Chapter 2197 The time has come for the decisive battle
Tachihara Hisatsuna was determined to defend Mika Palace to his death. The Maori army that crossed the Uji River and attacked north was blocked on the river bank street. They could not continue to advance unless the commanding heights of Mika Palace were removed.
On the south bank of the Uji River, east of Mukaishima, Kobayakawa Takkei main formation.
It was already dark at this time, and several generals in the curtain were silent around the campfire. Sparks burst out from the firewood from time to time, breaking the awkward silence.
Yoshikawa Hiroyuki glanced at the sullen Kobayakawa Takakage and said softly.
"The Nizi family refused to retreat, and our army's charge at all costs has already caused huge losses. In just one day, my two reserve teams have already been disabled.
Should we change our strategy? Such a forceful attack will hurt morale too much."
Kobayakawa Takakage glanced at the ladies and saw that they were not without approval. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Yoshikawa Hiroie's face and said displeasedly.
"Change strategy? How do you want to change it? Slow down the offense and wait and see?
Guan Bai and the saint faced off at Toba Fushimi. The two armies faced each other, and the war was about to break out.
If we can capture the Mika Palace before the decisive battle, we can greatly restrain Fushimi Castle's flanks, squeeze the Shiba army's space for movement, and help Guan Shiro.
At this time when the world is watching, when life and death are at stake, do you want me to sit back and watch success or failure, and let fate take its course?
The Nizi family is weak, and the defense of Yuxiang Palace only has six to eight teams at most, with less than 2,000 people on guard.
Our Maori army numbered more than 30,000, but we were blocked by a mere thousand people on the south bank of the Uji River. We were unable to advance even an inch and could only wait for the outcome of the battle.
Don’t you think it’s ridiculous?
The Maori family had no way out, and the Nizi family was unwilling to let go of the Maori family. In order to maintain the internal stability of the Goddess, the saint rejected all communication efforts from the Maori family.
Takeda Shingen went to Kyoto a few days ago, and he couldn't even take care of many important affairs in the Kanto area. He must come to Kyoto to keep the mourning of Kosaka Masanobu.
Once a legion is defeated, do you think Takeda Shingen can let us go?"
Yoshikawa Hiroyuki was silent for a long time and sighed.
"My military strength has suffered a great loss. If I try to capture Yuxiang Palace by force, I'm afraid my vitality will be severely damaged."
Kobayakawa Takakage said forcefully.
"I don't want to hear your casualty figures, I just want Yuxiang Palace.
By capturing Yuxiang Palace and effectively supporting Guan Bai on the frontal battlefield, you are the number one hero of my Maori family. No matter how much you lose, I will report your merits to Guan Bai after the war and make up for your losses."
Although Kobayakawa Takakage looks calm and speaks sharply, in fact, her heart has long been in chaos.
The bastard Takaka Kuroda forced her to use Kousaka Masanobu's body to attack Shoryuji Castle. However, the castle was not taken, and the three divine sisters were not captured. However, they forged an incomprehensible blood feud.
Uesugi Yoshikage's first battle was disgraced, and Takeda Yoshinobu even lost his close ally who had grown up with him.
The boss of the Shiba Goddess hated Kobayakawa Takakage so much that he would never let her go.
Coupled with the mother of two divine descendants, Nizi Yukimori and Takeda Shingen... Kobayakawa Takakage was completely trapped into a dead end by Ichijo Hideyoshi, and he had no choice but to follow him to death.
The Maori family owns millions of stones in the Western Kingdom and may be called the overlord, but in fact they are more like the leaders of the Samurai Alliance.
The core Maori and Sichuan system has become undercurrent due to the early death of Takamoto Mori and the different political lines of the Yoshikawa and Kobayakawa sisters, not to mention the peripheral wallflowers?
There are more than ten countries in the West, and there are powerful families in each country. In Izumo country alone, there are ten banners of the Nizi family, the old tribe of the Nizi family. There are hundreds of large and small forces in more than ten countries. The Maori family is not sure how many people they can control.
This is the biggest drawback of Maori rule.
Maori Yuan was born into a small wealthy family and had inherent disadvantages. In order to prevent the emergence of large forces in the territory that could resist the Maori family, she chose to have all wealthy families, big and small, pay allegiance to her at the same time.
This means that the feudal system of the Maori family is not a hierarchical system of monarchs and ministers, but a flat management in which everyone is equally loyal to the Maori family, regardless of status.
The advantage of this is that small forces will not rely on large forces and become a threat to the Maori family.
But the disadvantage is that they are all scattered. Everyone is an ally and minister of the Maori family, and no one is convinced by anyone.
Since everyone is equal, countless hills are the inevitable result.
Others cannot control the small forces against the Maori family, and the Maori family themselves cannot control the situation.
Therefore, the Maori family, the leader of the martial arts alliance, can only rely on its prestige to rule many small wealthy families. Once there is a big defeat, the Maori family may collapse at any time.
As the Maori family lamented themselves, after the first defeat, they lost half of their territory, after the second defeat, they retreated to Aki Country, and after the third defeat, there was no more Maori family.
Kobayakawa Takakage is the general of the Maori family in this expedition. The 30,000 troops under his command seem majestic, but when it comes to desperate times, who can she command?
Yoshikawa Hiroie was grateful to Ichijo Hideyoshi and was willing to fight to the death. This was the reason why Kobayakawa Takakage kept squeezing her.
When other troops went up, Kobayakawa Takakage was also worried that they were just perfunctory and not paying attention.
The Shiba family wants to kill Maori, but what does this have to do with the wealthy families of the West?
Except for the Maori and Sichuan system that is tied to death, the other peripheral wealthy families are not Miao and Maori, and the Maori clan will not do anything to them even if they are all dead.
As the current de facto leader of the Mori family and the culprit who killed Kosaka Masanobu, Kobayakawa Takakage is the one with the least retreat.
Now she could only bite the bullet and help Ichijo Hideyoshi to pull the Mori family's chariot, which looked huge but was actually full of junk, towards an unknown destiny.
———
Following Kobayakawa Takakage's fierce words, "I don't want to listen to casualty figures, I just want Mikanomiya Shrine," Yoshikawa Hiroie began a storming attack regardless of casualties.
In one night, the Yoshikawa army launched thirteen charges and dispersed the mercenaries. Even if they received three times the commission, the mercenary leader could not stop the cannon fodder from collapsing.
In the darkest moment before dawn, the Yoshikawa army finally reached the main entrance of Mikagu Shrine.
The reserve general looked at the crumbling shrine door in front of him and shouted.
"The bows, arrows, and iron cannons suppress them! Prepare to hit the door!"
In the dark night, the light from a row of iron cannons was imprinted on the numb faces. In this darkest and most tiring moment before dawn, everyone was already exhausted and hoped to end this war as soon as possible.
The iron cannon firing in a straight line could not hit the back of the door, so it could only blindly pass through the wooden wall. The sparse arrow rain covered the back of the door, and it was unknown whether it hit anyone.
Following the perfunctory attack by the bow and arrow iron cannons, three or five ashigaru lifted the nearby logs. The branches and leaves on the trunk were roughly chopped off, and it was a bit painful to carry them.
Under the urging of the Hime Samurai, the ashigaru carefully crossed the crowd, carried the logs, and prepared to hit the shrine gate.
———
Inside the gate of Yuxiang Palace, the main hall.
Tachihara Hisatsuna tightened his tight kimono and looked at the dozens of Nishi Iehime warriors in front of him. They would serve as the vanguard death squad and be the first to rush out of the shrine.
"Take your rewards and follow me out to kill those Maori dogs!"
The leader, Warrior Ji, let out a haha and threw the few gold medals he had received as rewards on the ground.
"Who expects these idiots to be buried with someone who is about to die? After more than ten years of wasted time, I just want to ask for one word.
Sir, can we succeed this time? Can we go back to the Western Kingdom?"
Tachihara Hisatsuna nodded firmly and said firmly.
"The Nizi will be revived, and we will definitely go back and walk home on the bones of the Maori family!"
Warrior Ji showed a pleased smile, looked at the Ji behind him and said.
"Then our death is worth it. Please, Your Highness and Your Highness, take our souls back to our homeland."
There was a ding-dong-dong sound on the ground, and all the Ji warriors dropped their valuable Jin Xiaopan, showing bloodthirsty smiles as if they were ready to die.
———
The Mouri Ashigaru outside the door has carefully stepped onto the steps, preparing to hit the door with a log.
At this moment, the door suddenly opened, and seven or eight knights on horseback, Warrior Ji, rushed out first. Warrior Ji who rushed at the front had gray hair and unyielding eyes.
"For Nizi's family! Kill!"
The Qibaqi crossed the gate, frightening the ashigaru to drop their logs and flee, but were severely chopped to the ground by the Hime warriors who followed them.
The flashing torches in the darkness reflected the heroic figures of the cavalry, and Tachihara Hisatsuna, who had already picked up his horse speed, headed straight for the opponent's reserve formation flag.
Under the banner of the formation, the general in reserve had not yet reacted. The situation was so good just now, but why was he suddenly killed by surprise?
She had been fighting fiercely all night, and she was too tired to react in time. She was knocked to the ground by the war horse, and several horses trampled her over. It was so difficult for human eyes to see her.
Tachihara Hisatsuna didn't even have time to pay attention to the opponent's general who fell to the ground, and slashed directly at the opponent's formation flag. As the flag fell, the enemy's reserve force, which was overwhelmed by the counterattack, collapsed immediately.
The remnant Maori army threw down their torches, turned around and fled down the mountain. The Nizi army who came out pursued them and crushed the enemy further.
"Master! We won!"
Tachihara Hisatsuna stood in front of the fallen enemy formation flag, gasping for breath, and she received no response from the excited shouts of the warrior Hime next to her.
At an advanced age, she only felt that she was reaching her limit. The crazy Maori army had launched thirteen offensives throughout the day and night.
They originally expected to defend for three days, but only one day had passed, and almost all the Ji warriors of Nizi's family were dead.
The mercenaries were scattered, the defense at the foot of the mountain fell into the enemy's hands, and with the dilapidated Mikagu Shrine at his back, how long could he hold on?
The sky was dim and bright, and a new day arrived in an instant. Tachihara Kuzuna stared at the sky blankly, and suddenly felt his face wet.
She looked up at the sky, and the raindrops were falling, and they were getting heavier and heavier.
———
Toba leaves the palace.
The sky was twilight, and a long line hurriedly walked along the porch and turned into the room.
"Guan Bai, it's raining."
In the dark room, there was a man sitting on the main seat, motionless.
Ichijo Hideuchang couldn't help shouting.
"Sister, it's raining."
The person at the head of the table nodded, slowly stood up, and walked out of the shadows. It was Ichijo Hideyoshi, whose eyes were red from the heat.
"After ordering all the troops to finish their breakfast, prepare for attack. The time has come for the decisive battle."
Ichijo Hideuchang said hesitantly.
"Over there at the Maori family..."
Ichijo Hideyoshi interrupted.
"We have no time to wait for Maori's breakthrough, we don't know how long this rain will last, three days, two days, or just one day.
Let’s fight to the end, end this suffering, defeat Shiba Yiyin, or die.”