I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Troops from all over the region were converging on Kyoto! The scene was truly magnificent!

This operation is of an extraordinary scale.

Not only were the numbers large, but the composition of the troops was also complex.

It included the Shinsengumi, the Aizu Army and Satsuma Army stationed in Kyoto, as well as domain armies from various domains in the Kinai region.

In any war, there must be a supreme commander who has absolute authority.

If orders are issued from multiple sources, what kind of war can we fight?

This is especially true for a large-scale war with a complex composition of troops.

If a general of sufficient stature is not brought out, it will be impossible to keep the situation in check.

In fact, there was no suspense at all regarding the selection of the commander-in-chief.

When the shogunate's letter of appointment arrived in the capital region, its contents were exactly as everyone expected—appointing Tachibana Seito as the supreme commander of this campaign, to lead all the troops in the capital region, and to have full authority over the operation!

There was no objection to the shogunate's appointment.

Admittedly, it's hard to say that Tokugawa Iemochi's favoritism towards Aoto was not a factor.

Putting aside the deep bond between the ruler and his subject, in terms of pure strength, Qing Deng is fully qualified to serve as the commander-in-chief!

In terms of status, seniority, and military achievements, who can compare with Qingdeng?

Although this was only a temporary position, and his title of "General of the Army" would be revoked after the war, it undoubtedly meant that Qing Deng's political status had risen sharply once again!

Today, it is powerful enough to command a legion commander in a war zone!

The general has been chosen.

The main force has been assembled.

The next task is to formulate a battle plan and carry out meticulous deployment!

For Qing Deng and his group, it was naturally a welcome sight to see Changzhou attack.

Playing at home is always better than playing away.

Shortly after receiving the appointment as "Commander-in-Chief of the Legion," Aoto summoned Matsudaira Katamori and Saigo Kichinosuke for a small meeting.

After a brief discussion, the battle plan was roughly determined—to set up a battle formation centered on Kyoto, wait in comfort for Choshu to attack!

The strategy can be summed up in just one simple sentence.

On the other hand, the tactical plans and operational deployments alone are several thousand words long.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the entire army, Qing Deng's recent busyness is so intense that even using idioms like "working day and night" or "working without rest" would not be enough to describe it.

Although Qing Deng was not a novice without combat experience, this was the first time he had commanded a battle of this scale.

In order to achieve complete victory, he put in all his effort.

Sleep God, Vitality Enhancement +4, Vital Energy +9... All these talents related to "King of Scrolls" are activated!

The Shinsengumi generals were already used to Aoto's "stubborn king" style.

But Matsudaira Katamori, Saigo Kinosuke, and the others were truly experiencing this kind of situation for the first time.

After witnessing firsthand the terrifying intensity of Qingdeng's work, they were all dumbfounded and speechless with shock for a long time.

Afterwards, someone overheard Saigo Kinosuke muttering to himself:

"Now I understand where Tachibana Seiden's skills come from... His one day is equivalent to three or four days for others...!"

……

……

Kyoto, somewhere—

"This teahouse is really nice."

Suddenly, Qing Deng pointed to the teahouse not far away.

The commander leaned over and looked in the direction Qing Deng was pointing, his face showing a look of doubt.

What's so good about this teahouse?

As far as the commander knows, Qing Deng is not the kind of person who understands romance or architecture.

"If we set up a few cannons on the roof of this teahouse, we can control this entire town."

Upon hearing this, the commander's face immediately showed helplessness. He lightly punched Qing Deng's shoulder and said irritably:

"Honestly... I thought you were going to say something much more refined..."

According to the plan of Qing Deng and others, they would keep the Choshu army outside Kyoto, thus protecting Kyoto from the ravages of war and safeguarding the property and personal rights of the people of Kyoto.

However... as everyone knows, the battlefield is ever-changing.

Once the war begins, they have no way of knowing how the conflict will unfold.

Just in case, we must be prepared to "fight street battles with the Choshu soldiers in Kyoto town".

Therefore, Aoto decided to personally survey the streets of Kyoto in preparation for building a base and setting up defenses.

Qing Deng originally intended to come alone, but he couldn't resist the General's persistent pleas.

After a period of rest and recuperation, Souji has recovered and returned to his former lively and energetic self.

Ms. Okita's amazing recovery!

Upon learning that Qing Deng was going to survey Kyoto, she immediately used the excuse that "I've been lying in bed for so long that my body is rusty and I want to go outside for a walk" to pester Qing Deng and beg him to allow her to go with him.

Qingdeng couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had no choice but to nod in agreement.

The two walked side by side on a main street in Kyoto.

Compared to the past, Kyoto is undoubtedly much quieter now.

Most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed and closed for business.

There were very few pedestrians on the road, hardly anyone was seen.

Occasionally, we would encounter a few families heading out of Luoyang.

They were all walking hurriedly and looking anxious, as if they didn't want to stay there for even a second longer.

This scene is, in a way, quite reasonable.

Kyoto is located in the very center of Japan and is also the imperial residence of the emperor, which holds great significance.

For this reason, Kyoto is the city that suffered the most from war in Japanese history, without exception.

From the Heian period (794-1192) onwards, feudal lords and daimyo from the eastern and western provinces often gathered here to hold grand events.

Although the people of Kyoto had long been free from the horrors of war since the Warring States period, they had not forgotten the terrors of war and the various experiences they had learned to avoid it, passed down through generations.

Upon hearing that the Changzhou army was about to attack, the capital was thrown into chaos.

If you find a place to go, go there quickly.

Those who had nowhere to go also quickly packed their valuables and luggage and fled Kyoto first.

Although many people had full confidence in Qingdeng and firmly believed that "Niou will definitely protect us," in such a critical moment, it was better to flee for one's life than to place the hope of saving one's life and property on Qingdeng.

Nowadays, almost everyone who wanted to escape and had the ability to escape has already done so.

The once bustling ancient capital has become incredibly calm and quiet.

To be honest, seeing Kyoto become half a ghost town, Qing Deng actually breathed a sigh of relief.

If a large number of people are stranded in Kyoto, he will have a headache.

To put it bluntly, when the Changzhou army arrives, these civilians will be a burden.

Their departure has greatly reduced Qingdeng's burden, allowing him to unleash his full potential and get things done.

The commander turned his head, looked at the closed shops on both sides, then at the empty streets in front and behind, and muttered:

"It's so deserted..."

As she spoke, a hint of disappointment appeared on her pretty face.

Although Souji usually appears carefree and easygoing, she is actually quite thoughtful.

To say she is Lin Daiyu would be an exaggeration.

It would be accurate to say that she was like Lin Daiyu, a sentimental woman.

The deserted streets must have stirred up her emotions.

Qingdeng glanced at her and comforted her:

"Don't worry, once we defeat the Changzhou troops, everything will return to normal."

The commander pursed his lips and nodded slightly.

Just then, Qingdeng suddenly smelled a very pleasant fragrance and couldn't help but twitch his nose.

Sōji, who possesses an extraordinary sensitivity to desserts, detected the aroma first, sniffed lightly, and then said with a look of surprise:

"It tastes like wagashi!"

Kyoto, now a ghost town with most shops closed, still has the aroma of wagashi (Japanese sweets) wafting out... This is truly unexpected.

Driven by curiosity, Aoto and Souji followed the scent.

Before long, they discovered a river—the Katsura River, located west of Kyoto.

If the Kamo River is Kyoto's mother river, then the Katsura River is Kyoto's "second mother river," holding an equally important position.

"what?"

Qingdeng made a sound of doubt and surprise.

He blinked instinctively to make sure he wasn't seeing things—he saw a middle-aged couple enjoying the cool air on the banks of the Guichuan River.

Among them was a box of exquisite wagashi (Japanese sweets)—the enticing aroma that Qing Deng and the others had just smelled came from there.

The couple enjoyed the cool air, the sky, and the scenery while sipping tea and eating snacks, having a very leisurely and happy time.

No sooner had Aoto and Souji arrived than the couple spotted them.

The wife in the couple said: