I started with the Shinsengumi in Bakumatsu

Chapter 89: Assassination reappears on the streets of Kyoto
Liu Sheng knew that his tax laws would definitely cause dissatisfaction. After all, people are selfish after all. No one is willing to hand over their hard-earned money to the court. Who knows whether the money was embezzled by officials or wasted. In short, what Liu Sheng faced The situation was very tense.

In order to ensure that the court could collect taxes, Yagyu established two teams, the Police Bureau and the Taxation Bureau, in the name of the court.

The Police Department has the Shinsengumi as its backbone, Isamu Kondo as the director, and Toshizo Hijikata as the deputy director, to form a police force to ensure public security in Kyoto.

The Tax Bureau has Shannan Keisuke as the director and Ogata Shuntaro as the deputy director, responsible for tax issues in Kyoto and Osaka.

The tax bureau mainly checks the specific tax amounts of merchants and citizens, and has teams dedicated to collecting taxes, as well as armed defenders to resist taxes.

The two major organizations are equipped with pistols, but the team members still carry swords and wear suits. Toshizo Hijikata specially cut off his bun and put on a suit.

On the streets of Kyoto, a group of tax police in blue uniforms began to go door-to-door to investigate people's income. Tax police also entered stores to check merchants' account books.

A tax policeman shouted to the citizens watching the excitement: "It is the obligation and responsibility of the people of the world to pay taxes for the emperor and the court. To avoid paying taxes is to betray the country."

"The taxes you pay will be used by the court to prosper the country. As long as the country becomes stronger, everyone's life will be easier in the future!"

Faced with the persuasion of the tax police, citizens could only reluctantly pay their taxes.

At the entrance of the street, a ronin wearing a bamboo hat squeezed behind the crowd and heard the citizens talking: "I heard that the imperial court borrowed a large amount of money from foreign countries, and all the taxes collected were given to foreigners."

"I heard from my relative in Osaka that the goods shipped by foreigners are too cheap, and his goods can't be sold."

"I see that the money we pay is usually corrupted, and half of it is taken away by foreigners."

The ronin listened to the citizens' comments, which were mostly complaints. He lowered his bamboo hat, then turned and left.

Late at night, on the streets of Kyoto, the newly established police station arranged for police patrols to patrol at night.

Four police officers walked on the quiet street. The shops on both sides of the street had long been closed. There were only a few police officers' footsteps on the dark streets in front and behind.

The leading police officer Uchikai Jiro touched his uniform and said casually: "We will all wear Western clothes from now on?"

Another police officer nodded and said, "Yes, you have to wear this when you go to work."

Police officer Yujiro Ishii said with a smile: "After all, the director is now working for the imperial court and has contact with those Westerners. Deputy Chief Hijikata is now wearing a suit."

"Actually, I came to Kyoto to respect the king and fight off the foreigners, but now I actually use foreign things."

"Who says it's not? I don't know what it will be like in the future."

Yujiro Ishii put his arm around his companion's shoulders and said, "The director only cooperates with the Westerners for the sake of the emperor. We just need to support the director."

"That's right, but the shogunate seems to be very dissatisfied with the director."

"Whatever, I think the shogunate is getting worse and worse."

"There should be no ronin of the anti-barbarian faction in Kyoto now, right?"

Several people discussed and walked to Sanjiao Street. A figure stood in the middle of the street in front of them.

"who!"

Yujiro Ishii shouted when he saw the figure standing in the distance.

Utsumi Jiro immediately stepped forward and shouted: "Who are you? If you don't speak, I will arrest you!"

The ronin lifted up his bamboo hat, threw it to the ground, reached out to hold the handle of the knife, and lowered his body.

Utsumi Jiro immediately drew his sword. In an instant, the sword flashed. Utsumi Jiro pulled it halfway and blood spurted out from his arm.

"Ah! My hand!"

"Inner Sea!"

"kill him!"

However, before they could get closer, the ronin slashed with one move, and Utsumi Jiro fell to the ground.

"hateful!"

Yujiro Ishii cursed loudly: "Heizo, you are on your left, Hachizo, and I are on your right, come on together!"

The three people immediately surrounded the ronin. The ronin held a knife in one hand and rushed towards the three people. He swung the knife as fast as lightning and slashed four times in a row in just one second.

Ishii Yujiro and the other three were stabbed in the abdomen and fell to the ground.

Ishii Yujiro gritted his teeth and looked at Ronin, asking: "Who...are you?"

The ronin took out a letter of reproach from his arms, threw it to Ishii Yujiro, and said without a trace of emotion: "Do justice for heaven and kill the traitor. Yagyu Kiyan traded with foreigners, collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country, and everyone will be punished. You deserve to die as a lackey."

Ronin shook off the bloody hand at his ankle and disappeared into the dark alley.

More than half an hour later, another team of police officers found their colleague lying in a pool of blood. They immediately took out their whistles and blew them.

The sharp copper whistle was very harsh in the silent night.

In the police station, a police officer heard the sound of a copper whistle coming from outside and immediately blew the whistle in his arms.

"Where did the sound come from!"

Hijikata Toshizo hurried out to ask.

"Damn it, this happened to the police station on the first day it was established. It must be a provocation from the anti-barbarian faction!"

Isamu Kondo rushed out of his bedroom and shouted: "Essential Rangers, move out!"

The Rangers are the emergency mobile force of the Police Bureau. They have a total of 24 people, divided into four teams, with six people in each team. They are all the elite of the Shinsengumi.

Okita Souji, Saito Kazuo, Nagakura Shinpachi and Harada Sanosuke immediately led the special forces to attack.

The Rangers arrived at the scene of the incident. The four police officers who were attacked were already dead. Souji Okita stepped forward to check the wounds and said: "What a fast knife. Utsumi Jiro's arm was cut off with one knife, and he didn't even have time to pull out the sword." .”

Saito Kazuya also said: "I also looked at the other three people. The wounds were all on the abdomen, and a small piece of the knife edge collapsed. Judging from the fighting positions of the three people, that person killed three people in a very short period of time. Cut them down together."

Nagakura Shinpachi frowned and said, "The only one who can do this is Director Yagyu. This time the person who came here is not good."

"Pleading for rape..."

Saito picked up the bloody letter from Yujiro Ishii and frowned: "Are the people of the Anti-Barbarian Faction still stubborn?" "Return the team first and report this matter."

The Rangers immediately returned to the camp with the bodies of the four police officers.

Isamu Kondo and Toshizo Hijikata looked at the rape with different expressions.

Hijikata Toshizo said with a solemn expression: "The anti-barbarian faction doesn't even exist in Osaka anymore, why are there still in Kyoto?"

Saitoichi said: "Ishii, Utsumi and the others are also veteran members of the Shinsengumi. Their swordsmanship is not bad. Four people were cut down instantly without any resistance. The enemy is very confident and their swordsmanship is superb. They should not be unknown."

Kondo Isamu said in a serious tone: "Tell Shimada and Yamazaki and let them find out."

Hijikata Toshizo put down his plea for rape and said: "This person must have arrived in Kyoto recently. It is easy to find out. However, you must be careful next. This person will appear again. Let all patrol teams cheer up. Look. If you see a suspicious person, call for backup first!"

"I have to report this matter to Director Yagyu."

Hijikata Toshizo waited until dawn and immediately set off to enter the Imperial Palace and Guards House to meet Yagyu.

When Yagyu looked at the contents of the bloody confession, he didn't have many emotional ups and downs. It was only when Hijikata Touzo said that the murderer had superb swordsmanship that he became a little more emotional.

Yagyu put down his confession and said: "It seems that we have to arrange the revolver as soon as possible. Hijikata should tell everyone that although everyone is very good at swordsmanship, the era of swords has come to an end, and we should also learn how to use foreign guns. "

Hijikata Toshizo nodded and said, "Hey, I will arrange this with Kondo."

Yagyu stood up and walked to the map of Kyoto and said: "The reason why this murderer attacked our police officers was to anger us. His target should be me. It seems that I have to get to know this person."

Hijikata Toizan said anxiously: "Director, the founding of the imperial court depends on you alone. There is no need to take risks. The murderer must have come to Kyoto recently. As long as Shimada and Yamazaki find this person's whereabouts, I will lead people to solve this murderer." "

However, Yagyu shook his head and said: "The police station has just been established and something like this happened. If it is not dealt with as soon as possible, others will underestimate the police station. Since the murderer's target is me, then I have to stand up and confront him." A duel, so that Satsuma and other feudal lords, as well as the shogunate, can continue to fear me."

Hijikata Toshizo saw that Yagyu had made up his mind, so he relaxed and said, "What does the director plan to do?"

Yagyu looked at the map and said: "The residence arranged for me by the imperial court is at the intersection of Kawaramachi. It is only a few hundred meters away from the crime scene on Sanjo Street. The distance is very close. It seems that the murderer is near my residence.

He will take action again, so I will give him a chance and go back to the mansion tonight. Maybe I can meet the murderer. "

Hijikata Toshizo immediately said: "Then I will lead people from the police station to ambush nearby!"

Yagyu sat back in his seat, raised his hand and refused: "No need, just let Tetsunosuke follow me tomorrow night. No matter how good the murderer's swordsmanship is, I will be sure to kill him."

The murder of a police officer was a big deal. After all, there had been no assassinations in Kyoto for almost a year. This suddenly made people in Kyoto panic again.

During this period, Hitotsubashi Keiki was overwhelmed by the Satsuma clan and Yagyu. Now that he knew that there was an anti-barbarian faction targeting Yagyu, he immediately called Matsudaira Sadaki and Matsudaira Yongho.

Hitotsubashi said happily: "Yagyu Koshien used the emperor's prestige to monopolize power, and we were completely unable to intervene. Whether it was the shogunate infantry or the Kyoto governor, they became decorations.

Now there are radical rogues from the anti-barbarian faction who have started assassinating people. This is our opportunity. Send our people to patrol the streets immediately! "

Ever since Yagyu took over the Office of Non-Violation of Foreign Affairs, he gradually took charge of the security of Kyoto. The patrol areas originally divided by the shogunate were all overturned by Yagyu. The shogunate has been holding its breath and trying to regain its position.

Sasaki Tosaburo summoned the members of the returning group and said excitedly: "Everyone, our opportunity has come. From now on, we can restore the glory of the shogunate."

Sasaki Jisaburo immediately led the metai group to patrol the streets.

At the same moment, Matsudaira Sadaki was also mobilizing his men. He waved his arms and shouted: "The shogunate has been in charge of Kyoto for more than 200 years. We must not let Kyoto be lost in our hands. We will take back Kyoto today. We will encounter police." Don’t be afraid of people from the bureau, we are the team that defends Kyoto!”

The most troubling thing was the Aizu clan's extra-selected group. Matsudaira Yoshiho could only tell the people of the extra-selected group not to conflict with the police station.

The atmosphere in Kyoto suddenly became tense. At nine o'clock in the morning, meeting the Huigu and the shogunate infantry team, Kyoto's government officials took to the streets one after another.

When the citizens saw that these people were excited and murderous, many people realized that something big had happened today and went home immediately.

In a restaurant, the ronin looked at the movement outside and said with a slight smile: "Now, Yagyu Heiyan will definitely be unable to sit still. Soon I will have a chance to take action, Yagyu Battosai..."

On the fourth street of Gion, people from the shogunate's infantry team were making a noise in front of a shop and smashing up a wine shop.

The leading warrior said angrily: "Asshole, what's wrong with you ordering a drink when I'm thirsty? I think you don't want to do this business!"

The head of the pub was so anxious that he cried loudly: "Sir, I'm wrong, please stop..."

"The villain has paid taxes, you can't do this!"

The samurai kicked the bartender away and laughed unscrupulously: "Whoever collected it, you can find it, it's not us. Yagyu Battousai itself can't be saved, you old boy, you know how to deal with it!"

"Bastard, who allowed you to cause trouble!"

The people from the shogunate infantry team looked back, and the samurai said with some stern expression: "Police Bureau... you... you should take care of yourselves. You don't even know who killed one of your own. There may be Yagyu on the Sanjo Bridge in a few days." Xi Yan’s head is dead!”

Kawashima Katsuji, who was leading the team, was furious. He immediately drew his sword and shouted: "You bastards, you have violated the laws of the police station. Surrender immediately!"

The samurai was startled and wanted to take action, but felt weak in his heart.

Fortunately, Sasaki Tosaburo arrived and shouted: "What are you people doing? How dare you attack the people of the shogunate!"

"I am the leader of the direct meeting group under the shogunate, Sasaki Gesaburo, please step back!"

Kawashima Katsuji was restrained by Sasaki Tosaburo's momentum and took half a step back.

But he thought of Yagyu and plucked up the courage to say: "The shogunate infantry team is causing trouble, and our police station has the right to arrest the criminals."

Sasaki Jisaburo shouted angrily: "Only people from the shogunate are qualified to deal with erring samurai. Who are you, a bastard? Get out of here!"

Kawashima Katsuji glared at Sasaki Tosaburo, but did not take even a step back, and the situation became a stalemate.

Soon, after receiving the news, Yagyu left the palace and rushed to the scene of the incident. People from Kyoto's government officials and Aizu Domain's special selection group came over.

Yagyu pushed through the crowd, came to Sasaki Goshizaburo, stared at him and said, "I am responsible for the security of Kyoto, the Police Bureau. Do you have any objections? Take him away!"

Kawashima Katsuji had been holding his breath for a long time. As soon as he heard Yagyu's words, he immediately stepped forward and captured the offending samurai.

Sasaki Chisaburo was furious, but he didn't dare to take action.

Liu Sheng looked around at everyone, snorted coldly, and left with them.

In the crowd, Ronshi looked at the team leaving the police station and murmured: "Is this the executioner Yagyu Battosai? He is really powerful. I couldn't see any flaws in him just now, but I, Kawagami Hikosai, will definitely kill you."

(End of this chapter)