I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Qing Deng said calmly:

“I have many enemies, but all of them are either dead or crippled.”

At this moment, Qingdeng seemed to suddenly remember something and abruptly stopped speaking.

After a moment, he slowly said:

"Your Highness, something suddenly occurred to me."

"Hmm? Please go ahead."

"How did those people who intended to persecute me steal my magic spell?"

A thoughtful expression gradually gathered on Qingdeng's face.

“I once served in the Northern Garrison, so I know very well how difficult it is to steal things in the magistrate’s office.”

"Regardless of how tight the guards are inside and outside the compound, the complex layout of its rooms and corridors alone is enough to confuse any intruder."

"Despite such meticulous precautions, my knife was still stolen silently... This means that the thief was very familiar with the internal structure of the Beifan Garrison, as well as the locations of sentries and patrols."

"Thinking back carefully, I also felt a similar sense of disharmony when the prison house suddenly caught fire."

"As someone directly involved in this fire, I clearly noticed when the flames suddenly appeared that the fire was spreading incredibly fast."

"From the moment we smelled the burning to the moment the fire engulfed the entire house, it took less than the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn."

"Although the air was dry that night and there was a wind, it would be difficult to achieve such a rapid fire speed by natural combustion alone."

"It is highly likely that someone laid out a sufficient amount of flammable material in advance at various important 'key locations' in the prison cell."

"Only in this way can such a large prison be engulfed in flames in such a short time."

A thoughtful shadow gradually appeared on Tenshōin's pretty face.

"So... Mr. Tachibana, you mean: among those who persecuted you... were officials of the shogunate?"

Qingdeng nodded.

"exactly."

Being familiar with both the Hokuban-sho (Northern Frontier Office) and having a thorough understanding of the situation inside and outside the Kodenma-cho prison... the only person who could do both at the same time was an official who was currently or had served in the shogunate.

Moreover, the level is not low.

People without a certain status cannot move freely in the "city government" and "prison".

In an instant, Qingdeng's breath caught in his throat.

Minister...

The rank and grade are not low...

He could move freely in and out of the magistrate's office and the prison residence without any hindrance...

They have a grudge against me...

These words swirled and danced in Qingdeng's mind... eventually piecing together two familiar faces.

"what……"

A self-deprecating laugh escaped Qingdeng's throat.

How could I have forgotten about them...?

Because this group of people have been behaving themselves lately and haven't bothered him for a long time, Qing Deng has completely forgotten about them!

Tenshōin noticed the expression on Seidō's face and asked:

"Tachibana-kun, has something come to mind?"

Qingdeng nodded slightly.

"Yes. I've got it... There are two people who are very suspicious—Kimura Kazuma, the captain of the 5th Division of the Fire Thieves, and Hisaka Genzo, the captain of the 6th Division!"

The former is a die-hard believer in "bloodline theory" and extremely dislikes Aoto, who comes from the Goken family, while the latter is a severe "red-eyed monster" and is very hostile to Aoto, who has risen rapidly in rank.

Kazuma Kimura has a history of "repeatedly causing trouble for Aoto".

If it was them... then the theft of the spirit tablet and the fire at the prison all make sense!

For the captains of the Fire Thieves Bureau, entering and leaving the magistrate's office and the prison in Kodenma Town was a piece of cake!

*******

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Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

Leopard's brain malfunctioned! He forgot to set a timer for posting! I thought today's new chapter was posted on time, but it's still lying quietly in my drafts folder... (Leopard explodes.jpg)

I've been so laid-back these past two days because of this and that. Tomorrow, I'll definitely be updating like crazy!

Chapter 371 Qingdeng vs. Fire Thief Modified, Surprise Attack on Fire Thief Modified's Headquarters! [4200]

After listening to Qingdeng's explanation, Tianzhangyuan lowered his head slightly and pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"I see. So the captains of the 5th and 6th divisions were changed by the Fire Thief... Indeed, now that you mention it, they are quite suspicious."

Tenshoin raised his head again and looked directly at Aoto.

"So, Tachibana-kun, what are your plans next? Are you planning to find the person who persecuted you first?"

"...Jin Zejun is my friend. He and I have a life-or-death bond, having fought together on the battlefield, killed enemies together, and shed blood together."

The moment the words left his mouth, Qingdeng's memory returned to the end of last year, to the day he went on an expedition to Kai to quell the mountain bandits.

Scenes of fighting alongside Kanazawa Tadatsugu flashed rapidly through Aoto's mind.

"As for Miss Kanazawa..."

A new scene came into Qingdeng's view.

He sparred with Kaneko at the Chiba Sword Academy dojo; after the bandits in Kai were quelled, Miss Kaneko took great care of his daily life; Kaneko Tadatsugu came to propose marriage... It was like watching a dusty old movie, and Aoto looked back on the time he had spent with Kaneko with mixed feelings.

He gripped the hand that was being held tightly and tightened his grip.

His face was clouded with dark, cold gloom.

"Ms. Kanazawa and I have a very deep friendship."

"No matter what, I cannot remain indifferent to their violent deaths!"

"Even if Your Highness doesn't say it, I will thoroughly investigate the so-called 'cursed drug' that is suspected of causing the deaths of Jinze-kun and Jinze-mistress. I will not rest until I get to the bottom of it!"

"However, before that... I need to find out the thieves who have claimed to have a 'blood debt' with me!"

"Based on all the information currently available, it can be confirmed that the thieves who orchestrated the fire at the prison in Kodenma Town and the Akabane family massacre were not a single individual, but an entire group."

"Otherwise, it would have been impossible for one or two people to wipe out the Akabane family so cleanly, thoroughly, and quickly."

"With so many people in the Akabane family, even if they couldn't defeat the thieves, surely they could have escaped? In the end, they were still wiped out completely."

"This indicates that the number of thieves who attacked the Akabane family mansion that night must have been very large, enough to make it impossible for the entire Akabane family to escape."

“I suspect that the reason the thieves stole my knife and left it at the murder scene after killing the entire Akabane family was to frame me, to smear me, and to lure the authorities into arresting me, so that they could use the authorities to find me who was ‘missing’.”

"In order to find me and kill me, this gang of thieves did not hesitate to set fire to the city, steal from government offices, and wipe out entire families... Without a doubt, they are a bunch of madmen who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals."

"My past life experience tells me: if you are targeted by a crazy person who acts without considering the consequences, you must find and eliminate them as quickly as possible! Otherwise, there will be endless troubles."

"The way a madman thinks and acts is difficult to assess."

"They dared to burn down the prison today, and slaughtered a certain family of hatamoto without a single survivor. Who knows if they'll go and burn down the Shieikan and the Kochiba Sword Hall next, or even turn their attention to my relatives and friends..."

"My interpersonal relationships are not difficult to investigate at all."

"It doesn't take much effort to find out which places I frequent and who my close friends are."

"For the safety of my family and friends, and to prevent everyone from getting hurt, I have to... no, I must quell this unrest as soon as possible!"

Qingdeng's voice was strong and resonant. When he said the words "must" and "as soon as possible," his voice was filled with unwavering determination and solemnity.

"Therefore, Your Highness, please allow me to temporarily decline the task of 'assisting in the investigation of the strange drug'."

Upon hearing this, Tenshōin seemed to be savoring each word, and slowly murmured:

"'temporary'?"

Qingdeng nodded.

Yes. 'Temporarily'.

"As I just said, I will never stand idly by and watch the violent deaths of Kanazawa-kun and Kanazawa-san."

“Your Highness, I promise you: once I have dealt with the thieves who attacked me, I will return to your service as soon as possible.”

"At that time, I will do everything in my power to find out the truth and to give justice to Mr. and Ms. Jinze!"

Upon hearing Qingdeng's words, Tenshoin revealed a rather poignant expression, a mixture of helplessness and regret.

"...Okay, I understand. Tachibana-kun, your request—I grant it!"

Qingdeng didn't even have time to show a happy or relieved expression.

"However, I have one condition."

Then, Tianzhangyuan abruptly changed the subject.

"condition?"

Qing Deng raised a puzzled look in his eyes.

"Let me and my new Imperial Guard lend you a hand—that's my condition."

Qing Deng was stunned, his face instantly filled with intense surprise.

"Didn't you just say that you wanted to eliminate the lunatics chasing you first, and then concentrate your efforts on supporting me?"

"In that case, the sooner you free up your hands, the sooner you can come and help me investigate the strange drug."

"In other words, providing you with convenience is the same as providing me with convenience; it's entirely beneficial."

A smile appeared on Tianzhangyuan's pretty face.

It wasn't the kind of "succubus-like wicked smile" that you usually see, as if someone is plotting something sinister.