Chapter 178 Let’s split it equally
"Hattori, Mr. Taikaku's safety is in your hands."
Tokugawa Hidetada's close minister Matsudaira Naomasa shouted loudly towards Hattori Hanzo, who was dressed as a ninja.
During the famous Incident at Honnoji Temple, the second generation Hattori Hanzo protected Ieyasu when he traveled thousands of miles back to his territory, thus giving Ieyasu a chance to compete with Hideyoshi in the world.
The Hattori family has always been the bodyguard of the Tokugawa family, and even the fiefdom is within the territory of Kai Kingdom, which is close to Edo.
"Don't worry, Laifangdian, I will leave the safety of Lord Taige to me..."
Hattori Hanzo's subordinates had three hundred banner ministers, all of whom were so-called ninja masters. At this moment, they had already protected the unconscious Tokugawa Hidetada and retreated to the rear.
Sanada Yukimura and Miyoshi Masayasu clashed left and right in Tokugawa Hidetada's main formation, disrupting Tokugawa Hidetada's main formation and falling into pieces. Under the storm, they wanted to retreat step by step. Impossible fact.
When the people of the Four Heavenly Kings saw the head of Tokugawa Iemitsu, they knelt down in front of the battle and burst into tears. At this moment, their morale was completely gone. With the help of the Dingmu Army, the Toyotomi Army began a full-scale counterattack. The Shogunate Army was now a watchdog under the sunset and fell asleep. , can only turn around and run away in the storm.
The situation of the war took a turn for the worse...
Sanada Yukimura's target was Tokugawa Hidetada. It was a pity that he failed to kill the old Tokugawa Ieyasu back then, but today, with such a great victory, he is determined to win Tokugawa Hidetada's life.
Miyoshi Masayasu and Sanada Yukimura's cavalry have joined together. Now there are more than 1,500 cavalry troops. Now that they have won a great victory, no one can stop the Toyotomi army from pursuing them.
In the battle of Guanyuan, the Eastern Army chased the Western Army like this, and the Western Army was defeated with nothing left.
Driven by the cavalry, Kamiya River was currently undergoing an unprecedented retreat. Under the storm, the shogunate army had no time to find the Daimyo army formation where they were. Even Tokugawa, who was preparing to step forward to suppress the situation, would not let the situation continue to deteriorate. Yoshinao was carried away by the army that fled from the valley.
There are too many people, and the land of Kamiya River is too small. Hundreds of thousands of people are crowded together, which is already the limit.
Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng reined in their horses, and immediately raised signal flares to gather the Dingwu soldiers. Except for more than a hundred soldiers who were injured by bamboo arrows from the shogunate army before the storm, no one died in this battle. The battle situation was extremely good.
"Brother Jiandou, it's time for us to withdraw..."
After saying that, Sun Chuanting sent someone to deliver a message to Toyotomi Hideyori, and led most of them on their war horses and headed towards Fangjin Village.
Toyotomi Hideyori's mood at this moment could no longer be expressed. He personally saluted the messenger and asked him to bring his most sincere greetings to the Ming army. He rode off to follow and pursue the shogunate army.
In the Battle of Sekigahara, the Eastern Army pursued Ishida Mitsunari's troops as far as the handover between Shinano Kingdom and Echigo Kingdom, a distance of more than 500 miles. Moreover, it was a mixed pursuit of infantry and cavalry, which shows how serious the defeat was. cruel.
Today, the number of opponents defeated is four to five times that of the past. The horror can be imagined.
Sanada Yukimura's pursuit force had already thrown off the follow-up infantry for more than thirty miles. Hattori Hanzo's escorts were mostly cavalry, and Tokugawa Hidetada was put into a cage and beaten by four or five ninja soldiers driving a carriage. Take it with you.
"Lord, we have to go to Hagiyama Castle ahead..."
Miyoshi Masayasu rode his horse to the side of Sanada Yukimura's horse. The two of them led the cavalry troops to pursue the Hattori ninja soldiers who were escaping not far ahead.
After Ieyasu conquered the world, Ieyasu organized all the Koga faction into the Iga faction in order to reward Hattori Hanzo, so the combat effectiveness of the Iga Doshin soldiers in Hanzo's hands is not generally high.
And after entering the Edo shogunate, there were no more wars. Private duels between samurai often took place. This kind of battle was a battle with weapons. The main reason for the strength of both sides was to worship Sanmon.
If it comes from the Iga sect, even if it is a subordinate sect, it is a top-notch existence.
"Nakamura, you are responsible for intercepting..."
Nakamura Masanobu was a disciple of Hanzo, with extremely high kung fu, and he was in charge of the next team. After receiving the order, he did not delay at all, turned his horse and led fifty soldiers to stop on the spot, preparing to intercept the pursuing Sanada army.
In such a critical situation, the only outcome for the queen is death, but Nakamura Masanobu is not afraid of death at all, and is even more able to protect Lord Taikaku. Death is regarded as a supreme honor as a ninja.
"Three good people will solve the enemy in front of them..."
Seeing someone blocking the road in front of him, Yukimura immediately decided to divide his troops and advance. He had more than a thousand cavalry on his side, and it was just a sprint to crush this group of people.
...
"Report..."
A cavalryman came to the gate of Hagiyama Castle on horseback.
"Report... inform my lord, urgent military information ahead..."
The military report was picked up by a flag book and handed over to a middle-aged man sitting outside Hagiyama Castle.
"Father..."
The current lord of the Choshu clan, Mouri Hide, respectfully handed the shogun paper to the old man sitting on the horse next to him.
The old man was the former lord of the Choshu Domain, the current actual controller of the Choshu Domain, and one of the five former Toyotomi elders.
Mouri Terumoto opened the military newspaper in his hand, and after reading it, handed it to his son expressionlessly, and then fell silent. After Moori Xiu finished reading, he turned to look at his father excitedly: "Father, the shogunate army has been defeated. ..."
The retainers standing around were stunned when they heard the news. The 570,000 shogunate army was an unprecedented force since Japan entered the Warring States Period. How could it be defeated like this?
Mouri Terumoto was making a choice. Of course, he did not speak. The army in Hagiyama Castle at the moment was already 50,000 people. If he was willing, there would be absolutely no problem for the Choshu clan to recruit 100,000 people to fight. But the key now lies in the shogunate army. Although they were defeated, the specific battle situation was not obtained.
If the army led by Tokugawa Hidetada is not completely wiped out, if he joins in rashly, he will definitely find himself in a dilemma. Even if the Toyotomi army does not win a big victory, the Choshu feudal capital will be destroyed in the future. There is only one way to go until dark.
However, Mouri Xiu was different from what Terumoto thought. This man had been hanging out with the Maeda family when he was young, and even participated in the Winter and Summer Battles of Osaka. This guy was loyal to the Toyotomi family from the bottom of his heart. If it weren't for Terumoto, he would still be in control of Chang'an. The rights of the state vassal, it is impossible to say that this guy has led an army to steal the shogunate's ass.
"Father, Hideyori-sama came with great momentum this time. The shogunate army was defeated this time, and with the help of strong generals like Sanada Yukimura, the Tokugawa clan was about to be defeated. If our army suddenly takes action here, it will definitely help Hideyori. Master Yori severely defeated the shogunate army. As long as he could help them win the Bizen Three Kingdoms, he could rely on the land of Kansai to compete with the shogunate. At that time, the Tokugawa family would no longer be the only one in the world, and it would definitely return to the Warring States Period. At that time, various people Heroes will have their place."
Mourixiu actually knew Huiyuan's painstaking efforts. After all, they were a father and son. Fortunately, he did not inherit Huiyuan's hesitant temperament.
"Um..."
After a long time, Huiyuan finally said: "Wait a moment..."
Mao Lixiu was discouraged from the bottom of his heart. He didn't take action on such a great opportunity. His father was too cautious.
Including the retainers and generals behind him couldn't help but sigh. Even if they don't take action at this moment, as long as they block the retreat of the shogunate army, they can use this as a blackmail to ask for some benefits from the shogunate. In short, they will not suffer any loss.
"Report..."
One of the riders was completely soaked. It seemed that the storm had not reached Hagiyama Castle.
But the weather in the sky above Hagiyama Castle is not good either. There are dense storms and clouds, and it looks like a storm is about to come...
Mao Lixiu stood up and asked: "Speak quickly..."
"Your Majesty, please report urgently," Kuai Qiu jumped off his horse before the horse could stop and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the shogunate army was defeated and fled. Hundreds of thousands of troops were completely routed. The young one saw the Sanada family being attacked. Hui's more than a thousand cavalry are chasing Hattori Hanzo's convoy."
Terumoto Mouri stood up straight away and spoke first: "But did you see clearly that it was the crest of the Hattori family?"
"It's absolutely true..."
"Father..." Mouri Xiu shouted: "Hattori Hanzo is the bodyguard of the Tokugawa family."
When Tokugawa Hidetada's army arrived in Nagato Province, they also talked to Maori and his son outside Hagiyama Castle. At that time, Maori Hidetada clearly saw Hattori Hanzo, the ninja captain, leading a large group of ninja guards riding horses to protect Hidetada. beside.
Mouri Terumoto was a little excited. If there was a carriage, it meant that the old Hidetada must be on the carriage, and Hattori Hanzo, who was the bodyguard of the close minister, must be among the escorts.
"Father, you must not hesitate any longer..." Mouri Xiu grabbed his sword and said: "The shogunate army was defeated. Hattori Hanzo covered Tokugawa Hidetada's retreat. Sanada Yukimura, as a general of the Toyotomi army, pursued him personally. The situation of the battle is already clear. , they must pass through our Hagiyama Castle. Father, the opportunity for great change in the world lies in our hands..."
Mouri Hide's impassioned words made Mouri Terumoto finally make up his mind. His existence is the key to determining whether the forces of Toyotomi and Tokugawa can be on an equal footing, and if Terumoto is determined to join the Toyotomi side with all the Choshu clan, , then, whether the shogunate can win is already a big question.
Now, if the neutral Choshu Domain chooses to join the Toyotomi Army, it will be a huge disaster for Tokugawa Hidetada.
"Send an order to intercept the retreating troops of the shogunate army. All the troops of the Choshu Domain will march towards the Kamiya River under the banner of the five-seven paulownia pattern."
Mouri Terumoto said the decisive words word by word, and Moori Hide laughed enthusiastically after hearing the words: "The whole army is ordered to set off and advance towards the Kamiya River. Anyone who encounters the shogunate army and is unwilling to surrender will be killed without mercy... "
"yes..."
This is a war that divides the world equally. With the addition of the Choshu Domain Mori family, the war situation has completely changed. The fate of the Tokugawa family has also changed more than 20 years after Ieyasu's death...
