I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Since its introduction to Japan in the 1730s, cholera has been a very dangerous disease, known as "tiger and wolf dysentery," which means "this disease is as dangerous as tigers and wolves."

In the summer of 1733, 8 people died of cholera in Edo in just one month, a time when every household was in mourning.

A cholera outbreak has occurred in the Shinsengumi's camp... Just imagining the horrific scene sends chills down Aoto's spine.

To prevent the emergence of infectious diseases, we must take strict precautions!

Therefore, Qingdeng issued a series of strict orders—

Toilets were to be built far from water sources; lime was to be regularly sprinkled into the toilet pits; soldiers were strictly prohibited from urinating or defecating indiscriminately; boiled water was required for drinking, and raw water from mountain streams was strictly forbidden; all garbage was to be collected and burned regularly; hands were to be washed before meals and after urinating or defecating...

Qingdeng often advocates these hygiene concepts in his daily life.

However, even such a simple requirement proved difficult for many soldiers to fulfill.

Due to weak basic education and outdated mindset, most Japanese people today have virtually no concept of hygiene.

Or rather, they simply don't know that behaviors such as urinating or defecating anywhere and frequently drinking untreated water are harmful.

It was precisely because he knew the true nature of his soldiers that Qing Deng made a special trip to the toilet to see for himself whether the stinking pit was indeed covered with white lime powder as he had hoped.

After checking the condition of the toilets, Qing Deng rushed to the next location without stopping, leaving Harada Sanosuke's words, "Huh? Mr. Tachibana, aren't you going to join me in taking a dump?" behind him.

……

……

Ueno Basin, Shinsengumi camp, main camp—

After inspecting the toilets, Qingdeng toured many places inside and outside the camp before finally returning to his main camp.

He threw himself into his personal "general's throne"—a small stool facing the entrance of the military camp—and let out a long breath. His whole body went limp, and his originally straight back bent over.

"As expected...no major problems, but tons of minor ones..."

As soon as the murmur ended, Qingdeng sighed again.

If he were to use a more vivid analogy... the current Shinsengumi camp is like a large ship sailing at sea.

It looks very clean and operates smoothly and in an orderly manner, but in reality, there are many tiny holes in unseen places, and water is leaking in continuously.

From high-ranking officers like Yamanami Keisuke to ordinary soldiers, everyone reacted in this sudden event.

Upon hearing the news of an "enemy attack," they immediately lost their composure...

The officer in charge of guarding the supply depot led the way by lighting candles around the depot...

After a thorough inspection, numerous similar chaotic situations were found.

However, Qing Deng had no intention of criticizing the trouble his subordinates had caused.

Firstly, it's normal to make mistakes when you're not familiar with the business.

Secondly, he also made a mistake.

He overlooked the fact that "many soldiers simply did not know how to dig."

This necessitates a major overhaul of the original project plan.

Warfare is a very delicate matter.

It's perfectly normal for someone who has never fought a war to be overwhelmed by the heavy pressure and a series of tedious tasks.

Even the most elite troops are never truly mature without the baptism of blood and fire.

To put it bluntly, strategic warfare is a contest of "national strength," while tactical warfare is a contest of "details."

Troop deployment, fortification construction, logistical support... every aspect must be meticulously handled, and no mistakes can be tolerated.

The one who makes fewer mistakes has a greater chance of winning.

Therefore, Qing Deng's inclusion of "meticulous attention to detail" as one of the core tenets of his "Orange Stream Strategy" is not mere idle talk.

In terms of military campaigns, Qingdeng's experience in this area is by no means extensive.

Looking back, the only battle he personally experienced was the "Kai Campaign" more than two years ago.

However, it was this war that benefited him greatly.

Although the battle was small in scale and the opponents were just insignificant bandits, the "procedure" of the war was very formal and sophisticated.

Because the entire war was orchestrated by "Fire Dragon" Abiko Chutaro, everything from troop movement and supply transport to camp construction went smoothly.

At that time, it was thanks to the strategic planning of my grandson, Tadaro, that the expeditionary force was able to complete the attack preparations in such a short time.

The saying "a skilled warrior achieves no great feats" perfectly illustrates this point.

Thanks to the influence of my surroundings at that time, and the teachings of my grandson, Chutaro, Aoto learned the maintenance techniques of supply depots, the construction methods of field fortifications, and so on.

Whenever I think of this, I can't help but feel sorry for the early death of my grandson, Chutaro.

In this era of long-lasting peace, Qingdeng, who has been on a real battlefield and gained practical experience, is already a rare talent.

This experience alone is enough to give him the confidence to train the Shinsengumi into the strongest army in the world and win every battle now and in the future!

……

……

The next day—

Last night, the soldiers, who had transformed into civil engineers, worked tirelessly until nearly midnight before finally being able to return to their tents to rest.

That night, everyone, utterly exhausted, slept soundly.

Just as dawn broke, they were awakened by the familiar sound of bells.

Just as they arrived at the "construction site" carrying all sorts of tools, as if being pushed by the wind, they were astonished to find that their beloved commander-in-chief was standing in the dirty trench, his sleeves tightly rolled up, skillfully wielding a hoe.

"Lord Niou, what are you doing here?"

Someone asked.

"We're severely short-handed right now, and I, as the commander-in-chief, can't just eat and do nothing, can I?"

Qingdeng smiled and replied, then continued swinging the hoe in his hand.

Whether it's the way he holds the hoe or the way he uses inertia to drive the hoe tip into the soil, Qingdeng's movements are as skillful as an old farmer's.

He learned his hoeing skills from his previous task of "dredging the water in the fields." At that time, Qing Deng led the workers to the blocked waterways, directed the dredging operation on site, and personally worked with the workers. He learned a lot of new knowledge that he had never encountered before.

Niou personally visited the construction site to work alongside them... This news greatly boosted the morale of the entire army!

Whether in ancient times or today, the heroic act of those in power who "charge with me" is always inspiring.

Suddenly, the creaking of sawing wood in the forest and the clanging of digging around the camp became noticeably faster.

Thus, Qingdeng threw himself into the vast construction site while occasionally inspecting the area and personally teaching his subordinates how to fight.

……

"Yes, that's it! You're swinging a hoe, not a sword! Don't use brute force, use your body weight! If you keep using brute force, you'll collapse from exhaustion in no time."

……

"Dig a few more trenches in this direction! The terrain here is relatively flat, so it's definitely the enemy's main attack direction!"

……

"Pile up all this shoveled earth! Make sure it's firmly packed! These mounds can be used as watchtowers and arrow towers in the future!"

……

"Remember to pick out all the stones before you start piling up the soil! These stones are invaluable weapons! The famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi was once knocked unconscious by a stone on the battlefield!"

……

“Collect all the sturdier vines in the forest, and with a little modification, you can make them into simple slings.”

……

"Tufang, watch closely. This is the most reasonable way to arrange the fences and trenches. Only in this way can the battlefield be divided to the greatest extent and the enemy's numerical advantage be weakened."

……

"Kondo-kun, when you're supervising your subordinates, you can't be timid and hesitant just because of personal relationships."

……

"That's right, Keisuke, that's exactly it. The supply depot must be kept well-ventilated at all times. It can't be too dry or too damp. Water must never accumulate in the warehouse, otherwise it will easily attract insects."

……

"Listen up, all of you! Wash your hands before you eat! Anyone who disobeys will not be allowed to eat!"

……

"Hey! You guys over there! That's right! I'm talking to you! The ones squatting by the river drinking water! I've clearly and repeatedly warned you against drinking raw water, can't you understand human language? You're not eating today! Get up and dig in the dirt! Dig until I yell 'Stop'!"

……

"I think I've said this many times already, right? Urinating and defecating in the military is strictly prohibited. I'm giving you two choices: one, eat it while it's hot; two, I don't care how you do it, just throw this mess into the toilet hole and clean this place up!"

……

……

A few days later—

April 8, 1863 (the third year of Bungu), in the morning—

Ueno Basin, Shinsengumi Camp —

Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough...

The rhythmic clatter of hoes filled the air both inside and outside the camp.

Qingdeng took off his shirt, revealing his muscular body covered in scars. He had a towel around his neck to wipe away sweat. He diligently wielded his hoe, becoming one of the laborers in the trench.

On the surface, he was no different from any other ordinary worker.

"Ok?"

Suddenly, his movements stopped abruptly.

The next moment, he put down the hoe in his hand, raised his head, and stared straight at the southeast sky with a sharp look in his eyes.

Pale white clouds piled up above the mountains, like a new row of mountain ranges in the sky, and the sky was a clear, pale blue like that of autumn.