In 1854, Katsu Rintarō was promoted to a foreign affairs position with the responsibility of translating Dutch texts, specifically tasked with translating foreign books (Western literature).

In 1855, Katsu Rintarō joined the coastal defense inspection team to investigate the defense system from Ise to Osaka Bay.

That same year, he entered the Nagasaki Naval Training Institute to study navigation and was appointed as the head naval trainee, a role similar to the general commander at a naval academy.

Due to his proficiency in Dutch, he also served as a liaison, responsible for communication between naval students and Dutch instructors.

After five years of deep studies at the Nagasaki Naval Training Institute, he graduated and returned to Edo, where he was appointed as the director of the teachers’ department at the Naval Training Office, akin to the head of the faculty at the naval officer school.

In January 1860, just over two months ago, after the Shogunate signed the Japan-US Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States, it was decided to dispatch envoys to exchange treaty ratifications. Katsu Rintarō was appointed captain of the Kanrin Maru, a brand-new warship newly acquired from the Netherlands, to escort the envoys across the Pacific Ocean.

A few days ago, Aoto briefly mentioned Katsu Rintarō and others’ diplomatic mission during a casual conversation with Inagawa and others.

After more than two months of arduous sailing, Katsu Rintarō successfully returned to Japan not long ago.

Upon his return, Katsu Rintarō was appointed as the head of the Foreign Language Research Institute (an institution specialized in researching and teaching Western knowledge) and Professor of Cannonry at the Military Academy.

The current Shogunate General, Tokugawa Iemochi, greatly appreciates Katsu Rintarō’s talent and knowledge.

Aoto has heard from some colleagues that Tokugawa Iemochi seemed to have the intention of reinstating Katsu Rintarō to the navy, entrusting him with full authority over the establishment of the Shogunate Navy, and making him the first "Navy Marshal" of the Shogunate.

Of course, these are just rumors, whether Tokugawa Iemochi truly intends to appoint Katsu Rintarō as "Navy Marshal" is unknown.

However, Tokugawa Iemochi’s great appreciation of Katsu Rintarō is indisputably correct.

Not only is Tokugawa Iemochi fond of this person, but the current "Empress Dowager": Empress Dowager Tenshōin also favors the talented Katsu Rintarō.

An ordinary lower-level Hatamoto, within just six years, rose to become a strong competitor for "Navy Marshal"... Such rapid promotion, not just in the strictly hierarchical Edo Japan, but in any country, is astonishing.

Your status and family rank define the rank of official you can be — this sentence epitomizes the political culture of the Edo Era.

Some positions are even directly limited to members of certain families, such as the Shogunate’s "Imperial Sword Tester," which can only be held by the feared "Man-Slayer Family": the Yamada Asaemon Family.

Like Aoto, with a family rank of 100 koku as a subordinate Imperial Family Member, unless recognized and promoted by prominent figures like Katsu Rintarō, no matter what brilliant achievements are made, one can only rotate within the lower-level position of "Dōshin" till death.

"Original Tachibana Aoto" once stumbled upon Katsu Rintarō in the North Guard Station, which is why Aoto found this person familiar when seeing Katsu Rintarō, and after hearing Nagakura’s mutterings, finally remembered who this middle-aged man was.

Besides his legendary political career, some anecdotes about Katsu Rintarō are quite famous.

He often carried a precious large globe to various high-ranking officials and Daimyo residencies, using the globe to advocate the necessity of "opening the country."

It is said that his rhetoric was quite formulaic.

First, thrusting the globe towards someone’s face, asking: "Do you know where our Japan is?"

No matter how others respond, he would sternly point out Japan’s location on the globe: "Exactly! Our Japan is this solitary small island in East Asia. Do you know where the United States and the European Continent are?"

After introducing the positions of major countries and the size of their territories, Katsu Rintarō would start discussing how vast the world is and that integrating with the world is the trend of the times; continuing the "National Lockdown Order" is highly inadvisable, ababa ababa ababa ababa...

And indeed, Katsu Rintarō’s eloquence was quite impressive.

He managed to persuade many people with his repetitive rhetoric routines, making one after another Shogunate high officials and Daimyos of the Vassal States from the middle or Anti-foreigner factions turn in favor of the open-country faction.

Seeing Katsu Rintarō wandering around with his globe, not knowing where he plans to go, Aoto guessed: He must be planning to preach his open-country ideology to someone again.

Katsu Rintarō has recently been appointed as Professor of Cannonry at the Military Academy, so his appearance from the Military Academy is not surprising.

Counting the encounter with "Original Tachibana Aoto" at the North Guard Station, this is Aoto’s second chance encounter with Katsu Rintarō, and also his first time seeing Katsu Rintarō carrying his famous globe outside.

"So, he really is that Katsu Rintarō..." Nagakura grinned, smiling, "Just as I heard in rumors... A man with an unremarkable appearance."

"The Samurai around him should be his bodyguards, right?" Harada interjected at this time, "The number of bodyguards is really exaggerated, and all these bodyguards appear to be formidable characters."

"After all, it has been less than a month since the startling incident outside Sakurada Gate occurred." Fujimura remarked with emotion, "For ministers like Mr. Katsu who advocate opening the country, increasing personal protection is appropriate."