“A working relationship, yet also a master-servant relationship…
What a mess…”
Although Aoto found the relationship between Kiryu and the girl named Kinoshita Mai strange, it was, after all, their private matter, so he did not feel it was appropriate to ask further.
“Apologies, our conversation was interrupted just now.
Alright, let’s return to our previous topic,” Kiryu cleared his throat.
“There are three reasons why I recommend Shieikan of the Tennen Rishin-ryu to you.”
“First, the Tennen Rishin-ryu is not some flashy, impractical school.
It meets your requirement of wanting to learn highly practical swordsmanship.”
Kiryu raised his first finger.
“This style was founded 70 years ago during the Kansei era by a swordsman named Kondo Kuronosuke.”
“Kondo Kuronosuke was initially a Katori Shinto Ryu swordsman.
After mastering his own swordsmanship, he incorporated his understanding into Katori Shinto Ryu, ultimately creating a brand new style: the Tennen Rishin-ryu.”
Katori Shinto Ryu—a famous swordsmanship style in the Japanese sword world.
It has a very long history, dating back 400 years since its founding.
In Japan, no one who studies swordsmanship is unfamiliar with Katori Shinto Ryu.
“The philosophy pursued by the Tennen Rishin-ryu is ‘one strike, certain kill,'” Kiryu continued his introduction.
“It seeks to defeat opponents in the shortest possible time, making it a very fierce and powerful swordsmanship style.”
“And Shieikan is the Tennen Rishin-ryu, and the current head of Shieikan is the third-generation master of the Tennen Rishin-ryu: Kondo Shusuke.”
“Oh, oh…” Aoto listened attentively, nodding slightly from time to time.
“Second, although the Tennen Rishin-ryu is an extremely practical style, due to various reasons such as bad luck, it remains obscure to this day.”
“Therefore, Shieikan is still very small in scale and is not considered a large sword school.
As a result, the tuition fees are not expensive; a month’s tuition only costs 3 monme of silver, which your current financial means can fully support your studies at Shieikan.”
“As for the third reason, it is the main reason I recommend you go to Shieikan.”
Kiryu raised his third finger.
“At Shieikan, your desire to spar with as many experts as possible will be fulfilled to the greatest extent.”
“Huh?” Aoto frowned slightly.
“Mr.
Kiryu, didn’t you just say that Shieikan is a small sword school?
In that case, shouldn’t the number of apprentices at Shieikan be very small?”
Kiryu nodded gently.
“That’s right, the number of apprentices at Shieikan is indeed very small.”
“But once you enter Shieikan, you will be able to spar freely with people from Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School.”
“Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School?” Aoto’s eyes immediately widened in astonishment.
Even the “original Tachibana Aoto,” who had no interest in swordsmanship or sword schools, had information about Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School in his mind.
In present-day Edo, there are three famous sword schools.
These three sword schools are—
Training Hall, which teaches Shindo Munen-ryu.
Shigakukan, which teaches Kyoshin Meichi-ryu.
Genbukan, which teaches Hokushin Ittō-ryū.
These three sword schools are collectively known as the “Three Great Sword Schools of Edo,” and their names resonate throughout Japan.
The styles taught by these three sword schools are undoubtedly the most popular and famous styles in Japan today.
These swordsmanship styles are actually like the martial arts sects in Chinese wuxia novels.
The martial arts of different sects have different characteristics.
And the status of Training Hall, Shigakukan, and Genbukan in the Japanese swordsmanship world of this era is similar to the status of the Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei sects in the martial arts world.
Hokushin Ittō-ryū is a relatively young style, founded by a swordsman named Chiba Shusaku more than 30 years ago.
After Chiba Shusaku founded Hokushin Ittō-ryū, he opened a sword school in Edo to teach his new style—Genbukan.
The Chiba family all possessed excellent swordsmanship genes.
Chiba Shusaku’s younger brother—Chiba Sadakichi—was also a swordsman with extremely high swordsmanship talent.
After his brother Chiba Shusaku established Genbukan in Edo, Chiba Sadakichi also opened a sword school in Edo that taught Hokushin Ittō-ryū.
To differentiate it from Chiba Shusaku’s Genbukan, the sword school opened by Chiba Sadakichi was commonly known as “Kochiba Sword School.”
Due to various reasons, including luck, Hokushin Ittō-ryū has produced many talented individuals.
Since its establishment, in just over 30 years, Hokushin Ittō-ryū sword schools have opened all over Japan, and it now subtly has the posture of “Japan’s number one swordsmanship style.”
And all sword schools in Japan that teach Hokushin Ittō-ryū undoubtedly revere Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School.
After all, one is a sword school built by the founder of the style, and the other is a sword school built by the founder’s brother.
Both are undoubtedly the Natural Reishin Style of Hokushin Ittō-ryū and hold a transcendent position in the Japanese swordsmanship world.
Precisely because of this, the difficulty of studying at these two sword schools is extremely high.
Leaving aside the tuition fees, there are also certain requirements for the strength of the 入門 disciples; not just any random person can enter Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School to learn swordsmanship.
Being able to spar with disciples from Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School at Shieikan…
Kiryu’s words just now were like telling him: “At a certain third-tier university, you can engage in academic exchanges with students from Tsinghua and Peking Universities”…
kiryu had already anticipated Aoto’s reaction.
He smiled slightly and said “This matter dates back 70 years ago, to the Kansei era.”
“Seventy years ago, Kondo Kuronosuke, the founder of the Tennen Rishin-ryu, and Chiba Kōemon, the father of Chiba Shusaku, the founder of Hokushin Ittō-ryū, were good friends.”
“They even worked together in Edo.”
“The friendship between their two families has been passed down to this day.”
“When Chiba Kōemon’s son, Chiba Shusaku, founded Hokushin Ittō-ryū and Genbukan more than 30 years ago, Kondo Shusuke, the third-generation master of the Tennen Rishin-ryu, also established Shieikan in Edo around the same time.”
“This 70-year-old friendship between their two families has made the relationship between Shieikan, Genbukan, and Kochiba Sword School extremely good.
People from the three sword schools often gather to exchange swordsmanship.”
“In other words—if you enter Shieikan, you will have the opportunity to spar with people from Shieikan, Genbukan, and Kochiba Sword School simultaneously.”
“Really?” Aoto involuntarily let out a low gasp.
Kiryu nodded with a smile: “Every word I have spoken is absolutely true.”
“You even know something like the founder of Tennen Rishin-ryu and the father of the founder of Hokushin Ittō-ryū once worked together in Edo…”
“After all, this is how I make a living.
If I didn’t know more information that ordinary people don’t, my employment agency, which relies on introducing people to jobs and sword schools, wouldn’t be able to stay open.”
Aoto pursed his lips at this, his mind racing.
According to the memories of the “original Tachibana Aoto,” both Genbukan and Kochiba Sword School were large sword schools with hundreds of apprentices, ranking first in Edo in terms of apprentice numbers.
If what Kiryu had just said was indeed true…
then this Shieikan was indeed the most suitable place for Aoto, who currently yearned to spar with as many people as possible to maximize the system’s effectiveness, without a doubt.
Kiryu, who had been carefully observing Aoto’s expression, reached into the drawer below and pulled out a blank piece of paper.
“It seems you are very interested in Shieikan now.”
With that, Kiryu picked up a brush resting on the corner of the counter, dipped its tip in ink, and wrote a line of flowing characters on the white paper.
“This is the address of Shieikan.”
“If you are interested in Shieikan, you can go there now and see the sword school with your own eyes.” Aoto took the paper with Shieikan’s address with both hands.
After his gaze swept over the words written on the paper, Aoto couldn’t help but exclaim in praise:
“Wow, your handwriting is so beautiful.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Kiryu smiled humbly.
“I once studied calligraphy in the Echizen region.
It’s just a trivial skill worth no mention.”
“With this level, you could teach people how to write with a brush…”
“You flatter me.” After another humble smile at Aoto, Kiryu picked up the brush again.
“You are a new customer of my establishment.
To welcome your first visit, I will give you something else.”
“I have a deep friendship with Shieikan.”
“If you decide to join Shieikan, you can give this to the people at Shieikan and say that you were introduced by Kiryu Kazuma.”
“This way, Shieikan will provide you with some convenience when admitting you.”
After speaking, Kiryu handed Aoto a newly written slip of paper with the four large characters “Kiryu Kazuma” on it. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Aoto solemnly received the slip of paper from Kiryu, folded it together with the paper containing Shieikan’s address, put them into his bosom, and then respectfully bowed to Kiryu.
“Thank you for your recommendation!”
“You’re welcome,” Kiryu bowed in return.
“May I ask what the introduction fee is?” Aoto, already full of interest in Shieikan, directly asked Kiryu about the introduction fee.
“30 mon,” Kiryu stated a number without any hesitation.
“Here you go.” Aoto readily counted out 30 copper coins from his money pouch, then stood up and bowed respectfully to Kiryu again.
“Thank you so much for your recommendation, boss, you’ve helped me a great deal!”
“You’re welcome,” Kiryu smiled faintly.
“If you have any other questions later, feel free to come find me again.”
Aoto, having learned what he wanted to know, was excitedly preparing to turn and leave the employment agency when—
Creak, creak…
From the inner room of the shop, the sound of wooden floorboards being gently trodden upon suddenly came.
Aoto looked closely—it was the young girl named Kinoshita Mai.
This girl, who called herself Kinoshita Mai, was no longer disheveled as if she had just gotten out of bed, as she was moments ago.
At this moment, she was neatly dressed, wearing a kimono primarily in crimson, with clean white cloth socks on her feet, and holding a tray in both hands.
On the tray was a cup of tea still steaming.
With her head bowed low, she took small steps, carrying the tea to Aoto’s front.
Besides the sound of footsteps, Aoto also heard a “clatter-clatter” sound—this was the sound of Kinoshita Mai’s hand, holding the tray, constantly trembling slightly, causing the teacup to continuously knock against the tray.
“Th-that…
that…
please…
please have some tea…” Kinoshina Mai gently extended the tray in her hands towards Aoto.
Her voice was as thin as a wisp of smoke; Aoto almost couldn’t hear what she was saying again.
Although the girl had her head bowed and her face was not very clear, Aoto could vaguely see that her cheeks were flushed with shyness and nervousness from beginning to end.
“This child is really shy…
She’s so nervous bringing tea to a guest that she can barely hold the tray steady.”
After silently sighing this in his heart, Aoto showed Kinoshita Mai the gentlest smile he could muster.
“Hmm, thank you for the tea.”
Aoto picked up the teacup, drank it all, and then carefully placed the teacup back on the tray.
“Thank you for your hospitality!
Boss, I’ll be leaving now.
If there’s an opportunity later, I’ll definitely come again!”
“Mhm,” Kiryu bowed to see Aoto off.
“Please take care.”
After bidding farewell to the boss, Aoto strode out of Thousand Affairs House.
After watching Aoto leave, Kiryu turned his head and smiled at Kinoshita Mai.
“Young Master, you’ve made progress; you’re now brave enough to serve tea to guests.”
“Hehe…” Kinoshita Mai giggled foolishly; Kiryu’s praise seemed to make her very happy.
“But there are still many things to pay attention to,” Kiryu’s smile suddenly disappeared.
“When handing tea to someone, don’t hand the teacup and tray towards their face; that’s very impolite.”
“Y-yes!
I’ll pay attention to it from now on!”.
********
More chapter in
94treon.com/c/Swordishyng
94treon.com/c/Swordishyng