My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 153: Chapter 89: ”Mr. Tachibana, Are You Married?” [5,600 Words]_3

Sana now stood slightly ahead and to the side of him, folding her hands respectfully in front of her, thanking Zhouzhu, Kondo, and Chokata for their hospitality tonight.

His sister stood at a slight distance from him.

Kondo and the others were not in their close proximity either.

He was now in a somewhat near ”alone” state with Aoto—Chiba Shigetarou, realizing this, squinted his eyes and quickly took half a step forward to close the distance between himself and Aoto.

”...Mr. Tachibana.” Chiba Shigetarou spoke in a low tone that only he and Aoto could hear, quickly asking, ”Are you married or engaged?”

Aoto was taken aback, ”Mr. Shigetarou, why the sudden question?”

”Haha, no reason.” Chiba Shigetarou chuckled, ”Just a momentary curiosity.”

Upon hearing this explanation from Chiba Shigetarou, Aoto, though still somewhat puzzled, quickly responded to Shigetarou’s earlier question:

”I am not married, nor do I have an engagement.” After finishing his words, Aoto paused and added in a joking tone, ”I am still quite free.”

In Ancient Japan, ”free love” was exceedingly rare.

Whether samurai or commoners, marriages were mostly arranged by matchmakers.

Once the children reached a marriageable age, a reliable matchmaker would be invited to help find a suitable and equal family, and if the conditions were right and the other party was interested, an engagement would be set, awaiting a good date for the wedding in the future.

Therefore, having an engagement at a young age was quite common in this era.

Securing a matchmaker was typically the man’s responsibility, and before Aoto’s father, Tachibana Ryuzo, passed away, he had sought numerous matchmakers to find Aoto a suitable marriage.

These matchmakers, entrusted by Tachibana Ryuzo, indeed introduced many well-matched and talented women to the Tachibana family.

However—for those girls recommended by the matchmakers, Tachibana Ryuzo was not very satisfied. Until the time of his passing, he had never found a daughter-in-law to his liking.

After Tachibana Ryuzo’s death, the matter of ”finding a wife for Aoto” was left unresolved.

Upon learning that Aoto was neither married nor engaged, Chiba Shigetarou had a look of astonishment on his face:

”Mr. Tachibana, you’re neither married nor engaged yet? I thought at your age you’d surely have been claimed as a son-in-law by now...”

Aoto didn’t notice: Hidden within Chiba Shigetarou’s expression of astonishment was a subtle hint of excitement...

”Brother.”

At this moment, Sana, who had finished her farewell to Zhouzhu and the others, walked over to Chiba Shigetarou with graceful steps.

Seeing his sister approaching, Chiba Shigetarou quickly shut his mouth, no longer speaking with Aoto.

”Brother, let’s go home.”

”Oh, oh.” Chiba Shigetarou nodded vigorously, ”Yes, alright, let’s go. Then—Mr. Zhouzhu, Mr. Isami, Lord Toshisuke, Mr. Tachibana, Sazanoko and I will take our leave, we shall meet again!”

Chiba Shigetarou bid farewell to everyone in a loud voice, his gaze sweeping across the faces of Aoto and the others.

His gaze paused deliberately for an extra moment on Aoto’s face.

”Yes.” Zhouzhu, as the head of the household, waved gently to the siblings, ”Take care on your way!”

After the farewells, Chiba Shigetarou and Sazanoko left Shiwei Hall one after the other with large strides.

Sazanoko turned her head, glancing at the increasingly distant Shiwei Hall behind her.

Not until they turned a corner into a street where Shiwei Hall could no longer be seen did Sana retract her gaze, and then, in a neutral tone devoid of emotion, she asked Chiba Shigetarou, who was half a body ahead:

”Brother, I saw you enthusiastically having a quiet conversation with Mr. Tachibana just now... what were you two talking about?”

”Ah? Nothing much.” Chiba Shigetarou replied without thinking, his expression unchanged, ”Just asking how he was staying at Shiwei Hall.”

”...Was that really all you talked about?” Sana stared directly at Chiba Shigetarou, as though she wanted to see through him.

”What’s... what’s with that look?” Feeling uncomfortable under Sana’s stare, Chiba Shigetarou folded his arms and pouted, ”Why are you looking at me like that... don’t you believe what I say?”

”...Of course I believe you, brother.” Sana slowly withdrew her gaze, ”Since you’ve said so... I suppose I’ll trust that you didn’t talk about anything inappropriate with Mr. Tachibana.”

...

...

The silhouettes of the siblings, under the watchful eyes of Aoto and the others standing at the entrance, gradually merged into the night at the street corner.

When Shigetarou and Sana’s figures completely disappeared from view, and everyone returned indoors, Abi’s voice suddenly came from the other side of the corridor facing the entrance:

”Have Chiba Shigetarou and Chiba Sana left?” Abi asked as she briskly walked towards the people lingering at the entrance.

For some reason, while Chiba Shigetarou and Sana were at Shiwei Hall, talking with Aoto and the others about serious matters, Abi had never made an appearance.

”Yes.” Zhouzhu nodded, ”They just left.”

”Why did those siblings come to our Shiwei Hall this late?” Abi frowned and pressed on.

”Uh... well...” As he looked at Abi, Zhouzhu seemed to recall something and awkwardly let out a few dry laughs, ”Mmm... To put it simply, they came to deliver some good news.”

After making a dry laugh, Zhouzhu gestured towards the sitting room with a hand.

”My lady, let’s go to the sitting room first. The entrance is not a place to talk. Once we’re in the sitting room, I’ll explain it to you.”

...

About 5 minutes later—

”What?! Yudashima Tenman Temple actually agreed to have our Shiwei Hall and Little Chiba Sword Dojo hold a ’Red and White Battle’ during the ’Plum Blossom Festival’?!”

Abi roared, her voice seemingly almost shattering the ceiling above them.

Sitting in front of Abi, Zhouzhu... and Aoto, Kondo, and Chokata, who were sitting together in a corner of the sitting room, all instinctively leaned back, distancing themselves from Abi to mitigate the ”sound wave attack” she unleashed.

”What’s going on...” Abi looked distressed as she raised her hand to her forehead, ”Did this really happen...”

”My lady...” Zhouzhu smiled wryly, ”You’re still opposed to us holding a ’Red and White Battle’ during the ’Plum Blossom Festival’ with Little Chiba Sword Dojo...”

”Of course!” Abi gritted her teeth, ”Zhouzhu, I’m beginning to suspect if you’ve gone senile.”

”Time and again, in past ’Red and White Battles’, we at Shiwei Hall have never won against Little Chiba Sword Dojo! Isn’t that right?”

”Holding a ’Red and White Battle’ with them at the ’Plum Blossom Festival’? Doesn’t that mean countless people will watch as our Shiwei Hall gets utterly defeated by Little Chiba Sword Dojo?!”

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