I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

In Aoto's memory, there was only one person who called him "Ogata Itsuki".

The Eternal Sword Saint... a sword saint bestowed with the name "Eternal"... the goal and object of admiration for countless martial artists.

This hero, who is no different from Superman... is the lover of the old woman next to me?

Just as Qing Deng was still immersed in surprise, Gu Shengxiu stepped forward with a gentle smile.

Ah... I really miss it...

Uryuu raised his hand and gently stroked the portrait on the wanted poster with the tenderness of touching a precious and rare item that would break at the slightest touch.

"That's right, Ogata Ittosai is indeed my lover."

At this point, Guasheng Xiu paused for a moment, then looked up and gave Qing Deng a sly smile.

"However—she's my 'dream girl'."

“You young people may not know this, but when I was a young girl, ‘Ogata Ittosai’ was a synonym for ‘heroic,’ ‘fearless,’ and ‘invincible.’”

"Leaving aside his other achievements, his feat of daring to fight hundreds of samurai alone and killing an immoral lord is enough to make people yearn for him."

As Guasheng Xiu spoke, he increased the frequency of stroking the wanted poster. At the same time, a faint look of reminiscence appeared on his cheeks at a visible speed.

“Countless young girls in love are infatuated with him, and I am one of them.”

"Because I admire Ogata Ittosai so much, I specially posted his wanted poster on the wall of the hall, which is here—and it's been there for over 70 years."

"Hehe, looking back and thinking about it carefully, time really flies... In the blink of an eye, 70 years have passed."

"The paper has faded, and the person has grown old."

"The only thing that remains unchanged is that the name 'Ogata Ittosai' still resounds and shines brightly."

"The only thing that remains unchanged is that I still have passionate feelings for Ogata... I still have passionate feelings for this great man."

Guasheng Xiu's voice was tinged with excitement.

Her eyes, clearer than lake water, reflected a beautiful, rippling light.

Qingdeng stared blankly at Guashengxiu.

For a fleeting moment, he felt that Guasheng Xiu had transformed... no! She had "reverted" to a pretty girl with slender shoulders, smooth, delicate skin, and radiating youthful energy...

At this moment, Qing Deng suddenly realized something: Gu Shengxiu's home not only lacked furniture and decorations, but also something that most families would have: "the presence of a person".

"Speaking of which... Granny Guasheng, do you live here all by yourself?"

"Yes."

Gua Shengxiu answered without thinking.

"I never married, so naturally I had no family."

"Grandma Guasheng, you're not married?"

Qingdeng couldn't help but let out a low gasp.

Uryuu seemed to be used to Qing Deng's reaction.

She smiled faintly:

“I am a normal woman, after all. I also have sexual desires, I have longed for a man’s embrace, and I have had the urge to get married.”

"but……"

"Firstly, I'm very busy with work every day, so I really don't have time to talk about love with others."

"Secondly... I still can't forget Ogata Ittosai."

Guasheng Xiu's lips curled up slightly, forming an indescribable curve.

"My feelings for Ogata Ittosai... are very complicated."

"My feelings for him go beyond just admiration; they also include longing and respect..."

"In short, Ogata Ittosai had a huge influence on me."

"When I was about to get married, many of my elders and friends recommended quite a few outstanding men to me."

"These outstanding individuals are indeed exceptional compared to ordinary people, but compared to Ogata Ittosai... they are like rotten grass and fireflies compared to the bright moon in the sky."

"Whether it's a literary scholar with brilliant writing skills, a martial artist with superb skills, a wealthy young master with a fortune, or a nobleman from a prominent family, I feel that the other party is far inferior to Ogata Ittosai, so I find it difficult to be interested in him."

"Over time... I passed the age when I was most suitable for marriage and became an old woman who, no matter how hard I tried to 'sell myself,' no good family would accept me."

"However, despite living a lonely life, I have no regrets."

"There are advantages to getting married."

"There are advantages to not getting married."

"Perhaps it's because I've witnessed too many emotional entanglements and tragic love stories in Yoshiwara that, in my eyes, 'marriage' is just that, nothing special, and there's no need to regard it as something so important or sacred."

"My motto is: If you want to get married, then get married; if you want to stay single, then stay single. In any case, you'll end up biting your blanket and feeling regretful sometime in the middle of the night."

"Although I have no husband or children, I have lived a very happy life."

"Even if I were to die right now, I should be able to die with a smile on my face."

Qingdeng listened attentively, nodding in agreement from time to time.

It must be said that Uryuu Hide's remarks and ideas were indeed ahead of their time in the Edo period.

In this day and age, it is rare to find a woman like Uryuu Hide, who is quite cute, who never marries.

—That Ogata Hayanari… he is truly wicked!

Qing Deng raised his eyes and fixed his gaze on the wanted poster in front of him, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Uryuu Hide, he had already witnessed many admirable qualities in him, such as strength, kindness, and decisiveness, and therefore held Yoshihara Satoshi in high esteem for this man who was old in age but young at heart.

Therefore, out of affection for the house, he also had reservations about Ogata Hayanari, who indirectly caused the life of a widowed and lonely melon-eating girl.

Judging from the portrait on the wanted poster, Ogata Ittosai did not shave his head; he had thick, full hair—that's good! Aoto nodded slightly, expressing his highest approval of the aesthetic sense of this "Eternal Sword Saint" whom he had never met.

Although he has lived in this world for more than a year since he transmigrated, he still can't appreciate the incredibly ugly chonmage hairstyle!

Despite the efforts of Kondo Isami, Chiba Jutaro, and others... especially Chiba Jutaro! who kept trying to educate Aoto about the benefits of shaving one's head with a chonmage (topknot), such as it being a symbol of fashion, how cool and refreshing it is, and how a samurai should shave his head with a chonmage... no matter what Kondo Isami, Chiba Jutaro, and others said or tried to persuade him, Aoto remained steadfast in his own way and unmoved.

To have his perfectly good hair shaved into a chonmage that's practically indistinguishable from a "Mediterranean" hairstyle... for Aoto, this was worse than death...

Because he suffered from the "visual torment" of the shaved head, Qing Deng felt a natural affinity for all those who had long hair.

—Upon closer inspection, Ogata Ittosai is actually quite handsome, with regular features and an air of righteous indignation. No wonder he's a man who dared to kill his master… Hmm?!

Suddenly, Qing Deng raised an eyebrow.

He blinked hard, leaned forward, and stared intently at the portrait of Ogata Ittosai, his nose almost touching the wall.

—Is it just my imagination...?

Aoto felt that the portrait... specifically Ogata Hayate's face, looked somewhat familiar.

—Could it be that… I have met Ogata Ittosai before?

The moment this thought arose, Qingdeng couldn't help but chuckle to himself, letting out a self-deprecating laugh.

—What am I thinking...? How could I possibly have met Ogata Ittosai?

Regardless of whether Ogata Ittosai is still alive, even if he were, he would be a 92-year-old man this year.

Ogata Hayanari began his active career 70 years ago in the first year of Kansei (1789). At that time, he was 20 years old.

In other words, if Ogata Ittosai were still alive, he would be a 92-year-old man who might not even be able to walk anymore.

—It must be someone I met before who looked somewhat like Ogata Ittosai.

Qingdeng thought to himself.

"Alright! Let's leave the topic of Ogata Ittosai here for now."

Guasheng Xiu clasped his hands together, then turned to face the white chrysanthemum behind him.

"Hanada-kun, let's get down to business. No outsiders will disturb us here. I've already spoken to Shirokiku, so feel free to ask her anything you want."

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng withdrew his attention from the portrait of Ogata Itsuki in front of him, hummed in agreement, and nodded solemnly.

Should I excuse myself for now?

After thinking for a moment, Qingdeng nodded.

"Okay, thank you for your help."

After saying that, he took two quick steps, knelt down directly opposite Shirakiku, and then took off the Echizen-no-Kami Kanetsugu from his left waist and placed it on the tatami mat on his right side.

Guasheng Xiu didn't say much, and turned to leave without hesitation, walking outside.

With Gu Shengxiu gone, only Qing Deng and Bai Ju were left facing each other in the empty hall, which was almost devoid of furniture.

"Miss Shiraki, my name is Hanada Seiharu. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please take care of me."

Bai Ju bowed slightly, her demeanor reserved.

"Greetings... I am Shiroki from the Thousand Flowers House..."

“I have already heard the details from Granny Guasheng.”

"Ask me anything you want. But let me make this clear beforehand! I'm just an ordinary courtesan! I have no noble relatives and I don't know any important people! So I might not be able to answer your questions!"

As soon as Bai Ju finished speaking, Qing Deng smiled.

"Miss Baiju, you don't need to be nervous. The question I want to ask is very simple; you just need to answer truthfully."

He cleared his throat, then spoke slowly and deliberately, in a serious tone:

"Miss Shirakiku, do you know Kamenosuke Yuuki?"

Bai Ju nodded.

“Yuki-kun? I know him, he’s a regular customer of mine.”

Do you know where he lives?

Qingdeng didn't mince words and went straight to the point.

The location of Yuki Kamenosuke's residence—this is the answer to the question that Aoto most wants to know right now.

"Um...this...this..."