Ever since he traveled to this world, Qingdeng has always wanted to own a pistol of his own.

Although this is a "low martial arts world" with a high average force value, firearms still occupy a dominant position in terms of lethality.

Otherwise, the Western powers in this world would not be like the Western powers in the world before Qingdeng traveled through, relying on advanced industrial civilization to spread across the world.

With a pistol close to your body, your waist will be straighter when you walk.

For a long time, Qingdeng searched hard for a pistol but failed.

Although Japan has been founded now, the conservative forces are still very strong, so the whole country is still in a strange state of "founded but not fully founded."

Even a shogunate army officer of Ayoto's level could not find channels to purchase Western firearms.

Moreover, due to his status, he must not blatantly get a gun - especially he cannot ask Tokugawa Iemo and Tenshoin for help.

One of these two men was a general who conquered the barbarians, and the other was an Odaisho. With their status in the Edo shogunate, it would not be difficult for them to obtain Western firearms.

But! No matter what, you must not take the initiative to ask these two men for help in purchasing a gun!

Otherwise, it would be a big taboo!

Qingdeng still has this political sensitivity.

Qingdeng knew that he was innocent. The reason why he wanted the pistol was just to enhance his combat effectiveness.

But what would Tokugawa Iemo and Tenshouin think?

From their perspective, one of their subordinates suddenly wants to buy a weapon that is easy to hide and can kill people from a distance; it can protect them and can be turned around to target them...

Although from the current stage, he has a very good relationship with Tokugawa Iemo, Tenshouin...especially Tenshouin, the friendship between monarch and minister in the feudal era is like a castle made of fine sand - it will fall down when pushed.

Qingdeng did not think that the friendship between him and these two people had reached the level of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

A common man is not guilty, but he is guilty of carrying a jade...

Until tonight, until now, Qingdeng finally got his wish for the first pistol in his life - even though it only had one bullet.

At this time, the revolver could not fire continuously.

After firing one shot, the hammer must be pulled down before the second shot can be fired.

"Just so many bullets...?"

Aoto turned around and returned to Kitahara Konosuke, groping his body carefully.

Suddenly, he sighed with disappointment - he searched all over Kitahara Konosuke's body, but could not find any extra ammunition.

It seems that what Konosuke Kitahara said before, "Guns and bullets are very precious, every time you fire one, you lose one" was not nonsense.

"never mind……"

Qingdeng turned his regretful mood into a sound with a "huh".

"Just one bullet... It's better to have something than nothing..."

A revolver with only one bullet in the chamber cannot be used as the main weapon in battle.

But it is a very good concealed weapon!

When the enemy is unprepared, he suddenly charges at the enemy with a shot of "American Iai"... A hard battle that may be very stalemate, and may even lead to defeat, may just end with a "complete victory".

It's over.

Thinking of this, Qingdeng happily put the revolver with only one bullet left in his arms.

…

…

Edo, Tsukinomiya Shrine, Tenshouin's room——

"well……"

Sighs full of fatigue flowed out from Tianzhangyuan's red lips.

Tianzhangyin lay on his back on the tatami in the room.

It was obviously just a very casual lying posture, but the scene was so beautiful and moving that it looked like a masterpiece painted by a top painter who tried his best.

White clothes, purple hakama, pink skin, red lips, black hair...

All colors are best interpreted on this delicate body full of mature charm.

"well……"

Another sigh.

Tianzhangyin turned over, his delicate face turned sideways and pressed lightly on the fresh-smelling tatami, his legs straight together, his round toes wrapped in white foot bags tightened, and his whole body curled up.

Tianzhangyuan rarely shows this "weak" side.

But the recent influx of troubles has really made her feel physically and mentally exhausted.

His beloved general Ju Qingden is being hunted by an unidentified gang, and there has been no new progress in the pursuit of the "trick drug"... Let's not ignore these things for the time being.

The main reason why Tenshouin is in its current weak state... is that there has been a new disturbance in the shogunate government.

Dalaojing Yin Zhibi was assassinated - this "black swan incident" severely shaken the authority of the Edo shogunate.

After the death of Iyin Naobi, Ando Nobumasa was appointed as the first Laozhong, and he jointly took charge of government affairs with another Laozhong: Kuze Hiroshu.

[Note: There are generally 4 or 5 Lao Zhong who have a status similar to that of "Prime Minister", and the chief among them is called the "First Lao Zhong"]

In order to save the majesty of the shogunate, Ando Nobumasa proposed the "combination of public and military affairs."

That is to unite the imperial court (public family) and the shogunate (warrior family), transform the power of the shogunate, use the authority of the imperial court to strengthen the power of the shogunate, and suppress the increasingly violent movement to respect the king and resist the barbarians in Kinki and other places, so as to avoid the collapse of the Edo shogunate and further strengthen the power of the Edo shogunate.

status.

The specific means of implementation is political marriage.

That is to say, Tokugawa Iemo, who is now 15 years old and at a marriageable age, can marry the imperial daughter of the imperial court.

As early as when Jing Yin Zhibi was still alive, he was already vigorously promoting the cooperation between the public and the martial arts.

Although this matter was temporarily suspended after the "Sakurada Gate Incident", Nobumasa Ando and Hiroshu Kuze resumed this unfinished business of Naoki Iin.

[Note: The incident outside the Sakurada Gate was the assassination of Jing Yin Zhibi]

There are three public princesses suitable for marriage: the late Emperor Hitomi, the thirty-year-old Toshinomiya, and the fourteen-year-old Kazumi. Today's emperor also has an imperial daughter, Fukinomiya, who was only 5 months old.

Taken together, the only suitable marriage partner is He Gong.

As soon as Ando Nobumasa's idea of ​​"unity of public and military forces" was put forward, he received strong support from many shogunate officials and local daimyo.

"Leader of the Hitotsubashi Sect" Hitotsubashi Keiki, the Lord of the Aizu Domain Matsudaira Yoshihiro, the Lord of the Fukui Domain Matsudaira Keinaga, the Tozuo Domain's former lord Yamauchido, the former Uwajima Domain lord Intatsu Munejo, the father of the Satsuma Domain Shimazu Hisamitsu...

The lords and lords of these lords, whose territories often cost hundreds of thousands, expressed their support for the "combination of public and military affairs".

At a time when all the elders are applauding the "combination of public and military affairs"... Tianzhangyuan holds a different opinion——

First of all, Wakumiya was already engaged. She had been married to Prince Arisugawa Miya Chihito since she was a child. The two also fell in love with each other and asked Wakong to terminate the existing engagement and marry Tokugawa Iemo instead.

The behavior that people love is not in line with etiquette and law.

Secondly, she believed that the current corrupt situation could not be saved by marriage with the imperial court.

Thirdly, Tokugawa Iemo is still young. It is too early for him to get married now.

Fourth, the public cannot be trusted.

In order to ensure the dominance of the Tokugawa family, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo shogunate, used a series of means to completely cage the power of the public family.

Tokugawa Ieyasu even directly said: The emperor does not need to interfere in government affairs, he only needs to concentrate on learning.

Because they have been away from politics for a long time, the emperor and ministers in the imperial court do not know how to govern the country at all, and their political concepts are generally frighteningly childish.

In short: the public is a bunch of worthless junk snacks, with no other merits except cultural influence.

Cooperating with them... is full of hidden dangers.

Tianzhangyuan tried its best to oppose the "combination of public and military affairs", but people say it lightly...

The "Ichitsubashi faction" tried their best to suppress it, leaving Tenshouin with less and less say in the shogunate.

Moreover, those who support the "integration of public and military forces" can make Tianzhangyuan speechless with just one sentence——

"I am very moved by His Highness's eloquent remarks. However, I wonder if His Highness has a strategy that is even more brilliant than the 'combination of public and military forces'?"

Although very reluctant, Tianzhangyuan really could not think of a more suitable and superior strategy to save the current situation than "combination of public and military forces"...

Japan today is undergoing tremendous changes unseen in a thousand years.

What’s the next step?

Which way leads to the light?

I'm afraid only the kind of talented person who only comes across this once in a thousand years can answer these questions.

Obviously - Tianzhangyuan is not such a transcendent figure...

Unable to resist the implementation of "integration of public and military forces"...self-mockery and exhaustion lingered in Tianzhangyuan's mind.

In order to relieve the depression in her heart, she took advantage of the rare free time at this time to relax a little.
To be continued...