prosperous age

Kobayakawa Takakage undoubtedly found the best way to deal with the Ming army at this stage, using the hilly terrain of western Honshu to ambush the Ming army's attack layer by layer.

He saw through the Ming Dynasty's plan completely: to expand the defensive line as much as possible before the Japanese army could fully assemble, thereby gaining more defensive depth and facilitating the Ming army's maneuverability within China.

As if it were ordained by Heaven, Japan has always referred to the region valued by Wei Guangde, or rather, the region that the Ming Dynasty regarded as "China".

Ancient Japan was divided into three administrative regions centered on Kyoto: "near provinces, central provinces, and distant provinces".

"China" refers to a region far from Kyoto, not China in the modern sense.

Compared to Shikoku and Kyushu, the western part of Honshu naturally belongs to "Chugoku".

After the Meiji Restoration, Japan divided the country into seven regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The Chugoku region included five prefectures: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi.

These five counties actually cover a vast area in western Honshu Island, more than twice the size of the controlled area designated by Qi Jiguang.

It should be noted that in the local political structure of Japan, "prefecture" is roughly equivalent to "city" in Europe and America, while "city" in Japan means town or township.

In fact, Japan's administrative divisions are modeled after the structure of ancient China.

During the Xia Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period, the administrative divisions were not yet unified. The Shang and Zhou Dynasties implemented the enfeoffment system, which granted land and people to feudal lords, resulting in the autonomy of the feudal states.

In the mid-Spring and Autumn Period, the states of Chu and Qin were the first to establish counties as basic units, and during the Warring States Period, a two-tiered system of prefectures and counties was formed.

After Qin unified the six states, it fully implemented the prefecture-county system. Initially, there were 36 prefectures, which increased to 110 prefectures (including the fiefdoms of vassal states) in the Western Han Dynasty, with a total of 1587 county-level administrative divisions.

During the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, a three-tiered system of prefectures, counties, and districts was established, with prefectures serving as both supervisory and administrative districts.

During the Tang Dynasty, a two-tiered system of prefectures and counties was adopted, and the country was divided into 10 circuits (later increased to 15 circuits), with the circuits becoming high-level administrative divisions.

During the Song Dynasty, "Lu" was established as an administrative division above the prefecture level, and a "Lu-level supervision system" was implemented.

The Yuan Dynasty established the provincial system, with 11 provinces (including areas directly under the Central Secretariat) across the country. Each province was further divided into circuits, prefectures, states, and counties.

During the Ming Dynasty, the number of provinces was adjusted to 15, and during the Qing Dynasty, it increased to 22 provinces. In addition, "circuits" were added between provinces and prefectures as supervisory districts. The number of county-level administrative regions continued to grow, reaching more than 2000 by the mid-Qing Dynasty.

In the early years of the Republic of China, prefectures, sub-prefectures and halls were abolished and replaced by provinces and counties. The city system was also introduced, but the administrative inspectorates were retained.

When the People's Republic of China was founded, the administrative inspectorates system from the Republican era was adopted, and special districts were established below the provincial level as agencies dispatched by the provincial governments.

In the early 1950s, China began reforms to the system of cities governing counties, abolishing some special districts and transferring the counties and cities under the leadership of the special districts to provincial-level cities.

Due to a lack of economic foundation and frequent setbacks, from 1967 to 1975, the special district was gradually changed to a region, and the 75 Constitution established the region's status.

Therefore, many old towns still have place names like "Xingshu" (行署), which are actually remnants of the region.

In 1983, a major institutional reform was carried out, abolishing a large number of regions and merging them into cities, and gradually implementing a system in which cities lead counties.

Well, to reiterate, it seems that Japan has long intended to cede this land to "China." In any case, Japan had already demarcated Honshu Island as part of the Ming Dynasty's territory long ago.

In the woods outside Ota Castle, Kobayakawa Takakage finally explained in detail his plan to deal with the Ming army to Kokushi Gensho and Katsura Gensuke.

Although Kokushi Motonari had been gradually ousted from the core management team of the Mori clan due to his advanced age, he was still very influential due to his seniority.

If Kobayakawa Takakage's war plan against the Ming Dynasty could gain his support, it would have a very positive effect in guiding other local generals and the Ming army in their operations.

"We went out of the city to fight the Ming army in the field, but their collapse was too great, and we couldn't hold it at all."

The Grand Chancellor spoke first.

"I know it can't be defended. Does having city walls guarantee that the city can be defended?"

The Ming dynasty suffered more major collapses than we have, yet we still find it difficult to resist.

Takakage Kobayakawa immediately retorted.

Upon hearing Kobayakawa Takakage's words, Kokushi Gensō immediately retorted, "You're sending soldiers to their deaths!"

Gui Yuancheng listened to the two arguing for a long time before finally speaking up: "Lord Kobayashi's words make sense. Using the terrain to block the Ming army is not about holding anything, but about slowing down their offensive momentum."

As far as I know, the Ming army could easily capture cities like Iwami and Suo in one or two battles, and they could not hold out for long.

Their ability to achieve consecutive victories is largely due to their mastery of the "Big Collapse" technique.

We have far too few large armored vehicles, and our firearms are not as sharp as those of the Ming army.

It will take time to wait for reinforcements. If we cannot stop the Ming army's momentum, it will be difficult to hold out.

Even if a single mountain can block the way for a whole day, there are at least a dozen mountains between here and Daejeon.

Even if the Ming army's attack goes smoothly, it will take at least ten days to advance to the walls of Daejeon.

The key point is that we stopped their unstoppable momentum.

Upon hearing Katsura Motosumi's words, Kokushi Gensho had no choice but to seriously consider Kobayakawa Takakage's proposal.

"What should we do here?"

After a moment's thought, the Grand Chancellor had no choice but to lower his head.

He is not a pedantic person; he knows what is right and what is wrong.

Kobayashi's suggestion seems to be the best way for Japan to deal with the Ming Dynasty at present, and there is no reason not to adopt it.

However, given the current situation, their carefully laid ambush seems to have been rendered useless.

"Make some adjustments, leave most of the men to continue the ambush, and wait for the Ming army to arrive."

If we can fight, we fight; if we can't, we retreat.

Some troops were withdrawn to set up defensive lines along the hilltops, with each hilltop being rotated for resistance.

Kobayakawa Takakage immediately said.

When he left Datianzhuang, he observed the terrain along the way and felt that this area was an excellent place to fight a blocking battle against the Ming army.

In fact, if the location hadn't been good, the Japanese wouldn't have built a city here.

The three quickly reached an agreement and began adjusting their plans.

Three thousand men were dispatched with some cannons and iron cannons to be positioned on two hilltops behind them. With this layer of protection, even if their ambush failed, it would be difficult for the Ming army to launch a rapid assault and directly pursue and kill their way to Daejeon City in the short term.

This gave them time to regroup and prevent further attacks from the hilltops.

Just as the Japanese were preparing for a defensive battle, Ming scouts had already quietly arrived in the area.

However, since they were still on the outskirts of the depression, no trace of Japanese military activity was found.

Previously, the Ming army could only advance a maximum of fifteen li (approximately 12.5 kilometers), as the terrain was hilly and it was difficult to maintain contact with the rear if they went too far.

This isn't the north, where scouts can ride horses freely and move around freely, as long as they're fast.

Now operating in unfamiliar territory, the scouts are all cautious and move slowly, like blind men touching an elephant.

If Liu Ting hadn't strictly ordered the scouts to arrive at the next encampment a day in advance to find a suitable place to set up camp, they wouldn't have been willing to come this far.

Because of several battles with the Japanese scouts, although the Ming scouts still looked down on this short Japanese man, their battle record was undeniable, and they had to take him seriously if they didn't want to die.

"Chief Li, this doesn't look like a good place. The terrain here goes all the way down, it's probably a dead end."

Those who managed to get into the scout team were all veterans, so they naturally knew how to choose where to set up camp.

Generally, they choose flat ground with a stable water source to set up camp, avoiding hilltops and depressions.

The surrounding area is hilly. Although the mountains aren't high, entering the depression effectively increases their perceived height, making both defense and offense extremely difficult. The enemy only needs to establish a defensive line on the perimeter to prevent them from withdrawing from this area, allowing them to attack from a superior position.

"Be careful, everyone. Scout the nearby hills."

Even if there are good spots ahead, they are not suitable for a large army to set up camp.

We should retreat three miles and set up camp on the outskirts of that grove of trees behind us.

The scout squad leader shared this assessment; in fact, he had already been pondering this for some time now.

This area is similar to the mountains and forests in northeastern Liaoning, except the mountains are not as high, but it is also crisscrossed by ditches and canals. If you don't follow the official road eastward, it's not easy to travel.

The ten-man squads formed three groups of men, each a few dozen paces long, in a formation similar to that of the Ming army. They were divided into an outpost, a central force, and a rear guard. Instead of taking the main road, they infiltrated forward from the right flank, near the hilltop.

From this vantage point, you can use the trees for cover to see the road below and also go up to the mountaintop to observe the opposite side of the mountain at any time.

In general, large groups of people would never advance to this position, because it would give away their position from a great distance.

However, for a squad of scouts, this position is the best choice.

Even if attacked by enemy forces, going up the mountain or sliding down the valley are both good options for breaking out.

"Choo Choo Choo."

Just then, the call of a grey-headed woodpecker suddenly came from the direction of the outpost; this was their squad's code.

Imitating the different calls of the grey-headed woodpecker can convey different meanings.

And this sound was naturally an alarm from the outpost scouts who had discovered the situation.

However, just as the birdsong came from the other side, a burst of Japanese language suddenly came from the opposite side. Then, Li Tou vaguely saw more than a dozen people rushing out from the middle of the mountain forest ahead and starting to attack up the mountain.

"What happened? We've been exposed."

Li Tou was startled, realizing that his whereabouts had definitely been exposed.

"Chirp chirp chirp."

Without hesitation, he immediately made two bird calls, a coded signal to the outposts to retreat.

At the same time, he and the two men beside him also drew their bows and aimed at the Japanese pirates rushing towards them from the lower left.

"Whizzing."

The sound of arrows slicing through the air rang out, and three arrows flew out, followed by two screams.

Ahead of them, three Ming scouts were retreating rapidly, their bodies slightly hunched.

The rearguard had naturally noticed the chaos ahead, and they remained in place, drawing their bows and arrows in a defensive stance, without coming to provide support.

After the first two squads withdrew, they followed at the back, slowly retreating, occasionally firing a burst of arrows from six or seven bows at the rear.

Meanwhile, gunfire erupted behind them.

After several Japanese pirates were wounded, the Japanese archers and arquebusiers began firing in the direction of the Ming army, chasing after the Ming scouts as they retreated.

"what happened?"

They ran for several miles before shaking off their pursuers. This distance involved climbing hills and going down ridges, and they covered about ten miles. Everyone was already panting heavily.

After finding a place to rest, Li Tou asked the people at the outpost.

"Three to five miles ahead of where we are, there seems to be traces of large groups of Japanese people. We discovered their outer sentries, and our coded messages were detected."

"A scout said in a low voice."

"It's really strange. The fifth team encountered the Japanese yesterday, and they were discovered by exchanging coded messages."

A person next to him muttered quietly.

"It's not like there aren't birds in this forest, how did they know as soon as I sent a coded message?"

"Yeah yeah."

"No, I think I saw a Northern Rosefinch and a Hawfinch here, but I don't think I saw a Grey-headed Woodpecker yet."

Finally, a companion whispered.

"Don't you have any here? No way."

The resting scouts whispered among themselves, and what they heard seemed to be a revelation to Captain Li.

"Pay attention from here on out, the code word is the cry of the Northern Vermilion Bird."

He immediately gave the order.

They hadn't noticed before, only seeing birds like the Northern Rosefinch active in the mountains and forests, so they still chose the woodpecker as usual. The main reason was that in addition to its call, the woodpecker also makes a "tap tap tap" sound when pecking wood, which can convey more information.

This is one of the reasons why scouts like to use this bird's call to convey information, since there are more sounds available.

However, the woodpeckers in Japan are different from those in Liaodong, and their calls also differ.

Their shouts not only failed to provide cover, but also exposed them.

After taking a couple of bites of jerky and drinking some water, Li Tou said, "Let's retreat the way we came. The Japanese pirates must have set up an ambush ahead. Once we get the message back, our mission will be complete."

"Yeah, I felt something was off as I got closer to that area. It looks like you have to go over two hills to get out of that depression. It looks creepy."

Some of his companions echoed his sentiments.

Being able to return unscathed was the result these scouts prayed to the gods and Buddhas for before each departure; no one wanted to encounter enemy troops outside and not be able to return.

In fact, in most scouting battles, the defeated side is often beheaded, and their heads are usually sent back to claim credit.

They retraced their steps, which was only about ten miles long, but fearing another encounter with Japanese pirate scouts, they proceeded cautiously, just as they had come, which took quite a bit of time.

It's only a little over ten miles, but you have to walk twenty miles.

Of course, taking the main road would save you from walking these extra distances, but saving your life is more important.

So, as dusk fell, the scouts finally returned to the Ming army camp.

After verifying their identities, they quickly entered the camp, and then Captain Li reported their findings to the captain.

Then, he was brought directly to Liu Ting.

After asking about the situation in detail and looking at the simple map they had drawn, Liu Ting had a better understanding of the situation.

The other side sent scouts to follow them, perhaps to set up an ambush.

But now, it's all out in the open.

He wasn't afraid of the Japanese pirates setting up an ambush; as long as he knew the location, it wouldn't be difficult.

However, since the two sides have already met today, it is estimated that the Japanese pirates' ambush will not be able to be carried out. However, we must be extra careful in our journey over the next two days.

Therefore, Liu Ting summoned the officers and sergeants who were in charge of the troops overnight to discuss and deploy the marching formations. At the same time, he ordered scouts to send out more people to investigate the enemy situation in the surrounding area in the next two days.

"The enemy general is somewhat cunning this time, so everyone should be careful if they want to return to Liaodong safely."

After making the arrangements, Liu Ting reminded his subordinates, "I'm afraid they'll become arrogant." (End of Chapter)