Chapter 7 Second Army Division-4

During this period, Tokugawa Ieyasu was in Nijo Castle in Kyoto. On May 5th, he left Nijo Castle and set up his battle line at Hoshida in Hanoi (now Neyagawa City, Osaka Prefecture) late that night. At this time, he received intelligence from a spy. The secret agent's name is Asahinazaemon, who was dispatched in advance by Katsushige Itakura, the administrator of Kyoto, and is now working under General Masakane Tsuguchi of the Osaka Military Headquarters. According to the intelligence of the spies, Goto Matabei has gone to Kunibun Ridge and is deploying, preparing for battle. Therefore, Ieyasu decided to dispatch the main force of 34,000 people to deal with Goto, and drew up the offensive lineup and marching sequence.

The first army was led by Hyuga Shou Mizuno Katsushige with a rate of 4,000 people. The second army was led by Mino Shouhonta Zhongzheng with 5,000 men. The third army was led by Matsudaira Tadaaki, the commander in chief, with 4,000 men. The Fourth Army led by Mutsu Shoudate Masamune led 10,000 people. The Fifth Army was led by Prime Minister Matsudaira Tadaki with 10,800 troops. Mizuno Katsunari, who was promoted to the vanguard general, was from the Mikawa Kariya area. He came from a humble family background, and his annual salary was only 30,000 shi.However, he was famous among Ieyasu's direct descendants for his bravery and skill in fighting.

Ieyasu appointed all the princes of the direct line and collateral line to him, granted him absolute military power, and said to him: "Among the generals, if anyone dares to despise your humble origin and refuse to obey the military order, he will not show mercy and will be beheaded on the spot." Goto and Sanada are at best the hosts of the joint force, with negligible military power in their hands. In comparison, Mizuno Katsunari should be said to be uniquely endowed. Mizuno Katsunari was in Nara, discussing the military situation with the generals assigned to him by Ieyasu.They are the Tango Mori Naoyo brothers, Shikibu Shosuke Niwa Nobu, Bungo Mori Matsukura Shigemasa, Okuda Saburo Uemon Tadaji, Bessho Son Jiro, Nakayama Kankai Yusho Mori, Murai Saoma Help heavy governance.

At that time, Sanada Yukimura was in the main hall of Shitennoji Temple, and received the same information one after another: the troops of the Eastern Army Brigade were constantly marching westward towards the Kokubunling from the direction of Yamato. "It didn't turn out to be what Bingwei expected." Yukimura is a counselor, he doesn't have any grudges in his heart, but he is lucky for Matabei. Yukimura also knew that rumors were spreading in the rear city at this moment, which was not good for Matabei.The people around Mrs. Tai said: "Is Mr. Goto a spy?" This also happened for a reason, not without wind and waves.One night, Yang Xitang, a monk from Sanguo Temple in Kyoto, who claimed to be Ieyasu's secret envoy, arrived at Matabei's camp on the plain.

Yang Xitang said to You Bingwei: "The general has something to say, if you are willing to vote for the Eastern Army, you can seal the territory of Bozhou, Guixiang, which is 500,000 shi." Of course, the soldiers and guards sternly refused, and said: "It is the honor of a warrior that the general attaches great importance to my martial arts. Please thank Chen on your behalf." In this way, the envoy was sent back politely. That's where the rumors started.Yukimura also heard that this kind of slander would ruin Matabei's reputation. ——Could it be that the soldiers and guards are anxious to die on the battlefield?

As Yukimura, in the face of the situation where the Eastern Army is advancing into the country, it is necessary to formulate a new battle plan. Yukimura believed that he should negotiate with Matabei so that on the evening of May 5th, he and Buzen Mori Katsunaga rode to the Goto camp on the plain.Yukimura arrived at the Shitennoji camp on May 1st. During this period, he spent a few precious days in the Shitennoji camp doing nothing.Now he finally started to act, and went to express his agreement with Mabei's battle plan. In front of the formation in Pingyuan, the three generals are discussing.They are veteran generals who are proficient in strategy and have a clear mind. Once they get together, they will make a decision immediately.

Adopt the original scheme of Mataebe, that is: ——Tonight, the first army will go first, and the second army will be behind. ——The whole army gathered at Daoming Temple. ——Crossing the National Fen Ridge at dawn, occupying Xiaosong Mountain, defeating the enemy's forward troops, and waiting for the opportunity for the whole army to attack Ieyasu and Xiuzhong's Dazhai. "Thank you very much!" Maebei seemed to have aged a lot these days.Yukimura met Matabei for the first time in the autumn of Keicho 19, since then, it was the first time he saw him look so sad. "I haven't been thanked yet!" Yukimura said with a deliberately loud laugh.

For Matabei, when they vetoed Ono Jichang's compromise proposal, if Yukimura insisted on his own plan, he could also pull Matabei to the entrance of Shitennoji for a decisive battle, but Yukimura did not do this, he agreed Matabee's plan.Matabei thanked him for this. Yukimura and Katsunaga hurriedly bid farewell and returned to camp in order to prepare for departure. Matabei set off immediately, and slowed down his marching speed in order to meet up with various people from Xingcun near Daoming Temple. The streets of Nara are narrow.Soldiers lined up in two rows, each holding torches in their hands, 2,800 people, slowly meandering eastward.

The night was getting darker, and the stars in the sky disappeared one by one in the dark night sky.The smog was heavy, and Yubei didn't realize at all what kind of impact this fog would have on his life.The fog is getting thicker and thicker.