"Lord Nioh! We must defeat the traitor army and restore peace to Kyoto!"
"Be sure to triumph!"
"'Sincerity'? Why is the word 'sincerity' written on that flag? What does it mean?"
"It is said that in addition to uniforms, the Shinsengumi also has an official military flag... Could it be this big flag with the word 'Sincerity' written on it?"
"Hehehehe~ Don't you understand this? I know the meaning of this 'honesty' flag! Lord Nioh hopes that all the soldiers of the Shinsengumi will be loyal to their beliefs, implement the will of 'honesty', and live up to their expectations."
The name 'Shinsengumi'! Therefore, the word 'sincerity' is used as the symbol of the Shinsengumi!"
"Oh...it turns out it has such a deep meaning..."
"What a cool meaning!"
…
The bandit army with more than 10,000 troops is rushing towards Kyoto with great momentum... It is absolutely impossible for the soldiers and people in Kyoto not to feel worried after hearing this news.
After all... the "Ohio Heihachiro Uprising" that shocked the world was only 26 years ago.
Kyoto and Osaka are adjacent to each other. If you ride a fast horse, you can go back and forth between the two cities in one day.
At this time, the people of Kyoto can always receive the latest battle information as soon as possible.
Precisely because the distance between the two cities was extremely close, the people of Kyoto at that time were all afraid of being affected by the military disaster, so they packed up their belongings at home, or sought refuge with relatives in other places, or hid directly in the mountains.
Therefore, to this day, everyone over the age of 30, both inside and outside Kyoto, still remembers this far-reaching uprising.
The rebels led by Oshio Heihachiro and the shogunate troops who went to suppress the rebellion fought bloody and fierce battles in the streets of Osaka, and countless buildings were destroyed.
3,389 private houses alone were burned down, not counting palaces, temples, etc.
A total of 112 towns were burned, equivalent to 1/5 of the 620 towns in Osaka Sango.
No one wants to see the traitor army approaching the city, and no one wants the war to come to their doorstep.
Even if Aomori brought all the Shinsengumi officers with him, his strength would only be a little over a hundred.
Including the reinforcements from the Aizu Army, the total strength is less than 200.
With such a small force to face an army of tens of thousands... the leader of the rebel army can confidently say, "No matter how you put it, the battle strength is ten thousand versus two hundred! The advantage is mine!"
However, strangely enough, both the Shinsengumi soldiers and the people of Kyoto had great confidence in Aomori's expedition.
The Nioh will definitely be able to return with a great victory - a lot of people have this idea in mind.
This is the self-confidence that the name "Benevolent King" brings to them!
"Moo~~Moo~~"
Perhaps influenced by the warm atmosphere around him, Carrot held his fat head high and shouted happily.
This big black bull is already the royal mount of the governor of Gyeonggi Province.
In this case, it is natural to dress it up properly.
Qingdeng spent a lot of money to customize a purple blouse for Luo Bao and put it on him, making him look very powerful.
Qingden turned his head sideways and said to the young warrior behind him who was holding the "Sincerity Flag":
"Osuke-kun, you have to carry our military flag!"
The young warrior immediately responded loudly:
"Lord Nioh! Please rest assured!"
“From the moment I took over this flag, I made up my mind to ‘the people are there and the flag is there’!”
"As long as I, Masajiro Ozeki, have a breath, the 'honesty flag' will definitely flutter in the wind! It will never fall!"
Ozeki Masajiro—Aomori spent a lot of effort and repeatedly selected from various divisions of the Shinsengumi to finally find the ideal flag bearer.
Carrying the flag is no easy task.
Climb first, kill the general, capture the flag, and trap the enemy - the four major military achievements in ancient times.
The military flag is the soul of an army.
When the war started, the first person listed as the "primary attack target" by the enemy was Qingdeng himself, followed by the flag bearer responsible for carrying the military flag.
Those who carry the military flag must have enough courage.
Even if the enemy's blade is about to hit your neck, you must never throw away the military flag in your hand and run away.
In addition, you must have enough strength and your appearance should not be too ugly.
The latter is easier to understand.
The flag bearers represent the face of the army.
If you find a crooked melon and inferior jujube to carry the flag, you will make a fool of yourself.
Masajiro Oseki looks very good.
With thick eyebrows and big eyes, strong facial lines, a strong physique, and a tall stature - in Japan today, his height of 7.7 meters is considered very tall - he is a masculine man who is in line with the aesthetics of the Edo period.
Maybe it’s because of his special hair quality. Oseki Masajiro’s hair is very dark, thick, and shiny.
The hairstyle he wears is a standard Tsukiyo hairdo that looks like the incarnation of a textbook.
The bun on the top of his head is large and thick, very much like Egata's roll, and coupled with his masculine face, it looks even more majestic (mighty in the aesthetics of the Edo period).
[Note: Huifang roll: a relatively thick hand-rolled sushi]
If the fundamentalist "Tsukiyo-head lover" Chiba Jutaro saw it, he would definitely admire Oseki Masajiro's hairstyle.
Of course, the main reason why Qingdeng decided to entrust him with the task of carrying the flag was his extraordinary strength.
The length and width of the "Chengzi Flag" are 30 cm and 60 cm respectively.
As for the flagpole, Qingdeng specially selected imported solid mahogany. After it was made into a flagpole, the total height was nearly 5 meters.
Lifting such a high and heavy wooden pole high, straight, and steady, coupled with the huge flag stretching into the wind...this weight is not something that ordinary people can handle!
And Masajiro Oseki can easily control the "honest flag".
He can hold the "Cheng Zi Flag" high while walking smoothly and keeping a calm face. From the outside, he looks like a normal person, with steady breathing and firm and powerful steps... He is simply a born flag bearer!
After seeing Masajiro Ozeki easily raising the flag of sincerity with his own eyes, Aoto immediately decided: It’s up to you to carry the flag for the Shinsengumi!
Facts have proved that Qingdeng did not choose the wrong person.
Today, as soon as the "Chengzi Flag" was unveiled, it became the focus of the audience.
The reason why such an effect can be achieved must be attributed to Oseki Masajiro, who is responsible for carrying the flag and raising the flag high and stable.
"call……"
Qingdeng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled the translucent turbid mist.
After a while, he slowly opened his eyes... and looked up -
In the front and rear are the subordinates wearing light green feathers; on the left and right are the people who came to see him off.
"Nioh-sama" shouted one after another, surrounding him tightly.
To be honest...it was only at this moment that Qingdeng had the real feeling that "he was leading the troops to go on an expedition."
Somehow, he suddenly felt unspeakable pride welling up in his heart.
Suddenly, he unconsciously recalled Xin Qiji's famous saying:
——Think of those days, when we were strong and powerful, we could swallow thousands of miles like a tiger!
"Moo~~"
As if sensing his master's thoughts, Carrot turned his head and said "moo".
When Qingdeng saw this, he couldn't help but smile and joked secretly in his heart:
——It's a pity that I don't have a gold sword now, only a purple sword at my waist. The mount I ride on is not an iron horse, but an iron ox. I only have a hundred soldiers under my command, and I don't have the courage to swallow thousands of miles like a tiger.
.
Thinking of this, he paused.
Then, an elusive emotion emerged in his cheeks.
——If one day, the size of the troops I command is more than a hundred times that of today, then... what will it be like?
…
…
From Kyoto to Nara, it is a large stretch of smooth road with no obstructing mountains or hills, so you can travel quickly.
After leaving Kyoto, the Shinsengumi marched quickly and arrived in Nara in only one day.
Nara is to Japan what Luoyang is to China. It was both the former national capital and an important cultural capital.
The capital of Japan, Heijōkyō, was built here in the 8th century. This historical period with Nara as the capital was the Nara period (710-784).
After the capital was moved to Heian Kyo...which is today's Kyoto, Nara was called Nanto and developed as the center of Japanese Buddhism.
There is Osaka in the south and Kyoto in the north... sandwiched between two of the three capitals. Such an awkward location makes Nara's status weird.
Economy, population... No matter in any aspect, Nara cannot be compared with Kyoto and Osaka. It can only rely on its "long history" to maintain its sense of existence.
However, even this brand of housekeeping was ruthlessly crushed by Kyoto.
So as early as the Edo period, there was a hell joke similar to this circulating: Kyoto people ranked first on the list of "the guys Nara people want to kill most".
When the Shinsengumi arrived in Nara, it was getting dark.
With a wave of his hand, Qingteng handed over the complicated task of "arranging the soldiers to check into the hotel in an orderly manner" to Shannan Keisuke.
This is not because Qingdeng is lazy and wants to be a hands-off shopkeeper.
As the chief of the General Affairs Department who coordinates the internal affairs of the Shinsengumi, this is Shannan Keisuke's job.
Although Qingdeng did not feel tired after riding the oxen for a whole day, it still gave him a strong desire to lie down in a soft quilt as soon as possible.
Just when he was about to go back to his room to rest, Qinghe Hachiro suddenly came to him and suggested:
"Tachibana-sama, it's rare to come to Nara, so why not go to Kasuga Taisha Shrine and pray to the gods for victory!"
Kasuga Taisha Shrine - There are more than a thousand Kasuga Shrines throughout Japan, and the main shrine is Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara.
It was built in the second year of Wadotsu (710) by Fujiwara Fujiwara and others. It was built as the patron saint of the then-powerful Fujiwara family. The shrine is also famous for its vines. It is the same as Ise Jingu Shrine and Ishikimizu.
Together, Hachimangu Shrine is known as the three major shrines in Japan. The gods enshrined in the shrine include Takeo Tsutsumi no Mikoto, Suzuzu no Mikoto, Tenjiya Gen no Mikoto, and Hisaigami.
There is a legend that Takeo Tsumugi "came on a deer", so Kasuga Taisha Shrine regards the deer as the messenger of the god.
For this reason, there are many deer around Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
After listening to Qinghe Hachilang's suggestion, Qingden was startled for a moment, and then thought about it.
"Would you like to pray to the gods...well, that's fine! Then go to Kasuga Taisha Shrine and make a wish!"
Just leave as soon as he said it... Aoto brought along the staff officer Hachiro Kiyokawa who made the suggestion, the deputy chief Hijikata Toshizo, the director Isamu Kondo, the chief commander Yamanan Keisuke who had just finished his work, and the captains of the Bato team, and they went straight to the scene without stopping.
Go to Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
Halfway through, Hijikata Toshizo found the right opportunity and asked Qingnobo with a puzzled look on his face:
"Ju, when did you become interested in gods and Buddhas? Haven't you always disbelieved in such things?"
Qingdeng smiled slightly.
"I still don't believe in gods and Buddhas. The reason why I pray for victory is just to seek good luck."
Before he finished speaking, an intriguing look flashed across his eyes...
…
…
After the news came that "the governor of Gyeonggi Province will visit the shrine and pray to the gods", Kasuga Taisha Shrine suddenly became busy.
The priest of Kasuga Taisha Shrine went out in person to greet Aoto.
"Your Majesty, the governor, I am sorry for missing you so far. I hope you can forgive me!"
Qingdeng showed a friendly smile and responded eagerly one by one.
Because he always went to Tsukinomiya Shrine in the past, Qingto learned a lot about Shintoism under the influence of his ears and eyes.
The shrine is the most important building in a shrine, and is generally divided into three types: the main hall, the coin hall, and the worship hall.
The main hall is also called the main hall. It usually houses the body of the god, offers food and royal coins, and is the place where the god lives. The main hall is the most sacred part of the shrine and humans are prohibited from entering.
The worship hall is a place for worship and prayer. Generally, worship is performed outside the worship hall, and formal worship is performed inside the worship hall.
The coin hall, also known as the middle hall, is located between the main hall and the worship hall and is used to worship coins and silk.
After making simple greetings, the God Lord led Qingdeng and others and slowly walked towards the worship hall.
Everyone except Qingdeng stayed outside the temple.
Qingdeng and the Lord of God entered the temple side by side.
The god closed his eyes, faced the shrine with a respectful expression, and uttered a congratulatory message as if singing:
"By the orders of the great god Rakigami Rumei, the original god of high heaven, and the order of Izanagi, the emperor's ancestor god, Awakihara, who built the Purple Hinata Orange Gate, and the great gods of the Ushu who were born from the body of the Uzumaki, purify and purify all disasters and sins.
Dirty, I am afraid to worship the eight million gods of the Tianjin Kingdom, and they will beg like a spotted horse in the sky and listen to them..."
After about a few minutes, the congratulations came to an end.
The Lord God stood aside quietly and indicated with his eyes that Qingden could pray.
Qingdeng stepped forward, clasped his hands and closed his eyes.
"The descendants of the Minamoto family, the envoys of the Edo shogunate's Gyeonggi town, are sincerely afraid of worshiping Kasuga Taisha Shrine's nobility of the war urn, the nobility of the Suzu master, the nobility of the Tenner house and the nobility of Bisei."
His opening remarks were perfect.
Not only is it very elegant, but the words show reverence for the gods.
The Lord God looked satisfied and nodded gently.
However... after just one breath, the expression of the God Master froze.
"Let me tell you... you guys are really good at free rice."
As Qingdeng spoke, he put down his clasped hands and opened his eyes, staring straight at the shrine.
"Thousands of sentient beings are struggling and suffering, but you are standing high above, watching all this."
"Aside from shamelessly enjoying the offerings of others, I have never seen you do anything beneficial to the common people."
"After all, it's just a bunch of clay statues and wood carvings."
"Open your eyes! Show me everything!"
"I, Tachibana Moriharu, will definitely accomplish great things that will stun you bunch of losers!"
In order to show his respect for the gods, Qingden called out his real name "Tachibana Moriharu".
After saying that, with a "whoosh" sound, Qingden shook off the feathers on his body and walked away without looking back, towards the stunned people standing outside the hall.
"Okay, I have prayed to the gods for victory!"
"You may not believe it, but I have already heard God's reply!"
Having said this, Qingdeng raised his right hand, put his five fingers together in an arc, and put them close to his ear.
"They said: Brave Bando warrior, go ahead and do it! You will definitely win!"
"What nonsense are you talking about!"*14
Everyone, including Souji, Sanako, and Mai Kinoshita, said this in unison.
"Are you praying for victory, or are you declaring war on the gods..."
Sanako put his hand on his forehead, a look of helplessness on his handsome face.
*******
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This chapter originally wanted Qingteng to go to the temple to get high...
