I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Therefore, he was mentally prepared to introduce Tenshōin to Sanako and the others, only to be met with criticism, scolding, and even beatings...

It's just that he's marrying the current Empress Dowager, going from having three wives to four. Sanako and the others probably won't have a strong reaction... right?

In short, for the next period of time, I'll first whisper sweet nothings in their ears and let them prepare themselves mentally...

……

……

The entire journey from Edo to Otsu took only 10 days.

The number of days was not many, and the time taken was entirely within Qingdeng's expectations.

However... he never expected that after only 10 days apart, when he returned, Hijikata Toshizo would give him a huge task...!

……

……

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi——

"Sui San, what's with this outfit?"

Aoto's lips twitched slightly as he asked a question aloud while scanning his gaze, carefully looking Hijikata Toshizo up and down.

Hijikata Toshizo let out a smug laugh:

"Ju, how's my outfit? Not bad, right?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and smoothed his hair.

At this moment, Hijikata Toshizo... truly looked completely different.

He wasn't wearing Japanese clothing like haori, kimono, or tabi socks, but rather a black suit with a long black overcoat that reached his knees, black leather boots, and a stylish white scarf around his neck.

Of course, compared to her clothing, the change in her hairstyle was even more shocking.

He cut his hair short; the hair that reached his ears was no longer enough to tie into a bun.

So he combed all his hair back into a neat slicked-back style.

At first glance, he looks just like a Western gentleman.

Apart from his Eastern face and the Izuminokami Kanesada still hanging at his waist, there was no trace of Japanese style left on him.

After looking him up and down for a while, Qingdeng said in an appreciative tone:

"Hmm... Your outfit is indeed quite nice."

"Especially this coat, it's very stylish."

Upon hearing this, Hijikata Toshizo raised an eyebrow and beamed with joy:

"Oh! Orange, you know a lot!"

“You and I are on the same page; I also think this coat is very stylish.”

As he spoke, he fiddled with the hem of his coat, making a rustling sound.

“Let me tell you, there’s a little thing here on your pants called a ‘button’ (the English transliteration of ‘button’). Once you unbutton this ‘button,’ you can take out your thing to pee.”

As he spoke, he directly showed the button on his trousers and enthusiastically introduced the various details of the suit to Qingdeng.

To others, his outfit might seem quite unusual.

Qing Deng was used to this, having seen it all before in his previous life.

To be fair, Hijikata Toshizo's uniform is really cool.

A well-tailored black suit; black leather boots that clatter when you step on the ground; an exceptionally stylish long black coat... all of these are powerful tools for looking cool, perfectly matching Qingdeng's aesthetic!

After scrutinizing the other person a few more times, Qingdeng pressed on with the question:

"Sui San, what are you up to now?"

He said this with a helpless expression and let out a long sigh.

Why change your clothes and hairstyle?

"Do you know that your 'haircut' has caused dissatisfaction among many people?"

Qingdeng has always advocated openness and innovation, and resisted stubbornness and conservatism.

While shouting slogans, he also took concrete actions, such as introducing advanced Western firearms and introducing advanced knowledge from overseas.

Therefore, under his leadership, the new council formed one of the most open-minded organizations in Japan at the time.

Of course, its "openness" is merely the tallest among the short.

How could the conservative mindset that has persisted for thousands of years undergo a fundamental change because of Qingdeng's few calls and actions?

Even today, many members of the Shinsengumi still view Western things as a monstrous threat.

It was only because they feared Qingdeng's prestige that they were usually very well-behaved and dared not show their faces or cause any trouble.

Wearing a Western-style uniform like Toshizo Hijikata is essentially dancing in a minefield for these conservatives.

If it were just changing clothes, that would be fine.

But if even the hair bun is cut off, then this is a serious problem.

During the Edo period, the topknot on a samurai's head was considered a symbol of status.

It is generally believed that cutting off one's hair bun is equivalent to having one's head cut off, which is a great disgrace!

Before anyone could even protect his hair bun, Hijikata Toshizo actually cut it off...

Therefore, it is no wonder that conservatives have condemned Hijikata Toshizo's rebellious actions.

Faced with Aoto's questioning, Hijikata Toshizo smiled calmly:

"It's nothing really."

"I just happened to meet a clothing merchant from the West, thought the outfit was very nice, and bought it on a whim."

"When I tried it on, I felt that my hair bun didn't match the clothes at all, so I just cut it off."

"That's good, I've disliked this hairstyle for a long time."

"Ju, don't you think your hair bun is in the way?"

"It takes a lot of time to maintain it every day, it's such a hassle."

"After cutting off this useless hairstyle, I immediately felt refreshed."

"Moreover, our Shinsengumi has always aimed to become a 'Western-style army'."

"That cumbersome hairstyle and those overly loose clothes are not suitable for combat and will be eliminated sooner or later."

"If that's the case, we might as well make preparations sooner."

“We will start with ourselves and then gradually promote reforms, discarding these outdated hairstyles and clothing, so that the Shinsengumi can be completely transformed.”

"Ju, why don't you consider it too?"

Hijikata Toshizo smiled and extended his right index and middle fingers, making a "scissors" gesture towards Aoto's hair bun.

After listening quietly to his explanation, Qingdeng couldn't help but smile wryly.

I bought this uniform on a whim, and then on another whim, I cut my hair into a bun... Okay, this is very Toshizo Hijikata.

"I'll pass."

Qingdeng waved his hand and continued:

"If I were to cut my hair and change my clothes, I fear it would bring unpredictable trouble upon me."

To be honest, looking at Hijikata Toshizo's outfit and his neat hairstyle, Aoto was secretly tempted.

While loose and comfortable Eastern clothing is certainly beautiful, Western clothing that accentuates the figure is equally stylish.

Unfortunately... he is now one of the symbols of the Edo Shogunate.

Although Hijikata Toshizo was a senior retainer of the Hatatsu Domain and the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, to put it bluntly, his fame was not high enough, and he received far less attention than Seito.

Therefore, he is certainly much freer, and even if he causes controversy, it will not lead to irreparable serious consequences.

On the other hand, Qingdeng is not doing well.

His every move is watched by people all over the world.

It is no exaggeration to say that any slight abnormality in his words or actions would be enough to astonish the world, prompting people to rack their brains to do "reading comprehension" and study the true meaning behind it.

The dignified commander-in-chief of the army of the Tokugawa shogunate has cut his hair into a bun and changed into a suit... What will people think of this?

Qing Deng dares to assert that at that time, rumors will definitely circulate among the common people such as "'Niou' Tachibana Qing Deng is bowing and scraping to Westerners" and "The Shogunate has completely become a puppet of Western powers."

In short, this is how the Shinsengumi works: Hijikata Toshizo only needs to focus on his own affairs, but Aoto, who holds a high position, has many more things to consider.

At this moment, as if remembering something, Hijikata Toshizo suddenly spoke:

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Ju, take a look at this."

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small piece of paper, and handed it to Qingdeng.

Qingdeng reached out and took it, then looked at it closely, a look of surprise immediately appearing between his brows.

"Huh, this is... a photograph?"

This small piece of paper is a photograph, approximately 9 x 6 cm in size.

Due to outdated technology, current photos are not only black and white, but also very blurry, and in terms of clarity, they are not even as good as 360P.

Even so, Aoto still recognized the person in the photo—it was none other than Hijikata Toshizo.

In the photo, Hijikata Toshizo is wearing a sharp suit—the same one he's wearing now—his right hand resting naturally on his lap, his left hand on Izuminokami Kanesada's waist, sitting in a chair with an air of grandeur, looking straight ahead, in the prime of his life, full of vigor and high spirits.

"Sui San, where did you get this photo?"

"When I was buying this suit, I met a photographer named Kenzo Tadamoto by chance."

"This is my first time using a camera and photography. This thing is really amazing. You can carry around a big machine, fiddle with it for a bit, and then you can print the image on paper. It's much clearer than a drawing."

“I thought his skills were pretty good, so I invited him over and let him stay at my residence temporarily, so that he could take some photos for us.”

Qing Deng was stunned again upon hearing this.

"Photograph?"