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

"General, after interrogation, those who attacked the British Embassy at Tozen-ji Temple were defectors from the Mito Domain..." Ando Nobumasa knelt outside the curtain, reporting tremblingly to Tokugawa Iemochi.

A few days ago, Tokugawa Iemochi's rare announcement frightened almost everyone in the shogunate into silence.

Tokugawa Iemochi sighed heavily: "The Mito Domain, huh..."

The problems of the Mito Domain are a legacy of the deceased Ii Naosuke. After all, the main victims of the Ansei Purge a couple of years ago were concentrated in the Mito Domain, which is now the domain with the most dangerous relationship with the shogunate.

It's tricky.

"Execute them in secret." Tokugawa Iemochi announced the fate of these so-called "patriots."

"They want to commit seppuku..." Ando Shinji looked up, as if to say something.

"No!" Tokugawa Iemochi interrupted Ando Nobumasa directly, gritting his teeth.

After another period of silence, Tokugawa Iemochi patted his face and said, "I'm going to negotiate with... the British."

Ando Shin was lying on the ground.

Tokugawa Iemochi walked past Ando Nobumasa.

"Nobumasa, you will stand by my side." Tokugawa Iemochi turned his head to look at Ando Nobumasa lying on the ground. "Right?"

Nobumasa Ando didn't dare to speak.

Tokugawa Iemochi's eyes dimmed slightly. He didn't ask any more questions and walked straight out.

......

Zuocun stood on the deck, looking down at the sea.

"Hey--"

With a leap, Zuo Cun plunged into the water.

Feeling around underwater, Zuocun looked up at the sea surface from below.

Gollum-

With his legs moving, Zuo Cun unleashed a terrifying power and impact.

puff--

Zuocun used the momentum to leap out of the water and grab the rope on the side of the boat.

Ryoma reached out and pulled Zuocun up.

"I still feel very uncomfortable in the water." Zuo Cun shook his long hair, shaking off the salty water.

“This power is already terrifying,” Ryoma said with a smile.

"How's your cannon training going?"

“I’ve basically learned it.” Ryoma sat down on the deck. “I already had a certain foundation, so this is just a matter of consolidating it.”

"You make it sound so simple," Zuo Cun said with a laugh, playfully punching Ryoma on the shoulder.

"Hey, Samurai, I'm thinking." Ryoma's eyes were somewhat gloomy.

He stroked the katana at his waist: "In the future, will swords still be of any use?"

"Rifles and cannons are not only more lethal than swords and knives, but most importantly, they are easy to use. Even a child can use firearms after simple training."

Zuocun remained silent for a moment.

After thinking for a while, his tone became somewhat somber: "One of my teachers once said that power needs to be restrained. Swords are a kind of power, and a samurai wielding a sword is also a kind of power."

"Guns and cannons are naturally a form of power as well."

"This power is much older than swords and blades, but due to its advanced nature, it surpasses swords and blades in every aspect, which is indisputable."

"...However, that teacher also said that power needs to be restrained."

"A force that is not bound by constraints cannot and is not worthy of being used."

"As things stand, the Shogunate has done a pretty good job in this regard; no rifles have been leaked." Ryoma rarely praised the Shogunate.

Zuocun nodded as well.

"So, Zuocun, you... know how to use guns?"

Zuo Cun pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Probably not."

“That’s true.” Ryoma smiled and shook his head. “With legs like yours, guns and cannons can’t really do much to you.”

“Who knows.” Zuocun lay on the deck, looking at the sky. “Perhaps swords will be phased out one day, but in this era before they are phased out, they still have some use, don’t they?”

“I’m not an overly forceful person, but when it comes to swords… I still want to be a stubborn one.” Zuo Cun reached for his three swords.

“You and Okita are both people who have reached near the extreme on this path.” Ryoma looked at the boundless sea in the distance. “But overall, I still have some resistance to the foreseeable ending.”

"Hmm... Ryoma, do you know how to use guns?" Samura asked in return.

"Yes," Ryoma answered without hesitation. "I will use them because I know what I'm going to do with them."

“Is that so?” Zuocun said with a smile.

"Hey, you two, Kanna has already prepared the meal." Miss A-Long emerged from under the deck and looked at the two men.

"Let's go eat. Now that we've achieved our goal, it's time to say goodbye to Mr. Shenghai."

......

"What is the current situation within the domain?" Takeichi Zuizan asked, sitting in the head seat, regarding the situation within the Tosa Domain.

“Those who remain in Tosa have basically brought the situation under control. Yamauchi Shimosa and Kirima Kurato are in power, but Konan Goroemon and Hirai Yoshihiro have also risen to power and become the Grand Inspector,” a member of the Loyalist Party replied.

"That's good, that's good." Takeshi Ruishan was quite satisfied.

Because Samura killed Yoshida Toyo in advance, the Tosa Domain encountered very little resistance within its domain. As a result, the Tosa Domain was the first of all the domain lords to arrive in Kyoto. Other domain lords are still not here by August.

Moreover, the anti-foreign faction within the Tosa Domain has now largely suppressed the stability-maintaining faction, and the situation is very favorable.

Even so, Takeshi Ruizan still felt that something was wrong; things were too stable.

Samura, Sakamoto, whatever your purposes are, you need to act quickly.

......

Samura and Ryoma, along with Miss Oryu and Kanna Koike, left Edo.

Zuo Cun glanced at the Tennen Rishin-ryu's test hall from afar, shook his head, and didn't pay attention to it again.

"Mr. Takeshi will be dealt with by the imperial court and the shogunate sooner or later."

“I understand that one day these patriots will realize that it is impossible to expel the barbarians, and by then, it will probably be the limit that Mr. Takeichi and his people can hold on to.”

“As long as we are still in Kyoto, Mr. Takeichi and his group cannot claim to have changed their stance, since only Mr. Takeichi himself knows about this matter.”

"A union of the royal and military forces is impossible, and upholding the king and expelling the barbarians is even more impossible. A compromise is the best approach."

Miss A-Long and Kanna followed behind, completely confused.

"Miss A-Long, what are those two doing?" Kanna asked, holding Miss A-Long's hand.

“Them,” Miss Ah Long smiled.

"They're cleaning up the country."

"Purge this country?"

That's what they both said.

......

In August, Emperor Komei publicly apologized to Britain and offered to pay Britain £50,000 in compensation.

At the same time, the opening dates for several ports, including Osaka and Hyogo, were postponed.

This trip to Dongchan Temple has now come to an end.

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

Chapter 344 The Pure-Hearted Man

Headquarters of the Tosa Loyalist Party.

Wu Shi Ruishan's room.

“You did very well, Izo.” Takeshi Ruizan looked at him expressionlessly.

Wearing a tattered straw hat, Izang wiped the blood from his face.

"Mr. Takeshi, who is the next target...?"

Izang's expression was as hard as ice.

"Heavenly Punishment is suspended." Wu Shi Ruishan chuckled and patted Yi Zang on the shoulder.

"What? Pause? But?" Izo was stunned, not knowing what to say.

"Recently, I've been having you commit frequent executions in Kyoto. Although you've only been killing minor figures, it has... attracted the attention of those above."

"Let's take a break from activities for a while, Izang. I still need you." Takeshi Ruizan walked out of the room.

Izo stood in the room, stroking the hilt of his sword.

"Do you need me...?" He thought of Kanna who was by Samura's side.

Shaking his head, Izang said nothing more and left the room.

Since we no longer need the Heavenly Punishment, let me have a good rest.

After all, all I know how to do is kill...

......

"I recently heard that there are fleets from other countries sailing in Satsuma." Ryoma held the letter and carefully read through it.

"Has Satsuma made any moves?" Samura asked.

"There were no extreme actions; both sides were very restrained." Ryoma shook his head.

"Heh." Zuocun chuckled. "They wave the banner of expelling the barbarians but remain restrained against foreign ships that intrude into their territorial waters. Sure enough, expelling the barbarians is just an excuse to unleash their destructive desires. Once foreigners take a hard line, they back down."

"What do you think, Samura? Is war necessary?"