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The emergency flames from Kyushu quickly spread to Honshu.

Inside the Edo Castle tower, Tokugawa Ieyasu looked at Kuroda Nagamasa's urgent report and the spy's detailed account of the Ming army's terrifying combat power in Kyushu, his face as solemn as water.

The loss of Higo and the death of Kato Kiyomasa were far beyond expectations. He knew that the Ming army had the war potential of the entire Ming Empire, which was not comparable to ordinary "Japanese pirates".

The hardliners (led by Honda Masanobu and others) advocated the immediate mobilization of the western daimyo, forming a large army to cross the sea to support Kyushu and drive the Ming army into the sea - "otherwise the prestige of the shogunate will be destroyed and the world will be shaken!"

The conservative faction (led by Sakai Tadayo and others) was worried: "The Ming army has powerful firearms and fierce tactics. The terrain of Kyushu is complex. It is a long and tiring expedition. What are the chances of victory? If the main force is lost, Kanto will be empty. The remnants of Toyotomi or the powerful vassal states in the west will take the opportunity to cause chaos. What can we do?"

What's more, some people privately believed that the princes of Kyushu (especially Shimazu and Kato) had been unruly in the past, and it would not be a bad idea to weaken them a little.

The shrewd Ieyasu eventually adopted a compromise and more controlling strategy:
He formally appointed Kuroda Nagamasa as the "General of the Shogunate" (the army to attack the Ming Dynasty) and granted him the power to mobilize the forces of some daimyo in Kyushu and western Honshu. At the same time, he symbolically selected 3,000 elite soldiers from the directly subordinate hatamoto (led by his trusted generals) and allocated a batch of gunpowder and iron cannons (matchlock guns) to be transported to Kokura to show the support of the shogunate.

All daimyo in western Honshu (especially the Mori clan in Chugoku and the Hachisuka clan in Shikoku) were ordered to be on war footing, to prepare their armaments and to be ready for deployment at any time. However, it was emphasized that no one could cross the sea to Kyushu without the express order of the shogunate.

Its core intention was to let the Kyushu lords (especially those who were not direct descendants) fight a bloody battle with the Ming army to consume their strength, while the shogunate's power would serve as the last trump card and arbitrator.

Secretly send envoys through Ryukyu or Korean channels (although the hope is slim) to try to understand the true intention and bottom line of the Ming Dynasty's expedition and whether there is any possibility of peace talks.

…………

Mori Terumoto of Hiroshima Castle, as the most powerful outer daimyo in western Japan, also received a request for help from Kuroda Nagamasa and an order from the shogunate to prepare for war. He had mixed feelings. On the one hand, the invasion of the Ming army threatened the entire Japan, and the loss of the lips and the teeth would be in vain. On the other hand, he was deeply wary of the Tokugawa shogunate, fearing that he would be used as a pawn and his own strength would be consumed. At the same time, if Kyushu was completely controlled by the Ming army or the shogunate, it would not be a good thing for the Mori family located between Honshu and Kyushu.

The strategy he adopted was to mobilize the army on a large scale, repair warships, stockpile food and fodder, and pretend to be ready to send troops at any time, both to respond to the shogunate and to deter the Ming army and potential opponents (including the shogunate).

He ordered the frontline troops not to act rashly and to pay close attention to the situation in Kyushu and the subsequent actions of the shogunate. He needed to see the true strength of the Qingming army and the determination of the shogunate before deciding whether to fully support Kyushu or take the opportunity to bargain with all parties to gain greater benefits. The Mori family's navy (the remnant of the Murakami navy) began to strengthen patrols in the Kanmon Strait and the western entrance of the Seto Inland Sea.

Although the daimyo in western Honshu and Shikoku, such as Choshu (Mori), Tosa (Yamauchi), and Iyo (Kato), were not directly attacked, panic spread.

The conscription order was issued, and the peasants and soldiers were assembled. The market prices soared (especially iron, saltpeter, and grain), and the atmosphere in the territory was tense. Some small feudal lords were in a state of panic, trying to find out the news and seeking protection from powerful neighbors.

Under the strong call of Kuroda Nagamasa and the title of "Shogun of the Shogunate", the prototype of the Kyushu Anti-Ming Alliance was formed in Kokura Castle in early February of the third year of the Shomu era (1601). The participants were all heavyweight representatives from various parties.

Kuroda Nagamasa (host): He represented the will of the shogunate and had the toughest attitude. He advocated the formation of a large joint army with the Kyushu domains as the core and the shogunate army as the backing, and took advantage of the Ming army's unstable foothold in Higo to launch a large-scale counterattack and defeat it in one fell swoop or drive it back to Satsuma.

Tachibana Muneshige (Lord of Yanagawa Domain): A famous general known as "the unrivaled one in the West", he was fierce and brave. He was indignant at the atrocities of the Ming army (especially the death of Kato Kiyomasa) and advocated war. He brought the most elite troops of Yanagawa Domain and attracted many ronin and small nobles to join with his prestige. He advocated taking advantage of the Japanese army's familiarity with the terrain and its expertise in close combat and night attacks, and using elite troops to carry out flexible and mobile attacks.

Katsushige Nabeshima (Lord of Saga Domain): Represents the Hizen Ryuzoji-Nabeshima faction. He is more pragmatic and cautious. He is worried about the threat of the Ming navy to the coastal areas of Saga, and is even more worried about the consumption of his own strength in a head-on battle with the Ming army. He emphasizes steady and solid action, relying on natural barriers such as the Chikugo River to build a solid defense line, consume the Ming army's spirit, and wait for the shogunate army or Honshu reinforcements.

Otomo Yoshitsugu's representatives expressed the Bungo clan's determination to resist, but repeatedly emphasized that their own strength was weak and they urgently needed direct support from their allies, especially the Tachibana and Kuroda clans.

Shimazu Tadatsune's secret representative (disguised as a businessman): He conveyed the Shimazu family's position of "being in Cao's camp but with their hearts in Han", promised to provide intelligence on some Ming army garrisons, fortifications, and food routes in Satsuma and Higo (the authenticity of which needs to be verified), and hinted that at critical moments, Shimazu's former subordinates could launch attacks behind enemy lines.

There are also representatives of smaller forces such as Ma Harunobu (Shimabara) and Sagara Yorifusa (Hitomiyoshi), who are mostly affiliated with several major forces to express their common hatred of the enemy, but the troops they can provide are limited.

After fierce arguments, compromises, and strong mediation by Kuroda Nagamasa (even with implicit threats from the shogunate), the alliance reluctantly reached the following resolution:
组建联合军，以立花宗茂为总大将（前线指挥），黑田长政总督后勤及联络幕府。第一期集结兵力：立花家：3500人（含精锐武士800）；黑田家：3000人（含旗本精锐1000）；锅岛家：2500人；大友家：2000人；其他九州诸藩及浪人众：约3000人。

Total: about 3000 (claimed to be , but far less). The hatamoto promised by the shogunate were temporarily stationed in Kokura as a strategic reserve.

The coalition forces made "recovering Higo and protecting Chikuzen and Chikugo" their primary goal. The main force, led by Tachibana Muneshige, advanced along the Chikugo River into Higo (mainly the northern area that was not completely controlled by the Ming army) in an attempt to engage in a field battle with the Ming army.

Katsushige Nabeshima's troops were responsible for protecting the flanks (especially the Ming navy that might land from the Ariake Sea) and the logistics line. The Otomo army was responsible for containing the Ming army's detachment that might move north from the Hyuga direction. Nagamasa Kuroda was stationed in Kokura, coordinating logistics (food and fodder were mainly collected from western Honshu) and liaisons with various parties.

Kuroda emphasized the use of Kyushu's mountainous and rivery terrain to avoid direct confrontation with the Ming army's firearms in open areas. He often used night raids, ambushes, harassment of food routes, and the use of iron cannons (matchlock guns) in three stages to fight against the Ming army's firearms in complex terrain. Tachibana Muneshige especially emphasized "using the right tactics to defeat the enemy and the unconventional tactics to defeat the enemy", and personally led a team of elite samurai to use as a "surprise force".

All parties shared intelligence about the movements of the Ming army (intelligence provided by Shimazu was handled separately and used with caution). Organized ninjas (especially the "Ranbo" and "Yayao" raised by the Kuroda and Tachibana families) to go deep behind enemy lines, spy on military intelligence, disrupt food supply routes, and even assassinate Ming army officers.

At the end of February, Tachibana Muneshige led the Kyushu Allied Army vanguard of about 5,000 people (mainly Tachibana headquarters, Kuroda elite and ronin) across the Chikugo River and entered the Toji River (now a tributary of the Kuma River) in northern Higo. Their goal was to recapture Hitoyoshi Castle, which was relatively weak under the control of the Ming army, as a foothold for counterattack and to test the reaction of the Ming army.

Zheng Zhilong had anticipated this. He did not use his main force to defend the newly occupied and still unstable territory of Hihou, but instead adopted a flexible defense of "light in front and heavy in the back".

Hitoyoshi Castle was only symbolically defended by a part of the surrendered Satsuma auxiliary battalion (about 1,000 people, with questionable combat effectiveness) and a small number of Ming military supervisors. Zheng Zhilong secretly deployed his real main force - 2,000 musketeers, 1,000 crossbowmen, 1,500 infantry (including 500 heavy armored soldiers) and 500 cavalry, led by his capable deputy general Chen Hong, in a hilly valley (Muye Valley) with complex terrain on the south bank of the Totsu River, waiting for prey.

Tachibana Muneshige found out that the defense of Hitoyoshi Castle was weak, and he was eager to make a contribution (and also had the pressure to prove his ability to the alliance), so he led the vanguard to advance rapidly. On the last day of February, his vanguard easily "defeated" the symbolic resistance of the auxiliary battalion troops outside Hitoyoshi Castle, chasing the enemy northward and rushing into the Konoha Valley.

When the Tachibana army's vanguard completely entered the valley, a sharp bamboo whistle suddenly sounded in the dense forests on both sides of the hills! The Ming army's musketeers opened fire fiercely in the preset positions in a three-fold formation! Lead bullets poured down from the high ground on both sides to the Japanese army in the narrow valley below like hail of death. At the same time, crossbowmen at higher altitudes used accurate heavy crossbows to shoot at the Japanese samurai commanders and flag bearers wearing gorgeous armor. The valley instantly turned into a Shura field, and the Japanese vanguard was in chaos, with heavy casualties.

Tachibana Muneshige was worthy of his reputation as a famous general. He was not panicked even though he was shocked. He immediately realized that he was ambushed. Instead of retreating, he ordered the hatamoto samurai team to blow the conch shells, hold high the "cross" horse seal, and launch a desperate "fighting with honor" charge towards the Ming army position on the side of the valley, which seemed to have weaker firepower! At the same time, he sent out messengers to order the follow-up troops (mainly Kuroda's elite troops) to attack upward from the other side of the hillside, trying to break the ambush circle of the Ming army.

The bravery of the Tachibana samurai was eye-catching. They braved the rain of bullets, stepped on the bodies of their companions, and rushed to a musket position of the Ming army, and launched a fierce hand-to-hand combat with the swordsmen and spearmen of the Ming army. The advantage of the Ming army's muskets was difficult to play in close-range melee. Just when the battle was stalemate, Chen Hong threw in the reserve team - 500 Ming army heavy armored cavalry! Like a torrent of steel, it rushed down the slope from the direction of the valley mouth, and slammed into the side and rear of the Ming army infantry who were fighting with the Tachibana samurai (actually a carefully designed tactical division), instantly separating the Japanese army's follow-up troops from the samurai charging in front! Iron hooves trampled, sabers swung, and the Japanese army formation completely collapsed.

Tachibana Munehiro (Muneshige's younger brother) died in the battle, and many important officials of the Tachibana family were killed. Tachibana Muneshige himself was wounded several times, and only under the desperate protection of the hatamoto samurai did he fight his way out and joined the Kuroda tribe, which also suffered heavy losses, and retreated across the Chikugo River in a panic. In this battle, the Kyushu coalition army lost more than 1,500 people (mostly elite samurai and foot soldiers), and the Ming army suffered about 400 casualties. Hitoyoshi Castle was still in the hands of the Ming army (the auxiliary camp).

The battle of Tojigawa (Konoha Valley) was small in scale, but had far-reaching consequences.

The defeat in the first battle, especially the heavy losses suffered by the elite Tachibana army, dealt a heavy blow to the morale that had just been boosted. Although Tachibana Muneshige's bravery was recognized, his recklessness was also criticized (especially by Nabeshima and Otomo).

Kuroda Nagamasa regretted the loss of his own forces. Conflicts began to emerge between the various feudal domains over the sharing of losses and subsequent reinforcements. The intelligence on the Ming army's deployment secretly transmitted by Shimazu Tadatsune was later questioned for its accuracy (it might even be a plot by Zheng Zhilong to alienate the Ming army), which exacerbated the crisis of mutual trust.

This small victory verified the effectiveness of the tactic of "waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out and luring them deep into our territory", which greatly boosted the morale of the Ming army. At the same time, this battle exposed that the Kyushu coalition was not a monolithic entity and that there were problems with command and coordination.

Zheng Zhilong was more calm, and on the one hand, he strengthened the defense of the occupied area in Higo, especially the Chikugo River defense line. On the other hand, he continued to digest the results of the battle in an orderly manner, reorganized the army and prepared for war, and once again turned his attention to the panicked Hyuga clan.

The bloodshed of Toji River was just the beginning, and a bigger storm was yet to come. Tokugawa Ieyasu of Edo, Mori Terumoto of Honshu, and even those lords who were still watching would all be more powerful opponents in this Kyushu chess game.

………………

In the autumn of the fourth year of Zhaowu, the bloody dust on Kyushu Island had not yet settled, but the ultimate showdown that would determine Japan's national destiny had already begun on both sides of the Kanmon Strait.

The Ming army swallowed up half of Kyushu (Satsuma, Osumi, Hyuga, and Higo) and headed straight for Honshu across the sea. And Tokugawa Ieyasu, the "Shogun" who unified Japan only a year ago, could no longer sit on the sidelines.

Inside the Edo Castle tower, Tokugawa Ieyasu stared at the large, glaring vermilion marks on the map of Kyushu. No emotion could be seen on his wrinkled face. Only his fingertips unconsciously tapped on the sword guard, making a dull thumping sound.

The tragic defeat of the Kyushu coalition and the blood on the Totsugi River completely shattered Ieyasu's fantasy of "driving the tiger to devour the wolf". If he continued to sit back and watch Zheng Zhilong digest Kyushu and covet Honshu, the shogunate's authority would be gone, and even endanger the Tokugawa world.

Tokugawa Ieyasu showed his heroic spirit: he issued a special "General Peace Order": breaking the ban on "private wars" and ordering the daimyo of the world to rise up and defend the king in the name of "suppressing the Ming invaders and protecting the kingdom of God"! This was the largest military mobilization since the Battle of Sekigahara.

The elite troops of the Tokugawa clan were all deployed. Historic ministers such as Sakai Tadatsugu, Honda Tadakatsu, and Ii Naomasa all led the troops. The core consisted of 8,000 directly affiliated hatamoto (including 2,000 elite "red-armored" troops) and 12,000 former troops of Mikawa. The troops of the daimyo of Kanto and Tōkaidō were forcibly recruited.

At the same time, the powerful daimyo in the western provinces, such as Mori Terumoto, Hachisuka Iemasa (Awa), and Yamauchi Kazutoyo (Tosa), were ordered to send at least half of their troops, and their heirs or important ministers to personally lead the troops to participate in the war. The troops stationed in their bases were also monitored by the shogunate's military supervisors, and were actually hostages in disguise.

The shogunate mobilized the huge annual tributes paid by the daimyo and the direct control of the shogunate (about a quarter of Japan), and conscripted hundreds of thousands of civilians to transport large amounts of food, gunpowder, and arrows to Shimonoseki (Maguan), the westernmost tip of Honshu, via the two main routes of Tokaido and Sanyodo. Swordsmiths and cannon forgers in Edo and Osaka were recruited and worked day and night.

Target: Kanmon Strait!
Tokugawa Ieyasu's strategic intention was clear and decisive: to achieve success in one battle! He locked the main battlefield in the Kanmon Strait that separated Kyushu and Honshu. He personally led a main force of more than 80,000 people (claimed to be 200,000) and captured Shimonoseki at lightning speed. Relying on the natural barrier of the strait and the vast hinterland of Honshu, he built a seemingly insurmountable steel defense line.

More than 700 warships of all sizes that Japan could mobilize (including 40 Ataka-bune, 200 Seki-bune, and several hundred Kobayane-bune) were gathered and deployed in the narrow Kanmon Strait under the command of Kuki Moritaka, the son of the former Toyotomi naval commander Kuki Yoshitaka. The plan was to use the complex water flow in the strait and the shore defense firepower (more than 100 new artillery forts were built on both sides of Shimonoseki and Moji) to block the main force of the Ming navy outside the strait, or lure it into the narrow waters to annihilate it.

On the land of Shimonoseki-Moji area, relying on the hilly terrain, strong fortifications stretching for dozens of miles were built. There were triple trenches, earth ramparts, fences, and arrow towers. Honda Tadakatsu led 20,000 elite troops (including a large number of iron cannon foot soldiers) to guard the front; Sakai Tadatsugu led 20,000 troops as the left wing, controlling the mountains of Nagato Province (Yamaguchi Prefecture); Ii Naomasa led 15,000 "red-armored" elite troops and the coalition forces of the western feudal states to maneuver on the right wing. Ieyasu was stationed in the main camp of Shimonoseki and was in charge of the overall situation.

Tokugawa Ieyasu personally went to the front line and ordered his men to hang the "Kiku-ichimonji" sword, which was bestowed by successive emperors and symbolized the pillars of the samurai, high above the main camp, vowing to defend the territory of the "kingdom of God" to the death. The whole army was filled with a tragic atmosphere of "dying with honor".

(End of this chapter)