Yashiro the Blind

They are experts at beating a drowning dog to a pulp!

In an instant, banners fluttered and spears filled the air. From samurai to foot soldiers, and even the logistics troops responsible for supplies, everyone shouted excitedly. The two sides were roughly equal in strength, and the contest was nothing more than their morale, formation, and tactics.

Now, Ii Naotora has broken through several battles in a row, and the morale of the Miyoshi family has already plummeted. When they are attacked by the thousands of people that Tsutsui and Hatakeyama have been preparing for, their morale is like a snowball rolling downhill, and they are retreating one defeat after another!

"Lord Owari no Kami of Nagano has fallen in battle!"

"Lord Miyoshi Hyogo has fallen in battle!"

"Lord Saburo Goro Eda has fallen in battle!"

"Lord Nishimaki Kyubei...is dead in battle!"

One cry followed another, a cacophony of grief from their own side and excited shouts from outside. Miyoshi Nagayoshi sat on a stool, his face ashen, while Iwaki Tomomichi paced anxiously beside him: "Lord Hyuga no Kami, things are hopeless, we must go!"

"Leave? Where can we go! Shinohara Ukyosuke has already been defeated. If we are defeated as well, the Miyoshi clan's empire will be completely destroyed!"

"As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. Lord Hyuga no Mori, you can't throw your life away here!" Iwaki Tomomichi said, while giving a wink to the people next to him. They all hurriedly dragged Miyoshi Nagahisa to his feet.

The latter was still struggling, but it seemed he wasn't exerting much force: "I can't leave... How can I abandon my soldiers! Even if I die, I will stay here until the very last moment, I will never... I will never desert my post! Let me go, let me go... let me go!"

"Quickly, take Lord Hyuga Mori away!"

With a combination of dragging and pulling, Iwaki Tomotsu and the others managed to get Miyoshi Nagayoshi away from the main camp. But just moments later, a black horse galloped in and rushed into the curtained area.

Immediately, Zhihu was covered in blood from head to toe, even his hair and face were stained crimson, resembling the wrathful appearance of a Buddhist deity, inspiring fear.

Only his eyes remained clear and bright.

"Lord Miyoshi Hyuga no Kami, Ii Naotora has come to seek your guidance... Huh, where did he go?"

They charged forward with murderous intent, only to find the tent empty. Ii Naotora sat on his horse, blinking blankly, when suddenly an arrow shot out from behind and snapped the banner of Miyoshi Nagayoshi in two.

"Varied……"

When she turned around, she saw the prince riding in, a smug look on his face: "I was the first to seize the enemy general's flag, I won."

"Wait, that doesn't count—" Naotora's eyes widened.

"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond; you can't go back on your word!" The dragon prince puffed out his chest triumphantly, biting his lip, his face showing some resentment. Just as he was about to say something more, suddenly, a loud bell rang out from afar.

The sound echoed far and wide, lingering for a long time. Even though the two were inside the Miyoshi family's main camp, surrounded by the sounds of fighting, they could clearly hear the bell ringing one after another.

"A clock?"

The two looked at each other, both seeing confusion and bewilderment on each other's faces.

On the battlefield, in order to transmit different intelligence and orders, various musical instruments, flags, and even the specific length and number of sounds are all clearly defined. Among them, conch shells and horns are the most common, while taiko drums are usually used during attacks.

Because the bell's sound is deep and travels the farthest, it can be heard by as many people as possible, so it is usually used to command the entire army.

Now that even the enemy's supreme commander, Miyoshi Nagayoshi, has fled in panic, it's clear that the bell couldn't have been rung from Miyoshi's side. In that case, it could only be an order from the shogun.

Naotora initially thought the shogun meant for everyone to continue their pursuit, taking advantage of the Miyoshi clan's army's disorganized and chaotic retreat to expand their gains as much as possible. However, after discerning the situation, he was suddenly taken aback:

"Your Highness... is ordering us to retreat immediately? Why?"

……