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

“Saigo Moritaka?” Zuocun uttered a name.

"No, Mr. Saigo, haven't you already met him? I'm talking about someone else."

“He’s not from Satsuma, but from the Choshu Domain. I’d like to introduce you to him if the opportunity arises.”

"For you to take notice of him, he must be a very capable person." Zuo Cun smiled. "What's his name?"

"Takasugi Shinsaku."

Ryoma straightened his posture and spoke to Samura.

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

Chapter 381 August 18th

Ryoma and Arlong returned to Satsuma.

A few days later, the four countries responded.

The United States was the first to act.

The warship HMS Wyoming launched a fierce retaliatory bombardment of the Shimonoseki Strait. Immediately afterwards, the Dutch warships HMS Semiramis and HMS Doncrede also launched a retaliatory attack on the coastal area between Shimonoseki and Nagato. After the fierce attack, the two Dutch warships also chose to send personnel to land on the coast and occupy the Japanese fortifications set up on the coast.

At that moment, someone stepped forward.

A somewhat thin, red-haired man chose to rebel against foreigners.

Takasugi Shinsaku looked at the Choshu Domain lord sitting in the main seat with icy eyes.

"The lord of the domain must be aware of the current situation."

"Now it's the United States and the Netherlands. If the British weren't tied down in Samoa, they would probably retaliate against us, not to mention the French," Takasugi Shinsaku said loudly.

"This is a mistake we made, or rather, a mistake made by some of us."

His eyes, filled with anger and urgency, swept across the entire hall.

Several people instinctively lowered their heads.

"But we have to share the responsibility for these mistakes; we have no other choice."

In the entire room, only Shinsaku Takasugi was speaking loudly.

Everyone else, including the lord, remained silent.

The veins on Shinsaku Takasugi's forehead were throbbing.

"What's wrong? Don't you even have the courage to face your own mistakes? Is this all you've got to call yourselves samurai?"

No one answered.

No one had the face to answer.

Shinsaku Takasugi felt like his blood pressure was about to explode.

"enough!"

Shinsaku Takasugi slammed the door and left.

He hurriedly returned to his residence, covering his forehead.

“I have to think of a way.” Takasugi sighed. “Those upper-level samurai are all useless. Their long-term luxury has made them forget their responsibilities and integrity. They are completely incompetent and will only become targets for the enemy if they are taken to the battlefield.”

“I need soldiers.” He smoothed his dark red short hair and patted his face. “Since the upper-class trash is useless, then… let’s focus on the lower-class samurai who are truly willing to risk everything to survive.”

"...I need to go and talk to the lord."

With that, he stood up and hurriedly went out again.

A few days later.

A team called the "Special Forces," led by Shinsaku Takasugi, engaged in fierce battles with foreigners along the coast from Shimonoseki to Nagato.

This elite unit was established by Shinsaku Takasugi against all odds in a very short period of time.

Some were samurai whom Takasugi believed still had spirit, while others were simply recruited commoners.

The majority were lower-ranking samurai.

However, this team caused a lot of trouble for foreigners.

Because Shinsaku Takasugi was incredibly extravagant, equipping each of his team members with a gun, the foreigners couldn't gain any advantage under the firepower.

After a long standoff, the foreigners finally gave in and accepted the Choshu Domain's offer of peace.

While Takasugi Shinsaku was discussing details with foreigners under his alias "Songdo Kyouma"...

Kyoto.

August 18th.

The Shinsengumi lay in ambush outside the village.

"This is the headquarters of the largest anti-foreign organization in Tosa, the 'Loyalist Party'." Okita Souji, who was leading the team, looked at the team members following him.

"We've deployed the strength of two squads this time, so we absolutely cannot afford to make a mistake." Saito Hajime gripped his Onijimaru Kunishige and gave the order to his team.

Our goal is...

"The leader of the King Qin Party - Ruishan of Wu City."

......

Takeshi Zuizan is reading a letter from Satsuma.

"Out of selfish motives, you want me to protect Okada Izo...?" Takechi Zuizan looked at Ryoma's letter with a slight smile.

"This isn't like you at all, Sakamoto."

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the house.

Wu Shi Ruishan did not act rashly.

He placed Longma's letter on the candlelight and watched it slowly turn to ash.

He let out a long sigh.

But he said with a smile:

"Looks like my time is up."

bang——

The door was kicked open roughly, and two people wearing light blue haori walked in.

The shorter one looked at Takeshi Ruizan, who was sitting very upright, and said in a cold voice, "Takeshi Ruizan—is that so?"

Wu Shi Ruishan nodded without saying a word.

“Please do not act rashly, Mr. Takeichi.” Saito smiled. “I do not wish for this to escalate into a bloody conflict.”

Wu Shi Ruishan laughed twice: "Hahahaha—I don't want that either."

He stretched out his hands.

"Then, let's go."

Okita Souji and Saito exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.

However, neither of them hesitated and immediately put shackles on Wu Shi Ruishan.

At the Loyalist Party's stronghold, except for a few who escaped and those who were not originally at the stronghold... everyone was captured.

Meanwhile, Yamanouchi Yodo, far away in Tosa, also launched a swift and decisive attack, wiping out the loyalist forces that remained in Tosa.

Not only the loyalist party, but also all the anti-foreign organizations in Kyoto, and even the officials in the imperial court and shogunate who advocated expelling foreigners, did not escape.

All the officials of the anti-foreign faction were dismissed from their posts and expelled from the capital, while all the anti-foreign activists were imprisoned.

The world was astonished.

This dramatic political upheaval dealt a heavy blow to the anti-foreign faction, resulting in the arrest or exile of all the influential high-ranking officials within the faction.

Meanwhile, the anti-foreign faction, led by the "Loyal Emperor Party," was captured by the soldiers of each domain, and the plan of each domain to support the emperor completely failed.

In prison, Takeshi Ruishan looked at his companions.

He was wearing prison clothes, and his eyes were slightly dim.

He whispered to the loyalist party members, "If anyone asks... about Okada Izou."

"Just say... there has never been such a person in our organization."

"Did you understand?"

Several people were somewhat puzzled, but they all nodded.

Takeshi Ruizan leaned against the wall, looking at the sliver of light shining through the window above, and sighed.

Oh, child Izang... I hope you are safe and sound.

......

At that moment, Zuocun was sitting opposite a boy.

"Mukujin, this coup has implicated quite a few people," said Samura, swirling his glass.

"Yes." Mutsuhito said with a smile, "The anti-foreign faction members have been purged from the upper echelons by the Emperor and Tokugawa Iemochi."

“Yes…” Zuocun sighed, “The anti-foreign faction across the country has been dealt a severe blow.”

"What does Mr. Samura want to say to me this time?" Mutsuhito asked, somewhat puzzled.

“I’m thinking… Mutsuhito.” Samura took a sip of tea. “What are your thoughts on this coup?”

"What can you gain from this incident?" Zuo Cun's eyes were sharp.

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

Chapter 382 Died at the hands of his own anti-foreign faction

"What have we gained?" Mutsuhito asked, looking at Samura across from him.

Zuo Cun sighed and lightly tapped Muren's chest with his finger: "It's a lesson, a lesson indeed."