With the entry of Kuchiki Ginrei, everyone's eyes in the hall turned to the captain of the sixth division, the current head of the Kuchiki family, an elder who stood at the top among all nobles and served as a model for them.
Kuchiki Ginrei first thanked everyone for attending.
Then, he officially announced that Chikane Xianghe would enter the Kuchiki household.
From now on, he would abandon his original surname and be renamed – Kuchiki Xianghe.
Kuchiki Xianghe's aptitude was exceptional, and he had displayed great strength while at Shin'ō Academy. With such talent entering the Kuchiki family and taking its name, even if Kuchiki Ginrei's own son, Kuchiki Sōjun, remained congenitally weak and unable to become strong, as long as Kuchiki Xianghe existed, the Kuchiki family would not decline for a long time.
And indeed, that was the truth.
At the end of this grand banquet, Kuchiki Xianghe became the Kuchiki family's son-in-law and adopted son. Not long after, under Ginrei's arrangement, Kuchiki Xianghe became the third seat of the sixth division.
This was effectively an appointment by parachute, but it was also a heavy responsibility.
The sixth division was a noble division. In the earliest days, the first generation sixth division held no special noble role; back then, all of the Gotei 13 were combat divisions, intended solely to protect Seireitei.
But from the second generation onward, the sixth division became a noble team under the command of the Kuchiki family. Its duty then shifted to protecting noble interests and handling noble affairs.
For example, should rebels arise among the nobility, they would be suppressed by the sixth division.
Although many of its Shinigami were commoners, a significant portion were nobles, and nobles held their own brand of arrogance. To suppress such pride, the best method was status.
Strength alone might not win them over, but status higher than theirs always did.
Previously, the third seat of the sixth division was Kuchiki Sōjun.
Although Sōjun's health was frail, and he could not be regarded as a powerful Shinigami, his status was extraordinary as the only son of the Kuchiki family head. Thus, noble-born members of the sixth division treated him with utmost respect.
But with Kuchiki Xianghe's arrival, this changed.
To make way for Xianghe, Sōjun voluntarily stepped down to the fourth seat.
The vice-captain remained Ginrei's disciple, Yūin Jirō.
However, Sōjun's withdrawal triggered dissatisfaction among many noble-born Shinigami.
Despite Kuchiki Xianghe now carrying the Kuchiki name, in their eyes, he was only a son-in-law, not a true-born noble. They looked down upon him.
Why should such a man hold third seat?
Fueled by certain hidden influences, Kuchiki Xianghe's tenure as third seat was not peaceful.
Especially after leading a squad to arrest rebellious noble-born Shinigami, his unbending enforcement of law spread anger among many nobles.
Previously, even if noble-born Shinigami broke the law, the sixth division's enforcement was symbolic at best. They would turn a blind eye, conceal crimes, and at most issue painless punishments – confining offenders at home for a few years.
But Kuchiki Xianghe was different.
He believed in justice and law, imprisoning all Shinigami who broke the rules without mercy.
In the eyes of many nobles, this violated their interests.
The sixth division existed to protect noble privileges.
How could Kuchiki Xianghe take initiative to undermine them?
Such betrayal was intolerable.
"Does he really think that just because he changed his surname to Kuchiki, he is truly a Kuchiki? He's merely an adopted son-in-law."
In the darkness, groups of middle and lesser nobles whispered among themselves.
Many of those imprisoned by Xianghe's iron-handed methods were from their clans.
Their eyes burned with resentment.
"In the end, he's just a commoner, favored by the Kuchiki family for his talent. Yet now he truly regards himself as a noble."
"How hateful," someone spat.
Previously, when Sōjun served as third seat, he had always been lenient towards law-breaking nobles.
But this Kuchiki Xianghe brought them all to justice.
Although they understood that Ginrei took Xianghe as son-in-law and adopted son to secure the Kuchiki family's future, they could not accept Xianghe's acts against noble interests.
"But he is Kuchiki's adopted son. In the sixth division, with Kuchiki backing him, there is nothing we can do," one noble lamented.
The nobles fell silent, their gazes dark.
Then, someone proposed a solution.
"Then let him fall by his own mistakes."
"As the head of the Four Great Noble Families, the Kuchiki family is a model for all nobles. If Kuchiki Xianghe himself commits a grave mistake, Ginrei would not protect him."
Hearing this, all turned with slightly shocked expressions.
"You are…?"
The man ignored them and continued calmly,
"Of course, Ginrei is captain of the sixth division. If we tried to frame Kuchiki Xianghe here, Ginrei would see through it immediately.
So, before that, we must have Kuchiki Xianghe leave the sixth division."
He paused before adding,
"As it happens, the captain position of the First Division's special forces is vacant. Kuchiki Xianghe is a genius Shinigami. Keeping him in the sixth division wastes his talents. Use your influences to recommend him for that position."
"In the First Division, Ginrei holds no power. There, Xianghe is unprotected."
The nobles fell silent, pondering deeply.
Not long after, a recommendation letter for Kuchiki Xianghe, third seat of the sixth division, to become captain of the First Division special forces was placed before Head Captain Yamamoto.
Originally, Yamamoto could have ignored the recommendation.
But accompanying it was a formal endorsement from Central 46.
Central 46 declared that Kuchiki Xianghe was talented enough to shoulder such a grand responsibility.
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