In the early morning of April 16, the ninth year of Tensho (1581), after persistent searches by the ninjas of the Oda family, the Ito family, and the Sagara family, they finally discovered traces of the 20,000 friendly troops whose destination was unknown—the target was the Aso family of Kitahigo.
The Aso family originally sent troops to Bungo Province's Oka Castle to contain the Otomo family's partial force, but they did not want to become the main target of the Otomo army's attack.
"The information has been reported to His Highness Aso. His Highness Aso should ask Kai-sama who went to Bungo to return to the army immediately." Ito Yisuke took the intelligence he had just received and called the guards for a meeting in the middle of the night.
Sawaki Yoshiyuki and others reported the report. The Kai-sama he spoke of was none other than Kai Zongyun, the mainstay of the Aso family. It was thanks to his strategizing that the weak Aso family was able to survive in the face of the intimidation of the Kyushu powers and the Yuqiu family.
.
"The Aso family only has more than 6,000 people at full count. The Bungo troops left behind by the Otomo family have 4,000 people, plus the 20,000 people who returned..." Sawaki Yoshiyuki glanced at Ito Yisuke, and then said with a bitter smile.
, "I estimate that the combat power of Asu's army is about the same as yours. How can we stop the big friendly army?"
"Your Highness is joking, there is no weaker army in Kyushu than our Ito family." Ito Giyuu replied confidently in a low voice, which almost made Sawaki Yoshiyuki laugh.
"No matter what, we have to support them. We have to hold on until the Momiji Army arrives." Yoshiyuki Sawaki patted the map of Kitahigo heavily, "Since the Otomo Army has left, we will immediately raise troops.
Passing through the Sagara family's territory in Minamihi, we rushed to Hokuhigo to support the Aso family."
"Your Highness Sawaki, please wait a moment." Motochika, the Chosogabe, suddenly pressed his hand on the map, but the one he pressed was the Hyuga Kingdom in the lower right corner of Sawaki Yoshiyuki's hand, "Don't forget
, there are still 10,000 people from the Dayi Army left here, we should leave one of them to assist in the defense no matter what."
"The Sagara Army and Ito Army combined have 8,000 people, not to mention that Takagi hasn't been lost yet, so they don't need us." Sawaki Yoshiyuki shook his head matter-of-factly.
"You need it, you need it, Your Highness! We can't stop it at all!" Yisuke Ito immediately took over eagerly and looked at Yoshiyuki Sawaki with a very aggrieved look, which almost made the latter sick.
"And Your Majesty Sawaki, there is one more thing you need to pay attention to." Miyoshi Yoshiki also took a step forward at this time, and gestured with his hands respectively the road where the Otomo Army walked from Hyuga Country to Kitahigo and the road where Oda reinforcements walked to Kitahigo.
Road, "After the Otomo Army goes to Hokkiho, they can first take a spacious official road along the coast, and then take a flat mountain road from the county seat to Takachiho, which can be reached in 2 days. And when we want to go to Hokhigo, we pass by
The land is full of rugged mountain roads, and it will take about 4 days just to walk there. The Otomo Army is much faster than us. If we leave with the whole division, the Otomo Army will turn around and rush towards Hyuga Country again after seeing us.
It’s too late to come back.”
"I understand. Since our march is not as good as that of the Great Friendly Army, if we follow him, we will be mobilized back and forth, and we will be exhausted. So it is better to leave one unit here to defend, and the main force to go to Beifeihou wholeheartedly, and there will be no worries."
Sawaki Yoshiyuki agreed with Miyoshi Yoshihiro's suggestion, but still looked at him with some suspicion, "What's going on with His Highness Miyoshi? Why would you support His Highness Chosou's suggestion?"
"In the face of a powerful enemy, even if you have personal grudges, you should put official duties first." Miyoshi Yoshihiro replied very sincerely, "Isn't this also the teaching of His Highness Sawaki?"
"You're right." Yoshiyuki Sawaki seemed to be quite pleased with the flattery. He nodded slightly, and then gave Chosogabe Motochin a white look, "You still haven't learned how to criticize others." Chosogabe Motochin heard this.
He snorted coldly and didn't answer.
"Then we will arrange for one of the troops to stay and cooperate with the Ito family and the Sagara family to defend Gaocheng. Even if a whole army of 30,000 friendly troops comes, it will be enough to hold on for a while..." Ryo Sawaki was halfway through his words, but suddenly he began to ponder.
What he is considering is who should be left to take charge of the Hyuga Kingdom. In his personal judgment, the next main battlefield should be in Hohigo, so he definitely wants to bring Mori Koron, who is more reliable and will definitely obey his command, with him.
But if you take Mori Kotak along with you, you will need to leave one of Miyoshi Yoshihiro and Nagasogabe Motochika in Hyuga Country - but Sawaki Yoshiyuki is worried about the two of them, worried that no one will watch this.
It wasn't long before the two of them surrendered to the Oda family, so they might be passive and sabotage. After all, the port of Hyuga country is also very important, and it is uneasy to leave all defense to a few non-Oda clan daimyo.
"Kotaka, you can lead your troops to stay. The Ito family and the Sagara family are also under your command." Sawaki Yoshiyuki finally decided to keep Mori Kotaka.
"Me? Your Highness?" Sen Kelong felt slightly uneasy after receiving the order, and whispered under the light of the fire, "Your Highness, it hasn't been long since I took charge of the troops, and it is already a bit difficult to lead these 6,000 people. Now we have to let others go."
It’s really hard for me to take charge of three armies on my own..."
"It's okay, we don't need you to fight in the field. When the enemy comes, just retreat into the high city." Sawaki Yoshiyuki laughed and patted Mori Kolong on the back twice, "You have been following Momiji for so many years, Momiji
That unparalleled 'turtle shell' has learned something, right? It's okay, everyone has to command troops for the first time, be confident! Isn't this my first time commanding four soldiers, uncle? I don't have any stage fright.
Ah! Don't embarrass your father. Your father always says 'yes' loudly when he receives a task, and he is not afraid of difficulties!"
"Yes! Your Highness!" Ryoyuki Sawaki's words to encourage Mori Katsuyuki were obviously very useful. Mori Koron gave a straight military salute to Ryo Sawaki with the military salute of the Red Leaf Army, and then turned around to leave, "Then I'll do it right now.
Go get ready!"
"Your Highness Miyoshi, Your Highness Chosoga, please follow me to support Hokuhigo. Go back and assemble the troops. We will set off in the morning." Sawaki Yoshiyuki looked at Miyoshi Yoshihiro and Chosoga in the light of the fire.
Ben Motochan said, "The enemy is here, but please don't cause trouble for me."
·
After the meeting, Miyoshi Yoshihiro quickly returned to his station and called Miyoshi Nagaharu who was accompanying the army.
"Brother?" Miyoshi Nagaharu whispered nervously upon seeing this, "But what important military information has been reported?"
"His Majesty Sawaki has decided to lead the army to support Hokugo, leaving His Majesty Mori to assist in the defense of Hyuga Kingdom. He will set off this morning." Miyoshi Yoshihiro quickly wrote a summary of the intelligence on the paper, and then used the Miyoshi family's large seal
He was escorted, sealed and handed over to Miyoshi Nagaharu, "Arrange for someone to send it to His Highness Shimazu as soon as possible! Hurry!"
"Do you also want to send a copy to His Highness Otomo?" Miyoshi Nagaharu took the envelope and turned to go out. He didn't react until he left.
"Your Highness Otomo... go and send a message. I won't give him a signed letter." Miyoshi Yoshihiro thought about it quickly and then whispered in a low voice, "Hurry up, time is running out."
·
On the evening of April 20, the ninth year of Tensho (1581), after four days of long journey, the reinforcements of the Oda family arrived at Mifune Castle in Kitahigo, which was also the residence of Kai Soun. However, Kai Sounmasa led his troops in Higo
At the junction of Japan, Hyuga, and Bungo Kingdoms, they were resisting the Otomo Army, so the one who came to greet them was Kai Kanyei, the son of Kai Sounun.
"How is the situation on the front line?" As soon as Yoshiyuki Sawaki entered the city and had no time to rest, he hurriedly asked Kai Hideyoshi.
"The situation on the frontline is not bad. My father is holding fast at Takamori Castle. The Otomo Army has been besieging the city for two days and has not made any progress." After Kai Ying finished his first sentence, he suddenly realized something, "Your Highness Sawaki, the previous military situation
Have you received the notification?"
"What report?" Ryoichi Sawaki asked with a blank look.
"The Otomo Army that besieged Takamori Castle seems to have only about 15,000 people. The troops are led by Tachibana Michyuki, and the whereabouts of about 10,000 troops led by Takahashi Shoun are unknown." Kai Ying said nervously, "I don't know if they will appear there.
where."
"Could it be that we went back to Hyuga? Fortunately, we left people in Takagi." Sawaki Yoshiyuki took a deep breath with some fear, "Including the 10,000 people stationed by Kadokawa, there are only 20,000 people. With Koron here, in a short time
No problem. Even if we receive an emergency letter, it will still be too late to return."
"Compared to this, it seems that the situation on Hizen Province's Shimabara Peninsula is more dangerous." Kai Ying pointed to the west in the distance. From Mifune Castle's towering castle tower on the mountain, you can vaguely see the island across the Ariake Sea.
The original peninsula.
"The Shimadzu Army had occupied the Amakusa Islands that had been abandoned by your army a few days ago, and then, under the cover of the navy, further attacked the Shimabara Peninsula. His Highness Arima saw the ferocious Shimazu Army and wanted to continue north.
However, your army's Konishi-sama asked for defense on the coast, and a quarrel broke out. As a result, the withdrawal was not successful, and the defense on the coast was not perfect. The Shimadzu army successfully landed yesterday. Information came at noon today that the Japanese
Zhie City has been surrounded by Shimazu's army, and it may not be able to hold on for long."
"Sure enough... there are still too few people." Sawaki Yoshiyuki clenched his fists and waved a few times in frustration, "Where are the reinforcements from the Ryuzoji family?"
"This..." Kai Hideyoshi was a little embarrassed when he heard this, and the way he hesitated to speak made Sawaki Yoshiyuki suspicious, so he asked aggressively, "What's going on?"
"I'm really sorry. My lord had sent an urgent request for help to His Majesty Ryuzoji because he was worried about the Otomo army invading Hokage. His Majesty Ryuzoji had already assembled troops to support the Shimabara Peninsula, but because of our
The Su family changed its direction after asking for help, and instead attacked Yanagawa Castle in Chikugo Province, trying to force the friendly forces to return for reinforcements to share the pressure." Kai Ying lowered his head very apologetically, and whispered uneasily, "Then what happened to you?
I have also seen that the Otomo Army's attack on Higo Kingdom seems to be just a feint attack. His Highness Ryuzoji made a wasted trip and missed the opportunity to fight. We have already sent people to inform His Majesty Ryuzoji, but even now, His Majesty Ryuzoji
If we rush back to support the Shimabara Peninsula, we probably won’t be able to save Hinoe Castle in time.”
After hearing this, Yoshiyuki Sawaki couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. None of these small names in Kyushu were really reliable, and they were trying their best to make it more difficult for the Oda family's reinforcements. The enemy was currently having a banquet, and the enemy slipped away under his nose without doing any reconnaissance.
Chapter completed!