I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Are we going to fight against the barbarian steam warships with just the swords at our waists?"

"We must open up the country, we must communicate with these barbarians, and we must learn their advanced technologies. Only in this way can we truly possess the ability to repel the barbarians."

"Why can't those people from the Mito Domain understand this?"

"Do they really think they can defeat the barbarians with long swords and spears...?"

Looking at the indignant Ando Nobumasa, Ii Naosuke smiled helplessly.

"Ando, ​​calm down."

"...I'm sorry, sir, I'm sorry you had to see this." Ando Nobumasa took several deep breaths, then slowly loosened his fist.

Ii Naosuke waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind: "Ando, ​​you should make arrangements later to have the spies infiltrated in the Mito Domain intensify their investigation to find out who exactly they are, where and when they want to assassinate me."

At this point, Ii Naosuke adopted a humorous tone:

"I haven't had enough of Aku's waka poems yet, I can't let the Mito Domain people kill me like this."

Ando Nobumasa, amused by Ii Naosuke's witty remark, lowered his head and smiled slightly.

"Yes, I will go down and make the arrangements immediately."

"I also ask that you, sir, strengthen your defenses and increase the number of guards in the near future."

"This country... cannot do without you, sir."

"Now, only you, sir, can keep the imperial court in Kyoto in check, keep those powerful domains in Satsuma and Choshu in check, and keep those ambitious people in the shogunate in check."

"If one day, you are no longer here..."

Ando Nobumasa clenched his fist again after he had just loosened it.

"I can't even imagine what the future of this country will be like..."

Hearing Ando Nobumasa's words, Ii Naosuke smiled slightly and then nodded:

"Don't worry, I'll be on high alert."

"Ando, ​​besides the news that 'Mito Domain samurai attempted to assassinate me,' is there anything else you want to report to me?"

Nobumasa Ando shook his head.

"In that case, let's call it a day." Ii Naosuke leaned on the armrest beside him and stood up. "It's getting late, you should go back and rest early too."

Nobumasa Ando: "Yes!"

After instructing his household servants to see Ando Nobumasa off, Ii Naosuke walked alone, without any attendants, towards a room on the top floor of the mansion.

This is the bedroom of Ii Naosuke and his wife, Ii Hisashi.

Upon returning to his bedroom, Ii Naosuke saw his wife, Aku, kneeling before a table set with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, writing something furiously.

Since it was bedtime, Ajiu was only wearing a white yukata, and her long hair, which was mixed with many white strands, was naturally draped over her shoulders.

There was a heater in the room, so even if you were only wearing a thin yukata, you wouldn't feel cold.

"Ah, you're back." Upon noticing Ii Naosuke's return, Aku quickly put down her pen, turned around, and presented Ii Naosuke with a warm and smiling face.

"Hmm, still not asleep?" Ii Naosuke smiled slightly at his wife, then slowly walked towards her.

After arriving beside his wife, he leaned back—his head resting on Ajiu's legs—and casually lay on his side on the tatami.

"What's wrong?" Aku raised his eyebrows, which still retained a lot of charm, towards Ii Naosuke, who was resting his head on his lap.

“It’s nothing…” Ii Naosuke adjusted his position, changing from lying on his side to lying on his back, his eyes half-closed, looking up at the face above him, which was also covered with wrinkles like his own. “I just… wanted to see you from this angle for the first time in a long time.”

Aku smiled and said, "So—looking at me from this angle after all this time, am I any different from before?"

"..." Ii Naosuke put away his smile and stared at Aku's face with a serious expression and without blinking.

He just stared at Ajiu for a long time without saying a word.

Just as Aku was getting impatient and wanted to urge Ii Naosuke on, Ii Naosuke chuckled and gave a faint smile.

"There's no difference. You can't help but get me mesmerized after just a short while."

Aku chuckled, a delighted smile spreading across her face, and gently stroked Ii Naosuke's face.

Ii Naosuke seemed to enjoy Aku's gentle caress and slowly closed his eyes.

Neither the elderly couple spoke again.

Strangely, no one felt that this atmosphere of silence was awkward.

"...A-Jiu, would you like to hear me tell a story?"

"Ok?"

Before Aku could respond, Ii Naosuke, who had his eyes closed, continued speaking to himself:

“There was an old ox... It was pulling a grain cart, trying to take the grain on the cart to the market to sell.”

Ajiu's hand that was caressing Ii Naobi's cheek suddenly stopped.

"The cart used to load the grain... was a dilapidated cart, teetering on the verge of collapse."

"That old ox has to get the grain on the cart to the market before the cart falls apart."

"It dared not slack off in the slightest, pulling the cart day and night."

"This cart is too big, and it's loaded with too much grain. The old ox has to put in a lot of effort to pull it."

"Towing this dilapidated car that could fall apart at any moment is already very difficult."

"As a result... this old ox also had to spare energy to deal with some ants that kept bothering it at its feet."

The ants pointed to a very conspicuous cliff and said to the old ox: "You're pulling in the wrong direction. That direction is impossible to reach the market. Follow my directions; the direction I'm pointing to is the correct one!"

"The old ox ignored these crazy ants and continued to work hard, diligently pulling the cart."

"When the ants saw that the old ox did not heed their wise advice, they became furious and chased after the old ox, biting its legs and insisting that it pull the grain cart toward the cliff."

"Some people saw the old ox's hard work and praised its diligence."

"But after hearing these people's praise... the old ox didn't feel particularly happy."

"Because the old ox was always confused."

"It itself has never been sure whether the path it is currently taking actually leads to the market..."

"It's more accurate to say... the old ox wasn't even sure if that market where grain could be sold actually existed..."

"That old ox is really working hard..."

After Ii Naosuke began telling the story of the old ox, Aku fell silent.

She listened quietly as Ii Naosuke recounted this short story.

After the story was finished, she remained quiet.

After a long while, her hand moved again, continuing to gently stroke Ii Naosuke's cheek.

The room... became quiet again, with only the sound of the fireplace burning.

After a while, when time had flowed by peacefully, Ii Naosuke took a deep breath and slowly sat up.

"Sorry, A-Jiu, I think I told a story that wasn't very interesting."

"It's getting late, let's go to sleep."

"Mm." Ajiu smiled and nodded gently.

At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, Ii Naosuke caught a glimpse of the table where Aku had been writing, where a sheet of paper was half-covered with tiny, tadpole-like characters.

"Speaking of which, when I came into the room just now, I saw you writing something. What were you writing?"

“It’s a new waka poem.” Akyuu Mukaii Naosuke revealed a gentle smile with crescent-shaped eyes. “I’ve recently had inspiration for a new waka poem.”

"Oh, oh." A hint of joy flashed across Ii Naosuke's eyes. "A new waka poem? Is it finished yet?"

Not yet.

"I see... Then I'll take a good look at it after you finish writing it."

Ii Naosuke paused for a moment, as if he had thought of something.

"Speaking of waka... I've recently had a new inspiration for a waka poem."

"Really? What's it about?"

“It’s related to snow.” Ii Naosuke turned to look at the fire in the distance. “Hasn’t it been snowing a lot in Edo lately? A couple of days ago, while I was enjoying the snow, some new ideas related to snow popped into my head.”

"I plan to write this new waka poem when I have some free time in the near future."

“Snow…” Aku gracefully raised her hand, covered her mouth and smiled, “I’m really looking forward to it. You’ve never written a waka poem about snow before. Once you finish this new waka poem, you must let me see it as soon as possible.”

"Okay." Naosuke Ii smiled. "I will."

Suddenly, a deep voice came from outside the room:

"Lord Ii, the governor of Kitabansho Town is: Chujiro Hsui, please see me."

"...Bo Jing?" Jing Yi was taken aback, her brows furrowing suddenly. "He's here to see me at this hour?"

Ii Naosuke pursed his lips.

He then silently lowered his head and looked at Ajiu, who was kneeling in front of him.

"go quickly."

As soon as Ii Naosuke's gaze fell on Aku, Aku gave him a gentle smile.

"Let's finish discussing business as soon as possible so you can come back and get some sleep."

“…I’m sorry.” Ii Naosuke gave Aku an apologetic smile, then straightened his face and strode out of the bedroom.

……

……

Naosuke Ii returned to the spacious room where he had just met Nobumasa Ando.

The room remained the same, but the people had changed.

Dressed neatly, Susui knelt respectfully in the spot where Ando Nobumasa had just been sitting.

It was already quite late, and Ii Naosuke was also a bit sleepy, so he didn't exchange any pleasantries with Usui, who had suddenly come to visit so late at night.