I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

With the legendary figure of Ōshio Heihachirō around, the Ōshio faction has the most reliable anchor.

After calming down a bit, Qingdeng took a deep breath:

"Although the process was somewhat different from what I had expected, fortunately the result was as expected. Mr. Daishio, I have finally met you."

Ōshio Heihachirō smiled slightly:

"Mr. Ju, to be honest, even without your invitation, I would like to meet with you. I have something very important to discuss with you."

Qing Deng narrowed his eyes:

"Oh? 'Something very important'? May I ask what it is?"

Ōshio Heihachirō raised his gaze and stared intently at Aoto:

"Mr. Ju, to be honest, I recently visited various places in Qinjin."

"You are truly an unparalleled and brilliant ruler."

"Not only was his martial arts unparalleled, but his civil administration was also extraordinary."

"Under your rule, Qinjin has shown a vitality that is quite different from other vassal states."

"What shocked me the most was that the people of Qinjin were all so enthusiastic in their support of you."

"Therefore... Mr. Tachibana, may I ask you a question: if you were to become 'the ruler of the world' in the future, what kind of country would you intend to establish?"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng lowered his eyelids.

He had a vague premonition that his next answer would determine whether Ōshio Heihachirō was willing to form an alliance with him!

Ōshio Heihachirō straightened his back, his face serious, and waited quietly for Aoto's reply.

He had assumed it would take Qing Deng a little while to come up with a good wording.

Unexpectedly, Qingdeng remained silent for only a moment before slowly saying:

"...From the time I took office as the commander of the Edo Hokuban-sho, the most common sight I saw every day was all kinds of tragedies."

"Without money to buy medicine, I could only watch helplessly as my family members died."

"I work from dawn till dusk, and I'm so tired every day that I can't even straighten my back. As a result, I can barely make enough money to feed myself."

He was dutiful and dutiful, yet lost his life because of a ridiculous order from his lord.

"I am merely a swordsman, with no other skills besides wielding swords."

"I dare not say that I have any profound skills."

"But... if I were fortunate enough to become 'one of the people,' I would do everything in my power to ensure that everyone in the world could live a good life."

At this point, Qingdeng paused, then added:

"By the way, the 'world' I'm referring to isn't limited to just Japan, but truly the whole world."

"I hope that everyone in the world can live a happy life—that is my goal."

Perhaps not expecting that Aoto's ideals would be so grand, Ōshio Heihachirō stood frozen in place, turning into a clay sculpture.

After a long while, he muttered with a strange expression:

"...Mr. Tachibana, you have quite the ambition."

Qing Deng shrugged and smiled:

"What's there to be afraid of with lofty goals? Every inch forward brings its own joy."

"Of course, I know that my goal is too ambitious."

"At this point, I can only start with Qin Jin."

"First, we'll get Qinjin in order, and then gradually expand the scope of governance."

Ōshio Heihachirō pressed on urgently:

"So, what means do you intend to use to ensure that the people of Qinjin live a happy life?"

Qingdeng answered without hesitation:

"When people's pockets are full of money, many problems can be solved."

"However, before we can make the people rich, there is a very important task: to completely change the social structure of 'different statuses'."

"Times have changed. If we don't break free from the shackles of identity, we can't make the people truly rich no matter what."

Ōshio Heihachirō's eyes shone brightly.

"Well said!"

"Mr. Ju, you and I are thinking the same thing!"

The social hierarchy of "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants" is a product of the old era and should be abandoned!

"However... please forgive my bluntness, but this is easier said than done."

“The prejudice of ‘different status’ has persisted for thousands of years.”

"Drive and passion alone are not enough to shake a thousand years of accumulation."

Qingdeng smiled slightly:

"If that's the case, then let's take it slow."

"Step by step, we increased the voice of the common people and gradually suppressed the authority of the samurai."

"In this way, one day, the balance of power between the two sides will be reversed."

"At that time, a true 'new era' will be ushered in!"

Upon hearing this, Ōshio Heihachirō frowned and his face darkened.

“…Mr. Ju, you’re being a bit naive. That alone isn’t enough to change the times.”

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Chapter 1131 The people are both the "spear" and the "shield"! [4800]

"Mr. Ju, may I have a word to say?"

Qing Deng raised his chin.

"Please speak."

Ōshio Heihachirō took a deep breath.

"Twenty-nine years ago, I led the villagers around Osaka in an uprising."

"Before the battle began, the villagers were all in high spirits, and they all showed a spirit of 'fighting to the death'."

"I was so naive back then, I completely misjudged their fighting spirit..."

"As soon as the war began, the villagers collapsed at the first sign of trouble, which caused serious gaps in our formation, giving the Mu army an opportunity to take advantage of us, and ultimately leading to a crushing defeat."

"To put it bluntly, the rapid collapse of the villagers was one of the main reasons for the failure of the uprising..."

"It would be impossible for me not to mind this."

"From then on, I understood a truth: the common people are ultimately vulnerable."

"The power of the people is undeniable; the proverb 'water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it' is timeless."

"However, if we rely too much on the power of the people, things will go wrong sooner or later."

"We should regard the people as a solid 'shield' rather than a sharp 'spear'."

"As long as we have the strong support of the people, we will have a continuous supply of food and soldiers—that is our 'shield'."

"To defeat the opponent, you need a group of outstanding and pioneering talents—that is the 'spear'."

"Mr. Ju, in my opinion, simply raising the voice of ordinary people is not enough to usher in a new era."

"This only strengthens the 'shield's' rigidity."

"To truly overthrow the old era, you still need a 'spear' to succeed."

Qingdeng listened quietly.

No sooner had Ōshio Heihachirō finished speaking than he smiled knowingly:

“Mr. Ooshio, we have a huge disagreement on this point.”

"Oh? May I ask what the disagreement is?"

"I believe that the power hidden within the people far exceeds your imagination; they can be both a defensive 'shield' and an offensive 'spear'."

Ōshio Heihachirō frowned, giving him an expression that said, "Let me hear your opinion."

Qingdeng continued the conversation unhurriedly:

"Indeed, the people will always show their weakness and incompetence."

"However, I firmly believe that with the right leadership, even a weak mortal can rise up to become a strong warrior."

Clearly... his words did not convince the other party.

Instead of relaxing, Ōshio Heihachirō's tightly furrowed brows became even more furrowed.

"...Then, if I may be so bold as to ask: what kind of leadership style do you intend to adopt to make the people resilient?"

Qingdeng shook his head with a wry smile:

"Unfortunately, I am still exploring this and do not yet have a definitive answer."

“It has been less than three years since I took over Qinjin.”

“I am not yet used to the identity of ‘leader’, and there is still much to learn and explore.”

Ōshio Heihachirō pursed his lips, remaining silent for a long time.

Thus, the debate between the two sides ended with the "old man's silence."