I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

To put it figuratively... it was as if he had been hit by a heavy uppercut from Tokugawa Iemochi without any warning, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

He took several deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.

About 10 seconds later, he managed to calm himself and said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness, you're joking with me, aren't you?"

"No, I'm serious, very serious."

As Tokugawa Iemochi spoke, he straightened his expression, his demeanor solemn, without a trace of mockery or playfulness on his face.

"Mr. Tachibana, now that things have come to this, I'll be frank with you—I sincerely hope that you will marry Yu Yi, take her away from Edo, and let her live a happy life."

Upon hearing this, Tenshōin in the next room was immediately stunned.

At the same time, Tokugawa Iemochi's facial expression underwent a subtle change, becoming more melancholic.

"My mother's past... I don't need to go into details, do I?"

Qingdeng nodded slightly.

He was so familiar with the past of Tianzhang Academy that he had heard it so many times that his ears were practically calloused.

"The tides of time propelled my mother step by step from the daughter of a branch family of the Shimazu clan to the princess of the Satsuma Domain, then to the Odaido of the Shogunate, and finally to the Odaido of today."

"From an outsider's perspective, my mother is a model of 'success'."

"Although my mother is now one of the most honored women in the world, I am certain that the title of 'Grand Empress' is not what she desires."

"The 'Tenshōin Atsuhime' who sits regally before the courtiers in her magnificent robes is nothing more than a puppet put on a show."

"The 'young girl Yu Yi' who played wildly on the beach back then is the real her."

"While I wouldn't say I can fully empathize, I can more or less understand the pain and uncertainty my mother felt when she married into Edo."

“In 1858, at the age of 13, I was also driven by the general trend of the times and was forced to sit on the throne of the Shogun.”

"Suddenly arriving in an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by ambitious people with ulterior motives... Whenever I recall the bitterness and fear I felt, it always gives me goosebumps."

"When I was lonely, anxious, and didn't know who to trust or what to do, my mother appeared."

At this point, a faint sense of tranquility appeared on Tokugawa Iemochi's face.

"She was the first comrade-in-arms I met after arriving in the Shogunate."

"She supported me wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return, and did everything she could to shield me from disaster."

"You know, Mother is a member of the 'Hitotsubashi faction'."

“His adoptive father, Shimazu Nariakira, was a core member of the ‘Hitotsubashi faction’.”

"In order to expand the influence of the 'Hitotsubashi faction,' Shimazu Nariakira deliberately arranged a marriage between the shogunate and the Satsuma Domain, forcing his mother to marry the former shogun."

"As the 'secret weapon' on which the 'Hitotsubashi faction' placed high hopes, she betrayed her own camp and came to help me instead... I'm afraid I'll never know how much pressure she was under or how many grievances she suffered at that time."

"Thanks to her selfless dedication, I was able to gain a foothold in the turbulent court and thus achieve what I have today."

"Although we are not biological mother and son, my dependence on and love for her is even greater than that of a biological mother and son."

"Now, even without my mother's help, I can support myself."

"She's done enough."

"She devoted herself to me, to the shogunate, and to the people of the world, but she never thought about herself."

"Therefore, I sincerely hope that she can break free from the constraints of her identity as the 'Great Imperial Palace,' escape this cold and empty castle, and pursue her own happiness."

Tokugawa Iemochi paused briefly to compose himself, then slowly said:

"It was around the time I went to Kyoto to discuss the expulsion of foreigners with the imperial court that I discovered your...special relationship with Mother."

He hesitated for a moment before uttering the words "special relationship".

“Ju-kun, do you remember? You were riding in the same sedan chair with Mother back then.”

Qing Deng twitched his lips and nodded silently.

Such a unique experience will probably be unforgettable for him.

He still vividly remembers the scenes of Tenshōin teasing him with her little feet through the thin curtain of the sedan chair, right in front of Sanako...

"To be honest, I've been struggling ever since then."

"Are you going to pretend you don't see it and let them do as they please?"

"Or will you interfere and try to stop us?"

"Or...should I just go along with it and grant your request?"

"Despite my complicated feelings, there is only one thing I am absolutely certain of—I sincerely hope that my mother can be happy!"

"I was torn and hesitant... But now I have made up my mind and am no longer confused—compared to my mother's happiness, what do these cold and heartless rules and worldly prejudices matter?"

"I'm quite certain that only by facilitating your marriage to Mother can she truly return to the 'Yu Yi' of the past!"

After speaking, Tokugawa Iemochi raised his eyes, filled with intense emotion, and stared intently at Aoto.

Those intense gazes seemed to burn a hole in him.

His expression seemed to be urging Qingdeng: Speak quickly! Speak quickly that you are willing to marry Tianzhangyuan!

Qingdeng listened, completely stunned.

Tokugawa Iemochi's strong determination has already been conveyed through his words.

The other party was indeed serious—Tokugawa Iemochi really wanted to be his son… ah, no, he really wanted him to be his adoptive father!

For some reason, Qingdeng suddenly recalled a classic scene from the 97 version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that he had seen in his previous life: Lü Bu acknowledging Dong Zhuo as his adoptive father.

However, Lu Bu in the picture is replaced by Tokugawa Iemochi: If you do not abandon me, I am willing to become your adoptive father!

Ten minutes ago, Qing Deng had racked his brains but never imagined that the "important matter" Tokugawa Iemochi mentioned would be a marriage proposal, and moreover, a proposal for his own adoptive mother...

For a moment, Qingdeng really didn't know how to respond...

After a moment, he asked back with a conflicted expression:

"...Your Highness, why me?"

"How can you be so sure that Princess Tenshōin will be willing to marry me?"

"Furthermore, how can you be so sure that 'marriage' is the best way for Prince Tenshōin to achieve happiness?"

"Maybe they don't even want to get married; they just want to live the rest of their lives freely."

Upon hearing this, Tokugawa Iemochi seemed to have heard an amusing joke and chuckled to himself.

"Oh dear, Tachibana-kun, are you just too slow, or are you pretending to be stupid? Someone as smart as you should have sensed it to some extent—Mother likes you very much."

"..."

Qingdeng remained silent.

He pursed his lips, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Tokugawa Iemochi continued:

"You probably don't know, but there was a time when my mother was a very serious person, always with a stern face."

"For this reason, the ladies-in-waiting in the inner palace were all quite afraid of her."

"But after meeting you, my mother became much more cheerful."

"Whenever she meets you, she is all smiles and very happy."

"After you left Edo due to your demotion to Kyoto Garrison Commander, Mother wilted like a flower that hadn't been watered for days."

"She would always practice archery alone in the archery range of the Moon Palace Shrine, turning her head to look at the entrance from time to time, as if she were waiting for someone."

"It is precisely because you possess such 'magic' that I dare to assert: in this world today, only you can make her shed all her 'disguise'!"

"As for what you said, 'maybe they don't want to get married at all'...you don't need to worry about that at all."

“Tachibana-kun, I can tell you with certainty that Mother’s longing for a happy marriage and her yearning for a perfect husband have not diminished in the slightest due to the constraints of Omiya-no-sho’s status or her ever-increasing age.”

"Her usual aloof demeanor is just a show of bravado, an attempt to appear detached and indifferent."

As he spoke, he subtly glanced at the doorway not far away, his expression a mixture of helplessness and apology.

On the other side of the door, Tenshōin was blushing and gritting his teeth because of Tokugawa Iemochi's revelations and exposés. He was both annoyed and ashamed, as if he would break down the door and grab Tokugawa Iemochi's collar at any moment.

The more Qingdeng listened, the stranger his facial expression became.

A moment later, he abruptly changed the subject:

"...Your Highness, no matter what, it's impossible for me and Prince Tenshōin to get married, isn't it?"

“I am a retainer of the shogunate, and Lord Tenshōin is the Ōmitō-no-sho (chief minister) of the shogunate.”

"The retainers... no, the world will never agree to our marriage."

A subject marrying the Empress Dowager... Such an event would be incredibly shocking both at home and abroad! To describe it as a "collapse of rites and music" would be an understatement!

The retainers of the shogunate could tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi's favoritism towards Aoto, and they could tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi delegating power to Aoto, but they absolutely could not tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi marrying the "Empress Dowager" of the shogunate to Aoto!

Even An Lushan had never done anything so outrageous.

This is no longer the ordinary An Lushan; it's a combination of Dong Zhuo and An Lushan! He wields immense power and wreaks havoc in the harem! A decisive blow is necessary!

No matter how incompetent or useless the retainers were, they would never tolerate such humiliation.

It's no exaggeration to say that if Tokugawa Iemochi had publicly announced the marriage between Seito and Tenshōin, it would have caused a nationwide uproar, potentially even triggering a civil war within the shogunate.

At that time, the person who shouts the slogan "Purge the court of corrupt officials" will not be "Ouyang Xiu," but someone else.

Tokugawa Iemochi nodded slightly.

“Tachibana-kun, I understand your concerns.”

"Since I dared to make such a suggestion, there must be a reason behind it."

"I plan to pull off a deception."

"First, they falsely claimed to the outside world that 'Tenshōin Atsuhime has unfortunately passed away due to an incurable disease.'"

"Then, secretly send her out of Edo."

"The next step is to change my name and household registration, and then move to your esteemed residence."