Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

He charged out of the camp on horseback. Shichibei, with no time to say more, immediately ordered his troops to reorganize the camp left behind by Ōtomo Yoshitaka. Although it had been utterly destroyed by the Shimazu, the high ground still served as a stronghold. Especially crucial was controlling the Tochigawa River; otherwise, the army wouldn't even have water and would be trapped on the mountain, facing certain death.

Having finished crying, Shiga Chikaji accepted Shichibei's orders expressionlessly. Holding high his large banner of the Christian cross, he ran tirelessly around Mount Iida, desperately summoning the scattered Allied troops. He gathered them behind his horse, three or five, eight or ten at a time.

The friendly forces, who fled in panic, were not actually lacking in fighting spirit.

The very same Ōtomo Army that once dominated northern Kyushu and appointed Ōtomo Sōrin as the Kyushu Detective is now standing before us. Why were they so powerful before, and why are they not now?

One incompetent general can bring ruin to the entire army.

A general is the courage of his troops. If a general is cowardly and weak, how can he expect his soldiers to fight bravely? With his great friend Yoshitomo, let alone commanding a large army, he would have a hard time even keeping his own crotch in check.

One after another, the Otomo army gathered under Shiga Chikatsugu's banner, and before nightfall, more than two thousand men had gathered behind his horse. If it hadn't been so dark, he might have been able to gather even more troops.

But there were no buts. As darkness fell and we found ourselves in enemy territory, it was better to remain still than to move.

With a sense of unease in his heart, Shichibei was naturally unable to sleep. He could only stare at the campfire in front of him, listening to the soldiers' hushed chatter and the crackling of firewood cooking rice.

It is unknown how long Takatora Todo will be gone, and even less known what Aso Korechika and Kai Muneun are thinking.

After listening to Toudou Takatora's frank explanation, Aso Kore was somewhat bewildered. He hadn't expected that Nakamura Koreyu, who had sworn to fight for the Aso family to the end just a few days ago, would be so easily subdued.

The Shimazu clan was defeated. Even more unexpectedly, the Kawamura army, which had been prepared to fight to the death just days before, had now become the lifeline for the Aso clan.

Bungo Ōtomo Yoshitsugu has been defeated, and it's impossible for him to mobilize a large army to reinforce Higo in the short term. Ryūzōji Takanobu is reportedly trapped in Saga Castle and is barely clinging to life. If Kawamura Chōkichi is also eliminated, the Aso clan will be utterly destroyed.

Kai Muneun asked Todo Takatora whether the Aso family would continue as a daimyo or as a high priest.

Of course, it's the Grand Master!

From now on, Higo will only have one daimyo, and that will be Kawamura Nagayoshi. Everyone else, whether they are senior retainers or followers, even if they have high stipends of 30,000 or 50,000 koku, will only be subjects. No more daimyo will be allowed, regardless of whether they are independent or not.

Some issues can be discussed and compromised, but the bottom line cannot be compromised. Allowing the Aso family to survive and preserving the priesthood at the Aso Shrine is already the greatest act of tolerance.

Look at Shimizu Muneharu from the neighboring Bitchu, a general of the eastern Bitchu, with 5,000 cavalry under his command. He committed seppuku to save the lives of the castle's soldiers. And then there's Yoshikawa Tsuneie from Inaba Tottori Castle, who also chose to commit seppuku to save the lives of his soldiers.

It's already incredibly lenient of us not to make your head of the family and elders commit seppuku.

However, Aso Koremasa was truly uneasy about losing his status as a daimyo in his generation, given that the prestigious Aso clan of Higo had existed for over five hundred years. He could accept becoming a vassal daimyo of Ryuzoji Takanobu, since the Aso family was still considered a feudal lord, and that status remained unchanged.

By siding with Kawamura, one could preserve their family, but completely lose their status as a daimyo. Don't think this is a better choice than the death of your entire family. Times change, and people make different choices. Aso Korechika truly didn't want to become a mere priest in his generation, without the title of daimyo.

Our ancestors toiled through thorns and brambles, enduring frost and dew, to build this family fortune and this prestigious position. To lose it in my hands is no different from taking Aso's life.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

Torn between inner turmoil, Asou turned his gaze to Kai Muneyuki. Kai Muneyuki was also troubled; he understood the crux of Asou's hesitation. He also understood Asou's desire to make the decision for him, but he couldn't bear to do so.

"If today's discussion fails, the Aso clan will cease to exist tomorrow!" Seeing the silence of those above, Kai Chikahide finally couldn't hold back any longer and spoke directly.

Speech.

Hesitation, hesitation, and more hesitation. What good would it do to cry out loud? Submitting to Kawamura now would only mean losing my status as a daimyo. If I remain on the sidelines now, sometime this month next year, on the anniversary of the deaths of all of you here...

What, Aso? Go to the Sanzu River and talk to your ancestors.

Provoked by Kai Chikahide's words, Aso Koremaru was finally moved. After stopping Kai Muneun from cursing his son, Aso Koremaru ultimately chose to submit to Kawamura on the condition that he receive 8,000 koku of rice in his homeland and the hereditary priesthood of Aso-no-kyoji.

As for guarantees? There are no guarantees. Asuwei is a childless watermelon, over sixty years old, and has not left behind a single child. His younger brother, Asuweizhong, is the same, over forty years old, and has not even seen a hair on his head.

The two had a sister who married Irida Chikamaru of Bungo, but her entire family was killed twenty years ago. The Aso family didn't actually need Shimazu Yoshihiro to kill them; their line was about to end anyway.

At most, if the brothers Wei Jiang and Wei Zhong are still alive, there is still a glimmer of hope. If the two brothers are gone, then we can only wait for annihilation.

It was Kai Muneun who spoke up, expressing his willingness to personally leave the city to take responsibility.

One of Asu's maids became pregnant and is currently being held hostage in the city. Although it's unknown whether it's a boy or a girl, she's pregnant and considered the only heir of the Asu family's next generation. Couldn't she be taken along?

Row!

Todo Takatora stated that he would remain in Mifune Castle to stay by Aso Korechi's side. Kai Muneun escorted Aso Korechi's concubine out of the castle, acting as a hostage for the mutual trust between the two sides.

"I have been waiting for you two for a long time." Seeing Kai Muneun escorting Aso Koreto's concubine, Shichibei finally felt relieved.

"From now on, everything will be in the hands of the Jingzhao Hall." Kai Sōun wore a plain monk's robe, no armor, and even carried prayer beads, looking just like a true monk.

As for the pregnant concubine, Shichibei could only instruct someone to bring her to the central tent of the camp. There was no other way; it was a one-for-one exchange of hostages. Todo Takatora was so young; exchanging him for an old monk and a pregnant woman might not be worthwhile. They had to keep her under their control as a precaution.

"The Shimazu army will surely attack tomorrow. Only by joining forces with you can we defeat them." Shichibei said without further ado.

On the spot, a red-inked certificate was issued authorizing the 8,000-stone commune leader to manage the affairs of the people.

With this piece of paper, even if they complained to Oda Nobunaga, their Aso family would still have 8,000 koku to rely on.

"This humble monk will pray for victory for the Jingzhao Palace, no, for certain victory." Kai Muneun accepted the vermilion seal and, after confirming its accuracy, ordered his trusted retainer to deliver it to the Imperial Ship Castle overnight.

The two sides reached a peace agreement.

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint glimmer of light appeared in the sky. Winter mornings come late, but they have finally arrived. The once quiet camp bustled with activity again; after all, it was the army that Shichibei had sustained with Tensho Gold Coins and Yongle Tongbao coins. Even in the face of battle, there was little panic; they continued to fetch water, start fires, and cook soup and meals as usual.

Even in war, you have to be well-fed before you can go into battle.

Seeing that Kawamura's army remained calm and composed in the face of a major battle, Kai Muneun immediately realized that the Aso clan had made the right gamble. He had long been familiar with the Shimazu army's bravery and cunning. But the Kawamura army before him was even better, possessing not only courage but also composure.

It is as swift as the wind, as slow as the forest, as aggressive as fire, and as immovable as a mountain.

As Sun Tzu said, we have already seen half of what he meant by "the army of Kawamura." First, they were able to advance swiftly from Iwao; second, they remained unmoved even when facing a superior enemy force.

Perhaps this battle will not only result in victory, but may also severely damage the Shimazu clan.

569. All the elite soldiers went out to fight on the spot.

When Shichibei, fully clad in his Milanese children's plate armor, rode his horse across the entire camp, all the soldiers and generals rejoiced. While Shichibei didn't possess unparalleled bravery, he was known for his integrity in rewards and punishments, balancing kindness with authority. He commanded immense respect and authority within the Kawamura family and the army, earning the respect of all.

Kai Muneun, who was following behind Shichibei, saw a sincere adoration in the eyes of every soldier from Kawamura who was paying attention to Shichibei.

This is a kind of "spirit" that is priceless. In his sixty years of life, Kai Muneun believed that he had only seen such a majestic aura once or twice from the eyes of ordinary soldiers.

You really can't judge a book by its cover. Kawamura Chokichi may be an ordinary person, but he has won over so many people.

The drumbeats of troop formation resounded from the central army camp, as swarms of soldiers poured out from their respective camps, coalescing into ranks, each raising their banners in unison. Shichibei, high on his horse, stood guard in the center, a large horse emblem with two tassels fluttering in the wind. Another large, pure white banner also stood high; amidst Nobunaga's comprehensive elevation of the Oda clan's senior retainers, Shichibei had already completed the compilation of his own lineage, becoming a member of the Minamoto clan.

courtier.

Three hundred drumbeats fell, and the conch shells whistled as the thirteen thousand cavalrymen of Kawashima Village (including the Hachiya Corps) were arrayed and marched out in triumph.

Originally planning to defend first and then attack, Shichibei, after receiving the cooperation of the Aso clan, ultimately decided to engage in open field battles with the Shimazu army.

I learned from the remnants of Takamori's army that the so-called seven or eight thousand cavalry of Shimazu Toshihisa were mostly wavering Higo no Kunihisa's followers. They had only surrendered to the Shimazu clan a few days ago and were unlikely to fight to the death for them. The fact that they could fire three arrows and three shots for Shimazu Toshihisa in battle was considered their duty to him.

The truly core force consisted of Shimazu Toshihisa's main force of 3,000 cavalry, and the reinforcements of Shimazu Yoshihiro and his 8th generation. What was there to be afraid of? Excluding the Higo Kuni clan, we were outnumbered and had the advantage!

Back in the day, when I was at Mikatagahara, the Takeda cavalry numbered in the tens of thousands, their troops surging in like a tidal wave. My army crumbled, and we were routed on all sides, yet I still managed to hold them off with a sliver of strength. Today, they are but a mere ten thousand enemy cavalry; what is there to fuss about?

The conch shell stopped, the flags fluttered, and Kawamura's army marched towards Shimazu.

The Shimazu army within Kuma-sho Fortress consisted of over 7,000 cavalry under Shimazu Toshihisa, as well as troops from Satsuma and Ōsumi provinces led by Shimazu Yoshihiro, and troops from southern Higo and Ashi provinces.

In the northern region of Yadai County, there were no fewer than five thousand cavalry. The two brothers combined their forces to thirteen thousand, confident that they could handle any enemy situation with ease.

To their utter surprise, Kawamura Nagayoshi, who lived on the opposite Iida Mountain, came down from the mountain to try and engage the Shimazu army in a field battle. The two brothers were overjoyed by this decision, as it was exactly what they wanted.

Shimazu was clumsy in siege warfare but excelled in open field battles, appearing and disappearing unpredictably and employing countless tricks. Right now, the two felt Shimazu had a huge advantage and could simply charge forward like a pig and easily tear apart Kawamura's army. They wanted to show these weak soldiers from the Kinai region the might of the Satsuma Hayato.

It's just war, right? I, a Satsuma Hayato, get excited and feel energetic whenever I hear about war.

Inside the fortress, the Shimazu troops and Higo soldiers left their positions one after another, striding forward to meet the enemy. They formed a large square formation with Shimazu Yoshihiro in the center, Shimazu Toshihisa on the left flank, and the Sagara army on the right flank. In front of the formation were the Higo soldiers, driven into battle; whether they had been retainers of the Kikuchi, Ōtomo, or Aso families, they were now cannon fodder.

Compared to Shimazu's ruthlessness, Shichibei was more lenient. After the rout, Shichibei did not immediately send the Ōtomo troops, who had been gathered by Shiga Chikatsugu, back to the battlefield.

Previously, when they departed from Kishiwada and Sakai, Shichibei and the other officials...

As I had said, there was no need to bring all the servants and lowly men; just bring our own banners. The idea at the time was that although the total mobilization force was no less than 20,000 cavalry, only 10,000 cavalry needed to be deployed this time, but the scale of our Kawamura army could not be small.

That's what we need to do—be bold and unrestrained!

The flags that were eventually brought to Kyushu were the flags used by the more than 20,000 troops. They were distributed to the more than 2,000 allied soldiers who had been gathered together, and the flags were raised high at the foot of Mount Iida.

It's obvious to the Shimazu army that there are still several thousand real soldiers on the mountain. If you're not afraid of death, then send your special forces to raid my rear.

It would be difficult to expect the large allied forces, whose commanders have likely been killed or fled, to immediately participate in today's battle. However, it shouldn't be too difficult to keep them under control, hidden behind the main army, and merely stand by.

We know they have just been routed and are defeated soldiers, but Shimazu Yoshihiro and Shimazu Toshihisa do not know this.

Seeing that they were all wearing the Kawamura Army flags, standing in layers all over Mount Iida, it was hard to make the decision to sneak up behind their backs.

This is also the main reason why Shichibei dared to field all his main forces.

One reason was that the army was deeply trapped in enemy territory, and friendly forces had been defeated and fled. Without a fight, there was no way to win.

"The Shimazu forces are quite well-organized." Takenaka Hanbei, serving as the magistrate of the central army, gazed across the river.

"Hiss... Kawamura's men are actually standing at attention." Seeing Kawamura's army standing still like mountains, Shimazu Yoshihiro, who was on the opposite side, finally put away his slight contempt.

The army's formation was as imposing as a mountain, a capability only a well-trained, regular force could possess. If they were peasants hastily recruited, they might not even be able to form a proper square formation. Their ranks would be crooked and their weapons a motley collection.

But the Kawamura army in front of them was not only standing in rows, but also quiet.

Aside from the sound of the wind and the fluttering of flags, the Kawamura army opposite was unusually quiet. This indicated that the Kawamura soldiers were all composed veterans, able to keep their minds focused and trusting their comrades. They neither looked around nor whispered among themselves.

A formidable opponent indeed.

However, Yoshihiro Shimazu simply remarked, "You may be strong, but I'm even stronger. Hayato Satsuma isn't afraid. So what if they're a strong enemy? We'll have to test their mettle with swords, spears, and cannons to see how formidable they truly are."

"It's more than just well-organized." Shichibei, on horseback, had enough height to see the Shimazu army launching an attack on their side on the plains.

In open field battles, defense is actually easier. Both the East and the West have records of using chariot formations and ranged attacks to defeat large-scale infantry and cavalry legions that are far stronger than their own. For example, Liu Yu's Crescent Moon Formation, and Jan Žižka of the Czech Republic.

Since the Shimazu army was willing to launch an attack, why would Shichibei be unhappy about it?

"Why is there still no movement at Mifune Castle?" Takenaka Hanbei turned his head and looked in the direction of Aso Korechika of Mifune Castle.

Aso probably doesn't think he still has the strength to remain neutral, does he? Once the battle between the Shimazu and Kawamura armies outside the castle is decided, their next target will definitely be Mifune Castle. Neither Shimazu Yoshihiro nor Kawamura Nagayoshi will allow a fence-sitter to exist.

"That's human nature." Shichibei was a small merchant by trade; what didn't he understand?

Otherwise, why would I think it's not worthwhile to replace a strong man like Todo Takatora with an old man and a pregnant woman? It's because I anticipated that although Aso Korechika had already sided with Kawamura's army, he still hoped to see Kawamura's army gain some advantage before leaving the city.

After all, it was good that Shichibei was allowed to give Aso Omiya the 8,000 koku of rice, but this was based on the premise that Kawamura's army would win. If Kawamura lost, the two or three thousand men he had would be his only remaining asset for defending the city.

Mifune Castle is known as a fortified castle, with two to three thousand men stationed there. It can hold off Shimazu Yoshihiro for a while, and there may still be a chance for a turn of events.

"They really don't understand anything." Takenaka Hanbei was more than qualified to say that.

Even before the castle of Sukuhou was built, he judged that Oda would surely win and Saito would surely lose. So he did not hesitate to persuade the three members of the Nishimino clan to surrender to Oda, thus allowing the three Nishimino clans to survive the chaos.

Compared to his decisiveness, Asuwei has lived for over fifty years in vain, like a child.

"Send someone to urge them again." Although Shichibei said he wasn't in a hurry, he was still somewhat anxious inside.