I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

The people present looked at each other, and each of them found expressions of shock and astonishment on each other's faces.

Since neither option was easy to give up, then he would have to have both—after intense deliberation, Qingdeng finally came to this greedy decision.

Suddenly, a faint voice rang out:

"General Tachibana, do you mean... to split the troops into two groups?"

The speaker was none other than Saigo Kichinosuke, representing the Satsuma Domain.

He was appointed as a staff officer of the Expeditionary Army Corps, but since the start of the campaign, he has maintained a strange silence and rarely speaks in military councils.

Qing Deng nodded solemnly.

"That's right, split into two groups!"

At this point, he turned to look at Matsudaira Katamori.

"Lord Feizhou, you will temporarily assume the position of 'Governor' and lead the legion to continue the attack on Changzhou."

"I will personally lead the Shinsengumi back to rescue Owari!"

One shock had barely subsided when another arose.

After hearing Aoto's plan, everyone in the Shinsengumi, as well as others, was taken aback.

Saigo Kinosuke frowned slightly and asked:

"General Tachibana, are you only leading the Shinsengumi back? Without the other troops?"

Qingdeng nodded again.

"That's right. A larger troop size makes command more difficult and negatively impacts the army."

"The secret to deploying troops is to do the most difficult things with the fewest troops!"

"My five thousand elite soldiers from the Shinsengumi are more than enough to crush the enemy!"

"Lord Feizhou, can I entrust the legion to you with peace of mind?"

After saying that, Aoto stared straight at Matsudaira Katamori.

After a moment of surprise, the other person nodded solemnly and forcefully.

"No problem! Please leave it to me with confidence!"

Qingdeng nodded slightly to show that he understood her determination.

Then, he tilted his head slightly and looked at Saigo Kinosuke beside him.

“Saigo-kun, with the Shinsengumi absent, the Aizu and Satsuma armies will become the main force of the expeditionary force.”

"I implore you to do your utmost to assist Lord Feizhou."

Saigo Kinosuke met Aoto's gaze with composure and composure, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Of course, I, Samo, will do my utmost!"

"..."

Qing Deng gave Saigo Kinosuke a deep look, said nothing more, and then scanned the crowd.

Up until now, everyone has been arguing for a long time about whether to fight or retreat.

Unexpectedly, Qingdeng made a decision in a few quick steps and carried out the deployment swiftly and decisively...

This stark contrast left many in the audience stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

It wasn't until Qing Deng made his statement that they belatedly roused themselves.

"Gentlemen, we do not currently have a large number of troops under our control."

"To accomplish both the 'Changzhou Expedition' and the 'Liberation of Changzhou' with such a small force... it must be said that this is a truly formidable challenge."

"But now the arrow is on the bowstring, and we have no choice but to release it!"

"I believe you will all return victorious!"

"After I leave the camp, I will rely entirely on Lord Feizhou for everything!"

"If anyone holds us back, don't blame me, the Benevolent King, for settling scores later!"

After giving a brief address, Qing Deng turned his gaze to the generals who were wearing light blue haori.

"Shinsengumi!"

Instantly, Hijikata Toshizo and the others stood up!

"Set off immediately! Return to the capital!"

Upon hearing this, Hijikata Toshizo grinned:

"From the 'Chugoku region' back to the 'Gyeonggi region'... Ha, what a coincidence! The 'Great Return from Chugoku' is being staged again!"

……

……

The "Chūgoku region" of Japan mainly refers to the western part of Honshu Oshima, including sixteen provinces: Harima, Mimasaka, Bizen, Bitchu, Bingo, Aki, Suō, Nagato, Tanba, Tango, Tajima, Inaba, Hōki, Izumo, Iwami, and Oki.

The "Great Return of China" is a famous event from Japan's Sengoku period.

On June 2, 1582, the Honnoji Incident broke out, with Akechi Mitsuhide rebelling and killing his lord Oda Nobunaga.

On the night of June 3rd to the early morning of June 4th, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was in the Chugoku region and fighting against the Mori clan, learned of Oda Nobunaga's assassination. He immediately suppressed the news, pretended nothing had happened, and used a high-pressure approach to coerce the Mori clan, ultimately succeeding in signing a peace treaty with favorable terms.

After the peace treaty was signed, Hideyoshi Hashiba quickly began the retreat, leading an army of 2 back to the capital region.

He ordered his soldiers to maintain order and neat flags during the day, and to pack up their flags and run at full speed at night.

This unprecedented evacuation operation is historically known as the "Great Chinese Return".

The "China Great Rebate" took 8 to 10 days.

The distance from Takamatsu Castle, the starting point, to Yamazaki, the ending point, is about 200 kilometers, with an average daily march of 20-25 kilometers.

With an army of 2, poor road conditions, and a daily march of 20-25 kilometers... In feudal times, this was truly an extraordinary achievement! It is no exaggeration to call it a miracle in the history of ancient Japanese military affairs.

Ultimately, the Hashiba army's rapid march seized the initiative on the battlefield, successfully defeating the Akechi army in the Battle of Tennozan, avenging Oda Nobunaga, and accumulating political capital that made them stand out from the crowd.

It is no exaggeration to say that the "Great Return of China" was the starting point for Toyotomi Hideyoshi to replace Oda Nobunaga as the hegemon of Japan and establish the Toyotomi Taiko.

Surely no one could have imagined that... after nearly three hundred years, the "Great Return of China" would be staged again!

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Can you guess where the Shinsengumi and the Choshu army will fight their final battle? Those familiar with the history of Japan's Sengoku period should have no trouble guessing!

Chapter 906 An Epic Long-Distance March! [4500]

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa—!"

"Quick! Bring all the horses over here!"

"Don't block the way! Let the carriage pass first!"

"Seventh Division, assemble!"

"Team 10, assemble!"

……

"Organize equipment and prepare for a forced march"—this military order, once issued from the main camp, was passed down level by level and quickly spread throughout the central army camp.

Two messengers rode swiftly away from the camp to inform the vanguard and rearguard.

The situation of the vanguard and the rearguard will not be discussed for the time being.

The Chinese army was in an uproar.

In the blink of an eye, the silent central army camp was drowned out by shouts of men and neighing of horses, each louder than the last.

In ordinary times, the military discipline that Qing Deng had painstakingly cultivated was not particularly remarkable.

But at a crucial moment like tonight, its power has become apparent!

As soon as the order was given, the Shinsengumi members, clad in light blue haori, immediately sprang into action!

They had no idea where they were going or what they were going to do.

But once the order is given, no matter what time it is or what the order says, they will do it immediately!

It was already quite late, and many soldiers had already gone to sleep.

Upon hearing the command, they immediately sprang to their feet as if by reflex and took their own actions.

At this moment, figures in light green robes could be seen everywhere inside and outside the central army camp.

Or they jog in formation.

Or it could be for transporting supplies.

Or driving a carriage.

Everything was done in an orderly and efficient manner, with each person fulfilling their responsibilities.

The soldiers of the feudal lords in the camp were stunned by the scene of rapid yet orderly and noisy yet harmonious movements.

They were used to seeing military preparedness in disarray, but had they ever witnessed orders being strictly enforced?

The soldiers of the two armies were all familiar faces to the Shinsengumi, so their reaction was relatively calm.

In contrast, the soldiers of the other regional armies were truly dumbfounded, their mouths agape in shock, their jaws practically dropping to the ground.

Some experts could tell at a glance that, compared to sharp guns and cannons, the Shinsengumi's most powerful weapon was its strict discipline!

It's worth mentioning that, in addition to the constant shouts, the air was also filled with the enticing aroma of food.

The cooks were busy preparing the food, their feet barely touching the ground.

Bag after bag of rice was poured into the pot, and soon a delicious aroma wafted out, making one's mouth water.