Chapter 393 52. Seven Sufferings and Eight Difficulties Swearing to the Moon (Additional Update for Yao Yuyan)
The night at the Jing-no-dake Pass was a little chilly, with a few strands of plum rain floating from time to time. However, the ground inside the mountain pass became drier in the slightly cold wind, and the potholes and muddy ponds disappeared early in the morning.
"Tanzheng, from the current point of view, we can only hold out for two or three hours tomorrow, and it will be impossible to hold out for more."
Kanai Aigoro saw that there was no one around, and said it sincerely. He looked at Kobayata's thoughtful face and couldn't help showing a little bitterness.
The lords and daimyo naturally love their people, but the people they love are only those above the level of "people", and those below are just numbers in their eyes.
Kobayata is different. Since he is the Kanjo Bugyo of the Yamanouchi clan, he eats the salary of the emperor and is loyal to the emperor. Kobayata loves tens of thousands of people in the entire valley, regardless of high or low status.
The valley plain is flat and open, and the evacuated people carry their hands and shoulders, and carry the elderly and children. Now they may have just reached the foot of Gaoyuan City. Once Kobayata retreats here, the Takeda army will be like a tiger among sheep.
Moreover, Kobayata feels that he has the ability and should rescue the people. The two generations of the Yamanouchi family, father and son, have given clothes to him and given him food to him, and they are bound by gratitude. They treat Kobayata almost like half a son and brother. People are all made of flesh and blood. If they receive a favor, they should naturally repay it.
"Alas, Minggoro, my family has served the Yamanouchi family for four generations and has received the grace of the country. My father died at the hands of the Takeda family. I have both the meaning of repaying gratitude and the heart of revenge."
Kobayata stood up, looked at the shining moon in the sky, and put his hands together.
"I, Kobayata, swear to the moon god here that even if I suffer all kinds of hardships in this life, I will protect the Yamanouchi family!"
After that, Kobayata knelt on his knees and bowed respectfully to the moon in the sky three times.
Seeing Kobayata like this, Kanai Minggoro said no more. He was born in the Kanai clan of Kuragano, and there were dozens of people in the same clan, serving the daimyo such as Uesugi, Nagano, Hojo, and Takeda. It cannot be said that he was disloyal, but he was forced to seek refuge everywhere to maintain the family name, and then fought each other.
"Since Dansho is determined to do so, I will help you get what you want."
After saying this, Kanai Meigoro turned around and left. He also had to encourage his foot soldiers. Take care of their injuries and try his best to rescue his soldiers.
"Tatsuzo, come here." Koheita called Tatsuzo, who was bowing his head to check the armor and weapons and maintain them.
"Tanzheng, what's the matter?"
"How many years have you been with me?"
"It must be quite a few years."
"Time flies, you've grown up in a blink of an eye. You've been a servant for so many years, you've worked hard."
"I should thank Tanzheng for saving me from the cage."
"Don't mention that, I don't have anything to give you now. How about this, I will promote you to be my katami-mochi, give you my family name, and change your name to Kawabe Ieatsu from now on."
"Thank you, Tanzheng!" Tatsuzo knelt on one knee, bowed his head respectfully, and took a katana from Koyata.
...
Koyata, who hadn't slept all night, personally distributed rice balls to each foot soldier, patted their shoulders, shook hands, and tried to get to know every foot soldier who could still fight.
There was silence behind Nagaki, except for the extremely tiny sounds of chewing and swallowing. Occasionally, a few shrill bird calls came from the top of the Tsuyoshidake, which was a bit scary.
On the other hand, the Takeda camp opposite was bustling with people and horses. Everyone has heard about the commotion in the mountains, and they are powerless to resist. As long as they break through the Tsune-no-dake, they can plunder for three days. From samurai to battlemasters, everyone is happy and full of righteousness.
In addition, there is no rain today, and the weather is rare to be sunny, and even the ground is much drier. No matter how dangerous the Tsune-no-dake pass is, it will definitely not be able to withstand the thundering attack of 30,000 armored troops. The result has been predetermined.
"Stable manager, let Shiro take the lead today, and let their young people also make meritorious deeds."
Yesterday, Takeda Nobushige tried to attack and directly hit the low wall. The combat effectiveness of the armored troops and the weakness of Kobayata's defense were clearly checked. Today, the credit for breaking through Kobayata's defense will be given to Suwa Katsuyori. It is normal for a father to improve his son's reputation.
"What you said is right, it should be so." Takeda Nobushige has a special status. As a younger brother who has competed with Takeda Harunobu for the throne, he can still tolerate this matter.
"Kansuke, you first select 500 elite Suwa people to assist Shiro." Takeda Harunobu nodded and looked at Yamamoto Kansuke.
"Shiro, you take the Takekawa people and the iron cannon people who are your father, do you understand?"
"I understand!" Suwa Katsuyori agreed in a loud voice, like a newborn calf who is not afraid of a tiger.
The division was complete, and the Takeda army stopped talking nonsense. After the whole army had breakfast, each team was dressed in uniform, mounted their horses and held guns. The layers of soldiers and horses embraced the banner of "I am the only one in the world", and Takeda Harunobu personally went out to watch the battle.
...
"Fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!"
Tatsuzo, who had just been promoted to a samurai, personally commanded a team of iron cannon people, standing fearlessly, not caring at all that his 1.75 meter tall figure was actually within the range of the Takeda army's iron cannons.
Kobayata, on the other hand, did not hold a gun or a knife, but sat quietly under the Qianchengjin bamboo leaf horse mark, holding a bamboo stick and closing his eyes to wait.
The soldiers of the Suwa troop were like a tide, hundreds of them carrying a dozen bamboo rafts and charging towards Nagakaki. Years of fighting had made the A troop very coordinated, and the iron cannons behind the bamboo bunkers stopped firing, but the bows and foot soldiers were still firing all over the sky.
The soldiers of the Suwa and Wukawa soldiers have all seen big scenes. They can take a few bullets and kill a few people without affecting them at all. In particular, Yamamoto Kansuke and Suwa Katsuyori personally supervised the formation, with flags and horses behind them, and the soldiers were even more encouraged.
After Koheita's iron cannons fell into close combat, they were forced to fight with white soldiers of the Takeda Army with knives and guns. Thousands of people fought fiercely near this long wall, which was only a hundred meters long. Every moment, people wailed helplessly.
Even Imai Meigoro, who was strong and energetic, was out of breath from slashing and the speed of swinging his sword slowed down. Not to mention other people, they are just breathing heavily now.
"Banzheng, we can't wait any longer!" Pingliu looked at Xiao Pingtai anxiously while holding the iron cannon.
Last night, Ogasawara Nagamasa sent a cart of gunpowder and kerosene, and Iida also had to prepare for city defense, so he barely squeezed out this little bit to give to Heita.
This little material was a drop in the bucket, but with some fuel and gunpowder Xiao Pingtai had here, Xiao Pingtai secretly dug a shallow ditch outside Changyuan overnight. The kerosene and gunpowder were buried shallowly, and as long as the hidden match was lit, it would explode.
Of course, this can only be used once, once it is used it is gone.
"Okay!" Xiaoheita opened his eyes, and the nearest Takeda army was already trying to pull out the fence.