On September 7, the sixth year of Tensho (1578), a battle broke out between the Momiji Fleet and the Awaji Navy in the waters around Awaji Island, known in history as the Battle of Naruto. In this battle, both sides suffered heavy losses. The Momiji Fleet suffered heavy losses due to the fire attack of the Awaji Navy.
39 ships were lost, with nearly half of them casualties, including the valuable battleship Kii Maru. However, the Awaji navy suffered a devastating blow. The head of the Anzhai family, Fuyayasu Anzhai, sank with the ship, and a large number of sailors, including Suga Tatsunaga, sank together.
The great minister was killed in the battle, and only 200 of the more than 800 ships were left. The control of the sea was completely seized by the Momiji Fleet. The remnants of the Awaji navy carried the troops led by Miyoshi Chokei, Tokawa Ichino and others on Awaji Island.
Before the Red Leaf Fleet could react, it hurriedly withdrew to Shikoku Island.
Generally speaking, losses in naval battles are very small, much smaller than those in land battles. Once one party collapses in a land battle, it will suffer heavy losses in the subsequent pursuit battle, but ships in a naval battle can pass the flag
Communicate, fight and retreat without losing your organization. However, the brutality of the Naruto Sea Battle exceeded any other sea battle in history. One side lost nearly half, while the other side lost three-quarters.
The fleet and navy are no better than the army and are extremely slow to recover. It often takes more than two years for a ship to cut down trees, build it and then launch it. The loss of three-quarters means that the Awaji Navy has not been able to survive for more than ten years.
There is no way to slow down. The Yuqiu family relies on its extremely strong industrial capabilities, but it can quickly restore its navy. Therefore, if it is a "blood exchange" that damages 800 to itself and 1,000 to the enemy, the Yuqiu family is
It's definitely not a loss. The Awaji Navy's only chance is to completely annihilate the Momiji Fleet, and then destroy the Kishiwada Port shipyard and Sakai Port.
However, the Awaji Navy failed. They lost the decisive battle, and also lost Awaji Island and the Seto Inland Sea.
After the Miyoshi Army retreated, the Momiji Army occupied the entire island of Awaji Island on the night of September 7. Since the Awaji Navy had been destroyed, there was no need to leave anyone stationed on Awaji Island. It only needed to let the Momiji Fleet cruise around Awaji Island.
Ame Qiupei left behind a small guard force, and then led Naibei Bei, Risehara Bei, Hosiri Bei and Shoshu Bei back to Harima in the middle of the night on September 7th - only then did he receive the message Hideyoshi Hashiba brought to him.
A piece of confidential news. The messenger who originally reported to Yu Qiupei was accidentally intercepted and killed by the ninjas of the Miyoshi family on the road, and the body was found. As a result, Yu Qiupei failed to understand Harima Bizen's movements in time.
·
In the early morning of September 8th, Shangyue City.
Yu Qiu Shang was woken up from his sleep and was hurriedly taken to the top of the city by a guard. When he arrived, Yamazaka Yukimori was already standing at the top of the city in military uniform. Yu Qiu You even suspected that he slept in full clothes last night.
Also standing there were the disheveled Nizi Katsuhisa and others.
"What's wrong?" Yu Qiuyou didn't even look at Nizi Shengjiu, but went straight to Yamanaka Yukimori.
"The Oda army has withdrawn." The vision in Yamanaka Yukimori's eyes gradually dimmed, and he pointed to the Oda family camp in the distance to the south. Yu Qiuyou forgot about it with some disbelief, and found that the flags of the Hashiba family were being withdrawn in large areas.
Correspondingly, there are the Maori troops in the west under the Ichimonji Samsung flag - they are striding towards Kamigetsu Castle. The camps of the Uki family and the Urakami family in the west of Kamigetsu Castle have become restless and are moving a large number of
The siege engines were rolled out.
Originally, due to the deterrence of Hashiba Hideyoshi's troops, neither Urakami Munekage nor the Ukita Nao family launched an siege, and the Maori army also confronted the Oda army from a distance on the official road. However, as the Oda army retreated, the Maori army and Urakami
Army, Ukita Army marched towards Kamigetsu Castle as if they had made an appointment with the Oda family.
"Your Highness, please abandon the city and retreat immediately." Yukimori Yamanaka saw the problem at a glance, "The Oda Army is very likely to have reached an armistice agreement with the Maori Army, and they are going to sacrifice us... There is no foreign aid in Shangyue Castle, no
Maybe he held on."
"How is that possible?" Nizi Katsuhisa asked in surprise after hearing this, "Didn't His Highness Momiji already defeat the Awaji Navy? Aren't reinforcements coming soon? Maybe these Oda troops just want to change their campsite..."
"Your Highness!" Yamanaka Yukimori took a step forward and said anxiously to Nizi Katsuhisa, "Please make a decision as soon as possible!"
"But the 100,000 stone territory that His Highness Oda promised us...is only for the defense of Shangyue City! How can we abandon the defense?" Nizi Katsuhisa looked hard and raised his voice and said, "We can't withdraw, Nizi.
It took a long time for the family to get the chance to revive! It failed so many times..."
"We are constantly fighting against the chaos." Yuqiuyou also stood up to speak to Yamanaka Yukimori. His many years of experience in serving in the Crow Army made him notice anomalies in the battle situation in front of him. "It is really possible for the Yushiba Army to reach an agreement with the Maori Army."
We have reached an agreement, on the condition that we give up the Nizi family and Kamigetsu Castle in exchange for the Mori family not to attack Harima."
"Because Mr. Hashiba, oh no, after this is His Highness Hashiba, he may also want this Harima territory... If Nizi's family no longer exists, wouldn't he have to give 100,000 koku to His Highness Nizi?" Yumo
Akiyu didn't hesitate to speculate on Hashiba Hideyoshi with the greatest malice, because his master, Amano Keitoku, had repeatedly reminded Akiyu to pay attention to Kuroda Takaka, who was next to Hashiba Hideyoshi. He was also a man who dared to dye his hands red.
"Are you embarrassed to say this?" Nizi Shengjiu took a step forward excitedly after hearing this, grabbing Yu Qiuyou's collar with both hands, "Aren't you the military officer sent by the Yuchai family? If the Yuchai family has an affair with the Maori family,
Yes, don’t you know?”
"If you are really worried, retreat now. Don't let so many people bury you because you are reluctant to part with that little territory!" Yu Qiuyou pulled away Nizi Shengjiu's hand and shouted at him, "The earth is dead, and people are.
It’s alive!”
"No, I won't withdraw!" Nizi Katsuhisa sneered and shook his head decisively, "I still don't believe it. The Nizi family can be betrayed again. The Oda family is the best martial arts family in the world. How could they do this?
Disloyalty? Absolutely impossible? I will never give up on Shangyue City!"
"Catch him!" Nizi Shengjiu pointed at Yu Qiuyou fiercely with his hand, "If the Yushiba family really evacuates like this, behead him in public!"
"Your Highness!" Yamanaka Yukimori heard this and hurriedly stopped in front of Yu Qiuyou, "I can prove that Mr. Fukuhara has been with me these days and has absolutely no contact with outsiders. It is impossible to know in advance. This matter has nothing to do with Fukuhara.
It has nothing to do with adults."
"Shikanosuke..." Nizi Katsuhisa glanced at Yamanaka Yukimori helplessly, then shook his head and said, "Execute the order."
"Your Highness." Yamanaka Yukimori stood in front of Yu Qiuyou very calmly, not taking a step back. After a moment of stalemate, Nizi Shengjiu compromised and whispered, "Okay, you will be the one to imprison him."
"Yes." Yamanaka Yukimori cupped his fists towards Nizi Katsuhisa and accepted the order.
"After handling this, immediately reorganize the armament. We must stand firm in Shangyue City and wait for reinforcements!" Nizi Katsuhisa reminded Yamanaka Yukimori, and then shouted to the surrounding members of Nizi's Relics, "Guard Shangyue City!
Guard our 100,000 stone territory!"
·
As soon as the front foot came down the stairs, the back foot Yu Qiuyou complained loudly with some dissatisfaction, "You are so stupid, you have high vision and low hand! With this lord here, the Nizi family will never be able to revive!"
"Lord Fukuhara, be careful what you say!" Yamanaka Yukimori's face tightened when he heard this, and he scolded Yu Qiuyou in a deep voice, "I respect you, but you can't say that to my lord!"
"Yamanaka-sama, now is not the time for Yuzhong! Take the people and retreat quickly. I think the Yushiba Army is most likely in cahoots with the Maori family. My father is not here..." Yu Qiuyou was so panicked that he almost let it slip.
He hurriedly rounded it out and said, "My father is no longer serving in the Hashiba family. The current military leader is Kuroda Takataka. That guy is very shady and can do anything. Before, in order to fish out the Oda family,
Traitor, he sold his entire master’s family!”
"If we don't retreat now, all Nizi's remaining ministers will be buried here! Now is not the time to be foolish and loyal!"
Yamanaka Yukimori fell silent upon hearing this and did not answer Yu Qiuyou's words. He took Yu Qiuyou to a dark room in the castle tower, locked Yu Qiuyou in, ignored Yu Qiuyou's protests and suggestions, and locked the door behind his back.
·
Yu Qiuyou looked at the surrounding walls and the dark room, and suddenly felt an unprecedented loneliness, powerlessness and fear. He knew that the 1,000 people from Nizi's family could not stop the invasion of the Mouri family, Urakami family, and Uki family's army no matter what.
A fierce attack. Shangyue City cannot survive today, and he will become a prisoner by then. If he is really captured, will he reveal his identity? Will he die?
Yu Qiuyou didn't understand why Yamanaka Yukimori followed Nizi Katsuhisa and other former nobles of the Nizi family. They may have the enthusiasm to revive the Nizi family, but they all have limited talents and knowledge. Why should a talented person like Yamanaka Yukimori obey them?
Why should we argue for them and even fight to the death?
All kinds of thoughts attacked Yu Qiuyou's spirit, and the feeling of waiting to die made him so uncomfortable that he almost fainted.
The floor shook faintly, and Yu Qiuyou immediately put his ears on the floor. He could already hear the shaking of the earth - the battle had begun. After an unknown period of time, the sounds of killing and the collision of swords could be heard.
The noise in this silence is uncomfortable. Yu Qiuyou wants to listen to distinguish it, but also wants to escape, but he feels that his spirit is reaching its limit.
I don’t know how much time passed, but the shouts of killing and the collision of swords became more and more intense. Yu Qiuyou even heard a loud noise - maybe the city gate was broken. Then, there was another sound mixed in - the castle tower
There were messy footsteps everywhere, mixed with some crying.
"This is how my brother felt when he faced a life-and-death situation in front of the Mikamachi Formation...in Kurigara..." Yu Qiuyou felt that his heart was tightening and he could hardly breathe, and his body felt high and low.
The low keeps drifting.
"It's too hard...I can't hold on."
Yu Qiuyou asked in his heart more than once, roared in his heart, and pondered the same thing in his heart:
Brother, if you were here, what would you do?
Chapter completed!