Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

The Ouchi clan served as the guardian of the six kingdoms of Shubo, Nagato, Iwami, Bunzen, Izumi, and Kii. They were also in charge of Sakai City, the most important trading port on Honshu Island. They controlled the east-west shipping lanes of the Seto Inland Sea, and their influence spanned Kyushu. Although the area from the northeast of the island to the west of Honshu Island is not as good as before, and Sakai City has long been taken back by the shogunate, there is still no problem in supporting the Ming army to land on Honshu Island.

However, under the strong support of Jiang Xinghuo, the Ming army violated military common sense and did not take advantage of the victory of Tachibana Mountain Castle to march into Honshu Island. Instead, they began to clean up the interior of Kyushu Island.

On Kyushu Island, in addition to the three most powerful transnational counties of Ouchi, Otomo, and Shimadzu, which occupy a vast territory, there are also small families such as Matsuura, Sagara, Ito, and Kikuchi. These small families can only defend one or a few A county, or a small country.

According to the agreement with the Ouchi clan, although the Ouchi clan did not contribute much, its political move of "dare to be the first for Japan" and the first to surrender to the Ming army should receive the due reward. Only in this way, surrender to the Ming army There will be more and more princes.

Therefore, part of the Otomo clan's territory was given to the Ouchi clan as a reward for their loyalty.

Although the Ming army did not occupy the Ouchi clan's land, they showed no mercy to other defeated princes on Kyushu Island.

Under Jiang Xinghuo's plan, the two countries occupied by the Shimazu family, Satsuma and Osumi, were directly taken over by the Ming army.

In this way, Jiang Xinghuo's previous life in Japan's Kagoshima, Satsuma Sawauchi and other areas, together with Yakushima, Tanegashima, and Zengjima, were directly captured by the Ming Dynasty.

There are three obvious benefits to doing this. One is to control the southern part of Kyushu Island. Then combined with the chain of islands such as Jeju Island, Tsushima Island, Iki Island, Goto, and Zengjima, a chain can be formed to isolate Japan and the Ming Dynasty. , coupled with Ryukyu, Japan has no possibility of directly threatening the Ming Dynasty. Even small boats of Japanese pirates will be difficult to break through. In this way, while suppressing Japan, it can ensure that the Ming Dynasty's maritime defense circle expands eastward. Thousands of miles away, even if the world situation changes hundreds of years later, as long as the ruling class at that time does not stretch its hips to the extreme and possesses a naval armament basically equal to its size, then any enemy attacking from the east will still be very vulnerable. Difficult things.

The second is to eliminate the hidden danger of the Satsuma Domain. After all, no one knows how to break the curse that keeps the Shimazu family standing, so it is better to eliminate it physically. In this way, even if the historical line has changed, Jiang Xinghuo can do it. When he reached the optimal solution he could achieve, it was just like he used the Duoyan Three Guards to drive tigers and devour wolves to eliminate and expel the Jurchens.

The third is that the Ming army directly occupies the southern part of Kyushu Island, which is completely different from Tsushima and Iki islands that only occupy the northern part. The navy can use this as a base to form an attack on the Japanese Gyeonggi region at any time. Threat, just like you could only put your hands on a person's head and beat him, but now you can stab a dagger into his abdomen.

As for the other scraps of Kyushu Island, Jiang Xinghuo plans to make it more chaotic while maintaining the current situation. Only chaos is the most beneficial to Ming Dynasty.

Because as long as the victory does not go to your head, you can clearly judge that the Ming army must not fall into the quagmire of security war!

It's not that the Ming army is incapable of directly occupying most of Kyushu Island, but it's not necessary.

Once eaten, half of the 100,000 Japanese troops would be dragged into the quagmire of security wars!

There are millions of people here, the customs and culture are completely different from those of the Ming Dynasty, and generally they will not obey the management of the Ming Dynasty. Taking over the two countries of Satsuma and Osumi occupied by the Shimazu family is already the limit. If we continue to expand blindly, the next war will No need to fight.

Why do empires always end up in the graveyard of empires? That's why.

It is not difficult to defeat the regular army of an enemy country, but if you want to suppress the resistance one after another, you have to invest manpower and material resources for many years. In the end, all the troops will be lost in the quagmire and have to withdraw.

In order to plunge Kyushu Island into chaos, Jiang Xinghuo also carefully selected the best starting point.

——Kikuchi.

The territory of the Kikuchi clan is located in the northern part of Higo Province in the center of Kyushu Island. This is the veritable "place of the four battles" on Kyushu Island. No matter which direction you fight from east to west, south or north, you have to pass through here.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Kikuchi clan was the main force in the Southern Dynasty camp. After Imagawa Ryotoshi commanded the Northern Army to launch the Battle of Mount Kora, the Kikuchi Army was forced to withdraw to the base area Higo. The Kikuchi Army built an army along the Kikuchi River and Kino River with Kuma Prefecture as the center. The eighteen outer cities were equipped with the fortress Mizushima Formation in the west of the city to confront the Northern Army.

The following year, the "Mizushima Incident" occurred, which had a profound impact on Kyushu's structure. The second son of the three men, Tosei, was killed by Imagawa Ryoutoshi. The Shimazu clan was so angry that he led his army back to the territory, giving the Confederate Army the opportunity to counterattack. Opportunity, Shun was forced to return to Hizen Country, and then Kikuchi Taketo and Aso Etake entered Hizen Country, but the good times did not last long. With the defeat of the Hizen Kuda Battle, Kikuchi Takeyasu, Takei, Aso Etake and other southern armies would take the lead in the battle. After his death, the Southern Dynasty's plan to regain Hizen failed.

Subsequently, Imagawa Ryojun once again invaded Higo Province. The satellite cities of Kumafu Castle, Jono Castle, Gohira Castle, Kawachi Castle, Kikuchidate Castle and other cities were successively captured. Under the command of Imagawa Ryojun, the Northern Army launched from Itai towards Kumafu Castle. After five days and nights of attack and defense, Kikuchi main castle fell. Kikuchi Wuchao and Prince Zhengxi General Miya Ryoshige went to Mashiro to defend the mountain, and then fled to Uto Castle.

However, after the fall of the city, the Kikuchi clan still united with the forces of Higo to fight against Imagawa Ryotoshi. Although they defeated Imagawa Yoshinori in Kamezaki Castle in Higo Province and then defeated Imagawa Nakaaki in Koshio Castle, as the Southern Dynasty forces gradually surrendered, , Imagawa Ryojun gathered the armies of Hizen, Chikuzen, Bungo, and Chikugo to attack Zhengxifu again, and Utsuchi Castle was defeated.

The Kikuchi clan led by Taketo Kikuchi was one of the most stubborn Southern Dynasties forces. Until the Meitoku Agreement unified the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Taketo Kikuchi continued to fight against the shogunate. In the second year of Onei, Imagawa Ryojun was recalled to Kyoto, and the Kikuchi family and New Kyushu Question Shibukawa Murora fought fiercely for another three years. It was not until the fifth year of Onei, that is, ten years ago, that the Kikuchi Emperor returned to the Muromachi Shogunate.

The Muromachi shogunate recognized the dominance of the Kikuchi clan's original territory and still retained its duty as the guardian of the Higo Kingdom. However, the situation on Kyushu Island was still tense, with intrigues among various factions. The Kikuchi clan joined forces with its old enemies, the Shoer clan and the Otomo clan, to fight against each other. Explore the Shibukawa family and Ouchi family.

Last year, Taketo Kikuchi, the "last southern military general", passed away. His legitimate son Kanetomo Kikuchi succeeded to the throne and continued to maintain a hostile attitude towards the shogunate.

This year's landing of the Ming army was nominally at the invitation of Emperor Kameyama. After coming to "Heavenly Soldiers to help suppress" the shogunate, the Kikuchi family also decisively raised the flag of the Southern Dynasty again. Although it did not help the Ming army, the flag-waving and shouting made a lot of noise. It's done.

The Ming Dynasty bought bones with a large sum of money, so naturally it was not stingy to reward the Kikuchi family.

Therefore, Jiang Xinghuo decided to eliminate the Shimazu clan and weaken the Otomo clan, while supporting the Kikuchi clan and ceding the eastern part of Higo Kingdom occupied by the Otomo clan to the Kikuchi clan.

As a result, the northern part of Higo Kingdom was ruled by the Kikuchi clan, while the southern part was ruled by the Sagara clan.

As for the Sagara clan, there is nothing much to say. As a force that ruled the southern half of Higo Kingdom during the Muromachi period, it is currently sandwiched between the Ming army and the Kikuchi clan. It is basically a "left and right" situation. There is nothing to do except surrender to the Ming army. Good choice.

The best thing is that although the Kikuchi clan and the Ouchi clan are both anti-shogunate, the relationship between the two parties is very bad because of the old grudges during the War between the Southern and Northern Dynasties.

In this way, the Ming army not only occupied the southern part of Kyushu Island and gained key territory, but also allowed the Ouchi clan, which occupies the northern part, and the Kikuchi clan, which occupies a key position in the central part, to deepen the conflict.

In addition, the Otomo clan refused to die. Although a lot of territory was cut off and divided among the Kikuchi clan, the Ito clan and the Ouchi clan, it still entrenched itself in the eastern part of Kyushu Island, so the root of the conflict was still deep.

And after time gradually fermented, the conflicts among the princes within Kyushu Island were obviously much more intense than before the arrival of the Ming army. The demise of the Shaoer clan who occupied the Iki Kingdom and the Zongzhen clan who occupied the Taima Kingdom could not affect In an era when too many heroes rise together, some of the smaller princes must be sacrificed first.

The same is true for the Ito clan. During the time when Yumochi was in power, he followed Ashikaga Takauji to gain military exploits and was rewarded by Sanbai Town in the capital. Later, Yumochi built the capital city where the Ito family has lived for generations, Ito in the capital. The Shimazu clan and the Shimazu clan had always had a dispute over the Fertile Castle of the Hyuga Kingdom, so after the Battle of Tachibanayama Castle, they quickly fell to the Ming army. Following the Ouchi clan, the Kikuchi clan, and the Sagara clan, they became the Ming army's main force in Kyushu. The fourth loser on the island.

The Ming army never hesitated to cut other people's flesh to reward scoundrels, so the Fertile City of Hyuga Kingdom was given to the Ito family by the Ming army.

Of course, there is no free lunch in this world, let alone fat falling from the sky.

Therefore, the Ito family also boarded the Ming army's chariot half-heartedly, preparing to pay for a decisive battle with the shogunate's coalition forces.

As for the Matsuura clan who trained two pirate kings, Wang Zhi and Zheng Zhilong, in Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, there is not much to say.

The Matsuura family, other than the Ouchi family, was the Japanese family that did the most trade with the Ming Dynasty. As a wealthy family active in Hizen Kunnan and Kita Matsuura counties, it had a strong economy because it owned the strategically located trading port of Hirado. strength.

Although the Matsuura clan did not dare to open the landing ground to the Ming Dynasty like the Ouchi clan at first, after seeing the Ming army conquer Tachibanayama Castle, they also understood the current situation and made the move according to the current situation.

The more famous Kyushu aristocrats in the history of the Warring States Period, such as the Arima clan who were the first to believe in Christianity in Japan, were still little Karami at this time.

In fact, it would be a hundred years later when Arima Takasumi and his son Arima Takaken, as governors of the Arima family, sent troops to all directions, grew from local lords to national lords, suppressed Takarai County with Hinoe Castle as their base, and then merged Fujitsu and Kishima The two counties built the famous Hara Castle and established the largest territory of Hizen Kingdom before the rise of the Ryuzoji clan.

But now Ma's family is not even qualified to be a lackey for the Ming army.

In this way, after the Ming army consolidated Kyushu Island, they gathered the armies of the Ouchi clan, Kikuchi clan, Sagara clan, Ito clan, Matsuura clan and other princes, and began to attack Honshu Island.

Jiang Xinghuo's tactics are also very simple, exactly the same as those of the Mongols.

On the land division, the armies of the Ouchi clan, Kikuchi clan, Sagara clan, and Ito clan were the vanguard, while on the naval division, the Matsuura clan fleet and the Korean navy led by Lee Congmoo, Nagakawa lord of Korea, were the vanguard.

Let these servants go to fight with the shogunate coalition first to show their loyalty.

It would be best for the servant army to win (although the possibility is extremely low), but if it loses, it will also consume the strength of the shogunate's coalition forces, and finally the Ming army will come out to clean up the situation.

The Ming army and its servants quickly landed on Honshu Island from Nagato and Shufang controlled by the Ouchi clan.

At this time, Jiang Xinghuo received unexpected good news.

That's why the Ming army has organized Kyushu Island, but the shogunate coalition forces have not arrived yet. It is because one force suddenly took action to stop the westward advance of the shogunate coalition forces led by Ashikaga Yoshitari.

——Yamanaji!

The Yamana clan was originally a clan of the Nitta clan. The Yamana Toki clan joined the army with Ashikaga Takauji and made great military exploits as a subordinate of the Muromachi shogunate during the conflict between the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

However, during the Kanyo Rebellion, Yamana Toki clan rebelled with Ashikaga Naoyoshi, the younger brother of Ashikaga Takauji, to the Southern Dynasty. After Ashikaga Naoyoshi's death, Yamana Toki clan once submitted to the shogunate, and then rebelled again and returned to the Southern Dynasty, joining forces with Ashikaga Naoyoshi's son Ashikaga Naotō to join the war. Sanyin expanded its power.

Later, the Yamana Toki clan submitted to the shogunate when the second shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshinori, took up the post of guardian of the five kingdoms of Inaba, Hoshiki, Tanba, Tango, and Migasaku.

After the death of Yamana Tokiji, the power of the Yamana clan continued to expand. The eldest son of the Yamana clan who succeeded the general leader, Yamanaji, was protected by Tango and Haki; the second male Yamanaji was protected by Kii; the third male Yamana clan was protected by Fuyu Inaba; the fourth male Yamana was protected by Inaba. Ujikiyo is the guardian of Tanba, Yamashiro, and Izumi; Goono Tokiyoshi is the guardian of Mimasaku, Tajima, and Bingo; the third son of Yamana Tokiyoshi, Yamana Mitsuyuki, is also given the guardianship of Harima.

There are a total of sixty-six kingdoms in Japan, and the Yamana clan exclusively occupies eleven kingdoms, which is known as the "sixth palace" by the world.

Seventeen years ago, in the second year of Meitoku in Japan, the Yamana clan launched the "Meitoku Rebellion" against the Muromachi shogunate. The Yamana clan was suppressed by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. From the eleven kingdoms to now, only Tajima, The Three Kingdoms of Boqi and Inban.

The current head of the Yamana family is Yamana Tokiyoshi.

Just like the Chinese saying "Although Chu has three households, if Qin is destroyed, Chu will definitely die." Although the Yamana clan only has three vassal states left, its geographical location is very important!

The three kingdoms of Tajima, Hoki, and Inaba are connected. They are all located in the north by the sea, straddling the central and western parts of Kyushu Island. To the south of the Yamana clan is the territory of the Hosokawa family and the Akamatsu family. These two families are affiliated From the Muromachi Shogunate.

However, as long as the shogunate coalition wanted to prevent the Ming army from landing westward, they would have to pass through the territory of the Yamana clan from the north or the territories of the Hosokawa and Akamatsu families from the south. Even if the shogunate coalition took the road from the south, at least several The hundred-mile supply line was still completely exposed to the Yamana clan.

And on this inevitable road, Tokiyoshi Yamana raised the flag of rebellion.

It was time to settle the grudges that the Yamana clan and the Muromachi shogunate had forged during the "Meitoku Rebellion".

Revenge when there is a grudge, and revenge when there is a grudge.

And you, Tokiyoshi Yamana, my friend, you are the real hero.

The allied forces of the shogunate were harassed by the Yamana clan's army. Ashikaga Yoshimichi was forced to deal with the Yamana clan first.

However, the Ma Kingdom was quickly conquered by the shogunate coalition forces, but the shogunate coalition forces were forced to stop in Inaba Country.

Inaba Kingdom is one of the eight kingdoms of Sanguin. It is bounded by Tajima Kingdom to the east, Hoki Kingdom to the west, Misaku Kingdom and Harima Kingdom to the south, the Sea of ​​Japan to the north, and from east to south are Hyounoyama, Mt. Mimuro and Mt. Nagi. , the defense built by the Yamana family here can be said to be a standard mountain castle defense system. The Yamana family organized a very effective defense through the hills and canyons such as Kamao, Tokura, and Shidozaka.

The famous Tottori Castle had not yet been established at this time, but the Yamana clan's mountain castle defense system still caused huge trouble for the stopped shogunate army.

The allied forces of the shogunate led by Ashikaga Yoshimichi can be said to be overwhelming. The "three leaders" of the Shiba clan, the Hosokawa clan, and the Hatakeyama clan, and the "four posts" of the Isshiki clan, the Kyogoku clan, and the Akamatsu clan (the Yamana clan) are in charge of the palace. (also one of them)) Among the lineup of military generals dispatched, it can be said that none of the big figures from the Muromachi shogunate such as Hatakeyama Motokuni, Shiba Yoshishog, Hosokawa Mitsurugi, Akamatsu Yoshinori, Isshiki Mitsurugi, etc., are here.

The Ice Mountain, also known as Mount Suga, where Yamanashi focused his defense, is the second highest peak in the entire mountain valley after the mountain.

The offensive and defensive battle surrounding the Ice Mountain is a cruel and long see-saw.

Obviously, the Yamana family fully learned the lessons from the Meitoku Rebellion.

During the Meitoku Rebellion seventeen years ago, 700 cavalry led by Yamana Army generals Yamaguchi and Kobayashi Uenosuke attacked Nijo Omiya, and started a fierce battle with 300 cavalry under Ouchi Yoshihiro. Ouchi's army dismounted first. The Yamana Army was harassed with arrows. The enraged Yamana Army launched a reckless assault and was defeated by the Ouchi Army ambushing on all sides with melee tactics. Uenosuke Kobayashi was beheaded, and several Yamaguchi were also killed in the rebel army. The shogunate army won the victory, Ouchi Yoshihiro was rewarded with the Yoshimitsu sword.

Then, Yamana Mitsuyuki's main force of 2,000 cavalry foolishly threw themselves into the battlefield in the infield, fought fiercely with Tayama and others, and were held back. At the critical moment, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu sent his 5,000 imperial guards " "Yima Hui" entered the battlefield. Yamana Mitsuyuki's army was defeated across the board and he fled to Tanba. Yamana Shiki led the remaining thousands of troops and launched the final offensive in two groups. Ouchi and Akamatsu's army could not resist and retreated steadily. At that time, the messengers came to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu one after another. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu believed that the moment for a decisive attack had arrived, so he ordered the reserve forces of Shiba Army and Isshiki Army to enter the battlefield. He also personally went out to meet the enemy under the banner of shogun. The shogunate When everyone saw the general coming in person, they shouted long live, while the Yamana army fled with their heads in arms. The Yamana family was unable to recover and tried to escape. As a result, they were surrounded by Isshiki Sentai and were killed in a fierce battle.

After this battle, Hatakeyama Moto was granted the title of Yamajo Province, Hosokawa Yorimoto (the father of Hosokawa Mitsubishi) was granted the title of Tanba Province, Isshiki Mangata was granted the title of Tango Province, and Akamatsu Yoshi was granted the title of Meisaku Province. The family divided the territory of the Yamana clan, and at the same time Ashikaga Yoshimitsu also strengthened the "Yimakai", expanding this elite samurai cavalry force directly under the shogun to tens of thousands.

Therefore, now, seventeen years later, it is actually still a replica of the "Mingde Rebellion", with basically no changes in the lineups of both sides.

Counting all kinds of auxiliary troops, the total strength of the Yamana clan is only more than 10,000. This time, they are determined not to waste the battle. As for the precious samurai cavalry, they do not dare to move at all, and only dare to treat them as motorized infantry. Use it, use it as a fire brigade, fill it wherever it can't stand it.

The allied forces of the shogunate have been assembled for so long, including 10,000 "horseback" and 30,000 shogunate infantry, as well as 60,000 soldiers and horses from the Shiba clan, the Hosokawa clan, the Hatakeyama clan, the Isshiki clan, the Kyogoku clan, and the Akamatsu clan. , the number of serious soldiers alone is 100,000, and including the auxiliary troops, there are 150,000. They are known as "300,000 troops" to the outside world. It cannot be said that the military strength is not strong. This is why the Muromachi shogunate was able to calm down the chaos of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The key to overpowering Japan as a whole.

The shogunate's coalition forces surged forward, their swords and guns flashing coldly in the sun, giving them a sense of momentum like a rainbow.

However, the Yamana Castle built on the Ice Mountain is like a dormant giant beast, entrenched on the steep mountain top. Looking up from below, the city wall seems to tower into the clouds and reach the sky. It is covered with arrow butts and observation towers. , every detail reveals a feeling of despair.

The fortress is built on the mountain, cleverly taking advantage of the terrain, and its integrity is very good. The interior is full of troop transportation roads, and soldiers hidden in the cave can be quickly deployed to any location.

The soldiers of the shogunate coalition looked up, and couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts. Everyone knew that this battle would not be easy. However, Ashikaga Yoshi held military orders like a mountain, and they could only grit their teeth and climb the cold stones toward the mountain city. Charge.

The war drums beat and the shouts shook the heaven and the earth.

The soldiers of the shogunate coalition rushed towards the mountain castle like a tide, their footsteps leaving deep traces on the ground. However, the Yamana defenders who were waiting for work remained unmoved. They calmly aimed their crossbows at the charging enemies and fired arrows. Arrows poured down like raindrops.

They were also attacking a mountain city, but the allied forces of the shogunate obviously did not have the firepower of the Ming army. Not only did they have few artillery pieces, but even the firecrackers were captured from the Yuan army a hundred years ago.

To be honest, this kind of antique from a hundred years ago is pretty good if it fires without blowing itself up. It is simply impossible to expect it to kill the enemy.

Without enough long-range firepower, it would be impossible for the Ming army to suppress firepower by attacking low and high. This also means that the Yamana clan defenders on the mountain city can give full play to their condescending advantage. Killing and wounding the enemy, the shogunate coalition forces basically have no way to deal with them.

People continued to fall in the charging team, and the ground was stained red with blood.

However, the shogunate coalition forces did not retreat. They continued to advance over the bodies of their companions.

Under the city wall, the siege truck pushed up the narrow mountain road made a huge roar, trying to help the coalition forces bypass the indestructible city wall and open a gap in the city gate. Unfortunately, the city gate had long been blocked. Attacking the city and crashing the car is just a useless effort.

However, despite the effort of the shogunate's coalition forces to attack from the rear, the defenders of the Yamana clan were not relaxed either. They had to remain vigilant at all times and did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

You know, they are openly on the opposite side of the shogunate.

And during the Ashikaga Yoshimitsu era, whether it was the Ouchi clan, the Yamana clan, the Imagawa clan, or even the Kamakura Lord who controlled the Ten Kingdoms of Kanto, as long as he dared to take the initiative, he would be greeted by a severe beating from the shogunate. .

At this time, the Muromachi shogunate was not a destructive existence, but a tyrannical armed group that truly ended the troubled times of Japan's Southern and Northern Dynasties.

The Yamana clan knew very well that once the city wall was breached, disaster would be waiting for them, so they tried their best to stop the enemy with bows and arrows, boulders, rolling logs, and mace bats. attack.

The battle lasted for more than ten days, and both sides were nervous. Although the shogunate's coalition forces attacked fiercely, they were still unable to break through the core defense line of Yamana's mountain castle. Although Yamana held the line, he also paid a huge price. The rest of their territory has been conquered by the shogunate's coalition forces.

——————

As the night fell, Ashikaga Yoshimochi was still standing in front of his desk. He spread out a map, which marked Japan's major cities and topography. He carefully studied the Ming army's march route and possible strategic deployment.

At this time, a burst of rapid footsteps broke the tranquility of the night. A samurai hurriedly walked in, knelt down in front of Ashikaga Yoshimochi, and presented a secret report with both hands.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi received the secret report, unfolded it, and his expression suddenly became solemn.

"The Kamakura government has indeed taken action!"

He said to himself: "And it's faster than expected!"

The secret report stated that Lord Kamakura had led the army to Kyoto and was expected to arrive in more than 20 days. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Ashikaga Yoshinori. He thought he could concentrate on dealing with the Ming army first, even if It was the Yamana clan who jumped back. He also felt that he had time to deal with the Yamana clan before continuing to advance. Unexpectedly, the Kamakura government launched an attack at this time.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. There was no use in panic and anxiety at this time. Only reason could help him make the right decision.

However, the shogunate was not unprepared for Kamakura's backstabbing. Kyoto also left 20,000 troops, and the important passages and checkpoints from Kanto to Gyeonggi were in the hands of the shogunate. After all, the Kamakura in Kanto Coveting the position of shogun is no longer a day or two. If there is no precaution, then the shoguns of all generations will become fools.

These soldiers and horses left behind may not be able to attack, but the defense is more than enough. At the very least, the Kwantung Allied Forces definitely do not have the siege capabilities of the Ming Army. The series of checkpoints alone are enough to satisfy Ashiki and give them a headache.

After all, geographically speaking, Kanto and Gyeonggi are also two geographical units, separated by a series of mountains.

Therefore, there will definitely be no problem in Kyoto, my hometown, in a short period of time, but it will be difficult to say if time prolongs.

Ashikaga Yoshitomi thought about it a lot, and although he felt that it would be better for the returning army to attack the Kanto Allied Forces with absolute superiority, he still wanted to ask everyone for their opinions.

After all, he does not have the absolute control of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. If most people in the coalition oppose it, even if he is the shogun, he will not be able to enforce his strategy.

"Go and call them to discuss matters."

Under the Ice Mountain, in the large meeting tent of the shogunate coalition forces, the atmosphere was so solemn that it was almost suffocating.

The candlelight cast a flickering shadow on the outer curtain of the tent, as if it would be extinguished at any time. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimichi was sitting on his knees at the main seat. His eyes were full of annoyance, because these people started arguing when they met, without giving anything at all. His face means.

With a loud "bang" sound, Hatakeyama Motokuni slammed the table, causing the cups on the table to jingle.

The burly Hatakeyama Motokuni stood up, eyes wide with anger, and his voice echoed in the hall like thunder: "The Ming army has trampled on our territory! This is an extreme insult to the dignity of our samurai! We cannot sit idly by and ignore it. We must send troops immediately to fight! When the Yuan invaders invaded, this is how our ancestors fought back! We cannot withdraw our troops! Absolutely not!"

General Si Boyi knelt down firmly on the spot, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

General Si Boyi spoke slowly, but his voice was as biting as ice: "Fight? You said it easily. The Ming army has strong soldiers and horses. Although we have not lost much troops at this time, our morale has dropped. It is no different to attack rashly at this time." What's more, we still have rebels from the Southern Dynasties who are causing chaos within us. A large-scale 'national rebellion' has arisen in Yamato. At this time, we should first fight against the internal rebels, and then attack the external enemies."

Hatakeyama Motokuni was so angry at Yoshihide Shiba's words that his face turned as red as a freshly cooked lobster.

Motokuni Hatakeyama pointed at General Shiba's nose and roared: "You coward! You only know how to hide here, talking about fighting against the traitors? By the time you return to the army and fight against the traitors, the Ming army will have already arrived in Kyoto to capture us. His head was cut off and played as a ball!”

General Sibo's face also darkened, and a trace of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but he did not attack. Instead, he took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in his heart.

General Shiba Yi looked at Hatakeyama Motokuni coldly and said word by word: "So, Lord Hatakeyama, what do you have in mind? Is it possible that you can defeat the Ming army immediately with your passion and courage? ? If Kyoto is captured by the Kamakura Army before the Ming Army is defeated, then we will have no supplies, no food or drink, and will even be attacked by the Ming Army and the Kamakura Army. How will we deal with it then? "

Hatakeyama Motokuni was speechless by the question. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

At this time, Hosokawa Mangen took the opportunity to interject: "I think we should solve the problem of Kamakura Kōfō first. Kamakura Kōgō is our biggest threat at present, and it is not difficult to solve the important strategic pass from Kanto to Gyeonggi. In our hands, the Kwantung Allied Forces are nothing more than a group of monkeys who have been yelled at. As long as they are beaten a few times with a stick, they will collapse."

His voice was calm and steady, like a clear spring flowing into a dry river bed, and his point of view was rare among the shogunate's coalition forces.

When dealing with the Onaga Rebellion of the Ouchi family, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu personally served as the general, and sent the Hosokawa clan, Kyogoku clan, and Akamatsu clan as the vanguard to attack Ouchi Yoshihiro with a total force of 40,000 people. At that time, Kamakura Ashikaga Mitsukane on the public side wanted to raise troops to respond, but was dissuaded by Uesugi Kensada and failed to raise troops as scheduled, which led to Ouchi Yoshihiro fighting alone. On December 21 of that year, Sakai Castle was captured by Hatakeyama Motokun. Fierce generals captured it and Ouchi Yoshihiro died in battle.

At that time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu left more than 60,000 soldiers and horses around Kyoto in order to prevent the Kamakura Lord from stealing his house, which shows that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu attaches great importance to the Kamakura Lord.

This deployment was the suggestion given by Hosokawa Mitsurugi to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu at that time.

Hosokawa Mangen has always believed that the Kamakura government must not be ignored, and since the current spirit is blunted under the strong city, it is not suitable to fight the Ming army here, and the Kofukuji Temple in Yamato or in the southern part of Yamato The Emperor Kameyama is just a minor problem. What we really need to watch out for is that the Kamakura Duke and the Ming Army join forces and it is difficult for the Ming Army to fight, but the Kamakura Duke is much easier to fight.

Because of this, Hosokawa Mangen suggested that Ashikaga Yoshimichi return to challenge the Kamakura Duke, and after the victory, stick to Kyoto, and at the same time summon the princes in the eastern part of Honshu Island to fight against the Ming army.

In Hosokawa Mitsubishi's view, the Ming army came across the sea. If possible, the best way was to stick to the defense line and consume its troops and supplies. A decisive battle with the Ming army was the next best thing.

But obviously, Hosokawa Mitsumoto's views were not the mainstream of the shogunate coalition.

"Kamakura Lord?" Akamatsu Yoshizuki curled his lips disdainfully, "Who do they think they are? As long as we return to the army, we can easily defeat them."

Akamatsu Yoshinori's voice was full of confidence and arrogance.

"Regardless of whether we can easily defeat the Kamakura Duke, in my opinion, we must first paralyze the Ming army."

Hosokawa Mangen thought for a while and said: "The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was very happy with his victory. We can completely imitate the story of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty's conquest of Goguryeo, pretend to surrender, and then use this to delay the time, return to the army first and defeat the Kamakura Duke, and finally fight against the Ming army. .”

"Pretend to surrender?" Isshiki Manji immediately retorted, "Do you think the Ming army is the Sui army? You are seeking skin from a tiger! How could the Ming army sincerely accept our surrender because of its wolfish ambitions? Even if you accept it, you put the general in such a dangerous situation where?"

Hosokawa Mitsuru glared at Isshiki Mantō and said angrily: "Then what do you think we should do? Do we just sit back and wait to die? I tell you, if the shogunate falls, you and I will die without a burial place!"

Isshiki Manji was not intimidated by Hosokawa Mangen's threat. He said in a deep voice: "We should reach reconciliation with the Southern Dynasties as soon as possible and end the civil war. Only in this way can we concentrate our efforts on dealing with foreign enemies."

"Don't forget, the Meitoku Contract is still in effect. As long as we agree to establish the eldest son of Emperor Go-Kameyama as the heir to the throne, and let Daikakuji Temple and Jimei-in take over the throne alternately, then Emperor Go-Kameyama will definitely and We reconciled.”

Ashikaga Yoshimochi has been holding back and listening to everyone's arguments, his eyes flashing with unbearable irritability.

These big shots in the shogunate each have their own ideas, and no one is convinced by anyone. No one proposes a plan that satisfies Ashikaga Yoshinori. He knows very well that these big shots are all arguing for their own interests.

Ashikaga Yoshimachi took a deep breath: "Shut up, everyone."

Although his voice was not loud, it resounded through the tent like morning bells and evening drums. Everyone immediately fell silent and looked at him in unison.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi glanced around the crowd and then said: "No matter what measures are taken, the interests of the shogunate must be given priority. In the Chinese saying, we are all 'grasshoppers on a rope'. Ming The army is our enemy, but the Kamakura Duke and the Southern Dynasty are also our enemies, and we cannot harm the interests of the shogunate because of a temporary dispute of temper."

Even though Ashikaga Yoshimochi is young, he speaks clearly. Other daimyo can surrender to the Ming army, but they, the core group of the shogunate, have long been deeply bound to the interests of the shogunate. If the shogunate falls, most of them will Nothing ends well.

"Listen up."

Ashikaga Yoshichi paused and continued: "First, mobilize cavalry to monitor and block the Ming army, and buy time for our army to completely withdraw from Inaba country to Kyoto; second, send envoys to the counties of Yamato to pacify the locals samurai, and then negotiate with the Southern Dynasties; third, strengthen Kyoto’s defense forces and pay close attention to the movements of the Kamakura Duke, and if necessary, we can consider dealing with the Kamakura Duke first.”

As soon as Ashikaga Yoshimochi finished speaking, there was a discussion in the hall. Although everyone still had disputes about his decision, many of them knew that under the current situation, this was already the best choice.

After Ashikaga Yoshimochi's words fell, Hatakeyama Motokuni took a deep breath. His chest rose and fell violently, obviously trying to suppress the anger in his heart.

Hatakeyama Motokuni stared and said word by word: "General, I respect your decision, but I have to say that giving up the decisive battle with the Ming army is a great insult to our samurai! I would rather die on the battlefield than Don’t want to back down!”

Ashikaga Yoshimochi did not change his decision because of Hatakeyama Motokuni's opposition. He glanced at him lightly and said slowly: "I understand your thoughts, but you must also understand that the current situation no longer allows us to We should not stick to the so-called glory of the samurai. We must put the overall situation first and the interests of the shogunate first."

His words caused Isshiki Mitsuki and others to fall into deep thought. In fact, they all knew that Ashikaga Yoshimachi was right. The current situation was indeed extremely serious. If they did not act decisively, they might really plunge the shogunate into an irreversible situation.

At this time, Hosokawa Mangen broke the silence: "General, I support your decision. Although it is humiliating to withdraw the troops and retreat, it is better than letting the shogunate perish. We should act as soon as possible."

His words were immediately echoed by Akamatsu Yoshinori and Isshiki Manji.

Isshiki Mantō nodded and said: "Yes, we should act as soon as possible. The Ming army has already landed on Honshu Island. If we hesitate any longer, I'm afraid they will really march in."

Akamatsu Yoshinori also said: "In addition to facing the Ming army, we should also strengthen the defense of Kyoto. I request to go out to defeat the Kamakura Lord and teach Ashikaga Mitsukane a lesson!"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi watched everyone express their support for his decision, and he couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief. At this critical moment, his decisive decision could still stabilize people's hearts.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi stood up and said in a deep voice: "Since everyone agrees, let's take action immediately! I will return to Kyoto to take charge first to prevent Xiaoxiao from taking the opportunity to cause trouble. I hope you can work together to overcome the difficulties!"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi didn't say it clearly, but everyone knew what the so-called "little trouble" refers to. It was nothing more than the ancient sword Mikai of Shokokuji Temple, and Emperor Gokomatsu and other Kyoto officials who were never willing to be used as puppets by the shogunate. The opposition forces of the shogunate.

"In addition, please ask the Hosokawa clan's troops to stay in Tamba Kingdom, so that no matter what, the Ming army cannot easily approach Kyoto."

"please!"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi stood up and saluted Hosokawa Mitsubishi, and Hosokawa Mitsubishi gritted his teeth and took over this important task.

This was originally what he advocated, and he was the most suitable for this task. However, the terrain of the Tanba country under his jurisdiction was very conducive to blocking, and it was also the northwest barrier of Kyoto.

Everyone stood up and bowed to Ashikaga Yoshimachi and said they would go back immediately to prepare.

As everyone left, calm gradually returned to the tent, but Ashikaga Yoshimochi knew that this was just the calm before the storm.

There was no one around, so Ashikaga Yoshinori raised his hand that had been tucked into his wide sleeves, but now it stopped shaking.

Ashikaga Yoshinori never imagined that he would face so many sudden problems just after he took control of real power and became the coveted de facto ruler of Japan.

The invasion of the Ming army, the threat from the Kamakura Crown Prince, the rebellion of the Southern Dynasty, and the turmoil of the people from Yamato to Kyoto, these problems were like several mountains that weighed him down and almost made him unable to breathe. But Ashikaga Yoshimochi had early There was no way out. Everyone could escape, but he couldn't. He was the shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, and he had to shoulder this responsibility.

——————

Soon, the shogunate coalition forces withdrew from Ice Mountain to Kyoto, much faster than their advance. After all, they had to make various preparations during the advance, and the retreat was carried out to prevent Kamakura officials from stealing their homes. , it’s not that difficult.

In fact, Ice Mountain is not far from Kyoto, and after the shogunate coalition forces took a short rest, they sent troops to repel the westward advancing Kwantung coalition forces. At this time, the Kwantung coalition forces were under siege and could not break through.

There are three main roads from Kinai to Omi and then to Togoku. Mino is stuck on the most important road without breaking through. It is located between the northwest of Hokuriku Expressway and the southeast of Ise. This is a long north-south corridor. The basin is four miles wide and eight miles wide from east to west, surrounded by Mount Ibuki, Mount Sasao, Mount Tenman, Mount Matsuo and Mount Nangong. It is the only way from Kanto to Kansai.

Under the sky covered with thick clouds, Mino Country's Fuwa Pass seemed to be the center of the storm.

More than 100,000 shogunate coalition troops surged in like a tidal wave. The samurai's cavalry trampled the tranquility of the earth, and the flags embroidered with the coats of arms of major families rustled in the wind.

On one side is the shogunate coalition, led by Ashikaga Yoshimichi himself, accompanied by generals such as Hatakeyama Motokuni, Shiba Yoshitsune, Akamatsu Yoshinori, and Isshiki Mitsuki.

On the other side, there is the 60,000 Kanto Allied Forces. As the Kamakura Lord of this generation, Ashikaga Mitsuru leads the elite divisions of the ten Kanto countries, and the Kanto commander Uesugi Kensada is also a famous hero. Besides their Under his command, the Kwantung Allied Forces can be described as menacing.

The two armies faced each other, and the air seemed to freeze.

The two cavalry teams led by Hatakeyama Motokuni and General Shiba Yi were like two sharp blades, cutting into the formation of the Kwantung Allied Forces. Their horse hooves made the ground tremble, and the sound of the iron armor colliding was as shocking as thunder, cutting through the wilderness. of tranquility.

Chisongyi commanded the phalanx of archers, and the dense arrows were like a summer rainstorm, pouring mercilessly on the heads of the Kwantung Allied Forces.

The Kwantung Allied Forces were not idlers either. Ashikaga Mitsukane and Uesugi Kensada quickly adjusted their tactics and commanded the troops to counterattack. For a moment, the battlefield was filled with swords, swords, and flesh and blood. The two armies were going back and forth. It could be said that they were fighting inextricably. .

Although the Kanto Allied Forces defended tenaciously, they were at a numerical disadvantage after all. Under the fierce attack of the Shogunate Allied Forces, cracks began to appear in their formation. Ashikaga Mitsuru rode a tall war horse and waved a long sword, trying to stabilize the position, but Isshiki Mitsuru The infantry team led by Tui had already pounced on them like tigers.

Under the fierce attack of the shogunate coalition forces, the Kwantung coalition forces gradually showed their fatigue.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi saw the right opportunity, raised the spear in his hand and shouted loudly, and then the "Omama Kai", the most elite unit of the shogunate, launched a thunderous charge. At this time, he was directly thrown into the king's bomb, which is enough to see how urgent Ashikaga Yoshimochi was.

He must inflict pain on the Kwantung Allied Forces who stabbed him in the back, and then turn around and fight the Ming Army for a decisive battle.

The "Yima Hui" is indeed the most elite force in Japan. Their charge is like a tiger descending a mountain, unstoppable, and instantly tears open the defense line of the Kanto Allied Forces.

Soon, the morale of the Kanto Allied Forces, which was only half the shogunate army, began to decline. Some soldiers began to flee. Their defeat was as unstoppable as a flood that broke a bank. Ashikaga Mitsukane and Uesugi Kensada saw that the situation was over, so they had no choice but to give orders. retreat.

However, how could the shogunate coalition let go of this golden opportunity? The retreat turned into a rout. Without breaking through the pass, the soldiers of the Kwantung Allied Forces abandoned their helmets and armor and scrambled for their lives. The soldiers of the Shogunate Allied Forces pursued the victory and harvested the lives of the Kwantung Allied Forces with swords and guns.

The shogunate coalition forces pursued them all the way to the camp of the Kwantung coalition forces before stopping.

In the end, on the plains of Mino Country, the shogunate coalition forces won, while the Kanto coalition forces retreated in defeat, leaving a mess on the ground.

Obviously, the strength of the shogunate's coalition forces is still quite strong. This beautiful battle successfully crushed Kamakura's ambitions. In a short period of time, the Kanto region could no longer pose a threat to the shogunate, and Ashikaga Yoshimochi's own prestige was also due to The battle began to turn.

But this is not the final battle.

——————

Shortly after the Battle of Fujian, the Ming army joined the Yamana clan and marched towards Kyoto with the armies of the Ouchi, Kikuchi, Sagara, Ito and other families.

The last obstacle for the Ming army to reach Kyoto was the country of Danba.

Tanba Province is the easternmost country connected to Kinki's Santo Valley. Its northeast and northwest connect Wakasa Province and Tango Province. It is connected to Yamashiro Province in the east and a small part of its north is close to the border with Jiang Province. It is an inland country that is not close to the coast. The Tanba Highlands occupies a large part of the country. The relatively flat Kameoka Basin in the Katsura River Basin and the Fukuchiyama Basin in the Yura River Basin have some cultivated land. Since it is close to Kyoto and is an important mountain barrier entering the Kyoto Plain from the northwest, It was highly valued by the shogunate, and the guardian daimyo here was none other than Hosokawa Mitsurugi, who had been left behind by Ashikaga Yoshimochi to block the Ming army.

The dawn gradually dyed the sky red. Hosokawa Mangen was wearing armor and standing on the fortress of Tamba Highlands.

At this time, the lord castles in Japan, although not as perverted as during the Warring States Period, were somewhat similar to those in Europe at the same time. Almost all the guardian daimyo liked to build their lairs in the most dangerous locations in the entire fiefdom.

Around the castle, the soldiers of the Hosokawa clan of Tanba Kingdom are nervously preparing for battle. They are inspecting weapons and equipment, reinforcing defense facilities, and making final preparations for the upcoming battle. There is a kind of chill and tension in the air. The atmosphere is as if everyone is waiting for the judgment of fate.

This is not an illusion. In fact, Hosokawa Mitsubishi's latest mission is to delay the Ming army to buy time for the shogunate's coalition forces to rest and regroup after the war.

Negotiations between the Muromachi shogunate and Emperor Gogameyama have collapsed. Fortunately, although Yamato is in chaos, the Southern Dynasty is unable to go north to Kyoto for the time being.

Therefore, the shogunate coalition forces only had to face the attack of the Ming army and its servants in a short period of time.

At this time, the shogunate coalition forces went back and forth and fought a big battle at Bupoguan. Therefore, as long as the Ming army did not reach Kyoto, the shogunate coalition forces would never have a decisive battle with the Ming army without rest and recuperation.

So Hosokawa Mangen must stick to it for a while.

But this is obviously not a good job. How the Ming army conquered the steep Tachibana Mountain Castle is now clear to the senior generals of the shogunate coalition.

Hosokawa Mangen knew very well that this was a battle with no retreat, and he had to use all his strategies to deal with it.

At this moment, a messenger rushed over, holding an urgent message in his hand.

Hosokawa Mangen received the intelligence, unfolded it and took a quick look at the back, and his color suddenly became serious. The intelligence stated that the Ming army had broken through the front line of defense and was advancing here.

Mitsuru Hosokawa took a deep breath and handed the information to the Hosokawa generals beside him. They looked at the contents of the information with solemn expressions on their faces. This battle would be more difficult and cruel than expected.

"Master, what should we do?"

Hosokawa Mitsubishi was silent for a moment, and then said slowly: "We cannot retreat. This battle is related to the survival of the shogunate and the future of Japan."

He paused and continued: "Send my order to prepare the entire army to fight against the Ming army! At the same time, send an envoy to Kyoto to ask for help and ask the shogunate to send reinforcements to support us as soon as possible."

As Hosokawa Mitsubishi's order was issued, the entire castle immediately boiled. Soldiers rushed to their respective posts to prepare for battle. Messengers also quickly set off to ask for help from Kyoto.

But even if Hosokawa Mangen had made enough psychological preparations, the Ming army's attack capability was still beyond everyone's expectations.

In the dim light of dawn, the Ming army had quietly arrived and surrounded the Hosokawa clan's castle.

The soldiers of the Ming army were as iron-clad as frost, and their swords and guns were like forests. This momentum accumulated through the invincible combat experience in the conquest of Japan had taken shape, and they seemed to crush all obstacles under their feet.

This kind of momentum is a bit similar to a team or a team's winning streak. The more wins, the stronger the self-confidence. The current Ming army has reached this state.

These 100,000 Japanese troops are an army that has been trained for five or six years with Japan as the imaginary enemy. It is equivalent to thinking about how to kill pigs before. This time, they actually got started and found that it was just that. Just kill them with one knife. It's not difficult to stop moving.

Therefore, naturally I am becoming more and more comfortable and confident.

The heavy artillery force, the steel giant of the Ming army, took the lead in launching a fierce bombardment on the castle.

The Ming army has told the whole world with facts that artillery is the king of war in the new era!

The sound of the huge siege cannon firing was like the arrival of the God of Thunder. Every roar shook the world. The cannonballs roared towards the castle with a long tail of fire, and then exploded on the city wall, blowing away the hard The stone exploded into pieces.

The walls of the Hosokawa Castle were constantly trembling under the continuous bombardment of artillery fire, as if they were about to collapse at any time. Of course, the power of the siege cannon was not so powerful that a single shot could destroy such a pure stone wall. It was the Japanese soldiers on the wall who felt that the power was amplified due to psychological effects.

The most cruel thing was the city-panning attack by the servant troops driven by the Ming army. These servant soldiers mainly came from the Kikuchi, Sagara, and Ito families. Under the supervision of the Ming army, they could only risk their lives and charge.

They stepped on the rickety simple ladder, braved the arrows and stones from the defenders, and even had to face scalding hot oil or boiling dung water. Their figures flickered on the city wall, and every time they climbed, The climb was accompanied by numerous casualties.

However, these cheap servant Japanese soldiers did not dare to retreat at all, and could only keep moving forward until the last moment of their lives.

The Japanese soldiers who retreated will be shot directly by the Ming army!

At the same time, Yamana's engineering troops were also nervously digging tunnels. Like a group of dexterous moles, they quietly shuttled under the castle. The goal of the Ming army was to plant explosives under the castle and destroy this stubborn castle from its roots. Destroy it, but the Ming army will definitely not dig it out by themselves.

Every time the Yamana clan's engineers dug, they were accompanied by splashes of soil and drops of sweat, but they worked very hard because the hatred between the Yamana clan and the shogunate army was too great.

Above the castle, the Hosokawa clan's defenders were also struggling to resist. They braved the Ming army's artillery fire and held on to every inch of the city wall.

Hosokawa Mitsubishi prepared sufficient supplies for the defense of the city. The arrows of the Japanese soldiers who defended the city poured down like a torrential rain, trying to prevent the attack of the servants who were also Japanese soldiers.

However, under the powerful offensives of the Kikuchi, Sagara, and Ito families, their resistance became increasingly weak.

The battle lasted for several days, and the inside and outside of the castle had become a hell on earth. Although the Japanese servants were exhausted, their offensive did not slow down at all. The three families took turns, and each family was able to rest for two days.

The defenders in the castle, under the indiscriminate bombardment of the Ming army, had very few left. Their eyes were filled with despair, but they still held on to their last position.

However, with a huge explosion, all Hosokawa's efforts were in vain.

The city wall was directly blown down by a large number of explosives in the tunnel, and the Hosokawa clan's castle was completely breached. The Japanese soldiers, the servants of the Kikuchi clan, swarmed in and treated these compatriots with an even crueler attitude than the Ming army. All the men They were all killed, even the children, and the women were abducted.

——————

Kyoto.

The news that Hosokawa Mitsuru was captured and killed by Yamana Tokiyoshi directly caused the Muromachi shogunate to explode. This was not only a serious challenge to the authority of the Muromachi shogunate, but also a heavy blow to everyone's confidence. The rabbit died and the fox was sad, and Hosokawa Mitsuru was with him during his lifetime. No matter how different Moto was, Mitsumoto Hosokawa was also one of the highest-ranking members of the Muromachi shogunate. He was always brave and resourceful. Who wouldn't be shocked if he died in such a careless manner?

And now a greater threat is approaching - the Ming army is getting closer and closer, and their road to Kyoto is already clear.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi, Hatakeyama Motokuni, Shiba Yoshitsune, Akamatsu Yoshinori, Isshiki Mitsuki and other high-level shogunate officials sat around in the meeting hall of the Flower Palace, and everyone's expressions were extremely serious.

They knew that in the face of the well-equipped and powerful Ming army, the traditional city defense strategy no longer worked.

"The Ming army's artillery is extremely powerful. If they attack our city, we have no chance of winning."

Motokuno Hatakeyama was the first to break the silence. He insisted on his consistent view: "We cannot sit still and wait for death. We must take the initiative."

"I agree with Mr. Hatakeyama."

General Si Boyi continued: "Defending the city will only make us passive, and although the Ming army has a large number of artillery, if we can concentrate superior forces in the field, we will have a chance to defeat them."

In fact, this painful lesson also made the top leaders of the Muromachi Shogunate understand one thing, that is, it is useless to defend the city in front of the Ming army. Not only will it not have the effect of slowing down the enemy's vigor, but it will be quickly broken, and Damage one's own morale.

The reason is obvious. In the past, the attackers who defended the city could only rely on heaping lives, and the defenders had the advantage. But now, for the Ming army with strong firepower, if they stay in a fixed city, they will be beaten. Artillery likes to have fixed targets like this. The more you hit, the more accurate you become.

Considering that although the Ming army has a large number of artillery, if it is spread out on a wide front, especially a wide front where hundreds of thousands of people are fighting, it is impossible to have the same firepower density as when besieging a castle.

Therefore, many people in the upper echelons of the shogunate suggested a field battle with the Ming army.

In field battles, although the artillery of the Ming army is terrifying, the density of firepower will become much sparser as the battle line unfolds. On the other hand, in terms of strength comparison, the shogunate coalition forces have no disadvantage. The shogunate coalition forces are resting and recuperating. After recruiting all other parts of Japan, including all the princes who came to assist in the war, as well as the soldiers and auxiliary troops of the shogunate itself, there were already as many as 170,000, while the Ming army had 100,000 Japanese troops plus four The total number of servants is 140,000.

Ashikaga Yoshimachi frowned as he listened to the generals' discussion.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi knew very well that this decision was of great importance. If it failed, the entire Muromachi shogunate would be in danger of collapse.

However, he also knew that this was the only feasible solution at present. This was already Kyoto, and he could not possibly lose Kyoto and run away.

"Then let's fight in the field with the Ming army."

Ashikaga Yoshimichi finally made the decision: "We must use our familiarity with the terrain and our strength advantage to give the Ming army a head-on attack."

This decision quickly spread among the shogunate coalition forces. Although the soldiers were frightened by the powerful firepower of the Ming army, they also knew that this was the only option.

As a result, the shogunate's coalition forces began to actively prepare for war and prepare for this life and death battle.

At the same time, the Ming army was also preparing intensively. Although the top brass of the Ming army disdained the field capabilities of the shogunate coalition, they also knew that this battle was related to the direction of Ming's strategy against Japan, so they did not dare to be careless at all. .

Soon, the 140,000 Ming army and its servants, led by Zhu Neng, Li Jinglong, Jiang Xinghuo, Zhu Gaoxu and others, arrived in the northwest of Kyoto, and the 170,000 shogunate coalition troops also came out of the city in a mighty formation. On the broad front of twenty miles, the two sides completely formed their formations and began the final battle that would determine the fate of Japan.