After listening to the conditions put forward by the envoy sent by the envoy of the Great Han, the shogunate elder Ii Naotaka sent the envoy away quite politely. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info he neither agreed to the demands and conditions put forward by the Great Han, but also did not say a word of opposition.

And just after the envoy of the Han Dynasty left, the army under the command of Jing Yi Naotaka was originally very hasty to retreat preparations, and suddenly slowed down, Jing Yi Naotaka claimed that now the Han Kou is eyeing the tiger and is ready to pursue the whole army to pursue the army, so now everyone must not retreat rashly, and must be cautious.

Although some of the generals were very anxious, and the envoys sent by the shogunate Tokugawa Iemitsu were also urging them every day, most of them still obeyed the orders of Naotaka Ii and chose to be cautious -- first, everyone was a little afraid of the tragic situation of the whole army being pursued by the Han Kou on the way to retreat, and second, Naotaka Ii was the elder of the shogunate, and few people dared not listen to his orders.

As time passed, a small group of people who were anxious to return to Edo finally couldn't bear it anymore, and they secretly conspired to forcibly unite with Ii Naotaka, and use the authority of the shogunate envoys to take at least their own troops back to Edo first.

But after Jing Yi Naotaka found out, he immediately let his relatives suppress these people with thunderous means, and even killed one or two leading evildoers, forcibly suppressing the commotion in the army. Then, he imprisoned the envoys sent by the shogun.

By this time, his generals had already realized that the situation was wrong, but they were a little frightened by Ii Naotaka's tough methods, and they did not dare to connect in private, and Ii Naotaka only began to order the army to march at this time, and he changed his previous plan, declaring that he should do his best to help the shogunate, so even the scheduled rearguard troops were taken away.

After the entire army of Naotaka Ii marched to Edo, the Han army on the opposite side immediately began to follow behind, keeping a distance and starting to pursue, and it was precisely because of the army of the Han that the army of Ii Naokaka was moving very slowly, and often had to stop and stop to prevent a possible sneak attack by the Han army.

In the stop-and-go chase on both sides, time is consumed little by little.

Obviously, Ii Naotaka had acquiesced to the terms put forward to him by the Han envoys, and in order to preserve the last blood of the Tokugawa family, he would rather accept the dissolution of the Edo shogunate than bear the infamy—in his opinion, in the situation that the shogunate is now almost embattled, it is already considered lucky to be able to preserve the blood heirs of the Tokugawa family and maintain the old territory of the Tokugawa family.

And for the future survival of the Tokugawa family, his army is crucial, so he is not willing to risk his army to fight the Han.

He was also unwilling to openly raise the anti-flag and make himself a sinner of the Tokugawa family, so the only choice he had was to delay time, so that Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was far away in Edo, could not get the help of his own army and faced the front of the Han landing army alone.

What he expected was that before he returned, Tokugawa Iemitsu would be overwhelmed by the pressure of the Han army and choose to cut himself off and make a choice that would be in line with the status of the head of the Tokugawa family and the shogun, which would be good for everyone.

Abandoning one Tokugawa family and preserving the entire Tokugawa family was not an impossible choice in the eyes of Naotaka Ii.

Judging from the consistent vigorous and resolute style of the Han army, Jing Yi Naotaka predicts that that time will not be far off.

And as Naotaka Ii had predicted, at this time, Zhao Song, the commander of the Japanese army of the Great Han Dynasty, was advancing towards Edo with a large army.

Since the capture of Kamakura, Zhao Song and his subordinates have been sweeping around Kamakura, and repeatedly defeated the troops who came to rescue the shogunate from all over the country, almost cutting off Edo from the west.

After sweeping Kamakura, they also embarked on their march to Edo.

The weather in Kanto has not been very good in recent days, and the day has been gloomy all day, and today is no exception. The sun was hidden deep by the clouds, and the color of the sky changed from its previous blue appearance to the color of water soaked in a dirty rag.

The main road from Kamakura to Edo was originally a densely populated area of residents and merchants, bringing considerable quantities of food and supplies to the large number of Edo residents, but now the main road is completely depleted, leaving only Zhao Song and his men.

His army, numbering in the thousands, lined up in a neat line, bringing a few bright colors to the gloomy weather. They were all silent, and even the sound of footsteps sounded uniform as they looked ahead. Their weapons moved forward with the flags fluttering in the wind, and they lined up at intervals from the rest of the troops. These soldiers are the best soldiers who have been trained to fight for the most rigorous and many years of battle, and they can go from marching to battle formation in a very fast time, and then deal a fatal blow to the enemy.

Beside them, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard everywhere, and these horsemen in red cavalry uniforms, some in armor, rode on tall and straight horses, some with dazzling medals, looking murderous and extraordinary. Although the cavalry was not very large, it still gave people a sense of oppression as they marched forward slowly in rows and rows.

These cavalry were transported from Kyushu, and they were also the last batch of Han troops to be transported, because the horses were more delicate, so Zhao Song deliberately let the cavalry stay in Yokosuka first, and only when he was ready to march to Edo did he let the cavalry come up to join him, and then march east together.

And in the gap between the infantry and the cavalry, a cannon was mounted on the gun carriage, and then under the traction of pack horses and artillery, the army advanced, and the glittering bronze cannon of the door was shining, and the sound of the gun carriage parts and brackets vibrating each other could be faintly heard, and the people next to them seemed to be able to smell the smell of gunpowder diffused everywhere.

These cannons are the field artillery that the Han Army is proud of, and they are powerful and convenient for the army to mobilize and carry, so they are the field weapons of the Han Army.

Although his men were only a few thousand, when the infantry artillery gathered together like this and marched forward, it was quite powerful.

In the center of the procession, Zhao Song rode forward with his senators and escorts, his face was very serious, looking left and right, all the time paying attention to the state of each army when they were marching, as well as the surrounding terrain. Although he was the brigade leader of the Liaodong Army before, the army he commanded now has complex origins and diverse military branches, so he can't help but not take it seriously.

"Zhao Shuai, it has been rainy in the past few days, which has had a great impact on our army, and it seems that it will rain again today." His chief senator, Yan Guang, also rode his horse to follow him, "At present, our army is getting closer and closer to Edo, and the weather factors have to be guarded against. ”

Although it had been the middle of summer lately, it had been rainy and rainy, and although it was very comfortable for the march, it was not bad news for the Han army, which was accustomed to muskets and artillery, because if it rained, their artillery would be severely weakened and would be an opportunity for the enemy to take advantage of - and the closer they got to Edo, the more likely they were to engage the enemy, and there was no room for negligence.

"This really has to be guarded against." Zhao Song nodded solemnly, "But...... It's summer, after all, so it's impossible for it to rain every day in Japan, right? Maybe when we get to Edo Castle, it should be clear. ”

"Zhao Shuai is reasonable, but there is a case in everything, and we should be more vigilant." Yan Guang nodded, "All in all, we can't let the enemy army take the initiative, but we should let us suppress the enemy army and let them have to follow our pace." ”

Zhao Song knew that the other party had something to say, so he didn't answer, just looked at the other party and waited for his next words.

"Edo is a large city, with a large number of inhabitants and troops gathered in it, and although they are located on the plains and there is no danger to defend, our army is only a few thousand, and if we attack its castle directly, we will definitely suffer great casualties, and we will not be able to take advantage of our army's artillery and combat power in street battles with the defenders." Yan Guang whispered to Zhao Song.

"Didn't we think about that before?" Zhao Song looked at each other a little strangely, "That's why we have to turn north and cut off the water source of their Tama River and Tone River......

Edo was a large city and the center of the Tokugawa shogunate, so since the two countries began to fight, the shogunate had been concentrating its troops on Edo, and the city was huge and there were many buildings, so the Han army did not intend to attack directly.

Therefore, on the advice of Yan Guang and other senators, Zhao Song decided to let the army go north inland, then find the river that flowed into Edo, and then cut off the river transportation, and threaten Edo's water sources, in this way to force the shogunate to fight the Han army in the field.

Since there were many inhabitants and troops in Edo, there was a great need for water, and the main water sources of Edo Castle were the Tama River and the Tone River, and threatening these two water sources would be equivalent to stucking Edo Castle's throat, and the shogunate would be in a very difficult situation.

To make matters worse, Edo Castle was also dependent on water transportation for food and other supplies, and if water transportation on the river was cut off, the shogunate would find it even more difficult to bear the cost, so in the opinion of the senators and Zhao Song himself, as long as he marched according to this plan, the Tokugawa shogunate would have to go out of the city and fight the Han in a decisive battle.

"If there is a problem with the Tama River and the Tone River, there will be no guarantee of water supply in Edo, and this is definitely a sure thing." Yan Guang did not deny the meaning of his previous plan, "However...... These rivers are landlocked, and we have to be very careful if we are to carry out this plan. ”

Zhao Song finally understood what Yan Guang meant.

Indeed, if this plan were to be carried out, it would be tantamount to sending the entire army deep into the interior and even into the rear of Edo, not to mention the long distance, and the supply of materials and logistics would be very troublesome. In addition, the current weather has always been a little unfavorable for the Han army, so although he is very confident in his subordinates, he does not dare to pack the ticket and say that it is foolproof.

If you look at it from a prudent point of view, it is indeed worth pondering.

"Then you mean, put the attack on hold?" Zhao Song asked.

Then he shook his head again, "No, there is no need to postpone the attack, now that our army is deep into the enemy's territory, we are afraid of being unhappy when we march, how can we delay time?" Moreover...... There are no more reinforcements in the rear of our army, even if it takes a few more days. Now that the shogunate is in jeopardy, we can't give them a chance to breathe. ”

"If Zhao Shuai thinks that the march should not be postponed, then at least please prepare some foolproof measures." Yan Guang did not refute Zhao Song's will, "Our army's current rear supply is all maintained by the navy, and we have been maneuvering in the coastal area before, so it is not difficult to supply, but if we go deep inland...... I'm afraid it's going to be a little difficult. ”

"No matter how difficult it is, you have to do it!" Zhao Song reined in the horse's head, and then said categorically. "The navy and our army were originally one family, and now I am the commander-in-chief, they must obey my orders, no matter what, our army's current supply must be foolproof, even if they let their sailors land and guard the back road for us with guns, they must maintain the rear of our army!"

"That's what you want!" After Zhao Song made such a strong statement, Yan Guang was obviously very happy.

Then, taking advantage of the interest, he took out the map of Japan directly from his arms, and then leaned his horse to Zhao Song's side, "Why don't we first go all out and occupy the area of Kanagawa near Yokohama, and then let the navy dock and help us defend these ports, only in this way can our army sit back and relax!" ”

Then, he frowned slightly, as if he was complaining about something, "Zhao Shuai was too laissez-faire with those navy people before, what bullshit warship harassment, it was a complete waste of manpower and shells, they went around the sea, it was nothing more than scratching the boots, and even a few hairs of the shogunate couldn't be knocked off, what was the effect?" It's better to go to the shore and help us. ”

Zhao Song finally fully understood what the other party meant.

It seems that this senator of the Military Council is really heavy on the Navy.

However, he also knew that Yan Guang's worries were indeed justified, and they were not completely selfish. Although he had always been careful to maintain relations with his naval colleagues, everything should now be centered on winning the shogunate, and at this most critical juncture, even a temporary change in military plans would not be excessive.

"Okay, you have a point, I'll give the order here." After a moment of thought, he took the senator's suggestion, and then gave the order, "The navy will cease all other operations from tomorrow, gather in Yokohama, and give full support to the rear of our army, and there will be no prevarication, and if there is any disobedience or failure to achieve military orders, military law will be carried out!" ”

The commander-in-chief of the navy is Cai De, in terms of his qualifications in the army, he is not lower than Zhao Song, in terms of title, because he is one of the founders of the navy, even higher than Zhao Song, so in order to order him, Zhao Song must show the courage of the commander of the Japanese army and forcibly use the other party, even if it will arouse the disgust in the other party's heart, he can't care so much.

The heralds who had been ordered by Zhao Matsu immediately rode back the way they came, preparing to rush back to Yokosuka as soon as possible, but the departure of these heralds did not have any visible effect on the rushing red torrent, and they continued to drive mightily under Edo Castle under the gloomy sky.

Of course, the people in Edo Castle felt the most empathy for the pressure caused by this red torrent.

Almost on the same day that the Han army advanced toward Edo, Tokugawa Iemitsu received the news and was in a new state of terror.

Ever since the Han army landed at Yokosuka, Tokugawa Iemitsu had been frantically sourcing troops from all over the world to rescue Edo, some of them on orders, while others had been routed by the Han army's offensive at Kamakura and were unable to rescue Edo, and as a result, he was not expecting as many reinforcements as he had hoped.

What is even more worrying is that although he sent envoys several times to urge them to return to Edo as soon as possible, the army taken by the old Ii Naotaka has not moved, and there is no way to immediately support the precarious Edo. In this embarrassing state, when he heard that the Han army had begun to march towards Edo, Tokugawa Iemitsu's already unstable mood became even more turbulent.

That night, he summoned all the important ministers of the shogunate to him, and then told them bitterly about the current grim situation.

"Now that the Han Kou have come to Edo, we can only fight with the Han Kou to the death under Edo Castle, only in this way can we live up to the name of the samurai, and we can live up to the spirit of the god in the sky." He first explained the current grim situation to the important ministers of the shogunate, "As long as we can hold on, Naotaka Ii will lead a large army back and forth to aid Edo and repel the Han Kou, so ...... No one is allowed to flinch in the slightest! ”

The important ministers may have responded to the promise with enthusiasm, but none of them showed flinching, and they all said that they would fight to the death with the Han Kou.

"My lord, based on the information we have received so far, it seems that the Han Kou wants to cut off the water and water transportation in Edo, and we must not let their evil plot succeed." "Otherwise, the consequences will be really worrying, and if there is a problem with the water source and there is no food to transport from Edo...... I'm afraid we'll see ourselves without a fight. ”

As soon as he said this, the originally passionate atmosphere in the hall was suddenly hit hard, and everyone could think of the consequences of Han Ko's success, and they couldn't help but be a little shocked.

"That's right, they want to go deep into our inner realm, and then there will be no more help from the warship...... We're going to fight them! Tokugawa Iemitsu suddenly stood up, and a rare flush appeared on his face, "This time I will personally lead the troops and fight the Han Kou with you!" (To be continued.) )