I formed the strongest swordsman group

Somewhere west of Edo——

Cannons pointed obliquely at the sky.

Flames erupted from the black muzzles.

The shells that burst out of the barrels drew beautiful parabolas in the air, and then fell heavily into the Edo town.

Instantly, the sound of explosions spread throughout Edo.

For the French-American coalition, this was the last battle in the true sense.

The surprise attack on Nagoya, the destruction of Sunpu, the attack and defense of Hachioji... After experiencing this series of bloody battles, the current Edo siege battle is undoubtedly the last battle of the "Amano Spear"!

For this battle, Choshu endured humiliation.

For this battle, the French-American party prepared for a long time.

All this hard work, all this sacrifice... all for this battle!

At this point, there is no need to save shells.

Therefore, Shuten-doji specifically sent an order to the artillery team: Just fight! Fight hard! Use up all the shells!

…

…

The main camp of the Faqi coalition——

Shuten Douji put his hands behind his back, staring ahead expressionlessly, staring at the devastated Edo.

Katsura Kogoro stood beside him, holding up the telescope in his hand, carefully looking at every street and every corner of Edo.

After a moment, he put down the telescope and said slowly:

"Edo has completely changed."

"The streets have been widened, and the densely packed houses have been demolished... It's really a drastic transformation."

"In this way, even if a certain place catches fire, it will be difficult for the fire to spread."

"I'm afraid that the power of Zhurong... can't be counted on."

How to capture Edo-For this issue, the generals of the Faqi coalition held countless meetings and discussed a large number of tactics together.

Of course, most of them are delusional and extravagant, which can only exist in the mind and mouth, and cannot be implemented at all.

However, there are also some tactics that have been widely recognized-one of them is fire attack!

They planned to use the characteristic of "Edo fear of fire" to launch a fire attack with the help of dense artillery rain.

In this way, they can destroy most of the defenders of Edo without a single soldier.

However... from the current situation, their plan has failed.

Although time is tight, under the personal command of Katrintaro, they finally completed the major renovation of the entire Edo town before the war!

The reason why the renovation was completed so quickly is largely due to the "easy demolition" of Edo buildings.

Because they are all wooden buildings, it is very easy to demolish.

A few hammers can break the pillars.

Hang a few ropes on the wall and pull it down with force.

During this period, the Edo town fire brigade... the "fire brigade" soldiers helped a lot.

When it comes to demolishing houses, they are professionals!

In this way, thanks to Katrintaro's "Edo Great Renovation", Edo's fire resistance has greatly increased!

Obviously, the fire attack of the Faqi coalition is no longer possible.

At this time, Katsura Kogoro suddenly found that Shuten-doji beside him had a half-smile on his face, as if he was thinking about something.

When facing Shuten-doji, Katsura Kogoro never paid attention to the set of "politeness", "euphemism" and "subtlety".

He asked directly:

"Shuten-doji, what's wrong? Why do you have such an intriguing expression?"

Shuten-doji shrugged.

"Nothing. I just... have some feelings."

He took a deep breath, and a bit of pride appeared on his face.

"Katsura-kun, look! Edo is right in front of us!"

"This castle is not only the base of the Edo shogunate, but also the symbol of the Tokugawa family!"

"And now, our cannons are ravaging this castle!"

"In a moment, our soldiers will charge and launch a battle to 'destroy the shogunate.'"

"The Toyotomi family, Amakusa Shiro, Oshio Heihachiro... countless forces and countless heroes have failed to achieve their goals, but we have achieved them."

"When I think of this, I am so excited that I can't help myself!"

"Whether this battle succeeds or fails, it is destined to go down in history!"

At the end of his words, his cheeks were flushed with excitement, and his eyes were shining.

Compared with him, Katsura Kogoro's reaction was much calmer.

He didn't have such romantic feelings.

He had no interest in the so-called "going down in history".

Even after listening to Shuten-doji's impassioned speech, he didn't express anything and remained expressionless.

At this moment, he had only one thought: defeat the shogunate and save Choshu! Then he could realize his ideal of respecting the emperor and expelling the barbarians!

Just then, a series of deafening noises interrupted their conversation.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

It was the sound of the shells exploding.

However, these shells did not fall towards Edo, but fell beside them!

The strong shock wave stirred the dust and hit Shuten Douji and Katsura Kogoro like a huge wave.

The two reacted quickly and both crouched down.

Soon, the shock wave disappeared and the dust fell back to the ground.

"Katsura-kun, are you hurt?"

"What did you say?!"

"Are you hurt?!"

"I'm fine! It's just that my ears hurt!"

Although the two were not injured, the loud noise of the shells exploding made their ears hurt, and a "buzzing" sound like a mosquito's hum was produced deep in the ear holes.

In a short period of time, their hearing would not be restored.

They had to shout at the top of their lungs to barely hear each other's voices.

Katsura Kogoro wiped his face, wiped away the stains, raised his eyes, stared at Edo in the distance, and muttered:

"They fought back...!"

…

…

Edo, a certain fort——

"Get the shells quickly!"

"Don't panic! Don't be nervous!"

"How you train on weekdays, do it now!"

Young and agile figures moved between the cannons, manipulating the cannons skillfully.

Cleaning the barrel, loading gunpowder, compacting the shells... every action and process is so skillful.

"Saito of Power" Saito Yakuro ran back and forth among his disciples, supervising whether their movements and procedures were standardized, while speaking out to boost morale.

"Fire! Fire!"

"Don't be stingy with the cannonballs! There are enough cannonballs!"

"Let the bandit army see the power of our 'Saito style artillery'!"

Within a few moments, each gun was reloaded and ready—the second round of bombardment started!

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!

Cannonballs rose high.

The dazzling flames erupting from the cannon's muzzle briefly replaced the sun's brilliance.

Saito Yakuro raised his head, his eyes straightened, and stared blankly at the rain of artillery that flew over Edo, fell into the distance, and crashed into the enemy's lines. There were countless emotions flowing in his eyes.

He didn't even realize it - at this moment, he was grinning, and the folds and wrinkles on his face were all squeezed together, looking like he was overjoyed.

At this time, his eldest son—Shintaro Saito, the second-generation head of the training hall—came forward and stood side by side with his father, looking up to the sky together.

"Father, that's great. The artillery team you have worked so hard to cultivate has finally been put to use."

Saito Yakuro didn't reply, he just nodded vigorously, his expression became more and more emotional.

Among the swordsmen of Edo, Yakuro Saito definitely deserves the evaluation of "alternative".

After the "Black Ship Incident" broke out, anyone with lofty ideals can realize that the world has changed, and it is no longer the era of swords.

However, facing this sudden drastic change, not every swordsman can readily accept it.

Either they don't want to admit the backwardness of swords, or they don't have the energy to get into new things.

The only exception is Yakuro Saito.

At 66 years old, he is considered one of the oldest swordsmen in Edo.

Logically speaking, as the powerful "Saito of Power" in Edo, his devotion to swordsmanship and love for swordsmanship would never lose to anyone.

However, the "Black Ship Incident" made him realize that cannon is the most powerful weapon on the battlefield.

As a result, he immediately gave up swordsmanship and handed over the training hall he had painstakingly built to his eldest son Shintaro Saito without hesitation. He purchased another 3,000 square meters of land in Yoyogi, practiced building forts with his disciples, and concentrated on research. artillery, and enthusiastically explore new ventures.

Although he is already quite old, his thinking is not rigid. He dares to embrace new things and resolutely gives up the skills he has practiced for decades...

This vision and decisiveness are truly admirable.

What's even more commendable is that Saito Yakuro's study of gunnery is not just for fun, but he has really made something famous!

When the shogunate built a fort for the defense of Edo Bay at Shinagawa Odaiba, Yataro Saito was specially hired to perform surveying and supervision tasks.

Today, in order to repel the French and Qi coalition forces, he was recruited again.

This time, it was no longer just him who was recruited, but the entire "Saito Artillery Team" trained by him!

Saito Yakuro didn't hesitate at all, he immediately nodded in agreement and led all his disciples to join the battle!

This was the first time that he and his artillery team participated in actual combat.

Watching the shells rushing out of the barrel one after another, watching these shells falling towards the enemy's positions, a strong sense of pride and satisfaction filled his chest.

For industrialists like him, there is nothing more exciting than making achievements and having their careers recognized!

The father and son, standing side by side, quietly watched this unforgettable scene.

At this time, Saito Shintaro seemed to have remembered something, and his expression changed slightly.

Then, he turned his head, lowered his voice, and spoke to Saito Yakuro with a complicated expression.

"...Father, it is reported that Gui Jun... Gui Jun is right across the street..."

As his words fell, Saito Yakuro's face suddenly showed a strange color.

Katsura-kun...that is, Katsura Kogoro, he was originally a disciple of the military training hall.

In other words, he is a disciple of Yakuro Saito.

Because of his excellent swordsmanship talent and outstanding strength, Saito Yakuro highly valued him.

Not only did they vigorously train him, they even made him serve as a teacher in the training hall.

His respect for Katsura Kogoro is evident.

The former master and apprentice met each other in battle today... Saito Yakuro's current mood was difficult to describe in specific words.

Although his mood and demeanor became unstable, he returned to his calm appearance in just a blink of an eye.

Immediately afterwards, he said in a tone of neither sadness nor joy:

"...Shintaro, don't have unnecessary thoughts."

"'Military Training Hall Shihan Daigui Kogoro' no longer exists in the world."

"The person currently standing opposite us is 'Changshu Patriot Katsura Kogoro'!"

"I don't know how Guijun feels now."

"But I'm sure that for today and for this battle, he must be fully prepared to die at any time!"

"Since he has realized this, we must respond with the same firm determination!"

"Shintaro, if you meet him next time, don't hesitate, and don't care about the old relationship! Just swing your sword! Swing your sword hard! Do your best to defeat him!"

Saito Shintaro heard this, his expression was stern, and his expression was solemn and nodding:

"Yes... I understand!"

...

At this moment, in addition to Saito Yakuro's artillery team, the artillery team of the Kobu Army also fired back.

"Raise 2 degrees! Raise 4 degrees to the left! Fire!"

Kobukan artillery master Takashima Akiho gave precise instructions in an orderly manner.

Unlike Saito Yakuro, who changed his career halfway, Takashima Akiho, who is also 66 years old, is a true artillery master!

When he was young, he studied Dutch studies and military affairs, learned gunpowder artillery technology from the Dutch, and mastered the essentials. He created the Western-style Takashima artillery. In addition, he was also proficient in the organization and tactics of infantry, cavalry, and artillery.

In terms of the skill of firing artillery, no one in Japan can match him!

Under his command, shells fell accurately into the enemy's positions.

Whether it was the density of the rain of artillery or the accuracy of the shells, there was no huge gap between the two sides.

For a while, the artillery teams of the two armies fought back and forth, evenly matched.

The muzzles were roaring, the barrage was flying... The movement in the air was extremely terrifying, as if a giant was striding in the air, sometimes running towards Edo, sometimes running towards the position of the Faqi coalition.

The soldiers of the Faqi coalition were all well-trained elite soldiers.

No matter how fierce and violent the rain of artillery was, it could not affect their morale in the slightest.

Not only that, they had just experienced the extremely tragic Battle of Hachioji not long ago.

Please...you...collect_6Ⅰ9Ⅰ书Ⅰ吧 (六\\\\\\九\\\\\\书\\\\\\吧!)

In other words, the current survivors are veterans who have seen blood and tasted the battlefield.

People who often fight in wars know that as long as they have experienced actual combat... even if there is only one actual combat, the psychological quality of the soldiers will change dramatically.

Of course, this change often presents polarization - either they become extremely fragile and would rather die than go to the battlefield again; or they become very strong and become excellent soldiers who can adapt to various battlefield environments.

No matter how the Edo defenders fired, the soldiers of the French coalition remained motionless.

They stayed quietly in the bullet shelter, silently waiting for the artillery battle to pass.

In comparison, the Edo side is...

"Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!"

"Don't scream! Don't run around!"

"It's on fire! It's on fire!"

"Don't panic! This little flame won't spread! There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Nanny! Nanny! Where are you, Nanny?!"

"That's enough! How old are you? Do you still need a nanny?"

"I don't care! I want my nanny! Nanny! Where are you?!"

"I can't stand it! I want to leave! Let me go!"

"Come back soon! Don't run around!"

...

It was a mess.

And it was a mess that made people laugh and cry.

Some people were like crazy, shouting and screaming.

Some people cried bitterly, repeatedly shouting "Mom", and there were also many people who called "Nanny".

Some people ran around everywhere, even running under the enemy's barrage.

Facts have proved that the direct officers are indeed a pile of mud that can't be helped.

The direct officials had also resisted Tokugawa Iemochi's order of "compulsory participation in the war" and tried to evade military service.

However, the basis of this order was the "law of ancestors" that the direct officials often mentioned.

According to the law of ancestors, it was natural for "samurai to go to the battlefield".

It was well-founded and there was nothing wrong with it.

No matter how hard they tried, they could not find any place to refute it.

Besides, even the general himself did not leave Edo. If they, as ministers, ran away, it would be unreasonable.

Since participating in the war was inevitable, they simply made up their minds and decided to participate in the war with the most handsome and majestic image! Never disgrace the family!

In this way, they all put on the battle feathers, chain mail, ancestral armor... They looked so gorgeous.

Those who did not have these equipment, or those who had sold these equipment long ago, could only go to the weapon shop to buy them.

The weapons dealers in Edo took the opportunity to make a fortune.

Of course, a big part of the reason why they were fully armed was for self-protection.

Wearing one more piece of armor can increase the chance of survival.

A similar scene was also staged when the "Black Ship Incident" just broke out.

At that time, the rumor in the Edo market was that "the barbarians are about to attack."

In order to survive the upcoming "barbarian invasion", a large number of samurai - they were used to a comfortable life, and some even sold their swords - flocked to the weapon shop to purchase equipment urgently, almost demolishing the threshold of the weapon shop.

To this day, Edo's weapon dealers still miss the "Black Ship Incident."

Because the appearance of the direct officers was particularly gorgeous and majestic, it was even more ridiculous.

Although they were dressed decently, they looked ugly in the enemy's artillery rain...

The direct officers once again proved the characteristics of human history with their actual actions: no matter how powerful a military group is, once it eats iron crops and lives a comfortable life, it will sooner or later become a useless waste.

...

...

About half an hour later——

Edo, Mount Atago——

The trashy snacks are dressed in a decent way.

Katsurin Taro, who plays the leading role alone, is dressed in a very simple way.

He wore no armor, only a piece of chainmail under his clothes.

As the deputy governor and actual commander of the Edo Cage War, the responsibilities he shouldered were far beyond ordinary people's imagination.

The person who feels the most pressure at this time is undoubtedly him.

In order to facilitate command, he set up the main formation at Mount Atago, south of Edo Castle.

This is the highest point in Edo, with a wide view overlooking the entire town of Edo, which is convenient for observing the battlefield and conveying instructions.

"Katsu-sama! Yanagimachi is on fire!"

"Katsu-sama! The fire in Denma Town has been controlled!"

"Lord Katsu! Apart from shelling, the enemy has no new movements!"

…

A famous messenger came and went in an endless stream.

Countless news and intelligence were gathered before the case of Katsurin Taro.

The artillery bombardment by the French-Qich coalition has lasted for half an hour.

During this half hour, their artillery fire never stopped.

Of course, the artillery rain from the Edo defenders never stopped!

The artillery battle between the two sides turned the positions of the two armies into a mess.

We don’t care about the position of the French-Qich coalition forces for the time being.

Anyway, the streets and towns of Edo have been ravaged by artillery rain.

There were ruins everywhere, and the fire shone all over the town of Edo...it was too miserable to look at.

Even in the West today, the staff group system has only just emerged.

Without the help of his staff, Katsu Rintaro could only analyze and process this information on his own, and then issue military orders and command troops based on this information.

At this moment, he frowned, his eyes fixed on the Edo map in front of him, and his head was running rapidly.

After a while, he turned his head suddenly and shouted to the messenger beside him:

"Let the Japanese bridge defenders prepare! It won't be long before the real battle begins!"

Suddenly, as if in response to his call, the world outside suddenly became quiet.

The Edo defenders were still firing, but the cannon fire from the opposite side stopped.

This sudden change made Katsurin Taro stunned.

This daze was only temporary. He quickly came to his senses and murmured through gritted teeth:

"Has it started...!"

…

…

"Kill!" (Russian)

"Team Raiders, follow me!"

The soldiers of the French-Qich coalition got out of the bullet shelter, advanced towards the east, and charged towards Edo!

The reason they stopped shelling was simple - they ran out of shells!

The artillery team faithfully carried out Shuten Doji's order and fired all the shells, leaving not a single shot left.

This is the final battle that determines the success or failure of the "Amanuma Spear".

Therefore, there is no need for the main formation or any reserve team!

The whole army, including Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro, all went into battle!

A real total attack!

Soon, the famous town of Shinjuku at the western end of Edo came into view.

Because it is located in Edo, business travelers coming to Edo along the "Five Streets" often stay here. This is where the name "Shinjuku" comes from.

For this reason, Shinjuku is home to a large number of shukuba and is one of the most densely populated areas in Edo.

Katsu Rintaro's "Great Renovation of Edo" caused most of the houses here to be demolished and the streets to be greatly widened.

It is not difficult to see that quite a few shells fell here.

The intensive artillery rain from the French-Qich coalition turned the huge Shinjuku into a blaze of flames.

Houses on both sides of the street either collapsed or burned, leaving very few intact buildings.

Seeing the enemy attacking, the defenders who had been waiting here immediately raised their muskets.

"put!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Barrage roared.

Along with the colorful rain of blood, the French-Qich coalition fought back with guns and weapons despite casualties.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two waves of barrages alternately ripped apart the air, bringing death with them.

After closing the distance, several figures from the French-Qiyi coalition rushed out - it was the cadres of the French-Kilted Party headed by Su Nuo!

They jumped into the array of Edo defenders, waved their weapons, and slaughtered the living creatures with a devastating force.

In an instant, gaps were torn out in the Shinjuku defenders' defense line.

Follow-up troops followed up in time to further open these gaps.

The resistance of the Shinjuku garrison was tenacious and their fighting will was brave.

However, whether it was the size of their troops or the quality of their individual soldiers, they were at a disadvantage.

What's more, there are top experts like Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro in the French-Qi alliance.

Just like that, less than 10 minutes passed before and after, Shinjuku fell!

"Don't stop! Keep moving forward! We won't be considered a victory until we completely capture Edo Castle and kill Tokugawa Iemo!"

While shaking off the remaining blood on the blade, Shuten Doji took the lead and led the soldiers towards the majestic Edo Castle!

As soon as their front foot broke through Shinjuku, their back foot immediately encountered a new blockage!

Accompanied by the rapid sound of footsteps, countless Tokugawa soldiers stepped out from various places such as streets and alleys, inside houses, blocking the way of the French and Qi coalition forces, and launched an offensive!

When more than 2,000 soldiers of the French-Qich coalition were galloping in the wilderness, the scene was so grand.

But after breaking into Edo, their strength was immediately insufficient.

Edo has a large area, and the layout of buildings and the direction of streets are very complex.

While walking in the crisscrossing streets, they were fiercely attacked by the shogunate army... In this way, the formation of the Faqi coalition became longer and longer.

Gradually, the huge army was forced to break up into countless small teams.

The number of small teams ranged from hundreds to dozens.

They were scattered all over Edo and fought freely!

There were no tactics, no strategies, and no distance between the two armies... It was just a simple encounter and battle, over and over again!

Find the enemy, kill him, and then find the next enemy... Either drive the Faqi coalition out of Edo; or defeat the shogunate army and capture Edo Castle!

The cruel and fierce street fighting unfolded slowly!

Book friends who have monthly tickets, please be sure to vote for this book! (tearful leopard head.jpg) This month's leopard is really working hard! It deserves to be rewarded! Please vote for the monthly ticket! Please recommend! (leopard head crying.jpg)

PS: The various foreshadowings and hidden lines in the previous article are now slowly recovered. The previous mention that "Saito Yakuro is good at artillery fire" is a preparation for this chapter.