In the early morning of September 4th, the sky was not yet fully bright, but Matsunaga Shu couldn't wait and launched a fierce attack on Ninomaru. At the same time, he also sent an envoy to ask Miyoshi Yoshiken to send troops to attack as well - even if Miyoshi's army still had to paddle water, at least help him contain some of Yu Qiuping's troops.

Miyoshi Yoshiken understood that if Matsunaga Shu could not take Kannonji Castle before noon today, this time the battle would be a failure. Therefore, he did not sit idly by anymore, but personally led the army to storm Ninomaru's West Gate.

In such a situation, the walls of Ninomaru held out until the seventh quarter of the hour before they fell. However, the Oda family still did not panic under the command of Yu Qiuping, covered each other, and retreated into the position between Ninomaru and Honmaru.

However, this time, since the entire walls of Ninomaru had fallen, and the space between Ninomaru and Honmaru was not spacious, the Miyoshi army and the Matsunaga army could stand on the walls and condescendingly suppress the ranged soldiers of the Oda army in the high-rise buildings of the protruding department with bows and arrows. Under the cover of bows and arrows, the Miyoshi family and the Matsunaga family made rapid progress, and it only took one hour to capture the block between Ninomaru and Honmaru.

At this time, Yu Qiuping finally stopped retreating—and beyond that was the castle tower. The tens of thousands of troops of the Oda family stuck to the Honmaru and kept the narrow Honmaru airtight. The Miyoshi family and the Matsunaga family took turns to attack, but it was difficult to overcome, and the time was close to noon.

"It's really Xiu, it's really Xiu, it's smart but it's been mistaken by being smart." Seeing that there was no hope of conquering, Matsunaga Shu personally rode a horse to find Miyoshi Yoshixian. Although he still had a kind smile on his face, and there was no trace of anger in his tone, Miyoshi Yoshiken understood that Matsunaga Shu was already angry to the extreme: "Shixiu thought that even if he retained his strength and did nothing, he would be able to defeat this Guanyin Temple City." It's a pity.,It's just this pill.,This operation was in vain.,Shixiu is satisfied? ”

"Playing right, you're wrong." Miyoshi Yixian glanced at Matsunaga Xiu, and suddenly sneered and said, "Even if I make a move, we won't be able to defeat this Guanyin Temple City today." ”

"Oh?" Matsunaga Xiu frowned when he heard this, but the smile on his face became even thicker, "I don't know the truth, what do you mean by this." ”

"Don't you see it? This rainy autumn autumn leaves still have some power left. Miyoshi Yoshiken looked at the Maple Bird Banner on the castle tower with a very vigilant look, "He could have given up the outer positions so quickly, but in order to protect the lives of the soldiers, he retreated again and again." Until he retreats to a position where he can no longer retreat, he will desperately hold on. His purpose was to delay for two days, as long as the pill was not lost by the two days. You look as if in a day and a half, you've already laid down Sannomaru and Ninomaru. But in fact, those are those that he is unwilling to bear too many casualties and give them to you. If he doesn't want to let him stick to Sannomaru and Ninomaru like Honmaru, we're still far from Honmaru now. ”

"Even if I had attacked with all my might yesterday, I wouldn't have been able to beat it. He will only change his defensive strategy and endure more casualties in order to stall for time. At this time today, we will still be blocked by him in Honmaru. ”

"Hehe..."Hearing this, Matsunaga Xiu laughed dryly, and looked at the maple bird flag with somewhat complicated eyes, "No wonder you value this kid so much, there is really something." ”

"Withdraw. It's a pity, but we're still going to face the enemy's army. Miyoshi shook his head, not knowing if he was talking to Matsunaga or muttering to himself: "As for our Gongfang Palace... (This refers to Ashikaga Yoshiei, which was supported by the Miyoshi family and the Matsunaga family)"

"Ashikaga Yoshiei has already announced to the world at the request of the old decrepit, declaring that Ashikaga Yoshiteru and others are traitors, and the Kamiluo army of Oda Nobunaga and others is a rebel." Matsunaga nodded towards Miyoshi Yoshixian, "Tomorrow the news will be sent." ”

"What about His Majesty the Emperor?" Miyoshi Yoshiken seemed to be interrupted by Matsunaga Shu, shook his head with some dissatisfaction, and asked, "Can you issue an edict designating Oda Nobunaga and others as enemies?" ”

"It's not like you don't know, His Majesty the Emperor and those palace secretaries have a good relationship with Ashikaga Yoshiteru..."Matsunaga Smacked his lips and patted the katana on his waist with some playfulness: "I refuse to give an edict if I live or die." It's okay to insist that they speak, for fear of hurting the harmony. ”

"Then there's no hurry. Anyway, declaring the enemy is not as useful as it once was in this era. Miyoshi Yoshiken turned around, but instead of looking at Matsunaga Hide, he looked past Matsunaga Hide and looked at the northeastern sky.

Matsunaga Xiu noticed Miyoshi Yoshixian's eyes, but he didn't rush to turn back, but asked very calmly, "Shixiu, what's wrong?" ”

"Bullet right, you're going to be in trouble." Miyoshi Yoshiken smiled and slowly raised his hand, pointing to the three clouds of wolf smoke slowly rising in the sky to the northeast.

·

At the same time, Kannonji Castle Honmaruchi.

"Wolf smoke! Northeast? The high-ranking samurai of the Oda family were standing on the castle tower, looking at the three clouds of wolf smoke rising from the northeast in disbelief, "The lord is fighting for his life, and he can't catch up at this time!" ”

"No, that's the Asai family's wolf smoke signal, it's the meaning of attack!" Yu Qiuping, who had worked with the Asai family for many years, recognized the wolf smoke at a glance, "It's the reinforcements of the Asai family!" ”

"His Highness Asai? His Highness Asai actually came to reinforce him? Inaba Yitetsu was taken aback when he heard this: "When we went south to attack before, wasn't it because the Asai family was hindered by the face of the Gongfang Palace, so they couldn't send troops?" At that time, if he sent troops, he could beat the water dogs, and he could also seize the territory and materials of the Hexagonal family, but he didn't come. Now that the army of the Matsunaga family and the Miyoshi family is coming, why did he suddenly come! Don't eat fatty meat, but prefer to gnaw bones? ”

"Because His Royal Highness Asai is such a person who is anxious for justice and righteousness." Yu Qiuping laughed when he heard this, and secretly slandered Asai Nagamasa in his heart: You hot-blooded idiot!

"Report to Your Highness, the Matsunaga family and the Miyoshi family have begun to withdraw their troops!" A herald hurried from Honmaru, "The Miyoshi family has withdrawn from the west gate, and the Matsunaga family has withdrawn from the north gate!" ”

"Momiji, do you want to chase it?" Ikeda eagerly made a few warm-up moves, as if he couldn't wait to go to war.

"Chasing, naturally you have to chase, and cooperate with the Asai family to fight together."

"So who are you chasing? Miyoshi or Matsunaga? Ikeda asked again.

"Naturally, it's the Matsunaga family." Yu Qiuping tapped the north gate of Guanyin Temple City with his hand, "The Miyoshi family can't catch up anyway, but the Matsunaga family is different." The direction he withdrew from the north gate was the direction from which the Asai family came! ”

·

As soon as the Matsunaga army was about to retreat, the Oda army in Honmaru bit up mercilessly, pursuing all the way along the city walls and alleys, and beating the Matsunaga army bitterly. And the Miyoshi army that retreated from the West Gate, because no one interfered, had already retreated cleanly.

Matsunaga Shu watched as the broken troops were dragged near Ninomaru. Unable to evacuate quickly, the Yuqiu family's troops had already climbed the walls of Ninomaru and outflanked them. He hurriedly climbed the walls of Sannomaru to take a lookout, and found that the Asai army had appeared in view.

"When it is broken, it is broken." Matsunaga showed a fierce face and ordered the broken troops to block the Oda army to the death, while he himself led the rest of the troops to retreat unceremoniously to the west. However, the Asai family didn't seem to intend to let them leave easily, and the cavalry led by Isono Hitomasa followed closely behind. Seeing this, Matsunaga Shu did not hesitate to throw down a broken army again, and led the main force to march away, withdrawing without looking back.

After the main force of the Matsunaga family evacuated, the more than 1,500 people who remained behind the Kannonji Castle and the more than 1,500 people who stayed behind to stop the Asai army were defeated without any suspense, and under the pursuit of the cavalry, almost no one could escape back to the mountain castle, and they were all killed or captured in the Minami-Omi territory.

·

In the afternoon, inside the castle tower of Kannonji Temple.

"Changzheng, why did you rush over?" After Yu Qiuping saw the dusty Asai Nagamasa wiping his sweat and leaning his neck to drink a large glass of water, he asked in a low voice, "Has His Royal Highness the General allowed you to send troops?" ”

"No, the Gongfang Hall is still furious because of my unauthorized actions." Asai Nagamasa shook his head apologetically, and then nodded firmly: "But my brother is in danger, and I can't sit idly by." After receiving my brother's request for help yesterday, I immediately led my troops to set out from Otani Castle, and finally caught up. ”

"Is that really good? Don't the retainers have an opinion? Yu Qiuping saw Asai Nagamasa's righteous and awe-inspiring appearance, and couldn't help but remind with some concern.

"The retainers are really unhappy, thinking that the Oda family's troops should be in charge of the Oda family themselves, anyway, the Oda family didn't pay attention to us before the surprise attack, so it was a private action. And there are a lot of people in the Miyoshi family and the Matsunaga family, and if there is a real fight, the Asai family will also be broken. Asai Nagamasa repeated the views of his retainers, and then said in a deep tone of disgust: "They, they, always think about profits, but they refuse to admit it. When I asked for reinforcements, they pressed me with the imperative that I had to obey the orders of the Princess—but that was just an excuse for them to evade morality. You are my brother, the Oda family is my ally, and if my ally is in trouble, how can I sit idly by? I'm just practicing the morality of a samurai. ”

"But disobeying the general's orders is also against the morality of a samurai..."Yu Qiuhei noticed the contradiction in Asai Nagamasa's words.

"I know." Asai Nagamasa did not deny it when he heard this, but his expression became more and more determined: "The two great righteousness contradict each other, I just want to have a clear conscience." It is difficult to avoid the consideration of interests when giving up reinforcements, but it is only for the sake of the general good. That being the case, I chose the hardest path. ”

"You, you... Don't put righteousness and profit in opposition... It's too tiring to live like this. Yu Qiuping looked at Asai Nagamasa's eyes, and a sense of foreboding suddenly surged in his heart.