"Huhuha! Hoohoo! Huhuha......"

The soldiers of the Toyotomi Army, who stood outside Fukuyama Castle, the main city of the Fukuyama Domain of Bigo, let out a high-pitched cheer, and the five-seven kiulownia flag, which symbolized the Toyotomi family, had appeared on the tall and majestic walls of Fukuyama Castle.

After several months of siege and two tragic battles under Fukuyama Castle, a major victory was finally won for the Toyotomi family, no, it should have been for the Shimazu family. The lords of the Fukuyama Domain, Mizuno Katsusada and Setsui Mizuno Katsutane, who had led their retainers and feudal armies for several months, walked out of the castle gate in white mourning clothes an hour ago, and both of them were seppuku in a white tent...... This is the condition for the Shimazu family to protect the lives of the remaining members of Mizuno Ichichi and the defenders of Fukuyama Castle!

Standing on a hillside high outside the city, the governor of the Shimazu family, who is also the chief elder of the Toyotomi family, Shimazu Mitsuhisa, finally showed a satisfied smile.

This Fukuyama domain was a nail in the coffin of the Tokugawa shogunate!

Mizuno Katsunari, the former lord of the Fukuyama Domain, was a famous general, who served as the vanguard commander in the Osaka Summer War, commanding a total of 3,800 troops of the Yamato Prefecture and attacking as the vanguard of the Tokugawa army. In the subsequent Battle of Komatsuyama, Mizuno Katsunari led his troops to engage in a fierce battle with the 2,800 men of Goto Matabei's department who came to sneak attack, and finally defeated them from early morning to noon, and killed Goto Matabei himself. Later, Mizuno Katsunari led his troops to launch a pursuit, and once again encountered more than 1,000 people under Susukita Kanesho's department, defeated them again, and killed Susukita himself.

As a result of these two victories, Mizuno Katsunari was given a fiefdom of 60,000 goku in Yamato Province, and in the Motowa period, he was relocated to Bigo, a place in Chugoku to monitor foreign daimyo such as Mori, Yoshikawa, and Asano. In addition, with the support of the shogunate, the tall and majestic Fukuyama Castle was built using the remains of Fushimi Castle - such a castle was not at all owned by a daimyo of 110,000 koku, and the shogunate was willing to use its own money to support the construction of the castle of the Fukuyama Domain, which shows how much hope was placed on the Mizuno family.

It's a pity that Mizuno Katsusada is not Mizuno Katsusari...... He simply did not know how to break the enemy in a field battle. As a result, in the First Battle of Fukuyama, the central part was first scattered by the artillery team commanded by Basabo, and then fell apart under the onslaught of the Shimazu family spearmen, and also brought down the main force of the shogunate army commanded by Masayuki Hoshina. And after this battle, Mizuno Katsusada retreated into Fukuyama Castle Cage Castle, wanting to kill the Shimazu family with the fortified castle left by his father.

As a result, the Shimazu family brought in a 24-pounder cannon salvaged from a sunken Spanish warship, and after a few bombardments, Mizuno Katsusada sent an envoy to Hoshina Masayuki, who had retreated to Himeji Castle, for help.

And Masayuki Hoshina did not dare to give up such a critical city as Fukuyama Castle - if Fukuyama Castle could not be used to block the Toyotomi family in the Chinese region, then the war of Toyotomi's revival would be burned to Kinai! Therefore, Masayuki Hoshina had no choice but to lead the shogunate army that had not yet completed its training to attack, and was defeated again under Fukuyama Castle.

After witnessing another crushing defeat of the shogunate army, Mizuno Katsusada was so frightened that he actually sent someone to ask for surrender from the Shimazu army besieging the city.

As soon as the news of the surrender spread in Fukuyama Castle, it caused the collapse of the Fukuyama feudal army...... Fukuyama Castle, which could have held out for a while, collapsed in an instant. As a result, Mizuno Katsusada and Mizuno Katsuzen father and son also lost the capital of negotiation, so they had to both cut their stomachs to preserve the family's bloodline - forcing Mizuno and his son to death was not a request of Shimazu Mitsuhisa, but a request of the Maori family. Because the Mizuno family has the responsibility of monitoring the Mori family, they have bullied the Mori family for the past thirty or forty years......

After forcing Mizuno and his son to death and capturing Fukuyama Castle, the Toyotomi army, with Shimazu, Mori, and Asano (Hiroshima Domain) as the main forces, closed the passage from Sanyo Road to Chugoku.

It can't be said that victory is in sight, at least it can be undefeated!

Shimazu Mitsuhisa, who was in a good mood, turned around, and just wanted to say a few encouraging words to the generals who followed him on the expedition, when he saw his younger brother Hisashi Kayama running from the foot of the mountain panting, still holding a letter in his hand, and his face was quite solemn.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa's heart suddenly chuckled, Kayama Hisashi was in charge of the strategy, that is, a spy leader...... Isn't there some bad news for him like this?

The biggest difference between the current Japanese civil war and the earlier Warring States period is that external interference forces play a decisive role!

The reason why the Shimazu family is now able to kill Shimabizen Province is because more than 2,000 Spanish sailors joined the Shimazu family's army after the Battle of Kagoshima Bay. Therefore, the musket team and artillery team of the Shimazu family had an overwhelming advantage over the Tokugawa shogunate army.

But there was also a big country behind the Tokugawa shogunate, and it was a Celestial Empire big enough to crush the Shimazu family!

In the past year or so, Shimazu Mitsuhisa has been looking for a way to join the Ming Dynasty, but the problem is that the Shimazu family can't do without the Spaniards! So there is no way to knock on the door of joining the Ming Dynasty......

"Lord, Ming Guo has made a move!" As soon as Hisashi Kayama spoke, there was a sound of inhaling around him.

Or Shimazu Mitsu held his breath for a long time, and snorted coldly: "What are you panicking about?" Now the advantage is on our side, and the Toyotomi family already has an army of 100,000, even if the Ming Kingdom sends troops, we have the strength to fight! I don't believe that the Ming Kingdom could throw the same number of troops into Japanese soil. ”

His judgment is correct, Zhu Cihong will settle accounts before fighting - it's not that the battle of loss will not be fought, strategic losses are okay, but they must be within the range of what they can bear!

Sending 100,000 or even 50,000 troops to directly intervene in Japan's civil war was a worthless loss...... The Nagasaki that Emperor Zhu wanted has already been obtained, and what can he gain by continuing to participate in the Japanese civil war? Sado's gold? Iwami's silver? Now the Tokugawa shogunate, like the Shimazu family, will use a large amount of gold and silver to buy the arms of the Ming Dynasty!

"It's not an army!" Hisashi Kayama hurriedly added.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa laughed, "What else can you do without troops?" Empty talk can't frighten the warriors of the Shimazu family! ”

"Hahaha......"

The samurai of the Shimazu family around laughed - as long as they didn't send troops, everyone had nothing to fear.

But Birch Mountain Hisashi still looked like a catastrophe was coming, "Lord, the Ming Dynasty is about to participate in our imperial examination in Japan!" ”

"Nani?" Mitsuhisa Shimazu was confused.

What kind of operation is this?

"Japan's state-owned imperial examination?"

"What is the imperial examination?"

"Birch Hill pursues, make it clear......"

The generals of the Shimazu family around him urged this panting tone to follow.

"My lord," Hisasho Kayama handed over the letter with both hands, "you better read it for yourself!" ”

See for yourself? What news is so scary? Shimazu Mitsuhisa didn't say anything more, took the envelope, took out the letter inside, and unfolded it to read.

At first glance, his face has changed greatly!

"Baga...... The conscience of the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was greatly bad! Shimazu Mitsuhisa gritted his teeth and scolded, "I actually came up with such a yin solution!" ”

"Lord, what happened?" Among the Shimazu generals present, someone immediately asked questions.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa's face turned pale, and he said word by word: "The Ming Kingdom and the Tokugawa Shogunate want to jointly organize the imperial examination of Japan...... Any samurai who does not have a family can take the exam, and those who pass the exam will be awarded official positions or military quotas according to the merits of the civil and military examinations.

The top 300 people in the exam can become royal family members.

In addition, there were 20,000 shogunate troops and 80,000 soldiers of the Ming Nanyang Expeditionary Force. Those who are admitted to the Nanyang Expeditionary Force of the Ming Kingdom can get 26 taels of silver every year, and they do not need to bring any equipment and armor...... Those who have meritorious service in battle can also get a fief in Nanyang and become a warrior of the Ming Emperor! ”

Speaking of this, Shimazu Mitsuhisa's body shook a little, and the two little surnames around him hurriedly supported him.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa sighed and said in a low voice: "This is the biggest crisis of our Shimazu family, and only by working together and uniting as one can we overcome difficulties and continue to ...... I hope you will unite and fight to the end! ”

That's a good story, but everyone knows that the Shimazu family is having a hard time getting through this......