Great name!

Chapter 275: I, Shibata, am not as good as Tsuda Nobutora?

Only one chapter, no need to wait.

Although Honganji suffered heavy damage and many people died, Honganji had a deep foundation and Nobutora still needed to make a lot of preparations.

Years of war experience and knowledge have made him cautious.

Even though he often spoke ill of his enemies.

At this time, Nobutora was discussing with Nobunaga what he would need for the next attack on Honganji.

To deal with a stone wall fortress like Honganji, he had to use cannons, and the cannons were basically concentrated in Nobunaga's hands. Nobutora also had one, but this cannon was placed in the territory of Ise.

Nobutora said, "Nobunaga-dono, given the strength of Honganji Temple, I'm afraid we'll have to use artillery to deal with it. Although it can't be a decisive blow, it can at least suppress the enemy."

Nobunaga smiled and said, "I have already prepared it for you, just take it and use it."

Oda Nobunaga had already prepared ten cannons for the attack on Honganji Temple. However, Sakuma Nobumori led his troops to attack for nearly a year, but they were unable to even reach the Terauchi-machi of Honganji Temple, so the cannons prepared by Nobunaga were useless.

The situation is different now. In the Battle of Wakayama, most of the elite troops of Honganji who could take the initiative to attack were killed. The remaining Ikki are okay for defending the city, but it is a pipe dream for them to resist the Oda army on the periphery.

What's more, the next person to go into battle was not Sakuma Nobumori, but Nobutora. Facing a famous general like Nobutora, Honganji could still fight with tens of thousands of elite troops. But if it were a group of rabble, Nobutora would be fully confident that they could defeat him in one fell swoop.

By then, Honganji would have no chance to negotiate peace, let alone surrender.

Now Nobunaga would give Nobutora whatever he wanted, as long as they could take over Honganji Temple. He was annoyed to death by those bald monks in Honganji Temple.

Whether it is Honganji or Oda clan, both sides are preparing for the upcoming war.

However, just when the Oda clan was fully prepared and was about to send troops to Honganji in September, news came from Shibata Katsuie in Hokuriku that the powerful family elders of the Hatakeyama clan in Noto Nanao Castle, Nagatsuna Ren and Nagatsuna Ren, were willing to surrender to the Oda clan.

Shibata Katsuie had already entered Kaga and was besieging the Ikko Ikki. He hoped that Oda Nobunaga would send support so that he could lead his troops north and capture Nanao Castle. As long as Nanao Castle was captured, he could sweep across Nendo.

Nobunaga was very excited when he looked at the map. As long as he could take Noto and then capture Kaga, the Oda family's forces would surround Echizen from the west and the north and prevent Uesugi Kenshin from advancing westward.

Oda Nobunaga did not want to go to war with Uesugi Kenshin at this time. It had been eight years since he went to Kyoto. Every year he would carefully select some gifts and send them to Kasugayama Castle, and write letters to greet Uesugi Kenshin.

He showed this friendly side in order to stabilize Uesugi Kenshin and not make him his enemy.

At the beginning, Uesugi Kenshin saw that Oda Nobunaga came to Kyoto under the name of supporting the shogunate and endorsing Ashikaga Yoshiaki, so he supported Oda Nobunaga and formed an alliance with him.

However, Oda Nobunaga committed the evil act of burning down Hieisan Temple, which made Uesugi Kenshin very angry.

What made Uesugi Kenshin even more angry was that Oda Nobunaga exiled Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki but did not support a new Ashikaga Shogun, which made Uesugi Kenshin think that this was a treasonous act.

So even though Oda Nobunaga continued to send gifts and write greeting letters to Uesugi Kenshin as usual in the past few years, Uesugi Kenshin no longer believed in Oda Nobunaga.

Oda Nobunaga also wanted to destroy Honganji in one fell swoop, but the opportunity in Hokuriku was fleeting, and Uesugi Kenshin would not let the Nanao Castle go.

He found Nobutora and discussed with him, "Nobutora, the head of the Noto Hatakeyama family, Nagatsuren, wants to surrender Nanao Castle to the Oda family. This is a good opportunity. What do you think?"

Nobutora rolled his eyes and said unhappily, "Now that you've said that, Nobunaga-dono, what else can I say? Honganji has been severely damaged, and it won't be able to recover even if given two or three years.

Although there is no problem in delaying it until next year, I think it is best to kill him while he is still sick.”

Oda Nobunaga also smiled awkwardly and said, "This opportunity is really rare. It would be a pity to miss it."

Nobutora reminded him, "Master Shibata said that only the Nagauji clan was willing to surrender. What about the others? I don't think they are reliable."

Oda Nobunaga insisted: "It doesn't hurt to give it a try."

Nobutora sighed, shook his head and said, "Since Lord Nobunaga has already made the decision, I won't say much. Just do everything according to your wishes."

Oda Nobunaga no longer hesitated. He immediately ordered Niwa Nagahide, Hashiba Hideyoshi, Mori Kanonari and others to lead their troops to meet up with Shibata Katsuie.

The attack on Honganji was temporarily postponed, which made Oda Nobutada somewhat dissatisfied, and he hurried to appease Nobutora.

Nobutora smiled nonchalantly and said, "Don't worry, Master. Honganji's strength has been greatly damaged and it can't recover. It doesn't matter to me whether it's one day earlier or later."

Oda Nobutada breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Nobutora did not seem to be complaining.

Kaga, Niwa Nagahide, Hashiba Hideyoshi and others led their troops to meet up with Shibata Katsuie, who could not wait to lead his army north to Noto.

However, before they left Kaga, new news came from Noto that the Nagatsune clan had been killed by the other elders of the Hatakeyama family.

This group of people was biased towards Uesugi Kenshin. Moreover, Uesugi Kenshin had already received the news and was heading straight for Noto with his army. Halfway through, he learned that the Oda army was coming and was now heading towards Kaga.

Shibata Katsuie had to stop his advance and wait and see what happened.

At the military council, Hashiba Hideyoshi was the first to say, "We have to give up on Noto. Now that Uesugi Kenshin has led his troops to attack us, they are coming with great force. I think our army should retreat."

Saito Toshiharu frowned and said, "We retreated without even seeing the shadow of the enemy. If this gets out, wouldn't it be too embarrassing?"

Shibata Katsuie said with a straight face, "We really can't just retreat like this. Chikuzen-no-kami, please stop saying such things."

Seeing Shibata Katsuie's contemptuous look, Hashiba Hideyoshi was furious. He said angrily, "Our army is taking the risk to go to Noto. Since we can't go to Noto, we should retreat.

The enemy we are facing now is an enemy that even Lord Nobunaga has to treat with caution. That is Kenshin Uesugi. Lord Shibata should think twice!"

Shibata Katsuie sneered, "So what about Uesugi Kenshin? You're actually scared just by hearing his name?
It's no wonder, you're not a samurai, you're a lowly peasant who climbed to your current position by flattering others, you don't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth is. "

Hashiba Hideyoshi shouted angrily: "Shibata-sama, don't go too far!"

Shibata Katsuie didn't care. He looked at the generals and laughed, "Haha, am I wrong? Gentlemen, monkeys only know how to plot and scheme, and dare not fight the enemy head-on, unlike warriors like us who dare to kill the enemy.

If Lord Hashiba is afraid, then just flee back to Kyoto. If you hold Nobunaga-dono's feet and cry, Nobunaga-dono will feel sorry for you and may not take your crime of deserting the battlefield seriously. "

Many people couldn't help laughing when they heard this. Hashiba Hideyoshi looked at the people who laughed at him coldly, and remembered it in his heart. He gritted his teeth and snorted coldly, "Hehe, since Lord Shibata insists on doing it his own way, then it's up to you."

Shibata Katsuie was like a victorious general, with the corner of his mouth slightly raised. He looked up and said contemptuously: "Then you can go to defend Komatsu at the mouth of the Tetori River. This is an easy task, which is just right for your cowardly nature, hahahaha."

"Humph!"

Hideyoshi Hashiba stopped arguing and just stood up and left.

Shibata Katsuie continued loudly, "Some people are afraid of Uesugi Kenshin, but I am not. Jingzhao Yin can compete with Takeda Shingen, so why can't I, Shibata Katsuie, fight with Uesugi Kenshin? Don't worry, everyone, join me in fighting Uesugi Kenshin!"

When Niwa Nagahide and others heard Shibata Katsuie comparing himself to Tsuda Nobutora, their eyes twitched for a moment and they suddenly had a bad feeling.

Soon, Uesugi Kenshin led his troops to the vicinity of the Oda army. He did not rush to attack, but instead stationed his troops in confrontation with the Oda army.

Shibata Katsuie was also very cautious and only sent out a few small-scale teams to test the combat effectiveness of the Uesugi army.

Several attempts by the Oda army were repelled by the Uesugi army, which made Shibata Katsuie realize that the enemy they faced this time was much stronger than others.

Shibata Katsuie decided to wait and see the situation first.

Inside the main camp of the Uesugi army, Uesugi Kagetora asked anxiously, "Father, the Oda army is so provocative, why don't we attack?"

Uesugi Kagekatsu was pushed by Naoe Kanetsugu, and he quickly stepped forward and said, "Father, please give the order. I am willing to lead the troops to fight!"

Uesugi Kagetora refused to be outdone and shouted, "I am willing to be the vanguard!"

Uesugi Kagekatsu is the son of Kenshin's sister and is now his adopted son. Uesugi Kagetora is the son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was adopted by Kenshin when Hojo Ujiyasu and Uesugi Kenshin formed the Echigo Alliance.

Uesugi Kenshin did not speak. He looked up at the gloomy sky and then said, "Do you two know what determines the outcome of a war?"

Uesugi Kagetora was the first to say, "I believe that the commander, soldiers, and military preparations determine the outcome of a war."

Uesugi Kagekatsu thought for a moment and said, "What determines the outcome of a war is that the army should have a legitimate reason to go out and the commander should have a sense of justice in mind. This way, there will be no failure."

Upon hearing this, Naoe Kanetsugu secretly praised in his heart, thinking that this must be in line with the head of the family's wishes.

But Uesugi Kenshin shook his head and said, "There are many factors that affect war, but there is only one factor that determines victory or defeat, and that is the weather!
Now we just need to wait for the right time to defeat the Oda army."

Uesugi Kagekatsu and Uesugi Kagetora were both a little confused. They looked at the gloomy sky and thought that it was waiting for rain. What was the point of waiting for rain?

At the Oda army's position, Shibata Katsuie was having his subordinates build a fence. After this was completed, he would send the arquebus team forward to defend. In this way, even if the Uesugi army took the initiative to attack, he would not be afraid.

Sasa Narimasa looked at the gloomy weather and felt worried. He went to Shibata Katsuie and said, "Lord Shibata, the enemy has not yet launched an attack. How about having the soldiers wrap the cannons with oil paper to protect them from the rain?"

Shibata Katsuie shook his head and said, "The enemy may appear at any time, how can we put away the cannon? Although the weather is gloomy, there are no dark clouds, so it won't rain."

Shibata Katsuie didn't know that Noto Kaga would be affected by the typhoon, and the strong wind and heavy rain could come at any time.

Just over an hour later, the originally dark sky turned into a dark night, followed by thunder and heavy rain.

The unsuspecting iron artillery team watched helplessly as the fuse went out and the gunpowder was soaked in the rain.

Sasa Narimasa looked ashen as he murmured, "The Iron Cannon Team is finished."

When Shibata Katsuie learned that the arquebus team was destroyed, his face turned pale.

When Niwa Nagahide saw this, he immediately said, "How long will Lord Shibata be stubborn? It's not too late to withdraw the troops now. If something unexpected happens to this army and delays Nobunaga's attack on Honganji, Lord Sakuma will be a lesson for you."

Shibata Katsuie saw that Niwa Nagahide had a serious face and didn't seem to be joking. In addition, several colleagues such as Mori Yoshinari and Sakai Masanari spoke in support of Niwa Nagahide. Shibata Katsuie couldn't stand the pressure and had to say, "I will arrange for someone to cover the rear. Lord Niwa, you guys retreat first."

Niwa Nagahide and others did not hesitate and crossed the river in the rain.

When Hashiba Hideyoshi received the news, he immediately came to support. The army retreated until night, and then it was the turn of the 3,000 men at the rear.

At this time, the heavy rain had turned into light rain, but the water level of the Tedori River was rising rapidly, which was very dangerous.

For this rear guard, it was like adding insult to injury. Uesugi Kenshin led the Uesugi army to attack the Oda camp at night, only to find that there were only a few people to clean up the mess.

Uesugi Kenshin had no time to blame himself, and immediately led his troops to continue the pursuit, and killed them to the edge of Tetori River.

The general of the rear army, Mitsuharu Fuba, quickly ordered his men to resist, while he himself fled by boat with a few men.

When the other Oda troops saw this, they all seized the boats and fled. Some soldiers who were forced into a corner jumped into the river and tried to swim across, but they were washed away by the flood and their life or death was unknown.

The shouting from Tetori Kawakami continued throughout the day and only subsided in the morning.

Kenshin Uesugi sat on the shore, turning the Buddhist beads in his hand. He was chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures to wash away his sins.

Uesugi Kagetora came up excitedly and said, "Father, our army won a great victory in this battle. We killed more than 300 enemy soldiers in battle and fished out more than 700 corpses from the river. The Oda army lost at least a thousand people this time!"

Then, he lamented, "It's a pity that the Oda army ran too fast, otherwise there would be more than just these people!"

At this time, Uesugi Kagekatsu came up and said, "Father, the Oda army has broken through the blockade of the Kaga Ikki and returned to Echizen."

Uesugi Kenshin opened his eyes, stood up and said, "Well, it's over, let's go back."

"Father, we should pursue them. The Oda army is just so-so. We can fight all the way to Kyoto and bring back the general!"

Uesugi Kenshin was still very excited. He kept chattering in Uesugi Kenshin's ear, but Uesugi Kenshin didn't seem to be annoyed and even gave him a few suggestions, which made Uesugi Kagekatsu very envious.

It's just that his personality is like that, he can't be as lively as Uesugi Kagetora.

Now that Uesugi Kenshin is getting older, both of them are adopted sons, and it is unclear who will be the crown prince and inherit the title of Kanto Kanrei.

(End of this chapter)