I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

This view is actually wrong.

Some of the Eta's lives were not only not miserable, but they were actually more comfortable than most commoners and lower-ranking samurai.

The professions that were allowed to be practiced by the filthy were all dirty trades that ordinary people would avoid at all costs.

For example: funeral workers who carry the body during a funeral procession, professional cleaners, butchers, and leather makers.

In traditional Japanese thought, four-legged animals such as pigs, cattle, and sheep are considered unclean and should not be eaten, thus butchers are seen as lowly.

During the Edo period, most butchers and leatherworkers were Eta.

At first glance, dealing with animal carcasses and excrement all year round seems like an extremely arduous and disgusting job. But from another perspective, it may be an opportunity and a way to make money.

Normal people keep their distance from the professions of butcher and leather maker—which means that the Edo people have essentially monopolized the slaughtering and leather industries.

Because they have access to large quantities of pork, lamb, and beef that are unacceptable to the general public, many people engaged in the slaughtering industry do not lack protein intake and are often healthier and stronger than ordinary civilians or samurai.

Leather is a hot commodity that, if you find the right market, will never have trouble selling.

Many shrewd businessmen in the Edo made a fortune selling leather.

After Japan opened its doors to the world, the rapidly increasing demand for foreign trade in goods such as leather became a new driving force.

Many people took advantage of this opportunity and transformed themselves into extremely wealthy individuals.

However, those who can live a carefree life without worrying about food and drink are ultimately only a very small percentage of the lucky ones.

Clearly, the emaciated and frail Eita sisters do not belong to this category.

The ragged samurai's sudden shout drew the attention of everyone around him.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the ragged samurai took a deep breath, gathered his strength, and unleashed a new wave of accusations against the Eta sisters before him:

"Hey! Didn't you hear me? Are you deaf? Do you know where you are? This is a place for treating patients, not a slaughterhouse for disposing of animal carcasses! Who gave you permission to come here? Get out of here right now!"

The elder of the Eta sisters, while tightly holding her younger sister in her arms, said timidly and anxiously:

"Sir Samurai! I know where this place is. I'm here to bring my sister to see a doctor! The shogunate's laws don't say that Eta isn't allowed to come to the Koishikawa Health Center for treatment!"

After hearing Eta's explanation, the ragged samurai gave a disdainful sneer.

"The shogunate's laws? Are you kidding me! It's only natural that Eta is not allowed to freely enter or leave any public place."

At this point, the ragged samurai frowned and raised his hand to cover his mouth and nose.

"If you Eta were anywhere else, it would be fine, but of all things, you had to appear here!"

"Do you know that the evil energy on your bodies will pollute the environment here? The longer you stay here, the more serious the pollution will be! In that case, not only will patients who are already sick be affected, but even healthy people will be made sick by you!"

In traditional Japanese beliefs, Eta is not only considered to be physically unclean, but also to have foul-smelling breath that can cause illness and physical weakness in healthy individuals if exposed to too much of it.

The ragged samurai's criticism of the Eta sisters not only failed to be resisted, but instead received unanimous praise and support.

"It is! It is!"

"Eek! It's Eta! Quick, get away from them! Don't go near them!"

"No wonder I've been feeling strangely unwell since earlier, it turns out Eta is here!"

"Quick! Cover your mouth and nose, be careful not to inhale their evil aura!"

"Hey! Eta! Get out of here! You unclean people are not welcome here!"

……

Led by the ragged samurai, the crowd around the Eta sisters retreated.

In the blink of an eye, a vacuum zone appeared in the turbid, oily "color layer," centered on the Eta sisters.

Isolated and surrounded by overwhelming insults and rebukes, the Eita sisters were like a small boat adrift on a vast, boundless sea.

Beneath the rolling waves, this small, helpless boat is so tiny and fragile, as if a mere wave could capsize it and drag it forever into the dark depths of the sea.

Humans are social animals with a strong need for social interaction, so those who have experienced being condemned by everyone know how painful and terrifying it is.

However, the Eita sisters, who were enduring a torrent of accusations and intense hostility that could easily shatter a person's psychological defenses, displayed a unique kind of strength at this moment.

The younger sister clung tightly to her older sister's waist like a koala, her large, bright eyes brimming with glistening tears.

Fear filled her entire face, and she was on the verge of tears, but she bit her lip tightly to prevent the tears from falling and to keep herself from making a sound.

The older sister held her younger sister tightly in her arms, her face filled with fear and her eyes brimming with tears, no less than her sister's.

But she did the exact same thing as her sister—biting her lip tightly, trying to suppress her fear and the urge to cry.

It was as if the two sisters were already used to this kind of scene.

The older sister took a deep breath, composed herself, and then, in a hoarse voice tinged with obvious sobs, cried out:

“My sister has had a stomachache since yesterday, so badly she can’t eat anything. She needs to see a doctor. We may be lowly and unworthy, but we…”

The older sister tried to reason with her younger sister, hoping to gain understanding, sympathy, and even mercy from those around her by recounting her sister's difficult illness.

However, the older sister's efforts not only failed to work, but also had the opposite effect.

As soon as the sister, who was fighting alone, spoke up, her pleas were swallowed up by the fierce ridicule that surged from all directions, without even a ripple.

The sisters' tearful, sobbing appearance greatly aroused the perpetrators' bestiality, and... their sense of justice that they believed they were acting on behalf of God.

In an instant, the curses, mockery, and malice surrounding the Eta sisters expanded rapidly.

"So what if your sister has a stomachache? My brother is very sick too!"

"Exactly! Is it only your family who's in a hurry to get medical treatment? Open your eyes and look around! Who here isn't in a hurry to see a doctor?"

"Compared to you Eta, our lives are far more precious!"

"Seven lives of the Edo people are worth one life of an ordinary person!"

"Get out of here! Who do you think you are? Our lives are more valuable than yours!"

……

changed.

changed.

Everything has changed.

Those faces, weathered and filled with bitterness and resentment, vanished in the blink of an eye.

Instead, they were replaced by stern, grimacing faces.

Everyone present was a destitute pauper. In terms of quality of life, they might not even be as well off as the Eita sisters.

As a result, they all cast disdainful glances at the Eta sisters, displaying an arrogant and self-important demeanor.

Almost without exception, those urging the Eta sisters to leave this place now wore expressions of righteous indignation, as if they were doing something righteous.

Qingdeng thought to himself: Rather than calling this a "bullying", it's more accurate to call it a "carnival".

A frenzy where you can vent all the negative emotions that have been building up inside you without worrying about the consequences afterwards.

When 10 people bully one person, it's called bullying; when 10000 people bully one person, it's called justice—this famous saying, whose original author is unknown, is truly a profound truth.

This statement, whether placed in the information age of the 21st century or in the feudal era in which Qingdeng currently lives, exudes an inextinguishable and powerful vitality.

Some people simply want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to enjoy the thrill of bullying others from a superior position, while others are more shrewd and want to use the opportunity to reduce the number of people in line.

The older sister, unable to defend herself, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Despite her best efforts to calm the crowd and gain their sympathy, the situation spiraled out of control.

"Damn it! This is so annoying! You don't want to move, huh? Fine! I'll help you move!"

It's that ragged samurai causing trouble again.

He grabbed his sister's hair and roughly dragged her out of the line like a large piece of trash.

"Ahhhh!"

The older sister screamed in agony.

The crisp sound of hair being ripped off echoed repeatedly.

The ragged samurai was utterly merciless; his sister's entire scalp was slightly lifted.

The ruthlessness of the ragged samurai, combined with Eta's screams, creates the illusion that "this woman's head could be twisted off at any moment."

Driven by the inherent human tendency to conform, the atmosphere of the carnival was pushed to its climax in one go.

The others followed suit, imitating the ragged samurai and directly attacking Eita's sister.

You pull my hand, I pull my foot, and together we drag my sister out of the line.

From the moment they arrived, Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshōin, and the others had already been looking indignant.

"General...!" Yae, gritting her teeth in fury at the sight of the atrocities before her, cast a pleading look at Tokugawa Iemochi.

Although Saeshige remained silent, she also looked up at Tokugawa Iemochi with a vacant expression.

What does "double sisters" mean? It goes without saying.

"..." Tokugawa Iemochi remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

A moment later, he turned his head to look in the direction where Qingdeng was.

"Orange...hmm?"

Tokugawa Iemochi's expression was dominated by astonishment.

It was only then that he realized Qing Deng had vanished from the spot...

……

"elder sister!"

The younger sister uttered her first words since the group began to assault her and her sister.

She is very courageous.

When her sister was in trouble, she bravely stepped forward to help.

Her older sister had been protecting her all along, but now it's her turn to protect her older sister!

However... with her height not much taller than a katana, it's difficult for her to even protect herself, let alone spare the energy to protect others.

However, from another perspective, such a small body is perfect for launching sneak attacks.