Japan's Warring States Period: The Rise of the Wakasa Tiger

With a "clang" sound, a long spear flew through the air and stabbed into the grass more than ten feet away.

Under the astonished gazes of Yunfeng Longxing and the other horsemen, Kuchiki Hidemitsu slumped to the ground, then turned his head away and sighed, "I lost."

Seeing this, the middle-aged warrior who was fighting with him put down the red-tipped Ichimonji gun in his hand, walked up to Kuchiki Hidemitsu, stretched out his hand and said respectfully: "I was just lucky at the moment, sir, don't mind it."

Kuchiki Hidemitsu did not reject the man's kindness, but naturally pulled his hand and stood up, then said respectfully: "You are worthy of being the 'Blood Spear Kuro', I admire you."

It turned out that this middle-aged warrior with sword-like eyebrows, deep eyes, clear facial features and a sturdy figure was the good friend mentioned by Sakakibara Nagamasa the day before, Nagasaka Nobumasa, a retainer of the Matsudaira clan known as "Bloody Spear Kuro".

"After just a dozen rounds, Yahachiro was defeated. His spear skills are truly amazing!"

"Back then, Yahachiro fought with Lord Shengxin for more than fifty rounds. Judging from this, his spearmanship should be better than Lord Shengxin's."

"My God, Lord Sheng Xin is already a master of spearmanship in our family, and this guy is even better than him. He is indeed a fierce general!"

A group of stablemen from the Wakasa Takeda family were standing not far away, talking to each other, which made Yunfeng Longxing, an outsider, curious.

"Matabei, I don't quite understand. Did Yahachiro lose completely in this competition?" Yunfeng Longxing asked.

As one of the best spearmen among the horsemen, Awaya Tadahisa nodded affirmatively: "Except for the first few rounds, Yahachiro has always been at a disadvantage. In my opinion, he has done his best to last more than ten rounds!"

"So, this Nagasaka Jiulang is indeed a brave general." Yunfeng Longxing nodded slightly.

"Of course!" Awaya Tadahisa nodded excitedly and responded excitedly: "If we can really recruit this person to serve the lord, it will definitely be of great benefit to our family!"

"I understand now." Yunfeng Longxing said to himself with satisfaction, "It seems that Lord Changzheng is not exaggerating."

Just as he was thinking about it, Nagasaka Nobumasa and Kuchiki Hidemitsu came side by side to Yunfeng Ryuoki and Sakakibara Nagamasa and bowed to the two "mentors".

"Master, do you think Jiulang is qualified to serve the Takeda family?" Sakakibara Nagamasa asked with a smile.

"Your Excellency should have heard what these guys discussed just now," Yunfeng Longxing pointed at the group of horsemen behind him and replied to Sakakibara Nagamasa with the same smile: "Now it depends on whether Lord Nobumasa is willing to go to Wakasa with you."

As he spoke, Yunfeng Longxing turned his head to Nagasaka Nobumasa and asked kindly, "Sir, what do you think?"

Nagasaka Nobumasa was a straightforward person. He did not think too much about Yunfeng Longxing's question and answered directly:
"I believe in Sun Julang's vision. Since he can take a fancy to the Takeda family thousands of miles away, your family must be special. I just want to say one thing, wherever Sun Julang goes, I will go."

"Haha, it can be seen that Lord Nagamasa is quite charming." Yunfeng Longxing teased.

Sakakibara Nagamasa hurriedly shook his head and said with an awkward smile: "Master, please don't say that. This is Jiulang's own decision. I just provided him with a choice."

"My Lord, don't be modest," Yunfeng Longxing said respectfully, but with a hint of intimacy in his tone, "From now on, we are a family, there is no need to be so polite."

"Master is indeed a straightforward person!" Upon seeing this, Nagasaka Nobumasa not only had a better impression of Yunfeng Longxing, but also strengthened his determination to serve the Wakasa Takeda clan.

"I am just not telling lies." Yunfeng Longxing responded with a smile, "Logically speaking, since this is a talent recommended by me, I should personally bring him back to Wakasa for my lord to examine. Unfortunately, I have other things to do, so I have to trouble you two to go to Wakasa on your own. I will write the recommendation letter and give it to you today."

"That's not a big deal. We will set off together and we will have someone to take care of us on the way. Master, you don't have to worry. However, I have another request..." Sakakibara Nagamasa said a little embarrassedly.

"Just say it." Yunfeng Longxing gestured.

"As you know, Mikawa has been plagued by wars recently, and the number of bandits has increased greatly. It is common to see defeated soldiers and deserters forming groups to rob. I am worried about leaving my wife and children in Mikawa, so I would like to take this opportunity to ask the master for a favor, hoping to take my family to Wakasa to avoid the pain of separation between the two places." After saying this, Sakakibara Nagamasa prostrated himself on the ground and made a sincere request to Yunfeng Longxing.

"Master, I also want to bring my family to Wakasa, please grant my permission." Nagasaka Nobumasa also imitated Sakakibara Nagamasa and asked Yunfeng Longxing.

"It is human nature to bring family members with you. I think it should not be a problem. The lord will definitely help you settle your families." Yunfeng Longxin was not surprised by this, especially with the current situation in Sanhe, it was reasonable to raise such a question.

"However, judging from the current situation in Mikawa Owari, the journey to Wakasa is not safe. How about this, I will assign two samurai from our family to escort you on the journey." Yunfeng Longxing suggested kindly.

"Master, we appreciate your kindness." Nagasaka Nobumasa bowed and thanked Yunfeng Longxing, "These warriors are here to protect your safety, how can we occupy them? With the skills of me and Sun Julang, it will not be a problem to protect your family. Besides, I have a few brothers who are willing to accompany you, so we will definitely reach Wakasa smoothly."

"Those who can be called 'brothers' by Lord Nobumasa must be extraordinary people. If possible, I can recommend one or two to the lord in Wakasa." Yunfeng Longxing has always been sensitive to talents. When he heard what Nagasaka Nobumasa said, he naturally hoped to recruit more talented and ambitious people to the Wakasa Takeda clan through him.

"Jiulang, you didn't tell me yesterday that someone was going to Wakasa with us." Sakakibara Nagamasa asked curiously, "But I should know your little brother too."

"Of course you know them, they are Fujizo and Zenjiro." Nagasaka Nobumasa replied.

"These two guys really can't sit still." Sakakibara Nagamasa said with a wry smile.

"You know what, if they hadn't known that I was going to Wakasa, they would have planned to join the Oda family." Nagasaka Nobumasa interrupted, "They can't stand the current state of their family, and they are unwilling to be committed to the Imagawa family, so they had the idea of ​​running away." "With the two of them accompanying us, we don't have to worry about the journey." Sakakibara Nagamasa said confidently.

"Who are the Fujizo and Zenjiro you two are talking about?" Yunfeng Longxing heard from the conversation between Nagasaka Nobumasa and Sakakibara Nagamasa that these two people should not be ordinary samurai.

"I forgot to introduce myself to the master," Sakakibara Nagamasa just then realized that Yunfeng Longxing was left out in the sun, and hurriedly explained to him:
"You may not know that Fujizo is the eldest son of the Yonezu family, Tsuneharu Yonezu, and Zenjiro is Takagi Kiyohide, a native of Mikawa from the Takagi family. Although they are only fourteen years old, they are brave in battle, and their spear and sword skills are good. They are both rare talents. Given time, they will surely become powerful generals who will shock the world."

"Indeed, although they are young, their strength is definitely not bad," Nagasaka Nobumasa also showed a high degree of recognition for the two. "In the 'Battle of Anxiang Castle' a few days ago, Zenjiro killed three people in the battle, and Fujizo also killed two people while accompanying me to cover the rear. It is no exaggeration to say that in a few years, the two of them will definitely be stronger than us."

"Since I have received such high praise from you two, I really want to meet you." Yunfeng Longxing said expectantly, "But I still have to go to Sunpu and cannot stay here for too long. How about this, I will meet you again when I return to Wakasa later."

"Master, you mean... you are willing to recommend Fujizo and Zenjiro to Muei-den?!" Nagasaka Nobumasa was overjoyed, but he still explained to Yunfeng Longxing: "Their original intention was to go to Wakasa together as my samurai, and they did not expect to be employed by Muei-den alone. Master, you don't need to worry about them."

"I believe in your ability to judge people," Yunfeng Longxing responded, "If they are really talented, then my trip will be worthwhile. As for whether they can gain the master's approval, it depends on them themselves."

"Thank you for your recommendation, Master!" After hearing this, Sakakibara Nagamasa and Nagasaka Nobumasa hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed excitedly to express their gratitude.

At noon that day, Yunfeng Longxing continued his journey eastward under the escort of Kuchiki Hidemitsu and others.

At this time, thousands of miles away in Tsukiyama Tomita Castle, Akihisa Niwa, who thought that everything was ready, finally waved his hand and officially launched the crusade against the Mori clan.

On August 20th, according to the plan, Akihisa Amago mobilized the people of Izumo, Iwami, Oki, Hoki, Inaba, Bimasaka, Bitchu and the Shingu party, a total of 33,000 people, and rushed straight to Aki Province.

After learning from the failure of the previous advance battle, Akihisa decided to abandon the route of attacking Yoshida-gunyama Castle from Bingo and instead go in the direction of Iwami, that is, enter Iwami from Akana, and with the cooperation of Yoshikawa Oki, attack Aki via Tsuga, Kuchiwa, and Tajihi.

On September 4, Aki Akihisa entered Fukoshiyama, northwest of Yoshida-gunyama Castle, and immediately ordered General Yuhara Munetsuna to lead 3,000 troops on the left wing, and Aki people such as Takao Hisatomo, Kuro Masahisa, and Yoshikawa Okige to the right wing. At the same time, he stationed heavy troops in Aiai, Shirazutoge, and Aishimotani to guard the flanks of the main camp. After everything was ready, he planned to launch a strong attack on Yoshida-gunyama Castle in the near future.

After receiving the news that the Amago clan was coming to attack, Mori Motonari immediately took action.

He first formulated an overall strategy of "sieging the city and waiting for help". In addition to mobilizing 2,400 troops with all his might, he also ordered farmers, merchants, craftsmen and other civilians outside the city to bring all resources and food into the city to ensure that there was sufficient food in the city. At the same time, he provided them with weapons. It can be said that "old, young, old, women and children all went into battle". In total, there were 8,000 people gathered, and they were determined to die.

At the same time, the army was mobilized to build defensive positions in the areas from Qingshan, Guangjingshan to Duozhibi, and to survey and select suitable places for ambushes in preparation for the attack.

In addition, Mori Motonari also sent out a call for help to the surrounding countries, but not only were there few responses, but many people also turned against the Amago army under intimidation and joined the Amago army.

However, there were still some Aki people who stood firm and sided with the Ouchi and Mori clans.

For example, Shishido Takaie and Shishido Motomoto, the grandfather and grandson who had defeated Shingu in the advance battle, still stood on the side of Mori Motonari. They not only laid siege to Goryū Castle, but Shishido Takaie also led his troops into Koriyama Castle to assist in the defense. Mori's wife's family, the Fukuhara clan, laid siege to Suzuo Castle, and Kobayakawa Okikage, Sugi Takaaki and other people under the Ouchi family also stationed troops in Saka and Toyoshima in case of emergency.

On September 6, the Amago army broke into Ishishuguchi with the intention of plundering rice, but Amago Akihisa found that the castle town was not only empty, but also that not even a grain of rice could be plundered. In a rage, he set fire to the castle town and surrounded Yoshida-gunyama Castle.

On September 23, Akihisa Niwa abandoned Fukoshiyama and moved his main camp forward to between Aoyama and Mitsuiyama.

Therefore, the defense of Fukoshi Mountain, where a large amount of food and military supplies were stored, became extremely weak. Seeing an opportunity, Mori Motonari immediately sent a hundred troops to raid Fukoshi Mountain under the cover of night. Not only did they rob a considerable amount of rice, but they also set fire to a large area of ​​the camp on Fukoshi Mountain, causing panic among the Amago army to a certain extent.

However, this level of night attack could not cause any serious damage to the Amago army. Mori Motonari, who saw the situation clearly, began to urge Ouchi Yoshitaka to send troops to support.

After receiving the request for help from the Mori army, Ouchi Yoshitaka immediately ordered Tao Longfang to prepare for war and asked the Takeda clan in Aki to send troops to assist. However, Takeda Motomitsu used the excuse that his retainers such as Shinagawa Nobumasa had repeatedly obstructed him to delay the dispatch of troops, which displeased Ouchi Yoshitaka.

The fact is that after Shinagawa Nobumasa in Ginzan Castle received the news, he immediately sent someone to inform Akihisa Niwa to speed up the offensive against Yoshida-gunyama Castle.

However, Akihisa Amago believed that in order to capture Yoshida-gunyama Castle, it was necessary to cut off its external aid, and the first to be cut off would be the military and food supplies to Yoshida-gunyama Castle from Sugi Motosho and Kobayakawa Okikage of Shimotsu Castle.

On September 26, the general of the Amago army, Yuhara Munetsuna, led 1,500 elite troops from Aoyama, crossed the top of Ikenouchi and approached Shimotsu Castle. Unexpectedly, they were attacked from both sides by the armies of Mori, Sugi and Kobayakawa. Yuhara Munetsuna's army immediately fell into chaos and had to flee towards Ikenouchi.

Under the relentless pursuit of the Mori army, the panicked Yuhara Munetsuna's horse got stuck in the mud and could not move forward or backward. He had no choice but to commit suicide by seppuku. The "Battle of Ikenouchi" ended with the defeat of the Amago army.

After failing to capture the castle after a long siege and losing his great general, Akihisa Niwa became furious and decided to launch a strong attack on Koriyama Castle step by step.

On the early morning of October 11, the Yoshida Basin was still shrouded in thick fog, but the Amago army had already struck the jintai drums and blew the conch shells. Under the order of Amago Akihisa, 10,000 Amago troops led by the Shingu party arrived at the Koriyama Castle, preparing to launch a strong attack on Yoshida Koriyama Castle.

In response to this, Mori Motonari changed the siege tactics he had previously formulated and decided to take the initiative to go out of the city to fight.

Unlike a head-on field battle, Mori Motonari divided his military forces into three parts:

The first group of 500 people was led by Watanabe Michi, Kokuji Motosho, Kodama Norimitsu and others. The second group of 300 people was led by Katsura Motosumi and Kuriya Motoshin, and both groups were used as ambushes. The third group was led by Mori Motonari himself, and confronted the Amago army head-on, with the aim of luring the Amago army into an ambush.

On the side of the Amago army, in order to annihilate the main force of the Mori army, Amago Akihisa sent his important minister Kamei Hidatsuna as the chief general, and led Misawa Tameyuki and Yonehara Tsunahiro from the "Amago Ten Flags" to engage in a fierce battle with the Mori army in the Dodori Bridge area. (End of this chapter)