Seeing Saito Toshizo's frightened expression, Akechi Mitsuhide looked unhappy and asked in a deep voice.
"What happened?"
Saito Rizo swallowed his saliva and said anxiously.
"There is news from Sakai Port that the Hashiba Army that conquered the Western Kingdom has arrived at Ikeda Castle, has joined forces with the Ikeda Army, and is advancing towards Kyoto."
Akechi Mitsuhide's complexion changed drastically. The body he was supporting was already weak. At this moment, he suddenly felt dizzy.
Risan Saito helped her.
"My lord, are you okay?"
Akechi Mitsuhide took a deep breath and shook his head.
"I'm fine. Keep talking. Hashiba Hideyoshi and Ikeda Tsuneaki teamed up to go to Luo. How many troops did they bring?"
Saito Rizo's voice was filled with uncontrollable fear as he said.
"According to intelligence, the Ushiba Army is no less than 20,000, and the Ikeda Army is no less than 5,000.
In addition, the 7,000-strong Niwa-Kitahata Allied Forces that captured Shikoku Island are also returning to land.
Lord, we must make plans early."
Akechi Mitsuhide repeated bitterly.
"Make plans early..."
Just now, Akechi Mitsuhide was thinking about how to suppress Tenkai and recapture Oda Nobunaga's bastard, but now it's too late.
Hashiba Hideyoshi, this bastard, how did she fly back from the West?
Bizen Kingdom is more than 200 kilometers away from Kyoto. Only six days after Oda Nobunaga's death, Hashiba Hideyoshi had already led troops to Settsu Kingdom and joined forces with Ikeda Heike to go to Luo.
The speed of her turn was simply astonishing. Even if she hadn't prepared in advance, it wouldn't be enough to kill Akechi Mitsuhide.
Akechi Mitsuhide sneered.
"Flying geese all day long, only to be pecked by geese in the end, Hideyoshi Hashiba, I have underestimated you after all."
Akechi Mitsuhide did not doubt the authenticity of the intelligence. She and Hosokawa Fujitaka were best friends. The Sakai Port controlled by Hosokawa Fujitaka never restricted the access of Akechi Mitsuhide's personnel.
Oda Nobunaga sent a large army to attack the four countries of the West, draining most of the strength of the core territory. Akechi Mitsuhide wanted to kill her, so naturally he kept an eye on the movements of these two armies.
In particular, Niwa Nagahide and Ikeda Tsuneki, two die-hard loyalists of Oda Nobunaga, were the focus of Akechi Mitsuhide's prevention.
Unexpectedly, Hideyoshi Hashiba was the one who responded the fastest.
Akechi Mitsuhide closed her eyes in despair. At this point, she had no time to continue entangled with Tianhai, so she could only temporarily let go of the hidden danger of Oda Kimaru.
The 25,000-strong Oda Revenge Army is approaching, but Kyoto and beyond are no longer under Akechi Mitsuhide's control.
Not to mention the revenge army that gathered various families in Kyoto to fight against Hashiba Hideyoshi, even the 13,000 coalition forces originally under the command of Akechi Mitsuhide, not many people are willing to listen to her command now.
I really don’t know how to get through this level.
After a while, Akechi Mitsuhide opened her eyes and straightened her back. She couldn't fall here, at least she had to hold on until the saint came back.
Hashiba Hideyoshi came from a humble background and had a shallow foundation. Her aggressive attack this time was to seize the political capital to avenge Oda Nobunaga, and to create bargaining chips for the subsequent internal reshuffle of the Oda family.
Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't let her get her wish. Even if she fell short, Akechi Mitsuhide would have to wait until the saint punished him severely. He could not give his political bargaining chip to others.
Thinking about the topography of Settsu Mountain Castle and the two countries, and describing Hashiba Hideyoshi's route to Raku, Akechi Mitsuhide slowly made a plan in his mind.
All forces in Kyoto are full of malice towards Mitsuhide Akechi. Mitsuhide Akechi must prevent Hideyoshi from entering Yamashiro Country, otherwise the two sides will secretly collude and Kyoto will not be able to defend it for a day.
The only solution for now is to take the initiative.
Akechi Mitsuhide looked at Saito Rizo and ordered.
"Gather our troops together and leave the capital tomorrow for Dian City."
Saito Risan was stunned.
"Lord, we only have less than 3,000 men in our hands. Should we order the rest of the coalition forces to follow us?"
Akechi Mitsuhide smiled bitterly.
"Allied forces... there are no other coalition forces.
They are all looking forward to my early death. I would be extremely grateful if they don't take the opportunity to trick me. Why do they dare to take them to fight?
An envoy was dispatched to Shoryuji Castle to inform Her Royal Highness Hosokawa Fujitaka and ask her to give the sisters a hand for the sake of the saint.
Then we sent people to Yodo City and asked Lord Matsushita Nagahide to block the Yodogawa waterway, seclusion and strictly guard the city, and respond to our army from a distance.
After this battle, no matter what my fate is, I will ask for credit for the Matsunaga family in front of the saints, and the Shiba family will not let her down."
Akechi Mitsuhide had no way out. The 3,000 miscellaneous troops in her hand could not stop Hashiba Hideyoshi's 25,000 coalition troops, and even Niwa Kitahata's 7,000 troops who followed later.
Three thousand versus thirty thousand, a gap of ten to one, is this a fight?
Akechi Mitsuhide's only thought was to wait until the saint returned to Kinki.
It took Hashiba Hideyoshi six days to travel 200 kilometers from the West Country.
The saint is four hundred kilometers away from Kanto, and the news may not have been received yet. It will take at least half a month until the saint comes back.
To stop Hashiba Hideyoshi, Akechi Mitsuhide could only rely on the terrain on the border of Yamashiro Country and his two friends Hosokawa Fujitaka and Matsunaga Hide.
As for Kyoto, as long as there are no mistakes or delays, Akechi Mitsuhide will be thankful.
From Settsu Province to Yamashiro Province, the most important rivers are the two rivers, one is Yodogawa and the other is Katsura River.
Head east from the Yodogawa River and pass through Fushimi, the southern suburb of Kyoto. This is the fastest way to get to Luo.
To the north of the Katsura River, you can go straight into the heart of Kyoto from Fushimi, but this area has long been abandoned, and because of the low terrain and numerous swamps, marching is very inconvenient.
After thousands of years of changes in Kyoto, the core area is along the eastern Kamogawa Basin.
And Akechi Mitsuhide's army went south to stay away from the Kamogawa River and block Hideyoshi outside the border of Yamashiro Province, which is close to the Yodogawa Katsura River.
To the north of the Yodogawa River is Yodo Castle, and to the north of the Katsura River is Shoryuji Castle. Forming a three-legged defense point with the two, is Yamazaki near the edge of the Settsu Province Mountains.
Mitsuhide Akechi's idea was to defend at Yamazaki with the mountains at his back, form a defensive triangular posture with Katsuryuji Castle and Yodo Castle to help each other, and find a way to stop Hashiba Hideyoshi for half a month.
As long as Hashiba Hideyoshi is held back and the saint returns to Kinki first, without even going to Raku Kyoto, it will be enough to stabilize the currently turbulent hearts and minds of Kinki.
Yoshigan Shiba has been invincible for more than ten years since his debut. Now that Oda Nobunaga is dead, there is no force in Kinki that dares to block his will.
As long as he appears within the Kinki area, all samurai will restrain their caution and lower their heads to obey his orders.
At this moment, Akechi Mitsuhide no longer wanted to think about the evil that killed Oda Nobunaga and had to eradicate it.
Her only thought was to stop Hashiba Hideyoshi's quick attack and stabilize the current political situation before the saint came back.
As for my own future, and the future of Oda Kimaru, just leave it to fate.
