Onmyoji, a nobleman in Heian-kyo

Page 485

It's better than being impolite.

Meanwhile, at the Shinomiya family.

The atmosphere was several minutes quieter than yesterday.

The retainers did their utmost to make the funeral arrangements impeccable.

Even though they knew that no one would come to pay their respects!

"Because nobles are looked down upon if they are stingy with weddings, funerals and other celebrations."

Instead of going out to work, Hayasaka Ai stayed at home with Shinomiya Kaguya, chatting casually.

Kaguya Shinomiya frowned and asked in a low voice:

"...Did my older brother really die suddenly?"

"Yes, Lord Huang Guang also lived a life of debauchery like Lord Hong Zheng in the past, but he only restrained himself in recent years. You know that, don't you?"

"...What a spineless older brother."

Kaguya Shinomiya sighed and remained silent.

The disgust in one's heart eventually dissipates with death.

Respect for the deceased is paramount.

Whatever happened in the past, let it be in the past.

Hayasaka Ai lowered her eyes.

In her heart, she sighed silently along with Kaguya Shinomiya.

Frankly, she didn't know whether Huang Guang's death was natural or not.

It was inevitable that his retainers harbored resentment.

The promising situation that should have existed was completely ruined by Huang Guang's meddling.

Even now.

The retainers were divided into two factions: those who wanted to leave Kyoto and those who wanted to stay in Kyoto.

Each side has its own considerations, making it difficult to say who is right or wrong.

Both factions' retainers were extremely dissatisfied with Huang Guang.

This makes it highly likely that Huang Guang was deliberately killed.

But so what?

Even the head of the family, Yan'an, merely said a few words indifferently and then ignored him.

Then it should be treated as a very normal death.

At this moment, the Shinomiya family truly cannot withstand even the slightest disturbance.

The retainers were probably still loyal to their master, Yan'an.

How long will Keyan's life last?

Furthermore, each of the retainers was just like the Hayasaka family, which was once a prestigious clan.

Those were all absorbed after losing out to the Shinomiya family in their competition.

If in the future, the Shinomiya family remains as powerful and invincible as the modern world in this era.

That was absolutely a loyal subject.

But that's not the case.

Therefore, the retainers are now at risk of a backlash.

Each and every talented retainer may not be willing to submit to the next head of the household.

This means that the Shinomiya family is in grave danger and could disappear into history at any time.

"It's so boring."

Kaguya Shinomiya said something else out of the blue.

Hayasaka Ai's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but ask, "Kaguya-san, are you missing Chika-san?"

How could you have so many unnecessary thoughts?

"Yes, yes, it's my fault for misunderstanding you."

"Although I don't know what news about Chika, she should be doing well, so there's no need to miss her."

"..." Hayasaka felt a pang of pain in her heart.

I know that what Shinomiya Kaguya meant was that there was no need to disturb her friend Chika's peace.

Ultimately, the Shinomiya family is just like a virus.

Anyone who gets involved will only cause a lot of trouble.

Only time can make people forget everything, right?

“I’m going out to see what’s going on,” Hayasaka Ai said again.

Kaguya Shinomiya gave a soft "hmm".

His hand reached for a book that was worn out from being flipped through.

The book is "The Tale of Genji".

This was a copy of a book that was quite popular among aristocratic circles when it was located in Kyoto Port.

Although Fuji Shonagon was unknown to everyone.

But being able to copy a book word for word is a remarkable skill.

"Whether it's a story or a poem, if it's well-written, it will always attract attention."

Kaguya Shinomiya muttered to herself.

Let's leave the story aside for now.

Waka poetry was one of the most important forms of communication among nobles.

It wasn't just about interactions between men and women; every banquet also included activities involving recitation and singing.

Throughout history, there have been many individuals who were favored by important figures for their excellent waka poetry recitations.

If you compose a good waka poem, you can easily defuse or even launch a small counterattack against the difficult situations caused by important figures!

For example, Izumi Shikibu, the most famous poet of the Heian period.

This singer, known as the "Queen of Romance" and the "Witch of Love," was someone who even dared to launch a small counterattack against Fujiwara no Michinaga in history.

According to historical records.

Fujiwara no Michinaga inscribed "Fan of a flirtatious woman" on the fans she gave to others.

She immediately wrote a waka poem in rebuttal: "The sea is wide enough for me to roam freely, but you are neither a devoted lover nor the governor of Osaka Pass, so what right do you have to say?"

It means that it is my freedom to associate with whomever I want, and the Taoist priest who is not my husband has no right to lecture me.

He seemed very assertive, yet it was as if he was saying, "If you want to lecture me, then become my husband!"

This clever retort left even the important Taoist Master Guan Bai with nothing more than a smile.

In general.

In the world of waka poetry, neither men nor women, nor people of high or low status, are taken too seriously.

The only thing that matters is... strength.

Strength is everything!

After arriving in Kyoto, Kaguya Shinomiya, after much deliberation, could only think of this one path.

She was unsure whether her father intended to leave Kyoto.

If you don't want to leave Kyoto, you should pay attention to this aspect.

Even if I have to leave, I will still have some use for them in the future.

"In any case, she should marry into a noble family of equal standing to stabilize the family's position..."

Kaguya Shinomiya pondered.

In this era, it's impossible not to get married. She can bring stability to the Shinomiya family and put everyone at ease.

That was indeed what she should have done.

In short, one cannot be willful.

the other side.

Hayasaka Ai, who had just left the inner quarters, soon received a message that surprised her.

"...Lady Makoto has come on behalf of Lord Kyosuke?"

"Yes, still in the identity of the family head."

"I...Ieji?" Hayasaka Ai was bewildered, her mind blank.