War is imminent, and the whole city is fleeing... Against this background, I saw a middle-aged couple leisurely enjoying the cool air by the river, eating Japanese confectionery, talking and laughing like no one else...
I have to say that the contrast was so visually impactful that Qingdeng even thought he was dazzled.
Compared to the stunned Qingto, Souji's reaction at this time was much simpler.
After experiencing a brief surprise, her beautiful eyes were fixed on the plate of fragrant Japanese confectionery, which made her feel sweet just by smelling it.
"Mr. Gu Mu, haven't you...haven't received the news yet?"
Qingdeng asked as he moved to the side of Gu Mu and his wife.
Komu Goro tilted his head:
"News? What news?"
"The Changzhou Army is coming!"
In order to achieve the best alerting effect, Qing Deng specially changed his face and put on a serious tone.
"This time, they made a lot of noise."
"Kusaka Genzui has issued a general mobilization order to mobilize all the troops of the vassal."
"The total strength of the army is less than 10,000!"
"Although we will definitely keep the Choshu Army out of Kyoto, if we fail, one or two artillery shells will fall into the town, or one or two groups of soldiers will rush in."
"In short, Kyoto is not safe now. You should run away for your lives."
"If you have nowhere to go, I can help."
Needless to say, the horror of the military disaster is needless to say.
Soldiers...especially those who have lost the battle, are in danger, and are full of negative emotions are no different from animals.
In order to vent the pressure and pain in their hearts, they are willing to have a good time before meeting the King of Hell.
Therefore, the Gumu couple...or to put it bluntly: Mrs. Gumu is dangerous.
Qingdeng does not know the exact age of Mrs. Gumu.
Ah Wu has been in contact with this couple since she was a child. Counting this way, Mrs. Gu Mu is at least forty or fifty years old.
Although he is not young, he still looks young due to proper maintenance and natural beauty.
At first glance, he seems to be only 36 or 7 years old at most.
A beautiful woman who looks like she is in her thirties...the so-called "mature woman temptation" is nothing more than that!
Goro Komaki, who has such a beautiful wife but has not yet left Kyoto, is like a three-year-old child strutting through the city with a gold ingot in his arms.
In any case, this couple can be regarded as Qingdeng's acquaintances.
Both emotionally and rationally, Qingdeng could not just sit back and watch them put themselves in danger.
Faced with Qingden's kind reminder, Goro Komaki did not show any panic, but instead chuckled a few times:
"Oh, so that's what happened."
"Ji Jun, thank you for your kind reminder."
"I have heard about the 'Changzhou Eastern Expedition' for a long time."
Qingdeng couldn't help but take over the conversation:
"Since you've heard about it a long time ago, why haven't you left here yet? Go home and pack your luggage. It's not too late to leave now."
Goro Komaki smiled again.
"I am not unaware of the horrors of military disasters."
"It's just that our Japanese confectionery shop is our lifelong efforts."
"I really can't bear to leave him alone."
He was unwilling to flee because he couldn't bear to leave his own shop... This kind of behavior that wanted money rather than his life made Qingdeng startled.
However, Qingdeng was not unable to understand their thoughts.
In the feudal era, opening a store was not an easy task.
For "husband-and-wife teams" like the Gu Mu couple, the shop is both their place to eat and their home.
No matter which country you are in, at any time, there will be no shortage of scumbags who are struggling to make money for the country.
In recent days, Qingdeng has received many reports of "bandits taking advantage of the empty city of Kyoto and robbing homes and buildings everywhere."
Even though Seito has strengthened the police patrolling the city, there will always be times when Kyoto is so huge.
When the war begins and the situation becomes unprecedentedly chaotic, it will be even more difficult to take care of Kyoto's security.
Abandoning the store to flee, only to find that the store had been looted when I came back... This feeling is really heartbreaking!
To sum up, it is easier said than done to make people abandon the shops where their whole family depends on for survival.
Despite this, Qingdeng still couldn't bear to see Gu Mu and his wife put themselves in danger:
"Mr. Gu Mu, having said that, your life is at stake."
"If the money is gone, you can make more money, but if the people are gone, there is nothing."
"If you are reluctant to part with the shop, I can send someone to help you move all the valuables in the shop."
Komu Goro waved his hand:
"Ji Jun, I appreciate your kindness."
"My wife and I have made up our minds - we will not leave."
"Once people get older, they like to stay in one place and don't like to move around and toss back and forth."
Speaking of this, he seemed to have remembered something, paused for a moment, and then changed to a semi-joking tone:
"Ju-kun, you don't have to worry about us."
"First of all, those rebel soldiers and bandits may not be able to cause chaos in Kyoto."
"Even if there are one or two groups of rebels and bandits breaking into Kyoto, I won't be afraid of them."
"Don't look at me like this. I have learned some swordsmanship and know a thing or two about swordsmanship."
As he spoke, he stretched out the index fingers of both hands, wrapped the index finger of his left hand with his right palm, straightened his right index finger, and made a "holding a sword" gesture.
"These thieves only know how to bully the weak and fear the strong."
"Let them bully the weak, and they will be very active; when they encounter tough trouble, they will immediately scatter."
"No matter what happens, we still have the 'Kyoto Tengu'!"
Kyoto Tengu—the name was unheard of, and Aoto was stunned for a moment.
"'Kyoto Tengu'? What is this?"
In Chinese mythology, the Tengu is a strange beast, which is recorded in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas·Western Mountains".
In Japanese mythology, Tengu is a creature with powerful supernatural powers.
The general view in Japan is that Tengu has a tall and long red nose and a red face, holding a uranium fan, a feather fan or a mallet, tall, wearing a "yamabushi", with wings on its back, a samurai sword hanging from its waist, and wearing traditional Japanese clothing.
Wear high wooden clogs and carry a raincoat with you so that you can hide yourself at any time.
Tengu usually live in the deep mountains. They have unimaginable strange powers and supernatural powers, as well as an arrogant attitude.
In the eyes of the Japanese, Tengu is a mysterious existence that is both good and evil. It is both a terrifying monster and a respected god.
Throughout the ages, myths and legends related to Tengu have emerged one after another.
The most famous Tengu legend is "The Ghost of Kurama Mountain".
It is said that at the end of the Heian period, after the young Minamoto Yoshitsune was forced to have his family destroyed by the Taira clan, a tengu called "Oni Ippōgan" in Mount Kurama took Minamoto Yoshitsune into his care.
From then on, Minamoto Yoshitsune learned martial arts, war art, and sorcery from Oni Ichibōgan, and acquired powerful skills, and finally succeeded in annihilating the Taira family and avenging bloodshed.
Of course, legends are just legends after all.
The so-called Tengu is just a fantasy creature and cannot be taken seriously.
Facing Qingden's question, Goro Komu raised his eyebrows:
“Tachibana-kun, you don’t know ‘Kyoto Tengu’?”
"Well, it's no wonder."
"After all, the 'Kyoto Tengu' hasn't appeared for a long time."
After saying that, Goro Komaki sat upright for a moment, cleared his throat, and then said:
"As the name suggests, 'Kyoto Tengu' is a tengu living in Kyoto."
"Although it bears the name of Tengu, it is not a monster."
"Essentially, he is just a powerful samurai wearing a tengu mask and a raincoat, dressed like a tengu."
"Whenever there are villains doing evil in or around Kyoto, the 'Kyoto Tengu' will step forward to punish the evil and promote the good."
"According to legend, one of his most famous battles was when he single-handedly eliminated a group of bandits entrenched in the northern suburbs of Kyoto."
"Because it is so powerful that it is almost a demon, that's why people call it the 'Kyoto Tengu'."
Speaking of this, Goro Komaki changed into a serious tone:
"It is said that under the mask of the 'Kyoto Tengu', there is a fresh and handsome face."
"Not only that, I heard that his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world."
"He is handsome and powerful, and he is married to the most beautiful woman in the world. How enviable he is!"
As soon as Goro Komaki finished speaking, the director behind him suddenly said:
"'Kyoto Tengu'...ah! I remembered it! I have heard the story of 'Kyoto Tengu' before!"
The chief's voice was a little unclear... Qingden turned around and saw that the chief had been eating happily under the hospitality of Mrs. Gumu!
She sat cross-legged next to the plate of Japanese confectionery given by the Komu couple, grabbing a Japanese confectionery in each hand and eating it happily. Her cheeks were bulging, like a squirrel collecting supplies for the winter.
Mrs. Gumu watched happily, saying "eat slowly, don't be in a hurry", and from time to time she raised her hand to smooth the light ponytail behind the head of the chief executive.
Qingden found that Mrs. Komu seemed to be a very maternal person and loved juniors like Souji and Amu very much.
Souji was eating like this and said quickly:
"When I was patrolling the streets in Kyoto before, I heard the story of the 'Kyoto Tengu' from several old people."
"Once upon a time, there was indeed such a righteous man."
"Many people have seen him in person."
"His image is very unique - he wears a red tengu mask on his face, wears an old raincoat, he is quite tall, and wears a pair of long and short blue and gold swords on his waist. He is agile and can come and go like the wind."
"According to what those old people said, the 'Kyoto Tengu' hasn't appeared for a long time."
“At present, only some older people still remember the name ‘Kyoto Tengu’.”
At this point, Souji happened to swallow the wagashi that filled her entire mouth.
After her voice became clearer, she continued:
"Although I don't know whether it's true or not, those old people said that the true identity of the 'Kyoto Tengu' is actually the 'Eternal Sword Master' Ogata Issei!"
"They say Ogata Issei lived in seclusion in Kyoto."
"Although Ogata Issei has become a recluse, he still retains the chivalrous spirit of the past and took great pleasure in helping those in danger."
"The reason why there is such a statement seems to be well-founded."
"The sword technique used by the 'Kyoto Tengu' is a two-sword style that is good at fighting one enemy with many - this is exactly the same as Ogata Issei."
At this point, Qingdeng finally understood.
Overall, the "Kyoto Tengu" is indeed a real person.
Because he is powerful, punishes evil and promotes good, he is a good partner of justice, so he once had a lot of fame.
The general public has always been keen to beautify and even deify these heroic figures.
As a result, as the reputation of the "Kyoto Tengu" gradually increased, all kinds of speculations and good words were attached to it.
What is "a handsome face under the mask"?
What about "the wife is the most beautiful woman in the world"?
Why "his true identity is Ogata Yoshi who lives in seclusion in Edo"?
It can also be seen from here that the common people really miss Ogata Ittousai who was so high-spirited and created countless legends.
I sincerely hope that this legendary sword master is still alive and can still eradicate evil as he did back then.
Whether the "Kyoto Tengu" is Ogata's own power or not - this point will not be discussed for the time being.
Since the "Kyoto Tengu" has not appeared for a long time, maybe this person has left Kyoto or is no longer alive.
In any case, it is definitely not worthwhile to place the hope of protecting Kyoto and maintaining public order on this righteous man who does not know life and death.
Komaki Goro actually expected the "Kyoto Tengu" to save them from fire and water in times of crisis... Aintō only regarded his words as a joke.
Qingdeng gathered his thoughts and asked again without giving up:
"Mr. Gu Mu, are you...really unwilling to leave?"
Goro Komaki smiled and shook his head without any hesitation.
The other party's attitude was extremely resolute, and under such circumstances, Qingdeng was embarrassed to continue forcing it.
"In that case, Mr. Gu Mu, you should take care of yourself."
"If you encounter any critical situation, go to the Shinsengumi camp in Rensheng Township."
As Qingdeng spoke, he took out a piece of paper and a charcoal pen he carried with him and wrote his name on them.
Then, he took out the official seal that he also carried with him from the seal cage at his waist and printed it on the pocket paper.
"Mr. Komu, when you get to the Shinsengumi camp in Rensheng Township, show this piece of paper to the guards and they will let you in for shelter."
Komaki Goro reached out and took it, took a look at it and put it in his arms:
"Ju-kun, thank you for your gift!"
"You're welcome, it's just a little effort."
"I will keep it well."
"Don't keep it! If you encounter a critical moment, you must take it out and use it!"
After chatting with the couple for a few more words, Aoto led the general manager and left - business was more important, and they had to continue to survey the streets and towns of Kyoto.
The Souji was actually a little reluctant to give up, looking at the plate of unfinished wagashi longingly with a melancholy look on his face.
Thanks to the old shepherd woman saying "I will send you some wagashi later" when they were saying goodbye, the general manager was able to change his mood and smile again.
——Let’s send more people to protect the Japanese confectionery shop of the Komu couple.
Qingdeng was thinking secretly in his heart.
Putting aside his friendship with Gu Mu and his wife, even if it was just for Ah Wu, he could not just sit back and watch the other party suffer.
Ah Wu is very close to them, especially Mrs. Gu Mu. As soon as she sees Ah Wu, she will immediately rush towards him and hug him passionately, and Ah Wu will hug him back warmly.
In order to prevent Amu from being sad and sad in the future, Qingden was happy to see the Komaki couple's confectionery shop become one of the safest places in Kyoto.
…
…
It is worth mentioning that in addition to the Gyeonggi vassals, there were also Owari Clan, Echizen Clan and other major vassals from other places who sent troops to participate in the war.
As troops from each domain arrived in Kyoto one after another, an army of staggering size had been assembled on the outskirts of Kyoto!
According to statistics, the vassal states that sided with the shogunate and sent troops to participate in this battle are -
Thirty thousand soldiers... In Japan in the feudal era, this was an incredible army!
Of course, Changzhou is not vegetarian either.
After the "August 18th Coup", in order to resist the shogunate and Western powers, Choshu has been actively preparing for war with a "total war" mentality.
After more than half a year of war preparations, they have accumulated sufficient supplies and mobilized all available military resources.
With an order from Kusaka Genrui, all the manpower and material resources prepared in the past six months were put on the gambling table!
All the warriors, peasants and soldiers of the vassal, as well as the lofty ideals who came from other places to defect, all went into battle!
Total strength: twelve thousand!
Time passes...
Finally, on August 16, Changzhou sent troops!
The 12,000 troops were divided into three groups.
Ie Lao Fukuhara Echigo led 3,000 people from Mitajiri, eastward along the Seto Inland Sea, to Fushimi, south of Kyoto.
Shinano, the former head of the Imperial Army, led 3,000 men as the second army, heading towards Saga Tenryuji Temple in the west of Kyoto.
Ie Lao Masudaemonsuke led the main force of 6,000 people from Yamaguchi to take charge of the third army, heading towards Yamazaki southwest of Kyoto.
Changshu's strategic intention is very obvious - to surround Kyoto from the west, south and southwest!
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PS: According to historical facts, the size of the Changzhou Army in the "Forbidden Gate Incident" was actually very small, with a total strength of only 1,200. The scale of the battle in this book is purely exaggerated.
However, at the beginning of this volume, it is clearly stated that all the vassals in the Western Kingdom are working hard to prepare for war and deploy troops. In historical facts, Changzhou sent troops in a hurry, so there were few troops; in this book, Changzhou was well prepared, so there were many troops. Very rigorous!
