bookbashuk Page 31
Page 31
He not only took all his followers with him, but also specifically requested that Shimizu Hachiroza, Takeda Village's Kozaemon, and others be transferred there.
The thirteen villages of Noguchi Township were once again placed under the full command of Shinzaburo Kubo.
Fortunately, having had the experience of acting as the reserve team leader last time, he didn't feel too nervous.
Furthermore, Oi Shigeie, who was from Shinano, said that the peasant soldiers of Noguchi Township were at their peak at the time and had a great chance of making great contributions in the battle.
Shinzaburo asked him how he could tell.
Ōi Shigeie explained, “After a year of careful governance, the people have great faith in you and confidence in the new acting head of the Naito family. The stone-moving game that lasted for more than half a year has fostered a culture of pride in physical strength among the people, not to mention that the peasant soldiers of Kubo Village have also gained the support of the ‘Go-kaku Go-zaku’ (a government-funded military organization)... All these factors mean that they are not considered a weak force in the eastern country!”
The monk Jingcheng also said, "Although I am not very knowledgeable about battle formations, I have seen that Kubo Village has ten long spears and five sets of armor, and their morale is high. As long as they do not encounter enemy captains or shinobu, they should be able to handle the situation with ease."
Shinzaburo asked, "What if we encounter the enemy's Hatamoto, Umawari?"
The monk Jingcheng was speechless.
But Ōi Shigeie proudly replied, "It is already a great honor to force the enemy to use their hatamoto bajit to deal with the peasant soldiers!"
Upon hearing this, the monk Jingcheng immediately nodded vigorously in agreement, as if he also had a desire to go to the battlefield and make meritorious contributions.
Seeing his subordinates so excited, Shinzaburo didn't want to dampen their enthusiasm.
However, he felt that rather than gloriously attracting the enemy's leader, Makai, it would be better to cowardly engage in a skirmish with the enemy's weak peasant soldiers...
Is it really worth getting beaten up and bruised just to save face?
Just as he was thinking this, two messengers on horseback arrived at Guangfu Temple, hurriedly asking him to see Master Mingzhou, saying that there was something very important to discuss.
Shinzaburo felt troubled and said, "With battle imminent, I'm afraid I won't have time to serve the abbot for the time being."
The messengers said, "The abbot summoned you here precisely because of matters related to this battle!"
Hearing this, Kubo Shinzaburo was puzzled, but he believed that the old monk would never harm him, so he decided to mount his horse and go and see for himself as soon as he had some free time.
060 Survivors of the Shingu Party
With war imminent, Shinzaburo Kubo rushed to Kofuku-ji Temple and met Master Meishu. The first thing Master Meishu said to him was:
Have you heard of the Amago Shingu faction?
Amago Shingu faction...
Like the other villagers, Kubo Shinzaburo had never heard of him in his lifetime.
The Amago family is a daimyo in Izumo Province. Although they are quite powerful, their influence only extends to the Mimasaka and Bizen areas, which is quite far from Tanba. They are not usually noticed by the locals.
Most Tanba people probably don't even know what their headmaster is called.
However, in his previous life, Shinzaburo was a seasoned Koei Tecmo game player and a history enthusiast. He was familiar with many powerful figures in the Warring States period, so how could he not know about the situation of "the Amago clan, the governor of the eleven kingdoms of Yin and Yang"?
He immediately nodded and said, "The Izumo Amago clan has a branch of its lineage that was enfeoffed in Shingu Valley. They are known for their bravery in battle and are called the 'Shingu Party.' I have also heard of this..."
At this point, he hesitated for a moment.
Shinzaburo only knew that the Shingu faction was purged by Amago Haruhisa in history, but he didn't remember when it happened.
What I couldn't understand was why the old monk had called me over just to ask this question.
Master Mingzhou, however, did not think so much. Upon hearing this, he nodded in approval and said, "Indeed! Even though he is in a low position for the time being, he should still care about the affairs of the nations. This is what a person with the world in his heart should do. However, Shinzaburo probably does not know that just over ten days ago, Amago Shusuke (Amago Haruhisa) suddenly ordered the beheading of the leader of the Shingu faction. His followers were either killed or committed suicide, and only a few escaped."
Shinzaburo thought to himself, "Of course I know about this. When I first played the Koei Tecmo game, everyone said it was Motonari Mori's scheme to sow discord; later, historical records said it was just internal strife and had little to do with Mori. I really don't know what happened."
However, he still feigned shock and asked in surprise, "Why would Niko Xiuli kill one of his own powerful generals?"
Master Mingzhou sighed, “Before, there was the Kamakura-dono, and after, the Dōji-in-dono, both of whom committed acts of fratricide. In Tang China, there was also the Rebellion of the Seven States and the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Such things have never ceased since ancient times, and they will be seen again in the future.”
Kamakura-dono refers to Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Tojiin-dono refers to Ashikaga Takauji; both of them had turned against their own brothers.
After a moment of silence, Shinzaburo asked, "Abbot, you summoned me here today, saying you have instructions regarding matters of war. Could you please tell me the specifics..."
Master Mingzhou smiled upon hearing this and slowly said, "This matter is indeed related to the Niko Shingu faction. As mentioned before, most of the Shingu faction members were executed, and only a few loyal and righteous individuals escaped with the infant prince in their arms. They traveled all the way to the vicinity of Kyoto and sought refuge under the protection of Tofukuji Temple. Tofukuji Temple belongs to different factions of the Rinzai sect, but it is very close to my Daitokuji sect, so I am also aware of this matter."
Shinzaburo Kubo listened attentively, but still didn't understand how it concerned him.
Master Mingzhou didn't keep them in suspense any longer and immediately added an explanation: "Although Tofukuji Temple provided shelter, it couldn't possibly offer them fine clothes and delicacies for nothing. Those loyal and righteous men who survived from the Shingu faction offered to work as mercenaries to earn some money to support the young lord. I thought that after Lord Nagayori betrayed the Hatano family of Taki District, a great war was bound to break out in Tanba, so I invited those people over."
Shinzaburo was delighted upon hearing this.
The Nikolai Shingu faction was renowned for its bravery and fighting prowess. Furthermore, the survivors, who managed to escape with an infant during a surprise attack, must have possessed considerable skill.
Master Mingzhou has thought this through very thoroughly.
The only problem is...
How much are these mercenaries asking for?
If the amount exceeds his ability to pay, the old monk will most likely lend a hand. However, he's not even her real son-in-law yet, and if he were to live off her money prematurely, he feels a little ashamed.
We need to figure this out no matter what.
Shinzaburo cut to the chase and asked directly, "Abbot, you are so kind! But I wonder what price is required to hire these loyal and brave warriors? Is it paid monthly or...?"
At this moment, Master Mingzhou showed a hint of pride on his face, shook his head, and slowly said, "For the sake of this old monk, there is no need to pay in advance this time. We will settle accounts according to merits afterward. If we are fortunate enough to capture the head of the enemy clan, we will receive two hundred strings of cash; the heads of senior retainers and important ministers will each receive seventy strings of cash; the captains and centurions of the reserve force will each receive twenty strings of cash; ordinary warriors without official positions will receive five strings of cash; and underworld personnel without a clan name but with proper attire will receive one string of cash. As for the miscellaneous soldiers without proper attire, no matter how many we kill, we will not receive any money. As for the identification of heads, our temple will take care of that."
Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo thought for a moment and then nodded decisively.
This number isn't high at all. Unless the mercenaries acquire a massive number of enemy heads, Old Man Jinbingwei's savings should be more than enough to cover it. Besides, the old monk is in charge of the accounting. There's no chance of being ripped off.
If a major victory were achieved, such as capturing the head of the Hatano family along with three or five retainers, then perhaps the cost would be unaffordable. But if such a good thing were to happen, would money even matter?
……
After a while, Master Mingzhou asked someone to invite a guest.
He was a young warrior who wasn't particularly tall, but looked decisive and ruthless. He had two bandages on his body, as if he had some fresh wounds that hadn't healed, but he walked with a powerful stride, exuding an unstoppable aura.
Shinzaburo subconsciously felt that this person might have seen more life and death than his "pig-hunting hero" Shigeie Oi.
"Izumo Takemura Goro Hidetoshi greets Lord Kubo Shinzaburo! Master Meishu has already recounted the events that have occurred, so I will not repeat them here. In this battle, the direction your blade points is our direction!"
As soon as the man finished speaking, Kubo Shinzaburo straightened up and became serious, but he didn't know what to say, so he casually asked a pointless question: "Lord Takemura, I suppose you are the current leader of the Shingu Party."
The young samurai who called himself "Takemura Goro Hidetoshi" frowned slightly, but only for half a second before his expression hardened again. He then declared loudly, "Among the Shingu faction, there are more experienced samurai still alive. However, Lord Mizunobu of Ōkawara has lost an arm, Lord Ogawa Kanmono has been blinded by an arrow, and Lord Shiota Sōbu is unconscious and unable to fight. Therefore, the one you see today is me! We still have seventeen men who can fight, all of whom are first-rate warriors from various provinces!"
“I have no doubt about that.” Shinzaburo showed complete trust and respect.
Just from what they just said, it's clear that these remnants of the Amago Shingu faction are all fearless and valiant warriors.
No wonder they accept mercenary contracts that require no deposit and are based solely on performance. They must be confident that they can take down the enemy in various circumstances.
With the help of these people, the reserve force composed of farmers and soldiers from Noguchi Village might just make a name for itself in this battle...
061 A Simple Sand Table Showcases the Landscape
The war was fully ignited in mid-November of the 23rd year of the Tianwen era (1554).
Unable to tolerate the defection of Hatano Hidechika, the lord of Honme Castle, the Hatano family of Taki District rallied their most powerful ally—the Akai family of Hikami District—along with other friendly forces, and gathered their troops to challenge the Naito family, which was led by Matsunaga Nagayori.
Matsunaga Nagayori accepted the challenge without hesitation, once again summoning reinforcements from Settsu and Yamashiro, and launching a mobilization within Funai County.
This time, Matsunaga Magoroku was sent to Honmei Castle as a liaison, and Shimizu Hachiroza, Takeda Village's Kozaemon, and others were also taken away.
Therefore, of the more than two hundred people gathered from the thirteen villages of Noguchi Township, apart from the transport team members who served as "Koho" and were conventionally incorporated into the "Koho Magistrate" team, the rest were all commanded by Shinzaburo Kubo.
Having gained experience from the previous agency, this time it was much easier.
The same person from each village, or someone who went to war in place of the person from the village, would serve as a temporary "group leader" and be responsible for commanding the people in their village.
Kubomura's men were kept by his side as his personal guards.
"Hero of the Pig-Fighting Campaign" Shigeie Oi served as the deputy commander, overseeing the operation and taking over command when necessary.
The monk Jingcheng was at the very back, holding a pen, ink, and a small notebook, recording the performance of each village's team, which served as a form of "observational record-keeping."
In addition, there were a dozen or so members of the Amago Shingu faction, who were their trump cards. They all wore straw hats and raincoats to conceal their identities, and told the outside world that they were just local street thugs hired for a small fee to bolster their numbers.
They would first gather at Noguchi Castle, where Kubo Shinzaburo would count the number of people before taking them to Yagi Castle to report to their superior retainers, and then act according to military orders.
The actual number of people mobilized in Funai County this time was still more than 2,200, of which about 1,500 were combat soldiers.
Matsunaga Nagayori has been in power for nearly a year. Although he has reformed the tax system and expanded the sources of revenue, he has not yet changed the military service model.
The internal struggles in Tanba are fought on a very short front.
They marched for only one day and arrived at the front line before dark, where they set up camp.
There happened to be a village nearby with forty or fifty houses, which were temporarily requisitioned as residences for the high-ranking samurai. The common people had already fled when they saw the army coming, so they didn't raise any objections.
The flags clearly indicated that their own troops were not the enemy. However, the civilians still fled.
Matsunaga Nagayori may have wanted to distinguish himself from his predecessor as governor by ordering that he be given some copper coins as compensation afterward.
However, the Noguchi village garrison led by Shinzaburo Kubo was not allowed to stay in civilian houses and had to set up their own tents.
The position was chosen by the "strategist" above after surveying the feng shui. The location seemed good, with a slightly higher elevation that allowed for a commanding view of the enemy to the west. There were also no obstructions to the view on the north and south sides, and a mountain spring and forest not far behind, making it convenient to fetch water and cut timber.
Shinzaburo Kubo's troops were positioned in the very center of the main camp, surrounded by friendly forces, so there was no need to worry about being ambushed. Therefore, after he had his men set up their camp, he was able to take a stroll around the area to observe the situation of his own troops.
Movement within the military ranks is not prohibited before nightfall.
In my previous military service, I always served as a low-ranking officer, following orders without much thought. My last appointment to replace Matsunaga Mauroku was also a last-minute decision; there was no time for preparation.
Having decided from the outset that he would participate in the battle as an officer commanding over a hundred men, Shinzaburo Kubo's mindset was naturally different.
Lately, I've felt that I should take the initiative to learn more about military formations.
In this era, there was no concept of military education; only a few sons of military families could receive a small amount of knowledge from their fathers and grandfathers. Warriors of commoner origin had no choice but to take it upon themselves to study, ponder, and summarize their experiences.
With the naked eye, it is impossible to determine the number of one's own troops or to see the location of the enemy.
However, Shinzaburo was able to listen to the military council from the outermost perimeter and learned that it was roughly six thousand against five thousand.
Besides the troops from Tanba Funai County, we also have reinforcements from Settsu and Yamashiro. As long as the higher-ups haven't deliberately exaggerated the scale, the numbers are reliable.
However, it is unknown whether the opposing Hatano army truly numbered five thousand. This estimate was made by the "monomiya headman" based on experience after examining the enemy's flags, supplies, and tents, and then reported it to his superiors for statistical analysis. It is difficult to say whether the estimate is accurate or not.
Of course, at least we have some numbers, whether they're accurate or not; it's the terrain and the overall situation that are truly a tangled mess.
Perhaps a naturally gifted general like Huo Qubing possesses a built-in 3D system in his mind, but Shinzaburo clearly lacks this ability. After much thought, he finally consulted with his subordinates, finding a few who claimed to know the nearby terrain. He roughly constructed a model using sand and then incorporated the information he had gathered during military council meetings, using small stones of different colors to represent friend and foe. Only then did he feel enlightened.
……
Ooi Shigeie and the monk Jōchō quickly joined in, showing interest in the minimalist battlefield sand table and starting to discuss it amongst themselves.
Shinzaburo then invited Takemura Hidetoshi, whose identity had not yet been revealed, and also had Kubomura's Kumakichi and Hashisuke summoned to discuss the matter together.
According to the diagram, the Hatano army surrounded the defected "Honmei Castle" in a tight formation, with one part besieging the city and the other part blocking reinforcements.
Naito's army was stationed several hills apart, with three routes available for attack, each taking between half an hour and an hour to reach.
As for why they stationed their troops across the mountains, it's because Tanba is mostly surrounded by mountains, except for a small plain near Kyoto, making it impossible to avoid them.
The central castle, Honmei Castle, was defended by about three hundred soldiers, including the entire Hidechika Hatano family. A small detachment led by Matsunaga Magoroku was also stationed there; reportedly small in number but quite capable. Coupled with the naturally formidable terrain, there was no immediate concern about its fall.
Everyone expressed their own opinions on this.
Despite having the least military experience, Monk Jingcheng was the first to speak, saying, "In my opinion, this battle can be considered a victory as long as we save Honmei Castle and ensure the safety of the soldiers and civilians who have defected to the Naito family. Since we have the advantage in troop strength, there is no need for a risky surprise attack. We can simply divide our forces into three routes, advance steadily, and force the enemy to lift the siege."
Upon hearing this, Oi Shigeie first nodded and then shook his head, saying, "The Hatano clan will not easily lift the siege! The defection of senior retainers is a major blow to morale, so we must fight a fierce battle! Even if we are defeated, we must show our lord's determination, otherwise the people's hearts will be scattered."
Monk Jingcheng stroked his bald head thoughtfully and said, "Then we have no choice but to fight. There is no room for flanking maneuvers or surprise attacks on the battlefield; we can only attack with conventional forces... So, although our army has a slight advantage, we are afraid we will have to go through a tough battle."
At this moment, Takemura Hidetoshi, a remnant of the Shingu faction, suddenly asked, "Lord Shinzaburo! I remember that you took over as commander of the reserve force because your superior officer was temporarily assigned to Motoumi Castle to handle liaison, right?"
Shinzaburo Kubo nodded and said, "Yes."
Wearing a straw hat and raincoat, Takemura Hidetoshi smoothed the thick bandage on his left arm, his voice rising a few octaves, a hint of excitement in it, and exclaimed triumphantly, "That's right! The commander of this battle is Lord Matsunaga Nagayori of the Miyoshi family, a seasoned and renowned general. Since he specifically sent someone into the castle, it can't just be for a brief contact. I dare to guess that the garrison of Ume Castle might strike at a crucial moment and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy!"
Shinzaburo said in surprise, "But the forces in this battle are six thousand against five thousand, while the defenders of Mei City only have three hundred."
Hidetoshi Takemura said confidently, "Let alone three hundred, even thirty soldiers, if deployed at the most suitable time and place, have a chance to turn the tide of the battle!"
Upon hearing this, Ooi Shigeie pondered for a moment and hesitated before saying, "Your idea is quite different from the tactics of the Takeda, Imagawa, and Hojo families, but it aligns with the military principles of the Echigo Nagao family."
The monk Jingcheng entered a state of recollection and slowly began to speak: "When I was in Bichu, I overheard patrons of gambling houses discussing that in the western provinces, the Izumo Amago Shingu faction and the Bizen Ukita clan were both adept at launching surprise attacks with small forces. This is similar to what this gentleman thinks."
Hidetoshi Takemura, who was still concealing his identity and pretending to be an ordinary samurai, immediately fell silent upon hearing this.
Shinzaburo attempted to absorb and digest the opinions of others in light of the battlefield situation, and to critically analyze and learn from them.
He also said to the anxious villagers of Kubo Village, including Kumakichi and Hashisuke, "Come over here, listen and think more. Maybe you'll have the chance to lead a small unit or even an army someday!"
Then everyone continued to point out the landscape on the simple sand table and discuss specific military deployments.
The experienced Ōi Shigeie always placed great emphasis on morale and fighting spirit, while the lay Buddhist Jōjō preferred to discuss matters of strategic importance. Takemura Hidetoshi, on the other hand, spoke very little, but every word he uttered was incredibly insightful.
062 In battle, courage is also essential.