get me a comfortable pleasure boat; I just want to enjoy the fireworks quietly tonight."

Shimizu Eiichi raised his hand and gently patted the straw hat on his head.

"Don't make a big fuss about my visit to the fireworks display tonight. I don't want to be bothered by too many people tonight."

"Understood." Sasaki nodded in agreement.

Shimizu Eiichi waved his hand, indicating that he had said everything he wanted to say.

Sasaki humbly bowed to Shimizu Eiichi and his party, and then prepared to get up to complete the task assigned to him by Shimizu Eiichi.

But just then... Sasaki suddenly remembered something.

After hesitating for a while, Sasaki gritted his teeth and sat back down on his raised buttocks.

"...Dad, I have something I want to report to you."

"Ok?"

"It's like this... I just ran into Lord Gosaku..."

Sasaki briefly recounted to Shimizu Eiichi the details of his chance encounter with Shimizu Gosaku.

Sasaki personally felt it was necessary to inform Shimizu Eiichi that Shimizu Gosaku was nearby and currently quite drunk.

After listening quietly to Sasaki's report, Shimizu Eiichi murmured expressionlessly:

"Oh, I see... I think he was drinking nearby..."

"..." Sasaki, who had told the whole truth, obediently shut his mouth and said no more.

"...Sasaki, thank you for your hard work."

After uttering this brief, lukewarm compliment, a thoughtful glint appeared in Shimizu Eiichi's eyes.

He picked up the teacup in his hand, drank the tea in one gulp, and then slowly stood up...

……

Shimizu Gosaku, staggering from being drunk, walked forward in a zigzag pattern.

It's common sense for ordinary people to stay as far away from drunkards as possible.

What's more, these drunkards even had dragon and phoenix tattoos on their bodies.

To avoid any unnecessary trouble, all the pedestrians who happened to be in front of Shimizu Gosaku dispersed away from him.

"Ah, I'm the boss! I've found the izakaya!"

One of Shimizu Gosaku's subordinates raised his hand and pointed to an izakaya (Japanese pub) that was still open for business to the side.

After traveling such a long way, they finally found an izakaya that was still open, and Shimizu Gosaku's subordinates all showed expressions of joy.

"I am the adult... um? I am the adult?"

At this moment, Shimizu Gosaku's men belatedly realized that their master had stopped in his tracks and was staring intently ahead.

The subordinates followed Shimizu Gosaku's gaze and saw the beautiful figure of a young woman in a dark brown yukata.

At this moment, Shimizu Gosaku's face was expressionless.

However, many red blood vessels suddenly appeared in the whites of his eyes...

……

"Wow, look at that girl's hairpins...they're so luxurious..."

"It must have cost a lot of money to assemble a complete set of hairpins like this..."

"How wonderful... I wish I could have a set of hairpins like this..."

……

As Ootsuki strolled around the fireworks festival venue with Tsune and the others, she frequently received envious glances from people who recognized just how extravagant the hairpin she wore was.

Ootsuki pretended to be calm, but in reality, she was already barely able to contain the urge to force a smile.

The sense of superiority that arose from the bottom of his heart made Ootsuki feel completely comfortable. He held his head high and his nose almost reached the sky.

I couldn't help but secretly feel incredibly lucky.

In this chaotic world, so many people are starving and struggling to make ends meet, while I am living a life of luxury where I can use cosmetics and clothes as I please.

Thinking of this, Ootsuki Minoru subconsciously revealed a smug smile and stood a little closer to her husband who had brought her all of this.

But at that moment... Ootsuki Minoru suddenly felt someone hug her from behind.

The man's left hand slid down her lower back to her breasts, while his right hand wrapped around her right shoulder and reached towards her chest.

He pressed his entire body against Otsuki's back.

Ootsuki Minoru screamed in fright.

Changci and his friends were all shocked by this sudden turn of events, their expressions changing drastically.

"Hey! Who are you?!"

Tsuneji was the first to react, shouting loudly as he pushed away the young man who had suddenly grabbed Ōtsuki Minoru... namely, Shimizu Gosaku.

"Hehehe..." Shimizu Gosaku, who was pushed back a few steps by Tokiji, swayed a few times, and after regaining his balance, he revealed a strange smile.

Startled and feeling humiliated for the first time, Ootsuki immediately burst into tears, clutching her yukata tightly as she looked at Shimizu Gosaku, whom she didn't recognize at all.

Changci: "Who are you people? What do you want?!"

The moment Tsuneji pushed Shimizu Gosaku aside, he noticed that Shimizu Gosaku and his men were all drunk and had tattoos on their bodies... A look of astonishment and worry flashed across his face.

A drunken Yakuza... In this era, he was practically a walking "bomb," someone everyone wanted to avoid at all costs.

Despite feeling fear, Tsuneji, not wanting to lose face in front of his wife and friends, could only muster his strength, spread his arms, and shield Ootsuki Minoru behind him.

The commotion caused by Ootsuki Minoru and his group and Shimizu Gosaku immediately attracted a lot of people to stop and watch.

"What do you want to do...?" Shimizu Gosaku repeated Tsuneji's words as he hiccuped from drinking. "Nothing... Is this... your wife? I just thought she was pretty and had a good figure, so I just wanted to touch her..."

After saying that, Shimizu Gosaku covered his forehead and burst into laughter.

"Brother...you're so lucky...! Your wife's figure...is so beautiful...! She's got all the right curves in the right places...! Hahaha...!"

Shimizu Gosaku's flippant remarks made many onlookers, who were eager for a good show, burst into laughter.

Following the physical assault, now she was being insulted with words, and the moisture in Ootsuki's eyes grew even heavier.

Tsuneji was also somewhat angered by Shimizu Gosaku's remarks and attitude.

He forced himself to remain calm and spoke slowly and deliberately to Shimizu Gosaku.

"Your behavior is extremely rude! Please apologize to my wife!"

"Hiccup... Why get so angry..." Shimizu Gosaku nonchalantly extended his right pinky finger and picked at his ear. "I didn't do anything to your wife... I just hugged her... You can pin that woman down on the bed every night... I just hugged her... You didn't lose anything at all, did you...?"

After speaking, Shimizu Gosaku leaned forward and slid towards Ootsuki Minoru, who was hiding behind Tokiji, spreading his arms wide as if to pull Ootsuki Minoru into his arms again.

Ootsuki screamed in fright again.

Seeing this, Tsuneji didn't care about anything else and hurriedly pushed Shimizu Gosaku to the ground.

"Stop!"

This time, Shimizu Gosaku failed to regain his balance and staggered backward several steps before falling to the ground with a thud.

"I am the master!"

"My lord! Are you alright?"

……

Shimizu Gosaku's subordinates quickly surrounded him.

"Huff...! Huff...! Huff...! Huff...!"

With the help of his subordinates, Shimizu Gosaku sat up straight.

He covered his face with his hands and let out heavy, animal-like breathing.

"If you continue to be so rude, I will report you to the authorities!"