I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1051: Dispatch the Shogunate Navy! Dispatch Ogata Ittosai! [4500]

Under Qing Deng's arrangement, there were always at least two servants in Souji's bedroom to provide 2-hour care.

Qing Deng waved his hand, signaling the servants in the room to leave first, then knelt beside Souji's bed, staring at her sleeping face quietly.

After drinking Ogata's blood, Souji has now gone through 3 stages.

The first stage is repeated fever, and most of the time the whole body is hot.

Two months ago, she entered the second stage, where the fever no longer recurred but became a continuous low-grade fever.

One month ago, she entered the third stage, no longer had a fever, and fell into a long sleep.

Sometimes I sleep for five days in a row, and sometimes I sleep for two days and two nights.

Every time she woke up, the servants would rush to feed her some liquid food to replenish her strength.

Even when she woke up, her condition was very bad. Her consciousness was fuzzy and she couldn't even open her eyes. She would occasionally open her mouth to say something, but each of her words were stuck together and her speech was unclear, as if she was talking drunk, and her meaning was completely incomprehensible.

Compared to the time she spends sleeping, the time she spends awake is much shorter, ranging from a few hours to half a day, and then she falls asleep again... and so on.

Three full months have passed, and Souji still hasn't recovered... It would be impossible for Qing Deng to say that he wasn't anxious.

The woman he loved was suffering, but he couldn't do anything to help... The only thing he could do now was to stay by her side to the best of his ability.

At this moment, he stared at her face, expecting her to open her eyes in the next second, reveal her iconic bright smile, and say to him coquettishly:

"Qing Deng, I'm hungry, I want to eat Konpeito!"

However... unfortunately, nothing happened today.

She still closed her eyes and was still sleeping...

After staying for another half an hour, Qing Deng reluctantly said softly:

"Xiao Si, I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow."

He reached out and gently adjusted Souji's hair, then grabbed Vairocana beside him and slowly left the room.

According to today's schedule, he will return to his office to deal with today's government and military affairs.

But at this moment, he suddenly heard familiar, heavy footsteps coming from behind him.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The person hadn't arrived yet, but Qingdeng could already tell who it was.

He stopped and turned around - as expected, Yamanami Keisuke entered his sight.

But Yamanami Keisuke had a sullen face, with a thick cloud of gloom gathering between his cheeks, and his footsteps on the corridor floor made a "dong dong" sound.

Seeing this, Qing Deng's pupils shrank slightly and his expression became stern.

Yamanami Keisuke is his close friend and old partner, and they know each other inside and out.

Therefore, he knew very well that whenever Yamanami Keisuke showed this expression, it would never bring any good news!

"Ju-kun..."

Shannan Jingsuke nodded, quickly greeted, then stepped forward, put his lips to Qing Deng's ear, and whispered word by word:
"Hurry to the military council room. Something is wrong. There is something strange in the north."

……

……

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi, military meeting——

After the "Southern Shogunate" moved its capital to Otsu, the functions of the Tachibana residence became more numerous and more important.

Today, Tachibana Residence is not only Aoto's private residence, but also the political center of the "Southern Shogunate" and the Qinjin Domain, and the general staff of the Shinsengumi.

Deep in the Ju residence, there is a room specifically for discussing military affairs, namely the Military Conference Room.

Military orders that could influence the situation in the world were issued from this room!
It is no exaggeration to say that this military council room is the heart of the Shinsengumi!
There is a saying that goes "Hold small meetings for big matters and hold big meetings for small matters."

At this moment, the top leaders of the Shinsengumi - Aoto, Hijikata Toshizo, Yamanami Keisuke, and Kondo Isami - all gathered here.

After several months of rest, Hijikata Toshizo and Yamanami Keisuke have largely recovered their ability to move.

Although he is still unable to do strenuous exercise, he is able to carry out normal daily activities.

The Ainu launched an invasion and Goryokaku fell - this news was transmitted to Otsu at the fastest speed.

The four people stood in a row, facing the map of Matsumae Domain hanging on the wall in front of them.

Matsumae Domain was located at the southernmost tip of Ezo, across the sea from Honshu Oshima.

Goryokaku was built in the Hakodate area in the southern part of the Matsumae domain.

Shannan Jingsuke looked down at the secret letter in his hand and recited it word by word:

"On July 7, the Ezo army bypassed Fukuyama Castle and rushed towards Goryokaku at a rapid march. The exact total number is unknown, but conservatively speaking, there were at least a thousand of them."

[Note: Fukuyama Castle: the feudal hall of Matsumae Domain. 】

"During the Ezo attack on Goryokaku, three steam battleships joined the battle."

"The battle lasted only half an hour before Goryokaku was completely captured and the defenders were wiped out."

"After capturing Goryokaku, the Ezo returned to attack Matsumae Domain's Fukuyama Castle. The exact situation of the battle is still unknown."

After hearing this, Qing Deng and the others all looked gloomy.

They never expected that the Ainu would invade the south at this time!
Who could have imagined such a thing?

Hijikata Toshizo folded his arms, stared at the map in front of him, and asked the question that everyone present was most concerned about:
"Where did all these Ezo equipment come from?"

The Ainu people, who were still in the tribal era, actually had a large number of guns and cannons, as well as the help of warships... Even if you use your butt to think, you know that there must be help from external forces!

Kondo Isami said in a deep voice:

"Could it be Lukou's doing?"

Hijikata Toshizo shook his head:

"No, this is not like the Lukou style. If the Lukou came to attack, they would definitely launch an attack directly and would not let the Ezo serve as a pawn."

Kondo Isami asked again:
"Then it's the western feudal domains? They're inciting the Ezo to revolt and disrupt our rear."

Hijikata Toshizo thought for a moment and shook his head again:

"It would be difficult for even the industrially powerful Western feudal lords to arm an Ezo army of this size."

Kondo Isami stopped talking.

He pursed his lips, stared at the map fiercely, and growled through gnashing teeth:
"What a trouble... Damn those Ezo people, they chose to start a rebellion at this critical moment!"

After these words were spoken, Hijikata Toshizo and others fell silent.

When the "East-West Showdown" was about to break out, a fire broke out in the backyard, and it was not an ordinary fire... The so-called "fate plays tricks on us" was just this.

At this time, Shannan Jingsuke turned his head and looked at Qing Deng with a strange expression:

"Tachibana-kun, there is one more piece of information. Although the content is bizarre, I think it is necessary to report it to you."

Without waiting for Qing Deng to respond, he continued speaking:
"It is said that many Ezo people seem to be 'immortal'."

Immortality——When Qing Deng heard this special word, his eyes flashed.

He tilted his head and signaled with his eyes to Yamanami Keisuke to "tell me in detail."

"When the Ezo attacked, the Goryokaku defenders launched an extremely fierce counterattack."

"However, many of the Ezo people possess extraordinary vitality."

"Even if you pierce his chest or rip open his belly, you can't kill him."

"Because they were unable to kill the enemy, many defenders lost their fighting spirit."

"The existence of this group of 'immortals' is one of the most important reasons for the fall of Goryokaku."

Hijikata Toshizo raised his eyebrows and muttered:
"It's hard to die... It sounds like the 'Decisive Battle' of the Law-Extermination Party."

Qing Deng, who had been silent since a while ago, shook his head gently:

"No, it's a little different. As far as I know, 'Decisive Battle Yodo' does not give the user extraordinary vitality. At least it will not allow the user to continue fighting after suffering a fatal injury."

Having said this, Qing Deng paused, then turned to Shannan Jingsuke and asked:

"Kei-suke, if I remember correctly, the French-American coalition launched a surprise attack on Nobi using three steam battleships."

Shannan Jingsuke was stunned for a moment, then immediately responded:
"Yes."

Kondo Isami blinked and interrupted:

"Tachibana-kun, do you think it was the Fazhu Party that aided Ezo?"

Qingdeng nodded lightly:

"It's very possible. The Fazhu Party enjoys causing chaos. If they are the ones who started it, then everything makes sense."

The Fazhu Party had a special relationship with Elodie's father, Maer. The latter was an arms dealer with abundant resources. With his ability, it was not difficult for him to provide a large amount of arms to the Ezo.

——It’s the Fa-Zhu Party again…

Qing Deng couldn't help but frown.

He was gradually becoming fed up with the Fazhu Party, which was like a cockroach that could never be killed no matter how hard they tried.

Last time, the Fazhu Party and the Special Forces launched a surprise attack on Edo, disrupting the "Choshu Expedition".

This time, they seemed to be planning to ruin the "East-West decisive battle".

If the only culprits were the Fazhi Party, that would be fine.

But Elodie's father Mael might also be involved... This makes Qingdeng feel troubled.

If we go north to recapture Goryokaku, we might face Elodi's father... Thinking of this, Qing Deng's already frowned brows deepened.

Suddenly, Hijikata Toshizo took two steps forward and moved to the side of the map.

"Tachibana, it's not difficult to defeat Ezo and retake Goryokaku."

"Based on the intelligence we have so far, Goryokaku was lost because of a surprise attack and the help of those three warships."

"The Ezo are just a group of uncivilized savages."

"Even if we teach them to use guns and cannons, they won't be able to have a significant fighting force."

"Therefore, if we want to recapture Goryokaku, the real difficulty lies in how to deal with those three warships."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to the map, pointing to the strait separating Honshu Oshima and Ezo - the Tsugaru Strait.

"This battle will be a cross-sea battle."

"Whether it's transporting troops or delivering supplies, we have to cross the Tsugaru Strait."

"If we don't find a way to deal with those three warships, our supply lines will be in danger of being cut off at any time."

"If we can't even guarantee the supply lines, we won't be able to fight."

"In summary, the key to winning this battle lies in whether we can drive away or sink those three warships!"

After saying that, Hijikata Toshizo put away the finger that was pointing at the map and looked straight at Qing Deng.

Yamanami Keisuke and Kondo Isami turned to look at Qing Deng, waiting for his response.

Qing Deng didn't keep them waiting for long.

In this era, the only one who can fight against the navy... is naturally the navy!
Qing Deng said in a sonorous and powerful tone:

"Contact Katsurintaro and get the navy out!"

……

……

Kyoto, Ogata's Japanese confectionery shop——

Business is lackluster today.

At this moment, there was no customer coming in and the store was empty. Only Ogata was sitting behind the counter, dealing with the account books that seemed to never be finished.

At this moment, there was a "whoosh" sound and the shop door was slowly opened.

"welcome."

Ogata greeted him calmly without even turning his head.

The visitor walked to the front of the counter and said in a cold voice:
"Boss, do you want a gourd?"

As he spoke, he reached into his bosom, took out an envelope, and gently placed it on the counter.

Weird questions, weird behavior…just totally weird.

However, Ogata looked as if he was used to it.

He stopped writing with the brush in his hand and looked up at the envelope - he saw a golden gourd printed on it.

"…This gourd is good. I'll take it."

The visitor raised his hat, greeted Ogata, and left without hesitation.

After watching the other person go away, Ogata picked up the envelope, tore open the seal, pulled out the letter inside, and read ten lines at a glance.

After a moment, he lowered his eyelids and his expression changed slightly.

“…A-Ming!”

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Come on."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of footsteps came from the direction of the kitchen:

After a while, Ah-Machi wiped the flour off his hands and walked quickly to Ogata's side, and asked in confusion:

"Ayi, what's wrong?"

"A-Ting, our store will have to be closed for a while."

Ah-Ming is indeed an old woman who has lived for nearly a hundred years... no, an elderly wife. Her psychological quality is quite strong.

After a brief moment of shock, she quickly recovered and calmly asked back:

"What happened?"

"I'm back to work. The 'Immortal Power' has appeared again, and this time it has appeared in Ezo."

Ogata said as he handed over the letter in his hand.

Ating snatched the letter and read it quickly.

After a while, she put down the letter stiffly, and her facial expression changed several times.

But she bit her red lips lightly and looked at Ogata with a complicated expression, as if she had a lot to say.

However... in the end, she said nothing, and all her words turned into a long sigh.

Ogata didn't look at Ating - he deliberately didn't look at Ating - he stared straight into the void in front of him and said slowly:
"A-Machi, I'll go. You can stay in Kyoto."

A-Machi did not refute Ogata's arrangement, but only asked:
"Ayi, how are you going to get to Ezo?"

Ogata curled his lips:

"I think... Tachibana-kun is in need of someone who is proficient in the Ainu language."

……

……

The Southern Shogunate was divided into two factions over whether to retake Goryokaku, and a fierce argument broke out between the two sides.

This is the classic "war faction" and "peace faction".

The former thought that how could the Ezo continue to be so arrogant? They should immediately send troops to recapture Goryokaku as quickly as possible!
The latter believed that the troops should not be dispersed at the moment, as the western feudal lords were the current number one enemy, and it would not be too late to recapture Goryokaku after defeating the western feudal lords.

Both sides have their own opinions and both have their reasons.

In the end, Qing Deng made the final decision on this debate: If Goryokaku is stable, then Ezo will be stable; if Ezo is stable, then the north will be stable; if the north is stable, then the whole world will be stable! If there is chaos in the north, it will be impossible to concentrate all our efforts to deal with the west. Therefore... send troops! Go north to recapture Goryokaku!
Qing Deng had spoken, and the ministers had no choice but to follow his orders.

Of course, Qing Deng also knew that the "peace faction"'s claims were not without reason.

While he was in the process of retaking Goryokaku, there was no guarantee that the western feudal lords would not take the opportunity to cause trouble.

Therefore, he did not take away the main fighting force of the Shinsengumi.

The troops he brought to quell the northern threat included only the 2nd Squadron, the 8th Squadron, and part of the 11th Squadron (artillery unit).

With only this amount of troops, it seems a little insufficient.

So he sent orders to the Oshu clans, asking them to provide supplies and send reinforcements!
Qing Deng sincerely felt fortunate that he had pacified Oshu ahead of time.

Another reason why Qingdeng did not take a large number of troops with him was to make it easier to travel by boat.

This time, he will not go by land, but by sea.

He has contacted Katsurintaro who was guarding Edo and mobilized the shogunate navy.

They will board the ship in Osaka and then travel by sea to the northern battlefield!

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In the blink of an eye, it's the beginning of the month again! Book friends who have monthly tickets, please be sure to vote for this book! (tearful leopard head.jpg)

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PS: The end of the previous volume specifically mentioned the Shogunate Navy, which paved the way for this volume!