In the second year of Wanyan (1861), January 17, night——

Edo, Kanazawa family residence——

"Brother! Brother! Brother!"

"Um?"

Kanazawa Chusuke, who was completely immersed in the file in his hand, was awakened by his sister Kanazawa Qin's call.

"Xiaoqin, what's wrong?"

He turned his head as if he had just woken up from a dream, and looked at his sister standing behind him.

"You actually have the nerve to ask me what's wrong..."

Kanazawa Qin put her hands on her hips and said dissatisfiedly:

"Look how long you have been sitting in front of the table? At least an hour, right? Didn't you promise me that you would stand up and move around every half an hour you sat in front of the table? Be careful like your father.

That way, you will suffer from back problems at a young age!"

Kanazawa Chusuke was startled, then turned to look at a candle lamp placed on the corner of the table. The originally brand-new and complete candle body was now only a small fragment the size of a thumb.

"Ah, sorry sorry!"

Kanazawa Chusuke touched his head and showed an apologetic wry smile to his sister.

"I was concentrating on the investigation, but I accidentally got too involved and even forgot about the time..."

Cha Eucalyptus - Hearing this group of words, Qin's eyes suddenly flickered slightly.

"The love affair...is there still no progress?"

"Ah... um."

Zhongsuke hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.

"After all, there are very few clues, and this is not the only case I have on hand. I have other cases to take care of."

"However, there is still some progress in the situation - I already know what force is secretly selling this medicine."

"Oh?" Qin blinked curiously, "What kind of force is it?"

"I can't tell you this."

Zhongfu smiled.

"I can't reveal confidential information to ordinary people who have nothing to do with you."

"What..."

Although she was complaining, Qin was still very self-aware and did not ask any more questions.

The "medicine" and "eucalyptus" mentioned by Tadatsuki are the "strange red-purple pills" that he has been investigating carefully since the end of the "Kai Mountain Bandit Crusade".

At that time, when the leader of the Souma clan, Yokokura Keinosuke, was forced into a desperate situation by Aoto, he swallowed a red and purple pill with a strange color, and then his whole person became abnormal.

He is not afraid of pain, has weird emotions, and looks like crazy. After suffering serious injuries that ordinary people would faint from the pain even if they don't die suddenly on the spot, he can actually continue to fight with a knife like a normal person...

This is not the first time Qingdeng has seen this strangely colored pill.

When he had just traveled to this world and arrested Xunzaburo who murdered the woman he had been secretly in love with for decades.

During the fireworks display, when he killed the insane Tada Koemon who was killing innocent people on the street, Aoto had seen this weird pill.

It would be fine if I only met him once, but I met him three times in a row, and all the people I met who had this medicine had one thing in common: their emotional state was like that of a madman with a broken head.

Anyone with a normal IQ should be able to sense that there is something wrong with this medicine.

Adhering to the simple idea of ​​​​"doing business first", Aoto collected all the pills on Yokokura Kinosuke's body, and then reported the existence of the pills to his superiors.

What a coincidence: Zhongsuke also knew this medicine.

One of his drinking buddies, with whom he had a fairly good friendship, purchased a special painkiller from nowhere in order to suppress his pain.

According to this person, the effect of this painkiller is very significant.

Just take one pill and your whole body will feel comfortable, and you will no longer feel any pain or discomfort.

And the shape of this painkiller... is exactly the same as the strange pill Qingdeng handed over!

After Tadashi's drinking buddy started taking the painkiller, he gradually became mentally disordered and behaved strangely.

In the end, he was stabbed to death for picking trouble with a group of samurai on the street for no reason.

Zhongsuke strongly suspected that it was this strange pill that caused his friend's mental problem!

Tadashi is a warm-blooded man who is famous for his loyalty and affection.

He immediately decided to investigate this drug thoroughly!

Find out what this medicine is and who or what force is selling it!

So, he took the initiative to apply to his superiors for the job.

Someone recommended himself, and his superiors were naturally happy and relaxed. They readily approved Zhongsuke's application.

For more than a month, Zhongfu has been investigating this drug wholeheartedly and day and night.

Many times, I am so busy that I don’t even bother to eat.

It is very common to sit in front of a desk like this now, flipping through files and losing track of time.

"Brother, it's important to do the funeral..."

Qin put her hands behind her back, twisted her fingers tightly, turned her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with her brother, her white right foot without socks crossed a semi-arc, and was placed behind her left foot, tapping her small toes.

Tatami continued the words coyly:

"But you must also remember to balance work with rest... If you are exhausted, don't expect me to take care of you."

Looking at his sister who obviously cared about him but didn't dare to look at him because of her strange pride and shame, a gentle smile gradually appeared on Tadashi's cheeks.

"Okay, okay."

Zhongsuke raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I understand. I will pay more attention to it in the future. I have to cherish my body more than you think."

"Hmph!" Qin folded her hands on her chest and snorted coldly, "When did you not say that? It's true!"

Zhongsuke smiled helplessly.

At this moment, from the corner of his right eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the scenery outside the window next to him.

It snowed lightly this evening.

The scattered snowflakes covered the land of Edo with a layer of elegant silver.

Zhongsuke looked out the window, and then looked at his sister who was still having an awkward moment.

"...Xiaoqin, let's go for a walk."

As he spoke, he took off the thick feather fabric from the hanger.

"Huh?" Qin asked in surprise, "Why did you invite me out so suddenly?"

"Didn't you just say that? We need to balance work and rest. I have been too busy with work recently and haven't had a good rest for a long time. The weather tonight is very good, it is a sunny day, and it is not very cold either.

It's suitable for going out for a walk. Besides...it's been a long time since we two brothers and sisters chatted together."

"Well..." Hesitation appeared on Qin's pretty face.

"What?" Zhongsuke put on a playful expression, "Don't you want to take a walk with your brother? Or are you saying that you are not free now?"

"...Brother, please wait for me while I go change my clothes."

…

…

The Kanazawa brother and sister walked side by side on an embankment with a fairly good view.

"What a comfortable wind..." Zhongsuke took a deep breath, "I really hope we can have such good weather every day."

"Brother, you are obviously a lot older, but you still always say things that sound like a child."

Qin covered her mouth and teased.

"What do you mean by being old?" Zhongsuke asked angrily, "I'm only in my early twenties this year, okay? It's at the peak of a man's prime."

The two brothers and sisters chatted about topics that seemed to have some content but also seemed to have no content.

From today's weather to recent trivial matters in life, then to the recently popular kabuki actors, and then to the beautiful swords that I happened to encounter in the blacksmith shop a while ago...

Although they talked about some random things, none of them found this time boring.

At this moment, Qin, who was quietly listening to his brother's talk, suddenly stopped and his expression went blank.

Her eyes were staring straight at a tall figure not far ahead.

The owner of this back figure is about 1.75 meters tall. Although the back is not very broad, it inexplicably gives people a very reliable feeling.

A back view full of masculine charm...
To be continued...