I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"The name is indeed much shorter, but I find it a little awkward to pronounce... Oh! Right!"

Tenshōin seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea, clapping his hands together with a joyful expression.

“I’ll call you by your real name: ‘Sheng Qing’! Although it’s only one syllable shorter than ‘Ju-kun,’ it’s easy to pronounce, sounds nice, and has a strong Heian (peaceful) feel to it. I really like your real name!”

Qing Deng was taken aback.

"Sheng Qing?"

Aoto's full name is "Minamoto no Aoto Moriharu".

Genji's surname is Tachibana, commonly known as Qingdeng, but also known as Shengqing.

The term "common name" is similar to the "character" in ancient China; it is specifically chosen for outsiders to use when addressing someone.

As for "讳" (hui), it is the same as "名" (ming) in ancient China, which is a person's true name.

However, the taboos in ancient Japan were a little special.

According to the etiquette and rules of ancient Japan, a person's real name could only be used by their lord or someone with a very close relationship, someone so close that they could share the same pants.

Such stringent conditions mean that each person often doesn't have anyone around them who can call them by their real name.

Take Qingdeng himself as an example. None of Qingdeng's many friends call him "Shengqing".

Aoto himself rarely calls others by their real names. Even though he was so close to Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo, he never called them by their real names: Masaki and Yoshitoyo.

Back then, when Kinoshita Mai called Aoto by his common name in front of everyone, it caused a small commotion. Almost everyone believed that there must be some unspeakable secret between Aoto and Kinoshita Mai.

Even calling out a common name can elicit such a strong reaction from others. If Kinoshita Mai hadn't called out Aoto's common name, but rather Aoto's real name... then many people would definitely suspect that Aoto and Kinoshita Mai had secretly married and even had one or two children.

There are so many rules and so much trouble if you want to call someone by their real name—but these rules and troubles are no problem for Tenshōin.

Only one's lord and those close to them can call them by their real name? What a coincidence, Tenshōin happens to be Seidō's lord!

Aoto's current class status is Hatamoto samurai, a direct retainer of the Shogun. His official position is the captain of the bandit gang, while his secret position is a member of the Shin-niwaban (New Garden Bandit).

In terms of class status and official rank, Qing Deng was undoubtedly a direct subordinate of Tian Zhang Yuan.

The fact that Tenshōin called Aoto "Sei-kyō" is both in accordance with the rules and reasonable.

Qingdeng never cared much about how others addressed him. Since Tenshōin thought his real name sounded nice and wanted to address him by it, then so be it.

Therefore, Qingdeng nodded:

"It is up to Your Highness to decide."

"Then it's decided!"

Tenshōin's smile is so bright and beautiful.

"Well... I'll be looking forward to your guidance from now on, Sheng Qing~~"

—You're talking like a newlywed wife who just married me…

After much hesitation, Qing Deng finally decided to swallow the retort that was already on the tip of his tongue.

"Please guide me, Your Highness."

Qingdeng responded with a nonchalant and unassuming tone.

Suddenly, a wisp of wind, reminiscent of the finest silk, brushed past Qingdeng and Tianzhang's ears.

The wind was not cold at all, and carried a faint fragrance.

Tenshōin gently closed her eyes, slightly raised her chin, and took deep breaths with a strong, long rhythm—she was enjoying the caress and scent of the breeze.

"Such a comfortable breeze..."

Tenshōin raised her hands above her head, let out a soft moan, stretched languidly, and then leaned back, lying on the couch behind her—the pavilion where she and Aoto were currently located had extremely rich "infrastructure".

In addition to cushions, low tables, and armrests, there are also reclining beds for people to lie down on.

"Ju... Ah, no, Sheng Qing, being with you always makes me feel relaxed without even realizing it... I've been so busy lately..."

Tenshōin's tone betrayed a deep weariness.

"Are the Hitotsubashi faction still relentlessly pursuing you?"

Qing Deng couldn't help but ask.

"They're just helping mad dogs..."

Tianzhangyuan gave a bitter smile.

"I don't know if it was because Elder Ii had suppressed them too much before, which twisted their minds, but after Elder Ii passed away, they were like rabid dogs released from their cages, biting anyone they could get their hands on."

The "Ii Dairo" mentioned by Tenshōin naturally refers to Ii Naosuke, who had met Aoto once and was considered to have been a mentor to Aoto.

"The Hitotsubashi faction is really annoying, always finding ways to criticize me."

“I feel that even if I step out the door with my right foot first, they can find at least one reason to impeach me.”

"Several times I really wanted to order the executioners of the Yamada Asaemon family to come to Edo Castle and give these annoying flies of the Hitotsubashi faction a live execution."

As he spoke, Tenshōin raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture across his slender neck.

Although she spoke in a joking tone, there was a hint of seriousness in her expression.

"Heh... But if I put myself in their shoes, I can understand the Hitotsubashi faction's hostility towards me."

"Even though Iemochi has been in power for two years, the Hitotsubashi faction still can't forget about the throne of the Shogun."

"I still want to promote Yoshiki Hitoshi... this bookworm who's gone crazy from reading too much."

“In the eyes of the Hitotsubashi faction, someone like me who is determined to stand with Iemochi through thick and thin is a thorn in their side that they cannot tolerate being eliminated.”

"not to mention……"

Tensho-in paused for a moment, his eyes flashing.

A moment later, a self-deprecating smile gradually appeared on her cheeks and in her eyes.

“In the eyes of the Hitotsubashi faction, I am an unforgivable traitor… No matter how cruel the methods used to deal with a traitor, it is not too much.”

After saying this, Tianzhangyuan fell silent and said no more.

"..."

Qingdeng also fell silent—this topic had gone beyond the scope of "ordinary casual conversation," and he didn't know how to respond.

A traitor to the Hitotsubashi faction... Behind these simple words lies a heavy truth.

Tenshōin's father... to be more precise, his adoptive father: Shimazu Nariakira, the 11th lord of the Satsuma Domain, was a staunch member of the Hitotsubashi faction.

In order to expand the influence of the Satsuma Domain within the Hitotsubashi faction and increase the Hitotsubashi faction's chances of winning, and to ensure that Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu could smoothly inherit the position of shogun, he adopted Tenshōin, who was of suitable age and unmarried and came from a collateral branch of the Shimazu clan, as his goddaughter. He planned to have Tenshōin marry into the Satsuma Domain as a princess and marry into the previous shogun, Tokugawa Iesada, in marriage.

Shimazu Nariakira, that cunning old man, didn't even bother to pretend. In March of the sixth year of Kaei (1853), he held a ceremony to establish his father-daughter relationship with Tenshōin, and in August of the same year, he hastily and hastily sent Tenshōin to Edo.

From then until now, Tianzhangyuan has never returned to his hometown, nor has he ever seen his relatives and friends there again.

Shimazu Nariakira's hasty act of sending Tenshōin away for marriage was practically a blatant declaration on his forehead: "I only see Tenshōin as a useful tool, so what?"

It is said that Shimazu Nariakira assigned Tenshōin the task of persuading Tokugawa Iesada and his mother, Honjuin, to make Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu their successor as shogun.

What happened next is well-known—after marrying into the shogunate, Tenshōin did not act according to Shimazu Nariakira's orders; she outwardly obeyed but inwardly defied them. On the surface, she was completely obedient to Shimazu Nariakira, but in reality, she sided with the opposing camp: the Nanki faction, and strongly advocated for the appointment of Tokugawa Iemochi, then known as Tokugawa Yoshifuku, as the next shogun.

After Shimazu Nariakira's death and the Nanki faction's victory, Tenshōin became even less inclined to do any pretense and openly supported Tokugawa Iemochi, wholeheartedly assisting him.

There have always been many different opinions about why Tenshōin chose to side with the Nanki faction.

The most mainstream view is that Tenshōin deliberately sought revenge against Shimazu Nariakira, who forced her to leave her hometown and marry a useless man, ruining her life.

In conclusion, regardless of Tenshōin's motives, in the eyes of the Hitotsubashi faction, Tenshōin's act of "defection at the last minute" is an unforgivable betrayal.

Once you understand the stakes involved, it's not hard to see why, after Ii Naosuke's assassination and the Hitotsubashi faction regained power, they disliked Tenshōin so much and opposed him so frequently.

The silence between the two of them lasted for about two minutes.

Two minutes later, Tenshōin let out a long breath, then resumed using his red lips:

"Sometimes I can't help but think: if only Ii-sama were still here."

"If Ii-sama were still alive, these stinking bastards from the Hitotsubashi faction would have to keep their tails between their legs and wouldn't dare to be so presumptuous in front of me."

"However... thinking about it carefully again, even if Ii Daisuke came back to life, my life might not be any better than it is now."

Qingdeng timely countered with a question:

"why?"

"What else could it be?"

Tensho-in shrugged her shoulders with a wry smile.

"We have different ideas."

"Lord Ii only wanted to restore the glory of the shogunate."

"His eyes were only on the Shogunate."

"As long as the shogunate can become strong again, he doesn't care about anything else... the life and death of other domains."

"And I..."

Tenshōin bit his red lips lightly, seemingly hesitating whether to continue.

After a moment, she gave her answer:

"Forget it, let's leave this topic here for now. There's no use in wallowing in self-pity. Anyway, I'm already used to being bullied and ridiculed. Let those stinking bastards from the Hitotsubashi faction bark away."

"Hmm...Speaking of being made difficult and ridiculed...Sheng Qing, I suddenly realized that I haven't thanked you yet."

Qingdeng paused for a moment, then turned his gaze from the distant horizon to Tianzhang Academy.

"Thank you? What are you thanking me for... ugh...!"

The remaining words stuck in Qingdeng's throat—the scene before him was too erotic, causing his mind and consciousness to be swallowed up in an instant.

Tenshōin lay on her side on the tatami mat, facing Aotoji. Her shrine maiden robes were disheveled from her carefree and unrefined movements.

The sleeves of the top and the legs of the purple trousers were rolled up high, revealing dazzlingly white forearms and calves.

Her beautiful eyes were half-closed, and a faint, gentle smile graced her cheeks.

A strand of hair fell down from her temple and clung to the corner of her lips.

Black hair, fair skin, and rosy lips combine to create a stunning image that captivates the eye.