Female Swordsman Training Dojo

After all, the burning was only for Harunobu to see.

Hmm, so how did this ninja find out about the private behavior of the Qingkongguan disciples...?

Shiranui Ran noticed Harunobu's confusion and rolled her eyes at him: "Your wives are normal in front of outsiders, but they act strangely every time you appear. Those kids are ninjas after all, they have that much observational ability."

Uh……

Qingxin thought about the treatment he had received when he visited the outer gate several times before, and could only shrug again before changing the subject: "By the way, how do you plan to cover up such a big thing? There were quite a few high-ranking officials among those small fry I just killed, right?"

“Drowning, falling off a horse, sudden stroke, sudden illness…” Shiranui Ran shrugged, mimicking Harunobu, and casually rattled off a few common excuses. “Anyway, their souls are in our hands. If the remaining guys don’t want to be suddenly exposed for some strange crimes, they will make a smart choice.”

"Just like the effect of Katsura Taro's head?" Harunobu asked.

"Just like the effect of Katsura Taro's head," Shiranui Ran replied affirmatively.

Harunobu stroked his chin thoughtfully, showing a rare interest in politics, and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, won't those people really fight to the death? For example, send warships into Tokyo Bay, or mobilize the army for a modern-day version of 'Revere the Emperor and Punish the Traitor'?"

After all, if it were Harunobu being forced like this, he would definitely have grabbed a knife and done it.

Shiranui Ran wasn't surprised by Harunobu's thoughts and patiently explained, "The reason is complicated, so I'll just give a brief explanation, otherwise I'd be talking about it until tomorrow."

Firstly, they haven't reached a point of no return, where they need to fight a desperate battle. Therefore, they won't take such extreme actions of resistance. The matter is still within the scope of 'political struggle,' just like the struggle between the constitutionalists and the regional warlords. At most, the two sides assassinate each other, but it has never reached the point of military confrontation.

Secondly, despite the immense power these generals and marshals wield, their control over their soldiers is, frankly, quite limited. Mobilizing a few dozen or a few hundred soldiers is manageable, but deploying a large force is no simple matter, and almost impossible to do secretly. Although I quite hope they do something so foolish, because then I could send them all one by one to feed the fish in Tokyo Bay.

Finally, these idiots are still fighting amongst themselves. Can you imagine the Navy and Army working together? Right now, they're probably still hurling insults at each other, pinning the blame for Katsura Taro and Yamamoto's deaths on each other. Not to mention there's the cabinet election looming in front of them, tempting them to keep tearing each other apart. At least until the next cabinet is formed, we don't have to worry about any troublesome issues.”

Harunobu nodded. Shiranui Ran had explained it so clearly, he understood now: "So, they are completely powerless to fight back?"

"Unfortunately, it's not like that." Shiranui Ran shook her head regretfully. "The princess can't possibly kill all the feudal lords; that would really incite a mutiny, and we also have to be wary of a counterattack from the Russians and Koreans. So the military can't be too drastic. The same goes for political affairs; killing them would be satisfying, but killing too many would..."

Chapter 353

Who will handle the affairs of the nation? Even if we temporarily select people from the populace, it will take time, and who can guarantee that those people won't become the next batch of warlords?

Qingxin, who had been so confident just moments before, suddenly felt terrible, as if his head was about to explode. So he simply ended the conversation: "Forget it, just tell me when the Tianlan Trial Assembly will be held again?"

"It'll be in the next couple of days. Once this matter has blown up, once the samurai feel they've avenged themselves." Shiranui Ran smiled, even boldly patting Harunobu's distressed face. It was the first time she'd ever seen Harunobu look so helpless.

Surprisingly, it's... umm~

Chapter 329: Aftermath (3K)

The Fujiwara clan massacre was not covered up; on the contrary, it spread extremely quickly. This incredibly explosive news instantly threw the people, who were still discussing the Tianlan Examination Massacre, into chaos.

Although everyone knew that the samurai would definitely clash with the Fujiwara clan because of the free distribution of the Sanbei sword-forging method by the Six Paths of Reincarnation, everyone previously thought the Fujiwara clan was destined to win. After all, the Fujiwara clan was powerful and not lacking in military strength; samurai often fought amongst themselves, and not all dojos had suffered from Fujiwara Sanbei's poison—after all, ordinary samurai didn't have the money to buy Fujiwara Sanbei's swords.

One was a loose alliance, a motley crew without any real officials; the other was a united and cohesive clan. The victor was already decided by any measure.

Even when Genkuro and Uesugi Yoshinobu led their samurai to attack the Fujiwara clan's ancestral home, no one thought they would win; they were simply considered very courageous.

Then, before afternoon even arrived, newsboys, who usually only appeared in the mornings, suddenly swarmed the streets, hawking the new special editions. Without exception, all of these new publications reported the same thing: the Fujiwara clan, fifty-eight members in total, had been massacred, their bodies torn apart! Their souls were scattered to the winds!

Below are speculations about the murderer. Discarding the various and nonsensical theories, the only common thread is that "it was a perfectly sunny day, yet thunder was heard nearby."

Although nothing was said, it was as if everything was said.

At first glance, many people thought it was a joke, perhaps these newspapers were trying to emulate the Western April Fool's Day, even though it's long past. But these days, isn't it about combining Western and Chinese elements? Maybe the government wants to create a Japanese-style April Fool's Day—

But this idea was completely shattered by the increasingly detailed reports on the second and third days, and the official announcement that served as the final blow.

Although the official announcement stated that the Fujiwara family's residence was unfortunately attacked by a monster, the Fujiwara family risked their lives to fight and defeat the monster.

But anyone with eyes can see the problem here. A monster? What's wrong with a monster rushing into the Fujiwara clan's old house? Does it have a death wish? And is the barrier around the Fujiwara clan's house fake? Any cat or dog can just rush in. Fujiwara Mitsuyori, why don't you just quit being a fortune teller and go set up a stall at the Tokyo Bay docks?

In addition to the official announcement, every media outlet mentioned the thunder, which was also vividly remembered by residents near the Fujiwara family residence and passersby at the time; and the samurai who arrogantly stormed the Fujiwara family's gate but immediately fled after Fujiwara Mitsunori came out. The cause, effect, and even process of this bloody incident became very clear.

Taira no Harunobu is really daring!

Not only did ordinary people think this way, but even samurai like Genkuro and Uesugi Yoshinobu were surprised by Taira no Harunobu's ruthlessness. Wasn't the plan to assassinate Fujiwara no Sanbei and then retreat? How did he end up killing fifty-eight people? The Fujiwara clan only numbered a little over two hundred at most. He slaughtered a quarter of them in one fell swoop…

Isn't Taira no Harunobu a bit too extreme?

Even the most extreme samurai, Genkuro, who usually held the most extreme views and was the most supportive of Harunobu's advice, felt that Harunobu was being a bit too extreme.

The extremists think you're going a bit too far. (JPG)

Of course, Harunobu needs to clarify something here: he only killed 43 people plus Fujiwara Sanbei, a total of 44. The extra 14 were mostly dissidents that Fujiwara Mitsuyori purged himself, the same group that stood firmly with Fujiwara Sanbei.

But the samurai didn't care about that; all they knew was that Hiraharu Nobuyuki was a real piece of work! They thought at most they would just get a slap in the face from the Fujiwara clan to prove that they samurai weren't to be trifled with, but this time they were completely humiliated!

Especially as this incident escalated, the samurai's lawsuits and claims against Fujiwara Sanbei were quickly passed. From the judge to the clerk, no one wanted to see fifty-eight members of their own family die one day—in fact, their family didn't even have fifty-eight members including their cats and dogs!

This made the samurai even more excited. Since the end of the Edo period, this was the first time that the samurai had been so arrogant and unrestrained!

However, in their excitement, they didn't lose their minds. After all, although there was no direct evidence, everyone knew who the murderer was, and the Fujiwara clan wouldn't tolerate such a thing; they would definitely retaliate.

Can Taira no Harunobu withstand it?

Genkuro glanced at the crowd before him and suddenly said, "Let's go to the Azure Sky Pavilion!"

The samurai were taken aback for a moment, then realized what Genkuro meant. He was worried that Fujiwara no Mitsuyori would follow suit and wreak havoc at Aozora-kan. In the previous battle, the samurai were certain that Fujiwara no Mitsuyori had the ability to do so; after all, as long as he could hold off Taira no Harunobu, most of the disciples of Aozora-kan would be unable to withstand his shikigami and magic.

After a brief moment of hesitation, most of the samurai immediately agreed. However, not everyone had the same sense of loyalty and confidence, and some remained silent for a while.

Ping Qingxin went too far, and the situation was escalated too much, making them hesitant and worried—in the end, a disorganized entity is still a disorganized entity.

Genkuro's face gradually hardened with anger, and just as he was about to berate these cowards, Uesugi Yoshinobu suddenly interjected, "I say, Genkuro, your intentions are good, but have you forgotten about the situation at Aozora-kan? Are you sure Taira no Harunobu would be happy to take a bunch of grown men to his house?"

Upon hearing this, Genkuro's anger dissipated.

Yeah, Aozorakan is supposedly Taira no Harunobu's dojo, but now it's more like a miniature Ooku (old inner palace). If he brings a bunch of men there, he'll probably end up getting beaten up by Taira no Harunobu instead.

But we can't just stand by and watch Taira no Harunobu get his comeuppance, can we? He acted for the benefit of all the samurai! As a samurai, how can he be ungrateful!

Genjiro scratched his head, feeling a bit of a headache.

Uesugi Yoshinobu then added, "And besides, I think Taira no Harunobu should be fine."

Genkuro spared his hair and looked at Uesugi Yoshinobu along with the others. Uesugi Yoshinobu didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "Have you all forgotten that Taira no Harunobu still has contact with that princess? No matter how arrogant the Fujiwara clan is, they wouldn't lay a hand on the princess's future prince, would they? Does Fujiwara no Mitsuyori still want to be his shaved head? If he doesn't, the Tsuchimikado family has been wanting him for decades."

The samurai then realized what was happening and burst into hearty laughter, as if they weren't the ones who had mocked Taira no Harunobu for his womanizing. But Genkuro didn't laugh. He still felt Taira no Harunobu was too obsessed with women, but that wasn't what he was thinking about now. Instead, he was thinking, "What about Fujiwara no Mitsuyori's attack on Taira no Harunobu's disciples? Surely Her Highness isn't magnanimous enough to protect them?"

Uesugi Yoshinobu sighed, but said calmly, "They're just women. There's nothing we can do about their deaths. Besides, Taira no Harunobu wants to be with the princess, so we can't keep them around."

"You mean..." Genkuro looked at Uesugi Yoshinobu in surprise, but Uesugi Yoshinobu had already turned his head away. Some things are better left unsaid; saying them aloud can cause trouble.

Genjiro lowered his head thoughtfully. Before he could think further, someone suddenly burst in, holding a newspaper, and shouted, "You..."

Chapter 354

You'll never guess what I've discovered! Taira no Shin—"

Before he could finish speaking, the impatient samurai snatched the newspaper away, unfolded it, and read aloud the largest report that occupied the center page: "...Regarding the unfounded accusations against Lord Taira no Harunobu, the head of the Aozorakan, today Lord Taira no Harunobu issued a clarification. On the day of the well-known tragedy, he was in the Imperial Palace, receiving a meeting with Princess Mitsuzu to discuss sword dancing..."

The nearby samurai looked somewhat dejected, though they didn't know why. Even though Hirai Harunobu's actions were excellent, perfect, and could be said to have directly prevented any possibility of retaliation from the Fujiwara clan.

But how to put it... this doesn't seem like something Hirahara Harunobu would do. Just like Genkuro said, Hirahara Harunobu might be alright, but his wives...

Even Genkuro, who firmly believed that Harunobu was too obsessed with women, didn't see anything good about it at this moment. This was practically abandonment…

"There's more! There's more! Next!" the samurai shouted as he rushed in. "There's more!"

The samurai who had just been reading the newspaper was startled awake. His gaze shifted downwards, and he noticed another report right below Taira no Harunobu's, and it was…

"Princess Misuru, the eldest princess of the Imperial Family, issued a statement yesterday afternoon regarding the Fujiwara clan massacre. She first expressed her condolences to the unfortunate victims and announced that she would urge the samurai and police departments to strengthen their prevention and control of yokai incidents. In addition, Princess Misuru clarified a series of rumors and misinformation circulating recently, emphasizing that she was meeting with Taira no Harunobu, the head of the Aozorakan, at the Imperial Palace on the day of the incident, and that His Majesty the Emperor was also present. She stated that she would hold anyone who spreads rumors and slanders the head of the Aozorakan and his disciples accountable, and would not tolerate any villains who exploit innocent victims to incite rebellion."

As the samurai read the newspaper, his voice grew louder and louder, and by the time he finished the last word, his expression was incredibly complex.

The other samurai listening were no exception; they were all speechless, as if they were listening to gibberish.

If Taira no Harunobu's statement was merely "shirking responsibility and self-protection," then Misuruhime's statement was tantamount to "I'm Taira no Harunobu's mother; if you make a move, I'll kill your whole family." Furthermore, she deliberately mentioned her disciple, clearly including Taira no Harunobu's women in the mix.

What the hell is this?

Does Your Highness like crowds?

The samurai exchanged bewildered glances, until finally Genkuro broke the silence. He picked up his sake cup, took a large gulp, and muttered to himself, reeking of alcohol, "That kid, could he actually be a vixen?"

The author says:

Author's Note: Please vote, give rewards, and keep reading!

Chapter 330: The Little Demon's Repayment of Kindness (5K)

While the outside world was in turmoil over the Fujiwara clan's massacre, the Aozorakan remained as tranquil as ever. Especially now, as dusk approached, the Aozorakan under the dim yellow sky became even more serene.

However, Fujiwara Kaguya couldn't relax like that.

That guy actually did it... Is this a dream?

Although she also shared the surname Fujiwara, Fujiwara Kaguya didn't have a good impression of most of the Fujiwara clan. After all, they weren't really related by blood, and her future path had been predetermined for her since childhood—a bad one at that—making her dislike them even more.

As she grew up, Fujiwara Kaguya grew to deeply resent those "elders" who advocated for her marriage to another country. Even Hirahara Harunobu, an outsider with only a primary school education, knew that it was impossible for an Englishman to marry an Asian! Yet those elders, graduates of prestigious universities and even those who had studied abroad, were all convinced of the power to control Britain through marriage, as if they were under a curse.

But if we really have to say who cast the curse, it's probably themselves; they cast a curse on themselves called profit.

In short, their deaths were pure good news for Fujiwara Kaguya, especially after Fujiwara Mitsuyori and her own father sent messages assuring her that she would not be forced into another marriage. Fujiwara Kaguya was so excited that she couldn't sleep all night.

Then, she remembered the day Harunobu and Shiranui Ran finalized their plan, and what she had been silently thinking about... It seems, perhaps, maybe, that time is right now.

"Ugh..." Fujiwara Kaguya covered her flushed face and sobbed. She didn't know why she had thought that way at the time; after all, Taira no Harunobu was a lecherous, promiscuous, and perverted womanizer—

Ultimately, she only came to learn how to draw a gun faster at first, and later she only came to avoid trouble within the Fujiwara clan. She never had any in-depth contact with Hirahara Harunobu... Oh right, that guy doesn't seem to be interested in her either.

Fujiwara Kaguya, who had just been blushing, suddenly felt dejected. She sat on the floor, hugged her knees, and rested her head on her lap.

It seems that Taira no Harunobu has no need for gratitude, and might not even care. After all, she is also petite, but she is not as cute as a kitten, and she even framed Taira no Harunobu in the beginning. Maybe he is only taking her in for the sake of Shiranui Ran and Minamoto Yukisakura.

Even when he helped get rid of those annoying Fujiwara-sama, it was just a good deed he did on the side, just like when he founded the Bracer Guild, it was simply a good deed.

It was as if she only wanted to repay a debt of gratitude, and didn't think that Taira no Harunobu was gentle, kind, strong, handsome, and... and...

The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became, burying her head deeper and deeper.

"Kaguya, what are you daydreaming about?" The cat sat down next to Fujiwara Kaguya and poked her arm. "Are you grieving because your family was killed at the teacher's college?"

"...How could that be? I'm overjoyed." Although she didn't want to pay attention to the kitten that was cuter than her, Fujiwara Kaguya didn't want to be misunderstood as mourning for that damned guy, so she could only say, "I was just thinking about the swordsmanship I learned today. I feel like I can't keep up with your pace at all."

"Because you also have to take care of your marksmanship," the kitten said casually, a sinister smile appearing on her exquisite, fairy-like face as she slowly brought her face closer to Fujiwara Kaguya's head.

A warm breath brushed against Fujiwara Kaguya's elbow, making her sway slightly, uncomfortably, as she tried to move away. But the kitten spoke up: "Hey Kaguya, when are you planning to make your move? Let's make it clear beforehand, don't pick a time when I'm here, or I won't let you have your way."

"You...you...you...what are you saying! Who would want to throw themselves at a promiscuous guy like Taira no Harunobu!" Fujiwara Kaguya shouted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, but her stuttering made her rebuke completely ineffective.

The kitten raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise: "Oh dear, when did I mention teachers' college? By the way, what are you planning to do about teachers' college?"

"Ugh—" Fujiwara Kaguya, who had just been furious and aggressive, buried her head even deeper.

The kitten pretended not to know and continued, "Besides, while it's true that Shifan is promiscuous, he didn't force us to do it. Moreover, Kaguya, you're not a child anymore, you're older than me, you should know how many men like Shifan you've seen, right?"

"Putting aside all the external factors, the fact that a master would be willing to go on a killing spree at the Fujiwara clan's training ground for an outer disciple he'd only known for less than a month—you'd probably only find him anywhere in all of Japan. Even though it was said to be a favor, Kaguya, you surely know that this is definitely not something that can be resolved casually, right?"

"Besides, the incident has already been resolved, so why do you still live here, Kaguya? The outer gate has already been built, and all those ninja ladies live there." The cat whispered softly, its gentle voice like the legendary voice of a demon, penetrating Fujiwara Kaguya's ears.

Finally, the kitten said meaningfully, "By the way, I'm accompanying Teacher Shi tonight, along with Nana and Yezi. If you don't want your first time to be... Anyway, Teacher Shi's sword practice time is over."

Chapter 355

"It's over. I should go to teachers' college now."

The kitten hopped and skipped towards the main dojo.

Fujiwara Kaguya sat there for a while longer, then suddenly stood up. She was still unsure if it was the right thing to do, but she wanted to do it anyway; after all, a righteous cowboy never goes back on his word!

As night deepened, Qingxin, having finished her shower, lay down on the bed and looked at the empty bed with a puzzled expression.

Putting Lazy Dog and Leaf aside, why is Kitty late today? Or is she preparing some kind of surprise? It seems like the Holy Son recently sent over a batch of new clothes and socks?

White, or black? Or perhaps...?

Harunobu closed his eyes expectantly.

Outside the door, Fujiwara Kaguya cautiously peered around and then spotted a kitten slacking off nearby. She was startled, but the kitten waved at her and pointed to another corner. Saten Yoko and Hanazawa Nana, who was leaning against her, smiled at Fujiwara Kaguya and then pointed to the door to Harunobu's room.

Fujiwara Kaguya's astonished expression gradually relaxed, but the faint blush remained, growing deeper instead. She stood in front of the door, thinking about her previous actions and the cat's intentional or unintentional hints and guidance over the past few days, and then grasped the doorknob of Harunobu's room.

Although it's sudden, I'm going to go now—

The door was pushed open, revealing complete darkness. Qingxin yawned, his eyes still sleepy, and looked towards the doorway—was this cat's height?