I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1164: The army splits into two groups to reinforce Dajin and reorganize to defend the city.
Although they successfully recaptured Toba and severely damaged the "Southern Army," their current situation has not fundamentally improved.

Their greatest enemy now is no longer the "Southern Army" in front of them, but the "Northern Army" behind them.

The Northern Expeditionary Army's advance is still aimed at Otsu, and Otsu remains in grave danger!

Even if Otsu falls, they will still be defeated!
After giving a brief opening remark, Qing Deng turned his head and gave a wink to Yamanami Keisuke beside him.

Yamanami Keisuke nodded knowingly, then recited a series of precise numbers:
"After accounting for the dead and wounded, the remaining force is 6124 men, including 3635 musketeers..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces fell.

Of the more than 8,000 soldiers before the war, only more than 6,000 are still capable of fighting... The number of casualties accounts for a quarter of the entire army, which is no small number.

Of course, compared to the losses of the "Southern Army"—that is, compared to their fruitful results—their cost was negligible.

To achieve such a high exchange ratio when outnumbered is already a remarkable feat.

After Yamanami Keisuke finished speaking, Qing Deng picked up the conversation:

"Kichinosuke Saigo is indeed a remarkable figure of his generation."

"It was thought that the 'Southern Army' would surely collapse after suffering such a heavy blow."

"Unexpectedly, Saigo Kichinosuke was able to rally the remaining troops, stop the rout, and reorganize the army."

Looking westward from the bird's feathers, one can see twinkling lights in the distance—the lights of the "Southern Army" camp.

The Southern Army did not retreat, but returned to its pre-battle position and continued to confront the Shinsengumi.

The Southern Army suffered such a crushing defeat today that its soldiers and generals lost all will to fight, and they fled in panic, with the army's order completely destroyed.

Affected by the fleeing soldiers, even troops that were not normally acting out will become disorderly.

Back then, the Battle of Fei River was lost in the same way. The front retreated, and the people behind were confused, which eventually led to chaos in the entire army.

Logically speaking, given the circumstances at the time, it was not impossible for the "Southern Army" soldiers to collectively abandon their positions and camps and flee westward back to their hometowns.

However, when the fleeing soldiers left Toba and retreated back to their camp, it was as if they had hit an invisible wall, and their rout came to an abrupt halt.

Without a doubt, this was the work of General Saigo Kichinosuke, the commander-in-chief of the "Southern Army".

He stabilized the camp, maintained order, and prevented the chaos from spreading further.

Otherwise, not even a remnant of the Southern Army would have been left.

To accomplish such a task, both prestige and skill are indispensable.

Qingdeng continued speaking:

"Currently, the remnants of the 'Southern Army' are entrenched west of Toba, adopting a defensive posture."

"Of course, the defense is a pretense. Their real intention is to prevent us from fully supporting Otsu."

"Time is of the essence, and we have no time to get entangled with the 'Southern Army' any longer."

"Therefore, I decided to split up into two groups."

“A portion of the men stayed behind to guard Toba and Fushimi, keeping an eye on the Southern Army.”

"The other group of people returned to Otsu with me."

After speaking, Qingdeng gave everyone some time to digest and think.

The group exchanged glances, conveying their thoughts through their eyes.

Some people looked calm and indifferent, such as Saito Hajime and Sanako.

Some people frowned slightly, their faces serious and worried, such as Yamanami Keisuke and Todo Heisuke.

Of course, there were plenty of people who were excited and eager to try, such as Shinpachi Nagakura, Kamo Serizawa, Isami Kondo, and Sanosuke Harada.

After pondering for a moment, Hijikata Toshizo sighed softly:
"...Wouldn't this be exactly what Saigo Kinosuke wanted?"

Qingdeng said slowly:
"There's no other way, this is the only option."

Today's fierce battle has completely destroyed the "Southern Army's" offensive capabilities.

Unless Saigo Kichinosuke possesses extraordinary abilities, no matter how hard he tries, he cannot prevent a heavily damaged and demoralized army from continuing to fight against the Shinsengumi.

However, it is more than enough to put pressure on the new electoral group and make Qing Deng wary.

In any case, the "Southern Army" still retains a considerable size of troops.

As long as they remain west of Toba, it's like a sword hanging over Qingdeng's head, waiting for the right moment to strike!

If Aoto were to bring all of the Shinsengumi's fighting force back to Otsu, Saigo Kinosuke would surely notice.

At that time, the birds that have been so hard-won will inevitably be taken away again, and even Fushimi may fall.

What effort would it take to attack an "empty city"?
From another perspective, Saigo Kichinosuke's swift order to "retreat immediately" to the entire army today was indeed a decisive and wise decision.

Because the evacuation was timely, casualties were minimized to the greatest extent possible.

Qing Deng dares to assert that Saigo Kichinosuke must have given this order because he considered that they would not be able to win if they continued fighting, so it was better to retreat as soon as possible, preserve as much fighting force as possible to continue to contain the Shinsengumi, and give the "Northern Shogunate Army" that was attacking Otsu a better chance of winning.

If the Northern Expeditionary Army can capture Otsu, then today's defeat will be insignificant.

Despite the crushing defeat at the front, they remained unaffected, quickly finding the optimal solution amidst the chaotic battle and executing it with swift and decisive action... Their courage and decisiveness are truly admirable.

There is a reason why Saigo Kichinosuke was able to rise from a low-ranking samurai to become the number one samurai in Satsuma.

After pursing his lips, Kondo Isami asked Aoto:

"...So, Tachibana-kun, how many people do you plan to take back to Otsu?"

Qingdeng smiled slightly:
"That's the main topic tonight."

……

……

The next morning—

Toba, South Palace of the City—

"Toshizo, I'm entrusting Toba to you."

Qing Deng patted Hijikata Toshizo on the shoulder with a solemn expression.

Hijikata Toshizo's expression was relaxed, but his tone was firm:

"give it to me!"

Last night, after careful and detailed discussions, Qing Deng and others formulated the following plan for dividing their forces—

Hijikata Toshizo led two thousand men to stay behind in Toba.

Those who stayed behind included Nagakura Shinpachi, Niimi Nishiki, Soma Kazue (captain of the 12th Division), Yoshimura Kanichiro (captain of the 13th Division), and all the wounded.

Aoto himself led the four thousand men in their best condition and the majority of the artillery back to Otsu! Accompanying him were Kondo Isami, Yamanami Keisuke, Souji, Saito Hajime, Serizawa Kamo, Inoue Genzaburo, Sanako, Todo Heisuke, Omai, Harada Sanosuke, and Abe Juro (captain of the 11th Division).

Hijikata Toshizo was the only one under Seido who could stand alone, so it was reasonable to put him in charge of Toba.

Soma Kazue and Yoshimura Kanichiro were juniors, so they naturally dared not question Aoto's decision.

In contrast, Nagakura Shinpachi and Shinmi Nishiki are not so particular.

They immediately appealed to Aoto, expressing their unwillingness to stay in Toba and their desire to return to Tsu with the main force to fight the "Northern Expeditionary Army".

Although their words were sincere, their appeal was ineffective, and Qing Deng rejected it without hesitation.

Both Nagakura Shinpachi and Niimi Nishiki are shrewd despite their rough exterior, and possess keen combat instincts. If the Southern Army makes any unusual moves, they will be able to detect it immediately.

Therefore, it is most appropriate to keep them both to assist Hijikata Toshizo.

Furthermore, both of them were injured in the previous battle.

The brain injury suffered by Shinpachi Nagakura on the first day of the war showed signs of recurrence.

Due to a severe lack of intelligence, the exact combat strength of the "Northern Army" remains unknown.

The upcoming "Battle of Ōtsu" might be even more intense than the "Battle of Toba-Fushimi"!
Therefore, it is really not advisable to bring these two injured people back to Tianjin.

The plan is set; all that's left is to act!
Before dawn, the Shinsengumi camp in Toba, which had been moved there the night before, was already bustling with activity.

The soldiers drove the horses, carried the supplies, and organized the march... Everyone worked together, quickly and efficiently preparing for the upcoming forced march.

According to the plan, Qingdeng will lead some captains and a small number of cavalrymen to return to Dajin first. Their expected arrival time is midnight tonight.

Subsequent troops are expected to arrive in Tianjin by noon tomorrow.

Following the "Second Great Turn in China," another rapid march where every second counts!
While the team members were busy running around, the captains, led by Yamanami Keisuke, were not idle either.

Yamanami Keisuke orchestrated the entire army in an orderly manner.

Abe Juro personally supervised the transport of the cannons.

Elodie and Zona worked together to count the amount of supplies that had left the camp.

Of course, some team leaders also have a lot of free time.

Right now, the headmaster is fitting tack onto her horse.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her:
“…Xiao Si.”

Souji was startled and turned to look—Hijikata Toshizo strode straight toward her.

He was not alone; Kondo Isami and Inoue Genzaburo were close by his side.

Last night, they were busy allocating specific quotas for "staying behind in Toba" and "returning to support Otsu," and didn't have time to savor the joy of reunion.

Now, they finally have some free time to meet and have a proper chat.

Looking at his younger sister, who no longer appeared weak and sickly, Hijikata Toshizo looked her up and down while tensing his facial muscles—otherwise, he would involuntarily appear "weak."

"...Are you feeling alright?"

General Wan'er:

"Great! I slept soundly last night and feel fantastic! I have boundless energy!"

Upon hearing this, Hijikata Toshizo couldn't help but smile.

"You must take good care of yourself. You've only just survived, so don't waste this life you've fought so hard to regain."

After saying that, he turned his head and looked at Kondo Isami and Inoue Genzaburo on his left and right sides.

"You two must take good care of Xiao Si." Inoue Genzaburo said with a helpless expression.
"We're supposed to take care of her? She'd be the one taking care of us!"

The three siblings... no, with the addition of Inoue Genzaburo, there are four siblings.

The four of them looked at each other and laughed in unison.

……

……

"...Hey! Saito! Heisuke! Sanosuke!"

Saito Hajime, Todo Heisuke, and Harada Sanosuke stopped in their tracks and looked toward the sound as Nagakura Shinpachi suddenly appeared.

Harada Sanosuke helplessly spread his hands:

"Shinpachi, Mr. Tachibana has already made it very clear that he will not change his mind. Asking us to plead for you is useless. You should just stay in Toba."

Nagakura Shinpachi laughed and scolded in an annoyed tone:
"That's not why I came here! Since Mr. Tachibana has put it that way, I will naturally comply!"

Fujido Heisuke asked:
"What happened? Why did you suddenly call out to us?"

Nagakura Shinpachi took a deep breath and straightened his face:
"...You must be very careful. The strength of the 'Northern Expeditionary Army' is a mystery. The Aizu Army was utterly defeated in less than half a day. The battles you are about to face will definitely be very dangerous."

It turned out they had come to say goodbye—Toudou Heisuke and Harada Sanosuke exchanged a glance, their eyes showing a mixture of surprise and joy.

Saito Hajime said slowly and deliberately:
"No matter what kind of battle it is, whether it is difficult or easy, we will do our best."

Todo Heisuke picked up the conversation:

"We will surely crush the enemy and return in triumph!"

Nagakura Shinpachi smiled and nodded:
"That's it! That's the spirit! The body can be crippled, the weapon can be broken, but the spirit must never be lacking!"

Then, as if remembering something, he shrugged:

"Thinking about it carefully, it's been a long time since the four of us got together. Once upon a time, we were all under Mr. Tachibana's command. Years have passed, and we are still serving him, only the titles on our heads have changed."

Upon hearing this, Todo Heisuke and Harada Sanosuke were taken aback at first, but then both of them couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression as they recalled their fond memories.

The atmosphere was just right, but Saito Hajime interrupted it in a very serious tone:

"Back then, I wasn't Mr. Tachibana's guide; I was his bodyguard."

Nagakura Shinpachi waved his hand helplessly:

"It's just a different name. You assisted Mr. Tachibana in solving cases quite a bit back then, so you can be considered half of Gang Yin."

He paused, looked up at the sky, and a look of reminiscence deepened on his face.

“We would always go out for drinks together after work. It’s been a long time since then, but it feels like it was just yesterday.”

Toudo Heisuke smiled:

"Hearing you say that, I suddenly really miss the drinks at that izakaya I used to frequent. Even though they were cheap, cloudy sake, the taste was exceptionally rich."

Even the usually "hard-hearted" Saito Hajime was affected by the atmosphere, and a faint smile appeared on his face:
"...Once this battle is over, let's go for a drink, something we haven't done in a long time."

Nagakura Shinpachi nodded vigorously, his tone returning to solemnity:

"That's exactly what I'm thinking! So, you mustn't let anything happen to you. Hold Ōtsu, defeat the 'Northern Expeditionary Army'! Then, all of you, safe and sound, and laden with glory, go together to celebrate!"

Harada Sanosuke chuckled:
"Shinpachi, who do you think I am? I am Harada Sanosuke, the 'immortal' who can survive even with his stomach cut open!"

……

……

"Serizawa!"

Shinmi Nishiki suddenly called out to Serizawa Kamo.

The latter frowned and stared at the former with an unfriendly expression.

"Jin, what's wrong? Let me be clear, don't be like those guys and say those cheesy, disgusting things to me. I can't stand that."

As he spoke, he gestured towards Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Hajime, and others not far away.

Shinji Nishiki shrugged:

"Do I look like the kind of person who would say that? Serizawa, you should be careful."

"Didn't we agree not to say such cheesy and disgusting things?"

Shinji nodded earnestly.
"Yes, so what I said isn't disgusting; it's just a perfectly normal wish."

Serizawa Kamo pulled down the corners of her mouth and looked at Shinmi Nishiki with an expression that suggested something bad was going to happen.

Although his face showed obvious disgust, he did not utter any harsh words. Instead, after pondering for a moment, he said softly and slowly:

"...Jin, you should also be careful. The 'Southern Army' might fight like a cornered beast."

Shinmi Nishiki smiled and patted the sword at his waist:

"That's perfect! I was just thinking that my contribution in this battle wasn't significant enough!"

……

……

The sun rose, painting the eastern half of the sky red.

The soft dawn light spread across the land, giving the Chengzi flag fluttering in the wind a golden sheen.

Looking up, the carefully selected 4,000 soldiers were already lined up neatly, ready to go!
The supply train carrying weapons and equipment had already set off, and the long line stretched from east to west, filling the road and seemingly endless.

"Lord."

A member of the "Zero Squad" helped Qing Deng bring over a radish.

"Well, thank you for your hard work."

Qingdeng offered a brief thank you, then lightly leaped upwards and landed steadily on the radish's back.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the faces of Souji, Sanako, and the others behind him, before proclaiming in a loud and clear voice:
"set off!"

After shouting, he lightly tapped the radish's belly with his heel.

Radish let out a loud "moo" and, carrying Qingdeng, shot off like an arrow.

The others leaped onto their saddles and cracked their whips, the neighing of horses rising and falling.

The group headed east like a whirlwind, kicking up clouds of dust that drifted into the air.

……

……

West of Toba, the Southern Army's position, main camp—

Saigo Kinosuke stood with his hands behind his back, gazing expressionlessly at Toba in the distance, watching the lingering cloud of dust.

Katsura Kogoro suddenly appeared from behind him, walked slowly, and stood beside him.

The two of them remained silent, staring intently in the same direction.

It wasn't until quite a while later that Katsura Kogoro let out a deep, long sigh:

"...I'm so unwilling to accept this."

Saigo Kinosuke nodded slightly:
"Hmm... It's really frustrating... I gave it my all and racked my brains, but I still lost to Tachibana Aoto. I can understand Zhou Yu's feelings when he shouted 'Since Zhou Yu was born, why was Zhuge Liang born?'"

After saying that, he closed his eyes, hiding the pain, regret, and other emotions within them.

Are we out of options now?

Saigo Kinosuke nodded again:

"Our army is no longer able to fight. It is fortunate that we can continue to hold this position instead of collapsing completely."

"Forcing Tachibana Aoto to divide his forces to defend Toba is the last thing we can do right now."

At this point, he paused, raised his gaze, and looked towards the distant east.

"Now, our only hope is that the 'northern army' can successfully capture Otsu. If Otsu falls, we might be able to turn the tide. Otherwise..."

Kichinosuke Saigo stopped speaking at the right moment and did not continue.

Katsura Kogoro silently kept quiet, knowing the unspoken message.

The two returned to silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they continued to watch the plume of smoke drift further and further away.

……

……

From Toba to Otsu, it's not far.

Despite the heavy workload, Qing Deng and his companions finally arrived in Dajin as scheduled at midnight.

Qingdeng didn't bother to rest—he really didn't feel tired—and headed straight for Dajin City without stopping.

Traveling on the back of a horse (or ox) for a whole day is a considerable burden for ordinary people.

Those cavalrymen who followed Qingdeng back to Dajin were all suffering from aches and numbness in their lower backs, almost losing all sensation, and their inner thighs were burning with pain.

But for Qing Deng, this level of hardship was nothing compared to spending a night with Tian Zhang Yuan.

As soon as he entered the main building of Otsu Castle, he saw Matsudaira Katamori, who looked haggard.

Upon their reunion, Matsudaira Katamori immediately knelt down and apologized in a trembling voice:

"Master Zuo... I am so sorry... It's all my fault for being incompetent... which has led to the deterioration of the battle situation...! Please punish me... I will have no complaints...!"

The moment he knelt down, the sound of his knees hitting the ground echoed continuously—his retinue of subjects behind him also knelt down, some with ashen faces, others sobbing softly.

Qing Deng solemnly bent down and helped Matsudaira Katamori up.

"Lord Higo, let's leave the matter of rewards and punishments for now, to be discussed after the battle. For now, let's concentrate our efforts, unite as one, and defeat our formidable enemy!"

*******
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Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

P.S.: The upcoming Battle of Otsu is the final battle of this book... The progress is good, it should be finished this month, no problem! (Probably...)
(End of this chapter)