I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1032: Okita Souji vomits blood and faints [End]

Mael turned his head and looked deeply at Yamata no Orochi.

"...Orochi, what on earth do you want to do?"

Yamata no Orochi spread his hands:

"The goal of our Fazhu Party is always the same: to destroy the old world and establish a new era!"

"Hmph, you're just being mysterious. Forget it. Anyway, the contract between you and me has ended. No matter what you want to do, it's none of my business."

After saying that, Maher put his hands behind his back and turned away.

"You guys should go back to the cabin and rest. The ship will sail soon."

"I will take you back to land. After that, we will go our separate ways."

Yamata no Orochi burst out laughing:

"Parting ways?... We have been allies for a long time, and suddenly parting ways makes me feel reluctant to part."

Although he said this, there was no trace of reluctance on his face.

"Mr. Orleans, I wish you success and hope that your ideal of 'establishing a nation' can be realized. The north is very cold, so be sure to wear more clothes when you go north."

"..."

Maher didn't even turn his head or say a word, and walked away coldly with his back.

……

……

Spring has arrived.

The temperature gradually warms up, and the spring rain and gentle breeze turn the fields green again.

Compared to the past, the Tachibana residence has undergone significant changes - its defense has become extremely abnormal!
Today, this mansion is not only the residence of the Tachibana family, but also the hiding place of Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshoin and Kazunomiya!
The defense of Ju Mansion was already quite tight, but in order to ensure the personal safety of Tian Zhangyuan and others, Qing Deng personally deployed to further strengthen the guard force of Ju Mansion.

The troops responsible for protecting the Tachibana residence were uniformly named "Guards".

The Imperial Guards consist of two parts: the outstanding swordsmen of the First Division, and the elite gunners of the Sixth and Eighth Divisions.

Its supreme commander is naturally Qing Deng himself.

Since Qing Deng was often on the road, when he was temporarily away from his "post", Tian Zhangyuan would serve as the temporary commander of the Guards.

It is capable of both close combat and long-range attack, without any shortcomings; it has everything from visible guard posts, hidden sentries, and watchtowers, just like a fortress!
With such tight defense, there is absolutely no loophole to exploit. Even if Hattori Hanzo or Fuma Kotaro were reborn, they would not be able to sneak in!
Unless a large army is dispatched to attack, it will be impossible to capture this mansion!
Under Qing Deng's careful care, Tianzhangyuan and Hegong have gradually adapted to their new life.

It is worth mentioning that compared with the past, He Gong has changed a lot.

If it were the former Princess Kazunomiya, she would definitely dislike this furniture as too rustic, or hate that the decoration was too ugly, and demand that the bedroom decoration and all furniture be changed to Kyoto style - at that time, Qing Deng, who served as the "side attendant and the servant of the queen", suffered a lot.

However, after moving into the Orange Mansion, she behaved very peacefully and no longer acted like a princess.

What is even more commendable is that her relationship with Tianzhangyuan has eased significantly.

Before this, although the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could not be said to be hostile, it was really not commendable.

Princess Kazunomiya disliked Tenshoin for being a rude daughter of a samurai family, while the latter disliked the former's official manner.

Tokugawa Iemochi's absolute trust in Tenshoin also made Princess Kazunomiya quite jealous.

Perhaps because they had experienced many hardships together, the gap between them was reduced a lot and their relationship became much closer.

Recently, Qingdeng often sees the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatting heart to heart and admiring the courtyard scenery side by side.

By the way, after learning the details of the "Keio Incident", Princess Kazunomiya cried and fainted twice.

The current emperor is He Gong’s biological brother, her only close relative... How could she not worry when her brother was kidnapped and disappeared?
"General Tachibana! Please save His Majesty and the Crown Prince!"

After calming down a little, Kazumiya wiped her tears and begged Qing Deng to take action.

Qingdeng and Tianzhangyuan are already husband and wife.

Therefore, Tokugawa Iemochi was his legally adopted son, and Princess Kazunomiya was his daughter-in-law - as a father-in-law, he would naturally not ignore his daughter-in-law's plea.

Even putting aside family ties, Qing Deng could not allow the emperor, the prince and the two sacred artifacts to be left alone.

No matter how incompetent or weak the emperor is, he is still the nominal head of state of Japan and possesses political power that cannot be underestimated.

Whoever controls the emperor has the ability to "use the emperor to command the princes."

In short, it is imperative to take back the emperor and the crown prince.

Qing Deng had already taken action long before Kazunomiya began to beg.

He sent a large number of ninjas from the 9th Division to gather intelligence and spared no effort to search for the whereabouts of Iwakura Tomomi and his group.

What can be confirmed at present is that Iwakura Tomomi fled to Choshu with the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and was protected by Katsura Kogoro.

If they want to win back the emperor, they have to launch a western expedition... This is not something that can be done overnight and can only be done over the long term.

……

……

Nothing major has happened since Katsura Kogoro regained control of Choshu.

Finally... finally... the world, which has been in turmoil since the "Choshu Conquest", has finally calmed down!
These few months were so long, with major events happening one after another, it was hard to keep up, and the war stretched from the west to Kanto.

In just a few months, the world's political landscape has undergone earth-shaking changes.

The shogunate was split into the "Southern Shogunate" and the "Northern Shogunate".

Edo was reduced to ruins, and economic activity in Kanto was severely damaged.

Owari Domain, one of the "Three Great Houses", was also hit hard when the domain government fell and its treasury was looted.

The Choshu domain was unified and Katsura Kogoro held sole power.

The Emperor, the Crown Prince and two sacred artifacts were hijacked by the "Sonnjo Faction".

The Oshu clans pledged loyalty to King Ni.

After several months of hard work, many changes have taken place, but it seems that nothing has changed - Choshu has not yet perished, the shogunate still has the strength to fight, the ambitious people are still lurking, and the war has to continue!
No matter what, the tranquility of the present moment is so precious.

Whether they are the heroes who dominate a region or the ordinary people in the market, they can finally take a breath - even though this is only the calm before the storm.

In recent days, the most noteworthy event that happened around Qingdeng is probably that Sanako and Wu both returned to the front line.

After a long period of confinement, their bodies have completely recovered. Not only do they look radiant, but their figures have also returned to normal. It is completely impossible to tell that they are women who have just given birth.

They all realized that this was a critical moment that would "determine the fate of the world," so they dared not live their days leisurely any longer.

Although Qing Deng advised them to rest for a while, they were determined to return to the front line.

The return of the two mistresses - especially Sanako's - gave a significant boost to the morale of the Shinsengumi.

At this critical juncture, welcoming back two powerful mistresses is undoubtedly a timely help.

Compared to the introverted and unsociable Awu, "Chiba Onikomachi" is undoubtedly much more famous.

Sanako's strength and prestige have always been obvious to all.

When the news of "the captain's return" came out, the soldiers of the Seventh Squad were particularly excited.

In particular, Koto Nakazawa (vice-captain of the 7th Division), who adored Sanako very much and regarded her as her lifelong idol, was so excited after learning about this that she couldn't sleep for several nights in a row.

Our captain is the "most beautiful woman in Edo" - the soldiers of the Seventh Squad have always been proud of her, and the soldiers of other squads are very envious of her.

The soldiers of the Tenth Squad were even more envious.

As cavalry units, the captain of the seventh squad is a world-famous beauty, and although the deputy captain is not a stunning beauty, she also has a pretty face. However, our captain and deputy captain are two rough men... The soldiers of the tenth squad have always complained about this.

It is no exaggeration to say that Sanako's existence is a shot in the arm for the Seventh Division.

Even though he knew that she was Niou's legal wife, and that she was a woman he could never touch, he still wanted to perform well in front of her, to catch her eye, to win her attention - there were many soldiers in the 7th Division who had this idea.

It is reported that just a few days ago, a soldier from the 7th Division received Sanako's praise of "good job" for his hard work in training.

At that time, the man fainted from excitement...

Although it is funny, it is the ultimate motivation for the soldiers of the Seventh Squad!
If you perform well, you can really get Sanako's attention and praise!
Therefore, from then on, the soldiers of the Seventh Squad trained more attentively and seriously, becoming a strange sight on the training ground and attracting the attention of the soldiers of other squads.

……

……

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi——

At this moment, somewhere in the Ju residence, Qing Deng was stomping on the corridor floor, making a thudding sound.

He was looking for Souji.

Regarding the expansion of the First Division, he had several important matters to discuss with the General Manager.

Just now, he learned from the waitress that the general was admiring the flowers in the yard.

He quickened his pace and rushed over. Soon, a familiar figure jumped into his sight.

But Souji was seen sitting alone on the veranda, facing the spacious courtyard.

She was wearing a purple uniform, with her hands on the floor on both sides of her body, looking at the courtyard scenery with a peaceful expression.

Two little feet without socks hung down in the corridor - because of their petite figure, they could not touch the ground and could only hang in the air - swaying back and forth like kicking water, and under the sunlight, they showed a crystal clear texture that made people want to hold them gently.

Qingdeng has not arrived yet, but his voice has arrived first.

"Hmm? Qing Deng, why are you here?"

To Souji, the footsteps of Aoto, Sanako, Mai, and the other members of the "Shieikan faction" were so familiar that there was no possibility of mishearing them.

Because of his recent busy schedule and lack of time, Qing Deng's opportunities to meet the girls have decreased significantly.

The last time he met Souji was five days ago.

Looking at Souji, whom he hadn't seen for many days, Qing Deng unconsciously curled the corners of his mouth.

However, he soon discovered something, his expression changed slightly, and then he frowned slightly.

"Xiao Si, did you not sleep well last night?"

The general was bathed in the warm sunshine, and under the shining light, at first glance, there was nothing unusual.

But after a closer look, you can see that her face doesn't look good. It's pale, as if she was covered with a layer of white powder...

Souji blinked, and realized a little late that it was his expression that caused Qing Deng to worry.

She touched her face and explained calmly:

"I slept really well last night. Maybe I look haggard because I've been too busy and tired recently."

"...Xiao Si, if you feel unwell, don't force yourself to endure it."

The chief smiled:
"Well, I will."

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew.

The breeze was neither fast nor slow, but very gentle. When it blew, it felt like silk sliding across the skin.

Souji held his head high, closed his eyes, and felt the gentle caress of the breeze.

"What a comfortable breeze... Ah, Sakura."

She opened her eyes and looked at the cherry blossom petals dancing in the wind with surprise.

Dozens of cherry blossom petals flew over the wall in the gentle breeze, and scattered, rolled, and swirled in front of Qing Deng and the others.

It is the cherry blossom season now, and lush and beautiful cherry trees are blooming all over the streets and alleys of Otsu.

Souji raised his delicate hands and gathered a few cherry petals in the wind.

Looking at the crystal petals in her palm, a childlike smile appeared on her cheek.

"Qing Deng, if there is nothing important, could you stay with me for a while? It's boring to enjoy the scenery alone."

To be honest, Qing Deng is not very idle now, as there are still many official tasks waiting for him to deal with.

However... somehow, at this moment, facing Souji's invitation, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

So, without any doubt, he sat cross-legged beside her without hesitation.

"Qing Deng, I had a dream last night."

As soon as Qing Deng sat down, she began to speak slowly to herself:
“I dreamed of a black cat.”

"The black cat was jumping around in the yard, looking very lively."

"Logically speaking, if I come across a cute cat like this, I should hold it in my arms and play with it."

"But in my dream, I drew my sword and fought it."

"However, my opponent was just a cat, but I couldn't do anything to it."

"No matter how many times I tried, even using the Secret Technique - Three-stage Thrust of the Blue Eyes, I couldn't hurt it at all."

“I can’t cut it anymore… I can’t cut it anymore…”

After saying this, she looked up at the sky, her eyes flickering, as if she was gazing at the sky, but also as if she was looking at a more distant world.

"Fighting a cat? What kind of weird dream is this?"

The General Manager burst out laughing:

"I don't know. Maybe it's predicting my future - turning into a weak woman who can't even handle a cat."

Qing Deng heard this and said unhappily:
"Don't say such unlucky words."

In response to Qing Deng's rebuke, Souji smiled and said nothing.

She lowered her head again, staring at the cherry petals in her palm and playing with them with her fingers.

"... Come to think of it, even though we have a deep friendship, we have never seen cherry blossoms together."

"The cherry blossoms only bloom once a year."

"So...I want to go to see the cherry blossoms."

"Qing Deng, can you go to the cherry blossom viewing with me tomorrow?"

Having said this, she seemed to remember something, paused, then hurriedly turned her head and looked at Qing Deng nervously.

"Just the two of us, okay?"

The last sentence, "OK?", has a hint of pleading.

No wonder...

Strengthen Qinjin's national strength, alienate the western vassal states, rescue the emperor...important state affairs waiting for Qing Deng to deal with one by one are piling up.

Asking Qing Deng to put aside all the important matters and accompany her to enjoy the cherry blossoms... No matter from which angle you consider it, this falls into the category of "nonsense".

But... for Qing Deng, this type of decision does not require any deep thought.

As soon as Zongsi finished speaking, he spoke seriously, word by word:
"Don't mention tomorrow, next year, the year after, the year after that... As long as you ask, I will always be by your side."

It’s just some official business, I can make up for it by taking a few sleep breaks!
Qing Deng, who possesses nearly a hundred talents and an extraordinary physique, has never known what "choice" or "the difficulty of finding both loyalty and love" mean.

In an instant, the tension in her cheeks disappeared, replaced by a bright smile.

"Then it's a deal!"

As if she was afraid that Qing Deng would go back on his word, she quickly extended the little finger of her right hand.

Seeing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but reveal a helpless expression.

"There's no need for such childish tricks, right?"

"Since it's an agreement, there has to be a 'contract ceremony', right?"

Souji's eyes were serious. It looked like she would not back down unless her demands were met.

Qing Deng had no choice but to extend his right little finger as well.

At the moment when the two little fingers were about to intertwine——

“Cough! Cough cough cough!! Cough cough cough cough cough cough——!!”

The sudden and violent coughing tore apart the warm atmosphere at the scene...

She uncontrollably put away her little finger, covered her lips with both hands, and coughed hard! Her breathing became disordered! Her body trembled! She couldn't breathe!

His cough was so violent that it seemed as if he was going to vomit out his lungs!

Then... a flash of blood entered Qingdeng's vision.

Pools of blood spurted out from between his lips and teeth, and in the blink of an eye his hands turned into horrifying "blood hands"!
Everything happened too fast and too unexpectedly... Qing Deng's expression was dominated by intense fear.

By the time he reacted and went forward to support her, she had already closed her eyes and fainted, with a large amount of blood still on her lips.

The few cherry blossom petals that she had just held in her hands—the cherry blossom petals stained with blood—slipped down and fell to the ground...

……

……

Volume 5: "The Land Divided Into Two" - The End!

*******
*******
Volume 6 "Operation Marine", please stay tuned!

Woo woo woo! Souji, my Souji! (crying leopard head.jpg)

(End of this chapter)