I formed the strongest swordsman group

“…”

About 10 seconds later, Tian Zhangyuan slowly left Qing Deng's shoulder.

She raised her head slightly and their eyes met.

Because there was no light and it was a cloudy night with no stars or moon, the room was pitch black.

Qing Deng has the gift of "night vision", so he can barely see Tian Zhangyuan's face.

Against the backdrop of the night, Tianzhangyuan's eyes became clear and distinct - in the darkness, Tianzhangyuan's eyes sparkled as bright as the stars.

Unlike today during the day, Qingdeng took the initiative to suggest "going to Otsu" at this moment.

Tian Zhangyuan did not give an immediate and definite reply. Instead, he hesitated and then asked with a worried look:

"Let's go to Otsu... Let's put me aside for now. Are Iemochi and Kazunomiya going to Otsu together?"

Qing Deng instantly understood Tianzhangyuan’s concerns.

Edo is the symbol and power center of the Edo Shogunate.

The Shogun took the initiative to leave Edo... If this matter were to be spread, it would probably cause immeasurable negative impact.

Qing Deng had anticipated this, so he explained slowly:

"Your Highness, I understand your concerns."

"But, as I just said, Edo is no longer suitable to be the 'capital'."

"Besides, the decline of Edo is secondary."

"'Defense' is the real problem."

"Otsu is in the capital, and Edo is in Kanto. One is in the west, and the other is in the east. They are too far apart."

"At this stage, I can't take care of both cities at the same time. I can only make a choice."

"In my opinion, the 'Ichibashi Clique' is just a bunch of clowns and is not difficult to deal with."

"They don't have any special abilities. They can only take advantage of my injuries and the fact that the main force of the Shinsengumi is not with me to act recklessly."

"Once this golden opportunity is over, they will be nothing more than a group of grasshoppers in autumn. Sooner or later, we will wipe them out."

"Our real enemy is in the west."

Tian Zhangyuan heard this and murmured as if he had realized something:

"The Western feudal domains..."

Qing Deng nodded slightly:

"Choshu has not surrendered yet."

"Samo is unruly."

"Tosa and Hizen are watching closely."

"These guys are more ambitious and more difficult to deal with than each other."

"Compared to the 'Ichibashi faction', the western feudal domains headed by Satsuma are the real threat."

"Therefore, I cannot disperse my forces. I must deploy my main forces in the capital and always be on guard against the western countries."

Qing Deng was talking and Tian Zhang Yuan was listening.

After the former finished speaking, the latter thought for a moment, then took a deep breath and showed a resolute expression, as if he had made up his mind:

"Yes, I understand. You are right. As far as the current situation is concerned, moving the capital to Otsu is indeed the best option."

At this point, his tone suddenly changed - it became more playful.

"I never thought that I would go to Otsu in this way. Man proposes, God disposes."

"In this case, in order to reach Otsu as soon as possible, we must defeat the 'Ichibashi faction' as soon as possible."

A smile welled up on her cheeks, and it was like a beam of light pouring down from a gap in the dark clouds - it was the first time she had smiled since the "Edo Siege Battle" in a long time.

Qing Deng couldn't help but smile when he saw this.

They looked at each other and laughed.

Suddenly, a comfortable atmosphere appeared in the room.

For a moment, both of them tacitly immersed themselves in this rare peace and quiet, unwilling to break it.

It was not until a long while later that Tian Zhangyuan opened his mouth again, and his tone returned to seriousness:

"Sheng Qing, in your opinion, do you think we have a chance to achieve a complete victory in this battle?"

Qing Deng answered without hesitation:

"There is definitely a chance. It's just that——"

He slightly stretched out the end of the sentence, and before he could finish, he changed the subject:

"With the current combat power we have, it is still quite difficult to completely repel the 'Ichibashi Faction'."

"To be honest, we are still in danger."

"Although the Mito army has been defeated, the 'Ichibashi faction' still has their carefully trained death warriors, as well as direct soldiers who voluntarily came to join the battle."

"As you can see, I am not strong enough to fight on the front lines again."

As he spoke, he lifted up his clothes and showed Tianzhangyuan his chest wrapped in sackcloth.

"Today's battle will completely drain away the remaining strength in my body."

"I don't even have the strength to hold the knife now."

"The next battle can only rely on the bravery of the soldiers."

"If we are not careful, it is possible that the 'Ichibashi faction' could turn the tables."

After listening to this, Tian Zhangyuan smiled bitterly:

"We are short of soldiers and generals, and our combat power is in short supply..."

Qing Deng nodded and agreed, "Yes, that's right."

Then he asked:

"Your Highness, do we really have no other troops available?"

The bitterness on Tianzhangyuan's face deepened.

"If there were other troops available, I would have transferred them to your command long ago. If you need them, all the warriors of the New Oniwaban are at your disposal."

"That's not necessary. Let's let the new Oniwaban stay in Honmaru and protect Iemochi."

The Shin-Oniwaban is an intelligence agency, not a combat unit specialized in fighting.

Although there are many people with superb skills among them - such as the sisters Sae and Yae - but sending intelligence personnel to the battlefield is really a waste of time.

Qing Deng scratched his hair, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

Suddenly, he muttered to himself with a look of regret on his face, in a voice so low that only he could hear it:

"Just one more troop would be nice..."

"As long as you give me another 1,000... no, more than 500 troops, it will greatly ease the current pressure..."

"Just give me another troop..."

…

…

The next day (January 2), early in the morning——

The winter sun rises quietly.

Although it was already daybreak, the thick clouds that had been hovering in the sky since last night had not yet dispersed, and the sky and the earth were still shrouded in shadows.

Due to the influence of the civil war, although it was the second day of the New Year, there was no joyful atmosphere that should be expected in the New Year.

Shops are closed, markets are deserted, and the streets are filled with a cold and desolate air.

The few pedestrians there all looked panic-stricken, with their nerves tense and in a hurry, like frightened birds. Any slight movement could cause them to panic.

After the civil war broke out, the townspeople who had just returned to Edo began to flee again.

Despite the complaints, they had to do so in order to save their lives.

Of course, some townspeople did not leave.

Those who did not leave were certainly not because they were not afraid of the war, but because of various reasons - such as changes in their family, or because they could not raise the money - they could not leave even if they wanted to.

It costs money to escape.

We had just escaped a war not long ago, and before we could even catch our breath, we had to leave Edo again... Not every family could afford such an expense.

Because the battlefield has been confined to Akasaka Gate, the townspeople who stayed in Edo all had a lucky mentality - we will never be implicated! That's right! Definitely not!

Daydreaming is daydreaming, and they don’t have any “back-up plans” left.

Due to the "tense relationship between people and land", most townspeople in the Edo period lived in long houses.

A longhouse is similar to an apartment, with each house closely connected. The east wall of your house is the west wall of his house, forming a long group of houses, hence the name "longhouse".

Generally speaking, a longhouse is home to more than a dozen or even dozens of households, and the residents of each longhouse share a courtyard, a well, and a toilet.

The townspeople who remained in Edo formed close groups called "Nagaya" and quietly collected bamboo spears, katana and other weapons for self-defense.

Using the longhouse as a base, the able-bodied men in the longhouse as soldiers, and equipped with various weapons such as bamboo spears and katana, it is not easy for the soldiers to harass them.

Each longhouse is like a small "fortress" that can be attacked or defended.

Not only that, the neighboring longhouses made an alliance one after another: if there were really soldiers attacking, each longhouse would be obliged to assist each other and work together to meet the enemy!

If they fight on their own, no matter how brave these civilians are, they will not be able to defeat the regular army.

Only by working together can we find a way out!

At this time, no one, whether it was the closely-knit townspeople or the soldiers of the Nanki Army and the Ichibashi Army, realized that although there was no one to lead, a "Town Citizens Self-Preservation Alliance" with considerable manpower and equipment had been spontaneously formed.

…

…

At this moment——

Edo, a certain town, a certain long house, a certain house——

This is an ordinary wooden house, where a young couple lives.

The husband's name is "Azhan". He is an umbrella maker who makes a living by making umbrellas. Because he does light physical labor, he is not very strong.

His wife’s name was “Asong”. She was neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, neither beautiful nor ugly. She was just an ordinary woman.

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

Ordinary families like this could be found everywhere in Edo.

At this moment, the couple sat opposite each other and prepared to enjoy breakfast.

His wife Asong set out two pairs of bowls and chopsticks and filled each with millet porridge.

"The stores are closed, and I can't buy any food. I'll just have to make do with what I have."

She said this as she pushed her husband's portion toward his legs.

The husband picked up the bowl and chopsticks impatiently, and while eating with relish, he said embarrassing words like "It's delicious! You're worthy of being my wife!" - based on her understanding of her husband, this is what should happen next.

However, what was the scene that actually appeared before his eyes at this moment?

Azan was seen with his head lowered, teeth clenched, staring at the tatami in front of his knees, looking lost in thought.

Asong saw this and took action.

"Azan, what are you daydreaming about? Eat quickly. It's cold today. If you don't eat now, it will get cold soon."

“…”

"Azan? What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Asong put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, leaned over, and looked her husband up and down with a worried look on her face.

However, at this moment, Azan suddenly reacted - he shouted:

"I, I've decided! I'm going to join the battle! I'm going to help Lord Niou!"

After shouting this out of the blue, Azan didn't give his wife any time to react.

But he suddenly stood up, then turned around and took down the sword hanging on the wall.

When Song came to his senses, he had already put on his haori, wielded his sword, and strode out of the entrance.

“…Eh…Eh?!”

Asong blinked blankly.

About 5 seconds later, although she was a little slow, her consciousness finally caught up with reality.

After screaming, she didn't even bother to put on her shoes. She rushed out of the room in two steps and caught up with her husband.

"Azan! Azan! What do you want to do? Come back here!"

"Ason, don't stop me! I have made up my mind! I swear to live and die with Lord Niou!"

The noise made by the couple alarmed the entire long house.

Suddenly, accompanied by the sounds of commotion, other residents of the longhouse put down their work, stepped out of the door and came to check the situation.

Asong opened his arms and stood in front of Azan, as if saying, "If you don't give me an explanation, I will never let you pass."

"Azan! Explain yourself to me! What do you want to do?"

Azan spoke seriously, word by word:

"Lord Niou is in trouble! I want to help Lord Niou!"

Asong's eyes widened - half of them were filled with shock and half with confusion.

"Azan, do you think you are a great swordsman who can defeat thousands of enemies? What's the use of a coward like you even if you go to the battlefield?"

Although Asong's words were unpleasant to hear, she was not wrong.

All the neighbors knew that Azan was very timid, even as cowardly as a mouse. He didn't even dare to kill a chicken, let alone a person.

By now, the neighbors who had come to join in the fun had roughly understood what had happened.

At this time, a middle-aged man who was on good terms with Azan came up and patted Azan on the shoulder:

“Azan, Asong is right.

"You may admire Lord Niou very much and want to help him. I understand. I admire Lord Niou too."

"But you have never learned martial arts, and you can't even hold a knife properly. Even if you go to the battlefield, you will only die in vain."

"If you want to help Lord Niou, there are other ways."

The other party's words were very sincere, and he really wanted to persuade Azan.

But who would have thought that as soon as he finished speaking, Azan frowned and refuted righteously:

"Nien-Oh has been kind to our family! If Nien-Oh is in trouble, I can't just ignore it!"

After hearing this, Asong became more confused:

"A favor? When did King Ren ever do anything for our family?"

Azan said quickly:

"A Song, have you forgotten? If it weren't for Niou destroying the Shimizu clan, we would probably still be harassed by the Shimizu family until now!"

Asong stopped talking.

A few years ago, Azan accidentally offended a junior cadre of the Qingshui family.

In retaliation, the other party sent people to harass them every now and then, making it almost impossible for them to live.

Thanks to Qing Deng's elimination of the Qingshui clan, their lives were able to return to normal.

Azan's words did not stop there:

"Even if we don't talk about the kindness that Lord Niou has shown our family, I can't just sit there and watch Lord Niou and Lord Jiamo suffer!"

"Lord Iemochi is a wise ruler, and Lord Niou is an even rarer great man!"

"How can I just ignore them when they are in trouble?"

"I, I am just an umbrella maker, but I also know morality!"

"To pursue personal gain is unrighteous!"

"If I hide at home and refuse to uphold justice, then I will become a coward! I will always look down on myself!"

"A Song, if I die, you should remarry!"

After saying this, Azan said no more.

He pushed Asong away and strode forward.

Asong stood there blankly, his eyes staring straight ahead, not saying a word, not moving a step... letting Azan go to the battlefield.

Walking alone on the deserted street... Azan looked timid and shivered several times.

However, he did not back down.

He took a decisive step forward, without any hesitation.

At this moment, he suddenly heard footsteps coming closer and closer behind him.

He turned his head and looked back, and suddenly saw many familiar faces.

Buzaburo, Buntaro, Akang... a total of 6 familiar neighbors, quickly caught up with him.

"Bu, Bu Sanlang, why are you here?"

The young man whom Azan called "Bu Sanlang" chuckled:

"Azan, I have a new respect for you."

Another added:

"I never thought that I would be reprimanded by you one day. However, thanks to your bold words just now, I have come to my senses."

The others shouted:

"Azan! You are right!"

"Although we are common people, we also know what morality is!"

"Lord Iemochi and Lord Niou are both good people! We can't just sit back and watch them get into trouble!"

"We want to join the battle too!"

"Let's go! Let's go help Lord Niou!"

In the blink of an eye, it's the end of the month again! Book friends who have monthly tickets, please be sure to vote for this book! (tearful leopard head.jpg)

Please give me a monthly ticket! Please give me a recommendation ticket! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

PS: The prototype of the story in this chapter is taken from "Chen Buzhan". You can check out this person's story, it is very touching, he is a true hero.

Leopard Leopard was so obsessed with My Go that he dreamed last night that Qing Deng announced "I want to disband the Shinsengumi".

Then the usually taciturn Saito Ichi burst into intense emotion at this moment: "I don't want it! The Shinsengumi is our place!"

Damn, what a strange dream. (豹傻.jpg)