Just as Mukiwa turned around, ready to freshen up, she paused.
"Ah, right. Mr. Kiryu, we must find a way to solve the issue with the stack of wagashi that Uncle Wulang gave us today," Mukiwa said seriously to Mr. Kiryu. "If we don’t find a solution soon, those wagashi will all go bad."
"Ah, about that... Young Master, you don’t need to worry," Mr. Kiryu chuckled lightly. "Mr. Chokata visited just now, and I have already given him the wagashi we couldn’t finish."
"Mr. Chokata ca over just now?" Mukiwa blinked, then hurriedly asked in an urgent tone, "Was Mr. Tachibana with him?"
"Mr. Tachibana did not co," Mr. Kiryu cast a slightly puzzled glance at Mukiwa. "What’s the matter? Why specifically ask if Mr. Tachibana ca? Do you have sothing you need from him?"
"Ah? Uh... No, no..." Mukiwa’s voice stuttered a bit, "I was just casually asking..."
"Oh... casually asking... I see..." Mr. Kiryu squinted slightly, his eyes fixed intently on the now sowhat unnatural expression on Mukiwa’s face.
The corners of his mouth slowly curved into a smile filled with subtleties.
"Why did Mr. Chokata suddenly co?" Mukiwa cleared her throat and awkwardly changed the subject.
"He’s here to discuss business with us," Mr. Kiryu withdrew the odd smile.
Mr. Kiryu succinctly explained Mr. Chokata’s earlier intentions to Mukiwa.
"Mr. Tachibana wants to hire an undercover informant," Mukiwa whispered, "There should still be plenty of people willing to be undercover informants for the ’Three Tis’ Dōshin."
"Yes." Mr. Kiryu agreed, "So finding people isn’t that difficult."
"Now that Mr. Kiryu you’ve given away the wagashi we couldn’t eat to Mr. Chokata, I’m relieved," Mukiwa showed a relieved expression, "It’s such a pity to let Uncle Wulang and Auntie Ting’s well-made wagashi just rot away."
...
...
While Mr. Chokata was negotiating business with Mr. Kiryu, Aoto was attending a eting at the North Guard Station.
Upon arrival at the North Guard Station today, Aoto imdiately received Hosoi’s order for an "urgent eting, all Yoriki and Dōshin from the Fixed Town Patrol and Temporary Patrol must attend."
As the Town Magistrate of the North Guard Station, Hosoi’s busyness over the past fortnight surely surpassed Aoto and the other Yoriki and Dōshin.
Carefully observing—Hosoi, originally chubby and white-skinned, had lost quite a bit of weight, and black circles had erged around his eyes.
With a mountain of tasks awaiting his attention, Hosoi wasted no ti in small talk when everyone was present and got straight to the point—
"According to reports from our spies and informants, we’ve grasped a piece of intelligence regarding the ’Masked Faction’."
Upon hearing this, everyone, Aoto included, imdiately perked up.
The Masked Faction—a criminal group recently erging in Edo.
Totaling five mbers, all wearing wide-brimd hats and black face scarves to conceal their faces, they operate under the banner of, ", an Anti-foreigner Warrior, pay up quickly. If you don’t, you’re a traitor deserving Celestial Punishnt!" and have been robbing rchants.
So far, at least five shops have fallen victim to them.
Their atrocious cris led the Edo Magistrate’s Office to classify them as a "key focus subject."
Because they always wear black face scarves during cris, for convenience, the Magistrate’s Office dubbed them the "Masked Faction."
"According to intelligence from spies and informants, a thug nad ’Kin’emon’ from Takaracho is highly likely to be a mber of the ’Masked Faction’."
"One mber of the ’Masked Faction’ has a dark red birthmark on their ankle—Kin’emon shares these features."
"Moreover, height and physique also match quite well."
"Coupled with Kin’emon’s typical traits of no serious work and only engaging in unscrupulous behaviors to survive, he’s highly likely a mber of the ’Masked Faction’."
"Therefore—"
Hosoi surveyed the faces of everyone present.
"Let’s make a move!"
"Kin’emon usually frequents only two places—his ho and a casino in Takaracho."
"Thus, dispatch two teams to capture him."
"One team will stake out his ho, the other will ambush him at his usual casino."
"Whether we can capture Kin’emon directly impacts our chance to eradicate the offending ’Masked Faction’ completely."
"Regarding this operation, I’m deploying heavy forces! Success is mandatory; failure is not an option!"
"Hyuga, Bei Dalu, you two will lead the team to stake out Kin’emon’s ho."
"Yes!"*2
Hyuga and Bei Dalu, both nad, responded in unison.
Hyuga is a Dōshin of the Temporary Patrol, while Bei Dalu is a Dōshin from the Tojo Group’s Fixed Town Patrol.
"Then..."
Hosoi slowly turned his gaze to Aoto and... Mr. Nishino seated not far from Aoto.
"Mr. Tachibana, Mr. Nishino."
"You two will lead the team to monitor Kin’emon’s usual casino."
Suddenly nad by Hosoi, Aoto was taken aback but quickly responded.
"Yes!"*2
Aoto and Mr. Nishino simultaneously shouted "Yes".
...
...
"Heh heh! Heh heh heh heh~! Heh la la~~"
Holding the box of wagashi given to him by Mr. Kiryu just now under his right arm, Mr. Chokata humd a tune he composed in just two seconds, while playing with the Karakara in his hand.
"Karakara" is a type of children’s toy from the Edo Era, sowhat resembling a rattle.
When leaving the Thousand Affairs House and setting out for Shiwei Hall, Mr. Chokata instantly favored a purple Karakara from a street vendor specializing in children’s toys.
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