Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

However, the attitude of Nawa Akitaka, the lord of Uto Castle, located at the bend of the Midori River estuary, was somewhat ambiguous. His family and the Sagara family had fought nine battles over the land between Uto and Yatsushiro districts, creating a deep-seated feud. Afterwards, the Sagara clan joined the Shimazu clan. To continue the fight against the Sagara, Nawa Akitaka unhesitatingly sided with Ryuzoji Takanobu.

It can only be said that this is another kind of choice for powerful figures in the Warring States period. It's good to have a powerful backer, and they fight endlessly for a river or a paddy field.

Finally, I opened the map and saw that it was either 300 or 500 koku, a true village war.

"We need to send someone across the Takase River to investigate the situation of the Shimazu clan in Yashiro District." Telling dirty jokes is one thing, but when it comes to a real war, Hachiya Yoritaka is reliable.

"We'll have to ask Shiga Taro for help." Shichibei then sent someone to invite Shiga Chikaji over. After all, he was the guide; if not him, who would?

"How many men can the Shimazu and Sagara Hitoyoshi mobilize?" Takatora Todo glanced at Shigeharu Takenaka sitting across from him and asked.

“That Mimori Hyogo just said there are at most six or seven thousand cavalry,” Sanada Masaki, sitting on the other side, immediately chimed in.

Clearly, he wasn't just acting as a middleman with the Takamori family; he at least inquired about the surrounding situation. The Sagara family, which originally controlled the three districts of Kuma, Yatsushiro, and Ashikita, had collapsed and was severely weakened by the Shimazu family, leaving them with only Kuma District, and even that wasn't entirely intact. Meanwhile, Shimazu Yoshihisa took control of Yatsushiro Castle and gained control of Yatsushiro and Ashikita districts.

Including his territories in Satsuma and Ōsumi, Shimazu Yoshihiro himself was able to raise more than 5,000 troops. If we include the 3,000 cavalry of the Sagara clan, then, to be on the safe side, he would probably have around 8,000 men.

Mimori Hyogo wasn't lying; he was probably referring to mobilization directly in Higo. And we've also included Shimazu Yoshihiro's other territories.

"Oh." Upon hearing that there were only this many men, Shichibei was no longer flustered.

It's hard to say what level of skill Hachiya Yoritaka's four thousand men possessed, but our ten thousand or so men were truly elite troops. Shichibei simply didn't go out to war often, but that didn't mean his troops were weak. Our Kawamura family's wealth, besides providing Nobunaga with a large fortune and making him very comfortable, also stemmed from having a good army.

Shimazu Yoshihiro is a tough guy, and I have a whole bunch of hard-working guys under my command. Look at Watanabe Kanbei sitting at the door, then look at Goto Matabei next to him, then look at Todo Takatora covered in scars, and then look at Sanada Masaki, who can charge into battle on horseback. Speaking of tough guys, there are quite a few tough guys serving Shichibei.

"If the Aso family mobilizes all its forces, how many men can they have?" Tōdō Takatora continued to ask.

"If we fight with all our might, we can have at least eight thousand cavalry," Shiga Chikaji said as he entered.

I had anticipated this beforehand; if Higo Province were to conscript soldiers in a militaristic manner, 35,000 men wouldn't be impossible. If they all retreated into the castle to defend it, that would be absolutely disgusting.

"Eight thousand...tsk." Shichibei was mainly worried that Ryuzoji Ieharu from Chikugo would arrive.

Miyoshi Nobutaka and his men were definitely determined to surround Saga Castle. Ryuzoji Takanobu's head was worth at least 50,000 koku, and 100,000 koku wasn't impossible.

The siege of Saga Castle has another advantage: it allows for a pincer attack on reinforcements. Since the Western Kingdom troops are gradually arriving in Chikuzen and Hakata, the Miyoshi Nobutaka and the Mori families can completely entrust the task of sweeping through the various provinces of northern Kyushu to the Western Kingdom troops.

It doesn't require the Western Kingdom's people to overcome difficulties; it's just a matter of sweeping away the remaining forces in the area, so the task isn't too difficult.

It depends on whether Ryuzoji Ieharu goes to rescue Saga or Aso. Also, the national retainers like Naga and Akiko, whom I just mentioned, might come to rescue Aso; they could gather quite a few people.

"My lord, please take your seat in Takamori. Please, Lord Buei, make your move first." Takenaka Hanbei seemed to have something to say, but Shiga Chikaji was present.

“Oh right, Shiga Taro, you need to send someone to Yashiro District immediately to investigate.” Shichibei and Takenaka Hanbei had been friends for many years and understood his implication.

"Of course! I'll take care of it right away." Upon hearing that it was this matter, Shiga...

Qin Ci did not hesitate at all and immediately expressed his willingness to do it.

"Everyone, you can all leave now. We'll wait for news from Ōtomo Takeeko before we discuss this further." Shichibei waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.

All the generals, including Hachiya Yoritaka, withdrew, but after a short while, Takenaka Hanbei, Todo Takatora, and Hara Nagayori, who had turned their heads, returned to the room.

“Judging from the crowd at Takamori, they immediately opened the city gates as soon as the royal army arrived, but the other factions did not react at all, which is extremely suspicious.” Takenaka Hanbei immediately spoke up, expressing his doubts.

Takamori Korenao and his son Korei were from Higo Province. After hearing of Ryuzoji's great defeat, the people were already in a state of panic. When they saw Oda's army arrive, they immediately surrendered. This was a perfectly normal reaction and completely understandable.

But if Takamori Korenao is so normal, what about the other Higo Japanese? What were they all doing?

Whether it's beating drums to rally the masses and holding the city to the death, or issuing proclamations to recruit warriors and launch a rebellion to fight the Oda army to the death, all of this is normal. But right now, everything is calm. Judging from the time Ōtomo Yoshitomo entered Higo, the Oda army has been there for nine days. And according to the time Shichibei entered Takamori Castle, two days have already passed.

He managed to spread the word throughout Higo by running around on two legs, but the people of Higo didn't react at all.

what happened?

There's definitely something wrong here!

Of course there were problems. Shimazu Yoshihiro and Shimazu Toshihisa, who came from Satsuma to provide reinforcements, were prepared to test the strength of the Oda army. On the one hand, they gradually gathered their troops at Izumi Castle on the border of Satsuma and Higo, and on the other hand, they began to summon the generals of southern Higo.

Ryuzoji is doomed to perish. Rather than following Ryuzoji, you should follow me, Shimazu. As long as you follow Shimazu, all your territory will be secure and you will not lose a single penny.

Think about it. Once the Oda clan invades Higo, they will definitely uproot them completely, kill all the daimyo Kuniyoshi, and then install their own people in their place.

Further afield, in places like Ueno, the powerful families of the Kanto Kanrei (Kanto governors) all declined and were wiped out by Takigawa Kazumasu. Closer to home, in Iyo, after Kagawa Nobusumi entered the province, he dug a large pit outside Yuzuki Castle and slaughtered all the captured Iyo samurai.

A new master has arrived; without killing or destroying families, how can one secure one's own position?

Where are the centaurs?

So, you'll still follow the Shimazu family. The Shimazu are the old tyrants of Kyushu. Look at the Sagara family, they're still doing just fine. Even after Sagara Yoshihiro died, the Sagara family continued to be inherited and maintained by him.

These words made the generals of Nanhigo nod repeatedly, and many of them felt that what he said was true, that the Oda army had come to kill and destroy families.

The first to respond to Shimazu Yoshihiro was Shiro Fuyuki. Of course, Shiro Fuyuki also had his eye on the Aso family's lands. He estimated that the Aso family would definitely be crushed by the Oda army, and when their power dwindled, he would have an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

They charged forward with the Shimazu army, seizing the opportunity to take over the land and estates. This became a fait accompli, and the Shimazu clan ruled Higo, bringing them great fortune.

Don't think he has a narrow vision; this was a perfectly normal choice during Japan's Sengoku period.

As one of the three elders of the Kikuchi clan, the guardians of Higo, Shiro was a highly respected figure in Higo. After he joined the army, many nobles agreed to join the Shimazu army.

The Shimazu clan gradually amassed a force of over five thousand men in Higo Province, actively making military preparations in preparation for the invasion of Higo Province.

Youyi Tong delivered a head-on blow.

564. Asu chooses to fight to the end (Guo Mouguan)

Judging from Takenaka Hanbei, Shiga Chikatsugu is at least somewhat presentable, showing some drive. As for Ōtomo Yoshitomo, he's utterly unremarkable. His arrogance before victory is evident, demonstrating a lack of leadership qualities. While we need to rely on Ōtomo's past reputation to persuade the people of Higo, we shouldn't place too much hope in Ōtomo Yoshitomo.

"What should I do now?"

Shichibei could understand what they were saying, but what did they mean by that? Were they supposed to stay in Takamori Castle and continue to observe Yoshitomo Ōtomo's actions? Or were they supposed to hurry up and catch up with him, lest he take off recklessly and eventually spiral into the sky?

“There is only one passage through Aso Valley. If the vanguard is routed, our army will be greatly affected.” Todo Takatora had obviously thought of this as well.

Starting from Oka Castle and crossing the valley and river where Takamori Castle is located, it's truly a winding road. The other day I mentioned crossing Mount Memaru and traveling through the Midorikawa River Valley to Iwao Castle and Kenshida Castle; the key point is that there's a crossing involved.

Ultimately, Aso Valley was still a single route for thousands of troops. Even if Kawamura's army consisted of elite soldiers, if Ōtomo Yoshitomo's tens of thousands of troops were to flee in disarray, filling the valley with cries and screams, Kawamura's army would certainly waver. There was even a possibility that they might flee with Ōtomo's army back to Bungo.

The scene.

That would be incredibly embarrassing. Shichibei's reputation as a "battle-hardened" fighter, even with his great achievement of defeating Akechi Mitsuhide, would have to be further publicized.

"They went over the mountain and went to Midorikawa?" Shichibei understood, and he had already sent Shiga Chikaji to scout and gather information.

"The main problem is that the Aso clan's movements are unclear, making it difficult for us to quickly capture Iwao Castle," Shichibei added.

Iwao Castle is situated at the end of Mount Yabe, at an elevation of 482 meters. Its main keep and second keep are both located on the mountain, with an earthen rampart built at the foot. The castle was originally built so that if Hamano-kan at the foot of the mountain could not be defended, one could flee up the mountain. Just like the strategically important mountain castle, Sekisui-ji, located behind Kai Tsutsuzaki-kan, the castle served as a means of survival: living at the foot of the mountain and securing one's life on the mountain.

The castle was built by Aso Koretada of the Northern Court. After the Aso clan, which had split apart, was reunited, the castle was handed over to the old Kai clan of the Aso family. Specifically, it was Kai Muneobu and his son Chikahide, but the two are currently at odds.

Kai Muneoun controlled Mifune Castle, while Kai Chikahide controlled Iwao Castle; their rivalry had a long history, but thanks to the mediation of senior retainers, things were temporarily calmed down. Kai Chikahide's wife even secretly plotted to eliminate Kai Muneoun.

I wonder if I can make use of it...

If it could be used, Shichibei wouldn't mind keeping Kai Chikahide under his wing for three to five thousand koku, letting him trick the gates of Mifune Castle into opening so that Kawamura's army could enter the castle and eliminate Kai Muneun.

"That's why I can't make this suggestion publicly," Takenaka Hanbei said, understanding Shichibei's concerns.

"How about we offer three thousand or five thousand koku of rice to pacify the governor of Kai and Sagami (who is pro-Hide), gain a foothold, and then discuss other matters?" Hara Nagayoshi scratched his head, having the same idea as Shichibei.

"Okay." To everyone's surprise, Takenaka Hanbei and Todo Takatora said in unison.

The two of them were retainers; Hara Nagayoshi was both his brother-in-law and retainer. They weren't exactly close relatives, and Hara Nagayoshi's eldest son was Shichibei's nephew. The suggestion that Shichibei give up 5,000 koku of land to appease a powerful local figure he looked down upon was certainly the most appropriate one for Hara Nagayoshi to propose.

"Hahahaha..." The two of them were so in sync that after saying yes, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

By the way, one of the reasons for the conflict between Kai Muneun and his son Kai Chikahide was that Kai Muneun was fiercely loyal to the Aso family, while Kai Chikahide felt that if the ship was sinking, they had to jump ship and find another. Their differing opinions naturally led to conflict.

This created a conflict.

The only concern is whether Kai Chihide is pro-Shimazu or someone else. If he is pro-Shimazu, it could easily alert the enemy.

"Let's hold on for now. If Lord Ruojiang is stationed at Takamori Castle, then our retreat will be secure. Our troops will march south, cross the Nakasaka Pass, and enter the Midorikawa Valley. We'll conduct some reconnaissance before making a decision," said Todo Takatora this time.

Let Ōtomo Yoshitomo charge ahead, heading towards Kumamoto Castle downstream along the Tsuboi River. Ideally, he could capture all the clans, including Aso Castle and Goshi. We'll take the Midorikawa Valley and go for the Kai clan first. Taking Kai is like crippling Aso; then, regardless of Ōtomo Yoshitomo's progress, we'll be much more at ease.

"In that case, after informing Otomo Takehito, we will immediately mobilize our troops." It's one thing to let Otomo Yoshitomo lead the charge, but it's quite another for us to maintain contact with him from behind.

After making their decision, the group informed Hachiya Yoritaka. Hachiya Yoritaka then said that Takamori Castle could only hold a maximum of two thousand people, and that having four thousand men sitting there empty was a waste of time. Since they had come to Kyushu, they obviously wanted to make a contribution.

He's already the lord of Wakae Castle in Kawachi with a fief of 100,000 koku, why not take a chance and become the lord of Buzen Province with 150,000 koku? No matter how good "castle lord" sounds, it's not as good as "province lord." A daimyo with the title of "one gen, one koku" is just a servant...

The high position of the Canadian governor can lead to the rank of fourth-grade official, and later to the rank of court official.

Therefore, Hachiya Yoritaka's idea was to divide the army in two, leaving two thousand men in Takamori Castle to control the castle and the retreat route. Given the formidable nature of Takamori Castle, even twenty thousand men wouldn't be able to take it easily.

Meanwhile, Hachiya Yoritaka himself and Shichibei set out together, leading another two thousand men. The two of them joined forces to venture into the Midorikawa Valley and see if they could wipe out the Kai clan.

If we can take advantage of the victory to seize the two counties of Yashiro and Kuma, or even invade Satsuma Province, that would be an even greater achievement, worthy of being rewarded with the entire province of Buzen.

Be bold and decisive! In this day and age, if you don't even dare to dream, how are you going to survive?

When Hideyoshi was working as a needle seller or a horse handler for Nobunaga, he probably never imagined that he would one day become the Left General of the Imperial Guard, the Governor of Chikuzen. But he certainly did dream of rising above his station and riding home.

Different trees produce different flowers, and different classes speak different words. Hachiya Yoritaka was the vanguard of the eager ruling class, well, he certainly wouldn't stay behind.

Since that was the case, Shichibei left Ito at Takamori Castle for a long time, to guard the castle together with Hachiya Shokane, the chief retainer of the Hachiya family. With a combined force of 2,500, the extra 500 ensured that there would still be a force inside the castle capable of launching surprise attacks.

And so, the army packed its bags, taking fifteen days' worth of provisions, and set off for Midorikawa. Whether they could succeed or not, they would decide upon reaching Iwao Castle. If they couldn't succeed, they would retreat after twelve days.

When Shichibei crossed Nakasaka Pass, he asked Mimori Hyogo, a servant of the Takamori family, whether such mountain roads were prone to collapse and damage due to typhoons and flash floods in the summer and autumn.

Of course, thankfully it's winter now, and there's not much rain. It almost never snows in Kyushu, so there shouldn't be any difficult places to travel. If it were summer or autumn now, Mimori Hyogo would definitely not have suggested that Shichibei cross the mountain pass.

After Kawamura's entire army passed through Nakasaka Pass, Mimori Hyogo returned to Takamori Castle, where he still had to continue guarding the Takamori family's castle. With neither Takamori Korenao nor Koreki present, and the castle crammed with Oda's army, anyone would be filled with apprehension.

Another account says they crossed a mountain pass, but the opposite side is still mountainous, though not very undulating. It's estimated that when Mount Aso was forming, continental plate movement forcefully pushed it up. Geographically speaking, this...

The area can be described as a "wavy plateau," with undulations, but the undulations are not very large.

The terrain slopes gently, gradually expanding outwards. There are five craters, but none of them are smoking. This thing is an active volcano; Shichibei remembers it erupting in his later life, but it didn't cause any serious consequences.

After all, there are still humans living and working in this area, establishing their own settlements and communities. In future generations, it will become a national park, a place where you can walk a mile and not see a single living person.

However, further afield on the plains, a population settled around animal husbandry. For example, the town of Takamori in later years had a registered population of 5346. The majority were farmers and herders, but after tourism development began, a significant portion of the population shifted to the tourism industry.

In small towns like those in Japan, it's common to see waiters/waitresses who are in their seventies. For example, there's a McDonald's in Kumamoto where a 91-year-old man works the night shift.

"I thought it would be a series of rolling mountains, but in reality, there are still some mountains in Aso Valley and Nango Valley. Once we got into the mountains, the terrain became gentler and easier to traverse." Shichibei sat astride his horse, gazing at the surrounding plateau.

"That's good, it's not easy to ambush them." Hara Nagayoshi, riding beside Shichibei, looked around very alertly.

Because Shiga Chikaji had not yet returned, he sent a messenger back with news that there was no large-scale troop buildup in Yatsushiro County and that the Shimazu clan did not seem to have made any moves.

Or, to put it another way, Shimazu Yoshihiro had already led some of his most elite samurai, just like he had done in the Battle of Kizakihara, leading only three hundred of his most elite men to confront Ito Suan's three thousand.

In a sense, they were the best of the best, elite soldiers who, despite suffering more than half their casualties, managed to kill three thousand men.