I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

He just wanted to get back to the testing center as quickly as possible, then throw himself into the bathhouse and let the perfectly hot water wash away all his fatigue.

However... this was, after all, an order from his direct superior, and he had no choice but to obey.

So he had no choice but to suppress his reluctance and obey the order.

Upon arriving at the Tsukimiya Shrine, he saw Tenshōin still wearing the same formal attire he wore at the banquet.

She hadn't even changed her clothes... She must have rushed straight to the Moon Shrine right after the banquet ended.

Before Qingdeng could even say hello, he was interrupted by laughter from Tianzhangyuan.

The louder and happier Tianzhangyuan laughed, the more he laughed, so he simply rolled over and fell to the ground, belly up, continuing to laugh.

Only after she had laughed her fill did she slowly get up from the tatami mat.

"Sheng Qing, your performance today was truly delightful! By the way, when did you learn to write poetry? I had no idea you had such a skill."

Qing Deng smiled slightly and used the same excuse he had used to deal with Sheng Lin Taro:

"It was just because the scenery in the courtyard was so beautiful that it inspired me. I couldn't write such good poems on a normal day."

Tenshōin nodded, seemingly confused.

"I see... Hahaha, just as Li Bai could not write without tasting fine wine, so too can Ju Qingdeng not produce a masterpiece without admiring the beautiful scenery."

After making a small joke, Tenshōin sat up a little straighter.

"Sheng Qing, I really owe you a lot today."

"To be honest, I was ready to surrender at that time and admit that I was completely illiterate and let them laugh at and humiliate me."

"Thanks to your help, I've managed to save face a little today."

I owe you a favor...

Before Tianzhangyuan could finish speaking, Qingdeng interrupted him, saying:

"Your Highness, please don't say such things."

"Ok?"

Tenshōin raised a puzzled look—a calm, serene smile came into view.

"No matter what, you're my friend. It's really hard for me to just stand by and watch a friend be bullied...

In an instant, Tenshōin's eyes widened as if he had heard some incredible incantation.

"friend?"

Meeting the surprised gaze from the other party, Qingdeng scratched his head, trying to find the right words:

"How should I put it... I don't know how Your Highness views me, but after spending so much time together, I've long considered you a reliable friend."

"Helping each other among friends is just a very ordinary thing, isn't it?"

“You have helped me before, and many times, so now it’s my turn to help you. It’s that simple.”

Tenshoin blinked hard a few times.

After a moment, she lowered her head blankly, repeatedly chewing on the same word:

"Friend...friend..."

Her appearance puzzled Qing Deng, and he was also a little frightened.

After hesitating for a moment, he asked softly in a tentative tone:

"Your Highness? Your Highness?"

“…Sheng Qing, raise your hands.”

"what?"

"Hurry up, raise your hands."

"Uh...is that so?"

"No, lift it higher."

"so?"

"A little higher."

Under the repeated instructions from Tianzhangyuan, Qingdeng slowly raised his arms.

In no time, he struck a perfect French military salute.

Qing Deng subconsciously thought that Tianzhangyuan was up to some new trick again.

After all, she loved teasing him the most.

"Your Highness, this time you've done it again... um!"

In the blink of an eye, something soft and squishy bumped into Qingdeng.

Qing Deng lowered his head in astonishment, staring blankly at the thing that had rushed into his arms... namely, Tenshōin's body.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

Tenshōin held Aoto with a firm but not too light touch, his chin resting on Aoto's right shoulder.

The two faces were very close... In Qingdeng's memory, this was the first time he had been so close to Tianzhangyuan's face, and he could even feel the other's soft cheeks.

That soft, shiny, and captivating long black hair, the clear and defined facial features, the sweet and pleasant scent, the amazing elasticity of the fabric pressed against Qingdeng's chest as if it were about to bounce Qingdeng's upper body away... all of these caused Qingdeng's heart rate to rise rapidly.

"Yes...you're my friend..."

Qing Deng noticed the tone of the words and turned his head to look, only to find that Tian Zhangyuan was pursing his lips and whispering.

"I have friends now...friends..."

She gradually increased the strength of her embrace of Qingdeng.

At the same time, his facial expression changed to a mixture of apprehension and joy, much like a timid child.

Qingdeng looked bewildered, which soon turned into a helpless expression, before finally breaking into a wry smile.

Your Highness, you don't look like an elder at all right now—Qingdeng kept these words to himself.

Although he didn't quite understand what was wrong with Tenshōin, his intuition told him: say nothing and do nothing.

So he neither refused nor actively catered to her, and simply let Tenshōin take warmth from him.

About 10 minutes later... Tenshōin raised his face, straightened his back, and left Aōdō's embrace.

"Alright... Sheng Qing, you can go back now."

As he spoke, Tensho-in turned around, leaving Aoto with a handsome back view.

"Hmm? Can I go back now?"

"The only reason I called you over was to thank you in person."

Tensho-in paused for a moment.

"Although I've already said it... I'll say it again anyway."

She took a deep breath.

"Sheng Qing... thank you."

……

……

Qingdeng left.

With his heart still pounding, he strode toward the bright red torii gate.

Suddenly, he stopped abruptly and turned around to look at the majestic main hall behind him.

Qing Deng never asked anyone about the past of Tianzhangyuan.

Firstly, it's difficult to find a suitable opportunity.

Secondly, he knew that the past of Tenshōin was by no means an interesting story that could be used as a snack.

She was originally the daughter of a branch family of the Shimazu clan in Satsuma, but due to political needs, she was forced to leave her homeland and marry a disabled man who was nearing the end of his life. She was even unable to visit her own father after his death. How much blood and tears were hidden in this story?

Qingdeng couldn't bear to imagine it.

The true purpose of this hastily arranged marriage was to allow Tenshōin to infiltrate Edo Castle and secretly promote Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu to the position of Shogun—this is common knowledge.

Tenshōin's adoptive father, Shimazu Nariakira, was a staunch member of the "Hitotsubashi faction".

At this critical juncture, before it was decided who would succeed him as general, he hastily placed the Tenshōin into the inner palace... His intentions were as clear as day.

As a result, after marrying into the shogunate, Tenshōin immediately transformed into the most steadfast "Nanki faction," openly supporting Tokugawa Iemochi. Furthermore, she publicly declared on more than one occasion that "she had no further connection with the Satsuma Domain"... How much treachery and deceit were hidden within this facade?

Qing Deng also didn't want to think about it in detail.

Tenshōin's embrace just now made him realize that this energetic older sister, who liked to act like an elder, had a much heavier past than he had imagined.

Thinking of this, Qingdeng frowned, and his naturally hanging hands unconsciously clenched.

……

……

"Sae! Yae!"

Tenshoin shouted twice to the outside.

The next moment, her door was pulled open—Sae and Yae were squatting on the ground, one on each side.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Emperor Tianzhang issued the order swiftly:

"Before the New Year arrives, I want the news that 'Niou's poetic talent is outstanding' and 'Hitotsubashi Yoshiki and Matsudaira Shungaku are overshadowed by Niou's haiku and Chinese poems' to spread throughout the streets and alleys of Edo."

Yae raised an eyebrow.

"Lord Yudu, what is this...?"

Tenshoin gave a cold laugh.

"Hmph! Those two bastards wanted to humiliate me, didn't they? Did they want to damage the prestige of our 'Southern Ji Sect'? Fine, I'll teach them what a real 'damage' is!"

As always, Saeshige was sparing with her words, offering no objections, and respectfully bowed her head, saying loudly: