[Brother Wars] A Midsummer's Dream

Although Xiyue thought that there would be some changes when she came to the end of the Tokugawa period again, she didn't expect that she would personally experience a turmoil of gunpowder and war.

Looking at the bloody wreckage, listening to the familiar shells and firearms, accompanied by the roar of the fight and the light of the knife, the scene in front of her suddenly changed to that when she was on a mission abroad, under the mysterious light and moonlit night, her comrades fell by her side one by one. screen.

Mo Kena's exclamation brought her back to her senses, and the moment Xingyao's long knife was transformed, it withstood the attack of someone from an unknown camp.

After frowning and stabbing this person, she decisively chose to leave the battlefield, and just as she was about to leave in a short step, she saw two familiar figures fighting in a corner of the battlefield.Before she could be happy, she saw a cannon fire, and the black round shell flew towards them. She broke out in a cold sweat and didn't care about being stabbed from the back. walk away.

"Bastard! What time is it, and you are still pinching each other!"

Xiyue seldom swears, unless something particularly alarms or annoys her.She didn't know what time it was, but after looking at the flags and scenes hanging on the two sides, as well as the fight between Saito and Kenshin, she vaguely guessed that this time might be the last few battles between the Shogunate faction and the Meiji Restoration faction. one.

But now she is not in the mood and has no time to reminisce with these two people. When she came to them, she swung a large mass of high-temperature white flames towards the flying shells, and directly melted it at the point where the parabola was about to fall. .

Because of the chaos on the battlefield, not many people noticed this scene, they were basically fighting nearby, but since the fierce generals of the two factions stayed where they were and did not make a move, they were not stupid enough to go forward and ask what was going on , but the eyes that flew to Xiyue were full of disbelief and shock.

When Saito and Kenshin saw the person who suddenly appeared on the battlefield, the first time they were happy and surprised, the second time they were afraid and worried, but they didn't want the other party to directly scold them as soon as they came in front of them, and then performed the flying ball and bombing scene A thrilling scene and a change made them freeze in place without any reaction for a long time.

In the end, it was Xiao Mo who jumped over from one side and shouted "Xiaoyue, you are bleeding!" to bring everyone back to their senses.

"Damn it, this is a battlefield, don't you know it's dangerous!"

"Yue, is your injury okay? Come back to the camp with me to get bandaged."

When Xiyue heard the words, she remembered that she was slashed just now. Fortunately, she had already started teleporting at that time, and only cut the skin. Seeing that the faces of the two changed slightly, he raised his eyebrows and continued: "I won't disappear suddenly this time, but I don't want to see you killing each other, no matter how many outsiders you want to kill, that's all, I insist!"

Taking Xing Yao back, he pointed in one direction, "I'll leave the battlefield along here. It doesn't look like this battle will last long. If you want to see me after the battle, just follow the road and find me."

Before the two of them could speak, she left in an instant.

There are still chaotic gunfires in my ears, but only blood and snow are left in front of my eyes, echoing between the sky and the earth.

"Does your body still hurt?" Xing Yao, who materialized, bandaged Xiyue's wound, and directly cleaned his hands with snow from the snow.Seeing her shaking her head, she frowned and chuckled, and sat beside her, "I didn't expect the fire on your body to be a good thing. You are not afraid of the cold weather, and you can make fire and melt things."

Xiyue propped her chin, patted Mokona who was already asleep, and replied vaguely, "Yeah, it's quite convenient."

"Little Yueya has something on her mind?" Seeing that she was not energetic, Xing Yao asked after thinking about the past when she came here, "But because you are worried about that person named Chong Tian?"

"Well, because I probably guessed where he is now, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it in time..."

"Don't be too..." Xing Yao was about to say something, but suddenly stopped because he felt someone approaching, "Someone is coming." Then he returned to Xiyue's bracelet.

Not long after Xing Yao's words fell, he heard the chaotic sound of horseshoes and running from far and near, accompanied by a few shouts from time to time, which made the originally quiet woodland become restless.

Withdrawing the white flame burning on her body, Xiyue stood up holding Mokona, and saw a few people on fast horses roaring past in front of her not far away, and then, a group of people with some shabby clothes and injuries of varying degrees Many people appeared in the field of vision, some with guns on their bodies, and some with knives on their bodies.

When she saw the banner with subtitles hanging in the convoy, Yuzuki suddenly realized that this was an Aizu soldier from the shogunate.

Sure enough, after a while, she saw a familiar person inside, and she was about to approach, but was stopped by someone.

"Who are you! Are you a spy sent by Changzhou Clan!"

Because there was a battlefield nearby, ordinary people would not approach it, so it seemed a little strange for Xiyue to stay here alone.The first few were a commander and escort of the shogunate this time. They ignored such a woman in order to save their lives, but the people who retreated later were to resist the reformers who were chasing. It's a woman, and everyone has a heart of vigilance.

Xiyue blinked and thought to herself: If you are running away in such a panic, do you still need spies?Even though she thought so, her face was calm, "I'm here to find Director Kondo Isamu."

The person wanted to ask again, but she waved her hands at the people who came and shouted at the top of her voice, "Director Kondo, Director Kondo, it's me, Yuzuki~"

"Chiba, it's okay, she's someone we know." Hijikata Toshizo saw Yuzuki frowned, his eyes darkened, and he stopped the soldiers from blocking the way, "She's from our Shinsengumi."

Xiyue frowned, met those purple eyes, paused slightly, and said with a smile: "Yes, yes."

Qianye glanced at the two of them back and forth, although he felt a little strange in his heart, but now is not the time to waste time for trivial matters, he nodded to Hijikata, returned to his team, and followed everyone in an orderly and fast manner. evacuation.

"You girl came here?!" Isamu Kondo was surprised the first time he saw Xiyue, "Where have you been for the past four years? We sent a lot of people to look for you but couldn't find you. The boy is almost..."

"Director Kondo!" Hijikata interrupted him, "We're not out of the fighting situation yet, let's leave here first!"

"Ah, that's right, girl, let's go with us, everyone misses you very much, Qianhe still misses you all the time!"

Xiyue only smiled slightly, looked at the crowd, and asked, "Where is Ah Yi?"

"He and Shinpachi lead the team behind, and it may take a while to catch up." Zuo Nosuke raised his eyebrows, "You don't mean to wait for them, do you?"

"Well, I still have something to do..."

"You don't really have to wait for them, do you? Maybe people from the Changzhou Domain will catch up later, and you have to go with us!"

"Since you still have something to do, then wait here for Hajime and the others." Hijikata winked at Zuanosuke to tell him to shut up, took a samurai sword from a guard and handed it to her, and ordered: "Now It's not safe here, but there shouldn't be many soldiers from Changzhou to catch up, and in four years, you should not be at the same level as before, right?"

Xiyue understood what he meant, and took the weapon with a chuckle, "I was the one who beat Shinpachi back then, how can I still not be able to deal with a few little ones now?"

Because of her words, everyone remembered that Shinpachi maintained the title of "General of Defeat" in the Shinsengumi back then, and they couldn't help laughing, which broke the tense atmosphere before.

"Okay, let's say goodbye here first. If you want to come with us, you can catch up with us when Hajime comes." Hijikata saw that Kondo had organized the Shinsengumi and his party to continue on their way. He signaled everyone to leave first. Only then did she turn around, facing Shang Xiyue's clear eyes, she opened and closed her lips with a slight expression.

"Since you have decided to come back, don't leave again. The chief executive's current illness is no longer suitable for going to the battlefield. He has spent a lot of energy looking for you. I don't want to say that you are the reason for his illness, but I hope that he will be able to fight in the future." During the last days when he left, you could stay by his side well, after all...he likes you very much. "

Without stopping any longer, Tufang turned around suddenly, his long black hair spun in the air along with the ribbon on his forehead, and fell faintly.

Under the snow-covered eyes, the blood-stained and mottled feather uniform was particularly eye-catching, and the generous back made Xiyue once see the firm man who stood in front of her without hesitation even if she was seriously ill and coughed up blood. back view.

Saito and Shinpachi led their respective squadrons to retreat, and when they withdrew from the enemy's attack, only the two of them were left covered in blood.With the injuries on their bodies, the two supported each other and followed the footsteps of the large army step by step, but they saw Xiyue who had been waiting for a long time on the way.

"Xiaoyue—?!"

Shinpachi yelled out loudly, but he used too much force because of this, and just pressed Saito's wound, making the person who had been holding back gasp.After reacting, he hurriedly moved his hand away, and said with an apologetic smile: "Ah, Ah Yi, I'm sorry, I'm so surprised to see Xiaoyue suddenly, are you okay...?"

The last question was obviously a little guilty, Saito stared at him and twitched his mouth, unable to say a word.

"Yi, your injuries need to be dealt with now!" After Xinba made such a fuss, Xiyue checked their injuries.

There were many wounds on Saito's body, and some of them were too deep. He just tied them with cloth strips and did nothing to deal with it. Seeing that he wanted to refuse, she said bluntly: "There is still a long way to go, sir. The troops have basically evacuated, and Changzhou Fan will definitely make some arrangements. While there is still time, I will help you deal with it, so that you will not catch up with Director Kondo and the others, and you will fall to the ground first..."

Even if the soldiers from Changzhou came after her, she wouldn't let them have any trouble!She didn't say the second half of the sentence. Some things are better said than done. She doesn't need them to be grateful to her. As a friend, she will protect them.

Regarding the strange phenomenon that the two were surprised by Mokona spitting out something from his mouth, Xiyue had already left this matter to him to explain. After the medicine and bandages, they got along with the talkative Shinpachi, and Saito, who was being treated by Yuzuki on the side, glanced over from time to time.

"Okay, don't touch the water these days, change the medicine again at night, and change it once a day from now on." Xiyue tied the bandage in a knot and put on his clothes for him.

Saito turned his head unnaturally, his ears gradually turned red, "Well, thank you..."

"What is there to be thankful for between us..."

"Who's there--!" Xinba shouted violently and interrupted Xiyue's words. They turned their heads and saw a red shadow slowly walking out of the snow. When they got closer, Xiyue stepped forward a few times. Step by step to stop Shinpachi's sword, he said to the people: "Xintai, you are finally here."

With one hand on the handle of the knife, Jianxin glanced coldly at the two people who were tense, and finally turned his attention to the person who was smiling at him, slightly curled his lips, and nodded, "Ah, in the team I'm late for something."

Although the ideas held by several people are different, under the mediation of Yuzuki, Shinpachi still accepts the existence of such an enemy and friend.But accepting it does not mean that there will be a good face. When I was in the new group, they let this person go because of the relationship with the director. I didn't expect it to be hostile now. Thinking about it now, I feel a little uncomfortable.

Seeing Shinpachi humming beside him, Xiyue took Kenshin to a short distance outside and chatted with him alone.

Looking at it for a long time, she found that although Jian Xin's appearance hadn't changed much, his face was more fierce and fierce, his eyes were deeper than before, and even the face with only one scar had become the iconic "cross" '.

She didn't want to ask him if the other scar was drawn by Xuedaiba, because no matter how she thought about it, she would feel sad, but the smile on his face and the relaxation to herself had not changed, which also made her feel sad After seeing the scar, it gradually improved, "It seems that you haven't changed much in these years?"

Jian Xin looked at the person smiling like a flower in front of him, and licked his lower lip. There were a lot of words he wanted to say, but he couldn't get them in his throat. He only felt that he was lucky to be able to see this face again at this moment. .

Xiyue found his expression moved, thinking that he should have blamed himself for a long time when he left inexplicably, she softened her expression, and teased: "Xintai, I haven't seen you for so long, do you want a warm hug... huh? "

The skin on the neck was captured by the hot breath that suddenly sprayed out, and it looked particularly delicate and sensitive under such a calm and cold snow color. She thought that Kenshin's body would be cold, but she didn't expect that his embrace was the same as his hair. Same color, warm and cosy.She couldn't see his expression clearly at the moment, but she knew that in the past four years, with his persistent temperament, he must have been looking for her for a long time, and now, meeting again is indeed a feeling that cannot be expressed in words.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been away for so long to come back..."

"As long as you are safe." Jian Xin increased the strength in his hand, listening to the "thud-thud" heartbeat in his ears, the mania caused by the battle just now has disappeared without leaving a trace.

"How about going back to Kyoto with me? Let's go see the master together..."

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On the open field outside Yodo Castle, the tents of the shogunate army were stationed. It was already [-] o'clock in the evening, and the person in charge of cooking scooped out the little food left, and began to cook on the bonfire.

Isamu Kondo and Toshizo Hijikata, who came out of the main tent, cast a glance in the direction of Yodo Castle, then looked away, and walked step by step towards the tent they would form.

"How's the talk going?" Seeing the two people coming in, Harada Sanosuke moved away from the seat beside him and let them sit down.

Kondo frowned, took a sip of the hot tea, and sighed with bulging eyes, "The soldiers of Yodo Castle saw the wind and turned, and they never agreed to let us enter the city again. Fans and soldiers join together."

"Damn it! This group of people still flattered our presence at the beginning, but now they immediately turn against each other when they hear the news from the front line!" Team Chief Kubo Takeshi, who succeeded Fujido Hirasuke after his death, raised his fist indignantly in the air. With a wave, "I really want to teach them a lesson, so that they can no longer be fools!"

"This is the way it is in this era. In order to survive, some people are naturally willing to be the vacillating people."

Following Hijikata's words, the entire tent fell into silence, not only for Toba Fushimi's embarrassing defeat, but also for the unpredictable tomorrow and future direction.

Kondo looked at the tea stem standing in the teacup, and suddenly said, "Now I suddenly think of what girl Xiyue said back then."

"Hey, so Director Kondo still remembers what I said back then? My honor~" The three of Yuzuki were led outside the tent where the leader of the Shinsen team gathered, and they heard Kondo's words.

"You guys are back! It's cold outside, come in and have a cup of hot tea!" Kondo is respectful, gentle and kind, and he is also a cute uncle in Xiyue's eyes, so when he got along with the Shinsengumi, She was very close to him.Seeing his warm hospitality, she sat down beside him with a smile on her face, and teased: "Director Kondo is not trying to speak ill of me, is he?"

Kondo looked at this person who hadn't changed at all, dumbfounded, and patted her on the head dotingly, "I haven't seen her for so many years, why is this temper still unbearable!"

Xiyue grinned and sipped her tea without saying a word.

I rejected Jianxin's invitation before, because she was still concerned about the illness of the chief executive, and the Boshin War at the end of the Edo period will last for several months. If she goes back with Jianxin now, the chief executive may never be able to wait for her again. up.

And in the turmoil of this year, these people in front of them...

She glanced at the past one by one, and her heart was full of unspeakable sadness and sadness.

"Hajime, Shinpachi, thank you for your hard work!"

Kondo and Hijikata saw that the wounds on the other two people who were seated had been healed, so they only ordered the people outside to boil some soup and bring them over, and said to themselves: "This time we will retreat to the west bank of the Yodo River to meet the soldiers of the Jin Fan Fan. The Restoration Army is fighting a battle, do you have any opinions of your own?"

"I lost this battle even though I was outnumbered. The biggest reason is that the opponent's weapons are more advanced than ours, and there are more..." Tufang frowned and put down the teacup, looking in the direction of Xiyue, with a self-deprecating smile on the corner of his mouth, "I have to admit that sometimes no matter how powerful I am, I'm at a disadvantage when faced with such a situation..."

When Xiyue saw Hijikata's appearance, she suddenly remembered how angry Hijikata was when she said, "Guns and ammunition are the inevitable products of the times and the future trend" when she was in the settlement of the Shinsengumi. Now, he witnessed and experienced it with his own eyes. After such a war, he was really depressed.

"Hey, can I ask a question?" Xiyue held the teacup and let the white smoke curl up, engulfing her face, "Boss, you have been in the Shinsengumi for so many years, and you have always maintained the faction of the shogunate, but I want to know, You insist on the same reason."

She has already noticed that there are not many people here, the cute big boy Heisuke who likes to cling to her, the black-bellied and introverted chief Shannan who wears glasses but cares about the Shinsengumi, and the good-natured guy who always looks at them connivingly. Laughing Mr. Inoue.

It seems that time has not passed, but many things have happened here. The comrades-in-arms and friends who used to stand side by side are now buried in the loess and returned to their hometown.

"Ah, maybe it's because of that point in my heart..."

"Director Kondo, the general is here to invite you." A voice from outside the door interrupted his words, and the words that followed made everyone in the room stupefied and surprised for a moment, "The general also invites you to come to the team." This friend of mine will see you."