I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"There are very few civilians who know how to fight."

"More importantly, they were almost untrained."

"Sending civilians to the battlefield is like sending sheep to face a pack of wolves; it will likely backfire..."

Qing Deng had anticipated Tenshōin's concerns.

As soon as she finished speaking, he smiled and said softly:

"Your Highness, I understand your concerns."

"Indeed, ordinary people will always show their weakness, incompetence, and vulnerability to being manipulated."

"But if they are properly guided, they may possess the formidable power to change the world."

"Of course, at this stage, it is really asking too much of them to change the world."

"However, it is not impossible for them to help me defend the city and fight against the enemy."

"To my shame, it wasn't until I met those seven brave young people that I suddenly realized this truth."

"As long as we can harness this 'new power,' defeating the 'Hitotsubashi faction' will be a piece of cake."

Tenshō-in listened very attentively.

But the more she listened, the more confused she became.

Qingdeng noticed Tianzhangyuan's bewilderment and smiled helplessly:

"Sorry, I seem to have explained it in a way that's too difficult to understand."

"In short, I'll explain these difficult-to-understand principles to you slowly later."

"Now, let's focus on taking care of the rebels on the other side first."

"Your Highness, I hope you can mobilize all the soldiers of the new Imperial Guard. I have a very important task to entrust to them."

Upon hearing this, Tenshōin immediately retorted:

"Will you promote it for me?"

Qingdeng nodded:

“That’s right. I want them to spread the news of ‘Niou’s thirst for talent’ throughout Edo as quickly as possible.”

……

……

"Hey! Have you heard? Lord Ren is eager to recruit talent! He's announced that anyone who comes to help, whether a commoner or a samurai, will receive a military stipend of 3 taels of gold! If they achieve military merit, they'll be richly rewarded! Getting more money than you can spend in a lifetime is no problem!"

Three taels of gold?! Really?

"Really! Even people who know absolutely nothing about martial arts can apply! The only restriction is that no underage children are allowed."

Is this news credible?

"Since it involves Lord Renwang, it should be credible!"

"Let's go! There's no reason not to make this big money!"

"Don't be naive, do you think this money is so easy to earn? This is 'blood money' that you have to risk your life to earn!"

"So what? That's a full three taels of gold! How many pairs of straw sandals would I have to make to earn three taels of gold?"

"A-Zhan and his men really hit the jackpot! Because they were the first volunteer army to rush to the aid, they not only received 3 taels of gold as military pay, but also a bonus of 30 taels of gold!"

"33 taels of gold! Ugh... Damn it! If I had known this would happen, I should have gone to Edo Castle with A-Zhan and the others!"

"Alright! I've made up my mind! I'm going to join the war!"

"Honey, you can't go! That's war! Not some 'red and white battle'! What will happen to me and the children if anything happens to you?"

"Things have been really bad lately, we're almost starving! But I can't worry about anything else if it comes to our livelihood!"

"But you don't know anything about martial arts! What good will it do on the battlefield?"

"I... I may not know martial arts, but I do know how to dig a trench or throw a stone!"

"What if Lord Niou goes back on his word and refuses to pay you, or even withholds your wages?"

"I believe in Lord Niou! He would never go back on his word!"

"That's right! I also believe in Lord Niou!"

"Let's go! Let's go help Lord Niou!"

……

……

Edo, Imado-cho, the main camp of the Hitotsubashi Army—

After hearing the messenger's report, Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi involuntarily opened his mouth wide and muttered:

"Is Ju Qingdeng spending heavily to win over the common people?"

The rest of the people present were also visibly taken aback.

Soon, an atmosphere of "secret delight" permeated the room.

"This is great news!"

"That's right! This shows that Tachibana Seiden has already resorted to desperate measures!"

"If they have to rely on 'bribing civilians' to replenish their troops, the defenses of Edo Castle must be in dire straits!"

"I knew it! We still had a chance to win!"

"Now is the perfect time to launch a full-scale attack and take Edo Castle in one fell swoop!"

Everyone was excited, ecstatic, and shouting, "The Southern Army is doomed!" and "As long as we launch a general offensive, everything will be alright!"

Only a very few people, including Gao Lao, did not join this "carnival".

The tall man frowned, staring intently at the empty space in front of him, deep in thought.

A moment later, he turned to look at the messenger:

To what extent has the news of "King Niou's conscription" spread so far?

The messenger answered quickly:

"It has spread very widely! It has basically spread throughout the entire town of Edo!"

Upon hearing this, the tall man seemed to realize something and muttered, "Not good..."

Immediately afterward, disregarding his composure, he quickly turned to Yoshinobu Hitotsubashi and spoke:

"Lord Hitotsubashi! Something terrible has happened! We must stop Tachibana Aoto immediately!"

"We will issue a notice to the entire town of Edo, inviting commoners and samurai alike to join us!"

"No matter how much Juqing offers, we'll pay double!"

Gao Lao's reaction surprised everyone present, including Yoshiki Ichihashi.

Someone asked, puzzled:

"Why do you say that? We..."

Before the other person could finish speaking, the tall man turned his head, glared at him fiercely, and replied in a deep voice:

"The fact that this 'conscription notice' spread throughout Edo in such a short time means that someone must be behind it!"

"Without a doubt, this was a deliberate and ingenious scheme!"

"A hundred or so civilians are perhaps not a cause for concern."

"But don't forget, our opponent is that Tachibana Aoto!"

"Considering that the person in charge of these civilians is Tachibana Seito, we cannot help but take this seriously!"

A single word awakened me from my reverie... Instantly, the room and its surroundings fell into utter silence...

The group exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions stiff.

Now, they have all developed "orange phobia".

Whenever I hear the name "Ju Qingdeng", I can't help but feel a sense of fear.

As the tall man finished speaking, they all felt a sense of foreboding.

Someone asked back hesitantly:

"Then, what should we do now?"

The tall man frowned:

"Didn't you hear what I just said? We'll stir up the 'recruitment' of Huangjuqingdeng at all costs!"

"Although I don't know exactly what his plan is, going against him is definitely the right thing to do!"

……

……

Edo, Akasaka Mikado—

time flies.

Before you know it, the hour hand on the clock points to "8".

In a short while, the morning mist had completely dissipated.

At this moment, the Hitotsubashi Army, composed of the "Death Legion" and its direct staff, has completed its attack preparations!

Just like yesterday, they launched a fierce attack on Akasaka Mikado.

At first, they didn't notice anything unusual, as figures draped in light blue haori filled their field of vision.

But gradually, they were shocked to discover that the enemy's forces seemed to be increasing—more and more civilians were appearing!

*******

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