I formed the strongest swordsman group

That night--

Edo, Koishikawa Kohinata Yanagi-cho, Shouweikan——

"Soba noodles are here!"

Inoue Gensaburo walked into the living room with a big smile on his face, holding a large bowl of freshly baked soba noodles that were still exuding translucent heat.

In the living room, the air is full of joy.

Qingdeng and the others, who had just showered and put on fresh and clean clothes, were already sitting in their seats.

After Gensaburo Inoue entered the living room, they all looked expectantly at the bowl of freshly cooked soba noodles in his arms.

"Oh! Nian Yue Buckwheat! It's finally here!"

Harada sucked in his saliva forcefully.

"Uncle Yuan! Please give me more noodles!"

Harada shoved his bowl in Inoue's face.

"Don't worry, don't worry."

Inoue said cheerfully.

"There are plenty of buckwheat noodles, you can eat them with peace of mind! Ah, but don't steal them. Before the master finishes his New Year's speech, you must be patient."

Inoue took everyone's bowls and filled everyone's bowls to the brim with skillful techniques.

Eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve - this is one of the characteristic folk customs in Japan.

Soba noodles served on New Year's Eve are commonly called "Nenyue Buckwheat".

There are quite a few reasons why soba is eaten on New Year's Eve.

One, soba noodles are long and thin, which symbolizes longevity.

Second, in the traditional Japanese concept, buckwheat noodles are a very healthy food that can eliminate five poisons.

Third, soba noodles are relatively soft and easy to cut. Therefore, eating soba noodles during the Chinese New Year has the meaning of "cutting off all the troubles of the past".

Qingdeng and the others, who had been busy all day, were already starving.

One by one, they opened their eyes wide and stared at the soba noodles in their respective bowls, ready to launch a "large-scale offensive" against the noodles in front of them.

However, although everyone is very hungry now, the big guys are all showing considerable restraint at this time.

They turned their heads in the same direction in unison, focusing all their eyes on Zhou Zhu who was sitting on the main seat.

Although none of them spoke, their staring eyes had already conveyed a precise and oppressive message to Zhou Zhu:

Master/Mr. Kondo, hurry up and give a New Year speech! If you have anything to say, just say it quickly!

Sensing everyone's "enthusiasm", Zhou Zhu laughed a few times.

Afterwards, he cleared his throat in disappointment, and stood up with Tusu wine.

Under the profound influence of Chinese civilization, the Japanese also drink Tusu wine during the New Year, which symbolizes avoiding the plague.

"Everyone!"

Zhou Zhu's eyes swept across the faces of everyone present.

"I don't say too complicated and nasty things."

"In the past year, this sword gym and I have really been thankful for your care!"

After finishing speaking, Zhou Zhu bent down vigorously and quickly, and bowed a standard 90-degree deep bow to Qingdeng and others in front of him.

"In the past year, many things happened...I think it's incredible and fantastic when I think about it now!"

"Looking back a year ago today, the people who gathered in the test hall to celebrate the New Year were only me, my wife, Yong, Zongsi, Yuan, and Suisan, a total of 6 people."

"And now, there are so many new faces in front of me!"

"Thinking back a year ago, my guarding gym was a small sword gym with little reputation in Edo, which was scornfully called 'taro dojo' by countless people."

"Now, my guarding hall is no longer as lonely as it used to be! The population is getting more and more prosperous!"

"To be honest, compared with the past days, the current life is really like a dream to me."

"I can have today, and the test guard can have today, it all depends on your support and help!"

"In the new year, I hope you will give me a lot of advice!"

"At the same time, I also wish you all peace and joy in the new year!"

After the last syllable landed, Zhou Zhu made another standard deep bow at a right angle of 90 degrees to Qingdeng and the others in front of him.

Qingdeng and the others bowed and returned the salute immediately.

"Okay! Use your chopsticks!"

Zhou Zhu was all smiles, and happily sat back in his original position.

"To be honest, I've been hungry for a long time! I'll start first!"

Before he had finished speaking, Zhou Zhu picked up the soba noodles on his dining table, and smacked the noodles with "ahhhhhhh".

With Zhou Zhu, the head of the family, starting, the next thing will follow.

"I'm starting!" *N

The phrase "I'm starting" shouted in unison converged into a joyful and lively atmosphere that would permeate the air of the testing hall, driving the climax.

Immediately afterwards, the sounds of "sucking, sucking" and "swish, swish" came one after another.

As soon as the first mouthful of noodles came into his mouth, Qing Deng's eyes lit up immediately.

The moment the pale yellow noodles are caught in the mouth, the rich umami taste spreads from the tip of the tongue to the entire mouth.

Soft and slightly sticky noodles with just the right amount of saltiness. Good taste, very chewy.

With every bite, the unique sweetness of flour spreads in your mouth. The unique flavor is wrapped in a rich noodle soup. The aroma of the noodles blends with the deliciousness of the noodle soup and complements each other.

Before the noodles finished, Qingdeng grabbed the Tusu wine by his lap and drank a swig.

The pungent taste, as if firecrackers exploded in his mouth, lifted Qingdeng's spirit.

The strong sense of eating mixed with the stimulation of sprinkling semen passed Qingdeng's throat together, and Qingdeng felt a rush of pleasure rushing through his whole body.

Qingdeng is not the only one who has similar feelings.

Looking at the expressions of everyone present, you will find that everyone is now looking like they are glistening and gobbling.

Even Saito, who is slow and unhurried no matter what he does, can't even raise his eyes at the moment, wishing he had an extra hand to help chop the noodles.

"Delicious! Delicious! So delicious!"

Harada, who ate a large bowl of noodles in less than half a minute, went to serve the noodles again. On the one hand, he said happily.

"This soba noodles are so delicious! Uncle Yuan, where did you buy these noodles? After eating this noodles, I feel like I can dream of Mount Fuji, eggplants and flying eagles tonight!"

Mount Fuji, eggplant, and flying eagle—this is a well-known allusion from the Edo period.

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan. It is homonymous with "Nothing", which means immortality and peace.

Flying eagle is the same as "high", which has the rich meaning of flying high and the king of birds.

Eggplant was not a particularly cheap food in the Edo period, and at the same time it has a homonym with "成事".

Thus, the proverb "one Fuji, two eagles and three eggplants" was born.

According to legend, dreaming of these three things in the first dream of the new year means that there will be good omens in the coming year.

Inoue chuckled:

"I didn't buy these noodles from the market. The noodles were mixed by the chief executive herself."

As soon as Inoue's words fell, the rest of the people on the field except Kondo and Hijikata, the old acquaintances of the chief director, all focused their eyes on the chief minister.

"Okita."

Yongcang looked at the chief in disbelief.

"This noodle...was made by you yourself?"

Suddenly being stared at by so many people with shocked eyes, the always carefree chief executive showed a rare expression of shyness.

She put down the bowls and chopsticks in her hand, put her two small hands on the hakama tubes of her legs, and pinched the fabric of the clothes with her ten fingers.

"Well, I made this side, how about it? Is it to your liking?"

"too delicious!"

Harada bluffed loudly.

"Okita, the noodles you make are so delicious! Much better than the noodles I ate when I was eating out!"

Yongcura followed Harada with his compliments:

"Okita, I think you can try to open a noodle restaurant in the future. With your skills, you will definitely make a lot of money, and you won't have to worry about food and drink for the rest of your life."

Saito, who has always been taciturn and would not speak when he could speak, also spoke at this time:

"Okita-kun, it's delicious, and your craftsmanship is very good."

Simple and straightforward words full of Saito's characteristics.

Although the rhetoric is simple, the meaning of praise contained in it is not lacking at all.

Hearing that everyone had such a high opinion of the noodles she made by herself, the corners of the chief executive's mouth rose slightly, and a look of relief appeared on his face.

However, although the general manager really showed joy, the lines of her facial features were a little stiff.

Gives a "she's happy, but she's not quite happy yet" vibe.

At this time, the chief executive quietly turned his head and looked at Qing Deng who was sitting not far from her.

"Mr. Tangerine."

she asked.

"What do you think? Do you think the noodles I make are delicious?"

The bowl of noodles in his hand, which was so delicious that he wanted to swallow his tongue, was actually made by the director-general - to Qingdeng, this was unexpected but reasonable.

It may be influenced by the environment in which he lost his parents since he was a child and had to be strong to help his two older sisters with housework. Although the chief executive is still young, he is already full of strength as a wife.

Sweeping, laundry, cooking... all kinds of housework, everything is fine.

Before Kondo got married, Abi and Inoue basically took care of the housework in the test hall.

A Bi's hands and feet are very diligent.

And Inoue, who likes to do housework and is still unwilling to be helped by others, is a housework expert who can "do three days' work in one day".

Therefore, the general manager's ability to do housework is useless.

After Kondo got married, and there was an extra woman in the test hall who could take care of the housework, the general's all-round skills were even more useless.

Therefore, after going back and forth like this, there are very few opportunities to cook in person.

However, even so, Qingdeng still ate the dishes cooked by the chief executive a few times—although the number of times was not many, Qingdeng was deeply impressed by the extremely high level of cooking skills of the chief executive.

"Very tasty!"

Qingdeng praised sincerely.

"Boss, you will definitely be a good wife in the future... um...!"

Before the last word: "Zi" was blurted out, Qing Deng quickly shut his mouth tightly.

——It's dangerous, it's dangerous!

In a moment of quick talk, he almost exposed the body of the chief executive's daughter.

Yongcang, Saito, and the others don't know that the chief executive's physical structure is slightly different from theirs.

If Qingdeng didn't shut up in time, if he said the sentence "You will be a good wife in the future" completely, it would be a bad end.

"Uh...he will be a well-known celebrity chef if he changes his career to catering!"

Qing Deng changed his words in time.

At the moment, everyone in the hall was busy eating noodles, so no one noticed the strangeness on Qing Deng's body.

The only one who would have a big reaction to Qingdeng Shicai's words and Shicai's strange behavior was the chief executive himself.

"Hey hey~~"

The general manager raised his hand to play with the slender ponytail on the back of his head, with a naive smile on his face.

The odd look of "happy, but not quite happy" was gone.

Instead, it is complete and full of joy from the heart.

Qingdeng didn't know: someone had noticed and realized the full text of his slip of the tongue just now.

"A good wife..."

A murmur that seemed too radical and inappropriate to describe it as "moaning like a mosquito" floated from the chief director's lips and tongue.

The general manager picked up her bowl and chopsticks, lowered his head, and shoveled noodles into his mouth.

Use a wide bowl slightly larger than her small face to cover her slightly upturned mouth that draws out the corners of the mouth, as well as the bright red face that shows light talk.

...

...

There is no custom of setting off firecrackers or fireworks during the New Year in Japan, so it is quiet outside the house.

It's quiet everywhere... Correction, it should be said that the whole Edo is quiet.

This largest city in Japan, surrounded by night and faint moonlight, is as quiet as the depths of a lake.

The air is filled with soba and peace.

From time to time, there will be bursts of laughter coming from a certain mansion.

With such a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere, it is hard to imagine that the city has suffered countless setbacks and tribulations in the past year.

The indiscriminate killings of the radical anti-barbarians; the unscrupulous destruction of the barbarians; the influx of unemployed vagrants caused the extreme deterioration of public order...

With the full cooperation of law enforcement officers from various security agencies such as the "Three Returns" of the Enforcement Office headed by Qingdeng, and Huofu Bandit Kai, the security situation in Edo was greatly improved.

The anti-barbarian group no longer exists, and the "radical anti-barbarian movement" that was once in full swing due to the assassination of Ii Naosuke gradually subsided;

At first glance, it appears that brighter days have arrived.

However... anyone with a little discernment and a little big picture can see that peace is far from coming.

Qingdeng agrees with some of the remarks made by Daizo Ito when he came to visit this morning: Times are changing drastically.

The current situation in Japan, not only does not show any signs of improvement, but instead tends to get worse and become more and more bloody.

The idea of ​​respecting people is currently popular among the people and even among the officials.

Many members of the shogunate were advocates of the idea of ​​respecting others—especially those of the Hitotsubashi faction.

A considerable number of people in the Yiqiao faction highly respect the thought of respecting people.

Like the lunatics in the anti-barbarian group, the lunatics with radical ideas of anti-barbarians have not disappeared. They just changed their "vests" and no longer called themselves "anti-barbarians". Instead, they began to call themselves "respect and anti-barbarians". .

They have gained righteousness.

They evolved and got trickier.

As long as Qingdeng is still in a public security organization like Huofu Banditaigai, sooner or later he will be with these radical-minded Zhiyizhi... Ah, no, it should be called "respecting people with lofty ideals" now, and sooner or later he will be "respecting people with lofty ideals" deal".

However, no matter how you say it, the old year is over and the new year is coming.

No one can tell what will happen in the coming year, or even in the distant future.

In short, let's embrace the present with all our heart.

Enjoy this rare moment of tranquility to the fullest.

Qingdeng took out his pocket watch and looked at the current time—it was exactly 20 o'clock, and there were still 4 hours before 1861.

—Speaking of which...it seems to be approaching the first anniversary of my time travel to this world...

If Qingdeng remembers the flower correctly, he passed through on January 12, 1860.

After all the calculations, Qingdeng has indeed lived in this new world for nearly a year.

——Time flies so fast...

The corner of Qingdeng's mouth raised a smile similar to nostalgia.

The previous year went by so fast.

Because he had just passed through and didn't understand the situation, he followed Arima and the others with a blank face, and the scene of assaulting the lair of the Renyi group was still in front of his eyes. As a result, in the blink of an eye, I was already celebrating the coming of the New Year with my brothers.

The previous year had been a long one.

Thinking back carefully, in the past year, Qingdeng really met many people and experienced many things.

There are subordinates who share weal and woe, brothers and sisters who treat each other with sincerity, and a girl who loves deeply.

Solved murders, killed terrorists, and beat bandits.

Qingdeng's year has been richer and more exciting than ordinary people's ten years.

Qingdeng stuffed the pocket watch back into his pocket, raised his gaze, and scanned the faces of everyone in front of him one by one.

Harada was bragging about the origin of that scar on his stomach again.

Saito, as always, remained independent and ate noodles in silence.

Kondo and Yongcang, who were drunk, began to fight and dance.

Inoue cheerfully became the atmosphere group, and beat the time for the two masters who danced awkwardly.

Hijikata showed his hand for a long time, and took out the shamisen that he did not know where to get, and provided background music for Kondo and Nagakura in conjunction with Inoue's beat.

While appreciating Kondo and Yongcang's dance with joy, the general manager ate Haisai with his right hand and left hand, and let out hearty laughter like silver bells from time to time.

Looking at the bustling scenes in front of him, the smile on Qingdeng's face gradually became more peaceful.

He felt a strange sense of stability and fulfillment in his heart.

Qingdeng grabbed his own wine bottle and drank a swig of Tusu wine.

With a special pleasure, the pungent hot thread slides from the mouth to the belly, and then flows all over the body, all limbs and bones.

Qingdeng decided to indulge once tonight! If you drink it, you won't get drunk!

...

...

About three hours later——

The test hall, among the diners——

"Lu... lu..."

There seemed to be some noise.

"Snoring...snoring..."

The sound is getting louder.

"Snoring...! Snoring...!"

I understand, it's the sound of snoring.

Not just one, but several. Some volume is loud, some volume is low, one after another.

Immediately afterwards, following the sound of snoring, Qing Deng smelled a very foul smell—it was the smell of wine.

Stimulated by the noisy snoring and the smell of alcohol, Qingdeng gradually regained consciousness.

With a little sober mind, he slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing that catches my eyes is the darkness that occupies the entire field of view, followed by the familiar ceiling that I have long been used to seeing.

There is no doubt that I am in my own bed.

--Um……? Why would I... hiss...!

Qingdeng tried to recall how he appeared here, but as soon as his brain was working, a needle-like pain hit his brain, and then spread to his whole body.

Qingdeng, who couldn't help crying out in pain, quickly raised his hand to press his forehead, and kept gasping for air.

The coldness of the air-conditioning played a certain analgesic effect. After sucking the cold air into his stomach one mouthful at a time, Qingdeng gradually felt better.

——How could I... be on the bed? Am I not... drinking with the guys?

Turbid consciousness, messy thoughts.

With his head that was about to split from the pain, he couldn't organize effective thinking for a long time, and couldn't recall anything.

But to solve the mystery of "I suddenly appeared on the bed", Qingdeng still frowned, endured the discomfort in his body, and tried hard to remember.

Gradually, the hanging wire hanging down into the sea of ​​memory felt like something was entangled——he remembered.

After deciding to indulge for a long time, Qingdeng started the mode of "booze drinking" and "all comers".

No matter who came to him to toast, he would welcome them all, and accompany them to drink to their heart's content.

The more you drink, the more excited you are, and the more excited you are, the more you drink.

During this period, Qingdeng actively participated in various small games spontaneously organized by Kondo and others. Such as: field boxing, playing mahjong, dancing...

And then... there is no more.

Qingdeng's memory finally stopped at drinking with the chief executive.

At that time, Qingdeng, who was already a little unconscious, and the chief executive, who was also a little unconscious from drinking, hooked shoulders together, and chatted about some messy topics that seemed to have content and seemed to have no content.

He chattered with the chief executive, pouring wine glass after glass—this was Qing Deng's last memory.

Afterwards, things became like this: Qingdeng woke up in the bed, and his memory was greatly split, as if time had passed through, Qingdeng had no impression of the long memory of drinking with the chief until he fell asleep on the bed , It's like being cut off a piece of memory out of thin air.

——Am I drinking a broken piece...

Qingdeng couldn't help smiling wryly.

This was the first time in his life that he drank to pieces.

It can be regarded as another level of eye-opening and experience of a new life.

As for how he slept in the bed, someone should have brought him back after drinking the pills.

——Hiss...is it so painful to drink the fragments...my head seems to be about to explode...

Qingdeng rubbed his eyes, reached out and grabbed the pocket watch on the bedside. With the talent effect of the "cat's eye", he glanced at the current time.

——11:30...Is it still in 1860...Looks like I haven't slept too long...Ugh! Bladder is bloated...

At this time, Qing Deng belatedly realized that his bladder was extremely distended.

All the drinks I drank tonight were turned into digested human waste.

How could it be possible to sleep in such a swollen and painful state?

Thus, Qingdeng endured the severe pain in his head and got up with difficulty.

Looking up, Yongcang, Harada and others were lying on the ground in a mess.

Everyone exudes a strong and choking alcohol smell, which stinks badly. The smell was so strong and strong that Qingdeng couldn't help wondering if all the residents of Koishikawa Kohinatayanagi could smell this stench that could rival biochemical weapons.

Depending on the situation, even if Yongcang and the others didn't drink the fragments like Qingdeng, they should be pretty close.

Qingdeng held his breath subconsciously, crawled out of the bed nimbly, and walked out of the diners in three steps at a time.

...

After running to the toilet and releasing his physiological needs freely, Qingdeng immediately felt refreshed, and even the pain in his head was relieved a lot.

However, the world in front of him is still slightly tilted and rotated, making Qing Deng still stagger when he walks.

Qingdeng just walked with unsteady steps on the way back to the diners.

However, at this moment, Qing Deng suddenly heard strange noises coming from the direction of the yard.

--Um?

Qingdeng turned his head to look at the sound, and the clarity in his eyes suddenly increased a bit.

——what movement...

Although no thief would have the guts to sneak into the sword hall to steal, but just to be on the safe side, Qingdeng lowered his body weight, stooped, and tiptoed towards the yard.

As soon as he arrived at the courtyard of the testing hall, gusts of cold air that could freeze a person's breath into white mist instantly enveloped Qingdeng's whole body.

Fortunately, when he went to the bathroom, Qingdeng put on his thickest padded coat, otherwise he would be frozen into an ice sculpture now.

Qing Deng tightened his clothes and glanced at Ting Luo.

In just a moment, he found the person who made the strange noises.

"Okita-kun?"

Qingdeng raised his eyebrows.

I saw the general manager wearing a thick purple feather, sitting alone on the edge of the courtyard.

This purple haori was the new clothes Okita Hikaru had bought for the chief executive.

Purple is Zongsi's favorite color, and the Zongsi loves the thick haori that his sister gave him so much.

Can't wait to put them on as soon as the weather cools down. Worn almost every day, with few exceptions.

The iconic light and slender high ponytail is gone, replaced by a loose and smooth shawl.

The general manager rarely distributes it, so it is very rare to see this scene in Qingdeng at this moment.

Compared with the appearance when he was in a ponytail, the chief executive with the three thousand black hair loosened down has less lively aura, but more gentle and soft beauty.

Because he was not tall enough, the chief executive who was sitting on the porch couldn't reach the ground with his feet, and his pair of pink and jade-carved little feet without socks just swayed and swayed like this.

The two little feet are swinging back and forth as if they are paddling water, and the two little hands are propped on the floor on the left and right sides of the body. With the arms on the ground as support, the upper body is leaned back sharply, the chin is raised, and the eyes are looking The distant deep space beyond the eaves.

She was so focused and absorbed in watching, that she didn't even notice that Qing Deng was standing not far from her.

Tonight is a cloudy day, thick clouds separated the sky and the earth. At this time, there was neither moon nor stars in the sky, and there was nothing but the clouds that were dyed pitch black by the night, and she didn't know what she was looking at, so seriously.

It wasn't until this moment that the chief director finally turned his head when he sensed Qingdeng's gaze, and discovered Qingdeng's existence.

"Ah, Mr. Tangerine!"

The director general waved his hand to Qing Deng with a joyful expression.

"Miss Okita, what are you doing here all alone without going to bed at night?"

Qingdeng asked as he walked towards the head office.

Because there were no outsiders around, Qingdeng changed into a title that he would only use when he was alone with the chief executive: Miss Okita.

The chief didn't respond to Qingdeng's question immediately, but first patted the floor beside him with a smile.

"Mr. Orange! Come on! Sit here!"

"what"

Although Qingdeng was puzzled, he obediently sat down beside the general manager according to the general manager's instructions.

"It's quite cold tonight. Are you wearing enough clothes? At least wear the right socks..."

"Chirp~"

Qingdeng's voice stopped abruptly.

Because at the last moment, there was a fiery touch on his left cheek.

Qingdeng was so shocked that he temporarily forgot how to control his body muscles.

Qingdeng tilted his eyes dumbfoundedly, and stared in amazement at... the chief minister who was leaning over his entire upper body and smacking a fiery kiss on his left cheek, and his red lips hadn't moved away from his cheek until now.

*****

*****

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

Kinoshita Mai: I am the first heroine to officially appear in this book, so the first heroine of this book must be me!

Sanako: Oh? (Wear the same scarf as Qingdeng)

Tianzhangyuan: Oh? (Often posted with Qingdeng)

Director: (laughs without speaking)