Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Seeing Hijikata Souji's wary expression, Harunobu could only speak the truth to ease the tension: "I wish he were dead."

This guy is serious.

Hijikata Souji and Tanaka Yu had the same thought at the same time, and then quickly advised, "Master Taira, don't go to extremes. Katsura Taro is not someone you can kill casually. He has a strong security force around him."

Seeing that Hijikata Souji, who is known for his madness, is actually advising Taira no Harunobu not to go to extremes... wait a minute, what do you mean by saying that his security forces are very strong? Does that mean he can be killed if they aren't strong enough?

That was the Prime Minister! And a former Minister of the Army who served as Prime Minister three times! With Emperor Taisho suffering from mental illness and unable to govern, he was truly the King of Japan!

Going to kill someone like that, regardless of whether it's successful or not, is just too crazy!

Hijikata Souji was just joking; after all, as Prime Minister, Katsura Taro's security couldn't be so weak that Taira no Harunobu could handle it alone.

Harunobu waved his hand, as if he really was just joking: "Don't worry, I wouldn't go that far... Speaking of which, isn't today January 25th?"

"It seems so." Tanaka thought for a moment, "It should be."

“How about we make a bet? I guess the parliament won’t convene this month and will have to postpone it until February 1st,” Harunobu said. Japan’s constitutional system naturally referenced Britain’s constitutional monarchy and also had a parliament, but this parliament was almost entirely controlled by various Chinese clans.

As a member of the nobility, the Matsudaira clan's Hijikata Souji stroked his smooth chin: "What do you want to bet?"

"We're not betting anything, just having some fun," Harunobu said. "Or how about betting on how hard Hijikata-san works? If I'm right, could you please work harder to send the entire Demon Dragon Society in?"

Hijikata Souji stopped touching his chin: "What if you, Taira-sama, lose?"

Qingxin blinked: "How about I print the character 'Cheng' on all my clothes from now on?"

“Deal.” Hijikata Souji said immediately. As a woman who had even changed her name to Hijikata Souji, she simply couldn’t resist the temptation of having a powerful samurai use the Shinsengumi’s Seiji flag.

"Then I'll wait for your good news... I should go out on patrol now." Harunobu stretched. "We're short-handed..."

Not only had the ordinary disciples not returned for a day, but the international students hadn't returned either. Although Harunobu was pleased with this situation, it still made him feel a little sentimental. The Azure Sky Pavilion seemed to have become much quieter.

Just as he was thinking this, a flurry of footsteps approached. Curious, everyone in the living room looked toward the entrance of the Richun Dormitory and saw the female disciples of the Qingkong Hall filing in.

This is not a problem, after all, Qingkong Pavilion only accepts female disciples.

The question is, why are some of these female disciples wearing white kimonos? Why are some wearing wedding dresses? Why are some even wearing phoenix coronet and wedding robes?

Harunobu's lips twitched as he looked at the little Yuzu mixed in with the crowd.

The author says:

Author's Note: Place your bets now! Guess how Prime Minister Katsura will die—whether it's a wildly imaginative, magnanimous, or indomitable spirit~ But the prize draw will be at the end of this volume. Finally, Tsushima Island was really fun www

Chapter 155: I Agree to the Marriage

To be honest, Harunobu was genuinely startled when he saw Inoue Shibaya, the first to walk in, dressed in a white kimono. He thought someone had actually come to force him into marriage. Even Taira Yukiko and Hosho Amu tensed up; Harunobu could clearly feel their bodies tighten and their grip on his hands tighten considerably.

Fortunately, the other disciples appeared right behind Inoue Shibaya, and many of them were dressed in various wedding attire.

This seems like nothing more than a prank by these young ladies. Even if it were an arranged marriage, it's impossible for a dozen or even dozens of people to get married at the same time.

Harunobu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and patted Hirayuki and Hosho Amu's hands reassuringly. Then he turned his gaze to Tachibana Yuzu, who was mixed in with the disciples.

Needless to say, this scene was inextricably linked to that clever, cunning girl. He wondered why he hadn't seen her this morning; it turned out she'd gone off to organize something.

No, these disciples couldn't have just walked down the street dressed like this, could they...? Looking at the [smirking] on Tachibana Yuzu's head, Harunobu had a bad feeling.

It seems I need to talk to Juyouzi as soon as possible; her ability to stir up trouble is just too impressive.

While Harunobu was pondering, all the female disciples of Aozorakan had already crowded into the Hiharu Dormitory. Naturally, although the Hiharu Dormitory was quite large, it was still packed full. In particular, they had to avoid the two guests, Hijikata Souji and Tanaka Yu, so many female disciples were pressed directly against Harunobu's side.

Among them was Inoue Shibaya, dressed in a white kimono, standing behind Harunobu, her flat chest almost completely pressed against Harunobu's back.

Contrary to her usual quiet demeanor, the young lady from Inoue Shimizu leaned close to Harunobu's ear with a mischievous grin and whispered in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, do I look pretty today?"

"Ahem!" Harunobu coughed and pushed Inoue Shibaya's head away. "You're very pretty, and you're always pretty, but didn't I tell you to back out first?"

Qingxin's intention to change the subject was so obvious that even a fool could see it. Some female disciples who were nearby or had sharp eyes noticed the slight redness on Qingxin's earlobes and burst into laughter.

Hijikata Souji smiled, picked up his teacup, and gently blew away the foam on the surface of the tea: "Ah, it seems I underestimated Lord Taira, whether it's his lechery or anything else."

Making no attempt to hide his mockery, Hijikata Souji's eyes gleamed with an equally undisguised look of amusement.

Harunobu could only cough again, trying to argue, "Please excuse me, Miss Hijikata. These children are a bit spoiled; it was just a prank."

Hijikata Souji raised her long, slender eyebrows, which were as long as her figure: "Is this just a prank? It seems that Master Taira must often play pranks on them, right?"

This guy is hopeless; he's completely become a spectator. Harunobu, in despair, gave up trying to persuade Hijikata Souji and looked at Tanaka Yu, meeting his heavy gaze.

Tanaka Yu earnestly advised, "Harunobu, I know you're young and full of energy, especially you samurai. But even the best things can have their downsides if taken to excess, especially since you're at the peak of your youth..."

Listening to Tanaka Yu's earnest and heartfelt advice, Harunobu took a deep breath.

"Uncle Tanaka, this is really just a prank. Even the Shogun didn't take a dozen or dozens of concubines at once!"

That's true. Tanaka thought about it and agreed.

Chapter 164

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At this moment, Hijikata Souji quietly interjected, "Doesn't this make you, Master Taira, look amazing? Besides, they've been with you for quite a while now, so of course the ceremony can be simplified."

Harunobu took another deep breath.

We can't rush things. We can't let the clowns have their fun, or things will never end. As for those brats and little girls, we'll deal with them behind closed doors later.

Having calmed down, Harunobu accurately seized the loophole in Hijikata Souji's words and launched a counterattack: "Even if it's simplified, the bride won't run out on her own, especially since there's no officiant here."

Among the international students who were a little further away, Kinoshita Asaharu suddenly spoke up: "Teacher's College, I can help you hold a Shinto-style wedding."

Once she opened the floodgates, nuns and other female students among the international students started to jeer and commotion.

This person said, "Teacher training, the Buddhist ceremony is also good, of course a samurai should worship Buddha!"

The one who said, "Teachers' College, actually, the Almighty God can also officiate at weddings."

Finally, Hijikata Souji clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. Then she pointed to Tanaka Yu and herself: "With the two of us here, it's not beneath you to hold a public wedding for you, is it?"

Clearly, Harunobu wasn't calm enough just now.

Or perhaps someone was secretly pleased, so much so that they didn't immediately resort to the most effective measures.

But now we have no choice but to use it.

Harunobu's face darkened, and he swept his serious gaze over the disciples who were shouting and yelling. The Richun Dormitory immediately fell silent.

The teacher's imposing presence instantly took control of the entire room, causing Inoue Shibaya to suppress her previous mischievous smile and reveal a gentle and virtuous one once again.

Qingxin rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and repeated the question from before: "Didn't I tell you to go back and hide for a while? Why have you all come back?"

Kinoshita Asaharu was the first to speak: "We weren't on the evacuation list to begin with, were we? Teacher's College."

"If Miyaji hadn't insisted that I report on the progress, I would have come back yesterday."

The shrine maiden at Inari Shrine chuckled like a fox, which drew many echoes of her sentiment.

As for what progress was actually reported... Yesterday, the fox blinked its long, narrow, fox-like eyes and looked at Haruno expectantly.

Qingxin was certainly not foolish enough to ask at this time, so he ignored them and looked at the other ordinary disciples.

In the end, it was Inoue Shibaya who stepped forward: "Master, we never agreed to be deserters, did we? Besides, the news about the Shiraishi Group has already spread, so there's no need for us to hide anymore."

Harunobu didn't answer, but instead looked at Tachibana Yuzu, who had secretly run back to her mother's side. Little Yuzu gave an innocent smile, her round eyes filled with naivety.

Harunobu didn't intend to expose Tachibana Yuzu's unusual behavior to Hijikata Souji, whom he was meeting for the first time, so he could only mutter, "Then what's with your outfits? Your parents will be heartbroken if they find out!"

Inoue Shibaya blinked: "Teacher, this outfit was made by my mother herself, and she helped me put it on."

The other female disciples, dressed in wedding attire, silently echoed her, silencing Qingxin.

Then, Hanazawa Nana, who had been watching the show the whole time, added the final blow: "By the way, my two people should already be at the door."

This time, even more people chimed in.

Harunobu, on the other hand, was restless, glancing between Hirako and Amu Hosho.

Finally, the two beauties, who were also unable to suppress their laughter, leaned close to Harunobu's ear.

"There are way too many gifts. As expected of a teacher's college." — Amu Hosho

“My husband’s charm is even greater than I imagined. It seems that I don’t even need to lift a finger.” — Taira Sachiko

Finally, Harunobu looked at Tachibana Yuzu again, and then saw Tachibana Nako's surprised gaze, as if she were seeing him for the first time. There was even a hint of embarrassment in her smile.

Qingxin lowered his head, his eyes lifeless. He knew that from today onwards, his already meager reputation was completely ruined.

"Hahahaha!"

Hijikata Souji was laughing so hard he was practically lying on the table, and he even burped from laughing.

The author says:

Author's Note: There will be recommendations next week, so I'm writing like crazy today and will give everyone a big update on Monday. I hope everyone will vote for me next week (～o￣3￣)～ If you're urging me to update, you can vote for it today. Also, the 100-person kill thing isn't coming anytime soon... I need to strengthen my body a bit more, otherwise I'll really die in bed ( ).

Chapter 156: Azure Sky Business Alliance

A large group of people were gathered in front of the Aozora Pavilion, chatting amongst themselves. Several business deals had already been finalized. If one didn't see the surroundings and only listened to their conversation, one might mistake it for a banquet at a high-end hotel.

But when the doors of the Aozora Pavilion were reopened, the lively scene that had just been like a banquet suddenly cooled down, with only their burning gazes becoming even more intense than before.

Everyone turned to look at Qingxin, who had appeared at the door.

Qingxin was also looking at them, at these disciples and their parents who were dressed in various formal attire, with different appearances, but all exuding the air of shrewd businessmen.

After a brief silence, Harunobu spoke up: "Welcome everyone to the Azure Sky Pavilion. Please come in."

We can't just leave these people standing at the door, or send them back. We also need to make things clear with them, whether it's about the so-called marriage alliance or Gui Yancheng's classic solo performance as a young military officer.

The crowd bowed or gave a polite nod to Harunobu before filing in. Finally, Harunobu closed the door, blocking the curious gazes of passersby and the watchful eyes of the spies who were definitely there.

In the end, more than one hundred disciples and more than one hundred parents gathered in the courtyard in front of the main temple, forming a small sea of ​​people.

By the way, the number of disciples over one hundred includes international students, but the number of their parents over one hundred doesn't include their parents. This is because many of the parents who came this time brought multiple wives. Of course, there were also quite a few disciples whose parents only came alone, or even had someone else come on their behalf... which seems even more problematic.

Harunobu rubbed his temples, his gaze sweeping over Inoue Shibaya, who was embracing a beautiful woman and giving him a sweet smile, and then lingering on Hanazawa Nana, who was far away from his parents. Harunobu felt his head throb even more.

But that's it.

Qingxin sighed inwardly and could only say, "Welcome everyone, but before we begin our business talks, there are a few things I need to tell you in advance."

"First, although the Shiraishi Group suffered a pitiful fate, the Demon Dragon Society has replenished its forces and is even stronger than before. This is not a joke or a lie. I can even say that things like what happened to the Shiraishi Group will never happen again."

"Therefore, I hope you will all reconsider your daughters' swordsmanship training arrangements. Although I will not refund the tuition fees, I will not refuse your daughters' requests to repeat a year."

Harunobu couldn't possibly admit in this setting that he was responsible for the Shiraishi Group's actions. Although most of the people in the audience already knew, they also knew that Harunobu wouldn't admit to such a thing in front of a crowd. Therefore, their attention was mainly focused on other aspects of Harunobu's words.

The Demon Dragon Society has replenished its manpower and become even stronger? So much so that even Taira no Harunobu dares not create a situation like the White Stone Group again?

How could that be? Are there really people stupid enough to join the Dragon Clan as Yakuza these days? Even if there were, they couldn't possibly stop Taira no Harunobu, could they?

Eyes darted among the crowd, and some astute individuals seemed to have already guessed what was going on, but they remained silent, waiting for Qingxin to speak next.

However, Harunobu had no intention of saying anything more, much less directly revealing that Katsura Gensei had arranged for active-duty soldiers to help the Demon Dragon Society. It was at this moment that Hijikata Souji reminded him that such matters could only be discussed if there was concrete evidence and the matter became widely known.

Chapter 165

Otherwise, the first reaction of the young and middle-aged officers would not be to admit their mistake, but to silence them.

Otherwise, why did Hijikata Souji not send a message through Tanaka Yu this time, but instead went directly to her door? It was because he was worried that if she told Tanaka Yu in advance, this old man might not live to enter Aozorakan Road.

It wasn't just her who planted spies among the opponents; heaven knows how many Katsura family informants were in the Asakusa Police Station, and heaven knows if any of the people in the audience were Katsura family informants.

After a moment of silence, Harunobu, unexpectedly, and Hijikata Souji, who was even more surprised, looked at the parent-teacher meeting, where no one had left.

"Master Taira, since we're here, we've made preparations." The speaker was Saten Yoko's father, Saten Toranosuke. This man, with a somewhat doting fatherly air, had a rather hearty voice that echoed throughout the courtyard.

“Yes, Master Ping. Rather than sitting and waiting for death, hoping that the youngest son of the Katsura family will take pity on us and let us go, I prefer to take the initiative.” The second person to speak surprised Harunobu, because it was Hanazawa Nana’s father, Hanazawa Taiga.

His relationship with Hanazawa Nana wasn't very good. He had even tried to arrange a marriage between Hanazawa Nana and a nobleman from the Onomiya family, but Harunobu ruined it.

After the two men spoke, a short, stout man standing next to the beautiful woman that Inoue Shibaya was embracing spoke again: "You two are right. None of you here are children or fools. Since you've come, you must have already made your plans—to be honest, I can't wait to reach a cooperation agreement with Mr. Sanjo."

As soon as he said this, a man of similar height standing next to him chimed in, "Yes, I just took a look, and it seems there aren't many people in the same industry as me here. So I'm eager to reach a cooperation agreement with everyone as soon as possible."

Saori Sanjo stood behind him, maintaining a proper distance, with a polite and gentle smile on her face, nodding politely to the gazes coming from all directions.

What followed were a cacophony of voices echoing the sentiment, some vulgar, some elegant; some blunt, some tactful. But the underlying meaning was the same.

Fast forward to discussing business!

"Alright, since everyone's brought it up," Qingxin could only get down to business, "So, regarding business partnerships, you all probably know more about them than I do. Do you have any suggestions?"