Warring States Eagle

Chikuzen Kingdom is located in Xiangchunyue City at the foot of Yuxu Mountain.

"Cha, cha, cha..."

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, the ashigaru soldiers of the coalition formed by the Akizuki family and the Aso family stepped on the dust on the ground, and looked like a giant dragon from a distance, rolling towards the mountain of Yuxu Mountain.

That's right, the Qiuyue family and the Aso family are going to cross the Yuxu Mountain to the other side of the Bungzen Kingdom!Because the Luo family's army entered the Qijiu County of Buzen Kingdom, it not only prevented the tyrants of Buzen Kingdom from coming to support the Ouchi family's territory directly under the Chikuzen Kingdom, but even the Luo family became a real target. The attention of all the powerful families in the country has been attracted, so the Aso family and the Qiuyue family were able to successfully capture the Ouchi family's direct-controlled territory Hatayama Castle and Takatoriyama Castle in the Chikuzen Kingdom during this period of time, and then the two families jointly conquered Ouchi. The Uchi family's last stronghold in the Chikuzen Kingdom, Xiangchunyue Castle.

And at this time, it was reported from Fengqian that the Luo family had conquered Xiaocang Castle, the important town of the Shan family in the Xiaocang Plain, and at the same time defeated the reinforcements of the Shan family who came to support Xiaocang Castle, and took the opportunity to seize the rescue. The territory of the powerful Nagano family in the county, the news that the Luo family has almost occupied more than half of the Qijiu county in Buzen country and has gained a firm foothold in Buzen country.

The rapid progress of the Luo family's attack surprised everyone in the Qiuyue family and the Aso family, but also felt a deep sense of urgency.According to the previous thinking of the two families, the Luo family was allowed to enter the Buzen country, and when the Luo family fell into the quagmire of entanglement with the rich family daimyo of the Buzen country, they took the opportunity to seize the territory of the Ouchi family in the Chikuzen country. At the same time, it is waiting for an opportunity.

Now it is found that the Luo family almost occupies the Ogura Plain, and then began to advance towards Matsuyama Castle, the home of the Buzen Sugi family.They were naturally surprised.To know.Matsuyama Castle is not only the largest port of Bungzen Kingdom located in Zhoufang.At the same time, it is also an important checkpoint for the Kokura Plain of Buzen Country to enter the Naogata Plain of Buzen Country.Once the Luo family takes this place, they can drive straight into the Nogata Plain and mountainous area in the central part of Buzen Kingdom.And this area is precisely the area that Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso Takashi covet.

Therefore, after an urgent discussion between the two families, they immediately decided to cross Yuxu Mountain from the mountain path on the east side of Xiangchun Mountain to the central area of ​​Buzen Kingdom on the other side of Yuxu Mountain.In that direction, the closest ones to the foot of Oxu Mountain are the Mayake Castle of the Sugi Clan and the Yanase Castle of the Shiroi Clan.As long as these two fortresses are taken down, the Aso family and Qiuyue family will be nailed into the central region of Bungzen Kingdom like a nail.Then they can share the Bungzen country with the Luo family under the banner of supporting the Luo family.

this day.Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso Longshi each rode their war horses, standing on a hillside outside Xiangchunyue City, holding the reins in one hand, and holding the whip under their armpits with the other hand, watching the waves of horses rushing from Xiangchunyue City. soldiers out.Fukae Mino Mamoru, Toebe Aki Mamoru, Ohashi Bungo Mamoru, Ida Kiyuki, Aso Zhenri and other generals of the Akizuki family and the Aso family all stood behind them on horseback with their helmets on.For this time's raid on the central part of the Bungzen Kingdom, the two of them almost brought out most of the army and retainers and warriors from their respective families.

At this time, a samurai came to the mountain on horseback, turned over and bowed down in front of Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso Takashi, and said: "Report, according to the investigation. It has been occupied by the Luo family's navy."

"What?" The generals behind Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso Takashi immediately exclaimed after hearing the words.

"Well, so it seems. The Luo family has completely controlled Qijiu County on the northern coast of Bungzen Country." Aso Takami said with a frown.

"Not only that, the Guanmen Strait that has been controlled by the Ouchi family has also fallen under the control of the Luo family. Although this will further intensify the conflict between the Luo family and the powerful families of the Ouchi family, it will also allow the Luo family to concentrate More troops are attacking the central and southeastern regions of the Bungzen Kingdom!" Qiuyue Wenzhong responded.

"That's right, the Shan Family's Matsuyama Castle is in danger!"

"In this case, in order to speed up our marching speed, I suggest that you take the trail to the north instead." Qiuyue Wenzhong discussed.The rapid development of Luo's family made Qiuyue Wenzhong feel great pressure, so he immediately suggested.

There are two mountain roads in the central area of ​​Bungzen Province in the east after crossing the Oxu Mountain, one of which is in the south direction, leading to Yanase Castle of the Shiroi family.This mountain road is wider (it can accommodate horses and grain trucks), but the distance is longer, and it takes at least two or three days to drill back and forth in the mountains.

The reason why Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso Takashi chose this mountain road at the beginning was to avoid dissatisfaction from the Luo family. After all, the mountain road in the north direction leads to the Mayak City of the Buzen Sugi family. If the Qiuyue family and the Aso family Speaking of taking this place, it would be suspected of taking advantage of the fierce battle between the Luo family and the Shan family, which would probably arouse the dissatisfaction of the Luo family.The second is that when Mayue City was attacked by them, the Shan family might also send troops to rescue, which would instead serve to restrain the Shan family's troops for the Luo family.This is obviously the last thing they want to see for the two who wholeheartedly hope that the Luo family and the Shan family will confront each other in Matsuyama City.So they finally chose the mountain road to the south.

It's just that time no longer allows them to slowly circle around Yuxu Mountain, so Qiuyue Wenzhong suggested to change the route directly and take a shorter distance (it can be completed in about a day and a half), but it is too narrow for soldiers to pass through North Mountain Road.

"If that's the case, our horses and grain trucks won't be able to pass through." Aso Takashi hesitated.

"As long as we can quickly take down Mayue City on the other side of the mountain, then the supplies will naturally be guaranteed."

"In that case, let's change the route." After thinking for a while, Aso Takami finally agreed with Akizuki Wenzhong's suggestion to change the route.

Immediately, under the command of the generals, the nearly [-]-strong army of the Qiuyue family and the Aso family turned into Yuxu Mountain along the narrow mountain road near the north.

This narrow path is a mountain path discovered by some local residents occasionally going hunting in the mountains. In fact, few people usually pass here.As the crowd continued to go deeper, the surrounding woods became more and more dense, and later, there were even towering ancient trees, covering the sky and the sun.The several-meter-thick dead branches and fallen leaves accumulated at the bottom of the tree gave off a musty smell, which made people walk without covering their noses.

But when the allied forces of Qiuyue's family and Aso's family continued to advance through the woods, what they didn't know was that in some woods behind them, some people came out one after another. .

These people are people from the Buzen Sugi family.It is also the same as the purpose of Akizuki Wenzhong and others. Akizuki Wenzhong, Aso Takami and others hope to sneak into the troubled waters of the central part of Buzen Kingdom secretly through this mountain road.And these people from the Sugi family also hope to enter the eastern part of the Chikuzen country through this mountain road, and unite with the Ouchi family army in the territory directly under the territory of Ouchiko there, in an attempt to establish a new front in the eastern part of the Chikuzen country, so as to attack The Luo family's marching road in the coastal area of ​​the Chikuzen country delayed the Luo family's invasion of the Buzen country area, so that Sugi Shigemo, who had just been defeated by the Luo family at Kokura Castle and the bank of Zichuan, could regroup.

"Young master! Could it be that the clan's territory in the Chikuzen country has been seized by two traitors, the Qiuyue family and the Aso family?" At this time, a samurai from the Sugi family said to a young man in the crowd.

"Since the forces of the Qiuyue family and the Aso family have already appeared here, I am afraid that the clan's territory in Chikuzen is really in danger." The young man looked at what was left behind by the combined forces of the Qiuyue family and the Aso family. Trace said sadly.This young man is none other than Sugi Shigemo's son, Sugi Shigesuke.

"Then? Young Master, shall I continue to go to Chikuzen Kingdom? Judging by the appearance of the other party, I am afraid that he is planning to secretly go to the territory of the Buzen family, and then attack the stronghold of the family. I have to send someone to inform the governor of the family. !” said the retainer immediately.

"No, it's already too late. It will only take a day at most to rush from here to Mayue City, where our family is located in Fengqian. The other party must stay in the mountain road tonight, and tomorrow they can walk out of the forest and launch an attack on Mayue City. Even if Father received the report, it would be too late to support Ma Yuecheng. What's more, in the dark night, we, like the other party, cannot continue to walk through the forest." Sugi Shigesuke said.

"Ah? Then? Young Master, what should we do? Are we going to launch a sneak attack on the other party tonight?"

"No, just because I'm waiting for these hundreds of people, even if it's a night attack, it won't be able to cause too many casualties to the opponent. Instead, it will cause us to lose troops. I thought of a way."

"Young Master, please clarify!"

"Gather everyone nearby." Sugi Shigesuke didn't say what he had in mind immediately, but instead asked his retainers to gather the soldiers of the Luo family's Sugi family who were hiding nearby.

However, Qiuyue Wenzhong, Aso Takashi and others who were moving ahead did not know that they were already being targeted.Although they were on the way, they also got a report, saying that they found some newly cut branches along the way.Obviously this forest mountain road has been walked recently.But Qiuyue Wenzhong and the others thought that this was left behind by the defeated soldiers in Xiangchunyue City when they fled to Fengqian Kingdom through this mountain road. After all, when they attacked Xiangchunyue City, there were indeed many defenders of the city. The defeated soldiers fled into the mountains and forests.

On the contrary, because they were worried that these routs would flee back to Fengqian to report, Qiuyue Wenzhong and Aso even accelerated their marching speed until the evening, when everyone was exhausted, the army stationed in the forest.

"What's that?" Just as everyone began to bury their pots and prepare food for the night, a warrior pointed to the southern sky and exclaimed in shock.Qiuyue Wenzhong and the others immediately looked in the direction the warrior pointed.I saw that the whole sky was showing a blood red color.Masses of thick smoke rumbled through the blood-red sky. (To be continued..)