While Ren and Yoruichi were still savoring their private time together, they were suddenly interrupted by a servant delivering a message from the household.
"Grandfather and the others are here? Why did they choose this moment?"
In response to Ren's question, the maid explained, "Lord Shimazu and the others said that since they heard Master Ren was resting today, they came to visit."
"They also mentioned that they missed Master Touichirou dearly..."
Ren understood.
He checked the time and waved his hand. "Go and get them settled first. I'll be there in half an hour... no, an hour. I'll bring Touichirou with me."
"Understood."
Once the maid had withdrawn, Ren returned to the room.
Yoruichi was leaning against a low table, snacking. Seeing Ren return, she asked, "What is it?"
Looking at Yoruichi's lazy posture, Ren swiftly shed his clothes.
After repeating what the maid had said, Ren picked Yoruichi up. "We don't have much time, let's make this quick. By the way, Yoruichi, do you want to come and see them?"
"Sure."
Once they were finished, Ren dressed and called for a group of maids to help Yoruichi into her cumbersome, heavy jūnihitoe.
After everything was prepared, Walter arrived carrying Touichirou.
As Ren walked over with his wife, he heard unbridled laughter coming from inside the room, mixed with the chaotic sounds of a scuffle.
Yoruichi held the child, a smile playing on her lips as she listened to the rowdy commotion inside.
"Ren, those three elders of yours are as lively as ever."
"Sigh."
Ren didn't say anything, his expression helpless as he abruptly pulled the door open.
Crash!
The wooden door opened to reveal Shimazu Toyohisa and the other two engaged in their usual brawl.
"Hey, Nobunaga, let go of me! Ren is here!"
"Toyohisa, you let go first."
"Toyohisa, Nobunaga, I'll give the signal, then we all let go at once—Release!"
Seeing the door open and Ren walking in with Yoruichi and the baby, the three of them hurried to disentangle themselves.
Shimazu Toyohisa had a bruised eye, Nobunaga had a bloody lip, and while Yoichi's appearance seemed fine on the surface, his hair was a mess and a large footprint marked his chest.
Sensing that their appearances weren't quite proper, they hurriedly began to straighten themselves up.
Ren sighed. "Grandfather, Nobunaga, Yoichi—why do you three love fighting so much? Can't you just get along peacefully?"
Shimazu Toyohisa tilted his head, a question mark practically appearing above him. "Even if you ask why... besides fighting, we haven't really found any other way to pass the time."
"You could say it's a habit we've had since we were young. If there's any dissatisfaction, a fight settles it. Venting that resentment actually makes our relationship better," Nobunaga said, rubbing his chin.
Yoichi nodded in agreement. "Exactly, exactly."
Hearing this, Ren couldn't help but look at Touichirou in Yoruichi's arms.
"Hearing you say that makes me afraid to let you teach Touichirou. I don't want you to corrupt him."
Touichirou, nestled in Yoruichi's arms, was already awake.
Seeing Ren look over, the baby made little babbling sounds and reached out a chubby white hand toward him.
"It's better for Touichirou to be a bit lively in the future than to have a somber personality like yours."
Yoruichi smiled as she lifted Touichirou and handed him to Ren.
Ren took him, only to find Touichirou kicking his legs and trying to climb up, reaching out to grab his beard.
"You didn't want a hug; you wanted to touch my beard?"
Ren lowered his head slightly, letting the child's small hand grasp his beard.
A pure smile instantly broke out on that adorable little face.
Nobunaga and the other two also approached, surrounding Ren. As they watched the child's smile, their expressions softened.
"Touichirou, I'm your grandfather!"
Shimazu Toyohisa reached out a finger, gently poking the baby's cheek.
"When Touichirou grows up, how about Grandpa teaches you our family's swordsmanship? Come on, say 'Grandpa'."
Beside him, Nobunaga rolled his eyes. "You idiot, Toyohisa. How can a child this small talk?"
Yoichi looked puzzled. "Come to think of it, this child has been born for a while now. By all rights, it wouldn't be strange if he were walking, yet he still looks like a newborn."
Ren said calmly, "Perhaps his talent is just that high. Generally, children with great potential tend to develop more slowly."
The corners of Yoruichi's mouth lifted in a proud smile.
"Touichirou's talent is definitely exceptional. Even I didn't grow this slowly when I was little. When Touichirou grows up, he'll surely become a great figure in his own right."
Upon hearing their explanation, Yoichi looked at Touichirou with a gleam in his eyes.
"So that's how it is. This child is going to be quite impressive in the future."
Shimazu Toyohisa said nonchalantly, "He doesn't need to be that strong. As long as he grows up healthy, free from illness or disaster, and lives a happy life, that's better than anything else."
"That's right," Nobunaga added, nodding. "As long as Touichirou doesn't grow up to be like his father—mischievous, willful, arrogant, and even sinister and ruthless!"
"Honestly, I don't know what kind of era could produce someone like him. He clearly has a strong moral compass, yet he's so cold-blooded. He's clearly riddled with guilt when he acts, yet he never hesitates for a second. He's a total freak. Us old bones can't handle a second round of his antics."
Ren grumbled, "Nobunaga, that's a bit much. I'm not that bad."
Yoruichi was about to nod in agreement with Ren but suddenly stopped.
"Hmm?"
Who?
Ren?
She could somewhat agree that her husband acted ruthlessly.
But mischievous and arrogant? In all her years with Ren, she had never seen that side of him.
Yoruichi looked at Nobunaga and the others in surprise, only to see them all nodding in unison.
Shifting her gaze back to her husband, she asked curiously, "Mischievous and willful? Are they talking about you?"
"Do I look like that kind of person to you?"
Ren asked in return.
Yoruichi thought about it and shook her head.
Yoichi asked back, "Is he not?"
After glancing at Ren, he complained to the astonished Yoruichi, "Don't let Ren's current steady appearance fool you. Back when we first met him, this kid was feared as the 'Cruel, Cold-Blooded Cannibalistic Ogre.' His reputation was so fearsome it could stop a baby's crying."
"Crying, shouting, acting like a madman, laughing like a lunatic... and he was incredibly petty, seeking revenge for every little grievance while putting on an arrogant face that looked down on everyone. He was a complete problem youth... It took us a lot of effort to get him to settle down—"
As Yoichi was about to continue, Ren's gaze darkened. "Enough, Yoichi. You're exaggerating way too much."
Nobunaga also hurried to say, "There's no need to bring up the past. Shut it, Yoichi."
"Fine, fine, I'll stop."
Sensing Ren's reluctance, Yoichi quickly fell silent.
However, Ren's interference only piqued Yoruichi's curiosity.
In all their time being married, she had never seen Ren in the state they described.
Crying, shouting, going crazy, and laughing like a madman?
Could that really be Ren?
Let alone seeing it, she had never even imagined her stoic, quiet husband could have such a multifaceted personality.
And that terrifying, sensational nickname—it was simply too cool!
She had heard people mention that a long time ago, Head Captain Yamamoto was once called the 'Ghost of the Sword'!
And there was another formidable fellow known as the 'Greatest Villain in the History of the Soul Society'!
Yoruichi hadn't expected her husband to have a similarly cool title!
It immediately sparked her intense interest.
"Tell me more! I'm really curious!"
"Yoruichi, curiosity killed the cat. Besides, there's nothing worth saying about those things."
Ren gave her a sideways glance.
But Nobunaga gave a strange chuckle.
"Keke, it really was troublesome back then. We spent a lot of energy to straighten this guy out. Looking back now, it was a total disaster."
Shimazu Toyohisa nodded from the side. "That's right. When I first met Ren at the mill, he was wailing at the top of his lungs while picking bones to eat the rice-meat. Thinking about it now... it's truly chilling—"
Before he could finish, Ren suddenly reached out and covered his mouth.
"Grandfather, if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all!"
"You idiot, Toyohisa!"
Nobunaga's eye twitched. He turned around and slammed a fist into Shimazu Toyohisa, sending him kneeling to the ground.
"You moron! It's one thing to poke fun, but why bring that up! You've been dead so long, you really should learn to read the room and figure out what should and shouldn't be said!"
Yoichi seemed to remember something, and his face turned pale.
Seeing their strong reactions, Yoruichi became even more perplexed.
With a curious and searching look at Ren, she asked, "Rice-meat? What kind of meat is that? Is it tasty?"
"Yoruichi, for your own good, it's best if you don't know," Ren said grimly.
Seeing Ren's expression turn so dark, Yoruichi suppressed her curiosity.
She knew that if she kept asking, she would truly make him angry.
After all, she rarely saw Ren show such strong emotional fluctuations.
After a few seconds of silence, she gave a slight nod.
"I understand."
'I'll just find a chance to look into it secretly later.'
Perhaps because of the previous topic, everyone fell silent for a moment.
The voiceless stillness made the atmosphere in the room feel somewhat oppressive.
Nobunaga suddenly let out a laugh, breaking the silence.
"Anyway, Touichirou will definitely be even more outstanding than Ren when he grows up."
As he spoke, he looked at Touichirou and teased him with a finger.
Touichirou's little hand grabbed Nobunaga's finger, his face breaking into babbles and smiles.
Shimazu Toyohisa also reached out, managing a forced smile.
"Touichirou, don't learn from us when you grow up. Don't be a villain; you must be a good person. It's okay to have selfish desires, but you must remember to reflect on yourself often."
"Selfish desires..."
Yoruichi looked at Ren, who was holding the child, her eyes flickering.
In all their time together, she had only seen Ren's appearance of total devotion to the public good. She had never really seen him show much of a selfish side.
Even if he did have selfish motives, they were mostly for the sake of the Shihoin family.
He rarely concerned himself with his own personal gains or losses.
Yoruichi's low murmur was heard by Yoichi.
He gave a small shudder.
"Ahem, what Toyohisa mentioned is the theory of selfish desires proposed by Diwu Lun in the early Later Han Dynasty. Those words actually demonstrate one's own selflessness."
"Diwu Lun? What a strange name."
Yoruichi looked curious.
"Is the surname Di, or is it Diwu?"
"It's Diwu, of course."
Hearing this, Yoruichi's expression turned odd. "That really is a strange surname."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Yoichi raised a finger and wagged it.
Then, with his eyes closed, he began to speak eloquently.
"When the Han Emperor Gaozu settled the world, he forced Tian Heng of the Qi State to commit suicide. Afterward, the Tian clan was moved to the Guanzhong region, and their surnames were changed from 'First' to 'Ninth'. It wasn't until Wang Mang usurped the Han and Emperor Guangwu restored it that Diwu Lun gained Emperor Guangwu's appreciation, rising to the position of Excellency over the Masses, reaching the pinnacle of officialdom."
Hearing names he recognized, Ren pulled himself out of his previous mood.
He forced himself to perk up, nodding as he listening to Yoichi.
But by the end, Ren couldn't help but frown.
"Yoichi, that's not right, is it?"
"What's not right?"
"I remember Diwu Lun also fought for the world against Liu Xiu, and it seems he even won in the end."
"Huh?"
Nobunaga suddenly turned his head, his face full of astonishment.
"Fought for the world against Emperor Guangwu? And even beat the man who won with seven thousand against four hundred thousand? Ren, are you sure you aren't talking nonsense?"
"I'm not."
Ren stroked his beard and looked at Nobunaga with a look of certainty.
"It's that Diwu Lun from the transition between the Xin and Han dynasties. He was also a disciple of Yang Xiong, I believe."
"Yang Xiong, style name Ziyun?"
"Yes."
"Wait, this is clearly wrong!"
At this point, Shimazu Toyohisa also chimed in.
"Ren, you must have remembered incorrectly. Yang Ziyun never took Diwu Lun as a disciple!"
Standing beside Ren, Yoruichi's eyes were spinning as she listened to the four of them talk.
She had no idea what they were talking about.
At this moment, looking at the side of Ren's face, it felt as if a thick barrier had formed between them.
"Ugh—"
Yoruichi quickly shook her head, tossing away those messy thoughts. She raised her hand high and asked hesitantly, "Um... who is Yang Xiong?"
"Hmm?"
Ren and the other three all turned their heads to look at her at the same time.
Their gazes were as if they were looking at someone completely illiterate.
Yoruichi felt a flicker of embarrassment and couldn't help but scratch her reddening cheek.
"What? I really don't know."
Ren suddenly realized that Yoruichi was a native of the Soul Society; it was only natural she wouldn't know.
He nudged Yoichi with his elbow, and Yoichi hurried to explain:
"He was a grandmaster of Confucianism known as the 'Confucius of the West,' a master of poetry and rhapsody who could stand alongside Sima Xiangru. He composed the timeless 'Ganquan Rhapsody' and 'Changyang Rhapsody,' as well as classics like 'The Refutation of Li Sao,' 'Model Sayings,' and the 'Canon of Supreme Mystery'."
"A pity I never had the chance to read those classics..."
Yoruichi tilted her head, looking completely blank.
She still didn't understand what they were saying at all.
Seeing her confusion, Ren added, "Li Bai's poem: 'Who can sit beneath the library rafters, growing white-haired over the Canon of Supreme Mystery?' The 'Canon of Supreme Mystery' in that line is Yang Xiong's work."
Yoruichi blinked, her eyes full of clear, innocent confusion.
However, she did realize that Ren seemed to have recited a line of poetry.
So, should she praise him?
But if she did, how should she phrase it? She was completely clueless in this area.
"Zhuge's cottage in Nanyang, Ziyun's pavilion in West Shu—have you heard of that? The Ziyun Pavilion refers to Yang Ziyun, also known as Yang Xiong..."
Seeing Yoruichi's expression grow even more dazed, Ren stopped mid-sentence and couldn't help but sigh.
"Sigh..."
Turning to Yoichi, he looked speechless.
"Yoichi, next time you look for a topic, find something a bit more common. Don't pick things that kill the mood like this."
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault."
Yoichi pressed his hands together, apologizing repeatedly.
Back when they lived together in the Rukongai, whenever they had free time, this was how they chatted, aside from fighting.
They would talk about everything from history to politics, and from poetry to military strategy.
He himself had once followed Minamoto no Yoshitsune and possessed a certain level of cultural education.
Nobunaga was a provincial daimyo, so that went without saying.
Toyohisa was also the nephew of a daimyo, so he had naturally studied these things systematically.
Even Ren, who came from a later era, had been a triple-A student before he died.
Though Yoichi didn't know what a triple-A student was, he assumed it was a compliment.
He never expected that after coming to the home of a Great Noble in the Seireitei, the noble would know absolutely nothing about it.
"Oh, I remember now."
At that moment, Ren's eyes suddenly widened.
He struck his palm with his fist, and his furrowed brows smoothed out.
"Diwu Lun being Yang Xiong's disciple—I read that in a very interesting novel."
"So many years have passed that I've inevitably mixed some things up!"
"Ren... I knew it would be like this."
Nobunaga was speechless.
"I've really had enough. I don't know what kind of era could cultivate someone like you—knowledgeable in so many fields, yet a master of none, with only a superficial understanding of everything."
Ren spread his hands, looking innocent. "I couldn't help it; I learned too many disparate things back then."
It was a rare chance for Ren to be rowdy with the three of them. They didn't stop their increasingly high-spirited conversation until the sun was nearly set.
Since she couldn't really join the conversation, Yoruichi had excused herself halfway through.
She left the room to the four old men.
Seeing that it was getting late, Ren wanted to invite Nobunaga and the others to stay the night, but they flatly refused.
At the gates of the Shihoin manor, Nobunaga patted Ren on the shoulder.
"Ren, none of us are idiots. We know what the situation is lately."
"The operation is about to begin, isn't it?"
"After today, regardless of whether the outcome is victory or defeat, it's likely we won't have the luxury for today's comfort anymore."
"The three of us took advantage of this final bit of free time to come find you. Besides telling you that everything is ready, we just wanted to reminisce with you. That's all."
With that, Nobunaga walked off into the distance under the glow of the setting sun.
Following Nobunaga, Shimazu Toyohisa pointed at the beard on Ren's face, looking a bit dissatisfied.
"Ren, I know you grew that beard after Touichirou was born, but it doesn't look good at all. It makes you look old."
"Yeah, even older than me."
Before Ren could respond, Shimazu Toyohisa quickly hurried to catch up with Nobunaga.
Yoichi followed, waving back at Ren as he ran.
"Don't listen to Toyohisa! I think you look quite handsome!"
"If you grow it even longer, you might even earn the title of 'Lord of the Magnificent Beard'!"
Watching the three of them depart until their backs disappeared, Ren's gaze became increasingly determined.
"Soon. Just a few more days."
He turned and entered the manor. A light sound of air being sliced rang out.
An afterimage flashed, and Shisui appeared by his side.
"My lord, we just received word. Fushiguro Toji has returned."
"Have him come over."
Ren didn't stop walking. He lowered his voice and continued, "Notify Aizen. Tell him not to wait any longer—act immediately."
"A captain, a lieutenant, plus several seated officers... that's enough to pull back the curtain on tonight's grand stage!"
"By your command."
Shisui acknowledged solemnly, his figure flickering as he vanished from the spot.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]