I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Qingdeng darted inside, taking three steps at a time. He quickly scanned the space and soon spotted a graceful figure in a green kimono at a small table in the corner—it was none other than Ziyang, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Shintaro Toujou and the young man who had just opened the door consciously stepped aside and disappeared into the shadows.

Qingdeng untied the Vairocana from his waist, held it in his right hand, and walked straight toward Ziyang.

At this moment, Ziyang was staring at the candlelight in front of him, deep in thought. The slightly flickering orange-red light filled his eyes, and he seemed to be lost in thought, pondering something.

She was already a stunning beauty, and the interplay of flames and shadows gave her an air of fragility and dreamlike quality—as if she would vanish with the passing of the flames.

For no apparent reason, Qingdeng suddenly thought of:

—She was just a teenage girl after all.

She holds a pivotal position in the Great Salt Party, is the party's intelligence chief, has long been involved in dealing with the Fazhu Party, and has devoted herself to the ideal of "universal harmony"... Compared to these responsibilities, this young girl's shoulders seem so delicate, as if a little more force could break them.

She was able to shoulder such a heavy burden with her small, narrow shoulders... The saying "women are not inferior to men" is probably a good way to describe a heroine like her.

As Qingdeng was secretly marveling at Ziyang's power, she belatedly snapped back to reality and reflexively flashed a bright smile:

“An Yi… ah, no, I should call you ‘Zuo Fu’ now.”

[Note: Qing Deng's official rank has been promoted to "Left Minister," and he can be referred to as "Left Minister."]

Qingdeng Xiaoxiao:

"This is a private meeting, so there's no need to be so particular about how you address me."

Although Qingdeng generously said there was no need to be reserved, Ziyang still respectfully addressed him as "Zuo Fu".

"Please have a seat, Mr. Zuo. You've come at the perfect time; this bottle of sake has just been warmed and tastes just right."

As she spoke, she placed a wine glass in front of herself and Qing Deng, and then filled them both with practiced ease—truly befitting Kyoto's top geisha, even her movements of setting up wine glasses and pouring wine were so beautiful and elegant.

Qingdeng didn't stand on ceremony, boldly raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The warm liquor went down his throat, and a pleasant sensation traveled down his esophagus into his stomach, instantly dispelling the chill in his body.

"Master Zuo, would you like another drink?"

Qingdeng put down his empty cup and shook his head:

"No, before we drink, let's talk business. Miss Ziyang, what brings you here so suddenly?"

Qingdeng's straightforward approach seemed to suit Ziyang's tastes perfectly.

She smiled gently, then put down the sake in her hand without hesitation:

"Master Zuo, I have come here tonight to inform you that the Fa-Zhu Party is suspected of colluding with the 'Southern Dynasty'."

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng was first taken aback, then let out a few cold laughs.

"'Western Alliance' and the French Extermination Party... Ha, this combination is hardly surprising."

Given that the Fazhu Party had a history of "allying with Changzhou," it is not surprising that it has now colluded with the "Southern Dynasty."

Based on past experience, nothing related to the persecution of the Party is ever a good thing—therefore, Qing Deng couldn't help but put on a stern face and adopt a solemn expression:

What is the purpose of "punishing the party with the law"?

Ziyang shook his head, a solemn expression also appearing on his face:

"We don't know. All we know for now is that the Fa Zhu Gang is frequently active in Changzhou, and their intentions are unclear."

After a long silence, Qingdeng said in a half-joking voice:

"The enemy has all gathered together... Well, that makes things easier; we can wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"

The "Law Punishment Party" was Qingdeng's mortal enemy, as was the "Southern Dynasty."

The fact that two arch-enemies have joined forces is certainly a headache, but from another perspective, it may not be a bad opportunity to solve the problem once and for all!

Upon hearing this, Ziyang couldn't help but cast a helpless, reproachful glance at Qingdeng:

"Master Zuo, please be very careful. Punishing a faction under the law is no small matter..."

Before she could finish speaking, Qingdeng waved his hand and interrupted:

“I know. I’ve been dealing with the Law Extermination Party for quite some time now, so I know how dangerous they are. Don’t worry, I won’t let my guard down.”

After speaking, Qingdeng paused, as if remembering something, a thoughtful light appearing in his eyes.

As Kyoto's top geisha, Shiyo had long since mastered the skill of "reading between the lines".

Therefore, she immediately noticed Qing Deng's unusual behavior.

"Master Zuo, what's wrong? Why do you look like you want to say something but can't? If you have something to tell me, please speak freely. I will listen attentively."

As she spoke, she smiled gently, her beautiful eyes curving into lovely crescent moons—her smile seemed to possess a special magic, making people unconsciously lower their guard.

With Ziyang taking the initiative to speak, Qingdeng was able to smoothly continue the conversation:

“Miss Ziyang, to be honest, I have had this idea for a long time.”

"Now is the best time to bring this up."

As Qingdeng spoke, he raised his gaze, his expression serious, staring intently into Ziyang's eyes, and asked, word by word:

"Would you, the Great Salt Party, like to form an alliance with me?"

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Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

P.S.: Leopard might need to go to the vet... Lately, his left jaw has been hurting a lot when he eats, to the point that it's affecting his eating (Leopard in pain.jpg)

Let's wait a couple more days. If he hasn't recovered by then, I'll have to see a doctor... (crying leopard head.jpg)

Chapter 1120 The Beautiful Mature Woman Reappears and the Woman Named "Dragon" [6000]

The sudden invitation to form an alliance caught Ziyang off guard.

Even Shintaro Toujou, who was waiting quietly to the side, couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

Ziyang blinked her beautiful eyes repeatedly, asking in a questioning tone:

"An alliance?"

Qingdeng nodded solemnly:

"Yes."

“I have always witnessed the excellence of the Great Salt Party.”

"If we can get the assistance of the Great Salt Party, we will be like a tiger with wings!"

"Miss Ziyang, I need your assistance. Please lend us a hand!"

Judging solely from the perspective of "combat effectiveness," the Great Salt Party is indeed unremarkable and can only be considered a third-rate force.

However, when it comes to intelligence gathering capabilities, it has few rivals!

The Great Salt Party was deeply rooted in the grassroots and had great appeal among the people. Countless scholars and commoners in the city served as its eyes and ears.

The porter you brush past might be a member of the Big Salt Party; the waiter serving you food at the restaurant might be their informant...

Even Qing Deng couldn't help but feel envious of such a powerful intelligence network.

Therefore, he had long desired to form an alliance with the Great Salt Party.

With the "decisive battle between East and West" about to erupt, we must strive to win over every possible force.

An independent force as outstanding and powerful as the Great Salt Party is naturally not to be overlooked.

Since we have the opportunity to meet Ziyang tonight, Qingdeng might as well put the matter of "forming an alliance" on the agenda!

Qingdeng's attitude was undeniably sincere.

Unfortunately, no sooner had he finished speaking than Ziyang looked regretful and shook his head:

"The Zuo family thanks you for your kindness."

"I am deeply honored to be valued by you in this way."

"However, it is impossible for us to form an alliance with the shogunate."

At this point, Ziyang suddenly emphasized his words, and his tone became serious:

"The shogunate is our mortal enemy—that will never change."

"Our ultimate goal is to overthrow the corrupt Edo Shogunate and realize the ideal of 'universal harmony'."

"One or two collaborations are fine, but asking us to form an alliance with the shogunate is absolutely impossible, there is no room for negotiation."

Qingdeng smiled slightly, as if he had anticipated Ziyang's blunt rejection:

“I know you despise the shogunate and will never ally with it.”

"So what I said wasn't 'allying with the shogunate,' but 'allying with me.'"

“‘I’ and ‘the shogunate’ are two different things and should not be confused.”

Ziyang tilted his head, a look of confusion on his face.

"Master Zuo, please elaborate."

Qingdeng said slowly:

"Although I am a retainer of the shogunate, it does not mean that I am the embodiment of the shogunate."

"To put it bluntly, in many ways, 'I' and the 'shogunate' have serious and irreconcilable differences."

"Therefore, I do not want the Great Shio Party to work for the Shogunate."

"I only hope that the Great Salt Party can help me defeat the Southern Dynasty."

"I dare not call myself a righteous person."

"However, compared to the beasts of the Southern Dynasty, I still deserve the title of 'a virtuous gentleman'."

"At least I won't go back on my word or arbitrarily cancel policies like it's a child's game."

"You are known for your expertise in 'intelligence gathering,' so you must have known about the farce that started with the 'Annual Tribute Halving Decree,' right?"

Upon hearing this, Ziyang frowned slightly, his expression darkening—it seemed that the antics of the "Southern Dynasty" had indeed not escaped the notice of the Great Salt Party.