7. Chaos Dragon Flag

"Yes," replied Futen Takashi, who was in charge of internal affairs, "there are over 10,000 stones of grain and more than 1,000 kan of money"

The sound of nearly a thousand cannons roaring almost drowned out the shouts and screams of everyone. After three days of preparations for the siege, the onslaught from Ida was exceptionally fierce. Yilong and the other two each guarded a gate, enduring from the morning of the third hour until the afternoon of the tenth hour, without a single drop of water or grain of rice, their legs growing weak from exhaustion

About fifty paces away on the watchtower, Bokuto Koiichiro was smiling as he slowly put away his firearm: "This is the second one—Rokuro, how is my marksmanship?"

"Kill!" With a swift swing of his long knife, Jingxing cleaved a guard in two. The Uesugi army surged in with a clamor, as dozens of Aizu soldiers fled in panic.

"Your Highness wishes to solicit donations from them?" Liu Lang interjected from the side

Jingxing led the charge, breaking into the city and heading straight for the main keep. However, suddenly, a deafening cannon blast rang out, and this valiant general of the feathered front was knocked off his horse, his face a bloody mess

On that night, three hundred disguised Uesugi soldiers gathered at the southern gate of Aizu: "Under the command of His Highness Okudaira of Utsunomiya in Shimotsuke, I, Kaneko Okikuni, have been ordered to assist in the defense of Aizu Castle. This is the decree of Lord Matsudaira of Izu, and the castle must already be aware of it. If there is any doubt, the joint document signed by Lord Matsudaira and Lord Yoshinaka is here for verification against the previous text."

"Yes!" Yamauchi Harukatsu replied succinctly

At the hour of the Goat, Harukatsu, who resided in the mountains north of the city, returned to Wakamatsu Castle. He brought with him the confirmed news of the deaths of Matsudaira Hiroaki and others, as well as the information regarding Takanishi Masanari's false orders and the cunning acquisition of Yūki.

Futian, how much reserve do we still have

"We..." Yilong gathered his courage, "We are fighting alone, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and I fear our chances of victory are slim"

Sukuno Keiaki lay in ambush among the distant mountains, anxiously awaiting news from the spies

"Spread out the map," Xin Hong called out, "What are your thoughts on this war, the three of you?"

"However, there are no defenses to guard near Wakatsuki now," Yamauchi Harukatsu said with a bitter smile. "His Highness has followed the shogunate's policy of one castle per country and has dismantled castles such as Koriyama; otherwise..."

The three generals were left speechless, unsure of how to respond

"I have you listen here because you are well acquainted with the current magistrate and the merchants," Koichiro turned to Rokuro, "However, relying on donations may not be feasible. Merchants value their wealth above life itself; who would willingly part with their money for no reason? If pressed, they will certainly flee without a trace—if you want to catch fish, you must first bait the hook"

"Your Highness!" a retainer by the battlements suddenly shouted

Xiao Yilang gently tapped his knee: "Indeed, without troops and supplies, how long can we hold out? Do you have any good ideas?"

"Do you think Father is still alive?" Xiao Yilang retracted his smile, "How do you think Uesugi could have obtained the seal and token of Lord Matsudaira?"

The army of Date, seizing the victory, established encampments on the eastern, northern, and southern sides of the city. For three consecutive days, the bamboo and two feathered sparrow flags fluttered quietly; on the fourth day, the fierce siege warfare finally commenced.

"Is it better to sell it off," asked Diliang Yan, "or is it better to rebuild Gunma?"

I misjudged Uesugi; he is not a man of great courage," said Koichiro, rubbing his chin, his expression very cold. "The tides of victory and defeat have shifted; from now on, it will be our turn to fight alone.

That is because he was skilled in diplomacy and achieved great merit, which led Toyotomi Hideyoshi to promote him to the rank of samurai, and subsequently to that of a feudal lord

"As long as the few of us do not speak, and your father and the merchants do not speak, who would know that this warrior's status was bought with money rather than earned through merit?" Xiao Yilang laughed and said, "Liulang, in this world, if you want to survive, you should not concern yourself with notions of honor or chivalry."

"Well, all that is left is to pray," said Xiao Yilang, with his hands clasped together, "I pray that nothing will happen before the autumn harvest"

Are you confident in holding your ground

"We must avenge His Highness the Crown Prince!" shouted Tizang Ren Tou Liang Yan, pounding the table with his fist.

"I guess we have no choice but to give it a try," said Xiao Yilang, scratching his head. "Remember, try to sell to the nearby domains, like Nihonmatsu and Shirakawa. Well, Hayato, I am entrusting you with the defense of the southern shore of Inawashiro Lake. However, for now, I can only provide you with 200 infantry and about ten horses"

"Yes," Ito Yoshikage reported with his head bowed, "In Matsukoshi Castle, there are still eight hundred foot soldiers; the local militia from each village, when fully gathered, amounts to only about two or three hundred."

"Aren't you afraid that the Grand Hall will come back and scold you to death?" said the young guard beside him, jokingly.

"Revenge must be taken," Xiao Yilang said with a bitter smile, "but with such a small force, it's difficult to even defend Rokumatsu Castle; with this little food, I fear we won't last until the autumn harvest. Uesugi, let’s not provoke him any further; he is too busy to come and take this empty city. However, do not forget that Nakamura has 60,000 koku from Soma, and Nihonmatsu has 100,000 koku from Danba. They could find a good opportunity for expansion—hmm, we must not underestimate Shirakawa and Takakura to the south either.

Ah, alas, Ah King could not make an appearance... What a pity, we can only wait for the next chapter

The lord has arrived quite swiftly. Three generals, including Murakami Yoshitaka, welcomed him at the entrance and paid their respects

Approximately two hundred infantry

There is only one solution... "There are plenty of idle fields in Aizu, but it is difficult to find so many farmers to cultivate them at once. Even if we can find them, the harvest will not come until autumn. The castle town is not prosperous enough; even if we eliminate tariffs, it will not yield results in just three to five months. The only way to find a solution is through a few wealthy merchants in Aizu..." The castle town is not prosperous enough; even if we eliminate tariffs, it will not yield results in just three to five months. The only way to find a solution is through a few wealthy merchants in Aizu..."

I truly admire Kenshin's "Raging Dragon Flag," which has once again received its moment of glory. I still remember the most thrilling scene in the movie "Heaven and Earth," where the "Raging Dragon Flag" rises at Yahata Plain—though it does somewhat distort the image of Shingen.

Your Highness, you are aware that the southern bank of Lake Inawashiro is defenseless, and these two hundred men serve merely as a vanguard. If more than a thousand soldiers are dispatched from Aizuwakamatsu, we could hold out for at least six months. However, if the entire domain were to come... I have no confidence in that. Moreover, the military funds are insufficient

Your Excellency, building a castle requires not only materials but also labor. Little Ichirō looked towards Itō Yoshisuke and said, "I entrust this matter to you. The money from the sales will be used to recruit ronin. Are you confident in this?"

This is more like it. Jingxing let out a sigh of relief and immediately ordered the entire army to prepare for departure

The three generals turned to Xin Hong, yet none spoke a word

After waiting for a full three hours, I finally received the news that Takemura Koiichiro Masanobu had led over 500 infantry away from Wakamatsu Castle

He turned to Tianshui Gao Ji and said, "Tell me about your plans and the book layout, Kanbingwei"

How many soldiers and horses?

On that night, the starlight was beautiful. Little Ichirō secretly summoned Yamauchi Harukatsu, and only Kataguchi Rokurō was present as a retainer.

Moreover, we still have three trump cards in hand.

Only the elder Fujiwara Taketaka, the middle-aged Masakatsu Hōsaka, and the five others—Shidai Shōen Yamauchi Harukatsu, Itō Yoshikage, and Tsutsumi Yoshihiko—attended the meeting. The rest had accompanied Hōsaka Masataka to his burial at Yuhon.

What is happening? Has the enemy launched another attack? Yilong swallowed the rice ball in one bite and rushed to the city wall. In the distance, to the south, flames soared into the sky, and the sounds of shouting and neighing filled the air, creating an extraordinary chaos

Then it will only be tax-exempt

"Place oneself in a desperate situation to seek rebirth," Xin Hong played with the military fan of the sun and moon, and said in a deep voice, "Warfare is sometimes like gambling; one can only go all in—are you daring enough to do it?"

On the morning of the 4th, a spy reported: "The Aizu army has mobilized, and the leading general is Yamauchi Harukatsu"

"Merchants can become warriors simply by paying money," Liu Lang opposed, "It is not only a matter of the samurai code; it will be condemned by the world!"

Hmm, Xinhong nodded, "Yes, Nagato, I took the wrong path from the very beginning. I hastily took up arms without waiting for a more favorable opportunity—but I will not give up on the future. Now, I can only seek to survive amidst death."

The three generals widened their eyes. Takanishi Masanao stammered, "This is too, too, too much of a joke"

Liang Yan had no choice but to lower his head

"The Baihe and other factions are unlikely to take action; Nakamura and Miharu only seek to protect themselves; the greatest threat to us comes solely from Danba Chōkichi of Nibonsato, who commands two thousand infantry and over four hundred cavalry," analyzed Seikatsu.

After my ancestors perished at the Battle of Sekigahara, my mother took me to hide in the mountains of Ten Shui in Echigo. Therefore, we took the mountain as our surname. That person said, "I am Takagi Kambayashi from Ten Shui."

In contrast, Xiao Yilang appeared surprisingly calm: "Idong, how many troops do we still have?"

Please state clearly, "Qingxian Road, " we can discuss it together.

Everyone fell silent

"Now, apart from Wakamatzu, the other lands are simply indefensible and can only be abandoned," Koichiro suddenly laughed heartily, saying to the library, "Those who are interested, come and take it quickly, as time waits for no one."

A person with a white cloth covering their face, revealing only their two eyes, walked up to Xin Hong.

The Uesugi army retreated thirty li under the cover of night, utilizing an abandoned small castle to the east of Yashiro Village to once again construct defensive works—this small castle is said to have originally been a stronghold built by the Sengoku daimyō Mogami Yoshiaki to counter the one-eyed dragon Masamune Date, the lord of the Yonezawa domain.

Date Masamune hastily retreated ten miles. The signal flag of the charging dragon was secured, and Uesugi Nobihiro led three thousand cavalry into the city

It could have been faster, but I took the opportunity to pick up some items from Takabatake. Shinhiro removed the helmet of the golden rice straw tengu in front of him and waved his hand, signaling the guards to present three painted wooden boxes.

Xiao Yilang shook his head. Qingxian asked from the side: "Your Highness, do you have an idea about this bait?"

Yes

A letter shot from an arrow struck the city tower, and shortly thereafter, the guards opened the city gate

"It's alright, let's speak frankly." Xin Hong's expression darkened as he gently tapped the map that his bodyguard had just spread out with a military fan.

The three generals were greatly astonished, for inside the box were the heads of Matsudaira Hiroaki, Hōsaka Masayasu, and Yūki Motohiro, preserved in brine.

It is said that the clans of Nakazato and Nihonmatsu are preparing to expand their castles. Selling off the supplies within three to five months should not be a problem. The money obtained could approximately recruit six to seven hundred ronin—however, whether recruitment can actually be achieved is uncertain

The next day, Koichiro convened a meeting of the senior officials to formally succeed as the third lord of the Aizu domain in southern Mutsu.

Gao Jishen bowed deeply and took a few steps closer: "As Your Highness has said, the current situation is extremely perilous, and we have no choice but to proceed with military action."

The income within the domain must be meticulously planned, while expenditures should be minimized as much as possible. Little Ichirō then turned to Takakazu Fujita, saying, "You are a three-generation old minister; I entrust everything to you."

On the evening of April 3rd, a swift horseman galloped into Wakamatsu Castle

"300 guan, lower-ranking officials; 500 guan, local gentry; 1,000 guan, upper-ranking officials; above 5,000 guan, to be allocated at the discretion of various levels of officials or agents." Xiao Yilang smiled and said, "Let's be clear, it's selling official positions and titles."

He extended his right index finger and drew a straight line on the map

"Do not complain," said Xiao Yilang with a smile, "Compared to the white river and the warehouse in Liancheng, which are not even on the map, we are much happier here—by the way, what about the remaining construction materials from the dismantled Gunzan? Can we sell them to make some money?"

There are at least three to five hundred people in the city," Jingxing scratched his head, "Let's wait a bit longer—let's investigate again!

Your Highness must be fully prepared, right? Qingxian peeked in.

"Chaos Dragon Flag!" the Uesugi army shouted in unison

Xin Hong smiled faintly and stepped forward to sit on the folding stool in front of the corridor: "Let me introduce another person to you—come here, Kanbei."

Hu Ji presented a rice ball and asked, "When will the reinforcements for the main hall arrive?"

It turned out that you were ... ... '' The three generals were once again taken aback

This fellow," Xinhong said, "his grandfather suffered from a severe illness that caused his skin to rot, and he always covered his face with a piece of cloth. In memory of his ancestor, he... Hey, I haven't even seen his true face yet.

***

Xiao Yilang nodded slightly, then tilted his head and thought: "This is contrary to the principles of chivalry"

"I will leave it to you, the 4,000 troops of Takahata will arrive tomorrow morning. This risky move, I would like to entrust to you," Shinhiro said, looking at Murakami Yoshitaka, "The other two matters I will leave to you." He was referring to Kusano Kageyuki and Takanashi Masanari.

"What should we do? Do you have any good ideas?" asked Xiao Yilang to Liang Yan. "As for the heads of the hidden people, I will give you these over a thousand individuals; you go and behead Uesugi Nobuhira—what are your chances of success?"

At dusk, the attacking army temporarily retreated. Yilong, stationed at the south gate, ordered his retainers to oversee the infantry in repairing the damaged city walls while he collapsed onto the ground, gulping down a bellyful of cold tea. "There are too many enemies; relying solely on this old city, I fear we won't survive until tomorrow," he said softly to Taro Kichiji.

It doesn't matter, Qingxian lowered his head in thought, "Wasn't the former Xiaoxi a merchant by origin as well?"

"Are you having nightmares? Is there a fire?" Hu Ji asked in surprise. As soon as his words fell, a large flag with white background and black characters suddenly rose amidst the smoke and flames

"Probably the day after tomorrow, I hope we can make it," Yilong sighed. "The hardest decision is when to retreat. If we retreat too early, even if reinforcements arrive at the main hall, it will be of little use, and the siege of Takabatake will be difficult to maintain; if we delay our retreat, I fear that all three thousand troops will be annihilated here..."