I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Knowing this, yet I still... yet I still... yet I still..."

She kept murmuring...

Her voice trembled more and more...

Because Qingdeng was hiding behind her, he could only see her back and could not witness the changes in her expression.

"But I... can no longer suppress my emotions..."

"I want to stay by his side."

"No matter what happens, even if the world turns upside down, I will not change my mind."

"And it is precisely because I want to be its other half more than anyone else that... I am afraid."

"But now the world is in chaos, and heroes are vying for supremacy."

"Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa, Hizen, the still-active 'Hitotsubashi faction'... and the mysterious and unpredictable Hoju Party..."

"Surrounded by wolves, I have no peace... I'm so scared."

"I'm afraid I'll never see him again..."

“Previously, I could meet with Jia Mao every day and listen to him complain; when I sent letters to Sheng Qing, I always received a reply very quickly.”

"This comfortable life almost made me forget the hardships of the world."

"Jia Mao's serious injury made me suddenly realize that we are all just mortals, without indestructible bodies, and we don't have more lives than others."

“I am too weak... I can’t compare to his other three wives at all.”

“Miss Sanako, Miss Mai, and Miss Souji are all exceptional women, one in a million.”

"Compared to them, I have nothing to offer except for my noble birth."

“Whenever he was about to go into danger, I could only stand by and watch.”

"Just like not long ago, I watched helplessly as he went to fight Shuten-dōji."

"Just like not long ago, I watched helplessly as he went to intercept the Mito Domain's three thousand-strong army."

"He defeated powerful enemies time and time again, and survived time and time again."

"But what about next time? And the time after that?"

"The enemy is as numerous as weeds... How much longer will it take, how many more fierce battles will have to be fought, before a peaceful and prosperous world will finally arrive?"

"I'm afraid he'll be physically and mentally exhausted, I'm afraid he'll fall ill from overwork, I'm afraid he...will die young..."

"So I want to seize the time, I want to get together with him as soon as he still has time, and become his real wife."

"So, I couldn't wait to set up today's 'playing house' and tonight's wedding..."

"To be honest, even I think what I did was pathetic and humiliating."

"However, I don't regret it."

She paused at this point.

Then she smiled.

Strangely enough, even though she had her back to Qingdeng and he couldn't see her expression, he could still sense that she was smiling.

She smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Although I was only his wife for half a day—and even that was just an act—I was content."

"The pleasure I experienced tonight fills me with even greater admiration."

"Today is the happiest day I've had since I married into the shogunate."

"I have no regrets."

I dare not ask for more.

"Therefore, Inari Daimyojin, do with me as you please."

“I have violated the moral principles and broken the precepts, and committed such disloyal, unjust, selfish acts. No matter how terrible the punishment I suffer, I deserve it.”

"I am willing to accept any divine punishment."

"I only ask that You protect him..."

She's finished speaking.

As she finished speaking, she hunched her shoulders and lowered her head deeply... her posture was extremely humble.

The tremor in his voice was obvious...

Desperately suppressing a certain emotion...

Just then, a beam of bright moonlight pierced through the crack in the ceiling and shone directly on her.

Bathed in moonlight, her white kimono reflected a soft glow.

Countless visible particles seemed to be drawn to her, swirling around her.

The darker the surroundings of the shrine, the more it accentuated the brilliance of the moonlight and the sanctity of the woman at its center.

"...A mere half-day as husband and wife is nothing to speak of. We will be husband and wife forever, we will be together forever—I promise you."

Suddenly, a firm voice came from behind her.

She opened her eyes, her gaze complex and indescribable.

She released her clasped hands, raised her head, and slowly turned around.

Two gazes met in mid-air.

Under the moonlight, the two gazed at each other from afar.

Silent, fearless.

……

……

Regardless of what people think, the passage of time never stops—this is both the fairness and the cruelty of time.

The sun rises, lifting the veil of night, and a new day begins.

Qingdeng didn't care at all about the criticisms of the world or the evaluations of later generations.

He is a thorough pragmatist, and these empty titles cannot harm him in the slightest.

Therefore, even if his marriage to Tenshōin were made public, he would not hesitate and would not even flinch.

However, at Tenshōin's insistence, they temporarily concealed their true relationship.

They had just driven out the Hitotsubashi faction and dominated the shogunate, and then Seito openly married Tenshōin—what kind of nonsense is this?

How will the world view Qingdeng? And how will they view the "Nanji School"?

At that time, Qingdeng will truly become the "Japanese version of Dong Zhuo"!

This is tantamount to admitting guilt without being asked, confirming the "Hitotsubashi faction's" attack on Seido.

"Tachibana Seimei's debauchery in the harem" was a major pretext for the "One Bridge Faction" to launch their uprising.

Therefore, for the sake of the overall situation, at least at this stage, we must not disclose any related information to the outside world.

In order to persuade Qingdeng, Tenshōin specifically said:

"This feeling of 'keeping the relationship secret and getting along secretly' is actually quite nice."

After that night, Tianzhangyuan reverted to his mischievous and teasing nature.

For this reason, Qingdeng didn't know whether she was serious or joking.

However, considering her past outrageous act of "teasing Aoto with her two little feet through the sedan curtain in front of Sanako," it is not surprising that she would have such thoughts.

Thus, the two began living a "double life".

On the surface, she and Qing Deng continued to act together, maintaining a "ruler-subject relationship," with the latter still calling her "Your Highness" and the former still calling him "General Tachibana."

But in private...

As the saying goes, "Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger."

It seemed that Tenshōin wanted to make up for all the desires, loneliness, and grievances she had accumulated over the past twenty-nine years by taking them out on Aoto.

In short, the "marriage to Tianzhangyuan" is just one episode in Qingdeng's recent history.

After this incident, Aoto's life returned to normal, and he threw himself back into his official duties, focusing all his energy on the upcoming "Mito Expedition"!

The few days passed in the blink of an eye.

The day of deployment—February 15th—arrived quietly!

……

……

July 15, 1865 (the first year of the Keio era)

Edo, northern suburbs—

The Shinsengumi's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 11th Divisions, and part of the 9th Division—a mighty army of over three thousand—were safely arrayed in formation.

Qingdeng, supporting the Vairocana at his waist, rode the ox to the front of the battle.

Tenshōin, Shōrintaro, and other high-ranking officials of the shogunate came to see him off.

With the support of talents such as "Body Strengthening +6" and "Primordial Yang +7", Qingdeng's recovery speed has always been abnormally fast.

After more than a month of quiet recuperation, Qingdeng's injuries have greatly improved.

Although not fully healed, there is no longer any risk of the wound reopening, and his strength has recovered to about 50%.

In this state, it is more than capable of conquering the Mito Domain, whose national strength has been greatly reduced!

He didn't loudly recite a complex proclamation denouncing the traitors; he simply unfolded his light blue haori and shouted:

"Let's set off! To subdue the Mito!"

Kondo Isami, who was standing next to him, immediately shouted:

"Eh—Eh—"