I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

If Qingdeng weren't so confident in his hearing, he would have seriously doubted whether he had misheard.

He had just received news recently that the "popular faction" had launched a coup and successfully seized control of Changzhou.

How could they have lost so quickly?

His messengers, sent to contact the "popular school," are still on their way and have not yet arrived in Changzhou!

After a brief moment of shock, he quickly composed himself and, with a serious expression, pressed on with a rapid question:

"What exactly happened? Tell me in detail."

……

……

After asking in detail, Qingdeng finally understood the whole story.

He was deeply disturbed... The defeat of the "conventional school" was unbelievable to him.

In short: The swift demise of the "popular school" is imbued with a magical quality! Even writers specializing in comedy wouldn't dare to write it like this!

Future historical records will probably write it like this: "The uprising at Gongshan Temple tolled the death knell for the 'popular school'."

Under the relentless pursuit of the "popular faction," Katsura Kogoro, with nowhere else to turn, raised an army at Gongshan Temple, determined to fight to the death.

They first captured the Xindi Clubhouse in Xiaguan and seized a large amount of supplies.

The looting of supplies was expected and nothing special.

What's truly remarkable is their subsequent actions.

They did not concern themselves with the gains or losses of individual cities or territories, nor did they slowly conquer and occupy lands. Instead, they rushed straight to Mitajiri with lightning speed.

Mitajiri is a naval base in Choshu, where the battleship Kyukai Maru is moored.

The Guihai Maru – built in 1863 (the year of Guihai), hence the name "Guihai Maru", was a steam-powered warship.

The surprise attack by the special forces was a great success, and they quickly captured Mitajiri and successfully seized Kyukaimaru.

Qingdeng couldn't help but secretly praise: What a brilliant plan! The person who devised this plan has great strategic vision!

A warship is equivalent to a mobile military fortress, capable of transporting troops and supplies, and also possessing a large number of cannons.

Hagi Castle is located by the sea, which means it is within the range of naval guns.

In other words, with the Guihai Maru in hand, the Special Forces directly possess the combat power to break through Hagi Castle!

The surprise attack team launched a massive counterattack, even bringing along warships... Logically speaking, any normal person with a sound mind would quickly concentrate their forces and suppress the internal strife at all costs.

However, the "popular school" has demonstrated astonishing incompetence and stupidity!

With a formidable enemy at hand, they did not immediately send troops, but instead were preoccupied with some trivial matters!

Perhaps to intimidate the "righteous faction," or perhaps simply to vent their anger, they sent key figures of the "righteous faction," such as Maeda Son'emon, Mori Noboru, and Matsushima Gozo, to prison, and then beheaded them all the following day.

This is a classic example of a bad idea.

Not only did it fail to achieve its intended effect, it further fueled the resentment and fighting spirit of the "righteous faction," as well as the public's aversion.

After killing these insignificant people, the "popular faction" finally and reluctantly organized a pacification army of two thousand men.

Compared to the hundred or so men of the elite troops, the Zhenfu Army, with its two thousand soldiers, had a clear advantage.

Then... the magical part begins.

News of the "Katsura Kogoro Uprising" spread quickly.

Those who were loyal to the "faction of justice" were all filled with pride and joy.

In a short time, militia groups such as the Rikishitai and the Mitsutai rushed to join Katsura Kogoro.

In addition, many ordinary people were encouraged by this and came to help, carrying simple weapons such as hoes, carrying poles, and sickles.

It looks very lively, as if people from all over the world have come to respond, but in reality, there are hardly any people at all.

The original Qibing Team had over a hundred men, and even with the addition of the rebels who came to join them, the total number was only 700, still weaker than the Zhenfu Army.

Katsura Kogoro divided the 700 people into two groups.

A group of men, piloting the Guihai Maru, traveled by sea. This army was commanded by Ōmura Masujirō.

The other group took the land route. This army was personally commanded by Katsura Kogoro.

Advancing from two directions simultaneously, they struck at the heart of the enemy, rushing towards Hagi Castle!

The sea was calm and peaceful on this side, and no accidents occurred.

The disastrous defeat at the Battle of Shimonoseki resulted in the near annihilation of Choshu's naval forces, leaving only a handful of warships and insufficient combat power to intercept the Guihai Maru.

The land route is where things get interesting.

The troops that took the land route advanced toward Hagi Castle in a chaotic and reckless manner, and eventually encountered the Zhenfu Army in Ota.

Because of their heightened emotions and high morale, the civilians who had spontaneously joined the battle rushed to the front and took on the role of vanguard, while the main force led by Katsura Kogoro fell behind.

As evening fell, the "vanguard" composed of ordinary people encountered the Zhenfu Army and was easily defeated.

Seeing that their enemy was easily defeated, the soldiers of the Zhenfu Army became arrogant and did not pursue them, but went straight back to their camp to sleep.

Without sending out scouts to investigate the enemy's situation, nor strengthening the defenses of the camp... In this way, Katsura Kogoro and his main force reached the edge of the Zhenfu Army's camp without lifting a finger.

Seeing that the enemy's defenses were weak, Katsura Kogoro did not hesitate and launched a night attack.

The outcome was predictable... The garrison troops immediately broke up, a small number were killed, and the vast majority scattered like birds and beasts.

Thus, the Zhenfu Army, which the "popular faction" had painstakingly cobbled together, was completely wiped out, and there were no more troops to fight against Katsura Kogoro.

Katsura Kogoro's resounding victory greatly alarmed the "conventional" officials of Hagi Castle.

The neutral retainers quickly organized a calming committee to negotiate with Katsura Kogoro.

Katsura Kogoro made the following demands: dismiss the officials of the "popular opinion faction"! And disband the Zhenfu Army!

The neutral faction only wanted to end the internal strife as soon as possible, so they reported the demands made by Katsura Kogoro to the feudal lord Mori Takachika.

Mori Takashi… This “Do it this way” Marquis unsurprisingly gave the following reply:

"Okay! Let's do it this way!"

The neutral faction and the "popular faction" are not of the same mind.

In the latter's view, the former's unauthorized agreement to Katsura Kogoro's request was a death sentence.

Therefore, when the four members of the Tranquility Society went to negotiate with Katsura Kogoro, they were assassinated by assassins sent by the "Societies," and only one of the four survived.

In reality, Katsura Kogoro's so-called "negotiations" were nothing more than a delaying tactic.

Feigning negotiations, they stabilized the political situation in Hagi Castle while simultaneously accelerating their march, with both armies traveling day and night straight towards Hagi Castle.

During this period, Mori Motozumi, the lord of the late Qing dynasty, and Mori Motoshu, the lord of the Chofu domain—both domains being branches of Choshu—entered Hagi Castle together to discuss a solution to the aftermath. Their stance leaned towards the "righteous faction," and they requested Mori Takachika to cease the repression.

Soon, Guihai Maru arrived at its destination first and stopped in the sea area adjacent to Hagi Castle, ready to fire at Hagi Castle at any time.

The "conventional faction" has run out of troops and can only defend its isolated city... clearly at its wit's end.

Before long, the land forces also arrived at Hagi Castle—because of their small numbers, they moved with exceptional agility and speed.

Katsura Kogoro, unwilling to suffer unnecessary casualties, issued an ultimatum demanding that the "popular faction" surrender the city immediately.

While issuing a stern warning, he ordered Guihai Maru to fire a blank shot to intimidate the people in the city.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the officials of the "popular faction" disguised themselves and fled.

However, their every move was within Katsura Kogoro's prediction.

They had barely left the city when they were all captured by the elite troops.

All the core members of the "popular theory school," including Muku Rito, were caught red-handed without exception.

Thus, Hagi Castle surrendered without bloodshed, and the "popular faction" completely collapsed.

The decades-long two-party struggle in the Choshu Domain came to an end, and the domain's administration was unified. The "righteous faction" once again took control of Choshu, and Katsura Kogoro became the de facto leader of Choshu.

The above is the information currently known to Qingdeng.

The detailed process of Katsura Kogoro bringing down the "righteous faction"... Anyone who reads it will likely be as deeply moved as Aoto...

Qing Deng had anticipated that the "popular faction" would be bad at governing, but he never expected that these guys would be this incompetent!

Facing a mere 700 rebels—most of whom were hastily assembled civilians, with only 1 or 200 truly capable fighters—they were easily defeated and lost power. It was utterly childish!

The speed of the downfall left Qing Deng with no chance to intervene!

*******

*******

It's already the beginning of the month again! Readers with monthly passes, please be sure to vote for this book! (Crying leopard head.jpg) Requesting monthly passes! Requesting recommendation votes! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

P.S.: The entire process of the "righteous faction" defeating the "conventional faction" is based entirely on historical facts, and even embellished to some extent. In reality, the "conventional faction" suffered an even more crushing, farcical, and surreal defeat.

To put it simply: in historical fact, the "righteous faction" defeated the "conventional faction" with slightly fewer troops and of slightly lower quality. However, the process was largely the same.

Chapter 1029 Kill the Emperor! Install a New Emperor! [4600]

"It's not the god-like opponents I fear, but the pig-like teammates"—at this moment, Qingdeng truly understood the weight of this saying and the helplessness it contained.

The "popular faction," these incompetent allies, completely ruined Qingdeng's strategic plan to "pacify the Western Kingdom without losing a single soldier."

Although he had not yet received news of the execution of the important officials of the "popular faction," Katsura Kogoro could not possibly fail to purge the rebels.

It won't be long before Qingdeng receives the news that "'the popular school' has been completely physically eliminated."

Now that the Choshu Domain is unified and there are no longer any obstacles between the two parties, Katsura Kogoro holds absolute power.

The idea of ​​subduing Changzhou without the use of weapons is now out of the question.

In the end, is it still only possible to fight with swords drawn...?

Upon realizing this, Qingdeng couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

If he had a choice, he certainly wouldn't want war to break out.

Although he enjoyed the thrill of battle, he was never the kind of person who took pleasure in killing.

Unfortunately, given the current situation, war with Changzhou is now unavoidable.