Warring States Eagle

"This mountain road is really a bad place!"

Looking at the stream on the side of the mountain road after the rain, the broken branches and broken trees hanging from the mountain were constantly mixed, and the head of the Shimadzu family, Shimadzu Takahisa, who was riding a horse on the mountain road in the mountains in the north of Hyuga country, cursed in a low voice.Such a difficult mountain road has indeed added a lot of trouble to the joint reinforcements of the Shimadzu family and the Ito family to support the Saeki family.

Looking carefully, both sides of the mountain road are high peaks pierced like sharp swords, and occasionally there are a few steep broken walls, and then the sound of a roaring waterfall is heard, which is obviously because the mountain torrent has nowhere to drain, And suddenly formed a temporary waterfall.

Takahisa Shimadzu rode a pony unique to the mountains of Kyushu, advancing one high and one low on the mountain road, which was three miles away from Matsuo Castle, which had just left Ito's house.Starting one mile north from Matsuo Castle, the army entered the dense forest in the mountains in the northern part of Hyuga Country. There is only one mountain road connecting with Bungo Country further north.And the first stop to enter Bungo country from the northern part of Hyuga country is the territory of the Saeki family.

Thinking of the Saeki family, Takahisa Shimadzu couldn't help but think of the secret conversation with Yoshisuke Ito, the governor of the Ito family, in Matsuo Castle last night.In Takahisa Shimadzu's view, the southern part of Bungo Kingdom controls the remaining half of Haibu County (in fact, as Meimuli City was captured by the Luo family, the Saeki family only controlled about a quarter of Haibu County's territory at this time .Due to the obstruction of the road, the information that Takahisa Shimadzu knew has fallen behind), the Saeki family is really tasteless to the Ito family, it is tasteless to eat, and it is a pity to discard it.

That's why Ito Yoshisuke never annexed the Saeki family.After all, since the Saeki family is so tasteless, it is better to keep it as a barrier for the Ito family to resist the threat from the north of the Luo family.Wouldn't it be better?This is also the main reason why Yoshisuke Ito actively supported the Saeki family after the Saeki family was invaded by the Roche family, and also joined the Saeki family to invite the main family to fight against the Roche family.

Even in the secret conversation last night, Yoshisuke Ito also revealed that once the joint resistance fails and the Saeki family loses the territory of Kaifu County in Bungo Kingdom, he intends to give Matsuo Castle in the northern Hyuga region to The Saeki family is the territory.As a result, the Saeki family in the northern region once again became a barrier against threats from the north of the Luo family.

Thinking of this, Takahisa Shimadzu thought of Matsuo Castle, which was the only way out for this battle.

Why do you say that Matsuo Castle is the only way out from defeat?Geographically.The northern part of Hyuga country and the southern part of Bungo country are almost all high mountains and dense forest areas. Starting from Matsuo Castle to the north (starting from the south of Matsuo Castle, it is a part of Hyuga country that is connected by Kitagawa, Gokase River, Ose River, etc.) plains created by rivers).This mountain road leading to the castle of Saeki's house in Bungo country is actually the only road on land in this area.As for the coastal area from the Saeki family's territory to Matsuo Castle, there are steep coasts and mountain forest areas, and it is completely impassable on land. The only way is to use ships to sail along the sea route.

However, at this time, the Shimadzu family's navy was on standby along the coast of Satsuma, guarding against any sneak attack from the Luo's family's navy from the direction of Amakusa Beach.After being defeated several times by the Luo family's navy, the Ito family's navy could only hide in the bay where Matsuo Castle was located.Defend against threats from the sea while defending Matsuo Castle.Therefore, the support road of the sea road is simply impassable.

In the case of only one escape route in the rear, Matsuo Castle, which is the base camp of the rear and controls the entrance and exit of the mountain road in the direction of Hyuga Kuni, is particularly important.This is where the coalition forces are repelled by the Luo family.The only escape route to escape to Hyuga country and return to the southern Kyushu area.

Although the Shimadzu family, the Ito family, and the Saeki family are allies who unite against the Roche family, in order to ensure absolute safety, even though Matsuo Castle is a fortress controlled by the allied Ito family, the Shimadzu family and the Saeki family also left some troops behind. Shi is stationed in the city, in the name of assisting in defense, but in fact they cannot fully trust each other.A guarantee was left in the city to ensure the safety of the back road.

Even so, the Shimadzu family and the Ito family still felt that it was not safe enough.In the coming days, both the Shimadzu family and the Ito family will continue to send some troops to this city to ensure the safety of the city. It was transported here as a logistical hub to support the resistance front.

Of course, the Shimadzu family and the Ito family are not worried that the territory will be affected if such a large-scale withdrawal of troops and supplies from the territory comes to Matsuo Castle?After all, apart from the Saeki family being invaded by the Luo family, both the Shimadzu family and the Ito family have a longer border with the Luo family.Aren't the two families worried that the Luo family will launch an invasion attack on the border between the two at the same time?

Regarding this point, both the Ito family and the Shimadzu family expected it.As for the Ito family, since they had completely defeated the Beigo family who had formed an alliance with the Luo family in the direction of Nanhyuga before, and forced the Beigo family to only a little bit at the southernmost point of Nanhyuga (the Kitago family only had two left at this time) The rest of the territory was occupied by the Ito family, and the rest of the land was separated by mountains and dense forests, so it was not quickly captured by the Ito family).Therefore, after there was no internal threat, the Ito family not only was able to strongly support the Saeki family this time, but also took a lot of strong men from the territory to several border fortresses bordering the Hyuga country and the Luo family's Higo country, to prevent the Luo family from these The direction took the opportunity to invade at the same time.

As for the Shimadzu family themselves, since the last time they repelled the Luo family's army in the Northern Satsuma area, the Shimadzu family has taken advantage of the trend and successively wiped out the Qidayuan family, the Hishikari family and other powerful families in the Northern Satsuma area until the end of last year. After the recalcitrant Kitahara family was also destroyed, the Shimadzu family not only took full control of the Satsuma country, but also gained many territories in the Nishi-Osumi and Minamihyuga areas. Their territories were directly connected, which greatly facilitated the joint resistance of the two families against the Luo family.

As for the threat from the Ganfu family of the Osumi country, due to several disastrous defeats by the Shimadzu family's army in the West Osumi area before, resulting in the loss of a large amount of military power and a large amount of territory, the Ganfu family has completely lost the ability to actively attack the Shimadzu family at this time.Therefore, in the absence of other threats, Shimadzu Takahisa drew a large number of farmers and soldiers from the territory to guard the territory and go out to support the Saeki family.

At the same time, before Takahisa Shimadzu went out to support the Saeki family this time, he also left his son Yoshihisa Shimadzu, who had previously performed well in the North Satsuma Raiders and was recognized by a large number of retainers, to lead the territory. On the other hand, he was stationed in the walled city on the border of the southern Higo country for defense. On the other hand, he was in charge of coordinating the construction of the territory during the period when Takahisa Shimadzu himself came out to support him. (to be continued)