The first thousand and sixty-five chapters were shocked to hear about the Kyoto incident
Hojo Ujiyasu was not only powerful in combat, but his internal political management was far superior to that of the Kanto samurai family, who had violently conquered and extorted money.
Odawara Castle has sufficient supplies and the family is united. It is the core territory of Izu and Sagami, and the local samurai's heart is towards Hojo.
To conquer such a huge city, the only way is to use countless money to siege and despair people's hearts. But who has so much gold, silver and food, enough to kill the deep-rooted Hojo family?
At the foot of Odawara Castle, Shiba Yoshigan reached out to catch a crystal snowflake. He frowned and looked at the sky. The first snow this year came later than usual.
Hojo Ujiyasu didn't care about his face and wrote to samurai families in various places to plead for time. He also stood firm and cleared the country, turning a blind eye to the actions of the Kwantung Allied Forces that were ravaging the territory.
She had been waiting for this belated winter snow. Although it was a little late, it finally made her wait. This time it was really troublesome.
Yiyin was staring blankly at the huge city under the snow, thinking about something on his mind, when there was a sound of footsteps behind him.
"I can't find you anywhere. It turns out you are watching the snow here."
Yoshigan turned around and saw Terutora Uesugi approaching with a smile on his face. He asked directly without being polite to her.
"How did things go?"
Teru Uesugi's face froze and he said unhappily.
"Of course the original verdict is upheld. Who does Narita Chotae think she is? There is justice in everything. I uphold justice and will not accommodate one family."
Yoshigan sighed, knowing that Teru Uesugi chose to use brute force to suppress public opinion. He came out to look at Odawara Castle from a distance, because he was troubled by the dispute between Teru Uesugi and Nagayasu Narita, and did not want to be involved.
As the Kanto samurai family raised troops to follow Terutora Uesugi, the military strength became larger and larger, but the internal conflicts became more and more acute.
For example, this time, a head-on conflict broke out between Narita Choyasu, the Ninja Castle of North Musashi, and Uesugi Terutora over the ownership of the Hanyu Territory.
The Tone River flows north to south in the central and northern part of Ueno Province. After entering the south, it begins to flow southeast, becoming the natural dividing line between Ueno and Musashi.
From west to east on the north bank are the territories occupied by the Echigo army, the Kanayama territory led by Roshige Shige, and the Tatebayashi territory owned by Ashikaga Tocho. The location of this conflict was the Hanyu territory on the other side of the Tatebayashi territory.
The Narita family of Ninja Castle in North Musashi saw the defeat of Hojo's army, so they took advantage of the situation and raised their troops to join Uesugi Terutora's camp.
The goal of her family governor Narita Choyasu after he went out was Hanyu Castle near Ninja Castle. She quickly took over the fertile land of Hanyu Territory and expanded her power in Kitamashi on the south bank of the Tone River.
Uesugi Teruhora did not want too strong a force to appear along the Tone River where Ueno and Musashi met.
Yura Shige on the north bank has made her feel very uncomfortable, and Narita Nagayasu on the south bank has expanded rapidly, which naturally makes her unhappy.
Terutora Uesugi used the excuse that Hanyu Castle belonged to the Hirota family before the invasion of the Hojo family, and asked Narita Choyasu to withdraw from the Hanyu territory and return the property to its original owner. The Hirota family saw that there was such a good thing, so of course they wanted it.
Narita Chotasu provided money, food, and military strength, and managed to capture Hanyu's territory. Uesugi Terutora asked her to hand it over, and he got mad on the spot.
The two sides were very unhappy.
Although Terutora Uesugi is the leader recognized by the coalition forces, the Narita family of Ninja City is also a powerful samurai family in North Musashi. If one thing is not handled well, it will affect the ideas and positions of many small and medium-sized samurai families.
But it's really hard for Yoshihiro Shiba to intervene in this matter. In name, this is the Kanto governor training his subordinates, and he represents the shogunate. It's not good to mediate, so he might as well come out to blow the whistle.
Yoshigine glanced at the proud Terutora Uesugi and couldn't help but sigh knowing that she finally chose to force herself.
The Kanto samurai family are all slippery people who don't get up early for no profit, and Terutora Uesugi has a domineering temper. There will be more and more conflicts in the future.
Ninja Castle Narita Choyasu took advantage of the Kanto War to expand territory. This was not an isolated case, but something that Kanto warriors from all over the country were scrambling to do.
Uesugi Teruhora can suppress one person, but can he suppress everyone? Only Narita Chotasu suppresses one. She feels it is unfair and wants to make a fuss. If they suppress them all, a group of people will feel that Echigo is suppressing Sekihachishu.
Sibo Yiyin also finds these local snakes troublesome. If they are not used, they will cause trouble. If they really need to be suppressed violently, the death of rabbits and foxes will weaken the morale of the army.
But sometimes, they still can't get used to the Kanto samurai family. They have taken away all the benefits. Why do Uesugi Teruhora and Shiba Yigen come to the Kanto Plain? Are they doing charity? How to appease the Echigo samurai family?
Yoshihiro was also conflicted. It was inappropriate to accuse Terutora Uesugi of being too tough, but it was also inappropriate for the two sides to continue to have conflicts.
Uesugi Teruhora didn't think as much as Shiba Yoshigan. She looked at Odawara Castle and sighed.
"When I went south, I never thought that the Hojo family would build such a huge city. It would be really troublesome."
Yiyin said.
"Information says that Odawara Castle is a majestic and difficult-to-break fortress, but I still doubt it.
Now it seems that the idea of taking over Odawara Castle in one fell swoop is difficult to realize, so we can only try to do it slowly."
Teruhora Uesugi frowned, and she heard a hint of retreat in Shiba Yoshigan's words.
"Mr. Kenshin, I am not willing to go back empty-handed after you and I finally reached Odawara Castle."
Yiyin looked at her and advised.
“The purpose of retracting your fist is to swing it out more powerfully next time.
The first snow of winter has arrived, and the following snow season will be even more difficult. Once the rivers are frozen and water transportation is blocked, what will happen to the logistical supplies?
It’s better to stop here and fight again next spring.”
Spo Yiyin wanted to withdraw his troops mainly for two reasons.
First, during this trip south, Echigo had already acquired a lot of territory. Military merits had to be calculated, rewards had to be distributed, and territory had to be divided.
Everyone comes out to fight for the sake of gain. If they work hard in one go, they will weaken again and again, and then they will be exhausted. They only see victory but no division of flesh, and the morale of the army cannot last long.
For a long-term plan, we should first go back to distribute the benefits, rectify the Echigo samurai group, and then fight again next spring, which will better mobilize the fighting spirit of the Echigo army.
Secondly, the army traveled a long distance through the two countries of Ueno and Musashi to reach Sagami Country to fight. The cost of maintaining this logistical supply line was too terrifying.
The Kwantung Allied Forces are said to be one hundred thousand, of which Echigo has less than 10,000. This time Echigo went south with all his strength, and the number of troops that crossed the Echigo Mountains was about 12,000.
The Numata Territory in the northern part of Ueno Province is the gathering point for dispatching troops, and the Ubashi Territory in the middle has become an advance base. These two bridgeheads stretching from Echigo to Kanto must be guarded.
Therefore, there were less than 10,000 Echigo warriors following the march, and the rest were miscellaneous soldiers mobilized by samurai from various places.
In order to win the hearts and minds of the Kanto people with the Hojo family, Yoshigan Shiba purchased a large amount of grain for the Kanto strategy during preparations for Echigo.
However, these grains were only enough to supply the Echigo army, and the samurai from various places who followed them had to prepare their own military supplies.
There is a severe drought in the Guandong Plain this year, and the harvest is less than half of previous years, and in many places there is even no harvest. The reason why these Guandong warriors can mobilize so many troops is to find food.
If there is no food to eat at home, then everyone rushes to the Hojo family's territory to search for it. The Hojo family is famous for its internal affairs, and its territory is the richest in Kanto.
Wherever the army went, at best it was called providing food to the enemy, at worst it was to seize wherever it went.
The Hojo family clung to the city and the villages outside the city turned into a living hell. Yoshigan Shiba couldn't stand it anymore.
He knew that he had tried his best, at least the Echigo army was not involved. But wherever he glanced, there were tragedies in the world, and he couldn't bear it.
With the arrival of winter snow, the water transportation of supplies is in danger of being frozen, and Odawara Castle is difficult to attack. It is better to withdraw the troops and go back to rest and wait until next spring to fight again.
The Echigo side gained the upper hand, and the Hojo family territory was ravaged and destroyed. In just one winter, Hojo Ujiyasu could not recover.
But Teru Uesugi's idea was different, she said.
"Mr. Qianxin, have you ever heard of the Overlord of Chu in the Celestial Dynasty?"
"Xiang Yu?"
"Exactly."
Terutora Uesugi pointed at Odawara Castle and said.
"Hojo Yasuya is old and strong, cunning like a fox, and is a formidable opponent. Give her a winter and spring, and God knows what tricks she will come up with.
Back then, the King of Chu showed mercy to Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, but he was ambushed from all sides. He returned to Jiangdong shamelessly and had no choice but to commit suicide.
Now that I have a hundred thousand troops besieging Odawara Castle, it is time to destroy the Hojo family in one go. Retreating at this time will give Hojo Ujiyasu a chance to breathe.
The alliance of the Takeda, Imagawa, and Hojo families collapsed, and the Sano leader was defeated. The Hojo family had no soldiers in the house and no strong reinforcements from the outside. If it is not defeated while it is weak, it will be more difficult to deal with in the future.
Food is still being delivered to Umbashi Castle in a steady stream, and the Tone River, Tama River, Sagami River, and Hojo Castle along the river can only hold on. Before the water transportation freezes, the military supplies are enough to support us.
Don't miss this opportunity, Lord Qianxin."
Teruhora Uesugi could still clearly see the little thoughts of Shiba Yoshigan. After all, his sweetheart was a man, and he was soft-hearted and could not tolerate the cruel strategy of feeding the enemy.
Uesugi Teruhora compromised in Echigo, and all the food and grass for the Echigo army were transported by water. This showed the Kanto samurai family their strong financial resources and upright image, and they also gained a lot.
But it is one thing to accommodate your sweetheart, and another thing to be kind to your husband.
Others are looting food and doing her shit? Others are burning, killing, looting, and doing her shit? The current situation is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, and Uesugi Teruhu doesn't want to miss it.
Most of Hojo's elite were left in the Sano Territory by Hojo Ujiyasu's prodigal daughter. The Hojo family's allies, the Imagawa family, almost lost their territory, and the Takeda family turned against each other.
Hojo Ujiyasu looked around and saw that no one could rely on him. He only had a bad hand.
The Kwantung Allied Forces are a ragtag group. These people are more likely to fail than succeed, but they are also powerful in numbers. As long as a hundred thousand troops are still in the Hojo family territory, Hojo Ujiyasu will not dare to leave the city.
The villages outside the city were tortured by these Kanto samurai for a whole winter, and Hojo Ujiyasu's hard work in cultivating the territory over the years was all in vain.
Without the reinforcements from the Imagawa family and the Takeda family, why would Uesugi Terutora retreat after being surrounded for a few days? She could have taken her time and reduced the core territory of the Hojo family to ruins.
Anyway, the blame will be shouldered by the evil Kanto samurai family. The Echigo army is a righteous army with logistical supplies. Uesugi Terutora's reputation and image will not be damaged.
Teruhora Uesugi kept mumbling the reasons for his objections, but refused to retreat. Yoshigan Shiba's heart was cold, and the snowflakes hit his face and turned into a few drops of water.
Uesugi Teruhora always looked like a fawning dog in front of him, but deep down, she was still a ruthless and ruthless warrior daimyo.
In her heart, she did not regard the villagers in the village as human beings at all, and the lives of the untouchables were worthless in the eyes of these famous people.
Four words came to Yiyin's mind: people are like grass. His stomach suddenly turned upside down, and he almost wanted to vomit, but he couldn't vomit it out.
Terutora Uesugi supported him and asked with a worried look on his face.
"Mr. Qianxin, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"
Sibo Yiyin gently broke away from her hand and looked at her sincere eyes, filled with a sense of absurdity in his heart.
This same person could care deeply about me, but turn a blind eye to the tragedies happening dozens of miles around her.
Yiyin looked up at the sky and smiled. Humans are really complicated animals.
"It's okay, I'm just a little nauseous."
The tearing feeling in Yoshigan's heart became more and more intense. From the perspective of the samurai clan daimyo, Uesugi Teruhu's decision was correct.
But this correctness is based on the wailing hell of countless civilians. Since ancient times, fame and wealth have been the bones of untouchables in dire straits.
When it prospers, the people suffer. When it dies, the people suffer.
Utilitarianism and humanity were still at war in Yoshigan's heart. At this moment, several war horses came running from a distance and rushed straight towards Yoshigan Shiba and Terutora Uesugi.
The Hatamoto Hime samurai who were on guard around them nervously approached the two masters and blocked the intruders.
Before the 100,000-strong army camped, the two lords were not worried that the newcomers would be harmful to them. However, when their horses came closer and saw Warrior Ji clearly on the horse, they both frowned.
Ishida Mitsunari and Naoe Kanetsugu reined up their horses and jumped off their horses almost at the same time, walking in front of the two lords and bowing, their expressions solemn.
Yiyin's heart beat faster and he became more and more uneasy.
When going out to fight, the most important thing is logistical supplies. The Echigo army has to cross the Echigo Mountains and enter the Kanto Plain to fight. Logistics stretches for hundreds of miles, which is even more important.
Echigo's unique dual-headed political situation made the logistics composition unique.
The Kanto Servants' Office, headed by Okuma Asahide, and the Uesugi Servants headed by Naoe Keizuna, the elder of the Uesugi family, are responsible for managing the logistics line.
As their adjutants, Ishida Mitsunari and Naoe Kanetsugu bear very important responsibilities. What happened that requires these two people to come together to see it?
The two of them bowed to the ground and bowed, and Yiyin couldn't help but ask.
"Why are you two here?"
Ishida Mitsunari glanced at the entire audience, stepped forward and whispered.
"Please, my lord, step aside first."
Yoshigami raised his hand, and the Kamao Clan led the guards of the Tongxin clan to walk out more than ten steps to be on guard. Uesugi Teruhora nodded towards her leader, and she followed suit.
Ishida Mitsunari said eagerly when he saw that everyone had dispersed.
"Urgent news came from Kyoto. Miyoshi and three others went to Luo and captured Nijo Castle. General Ashikaga was killed in the battle."
"What!"
Shiba Yiyin felt cold all over and couldn't help but tremble.
The wind and snow outside the city were getting bigger and bigger. He was messy in the wind, his mind went blank, he lost the ability to think, and he just repeated questions.
Ashikaga Yoshiteru is dead? That arrogant general... that woman who said she wanted to marry me... is she dead?
After a brief blank period, countless thoughts collided and exploded in Yiyin's mind, giving him a splitting headache. Yiyin couldn't help but lower his head, and two lines of tears flowed down his cheeks.
This arrogant guy, as long as she puts down her weapon, who dares to kill General Ashikaga? Just wait for me to go back, wait for me to go back and help you, you big fool!