"Is this the core area of Kasugayama Castle?" Nagano Yoshitomo and Obata Nobusada led by several samurai entered the Honmaru Castle Tower. Due to the impact of the assassination at the disclosure banquet, except for Kira Yoshitoki and Nagao Kagetora
, but if any samurai enters the core area of the Honmaru, they need to take off their weapons and check whether there are any hidden weapons.
The complex security check procedures required going through three gates one after another and verifying Uesugi Kensei's handwritten monogram before allowing release. This system also has a system similar to documents for retainers, which is changed every month, and the identification symbols are different each time.
A precautionary measure to prevent someone from sneaking into troubled waters.
The earthen walls in the city were replaced with new walls made of Sanhe soil and stones, and they were repainted with lime to look clean and tidy. The high walls with this new technology are still called stone walls, but compared with the traditional stone walls, both thickness and height are greatly increased, half of them.
Three meters thick and three meters high are enough to withstand most infiltration possibilities. With the current average height of Echigo, it is impossible to climb over this kind of wall with bare hands.
In fact, the inner wall is not the highest. The outermost side wall where the Otome Gate is located has been raised to more than six meters. It is equipped with Sanhe soil and stones to build new arrow oars and iron running oars up to eight meters high. This not only increases the monitoring range, but also
By the way, to improve safety, in the Hokuriku region where guns are still a new item, the level of safety is off the charts.
The reconstruction work has been carried out intermittently since two years ago, and it is still being carried out this year. It is expected that it will take another year to comprehensively reconstruct and strengthen all the walls and buildings in Kasugayama Castle. Honda Tokimasa is the general manager of this reconstruction.
Gang Toutang served as the deputy in charge of supervision, and the two took turns monitoring the progress of the project. This siege was regarded as a training exercise for the two of them.
Different from entering the bottom floor of Kasugayama Castle in the past, this time we came to the highest point of the entire mountain castle, which is also the top of Kasugayama. Here we can overlook the entire castle town and Naoetsu Port beyond. The two of them experienced a different kind of atmosphere.
Feel.
Kobata Nobuzada whispered: "My Guofine Castle is not bad either, why don't you feel this way?"
"My Takadome Castle is also a mountain town, but there are still differences between mountain towns. Just look at the castle towns at the foot of the mountain and you will know how big the gap is." Nagano Yasuo said as he looked down the mountain. Along the high slope, he could see the densely packed towns below.
, the city's population expanded very rapidly, and with the strong economic growth of Echigo, it attracted a large number of businessmen and craftsmen to move in within two years.
Different from the situation in Omi-Sakamoto Port, most of the craftsmen in Hokuriku, Togoku, and Uyo have no plans to go to Kinai. The high mountains and long roads there are too far away from their hometowns, and the transportation is far less developed. It is also located in Togoku and Hokuriku.
, Yuao’s Naoejin Port is more convenient and safer.
The Sado navy destroyed the sea to the sea from Noto in the west to Dewa in the east. The ports currently controlled by the Kira family include Naoetsu Port, Kashiwazaki Port, Sado Port and the Niigata Port under construction. The Echigo Nagao family also focused on
The inland daimyo transformed into a powerful maritime daimyo.
Busy maritime trade has placed great demand on maritime escort services. The Kira Navy also expanded rapidly during this year. The number of personnel quickly increased from 2,000 to 4,000. It now has 60 ships under its jurisdiction. Xiaozao
There are more than 300 ships. Anzha Ship is building two ships. Together, they will become a small maritime overlord. This way, they can get rid of the short legs of the inland navy and become a powerful navy that dominates the outer seas.
The protection of the navy ensures the safe operation of trade to the greatest extent. Noto Wajima Port, Dewa Sakata Minato took the initiative to sign a trade agreement with the Kira navy. Businessmen traveling in Hokuriku and Yuo will be protected by the Kira navy, and related escort and rescue work are carried out.
Choose according to the needs of business travelers, and the rules will be modified in detail according to the Kira family's operating regulations in Yodogawa.
Today, there are more than 8,000 households in Kasugayama Castle Town, more than 12,000 households in Naoetsu Town, and a permanent population of more than 80,000. The number of merchant ships coming and going every day is increasing, and the expansion of Naoetsu Port has been ongoing. Currently, Minato Sakata has been replaced by
The trend of becoming the largest port in the north.
Nagao Keren stood on the corridor outside the Ohiro Room and looked at the two of them carefully. He glanced at the samurai standing next to them and nodded incomprehensibly, and then said seriously: "You can go in! Please pay attention to samurai etiquette when meeting.
.”
"Yes! Let's save the trouble." Nagano Yegu answered hastily and carefully. The two of them followed Nagao Kageren and slowly walked into the large hall. They saw only a dozen samurai kneeling on futons in the wide hall.
Among them was Uesugi Kenmasa, Nagao, who was accompanying two samurai sitting side by side on the main seat.
I just quickly saw the physical features of the two people, and hurriedly followed Nagao Kage, bowed down in succession, and said loudly: "Ueno samurai Nagano Yaguru and Kobata Nobuzada have seen the Jinfu Palace and the main hall!"
It was as if the two of them could feel a few eyes scanning back and forth on them. The short few seconds seemed to be stretched infinitely until a majestic voice came into their ears: "You two don't have to be polite, please."
Take a seat."
"Xie Zhenfu Palace, Danzheng Palace!"
"Although the assassination and the Ichiku incident eventually happened, my sworn brother and I will keep your achievements in mind. In recognition of your achievements, two famous Bizen Nagafun swords will be given to you as a token of gratitude."
I gave away two tachi belonging to the Bizen captain. Due to its geographical location, this famous swordsman settlement in the western part of the Gyeonggi Province has very few tachi in Kanto. Although the two of them are the direct heirs of a wealthy family, they still have the skills in their hands.
The tachi is also a high-grade mass-produced product.
"It's good to have a talented swordsman. You can make a sword anytime you want. The two tachi swords owned by Nagabune are still in stock from a few years ago. As long as you have the best jade steel ingots produced in Izumo, you can build a famous sword in two months."
." Kira Yoshishi smiled slightly. He had a swordsman with great talent and potential, Souga and Heibei. In recent years, due to the abundant supply of jade steel ingots, the craft of making weapons has also been advancing by leaps and bounds, and he is only one step away from being a famous craftsman.
Haruka, giving me two tachi swords is just for practicing my skills.
"Thank you, Zhenfu-don!" The two held the sword and couldn't put it down. It wasn't until Uesugi Kenmasa coughed to remind them that they hurriedly leaned down and bowed down.
The reward part was completed, and the next step was to get down to business. Nagao Kagetora said to the two young people: "The assistance to Ueno will be prepared in the next few days. Going into Ueno requires the active cooperation of the local people, so I ask you to help us."
Please bring the message to Nagano Nobuno Shrine and ask the Ueno people to prepare."
The two of them heard the voice and said solemnly: "I understand!"
Uesugi Kenmasa could finally feel at ease after receiving his promise. Nagano Yaguru and Obata Nobusada hurried back to pack their bags and prepare to set off. They will return to Ueno with the grain and rice aided by Echigo. The intention is to act as a messenger to do good things for both parties.
communicate.
Hearing that Kenmasa Uesugi had fulfilled his wish, Nagatoki Ogasawara also hurriedly came to ask for help. Kagetora Nagao was so indignant that he almost agreed. Fortunately, he still remembered Kira Yoshitomo and was now the guardian of Shinano. The biggest role of his former guardian was to connect the south.
It is impossible for Shinano people to restore their status as rulers of the country.
"I dare not expect to return to the throne of the country. I can only ask your two highnesses to help me regain my old territory for a long time. I will be grateful!" Ogasawara pleaded with tears for a long time. Sitting next to him were his three sons.
The eldest is one year older than Kiragi, and the youngest is only eleven years old this year. The three children also cried together with their father.
Having said this, he was too embarrassed to go too far, so he took advantage of the situation and said to the family: "I have fully understood that Shinano is homesick for guarding the palace. Since there are no other requirements, we will agree! It just takes time.
We need to wait a little longer, after all, we have to send troops to the field this year."
"Yes! As long as your two highnesses can agree, I will be forever grateful! As for the time for sending troops, I don't dare to ask for it. Everything is decided by your two highnesses." Ogasawara bowed and slowly took his three children with him.
Exit.
Formulating troop dispatching plans, designing marching routes, military rations, advance preparations for Xiaotuohe's mission, ninja intelligence collection and analysis, determining the military service accounts of each samurai family, and many other complicated tasks must be carried out at the same time. The Nagao family
The one thing that differs from the Kira family is this. In other words, all the Sengoku daimyo have essential differences from the Kira family.
The traditional daimyo still adheres to the idea of integrating farmers and soldiers. It takes several months to establish military service accounts, urge lords to assemble, count weapons and equipment supplies, and then organize the army to go to war. There is a chance that March will call out that someone is going to fight.
In a certain territory, preparations were made until September to send out the army. Preparation in the early stages of a war accounts for half of the war.
As the governor of the Kira family, he did not personally participate in these preparations, because the main purpose of this war was to expel the invading Hojo army in Ueno, and the secondary purpose was to have a preliminary understanding of the Uesugi family's geographical advantages, people and returns in Ueno and Kanto.
As for how much is left, it will be impossible to take the post of governor of Kantung in the future without leaving Kantung. Before leaving, we must first familiarize ourselves with the specific situation.
For the samurai of Echigo, the Eight Kingdoms of Kanto were a strange place. Thirty years ago, when Nagao was at its most beautiful, they teamed up with Hojo Soun to attack the mountains and cedars in the valley, but they were all sesame and rotten millet.
In the old days, most of the samurai who went to Kanto in those days were old, and the new generation after Echigo had never been to that land.
As an outsider, it is impossible to be like Shinano who knows the inside and out, and dare to run around half of Shinano in the first battle of Kawanakajima. A strange samurai on a strange battlefield must first carefully test the opponent's strength and truth.
manner.
Therefore, the Nagao Army decided to lead an army of 10,000 people to the battle this time. Among them, 8,000 Echigo Regiment was the main force of Nagao Kagetora. There were still 5,000 main troops left behind in Echigo, and the other 2,000 were from the Echigo reserve force of the Kira Regiment.
The three samurai from Echigo, Honjo Shigenaga, Kurokawa Kiyomi, and Hojo Takahiro, led the entourage into battle.
Kira Yoshitomo stayed in Echigo to guard his hometown, and 2,000 Shinano troops guarded the vicinity of Iiyama Castle. Of the remaining 6,000 troops, 2,000 were newly formed troops, and 300 horses returned to the army. The rest were Kira's troops.
The original team of his family, this elite army is the main guarantee of his combat power.
There was a reason why the Kira family stood still. The Takeda family and the Echichu Ichiki army jointly took advantage of the situation and almost cost their lives. Kira Yoshitoki and Nagao Kagetora were very angry and wanted to take revenge on these two shameless people.
Disciples are also necessary.
But the current situation in Ueno Country does not allow them to be distracted. If the Hojo family accidentally takes Ueno away, Ueno Country will become the next Kawanakajima. The Hojo family can easily strangle Echigo by the throat and immobilize him.
Combined with Shinano Takeda, Echichu will become a situation surrounded by attacks from all sides, and the dangers involved are simply terrifying.
Therefore, it is necessary to send troops to the field to rescue the people of Ueno. Whether it is to defend the enemy outside the country to ensure the greatest safety for oneself, or to prepare for the future march into Kantō and take office as the governor of Kantō, or it is a simple and crude request for territorial expansion.
It is inevitable that troops must be sent into the field.
As for the revenge on the two shameless people who attacked Kiragi, it was an unplanned factor. Originally, this part was not included in this year's plan. Solving the Ueno problem and waiting for an opportunity to severely damage the Hojo Army was the primary goal of this year's troop dispatch plan, but God had it.
Unforeseen circumstances, plans always fail to keep up with changes, and temporary changes in strategies become a top priority.
The target of revenge was the Takeda family. Firstly, the assassination was despicable. Secondly, the Kai Takedas were Echigo's biggest enemy. Using troops against Shinano could effectively suppress the Takeda family, even if Echigo could only send out a small number of legions to attack due to the current situation.
We must fight back, and we have already done the burning at the stake with great fanfare. Revenge is definitely necessary. We cannot let outsiders think that the Kira family is weak and can be bullied. We must be tough at the critical moment.
Hattori Masashige has been having a very bad life recently, and his life has been unsatisfactory. The Iga Ninja's successive mistakes have brought great pressure to him and the entire Iga Ninja. I don't know when his face lost the smile and confidence of the past.
He forced an ugly smile to face the samurai who was passing by, and slowly walked towards the Honmaru bamboo room.
Iwakuru's face was not very good. When he saw his old acquaintance Hattori Masashige looking at each other and smiling bitterly, he knew that their expressions were ugly. He cheered up and said: "Shojo-den is here! Please wait a moment, the master of the hall is having a conversation!"
"
"Yeah! I'll just wait in the corridor. If you have something to do, go ahead and get busy!" Hattori Masashige knew that Iwakurumaru had a lot of things to do and was very busy, so he didn't show any pretense. He smiled at him and left quickly.
Sitting in the corridor, I caught a glimpse of a young man in the corner, squatting in front of a small stove and clumsily fanning himself. An unknown soup was simmering on the stove, exuding a strong fragrance. Hattori Masashige kindly reminded: "Pay attention to the lid, the soup will overflow.
Got it!"
"Oh! Thank you!" The young man hurriedly lifted the lid, stirred slowly with a spoon in one hand, and flashed the stove with the other hand. The milky white soup was obviously simmering crucian carp soup, and he was already sweating profusely after just stirring it for a while.
Already.
"Let me help you!" Hattori Masashige walked over and fanned him. The two of them worked much faster. After a while, the heat went down, so they covered the pot and simmered it slowly over low heat. The young man was grateful.
He bowed and said: "Thank you! My name is Masuda Shinsaburo, I am twelve years old, and I come from Masuda Township, Omi Asai County!" (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, the novel will be better and updated faster!