One month ago, in the Land of Sakura, Kyoto.

There is an antique old house in the suburbs, covering a large area. There are many guards patrolling and the security is very strict. This is the old house of the Kikuno family and also the training base of the Kikuno family.

All the outstanding ninjas sent to the Ume Agency were trained in this house, including the dead eel.

The current head of the Kikuno family is named Kikuno Masato. He is also Eel's master and Doctor Song's biological father.

Masato Kikuno looked to be in his early sixties, not tall, with a stern expression. He was sitting at the top, looking coldly at a girl wearing a cherry blossom kimono, kneeling on the ground with her head lowered.

There were also a few middle-aged men and women sitting next to them, all of whom were the sons and daughters-in-law of Kikuno Masato.

"Chiyo, why did you come back suddenly? Where's Chinatsu?"

Masato Kikuno's tone was stern and his eyes were cold and ruthless.

"Grandfather, Chinatsu sent me a secret message asking me to come back, saying it was Grandfather's order."

The kneeling girl raised her head, and her face was exactly the same as Xia Tao's, without any difference.

But their temperaments are completely different, Xia Tao is sweet while Chiyo is cold, and the two are easy to distinguish.

"When I sent you to China, I told you that you could only come back if I personally gave the order. Chiyo, don't try to be smart in front of me. What's going on? Where is Chinatsu?"

After Kikuno Masato finished speaking, he raised his hand lightly. Kikuno Chiyo on the ground groaned, her face turned pale, and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

A beautiful middle-aged woman in a kimono sitting on the side stood up worriedly, but after Masato Kikuno just took a look, she sat down obediently, not daring to look at her daughter again.

"Grandfather, I told the truth. I haven't forgotten what you said, but I really miss my family and the cherry blossoms in Kyoto. You sent me to China when I was five years old, and I haven't set foot on my hometown since then. For the past fifteen years, I have been missing my hometown and my family all the time. It just so happened that Chinatsu sent me a secret message, asking me to come back, so I... I came back. I know I was wrong, please punish me, Grandfather!"

After saying that, Chiyo knelt straight down, lowered her head, and prepared to accept the punishment.

Kikuno Masato's expression did not change at all, and he asked in a cold voice: "Where's Chinatsu?"

"I don't know. After I came back, she poisoned me and told me to follow her instructions, otherwise she wouldn't give me the antidote. I had no choice but to obey her and stay in her room wearing Chinatsu's clothes."

Chiyo's face became paler and paler, and her kneeling body was shaky. She had just been whipped by her grandfather and had suffered internal injuries. All her internal organs were in pain.

Kikuno Masato stood up, walked slowly in front of her, and said coldly: "Stretch out your hand!"

Chiyo stretched out her hand obediently. Her skin was not as white as Xia Tao's, but a healthy wheat color due to frequent sun exposure.

Masato Kikuno took the patient's pulse and found that he was indeed poisoned, so his anger subsided a little.

"Father, Chiyo knows she's wrong, please forgive her!"

The beautiful middle-aged woman Keiko Sanada knelt down and pleaded for her daughter.

Chiyo glanced at her with a cold and mocking look in her eyes.

Masato Kikuno didn't even look at his daughter-in-law, but just gave his son a warning look. His son quickly pulled his wife out of the hall. His father was angry now, and if they waited any longer, they would be in trouble.

"What did Chinatsu tell you she was going to do?"

Masato Kikuno looked at his granddaughter coldly. This granddaughter had extraordinary talent since she was young, so he sent her to China when she was five years old and sent masters to secretly teach her various ninja skills.

He spent so much manpower and material resources on a big game. He also hoped that the empire would be able to counterattack China in the future and take back the land that belonged to them.

Chiyo has lived in China since she was a child, and her behavior and speech are the same as those of the locals. Chiyo is also an excellent ninja. In addition to Chiyo, he also arranged other ninjas to lurk in every city in China.

Once the counterattack begins, these spies he has planted will be the greatest help to the empire. When the counterattack is successful, he, Kikuno Masato, will definitely become the next prime minister. Under his leadership, the Kikuno family will definitely move to a higher level.

But Chiyo's sudden return disrupted his plan. Kikuno Masato was very angry because he hated disobedient chess pieces the most.

"I don't know. Chinatsu didn't tell me anything. She has always looked down on me." Chiyo replied.

"Father, there's a secret message coming from Huaguo Tanzhou saying they've contacted Mi Tao."

Someone came in to report, holding a secret message that had just been received from China.

Masato Kikuno took the secret message and read it, and felt even colder.

"How did Chinatsu know our plan? Did you tell her?"

Masato Kikuno questioned his son.

"Father, I didn't. I never told these things to Chinatsu." The son cried out in injustice.

Her father had arranged for his youngest daughter to marry into a prominent family in the capital in the future, so Chinatsu learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting and how to please men since she was a child, and only learned the basics of ninja skills.

The eldest daughter, Chiyo, was sent to China to lie undercover at the age of five because of her extraordinary talent. She underwent cruel and rigorous ninja training since she was a child, and would serve the Kikuno family in the future, even at the cost of her life.

Therefore, he knew very well that from the moment his eldest daughter Chiyo was chosen, she was no longer his daughter but a powerful weapon of the family.

Masato Kikuno glared at his son with disdain. He had been a wise man all his life, but he gave birth to such a cowardly son who had nothing. The only thing he could show off was that he had a pair of twin daughters who were both very talented.

Chiyo is extremely qualified and can serve the family well.

Chinatsu is sweet and lovely, and can be used to arrange marriages and consolidate the family's status.

He has invested a huge amount in both of his granddaughters. Chinatsu is about to marry the heir to a prominent family in Kyoto. The wedding will be held next year when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and the invitations have been sent out.

Chiyo was going to send someone to deal with the troublesome Ruan Qiqi. Eel was his most proud disciple, but she was ruined by Ruan Qiqi. He had to kill this Chinese woman to restore the reputation of the Kikuno family.

Now the plan has been disrupted. Qianxia must have gone to China to find Ruan Qiqi. This ignorant girl, who only learned a few superficial skills, thinks she is invincible.

"Tomorrow you go to Huaguo and bring back Qianxia. If anything happens to Qianxia, ​​don't come back!"

Kikuno Masato warned coldly.

Chinatsu's marriage must not be ruined, she must return safely.

"Grandfather, I look exactly like Chinatsu, I can marry Fukuyama-kun for her!" Chiyo whispered.

Then she groaned in pain, her face turned even paler, and a streak of blood seeped out on her pink cherry blossom kimono.

Masato Kikuno had a thin whip in his hand, which could tear skin and flesh apart with one whip. Everyone in the family was afraid of his whip and would rather be beaten with a stick than be whipped.

Chiyo's body was shaking with pain, but her back was still straight, her cold face was even more stubborn, and she let the cold sweat flow down.

"Get rid of this thought immediately. You will never be able to replace Chinatsu. Go back and pack your things. Leave tomorrow morning!"

Masato Kikuno threw down an antidote and looked at her without a trace of emotion.

"yes!"

Chiyo put the pill into her mouth, stood up, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.

She walked very slowly, and with every step she took, the wounds on her body would be pulled, causing excruciating pain. The bloodstains on her clothes also became darker and darker, looking horrifying.

"Chiyo, I'll apply medicine for you!"

Keiko Sanada was still waiting outside, looking at her daughter with heartache.

"Thank you, ma'am, that's not necessary!"

Chiyo bowed slightly, politely declined, and continued walking slowly.

"Chiyo...I'm sorry..."

Keiko Sanada's eyes were red and she looked like she was crying.

"How do you talk to your mother? You are becoming more and more ignorant of etiquette!" the cowardly father scolded harshly.

"Sorry, no one teaches the rules outside!"

Chiyo looked at the couple sneerfully and walked away without looking back.

The next day, when the sky was still dim, she carried a simple luggage and boarded a cargo ship to China. She stood on the deck, watching the rising sun, and a smile appeared on her cold face.

She was finally able to escape from the damn Kikuno family. From now on, she would be Xia Tao, and no longer Kikuno Chiyo.

And that pretentious Chiharu Kikuno was her meeting gift to China. She should be able to exchange her for a good job, right?