On the official road between two mud fields in Okinada, Chosomegabe Motochichi covered the right half of his cheek in despair, and retreated on foot following the flow of people under the cover of his guards. Just now he was commanding from a horse, but he was almost ambushed in the mud fields.
The Shimazu Army iron gunner inside was killed with one shot - just before that, he looked helplessly at the vanguard general of the Chosoga Army - Kira Chisada, the younger brother of Chosoga Motochinchi - who was a hundred meters in front of him.
, was sniped to death by Shimadzu army iron gunners who emerged from the straw pile. It was the death of his younger brother that reminded Choso Gabe Motochika, who hurriedly turned over and dismounted, and then escaped the disaster——
A lead bullet flew just past his face, shattering his helmet and scratching his brow bone.
The first reaction of Choso Gabe Motochika, who loved his brother deeply, was to rush over and kill the Shimazu army to avenge his brother. Years of battlefield experience told him that there were not many iron gunners ambushing in the mud fields on both sides, and the enemy's
The main force is still behind the wooden fence on the front. As long as it can break through the wooden fence, it is possible to break the situation. But the terrain of Okinawa is really bad. A large number of swamps and winding roads make the army formation crowded and scattered, making it difficult to concentrate the troops for an assault.
.And the sound of gunfire and bullets coming from all directions can easily make the Ashigaru mistakenly believe that they are surrounded by ambushes. In this crowded terrain, once the morale is messed up, it will be fatal.
Judging that the situation could not be dealt with, Choso Gabe Motochichi decisively ordered the flag bearer to retreat. If he rushed forward without hesitation at this time, the chaotic army would only become a living target for the Shimadzu army's iron gunners in the crowded quagmire, and the defeated army would be defeated.
It may even turn back to the well-established troops behind them. Once the Shimazu army counterattacks, the entire army will collapse. It seems that Yu Qiuping has also realized the same problem, and the Maple Bird Horse Seal in the distance is also giving orders to retreat.
"Retreat. As long as we can retreat and hold on to our position, there is nothing the Shimadzu army can do against us." Motochichi Nagasogabe had roughly understood the Shimadzu army's tactics at this moment, "Shimazu Yoshihiro's surprise attack team
Is it just a bait to lure the enemy into an ambush? Has Shimazu Army seen through all of this from the beginning? Even the false surrender of our Chosou Gabu family..."
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"Well, I almost lost my life."
At this moment, Shimazu Yoshihiro, who had gone through all kinds of hardships to escape back to the Shimazu military position, wiped the blood on his neck with a piece of cloth he picked up from nowhere, and said to Shimazu Noiku who was waiting again, "Brother.
Where are you and your fourth brother?"
"Brother is sitting in Moridake Castle. Iehisa is commanding the iron artillery team behind the fence. The counterattack is about to begin." Shimazu Noihisa clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the battle situation in the north. "Thanks to my second brother, I was able to watch tens of thousands of troops before their eyes."
Escape from under the bed and lure the enemy into the fields. As expected, only you can use the bait to catch the wild beasts."
"What, you weren't the one who took the lead in this battle? Wasn't this fraud and defeat planned by you? I'm just a warrior on a mission." Shimazu Yoshihiro laughed and stretched.
He raised his arm, and then patted Shimazu's thin shoulder hard, "I've seen through the double-act counter-intention plan of the Chosougabe family and the Miyoshi family. I really don't know what's in your mind. I'm not hiding any of this."
Pass you."
"Yuqiu Hongye is so good at imperial service, how could he make the mistake of letting two important foreign ministers turn against each other one after another?" Shimazu Niejiu sneered, then shook his head and said, "The strategy itself is a good one, but like this
The omissions are not at all like Yuqiu Hongye’s behavior. From this perspective, everything can be easily solved."
"But this time, the fishing trip didn't seem so perfect." Shimazu Yoshihiro squinted his eyes and felt that the sun was a bit dazzling, so he covered the sun with his hands and looked into the distance, "Although the front lines of the Miyoshi Army and Choso's army
The army suffered a devastating blow, but they have already begun to retreat. The Red Leaf Army did not even go deep into the Okita border, and the situation where the defeated troops continued to roll back and exacerbate the chaos did not appear as you imagined."
"Yuqiu Hongye uses his troops cautiously. He will naturally be wary when seeing such terrain. However, he is already at the end of his game, and I still have some backup plans." Shimazu pursed his lips nonchalantly, and then turned to Hatamoto behind him.
The guard made a gesture. After receiving the order, the guard immediately left and ran to the bonfire that had been prepared in the back to light a fire.
"It's really ironic. It's just a stone in the foot." Shimazu said very harshly, "In order to deceive us, our ninjas can smoothly fight with the Miyoshi family, the Chosougabe family and the Yuqiu family who pretended to surrender.
After communicating with informants, the Yuqiu family removed all the ninjas who were monitoring themselves and their friendly forces. The consequences of this are beyond their control."
"The trees that are beautiful in the forest will be destroyed by the wind." Shimazu said each word slowly, as if he was a judge reading out the final judgment, coldly and decisively, "There is no daimyo in the world who wants to see the Oda family dominate the world.
, there is no daimyo in Kyushu who is willing to see outsiders running wild here. The power of the Oda family and Uqiu Momiji has subdued many people, making countless opponents who are ready to move afraid to start an uprising. But once the opportunity comes, no one will refuse it.
Let’s have a battle that overturns the Oda family and the Yuqiu family.”
"Third brother, haven't you been sending envoys to have secret talks with Ryuzouji Takanobu? How about it?" Shimazu Yoshihiro leaned on the wooden post and asked with a yawn.
"The negotiation went unexpectedly smoothly, thanks to the Yuqiu family's Military Intelligence Division and Crow who evacuated the ninjas." Shimazu Noihisa sneered again, "But Ryuzoji Takanobu is really tactful and refuses to give us life or death.
He has made a clear commitment, but has always emphasized that he will act according to the opportunity. But now, we have created a good enough 'opportunity' for him. Uqiu Hongye led the army to pursue the narrow Okita border, and the way out has been blocked by our Shimadzu army.
Death. As long as Ryuzoji Takanobu on the back road turns back and cuts off the retreat, Yuqiu Hongye will be the turtle in the urn."
"Hizen-no-Kuma, it's time to make a decision. The life of Yuqiu Hongye is now in your hands. If you are not tempted by such an opportunity, wouldn't you be a Kyushu man in vain?"
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When Shimazu was lamenting, Tokawa Yumho was rejoicing that he survived the disaster. The Miyoshi family's former army where he was was ambushed by Shimadzu's iron gunners and fell into chaos.
They were trampled on and became the targets of the massacre by the Shimazu army. They suffered a devastating blow, and the samurai suffered particularly heavy casualties. Tokawa Tokawa was shot dead in the first round of volleys. He sat down and rolled to the ground, his right foot also injured.
After being hit by a projectile, the guards managed to snatch him away from the rebels, avoiding the fate of being trampled to death by their own people. At this moment, the guards of Shihe deposit were supporting him among the broken soldiers who were escaping towards the hills to the west.
Inside, he staggered back and evacuated.
"Hurry up, hurry up!" Toga Deho's guard captain turned his head and looked behind him from time to time to confirm where the Shimazu army, which had begun to counterattack across the board, was chasing them. "We must not catch up!"
"What's the situation like in the battle?" Because Shihe was injured, he couldn't take a personal lookout, so he had to ask his subordinates who climbed to the top of the tree.
"The front army has completely collapsed, but the family governor's hall has restrained his men and retreated, and the main force has not been lost! Changzong's family's side is a little worse than us, but they have withdrawn, and they have not been overwhelmed by the defeat of the defeated army! Zhibu
His Highness's army has also retreated, so fast! We have been given space to retreat, so it should be fine! His Highness Ryuzoji Temple should also retreat..."
The guard who was leaning on the tree trunk to look out at the situation was halfway through reporting the situation, but suddenly stopped. Shihe Zunbao and the guards who were supporting him were stunned when they saw this. They looked at the man on the tree and found that
He was stunned.
"What happened?" Shihe depository urged anxiously upon seeing this.
"Sir...Sir, this is strange!" The guard rubbed his eyes repeatedly as if he couldn't believe it. He stared wide-eyed for a moment before murmuring: "Not only did the Longzoo Temple army not retreat, but they crossed over.
After entering the main camp of the Red Leaf Army, they continued to press towards Okita Banana...and...and..."
"And what?" Shihe Cunbao was so anxious that his voice changed its tone.
"And the Ryuzoji Army is already forming a formation! Forming against the Red Leaf Army!"
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When the Red Leaf Army was advancing southward, it always showed a "pin" shape, with Fujiu Bei and Liaoyuan Bei one to the west and one to the east. Wan Junbei, who was originally ambushing on the tidal flat, became the rearguard of the entire army after returning to the army, covering the entire army.
A large number of auxiliary troops from the Hongye Army and Yu Qiuping's headquarters.
However, not long ago, Kitahata Kageie, the captain of the Wanjun reserve team, suddenly received an order - asking him to secretly adjust his formation and be ready to counter attack at any time. Kitahata Kageie was confused, but the practice of the Red Leaf Army has always been
You must obey orders, so Kitahata Keike did not hesitate too much. However, in order to better understand the mission, Kitahata Keike still raised a question to the staff: "Who is the enemy?"
Now, Kitahata Kageie looked at the Ryuzoji Army who refused to obey Yu Qiupei's retreat order on the back road and instead laid out the battle formation to the Momiji Army, and he understood in his heart.
"Did the Ryuzouji Army actually betray us... It's unbelievable." Kitahata Kageie shook his head, and then looked back at Maple Bird Horse Seal, "What's even more unbelievable is that His Highness had expected it in advance?
If the rebellion of the Ryuzouji Army was already expected, why did they attack today? Did they give up the camp that contained so much food, grass and baggage to the Ryuzouji family in vain?"
However, although there were doubts in his heart, Kitahata Keike unwaveringly put them behind him and concentrated on the task in front of him - this is also the practice of the Hongye Army. From top to bottom, every soldier believes in Yu Qiupei and the staff.
This is the trust earned through 20 years of pride and hardship.
"Form up! Cover our friendly forces and headquarters!" Kitahata Kageie shouted and issued an order to his three companies. At the same time, he told the messenger, "Inform Rakihara Bei and Fushu Bei to prepare to send out the artillery team immediately.
Come to me!"
"The Ryuzoji Army has about 3,000 soldiers." Kitahata Kageie quickly weighed the situation while setting up the formation, "I have 1,500 soldiers here, and I can also get reinforcements from Rakihara Bei and Shoshu Bei. For the time being,
The Ryuzoji Army can be stopped. But if the Shimazu Army's tens of thousands of soldiers also rush out of Okita Bandai, the Momiji Army alone will not be able to support it. The Chosoga Army and the Miyoshi Army must stabilize the front.
, just keep them in the Okita nori." Thinking of this, Kitahata Keike took out his binoculars and looked to the south at the Okita nori battlefield - a dense flow of people were rolling northward, and it didn't look like they could organize a line of defense to stop them.
The appearance of the Shimazu Army. Even if the Shimazu Army is blocked with the help of Rakihara Bei and Shoshu Bei, there is no possibility of turning defeat into victory. Now the Hongye Army, Nagasune's Army, and the Miyoshi Army's camp are all occupied by the north.
The rebel Ryuzoji Army took it away, and they no longer had food and supplies, and the aggressive Shimazu Army was in the south. If they were trapped on the Shimabara Peninsula by a north-south attack, they would literally be "made dumplings" and could only wait.
starving.
"Let us report to His Highness and suggest that His Highness allow the army to evacuate from the sea. Since the Ryuzouji family of Hizen Province has rebelled, there is no need for us to stay on the Shimabara Peninsula." Kitahata Keiye ordered the messenger and asked him.
Paraphrasing his own opinion, "There are Awaji Navy and Mishima Navy on the Ariake Sea, so there is no problem in controlling the sea. Let the Navy carry us to evacuate, then we can regroup and return to Higo for a long-term plan."