At nightfall, Yu Qiupei and Asai Nagamasa were having dinner in the castle tower, chatting about world affairs, when an attendant suddenly came in and announced that Masayuki Sanada, under Yu Qiupei's command, wanted to see him.
"Kibei?" Yu Qiuping's hand holding the chopsticks trembled, "Didn't he go to see your information? He came here in such a hurry..."
"Come in quickly!" Asai Nagamasa suddenly became nervous and shouted hurriedly. A moment later, Sanada Masayuki walked quickly from the door, saluted hastily, and whispered: "Two adults
Rong! I feel that the Rokkajia family is likely to launch an offensive before the autumn harvest is over!"
"Huh? How could it be!" Asai Nagamasa was surprised, "Now is the most critical few days of the autumn harvest, how can it be possible to recruit troops? The various wealthy families and common people under his command are not willing to delay the harvest for a year, and there will be great resentment.
, and there may be a deliberate delay.”
"It's unlikely." Sanada Masayuki shook his head, "But I found from the intelligence that the wealthy families in the south of Guanyinji Castle and the western counties of Ritai County and Yesu County have begun to gather, but the wealthy families in the east have not moved at all."
"The wealthy families in the west and south are relatively powerful families, such as the Kamao family and the Yamaoka family. They always have more troops at home, so it is very possible to gather at Kannon Temple in advance." Asai Nagamasa explained.
"That's right." Sanada Masayuki nodded in embarrassment. Yu Qiuping gave him an encouraging look, and the latter continued: "But it is also very likely because the Rokkaku family's order this time is not to all the people in the territory.
The wealthy clans were ordered to assemble at Kannonji Castle, but instead directly assemble at Sawayama Castle."
"Nani!" Asai Nagamasa was shocked, "If we spread out like this, it is very likely that we will defeat them individually."
"But the Asai family is indeed busy with the autumn harvest, and they have not been able to assemble their troops and have no chance to defeat them." Sanada Masayuki said in a low voice, "There is indeed no factual basis. But if I want to make a judgment, I will think it is the Rokkaku family.
We plan to take advantage of the fact that we have not completed the autumn harvest, and first gather some troops to fight for the favorable terrain and surround Sawa Mountain Castle. We will wait until the autumn harvest is over and the main force is assembled before starting the battle."
"You have to be on guard." Yu Qiuping nodded solemnly, "Changzheng, what do you think?"
"That makes sense." Asai Nagamasa called out a nickname, "Go and inform Mr. Aguan Sadazaki and Mr. Onoki Shigetoshi that the autumn harvest in their territory is basically completed, and ask them to immediately gather some troops and go to Sawa Mountain Castle to support!"
On the morning of July 29, shortly after Yu Qiuping got up and had breakfast, he was notified by his surname and asked to go to the castle tower assessment room. After Yu Qiuping met with several of his subordinates, he immediately rushed to the castle tower. Waiting until they
After arriving, they saw Akao Kiyosuna and Amamori Kiyosada arguing about something, with Tsunahimika Kaiboku trying to mediate. Many important ministers were coming to the castle tower one after another.
"What's going on?" Yu Qiuping asked Asai Nagamasa, who looked solemn at the side.
"Unfortunately, Sanada-sama was right." Asai Nagamasa pointed to the location of Sawayama Castle, "Early this morning, the ninjas of Sawayama Castle discovered that a large number of troops from the Rokkaku clan were crossing the Noze River, so they hurriedly sent people there.
Call the police."
"Sure enough, the troops were mobilized before the autumn harvest was over." Yu Qiuping whispered, "How many people are there in total?"
"The number of soldiers is not large. There are only less than 800 soldiers. These are the number of soldiers that the Rokkaku family always prepares. There are more than a thousand civilians behind them, a total of more than 2,000 people." Asai Nagamasa whispered, "It's just for defense.
In Sawayama Castle, Isono-sama was forced to stop the autumn harvest in his territory and gather all the troops in Sawayama Castle. The crops under the castle might be lost to others."
"Akao-sama and Amamori-sama are quarreling about the next actions." Asai Nagamasa said, "Amamori-sama requested to immediately stop the autumn harvest and recruit troops to fight. However, Akao-sama suspected that this might just be a way to disturb the enemy and refused to recruit troops.
force."
"We can only wait for further information." Yu Qiupei sighed, and waited in the assessment room with Honda Nanosuke and Maeda Toshiie, listening to the disputes within the Asai family. Lords with slower autumn harvests in their territories were generally more conservative.
, but those warring factions whose territories were not large, or whose autumn harvest was almost completed, demanded that troops be sent out immediately, and both sides insisted on their own opinions. However, Amano Keitoku, Matsushita Karuran and Sanada Masayuki asked for a map and sat down.
Discussing something in the corner. Matsushita Qingran and Amano Keitoku were still very difficult to deal with. They looked at each other coldly, and Sanada Masayuki had to smooth things over.
At noon, the latest intelligence came. Aguki Sadazaki and Onoki Shigetoshi who were sent to the front sent messengers back to report that the two gates of Sawayama Castle had been surrounded, and communication between the inside and outside of the city had been cut off. Sawayama Castle sent out a message before it was surrounded
The messenger called for help, and the messenger said that since the grain from the autumn harvest could not be returned to the warehouse and had all fallen into the hands of the Rokkaku family, the city's grain reserves might last for another month.
The troops of Aguki Sadazaki and Ohnoki Shigetoshi also said that the number of Rokkaku family's troops has further increased, reaching 5,000 people, and small groups of troops are arriving one after another. The Asai family's advance team only has 1,500 people and cannot
To counter them, they had no choice but to wait on the north bank of the Yagura River, not daring to cross the river. The troops stationed on the south bank of the Yagura River to confront them were the troops of Goto Kentoyo, a famous minister of the Rokkaku family.
The war situation was no longer so optimistic, and the Asai family was forced to make the same decision as the Rokkaku family. Asai Nagamasa dismissed the important ministers back to the territory, gradually recruited troops to complete the autumn harvest, and assembled on the north bank of the Yagura River.
He himself took the Hatamoto samurai and horse warriors and arrived at Mihara, five miles north of the Yagura River front line, to set up his main camp. The formation of the teams that came one after another was in chaos, and they set up camp in a mess.
The Rokkaku family was also in chaos, and neither side had any intention of attacking. The Rokkaku family's main camp was set up at Hikone, four miles south of the Yagura River, and the two armies faced each other across the Yagura River.
The time has been postponed until August 7th. The autumn harvest in both Kitaomia and Minamiomi has come to an end, and the troops from both sides have also assembled in Sawa Mountain Castle. The number of troops of the Asai family has reached 13,000, and that of the Rokkaku family has reached 20,000.
However, due to the Rokkaku family's proactive actions, the initiative in the war has fallen into the hands of the Rokkaku family. The Asai family's original plan to cross the Yagura River and rely on the terrain to form an array around Sawayama Castle has been shattered, and Sawayama Castle has been destroyed.
The Rokkaku family was surrounded, and the location also fell into the hands of the Rokkaku family. The Asai family had to try to break through the Rokkaku family's defense line to relieve Sawayama Castle.
The Rokkaku family tentatively attacked Sawayama Castle twice on the 5th and 6th. However, the terrain of Sawayama Castle was difficult, and the defender Masa Isono was brave and skillful in fighting. After the Rokkaku family's attack failed, they turned to defense, intending to trap Sawayama.
city.
The Yagura River is a river that surrounds Mount Sawa. It originates from the Ibuki Mountains. After flowing northward on the east side of Mount Sawa, it turns west at the northern section of Mount Sawa and flows into Lake Biwa. And close to the east of Mount Sawa is the Ono River. It is in Yagura
Between the Sawa River and Mt. Sawa, it flows almost parallel to the Yagura River to the north for a while, and then merges into the Yagura River that turns west.
In the northwest of Mount Sawa, across the north bank of the Yagura River, there is a small mountainous area that hinders the movement of troops. This makes the area where the Yagura River can be crossed extremely narrow, only three to four hundred meters sandwiched between two mountains.
area. Under the defense of the Rokkaku family, Goto Kentoyo and other important ministers, the Asai family had no chance to take advantage of it. The family's strong generals, Kiyosada Umori and Naosuke Endo, launched two probing attacks, but it was difficult to find a breakthrough in the defense line. Although Yagura River
It is not very wide or deep, but it brings great difficulties to the march of troops and the movement of formations.
In desperation, the Asai family decided to start a roundabout operation and sent 4,000 special forces led by Akao Kiyosuna to cross the Yagura River from the east of Mount Sawa, pass through the plain between the Yagura River and the Onogawa River, and go all the way south, trying to bypass it from the east.
Mount Sawa, and attacked Hikone in a roundabout way. However, the mysterious harassment of the Koga ninjas of the Rokkaku family seriously affected the marching speed. Later, the flags of the Kamao family and the Mikumo family appeared on the south side of Mount Sawa, and Akao Kiyosuna, who was afraid of being ambushed, had to go back to the original route.
return.
It is now August 15th. Sawayama Castle has been besieged for half a month, and half of the food and grass have been consumed. This morning, after Asai Nagamasa held a military meeting, he decided to launch a large-scale attack across the entire line to find weaknesses in the Rokkaku family's defense line.
Point. Amenori Kiyosada, Endo Naotsune, Aguan Sadaki and Ohnoki Shigetoshi led 5,000 people to attack the Hexagon Army opposite the Yagura River in turn as a feint attack. Asai Nagamasa personally led Akao Kiyosuna, Asai Ryochika, and Anyang
The 6,000 men of Terajitane and others detoured from the plains between the Onogawa and Yagura Rivers to the flank of the Hexagon Army. Tsunachika Kaiboku took 2,000 men, including Takashi Bei and Ma Yuzu, to stay at the main formation in case of accidents.
Yu Qiuping and his men followed Asai Nagamasa to fight in a roundabout way.
At 7:00 p.m., the Asai family arrived near the Yagura River and began their battle plan.
When Kiyosada Amemori led his troops in formation on the north bank of the Yagura River, the Hexagon Army on the south bank was ready. As the drums sounded on the north bank, 1,000 Ashigaru soldiers lined up in a dense formation of five rows and entered the Yagura River.
In the river, they were greeted by a rain of arrows from the Hexagon Army on the other side. After the Hexagon Army archers came out, the Asai family's archers also fired at the Hexagon Army archers on the bank to cover those who were wading across the river.
Friendly forces. The advance team of the Asai Army in the first row did not carry weapons. Instead, they held large shields and wooden boards and walked at the front to protect their companions behind them. However, the shield could not protect the whole body, and there were still many ashigaru due to the legs.
He was hit by an arrow and lost his combat effectiveness.
As the distance got closer, more and more Asai family ashigaru fell with arrows in their legs, and among the 300 Rokkaku archers on the shore, more than twenty people were injured or killed by the arrows thrown by the Asai family archers. Subsequently,
As the Asai family began to get closer and closer to the shore, Goto Kentoyo withdrew all the archers and asked 600 close combat ashigaru to push up. The Rokkaku family had built a lot of fortifications on the south bank in the past ten days.
On the tidal flats on the shore, there are many wooden fences and horses placed horizontally. Further forward, there are two trenches and two rows of fences. The Rokkaku family's defense troops are standing behind the fences and trenches, preparing to block the shallow well.
military.
In the two previous exploratory attacks, the Asai family only invested a few hundred people, and left after only slightly destroying some defenses. But this time the Asai family was so aggressive that they were obviously serious about it, and the Rokkaku family also started fighting.
Twelve points of spirit.
Chapter completed!