I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Aoto turned his head to look at the small gate not far away, and then noticed that every Tosa Domain samurai who walked past him was full of energy, had a dignified bearing, walked briskly, and had a breezy step.

To a certain extent, the morale of the samurai represented the strength of the entire domain.

Needless to say, the samurai of powerful domains like Satsuma, Choshu, and Aizu exude a strong aura of confidence in every move they make.

As for those small domains with a grain height of only tens of thousands of shi... their domain soldiers were basically like walking corpses, with dull eyes, numb expressions, and unsteady steps, just like salted fish.

However, this is understandable.

These small vassal states were so small that their territories were simply not found on a world map.

Their extremely weak strength limits their development in every aspect. Even if they want to accomplish something great, they are powerless to do so and can only live one day at a time.

In this once-in-a-millennium era of great strife, only those heroes who stand on the shoulders of giants like the Shogunate, Satsuma, and Choshu are destined to shine!

Qing Deng did not know the specific details of the Tosa Domain, but judging from the spirit and energy of its retainers, he could tell that the Tosa people were quite capable!

The gatekeeper who went in to announce their arrival didn't keep Aoto and Iwasaki Yataro waiting for long.

Just three minutes later, he was back in their sight.

"plz follow me!"

He spoke respectfully and solemnly, while bowing and turning to the side, gesturing for Qingdeng to "please".

Qingdeng nodded slightly, then raised his chin, indicating "Lead the way."

Just as Iwasaki Yataro was about to take a step to follow, the doorman added at the opportune moment:

"Only Lord Niou is allowed to enter!"

Iwasaki Yataro paused for a moment, then turned to look at Aoto, casting a look that sought his opinion.

Qingdeng replied softly without hesitation:

"Iwasaki-kun, wait here for a moment, I'll be right back."

As he spoke, he untied and held the Vairocana and the spirit-stabilizing staff in his right hand.

After receiving Qing Deng's clear instructions, Iwasaki Yataro immediately responded with "Yes," then obediently withdrew his feet and stood respectfully at the foot of the earthen wall not far away.

……

……

Led by the gatekeeper, Qingdeng strode across Baizhou, stepped into the entrance hall, and headed deeper into the mansion.

[Note: Baizhou: A place paved with white pebbles in front of the gate of a large mansion.]

The interior of the Tosa Domain residence was not particularly remarkable.

The furniture is simple, and the decor is unremarkable.

However, one place did catch Qingdeng's attention.

As he turned into a sidewalk and passed an open courtyard, Qing Deng was surprised to find that many young warriors were practicing martial arts there.

Looking around, there were about twenty people enthusiastically brandishing bamboo swords and wooden knives, shouting loudly with great momentum.

Suddenly, someone cheerfully said:

"It's finished! Look at it!"

Having said that, he held up a pair of straw sandals in his hand.

The soles of the two straw sandals were inscribed with the characters "西" (west, meaning West) and "夷" (Yi, meaning Barbarian).

"From this day forward, I will wear these shoes every day and crush the 'Western barbarians' under my feet! This will inspire me to never forget my ambition to expel the barbarians!"

The others who gathered after hearing the noise praised the pair of straw sandals after seeing them.

"Yoshimura-kun, you're a genius!"

"Your idea is really good!"

"Yoshimura-kun, I'm not good at writing. Could you please do me a favor and write the words 'Western Barbarian' on the sole of my shoes as well?"

"I also want!"

"Me too!"

They eagerly took off their straw sandals and handed them to the samurai called "Yoshimura".

Yoshimura welcomed all who came, picked up his brush, and wrote the two large characters "Western Barbarians" on the soles of one pair of straw sandals after another.

"Brothers!"

At this moment, someone jumped onto a large rock and raised his arms, shouting.

"Keep training! We must rid ourselves of this stench! Let's restore peace and prosperity to God's Kingdom! Let those lazy, complacent sergeants show us what we're capable of!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of enthusiastic agreement erupted.

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!"

"Nakajima-kun, well said!"

"Fame and fortune can only be gained on horseback!"

"Compared to the sergeants who only know how to bully others, we villagers are the true warriors!"

"Yoshimura-kun, write 'Western Barbarian' on the sole of my left shoe, and then write 'Scholar-General' on the sole of my right shoe!"

"Me too! I will crush the Western barbarians and the high-ranking officials under my feet!"

After a powerful burst of energy, they dispersed and continued practicing their martial arts. The whooshing sounds of swords being swung became the only noise dominating the courtyard.

"..."

Qingdeng quietly took in the scene, a wry smile flashing across his eyes.

……

After walking a short distance further, Qing Deng suddenly heard footsteps approaching from afar—two dark-skinned young warriors dressed in rough linen clothes were walking towards him.

Their lips moved as if they were talking in hushed tones.

Although they were still quite a distance apart, Qingdeng, with his exceptional hearing, could clearly hear their conversation:

"Teacher Wu Shi is truly a genius of unparalleled talent! Joining the Loyalist Party was definitely the right decision!"

"Yes, as long as we follow Teacher Wu closely, we will definitely leave a strong mark on the history of the academy!"

"Hmph, we are working hard for the country, while those pig-like sergeants remain unmoved, still stubbornly guarding their own little corner of the land. Ha! They are a disgrace to Tosa!"

"Let's join forces and accomplish something great, and show those damned sergeants what they're really capable of! Let's see just how capable these country folk they look down on really are!"

"Once the great cause of suppressing the rebellion is successfully accomplished, we might all be promoted to sergeants for our outstanding achievements!"

"Hahaha, if that's the case, that would be wonderful! Those pigs who only know how to eat, drink, and have fun all day should have stepped down long ago!"

As Qingdeng brushed past them, in the instant their sleeves touched, he quietly turned his head and gazed intently at the backs of the two scholars who were still speaking eloquently.

Then, he suddenly looked at the gatekeeper who was leading the way for him and exclaimed:

"You loyalists are really full of energy and spirit."

The sudden praise left the other person at a loss for words.

Although he was puzzled, he still politely replied:

"Thank you for the compliment..."

However, before he could finish speaking, Qingdeng added:

"However, it seems your passion is being misdirected."

The security guard's brows furrowed immediately:

"Your Excellency, what makes you say that? You must have seen it just now, right? Our loyalist party is united as one, taking it as our mission to expel the barbarians, and we are unwavering in our commitment!"

As if he had heard an amusing joke, Qing Deng shrugged, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"Unity of purpose? Repelling foreign invaders? Is this really possible?"

After saying that, he chuckled, a low laugh tinged with an enigmatic meaning.

At the same time, his expression changed significantly.

When Aoto first stepped into the Tosa Domain residence, his expression was very serious.

Now, his facial features are completely relaxed, as if he is in a very good mood.

Although the gatekeeper did not understand his meaning, he instinctively felt that Qingdeng was mocking their loyalist party.

In a fit of anger, he snorted coldly and ignored Qingdeng.

Qing Deng stopped speaking and just kept smiling to himself.

After passing through several more corridors, the security guard finally stopped in front of the door of a certain room.

"Please come in, sir."

As he spoke, he crouched down, knelt on one knee by the door, and reached out to pull open the paper sliding door.

The warm sunlight streamed into the hall little by little through the gradually opening door.

A soft, golden glow spread across the ceiling, illuminating the tatami mats and the large, dark crowd in the hall.

The instant the paper sliding door was pulled open, a barrage of sharp, piercing gazes focused on Qing Deng.

Looking around, about twenty people were evenly distributed on the left and right sides of the hall.

Although their appearances and attire differed, they shared one thing in common: when Qingdeng appeared, they all displayed terrifying expressions and glared at him with vicious intent in unison.

These gazes converged, forming an invisible mountain that pressed down on Qingdeng's shoulders.

If an ordinary person who had never experienced the ways of the world were here, they would probably be so frightened by the scene that their legs would tremble, just like Qin Wuyang who accompanied Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin.

However, for Qingdeng, who had waded through mountains of corpses and seas of blood countless times, this situation was nothing more than a minor matter.

With a slight smile on his face, he strode to the center of the hall as if taking a leisurely stroll, then knelt down and placed his two katana neatly on the tatami mat to his right.

The main seat in front of him was empty... It seemed that Takeshi Hanpeita had not yet arrived.

As Qing Deng entered and took his place, discordant noises gradually emerged from the previously quiet hall.

The loyalists present all turned their heads and whispered among themselves.