News of the shogunate's defeat in the Battle of Toba and Fushimi spread quickly throughout Japan.
After seeing the fighting power of the powerful southwestern vassals, other vassals that were waiting to see the situation left the shogunate one after another and began to remain neutral or simply sent troops to attack the shogunate together.
It's the ultimate fool's errand.
Tokugawa Kei, who retreated to Osaka, smashed the table in anger.
"You bastard who takes advantage of the wind! You're a waste!" Tokugawa Yingxi was like an angry tiger, pulling out his knife and slashing his chair to pieces, his chest heaving violently.
Since before he took office as the shogunate, he has never encountered anything that went his way.
First, he was severely beaten by Takasugi Shinsaku in the Choshu Domain, and finally humiliatingly made peace in exchange for Tokugawa Iemo's head.
Then he had just taken office, and he had just kowtowed to Takaaki who was already braided, and there was no Takaaki there. When Meiji took office, he ran over to kowtow to Meiji again.
Then the powerful vassals in the southwest began to press, and they were unwilling to become a subjugated king and give up the glory of the Tokugawa shogunate for hundreds of years.
In the end, the war broke out, and his army was smashed to pieces in the first round of collision.
Those feudal lords that allowed their troops to rest yesterday did not even open their city gates today.
"The Tokugawa family, the glory of the Tokugawa family - will it be ruined in my hands?"
The king of subjugation.
What an ironic word.
But now, Tokugawa Qingxi seemed to have seen these four words coming to him.
"No, I - absolutely cannot become the king of this country's subjugation!"
"Set an ambush in front of Osaka and launch another counterattack!"
He thought wildly.
The glory of the Tokugawa family—should not end!
...
Zuocun came to Liangshun House alone.
It was now dark, and Souji Okita had already fallen asleep.
Samura gently knocked on Souji Okita's door.
A weak voice came from inside the house: "Is it Masaki? What's the matter?"
"It's me, Zuo Cun," Zuo Cun whispered.
The room fell into silence, and then there was a rustling sound.
"come in."
Opening the door, Zuo Cun walked in.
Okita Souji was wearing pajamas, sitting on the bed, looking at Zuo Cun blankly.
"Why...you came here at this time?"
"I'm here to take you away." Zuo Cun closed the door to prevent the cold wind from blowing in, and then sat on the floor at the door. "This place... can no longer stay."
"What happened?" Okita Souji was still a little confused and asked doubtfully.
"The shogunate army suffered a disastrous defeat at Toba Fushimi, and now they have retreated to Osaka, which is here." Zuomura did not hide anything and told everything exactly.
"...A disastrous failure..." Souji Okita sighed.
"Let me take you out of here. The war is about to start here. It's no longer safe here."
"I..." Okita Souji wanted to refuse, but looking at Zuo Cun's serious eyes, he subconsciously agreed, "Okay then."
"Cough cough - cough cough cough -"
Samura quickly stepped forward and patted Souji Okita on the back.
"You have a cough...you should keep warm." Zuo Cun looked at Okita's thin body with regretful eyes.
"So where are you taking me...?" Okita Souji threw the handkerchief aside and asked in a hoarse voice.
"An...old place." Zuo Cun couldn't help but smile a little.
"......I see."
"Lie down." Samura said to Okita.
"Huh? Oh." Souji Okita got into bed and lay down.
Samura grabbed the mattress that was spread under Miss Okita's cup, found a rope and tied it up.
"Huh? Zuocun? What are you doing?" Okita was startled.
"As I said just now, you are sick now and have difficulty moving, so I will carry you on my back." Zuo Cun gave a thumbs up with a tired smile.
Okita Souji is now like a rice dumpling, with only his face exposed.
"Do you have anything else to pack?" Zuo Cun asked.
"...Take my California Clear Light, it's hanging on the wall over there." Okita couldn't stretch out his hand, so he could only lick his lips.
"Okay." Zuo Cun took California Qingguang off the wall, pinned it on his waist, and then carried Miss Okita on his back.
Opening the door, the wind and snow outside seemed to have stopped after seeing Miss Okita on Zuo Cun's back.
"Wait a minute, Zuocun, there is one more thing."
Okita lay on Zuo Cun's back and suddenly remembered something.
"What's wrong?"
"Go and knock on the door of the room next to mine."
Samura nodded and knocked twice on the door of the room next to Miss Okita.
"Masaki, I'm leaving. This place is about to become a battlefield. You should leave quickly."
After saying this loudly, Miss Okita coughed twice.
Zuo Cun smiled and shook his head.
As his legs gathered strength, Zuomura——jumped up.
...
The next day, before dawn.
Okita Souji fell asleep on Zuomura's back due to lack of physical strength.
Zuo Cun looked at the familiar village and breathed a sigh of relief.
The war did not spread here.
Following the familiar road, Zuo Cun arrived at his hut.
Souna was drying the quilt. It had been snowing for the past few days, but it finally cleared up today. Naturally, she had to take out the quilt to dry it in the sun.
As soon as Ezina walked out of the room with her quilt in her arms, she saw Samura carrying a big white thing at the door.
Souna was startled: "Mr. Samura?"
"Souna, help me - open the door." Zuo Cun felt that his eyelids were so heavy, as if he could fall asleep at any time.
He hasn't slept for three days in a row, and he has been in an extremely troubled mood these past few days.
He is very tired.
"Ah, okay!" Although Zhenna didn't know what happened, she quickly opened the door.
When Zuo Cun walked into the house, Enana finally saw clearly what Zuo Cun was carrying behind his back.
Is it - a person?
Mr. Zuomura brought someone back? ! Or a woman? !
Ezuna's eyes widened and she looked at Zuomura with an expression of disbelief.
etc?
That woman's face... seems a little familiar?
Samura walked into the guest room and carefully placed Okita Souji on the tatami.
Because the movement was relatively large, Miss Okita woke up.
"Zuocun..."
"It's okay, we're here. If you're sleepy, just go back to sleep for a while." Zuo Cun felt dizzy.
Before Okita Souji could answer, Samura staggered out of the room and bumped into Souna who was lying at the door.
"Huh? Souna?" Zuomura subconsciously touched Souna's head, "You... take care of this sister... I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
"But I'm... really sleepy now."
"Mr. Samura, please go and have a rest." Souna pushed Samura to his room.
She could tell that Zuo Cun was in a bad state.
So, if you have any questions, please wait until Zuocun wakes up before asking.
Or you can also ask Okita-san?
