On October 7th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, in the camp of Yuaki's family outside Owari National University Takashi Castle.

After a long night and a morning of sleep, Yu Qiuping finally woke up. The head was groggy and uncomfortable. As soon as you close your eyes, you will have in your mind the heroic appearance of Uden Nagasho and his samurai who committed suicide.

He forced himself to pull himself together and not think about it. After washing his face with cold water fiercely, Honda Tadakatsu had already asked for some prepared lunch from his husband in advance to cushion Yuqiuping's stomach.

After learning that Yu Qiuping woke up, Sanada Masayuki, Amano Keito, and Naoe Tadahei immediately rushed over. When they arrived, Akihei was eating miso soup and gulping down a rice ball wrapped in fish—a perk that only high-ranking samurai had.

"Your Highness...," Naoe Tadahei asked with some concern.

"Kinbei, you don't have to worry." Yu Qiuping shook his head, "I'm fine. ”

"Kibei, Jingde," Yu Qiuping looked at Sanada Masayuki and Amano Keitoku again, and the two of them also had gloomy faces. He was stunned for a moment, trying to make the atmosphere not so solemn, so he smiled and said, "Speaking of which, Jingde, your name is Quan Bingwei, right?" It just so happens that the three of you are guards, why don't I call you Quan Bingwei in the future? ”

"It's okay, I don't care about it." Amano Jingde nodded lightly, letting Yu Qiuping's idea of enlivening the atmosphere come to naught. Yu Qiuping laughed embarrassedly twice, "Then tell me about it, how is the situation now?" ”

"After His Highness fainted yesterday," Naoe Tadahei said softly, "I will take the guards to send His Highness back to the camp outside the south gate." Yesterday a total of 10 people were killed and 32 wounded, but only three were seriously injured in the future. The dead Ashigaru has been put into coffins, and the wounded have been properly treated, so His Highness can rest assured. ”

"What about the corpses of His Highness the Pelican?" Yu Qiuping asked, "How did the Ashigaru and his family of the surrendered Imagawa Army deal with it?" ”

"His Royal Highness the Pelican, their bodies, and the Governor's Highness have ordered them to be put into the coffin. The two sons left by His Royal Highness in Dagao City were too late to retreat when Ximen resisted, and were captured by our army and placed under house arrest in the big camp. Naoe Tadahei said, "And the Imagawa family ashigaru and the samurai captured by the direct subordinates of the Governor of the Great Hall and the other highnesses, except for the dozen or so people who opened the gates, were released... The others were either selected by Your Highnesses, and those who had little to do with the Suruga Toe or were included in their troops. Either that or be relegated to slavery. ”

However, when he said this, Naoe Tadahei stopped and did not continue. Yu Qiuping waited for his next step, but Naoe Tadahei just lowered his head silently and did not answer.

"So..."Yu Qiuping had an ominous premonition in his heart, "Then we... What about the Imagawa army that he captured. ”

The south gate of the Yuqiu family's Tsukiwa Bei was in charge of the main attack, and it was the first gate of the Oda family to break through. Thus, the besieging forces outside the south gate were able to capture a large number of prisoners as they outflanked along the walls and inside the city. The Yuqiu family alone captured nearly 200 captives of the Imagawa family. Before the siege of the castle tower, Yu Qiuping deliberately sent these captives out of the city and into Yu Qiuping's own camp. According to the unwritten rule among the Japanese samurai, captured prisoners were usually left to the samurai themselves to decide what to do. Therefore, Yu Qiuping originally planned to quietly let these captives go, which can be regarded as a kind of atonement for his indifference to seeing the captives being reduced to slavery before. The matter of sending the prisoners out was handed over to Naoe Tadahei. Naoe Tadahei has always had the most tacit understanding with Yu Qiuping, and he has the same heart, so Naoe Tadahei naturally understands what he means.

However, after seeing Naoe Tadahei's performance, Yu Qiuping probably understood in his heart.

"Your Highness," Naoe Tadahei swallowed and said in a low voice, "Late yesterday, Lord-sama Sasa and Lady Kanamori came to our camp. They said that they had come to ask us what we were going to do with the prisoners, on behalf of the lord. ”

"In the next..."Naoe Tadahei paused, a little difficult to prepare to continue. However, Amano Keide suddenly shook his head and signaled that Yu Qiuping should let him continue.

"I guess the meaning of the main hall privately," Amano Jingde said in a deep voice, "just to see what the lord intends to do with these prisoners." Even if the lord puts them back, the hall will not interfere. It's just that there will inevitably be unhappiness left in my heart. ”

"Therefore, I am advocating for the good of Xia," Amano Jingde said coldly, "On the grounds that His Highness has just arrived and needs a lot of care from his colleagues, he has given the captives to many His Highnesses and Nobun His Hall of his own family. ”

"Please punish Your Highness, and bear it with all your might." Amano Jingde bowed and waited for Yu Qiuping's reprimand. He clearly remembered that after he killed those villagers without authorization during the crusade against the bandits last year, Yu Qiuping was furious.

However, he waited for a long time, but he still did not wait for Yu Qiuping's scolding. Tianye Jingde raised his head in some confusion, Yu Qiuping looked blank, and looked at Tianye Jingde with somewhat empty eyes. It was as if he had looked out of the tent through Amano Jingde, and at the hundreds of captives held in the camp—who were also destined to become slaves.

If it's your former self... Will definitely not hesitate to do everything in his power to save them, to save them. In reality and goodwill, choose your own goodness and strive to alleviate some of the suffering of the innocent people in the world.

Just like what he promised to Kaede Imagawa back then. Yu Qiuping's mind suddenly flashed the image of that time.

·

"Although, a person like me, who has no rights in his hands and no great ability, will be a little arrogant to say such things to you," Yu Qiuping solemnly looked at the tearful girl, "but I am willing to promise you a promise to the family that has experienced misfortune all over the world." I, Yu Qiuping, will definitely do my best to save them, so that they don't have to go through life and death again. ”

·

At that time, I was so simple and naïve... It wasn't until I hit my head that I finally understood this truth.

The world is so cruel, and it is difficult for good people to survive in the world, especially in troubled times.

Those who can't give up anything can't save anything.

Yu Qiuping withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked at the loyal subordinate in front of him who was willing to dirty his hands for him. He stepped forward and helped Amano Keito.

"Gonbei, you're doing the right thing." Yu Qiuping laughed miserably. laugh at yourself, and laugh at the countless naïve teenagers who have succumbed to reality throughout the ages.

Almost subconsciously, he opened his mouth and said the excuse that countless careerists and high-ranking people have used to cover up their actions and express comfort throughout the ages:

"This is a troubled time, and this is something that can't be helped."

·

"Kibei," Yu Qiupei turned his head to look at Sanada Masayuki, a young man who always had a maturity much higher than his age. "Is there any important information during this time when I am unconscious?"

"Your Highness, please come over here," Sanada Masayuki led Yuaki and others to the side to the table where the map was spread out - this map was originally requested by Yuakihei from the castle tower of Okazaki Castle.

"Yesterday afternoon," Sanada Masayuki pointed to the location of Zhili Castle on the map, "Our army found that the troops of the Matsudaira family in Zhili Castle were very active. The number of troops of the Matsudaira clan stationed on the road leading from Tsukake Castle to Chiritsu Castle, that is, at the bridge over the Tsuzuma River, also increased. And early this morning, there was a Matsudaira family scout horse that crossed the Ezuma River, entered the north bank of the Ezuma River, and carried out reconnaissance in the area south of the city. ”

"Since there are not many defenders of the castle," Sanada Masayuki calmly said with nervous information, "it is very likely that there is a danger of falling, and His Highness Sakuma has already returned to help yesterday afternoon." His Royal Highness Sakuma's former position was to go deep into the territory of Mikawa. If the castle falls, the Matsudaira family can block the forces of His Highness Sakuma between the Gasuma River and the Yasaki River by going upriver along both sides of the Mtamima River. As a result, His Royal Highness Sakuma was forced to return to the castle. Before nightfall last night, I had already crossed the Tsuma River. It is estimated that at this time, it has returned to the city. ”

"Nobunaga Castle left Sasa-sama and His Highness Ikeda to garrison Ōtaka Castle, and ordered His Highness Shibata to lead the vanguard to set out this morning and set up camp in the Barrel Narrow Room, and it is estimated that he has already arrived. The main hall had previously ordered that the troops directly under the direct jurisdiction of the family would also set off after lunch and head to the barrel room. After that, His Highness Shibata went east to take over the defense of the castle, while His Highness Sakuma returned the same way and invaded Jumu again. ”

"That's it..."Yu Qiuping pondered the map for a long time, and roughly understood the situation in front of him. Although the Oda family's forces far outnumbered the Matsudaira family, the battle line was too wide because the enemy was too light before, and Sakuma Nobumori, who had penetrated too much into the enemy territory on the eastern front, could not get any support. Therefore, when the Matsudaira family concentrated their forces on Chiritsu Castle and threatened the safety of the castle, Sakuma Nobumori had to retreat. However, with the main forces of the Oda family ending the Odaka Castle raid and all of them moving to the Tsubasa-Kakeke Castle line, the pressure on the Matsudaira family around Chiritsu Castle will become very great, and Sakuma Nobumori will once again have the opportunity to penetrate deep into Mikawa from the east and threaten Okazaki Castle.

The Oda family now wants to attack Okazaki Castle, and there are roughly two ways to go. One is the northern line that Sakuma Nobumori took, and the other is to honestly take Chitachi Castle, and then Ansho Castle, threatening Okazaki Castle from the east. The vast area of land between these two routes is mostly forested and hilly, and there are no official roads, making it difficult to march on a large scale.

·

The deduction of the battle situation is also exactly the same as Yu Qiuping's imagination. On October 8, the main forces of the Oda family began to march towards Chitatsu Castle from two sides, Tsubasama and Kakeke, and set up a formation on the north bank of the Tsuzuma River. The Matsudaira family, on the other hand, held on to the south bank of the Tsuma River, controlling the two main bridges. The banner of Matsudaira Motoyasu himself also appeared in Chiritsu. On the other hand, Nobumori Sakuma of the Eastern Front Rangers advanced to the south of Jumu on October 10, facing Okazaki Castle across the Yasaki River. Sakuma Nobumori believes that there are obviously not many troops in Okazaki Castle, as they have relinquished control of the Yasasaka-Kawakami Bridge and retreated all back into the castle.

The standoff continued until 25 October, during which two skirmishes broke out. The first time was when Sakuma Nobumori crossed the Yasaki River and went south and set fire to the castle town of Okazaki Castle. The two who stayed behind, Sakai Tadaji and Torii Mototada, immediately attacked, and took advantage of their familiarity with the terrain to defeat Sakuma Nobumori. However, Sakuma Nobumori was in a strong position when he retreated back to the north bank of the Yasakagawa River, and did not give the Matsudaira family the slightest chance to pursue. Another clash took place on the battlefield of Zhilicheng. Oda Nobunaga led an army in the direction of Tsukasama, which confused the judgment of the Matsudaira family. Shibata Katsuie, in the direction of Kakeke Castle, took the opportunity to attack the east and west, and launched a fierce attack on the bridge between Chiritsu Castle and the Tsuzuma River in the direction of Kakeke Castle, and successfully seized control of the bridge. However, the Matsudaira family, who reacted, immediately built a second line of defense, and Shibata Katsuya could not continue to advance, and the situation was once again deadlocked.

On November 14, Niwa Nagahide and Mori Kosei, who had stayed behind at Katsuhata Castle and Kiyoshu Castle, sent an alert. The Saito family of Mino, after discovering that the Oda family was marching south, had already assembled a large number of troops at Inabayama Castle, and there were signs of an attack from the south. And Oda Nobukiyo of Inuyama Castle also urged Oda Nobunaga to come back quickly to defend Owari. In such a situation, the Oda family could no longer continue the confrontation and had to seek change.