Mt. Hiei, one of the seven high mountains of Japan, is the main mountain of the Tiantai sect of Japan, and is known as the two major jungles of Buddhism in Japan together with Koyasan. It is bordered by Mt. Hira to the north and Mt. Shiga to the south, and belongs to Shiga County of Omi Province, and crosses the mountain castle and Omi two countries. It imitates Tiantai Mountain in the middle of the 'Huazhejiang' River and Siming Mountain in the north of the mountain, which is also known as Tiantai Mountain, and the highest peak is also known as Siming Mountain.

In the seventh year of Enryaku (788), Master Shicheng founded the One Ride Zhiguan Temple, and worshiped the medicine master as the deity. In the twenty-third year of Yanli (804), he entered the Tang Dynasty to study. In the following year, he returned to Japan and built the Great Garan and founded the Tiantai Hokke sect, which means to suppress the ghost gate of the imperial capital, and the temple is used as a dojo to protect the country. In the thirteenth year of Hongren (822), the temple was allowed to set up a Mahayana ordination altar after the most clear death. The following year, he was given a plaque of "Enryakuji Temple".

After the most clear, Yizhen, Yuanren, Yuanzhen and other teachers came out one after another, greatly expounded the style of Tiantai sect, and there were three towers, sixteen streams, and more than 3,000 squares at the peak. But now, it's rubble, and it's been three years since Mt. Hiei was burned.

"Hey... Mitsuhide..."For some reason, whenever he sees a place related to Akechi Mitsuhide, Hosokawa Nobumoto can always touch the scene.

"With this fire back then, Guangxiu made a lot of determination." Hosokawa Fujitaka also sighed beside him, he was most familiar with Akechi Mitsuhide, and naturally knew that Mitsuhide believed in the Lotus Sect of this Tiantai Mountain.

"Xuanyi, the reconstruction of Enryakuji Temple will be handed over to you." Hosokawa Nobumoto commanded a monk behind him.

"Yes, please rest assured that your subordinates will definitely reproduce the glory of Enryakuji Temple and show the sincerity of your lord to the world. Of course, Mt. Hiei will only be a place to practice meditation and enlightenment. Maeda Genyi bowed his head and responded, he was the monk who accompanied Hosokawa Nobumoto to Nagashima Temple together.

Due to his outstanding ability and the fact that he had once entered the Enryakuji Temple of Mt. Hiei, he soon took over as the abbot of Owari Komatsubara-ji Temple. Later, he was recruited by Oda Nobunaga as a retainer, so he returned to the vulgar and became the strength of Oda Nobutada. After the death of Nobunaga and Nobutada, he took refuge in Hosokawa Nobumoto, who was destined.

"Very good, if you lack something, apply to Nakajima Kiyonobu for procurement, he is the financial director of the family, and the manpower and construction are looking for Masuda Nagamori, and he is the construction director of the family. In the future, you will be the temple of your family, do a good job! Hosokawa Nobumoto nodded with satisfaction, Maeda Genyu understood his intentions very well, and he deserved to be one of the "Toyotomi Five Commissioners" in the future.

"Alright, let's go into the mountains, Hide! Lead the way! "Hosokawa Nobumoto brought 2,000 people from Dinghai Bei and Saga Bei this time, and Hosokawa Fujitaka and the three of them each led 2,000 troops. Because of the mountainous area of Tanba, the "Wind Riding Battalion" stayed in Shima Province to guard against the emerging Kitada family, but the 1,000 "Dark Ninja Battalion" was brought along, and the "Thunder Artillery Battalion" took over the Omi Koga Prefecture.

"Yes! Lord! Kawakatsu Hide's one knee saluted, and then led a few pioneer ninjas of the "Dark Ninja Camp" into the endless mountains first.

"The Dark Ninja Camp is the striker! The whole army is out of battle! Hosokawa Nobumoto turned on his horse, and the whole army marched into the Tamba high mountains.

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Whoa... The sand and gravel slipped down the valley, and the Hosokawa army was like a long snake winding through the deep mountains.

Hosokawa Nobumoto looked at the sky, it was already like blood, and he was afraid that he would have to spend the night in this mountain road tonight. The reason why he took this dangerous road was because it was right outside the belly of the country of Tanba, which could hide himself well and give the enemy a surprise blow.

"Pass the order! The whole army rests! I'm here for the night tonight! Hosokawa Nobumoto gave the order, and passed it on well, and the troops rested on the spot, took out the rice balls on their waists and began to eat.

"You guys! Go there! You! You! And you! Go to that high place and be on guard! "Deura Morikiyo began to arrange for people to be on guard at night, and in this deep mountain, the value of ninja can be best reflected.

"Get ready to rest! No fire! Get ready to rest! No fire! With the sound of the command, the troops began to open their marching bags in an orderly manner, simply spread out the mats and sleeping pillows, poke the spears in their hands into the ground, and put the knives at their waists within reach.

Then every group of eight people is in a small circle, with their heads facing outward and their feet facing inward, like a small Bagua array. Once the warning is given, a defensive formation can be formed immediately, and it seems that Hosokawa Nobumoto has put a lot of effort into military reform.

Goo-goo... The owl at night came out to forage again, and Hosokawa Jun quietly did not startle a small bird.

"My lord, this is Utsu City, the residence of the Uzu family, here, here, and here, it is its branch city." On a relatively wide platform, a huge black canvas shrouded the platform, making it airtight inside. The people inside were reading the map in their hands by the faint light of the candlelight.

"Walking from here, can you not alarm the vigilance of the branch city?" Hosokawa Nobumoto pointed to a thickly marked route, they had entered the country of Tanba, and in front of them was the territory of the Uzu family.

"Back to the lord, this road is only known to the local hunters, as long as you are careful, you will not be discovered." Kawakatsuhide respectfully replied that such mountain trails could not be seen on the map, and only the locals could know about them.

"Orion..."Hosokawa Nobumoto muttered, tilted his head and thought for a moment and said, "Sheng Qing, during the march, send some more shrewd and capable ninjas to guard the surroundings." It's late autumn, and there will inevitably be hunters who go into the mountains to hunt for winter rations. ”

"Yes! Please rest assured, your subordinates will arrange for Yoshicho Mochizuki to be in charge of the surrounding vigilance, and the Mochizuki ninjas are the best in the team. But... If you run into Orion, will you...?" Deura Shengqing made a motion to wipe his neck.

"No, just control it, and then give them some rations when they're done, and let them go home. They are also a group of innocent people who are suffering hard, and try not to kill Beren because I have no intention of killing him, but Beren dies because of me. Hosokawa waved his hand, signaling that there was no need to be so aggressive. Then keep an eye on the topographic map to see what are the flaws.

This thickly marked path is actually a very narrow mountain path, which is completely a mountain road that the local hunters stepped on with their feet, and on both sides of it are Hosono Castle, Nakae Castle, Shushan Castle, and Kaminaka Castle, which are all branches of the Utsu family, and are his eastern gateway.

The Utsu family is a wealthy family in Kuwata County, Tamba Province, with the Kawakatsu family to the north, the Naito family to the south, the Daisen family to the east, and the Hatano family to the west.

The head of the family, Uzu Yorishige, responded to Hosokawa Takakuni against Hosokawa Haruhoto during the "Rebellion of the Two Hosokawa Clans", and Ashikaga Yoshiaki sent troops to join the Shogunate Army when he became independent, but they were all defeated. Now, Hosokawa Nobumoto will take the first knife from him, and the territory will also be confiscated and rewarded to the Kawakatsu family.

Rustle... The Hosokawa army shuttled on this tortuous path, and the towering mountains on the north and south sides, as well as the dense mountain forests, well covered the moving Hosokawa army.

When the Hosokawa army came out of the mountains and forests safely, there was a wide avenue as far as the eye could see.

Utsu Castle is at the end of this avenue.