I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Time is of the essence, and we have no time to get entangled with the 'Southern Army' any longer."

"Therefore, I decided to split up into two groups."

“A portion of the men stayed behind to guard Toba and Fushimi, keeping an eye on the Southern Army.”

"The other group of people returned to Otsu with me."

After speaking, Qingdeng gave everyone some time to digest and think.

The group exchanged glances, conveying their thoughts through their eyes.

Some people looked calm and indifferent, such as Saito Hajime and Sanako.

Some people frowned slightly, their faces serious and worried, such as Yamanami Keisuke and Todo Heisuke.

Of course, there were plenty of people who were excited and eager to try, such as Shinpachi Nagakura, Kamo Serizawa, Isami Kondo, and Sanosuke Harada.

After pondering for a moment, Hijikata Toshizo sighed softly:

"...Wouldn't this be exactly what Saigo Kinosuke wanted?"

Qingdeng said slowly:

"There's no other way, this is the only option."

Today's fierce battle has completely destroyed the "Southern Army's" offensive capabilities.

Unless Saigo Kichinosuke possesses extraordinary abilities, no matter how hard he tries, he cannot prevent a heavily damaged and demoralized army from continuing to fight against the Shinsengumi.

However, it is more than enough to put pressure on the new electoral group and make Qing Deng wary.

In any case, the "Southern Army" still retains a considerable size of troops.

As long as they remain west of Toba, it's like a sword hanging over Qingdeng's head, waiting for the right moment to strike!

If Aoto were to bring all of the Shinsengumi's fighting force back to Otsu, Saigo Kinosuke would surely notice.

At that time, the birds that have been so hard-won will inevitably be taken away again, and even Fushimi may fall.

What effort would it take to attack an "empty city"?

From another perspective, Saigo Kichinosuke's swift order to "retreat immediately" to the entire army today was indeed a decisive and wise decision.

Because the evacuation was timely, casualties were minimized to the greatest extent possible.

Qing Deng dares to assert that Saigo Kichinosuke must have given this order because he considered that they would not be able to win if they continued fighting, so it was better to retreat as soon as possible, preserve as much fighting force as possible to continue to contain the Shinsengumi, and give the "Northern Shogunate Army" that was attacking Otsu a better chance of winning.

If the Northern Expeditionary Army can capture Otsu, then today's defeat will be insignificant.

Despite the crushing defeat at the front, they remained unaffected, quickly finding the optimal solution amidst the chaotic battle and executing it with swift and decisive action... Their courage and decisiveness are truly admirable.

There is a reason why Saigo Kichinosuke was able to rise from a low-ranking samurai to become the number one samurai in Satsuma.

After pursing his lips, Kondo Isami asked Aoto:

"...So, Tachibana-kun, how many people do you plan to take back to Otsu?"

Qingdeng smiled slightly:

"That's the main topic tonight."

……

……

The next day, early morning—

Toba, South Palace of the City—

"Toshizo, I'm entrusting Toba to you."

Qing Deng patted Hijikata Toshizo on the shoulder with a solemn expression.

Hijikata Toshizo's expression was relaxed, but his tone was firm:

"Leave it to me!"

Last night, after careful and detailed discussions, Qing Deng and others formulated the following plan for dividing their forces—

Hijikata Toshizo led two thousand men to stay behind in Toba.

Those who stayed behind included Nagakura Shinpachi, Niimi Nishiki, Soma Kazue (captain of the 12th Division), Yoshimura Kanichiro (captain of the 13th Division), and all the wounded.

Aoto himself led the four thousand men in their best condition and the majority of the artillery back to Otsu! Accompanying him were Kondo Isami, Yamanami Keisuke, Souji, Saito Hajime, Serizawa Kamo, Inoue Genzaburo, Sanako, Todo Heisuke, Omai, Harada Sanosuke, and Abe Juro (captain of the 11th Division).

Hijikata Toshizo was the only one under Seido who could stand alone, so it was reasonable to put him in charge of Toba.

Soma Kazue and Yoshimura Kanichiro were juniors, so they naturally dared not question Aoto's decision.

In contrast, Nagakura Shinpachi and Shinmi Nishiki are not so particular.

They immediately appealed to Aoto, expressing their unwillingness to stay in Toba and their desire to return to Tsu with the main force to fight the "Northern Expeditionary Army".

Although their words were sincere, their appeal was ineffective, and Qing Deng rejected it without hesitation.

Both Nagakura Shinpachi and Niimi Nishiki are shrewd despite their rough exterior, and possess keen combat instincts. If the Southern Army makes any unusual moves, they will be able to detect it immediately.

Therefore, it is most appropriate to keep them both to assist Hijikata Toshizo.

Furthermore, both of them were injured in the previous battle.

The brain injury suffered by Shinpachi Nagakura on the first day of the war showed signs of recurrence.

Due to a severe lack of intelligence, the exact combat strength of the "Northern Army" remains unknown.

The upcoming "Battle of Ōtsu" might be even more intense than the "Battle of Toba-Fushimi"!

Therefore, it is really not advisable to bring these two injured people back to Tianjin.

The plan is set; all that's left is to act!

Before dawn, the Shinsengumi camp in Toba, which had been moved there the night before, was already bustling with activity.

The soldiers drove the horses, carried the supplies, and organized the march... Everyone worked together, quickly and efficiently preparing for the upcoming forced march.

According to the plan, Qingdeng will lead some captains and a small number of cavalrymen to return to Dajin first. Their expected arrival time is midnight tonight.

Subsequent troops are expected to arrive in Tianjin by noon tomorrow.

Following the "Second Great Turn in China," another rapid march where every second counts!

While the team members were busy running around, the captains, led by Yamanami Keisuke, were not idle either.

Yamanami Keisuke orchestrated the entire army in an orderly manner.

Abe Juro personally supervised the transport of the cannons.

Elodie and Zona worked together to count the amount of supplies that had left the camp.

Of course, some team leaders also have a lot of free time.

Right now, the headmaster is fitting tack onto her horse.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her:

“…Xiao Si.”

Souji was startled and turned to look—Hijikata Toshizo strode straight toward her.

He was not alone; Kondo Isami and Inoue Genzaburo were close by his side.

Last night, they were busy allocating specific quotas for "staying behind in Toba" and "returning to support Otsu," and didn't have time to savor the joy of reunion.

Now, they finally have some free time to meet and have a proper chat.

Looking at his younger sister, who no longer appeared weak and sickly, Hijikata Toshizo looked her up and down while tensing his facial muscles—otherwise, he would involuntarily appear "weak."

"...Are you feeling alright?"

总司莞尔：

"Great! I slept soundly last night and feel fantastic! I have boundless energy!"

Upon hearing this, Hijikata Toshizo couldn't help but smile.

"You must take good care of yourself. You've only just survived, so don't waste this life you've fought so hard to regain."

After saying that, he turned his head and looked at Kondo Isami and Inoue Genzaburo on his left and right sides.

"You two must take good care of Xiao Si."

Upon hearing this, Inoue Genzaburo couldn't help but look helpless:

"We're supposed to take care of her? She'd be the one taking care of us!"

The three siblings... no, with the addition of Inoue Genzaburo, there are four siblings.

The four of them looked at each other and laughed in unison.

……

……

"...Hey! Saito! Heisuke! Sanosuke!"

Saito Hajime, Todo Heisuke, and Harada Sanosuke stopped in their tracks and looked toward the sound as Nagakura Shinpachi suddenly appeared.

Harada Sanosuke helplessly spread his hands:

"Shinpachi, Mr. Tachibana has already made it very clear that he will not change his mind. Asking us to plead for you is useless. You should just stay in Toba."

Nagakura Shinpachi laughed and scolded in an annoyed tone:

"That's not why I came here! Since Mr. Tachibana has put it that way, I will naturally comply!"

Fujido Heisuke asked:

"What happened? Why did you suddenly call out to us?"

Nagakura Shinpachi took a deep breath and straightened his face:

"...You must be very careful. The strength of the 'Northern Expeditionary Army' is a mystery. The Aizu Army was utterly defeated in less than half a day. The battles you are about to face will definitely be very dangerous."

It turned out they had come to say goodbye—Toudou Heisuke and Harada Sanosuke exchanged a glance, their eyes showing a mixture of surprise and joy.

Saito Hajime said slowly and deliberately:

"No matter what kind of battle it is, whether it is difficult or easy, we will do our best."