I formed the strongest swordsman group

The bathhouse in the residence is very large, with changing rooms, washing rooms... it has all the facilities that a bathhouse should have.

The only drawback is that there is no bathtub for people to take a bath.

However, it does have a steam bath.

The so-called steam bathhouse, in layman's terms, is a sauna.

There is a ignition port connected to the outside of the steam bathhouse. Water is boiled at the ignition port first. When the water heats up, bathers can enjoy the moistening of the rising steam.

Because the Shinsengumi is a mixed-gender unit, Aomori set aside a women's bath specifically for the use of the three girls.

At this moment, if anyone approaches the women's bath, they will definitely hear intermittent strange sounds coming from the women's bath...

…

…

"Sanako, are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Do I really want to pour this stuff on you?"

"Yes, otherwise why did I call you here?"

"Are you sure?"

"Come on, stop inking."

"Then...I'm sorry!"

After saying that, Qingden raised the large vat filled with cold water in his hand - the volume was at least thirty liters - and poured it directly on Sanako's head.

Blah blah blah...

The cold water, as cold as ice and as powerful as a waterfall, poured down, turning Sanako into a drowned rat.

With just a snap of her fingers, her whole body, from her hair to her skin to her clothes, was all wet.

Sanako was seen kneeling on the ground upright, with his eyes closed and his hands resting peacefully on his thighs.

Even the most discerning etiquette expert would not be able to find any fault with the standard deportment and solemn expression.

Her look of "let the ice water wash away, but I remain motionless" is really like an ascetic sitting under a waterfall and letting the mountain spring beat against her body.

Because there was a lot of water in the tank, this "water baptism" lasted for more than 2 minutes before it ended.

"Okay, the water is all poured out."

With that said, Qingden casually put the empty vat aside.

"Thank you, Mr. Tachibana. I can't lift such a heavy porcelain jar by myself."

Sanako slowly raised her eyelids, blinked hard a few times, shook off the water droplets stuck to her long eyelashes, and then raised a faint smile.

"You're welcome, it's just a small favor that's not worth mentioning."

Sanazi narrowed her eyes and stared at Qingden's face.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so unhappy?"

After asking, Sanazi curved the corners of her lips in a playful arc.

"I thought you asked me to come over and help you take a bath. You wanted me to rub your back and apply soap."

The moment Qingto told the truth, Sanako's eyes suddenly looked at Qingto with a teasing tone of "Humph, I knew it".

"Tangerine-kun, you are so sexy."

Qingdeng forced out a helpless smile:

"Sanako, is it because you have been with Xiao Si lately that you have been spoiled by Xiao Si? How come you have started to play such pranks?"

"Although I am no longer a young girl in my prime, I still have a childish side occasionally."

On weekdays, Sanako always looks serious, cold, and unsmiling.

Deliberately uttering thought-provoking words to tease Qingdeng... Situations like this are indeed rare.

Tick...tick...tick...tick...

Crystal water drops slid down Sanako's hair, chin, and those two huge arcs, dripping on her thighs and the floor around her.

The wet kendo uniform clung to her delicate body.

The reflection of water droplets and the faintly visible flesh color really complement each other.

That perfectly proves the accuracy of the physical law "the greater the mass, the greater the gravity".

That slender yet voluptuous waist.

The peach looks particularly round against the willow waist.

All of the above are quite tempting even in ordinary times.

But now, under the outline of wet clothes, their "gravity" has increased sharply.

He obviously wanted to watch it, but he pretended to be serious because he wanted to pretend to be a gentleman - Qingdeng, who dared to declare "I want to marry three real wives", was naturally not such a coy person.

Ever since, he has completely obeyed "gravity"!

He did not shy away and stared at Sanako with a serious look on his face, with the mood of "returning to her prank".

The smile on Sanako's face suddenly disappeared.

At the same time, her eyes changed, as if she saw something bad.

"Jijun, you are really horny..."

After saying that, she turned sideways with her cheeks flushed, hiding her delicate body, leaving Qingdeng with a graceful back view.

"How come the person who took the initiative to say, 'Help me take a bath' became shy first?"

After teasing him in a half-joking tone, Qingdeng let out a sigh of relief:

"So, can you explain to me now? Why do you pour cold water on yourself? It's still winter, be careful of catching a cold."

Sanako replied seriously:

"Don't worry, my body is much stronger than you think. This level of cold water will not make me sick."

"For me, taking a bath is not only about washing my body, but also about washing my heart."

"So whenever I encounter something troubling, I have to wash my body with cold water to help me regain my composure."

"The more troublesome something is, the more water you pour on it."

After Qingdeng heard this, he glanced at the large tank with more than 30 liters.

"So what trouble did you encounter that made you need such a big tank?"

“…We were looked down upon.”

"Um?"

"Tachibana-kun, we are looked down upon by the people of Aizu and Kyoto!"

Sanako suddenly raised her voice.

At the same time, she gritted her teeth and raised her head - her beautiful jewel-like eyes broke into Qingden's field of vision.

She looked straight at Qingdeng, exuding a furious aura.

"Tachibana-kun, let me tell the truth first."

"The main reason why I called you to 'help me take a bath' is just to find a clean place where I can talk to you where I won't be easily disturbed by others."

"You must have heard what people in Aizu and Kyoto said about us today, right?"

"We are looked down upon by them!"

"They treat us like fools who are still wearing the crown of monkeys!"

"It's not my style to swallow my anger, Sanako Chiba!"

"If you don't retaliate, I will really be unwilling to do so!"

When Qingdeng heard this, he said with a serious expression:

"Sanako, don't be stupid. If you swing the blade at friendly troops and civilians, it will definitely lead to serious consequences that are extremely difficult to end."

Sanako responded angrily:

"I'm not a lofty person with a brain problem, so I won't show it off casually."

"Because others laugh at you and don't agree with you, you draw the knife in anger - such an approach will expose your vulnerability and incompetence."

"Whatever other people laugh at you, you make it impossible for them to look down on you in this field again. That's the right answer."

"Don't they dislike us as a 'poor force' with neither significant scale nor sophisticated equipment?"

"Okay! Then we will use the shortest time and fastest speed to build the Shinsengumi into a powerful army that is unparalleled in the world!"

"So, Tachibana-kun, I want to ask you: What are your plans for the future of the Shinsengumi?"

"If there's anything you need my help with, just tell me. You're welcome."

"Now I'm facing off against people from Aizu and Kyoto!"

"I won't give up until the Shinsengumi becomes stronger!"

After Qingdeng heard this, he couldn't help but laugh.

This is indeed the style of Sanako, who has a strong self-esteem and a strong competitive spirit.

Although Sanako always has a calm demeanor on weekdays, sometimes she is far less calm than she appears on the outside.

Thinking of this, he ignored the slippery floor, sat down, crossed his knees, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Sanako.

"Sanako, don't worry, I have always had a very clear plan for the future of the Shinsengumi."

"But even without my reminder, you should know: you have to eat the food one bite at a time and walk the road step by step."

"Building an army is a complex task that cannot be ignored. It cannot be accomplished overnight with a few pats on the head."

Sanako was silent for a moment, then let out a long breath:

"Ji Jun, I understand what you said. But...if I don't do something within my power as soon as possible, I really can't swallow that breath."

Qingdeng smiled and put on a confident and firm tone:

"Sanako, don't be impatient. One day, we will open the eyes of Aizu and Kyoto people, and those who once despised us!"

Having said this, he immediately seemed to have remembered something, paused, and then changed the subject:

"But, having said that... I really need your help with something now."

Sanako was stunned for a moment, then confirmed with his eyes. This action naturally means "please speak, I am all ears".

"Can you go out with me tomorrow?"

Before Sanako could ask a question, Qingden continued on his own:

"Know your enemy and yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger - I plan to conduct an in-depth investigation of the current situation in Kyoto."

…

…

At the same moment——

Kyoto, Satsuma Domain Residence——

In order to facilitate communication with the imperial court, three hundred princes would set up vassal residences with consulate functions in Kyoto, and send Zhouxuanfang and Gongfang to be permanently stationed in Kyoto.

[Note: Zhou Xuanfang: a diplomat stationed in Kyoto by the vassal state. Public Affairs: Responsible for the official affairs between the vassal and the imperial court, ministers and other vassals. 】

Satsuma Domain - As one of the oldest and most powerful feudal kingdoms, the structure and scale of its feudal mansion are nothing short of impressive.

The black tone composed of black tiles and diamond-patterned walls exudes a solemn atmosphere.

The flag embroidered with the Shimazu family crest, the Maru Cross, stands high above the ground, overlooking Kyoto.

In a room adjacent to the corridor in the Satsuma Domain, a tall man with a thick neck sat casually on the tatami, crossed his legs, and poured the bait in his hand into his knees expressionlessly. in a western-style fish tank.

Several goldfish in the tank rushed to eat the delicious food falling from the sky.

The joy of the goldfish and the silence of the giant man - the two form a very sharp contrast.

At this time, a young warrior with an ordinary appearance and a black mole on the right corner of his mouth walked quietly through the corridor, entered the room, took off the sword from his waist, and sat respectfully in front of the giant man. behind.

"Master Saigo, I'm back."

The giant man called "Xixiang" stopped feeding the fish, and then spoke in a calm tone without sadness or joy:

"Murata-kun, welcome back, have you seen Tachibana Aoden?"

"seen."

"What does he look like?"

"Six feet in length, slender figure, straight facial features, lightning-like eyes, and extraordinary martial prowess, he is indeed a hero."

Murata Shinpachi described what he saw and heard today in a concise and concise manner one by one.

Saigo Yoshinosuke listened quietly.

When Murata Shinpachi finished his story, he twitched the corners of his mouth, showing a strange expression that was half a smile but not a smile.

"On the day we entered Kyoto, did we directly challenge the nobles and patriots in the city? Such heroic courage is indeed extraordinary."

After that, he casually threw away the goldfish bait in his hand, folded his arms, looked into the distance, and murmured to himself:

"It's hard to handle...The situation in Kyoto is already in chaos, and at this juncture, there is another difficult person to deal with..."

Suddenly, a slender warrior with a sword in his left hand slowly walked out of the shadows not far away.

"Sir Saigo, I have heard that Tachibana is an extremely skilled swordsman. Why don't you let me meet him for a while?"

After saying that, he raised the thumb of his left hand holding the knife, put his fingertips against the tangent, and pulled the knife out of its sheath, revealing the tenon used to hold the scabbard.

"...Kirino, put the knife back."

Saigo Kinnosuke squinted his eyes and directed his sharp arrow-like gaze at Kirino Tosaki.

"How many times have I told you? Plan before you act."

"Especially during this special period when the situation is still very chaotic, we cannot act rashly."

"Tachibana Aoden was a close confidant of Tokugawa Iemo, and he was also a general who guarded the border for the shogunate."

"He is the same as Matsudaira Yongho. Their existence itself represents the face and interests of the shogunate."

"To fall out with Tachibana Aoden is tantamount to going against the shogunate with all the bells and drums."

"This will put Satsuma into an irreversible dilemma."

"Therefore, no one is allowed to cause trouble for the Shinsengumi without my permission."

Kirino Toshiaki smacked his lips and put the tenon of the blade back into the sheath with a look of regret on his face.

"What a pity... I really want to test it myself to see if that Nioh is really as powerful as the legend says."

After that, he sat back down.

At this time, Murata Shinpachi asked:

"Master Saigo, according to what you see, what should we do next?"

"...It's still the same as before - stand still and continue to wait and see."

Saigo Kinosuke stood up as he spoke, walked to the corridor outside the room, folded his hands into Haori's sleeves, and faced the inky night sky with his head raised.

"The imperial court is now controlled by the ministers of the Choshu faction, headed by Sanjo Sanimi."

"They suppressed the emperor's voice as they pleased."

"They even used the name of the emperor to issue false edicts that were beneficial to them."

"Changzhou has taken advantage of the emperor to command the princes."

“In addition, Changzhou is full of talented people.”

"Takasugi Shinsaku, Katsura Kogoro, Kusaka Genzui, Kawagami Hikosai and other patriots from the Choshu family are all heroes who cannot be underestimated."

“Changzhou is a tough nut to crack—and so is the shogunate.”

"Although the authority of the shogunate has been completely lost in a series of incidents such as the 'Black Ship Incident', the 'Sakurada Gate Incident', and the 'Sakashita Gate Incident', it still occupies a quarter of Japan. The behemoth.”

"It occupies the fertile Kanto Plain, which is thousands of miles away, surrounded by vassals and clans, powerful passes that are easy to defend but difficult to attack, capable ministers headed by Katsurin Taro, and generals who are still young but already have the air of a wise king."

"Right now, the shogunate has deployed two armies to Kyoto to perform their respective duties."

"The Aizu Army is an elite force that is both loyal and brave. The leader of it, Matsudaira Yoshiho, is a famous king with extraordinary magnanimity."

"As for the Shinsengumi...it is true that the current Shinsengumi does not have considerable strength yet, but its leader is the Nioh who has repeatedly performed miracles - this alone is enough to keep us motivated. "

"In the hands of that man, it is not surprising that the Shinsengumi will undergo any changes."

"In addition to the shogunate and Choshu, other factions such as the Tosa Kin nobility party led by Takechi Hanheita are also targets that need to be more careful about."

"Not to mention there are mysterious organizations hiding under the undercurrent, such as the Fa Zhu Party and the Great Salt Party. They stay with the shadows, watch with covetous eyes, and are ready to join the trend of the times at any time."

"Now is not the time for us to place our bets."

"We might as well continue to wait and see for a while."

"Wait until the situation changes significantly and the situation becomes clear, and then we will make corresponding arrangements."

"Anyway, we have abundant funds, a strong army, plenty of time, and the capital to sit back and watch the fight between tigers and tigers."

Speaking of this, Saigo Kinnosuke turned back leisurely and looked at Murata Shinpachi and Kirino Toshiaki with a meaningful smile on his face.

"Satsuma will always support the side that wins!"

…

…

Kyoto, Choshu feudal residence——

"Takasugi-kun, Takasugi-kun!"

"Um?"

Takasugi Jin blinked vigorously a few times and looked at the young samurai sitting in front of him.

"Takasugi-kun, are you listening?"

"Sorry, I seemed to be distracted."

Kusaka Genrui put on an angry tone:

"Takasugi-kun, we are discussing serious matters now, please stay focused!"

Facing Kusaka Genrui's rebuke, Takasugi Shinsaku smiled indifferently:

"I'm sorry, I will pay more attention in the future. Kusaka-kun, where are you talking about now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone sitting next to him answered first:

"Takasugi-sama, we are now discussing the 'Nioh' Tachibana Aoden and his Shinsengumi."

Takasugi Shinsuke's thick eyebrows were raised upward.

"Ju Qingden... hum hum, what a familiar name."

Kusaka Genrui interjected:

"Takasugi-kun, if I remember correctly, you seem to have fought against Tachibana Aoden before?"

Takasugi Shinsaku nodded.

"That was more than 2 years ago. At that time, Tachibana Aoden was still the captain of the fire bandits Kai."

As he spoke, he raised the corners of his mouth with admiration in his tone.

"He's really skyrocketing now."

"First, he moved to the right and became a 'side minister and servant of the imperial government' who was stationed around the general. Then he was promoted again and became an 'envoy of the capital city' who was in charge of one side."

"Although Tachibana Aoden and I are incompatible enemies in terms of positions, I have to admit: his ability is indeed not small."

After hearing this, Kusaka Genrui curled his lips disdainfully and sneered:

"Hmph! No matter how powerful he is, he is still not a lackey of the shogunate!"

Takasugi Shinsaku shrugged "hum hum":

"Kusaka-kun, even if you are a running dog, you are still a running dog with sharp teeth and sharp claws that can easily tear apart human flesh, muscles, muscles, and flesh."

Takasugi Shinsaku's kind reminder did not change Kusaka Genrui's mind.

Rather, it even had the opposite effect.

"Takasugi-kun, you don't have to think so highly of that Tachibana Aoden."

Kusaka Genrui spread his hands, his face full of indifference.

"Looking at Tachibana Aoden's past achievements, he is just a martial artist who is very good at fighting!"

"In today's troubled times, just being good at fighting won't make a difference!"

"Except for briefly serving as the squad leader of the Huoshu Thieves Kai, Tachibana Aoden extremely lacks experience in building and leading an army!"

"Can he govern the Shinsengumi well? Can he control the Gyeonggi region? I'm disgusted by this!"

"How can the long-lasting chaos in Kyoto be solved by an outsider like him who just joined in?"

"To be honest, I'm just waiting to see his joke!"

"Perhaps it won't be long before he is punished by the shogunate for turning sand into rice, and then goes back to Edo in despair, hahahaha!"

Perhaps feeling that the atmosphere between Takasugi Shinsaku and Kusaka Genzui was becoming tense, the young samurai sitting next to Takasugi Shinsaku hurriedly changed the topic:

"Speaking of which, Tachibana Aoto's Shinsengumi is the same as Takasugi-sama's surprise troops. They are both armies that can be signed up by both samurai and civilians regardless of age or status."

Takasugi Shinsaku nodded.

"Indeed, it is said that there are female soldiers in Tachibana Aoden's Shinsengumi."

The young warrior continued:

"Although they are both soldiers and civilians mixed troops, in terms of overall strength, Takasugi-sama's surprise troops should be able to crush Tachibana Aoden's Shinsengumi, right?"

Takasugi Shinsaku laughed out loud when he heard this.

The corners of his mouth were raised in a smile, almost touching his ears, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Ito-kun, aren't you talking nonsense?"

…

…

The next day——

Wenjiu three years (1863), February 19——

Kyoto, Mibu-go, Shinsengumi's headquarters——

"Tachibana-kun, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

Sanako took small steps and stood in front of Aoto - she was now in "Yamato Nadeshiko mode".

Shimada bun, light blue kimono, white belt, and cute white socks covering soft and fragrant feet.

"It's okay, I just changed my clothes."

As he spoke, Qingden held the saber on his waist and raised his chin towards the entrance not far away.

"let's go."

Sanako took a look at Qingto's clothes.

"Are you really going to go out like this? Don't you put on some disguise? For example, wear a hat with a top and a low brim."

Qingden Wan'er:

"No need, this is not Edo. The folks in Kyoto don't know me yet, so there is no need to disguise myself."

Seeing is believing, hearing is believing - this is the unchanging truth.

Therefore, Qingdeng decided to conduct private visits incognito, go deep into the grassroots, and inspect the social order and people's livelihood conditions in Kyoto.

Although the name "Nioh" has been spread all over the world for a long time, due to the limited communication media, not everyone even in Ayoto's hometown of Edo knows what Nioh looks like.

Even the people of Edo are like this, so the people of Kyoto who live in the distant Western Kingdom have only heard of his name but never seen him.

Most of the people in Kyoto did not know what the famous Nioh looked like.

If you want to visit incognito privately, now is the best time.

Now that Qingden had said so, Sanako didn't say any more.

This is what Qingto said to Sanako in the women's bath last night, "what I need your help with" - to go with him for a private visit in private.

"Mr. Ju, if you want to have a private visit incognito, you alone are not enough. Why do you need me to accompany you?"

"Because I want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to go out alone with you after a long time."

"Your straightforward personality, which speaks out when you have something to say, sometimes makes people really confused..."

"So is it okay?"

"Uh, that..."

Sanako grabbed the bathtub by her legs and used the bathtub to cover her red face.

"May I?"

Qingdeng pressed forward step by step.

"Well……"

Sanako quietly revealed her eyes from behind the bathtub and peeked at Qingden shyly.

"...Well, okay."

In this way, the two walked side by side on the streets of Kyoto.

The geographical location of Mibu-go is very critical. To the south is Nishi Honganji Temple and to the north is Nijo Castle.

After leaving Mibu-go, Ayoto and Sanako first headed west, then turned to Horikawa-dori and headed north.

"Tachibana-kun, where are we going now?"

"Well... let's go have breakfast first."

As he spoke, Qingden looked around.

After a while, his eyes were fixed on a popular wagashi shop not far away.

"Sanako, do you want to eat wagashi?"

Sanako followed Qingto's line of sight and looked over, and after seeing the wagashi shop where many customers came early in the morning, she nodded lightly.

They agreed - the two of them strode towards the wagashi shop named "Goroya".

Lifting the door curtain, you can see the hot air coming from the shop due to the gathering of people.

Qingdeng found an empty table, and as soon as he sat down, he heard a familiar female voice above his head:

"Eh? Tachibana-kun?"

Qingden was stunned for a moment, then turned to look.

"Mrs. Gu Mu?"

Mrs. Komu—or A-Machi, covered her lips and smiled softly.

"Mrs. Komu... this title is really unpleasant. Just call me Miss Atachi!"

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Today is another big chapter with 7000+ chapters! Isn’t it too much to ask for a monthly ticket? (Crying leopard head.jpg)

Asking for a monthly ticket! Please vote for recommendation! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

PS: Sanako likes to use the method of "pouring cold water over the body" to reflect on herself - this setting was mentioned when Sanako first appeared on the stage, and this chapter can be regarded as echoing the foreshadowing.

Yesterday, after the unremitting efforts of Leopard, we finally found the approximate location on the map of Kyoto where the Shinsengumi is stationed! The place marked with the basketball hoop in the picture is Rensheng Township. Please see the commentary in this paragraph. I also posted this picture in the comment area of ​​Qidian. Because the picture quality has been suppressed, everyone can just watch it.