Chapter 880 Return to Edo! Looking for Shikisaki Jiyose! 【5400】
The first half of Boss Kiryu's words made Aoden's face light up.
But in the second half of the sentence, he couldn't help but be startled.
Based on the simple idea of "problems come one at a time", Qingdeng asked the first question:
"Boss Kiryu, is this 'Wanliangang'?"
Boss Kiryu said in a deep voice:
"To be honest, I haven't seen 'Wan Liangang' either."
"But I can feel it - this steel is extraordinary!"
As he spoke, he gently rubbed the black iron piece in front of his knees.
As his palms stroked the surface of the iron block, a startling look gradually appeared in his eyes.
"In the classics passed down from generation to generation by the Yamada Asemon family, the specific appearance of the 'Wanren Steel' is recorded in detail - it is almost exactly the same as this steel."
"So, I guess... no, I'm sure, this is 'Wan Liangang'! And its quality is extremely high!"
After Qingdeng heard this, he couldn't help but feel excited even though he had been mentally prepared in advance.
"Breaking iron and steel" really means "ten thousand steel makings"...!
At this time, Boss Kiryu asked:
"Mr. Ju, where did you get this piece of 'Wanliang Steel'?"
Boss Kiryu has been paying close attention to Qingto's "steel-seeking" plan.
At the same time, he tried his best to help Qingdeng, not only mobilizing all his contacts, but also personally asking Huluwu to provide intelligence support. It can be said that he spared no effort to support him.
However, as of today, no news has been received from "Wan Liangang".
A while ago, he was still worrying about the futility of his efforts, but now Qingto suddenly took out a piece of extremely high-quality "Wanliang Steel"... It's no wonder that Boss Kiryu was shocked.
Qing Deng described its origins concisely and comprehensively.
After Boss Kiryu heard this, he suddenly had a strange expression on his face:
"There is such a thing... It's really hard to find a place without wearing iron shoes. It doesn't take any effort..."
When Qingdeng heard this, he chuckled a few times in agreement.
To be honest, even today, that "dreamy feeling" still lingers in his heart.
A series of coincidences and karma finally made this piece of Kobelco travel across half the world and countless years, and finally met him... Whenever he thought of this, Qingden couldn't help but feel his heart surge.
After a brief sigh of relief, Qingdeng returned to the topic:
"Boss Kiryu, what did you mean when you just said, 'No swordsmith can control this steel'?"
Boss Kiryu put on a solemn expression and said seriously:
"'Wan Lian Steel' is a rare treasure."
"It's not easy just to heat it red enough to forge it, let alone forge it into a blade."
"As far as I know, the only swordsmiths who have been able to control the 'Wanren Steel' in the past twenty years are the 'Edo Sansaku' headed by Gen Kiyomaro."
"However... all the 'Edo Three Works' have now passed away."
"If it had been 10 years earlier, maybe I could have asked Minamoto Kiyomaro to forge the sword."
"If it's just ordinary quality Wan Lian Steel, I can recommend a few famous craftsmen with excellent craftsmanship."
"But this quality of 'Wan Liangang'..."
Boss Kiryu didn't say any more.
However, his silence said everything.
The three works of Edo - namely, Minamoto Seimaro, Shuishinzi Masahide and Daqing Naoyin.
The three of them were collectively known as the "Edo Sansaku" because of their superb sword forging skills.
Among them, the most famous and capable one is undoubtedly Minamoto Kiyomaro.
The imitation "Nagaso Ni Kotetsu" used by Isamu Kondo was made by Minamoto Kiyomaro.
Although it is an imitation, its power is not inferior to that of Izumi Mori Kanesada, Horikawa Kunihiro and other great products. It is enough to see Minamoto Kiyomaro's superb skills.
Unfortunately...as Boss Kiryu said just now, all "Three Edo Masters" have passed away.
Even the youngest Minamoto Kiyomaro passed away 10 years ago...that is, in the seventh year of Kaei (1854).
After Qingdeng heard this, his heart sank.
Boss Kiryu comes from the Yamada Asaemon family and is an expert in the field of swords.
It is no exaggeration to say that he is a walking "encyclopedia of swords".
Whether it is a famous sword or a famous craftsman, he cherishes all of them.
Therefore, his words are naturally extremely authoritative.
It’s hard to get “Wan Lian Steel”, but you can’t find a swordsmith who can forge it... This is really a trick of fate...
If this steel cannot be turned into a blade, then it is just a piece of scrap.
In this case, let's change to steel that is easier to forge - Qingdeng cannot say such unconscionable words.
Now, this piece of "Wanliang Steel" is no longer a dead thing without a soul.
It holds Elodie's dream.
Now, Elodie has entrusted Qingden with her dream of "wearing weapons forged from this steel and becoming a righteous knight."
Regardless of anything else, even if it was just for Elodie, Qingden would not give up easily.
"...Boss Kiryu, can you forge a sword?"
Boss Kiryu laughed dumbly:
"I once learned blacksmithing in Akita, so I do know how to forge knives."
"However, it is limited to unmarked knives made of ordinary iron."
"This thing is beyond my capabilities."
He said and pointed to "Wan Liangang" in front of his knees.
[Note: Sword without inscription: A sword without an inscription generally refers to an ordinary sword that is not even qualified to be inscribed, that is, a "street product."]
——So you are really good at blacksmithing...
Qing Deng secretly twitched his lips.
In fact, he just asked this out of fun.
Unexpectedly, Boss Kiryu actually knows how to forge swords...
After this small interlude, a night-like silence fell between the two of them.
Although Qingdeng's circle of friends is not small, there are no famous swordsmiths among them.
Therefore, besides Boss Kiryu, he has no one else to turn to.
Kiryu Amu, please help me - Qingden exerts invisible "pressure" with his eyes.
Facing Qingto's sincere gaze, Boss Kiryu looked at his nose and heart, thinking secretly.
About half a minute later, he let out a long sigh:
"...I have no choice but to ask Shikisaki to send it."
"Shikizaki Shiyō?"
Qingdeng is no stranger to this name.
I remember that the "Seikishin" gifted to him by his elder Naoki Ii was made by Shikisaki Kishino.
For this reason, Qingdeng felt a special closeness to him even though he had never met him.
Boss Kiryu said slowly:
"Compared to well-known swordsmithing families such as Nagasone and Bizen Nagafune, the Shikisaki family is not very well-known. It can even be said to be unknown."
"The reason for this is because they behave in a low-key manner and rarely move around in front of others."
"Essentially, the Shikizaki family's sword forging level is not inferior to those of the top sword forging families."
"Tachibana-kun, if you still remember, the Vairocana on your waist is a work of the Shikisaki family."
"It was the previous heads of the Shikizaki family who devoted their talents and knowledge to forge this demonic sword that can rival the 'Supreme Great Property'."
Qingdeng nodded, saying that of course he remembered.
Boss Kiryu continued:
"Shikizaki Jiyoshi is the current head of the Shikisaki family."
"Although he is still young, he showed amazing talent early on."
"I don't know if it's because of blood or family tradition, but there are always weird people in the Shikizaki family who behave strangely."
"That's what Shikizaki Shiyō is."
"How should I put it? He is a... very evil person."
Boss Kiryu hesitated for a while before finally expelling the "evil" comment.
"If you ask him to forge ordinary swords of average quality, he will often mess up."
"However, if you let him forge a top-quality sword of superior quality, it will actually stimulate his fighting spirit."
"The more powerful the steel is, the more difficult the dilemma is, the more it can force its talents to work, and finally succeed in creating a masterpiece that exceeds everyone's imagination."
"If there is any swordsmith in the world who can control this piece of 'Ten Thousand Refinements of Steel'... the only person I can think of is Shikisaki Jiyoshi."
Having said this, Boss Kiryu paused for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked directly at Qingto.
"Tachibana-kun, what do you think? Are you interested in meeting Shikisaki Shiyō?"
As soon as Boss Kiryu finished speaking, Qingden grinned and said loudly without hesitation:
"Is there any need to ask? Since this person is the only hope, why should I not see it?"
"Boss Kiryu, do you know where this person is now?"
Boss Kiryu nodded lightly:
"Shikizaki Shiyō does not have a fixed address, but he prefers women, so he often wanders around Yoshiwara."
Qingdeng couldn't help but feel happy when he heard this.
Isn't this a coincidence? He happened to be planning to go back to Edo. In this way, he could take advantage of the opportunity to go back to Edo to discuss military aircraft with Tokugawa Iemo and look for Shikisaki!
At this time, Boss Kiryu suddenly changed into a faint tone:
"Mr. Ju, although I have no intention of pouring cold water on you, I still want to say something ugly first - you'd better be mentally prepared to 'return disappointed' in advance."
Qingdeng was stunned:
"Boss Kiryu, why do you say this?"
Boss Kiryu sighed softly:
"I don't know what the reason was, but Shikisaki sent him... He has been living in a state of depravity in recent years."
"I rarely take on the work of forging knives. At most I make some sickles and hoes."
"As soon as I make money, I immediately squander it all, either on wine or on women."
"As far as I know, he is now a frequent visitor to major tourist attractions in Yoshihara. He hangs out in the flower streets and willow alleys all day long, living a life of drunkenness and debauchery, just like a zombie."
"Whether he is still willing to forge swords now, and whether he still has the ability to recast Vairocana... To be honest, I am not sure."
After Qingdeng heard this, he was slightly stunned at first, and then smiled helplessly:
"Even so, we can only take a gamble."
Kiryu smiled bitterly and nodded:
"Yeah, that's true."
The old man seemed to have recalled something. He paused for a moment, and a look of emotion appeared on his cheeks:
"I think back then, it was the Shikisaki family who forged Vairocana."
"To this day, I have to ask the Shikisaki family to recast Vairocana again."
"The things in this world are really wonderful..."
…
…
In the next few days, Ayoto made careful preparations to rush to Edo.
The first thing he has to do is hand over the work.
Hijikata Toshizo, Shannan Keisuke and others are very accustomed to his "hands off boss" style.
Therefore, Qingdeng did not need to worry too much about work matters, and the handover was completed quickly and smoothly.
Then, Aoden went to Sanako and entrusted her with the power of "taking charge of Orange Mansion".
For official affairs, he relied on Hijikata Toshizo, and for domestic affairs, he relied on Sanako - this has almost become Ainto's path dependence.
Although Souji has a strong affinity that unites everyone, due to being too friendly, when she should be ruthless, she often shows a soft-hearted and hesitant side.
As for Ah Wu...there is no need to say anything about her.
Therefore, in the absence of Qingtou, Sanako, who has both sufficient prestige and courage, is the only one who can control Tachibana.
After everything was ready, Qingdeng left a message, "I'll come back as soon as I go." Then he got on the back of Luo Luo's cow and headed eastward under the watch of everyone.
Sanako and Amai were about to give birth, and Aoto had no intention of staying in Edo for long.
If everything goes well, he plans to settle everything within 10 days and return to Dajin as scheduled.
In order to improve the efficiency of the operation, Qingdeng did not bring any followers.
The only companion is Boss Kiryu.
The only person around Aonto who knows Shikizaki Shiyori is Boss Kiryu.
Therefore, whether you are looking for Shikisaki Shiyō or entrusting him to forge a sword, Boss Kiryu is an indispensable figure.
Boss Kiryu is indeed a ruthless man who is still active and active even when he is over ninety years old. His physical condition is just extraordinary.
Although he was not seriously injured during the duel with Katsumi, his physical strength was depleted due to entering the "selfless state" for a long time, and for a time he could not even get out of bed.
Thanks to his strong physical fitness, after a period of quiet recuperation, his condition has improved a lot.
Although he has not yet recovered, it is more than enough to ride a horse and go on a long trip.
Because they were traveling lightly, the master and the apprentice traveled extremely fast.
In less than four days, the majestic Edo Castle came into view.
"Tachibana-kun, you should go about your business first. I will collect the information sent by Shikisaki and see where he is fooling around again."
Having said that, Boss Kiryu turned his horse's head and headed straight towards Yoshiwara.
In this way, the master and apprentice were temporarily separated.
That night, Qingto went back to the trial defense hall first and reported to Kondo Shusuke and the others that they were safe.
Then, he went to Xiao Qianba Sword Hall and Xuanwu Hall to meet his father-in-law and uncle.
"Qingden! You are finally back! Is Sanako okay?"
As soon as he saw Aoto, Chiba Jutaro immediately couldn't help himself and rushed towards him, surrounding Sanako asking questions.
After Sanako became pregnant, her physical and mental condition always affected Chiba Jutaro's heart.
In fact, if it weren't for his busy schedule, Chiba Jutaro would have packed his luggage and gone straight to Otsu to visit Sanako.
As he grows older, Chiba Nobuyoshi has basically retired, and all the affairs of the sword hall are now taken care of by Chiba Jutaro.
Of course, no matter what, Sanako, who is about to give birth, is undoubtedly the top priority of the Chiba family at the moment.
Therefore, they planned to wait until the beginning of next month to entrust the sword hall to trusted disciples and let them help take care of it for a period of time, and then the family would go to Otsu to take care of Sanako.
Qingden took the trouble to introduce Sanako's current situation to his father-in-law and uncle.
Seeing the worried expressions of Chiba Sadakichi, Chiba Jutaro and others who wanted to rush to Otsu immediately, Ayoto couldn't help but smile.
He always admired the friendship and unity of the "Jianhao Family".
…
…
The next day——
Edo, Edo Castle, and Maple——
"Tangerine-kun, long time no see."
Tokugawa Iemo had a gentle expression on his face and looked at Aonto with a smile.
Qingdeng, who was sitting directly opposite him, showed the same kind smile and responded:
"Your Highness, you are well."
Today, the sky has just turned white. After changing into the formal attire of the samurai family, Aoshinobu rode the ox and rushed to Edo Castle.
As soon as he entered Edo Castle, Aomori was introduced to Kaede.
Maple Room was originally the place where General Zhengyi played Go or Shogi, which was the so-called "game room".
Out of personal preference, Tokugawa Iemo would always meet him in Kaede whenever he wanted to meet with Aoden alone.
The two often discussed government affairs while playing the game of Go, which can make professional chess players have cerebral hemorrhages.
Today was no exception. Qingdeng met a familiar person in this familiar place.
Of course, this meeting was not for the purpose of chatting and reminiscing about old times, but for discussing the specific attack plan of the "Changzhou Expedition".
Therefore, after a brief exchange of greetings, the two tacitly sorted out their emotions and began to get down to business.
As for how to attack Choshu, Seito had long been conducting countless deductions on the sand table with Hijikata Toshizo, Shannan Keisuke and others.
Qingdeng took out the map he had prepared early in the morning and spread it on the table:
"Your Highness, please take a look."
Tokugawa Iemo leaned over - the complicated lines on the map outlined the territory and terrain of Choshu.
The Choshu Domain is located at the westernmost tip of the main island of Honshu, occupying Nagato and defending the two kingdoms.
It is adjacent to Tsuwano Domain and Aki Domain to the east, and faces Kokura Domain across the Shimonoseki Strait to the southwest.
The battle plan drawn up by Seito, together with Hijikata Tobizo and others, is quite simple——
"Divide the troops into three groups and attack Changzhou!"
As Qingdeng spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at the map, sliding his fingertips back and forth against the map.
"Three armies marched respectively from Tsuwa Domain, Angei Domain and Kokura Domain."
"Among them, the troops in the direction of Tsuwano and Kokura are feigning attacks to distract Choshu's attention as much as possible and contain their forces."
"The troops in the direction of Aki will be the main attack! Take Tokuyama first, take down the surrounding defenses, and then circle north to defeat Hagi Castle (the feudal hall of Choshu Domain)!"
After outlining the general outline of the plan, Qingteng began to explain in detail.
The specific march route, the deployment of various troops, the supply and transportation of supplies... everything is covered, and nothing is left out.
In fact, the core essence of Qingdeng's combat plan is to concentrate superior forces.
Even if the troops are insufficient, we must concentrate as much troops as possible on the local battlefield to form a local advantage - this is the only law of war.
It is true that the shogunate will mobilize 200,000 troops in this western expedition.
This number may seem intimidating, but in fact, the vast majority of the troops are the vassal troops of the Western vassals who were forcibly recruited.
In a word - they are just making up the numbers.
Whenever there was a war, forcing the nearby vassal states to send troops to help the war, not leaving them idle, while weakening their manpower and material resources - this was the traditional skill of the Edo shogunate.
The last Summer Formation in Kyoto was like this, and it really troubled all the vassals in Gyeonggi.
This time, Tokugawa Iemo took aim at the Western vassals and decided to give them a good fight.
At the same time, he warned them by the way: You bastards from the Western Kingdom, look out for me! If you don't obey, you will end up like this in Changzhou!
Since it is a purely make-up force, it is naturally impossible to entrust it with important tasks.
It's okay to let them build up their momentum, but it's absolutely useless to let them fight hard and hard.
Therefore, the only three units that can serve as the main force are the Shinsengumi, Aizu Army and Satsuma Army.
In this case, Qingdeng decided to deploy these three troops in the direction of Anyi, forming an overwhelming superior combat power on this battlefield, defeating the enemy with overwhelming force, and then wiping out Changzhou!
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It’s the end of the month again! Book friends who have monthly tickets on hand, please be sure to vote for this book! (Leopard’s Head Crying.jpg) Please give me a monthly ticket! Please vote for recommendation! (Leopard’s Head Crying.jpg)
PS: Shikizaki Shiyori appeared as early as Chapter 100 of Volume 1, "Knowing the Sword! Aonto's New Sword: Determining Ghosts and Gods". This name is actually a tribute to the twelve variations forged in the light novel "The Whisper of the Sword"
