Those present showed a mix of confusion, surprise, bewilderment, and a very small number of people who found it perfectly understandable.
Among Inazuma's officials, there were still some who recognized the young man seated on the platform, such as Kamisato Ayato and Kamisato Ayaka of the Yashiro Commission, Hiiragi Shinsuke of the Kanjou Commission, and Kujou Sara of the Tenryou Commission.
The most perplexed among them was Hiiragi Shinsuke. Wasn't this the delivery man who brought the chronicles of seiraimaru's sword-seeking to Inazuma from Ritou? How much time had passed? How did he transform and end up sitting to the Raiden Shogun's left? Is there any justice left in this world? Is he playing a trick on me?
However, the varying reactions of the crowd all converged into one, fear, after the Raiden Shogun opened her purple eyes.
What kind of eyes were these? Although no expression could be seen on her face, everyone could feel the Raiden Shogun's anger, disappointment, confusion, and a series of other negative emotions towards them through those eyes, causing them to involuntarily lower their heads.
"I once believed that everyone present here was a pillar of Inazuma, and that the heads of the Tri-Commission families were all worthy of being Inazuma's most prominent noble houses. With your assistance, Inazuma would prosper and endure for eternity."
"However, I never expected that my trust in you would be betrayed. Instead, the Tri-Commission collectively feigned obedience while secretly defying me and obscuring the truth, leading Inazuma into the depths of war and even the potential hidden danger of national destruction. Very good, you are all very good!"
Hiiragi Shinsuke was so terrified by the Raiden Shogun's words that his legs trembled. As the head of the Kanjou Commission, he naturally dared not bear this accusation. He mustered his courage and stepped forward to defend himself: "Sh-Shogun..."
Unfortunately, he couldn't even finish his sentence when a white document, imbued with terrifying force, struck his right arm, directly knocking him to the ground. Blood soaked his clothes as he struggled painfully on the floor.
"Who gave you the courage to interrupt the Raiden Shogun? That is evidence of your collusion with the Fatui envoys. Kneel down and take a good look at it yourself. Don't say I didn't give you time to prepare. When the Raiden Shogun questions you, I hope you can come up with a reasonable explanation."
Yuto's interruption directly stunned everyone present. The highly influential Hiiragi Clan Head was injured over a minor issue. This was too overbearing, wasn't it?
Matsubara, a subordinate family of the Kanjou Commission, saw his superior being unreasonably struck down and, filled with righteous indignation, stepped forward and rebuked, "Who are you? How dare you commit violence in front of the Raiden Shogun? Do you know who he is? He is..."
Poof!
Matsubara's words abruptly stopped because his head mysteriously vanished the next moment, leaving only a headless corpse that fell straight down.
"Is he always this brave? So lacking in discernment? Drag him out!"
The Okuzume outside the door, seeing the situation inside, quickly entered. Two of them dragged Matsubara's body away, while another tremblingly wiped the bloodstains from the floor.
After Yuto's display of 'killing the chicken to scare the monkeys,' the officials present no longer dared to speak. Hiiragi Shinsuke, still kneeling, endured the pain and tremblingly opened the document that had struck him. After just one glance, his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Terrified, he quickly raised his hand to try and plead with the Raiden Shogun, but as he looked up, he saw the young man on the platform give him a faint smile and place a finger before his lips, signaling him to be silent, which instantly rendered him speechless.
"In the past, the first generation heads of the Kujou Clan, Hiiragi Clan, and Kamisato Clan achieved great military merits in the calamity of darkness, and eventually earned my recognition. I then entrusted the Tri-Commission to their three families, to be passed down through generations. My intention was for the descendants of these three families to also inherit their will and govern Inazuma even better."
"But I never expected that what made them, also broke them. Only a few hundred years have passed, and you have already forgotten the teachings of your ancestors. To extend your family's glory, you have even resorted to enriching yourselves by exploiting the common people."
"Hiiragi Shinsuke, haven't you always wanted to speak? Now I'm giving you the chance. If you cannot give me a satisfactory answer, then Kujou Takayuki's fate will be yours."
The Raiden Shogun picked up the naginata behind her, instantly giving everyone present an unparalleled sense of oppression. This very sword had just executed Kujou Takayuki a few days ago. Was it going to execute another person today?
"Sh-Shogun, Shinsuke knows his sins are grave. Due to a momentary greed, I made a grave mistake. Your humble servant has already inventoried all the wealth accumulated by the Hiiragi Clan over hundreds of years and intends to donate it to the Shogunate without compensation, to give back to the people of Inazuma."
"Furthermore, I have also decided to commit seppuku as an apology. I only hope, Shogun, that you will consider the friendship between the Hiiragi Clan's ancestors and Kitsune Saiguu, and allow a bloodline of the Hiiragi Clan to remain."
Hiiragi Shinsuke's words stunned everyone present. Even Raiden Ei, Miko, and Yuto on the high platform were taken aback by the old man's decisiveness. Raiden Ei instinctively looked at Yuto, hoping he could give her some advice.
Hiiragi Shinsuke, indeed worthy of being an old fox who had navigated the officialdom for decades, truly caught Yuto off guard with this tactic of retreating to advance. In the original plan, if Hiiragi Shinsuke had vehemently denied his crimes, Yuto would have had ample reason to sentence Hiiragi Shinsuke to death and confiscate the Hiiragi Clan's assets.
But now, this old fox, Hiiragi Shinsuke, had retreated all the way to the bottom. Not only did he surrender all his assets to the public, but he even decided to commit seppuku as an apology. Finally, he also brought up Kitsune Saiguu, only asking that, in consideration of the Hiiragi Clan's centuries of hard work, a bloodline of the Hiiragi Clan be preserved.
With words spoken to this extent, if she were to truly agree to his terms without any leeway, it would instead affect the Raiden Shogun's prestige in Inazuma, leaving an impression of ruthlessness among Inazuma's officials—that this is the fate of those who serve the Raiden Shogun, so why should I be a good official?
Some leeway had to be given to him. Not the assets; Inazuma desperately needed those now. Without cutting a few wealthy families down to size, there would be no budget for development.
Yuto subtly made some gestures to Raiden Ei, indicating that she could spare Hiiragi Shinsuke's life, but the assets still had to be confiscated, and the Hiiragi Clan's power over the Kanjou Commission revoked.
Raiden Ei nodded and said, "Since you already possess such resolve, you must have realized your mistakes. So be it. I am not a heartless deity. The Hiiragi Clan's assets will be confiscated, and your position of control over the Kanjou Commission will be revoked. The Hiiragi Clan is permitted to reside in Inazuma City as commoners."
"Thank you, Shogun, for your mercy!" Hiiragi Shinsuke knelt and kowtowed in gratitude, then slowly rose and exited the Tenshukaku step by step.
As everyone watched the once powerful Hiiragi Clan Head depart in a dispirited manner, for some unknown reason, a feeling of admiration and envy welled up within their hearts.
After Hiiragi Shinsuke left the gloomy Tenshukaku, he looked up at the sun high in the sky, spread his arms, and once again felt the warm sunlight. He suddenly had a feeling of being reborn. Although the price paid was significant, at least the Hiiragi Clan's ordeal had been weathered.
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