I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1145 Fierce Street Fighting in Fushimi! Niou, Charge! [5200]

At the same time that the Shinsengumi raised their "brocade banner" and "white flag," a similar scene unfolded on the opposite side of the "Southern Army."

As the vanguard of the "Southern Army" left Toba and headed straight for Fushimi, a "brocade banner" embroidered with golden chrysanthemums suddenly rose up and caught the eyes of the soldiers.

Immediately afterwards, the messengers, running back and forth, shouted loudly:

"Gentlemen! Look! This is His Majesty's military flag!"

"Hundreds of years ago, the imperial court's million-strong army carried this banner as they conquered all directions!"

"Now, this flag has been handed into our hands!"

"This is proof that His Majesty trusts us!"

"This is proof that we are the rightful heirs!"

"Justice will prevail! Righteousness will prevail!"

"How can the enemy forces entrenched in Fushimi possibly stand against us?!"

The ideology of respecting the emperor and supporting the court were the foundation of the Southern Dynasty.

Therefore, in order to boost the morale and cohesion of the army, the leaders of the "Southern Dynasty" instilled in their soldiers various ideas such as "we are the legitimate rulers," "the court is on our side," and "the righteous cause lies with the Southern Dynasty."

For this reason, the appearance of the "banner" was more inspiring to the soldiers of the "Southern Army" than to the Shinsengumi.

Instantly, a deafening cheer erupted!

All the troops of the "Southern Army"—especially the vanguard troops who were surrounding the "brocade banner"—were overjoyed and their morale was high.

Even the surrounding air was affected and became scorching hot!
Saigo Kinosuke and Iwakura Tomomi stood side by side—on the autumn mountain with its excellent view—quietly observing everything.

Iwakura Tomomi laughed triumphantly.
"Hmph, Tachibana Seiden and the others probably never expected that we would actually use this move!"

Forging a banner—that was Iwakura Tomomi's idea.

Iwakura Tomomi's style of doing things has always been radical.

He takes any means necessary for granted, so naturally he doesn't think that "forging a banner" is a crime.

He was willing to pay any price to defeat Tachibana Seiden!
When he proposed this plan, even the resolute Saigo Kichinosuke couldn't help but show surprise.

If this matter is exposed, being infamous for eternity would be an understatement!
Compared to Saigo Kichinosuke, Katsura Kogoro was much calmer.

Upon hearing the plan, he quickly regained his composure and gave it his full approval.

He and Iwakura Tomomi could even replace the Emperor with a fake one, let alone a mere flag?

Thus, with the strong support of Katsura Kogoro and Iwakura Tomomi, the plan to "forge the banner" was successfully implemented.

Katsura Kogoro gathered a group of highly skilled weavers.

Iwakura Tomomi, who was well-versed in public affairs, personally designed the banner.

Ironically, the flag he designed was almost identical to the flag designed by Qing Deng.

Aside from slight differences in color—the Shinsengumi's "banners" were predominantly gold, while the "Southern Army's" "banners" were predominantly red—they were almost identical.

After successfully making the "banner," Saigo Kinosuke, Iwakura Tomomi, and others regarded it as a "secret weapon," waiting to use it at a crucial moment.

Generally speaking, any of these morale-boosting "military treasury" items have only two uses.

It can be used to turn the tide when the morale of the entire army is low, or it can be used to press the attack when the morale of the entire army is high—today's "Southern Army" happens to belong to the latter.

As the saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane on the second attempt and be exhausted on the third."

Right now, the soldiers of the "Southern Army" are eager to repeat yesterday's victory... There is no better time to capture Fushimi!

Saigo Kichinosuke has made up his mind—to take Fushimi in one fell swoop today!
And so, Saigo Kinosuke, Katsura Kogoro, Iwakura Tomomi, and the others watched with great confidence as the "banner" was hung high.

It wasn't until quite some time later that they belatedly realized that Fushimi, on the other side, was also displaying a similar flag...

The vanguard of the "Southern Army," carrying the imposing air of "victory is assured," slowly approached Fushimi.

Soon, both sides clearly saw the two "praise banners" facing each other across the distance...

The scene was both bizarre and comical, leaving the soldiers of both armies looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What's going on? Why do even the bandit army have 'brocade banners'?"

"Is there more than one 'banner'?"

"So, who is the rightful heir?"

"Is there even a question? It's definitely us! The 'banner' on the other side is obviously fake!"

Not only the rank-and-file soldiers, but also the officers and generals on both sides were caught off guard by this unexpected scene.

Hijikata Toshizo stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.

Iwakura Tomomi, who had just been laughing happily, turned into a clay sculpture, his smile frozen in place.

A moment later, the two people, located in different places, expressed the same sentiment in unison:

"The 'Southern Army' and 'Northern Army' are utterly despicable! They dare to forge a 'banner'!"

Kondo Isami twitched the corners of his mouth, a helpless expression on his face:

"We seem to have done the same thing..."

……

……

The "Southern Army" also received "brocade banners"... This was truly beyond Qing Deng's expectations.

This was originally a plan that Qing Deng came up with unintentionally, a so-called "sudden inspiration".

He originally thought his idea was unique.

Unexpectedly... someone in the "Southern Army" came up with the same plan!
For some reason, he inexplicably felt an urge to meet the other party—he really wanted to know which member of the "Southern Army" had the same brainwaves as him!
From another perspective, it's fortunate that he prepared two flags in advance.

If the "Southern Army" has a "brocade banner" while our side does not... then the moral high ground will inevitably be taken away by the former!
Now, because both sides possess "banners," both sides have ample room to manipulate "winning strategies."

After calming himself down a bit, Qingdeng turned to his attendant and called out:

"Summon the messenger; I need to issue a new proclamation to the entire army."

……

……

Moments later, the messengers of the Ninth Division set out again to deliver a new announcement to the entire army—

"Gentlemen! The enemy is truly despicable!"

"Not only did they establish a false emperor, but they also forged 'banners'!"

"Such despicable behavior deserves retribution!"

"As government troops, how can we tolerate the arrogance and domineering behavior of the rebel army?!"

"Use the swords at your waists! Uphold righteousness! Use the guns and cannons in your hands! Severely punish the enemy!"

This rapidly spreading new announcement somewhat calmed the soldiers' anxiety and confusion.

Should we listen to Niou, or believe the speculations of others?

For the vast majority of the Shinsengumi soldiers, this kind of question was simply not worth thinking about.

"I guessed right, the 'Southern Army's' 'banner' was indeed a forgery!"

“We not only have the government’s ‘brocade banner,’ but also the military family’s ‘imperial white banner.’ Clearly, we are in a more morally superior position!”

"Forget about 'banners'! Real or fake, it doesn't matter! Let's get started! Stop whining, I can't wait!"

Hijikata Toshizo smacked his lips with a displeased expression.

"We originally planned to use the two banners to disrupt the enemy's formation... tsk, now both sides have become 'government troops,' and the entire battle plan has been disrupted..."

Kondo Isami took a deep breath:

"In the end, it all comes down to the swords in our hands to decide the victor...!"

……

……

Today, the actions of the two armies demonstrate an astonishing "tacit understanding".

At the same moment that Seido summoned his messengers, Saigo Kichinosuke did the same thing.

Not only were new announcements issued indiscriminately to appease the troops, but the content of the announcements was also identical, simply stating that "our side is the legitimate one" and "the 'banner' on the other side is fake," and so on.

At this moment, Iwakura Tomomi's cheeks were filled with gloom, and his face looked just as sour as Hijikata Toshizo's.

He was once a high-ranking official in the imperial court, so he was quite certain that the "brocade banner" only existed in historical records! There was no real imperial banner in this world!
Therefore, he was 100% certain that the "banner" on the other side was also a forgery!

Just like Aoto, Iwakura Tomomi also didn't expect that his secret plan was not unique...

However, he did not share the same sense of camaraderie as Qing Deng.

He felt a tightness in his chest and was in a terrible mood! It was like accidentally swallowing a green fly that had just flown out of the latrine while he was yawning!
After a long while, he muttered resentfully:

"They've gone even further than us... Not only did they forge the 'brocade banner,' they even produced the 'Imperial White Banner'!"

When Saigo Kinosuke saw the two flags fluttering above Fushimi, he was stunned, and his facial expression underwent a wonderful change.

However, after a brief period of emotional turmoil, he has gradually regained his composure:

"...Very well. Although an unexpected turn of events occurred, in this way, the two sides are even, and neither side gained an advantage."

"In that case, we've come full circle—whoever wins is the righteous government army!"

Having said that, he raised the military-issue fan in his hand high.

"Prepare for bombardment!"

His military order was quickly delivered to the artillery positions.

The moment after Saigo Kichinosuke waved his military-style fan—

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The deafening barrage of artillery fire dominated the entire Toba region. Yesterday, the Southern Army's artillerymen worked through the night to move their cannons to various high grounds in Toba—places that had previously been the 11th Division's artillery positions.

Countless shells traced clean parabolas in the sky before crashing down, covering Fushimi inside and out!
Just like yesterday, after the "Southern Army" launched its artillery bombardment, the Shinsengumi's counterattack arrived as scheduled!

The eleventh squad members, deployed in the eastern suburbs of Fushimi, lit the fuses in perfect unison—

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The sounds of artillery fire from both sides seemed to be competing to see who could fire the loudest, one after another, without end.

The artillery barrage between the two sides lasted for nearly 30 minutes, until the sky above Toba and Fushimi was filled with smoke before it gradually subsided.

Toba was just a main road with almost no buildings, so it was only blasted into large craters.

In comparison, Fushimi's transformation is undoubtedly the most visually striking!

The once densely packed houses have now become rows of charred ruins.

The once smooth streets have now become muddy and rotten roads.

The various fortifications that had been painstakingly built are now nothing but piles of fragments.

Saigo Kinosuke gazed expressionlessly at the ravaged Fushimi, and once again waved the military fan in his hand:
"attack!"

This time, the military order was sent to the vanguard's position.

"Lord Saigo's orders have arrived! Begin the attack!"

"Do you see that 'Sincerity' flag? That's the enemy's main camp!"

"Whoever can cut down that 'Honest' flag will receive a reward of five thousand taels of gold!"

"Kill them! Annihilate the Shinsengumi and avenge Lord Kusaka!"

Although Fushimi was very prosperous, it was far inferior to the three capitals (Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka).

There aren't many wide avenues; most streets and alleys are narrow dirt roads... A large army of three thousand moving in a cluster would only cause congestion and seriously affect the efficiency of the attack.

Therefore, it was necessary to disperse the troops, breaking the three thousand-strong army into small squads, and gradually whittle down Fushimi's strength.

And so, the vanguard of the "Southern Army"—more than three thousand strong—set off in a mighty procession, attacking Fushimi from the north, west, and south!

On May 6, 1866 (the second year of the Meiji era), the Battle of Fushimi began!
……

……

Fushimi, south side—

"Damn it! Fushimi's path is way too complicated!"

"Fushimi is adjacent to Kyoto and is a very prosperous commercial city."

"Enough talk! Be alert! The Shinsengumi might be lying in ambush nearby!"

Hundreds of Southern soldiers marched along the street, leaving houses behind.

The "Sincerity" flag, the "Brocade" flag, and the "White Flag" flag fluttered side by side above the roof of the Fushimi Magistrate's Office.

Because they were so conspicuous, the "Southern Army" soldiers who stormed into Fushimi didn't have to worry about getting lost at all—they just had to charge towards the direction of these three flags!
After turning a narrow street corner, the group of Southern soldiers thought their view would open up.

However... what came into their view was not a wide street, but a solid fortification built of wood and stone! It directly blocked the road!

Dozens of gunmen crouched behind the bunker, their dark gun barrels pointed directly at the terrified Southern soldiers.

Oishi Kuwajiro (Vice-Captain of the 8th Division) raises his sword:

"put!"

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
Because of the close proximity, the hit rate of this barrage was extremely high! In just one volley, more than a dozen Southern soldiers were shot and fell to the ground.

"Second column, up!"

The second rank of gunners, who had been eager to try, immediately stepped forward and took their firing positions, while the first rank of gunners retreated to the rear and skillfully loaded new rounds—a classic "three-stage firing" tactic.

"put!"

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The second wave of bullets knocked down more than a dozen Southern soldiers.

Standing on a street with no obstacles, there's nowhere to hide... you're practically a sitting duck!

Faced with this sudden attack, the Southern soldiers immediately panicked and fled in disarray.

"Back off! Back off! Get out of here!"

"Damn it! Stop dawdling!"

"Quickly, get out of the bullets' reach!"

However, before they could escape more than a few steps, they encountered a new unexpected turn of events—what had been an empty space behind them was now suddenly filled with dozens of Shinsengumi members wielding steel swords, who sprang out from both sides of the street, completely blocking their escape route!
Sanjuro Tani (Fourth Division Lieutenant) drew his sword:

"Our lord has ordered: kill them all! Leave no one alive!"

With musketeers in front and swordsmen waiting in formation behind, the Southern soldiers caught in the crossfire were thrown into chaos. Before they could put up any decent resistance, they lost more than half of their forces.

Although some Southern soldiers fought back, they were quickly overwhelmed by the flashing blades.

In no time, the street returned to silence.

……

……

Fushimi, north side—

"Third Division! Follow me!"

The usually taciturn Nakazawa Sadayoshi (the vice-captain of the Third Division) shouted loudly, a rare occurrence for him.

The Third Squad members, emerging from the hidden alleyways, blocked every entrance and exit of the street, leaving the Southern Soldiers in the center of the street with nowhere to escape.

"Watch out! It's the Third Division!"

The formidable reputation of the first, second, and third divisions of the Shinsengumi has always been feared by the Southern Soldiers.

A fierce battle ensued immediately.

"That guy is Nakazawa Satag, the vice-captain of the Third Division!"

"Surround him! Kill him!"

Several Southern soldiers, who had taken "Decisive Battle Elixir" in advance, formed a fan-shaped encirclement formation and charged menacingly toward Nakazawa Sadagi.

Their formation was commendable.

With the added boost of the "Decisive Battle of Dian", their strength and fighting spirit are also commendable.

Unfortunately, even the "Decisive Battle of Dian" could not withstand the overwhelming force of the "vice-captain level"!

Nakazawa Sadaki quickly scanned the area to confirm the distance, then swung her sword with lightning speed.

Several flashes of light traced simple lines in mid-air.

Before the blade's light had even faded, the Southern soldiers were sent flying backward, spitting out blood.

……

……

Fushimi, west side—

"Hey! I think I'm hearing screams over there!"

"I knew our attack wouldn't go so smoothly!"

"Of course! The main force of the Shinsengumi is all here!"

"I...I heard some strange noises over there!"

Don't scare yourself! It's just the wind!

The hundred or so southern soldiers huddled together, as if they were implementing "pig tactics," curled up in a ball, and cautiously scanned their surroundings.

The slightest sound or movement will elicit a strong reaction from them.

The phrases "a bird startled by the twang of a bow" and "a crane crying in the wind" perfectly describe them.

Although the battle for Fushimi has only just begun, they have already deeply experienced the terror of urban warfare!
Every house, every dark alley, seemed to be hiding enemy soldiers!

Those houses that were destroyed by artillery shells have now become excellent shelters!
The continuous screams coming from all directions had terrified the Southern soldiers.

They dared not retreat without cause.

They dared not go any further...

Suddenly, someone came up with an idea:
"The enemy is in the shadows, while we are in the open! If this continues, we'll be ambushed sooner or later! The streets are too dangerous! Let's hide inside the houses! Move around inside the houses! That way, even if there are enemy soldiers hiding inside, we can spot them immediately!"

Because Japan is a small island nation with a vast land area and a sparse population, in order to improve land utilization, most houses in ancient Japanese towns were longhouses, meaning that each house was connected to the next, with one house's east wall being another's west wall.

By simply climbing through the window, one can easily break into a neighbor's house.

This person's suggestion was immediately approved by his companions.

"That's a good idea!"

"That's it!"

"Come on, come on! Hurry up and come inside!"

The Southern soldiers rushed into the nearby shops.

"Be careful! There might be enemy soldiers lurking here!"

They hunched over, making their way through the corridor, and cautiously made their way to the next room.

At this moment, the Southern soldier at the rear sensed something and suddenly turned his head to look back—all he could see was an empty corner of the corridor.

"Is this an illusion?..."

As the soldier muttered something and turned his gaze away, a figure suddenly appeared at the corner of the corridor where he had just been staring—he was dressed in white and blue armor, as if he had traveled from the Warring States period, and he was holding a black sword that gleamed coldly in his hand.

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