The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 122

Unexpectedly, just after rounding the woods, I saw a soldier who had taken off his armor and was urinating in the paddy field.

Without a doubt, it must be someone from the other side who ran off to the edge of the battlefield to desert!

Without saying a word, Nationalist government official Lai Teng charged forward with his gun.

The soldier couldn't wait for the water to finish flowing, so he yelled and ran back, leaving a puddle of water on the ground.

Naoki Hasegawa, tall and long-legged and wearing light armor, rushed forward in a few strides and slashed at his opponent's unsuspecting hind leg.

The man instantly collapsed to the ground, letting out a scream.

Iwamatsu Shigenori followed behind with a short gun, thrusting his hands forward and plunging the sharp blade straight into his opponent's groin.

This resulted in a super scream that was a hundred times more horrific than the last one.

With such a commotion, don't even think about sneaking close.

The group exchanged glances and quickened their pace, charging towards the enemy's formation.

After running only a hundred or two steps, dozens of ragged peasant soldiers appeared ahead, including an old man with a white beard and a half-grown child. Almost none of them wore complete armor. They were carrying weapons such as bamboo spears and naginatas, and they were cursing and saying things like "Despicable outsiders, get out of Danhou."

The Kubo clan's "Mikuri-tori-shu" showed no mercy, charging forward aggressively and instantly turning the peasant soldiers who stood in their way into a bloody mess.

A peasant shouted, "You scoundrels, give me back my whole family's lives!" He charged forward without any strategy. His arm was half cut off, and his naginata was gone, but he didn't know where the fighting spirit and strength came from. He rushed forward and collided with the Kubo family soldiers, fighting on the ground with his remaining good arm.

Others clung to legs, some gripped gun barrels tightly, and some even bit people with their teeth.

The Kubo family's "Mikura-tori-shu" were all ronin and samurai who had seen blood, but they rarely saw such tenacious peasant soldiers, so they were quite surprised and it took them a while to deal with them.

Looking up, they saw several heavily armored soldiers on both sides, shouting and brandishing their swords and spears as they approached; their numbers were estimated to be no less than three hundred. The Ise Army had clearly realized that someone was flanking them and had already mobilized its reserves.

This completely negates the element of surprise.

The accompanying military supervisor, Kubo Tobei, immediately spoke up: "As instructed by Lord Kubo Sado, we can retreat now."

The generals all nodded in agreement.

Naoki Hasegawa, who was temporarily appointed as the reserve commander, shouted without hesitation: "Follow your respective group leaders and return the way you came!"

The group obeyed the order and scattered in several groups to escape.

Most of these "Military Recruits" were seasoned veterans. Although they were very eager to make a name for themselves, they were also quite experienced in self-preservation. They immediately abandoned the heavy equipment that affected their mobility, strode back, bypassed the woods and farmhouses, swam and waded through the water from where they had come from, and retreated to the rear of their own army.

Some of the bolder ones deliberately slowed down and looked back after crossing the river. They saw that the tribesmen on the other side seemed to be chasing them relentlessly, and their numbers were growing larger and larger, shouting all sorts of insults and slogans.

With the energy still spared to analyze the situation, Kokufu Raito's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "It seems that Tango's soldiers are losing their composure! Lord Kubo Sado must have made arrangements, and we will soon be able to turn the tide!"

Iwamatsu Shigenobu, standing to the side, was not so optimistic. He shook his head and said, "First, we need to make sure that the morale of our allies on the east side will not be shaken by our retreat! Luring the enemy into launching an attack may not be a good thing."

231 Ambush and Pursuit

"Why are people fleeing? Has our army been defeated?"

“It seems to be one of my family’s ‘Mikura-tori’ members… I’ve spotted someone I know.”

"The enemy is pursuing us! They're quite a few! This is not good!"

The quality of the Kubo army soldiers did not exceed the normal standards of the 16th century. When they saw friendly forces retreating and enemy forces pursuing them, they inevitably became panicked.

But Shingoro's timely words instantly calmed everyone down: "After all, they are just a bunch of ronin and samurai who have gathered temporarily. At most, they are about the same level as Wakasa Hei. How can they be compared with the true elite of our Kubo family!"

These words immediately resonated with everyone around them.

The surrounding troops, whether they were directly under the command of the arquebusiers, the Ōkō-jō-shū, or the so-called "Wakasa Seventh Reserve," were all the old guard of the Kubo family from their years of campaigns in the south and north. Among them, a considerable number of core members had personally participated in the great feat of "slaying two demons in battle" at the Battle of Honmegawa. Their fighting spirit on the spot and their confidence in the commander-in-chief were naturally far higher than those of the generals.

Furthermore, with the arrival of a host of brave and skilled retainers, including Ooi, Inatomi, Takemura, and Harumi, their fighting spirit was even stronger.

As a squad leader, such words and actions were certainly somewhat frivolous and arrogant, and a serious violation of political correctness. However, they were perfectly appropriate for the current situation. The brothers around him clearly agreed with what he had just said, and even Shingoro himself felt that he hadn't said anything wrong.

Composed of lower-ranking samurai and wealthy free farmers, their recruitment strategy is already on par with the current meta. They are capable of purchasing weapons and equipment, and with the support of "Go-kaku-goku" (a powerful government agency), their individual combat strength is naturally considerable. Furthermore, they are not constantly confined to their lands; they can organize themselves for training or patrol their territories in groups, making their cohesion and organization undoubtedly superior to ordinary conscripts.

Of course, more importantly, they followed the tall, mighty, and invincible head of the family and fought a series of great victories. Their experience and courage accumulated little by little, giving them the confidence to turn the tide and win in unfavorable circumstances—something that was extremely rare in the Warring States period!

Therefore, the slight disturbance quickly subsided, and the soldiers moved forward in an orderly manner according to the previous plan.

By this time, the two hundred "Mikuri-no-shu" of the Kubo clan had been on the run for some time, while the Isshiki army's pursuing force had long since formed a line, their formation scattered and disorganized. Especially the soldiers at the very front, whether out of genuine hatred for the outsiders or for the sake of vying for battle merits, were all bloodthirsty and moved with lightning speed, having no time to attend to their flanks.

At Shingoro's loud command, one hundred arquebusiers split into four groups, came to a few dozen paces to the west of the enemy, and opened fire in unison.

In an instant, a loud noise erupted, smoke billowed, and explosions, screams, and shouts of killing filled the valley.

There's no time to reload and launch a second time at this distance.

Generally, it's not necessary.

When a unit is in a disorganized formation and is attacked by arquebuses from the flanks, most of the troops will be thrown into disarray. These weapons are limited by their accuracy, so the actual number of people killed is uncertain, but the noise they create is enormous, and the wounds they inflict look horrific.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Inatomi, Harumi, and others led their respective troops, armed with short weapons, and charged towards the enemy with unstoppable momentum. Yamauchi, Taga, Naito, Imafumi, and other generals followed closely behind.

Only Takemura Hidetoshi remained by Shingoro's side, who lacked experience, to provide timely military advice and take over command when necessary. After all, Shingoro's appointment as commander of the ambush force was not based on seniority or talent.

Generally speaking, when a disorganized force is subjected to a barrage of arquebus fire and a melee charge, a less elite unit would be on the verge of collapse.

However, the enemy today was tenacious. Despite the volley of cannon fire, and although many at the front fell, the rest did not panic and stop. Amidst the rising dust, they charged forward shouting, unhesitatingly changing their target from the fleeing "Mikura-no-Tori-shu" to the ambush force on the eastern flank.

"The warriors of Tango are tough!" Harumi Ujitaka was slightly moved. "To be able to gather several hundred brave warriors, Isshiki Shikibu (Gidou) is quite a figure."

"Isn't this even better? It'll be more interesting when they fight!" Inatomi Shigenobu grinned, quickening his pace. "Even if he's someone important, he can't compare to our Kubo Sado!"

The two men exchanged a smile and led their troops into close combat with the enemy. The clash of swords and spears produced a piercing metallic clang. Although Kubo's army had the advantage of being well-rested and had the initiative, they were unable to gain the upper hand immediately.

At this moment, Shingoro was both excited and nervous. His gaze swept from left to right and then back to left. After hesitating for a moment, he asked Takemura Hidetoshi beside him in a low voice, "Is it appropriate to send out cavalry now?"

“Wait a little longer.” Although Takemura Hidetoshi wasn’t particularly tall, he was always calm and collected in the army, his composure as steady as a still pond, giving him an imposing aura. He stared expressionlessly at the battle ahead, glancing occasionally towards the enemy’s main force. After a moment, he decisively said, “The enemy has wavered slightly. Time’s up!”

Shingoro believed it without a doubt and immediately gave the order.

After opening his pottery kiln last year, he made some money in the teaware business, so he bought more than twenty decent warhorses and gathered some warriors who could provide their own mounts to set up a small cavalry unit within the "Great Bow Castle Clan".

Shinzaburo actually believed that the Kubo clan would mainly be fighting in the San'in region in the short term, and the cavalry would not have much use. But since his younger brother was interested, it wouldn't hurt for him to play around with it.

With fewer than forty horses in total, they didn't need much open terrain; they could easily operate in the valleys of Tango.

A moment later, a new drumbeat sounded around them, and more than thirty cavalrymen, fully armed, charged out from the rear of the formation, their hooves thundering as they sped away.

At that time, the so-called warhorses were generally only 130 centimeters tall at the shoulder, which was no match for giants like Tanba Zhongkui. But today's enemies were generally only 150 centimeters tall, so neither side dared to underestimate the other.

"The Yaksha of Shinshu, Oi Shigeie, is here! Who dares to fight?"

Ooi Shigeie, having somehow acquired a new nickname, strutted arrogantly on his horse, charging ahead. He braced himself against the horse's belly with his legs, then wielded his large spear with a precise thrust, sending his enemy flying.

Amidst the chaos, another friendly force suddenly arrived from the north to provide reinforcements.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be none other than the defeated "Mikura-tori-shu".

Leading the group were Kubo Tobei, Hasegawa, Kokufu, Iwamatsu, and others, followed by about sixty or seventy people.

Two hundred men had previously fled, with some killed, wounded, or separated along the way, and the group had completely lost its organization. Who could have predicted that a significant portion of them would be able to regroup and launch a counterattack in such a short time?

This shows that they are indeed experienced veterans of the battlefield, quick to run when they need to and never idle when it's time to take advantage of others.

"The enemy has been defeated," Hidetoshi Takemura said calmly. "Should Lord Shingoro personally pursue them?"

At this moment, Shingoro himself could see that the five hundred to eight hundred soldiers opposite him were already in a state of decline. But he suppressed the few remaining sparks of enthusiasm in his heart and shook his head, indicating that he was not considering taking the risk: "I should obey my brother's orders and prioritize the overall situation. Look at these Isshiki soldiers, didn't they suffer a catastrophic disaster because they rashly crossed the river to pursue them? Right?"

“You’re right.” Hidetoshi Takemura’s expression remained unchanged, without a trace of sarcasm. “It was a wise choice.”

As they spoke, the enemy finally could not hold out any longer. First, there was a partial collapse and individual desertions, followed by a chain reaction of total defeat.

At the same time, the Kubo family's infantry surged forward like a tide, while the cavalry couldn't wait to mount their horses and give chase.

Shingoro couldn't help but burst into laughter upon seeing this, but then he fell into thought again, muttering to himself, "Should we keep chasing after them, or stop at the banks of the Sato River? My older brother didn't give me any instructions beforehand!"

Hidetoshi Takemura, who was assisting him, frowned, looking troubled: "That's hard to say. We can't just look at the progress on our eastern front; we need to understand the situation on the western flank before we can make a decision."

"Then let's play it safe for now and not chase after them across the river!" Shingoro quickly made the decision.

Hidetoshi Takemura hesitated for a moment, then nodded without saying anything.

Just as Shingoro was about to make his orders, he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from the west: "The commander-in-chief has ordered all officers to immediately head southwest and attack the enemy's main camp without delay!"

The person who immediately relayed the message was none other than Kubo Itoro.

Hidetoshi Takemura immediately understood and whispered in his ear, "It seems that Lord Sado Kubo has figured out the enemy's deployment and knows that they have little power to resist."

Shingoro nodded, mounted his horse, drew his sword and pointed it southwest, shouting, "Follow me, Kubo Shingoro, across the river! Our target is the Isshiki Army's main camp! Today is the day to earn merit and reward!"

He hadn't originally planned to fight personally. But since the goal was to pursue the enemy all the way to their camp, he naturally had to bring everyone along. He couldn't just be shouting from behind while everyone else was fighting.

Takemura Hidetoshi, however, kept his duty in mind and immediately mounted his horse to follow behind, reminding him, "Lord Shingoro, please ride slowly with me and do not urge the horses to speed up."

232 The most important victory

How did Shinzaburo know that the opposing Isshiki army had no mobile forces?

Very simple.

Because while fierce fighting was taking place on the eastern front, the main battlefield was also not idle.

After some probing fire, the enemy took the initiative and launched an attack, with the Takaya Suruga-no-kami unit as the vanguard, crossing the Sato-Tani River and advancing from south to north.

Meanwhile, on the Kubo family's side, the three reserve teams of Ichikawa, Hongo, and Kawakatsu lined up from west to east, ready to meet the enemy at the nearest location.

After a brief standoff, a small, highly effective squad of no more than three hundred men suddenly emerged from the opposing side. Their movements were incredibly efficient, and their combat prowess far surpassed that of the others. They swept through the enemy ranks like wolves among sheep, quickly defeating the teams of Kawakatsu and Hongo, their momentum unstoppable. The second wave of attackers, the Awaya and Oyamada teams, were also caught off guard and quickly crumbled.

This small group, operating under the banner of "Hosokawa Harumoto's second son at Nyudo-dono," is clearly a remnant of Hosokawa Harumoto's faction.

Whether they were truly loyal to their former master or simply disliked the Miyoshi family, they were all experienced and well-equipped mid-to-high-level samurai with incredibly high fighting spirit.

Otherwise, how could Naito Munekatsu have suffered such a great loss last year!

At that time, hundreds or even thousands of our own soldiers were fleeing in all directions, while the Kubo family's main camp was at risk of facing the enemy's blades directly. It is likely that the soldiers and officers from top to bottom would be somewhat shaken.

As the tide turned, the Isshiki clan's followers followed the remnants of Hosokawa Harumoto's forces and attacked, seemingly all determined to fight to the death.

However, Shinzaburo still remembered the heroic spirit of fighting Hatano and beheading Momii Noriyuki back then. He had no intention of avoiding battle. Instead, he personally led his personal soldiers to support the front and join forces with the friendly forces that were still able to hold on. At the same time, he sent messengers on horseback to order the reserve forces behind to immediately follow up and fill the gaps.

Beneath the banner of the Kui Longdan army and the horse seal bearing the image of Zhong Kui, the commander-in-chief, dressed in a golden robe with five red silk ribbons and wearing the sword of Fudo Myo-o, stood before a sixteen-section quiver without retreating a single step. He even moved forward several hundred feet, which must have boosted the morale of the troops to some extent.

Soon, several hundred of Itsuki Masatsune's men joined forces with the "collaborators" in Tango Kumano County, and the situation gradually stabilized.

Half an hour later, Nasa Yamato's pirates abandoned their ship and jogged from Kumihama to launch a counterattack from the west. They attacked a rear guard that was about to cross the river with arquebuses and powerful bows, successfully disrupting the formations of both sides.

Then, unfortunately, they fell into the most typical messy battle of this era.

The assault troops were exhausted and lacked the strength to organize an effective attack again. However, enemy and friendly soldiers were still mixed together, and a hasty retreat would only make things worse. They had no choice but to keep fighting with their spirits up.

After a while of this stalemate, the intensity of the fighting gradually decreased, and both sides had no choice but to withdraw their troops.

By this point in the battle, the vanguard forces of Hongo and Kawakatsu in Kubo's army had basically lost their organization, and the three units of Ichikawa, Awaya, and Oyamada were also in a precarious state. Only the reserve forces of Itsumi, Nasa, and Shinzaburo's personal guards were estimated to still be able to maintain combat capability.

Of course, most of them simply fled rather than died in battle, and with some effort, they can be regrouped.

According to the Kubo family's military law, before the main camp is withdrawn, the remaining soldiers and defeated troops must return to the battlefield on their own initiative; otherwise, they will be punished if their names are recorded by the commander. But even so, some time for adjustment must be given.

In this situation, it is impossible to immediately pursue them.

However, Shinzaburo judged that the enemy was also exhausted and just then received news of the successful ambush on the eastern front. He immediately sent someone to order his younger brother Shingoro to lead fresh troops to launch a counterattack.

Although the troops on the front were quite exhausted, they still needed to rest briefly before making further moves.

……

The eastern front was located in a valley two kilometers away, obstructed by hills and invisible to the naked eye. To maintain control of the overall situation, Shinzaburo had to frequently send people back and forth to make contact.

In this era, messengers who delivered orders were called "shiban," examiners who reviewed merits and demerits were called "mufu," and the general's personal guards were generally called "makai" or "hatamoto," while administrative assistants might be called "cejin" or "koshi." In fact, the responsibilities of these positions were often mixed, and they were often filled by young members of the same family or relatives, as a way to gain experience.

For example, Shinzaburo formed his own group based on his disciples such as Iotaro and Tobei, plus a few lucky ones from Noguchi Village and disciples sent by the Wakasa samurai.

The teenagers were not very patient. When they saw that their side was in the lead, they were naturally very excited and didn't feel tired at all, riding their ponies back and forth.

I received a message almost every fifteen minutes.

At first, news of victories against enemy squads came back, and then flags and tokens of "Eki Sagami no Kami", "Tanabe Kotaro", "Hashimoto Danjo", and "Shirasugi Jibu" were brought up, along with captured begging bowls.

Judging from their size and style, they should all be commanders at the level of a hundred-man general.

I personally witnessed four of them, which means that at least eight hundred-man squads of the enemy must have collapsed. It's clear that Shingoro's side was indeed unstoppable and invincible.

After all, they were equipped with the Kubo family's strongest fighting force and had the tactical advantage, so naturally everything went smoothly.

After waiting for a while, Shinzaburo received a report that the three reserve units of Awaya, Ichikawa, and Oyamada had each gathered their remaining troops and restored their combat strength to 60-70%.

Meanwhile, Itsuki and Nasa's backup teams are ready to be deployed at any time.

Looking up again, there should still be two hours of daylight left, enough to launch a formal attack.

So Shinsaburo decisively ordered someone to take a box of Yongle coins from the tent and distribute them on the spot as incentives. He then ordered all troops to gather the most capable and courageous men, cross the river to the south, and launch a counterattack.