After conquering Awaji Island, the Xue Nesho troops rested for five days, and then waved 20,000 troops across the sea to land in Izumi Province on the other side, defeating the more than 10,000 Japanese troops who came to block the attack, and marched towards Asuka of Yamato Province, the seat of the Japanese Imperial Court.

Li Shangdan of the Northern Route Army gathered 5,000 Tang troops and 28,000 Japanese troops, and in seven days, he took the entire territory of Harima Province and entered the Settsu Kingdom in the western part of Wugi. 20,000 reinforcements from Silla and Baekje who came to reinforce also arrived, and they were controlled by Yi Sangdan.

The 3,000 reinforcements led by the Black Tooth Tsunesho and the 4,000 soldiers of Wang Aoke's department on Sado Island were used as the expedition to the Eastern Route Army, landed in Echigo Province, attacked nine water cities in turn, beheaded 10,000 ranks, and advanced into Yuezhong, and the two national divisions of Noto and Echizen surrendered without a fight. The Kuroka Tsunenosho was able to annex to the earlier alliance, and the three kingdoms of Tango, Wakasa, and Kaga, which are currently besieging Omi, are united.

It was learned from the mouth of the Three Kingdoms that as long as Omi was conquered, it would be possible to take Mino and Ise from the east through the unbroken road, and cut off the connection between the Asuka Imperial Court and the eastern countries.

After thinking about it for a moment, he felt that this strategy was feasible, so he changed the battle plan formulated by King Yan before the departure, and led 4,000 reinforcements to surround the Three Kingdoms Coalition Army in Shiga, the Omi Kuniji Prefecture.

Tango, Wakasa, and Kaga besieged Omi for more than two months, and Omi recently received 3,000 reinforcements from the Asuka Imperial Court, and the two sides attacked each other with their own victories and defeats.

The arrival of the army led by the Black Tooth Changzhi undoubtedly became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The two sides fought in a formation outside the Omi Omi Sho Shiga Castle, and the Omi Japanese army watched the arrival of the Tang army, and heard that the Tang army was brave and unstoppable, and so far it has not tasted a defeat, and everyone is afraid.

Knowing that it would be difficult to win this battle, Omi Kuniji arranged for his family to be sent to Minoku as early as possible, and took the initiative to attack the Tang Army's main array with the enthusiasm of being loyal to the emperor.

The 7,000 Omi Japanese army was defeated by the battle of Kurogatsune, and the victory swept through the entire territory of Omi, and the eldest son of the sea people stationed in Otsukyo was defeated and fled east to Mino, and the Tang army launched a pursuit, and in one day Kedong entered the key pass without breaking the pass, seized the Sekigahara Basin, and attacked the northern part of Ise Province.

Facing the 20,000 troops of Xue Nesuo of the Middle Tang Route Army, and the 53,000 allied troops of Li Shangdan of the Northern Route Army, the northern gateway Omi was lost, and the Asuka Imperial Court, which was in danger of the mountain city, thought that the monarchs and ministers were frightened and panicked at this moment, and many ministers fled with their families.

The people of the sea summoned their henchmen to ask the minister of civil and military affairs for countermeasures.

Murakuni, who made great contributions to the Dahairen seizing the throne in the Renshin Rebellion, suggested: "Your Majesty, three of the five wars have been reduced to a battlefield and are about to fall, and Asuka will face an attack by more than 70,000 Tang troops, and with less than 20,000 troops, Asuka will not be able to hold Asuka." Without breaking the pass and falling, the Tang Army on the North Road is storming Ise, which is intended to cut us off from the eastern countries. At that moment, we should make a decision quickly, lead the army to retreat eastward to the East Sea Road, and gather the soldiers and horses of the East China Sea and Dongshan to resist the attack of the Tang army by relying on the geographical advantages of the mountains and rivers. ”

"We promise to be able to hold the East China Sea and Dongshan Road, so that the Tang army will not be able to attack for a long time, and we may be able to force the King of Yan to negotiate peace with us and pay tribute to Tang Chengchen in exchange for peace."

Ah Tan Liandao glanced at the senator Mao Guang and said sarcastically: "The people in Donghai and Dongshan are already scarce, and more than 60,000 people have been requisitioned, how can there be more than enough troops to be recruited. ”

The ministers were silent all of a sudden, and the more than 60,000 soldiers and horses recruited from the eastern countries had lost less than 10,000 in several battles, and the entire Hokuriku Province had fallen. There are only two roads left, Donghai and Dongshan, and if you grit your teeth and look up to the sky, you can recruit 20,000 people. With this group of newly recruited soldiers, can they withstand the tiger-wolf Tang Army?

In the eyes of both the people of the sea and the ministers close to them, even if they succeed in retreating to Tokaido, it will only be a matter of survival.

"Father, ministers, let's retreat east according to General Murakoku's words, at least there is still hope, isn't there?" The second son of the sea, the prince of Caobi, said in a deep voice with a desolate voice.

Four years ago, the people of the sea who raised troops to defeat the prince of Otomo and won the throne had the ambition to deepen the reform of Taika and build Japan into an oriental power with a rich country and a strong people. It had just achieved results, but it was attacked head-on by the Tang army, and the decades of reform efforts of several generations of Japanese emperors came to naught.

Under the gaze of his son and the ministers, the anxious sea people reluctantly announced: "Give up Asuka, the whole army retreats eastward, and orders the prince of Takashi City, who is in Mino, to lead the army to Ise to respond." ”

……

"What do you say? The sea people ran away? ”

Xue Ne roared in annoyance.

The scout nodded in response: "More than 20,000 people from the Imperial Court of the Japanese Kingdom fled east yesterday with their bags, and it is estimated that this will lead to the Iga Kingdom. ”

"Let the king of the Japanese run away, won't it become an empty word to destroy the Japanese in March?"

Xue Ne shook his whip and thought of a way to deal with it, the sea people fled east into the Tokaido, and it would take months to destroy them, and it would be possible for more than a year. Judging from the information collected, the countries of Tokaido and Higashiyamado were all supporters of the Great Sea People, and it was they who helped the Great Sea People defeat the Otomo people and win the throne of the Japanese Emperor.

"The people of the sea must not be allowed to escape."

Xue Ne handed over the command to Qi Biguang, who commanded the infantry to attack all parts of Wuji, and he personally led the Yanyun Iron Cavalry Left Guard Army and the 2,000 cavalry drawn from the army and 5,000 cavalry to pursue the sea people.

When he arrived at Asuka City, Xue Ne passed by without stopping, much to the surprise of the remaining Japanese army.

The Saemon governor Yoshishi Irishi, who stayed behind to guard the birds, saw the intention of the Tang army at a glance, and knew that the emperor had just gone east for only two days, and he could not go far at all, and the pursuing Tang army was all cavalry, and he could catch up in one day. In order to ensure the safety of the emperor and his entourage, Ji Shi entered the small number of 3,000 defenders in the city to attack, intending to contain the Tang army in Asuka for a day or two.

Knowing the news that the Japanese army in the Bird City went out of the city to pursue, Xue Ne had no intention of stopping, and only sent a partial general to return with a thousand cavalry to meet the battle, and annihilated the Japanese army in the north of the Bird City sixty miles.

The sea people on the road to the east had to be reported by scouts, and the Tang army chased after them with 5,000 elite cavalry, only fifty miles away.

The monarchs and ministers of the Wa Kingdom were shocked, they never expected the Tang army to chase after them so quickly. 5,000 elite cavalry, and the whole country could not get together 3,000 cavalry in the heyday of the Japanese Kingdom, how could they resist with only more than 10,000 foot soldiers?

The people of the sea urgently summoned the left and right generals of the guards, the village country Nanyi, and the big companion to blow the negative: "How long will it take to reach Owari Country?" Is there any danger along the way to stop the Tang army? ”

Both of them looked embarrassed, and Otomo boasted: "There is no danger pass from Ise to Owari Ichima Hirakawa that can stop the cavalry, only the Kiso River, Nagara River, and Ihi River at the junction of Ise and Owari can hinder the cavalry." ”

"Then our army hurried to Sanchuan, leaning on the river and blocking the Tang army's eastward advance."

"But Your Majesty ......"

Mura Kuni Nanyi took a deep breath and said heavily: "I have just received an urgent military situation from the prince of Gaoshi, and the Tang Army on the North Road is now occupying Bupo, Ishitsu, Ikeda, and Tayun Counties in the south of Mino, and it can cut off the retreat of our army from the east into Owari overnight. ”

"What about Gao Shi? What did he do with the soldiers and horses he recruited in Mino? What is Mino Kokuji doing with Pinji? Why don't you stop the Tang Army? ”

The sea man roared uncontrollably at the two of them.

Otomo didn't know about the loss of the four southern counties of Mino, so he looked at Murakuni Nanyi in dismay, and hurriedly asked, "General Murakuni, is this true?" ”

The village nodded with a heavy heart, took out the letter from his sleeve and handed it to the sea man.

The sea man's voice trembled when he read the letter: "It's over......"8)