Chapter 835 The war begins! Changzhou conquers Gyeonggi! 4600
Judging from the various evidence currently available, Changzhou is probably related to the Fanzhu Party.
According to Souji and others, Hannya had very obvious actions to protect Katsura Kogoro during the Battle of Ikedaya.
Although Hannya's tone was obviously unkind and impatient when talking to Katsura Kogoro, when Katsura Kogoro was in crisis, he did step forward and help Katsura Kogoro escape from Ikeda House.
It is not yet known whether the current relationship between Changzhou and the Fazhu Party is "in-depth cooperation" or "initial contact."
However, it is a definite fact that "Changzhou colluded with the Pazhu Party".
As soon as Boss Kiryu finished speaking, Aoden said bluntly:
"'Finish it with him'?"
"Boss Kiryu, please forgive me - you probably don't have the ability to end things with the other party now."
"Seven years ago, you tried your best and could only draw with him."
"Now, 7 years have passed."
"You are older and your body is aging."
"And he is in his prime, at a time when his body and strength are rapidly increasing."
"With all this going on and on, how can you be sure to end it with him?"
"How about you carry a revolver?"
Qingdeng said while making a "shoot" gesture.
"Look for the opportunity and give him a few shots. Maybe you can win by surprise."
Boss Kiryu burst out laughing.
"Mr. Ju, a mere pistol can't do anything to a master of his level."
"If you want to use firearms to subdue him, at least a musketry team of more than 10 people must be mobilized."
After saying this, Boss Kiryu let out a deep breath, and then showed an extremely refreshing expression.
"You're not the first person to tell me to stop."
"My lord, Makimura... everyone advised me not to think too hard. I'm already old and don't want to die."
"I also know that my lord, she secretly gave an order to the team responsible for finding Keji: Once Keji is found, there is no need to talk to him about martial arts, just kill him with firearms."
"The reason is to get rid of Keji quickly before me."
"I appreciate your kindness."
"However, my determination will not change."
"The reason why I insist on ending things with Katsumi is not just a battle of wills."
"As I just said, this is the bitter fruit I planted myself."
"This is my responsibility."
"This is a battle I have to face."
"If I escape, I'm afraid I won't be able to let go of this regret until I die."
"Besides..."
Having said this, Boss Kiryu paused.
When he spoke again, there was a hint of joking in his tone.
"Although I am an old man with buried eyebrows, I have always been a swordsman at heart."
"The last battle between Katsumi and I was really not fun enough."
"Deep in my heart, I have been secretly looking forward to another hearty duel with my beloved disciple without leaving any regrets!"
"Whether it's success or failure."
"This is the evil result I planted myself, and it is also the battle I started."
"No matter what the outcome is, I will happily accept it."
After saying that, Boss Kiryu slowly stood up.
"Okay, I've finished telling all the stories that need to be told."
"Haha...telling stories is also quite tiring."
"Especially an unpleasant story like this."
"I'm a little tired, so I went down to rest first."
"Ji Jun, you should go and rest early."
After leaving these words, he turned around with a complicated expression and took big steps.
Within a moment, his figure disappeared at the end of the courtyard...
…
…
"..."
Qingdeng moved forward mechanically.
He looked calm on the surface.
But in fact, his mind has drifted far away and he is walking forward based on instinct.
For this reason, he didn't even hear the footsteps coming from his side
"An Yi, long time no see."
Qingto was stunned for a moment, then turned around to look - Kinoshita Rin was walking towards him leisurely with her hands behind her back.
"Grandma, long-awaited greetings, how are you doing?"
Kinoshita Lin nodded lightly:
"Except for the fact that the weather is too hot and makes people feel irritated, everything is fine."
As she spoke, she moved to Qingdeng's side and walked side by side.
"How's Ah Wu doing? Has her frequent cramping in her legs gotten better?"
When talking about A Wu, her always tense facial lines suddenly became a little softer.
Qingdeng smiled bitterly:
"After forcing her to eat more shrimp shells, her problem has improved a lot."
"However...she now has a strong prejudice against shrimps, saying that she 'never wants to eat shrimps again in this life'."
Kinoshita Rin said half amused, half helplessly:
"She is already a mother. Why is she still acting like a child?"
After the two exchanged a few words, Kinoshita Rin suddenly fell silent for a moment.
After a while, she changed the subject:
"Kuroro...has he told you everything?"
"..."
Qingdeng didn't reply, only nodded vigorously.
"That's it... I guess, he must have said something to you, 'This is the evil result I planted myself', 'I have to face it', etc., right?"
Qingdeng nodded again:
"Yes, you are absolutely right."
Upon hearing this, Kinoshita Lin let out a long sigh, and then showed a depressed expression as if she hated iron.
"Sigh... You are already so old, why are you still acting like a reckless young man?"
"An Yi, you probably don't know. Even though Kuro always looks mature and steady, when he gets aggressive, it's harder to persuade him than anyone else."
Speaking of this, Kinoshita Lin sighed again.
"It doesn't matter...at this point, no matter how much you complain, it's useless."
At this time, the two happened to come to a fork in the road.
Kinoshita Lin paused and turned to look at the fork in the road on the right.
"Tachibana-kun, can you take a walk with me?"
Qingdeng replied almost without thinking:
"sure."
An old man and a young man turned to the right and were silent all the way.
After a while, a beautiful courtyard with colorful colors came into Qingdeng's eyes.
The weather is beautiful today and the sunshine is soft. It is a good time to visit the garden and enjoy the scenery.
However, both young and old were drunks and did not even take a look at the beautiful scenery around them.
They strolled among the flowers... Suddenly, Kinoshita Lin said quietly:
"Kenji is a person with an extreme personality."
"This kind of innate character flaw cannot be corrected by giving him a few words of advice or teaching him."
"Even if it seems to be corrected, it is mostly an illusion."
"Whether it is Kuro's fault that Denji went astray is difficult to say."
"In short, I am only sure of one thing - I don't want Kuro to encounter any danger."
"Kuro, Yapachi, Shichirobei, Katsirokuro...the four of them followed me when I was a teenage girl."
"They are both my companions and my precious family."
"We have gone through countless winds and rains together, experienced countless hardships, and now we are able to live together safely until now... Thinking about it now, it is really like a miracle."
"I hope they can spend the rest of their lives in peace and pass away contentedly without regrets."
"Shichirohei and Katsurokuro are old. They eat, sleep, and eat every day. They live happily."
"Only Kuro and Yahachi are left to worry me."
"Both of them are restless people. I asked them to just be fools, but they refused to listen to me."
"Especially Kuro."
"The grudge between him and Ke Ji really made me gray with worry."
Hearing this, Qingdeng couldn't help but squint his eyes and look at the other party's extremely snow-white hair with no trace of color with a strange expression.
Your hair is already very white - Qingden resisted the urge to complain like this.
"'Finding a break with Katsumi' has become an obsession of Kuro's."
"If we don't let him give up this obsession, he will probably die in peace."
"Alas...there is nothing we can do."
"The matter has come to this, and I have no other choice but to let nature take its course..."
After finishing speaking, Kinoshita Lin stopped.
Qingdeng also paused.
Kinoshita Rin raised her gaze and looked directly at Qingto, their eyes facing each other.
"Tachibana-kun, if you can... help Kuro as much as possible."
Kinoshita Rin, who usually presented herself as serious, solemn, and majestic, now had a look of pleading on her face.
"Kuroro would rather break with Keji than hand over Vairocana to him.
"Kenji is not qualified to hold a sword, but you can wear it on your waist - Kuro's trust in you and your status in Kuro's heart are beyond words!"
"I'm sure that for Kuro, you have surpassed Katsumi!"
"We cannot interfere in the dispute between Kuro and Katsumi."
"But you are different."
"If it were you, you might be able to do things that we can't do."
"If you can do anything for Jiulang someday in the future, please feel free to lend a helping hand."
After Qingteng listened, he was half impressed by Kinoshita Lin's sincere attitude, and half felt inspired. With a solemn expression, he said sonorously:
"Grandma, you are serious."
"Boss Kiryu is not only my swordsman, but also my closest and most beloved elder."
"To be honest, I don't know exactly what I can do for Boss Kiryu."
"However, I can assure you - the young man who was favored by him has now flourished! His arms are enough to protect him behind him!"
…
…
Choshu Domain, Hagi Castle (the feudal hall of Choshu Domain)——
"I will not avenge this! I am not worthy of being a son of man!"
"That's right! We want revenge! We must take revenge!"
"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!"
"Eastern Expedition! Hit the capital! Hit Qinjin! Pull off Ju Qingden's head!"
"Kill the demon of Qin! Destroy the traitor! Exterminate the traitor!"
"Kill the demon of Qin! Destroy the traitor! Exterminate the traitor!"
"Kill the demon of Qin! Destroy the traitor! Exterminate the traitor!"
…
The series of impacts brought to Choshu by the "Ikedaya Incident" have not diminished with the passage of time, but have intensified.
Miyabe Daizo, Yoshida Minoru and others were not only rebellious traitors, but also tried to burn down Kyoto and kidnap the emperor, which was adding insult to injury.
Therefore, they were all sentenced to death - their heads were cut off and placed in Sanjoheyuan. Their crimes were clearly written on the sheets. Their heads were not to be removed for less than 30 days to serve as a warning to others.
[Note: Sheza: In the Edo period, the name, age, birthplace, crime, etc. of the executed prisoner were recorded and published, and a wooden notice board was erected at the execution site and other places for thirty days after the execution]
Beheading in public... is almost full of insults.
During this period, some people with lofty ideals, or those who sympathized with the Zunbo faction, tried to snatch back the heads of Miyabe Daizo and others.
Seito, who was well prepared for this, deployed heavy troops to guard Sanjo Kawara.
These people who came to snatch the head vividly performed a gourd doll to save grandpa - giving it away one by one.
After this string of bad news reached Changzhou, the entire vassal was immediately in an uproar.
In recent years, the Zunbang faction, which has suffered repeated defeats, has really been under too much pressure.
The Shimonoseki War - was destroyed by the combined fleet of the United States and France, and the coastal defense forces were completely lost. How many faces showed how big eyes were.
Coup d'état on August 18th - the Allied Forces of Hoisa were driven out of Kyoto, and the friendly Tenchu Group was also defeated by the Shinsengumi and was completely annihilated.
The continuous failures and the contempt of the world have long made the patriots of Changzhou full of anger.
They are eager to prove their strength and prove that the "soul of Changzhou" is still alive.
Before the anger subsided, another disastrous defeat ushered in - the "Ikedaya Incident" was like a cluster of flames, completely igniting the "powder keg"!
For a time, there was a great uproar.
"Launch the Eastern Expedition", "Let the Shinsengumi pay with blood", "Eradicate the Qinjin Clan and turn Tachibana Aoden's head into a wine cup"... all kinds of radical remarks resounded throughout the streets and alleys of Hagi City.
Of course, it’s not like there are no people who understand.
Now that things have happened, many people have seen the reality clearly - if our Changshu is really so awesome, with the ability to punch Qin Huisa and kick the shogunate, then the previous Shimonoseki War and the August 18th Coup
, we wouldn’t have lost so miserably.
If we launch an Eastern Expedition, it will be equivalent to fighting on someone else's home turf, challenging Qinjin, Aizu and Satsuma with the power of a single vassal. The time, location, people and we don't occupy them. How can we win?
As we all know, when "fanaticism" becomes the mainstream, "reason" becomes a sin.
The completely "crazy" Changzhou patriots could no longer listen to these rational voices.
Changshu patriots once again launched their traditional performing arts——
As long as we show the "soul of Changzhou", everything will be fine!
What? Do you dare to object?
National traitor!Death!!
…
…
Choshu Domain, Hagi Castle, Castle Tower——
The feudal lord, Yoshiuchi Mori, sat on the main seat.
The ministers headed by Hisaka Genzui and Katsura Kogoro sat on both sides below.
As soon as the meeting started, fierce arguments could be heard.
"Kusaka-kun! Stop hesitating! Fight!"
"Yes! The shogunate has put a knife on our necks!"
"It's better to 'strike first' than to 'be controlled by the enemy'!"
Kurushima Uhei, Maki Izumi...the voices of these radicals became louder than the last, and they all urged Kusaka Genzui to send troops, launch an Eastern Expedition, occupy Gyeonggi by military means, and recapture the emperor.
Hisaka Genrui lowered his head and stared at the floor in front of his knees, his face expressionless and silent.
The person who also didn't say a word was Takasugi Shinsaku.
He was holding his precious shamisen, as if he was aloof from the incident, dazed.
In such a fanatical environment, only Katsura Kogoro made a different voice:
"'Eastern March'? Don't be stupid!"
"Where can we get the military power to defeat Qin Huisa and occupy the capital?!"
"Wake up! Stop dreaming!"
"This is not called 'preemptive strike'! This is called rushing to death!"
Although he is small and weak, Katsura Kogoro still makes every effort to prevent the war.
Katsura Kogoro knew very well that the only way to stop the war was to convince Kusaka Gensui.
Therefore, he always stared at Kusaka Genrui across from him, and his heartfelt words were all addressed to him.
Gensui Kusaka is the leader of the radical faction, and radicals all follow his lead.
As long as he shakes his head in opposition, war can be nipped in the bud.
But on the other hand, if he nodded in agreement...
In the midst of this commotion, Gensui Kusaka, who had been motionless since just now, finally reacted.
He slowly raised his head, his face still expressionless, making it impossible to guess his inner thoughts.
In fact, it no longer matters what he thinks in his heart.
Because at the same time he raised his head, he said loudly without sadness or joy:
"Issue a mobilization order! Assemble all the troops of the vassal and begin the Eastern Expedition!"
After saying that, he turned to look at Maori Qingqin on the main seat.
"My lord, what do you think?"
Maori's response to the wedding was just as expected.
As soon as Kusaka Genrui finished speaking, he immediately said:
"Okay, so be it!"
…
…
On the same day, the news of "the start of the Eastern Expedition" spread throughout Choshu, and then quickly spread throughout Japan.
After hearing this news, everyone who has a little knowledge of Japanese history is keenly aware that since the Summer Battle of Osaka (1615), after more than two hundred years, Kinai will once again become a battlefield for great names.
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PS: Following the "Ikedaya Incident" came the "Forbidden Gate Incident" - Choshu launched the Eastern Expedition to attack Gyeonggi Province - these two incidents were strung together, with the former being the trigger for the latter.
