"You are an excellent leader. When and whether to use the 'Decisive Battle on the Lake' is entirely up to you. I will not interfere."

Takasugi Shinsaku lowered his eyelids and gaze, staring deeply at the big box in Ushiki's hand. His expression changed several times, and he didn't know what to think.

Next to him, Katsura Kogoro also looked similar, with a complex look on his face.

For a moment, Takasugi Shinzuo said coldly without sadness or joy:

"...In this case, I would rather obey your orders than be respectful."

After that, he grabbed the big box, then turned around and left with it in his arms.

Shuten Doji shouted at his back:

"Mr. Takasugi! I'll leave it to you, Sekigahara!"

"..."

Takasugi Shinsaku ignored the other party and disappeared from his sight within a moment.

Not long after, a group of cavalry galloped out of the camp - the leader was none other than Takasugi Shinsaku.

The cavalry group, led by Shinsaku Takasugi himself, ran straight to the west along the streets of Donghai, with momentum like a rainbow.

While galloping on his horse, Takasugi Shinsaku looked down at his hand - the hand he had used to cover his mouth when he coughed just now - and after coughing, he secretly took the hand away while Katsura Kogoro wasn't paying attention.

He hid his hand, being careful not to let the other party find it.

I saw a layer of blood splattered on the palm of this hand, which was bright and dazzling.

Looking at the blood stained half of his palm, Takasugi Shinsaku twitched the corner of his mouth, showing a strange expression that was half a smile but not a smile.

Then, he repeated Katsura Kogoro's previous instructions in a self-deprecating tone:

"'Remember to protect yourself'..."

…

…

Qinjin Fan, Ojin, Hijifangdi——

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Hijikata Toshizo was walking in the corridor of his house with long strides.

He was not wearing the light green haori that symbolized the Shinsengumi, but was wearing the Western-style outfit that he had painstakingly purchased - a black suit, a long black trench coat - and his hair was specially cut short and slicked back.

It is not difficult to see that he really likes this outfit.

Ever since I bought this set of clothes, I rarely see him wearing light green feather fabric.

However, in order to show his identity as the deputy leader of the Shinsengumi, he specially tied a light green armband on his right arm with the word "Sincerity" embroidered on it.

At this time, a handsome young man who was not tall, had a childish face, and was carrying a small package jumped out from the corridor next to him:

"Mr. Hijikata, I'm ready!"

This person is none other than Tetsunosuke Ichimura, a man named Toshiro Hijikata.

Hijikata Toshizo stopped and looked up and down at Tetsunosuke Ichimura:

"Tetsunosuke, this must be the first big battle you have ever experienced. Are you scared?"

"Don't be afraid!"

Ichimura Tetsunosuke shook his head and said loudly without thinking:

"If I was afraid of death, I wouldn't choose to join the Shinsengumi!"

Hijikata Toshizo smiled and nodded:

"Yes, your courage is commendable!"

"It's a pity that you don't have a chance to go to the battlefield."

"When the Eighth Prince arrives, your tasks will be the same as usual. You will only be responsible for taking care of my daily life. You don't have to interfere with other things."

Hearing this, Ichimura Tetsunosuke's whole little face immediately fell:

"Mr. Hijikata! Please let me go to the battlefield! I will not let you down!"

"Let's wait until you shave your forehead."

[Note: Shaving the forehead hair: According to the practice of the Edo period, men would grow their forehead hair when they were underage, but the hair on the top of their heads would often be shaved off. This can be understood as a "quasi-moon generation head" until they reach adulthood.

They will shave off their forehead hair and start to grow a formal head, so "shaving off their forehead hair" means that a man has reached adulthood.】

Tetsunosuke Ichimura continued to appeal, but Hijikata Toshizo simply ignored his claims.

"Okay, stop yelling, it's time to set off."

Just as Hijikata Toshizo was about to lift his foot forward, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to look at Tetsunosuke Ichimura.

"Tetsunosuke, did you bring what I asked you to bring?"

Upon hearing this, Ichimura Tetsunosuke immediately stopped "complaining" and entered work mode:

"Well, I brought it!"

As he spoke, he took out a small cloth bag from his arms and handed it to Hijikata Toshizo with both hands.

After Hijikata Toshizo took it, he opened the cloth bag three times and took out the contents - a small stack of photos.

These photos were the commemorative photos he had previously asked photographer Kenzo Tamoto to take for them.

From a single photo of himself, to a photo of him and Qingnobo, to a group photo of the "Tsueikan School"... there are more than twenty photos in the stack of photos that Hijikata Toizo is holding in his hands at this time.

.

On the eve of the official launch of the "Changzhou Expedition" and the march to the Changzhou Kingdom, these photos were developed and distributed to everyone.

Looking at the photos in his hand, Toshizo Hijikata's eyes gradually softened, and the corners of his lips turned up slightly unconsciously.

Ichimura Tetsunosuke looked at Hijikata Toshizo, then looked at the stack of photos in his palm, and asked in confusion:

"Mr. Hijikata, why did you bring these photos?"

After Hijikata Toshizo was silent for a while, he replied half-jokingly:

"It's nothing, I just want to find something to entertain myself on the way."

As he spoke, he rewrapped the stack of photos in cloth, put them in his arms solemnly, and then walked towards the entrance without any hesitation.

"Tetsunosuke, let's go!"

"yes!"

…

…

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, suburbs——

Isamu Kondo, General Commander... all the generals who had no important responsibilities and could spare some time basically came to see Hijikata Toizan off.

As for Harada Sanosuke and others who led the cavalry to seize the favorable terrain of Sekigahara, they were already too busy to care.

Looking at Seito and others who came to see him off, Hijikata Toishan said aloud with half helplessness and half emotion:

"Such a luxurious lineup... I'm really flattered by how you put it together."

His joking tone slightly relaxed the solemn atmosphere of the scene.

Looking up, I saw that almost everyone present had calm faces and looked very serious.

No one wanted to look like this when seeing him off.

However... when they think of the battlefield that Hijikata Toshizo will go to next, they can't show a positive attitude at all!

Anyone with a little bit of common sense knows how arduous the task Hijikata Toizo has taken on is!

Leading a militia that has not yet completed the corresponding training to intercept an army of tigers and wolves...even if it is not a narrow escape, it is not far off!

Just as Hijikata Toshizo said just now in the military meeting - no one is qualified for this task except him!

Therefore, although he was worried about Hijikata Toshizo, no one present could do anything to help him and could only secretly pray for him.

At this time, Kondo took half a step forward and looked at Hijikata Toshizo with a complicated expression.

"Ah Sui, you...don't be too reluctant."

He hesitated and hesitated for a long time before he managed to say, "Don't force yourself."

Somehow, looking at Hijikata Toshizo who was about to leave for the Hachioji area, he suddenly recalled all the strange phenomena he had experienced a while ago——

He had a strange dream that "he stayed where he was, and everyone else was leaving him"; influenced by this dream, he asked a photographer to take commemorative photos for them...

As these memories passed through his mind one by one, Kondo Isamu felt that his heartbeat suddenly accelerated like an alarm bell, and became a bit heavier...

Suddenly, after Kondo Isamu, Souji also stepped forward and also cast a complicated look at Hijikata Tozo.

"Mr. Hijikata, please don't do anything stupid..."

Maybe this is the tacit understanding between adopted brothers and sisters.
To be continued...