On May 2, 1629, the second year of Chongzhen in the Huali calendar and March 29 in the sixth year of Kanei in the Japanese calendar, the wind and the sun were beautiful and the sun was shining.

Good for fighting.

After sending away the last issue of information before the war last night, Aozaki Akiichi temporarily cut off contact with the Australian Song side and prepared for today's battle with peace of mind.

In the past few days, he has been trying his best to disguise himself as a passionate, brave, loyal, and righteous hero, and in the case of Oda Kei like a walking corpse and Nakajo and Chishima in mourning, he still behaves like a fanatic who is ready to sacrifice his life for His Excellency the Great Admiral of Seiyi.

When there was only a faint white line of fish belly in the sky, Ozaki changed his clothes, and with Yamamoto's help, he dressed his family heirloom and tied his katana firmly to his left waist. In the light of the candlelight, he slowly bent over and tucked his trousers into his boots.

"Are you scared, Yamamoto-kun?"

Yamamoto, who was waiting for the armor of the master's house, heard the voice and quickly looked up. The flickering light of the fire shone on Ozaki's face, casting flickering shadows. Under the crimson helmet, a pair of sharp eyes quietly looked out of the tent, their eyes were quiet and deep, and there was not the slightest fear on their faces.

"Your Excellency," Yamamoto pursed his lips slightly, his heart already impressed by the fearless samurai spirit of the Lord of the Lord's family. He bowed deeply and said in a deep voice, "Under the leadership of Your Excellency, Yamamoto has nothing to fear. ”

Ozaki smiled and nodded, got up and walked out of the tent.

In the camp outside the tent, more than 300 of his men were already dressed in the imperial loan equipment—iron armor issued by the Tokugawa shogunate, somewhat similar to the body armor worn by the domestic police, but made of iron—with straw sandals on their feet, busy in the cool morning breeze.

Seeing the general come out, Matsushita, the royal family who commanded the ashigaru people to line up, hurriedly walked over and saluted, saying, "Your Excellency, everyone has arrived, and they are lining up, and it will be completed soon." ”

Ozaki nodded, looked around, and asked, "What about Oda-kun?" ”

"Your Excellency Oda has led a team to the meal, and the old and middle-aged adults want to meet them."

Ozaki let out an "um" and didn't say much, just quietly looked southwest.

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As the last meal before the war... Maybe it's also the last meal of your life, and the ashigaru people of the four legions of the Void Fortress have a decent breakfast.

Of course, this is from Aozaki Akiichi's point of view. If you look at it from the perspective of the ashigaru, this breakfast can be considered a hearty meal.

The staple food is white rice balls, which they can only eat once or twice a year, and there are a few sour plums in them. For every 10 people, there is a pot of miso soup and a few lean fish from the river.

It's just that these soldiers who feel that they are going to die eat without tears, and the sweet rice bites into their mouths, which is no different from the sweet potato dumplings of the past.

"Probably a decapitated meal." A few ashigaru nibbled on the rice balls in their hands while holding back tears as they looked at the gradually brighter sky.

As for our mole Ozaki-sama, of course, it's not eating with the grass people Ashigaru. He was kneeling in front of Toshimori Doi with Kei Oda and a few others, listening to the teachings of the old and middle adults.

"All the kings should do their best, fight into the void, and live up to the expectations of the general."

Ozaki and everyone hurriedly said "Hi Yi" and paused to show that they understood.

Doi Toshimori nodded slightly, picked up the wine glass with both hands, and said to the four people in front of him: "I wish you all the best and prosperity in your martial arts." ”

So it was another return gift.

After more than ten minutes of back-and-forth, Doi got up and withdrew, leaving the foursome to eat breakfast in a plate.

As noble warriors and generals, each of the four had a roasted wild boar chop with a few delicately carved turnip flowers on top. And, of course, rice and miso soup, which are absolutely indispensable in all Japanese cuisines.

Ozaki watched the other three as he picked up a piece of pork chop with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth. As a great spy in the Song Dynasty, he was not worried about dying in the fortress at all. At times like these, it's very interesting to watch other people's expressions of despair with anger and sadness with hesitation.

While the Ozaki were still eating breakfast, I had already climbed the gate of the city in the hard-ground fortress four kilometers southwest of them, and watched as the heavily armed Tojiang Army and the Saga-vassal army marched out of the fortress and strode into the fortified area to the north.

After receiving the latest information last night, the staff dispatched troops according to the plan, and ordered the reconnaissance troops in the city to attack with all their might, and be sure to suppress the ninjas of the Karatsu Legion in front of the battle line. At the same time, two companies of the Dongjiang Army were also replenished to the No. 1 line of defense closest to the enemy.

Gunfire rang out all night, and hundreds of Karatsu stragglers were killed at the barbed wire fence in front of the defensive line. These cheap and rudimentary wires played an extraordinary role, and in order to use large scissors to destroy the wire in front of them, I don't know how many elite ashigaru paid with their lives.

Now that Line 1 is close to being lost, most of the soldiers have retreated to Line 2, a fortified area of wood, gravel and cement, several times more brutal than Line 1. According to the plan, this long wall will hold off the opponent for at least 12 hours, and from dawn to dark, Karatsu will not want to cross it one step.

There was a sound of hurried footsteps beside me, and I looked back and saw that it was Kong Youde.

"Major, slow down." I quipped him, "That's not a little bit of time." ”

Kong Youde came all the way, he forced his breath to stand up and salute, his voice was a little hurried: "Lord Major, there are not enough people sent to the Void Fortress at all. ”

Under the faint morning sun, his face reminded me of Guan Gong: "Now there is only one battalion or more of the Japanese in the Void Fortress, but there are only more than 500 people, how can this work?" ”

"In case the Tang Jin Clan storms the Void Fortress at any cost, such a person will not be able to stop it at all!"

"As soon as the void is lost, not only can the left wing not be able to deter the flanks of the Tangjin Domain, but they will form a condescending posture, and we will be passive!"

Fang Haihai, who was standing still on the side, took half a step forward, and his body separated me from Kong Youde to prevent him from making irrational moves.

I looked at Kong Youde with a smile, noticing that he was clenching his fists at this time, and it seemed that if Fang Hai didn't intervene, he might really come forward and arrest me.

This 27-year-old was staring at me with a sweaty face and red eyes.

"Major Kong cares about the battle situation, which is good and worthy of praise." I still smiled at him, and then my tone suddenly turned cold, "But this is the meaning of the General Staff, and it is also the meaning of this officer. ”

"The last general is willing to personally lead a battalion to replenish the Void Fortress!" Kong Youde didn't pounce on him to reason, but directly knelt on the ground and said loudly: "If you lose the Void Fortress, the battle situation will be passive!" ”

After looking at him quietly for half a minute, I frowned and bent over, looked into his eyes and said, "Major Kong, can't you trust this officer, but you can't trust the General Staff?" ”

"The last general doesn't dare, the last general is just..."

"That's enough."

I interrupted him calmly, straightened up, and said lightly: "Comrade Major, please do your own thing, and don't take care of it so much." ”

"Please go back, I'll think about it."

Fang Hai stepped forward at the right time, completely blocking Kong Youde's sight looking at me: "Comrade Major, please go back and command the troops." ”

Kong Youde looked at Fang Hai steadily, as if he wanted to see the major Song Ren in blue with his hands behind his back and a voice through him.

"You will... Will you—" His face flushed again, his teeth clenched, but he didn't say anything.

Hurried to come, hurried and hurried, but the footsteps were louder.

Turning his head and glancing at him: "Order, give priority to Kong Youde's troops to reinforce the No. 1 defense line, and give them an artillery company." In addition, I would like to invite the political commissar and Comrade Geng Zhongming to come here. ”