Turn back time not long ago

The meeting place that Takigawa and Uesaka had arranged with the rest of their friends was the gate of Yoshiwara.

When Takigawa and Uesaka both arrived at Yoshihara's gate, the rest of their friends had already arrived at Yoshihara's gate.

After No. 8, including Takikawa, arrived, Uesaka took the lead and led everyone to the Bayberry House where Uesaka had reserved a room.

Under Uesaka's intentional arrangement, those who participated in tonight's banquet with the sole purpose of helping Takigawa revitalize were all Takigawa's usual friends.

Everyone was chatting while walking on the way to Yangmei House.

Listening to the chatter and laughter of his friends around him, Takigawa felt that the haze that had been lingering in his heart since last night was slightly dispelled.

"Look! That's the Bayberry House right there!" Uesaka, who was walking in front, suddenly pointed forward.

"Oh! What a magnificent teahouse!" said a friend of Takigawa who was walking on the right side of Uesaka, "So there is such a magnificent teahouse in Yoshiwara!"

Some of the people present did not come to Yoshiwara often, so they did not know much about the details in Yoshiwara.

"The reason why Yoshiwara is called the 'city that never sleeps in Edo' is not just because there are three thousand wandering girls in it." Uesaka responded in a half-joking tone and quickened his pace slightly.

However, at this moment.

Suddenly, a discordant voice sounded from behind Takigawa and the others.

"Hmm? Isn't this Takigawa Heiichiro from the Takigawa family?"

As soon as this discordant voice sounded from behind him, the expression on Takikawa's face froze. Then he stopped his feet, frowned slightly, and turned his head to look behind him.

As for Uesaka and the others, they also stopped.

Behind Takigawa and others, three well-dressed samurai walked slowly towards Takigawa's direction.

The leader of these three well-dressed samurai is very young, with a neatly shaved Tsukiyo head. Although his facial features are ordinary, his eyes are very sharp.

Like Takigawa, this man was a Hatamoto samurai.

However, the level of his family is much higher than that of Takigawa.

He is Kyouichiro Uyoshita, the eldest son of the Miyashita family with a salary of 7,000 stone per year.

In addition to the astonishing salary, the identities of the various relatives under the palace are also astonishing.

Miyashita's grandfather is the current feudal lord of the Aizu Domain.

Various elders under the palace also hold important positions in the shogunate.

It's a pity that although Miyashita's family background is strong and she has a lot of relatives with prominent status, Miyashita herself is just an embroidered pillow.

He is uneducated and incompetent, and loves the charming place like Yoshihara.

Looking at Miyashita walking towards him slowly, Takigawa's brows furrowed more and more.

His relationship with Miyashita was very bad.

Miyashita, who is ignorant and unskilled, is the type of person Takigawa despises the most.

Miyashita also disliked Takigawa, who was capable of both literary and martial arts.

The two of them once learned Mu Gai Liu swordsmanship in the same dojo. It was at that time that they got to know each other, and it was also at that time that they became disliked by each other.

"I didn't expect that I could see a busy man like you, Takigawa, in a place like Yoshiwara." Miyashita said in a sinister tone, "Aren't you going to study or practice swordplay tonight?"

"What am I going to do? What does it have to do with you?" Takigawa said coldly.

"It's really none of my business."

Miyashita shrugged, and then continued to speak in a sinister tone.

"I just care about you."

"After all, you couldn't even get into the top 10 of the 'Imperial Examination' literary test, so I'm worried that you've neglected your studies."

"Takigawa-kun, don't be so obsessed with having fun that you neglect your study of literary, Taoist and military strategies."

As soon as Miyashita finished speaking, the expressions of Takigawa, Uesaka and the others around him suddenly changed.

Takigawa clenched his hands that were hanging naturally: "Hmph! So what if I can't get into the top 10 of the 'Gozen Examination' literary test? If it were you who took part in the 'Gozen Examination', I'm afraid you wouldn't even be able to get into the literary test."

Can’t pass!”

Regarding Takigawa's counterattack, Miyashita just shrugged his shoulders with an "indifferent" look on his face:

"I admit it, if I were to take part in the Imperial Examination, I would definitely not be able to pass the literary test."

"But is there any inevitable connection between whether I can pass the literary test and whether you, Takigawa, can enter the top 10 in the literary test?"

"Whether I can pass the literary test or not, it's a fact that you, Takigawa, can't even get into the top 10."

"I have heard that before the results of the literary test were released, you were full of confidence, thinking that you would definitely get the first place in the literary test, and even if you didn't do well, you would still be in the top 10."

The look of ridicule on Miyashita's face became more intense.

"I've always been curious, Takikawa-kun. How did you feel when you were so confident and found out last night that you didn't even make it into the top 10 in the literary test?"

Takigawa's face turned from white to purple, and then from purple to black.

Seeing the sudden change in Takigawa's expression, Miyashita seemed to have seen some wonderful show. He chuckled a few times, then led the two followers behind him and walked towards the depths of Yoshiwara.

Looking at Miyashita's retreating back, the first thought that came to Takigawa's mind was: draw a knife and chop this bastard who insulted him.

And Takigawa's hands did act according to what he thought. He raised his left hand and pressed the sheath of the katana, and raised his right hand to hold the handle of the katana.

But as soon as the thought of "Beheading Miyashita" appeared in Takigawa's mind, he was dismissed by Takigawa's reason.

As this thought dissipated, a hint of fear flashed across Takigawa's eyes.

Although Takigawa was so angry that he felt like the blood was rushing to his forehead, he did not lose his due rationality.

Takigawa knew very well what would happen if he killed the eldest son of Miyashita, who was also Hatamoto.

The shogunate will not forgive this act of drawing swords between Hatamotos. The Takigawa family will be deprived of their status as Hatamotos, which is the lightest punishment.

He might even ask Takigawa to commit seppuku as an apology.

Takigawa, who still had a shred of reason left, resisted the urge to draw his sword and prepared to go forward and argue with Miyashita.

But Uesaka reached out his hand and held Takigawa's shoulder.

"Takigawa, ignore him." Uesaka, who saw what Takigawa was planning to do, said solemnly, "That guy Miyashita is a scoundrel. Even if you go to argue with him, he will only act recklessly."

At this time, the rest of Longchuan's friends also stepped forward to comfort and persuade Longchuan.

Listening to the comfort and persuasion from his friends, Takigawa took a deep breath.

"...Let's go," Takigawa said in a deep voice, "Let's go to Yangmei House for a drink."'

Seeing that Takigawa gave up the quarrel with Miyashita, Uesaka looked happy and nodded vigorously.

Yangmeiwu supports nearly 60 kabuki artists.

The subordinates sent by Yoriku to arrange the kabuki returned soon.

But the news he brought back made Lai Jiu's face drop.

"What? Almost all the kabuki actors have been invited?"

"Yes, yes." Lai Jiu's subordinates nodded quickly, "There are too many guests tonight. Our kabuki actors have basically been invited, and only these people are left..."

One by one, Yoriku's subordinates reported the names of the kabukis who were still free.

After hearing the names of the kabuki dancers who were still free, Yoriku shouted angrily:

"Isn't there quite a lot of people who have time to spare?"

"B-but...these kabuki performers who are still idle are basically newcomers...with little performance experience."

Lai Jiu knows all the names his subordinates just reported.

Basically, they are young people who have been hired by Yangmeiwu recently.

In terms of strength, they still have some strength.

But they are still too young and have not performed many times in front of others. They are basically a group of capable people but have little performance experience.

"What's wrong with the newcomers?" Lai Jiu said sternly, "Who in all walks of life didn't start as a newcomer? As long as they perform a few times, won't the newcomers become old people? Is it possible that just because they are newcomers, they will never be successful?

Do you want them to perform? Stop talking nonsense and arrange for them to go to Master Uesaka's room."

…

…

When the food and a new batch of drinks were served, the kabuki actors were also on the spot.

There are 8 people in total, 3 men, 5 women, 3 men and 2 women are responsible for playing musical instruments, and the other 3 women are responsible for dancing.

Food, drinks, and kabuki were all present, and the banquet naturally began in earnest.

Amid the singing and dancing of the kabuki actors, this small and medium-sized room gradually became lively.

The food and drinks were delicious.

The musicians played very hard.
To be continued...