Chapter 478 37. Thousands of Families See You Off
Ten thousand Hamamatsu troops marched forward, with the continuous mountains of Shinano and the winding waterway of Tenryu River on both sides.
Wherever the army passed, birds and beasts flew, leaped and fled. There was no end to the endless troops and horses. The preparation of Ina Street had only been completed halfway in the past ten years, and many roads were still in poor condition.
Looking at the scenery of the two mountains, Xiao Pingtai was full of thoughts. The soldiers were silent and kept moving forward. No one could talk to them.
"Aji, how many years have you been with me?"
"Hmm? Eight years, it will be eight years soon." Aji raised his head and thought about it.
"Ah..., eight years, time has passed so fast! In the blink of an eye, you have become a heroic warrior."
Aji was really a little boy as big as a carrot head, following the little flat head, carrying straw sandals and holding a long spear. He carried the flag on his back and filled the iron cannon in battle. I didn't expect that he would grow up to be such a brave and dignified warrior.
"Takeda and Hojo have 55,000 cavalrymen in alliance, and we have 10,000 people to rescue them, but I'm afraid it's just a drop in the bucket."
"When we passed through Yuekou, you only had 500 people, but you were facing Takeda Daizen's 30,000 cavalrymen. Isn't that just a drop in the bucket?"
"At that time, the prime minister had a strong army behind him. Even if Takeda Daizen attacked from three sides, I could still give him a head-on blow. But now, I am the last available corps of my family. If I lose, I will really lose."
"Are you afraid?" "Aji turned sideways and looked at Xiao Pingtai with a little worry.
"The former prime minister was magnanimous and benevolent, and the former Yulin Palace had a bond of gratitude. Before his death, he gave me the power to assist in government affairs. Since I received the order, I have been worried day and night, fearing that I would fail to fulfill the trust and hurt the wisdom of the former lord. "
Kobayata sighed, shouldering a heavy responsibility, worrying day and night. People entrusted him with orphans and widows, and a huge family business. The kindness was so great that he could only repay it with his death. If he could not carry forward the virtues of the former lord and expand the Yamanouchi family business, how could he be worthy of the kindness of the two generations of Yamanouchi father and son.
"It is difficult to be a censor!" Aji has followed Kobayata for the longest time, and he knows Kobayata's thoughts best. He naturally understands what Kobayata means.
Yamanouchi Yoshiharu is dead. He fought all his life and left behind a kingdom with more than 130,000 kan and 30,000 soldiers. But this kingdom has been fighting for years, and the people are exhausted by the war, and the good people are trapped on the road. The treasury is empty and the army is poor. Even if Kobayata repeatedly increases the source of income and tries to intercept the flow of money, it is difficult to support such a weak and critical situation.
"It's too difficult! "
Kobayata plucked out a gray hair and let it fly with the wind.
"No matter what, we will serve under Tanjo and deal with it together." Aji smiled and said firm and serious words to Kobayata.
It took more than three days for Kobayata to rush to the Yamanouchi Mansion. There was an indescribable panic atmosphere under the city. In the entire city, almost all the men in the family were trapped in the Mushu Koshihata Castle. More than 4,000 Yamanouchi's direct troops were wiped out overnight.
The arrival of the army brought some hope to the people in the city. Yes! The Yamanouchi family still has more than 10,000 people in Hamamatsu, as well as "the unparalleled wise general in the East", "both flowers and fruits", and "guerrilla Tanjo", who was praised by the previous shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru as the East. The most loyal general in the country, Zixiaoji Dansho Shobuke Tsuna, was a famous general.
Under the expectation of more than 20,000 soldiers and civilians in the city, Kobayata rode into Fuchū Castle, took out one of the eight white flags of the Minamoto clan, which represented the head of the Yamanouchi family, and took out the armor of Yamanouchi Yoshiharu.
Under the order of Yamanouchi Taro, he served as the commander of the entire Yamanouchi army and commanded the army to rescue Mushu Koshihata Castle. (Yamauchi Shukei himself had to stay in Fuchū Castle and could not leave. Once he left, the people's hearts would collapse and he would perish without a fight.)
Kobayata rode on his horse and just left the city.
"Dansho, look! "Aji pointed forward.
The streets were lined with women, children, and the elderly waiting for news. From the city gate to the barracks under the city, their fathers, sons, and husbands were all trapped in Koshihata. Now the only person they could trust was Kobayata.
A hunchbacked old lady with gray hair, carrying a child of about one year old on her back, and holding a little boy of four or five years old by her hand. The weather in early spring was not too warm, but the little boy was barefoot. The old lady was also dressed very thinly, and the wrinkles on her face showed the hardships and difficulties of life.
"Koichiro, kneel down and salute quickly, Danzheng is going to rescue your father and bring him home. "
As she spoke, the old lady took the little boy and knelt down on the roadside. Her body trembled slightly and she shed tears quietly.
Xiao Pingtai was about to dismount to help, but saw groups of people kneeling on the ground at the city gate, like withered grass blown by the wind.
There was not a single man in sight, only elderly mothers, hardworking wives, and small, skinny children with hopeful eyes.
"Aji, don't block the road. "With that, Xiao Pingtai got off the horse.
After getting off the horse, Xiao Pingtai walked forward slowly, with countless expectant eyes gathered. No one came forward, but stood quietly by the roadside, leaving a path wide enough for Xiao Pingtai to pass through.
As long as Xiao Pingtai appeared in the distance, everyone either bowed their heads or knelt on the ground. No one spoke a word. Among tens of thousands of people, there was only the footsteps of Xiao Pingtai and his horse.
Every step was so heavy, every step was so difficult. Every step carried the hope of the whole family.
Walking slower and slower, Xiao Pingtai tried hard to see every face clearly, every one was so strange. But every one was so familiar, they were too similar.
The same skinny body, the same dark skin from working day and night, the same worried family with sad faces.
Ah～～～～These are all the people in the mountains, the families of the foot soldiers who have received the favor of Kobayakata and followed Kobayakata to fight. They are the families of the foot soldiers who love him, respect him, and like him.
As they walked, a familiar person suddenly appeared in the crowd-A Ling.
It seemed that because she came too hurriedly, she did not comb her hair, and her hair was scattered behind her. She also saw Kobayakata at a glance.
Her father, her brother, everyone she was familiar with and knew were trapped in the siege, and now her husband was also going to a war with an unpredictable outcome.
Kobayakata was about to call her, but A Ling shook her head and gave an encouraging smile, a smile with tears in her eyes.
Then she knelt down with the crowd to send Kobayakata out of the city to join the war. She opened her mouth, but the word "A Ling" was not called out after all. There were more people in front. They were helpless and humble, and could do nothing about the plight of their father and brother. All their hopes were on Xiao Pingtai.
A stone road, only 500 meters, Xiao Pingtai's face was already full of tears after walking.