Under the city of Zhushan, flags are all over the sky, war drums are beating, and the 3,000-strong army surrounds this small hill that has just experienced the baptism of war, and on another small hill not far away, Li Jingxiao and his two younger brothers Li Jingzhong and Li Jingyi are watching intently the movements of the Japanese army opposite.

"Big brother, it's been a day, why haven't you launched an attack yet?" The second brother, Li Jingzhong, shouted at the top of his voice.

"Yes, big brother," the third brother Li Jingyi was also a little unsinkable: "I just received a secret report from Kowloon, saying that the Japanese have broken through from the mountain and are rushing towards us. ”

"Where are the three generals now?" Li Jingxiao asked coldly.

"The three generals followed the Japanese and left Jiulong Mountain, and they also intercepted and killed a lot along the way, but in general, they still couldn't catch up with the vanguard." Li Jingyi replied.

"Then what are you worried about," Li Jingxiao asked rhetorically: "As long as the three generals' 4,000 men and horses arrive, we will be 7,000 people, and we can't clean up the remaining more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers?" Moreover, with the current situation, even if Zhushan can be captured, the casualties will never be less than 2,000. ”

"Death by yourself?" Li Jingzhong scratched his head and asked puzzledly, "Is it possible to let them go down the mountain by themselves?" ”

"That's what it means," Jing Xiao nodded: "But now is not the time, everything will not be known until the third general comes." By the way, is the water source on the mountain cut off? ”

Jingyi shook his head and sighed: "I found a local farmer to help guide the way, and found that the original spring had long been blocked. ”

"It takes a lot of effort to find it, now that the grain road has been cut off, if the water source can be cut off together, maybe there is no need to wait for the three generals to come, and these thieves can't help but run down the mountain." As he spoke, Jing Xiao looked up at the curling smoke rising from the cottage opposite, and said angrily: "There is still food for cooking, it seems that it is difficult to force them to comply in a short period of time." ”

Turning their gaze back to Zhushan Castle, the soldiers scooped the boiling hot water out of the cauldron and poured the freshly flotted cold water into it, a routine that had been repeated for half an hour.

Hideho and the generals came to the soldiers, looked at the steaming boiling water and the white smoke slowly rising into the sky, and said helplessly: "I didn't expect that the Tokugawa family would build the fortifications so perfectly, but I didn't expect to leave some food for emergencies. As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a few light stomachs around him, Xiubao had no other way than to comfort a few words, the food and grass he carried with him was insufficient, even if he only ate one meal a day, he could last three days at most, and if he continued like this, I am afraid that before the Ming army moved, the soldiers would starve down on this barren mountain with no vegetation.

"Please also ask Your Highness to atone for your sins, the minister really didn't expect that there was not a single grain of grain in this big Zhushan City." Kiji said to Hideho rather guiltily.

"It's not your fault," Xiubao waved his hand, "This is an empty city, even if there is food, it will be stolen by the local people, how can it be our turn to enjoy." ”

"Yes, Goto-sama doesn't need to blame himself," Harukatsu also stood up and played a round: "Anyway, His Royal Highness Bizhong has already received the news, and I believe that we will arrive in Zhushan soon, and if we endure it a little longer, we will definitely be able to escape." ”

"Thank you Shizhong and all the lords," Kiji bowed and thanked: "Although there is a shortage of food, the water source is still sufficient, according to the distance from Qingzhou to Zhushan, at the earliest tonight, at the latest tomorrow evening, His Royal Highness Bizhong will definitely enter the Zhushan area." ”

At this moment, a young man who looked like a ninja climbed over the wall, and before the samurai could make a move, he knelt down in front of Hideho with a "poof" and shouted, "Your Highness, something is wrong!" ”

"You're the Tokugawa family's Shinemon?!" Harutsu recognized the ninja at a glance: "Could it be that His Royal Highness Xiuzhong he..."

"The villain is the ninja Musashi Shinemon of the Tokugawa family," the ninja nodded at Harumu, then turned to Hideho again, and said with a sad expression: "Last night, a large number of Ming troops raided our army's position outside the embankment, our army was caught off guard, the dead and wounded were cautious, the young master had to lead his troops to retreat south, and specially ordered me to come and tell His Highness, saying that he couldn't stop you..."

This passage shocked everyone present like a thunderbolt from the sky, and Junju even grabbed the ninja's collar and roared: "Fifteen thousand people can't beat the thousands of Ming troops in the embankment? ”

"Please listen to the villain's words," the ninja was neither humble nor arrogant, stretched out his hand to shake off Junju, bowed to Xiubao and said: "The Ming army originally had only five thousand people, they used the Luodong River as a barrier to form a confrontation with our army, the young master and Sagami Shou wanted to reduce the combat power of the Ming army through a war of attrition, waiting for an opportunity to raid, but I didn't expect that on the third night of the battle, a large number of Ming troops unknowingly launched a night attack on the rear of our army, although it was late at night, but the villain can be sure that the number of this army is by no means less than our army, due to the suddenness of the incident, Our army suffered heavy losses, the heavy grain and grass were also burned in the chaos, and at the most critical time, the young master also went into battle with a knife, and had no choice but to retreat to Wenqing overnight, even so, it still lost nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses. ”

"Nearly 10,000 soldiers?!" Xiubao couldn't help but gasp: "How is His Royal Highness Xiuzhong now, has he successfully escaped?" ”

"Thank you, Your Highness, although you have been ambushed by the Ming army several times on the road, as of this morning, the remaining three thousand troops have crossed Xiaobai Mountain one after another, if nothing else, the young master should have arrived in Wenqing by now." Unexpectedly, at this time, Hideho was still concerned about Hidetada's safety, and the ninja's attitude became more and more respectful.

"Then I can rest assured, you tell His Royal Highness Xiuzhong for me, just say that Wen Qing can keep it, and if he can't keep it, he will return to Shangzhou, but it really can't be done, and it is not impossible to return to Qingzhou, and even Miryang." After speaking, Hideho ordered his attendants to take the ninja down to rest, and he summoned the generals to the main hall and analyzed them carefully: "It seems that there is another Ming army on the eastern front, and the number should not be less than 20,000, you also know that now the Tokugawa family can no longer count on it, not only that, but the troops on the eastern front may also be turned to reinforce the western front, so that even if our army has the assistance of the Maori family, it will be difficult to escape from the encirclement, so instead of waiting for the reinforcements of the Ming army, it is better to fight and break through at the risk of death, and there may be a glimmer of life." ”

"But Goto-sama has already said that reinforcements will arrive tomorrow at the latest, so why don't we wait?" Harukatsu reminded in a low voice.

"Lord Komiyayama," Kiji suddenly said: "What the lord said is reasonable, just imagine, we already know the news on the Eastern Front, and the scouts of the Ming army will not be much slower, if the Ming army under the mountain receives the news of reinforcements, it will definitely strengthen the defense, and at that time, I am afraid it will be even more difficult to break through." ”

"I see," Harusheng nodded, "Then when are we..."

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! At this moment, the drums on the tower of the outer city were beating, and the ashigaru in charge of reconnaissance panicked and shouted at Ogasawara Tadakiyo, who was on duty downstairs: "My lord, the Ming and Ming armies have begun to attack!" ”

"What?!" Zhongqing hurriedly climbed the watchtower, raised the Nanban tube and looked down the mountain, only to see the Ming army advancing towards the mountainside from the east, west, north and south, although it was necessary to uproot the fences and traps along the road, but due to the large number of people, it was not too time-consuming, especially with the cover of archers and firearms under the mountain, so that the Japanese army did not dare to go out of the city to intercept.

Chungcheong immediately reported the battle situation to Hidebo, who was discussing countermeasures in the palace, and everyone was also panicked and began to talk about it.

"Everyone," Xiu Bao closed his eyes, was silent for a moment, and then said slowly, "Since that's the case, then let's break through from this moment!" ”