Asai Nagamasa is indeed busy. The slack season after spring plowing has passed for several days. If there is no war, the summer harvest period will soon begin.
The success or failure of this battle has not yet been determined, but it is indeed the Rokkaku family's attack on the Asai family's territory.
If the Rokkaku family were so cruel that they left their own summer harvest to rot in the ground and focused on harvesting the Asai family's wheat, the Asai family would not even be able to cry.
In the agricultural era, food is the lifeblood. Without food, it is not just a matter of a few percent increase in price, it is a matter of starving to death of a few percent of the people without food.
Therefore, the Rokkaku family must be blocked from their territory and the Rokkaku army must be blocked at the front line of Sawayama Castle.
Fortunately, this time the Liujiao family was facing internal and external troubles, and her family had no intention of taking advantage of it.
Rokkaku Yoshihide wanted to win in a battle and surrendered the Asai family. Then he could turn around to appease the shogunate, reward his retainers, and consolidate his position as governor of the family, which was seriously shaken before he was in power.
Since everyone was pressed for time, Yoshihiro did not wait too long. The next day, Asai Nagamasa led the elite force of Otani Castle to the front line.
To the east of Lake Biwa is a large alluvial plain. The flowing rivers fertilize the land and also block the north and south, forming a situation where the north and south are divided by the river.
The Inukami River, Aichi River, Hino River, and Nosu River are filled with abundant water sources into the Omi Basin. The central area east of Lake Biwa is the best cultivated land in the country.
During the Asai Hisamasa era, Rokkaku Sadayori captured the three counties of Inugami, Aichi, and Takashima in Kitaomi, and the Asai family was forced to huddle back to the north of the river.
Castles such as Takamiya, Ooo, and Asatsuma all fell into the hands of the Rokkaku family, leaving only Sawayama Castle standing alone on the protrusion, which was the last nail in the way of blocking the enemy from the three counties of Jiangbei.
As a fierce general in the family, Isono Danmasa was named the Lord of Sawayama Castle. This was because the day Sawayama Castle fell was when Jiangbei was invaded by Rokkaku.
This time, the joint war strategy of both sides also revolved around the mountain city. The Rokkaku family's 20,000 troops were directed at this city, and Asai Nagamasa led 10,000 troops to come to the rescue.
Two days later, Asai Nagamasa's main formation arrived at the foot of the mountain castle, waiting for soldiers from all walks of life to come and assemble. Under the general mobilization of the Asai family, eighteen reserve teams arrived, excluding the defenses from various places.
According to the size of each detachment, which ranged from 500 to 800 men, there were more than 10,000 troops. However, the peasants and soldiers had to prepare their own dry food and be responsible for logistics, so only four to five thousand men could actually go into battle.
The Rokkaku family's 20,000 troops are still advancing and gathering. Judging from the reports from the spies, they will reach the front line of the mountain city in three days.
The Asai family has no way to retreat, and Rokkaku Yoshihide is eager to win. It will be a fierce battle.
At this time, in a valley behind Sawa Mountain Castle, the Todo clan had been placed there for three days.
If it weren't for the fact that the Asai family still had envoys to contact them, they would have almost thought they had been forgotten.
This is the backside of Sawa Mountain Castle, far away from the front battlefield. The military order said that the Todo clan should guard the valley road to prevent the enemy from sneaking up on the rear.
But even if the enemy passes through the valley road, the towering walls of Sawayama Castle are ahead of them. They can warn from a distance and mobilize troops and horses from the front to protect them.
The Rokkaku family was so full that they detoured so far and attacked the city wall without any suddenness. Isn't the wall in front not beautiful enough?
On the other hand, there is an army of the Rokkaku family at the other end of the valley road, watching from a distance to prevent the defenders from squeezing out some troops to sneak attack the rear of the Rokkaku army.
The young and frivolous Takatora Toudo has been feeling depressed these days. He thought he would have a chance to show off his talents, but he didn't know that he would be sent to such a place. He was almost bored to death, and he was talking about making achievements.
"Second daughter, are you worried?"
Her mother, Fujido Toraoka, was quite cheerful.
As the leader of the Fujido clan, what she was most worried about was being sent to the battlefield by the Asai family to be used as cannon fodder. Now that she was treated so coldly, she was overjoyed.
"Mother, you're happy. The Asai family has made it clear that they don't believe in us, so they let us spend our food and money hanging around here. We don't even have a share in this official reward."
"Isn't this great? When I was young, I was just like you. I wanted to do something to make the family bigger. I went out and saw a lot of markets. Hey, it's better to be safe. At least the family can continue."
Todo Toradaka was also an excellent Ji Samurai at first. He traveled out of Omi as a ronin and fought in many battles.
Therefore, she, who is well-informed, was hailed as the leader by the people of the twelve villages near Tengtang Village.
"Are you still happy? Without military merit, the Todo family will have to be servants for the rest of their lives, without any chance of getting ahead."
It was difficult for Gao Hu to understand his mother's thoughts. She was young and energetic and just wanted to make a name for herself with her martial arts skills.
"In the years I was out, I suffered countless injuries and suffered countless hardships. I only understood one truth, and that is to accept my fate.
We are born to be village women and Chinese people. No matter how hard you jump, the board on your head cannot be lifted. You will not give up until your head is broken and bloody."
Todo Tora looked at his unconvinced daughter and sighed. Just as he was about to explain a few more words, his personal guard came over.
"Boss, someone from Zuohe Yamashiro is here, saying he will take over our command. What do you think?"
"Command authority?"
Todo Toragao frowned. The original order was just to defend in place. Do you still need to send someone to direct this kind of thing? Could there be a change?
"Let's go and have a look."
She said and walked out, Gao Hu followed excitedly behind her, feeling that there was a fight to be fought.
Some time ago, when the main formation with Asai Nagamasa arrived at Yamashiro, Yoshigami brought Maeda Benefit, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Otani Yoshiki Miki to look for his Japanese subordinates for this battle.
After walking for a while, the benefits started to murmur.
"Why are we getting further and further away from the battlefield?"
The direction of the gathering of both parties has been made clear, and it will probably be in the open areas directly in front of the mountain city. However, Yiyin and his party are walking backward, not farther away.
"Akechi Ji, what do you think?"
Yiyin has recently developed a good habit of asking Mitsuhide about something he doesn't know.
"It seems that the Asai family doesn't want to use these Chinese people, and they don't trust you."
It is not difficult to see the Asai family's strategy.
"I?"
"I'm worried that if something happens to you on the battlefield with your military strength, the Asai family will suffer a big loss.
You are now her family's trump card. With you here, the Ashikaga family and the Rokkaku family can no longer pretend to be in harmony.
If you are not in the battle formation, Asai Nagamasa will not be able to cry. I might as well give you a team of troops, stay away from the battlefield, and stay well until the war.
Anyway, most of the people in this army are from enemy counties, so I don’t feel safe using them. Killing two birds with one stone is really a good calculation."
Akechi Mitsuhide said it simply, and all three people understood it.
Otani Yoshitsugi doesn't say anything. It's not as beneficial to Maeda to be close to her. For now, just stick to the word "steady" and listen to the Lord's words.
Benefit is a bit emotional. The battle has not yet been fought. He has already become a burden and is not happy about it.
Just as he was about to speak, Yoshigami glared back hard. Are you afraid that the battle will not be fought? With Akechi Mitsuhide, a female strategist who cuts all black, he is afraid that he will not be able to stop until his legs are weak.
Yoshigan looked back at the formation flag held by Otani Yoshitsugi, with two flags, the Ashikaga white flag and the Shiba family crest hanging above and below.
In this world battlefield, distinguishing between ourselves and the enemy relies on the military flags of each company.
The pointing flag on his back, the formation flag of the reserve team, and the general's horse seal. This time Yiyin was theoretically commanding a reserve team, so he naturally chose to hang the Sibo family crest on the flagpole of the formation flag.
This crest of the Shiba family is very similar to that of the Ashikaga family, with some variations of the two-biki-ryo. The Ashikaga branch family all like to use the two-biki-ryo, but they are not qualified to use it, so they have created a bunch of similar variations.
But Xibei goods are Xibei goods, and what is fake cannot become real. When it comes to appearance, the Ashikaga white flag is the most powerful one. I wonder if the Chinese people will recognize the goods.
Thinking about Akechi Mitsuhide's imperial family theory, Yoshigan felt unsure. This was like a reminder of a business card from his previous life. It sounded nicer, so there was nothing to be proud of.
Can it still make people risk their lives and forget about death?