My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 410: Chapter 151: Watch Closely, Aoto—This Is How It’s Done!

"No matter whether this move ultimately succeeds or fails, I believe Brother Kondo deserves encouragement."

"I guess that’s what the master thinks too; that’s why he allowed Brother Kondo to go ahead."

Once he finished speaking, Chokata fell silent.

He merely smiled and quietly watched Abi in front of him, waiting for Abi’s response.

The emotions on Abi’s face changed rapidly.

The wrinkles on his face sometimes gathered, sometimes smoothed out. His lips opened and closed repeatedly as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

After quite a while, the two brows that Abi had been furrowing finally began to relax slowly.

"...Humph!" Abi snorted heavily through his nose, his mouth still turned down, and then turned his head to look at the kettle on the stove, ignoring Chokata, "You young people... Ever since we’ve gotten older, you’ve come to enjoy opposing us old folks more and more, becoming increasingly sharp-tongued."

"Do whatever you want! Turn this sword dojo into whatever you wish! I don’t care!"

Chokata, understanding Abi’s disposition well, didn’t feel angry or embarrassed by Abi’s sarcastic remarks.

"Thank you, Auntie!" Chokata’s eyes crescented in a smile.

Woo— the kettle on the stove emitted a steamy sound as the water boiled.

Abi swiftly grabbed the boiling kettle and skillfully brewed tea, pouring the hot tea into the freshly washed teacups Chokata had prepared.

Instantly, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of tea.

Chokata took a deep sniff of the enticing tea fragrance, deeply inhaling a few times, then placed his hands on his waist.

"It smells so good... Why does the tea you brew smell so much better than ours, Auntie?"

"Practice makes perfect." Abi returned the empty kettle to its place and arranged the filled teacups on a tea tray. "Let’s go, serve the tea to them."

Even though the tea tray in Abi’s hands was filled with many teacups, she walked with steady steps.

After all, Nagakura and the others were guests visiting the Shiwei Hall.

As the hostess of the house and the sword dojo, it would be impolite for Abi not to meet Nagakura and the other guests and greet them.

Hospitality should be observed, and manners should be upheld.

Quickly, together with Chokata, they reached the main hall’s entrance, and after opening the main door, Abi and Chokata saw Aoto, Kondo, Nagakura, and others who were sitting facing each other.

Nagakura, Harada, and Fujimura sat in a row, while Kondo and Hijikata sat opposite them shoulder to shoulder—Hijikata happened to be at Shiwei Hall today, and after Aoto brought Nagakura and the others, Hijikata, as a core member of Shiwei Hall, naturally joined the gathering.

As for Aoto and Saito, they sat one in front and one behind at the side of Nagakura and others, facing Kondo and Hijikata.

Zhouzhu had business outside and was not at Shiwei Hall. Therefore, Kondo represented Shiwei Hall in the meeting with Nagakura and the others.

Once Abi opened the door and entered with the tea tray, everyone’s attention in the hall immediately focused on her.

"Ah, please allow me to introduce." Kondo gestured towards Abi, "This is my mother: Kondo Bi."

"Mother, these are Mr. Tachibana’s undercover informants: Nagakura Shinpachi, Harada Sazō, and Fujimura Heisuke."

"Nice to meet you." Fujimura, well-educated and very courteous, was the first to bow to Abi, "I am Fujimura Heisuke; forgive any intrusion!"

Nagakura and Harada, who were less cultured, only mimicked Fujimura’s bow and greeting to Abi after he had finished.

Perhaps because Nagakura and the others were much more polite than she imagined, Abi raised her eyebrows in surprise.

She managed a smile, returned Nagakura and the others’ greetings, then took down the teacups from the tray, placing them in front of each person in the hall, before quickly leaving with the tray, giving Aoto, Kondo, and the others the space they needed to continue their conversation.

Meanwhile, Chokata stayed behind, taking the now-vacant seat next to Kondo’s right hand.

After seeing his mother Abi off, Kondo redirected his gaze back to Nagakura and the other three.

"Sorry, the conversation was interrupted."

"Let us continue."

Kondo picked up the teacup Abi had just given him, took a gentle sip of the still-steaming tea, moistening his somewhat dry throat, then straightened his back and continued seriously.

"What I said earlier are all the reasons I want to invite you to join Shiwei Hall."

"May I know your thoughts, whether you are interested in joining my Shiwei Hall?"

Having said that, Kondo met Nagakura and the other three’s gaze with sincerity and integrity.

Earlier, while Abi was still preparing tea in the kitchen, Kondo and Hijikata had already finished introducing themselves to the previously unfamiliar Nagakura and the other three.

Last night, after learning from Aoto about Nagakura and the others, Kondo was very interested in them, as they matched his requirement of being "somewhat famous in Edo."

Therefore, after the introductions were complete, Kondo very actively and enthusiastically got straight to the point—candidly explaining his purpose and reasons for wanting Nagakura and the others to join Shiwei Hall.