I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Sitting upright in the main seat, Shusuke delivered a New Year's address that was becoming a cliché, with phrases like "Happy New Year to everyone."

Next, Inoue served a full glass of toso sake and simmered rice, and after pouring the sake around, everyone began to enjoy the delicious food and drink.

Incidentally, Japan also has the custom of giving New Year's money.

After enjoying a delicious and hearty breakfast consisting of mixed stew and toso wine, Zhouzhu and Abi gave each of the unmarried single men a large red envelope.

There wasn't much money inside, only 100 copper coins in total, but the significance of New Year's money was to bring good luck.

Qingdeng truly appreciated Zhou Zhu and A Bi's sincere intentions.

In Japan, there is no custom of visiting relatives and friends during the New Year.

During the New Year holiday, most Japanese people spend it in a relaxed manner.

Or they might meet up with a few friends to play badminton or fly kites; or they might stay indoors in their warm kotatsu, eating oranges and idly wasting time.

In order not to break the contract, Qing Deng set off early and arrived at Tsukimiya Shrine 15 minutes ahead of schedule.

As soon as he passed through the torii gate, Aoto saw his two adorable seniors.

"Hmm? Ms. Sae, senpai."

After Qingdeng greeted the two sisters, he raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you all dressed like this?"

Sae and Yae were not wearing their usual white and red shrine maiden outfits, nor were they wearing all-black combat uniforms. Instead, they were wearing simple women's kimonos, both in terms of fabric and style.

Not only her clothes, but even her hairstyle was changed.

Both of them changed their hairstyles to the very common Shimada bun, without any hair ornaments or hair buns.

The two women's attire... at a glance, an uninformed person would probably mistake them for maids from some wealthy household.

"Hey, hey, junior, you're here! You're here really, really early!"

Qingdeng turned his questioning gaze to Yae.

Yae's image in front of Aoto has always been that of a fearless and bold woman.

But at this moment, she had a blatant look of panic on her face, and her tongue was tied in knots, so she kept stuttering when she spoke.

Senior, what's wrong?

Just as Qingdeng was about to ask this question—

“Mr. Ju, please come with me. Lord Yu Du is already waiting for you in the temple.”

After saying that, Sha Zhong took a deep breath without making it obvious, as if she was adjusting her emotions.

Although Sae-chō concealed it well, Aoto still noticed a hint of unnatural tension in her expression.

Even the usually composed Sae looked strange... Aoto's brows furrowed involuntarily.

Qingdeng followed closely behind the two sisters, winding through the temple until they finally arrived at a small room.

"Mr. Ju, please come in."

Sha Chong pushed open the paper sliding door for Qing Deng.

Qingdeng stepped one foot over the door frame—then his expression froze in the next instant.

Directly opposite the door, Tenshōin, dressed as an ordinary woman, knelt peacefully.

Beside her sat a handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth.

Qing registered this boy—a memory she would never forget for all eternity.

It wasn't because this person was exceptionally handsome.

It's purely because this boy's identity... makes him easier to remember.

"Tachibana-kun, it's been a long time."

Tokugawa Iemochi, the fourteenth Shogun of the Edo Shogunate, smiled and nodded to Aoto.

At this moment, Tenshōin interjected with a smile:

"Tachibana-kun, I'll keep it short—Iemochi really wants to visit Edo incognito today, so we'll have to trouble you, Sae, and Yae to be our bodyguards for the day~"

*******

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It's almost the end of the month, so I'm desperately begging for some monthly votes! (Painful leopard head.jpg)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets!

Under the combined pressure of caring for my mom, a poor writing environment, and bad sleep quality, reaching the 4000+ word count deadline was truly a difficult feat (crying face).

Chapter 330 Qingdeng is getting closer and closer to the mother and son of Tianzhangyuan! [5000]

Edo, a certain commercial street—

After noon, the weather became increasingly clear.

The unusually warm winter sun slanted down from the cloudless sky, casting the shadows of Qingdeng and his group onto the red earth road, which had been compacted by countless feet, hooves, and wheels.

From the perspective of Qingdeng and his group, the shops on the right were bathed in the dazzling sunlight, while the shops on the left were immersed in relative shadows.

The stark contrast between light and shadow gives this bustling area, which is extremely famous in Edo, a vivid, painterly quality.

Men and women of different classes, identities, and clothing came and went in a bustling manner.

The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, blew in from time to time, tightening the collars of every pedestrian.

The shops are filled with a dazzling array of goods. Izakayas, teahouses, and wagashi shops stand side by side, and the enticing aromas of wine, tea, and sweets fill the air.

These were just ordinary scenes that the people of Edo saw every day, and they were already tired of seeing them.

But for a certain boy who is now walking in front of Aoto... for this boy who has been imprisoned in the "big iron cage" of Edo Castle for many years like a canary, these street scenes are so fresh and interesting.

"So this is Sujibashi Mimon Uchihirokoji Street... Seeing is believing."

Tokugawa Iemochi, like Grandma Liu entering a grand courtyard, looked around with shining eyes, pausing from time to time to intently examine an object or person.

“Mother… ah, no, elder sister, what is that? It smells so good.”

"Oh, that one."

Tenshōin, who was standing shoulder to shoulder with Tokugawa Iemochi, smiled and replied:

"That's a specialty food from the Kanto region: Monjayaki. It's made by mixing batter with various ingredients, pouring it onto a hot iron plate and grilling it. When you eat it, you scoop out a little bit with a special spoon, then press it down on the iron plate to make it crispy before eating."

"Oh! So that's monjayaki! It looks a lot like okonomiyaki from Osaka. I've heard so much about monjayaki, and today I finally get to see it for myself! Onee-sama, shall we go and try some together?"

Tenshōin nodded slightly without hesitation:

"Why not? Tachibana-kun, Sae, Yae, would you like to join us? It's on me~~"

Tenshōin turned her head and asked the Aoto and Nie sisters, who were standing in a row behind her and Tokugawa Iemochi.

At this moment, Qingdeng was no longer wearing the new clothes he had specially bought for the New Year, but had changed into a very simple outfit.

A brown cotton coat made of rough linen; plain black trousers; a low-brimmed conical hat with frayed edges that just covered most of Qingdeng's face.

In addition, Qing Deng's sword at his waist was also changed.

The wakizashi was still the same wakizashi, but the stunt spirit had been replaced with a common katana of ordinary design.

The sword has changed, the style of clothing has changed, and most of the face is covered. He exudes a kind of "simple and honest" aura from head to toe... Let alone strangers, even if Kinoshita Mai, Sanako and Souji were here, most of them would not be able to recognize this "country bumpkin" as Aoto at first glance.

"Lord Yudu, thank you for your kindness."

Saeshige spoke first.

"But I'm not hungry yet, so I won't eat now."

Yae stammered in agreement:

"Me too."

"Neither of you are eating... What about you?"

Tenshōin focused his gaze on Aoto, who stood between the two sisters.

"Hey, do you want some, Orange?"

Qingdeng thought for a moment, then nodded and said:

"Then... I shall respectfully accept your offer."

Although Qing Deng wasn't hungry yet, heaven knows how long the mother and son planned to stay incognito in Edo.

Therefore, to be on the safe side, it's best to eat more and conserve more energy.

"Don't be shy, eat as much as you want!"

Tenshōin smiled and then joked:

"I still have enough money to treat you to an all-you-can-eat monjayaki meal."

Tokugawa Iemochi personally led the group towards the nearby monjayaki stall, which was emitting an enticing aroma and conveniently had no queue.

"boss!"

Tianzhangyuan raised three slender, white fingers.

"Three portions of monjay!"

With his dual roles as the Grand Imperial Palace and the new commander-in-chief of the Imperial Household, Tenshōin, who frequently traveled between Edo Castle and Tsukimiya Shrine, was naturally far more familiar with the local customs and culture of Edo than Tokugawa Iemochi, and knew better how to deal with the common people of Edo.

"Okay!" the stall owner replied enthusiastically.

Soon, Aoto, Tenshōin, and Tokugawa Iemochi, each holding a steaming bowl of monjayaki, sat in a row on a bench next to the stall and ate their monjayaki.

Monmonyaki is just an ordinary folk snack that can be found everywhere in the streets and alleys of Edo.

For Aoto, the monjayaki sold at this stall tasted alright, but it was nothing special—but Tokugawa Iemochi enjoyed it immensely.

He held the freshly cooked monji-yaki, looking at it from here and there, smelling it from there, examining it for a long time as if it were a work of art, before finally picking up a piece and putting it in his mouth.

He chewed and nodded, his eyes shining with surprise and joy.

"boss!"