The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Chapter 91 Takeda Invasion

In April of the twelfth year of Yonglu (1569).

Nagayoshi, upon returning to Gifu, received the message brought back by Ogasawara.

Uesugi and Hojo have formed an alliance!

Takeda Shingen is now nearly fifty.

After annexing Suruga, Takeda and Hojo became completely opposed to each other.

Meanwhile, Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo seemed to enjoy fighting Shingen and always tried to prevent Shingen from going to Kyoto.

Every spring, when the snow melted in the mountain castle, Uesugi Kenshin would come to challenge them. He ignored Takeda's requests for peace, which greatly annoyed Shingen.

Last winter, Shingen began his campaign to reach Kyoto, with messengers traveling back and forth between the western provinces of Hiei, Noto, and Ise.

However, as soon as spring arrived, Shingen's messengers had to travel back and forth between Echigo and Kanto.

In July, Oichi gave birth to another son for Nagayoshi, who was also raised in Gifu. Because Oichi was becoming more and more ferocious, like a shrew, Nagayoshi named his second son "Yashamaru".

In September, Oda Nobunaga led his main army to Kyoto again to fight for Settsu against the Miyoshi clan, who had returned to power.

Nagayoshi was ordered to stay behind in Mino, along with 6000 men from the West Mino Triumvirate. Together with Nagayoshi's garrison at Iwamura Castle, the total number of men was 8000.

Meanwhile, Takeda Shingen defeated Hojo Ujiyasu and returned to Kai.

In October, with heavy snow about to close the mountain passes, Takeda Shingen realized that his chance to march on Kyoto had arrived.

Ieyasu and Shingen once signed a secret agreement to divide the provinces of Suruga and Totomi, with the Oi River as the boundary.

Shingen broke the treaty and, using Amano Kagekiru, the lord of Inui Castle in Tōtōmi, as an inside agent, sent Akiyama Nobutomo to attack Mikawa and Tōtōmi.

He thought Tokugawa would give in, but he never expected that Tokugawa would disregard his own life and family and take the initiative to attack.

The lords of various castles in Totomi and Tokugawa clashed with Akiyama Nobuyuki in close combat, and neither side gained the upper hand in the long battle.

Ieyasu even personally led the troops into battle, defeating Akiyama Nobuyuki and driving Yamagata Kagemasa out of Suruga.

Without waiting for Takeda to retaliate, they immediately withdrew to Hamamatsu.

Takeda Shingen had limited time and was unwilling to get entangled with Tokugawa for too long.

He led 30000 troops from Kai into Mikawa, and then sent Yamagata Masakage with 5000 men from Mikawa into Tōtōmi.

"Once the Kai army arrives, Ieyasu will swallow his pride and allow himself to pass through the Tokaido."

"I believe that Gen will never repeat the mistakes of Imagawa. Tokugawa should not be underestimated!"

Shingen's words subtly gave Ieyasu ample face.

When Tokugawa's retainers heard that Shingen's army was pressing in, voices of opposition to war began to emerge, but Ieyasu was determined to go his own way.

He sent a messenger to Nobunaga.

The letter stated: "In the last Battle of Anegawa, I, Ieyasu, took the initiative to lead troops to aid Lord Nobunaga. Now, my obstruction of Takeda is not for the benefit of Tokugawa, but to protect Oda. Please send reinforcements as soon as possible."

However, just as his letter arrived in Gifu, a military report from Akiyama Nobutomo, announcing that he was leading troops from Shinano to Iwamura, also arrived.

Winter was drawing ever closer, but Oda's reinforcements were nowhere to be seen.

Shingen then captured Nagashino and Sakitekari castles in northern Mikawa, attempting to subdue Ieyasu, who was far away in Hamamatsu.

At this moment, Ieyasu understood Azai Nagamasa's reasoning for retreating to Odani Castle before the Battle of Anegawa.

We must wait for reinforcements! We cannot launch a reckless attack!

Just when he was about to despair, he finally received a reply from Nobunaga: he had ordered Takigawa Kazumasu, Hirate Sakae, and Sakuma Morimasa in Ise to lead 3,000 men to his aid.

Nobunaga did not explain to Ieyasu why the reinforcements numbered only three thousand, though both knew the truth.

Ieyasu was forced to start spreading false rumors that Oda's 10,000 reinforcements were coming.

In November, three thousand reinforcements finally arrived, and Ieyasu prepared to fight with all his might.

Akiyama Nobuyuki's army arrived at the foot of Iwamura Castle. Looking at the two mountain cities of Iwamura and Daqing, which were a few miles apart, he fell into deep thought.

How can we fight this?

If I go to Meinong to cause trouble, what if I get locked up and beaten?

Siege? With its three fortified cities, Iwamura and Daqing are mutually exclusive; even with only two thousand men stationed there, he couldn't take them down.

Retreating would be even worse, as that would be allowing Oda to support Tokugawa.

So he divided his troops and surrounded the two cities, and sent out scouts to gather intelligence on Mino's military situation.

In the Hiroma area of ​​Gifu Castle.

The powerful families who remained in Mino were awaiting Nagayoshi's decision.

Footsteps sounded from outside the corridor, and Ōnojo entered. "My lords, Lord Mōri has arrived."

Nagayoshi then came in, asking Ogasawara Nagatoki as he walked, "What's the situation with Akiyama Nobuyuki?"

"Today's scouts have returned. The Akiyama army is still dividing its forces to surround Iwamura Castle and Daikei Castle, with no signs of attacking. However, they have increased the number of scouts they have sent into the Mino hinterland."

""

"Want to see how many of us there are?" Changqing sneered.

"Takeda is merely trying to contain us! I'm sure you gentlemen can see that too!"

"You're right, sir," Inaba Ittetsu nodded. "Akiyama Nobuyuki is a fierce general of the Takeda clan. He doesn't attack the castle because he's afraid of exposing his forces."

"Then let's strike," Changqing said.

As a separate unit, Akiyama Nobuyuki would not have many troops.

As soon as he finished speaking, the powerful families were filled with doubt.

Ujiie Shimotsuzu frowned: "My lord, our mission is to defend Mino against a Takeda attack. Currently, the main Takeda force is engaged in battle with the Tokugawa in Mikawa; we only need to hold Mino. If we were to launch a preemptive strike—"

"If we take the initiative, we can bring the war to Shinano. With Akiyama Nobutomo holding us back here, Shingen can focus on dealing with Ieyasu. Once Ieyasu is defeated, we'll be next."

"But we only have eight thousand men. It won't be difficult to repel Akiyama Nobuyuki, but if Asakura and Asai attack, I'm afraid we won't be able to withstand them!"

"Asakura doesn't have the confidence, and Asai won't gamble!"

After all, both of these families had just suffered a major defeat, and Asakura was also facing the problem of heavy snow blocking the mountain passes.

"If we act quickly enough, by the time Shingen reacts, Shinano will already be in chaos. If Shingen ignores it, Uesugi will find it even more troublesome in the spring."

The generals looked at each other in bewilderment.

Ogasawara Nagatoki stepped forward and said, "You're right, sir!"

He was determined to retake Shinano, and now that he had finally seized the opportunity, he naturally supported his lord wholeheartedly.

"But—" Inaba Ittetsu wanted to say something more.

"I know what you are worried about. You are worried that if we are defeated, Mino will be lost. But have you considered that Shingen has sent all his troops to Kyoto this time? The Shino he left behind will surely be empty."

Nagayoshi hung up the map drawn by Ogasawara Nagatoki.

"The powerful clans in western Shinano and the Takeda have always been outwardly united but inwardly divided, and Lord Ogasawara has been managing them for two years. If we attack, we can relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao!"

Three days later. One mile outside Iwamura Castle, at Akiyama Nobuyuki's camp.

The scout knelt on the ground. "The Oda army has always kept its gates closed, with only scouts going out to scout each day."

But----

"It's too quiet," Nobuyuki Akiyama muttered to himself.

Just then, Kikuhime walked into the military tent and laughed, "Father, you're overthinking it! I don't think Mori would dare. A mere eight thousand men are not enough to defend the entire Mino region. If they divide their forces to fight, what if—"

Before he could finish speaking, shouts of battle suddenly came from afar.

Xinyou suddenly stood up: "What happened?!"

A scout came running: "Sir! Daqing and Yancun have suddenly opened the city gates and sent out troops! They have already broken through our western defense line!"

How many people?

"More than a thousand people!"

"What's going on here?" Xinyou sat down. "More than a thousand people abandoned the city?"

Kikuhime drew her sword: "Father, even if there are demons outside the city, wouldn't it be a great achievement if we seized the city?"

"I can't take the risk! We must retreat!"

However, before the order could be issued, another scout reported: "Sir! Mori Nagayoshi is here with reinforcements from Akechi and Toki!"

"What?"

Xinyou was stunned.

Mori Nagayoshi personally led the attack? Has he gone mad?

He had already investigated Mino's troop strength; at most, there were eight thousand men. Where did he get the confidence to defeat him?

Xinyou gritted his teeth and said, "Order the entire army to converge on our main camp!"

But it was too late.

Changqing gave him no chance to retreat.