In order to become a Heroic Spirit, I had no choice but to cause trouble in history.

It took the three of them more than a month to finally walk from Oba to Shimoda.

As one of only two channels connecting Japan to foreign countries, both of them were very curious about this place.

It was the Americans who forced the shogunate to sign unequal treaties, forcibly breaking Japan's isolationist policy and finally waking up the shogunate, that fool.

Following the two treaties signed between the United States and the Tokugawa shogunate, Russia, Britain, the Netherlands, and other countries also signed various treaties with Japan.

Not long after, the shogunate lifted Japan's ban on the construction of large ships, thanks in part to the efforts of Masahiro Abe.

Shimoda Castle was not a bustling city. Unlike large castles such as Edo, Nagoya, and Kyoto, it was primarily known as a port city.

As Samura and Ryoma approached Shimoda Castle, their first impression was: "Wow, there are so many foreigners!"

Although the majority of people in Shimoda Castle are Japanese, there are also many tall, high-bridged-nosed, blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners that you would never see anywhere else.

"Ryoma, those people look so strange," Miss Ryoma complained, looking at the foreigners in the city.

“Hmm, they are indeed very different from the Japanese…” Ryoma narrowed his eyes.

He had met foreigners before, but this was the first time he had ever seen so many.

“I remember the Americans had diplomats stationed here,” Zuocun recalled something.

"Hmm... let's stay here for two days," Ryoma thought for a moment.

After all, the purpose is just to broaden one's horizons, so staying too long won't be of much use.

The three walked through Shimoda. Most of the foreigners were busy and hurried past, but some of them would look at the Japanese, including Ryoma Samura, with disdain.

That's not contempt for an individual, but contempt for a nation.

Zuocun felt a heavy weight in his heart.

"Ryoma, can I hit someone?" Miss Ryoma was annoyed by being stared at, so she asked for Ryoma's opinion.

"No, no, calm down, Miss Ryoma." Ryoma, sweating profusely, gave a bitter laugh.

In fact, both Samura and Ryoma were prepared for this situation.

A weak nation will inevitably be despised.

How to avoid being looked at like that in the future is what the two of them are considering.

It may bring you momentary pleasure, but it does no good for the country.

Ryoma, leading Miss Ryoma, and the group found an inn in Shimoda Castle, checked in, and then all sighed in unison.

“I imagined that foreigners would treat us very badly, but I never expected…” Ryoma felt a heavy weight pressing on his chest.

Zuocun thought of that approachable foreigner—his English teacher, Dr. Luslan Jefferson, who lived in Kyoto.

Luslan had reminded him that Americans were remarkably consistent in their attitude toward Japan, and that he was just an exception.

Therefore, when interacting with Americans and other foreigners besides him, one should not act rashly.

"Ryoma, do you have any thoughts?"

"...If I could truly cleanse this country, then diplomacy would be of utmost urgency." Ryoma stroked his chin, lost in thought. "But ultimately...the foundation of diplomacy lies in one's own formidable strength. The current shogunate is far too weak, and even the Emperor outwardly supports this weak shogunate. Lord Katsu Kaishu, under the guidance of the deceased Abe Masahiro, has begun building a navy, and I've heard he's even hired a Dutch instructor. I wonder how things are going with him now..."

"...Let's go to Tosa first. Right now, it's time to accumulate strength. Our thoughts are not suitable to be revealed in the open." Samura suggested to Ryoma.

"That's what I was thinking too." With a long sigh, Ryoma rubbed his temples.

......

At this time, in Kyoto.

A servant looked tremblingly at the scene inside the palace.

"The general—the general is dead!"

This scream echoed throughout Kyoto.

On August 14, 1858, Tokugawa Iesada, the shogun, was found dead in his bedroom.

Cause of death... unknown.

The shogunate elders and Tokugawa Nariaki, the leader of another faction of Ii Naosuke, faced each other in complete silence.

Tokugawa Nariaki glared at Ii Naosuke, gritting his teeth: "Lord Ii, what should we do now?"

Ii Naosuke sighed.

“I recommend…Tokugawa Iemochi to serve as the Shogun.”

There wasn't much conflict between the Hitotsubashi school and the Nanki school.

Everyone knows the cause of the general's death, but no one will say it.

Two years ago, Tokugawa Iesada was already terminally ill and barely recognizable as a human being. He discussed many political matters with Abe Masahiro.

However, with Abe Masahiro's death, Tokugawa Iesada had to step in again.

Tokugawa Iesada was already suffering from tuberculosis, and the death of his trusted confidant further exacerbated the situation...

The only person in charge now is Ii Naosuke.

"At the same time... arrest these people."

He presented a list he had drafted.

The people above... are probably all from the Hitotsubashi faction.

The Southern School is about to draw blood.

------------

Chapter 340 Thunderous Decapitation

The Anzheng Prison has begun.

Serizawa Kamo and Niimi Nishiki... were arrested together because they were implicated in something.

It was a month later when Samura and Ryoma learned of this news.

Having learned to swim, Samura no longer needed to jump into the sea so frequently, and his speed naturally increased. By October, the two of them had returned to Tosa.

I heard this news as soon as I checked into a hotel.

"Zamura, what do you think?" Ryoma asked.

“Lord Ii, is he going to purge dissidents…” Samura frowned. “This is truly… a foolish political persecution.”

“I know Ii Naosuke as a person… an extreme moderate who is obsequious to foreigners, but ruthless in order to maintain his position in the court.”

“Dozens have already been arrested this time, and the number is expected to increase…” Ryoma clicked his tongue. “This is practically a tendency to destroy all the talent that has already been discovered. Ii Naosuke… what is he thinking?”

Although Ryoma is now inclined to stand on the opposite side of the shogunate, he still feels deeply saddened by the persecution, imprisonment, and even potential execution of these talented individuals.

“Just stupid shortsightedness.” Zuocun felt he had never heard of such an idiot before. “Choosing to destroy the future of the entire country for his own lust for power… How ridiculous.”

"To be honest, I can already foresee how he'll die," Zuo Cun sneered.

Ii Naosuke has already incurred the wrath of the masses.

Anyone who angers a nation's patriots will eventually have their life taken away.

......

The Ansei Purge caused widespread fear and insecurity throughout Japan, especially in the Kyoto-Sendai Domain.

Ii Naosuke used some tricks to directly strip Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu, Tokugawa Nariaki, and others of their titles and send them to prison.

He had been preparing for this day for a long time.

The new shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi, who rose to power with his assistance, was only fourteen years old.

However, although Tokugawa Iemochi was very young, he had a lot of political experience. When he was only four years old, he became the lord of the Kishu Domain. He was also the grandson of the previous shogun, Tokugawa Ienari, so it was only right for him to take this position.

After taking office, when he went to visit the Emperor, Tokugawa Iemochi looked at the Grand Elder Ii Naosuke, who was riding in front of the carriage, and gave him a strange smile.

Ii Naosuke thought he had found a puppet, but in reality, would Tokugawa Iemochi, who was capable of controlling a domain even when he was young, really become Ii Naosuke's puppet?

Amidst the ongoing chaos, time slowly marched on.

The American returned to Edo and discussed many matters with the new shogun. In 1859, Kanagawa and Nagasaki were opened to foreigners as seaports.

Samura learned to swim and often went out to sea with ships while in the Tosa Domain. He met many people and even took the time to visit Shimoda again, where he spent some money to obtain Dutch and Japanese dictionaries.

Afterwards, after a long talk with Sakamoto Ryoma that lasted all night, Samura quietly left Tosa.

The situation in Japan right now is... extremely chaotic, so chaotic that every day is filled with anxiety.

The craze for swordsmanship intensified, but it brought not only more enlightened individuals, but also, and even more, bandits who learned only a few moves and then became outlaws.

The shogunate had no time to deal with more matters, and each domain acted independently. There were many domains that did not submit to Tokugawa Iemochi, who was assisted by Ii Naosuke, but in the end, they were afraid of the shogunate's military power.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; the shogunate is in its twilight years, but not everyone can act recklessly.

Until March 3, 1860...

Light snow in spring is an extremely rare occurrence.

Ii Naosuke had been in power for the past two years and was full of vigor, but he kept a low profile and continued to serve as a subject in front of Tokugawa Iemochi.

He has already gotten everything he wanted, so there's no need for him to work harder; he just needs to... enjoy it peacefully.

At this moment, Ii Naosuke was sitting in his carriage, about to go up to the castle to deliver his greetings for the Shangsi Festival.

The entire journey was exceptionally quiet.

After the car had been driving for a while, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

Ii Naosuke frowned, lifted the carriage curtain, and asked, "Where are we? And what's causing all this noise ahead?"

The fully armed attendant bowed slightly: "Sir, we have arrived at Sakurada Gate. As for the commotion ahead, it seems that someone is blocking the road to file a complaint."

A man in front of them was holding a petition and crying his heart out, but when someone approached him—

He pulled a dagger from his loose-fitting clothes and killed the seemingly high-ranking officer with a single blow.

"Fellow patriots! Take down Ii Naosuke's head!" he shouted.

A group of people crying and complaining instantly turned into knife-wielding thugs.

"Alert!" someone shouted.