From the pavement outside the main entrance to the living room in Honmaru, everything has been cleaned and spotless.

The streets and alleys adjacent to Nijo Castle were cleared, irrelevant personnel were prohibited from approaching, and the onlookers were kept out of the cordon.

The Shangluo team was waiting outside Nijo Castle.

The sedan chairs of Aoto, Tokugawa Iemo, Matsudaira Yōho and others were carried across the outer moat one after another and entered the Tang Pofeng-style Higashi Otemon.

[Note: Higashi Otemon: the main gate of Nijo Castle. It is said that the main gate was placed on the east side to face Edo]

After walking for a short distance, we arrived at Chezhi.

[Note: Car post: refers to the parking porch, a porch with an extended roof built in front of the entrance to facilitate getting on and off the car. 】

Jin Xi’s call came from outside the sedan:

"Lord Governor, we are here."

"Well, okay, thank you for your hard work."

Qingdeng responded while moving his waist and shoulders, which had become stiff from sitting in the sedan for a long time.

"The time has come... What a pity. Sheng Qing, let's have a good chat when we have a chance later."

Qingden returned the look with a smile and nodded.

Just when he was about to raise his hand to open the sedan door, suddenly, as if he suddenly remembered something, he paused, then turned his head and stared straight at Tianzhang Courtyard.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Your Highness, I haven't answered the question you just asked."

"question?"

Tianzhangyuan was stunned for a moment, then fell into deep thought, trying to remember what question he had just asked.

Before she could think of a reason, Qingdeng said unhurriedly:

"Your Highness, didn't you ask me just now: Am I thinking about you all the time?"

Speaking of this, the expression on his face was gradually dominated by a charming look that was half-smiling but not smiling.

"Although I can't call it concern, but very occasionally, I can't help but think: What is His Highness Tianzhangyuan doing now?"

After that, he stopped staying, opened the sedan door with a swish, and got out of the sedan.

"..."

Tianzhangyuan sat there in a daze, his eyes straightened, his expression frozen, as if he had lost his soul.

…

…

The sedan with Tianzhangyuan hidden on it was not sent directly to the warehouse.

Under the secret instruction of Tokugawa Iemo, it was quietly carried into a secret corner where no one could approach.

After dispersing all the outsiders, Tokugawa Iemo walked to the sedan alone.

"Mother, you can come out now."

While he personally opened the sedan door for Tianzhang Yuan, he complained helplessly:

"Really... Mother, your idea of ​​'hiding in the sedan' is too bold."

"Even I was shocked by your courage."

"If people find out that you and Qingdeng are riding in the same sedan, it will be no joke."

"Hey, forget it, there's no need to talk about this anymore."

"Fortunately, no one noticed anything strange about this sedan in the end."

While saying this, he opened the sedan door.

However, he still did not see Tianzhangyuan's figure strolling down from the sedan chair, nor did he hear her voice.

"Hmm? Mother?"

Tokugawa Iemo turned his head and looked into the sedan with a puzzled look.

Tianzhang Yuan was still sitting in his original position.

His back is straight, his hands are folded on his legs, his graceful neck is stretched, and his head is held high - at first glance, there is nothing unusual about him.

She is still the woman who combines elegance and seduction.

However, if you look closely, you can see that her cheeks are covered in a rosy red color.

There were bursts of blush on Qishang Shengxue's face, and the tips of his ears were as red as if they had been burned by fire, making him look shy and timid.

People are sitting here, but their souls have flown to nowhere.

He looked forward with a dazed expression, as if he was thinking about something or looking at someone.

Tokugawa Iemo frowned slightly and stared at Tianzhangin's facial expression carefully, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Thinking is only temporary.

In just a moment, he seemed to have realized something, his eyes flashed slightly, and his facial expression became complicated and unspeakable.

Then, he took a long breath, adjusted his expression, and spoke again:

"Mother, Mother! Mother!!"

He called three times in a row, each one louder than the last, before he finally called back the "soul" of Tianzhang Courtyard.

She trembled violently, and then looked at Tokugawa Iemo with surprise.

"Huh? Huh?! Jia, Jia Mao?! You, you, why are you here?"

"We have arrived at Nijo Castle, you can come out."

"Oh, oh...that's it...we have arrived at Nijo Castle..."

"...Mother, please forgive me for being curious, but what are you thinking about? You were so absorbed in your thoughts that not only did you not know that we had arrived at Nijo Castle, I even opened your sedan door and called you several times.

They are all as unresponsive as clay sculptures and wood sculptures."

Tokugawa Iemo was like a barrage of cannons, "pressuring" Tenzōin in one go.

To be fair, Tianzhangyuan's eloquence is not that good.

However, due to her many years of experience in politics, she has developed a good courage.

No matter who the other party is, she is not afraid to argue with them.

Even when facing alone Naoki Ii, Harugaku Matsudaira and other political bigwigs who are known for their tough stance, she did not show any stage fright.

However, at this moment, she was not as brave as usual.

The eyes are evasive, the eyes are wandering, and the speech is stammering.

"No...nothing...just...just...I came to Kyoto after a long absence, and I couldn't help but recall some past events."

"Oh? Past events?"

Tianzhangyuan's demeanor and tone calmed down slightly, and he nodded vigorously:

"Yeah! Past events!"

"But...this is strange..."

As Tokugawa Iemo said, he frowned in thought.

His appearance naturally aroused the other party's confusion.

"'Strange'? What do you mean?"

Tokugawa Iemo continued quietly:

"What kind of past events can make your cheeks turn red?"

At the same moment he finished speaking, he tried his best not to laugh.

Although he tried very hard to endure it, he couldn't control the raised corners of his mouth.

As the corners of his mouth continued to rise, his expression was gradually dominated by humorous banter.

Although Tokugawa Iemo's expression changes are certainly interesting, Tenzouin's immediate reaction is more worthy of elaboration.

Her hands and feet were frozen, her expression was frozen, and she raised her hands to touch her face like a reflex - these expressions and actions were all completed at the same time.

The moment her fingertips touched her face, the hot heat directly hurt her fingertips.

Tokugawa Iemo no longer pretends.

He directly raised his profound and meaningful gaze, put on a deep and thoughtful tone, briefly "packaged" the question just now, and then asked again:

"Mother, what past events did you recall that made you so blushing?"

"...?!"
To be continued...