Chapter 724 7. Torii Katsuyoshi Asks for a Life-Saving Grace
The small Nagashino Castle, the battle of attack and defense has actually been going on for the fifth day.
After spending two days to fill the moat, the Yamauchi army's offensive became much easier. Sannomaru finally failed under the fierce attack of Sanada Nobunaga, and the hand gate was completely destroyed after being set on fire by Sanada Masaki.
The army quickly destroyed the main fortifications of Sannomaru, and the soldiers of the castle were forced to retreat to Ninomaru. The loss of Sannomaru not only put the granary of Ninomaru under the firepower of the attackers, but also caused great casualties to the soldiers of the castle.
According to the strategy of the military meeting, the Kindari began to carry out the earth dragon attack, and the cannons on the earth platform under the city began to clear the defense facilities of Ninomaru by name.
The first to be written off were the watchtowers and arrow scull everywhere, and it was a dream to shoot the Yamauchi army from a high position. Next is the main gate of Ninomaru. In order to facilitate the retreat of the city soldiers, the gate of Ninomaru was not blocked. Now there are no large amounts of sandbags and boulders blocking it. After a few shots, the gate was finally hit hard.
With a "bang", half of the gate made of fine chestnut wood was broken into two halves.
The Suruga people who launched the charge were quite good at fighting with the wind, and they were brave when the gate was broken. With the constant cannon fire, Okudaira Sadamasa could not hold on to Ninomaru at all, and was defeated all the way to Honmaru.
The Honmaru of Nagashino Castle is located at the top of the cliff. Now there is only a small attack surface of the gate, and there are at most a dozen soldiers on the front line of attack and defense. The Yamanouchi army's advantages in manpower and firepower have basically disappeared, but there is no need to be reasonable in a round-robin battle.
Even if only 20,000 of the 40,000 people are capable of fighting, each team of 50 people can be divided into 400 teams. Moreover, Nagashino doesn't need 400 teams of horses and men. It's no problem to pick out 7 or 8 teams and leave at random, so that the people in the city can't rest day and night.
So the war went on for the fifth day!
"How many warriors are there in the city?" Somehow, Okudaira Sadamasa "took a break from his busy schedule" and washed his face and changed into a new plain feather weave.
"Fourteen men from the same family, fifteen elders from seven clans, thirty-five infantrymen, and seventy miscellaneous soldiers!" An elderly samurai beside him reported in a low voice with a sad face.
The 500 soldiers in the city, under the continuous high-intensity defense battle, were attacked by terrifying firepower and dozens of times the military strength. In just four days, three-quarters of them had been lost.
Almost everyone in the palace knew that the end of Nagashino had come. It was impossible to continue to defend the castle with only a hundred or so people.
"How many days of food are left?" Okudaira Sadamasa was unmoved and asked quietly.
"The granary of the second maru was destroyed, and there are only four days of food in the main maru!"
"Four days? So there are still four days."
"(Okudaira) Ukyo has surrendered to the lower palace, otherwise..." A samurai seemed to have mustered up his courage.
Okudaira Sadano has surrendered to the Yamauchi army, and he is not the son-in-law of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Although he was also wooed by the Tokugawa family, since you, Tokugawa Ieyasu, can't protect me, then I can only turn to Ashikaga Yoshiaki who can protect me.
Now some people of the Okudaira family have surrendered to the Yamauchi family. After all, these people in the city are also Okudaira family. Defending to this extent is considered to have completely repaid Tokugawa Ieyasu's great kindness.
It's not shameful to surrender! We tried our best! It's really a battle and defeat, so we have to surrender!
"Well!" Okudaira Sadamasa suddenly raised his head and looked at the samurai, with a cold voice.
"Nagashino will break the city today! If we surrender now, we can still save the Okudaira family. If we don't surrender, the whole city will die!" Seeing Okudaira Sadamasa looking over, the samurai also risked his life.
"Do you think so too?"
As Okudaira Sadamasa's eyes swept over, some of the samurai retainers present could still look at him, while some just turned their heads or lowered their heads to avoid him.
The samurai was right. They had not forgotten the great kindness of Tokugawa Ieyasu. With only 500 people, they had blocked the Yamauchi army for five days for Tokugawa Ieyasu. This was already a remarkable victory, and it was not shameful to surrender now.
Okudaira Sadamasa was also afraid of death. He was not a robot, but an ordinary person with flesh and blood. In just a few days, samurai from the same clan died on the battlefield one after another, and the father died and the son succeeded, and the brothers went to the battlefield. The dignified Okudaira family, including Okudaira Sadamasa who was outside the city, actually had only 16 men left.
After today, I'm afraid that only one of these sixteen will be left, Okudaira Sadano, who is still outside the city!
Surrender? Or not surrender?
……………………
"Your Highness, Monomi has captured a suspicious person!" In the Yamanouchi shogunate's tent, the generals were eating breakfast. After drinking this bowl of tea rice, another day of fighting would begin.
"Soldiers fleeing in the city?" Hosokawa Saiko asked casually.
Anyone could see that Nagashino Castle was about to be destroyed. It was normal for a few soldiers to run out of the city at this time. Even ants are greedy for life, let alone a living person.
"No! It looks like it came from the direction of Okazaki!"
"Oh! Bring it up and let's see." Kobayata only drank two sips and couldn't eat anymore. He simply took a look at the captured person.
Although the generals were somewhat interested, it was just that. No matter what news there was from Okazaki, Nagashino would break the city today, so there was no difference.
"Introduce yourself!" Xiao Pingtai saw that the short and strong man in front of him was ordinary.
"I am Torii Kyouemon Katsusho, and I have been ordered to deliver a message to Nagashino Castle." The tone was quite flattering. Before Xiao Pingtai asked what he did, he said it himself.
But when Xiao Pingtai heard this name, a picture of a slashing jumped out in his mind.
The surname Torii is very common in Mikawa, and the name Uemon is also very common in Mikawa, but the name Katsujo belongs only to Torii Katsujo who died to convey to Nagashino that reinforcements had arrived!
"What message?" Kobayata's face was still indifferent.
"His Highness Gifu of Mino has commanded an army of 115,000 people, carrying 15,000 iron cannons, and will reach Nagashino within two days!" Torii Kyoemon said seriously.
As soon as these words came out, General Yamauchi and Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who were all seated, had no appetite for food.
How fast Oda Nobunaga came! The Yamauchi army hadn't even taken Nagashino Castle, and Oda Nobunaga's reinforcements were about to arrive. As for the nonsense about the army of 115,000 and 15,000 iron cannons, they were directly ignored by everyone.
"Is what you said true?" Hosokawa Saijo frowned.
"Every word is true. I heard the instructions of His Highness Mikawa-no-kami in person in Okazaki."
"It will take two days for His Highness Gifu to arrive. How many days do you have left to watch over Nagashino Castle?" Kobayata lifted a corner of the big tent.
Except for some flags on the main castle, the entire Nagashino has been almost destroyed by the war.
"I know that Nagashino Castle is about to fall. I am willing to persuade Nagashino to surrender on behalf of His Highness, and I only ask His Highness to spare my life." Torii Kyouemon repeatedly banged his head on the ground, his fearful expression was clearly revealed, and he even shed tears.