I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Nijo Castle is a castle that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

It also served as the Tokugawa Shogun's temporary palace in Kyoto.

Therefore, starting today, Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshōin, and other high-ranking officials of the shogunate will move into Nijō Castle.

This castle was expanded during the Emperor's visit, and was later repaired several times due to natural disasters, fires, lightning strikes, and attacks by Ogata Ittosai.

Although Nijo Castle has been in a state of "semi-abandonment" for more than two hundred years, it has always been maintained by dedicated personnel.

When Tokugawa Iemochi arrived, the Kyoto Shojidai and Kyoto Town Magistrate immediately mobilized a large number of people to carry out a large-scale cleaning of Nijo Castle.

From the road outside the main gate to the living quarters inside the main building, everything was cleaned spotlessly.

The streets and alleys adjacent to Nijo Castle were cleared out, and unauthorized personnel were prohibited from approaching. Onlookers were kept behind the cordon.

The entourage arrived at Nijo Castle and waited outside.

The palanquins of Aoto, Tokugawa Iemochi, Matsudaira Katamori, and others were carried across the outer moat and into the East Gate, which was designed in the style of a Tang-style katakana.

[Note: Higashi-Otemon Gate: the main gate of Nijo Castle, which is said to have been placed on the east side so that it would face Edo.]

After walking a short distance, we arrived at Cheji.

[Note: "Car porch" refers to a covered porch built in front of the entrance hall for easy access to and from vehicles.]

A voice called from outside the sedan chair:

"Your Excellency, we have arrived."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work."

As Qingdeng responded, he stretched his back and shoulders, which had become stiff from sitting in the sedan chair for so long.

"Time's up... What a pity. Sheng Qing, let's have a proper chat another time when we have the chance."

Qing Deng returned the gesture with a smile and nodded.

Just as he was about to raise his hand to open the sedan chair door, he suddenly seemed to remember something, paused, and then turned his head to stare intently at Tianzhang Courtyard.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Your Highness, I haven't answered the question you just asked yet."

"question?"

Tenshōin paused for a moment, then fell into deep thought, trying to recall what question he had just asked.

Before she could figure it out, Qingdeng said unhurriedly:

"Your Highness, didn't you just ask me: 'Could it be that I've been thinking about you all this time?'"

At this point, his expression gradually became dominated by a charming, enigmatic smile.

"While I wouldn't call it being a concern, very occasionally, I can't help but wonder: What is Prince Tenshōin doing right now?"

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, and with a "whoosh," he opened the sedan door and climbed out.

"..."

Tenshōin sat there blankly, his eyes glazed over, his expression frozen as if he had lost his soul.

……

……

The sedan chair containing the Tianzhangyuan was not sent directly to the warehouse.

Under Tokugawa Iemochi's secret instructions, it was quietly carried to a secluded corner where no one would approach.

After dispersing all outsiders, Tokugawa Iemochi walked alone to the palanquin.

"Mother, you can come out now."

As he personally opened the sedan chair door for Tianzhangyuan, he complained with a look of utter helplessness:

"Really... Mother, your idea of ​​'hiding it in the sedan chair' is a bit too audacious."

"Even I am shocked by your courage."

"If people find out that you and Qingdeng are riding in the same sedan chair, it will be no laughing matter."

"Oh well, there's no need to talk about this anymore."

Fortunately, no one noticed anything unusual about the sedan chair in the end.

As he said this, he opened the sedan door.

However, he neither saw Tianzhangyuan alight from her sedan chair nor heard her voice.

"Hmm? Mother?"

Tokugawa Iemochi leaned forward with a puzzled look and peered into the palanquin.

Tianzhangyuan remained seated in his original position.

With his back straight, hands folded on his lap, and his graceful neck stretched out, head held high—at first glance, he appeared perfectly normal.

She remains the same woman who embodies both elegance and allure.

However, upon closer inspection, one can see that her cheeks are covered with a rosy blush, like the glow of the sunset.

A blush rose on her fair, snow-white face, and the tips of her ears were as red as if they had been branded with fire, making her appear shy and timid.

The person sits here, but their soul has flown off somewhere else.

He stared ahead, his expression dazed, as if he were thinking about something, or perhaps looking at someone.

Tokugawa Iemochi frowned slightly, staring intently at Tenshōin's facial expression, observing carefully, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

Thinking is only temporary.

In a short while, he seemed to realize something; his eyes flickered, and his expression became complex and indescribable.

Then, he let out a long sigh, composed himself, and spoke again:

"Mother! Mother! Mother!!"

He called out three times, each time louder than the last, before he finally managed to bring back the "soul" of Tianzhangyuan.

She shuddered violently, then looked at Tokugawa Iemochi with a face full of astonishment.

"Huh? Eh?! Ka-Kamo?! You... what are you doing here?"

"We've arrived at Nijo Castle. You can come out now."

"Oh, oh... I see... We've arrived at Nijo Castle..."

"...Mother, please forgive my curiosity, but what are you thinking about? You are so engrossed in your thoughts that you don't even know we have arrived at Nijo Castle. Even when I opened your sedan chair door and called you several times, you didn't react at all, like a clay statue."

Tokugawa Iemochi pressed on Tenshōin relentlessly, like a machine gun firing.

To be fair, Tenshōin's eloquence wasn't particularly good.

However, having spent many years navigating the political arena, she had developed considerable courage.

No matter who the other person is, she is not afraid to argue with them.

Even when facing political heavyweights known for their tough stances, such as Ii Naosuke and Matsudaira Harugaku, she showed no fear whatsoever.

However, at this moment, she was acting contrary to her usual fierce demeanor.

His gaze was evasive, his eyes were unfocused, and he stammered.

"N-nothing...it's just...it's just that I've been to Kyoto for a long time and it brought back some memories."

"Oh? The past?"

Tenshōin's expression and tone calmed down slightly, and he nodded vigorously:

"Yes! Memories!"

"But... that's strange..."

As Tokugawa Iemochi spoke, he frowned, appearing to be deep in thought.

His appearance naturally puzzled the other party.

"'Strange'? What does that mean?"

Tokugawa Iemochi then quietly continued the conversation:

What kind of past event could have made you blush?

At the very moment he finished speaking, he desperately tried to suppress his laughter.

Despite his best efforts to restrain himself, he ultimately couldn't control the upward curve of his lips.

As the corners of his mouth continued to turn upward, his expression gradually became dominated by a charmingly playful tone.

While Tokugawa Iemochi's changing expressions were certainly interesting, Tenshōin's immediate reaction is more worthy of detailed discussion.

Her hands and feet froze, her expression solidified, and she reflexively raised her hand to touch her face—all these expressions and movements were completed at the same time.

The instant her fingertips touched her face, the scalding heat directly stung her fingertips.

Tokugawa Iemochi stopped pretending.

He raised his deep, meaningful gaze, adopted a serious tone that spoke volumes, and briefly "packaged" his previous question before asking it again:

"Mother, what past event did you recall that made you blush so much?"

"...?!"

Instantly, Tenshōin's face turned even redder—however, this time the "redness" was not the same as the "redness" before.

She furrowed her brows and glared fiercely at Tokugawa Iemochi.

His eyes were so sharp... to give a more vivid example—they almost seemed to transform into lasers capable of cutting through steel.

Her red lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't utter a single word for a long time.

After a long while, she finally spoke in a low voice, half giving up and half whining:

"I'm your mother! Don't meddle in your elders' affairs!"

Having said that, she huffed and puffed... or perhaps she was eager to escape this place. She leaped off the sedan chair like an arrow, then quickly disappeared around a corner in the nearby corridor, leaving behind a voice that gradually faded into the distance: