Chapter 624 30. The Dragon Swings Its Tail and Offers Another Suggestion
Shimotsuma Province, Yuki County, Yuki Castle.
There are less than a thousand people under Yuki Harutomo inside the city, and tens of thousands of troops including Yuki Harutomo's brother Koyama Hidatsuna outside the city, which are boundless and countless.
Since the first battle in Kanto, the Yuki clan has betrayed Uesugi Kenshin and chose to stand firmly with the Hojo clan. Of course, this is out of consideration to fight against the Utsunomiya clan in Shimotsuna and the Satake clan in Hitachi, and there is no such thing as loyalty.
Originally, after that, Uesugi Kenshin's power declined rapidly, retreating all the way from Izu Province to Ueno Province. Yuki Harutomo also maintained independence and peace for many years with the support of the Hojo clan.
But the current situation is obviously impossible to give him a chance.
Yuki Castle suffered devastating damage during the Battle of Yuki. Although a long time has passed, the strength of the Yuki clan has never recovered to the original years. Naturally, Yuki Castle is not a solid castle like its owner.
Yuki Haruta knew very well that with less than a thousand people in the city, it was impossible to resist the thundering blow of Hosokawa Saione.
His brother Koyama Hidatsuna entered Yuki Castle at the invitation of Hosokawa Saione, and persuaded her with reason and emotion. In the end, Yuki Haruta was very wise to announce his surrender to the new Koga Kubo Kogawa Yorizumi, and offered hostages and military rations.
The North Shimoso was completely pacified!
At this time, Hosokawa Saione's army had expanded to the point that he himself could not believe it. The Shimoso people followed Hosokawa Saione to rob the North Shimoso. They were so happy that everyone's pockets were bulging.
The Shimoso people, who were still waiting and watching, did not believe Hosokawa Saione, but they still believed what their fellow villagers said. Anyway, they were robbing the territory of the Hojo clan of another country, and there was no psychological burden. Now it happened to be a spring famine, and it was better to go out and eat others than to starve at home.
Shimotsuke Utsunomiya Hirotsuna and Nasu Sukeharu also followed over happily. Of course, they were not here to support the Kofu of Koga or to uphold justice. They just heard that other Shimotsuke were having a great time in the northern Shimotsuke, so they came to share a piece of the pie.
Shimotsuke suddenly expanded to more than 9,000 people, almost the same number as Hosokawa Saijo. But since they belonged to multiple lords and daimyo, you don't obey me and I don't obey you, so we just listen to Hosokawa Saijo.
Our Hosokawa Saijo is also a famous general in the East, with a high status and a great reputation. Although it is not as good as Uesugi Kenshin, the 10,000 people in our team are real, which is almost the same as Uesugi Kenshin.
You have more people, you are the big brother!
And Tagatani and Satake, who were proposed by Sanada Masayuki to win over, also listened to the call. When they came, they heard that they were going to beat the Hojo, so they were definitely active. Secondly, they heard that they could "get rich", so they would rather come than not come. Anyway, there are 10,000 Yamanouchi troops in front. If the sky falls, the Hojo family will definitely beat Hosokawa Saijo first.
Tagatani Masamune brought 1,500 people. After all, he took 500 koku of food from Hosokawa Saijo, so it would be embarrassing if he came with less people. As for the Satake family, since Satake Yoshishige was still expecting Ashina Moriuji to die quickly and was ready to intervene in Aizu at any time, he did not send too many people to support.
But this is also relative. The Tagatani family is only a daimyo with 15,000 kan, while the Satake is a daimyo with 100,000 kan. His few people are also a lot.
A full 2,000 people!
The main general is even more famous. Everyone in northern Kanto knows him.
"Ghost Makabe!"
He is only 22 years old this year, but he is a disciple of the sword saint Tsukahara Bokuden, the son of Makabe Hisayoshi, and the lord of Makabe Castle in Hitachi Province, Makabe Ujikan.
This man never used swords and guns on the battlefield, not even bows and arrows. He only used a big wooden stick more than three feet long. With one stick, people and ghosts were scared away, and all red and white were beaten out.
In the future, he will create the Kasumigyo stick technique, which uses a special wooden stick to defeat the enemy.
The whole army returned to the Koga Palace to discuss where to go for the next battle (rob).
Kogumi Yoshizumi knew that the Koga Kubo was not easy to come by, and he worked very hard these days. He even went to Sekijuku Castle in person to ask Ryoda Harusuke to come out of retirement to help. The old minister was "moved" by him and burst into tears. He was very grateful. He vowed to defeat the Hojo with him and revive the Koga Ashikaga clan.
With the addition of Ryoda Harusuke, the local snake of Shimosa, the Koga Palace was suddenly "full of people". Not only was the group of retainers enriched, but the number of soldiers also increased to 4,000, and the military rations could support four months.
The situation was very good!
"Everyone! I think the Hojo army in the Ueno-Hirai camp must have known the situation in Shimotsu. We may be attacked by the Hojo army at any time!" Sanada Masayuki suddenly poured a basin of cold water on him in the main hall of the Honmaru of the Furukawa Palace.
The northern Kanto generals present were in an uproar, and they almost sprayed him with words, "Who do you think you are, a nobody!"
Fortunately, the Shimotsu people who arrived early quietly explained to their colleagues that this was the son of Sanada Danmae of Shinano County. Although he was an unknown person, Hosokawa Saimie liked him and was said to be preparing to recruit him as a son-in-law.
Oh! Big brother's future son-in-law!
You are awesome! You continue!
With the firm support of Hosokawa Saimie, Sanada Masayuki officially presided over the military meeting.
According to his estimation, the news of the fall of the Furukawa Palace must have been passed to the Hirai camp. After knowing that Hosokawa Saimie's 10,000 men were not in Ueno, Oishi Ujiteru must have immediately calculated that the Ueno people on the opposite side were less than 20,000.
Then his 36,000 troops, almost twice the advantage, will definitely send troops to rescue Shimosuke!
Koga Kōfō is a puppet, but he is also the righteousness of the Hojo family, the most important signboard, and must be rescued.
Not to mention, if Hosokawa Saijo makes a big fuss in Shimosuke, she can also go diagonally into Minami Musashi and disrupt the Hojo family's nest.
According to his estimate, Oishi Ujiyasu will send 10,000 people to support Shimotsuma and fight back against Hosokawa Nainou. After all, the Hojo clan has a lot of supporters. If 10,000 Hojo troops come, they can gather 20,000 troops.
This made the generals in the northern Kanto present nervous, and it was right! Don't just see the pleasure of robbery, but also realize that the Hojo family is not a weak chicken and will retaliate.
This is also a small trick of Sanada Masayuki. The reinforcements present are mainly for making money. It would be good if half of them sincerely resist the Hojo clan.
But now that they are here, they have robbed, which is equivalent to paying a surrender and being on the Hojo family's revenge list. When the revenge comes, no one can escape.
First, use the revenge of the non-existent Hojo clan to intimidate these scumbags, so that they will at least not work and strengthen the momentum of the coalition.
The Hojo family has a lot of power in Kanto. Sanada Masayuki only mentioned it briefly, and he grasped the minds of the generals in northern Kanto. He asked them to board the pirate ship first and then row to the center of the lake. No one should jump off the ship!
Sanada Masayuki was just about to wave his feather fan, looking like a wise man.
He pointed at Yuki Haruta, "Even His Highness Yuki Shichiro is on our side. Even if the Hojo army enters Shimotsuna, it will not be able to expand its military strength!"
Then the Hojo will only send 10,000 people, otherwise his Hirai side will not be able to maintain its advantage over the Ueno people!
As for our side, Hosokawa Saime has 10,000 people, Shimotsuna people have 9,000 people, Hitachi people have 3,500 people, and Kobumori Yorizumi has 4,500 people, totaling 27,000 people, not counting the lords of Yuki, Yamakawa, Mizutani, etc. who did not send troops but only sent hostages.
What does it mean to meet 10,000 with 27,000?
You can win with your eyes closed!
But considering that the prestige of the general general Kogumori Yoshizumi may not be enough, if we fight head-on, some traitors may not fight to the death or retreat at the last minute.
What should we do?
Let's do a trick!
Go to Oshi Castle!
The road from Hirai is either Ueno through Shimotsuke, or Kamakura Avenue in Oshi Castle. Hojo can't pass through Shimotsuke in enemy territory, so he can only pass through the besieged Oshi Castle! What's more, there are 2,000 Hojo soldiers who surrounded and monitored Oshi Castle in Oshi Castle and can join forces, and the force will be even stronger.
Sitting in Shimotsuke can only be passive defense, which is purely seeking death. The longer it takes, the more disadvantageous it will be for the coalition forces. Only by fighting out, breaking out of the established offensive and defensive thinking.
Rather than being trapped in Koga Castle and waiting to die after eating all the food for four months. It is better to rush out and fight a war, relying on the high morale of defeating (robbing) Hojo and strive to win.
By then, as the general commander, Koyomi Yoshizumi, with the power of defeating the Hojo clan, can secure his position in northern Shimosa, while the Yamanouchi army will take advantage of the victory to disrupt northern Musashi, cut off the food supply of Oishi Ujiteru, and attack the Hojo army from both sides with the Ueno clan.
None of the 36,000 people of the Hojo family can escape, and all must be handed over to northern Musashi!
Even Hosokawa Saijo was surprised by Sanada Masayuki's grand strategy. We don't have the same things in our heads as you do!
But Sanada Masayuki hasn't finished yet!
Pointing to the sketch of northern Kanto, everyone present knows the terrain of Oshi Castle. There are swamps and paddy fields on all sides. It is impossible to completely surround it without an army of 100,000 or 80,000.
Now the Hojo only uses 2,000 people to block the Narita clan, preventing him from sending troops to support Ueno or attack other places in northern Musashi.
The coalition forces only need to send a bold and careful warrior, holding a straw in his mouth, to dive through the swamp outside the city. They can enter Oshi Castle and inform Narita Nagatada of the coming reinforcements.
The special terrain where the Tone River and the Arakawa River converge here will inevitably lead to narrow roads for passage. If tens of thousands of Hojo troops want to pass through, they will be dragged into a long snake formation like thin noodles. As long as the Narita army rushes out of the city at the right time and sticks to the Hojo army passing through the river.
The coalition forces will surround and rush out from three sides, and they can eat up the 10,000 Hojo troops with great confidence!
Think about it, everyone!
What is the concept of eating up 10,000 Hojo troops?
It is absolutely certain that Hojo Ujinao will be unable to take care of himself for three years!
At that time, everyone in northern Kanto will be able to ride on the head of the Hojo family, flatten and round, and have fun without restraint!
Not to mention Kogumori Yoshizumi and Hosokawa Saione, even those newly arrived Hitachi generals who came down from the war zone all gave thumbs up. This is really a talent. No wonder Hosokawa Saione wants to recruit him as a son-in-law. With this brain, he can also get a golden rice bowl to eat!
"Your Majesty, please give the order, and send troops to Oshi Castle to destroy the Hojo!" Hosokawa Saijo saw Sanada Masayuki blink his eyes, and immediately understood, and made a suggestion to Koyomi Yorizumi.
Koyomi Yorizumi was very excited after hearing this plan, and his face flushed. He knew that this was his best chance to secure his position as the Kumō of Kanto, and there couldn't be a better opportunity than now.
The generals under the seat shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, please give the order to send troops to defeat the traitor Hojo!"
"Okay! Send troops! I, Ashikaga Yorizumi, pray to the Hachiman Daimyojin here, and I will definitely destroy the Hojo and return!"