I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Miss Atachi! The usual! Two plates of steamed buns and two cups of black tea, please!"

As soon as the elderly couple finished speaking, Atachi reflexively replied:

"Okay! Coming right away!"

Afterwards, Atachi cast a regretful glance at Aoto and Sanako.

"Although I'd love to continue chatting with you all, let's wait until I'm less busy before we have a proper chat!"

"Since you've come into our shop, you must be here for breakfast, right? What would you like to eat?"

Aoto and Sanako both looked up at the price list hanging on the wall.

Yokan (sweet bean jelly), daifuku (mochi), kusa mochi (strawberry cake), manju (steamed bun), mochi (sweet potato cake), dorayaki (Japanese savory pancake)... you can find all the common wagashi (Japanese sweets) available here.

The questioning gaze fell on Sanako.

Is there anything you'd like to eat or drink?

"...dorayaki and green tea."

"Oh! You have a good eye! Dorayaki is our shop's specialty, especially since we received a batch of very fresh red beans this morning, so I'm particularly recommending dorayaki today!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng nodded slightly.

"Then let's have a plate of dorayaki and two cups of green tea."

"Alright! Just a moment, the dorayaki and green tea will be here soon!"

After saying that, Atachi slipped into the kitchen and then quickly returned to the front desk to warmly greet the endless stream of guests.

The table where Aoto and Sanako were sitting was a "seat of honor" that Aoto had carefully chosen.

From their position, they could see the scenery outside the shop through the open window.

Since he had nothing better to do, Qingdeng turned his head and looked out the window.

Sanako also turned her head away.

The two of them simply watched the bustling streets of Fusheng.

The Komaki couple's shop is located on Karasuma-dori in Kyoto.

Karasuma-dori is one of Kyoto's most prosperous districts. To the south lies Higashi Honganji Temple, to the north is the Kyoto City Hall, and to the east is Gion, Kyoto's largest geisha district.

Despite their vastly different regional cultures, the streetscapes of Kyoto and Edo are not significantly different.

On the red dirt road, the dry, cold wind howled past, kicking up dust.

The large flatbed truck carrying goods weaved through pedestrians, drawing a chorus of curses.

Peddlers and laborers carrying shoulder poles enthusiastically hawked their wares.

A young woman with a pale face and sunken cheeks struggled to carry a thin, small baby on her back.

A thin horse, its ribs clearly visible, panted heavily as it dragged a heavy cart. The man driving the thin horse was an equally frail old farmer, whose bony frame clung to his skin even more than the horse's.

Everywhere you look, you see ordinary people struggling to make ends meet.

Looking at this scene, Sanako unconsciously murmured to herself:

Even a refined metropolis with a thousand-year history cannot escape the mundane world...

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng burst into laughter.

"Zanako, you're wrong. You've got the cause and effect reversed."

“The elegance of Kyoto… or rather, the elegance itself, is built upon the mundane.”

“It’s not that ‘refined elegance’ cannot escape ‘worldly concerns’.”

"But without the 'worldly affairs,' 'refinement' would lose its place."

Sanako paused for a moment, then fell silent thoughtfully.

Qing Deng didn't know how skilled the Old Mu couple were at cooking, but he couldn't comment on their service attitude.

"Dorayaki and green tea are here!"

A-Machi, who had just left, returned quickly and steadily to the table with a tea tray containing two cups of green tea and a plate of dorayaki.

From leaving to returning, it only took a little over a minute.

The speed at which the food was served was astonishing.

"Careful, it's hot! Please enjoy!"

Atachi quickly put down the tea and snacks, then went back to her work.

Dorayaki is one of the most well-known Japanese sweets.

The pancake is baked and filled with red bean paste and other fillings. It is named "Dorayaki" because it is made of two pancakes that are shaped like gongs joined together.

Qingdeng, who has lived in this world for three years, is naturally very familiar with dorayaki.

However, when Atachi put down the plate of dorayaki, Aoto looked as if he had never seen such a sweet before, his expression dominated by intense astonishment.

Coincidentally, Sanako was the same, her pretty face filled with intense surprise.

To some extent, this was indeed the first time Qing Deng had ever seen dorayaki like this.

There were a lot of dorayaki on the plate, a total of four, and each one was as big as an adult's palm—Qing Deng had only ever seen such big dorayaki in his previous life's "Doraemon".

This size truly lives up to its name as a "dorayaki".

Are there really any profits to be made selling such large and numerous dorayaki for only 20 copper coins?

With this question in mind, Qing Deng reached out and grabbed a dorayaki, stuffing it into his mouth, followed closely by Sanako.

The moment the pastry entered her mouth, a sweet and delicious flavor filled Qingdeng's lips and teeth.

The dough has an incredible texture—fluffy, moist, and incredibly chewy.

The red bean paste inside is plump and sweet, possessing a magical power to stimulate one's appetite.

Qingdeng's surprise turned into delight.

Sanako's eyes also lit up at the same time.

It seems there's a reason why the Komaki couple's wagashi shop is so popular.

“…Tachibana-kun, we can designate Komaki and his wife’s shop as the Shinsengumi’s purchasing point from now on, and we’ll buy wagashi (Japanese sweets) exclusively from them.”

Sanako said this in a serious tone.

Qingdeng nodded solemnly.

"This proposal... is worth considering."

Just as the two were quietly enjoying the sweet treat... a strange noise suddenly caught their attention.

"Waaaaah...! Waaaaah...! Waaaaah...!"

Qing Deng and Sanako both stopped chewing, looked at each other, and then looked in the direction of the sound.

The person crying was an old man sitting at the table next to them.

He held a cup of hot tea, his head buried in his hands, sobbing like a child. Tears streamed down his wrinkled, weathered face. Three elderly men, also quite old, sat beside him, some gently patting his shoulder, others slowly stroking his back, each comforting him in their own way.

"Heigorō, don't cry."

"Cheer up, there's no hurdle you can't overcome."

"Forget it, let him have a good cry and let it all out. He'll feel much better after he's had a good wail."

Qing Deng had not forgotten the purpose of his trip today.

An elderly person who has seen all walks of life and should be mature in mind is actually crying sadly... How can we not care about such a situation?

So he immediately swallowed the dorayaki in his mouth, turned around, faced the old people, and asked:

"Grandpa, what's wrong? What happened?"

Upon hearing this, the old people—including the one who was sobbing uncontrollably—raised their eyes and cast wary glances at Aoto, who spoke with a thick Edo accent.

To dispel their doubts, Qingdeng lied and said:

"I am a traveler from Edo in the eastern country, and I am currently traveling around Japan to temper my mind and body."

Upon hearing this, the elderly lowered their gaze and stared intently at Qingdeng's attire.

A burgundy haori, black hakama and cloth socks... While not exactly impeccably dressed, she was by no means unkempt.

Ronin wouldn't dress so formally.

After confirming that Qingdeng was not a ronin, the wariness in the old men's expressions gradually dissipated.

An old man sighed deeply:

"It doesn't matter where you're from, as long as you're not a patriot."

Qingdeng raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you like those who uphold patriotism?"

The old men sneered one after another.

"If they are truly patriots with noble character, high moral standards, and a genuine desire to save the country, we will naturally welcome them warmly. But if they are the kind of 'patriots' who use the banner of 'respecting the people' to prey on the common people... then we only hope that they can go to the Yellow Springs as soon as possible!"

After saying that, he pointed to the old man who was still crying.

"See this? This is the poor man who was harmed by those who dared to defy justice."

Qing Deng narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening.

"He was harmed by unscrupulous people... Could you tell me the details of what happened?"

After Qingdeng finished speaking in a solemn tone, before the elders could respond, a middle-aged man's voice, full of mockery, came from behind him:

"Those who uphold righteousness are nothing but a bunch of strange birds. These strange birds have emerged with the recent rise in popularity of the imperial court. They have beaks like eagles, long and thin tails, claws that wear wooden clogs, and narrow foreheads. If you cut open their bellies, you'll find they're pitifully timid. Their calls are as beautiful as poetry, and at first glance you might think they're incredibly brave, but in reality, besides being fast at escaping, they have no other skills!"

A middle-aged man dressed in a traditional Chinese clothing style walked straight toward Qing Deng and the others, wiping his hands with a clean white cloth.

His temples were turning gray, his right arm was as black as coal, he wore a light green dress, and he had a kind smile.

A look of surprise crossed Qingdeng's cheeks.

"Mr. Old Maki!"