I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 796 Qing Deng’s Wedding Night [7500]

  Komaki Goro shrugged and said in a humorous tone:

"With our bodies, it's hard to think of a good outcome, right?"

At this point, Komaki Goro seemed to recall something, and he paused and remained silent for a while.

  Then, he asked in a tone neither sad nor happy:

"...Jiulang, I heard from Xiaolin...you came back from Edo to clean up the mess, right?"

It has the structure of a rhetorical question...but the tone of an affirmative sentence.

"Ogata-kun, today is my beloved disciple's big day, can we not talk about this for now?"

Goro Komaki turned his head, glanced at Boss Kiryu, and sighed silently.

"Okay... since you have made up your mind, I won't say anything more."

"only……"

As the topic suddenly changed, Komaki Goro's eyes became sharp.

"Jiulang, don't blame me for speaking harshly - you couldn't defeat him before, and you have no chance now."

In response to Goro Komaki's kind reminder, Boss Kiryu chuckled a few times with a calm expression.

"Ogata, I know this kind of thing without you having to remind me."

"But...some times, some battles, can't be avoided."

"You should understand this feeling, right?"

Komaki Goro was silent for a while.

  About 10 seconds later, he raised a new question:

"Regarding your 'traitor'...do you know the details, Tachibana-kun?"

Boss Kiryu replied calmly:

"I haven't told him yet."

Komu Goro raised his eyebrows and asked:

"Why not tell him? After all, they are still 'fellow disciples', right? In that case, Ju Jun should be entitled to know everything."

Boss Kiryu gave a wry smile.

"I'll tell Tachibana-kun."

"But... now is not the time."

"Qinjin Clan is just in its infancy, and Qingdeng is currently overwhelmed with various issues."

"I have to oversee the construction of the Qinjin Domain, maintain the development of the Shinsengumi, and also take the time to take care of the Hachioji Thousand People in Kanto."

"I don't want my old grudge with 'him' to distract Tachibana-kun's precious energy."

"When the time comes, I will tell Mr. Ju all about my love and hatred for him."

After saying that, Mr. Kiryu handed the wine glass in his hand to Goro Komaki.

"Okay, stop talking about these annoying things that ruin the atmosphere. It's a rare happy day, if we don't enjoy it to the fullest, wouldn't it be a waste?"

Looking at the wine glass handed to him by the other party, Goro Komaki showed a helpless look on his face, and then he also raised the wine glass in his hand.

With a crisp clang, the two wine glasses clinked together.

"Thank you for attending my beloved disciple's wedding. Your presence really makes the entire shrine shine."

As he spoke, Mr. Kiryu put on a half-smile.

  Komu Goro raised his hand and patted his chest lightly, saying unhappily:

"Really? Don't try that."

Boss Kiryu spread his hands innocently.

"I'm serious. Looking around the place, are there any more distinguished guests than you?"

"As you can see, my husband and I are now just the owner and wife of a Japanese confectionery shop."

As Goro Komaki spoke, he showed Boss Kiryu his hands that had a faint scent of flour on them.

"Come to think of it... the wedding vows that Tachibana-kun just read sounded very familiar to me. They were exactly the same as the vows I read when I got married. Jiulang, aren't you being too lazy?"

Facing the half-amused, half-reproachful gaze from Komaki Goro, Mr. Kiryu adjusted his glasses on his nose and smiled:

"How can you blame me? Wedding vows are all pretty much the same. There's nothing special about them no matter how many times you write them."

"But... thanks to your reminder, I just realized that in my short life, I wrote wedding vows for two great swordsmen who left their names in history."

"Haha, I am the only one in the world."

……

……

Qing Deng chased after Yae's figure and headed straight for a corner of the banquet venue.

Along the way, he kept meeting familiar relatives and friends.

They were either eating in silence (Saito Hajime) or busy socializing (Yamanan Keisuke).

There were also some people who enjoyed the banquet with great interest.

The scene... can really be described as "Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their magical powers"...

……

“Hum~~Hum~~Hum~~”

Shinpachi Nagakura, who loves dancing very much, after getting drunk, started dancing in public while humming an off-tune beat, with only plenty of emotion but no skills at all.

……

"Look everyone! This is my fist. Isn't it extra huge? Next, everyone open your eyes and watch! I am going to put my fist into my mouth!"

After saying that, Kondo Isami put away his raised fist, opened his mouth wide, and under the eager gaze of the onlookers, he slowly put his fist into his mouth.

Suddenly, cheers broke out and the atmosphere became very lively.

Putting the fist in the mouth - this is Kondo Isami's specialty.

Kondo is famous for his big mouth.

Every time he yawned, his huge mouth stretched to the limit made Qing Deng unconsciously think of swallowing eels.

He has a very strong build, and his fists are as big as casseroles.

However, he was able to fit his fist completely into his mouth with some space left.

I have to say, this is a rare talent.

……

"Do you know how I got this scar on my stomach? When I was still in the middle of the Iyo-Matsuyama Domain, a jerk called me a 'petty official who didn't even know the etiquette of seppuku'. I was so angry that I decided to commit seppuku in front of him. Look! This is the scar left after seppuku!"

Qing Deng didn't even need to look, just by listening to the voice he knew it was Harada Sanosuke showing off the scar on his stomach again.

……

"My name is Hijikata Toshizo. What's your name? Where are you from?"

Hijikata Toshizo was not at all nervous and sat down next to the girl with a carefree manner.

"My name is Ayaka Henan... I'm from Ou..."

Looking at Hijikata Toshizo who suddenly appeared and approached, the girl was frightened, but her eyes showed admiration, and her eyes were fixed on Hijikata Toshizo's handsome face.

"Henan Caijia...what a nice name! Your hands are so small, how come they are so much whiter than mine? I heard that people in Ou have very soft hands, you smell so good, your hands are so cold, you are so cute, compare the size of your hands, your hair smells so good, your eyes are so beautiful, can you drink?"

As expected, Hijikata Toshizo was expanding his "fish pond".

……

"Miss Leroy, what is 'wedding night'?"

Elodie blinked her beautiful eyes and looked at the maid Leroy beside her with curiosity.

As soon as she asked this question, Grandpa Anthony and the maid Leroy, who were sitting on her left and right, both looked embarrassed.

The Angouleme family has a very deep friendship with Qingdeng, so it is impossible for them to miss Qingdeng's wedding.

There are thousands of guests visiting now, from all corners of the world, and it is not surprising that there are a few extremists who are extremely hostile to Westerners.

Therefore, in order to avoid trouble, the Angouleme family all wore headscarves and veils to cover their blond hair, blue eyes, high eyebrows and deep eyes.

Elodie's eyes were pure, without a trace of evil thoughts, just like the clear sky washed by rain.

It can be seen that Anthony and Leroy protected her very well.

Even though I'm almost 16, I still know nothing about the things between men and women.

Leroy hesitated for a moment, then looked at Anthony for help.

However, Anthony turned his head away, raised his eyes and looked into the distance, as if saying "I know nothing" and "It has nothing to do with me".

Seeing this, Leroy had no choice but to grit his teeth.

"Well... to put it simply, it is..."

She leaned over, put her lips close to Elodie's ear, and started biting her ear.

When Leroy stood up again, Elodie's face turned red, her eyes widened, shock, shyness...all kinds of colors mixed on her cheeks, as if she knew some great secret.

"Hmm...! Master is so perverted..."

Qing Deng: “???”

Being inexplicably called a "pervert" by his beloved disciple... Qing Deng felt confused and hurt.

If he wasn't busy chasing Yae, he would have wanted to rush over, hold Leroy's shoulders, and ask her what she had said to Elodie.

……

Yae, who was walking in front of Qing Deng, had been intentionally controlling her pace so that Qing Deng could catch up with her steadily.

Qing Deng felt that even if she was Alice, the heroine in Alice in Wonderland, after experiencing layers of adventures and witnessing all kinds of wonderful scenes, she finally reached the end -

"Sheng Qing, Gui An~ Long time no see~~"

In an inconspicuous corner of the banquet, a tall woman wearing green furisode sleeves, an off-white belt, and a veil covering her face sat upright.

Another of Aoto's seniors in Shin Oniwaban - the stern Saeki - stood straight to the left of the woman.

Having completed the "leading the way mission", Yae consciously stood to the right side of the woman.

The two women were like two door gods, protecting the woman tightly.

There is only one person in the world who would call Qing Deng "Sheng Qing".

Qing Deng smiled as he sat cross-legged opposite the woman.

"Your Highness, hello. When the priestesses came forward to dance just now, I wondered if you would dress up as one of them. After all, you are half a priestess."

As soon as Qing Deng finished speaking, Tian Zhangyuan responded unhappily:

"How is that possible!"

"Don't you see how many important people came to your wedding? Many people at the scene recognized me."

"If I were to dress up as a miko and dance for you, it would cause chaos in the world."

"Also, what does 'half-mikoto' mean? I'm a professional mikoto!"

"I studied very hard to play the role of Nieyi from Tsukimiya Shrine."

【Note: Niyi: The third person in charge of the shrine. The ranks before him are "Palace Master" and "Governor Palace Master".】

"My 'witch quality' is very high."

"If I were to dance for you, I would not lose to those girls who just came on stage."

"If there is a chance in the future, I will show you my skills."

Qingdeng spread his hands:

"Then I will wait without expectation."

"Let me look forward to it!"

After the two chatted for a while, Tian Zhangyuan's facial expression gradually softened.

"Sheng Qing, congratulations. Time flies. In the blink of an eye, the young man back then has now started a family, and a big one at that."

"Although I don't know those three girls, since they made you fall in love with them, they must be very good girls."

“You must cherish them!”

  After hearing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but laugh:

"From the tone of your voice, you sound like an old mother who sees her beloved son finally get married and start a family."

  Tianzhangyuan curled his lips:

"In terms of age, I can't be called your mother, but I can be said to be your sister."

Having said this, she paused.

When she spoke again, her tone was filled with emotion.

"Come to think of it...I'm really an incompetent sister."

"As the older party, it is my duty to protect the younger ones."

"But in the end... it was you, as my "little brother", who often came to protect and support me."

"In short, I wish you a happy wedding! It is worth my while to come all the way from Edo to witness your grand wedding with my own eyes!" Facing the sincere congratulations from Tenshoin, Qing Deng smiled again - this time his smile was full of gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Highness. To be honest, I am very happy that you have come."

"Hahaha, you flatter me. I'm not some extraordinary person. To be frank, I'm just an ordinary woman with no other redeeming qualities except my status and title."

The two of them always joked around whenever they met, but now it was a rare moment for them to have a serious conversation.

However, their serious conversation did not last long...suddenly, Tian Zhangyuan raised her hand and lightly covered her red lips, and chuckled softly.

"Huff, huff, huff~~ Sheng Qing, you look so impatient. You can't wait for your 'wedding night' tonight, right? It's a pity that it's still broad daylight and there's still some time before the sun sets."

"..."

"Why don't you say anything? Shouldn't you refute me fiercely at this time?"

"Because I have already predicted your thoughts. If I refute it hastily, I will definitely be ridiculed by you. In this case, it is better to admit it frankly and express my consent by keeping silent."

"Ahhh... That's not cute. I was expecting to see you at a loss... Then again, you're really honest enough to admit so directly that you're looking forward to your 'wedding night' tonight."

"As long as you are a normal person, it is impossible not to be interested in the 'wedding night', right? Saying that you are not looking forward to the 'wedding night' with confidence - wouldn't that be hypocritical? I don't want to be such a hypocrite. One of my life creeds is to face my inner feelings frankly."

"Your words are... quite convincing..."

After saying that, Tianzhangyuan waved his hand.

"Okay, I've said 'Happy wedding' to you in person."

"I won't bother you any more. You should be quite busy right now, right? After all, there are so many familiar guests here."

"If you stay here all the time, I'm afraid people will notice you and find me."

Since Tianzhangyuan said so, Qingdeng did not hesitate. After nodding slightly, he slowly stood up.

"Your Highness, you are welcome. Please enjoy today's feast. The reason why I spent a lot of money to hold such a luxurious and grand wedding banquet is to ensure that all guests can have a good time. I wish you a pleasant day."

  Tianzhangyuan smiled slyly:

"Then... I wish you a fierce and wonderful night."

Qingden Wan'er:

"If that's the case, it would be great."

After leaving these words, he turned and left without staying any longer.

Tian Zhangyuan, who stayed where he was, stared at Qing Deng's back as he walked away.

His facial expression slowly underwent subtle and meaningful changes, as if he was recalling the past or imagining the future. It was so complex and indescribable.

Even though Qing Deng's figure had disappeared at the end of her sight, she did not look away for a long time.

  After a moment, she whispered in a voice that only she could hear clearly:

"It's so nice to marry the one you love..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a hint of envy flashed in his eyes...

……

……

That night--

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi——

As the lord of a domain, Qing Deng should live in Otsu Castle.

But the old Otsu Castle had long since turned to ashes, and the new Otsu Castle hadn't even had its foundation laid.

Therefore, before the castle was completed, Qingdeng had to find another place to build his residence in Otsu.

When a wealthy businessman learned that Ren Wang was worried about housing, he generously sold his unused mansion to Qing Deng at a very conscientious price.

This house is located in the city center of Otsu, covers a large area, has convenient transportation, and has 4 unique courtyards. It is indeed a good residence.

So Qingdeng bought this house and had a new home.

This house became known as the "Orange Mansion" by the people.

Because the current situation in Kyoto has not yet completely stabilized and Qing Deng is still needed to be in charge for a long time, he rarely returns to the Tachibana residence to rest on weekdays.

But he had to go back tonight.

After all... tonight is our wedding night!

It would be too hasty to spend the grand "wedding night" in the Shinsengumi camp.

At this moment, a "subtle" scene was playing out in Qing Deng's bedroom...or rather, his wedding room.

Qingdeng: "..."

Sanako: “…”

A Wu: "..."

General Manager: “…”

A man and three women sat face to face.

Neither side said a word... In the bedroom so large that you could hear a pin drop.

Although today's wedding ended early, the subsequent banquet lasted until the evening.

  How much alcohol did you drink today?

At the beginning, Qing Deng was still counting them with great interest.

But by noon, he had completely lost count.

He only remembered meeting guest after guest, laughing and drinking glass after glass of wine.

Fortunately, all the drinks at the banquet were low-proof sake and shochu, rather than vodka which can be used as fuel.

In this way, even after drinking a large amount of alcohol, with the help of talents such as "Bacchus +3" and "Bull's Liver", Qing Deng was still able to remain generally sober and did not black out.

After the banquet, the guests who had enjoyed themselves gradually dispersed.

Qing Deng and the three girls also took a carriage back to the Tachibana residence in Otsu.

For the guests, today's wedding is completely over.

  But for Qing Deng and the three girls... today's wedding has just begun!

As soon as they returned to the mansion, they went into the bathroom separately - there was no shortage of bathrooms in the Orange Mansion, and there would be some left even if each person had one bathroom - to wash away the dust and fatigue of the day, and to prepare in advance for the upcoming "wedding night".

When Qing Deng, wearing white pajamas and steaming from his bath, entered the bedroom, he saw the three girls who had returned to their rooms earlier.

The three women sitting side by side were all wearing white pajamas, with bare feet and their long black hair naturally hanging down.

Because they had just taken a shower, they were all in a "natural state" without any makeup.

The three girls don't often wear makeup on weekdays.

Therefore, compared to the exquisite makeup they wore at today's wedding, their current "natural state" made Qingdeng feel more familiar and intimate.

Qing Deng let out a long sigh, and then slowly moved to the opposite side of them as if he was rushing to the "boss' room", and sat down with his knees bent.

He shifted his gaze, scanning the faces of the three women one by one.

When their eyes met in the air, it was as if they had touched boiling water. The woman quickly turned her eyes away and looked elsewhere.

Sanako raised her head, stared at the ceiling above her head, and counted the patterns on it carefully.

Awu's eyes wandered wildly and finally locked onto the tatami in front of her knees with an expression that said, "Wow! This tatami is so tatami!"

Only Souji was relatively normal. However... under the influence of the current atmosphere, her demeanor and behavior were also quite stiff, with her shoulders hunched and her hands rubbing repeatedly.

Although the light in the room was dim, Qing Deng could clearly see three rosy faces thanks to his gifted "night vision".

  Looking like this, they almost have the words "nervous", "shy" and "embarrassed" written in bold characters on their faces!

No wonder they are like this.

After all... this is the wedding night!

In modern times, the "wedding night" has become a mere formality and chastity is regarded as nothing by the general public.

However, in the Edo period when feudal ethics were still prevalent, the "wedding night" was still a serious ceremony that symbolized the "great harmony of life" and made men and women blush.

Although they had prepared themselves mentally in advance, the three girls were still more nervous than Qing Deng had expected.

Qing Deng was originally feeling relaxed, but after seeing the appearance of the three women, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Perhaps influenced by the current atmosphere, Qing Deng felt increasingly hot all over, and sweat began to appear on his back.

  So, he subconsciously widened his collar - this small action immediately triggered a huge chain reaction!

The three girls' bodies trembled violently as if they were struck by lightning.

  Before Sanako and Souji could say anything, Wu stammered and trembled:

"It's too fast! Wait a minute! I'm not mentally prepared yet!"

As she spoke, she tucked in her clothes and belt...

Seeing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but twitch his lips.

He and the other two women simultaneously cast "long" glances at him.

After realizing belatedly that she had made a huge mistake, Ah Wu's face turned even redder.

She lowered her head and acted like an ostrich.

  Sanako said unhappily:

"Really? Calm down! You're making me jumpy too."

Although they are a family from now on, they are still "enemies" who love to quarrel.

  Ah Wu gave Sanako a look of dissatisfaction:

"Chiba...ah, no, you are not Chiba now...um...Sanako, I think you are not much better than me. Aren't you also uneasy and fearful?"

Although her expression was the embodiment of the word "nervous", Sanako answered without hesitation:

"Nonsense! It's just the wedding night, what's there to be afraid of? Last night, mother told me everything about the wedding night, it's nothing more than that!"

She said "that's all", but her face honestly turned a more delicate pink.

Ah Wu curled her lips, and the dissatisfaction on her face became even more intense.

"What? You and I are no different! It wasn't until last night that I learned about the details of the 'wedding night' from my grandmother!"

——After all this time, you two are exactly the same! What was the point of your insults just now?

Qing Deng couldn't help but complain wildly in his mind.

It was not until the eve of marriage that I started to catch up on that knowledge... In the Edo period, this was considered normal.

Sanako and Ama are both ladies from prominent families. Girls from prominent families like them usually start preparing for marriage just when they are about to get married.

At this time, Ah Wu suddenly raised her hands and put them on her waist - she probably wanted to ease the atmosphere and hide her panic - she teased Qing Deng:

"Hehehe, Qing Deng, look at how nervous you are! Don't be nervous! After all, this is everyone's first time! We just need to take it slow!"

Qingdeng: "..."

General Manager: “…”

"...Qing Deng, why don't you speak?"

"Xiao Si, why do you have such a weird expression?"

Ah Wu narrowed her eyes and stared straight at Qing Deng, the expression on her face instantly disappearing without a trace.

Sanako noticed that Koji's face suddenly changed color.

Judging from the current "serious situation", Qing Deng should activate his talent "Trickster +1" to fool Awu's questioning.

However... Ah Wu's aura was too strong! So strong that Qing Deng was shocked! Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he couldn't say a word for a long time. He could only look away, look out the window, and pretend to be stupid.

Coincidentally, at almost the same time, Souji also turned his head away, trying to avoid Sanako's sharp gaze.

The two of them reacted like this... No matter how dumb Sanako and Mai were, they knew what was going on.

"Oh... I see... You and Koji have already developed that kind of relationship without Sanako and I knowing anything about it. It's really great that you two have such a good relationship."

Ah Wu's voice was very low... Her eyes gradually became as dark as ink, without any light, as if she had sunk into the abyss.

“What the hell… He usually plays the peacemaker between Mai and me, but in the end, he secretly steals our food…”

Sanako had a blank expression on her face, and her expressionless gaze seemed to freeze a layer of frost on Souji's pretty face.

Qing Deng and Zong Si's faces were covered with cold sweat...

The chief laughed and explained weakly:

"I, I come from a commoner family, so I'm more open to that aspect, and I don't have so many rules and regulations. So, so, driven by the atmosphere at that time, I was confused and just..."

The further she spoke, the weaker her tone became...

Sanako lowered her eyelids.

"So...how many times have you and Tachibana-kun had that experience? Once?"

Qing Deng/Zong Si: "..."

"10 times?!"

Qing Deng/Zong Si: "..."

“100 times?!!!”

Qing Deng/Zong Si: "..."

The atmosphere on the scene became increasingly eerie...

  *******

*******

Actually, there is nothing much to write about the "Wedding Night", so don't expect too much. The specific details will only be briefly mentioned. This chapter is the most essential content of the "Wedding Night"! Tomorrow I will use a sentence to talk about their "battle". Then I will jump directly to half a year and rush to the summer of 1864.

PS: All three girls have changed their surnames, so the name "Kinoshita Mai" can no longer be used. From this chapter on, "Ama" will be used as the new pronoun in the text.