10. Conspiracy
The right guard shouted: "I am a descendant of the Takeda clan, the grandson of Lord Nishina Morinobu, and my name is Nishina Nobutaka! My lord has granted me Kai, and I am determined to revive the Takeda family—this day that you, the loyal retainers of Takeda in the Hachioji Thousand-Man Team, have long awaited has finally arrived!"
Is that you, Brother Mingzhi? — Indeed, indeed, hurry and come help, we will share the credit.
Itadan Katsuzumi let out a long sigh, first casting aside his long sword and jumping off his horse. Upon seeing this, the various troops hastily abandoned their weapons, but only the Eight Princes' thousand-man unit remained unmoved
Jintaro believed that Feiyue was timid and shouted, "Do you want to escape?" He relentlessly lunged forward. Feiyue took a step back and skillfully thrust a knife, striking Jintaro's wrist. With a sound of "ding," the long knife fell to the ground
Kondo, do not harm the lord!" Shengcheng shouted loudly, and Nagasaku had no choice but to drop his weapon, while the 1,000-man team of Hachioji was also disarmed
Jin Tairang shuddered in fear and hurriedly stepped back. Over there, Mingzhi had already realized that Feiyue's swordsmanship was formidable, and even with the combined efforts of the two on their side, victory was unlikely. They dared not advance any further, yet it was also difficult to retreat, leaving them momentarily in a stalemate.
Please set out quickly, my lord. You can stay in Da Yue tonight and arrive in Kofu by noon tomorrow. As for the victory path, summon the various clans from Shinshu Matsushiro, Ueda, Matsumoto, and others for assistance, and you can gather an army of three thousand men to guard Kofu, ensuring absolute security.
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Jin Tairang shouted loudly, swinging his sword wildly, yet he couldn't even cut a single hair from his opponent. Just as he was filled with fear and trepidation, unable to withdraw, suddenly a savior appeared
"You have good judgment, quickly lay down your weapon and surrender!" Mingzhi executed a series of three swift strikes, but each was deftly parried by Feiyue.
I am still engaged in battle with the enemy; it is not advisable for you, General, to venture into dangerous territory. I kindly request that you return to Hachioji first, and once the vile bandits are eliminated, you may proceed to Kofu.
Although the local lords along the way had been informed by carrier pigeons long ago, 90% of the land in Wuzhou belongs to the Heavenly Territory, and there are no significant forces that could serve as a buffer. Along the journey, clans such as Shihu Muye, Komuro Ina, and Shiichi Matsudaira sent troops to escort, but the total number was less than 200, and their weaponry and equipment were in a dire state.
Just a little bit...
"Hello, what are you saying, so formal and pedantic?" "Today the Red Army raises its flag," the young man said with a serious expression, "From now on, we are no longer bandits, but warriors of the Red Army. How can a warrior not observe the etiquette of a warrior?"
After the meal, Itami Katsutaka entered to report: "The lord of the Kumagura domain, Torii Motoshige, has a letter to present to the shogun"
The general was dozing off in the carriage when he suddenly heard the words "military situation," which startled him into a shiver. He quickly leaned out and asked, "What happened? Are there bandits?"
From that day on, Wisen Shōfutaro and Usuda Kintaro became good friends. Three days later, both were simultaneously promoted to the position of Ashigaru group leaders
I do not know, but it certainly is not a good thing—Brother Mingzhi, have you made any gains
After the Battle of Kōfutai, several smaller skirmishes followed, including those at Shinozaki, Kameido, and Tomioka Hachiman Shrine. Kintarō Usuda, under the command of Arisawa Mitsunori, participated in all these battles and achieved considerable success. Notably, in the final battle at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, he pursued an enemy commander with a blue banner for over two miles, only to catch up at the side gate of the shrine, where he found that the commander had already been slain by a comrade.
Kondo Chosaku approached Katsumi: "Sir, the situation regarding Taniguchi is unclear, and the identities of these individuals are quite suspicious. I have sent someone to investigate, but they have not yet returned. However, returning to Hachioji first is indeed the best course of action"
The general took the letter without opening it and first asked, "Has Yuan arrived?" With thirty-five thousand stones of grain in Gucun and over eight hundred foot soldiers, he felt it was a guarantee
Hino nodded: "Did His Highness say that? ... ... It makes sense— but are we really going to send the general back to Edo?"
Upon arriving at Hachioji Village, the general was already famished. Unfortunately, aside from a bowl of plain rice, the few dishes of wild pickles presented were utterly unappetizing. Fortunately, Sanada Yukikaze, a retainer of the Komuro family, shot a wild pheasant, and the general ordered a soup to be made with it using the cooking pot he had brought, which allowed him to eat to some extent.
Everyone, stop! Put down your weapons.
Suddenly, a blaze of fire erupted beside the seat. One could hear the loud laughter of Jiu Lang from the other side, saying: "Everyone, stop! Are you trying to end the life of the general?"
After resting for half the night in Yongfu, we set off at dawn, anxious yet moving slowly until the hour of Chen. Near the residence, we finally encountered a ragged group.
"Dragon Ball, are you here to work with the books?"
Listen to me, "Kindaichi Ryomaru said calmly, "Lord Nishina, you wish to occupy Kai and revive the Takeda clan; Lord Hino aspires to achieve great things and leave a mark in history—yet my father and Lord Tsuchiya only seek revenge, and they will surely kill the general to vent their anger..."
A few bandits should have already been eradicated by the young ones
The one surnamed Mingzhi let out a clear shout and joined the battle with his sword drawn. Feiyue managed to evade his first two strikes, but ultimately had to draw her own sword to block the third strike: "Oh, the new style of the Kashima school? It seems you have put in a few years of effort."
The front team has turned into the back team; just as I turned my head, the sky had already darkened. Suddenly, countless shadows appeared on the hills to the left and right. Beso Jiro shouted: "What is happening?! Has Sanada Daisuke already defeated the Tanimura army?!"
Lord Torii has not yet arrived; this letter is brought back by Nagayasu, the son of Kondo Chosaku from the Hachioji Thousand-Man Team.
What?! Xinlong almost jumped up
What? There are still bandits?! The general was greatly astonished
Renke Xintaka was furious, raising his sword and declaring: "First, eliminate this general to thwart your ambitions!" Hino, who was using the alias Bie Suo Shilang, quickly intervened to stop him
Sheng Cheng was anxiously wondering where to spend the night when suddenly dozens of riders came galloping down the mountain road: "We are from the Yaguchi Village under the command of Lord Torii Ukyō, Bessho Jirō and Aoyama Uhei, and we have important military intelligence to report to the general!"
"Who on earth is that guy?" asked Akira to Kintaro.
And you want to take credit for it? He spat fiercely and picked up the enemy general's head
The other troops are already in the village, and it is only about thirty miles away. You should be able to arrive by noon. Please, General, go to the village first to rest and have a meal before proceeding to the command post. I have already instructed my son to lead a team ahead to scout the route and eliminate the bandits, ensuring a safe journey.
A young man jumped off the horse and said, "Your Highness has a secret decree; you all come with me"
Then, a hoarse voice of the general faintly came through: "Stop, stop! Put down your weapons..." Everyone was startled and turned around, only to see Bie Suo Shilang with one foot on the crossbar of the seat, his left hand gripping the general's shoulder, while his right hand held a sword against the general's neck: "Do you want to die? My lord, speak up a little louder!"
Alright, mhetushu.com. Let's first go to Bawangzi Village
"Kai will eventually be yours, so why the rush?" Hino shot him a glare, "The most important thing now is to stabilize Shinano—Ryūmaru, has His Highness decided on the location of the castle?"
Xin Long muttered, "I also want to kill that so-called Shogun."
As the torches multiplied, everyone finally realized that the enemy numbered only about three to four hundred, and they were filled with regret. Qingshan Yobee approached the seat of the general with a hearty laugh, leaning close to the general's ear and saying loudly, "We are the mountain bandits of Xinzhou, ha ha ha, but who is our chief strategist? You would never guess..."
The general's expression darkened as he opened the letter, but then he smiled again: "Yuan Chong said that all the mountain bandits along the way have been completely eradicated, and the road to Jiafu is clear and unobstructed—excellent, excellent"
Jin Tairang was suddenly startled, his whole body breaking out in a cold sweat. He stiffened his neck to look over, and it turned out to be a wandering swordsman in blue, with a simple tachi sword sheathed at his waist
Kintaro let out a sigh, secured the severed head he had picked up at his waist, and raised his blood-stained long sword: "What is this? Dare to be disrespectful to the samurai lord!"
The young Kindaichi Ryumaru let out a "hmph" and replied, "First, Your Highness, you must release the general..."
Your words are indeed true. Command the troops to turn back
"Hachioji Thousand-Man Team, Kondo Chosaku, pays respects to Your Excellency the General"
Other newly introduced characters include Hiyuzuki Soujirou (Lord Hiyuzuki Ukyou), Lord Sanada Yukikaze, and young brother Kindaichi Ryuumaru. Lord Sanada, in order to allow you to make an early appearance, let us first consider you as a retainer of the Komuro family, and later you can serve Aizu as a ronin. Young brother Ryuumaru, your name is Heibei, which seems somewhat inappropriate; perhaps adding a character like "Left" or "Right" in front would sound better.
Who is this person
The first major villain, Bota Kintaro (KING), makes another appearance; everyone is invited to throw rotten tomatoes in welcome. The second major villain is preparing to present to Akira Takahide (Taira no Kiyomori). Your Excellency, do you have any objections
"Impudent!" Jin Taro shouted, lunging forward with a knife aimed directly at him. Scarlet Moon slightly turned, deflecting the incoming blade with a palm: "Is this all you can do? As expected, you can only resort to ambushing your own people to claim credit."
The general trembled in fear
At this moment, countless dark figures had already rushed down from the slopes on both sides. The Eight Princes' thousand-man team fought bravely, but the surroundings were pitch black, making it impossible to determine how many enemies there were and which ones were actually the enemy. Additionally, the troops from various feudal lords and the shogunate forces were in disarray, causing chaos and confusion, making the battle extremely arduous.
Claiming to be the son of Sanada Yukimura, Daisuke has come today to seek the general's...
As arrows flew chaotically, the troops of various vassal states and the auxiliary forces were thrown into disarray, running about like headless flies. Chang, while waving his sword to deflect the arrows, shouted to his son, Liu Lang Changkang: "Hurry, hurry and protect the general!"
I am Feiyue Zongci Lang, a licensed practitioner of the Myojin Batto-ryu. The other party, with arms crossed and without drawing their sword, asked with a smile, "Samurai, do you intend to kill me to silence me?"
It has been decided, at the Kaijun Pavilion
Sheng Cheng rode his horse to the edge of the carriage: "Your Majesty, let us return to Prince Ba first."
Feiyue smiled faintly, sheathed her sword, and turned to leave. She walked a distance of one arrow's flight before the two warriors let out a sigh of relief, immediately feeling their bodies weaken, and involuntarily sat down on the ground
Upon seeing the more than 500 individuals, although their demeanor was fierce and their weapons gleamed, their attire was tattered and they lacked proper etiquette, the general's heart sank considerably. However, as Kondo Nagamoto had come to protect the emperor, he had no choice but to lean out of the carriage and greet them: "Thank you for your hard work... Why are there only so few of you?"
On April 23, the Uesugi army advanced to the eastern suburbs of Edo. The following day, General Iemitsu, accompanied by over 600 infantry and cavalry led by the surveying official Itami Katsuzumi, quietly left Edo at night and headed towards Hachioji in Musashi-Tama
The general nodded, feeling much more at ease: "Alright, I will rest for a while and depart at 4:00."
Hehe, a sudden cold laugh echoed from not far away, "What a disgrace to the Uesugi family!"
The general's midday rest lasted until 2:30 PM. At 3:45 PM, the troops set out on their journey, moving intermittently along the way, and only arrived at Xiaofotang when it was already dark.
Unfortunately, by this time, it had been a long time since the fall of the Takeda clan, and very few of the Takeda loyalists still harbored feelings for their former country. Moreover, the grandson of Nikaido Morinobu, despite his loud proclamations, had no evidence to support his claims, and thus no one engaged with him.
"Xinglong, Longwan makes a valid point." Rihino handed the general over to his subordinates, then pulled Renke Xinglong along as he followed the young man towards a secluded area
Upon hearing the name "Sanada Yukimura," the soldiers at www.hetushu.com were so frightened that their legs went weak: "What... what should we do..."
At this moment, a rider galloped from afar: "Renke Xinlong, Hino Muko, His Highness has issued a decree!"
Shengcheng rode forward and said: "I am the one tasked with conveying the military situation to His Majesty, and I will relay any matters regarding the army."
At the foot of the rolling saddle at Biesuo and Qingshan, they reported loudly: "This afternoon, hundreds of soldiers and horses suddenly appeared in the Dayue area, blocking the road. Our side sent troops to encircle and suppress them, but they returned in defeat. The leader of that group claims to be..."
No, let Edo deal with Uesugi. He will become the target of everyone's criticism. Send the shogun back to Junfu, allowing him to continue rallying the various lords to attack Uesugi. Additionally, immediately withdraw the troops and escort the captives back to Shinshu; we will take Kai later.
Kintaro's anger surged from his heart. Taking advantage of the moment when his colleague mentioned the enemy general's severed head and was celebrating joyfully, he approached and struck a knife directly at the back of his head, splattering blood all over himself
The Red Army has finally raised its flag, Renke (Takeda), Hino, and Kindaichi, your roles will increasingly expand from now on, so look forward to it
"Bota, what are you doing?" a fellow samurai ran over, "Is this a retainer disguised as a ronin?"
Liulang responded with a sound, leading a few individuals to push through the chaotic soldiers, charging towards the general's seat. In the darkness, a voice was heard shouting: "What is happening? The Eight Princes' thousand-man team has rebelled! They are trying to seize the sovereign!"
He spoke slowly and deliberately: "It is the great Sanada Yukimura, who has returned from the dead!"
Feiyue chuckled and launched an attack to drive the two back: "I am traveling through the various kingdoms, seeking the true essence of swordsmanship— as for you two, you are not worthy to engage with me. Hey, that samurai over there, I won't meddle in your affairs, so please let me be"
"Who is spreading rumors?" Chang Kang rushed towards the sound, only to see Qing Shan You Bing Wei chopping down a soldier from the curtain army, then turning to him with a strange smile. "So it's you..." Before he could finish his sentence, You Bing Wei swung his blade: "What about the one who wielded the Earth Store King’s Demon-Breaking Staff? Hasn't he come?"
"Hey, is that enough?" With a dismissive wave, Ren Kexin Long stopped in his tracks and deliberately spoke in a pretentious manner, "Please trouble Lord Kintian Yi to convey the order."
What, Xinlong became anxious, "My Kaif..."
Kindaichi Ryomaru continued, "The general is dead, which is not beneficial for our Red Army. In that case, Uesugi will firmly occupy the Kanto region, and there will be no one to restrain his power"