Actually, if we can ignore that extremely rude remark, to be fair, this girl is quite easy to like—the kind of pure, innocent affection. This site's new domain name is the initials of Kele Novel Network (k1), the largest free Chinese romance website, come and check it out!
Because the girl had an ethereal quality and a conscious, innate detachment from the mundane world, this feeling resonated deeply with Duanmu Ci, because in some ways, he was like that too.
Wearing a very traditional shrine maiden outfit and with her long hair tied up with a scarlet sash, she easily evokes the image of a shrine maiden from the Edo period who, after attending a grand festival in the autumn sunset, declines the invitations of court nobles and returns to the shrine to serve the gods, remaining untouched by any worldly desires.
Of course, it would be even more perfect if we could ignore the long sword hanging on the scarlet sash...
Terashima Moriyoshi bowed and apologized, "Akishino-miya has lived in the shrine since childhood and is completely isolated from the outside world. She is quite ignorant of human relationships and has offended Duanmu-kun in many ways. Please forgive her, Duanmu Jin!"
Duanmu returned the gift, saying, "Those who are inexperienced in the world are also sparsely tainted; those who are experienced in the world are also deeply cunning. Miss Qiuxiao is naturally kind, simple and lovely. I regret that I have been late in appreciating her, so how could I bear to blame her?"
Wei Yue chimed in with a smile, "Duanmu Jun is a magnanimous gentleman. He probably won't hold a grudge against Junior Sister's few words."
Terashima Moriyoshi nodded, "That's good, that's good."
As they were talking, the white-robed priest who had led the way in the shrine earlier also entered the back hall with a writing brush and ink. He placed the small table on the ground and then stood quietly to the side without saying a word.
Terashima Moriyoshi suddenly bowed, "Today I will entrust a great matter to you all, and I ask you to be my witnesses!"
Everyone quickly returned the greeting, except for the clueless Chiba Akishino, who had already run to the corner of the hall to fiddle with her beloved long sword while everyone was talking.
Terashima Moriyoshi picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and then wrote on the plain white screen behind him. His long sleeves swayed with his wrists, reminiscent of cherry blossoms falling from Mount Fuji.
"As per Terashima Moriyoshi's will: After my death, the Issenbun Shrine shall be presided over by Priest Yoshitaka Echizen, and shall be hereditary by the Echizen clan. My disciple, Minamoto no Miyuki, shall serve as the shrine's supervisor, assisting in the shrine's affairs. As for my personal property, it shall be inherited by my adopted granddaughter, Chiba Akishino-miya, with Duanmu Ci as her guardian. Words are insufficient as proof; this is the written testament. That is all!"
Terashima Moriyoshi wrote and read aloud, his hand moving faster and faster, his words flowing more and more rapidly, like a royal decree issued by a monarch, carrying an irresistible divine power!
"Your Excellency, you mustn't!" Before Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue could speak, the white-robed priest named Echizen Yoshitaka had already prostrated himself on the ground. "My Echizen clan has served the Terashima family for generations. How dare we overstep our master's authority? Moreover, I am old and frail, and I have never practiced the 'Hokushin Itto-ryu' style. How can I be the abbot of the Ichinenbun Shrine? Please, Your Excellency, rescind your decision!"
Terashima Moriyoshi helped up the old priest who had followed him for decades and said gently, “My Terashima family has been extinct since my generation. Your Echizen clan has served my family for hundreds of years. Consider this shrine my last and only reward to you. My body is failing, and I don’t even know when I will return. How can I still manage the affairs of the shrine? From today onwards, you are the master of this place. As for the specific handover, I will register it with the government myself.”
The white-robed priest, Yoshitaka Echizen, wept uncontrollably.
Terashima Moriyoshi then turned to Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue and said, "If you have no objections, come and sign your names together." With that, he took the lead and signed his name in the lower corner of the no longer plain white screen.
Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue looked at each other and then went up to sign their names.
A plain white screen was suddenly covered with landscape paintings.
"That puts my mind at ease." Terashima Moriyasu clapped his hands and had two gray-clad servants carry the screen away. He guessed that when it was carried back out, it would be the time when Terashima Moriyasu died.
After Terashima Moriyoshi finished doing all that, he sat down next to Chiba Akishino-no-miya. Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue exchanged a glance, bowed, and then quietly withdrew.
...
...
They traveled in silence. Duanmu Ci and his companion returned to the Hilton Hotel, where Duanmu Ci changed out of "Se Wudi" and sat by the window to drink.
“My teacher taught me for twelve years. He was by my side from the first time I held a sword.” A look of reminiscence appeared on Wei Yue’s face. “I remember that he said to me at that moment, ‘Yuan-kun, from now on, you are a true man! You must remember to never give up the hand that holds the sword. If you hold the sword tightly, you are the violent one; otherwise, you are the violent one. Men are born to stand tall and upright. No force can make a man’s knees bend!’”
"However, the teacher who spoke of being upright and indomitable is about to die. How unpredictable life is!"
Duanmu gave him a cup of wine, saying, "The life of an ordinary person is like that of a mayfly, which lives only a day and dies in the evening. It is short-lived. Senior Terashima has achieved his goal of seeking benevolence, protecting the shrine, revitalizing the 'Hokushin Ittō-ryū', and having countless students. He should have no regrets. Gen-kun, you shouldn't worry too much about it."
Wei Yue remained silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled, "Duanmu-kun, you're right. Who can say for sure about life and death? I'm sure even Teacher Terashima has already come to terms with it. Why should I hold a grudge? My teacher lived a life of tranquility. My lack of composure makes me seem unlike a disciple of my teacher."
Duanmu Ci smiled and said, "It's good that you think this way, Yuan-kun. I suppose this is also what Terashima-senpai meant."
Wei Yue didn't speak, but simply raised her glass.
Duanmu bestowed the drink upon him.
Wei Yue said, "The Tokyo matter is almost settled, and we've done most of our travels. We've been to shrines, Kabukicho, and the like. When are we going to Kobe? I've heard that Kobe has beautiful scenery."
Kobe has more than just scenery; it also has mountains and hills.
Duanmu Ci smiled and said, "No rush. We're here on official business. The university sent us to visit the University of Tokyo. The person in charge hasn't arrived yet, how can we leave?"
"Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, the fragrant grass stretches to the horizon..." A song from the Republican era suddenly started playing. Luckily, it wasn't just now, otherwise, I would have been overwhelmed with melancholy.
"Hello." Duanmu Ci answered the phone. "Oh, it's Professor Yan. What's up?"
The caller was Yan Zhigui.
"You're having a great time in Tokyo, aren't you? You didn't even send a report of your itinerary!" Yan Zhigui's voice rang out from across the ocean. "If you don't have any plans to go to Kabukicho to see Kabuki tomorrow, you'd better come to the airport. Our school's official delegation to the University of Tokyo will arrive in Tokyo tomorrow at noon. Come pick them up!"
“Okay, Professor Yan, no problem.” Duanmu Ci hung up the phone and said to Wei Yue, “Now that the main actors are here, we supporting actors can free up our hands to do something else.”
"Let's book plane tickets and go to Kobe."
...
...
P.S.: Second update!!!
Thank you so much to the reader "刀刀刀非常刀卫星通信夙求" for the recommendation vote!!!
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