I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Hate? Why should I hate him?"

"He was a renowned ruler praised by all, and a wise and virtuous lord whom everyone admired."

"He had a keen eye and used the knowledge he learned from abroad to establish civilian industries."

"Western training methods were adopted, new weapons were produced, and a French-style cavalry was established."

"In a very short time, a shipyard was built, ships were launched, and the navy was established."

"In addition, he also had the talent to recognize and nurture a large number of outstanding talents."

“The three people who currently hold real power in the Satsuma Domain—Kichinosuke Saigo, Ichizo Okubo, and Tateto Komatsu—were all trained by him.”

"He led the Satsuma Domain in implementing a policy of enriching the country and strengthening its military, and under his leadership, the Satsuma Domain became unprecedentedly powerful."

“In terms of military strength alone, the Satsuma Domain alone is capable of overwhelming the entire western Japan.”

"Even the shogunate was unwilling to be enemies with Satsuma."

"On the day Shimazu Nariakira died suddenly from illness, countless Satsuma people wept bitterly, and some were even so grief-stricken that they almost committed suicide."

"Both in public and in private, he was a great monarch."

"He was a dignified lord of a vassal state."

"He was just doing what he was supposed to do."

"What is my life compared to the future of the Satsuma Domain?"

"If I can be united with Tokugawa Iesada, it will greatly expand the political influence of the Satsuma Domain and benefit all the people."

"Just by sacrificing a woman from a collateral branch, so many benefits can be obtained. There is no more worthwhile deal than this. This is what is meant by 'a small investment yielding huge profits'."

"I understand him."

"So I don't resent him."

At this point, Tensho-in suddenly shut his mouth and paused.

This pause lasted for a long time.

About 20 seconds later, she switched to a half-joking tone:

"Thinking about it carefully... is my current attitude 'magnanimous' or 'let it go'?"

"Hahaha... I don't understand it myself either."

"However, there is one thing I am certain of."

“I never intended to take revenge on Shimazu Nariakira.”

"When people judge my 'defection,' they all suspect that I hate Shimazu Nariakira, so I deliberately go against him, betray the 'Hitotsubashi faction,' and join the 'Nanki faction.'"

"That's not actually the case."

"I'm not some naive little girl. I won't make a mistake when it comes to matters of principle."

"If my sacrifice can bring happiness to millions of people, then I am willing to go through fire and water."

“When I first entered the Ooku, I was a true ‘Hitotsubashi faction’ member and had no intention of betraying them.”

“Shimazu Nariakira repeatedly warned me: Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu is a brilliant man who is proficient in both literature and military affairs. If he can inherit the position of shogun, he will surely bring peace to the seas and restore a bright and clear world to the world.”

“I always believed in Shimazu Nariakira’s judgment—until I met Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu in person.”

Tenshōin sighed silently.

“I don’t deny his talent; he is indeed a very capable person.”

"At first glance, he seems to be the only candidate for the position of General of the Expedition."

"However, after careful observation, I gradually saw through his true nature and discovered that he had a fatal flaw."

"First of all, he lacks his own opinions and acts on a whim."

"They lack unwavering perseverance and the strong spirit to never give up once they decide to do something."

"Secondly, he is also easily swayed by his emotions."

"Whether he is overjoyed or terrified, he is prone to making irrational judgments."

"Furthermore, he is shrewd but lacks courage."

"Let me put it this way—if one day in the future the army of the anti-shogunate forces were to besiege the city and the shogunate were on the verge of collapse, Iemochi would definitely don armor and personally lead the army into battle."

"As for Yoshiki Ichitsuki? I'll be thankful he didn't escape to Goryokaku."

[Note: Goryokaku: A five-pointed star-shaped fortress built in the Hakodate area of ​​Ezo (present-day Hokkaido). It had extremely high defensive capabilities. Construction officially began in 1857 and was expected to be completed in 1864.]

"In the end, he was still a supporter of the Mito school and advocated the idea of ​​revering the emperor."

"He valued the shogunate, but he also respected the imperial court from the bottom of his heart."

"He was willing to bargain with the imperial court for the sake of the shogunate, and even to go against the imperial court."

"But he always believed that disputes with the imperial court must be kept within a controllable range."

"We must never antagonize the imperial court, and even less should we engage in large-scale armed conflict with it, otherwise we will be condemned as an enemy of the court for all eternity."

"He would rather die than be despised by future generations as an 'enemy of the dynasty'."

"Based on his ideology, I have absolutely no belief that he can maintain a tough stance in his struggle against the imperial court."

"Therefore, I conclude that the person most qualified to inherit the position of shogun is not Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi, but Iemochi."

"Putting everything else aside, just in terms of that bold and courageous spirit, Jia Mao far surpasses the other party."

"And so, I betrayed the Hitotsubashi faction and joined the Nanki faction."

"Hahaha... It feels a bit awkward, like I'm talking like some righteous hero."

"But everything I just said was the truth, and I wasn't boasting."

"I firmly believe that I did not misjudge Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi's character."

"At the same time, I sincerely believe that Jia Mao is the wise ruler who will bring prosperity and peace to the country."

While Tenshōin was making self-deprecating remarks, Aoto secretly pondered.

"...Your Highness, I have another question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it."

Tenshōin nodded slightly without hesitation:

"Okay, go ahead and ask."

Qingdeng carefully considered his words.

"You said you wanted to marry Japan's number one man,"

"But there are many kinds of 'firsts' in this world."

"For example, wealth is the most important, appearance is the most important, status is the most important, and swordsmanship is the most important."

"No matter how talented a person is, it is impossible for them to win the laurel of writing in every aspect and every field."

"So, in your eyes, what kind of man is worthy of your 'Number One in Japan'?"

Tenshoin blinked her beautiful eyes a few times.

"Huh? Sheng Qing, why are you asking this? Ah! I understand!"

She narrowed her eyes and curled the corners of her mouth—and there it was! That mischievous, devilish smile!

Then, as if by magic, she went from a wicked grin a second ago to a pitiful and frail appearance the next.

As she tucked her clothes in with her hand, she said shyly in a trembling voice:

"Th-that... Moriharu, no... I am the dignified Omiya-no-sho, and you are a vassal of the shogunate. There is a distinction between lord and vassal. We cannot be together..."

"What's more, there's a six-year age difference between us."

“You might be able to accept an older sister, but I simply can’t accept a younger brother who is so much younger than me…”

After saying that, Tenshōin covered half of his face with his sleeve, then secretly raised his eyes and cautiously "stole a glance" at Aoden's expression.

While stealing a glance, she continued speaking:

"Oh dear, thinking about it carefully, I'm really old now!"

"Before we knew it, I was already 27 years old, and you were 21."

When we first met, you were only 18 years old, and I was only 24.

"In the blink of an eye, three years have passed quietly."

“Sheng Qing, apart from being more robust, your appearance has not changed much.”

"And me... Waaah~ I can clearly feel that my skin isn't as smooth as it used to be, waaaah~~ I'm becoming an old woman, waaaah~~"

Looking at Tenshōin, who was engrossed in his own "performance," Seidō couldn't help but show a helpless expression:

"Your Highness, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Tenshōin lowered his sleeve, revealing his face, and smiled gently.

"Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. I know you didn't mean anything by it. I was just making a little joke."

"Sheng Qing, that's a good question."

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever thought about this question before."

Tenshōin half-closed his eyes, appearing deep in thought as he murmured softly—

"In my eyes, what kind of man can be called 'Japan's Number One'...?"

Qingdeng remained silent and waited quietly.

Tianzhang Academy didn't keep him waiting too long.

A moment later, she suddenly opened her half-closed eyes and said with a grin:

"Well... I don't know either~~"

"If it were me when I was younger, I might have been more inclined to think carefully about the answer to this question."

"But now... what's the point of me considering this issue again?"

As she spoke, she stretched out her arms to show Qingdeng the blue cloak she was wearing.