Chapter 218: Chapter 104: Outside Sakurada Gate, the Rampaging Era!

Today is the Shangsi Festival, eagerly awaited by many unmarried girls.

Shangsi Festival is also known as the "Peach Blossom Festival" because this is the time when peach blossoms are in full bloom.

After warming his arms, Chokata quickly ran to Aoto’s side and fetched his share of water from the well for washing.

"Mr. Tachibana." Chokata, brushing his teeth, asked Aoto in a muffled tone, "How do you plan to spend today’s Shangsi Festival holiday?"

"Apart from practicing sword fighting at Shiwei Hall, I don’t have any other activities to join." Aoto replied jokingly.

Aoto had no daughters, and there were no unmarried girls in Shiwei Hall.

For Aoto and Shiwei Hall, this Shangsi Festival was just an ordinary day...

—Speaking of which... Lord Arima should be on his way to Edo Castle by now...

As a minor official like Aoto leisurely spent his Shangsi Festival holiday.

However, officials with some rank like Arima had to go to Edo Castle today, to celebrate Shangsi Festival in the Great Hall of Edo Castle with the Shogunate.

Aoto speculated that Arima should have already changed into his most formal attire and was leading his entourage to Edo Castle.

"Mr. Tachibana, since you have nothing planned today, would you like to go see the peach blossoms with me this afternoon?" Chokata’s cheeks were filled with anticipation and excitement, "Now is the peak time for the peach blossoms this year; it would be a pity not to go appreciate them."

"To see the peach blossoms..."

The weather today wasn’t very good, and Aoto wasn’t particularly inclined to go out.

While Aoto was contemplating whether to accept Chokata’s invitation to view the flowers, he suddenly saw a white dot as small as a rice grain streak past his eyes.

"Hmm?"

Aoto and Chokata, who also noticed the white dot, looked up at the sky.

"It’s snowing..." Chokata murmured.

Little snowflakes fell from the clouds, speckling the gray sky.

The swirling, wind-carried snowflakes resembled mischievous little spirits.

The sight of the floating snow made Aoto involuntarily recall a famous line from an ancient text he had learned: "Not as if willow catkins rise with the wind."

"The weather this year is really unusual..." Chokata gave a bitter smile, "It’s already March, and it’s still snowing..."

Aoto nodded in agreement.

The sudden snowfall caused the already low temperature to drop even further.

The chill embracing their surroundings grew heavier, and unable to withstand the cold any longer, Aoto and Chokata quickly finished washing and hurried back to Shiwei Hall.

...

...

Today, all officials of any rank must ascend Edo Castle to celebrate Shangsi Festival with the Shogunate General—naturally, as the Tairō, Ii Naosuke could not be absent.

At this moment, at the gate of the Ii family’s residence, over seventy of Ii Naosuke’s attendants and guards were checking their feathered robes, straw hats, swords, and other gear.

Inside the residence, Ii Naosuke, already dressed in formal attire, was walking alone, with a majestic stride, toward the room where the palanquin was prepared.

At that time, a loyal old retainer of the Ii family, appearing anxious, quickly emerged from around the corner of the corridor behind Ii Naosuke and hurriedly approached him.

"My Lord! My Lord!"

The old retainer knelt on one knee before Ii Naosuke and presented a pristine envelope with both hands.

"My Lord," he said in a low voice, at a volume only he and Ii Naosuke could hear, "This morning, an anonymous letter was delivered to the Ii family’s residence."

"According to the letter, in the coming days, a group of Mito Domain vassals intends to ambush you on the streets."

"...An anonymous letter?" Ii Naosuke, emotionless, took the envelope, extracted the letter, and unfolded it forcefully.

The contents of the letter were quite simple—merely a warning that the vassals of the Mito Domain were planning to launch a Celestial Punishment Operation in the coming days and cautioned Ii Naosuke to be careful.

After quickly reading the contents of the anonymous letter, Ii Naosuke nonchalantly tossed it back to the old retainer.

"So the Mito Domain vassals have set their sights on my head... So what?"

"Should I just never leave the house again?"

With that, Ii Naosuke sidestepped the old retainer kneeling before him: "Later, investigate who sent this anonymous letter." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"My Lord! My Lord!"

The old retainer swiftly moved in front of Ii Naosuke again and knelt down.

"Please, at least increase your guards; I’ll arrange for some new guards right away..."

"Absolutely not!" Ii Naosuke sternly interrupted the old retainer, "It might be permissible at other times, but not today to increase the guard."

"There are regulations on how many guards can accompany the ascent to the castle for the Shangsi Festival celebration."

"As the Tairō, I cannot break protocol and set a bad example for others."

Having said that, Ii Naosuke once again stepped around the old retainer blocking him.

The old retainer obstinately blocked Ii Naosuke’s way once more.

"My Lord..."

"No more words are needed." Ii Naosuke maintained his composure, "Each person has their fate."

"If the assassins are determined to kill me, there will be gaps in our defense no matter how careful."

At this moment, Ajiuu arrived.

Habitually bidding farewell to Ii Naosuke in the morning, Ajiuu emerged from the side corridor.

"What is going on?" Ajiuu glanced at Ii Naosuke and then at the old retainer still kneeling before Ii Naosuke.

"It’s nothing." Ii Naosuke gave Ajiuu a slight smile, "We were just discussing governmental affairs."