The large team under the command of the Takenaka Hanbei continued to bombard Kotani Castle not far away, and the smoke of gunpowder filled the mountain, just like the mountain spirit (Forest Spirit 233) in the hidden god throwing a fireball at Kotani Castle. The Asai samurai and ashigaru who were familiar with the siege tactics of the Oda army in formation, but before they could attack the Oda army, which was charging frantically under the castle, their arms and torso were smashed by flying cannonballs (not flowering shells, but solid metal balls).

The cannonball that landed on the ground bounced a few more times, causing the Asai samurai and Ashigaru to suffer in the back, and Otani Castle suddenly mourned. Asai Nagamasa sat in the castle tower of Honmaru and watched the flying cannonballs harvest wantonly in Kotani Castle, and the hand holding the sword at his waist trembled. Seeing this, the city heme beside him gently hugged Asai Nagamasa, and whispered to Asai Nagamasa, "Your Highness..."

"Ah Shi doesn't need to say it! From the moment I betrayed my brother, I already realized that Lord Asakura had sent Lord Keigami to support the family, and the outcome of this battle was still undecided, and I would not easily let the name of the Asai family be lost in my hands. Asai Nagamasa stroked Ichihime's face with that, then got up and said to the attendants outside the house, "Follow me to Mimaru!" ”

The Oda Nobutada Special Brigade, which was wandering behind the Sakuma Nobumori Formation, watched the situation in the canyon while listening to the intermittent cannon sound of the large barrel team not far away. Oda Nobunaga, who was holding his gorgeous sword on the horse, said to the burning sky: "Meishamon, do you think that the Asakura army will go through this canyon?" ”

After hearing this, Burning Sky thought about it and lowered his head and said: "Young Master, although the dangerous situation here can be seen by anyone with a discerning eye, but if you want to relieve the siege of Xiaogu City, there is only one way. After that, Burning Sky pointed in the direction of the Takenaka half-guard and said to Oda Nobutada: "Young master, if this big team is not broken, the siege of Otani Castle will be incomprehensible, and in addition to this path and the assault at the main gate of Otani Castle, what other way can be broken!" ”

After hearing this, Oda Nobutada pressed the sword on his waist, beat the horse and ran two steps forward, and then looked back at the burning sky and said: "I'm afraid that Asai Nagamasa will let the Asakura army stick to the city with him, wait for the projectile of the big cylinder team of the family to run out, and then jointly counterattack the family." ”

At this time, Burning Sky smiled and said to Oda Nobutada: "Young master, can a dying person still pick and choose from the doctor's prescriptions?" Besides, I heard that Asakura also has no consensus on sending troops to help Asai this time! ”

After hearing this, Oda Nobutada smiled and took out the horsewhip on his waist and said, "I really don't know, where did you hear so much news!" ”

After hearing this, Burning Sky immediately bowed his head and said, "When I was guarding Yokoyama Castle, I heard what Kinoshita-sama said! ”

After hearing this, Oda Nobutada slapped his horse under his crotch with a horsewhip, ran in the direction of Sakuma Nobumori's formation, turned his back to Burning Sky and the others and said, "You guys are wandering here, I'll go and discuss tactics with Nobumori-sama." ”

The Battle of Kotani Castle became heated after the Takenaka Hanbei Otsubo stopped firing, and Kinoshita Hideyoshi commanded the previously subdued Asai farmers and Yokoyama Castle troops to continuously charge towards the main gate of Kotani Castle, and those Asai farmers who charged also continued to shout at the defenders of Kotani Castle in the dialect unique to Kita-Omi. When Asai Nagamasa saw this, he shouted to his samurai and ashigaru: "The day the castle is broken, it is the time when our family dies, don't listen to it!" ”

Since the walls of Otani Castle had been bombarded by the Otsubo Brigade before, the Oda army rushed into Otani Castle again after defeating the defenders at the main gate of the Asai family. At this time, Asai Nagamasa rushed up with his attendants and fought with the invading Oda army. After simply engaging the Asai army, the Oda army immediately abandoned the offensive and withdrew from Kotani Castle. Before retreating, Kinoshita Hideyoshi also specially instructed to set fire to the main entrance.

Asai Nagamasa did not choose to continue the pursuit of the Oda army, but immediately after extinguishing the fire at the main gate, he immediately invested his troops to repair the main gate, at this time Kinoshita Hideyoshi lined up the iron artillery team and fired at the ashigaru and the peasants who were repairing the main gate, and the demoralized peasants, as soon as they heard the gunshot, dropped their tools and ran backwards. Such repeated interference also slowed down the work of repairing the city gates of the Asai family.

Seeing this, Asai Nagamasa was about to send the remaining iron artillery team of more than 100 people to suppress Oda's iron artillery team, but he was persuaded by Anyang Temple Jingshi: "My lord, the big team of the Oda family is still there, and my lord should think about it carefully!" ”

After listening to the words of Anyangji Nobuyo, Asai Nagamasa angrily drew his sword and cut the small tree on the side into two pieces and said, "Kinoshita Hideyoshi is too cunning and has no samurai morality, and Oda Nobunaga will definitely pay for this kind of person." With that, Asai Nagamasa handed over the task of directing the repair of the castle walls to Anyoji Nobuyo, and returned to the castle tower of Honmaru with the attendants behind him.

At this time, the samurai who was in charge of the lookout on Kotani Castle suddenly saw a force in the northeast and marched towards Kotani Castle. When the army approached, it turned out to be reinforcements from the Asakura family. The samurai hurriedly descended from the watchtower and ran in the direction of Honmaru, where Asai Nagamasa was located, shouting as he ran, "Reinforcements from the Asakura family have arrived!" Reinforcements from the Asakura family have arrived! ”

When Asai Nagamasa, who had just returned to Honmaru, heard the news, he suddenly came to his senses and asked the samurai who had come to report it, "Where are the Asakura reinforcements now?" The warrior half-knelt and said excitedly: "In the northeast of the city, I hope that the lord will go and take a look in person!" After hearing this, Asai Nagamasa took a group of attendants and walked towards the watchtower of Honmaru.

And Sakuma Nobumori's army also found traces of the Asakura army later, and Sakuma Nobumori, who learned the news, said to Ma Hui, who was on standby: "Go and report to the lord, the Asakura army has come." ”

When the horse heard this, he immediately turned his horse's head and ran towards Oda Nobunaga's main camp, informing the young master Oda Nobutada on the way. When Oda Nobutada received the news, he immediately gathered the special forces roaming around and said to everyone, "The Asakura family's army is ready to go out at any time when it arrives in the northeast of Otani Castle. ”

After listening to Ma Hui's report, Oda Nobunaga in this formation said to Kawajiri Hidetaka who was on standby: "Rokubei, you go and inform the monkey that the Asakura family's military strength has arrived, let him control the fighter by himself." After hearing this, Hidetaka Kawajiri walked out of the formation quickly with the sword, turned over and ran towards the front line. Then Oda Nobunaga said to Hidetaka Kawajiri: "Inform Hansuke, step up your precautions!" ”

After that, Oda Nobunaga said to the next Shibata Katsuie: "Gonroku, you lead 2,000 troops to surround the west and north sides of Kotani Castle, leaving only the east side. Shibata Katsuya listened and walked quickly to the camp with the sword on his waist, and Oda Nobunaga got up at this time and opened the folding fan in his hand, covering the sunlight above his head and looking at Kotani Castle not far away with gunshots.

Asai Nagamasa, who ran from Honmaru to the side gate of Mimaru, ordered the samurai guarding the gate to open the side door, and with a group of important ministers and close attendants, he beat his horse and ran towards the Asakura army not far away. At this time, the Asakura army also stopped marching and stopped in front of Asai Nagamasa. Asai Nagamasa dismounted and saluted respectfully to the general of the Asakura family's army: "This family thanks Asakura for sending troops to help!" ”

After hearing this, General Asakura also dismounted and said: "Your Highness Asai, the two families are allies, why be so polite, His Royal Highness Asai personally came to greet my Sun Ba, but I was flattered!" ”

After hearing this, Asai Nagamasa said with a smile: "Jingjing is polite, and Jingjing can go out of battle quickly and defeat the Oda army that interfered with the repair of the city wall in front of the main gate!" ”