I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at the distant eastern horizon.

His gaze seemed to try to pierce through layers of obstacles and reach another distant world.

"The recent 'British warship attack' made me realize one thing deeply—when the Western barbarians attack in their black ships, the only thing we swordsmen can do is sigh helplessly at the vast ocean."

"It probably won't be long before swords... and we swordsmen, will completely lose our home..."

A bitter expression gradually crept onto his cheeks.

Although he tried his best to speak in a calm tone, both Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo could clearly sense a strong sense of loneliness in his words...

The two of them pursed their lips, their expressions grave.

Qingdeng wanted to say something to comfort his master.

But... even after racking my brains, I still couldn't think of a single word that could offer any comfort.

You can't persuade a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer to stay optimistic.

Suddenly, Kondo Shusuke spoke again:

"Since martial arts have reached their end, then... clinging to those outdated formalities is meaningless."

"You are my pride, the pride of Shieikan, the pride of Tennen Rishin-ryu, and you deserve the highest honor of our school!"

"From this day forward, you are officially considered to have completed your apprenticeship."

"I hope that you will become upright people and men of integrity in the future, and never do anything that would disgrace your sect or violate human ethics."

"Alright, that's settled then."

"You're going back to Kyoto tomorrow, so get some rest."

At this point, Kondo Shusuke seemed to remember something, paused, then pointed to his almost entirely white hair and said with a wry smile:

"It's just a pity... I'm getting old."

"If I were 30 years younger, I might boldly shut down the Shieikan, sling my precious sword over my shoulder, and then go with you all to cause a ruckus in Kyoto!"

"An old man like me, whose back and legs ache after walking a few steps, should just stay quietly in his own little plot of land and drink tea."

"Be careful and take care of yourself."

"Never be lustful; always exercise restraint!"

As he spoke, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and glared fiercely at the two of them.

Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo once again tacitly turned their gazes away, pretending to admire the scenery.

"Don't get sick."

"And definitely don't die."

"If you feel tired and want to rest, go back to Edo... go back to Shieikan for a while."

"Although I'm old, I still have the energy to have a few cups of tea with you and listen to your complaints."

"Even in your free time when there's nothing important to do, you can come back more often."

"To be honest, although the Shieikan now has more apprentices, I still feel it's strangely deserted and lonely."

As Kondo Shusuke finished speaking, Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo exchanged a knowing glance.

They both saw a look in each other's eyes that was half amused and half touched.

Although there was no prior arrangement, they sat up straight as if they had agreed beforehand, holding the certificate of "permission to transmit all knowledge" above their heads with both hands and respectfully offering a bow to their master.

……

……

The next day—

Wenjiu three years (1863), January 24th——

Edo, Nihonbashi, the starting point of the Tokai Road—

The 2000 new recruits of the Shinsengumi were lined up in two neat rows, stretching from the far left to the far right of the field of vision. The scene was quite spectacular!

Tokugawa Iemochi, along with Tenshōin, Katsu Rintaro, and other high-ranking officials of the shogunate, personally came to see Aoto off.

The surrounding area was crowded with people who came simply to join in the fun, or who also wanted to bid farewell to Nioh.

Tokugawa Iemochi and Tenshōin stepped forward and patted Aoto on the shoulder warmly.

Katsu Rintarou and others followed suit, sending their blessings to Aoto.

"Have a safe journey, Mr. Ju." "May you have great success in your military endeavors, Ju Qingdeng."... These are all common phrases.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qingdeng nimbly mounted the ox, eager to set off!

However... at that moment, he unconsciously glanced sideways at the Tianzhang Academy not far away.

To avoid suspicion, Tenshōin wore a blue silk veil, revealing only his two beautiful eyes.

When Qingdeng looked over, she immediately sensed his gaze.

Her expression immediately changed.

Even through the veil, Qing Deng could clearly feel that Tenshōin was smiling at him.

Her two beautiful eyes curved into a pair of crescent moons.

Qing Deng also curled the corners of his mouth and returned the other party's faint smile.

For no apparent reason, he unconsciously thought to himself:

—It's time to say goodbye to Tenshōin again…

Strangely enough, the thought of this made Qingdeng feel inexplicably lonely...

……

……

Koshu Pass is a necessary stop on the journey from Edo to Kyoto.

Since it's on the way anyway, I might as well take the opportunity to inspect my newly acquired troops—the Eighth Prince's Thousand-Man Unity!

Urged on by Qingdeng, the new recruits quickened their pace and marched straight to the Hachioji area.

They truly deserve to be called the 2000 brave warriors carefully selected from tens of thousands of people.

Putting everything else aside, his physical fitness alone is truly remarkable!

Perhaps influenced by Qingdeng's high prestige, the new recruits maintained a very high level of organization despite having received no training.

They arrived in the Hachioji region in just two days.

My first impression of Qingdeng was that it was peaceful and serene.

Green waters, green mountains, flat farmland, melodious birdsong, children chasing and playing... it looks just like a paradise on earth.

After personally visiting the place and conducting a detailed observation, Qing Deng finally understood why the thousand people were united in their support for the shogunate.

To possess such fertile land in a "mountainous country," and to be able to inherit it for generations... this is enough to make thousands of people remember the kindness of the shogunate with one heart and mind.

The hereditary system of nobility in the Edo period was deeply ingrained in all aspects of life—even the unity of the thousand members of the Hachioji clan was no exception.

The officer positions were mainly held by the sons of 10 local powerful families, and the positions were hereditary.

These 10 families are collectively known as the "Ten Families with a Thousand Heads," and they are—

The Hara family, the Kamikata family, the Kamikubuda family, the Shimokubada family, the Ishizaka family, the Shimura family, the Ogihara family, the Nakamura family, the Kono family, and the Yamamoto family.

The heads of these 10 families knew early on that their new leader would be arriving today, so they set up a grand welcoming procession in Hachioji.

On a flat field ridge, Qingdeng slowly rode his oxen toward the welcoming procession ahead.

When they were about 10 steps apart, Qingdeng dismounted from the ox and started walking.

Upon seeing this, the person at the head of the welcoming procession immediately straightened his attire and then rushed towards Qingdeng.

"Lord Niou, it's a pleasure to meet you! I am Hara no Kenki!"

Qingdeng nodded slightly, and before the other party could begin the next round of pleasantries, he spoke first:

"Let's talk as we walk. Take me to see your training grounds."

*******

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Chapter 712: Teaching the Tachibana-style Military Strategy! [4600]

Qingdeng's decisive actions startled Yuan Canqi.

After regaining his senses, he immediately said:

"Yes, yes! Please follow me!"

As he spoke, he turned to the side and gestured "please" to Qingdeng.

Hijikata Toshizo followed closely beside Aoto.

Surrounded by the heads of the "thousand heads and ten families," the two strode into the depths of the village.

Judging from his appearance, Yuan Canqi was about 42 or 3 years old, in the prime of his life.

Although his hair and beard were half white, he was full of energy, with a ruddy complexion, long breaths, and steady, powerful steps. One glance was enough to tell that he was a martial artist.

The Eight Princes, a thousand men united in heart, were divided into 10 groups, that is, 10 units.

The "thousand heads and ten families" then served as commanders of these ten units respectively.

Although nominally the "thousand heads and ten families" are of equal status, in reality, their actual status has subtle differences.

Their stipends ranged from 200 to 500 shi (a unit of dry measure), which was an enviable figure for the average local powerful families.

Among them, the Yuan family had the most abundant wealth and the highest status.

Therefore, the Yuan family often served as the head of the "thousand heads and ten families" (referring to the number of people in the Yuan family).