Chapter 40 One, the world's heroes

"The Changzhou domain is about to raise troops against the shogunate." When hearing this rumor, Ryoma Sakamoto was in Kumamoto.There are also rumors that the wanderers will rise up together with Changzhou.Upon hearing the news, Ryoma immediately set off for Edo. In the first year of Yuanzhi, the focus of this year was all on the movements of Changzhou Fan.There is no second place in the world for such a sad place.The Changzhou Fan has always been proud of "the first advocate of the Qin King's Fan since the beginning of Mao Liyuan", and now it is taking advantage of the changing situation at the end of the Tokugawa period to engage in various radical actions in Kyoto, trying every means to humiliate and resist the Shogunate, and mobilizing overtly and secretly to return the government Emperor's movement.

There is no reason to dislike being supported by others, and the emperor and ministers are no exception, so they were quite friendly towards the Changzhou domain at first.But as the days went by, the way of supporting the Changzhou Fan, to borrow the current humorous expression, was like "an ugly woman is passionate", and most officials gradually began to feel disgusted. Changzhou Zhishi's approach was too bloody.They threw the severed wrists into the compound of the anti-Changzhou faction ministers and daimyo, or wrote threatening letters, harassing and intimidating in every possible way.This approach gave the political circles in Kyoto an impression that they began to think that the atrocities of the radical ronin were "Choshu-style behavior."These atrocities took place precisely because of the protection of the Choshu Domain.In their eyes, this is no longer an act of honoring the king.In the end, Changzhou was thoroughly disgusted.The irony is that Choshu people can give up their lives for the Emperor, and the person who hates Choshu the most is the Emperor.

On the twenty-first day of the first lunar month of the first year of Yuanji, Emperor Komei issued an imperial edict to the shogun Iemo Tokugawa who came to see him.There is an undisguised disgust in the lines of this edict, and it even makes people think that it is not an exaggeration to regard this as a letter of war sent by the emperor himself to Changzhou.The first is this sentence: "Sanjo Mimi and other ministers listened to the words of the rogues in the countryside, and did not pay attention to the overseas situation..." Just a year ago, Emperor Xiaomei himself did exactly what he said, but now he has turned his face. He blindly accused Santiao of "failing to observe the overseas situation".Then he wrote: "Deliberately changing my order, hastily announcing the order of expelling the barbarians, and vainly trying to create a division of the curtain. Like the tyrant of Nagato, fooling his master, bombarding foreign ships for no reason. Such violent people must Punish it quickly."

However, when Changzhou bombarded foreign ships at first, the imperial court issued a reward edict.This edict is tantamount to saying that it is necessary to punish Changzhou who has fallen into a frenzy due to excessive loyalty to the royal family. Needless to say, Choshu once had its heyday in Kyoto, when the ministers of the Choshu faction among the emperor's cronies also rewrote the content of the imperial edict according to the situation.But now that the situation has changed, the same emperor issued an edict that reversed black and white. How does this make the world feel?Not only that, but the edict blaming Changshu was actually drafted by the new court power Satsuma (the drafter was Takasaki Inotaro, a Satsuma feudal official), and turned into an edict through the operation of the Satsuma minister.

Changzhou people are not understood by the people of the time. In the eyes of the world, they are crazy. But Longma understood, he always said to people: "The feelings of the Changzhou people, the people from the Eastern Kingdom will not understand." Changzhou faces North Korea across the sea.It is rare to see such a feudal domain that is separated from another country by a strip of water, so Changzhou has a keen sense of overseas.In fact, when Changzhou fell into a tragic situation because of the Changzhou conquest at the end of the Bakumura, Shinsaku Takasugi once said: "If there is no way out, I will support the lord and the son to flee to North Korea." close.

But before the appearance of Yoshida Shoin, Changzhou had been sleeping and never participated in state affairs.In terms of sensitivity to current events, Mito was the first to mature.Followed by the Satsuma clan, this clan gave birth to Qi Bin, the Kuang Ming lord, and Xixiang Longsheng and other retainers trained by Qi Bin have already emerged in the current situation. Regardless of these, a group of "spirited men" suddenly emerged in the Changzhou Fan, and the situation developed out of control.But this is not all because of Shoin, there are also practical lessons. It was the third day of February in the first year of Bunjiu. The Russian warship that had been sailing along the coast of Changzhou before suddenly sailed into the shallow bay of Tsushima and landed at Ozakiura.They offered to lease part of Ozakiura's land.This is obviously a means of aggression they are used to in China.Commanding the warship was Captain Birilev, who was under the command of Russian Admiral Likhachev.

At that time, Tsushima was an island contested by various countries, and Britain's attempts were particularly obvious.British warships have already begun surveying the coast of Tsushima before Russian warships, proving their ambitions.Russia was worried that Britain would be the first to arrive, so it hastily dispatched warships. On the second day of March, the Russian warship arrived again, bringing the marines with it.After the army landed at Taomazakiura, they began to cut down trees without permission and built barracks. They also proposed to the lord of Tsushima: "Borrow the land in the shallow bay. In exchange, we will give you cannons." The trick can be said.

By April, the Russian warships showed no sign of retreating.In desperation, Tsushima had no choice but to ask for help from the nearest Changzhou, and dispatched vassals to Hagi Castle to explain the ins and outs of the matter. Soon, the Russian Marine Corps deliberately planned an atrocity, shot and killed a Tsushima feudal vassal, and captured two nearby vassals.It was from then on that Changzhou people began to harbor unusual hostility towards foreigners. It is said that there was a strange man at that time.He is Kuishima Matabei, who is deeply supported by people with lofty ideals in Changzhou, and is known as "Kishima Lord".Kuishima Matabei was forty-nine years old, the oldest among the warriors.In the entire Changzhou, Laidao can be said to be a promise.

The betrayal and indifference shown by the Kyoto court to the feudal lord Mori Kyoki made Matabei furious.Reluctantly, as a diligent king, and the soldiers could not be angry with the court, they had no choice but to turn their anger on the "behind the scenes" forces that instigated the emperor. The so-called behind-the-scenes, one is the Satsuma domain, the second is the Aizu domain, the third is the Nakagawa Palace, Konoe and other princes and officials, in addition to the shogunate dignitaries.Therefore, Laijima and Bingweibu said: "The demon cloud in Kyoto must be dispelled. It is said that if the emperor insults, the minister will die. Now all the vassals of Changzhou must make up their minds to die." His idea is to send troops to the capital. , Armed Petition.

"What if the court refuses to allow it?" Someone asked. "There is only one battle." Matabei replied generously. "That old man's blood is really a headache." Even Takasugi Shinsaku and Hisaka Genzui, the world-renowned radical young retainers, were troubled by Matabei's fierce remarks.It won't be long before the gunpowder depot of the Choshu Domain will explode because of the spark of Kuijima Matabei, and the history of the end of the Tokugawa period will also fall into inexplicable chaos. As Matabei's old-fashioned name suggests, this man is more like a hero of the Sengoku period than a samurai in the Edo period.He does not see the wisdom and perseverance of Changzhou people, but more like Satsuma people.

He first became famous for his martial arts.When he first got married, he lived in Nagato Tawarayama Town, Yamaguchi.One day, he called five or six young people in the village into the living room and said, "Everyone, I will pat the tatami mat now. Please use this as a signal to try to catch me and see if you can catch me cleanly. " The lads thought it was a no-brainer.He was here, and alone.Why can't a group of people catch one person? "Okay." They stood up, spit on their hands, and pulled apart. "How about it, are you ready?" Matabei patted the tatami as soon as he finished speaking. Five or six boys roared and rushed over.But Maebei had disappeared.He disappeared. It turns out that the tatami mat is raised by palms, and at this time, one can get into the gap between the tatami mat and the floor, and then hide the body under the floor. Youbei once studied under Oishi Jin when he was studying in Yanagawa, Chikugo, and at the age of twenty-seven he had completely learned the true teachings of Oishi Shenyin.Shortly thereafter, he opened a martial arts gym in Nishihoho, Mine, Yamaguchi, and taught swordsmanship, marksmanship, and riding skills to feudal lords in nearby villages. But Hebei is not just a swordsman.He has a good friendship with Yoshida Shoin, and Shoin admires this joking and willful man very much. Shoyin's evaluation of people is good at discovering the advantages of characters.He has repeatedly recommended Youbei to serve as an important post in a domain, and his letters are too numerous to enumerate. The imperial office of the Changshu domain is the budget department of the domain.From this we can know that Matabei is not just a samurai. Matabei served as a trainee financial officer of the Edo feudal government.At that time, Takasugi Shinsaku, Shindo Wenta (Inoue Wenta) and others were having fun in the Shinagawa brothel. Whenever the money was squandered and the money was almost exhausted, they would set up a name to embezzle the feudal fee.Zhou Buzhengzhisuke and others, who are charged with heavy responsibilities, often let them go on purpose because they are fellow Changzhou patriots, but Kuishima Matabei never shows mercy.Therefore, as long as Youbingwei is around, they will sigh: "It seems that the old man is here today, it seems that he can't do it." At the end of the Edo period, the Choshu clan was more enlightened than other clans in the recruitment of talents.He was promoted again and again, and performed outstandingly when he was a clerk. He was first appointed as a charioteer, and then served as an Edo banshou in the Grand Prosecutor, met with various surveys, and served as an imperial court in Edo. He even went to Kyoto to serve as a mediator with the minister Later, he returned to the vassal state to serve as the chief executive and financial officer of Maguan.Almost all of these officials were in charge of money, which also showed that Songyin's evaluation of him was very accurate. When it comes to Shoin's evaluation of others, Matahei and Katsura Kogoro are often compared. Shoin described Katsura Kogoro's strengths in this way in his submission to the Fan Hall: "Kai Goro is magnanimous and talented, and he is gentle and lovely. It should be used as a secret and a pen, and it will be used in the near future. Administrative duties." Songyin wrote in other documents: "Lai Island has a strong military and strong guard, so there are talented officials, and Gui Xiaowulang is loyal, so he has the talent to deal with them. They are all good officials." Youbei was appointed because he was an official, and in his later years, he finally returned to his profession as a military officer.At that time, the military system of the Changzhou domain changed, and the Dutch-style military system began to be adopted. Soldiers were no longer limited to feudal vassals as before, but began to recruit volunteers from farmers and merchants.The most typical is the Raiders with Takasugi Shinsaku as the first governor. Youbei was appointed as the governor of the guerrilla army. He had 600 soldiers under his command. Among them were many ronin from various domains, and Tosa had the most ronin.Hebei became a general again.This made the forty-nine-year-old him full of martial arts addiction. Matabei's guerrilla army was stationed in Hofu Miyaichi, Yamaguchi.Facing Mitajiri Bay, it has prospered as a commercial port since ancient times. Kuishima Matabei, who is generous and brave, is deeply supported by his subordinates.After the formation of the guerrilla army, there were still many farmers and traders who came to apply.They said: "It's better to go to Kashima Matabei than to join the Raiders." Therefore, the guerrilla army was divided into various small teams, such as the village brave team, the city brave team, and the god team.Farmers are incorporated into the village valor team, traders are incorporated into the city valor team, and priests are incorporated into the god team.In addition, there are King Kong team composed of craftsmen and sniper team composed of Orion. The uniforms are all narrow sleeves, except for the soldiers who often wear armor in battle.This actually matched his temperament very well, just like a Warring States military general leading a foreign-style army. Ronin from various domains also joined in.There are generally staff officers, platoon leaders, and corporal leaders in the army.Kyoto ronin Ukita Hachiro and Mito ronin Takahashi Kumataro are in this ronin team. Hearing that the imperial court had issued an edict to punish the Choshu clan, the two went to the battalion (Daichuanfang) to visit Kurishima Matabei. "My lord Lai Dao, do you know the saying 'If the emperor humiliates, the subject will die'?" "Only in this way can you be called a warrior." Youbei nodded in praise.The two then took out the copy of the edict scolding Changzhou that was rumored above. "What do adults think?" Matabei's face turned livid immediately, and after a while he trembled all over, and finally burst into tears miserably. "Who is the drafter?!" "Satsuma Shimazu Hisamitsu." "Ah!" A light flashed in Matabei's eyes, "So it's Satsuma..." "Exactly. The two of us will leave for Beijing immediately. Ukita will pay homage to Erjo Guanbai, and I will meet the elders of the Shogunate. We must let them understand the sincerity of Marquis Changzhou. For this reason, no matter what kind of torture you suffer—" Speaking of this, the two couldn't help crying.According to the order of the imperial court, apart from staying in the vassal mansion, Changzhou vassals are prohibited from staying in Kyoto. Once discovered, they will be beheaded by the Shinsengumi and Mieigumi. "Death is not hesitating. If people like us who have recently served the lord are like this, the morale of the defense chief Erzhou will definitely be boosted, and the lord's grievances will be rewarded soon." "Wait a minute, the old man also wants to go together." "It's absolutely impossible, what a noble status an adult is." "How can I care about these things. Yes, the old man will lead all the guerrillas to Beijing to appeal. How can we just let you two die?" Kuishima Matabei went to the feudal hall in Yamaguchi to apply for permission to enter Beijing.In fact, he didn't just go to petition. He was determined to eradicate Satsuma's Shimadzu Hisamitsu and other "traitors on the king's side". At that time, the Changzhou Fan Hall was controlled by the Qinwang faction. Although there were no outstanding figures, in terms of status and qualifications, Zhou Buzheng's help could be regarded as a leader.This person has a reckless and impassioned temperament, and even he opposes the entry of guerrillas into Beijing.His reason was: "Once he enters Beijing, he will be regarded as an enemy of the DPRK." In addition to the practice of coming to the island to petition the guerrilla army in Beijing, someone in the Fan Hall put forward another suggestion, that is, Ding Guang, the eldest son of the Fan Duke, led his troops to Beijing to petition the court.This suggestion was also suspended due to Zhou Bu's suppression. "Doing so will only play into the arms of the Shogunate, Satsuma, and Aizu Domain. They are waiting to label us as the enemy of the court, so that they can use the forces of other domains to besiege us and take away our territory." His claims are not without merit.After summarizing the intelligence of Nomi Orie who stayed behind in Kyoto and other spies who sneaked into Kyoto and Osaka, it is natural to come to such a speculation. But the soldiers ignored this, he had already made up his mind to die.It was the New Year, which should have been a festive and auspicious day, but he wrote such a haiku: If you ask where your head is going, just look at the current spring. And Bingwei has secretly made up his mind that the first year of Yuanzhi is the year of his heroic devotion. "A real man must do what he says." At this time, Matabei no longer cared about it. Regardless of these, Zhou Bu saw that it was difficult to restrain him with his own strength, so he visited the feudal prince and the prince, hoping to use their strength to retain You Bingwei. The prince and the son were shocked, they knew Youbingwei's temperament.So it was decided that the crown prince would personally write the letter to persuade him to stay, and send an envoy to send it to Youbingwei urgently.Shizi Dingguang thought that it would be best to find someone with the same ideas as Matabei as a messenger, so he decided to send Takasugi Shinsaku there. When Jin Zuo was only 26 years old, he founded the Raiders Team and served as the governor. He is currently the son's attendant. He not only inherited his father's salary, but also got a new salary of 160 shi.He is young, radical in thinking, and has a weird personality. If he was in other feudal clans, he would have committed seppuku or left the feudal clan, but in Changzhou, such people are treated preferentially. "Jin Zuo, you must keep You Bingwei." Since he was ordered by the son, Jin Zuo had no choice but to get on his horse immediately, leave the mountain pass where the Fan Hall was located, and head south for forty miles to Gongshi.The time is the evening of the twenty-fourth day of the first lunar month. Jin Zuo came at a bad time.On this day, "Grandpa Laishima" said that he wanted to celebrate the expedition, and led all the officers and soldiers to visit the Tianmangu Temple in Miyashi and asked for a lottery.And this day is the busiest time for the three-day sumo tournament to pray for victory. "Little devil, what are you doing here?" Matabei didn't take Jinsaku seriously. Jin Zuo looked distressed, and said: "Grand Lai Dao, I am here as an emissary of the son. Please pay attention to your words." Youbingwei had no choice but to rinse his mouth and hands, and led Gao Shan to the living room of the battalion headquarters .Then he sat down and saluted.Unfold Shizi Dingguang's autographed letter, and begin to read it word by word. The letter reads: "Don't act rashly. If you violate the orders of the clan and raise troops, it will become a major event for the clan. At that time, I will definitely persuade the soldiers to put you down." "What do you think of the island?" Gao Shan's attitude became tough. Matabei wiped his sweat. "I would like to submit the handwritten letter, but..." He changed the topic and said, "It is an unreasonable request to stop the old man from going out. The old man must go no matter what." "Don't be childish! If you raise your troops now, you will fall into the tricks of the shogunate and the Sakai. How could Mr. Laijima be so careless?" "Confused! It wasn't Kuijima Matabei from the Choshu clan who broke into Kyoto. This old man will leave the clan and enter the capital as a ronin." "It's useless. The world has long known about Lai Dao in Changzhou and the guerrilla army in Changzhou." "Jin Zuo, are you frightened?" Youbingwei suddenly shouted, "Don't say something that seems to be far-sighted. It seems that you got a new salary of one hundred and sixty shi, and you have become infected with the vulgar attitude. Habits. The lord has suffered an injustice, and may forever leave a bad name in the history of the enemy. Why do we need a reason to clear up the injustice? What is the safety of a clan? Now is the time to prevent the stigma of the world from being left. The juncture. For Jin Zuo, we can only raise our troops!" Takasugi wanted to shout "Exactly".Although he stood in the position of retaining the envoy, his heart was exactly the same as that of Kuijima.The east gradually turned pale, and Takasugi temporarily returned to Mitajiri's inn, which is very close to Miyaichi. He lay down in the inn for two days.What was he thinking?I'm afraid there are thousands of clues, and I haven't figured out why. On the third day, that is, on the twenty-seventh night, Shigenosuke Okabe, Shikosuke Okabe's close attendant, came to the inn and urged, "How is the matter of retaining you? Your son asked you to call back." That night, Takasugi visited Mabei again with the determination to die. "I came here at the command of the Lord. If you can't complete the task, you have to die. This is the duty of a warrior. If you insist on sending troops, please cut off my head first!" "Don't waste your words. Even if you are regarded as a crazy and violent person by the world, you must dedicate your life to justice. This is the long-cherished wish of the son of Changzhou. In Genroku, Ako was also retained by someone, and he acted according to common sense. But at forty The seven men of lofty ideals are still acting according to their plan. Once a man has considered everything carefully, he should never make judgments based on common sense and the situation, but act according to the principles of a man. What does Jin Zuo think?" "Exactly, that's right!" Hot blood rushed to Takasugi's face. Where is Ryoma now?During this period, Longma was not in the second state of defense.He traveled to Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Osaka, Kobe Village, Kyoto, and Edo.From the first month to the early summer of the first year of Yuanzhi, he traveled everywhere.But no matter where he is, he can hear such rumors: Changzhou's 370,000 stones are about to explode. Not only that, but every time the attitude of the shogunate, the movements of Satsuma and Aizu, and the words and actions of the ministers changed, it would spread among the people with lofty ideals all over the world.In particular, Longma, the central figure of the radicals in Tuzhou, would always get news quickly. Some like-minded people with Ryoma proposed to join forces with the Choshu feudal vassals, but Ryoma stopped them with a word. "The times don't need me yet." However, Ryoma is also a child of the times after all.He is especially partial to Changzhou, and he is completely sympathetic to Changzhou's recent predicament.Whenever he talked about sympathizing with Changzhou, he would cry, and the tears would not stop.But deep down in his heart, he felt: "Even so, at this time, Changzhou is Changzhou, and I am me." He opposed the Changzhou Fan to raise troops so rashly.In his view, this would create civil unrest.Looking at the example of the Qing Dynasty, we know that the great powers will definitely take advantage of the chaos to invade. The history of the Restoration itself is a magnificent drama.It's just that this play is not staged separately in theaters scattered in various places, but performed on the same stage in the same theater.The radical performance of Changzhou during this period triggered the uprising of people with lofty ideals and the change of Ikedaya, and the change of Ikedaya caused the indignant Changzhou vassals to go to Beijing, which led to the first and second shogunate revolts. The sub-Choju expedition and the prosperity of the sea aid team founded by Ryoma.This is for later. Let's talk about Shinsaku Takasugi, the messenger in the camp in Miyashi, and Matabei Kuishima. "When did the kid become an old man?" Matabei asked Takasugi. Takasugi's feelings finally broke out, and his thinking became active.This is where Takasugi's genius lies. "Okay, Lord Laijima," Takasugi said, "I will leave the Changzhou Domain from now on!" "what." "Exactly." Takasugi thought more deeply than Matabei, "I will leave the feudal clan along the coastal road, sneak into Kyoto and Osaka, and find out the situation there. Can I raise troops after I find out?" "Okay." Matabee nodded. Takasugi Shinsaku fled the Choshu Domain. Although it is said that leaving the domain and fleeing is one of the major crimes that samurai committed against the lord, but for the high-minded Takasugi, this is nothing at all. There happened to be a ship bound for Osaka about to depart from Fuhai Port in the Changzhou feudal land.Takasugi held the sword in his arms, jumped onto the boat, and then ordered the boatman: "Send me to Osaka." Takasugi's talent as a revolutionary was second to none at the end of the Tokugawa period.At the end of the Tokugawa period, many influential figures appeared, such as Ryoma, Takamori Saigo, Toshimichi Okubo, Takayoshi Kido (Katsura Kogoro) and so on.But even if these people were born in other eras, they will be useful, and Takasugi Shinsaku is a genius who only knows revolution.If Takasugi had been born in the peaceful era, he might have been a prodigal son who got drunk all day long and only made trouble for his family and relatives. He has political and military talents.This also refers to the time of troubled times, and it is completely useless in times of peace.In short, he seemed to be born to launch the Meiji Restoration. In any case, leaving the feudal domain without reinstatement is really an extraordinary move, but what prompted him to do this was Kuijima Matabei's swearing. The ship sailed eastward between the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.On the boat, Takasugi could finally calm down and think about it.This genius always acts by feeling. Although this feeling may seem weird to others, it is indeed very precise.True insight should be considered during or after the fact, otherwise, it will only be slippery. If Takasugi was just a clever bureaucrat, he would have returned to the mountain pass long ago and returned to the feudal lord and heir.At that time, just say: "You must also know the character of Kuijima Matabei. The subordinate is incompetent and failed to complete the mission." That's it.But the result is that Kuijima Matabei and his guerrilla army will definitely leave the domain en masse. Takasugi in the boat was still thinking.He believes that the outbreak of Kuijimata and Guards will undoubtedly ruin Changzhou.At this point, I am afraid that there will never be a calm and prudent person like Takasugi who seems to be deviant, but is actually cautious.However, his ideas are different from those vulgarists in the feudal clan who are conservative, perfunctory, submissive to the court and the shogunate, and only know how to calm down and bow their heads to admit their mistakes.His idea is to let the Changzhou Fan become independent from the shogunate by force and separate one side.Judging from the final results, Changzhou is moving forward in accordance with Takasugi's proposition, expectation and direction.No, it can also be said that after losing its direction, it was washed to the shore of the separatist regime by the tide of the times. After Takasugi Shinsaku came to Osaka, he defected to the Changzhou feudal government of Tosabori.The old man Shishido Kurobei, who stayed behind in the feudal mansion, was taken aback. "Could it be that you left the domain to come here?" "Exactly." Jin Zuo told the ins and outs of the matter.The old man Shido knew Takasugi's character, so he didn't treat him as a fugitive sinner, but quickly told him the political situation above. Yoshiki Tokugawa, who will become the fifteenth general in the future, is currently assisting the general Iemo in Kyoto.His ability to govern is awe-inspiring, and he is respected as second only to Ieyasu.His eloquent eloquence can make the usually eloquent Gongqing daimyo speechless.Speaking of personal preferences, he loves Western things.As a member of the officialdom, he completely supported the shogunate. The birthplace of Qingxi is the birthplace of the Mito Tokugawa family's anti-barbarian theory. "Because of this, he did not agree with the shogunate's weak founding theory, but advocated the elimination of barbarians. Because he advocated the elimination of barbarians, he seemed to sympathize with Changzhou." Shido said. These news were all obtained from Katsura Kogoro, Hisaka Xuanrui and others.They quietly entered Kyoto, and spent a lot of time for the Changzhou Fan to gain a foothold again. "Gui Xiaowulang also said that the treatment of our clan may be relaxed now." This is just Katsura Kogoro's subjective speculation.In fact, the shogunate has secretly issued the Changzhou Conquest Order to the Eleven Fans of Kansai.Shishido also heard about this rumor, and asked Miorie Miori, who stayed behind in Kyoto, to investigate the authenticity of the news. "In any case, even if we want to crusade against our domain, it is only discussed internally at the moment. The political situation in Kyoto is very delicate. If Yubei leads a guerrilla army to break in, it is tantamount to throwing the fire into the powder magazine." "What did Gui say?" "He advocates being cautious. The more cautious the better. He is very worried about riots in his hometown. As long as he finds an excuse, the shogunate even intends to destroy Maori's 369,000 koku. Therefore, for the sake of Changzhou, you must not act rashly. Otherwise, it will be the biggest injustice. loyal." "In short," Takasugi changed the subject, "Hisamitsu Shimadzu of Satsuma is the mastermind behind the destruction of Choshu, right?" "It seems so." At the moment when old man Shishido subconsciously nodded and said yes, Takasugi made up his mind.He decided to assassinate Shimadzu Hisamitsu. Although Jiuguang is not the lord of the Satsuma lord, he is the lord's biological father, an important assistant minister, and enjoys the same treatment as the lord inside and outside the vassal.This person is self-respecting, always trying to improve his prestige by mediating between the court and the shogunate.On the surface, he advocates the unity of public and military forces, but he is very contemptuous of the shogunate in his heart. He plans to use Satsuma to compete with the shogunate one day. At least for now, he is mentally prepared to achieve this goal.It was also he who was very dissatisfied with Xixiang and exiled Xixiang to an isolated island twice. "Anyway," Takasugi said to the old man Shido, "Kijima Matabei is not something a yellow-haired boy like me can handle." "It's really interesting that there are people that you Jin Zuo can't handle. But if it's that Mabe, it's possible." "No matter how much I talk about it, he is just a kid, and there is absolutely no way to argue with him. So I thought, I still need to invite you, the old man Shido, to come out of the mountain, or invite Katsura Kogoro and Hisaka Xuanrui who are inquiring about the situation in the capital to come back in person. Go to Changzhou, tell him the situation above, and cut off his thoughts. Apart from this, I am afraid there is no good plan." "You can do it too. Since you don't hesitate to leave the feudal clan to investigate the situation here, why don't you return to your hometown immediately to persuade Laijima?" "This..." Takasugi smiled and didn't say any more.He has come to Osaka, how can he let go of the important things in his heart?That is murder. The person he wanted to kill was Shimadzu Hisamitsu of Satsuma. Shimadzu Hisamitsu, also known as Saburo.Although he has no official title, he has become the actual leader of Satsuma.Originally, people who did not have a rank had no seats in the shogunate and the imperial court. However, Shimadzu insisted on using tricks to first get a major general of Zuo Jinwei Quan, and later got the post of Lieutenant General Zuo Jinwei Quan.For the needs of the political land, he can use any means. The previous lord of the Satsuma clan was Shimadzu Qibin, the first-class wise lord of the late Bakumura.Qi Bin's prestige spread across the country, but unfortunately he died of a sudden illness in the fifth year of Anzheng.When he was dying, he called his half-brother Hisamitsu to his bedside, and left his last words: "Let Matajiro (son of Hisamitsu) inherit the family business. He is still young, and you will supervise the state affairs." His last words made Jiuguang the actual master of Satsuma. Hisamitsu is no mediocrity.Compared with other feudal lords, he is not inferior in terms of political insight or spirit.But no matter what, he can't compare with Qi Bin after all. If Qi Bin is a mortal, Jiu Guang can only be regarded as a clay figurine.But this clay figurine wants to imitate Qi Bin, calling himself a "big name with lofty ideals", and wants to use Satsuma's 770,000 stones to win a place in the turmoil of the end of the shogunate. Most of the late Qi Bingong's retainers who were valued during his lifetime were also very disdainful of Jiuguang's overreaching behavior.Xixiang and others called him "Di Goro" in front of Jiu Guang and others.In the Satsuma dialect, "Di Wulang" means a country bumpkin. But no one expected that after this "Di Goro" led Satsuma's army into Beijing, he won the trust of the emperor and was used to contain Changzhou.Emperor Filial Piety was extremely samurai, and "Di Goro" naturally catered to the emperor and became a samurai theory. The Choshu Clan's citadel in Osaka faced the Tosabori River, surrounded by a huge iron wall, which stood along the river bank from the southern end of the Joan Bridge to the east. "I went out sober and sober." After Gao Sugi finished speaking, he walked towards the river bank.He got down the stone steps and squatted down by the river. Marugame, Tokushima, Yanagawa, Himeji, Iwakuni, Akashi, Hiroshima and other clan prefectures are lined up on the other side of the river. Like the Changzhou feudal residence, they are all dark earthen wall warehouse-style buildings. Gao Shan picked up a handful of river water and washed his face.Perhaps because of the high tide, the river water is a bit salty. Takasugi felt someone approaching him from behind.Turning around, he found a very capable warrior looking down at him with his arms folded on his chest.The man was dark-skinned, with piercing eyes, and was wearing a black kimono with the family crest printed on it.Although it was plain cotton clothes, one could vaguely guess the person's temperament from the meticulous creases on the clothes that seemed to be able to cut through hands. This person is Nakaoka Shintaro, a Tosa vassal hero.During these days, he has been living in Changzhou, organizing ronin to set up a loyal team.Due to the deteriorating situation in Kyoto, he set off eastward to inquire about news, frequently traveling in Osaka, Kyoto and other places.He is an avid debater.Different from the empty talk of those vagrants, his theory is quite rigorous and his observation of reality is also very keen. When Ryoma was studying martial arts in Chiba, Nakaoka was practicing martial arts in Momoi martial arts school, and the two rarely met each other.Nakaoka can be regarded as half of Changzhou people, and he and Takasugi are even closer friends. "Coming?" Nakaoka asked crisply. "Here we come." Takasugi stepped up the five stone steps and walked to the road in front of the door where Nakaoka was standing. "Let's talk." Nakaoka patted the dust on the stones on the river bank, and sat down cross-legged. Underfoot, the river rolled up the dirt and flowed into the distance.Takasugi talked about the situation in Choshu, and Nakaoka talked about the situation in Kyoto. "The Changzhou domain is currently in a dilemma. Arguing in vain, there is nothing to do. Am I right, Takasugi-kun?" Nakaoka said with a heavy Tosa accent, "It's desperate. Takasugi-kun, are you cautious?" "Let me think about it." "This is wrong. The current situation is still timid, and there is no doubt that it will be defeated. If this continues, Changzhou will shrink and perish sooner or later. The Changzhou Domain will perish, and Japan's cause of respecting the king and fighting barbarians will also be destroyed. Takasugi-kun, you must act , Do whatever you want. In short, we must find a breakthrough to completely break the current situation of being forced into a dead end. This is the only way.” "For example?" "Kill Shimadzu Hisamitsu!" The ripples of the river reflected on Nakaoka's face, which was extremely bright. In Kyoto and Osaka, there are many ronin of Qin Wang hiding.Most of them have been bloody suppressed by the shogunate recently, and those who remain are some dead soldiers.They firmly believe that "Changzhou is dead, and King Qin will rest", so they try their best to change the tragic situation in Changzhou, the hometown of King Qin's wanderers. In Kyoto, several people with lofty ideals are attacked by the Shinsengumi every day, or killed in the street, or killed in a hiding place.Even if you live one more day, you will sigh "I survived today safely".What they are facing is such a grim situation.In order to get rid of this situation, all these ronin can do is "assassination".Kill the anti-Choshu daimyo, and the biggest enemy is the guardian of Kyoto, the lord of Aizu, Matsudaira, and the biological father of the Satsuma lord, Hisamitsu Shimadzu. "Nakaoka-kun," Shinsaku Takasugi said, "If you gather the ronin hiding above, you can form a force. How about you and me leading them to get rid of the Sakai traitors?" "Let me think about it carefully." Nakaoka Shintaro said.Nakaoka is waiting for the perfect moment.His resourcefulness and strategy are beyond the reach of those ronin who act rashly.His plan is that Changzhou will go eastward in a big way, and the ronin above will rise up in response to it, launch a coup in Kyoto, and support the emperor to establish a regime against barbarians. "For this, I must be persuaded by Fan." "Okay!" Takasugi immediately decided to return to the domain as soon as possible. Kurijima Matabei, who was stationed in Miyaichi, got impatient for a long time. "What the hell is Shinsaku doing? Is that kid still scared?" Just as he was talking non-stop every day, Takasugi and Nakaoka came back together. However, as soon as Takasugi came back, he was arrested by the feudal officials for leaving the feudal clan. He was first imprisoned in a relative's house, and then thrown into a prison in Yeshan.But it was precisely because Takasugi was imprisoned that he survived the subsequent riots. Kuishima Matabei blocked the feudal hall almost every day, negotiating with a tough attitude. "Please be sure to allow me to go out!" Sometimes he even hit the handle and sang his sword to force him.Finally, the island was granted permission.But the order is not to go out, but to "visit above".The accompanying guerrilla army was limited to eleven people. Even so, the soldiers still rushed to sign up, and in the end there were as many as fifty people who went out.These people are all determined to die, how can they not cause disturbances in the world! Kuishima Yubei broke into Osaka and brought more than 50 dead soldiers with him.These people with lofty ideals are all vagrants who left the feudal clan. Last year, they marched majesticly on the main roads of Kyoto. After the Changzhou feudal clan lost power in the political circles of Kyoto, they all went to Changzhou.Among them, most were from Tosa, and some were Ryoma's close neighbors in his hometown. "A group of uninvited guests have come." The old man Shishido Kurobei, who stayed behind in the Changzhou feudal mansion of Tosabori, smiled wryly. “宍户大人啊，老夫在家乡可是喝过了诀别酒才来的。” 听又兵卫这么一说，宍户九郎兵卫苦笑道：“正是这杯诀别酒搅得天下不得安宁。” ，就在又兵卫到达之前，长州藩早已火速派来信使，将世子的书信送到老人手中。信中写道：“来岛又兵卫很快便会率领多人赶到你处。若令其举兵，一切都将毁于一旦。京都尚有桂小五郎、久坂玄瑞，务必沟通联络，阻止又兵卫起事。” 翌日，又兵卫说道：“老夫将乘今晚的夜船进京。” 宍户老人闻言，不由得浑身发抖。若是在京都闹起事来，无异于给了幕府一个讨伐长州的口实。这正是幕府一直等待的。 老人苦苦相劝，仍是无用。 “那么，至少只您一个人前去。” “好吧。”又兵卫总算答应了。现在京都如同下了戒严令，如果带上五十个人闯进去，势必会与新选组、见回组遭遇，又兵卫心里自然也明白。 “老人家，我有一个请求，希望您能让这些人逐个进京。求您了。” “莫要老人家老人家叫个不停，阁下不也是老人家吗？” “我可是血气旺盛着哪。虽说上了年纪，可是决不会轻易被人说服。” 来岛又兵卫只身去了京都。他刚在河原町藩府住下，乃美织江、桂小五郎、久坂玄瑞便前来迎接，神情黯淡。大坂的宍户老人早已派信使将又兵卫进京之事通知了他们。当天夜里，三人向又兵卫讲述了京都的形势，苦苦劝说又兵卫不要起事。又兵卫起先只是一边应承一边安静地听，待到明白了对方的意思，便仰起脸，大喝一声： “一群贪生怕死的东西！” “来岛大人，此言差矣。”桂皱起眉头，说道，“我等并非贪生怕死之辈。” 又兵卫丝毫没把他的话放在心上。“你和晋作都是书读得多了。总是要对形势说三道四一番才开始行动。武士实践武士之道哪里管得了形势！君辱则臣死。武士只要明白这个道理即可。” 桂小五郎是武士中的革命者，而又兵卫只是想做一个最纯粹的武士。也正因为这样，藩主、世子，以及高杉、桂、久坂都无法斥责又兵卫，而只能一遍遍地劝解。 桂说，同情长州的加贺等十四藩的四十四名攘夷藩士，在对马藩士的关照之下，齐聚清水产宁坂的饭庄明保野，共商救助长州藩之策。这一会谈是桂在幕后组织的。会谈时，很多人都认为目前长州的悲惨处境，都是萨摩藩的奸计造成的。 “所以，请再等一下，形势很快就会好转。” 听桂如此一说，又兵卫冷笑道：“各藩的乌合之众凑到一起能有什么作为？大丈夫不应寄希望于此。” 经他如此一说，众人也感到这似乎只是希望渺茫的主观推测。但来岛进京数日之后，竟然意外地发生了一件事，让人不再觉得桂是主观推测。传闻说，岛津久光得知各藩的舆论对自己不利，不由怨从心起。 其实他骨子里还是大老爷。他当初来到京都，是为了装好人，为了获取名声，将政界乱搅一通后，竟然发现他在世人眼里根本不是什么英雄，不仅与长州敌对，就连其他各藩都在暗地里一口一个“萨贼”。他自是勃然大怒。土佐的山内容堂也有类似的性格，来到了京都，稍有不满意的地方，二话不说便返回藩国。这次久光也突然要回藩。有传闻说萨摩藩府现在一片忙乱，就是为了准备久光回去。 “真乃天助我也。”来岛又兵卫一听，不由拍手称快。他放出话来，要在伏见设下埋伏，杀进久光回藩的队伍。“老夫与游击军杀入敌阵。此一去必死无疑。然大奸将除，主公之仇必能雪。” 这绝不是空话。此时，五十余名游击军已经全部暗中进入京都河原町的长州藩府。又兵卫让他们作好赴死的准备。要想突袭萨摩藩，必须下定必死的决心。“万万不可对桂和久坂提起此事。”来岛叮嘱道，随后，便着手准备起来。为了这次行动，他们准备了短枪、连环甲、绳梯等，还仿照赤穗义士订做了印有相同纹样的服装。 “要保密！”又兵卫用长州话和每个人耳语了一遍，但自己竟忍不住说出了口。“小五郎啊，近几日会有一件令世人震惊的事情发生。”他说漏了嘴。 桂小五郎心中一惊，连忙来到房中，只见房中高高堆积着仿佛四十七志士用过的器具。“来岛大人，你可叫我如何是好啊。”桂小五郎连连叹气。 “这件事是我来岛又兵卫所为，不会给你带来麻烦的。” 未几，来岛准备伏击的事被京都所司代的密探得知，所司代迅即报告给守护松平容保，容保又告知了岛津久光，于是久光突然将出发日期提前，并未在可能出乱子的伏见停留住宿，而是直接返回了萨摩。 来岛又兵卫咬牙切齿，颇为悔恨，却又并未失望。精力旺盛的男人不会为找不到下一个行动目标而发愁。“还剩下一个大奸人。京都守护会津中将松平容保正是萨贼的同伙。”又兵卫重新设定了目标。 这次他要杀进黑谷的会津藩在京都的大本营，砍下藩主容保的首级。要闯的不再是行进的队伍，而是就连砌有灰瓦土墙、建有钉满铁钉的城门的城郭都相形见绌的会津藩大营（黑谷净土宗本山金戒光明寺）。而且，内有藩兵两千。 “哈哈哈，这下可要好好准备一番了。” 又兵卫看似漫不经心，可由于他本来就精于武略，一旦要制定计划，头脑异常灵活。 此处要提到一位叫古高俊太郎的浪人。池田屋之变正是始于古高俊太郎这位不幸的勤王志士被新选组逮捕。 古高平日装成商人的样子，自称升屋喜右卫门，经营着一家店铺，用来躲避幕府官差的监视。沿着河原町四条一直向北走，东侧有一条巷子，店铺就开在这里。来岛又兵卫手头那些让人不安的工具，便是从这位长州人处购得。 “古高君，计划有变。攻击的目标改为会津藩大营。”来岛在藩府的内院轻声说道。 “既然如此，难免一战啊。”古高点了点头。 集会是一件奇妙的事情。最初，又兵卫只是想杀进黑谷的会津大营，一刀砍下松平容保的脑袋。这是一个简单得不能再简单的计划，然而，渐渐地开始有人提出：“只是这样有点可惜了。” 这些天来，又兵卫的热情和计划就像酿酒时用的酵母，被潜于京城内外的勤王浪人热烈地讨论着。因此到处都有秘密集会在举行。最终讨论的结果便是：“还应该除掉京都所司代守护松平容保之弟松平定敬。” 如今还隐藏在这风起云涌的京都、大坂的志士，皆是千锤百炼之身，早已将生死置之度外。他们的秘密联络点，就是古高俊太郎即升屋喜右卫门的店铺。 古高是一个长相温和的中年男子，有着一张商人的脸孔，说一口正宗的京都话，邻里谁也想不到他竟然是一个武士。但他却并非藩属武士，而是寺院武士。 俊太郎之父古高周藏是山科毗沙门堂的住持——品慈性法亲王的家臣。俊太郎出生于大津府第，自幼便随父亲移居京都，在堺町丸太町下建房定居。他素有勤王之志。当初被梅田云滨感化成为勤王派，一直坚信“幕府从天子手中窃取了政权”，并与亲王、公卿的家臣保持联系，逐渐成为京都勤王派中拥有很高威望的人。 古高也是安政大狱的幸存者。在那场镇压中，曾有一段时间，他整日被探子跟踪。当时，一个叫汤浅五郎兵卫的志士主动找到他，说：“我有个亲戚叫升屋喜右卫门，为各藩釆办物品。最近他本人和家里人都去世了，不知您是否愿意继承他的家业？” 这可解了古高的燃眉之急，真可谓踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫。古高立刻答应下来，当即改名为升屋喜右卫门，在店里住了下来。 一晃六年过去，店里的掌柜和邻居都不知道古高的真实身份。志士的活动仍然继续着，各藩的脱藩志士也藏匿得很好。肥后头号英杰宫部鼎藏等人，便一直藏在古高的店里。 “诸位的意思我明白了。此事能否成功，取决于能够从长州获得多少援助。我这就去找来岛大人商谈此事。” 古高一身商人打扮，来到了长州藩府。他首先向来岛转达了志士们的心情。“真乃壮举也！”来岛兴奋地拍膝道，“古高君，难得众志士舍生取义，还是将声势制造得浩大一些为妙。不如这样如何？”说着，他取出折扇，在榻榻米上写下了几个字：占领京都。 “占领京都！”古高俊太郎的目光顿时变得无比锐利，“来岛大人，一起干吧。新时代的降临需要有人作出牺牲。我今年三十七岁了，活得太长了。还是为这项壮举献上这把老骨头吧。” “且慢，老夫都已经五十岁了。”又兵卫仿佛有些羞愧，操着柔和的长州口音道，“莫要再提年龄了，古高君。” 来岛又兵卫随即公布作战计划，这个计划可不得了。 “首先，选择一个狂风大作的夜晚，在上风处放火，烧了京都。趁混乱之时，分成三队，第一队杀入所司代，第二队杀入黑谷，最后一队前往皇宫，誓死拥戴天皇。”又兵卫接着说道，“如果只是这样，难免会被幕府和各藩的军队包围而失败，所以要从长州请来大军，互通声气，密切联络，将天皇交与长州大部队。然后长州军进入京都，布下军政，一举推翻幕府。” “如果大战一场后失败了，又该如何？” “那时便可拥戴天皇移驾长州。在遥远的防长二州颁下讨伐幕府之诏，动员天下勤王诸藩、勤王志士奋起。” “这个计划……”古高忽然感觉一股热泪就要涌出，“犹如阵阵怒涛不绝于耳。” “古高君。”来岛又兵卫也不禁为自己气壮山河的计划浑身颤抖，一阵战栗向腰间袭来，他摇摇古高俊太郎的双手。“老夫生于长州，而你是京都人，想不到竟会为了同一个目标而死。” “不管成功与否，都要献上这条命。”古高朗声道。长年的地下勤王运动已经让他心力交瘁，他决定借此机会结束自己的生命，或者说死亡对他已经成为了一种喜悦之事，类似于听到佛音。流泪便是因为这个缘故。 古高无妻无子，只有一位可怜的老母亲。“这是迫不得已。”一想起母亲，古高不禁又开始流泪。要是谁家的父母不幸有这样的孩子，也只能放弃了，他默默地想。 来岛的计划虽然不够周全，可是，要起事就必须打破现状。重要的是引起事端，至于成功与否，就不是众人应该考虑之事了。古高心里明白这一点。 “来岛大人，我来准备武器和火药，联络潜伏在京都大坂的同志。仅土佐的同志应该就能找到五六十人。” “老夫这就返回长州。就是拼上性命也要说服藩主，大举进京。”又兵卫抹去眼泪，说道。 龙马的动向如何呢？ 这里是神户村小野滨学堂里龙马自己的房间。这间屋子面向大海。 深夜，龙马倚靠在窗侧，静静地听着纸窗外的雨声。或许是因为风大了起来，雨声之中夹杂着阵阵越来越响的波涛声。 Snapped!龙马打死了一只叮在脸颊上的蚊子。蚊子已经吸了血，龙马脸上出现一抹血色。学堂正面临关门的危机。说到原因，是因为京都的志士们来到学堂，拼命劝说土州的学员参加古高俊太郎等人的京都起事。于是，大家都动摇了。 This is also a matter of course.若是两三年前的龙马，恐怕提起剑来便飞奔到京都去了。不正是为了这种大快人心之事才背井离乡、脱藩至此吗？然而，龙马的眼光变得长远了。即便这五尺之躯倒下了，又能怎样？仅凭区区一两百浪人就想推翻统治了三百年之久的幕府，无异于痴人说梦。龙马认为，急于求成是不行的，成就大业需要等待合适的时机。现在正是养精蓄锐之时，大丈夫应当忍辱负重，等待时机降临。 龙马一直梦想着有一天能够掌握濑户内海的制海权。在这一天到来之前，在连舰船都无法熟练驾驶的时候，跑到京都去参加些个幼稚的争斗，又有何用？龙马向学员们说明了其中的利害，怒道：“若执意要去，须得先取我性命。”如此一劝，学员们的情绪大体平息了下来，只有几人仍然颇为激动。 “给你们一晚上的时间，好好考虑考虑，我会在房间等你们。考虑清楚了就来找我。”龙马说完，便回房了。 许久，隔扇被拉开了。龙马抬头一看，原来是寝待藤兵卫。他是来送蚊香的。“藤兵卫，怎么还没睡？” “爷尚未安歇，我又怎能入睡？也亏了小的以前是个盗贼，所以就算是深夜仍然很精神呢。”他一边说着，一边把蚊香放在了墙角。 “最近总是下雨。”龙马有些无聊地嘟囔着。 “今年的梅雨下得有些猛烈。逢上这样的年头，人的性情也会变得粗暴起来。” “里面还在争论吗？” “何止是争论。”藤兵卫苦笑了一下。 “呵呵，是吗？”龙马也无奈地苦笑了起来。 听到走廊里传来一阵脚步声，寝待藤兵卫不动声色地离开了房间。 龙马猛地摘下长短双刀，扔进壁橱，顿时变得赤手空拳。他心想，万一对方先动起手来，便老老实实奉上这条性命。 “坂本先生。”隔扇打开，是北添佶摩和望月龟弥太二人。 北添佶摩是土佐高冈郡岩目地村人士，虽说不是神户学堂的学生，但是他曾在龙马的建议下考察过北海道，后来一直躲在京都。今天，他与几位京都志士一同来到神户学堂，为的就是力劝学员们参加起事。 看二人的神情，龙马明白只有望月龟弥太一人为北添说服，决意进京。望月太年轻了，嘴角还泛着稚气。北添和望月这次是有去无回了。龙马望着眼前的两个人，神色黯淡。 望月龟弥太是高知小高坂西町的乡士望月团右卫门之子，小高坂离龙马的家不远。文久二年十月，容堂去往江户，龟弥太随即加入了五十人组这个自发组成的近卫队，离开了家乡。后来，在龙马的举荐下进入了海军学堂。 “坂本先生，看来我不得不杀了您。”龟弥太绝望地垂下了头。因为龙马有言在先——若执意要去，须得先取他性命。 “动手吧。”龙马道。 “我不是您的对手。”龟弥太是个老实人，知道自己无论如何也杀不了龙马这个土佐一流剑客。 “您为何没有佩带刀剑？”龟弥太面露怀疑之色。 “这样你才容易下手啊。”龙马神情严肃。 龟弥太的脑袋聋拉下来，双手合十，恳求道：“坂本先生，我要和北添进京，请放我走吧！求您了！” 龙马不由得泪如泉涌。“难道你就这么想去送死吗？” "think!" 龟弥太泪水扑簌簌地落下来。像他这样单纯的烈性男儿，自从离开家乡那一刻起，便已将生死置之度外。既然如此，他必然会选择一种轰轰烈烈的死法。 “坂本先生，”北添佶摩道，“我已说过多次。如果您能够率全体学员加入我们，胜算会大很多。难道您无论如何都不肯答应吗？” “此事不要再说了。”龙马站起身来。就在这雨中送他们上路吧，他想。他叫来了藤兵卫，嘱咐道：“请将二人护送到京城。” 近些天来，新选组和见回组不惜远赴伏见，严密搜查进入京都的“不逞之徒”。龙马想，危险临近之时，藤兵卫敏锐的直觉和机智或许能够派上用场。 “遵命！”藤兵卫的回答让人放心。 四人很快便冒雨出发了。 “海浪不小啊。”龙马自言自语道。高高的浪头正拍打着海滨。 一行人披蓑戴笠，脚下不时溅起泥浆，走在通往大路的坡道上。爬坡时，北添佶摩和望月龟弥太二人频繁地转向龙马，谈论着各自的家乡，就像着了魔一样诉说着。龙马只是不断地点头。 藤兵卫打着灯笼在前面带路，想到北添等人果真是抱定了必死之心，他蓑衣包裹下的身体开始颤抖起来。 些许沉默过后，望月龟弥吝忽然笑着对龙马说：“我想到了一首俳句。” “哦？念来听听。”龙马问道。 龟弥太清了清嗓子，低声吟诵道： 龙马沉默。过了一会儿，他开口道：“真是一首奇怪的俳句。”说罢，干笑了几声。 这时，北添倍摩也开口了：“我也献献丑。这是我很久以前做的一首诗。”灯笼的亮光照在脸上，他歪了歪那张像极了河童的嘴。他长相极丑，却有诗才，自号对松轩。 走完坡道，四人来到了大路上。 “来日方长。”龙马竭力用愉快的腔调说道，“万不可草草了结性命。万一失败了，千万不要切腹自尽。只要还有一口气，爬也要爬回来！” 路边的小茶馆旁，有两株松树。四人便在此道别。 在寝待藤兵卫的随行关照下，望月龟弥太和北添倍摩二人终于平安抵达京都。进京的那一天，雨仍在下着。进入河原町的长州藩府一看，已经有许多来自各藩的浪人聚集在此，以土佐的浪人居多。这些人里有：出生在高知城下火枪町足轻之家的石川润次郎、足轻藤崎八郎，土佐勤王派中罕见的上士出身的宫川助五郎，徒士出身、领七石七斗俸禄的野老山五吉郎，乡士出身的安藤镰次以及大利鼎吉。 “怎么只有龟弥太一个人？”大利鼎吉沉下脸，把头扭向一边。他以为龙马会带领全体学员一路飞奔而来。 “那个脑子里只有船的家伙，就是不肯动弹。”前去做说客的北添倍摩苦笑道。 “哈哈哈”，大家都笑了。一想到龙马的神情气质，总觉得有些滑稽。