I formed the strongest swordsman group

Oishi Neizosuke——Born in the second year of Wanzhi (1659) and died in the sixteenth year of Genroku (1703), he was famous for his loyalty and revenge, and was the organizer of the world-famous "Ako Incident".

In the fourteenth year of Genroku (1701), Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth general of the Edo shogunate, specially ordered the lord of the Ako domain to be a "Yuchi Zouyao" (receptionist) in order to welcome and entertain the envoys sent by Emperor Higashiyama to Edo.

However, Asano was not familiar with the ceremonies and ceremonies of the shogunate, so the shogunate ordered Kira Uenosuke, who had a deep understanding of court etiquette, to assist Asano.

Kira has always looked down on Asano, not only did not help, but also let Asano make a fool of himself, and laughed at his ignorance.

When the emperor's envoys arrived, Asano was full of ugly appearances and made jokes.

Asano knew that Kira deliberately made him embarrassing in front of the public, so he was furious.

In order to be ashamed, he drew his sword angrily on the last day of the ceremony and cut Kira.

Openly committing murder in the main hall... Asano's behavior angered General Tsunayoshi.

General Tsunayoshi immediately ordered Asano to cut seppuku on the same day, and confiscated the territory of the Ako Domain.

Asano committed seppuku, but Kira was acquitted—the boss of the Ako clan, Ishiuchi Kosuke, and all the retainers of the Ako clan were very dissatisfied with such a verdict.

[Note · Jialao: The official position of the vassal state in the Edo period. The old family is to the vassal state, similar to the old middle school to the shogunate. Responsible for commanding all the warriors in the vassal state, and in charge of all affairs in the vassal state]

In order to avenge the lord, Oishi Neizosuke made a covenant with the retainers of the Ako clan who were also determined to revenge, and then went to various places to survive, waiting for the time to come.

Oishi Neizosuke, who vowed to kill Kira, exhausted all his efforts.

He left his wife and son, and went to Gion, Kyoto alone to find a geisha. He did this deliberately to make the Kira family think he was corrupt.

Oishi is the elder of the Ako clan and the head of the Ako clan's retainers, so the Kira family, who are afraid that the Ako clan's retainers will come to seek revenge, are most concerned about Oishi's actions.

After learning that Oishi lived a wild and absurd life every day, the Kira family lowered their vigilance.

In the fifteenth year of Yuanlu (1703), Oishi, who decided that the time was ripe, began to secretly gather comrades scattered all over the country.

Including Oishi, there were 47 Ako vassals who vowed to take revenge and went to Edo with the heart of death.

On December 15, Naizo Oishi led Ako's retainers to break into Kira's residence and took off Kira's head on the spot.

Afterwards, Oishi and others tied their hands and let the shogunate officials detain them and await the verdict.

In the sixteenth year of Yuanlu (1704), the shogunate ordered them to cut seppuku together.

People in later generations will collectively call the 47 Ako vassals who attacked Kira's mansion and beheaded Kira the "Forty-Seven Akos".

This incident of revenge and favoritism for the lord is also known as the "Ako Incident" or "Genroku Incident".

After the "Ako incident" occurred, the whole country was in an uproar.

Oishi Nei Zangsuke became a model of "loyal minister" in one fell swoop, and his name has become synonymous with "forbearance" and "struggling with courage".

Kikuchi Chimizu compares Takayuki Tachibana to Kosuke Oishi...

If Takayuki Tachibana really did what Kikuchi said, deliberately defiled himself in order to make the Shimizu Clan relax their vigilance and infiltrate the Shimizu Clan to gather information...then Takayuki Tachibana's actions are far worse than that of Oishi Neizosuke And nothing less than that.

As if it was agreed in advance, Sazhong and Yae turned their little heads sideways in a uniform movement, and took a look at Qingdeng.

After seeing Qing Deng's indifferent expression, they seemed to be relieved, and looked away from Qing Deng's body.

Indeed, from the surface, Qingdeng looks calm and composed.

However, in essence, Qingdeng's heart is not as calm as his appearance at the moment...

Although the theory that "Takayuki Tachibana is pretending to be addicted to gambling" has not been strongly confirmed, it is purely Kikuchi Chisui's personal conjecture.

Although Takashi Tachibana is just a "strange relative" to Qingdeng, Qingdeng does not have deep feelings for Takashi Tachibana.

However, at this moment, Qingdeng's heart was still uncontrollably turbulent.

What a strong will and belief it must be to solve a case without hesitating to tarnish one's reputation with one's own hands, and to bear gambling debts that ordinary people would never pay off in their lifetime...

"I've always believed...no! I've always believed that Mr. Tachibana pretended to be addicted to gambling and went in and out of casinos owned by the Shimizu Clan all day long in order to lower the vigilance of the Shimizu Clan and collect information from the Shimizu Clan!"

"At that time, I... was full of hope..."

"At that time, I... fully thought that as long as there was a powerful 'three-time' samurai like Mr. Tachibana... one day, I would be able to wash away the grievances of Aqi and Aden..."

"However...however...just in June of the sixth year of Anzheng (1859)...suddenly...I received a news like a bolt from the blue..."

"Mr. Orange... got tiger wolf dysentery... passed away..."

Speaking of this, Kikuchi Chisui's tone gradually became serious.

His hands that rested naturally on his thighs slowly tightened into fists.

"How can there be such a coincidence... How can there be such a coincidence...! How can there be such a coincidence!"

"It's not the fifth year of Ansei (1858)! The epidemic of tiger wolf dysentery has long passed! How could Mr. Orange suffer from tiger wolf dysentery at this very time?!"

"The beasts of the Qingshui clan must have discovered that Mr. Tachibana was investigating them, so they sent killers to silence Mr. Tachibana!"

"It must be like this!"

"It must be like this!!"

The appearance of Juchi Qianshui at this moment...it can be said that he looks crazy.

He gritted his teeth like a crazy beast, his hard teeth creaked, as if he would pounce on Qing Deng at any moment.

Sazhong and Yae unconsciously stood half a step sideways, ready to use their bodies to block between Qingdeng and Kikuchi Chisui at any time.

"It's not enough to kill Aqi and Arden, now I'm killing Mr. Tachibana...Damn...Damn...Damn...!"

Every time Ju Chi said "Damn", his eyes turned red.

After a while, hot tears rolled down from his eyes, and slid down his nose and cheeks.

"The moment I learned that Mr. Tachibana passed away... I felt like something was broken in my brain..."

"I can't remember what happened after that..."

"I just remember that I seemed to pass out on the spot."

"When did I wake up, what did I do after waking up... I can't remember at all..."

"I only vaguely remember that I seem to be drinking all the time, sleep when I'm tired, and stuff anything I can eat into my mouth when I'm hungry..."

"By the time I regain my sanity and remember things again, it will already be November in the first year of Wanyan (1860)..."

"Hehe... In other words, I didn't 'wake up' until not long ago. Before that, I had been living a chaotic life that even I didn't know what I was doing..."

This is probably the body's self-protection mechanism...Qingdeng thought to himself.

When a person's body or mind suffers a huge injury, the brain will automatically amnesia and erase this memory, so as to forget the pain.

His beloved wife and sister-in-law died tragically; Takayuki Tachibana, who was regarded by Kikuchi as "the only hope", also suffered an accident...

To be honest, it is not surprising that even if Kikuchi went crazy and suffered from serious mental illness after suffering such devastating blows one after another.

"After 'waking up' from that chaotic state... I feel empty inside my body..."

As Kikuchi spoke, he showed a grotesque expression that was half a smile, not a smile, both sad and self-deprecating.

"Mr. Orange is gone... The grievances of Aqi and Aden may never be cleared away..."

"When I think about it, I feel powerless..."

"Heh... this is probably what the ancients often said, 'there is nothing more sorrowful than death'..."

"I don't have the energy to track down the real culprit who killed Aqi and Arden... I don't even have the strength to resent the real culprit who killed Mr. Tachibana, Aqi and Arden..."

"It's all good..."

"So be it……"

"I gave up……"

"Maybe this is my fate..."

"Maybe I was a heinous traitor in my previous life, that's why I ended up in this situation..."

After finishing speaking, Kikuchi leaned against the wall behind him and lowered his head.

He was obviously still breathing, and he was obviously still a living person, but there was no light in his eyes, and he looked very much like a walking dead.

No, it should be said... the current Juchi is a walking dead...

Qing Deng subconsciously wanted to say something to comfort Ju Chi, but after he opened his mouth, he couldn't say anything.

To what extent must human language be exhausted, and to what extent must human eloquence be brought into play, in order to comfort Kikuchi who has suffered so much injustice and grief?

Qingdeng's knowledge and life experience are so pale and powerless in front of Juchi's miserable experience...

For a moment, silence reigned in the stinking thatched cottage.

A heavy silence fell between Qingdeng and Kikuchi.

In this silence--

"...Tachibana-kun... what do you think?"

Ju Chi suddenly threw a nonsensical rhetorical question at Qing Deng.

"Um?"

Qingdeng casts a puzzled look at Juchi.

"Do you think Aqi and Arden were silenced?"

Kikuchi raised his gaze—a faint look of hope floated in his eyes.

With his eyes and appearance, he looked like a drowning man desperately clutching at the straw.

With his tone and tone, he seemed to be asking Qingdeng, but also asking himself.

"..."

Qingdeng stared straight at Juchi, without saying a word.

As far as sensibility is concerned, Qingdeng naturally wanted to pick some nice words to comfort Juchi.

However...From a rational point of view, Qingdeng really couldn't give Kikuchi an optimistic answer...

Looking back at what Kikuchi said just now, it can be found that the statement that "Aqi is innocent, and the real culprit who killed Aqi and Arden was someone else" is completely one-sided by Kikuchi.

Tachibana Longzhi only found out that behind the strange medicine was the shadow of the Qingshui clan, but did not find out that Aqi and Arden were indeed silenced...

There is no sufficient evidence to prove that Aqi is innocent...

Besides, there is another doubt.

Ah Qi reported the fraudulent drug to the government, so she faced retaliation - which made sense.

But what about Ardennes?

Throughout the incident, Arden has always been an "outsider"

What reason did the behind-the-scenes mastermind who produced and sold the strange medicine kill Arden?

"Strange medicine" has the ability to destroy people's minds, making people impulsive and irritable, and it is difficult to control their emotions.

Based on all the precedents Qingdeng knows, when the user of the cunning drug loses control due to the onset of the effect of the drug, let alone murder, they can do extreme things.

For example, the first case that Qingdeng investigated after traveling to this world - Xun Saburo had no intention of killing Granny Ping, but after the effect of the medicine took effect, he still drew a knife and brutally killed Granny Ping.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that Arden was indeed killed by Ah Qi who was suddenly out of control due to the sudden onset of the effect of the strange medicine, and the possibility that Ah Qi did commit suicide...

Although Qingdeng didn't speak, his silence was worth a thousand words.

"Hahaha……"

Kikuchi grinned and let out a deep laugh.

"Even Mr. Ju, do you think Aqi is not innocent..."

Having said that, Kikuchi lowered his eyes and head again.

Although it was only for a short moment, at the moment when Juchi bowed his head, Qingdeng, with his good eyesight, keenly observed: the hope floating in Juchi's pupils just now changed into sadness and... Is there any relief...

"...I didn't think so."

Qing Deng said slowly.

"I just want to prove that Aqi is innocent, and I still need definite evidence."

Ju Chi nodded slightly.

"Evidence...that's true..."

There were a few more muffled laughs.

After the laughter passed, Kikuchi changed the subject:

"I thought I would never have the chance to tell the story of me and Mr. Orange to a third person in my life..."

"But I never thought that I would meet Mr. Tachibana's son at this very moment..."

"Maybe...God specifically allowed me to live on until now just to allow me to meet you..."

"Ha...if that's the case...then my bastard life for more than a year is not meaningless."

"Mr. Ju, I don't know what case you are currently investigating, so I won't ask any further questions."

"If everything I just told...my story, the story of Aqi and Arden, and the story of Mr. Orange can help you...that would be great."

Juchi raised his head again, meeting Qingdeng's eyes.

"Mr. Ju, I wish you prosperity in martial arts."

Kikuchi smiled calmly.

A calm smile that was very different from his previous crazy behavior.

"Okay...all I can do, I've done...all I can say, I've said..."

"Please come back..."

"I'm tired... want to sleep..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Ju Chi tilted his body and lay on his side on the ground.

He was curled up like a cat, his cheek buried between his legs.

After a while, his chest rose and fell rhythmically...

...

...

At this very moment—

Edo, somewhere in the suburbs——

call! call! call! call!

The howling north wind got into Sanako's collar, sending a sharp chill.

"Well……!"

Sanako couldn't help shivering, and quickly raised his hand to tighten the blue scarf around his neck.

"It's so cold..."

While tightening the scarf, Sanako looked up.

In the distance, a vermilion torii gate came into view.

"I finally found it... Is that the Moon Palace Shrine..."

Sanako murmured.

*****

*****

It's over, my sister is also positive...

I just got corona and I now have antibodies in my body so I won't be positive anytime soon - that's how it should be, right...?