There were differences of opinion within the shogunate about a decisive battle with the Ming army in the Kyoto area.

Tokugawa Ieyasu's retainer, Owari Tokugawa's parent, and Ieyasu's ninth son, Tokugawa Yoshinao, nicknamed "Gun-no-Hanzo", was known as one of the sixteen Tokugawa generals, and Watanabe Moritsuna, who was also the only surviving of the sixteen generals, clearly told Hidetada that the battle in Kyoto was actually very unfavorable to the shogunate.

"The combat effectiveness of the Ming army is very high, their iron guns and iron cannons are far more advanced than our army, and one of their soldiers can be equal to our five foot light, so although our army is superior in numbers, the outcome of the war is still unknown."

Tokugawa Yoshinao, who was also the lord of the Owari Kinshu domain, agreed with the opinion of his master Watanabe. Although he had just arrived in Kyoto with the feudal army, he had already heard many important ministers talk about the strength of the Ming army.

"Your Excellency General, judging from the current situation, the Ming army may also be pinning its hopes on the decisive battle in Kyoto." Watanabe Moritsuna was undoubtedly showing Hidetada, and the plan for the decisive battle of Kyoto he formulated was likely to be what the Ming army wanted.

In view of the defeat of Nara and the rebellion of the Satsuma and Hizen domains, some important ministers also hoped that Hidetada would abandon Kyoto, which had no danger to defend, and lead the main force to retreat to the Kanto region, so that there would be a chance in the future.

If the main force is wiped out by sticking to Kyoto, the Tokugawa family will no longer have the capital to make a comeback.

"General, please don't worry, the Emperor's Imperial Palace can be moved out at any time!"

Itakura Shigemune, the acting official of the Kyoto Division, who was in charge of the shogunate's security in Kyoto and monitored the emperor and the imperial court, also advocated the abandonment of the faction, saying that as soon as the shogun gave the order, he would immediately lead troops and forcibly urge the emperor and the imperial court to move eastward.

"Give up Kyoto, how to explain to the Chinese people!"

Matsudaira Sadakatsu, the lord of the Kuwana domain and the head of the shogunate, was very dissatisfied with Watanabe and the others' abandonment, and he pointed out that the orders received by the various divisions were to retreat from Kyoto, and if the military orders were to be withdrawn now, the armies would inevitably have a similar scene as the First World War in Nara, which would be extremely chaotic.

"Father, if you really want to abandon Kyoto, it is expected that half of the troops will be lost." Tokugawa Hidetada's eldest son, Tokugawa Iemitsu, was the organizer and witness of the Nara retreat, and he was unable to agree with his uncle Yoshinao, having experienced the severe consequences of the chaotic retreat of his troops.

"General, the strategy cannot be changed! The decisive battle of Kyoto is the fate of Japan! The shogunate elder Toshikatsu Doi, Aoyama Yukinari and others also did not agree to abandon it.

"At this point in the war, if we don't do it, I'm so sorry for Japan!"

"If we lose, do we have tomorrow!"

"Whether you win or lose, it is those who benefit from the rebels!"

"The situation is very dangerous..."

A great controversy ensued between the main defenders and the outcasts, and the sound of a fierce quarrel alarmed Tokugawa Hidetada's daughter Kazuko.

This little girl, who was bent on being married to the emperor by her father, suddenly told a Chinese allusion to the women who were serving on the left and right.

"If the situation is irreparable, for the sake of the family, I can be reconciled."

This sentence soon reached the ears of Xiuzhong, who was having a headache by the quarrels of the important ministers, Xiuzhong thought that his daughter had the idea of self-sacrifice, and suddenly felt distressed, so he got up and shouted to the important ministers: "The people of the Ming Kingdom are approaching Luoyang!" Luoyang is the emperor's palace, at this time of the great enemy, if we do not hold on, how can we treat the emperor, how can we treat the subjects! ”

At Tokugawa Hidetada's insistence, the decisive battle of Kyoto was inevitable.

........

On the 17th, Wei Gongliangchen, the maritime eunuch of the Ming Dynasty and the eunuch of the Ming Emperor's pro-army supervision army, held a swearing-in meeting in the rice field village in the southwest of Kyoto.

On the viewing platform set up by the First Army of the main attack on Kyoto overnight, Gonggong Wei stood at the front, Cao Wenyao, commander of the First Army, and Wu Fuming, commander of the Guards Division, stood on both sides, and the rest of the officers of the colonel stood in order.

At that time, Ichiro Sanada, the commander of the 1st Infantry Wing, galloped under the viewing platform on behalf of the 1st Army, and raised his voice to ask for an order: "Please give an order!" ”

"Let's go!"

With a wave of Wei's father-in-law, the sound of war drums suddenly sounded in unison, accompanied by the sound of desolate horns, and bursts of neat and dull steps sounded, and more than 8,000 soldiers entered the exercise in turn, riding and artillery, shouting to kill the heavens.

More than 1,000 people from the surrounding officials and local people witnessed this scene, all of which were shocking, and from time to time rhythmically waved the triangular Ming flag in their hands, shouting "Long live" and "The imperial army will win".

After the exercise, three more cannon shots swept through the air.

In the eyes of everyone, Admiral Wei Gonggong stepped down from the high platform, turned over his horse, and inspected the phalanx of imperial soldiers who were about to attack north.

The long flags embroidered with the numbers of the various units are lined up, and there are countless red flags. The officers and men of the imperial army are strict and orderly, and their morale is high, showing the atmosphere of a strong army.

"The decisive battle of the empire is a battle, long live the Ming Dynasty, long live the Son of Heaven, long live the Imperial Army!"

The sound of the crane of Gong Wei fluctuated with the wind, and the cheers of the soldiers were deafening.

"Turn left!"

With the order of Commander Sanada of the 1st Infantry Wing, the officers and men under review turned left in turn, carrying fire guns and kicking neatly to the north.

In the sky above Rice Field Village, the battle song of the First Army resounded - "The Emperor's Paradise for Ten Thousand Years".

.........

As the Imperial Army's attack on Kyoto unfolded, the Japanese troops holding Kyoto faced brutal and heroic battles in all directions.

On the 19th, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wings of the 1st Army arrived at the outlying areas of Kyoto, including Kyotanabe, Ide, and Miyamaki.

The Miyamaki Miyazu line was the first to break out.

Under the cover of the artillery wing, the 5th Infantry Wing of the Imperial Army fiercely attacked the defending enemy. The defenders were deprived of reinforcements, lacked refuels, and lost contact with the outside world. In the end, after hundreds of casualties, he abandoned Miyazu and broke through to the rear.

The officers and men of the 1st Brigade of the 5th Infantry Wing took the lead in attacking Miyazu and planted the brigade's honorary battle flag "Pioneer of Cutting Widows" in the Miyazu Domain.

The battle of Ide was just as tragic. According to a report by a military reporter from the "Huangming Daily": On a hill, more than 700 Japanese soldiers were besieged by the imperial army. After a full day of fierce fighting, the Japanese army suffered all casualties, and almost only one person remained.

Near Kyota the 1st Infantry Wing launched no less than 8 attacks on the defenders, but they were all repulsed by the defenders.

After receiving support from the 2nd Infantry Wing and the 1st Taiwan Volunteer Wing, the 1st Infantry Wing finally broke through to Jingtian. The defenders of the Shogunate Central Army suffered heavy losses. There were more than 1,700 casualties below the military pen, the military commissioner, and the general servant.

After receiving the order to retreat, the Japanese army lost its way due to the urgency of darkness, and even strayed into the imperial line, only to suffer heavy losses again, with losses of nearly 1,000, including hundreds of samurai banners directly under Tokugawa Hidetada.

The loss of strategic locations such as Kyota and Miyamagi deprived the southwest of Kyoto of an important barrier. In order to redeem the disadvantage of the war, Tokugawa Hidetada personally ordered the eldest son, Tokugawa Iemitsu, to lead more than 10,000 troops to recapture.