I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Those who appreciate this name find it pleasant to hear, easy to pronounce, and also original and tasteful.

Those who oppose the name feel it is too grandiose.

New selection... What a boastful tone!

Of course, neither the supporters nor the opponents could change the fact that the official name of the Zhenfu Army had been set as "Xinxuanzu" and that the name "Xinxuanzu" had been recorded in official documents.

Along with the name, Qing Deng's meticulously drafted "New Election Group Rules" also spread:

First, obey all commands.

Second, one must not leave the organization without authorization.

Third, one must not engage in private fights without cause.

Fourth, those who extort others, rob others of their property, harm the innocent, or rape women shall be executed on the spot.

Fifth, those who treason or betray the enemy shall be executed on the spot.

If the first three rules are violated, the offender will be beheaded and displayed to the public. There are no other punishments, not even the chance to commit seppuku.

The latter two rules are even more shocking. If violated, the offender will be executed on the spot... without even being dragged to the execution ground.

The cruelty of the laws deeply shocked the citizens of Edo who were accustomed to a peaceful life.

Those sergeants who had passed the assessment and were already members of the new selection group were especially terrified.

Whether a law has a deterrent effect depends mainly on two points:

First, is it fair?

Secondly, does the person or organization that endorses it have the ability to "take action against you as you see fit"?

If a three-year-old child tells you, "Be careful, or I might cut something off," you'd probably scoff.

But if the King of Benevolence tells you, "Be careful, or I'll kill you," then you'd better listen to his words and remember them.

In everyone's mind, Qingdeng has always been like a "Buddha statue on an altar".

Everyone knows he is very strong and powerful, and his heroic deeds are well-known, but no one has ever witnessed his abilities firsthand, and no one knows exactly how strong he is.

However, just recently—in a mere 17 days, he fought against thousands of people without a single defeat—Qing Deng's dazzling performance at the conscription ceremony demonstrated his strength to all applicants and all citizens of Edo for the first time in a direct and clear manner.

The upright figure, "standing tall on the high platform, invincible," not only left a deep impression on the citizens of Edo, but also made most of the applicants remember Niou's power.

In summary, the Qing Deng team successfully achieved all its objectives by insisting on using a selection method that "combats all applicants."

He not only attracted a large number of talented individuals but also controlled the quality of his soldiers, thus establishing his lofty authority.

In addition, at the same time as announcing the official name of the Zhenfu Army and the "New Selection Group Laws", its organizational structure was also gradually revealed.

The Shinsengumi was not simply an army solely responsible for combat.

It is a complete, semi-independent military group that integrates military and political functions.

Therefore, its interior must contain more than just combat troops.

The current New Senkaku has four main departments—

The "Sword-Drawing Squad" is responsible for close combat, including street fighting and field assaults.

The Metropolitan Police Department (Metropolitan Police Bureau) is responsible for supervising soldiers and maintaining the laws and military discipline of the Shinsengumi.

The General Affairs Department is responsible for handling administrative work.

The Finance Department is responsible for managing finances and logistics.

Under Qing Deng's ingenious design, the power structure of the new electoral group is a very classic pyramid shape.

Qing Deng's official position was "Gyeonggi Garrison Commander and Captain-General of the Shinsengumi," making him the undisputed supreme leader of the Shinsengumi and possessing absolute power.

Below him were four top officials who each oversaw one of the four major departments:

The "vice-commander" of the sword-drawing squad: Hijikata Toshizo.

The "Director" of the Metropolitan Police Bureau: Kondo Isami.

The "Chief" of the General Affairs Department: Keisuke Yamanami.

The position of "Head of Finance Office" is currently vacant as there is no suitable candidate.

Below them are the captains of the sword-drawing squad.

The Sword-Drawing Corps comprises 10 squads, each with a captain. They are:

First Division Captain Okita Souji.

Second Division Captain, Nagakura Shinpachi.

Third Division Captain, Saito Hajime.

Fourth Division Captain Serizawa Kamo.

Fifth Division Captain Niimi Nishiki.

Captain of the Sixth Division, Inoue Genzaburo.

Captain of the 7th Division, Sanako Chiba.

Captain of the 8th Division, Toudou Heisuke.

Captain of the Ninth Division, Kinoshita Mai.

Captain of the 10th Division, Sanosuke Harada.

Among them, Teams 1, 2, and 3 are the strongest main force units.

Teams 4, 6, and 10 are second-line units.

Teams 5, 7, 8, and 9 are reserve forces.

Below the team leader are the grassroots staff.

The "members" of the sword-drawing squad.

The "visit payment" of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

The General Affairs Department's "control".

The finance department's "assessment".

The above four individuals are grassroots staff members of the four major departments.

In addition to the four heads of the four departments, there is a separate position of "staff officer" held by Kiyokawa Hachiro.

As the name suggests, staff officers do not undertake specific work; they are only responsible for assisting Qingdeng and providing him with advice and strategies. They are considered high-level positions independent of the four major departments.

The bureau chief, deputy chief, chief of staff, section chief, staff officer, and the 10 captains of the sword-wielding squad—these 15 people constitute the "middle class" of the Shinsengumi, the middle part of the pyramid.

Excluding Aoto, the Shinsengumi currently has 120 members.

Apart from the 14 officers who were missing their section chiefs, of the remaining 106 people, 5 who were literate were assigned to the General Affairs Department, 3 who knew how to use an abacus were assigned to the Finance Department, 8 who were outstanding were assigned to the Censorate, and the other 90 were evenly distributed among the various squads of the Battōshi (Sword-Drawing Squad).

Because the distribution is equal, each squad has the same number of people: 1 captain and 9 squad members, for a total of 10 people.

The above is the organizational structure of the Shinsengumi.

Anyone familiar with Qingdeng's social circle can see at a glance that Qingdeng's appointment and removal of cadres is nothing more than a standard case of nepotism!

Apart from Serizawa Kamo and Niimi Nishiki, who respectively serve as captains of the fourth and fifth divisions of the Battōtai, and Kiyokawa Hachirō, who serves as a strategist, the rest of the officers are all Aoto's brothers and lovers.

However, there's no way to comment on that.

As the saying goes, "one person, one team."

It is common and taken for granted that one should place trusted confidants in important positions.

Moreover, all of Qing Deng's trusted confidants were capable individuals with impeccable abilities.

Sanako, Kinoshita Mai, and the rest of the Shieikan group led by Kondo all displayed their formidable strength on the high platform of the recruitment venue.

Who dares to say a word? You disagree? Do you think you're more powerful than them?

In terms of professional titles, Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizo, and Yamanami Keisuke, who respectively served as Director of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Deputy Commander of the Sword-Drawing Corps, and Chief of the General Affairs Department, were ranked above the Chief of the General Affairs Department and others.

The reason for adopting this personnel arrangement is due to Qing Deng's deep considerations, and it was not a random decision made on a whim.

Since being adopted by Kondo Shusuke at the age of 15, Kondo Isami has been helping to manage Shieikan as the "young master" for 14 years.

The sword-fighting hall is a melting pot, where all sorts of people come.

There are obedient and well-behaved children, as well as troublemakers who are difficult to manage.

Managing a sword club is no easy task.

However, Kondo Isami always managed Shieikan in an orderly manner and never made any major mistakes.

In other words, Kondo Isami, who had long managed the Shieikan, not only had certain management experience, but also had a wealth of experience in "dealing with all sorts of people".

The functions of the Censorate meant that the position of "Director" was a tough job that involved dealing with troublesome people and easily offending others.

Without sufficient strength, one cannot command respect.

All things considered, this position is best suited for Kondo Isami.

The Sword-Drawing Squad is a purely combat unit, so the "vice-commander" of the Sword-Drawing Squad needs to be frequently in contact with military matters.

In other words, the deputy commander of the sword-wielding squad needs to possess considerable military talent.

As for who should be appointed as the vice-commander, Qing Deng made a decision without hesitation: no one else but Hijikata Toshizo!

The reason for making such a judgment without thinking is quite simple.

Sun Tzu, the "Sage of War," clearly stated in his timeless masterpiece, "The Art of War," that "A man with thunderous passion in his heart and a calm demeanor on his face is worthy of being appointed a general."

Looking across the entire Shieikan, the only person who can do this right now is Hijikata Toshizo!

The best example to illustrate Hijikata Toshizo's great talent is the previous "Aoto imprisonment" incident.

When the news of Qing Deng's imprisonment reached the Shiwei Hall, everyone panicked and didn't know what to do.

At this critical juncture, the only person who remained calm and composed... or rather, who never panicked at all, was Hijikata Toshizo.

At that time, he took the lead in stabilizing people's hearts, and then issued instructions in an orderly manner, uniting everyone close to Qingdeng with his own strength to build the "Support Orange Alliance".

With his decisive organizational skills, composure in the face of great events, and his innate talent of "Demon Heart" (possessing exceptional comprehension in both academics and martial arts), Qing Deng dares to guarantee that with proper training and a stage to showcase his abilities, Hijikata will surely grow into a capable general in the future!

As for Yamanami Keisuke...