A tour of Japan's Warring States Period

Speaking of Kiso Fukushima Castle and the castle complex formed by its series of branch castles, we have to mention the most famous Nishi Ueno Minawa Castle defense system in history.

With Minawa Castle, the main city of the Nagano clan, as the center point, and the twelve sons-in-laws of Nishi Ueno and the wealthy families of various countries as the fulcrum, more than 300 castles were built in the small Nishi Ueno area. The nearest walled city is only thirty to fifty meters away, and the farther one is only a few hundred meters away.

They overlap and surround each other. There is a city outside the city, a city inside the city, a city beside the city, and even a city above the city and a city below it.

In Japan, which has poor siege methods, this terrifying castle defense group is almost completely unsolvable. Even a man as famous as Takeda Harunobu lost more than 500 people just when he attacked Takara Castle (before it was captured). So much so that there was once a meddling person who combined the so-called dry information of various pretenders and came to the conclusion that Minawa had fought for nine years and dozens of times, and the number of casualties exceeded Kawanakajima five times, and Nagano was truly the best military god in the world.

Of course, with only one-third of the country, beleaguered on three sides, and with weak soldiers and people, the Minawa Castle can resist the attacks of Hojo Uyasu, Hojo Umasa, Takeda Harunobu and others in turn, making the powerful forces of all walks of life unable to advance even an inch. Takeda Harunobu even lamented As long as Jilunye is here, Nishi Ueno is impregnable.

Of course, the Kiso Fukushima Castle Group is not as large as Minawa Castle, nor is it guarded by an unparalleled famous general like Nagano Yasumasa. But after all, it's disgusting, very disgusting. Every hilltop is a fortified city, echoing and supporting each other.

And as long as there is still a branch city, there will be no despair in the city of being cut off from the inside and outside. The city can maintain contact with the outside world and maintain a trace of vitality.

This is why when Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquered Odawara, one branch city after another fell, and the morale in the city was declining day by day. However, Ninja Castle Narita Nagauchi commanded 500 soldiers and 3,000 soldiers and civilians to resist, including famous Warring States generals such as Satake Yoshinobu, Sanada Masayuki, Otani Yoshitsugi, Asano Nagamasa (Sanada Nobushige seemed to be also in the battle), and successfully resisted more than 23,000 After the attack by thousands of huge troops, the morale in the city suddenly rose.

If the branch city cannot be conquered, how can it be possible to conquer the main city with more complete defenses and more elite soldiers? This is a psychological effect, and of course Odawara also suffered a psychological blow in the end.

This time, Yamauchi Yoshikatsu and Hosokawa Saime were naturally prepared to adopt a combat method of completely uprooting the branch city, isolating the main city, and then surrendering in one go or with coercion.

The military discussions in the tent were mostly the same. The leading samurai of the banner clan, including Kanai Meigoro, Murakami Yoshimitsu, and Ogasawara Nagamasa who also came to join the battle, all thought so. Of course, everyone also looked at Xiaopingtai. After all, Xiaopingtai had many ideas. However, Xiao Pingtai really has very few ideas for this kind of city. At this moment, she is still dancing with her bamboo stick and thinking wildly.

Yamauchi Yisheng's soldiers are well-prepared, and he can try any method. So the warriors were summoned, and they all left the camp together and rode their horses to the city to observe the terrain and the defense level of the city.

Koheta then began to inquire carefully about the Kiso family's situation with Hosokawa Saime. If you know yourself and your enemy, you will be able to fight a hundred battles.

Hosokawa Zaimei was a samurai of the old school, with a clear distinction between public and private affairs. Although I personally feel that Xiao Pingtai was promoted too quickly, he is very cooperative as long as he talks about official matters with Xiao Pingtai. He never gets in trouble with Xiao Pingtai in official matters. From this point of view, this person is actually the kind of person Xiao Pingtai likes the most.

Hosokawa Saime and Koheita are about the same age, but Koheita has been promoted from a military service member to a banner member. He started as the general of the banner group, and of course he is now the lord of the county. But young people always have a bit of a comparison mentality, which is nothing.

The same is true now. When Koheita asked him about the situation of the Kiso family, Hosokawa Saime told him everything he knew, but there was no unnecessary nonsense. Koheita thought that Hosokawa Kaina was one year younger than him, almost two years, but his sister Aya was only thirteen. If he really married Aya, what should he call her?

Yamauchi Yoshikatsu discussed the geographical environment of the Kiso area with Ogasawara Nagamasa, who was born in Shimoina. Of course, a general must be familiar with geography.

Kodaira naturally chatted with Hosokawa Saime: "It's good that Aya is at home. I got a pair of Oshu Sanriku amber earrings last time and sent someone to deliver them. I don't know if she likes them."

Hosokawa Zaimei glanced at Xiaopingta and didn't know what she was thinking, "My roommate likes it very much."

After saying a few words, he fell silent again, completely without the long speech he had just introduced the Kiso family's situation.

"How is your health, Harugong-sama?" Xiao Pingtai had no choice but to find a topic, how could it be so embarrassing?

"My father rides horses and hunts hawks, and his courage is still the same as before." A samurai like Hosokawa Harumiya, who comes from a famous samurai family, has practiced both civil and military skills since childhood. Although he is apparently retired now, he still often goes to the city to give advice to Yamauchi Yoshiharu, or to chat. chat. He is in pretty good health and looks like he can still be active for many more years.

"Has Mr. Chungong mentioned A-Ling's marriage to Cai Nu?" Xiao Pingtai finally got to the point. In fact, this was probably what Mrs. Hosokawa had in mind when she brought Aya to Mrs. Xiaoping's house several years ago. Koheita actually had some guesses, and even had the idea that if he became Hosokawa's son-in-law, he would be completely integrated into the Yamauchi Samurai Order.

At that time, Koheita's status was not prominent, he was just a small Hatamoto samurai. If he could become the son-in-law of the Hosokawa family, he would be able to provide good support and assistance to Hosokawa's daughter. The Kawa family is grateful for their marriage, and the Hosokawa family has also gained a very profitable son-in-law, so why not do it.

Now that Koheita has become one of the high-ranking samurai of the Yamauchi clan, this marriage is just a match. Although Hosokawa, the Miao character, is extremely noble, the most noble one is the Hosokawa family, the leader of Kyoto. Yamauchi's Hosokawa was just an unpopular little bastard of the Hosokawa family who was casually assigned as a retainer to the Yamauchi family. It is not necessary to say how noble he is. After all, it has been almost a hundred years since the family was separated, and this family of relatives has long since dispersed.

What's more, Xiao Pingtai's cheap father is very powerful. He is a genuine Zixiaolu who can serve as the minister of the palace. In addition, Xiaoheita's cheap grandfather is not dead. He is really responsible for accepting words from among the three, and he can meet the emperor.

"Come on, A'ya's marriage, my father's preference is for you, but if you ask me, I will neither support nor oppose it. No matter what the future holds, as long as the marriage has not yet been completed, it is still unknown." Hosokawa Saime looked at him squarely. Xiao Ping Tai, said such a call.

"So, Harugong-sama does have this intention!" Xiaopingtai completely confirmed this matter.

Only then did Hosokawa Harime realize that she had spoken in a hurry and revealed that her father really wanted to marry her daughter.

So he raised his head, kicked the horse's belly, and wanted to leave. Mrs. Xiaoping couldn't bear to let him run away, so she quickly followed him.

"So Cainyu, you will be my adopted brother from now on." Xiao Pingtai shouted deliberately.

After hearing these words, Hosokawa Zaimei visibly froze and swayed on her horse.

Yesterday, a big brother gave out red envelopes again. What a waste of money.