On August 15, the eighth year of Tensho (1580), the Momiji Army arrived at Tottori Castle. Tottori Castle is located at the foot of Mount Hisamatsu in the central part of Inba Province. The terrain is very dangerous, and the height of the city wall is far higher than that of ordinary Japanese castles. It can be said that it is easy to defend.
It is difficult to attack. The castle town of Tottori Castle is located on the east bank of the Chiyo River, the most important water source in Inaba. The Tottori Plain formed by the impact of the Chiyo River is also the most important food production area in Inaba. And on the seaside ten miles away on the west bank of the Chiyo River, there is a huge piece of land in Inaba.
The inner lake, Koyama Pond, is also an important water source near the entire Tottori Plain.
When the Momiji Army arrived, the 15,000 troops of the Hashiba Army were camped southwest of Tottori Castle, while the 10,000 troops of the Akechi Army were camped northeast of Tottori Castle. They have not yet attacked the castle town west of Tottori Castle, but the people in the castle town have long since
Worried about the chaos, they fled. Both the Hashiba Army and the Akechi Army detached part of their troops to control the newly-conquered Mimasaku and Tajima States, so they could not come with their entire armies.
"This castle is really high." After Asahina set up camp, he led Ukita Hachiro to a small high ground in the camp and looked at Tottori Castle.
"Father is right there..." Ukita Hachiro pointed to the "son" flag flying at the top of Tottori Castle, "That's the flag of the Ukita family."
"Well... for such a dangerous city, there will probably be a bloody battle in the future." Asahina Taihei glanced at Ukita Hachiro, sighed, and then said something that seemed a bit weird from his standpoint, "I hope your father will be safe and sound."
Let’s do it.”
"Do we have to fight?" Ukita Hachiro pursed his lips very uneasily, "A lot of people will die... I still have many uncles I know in there... Why do we have to fight?"
"Because the purpose of the Oda family's expedition is to eliminate the subordinates of the Maori family." Asahina Taihei sighed again. Not long ago, Oda Nobunaga sent a new order, approving Hashiba Hideyoshi's betrayal of the Oda family by the Japanese army.
, reported in favor of the Mori family, announced that the Nishi Army had been deprived of its territory, and at the same time asked Hideyoshi Hashiba, Mitsuhide Akechi and Yu Qiupei to eliminate the Yamano family, the Uki family, the Urakami family, and the Nizi army, which were the four stubborn families.
"But we have never provoked the Oda family..." Ukita Hachiro still maintained the same point of view as in the last argument.
"Troubled times are not a place for reasoning... But in fact, what the Oda family did was right. Our Highness often said this." Asahina Taihei looked back at the maple bird horse seal fluttering in the wind, "The troubled times have been more than a hundred years.
Years have passed, when will this war end? After all, it is the people who suffer. If the world can be pacified as soon as possible and the war can be ended, the people can live and work in peace and contentment. However, the process of pacifying the world will definitely require sacrifices. The Oda family is now
He’s doing something like this.”
"Ah... It seems to make sense... If we can never fight again..." Ukita Hachiro took a deep breath and shook his head, "But I still hope that you can't take down Tottori Castle, so that my father and other uncles
You can survive.”
"It's very difficult. It's really difficult to hold on. We have tens of thousands of elite soldiers here, and the leaders are all famous generals of the Oda family, while there are only tens of thousands of defeated soldiers in Tottori Castle." Asahina Taihei said frankly to Ukita Hachiro,
"Tottori Castle cannot be defended."
"If we really can't hold it, can I go and persuade him to surrender?" Ukita Hachiro suddenly tugged on the corner of Asahina Taihei's clothes and said, "I can definitely persuade my father to stop fighting. My eldest brother can go talk to His Highness Momiji.
Should he keep his father and others alive?"
"With the style of our Highness, he will definitely be merciful. But this is not the decision of our Highness alone. In the end, His Highness Yu Shiba and His Highness Akechi have the final say on the strategy of China, and the handling of the daimyo must also be done.
It has been approved by Oda-den." Asahina Taihei sighed in embarrassment, "But I will try my best to explain it for you."
"Great! Thank you, brother!" Although he only received a vague promise, Ukita Hachiro waved his hands excitedly as if he saw some great hope.
"Of course, you are my little brother." Although Asahina Taihei knew that this matter was difficult, looking at Ukita Hachiro's smile, he gritted his teeth and made up his mind to try his best no matter how difficult it was.
At this moment, Ranmaru Mori suddenly rushed over with a small team of people.
"Asahina-senpai, it turns out you are here!" Ranmaru Mori, who was sweating profusely with anxiety, hurried forward after seeing Asahina Taihei, "hurry up and take Lord Uki back to the main tent, His Highness is looking for you."
"What's so urgent?" Asahina Taihei asked Mori Ranmaru as he pulled Ukita Hachiro down the hill.
"I don't know, but it seems that someone from the Hashiba family is here." Mori Ranmaru responded honestly, but Asahina Taihei, who has always been insensitive to politics, naturally didn't notice anything.
·
After Asahina Taihei returned to the main tent with Ukita Hachiro, he immediately saw a familiar face - Kuroda Takaka. He was the military commander of the Hashiba family and had dealt with the Amaki family before. Asahina Taihei was the bodyguard of the Amaki family.
Naturally, I recognized him. Behind Takataka Kuroda were several guards of the Hashiba family, waiting in the main tent.
"Is this Master Uki?" Kuroda Takaka saw Asahina Taihei leading a young man in, and he asked Yu Qiupei to confirm.
"Exactly." Yu Qiuping nodded.
Kuroda Takagao frowned upon seeing this, looking very dissatisfied. Yu Qiuping understood that he felt that the security measures at Yu Qiu's family were too loose.
"In that case, let us leave it to us. Thank you His Highness Hongye and the Yuqiu family for capturing the master Ukida for us." Kuroda Takagao bowed to Yuqiu, and then led the people towards Ukita Hachiro. Ukita
Hachiro was frightened by their momentum and hurriedly hid behind Asahina Yaihei. Asahina Yaihei was a little anxious when he saw this. He stretched out his hand to stop Ukita Hachiro and said in a deep voice: "Kuroda-sama, what do you want to do?"
"Oh? Didn't His Highness Momiji tell you before?" Kuroda Takagao turned around and looked at Amakihei, then looked at Asahina Taihei and said, "Our Hashiba family is responsible for the order of the national strategy in the Sanyo Road area. The young master of the Uki family
Naturally, the master should be handed over to the Hashiba family."
"Your Highness?" Asahina Taihei was stunned when he heard this, and then he crossed over to Kuroda Takataka and confirmed to Amakihei.
"The rules of the Oda family are indeed like this, just like the hostages of the Chosogabe family were sent to us before." Ame Qiupei sighed and explained to Asahina Taihei apologetically.
"Well..." Asahina Taihei was not an unreasonable person. He knew that the matter at this point could not be solved by just making a fuss, so he put down his hand a little lonely, turned around and looked at Ukita Hachiro with a very apologetic look. Ukita Hachiro was worried about Asahina.
Taihei blamed himself, hurriedly squeezed out a smile, and said to Asahina Taihei, "Brother! It's okay! If the survival of the Uki family is decided by His Highness Hashiba, I really should go to the Hashiba family!"
"Ah..." Asahina Taihei touched Ukita Hachiro's head with some distress, then glanced at the dark-faced Kuroda Takaka and others, and said to Ukita Hachiro very vigilantly, "If someone bullies you over there, you should
Come to Big Brother, Big Brother will vent your anger!"
"Don't worry, big brother! I won't be bullied! I won't embarrass big brother!" Ukita Hachiro smiled again at Asahina Taihei, then bowed deeply to him, and whispered: "Thank you for taking care of me.
!”
After finishing speaking, Ukita Hachiro walked towards Kuroda Takataka. Asahina Taihei subconsciously wanted to hold the corner of his clothes, but his hand was still weak and he put it down. He watched Kuroda Takataka signal to several of his men to trap him with ropes.
Ukita Hachiro's hand led him towards the outside of the tent. The rope was tied very tightly, and Ukita Hachiro's wrists had red marks, but Ukita Hachiro pursed his lips and remained silent.
When he walked to the door of the tent, Ukita Hachiro finally turned around and smiled at Asahina Taihei. Asahina Taihei also tried his best to squeeze out a smile and gave him a thumbs up.
·
After Ukita Hachiro was taken away, Asahina Taihei, who seemed to have lost his soul, was stunned for a long time before he realized that he was still in Ame Qiupei's tent.
"Your Highness." He looked at Yu Qiuping anxiously, "Will I have a chance to see Ba ​​Lang again in the future?"
"Yes. You are my bodyguard. If I can see him, you can see him." Yu Qiuping responded matter-of-factly, "If the Ukita Nao family dies, Ukita Hachiro will be the only heir to the Ukita family. As a
The heirs of the daimyo level will definitely be sent to Kyoto to be controlled. There are also some ceremonies that require them to attend on weekdays. When I go there, you will be able to see him."
"Isn't it... that we only see each other once in a long time?" Asahina Taihei asked in a low voice after thinking for a while.
"These are troubled times, and being able to meet again is already a blessing among misfortunes. Who can guarantee that an ordinary farewell is not a farewell?" Yu Qiuping smiled bitterly and hammered his head in frustration, "I have countless
I regret for the first time that I did not cherish the last meeting with the late House Governor... He obviously told me this truth. The same goes for my father-in-law. Although I had a premonition at that time that the separation might be forever, but
Still haven’t said goodbye properly…”
"Then...didn't I say goodbye to Hachiro just now?" Asahina Taihei said with some frustration after he realized what he was doing.
"Well, you're okay. You're both still young. There should be opportunities to meet again in the future." Yu Qiupei avoided looking at Asahina Taihei, waved his hand and said, "Go and call Mr. Sanada over for me."
·
Shortly after Asahina Taihei left, Sanada Masayuki quickly came to the main tent, "Your Highness, you called me?"
"What do you think..." Yu Qiuping did not give in, but said straight to the point in a low voice, "Does His Highness Yu Chai want a living Yuxi master, or a dead Yuxi master?"
Chapter completed!