6. Fierce Battle at the Foot of Kumano Mountain

A month later, the situation in Kyushu had basically stabilized. The five families, including the Shimazu, divided the Kyushu territories, except for the Fukuhara domain. Shōryū granted 14,000 koku of the original territory near Ōmura to Masatada as a reward for his previous contributions; meanwhile, Ogasawara Yasunaga finally established a firm foothold in northern Kyushu.

A clever plan! Qingfeng nodded, "As long as the mouse catches a whiff of the sesame oil, it will definitely come out of its hole."

The war in the Eastern Kingdom has temporarily ceased, while the Western Kingdom is engulfed in smoke and flames. On October 28, Honda Natsuyoshi entered the capital and immediately dispatched messages. He first ordered the feudal lords of Imabari and Matsuyama in Iyo to cross the sea and attack the flank of the Mori clan. He then commanded the protective forces from the San'in and San'yō regions, including Ikeda, Sakakibara, Mori, and Matsudaira, to gather at Iwami Hyōden by the end of the year in preparation for an attack on Mori's ally, Kamei Takamune.

In this way, how about ... ... "Jingxing suddenly stopped shaking his head, "We can give him another try ... ... "

What should we do? Zheng Zhi looked at Yi Long and said, "If this continues, it will not end well."

In the middle of the month, the two powerful clans of Oshu finally engaged in battle. The commander of the Yu army was Murakami Yoshitaka, who took over as the clan's chief inspector after the death of Kaki-zaki Nagatomo. The commander of the O army was Date Masamitsu, the chief elder of the Sendai clan and a relative of Masatiger.

However, Kang Chang's strength was only sufficient to defend the land fortresses. The anti-shogunate faction's navy had blocked all external communications from Bōshū, and the southern barbarian trade had completely fallen into the hands of Shimazu Katsura—this was the most troubling issue for the shogunate. Originally, the trade with Ming had already been monopolized by the Chinese Mōri clan, and now they had also lost the southern barbarian trade. Foreign merchant ships that used to travel between the Seto Inland Sea and places like Sakai and Namba have since vanished without a trace

The three individuals burst into laughter together

Yilong pondered for a long time. "I have no choice," he lowered his head, "please return to the main hall."

"Heaven," Yilong sighed half-jokingly and half-seriously, "I have always prayed for an equally matched opponent to appear, but why did you send someone stronger than me?"

"Alright," Yilong handed the empty bowl to the guard, "The jokes are over, and I've had my fill. It's time to think about how to approach the battle this afternoon."

Hori Masanari was waiting for him. Through the reconnaissance of the past few months by Kazuharu, Masanari had completely grasped the situation of the world as understood by mhetushu.com. Thus, Masanari summoned Yamauchi Heita Haruharu

The snow has melted, Zheng Cheng smiled as he looked out the window, "Uesugi has come out of the cave again"

The lord of the Hiroshima domain, Asano Nyudo Yume, had long been expelled to Iwakuni Castle by his retainers, such as Morikaku, Shiina, and Yumoku, who were secretly in league with the Mori clan. The internal conflict between the two sides had lasted for years, resulting in significant depletion of their respective strengths. On February 7, when the allied forces besieged Hiroshima, only over a thousand foot soldiers remained in the castle, along with fewer than eight hundred ronin who had gathered under Prince Anjin.

However, Zheng shook his head, saying, "I do not have enough troops at hand. The world is in chaos today, and we may have to face more than just Uesugi Norihiro as an enemy—if Date Masamune were willing to send troops to Yonezawa, it would be great."

Jian Sanlang entered Banko Castle through the water gate on the north side

The lord of the Fukugen Kokura Domain, Ogasawara Nagunari, was assassinated on his way to a banquet. His relative, Ogasawara Yasunaga, the lord of the Nakatsu Domain, who was ill, narrowly escaped disaster. Yasunaga was renowned for his wisdom and strategy in the western regions. Upon receiving the news of Nagunari's death, he immediately rushed to Kokura Castle despite his illness to take over the domain's administration

Qingfeng frowned: "The general has already issued a secret order to Ida, but this person has always been proud of his military power and is unlikely to..."

"We cannot win this war, but this battle may not be entirely without hope of victory," Takagiri Masanao encouraged his two colleagues, "The troops from Mutsu have come a long way and are weary; merely relying on numbers does not guarantee victory in battle."

Mouri Motonari was constrained by the four-country protective army and could only dispatch General Akakami Sōmoku Mitsuyasu with 800 cavalry to provide assistance. Mitsuyasu fought a splendid battle, successfully breaking through the encirclement and entering Hiroshima Castle, but it was merely a drop in the bucket.

He turned to Qingfeng: "There is not a single talent in the East Sea. I believe that even if Lord Okubo reorganizes the allied forces, it would merely be a minor calamity for Uesugi."

In the distance, two green bamboo flags were firmly wedged into the enemy formation. After a short while, it seemed that the central army of the enemy began to fall into disarray.

However, the small domain of 50,000 koku, the Tsunagawa and Yagami clans, could only muster 1,200 foot soldiers.

"One must take the initiative; constantly being on the defensive is futile, regardless of how advantageous the terrain may be." Zheng Zhi said slowly, with his arms crossed, as he spoke to the book.

He nodded decisively and said, "I will prepare it right away"

"No, there must be a gap," Zheng Zhi looked at Yi Long and said, "Let me give it a try"

is not

Jingxing habitually shook his head: "What was the Great Hall thinking at the time, to oppose the entire Eastern Kingdom with just its own strength? If there had been prior agreements with Xinfatian and Xinzhuang, at least we wouldn't be surrounded on all sides like this"

Masayoshi Okubo suggested that the general issue an order to Date Masatora of Sendai, commanding him to mobilize troops to Yonezawa to attack Uesugi. Masatora was hesitating when suddenly dark clouds filled the sky, and snow began to fall heavily. As a result, transportation between the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions was completely cut off. The Uesugi forces, having retreated into the castles of Kasugayama and Kakizaki after entering Echigo, managed to temporarily hold the last stronghold of Sakado Castle. The hastily assembled Tōkai allied forces scattered back to their home countries, leaving Matsudaira Hiroaki, who was pitifully besieged first by troops and then by heavy snow in Takahata, without external reinforcements and internal supplies, as if trapped in a jar. The Uesugi forces, having retreated into the castles of Kasugayama and Kakizaki after entering Echigo, managed to temporarily hold the last stronghold of Sakado Castle. The hastily assembled Tōkai allied forces scattered back to their home countries, leaving Matsudaira Hiroaki, who was pitifully besieged first by troops and then by heavy snow in Takahata, without external reinforcements and internal supplies, as if trapped in a jar.

It seems that the Demon King will make an appearance next time. Hahaha, everyone please look forward to it

The Shimazu clan annexed 21,000 koku from Tomioka and Hoda, the Saga Kuroda clan annexed 83,000 koku from Karatsu and Okubo, and the Kumamoto Hosokawa clan annexed 37,000 koku from Shimabara and Takari. Only the Kuroda and Arima allied forces suffered an inexplicable great loss

It turned out that while Ida's attention was being diverted by Takanishi Masanari on the right flank, Soya Kageyuki led a contingent of elite troops to launch a counterattack from the left flank.

Uesugi's forces in Yonezawa number only around 7,000, of which more than half are occupied in besieging Matsudaira Hiroaki at Takahata. Yoshitaka can only deploy over 3,000 infantry at Kumano Mountain, while opposite him stands Date Masamune's combined force of 9,000 infantry and cavalry.

Yilong nodded: "It is time." His right hand slowly raised. Suddenly, he paused again—two streams of people emerged from behind the mountain, bypassing the retreating Date army, and confronted Uesugi's assault team.

In the afternoon, the battle continued. The Date army launched successive charges, while the Uesugi army, ultimately limited in numbers, saw a significant reduction in their lethality compared to the morning, despite their advantageous terrain.

"General, the white flag is waving!" A guard called out in time, and Zheng Zhi turned his head to take another look, nodding: "Do not panic, retreat slowly."

Then what do you suggest we do?" Yilong spread his hands, "Should we call up the rear troops? To relax and allow Lord Hiraizumi to launch a flanking attack on our rear?"

Only rely on oneself, Qingfeng clenched his fist, it is necessary to find a good opportunity to maneuver around the area of Fantushan and attack the enemy's rear.

Yilong sighed, crouching down while leaning on his long sword: "That is of no use. Hori Masanari is the Uesugi of the Hokuriku region, and in the very first battle, we are facing such a formidable enemy. Alas—now we are also forced to fight against Date Masamune, who commands 560,000 koku. We cannot win this battle..."

Watching his distant figure fade away, Jingxing shook his head and said, "Is it really useful?"

"If the One-Eyed Dragon were still alive, what do you think would happen?" Zheng Cheng interrupted him with a smile, "He would definitely wait until the last moment to observe, or take the opportunity to eliminate the weaker forces around him—however, Zheng Hu, hm, what if I sell Toki to him?"

"Good," Yilong stood up and pointed his sword at the battle map spread on the ground, "Back then, Duke Jingsheng was unable to defeat Date Masamune. Today, we must avenge this grudge!"

In early March, Date Masamune finally dispatched troops to Yonezawa. The small lord Toki Hidetaka, who controlled 25,000 koku, was deceived by the Hori clan and opened the gates to the enemy, resulting in the complete incorporation of over 500 Yamayama troops by Date.

The turmoil has escalated to this extent, and it can no longer be ignored. In late October, the shogunate officially obtained an imperial edict to suppress the rebellion. The senior councilor, Ōkubo Masanari, gathered a coalition army of 13,000 from the Tokai region and advanced to Ueno, while another leader, Honda Natsuyoshi, remained in Kyoto to organize a comprehensive offensive against the Mōri.

As soon as the two sides made contact, the feudal lord Takamori Kamei was struck by an arrow and died. His brother, Takamori Rokei, led the remaining three hundred troops in retreat towards Hiroshima

The battle commenced at the hour of the snake. The feathered army had long occupied a favorable terrain, and the assaults by the armored army yielded little benefit. At noon, both sides sounded the gong to break for a meal, while simultaneously dispatching a small contingent to flank the enemy, attempting a surprise attack. However, both were ruthlessly annihilated by the opponent's tight defense.

"Look at my white flag being waved again, but it needs to be retracted immediately. Is that possible?"

"At least give it a try," Yilong squinted his eyes and said, "Otherwise, there will never be a chance of victory."

As soon as the words were spoken, a sudden commotion erupted among the Ida army, and a cloud of dust rose on the left side of the battlefield

In the end, it was Jingxing who broke the silence, shaking his head repeatedly: "I never expected that this guy still had a trick up his sleeve"

Father, let us also break through from the central army!" The eldest son, Taro Tokichi, shouted excitedly

On the high ridge of Yilong, witnessing countless bamboo balls and two feather flags retreating in succession, he could not help but feel a sense of secret joy

But finally, the opportunity arrived. Seizing a moment of weakness, Uesugi's main camp waved the white flag. Takanishi Masanari, who had been waiting impatiently, felt a surge of spirit, drew his long sword, and immediately, five hundred foot soldiers brandishing the bamboo sparrow flag charged down with great momentum.

However, the well-trained army quickly stabilized their formation, firmly holding their ground in the front while slowly encircling from both flanks. Zheng Zhi tightened the reins of his warhorse and turned to look back at his formation—there was complete silence, not a single sound. ... Gritting his teeth, he urged his mount forward once more ...

"This kind of frontal warfare will eventually wear us down," Jingxing shook his head

Jingxing shook his head: "Yida is very skilled in battle, with wave after wave of troops attacking, making it impossible to find a gap. How can we counterattack?"

The upheaval in the Nine Provinces has shaken the world

***

Daicheng Junzhong borrowed over a thousand foot soldiers from Kagoshima and Kurume, and in a single battle, he captured Chiku and forced its new lord, Matsudaira Yoshitsugu, to surrender. He then handed Chiku over to the Arima clan and marched southward, preparing to take possession of the Funai port granted to him by Shimazu Katsuhisa. However, he unexpectedly encountered a pincer attack from the allied forces of Ogasawara and Matsudaira, suffering a crushing defeat and nearly losing his life. He wept all the way back to Hizen in a state of disarray.

The Ida army was caught off guard and retreated in disarray. Masanari took the lead, charging straight into the enemy ranks, and swung his sword to cut down a banner of the Sendai domain, the Take-maru and the Two Feathered Sparrows. The Uesugi army shouted in fierce battle, and although they numbered only five hundred, they exuded the momentum of thousands.

The allied forces of the lords from Shanyin and Shanyang include 600 troops from Shijian Handa, 3,100 from Izumo Matsue, 2,000 from Beihou Fukuyama, 1,000 from Sanchi, 300 from Beizhong Songshan, 100 from Okada, 3,100 from Mimasaka Tsuyama, 4,000 from Bizen Okayama, 5,300 from Inaba Tottori, 1,300 from Harima Akashi, 2,000 from Himeji, 400 from Tanba Kameyama, 700 from Sasayama Hetushucomcom, and 600 from Fukuchiyama, along with 500 from the shogunate army, totaling 25,000 troops. Along with 500 from the shogunate army, the total comes to 25,000 troops

In mid-February, as the snow melted in the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions, the Uesugi army launched a full-scale offensive. The siege continued, with Sakado in Echigo, Takahata in Uzen, and Hiroshima in Aki.

The following year, namely the eighth year of the Kan'ei era, in January, shortly after the New Year, war broke out

The combined territories of the Okazaki and Nakatsu domains amount to 230,000 koku, with over 5,000 infantry and cavalry. They not only resist the nearly 10,000 troops from the Kuroda clans of Fukuoka, Akizuki, and Tōrenji to the west, and block the 4,000 troops from the Kurume Arima domain to the south, but also take the opportunity to seize the coveted Funai Port, which all the neighboring domains have long desired.

Zheng Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood: "It must be that fellow Jingxing playing tricks again." The long sword was raised once more. The Uesugi army steadied their retreat and prepared to charge again.

Zheng Zhi laughed and said: "Are you suggesting to Date that he should withdraw his army, leaving only three thousand men to compete with you one-on-one, to see who is stronger and who is weaker? I can act as the messenger"

Quickly! The Yilong army fan drew an arc near the shoulder and swung back, "Quickly wave the flag, retreat the troops!"

Write with all your might, write, write, write, in order to allow all the friends who have registered to take the stage as soon as possible—however, is there no hope for friends to play the original characters? For example, Murakami Yoshitaka's son, Toraichi—he will have a significant role in the future

Zheng Zhi and Jing Xing were covered in sweat and blood as they returned to the formation to meet Yi Long. The three of them exchanged glances, and for a long time, none of them could utter a word

Almost simultaneously with the bloodshed at the Tianji Pavilion involving Matsudaira's confidants, the armies of Shimazu, Kuroda, Hosokawa, Koizumi, and Arima had already advanced into the completely unprepared territories of the various clans, which were in disarray due to their heads either going missing or being assassinated while on their way to the banquet.

Hmm, Yilong pondered for a moment, "You take five hundred elite soldiers and wait on the right side of the formation. There is a slope there, perfect for a charge... Unfortunately, I do not have cavalry—when you see the white flag of my formation waving, charge out immediately."

This is suicide! Yilong's deputy commander, Takana Masanari, and Suyeo Kageyuki both shook their heads

"This Idafei, "" Yilong muttered while scooping up the rice porridge, "" really has a way about it. ""

No, Yilong's right hand, which tightly gripped the military fan, remained motionless by his knee. "Wait a little longer."