At noon on March 27, outside the castle tower of Okazaki Castle.

"Momiji, why are you here?" Matsudaira Motoyasu hurried after receiving a report from his subordinates, and found Yu Qiuhei with four or five retinues leading horses and waiting outside the castle tower.

"I've been here for dozens of days, and I haven't come to visit you yet, so come and see Takechiyo." Yu Qiuping said with a smile.

"No," Matsudaira Motoyasu shook his head with a smile and looked at Yu Qiuping, "Momiji is knowledgeable, but he doesn't look like someone who will come to visit guests empty-handed!" I guess I'm here for business. ”

"Haha, I've been discovered." Yu Qiuping patted Matsudaira Motoyasu on the shoulder and said with a smile: "I've been staying with His Royal Highness Sena for a long time, and I feel that I also have a tendency to become a workaholic." ”

"Your Highness Matsudaira, don't listen to the nonsense of my Highness!" Xueshan Nobushi, who came with Yu Qiuping, immediately interjected: "Since my Royal Highness married the princess, he has gone back to his room early every night to rest, so he has not become a workaholic!" ”

As soon as Anayama Shibuyoshi said the truth, several attendants of Yuqiuping and Matsudaira Motoyasu around him immediately held back laughter and turned red, and even a few guards in the distance laughed. Matsudaira Motoyasu looked at Yu Qiuping with a subtle expression, and said with a smile: "Last time, I mentioned to Momiji that I wanted to reproduce for the family, and Momiji really made a promise, and he did what he said." ”

Yu Qiuping, who couldn't hold it on his face, knocked on the head of Xueshan Faithfulness a few times, and at the same time said viciously to Xiao Wanjie Sheng: "You take someone to watch a few whale houses in Zhili City, and you are not allowed to let him in without my order!" ”

"And!" Yu Qiuping felt that it was not enough, and added: "No one is allowed to tell Zhongxiu's kid about this." If Zhongxiu knew, all Sanhe would know! I want you to look good! ”

"Yes! Your Highness! Several of his cavalry saluted in unison, leaving Anayama Nobuyomi standing in place as if he had seen the girls drift away from him.

"You guys are really, seeing that it's His Royal Highness Momiji, you won't let him in!" Matsudaira Motoyasu reproached several of the guards.

"His Royal Highness Matsudaira." Several guards whispered, "This is specially ordered by His Highness Sekiguchi. No one is allowed to enter or leave without the order of His Highness Sekiguchi. ”

"Huh?" Matsudaira Motoyasu was stunned for a moment, "That is, I can't lead people in now, can I?" ”

"I'm really sorry, Your Highness." Several doormen bowed apologetically.

"Why is that..."Before Yu Qiuping could finish speaking, he heard a rush of footsteps coming from inside the castle tower. Sekiguchi Clan Hiroshi himself walked briskly and led Yu Qiuping's entourage to the fourth floor of the castle tower.

"Momiji wants to ask why," Sekiguchi sighed helplessly, "Do you remember the sneak attack of the Oda family the year before last?" ”

"Never forget." Matsudaira Motoyasu said in a low voice, obviously he was very impressed by the sneak attack. "The Oda family did not know how to obtain the detailed supply routes of our troops and the location and time of the supply team's stay."

"Could it be that there will be a mole?" Yu Qiuping was suddenly stunned.

"Very likely," Sekiguchi said in a low voice, "His Royal Highness the Governor has hinted to me a few times to ask me to pay close attention, but to no avail. Seeing that there was going to be a big move recently, I was afraid that the operation would leak again, so I put the castle tower on martial law, where important documents were stored. ”

"His Royal Highness Guankou is old and seeking the country, and he can't do it yet." Matsudaira Motoyasu said in praise.

"What a coincidence, I'm here this time to get a map." Yu Qiuping spoke, "His Royal Highness the Governor asked me to participate in the formulation of the battle plan for Shangluo, and I plan to ask for a map, and then go to the front line to have a look at it, so that it can be formulated." ”

"No problem. I'll give you a more detailed border map later. Sekiguchi Shihiro readily agreed, "Momiji, when you return to the Junfu, you pass by Yinma Castle, remember to send a greeting to His Royal Highness Sena for me." ”

Yu Qiuping got the map and returned to the castle tower of Zhili Castle, and looked at it carefully. It is similar to the map that Asahina Taehyung got the year before, but the terrain such as hills is drawn in more detail.

The Zhili City where Yuqiuping is located, as well as the hanging city and the barrel narrow, form an inverted triangle. 14 miles northwest of Zhili City is a barrel narrow room, and 15 miles northeast of Zhili City is a hanging city. There is a gap of 15 li between the castle and the barrel saga, and 13 li to the west of the barrel sagama are Narumi Castle and Dataka Castle. To the north of Narumi Castle is the area controlled by the Oda family.

To the north of the Narumi – Tsukasama – and the first line of the Tsukake is a large area of rolling hills and forests. If you want to enter Owari from the Mikawa side, you can either bypass the east side of Suehang Castle and go straight to Suemori Castle. Either that, head north from Narumi Castle and take Nakono Castle directly. Or maybe it's a narrow path north from the barrel to Furuto, which was the route of the Oda family's last surprise attack.

"Ping, are you looking at the map?" Imagawa Kaede walked in with a cup of tea and brought it to Yu Qiuping. Yu Qiuping thanked him, and Imagawa Kaede sat down beside him.

"It's... Barrel Narrow?! When Kaede Imagawa saw these three words, his body trembled violently like an electric shock.

"That's right." Yu Qiuping nodded, "In my previous life... His Royal Highness the Governor, he's here... Killed by a surprise attack. ”

"But this time, we will dispatch more than 10,000 soldiers, just like in our previous life," Imagawa Kaede asked puzzled, as if to prove that the death of her father did not exist, "The Oda family is full of only 3,000 soldiers... How can I put my daddy..."

"His Royal Highness the Governor may have been too proud at that time and divided his troops." Yu Qiuping frowned and said, "His Highness Katsuyama made a detour from the east side to Suemori Castle and Kiyoshu Castle, and attacked Washizu and Magune respectively to relieve the siege of Dataka Castle. His Royal Highness Sena, along with the troops of many wealthy clans, led the army to monitor the three mountains around Narumi Castle, echoing His Highness Okabe in Narumi Castle. Yu Qiuping said in a low voice: "But around the family governor... There were only three or four thousand soldiers left, and they didn't have much advantage over the Oda family. In addition, it is said that the roads are narrow and there are hills on both sides, so it is impossible to deploy troops. ”

"What's even more unfortunate is that when Oda Nobunaga came to attack the main camp, it happened to rain heavily. We are in a position against the wind, and it is difficult to even open our eyes. When the front line was repulsed, the troops in the rear could not come forward in time to support, and Oda Nobunaga took the opportunity to ask for His Royal Highness the Governor..."

"So I'm going to... Will be counted. Yu Qiuping knocked twice on the position of the barrel narrow, "I will put on a posture that is almost the same as in history, and lure Oda Nobunaga to come and attack and annihilate him in one fell swoop!" ”

"Want to hear the truth? I don't understand why Hei is studying this barrel room. Imagawa Kaede said with some fear: "Since Oda Nobunaga relied on so many favorable days and places to succeed in the surprise attack, as long as you suggest that your father do not divide his troops and march around the barrel narrow, won't something definitely happen?" ”

"But it's that simple." Yu Qiuping shook his head, "A military formation of 30,000 people cannot be grouped all the time, and they will definitely disperse when they march on the road, or they will act separately, or they will be long snakes." Nobunaga, on the other hand, is acting with no common sense, and if we had bypassed the barrel saga, he might have struck a desperate blow elsewhere. He is familiar with the geography of Owari, and it is not impossible to do it. If that happens, it's out of my control. ”

"Rather than this, it is better to annihilate him in one fell swoop, at least I can grasp the direction of everything through history." Yu Qiuping said confidently, "And if you annihilate Nobunaga's main force in the field battle, Owari will be able to pass it on, and you can save a lot of troops and food and grass to prepare for Kamiraku." ”

"But..."Although Imagawa Kaede has been persuaded by Yu Qiuping, he is still a little worried about Imagawa Yoshimoto's safety.

"Don't worry, you don't know how timid and conservative your husband is." Yu Qiuping laughed and said, "I will definitely come up with a perfect solution!" If not, I'd rather let His Highness stay in Okazaki Castle, and I'll do my best to persuade him not to go to the front!" Besides, Your Highness also has a Shadow Warrior, don't forget it! ”

"Hey." Imagawa Kaede muttered, "You have to promise me that not only Daddy, but also you will be safe." ”

"Okay, but if you want me to swear, you'll have to come up with something in exchange." Yu Qiuping smiled maliciously, "For example... The pose I mentioned last time..."

A flush rose on Imagawa Kaede's cheeks, and he pinched Yu Qiuping's waist with his backhand.

"Good, good! I won't say it, I won't say it! Yu Qiuping hurriedly admitted. But Imagawa Kaede walked to the side of the bed without saying a word, turned his back to Yu Qiuping, and after a few strokes of his hands on his chest, his coat quietly fell to the ground.

"Huh!" Yu Qiuping was taken aback.

"Hey, you deceitful liar, don't you want it." Kaede Imagawa's voice trembled a little from shyness, "For the sake of you swearing to come back safely... Only... Cheap you once good. Not an example! ”

Early the next morning, Yu Qiuping was neatly dressed under the service of Imagawa Kaede - after all, it was necessary to get to the border, and Yu Qiuping still felt that it was better to be safe. He took the Thirty Cavalry and Sanada Masayuki and personally rushed to the area around the barrel and narrow to reconnoiter the terrain.

Sure enough, an intuitive field trip is far more realistic than a map. Although Yu Qiuping had been to the Tsukasa twice before, he had only passed by the Tsuruma and had not really come to the hilly area where the Tsubakuma was famous. This hilly road is narrow, running from south-east to west, and there are many trees and shrubs on the hills on both sides, making it difficult to walk. If the troops were really blocked in this hill, how many people would not be able to exert their strength.

Led by the local guide, Yu Qiuping came to the middle section of the barrel room, which was the place where Imagawa Yoshimoto died in his previous life. The passage between the hills is extraordinarily narrow, and the hills on either side are even higher, almost like hillsides. On both sides of the road, the southwest and east slopes have space for garrisons, without much interference from trees and shrubs.

Thirteen miles to the west is Narumi Castle, and the surprise attack troops of the Oda Army in the previous life bypassed Narumi Castle, passed through Tange, and came from Zenshoji Temple.

Yu Qiuping turned over and dismounted, and stood on the hillside on the southwest side of the barrel for a long time. He looked at the several official roads and the cities in the distance, and restored the movements of the various armies in the history of the previous life on the battlefield in his mind. For a long time, a smile crept up the corner of his mouth.

"Foolproof."