I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"If that's the case, then what was the purpose of your serious presentation on 'cave time' just now?"

Qing Deng selectively ignored Sanako's sarcastic remarks and asked:

"Where are Jiulang and Ningning?"

[Note: "Kuro" was Tachibana Masashi's childhood name, and "Nene" was Tachibana Moko's childhood name.]

Awu replied:

They're all asleep.

"Where are His Majesty and Prince Tianzhang?"

Sanako replied:

"They went to keep the old tree company."

A gathering of the mother-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law... well, it's best not to disturb them.

Since we've mentioned Tianzhang Academy... Qingdeng suddenly remembered something.

After a brief hesitation, he cleared his throat, drawing the attention of Sanako and Ama.

"...Zanako, Ama, this is a rare opportunity, and there's something I want to tell you."

The two women turned their heads and gave Qingdeng a look that said, "Go ahead and say it."

Qingdeng took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and then quickly and solemnly said:

"When the time is right, I want to marry Tenshōin!"

quiet……

After Qingdeng finished speaking, an eerily quiet silence enveloped the entire room.

Qingdeng kept his mouth shut, not uttering a word... or rather, he dared not speak, silently waiting for the two women's reply.

He had been looking for an opportunity to be honest with the two women and reveal his true relationship with Tenshōin.

Unfortunately, due to busy work and other reasons, he was never able to fulfill his wish.

This can't go on forever... Considering that I'll be even busier later, I might as well say everything that needs to be said tonight!

At this moment, even without looking, Qing Deng could keenly sense that the two women were staring at him with sharp eyes.

About 10 seconds later, the first person to break the silence was Sanako:

"...Qingdeng, you're such a lecher."

As she spoke, she squinted, looking at Qingdeng with the same gaze one would give a ditch.

Ah Wu then added:

"It's one thing to be lecherous, but to actually set her sights on the Ōmiya-no-sho (Imperial Palace) is another."

Having three beautiful wives and still not satisfied, he wanted to marry a fourth... In this situation, facing the accusations of the two women, Qing Deng was powerless to refute them and could only let cold sweat pour down his forehead.

At this moment, Qing Deng belatedly realized something—the two women were too calm, eerily calm.

In his imagination, Sanako should have attacked him with even sharper words, and Mai should have opened her eyes with no luster, like a chaotic abyss.

He glanced at Mai on his left, then at Sanako on his right, and cautiously asked in return:

"You don't seem surprised at all? The person I want to marry is Prince Tenshōin."

He emphasized the words "Prince Tianzhangyuan" when he spoke.

Sanako rolled her eyes:

"Do you think we're blind? We've known for a long time that you have ill intentions towards His Highness Tenshoin."

A-Wu also rolled her eyes at Qing-Deng:

Do you think you've covered it up very well?

*******

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P.S.: This book will end after the "East-West Showdown"! However, the wedding of Aoto, Tenshōin, and Elodie will be released as an epilogue, so please look forward to it!

Are there any epilogues you'd like to see? I'll write them as appropriate!

Chapter 1123 "Qingdeng, is the only person you want to marry Tianzhangyuan?" [5100]

The two women's questions startled Qing Deng.

To be fair, he always thought he had concealed it very well.

In public, he always maintained the proper distance between himself and Tenshōin, never overstepping the bounds of propriety.

Only when they are alone and in private do they show each other the passion they deserve.

Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger—this proverb left by our ancestors is truly not to be underestimated.

By the following year (1866), Tenshōin will be at the age of a wolf (Tenshōin was born in 1836).

Hormonal changes, coupled with the release of long-suppressed emotions, caused Tenshōin to reveal a wild side of himself to Aoto.

—Could it be because we made too much noise and Sanako and the others heard us?

Just as Qing Deng was pondering this in secret, Sanako saw through his thoughts and sighed:

"Qingdeng, don't think we're fools."

"The moment I saw the Ōmiya Shrine, I knew who she was—wasn't she the beautiful shrine maiden from the Tsukimiya Shrine?"

This happened a long time ago.

When Qing Deng deliberately faked his death to investigate the Phantom Lake, a group of relatives and friends from the Shieikan and Kochiba Kenkan searched for him all over Edo.

By chance, Sanako and Souji found the Tsukikō Shrine together and met Tenshōin, who was disguised as a shrine maiden in purple hakama.

Because this happened so long ago, Aoto always thought that Sanako and Souji had forgotten about it.

As if to echo Aoto's confusion, Sanako added at the opportune moment:

"With someone as beautiful as the Imperial Concubine Omiya, it's probably even harder to forget her, isn't it?"

"A mysterious shrine maiden who once had a past with you has now appeared as the 'Great Imperial Palace'... Anyone would suspect something's amiss, right?"

Ah Wu suddenly interrupted:

"Although I have never met the Ōmikado, who is disguised as a shrine maiden, I can vaguely sense from your interactions with her that your relationship is not ordinary."

Like a duet, the two women worked together seamlessly. As soon as A-Mai finished speaking, Sanako smoothly picked up the conversation:

"I think everyone has more or less sensed that you have a secret with Tenshōin, but no one dares to say it out loud."

"Do you really think that the rumor that 'Tachibana Aoto is causing chaos in the harem' came out of nowhere?"

After listening to the two women's "alternating torture," Qing Deng chuckled awkwardly.

It turns out the wives saw through everything from the very beginning...

"I thought I'd be given the cold shoulder after I confessed my true relationship with Tenshōin..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sanako rolled her eyes at him in a very cooperative manner.

Even if we object, you won't listen, will you?

Yes, that's right, exactly.

Although Qing Deng did not say it explicitly, his silence was an admission.

Sanako continued:

"Since there's nothing I can do to stop you, I'm too lazy to say anything more. Anyway..."

She paused, remained silent for a moment, as if trying to hide her facial expression, slightly turned her head away, showing Qingdeng the back of her head, and gently continued the conversation:

"To me, your peace and happiness are the most important things. Everything else is irrelevant."

Ah Wu said slowly:

“Omiya-no-sho is a good person. If it’s her… although I have mixed feelings, it’s not unacceptable…”

Tenshōin loves small animals like cats and dogs, and A-Mai happens to be a girl who is like a small animal, which can arouse people's protective instincts, so Tenshōin likes her very much.

Whenever there's something delicious or fun to do, he always invites Ah Wu to come and enjoy it together.

Naturally, A-Wu became quite close to her and admired her like an older sister.

It's worth mentioning that the relationship between Tenshōin and Sanako is rather delicate.

It's not that their relationship was bad, but rather that both of them were relatively strong women, like two sharp needles clashing, which naturally produced a subtle "kings meeting kings" chemical reaction.

At this moment, Sanako straightened her head again and glanced at Aoto:

"Qingdeng, when exactly do you mean when you said, 'When the time is right, I will marry Tenshōin'?"

Qing Deng shrugged:

"In short, let's defeat the Southern Dynasty first."

"Before the 'Southern Dynasty' was destroyed, any expectation of the future was futile."

Qing Deng did not have a specific timeline for when he would officially marry Tenshōin.

Defeating the Southern Dynasty was just the beginning.

Even with the power to pacify the world, his journey to marry Tenshōin will not be easy.

A subject marrying the current Empress Dowager... this is probably unprecedented in history.

Besides being the shogunate's Ōmitai-sho, Tenshōin also had another identity: a nun, and therefore faced religious pressure.

Admittedly, there are many difficulties—but Qingdeng already has a plan.

Since the biggest obstacle to marrying Tenshōin is the difference in their social status, wouldn't it be enough to simply change the situation so that they are no longer ruler and subject?

Because such a thing was too horrifying, Seido never mentioned it to anyone—in fact, ever since Tokugawa Iemochi fell into a coma and Seido became the de facto head of the shogunate, he had always been able to vaguely sense an invisible "force".

This "force" pushed him...and propelled him to even greater heights!