I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1084: Powerful Newcomers! The Shinsengumi's New Organization! [5000]

He didn't want the huge sum of three thousand taels of gold, but wanted Qingdeng to use him... This special request from the other party aroused Qingdeng's interest.

Without waiting for Qing Deng to ask, Oishi Kujiro said to himself:
"I'm no longer a thug for the Shimizu clan."

"I am a paid person and have no sense of belonging to the Qingshui clan."

"After the Qingshui clan declined, the monkeys scattered like a tree falling, and I also left and became a 'free man' again."

"Since then, I have moved around, going as far north as Aizu and as far south as Satsuma, doing all kinds of jobs."

"I have been a bodyguard and also guarded the gate for others."

“Although I made a lot of money, I still felt unsatisfied.”

"I worked so hard to hone my sword skills, but I'm not put to good use and can only do menial tasks... I feel this is too shameful!"

"As a dignified swordsman, how can you keep running around for yellow and white things?"

"I want to become famous. I also want to be a great swordsman like you and leave my name in history!"

"So, I've wanted to join the Shinsengumi for a long time."

"If there is a place in the world today that is the 'holy temple' for swordsmen, it must be the Shinsengumi!"

"only……"

Oishi Kuwajiro paused, raised his eyes carefully, observed the changes in Qing Deng's expression, and gritted his teeth:
"Considering the old grudge between you and me, I was worried that I would be excluded after joining the Shinsengumi, so I didn't dare to come and join you..."

Qing Deng laughed when he heard this and waved his hand:

"Oishi-kun, you worry too much,"

"I've already said that you and I were just serving different masters in the past. It's not an 'old grudge'. I don't take it to heart at all."

"I am so happy to have a swordsman as powerful as you join my team. How could I reject you?"

Qing Deng's words made the tension on the other person's cheek disappear completely.

He let out a long breath and then finished the rest of his story:
"A while ago, when you launched the 'Second Great Recruitment', I finally made up my mind - if I keep procrastinating like this, I will be a ronin for the rest of my life!"

"At the time, I happened to be in Satsuma, so I rushed to Kyoto as fast as I could, found the recruiting officer, and then successfully passed the selection and became a member of the Second Division."

Oishi Kujiro paused for a moment, then put on an extremely solemn expression:
"My Lord Niou, I do not covet money."

"After years of hard work, I have accumulated a considerable amount of wealth. Although I am not a millionaire, I don't have to worry about survival."

"I only crave fame and honor now!"

"From now on, please assign the most difficult tasks to me! Please give me the most dangerous enemies!"

"I am very confident in my skills! No matter who my opponent is, I dare to show my sword to him!"

"Besides, I have a lot of practical experience!"

"I have been working as a thug and bodyguard since I was 14 years old, and I have fought against death many times!"

Oishi Kujiro opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something to promote himself.

But after thinking for a moment, he was really speechless.

In desperation, he blushed and concluded his impassioned speech:

"My Lord Niou, I, Oishi Kuwajiro, will never let you down. Please feel free to send me!"

After saying this, he bent down respectfully, placed his hands on the ground, and raised his forehead half an inch above the ground, and bowed solemnly to Qing Deng.

Qing Deng did not respond immediately, nor did he let Oishi Kujiro stand up.

He lowered his eyelids and looked at the other person deeply and thoughtfully.

Qing Deng did not doubt the strength of Oishi Kujiro, and the latter's "self-promotion" just now was not bragging.

His skills and swordsmanship have been fully demonstrated in today's siege!

Based on Oishi Kujiro's movements, it is not difficult to see that he, like Saito Hajime, is a swordsman who focuses on agility and dexterity.

Even in the Shinsengumi, which is full of strong men, swordsmen as powerful as him are extremely rare.

In terms of personal ability alone, he is fully qualified to be the captain! He is on the same level as Inoue Genzaburo, Fujido Heisuke and Harada Sanosuke!

It is a great honor to welcome a powerful "captain-level" swordsman at this critical juncture.

After Souji fell ill, without the support of the "Heavenly Sword", the Shinsengumi's hand-to-hand combat skills declined significantly.

The joining of Oishi Kuwajiro will be able to fill the vacancy of General Manager to a certain extent.

After thinking for a while, Qing Deng finally spoke.

However, he still did not respond to Oishi Kubikijiro's request, but instead talked about a completely unrelated topic:

"Oishi-kun, judging from the way you speak, your education level is not low. Have you ever attended a private school?"

When Oishi Kuwajiro was talking, Qing Deng keenly noticed that his choice of words and sentences was very elegant, completely different from those of ordinary rough ronin. He readily used allusions and elegant names such as "when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter" and "yellow and white things".

Oishi Kujiro was stunned for a moment, then smiled awkwardly:
"To be honest, I am the eldest son of Oishisha Jiro, a member of the 'Gosanqing' family, and my family is well off, so I attended a private school for a few years."

"I would never call myself a 'cultured person', but I love reading."

“No matter where I am or when I am, I always carry books with me and read them whenever I have free time.”

As he spoke, he reached into his bosom and pulled out a wrinkled copy of the Book of Songs.

Qingdeng nodded lightly:

"You are not only good at swordsmanship, but also have a basic understanding of literature and writing. You are indeed a rare talent."

"I remember that the third seat in the third squad is still vacant."

At this point, he sat up straighter, looking serious:

"From tonight on, you will be the third seat of the third squad."

"Also, the three thousand taels of gold I promised you will be delivered to you in full, not a single copper coin less."

"I made a promise in front of so many soldiers that the first person to reach the summit would be rewarded with three thousand taels of gold. How can I break my promise?"

"When we return to Otsu, three thousand taels of gold will be neatly stacked before you. I promise you."

After Qing Deng finished speaking, Oishi Qiaojiro seemed to be petrified, his eyes wide open, stunned, and he didn't react for a long time.

After a while, he gradually came back to his senses.

A strong look of excitement appeared on his cheeks and quickly dominated his facial expression.

He leaned forward again hastily and shouted:

"My Lord Niou, thank you so much!"

He really didn't care about the three thousand taels of gold. At this point, money could no longer move him.

The most important thing is that Qingdun can remember him and entrust him with important tasks!
If I can become King Ren's right-hand man, what would a mere three thousand taels of gold mean?
As the "Second Great Conscription" gradually unfolded, the size of the Shinsengumi expanded again.

To this end, Qing Deng made new plans and adjustments to the organizational structure of the Shinsengumi, and established three new positions: three seats, four seats, and five seats in each team.

Simply put, they are the third, fourth and fifth in command of each squad.

He rose from an ordinary soldier to the third seat of the third squad... This means that his position in the third squad will be second only to the captain Saito Hajime and the vice-captain Nakazawa Sadaki!

This is no longer just an ordinary promotion across levels, but a leap across several levels!

In this case, how could Oishi Kujiro not be excited?

At this moment when he was excited, he suddenly seemed to remember something important, his expression became serious, and then he said to Qing Deng:
"Lord Niou, I have something important to report to you! It's important information related to the Satsuma Domain!"

Qing Deng raised his eyebrows subconsciously when he heard this:
"But it doesn't matter."

Oishi Kuwajiro cleared his throat:

"Half a year ago, I was invited by an acquaintance to go to Satsuma Domain to work for a businessman and guard his house."

"At first, I thought it was just a very ordinary errand."

"But gradually, I found clues."

"I noticed that this merchant has a close connection with Satsuma Domain."

"This businessman is recruiting too many skilled ronin everywhere. His business is not so large that he needs to hire so many bodyguards."

"I suspect that he was instructed by Satsuma."

"I don't know the details, but I feel like I'm on a pirate ship."

"I didn't like Satsuma and couldn't adapt to the southern climate, so I fled Satsuma overnight and never went back."

Qing Deng listened attentively and looked thoughtful. Satsuma Domain was suspected of secretly recruiting ronin, but no one knew what they were for... This was indeed an important piece of information that could not be ignored.

Although most of the ronin are unruly and difficult to discipline, they can still be an important fighting force if used properly!

Oishi Kujiro's words were not yet finished:

"Lord Niou, I have something else to tell you."

"While I was living in Satsuma, I met a patriot who deserves more attention. His name is 'Sagaku Souzo'."

Qing Deng repeated the name softly:

"Sagara Souzo?"

Qing Deng searched his mind, but did not remember such a person in the world.

Oishi Kujiro saw through Qing Deng's doubts and said quickly:
"Sagakure Souzo is a nobody, but I think that in time, his name will become well-known!"

Qing Deng asked half-jokingly:

"What? Could he be a great swordsman who can defeat thousands of enemies?"

Oishi Kujiro shook his head:
"No, his swordsmanship is good, but not outstanding. He definitely can't beat me anyway."

"But he has a talent more valuable than swordsmanship - he is very popular!"

"He is completely different from those scum who do dirty things under the banner of 'respecting the king and expelling the barbarians'."

"He sincerely believed in the concept of 'respecting the king and expelling the barbarians', and always put the people first."

"I once chatted with him, and he said that his greatest ideal in life was to let ordinary people live a good life."

"According to my observation, he is not just talking nonsense, he really takes this as a goal and keeps honing himself."

"Everyone who is familiar with him, whether they are warriors or civilians, basically supports him."

"Even those who hate him have to respect him as a man."

"I think people like him who are very popular and well-known need to be more vigilant."

Oishi Kujiro's expression and tone were very serious, as if he was introducing an unparalleled and powerful rival.

Although he had never seen this Souzo Sagara, and was not sure whether what Oishi Kuwajiro said was exaggerated, Qing Deng still remembered the name "Souzo Sagara".

After simply digesting the information provided by Oishi Kuwajiro, Qing Deng nodded and gave him an admiring look:
"Thank you for your information, Mr. Oishi. The information you provided is very useful. I will give you an additional reward of 200 taels of gold."

Oishi Kujiro was delighted - he had done another service in front of Qing Deng - and he quickly bowed and expressed his gratitude.

……

……

All that needed to be said had been said... Qing Deng's meeting with Oishi Kujiro ended quietly.

After saying goodbye to Qing Deng, Oishi Kujiro slowly left.

The former sat upright, silently listening to the latter's footsteps gradually fading away.

In the candlelight, the expression on Qing Deng's face flickered, revealing an intriguing meaning.

Qing Deng has two completely different views on this newcomer who suddenly appeared and rose to prominence.

On the one hand, he did appreciate the other person's talents.

But on the other hand, the other party's past experience aroused his vigilance.

Not only did he work as a bodyguard for a merchant in Satsuma Domain, but his father was also a close retainer of the Ichihashi family, one of the "Gosanke".

This "Ichibashi family" is the Ichibashi family led by Ichibashi Yoshinobu.

He is involved with both of the two major forces in the world that are at odds with Qing Deng... To be fair, his debuffs are almost fully stacked!
What’s interesting is that all the above information was just revealed by Oishi Kijiro himself.

Qing Deng did not think that Oishi Kujiro was too naive to leak out information that might affect his future.

A tough guy like him who started out in society at a young age, wandering between the black and white worlds, offending many enemies, but still managed to survive to this day in one piece, must be a veteran among veterans, and must know what to say and what not to say.

Since he dared to "self-destruct", it is very likely that he did it on purpose!

Qing Deng thought that Oishi Kujiro's "self-exposure" was probably a "letter of surrender" to show his loyalty to Qing Deng: Lord Niou! I have been honest with you and will never hide anything from you! From now on, I will follow you!
Although he did not think that Oishi Kuwajiro was a spy, Qing Deng still kept him in mind and promoted him to the third seat of the third squad, giving him a position that was neither too high nor too low, and then he could observe him slowly later.

——The Satsuma Domain seems to be recruiting ronin on a large scale... Let's send the 9th Division to conduct a detailed investigation afterwards.

Qing Deng let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and took a short nap while massaging his temples.

Unfortunately, before he could relax for long, new troubles came knocking on his door.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard approaching from outside the door:

"Jujun, it's me."

Qing Deng paused while rubbing his temple:
"Mr. Ogata, please come in."

Ogata opened the door without any hesitation and slipped in.

"Tachibana-kun, there is good news. We have successfully found an Ainu from Hilipomo Xili, and he is a close confidant of Xilika."

Qing Deng opened his eyes immediately, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

……

……

He Poyi, who was tied up like a dumpling, was taken to Qingdeng's room.

After passionately shouting to Xilika, "I will fight with you until the last moment", Hepoyi marched straight to the front line with high-spirited steps.

He was not speaking nonsense; he was indeed prepared to die on the battlefield.

What's ironic is that he ended his "last battle" in a very funny way.

Shortly after he said goodbye to Xilika, he was walking quickly in a corridor when he accidentally stepped on a pool of blood. His foot slipped, he lost his balance, and his head hit the ground heavily... Just like that, he fainted.

When he woke up, he had become a prisoner of the shogunate.

Such an ending was naturally unbearable for him.

"Let me die! Kill me now!" - His roar could be heard throughout the prisoner-of-war camp.

He roared and struggled... Even though he was tied up, he tried every way to fight back.

The soldiers in charge of arranging the prisoners took great pains to calm him down.

Both Hepoyi and Xilika were born in Xilipomoshili, and he was the latter's confidant... It would be most appropriate to ask him about the specific location of the "Moon Stone".

The soldiers who were responsible for bringing Hepo Yilai to Qingdeng's room withdrew silently after completing their escort mission.

At this moment, only Qingdeng, Ogata and Hepoyi were left in the room.

Qing Deng sat right in front of He Poyi, looking straight into his eyes.

Ogata stood silently by and acted as an interpreter for the two.

"Hepoyi, nice to meet you. I am the general of the shogunate, Tachibana Aoto."

Qing Deng politely introduced his home address, and Ogata translated his words accurately.

Not surprisingly, Hepoyi ignored it.

He glanced at Qing Deng coldly, then turned his head away with disdain, and made a silent declaration with an indifferent look - stop talking nonsense, you can kill me or chop me up, it's all up to you!
Qing Deng had expected such an attitude from him, so he was not annoyed at all and looked calm.

Since the other party was not cooperating, he was too lazy to beat around the bush and simply got straight to the point:
"Hepoyi, do you want to take revenge on that treacherous Maer?"

In an instant...really in an instant, He Poyi's eyes burst into light, and he unconsciously cast a look of astonishment and solemnity towards Qingdeng.

Qingdeng said calmly:
"If you want revenge, then tell me the exact location of the 'Moonstone' east of Helipo Moxili, and I will fulfill your wish."

Hearing the place name "Moonstone", He Poyi was stunned.

After a while, he spoke in a hoarse voice, the first words he said after meeting Qing Deng:

"…How do you know about the 'Moonstone'?"

Qing Deng narrated the whole story in a concise and clear manner.

After learning that Xilika was dead, Hepoyi clenched his teeth, his cheeks filled with pain.

Qing Deng added faintly:

"Silica has decided to take revenge on Maher, so he used his last breath to tell me this important information. Now, it's your turn to make a choice."

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PS: It’s a pity that Leopard can’t draw, otherwise I really want to draw a sexy picture of the heroines wearing cheongsams to wish the candidates success.