I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Because the Great Salt Party was very popular among the people, many civilians volunteered to become the eyes and ears of the Long Eye Lodge, actively gathering and passing on intelligence for them."

"Thanks to this, the Long Eyes Regiment is always able to obtain timely and accurate intelligence."

"Thanks to the extraordinary intelligence gathering and utilization of the Nagame-ryo, the members of the Ōshio Party escaped countless times from the shogunate and the Hoju-ryo Party's encirclement and suppression."

"To this day, the shogunate has not yet found the stronghold of the Ōshio Party, and it is likely that the same will be true for the Party's extermination by law."

"We're dealing with a fictional enemy."

"Especially in the last two years, after the Changmu Liao replaced the Changmu Tai, their intelligence gathering capabilities have reached a new level, making them even more difficult to deal with."

The phrase "new long-eye platform" instantly caught Qing Deng's attention.

Matsudaira Katamori's words hadn't finished:

"Changmu Liao is not only skilled at intelligence gathering, but also adept at concealing himself."

How many members do they have?

Where are their main areas of activity?

"Besides the help of the people, what other methods do they use to gather intelligence?"

"I know nothing about any of these things."

"but……"

Matsudaira Katamori suddenly changed the subject.

At the same time, a smile appeared on his lips.

"The Aizu Domain's reputation as the 'strongest imperial domain' is well-deserved."

"After a thorough investigation by my subordinates, we have finally made a major discovery—the current head of the Long-Range Dormitory, who is also the person who greatly enhances the overall strength of the Long-Range Dormitory, is a woman codenamed 'Miss Sumire'."

Qing Deng's eyebrows shot up suddenly, and his face showed an expression of uncontrollable surprise.

In the patriarchal Edo period, it was incredibly unusual for a woman to become the head of an intelligence agency.

Matsudaira Eiho seemed to have guessed Aoto's reaction, and after a slight smile, continued:

"Although we learned the other party's code name, unfortunately, we knew nothing about anything else except the code name—age, appearance, and build."

"The only thing we know is that she has exceptional personal abilities."

"Otherwise, she wouldn't have become the Long-Range Chief, and the Long-Range Bureau wouldn't have become increasingly powerful under her leadership."

"That's all I know about the Great Salt Party so far."

Qingdeng nodded gently and silently memorized the name "Miss Jin".

"Next, it's time to punish the party with the law..."

As he spoke, Matsudaira Katamori paused for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

"In the past two years, the fight against the party has been unusually quiet, with no major moves."

"So, I'm sorry, I don't currently have any noteworthy new information related to the Fa-Zhu Party."

As soon as Matsudaira Katamori finished speaking, Aoto hurriedly said:

"Lady Higo, there is no need to apologize."

"I know better than anyone how terrible and troublesome the Party-punishing campaign is."

"Before marching my troops to Luoyang, I was already mentally prepared for a long and protracted war with the Fa-Zhu Party."

"Thanks to you, I have gathered a great deal of intelligence tonight!"

After saying that, Qingdeng turned his gaze and stared directly at the map in front of his knees, as if deep in thought.

……

……

That night--

Kyoto, Mibu-go, Shinsengumi headquarters, Aoto's room—

After returning from Jinjie Guangming Temple, Qingdeng went straight to his bedroom, set up a desk, lit candles, spread out Xuan paper, and began writing furiously.

Before long, four large characters appeared on the white Xuan paper: "Infantry Drill Manual".

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Today is another day of timely updates!

Alright, the boring history-telling phase is finally over! Now it's time to get down to farming, making money, training troops, and showing off (cheeky leopard.jpg)

Chapter 588 Standing at Attention and Marching in Uniform Formation: A Transformation for the Shinsengumi! [5200]

The candlelight flickered.

The brush, soaked in ink, drags across the rice paper, leaving behind a series of soft "shush-shush" sounds.

Qingdeng, engrossed in his writing, lost track of time until the crisp, approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor, bringing him back to his senses.

Before the person outside could speak, Qingdeng preemptively asked:

"Ah Wu, what brings you here?"

The footsteps stopped.

"Qingdeng, aren't you asleep yet?"

Qingdeng took out his pocket watch and opened the cover—the time was now 3:30 a.m.

"I'll go to sleep after I finish dealing with this pile of important things."

"Then...may I come in?"

"Okay, come in."

With a whoosh—

As the paper sliding door opened, because Qingdeng was sitting cross-legged on the ground, the first thing that caught his eye from his perspective was a pair of timid little feet.

Those adorable little feet shrank back and tapped lightly on the tatami a few times before wiping the floor and leisurely walking towards Qingdeng.

Kinoshita Mai was wearing a pure white nightgown, and her long black hair, which was usually tied up in a Shimada bun, was loose and reached her waist.

The thin clothes clung to her delicate body, outlining her alluring curves, and certain parts that cannot be described in detail were faintly visible.

If it were when Aoto had just met Kinoshita Mai, he might have been tempted by this alluring sight.

But now... Qingdeng glanced at her and then looked away, continuing to write furiously.

He was already used to Kinoshita Mai's feet, bears, and peaches.

Having undergone rigorous training, he was no longer easily distracted by such stunning scenery.

As soon as Kinoshita Mai sat down next to Aoto, she puffed out her cheeks and scolded him irritably:

"Qingdeng, do you know what time it is now?"

Qing Deng smiled slightly and shrugged.

“Ah Wu, you know perfectly well that I’m in excellent health.”

As he spoke eloquently, his pen never stopped moving.

He continued writing while talking.

For Qing Deng, who possesses the talent of "ambidextrous fighting," multitasking is a piece of cake.

"Let alone staying up late, even if I don't touch my pillow for several days in a row, I can still be full of energy."

Even if you're extremely tired, just a short nap will refresh you.

With its system capabilities having undergone multiple upgrades, QingDeng truly has the resources to indulge in staying up all night and working overtime.

Talents such as "Yuan Yang +4" and "Lock Blood +7" make his Qi and blood extremely strong and his physical strength excellent.

His innate "Super Brain +9" ability allows his mind to work efficiently for extended periods.

If he feels sleepy, it's time for his innate talent, "Sleep God," to come into play. He only needs to sleep for two or three hours to be fully recharged.

In fact, after being promoted to the busy position of attendant and envoy, Aoto had experienced several days without sleep due to his busy schedule.

Through trial and error, he gradually figured out his body's limits—even if he didn't rest for three days and three nights, he wouldn't feel tired, but from the fourth day onwards, his body would gradually feel obvious fatigue, and from the sixth day onwards, he would feel powerless.

In other words, if Qingdeng is determined to work himself to the bone, he can maintain his physical functions and work efficiency for 3 days. After 3 days, his physical and mental state will decline significantly, and after more than 5 days, his body will start to suffer.

Although Aoto argued his case, it was clear that Kinoshita Mai did not buy it.

"Qingdeng, you're not right to say that."

Kinoshita Mai crossed her arms and, like a wise and experienced elder, began to earnestly advise:

"You are indeed very healthy, but even the strongest person will grow old one day, won't they?"

"If you don't pay attention when you're young, you might develop all sorts of troublesome health problems when you get old."

"I know an old man who, because he was too proud of his health when he was young and didn't take care of himself, now suffers from pain in his waist, shoulders, and other parts of his body every now and then as he gets older!"

Qing Deng gave a bitter smile.

Kinoshita Mai cared about him a lot, which touched him deeply—but he really didn't want to listen to someone nagging in the middle of the night!

Therefore, after giving a chuckle, he abruptly changed the subject:

"Ah Wu, put my business aside for now—what's wrong with you? Why did you come to see me in the middle of the night? Can't you sleep?"

"Hmm...I guess so."

"What's wrong? Was the banquet tonight too lively and you had too much fun, so you're too excited to sleep?"

"I'm not a child! I'm just... just..."

Mai Kinoshita's voice gradually faded.

She slowly raised her legs, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her head on her knees, a faint look of loneliness appearing on her pretty face.