Bleach: Starting with Marrying Retsu Unohana

"stubborn."

To this, Sparrow shook his head helplessly.

Although the sparrow wanted to advise Genryusai, "Lord Genryusai, no offense, but you're already so old, why are you still so stubborn? Why not just hand over the position of Captain-Commander to Araki? Don't you know whether Araki's strength surpasses yours or not?!"

Although Quebu really wanted to say that to Genryusai, considering the consequences he would face afterward, he could only shut his mouth and nod silently.

"I think Araki is probably also looking forward to fighting me."

"Perhaps Araki put in far more effort for this battle than I have..."

"I absolutely cannot slacken in response to Araki's determination."

As Genryusai spoke, he walked to the window of the First Division's captain's room. Standing on the high ground, he looked down at the vast Seireitei before him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Ha ha……"

As for this, Sparrowbe saw it clearly. Genryusai wasn't unaware that Araki had surpassed him; rather, Genryusai wanted to indulge himself completely before the 'rest of the team' and enjoy the joy of battle one more time.

the other side……

'Gotei 11' barracks.

"what……"

Araki, whom Genryusai called "the one who is also looking forward to fighting him," was lying leisurely on the roof of the 11th Division barracks, yawning easily and looking like he hadn't woken up yet.

"Then it's time to clear out the 'obstacles'~"

Araki muttered to himself, naturally sensing the boundless fighting spirit of his teacher far away in the 'First Division' barracks. Unfortunately, his battle with his teacher would have to be postponed a little longer...

To prevent others from causing trouble in the Seireitei while he was fighting Genryusai, Araki decided to find a pretext to deal with all the troublesome factions in the Seireitei beforehand.

"I hope those bastards will open their eyes and not mess with me~"

Araki, having thought of this, changed his position and continued to sleep on the roof.

Just as Araki and Genryusai were tacitly preparing for their duel...

A major incident is taking place in Kyoraku's family.

"Kyoraku, I'm entrusting the family to you."

Kyoraku, who had been bedridden for a long time, finally closed his eyes and left this world forever after relying on his strong willpower to fight against the disease for a full 50 years.

The death of Kyoraku's elder brother seems to be the fuse that ignites an explosive event, a major event that could shake the three realms, which is brewing beneath the peaceful 'Seireitei'.

A long chapter of 10,000 words!

Chapter 121 Jing Le, your sister-in-law is already a 'widow'.

Kyoraku House...

Before Kyoraku's brother's funeral hall, a dignified and elegant woman, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt there for a long time. Her eyes, behind her glasses, had turned into a river of tears, and tears kept streaming down her beautiful cheeks.

"Even the men of 'upper-class noble' martial arts families cannot defeat the curse imposed upon us by 'gods'?!"

"Are all men who marry women from the Ise family destined to die a violent death?"

"God! Why are you so cruel? Why?!"

The woman looked at her husband's portrait in the mourning hall. Her once beautiful and bright eyes were now red and swollen from crying because of pain and resentment. She hated her fate, hated her surname, and hated the ethereal god even more.

Outside the mourning hall, Kyoraku Shunsui, draped in a white haori and wearing a straw hat, silently watched everything unfold before him…

Even in the Seireitei, Kyoraku Shunsui, the captain of the 8th Division, known for his valor in battle, was powerless at this moment. Despite his godlike strength and undefeated record since taking office as the 8th Division, he could not save his deceased brother and could only watch silently as everything unfolded.

"Condolences to the band leader!"

Behind Kyoraku Shunsui were the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 who had come to attend the 'funeral,' as well as the noble heads of the Seireitei who had favors to Kyoraku or intended to win him over.

Thank you all for coming.

"Today is my elder brother's funeral, please forgive Chunshui for not being able to host a banquet for everyone."

Kyoraku simply nodded slightly to the crowd, his eyes deep and unfathomable, devoid of joy or sorrow.

“Where, where…”

"Captain of the Beijing Opera, you should take care of your family matters first."

The nobles and the Shinigami of the 'Gotei 13' smiled after hearing Kyoraku's words, nodded slightly to him, handed over their gifts for the 'funeral' to their retainers, and then bid farewell and left.

As for Kyoraku, he naturally watched everything in front of him silently without saying anything.

As time passed, just as Kyoraku's brother's funeral was drawing to a close, Yoruichi Shihōin, Jushirō Ukitake, and Tokinada Tsuna finally arrived.

Kyoraku, please accept my condolences!

"If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know, and I'll do my best to help you."

Yoruichi, seeing Kyoraku's serious expression, showed her senior sister side. She moved closer to Kyoraku and patted him hard on the shoulder, trying to help Kyoraku relieve the pressure he was under.

"me too……"

After Yoruichi spoke, Ukitake also told Kyoraku that he shared Yoruichi's thoughts and that he would do his best to help Kyoraku with anything he asked.

"Don't worry! I'm not going to be defeated by something like this."

Looking at Ukitake and Yoruichi, who were showing him concern, Kyoraku felt a warmth in his heart and gave them a faint smile, revealing his incredibly strong heart.

"This is no small matter."

After listening to Kyoraku's words, Shi Tan shook his head slightly. He first walked to the outside of the mourning hall and glanced casually into Kyoraku's brother's mourning hall. After confirming something, he immediately turned around and came to Kyoraku's side, speaking softly.

"Um?!"

Kyoraku looked puzzled after hearing what Shitan said.

"Kyoraku, now that your elder brother is dead, your 'sister-in-law' is a widow. And since you happen to be single, I think it would be better if you married your 'sister-in-law' in place of your elder brother. That way, you'd better comply with your elder brother's wishes and take good care of her."

Shi Tan looked at Jing Le, who had a puzzled expression, and smiled mischievously.

"Shi Tan, what are you saying?!"

Is this the kind of occasion where you speak so recklessly?

Before Kyoraku could speak, Ukitake had already reached Shitan, grabbed him by the collar, and nearly roared at the nonchalant Shitan! Clearly, this time, Ukitake was truly enraged…

Even though Fuzhu is usually incredibly friendly to everyone and never loses his temper, after hearing what Shitan just said, he couldn't help but want to slap Shitan across the face.

Regardless of whether Kyoraku likes his 'sister-in-law' or not, and what their relationship is, it's not something an outsider like Tokito can say for sure in this situation.

"Kyoraku, if you cannot withstand the pressure of societal norms and disregard so-called human ethics to marry your 'sister-in-law' in place of your elder brother, then the consequences may be extremely severe!"

"As a high-ranking noble, you should know that the rules of the Soul Society stipulate that women who marry into noble families are not allowed to have any contact with their husbands' families after their husbands' death, right?!"

"In other words, if you do nothing, Kyoraku, then your 'sister-in-law' will have to leave the Kyoraku family. Once she leaves the Kyoraku family, she will have no other choice but to return to the Ise family..."

"After all, a woman with a 'child' would have an extremely slim chance of survival if she lived alone in the Seireitei without the support of her family."

Shitan ignored the roaring Ukitake and instead looked at Kyoraku, speaking calmly.

"..."

Kyoraku naturally knew what Shitan was talking about; he lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought.

"Forehead……"

As for Fuzhu, who was still clutching Shitan's collar, he suddenly realized what Shitan meant after hearing Shitan's words. He released Shitan's collar with a slight apology, folded the wrinkled collar for Shitan, and then looked at Shitan with an embarrassed smile, saying, "Um, Shitan! I'm so sorry! I made a mistake and misunderstood you..."

"It's alright, after all, you're just a 'lower-class' noble on the fringes of the 'noble' group! As a 'lower-class' noble, it's perfectly normal that you're unfamiliar with the rules of the nobility..."

"After all, in terms of background, you are completely different from me, who was born into the 'Tsunayoshiro' family, which is at the pinnacle of 'nobility'! There is a world of difference in our knowledge."

After hearing what Ukitake said, Shitan simply smiled indifferently. Then, Shitan deliberately emphasized several times the fact that the Ukitake family was only a 'lower-ranking noble family', and wantonly mocked Ukitake's knowledge.

"There's nothing we can do! Our 'Ukitake' family is just a 'lower-ranking' noble family in the 'Soul Society'! Naturally, we can't compare to you, who comes from a branch family of a top-tier noble family."

After hearing what Shitan said, Ukitake just smiled faintly. He knew that Shitan was just joking with him on purpose, but as someone who was all bark and no bite, he was not one to suffer a loss. Of course, he would not let Shitan off so easily. So Ukitake deliberately emphasized the fact that Shitan came from the "branch family" of "Tsunayoshiro".

"Tsk~"

Shi Tan frowned at this, clearly not in a good mood.

"..."

As for Yoruichi, who came from the best background among the 'four,' she remained silent, quietly listening to everyone's words.

The reason she, who is usually so lively, was silent at this moment was not because her throat was sore and she didn't want to talk, nor because she didn't want to help Kyoraku, but because she had never heard of these 'trinkets' of aristocratic rules...

Yes, as the youngest princess of the Shihouin family, she was destined from birth to inherit the Shihouin family and become the head of the Shihouin family, Yoruichi Shihouin...

From childhood to adulthood, no one had ever taught her the word "rules." The rules and regulations in the Seireitei were set up for others and had little to do with the heads of the "Five Great Noble Families"! In this vast Seireitei, her own "rules" were the true "rules."

After hearing everyone's comments, Yoruichi Shihouin could only ask one question: Why is it that women who marry into noble families are forbidden from having any contact with their husbands' families after their husbands' deaths? Isn't that incredibly unfair to that woman?!

"Can't this rule be changed?!"

After a while, with Kyoraku Shunsui frowning, Ukitake Jushiro, and Tsunayoshi Tokinada deep in thought, Yoruichi finally couldn't help but ask the three present.

"This rule was established by the 'ancestor' of the Kuchiki family at the very beginning of the 'Soul Society's' creation, in the presence of us, the 'five great nobles' 'ancestors'..."

After hearing Yoruichi's words, Shitan replied.

"Huh? Aren't our ancestors, the founders of the 'Five Great Noble Families,' far too heartless?!"

Yoruichi frowned upon hearing this and rebuked him angrily.

"..."

Upon hearing Yoruichi's words, Toki and the others fell silent. Looking across the entire Seireitei, perhaps only Yoruichi Shihouin, born into one of the "Five Great Noble Families," dared to directly and angrily rebuke one of the "Five Dukes" among the "One King and Five Dukes."

"The original purpose of establishing this rule was to prevent 'high nobles' from exploiting loopholes in the 'rules'..."

"For example, some powerful nobles, under the guise of marriage alliances with other lesser 'nobles,' would marry their illegitimate daughters to the heads of these lesser noble families. At the same time, they would secretly murder the heads of these families who had married their daughters, and then use their daughters' status as 'mistresses' to seize the property of other nobles..."

"Correspondingly, some sons-in-law who marry into noble families are expelled from the noble families after the death of these female heads of households, and are not allowed to have any further dealings with these noble families!"

After listening to Yoruichi's words, Shitan remained silent for a while before explaining.

"Forehead……"

Upon hearing this, Yoruichi's expression immediately froze.

"Perhaps you didn't understand, Sister Yoruichi, so let me give you an example. Imagine you are Yoruichi, the head of the Shihōin family, one of the 'Five Great Noble Families.' While you are taking a walk, you suddenly take a fancy to the property of a certain noble family, but you are unwilling to buy it with money. So, you choose to propose a marriage alliance with the head of that noble family. Even if the head of the noble family you have your eye on is unwilling in his heart, he can only agree because of your status."