Chapter 269: Chapter 117: The Aoto Swordsman Group’s First Battle!

Emergency summons? Vacation canceled? Return to the North Guard Station immediately?

The sudden influx of information left Aoto momentarily stunned.

Once that moment of confusion passed, Aoto instinctively nodded forcefully: "I understand, I’ll return to the North Guard Station right now."

The conversation between Aoto and the young messenger was heard clearly by those nearby, including Nagakura, Saito, and others.

Although they didn’t quite understand what "emergency summons" meant, upon learning that even those on vacation were to return to the garrison immediately, they instinctively felt that something must have happened!

Harada, who had just jokingly asked Aoto "when there would be a big mission," blinked forcefully and laughed awkwardly a few times:

"Could it really be a big mission coming up..."

...

...

Quickly settling the bill for the sushi feast, Aoto led Saito and others, along with the young messenger, hurriedly to the North Guard Station.

On the way back, the young messenger explained to Aoto how he had found him.

He first went to Aoto’s current residence: Shiwei Hall.

According to the young man’s account, it was Chokata who came out to greet him.

From Chokata’s mouth, he learned that Aoto was not home but had gone to the Thousand Affairs House in Morning Glory Town, so he went there, but upon arriving, he missed Aoto again by a moment.

With no other choice, he asked around about Aoto’s whereabouts.

Boss Kiryu and Mukiwa, who only knew that Aoto seemed to be treating Nagakura and others to a sushi feast, passed this sole piece of information to the young man.

Thus, the young man relied on this single piece of info, continuously asking passersby "if they’ve seen a very tall young man," while running around various sushi shops in search of Aoto’s whereabouts...

Fortunately, Aoto’s height of 1.75 meters was a distinct feature in this era.

The young man was exceptionally fortunate to ask one passerby who had just brushed past Aoto on the street, who did not misdirect him, and finally found Aoto successfully.

Feeling slightly guilty for the trouble the young man went through to find him, Aoto took out some copper coins and gave them to the young man, asking him to enjoy good tea or sweet drinks at a tea house later.

The young man accepted Aoto’s reward with a beaming smile.

After a hurried journey, the silhouette of the North Guard Station finally came into view for Aoto and the others.

"Lord Tachibana, Lord Hosoi ordered: once you arrive at the North Guard Station, proceed immediately to his office!" the young man reminded. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Aoto nodded vigorously.

He left Nagakura and the others waiting outside the Magistrate’s Office, then rushed into the North Guard Station and headed straight to Hosoi’s office.

Opening the door to Hosoi’s office, the first thing that hit him was the thick smell of sweat.

The rising temperature made the air in the North Guard Station become increasingly unpleasant.

The "Three Times" Yoriki and Dōshin, whether off duty or not today, were all present.

"Ah, Tachibana!" Inagawa, sitting in a corner of the room with Arima and Ushiyama, waved forcefully at Aoto, "Over here, over here!"

Aoto quickly made his way to his seniors’ side in almost two strides.

"Tachibana, you made it just in time," Inagawa said with a smile. "If you had been any later, we would have started without you."

"Lord Arima, Mr. Inagawa, Mr. Ushiyama, what happened?" Aoto asked, "Why were we suddenly summoned?"

"I don’t know either," Inagawa shrugged. "I’m just as in the dark as you are. Lord Arima seems to know what’s going on, but he’s not saying anything."

"It’s not that I’m unwilling to say," Arima said in a deep voice. "I just believe that once the meeting begins, you’ll know what’s happened, so there’s no need for unnecessary explanation."

Aoto looked at the expressions of the other people in the room—the Dōshin mostly looked bewildered, while the Yoriki had solemn expressions... only Tojo was an exception.

Tojo sat there nonchalantly, holding his large belly with his left hand, wiping his oily face after grabbing his belly, and then sticking his left pinkie finger into his nostril...

Since Arima claimed that once the meeting started, they would know what had happened, Aoto could only wait quietly.

Because Aoto was already late, he didn’t have to wait long before seeing Hosoi walk into the room, his stout and portly figure leading the way.

Hosoi, his lips pressed tightly, walked silently to the head seat in the room.

No pleasantries—once he confirmed that everyone was present, Hosoi got straight to the point and began to explain why the "emergency summons" had been issued suddenly.

His first sentence immediately invigorated everyone in the room.

"This morning, we received intelligence: the Anti-foreigner Group plans to raid Ryogoku-dori tonight and seize its wealth!"

...

...

This morning, an unexpected visitor came to the North Guard Station: a young samurai.

The young samurai, who called himself Hirota Takasaburo, had come to renounce his former allegiance—he was a member of the Anti-foreigner Group and, upon learning of their planned operation tonight, found it far too brutal and absurd. After a painful struggle with his conscience, he ultimately decided to come to the Magistrate’s Office to expose the atrocities planned by the Anti-foreigner Group for tonight.

In the Castle Town of the Edo Era, to prevent fires, extremely broad roads were constructed in key areas.

These fire-prevention roads were known as "Hirokouji."