At early noon, the Okabe family still made no offensive moves.
Asahina Taichao's messenger had come to the outpost many times before, asking Yu Qiuping about the enemy's movements. Yu Qiuping was also very puzzled, so he had to let the messenger climb to a high point to look out, and then go back to report.
Not long after, Asahina Taito himself came to the outpost camp and watched the mighty Okabe family army slowly moving towards the south.
"Momiji, what do you think?" Asahina Taichao frowned and asked.
"Obviously, the grandsons of the Okabe family have given up! Get out!" Asahina Taehyung shouted excitedly, "Let's rush up and chase them until they pee!"
"Brother, calm down." Yu Qiuping whispered, "Have you forgotten the last time we crossed the Fengzhu River to pursue us and were ambushed?"
As soon as Asahina Taihiro heard this, his hair stood up. Last time, he fell into the trap spread by the Okabe family through the Odaira family, luring him to chase across the river rashly, and he was almost beaten halfway by the Okabe family.
After thinking about this, he looked at the retreating Okabe troops a few miles to the west, and his eyes were filled with the words conspiracy.
"Then don't chase me! Those grandsons are full of bad ideas." Asahina Taichao cursed in a low voice.
"Your Highness," Yu Qiuping looked at Asahina Taitomo, "Although I don't know exactly what they are going to do...but it is always better to be careful. I suggest that we first send messengers to inform Chili City and Anxiang City, so that they can also
pay attention."
"Then..." Asahina Taichao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Muriji, do you think we need to attack?"
"This...it's better to avoid it. I feel that the Okabe family has been quiet for so long, and they must have plans to suddenly take action. And they sent all the detectives from each family to our place, so it is very likely that they are targeting us.
It's possible that the southward maneuver was just to lure the enemy." Yu Qiuping said with some fear, "Now our departments are fighting independently, and it's impossible to rush to support immediately if a fight breaks out. Our number is small to begin with, if the Okabe family fires a counterattack
, forcing us to fight outside Kariya City, we will definitely suffer a loss."
"Is this what you think..." Asahina Taitomo seemed to be persuaded by Amakihei, "In that case, let's let the Ashigaru have lunch first. We will discuss the subsequent actions in the afternoon."
At three quarters of noon, smoke rose from the camp on the east bank of the Aizuma River. The Ashigaru family members of the Asahina family, the Uaki family and the Okuhira family rotated to the rear in batches to eat, and then rushed back to the front line as soon as possible. Yu Qiupei
He had been paying very nervous attention to the progress of the front line, fearing that the Okabe family would suddenly attack while they were eating. What reassured him was that the Okabe family's troops continued to move south - which also puzzled him.
thing.
However, just when Yu Qiuping was about to sit down and have a hot meal, Xiaoban Jiesheng suddenly returned with a messenger from the east.
"A messenger from the east?" Asahina Taehyung threw down his chopsticks and stood up straight.
"That's right, he claims to be the messenger of the Mikawa Mizuno family." Kohata Kesheng reported back.
"Mizunoya? The Mizunoya of Kariya Castle?" At this time, even Uakiuhei, who was next to Asahina Yasuhiro, couldn't sit still. "Didn't the Mizunoya fall in favor of the Okabe family before and give up the city to the Okabe family's army?"
Have you moved in?"
"Please invite him in quickly." Okuhira Sadakichi urged anxiously, "No matter what his condition is, we have to take a look first to find out!"
After a while, a young man of about twenty years old was brought into the shogunate tent. He was wearing a black armor with a yellow jinhaori under the armor. In the hot summer, his slightly plump cheeks were covered with
Sweat.
"I'm going to Mizuno Tadashige to pay my respects to His Highness Hongye!" Mizuno Tadashige prostrated himself in front of Yu Qiuping and kowtowed several times, "Thank you so much for meeting me, Your Highness Hongye!"
"The Mizuno family has sent Your Excellency here, what do you mean?" Yu Qiuping was already puzzled by Okabe Motonobu's strange behavior, but now another messenger came, which made him extremely vigilant.
"My brother sent me here just to show that the Mizuno family is willing to assist His Highness Momiji and His Highness Asahina in defeating the traitor Okabe Gennobu! My family's Kariya Castle is also willing to give up the Asahina family's garrison with both hands!" Mizuno Tadashi said loudly.
said.
Amakihei, Asahina Taihiro, Okuhira Sadakatsu and Sadakichi, as well as several guards around them, were all shocked when they heard this. Why did the wealthy family who originally sided with the Okabe family suddenly defected to their side?
"If what I knew before was correct..." Yu Qiuping considered his words, staring at the expression of Mizuno Tadashige who was kneeling on the ground, "The Mizuno family fell to the Okabe family before. Why did they suddenly identify Okabe at this moment?
The family is rebellious and wants to come to us?"
This question is quite pointed, and it depends on how Mizuno Tadayoshi answers. The reason why Yu Qiuping asked such an aggressive question was to see if Mizuno Tadayoshi would reveal his flaws under heavy pressure, giving Yu Qiuping a chance to guess his intentions.
"Your Highness, please!" Mizuno Tadashige, who had raised his head slightly, suddenly kowtowed. "The Mizuno family was forced to submit to the Okabe family before, and they had no choice! The Mizuno family has always believed that the Asahina family and the Uqiu family are loyal, absolutely.
He is the mainstay of the Imagawa family! When I first received the revolting edict from the Okabe family’s envoy from the House Governor’s Hall, I was very suspicious of the Okabe family’s envoy! However, the Okabe family’s envoy is aggressive, and our Mizuno family is weak, so
I have no choice but to give in for the time being!"
After saying so many words in one breath, Mizuno Tadashige took a breath and said again: "But our Mizuno family! We have been looking for an opportunity to wait for it anyway! But the Okabe family army came first, and we were really unable to resist, so we had to be
Forced to open the city and give the city to the Okabe family! But our Mizuno family only thinks about Asahina's side! Therefore, our family has never sent troops to make enemies of the Asahina family and the Amaki family!"
Yu Qiuping looked at Mizuno Tadashige's hard performance with some helplessness. He knew that what the latter said was not entirely true, but he could only encourage him with a few words of praise. As a wealthy family outside the country, the Mizuno family had always been with the Okabe family.
They are very close. After the conflict broke out between the Okabe family and the Asahina family, they must have immediately expressed their support for the Okabe family. Otherwise, the Okabe family would not have used Kariya Castle as the retreat target, abandoned Otaka Castle and left from the front line. And the so-called
He has never fought against the Asahina family and the Amaki family. In fact, it is just because both factions have maintained restraint in the past ten days. What does it have to do with the Mizuno family?
However, at least the Mizuno family has expressed their desire to join their side. So at this time, they must be given a step down.
"The Mizuno family has good intentions, and I can't thank you enough. We also understand the Mizuno family's determination to fight against rebellion with us!" Yu Qiuping changed his title to a more respectful one, "But the Mizuno family is now adventurous.
Come here, aren't you afraid of being discovered by the Okabe family?"
"This is exactly what I came here to report on this trip! I went around the alley out of the city to avoid the eyes and ears of the Okabe family! It's just to report this news!" Mizuno Tadashige suddenly raised his head, "The Okabe family is here
It was announced at the meeting last night that the entire army must immediately withdraw from Kariya Castle, bypass Anxiang Castle and Okazaki Castle, take a detour to the south, stick to Ise Bay, and return to Toe!"
As soon as this explosive news came out, more than a dozen people around him were shocked, so much so that Mizuno Tadashige's impassioned speech later expressed his loyalty by saying, "As soon as the Mizuno family saw this opportunity," "I rushed to report it immediately."
Yu Qiuping didn't even hear what he said clearly.
What is going on? Did the Okabe family retreat? Was the careful arrangement in the morning actually to cover the retreat? Didn't we miss the chance to fight?
Regret and self-blame welled up in Yu Qiuping's heart. It was his too conservative judgment that caused the army to miss the opportunity!
"Your Highness, please pursue us quickly! The Mizuno family is willing to open the city immediately to welcome His Highness Momiji and His Highness Asahina into the city!" Mizuno Tadashige saw that Yu Qiupei was persuaded, and immediately added while the iron was hot.
However, as soon as these words were spoken, Okuhira Sadakatsu and his son shuddered violently, and Yu Qiuping was also awakened.
This scene seems so familiar.
At the evaluation meeting in the evening, it was revealed that he was about to retreat. The next day, a wealthy family would immediately rush to the enemy to report the news, luring the enemy to pursue them immediately. Then they would set up an ambush and conduct an ambush.
Okabe Motobu, what a great routine. Last time, the Okuhira family was used as bait, but this time it was replaced by the Mizuno family.
Yu Qiuping's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he looked at Mizuno Tadashige cautiously. The latter obviously didn't understand why Yu Qiuping's attitude suddenly changed, and he was stunned in place.
Regardless of whether he sincerely surrendered after seeing the Okabe family evacuate, and happened to be used by the Okabe family; or he was originally a bait sent by the Okabe family, and the Okabe family's troops were ambushing in Kariya Castle or east of Kariya Castle——
The Mizuno family can't be trusted for the time being.
"I can't make the decision on this matter," Yu Qiuping said while looking at Kobata Kitsheng, "Go and invite His Highness Asahina to come over." At the same time, Yu Qiuping looked at Amano Keitoku and Honda Tadakatsu, "Kingtoku, Tadakatsu.
"Sheng, please take Mr. Mizuno down to have a meal and have a rest first." He was going to delay it for a while and discuss it carefully.
"But... I had eaten solid food before we came down." Mizuno Tadashige stumbled and defended.
"Then have another meal." Yu Qiuping snorted coldly. Although Honda Tadakatsu was smaller than Mizuno Tadashige, he directly pulled Mizuno Tadashige out like a chicken. At the same time, Yu Qiuping
He also called the messenger and asked him to immediately report the news to Sena Shitoshi in Anxiang City.
In less than a moment, Asahina Taitomo immediately rode over. After Yu Qiupei recounted what had just happened to Asahina Taitomo, the latter immediately fell into deep thought.
"What Momiji means...this is most likely the second bait?" Asahina Taichao said.
"That's right, Your Highness." Yu Qiuping analyzed with certainty, "No matter what the Mizuno family's position is, the Okabe family must have bad intentions. If the Okabe family really plans to retreat, how can the Mizuno family, whose position may be shaken,
The Mizuno family is left alone in his hometown? With such a small number of people, the Mizuno family will definitely not resist our army alone and serve as the rear for the Okabe family. In this way, they will not get any benefits except that they will die together. If it were me, the Mizuno family, I would also
Immediately surrender to the side of the Asahina family in exchange for the safety of the territory and the entire clan."
Yu Qiuping paused and continued, "Okabe Motonobu cannot understand the truth that I understand. If he really wants to end the empire, he will definitely wrap up the Mizuno family's troops in the army and take them away, and then leave behind his cronies.
After the command was terminated, he retreated to the south." Yu Qiuping looked in the direction of Kariya Castle with a complicated expression, "He left the Mizuno family in Kariya Castle, and he obviously had other agendas."
Yu Qiupei's analysis made everyone present fall into deep thought. After a long time, Asahina Taichao hesitated and whispered: "What Momiji said makes sense...but I have actually had some doubts since the morning that the Okabe family really wants to
Withdrew the troops."
"After all, there is no benefit in confronting him here, and the wealthy people under his command are all concerned about their territory and are not willing to spend time with him here." Asahina Taitomo added, "Maybe there is no ambush? Can we try to pursue it?"
"Then why did you leave the Mizuno family behind?" Asahina Taehyung and Ame Qiupei asked in unison.
"I... can't be sure about this. It may indeed be a bait to lure us into pursuit." Asahina Taichao hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "I'd better listen to Momiji and stay put. Wait for the news from His Highness Sena.
Chapter completed!