The night is getting late.
In the Kuchiki family camp outside Kaijin City, peasant soldiers in groups of three or three relied on each other and fell asleep.
As ordinary peasants and soldiers, their living conditions are naturally not guaranteed.
The samurai masters might be able to live in tents that, although not very comfortable, would at least provide protection from wind and rain. But for these peasants and soldiers at the bottom, having a campfire to keep warm is already the greatest luxury.
Some clever farmers and soldiers will "occupy" a tree early and lean against it to rest at night.
The slightly slower peasants and soldiers could only sit in groups of four or five, relying on each other's backs to fall asleep with difficulty.
Shinnosuke is one of these ordinary peasant soldiers.
He was born in a mountain village in the Kuchiki Valley. The village has a small population of more than 20 households with more than 100 people.
Shinnosuke, who is in his thirties this year, has not yet married. In addition to the most fundamental reason - poverty, the more important reason is that he has three brothers who have not yet married, so it is not his turn yet.
As a farmer whose life has basically lost its meaning, Shinnosuke's only hope is to go out to fight with his master's family, fight with his own life, and maybe get some trophies.
After the battle of Xinzhuang City ended yesterday, Shinnosuke and more than a dozen other peasant soldiers plundered several villages outside the city.
Although several groups of people had visited before, Shinnosuke still found a few copper coins in a house in this village. This was enough to make Shinnosuke happy for several days.
Shinnosuke is considered a veteran on the battlefield. He has been fighting since he was fourteen years old and has twenty years of combat experience.
Although he has yet to win over one person, for being able to survive so many battles, it must be said that Shinnosuke is considered a talent.
Waking up from his dream, Shinnosuke felt a little thirsty.
After groping in his arms for a while, he took out a cloth bag.
Untying the rope that tied the bag, Shinnosuke took out a prune from inside.
People who don't know better might think that Shinnosuke would eat the plums in one bite, but Shinnosuke just put the plums in front of his eyes and stared at them carefully, thinking about the sweet and sour taste of the plums, his mouth was filled with saliva for a while, and he didn't feel thirsty at all. .
The Great Celestial Dynasty's "Looking at Plum Blossoms to Quench Thirst" was vividly interpreted in the RB Warring States Period.
Although it seems outrageous and incredible, in this era, peasants and soldiers would prepare a few pieces of prunes to put on their bodies before the war. When there was no water source nearby, they would take them out to "look at the plums to quench their thirst", and the effect seemed to be very good. Respected.
"Shinnosuke, did you hear anything?"
While Shinnosuke was still having "endless aftertaste", another peasant soldier nearby stopped Shinnosuke.
Shinnosuke knew this peasant soldier as Iwakuro from the next village. The two had not had a fight over water sources in the village a few years ago, but that was an old thing.
"What's wrong, Iwakuro, is there something wrong?"
Iwakuro was a detective when he was young, but after his right leg was injured, it was not very convenient to move, so he was "wasted" and became an ashigaru head, managing several peasant soldiers.
This can be regarded as a reward for Iwakuro's injury.
"I just heard something. It seems like something is approaching. What about you?" Iwakuro looked around and said with some worry.
Shinnosuke quickly put the umeboshi back, picked up the bamboo spear leaning against the tree and stood up, scanning the surroundings with a vigilant expression.
"Shinnosuke, don't be nervous, maybe I just heard wrong." Iwakuro, who didn't notice anything unusual, comforted him.
Shinnosuke shook his head with a solemn expression, "No, Iwakuro, look behind you."
Iwakuro looked back and saw a few birds fluttering rapidly in the woods behind him under the moonlight. Farther away, there were also a few birds flying around the branches but refused to stop.
Someone!
A lot of people!
As an experienced detective, Iwakuro realized in just a moment that there were a large number of people approaching him in that direction.
And that direction is Haijin City, so there is only one possibility.
enemy!
"Run!"
Iwakuro and Shinnosuke looked at each other and shouted in unison.
Soon, the two of them woke up their companions.
These people were peasant soldiers from several neighboring villages, and were led by a local leader named Miyamura Zuomayun. Miyamura Samayun's camp was a few hundred steps behind. Iwakuro's legs were inconvenient, so he asked Shinnosuke to go and warn him, while he and his companions quietly retreated towards the rear.
The place where they were stationed before was at the outermost part of the camp. Once attacked, they would be the first to be attacked, so they must stay away from this place of right and wrong at this time.
As for whether you will be punished for escaping or something, that has to be done first to save your life.
Miyamura Zuomayun was a little unhappy. He was woken up when he was sleeping soundly.
What a bastard, don't they know I like killing people in my dreams?
"Shinnosuke, is the sky falling? You are disturbing my sweet dream at this time!"
"Sir, it's bad, there are a large number of enemy troops approaching us from the direction of Haijin City!"
"Scaremongering!" Miyamura Zuomayun said with disbelief: "How dare people from Haijin City leave the city?"
"Sir, the frightened birds in the woods to the north are flying around the trees. Isn't this a sign of the enemy?"
Miyamura Samayun is not an idiot, and he also reacted after hearing Shinnosuke's words.
"No, we must inform the lord immediately!"
"Shinnosuke, I leave this place to your command. I will report to the lord right away!"
Mudd!
Looking at Miyamura Samayun who was hurriedly getting dressed, Shinnosuke was already cursing in his heart. This guy clearly wanted to run away.
No matter, the samurai master has run away, so it’s no big deal if we follow him.
After Miyamura Samayun left, Shinnosuke quickly found Iwakuro. As soon as the two of them joined forces, they immediately took advantage of the darkness of night to escape to the forest in the northwest with a dozen of their companions.
If a fight breaks out later, they will hide in the woods and wait and see.
If the war situation is favorable to the Kuchiki family, then they will fight back.
If the Kuchiki family begins to collapse, then they can withdraw from the battlefield early.
As soon as Shinkuro and others left, the Numata family's troops in Kaijin Castle finally approached the Kuchiki family's camp.
Numata Mitsukane asked Numata Mitsunaga to stay in the city, and he started a night attack plan with 300 peasant soldiers and 20 samurai.
Of course, people like Kyogoku Takamasa and Hatayama Nobubu are also among them.
"Sakyo enters the palace, the enemy doesn't seem to have noticed us?" Looking at the Kuchiki family peasant soldiers still sleeping in front of him, Numata Mitsukane looked at Kyogoku Takamasa beside him with a happy face.
Kyogoku Takamasa slowly drew out the sword from his waist, and suddenly shouted: "The enemy is right in front, please follow me to kill the enemy!"
"Anyone who asks for the head of a Kuchiki family warrior will be rewarded with ten swords of gold!"
Kyogoku Takamasa's sudden shout not only startled the Kuchiki family's troops who were still sleeping nearby, but also many Numata family's troops.
But soon, when the peasants and soldiers of the Numata family heard clearly what Kyogoku Takamasa just said, their eyes suddenly turned red.
