I formed the strongest swordsman group

Wenjiu three years (1863), August 18, night——

In the southern suburbs of Kyoto, the position of the Choshu Army——

"Quick! Move quickly! Don't dawdle!"

"You haven't eaten? Try harder!"

"Hey! I made a few more shovels!"

"Listen to my command! One, two, three, pull! Come again! One, two, three, pull!"

"Aizu's cavalry is very powerful. We must build a barrier and a fence before dawn!"

…

Looking up, the Changzhou Army's position was bustling with activity.

Even though the engraved sky was shrouded in darkness, they held torches and oil lamps and worked tirelessly to build their positions.

In addition to the sound of shoveling earth, the "construction site" will also hear passionate shouts from time to time:

"Down with the traitors and thieves!"

Whenever this burst of shouting comes out, there will be a howling like a wolf, with echoing sounds of "ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh" all around.

In the eyes of the soldiers of the Changzhou Army, the secret alliance of the Huisa Allied Forces and the rapid blockade of the imperial palace were really a shameless sneak attack!

Such behavior naturally made them furious.

His Majesty the Emperor will never reject Choshu! It must be Aizu and Satsuma who coerced His Majesty the Emperor and forced him to issue the "Expulsion of Choshu" - most of the soldiers in the Choshu Army believed this wishfully.

In fact, only a handful of high-level people know the truth.

Due to the lack of effective channels for obtaining information and their own limited vision, the vast majority of the people in the Choshu Domain were kept in the dark.

They didn't know... Aizu and Satsuma did not hold the emperor hostage. The Chenhan announced by the emperor today was the true voice he had not made for a long time!

Changzhou, who always talks about the slogan "respect the king and repel the barbarians", is the force that least respects the king!

It's both ironic and funny.

If all the people of Choshu knew the truth, I am afraid that an extremely strong earthquake would erupt in the Choshu domain.

However, today, the soldiers of the Changzhou Army always firmly believe that they are the righteous and vow to defeat the Huisa Allied Forces! Save the Emperor!

In order to vent their hatred, they called Aizu "the traitor" and Satsuma "the traitor".

Relying on this high-spirited and unyielding momentum, defenses such as horses, fences, and trenches in the position were built at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Kusaka Genrui, wearing a helmet and armor, held the saber at his waist and inspected the position.

Katsura Kogoro followed closely behind him.

The two of them said nothing...an unspeakable dull atmosphere lingered around them.

Ever since he fell out with Hisasaka Genzui, Takasugi Shinsaku returned to Choshu in a fit of temper and lived a semi-reclusive life.

Katsura Kogoro has always been the "lubricant" for both of them.

Although he and Takasugi Shinsaku are in the same camp, they can't worry about Kusaka Genzui, so they have always been by his side.

The "Three Heroes of Changzhou" who came from the same school and once talked about everything, unexpectedly met such an ending... It is really sad.

"...Kusaka-kun, do we really have to pin our hopes of victory on that unknown Tenchu ​​team?"

Katsura Kogoro asked abruptly.

Kusaka Genrui was silent for a while, and then sighed silently.

"There is nothing else we can do."

"As much as I don't want to admit it... but with our own strength alone, we have a low chance of winning against the Huisa Allied Forces with full strength and high morale."

The Aizu Army has a world-famous cavalry team.

The Satsuma Army has an organized firearms unit.

Especially the latter cannot be underestimated.

The radical reforms of the former Satsuma feudal lord Shimazu Noribin gave the Satsuma clan the highest industrial capabilities in Japan, with the ability to independently manufacture guns and warships.

Its strength is so powerful that even Kusaka Genrui, who has always advocated "spiritual theory", has to treat it with caution.

Hisaka Genrui’s words continued:

"Based on the currently known intelligence, the Tenchu ​​Group is undoubtedly our ally."

"His Majesty has declared them rebels."

"If they don't try to save themselves, they will die."

"As long as they have any brains, they can't help but think that their only way to survive right now is to give it a try, take Kyoto, and recapture the Imperial Palace and the Emperor!"

"Therefore, after they learn about the situation in Kyoto, they will definitely send troops north immediately."

"If we can join forces with them, we will have a chance to defeat the Huisa coalition forces!"

As soon as Gensui Kusaka finished speaking, Kogoro Katsura refuted him coldly:

"Kusaka-kun, with all due respect, your plan sounds great at first glance, but in order for it to be realized, there is a major prerequisite - the Tenchu ​​team can independently defeat the Shinsengumi that has gone south!"

A simple sentence silenced Kusaka Genrui, who was still eloquent just now.

Taking advantage of this moment, Katsura Kogoro put on a serious and dignified tone:

"Kusaka-kun, don't blame me for being rude - I think... no, I'm sure that the Tenchu ​​group is no match for the Shinsengumi!"

"The Shinsengumi is no longer a weak force with only a few soldiers... In other words, they were not a weak force from the beginning."

"Today's Shinsengumi has a total strength of over three thousand."

"Except for not being equipped with firearms, they have all the necessary equipment such as chainmail, arm armor, leg armor, knives, and spears."

"Moreover, they also have a lot of cavalry."

"Even if the Tenchu-gumi has gathered a large number of troops in a short period of time, it is just a pile of loose sand."

"Although most of the current members of the Shinsengumi are newly recruited recruits, they have been trained for a period of time and are by no means comparable to a mob with no strengths other than momentum."

"What's more... the general of the Shinsengumi is still Tachibana Aoto."

"Even if Tachibana Aoto is left out, the Shinsengumi is not short of fierce generals."

"Okita Souji, Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizo, Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Ichi...any one of them is a tough guy who can defeat a thousand men."

Speaking of this, Katsura Kogoro paused.

After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively proposed to the other party:

"Kusaka-kun... withdraw your troops."

"Withdraw to Choshu and make a long-term plan!"

"Instead of fighting such a war with slim chances of winning, it is better to simply retreat and keep the spark of future counterattack."

"Don't waste the lives of Choshu men in such a place."

"I am willing to lead a troop to cover the rear of the whole army..."

Before Katsura Kogoro finished speaking, Kusaka Genzui suddenly shouted:

"No!!"

His eyes were wide open, the corners of his eyes seemed to be torn apart, and bloodshot appeared in the whites of his eyes, just like a gambler who had lost a lot of money.

"Katsura, stop telling me what to do!"

"Even if you don't tell me, I know that the strength of the Shinsengumi is far superior to that of the Tenchugumi!"

"But...but...this is our only hope!"

"Instead of fleeing in a hurry, we might as well fight to the last moment!!"

"Katsura, have you ever thought about how much effort it would take to return here in the future if we just ran away like this?"

"In that case, when will our dream come true?!"

After roaring, Kusaka Genzui panted heavily.

The noise they made attracted the attention of the soldiers who were working hard on the construction around them.

After discovering that it was Kusaka Genzui and Katsura Kogoro who were arguing, they immediately retracted their gazes and continued to focus on the work at hand, not daring to look or listen too much.

The "Three Heroes of Choshu" enjoyed a prestige that others could not reach in the Choshu domain.

No one dared to inquire about their "internal fight", let alone intervene without authorization.

After taking a good breath, Kusaka Genzui slowly lowered his face and said in a deep voice:

"Since the strength of the Tenchu ​​Group is slightly weaker... then we will send reinforcements!"

"Pick out 100... no, 200 powerful martial arts masters, form a support force, and go to support the Tenchu ​​Group!"

"And... send Kawakami Hikosai as well!"

After hearing this, Katsura Kogoro was immediately surprised.

"Hikosai? You want to send Hikosai?"

Kusaka Genzui nodded:

"Hikosai's swordsmanship... especially his sword-drawing skills, has reached perfection. He can fight against a thousand people alone."

"In this way, after getting the support of Hikosai and others, the strength of the Tenchu ​​Group will surely increase greatly."

Kusaka Genzui's optimism did not convince Katsura Kogoro.

"Kusaka-kun, Hikosai is not a god! No matter how fast or sharp his sword is, he can't change fate!"

"A mere 200 reinforcements are just a drop in the bucket against the Shinsengumi with 3,000 soldiers!"

Katsura Kogoro wanted to continue to persuade Kusaka Genzui.

However...

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Kusaka Genzui roared again.

"Kusaka, I have made up my mind, don't try to persuade me again!"

"I will not retreat!"

"Either fight! Or die!"

After that, Kusaka Genzui no longer paid attention to Katsura Kogoro, quickened his pace, and ran away from him.

"..."

Kusaka Kogoro narrowed his eyes, staring at Kusaka Genzui's increasingly distant back with a complicated expression.

After a moment, he slowly looked up at the sky and sighed deeply and for a long time.

…

…

At the same time——

In the southern suburbs of Kyoto (opposite to the Choshu army’s position), the camp of the Kai-Satsuma coalition——

After the Choshu army left Kyoto, the Kai-Satsuma coalition followed closely and also came to the southern suburbs of Kyoto, setting up a continuous military camp opposite to the Choshu army’s position.

The two armies confronted each other again.

However, the confrontation location was switched from outside the Imperial Palace to outside Kyoto.

At this moment, the generals of the Kai-Satsuma coalition gathered at the main camp.

The candlelight flickered, and the dim light elongated the figures of the generals, making them reflected on the curtain painted with the three-leaf sunflower and the Maru cross.

Although Saigo Yoshinosuke was the actual commander of the Satsuma army, he was just an ordinary samurai after all, not even a daimyo.

Matsudaira Yoshiyasu was the lord of a domain, and it was a powerful domain. In terms of political status alone, Saigo Yoshinosuke could not compare with him at all.

Therefore, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu sat on the undisputed main seat, and Saigo Yoshinosuke sat in the second seat.

The rest of the allied generals sat in order according to their status.

The generals of the Aizu army sat on the east side of the long table, and the generals of the Satsuma army sat on the west side of the long table.

A thin young man stood up, holding a scroll in his hand, reading the current battlefield situation to everyone present.

His name is Nakamura Hanjiro.

Compared to this popular name, his nickname - "Man-killer" Hanjiro - is more famous.

He is as famous as Kawakami Hikosai, Okada Izo, and the late Tanaka Hanbei, and is a top swordsman with outstanding swordsmanship!

He is proficient in the Nodachi Shigen-ryu. Since he was a child, he has used the trees in his own courtyard as his opponents and practiced chopping with a wooden sword 8,000 times a day.

Due to such intense training, all the trees in his courtyard with a diameter of three or four inches were broken.

His extremely fierce fighting style, which would cause casualties with a single cut, and his solid record of battles, earned him the well-deserved title of "Man-slasher".

However, compared with other man-slashers, he is not a reckless man who can only swing a sword.

Although his cultural level is not high, he has a good mind and is quite strategic.

He is a compound talent who can lead by example and plan strategies.

For this reason, he is deeply trusted by Yoshinosuke Saigo and is promoted to a personal bodyguard by him.

Under the careful training of Yoshinosuke Saigo, he is no longer a simple swordsman, but has the style of a military strategist.

"Judging from the movements of the Choshu army, there is no doubt that they are holding on and waiting for help."

Nakamura Hanjiro's voice was clearly heard by everyone present.

"At present, the only army that can provide them with effective assistance is the Tenchu ​​Group that is now causing chaos in Yamato."

"It is estimated that Choshu should be preparing to unite with the Tenchu ​​Group and wait for the army to grow stronger before launching a decisive battle with us."

Nakamura Hanjiro flipped the scroll and then reported:

"This evening, Tachibana sent a letter here."

"He plans to use 5 days to collect supplies."

"After all the supplies are collected, he will crush the rebellion with a whirlwind of force."

After that, Nakamura Hanjiro put away the scroll in his hand and sat down slowly.

Saigo Yoshinosuke laughed "hehe".

"We have to wait until the baggage is ready before we send out the troops... This is really the style of the Tachibana military department."

Komatsu Taito, who was sitting next to Saigo Yoshinosuke, sneered a few times:

"The people of Choshu are so naive... Do they really think that the damn Tenchu-gumi can defeat the Shinsengumi?"

Komatsu Taito is a civil servant in charge of diplomatic affairs, not military affairs.

However, there is no reason for a big man of his level (one of the three great men of Satsuma) not to be here.

As soon as Komatsu Taito finished speaking, the atmosphere inside and outside the main camp was suddenly filled with a happy atmosphere.

Shinsengumi VS Tenchu-gumi - To be honest, for this one-sided war, the generals of the Satsuma coalition were not even interested in betting on the outcome.

At this time, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu's calm voice suddenly sounded:

"The rebellion in the Yamato region can be dealt with by the Tachibana Hyobu."

"We just need to focus on our current duties."

At this point, he raised his head and raised his voice:

"Keep a close watch on the Choshu Army!"

"If there is any unusual movement in the Choshu Army, report it immediately!"

"Also, send a 500-man troop to assist in the defense of the Shinsengumi's garrison, and beware of the Choshu Army's sneak attack!"

Then, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu began to elaborate on his troop deployment arrangements.

Which troop is responsible for monitoring Choshu; which troop is responsible for being a reserve; which troop is responsible for protecting the Shinsengumi's garrison... Everything is arranged in an orderly manner.

Aoto has already sent the 7th and 10th squads (cavalry) to protect the baggage train.

It is not so easy for the Choshu Army to cut off the Shinsengumi's baggage supply.

Nevertheless, it is always good to add an extra insurance for the Shinsengumi's logistics line.

After loudly announcing his order, Matsudaira Yoshiyasu turned to Saigo Yoshinosuke, seeking advice and giving him enough respect.

Saigo Yoshinosuke nodded without thinking too much.

"Well, Master Higo, your idea coincides with mine."

Matsudaira Yoshiyasu nodded slightly, and then raised his chin:

"Then... everyone, take your positions!"

...

August 20, morning --

Kyogi, Yamato region, Takatori Domain, Takatori Castle --

Looking up, there was thick smoke everywhere.

The field of vision was full of traces of ruin.

The sound of "bang bang bang" of gunfire was heard from time to time.

Several warriors in simple clothes climbed up the castle tower of Takatori Castle, waving a large flag with the words "Tenjutsu" in their hands.

"We won!"

"We won!"

"We took Takatori Castle!"

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