I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 915: Souji's cough! Qing Deng is showing off again! [Leopard Update 7500]

"Hurry up! Here, here, and there! Clear the weeds in these places!"

"Is the tent ready?"

"Where's the flag? Put it up quickly!"

"Come on, some people! Move this big rock first!"

"One, two, three! Go! Do it again! One, two, three! Go!"

……

After carefully examining the terrain of Sekigahara, Qing Deng decided to set up the main camp on the top of Mt. Tenman.

This location not only has a good view and flat terrain, but is also close to major transportation routes, making it convenient for conveying military orders to various locations.

More importantly, this place is opposite Nangong Mountain, making it convenient to observe the movements of the Choshu army.

After a while, the general's tent, which was large enough to accommodate dozens of people, was set up, and the curtains embroidered with gentian leaves were also drawn.

Immediately afterwards, with the concerted efforts of several team members, a huge flag with the word "Sincerity" on it was slowly raised.

Other flags raised included the three-leaf sunflower flag, which symbolized the shogunate, and the gentian leaf flag, which symbolized the Hinatsu domain.

Three large flags stood side by side, facing the wind, echoing the Ichimonji Sanxing flag on the opposite Nangong Mountain.

In the "First Battle of Sekigahara" 280 years ago, the Mori family belonged to the Western Army, and the Ichimonji Sansan flag stood tall in the Western Army camp. The Tokugawa family belonged to the Eastern Army, and the three-leaf sunflower flag naturally stood tall in the Eastern Army camp.

But now, the positions of the two flags are reversed.

The three-leaf sunflower flag appeared in the Western Army, while the three-star flag appeared in the Eastern Army... I have to say, this is really an interesting coincidence.

After learning that the commander's tent had been set up and all the military flags had been raised, Qingdeng called Shannan Jingzhu, and the two held a simple meeting in the commander's tent.

"Kei-suke, where are the various divisions at right now?"

As soon as Qing Deng finished speaking, Shannan Jingsuke used his extraordinary memory to answer in an orderly manner:

"The troops that have arrived at the Sekigahara battlefield include the 1500st and rd Divisions, a small part of the th and th Divisions, and all of the th and th Divisions. The total number of troops is over ."

"Other troops are still on their way."

"The 2nd and 4th divisions have arrived at Kusatsu."

"The 5th Division has arrived in Hikone."

"Team Six has arrived at Omi."

……

Yamanami Keisuke reported the specific locations of each unit in an orderly manner.

After Qing Deng listened carefully, he half-jokingly sighed:
"We just completed the 'Second Great Return to China' and had no time to rest before we had to set off again. We rushed to Sekigahara non-stop... It was really hard for the soldiers."

Shannan Jingzhu smiled:

"Indeed."

"However, thanks to your heroic act of 'distributing wealth equally', the morale of the soldiers is very high at the moment."

“The fatigue that had accumulated in their bodies seemed to disappear the moment they took the money.”

At this point, he paused, then changed his tone to one of helplessness:
"Ju Jun, we've really spent a lot of money this time... The treasury that was originally full has been completely emptied..."

Qingdeng smiled slightly:
"If you lose money, you can earn it again. But if you lose this battle, you will lose everything."

That year, when Hashiba Hideyoshi (Toyotomi Hideyoshi) rushed back to Himeji Castle (Hideyoshi's main castle at the time) in order to defeat Akechi Mitsuhide as quickly as possible, he immediately ordered the opening of Himeji Castle's treasury and distributed all the gold and silver accumulated in the city equally to the soldiers.

The soldiers who made a huge profit suddenly felt their fatigue disappear and their fighting spirit was high, which became one of the important factors in their subsequent victory over Akechi Mitsuhide.

There is no doubt that this move is full of courage.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was well aware that his upcoming battle with Akechi Mitsuhide would be a life-and-death battle that would determine his fate.

If you win, then everything will be fine.

If you lose, there will be no point in keeping these yellow and white things.

Such a heroic feat is not something that everyone can accomplish.

People who still cling to their money even when they are about to die will have as much as they want.

Therefore, Qing Deng followed the example of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and opened the treasury of Otsu on the eve of his trip to Sekigahara, and distributed all the gold and silver stored in it equally to the soldiers of the Shinsengumi!

In this way, he fulfilled the promise he had made to Hijikata Toshizo to "reward the soldiers well."

In fact, after receiving the order to "prepare to go to Sekigahara", many soldiers in the Shinsengumi got angry.

We went through so much trouble to get back to Otsu from Choshu, but before we even had time to catch our breath, we were asked to go to Sekigahara again! Even cattle and horses wouldn't be so miserable, right? !

These grievances are showing signs of becoming widespread.

However, after receiving a huge sum of money equivalent to several years' military pay in one go, all these voices of dissatisfaction disappeared.

Instead, there were words of praise such as "Nio is wise", "Nio is magnanimous", and "Following Nio in battle is really fun!"

Indeed, it is heartbreaking to empty the treasury in one go.

However, just like Toyotomi Hideyoshi back then, the next battle will also determine Qingdeng's fate!
Even without talking about those empty things, just to support Hijikata Toshizo and Elodie who are currently stationed in Hachioji, and Tokugawa Iemochi and Tenshoin in Edo Castle, it is worth it for Qingdeng to defeat the enemy in front of him at all costs!

After stating the current specific positions of each unit, Yamanami Keisuke turned to Qing Deng and asked:

"Ju Jun, how is Nangong Shan? Did you notice anything unusual?"

What he was referring to was Qing Deng standing alone on the top of Mount Tianman, looking at the Nangong Mountain opposite and conducting "long-range reconnaissance" of the enemy camp.

Qingdeng said calmly:
"We can clearly see the soldiers of the Choshu Army digging trenches and building fortifications. It seems that they intend to turn Nangong Mountain into an impregnable fortress."

After Shannan Jingzhu heard this, his face immediately sank:
"Tsk... This is not good. The enemy has chosen the tactics we least want to see...!"

Qing Deng shrugged.

"No need to panic."

"We expected this kind of thing, didn't we?"

"Unless they are crazy, they will definitely adopt the 'turtle strategy' and hold us back. There is no way they will fight us head-on on the plains."

Shannan Jingsuke nodded and sighed:
"Well... you're right."

They did not deploy defenses at the foot of the mountain, but instead climbed the top of the mountain to defend it - this kind of tactic must have seemed particularly familiar to Ma Su, who would have touched his head with deep emotion... Ah, no, he had no head, as his head had been chopped off by Zhuge Liang long ago.

This tactic of abandoning the foot of the mountain and concentrating all forces on the mountain is extremely risky.

For specific risks, you can refer to the Battle of Jieting during the Three Kingdoms period commanded by Comrade Ma Su.

If there was enough time, Qingdeng, which had the advantage in military strength, could have directly surrounded Nangong Mountain and relied on the boring but proven "battle for food and supplies" to wear down the enemy.

However...what Qing Deng lacks most now is time!

The Choshu army on the eastern route was advancing triumphantly, and both Hachioji and Edo were waiting for rescue from the Shinsengumi.

Time is not on Qingdeng's side, but on the Changzhou Army's side.

Qing Deng, who was in a hurry to help Guandong, had no time to adopt the procrastinating tactic of "war for food and soldiers".

Therefore, he could not only not take a defensive stance, but also maintain a strong offensive! Break through Sekigahara as quickly as possible!

The Choshu army on the opposite side must have been sure that Qingdeng had to be defeated quickly, so they boldly stationed on the mountain.

Since they dared to give up the foot of the mountain, they must have stored enough supplies on the mountain - enough supplies to last until the fall of Edo.

Qing Deng lowered his head and looked at the map of Sekigahara on the table in front of him, thoughtfully.

After a moment, he said quietly:

"…Mt. Tenman and Mt. Nangong are separated by the entire Sekigahara Basin. At such a long distance, what you can see clearly is really limited."

Before he finished speaking, Shannan Jingsuke shuddered as if he had heard some terrible devilish sound, and then said quickly without thinking:

"Tachibana-kun, please forgive me for being blunt! According to the currently known intelligence, the Choshu Army on the opposite side is equipped with a large number of guns and cannons!"

"Compared to the backward armies we faced before, which didn't even have a few bows and arrows, it's simply not comparable."

"Therefore, this time is different from the past. It is too dangerous to approach the enemy camp without permission!"

"Hichikata-kun has gone to Hachioji."

"If anything happens to you... Kondo-kun and I alone can't command such a large-scale battle!"

Although Qing Deng only sighed that "the distance is too far and I can't see the details of the enemy's formation clearly", as an old partner who has worked with Qing Deng for many years, Shannan Keisuke immediately heard what Qing Deng was preparing for and immediately spoke out to stop him.

Whenever there was a war, Qing Deng would personally lead a small team to approach the enemy camp and collect intelligence - this had almost become his traditional skill!

Faced with Shannan Jingzhu's quick response to dissuade him, Qing Deng couldn't help but look helpless and laughed:

"Don't worry, Jingsuke."

"I'm not a foolish fool."

"Of course I know that the enemy this time is very powerful and should not be underestimated."

"So, I don't plan to go deep into the enemy's territory. I just plan to do a quick reconnaissance operation."

After hearing this, Shannan Jingzhu's mouth twitched:
"After all this talk, aren't you still going to get closer to the enemy camp...?!"

Qing Deng curled up the corners of his mouth, revealing a gentle smile that looked like he was playing dumb:
"During the time when I am away from the camp, everything in the camp will be up to you to take care of."

Shannan Keisuke opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something else.

Finally, he gave up and sighed, his cheeks filled with helplessness and bitterness:
"Well...how many people do you plan to bring this time?"

Qing Deng slowly stood up:

"I won't bring too many people with me. I only plan to go with two good fighters who are agile and have some knowledge of swordsmanship."

"In fact, I have already informed them in advance to come to the main camp to meet me."

"Calculating the time... they should be here soon."

Coincidentally, just as he finished speaking, a loud announcement came from outside the camp:
"My lord! Captain of the First Division, Okita Souji, and Captain of the Third Division, Saito Ichi, request to see you!"

……

……

Aoto, Souji, and Saito Ichi - a group of three people followed the path to leave Tenmangsan, then detoured south to Mt. Matsuo in the south, then headed east along the foot of Mt. Matsuo, approaching Mt. Nangu.

Because the number of accompanying personnel was kept to a minimum and they were hidden by dense bushes, Qing Deng and the others could not be spotted from a distance.

Souji and Saito stood on Qingdeng's left and right, following him while looking back and forth, alert to the surroundings.

Saito Hajime has extremely rich experience in "how to protect Qingdeng".

When Qing Deng was still an unknown person, Saito Hajime was already active as his bodyguard.

Judging from the length of time he has followed Qing Deng...Saito Hajime is undoubtedly Qing Deng's earliest companion.

They walked through the forest.

The sunlight pouring down from the gaps between the branches formed a net-like shape, swinging rapidly like a pendulum over the three people.

Nangong Mountain is very conspicuous. Just aim at the top of the mountain and move forward, so there is no need to worry about getting lost.

They were not here for an outing, but to scout out the enemy, so they seldom chatted and kept their mouths shut in silence the entire time.

Suddenly, Souji's expression changed slightly, and then she hurriedly raised her right arm and buried half of her face in her arm.

"Cough...cough..."

A low cough was muffled in his arms.

Seeing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but frowned slightly:

"Xiao Si, is your cough still not healed?"

As far as he could remember, Souji had started coughing since the time when the commemorative photos were taken... no, it should have been even earlier.

Although Souji is a remarkable woman with extraordinary physical fitness, what is incredible is that she easily catches cold and becomes sick every time the seasons change.

In severe cases, the patient may even be bedridden for several days.

Therefore, when Qing Deng found that Souji was coughing, he did not pay much attention to it. He just told her to have a good rest and see a doctor if she felt really uncomfortable.

While giving more instructions, Qing Deng ordered the Shinsengumi medical department to prepare some cough medicine, and also asked the kitchen to prepare more pear soup which is good for the throat.

However, there is no custom in Japan to use pears to make soup, so the chefs have no idea what the "pear soup" that Qing Deng is talking about is.

As a last resort, Qing Deng had to cook by himself after a long time.

In his previous life, he was born in a province known for making soup, and he would make soup for almost every meal.

For him, making pear soup is no problem at all.

At that time, after learning that the strange soup she was drinking - she had never tasted soup made with fruits - was made by Qing Deng, Souji was so moved that he was speechless.

However... at the same time, this also caused Sanako and Awu to look at him strangely, as if they were expressing their dissatisfaction.

Qing Deng thought that after taking the medicine and drinking the soup, Souji would recover soon.

I didn't expect that... it's been quite some time, but Souji's cough hasn't gotten better yet...

Facing Qing Deng's worried gaze, Souji slowly raised his little face and laughed a few times:

"This time the cough is a little stubborn... but don't worry! It's just a minor illness, and you'll recover in a while!"

"... Wait until we get back to the camp. I'll ask Mr. Nanjo to check on you."

Mr. Nanjo - the head of the Shinsengumi's medical department, Akizo Nanjo.

As a famous doctor hired by Qing Deng at a huge price, Nanjo Aizaburo's medical skills are naturally excellent.

In order to achieve complete victory in this battle, Qing Deng brought almost all of his belongings - including a team of doctors led by Nanjo Akizoburo.

Hearing that Qing Deng wanted Nanjo Aizaburo, the best Chinese medicine practitioner in the Shinsengumi medical department, to treat her, Souji was immediately startled and said hurriedly:
"No, no need! It's just a minor illness! Why bother Mr. Nanjo!" "Don't be afraid to see a doctor, even if it's a minor illness. If you delay a minor illness for too long, it may worsen into a major illness."

Having said this, Qing Deng paused for a moment, then added solemnly:
"Xiao Si, if you really feel uncomfortable, don't force it."

Hearing this, Souji's eyes flickered slightly, and a vague look of hesitation appeared on his cheeks.

Then, she pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and spoke in a voice that only she could hear:

"How can I do that...Everyone is fighting bravely, how can I just lie on the sickbed..."

……

……

Souji's sudden cough was just a small episode in this journey.

Afterwards, the three of them stopped talking and walked slowly forward in silence.

About half an hour later, the majestic Nangong Mountain was right before their eyes.

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Compared to Tianman Mountain, Nangong Mountain covers a huge area!
To put it bluntly, Mt. Tenman is more like a hill than a mountain.

In comparison, Nangong Mountain is the real mountain!

Qing Deng had already memorized the map of Sekigahara in his mind.

He looked around and confirmed that they were now at Taopei Mountain on the western foot of Nangong Mountain.

Momoeiyama - the site of Tokugawa Ieyasu's main camp 280 years ago.

Looking at the ancient battlefield beneath his feet, Qing Deng couldn't help but feel emotional.

After nearly three hundred years, this land once again ushers in a decisive battle that will determine history!
After a brief sigh, he suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind, refocused his attention, raised his eyes and looked towards the towering mountains opposite.

He took out a telescope from his arms and began to observe the specific scene in Nangong Mountain. Scenes were clearly reflected in the lens.

I saw countless soldiers in the mountains wielding hoes, shovels and other tools.

They either dug trenches diligently, or meticulously cut down trees to build fences, towers and other fortifications.

Qing Deng only needed to take a glance to see that the construction methods and layout of these fortifications were all very professional!
Those criss-crossing trenches and overlapping fences can effectively curb the opponent's attack.

Those interlaced fortresses and firing points can form a tight cross-fire and deal a heavy blow to the attackers.

The more Qing Deng looked at it, the more his face involuntarily sank and a serious expression appeared on his face.

At this moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes not far away from him.

Immediately afterwards, three lightly-armed Changzhou soldiers pushed aside the bushes, walked out, and ran into Qing Deng and others head-on.

Looking at Qing Deng and his group, the three of them suddenly changed color and asked in a shrill voice:
"Who are you?"

They were probably patrol soldiers of the Choshu Army.

In order to hide their tracks, Qing Deng and others did not wear their iconic light green haori, but instead wore inconspicuous casual clothes.

For this reason, for a moment, the three patrolmen did not realize the identities of Qing Deng and others.

However, they instinctively sensed that the person coming was not friendly, and subconsciously reached for the swords at their waists, ready to sound a warning.

To be fair, their response speed was fast enough.

Unfortunately...the opponents they faced were the captains of the Shinsengumi's first and third squads!

Although there was no prior agreement, Souji and Saito Ichi galloped on their horses at the same time!
As the two men rode their horses to attack, they drew the swords at their waists.

The two swords drew shining lights in the air.

Saito killed one at a time.

The commander killed the other two.

The three patrolmen were killed on the spot before they could even utter a scream.

Before I had time to relax, more and more frequent rustling sounds came from another direction.

At the same time, there were also voices of conversation coming:
"what happened?"

"There seems to be a strange sound over there!"

"Go! Go and see!"

It seems that they are patrol soldiers of the Choshu Army.

Qing Deng did not even look at the enemy soldiers who were about to attack him, and asked back without turning his head:
"How many people came?"

The General Manager replied indifferently:
"Five... no, six."

Qing Deng's calm tone remained unchanged, and he continued to ask:

"is that OK?"

Saito Ichi, who usually spoke little and rarely showed his expression in front of others, pulled the corner of his mouth and said softly:
"No need to worry about it."

Hearing the affirmative answer, Qing Deng stopped asking questions and continued to observe the enemy formation in front of him with a telescope.

Souji and Saito Ichi passed the reins to their left hands, held the swords in their right hands, tapped the horses' bellies with their heels, and slowly walked towards where the enemy soldiers were...

In a short while, handfuls of blood gushed out from Qing Deng's back like a hot spring.

The ground was covered with blood, but not a drop of it touched Qing Deng.

Qing Deng stood in the blood rain, observing the enemy formation intently, without even moving his eyebrows, and was not moved at all.

……

……

That night--

When the sky was slightly darkening, Qingdeng returned to the camp safely without any harm - this made Shannan Jingzhu breathe a sigh of relief.

As soon as Qing Deng returned to the camp, he received a shocking news—an envoy from Edo was visiting!
Ever since learning about the changes in Nobi and the emergency in Kanto, Qing Deng has been paying close attention to the news in Edo, worried about the safety of Tenshoin and his son.

In this era where information transmission depends entirely on people's two legs and horses' four hooves, Qing Deng has no choice but to wait patiently.

Finally, the long-awaited Edo envoy arrived. He summoned the other party immediately without even having time to change his clothes, and couldn't wait to inquire about the current situation in Edo.

It would have been better not to ask this question, but as soon as he did, his expression was immediately dominated by intense shock.

"What?! Iemochi... Lord Daiki and Lord Tenshoin didn't leave Edo Castle?!"

Because he was too surprised, he stood up uncontrollably, directly shaking the stool under his butt off.

The messenger was startled, but he swallowed his saliva, pretended to be calm, and said seriously:

"Yes, yes! Lord Daiki and His Highness Tenshoin declared to the public that they would 'live and die with Edo'! No matter how the ministers persuaded them, they were unwilling to leave!"

……

……

A few days ago——

Edo, Edo Castle——

Just two days after the fall of Nagoya Castle, news of "Choshu Army's surprise attack on Nobi across the sea" reached Edo Castle.

Not long after, the ruler and his ministers in Edo Castle learned that the Choshu army had abandoned Nagoya Castle, mobilized all its troops, and headed eastward!

In order to avoid panic, Edo Castle implemented the strictest information blockade and strictly prohibited the relevant information from leaking to the public.

Everyone knows that this is just a stopgap measure. Within a few days, all the soldiers and civilians in Edo will know that the Choshu army will soon arrive at the gates of Edo Castle.

While the situation was not out of control, Tokugawa Iemochi summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures.

Edo Castle, Ohirama——

Tokugawa Iemochi sat on the main seat with a gloomy face.

The ministers, led by the elder councilor Makino Tadayoshi, sat below it.

As soon as the meeting started, the scene was as noisy as a vegetable market.

“What should I do?!”

"We have no choice but to mobilize! Mobilize 80,000 hatamoto immediately!"

"80,000 hatamoto cavalry? What are you talking about at this point? Don't you know how much combat power the 80,000 hatamoto cavalry has left?"

"In that case, let's run away...ah, no, retreat! Retreat to Ou first, and then make a long-term plan!"

"Retreat? If the shogunate abandons Edo without firing a shot, how will the feudal domains and the people of the world view us? We will lose our reputation!"

"We don't have enough fighting power to stop the Choshu Army now!"

……

Looking at the chaotic meeting, Tokugawa Iemochi said coldly:

"quiet."

His voice was instantly drowned out by the sea of ​​sound.

"Quiet down now!"

The roar that followed swept through the entire audience like a storm.

Instantly, silence returned to the scene.

Everyone fell to the ground, silent as a mouse, not daring to say another word.

After forbidding the ministers to speak, Tokugawa Iemochi turned his head and looked at someone sitting in the front row, very close to him:

"Katsu-kun, I want to hear your opinion."

The Katsunari he was referring to was naturally the Navy President Katsuru Rintaro.

If there is anyone among the ministers present who is proficient in military affairs...it is only Katsurintaro!

Seeing that Tokugawa Iemochi called out Katsurintaro's name, most of the people at the scene looked at him for help and expectation - some of them hated him and frequently attacked him.

If Edo were to be lost, all the ministers present would suffer.

Even if they were able to escape, they would not be able to remove all the property in their house, and would only benefit the enemy.

As such, they had no choice but to treat Katsurintaro with the mentality of "grasping at straws".

From the beginning of the meeting, Katsurintaro folded his arms, said nothing, and looked deep in thought.

Even when called by Tokugawa Iemochi, he did not speak immediately.

It was not until about 5 seconds later that he sighed heavily:
"My lord, although I am reluctant to admit it,... since the enemy has the ability to easily capture Nagoya Castle, it is impossible to defeat the enemy with the current combat power of Edo."

"but--"

Before everyone could show disappointment and despair on their faces, he suddenly changed the subject.

"It's not entirely true to say that the only thing we can do right now is to run away with our tails between our legs."

"In fact, we have a plan to break the impasse. That is to concentrate all our manpower and material resources to fight a siege war with the enemy!"

Tokugawa Iemochi raised his eyebrows and repeated:

"Siege warfare?"

Siege warfare - as the name suggests, a battle to defend a city to the death.

Katrintaro nodded:
"That's right, siege warfare!"

"It is true that we cannot repel the enemy by means of a field battle."

"But we can lure the enemy into the city and use the huge town as the battlefield!"

"Edo was a huge castle town that could accommodate a million people."

“The complexity of the streets and alleys and the precision of the building layout make it seem like a maze.”

"The narrow terrain and the difficult deployment of battle formations in the streets can minimize the enemy's guns and artillery."

"This will make it convenient for us to engage in hand-to-hand combat!"

"We don't have much else in Edo, but we do have a lot of experts in swordsmanship."

"Mobilize all the forces that can be mobilized, including the Fire Thieves Kai, the Big Group, the Academy Group, the First-hand Archery Group, and the First-hand Cannon Group."

"Encourage all the people in the town who are good at swordsmanship to join the war and form a 'rebel army'."

"This way, we can form a sizable army!"

"The astonishingly large Edo Town alone is enough to keep the enemy at bay for three or four days."

"After Edo Town, this Edo Castle located in the center of the town is an even more impregnable fortress!"

"If we defend Edo Castle, we can hold out for another three or four days without any problem."

"In short, as long as we hold on until General Tachibana leads his troops to help us, we will win!"

Katrintaro expressed his views concisely but passionately.

As soon as he finished speaking, questions rang out from the audience:
"General Tachibana? Isn't General Tachibana on an expedition to the two kingdoms of Chang and Zhou? How do you know he will lead his troops back to help?"

Katrintaro replied calmly:

"Because I am a good friend of General Tachibana, and I know General Tachibana. When he learns that Edo is in danger, he will definitely rush back at the risk of his life."

Having said that, he raised his eyes and looked meaningfully diagonally across the street - this was the direction of the Great Inner Palace.

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