I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1140 The decisive battle for the world, the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, begins! [4400]

May 5, 1866 (the second year of the Meiji era)

Gyeonggi Province, Toba Street —

With Toba Street as the dividing line, the east and west sides present completely different landscapes.

The flags on the east side were of very limited variety; they were either the Shinsengumi's Seishun flag, the Hatatsu Domain's Gentian leaf flag, or the Edo Shogunate's Mitsuba flag.

On the other hand, the flags on the west side are much more varied and diverse.

Among them, the one that has the most overwhelming presence is the "Maru Cross" representing the Satsuma Domain.

The Satsuma Domain's dominance in the Southern Court was not due to the manipulation of power by figures like Saigo Kichinosuke, but purely to its strength.

In order to find out the exact strength of the "Southern Army", the ninjas of the Ninth Division carried out reconnaissance work day and night.

The specific investigation process involved following the "Southern Army" and calculating the quantity of their cooking stoves and excrement.

A person can easily utter ten thousand lies by simply moving their tongue around and lightly touching their teeth.

One hundred thousand troops, two hundred thousand troops... these numbers can be easily uttered.

But what you eat and what you excrete don't lie.

In short, by simply counting the number of cooking stoves and excrement, one can roughly determine the size of the army.

The excrement left behind by the army during their march was traceable; it was definitely buried far from water sources and downwind of the camp.

Although digging up those filled-in latrines was a painful process, the heavy responsibility left no room for fussiness.

The ninjas of the Ninth Division could only grit their teeth and endure the repeated torment of "finding poop," "digging up poop," "smelling poop," and "counting poop."

Who will count the excrement today, and who will count the cooking stoves—these are the questions they argue about every day.

Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that the "Southern Army" followed Sun Bin's example and used the "reduction of cooking stoves" strategy to mislead Qing Deng.

Back then, Sun Bin successfully misled Pang Juan, the general of Wei, by using the strategy of "reducing the number of cooking stoves every day." This caused Pang Juan to underestimate the strength of the Qi army and advance recklessly, ultimately leading to his death by a hail of arrows from Sun Bin.

In conclusion, the estimation of the size of the "Southern Army" must be made with utmost care.

In this mission, the Great Salt Party once again played a significant role.

As it turns out, the alliance between Qingdeng and the Great Salt Party was the right choice.

Under Ziyang's leadership, the Great Salt Party's "intelligence network" was operating at full speed.

Incidentally, fearing the ravages of war, most of the big bosses in Kyoto's Gion district—those wealthy merchants who ran "geisha houses"—fled.

Since all the wealthy people in Kyoto had left, business in Gion plummeted, and there was no point in continuing to operate, so they simply closed down.

With nothing to do, the geishas naturally had no choice but to return to their own homes.

Compared to courtesans, geisha were much freer, having a great deal of autonomy over whether they wanted to stay in Kyoto or flee like others.

Ziyang left Gion a few days ago, citing the reason that he wanted to "go back to his hometown to avoid trouble".

She had barely left Kyoto when she immediately headed to Otsu and stayed at the temporary accommodation provided by Aoto.

It must be said that her character is truly admirable.

Before leaving the capital, she used her personal wealth to help those powerless and helpless geishas who had nowhere to escape, enabling them to leave this "smoke-filled land".

No longer needing to play the role of a geisha, she was able to fully mobilize and command the Ōshio Party's "intelligence network."

It wasn't until Ziyang exerted his power that Qingdeng belatedly realized that some of the soldiers of the "Southern Army" were informants of the "Great Salt Party"!

While these informants couldn't be expected to do anything earth-shattering like burning grain supplies or assassinating their commanders—after all, they were just rank-and-file soldiers with very limited abilities—they were more than capable of reporting what they saw and heard to the Great Salt Party.

Information such as the number of people in one's unit and the number of military flags seen today is extremely valuable and useful.

Thus, after comprehensively analyzing intelligence from various sources, Qing Deng made a rough estimate of the "Southern Army's" troop strength—

Satsumo Army: 13000 men

Choshu Army: 2000 men

Tosa Army: 7000 men

Hizen Army: 8000 men

The armies of other vassal states: 5000 men

Total troop strength: 35000

Excluding the Ninth Division (a ninja unit that also serves as a messenger unit) and clerical staff such as the General Affairs Department and the Finance Department, the Shinsengumi's troop deployment on the two lines of defense is as follows—

"Toba Defense Line"

Second Squad (Elite Infantry), 250 men

Fourth Division (Infantry), 550 men

Fifth Division (Infantry Division), 450 men

Sixth Division (Musketeer Squad), 1150 men

The 10th Division (Cavalry), 600 men

Eleventh Division (Artillery Unit), 680 men

The 12th Division (Musketeer Squad), 1150 men

The 13th Division (Musketeer Squad), 1150 men

Total troop strength: 5900.

"Fushimi Defense Line"

"Zero Squad" (Royal Guard), 60 members

First Squad (Elite Infantry Squad), 300 men

The Third Division (elite infantry unit), 250 men

7th Division (Cavalry) 600 men

Eighth Division (Musketeer Squad), 1150 men

Total troop strength: 2360.

With fewer than 1 troops facing 3.5... In terms of troop size, the "Southern Army" held a significant advantage! They clearly possessed the capability to rival the Shinsengumi!

After the "Southern Army" entered the Gyeonggi region, various forces, led by the Satsuma Army, began to set up camps west of the Toba Road.

When the number of people exceeds 10,000, it can basically fill your field of vision, let alone an army of more than 30,000.

Looking west from Toba Street, a black line connects north and south in the distance, near the horizon—that is the "Southern Army's" camp!

Looking down from above, you can get a much more direct sense of the grandeur of this camp! It stretches as far as the eye can see!
Countless military flags of different colors and styles fluttered in the spring breeze... This scene alone is enough to convey an unparalleled sense of oppression!

……

……

May 7, 1866 (the second year of the Kuangtian era/the second year of the Ming dynasty)

On this day, the strong smell of gunpowder permeated the air around Bird Feather.

Since yesterday, the "Southern Army" camp has been unusually quiet.

The military officers, including Hijikata Toshizo, who were well-versed in military affairs, immediately sensed that this was a sign that the two armies were about to go to war!

In fact, as early as when the "Southern Army" first arrived in Toba, Hijikata Toshizo wanted to obstruct them and keep them busy.

If we could take advantage of their unstable footing and crush them in one fell swoop, that would be ideal.

His initial plan was to send the 10th Division (cavalry unit) to harass the enemy camp.

However, the Southern Army's defenses were even more formidable than he had anticipated.

It looks just like a hedgehog covered in sharp spines, making it impossible to bite.

Sending out cavalry rashly would be a suicidal act; every cavalryman sent would die, and there would be no return.

Close combat is ineffective, so ranged attacks are the only option—but ranged attacks aren't very effective either.

The Southern Army's encampment was cleverly positioned, just outside the range of the Shinsengumi's artillery fire.

Therefore, even a barrage of artillery fire at the "Southern Army's" camp was unlikely to inflict significant damage. Left with no other option, they could only allow the "Southern Army" to establish their camp safely.

Until today, the constant commotion and noise had dominated the "Southern Army" camp.

The arrival of follow-up troops, the continuous expansion of the camp... but today, all the aforementioned noise has vanished, replaced by an eerie silence...

The only reason that can be thought of is that the "Southern Army" has completed its preparations for the attack!

As it turned out, it was exactly as Hijikata Toshizo and the others had predicted.

As dawn broke, troops slowly emerged from the "Southern Army" camp.

These troops were arrayed on the plain between their own camp and Toba Street.

Pikemen carrying long spears, musketeers holding muskets, swordsmen with their swords at their sides, cavalry units arranged on both flanks... one military formation after another gradually took shape, inspiring awe and fear.

At this moment, at various strongholds along the "Toba Line," the captains, led by Shinpachi Nagakura, displayed a variety of expressions.

Inoue Genzaburo crossed his arms and muttered:
"To send out such a large force on the first day... today will be a tough battle."

Nishiki Shinmi, standing to the side, said calmly:

"This was expected. The enemy won't fight a war of attrition with us; they will definitely try to win in one battle."

Serizawa Kamo snorted coldly:
"That suits me perfectly. The more enemies that come, the better. Watch me slaughter them all."

Harada Sanosuke licked his lips:

"It's so slow, let's get started already."

While the "Southern Army" was setting up its defenses, the "Toba Defense Line" was also in a flurry of activity.

Taking their positions and gripping their weapons, the first squad to prepare for the attack was the Eleventh Division (Artillery Squad) deployed on Autumn Mountain.

Autumn Mountain – calling it a "mountain" is far too inaccurate.

In terms of both height and area, it is completely different from what the public understands as a mountain; at most, it is just a hill.

However, even this inconspicuous hill is one of the few high grounds in the vicinity that is most suitable as an artillery position.

Given its advantageous location, Hijikata Toshizo had no reason not to deploy the 11th Division (artillery unit) there.

On Autumn Mountain, rows of cannons were neatly positioned, their dark muzzles pointing diagonally towards the sky. The gunners were eager to fire, longing for the order to "fire."

Once the order is given, all these cannons will roar in unison!

Some time passed... About half an hour later, both the "Toba Defense Line" and the "Southern Army" were ready to go.

The smell of gunpowder in the air had accumulated to an unbearable level!

Coincidentally, at that very moment, right in the main camp of both armies, Hijikata Toshizo and Saigo Kichinosuke simultaneously glanced down at the time on their pocket watches.

What followed was truly dramatic—they all looked up, their eyes flashing with malice, and shouted in unison:

"fire!"

It's difficult to determine which is in which order—

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The artillery of both armies fired simultaneously!
Accompanied by a continuous barrage of deafening cannon fire, countless shells from both sides soared into the sky before crashing heavily onto the enemy's positions!
In an instant, the positions of both armies were engulfed by the flames and light of exploding shells!

Katsura Kogoro, who was personally supervising the battle at the front lines, wielded the demon sword Muramasa with all his might.

"attack!"

Countless soldiers of the "Southern Army" roared and charged straight toward the "Toba Defense Line".

Inoue Genzaburo drew his sword:

"Raise the gun!"

The members of the Sixth Division raised their muskets in unison, their index fingers on the triggers.

Before the gunshots were fired, the air was already thick with the scent of death.

On May 7, 1866 (the second year of the Meiji era), the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, which would determine the fate of the nation, began!
……

……

Fushimi, Fushimi Magistrate's Office (the main camp of the "Fushimi Defense Line") —

The straight-line distance from Toba to Fushimi is only 3 kilometers.

At such a distance, no matter what happens to Toba, Aoto, who is stationed in Fushimi, can detect it immediately and take immediate action.

When the incessant sounds of cannons and gunfire reached them from afar, the expressions of Yamanami Keisuke, Saito Hajime, and others who were standing close to Aoto, ready to receive orders at any moment, all changed.

Unable to contain his emotions, Yamanami Keisuke let out a long breath, muttering to himself:

"Mr. Hijikata... I wish you a resounding victory."

……

……

Bird Feathers —

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The bursts of gunfire, like popping beans, became the most noticeable sound on the Toba battlefield besides artillery fire.

The musketeers stationed at the "Toba Line" included not only the Sixth Division under the command of Inoue Genzaburo, but also the newly formed Twelfth and Thirteenth Divisions.

More than three thousand musketeers... the resulting network of firepower filled the battlefield with the scorching heat of flying bullets.

Although the Toba Defense Line was very long, the only places that truly needed to be defended were the bridges, mainly the Koebashi Bridge, that spanned the Kamo River. Without capturing these bridges, the Southern Army would not be able to cross the Kamo River.

In other words, the Toba Line used these bridges as defensive strongpoints.

As long as these key points don't go wrong, the defense line will be impregnable.

Harada Sanosuke once suggested to Aoto: "If that's the case, why not blow up these bridges?"
If Qingdeng only wants to defend the capital region and has no other intentions, then this strategy is appropriate.

However, what Qingdeng sought was far more than simply "driving away the 'Southern Army'".

In order to "pursue the Southern Army and expand the results of the battle", it was very necessary to leave these bridges!
One side was defending the bridges, while the other was trying to seize them—a fierce battle ensued around these bridges!

"Fire! Suppress the Shinsengumi!"

"They've retaliated!"

"Don't be afraid! The Shinsengumi aren't good at fighting tough battles!"

"Don't let the enemy get close!"

As soon as the war began, a clear disparity in the strength of the two sides was immediately apparent.

Whether in terms of the scale of the artillery bombardment or the number of gunshots, the Southern Army was far superior to the Shinsengumi! And by a huge margin of about two times!

Hijikata Toshizo, stationed at the main camp (Jonan Palace), kept a close eye on the differences in the sounds of gunfire between the two sides.

Upon discovering that the opposing firepower was clearly superior, he couldn't help but furrow his brow.

Under the cover of superior firepower, a large number of "Southern Army" soldiers successfully approached the "Toba Defense Line".

The most important part, Xiaozhi Bridge, was the first to be hit!
The Second Division and the Sixth Division guard this place.

After a long wait, Nagakura Shinpachi shouted:
"The enemy soldiers are attacking! It's time for us swordsmen to show our skills!"

After shouting, he took the lead and charged forward like a tiger, attacking the enemy formation.

With a flash of light, the precious sword in his hand emitted a blinding cold light as it slashed towards the head of an enemy soldier.

This was supposed to be a fatal blow... but unexpectedly, it missed!
The opponent dodged to the left with great effort. Although it was a rather clumsy move, it did manage to dodge Nagakura Shinpachi's slash!
Nagakura Shinpachi stared wide-eyed, surprised, but his hands moved without hesitation. He quickly adjusted his stance and the direction of his blade before swinging it again.

This time, the opponent could no longer dodge—with a thud, his chest was ripped open, and blood splattered everywhere.

Despite successfully securing a kill, Nagakura Shinpachi felt no joy whatsoever.

That person's reaction speed was completely unlike what an ordinary soldier could achieve...

At this thought, influenced by an ominous premonition, he quickly raised his eyes and looked around, only to find that all the enemy soldiers were in a strange state of excitement.

After a brief moment of confusion, Nagakura Shinpachi immediately understood and burst into curses:

"Damn it! It's 'Battle of Dian' again!"

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