Soon after Naoe left, Yamazaki Makuichi happily walked into the main camp. n∈，

【Lord! Good news! Shibata-sama has sent a letter! 】

[Ah, he wrote me back, it's really rare.] 】

Wise Kogoro took the letter from Makuichi Yamazaki and opened it.

During this period of time, Wise Kogoro has written many letters to the Shibata Katsu family, hoping that this Oda family veteran can help him, after all, everyone is a person who eats in a big pot, and they still use each other to divide each other? (Pilaf?) You don't use chopsticks to eat? ）

In fact, Oda Nobunaga had already given an order to Shibata Katsuya before, telling him that if Wise Kogoro couldn't stand it, he had to take the responsibility to go up and not let Date Masamune be too presumptuous.

Shibata Katsuya agreed, and wrote a letter to Akechi Kogoro, saying that he would come to Echigo to fight when he would.

That being said, but if you think about it, Shibata Katsuya is a scheming person, and how deep his city is, you can imagine that, at least, I am not his opponent at the moment.

The best way is to wait for the Echigo and the Oshu people to fight to the death, and finally when both are defeated, they will go up and mix with each other, and when the time comes, won't all the problems be solved?

This was Shibata Katsuie's idea, so he was always able to put off his pleas for help from Akechi Kogoro. Even if Wise Kogoro told him that Date Masamune had killed Mori Nagako, who was an old member of the Owari clan, he was not too moved.

The relationship between the Mori family and the Shibata family is average. Back in Owari, he didn't have much friendship, and after Mori Kecheng died. The relationship between the two families was even weaker, and after that, the Mori family and the Ikeda family married, and basically nothing happened to themselves...... Therefore, although Sen Changke is his own countryman, he is not a member of the same faction after all. If he's dead, he'll be dead, there's nothing to be moved about.

At the beginning, Shibata Katsuya also had to thank Kogoro for a few letters of reply. Prevaricate. Later, he didn't even write a letter.

So now, Wise Kogoro looked at Shibata Katsuie's letter, before reading it. I pondered for a long time, but I didn't figure it out. What the hell is this old guy trying to do?

Forget it, he shook his head, since he couldn't guess. Then read the letter carefully. Maybe there's an answer in your heart.

However, the first sentence of this letter thundered Wise Kogoro.

The reason is that Shibata Katsuya actually calls Akechi Kogoro [my brother] in his heart!

Wise Kogoro looked at these two words, and was stunned for a long time without speaking.

As we all know, Shibata Katsuya is a few years older than his father, Akechi Mitsuhide, in terms of generation. He should be regarded as his nephew, how could he ...... Could it be that Shibata Katsuya is confused?

In fact. Wise Kogoro guessed really accurately, Shibata Katsuya at this time. The mental state is already very bad, and he has reached the verge of running out of oil and running out, to put it more simply, he is sixty-three years old, and the limit is coming!

He found out later. This letter was actually written to himself by Katsumasa Shibata as a ghostwriter, and this guy can be his own brother, so he accidentally gave the title to [miswritten].

The content of the letter is divided into two parts. The first half is a congratulatory and a tribute to Akechi Kogoro's record in Wukai.

Seeing this, Wise Kogoro was confused again -- the enemy he had defeated only yesterday, how could the people of the Shibata family get the news so quickly and write to himself today?

It turned out that before the war between the two armies. The Shibata army had already marched to the edge of Ueno, ready to enter Echigo at any time, but after the defeat of the Date army, many people scattered and fled, some in the direction of Ueno, and then they were caught by the Shibata army guarding the border, and the latter was given news of victory.

The following content is more important, Shibata Katsuie said that Date Masamune should not be allowed to escape into Shinmiyagi Castle or Kurokawa Castle and other cities that are easy to defend and difficult to attack, it is better to find a place to fight with it, and he will be wise Kogoro to drag the enemy first, and then Shibata Katsuie will soon arrive, and the two armies will be united to defeat the enemy!

After reading this letter, Wise Kogoro shook his head and put it away, although it was certain that Shibata Katsuya would come 100% this time, but this old guy was still planning to take advantage of the fisherman.

After a long sigh, Wise Kogoro immediately asked Yamazaki Makuichi to invite all the generals in the army to the main camp to discuss the matter, and this general refers to the officers above the rank of Ashigaru general.

It was only at this time that Wise Kogoro felt how regretful it was that he didn't bring his retainers over, and if he was surrounded by Maeda, Ake, Fujita and others, then it must be very convenient to convey military orders now.

At tea time, everyone rushed to their tents.

In addition, Akechi Kogoro also kept an eye on it and sent soldiers to pay attention to the movements of the Uesugi army in the Wukai position.

[Listen, everyone, although Date Masamune has withdrawn from the army, our operation is still not over, so everyone must not hold the lazy idea that the overall situation has been decided and there will be nothing left in the future, and the battle until now belongs to us. 】

When he said this, Wise Kogoro swept the side of the generals sitting below with a fierce look in his eyes, which made everyone can't help but feel excited.

[Don't think that I'm troublesome, deliberately trying to find trouble with Date Masamune, in fact, completely defeating Date Masamune, this is the order of the Shogun, you can imagine, disobey the Shogun, what a terrible consequence! ] 】

At this time, a general sitting in the corner gritted his teeth and finally couldn't help but speak:

[Wise Lord, we are willing to serve you, let's go and fight with Date Masamune, this is no problem, but ...... Excuse me, should we be the pioneers? 】

When I asked this, the atmosphere in this formation immediately changed, and several generals around this person also stared at me cautiously and nervously, worried that I would be angry.

Several of them were Echigo generals, and they had betrayed Uesugi Keigoro before. Then, seeing that the general trend had gone, he betrayed Date Masamune again, and led nearly a thousand people. Switched to the name of Akechi Kogoro.

When it comes to combat effectiveness, these people are definitely not without problems, but when it comes to loyalty, I'm afraid even they are themselves. I don't believe in myself too much.

According to past practice, newly surrendered troops were often either reduced to pieces. Reorganization. Either they serve as cannon fodder and rush to the front in battle. Of course, like Xiang Yu, the overlord of Chu, slaughtered 200,000 soldiers in one go. It is an extremely rare exception.

These people are worried about their fate and future, they think. Wise Kogoro would definitely let himself act as a shield for the Oda army, and even if he died, it wouldn't have much impact anyway. On the contrary, it also has a negative impact on the purity of the army as a whole. is an improvement.

But this time, they were wrong.

From the very beginning, Wise Kogoro had plans to take them for his own use, how could he let them disappear so quickly?

[Haha, Sakazaki-sama, you can rest assured about this. I have other plans for the vanguard's arrangement, waiting for the war to begin. You will be led by me and form a formation! 】

[Ahh ……】

Several Echigo generals were stunned.

And not only them. Even the generals of the Oda family were stupid.

Did Akechi Kogoro burn out his brain? Such an important position in this formation is to let the people who surrendered themselves only two or three days come to guard it, in case these lives mutiny, I'm afraid ......

A general of the Oda family asked cautiously:

[My lord, the formation of the main formation. Doesn't need to do any reorganization? 】

[Reorganization is definitely needed, but now that the war is about to start, the big action will be avoided, otherwise the enemy has not yet moved. We messed up ourselves. 】

This person sat down stupidly, he knew that Wise Kogoro had already decided, so let the Echigo people defend the main position, and the personnel changes would not be too big.

Everyone, including Echigo, was puzzled by Akechi Kogoro's bold move.

As per normal practice. It should be to break up the surrendered troops and integrate them into the regular army, and then as soon as possible to run in the differences between the soldiers and strengthen the strength of the regular army. When necessary, some regular troops can be promoted, and the original regular army can take up the position of commander such as group leader or ashigaru general, manage the demotion of troops, and make sure to form a strong combat effectiveness in the shortest possible time.

Wise Kogoro must have had his brain caught in the door panel, and everyone thought so in their hearts.

Only Akechi Kogoro himself knows what he thinks.

The Echigo generals were mainly composed of fellow villagers, mostly small feudal lords or middle- and lower-ranking feudal lords, and the soldiers recruited some peasants, craftsmen, and some hooligan ruffians who really couldn't get along. It can be said that the relationship between a soldier and a general, between a general and a soldier, is a fellow villager, a friend, or even a distant relative. The soldiers of the Echigo army were recruited by the small lords themselves, and only obeyed the lords, and the upper and lower levels were subordinate, and those who surrendered to the small lords only obeyed him Wise Kogoro alone. The local concept of the same villagers and the common community to maintain the officers and soldiers will inevitably make the Echigo army in their hands become an army that can effectively defend their command.

This was Wise Kogoro's idea, and although it was risky, it was a good idea if he was successful in mastering the soldiers.

Wise Kogoro is determined to do this, and everyone will no longer discourage it.

Then, Wise Kogoro discussed the personnel arrangements with everyone.

After half an hour of discussion, a list was drawn up.

Pioneer:

Katsuzaburo Narumi (Oda)

Uji and Misaemon (Oda)

Kohori Katsu Shintaro Hidesaku-sama (Oda)

Chinese Army:

Daisuke Hideyuki of Seo Jibe (Oda)

Daisuke-sama Ichiyanagi (Echigo)

Chibei-sama Nakagawa (Oda)

Honjin:

Furuta Ukin-sama (Echigo)

Abe Hitoemon-sama (Echigo)

Sakazaki Hakumori-sama (Echigo)

Because the Oda army had five or six thousand people, while the Echigo army was less than a thousand, the actual proportion was still the mainstream of the Oda army.

But in fact, the combined Echigo army and the Oda army were less than 7,000 men, and they had to face the Date army, which numbered more than 15,000.

I'm afraid that even the wise Kogoro himself is a little apprehensive in his heart, this may be the most uncertain battle he has ever fought in his life. (To be continued.) (To be continued.) )