I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 869 I am "Langhua's Qilin Son" [5000]

Although it was outrageous, Qing Deng could still understand the strange fact that "some Kyoto warriors and people sympathized with Choshu."

Although Choshu had nothing to do with human affairs, it still occupied the great cause of "expelling the barbarians".

Let’s not talk about “respecting the king” for now, but “expelling the barbarians” is definitely the biggest political correctness nowadays, no doubt about it.

Even with the most gorgeous words in the world, it is impossible to whitewash the atrocities committed by Western powers.

All actions represented by the "Black Ship Incident" are outright acts of aggression and there is no room for any rebuttal.

From the Treaty of Kanagawa to the Ansei Five-Nation Treaty, the shogunate signed a series of unequal treaties with Western powers.

Although the shogunate cannot be blamed entirely for this, as it was forced by reality, from a third-party perspective, these actions of the shogunate were indisputable treason.

Faced with the severe accusation of "succumbing to the tyranny of Western powers", the shogunate never dared to respond directly, but only made vague statements, and had to swallow the bitterness in its mouth.

In short, as long as Choshu still holds the righteous cause of "expelling the barbarians", there will always be people who sympathize and support it.

Some Kyoto warriors and people sympathized with and supported Choshu - Qing Deng could understand that.

But with so many unusual incidents happening all at once, Qing Deng would never believe that there was no one behind the scenes fanning the flames!
They sell "Choshu Hagi Cake" and dance "Choshu Katsura".

It is said that if children do not dance, they will die, and that visiting the graves of Choshu patriots can cure diseases.

In just over a month, these outrageous incidents have emerged one after another.

To describe it in modern terms, this is a standard war of public opinion and cognitive warfare.

To undermine the morale of the pro-shogunate faction and enhance the image of the son-of-no-jo faction...it can be said that there are good intentions behind this.

Who is the mastermind behind the scenes?

The answer is self-evident.

"Although Changzhou is a skinny camel, it is still bigger than a horse..."

Qing Deng muttered in a voice that only he could hear.

There is no doubt that Choshu is the biggest suspect.

Today, Choshu is in danger.

Qing Deng would not be surprised at what they would do to save themselves.

Of course, besides Changzhou, Qing Deng also thought of other possibilities.

For example, the Satsuma clan with ulterior motives.

Another example is the cunning Fazhu Party.

In short, it’s always right to be more vigilant.

——We need to strengthen the intelligence network in Kyoto...

One after another, strategies and plots emerged from Qing Deng's mind.

Since a while ago, Tojo Shintaro has been standing there, waiting for Qingdeng's reaction and instructions.

After a while, Qing Deng realized that he had left the other person alone for a long time.

"Tojo-kun, I'm sorry to have made you stand for so long. Please sit down."

As he spoke, he made a "please" gesture towards the tatami in front of him.

Tojo Shintaro shook his head.

"No, I'll just stand."

Qing Deng smiled slightly, with a meaningful expression on his cheek.

"You'd better sit down. I have a long talk to you next."

Upon hearing this, Tojo Shintaro frowned slightly - he sensed the unusual emotion in Qing Deng's tone.

Before he could respond, Qing Deng slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked to the window not far away, facing the scenery outside the window.

"So... where should I start... First of all, should I continue to call you 'Tojo Shintaro', or should I change to 'Kazami Kazuma'?"

In an instant, Tojo Shintaro's pupils shrank slightly, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

On the night of the raid on Ikeda-ya, Qing Deng accidentally discovered that there were very obvious burn marks on the right abdomen of Tojo Shintaro.

He is good at using a spear and has a burn on his right abdomen... Such obvious features immediately reminded Qing Deng of the name that once dominated the capital - "The Kirin Child of Langhua"!
Qing Deng had long wanted to verify this matter with the other party.

However, important matters such as the Summer Campaign in Kyoto and the reform of the shogunate's military system came one after another, leaving him no time to take care of other things.

Since it's a rare opportunity to be alone with the other person today, why not do it today instead of today? Just speak frankly and have a good talk with him!
In just a moment, Tojo Shintaro adjusted his expression and calmly asked back:

"…Your Highness, what are you talking about? Who is Kazami Kazuma?"

His response was completely within Qing Deng's expectations.

As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Deng said calmly:

"Around the end of last year, when I went to Osaka for the first time to promote an alliance between the Qinjin clan and Huluya, I met an old man by chance."

"This person participated in the 'Oshio Heihachiro Uprising' 27 years ago..."

Qing Deng succinctly recounted his encounter with the old man and the story of Kazami Kazuma told by the old man himself.

With every word he said, Tojo Shintaro's facial expression changed.

After Qing Deng finished speaking, he remained silent for a long time.

Qing Deng was not in a hurry and waited quietly.

The room was enveloped in a pin-drop silence.

About 10 minutes later, a sound of laughter, neither sad nor happy, broke the silence.

"……Ha ha ha ha……"

Although he was smiling, Tojo Shintaro had a bitter expression on his face.

"I never thought that in my lifetime, I would still hear people calling me 'Kazami Kazuma'..."

After saying that, he took a deep breath, then turned his head and looked straight at Qing Deng, his facial expression becoming extremely solemn.

"Yes, my former name was... 'Kazami Kazuma'."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere at the scene was dominated by silence again.

Although he had prepared himself mentally, Qing Deng couldn't help but gasp when he heard the other party admit his true identity in person.

To be honest, he couldn't equate "Langhua's Qilin'er" with this fat man who was out of shape and unkempt...

However, the ironclad facts were before him, and he had no choice but to accept them even if he didn't believe them.

He turned sideways, withdrew his gaze from the window, and looked at Tojo Shintaro, their eyes meeting.

He didn't know whether it was his illusion or the truth, but he always felt that after admitting his true identity, Tojo Shintaro's facial expression - especially his eyebrows - had a very subtle change.

Became more sharp.

Unlike in the past, there is always a lingering sense of decadence.

"...The once famous 'Kirin of Nanhua' is right in front of me, and he's an old acquaintance of mine... To be honest, I still can't believe it."

After hearing the words "famous in the capital", "the unicorn of Naniwa", Tojo Shintaro twitched the corners of his mouth and a self-deprecating look appeared on his cheeks.

Driven by curiosity, Qing Deng continued:

"Tojo-kun... no, Kazami-kun, can you tell me in detail how you changed your name and how you joined the Great Salt Party?"

"Of course, if you don't want to go into detail, I won't force you."

Kazunari Kazunari, who made great contributions in the battle to suppress the "Oshio Heihachiro Uprising", actually abandoned his fame and not only changed his name and identity, but also joined a once hostile organization... If Qing Deng is not curious about the story behind it, it must be false.

With just a little imagination, he could come up with a lot of stories.

Tojo Shintaro probably saw through Qing Deng's thoughts and laughed:

"Your Highness, if you expect to hear some heart-wrenching story from me, I'm afraid you will be disappointed."

"My story... is full of embarrassment and dirtiness, and there is nothing brilliant about it."

After saying that, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if he was sorting out his emotions.

About 10 seconds later, he picked up the conversation again:
"Your Highness, although what I said may be a little offensive... but a genius like you probably cannot understand the pain of being unappreciated."

“You are famous at a young age.”

"At a young age, he showed amazing talent and outstanding ability, and rose to prominence at a rapid pace."

"A mortal like me can never compare to you."

Although there was a hint of sourness in his tone, Qing Deng did not show any signs of abnormality and his expression remained normal.

After all...what the other party said is true.

No matter from which angle you look at it, Qing Deng is a winner in life that ordinary people can never reach!
In just 4 years, he rose from an unknown little retainer to a powerful daimyo and the number one figure in the shogunate's army.

This speed of promotion is rarely matched by anyone in the East or West, both ancient and modern. When he led the Shinsengumi to fight in all directions, he always won a battle and conquered a place, making him an invincible general.

Not only that, he also married three beautiful wives.

Chiba Sanako, the "most beautiful woman in Edo" who made thousands of men dream about her, was just one of his wives - this alone was enough to make countless people jealous.

Not to mention his other two wives, who were also stunning beauties.

He is successful in every field, including officialdom, battlefield and love affairs.

The so-called "winners in life" are nothing more than this.

After briefly praising Qing Deng, Tojo Shintaro changed the subject and adopted a self-deprecating tone.

"When I was young, people called me 'Naniwa's Kirin', saying that I was a talented spearman with a bright future."

"Humph, even if they praise me to the sky, what's the use?"

"No matter what, it can't change the fact that I am a low-level warrior."

“This world is so unfair.”

"Unless you are a god, everyone's life is predetermined from the moment they are born."

“The powerful are born to have everything.”

“No matter how hard ordinary people try, they can only wallow in the cesspool.”

"Your Highness, I don't know if you know that I am a Trinity Knight."

Tojo Shintaro said this with the corners of his mouth pulled up, the self-mockery on his face was so intense that it couldn't be more intense.

Trinity Samurai - a highly insulting derogatory term during the Edo period.

It specifically refers to poor warriors whose annual salary is only 3 taels of cash and rice to support one person (enough rice to feed an adult for a year is given free of charge every year).

The "Trinity Samurai" are the lowest level among the samurai.

With such little income, I can’t even support myself, let alone marry and have children.

Generally speaking, almost all "Trinity Warriors" have to find side jobs such as farming and making umbrellas.

But even so, their living standards are still hard to describe, even worse than those of tenant farmers.

Because they were so poor that even common people looked down on them, people gave them the derogatory name "Trinity Warriors" to mock them.

Because it is so insulting, it is a great swear word to use when arguing with a samurai.

Because it is so insulting, it should be used with caution.

When you call a warrior a 'Trinity Warrior', that is the signal to start a war. No matter what happens next, it is not surprising. It is very likely that only one of you and your opponent will survive today.

Tojo Shintaro took a deep breath, slightly suppressed the self-mockery on his face, and continued:
"Your Highness, can you imagine how it feels?"

"I have talent and work harder than anyone else, but I am still poor and destitute."

"On the other hand, those good-for-nothings, just because they have a good family background, they can easily get the official position I dream of."

"With no shortage of money to spend, beauties are vying to throw themselves into your arms."

"I hate this...I don't want this."

"I want money."

“I want status.”

"I want an official position."

"I want to have a beautiful woman in my arms,"

"Your Highness, now that things have come to this, I will not hide it from you anymore."

"The reason why I practice spearmanship is not because I like spearmanship, nor is it for the purpose of delving into martial arts. I don't have such a high level of awareness."

"It's better to say that I don't like martial arts at all."

"When I was so tired that I couldn't even straighten my back, when the calluses and blisters on my palms were repeatedly rubbed, I felt nothing but pain."

"However, even though it was unbearable, I gritted my teeth and persisted in practicing martial arts... The reason for this was purely to emulate Miyamoto Musashi back then."

"Miyamoto Musashi was invincible, famous all over the world, and received courtesy from many dignitaries."

"For a poor family like me, 'learning martial arts' is the only way out."

“There is no other way to go.”

The more Tojo Shintaro spoke, the more depressed his tone became.

Qing Deng couldn't help but look serene.

In the Edo period when there was no imperial examination system, "working hard in martial arts and striving to gain the recognition of superiors" became almost the only way for middle and lower-level samurai to rise.

From a certain perspective, Qing Deng gradually gained the attention of the upper class and was subsequently reused because of his extraordinary martial arts skills.

"Although I am a penniless 'Trinity Warrior', fortunately, God has blessed me with extraordinary talent in spearmanship and superior waist and abdominal strength. He also allowed me to meet a mentor, which gave me a glimmer of hope for a comeback."

"Thanks to this talent, Master not only exempted me from my tuition, but also provided me with rich food so that I could strengthen my body."

[Note: In ancient times, when students and teachers first met, they had to present gifts to show respect, which was called "Shuxiu"]

"In order to stand out, I worked very hard to hone my spear skills."

"Thanks to this painful time, my spear skills became more and more sophisticated. In just a few years, I surpassed my master, and my fame grew."

"Gradually, people began to call me 'Langhua's Kirin'."

“My fellow villagers are all proud of me.”

"They said, 'Outsiders think that we Osaka people are cunning villains who only know how to do business. Your sudden appearance has made us proud. We Osaka can also produce excellent samurai.'"

"Although the villagers like me very much and regard me as their pride, but... I am ashamed... I have never looked at them in the eye..."

"At that time, I was obsessed with fame and fortune. I had no other thoughts in my mind except "getting ahead as soon as possible."

"However... even though I have worked extremely hard, almost to the extreme of 'hard work', and the name 'Naniwa's Kirin Child' has spread throughout the capital, no superior or feudal lord has promoted me..."

"Oh... this is only natural."

"These days, life in Daimyo is not easy either."

"Countless feudal states are so poor that they can't even afford to eat because they can't collect taxes. Even the salaries of their own samurai have been reduced again and again. How can they accept and promote me, a 'three-in-one samurai' from Osaka?"

"What's more, during the Tokugawa era, civil officials were promoted while military officials were suppressed, and there was no war for a hundred years."

"Without a war to fight, there is no need for a fellow like me who has no other merits except for his spearmanship."

"Just when I was beginning to feel helpless and hopeless... Heihachirō Oshio launched an uprising in Osaka."

"I was very happy when I learned that there was a rebellion in Osaka."

"I was so happy that I couldn't sleep."

"I am so happy that I can't wait to rush to Osaka, put down the rebellion, and achieve great success in one fell swoop!"

"I don't dare to dream of becoming the lord of a city or a place, but I long for an official position, to become a 'real samurai' with status and dignity, no longer constrained by money and food."

"So... just like that, I rushed to the front line without hesitation and signed up to join the rebel suppression army."

"Thanks to the fame I had accumulated previously, I was appointed as the vanguard of the army."

"After encountering the Dayan army, I immediately launched a desperate attack like a mad dog, using all my knowledge to kill the enemy as I saw them, fearing that my superiors would not see my heroic performance."

"That day was the first time in my life that I fired a gun with such devotion and selflessness."

"The peasant army, whose only strength is numbers, is no match for me."

"Just as I was killing happily and disintegrating the enemy's formation, I suddenly found half of a familiar body on the tip of the spear... It was Funagoro."

"He is my fellow villager and lives next door to me."

"Although he likes to brag and always says 'I know so and so', he is indeed a good person and I have received a lot of care from him."

"Funagoro, who was on the point of my spear, has already died."

"His eyes widened, and it seemed as if his eyeballs were about to fall out of their sockets. He looked at me in disbelief."

"'Yima, how could it be you?' - At that moment, I vaguely heard him 'say' to me."

"Funagoro showed up among the rebels and died under my gun... The horrific truth behind this made me shudder on the spot."

"When I turned my head and looked back... all I could see were the broken limbs of my fellow villagers."

"There are men and women."

"Some are familiar, some are unfamiliar."

"Uncle Hua, Hachiro, Azhuo... they are all my fellow villagers. They all praised my marksmanship achievements. They are all proud of me as the 'Kirin Son of Naniwa'."

"But I...but...in order to gain fame...no, that's not right. In order to win the favor of my superiors, I killed them all."

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