I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

The freckled man's expression froze, and he stood there petrified.

He had no idea why the Western Barbarians possessed such powerful ships and cannons.

He doesn't even know where England or France are!

Qing Deng was not surprised at all by the petrification of the freckled face.

Qing Deng had anticipated the freckled face's reaction and appearance.

"Hmph, that's why I said you're just a bunch of ignorant frogs in a well."

Qing Deng adopted a more forceful and resolute tone.

"Let me tell you why—because the civilization of the Western countries is more advanced—it's that simple."

"To forge mountains of steel into warships requires strong and effective organizational capabilities; advanced science and technology; scientists who can develop and apply technology; and skilled craftsmen with a certain level of education and rich experience... In short, it requires a powerful nation."

“In the Western countries today, when it comes to people’s livelihood, there are bicycles that can easily travel several miles with just two pedals; and railway trains that can travel a thousand miles a day.”

"In terms of military affairs, there is the Spencer rifle, which can fire bullets continuously; and the ironclad warship, which can be described as the culmination of many disciplines such as navigation, metallurgy, firearms manufacturing, and shipbuilding."

"In science and technology, finance, education, military... Western countries have achieved remarkable success in every field you can think of."

"Strong ships and powerful cannons—these are merely the outward appearance of the power of the Western nations!"

With the aid of her "nightingale's song" and "sharp tongue," Qing Deng's voice is both clear and pleasant to listen to, making it easy for people to become engrossed in listening.

Gradually, the teahouse became quieter and quieter.

Everyone in the room fell silent.

The Confucian scholars who had just been shouting for war were all dumbfounded.

The onlookers, who had come to join the fun, listened intently to Aotoji's impassioned speech—as did Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshōin, and others.

Tokugawa Iemochi and Tenshōin displayed an earnestness they hadn't shown when eavesdropping on the Confucian scholars' debate. They listened intently to every word Aoto uttered, nodding slightly from time to time.

Back to the Confucian scholars—their current mood can only be described as extremely aggrieved.

One by one, they looked embarrassed, their faces flushed red.

Having been overshadowed by Qingdeng, they were eager to turn the tables and save face.

No matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't think of anything to say to dampen Qingdeng's arrogance.

The most frustrating part of debating with someone is when you can't even understand the words they're using!

Railway trains, Spencer rifles, bicycles, finance... not a single scholar in the room understood what these terms meant.

These Confucian scholars spend their days studying the classics; how could they possibly understand these things!

The knowledge and experience that time travelers bring with them are a complete game-changer for these bookworms.

In addition, the aura that Qing Deng was currently exuding was so strong that it made the Confucian scholars tremble with fear and unable to muster the will to interrupt Qing Deng's speech.

It is only natural that this situation would arise.

Who is Qing Deng?

The benevolent king who has slain countless people and seen countless people!

He not only slew countless villains, but also chatted and laughed with charismatic figures from all walks of life, such as Katsura Rintaro, Chiba Sadakichi, and Tokugawa Iemochi.

His rich and fascinating life experiences have long since become a precious treasure, ingrained in Qingdeng's very being.

On the other hand, the Confucian scholars who were confronting Qingdeng were nothing more than a bunch of bookworms who only knew how to read books and stick to rigid principles all day long!

It's perfectly normal for bookworms who only know how to talk big to be intimidated by truly hardcore and ruthless people.

One of the things that pedantic scholars love to do most is to spout literary nonsense and use the past to comment on the present, often bringing up old stories from our ancestors... Fine! Then I'll give them a taste of their own medicine!

Qing Deng doesn't understand Japanese history, but he is quite knowledgeable about Chinese history.

Although he had never systematically studied history, he attended every single history class during his junior and senior high school years.

During the Edo period, adapting Chinese allusions was far more sophisticated and cultured than adapting Japanese allusions!

“You bunch of pedantic scholars always have this ‘the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed’ on your lips, but the ancestors you speak of were not as closed-minded as you are!”

"Thinking back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods two thousand years ago in Tang China, a time when rites and music collapsed, the world was in turmoil, and the feudal lords vied for supremacy. In this era of great strife, every enlightened ruler reformed the laws to strengthen the nation!"

"The Qin state, which employed Shang Yang and successfully implemented reforms, built upon the accumulated strength of six generations of its people, annihilated the six states that had failed in their reforms, or even those that had never implemented reforms and stubbornly remained stagnant, and unified the world."

"Even the ancients knew that there is no system in this world that can remain unchanged forever, and that we must adapt to the changes of the times. But you still cling to the old ways and refuse to accept new things."

"You say that by promoting Confucianism and inspiring scholars throughout the land with the Way of the King, the people's hearts will be strengthened and they will no longer fear the armies of the Western Barbarians... This is utterly ridiculous!"

"During the Ming Dynasty in Tang China, from the highest echelons of society to ordinary people, Confucianism was highly revered, wasn't it? And what was the result? Did the Four Books and Five Classics ensure the Ming Dynasty's lasting prosperity?"

"Stop pretending to be some great talent or a virtuous gentleman! Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

"The reason you reject Western learning and keep using archaic language is not only because you are stupid, but also because you have ulterior motives!"

"You've said so much nonsense, but in reality, you're just jealous!"

"You are all jealous of Katsura Rintaro and Takashima Akiho, who are currently highly valued and rising rapidly in their careers!"

"You are afraid that the shogunate will henceforth only appoint those who are truly talented and capable pillars of society!"

"I'm afraid that the classics I've studied so diligently over the years will become useless pieces of paper!"

"I'm worried that all my hard work over the years will go to waste!"

"This is the real reason why you resist Western learning and criticize Da Shugong, who advocated for the founding of the nation!"

"You are nothing but a bunch of parasites who only know how to talk big and engage in empty rhetoric!"

"You bunch of rice-wasting insects, do you even dare to point fingers at Tachibana Aoto and Katsura Rintaro?"

Qingdeng's words were truly piercing.

It ruthlessly tore off the fig leaf of these pedantic scholars.

Showing no mercy, they relentlessly targeted the sore spots of the pedantic scholars, shattering their psychological defenses, causing their mentality to collapse, and completely breaking down their defenses.

The entire scene erupted in chaos.

"Damn it! Say that again?!"

"Such arrogance! What a beast!"

"You bastard, if you have the guts, say those words again!"

……

Samurai have always valued their reputation above all else, preferring to risk their lives for it, especially the samurai of Edo.

Therefore, the situation naturally changed as follows—

"You beast! Come outside with us!"

The freckled-faced man gripped the sword at his waist and roared fiercely at Qing Deng.

*******

*******

Today marks the long-awaited 8000+ word chapter!

A while ago, because my mother was injured and hospitalized, I had to accompany her, which caused a slight decrease in the number of updates for this book. Now, my mother has been discharged from the hospital and her stitches were removed yesterday. My own routine has also almost returned to normal, so starting today, I'm going to get back to work!

This book currently has 555 monthly votes. If it can reach 640 votes today, the author will continue with a 8000+ chapter update tomorrow!

Please vote for me! Please recommend me! (Like a leopard crying.jpg)

When a novel features a scene where "a clueless passerby tries to teach the protagonist a lesson," some readers will complain that it's too idiotic or something like that.

But this book will not have this problem.

That's just how people were in the Edo period.

During the Edo period, there was a saying: "Fighting and fire are the flowers of Edo."

The meaning of this sentence will be revealed to you later.

Chapter 342 One Man, One Blade, Instantly Slaying the Confucian Scholars! The Entire Audience Shocked! [8500]

Freckled face's move was met with overwhelming support.

In an instant, the indignant Confucian scholars began to shout:

"Yes! That's right! Come outside with us!"

"Damn it! We'll teach you a lesson!"

"You beast! How dare you humiliate us like this! We won't be satisfied until you teach him a lesson!"

The situation spiraled out of control in an instant, prompting the people around to display drastically different expressions and reactions.

Some of them showed signs of panic.

Some, eager for a good show, had excited and agitated looks in their eyes, as if they couldn't wait to stand up, applaud, cheer, and shout: "Quick! Start fighting! Start fighting!"

The lady with the hand-held bag and the teahouse owner naturally belong to the former category.

After all, this is their shop. Regardless of whether they will damage the things in the shop, it will definitely have a huge impact on their business.

"Um, um! Ladies and gentlemen!" He cupped his hands around his lips, strained his voice, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Please calm down! Please calm down! Don't fight! Don't fight!"

To quell the outcry, Miss Hand is doing everything she can.

However, her anxious cry was instantly drowned out by the raucous howls of the Confucian scholars, without even a ripple.

The Confucian scholars didn't even glance at Miss Shoudai; their eyes were now only on Qingdeng, who had just wantonly "insulted" them.

Now, only one thought remained in their minds: revenge! To fail to avenge this humiliation would be a disgrace to the name of a samurai! A disgrace to the very essence of a scholar!

Looking at the group of pedantic scholars before him, their faces contorted with malice and baring their fangs, seemingly wanting to devour him alive, Qing Deng couldn't help but feel amusement. He thought to himself:

—Fighting and fire were the flowers of Edo... This proverb is truly accurate!

This saying is a famous proverb from the Edo period, meaning that fighting and fire were the two most common sights in Edo.

Edo was a city prone to fires—this is easy to explain.

Edo had an extremely high population density, with the vast majority of the population being commoners who lived in townspeople's estates, which accounted for less than 2% of Edo's total area.