I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Tenshōin stood tall with his chest puffed out, hands on his hips, a proud look on his face.

"A woman like me, with a great personality, good looks, a great figure, and a superior family background, could only be worthy of Japan's number one man, right?"

After saying that, as if to prove that she was not lying, she deliberately puffed out her chest, raised her chin, and showed Qingdeng her beautiful swan neck and her extraordinary pair of breasts.

Qingdeng raised an eyebrow, then burst into laughter.

He neither agreed nor disagreed with Tenshōin's self-praise.

Seeing that Qingdeng remained silent, Tianzhangyuan didn't mind and continued on his own:

"Although looking back now, it's so embarrassing that I just want to dig a hole and crawl into it."

"But at that time I was indeed full of fantasies about my future husband."

"She genuinely wanted to marry Japan's number one man."

"Whether it's men or women, it's probably the same—in the dead of night, you can't help but let your mind wander and fantasize about your future and marriage."

"However……"

At the moment the word "however" was uttered, Tenshōin's facial expression underwent a very subtle change.

"Not long after the New Year's gifts were given, our relatives came knocking on our door..."

"Shimazu Nariakira wanted to adopt me as his goddaughter and let me marry Tokugawa Iesada as the 'Princess of Satsuma' to facilitate a marriage alliance between the shogunate and Satsuma."

"At that time, the struggle between the 'Nanki faction' and the 'Hitotsubashi faction' was intensifying."

"Aside from drawing their knives and drawing blood, both sides have exhausted all means."

“Shimazu Nariakira was a core member of the ‘Hitotsubashi faction’.”

"The reason he was so eager to ask me to marry Tokugawa Iesada was to use this to expand the political influence of the Hitotsubashi faction, to make me a wedge planted by the Hitotsubashi faction within the shogunate, and to secretly help Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu rise to power."

"Although the shogunate has been trying its best to conceal the true situation of Tokugawa Iesada, how could such a thing be kept secret?"

"Everyone knows that Tokugawa Iesada is a complete idiot who is difficult to communicate with."

“In Shimazu Nariakira’s eyes, I might just be an insignificant tool.”

"But to Shimazu Tadashi, I am his one and only precious daughter."

"Because of me, my father and Shimazu Nariakira have fallen out and are now fighting like brothers..."

*******

*******

You couldn't write a plot like this without watching a lot of anime (Leopard is so excited). Leopard originally wanted Tenshōin to take off his socks, but considering the uncontrollable factors, he had to give up.

Leopard has racked his brains to write some fan service scenes for everyone. In consideration of Leopard's hard work, please be sure to vote for this book with your monthly tickets! (Tearful Leopard head.jpg)

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

Chapter 676 Tianzhang Academy: Sheng Qing, No! [5100]

"What parent would agree to their precious daughter marrying a useless person?"

“My father did everything he could to protect me and not let me be ‘taken away’.”

"But... a mere branch family head is truly powerless to resist the will of the main family."

"My father and Shimazu Nariakira were very close friends."

"They were childhood friends who spent a full 11 years together at the Takanawa Domain in Edo."

"Unfortunately... the bond between brothers ultimately cannot withstand the calculation of interests."

"And that's how I became Shimazu Nariakira's adopted daughter."

"I received nearly three months of rigorous training in manners and etiquette at Tsurumaru Castle, which corrected my Satsuma accent and taught me the etiquette of the Ooku."

[Note: Tsurumaru Castle: also known as Kagoshima Castle, was the residence of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma]

"In the sixth year of Kaei (1853)... exactly 10 years ago on August 21, I set off from Kagoshima on a journey of no return."

“From then on, I never saw Shimazu Nariakira again, nor did I ever see any of my relatives or friends, including my parents.”

"Arrived in Kyoto on October 2nd."

"They departed from Fushimi on the 6th of the same month and arrived in Edo on the 23rd."

"Later, Impelli's return visit, the mysterious fire at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and the Edo Taichi Shōtai incidents caused the wedding to be postponed again and again."

[Note: Matthew Perry, a U.S. Navy admiral, is best known for leading the Black Ships, along with Joe Abbott, to open Japan's doors during its period of national isolation.]

"Finally, on November 19, 1856, I became engaged to Tokugawa Iesada, and we were married on December 18."

"That year, I was 21 years old, and Tokugawa Iesada was 33 years old."

As if he had thought of something, Tensho-in paused for a moment.

When she spoke again, she let out a few dry laughs.

"In a way... I've gotten what I wanted."

"I did indeed marry the number one man in Japan."

"Tokugawa Iesada was the 13th shogun of the Edo shogunate, and the nominal leader of the samurai class."

“In terms of status and position alone, there are few people in all of Japan who are higher than him.”

"Sigh, my mouth... I said I wanted to marry the number one man in Japan, and I never thought it would actually come true."

"If I had known this would happen, I would have added a few more embellishments when I told my father about my ideal husband."

"Not only does he have to be number one in Japan, but he also has to be handsome enough, physically strong enough, and it would be even better if he could have a gentle and considerate personality."

"As for age, it's best if they are close to me, not too much older or too much younger than me, at most 5 years older or 5 years younger than me."

“If Tokugawa Iesada were such a man, there would be no need for Shimazu Nariakira to force me; I would gladly marry him.”

After making a witty remark, Tenshōin's playful expression vanished.

"I don't think I need to go into details about what happened after that, do I?"

"One year and seven months after I entered the inner palace, Tokugawa Iesada died of illness."

“During this period, I did not support the ‘Hitotsubashi faction’ as Shimazu Nariaki had hoped, but instead completely sided with the ‘Nanki faction’ and spared no effort in supporting Iemochi’s rise to power.”

"I have no idea how Shimazu Nariakira reacted to my 'defection'."

"Ikushima was furious; she almost drew her naginata to duel me."

"Ah, Ikushima is an old lady working for Ikuhime, the younger sister of Shimazu Nariakira. She is also my teacher who is in charge of teaching me etiquette."

[Note: Old lady: Similar to head maid]

"She entered the Ooku with me. Ostensibly, she was my confidante, but in reality, she was an inside agent between the Shimazu family and the Ooku."

[Note: "御年寄" is a title within the inner palace (Ōoku), referring to someone in charge of all affairs within the inner palace.]

"While she regularly reported on the current state of the shogunate to Shimazu Nariakira, she was also responsible for monitoring my 'work progress'."

"She probably never expected that I would 'betray' her right under her nose."

“At that time, whenever I saw him, Kijima would try his best to persuade me to change my mind, even threatening to kill himself.”

“Seeing her with tears streaming down her face, I felt sorry for her, but my mind was made up—I was determined to stand with Jia Mao.”

"In the fifth year of Ansei (1858), Ii Naosuke became the Grand Elder, and Iemochi's succession was a foregone conclusion."

"Disheartened, Ikushima resigned and left the Ooku."

"I haven't seen her since then."

All we know is that she went into seclusion, but is still alive.

"To be honest, I don't really like Ikushima."

“When I first went with her to learn etiquette, she left me with a very bad impression.”

"He was heartless, had a loud voice that always hurt my ears, and was also very strict."

“When I was practicing etiquette and was so tired that I said I wanted to rest, she said, ‘In that case, let’s go stretch our muscles.’”

"Then she dragged me to the yard to practice the naginata technique, which I had no interest in at all, and in the end I was even more tired."

"After entering the Ooku, she always had phrases like 'Shimazu Nariakira' and 'Satsuma' on her lips, which made me feel very depressed and annoyed me to no end."

"But... that afternoon, when I saw her turn and leave the inner palace, I didn't feel happy."

"She is the only person in Ooku who can talk to me about my hometown and Satsuma."

"She's gone, and I don't even have a single person around me who can speak Samo..."

"I left my hometown 10 years ago."

"It's not a very long period of time, but everything around me has changed dramatically."

"Ikushima, who has been with me for many years, has left."

"Her husband, Tokugawa Iesada, is dead."

“My adoptive father, Shimazu Nariakira, is dead.”

“My biological father, Shimazu Tadashi… also died. I didn’t receive news of his death until several months later, and I couldn’t even go back to pay my respects. I could only mourn him from afar in front of the Buddhist shrine…”

Qingdeng remained a quiet listener throughout.

Only after Tenshō-in finished speaking did he softly say:

"...Your Highness, do you hate Shimazu Nariakira?"

Looking back on Tenshōin's past, it's no exaggeration to say that her life was completely ruined by Shimazu Nariakira.

The Shimazu clan's collateral lineage—within the Satsuma Domain, such a status already placed them among the top elites.

While it's unlikely she'll marry Japan's number one man, she'll have more than enough to live a carefree life.

As a result... due to Shimazu Nariakira's manipulation, she became a political victim, forced to marry the 'brainless general,' and subsequently drawn into the bottomless vortex of power struggles.

From any perspective, Tenshōin had every reason to resent, be hostile to, and seek revenge against Shimazu Nariakira.

However… in response to Qingdeng’s question, Tenshoin smiled nonchalantly: