Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

“But… Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s side, there’s also the Zero Division, and other nobles…” an elder still worried.

"What Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni wants is stability and an explanation to the Rei-o Palace. He may not really want to uproot my Tsuna-yayo family immediately, as that would cause a major earthquake in the Seireitei."

We need to proactively distance ourselves, hand over some scapegoats, and cooperate with the investigation.

Gang Midai Dekang analyzed, his eyes gleaming.

"As for the other nobles... Hmph, there will certainly be those who kick us when we're down, but there will also be many who feel sorry for us when we're gone. They should also consider whether it will be their turn to suffer the consequences tomorrow, since today it's my family, Tsunayoshiro?"

He paused, and his tone finally changed slightly, carrying a deep solemnity and a barely perceptible... apprehension.

"But the premise of all this, or rather, the biggest variable, is not Yamamoto, nor the other nobles."

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thick walls, looking towards the direction of the Ghost Path Sect's encampment.

"But it lies with... Yanagawa himself."

"Liu Chuan?" The elders were taken aback.

"Not bad, Yanagawa, this newly promoted member of the Zero Squad," Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu said slowly.

"He is the direct victim of this incident and will greatly influence the final determination and subsequent handling of the matter. Captain-Commander Yamamoto will probably have to respect his opinion."

"Then... how should we deal with this?" the elder in charge of external liaison asked.

Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, before finally making his decision:

"I've decided to visit him in person."

"What? Patriarch, you're going in person?" The elders were all taken aback.

The head of the Tsunayoshi family personally went to apologize to a young Shinigami? Even if he was from the Zero Division, he had lost face big time!

"Face?" Gang Midai Dekang sneered. "What is face compared to the survival of the family?"

Suhe has already lost all face. What we need to do now is to try our best to salvage the situation and to show some respect.

My personal visit represents the highest sincerity and apology from the Tsunayoshi family.

He glanced at the elders and said, “Not only do I have to go, but the family must also immediately prepare a generous ‘apology gift’ as a sign of ‘sincerity’.”

We must show Yanagawa that the Tsunayo family is deeply saddened and apologetic for what happened to him, that they will not tolerate Suwa's behavior, and that they are willing to pay the price to make amends.

Furthermore, we need to show him that continuing the investigation might not be beneficial for either of us, and that it would be better for him to accept our apology and compensation, thus minimizing the impact of this matter.

"Prepare immediately," Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu gave the final order, his voice regaining the authority and decisiveness of a family head.

"Remember, from this moment on, the entire Tsunayoshiro family must maintain a unified narrative when speaking to outsiders—"

"Tsunayoshiro is a disgrace to the family. His actions have nothing to do with the family. The family feels deeply ashamed, fully cooperates with the investigation, will severely punish those involved, and sincerely apologizes to His Excellency Yanagawa."

"Yes!" the elders responded in unison. Although they were still uneasy, they could only carry out the decision since the patriarch had made it.

Chapter 51 A Visit to the Tsunayoshi Family

The next morning, at the Ghost Path's encampment.

Compared to the other grand or somber barracks in Seireitei, the buildings of the Kidoshu appear exceptionally simple, even somewhat old.

The low brick and stone buildings stretch out in a row, bearing the marks of time. The training ground has also been repaired in many places, and the air is filled with the unique aura of those who have practiced the Ghost Path year-round.

This place seems to be a corner forgotten by time, quiet, low-key, and detached from worldly strife.

Liu Chuan was sitting in the room, studying several files on the stability of the Ghost Path energy structure.

Sunlight streamed through the lattice window, casting dappled shadows on his calm face.

The turmoil of last night seemed to have no effect on him; he remained focused on his research.

However, this tranquility was broken when a member of the Ghost Path knocked on the door and entered, his face showing undisguised surprise and unease:

"The head of the Gangmi family, Gangmi Dekang... is seeking an audience outside."

Liu Chuan paused slightly as he flipped through the files, then resumed his normal movements.

He raised his head, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, before returning to calm.

Tsunayoshiro has stirred up such a huge mess, putting the family in jeopardy. As the head of the family, it would be strange if Tsunayoshiroshiro didn't take action.

Visiting someone in person and adopting a humble attitude is the most direct and likely effective step in crisis public relations.

"Please let him in." Liu Chuan put down the file, his tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Soon, Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu walked in. Unlike the dignified and profound patriarch at the elders' meeting last night, Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu was now dressed in a simpler and more solemn dark kimono.

His face carried just the right amount of solemnity and apology, completely lacking the arrogance of the heads of the five noble families.

He came alone, without any entourage, which made him seem all the more sincere.

"Lord Yanagawa, I apologize for the intrusion and disturbance." Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu bowed slightly first, his posture extremely humble and his tone sincere.

“Take a seat, Mr. Tsuna.” Liu Chuan stood up, returned a half-bow, and gestured for the other to sit down.

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the rising steam from the tea leaves between the two of them.

Without much pleasantries, Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu got straight to the point. His face was somber, and his tone was filled with guilt and indignation:

"Lord Yanagawa, when we heard about what happened last night, the entire Tsunayashiro family was shocked and horrified, and felt deeply ashamed!"

Gang Mi, blinded by greed and driven by old grudges, has become so audacious as to commit such a heinous act!

This not only seriously violates the laws of Soul Society, but is also an extreme desecration of Lord Yanagawa, the Zero Division, and the dignity of the Soul King Palace!

He looked directly at Liuchuan with earnest eyes: "As the head of the Tsunami family, I have failed to manage my family properly and have been incompetent in controlling my subordinates. This has allowed such a scoundrel to lurk in the family and cause such a great disaster. I am truly to blame!"

On behalf of the Tsunayo family, I extend my sincerest and deepest apologies to His Excellency Yanagawa! With that, he rose again and bowed deeply to Yanagawa.

Yanagawa listened quietly and watched Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu's performance.

Liu Chuan knew that although Tsunayoshiro had used family assassins and banned drugs, his actions were most likely a crazy act stemming from his long-standing resentment, and not necessarily a reflection of the overall will of the Tsunayoshiro family.

An ancient noble family with a history spanning thousands of years, unless faced with an absolute crisis of life and death or a matter of vital interest, will not be able to survive.

It would be unusual to resort to such an extreme and risky method to assassinate a member of the Zero Division, especially when he has just returned and the attitudes of all parties are unclear.

"You flatter me, Deputy Head of the Tsunami Clan," Liu Chuan said, raising his hand in a gesture of support, his tone remaining calm.

"The mastermind behind this matter is Tsunayoshi Kazuka. As for the claim that the family is involved, that will be decided by the Captain-General and the investigation team. I have received your apology."

He didn't say "forgive me" or "don't pursue it," he just said he "received" the apology.

The attitude was clear, but also left room for maneuver, indicating that the person knew the priorities and implying that the final determination of the matter would depend on further investigation.

Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu was no ordinary person; he immediately understood the unspoken meaning behind Yanagawa's words.

Liu Chuan did not speak harshly or hold a grudge, which was a good start.

He felt somewhat relieved, but lowered his posture even further: "Lord Liuchuan is very magnanimous, and Dekang is extremely grateful."

Please rest assured, my family, the Tsunayoshiro family, will fully cooperate with the Captain-Commander's investigation. We will thoroughly investigate all those involved, including Tsunayoshiro and all related personnel, regardless of their relationship to us, and will never tolerate or cover them up!

The family will show no mercy to those scum who deserve to be eliminated! Any relevant evidence, once possessed by the family, will be submitted immediately without exception!

He was offering a "pledge of allegiance," demonstrating his determination to sever ties and his willingness to provide "assistance" in exchange for Liu Chuan not deliberately diverting attention to the deeper aspects of the family during subsequent investigations.

Liu Chuan nodded. He was not one to be keen on implicating others. Gang Midai and his execution, along with the punishment of the accomplices, was enough for him to have a satisfactory outcome.

Seeing that Yanagawa's attitude had softened, Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu felt even more confident.

He then changed the subject, his tone becoming more humble:

"Besides apologizing, I noticed that the Ghost Path Clan's residence has ancient and quaint architecture, but it is in disrepair and the training grounds are a bit cramped."

I, the Tsuna-Yashiro family, would like to do my part by donating funds specifically for the repair and maintenance of the houses and facilities of the Oni-do sect.

This is a small compensation for disturbing you last night and for the long-term lack of support for the Ghost Path sect. I hope you will not refuse.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chuan's eyes flickered slightly. Repair funds? That was indeed a tangible benefit.

The Kidoshu hold a special position in the Seireitei, but they are not as valued as other combat units, and their funding has never been abundant.

Many of the buildings and training facilities are still at the level of decades or even hundreds of years ago, so the Tsunayo family's "donation" this time is indeed just right.

After a moment's thought, he did not feign reluctance. Since the other party wanted to express "sincerity," it was only right to pay some practical price.

Moreover, he felt perfectly justified in taking the money to improve the living conditions of the Ghost Path followers and benefit everyone.

“Head of the Tsunayoshi family, you are very kind,” Yanagawa said slowly. “The Kido Clan is indeed living a hard life, and many facilities do need updating. Especially the training grounds…”

He paused, as if he had thought of something, and continued, "The training ground on the ground has limited space and is easy to disturb others."

I am planning to develop a more stable, soundproof, and spacious area deep beneath the Ghost Path sect's base. This will serve as a base for the members' daily Ghost Path training, and also...

I also have some personal experiments that require a sufficiently large space, and it's safer to do them underground.

He did not specify what kind of "attempt" it was, but the words "quite a big deal" and "need to be kept secret" were enough to evoke speculation.

This is both a reasonable explanation of the need and a subtle demonstration—his research on the path of the demons and the space he requires cannot be satisfied by ordinary venues.

A glint flashed in Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu's eyes, and he immediately nodded, his tone full of understanding and support:

"Of course, of course! Lord Liuchuan is studying the profound ways of the demons, so naturally he needs a suitable venue."

Underground expansion space—what a great idea! It can meet your training needs while ensuring you are undisturbed.

This donation can be used for this project. My family knows some families of craftsmen who are skilled in civil engineering and barrier construction.

If needed, I can also make introductions, ensuring that the underground space is stable, safe, and meets your requirements.

He agreed without hesitation and even offered to provide construction resources.

This is both a further gesture of goodwill and a way to put the "compensation" into practice.

Liu Chuan glanced at Tsunami Daitoku and nodded: "In that case, I'll have to trouble Patriarch Tsunami Daitoku with these matters. I'll leave the funding and craftsmen to you."

“That’s only right!” A huge weight was lifted from Gang Mi Dai De Kang’s heart.

Yanagawa accepted the apology and the "compensation," which means that the other party, at least on the surface, is willing to keep the impact of this matter under control and will not keep harping on the Tsunayo family.

Although the family will inevitably have to pay other prices, it is highly likely that the most dangerous charge of "family mastermind" can be avoided.

The two exchanged a few more polite words, and the atmosphere eased considerably.

Having achieved his goal, Tsunayoshi Tokuyasu tactfully rose to take his leave.

"Lord Liuchuan is very busy and it is inconvenient to disturb him any further. I apologize again for the actions of the disgraced members of his family. I will arrange the relevant donations and craftsmen as soon as I return and implement them as soon as possible."