On May 15, the 10th year of Eiroku (1567), the Mino Saito family also came to its end.
Saito Ryuuki stood on the west castle tower of Inabayama Castle, looking at the enemy troops scattered all over the mountains and plains outside the city.
Among them were a large number of papaya flags of the Oda Army, as well as the flags of the wealthy families from Nishi-Mino, Higashi-Mino, and Central-Mino. The original wealthy families from Central-Mino and Higashi-Mino who refused to surrender and persisted in resisting,
After seeing that several wealthy families in Nishi Mino had joined the Oda family, they all reluctantly surrendered. In the past month, the territory of Mino has been filled with the flags of the Oda family. Mino and
After decades of fighting, the two behemoths Owari and Owari finally decided the winner. The Mino Saito family fell suddenly, and the lonely Inabayama Castle was like a small boat in the ocean.
There is no longer any army or wealthy family under the banner of the Saito family.
Saito Ryuuki looked back to his side. Komaki Genta, Hineno Hiroshi, Takeya Naoko, these loyal retainers, were still patrolling back and forth on the city wall. They urged the ashigaru to be careful about the Oda family's invasion, over and over again.
Checking the reserves of arrows and rolling stones.
It's useless, no matter how you prepare, it's useless.
Saito Ryuuki smiled bitterly and shook his head slightly. There are only 4,000 people left in Inabayama Castle now. Many of the ashigaru of the family had already escaped three days ago, before the Oda family army encircled them. The remaining people
These things can't be said to be loyal to the family, and many people have been shaken in their hearts. In the past few days, there are more than a dozen without family members in Inabayama Castle, and the helpless ashigaru quietly come from
Xiaolu slipped out of the city and became a deserter.
The number of troops outside the city may be close to 2,000, and the Oda family still has follow-up troops that have not arrived. No one in the entire Onon land will come to reinforce the Saito family, and Omi is also an ally of the Oda family. The Asakura family is now dealing with General Ashikaga.
General Ashikaga wanted to win over Oda Nobunaga to go to Luo, so naturally he would not hinder Oda Nobunaga's efforts to unify Ono. However, Hida and Ise were not powerful enough to threaten Oda Nobunaga. As for the Takeda family,
The mountainous area between Higashi Mino and Shinano is not suitable for the army to pass through, and it is useless to ask for reinforcements.
Desperate situation, truly desperate situation. In any case, there is no reason for the Saito family to be spared. As long as Oda Nobunaga is determined to storm Inabayama Castle, with these 4,000 troops whose morale is shaken, Saito Ryuuki will never be able to last ten days.
·
At this moment, Saito Ryuuki felt no despair or sadness in his heart, but instead suddenly felt a sense of relief.
Finally, I no longer need to be the damn house superintendent, no longer need to stay in this helpless environment, no longer need to be bound by shackles.
He thinks he is not bad. Although he is not as ruthless as his father and grandfather, he has been regarded as a child prodigy by the people around him since he was a child. However, since he became the governor of the house, the wealthy families in Meinong have bullied him for his young age.
Tianxiang took the power away from him. If he disobeyed them even a little bit, those people would immediately become serious, teach him a lesson as an elder, and force him to maintain the old collegial system of ministers. If he refuses to fulfill
With this system, these important ministers would even stand by and watch Inabayama Castle being attacked.
He also forced Oda Nobunaga into a desperate situation by disguising himself as a playboy who ignored political affairs. However, he unexpectedly encountered a surprise attack and wild samurai tactics at Jujujo Village and was completely defeated. Since then, his His prestige plummeted. The wealthy families more violently usurped the few rights he had, leaving him almost empty. His only attempt to regain power was destroyed when 17 people of Takenaka Shigeharu captured Inabayama Castle. From then on, he He completely lost the power to control the wealthy Simeon family, and the two sides were almost on equal footing. He himself was once imprisoned in the castle tower, and all government orders could not be implemented without the approval of the joint meeting of important ministers. Teng Ryuxing had never experienced such cowardice. Frustrated, he really went towards what he once pretended to be-indulged in debauchery, sensuality, and leaving all political affairs to his family elders. This move was completely confirmed. His bad reputation.
It’s okay if I don’t want to be such a household supervisor.
·
On the evening of May 15, the envoy Takigawa Kazumasu sent by Oda Nobunaga arrived. With a arrogant attitude, Takigawa Kazuyoshi asked Saito Ryuuki to surrender. The surrounding elders and samurai were filled with indignation. , but Saito Ryuuki has lost his temper. At this moment, he just wants to end this bad experience of being a house supervisor - an experience that is tied up and inexplicably aggrieved.
"Your Highness, you cannot surrender!" Hinano Hiroshi, who was standing beside him, saw Saito Ryuuki's hesitation and rushed to him regardless of etiquette. He grabbed his clothes and shouted loudly: "My lord, my lord!" We must not give up the foundation that we have won after untold hardships! With Inabayama Castle as a strong city in the world, it will definitely not be a problem for us to defend it for hundreds of days! Oda Nobunaga will have to disband his troops and go back to harvest in the autumn. Whether it is to regain lost territory or request reinforcements, there is much to be done! How can we surrender!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Zhuyao Naoguang also said anxiously: "It is all the incompetence of the ministers that has caused Your Highness to fall into this situation! I am willing to fight to the death to repay Your Highness and the late Lord for knowing me! Your Highness must not give up. !”
"Your Highness! Your Highness, if you surrender like this, you will really make me feel ashamed!" Xiao Mu Yuantai on the side was already kneeling on the ground at this moment, crying loudly: "We are sitting in a fortified city, and we still have five thousand elite soldiers, my lord. But you surrendered with your hands tied! How can I be a warrior?"
The persuasion of the retainers made Saito Ryuuki slightly shaken. He was already ready to agree to the terms of the Oda family envoy and choked up slightly. After seeing the situation in front of him, Takigawa Kazuki did not show any dissatisfaction and just said coldly. He reminded: "Your Majesty Saito, I must remind you that if you surrender now, my lord is willing to spare your life. This condition was requested by your aunt, Mrs. Nohime, for you. If you persist in resisting, Your life is not guaranteed."
Takigawa Kazuki's words were like the straw that broke the camel's back, destroying Saito Ryuuki's remaining fighting spirit. He wanted to live and didn't want to be buried for this family that had disappointed him so much. At this moment, he only wanted to die. I want to escape from this place quickly, and I don't even bother to find an excuse to save face, such as "care about the people" or "don't want to increase the sacrifice in vain".
"Alas..." He sighed and whispered helplessly: "Everything is as you wish."
"What! Your Highness!" As soon as Saito Ryuuki finished speaking, three loyal retainers said in unbelief. However, Saito Ryuuki didn't seem to give them any more time to persuade him, and had already sent his attendants to pick him up.
The family members came out. And he himself silently followed Takigawa Kazumasu and walked towards the outside of the castle tower. Only three retainers were left standing blankly in the castle tower assessment room, watching their lord's figure disappear.
At the corner of the stairs, I watched their last days as retainers of the Saito family disappear quietly.
Genta Komaki's voice suddenly sounded, breaking the brief silence.
"Your Highnesses, the young master will be left to you." For some reason, Komaki Genta changed to the title of "young master" which is a bit old and hard to remember. Then, Hinano Hiro reacted with Takeyao Naoguang.
Before coming over, Komaki Genta pulled out the ribs from his waist, knelt down on the ground, and stabbed it into his stomach fiercely.
"Old lord...you entrusted me with my young master back then. I have disgraced my mission, so I have come to see you." After Komaki Genta recited this sentence silently in his heart, he ruthlessly scratched his ribs from top to bottom.
With one knife, a cruel cross cut and a spurt of blood, he ended his life.
Hineno Hiroshi and Takekaya Naomichi watched silently as Komaki Genta committed seppuku. Without much dissuasion, they just closed his eyes. If possible, the two of them would not want to commit suicide and die for their country. But Ryu Saito
Xing Shang is still young and lacks experience, so he must have veteran ministers by his side in order to maintain the Saito family's slim hope of revival.
At this moment, Saito Ryuuki, who had reached the second floor of the castle tower, suddenly stopped. Taking advantage of the setting sun, he once again took a look at the panoramic view of Inabayama Castle, the castle town and the surrounding Mino land from this familiar angle.
Suddenly there was a flutter in my heart.
This great Meinong may never come back in this lifetime.
He had given up long ago, but suddenly there was endless unwillingness in his heart. In just six short years, he lost all the rich Mino to Oda Nobunaga? Obviously in the era of his grandfather and father,
The Saito family is exactly like the Oda family.
If I were like this in my life, I would definitely be ridiculed by countless people for thousands of years.
Am I really inferior to Oda Nobunaga?
No, that's not the case.
Saito Ryuuki clenched his fists fiercely and quickened his pace under the urging of Takigawa Kazumasushi, but the anger of revenge suddenly arose in his heart.
Oda Nobunaga, just wait for me. I lost to you only because of the constraints within the Saito family! If I were in Owari and you were in Mino, you would never be my opponent!
I will never let you go in this life, I must defeat you!
·
On the evening of May 15, Saito Ryuuki announced the surrender of Kaicheng, and he took his family to the Oda family's camp. The next day, the Oda family's army entered Inabayama Castle, took control of the entire city, and dissolved the Saito family.
All the troops of the Saito family remained in the city. Even if a few people loyal to the Saito family tried to cause trouble, the chaos was quickly controlled.
On the afternoon of May 17, Oda Nobunaga released Saito Ryuuki who was under house arrest in the camp. The latter left Mino from the Kiso River with his family and a few retainers and fled to Ise Nagashima Castle.
With the small boat of Saito Ryuuki and his party leaving the Mino territory, the history of the Mino Saito family as a daimyo came to an end. The entire Onon territory of more than one million koku was controlled by Oda Nobunaga.
&1t;/br>
&1t;/br>
&1t;/br>
&1t;/br>
Chapter completed!