"Captain Rosse," Just as the situation reached a stalemate, the ever-kind and long-silent Jushiro Ukitake finally spoke.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his tone heavy, "Shihoin Yoruichi was expelled from her family long ago and is now merely a wanted criminal of Soul Society. To implicate the entire Shihoin family because of her alone, isn't that somewhat excessive?"
What he said was reasonable. After all, nobles had their own ways of cutting ties.
"Since I dare to make this proposal, I naturally have solid evidence."
Rosse let out a light laugh and turned his head to look at Byakuya Kuchiki, who had been standing there like an outsider the entire time.
Byakuya Kuchiki understood at once. He stepped forward, his face like carved ice without the slightest expression, and said coldly, "I guarantee this in the name of the twenty-eighth head of the Kuchiki family. Not long ago, I personally witnessed Shihoin Yoruichi clearly appearing inside the Shihoin family estate, where she held a secret meeting with the current head, Shihoin Yushiro."
His voice was calm and firm, echoing through the hall.
"At that time, Shihoin Yushiro personally promised Yoruichi, 'Shihoin Yoruichi will always be a member of the Shihoin family, and the Shihoin family will always be Yoruichi's strongest support.'"
The moment these words were spoken, the entire room erupted in an uproar.
This was something Byakuya Kuchiki had indeed seen with his own eyes.
That day, to prevent Yoruichi from wavering back and forth, Rosse had deliberately brought Byakuya Kuchiki along and used the Shiba family's Concealment Spirit Orb to infiltrate the Shihoin estate, where they happened to overhear this deeply moving display of sibling affection.
As the head of the foremost of the Five Great Noble Houses, having witnessed this fact, he had the duty to clarify it at a critical moment.
Yes, this was the impartiality befitting the head of the Kuchiki family, absolutely not favoritism to save Rukia.
"This...", Jushiro Ukitake opened his mouth, then finally let out a powerless sigh.
Since Byakuya Kuchiki had put his family's honor on the line as a guarantee, there was no longer any room to maneuver.
If the Shihoin family had truly sheltered a wanted criminal in secret, and even promised to act as her backing, that charge of colluding with the enemy alone would be enough to ruin them.
Coupled with the death penalty proposal targeting Rukia, if Ukitake, as Rukia's direct captain, continued to forcefully defend them now, it would truly be blurring right and wrong.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze lingered on Ukitake for a moment. Seeing that Jushiro Ukitake had also fallen silent, he then glanced at the wordless Kyoraku Shunsui.
As for whether the Shihoin family should be dealt with, Yamamoto's attitude had always been the same.
He did not give a fuck.
Throughout his long career as Captain-Commander, he had witnessed the rise and fall of countless noble families.
As long as the order of Soul Society was not disrupted, a few nobles dying or a few families being wiped out was nothing more than passing clouds to him.
Just like former 8th Kenpachi, Azashiro Soya a hundred years ago. Even though he came from a noble family executed for treason, as long as he had the strength and followed the rules, he could still become the captain of the Eleventh Division.
As for being locked in Muken afterward, that was because there was something wrong with his own mindset, not because there was any issue with his background.
To him, whether it was the existing noble order or the new order Rosse wanted to establish, as long as it operated within the framework, he could accept it.
Thump!
The heavy sound of the cane striking the ground rang out once more, announcing the final judgment.
Seeing that Kyoraku Shunsui also lowered his head in tacit consent, Captain-Commander Yamamoto no longer hesitated.
"Since no one has any objections, then we shall proceed as Captain Rosse has proposed."
The aged voice was solemn and cold.
"Immediately conduct a full military search and interrogation of the Shihoin family. Once conclusive evidence is found of collusion with wanted criminals or actions that endanger the Gotei 13, punish them STRICTLY according to the law, without MERCY!"
"This matter is to be handled in full by Tenth Division Captain Rosse and Sixth Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki!"
"Yes!"
Byakuya Kuchiki gave a slight nod, a barely perceptible cold glint flashing through his eyes.
He would not save Rukia using methods outside the rules, but dealing with the Shihoin family was part of his duty, and he would show no leniency.
Since they had taken the initiative to propose action against someone from the Kuchiki family, they had better be prepared for retaliation.
The Kuchiki family never took the initiative to make enemies, but they were never afraid of having enemies either.
"The Captain-Commander is wise."
Rosse smiled and bowed slightly. That smile, half-hidden in shadow, carried an especially profound meaning.
This captains' meeting, thick with the smell of gunpowder, finally came to an end under the Captain-Commander's final order.
The Captain-Commander upheld order. Kyoraku Shunsui protected the Captain-Commander. Aizen smoothly advanced his plan. Rosse successfully ensured that Shihoin Yoruichi was punished. Byakuya Kuchiki further secured Rukia's safety.
It seemed that everyone had obtained the outcome they wanted.
It was just that the ways they obtained them were completely different.
After the meeting ended, Rosse and Byakuya Kuchiki tacitly fell back a few steps.
By the time they left the First Division, all the other captains had already departed, leaving only the two of them.
"Captain Rosse, time is of the essence. Let us thoroughly investigate the Shihoin family right away," Byakuya Kuchiki spoke coldly.
In three days, Rukia was to be executed.
He did not want to wait until the moment of execution to attempt a last-second rescue.
In his view, the sooner the Shihoin family was crushed, the sooner this meaningless internal struggle would end.
He understood the weakness of the nobles better than anyone.
As long as the Shihoin family was crushed with thunderous force, the rest would not dare to resist.
"Agreed. However, since the Shihoin family is located in the noble district, I won't be bringing personnel from the Tenth Division this time. I'll bring Vice-Captain Shiba with me and enter the Shihoin residence together with the Sixth Division. If we encounter any threats, Vice-Captain Shiba and I will act immediately."
Rosse nodded lightly, smiling, looking very much as though he was giving Byakuya Kuchiki due respect.
The Sixth Division was originally a noble division, filled with nobles, and its headquarters was near the noble district, making it the most suitable choice.
His vice-captain, Matsumoto Rangiku, was not very interested in raiding houses, so he brought Shiba Kukaku instead.
After all, Shiba Kukaku harbored considerable hatred toward the Shihoin family and had long been eager to make them pay the price.
The destruction of a family and the death of its members was, in itself, a kind of price.
"No problem. Thank you for Vice-Captain Shiba's assistance."
Byakuya Kuchiki nodded slightly and at the same time offered his thanks to Shiba Kukaku, who was standing half a step behind Rosse.
After all, Shiba Kukaku was only the vice-captain of the Second Division and had no obligation to involve herself in this matter. Her presence purely increased their combat strength.
The Shihoin family was, after all, one of the Five Great Noble Houses. Having two or three captain-level fighters in the family was entirely normal.
Even the Kuchiki family had a full five captain-level individuals.
It was just that aside from himself and his grandfather, the others were not particularly outstanding. Only after achieving Bankai did they barely reach third-class spiritual might, placing them among the weakest of captains.
Even so, he could easily handle two opponents alone.
Even an ordinary vice-captain of the Gotei 13 could hold back that kind of captain-level fighter for a long time.
Presumably, the Shihoin family was in a similar situation.
Setting Shihoin Yoruichi aside, relying on the Sixth Division alone, Byakuya Kuchiki was confident he could suppress them completely.
And with Rosse and Shiba Kukaku present, even if Shihoin Yoruichi showed up, the Shihoin family would not escape this calamity today.
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