Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Inuyama's Strategy

Katsuto Ikeda boarded the observatory of Inuyama Castle and overlooked the city wall stretching to the south and the Kiso River in the north. His son Motosuke and his son-in-law Mori Musashi were beside him.The handsome Morinaga Ke is also squinting his eyes to enjoy the beautiful scenery.The guards were standing a little far away, and the voices of the three of them would definitely not reach their ears. "If you enter Owari..." Katsuto said with one hand on his forehead, looking at the Unuma Ferry in the distance, "That is the hometown I have lived in since I was a child. Take it!"

Mori Musangmori ignored Katsuto, and simply said, "I think Ieyasu will come to Komaki Mountain." "What is there to be afraid of? However, he will not come in person, and will definitely stay in Qingzhou City to take charge of the overall situation." "However, Sanhe people are good at field fighting, maybe..." "If he really comes out, that would be great. Once he goes out in person, Sanhe's defense will naturally be empty, and we can take advantage of the gap to disrupt his rear and put an end to his arrogance!" Without waiting for anyone to react, Shengren continued Said, "Of course, I don't want you to give up surveillance of the enemy. Now that we have set foot on the land of Owari, we can do a lot."

"Then, I have to act quickly." Saying that, Mori Chang Ke stood up. "Me too." Yuansuke also stood up. Mori Musashi is the eldest son of Sanzaemon and elder brother of Mori Ranmaru.In this war, he was even more eager to make contributions than his father-in-law Shengren.In his eyes, Hideyoshi is a hero who looks down on the world, he even wants to surpass his father-in-law in military exploits, so that Hideyoshi can see his ability. However, the occupation of Inuyama Castle, no matter from which aspect, is a great contribution to the victory.Taking advantage of the absence of the lord of the castle, Kanzaemon Nakagawa, he first sent the former Inuyama Castle's machisho Hiki Saizo to infiltrate the city, and asked him to find insiders from the merchants.Therefore, when the vanguard of Katsuto's old man, Iki Chuji, and his son Motosuke took advantage of the darkness and quietly touched the Unuma ferry, the river was already full of boats bought by Katsuto.The siege was also very smooth, and even when the soldiers on the ship shouted to launch an attack on Inuyama Castle, the city knew nothing about it.

Mori Chang Kexin said: I must not fall behind my father-in-law. Since Inushan City was occupied by my father-in-law, I will definitely make a contribution to attack Qingzhou City next. After leaving the city, Mori Changke immediately led more than 30 cavalry and headed south with Yuansuke.They passed Haguro and Letian, and soon arrived at Xiaomu, which is only twenty or thirty miles away from Qingzhou.Mori Changke was looking for a suitable place to set up camp when he suddenly reined in his horse. "Hey, strange?" In front of me was Xiaomu Mountain, which was more than 300 feet high, but there was a faint figure moving there. "Isn't that Ieyasu's flag?"

"Report, sir!" A cavalryman turned back, "On the top of the hill ahead are Tokugawa and Nobuo, checking the terrain." "Oh?" Musashi Mamoru exclaimed in a low voice, and hastily steered his horse to Motosuke's side, "Look!" Ikeda Motosuke was also looking towards the top of the mountain.It was already noon, and under the sun in the spring season, the thick green at the foot of the mountain was dazzling. "It seems that the enemy's thinking is the same as ours. We must not be careless." Yuansuke didn't answer, but just kept frowning.

"They must also want to camp here. I told my father-in-law a long time ago..." "Master Morinaga, do you have a musket with you?" "I didn't bring it, I just plan to take a look..." "Ieyasu is truly blessed..." "It may be so now, but in the near future, I'm afraid it won't be so." "That being said, in today's world, Chikuzen Mori-sama and Ieyasu are the most prosperous in martial arts. Maybe the outcome of a war is determined by luck." "Speaking of martial arts, my father is also lucky. Let's talk about Inuyama Castle, it's so easy to get..."

"Do you have a cure?" "We can't just give up this place so easily. As the front line of Inuyama, we should set up a stronghold, otherwise we will be passive everywhere." Before Mori Chief could answer, Motosuke continued, "I don't think there is any need to discuss with father." "Oh?" "There is no time. If we delay a moment, the enemy's strength will be greatly strengthened. Tonight, we will burn the surrounding villages to the ground." "Burn down the village?" Musashi Mamoru was stunned, "If it is necessary to prevent the other party from getting food before the autumn harvest, it is necessary to set fire, but now..."

"There will be no problem. When Xiaomin sees that our army has arrived, he will definitely panic and never dare to surrender to the enemy." "Having said that, once the public anger is aroused, wouldn't it be contrary to the original intention of Lord Chikuzen. Lord Chikuzen has always put the hearts of the people first. I heard that he has ordered the major temples to appease the people." Yuansuke remained silent, just looking around constantly.At this moment, a cavalryman appeared in the green bushes in front of him. "Isn't this Omura Yobei who is patrolling in the rear? What is he holding? It seems to be a proclamation..."

"Announcement?" Mori Musashi was very surprised, and hurried over. "Report!" The soldier on the horse didn't seem to notice the figure on the mountain, and shouted to urge the horse to come over, "When the villain was patrolling, he found a lot of villagers gathered in the village in front of him, making a lot of noise. Look, I found such a sign standing on the road." "Bring it here and let me see, what's written on it?" Musashi Mamoru reached out to take the sign, roared immediately, and handed the sign to Ikeda Motosuke bitterly.Yuansuke couldn't help being furious.

I saw the first sentence on the proclamation: "Hashiba Hideyoshi is a vulgar and lowly person." The big characters are very eye-catching. Mori Musashi looked at these words alone, and he didn't need to read any further to know what was behind them.Mori Changke and Motosuke followed suit and read together. 〖Hashiba Hideyoshi was originally a vulgar and lowly man, but he was just a pawn before the horse, but he was favored by Nobunaga and promoted to general.After becoming successful and famous, this person actually put Nobunaga's love for Hai En behind him.After the Duke died, the thief not only tried to usurp the throne, but also murdered the dead emperor's son Xin Xiaogong, the old man, his mother, and his daughter, and now he is fighting against Xinxiong Gong.How can anyone under heaven turn a blind eye to such a tragic, rebellious and inhumane act?My lord, Gen Ieyasu, thought of his old friendship with Nobunaga, and because of the great righteousness, he resolutely raised troops to help Nobunaga's weak.If there is Ji Hideyoshi who is indignant with people and gods, who acts against the law, has great righteousness, wishes to honor the ancestors, joins the rebel army, and crusades against rebels, then the hearts of the people in the sea will be happy...

Kanbara Kodaira Taikomasa Twelve Years of Tianzheng〗 The two read the proclamation in one go, and were stunned for a moment.It is acceptable to say that Hideyoshi is a pawn before the horse, but he is called a "rebel who is angry with both men and gods". If Hideyoshi sees this, why should he be angry?The two froze on the spot, neither of them dared to speak.After a long time, Musashi Shouyu urged the horse to leave, but Ikeda Motosuke rolled up the notice and turned the horse's head. "Where is Ikeda-sama going?" "It's unbearable. I'm going to take it back and show it to my father." "Do you think this is appropriate?" "What's wrong? If these words reach Chikuzen-sama's ears, father's credit for capturing Inuyama Castle will be wiped out. No, you must let father see. Then immediately send troops to take Xiaomushan in one fell swoop!" "Yuansuke..." Mori Changke yelled, and before he could finish speaking, Yuansuke was already galloping away. Since even such a proclamation has been prepared, the enemy must have made adequate preparations.That being the case, there should be no delay.Mori Changke shouted and chased after him.This is a great opportunity to build a career!Once Ikeda and his son both agreed that they would be forced to obey the order again and again, if this continues, when will they be able to make achievements?The head of Mori, who is eager for merit, can hurry up and return to the city in a hurry. The people on the top of the mountain were still walking around, showing no signs of going down the mountain, as if this was the battlefield they had chosen long ago.Seeing that Musashi Shou had galloped away, the followers also turned their horses and followed.The road to the north was suddenly dusty.In this way, it is impossible not to be discovered. "Bang bang bang", a burst of gunfire sounded behind him.But at this time Motosuke and Musashi Mamoru were already out of range. When the group returned to Inuyama Castle, a proclamation with the same words had already been delivered, and Katsuto was watching with a gloomy face. "Father, where did you find it?" After finishing speaking, Yuansuke slammed the proclamation he brought back to the ground. "It's standing by the river outside the city. A fisherman found it and sent it here. Where did you find it?" "A village near Xiaomushan... actually ran down to Inushan Castle to play wild!" "Don't worry!" Katsuto hurriedly stopped his son, "They distribute these things just to annoy us. I have long heard that Kanbara Komasa is a smart person. Once we attack in anger, maybe they are doing something Isn't this in the enemy's arms? These are tricks to trick children." Even though he verbally stopped his son, there were still veins on Shengren's forehead.He thought to himself, he couldn't let Hideyoshi see it. At this time, the elder Yi Muzhongji who stood aside said: "It is not easy for them to post so many announcements in a short period of time. Since they have already prepared to this point, we must deal with it carefully." "Who is careless in war, who dares to play with their lives? But, these things must not be messed up. Musashi, you go and issue an order. If you find such a statement in the future, burn it immediately!" Mori Musashi kept wiping his sweat, and said: "Of course." After that, he ordered the guards: "Bring the map. Father-in-law, I think it is necessary to add what I just saw to the map. Now look Come on, the enemy is very likely to station their base camp at Komaki Mountain and use this as a basis to launch an attack on Inu Mountain.” "It seems to be Xiaomu." "Yes. Therefore, we should rush to the place between Inuyama and Komakiyama immediately." Saying this, Musashi Mamoru hastily opened the map brought by the guards. "If we can't occupy Xiaomu Mountain in this position, there will be endless troubles." Yuanzhu said in a firm tone while pointing at Xiaomu Mountain on the map with his military fan. However, Katsuto didn't answer, but just meditated. "You are all too young." Although he didn't say that, his expression clearly said so. "The longer the delay, the stronger the enemy's camp will be. Therefore, it is best to launch a surprise attack tonight." "Raid?" Katsuto thoughtfully, and threw the bulletin board aside, "The Kiso River is not so easy to cross, especially at night." "Naturally, my child understands. But, I think we should get closer to Qingzhou, and then wait for Lord Chikuzen to arrive..." "I've studied Ieyasu's tactics over and over again. Whether it's the Battle of Anegawa or the Battle of Nagashino, once entering the field, the Samurai warriors of Mikawa are like a torrential flood, unstoppable, and even small miscellaneous soldiers will turn into fierce tigers descending the mountain." "Could it be that we just sit and wait to die like this? Master Chikuzen will not be able to catch up for a while." When Yuansuke said this, Katsuto's face suddenly became gloomy, and he raised his slightly hoarse voice: "I don't want to sit and wait for death, but to beware of falling into the trap set by the other party. Sometimes war must be fought." Patience does not mean shouting and marching all the way. If... If we strengthen the defense of Inuyama Castle, Ieyasu would not dare to lead the army rashly. The long battle is not a long time. Therefore, the only thing we can do is wait patiently for the arrival of Master Chikuzen After that, we can concentrate our army to launch a powerful offensive. In this way, Ieyasu must also mobilize enough troops if he wants to have the strength to fight us. As I mentioned to you many times before, the entire Mikawa will be empty ... At this time, we will avoid the real situation and attack the weak, and make a surprise attack on Mikawa. Ieyasu will have no choice but to withdraw. If others retreat, Chikuzen-sama's army will directly attack Owari. In this way, it is self-evident which one wins and which loses." After Katsuto finished speaking in one breath, he looked away from the map. "It seems that you are very unconvinced? So, what should we do? Musashi, tell me first." Musashi Mamoru leaned forward and pointed his military fan at Haguro, who was located between Inuyama and Komakiyama. "In my son-in-law's opinion, we should set up camp here first, and pretend to attack Qingzhou. If there is a hole in Xiaomushan, we will take advantage of it and catch the enemy by surprise." "That's right. A feigned attack on Kiyosu and an actual attack on Komaki... can be regarded as Inuyama's avant-garde battle. What do you think, Chuji?" Katsuto asked the elder Iki Chuji, "How far is Haguro from here?" "It's about eight miles from Inu Mountain, and about sixteen miles from Komaki Mountain." "Oh? Before the other party arrives, if the situation is urgent, we have time to return to Inuyama Castle. Well, this idea is feasible!" Compared with his son Motosuke, Katsuto admires his son-in-law Musashimori more, and his son-in-law seems to have a longer-term vision. "Since my father-in-law has given permission, I will prepare now." "Yuansuke, what about you? Is it still a night attack?" "That's right!" Yuan Zhu replied with his head held high, "In order not to let people think that we are watching indifferently, and in order not to make the enemy aware of father's intentions, we should send troops to fight, no, we must send troops to fight." "Oh, in order to prevent the enemy from finding out our details?" "In this way, the enemy will not dare to be sloppy at all. After a long time, they will fall into fatigue, which will be more beneficial to us in the future. Also, if we hold back after taking Inuyama Castle, Chikuzen will also despise us. Therefore, the only way to continue Harassing the enemy is the way of the warrior." "Really?" Katsuto closed his eyes and thought about it. What he was worried about was the strength of the Sanhe warriors who were good at field combat. "Yuanzhu." "Father." "Well, you promise me." "Guarantee what?" "No matter what happens, don't pursue the enemy. In addition, try to avoid major conflicts. Scare the enemy and retreat to the city immediately." "I agree. Then, father will allow it?" Yuan Zhu's eyes lit up, and he said eagerly, "Father, if the child promises to withdraw at any time, you will allow the child to send troops?" In fact, Shengren didn't want to just do nothing all the time. He also wanted to find a good opportunity to hit the enemy hard and make him embarrassed.Now that things have happened, if he still blindly prevents Motosuke and Musashi from sending troops, it will definitely affect morale.Anyway, Ieyasu has even spread the announcement under his nose. If he doesn't respond, he will be showing weakness. "Okay, I promise you. Since I have to send troops, I have to prepare quickly." Motosuke and Musashi listened, and they were so excited that they jumped up. "However, you have to be more careful, and never act rashly. After you go back, think carefully about the essentials I just told you." Katsuto finally made up his mind and ordered Mori Musashi to station on Haguro's side, allowing Motosuke to send troops to conduct guerrilla warfare with Ieyasu. That night, Hideyoshi's emissary, Liu Mo'an, hurried over with a secret order. "Master Chikuzen heard the battle report of the master's capture of Inuyama Castle, he was ecstatic and applauded again and again." "It's a mere effort, Mr. Chikuzen has praised you." "Master Chikuzen also said, Master Ikeda has made such great achievements in battle. If something unexpected happens, how can he be worthy of the world? In order to control Kinki as soon as possible, Lord Chikuzen hopes that you will lead the army to arrive before the 20th. Within, Chikuzen-sama will definitely win." Shengren listened and nodded frequently.He is here to show Hideyoshi the strength of the Ikeda family, which is undoubtedly of great significance to future generations.It seems that no one can shake Hideyoshi's position in the world.If this is the case, after Nobuo's demise, he can just take the opportunity to develop his power to Mino and Owari.If luck is better, it may even further expand to Ise and even the Mikawa area.What a once in a lifetime opportunity!In his excitement, Katsuto reluctantly stayed behind Mo An who was supposed to go back that night, and then arranged a boat to send him back to Gifu at dawn the next day, and then personally inspected the defenses inside and outside the city.He just walked into the bedroom after everything was arranged. It stands to reason that now he can rest assured to sleep well.Son-in-law Musashi Mamoru is on the front line of Haguro, even if the enemy launches a night attack, there is no need to worry too much.However, due to his extreme excitement, after lying down, Shengren couldn't fall asleep, and scenes of the past flashed through his mind, which made this battle-tested veteran deeply moved. He has followed Nobunaga in Owari since he was a child.I remember when Nobunaga won the victory in Tianlewa, he was as excited as he is now.How embarrassed he was when he learned that Nobunaga was killed in Honnoji Temple.Where will the world go?At that time, he was extremely pessimistic, even thinking that he would die in the decisive battle for revenge for Nobunaga.However, he did not expect that he fought side by side with Hideyoshi and won a complete victory.Now, Katsuto is weaving Owari's dream of a war trip.Once he wins this time, he is very likely to be promoted to Owari's guardian... Just as Shengren was tossing and turning, unable to sleep, the noise of soldiers defending the city suddenly came from his ears.Something must have happened!Shengren yelled inwardly, kicked the quilt away, and ran to the eaves.I saw the sky in the south was fiery red.Suddenly, an ominous feeling came to my heart. "Come on! What's the matter with the fire over there?" Katsuto shouted to the chaotic figures in the yard. A guard ran over in response.Katsuto didn't have time to pay attention, and climbed up the watchtower in one breath. For some reason, Katsuto's heart was beating wildly.Although he knew that setting fire on the battlefield was commonplace, he still had a vague premonition: the one who set fire this time might not be the enemy, but his own people. Owari people have always been happy and assertive, especially since the reign of Nobunaga, the villagers have always cherished deep feelings for him.Nobunaga personally banned the passes in various places and encouraged people to travel freely.The common people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the thieves also disappeared.Nobunaga has boasted to Katsuto more than once, which has left a deep impression on Katsuto so far.Once the popular support is lost here, the consequences will be disastrous.If the villagers set fire to it, they must have felt that the ruler was incompetent and disappointed.If this is the case, I am afraid that the hatred cannot be relieved by setting a fire once. It is estimated that there will be endless fires in the future. Climb up to the observatory, put up the awning with Katsura's hands, and silently look at the burning place in the south.The fire broke out in more than one place, but scattered in several places.Many fires shot up into the sky, reflecting the southern sky red.People who gallop on the battlefield may have such a feeling: the ruthless arsonist and the people fleeing from the fire have completely opposite psychology.One side is a mad demon, and the other side is a moth in a fire that was burned alive.Therefore, once a war is encountered in a lifetime, it will cast a lingering shadow. However, the fire in front of him was extremely violent, and it didn't look like it was set by ordinary people.Was it set on fire by the enemy?That's even better, even if the enemy sets these fires, I will still win! "Why hasn't anyone come to report! Who set the fire? Is it the enemy or one of our own? Report to me immediately after finding out." "Yes!" A guard agreed, and hurriedly ran down the observation deck, and did not return for a long time.Watching the fire at night seems to be right in front of you.The same is true of the fire in front of you.It seems that the burning place is in front of Haguro, who is attacking by Musashi... "Report!" When the inspecting guards returned, Katsuto vaguely saw a cavalry troop galloping towards the city in the darkness.There was no lamp on all sides, and only the moon in the clouds, the flames soaring into the sky, and the black line extending to the bottom of the city came into view. "Report, it has been found out: it was our troops who launched a night attack on the enemy, and we have returned to the city safely." "I've seen it. Who set the fire, was it the enemy or our side? Have you found out yet?" "Of course we set the fire." The young guard said excitedly, "We quietly set a few fires around Xiaomu, where the enemy was building fortifications, and burned it all down. In this way, those ordinary people must I was so frightened that I would never dare to help Tokugawa again." When Shengren heard it, he couldn't help trembling all over, and howled angrily: "You bastard!" This was like a blow to the head, which shattered half of his dreams.His anger was mixed with an unspeakable remorse: he blamed himself for his lack of consideration! Nobunaga succeeded here because he was able to mingle with the people.When he was still called Master Ji, Nobunaga often went to the village to ask for warmth, and often played sumo with the villagers naked, or danced with local customs with everyone.He can gain a firm foothold here, all because there are thousands of people behind him.And Katsuto was inseparable from Nobunaga all the time.Because of this, the villagers felt very cordial when they saw Shengren came back.Especially those old people, pinned their hopes on Shengren. "Oh, Katsuzaburo has returned to his hometown again." However, an accidental fire this night burned away the deep feelings of the villagers for him, making him a brutal man who did all kinds of evil in the eyes of everyone. "Go, go, call me Yuanzhu!" With that, Shengren got off the observation deck.Along the way, he stumbled and fell several times.Walking into the yard, I saw that the soldiers were all heroic, and even the little soldiers seemed extremely excited. "Ignite the fire quickly. Light a pile of small fires to welcome the young master back home. I heard that the young master successfully attacked the enemy this time, and scared the enemy's courage." "Now we can straighten our backs." "Look, the sky is still fiery red, it's really enjoyable." Amidst the noise, Shengren frowned, walked through the courtyard in one breath, and walked straight into the big tent. "Call me Yuanzhu! Hurry up... I don't know what this bastard is thinking, just make me mess up!" After sitting down, Katsuto was still full of anger.However, he was suddenly shocked: what happened to me?What would the soldiers think when they scolded their son in front of so many soldiers? "Call Chuji! Tell Zhongji to come see me!" Katsuto was afraid that calling Motosuke here in a fit of anger would cause a big mistake, so he changed his words hastily.But Yuansuke had strode into the big tent, stood in front of Shengren, and looked directly at him. "Father, before going to set the fire, the child is already prepared to be scolded. Father can punish him in any way." "What did you say? Is this your idea? There must be someone among the retainers who disobeyed your order. Hmph! Even if you didn't do it, you are guilty of a serious crime. On the eve of the war, someone dared to pass orders and violate military discipline. Destroy my plan. Do you know that the success or failure of this war depends entirely on it. Who is this person, hand it over to me!" Out of anger, Shengren drew out his knife abruptly.Yuanzhu didn't change his face, staring at his father's white sword, and knelt down in front of him. "Father, Yuanzhu Jiaoling. You beheaded your son!" The bright flames reflected a heroic face, calm and fearless. Katsuto was in a panic, and what he was most worried about finally happened.It seems that Yuansuke has long been prepared to bear the crime of arson alone. "If Yuanzhu doesn't give the order, who else would dare to give the order? Please father behead the child as an apology." "Bastard! Do you think I'm blind?" "What did father say? I know that even if I discuss it with you, father will never agree... No matter how much Mr. Chikuzen firmly opposes, it is useless to discuss with father. My mind is very clear. Father quickly Make a quick decision and kill your son to enforce military discipline. The child also knows that this war is extraordinary." "You, you... what did you say?" Katsuto jumped up with a sword in his hand, and shouted to Iki Chuji, "Tadaji, take this lunatic down! This bastard is full of nonsense, completely crazy, take me down quickly! Let him reflect on himself. Go get him Catch the arsonist..." Before the words fell, Chuji's voice came from outside the big tent.He seems to have brought someone. Yuanzhu was taken aback, and looked up.At this moment, two people walked into the big tent, one of them was naturally Iki Chuji, and the other was a samurai with five hairs, who looked twenty-three or twenty-four years old, but Motosuke didn't know him. "Stand up, you disobedient bastard!" Yimu scolded again, then turned around and faced Shengren, "My lord, the bastard who blatantly violated the military order and set fire to the area around Xiaomu has been caught. Don't be careless. This person deliberately blamed Mr. Yuanzhu, he is an enemy's spy." "A spy of the enemy?" "Yes. I have already severely interrogated him, and he recruited them all. It really is the enemy's spy, named Isuke Goro, and he is a subordinate of Kanbara Kosei." Iki Tadashi sternly shouted, "My lord, please execute this person immediately on the spot! Otherwise, I don’t know how many spies will continue to sneak into our army. Just now someone spread the proclamation, and now someone set it on fire..." "Okay... not killing is not enough to anger the people!" Chuji hurriedly untied the samurai's rope, but the samurai looked dazed.Then, Katsuto pulled him to his feet and raised the long knife at once. "Ah!" Everyone was so nervous that they couldn't breathe. Shengren's sword technique was too fast, and before everyone could react, the warrior's head had already rolled to the ground.Then, Iki Chuji desperately pulled Motosuke out of the tent.The guards hurried forward to wipe off Katsuto's long sword, and Chuji's retainers packed up the remains and heads of the beheaded warriors. After the murder, Katsuto said nothing.He breathed a sigh of relief, but left a few questions in his heart that he didn't want to delve into, and Shan sat there silently. "Let's step back first, I want to rest here for a while." Saying that, Katsuto hugged his arms tightly, spread his legs, and closed his eyes. He didn't move, silently counting his breaths.His pulse and breath were not in the slightest disorder, but he didn't even know how many questions he had in his heart.Why did Yuansuke openly defy the order and set fire to the Owari area where Hideyoshi strictly prohibited arson?Who is the samurai who was suddenly pulled over by Iki Chuji? Could it be the retainer of the Tokugawa general Yasumasa Kanbara?Perhaps, Motosuke set the fire, and Tokugawa also sent someone to set fire elsewhere in order to blame Motosuke... If Motosuke really knew nothing about this matter, he would definitely not kill him himself.According to this reasoning, Yuan Zhu must also set the fire.It seems that Chuji must be called to ask for clarification. It was dawn when the guards called Chuji over.Katsuto pretended to have just opened his eyes after taking a nap.It seemed that Yi Mu Chuji had long been prepared to be summoned at any time, and he was still wearing the armor from last night. "I have something to talk to Chuji alone, so please stand down." Katsuto looked around, "Chuji, who was that person I killed just now?" "It's my retainer." "Your vassal? Didn't you say that he is the vassal of Kanbara Yasomasa..." Just halfway through speaking, Katsuto swallowed the latter half.Obviously, it is impossible for Iki Chuji's retainers to be Ieyasu's spies. "Tadaji, tell me, why did Yuansuke set fire? What was he thinking? Help me think about it..." "If my lord had asked the young master first, that poor warrior just now would not have died. My lord should think about it before drawing his sword." "It's all my fault." Shengren apologized bluntly, "That samurai was specially hired by you to take the place of the dead... It's all my fault! All I can do is treat his bereaved family favorably." Despite this, Chuji still seemed to be angry: "The young master once said to me that your lord's thoughts are a bit rash..." "I'm rash..." "The young master said, you are too naive. Your lord has already regarded Lord Chikuzen as a friend, but in the eyes of Lord Chikuzen, you are at best his retainer. Therefore, no matter what kind of military exploits you have made, you will also be respected by him. I will definitely not give you Mino, Owari, Ise, and Mikawa. Not only that, but if you are not careful, Chikuzen may cause you to lose to Tokugawa and destroy your entire army. Therefore, the young master is determined to smash you. It’s an unrealistic dream. It can also be said that setting fire this time is the young master’s wake-up call to you.” Shengren's face flushed red, he couldn't speak for a while, and managed to suppress his anger.Motosuke would never understand the friendship between Katsuto and Hideyoshi.Then, he naturally had to think about his father's safety and Ikeda's future.Therefore, he has absolutely no reason to blame Yuansuke.If so, what was the purpose of setting fire?Katsuto still didn't understand. "Tadaji, anyway, call Yuansuke here first. I won't get angry anymore, I just want to ask him what he thinks. Maybe I really have some wishful thinking about Chikuzen. But I still have a few unsolved mysteries in my heart. This I'm sure I won't get angry again this time, so call him over." Yi Mu Zhongji thought for a while, then said: "Well, I'll go right away." Not long after Yimu went out, he brought Yuansuke here.Yuansuke's expression seemed to be more serious than before. He walked straight to Shengren and said, "I heard that my father called me." "Stop standing, sit down and talk." However, Yuansuke did not sit on the seat, but sat on the ground. "Are you the one who set the fire?" "Father clearly knew it was me, but he still beheaded innocent people?" "It seems that you are still not convinced." "Don't dare to be unconvinced. Yuanzhu thought about it before and after, so he did this." "Then tell me. What good is setting fire to us?" "Father, do you think the enemy this time is the same as Mitsuhide and Shibata Xiuliang?" "Although Ieyasu cannot be considered weaker than Mitsuhide and Satsuki, exaggerating the enemy is a taboo in war. If so, how can you be a general?" "Father is wrong. The son thinks that understanding the strength of the enemy is not only a sign of weakness, but a necessary prerequisite for preparing for war. Previous wars were won by Chikuzen's positional attack tactics, but this time it didn't work. In addition , Chikuzen underestimated the enemy this time." "Since you said that Chikuzen underestimated the enemy, why didn't you give him your opinion? Why did you set fire to lose the hearts of the people?" This time, Katsuto didn't get angry, but wanted to calm down and have a serious talk with Motosuke.Unexpectedly, Yuansuke shook his head, as if saying: There is no agreement at all! "Father, do you think that Chikuzen will be able to listen to me if I state my opinion in person? Do you think Chikuzen is that kind of person? No, not only will he not agree, but he will also order us to drive straight people. If that is the case, Ikeda will not Became the bait of the enemy?" "Then you can set it on fire? I still don't know." "You'll never understand, father." "Yuansuke!" "I did this to make my father's determination to fight to the death. Now, the situation facing the Ikeda family requires us to do the same. Behind him is Mr. Chikuzen, who never knows why he lost a battle, and in front is Mr. Chikuzen, who is calmer than Mr. Chikuzen. Chuan Jiayasu. We are sandwiched between the two heroes. Do we really have to rely on those ordinary people? Now, our enemies are everywhere! In order to force you to make up your mind, the boy took the initiative to light a fire. I did this Is that too much, father?" Katsuto stared at Yuansuke dumbfounded, and didn't catch his breath for a long time.Although still immersed in anger, he tried his best to control himself and tried his best not to let Yuansuke see it.If you calm down and think about it carefully, Yuansuke's words are not unreasonable.It is true that Chikuzen does not know the taste of failure, and he does have a very cruel side to others.Ieyasu is also a generation of heroes who can fight well.Taking the lead this time is not an easy victory.Victory knew it all in his heart.But just like what Yuan Zhu said just now, what's the point of setting fire on purpose to disrupt the situation?After a while, Katsuto squeezed a few words through his teeth. "I still don't understand. There is only one benefit of setting fire, and that is to unite your own people, don't you, Yuansuke?" "Father won't be so confused. I want to strengthen the enemy's strength..." "Yuansuke, is it because the enemy is too powerful that it scared you silly?" "It is precisely because the enemy is strong that I need to give them more strength to make them stronger." Yuan Zhu confronted him tit for tat. "When the enemy is so strong that we can't deal with it with our meager strength, we can only hand over this mess to Mr. Chikuzen himself. Chikuzen has to lower his arrogant head and reflect on his mistakes." "Arrogant head..." "Yes. Then he will understand that there is still a long way to go to become a real 'man of the world'. He should and must personally experience the cruelty of this battle. In this way, after winning, he will truly feel Only when we exist, will he sincerely say to your father: 'You have done a good job.' If not, even if he verbally praised his father, it would be just a hypocritical statement." "Oh?" Shengren couldn't help exclaiming.What a frightening age gap!In this way, the people of my generation were too kind.After being incited by others, knowing what the other party wants, but still willing to be fooled obediently, they are like some ignorant urchins. However, Yuanzhu is different, he can think of people in a bad way, and he can also grasp the key point at once.First, consciously make the enemy stronger and cause unprecedented troubles for Chikuzen. Through these, let Chikuzen understand the hard work of people. What an amazing plan! "You mean, before Chikuzen's reinforcements arrive, we have no chance of winning?" "That's needless to say!" Yuan Zhu said indifferently, "If there is no reinforcements, we will never be able to win. The child's good intentions not only stop here, but also to prevent father from thinking of winning so simply, and to Let you make a longer-term plan for Ikeda. Even if Motosuke loses his head, it is worth it! Therefore, the boy resolutely went to set the fire... Could it be that the father still doesn't know?" Victor was silent again.His anger was much less than before.This is Yuansuke's real intention!In this way, I am indeed too naive. "In case Chikuzen-sama accuses us of arbitrarily setting fire, how should we respond?" “到时就把这个写着逆贼的文告给他看。就说，因担心庶民们读了这个，会对我们生起严重的敌意，只好放火烧了。反正牌子又不是咱们捏造的。事实就是事实。”元助铿锵有力地答道。 胜人身子一震，低声道：“哦，我已经明白了，你先退下歇息吧。”他的语尾带着一丝颤抖，内心亦在颤抖：信口雌黄的东西！ 元助之弟辉政才二十一岁，却没有如此激切。按照胜人的说法，这次的事情，是因为父子的想法差距太大了。元助平素看上去沉默寡言，一旦认真起来，却是斩钉截铁，毫不犹豫。虽说文告上写的并非全属捏造，可是元助这么一说，别说是秀吉，就是胜人心中都如针扎般难受。如这些话传到秀吉的耳内，不知他会作何感想。 胜人本是信长乳母所生，从小和信长一起玩耍。自从父亲纪伊守恒利侍奉织田以来，到元助这一代，他们家祖孙三代都侍奉过织田氏了。胜人还叫胜三郎的时候，曾亲手杀死信长之弟武藏守信行，那时他心里就异常难受，而这次的痛苦更甚。 山崎会战之时，胜人一举击溃明智部将松田太郎左卫门和斋藤内藏介，当时他真是畅快无比，可是现在，一想到敌人竟是信长的儿子信雄，他再也高兴不起来了。 而今天，儿子元助竟然一语击中要害。但既然胜人没有号令天下诸侯的实力，就只好找一个能平定天下的人来做靠山，除了做一个大名，他别无选择。想到这里，胜人又生起气来。设若没有儿女，难道他还会和秀吉一伙吗？ 胜人有四个儿子，胜九郎元助、三左卫门辉政、藤三郎长吉、橘左卫门长政，此外还有四个女儿。即使他不愿为儿女们的将来考虑，作为一个父亲，他也硬不下心肠。 胜人晃了晃脑袋，想赶走那些杂念。如果没有儿女，说不定他已经站到了信雄和家康一边，四处散布文告的人或许就是他呢。他不禁一阵阵难过。 元助离去，天色也已经大亮，只有家老伊木忠次一个人留在这里，一动不动地盯着他。 “忠次。元助可真是口无遮拦。” “可是，我觉得只要大人不发火，比什么都好。” “在听他说话时，我突然产生了一些奇怪的想法。” “奇怪的想法？” “原本信雄并不令人憎恨，家康也不招人厌恶。” 忠次没有回答，单是默默地给将燃尽的篝火添着木柴。 “或许，我应该在这里战死才对。” “大人胡说些什么呀！” “只是说笑罢了。” 说着，胜人从床几上站了起来。可是究竟站起来干什么，就连他都弄不清楚了。他抬起头来，四面已经是一片小鸟的啁啾声了。