I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"However, I am also considering the bigger picture!"

At this point, he abruptly stood up, mimicking Matsudaira Katamori, his sharp eyes sweeping across the room:

"Let me ask you all, did the Choshu army go to such lengths to launch a surprise attack across the sea on Owari, just for the sake of Owari's wealth?"

"It's obvious that such a thing is absolutely impossible!"

"They must have something else in mind!"

"Unfold the map and take a good look!"

"What kind of places are on the east and west sides of the Owari Domain?!"

"To the west lies the capital region, and to the east is the Kanto region!"

"Let me ask you all, what should we do if the Choshu army marches into Kanto?"

"Let me ask you all again, what should we do if the Changzhou army marches towards the capital region?"

At this point, Tokugawa Yoshikatsu paused, then turned to look at Aoto, who was not far away.

"General Tachibana, as far as I know, your two mistresses have just given birth."

"If the Changzhou army marches towards the capital region, your domain will be the first to bear the brunt."

"Can you really bear to let your wife and children be in danger?"

In an instant, the atmosphere inside the tent underwent a subtle change.

The Shinsengumi leaders, including Nagakura Shinpachi, Serizawa Kamo, and Todo Heisuke, all changed their expressions.

Tokugawa Yoshikatsu's words were incredibly bold and blunt, practically roasting Aoto over a fire.

Although his words were unpleasant to hear, one has to admit the correctness of his point of view.

Even Matsudaira Katamori, a staunch advocate of war, was unable to refute the other side for a time.

Having successfully captured Owari, the Choshu army has gained the strategic initiative and has much to achieve whether it moves westward or eastward.

They conquered Choshu, but Edo or the Kyoto region is gone... In that case, can it still be considered a victory for them?

Neither faction would concede to the other.

Thus, a brief silence fell inside the tent.

A moment later, someone started it, and everyone turned to look at Qing Deng, who was sitting in the main seat.

Confusion, hesitation, frustration, panic... all sorts of gazes fell upon Qingdeng.

"..."

From the moment he left, Qingdeng remained silent, his face expressionless.

If there is anyone who can stabilize morale at present, it is this Renren.

No matter how fiercely Matsudaira Katamori and Tokugawa Yoshikatsu argued.

To be honest, Qing Deng is not as calm as he appears on the surface.

Intelligence is currently extremely scarce.

The limited information we have so far all comes from that brave messenger.

This afternoon, the envoy, covered in wounds and on the verge of death, arrived at the rear camp.

"This place... is the camp of the Expeditionary Army...? I have urgent news to tell you... quickly take me to see... General Tachibana...!"

Upon hearing the news, Kondo Isami, who was in charge of commanding the rear army, rushed to the scene. When he discovered that the messenger's clothes were embroidered with "Owari 3-leaf hollyhock", he dared not neglect him and hurriedly sent him to the central army camp.

Upon meeting Qing Deng, he disregarded his fatigue and pain and recounted the details of the "attack on Owari" in detail.

After he finished speaking, having finally completed his mission, he could no longer hold back, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Overall, the Choshu army fought a very successful surprise attack.

After landing on a beach in the Owari Domain by boat, the Choshu army took advantage of the darkness to speed up their march, quickly penetrating the heart of the Owari Domain and heading straight for Nagoya Castle.

Their advance was so successful thanks to the "one country, one city order".

The shogunate will never slacken its suppression just because you are one of the "three great families" or some other kind of close kin.

Therefore, the vast Owari Domain only had one castle, Nagoya Castle, and no other castles or passes in the rest of the country.

In fact, there were no passes to build.

The entire territory of the Owari Domain is a vast plain with no natural defenses.

The "One Country, One Castle" edict... This law, used by the shogunate to maintain its rule, ultimately indirectly harmed itself... This is roughly the essence of so-called "black humor."

Nagoya Castle is not a mountain castle or a flat mountain castle built in the mountains; it is just an ordinary flat castle.

Because the feudal lord Tokugawa Yoshikatsu took the vast majority of his soldiers with him, only a minimum number of troops remained in the castle.

No one in the Owari Domain ever imagined that a hostile force would launch a surprise attack on their domain from across the sea.

Moreover, it was nighttime, a time when one's energy is at its lowest, one is most prone to carelessness, and one's defense is at its weakest.

All of these factors combined meant that Nagoya Castle's defensive capabilities were at an unprecedented low.

Although the Owari Domain was a large domain, its military preparedness was not significantly different from that of the smaller domains. Both had their weapons stored away, their horses grazed freely, and their military preparedness was in a state of disrepair. The only difference was that the Owari Domain had a larger army.

Modern armies were capable of overwhelming feudal armies.

The fact that the prepared were outnumbered and the unprepared turned the battle into a one-sided massacre.

The Choshu army arrived at Nagoya Castle without lifting a finger, and then broke through the castle gates without lifting a finger.

According to the messenger, a sudden barrage of cannonballs instantly enveloped the city gates and walls.

In just a short time, the long-neglected city wall bricks and tiles began to peel off like snowflakes.

A little while later, the city gate collapsed and was completely opened.

Immediately afterwards, squads of soldiers armed with advanced firearms scaled the collapsed city walls and opened city gates, filing in one after another—among them were many Westerners.

These Westerners were extremely brave and fierce, skilled in using guns and cannons, and were clearly a well-trained elite force.

The defending troops inside the city were routed and never managed to establish an effective defensive line.

Because of the disorganization and collapse of order, they forgot to destroy the warehouse during their retreat.

The countless treasures accumulated by the Owari Domain over three hundred years were simply given away to the bandits.

Fortunately, just as the city was about to fall, the defending army promptly sent messengers, ordering them to quickly travel to the Western Kingdom to seek help from the Expeditionary Army.

In order to ensure the successful delivery of the message, they sent out more than twenty messengers at once to break through from different directions.

The only messenger who successfully reached the main camp of the Long March Legion was the one standing before Qing Deng.

This shows how arduous and brutal the battle that night was.

Putting himself in her shoes, Aoto felt great sympathy for Tokugawa Yoshikatsu.

His own main city was breached, and the fate of his family members was unknown... If he had experienced such hardships, he probably would have found it difficult to remain rational.

In fact, he may soon face the same crisis.

When leading his troops into battle, Qingdeng left only a small number of soldiers to guard his home.

In other words, Qinjin is also an "empty country" at present!

If the Changzhou army marches westward, Qin Jin's current defensive capabilities will absolutely not be able to withstand it!

At this thought, the faces of Sanako, Ama, and his newborn children flashed through Qing Deng's mind.

—Sanako…Omai…Kuro…Nene…

He unconsciously clenched his fists.

The same applies to Edo in the east...

Qingdeng did not believe that 80,000 bannermen cavalry could stop a modern army proficient in firearms!

If Edo falls...

In an instant, new faces—the faces of the mother and child—emerged in his mind.

——Iemo...Atsuhime...

Although he desperately wanted to return to his homeland immediately, defeat the Choshu army entrenched in Owari, and relieve the crisis in Hatazu and Edo, Aoto did not lose his composure.

Ordering a retreat is not difficult, but what about the current "Changzhou Campaign"? Should we just give up like this?

If we turn back now and let Changzhou go, allowing it to weather this crisis and catch its breath, who knows what kind of trouble they'll cause next.

Qingdeng and Changzhou have a blood feud.

As long as Changzhou remains unconquered, he feels as if there's a pebble under his blanket, causing him back pain.

Should we turn back? Or continue the Long March?

Two thoughts clashed fiercely in Qing Deng's mind.

Regardless of which option he ultimately chooses, one thing is absolutely certain—his choice will greatly influence the future!

One wrong step and you'll be on a string of wrong steps!

"..."

"..."

"..."

Amidst everyone's eager anticipation, finally... Qingdeng spoke.

"...Commander, we cannot stop."

"Lord Feizhou is right. Now is the time when Changzhou's defenses are at their weakest. We cannot let this opportunity slip by!"

Upon hearing this, the "pro-war faction," led by Matsudaira Katamori, all broke into smiles, looking as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

However, before Tokugawa Yoshikatsu could show any disappointment, Aoto continued:

"However! 'Returning to defeat the enemy' is equally important!"

"Therefore, we must not only continue the Long March, but also liberate Owari!"

The startling remarks plunged the tent and its surroundings back into silence.