Huff...!
At this mont, a gust of cool night wind blew past.
"Guh..." Perhaps feeling cold, Chokata, who was lying on Aoto’s back with eyes tightly shut, slightly tightened the arms wrapped around Aoto’s neck.
After letting out a small hiccup, Chokata rested his chin on Aoto’s right shoulder.
"Mr. Tachibana..."
"Hmm?"
"Today... I’m really grateful to you..."
Chokata’s eyes opened to a thin slit.
The corners of his lips curled slightly, and in the drunken, blurry eyes, a spark of joy erged.
"Without you... I fear our Shiwei Hall would have lost again in today’s competition..."
Aoto smiled: "No need for such formal thanks, after all, I’m also a mber of Shiwei Hall, striving for its glory is what I ought to do."
"Hehe..." After emitting a sowhat silly laugh, Chokata closed his eyes again and tightened his embrace around Aoto’s neck, "If only... every future swordsmanship competition... could be as exhilarating as today..."
—Exhilarating, huh...
The smile on Aoto’s face took on a peculiar expression.
—Today’s competition... indeed couldn’t compare to that battle with Mogami Shofu...
In today’s contest with the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, Aoto had also fought several intense matches...
However... none of today’s fights brought Aoto the sa blood-pumping excitent, nerve-racking tension, where any slight slip or mistake could lead to death... the thrill he felt when fighting Mogami Shofu.
After this mumbled sigh from Chokata, he said nothing more — he had fallen asleep lying on Aoto’s back.
The group continued on in silence, hurrying along the road.
Finally — the silhouette of Shiwei Hall appeared in Aoto and his companions’ view.
But just at that mont, Aoto suddenly noticed: at the entrance of Shiwei Hall stood a figure he found exceptionally familiar.
"Lord Arima?"
Arima, escorted by Box Carrier, Spear Holder, and other attendants, turned upon hearing the voice.
"Oh oh." Arima smiled and said, "Mr. Tachibana, you’ve returned."
...
...
Shiwei Hall, living room —
"Please have so tea."
Arima politely bowed in thanks to Abi, who handed him a cup of hot tea.
After nodding in return, Abi withdrew from the room holding the tea tray.
With Abi’s voluntary exit, only Arima and Aoto were left in the room.
"Mr. Tachibana, did you go out for drinks tonight? Did sothing good happen?"
"Well..." Aoto smiled helplessly, "That’s a long story... In any case — let’s discuss the important matters first, afterward I can slowly recount the good things that happened to us today."
"Lord Arima, visiting this late at night, you must have so urgent news to share?"
Arima nodded gently.
"Since it’s already quite late, I’ll keep it brief."
"Mr. Tachibana, I ca tonight to caution you: in a few days, there might be a slight unexpected change in the forthcoming ’Tairō Assessnt’."
"A slight unexpected change?" Aoto was taken aback.
Today is February 25th, with only three days left until the Tairō hosts the ’Tairō Assessnt’ on March 1st, evaluating all officials of the Three Tis in the South and North Governor’s Office.
"What’s unexpected?" Aoto asked further, "Is the assessnt cancelled?"
"Quite the opposite." Arima sighed lightly and silently, "This ’Tairō Assessnt’... has beco more grand."
"Initially, this assessnt was to be overseen by a few trusted aides of Ii Dairou."
"However... I have received confird news now."
"Ii Dairou himself... will personally attend and preside over this assessnt conference."
"...What?" After a mont of silence, Aoto leaned forward with a face of astonishnt.
"Ii Dairou will personally attend and preside over this assessnt conference." Arima repeated what he had just said.
"...Which Ii Dairou?"
"Is there another Ii Dairou in this world besides Lord Ii Naosuke?"
"Lord Arima, are you sure there’s no mistake...?" The astonishnt on Aoto’s face was uncontrollable, "How could Tairō Ii Naosuke personally attend and preside over an event of this level?"
What status does Tairō Ii Naosuke hold?
He is the current "Pri Minister."
A dignified "Pri Minister" personally attending and presiding over the examination conference of our Capital Police?
This sounds utterly absurd.
"There’s no mistake." Arima said, "I’m very certain that what I just said is indeed factual."
"Although it remains unclear why soone as busy as Tairō Ii would take the ti to attend an event that shouldn’t require his personal involvent..."
"But I personally believe..."
Arima raised his gaze, looking squarely at Aoto.
"Mr. Tachibana, Tairō Ii is most likely coming because of you."
"That’s precisely why I ca to inform you overnight, to give you a heads-up and help you prepare ntally."
"If there’s anything recently within our Magistrate’s Office that would draw Tairō Ii’s close attention... it would undoubtedly be your grand accomplishnt of defeating a large number of ’Radical Anti-foreigner Faction’ rioters, Mr. Tachibana."
"The famous Tairō Ii is coming specifically for ..." Aoto twitched the corner of his mouth and then said half-jokingly, "Ha... I don’t know whether to feel honored or nervous."
"All of this is just my speculation. Tairō Ii may have other reasons for attending this event personally." Arima said lightly, "In any case—Mr. Tachibana, just prepare yourself ntally."
"Besides preparing yourself ntally, you can also look forward to the ’Tairō Assessnt’ in a few days."
A faint smile appeared on Arima’s face at this mont.
"Considering the significant rits you’ve achieved, you’ll typically receive a generous reward as per the norm."
"Tairō Ii might personally confer a reward upon you at the assessnt in a few days."
Aoto chuckled and teased, "Lord Arima, since I returned to Edo, it’s been more than a month now, this reward is really coming a bit late..."
...
...
days later—
Year 7 of Ansei (1860), March 1st.
Today, Aoto donned the samurai formal attire embroidered with the Tachibana Family crest: kamishimo.
In the Edo Era, almost every military family had its own crest.
Tracing back a thousand years, Aoto’s ancestors were a branch of the renowned "Four Great Clans" in the Heian Era (794-1192), the Genji Clan.
Thus, as a descendant of the Genji Clan, the family crest Aoto used was the emblematic Genji crest that had been passed down for over a thousand years: the Gentiana Leaf.
Aoto’s original formal attire had vanished into ashes in the conflagration when his ho was burned.
The kamishimo he wore today was a new garnt commissioned from a clothing store after he received a gift of money from the French Embassy.
After dressing in the kamishimo, grooming his hair and face, and equipping his sword, Aoto left the Shiwei Hall with the send-off of Kondo, Chokata, and others, striding towards the venue of today’s "Tairō Assessnt": the North Guard Station.
Entering the North Guard Station he hadn’t visited in a full month, turning into a "conference hall" used for significant etings, Aoto imdiately saw many familiar and unfamiliar faces.
Because this was a eting to assess the achievents of all "Three Tis" officials from both the South and North Patrols of Edo, colleagues from the South Division "Three Tis" were also present.
Although everyone was "police" in Edo, Aoto wasn’t very familiar with the colleagues from the South Division, as they weren’t from the sa system, and interactions were rare.
Upon Aoto’s appearance in the conference hall, he instantly beca the center of attention.
Those who didn’t know Aoto well, like the colleagues from the South Division, whispered:
"Look, that’s Tachibana Aoto from the North Guard Station."
"So young..."
...
Those who knew Aoto and had so understanding of him, like the colleagues from the North Guard Station, showed complex expressions:
"That Blockhead Don has really transford..."
"Ah... If only my foolish son, who runs to Yoshiwara every day just to indulge with won, could also awaken and reform like... ah, no, like Mr. Tachibana."
...
When Aoto arrived at the conference hall, the most familiar people to him, the mbers of the Arima Group: Arima, Inagawa, Ushiyama were already inside waiting.
Upon seeing Aoto, Arima, Inagawa, and Ushiyama imdiately raised their hands to beckon Aoto to co over quickly.
"Tachibana!" As Aoto approached, Inagawa enthusiastically patted Aoto’s back, "You’ve been frequently surprising us recently... I’ve already heard, a few days ago, you led the Shiwei Hall in a great victory over the Little Chiba Sword Dojo."
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