The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 76

Now, everyone's target is the "mob" leader, a burly man in thick brown armor, who is thirty or forty paces away from the door.

The man was still calmly directing the battle, issuing various orders as if he had everything under control.

When he previously communicated under the guise of "appealing," there was still a possibility that the matter could be resolved peacefully.

But since they dared to launch an attack, there's nothing more to say. Even if it's just a symbolic attack, it still means they've taken the initiative and started fighting.

Before entering the battlefield, one might be merciful enough to prevent the situation from escalating; after leaving the battlefield, one might also be able to show some forgiveness.

However, those on the battlefield have no time to consider those humanistic issues.

At Shinzaburo's command, a long line of cold metal tubes aimed at the same target and launched a volley.

Due to the limitations of the matchlock musket's technical principles, it was unlikely that they could actually fire simultaneously. However, the long-term training was still very effective; a dozen or so muskets roared in succession in an instant, and the projectiles flew out at speeds invisible to the naked eye.

Smoke billowed, a flash of light obscured visibility. Shinzaburo stared intently ahead, still unable to make out the exact situation. He could barely discern that the enemy leader had been hit three or four times.

One shot seemed to hit the right shoulder, causing a very unnatural and strange twisting of the upper limb; two lead balls hit the chest and abdomen area, causing violent shaking of the torso; and the left ankle may also have been grazed.

The others all missed, but it seems some unfortunate people around them were accidentally injured.

That doesn't matter.

In short, the man who called himself Torii Kawachi no Kami fell backward to the ground and showed no sign of being able to get up.

Logically, at this moment they should be shouting loudly, "The enemy general has been captured!"

However, Shinzaburo remained unperturbed, simply instructing his arquebusiers to quickly reload and prepare for the next round of firing.

The samurai of the Kubo family, however, were not so composed. Inatomi, Oi, Harumi, and others shouted loudly, "Torii Kawachi-no-kami is dead!" "Torii Kawachi-no-kami has been defeated!"

Hearing this, Shinzaburo felt a little helpless. Wasn't this a tacit admission that the other party was qualified to use the Torii family name and the official title of Kawachi no Kami?

However, it was impossible to investigate further on the battlefield.

The people outside the city could, of course, see their leader being struck down.

The reactions from the crowd were quite different.

A wail quickly erupted from behind: "Lord Torii is dead! Run for your lives! We're doomed!"

It's not to the point of a complete collapse, but many people have indeed stopped acting, as if they are waiting and watching.

After all, eight hundred farmers were drawn from fifteen villages with a maximum population of three thousand, and there were bound to be many of them who were just there to make up the numbers and had no fighting spirit.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, the dozens of fully clothed men shouted things like "Avenge Lord Torii!" and "Kill this bastard lord!" and rushed toward the city gate carrying ladders.

Many young men carrying weapons responded to the call and followed with red eyes.

Then the second round of cannon fire rang out.

When the enemy rushed within ten paces, the defenders behind the city wall achieved a higher hit rate, taking down a row of enemies.

The others picked up bows and joined the battle.

Even at close range, arrows may not be able to penetrate iron armor. However, as long as the enemy's defenses are not completely impenetrable, you can aim at the weak points in the armor and shoot, which will have a good killing effect.

It seems that the man who called himself Torii Kawachi no Kami truly had some skill in winning people over.

Even at this point, some villagers still roared in grief and indignation, their bloodshot eyes wide open, ignoring the threat of bullets and arrows, desperately climbing the long ladders.

A very few individuals actually made it to the top of the city wall, but were quickly surrounded and pushed off.

Such fighting spirit surpassed the average level of warriors during the Warring States period.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough people with the will to fight.

After the third round of cannon fire, it seemed that most of the most fearless warriors had perished.

Most of the "mob" are in a state of hesitation, confusion, and helplessness.

At this moment, Inafu, Takemura, and others who had been lying in ambush on the nearby hillside launched their attack. Some peeked out and fired arrows, while others remained in the woods, using the terrain for cover to shout and make loud noises, creating the illusion of a large ambush on the enemy's flank and rear.

Under such pressure, the members of the "Tu Yi Kui" finally collapsed.

Not only did the ragtag group dressed in burlap clothes and carrying hoes flee, but the armored leaders also escaped when things became hopeless.

Shinzaburo didn't show much joy at the victory, but simply issued the order: "Open the city gates and give chase! Those fully clothed people are the targets; there's no need to kill the unarmored villagers. Otherwise, it will delay our mission and we'll only make things worse."

The warriors, who had been unable to contain themselves any longer, eagerly bypassed the tiger's mouth, opened the city gate, and charged out with their weapons in hand.

Unfortunately, the surrounding terrain was not suitable for horse racing, so even those who had mounts, such as Inafumi and Oi, could not take advantage of their cavalry.

Shinzaburo sent out about thirty or forty men to pursue them, and when they rejoined the ambush troops in the mountains, they numbered only fifty or sixty. The opposing side actually had at least seven hundred men. If they could calmly form ranks and counterattack, even if it was peasants against samurai, they would have a considerable chance of winning.

However, reorganizing a demoralized army is extremely difficult and cannot be accomplished by a spur-of-the-moment "local uprising".

If someone truly possesses such skill, they are a born war god. If they were defeated by a god of war that spawns in the wild, Shinzaburo would have nothing to say but blame his bad luck.

Seeing that the "Tu Yi Kui" had fled, the female servants in the city finally breathed a sigh of relief, put down their simple weapons, and returned to their daily lives.

Adou seemed a little scared as well, throwing herself into Shinzaburo's arms for the first time in public, saying, "When I saw so many people surrounding us, I couldn't help but worry. I didn't expect to defeat the enemy so quickly."

Shinzaburo smiled somewhat stiffly, "They're just a rabble. The farmers who were husking grain with shovels just yesterday are suddenly taking up arms to fight. How could they possibly be a match for me, Tanba Zhongkui?"

Adou hummed in agreement, quietly wriggling free from her husband's embrace and resuming her graceful and elegant demeanor. Then, seeing Shinsaburo's expression, a look of worry returned to her face. She leaned forward and whispered, "Sir seems somewhat agitated. Is there still a hidden danger in this matter?"

"Hidden dangers? Maybe, but not too much trouble." Shinzaburo shook his head. "The only reason this uprising could be formed is because that wealthy farmer who calls himself Torii Kawachi no Kami is very popular. Now that the leader is dead, the rest are not a concern."

"Then why..." Adou asked, puzzled.

“This time, the enemy is not a samurai, but a Toki,” Shinzaburo sighed. “Defeating the enemy samurai and gaining new territory is only gratifying. But suppressing the Toki is a complicated matter and not something to be happy about.”

After a moment, seeing that Adou was deep in thought, Shinzaburo smiled again, put his arm around his wife's waist and said, "Although it's not very pleasant, it's still much better than being defeated by someone else!"

143. Execute the ringleader.

The "Tu Yi Kui" from fifteen villages of Shan Guo Zhuang came to demonstrate with great momentum. After failing to reach a consensus, they immediately launched an attack. Subsequently, they scattered like birds and beasts due to the death of their leader and the appearance of ambushes.

It took about half an hour.

The villagers' display of strength and fighting spirit was within expectations. While their level in the Sixty-Six Kingdoms might be unclear, for Tanba's skill level, it was merely average.

But the leader of the "local guerrilla" who called himself Torii Kawachi no Kami had an instigation ability that far exceeded the limits of an ordinary local gentry.

Jin Bingwei's father was also a seasoned underground philanthropist. At most, he could lead a few hundred people to Guangfu Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha, which would consume a lot of favors and even require him to pay for the food himself.

They were able to gather nearly a thousand people to block the road and demonstrate at the city gate!

He had dozens of armored subordinates under his command. These subordinates were even able to spontaneously charge into battle again after their leader was killed, indicating that they had a high degree of collective identity.

Looking back, when he led his army to besiege Yueshan City, the defending soldiers lacked water and food, and were dissatisfied with their generals, so they launched a rebellion, killing the Utsu family before surrendering the city.

This group is probably the leader.

They were released only after surrendering their weapons and armor, but unexpectedly, just a few months later, forty or fifty more soldiers in full armor appeared. Even though most of them were just simple foot soldiers, they were still a cause for concern.

This so-called "Tori Kawachi no Kami" himself did not appear on the battlefield, but he sent his subordinates to participate in the battle, which suggests that his relationship with the Utsu family is quite delicate.

Since they're all dead anyway, there's no need to investigate further.

That night, the retainers who had pursued the "Tu-Ikki" returned one after another, bringing with them seventeen heads. Including those who died at the city walls, the total number of enemy armored casualties exceeded thirty. It could be optimistically concluded that the original organizational structure of the fifteen villages of Yamaguni-sou had collapsed.

The next day, Ishikawa Mayuki, who had infiltrated the village, also quietly returned to the city to report back.

In an effort to gain trust quickly, he claimed to be a member of the Hokuriku Ikko-ikki, who was being hunted down by the Echizen Asakura family. This quickly made him one of the local people, but it also led to some unexpected consequences.

Ishikawa Mako's ancestor was sent to Mikawa by Renryo Shonin, the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect, as the "General of the Ikko-ikki". He truly understood the situation and was not just pretending to know it.

In an attempt to gain their favor, he told the villagers stories he had heard from his elders, and preached things like "warriors are nothing to fear, farmers should join forces to strengthen themselves."

Unexpectedly, the people of the fifteen villages of Yamaguni-sho really listened to this, and their emotions were high. They gathered their opinions to the leader, "Torii-Kawachi-no-kami," and decided to launch a "local uprising" to demonstrate their strength.

Of course, this unexpected situation cannot be blamed on Masayuki Ishikawa.

Shinzaburo believed that he had completed his mission very well, especially his crucial role in running back to deliver the message, which demonstrated his competence in the position of "monogami-yaku" (monogami officer). He would be rewarded with a generous salary and given important responsibilities in the future.

So what is the current situation in the fifteen villages of Shanguozhuang?

According to Ishikawa Mayuki, after losing their leader and organization, dozens of die-hards supported Torii Kawauchi-no-kami's son, Torii Saemon, as he fled to a hidden stronghold deep in the mountains. The vast majority of villagers fled in fear to their homes, hiding in delusion.

To say it's self-deception wouldn't be accurate. In that area, about 80% of the men who could walk participated in this uprising; it's impossible for Shinsaburo to arrest and behead them all.

It is impossible from the perspectives of interests, morality, reason, and emotion.

The only option is to "punish the ringleader".

According to locals, the wealthy farming family that falsely used the Torii family name owned more than 300 saka (a unit of land measurement) of land, and their trusted relatives and friends probably owned another 600 or 700 saka. Moreover, most of these were fertile fields near water sources.

They won people's hearts by treating tenants and day laborers well and by helping them negotiate the amount of money and grain.

It is said that the small fortress deep in the mountains has hidden several hundred strings of cash and several hundred bushels of rice.

After receiving this information, Shinzaburo made a decision: "Mobilize the military forces in Kumada River and Inoue River, with 15 soldiers and 5 laborers from each village to assemble at the castle to suppress the rebels. There will be rewards of money, grain and land. As for the people of the 15 villages of Yamaguni-sho, tell them that as long as they stay at home and obey the subsequent land survey, their past actions will be forgiven."

Everyone took the order and left.

……

Two days later at noon, the army of six hundred men, including samurai and peasant soldiers, advanced to an area called "Ashigaya Mountain".

It takes about half an hour to get to the nearest village from here, so it's already considered to be in a remote and sparsely populated area.

The wealthy farmer who called himself Torii secretly built a small fortress here, situated on a precipitous high slope, with a narrow path hanging down from the north and south sides.

Judging from the terrain alone, it was a stronghold that was difficult to attack.

However, the construction quality was rather low. At first glance, most of it was a simple wooden structure, and in many places, bamboo and thatch were even used. The main gate looked like it could be broken down by five or six strong men, and there wasn't even a single well-placed arrow spur.

The only good thing is that there is a stream flowing down from the top of the mountain, so there is no worry about the water source.

Not to mention the lack of manpower.

After a brief observation, Shinzaburo ordered Inatomi and Oi to lead the troops from various villages along the Kumada River to attack northward, while Takemura and Harumi led the troops from various villages along the Inoue River to attack southward.

They didn't expect to take it all in one go; they just considered it a test of firepower.

After some preparation, the peasant soldiers were assigned tasks: some were responsible for suppression, firing upwards with rudimentary long-range weapons; others were responsible for advancing, cautiously moving forward while wearing thick armor.

As expected, the battle was not very intense.

The morale of the garrison inside the fortress was clearly low, and no one dared to shout. The peasant soldiers outside were also indecisive, moving slowly and hesitantly.

The two sides fired at each other for a long time, but the number of casualties was very small.

It is clear that the people of the Kumada River and Inoue River regions still have doubts about the new lord. If it weren't for the promise of rewards of money, grain, and land, they might not even have this much will to fight.

Kubohashi Heibei, standing nearby, couldn't stand it any longer. This short, dark-skinned man had now experienced several battles, and after obtaining his title, he was fully equipped with armor and weapons, and his horizons had broadened considerably. At this moment, he volunteered, believing that leading ten personal guards in a fierce charge would be enough to take down this nonsensical little fortress.

Shinzaburo, however, remained calm and unhurried.

Taking over the enemy's stronghold is not difficult; the real task is to observe the situation of the peasant soldiers within the territory.

This listless appearance is certainly unsightly, but peasant soldiers are prone to listlessness anyway. It's always better to have prior knowledge of the situation than to falter at a crucial moment.

As for the small fortress on the hillside, we can take it down tomorrow.

That was the original plan.

Unexpectedly, two lucky and daring peasant soldiers ran to the entrance of the fortress, when suddenly the gate burst open, and a man in brown armor scrambled out, shouting, "Torii Saemon has come to surrender! I was forced to come here!"

Then, a mournful wail came from within the city: "We were about to fight to the death, how could our young master surrender first! How can you face Lord Torii?"

The wealthy peasants among the two groups of peasant soldiers, now clad in armor, were finally roused to fight. They shouted incoherent slogans and charged forward at full speed.

The man who opened the gate to surrender was struck hard in the back by an arrow shot from inside the fortress.

The arrow did not seem to pierce through the man's body, but the man stumbled and rolled down the steep hillside, crashing into a large tree at the foot of the mountain before coming to a stop, whereupon he fell silent.

Shinzaburo remembered that Torii Saemon was indeed the name of the young master.

They immediately sent people over to check, only to find that the person had already stopped breathing.

Unexpectedly, the son of this Tu-i-kui leader met his end in this way.

Moments later, a steady stream of peasant soldiers stormed into the small fortress, slaughtered the resisting enemy, and found the hidden treasury and granary.

There wasn't that much money, only a few dozen kan. But there were two or three hundred shi of brown rice.

144 Which is left and which is right?

With the fall of the nameless fortress, this uprising came to an end.

Shinzaburo allowed the peasants and soldiers in Kumada River and Inoue River to divide up the enemy's stored money and grain.

In Shanguozhuang, about fifty wealthy farmers who were able to provide their own armor died in the fifteen villages, and they were the primary targets of the attack. In addition, dozens of ordinary villagers were caught up in the war and died in battle, the exact number of which is difficult to determine.

The other people lost all will to resist for a time.