I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 883 If you don't give up, Mao is willing to be your foster father! [5100]

Qingdeng: "..."

Tianzhangyuan: "..."

Qing Deng and Tian Zhangyuan, who was eavesdropping in the next room, both fell silent.

After hearing Qing Deng's voice coming from the next room, Tian Zhangyuan became more confused.

She really couldn't understand what Tokugawa Iemochi was up to.

So she decided to play along, follow the other party's instructions, stay where she was, and listen carefully to the noise next door to see what the other party was up to.

Doors made of paper and wood have almost no sound insulation effect.

Therefore, as long as she stayed in this room (upper section), she could hear every sound in the next room (lower section).

It would have been fine if he hadn't listened, but once he heard it his eyes immediately widened like cowbells.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly and raised her hands in time to cover her mouth tightly, otherwise she would have screamed.

At that moment, she felt as if a bomb exploded in her mind, which was followed by a violent tremor and then a blank.

"Ju Jun, are you willing to be my father?" - These words kept echoing in her ears.

At this moment, not only Tianzhangyuan, but Qingdeng's facial expression was also dominated by intense shock.

Qing Deng was seen staring blankly at Tokugawa Iemochi opposite him, his eyes wide open, as if dumbfounded.

Seeing this, Tokugawa Iemochi smiled helplessly:
"Oh, am I being too polite?"

"Then let me put it another way: Tachibana-kun, are you willing to marry Tenshoin Atsuhime... No, are you willing to marry Yuichi as your wife?"

Yuyi - the original name of Tianzhangyuan.

At this time, Qing Deng finally recovered.

"…'Be your father'… Your Highness, what does this mean?"

Tokugawa Iemochi smiled and tilted his head.

"Hmm? This shouldn't be hard to understand, right?"

"Yuyi is my stepmother."

"If you marry Yu Yi, you will naturally be my adoptive father."

Having said this, Tokugawa Iemochi paused, then put on a strange expression with mixed emotions.

"Asking me to call you 'Father'... it's really hard to say it at the moment..."

"No, no, no, I'm not asking you that...!"

Qing Deng said this while rubbing his forehead with his hands and rubbing both temples vigorously, trying to calm himself down.

Even when facing powerful enemies like Rakshasa and Keji, he was so frightened that he was at a loss for words.

Marrying Tenshoin... becoming Tokugawa Iemochi's father... these two thoughts were like devilish sounds, occupying every corner of his brain and making it difficult for him to resume normal thinking.

If it weren't for his heart beating so hard and the dizziness coming from deep in his head, he would have thought he was dreaming.

To use a vivid metaphor...it was like he was hit by a heavy uppercut from Tokugawa Iemochi without any preparation, which made his ears feel blocked and his eyes dizzy.

He took several deep breaths, trying to calm his heartbeat.

After about 10 seconds, he managed to calm down and said in a deep voice:
"Your Highness, you are kidding me, right?"

"No, I'm serious. Very serious."

As Tokugawa Iemochi spoke, he straightened his expression and looked solemn, without a trace of joking or playfulness on his face.

"Tachibana-kun, now that things have come to this, I will speak frankly - I sincerely hope that you can marry Yuichi, take her away from Edo, and let her live happily for the rest of her life."

As soon as these words were spoken, Tian Zhangyuan in the next room was stunned.

At the same time, Tokugawa Iemochi's facial expression changed slightly, becoming more sad.

"I don't think I need to elaborate on Mother's past, right?"

Qingdeng nodded lightly.

He was so familiar with the past of Tianzhangyuan that his ears were almost callused from hearing about it.

"The trend of the times pushed my mother from being the daughter of a branch of the Shimazu family to becoming a princess of the Satsuma domain, then to the shogunate's imperial palace, and finally to the O-O-O-O-Royal Palace today."

"From the perspective of others, my mother is a model of 'rapid success'."

"Although my mother has become one of the most noble women in the world today, I can be sure that the title of 'Omi-no-dai-sho' is not what she wants."

"The 'Tenshoin Atsuhime', who is dressed in gorgeous clothes and sitting in front of all the ministers, is just a puppet in disguise."

"The 'girl Yu Yi' who was having fun on the beach back then was the real her."

"I can't say I feel the same way, but I can more or less understand the pain and hesitation my mother felt when she married into the Edo era."

"In 1858, at the age of 13, I was also pushed by the trend of the times and sat on the throne of the Shogun against my will."

"I suddenly came to an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by ambitious people with ulterior motives... Whenever I think back to the bitterness and fear I felt, it always gives me goose bumps."

"When I was lonely and uneasy, not knowing who to trust and what to do, my mother appeared."

When he spoke of this, a hint of peace appeared on Tokugawa Iemochi's cheeks.

"She is the first comrade I met after arriving at the shogunate."

"She supported me with all her heart and soul, and did everything she could to protect me from disasters."

"You know, mother is from the 'Ichibashi faction'."

"His adoptive father, Shimazu Nariakira, was a core member of the 'Ichibashi faction'."

"In order to expand the influence of the 'Ichibashi faction', Shimazu Nariakira deliberately facilitated a marriage between the shogunate and the Satsuma domain, forcing my mother to marry the former shogun."

"As the 'secret weapon' that the 'Ichibashi faction' had high hopes for, she betrayed her own camp and came to help me... I'm afraid I will never know how much pressure and grievances she endured at the time."

"Thanks to her selfless dedication, I was able to gain a firm foothold in the turbulent court and achieve what I have today."

"Although she and I are not biological mother and son, my dependence on and love for her are greater than that of biological mother and son."

"Now, even without mother's help, I can still be self-reliant."

"She's done enough."

"She worked hard for me, the shogunate, and the people of the world, but she never thought about herself."

"Therefore, I sincerely hope that she can get rid of the shackles of the identity of 'Omidaisho', escape from this cold and empty city, and pursue her own happiness."

Tokugawa Iemochi paused for a moment, adjusted his mind, and then slowly said:
"It was around the time when I went to Kyoto to discuss expelling the foreigners with the imperial court that I discovered your...special relationship with your mother."

He hesitated for a moment before uttering the word "special relationship".

"Jujun, do you remember? You and your mother were riding in the same sedan chair at that time."

Qing Deng twitched his lips secretly and nodded silently.

He is afraid that he will never forget such a special experience.

He still remembers vividly today the scenes of Tianzhangyuan teasing him with her two small feet in front of Sanazi through the thin curtain of the sedan chair.

“Honestly, I’ve been struggling ever since.”

"Do you want me to pretend I don't see it and let you do as you please?"

"Or will we interfere and stop you?"

"Or... should I just go with the flow and help you guys?"

"Although I have complicated feelings, there is only one thing I am very sure of - I sincerely hope that mother can be happy!"

"I was torn and hesitant... Today, I have made up my mind and am no longer confused - compared with the happiness of my mother, these cold and ruthless rules and regulations, those worldly prejudices, what are they?"

"I am sure that only by facilitating your marriage with mother can she truly become the 'Yu Yi' of the past!"

After he finished speaking, Tokugawa Iemochi raised his eyes with emotion and stared straight at Qing Deng.

That ardent gaze seemed to burn a hole in his body.

This look seemed to urge Qing Deng: Tell me quickly! Tell me you are willing to marry Tian Zhangyuan!
Qing Deng was stunned when he heard this.

Tokugawa Iemochi's strong determination has been conveyed through his words.

The other party was indeed serious—Tokugawa Iemochi really wanted to be his son...ah, no, he really wanted him to be his godfather!

Somehow, Qing Deng suddenly recalled the classic scene from the 97 version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that he had watched in his previous life: Lu Bu worshipped Dong Zhuo as his adoptive father.

However, the Lu Bu in the picture turned into Tokugawa Iemochi: If you don’t mind, I am willing to be your adoptive father!

As of 10 minutes ago, Qing Deng would never have thought that the "important matter" that Tokugawa Iemochi mentioned would be a marriage proposal, and a marriage proposal for his own stepmother...

For a moment, Qing Deng really didn't know how to answer...

After a moment, he asked back with a tangled look on his face:
"…Your Highness, why me?"

"How can you be sure that Her Highness Tianzhangyuan will be willing to marry me?"

"Also, how can you be sure that 'marriage' is the best way for His Highness Tenshoin to achieve happiness?" "Maybe he doesn't want to get married at all, and just wants to live the rest of his life freely."

When Tokugawa Iemochi heard this, he seemed to have heard something funny and laughed:
"Oh, Tachibana-kun, are you too slow, or are you pretending to be stupid? As smart as you are, you should have sensed it more or less - Mother likes you very much."

"..."

Qingdeng stopped talking.

He pursed his lips, seeming to want to say something but stopped himself.

Tokugawa Iemochi continued:
"You probably don't know, but once upon a time, Mother was a very serious person, always with a stern face."

"For this reason, the ladies in the Great Palace were quite afraid of her."

"But after meeting you, mother has become much more cheerful."

"Whenever you meet her, she's always smiling and cheerful."

"After you left Edo due to your transfer to the post of Kyoto Governor, mother was like a flower that had not been watered for many days, and immediately wilted."

"She always practices archery alone in the archery range of Tsukimiya Shrine, turning her head to look at the door from time to time, as if she is waiting for someone."

"It is precisely because you possess such 'magic' that I dare to assert that in this world, you are the only one who can make her take off all her 'disguises'!"

"As for what you said, 'maybe the other person doesn't want to get married'...you don't have to worry about that at all."

"Tachibana-kun, I can tell you with certainty that mother's longing for a happy marriage and her vision of a perfect husband have not diminished in the slightest because of her status as a lord of the palace and her increasing age."

"Her usual aloof attitude is just a show of strength, trying to pretend to be calm and indifferent."

As he spoke, he glanced inconspicuously at the door not far away, half helplessly and half apologetically.

On the other side of the door, Tenshoin's face was flushed with anger and he was gritting his teeth because of Tokugawa Iemochi's revelations and exposure. He was both annoyed and ashamed, as if he would break through the door in the next second and grab Tokugawa Iemochi by the collar.

The more Qing Deng listened, the weirder his facial expression became.

After a while, he changed the subject very abruptly:
"...Your Highness, no matter what, it is impossible for me to marry His Highness Tenshoin, right?"

"I am a vassal of the shogunate, and Your Highness Tenshoin is the shogunate's chief minister."

"My Lords... No, the world will never agree to our marriage."

A minister marrying a queen mother... This kind of event would be extremely shocking both at home and abroad! To describe it as "the collapse of rituals and music" would be too mild and inappropriate!
The shogunate's retainers could tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi's favoring of Aoto, and could tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi giving power to Aoto, but they absolutely could not tolerate Tokugawa Iemochi marrying the shogunate's "Empress Dowager" to Aoto!
Even An Lushan had never done anything so explosive.

This is no longer just any An Lushan, but Dong Zhuo + An Lushan! He holds great power and is causing chaos in the harem! We must strike hard!
No matter how cowardly and useless the shogunate officials were, they would never tolerate such humiliation.

It is no exaggeration to say that if Tokugawa Iemochi announced the marriage of Aoto and Tenshoin to the public, it would definitely cause a strong sensation across the country like a magnitude 10 earthquake, and it is not impossible that it would directly trigger a civil war within the shogunate.

By then, the person who shouted the slogan of "clearing the court" would not be "Ju Lushan" but someone else.

Tokugawa Iemochi nodded slightly:

"Jujun, I understand your concerns."

"Since I dare to make such a proposal, there must be a reason for it."

"I'm going to try to hide the truth from the world."

"First, they falsely announced to the public that 'Tenshoin Atsuhime unfortunately passed away due to an incurable disease.'"

"Then, secretly send her out of Edo."

"The next thing is to change my name and household registration, and then move to your house."

"The world would never have imagined that Tenshoin Atsuhime, who had already died of illness, would actually live in seclusion in Otsu."

After hearing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but look angry.

"Your Highness, let's not talk about the feasibility of your plan for now."

"To let His Highness Tianzhangyuan live the rest of his life in anonymity...isn't this too pitiful?"

Tokugawa Iemochi gave a wry smile.

"I know, so this is just my last resort."

"Although it may sound like bragging, I can assure you that as long as you are willing to get married, I will do my best to ensure a happy and satisfactory ending."

"I am the Shogun of the Edo Shogunate."

"As long as I have the will, I can still come up with many ways to help you. It will just take a little more effort."

Perhaps he was tired of talking, Tokugawa Iemochi picked up the teacup beside his knees and took a big gulp.

When he put down the teacup, that gaze, which was hot enough to burn a hole in a human body, once again shot straight at Qing Deng.

"Okay, having said so much, it's time to get back to the original question - Ju Jun, are you willing to marry Yu Yi?"

"..."

Qing Deng said nothing.

He subconsciously lowered his eyes and stared at the tatami in front of his knees, various emotions emerging and mixing on his cheeks.

Tokugawa Iemochi seemed to have been prepared. After seeing Qing Deng hesitate to speak, he immediately changed his tone to something meaningful:

"Ju Jun, you seem very hesitant. Let me ask you another question: Ju Jun, do you like Yu Yi?"

"..."

Qing Deng opened his lips, ready to say something.

But when the words were about to come out of his mouth, they were all stuck in his throat.

At this moment, a lot of memories emerged before his eyes.

The day I first saw Tenshoin…

The day she taught him archery step by step...

The way she smiles...

The way she teased him with a wicked smile...

And...her occasional look of loneliness...

These scenes flashed quickly before his eyes.

After reading these memories, he couldn't utter the words that were about to come to his lips.

From the beginning, Tokugawa Iemochi had been staring at Qing Deng's face, carefully observing the changes in his expression.

Suddenly, he laughed and said:
"Thank you for your answer, Ju-kun."

"I haven't said anything yet."

"No, you said it, and I heard it clearly. You answered very well, and it is exactly the answer I wanted to hear."

After saying this, Tokugawa Iemochi let out a long sigh, looking relieved.

Then he tilted his head back, facing the ceiling, as if recalling something.

"I am the posthumous son of Tokugawa Nariakiru, the 11th lord of the Kishu Domain."

"When I was one year old, I was adopted by my uncle, Tokugawa Saitama, and became his adopted son."

"But just over two years later, my adoptive father passed away, and I inherited his legacy and became the 2th lord of the Kishu Domain at the age of only four."

"It can be said that I have never experienced what fatherly love is since I was a child."

"It would be nice to have another young father of similar age who is reliable."

At the end of his words, Tokugawa Iemochi's tone was full of strong joking, making it difficult to tell whether he was telling the truth or joking.

Tokugawa Iemochi's words undoubtedly aggravated the confusion in Qingdeng's mind.

He was already dumbfounded, and now he didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, Ju-kun."

Tokugawa Iemochi spoke again.

"I have no intention of forcing you to give me a definite answer today."

"This kind of thing cannot be rushed or hurried."

"Besides, I haven't mentioned this to my mother yet."

"When you have truly made up your mind, tell me your answer in person - I will always be looking forward to it!"

"That's all the 'important things' I want to say."

"You can go back."

Qing Deng stood up with a wooden expression - because of his confused thoughts and extremely complicated mood, he now wanted to leave this place immediately and stay away from Tokugawa Iemochi. He didn't want to stay even for a second.

However, just as he was about to push the door open and leave, he suddenly remembered something, sighed softly, turned his head and said:

"Your Highness, it's all because of your amazing proposal that I almost forgot... Your Highness, and His Majesty the Palace asked me to bring you a message."

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