I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Thinking of this, Xixiang Lai's mother obediently shut her mouth and stopped saying a word.

"what……"

Yamanami Keisuke half-closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and showed a wry smile on his face.

"We've only been stationed in Kyoto for less than two months, and we're already facing such a large-scale war..."

Qing Deng curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

"As I wish! I long for a great war to test the results of our soldiers' training!"

……

……

The next day—

Wenjiu three years (1863), January 2th——

Kyoto, Mibu Township——

The area inside and outside Mibu Township was packed with onlookers who came to watch the spectacle.

An uprising broke out in Ise, and a massive rebel army was heading towards Kyoto. Prince Niō Tachibana Aōtō was to lead all the soldiers of the Shinsengumi, as well as a portion of the Aizu army, to quell the rebellion. This shocking news had already spread throughout the streets and alleys of Kyoto at an incredible speed as early as yesterday afternoon.

How could one not join in the excitement of an army setting off on a campaign?

Amidst everyone's eager anticipation—with a click—the gate to the Shinsengumi headquarters was slowly pushed open.

At this moment, everyone knew that the Shinsengumi was about to emerge, and they immediately became tense.

Then, bright, light green hues caught their eye.

The Shinsengumi soldiers, all dressed in light blue haori, walked out of the gate in two neat columns, proceeding at a leisurely pace.

This is the first time the Shinsengumi uniform has been shown to the public.

Looking at the impressive outfit, the people at the scene displayed a variety of expressions.

Some showed surprise, while others were dismissive.

Because the newly elected group is still very small, with only about a hundred people in total, even if they are lined up in two columns, the line is only so long. So the people did not have to wait long before they saw the scene they had been looking forward to.

"Moo~~"

With a loud moo, Qing Deng, riding on the back of a radish, wearing a light blue haori and with a purple ancient sword at his waist, appeared before everyone unhurriedly.

Behind him was a large banner that was gently unfurling in the breeze—the Shinsengumi's military flag, the "Sincerity Flag"!

*******

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A new month is here! Readers with monthly passes, please be sure to vote for this book! (Crying leopard head.jpg)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

P.S.: Don't think Qingdeng riding a bull is silly. Just imagine Carrot as a "mutant bull." In Leopard's setting, Carrot looks a lot like a Scottish Highland bull, all hairy, fat, and with the strength of a bull and the speed of a horse.

Chapter 635 Declaring War on the Gods! [4400]

"Look! Lord Niou has come out!"

"Lord Niou!"

"Lord Ren-wang! You must defeat the rebel army and restore peace to the capital!"

"We must return victorious!"

"'Sincerity'? Why is there a 'Sincerity' character on that flag? What does it mean?"

"It's said that in addition to the uniforms, the Shinsengumi also has an official military flag... Could it be this big flag with the character 'Makoto' on it?"

"Hmph~ You guys don't understand, do you? I know the meaning of this 'Sincerity Flag'! Lord Niou hopes that all the soldiers of the Shinsengumi will be loyal to their beliefs, uphold the will of 'Sincerity', and live up to the name of 'Shinsengumi'! Therefore, 'Sincerity' is used as the symbol of the Shinsengumi!"

"Oh...so that's what it means..."

"What a cool meaning!"

……

A rebel army of over ten thousand men is advancing menacingly towards Kyoto... It would be impossible for the people of Kyoto not to feel deeply worried upon hearing this news.

After all... the "Ōshio Heihachirō Uprising" that shocked the world was only 26 years ago.

Kyoto and Osaka are adjacent to each other. If you ride a fast horse, you can travel back and forth between the two cities in a single day.

At that time, the people of Kyoto were always able to receive the latest information about the battle as soon as possible.

Because the two cities were very close, the people of Kyoto were all afraid of being implicated in the war. They packed up their valuables and either sought refuge with relatives in other places or hid in the deep mountains.

Therefore, even today, people over the age of 30 in and around Kyoto still vividly remember this far-reaching uprising.

The rebel army led by Ōshio Heihachirō clashed bloodily and fiercely with the shogunate army that came to quell the rebellion in the streets and alleys of Osaka, resulting in the destruction of countless buildings.

3389 civilian houses were burned down, not including palaces, government offices, temples, and shrines.

A total of 112 towns were burned down, which is equivalent to 1/5 of the 620 towns in Osaka's Misato district.

No one wanted to see the enemy army at the city gates, and no one wanted the flames of war to reach their own doorstep.

Even if Aoto brought all the Shinsengumi soldiers, his forces would only amount to a little over a hundred.

Even with reinforcements from the Aizu army, the total strength was less than two hundred.

With such a small force facing an army of over ten thousand... the enemy commander could confidently declare, "No matter what, the battle force is ten thousand to two hundred! The advantage is on our side!"

Strangely enough, both the soldiers of the Shinsengumi and the people of Kyoto had great confidence in Aoto's expedition.

Many people shared the same belief that Niou would surely return victorious.

This is the confidence that the name "Niou" (仁王) brings them!

"Moo moo~~ Moo moo~~"

Perhaps influenced by the enthusiastic atmosphere around him, Radish raised his large head high and shouted joyfully.

This large black ox is already the personal mount of the Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Region.

Since that's the case, it's only natural that we should dress it up nicely.

Qingdeng spent a lot of money to have a purple overcoat made for Luobo, which he draped over his body, making him look very imposing.

Qing Deng turned his head and said to the young warrior behind him who was carrying the "Sincerity Flag":

"Ozeki-kun, you'd better make sure you carry our flag properly!"

The young warrior immediately responded loudly:

"Lord Niou! Please rest assured!"

"From the moment I received this flag, I was determined to live and let the flag live!"

"As long as I, Masajiro Ozeki, have a breath left, the 'Sincerity Flag' will fly high! It will never fall!"

Masajiro Ozeki—Aoto went to great lengths to repeatedly select from the various squads of the Shinsengumi before finally finding the most ideal flag bearer.

Carrying the flag is no easy task.

First to scale the walls, slay the enemy general, capture the flag, and break through enemy lines—the four great military achievements of ancient times.

The military flag is the soul of an army.

Once the war began, the first person listed as the "primary target" by the enemy was Qingdeng himself, followed by the flag bearer responsible for carrying the military flag.

The person carrying the military flag must have enough courage.

Even if the enemy's blade is about to cut your neck, you must never throw away the military flag and run away.

In addition, one must have sufficient strength and not be too unattractive.

The latter is easier to understand.

The flag bearer represents the face of the army.

If we find someone mediocre or incompetent to lead the team, we'll make a fool of ourselves.

Masajiro Ozeki was very good-looking.

With thick eyebrows, large eyes, strong facial features, a sturdy build, and a tall stature—at 1.7 meters, he is considered very tall in contemporary Japan—he is a masculine man who fits the aesthetic standards of the Edo period.

Perhaps it's because of his special hair type, but Masajiro Ozeki's hair is very black, thick, and shiny.

His hairstyle was a textbook example of the classic chonmage (topknot).

The large, thick bun on his head resembled a futon, which, combined with his masculine face, made him appear even more imposing (the imposing and extraordinary aesthetic of the Edo period).

[Note: Ebi-maki: A type of relatively thick hand-rolled sushi]

If Chiba Jutaro, a fundamentalist "chonmage enthusiast," were to see this, he would surely praise Ozeki Masajiro's hairstyle.

Of course, the main reason why Qingdeng decided to entrust him with the important task of carrying the flag was his extraordinary strength.

The "Sincerity Flag" measures 30 centimeters in length and 60 centimeters in width.

As for the flagpole, Qingdeng specially selected imported solid mahogany, which, after being made into a flagpole, resulted in a total height of nearly 5 meters.

To lift such a tall and heavy wooden pole high, straight, and steady, plus the huge flag fluttering in the wind... this weight is not something an ordinary person can handle!

Masajiro Ozeki was able to easily control the "Sincerity Flag".

He can walk steadily and maintain a calm expression while holding the "Honest Flag" high. From the outside, he looks like nothing is wrong. His breathing is steady and his steps are firm and powerful... He is simply a born flag bearer!

After witnessing Masajiro Ozeki easily raise the Shinsengumi flag, Aoto immediately decided: You will carry the flag for the Shinsengumi!

As it turns out, Qing Deng did not make the wrong choice.

Today, the "Sincerity Flag" became the focus of the entire event as soon as it was unveiled.

The reason why this effect could be achieved is largely due to Masajiro Ozeki, who was responsible for carrying the flag and holding it high and stable.

"call……"

Qingdeng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled a semi-transparent mist.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes... and looked around—