I formed the strongest swordsman group Chapter 946: The Tokugawa Army vs. the French and French Allied Forces! A life-and-death street fight! [Leopard Update 6K6]
Chapter 946: The Tokugawa Army vs. the French and French Allied Forces! A life-and-death street fight! [Leopard Update 6K6]
Somewhere west of Edo——
Cannons pointed diagonally at the sky.
Flames erupted from the black hole of the muzzle.
The outburst of the cannonball drew a beautiful parabola in mid-air, and then fell heavily into Edo Town.
In an instant, the sound of explosions spread throughout Edo and beyond.
For the French-Qich coalition, this is the last battle in the true sense.
The surprise attack on Nagoya, the defeat of Sunfu, the offensive and defensive battle of Hachioji... After experiencing this series of bloody battles, the current battle of Edo Cage Castle is undoubtedly the last battle of the "Amanuma Spear"!
For this battle, Changzhou endured humiliation and endured heavy hardships.
For this battle, the Fa Zun Party has been preparing for a long time.
All this hard work, all these sacrifices... are all for this battle!
At this point, there is no need to save artillery shells.
Therefore, Shuten Doji specifically issued an order to the artillery team: Just fight! Fight hard! Use up all the artillery shells!
…
…
The main formation of the French-Qich coalition——
Shuten Doji put his hands behind his back and looked forward with an expressionless face, staring at the devastated Edo.
Katsura Kogoro stood beside him, holding up the telescope in his hand, and carefully looked at every street, alley, and corner of Edo.
After a moment, he put down the telescope and said slowly:
"Edo has completely changed."
"The streets have been widened and densely packed houses have been demolished... It's really a drastic transformation."
"In this way, even if a fire breaks out somewhere, it will be difficult for the fire to spread."
"Zhu Rong's power... I'm afraid I can't count on it."
How to capture Edo - Regarding this issue, the generals of the French-Qich coalition held countless meetings and jointly discussed a large number of tactics.
Of course, most of them are delusions and extravagant thoughts that can only exist in the mind and mouth and cannot be implemented at all.
However, there are some tactics that have gained widespread recognition - one of them is fire attack!
They planned to take advantage of "Edo's fear of fire" and launch a fire attack with the help of intensive artillery rain.
In this way, they could destroy most of the defenders of Edo without spending a single soldier.
However... judging from the current situation, their plan has failed.
Although time was tight, under the personal command of Katsu Rintaro, the major renovation of the entire town of Edo was finally completed before the war began!
A large part of the reason why the renovation can be completed so quickly depends on the "ease of dismantling" of Edo architecture.
Because they are all wooden buildings, they are very easy to dismantle.
With a few hammer blows, the pillar can be broken.
Hang a few ropes on the wall and pull it down with a strong pull.
During this period, the members of Edo's town fire department, or "fire brigade," were of great help.
When it comes to house demolition, they are professionals!
In this way, thanks to Rintaro Katsu's "Great Renovation of Edo", Edo's fire resistance has been greatly increased!
It was obvious that the French-Qich coalition's fire attack could no longer be realized.
At this time, Katsura Kogoro suddenly noticed that the Shuten boy next to him had an expression that was half-smiling but not smiling, as if he was thinking about something.
When it comes to Shuten Doji, Katsura Kogoro never pays attention to being "polite", "tactful" and "subtle".
He asked bluntly:
"Shuten Doji, what's wrong? Why do you have such an intriguing expression?"
Shuten Doji shrugged.
"It's nothing. I'm just...a little emotional."
He took a deep breath, and a bit of pride appeared on his face.
"Katsura-kun, look! Edo is right in front of us!"
"This castle town is not only the base of the Edo shogunate, but also the symbol of the Tokugawa family!"
"And now, our cannons are ravaging this city!"
"In a few moments, our soldiers will charge and launch a battle to 'destroy the shogunate'."
"The Toyotomi family, Amakusa Shiro, Oshio Heihachiro...the goals that countless forces and countless heroes could not achieve have been achieved by us."
"When I think about this, I am so excited that I can't control myself!"
"Whether this battle succeeds or fails, it is destined to go down in history!"
By the end of his words, an excited flush filled his cheeks, and his eyes were shining.
Compared with him, Katsura Kogoro's reaction was much duller.
He doesn't have such romantic feelings.
He has no interest in the so-called "going down in history".
Even after listening to Shuten Doji's impassioned speech, he didn't express anything and remained expressionless.
At this moment, he has only one thought: defeat the shogunate and save Changzhou! Then he can realize his dream of respecting the king and repelling the barbarians!
At this moment, a series of deafening loud noises interrupted their conversation.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
It's the explosion of artillery shells.
However, these shells did not fall towards Edo, but beside them!
The strong shock wave stirred up the dust and hit Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro like a huge wave.
The reaction speed of the two was very fast, and both of them were short in stature.
Soon, the shock wave dissipated and the dust fell back to the ground.
"Guijun, are you injured?"
"What did you say?!"
"Are you hurt?!"
"I'm fine! My ears just hurt!"
Although the two men were not injured, the loud noise of the shell explosion caused pain in their ears, and a "buzzing" sound like the buzzing of mosquitoes was produced deep in the ear holes.
Within a short period of time, their hearing will never be restored.
They had to shout at the top of their lungs to barely hear each other's voices.
Katsura Kogoro wiped his face, wiped away the stains, raised his eyes, stared at Edo in the distance, and muttered:
"They fought back...!"
…
…
Edo, a certain fort——
"Get the shells quickly!"
"Don't panic! Don't be nervous!"
"How you train on weekdays, do it now!"
Young and agile figures moved between the cannons, manipulating the cannons skillfully.
Cleaning the barrel, loading gunpowder, compacting the shells... every action and process is so skillful.
"Saito of Power" Saito Yakuro ran back and forth among his disciples, supervising their movements and ensuring that the procedures were standardized, while speaking out to boost morale.
"Fire! Fire!"
"Don't be stingy with the cannonballs! There are enough cannonballs!"
"Let the bandit army see the power of our 'Saito style artillery'!"
Within a few moments, each gun was reloaded and ready - the second round of bombardment started!
The dazzling flames erupting from the cannon's muzzle briefly replaced the sun's brilliance.
Saito Yakuro raised his head, his eyes straightened, and stared blankly at the rain of artillery pieces flying over Edo, falling into the distance, and crashing into the enemy's lines. There were countless emotions flowing in his eyes.
He didn't even realize it - at this moment, he was grinning, and the folds and wrinkles on his face were all squeezed together, looking like he was overjoyed.
At this time, his eldest son—Shintaro Saito, the second-generation head of the training hall—came forward and stood side by side with his father, raising their eyes to the sky together.
"Father, it's great. The artillery team you have trained so hard has finally been put to use."
Saito Yakuro didn't reply, he just nodded vigorously, his expression became more and more emotional.
Among the swordsmen of Edo, Saito Yakuro definitely deserves the evaluation of "alternative".
After the "Black Ship Incident" broke out, anyone with lofty ideals can realize that the world has changed, and it is no longer the era of swords.
However, facing this sudden drastic change, not every swordsman can readily accept it.
Either they don't want to admit the backwardness of swords, or they don't have the energy to get into contact with new things.
The only exception is Yakuro Saito.
At 66 years old, he is considered one of the oldest swordsmen in Edo.
Logically speaking, as the powerful "Saito of Power" in Edo, his devotion to swordsmanship and his love for swordsmanship will never be lost to anyone.
However, the "Black Ship Incident" made him realize that cannon is the most powerful weapon on the battlefield.
As a result, he immediately gave up swordsmanship and handed over the training hall he had painstakingly built to his eldest son Shintaro Saito without hesitation. He purchased another 3,000 square meters of land in Yoyogi, practiced building forts with his disciples, and concentrated on research.
Artillery skills, and enthusiastically explore new ventures.
Although he is already quite old, his thinking is not rigid. He dares to embrace new things and resolutely gives up the skills he has practiced for decades...
This vision and decisiveness are truly admirable.
What's even more commendable is that Saito Yakuro's study of gunnery is not just for fun, but he has really made something famous!
When the shogunate built the fort for the defense of Edo Bay at Shinagawa Odaiba, Yataro Saito was specially hired to perform surveying and supervision tasks.
Today, in order to repel the French and Qi coalition forces, he was recruited again.
This time, it was no longer just him who was recruited, but the entire "Saito Artillery Team" trained by him!
Saito Yakuro didn't hesitate at all, he immediately nodded in agreement and led all his disciples to join the battle!
This was the first time that he and his artillery team participated in actual combat.
Watching the artillery shells rushing out of the barrel one after another, and watching these artillery shells fall towards the enemy's positions, a strong sense of pride and satisfaction filled his chest.
For industrialists like him, nothing makes them feel more excited than making achievements and being recognized for their career!
The father and son, standing side by side, quietly watched this unforgettable scene.
At this time, Saito Shintaro seemed to have remembered something, and his expression changed slightly.
Then, he turned his head, lowered his voice, and said to Yakuro Saito with a complicated expression.
"...Father, it is reported that Gui Jun... Gui Jun is right opposite..."
As his words fell, Saito Yakuro's face suddenly showed a strange color.
Katsura-kun...is Katsura Kogoro, he was originally a disciple of the military training hall.
In other words, he is a disciple of Saito Yakuro.
Because of his excellent swordsmanship talent and outstanding strength, Yakuro Saito valued him highly.
Not only did they vigorously train him, they even made him serve as the teacher's representative in the training hall.
His respect for Katsura Kogoro is obvious.
The former master and apprentice met each other in battle today... Saito Yakuro's current mood is difficult to describe with specific words.
Although his mood and demeanor became unstable, he returned to his calm appearance in just a blink of an eye.
Immediately afterwards, he said in a tone of neither sadness nor joy:
"...Shintaro, don't have unnecessary thoughts."
"'Military Training Hall Shihan Daigui Kogoro' no longer exists in the world."
"The one currently standing opposite us is 'Changshu Patriot Katsura Kogoro'!"
"I don't know how Mr. Gui feels now."
"But I'm sure that for today and for this battle, he must be fully prepared to die at any time!"
"Since he has realized this, we must respond with the same firm determination!"
"Shintaro, if you encounter him next, don't hesitate, and don't worry about your old feelings! Just swing the sword! Swing the sword hard! Try your best to defeat him!"
Upon hearing this, Shintaro Saito looked serious and nodded vigorously with a solemn expression:
"Yes...I understand!"
…
…
At this moment, in addition to Saito Yakuro's artillery team, the artillery team of the Kōbu Army was also firing back.
"Turn up 2 degrees! Turn left 4 degrees! Release!"
Kodokan gunnery master Takashima Akiho gave precise instructions in an orderly manner.
Unlike Saito Yakuro who became a monk halfway, Takashima Akiho, who is also 66 years old, is a true master of gunnery!
When he was young, he studied orchid and military affairs. He learned gunpowder and cannon-making technology from the Dutch and mastered the essentials. He created Western-style high-island artillery. In addition, he was proficient in the organization and tactics of infantry, cavalry, and artillery units.
When it comes to shooting skills alone, no one in Japan can match him!
Under his command, artillery shells landed accurately on the enemy's position.
Whether it was the intensity of the artillery rain or the accuracy of the artillery shells, there was no huge gap between the two sides.
For a time, the artillery teams of the two armies were fighting back and forth, evenly matched.
The muzzles of the guns were roaring, the barrages were flying... The movement in the air was extremely terrifying, as if there were giants taking long strides in the air, sometimes running towards Edo, sometimes towards the positions of the French-Qich coalition forces.
The soldiers of the French-Qich coalition are all well-trained elite soldiers.
No matter how fierce and violent the artillery rain was, it could not affect their morale in the slightest.
Not only that, they had just experienced the extremely brutal offensive and defensive battle against Hachioji not long ago.
In other words, the people who are currently surviving are veterans who have seen blood and tasted the battlefield.
Anyone who has fought frequently knows that as long as they have experienced actual combat...even just one actual combat, the psychological quality of soldiers will undergo earth-shaking changes.
Of course, this change often presents polarization - either it becomes extremely fragile and would rather die than go to the battlefield again; or it becomes very strong and becomes an excellent warrior that can adapt to various battlefield environments.
No matter how the Edo defenders fired their artillery, the soldiers of the French-French coalition remained motionless.
They stayed quietly in the bomb shelter, silently waiting for the artillery battle to pass.
In comparison, Edo is...
"Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh!"
"Don't scream! Don't run!"
"It's on fire! It's on fire!"
"Don't panic! This little flame will not spread! There is nothing to be afraid of!"
"Nanny! Nanny! Nanny, where are you?!"
"That's enough for you! How old are you? Are you still looking for a wet nurse?"
"I don't care! I want my wet nurse! Wet nurse! Where are you?!"
"I can't stand it anymore! I want to leave! Let me go!"
"Come back quickly! Don't run around!"
…
It's chaos.
And it’s a mess that makes people laugh or cry.
Some people were shouting like crazy and kept shouting.
Some people cried bitterly and shouted "Mom" repeatedly, and there were also a lot of people who called them "nanny".
Some people ran around and even ran under the enemy's barrage.
Facts have proved that the direct participants are indeed a pile of mud that cannot stand up to the wall.
In response to Tokugawa Iemo's order to "force participation in the war", the direct staff also resisted and tried to evade military service.
However, this order is based on the "ancestral method" that the direct counselors talk about most.
According to the laws of our ancestors, "warriors going to the battlefield" is a matter of course.
Well-founded and can't fault anything.
No matter how hard they try, they can't find anything to refute.
Furthermore, even the shogun himself did not leave Edo, so it would be unjustifiable both emotionally and rationally for them and their ministers to escape.
Since participating in the war was unavoidable, they simply made up their mind and decided to participate in the war with the most handsome and powerful image! They would never disgrace their family!
Just like that, they all put on their feathered fabrics, chainmails, and ancestral attire... They looked so gorgeous.
People who don't have these equipment, or who have sold them long ago, can only go to the weapons shop to purchase them.
Edo's arms dealers took the opportunity to make a fortune.
Of course, a large part of the reason why they are heavily armed is for self-protection.
Wearing more armor can increase your survival probability.
A similar scene was staged when the "Black Ship Incident" first broke out.
At that time, there was a rumor in Edo City that "the barbarians are about to attack."
In order to survive the coming "barbarian invasion", a large number of samurai - they were used to living a comfortable life, and some even sold their knives - rushed to the weapon shops to urgently purchase equipment, almost dismantling it.
The threshold of a bad weapons shop.
To this day, arms dealers in Edo still miss the "Black Ship Incident".
It is precisely because the costumes of the direct participants are particularly gorgeous and majestic that they are even more comical.
Although he was dressed decently, he showed his ugly appearance in the rain of enemy artillery fire...
The direct participants once again proved the characteristics of human history with practical actions: no matter how powerful the Wuxun Group is, once it eats hard-core crops and lives a comfortable life during the holidays, it will sooner or later become a worthless snack.
…
…
About half an hour later——
Edo, Mount Atago——
The trashy snacks are well dressed.
Katsurin Taro, who plays the leading role alone, is dressed in a particularly simple way.
He wore no armor, only a piece of chainmail under his clothes.
As the deputy governor and actual commander of the Battle of Edo Cage Castle, the important responsibilities he shouldered were far beyond ordinary people's imagination.
The person who feels the most pressure at this time is undoubtedly him.
In order to facilitate command, he set up the main formation at Mount Atago, south of Edo Castle.
This is the highest point in Edo, with a wide view overlooking the entire town of Edo, which is convenient for observing the battlefield and conveying instructions.
"Katsu-sama! There's a fire in Yanagi Town!"
"Lord Katsu! The fire in Denma Town has been controlled!"
"Lord Sheng! Apart from shelling, the enemy has made no new movements!"
…
A famous messenger came and went in an endless stream.
Countless news and intelligence were compiled before the case of Katsu Rintaro.
The artillery bombardment by the French-Qich coalition has lasted for half an hour.
During this half hour, their artillery fire never stopped.
Of course, the artillery rain from the Edo defenders never stopped!
The artillery battle between the two sides turned the positions of the two armies into a mess.
We don’t care about the position of the French-Qich coalition forces for the moment.
Anyway, the streets and towns of Edo have been ravaged by artillery rain.
There were ruins everywhere, and the fire shone all over the town of Edo...it was too horrible to see.
Even in the West today, the staff group system has just emerged.
Without the help of his staff, Katsu Rintaro could only analyze and process this information on his own, and then issue military orders and command the troops based on this information.
At this moment, he frowned, his eyes fixed on the map of Edo in front of him, and his mind was running rapidly.
After a while, he turned his head suddenly and shouted to the messenger beside him:
"Let the Japanese bridge defenders prepare! It won't be long before the real battle begins!"
Suddenly, as if in response to his call, the world outside suddenly became quiet.
The Edo defenders were still firing cannons, but the cannon fire from the opposite side stopped.
This sudden change made Katsurin Taro stunned.
This daze was only temporary. He quickly came to his senses and murmured through gritted teeth:
"Has it started...!"
…
…
"Kill!" (Russian)
"Arrogant Team, follow me!"
The soldiers of the French-Qich coalition got out of the bullet shelter, advanced towards the east, and charged towards Edo!
The reason they stopped shelling was simple - they ran out of shells!
The artillery team faithfully carried out Shuten Doji's order and fired all the shells, leaving not a single shot left.
This is the final battle that determines the success or failure of the "Amanuma Spear".
Therefore, there is no need for the main formation, nor any reserve team!
The whole army, including Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro, all went into battle together!
A solid total attack!
Soon, the town at the western end of Edo—the famous Shinjuku—came into their sight.
Because it is located in Edo, business travelers coming to Edo along the "Five Streets" often stay here, which is where the name "Shinjuku" comes from.
For this reason, Shinjuku is home to a large number of shukuba and is one of the most densely populated areas in Edo.
Katsu Rintaro's "Great Renovation of Edo" caused most of the houses here to be demolished and the streets to be greatly widened.
It is not difficult to see that quite a few shells fell here.
The intensive artillery rain from the French-Qich coalition turned the huge Shinjuku into a blaze of flames.
The houses on both sides of the street either collapsed or burned, leaving only a few intact buildings.
Seeing the enemy attack, the defenders who had been waiting here immediately raised their muskets.
Two waves of barrages alternately ripped apart the air, bringing death with them.
After closing the distance, several figures from the French-Qiyi coalition rushed out—it was none other than the cadres of the French-Pakistani Party headed by Su Nuo!
They jumped into the formation of the Edo defenders, waved their weapons, and slaughtered the living creatures with a devastating force.
In an instant, gaps were torn out in the Shinjuku defenders' defense line.
The follow-up troops followed up in time and further opened these gaps.
The Shinjuku garrison's resistance could not be described as tenacious, and its fighting will could not be described as brave.
However, whether it was the size of their troops or the quality of their individual soldiers, they were at a disadvantage.
What's more, there are top masters like Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro in the French-Qi alliance.
Just like that, less than 10 minutes passed before and after, Shinjuku fell!
"Don't stop! Keep moving forward! We won't be considered a victory until we completely capture Edo Castle and kill Tokugawa Iemo!"
While Shuten Doji shook off the remaining blood on the blade, he took the lead and led the soldiers towards the majestic Edo Castle!
As soon as their front foot broke through Shinjuku, their back foot immediately encountered a new blockage!
Accompanied by the rapid sound of footsteps, countless Tokugawa soldiers emerged from the streets, alleys, inside houses and other places, blocking the way of the French and Qi coalition forces and launching an offensive!
When more than 2,000 soldiers of the French-Qich coalition were galloping through the wilderness, the scene was quite grand.
But after breaking into Edo, their small force was no longer enough.
Edo has a large area, and its building layout and street directions are very complicated.
While walking in the criss-crossing streets, they were fiercely attacked by the Tokugawa army... In this way, the formation of the French-Qich coalition forces became longer and longer.
Gradually, the huge army was forced to break up into countless small teams.
The size of the team ranges from hundreds to a dozen.
They were scattered throughout Edo, fighting freely!
There are no tactics, no strategies, no distance between the two armies... just encountering the enemy, fighting, and the cycle repeats!
Find the enemy, kill him, and then find the next enemy... Either drive the French and French coalition forces out of Edo; or defeat the Tokugawa army and capture Edo Castle!
The cruel and fierce street fighting slowly unfolds!
*******
*******
Book friends who have monthly tickets on hand, please be sure to vote for this book! (Leopard and Leopard Head in tears.jpg) Leopard Leopard has worked really hard this month! He deserves to be rewarded! Please give me a monthly vote! Please vote for recommendation! (Leopard Head)
Cry bitterly.jpg)
PS: All the foreshadowings and hidden threads in the previous article are now slowly being recovered. The special mention of "Saito Yakuro is good at sex" was a preparation for this chapter.