Yoshigan's letter caused huge waves in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River. In just five days, the Edogawa area downstream had already been mobilized.
But he himself didn't know this. After leaving Furukawa City, he went south to Guansu City.
Furukawa City is in the north and Guansu City is in the south, forming the northern and southern cities of Furukawa Territory.
Sekijuku Castle is the home base of Kada Harusuke. The Kada family built the castle a hundred years ago and has continued to strengthen its foundation.
This castle is located at the dike where the Tone River and Edogawa River divide. It can be said to be a strategic location on the uppermost reaches of the Edogawa River.
With the cooperation of Harusuke Kada, Yoshigan and more than 20 fellow soldiers successfully obtained supplies at Sekijuku Castle and continued southward along the east bank of the Tone River.
The cavalry moved quickly, and Furukawa Castle and Sekishuku Castle were soon left behind. However, Satake Yoshige's Monomichi and the vanguard were still a step too late and failed to capture Yoshigan's movements.
Before the Northern Front troops of the Oriental Army occupied Oda Castle, bypassed Yuki Castle, and surrounded the Furukawa Territory, Yoshigan had successfully escaped from the encirclement.
Satake Yoshige was most worried about Yoshigan leaving from the middle reaches of the Tone River, so he sent more Monomiban to the west.
The Oriental Army on the northern front moved quickly. Satake Yoshige cut off external communication in five days and trapped Furukawa Castle in seven days.
But she did not expect that Yiyin would not retreat but advance, and would choose to go downstream to Taicheng, the capital of the country, to face the Eastern Army's southern front.
Since no movement of Yoshigan was found in the midstream direction, Satake Yoshige thought he had trapped Yoshigan in the Furukawa Territory, and was preparing to surround and intimidate Ashikaga Yoshiji and Kada Harusuke, forcing them to hand over Yoshigan.
And Harusuke Kada, who had received Yoshigan's guarantee, simply stayed at ease and played with Satake Yoshige, counting the days on his fingers to see if he could delay Satake Yoshige for a few more days.
At this moment, Yiyin had arrived at Edogawadai and sent envoys to the west bank of the Edogawa River to inspect the situation of the mobilized rebels.
In the woods by the river, Yoshigan was sitting on his horse, looking at the map spread out on the ground and meditating. Kamao clan took out a bowl of warm water from the boiled iron pot and gave it to Yoshigan with both hands.
"Sage, drink some water and eat something."
Yiyin nodded, looked at the three-pole sun, drank all the water in the bowl in one gulp, and ate the rice balls, his mouth tasted like chewing wax.
Under his seemingly calm appearance, he was actually very nervous.
The cavalry has arrived at Edogawadai for three days. To the south is Kogane Castle. After passing Kogane Castle and going further south, we will reach the national capital Taicheng.
Before, the Hojo family and the Satomi family had a fight in Taicheng, the national capital. It was because of Uesugi Kenshin's move south that the confrontation between the two sides was broken and a peace agreement was temporarily reached.
Xiaojin Castle and the national capital Taicheng were both handed over to the care of the Takagi family, the important ministers of the Chiba family. They were actually treated as buffer zones.
Yiyin actually took a big risk by going south this time.
The direct descendants of the Shiba family, Shima Shengmu, Yamazaka Yukimori, and Sanada Nobushige are all far away from here, and the daimyo territories such as Uesugi, Takeda, and Hojo where he slept are also in the periphery, at varying distances.
There are two uncertainties in Yiyin's heart at this moment.
First, Yoshigami is not sure what role the Chiba family and the Takagi family played in this rebellion of the Oriental People. Are they accomplices? Can they be believed?
He currently only has more than 20 Ji warriors in his hands. If he directly enters the territory he is dealing with, will he be able to scare off the enemy?
Therefore, he needs to wait for the exact information that Wu Yingcai has hidden before he can continue to go south.
Secondly, Yiyin was not sure what effect his handwritten pledge letters could achieve.
Since three years ago, with the help of the monk Yuryaka Myoin, Yiyin personally went south to inspect more than 200 villages in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River, established the Samurai Giri Promotion Association, and started charity.
From then on, good times came for the samurai family in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River.
As the first batch of Kanto samurai to receive the gift of charity and benefit from the charitable actions of the samurai righteousness promotion association.
The samurai family in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River should be the local grassroots force that supports him the most outside of Yoshigan's actual control on the land of Kanto.
Yoshigan's summons to them is a continuation of the samurai contract established by Hachiman Tai Ni Minamoto Yoshie five hundred years ago, the first shogun Minamoto Yoritomo four hundred years ago, and Ashikaga Takauji two hundred years ago, and they are rewarded by the public.
Genji gives benefits, and Ji warriors work for their lives. This is the principle engraved in the bones of the Kanto samurai family, and it is an indelible righteousness.
The Samurai Giri Promotion Association raised funds and loans in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River, repaired water conservancy, diverted the flow, and even helped the local heirs of the Samurai to study abroad, which provided ample benefits.
It has been three years. Even a pack of wild dogs should be well fed by now.
As an elder of the Genji clan, Yoshigoshi held the imperial white flag of Hachiman Tainiang. In the eyes of the conservative Kanpachishu samurai family, this was a continuation of the contract of honor and reward between the direct descendants of the Genji clan in Kawachi and the Kanpachishu samurai family.
Therefore, Yiyin has the confidence to issue its own handwritten letter of guarantee.
Just like Minamoto Yoritomo and Ashikaga Takauji summoned the samurai to fight for themselves, Yoshigan also wants to ask the samurai in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River.
The Kanto samurai family bowed before Hachiman Tai Ni Minamoto Yoshiie and swore to be loyal to the direct descendants of the Kawachi Genji family from generation to generation. Are they still going to be fulfilled?
If feeding like this cannot feed these wild dogs that have lost their owners and turn them into domestic dogs again, then Yiyin will be really, really disappointed.
Looking at the map on the ground, we continued south along the east bank of the Edogawa River. After passing Kogane Castle, we reached Sagamidai, Nagasaku, and then Kokudai Castle.
In the Guofutai area, Yiyin is preparing to gather the rebels who have come to help in the battle, and then march eastward to start a battle with the Eastern Army on the southern front.
Whether we can achieve this goal depends on whether the Chiba family and the Takagi family know each other well, and it also depends on whether the samurai families in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River still have the spirit of samurai justice.
Yiyin was eating and thinking about something. At this moment, a person walked quickly outside the forest. It was Wuying Caizang.
He put down the rice ball, wiped his mouth, and said to Kirigage Saizou who was saluting.
"What's going on outside?"
Wu Yingcai Zang said in a deep voice.
"Sage, Furukawa Castle on the northern line has been surrounded by Satake Yishige's troops. The ninjas in my hands are still trying to find ways to infiltrate. There is no news yet.
On the southern line, I sent a large number of manpower there and have already received feedback.
This time the Eastern Army's Southern Front Allied Force on the Boso Peninsula is indeed led by the Satomi family, but the general of the coalition is not the Satomi family governor, but the young master."
Yi Yin's eyes flashed.
"You're saying that Yoshihiro Satomi didn't come, but her daughter Yoshihiro Satomi came instead?"
"Hi, saint wise."
"You keep talking."
"This time the Satomi family gathered their troops, set out from Kururi Castle, and assembled with the Eastern families on the southern front in Kogumi Castle to raid Chiba Castle.
The Chiba family was caught off guard, and the family governor abandoned the city and fled to Taicheng, the capital of the country. Yoshihiro Satomi chased after him and had already reached Taicheng, the capital of the country.
At this moment, the Eastern Army on the southern front has surrounded Taicheng, the national capital, and has blocked the two family governors of the Chiba family and the Gaocheng family in the city.
Xiaojin City in front of us is already in chaos, and the remaining retainers of the Gaocheng family are arguing over whether to send troops to support the main family."
Yiyin stood up from his horse in excitement and asked urgently.
"The Chiba family's Takagi family was raided by Satomi Yoshihiro? Are you sure the news is correct?"
The shadow of the fog hid on the ground and kowtowed.
"The body of a saint is traveling south. How dare I make false claims in front of you with uncertain news?
The two family governors of Chiba Gaocheng are indeed trapped in Taicheng, the national capital, and now their territories are in chaos. This is absolutely true.
But there is one thing I don’t understand: why don’t the Eastern Army on the southern line go north quickly and join the Eastern Army on the northern line in Furukawa City?
What is their intention to besiege Taicheng, the national capital, on the southern front and delay their journey north?"
Yiyin sneered.
"What's the intention? It's just greed.
It is true that Taicheng, the national capital, is not on the route north. If Yoshihiro Satomi wants to go north to join Satake Yoshige, he naturally does not need to besiege Taicheng, the national capital, and the Chiba family has no guts to stop him.
Satomi Yoshihiro did not seize the time to go north, but instead captured the city and territory in the southern part of the Lower Kingdom. Whether she did it by making independent decisions, or with Satomi Yoshihiro's instructions, it is a great opportunity for me."
When Yiyin went south to attack, what they were most worried about was that the Oriental People were closely cooperating with each other from the north to the south, and they were likely to be attacked from both sides.
However, judging from Satomi Yoshihiro's performance, the Oriental people on the southern front had no intention of heading north in a hurry, and instead were grabbing territory in the southern part of the Shimonosu Kingdom.
You know, in order to quickly encircle Furukawa Castle, Satake Yishige on the northern line even bypassed Yuki Castle blocking the front and fought directly to the foot of Furukawa Castle.
If Satomi Yoshihiro on the southern front had moved quickly enough, she should have gone directly north after capturing Chiba Castle in a surprise attack instead of besieging Taicheng, the national capital.
Although Taicheng, the national capital, is the core town in the southern part of Shimo-sou Kingdom, it is located along the Edogawa River. It is far away from Edo Castle and serves as a bridgehead for monitoring the direction of Musashi Kingdom.
If Satomi Yoshihiro wanted to go north, Taicheng, the national capital, would not hinder her at all, so why bother?
Yoshigan went south along the east bank of the Edogawa River in order to receive the rebels from the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River from the west bank of the Edogawa River. Unexpectedly, he happened to run into Yoshihiro Satomi who was beating up the Takagi family of the Chiba family.
The Oriental Army on the Southern Front, headed by the Satomi family, did not go to help Satake Yoshige, but instead attacked important towns in the southern part of Shimoso Kingdom. This was a clear sign that the Oriental Army was in internal chaos and fighting on their own.
Yiyin also breathed a sigh of relief. For the time being, it did not have to worry about the Eastern people on the northern and southern fronts uniting and cooperating, using a pincer attack from the north and the south to turn their own initiative into a pot of raw rice.
Yiyin patted Wuying Caizang's shoulder and said.
"Well done, continue to maintain close investigation, I need more information.
Not only Satomi Yoshihiro of the Southern Line, but also Satake Yoshige of the Northern Line's movements in Furukawa Castle must be investigated as soon as possible, so go ahead."
"Hi!"
Wu Yingcaizang turned around and left without any hesitation.
Yiyin looked at her back and nodded in appreciation. With only seven days, Kirigage Saizou summoned his subordinates and launched an effective intelligence network on Yiyin's front line. He was indeed a capable guy.
As soon as Kirikage Saizou left, someone from Kamao Clan came in with someone, it was Kito Yua, one of the leaders of the Blue Clothes.
Yuya, the ghost head, was so excited when he saw Yoshiyin here that he kowtowed to the ground in greeting.
Yiyin grabbed her and asked with a smile.
"No need to be polite, why are you here?"
Ghost head Yuya bowed solemnly.
"The saint calls us to come and fight for justice, how dare we neglect him?
Several counties in the East Musashi area downstream of the Tone River are mobilizing, and some troops are already stationed in the Takasago Village area and can cross the river to join the battle at any time.
Mikami Hime is coordinating the river crossing affairs with the village leaders, so she asked me to personally lead a few capable subordinates to cross the river first to look for traces of you, the sage.
We are waiting for the enemy to be ready, and now we are just waiting for your order from the saint."
Yoshigami nodded and said hello, took Yua Kito and squatted in front of the map, looked for the location of Takasago Village, and asked.
"How many people have been mobilized in the East Musashi Land? Do you have sufficient food, grass and armaments?"
Kito Yua drew a circle around the Yotsugi Takasago area and said.
"The Grand Council has made a decision, and the United Fronts of all the families have mobilized their full strength to come to the aid. The Kanto Service Office and the Samurai Giri Promotion Association have opened all the warehouses along the way to provide unlimited military supplies to the rebels.
Simu Village has become our logistics depot, and a large amount of supplies are being continuously transported and assembled.
The land of Higashi Musashi has abundant manpower and numerous villages. The combined efforts of several counties have already mobilized nearly 10,000 people, and within ten days at the latest, another 5,000 people can be mobilized.
In addition, Kanayama Castle Yura, Ashikaga Castle Nagao, and Ninja Castle Narita in the middle reaches are also mobilizing, and the local samurai family headed by the Yura family is said to have 5,000 troops on the road."
Yiyin pointed at the map and thought, then nodded.
"good very good!
Let the rebels gathered in Takasago Village move north, find a ferry to cross the river, and assemble as close to Sagamidai as possible, and stay away from Nagasaku in the south. Nagasaku is too close to Kokufudai, and it is easy to arouse the enemy.
I will immediately send someone to contact the Gaocheng family garrison in Xiaojincheng and ask them to let go of the border guard. I will personally lead the troops south to rescue the trapped national capital Taicheng and rescue their family governor and head family.
Let the rebels from all walks of life in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River cross the river in a low-key manner at Edogawadai, Kogane Castle, and Sagamidai. Try not to alert the enemy troops in the Kokufudai area and move closer to me.
What about Edo Castle? Do you know the situation there?"
Across the river from Taicheng, the national capital, is the Edo Territory. The lord of Edo City, Ota Yasushi, was just slaughtered by the Hojo clan. Yoshigan is worried that the people there are confused and will be exploited by the enemy.
Ghost Head Yuya said.
"When Higashi Musashi was mobilizing, Lord Daidoji Morimasa of Kagotsu Castle had already led some of the Kagotsu Castle defenders, went south along the Arakawa River, and entered Edo Castle.
But we have no direct contact with Edo Castle, so we don’t know what the Hojo family is doing now.”
Yiyin nodded, feeling relieved.
The Hojo Ujimasa Kitakami Echigo Imperial Palace quarreled with Uesugi Kenshin and others at the Grand Council, but the accumulation of four generations of the Hojo family was not in vain, and they reacted really quickly to unexpected situations.
Daidaiji Morimasa is a fourth-generation veteran of the Hojo family. She also served as a non-permanent member of the Standing Council. She has served as the Dai of Kawagoe Castle for a long time and is responsible for guarding this important town in the core of the Musashi Kingdom.
When the Boso Peninsula changed, Daidaiji Morimasa took the initiative to fill the loophole in Edo Castle. At least Yoshihiro Satomi's troops could be blocked on the west bank of the Edogawa River, preventing the chaos from spreading to Musashi territory.
Yiyin made a few gestures on the map, his confidence greatly increased.
It seems that he is still very popular. Seeing that he was in danger, the women in the Guandong Waiting Office were so frightened that they quickly mobilized and no longer dared to make any nonsense.
The grassroots samurai families in the middle and lower reaches of the Tone River were able to mobilize within five days without any supervision, and to mobilize more than 10,000 troops within ten days. This was indeed their best effort.
However, the opponents of the Oriental Army, Satake Yoshige and Satomi Yoshihiro, as the generals of the northern and southern fronts, went their own way and did not cooperate at all.
Yoshihiro is now very confident that he will lead the temporarily assembled rebel forces to quickly defeat Yoshihiro Satomi, who is also a ragtag group of people, under the castle gate of the national capital, and give Yoshishige Satake a big surprise.