Kawasaki Yorihiro heard that Takenoi wanted to test the city's reaction with a bow and arrow, and although he was a little puzzled about using a bow and arrow instead of an iron cannon, he did not refute it. If the castle guards were able to flee as timidly as Yonago Castle's Niko Seihisa, there would be no need to set fire to the mountain.

More than 100 bows and arrows were shot at Yabashi Castle. The distance was not enough, the bow and arrow did not cause any real casualties, only one unlucky man was so frightened that he fell from the city, fell a leg, and a terrible cry rang out, so frightened that the defenders lay on the ground and did not dare to look up.

The performance of the defenders in the bow and arrow naturally made the armored Yoshida Genshiro very dissatisfied, most of the bows and arrows fell on the city gate, and there were even people who fell down in fright, and the terrible screams made the morale of the city plummet, he clenched his fists and shouted: "Prepare for the relatives, let's go out, face the archers and frustrate the enemy's spirit, as long as the enemy's first attack is thwarted, one blow, then decline, three and exhaustion, when the time comes, we will be able to obtain favorable conditions." ”

"Kill!"

Genshiro Yoshida rode his horse down the hillside, holding the reins in one hand and his gun stick in the other, just pointing straight ahead, and behind him there were more than a dozen horsemen on war horses, and more than thirty ashigaru wearing full gear and back to the flag, all of them quickly ran down the hillside.

Genshiro Yoshida roared his morale while riding his horse: "The general of the Date family, you are only more than a thousand people, and it is really stupid for you to dare to come and seize my city. The art of war is cloudy, and ten rules surround it. When you come from afar, the soldiers are tired, and there are only a thousand people, how can you attack the city. Let's try our strength first. Let's see if they want to attack us. Brothers. Let the Date Army, who came from afar, take a good look at the power of the San'in samurai, kill, and kill the spirit of the San'in samurai. ”

His remarks, firstly, were to boost morale, and secondly, to shake the hearts of Date troops.

Takenoi looked at the defenders who rushed out, glanced back at Kawasaki Yorihiro, and sneered: "Look, isn't this coming out automatically?!" Iron artillery team prepares. Concentrate your shots! "Behind the archers, an iron artillery corps of more than 100 people has been prepared for a long time.

Genshiro Yoshida rode his horse towards the archers, and when they crossed the moat, they were already more than twenty paces away, when suddenly the bamboo fence in front of them gave way to a road, and the archers also moved to both sides, revealing the swarthy muzzles of their guns behind them.

Genshiro Yoshida shouted in shock: "Everyone stay away!" Almost at the same time, an iron cannon rang out, one after the other, like a series of firecrackers, with the roar of the iron cannon. A puff of blood splattered out. It's a good aim, and it's very close. In addition, the Yoshida people were about to rush through the moat and gather together, and it was the time for the Iron Artillery Team to play its strongest role.

Genshiro Yoshida was shocked, and several holes appeared in his chest, and then the cavalry who came from the horses next to him let out a series of screams, and with only a row of guns, the eleven cavalrymen who rushed to the front line fell to the ground, and they were no longer afraid.

"Kill them all!"

Takenoi's order was given again.

The soldiers who had been preparing for a long time heard the order of the Takeno Clan, and immediately rushed forward, and under the random sword, the remaining thirty or so Ashigaru who were blinded by the sudden blow were suddenly slaughtered, and none of them were spared.

The progress of the times is so cruel, the emergence of new weapons, often the renewal of tactics, the Date family, as the pioneer of the first use of iron cannons, is also groping for progress in the use of iron cannons, obviously, they have taken half a step more.

Beneath this half-step lies the blood of countless people.

In the 16th century, the original guardian of the Hakuki Province, the Yamana clan, was in a state of civil strife, and his authority was lost, and the power of the people of the Hachiki Province such as Nanjo, Koga, Yamada, Komori, and Yukamatsu was divided. Taking advantage of the infighting of the Yamana clan, Niko attacked the Boqi country for a long time, and the collapse of the fifth year of the fourth year of Oei, the Niko clan dominated the Boqi country, among which the Xibo Qimatsu clan and the Murakami clan fled to Yasui and joined the Ouchi clan, and the Yamada clan of the Higashiboqi country retreated to Taji, and the Koyashi clan and the Nanjo clan succumbed. The head of the people of the East Bo Qi Kingdom is mainly composed of the head of the Tojo Bungo Mori Mayo of the Feather Castle and the head of the Iwakura Castle Duck Sweeping Department, among which the treacherous and cunning Nanjo Sokatsu occupies the position of the leader of the alliance, and the rest of the people are small forces that do not form a climate, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nanjo Munekatsu, Motosu and his son are all the retainers of the Nanjo clan.

Of course, at this special time, Nanjo Munekatsu is not very ugly, and he has formed an alliance known as "Tobo Elder Kokuichi". The treaty makes it clear that when another country invades its own country, it is necessary for the country to unite and fight back. The Ichikumi here is a pure military alliance, mainly to counter Niko Haruha's revenge. With the fall of Yatsubashi Castle, more and more bad news spread to the originally relatively peaceful Toboki Kingdom, and Nanjo Munekatsu had to convene an emergency meeting of the "Higashiboqi Castle".

The meeting place is, of course, the residence of Nanjo Sokatsu, Haroroishi Castle.

Located on the upper reaches of the Haromo River, the castle is a mountain castle with an altitude of more than 370 meters, and has been the main castle and base of the Nanjo clan since the castle was built 189 years ago.

The members of the Higashibo-Koku Ichi-kuni were told that the Date family had not only subjugated Bizen, Bichu, Bigo, Mimasaka, Harima, Aki, and Iwami Province, but now they had taken control of the Nishibo-kuni, and that the Hatsuhashi Castle in the Higashi-bo-koku had also fallen into the hands of the Date family.

Obviously, the topic is the pressing question of how to deal with the arrival of the Date family.

Nanjo Munekatsu, who was sitting in the first place, frowned into a Sichuan character, and the emergency military information that came to his hand from the front line of Yatsushi Castle was completely unexpected by Nanjo Munekatsu, the speed of the Date army attacking the city was too fast, and when he arrived at Yatsubashi Castle, he broke through Yatsuhashi Castle in one battle.

Date Jun is unfamiliar with Yatsuhashi Castle, but for the natives of Dongboqi Kingdom, Yahashi Castle is an eternal pain in their hearts, and it is not that they have not attacked this castle, but they have failed three times in a row, and they have paid a heavy price.

Now that it would be so easy for the Date army to break through, it would be an easy victory, which made Nanjo Munekatsu feel better, and what made him feel even more frightened. Since the Date army is coming from the direction of Xibeqi. Then the country of Xiboqi has obviously fallen into the hands of the Date army.

News from the Kingdom of Xiboqi confirmed his estimates. It's just that the information he got made him feel even more incredible, yes, on April 7, he entered the Boqi Kingdom, and on the first day he attacked Otaka Castle, on the second day he captured Yonago Castle, and on the third day Yahashi Castle fell.

I didn't expect the Date army to be so arrogant, and the arrogant soldiers and fierce generals had this problem. Not long after he inherited the family business, he had seen such an army, which was also his enemy. Niko has been seizing the Izumo country for a long time, and he is at the peak of his life, leading a large army to invade the country of Boqi, and he is still marching forward, and he is not afraid of any place in the country of Boqi that can threaten him.

Nanjo Munekatsu's original intention to resist had already been worn away by the momentum of the Date army's soaring momentum, and the Date army broke through the pass and defeated the enemy, winning one after another in almost one day and one city, which was the peak of the army. And his own side was caught off guard, and was originally intimidated by the Date army once when he was preparing for the former country, and now he didn't have the courage to block the Date army's troops. Just look at the looks of the people around you. No one wants to be the mantis with the mantis arm as the car.

Little Duck Yuanban gritted his teeth fiercely and said: "The Date army that attacked Eight Bridges City is only a thousand, counting the sum of those who stayed behind in Xiboqi. The number of Date troops was no more than three or four thousand. "Aged and sophisticated, he deduced the total number of Date troops from the Battle of Yatsubashi Castle alone.

Nanjo Munekatsu said: "To become the vanguard of the first army, it must be the elite of the elite, the leader of the Date army." Otherwise, only 3,000 men would dare to break into Bozhou, and seize most of it in three days, and no one would have the courage to do so. ”

The duckling Motoban said solemnly: "The one who entered the Boqi country is only the vanguard, and there must be the main force in the country that has not moved, and the movement of the Date army should be to do something to the Izumo country, and now Iwami, Ani, Bigo, Bichu, and Misaku are all in their hands, and if Boqi is successful, the Izumo country will fall into a state of affairs surrounded on all sides." He would never have imagined that the Date army that had invaded the country of Boqi at the moment was only 3,000 men.

Nanjo Nobumoto, the younger brother of Nanjo Munekatsu, asked, "So how many do you think the Date Army has?" ”

Five thousand, tens of thousands, or more.

The duckling couldn't guess by guessing, and Nanjo Munekatsu also fell into deep thought. The key to their problems at the moment is that the enemy situation is unknown, and everything is purely speculation. If we knew how many Date troops were coming, we would at least be able to respond appropriately.

All of this was caused by the speed at which the Date army broke through the city, but it was obviously a fool's idea to fight against this imposing Date army at the moment. Nanjo Sokatsu took a deep breath and said, "Sweep the head, everyone, I have summoned you here, do I want to discuss with you how to go next in the Dongbo Qi Kingdom, is it war or peace?" This question is related to the fate of your and my families, the rapid fall of the Xibo Qi Kingdom, the fall of the Eight Bridges City, I don't know what you think, you can say it! ”

The tone in Nanjo Sokatsu's words already showed that he was ready to make peace, and now he just wanted everyone to make peace with him, and the duck Motoban first expressed his agreement and said: "Bungo Mamoru, the situation is in crisis, it's up to you to decide." ”

Everyone agreed.

Nanjo Munekatsu looked at everyone, he had already made up his mind, as the head of the people of the Toboqi Kingdom, he would not put the lives of his entire clan on the cliff because of the dignity of the samurai, he stood up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the only way to do this is to abandon your dignity and obey the powerful Date family. ”

On April 9, news of the fall of Yonago Castle finally reached Izumo Province, causing a violent shock.

In the White Deer Castle of Izumo Province, Niko Haruhisa, who was driven out of Mt. Tsukiyama Tomita Castle by his son, is obviously much older, and his beard has turned white in just a few months. Hearing the news from Mihoki, Niko Haruhisa could barely control her feet, trembling and pressed against the pillars next to the corridor to support her.

The two famous Nizi Haruhisa in Sanyin and Sanyang trembled violently at this time, and shouted in a low voice: "This is impossible, the Date family will attack the Boqi Kingdom now, what are they going to do, do they want to pacify the Chinese region and seize the Izumo Kingdom." ”

Niko Haruhisa was defeated by Date Masaki in Bizen Province before, and he always thought that Date Masaki won by luck by intrigue and trickery, but he had to admit that it was the defeat in the Battle of Bizen that led to the subsequent series of events.

But the successive setbacks have put Niko Haruma under great psychological pressure, and today I heard that Date Advance Army invaded the Boqi Kingdom, and the Shingu Party was defeated and destroyed, occupying Xiboqi, obviously in his heart, the Date Army was not just attacking the Boqi Kingdom, and the next step should be the Izumo Kingdom.

Yushan Feibi, who came in a hurry, hurriedly ordered the attendant to step forward to support Nizi Haruhisa, who shook off the attendant's hand, opened his eyes, glanced at the only retainer who was loyal to him now, and said in a deep voice: "The arrival of the Date army will be a variable, and the specific situation must be investigated. ”

Yushan Feibi suddenly remembered something, and his face darkened, but he still said: "Your Highness, more than ten years ago, Miura Hisaku came to report the funeral on the order of Date Masahiro, do you remember?!" "Miura's funeral has caused Uyama to be furious, but it has a different meaning when I think about it today.

Of course, Niko Haruhisa knew about this matter, more than ten days ago, Miura Kusaku came to report the funeral, Date Masahiro Masamu Lady Uyama died of illness, and more than ten days later, the army invaded the Boqi Kingdom, why was it so compact, this made him also fall into contemplation.

Yushan Feiyi's deep voice sounded again: "Your Highness, the current situation is that the Date clan is strong and the Nizi clan is declining, and it cannot be reversed in a short time, and it is only a matter of time before the Date clan obtains the Boqi Kingdom, but risks and opportunities coexist, and it is a signal to release reconciliation." ”

Niko Haruhisa fell into deep thought with a "hmm", and after a while, he said: "The Date clan has already included all the territories around Izumo Province, and will seize Izumo Province in the near future, now is not the time for chaos, it is time to release the signal of reconciliation." ”

Before Yoshihisa Niko could respond to the signal of reconciliation released by Haruhisa Niko, another piece of news completely shattered his dream of peacefully seizing Tsukiyama Tomita Castle. Misawa of Misawa Castle, with the support of Mitoya Kufu, Akaxue Morikiyo and others, began to rebel on April 10, and played the banner of supporting the Date family to stay in Izumo Province, leading an army of 7,000, claiming to be 20,000 to the outside world, and besieged Gassan Tomita Castle.

Niko Yoshihisa, who had just turned fifteen years old and took Getsan Tomita Castle by expelling his father, was obviously unpopular, causing the Nizi family to drift away from morality, and the city was full of dissatisfaction, he obviously did not expect such a thing to happen, and his mind was full of blanks: "This...... How is this possible?! ”

The attacking Misawa military action answered Yoshihisa's stupid question, and thousands of archers came to the outside of Tomita Castle under the protection of the bamboo gate, and then swept the castle head with a rain of arrows. Arrows rained down into the city, overwhelming the defenders at the top of the city. (To be continued......)