Chapter 213: Chapter 103: Aoto Targeted by the General of Expedition

In a fleeting moment, a space where only Tenshōin and Tokugawa Iemochi were alone emerged.

"Lord Shogun." Tenshōin turned her gaze back to Tokugawa Iemochi.

On her face, there was a gentle smile that she hadn’t displayed during her meeting with Ii Naosuke.

There was a hint of helplessness in Tenshōin’s gentle smile.

"Every time I meet with Lord Tairō, you come anxiously asking me, ’Did you have an argument with Ii again?’

Tokugawa Iemochi chuckled dryly a few times.

"Mother dear, you and Ii are both indispensable figures, not just to me, but to the Shogunate, to this country."

When Tokugawa Iemochi mentioned the words "Shogunate" and "country," he deliberately emphasized his tone.

"So I don’t wish to see you frequently in conflict..."

Seeing Tokugawa Iemochi lower his head, a slight look of worry on his face, Tenshōin smiled helplessly.

She instinctively raised her hand, habitually wanting to brush Tokugawa Iemochi’s hair.

But upon raising her pale hand, she suddenly realized—her adopted son had grown as tall as her without her noticing.

It had only been two years since Tokugawa Iemochi arrived in Edo and succeeded as the new Shogun, and back then he was only as tall as her chest.

"Lord Shogun, don’t overthink." Tenshōin gently smoothed a strand of Tokugawa Iemochi’s hair at his temple, "It’s just a slight disagreement in political views between me and Lord Tairō."

"Putting aside political differences, I’ve always admired Lord Tairō as a man."

"Though I hate to admit it... I also must recognize—this country still can’t function without Lord Tairō."

"Lord Tairō’s authority and political prowess keep many ambitious individuals in this country from showing their faces, maintaining national stability."

"I’ve always acknowledged his loyalty to the Shogunate and his determination to dedicate everything to the future of the Shogunate."

"So—Lord Shogun, don’t worry."

Tenshōin slowly lowered the hand she used to brush Tokugawa Iemochi’s hair, a gentle curve appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"The scenarios you’re worried about, with me turning against Lord Tairō and fighting with him, will never occur."

Upon hearing Tenshōin speak this way, the worry on Tokugawa Iemochi’s face slowly faded, replaced by a joyful, relaxed smile.

But just as that smile appeared... it froze.

"...Mother dear, speaking of Ii... I have some bad news to report to you..."

Tokugawa Iemochi looked around, confirming no outsiders were present, then lowered his voice and quickly said to Tenshōin:

"Just now, the new spies we sent to the Mito Domain reported back."

"They still haven’t gathered... any intelligence on the Mito Domain vassals who infiltrated Edo intending to assassinate Ii."

Tenshōin’s delicate brows suddenly furrowed...

As the current General of Expedition of the Edo Shogunate and the current Shogun’s Principal Consort, over a month ago, they naturally received the confidential information from spies in the Mito Domain, just like Ii Naosuke had: a group of vassals from the Mito Domain would infiltrate Edo to execute Celestial Punishment on Ii Naosuke.

Due to the tremendous impact of this intelligence, its leakage could cause significant panic, so even now, only a handful within the Shogunate—Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshōin, Ii Naosuke, and a few others—were aware of this matter.

"The confidentiality is so well done..." Tenshōin half-closed her eyes, "These Mito Domain vassals intending to assassinate Lord Tairō are far more cunning than we imagined..."

Tenshōin’s hands clasped before her slowly tightened.

"...Mother dear." After hesitating for a moment, Tokugawa Iemochi seemed to make some resolution and exhaled deeply, "Just as you said earlier, this country can’t do without Ii right now."

"Also... purely from a personal standpoint, I absolutely don’t want Ii to be murdered." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"So, I have a plan now. Mother dear, would you be willing to listen to my plan?"

Tenshōin was taken aback: "Lord Shogun, please speak."

...

...

Edo Castle, Ii Naosuke’s office—

Ii Naosuke sat cross-legged behind a desk piled with numerous documents, intently scanning a document in his hand.

While Ii Naosuke was wholly absorbed in handling national affairs, not noticing the footsteps beside him—

"Ii yo."

Ii Naosuke’s expression suddenly froze, then he quickly raised his gaze from the document in his hand.

"Lord Shogun...?!" Quickly setting down the document in his hand, Ii Naosuke turned his body and bowed to Tokugawa Iemochi, who was smiling and walking towards him, "Why have you come here?"

With a wave of his hand, indicating Ii Naosuke to raise his head, Tokugawa Iemochi, now in front of Ii Naosuke, slowly crouched down.

"Ii, I... have something to say to you."

Tokugawa Iemochi quickly conveyed to Ii Naosuke that despite the added spies in the Mito Domain, they hadn’t gathered any intelligence on the Mito Domain vassals intending to assassinate Ii Naosuke.

After hearing what Tokugawa Iemochi called this bad news, Ii Naosuke... reacted quite indifferently.

"...Lord Shogun." After a moment of silence, Ii Naosuke bowed his head to Tokugawa Iemochi once more, "I apologize greatly... these trivial matters of mine have caused you concern."