I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1113: The Shinsengumi split? Todo Heisuke is missing? 【4500】

"Hey, have you heard? The head of the Shinsengumi's police bureau, Kondo Isami, the captain of the third division, Saito Hajime, and the assistant to the general affairs officer, Ito Kashitaro, have all defected!"

"What? How is that possible!"

"Chief Kondo and Captain Saito are Lord Niou's dearest friends and family! How could they possibly betray Lord Niou!"

"That's right, that's right! This is most likely a malicious rumor spread by the 'Western Alliance'! It's all to suppress the Shinsengumi!"

"Those Westerners are truly despicable! They actually resorted to such despicable means!"

"That's a rumor! Several days ago, Lord Niou issued a statement declaring that the betrayal of Chief Kondo and Captain Saito was completely fabricated!"

"Hey, just take those statements with a grain of salt! No matter which side it is, they can't afford to show weakness to the outside world! Even a funeral has to be publicized as a celebration!"

"I have a friend who's a member of the 5th Division of the Shinsengumi. According to him, he hasn't seen Commander Kondo and Captain Saito for a long time!"

"Hiss... Could it be... that their betrayal wasn't just a rumor?"

"Niou's two most trusted generals have defected from the Shinsengumi together... Hey, if this is true, it's going to be really hilarious!"

……

Without any warning, rumors suddenly spread throughout the streets of Otsu that "there was internal strife within the Shinsengumi, and a group of elites led by Chief Kondo had defected."

Immediately afterward, the news spread like wildfire, reaching Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and even more distant towns in the blink of an eye.

Such bombshell news naturally captured the world's attention instantly.

Qing Deng immediately announced that the so-called "Shinsengumi split" was nothing but a baseless rumor.

Admittedly, Qing Deng's remarks dispelled some people's suspicions to a certain extent, but many people still have doubts.

As a result, disputes and conflicts inevitably arose.

Interestingly, different towns and cities have completely different public opinion.

The people of Ōtsu were mostly supporters of the Shinsengumi, and therefore placed their firm trust in Aoto.

The people of Osaka, as always, adopted a "fun-seeker" mentality, not taking any particular stance, and just wanting to watch the excitement.

Kyoto, teeming with "traitors," became the most fiercely contested battleground of public opinion! Those who believed the "treason" was real and those who held the opposite view were almost evenly split!

Recently, whenever you walk into a crowded area of ​​Kyoto, you are sure to hear people discussing this matter heatedly.

There are all sorts of rumors, which have led to all sorts of conspiracy theories that serve the sole purpose of attracting attention.

"Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo got too close, which aroused Kondo Isami's dissatisfaction"... "Saito Hajime was in love with Aoto, and because he could not have her, he became depraved"... It was all a mess, a complete mess!

Despite the heated argument, the two sides are currently at a standstill because neither side can produce conclusive evidence to refute the other.

However, given the current situation, one consensus is undeniable: the longer this drags on, the more ridiculous Qingdeng's "debunking" will appear.

To prove that the "betrayal" was false, the method was quite simple: just have Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime walk around in front of everyone wearing light blue haori, preferably with Aoto. The rumors would then fall apart on their own.

However, as of now, Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime have vanished and have not appeared in public for a long time...

This will naturally cause a shift in public opinion.

Those who already believed the "betrayal" was real became even more convinced that their judgment was correct.

Those who initially trusted Qingdeng are now beginning to waver.

As time went by, discord began to emerge not only from the outside world but also within the Shinsengumi itself…

"Where is Captain Saito? Where did he go?"

"Could it be... that he really betrayed us?"

"Don't talk nonsense! How could Captain Saito betray us! He must have gone on some mission!"

“I asked my friend who works at the Metropolitan Police Department yesterday, and he hasn’t seen Director Kondo for quite some time.”

"Alas... these are turbulent times..."

……

……

The first year of Kuangtian/the first year of Meiji (1865), November 11th——

Qin Jin Domain, Ōtsu, Shinsengumi Garrison, a certain courtyard—

Nagakura Shinpachi paced back and forth with his arms crossed in front of his chest, his face full of anxiety.

This is his personal habit; when he's in a bad mood, he'll pace back and forth like a wound-up toy, unable to stop.

A moment later, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and addressed the crowd with a serious expression:

"We can't let this drag on any longer! Let's go talk to Mr. Tachibana!"

He saw familiar faces all around him—Keisuke Yamanami, Genzaburo Inoue, Sanosuke Harada—all the members of the "Shieikan faction" who could come were here.

Although it was a long-awaited reunion of the "Shiekan faction," many people were missing.

The commander-in-chief remains bedridden.

Hijikata Toshizo was busy with official duties.

Todo Heisuke went out on a mission.

The absence of Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime is precisely the reason why Nagakura Shinpachi and the others have gathered today.

The "Shiekan faction," which once shared both glory and hardship, can no longer even muster enough members... It's truly a sad state of affairs.

As soon as Nagakura Shinpachi finished speaking, Yamanami Keisuke shook his head and sighed:
"Shinpachi, it's no use. We've already looked for Mr. Tachibana many times, haven't we? Even if we continue to pester Mr. Tachibana, we probably won't gain anything new."

The inside story of the new electoral group is unknown to outsiders.

Keisuke Yamanami, Shinpachi Nagakura, and other high-ranking members of the Shinsengumi knew all too well... Isami Kondo, Hajime Saito, and Kashitaro Ito had indeed disappeared!
More than thirty team members also disappeared.

It's like they've vanished into thin air; they suddenly disappeared without a trace.

At first, everyone thought that Kondo Isami and the others had gone to carry out some secret mission.

However... when everyone went to Qingdeng to verify, they only received a vague and ambiguous answer.

Since Aoto remained silent, everyone had no choice but to settle for second best and ask Hijikata Toshizo—Hijikata Toshizo was Aoto's deputy, and he might know something.

Unexpectedly, Hijikata Toshizo also adopted a secretive attitude and was unwilling to talk about the matter.

Despite their reluctance to admit it, the current situation suggests that the "defection" accusation may not be entirely unfounded...

Nagakura Shinpachi gritted his teeth, his expression grave, and said in a deep voice:
"We can't dawdle any longer!"

"Currently, the morale of the troops has been significantly affected, and everyone is very uneasy."

"If this drags on any longer, our situation will become increasingly unfavorable!"

"If Kondo and the others really betray us..."

Before Nagakura Shinpachi could finish speaking, Inoue Genzaburo interrupted decisively:
"My young master would never betray us! I swear on my life! He would never abandon us!"

Inoue Genzaburo, who usually presents a simple and honest image, showed an unusually excited expression.

He was an old member of the Shieikan Society, and among the Shieikan faction, he had the longest-standing friendship with Kondo Isami. They were like brothers, but also like uncle and nephew.

Therefore, when Kondo Isami "disappeared" and rumors circulated that "Kondo Isami has betrayed us," he was the most agitated person.

To avoid upsetting Inoue Genzaburo, Nagakura Shinpachi silently shut his mouth and swallowed the rest of his words.

Suddenly, Yamanami Keisuke sighed again:

"If Heisuke were here... He's Ito-kun's apprentice, he might know something."

Nagakura Shinpachi nodded:
"Yeah, that's right... What mission did he go on? Why hasn't he come back for so long? Why are they being so mysterious..." Recently, not only Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime have "disappeared," but also Toudou Heisuke.

However, Aoto gave a clear answer regarding Todo Heisuke's specific whereabouts—he sent Todo Heisuke to Kanto on a mission.

As for what the mission was, Aoto didn't elaborate, and Yamanami Keisuke and the others didn't feel comfortable asking further.

It just so happens that Heisuke Todo is on a business trip at this critical juncture... It would be impossible not to make some connections.

Considering that Todo Heisuke is a disciple of Ito Kashitaro, there is even more reason to suspect that his "business trip" is related to the "disappearance" of Kondo Isami and others.

Not long ago, the "Shiekan faction" was a warm and united family, but now... looking at the empty and deserted courtyard, everyone present looked gloomy.

They discussed it for a long time, but still couldn't come to a conclusion.

At their wits' end, a deathly and heavy atmosphere descended...

In that brief moment of silence, a discordant voice rang out:

"Crunch... crunch... crunch... crunch..."

Harada Sanosuke was sitting in the corner, happily munching on a rice cracker.

From the moment he started eating, he was engrossed in a large bowl of rice crackers, oblivious to the discussion.

Seeing this, Nagakura Shinpachi, half dissatisfied and half helpless, shouted:

"Hey! Sanosuke, stop eating! Say something!"

Upon hearing this, Harada Sanosuke paused for a moment, then slowly put down the large bowl in his hand, extended his right index finger, pointed to his face, and widened his clear eyes:
"Do you think someone with my brain could come up with any brilliant ideas?"

Nagakura Shinpachi and Inoue Genzaburo exchanged a glance, then sighed in unison—"Yeah, you're right, you can keep eating your senbei." Although they didn't say anything, their actions clearly conveyed this meaning.

However, Keisuke Yamanami was an exception.

Instead of mocking Harada Sanosuke, he spoke very seriously and loudly:
"No, Sanosuke, I want to hear your opinion."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned.

Harada Sanosuke scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh, Mr. Yamanami, are you serious?"

Yamanami Keisuke nodded solemnly:
"Of course I'm serious. Although you don't have quick wit, you have a wild intuition, which is a unique insight on another level. So your opinion might give us some inspiration."

Nagakura Shinpachi and Inoue Genzaburo both looked surprised.

Although they dared not believe that Harada Sanosuke could have any insight, they still looked at him expectantly, trusting in Yamanami Keisuke.

Harada Sanosuke blinked hard, and after confirming that Yamanami Keisuke was not joking, he chuckled a few times.

"Mr. Shannan, I didn't expect you to think so highly of me."

"Since you've put it this way, then I'll share my humble opinion."

He cleared his throat, then said with a serious expression:
"To be honest, I have no objection. I think it's fine as long as we maintain the status quo."

"I'm not very bright, so I don't think too much about things that give me a headache."

"I delegate all the tasks that require thinking to Mr. Ju; all I need to do is follow his orders."

"Therefore, I trust Mr. Tachibana wholeheartedly."

"If I disagree with Mr. Tachibana, it is absolutely my problem."

"Since Mr. Tachibana is unwilling to talk about Mr. Kondo and the others' 'disappearance,' I think he must have some plans."

"Or rather... he had already taken the corresponding action, but for some reason, he couldn't explain it to them in detail."

"I think it's best if we don't act rashly before receiving instructions from Mr. Tachibana."

At this point, Harada Sanosuke paused, then broke into a hearty smile:
Has Mr. Tachibana ever let us down?

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment… Yamanami Keisuke was the first to react, giving a wry smile:
"Don't act rashly... That's true. For now, we can only wait and see."

Nagakura Shinpachi and Inoue Genzaburo looked at each other again, and smiled wryly in accompaniment.

Although Sanosuke Harada didn't offer anything particularly innovative, it must be admitted that his suggestion was indeed the best solution at present.

Should we wait for Qingdeng's instructions, or act on our own initiative based on our own ideas?

For the "Shiekan faction," this kind of question doesn't even need much thought! Just blindly choose the former!
Just as Yamanami Keisuke finished speaking—

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap...

Suddenly, the sound of calm and elegant footsteps rang out.

Such distinctive footsteps made it impossible to mistake them.

Everyone in the courtyard immediately straightened their posture and faced the direction from which the footsteps came—and saw Sanako rushing towards them in a hurry.

"Gentlemen, so you've been here all along."

After quickly glancing at everyone, she said directly and seriously:

"Our lord is summoning us. Please proceed immediately to the military council chamber at the Ju residence."

The question of who "Lord Sanako" refers to is self-evident.

However, being so surprised, Harada Sanosuke instinctively asked in return:
"My lord... Mr. Tachibana?"

Sanako Kanji:
"Do we have another lord?"

……

……

Late at night on November 18, 1865 (the first year of the Kuangtian era/Meiji era).

Kyoto, somewhere—

On the dark street where no one should have been, two figures, one tall and one burly, were seen striding northwards—these two were none other than Ito Kashitaro and Kondo Isami.

While moving quickly, they remained on high alert, listening intently and carefully observing their surroundings.

Suddenly, Ito Kashitaro warned Kondo Isami:
"Be careful, someone is coming."

As he spoke, he darted into a dark alley nearby, with Kondo Isami close behind.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump... Accompanied by loud stomping sounds, a patrol of the Shinsengumi crossed the street straight ahead, unaware of the two people hiding in the alley.

After confirming that the patrol had gone far away, Ito Kashitaro and Kondo Isami returned to the main road and continued towards their destination.

In no time, they slipped into an unremarkable-looking inn like shadows.

After passing through the entrance hall, moving to the second floor, traversing the corridor, and finally entering a certain room.

In the dimly lit room with only one candle lit, a burly man was already waiting.

Seeing that Ito Kashitaro and Kondo Isami had arrived, the burly man scolded them impatiently:

"Ito-kun, you're late."

Ito Kashitaro smiled and apologized in a humble yet respectful manner:
"Sorry, we just encountered a Shinsengumi patrol, so we were a little late."

The burly man didn't delve into the issue of being late, but instead turned to look at Kondo Isami:

"Is this Kondo Isami?"

Kondo Isami nodded in acknowledgment:
"Nice to meet you, I am Kondo Isami."

The burly man smiled slightly:
"I am Imuda Naohira, the deputy commander of the Satsuma Imperial Thieves. Nice to meet you!"

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Leopard's little nephew is sick again, and Leopard seems to have caught it from him. He's been listless all day... and can't seem to muster any energy... (Leopard looks uncomfortable.jpg)

Once he's fully recovered, Leopard will be back to his savage self! (Leopard Hi.jpg)