Chapter 682: The Play Begins

Konoe Maki brought her younger sister, Konoe Marin, to the Yoshiwara pleasure district.

This was the little policewoman's first time in the pleasure district. She looked around curiously, but upon seeing the scantily clad courtesans in the shops surrounding the street, she immediately furrowed her brows in disgust.

"How can they be so shameless in broad daylight?"

The righteous Konoe Marin said this.

"Do they have no sense of self-respect or self-love?"

Walking in front, the Chief of the Security Bureau shook her head helplessly.

"Self-respect and self-love? Marin, you were born into the Konoe family, which is why you have the qualifications to discuss such things. But not everyone is as lucky as you to have been born into a good family. Self-respect and self-love are luxuries to the vast majority of people, not just on the Yingzhou Continent, but in the entire world."

"Do you think these courtesans are willing to sell their beauty to entertain others?"

Konoe Maki looked at this younger sister, who had been too well-protected by the family and knew nothing of the world's cruelty, and asked with a smile.

"Uh..."

The little policewoman was stunned, but she remained unconvinced.

"The sages once said: 'Wealth and rank cannot corrupt, poverty and lowliness cannot move, and power and force cannot bend.'"

"Enough, enough. By your logic, this group of people should just go die for your so-called dignity and integrity, right?"

Konoe Maki directly interrupted her foolish sister, who had read too many books, her eyes filled with a trace of sorrow.

Truly, if this weren't her own sister, she would have kicked anyone else who spouted such nonsense into the air, but alas, this was her own sister.

Moreover, she couldn't really blame her sister for anything. After all, her sister wasn't truly stupid, nor was she a bad child; she was even a good child full of a sense of justice. She had simply been blinded by the education the family had always provided, unable to see the reality of this world.

The one at fault was not her sister, but the family—the so-called noble education practiced by their mother and the clan elders.

The noble masters all enjoyed luxurious lives with everything they could desire within their high-walled mansions; they couldn't see the suffering of the commoners outside at all.

Even if they occasionally went out and saw those poor souls struggling for a living, these masters would only pinch their noses, disgusted by the sweat-drenched, filthy, and foul-smelling commoners, thinking that such people were so unrefined—no wonder they were always the lower class.

The Yingzhou Continent in the eyes of the nobles and the Yingzhou Continent in the eyes of the commoners were already two completely different worlds. Yet, these high-and-mighty nobles had long forgotten that in the distant past, their ancestors were also members of those so-called "lower-class people."

They had forgotten why the nobles were able to become nobles in the first place, forgotten the original glory and responsibilities of the nobility, and now had nothing left in their eyes but power and desire.

One must know that every tall building requires a foundation, and the division between upper and lower classes requires comparison. It was precisely because of the contrast provided by these "lower-class people" that the nobles were able to enjoy their twisted sense of superiority.

It's just that, when a building gets higher and higher, so high that they wish to abandon the foundation and only keep the top floor, can that building remain stable?

Konoe Maki sighed. She also looked at the "upper-class people" in the Yang House, holding courtesans who were forcing smiles while seeking pleasure. In her eyes, this scene of singing, dancing, and immense prosperity held only the sorrow of a crumbling edifice about to collapse.

*Sigh*, I watched them build the high tower, I watched them feast the guests, I watched the tower collapse.

The little policewoman, Konoe Marin, originally wanted to argue a few more points—she didn't want to be lectured by this rebellious, spendthrift sister who had been a headache for their mother and family since childhood—but seeing the deep sorrow in her sister's eyes, she fell silent.

"But this really isn't good. This is wrong."

Konoe Marin could only murmur softly. Ever since she left home for her internship, she found that everything seemed to contradict what she had learned in books. And she had only read the books of sages; how could the words of the sages be wrong?

But if the sages were not wrong, then could it be that this world was wrong?

"Alright, I didn't say you were wrong. It's just, my foolish little sister, this world is far more complex than you imagine. There are some things you can't understand by looking down on everything from a high position; you have to walk down the stairs."

Konoe Maki rubbed the head of her slightly aggrieved sister and didn't make things too difficult for her. After all, she was still a child; once she experienced more things, she would eventually understand.

"Then how should I walk down the stairs?"

The little policewoman was even more confused.

"Emmmm, how about after the meeting is over, you come with me to work in the fields? Although our family's land has all been reclaimed, your sister here was allocated a plot. I'm planning to plant it full of fish grass."

The Security Bureau Chief rubbed her chin and said with a smile.

"Farming? That will dirty your clothes, and you'll be scolded by Mother. And Sister, why do you have land? Did you join that 'Witch's Home' too? If Mother and the clan elders find out, they'll be furious."

The little policewoman looked at her sister in shock, thinking her sister might have gone crazy.

That Witch's Home was the "evil organization" that had taken away almost all of their Konoe family's land. Not only was her sister, the future head of the family, not finding a way to deal with them, but she was actually aiding the evildoer and actively joining them?

"Relax, relax. My land is quite far from home; I chose it specifically. As long as you don't say anything, the family definitely won't know. Besides, haven't you been asking me why I'm so popular at the bureau? If you come help me farm, I'll tell you the secret, how about that?"

Konoe Maki wrapped her arm around her sister's neck and tempted her thus.

Konoe Marin thought for a moment. She was very tempted; after all, she had been at the Security Bureau for several months, but she always felt out of place with everyone there, as if there were an invisible, untouchable barrier between them.

She didn't like this feeling, and she wanted to be genuinely accepted and trusted by everyone just like her sister.

"Deal."

The two sisters reached an agreement just like that.

When the two arrived at the Mirage Tower and walked into the banquet hall on the top floor, the large venue was already almost full of people.

It was Konoe Marin's first time seeing such a grand scene, and she couldn't help but hide behind her sister nervously, then quietly sized up the venue.

Although there were many seats in the hall, they were arranged in an orderly fashion, with clear distinctions between primary and secondary.

At the very top was a main seat, below the main seat were five secondary seats, and below the five secondary seats were nine more seats.

As a little policewoman born into the nobility, she understood everything as soon as she saw this layout.

Although the Yingzhou Continent was ruled by the nobles, there were also hierarchies among them, and what distinguished the status of the nobles was the family rank system.

Aside from the Shogun, the highest-ranking were the five Regent Houses. Below the Regent Houses were the nine Qinghua Houses, below the Qinghua Houses were the Minister Houses, below the Minister Houses were the Yulin Houses, below the Yulin Houses were the Famous Houses, and after the Famous Houses were the Half Houses.

The Konoe family was one of the five Regent Houses, so the little policewoman followed her sister up to those five secondary seats.

They had arrived relatively late, and at this moment, only one of the five seats remained empty. However, this empty seat was not at the end, but rather the seat to the left of the center.

Seeing this, Konoe Marin couldn't help but feel a bit proud.

There were also hierarchies among the five Regent Houses; the Kujo and Konoe families were the upper tier, while the remaining Takatsukasa, Nijo, and Ichijo families were the lower tier.

At this moment, Kujo Chiyo of the Kujo family sat in the very center of those five seats, which made the little policewoman a bit annoyed, but there was nothing she could do. After all, the Kujo family, which controlled the Tenryo Commission and held military power, was indeed slightly stronger than the Konoe family, which controlled the Security Bureau.

*Hmm*, truly just a little bit.

Afterward, the little policewoman quietly glanced at the main seat at the very top. Although there was no longer a Shogun on the Yingzhou Continent, that seat was not empty; sitting on it was an acquaintance of the two sisters.

"Lord Minamoto no Hiromasa."

Konoe Marin popped out from behind her sister and greeted the lord she had always admired.

The witch on the main seat, who had been quite bored, saw the two arrive and revealed a smile as bright as sunshine. She first smiled at the little policewoman as a response, then locked eyes with Konoe Maki, and the two nodded in tacit understanding.

As partners for many years, they no longer needed excessive communication; a single glance was enough for each to understand the other's thoughts.

"Apologies for keeping everyone waiting. There was a small matter at the bureau that needed handling, which delayed us for a moment. Please forgive us."

After the two sisters took their seats, the elder sister, Konoe Maki, stood up and greeted the guests with a look of embarrassment.

"Not at all, not at all. We just arrived as well."

"Lord Konoe is so diligent in governance; this is a blessing for our Yingzhou Continent."

"Lord Konoe, you've worked hard."

Down below, the many nobles dared not show disrespect to the Konoe family, so they stood up one after another, offering such flattery.

Even the lower three of the five Regent Houses stood up slightly; only Kujo Chiyo of the Kujo family remained seated steadily.

This young general was somewhat distracted at the moment.

*Hmm*, she was missing her younger sister a bit.

As an only child, she had finally found a long-lost cousin. She cherished and protected this sister very much, but this morning, she discovered that her cousin had gone missing.

Although Grandmother said that her sister had gone out for some business, Kujo Chiyo still couldn't help but feel a bit worried.

This Tengu general was a sister-con.

But there was no help for it; she had come to attend the meeting today under Grandmother's orders.

Grandmother had asked her to come and cooperate with someone to put on a show, but Kujo Chiyo felt that as a mere martial artist, she really didn't understand acting.

In short, so annoying. Can it end quickly? I want to go find my sister.

Kujo Chiyo looked very serious on the surface, but this was what she was thinking in her heart.

"Alright, let's save the pleasantries for private conversation. It's time to get to the main topic."

Seeing these troublesome fellows starting their endless pleasantries, the Tengu witch spoke up directly to interrupt.

Afterward, she glanced at Konoe Maki, signaling her to start quickly.

Regarding this, the Security Bureau Chief was also somewhat helpless.

*No way*, everyone is here to act, why are you slacking off so much?

Konoe Maki thought of the instructions passed to her last night by Lady Sophie Liya, the butler of Lady Dorothy, and was also speechless.

What happened to having teammates to cooperate with me? Now I'm left to perform a solo act.

However, the Bureau Chief ultimately nodded, preparing to try her best to complete the mission.

After all, if they wanted to save the Yingzhou Continent, they couldn't count on this group of nobles present. This group of nobles, who had transformed from the former guardians of the Yingzhou Continent into its parasites, deserved to be swept into the dustbin of history.

Konoe Maki recalled that outsider witch who shone like the sun. She now believed that only that lady could save the Yingzhou Continent and allow the suffering people on the island to live lives with true self-respect and self-love.

Therefore...

"My lords, the reason the Konoe family and the Kujo family convened this gathering is for no other reason than to discuss with everyone how to deal with those aggressive outsiders."

"I presume you have all received the news. A 'Battousai' who kills thousands slaughtered a thousand compatriots protesting the demolition last night. Such evil deeds are intolerable to heaven and earth. She must be a killer sent by those outsiders. I wonder what you lords think?"

The Bureau Chief said, getting straight to the point.

"I completely agree with Lord Konoe's thoughts. That thief must have been instigated by that group of despicable outsiders."

"That thief's methods are so cruel; unforgivable."

"This thief must be executed. I beg Lord Konoe and Lord Kujo to make the decision for us."

Down below, the nobles had been waiting for these words. After all, those killed last night were all their subordinates; how could they not be anxious?

Of course, the main point was that the killer was truly ruthless. Slaughtering a thousand people in one night—even the methods of Minamoto no Raiko, the former number one killer of the Yingzhou Continent, weren't this brutal.

If that killer could slaughter those samurai last night, then tonight or tomorrow night, would the killer's blade fall on them?

*I don't want that to happen. *

Although the nobles all thought highly of themselves, in reality, few of them had any real strength.

Those lowly commoners had always been very docile and never dared to resist. But ever since those outsiders arrived, there had been no good news on the island recently. Those commoners also seemed to have become ferocious one by one; this was not a good sign.

The nobles now only hoped that the Konoe family and the Kujo family, who held military power, could send people to quell this matter as soon as possible.

However, as soon as Konoe Maki heard everyone's request, she showed a look of difficulty.

"It's not that we don't want to send people, it's just that it's inconvenient for our Security Bureau to take action now. After all, as you lords have seen, that Battousai is almost being hailed as a hero by the public, and the Security Bureau really can't go against public opinion."

Hearing the Bureau Chief's words, the nobles fell silent. After all, what Lord Konoe said was the truth.

Although in the eyes of the nobles, that killer was heinous, in the mouths of those commoners, the killer who slaughtered a thousand village bullies in one night was simply a great hero who punished evil and promoted good. Some were even preparing to build a temple to worship her; this was truly hateful.

Those unruly commoners had already bared their fangs. At this juncture, if the nobles dared to ignore public opinion like this, who knew if those unruly commoners would really bite.

*This is hard to handle; the matter is tricky. *

Everyone turned their gaze to Kujo Chiyo. It was inconvenient for the Security Bureau to take action, but the Tenryo Commission didn't seem to have so many restrictions; they could send people to take action secretly.

Kujo Chiyo had just been about to find an excuse to refuse, but at that moment, a figure walked out from the side hall and headed straight to the main seat at the very top, plopping down beside Minamoto no Hiromasa.

"Look at you all, panicking over such a trivial matter. How can you manage my Yingzhou like this?"

This beautiful witch looked at the people below with contempt, then said casually.

"Since people think that Battousai is a hero, then let's make her a truly perfect hero."

"A hero has never been easy to be; the expectations of ten thousand people are not something everyone can bear."

"Gentlemen, I am looking forward to it. I look forward to seeing how people will treat this hero when they discover that the hero in their hearts is not as perfect as they imagined."

The beauty on the high platform had an evil, charming smile, her voice filled with pleasure and playfulness.

Down below, everyone looked at this familiar figure and fell silent, their faces filled with disbelief.

*Is this a resurrection from the dead? *

Everyone was in terror...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 683 =====