Samura returned to the area around Toba Fushimi.
The fire of war burned the earth beyond recognition.
There were still many remains of feudal soldiers on both sides of the road. Zuo Cun was walking on the road and sighed involuntarily as he looked at the miserable conditions on both sides of the road.
He was not sighing at the death of these people, but he was sighing that Ryoma's truest wish could no longer be realized.
That unrealistic good old man's idea was to complete the transfer of power without bloodshed. I have to say that he was a bit naive, but also - very desirable.
No dream is worth laughing at, least of all a dream like this.
On the road, I encountered a small group of soldiers patrolling the Satsuma domain. Pedestrians automatically retreated to both sides and greeted the soldiers.
Zuocun smiled slightly.
The shogunate has become completely unpopular, and no matter what they do, it will just be a useless struggle.
Quickening his pace, Zuo Cun returned to the military camp.
...
Zuo Cun returned to the military camp and happened to see Xixiang Shenglong's ceremony for conferring honors and setting off for the expedition.
He didn't stop to watch, but returned to his tent a little disheartened.
I am somewhat useful, so I won't be left without a tent.
Not long after Zuocun returned to his tent, two men wearing general-style armor walked into his tent.
"Shannan, Okada." Zuocun called their names softly.
Shannan Keisuke looked at Zuocun, took off his helmet, and let out a long sigh.
"After that Sakamoto Ryoma died, everything changed."
Okada Izo and Zuo Cun both bit their lips and were speechless.
"We have been assigned to the front line, Zuocun, you should know what this means." Shannan Keisuke looked sad.
"...I'm sorry." Zuo Cun looked blank, but did not dare to look at the two people.
The front line is the place where the greatest sacrifices are made, and the few cronies in Zuocun are placed there...
"It's not you who's wrong, and it's not you who should apologize." Shannan Keisuke patted Zuo Cun's shoulder, "You should cheer up and don't worry about our safety."
"It's you who should be more careful, Samura." Okada Izo hugged his chest, "Although you are very strong, but... I still hope you can be careful."
"I don't want you to...become the next Ryoma."
Samura stood up and hugged Okada Izo and Shannan Keisuke.
"Thank you, I understand my current situation."
Shannan Keisuke sighed and patted Zuo Cun's back.
...
The war has begun again.
In the middle area from Kyoto to Osaka, Saigo Moritaka intercepted the Kuwana Domain's vassal soldiers.
Under siege and interception, the Kuwana domain was forced to surrender under pressure from the Eastern Expeditionary Army, choosing to abandon the shogunate's position and declare neutrality.
The shogunate, which lost the support of Kuwana Domain, was not even able to form an effective resistance in Osaka.
Hurry and hurry, in March, Mikawa fell, and the Tokugawa family lost their ancestral land.
The shogunate army retreated to the towns of Koshu and Shinshu.
At this time, the shogunate was already in panic.
Tokugawa Iemo was no longer able to control the situation, so he took his trusted officers and soldiers and slipped back to Edo by sea by boat.
The shogunate Katsu Kaishu ordered the Shinsengumi to attack the Eastern Expeditionary Army in Koshu Town.
Unlike the chaotic shogunate, the new government troops had high morale and were advancing vigorously.
Not only the military strength has begun to crush the shogunate army, but also many civilian organizations are assisting the Eastern Expedition Army.
The more famous one is the "Red News Team" headed by Sagara Sosan.
They helped the new government troops cross the natural chasm and enter the Guandong Plain.
The new government forces learned about the setting points of the shogunate's troops through intelligence, and chose to divide their troops into two groups to attack Koshu Town and Shinshu Town respectively. They intended to form a pincer offensive against Edo, the shogunate's home base, by occupying the two nodes.
Zuocun was incorporated into the team attacking Jiazhou and participated in the raid on Jiazhou Town.
Zuo Cun has been exhausted mentally and physically over the past two months.
His mood reached rock bottom with the death of Okada Izo in the Shinshu Raid.
But during the Koshu Raid, fate arranged an even worse joke for Zuo Cun.
...
Kyoto, Mibu Village.
"Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough" Okita Souji sat in the same place almost every day after arriving here, looking at the courtyard.
She was so ill that she couldn't walk very far now.
Dr. Lu Silan came over once, but after diagnosing Okita, he shook his head and left.
Okita Souji was not surprised at all and didn't take it to heart.
"Sister Okita, you got up very early today too." Ezuna took out the broom, looked at Okita who was sitting in the courtyard, and said hello with a smile.
"Good morning, Souna - cough cough cough -!" Okita started to cough as soon as he said a word.
Ezuna quickly ran over and patted Okita on the back.
"I'll get you a glass of hot water. There's no need to force yourself to speak."
Okita Souji looked at Souna's back and fell into thinking.
Living here during this time, Okita Souji feels extremely peaceful.
I no longer deliberately avoid California Qingguang.
It's just that his body is weakening day by day, and his vitality is disappearing day by day, which still makes Okita feel lonely and painful.
Don’t want to die——
I'm still young - there are still many things I haven't done yet -
Such thoughts lingered in Okita's mind.
She couldn't bring herself not to grieve.
Ezuna took out a glass of warm water and handed it to Miss Okita: "Drink slowly."
"Thank you, Souna."
Ms. Okita drank a glass of warm water obediently.
She put the hand holding the cup on her lap and looked at the scenery in the distance.
"...Shunna." She called softly.
"What's wrong, Sister Okita?" Souna raised her head.
"My life... I don't have much left." She retracted her gaze and looked at the cup in her hand.
There are only a few drops of water left in the cup, and it will evaporate away in a short time.
"Sister Okita, are you thinking wildly again?" Ezuna came to Okita's side, "You will definitely survive, so don't be sad, okay?"
Okita smiled and stroked Soina's head.
"Zuocun is right, you are a good girl."
"I am very happy to have you with me in the last period of my life."
Ezuna tried her best not to show her sadness, but there were still tears in the corners of her eyes involuntarily.
"Hey, Souna, can I ask you a favor?"
Okita Souji took Soina's hand and placed it on his dry palm, "This may be my last request in this life."
"...Say it, Sister Okita." Souna tried hard to control herself from crying.
"You can make clothes, and they are beautiful."
A trace of blush appeared on Okita Souji's pale face.
"Can you... help me."
"I'm just making one piece of Bai Wu Guo."
she asked with a smile.
Tears welled up in Souna's eyes.
