I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1026 Gongshan Temple Raises an Army! [4500]

That great man once said: Politics is about making more friends and fewer enemies.

For Qing Deng, the "secular faction" coming to power is a rare opportunity!
The "Secularism School" opposed any words or actions that attacked the imperial court and the shogunate, had no intention of changing the existing world order, and clearly supported the shogunate.

Therefore, in terms of political advocacy, the "secular school" is Qingdeng's natural ally.

Since we are allies, why fight?
It remains to be seen whether the "popular opinion group" will obey Qing Deng completely.

But what is certain is that they definitely don’t want to go against the shogunate!
Now that the "Secular Faction" controls Choshu, the two sides finally have room for negotiations.

In this way, there is hope of conquering Choshu without losing a single soldier!
As long as Choshu surrenders, the so-called western feudal domains will collapse without a fight.

Although when talking about the various feudal states in western Japan, they are always generally summarized as "the western feudal states", in fact, their interests are completely inconsistent.

Although the western region was large, there were only four noteworthy feudal domains: Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa, and Hizen.

Among them, the only feudal domain that had a blood feud with the shogunate was Choshu.

Every one of the other three vassal states is a fence-sitter.

Although during the expedition to Choshu, Saigo Yoshinosuke (the actual ruler of Satsuma) interfered and sidelined Matsudaira Yoshinobu, causing the "Choshu expedition" to fail, it is not difficult to see that the essence of his behavior was still sitting on the fence.

Once Choshu falls, the balance of power between the East and the West will be completely unbalanced.

Yoshinosuke Saigo did not want the shogunate to become too powerful, so he managed to save Choshu and maintain the existing political structure.

If Satsuma was really determined to go against the shogunate, it would have already joined forces with Choshu, and then mobilized Tosa, Hizen and other feudal states to form a huge "anti-shogunate encirclement network."

However, after disrupting the "Choshu Expedition", Satsuma became very quiet. It neither distanced itself from Choshu nor maintained an ambiguous relationship with the shogunate - a typical fence-sitting behavior.

As for Tosa and Hizen, they were even more cowardly and were always ready to jump between "Sonjo" and "Sakumaku".

After all, they are just relying on a fluke mentality, thinking "what if?" - what if the Zunyang movement has a chance to revive?

It is not difficult to imagine that once Choshu surrendered to the shogunate, it would deal a serious blow to the morale of the western feudal lords.

The Satsuma, Tokugawa and other feudal domains, which had originally been optimistic, would certainly not dare to have any more unreasonable ideas. Although they would not dare to submit to the shogunate, they would definitely be much more obedient for a long time afterwards.

To sum up, at this moment, following the "Second Edo Siege War", Qing Deng sincerely felt that he was at the "crossroads of history".

This is a golden opportunity... a golden opportunity to completely pacify the Western Kingdom at a very small cost!
If you don't take what heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences... Qing Deng couldn't help but value it.

Hijikata Toshizo, Yamanami Keisuke and others all agreed with his judgment.

Everyone quickly reached a consensus and then made the following arrangements:
The elite ninjas of the 9th Division were dispatched to rush to Choshu as quickly as possible to contact the "Suron Faction".

At the same time, mobilize the army and prepare to support the "secular faction" with military means.

To be honest, the high-intensity fighting since the "Choshu Campaign" has made the Shinsengumi's soldiers feel very war-weary.

Judging from the morale of the Shinsengumi, now is not a good time to use troops.

But the incident happened suddenly and Qing Deng couldn't care less.

Although from the current situation, the situation of the "secular faction" is very good, and the "justice faction" has been suppressed to the point of near destruction, and important officials of the justice faction such as Maeda Sonemon, Mori Toto, and Matsushima Gozo have all been arrested, Qing Deng does not dare to take it lightly at all.

The reason is simple—Katsura Kogoro is still alive!

When Shu Fu Masanosuke, Takasugi Shinsaku, Kusaka Genzui and others died one after another, Katsura Kogoro became the last leader of the "Justice Faction".

Qing Deng always believed that the world underestimated Katsura Kogoro's talent! He was the real leader of the "Three Heroes of Choshu"!
He is good at both literature and martial arts, steady, rational, and good at escaping... This kind of flexible and indomitable opponent is the most difficult to deal with.

The last time we got news about Katsura Kogoro was when we were fighting against the Fauqui coalition.

After repelling the Fauchi coalition, Qing Deng specially dispatched a troop to search for Katsura Kogoro's whereabouts, but could not find him - the value of the title "Escaped Kogoro" continued to increase.

Since then, Katsura Kogoro has been missing.

There are various theories about his specific whereabouts.

Some say he sneaked back to Choshu; some say Satsuma took him in; some say he fled overseas...and there are many more.

The "popular opinion group" also knew that Katsura Kogoro posed a serious threat, so after gaining real power in Choshu, they immediately issued a wanted order and offered a large reward for Katsura Kogoro, demanding that he be seen alive or dead.

Although Katsura Kogoro's prestige is not as great as Takasugi Shinsaku and Kusaka Genzui, he is still one of the "Three Heroes of Choshu" and has a power that cannot be underestimated among the "justice faction".

His call was enough to create a storm throughout Changzhou.

In other words, as long as Katsura Kogoro is still alive, the situation in Choshu may still be reversed!
Thinking of this, Qing Deng couldn't help but frown.

Although he was secretly anxious, he could do nothing about it.

Choshu is too far away from Otsu, separated by half of Japan.

Whether it is transmitting information, transporting supplies, or mobilizing troops, it takes a lot of time.

Messengers were sent, the army was mobilized… He did everything that could be done.

At the moment, there was nothing else he could do except stay in Otsu and wait for news.

……

……

Choshu Domain, Chofu——

"call……"

Katsura Kogoro cupped his hands to his mouth and breathed out a breath of hot air.

Looking at the gray sky, he murmured helplessly:

"It's almost spring, but the weather is still so cold..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Omura Masujiro (the military advisor of the Qibingtai) beside him said calmly:
"This weather is very suitable for our current situation."

Katsura Kogoro chuckled a few times:
"Well, you're right."

After saying that, he turned around and looked back - behind him, more than a hundred exhausted soldiers of the Special Forces were lying on the ground.

Either leaning against a tree trunk or lying directly on the ground.

Either dozing off or staring blankly.

Spears, muskets, katana and other weapons were intertwined and hung limply on shoulders.

Even from a distance, one could smell the foul odor wafting from them.

To put it bluntly, they have none of the demeanor that should be "Changzhou's most powerful force" and are more like a miserable group of beggars.

After the attack on Edo failed, at the instruction of Shuten-doji, Katsura Kogoro used his talent for escape to lead the remnants of the Special Forces to retreat northward and successfully escape from the battlefield.

On the way back to the domain, he successfully joined up with Omura Masujiro's troops - the remnants of the army that had withdrawn from the Sekigahara battlefield.

Although the meeting between the two sides went quite smoothly, the real test has just begun.

Once your tracks are exposed, you will be pursued violently.

Therefore, on the way back to their fiefdom, they had to avoid cities, towns and main roads as much as possible, and spent most of their time traveling through mountains and forests.

During this period, many soldiers of both the "Edo remnants" led by Katsura Kogoro and the "Sekigahara remnants" led by Omura Masujiro left due to disillusionment.

Katsura Kogoro did not pursue the matter regarding those who quit the team without permission - even if he wanted to, he did not have the energy to do so.

Finally, after going through numerous hardships and dangers, they finally returned to their long-lost homeland.

However, as soon as they set foot on the land of Choshu, they received the bad news that the "Secular Faction" was in power.

Katsura Kogoro became a traitor, and the Kiheitai also became rebels.

Just like that, they didn't even have time to catch their breath before they fled in all directions like dogs that had lost their homes.

During this period, they hid from place to place, carefully avoiding the eyes and ears of the "secular school".

Thanks to Katsura Kogoro's qualifications and popularity, many remnants of the "righteous faction" provided them with convenience.

However, this is not a long-term solution after all.

High-intensity movement, prolonged tension, and accumulated pressure...the team members' physical and mental state are reaching the limit.

The harsh environment and the hopeless prospect of not seeing the future led to further loss of members of the team. Today, there are only about 100 members of the Qibingtai who are willing to follow Katsura Kogoro.

During this period, the words Katsura Kogoro heard most often were, "Mr. Katsura, what should we do next?"

Every team member hopes to hear a positive and energizing response from him or her.

Even the most ignorant and foolish people know that if they continue like this, they will "die out naturally" before the "vulgar school" finds them.

Katsura Kogoro knew that he had a heavy responsibility, but... to be honest, he didn't know what to do.

The court in Choshu has become a one-man show for the "popular opinion faction".

The special forces he relied on were on the verge of collapse, and both morale and troop size had fallen to an unprecedented low.

The only two foreign aids he could think of now were Satsuma and the French Punishment Party.

Yoshinosuke Saigo's actions in the "Choshu Expedition" made Katsura Kogoro realize the "cooperability" of Satsuma.

Yoshinosuke Saigo was unwilling to let the shogunate destroy Choshu, and he certainly was not happy to see Choshu, which was controlled by the "Sokron faction", turn to the shogunate.

Therefore, Katsura Kogoro immediately sent an envoy to Satsuma, hoping to get assistance.

But...the distance from Choshu to Satsuma is not short.

Not only do we have to take a boat to cross the Shimonoseki Strait, but we also have to cross most of Kyushu Island... Don't expect to receive a response from Satsuma for a while.

Will Satsuma's aid arrive first, or will they perish first? Judging from the current situation, the latter is more likely.

As for the Dharmapala Party... after the failed attack on Edo, Yamata no Orochi disappeared and no one was seen. If you want to find him, you don't know where to start.

There are no friendly forces inside, and no help outside... No matter from which angle you look at it, this is a situation where there is no other solution.

It's embarrassing to say, but the only thing Katsura Kogoro can do now is to pretend to be relaxed, ease the atmosphere as much as possible and calm the anxiety of his subordinates.

In fact, he had thought of a way out of the situation.

But... this "strategy to break the impasse" is truly a last-ditch effort!
He didn't want to resort to this strategy unless it was absolutely necessary.

call!
Suddenly, a cold wind blew.

Katsura Kogoro subconsciously tucked his clothes tightly and shivered.

The temperature was getting lower and lower and the sky was starting to darken.

In such cold weather, people might die if they spend the night outdoors.

Katsura Kogoro turned to Omura Masujiro and asked:
"Omura-kun, is there a place nearby that's sheltered from the wind?"

Omura Masujiro once practiced medicine here, so he was quite familiar with the area.

He turned his head and looked around, then pointed to the west.

"There is a temple called Gongshan Temple over there. We can go there and rest for a while."

……

……

Kozanji Temple is a famous temple founded by Emperor Go-Daigo in 1327 (Kailyaku 2). It retains Japan's oldest Zen-style Buddhist hall and typical remains of Tang-style architecture from the Kamakura period.

The abbot of the temple was very sympathetic to the "righteous faction", so he did not refuse Katsura Kogoro's request to stay overnight.

Not only do they provide shelter, but they also provide food and water.

Katsura Kogoro and the others had a hot meal after a long absence and regained some strength.

After dinner, the soldiers gathered in the room provided by the abbot and rested in silence.

The room was extremely quiet inside and outside... No one spoke, even the breathing was extremely light, and the air seemed to have sunk to the ground.

At this moment, Katsura Kogoro was standing in the courtyard of Gongshan Temple with his arms folded, gazing into the sky with complicated eyes.

Such a look seems to be gazing into another world.

Pasha, Pasha, Pasha, Pasha...

Suddenly, footsteps were heard behind him approaching from afar - Omura Masujiro suddenly appeared and slowly moved behind Katsura Kogoro.

"Omura-kun, what's wrong?"

"Mr. Gui, it's time to make up your mind."

Without waiting for Katsura Kogoro's response, he changed his tone to a solemn one, and said word by word:

"Should we sit back and wait for death, or should we give it a try?"

Hearing this, Katsura Kogoro laughed at himself.

"Give it a try? Do we have the money to give it a try now?"

With only a few hundred people going against the "popular faction" that controlled the entire Choshu... Judging from the comparison of strength on paper, the word "huge disparity" alone seems too light and inappropriate.

Facing Katsura Kogoro's self-mockery, Omura Masujiro shrugged his shoulders with a calm expression:
"so what?"

"We've already hit rock bottom, and it can't get any worse."

"Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well die in style. If it were Mr. Takasugi, he would definitely say that."

If it was Mr. Takasugi... Hearing this, Katsura Kogoro's expression changed slightly.

He tilted his head slightly, looked deeply at Omura Masujiro, then slowly retracted his gaze and looked at the distant night sky again, as if thinking.

He pondered for a long time...just stood there, thinking.

About ten minutes later, he said solemnly, without any sadness or joy:

"Omura-kun, gather all the soldiers."

……

……

After receiving the "emergency assembly" order, the soldiers did not dare to delay and rushed out of the room and gathered in the yard.

They looked at each other, exchanging confused glances.

But Katsura Kogoro was seen tying his sleeves tightly with a band, with a determined look in his eyes, looking like he was "ready to fight".

"Everyone, listen carefully!"

Without any preface, Katsura Kogoro opened his voice and shouted loudly while scanning the scene.

"Today, Hagi Castle has been manipulated by the 'secular faction'."

"I'm sure you all know what kind of people the 'secularists' are!"

"They are all like Qin Hui! They are proud of surrendering! They only want to submit to the shogunate!"

"I've had enough of exile!"

"Instead of living in peace, it is better to give it a try!"

"We must unite as one and fight side by side!"

"If we advance one mile, we will be loyal to the cause of one mile! If we advance two miles, we will be righteous to the cause of two miles!"

"Success or failure, fight to the last moment! Until death!"

"From the hands of the 'secularists'..."

Having said that, Katsura Kogoro slowly drew the Muramasa from his waist, with the tip of the sword pointing to the sky.

"Take back Choshu!"

*******
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PS: In historical facts, the person who launched the "Kōzanji Uprising" was Takasugi Shinsaku, not Katsura Kogoro.