Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Qingxin hadn't thought this would actually work out, and hadn't made any contingency plans. Now, if you asked him how to do business, he honestly had no idea. He couldn't just use internet slang from his past life; that wouldn't fit the industry. He could only let the businessmen below improvise, and then he would make the final decision.

It was Satenko Yusuke who spoke first: "No, that can wait a moment, Master Taira."

Taiga Hanazawa chimed in tacitly, "The important thing now is how to build trust among us to cooperate and truly unite as one."

Harunobu sensed something was wrong.

But before he could stop him, Saori Sanjo's father spoke up bluntly: "Master Taira, when do you think would be a good time to hold the wedding? Since everyone is here now, why not just have a public wedding?"

"Huh?" Qingxin looked at the parents below, who seemed to take it all for granted and were even impatient, and asked a thought-provoking question, "Why does your trust in our cooperation require a marriage alliance with me?"

“Isn’t that obvious, Master Taira?” Inoue Shibaya’s father answered Harunobu’s question. “To deal with the pressure from that brat, in addition to our internal order cycle after the alliance, we also need a strong banner to deal with the pressure from the authorities. And our only choice is you, Master Taira. That is the basis of our cooperation.”

“But you are not related to us. Being our disciple is not enough for us to raise your banner, or rather, being our disciple is not close enough. The best way is of course to form a marriage alliance.”

“But if only a portion of the people marry into your family, who can guarantee that you won’t favor one particular person? So the best solution is for all of us to marry into your family.”

"In this way, we have a basis for cooperation and trust in cooperation. You have gained so many lovely girls, and you don't have to disband your disciples to seek refuge. Everyone can benefit."

After saying that, Inoue Shibaya's father shrugged and said, "I really can't think of any reason to refuse."

Harunobu was speechless and shook his head helplessly: "So, do you think it's okay to marry your daughter to a man who already has three wives, or even more than sixty wives?"

Inoue Shibaya's father glanced at Harunobu in surprise, then shook his head: "I didn't expect you, Lord Taira, to be so... naive. But I have eight daughters and two sons, born to my five wives."

"And I must say, compared to having my daughter marry some nobleman who is a year older than me, or some young master who goes to Yoshiwara every day and ruins himself before he's even thirty, you, Master Taira, are the best choice."

"Or, you could ask the girls here yourself whether they'd rather be with you or continue waiting for the unlikely chance of finding true love?"

This is a question that doesn't need to be asked.

Harunobu chose to skip the headache: "Alright, but I really need to ask them about this... Let's discuss the business alliance first, like its name?"

Just as Harunobu finished speaking, Hijikata Souji's voice suddenly came from behind him: "Aozora."

She walked out of the main dojo and came to Qingxin's side, repeating her words: "Let's call it the Blue Sky Business Alliance, Master Ping. I think it's a name you truly deserve."

"Ms. Matsudaira... Miss Hijikata?"

Some parents recognized the crazy woman who was famous in Asakusa and even throughout Tokyo, and their eyes widened in surprise.

Subsequently, the name "Azure Sky Business Alliance" was approved, and the matter of the marriage alliance was naturally brought up and entered into discussions about the alliance's regulations.

Hijikata Souji gave Harunobu a reassuring look and then returned to the main dojo.

The author says:

Author's Note: This chapter is 2K9, so I guess it's a small bonus chapter...? Also, I won't be writing much about commercials, as I'm not good at that. In short, just understand that Qingxin won't be short of money (not really). Also, I'm just highlighting the female lead's character a bit, and I hope there won't be too many problems.

Chapter 157: President Tachibana

Unsurprisingly, once the parents below entered the business model, Qingxin was completely baffled. Even with his memories from his previous life, it was the same; after all, setting aside the differences in business operations between countries, the gap in time was enough to leave Qingxin utterly bewildered.

Harunobu couldn't understand any of the business jargon of this era, after all, he only had a primary school education.

Moreover, the merchants below came from all over the country, some being local Tokyo businessmen and others crab hunters from Hokkaido, so their demands and opinions were bound to be very different. And Harunobu simply couldn't ignore their requests and let them do whatever they wanted.

Although they were all parents of his disciples, and those disciples were all of good character and personality, it would be too naive of Harunobu to expect a group of capitalists and factory owners from the industrial era to possess excellent self-control and noble virtues.

Harunobu had a bit of a headache, but he wasn't surprised as he was mentally prepared. He simply reached out and pulled over Tachibana Yuzu, who had been secretly watching the show from the sidelines since earlier.

The parents looked at Qingxin strangely, hesitant to speak.

Qingxin ignored their strange and complicated looks and waved the small pomelo in his hand: "Little pomelo, it's time for you to do your work."

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this situation was entirely caused by that brat. Coupled with the information reported by Hirako and the others, Harunobu felt that she must have had a complete plan all along.

It doesn't matter if she doesn't have it; let her use her invincible, clever mind.

Chapter 166

Think of a way.

Little Yuzu was lifted into the air, her two little feet wrapped in plain white tabi socks dangling in the air, before being pulled out of her wooden clogs and placed on Qingxin.

Her petite and delicate feet were pressed tightly against Qingxin's side, forcing Qingxin's hands to retract as well, turning the little girl from being carried into hanging on Qingxin's chest.

The parents' expressions became even stranger. They wanted to say that although they didn't mind that Ping Guanzhu was lewd, it would be better to tone it down in public.

Of course, they couldn't really say that, but their eyes betrayed them.

Fortunately, Harunobu has gotten used to it.

Yuzu, with her innocent-looking big eyes, said, "Uncle Inoue, your price is too high, it's 30% higher than the market price."

"Uncle Santiao, being too greedy is not a good thing. Trying to secure the entire alliance's exclusive logistics position right now is like thinking the Master's knife hurts!"

At the gentle rub of Yuzu's little feet, Harunobu tapped her on the head, interrupting her outburst. Then, feigning embarrassment, he nodded to the parents around him, "Sorry, everyone, it's just a child's nonsense, please don't mind it."

"It's alright, it's alright, children just say the darndest things."

When Inoue Shibaya's father said this, he didn't really have any ill intentions towards Tachibana Yuzu. On the contrary, he was a little curious—this little girl was really right.

“Yes,” Saori’s father chimed in, his expression natural, showing no sign of unease at having his scheme exposed. “Kids are all like that.”

Just then, Tachibana Nako rushed over, her voice arriving before her: "Yuzu! Get off the teacher! That's so rude of you!"

Yuzu pouted and loosened her legs. Harunobu bent down and put her back on the ground. As he did so, little Yuzu gave Harunobu a look, then jumped into Nako's arms.

Harunobu straightened up thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on Tachibana Nako. So, this is Yuzu's backup plan?

To be honest, Harunobu didn't quite understand. After all, besides her incredibly mature and sexy body, Tachibana Nako's most striking feature was her unwavering desire for revenge.

Does she have any talent in business?

Despite not understanding, Harunobu chose to trust Tachibana Nako, this mysterious little devil, and her clever and insightful mind.

So he clapped his hands and said, "Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Tachibana Nako, Mrs. Tachibana. She is my personal disciple and also the alliance leader I have prepared. Please discuss any issues with her."

Before the surrounding parents could react, Tachibana Nako's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Teacher's college? Me?"

Tachibana Nako's exclamation was as soft and gentle as ever, not at all like that of a strong woman who had navigated the turbulent world of business.

So the parents looked at Harunobu and her with suspicion, wondering if the Grand Master of the Pavilion had been bewitched by her beauty, and what about the future of this alliance...

However, they did not show it on the surface. Instead, as Harunobu said, they turned to Tachibana Nako and began to talk about their various needs and suggestions.

Anyway, it doesn't matter if the alliance fails in the future; at worst, we'll just go back to yesterday's situation. The important thing now is to make a profit! Just like they did just now.

They want the alliance to grow and expand, but they want themselves to grow and expand even more. Some even prefer the alliance to fail so they can line their own pockets. Again, don't expect a group of capitalists to have a conscience, even if there might be some genuinely kind-hearted individuals among them.

Harunobu watched the scene with some apprehension, ready to intervene at any moment. But what happened next made him stop in his tracks.

Surrounded by the surging crowd, Tachibana Nako, who had just been looking bewildered and as soft as cotton, suddenly changed her expression.

The usually bright, watery eyes were now ignited by the fire; just a glance at the crowd silenced the noisy throng.

What was originally a hunched posture due to the heavy load on his chest has been replaced by an upright posture with his head held high. Despite being only 1.5 meters tall, he has created the presence of someone 1.8 meters tall.

"You are all people of status. Isn't it a bit too impolite to make such a racket?" The voice was still gentle, but the tone was completely different.

Serious, assertive, and even possessing an unassailable air of authority.

This sudden reversal left not only the parents bewildered, but even Harunobu was completely taken aback. Meanwhile, Hijikata Souji, who was secretly watching the spectacle from the main dojo, stared wide-eyed, even forgetting to chew his daifuku.

In the utter silence, a changed Tachibana Nako began to make arrangements on her own: "Before discussing business and responsibilities, we need to first establish the alliance's structure, such as the specific leaders and the responsibilities and powers of each member."

"But please don't crowd around like elementary school students. At least you all know how to write Chinese characters, right... and you can all use kana, right?"

"Well then, Teacher's College, I've already prepared paper and pens at the association. Please have someone bring them over."

At this moment, someone finally realized what was happening and tried to take back the control that Tachibana Nako had completely taken over.

"Mrs. Orange, have you already started to see yourself as a leader?"

Naoko Tachibana blinked: "Isn't that obvious? This alliance was established with the Teachers' College as its core. As the Teachers' College's representative, I'm not the leader. So, is it you?"

"If you have any comments, please write them down in the proposal later. Now please be quiet and do not disturb everyone's thinking."

Those who wanted to argue glanced at Harunobu, who was standing there, and silently shut their mouths.

Soon, the kitten brought over the paper and pens used for transcribing requests from the Bracer Guild, and even some tables and chairs.

Nako Tachibana was the first to grab a pen and paper and start writing furiously, while also handling other people's proposals in between.

“Mr. Sanjo, your persistence is admirable, but this proposal is impossible to pass. Not to mention that you can’t handle the entire alliance’s logistics volume, even if you could, it’s impossible. Please stop wasting Saori-chan’s goodwill with the teacher.”

“Oh, Mr. Inoue, your proposal is excellent—a unified standard for raw silk. But who will implement and certify it? Let’s leave that for now.”

"Mr. Hanazawa, please pay attention to the brevity of your proposal. Also, this clause is rejected."

“Mr. Saten, please don’t deliberately give preferential treatment to specific members, as this will have a negative impact.”

"Mr. Ueno..."

“Ise…”

Amidst the calm and composed replies, a large number of scrap papers piled up to Tachibana Nako's left, while a dozen or so approved papers appeared on her right.

Finally, she picked up the dozen or so pages of densely written documents and placed them in the "approved" section. Then she walked up to Qingxin and respectfully handed them to him.

"Please take a look, Teacher's College."

Harunobu had regained his composure. He wrapped one hand around Tachibana Yuzu's head and took the stack of documents with the other, beginning to peruse them.

Harunobu initially thought it was just for show, but what he saw actually surprised him. He had assumed that the so-called alliance regulations would only include business rules, at most prohibiting corruption.

Unexpectedly, it contained a wide range of clauses, from prohibiting the use of inferior goods as superior ones to prohibiting the abuse of power for personal gain and damage to Qingxin, including a complete list of penalties.

As for the positions at each level, and the corresponding rights and responsibilities, they are all clearly allocated, which can be said to be no less than the organizational charts of large companies in Qingxin's previous life memories.

—Refers to being rigorous and effective.

Harunobu glanced at the next few pages again, then nodded: "Let's do it this way."

The merchants seemed hesitant to speak, yet also hesitant to speak.

But under Harunobu's watchful gaze, and with the added benefit of Hijikata Souji opening the window and revealing his face, he silently signed his name and pressed his fingerprint.

"Very good, the first task is complete. Now we can discuss the specifics of our cooperation. Please remember, I..."

Chapter 167

We are partners in an alliance; please use your cleverness and cunning on the enemy.

"Um, Mrs. Tachibana," Yusuke Satenko raised his hand, as if asking a question to a teacher at a cram school, "Shouldn't we first choose everyone's positions?"

Satenko Yusuke wasn't trying to cause trouble; it was a well-intentioned reminder.

When it comes to "official positions," it's better to just decide them outright and secure them through force now. Dealing with any subsequent controversies will be much simpler that way. In a truly free competition, the controversies would only be bigger and more intense.

"It's alright, this is part of the job selection process. Only capable people can take on important responsibilities, and for us businessmen, what better way to demonstrate ability than through win-win cooperation?"

Naoko Tachibana smiled and swept her cold gaze over her partners. "The instructor and I are looking forward to your performances."

The businessmen looked at each other, and one of them still spoke up defiantly: "So that means that leadership positions are based on ability?"

This is open competition.

Nako Tachibana tilted her head slightly and smiled, "Mr. Sato, please understand the core of this alliance and the reason for its establishment. It was created by the Normal School to save the lives of you idiots. If you cannot accept the leadership of the Normal School, or if you believe you have the ability to surpass the Normal School, you are welcome to leave now."

“And if you want to challenge my position, then I welcome you anytime.” Tachibana Nako smiled and shook her head. “As long as you can convince the instructor.”

Mr. Sato stood there awkwardly, his prepared remarks completely useless, easily defeated by Tachibana Nako's barrage of sarcastic retorts. His daughter, meanwhile, looked utterly helpless, shrugging at her fellow students who were looking over, perfectly conveying her current mood.

Women who can be easily married off in arranged marriages naturally have little say in their families, let alone the ability to stop their fathers who have already gone too far. This is not a complaint; the fact that they can come to the Azure Sky Pavilion to learn swordsmanship means that their parents are actually quite open-minded and love them relatively well—at least they don't have too many restrictions on their finances.

But that's just how it is.

Harunobu cast a comforting glance at the unfortunate child, then continued watching Tachibana Nako unleash her power.

In the spacious courtyard of the Aozora-kan, Tachibana Nako strolled leisurely. Her white-topped, black-bottomed kendo uniform, which would normally appear simple and plain, now exuded a serious and rigid aura on her, causing the merchants to silently sweat.

then……

"No one's going to speak? Well then, Mr. Sanjo, do you have anything to say about the logistics business?"

Saori Sanjo's father wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing at Harunobu who stood quietly: "Um, it's nothing... I mean, I have three cargo ships that can go to America, eleven small boats that can only operate domestically, and trucks..."

As Sanjo Saori's father spoke, the atmosphere gradually livened up, and more and more people began to introduce their business scope—in an orderly manner, of course.

After they finished speaking, Tachibana Nako clapped her hands: "Very good, I believe everyone has already thought of preliminary partners and plans. However, as the person in charge designated by the teacher training college, I will first make a fool of myself - Mr. Sato, Mr. Inoue, you two are both in the raw silk business, and your shipping markets are also very close. Have you considered joining forces to share warehousing and logistics costs?"

Before the two could answer, Tachibana Nako looked to the other side and said, "Mr. Ueno, Mr. Kujo, would you two be interested in launching a new style of Western-style kimono together? Didn't Mr. Kujo just say that he has connections in the acting industry? Promoting through this would definitely be very effective, and Mr. Ueno's batch of Western-style fabrics wouldn't have to be stockpiled."