In the colorful autumn colors of Northern California, a team of 2,000 people is forming a long line like a thin line, marching through the mountains and streams, all the way through the difficult way.

Between the Riverside Fort in the Americas and the Satsuma Valley in California, there were only a few hunting Indian tribes who did not even have wheels, and of course they would not build roads, just walk in the woods.

Therefore, Zhu Cihuan's journey south from the riverside fort is really a bit of a thorn and thorn. Zhu Cihuan, who is a golden branch and jade leaf, is also forced to go to Liangshan, from the beginning of leaving the riverside fort, he leads by example, no longer riding horses, but walking with everyone, not only walking, but also carrying some large but very light luggage, stepping on straw sandals, carrying wooden sticks, and moving forward in the mountains without roads.

Although the luggage on his back did not weigh much, the plate armor on Zhu Cihuan's body was solid, not twenty catties and fifteen catties, and he was put on his body every day when he marched, and he seemed to be ready to fight at any time - mainly in fear and ambush, although he stupidly did not suspect Shimazu Mitsuhisa, but there were still some of the samurai under his command who were more vigilant. So when he set out from the riverside fort, this prince was already a little scared!

However, his spirit of not being afraid of hardship, not being afraid of tiredness, and being ready to fight at any time still made Baoshi Zhenghui and others who followed him admire.

They originally thought that the princes of the Celestial Empire were similar to the Japanese dukes, they were all the kind of wastes whose faces were covered with fat powder, who spoke in a weird manner, and who had to gasp a few times when they walked a few steps. How do you know that this Ming prince has such good physical strength, and he can endure hardships so much, and the mountain road of seven or eight hundred miles can be completed with two feet.

And the most rare thing is that this prince is not particular about life at all, and he doesn't want to eat anything good, so he likes to take two very rough baked bread (buns) and put some minced meat, and eat it so fragrant!

It is said that this county king of Chongqing is also the most useless of the adult brothers of today's great tomorrow! The most useless ones are like this, what should the most powerful look like!

It seems that it makes sense that Lao Tzu, the emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, was not overshadowed by the warriors of the Ming Dynasty.

The speed of the procession is not fast, because it is not possible to go fast at all when it goes over the mountains. There are guides from the Satsuma Valley to lead the way, but sometimes there are forks in the road. Even if you don't go off the road, you will be cut off by the river that doesn't know the depth. At this time, you have to explore the way to find the shallows, but if you can't do it, you have to build a pontoon bridge......

Therefore, the speed of the march slowed down, and the average day was only twenty or thirty miles, but the mountain road of more than 800 miles had not yet reached the end after a month and a half. Because I walked too slowly, I was almost exhausted of dry food when I set off. Since 12 days ago, the team led by Zhu Cihuan has been relying on hunting and fishing to survive - the dry food has not been completely exhausted, and according to Baoke Zhenghui's suggestion, everyone should withhold enough dry food to eat for 3 days, just in case......

Fortunately, there were only 2,000 people who followed Zhu Cihuan south, including many samurai who were good at shooting, and there were enough wild animals in the mountains and forests of Northern California to feed these 2,000 people - if the number was larger, such as 10,000 people, it would not be so easy to find enough food in the mountains and forests.

Today, when it was almost dusk, Zhu Cihuan and his entourage arrived at a huge valley, and at the bottom of the valley there was an unknown river flowing through it, and the sides of the river were very flat, and there were no tall trees.

"Lord, this is the Flood Valley," Masaki Hoshina had just spoken to the guide of the Shimazu family, and then came to Zhu Cihuan's side to report excitedly, "This small river floods every spring, and the river overflows the entire valley floor, but in the autumn the water decreases, and that's how it is now."

Although the river receded, there were many fish in it...... Your Majesty immediately asked you to fish, and we will have a good meal tonight. ”

"Good!" Zhu Cihuan nodded, and asked again, "How far is the Satsuma River Valley?" ”

"Not far away," said Masaaki Hoshina, "out of the valley is the Satsuma Valley!" So, it's going to be a little harder tonight and set up in the valley! ”

"Arming ......" Zhu Cihuan looked back at Masaki Hoshina, "Masaaki, are you worried that Mitsuhisa Shimazu will ......"

"The heart of defense is indispensable!" Masaki Hoshina said, "His Majesty thinks that because he has been cutting down wood overnight to build a camp, he will first hold on to the defensive position, and then contact the Shimazu family. ”

Although this Baoke Zhenghui is not very old and looks a little handsome, his military quality is still excellent. He had previously proposed to withhold three days' rations, and now he had to build a camp first and then contact Shimazu, all in order to prevent the Shimazu family from betraying the alliance and raiding.

Zhu Cihuan was also a little nervous, "Zhenghui, how can we determine whether Shimazu Mitsuhisa has cheated?" ”

Baoke said: "It is impossible to be foolproof...... However, as long as the Shimazu family can store 3,000 stone rice noodles at Honjoji Temple as agreed, then it will be worth the risk. ”

Honjoji Temple is a Japanese Sengoku style Buddhist temple...... It doesn't matter what kind of Buddha statue it is, but the walls must be strong enough, and there must be a temple with moats around it.

The temple is separated from the Shimazu family's Satsuma Valley Castle by a river (called the Satsuma River) and is surrounded by large rice fields, and it is said that it was built to bless a good harvest.

The envoy in charge of negotiating with Shimazu Mitsuhisa (a Japanese retainer of Zhu Cihuan) took a fancy to this Honxun Temple at a glance and asked the Shimazu family to withdraw the monks and soldiers from this temple and hand over the Honxun Temple to the southbound Ming prince's army.

At the same time, the Shimazu family was asked to transport a total of 3,000 stones, enough rice noodles for 2,000 people to eat for three months, and bring them to Honjoji Temple.

Baoke added: "We have a lot of muskets and gunpowder, and the temple is very strong, as long as there is enough rice and noodles in it, we are not afraid of Shimazu's betrayal." ”

He paused, "The Shimazu family only has a maximum of 4,000 troops on hand, and if they want to storm Honshoji Temple, even if they win, they will lose more than half of it, Guangjiu can't afford it, and there is no need to do it for the Spaniards." ”

Zhu Cihuan nodded: "Yes, this king will not treat him badly...... After this king takes the city of angels, he can give him all the whole area of San Diego. ”

Hoshina Masaki smiled: "Your Majesty personally went to talk to Shimazu Mitsuhisa...... I believe he will be grateful for the king's kindness! ”

......

While Zhu Cihuan and Hoshina Masaaki were talking, the Shimazu family fighters of the brigade were leaving Satsuma Valley Castle and heading south along the Satsuma River.

Shimazu Mitsuhisa crossed his arms and sighed softly as he looked at the army that had left the castle and was heading south.

Standing beside him was a young woman in a kendo uniform, none other than his daughter Yoshino. Shimazu Mitsuhisa has a lot of children, but most of them are detained by the Tokugawa family in Edo, and now life and death are uncertain, only this Shimazu Yoshino has been released by the Tokugawa family (asking her to bring a message to Shimazu Mitsuhisa), so he has been following Mitsuhisa.

I don't know if it's because of his age, Shimazu Mitsuhisa hasn't had any more heirs in the past few years, so Ji Nao, who originally had no status in the family, has become very important - if Shimazu Mitsuhisa really has no way to leave an heir, then he can only use Ji Nao to recruit a son-in-law.

Of course, Japan allows close relatives to marry, so there is no contradiction between Yoshino's son-in-law and the Shimazu family's succession, and Shimazu Mitsuhisa can marry his daughter to his nephew......

"Father," Shimazu Yoshino understood why his father sighed, "the Spaniards are so cunning, we handed over so many women and children, and they still refused to believe us, and transferred more than half of our soldiers...... Relying on the rest of the people, it is impossible for us to take down the county king of the Ming Kingdom! ”

Shimazu Mitsujiu smiled bitterly: "It doesn't matter whether you can win the king of Mingguo, it's important whether you can take a stand...... As long as we take a stand, the Spaniards will settle the temple on their own. ”

"Spaniards......" Ginai's face changed, "do you think the Spaniards' army has reached the Satsuma Valley?" ”

Shimazu glanced at his daughter: "What do you think?" If we don't attack the county king of the Ming Kingdom, Spain will solve us and the people of the Ming County King together! ”