I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

The blazing, scorching sun shone down from the horizon, enveloping the entire city of Otsu in a humid, oppressive heatwave.

The buzzing of cicadas seemed to come from a distant place, yet also seemed to be right beside me, both blurry and clear.

"Make way! Make way! If you don't want to get bumped, hurry up and make way!"

The rickshaw driver shouted as he sped back and forth on the street, oblivious to everyone else, stirring up layers of dust.

Pedestrians on the road stepped back to the side of the street to make way.

As the carriage sped past, passersby showed expressions of annoyance, and some even started cursing.

"Seriously! There are so many people here, and they're driving so fast!"

"It's just a horse-drawn carriage, look at how arrogant they are!"

"Oh well, let it go. Everyone, please be understanding. My domain is currently engaged in construction and building everywhere. These coachmen are shouldering the heavy responsibility of transporting supplies and are extremely busy. It's understandable that they are a bit impatient."

"Look at what you're saying! They're busy and tired, but aren't we craftsmen busy and tired too? Look! My hands are covered in blisters!"

"Exactly! We farmers work very hard too! Do you know how tiring it is to turn a piece of wasteland into arable land where we can grow things? Loosening the soil, weeding, picking up stones... it takes at least two years to successfully reclaim the land!"

"Hey, we're all citizens of Qinjin! What's there to argue about?"

……

The air was filled with dust and the smell of bustling activity.

Although the summer sky is very hot, when it comes to "heat"... Otsu is not to be outdone!

Looking around, every street and alley in Dajin is filled with a vibrant and prosperous atmosphere!

The drivers waved the reins and spurred their horses to transport the goods at breakneck speed.

Farmers, carrying hoes, headed to the uncultivated wasteland outside the town.

The craftsmen picked up their tools and continued to focus on the project at hand.

Everyone performed their duties and went about their business.

Although there were occasional conflicts, this did not prevent them from continuing to serve this town and this domain, contributing their own efforts.

Similar scenes of prosperity appeared in various towns and villages of the Qin Jin Domain.

It's no exaggeration to say that Qin Jinfan's current situation is the best illustration of the phrase "still in its infancy"!

Leaving aside other places, let's take Otsu as an example.

Compared to six months ago, Otsu has undergone tremendous changes!

Previously, Otsu... to put it bluntly, was just a town that had nothing special about it except for its long history.

With a small population, a lack of funds, and outdated infrastructure, the entire town exudes an air of decay.

Many of the buildings are even ancient structures dating back to the Warring States period.

Now, in just six months, Otsu has completely changed!

The roads were repaired and leveled.

New houses are springing up like mushrooms after rain.

Of course, the most significant change is the change in population.

A recruitment order from the Qin Jin Princely government attracted countless eligible people.

The large influx of young and middle-aged people indirectly boosted commercial development.

The rapid development of commerce has attracted new young and middle-aged people.

They promote each other and develop in a positive way.

Although Otsu is far less bustling than Osaka or Kyoto, it has endless possibilities!

Because it's blank paper, you can dye it with your favorite colors as you please.

The best counterexample is undoubtedly Kyoto.

Because of its long history and large population, Kyoto has a large number of old houses that look like "shit mountains," which seriously hinders urban development.

Even if they wanted to reorganize Kyoto's urban planning, they wouldn't know where to start and could only patch things up on this "mountain of shit".

To prevent this from happening, Qingdeng specially commissioned Huluwu to hire a professional urban designer to make a detailed plan for Otsu.

Every new house and every new street had to be reported to the Prince's Office in advance and construction could only begin after permission was obtained.

If you violate this rule, you'll be in for a ticket!

Compared to brutal methods such as imprisonment and execution, Qingdeng prefers fines.

Although Qing Deng had already gained some insights when he took office as a subordinate official and governor, he realized even more deeply after becoming the lord of a domain that national construction was a bottomless pit!

No matter how much money and food you spend, it will be difficult to fill this bottomless pit!

Even with the "super nanny" of the Calabash House supporting them, the money still flows out like water.

Qingdeng had to try every possible way to raise funds—issuing fines was a good way to do so.

In conclusion, thanks to Aoto's foresight and the city designer's meticulously crafted plan, Otsu's streetscape is exceptionally smooth, beautiful, and truly well-organized.

In terms of the aesthetic appeal of the streetscape alone, even Edo and Osaka cannot compare!

……

……

Qinjin Domain, Otsu, a certain izakaya—

They ate and drank heartily, clinking glasses and feasting.

The moment the curtain of this izakaya was lifted, noise and heat burst forth.

The store was unusually hot, and the heat made it feel like your vision was through a blurry, distorted, and swaying "filter."

This "filter," combined with the hazy tobacco smoke, makes it almost impossible to see what lies deep inside the izakaya.

Although it was still broad daylight and the sun was high in the sky, the izakaya was already packed with townspeople who had taken a break from their busy schedules to come and have a few drinks.

"Drink! Drink some more!"

"Oh my, Bintaro, you can really drink today! Boss lady! Four more bottles... no, six bottles of shochu!"

"Hey! Here I come!"

A moment later, the elegant proprietress emerged from the kitchen carrying six bottles of liquor on a tea tray, bringing a touch of beauty to this otherwise masculine tavern.

It is well known that wherever men gather, "keyboard politics" is inevitable.

It's unclear who started it, but the people in the room suddenly began discussing recent political events.

"Hey, did you guys know? A friend of mine who works for the shogunate told me that the shogunate has largely completed its pre-war preparations and will officially launch an attack on Choshu by the end of the year!"

"Hey, I thought you were going to say something big. Isn't the 'Chōshū Conquest' of the shogunate already common knowledge?"

"I heard that this time, the shogunate is mobilizing 80,000 hatamoto cavalry, the Aizu Domain, our Hatatsu Domain, and 21 domains in western Japan, led by Satsuma! A total of 200,000 troops!"

"Yes, that's what I heard too! A real army of 200,000! Not an exaggeration!"

"Two or two hundred thousand?!"

"real or fake……"

"An unprecedented western expedition! This must be the largest battle since the Battle of Sekigahara!"

"It seems the shogunate is determined to destroy the Choshu Domain this time..."

"Hmph! It should have been done long ago! I've disliked Choshu for a long time!"

"That's not quite right. Choshu and the shogunate just have different stances; neither is good or bad."

"On the other hand, this 'Chōshū Campaign' can be seen as a continuation of the Battle of Sekigahara two hundred years ago."

"What a coincidence, that's what I was thinking too. Back in the Battle of Sekigahara, the Mori clan opposed the Tokugawa clan. After the Tokugawa clan achieved a complete victory in the Battle of Sekigahara, they only reduced the Mori clan's territory. Unexpectedly, the Mori clan did not learn their lesson and jumped out to cause trouble again after more than two hundred years. This time, the Tokugawa clan will definitely abolish the Choshu domain and expel the Mori clan!"

"Sigh... We haven't even had a few days of peace, and now there's going to be war again..."

"Amitabha Buddha... Amitabha Buddha... Please, please don't let there be a war here..."

"Hmph! What's there to be afraid of! We have Niou and the Shinsengumi here! Even if a million-strong army attacks, what can they do to us?"

"That's right, that's right! Don't forget, Lord Niou is our guardian deity! He will definitely protect us!"

……

Upon suddenly hearing the word "Nioh"... Qing Deng subconsciously lowered his straw hat while continuing to drink alone.

Listening to everyone's mindless praise of him, he secretly found it amusing and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.

He wanted to continue listening and learn more about people's lives.

Unexpectedly, after the "political discussion," everyone in the room started talking about a recently discovered brothel with an exceptionally high cost-performance ratio...

Sure enough... when men get together, the topics they talk about are either "politics" or "sex".

Losing interest, Qing Deng left the money for the drinks on the table and strode out of the izakaya.

As soon as the curtain was lifted, a wave of heat hit us.

Qingdeng walked onto the street and enthusiastically observed the surrounding street scene.

Peddlers carrying their wares on shoulder poles, women hurrying to buy vegetables, children laughing and playing, and an ever-growing crowd... all these scenes brought a look of contentment to his face.

The people of Ōtsu probably never imagined that their revered Lord Niō would often appear by their side, sharing simple meals with them and sometimes chatting about the past and present.

Since the beginning of spring this year, Qingdeng has had a new way to relax: traveling incognito.

Disguised as an ordinary samurai, he ventured into places like izakayas and teahouses, listening to the voices of the people while carefully observing the changes in the Hatazu Domain.

Building a country step by step, making it strong and its people prosperous... it's hard to describe the sense of accomplishment that comes with it!

More than half a year has passed since Qingdeng became the lord of Qinjin.

For Qingdeng, this land has gradually transformed from initial unfamiliarity to familiarity and deep understanding.

Since the "August 18th Coup," after several months of peace, the entire territory of Japan has once again been shrouded in the shadow of war.

At this critical juncture where conflict is imminent, Qin Jinfan must be exceptionally strong in order to stand firm in this vortex called "the times"!

The thought of this made Qingdeng feel his skin tighten and his nerves tense.