I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1122 Qingdeng: "I want to marry Tianzhangyuan!" [6000]

Almost at the same time—

The hideout of the Red Army—

"I wonder how things went between Master Sagara and the envoy from our dynasty."

"Hmph! In my opinion, tonight's talks will definitely end in failure again."

"Yes, how could our dynasty possibly reinstate the 'Annual Tribute Reduction Order'?"

"Sigh... I don't understand... why is our dynasty unwilling to reinstate the 'Annual Tribute Halving Decree'? If even this most basic requirement cannot be met, then our dynasty is nothing more than another Edo Shogunate!"

"Rather than serve a 'second Edo Shogunate,' I would rather fight alone until my death!"

The soldiers chatted idly, while the dark cloud of "despair" gathering above their heads grew thicker and thicker.

Suddenly, someone straightened up, instinctively reached for the sword at their waist, and pricked up their ears:

"...Hey, something seems off."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers' expressions changed, and they all stopped what they were doing and carefully observed their surroundings.

They quickly realized something was wrong... it was too quiet.

Not a single bird chirped, not a single insect hummed; the silence was eerie!
Even in the dead of night, the forest couldn't possibly be this quiet!
Their ominous premonition had just begun—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, arrows shot up from the surrounding dark bushes like locusts!
The rain of arrows that poured down brought with it the scent of death.

Many people were hit by arrows and fell to the ground, some screaming in agony, others dying instantly.

"Enemy attack!"

"The Shinsengumi?!"

"No! It doesn't seem like it!"

Instead of the signature light blue haori, they saw black-clad samurai emerging from all directions, charging menacingly towards them!

Before they could think it through, the two sides were already locked in battle.

With the prepared forces attacking the unprepared, with strong and well-equipped men and horses attacking the old and exhausted troops... the war had barely begun when it was already a one-sided affair.

The outcome of this battle is already predetermined.

……

……

“Drink aaaaaaaa——!”

A roar erupted from Oki Shiro's throat as he swiftly swung the steel blade in his hand.

Even though the enemy had an overwhelming numerical advantage, he was not afraid at all... or rather, he didn't have time to be afraid.

Because of his height and long arms, his slashing range far exceeds that of his enemies.

Before his enemies could even get close, he launched a preemptive attack.

The slash that cuts through the atmosphere releases an astonishingly sharp aura.

Wherever the blade passed, the enemies scattered and retreated in panic, as if avoiding germs.

With skillful technique, Shiro Oki seamlessly connected his moves and swiftly unleashed his next strike.

A brand new blade of light flew out in the opposite direction, forcing back the enemies in that direction as well.

As expected of an experienced swordsman, he loosened the encirclement around him in just two moves.

"Saragi-sensei! Stay close to me! We're going to break out!"

Xiang Le Zong San nodded vigorously and followed suit.

At that moment, a short spear suddenly thrust out from the side! It pierced straight towards Sagara Sozo's side abdomen!
Sagara Sozo's pupils contracted slightly. Although he was terrified, his body moved first, using a crude but effective technique to deflect the spearhead.

Although he was not a swordsman specializing in martial arts, he was not a pushover whom everyone could bully.

"Quickly! Resurround them!"

"Kill them!"

"If we let them escape, we'll have no face to go back and face Lord Saigo!"

In an attempt to salvage the situation, the enemy forces, in large numbers, relentlessly pursued and closed in once more.

Before Sagara Sozo and Oki Shiro could run even a few steps, they were once again surrounded by the enemy.

Sometime later, the temple gate in the distance had been closed, and six enemies were guarding it closely.

In other words, even if they manage to reach the temple gate, they cannot let their guard down. Sozo Sagara and Shiro Oki still need to find a way to deal with the six guards at the gate...

Exhausted and hungry, they had to deal with the relentless attacks from the enemy, barely having time to catch their breath... Their defenses were quickly riddled with holes.

Shiro Oki could barely protect himself and had no energy left to help Sozo Sagara.

Therefore, the enemies seized the opportunity and poured in between them like a flood, separating the two.

"Saragi-sensei! Damn it! Get out of my way!"

Shiro Oki's eyes were bloodshot, completely forgetting his fatigue and pain. He swung his sword like a madman, trying to help Sozo Sagara, but to no avail. He was like someone who had fallen into quicksand, and the more he struggled, the deeper and faster he sank.

Without the assistance of Shiro Oki, Sozo Sagara immediately found himself in a predicament where he could not hold on alone.

clang!clang!clang!
He struggled to deflect the slashes coming from the left, center, and rear.

call!
Suddenly, the sound of wind breaking behind him made the hairs on his body stand on end—behind him, an enemy soldier wielding a short gun unleashed a "sweeping attack" aimed at his lower body!

Sōzō Sagara gritted his teeth and, as if by reflex, changed his steps and shifted his body.

Although he barely dodged the sharp spear tip, the hard shaft struck his left knee squarely with a dull thud.

In pain, Sagara Sozo instantly lost his balance and fell to the ground.

As he struggled to sit up, he was startled to find the light dimming beside him—Takamatsu, sword in hand, had quietly moved in front of him.

Looking at Takamatsu, who was so close to him and whose cheeks were filled with mockery, Souzo Sagara gritted his teeth.

After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, he silently threw away the knife in his hand.

"...If you want to take my life...then go ahead and take it."

As he spoke, he sat up, his demeanor dignified, his expression open and honest, his back ramrod straight, as if his spine were not bones but an iron ruler.

"I can give you my head."

"But please spare my companions."

“They are all innocent; they only joined me because I instigated them.”

"As long as they are spared, I will do whatever punishment they desire, whether it beheading or any other form of torture."

Gao Song raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and gave a forced smile:
"...Saragi-kun, you are amazing."

"Although you are a stubborn fool, I have to admit that you are indeed a hero."

"Unfortunately... I cannot fulfill your request."

"The instructions from above were very clear—annihilate them all, leave no one alive."

"If nothing unexpected happens, all your companions should be dead by now."

After saying that, Gao Song deliberately turned his head to look in the southeast direction—that was the location of the Red News Corps' hideout.

Upon hearing this, Sozo Sagara could no longer remain calm.

His eyebrows stood on end, his hair bristled with anger, and the veins on his temples and neck bulged out.
"You beasts—!"

He roared and lunged forward, trying to tackle Gao Song.

However, two enemy soldiers, who were prepared, pressed him to the ground from both sides, making his cheeks press firmly against the ground.

Sozo Sagara struggled desperately, unable to move, and could only raise his eyes to glare at Takamatsu with a mixture of anger and resentment:
"We are utterly loyal to this dynasty! We are determined to serve it to the best of our ability!"

How could you do this?

How could you do this?!

Upon hearing this, Gao Song's face was filled with unparalleled sarcasm.

"Saragi-kun, you've got it wrong. You're the one who kicked away your promising future."

"Lord Saigo greatly admires you and regards you as a future pillar of the nation."

"They could have risen through the ranks simply by obediently following orders, but instead they chose to go against their superiors."

"You have only yourself to blame for your current predicament."

After saying that, Gao Song revealed a pleased, victorious smile.

"In the past, I always looked up to you."

"I never imagined I'd have a day when I'd be looking down on you."

"Xiang Le Zong San, to show my respect, let me see you off on your final journey. Do you have a farewell poem?"

While asking "Do you have a farewell poem?", he had no intention of letting Sagara Sozo leave any last words. He quickly raised the steel knife in his hand above his head.

Just as he was about to bring down the blade—

Bang! !

Just like being bombarded, the tightly closed temple gates were suddenly flung open... Ah, no, correction, they were "rammed open" instead.

In the blink of an eye, more than thirty warriors stepped over the broken door panels and rushed into the temple.

"Show no mercy! Suppress them swiftly!"

"Akuzu, finish this quickly."

"understand!"

This group of "uninvited guests" moved with the ferocity of tigers descending the mountain, deployed their formation, and launched an attack.

A sudden and chaotic battle ensued!

The situation reversed instantly.

The side with fewer people and the side that was brutally suppressed became Takamatsu and his group!

Because they were caught completely off guard, more than ten people fell to the ground in just one encounter—these people were naturally Gao Song's subordinates.

Gao Song stared blankly at this unexpected situation, his cheeks drained of color, and even the flashing blades that shone brightly as they rose and fell could not illuminate his eyes, which were filled with fear.

"What's going on...who are these people...?!"

Before he could recover, he suddenly saw a flash of cold light—a chain sickle flew out from a distance, drawing a tricky arc in mid-air, and landed squarely on his neck.

The sharp, curved blade of the scythe was perfectly positioned around his neck, and the skin on the back of his neck could feel the coldness of the blade!

Gao Song's facial expression was immediately dominated by panic, his pupils contracted to pinpoints, and he hurriedly raised his hand, trying to remove the sickle.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

Click!
The chain connecting the sickle suddenly tightened, pulling the sickle back to its master's hand. The blade swept across Gao Song's neck like cutting grass, making a sound of flesh being sliced ​​and bones being broken—a dull thud—and Gao Song's head fell to the ground.

Looking at the completely bewildered Takamatsu, Sagara Souzo blinked. While feeling fortunate to have survived the ordeal, intense confusion gripped his heart.

He didn't recognize these people... Were they reinforcements? But he couldn't imagine which force would extend a helping hand to him.

Just as he was completely bewildered, a middle-aged man emerged from the battlefield, which was nearing its end, and moved toward him.

Sōzō Sagara stared intently at the other person, half wary and half puzzled.

"Who are you?"

The middle-aged man smiled slightly and bowed very politely to Sōzō San.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ye Zong, a member of the Da Yan Party. Mr. Xiang Le, we have come here specifically to rescue the Red Guards."

At that moment, Sagara Sozo spotted familiar figures outside the temple gate—his companions!
They were covered in blood and clung to with lingering killing intent, clearly having just fought a fierce battle. Although many were missing, at least some "seeds" had been preserved.

Seeing that the Red Report Squad had not been completely wiped out, Sagara Sozo couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief, feeling like he wanted to cry.

After calming down a bit, he looked at Ebina again:

"You saved my companions?"

Ebina nodded:
"Indeed. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, many of your comrades had already died in battle. I am very sorry."

"No need to apologize, I am very grateful that you are willing to help."

At this point, Sagara paused three times, then put on a serious face and said earnestly:

"Before I give my formal thanks, I would like to clarify one point—I do not know any Big Salt Party."

"It's okay, you'll get to know each other soon."

Ebina smiled as he spoke.

……

……

The first year of Kuangtian/the first year of Meiji (1865), November 12th——

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi——

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve.

An important annual festival naturally deserves to be treated with great care—and the Orange family is no exception.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, the entire Ju residence was bustling with activity.

The servants were mobilized to clean the corridors, carry ingredients, and cook dishes, each performing their assigned duties.

To prepare for tonight's New Year's Eve dinner, Qing Deng not only gave himself half a day off, but also gave the Shinsengumi officers half a day off.

This served both as a reward for their hard work and as a way to conserve their strength for the great war to come.

Not long ago, Qingdeng received accurate intelligence—the "Southern Dynasty" showed signs of a large-scale troop mobilization!
After the troops were assembled, the daily consumption of food and supplies was astronomical.

For logistical reasons, it's naturally better to send troops out as soon as possible.

Therefore, the synonym for "assembling troops" is "preparing to attack"!
In other words... the Southern Dynasty will attack after the New Year!

From the “founding of the Southern Dynasty” to the “imminent Northern Expedition”, only a few months had passed… Although it seemed rushed, Qing Deng was not surprised at all.

He would be surprised if the Southern Dynasty did not launch an offensive immediately.

The power balance between the Northern and Southern Dynasties was similar to that between the Wei and Shu Han states during the Three Kingdoms period.

Why did Prime Minister Zhuge Liang launch six expeditions to Qishan? Didn't he know that frequent military campaigns would harm the people's livelihood?
Of course he knew, but he had no choice.

The Wei Kingdom occupied the Guanzhong Plain and the North China Plain, which were rich in resources, and its overall national strength was far superior to that of the Shu Han Kingdom.

It was only because of years of war and the devastation of the north that Shu Han was able to challenge Wei.

If we wait for the Wei Kingdom to recover its strength, the restoration of the Han Dynasty will forever remain a dream.

That moment is exactly like this moment.

Japan's three major plains—the Kanto Plain, the Nobi Plain, and the Osaka Plain—were all within the sphere of influence of the Northern Court.

However, the frequent wars in recent years have severely weakened the Northern Dynasty.

The Nobi Plain and the Kanto Plain are the hardest-hit areas, and normal production activities have not yet resumed.

Needless to say, the capital region, which was the site of the most battles, was even more affected.

In contrast, the Southern Dynasties were not greatly affected by the war.

Qing Deng is not in a hurry for the upcoming "East-West showdown," believing that the longer it drags on, the more advantageous it will be.

The people in the Southern Dynasty were anxious. They had to take advantage of the current situation, when the difference in strength between the two sides was the smallest, to fight the Northern Dynasty to see who would win!
It's not hard to imagine that the rulers and ministers of the "Southern Dynasty" would absolutely go all out, betting everything and using every means possible to fight an unprecedented "battle of the Heavenly King Mountain" against the "Northern Dynasty"!
For Qing Deng and others, this year's Lunar New Year's Eve is probably their last "rest time"...

Therefore, we should cherish every minute and every second of the present moment.

That night, Qingdeng and his family enjoyed a sumptuous and lively New Year's Eve dinner.

Also attending the banquet were Tenshōin and Wakō.

For Qingdeng, this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were already his family, so there was no reason for him to exclude them.

Unfortunately, two other important family members—Sōji and Tokugawa Iemochi—remained bedridden.

The absence of these two individuals made the New Year's Eve dinner feel somewhat lonely.

Fortunately, Tachibana Masatomi and Tachibana Mako were there, which added a touch of warmth.

The intelligence of these two little ones is truly astonishing.

At an age when she shouldn't be learning to walk, she was already wobbling and stumbling into Qingdeng's arms.

At an age when they shouldn't be learning to speak, they can already stammer out many words.

The siblings' clumsy yet amusing "talent show" added a lot of laughter to the dinner.

Qingdeng only regrets that video recorders have not yet been invented.

Otherwise, he really wanted to record all of the siblings' "talent shows" and play them at family gatherings when they grew up, then quietly watch their amusing emotional outbursts caused by the "embarrassing revelations."

Incidentally, Aoto also invited Kiryu, the owner of the company in Osaka, and Kinoshita Rin, but they had to attend a gathering inside the Gourd House and had to decline.

……

……

That night (half an hour after the New Year's Eve dinner ended) —

Orange Mansion, a certain courtyard—

Qingdeng sat cross-legged on the veranda, quietly admiring the snow scene.

Snowflakes drifted down like fairies.

The occasional cold wind made Qing Deng frequently pull his thick haori tighter around his body.

Compared to the incredibly lively New Year's Eve dinner just now, this moment of solitude is so tranquil, giving one a feeling of being in another world.

Suddenly, a gentle female voice came from behind him:

"Qingdeng, you're here."

Immediately following was a clear, cold female voice:

Why are you standing here in the cold wind?

Qing Deng turned his head to look—and saw Sanako and Ama walking towards him side by side.

"Zanako, Mai, do you know what 'cave time' is?"

Ah Wu tilted her head and answered honestly:
"do not know."

As they spoke, the two women sat down on either side of Qingdeng.

"The so-called 'cave time' is a special behavior of men."

"Men often use 'solitude' as a way to restore their mental and physical strength."

Even the strongest man sometimes wants to be alone.

After listening, Sanako nodded earnestly:
"I think I can understand."

"My brother always locked himself in his room."

“Sometimes when I go to his room to find him, he always anxiously tells me to leave and not to come in.”

"...Luckily you didn't go in, otherwise Jutaro would have been burdened with an indelible psychological trauma." Aoto silently felt relieved for Chiba Jutaro.

At this moment, Ah Wu, looking apologetic, weakly interjected:
"I see... So are we disturbing you now?"

Qingdeng smiled and shook his head:

"It's okay. Actually, I haven't entered 'cave time' yet. I just want to enjoy the snow."

Sanako's face darkened upon hearing this:

"If that's the case, then what was the purpose of your serious presentation on 'cave time' just now?"

Qing Deng selectively ignored Sanako's sarcastic remarks and asked:
"Where are Jiulang and Ningning?"

[Note: "Kuro" was Tachibana Masashi's childhood name, and "Nene" was Tachibana Moko's childhood name.]

Awu replied:
They're all asleep.

"Where are His Majesty and Prince Tianzhang?"

Sanako replied:

"They went to keep the old tree company."

A gathering of the mother-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law... well, it's best not to disturb them.

Since we've mentioned Tianzhang Academy... Qingdeng suddenly remembered something.

After a brief hesitation, he cleared his throat, drawing the attention of Sanako and Ama.

"...Zanako, Ama, this is a rare opportunity, and there's something I want to tell you."

The two women turned their heads and gave Qingdeng a look that said, "Go ahead and say it."

Qingdeng took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and then quickly and solemnly said:
"When the time is right, I want to marry Tenshōin!"

quiet……

After Qingdeng finished speaking, an eerily quiet silence enveloped the entire room.

Qingdeng kept his mouth shut, not uttering a word... or rather, he dared not speak, silently waiting for the two women's reply.

He had been looking for an opportunity to be honest with the two women and reveal his true relationship with Tenshōin.

Unfortunately, due to busy work and other reasons, he was never able to fulfill his wish.

This can't go on forever... Considering that I'll be even busier later, I might as well say everything that needs to be said tonight!
At this moment, even without looking, Qing Deng could keenly sense that the two women were staring at him with sharp eyes.

About 10 seconds later, the first person to break the silence was Sanako:

"...Qingdeng, you're such a lecher."

As she spoke, she squinted, looking at Qingdeng with the same gaze one would give a ditch.

Ah Wu then added:

"It's one thing to be lecherous, but to actually set her sights on the Ōmiya-no-sho (Imperial Palace) is another."

Having three beautiful wives and still not satisfied, he wanted to marry a fourth... In this situation, facing the accusations of the two women, Qing Deng was powerless to refute them and could only let cold sweat pour down his forehead.

At this moment, Qing Deng belatedly realized something—the two women were too calm, eerily calm.

In his imagination, Sanako should have attacked him with even sharper words, and Mai should have opened her eyes with no luster, like a chaotic abyss.

He glanced at Mai on his left, then at Sanako on his right, and cautiously asked in return:
"You don't seem surprised at all? The person I want to marry is Prince Tenshōin."

He emphasized the words "Prince Tianzhangyuan" when he spoke.

Sanako rolled her eyes:
"Do you think we're blind? We've known for a long time that you have ill intentions towards His Highness Tenshoin."

A-Wu also rolled her eyes at Qing-Deng:
Do you think you've covered it up very well?

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P.S.: This book will end after the "East-West Showdown"! However, the wedding of Aoto, Tenshōin, and Elodie will be released as an epilogue, so please look forward to it!
Are there any epilogues you'd like to see? I'll write them as appropriate!