Chapter 170: Chapter 94: Aoto Flirts with Three People at Once [8,000 Words]

During festivals, the most common sight is the variety of vendors.

Today, everywhere in Yudashima Tenman Temple is filled with a myriad of small stalls selling snacks, drinks, souvenirs... everything you can think of.

At this very moment, Aoto, Chokata, and Saito are sitting on a long bench beside a "Sugar Water Stall" with Chiba Shigetarou and his sister Sazanoko.

"Miss Sazanoko." Aoto raised a freshly bought bowl of sugar water, taking a sip, "So—— Chiba Domon Shiro came specifically to persuade you to cancel today’s match, huh."

"Yes." Sazanoko nodded gently, then let out a silent sigh, "Fourth cousin, he’s been like this since before."

Even though Chiba Domon Shiro has left and the excitement has faded, there are still many people lingering or stopping in the distance, constantly admiring the beautiful Sazanoko and the famed Aoto.

Not wanting to be "watched" like animals by so many people, Aoto and the others, after dealing with the witches who reprimanded them, "No more arguing or fighting in the temple," quickly left the "crime scene."

Just now, Chiba Domon Shiro continuously harped on one phrase: Take on the responsibility that Little Chiba Sword Dojo should bear!

What does "the responsibility that Little Chiba Sword Dojo should bear" mean? Feeling slightly puzzled by the content and meaning of this phrase, Aoto inquired about this issue with Chiba Shigetarou and Sazanoko while leaving the "crime scene" together.

Under the siblings’ outline, Aoto finally understood what this phrase meant and learned the detailed account of "Sazanoko being harassed by Chiba Domon Shiro"——

...

The Little Chiba Sword Dojo, like their Shiwei Hall, arrived at Yudashima Tenman Temple early today for the match venue preparation.

Because Little Chiba Sword Dojo arrived earlier than Shiwei Hall, they completed their part of the venue preparation ahead of Shiwei Hall.

Having done all that needed to be done, the people of Little Chiba Sword Dojo decided to temporarily disperse and find ways to pass the time waiting for the match to officially begin.

Chiba Shigetarou and Sazanoko intended to enjoy the white plum blossoms that bloom only once a year, so the two siblings strolled together in the plum grove of Yudashima Tenman Temple.

In the middle of their walk, Chiba Shigetarou, suddenly craving, left Sazanoko in place while he went alone to a nearby "Grilled Squid Stall" to buy some grilled squid.

While patiently waiting for her brother’s return... Chiba Domon Shiro appeared.

Sazanoko’s uncle, who founded the Beichen One-Sword Style and established Xuanwu Hall in Edo, the legendary Great Sword Hero: Chiba Shusaku, passed away five years ago.

Chiba Shusaku had four sons.

The eldest son, Chiba Kisuichiro, has already passed away.

The second son, Chiba Eijiro, entered the service of Mito Domain in 1853 and no longer resides in Edo.

With the eldest son deceased and the second son serving another family, following Chiba Shusaku’s passing, the position of Second Generation Head of Beichen One-Sword Style and Xuanwu Hall master was inherited by his third son, Chiba Daisaburo.

His fourth son, Chiba Domon Shiro, took over as deputy master of Xuanwu Hall.

Chiba Daisaburo, although not having excellent relations with Shiwei Hall like Sazanoko and her brother, never showed any apparent malice towards Shiwei Hall.

But Chiba Domon Shiro was different.

For a long time, his attitude towards Shiwei Hall... is overtly resistant.

He firmly believes: exchanging swordsmanship with such a weak Sword Dojo as Shiwei Hall is entirely pointless.

To exchange swordsmanship, one should collaborate with equally-ranked schools like the Shindo Mononoke Stream’s Training Hall or the Mirror Heart Mingzhi School’s Shixue Hall.

Practicing sword with such a weak dojo as Shiwei Hall? Purely a waste of time!

Using time for meticulous teaching of disciples is the responsibility of a Sword Dojo, not wasting it on games with Shiwei Hall—this is being rather irresponsible to the disciples’ futures, a notion Chiba Domon Shiro consistently holds.

Under the influence of such ideas, Chiba Domon Shiro has never ceased opposing "exchange of swordsmanship with Shiwei Hall" over the years.

A while ago, Chiba Domon Shiro traveled due to some matter and only returned to Edo last night.

Upon returning to Xuanwu Hall in Edo, he learned about Little Chiba Sword Dojo participating in the plum blossom festival match against Shiwei Hall.

Not wanting to witness Little Chiba Sword Dojo misbehaving here again, he led a few companions to Yudashima Tenman Temple early today, intending to persuade Little Chiba Sword Dojo to withdraw from the match and avoid such showy, purely time-consuming conduct with Shiwei Hall.

Leading his group to Yudashima Tenman Temple, he coincidentally encountered Sazanoko standing under a plum tree, waiting for Chiba Shigetarou to buy grilled squid.

Having met his cousin, who always supports swordsmanship exchanges with Shiwei Hall... he decided to first reason with her!

Thus, he led his companions aggressively to surround Sazanoko and commenced a righteous exposition with her.

What happened next... Aoto and the others are quite familiar with, needing no further elaboration.

"Mr. Tachibana, you really... have a lot of guts." Sitting across Aoto, Chiba Shigetarou took a big gulp of sugar water, then revealed a complex and emotional smile at Aoto, "Just now, hearing you ask the usually arrogant Brother Tadomaru to retract his words, I was so shocked I didn’t know where to put my hands and feet."