I formed the strongest swordsman group

Qingdeng left suddenly and came back quickly.

In just a moment, he returned to the banquet hall and his seat with a normal expression.

Not long after Qingdeng came back, Kiryu and others also returned one after another.

The parents of the three girls left almost at the same time, and then returned almost at the same time.

First, he said he was going to say hello to his acquaintance Hikogoro Sato and others, and he and his wife went back to Qingdeng and others first... As soon as Okita returned, he stared at him with a frightening and irritated gaze. The chief who was so drunk that he fell asleep.

Hikaru Okita doesn't like drinking, and he hates drunks the most. The general manager's behavior of drinking too much in public until he falls asleep is completely dancing on Hikaru Okita's bottom line.

When the chief executive wakes up, she should be in trouble...Qingdeng thought to himself.

Immediately afterwards, Chiba Shigetaro, who claimed to go outside to blow sober up, came back scrambling.

The last ones who returned to the table were the three elders, Kiryu and the Komu couple.

When the parents returned, Kinoshita Mai and Sanako didn't dare to "fight openly and secretly" in front of them, and they all obediently buried their heads in eating.

The faint smell of gunpowder that permeated the air suddenly dissipated.

After that, there was no incident worth mentioning at Qingdeng's "table". Everyone quietly enjoyed the delicious food in front of them and the lively atmosphere of the banquet, and raised their heads to chat a few words from time to time.

But I don't know if it's Qingdeng's illusion.

He always felt... After the Gu Mu couple returned to the table, their attitude towards him had undergone a rather subtle change.

Ah-Ming's attitude towards him seems to have become a lot colder.

It's not that she suddenly made a bad face at Qing Deng, or said bad words to Qing Deng.

Because her seat is very close to Qingdeng, Qingdeng often meets her eyes.

Previously, when meeting Qingdeng's eyes, A-Ming would smile politely, his eyes full of smiles.

And now, after meeting Qing Deng's eyes, A-Ming still smiles at Qing Deng...but both the smile on his face and the smile in his eyes have become much stiffer.

There is a feeling that I don't want to smile at Qing Deng, but I have to force a smile out of politeness...

Instead, it was Komu Goro.

His attitude towards Qing Deng changed, completely opposite to that of A-Ming—he suddenly became a little warmer.

Frequently take the initiative to throw topics to Qingdeng and chat with Qingdeng.

The things they talked about were just some ordinary family gossip, and the topics mainly revolved around swordsmanship.

for example:

When did you start practicing swordsmanship?

Have you got the free pass now?

Do you have any plans to learn other swordsmanship while practicing the natural Lixin flow?

All these kinds.

Because of the indescribable intimacy with Gu Mu Goro, coupled with the fact that Gu Mu Goro is very talkative, Qingdeng is also willing to chat with this elegant old man.

Through the chat with Gu Mu Goro, Qingdeng also learned a lot about this uncle.

Komu Goro's actual age is older than his appearance. According to him, he is 45 years old this year. His wife, Ah Ding, is 2 years younger than him and is 43 years old this year.

The original intention of the couple to open a wagashi shop in Kyoto is that they are both interested in making dim sum.

After coming and going, confused, a wagashi shop with a good business was built in Kyoto.

"I once learned a little swordsmanship."

Gu Mu Goro raised his glass and said without changing expression while sipping the wine.

"I know a thing or two about swordsmanship. Although I haven't made any great achievements in swordsmanship, I have always been interested in swordsmanship."

"Mr. Orange, your swordsmanship is so high. I wonder if you have any ideals or goals in your swordsmanship?"

"Have you ever thought about becoming a famous swordsman?"

"Or should we go one step further and become the 'Unparalleled One' who is invincible under the heavens in the same era?"

"Are you eager to become a swordsman who has been conferred a 'sage' like Nobutsuna Umizumi, Buden Tsukahara, Genichi Kinoshita, and Itsue Ogata?"

"Or...challenge the achievement that countless fighters have dreamed of: become the 'Millennium Peerless' who will surpass you no matter whether it is hundreds or thousands of years in the future?"

After listening to the series of questions posed by Goro Gu Mu, Qing Deng couldn't help being dumbfounded.

The question Komu Goro asked is a bit big...

And the questions are exaggerated one by one... Great Swordsman, Tian Xia Wushuang, Sword Master, Millennium Wushuang...

Whether he has any goals or wishes on the journey of swordsmanship - this question, Qingdeng really hasn't seriously thought about it.

This question is in line with Qing Deng's distress a while ago: now that the Barbarian Group has fallen and the sword of Damocles above his head has disappeared, what should he do in the future?

"..." Qingdeng didn't say a word, and seemed to be in deep thought. The wine glass that was about to be raised paused.

Gu Mu Goro was not in a hurry.

He ate and drank as usual, quietly waiting for Qingdeng to think and answer.

After a while, Qingdeng quietly put the wine glass in his hand back to his lap.

"...Mr. Gu Mu, I'm ashamed to say it. My answer may disappoint you."

Qingdeng smiled lightly, and then said calmly and without haste:

"Although I am very interested in martial arts, I never thought about becoming a great swordsman, unparalleled in the world, sword master, or a millennium unparalleled."

"Don't say 'I want to be'. I don't even think about these words in my daily life."

"I just want to be quiet and continue to hone my martial arts at my own pace."

"If you have to say something about the goal... then it is to work hard to become stronger."

"Strong enough to protect all important people around me."

Miyagawa Otogoro and other guests became more and more noisy, and the whole banquet hall was full of noise.

Because the sound at the scene was very noisy, only the two parties involved could hear the conversation between Qingdeng and Komu Goro clearly.

Gu Mu Wulang put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hand, looked directly into Qingdeng's eyes, and listened carefully to Qingdeng's words.

"Looking back, before I knew it, I had important relatives and friends."

While talking, Qingdeng raised his head, raised his gaze, and looked around.

The old servant Kubei, Kondo, Hijikata, Saito, Nagakura, Harada, Kiryu, Kinoshita Mai, Sanako, Souji... Qingdeng's eyes passed over their cheeks one by one, who were sitting in different positions.

"Currently, this country and this world are far from peaceful."

"All sorts of messy upheavals ensued."

"Although it may be arrogant to say this... I still want to do my best to protect all important people within the reach of my sword."

Speaking of this, Qingdeng paused.

Then, he changed into a half-joking tone.

"So I've always wanted to learn how to use a musket."

Qingdeng raised his hand to pull the trigger, and continued:

"Compared to the blade... the muzzle of the gun seems to have a larger range of protection."

"Hahaha."

Gu Mu Goro seemed to be amused by Qingdeng's words, and after chuckling a few times, he crossed his hands and tucked into Haori's wide sleeves.

"In other words, you chose the 'Living Sword'..."

"The living sword?"

Qing Deng cast a puzzled look at Gu Mu Goro.

"A friend of mine who is quite proficient in the art of swords once told me: There are two kinds of swords in the world—"

Gumu Goro smiled lightly, then raised two fingers.

"The 'peerless sword' that cuts through everything in the world"

"The 'Sword of the Living' that cuts only what it wants to cut"

"Obviously, according to your answer just now, you mean 'living', not 'Wu Shuang'."

Gu Mu Goro slowly lowered his raised fingers, and then put on a look as if he wanted to appreciate a work of art carefully, and softly repeated a sentence that Qingdeng said just now:

"Do you want to protect all the important people where the sword's edge reaches..."

"Hahahaha, not a bad idea!"

After saying that, Goro Komu stretched out his hands that had been stuck into the sleeves of Haori - and saw that there was a pen and a small booklet in his right palm.

This uncle is quite trendy. As the owner of a wagashi shop, he actually carries a fountain pen that is still quite rare in Japan today.

"Mr. Orange, the more I chat with you, the more I realize that we really hit it off."

Komu Goro unscrewed the pen, opened the booklet, and wrote something "shuashuashua" on any page of the booklet.

"This is the address of the wagashi shop that my wife and I opened in Kyoto."

Gu Mu put down the pen, "hissed" and tore off the page he just wrote on it, and handed it to Qingdeng.

"Mr. Orange, if you have a chance to visit the capital in the future, you can follow the address on the paper to find me at any time. I always welcome you."

I live in Edo, and the Komu and his wife live in Kyoto, and the two cities are separated by almost half of Japan... After the wedding of Isamu Kondo and Tsune Matsui is over today, I don't know when I will meet the couple again.

Maybe after today, there will be no chance to meet this couple again...Qingdeng thought to himself.

However, even though he thought so in his heart, Qingdeng still politely accepted the note from Gu Mu Goro with both hands and accepted it happily...

...

The lively wedding banquet lasted until 4 pm.

After the sun began to set, guests began to return one after another.

Kinoshita Mai, Sanako, and the others were almost the last group of people to leave...the sky was getting a dim yellow light before they got up to leave.

Kiryu: "Zhou Zhu. Thank you very much for your hospitality today."

"Ho ho ho ho."

Zhou Zhu touched his bare chin. A pair of slender eyes that were usually so narrow that they could not see the pupils, now narrowed a little because of the smile.

"Don't say that! We are the ones who should say 'thank you', thank you for coming to Quanzi's wedding today!"

Kondo and Matsui Chang, the newlyweds, Qingdeng, Inoue, Hijikata, Abi and others stood in a row behind Zhou Zhu, and bid farewell to Kiryu, Ogata and Kinoshita Mai at the gate of the banquet hall.

Standing behind Kiryu's side, Mai Kinoshita folded her hands in front of her body, her small head was slightly lowered, and her eyes were fixed on her small toes without socks.

From time to time, she raised her head and secretly cast a reluctant gaze on Qingdeng.

At this moment, she especially hoped that Tongyu, Ogata and the others could chat with Zhou Zhu for a while... But things backfired, as soon as she had such thoughts, she saw Tongyu bowing slightly to Zhou Zhu:

"Then—we shall take our leave first."

After finishing speaking, Kiryu, who was "playing the vanguard", quickly walked out of the banquet hall without any hesitation or hesitation.

Ogata and A-Ming couple followed closely.

Obviously, a few days ago, I was hit hard when I learned that the girl who accompanied Qingdeng to watch the fireworks was not just me. As a result, a few days later, I "forgave" Qingdeng and Qingdeng through some "self-relieving". Deng puts his suspicions to rest... It can be seen what kind of status Qing Deng currently holds in Kinoshita Wu's heart.

Now that we have to part with Qingdeng, I still feel sad

But it's no use feeling sorry.

Kinoshita Mai took a deep breath, suppressed all kinds of thoughts in her heart, bowed to Zhou Zhu and others, gave a light salute, then lowered her head and followed the footsteps of Kiryu and Ogata couple.

"..." When Zhou Zhu bid farewell to Tongsheng and the others, Qingdeng, who was hiding in the group of people behind Zhou Zhu, kept silent.

Right now, seeing that Kiryu's group was about to leave, Qingdeng quietly moved half a step to the left, and stood at the edge of the aisle where Kiryu and others passed.

Qingdeng smiled and said goodbye to Kiryu and Ogata couples who passed him by.

Just when Kinoshita Mai, who was walking at the end, was about to pass by him——

"Huh?"

Kinoshita Mai let out a low cry abruptly.

"A Wu, what's the matter?" Ah Ding, who was walking in front of her, turned around and asked.

"No, nothing." Kinoshita Mai prevaricated, "Just... just accidentally stepped on a stone, so I was taken aback."

A-Machi glanced at Kinoshita Mai strangely.

But she didn't pay too much attention to Mai Kinoshita's exclamation just now.

After confirming that there seemed to be nothing unusual about Mai Kinoshita, she turned her gaze back to her body.

Kinoshita Mai breathed a sigh of relief after successfully fooling A-Ming, lowered her eyes cautiously, and looked at her right hand that was naturally drooping by her side.

At this time, in her right hand, there was an extra thin piece of paper.

Kinoshita Mai scraped the piece of paper lightly with her fingertips, and after confirming its existence, she held it tightly in her palm.

As if afraid that this piece of paper would disappear in her hands.

...

...

the next day—

In the first year of procrastination (1860), September 2——

Edo, Koishikawa Kohinata Yanagi-cho, Shouweikan——

Even though one night had passed, a festive atmosphere still permeated the air in the testing hall.

There were moderate showers last night and this morning.

It wasn't until noon that the tangled dark clouds finally dissipated.

The once gray and dull sky was once again glowing with the light of summer.

In the gap where the dark clouds dissipated, a piece of azure blue like a blue sea reappeared.

Due to the recent rain, there is a pleasant refreshing coolness in the air.

The cotton-like white clouds that appeared in place of the dark clouds softened the bright sunshine after the rain. Under the sunlight, the pure white clouds that seem to be plated with a layer of gold circles are piled up in the sky, layer upon layer, so spectacular.

From time to time, accompanied by a gust of breeze.

The breeze blew, blowing up every fallen leaf in the courtyard of the testing hall, and also stirred Qingdeng's hair and the hem of his clothes on the edge porch.

In traditional Japanese houses, there is usually a corridor under the eaves. This courtyard adjacent to the outside of the house is neither an indoor nor an outdoor corridor, so it is called "edge corridor".

Qingdeng was dressed very formally at this time.

Dark blue clothes, black hakama, black socks, and neatly groomed hair... She looked as if she was about to go out for an important date.

And in fact, it is true—after a while, Qingdeng will rush to an important date that might change his future life.

Another gust of wind blew, messing up Qingdeng's naturally hanging hair on his forehead.

I saw Qingdeng looking up at the blue sky above his head expressionlessly, with a pensive look hanging between his brows.

——It's about time...

Qingdeng stretched out his arms, wanting to find out the pocket watch he had been carrying with him since he bought it, to confirm the current time.

In the end, it was empty.

"Um?"

Qingdeng touched the belt and the inside of the clothes all over, but found nothing.

Surprised that his pocket watch, which he always kept with him, was missing, Qingdeng hurried up to the second floor and turned back to the "diner room" where he lived.

At this time, the only people staying in the "between the diners" were Saito who was sitting cross-legged in a daze in the corner with a knife in his hand, and lying sideways on the tatami by the window, singing "Yiyi oh oh" The famous ditty, Harada with his eyes closed.

"Saito, Harada..."

Qingdeng asked them if they had seen his pocket watch, and received a unified answer from both of them:

"No." Harada said.

"..." Saito shook his head quietly.

If you spend time looking for the pocket watch now, you may be late later... After weighing the pros and cons, Qing Deng finally decided to put the insignificant pocket watch away first, and hurry up to make an appointment.

Qingdeng, who finished the final arrangement of his attire, strode out of the test hall.

...

Just when Qingdeng's front foot left——

"Ahhhhh~~"

Holding a bag of Jinpei sugar in one hand, and stuffing the sugar grains in the bag into his mouth with the other hand, Souji tightened a pair of small purple button flat-bottomed clogs at the entrance of the sword hall.

She was about to finish Jinpingtang again, and was going to go to the dim sum shop to do some shopping.

"Ah, Okita-kun!"

"Huh? Harada-kun, what's wrong?"

After putting on the clogs and pressing his hand on the doorknob of the entrance door, the chief executive turned to look at Harada who was striding towards her.

"Director, have you seen Mr. Tachibana?"

"Mr. Ju?" The chief executive shook his head, "No, I didn't see it."

"Is that so... Mr. Tachibana has gone out already..."

Harada looked down at a pocket watch in his hand with regret.

"I still want to give him a pocket watch..."

"Pocket watch?" The chief took a look, and found that the pocket watch in Harada's hand was the pocket watch that Qingdeng always carried with him every time he went out.

"Mr. Orange, just now he was looking for his pocket watch among the diners."

Harada explained.

"He seemed to be in a hurry to get out, so he gave up after only looking for a while."

"Then just now, I suddenly had an idea, and suddenly remembered that this morning, I seemed to have seen Mr. Orange's pocket watch in the hall on the first floor, and I ran over to have a look - hey, I really found it. "

After finishing speaking, Harada raised Yang Qingdeng's pocket watch.

"It's a pity that I was a step too late. Mr. Ju has already gone out... I can only wait slowly for him to come back."

"It turned out to be like this..."

The director nodded slightly, while blinking his beautiful eyes thoughtfully.

After a moment, she reached out to Harada.

"Then give me Mr. Ju's pocket watch. I happen to be going out now. Since Mr. Ju has just left the house not long ago, I'll go after him now, maybe I can catch up."

Harada was also unambiguous.

Seeing that the general manager was going to take the initiative to deliver the watch to Qingdeng, he responded almost without thinking, "Oh! Then I'll leave it to you!".

"Ah, speaking of—"

After handing Qingdeng's pocket watch to the chief, Harada smiled as if thinking of something interesting.

"Mr. Orange put on a very serious outfit before going out just now. Are you going to meet some beautiful woman?"

The boss froze for a moment, then smiled helplessly.

"Mr. Ju, when did he go out dressed properly?"

After all, he was worried that if he set off later, he would not be able to catch up with Qingdeng's director general, so he hurriedly pushed the door and left.

The test hall is located on a high slope, so it has a good view.

The chief executive stood on the top of the slope and looked up, and soon found a familiar figure from behind——Qingdeng's height was far above the average of this era, so when Qingdeng stood among the crowd, he stood out from the crowd, especially conspicuous.

"Hey! Mr. Tangerine!"

The director-general shouted Qingdeng's name and ran after him.

When he arrived at the location where Qingdeng was found just now—the corner of a certain street, Qingdeng had already gone to nowhere.

The chief looked up anxiously... Maybe it was the chief's luck that she found the tall figure hurriedly heading to nowhere at the corner of the street in the distance.

He ran after him again.

When they reached that street intersection, Qingdeng's figure disappeared again...but the chief executive's good luck did not run out.

And let her discover Qingdeng who was about to disappear in the crowd far away...

The chief executive gritted his teeth, tightened the pocket watch in his hand, and started to chase for the third time.

God seems to be playing tricks on the chief executive.

Every time, the director general found Qingdeng just right, but the road to Qingdeng was either too complicated in the terrain or too crowded, so when the director hurriedly chased him, Qingdeng went to an unknown place ... so repeatedly.

Just like that, you chased me for nearly 20 minutes. After walking all the way from the test guard hall to a certain town that the general manager was very unfamiliar with, the general manager seemed to have run out of luck.

"Strange... Where did Ju-kun go...?"

No matter how the Chief Secretary stood on tiptoe and stretched his neck vigorously to look into the distance, Qingdeng's figure never came into her sight again.

Forget it, let's go back, wait for Mr. Ju to go back to the test hall, and then give him the pocket watch... Just when the chief executive who thought he lost Qingdeng had such an idea——

"Eh?"

Suddenly, a beautiful red shadow appeared in the corner of the director's left eye.

As if being shocked by an electric shock, the chief quickly turned his head and stared at the direction where the red shadow appeared with straight eyes.

"Miss Kinoshita?"

I saw Kinoshita Mai, who was wearing a bright red dress and light make-up as usual, hurrying on the way at the intersection on the left front of the head office.

Kinoshita Mai, who was busy walking eastward along the street, didn't find the chief executive.

I don't know if it's the president's illusion... She always felt that there seemed to be a smile of anticipation and joy on Kinoshita Mai's pretty face...

This place is quite far from Senshiya... What is Ms. Kinoshita doing here?

At this moment, the words that Harada said to her just now appeared in the head of the chief executive——

(Mr. Tachibana put on a very serious outfit before going out just now. Are you going to meet some beautiful woman?)

*****

*****

Ask for a monthly pass! Ask for a recommendation ticket! (Leopard Head Crying.jpg)

The plots that everyone has been thinking about are coming soon, please ask for a wave of monthly tickets to motivate! (Leopard crying.jpg)

I wonder if any book friends can guess why Kinoshita Mai appears here~