I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

She politely declined the advances of others.

Faced with coercion from others, she skillfully maneuvered, adapted to circumstances, and turned danger into safety.

And so, to this day, no man has ever succeeded in conquering the most beautiful woman in Kyoto.

As our ancestors wisely said, "What you can't have is always the best," and "A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen one."

The more pure and innocent she was, and the less she allowed men to touch her, the more it made those who admired her feel restless.

This adds a touch of mystery to it.

This mystique, in turn, has increased her value and influence, making her increasingly famous.

It is unclear when exactly, but Ziyang's reputation for being "untainted by worldly dust" has become widespread, effectively becoming her trademark.

……

……

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

About half an hour later, the joyful atmosphere at the banquet gradually faded, leaving only a slight aftertaste.

Suddenly, Shintaro Toujou picked up the sake bottle beside him, downed it in one gulp, and then said:

"Your Highness, although the banquet was enjoyable, I am still worried about the current security situation in Kyoto."

Before setting off for Kyoto, I had already heard about the current situation in Kyoto.

"Although it's a bit rushed, I want to know as soon as possible how the anti-banditry operation is progressing so I can prepare for the next steps."

"Now, may you please dismiss the others?"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng was first taken aback, then his eyes revealed a look of admiration.

He turned his head and glanced at Ziyang beside him.

With his emotional intelligence at its peak, how could Ziyang not understand the meaning behind Qingdeng's eyes?

She nodded knowingly, then rose and gestured for the other geishas to leave.

Pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat... After the footsteps of Ziyang and the others gradually faded away, and after confirming that they were really far away, Qingdeng cleared his throat:

"Well... without further ado, let's get to the important points."

"According to reliable intelligence, the rebels from Choshu frequently visit an inn called 'Ikedaya'."

*******

*******

The transitional chapters are now complete; tomorrow, the famous "Ikedaya Incident" will officially begin.

P.S.: My little nephew has been diagnosed with COVID-19. He has recurring fevers and cried all day yesterday until his eyes were swollen and his voice was hoarse (crying leopard head.jpg). There's no effective medicine available, so he can only take some pain-relieving medication and slowly tough it out. Sigh... I feel very heavy-hearted... so today's post is shorter, please forgive me (leopard head crying.jpg).

Chapter 806 The Legendary Story of Ogata Ittosai Saving Kyoto

Seeing that it was time to discuss serious matters, Yamanami Keisuke and the others put aside their thoughts and consciously moved closer to sit next to Aoto and Tojo Shintaro, kneeling together in a circle.

Shintaro Tojo asked:

"Ikedaya? What is that place? Where is it located?"

Qing Deng turned to look at Yamanami Keisuke.

"Please help me with the map."

His statement was clearly superfluous.

Before he could speak, Yamanami Keisuke had already taken out his notebook from his pocket, then pulled out a neatly folded map of Kyoto, unfolded it, and placed it on the tatami mat in front of everyone.

“Ikedaya is located on Sanjo Street.”

Yamanami Keisuke took over the conversation and answered for Aoto.

As he spoke, he pointed out the exact location of Ikedaya on the map.

"This is a very ordinary and inconspicuous hotel."

"The decor is very ordinary, and the owner is not a very famous person."

"However, not long ago, we received reliable information that there has been a large number of guests coming and going from Ikedaya recently."

"This is no longer the kind of guest volume that a normal hotel should have."

"According to the investigation, the owners of Ikedaya did not spend money to advertise their shops in the local newspapers or do anything else to increase their visibility."

"In conclusion, it is clearly abnormal that the hotel business suddenly became booming without anything happening."

"Although the veracity of this information is still debatable, it is said that the guests who have been frequently visiting Ikedaya recently are all from Choshu."

"From Changzhou"—the meaning of this phrase was perfectly clear to everyone.

Yamanami Keisuke paused for a moment, then added:

"It is said that one of the key figures in the Zunyao Movement was Miyabe Teizō."

Miyabe Teizō – a retainer of the Kumamoto Domain, joined the Higo Loyalist Party in 1861 and began his activities in Kyoto in 1862. After the "August 18th Coup" broke out in 1863, and the Choshu forces were exiled, he went to the Choshu Domain as a result.

In short, this person is a veteran of the Zunyang movement, enjoys a great reputation among Zunyang enthusiasts, and holds a pivotal position in the current Zunyang movement.

"The Imperial Palace Treasury..."

Shintaro Toujou gently savored the name.

"If we can capture or kill this person alive, it will greatly suppress the arrogance of those who uphold justice, which will be a huge benefit to us."

At this point, his tone suddenly changed:

"However... there's something I'm curious about."

"If Miyabe Teizou really did infiltrate Kyoto and frequently visit the Ikedaya shop, what would his purpose be?"

“A person of his stature should not personally take risks.”

He had barely finished asking the question when Yamanami Keisuke immediately replied:

“Mr. Dongcheng, we have naturally considered your question.”

"For those who uphold the cause of rebellion, Kyoto at present is undoubtedly a den of dragons and tigers."

"Miyabe Teizou risked his life to sneak back to Kyoto... After much thought, there is only one answer: the Sovereign Faction plans to launch a large-scale operation in Kyoto! Therefore, they need a big shot like him to oversee the city!"

The atmosphere immediately tensed up upon hearing this.

"Hmph! That's perfect!"

Nagakura Shinpachi chuckled coldly a few times, then continued:

"After we drove them out of Kyoto, these scumbags have been like rats in a ditch, driving us crazy!"

"I can't wait for them to crawl out of the ditch and have a real fight with us!"

Yamanami Keisuke and Harada Sanosuke nodded—Nagakura Shinpachi had voiced their thoughts.

Just as Nagakura Shinpachi said, after going underground, the loyalists were like rats in a ditch, hiding in the shadows and occasionally jumping out to contaminate the food or steal a bite from people.

Although no serious damage was caused, the frustration of "wanting to fight but not being able to" made the Shinsengumi soldiers extremely irritable and filled with resentment.

If the loyalists are truly planning to launch a large-scale operation in Kyoto... this is no small matter!

It's no wonder these lunatics do anything.

But if you look at it from another angle, this is a golden opportunity to wipe them all out!

The thought of sending these bastards to their deaths filled Yamanami Keisuke, Nagakura Shinpachi, and the others with boundless energy!

Shintaro Tojo pondered for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

Then, he raised a new question:

"Since this hotel called 'Ikedaya' is suspicious, have you taken any corresponding countermeasures?"

Yamanami Keisuke opened his mouth, about to answer.

But Qingdeng spoke first:

"Of course we have countermeasures!"

"Since we knew this hotel was problematic, why shouldn't we take precautions?"

"The true identities of the group that entered and exited Ikedaya cannot be confirmed at present, so we should not act rashly."

"If a misunderstanding occurs, losing face is a small matter, but alerting the enemy is a big deal, and we may lose the initiative for nothing."

"Therefore, I sent one of my capable subordinates who was very good at hiding himself to disguise himself as a clerk and infiltrate the Ikedaya to keep an eye on his movements."

When the phrase "capable assistant" was mentioned, Qing Deng curled the corners of his mouth, revealing a meaningful expression.

Shintaro Tojo nodded after hearing this.

"Well, so good."

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes, focused his gaze, and stared intently at the Kyoto map on his lap. His eyes darted quickly across the buildings and streets, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"...Your Highness, may I offer my opinion?"

Without hesitation, Qingdeng gestured for him to proceed.

“Mr. Dongcheng, please don’t be so polite. If you have anything to say, please feel free to speak. We are all ears.”

Shintaro Toujou sat up slightly, his expression serious.

"Your Highness, I believe that the capital will be in great danger in the coming period of time!"

"The loyalists are very likely to launch a large-scale attack while the Gion Festival is in full swing!"

Upon hearing the words "Gion Festival," everyone, including Aoto and Yamanami Keisuke, frowned and looked solemn.

Kyoto may not have much else, but it has plenty of festivals of all kinds.

With a history spanning a thousand years, Kyoto has preserved numerous cultural relics, with more than 1600 temples and over 400 shrines scattered throughout the city.

Throughout the year, temples and shrines in Kyoto hold various festivals and celebrations.

There are grand events almost every month.