The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Chapter 94 Collapse of Xinhu Stone (Part 2)

"My lord! Run!" The lieutenant rushed to his side and grabbed his horse's reins. "Some powerful families have already escaped!"

'

Yukitaka knew that defeat was inevitable, but he still didn't believe that Mori had actually captured his castle.

He decisively ordered, "Go! Break through to Hushi!"

"Yukitaka Sanada!"

With a roar, his horse reared up in fright.

Has Mori Nagayoshi caught up?

The sun was about to set behind the mountains, and night battle was about to begin. The Mori army was unfamiliar with the terrain and dared not pursue.

"Tear down the flag!"

He gave a rather embarrassing order.

"Stop him!" the lieutenant shouted hoarsely.

The samurai swarmed forward. However, within a few breaths, five or six men fell.

Yukitaka couldn't care less about anything else and tried to ride away, but his path was blocked.

"Where are you going, Yukitaka Sanada?!"

Ogasawara Nagatoki————

Knowing he was no match for Ogasawara, Yukitaka had no choice but to turn around and flee.

However, he was soon attacked by Hattori Haruyasu, Maeda Keiji, and Hineno Hiroshi, and within fifteen minutes, he was surrounded again.

His hatamoto warriors surrounded him, waiting for his command to fight to the death.

But—can we win?

Black armor surrounded them from all sides. The routed allied forces of the powerful clans had vanished without a trace, leaving only him and his few dozen men. Even if they fought to the death, what could they possibly achieve?

"My lord—" the lieutenant pleaded in a low voice, "Let's surrender."

Yukitaka closed his eyes. He thought of his four sons, who were now serving as both a member of the vanguard and a hostage.

Cannot be lowered —

"Lord Mori!" he cried out almost pleadingly. "Let me die, please spare my retainers!"

"No!"

"What!" He drew his long sword, ready to fight to the death.

"I, Changqing, do not wish to take your head. I need you to negotiate with Lord Xinxuan!"

Nagayoshi didn't even dismount, looking down at Yukitaka from his high position.

He took off his mask, revealing his cold, indifferent smile.

"Please come with me, sir! Oochijo, once we've tricked him into opening Toishi Castle, we'll take him back to Iwamura!"

This is forcing Lord Shingen to withdraw his troops!

It would be better to commit seppuku!

He abruptly turned the blade in the opposite direction, but was knocked down by Changqing's spear.

"Ōnojo, shut him up. Lord Sanada, I'm so sorry you had to suffer like this!"

Late at night, Changqing used Xinglong to trick Hushi City into opening the gates and disperse the soldiers and civilians inside.

Ogasawara Nagatoki rode up to him, his face a mass of wrinkles.

"My lord, are you really going to burn it down? This is one of the strongest fortified castles in Shinano—"

"burn."

"But----"

"Lord Nagatoki. Do you remember the collapse of the whetstone?"

Ogasawara Nagatoshi was taken aback.

Of course he remembers.

Back then, Takeda Shingen attacked Toishi Castle with 7000 men, who were defended by 500 men. Due to the castle's strategic importance, they were unable to capture it despite repeated attacks. In the end, they were attacked from both sides by Murakami Yoshikiyo, and Takeda Shingen suffered a great defeat.

"We can't take this fortified castle now, so let's not leave it for the enemy. Once we take Shinano, you can build your castle wherever you want!"

Chang Shi understood that a single brilliant plan was not enough to restore his family business, but he still couldn't hide his disappointment in his tone.

"Understood, Your subordinate."

Changqing offered a few words of comfort, and then issued the order.

The Mori army threw torches at the houses in the city.

A raging fire broke out in Hushi City. The flames illuminated half the sky, and could be clearly seen even from dozens of miles away.

This firelight was meant for the powerful clans of Shinano to see.

It was also intended for Takeda Shingen, who was far away in Mikawa.

"Let's go." Changqing turned his horse around. "The entire army will retreat and surround Kiso Fukushima Castle."

Meino Country, Iwamura Castle.

Takenaka Shigeharu unfolded Nagayoshi's military orders, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

"Father-in-law, my lord has ordered us to go to Kiso Valley."

-

Mamoru Ando leaned over for a look, his face filled with disbelief.

"What's the point of going there? Kiso Yoshiyasu has already made preparations for defense, and we don't have enough troops to attack the castle!"

"My lord means to scare him a little—"

"siege?"

"This forces Takeda Shingen to retreat! Now Akiyama Nobutomo has been captured, Sanada Yukitaka has been taken prisoner, and Toishi Castle has been burned. If Kiso Yoshimasa also defects, by spring, Shinano will be the Uesugi family's ranch!"

Shou shook his head and smiled.

"Sigh—I was really tormented by Lord Mori back then, but now I feel relieved, at least I wasn't captured alive."

Knowing his father-in-law was implying something, Shigeharu smiled and said, "With two important ministers captured alive, Lord Shingen must be worried."

.

Owari Kingdom, under Naguno Castle.

Shingen circulated the military report sent by Shinano to his generals.

"My lord," Yamagata Masakage finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "please give the order. I am willing to lead three thousand troops back to Shinano."

Shingen did not answer.

"My lord!" Baba Nobuharu also raised his head. "We can't delay any longer. Sanada has been captured, Toishi Castle has fallen, and the powerful clans of Shinano are all living in fear. If we don't return with our troops, Uesugi Kenshin will invade Shinano next spring."

Nobushige Oyamada sneered, "They wouldn't dare! They can't withstand Takeda's wrath."

Nobuharu Baba scoffed at Nobushige Oyamada's confidence.

"My lord, only when the powerful clans see our reinforcements will they feel at ease!"

That's enough.

Shingen rubbed his temples.

Tokugawa still refused to surrender and continued to harass his rear.

The castles of Owari ahead are still holding out.

Asakura and Asai negotiated peace with Oda again, while Mino still had several thousand Oda troops.

Shingen showed signs of fatigue for the first time during the Battle of Kyoto.

The whole of Shangluo now feels just like when I annexed Shinano back then—the goal seems both very close and very far away.

"My lord," Yamagata Masakage stepped forward, "I dare to speak."

"explain."

"In my opinion, Mori Nagayoshi's purpose in this battle was not to occupy Shinano. He only had 2000 men in Shinano. Even if Sanada were captured, even if Toishi Castle fell, he could not hold Shinano. He did all this for only one purpose: to force his lord to return."

"Changjing, you said you would send the vanguard back. Then let me ask you, how many vanguard soldiers are there?"

"—Three thousand."

"Three thousand against three thousand, can we win? Since we're going to retreat, we must stabilize Shinano! To prepare for the spring, we might need ten thousand men!"

Yamagata Kagemasa was speechless.

"Pass on the order."

"Reporting, my lord!"

"explain!"

"Kiso Fukushima is surrounded by 5000 people, and Kiso Yoshiyasu sends a messenger to request rescue — and —"

"What else—speak up!" Shingen kicked the dirt impatiently.

"The messenger also carried a letter from Mori Nagayoshi—"

Takeda Shingen smiled bitterly.

This was the first time he had ever heard of such a way of sending letters.

The messenger entered, and Shingen offered a few words of comfort before reading the letter.

Shingen almost laughed in anger.

Instead of discussing peace, the other party demanded that he ransom the people.

In the letter, Nagayoshi stated: "Back then, Lord Shingen seized people from other countries to collect ransoms, violating regulations by raising prices several times over, causing families to be torn apart in northern Shinano and other regions. Today, Nagayoshi is willing to follow Lord Shingen's example and requests that 8000 kan be prepared to ransom one of my retainers."

Moreover, he was told to redeem only one person; Shingen naturally understood these subtle tactics of sowing discord.

But even if he were to pay 16000 guan to redeem the two people, he couldn't do it now.

Kai's gold mines are almost depleted, and a lot of military funds have been spent on marching to Kyoto. Next year, they will also have to deal with Uesugi.

"Alas—" Shingen sighed.

Some chess games, once they reach the middle game, seem to have an end in sight.