It was the twenty-third year of May.

In the past few months, the Luo family has also made great progress in Fengqian and Fenghou.

At the end of February, after a series of fierce battles, Takeda Tsu Castle in Kunito County, Bungo Province was conquered by the 5th and 6th armies led by Tomohisa Oishi and Takeyoshi Murakami respectively. Takedatsu, who had been in the Kunisaki Peninsula for several generations, was almost wiped out.

After conquering the territory of the Takeda Tsu family, the Fifth and Sixth Route armies went straight along the coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula to Takada Castle, which was being attacked by the Fourth Route Army led by Kakukuma Ishimune and Akuta. Takada Castle, the Jixian family, which was attacked from both sides, was instantly in a state of turmoil.

In mid-March, the Nonaka family of Bunzen Province, who had resisted for several months, also surrendered in Kaejo. But Kumon Shigetada, Watanabe and others, who had long been angered by the stubborn resistance of the Nozhong family, directly slaughtered all the men of the Nozhong family in the process of receiving the castle. Afterwards, Komon Shigemada, Watanabe and others were punished by the main general Kinoshita Masanao.

At the beginning of April, the Yamada family in Kamimo County, the most stubborn point of resistance in the Bunzen Kingdom, was also ambushed in the pursuit of the Luo family's army because of Yamamoto Kansuke's fake retreat plan, and the Yamada family's army suffered heavy casualties, and Yamamoto Kansuke and Yoshida Shigemasa took the opportunity to take Yamada Castle in one fell swoop. The Yamada family also suffered the end of extermination.

With the destruction of these recalcitrant wealthy clans one by one, the entire territory of Fengqian Kingdom was completely incorporated into the territory of the Luo family.

In late April, Takata Castle in Bungo Province was finally conquered. But the capture of Takada Castle. The main reason for this was not caused by the joint attack of the Luo family's three-way army. Rather, it was the lack of food in the city that led to civil strife. Because of this, the army of the Luo family took the opportunity to attack the city. During last year's drought, the policy of opening granaries to help displaced people in Otomo Town, which was forcibly implemented, finally had a negative impact over time.

Like Takada Castle, Jiaowei Castle, which was the most rearly stronghold of the Otomo family at this time, was also in a crisis of food shortage. Everyone in the Otomo family never expected that the Luo family's strategy this time would be so resolute, and they have insisted directly from last year to now. It's been more than half a year.

Although Jiaowei City, as one of the important towns of the Otomo family, did reserve a lot of grain and other materials before, but due to the move of opening the warehouse last year, a lot of food in the granary was consumed, and now it has been besieged by the army of the Luo family for such a long time, not only the grain, but even the salt has long been used up.

And with the fall of Gaotian City, the armies of the Luo family also came to Jiaowei City one after another. By the end of May, the army of the Luo family had gathered nearly 20,000 people outside Jiaowei City. Seeing that the Luo family is about to launch a general attack on Jiaowei City. And because of the lack of salt and food, and being besieged for so long, the defenders in Jiaowei City have long lost the determination to resist.

May 28, 23rd year of astronomy. When the decisive battle was about to be held, Masahiro received a document shot out of Jiaowei City. The document invites the Roche family to fight tomorrow. But I hope that the Luo family can stop the attack on Jiaowei City today.

"I'm afraid there's fraud in this!" Kansuke Yamamoto, who learned the contents of the document, immediately said.

"Not bad!"

……

The rest of the generals in the Masarashi Honjin Great Tent also nodded in agreement with Yamamoto Kansuke's inference.

"My lord, please go to the city to persuade the Otomo family." At this moment, Tachibana Michiyuki suddenly asked for his life.

"Persuasion?" Zhengliang was stunned for a moment, and then smiled indifferently, "Dao Xue, the defenders in the city have been holding out for more than half a year, and at this time, they have proposed a decisive battle date to our side, obviously the other party has no intention of surrendering, and you will only increase the danger if you go in." ”

"Hey!" Tachibana Michiyuki sighed when she heard this, and then sat back in her place.

"No matter what tricks the other party has in this move, go down and immediately let the soldiers take precautions, and as for their appointment to fight, I will promise them." Zhengliang said later.

On that day, the Luo family agreed to the truce and decisive battle agreement of the Otomo family, so the fighting everywhere stopped for a while, and silence shrouded Jiaowei City inside and outside.

"Knock, knock, knock......"

"On the eve of the wine building, the border city is blue."

……

Not long after the armistice, there were bursts of small drums and singing from Jiaowei City. It is the famous rendige "High Hall" that is being sung loudly at this time. More than 3,000 soldiers of the Dayoujia family in the city couldn't help but burst into tears when they heard this song. They are ready to die with the city tomorrow.

"Is this the most deceased voice of the Otomo family?" When the song reached the ears of Masaliang outside the city, Masaliang looked at the towering Jiaowei City and muttered to himself.

On the second day, before dawn, Zhengliang put on a battle and personally came to Jiaowei City, beating the war drums to launch a decisive battle.

"Knock, knock, knock......"

"Kill! Kill! Kill ......"

With the sound of war drums, more than 20,000 Luo family troops shouted the earth-shattering shouts of killing, and began to attack Jiaowei City. This battle, in fact, decided the final outcome from the moment it began. How could the more than 3,000 defenders, who were short of salt and grain, be the opponents of the Luo family's army of more than 20,000 people, which was highly motivated because of the comprehensive seizure of the relevant areas of the Fengqian Kingdom and the Fenghou Kingdom, and at the same time had sufficient preparations?

So, from the morning, the deafening sound of war drums, iron cannons, loud cylinders, arrows, the neighing and mournful roars of war horses, and the shouts of the soldiers continued to resound throughout Jiaowei City until dusk.

In the courtyard of the castle lord's mansion full of cherry blossoms and morning glories, Otomo Yoshijin, who was haggard and full of faces, was sitting under a cherry blossom tree.

More than an hour after the decisive battle began, the clan warriors outside the courtyard kept coming in to report bad news. First, the wall of the outer pill was blown open by the terrifying weapon of the Luo family that could make a loud noise, and then a large number of Luo family's troops poured into the outer pill. Soon after, Ninomaru was also breached. In the afternoon, even Sannomaru was breached. Just in the square. The walls of Honmaru were also declared in an emergency. Seeing that the army of the Luo family was about to rush in.

For such a result. Otomo Yoshijin had expected it for a long time. In fact, as early as last year, as long as the Luo family was willing to pay a sufficient price, Jiaowei City would have been attacked by the Luo family a long time ago. However, as if the hateful Hizen Eagle was deliberately teasing and humiliating Otomo Yoshijin, it was slow to launch a real siege war. This feeling is like deliberately cutting Otomo Yoshijin's flesh with a knife, which makes Otomo Yoshijin ashamed and angry.

Every night, Otomo Yoshijin always dreams of the ugly face of Masara Roche. kept telling him: "I won't kill you, I'm going to keep your life and let you slowly watch how the Otomo family, which once dominated Kyushu, was eaten away by the Luo family step by step." I will trap you in the city until you are exhausted, and then I will give you a chance to die. ”

Every time he dreams of such a dream, Otomo Yoshijin wakes up from a nightmare and can't sleep for a long time. He had complained countless times that he had been born too late. If he had been born a few years earlier and inherited the position of the governor of the Otomo family a few years earlier, perhaps the final outcome of the Otomo family would not have been like this. When Otomo Yoshijin inherited the family governor, the Otomo family had already been hit by the Luo family to the point that it was only a mess. No matter how high his ability is, he can't fight with the wise and brave Luo Zhengliang with such a mess.

And in the life of Otomo Yoshijin. has never fought head-on with Luo Zhengliang, this time it is the time when the two face each other, but it is the time when the Otomo family is lost.

"It's time." After pondering for a long time, Otomo Yoshijin looked up at the afterglow of the setting sun and said suddenly. Otomo Yoshizhen's sudden speech made the attendant Koshiro, who was standing nearby, stunned.

Immediately, Koshiro heard Otomo Yoshijin's voice again: "It's time, Koshiro, make a mistake for me." ”

"Huh? Lord? Koshiro was immediately so frightened that he took a few steps back.

"Didn't you hear that? Mistake me. Even if my Otomo Yoshijin dies, he will definitely not be tainted by the lowly bloodline swords of the Luo family. Otomo Yoshijin said again.

"Mis...... Koshiro's faint voice seemed to melt into the twilight of the sun, "what if...... If it's fate...... Command, I ...... I will obey. After finishing speaking, Koshiro shuddered and pulled out the sword at his waist, and the snow-white blade immediately shone in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The sun had set in the west, but the sky was suddenly full of blood-red sunset. Seeing Koshiro's actions, the corners of Otomo Yoshijin's mouth were filled with a happy smile.

"Please ......"

Receiving the lord's order again, Koshiro picked up the sword, turned to the back of Otomo Yoshijin, and quickly raised it. However, for some reason, he suddenly staggered, his body shook, and it seemed that for a moment he could not find a place to go under the knife, and finally he fell to the ground.

"Koshiro, what's wrong with you?"

"Woo woo woo ......" Koshiro didn't answer, but cried loudly. He didn't know what he was doing, he only felt that his arms were numb and his legs were weak.

"Hugh is going to be long-winded, hurry up and ......," Otomo Yoshijin urged again.

"My lord, I ...... I...... I can't do the fault of the master. ”

"Can't do it? Well, then I won't force you. Hehe, resentment quietly arises, and when he finds out, the hatred has been dissipated...... "With that, Otomo Yoshijin suddenly pulled out the knife on his waist, brushed the ground, and stabbed the knife into his lower abdomen. The pain spread through his body in an instant.

However, at this time, his heart suddenly became ready to move, as if he was looking for a way to survive, "Heh...... I am born...... What...... Bear...... You? In the end, with a full of unwillingness, the twenty-first head of the Otomo family died in disgrace.

"Lord, please wait for me." Several of the retainers' guards who heard the strange noise in the courtyard also knelt in front of Otomo Yoshizhen and died of seppuku after seeing Otomo Yoshijin die. In an instant, the courtyard full of cherry blossoms and morning glories was littered with corpses.

"My lord, since you don't want to be tainted by the lowly bloodline of the Luo family after death, then I will follow your orders." Looking at the corpses all over the ground, Koshiro muttered to himself.

Then he trembled and walked to the stiffened corpse of Otomo Yoshijin, knelt on the ground, and gently, like a lover, cleaned the body of Otomo Yoshijin with both hands.

At this time, there were already bursts of shouts of killing outside the courtyard. It seems that the army of the Luo family has broken through the Honmaru and killed it. Time is running out.

So, Koshiro immediately stood up, and after saluting the corpse of Otomo Yoshijin again, he raised the sword in his hand. Suddenly "Ah" shouted, closed his eyes, and swung his whole body to the bottom. The head of Otomo Yoshijin was immediately cut off.

"Woooooooooo......oo Lord! Looking at Otomo Yoshijin's head that rolled to the side, Koshiro shouted and threw himself on the ground, holding Otomo Yoshijin's head in his arms.

After a long time, Koshiro looked up at the cherry blossom tree in front of him, and then slowly climbed under the largest cherry tree in the yard, leaning against the trunk of the cherry blossom tree, holding the head of Otomo Yoshijin in his left hand in his arms, and raising the knife pulled from Otomo Yoshijin in his right hand.

Smiling again, he glanced at the head of Otomo Yoshijin, and Koshiro suddenly shouted, "Lord, I'm here." With that, he stabbed himself directly in the abdomen. With severe pain all over his body, Koshiro slowly closed his eyes with a smile on his face.

A dusk breeze blew, and a few cherry blossom petals fell on the corpses scattered across the courtyard...... (To be continued......)