Chapter Seventy-Two: Takeda Shingen betrays the alliance
On June 3, Yamamoto Temple Dingchang and Nagao Keishanobu arrived at the foot of Kawagoe Castle with 6,000 conscriptions. After a large-scale reform in Echigo, the peasant army disappeared, and the equipment and weapons of the conscription ashigaru were greatly improved.
"Yamamoto Temple Iyomoru and Nagao Toyomae Mamoru, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Asadachi was waiting at the castle town early in the morning, and although they arrived an hour after Asada's arrival in the castle town, it was too late.
"Repair the doctor's hall, the minister and the Shiro hall are also coming in a hurry, didn't Lord Kano Hideji come first?" The head of Yamamoto Temple immediately dismounted and saluted, they were indeed late, but they had to find a good reason first.
"Yes, yes, the two of us have deposited the little lotus team with the Yuliang family, and the army under our command is speeding up with four days of dry food." Nagao Keishin is not in a hurry to change the seedlings of the Nagao family now, unless he has the permission of the Dragon Girl and the Asada, he can change it to Uesugi.
"In this way, I will let the three thousand two hundred Shangzhou soldiers of the Ota Zizheng team go first, and then the five hundred Wuzhou soldiers of the Hosoya Shimichi team. After the 2,700 troops marched to the foot of Nambada Castle, it was the two of you who set off, so you should rest first. "Chao Ding knows that it is not easy for them to come all the way, and if they can rest, they will rest, and the soldiers and horses in their headquarters have already finished resting, so it is no problem to fight first.
In this way, 6,100 Echigo soldiers temporarily rested in Kawagoe Castle. The treatment they received was naturally three meals a day, which made Nagao Keishanobu and Yamamoto Temple Dingchang very red-eyed, and they now knew that the combat effectiveness of the Uesugi army was not for nothing, it was completely 'fed'.
In the evening, 650 people led by Saito Rizo and Yamada Naotari also entered Kogoe Castle, and Yamada Naodari was appointed by the Asadari as the Uesugi family's Ashigaru general, and his 200 ashigaru were reorganized into the Kawagoe Knights under the jurisdiction of Ashigaru. All 200 of them changed into newer barrels and white robes, and even the spears in their hands were replaced with new ones, and each of them had an extra knife to wear on his waist, while Naosada Yamada was Saito's lieutenant. Now, the Uesugi army can have one more soldier, after all, if the Hojo family comes to the 'crowd tactic', it can hold out.
However, the 'crowd tactics' used by Hojo Shiyasu under Namba Castle did not have the desired effect. The army under his command also broke through the Otemon Gate of Sannomaru at the cost of losing 3,000 troops. When the Hojo army wanted to rush into the castle, it was attacked by the Uesugi army's iron cannon Ashigaru, and Namba Tian Kenji even dismantled all the wood of the Honmaru Kokan to repair the Otemon! However, Namba Tian Castle can still support thousands of soldiers and civilians for fifteen days at most, and in these fifteen days, Namba Tian Kenji has to find a way to hold on, he knows that the court is gathering a large army, as long as he can hold this period of time, he can achieve a comprehensive victory!
"Lord-sama Hayato, the Lord has ordered me to come and inform you. The 1,900 troops of Kiyoshi Ikawa had already fought with the lord after defeating Fujita Yasubang, plus the 6,100 troops of Yamamoto Temple, Iyomori-samaru of Yamamoto Temple, Toyomae Mamoru Nagao, and Hideji Kano of Ueno had already entered Kawagoe Castle, and even the three Saito Toshimi, who had just taken Inamura Castle, were also supported by 200 ashigaru of Yamada Naotada-sama, and they were now assembled and rested in Kawagoe Castle, and they could send troops to Nambatajo Castle in a few days. There are still 3,700 Shangshu soldiers under the command of Lord Mino Ota, and the Uesugi army has more than 10,000 people after adding the lord's own team. "Kato Duanzo came here at a great risk, but I have to say that the ninjas in the Wind Demon are too poor or not skilled, and I didn't find him at all.
"That's great! If this is the case, coupled with the remaining more than 2,000 troops in this city, the Hojo Army will be defeated if it is attacked inside and outside! "Namba Kenji was relieved, now he knew that after the court gathered tens of thousands of people, he had full confidence in guarding Namba Tian Castle.
"Then, our army will have to defend this city for a few days, but the morale of many ashigaru casualties is not as high as before." Jieshan Yunsheng could only shake his head at this moment, if there was an army that could sneak attack the Hojo Army now, they would be able to improve their morale a little.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the lord has an order: 'If you are unable to defend and break through in five days, the people can only stay in the city, and the Hojo clan Yasu will not be able to slaughter the city.'" "Kanzo Kato finally finished speaking in the teahouse and disappeared. This sentence made everyone present fall into deep thought.
"Impossible!" Nambada Hiroyoshi stood up in a row of tables, "Why do we have to retreat and break through to defend Nambada Castle that we sacrificed to die?" If that's the case, the family will be kicked out of Musashi again! After Namba Tian Castle, there will be no danger to defend! ”
"So what? It's not like you don't know how Hojo Clan Yasu attacked the city for so many days in a row! Drive out a large number of civilians to fill the soil hori! Toshimitsu Anazawa couldn't stand it anymore, and he could be regarded as the first time to see the true face of Hojo Shiyasu.
"Be quiet!" After Namba Kenji yelled, the entire tea house fell silent.
"Don't quarrel with the two of you, the lord also has the lord's thoughts, maybe the lord thinks that the nearby can't be used, and he can't successfully defeat the Hojo army before he ordered me to wait for the right time to break through." Miyagi Masayi touched his chin and said thoughtfully, he couldn't see the unanimous order, but he could only guess approximately.
"Well, so in the next five days, please prepare for the breakout, there must be no mistake!" Kenji Namba was actually against the evacuation, this was his hometown, but he understood that the orders of the lord family could not be disobeyed, and this was related to the future of all the retainers of the Uesugi family, including the future of the Uesugi family. Therefore, as the second elder of the Namba family, he had to set an example.
Asadachi really thinks that it no longer makes sense for Namba Castle to continue to defend the castle, because as long as he can mobilize a large number of troops, he can have a decisive battle with the Hojo Army, and Namba Castle can still be recovered in the future. And in the past few days, he still has to survey the terrain and form a formation (six-scale formation), what the court needs now is to be able to lure the Hojo army into the formation and annihilate it all, as long as he can win this battle, then Musashi Ichikuni will be war-free for several years.
In the evening, Xi Liding also entered Heyue City with 1,000 reinforcements from the Furukawa Princess, and the leader of this support was naturally Liang Tian Qingsuke. The Ashikaga Fuji clan of the Furukawa Gongfang also knew that if the Uesugi family was defeated, he, the Ashikaga Yoshi, would be driven away by the Ashikaga Yoshishi, and he understood the reason for the death of his lips and teeth very well.
For the Uesugi family, the long-lost good news finally came - Takeda Shingen tore up the alliance with the Imagawa family, his sister-in-law Takeda Yoshinobu was forced to belong, and the Imagawa family's Princess Ryōshoin was sent back to the Sunfu Pavilion. Takeda Shingen immediately mobilized the military forces in Kai, and in a short period of time mobilized 15,000 troops to the south, with Anayama Nobuyoshi at the front.
Takeda Shingen did not start the war without making any preparations, and Sena Nobuki, Asahina Masasa, Miura Yoshikagami, and Katsuyama Clan were omitted before the war, and when Anayama Nobujun's 2,000 troops turned against each other instantly. In a short period of time, 21 Imagawa family retainers rebelled, and the Takeda army went straight to Sunfukan! After the defeat of the Imagawa clan in the Satatsu Pass, the Imagawa family was already in the twilight of the West Mountain, and they were unable to compete with the Takeda family. On June 5, Sunfu was captured by the army led by the Racecourse Nobubo. The Imagawa clan fled barefoot with Lady Hayakawa to Kakegawa Castle in the retainer Asahina Tai Dynasty, but Tokugawa Ieyasu also launched an attack on the Imagawa family at this moment.
Sailors who were originally part of the Imagawa family, such as Yasunao Itami, Masatsuna Mukai, Sadatsuna Okabe, Keitaka Kohama, Takebei Mamiya, Sakujo Masakujo (Nobutaka), and Tadabei Mamiya, also became members of the Takeda family's navy, and assisted Takeda Shingensui in attacking the castle of the Imagawa family along the coast. Imagawa Shin and Hojo Clan Yasu would never have thought that all this would happen because Takeda Nobushigeru and Uesugi Asadashi had come into contact, and it was also with the acquiescence of Uesugi Masatori in Kasuga Yamajo that Takeda Shingen dared to come out. Takeda Shingen will not just attack with a military force. Kiso Yoshimasa had also secretly set out from Kizoya Fukushima Castle and led 3,000 troops southward, passing through Minami Shinano Iida Castle and attacking Enoe Province.
As the Takeda army grew more and more, by the time Takeda Shingen instantly took the country of Suruga, his strength had reached more than 30,000 people! Finally, Takeda Shingen also led an army of 25,000 into Izu on June 15. Takeda Shingen appointed his younger brother Takeda Nobuyoshi as the lord of Sunfukan Castle, Takeda Nobuyoru as the lord of Kokokuji Castle, Yokota Tsunamatsu (son of Yokota Takamatsu) as the lord of Fukasawa Castle, Murosumi Torano (Itagaki Naokata) as the lord of Kambarau Castle, Kawawa Nobumi (one gate) as the lord of Tokura Castle, and Ganli Masataka (Harumoshi) as the lord of Maruko Castle. Takeda Shingen placed one gate and one dynasty in all the important towns of Suruga Province, and ordered Takeda Shinshihiro to continue to lead 5,000 troops to attack Enoe Province.
The people of the Enoe clan were also dissatisfied with the Imagawa clan, who had been doing nothing all the time, and although the Imagawa clan's policy implementation was beneficial to the development of merchants, it hindered the interests of the countrymen. Keikun Amano, Ogasawara Nagatada, and Teru Watanabe responded by raising troops after Takeda Nobuyoshi invaded Enoe on 20 June. Takeda Nobushi's team also increased a lot of military strength in an instant, from the initial 5,000 troops to 9,000 troops. It can be said that Takeda Shingen's Suruga invasion this time is a dream to get a naval army and an outlet to the sea. He no longer has to worry about running out of salt in his territory.
When the news of the Takeda Army's invasion of Suruga reached Musashi, it was already June 15.
"What?! Order the entire army to stop the assault on Namba Castle! "Hojo Shiyasu saw that the envoy who came to report the news was covered in blood, and there were a few broken arrows stuck in the mother's robe behind him, he couldn't help but be angry, he had already cleared all the dirt and obstacles outside Namba Castle, and he was about to attack Namba Castle today, but the Takeda family betrayed the alliance at this time!
"Report! The Takeda Army is fighting without declaring it! Now Izu Province has been invaded! "The Hojo family disaster is not alone, and at this time, another envoy came to report that Takeda Shingen led troops to attack Izu!
"What?!" Hojo Tsunade Chengdu was surprised and dropped the water cup in his hand on the ground, if Takeda Shingen's wind forest volcanic offensive, then Izu Province, the place where the Hojo family made its fortune, will become the territory of the Takeda family! And Takeda Shingen may go one step further to attack Sagami! Shingen Takeda is terrible!
"Shi Kanggong! My family was attacked by the Takeda Army, so please send a navy to let me lead the army to rescue the lord! At this time, Abe Motozhen and the others couldn't sit still, maybe their territory was gone, and if their lord was gone, they would really have to die to forgive their sins.
"Hey! Takeda Shingen, this guy saw that his family came out to attack the Uesugi family, so he betrayed the alliance! He took Higashi Mino after the alliance with the Isshiki Yoshiryu on his front foot, and now he has instantly betrayed the alliance with the main family and the Imagawa family, and it is estimated that the Suruga country has been taken. Kasahara Yasukatsu could only say helplessly, for now, although the Takeda family does not have Kohata Akabei and Kai Akabei, its combat effectiveness is also terrifying! What's more, there is also a retainer group composed of many outstanding retainers to assist, and Takeda Shingen is really only the Uesugi family can defeat him.
"Lord Abe, you go to Misaki Castle first, there will be a navy to take you to Enoe, and you must bring your lord and Hayakawa back to Sagami!" Hojo Shiyasu is now very worried about his son-in-law and daughter, he has lost his two sons, and if even his daughter dies in a foreign country, he really won't have the face to see his grandfather and father.
"Yes!" Abe Motojin and the others immediately left the coalition army's main camp, and if their 3,000 troops were not taken care of by Hojo Shiyasu, they would have been sent to the front to fight the Uesugi army. This can also be regarded as a force that Hojo Shiyasu inadvertently saved the Imagawa family.
"Duomu Yuanxing, I order you to reorganize Heibei and assist the clan government to guard Sagami!" Hojo Shiyasu is still a little rational at the moment, it doesn't matter if Izu is lost, he still has the fortified city of Odawara Castle. If you have the chance, you can take it back, and if you don't even have Sagami, don't talk about it.
"Yes!" Tamu Motohei waited for this day, and his father led the army to die in the battle of the old Ota Shimasa of the current Uesugi family's pen head family and was asked for it. If he can lead the new black reserve to establish meritorious deeds, then one day he will be able to take revenge.
"My lord, I don't know if the fourth son was killed!" At this time, someone remembered that there was also a Hojo clan in the Imagawa family, the fourth son of the Hojo clan, as a hostage.
"Kotaro!" Hojo Shikang suddenly remembered, and after shouting directly, a ninja with black clothes and black pants, and even his head covered by a black cloth appeared, and he only had his eyes left to be seen.
"My lord, what do you command?" The wind demon Kotaro who appeared in an instant half-knelt in front of Hojo Shiyasu, and his identity was only known to the Hojo family and the elder.
"Hurry up and bring all the ninjas alive in the Wind Demon to Suruga Province, and make sure that Clan Ma, Hayakawa, and Clan Gui are safe! If one of the three of them is killed, you will have to find a way to kill Takeda Shingen! "Hojo Shiyasu didn't bother to continue raising these ninjas, so he just sent them to death, and after they were almost dead, they could find a reason to disband them.
"Yes, the minister." Wind Demon Kotaro's ancestor began to be loyal to Hojo Sakumo, and his generation has been loyal to the Hojo family for decades, so Hojo Clan Yasu will accept any order he gives unconditionally.
In this way, the battle has reached the point where there are only a thousand troops left to continue fighting. The young men and people in the city were killed by 1,500, not to mention that the Uesugi army had already killed more than 2,700. However, Hojo Shiyasu did not get any cheapness. Retainers such as Ishimaru Jotaro, Kira Yoriyasu, Akatsuka Yasuaki, Yamanaka Shimoto, and Daidoji Shukatsu were killed in the siege, and the Hojo Army paid more than 7,000 casualties but still failed to conquer Namba Ta Castle.