On April 21, the 14th year of Tenmon (1545), the wealthy families in eastern Suruga such as the Fuji family, the Ogi family, and the Kamahara family successively led their troops to Katsurayama Castle. The number of troops in the city was close to 2,000. At the same time, reinforcements from the central and western parts of Suruga and the eastern part of Enjiang also crossed the Fuji River in batches and gathered in the area of Xingokuji Castle to stand by, forming a rivalry with Katsurayama Castle from a distance.
Seeing this posture, Hojo Ujiyao, who was heading north from Izu, did not dare to continue the march. Instead, he honestly stopped at Mishima on the border and waited. On the other side, Hojo Ujiyasu's main force advanced to the foot of Katsurayama Castle. However, the horse seals of Imagawa Yoshimoto and Takeda Harunobu at the head of Katsurayama Castle had already guarded the airtight fortress, which made the Hojo army lose the possibility of attacking.
However, Hojo Ujiyasu obviously knew the importance of Katsurayama Castle and did not retreat because of this. Instead, he stationed himself in the north of Katsurayama Castle. On the other hand, he instructed Hojo Ujiyao's Southern Route Army to hold on to the three islands and block the official road from central Suruga to Katsurayama Castle, hindering the Imagawa family's supplies and follow-up support.
On April 28, the 14th year of Tianwen (1545), Geshan City.
Imagawa Yoshimoto and Takeda Harunobu stood at the top of the city, looking at the situation outside the city. In the north of Geshan City, the Hojo family's camp was already larger than a city. Several fortified rock forts were built on the northwest mountain road from Kai to Suruga, blocking the route of the Takeda family's reinforcements - in this dangerous mountainous area, the Hojo Army may only need a few hundred people to guard the rock forts. No matter how many people there are in the Takeda Army, they can't get through.
At the foot of Geshan Castle, the Hojo family's camp was also approaching a stone's throw outside the city. A large number of siege equipment have been built and are being placed in conspicuous places, seemingly to demonstrate to the Jiajun coalition forces at the top of the city. On the official road passing through Mount Ashigara, the auxiliary troops of the Hojo family were also continuously transporting food and ordnance, and seemed to be determined to fight for a long time.
"Do you think my brother-in-law dares to attack the city?" Imagawa Yoshimoto bumped Takeda Harunobu with his shoulder. "We have thousands of soldiers in the city and more than 300 iron cannons. Katsurayama Castle is also strong. city."
"I don't know, I only know that my brother-in-law doesn't dare to attack now." Takeda Harunobu smiled after hearing this, "Didn't you plan to rob the camp a few days ago? Now that you see the camp at this level, don't you dare to do it anymore?" ?」
"Aren't the people of the Takeda family stuck in the valley and not daring to attack?" Imagawa Yoshimoto raised his finger and pointed to the mountain road in the northwest. "Should we let them take a detour, go around the Fuji River basin and advance to Suruga, and then from central Suruga and Imagawa The main force of the family will attack together."
"I have already sent someone to convey the order, but it will take some time. After all, the mountain road turns back and forth very slowly." Takeda Harunobu responded unhurriedly while gently tapping the wall in front of him with his hand, "But I I’m just worried that their trip will be in vain and a lot of my luggage will be wasted.”
"Do you think the Hojo family will withdraw their troops before the Takeda army comes around?" Imagawa Yoshimoto naturally understood what Takeda Harunobu was talking about.
"Of course, our two families' messengers have been all over Kanto during this time, and every daimyo who directly promised to participate in the Hojo siege network has been notified that tens of thousands of the main force of the Hojo family have entered Suruga, and they can mobilize their troops. " Takeda Harunobu turned around, leaned directly against the wall, and said with a leisurely smile, "Including the time spent on the messenger's journey, they must have received the news for five or six days now. It is the slack time for farmers, and there are still ten or so people. God, the troops will be almost assembled. At that time, will the Hojo family still be able to retreat?"
"Then why are they setting up camp so seriously?" Imagawa Yoshimoto felt more and more outrageous the more he looked at it, "The level of detail in this camp makes people think that the Hojo family wants to stand against each other here for half a year. They must really have plans to have a war. .”
"If you don't take it seriously, how can I trick you into negotiating a peace treaty and withdrawing the troops?" Takeda Harunobu was very relaxed and did not take the Hojo family seriously at all. "Just by being prepared in this way, we can save more face in the negotiations with you. In the first battle, they will How dare you? The city is in our hands. When my troops come around, they will be twice as strong as theirs. The advantage is mine. Are they crazy? Do they dare to attack the city? "
"Then..." Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at the camp to the north and the mountains of food, grass and weapons piled up in the large baggage camp behind the camp, "Then there's no need to transport so many things, it's a long-term project anyway. Plan to persist. Otherwise, if they want to withdraw their troops, these supplies will
It would take a long time to move back, and the mountain roads on Mount Ashigara are not very wide. "
"Then do you think the Hojo family will continue to confront us here? There are only a thousand people in Kawagoe Castle, and the guard is Fukushima Tsunari (Hojo Tsunari) who the Suruga Fukushima family took refuge in. If all the Kanto daimyo are mobilized, the total strength will be around 50,000 to 60,000. How long do you think Kawagoe Castle can withstand it? How long can Musashi and Sagami withstand it? How dare the lions not return reinforcements? As soon as he withdraws, we will pursue them. Leave half of it for us." Haruki Takeda breathed through his nostrils towards the Hojo family's army at the foot of the city. "We have agreed by then that we will share the captured baggage equally. At least we must make up for the Takeda family's military expenses for this trip."
"Have you thought this far?" Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn't help but laugh.
"It won't be long. They will withdraw their troops within five days." Takeda Harunobu laughed confidently.
·
Five months later, on October 3, the 14th year of Tianwen (1545), Geshan City.
Imagawa Yoshimoto and Takeda Harunobu have been playing Go in Katsurayama Castle for almost half a year - in fact, it is not difficult to play Go. After the main forces of the Imagawa and Takeda families returned to Kokokuji Castle, Hojo Ujiyao's troops had wisely given up to the three islands and retreated to the territory of Izu. The official road back to Suruga from Katsurayama Castle was open. However, since Hojo Ujiyasu's horse seal is still entrenched in the north of Katsurayama Castle, Imagawa Yoshimoto and Takeda Harunobu plan to accompany him to spend it - crossing the mountain road to supply, the Hojo family's consumption is greater than that of the Imagawa family and the Takeda family - due to twice the With superior strength, the Jiajun coalition forces could even take turns sending some of their troops back to harvest in the autumn.
Takeda Harunobu is carefully considering the situation on the chessboard at the moment. In recent days, his record with Imagawa Yoshimoto is 2-16 - the two games he won were only won by Imagawa Yoshimoto giving him three pieces. Of course, this is already good. When he and Imagawa Yoshimoto first played, Jiu Zi couldn't win.
On the other hand, Imagawa Yoshimoto was much more relaxed. He had already thought about his possible responses and subsequent arrangements during Takeda Harunobu's long examination, so every time Takeda Harunobu finished writing, Imagawa Yoshimoto would immediately follow him. , re-evolved into Takeda Harunobu’s long examination. So Imagawa Yoshimoto now even has time to review official documents, and the top few piles of paper make him feel a little relieved - a few months after the Imagawa family pushed the actual control line back to the Suruga-Izu border area, they had previously tried to avoid The people of Hedong who fled into the mountains due to the war began to return to the village sooner or later, bringing their families with them to repair their ancestral houses and clear weeds in the fields.
After all, these are the villages that Imagawa Yoshimoto often visited when he was a child at Zentokuji Temple. It is inevitable for him to feel nostalgic. He had seen the villagers leaving their houses empty and the fertile fields deserted. Imagawa Yoshimoto felt very sorry. Now, the nearly 10-year war in the Hedong area is finally coming to an end, and these people can return to their homes where they live and work in peace and contentment, and reproduce again - which is really the best thing.
"I didn't expect that the Hojo family would not retreat..." Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed, and once again looked at the Hojo family outside the city through the window of the castle tower - in half a year, they established the camp more firmly. , there is already a faint appearance of a new city. There are even many auxiliary soldiers of the Hojo family starting to open up fields around and prepare for spring plowing.
"I'm so anxious to lose. I don't want to lose Kadou like this. I don't want to let Sagami and Izu have to worry about it under the watchful eyes of the Imagawa family." Takeda Harunobu said casually while fiddling with the chess pieces in his hand, constantly thinking about how to respond. He complained about the Hojo family, "So just staying here and not leaving, what's the use? If he has the guts, don't save Kagotsu Castle."
As early as a few months ago, the Kanto daimyo led by the Kanto Lord Ashikaga Haruji, the Kanto governor Uesugi ***, the governor of the Uesugi family in Yamauchi, and Uesugi Tosada, the governor of the Uesugi family in Ogidani, gathered all the daimyo who participated in the Hojo siege. They sent 60,000 troops, claiming to be 80,000, and attacked Kawagoe Castle, the hub of the Hojo family in Musashi Province. There was only Huang Bei of Hojo Tsunao on guard in Kawagoe Castle. We were outnumbered and the enemy was outnumbered. For a time, a large number of Musashi country people turned to the coalition forces. Only a few people, including the Daidoji family, were willing to enter the city to assist in the defense.
The first head of the Daidaiji family, Daidaiji Shigetoki, was one of the first six samurai to follow Soun Hojo. These six families were also called the "Six Families of Yuio" by the people of the Hojo family. At that time, the leader of Daidoji Temple, Norishimasa, was also a veteran who had served the Hojo family for decades.
With this kindness, the Daidaiji family resolutely abandoned their home city and led the wealthy families who were still willing to stay under the Hojo family to enter the strong city of Kawagoe Castle, bringing the total strength of Kawagoe Castle to barely 3,000 people.
Even so, Kagotsu City was still crumbling in the face of the overwhelming material difference of the Kwantung Allied Forces. The Kwantung Allied Forces launched several fierce attacks on Kawagoe Castle in June. However, due to Hojo Tsunari's proper defense and the strong fortifications of Kawagoe Castle, the Kwantung Allied Forces failed to fall into the city and instead suffered considerable losses. After all, the coalition forces are a mixed bag. Let alone close cooperation with each other, it is good to have no grievances and no grudges. It is really difficult to expect them to cooperate together to attack the city.
However, with such a huge number of people, even if the attack is unfavorable, it is still easy to besiege the city. Therefore, Ashikaga Haruji ordered the allied forces to set up strong camps on all sides of Kagoshima City, and surrounded Kagoshima City so tightly that not even a fly could fly out - because the camp of 60,000 troops was too huge. No fly can fly dozens of miles in one breath. Fortunately, Hojo Tsunari had stored enough food before the siege to feed the army for a year.
As a result, the two sides faced off and no more fighting broke out. The Kwantung Allied Forces decided to wear down the will of the defenders through a long-term siege, while Hojo Tsunari also made up his mind to stand firm and wait for reinforcements, waiting for Hojo Ujiyasu to calm down the Kashun Allied Forces before supporting him.
