Ryoma and Aaron returned to Satsuma.
Within a few days, the four countries responded.
The first to move was the United States.
The warship Wyoming launched a fierce retaliatory bombardment on the Shimonoseki Strait. Immediately afterwards, the two Dutch warships Semiramis and Tancred also launched a retaliatory bombardment on the coastal area between Shimonoseki and Nagato. After the fierce attack, two Dutch warships also chose to send people to land on the coast and occupy the Japanese forts established on the coast.
At this time, a person stood up.
A red-haired man who looked a little thin chose to resist the foreigners.
Takasugi Shinsaku looked at the Lord of the Choshu Domain sitting on the throne with cold eyes.
"The feudal lord is not unaware of the current situation."
"Now it's the United States and the Netherlands. If the British are not restrained by Satsuma, they will probably retaliate against us, not to mention the French." Takasugi Shinsaku said loudly.
"It's a mistake we made, or some of us made."
His eyes swept across the hall with anger and urgency.
Several people lowered their heads subconsciously.
"But these mistakes need to be shared by us, and we have no choice."
In the entire room, only Takasugi Shinsaku was speaking loudly.
Everyone else, including the feudal lord, remained silent.
The veins on Takasugi Shinsaku's forehead were beating.
"What's wrong? Don't you even have the courage to face your own mistakes? Do you still call yourself a samurai at this level?"
No one answered.
No one had the face to respond.
Takasugi Shinsaku felt like his blood pressure was about to explode.
"enough!"
Takasugi Shinsaku slammed the door and left.
He hurried back to his residence and covered his forehead.
"I have to think of a way." Takasugi sighed, "Those upper-level feudal lords are all living on dry food. The long-term luxury and fine food have made them forget their responsibilities and integrity. They are simply embarrassed and useless. They will only do nothing if they are brought to the battlefield. Become a target for the enemy.”
"I need soldiers." He straightened his short dark red hair and patted his face, "Since the trash at the top is useless, then... let's focus on those who can really fight for anything to live. Just a lower-class samurai."
"...I need to talk to the feudal lord."
With that said, he stood up and hurried out again.
A few days later.
A team called the "Special Forces", led by Shinsaku Takasugi, started a fierce battle with foreigners on the coast from Shimonoseki to Nagato.
This extraordinary force was established by Takasugi Shinsaku in a very short period of time against all objections.
There are some feudal lords who Takasugi thinks still have some spirit, and some are even just civilians recruited.
The most numerous were lower-class warriors.
But such a team caused foreigners... a lot of trouble.
Because Takasugi Shinsaku was very rich and equipped each of these team members with guns. Under the firepower coverage, foreigners could not take advantage at all.
After a long period of confrontation, the foreigners finally relented and accepted the Choshu clan's peace offer.
And when Takasugi Shinsaku was discussing details with foreigners under his pseudonym "Songhu Xingma"...
Kyoto.
August 18th.
The Shinsengumi ambushed outside the village.
"This is the headquarters of Tosa's largest anti-barbarian organization, the 'Qinou Party'." Souji Okita, who was leading the team, looked at the team members following him.
"This time we have used the strength of two divisions. We must not make any mistakes." Saito held his own Kijinmaru Kunishige and ordered to his team members.
"our target is......"
"The leader of the King Qin Party - Ruishan of Wu City."
...
Takeichi Zuishan is reading a letter from Satsuma.
"Out of selfishness, do you want me to protect Okada Izo..." Takeichi Ruishan looked at Ryoma's letter with a little smile.
"Something is not your style...Sakamoto."
Suddenly there was a noise outside the house.
Wushi Ruishan did not act rashly.
He placed Ryoma's letter on the candlelight and watched the letter slowly turn into ashes.
A long sigh.
But he said with a smile:
"Looks like my time has come."
Bang——
The door was kicked open violently, and two people wearing light green feathers walked in.
The shorter one looked at Wu Shi Ruishan, who was sitting very upright, and said coldly: "Wushi Ruishan—is that right?"
Wu Shi Ruishan nodded and said nothing.
"Please don't act rashly, Mr. Takeichi." Saito smiled, "I don't want this to turn into a bloody conflict."
Wu Shi Ruishan laughed twice: "Hahahaha - I don't hope either."
He held out his hands.
"Then let's go."
Okita Souji and Saito looked at each other, both a little surprised.
But neither of them was vague and directly put shackles on Wu Shi Ruishan.
Except for some people who escaped from the Qin Wang Party camp and those who were not at the camp in the first place... all were captured.
At the same time, Yamauchi Dou, who was far away in Tosa, also launched a thunderous attack, wiping out all the forces of the Kinou Party stranded in Tosa.
Not only the Qinwang Party, but also the entire anti-barbarian organization in Kyoto, and even the officials in the imperial court and shogunate who advocated anti-barbarian forces did not escape.
All the officials of the anti-barbarian faction were dismissed from their posts and expelled from Kyoto, while all these anti-barbarian patriots were imprisoned.
The world is shocked.
This violent political change beat the anti-barbarian faction to death at once, and all the high-ranking officials of the anti-barbarian faction who had the right to speak were arrested and exiled.
The anti-barbarian organizations headed by the "King Qin Party" were also captured by the vassal soldiers of each vassal, and the plan of King Qin of one vassal completely went bankrupt.
In prison, Takeshi Ruishan looked at his companions.
He was wearing prison uniform, and his eyes were slightly dim.
He whispered to the Qin Wang Party members: "If anyone asks... Okada Izo."
"Let's just say...there is no such person in our organization."
"have you understood?"
Several people were a little confused, but they all nodded.
Takeshi Ruishan leaned against the wall, looked at the little light coming through the window above, and sighed.
That child Izo... I hope you are safe.
...
At this time, Zuo Cun was sitting opposite a young man.
"Mu Ren, this coup has implicated many people." Zuocun shook his cup.
"Yes." Mutsuhito said with a smile, "The people of the Anti-Barbarian Faction were cleared out of the upper echelons by my father and Tokugawa Iemo."
"Yeah..." Zuo Cun sighed, "All the anti-barbarian factions across the country have been severely beaten with a stick."
"What did Mr. Samura want to say to me this time?" Mutsuhito was a little surprised.
"I was thinking...Muhito." Zuo Cun took a sip of tea, "What do you think of this coup."
"What can you get from this incident?" Zuo Cun's eyes were sharp.
