I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Glistening water droplets slid down Sanako's hair, chin, and those two large curves, dripping onto her thighs and the floor around her.

Her soaked kendo uniform clung tightly to her delicate body.

The reflection of the water droplets and the faintly visible flesh color complement each other perfectly.

That is a massive entity that perfectly confirms the accuracy of the physical law that "the greater the mass, the greater the gravity".

That slender yet voluptuous waist.

The peach, accentuated by her slender waist, appeared exceptionally round and plump.

All of the above are quite tempting even in ordinary times.

Now, outlined by wet clothes, their "gravity" increases dramatically.

He clearly wanted to see it, but pretended to be a gentleman and acted serious—Qing Deng, who dared to declare "I want to marry three wives," was certainly not such a coy person.

So he readily succumbed to "gravity"!

He stared intently at Sanako, making no attempt to hide his feelings and clearly intending to retaliate against her prank.

The smile on Sanako's face vanished instantly.

At the same time, her eyes changed, as if she had seen something ominous.

"Tachibana-kun, you're such a pervert..."

After saying that, she turned her body to the side, her cheeks flushed, hiding her delicate body and leaving Qingdeng with a graceful back view.

"Why is the person who offered to 'help me take a bath' suddenly the one who's shy?"

After teasing him in a half-joking tone, Qingdeng let out a long sigh of relief:

"So, can you explain it to me now? Why did you pour cold water on yourself? It's still winter, be careful not to catch a cold."

Sanako replied seriously:

"Don't worry, my body is much stronger than you think. This level of cold water won't make me sick."

"For me, taking a bath is not only about washing my body, but also about washing my soul."

"So whenever I encounter something upsetting, I wash my body with cold water to calm myself down."

"The more troublesome the matter, the more water you pour on it."

After hearing this, Qingdeng glanced at the large vat, which was more than 30 liters in size.

"So what's bothering you that you need such a big tank?"

"...We were looked down upon."

"Ok?"

"Tachibana-kun, we're being looked down upon by the people of Aizu and Kyoto!"

Sanako suddenly raised her voice.

At the same time, she gritted her teeth and raised her head—her beautiful, jewel-like eyes entered Qingdeng's field of vision.

She stared straight at Qingdeng, radiating an aura of fury.

"Tachibana-kun, let me tell you the truth first."

"The main reason I asked you to come and 'help me take a bath' is simply to find a quiet place where we can talk without being disturbed."

"You must have heard what the people of Aizu and Kyoto are saying about us today, right?"

"They look down on us!"

"They treated us like fools dressed up as monkeys!"

"Suppressing my anger is not the style of Chiba Sanako!"

"I will be truly unwilling to give up if I do not retaliate!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng interrupted with a serious expression:

"Zanako, don't be foolish. If you turn your blade on friendly forces and civilians, it will lead to extremely serious consequences that will be difficult to resolve."

Sanako replied irritably:

"I'm not some brain-dead patriot, I won't just casually show them my blade."

"If you get angry and draw your knife because others laugh at you or don't agree with you, such behavior will only expose your weakness and incompetence."

"The right approach is to make sure that others can never look down on you again in that field, whatever they might mock you for."

"Didn't they look down on us as a 'poor army' that was neither large nor well-equipped?"

"Alright! Then let's build the Shinsengumi into an unparalleled and powerful legion in the shortest time and at the fastest speed!"

"So, Tachibana-kun, I want to ask you: what are your plans for the future of the Shinsengumi?"

"If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know, don't hesitate to ask."

"I'm now facing off against the people of Aizu and Kyoto!"

"I will not rest until the Shinsengumi becomes strong!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng burst into laughter.

This is indeed the style of Sanako, who has a strong sense of self-esteem and a high degree of competitiveness.

Although Sanako usually maintains a calm and composed demeanor, sometimes she is far less composed than her outward appearance suggests.

Thinking of this, he ignored the slippery floor, plopped down, crossed his knees, and sat down next to Sanako.

"Sanako, don't worry, I've always had a pretty clear plan for the future of the Shinsengumi."

"However, even without my reminder, you should know that you have to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time."

"Building an army is a complex and demanding task that cannot be taken lightly; it cannot be accomplished overnight with just a few snap decisions."

Sanako was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh:

“I understand what you’re saying. But… I can’t swallow this anger unless I do something within my power as soon as possible.”

Qingdeng smiled, then adopted a confident and firm tone:

"Sanako, don't be impatient. One day, we will make the people of Aizu and Kyoto, and those who once looked down on us, realize what we've got!"

At this point, he seemed to remember something, paused, and then changed the subject:

"However, on another note... I do have something I need your help with right now."

Sanako paused for a moment, then confirmed with her gaze. This gesture naturally meant, "Please speak, I'm all ears."

"Could you come out with me tomorrow?"

Before Sanako could ask a question, Aoto continued the conversation on his own:

"Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated—I intend to conduct an in-depth investigation into the current situation in Kyoto."

……

……

At the same time—

Kyoto, Satsuma Domain Residence——

To facilitate communication with the imperial court, the three hundred feudal lords would establish their own residences in Kyoto, which functioned as consulates, and send representatives to Kyoto for official business.

[Note: * **Zhouxuanfang:** A diplomat stationed in Kyoto by a feudal domain. * **Gongyongfang:** A person responsible for official negotiations between the feudal domain and the imperial court, court nobles, and other feudal domains.]

The Satsuma Domain, as one of the oldest and most powerful domains, boasts an impressive mansion in terms of its structure and scale.

The black tones created by the black tiles and diamond-patterned walls exude a solemn atmosphere.

The flag, embroidered with the Shimazu clan's crest—the Maru Cross—stood high on the ground, overlooking Kyoto.

In a room adjacent to the veranda of the Satsuma Domain, a tall, burly man with a thick neck casually sat on the tatami mat, legs crossed, expressionlessly pouring the bait in his hand into the Western-style fish tank in front of him.

Several goldfish in the tank eagerly pecked at the delicious food that fell from the sky.

The goldfish's jubilation and the giant's silence form a stark contrast.

At this moment, a young warrior of unremarkable appearance and ordinary build, with a black mole on the right corner of his mouth, tiptoed through the corridor, entered the room, unfastened the sword from his waist, and sat respectfully behind the giant.

"Lord Saigo, I'm back."

The giant, called "Saigo," stopped feeding the fish and then spoke in a calm, emotionless tone:

"Murata-kun, welcome back. Have you seen Tachibana Aoto?"

"I saw him."

What does he look like?

"He was six feet tall, with a slender build, regular features, and piercing eyes. He was exceptionally heroic and had the appearance of a hero."

Shinpachi Murata succinctly recounted everything he had seen and heard that day.

Kichinosuke Saigo listened quietly.

After Murata Shinpachi finished speaking, he twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a strange expression that was neither a smile nor a frown.

"On the very day they entered Kyoto, they directly provoked all the patriots in the city... Such a bold and courageous spirit is truly extraordinary."

Having said that, he casually tossed aside the goldfish bait in his hand, crossed his arms, gazed into the distance, and muttered to himself:

"This is getting complicated... The situation in Kyoto was already chaotic, and now, at this critical juncture, another troublesome figure has appeared..."

Suddenly, a tall, slender samurai carrying a katana in his left hand slowly emerged from the shadows not far away.

"Lord Saigo, I have long heard that Tachibana Aoto is a swordsman of extraordinary skill. Why don't you let me go and meet him?"

Having said that, he raised the thumb of his left hand holding the sword, pressed the tip of his finger against the hilt, and pulled the sword out of its sheath, revealing the latch used to hold the sheath in place.

"...Kirino, put the sword away."

Saigo Kichinosuke glanced sideways, his sharp, arrow-like gaze piercing Kirino Toshiaki.

"How many times have I said it? Plan before you act."

"Especially during this special period when the situation is still very chaotic, we must not act rashly."

"Tachibana no Aoto was a trusted retainer of Tokugawa Iemochi and also a general who guarded the borders for the shogunate."