Both the Osaka area and the Otsu area are under the direct jurisdiction of the shogunate.

The shogunate actually gave up one of the "four strategic locations"... This was the first time in more than two hundred years!

It is no exaggeration to say that Tokugawa Iemoji really cut off half of the shogunate's arm to Aoto!

At this time, the director-general noticed something strange about Qingdeng in the main seat.

I saw that Qingdeng was not as excited as the others present.

He looked into the distance, thoughtfully.

"Tachibana-kun, what's wrong? Why are you so serious? You have become the master of a city and a land, and you are also a great name with a territory of 300,000. Aren't you happy?"

The General Secretary's words immediately focused the attention of everyone present on Qingden.

Qingdeng was stunned for a moment, then smiled:

"Of course I'm happy."

"I was just... feeling emotional."

Having said this, Qingdeng let out a sigh of relief, and his expression became meaningful.

"I am also a famous person now..."

Upon hearing Qingdeng's words, everyone present showed confused expressions.

They are not Qingdeng, so they cannot truly empathize with Qingdeng's current psychological changes.

Suddenly, I had my own territory, population, and resources... I am afraid only the person involved can taste the specific feeling of it.

Suddenly, the director chuckled and half-jokingly changed the topic:

"Ji Jun, when do you plan to go to your territory and take a look."

Shannan Jingsuke smiled and said:

"I'll be very busy again."

Hijikata Toshizo took over the conversation:

"First we need to inspect the land, then we need to build a new city, and then we need to count the population and sort out the household registration..."

Qingdeng smiled bitterly:

"Don't be in a hurry to go to Otsu now."

"Finish the matters at hand first, and it won't be too late to go to Otsu after Kyoto has completely stabilized."

As he said that, he turned to look at Shannan Keisuke not far away.

"Kingsuke, what's the date today?"

Shannan Keisuke immediately replied:

"September 20th."

"It's the 20th...then let's go to Otsu on September 25th!"

"Okay, let's all disperse."

After saying that, Qingdeng stood up and left the table first.

After leaving the auditorium, his eyes seemed to be pulled by transparent silk threads, looking straight to the east, looking at Otsu in the distance.

"Qin Jin..."

He muttered.

A bright light burst out of his eyes.

…

…

All the 300,000 koku of land south of Lake Biwa was owned by Aomori. This series of news quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys in and around Kyoto.

Whether they were those who admired Qingdeng or those who hated Qingdeng, they were all shocked by this.

For a time, people from Luozhong to Luobei, from the streets to the alleys, from the dining tables to the bathhouses, were discussing the newly born "Qinjin Fan", exchanging opinions and conveying emotions.

Among them, shock accounted for the majority - just like Shannan Keisuke, both military and political leaders and ordinary people were dumbfounded by the shogunate's grand gesture.

Huh? Let Tachibana Aoden become the master of Otsu? Is this serious? Is it too exaggerated?

Even if Aoto is Tokugawa Iemo's consort, it won't be like this, right?!

What's more, Aomori was not Tokugawa Iemo's consort.

Wagoniya has not yet given birth to an heir, and Tokugawa Iemo is still childless, so it is simply impossible to marry Aonto.

?????55.?????

So far, Aoto and Tokugawa Iemo have no biological relationship. The only friendship between them is the "friendship between a monarch and his ministers."

Although he was clearly not a relative or a friend, yet he treated Qingdeng so favorably... Just using words such as "favor" and "trust" to describe him seemed inadequate and inappropriate.

"Is it really okay to treat Tachibana Aoden so favorably?" - Such a voice emerged in the market.

In fact, there were many opposing voices even within the shogunate.

The "opposition" unanimously believes that Qingdeng's current power is too great! It is too much!

How powerful is Qingdeng’s power now?

It has a highly independent and powerful field army (Shinsengumi); it has a land with abundant supplies and massive invisible assets (Qinjin Clan); it has an armed force that can march to Edo at any time (Hachioji, a Thousand People with One Heart).

This...this...!

What should we do if Qingdeng raises a flag of rebellion and repeats Tianbao's old events (Anshi Rebellion)?

It has to be said that the "opposition"'s claims are not unreasonable.

History has proven countless times: giving ministers too much power is the worst of taboos!

However... Regarding the opinions of the "opposition", Tokugawa Iemoji had only one attitude: ignore them.

He was determined to hand over Dajin to Qingdeng.

There is nothing the "opposition" can do about this.

Now that the "Ichitsubashi faction" has collapsed, there is no political force within the shogunate that can contain Tokugawa Iemo.

Regarding the behavior of "Tokugawa Iemo sold his head and rewarded Aoden", various speculations have emerged in the market.

It is said that Tokugawa Iemo and Aoto are long-lost brothers.

Some people say that Tokugawa Iemo and Aoshino actually have an indescribable special relationship, just like the King of Wei and Lord Longyang back then.

Some people even joked: Could it be that Tokugawa Iemoga betrothed his mother to Nioh?

If there is a woman who has a close relationship with Tokugawa Iemo and who happens to be of marriageable age... she is the only one who has it.

Tenzouin is Tokugawa Iemo's nominal mother. If Aoden marries Tenzouin, he will become Tokugawa Iemo's nominal father.

A 27-year-old mother, a 21-year-old father, a 17-year-old son...what a chaotic family!

If Aoden becomes Tokugawa Iemo's father, then Tokugawa Iemo's series of abnormal behaviors will be explained.

What's wrong with a son being filial to his father?

Of course, people only treat this statement as a joke.

In any case, Tianzhangyin is the "Queen Mother" of the shogunate, and she is also a nun who has become a monk.

Is there any reason to betroth a queen mother to a minister?

Unless the shogunate lost power and collapsed, Tokugawa Iemoji would not be able to risk the world's disobedience and let Aoden openly marry his mother.

The real reason why Tokugawa Iemo treated Aonto so favorably... is still a mystery.

In addition, there are some other unusual sounds in the market.

For example, he questioned Qingdeng’s promotion speed.

Qingdeng, who was dissatisfied with his family fortune of ten thousand shi, rose to the rank of 300,000 shi in one breath... Is this speed of promotion too exaggerated?

However, not many people question this.

The reason is not complicated at all.

First, there is precedent for this.

I think back then, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in order to consolidate his power, promoted his cronies on a large scale.

A typical example is the "Shigake Seven Guns" headed by Masanori Fukushima and Kiyomasa Kato.

They didn't make much credit, and their abilities weren't great. As a result, their ascending speeds were exaggerated, and their territories were larger and larger.

Secondly, most people believed that Qingdeng deserved such a large territory.

As early as when Aotobu retreated from the British fleet in Edo Bay, everyone felt that Aotobu should become the feudal lord.

When people learned that the reward Qingteng received after the incident was only a slight increase in family income and the command of the eighth prince and thousands of people, they all felt puzzled.
To be continued...