The Battle of Moribe on May 14 ended before evening, with the Oda clan taking on two senior commanders of the Saito clan, Nagai Iean and Hibino Kiyomi, both of whom were prominent ministers of the Saito Rokujuku. The Saito family also lost more than 270 people and captured more than 500 in this battle, most of whom were subordinates of the Hibino family. After this battle, the Hibino family can be said to have suffered a great loss of vitality. Not only was the head of the family killed in the battle, but the troops in the territory also lost more than 20%, and the rest were also scattered. The three wealthy clans who signed a no-war contract with Yu Qiuping also took the opportunity to regain their territory.

However, the troops directly under the jurisdiction of the Saito family did not suffer much damage, and most of them had already retreated on their own before Nagai Guardan was killed, and even the troops around Nagai Guardan did not suffer too many casualties because the Oda family gave up the pursuit.

But even so, after this battle, it was enough to make the Mino Saito family frightened. After resting for the night, Oda Nobunaga ordered his troops to build a pontoon bridge in the early morning of May 15, cross the Nagara River westward, and march to Sumamata. On May 15, the reserve forces of Ikeda Tsuneko and Sasa Narumasa finally set out from Cheongju Castle and began construction of grain routes and supply lines.

At the same time, there was a steady stream of information.

The large and small wealthy clans of Nishimino have already assembled their troops and are ready to guard against the Oda family's attack, and the total strength may be close to 7,000 - not something that Oda Nobunaga's more than 4,000 men can compete with.

On the contrary, the information coming from Inabayama Castle was all good.

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Inabayama Castle Castle.

"What the hell is going on with the young master! Still drinking! As Saito Ryuko's teacher, Hioneno Hiroshi has already found the guards of the castle tower for the fourth time in a fierce manner, "The Oda family has already been overwhelmed by soldiers!" Why didn't he meet his retainers for three days? I'm going in to meet Your Highness! ”

"Back to His Highness Higenno," the guard replied nonchalantly, "Your Highness said, but all the important ministers in the family will not be seen!" ”

"Young master!" Hineno Hiroshi was full of anger, "Now is not the time to play!" The front line has been defeated, and the Sumamata has been lost! How can you still spend all your time drinking here! ”

"Hong, you don't have to say a few words," Bamboo Waist Naomitsu, who came together, said: "Also, don't call the lord a young master, yesterday because of the wrong name, an attendant was beheaded, have you forgotten?" ”

"How dare he kill his teacher?" Hineno Hiroshi shouted angrily: "If this continues, the Saito family will be finished!" This kid doesn't know what's wrong! Obviously, he was fine a few days ago, why did he immediately degenerate like this as soon as he inherited the family governor! ”

Just as Hineno Hiroshi was roaring angrily, a dissatisfied complaint suddenly came from the stairs on the first and second floors of the castle tower.

"Teacher, you're too noisy, aren't you?"

Hineno Hiroshi and Takekiyo looked at the stairs, only to see a young man wearing a samurai bun and dressed in green clothes. The face is plain and calm, where there is a half-point of wine.

"Young master?" Hineno Hiroshi was stunned for a moment, "You didn't drink?" ”

"Drunk, of course. It's just that the drunkard doesn't mean to drink. Saito Ryuxing smiled contemptuously, "You're so noisy outside, and it's also disturbing me to think about the battle situation." ”

"Young master? So you're doing your business inside! Bamboo waist Naomitsu was also taken aback, "Then why do you call so many singers and dancers in, and ask for so much wine?" ”

"Hmph," Saito Ryuxing shook his sleeves and sneered, "Because of this, the whole city doesn't know that I, Saito Ryuxing, am drunk and dreaming and dying, and singing every night?" ”

Looking at the puzzled gazes of Hineno Hiroshi and Takewaist Naomitsu, Saito Ryuxing didn't explain much and walked straight past them.

"Come along, gather the troops, straighten out the rout, and we'll send troops." Saito Ryuxing turned around and chuckled: "The Saito family is newly defeated, and the new head of the family is another extravagant person." ”

"Oda Nobunaga must not be able to wait to lead his army north and drive directly to Inabayama Castle."

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"Hehe, this Saito Longxing, Yu's nephew, it's really absurd!" Oda Nobunaga laughed when he heard the information sent back by the ninjas in Inabayama Castle, "I thought that Inabayama Castle was unbreakable, his father's bones were not cold, and Yu Dabing was pressing the border, so he dared to sing every night." ”

"If you don't see your retainers and don't take care of political affairs, Inabayama Castle is already in chaos." Oda Nobunaga got up with a smile, raised his right arm in the direction of Inabayama Castle, and slowly clenched his right hand into a fist.

"Inaba Mountain Castle is already in Yu's hands."

On May 15, the Oda army left Akihei to defend Sumamata, and the large army began to brave the rain and move north along the west bank of the Nagara River, avoiding the territories of the major wealthy clans of Nishimino and driving directly to Inabayama Castle. Perhaps because of the urgency of the form, on May 16, Saito Ryuko sent 4,000 troops from Inabayama Castle after collecting the defeated army. Contrary to the Oda family, their army marched south along the east bank of the Nagara River in the rain and confronted the Oda army across the Nagara River in the Jushijo region.

According to the ninjas of Inabayama Castle, Saito Ryuko was drunk and unconscious when he sent out his troops. In order to stabilize the morale of the army, the two elders of the family, Hitanohiro and Takewaist Naomitsu, forcibly carried him out of the castle tower and placed him in a sedan chair to accompany the army all the way. After sobering up, Saito Ryuko also boasted along the way that he was the commander of the 4,000-strong army, threatening to fight to the death with Oda Nobunaga's main force in Shijo.

But soon after, he got drunk again. It is also because the head of the family is still unconscious and unable to make any decisions, so the Saito family's troops have not been transferred in any way since they arrived in Shijujo. Hearing this, the Oda family's tent was full of joy, and they were full of confidence in the battle that was about to break out.

"Putting troops in the hands of such people is simply suicide!" Maeda Toshiie scoffed at the time. "Want to fight to the death with our main force in Article 14? Come on! ”

"Elder Michisan once said that his son was only worthy of Yu to lead the horse," Oda Nobunaga laughed and said, "According to Yu, Saito Yoshiryu can be a general for Yu." This Saito Longxing can really only lead the horse for Yu! ”

"Raise your spirits tonight, and early tomorrow morning, cross the river with Yu and break Saito's house!"

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In the early morning of May 17, Oda Nobunaga was woken up by Ikoma kinmasa.

"Your Highness, there is an abnormality in the Saito family, and it seems that they are about to march." Ikoma himself reported.

"Abnormal movement, what abnormal movement? What can be moved? Oda Nobunaga laughed disdainfully, "Is Saito Ryuko going to flee back to Inabayama Castle?" ”

"It's... It is not clear under it. Ikoma said honestly.

"Has the rain stopped?" As soon as Oda Nobunaga asked, the sound of rain outside the tent answered him. "The rain hasn't stopped yet, it's really unlucky."

"It's been raining for three days, and the water in the Nagara River has risen a lot, so it's even more difficult to cross the river." Oda Nobunaga complained again, "Just tell the sentry to pay attention to it, and let the avant-garde Sanzaemon be on guard." ”

"Doesn't you need to mobilize the whole army, Your Highness?" Ikoma himself confirmed.

"No need," Oda Nobunaga yawned and lay back on the bed of the new army, "After the water rises, there are no suitable ferries in the fourteen areas, so how easy is it to cross the Nagara River?" ”

"Besides, it's Saito Ryuko on the other side," Oda Nobunaga sneered, "what can he do, he doesn't have any tricks." ”

However, Oda Nobunaga didn't sleep long before Ikoma came again - along with Konari Mori, who was the avant-garde.

"Sanzaemon, what's the matter? Did the Saito army go north and return to Inabayama Castle? Seeing that Mori CD had come in person, Oda Nobunaga also cheered up.

"Your Highness," Sen Kecheng said in a deep voice, "the Saito army has gone south. Under the suspicion that their goal is the nineteen bars. ”

Oda Nobunaga was stunned for a moment, then immediately jumped up from the bed and ran barefoot to the table with the map.

The Nagara River in the west and the Kiso River in the east meet in the Mino territory and then merge southward, cutting the entire area into three parts. Owari to the southeast of the Kiso River, the middle part of the Nagara River and the Kiso River, and the part to the west of the Nagara River.

The original route of the Oda army was to cross the Kiso River from Oguri-gun and enter the middle area, where Oda Nobuyoshi built nineteen forts as the Oda family's retreat and foothold, and then, Oda Nobunaga crossed the Nagara River westward in order to attack Sumamata, which is equivalent to coming to the westernmost part of the three areas.

Inabayama Castle was located in the middle of the two rivers, and the Saito Army, heading south along the east bank of the Nagara River, was also in the middle area, the area where the Oda family's retreat route was located.

At this moment, the Saito family will directly cross the plains of the Ichima Hirakawa and pounce towards the retreat of the Oda family, the nine-article striking. The Oda family's army wanted reinforcements, but they had to cross the Nagara River first.

Because of the triumph all the way, and because of the contempt for the 15-year-old Saito Ryuxing, the Oda family did not think about it at all: the Saito family army came to confront the main force of the Oda family, and Saito Ryuxing declared that he would fight to the death with Oda Nobunaga in the fourteen joints, which was actually a trick. Its real target is the nineteen bars in the south. Who would have thought that the extravagant Saito Ryuxing would suddenly give such a bold order! If the back road is cut off, the entire army of the Oda family will be trapped in Mino! And Oda Nobuyosu, who guarded the back road, only 500 people.

"Careless!" Oda Nobunaga slapped his head and immediately shouted, "Gather the whole army at once!" Cross the river now! ”

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However, if you want to cross the river, it is not so easy. Due to heavy rains for many days, the Nagara River was so heavily flooded that several bridges in the Fourteen-Jo area were already submerged, and there was no suitable crossing, so the Oda family could not cross the river at all. Oda Nobunaga had no choice but to order the whole army to immediately move south along the Nagara River, return the same way, and cross the river from the pontoon bridge when it came.

"Herald! Let the nearest autumn autumn leaves depart from Sumata and cross the river via a pontoon bridge! Oda Nobunaga shouted, "Support the Nineteen Dogs!" ”

However, when Yu Qiuhei received the order, he did not follow Oda Nobunaga's order and acted immediately.

"His Royal Highness Momiji! What are you doing in a daze! 100,000 urgent! Rylon, the bee house who came to give the order, urged anxiously.

"Lord Beehouse..."Yu Qiuping pretended to be incredulous and sat down on the ground, "I just found out this morning. Pontoon... Last night, it was washed away because of the heavy flow of water. I'm about to send someone to inform the lord and at the same time send someone to fix it... How could this happen? ”