Chen Xiao noticed a tea set on a small table in front of Old Takeuchi, emanating a fragrant aroma of tea. A faint steam rose from the cup, and his expression turned somewhat strange.
Takeuchi Fumizan glanced at Chen Xiao, noticing the look in his eyes. The old man chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "I know what you're thinking. You must be thinking: Why do we old folks like to pretend to be cultured, setting up a tea set here to act profound, right?"
Chen Xiao didn't hide anything and nodded readily: "That's right. It seems that people with some status like to set up a tea set to show off."
Old Takeuchi chuckled, casually picked up a small cup in front of him, and downed it in one gulp with a gushing motion. After setting the cup down, he winked at Chen Xiao and said, "Actually, to be honest, I was indeed putting on an act—who am I? Just a rough, uncouth brute, what do I know about tea ceremony? Hehe… It seems that many people have always liked to deliberately use this kind of thing to show off their superior demeanor. Although I don't like it, given my current status and position, if I didn't have one of these things in my place and occasionally take it out to put on a show, I would actually be considered odd."
Chen Xiao thought about it and realized that what Old Takeuchi said made perfect sense.
I don't know when it started, but tea ceremony seems to have become a way for many people to deliberately display their "high-class demeanor." What's even more ridiculous is that many underworld bosses, after gaining fame, like to get a set of this stuff to show off their magnanimity, as if it has become a convention.
Old Takeuchi was quite frank, directly stating that he knew nothing about the tea ceremony, which was rather endearing.
In this way, the atmosphere was already more harmonious before the conversation even started, and Chen Xiao gradually found Old Takeuchi more pleasing to the eye.
Chen Xiao took a sip of the tea that Old Takeuchi handed him, but couldn't taste anything special.
“My tea is top-grade, a royal collection item. Hehe… and this tea set is also an antique, a gift from the Crown Prince. Even the water for brewing this tea is spring water collected from the mountain behind Akiochi Palace… It’s just a pity that it’s wasted on a rough person like me.” Old Takeuchi sighed and shook his head. “Speaking of the tea ceremony, Chiyoko is truly an expert. Her spring water from the mountain behind Akiochi Palace is also top-grade. She says that spring water is the most suitable for brewing tea.”
At this point, Takeuchi's face darkened slightly: "It's a pity that Akikichi Palace has also been destroyed this time. We'll never be able to drink tea brewed with Akikichi Palace spring water again. Alas, it's truly hateful!"
Chen Xiao coughed, thought for a moment, and then politely inquired about Prince Sato's condition. Old Takeuchi waved his hand, simply saying that the Imperial Household Agency had already taken care of him.
"Before we can discuss this further, I must first express my apologies to you on behalf of the Shangchen family!" Old Takeuchi suddenly stood up, took half a step back, and bowed solemnly.
Chen Xiao paused for a moment, but didn't get up. She just looked up at him and said, "Why are you doing this again? I feel like you're trying to set a trap for me again."
Takeuchi Fumio's expression remained unchanged as he shook his head, saying, "I only found out today myself. My granddaughter, Takeuchi Yako... she's far too willful, spoiled rotten, and has no manners. She's offended you several times before, and I just heard that she's also offended your friend, Miss Zhang Xiaotao... This truly shames me! Chen Xiaojun, you've helped us so much. And yet my granddaughter has done such a despicable thing..."
Old Takeuchi seemed very serious; it wasn't just polite talk. He clapped his hands vigorously, and soon, footsteps could be heard outside the door.
Down in the corridor, two guards carried in a bamboo bed, and lying on the bed was none other than Takeuchi Yako!
Takeuchi Yako's head and body were wrapped in bandages, her face was pale and bloodless, and even her eyes had lost their usual sharp look, looking listless and lifeless. Chen Xiao even noticed that there was an undisguised fear and apprehension on her face.
The bamboo bed was carried down the steps of the main hall and placed there. Takeuchi Fumizan stood there, staring down, and snorted heavily, angrily saying, "What are you still lying there for? Do you want me to come and help you up?"
Takeuchi Yako trembled violently. Gone was her usual arrogant demeanor; now, before Takeuchi Fumizan, she was like a mouse before a cat. Old Takeuchi's mere harsh words had terrified her, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. She struggled to climb off the bamboo bed.
She seemed to be seriously injured. Despite her extreme difficulty moving, even something as simple as climbing off the bamboo bed left her breathless. Clearly, half of her body was paralyzed, and her brow was furrowed with pain, yet she dared not utter a sound, enduring the pain with all her might. While she struggled so much, the two guards carrying the bamboo bed didn't offer her any assistance, standing there coldly as if they couldn't see her.
Takeuchi Yako crawled to the ground, faced the door of the main hall, and respectfully bowed down, performing a standard "prostration"!
"Is your mouth sewn shut?! Say what you have to say yourself!" Takeuchi Fumiyama's tone was cold.
Takeuchi Yako was covered in cold sweat, whether from pain or fear, she didn't know. She raised her head and looked at Chen Xiao with extremely respectful and fearful eyes. Her usually harsh widow face was now full of terror. Although her voice was weak, she tried her best to shout, "Chen Xiao-kun..."
"You bastard!" Old Takeuchi suddenly shouted angrily, "How dare you call Chen Xiaojun that!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Takeuchi Yako trembled, stammering repeatedly. The poor girl banged her head on the ground with a thud before finally raising her head and saying respectfully, "Lord Chen Xiao! It was all my fault before! I was so unruly, offending you several times and doing so many despicable things. I sincerely apologize to you here and beg you to punish me! I will accept any punishment willingly! Please, please do not show any mercy!!"
Although Chen Xiao had previously disliked this woman, seeing her so weak and severely injured, pitifully lying on the ground begging for mercy, he couldn't bring himself to be hardened. Besides, Chen Xiao knew very well how serious Takeuchi Yako's injuries were; seeing her in such a state, yet still being carried to kowtow and apologize, his initial resentment naturally dissipated. Moreover, Takeuchi Yako had only bullied Zhang Xiaotao; she hadn't actually committed any truly heinous acts. Furthermore, Chen Xiao had personally witnessed this mean-spirited woman's unwavering loyalty to Prince Sato, a fact that was already quite commendable.
"Get up. I'm not angry anymore." Chen Xiao shook his head, turned to the side, and refused the other party's prostration.
Takeuchi Yako dared not get up, but just looked pitifully at old Takeuchi.
"Where is your sword?" Old Takeuchi seemed unwilling to let the matter drop easily.
Upon hearing this, Takeuchi Yako was immediately shaken, her face showing an expression of extreme horror, as if she had heard the most terrifying thing!
Under Takeuchi Bunzan's formidable presence, she dared not utter a single word, silently turning away. She took out the katana she usually carried, which lay on the bamboo bed, and knelt respectfully, raising it high with both hands. Although her body was clearly swaying precariously, she bit her lip tightly, refusing to fall.
Old Takeuchi took a few steps and stood before the steps, coldly looking at his granddaughter. His eyes showed no trace of pity, and he said in a ruthless tone, "Listen carefully! How could our Takeuchi family produce such an unruly scoundrel like you! This sword of yours... it was the blade I personally bestowed upon you when I officially sent you to your post. Do you remember what the significance of the blades in the Takeuchi family is?"
Takeuchi Gako trembled, saying fearfully, "A sword is a weapon; as long as the blade is there, the blade is there; if the blade breaks, the person dies! With a sword on my person, I must never forget the family rules! This sword I carry is a symbol of the family's honor and dignity; I must never do anything to dishonor the family..."
By the end, her voice was trembling uncontrollably.
"Very good." Takeuchi Fumio nodded, but his tone grew increasingly stern: "It's just a pity that you've remembered it verbally, but you haven't truly internalized it! Tang Ying has already told you that Chen Xiaojun is my honored guest and has done us a great favor! But what about you? As a member of the Takeuchi family, you've repeatedly been rude to our honored guest! With such a narrow mind and intolerant attitude, how can you achieve anything great?!"
As he spoke, Old Takeuchi took two steps down the steps. He stretched out two fingers, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and pulled it out.
With a whoosh, the sword was only half-drawn from its sheath when Old Takeuchi swiftly flicked his finger across the blade. A crisp sound rang out, and the sword snapped in two! The broken blade slid back into its scabbard. Old Takeuchi casually tossed the hilt to the ground, turned, and walked up the steps.
Takeuchi Yako's face was ashen, her eyes fixed on the broken sword on the ground, as if her entire mind had collapsed. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing loudly.
"Shut up!"
Old Takeuchi suddenly shouted sharply, and Takeuchi Yako's crying stopped abruptly. He raised his head in fear, his eyes red as he looked at Old Takeuchi: "Grandfather..."
"You scoundrel! In this setting, I am disciplining you as the head of the Shangchen family! Do not call me grandfather, call me the head of the Shangchen family!"
"Yes! Yes! Lord of the main family!" Takeuchi Yako bowed repeatedly.
Old Takeuchi's expression softened slightly. He snorted and said coldly, "Although you are my granddaughter, I will not break the rules because of you! You have done wrong, and today, as the head of the main family, I hereby punish you with the crime of stealing a sword! Ya-ko, you should understand that for such a serious offense, the punishment of stealing a sword is already considered lenient! This is only because of your usual loyalty in serving Princess Chiyoko and your loyalty in protecting her with your life last night! Otherwise, just for your repeated disobedience to my distinguished guest, you should be punished with the crime of losing your sword! Your hands would be crippled, and you would never have to use a sword again! Do you have any complaints about this punishment?"
Takeuchi Yako's body trembled, her face ashen, she just lay there, not daring to utter a sound, only silently shaking her head.
Seeing Takeuchi Yako's state, Chen Xiao couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. He wanted to say a few words in her defense, but only managed to utter a single word: "I..."
"Chen Xiaojun, this is me acting in accordance with clan rules, please don't say anything more." Old Takeuchi turned around and nodded to Chen Xiao. Although he spoke politely, he shut Chen Xiao down with just one sentence.
"Ya Zi, it's good that you have nothing to say!" Old Takeuchi said calmly, "It's not that I'm not giving you a chance. Remember today's punishment well, and in the future, you must remember this lesson! I'm giving you a chance, as long as you perform well. In the future, I will consider whether to re-bear your sword and blade based on your performance."
As he spoke, Old Takeuchi pointed at Chen Xiao beside him: "Your mistake lies in your rudeness and disrespect towards Chen Xiao-jun, which almost ruined everything! If you hadn't angered Chen Xiao-jun and sent him away, with him at Akiyoshi Palace, how could those villains have succeeded so easily last night?! If His Highness had really suffered some accident, you wouldn't be able to atone for it even if you died ten thousand times!!"
"...Yes, Yako knows she was wrong." Takeuchi Yako had lost all her edge at this moment, her voice was full of regret and fear, her head was down and her face was covered with tears.