"If you hadn't foolishly sent these even more stupid and brutal guys to attack us, Natsumi wouldn't have died." Lin Yiqing looked at Nozu Michikan coldly, "It's really a shame for a samurai to take women and children hostage as a means of attack!" So, don't put the blame for killing your daughter on us! ”

Nozu Michikan's face turned pale, he looked at Lin Yiqing, lowered his head, and his gaze suddenly fell on the katana on Lin Yiqing's waist.

He immediately recognized it, it was his own Emperor's Imperial Treasure Sword!

"I really don't know what His Majesty the Emperor thinks, to give you such a good sword, this mediocre talent, and you to hand it over to such an incompetent and cowardly idiot who only dares to hold your own daughter hostage to save her life!" Lin Yiqing's eyes were full of contempt, "Are you doing all this to kill your own daughter?" ”

Nozu Daoguan looked at Lin Yiqing blankly, unable to say a word.

In a short time, Nobuo Yamaguchi was dismembered into a pile of broken bones and flesh and thrown under the city walls.

Nobuo Yamaguchi's head was the last to be dropped, because his eyelids were cut off, and his face was always frozen with a dull expression of great pain and fear, which made people shudder at the sight.

Seeing Nobuo Yamaguchi's head rolling down under the city walls, Notsu Michikani just glanced at it blankly and ignored it again.

His eyes were always fixed on the child who was held in his arms by Kamiya Kira.

"Thank you for giving Natsumi back." After a long time, Nozu Daoguan came back to his senses, looked at Lin Yiqing, and nodded slightly.

"I'm just here to fulfill her last wish." Lin Yiqing said calmly, "I hope you tell her mother this unfortunate news." I can do it without making her too sad. ”

I heard Lin Yiqing mention Xia Mei's mother. Nozu Michikan was like a knife for a while. He didn't dare to think about how his wife would react when she heard the news.

"That kid is my grandson, isn't it? Please give him to me! Nozu Michikan's gaze fell on the child in Kamiya Kira's arms again.

When Kamiya Kira heard his words, he immediately took a step back with the child in his arms, and looked at Nozu Michikani with wary eyes.

Yusaku Uehara looked at him coldly: "That's impossible!" ”

"That kid doesn't belong to you." Lin Yiqing said coldly, and started to re-close the lid of Xia Mei's coffin, "He lost his mother." I won't let him lose his father again. ”

Yusaku Uehara glared angrily at Nozu Michikan, turned around and walked back to Kamiya Kira, the child in Kamiya Kira's arms had woken up at this time, he didn't understand what was going on around him, and he didn't know that this was an eternal goodbye between him and his mother, just stared curiously at the big black eyes and looked at these people who were both familiar and strange.

When he saw his father coming to his side, his little mouth immediately opened and he smiled cutely.

Looking at his son, who had lost his mother, Yusaku Uehara burst into tears. He patted Kira Kamiya on the shoulder and motioned for her to leave with her son.

"Give me back the baby!" Michikani Nozu saw this scene. "The day of your destruction is not far off!" Do you want him to die with you? ”

As if he didn't hear his words, Yusaku Uehara didn't look back, and walked into the city gate with Kamiya Kira.

Nozu Michikan watched as their figures disappeared in a daze, and let out a heavy sigh.

He glanced at Lin Yiqing, waved his hand, and a group of government soldiers stepped forward, lifted the coffin, and put it on top of a carriage.

Nozu Daoguan watched the carriage gradually disappear, and when he turned his head to look at Lin Yiqing, his expression had already returned to calm.

"Tomorrow morning, our army will resume the offensive." Nozu Daoguan stared at Lin Yiqing's eyes, "Although I thank you for sending my daughter back, when attacking, I will not show mercy, let alone open the net." ”

"So do we." Lin Yiqing said lightly.

Nozu Daoguan nodded, turned around and walked away, Lin Yiqing sneered, also turned around, and walked towards the city gate.

On the castle tower, Saigo Takamori lowered his binoculars and let out a heavy sigh.

"Be brave as a child's flesh and blood, I'm afraid I'm going to bother you again." Saigo Takamori turned around and looked at his wife, Iwayama, who was standing behind him, "I'm really sorry......"

"My husband doesn't have to say anything tireless, taking care of the orphans of the war dead is the greatest comfort in my heart." Lady Iwayama's face was full of happy smiles, "What makes me happiest is to see so many new lives in this world in this time of war......

Mrs. Iwayama smiled, but tears welled up in her eyes.

"Yes! What a joy to see so many new lives! Saigo Takamori also sighed.

"Husband, you know, since my husband raised the throne of Yiqin, I haven't helped much, and now the king of Qinji doesn't pounce on the king, I only hope that I can protect my husband like Natsumi guards Yong's child, and ...... at the last moment" Mrs. Iwayama choked up, "It's just hope, Kikujiro and those children...... They will be spared the fate of slaughter......"

"What I want to do now, and the only thing I can do, is to protect them." Saigo Takamori stepped forward, put his arm around his wife's shoulders, and said excitedly, "Even if it's to hand over my body." ”

"Husband...... How are you going to do it? ......," Lady Iwayama cried.

"Why bury bones, as the commander of the whole army, I should live and die together in this city!" Saigo Takamori told his wife his plan, "If I hold on to this castle and hold back the enemy, then the children can calmly retreat to Nagasaki, and from there cross the sea to the Ryukyus, save their lives, and leave a useful life for future ......."

"In that case, let me follow my husband until the last moment!" Mrs. Iwayama put away her tears and said firmly.

"The Great General must not have this thought, and at that time, I will definitely swear to protect the Great General to the Ryukyus, and never let the enemy army hurt the Great General in the slightest!" Lin Yiqing's voice sounded at the door.

"Hanpeng, you're back......" Saigo Takamori saw Lin Yiqing come in, and a look of relief flashed in his eyes.

"General. Although the times are difficult. But I've made the arrangements. The general and his wife will never end up like Mr. Eto Shinpei! Lin Yiqing said sincerely, "How can the general say this? ”

"Han Peng, as the commander of our army, don't you still understand that the main target of the thief army is me!" Saigo Takamori said, "I'm here for a day, these people who follow us. There will be one more day to evacuate, and if I go with you, and the main force of the enemy will chase after me, won't I want everyone to die together? ”

"This is indeed the case, and the general cannot talk about the death lightly." Lin Yiqing looked at Saigo Takamori, like a son looking at his father, and said stubbornly, "Even if it is the last moment, I will fight to the death, and I will ensure that the general gets out safely!" ”

"Hanpeng. What you're saying is childish stuff. Saigo Takamori came to Lin Yiqing. Wen Yan said, "Everyone has withdrawn to the Ryukyus, and it depends on you to protect everyone with the help of the strength of the Qianguo, and the relationship between the Qianguo side still needs you to get through, how can you die lightly?" What if you die, Chiho and your children? You know, you're not alone! ”

"I have already explained the future, if I go, Yunqing can return to my brother, Qiansui can be entrusted to the care of Dashanjun, the joints of the Qianguo side, I have already explained to Dashanjun, with the talent of Dashanjun, I will be able to shoulder such a heavy responsibility!" Lin Yiqing said categorically, "I, Lin Yiqing, my father-in-law, General Shinohara and all the generals swear to share life and death with the general, and I will protect the general!" ”

Lin Yiqing said, took a step back, and bowed deeply to Xixiang Takamori and his wife, "Take care of the general and his wife, I'm going to patrol the city." He didn't wait for Mr. and Mrs. Saigo Takamori to answer, and then turned and left.

Seeing Lin Yiqing's figure disappear at the door, Saigo Takashi sighed.

"No, Hanpeng, I won't promise your ......," Saigo Takamori muttered, tears glistening to the corners of his eyes.

In the government barracks, a ten-story platform was piled up with oiled firewood, and on top of the platform, Natsumi's coffin was placed.

Nozu Michikani looked at his daughter's coffin, silently took the torch from an officer, and threw it at the pyre.

Flames immediately rose and surrounded the coffin.

Looking at the burning coffin, Nozu Michikan burst into tears again.

"General, please mourn ......" Zeng Youzhu saw Nozu Michikan's grief-stricken appearance, and stepped forward to comfort him, but he knew that such grief would not be resolved quickly no matter what.

He only hoped that Nozu Michikani would be able to maintain the necessary calm and not affect the rest of the battle.

Nozu Michikan understood what Zeng Youzhun meant, nodded, took out the handkerchief, wiped the tears from his face, and just quietly looked at the fire.

Several Shinto priests dressed in ancient costumes and crowns were performing rituals, chanting ancient incantations, singing and dancing, their movements were strange and ridiculous, and their voices were very ugly, but they were still engrossed in doing it, as if this ancient ritual could dissolve all the sorrows of the world.

After a long time, the flames gradually went out, the pyre and the coffin were all reduced to ashes, and the priests stepped forward, collected the ashes in the ashes, and carefully and solemnly put the ashes into a blue and white porcelain altar.

After the priests collected and stored the ashes, they sent the blue and white porcelain altar containing Natsumi's ashes to Nozu Michikan, bowed, Nozu Michikan bowed back, took Natsumi's ashes, and then turned around and walked into his big tent.

Nozu Michikani put the urn on top of several cases, clasped his hands together, and prayed silently to the urn for a while, and when he turned around again, the sadness on his face had turned into coldness.

Nozu Michikan walked straight to the map table, waved his hand to his generals, and began to arrange the attack.

At 2 a.m. on August 22, 9080 (the 6th year of the Great Dry Mitsui, the 13th year of the Meiji era), the 5th Brigade, the last support unit of the Japanese government army, arrived at Kawajiri. The 5th Brigade, under the leadership of the brigade commander Miura Oriden, engaged the whole army and crossed the Shirakawa River in three routes from the vicinity of Anji Bridge, Meiwu Bridge, and Shigai, and then advanced to the area of Kamibayashi, Kitashini-cho, Uchi-tsuboi-cho, Kyo-machi, and Geumsan Shrine, and engaged the Satsuma army defending the castle. The 4th Brigade threw in 8,000 men, and under the personal leadership of Zeng Youzhun, launched an attack from the Xiama Bridge. The 13,200 men of the 6th and 7th Combined Brigades, passing through the Mingwu Bridge, attacked the ancient city where the prefectural office was located, and then attacked Hokakasaka. The 15,000 men of the 1st Brigade, 6,000 of the 2nd Brigade, and 4,800 men of Commander Nozu Zheno attacked Duanshan with all their might. Government forces deployed a total of 57,000 troops that day.

On that day, the fiercest battle broke out on the front line of Duanshan. More than 28,000 government troops have invested in it. Half of the attacking troops. On the Satsuma side, the main general Toshiaki Kirino personally commanded the battle here. The reason why both sides attach so much importance to this. This is because Danshan is the commanding height to the west of Kumamoto Castle. From above, you can see the whole of Kumamoto Castle. The battle began at 6 a.m. and was very intense, and at around 7 a.m., Major General Miura Oden was shot near Fujisaki Shrine (he died of his wounds at 1 a.m. on the 23rd), and almost at the same time the chief of staff of the brigade, Akira Ihija, was also wounded. After a fierce battle, the government army captured Duanshan at 10 o'clock. On the Eastern Front, at six o'clock in the morning, government forces began to attack the batteries at the Xiama Bridge. The artillery of the Satsuma Army, which was stationed at Iida Maru and Chiba Castle, returned fire, and the Satsuma infantry in the Take-maru also opened fire. At 7:20, the government army attacked Chiba Castle again with a column from the Anji Bridge. To the south, at 9:20 a.m., a group of government troops approached the ancient castle and Hokezaka from Shimojima Bridge, with the Satsuma defenders flanking it and repulsing it. However, after that, the offensive of the government forces did not go well, and they repeatedly saw and saw in the area of Fujisaki Shrine, Katayama Residence, and Hokizaka, and could not advance. In other areas, too, progress has been modest. However, the unprecedented intensity of the government army's attack also caused a lot of casualties to the Satsuma army.

The key to the offensive of the government forces was artillery. In order to prevent a sneak attack by the enemy, Nozu Michikan placed a large number of artillery pieces on the distant Hanaoka Mountain. In this way, it was possible to overlook the battlefield and suppress the enemy with strong firepower, but because some of the artillery was too far away, the accuracy of the hit was insufficient, and it was difficult to correct it, and it could not effectively support the front-line infantry in the operation, so it was difficult to shake the Satsuma defenders who occupied favorable terrain. The Satsuma Army, on the other hand, relied on favorable terrain, strong fortifications, and artillery firepower to put great pressure on the government forces.

In the evening of the same day, the government forces suspended the offensive and held an operational meeting in the camp to review the day's operations. Nozu believed that the artillery positions were too far and scattered to suppress the artillery of the defenders of Kumamoto Castle, and suggested that the artillery positions should be moved forward, first moving the light artillery to a close bombardment, and then covering the advance of the siege heavy artillery to break through the walls of Kumamoto. Zeng Youyou believed that if the artillery position was too close, it would be easy to be attacked by the Satsuma army (Lin Yiqing had done it many times, and all of them were successful), so it was recommended that before the artillery entered the forward position, the infantry should first attack and not give the other side a chance to sneak attack. Both of their suggestions were accepted by Nozu Michikan, so on the 23rd, the government forces continued to attack with all their might. At one o'clock in the morning, the battle began in the area of Katayama Mansion. At three o'clock, a group of men and horses of the 1st Brigade approached Hokezaka and was repulsed by the Satsuma defenders of Ogasawara and the ancient city. On the Satsuma army, Lin Yiqing led his surprise army to counterattack the village of Hinata Saki, pulled out several fortresses in the village, and took the initiative to withdraw after dawn. At four o'clock, another group of government troops approached the prefectural office from Shiono-cho and was repulsed by the Satsuma army. At 7 o'clock, the artillery of the government army in Huagangshan began to concentrate their fire on the county hall. With his support, the Nagatani Brigade of the 3rd Brigade of the Government Army attacked from Koryomun Gate and successfully broke through to a corner of the prefectural office, and the Nosaka Brigade of the same brigade came to support from the direction of Yingmachi. The Satsuma defenders resisted desperately, and the Satsuma artillery of Fujisakidai and Iida Maru also suppressed the government artillery positions, so as to thwart the government offensive. At dawn, two squads of the 5th Brigade of the Government Army, Takada and Iwami, attacked Chiba Castle from Chitanda, engaged in a fierce battle with the Satsuma defenders, and were repulsed. At thirteen o'clock another attack was launched, and again it was repulsed. The Ueno Brigade of the 5th Brigade and the Araki Brigade of the 2nd Brigade in the direction of Nishikishima Shrine launched an attack in the direction of Burimon and were also repulsed. At 13:30 p.m., 188 men under Hidesuke Minamino of the Satsuma Army attacked in the direction of Tsuboi and captured some food. At night, the government forces attacked Chiba Castle again, but were thwarted by the Satsuma defenders. In the vicinity of Danshan, fighting continued throughout the day, and the Satsuma defenders relied on the strong breastwork of the Katayama Mansion, leaving the government forces with nothing.

The offensive on the 23rd lasted a whole day, but it was ineffective. On the 24th, the siege continued. At 3 a.m., Takadahara, Senmahashi, and Yamazaki's government forces launched an attack on the prefectural office, but they still returned in vain. At 8 a.m., the advancing government artillery bombarded the defenders. The Ueno Brigade garrisoning Ushida attacked the flank of Danshan, and after a short engagement, the attacking troops withdrew. At 16 o'clock, Danshan's government forces approached Katayama Mansion, and at the same time, the government forces on the eastern front attacked Chiba Castle, but in the end they still failed. During this day, the artillery of both sides repeatedly engaged in fierce battles of suppression and counter-suppression, and the sound of artillery continued throughout the day.

On the night of the 24th, at an operational meeting of the government troops, the troops suffered heavy casualties due to successive defeats, and the question of whether to continue the assault or to suspend it was raised. Nozu Zhenyu strongly advocated the continuation of the assault, believing that Kumamoto was an isolated city, and that the best time to capture it was now, and that the capture of Kumamoto would cause a great shock and completely tilt the situation in the country to the side of the government forces. Therefore, even if more than half of the entire army suffered casualties, it was necessary to capture Kumamoto. And some people led by Zeng Youzhun thought that it was not worth it to consume troops in vain under this fortified city. At present, it is necessary to move south with the main force, attack southern Kyushu as much as possible before the Russian brigade "comes to help", and then fight a decisive battle with it in a preset position that is favorable to it. As for Kumamoto, sooner or later there will be a day when the ammunition and food will run out (according to the information received, the government forces believe that the food in Kumamoto Castle at that time can last about a month), and for now it is only necessary to send some troops to besiege it. (To be continued......)

PS: A certain chief received a notice to go to Beijing for a meeting and asked the secretary to book a plane ticket. The secretary asked: 'Book a round trip or order a trip?' The chief's face changed dramatically: 'What do you mean?' The secretary was busy explaining, but the chief did not listen to the explanation, and called the chief of staff and said that he would replace the secretary...... The director said: Don't be angry, chief, this secretary is too bad at talking, isn't it a waste of a return ticket at most!

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