Ryomasa Asai set out from Otani Castle and headed west straight to Mount Ai.
There are only two roads from Yanjin Township to Yixiang County.
One is the rugged mountain road between Gyoichi Mountain and Kanigake Mountain. Asai Ryomasa has already asked the Higashino clan and Yanase clan in the northern part of Ixiang County to set up formations on this mountain road in advance.
The next day was a mountain road at the southern foot of Mt. Kanai Mountain near Lake Biwa, which was also the destination of Asai Ryomasa's trip.
"Zuomasuke, you lead people to cut down trees and block the mountain road."
"Awaji Shou (Wakisaka Yasuaki), you lead a group of archers and hide on the slopes on both sides of the mountain road. If the Kyogoku family's troops attack, you can shoot at will!"
"ha!"
Time is tight and it’s too late to make too many arrangements.
Under normal circumstances, Asai Ryomasa would have someone build a wooden stronghold near the mountain road. The Asai family's military strength could easily block the Kyogoku family's attack just by sticking to the wooden stronghold.
The Asai family is very busy here, and the Kyogoku family's troops in the Yanjin Hall have also completed the final assembly.
Kyogoku Takamasa rode on a jujube-colored war horse and led his troops slowly forward along the borrowed road leading to Otani Castle.
"Inuhachiro, go ahead and explore the way!"
"ha!"
It's great to have a ninja with you. You can leave all the dirty work to him.
Not only the high-ranking officials in Kyogoku, but also the accompanying retainers thought so in their hearts.
After walking for about five miles, they were almost at the foot of Mount Aitake. Kyogoku Takamasa quickly ordered the entire army to stop advancing. Before Yamaoka Inuhachiro came back, Kyogoku Takamasa did not dare to move forward.
"My lord, enemy troops were found in the area around Mount Aoi. Their number is unknown at the moment. However, I saw the flag of Asai Bizen, and the enemy's general must be Asai Bizen." Yamaoka Inuhachiro is only a ninja, and there are only samurai. He is qualified to call himself "I am below", so he can only call himself "little man".
Kyogoku Takamasa touched his chin and smiled, "I didn't expect Asai Ryomasa to come in person. It's interesting."
"In addition, enemy troops are also present on the mountain road between the northern foot of Mt. Kanyue and Gyoichi Mountain. Enemy troops are stationed on all the roads leading to Ixiang County. My family's route of advance has been blocked by the Asai family."
Kyogoku Takamasa nodded, indicating that he understood.
After lowering his head and thinking for a while, Kyogoku Takamasa still gave the order, "March towards the direction of Shiyue, and order Tajima Nomura in the front line to be careful and not to fall into an ambush by the enemy!"
"ha!"
...
The humble mountain road.
Nomura Mototaka, who was in the front line of the Kyogoku family, was leading a group of ashigaru to advance cautiously along the mountain road. Due to the Asai family's troops in front, Nomura Mototaka did not dare to advance rashly.
"Report!"
"The mountain road ahead is blocked by a pile of rocks and branches!" A detective ran over quickly.
"Move the rocks and branches away and make sure the road is clear!"
"ha!"
Soon, a group of Ashigaru put away their weapons and began to move the rocks in the middle of the mountain path.
Nomura Mototaka walked to the side of the mountain road and silently stared at Ashigaru who was moving stones, feeling suddenly anxious.
Suddenly, Nomura Mototaka felt a chill on his back, and a premonition of imminent danger arose spontaneously.
Nomura Gentaka lowered his head subconsciously, and an arrow suddenly flew out of the forest, grazing Nomura Gentaka's scalp and nailing it to the tree trunk behind him.
No near misses.
Before Nomura Gentaka could react, more dense arrows suddenly flew out from both sides of the mountain path. Ashigaru, who was moving rocks, was caught off guard and fell instantly.
"There's an ambush!"
"Fall back!"
There was no need for Nomura Mototaka's order at all, and the peasants and soldiers of the Kyogoku family had already begun to retreat.
More than ten people from our own side fell without even seeing the shadow of the enemy. It is naturally impossible for these peasant soldiers with no military qualities to joke with their own lives.
As soon as Nomura Gentaka and others withdrew, in the dense forest on one side of the mountain road, Wakisaka Yasuaki smiled contemptuously and said to an ashigaru beside him, "Report to this formation, the Kyogoku family's front formation has been defeated!"
"ha!"
Hundreds of years later, people may find in some historical materials that "on a certain day of a certain year, a certain month, the Kyogoku family and the Asai family broke out in a battle at Shiyue. After a fierce battle, the Kyogoku family was defeated by the Asai family, and the enemy was defeated." "More than a dozen people" is such a record.
In the main formation of the Asai family, Ryomasa Asai walked back and forth in his position. From time to time, he raised his head and looked outside the formation to see if anyone came to report on the battle situation ahead.
Ryomasa Asai had suffered a lot in his previous battles with Kyogoku Takamasa. This time he fought against Kyogoku Takamasa again. Asai Ryomasa had to be very alert and did not dare to be careless at all.
"Report!"
"The Kyogoku family's front line has been repulsed by Wakisaka Awaji's defenders, and the enemy troops fled in panic and were completely defeated!"
Hearing this, Asai Ryomasa finally showed a smile.
"Tell Wakisaka Awaji that there is no room for failure on the mountain road. If the Kyogoku family's army comes to attack, I will lead the army to support!"
"ha!"
All joint battles begin with small-scale battles and then develop into major battles. Asai Ryomasa knew that this was just an appetizer, and the real main course was yet to come.
"Lord!"
At this moment, an Asai family samurai walked up to Asai Ryomasa and said, "We are reporting from Otani Castle that Kyogoku Musashi Mamoru has led his troops to arrive at Otani Castle. The enemy is currently launching a fierce attack on Otani Castle!"
"Don't panic!" Asai Ryomasa waved his hand, "Otani Castle cannot be captured by just the Kyogoku family. We only need to repel Kyogoku Sakyojin first, and then fight back to Otani Castle and cooperate with the people in the city. The troops are coordinated internally and externally, and Kyogoku Musashi Mamoru is simply unable to parry."
"By the way, send an order to Yanase, Higashino and the rest of the nation to cross the Gyoichi Mountain and set up a formation on the north side of the Kyogoku family. They can wait for an opportunity to attack the Kyogoku family's flank. Since the Kyogoku family's march route is on our side, Then the Yuwu Lake side can move!"
...
At the foot of Jiyue Mountain.
After retreating, Nomura Mototaka walked into the formation with his head lowered and a look of shame on his face. When he saw Kyogoku Takamasa, he immediately knelt down on the ground, "I have failed my lord's high expectations. Please punish me!"
Kyogoku Takamasa also looked helpless at this time.
The front leg just sent someone to tell Nomura Mototaka to be careful, but before the person who sent the order set off, Nomura Mototaka was already ambushed.
Kyogoku Takamasa knew very well what kind of combat effectiveness the peasant soldiers had. It was normal for them to retreat when they were suddenly shot by a large number of enemy archers on such a mountain road.
"The opponent's general is Asai Bizenshou. If he doesn't even have this arrangement, I don't have to be so cautious. But Ma Shou doesn't have to blame himself. As the saying goes, knowing your shame and then being brave, you can just find your way back to the situation in the future!" Kyo! Ji Gaozheng quickly comforted him.
Nomura Mototaka nodded with an moved expression, then stepped aside and sat down.
Guilt?
It doesn't exist, I was just pretending!
"Inuhachiro, have you ever found out the number of people in the Asai family?" Kyogoku Takamasa turned back to Yamaoka Inuhachiro behind him and said.
Yamaoka Inuhachiro thought for a while and replied, "Back to my lord, I've been walking around the base of the mountain. In addition to Asai Bizen's defense team, there are also troops from the Amomori family and the Iguchi family participating in the battle. The number of enemy troops should be one thousand." "People around"
"It seems that Asai Ryomasa still attaches great importance to us."
"Let the Ashigaru men repair for a day, and I will go meet with Asai Ryomasa in person tomorrow morning!"
"ha!"
