Just after noon on May 19, the 11th year of Eiroku, the Sanyoshi Army launched a general attack on Nijo Imperial Palace with 15,000 troops. This well-equipped army was very bold and supported by the firepower of 1,500 iron cannons. They launched attacks from four directions at the same time. The impatient Masayasu Miyoshi was obviously not willing to wait slowly. There were only more than 160 samurai in the Nijo Imperial Palace panicked. They did not expect that the front leg was still negotiating about the withdrawal of troops, and the three good men of the back leg turned against each other and attacked mercilessly. They were caught off guard by the heavy firepower of the iron cannons. He was so depressed that he could not lift his head, and could only watch helplessly as the four city gates were violently knocked open by battering rams, and the shogunate was retreating steadily as the public was beaten. Seeing that the situation was not good, Yagyu Sogan shouted: "Oops! The north gate has been knocked open! I will go to the rescue first! You guys hold on!" The swordsmen who were not under the jurisdiction of the shogunate drew their swords and hurried to the north gate, more than a dozen of them Kamiizumi Hidetsuna's young disciple rushed to Otemon's gate with his sword raised and roared. He slashed left and right to kill the Miyoshi Army Ashigaru at the front, easily dispersing the offensive threat in front of Otemon's gate. The civilians carrying the battering ram fled in all directions when they saw that the situation was not going well. The attack on the north gate was brought to a standstill due to this sudden attack. The Ashigaru team of the Miyoshi Army has rich combat experience, and did not disrupt their formation just because of a surprise attack. Under the leadership of the Ashigaru Banto, they quickly formed their formation and launched another attack. The Miyoshi Army, who did not believe in evil, soon returned. After being beaten back, they finally realized that the opponent they encountered was different from the samurai in the past. The close combat swordsmanship, flexible pace and precise control made these battle-hardened ashigaru somewhat at a loss. The swordsman was vulnerable to a blow. The brave Yagyu Sogan didn't even have time to put on his armor, so he rushed into the battle with his superb swordsmanship and extraordinary courage. Holding the sword high with both hands, every slash can take away a life. Relying on the exquisite skills of practicing Itto-ryu and Shinin-ryu for many years. The attack along the way was like a pig's sudden advance. Blood spurted out wherever it passed, and the body and head were separated. Under his leadership, more than a dozen unarmored swordsmen performed superbly. The Miyoshi Army's Ashigaru team, which was slashing and slashing horizontally and vertically, had no courage to resist, so there were more than a dozen samurai warriors in long robes and long sleeves on the battlefield. , the strange scene of chasing hundreds of fully armored Ashigaru and slashing them, shocked by the bravery and toughness of the shogunate samurai, made the Miyoshi soldiers on the field suddenly feel at a loss. The shogunate who came out after him was overjoyed when they saw this. They drew out their swords and rushed to the gate to chop them down. There were only about thirty men in front of the Otemon gate in the north. Relying on his passion and passion, he was able to block the attack momentum of thousands of Sanhao troops in front of him, and the morale of the Sanhao army was robbed. Several ashigaru generals commanding in front of the Miyoshi Army saw that the situation was not good. They drew their spears and swords and rushed into the formation shouting "get out of the way". The leading ashigaru generals were extremely confident and chose to fight one-on-one. Among them, A samurai who was obviously the leader among several generals raised his sword and stared at Yagyu Sogan. "The enemy general will report his name quickly. I, the Prime Minister of Mihaoshi City, will not kill unknown people!" Yagyu Zongyan laughed loudly when he heard this, pointed his halberd with one hand and cursed: "Listen, the evil thief of Mihaoshi family, I want to get you The person is Hezhou Yagyu Zongyan!" After saying that, he charged towards him with his sword, and his ferocious posture frightened the Prime Minister of Miyoshi, his whole body trembled and his courage disappeared. The strength of ten stops was lost by four or five stops in an instant. By chance, I raised my foot and noticed a pebble. Uneven strength was exerted all over his body and he almost fell down. He finally managed to stabilize his body and saw the sharp sword drawing a beautiful arc. Miyoshi Ichino said subconsciously: "What a powerful crosscut" The head of the Miyoshi Army Ashigaru general escaped instantly, leaving the headless corpse cavity like a broken water pipe, spraying bright red crazily around. Half of Yagyu Sogan's sleeves were dyed red when covering the blood splatter. In addition, the left hem of his clothes and boots were also sprayed with blood. Half of his body was covered with blood stains and The clean and tidy appearance of the other half is completely opposite, giving people a sense of extreme contrast and horror. Holding the general's head in his left hand, and holding a sword in his right hand, he stood in front of the gate. Yagyu Soen exuded an invincible spirit like an invincible general. The morale of the Miyoshi Army dropped again. Just when he was hesitating on how to respond, he heard To: "The enemy general Miyoshi Ichijo was captured by me and the state samurai Yagyu Muneyan!" With the outstanding performance of the swordsmen, the morale of the Ashigaru team in front of the Miyoshi army gradually dropped, and they were completely unable to organize. A decent offensive, and the courageous Shogunate Bongkong took the opportunity to take the initiative to seek military exploits. The well-known fierce general Isshiki Awajimori in the Shogunate Fongguang led more than ten samurai knights. With a loud shout, he rode his horse into the chaotic formation of the Miyoshi Army, brandishing his spear. The back-and-forth attacks actually turned the Sanhao army's retreat into a scurrying attack. For a time, the defensive pressure on the north gate dropped sharply, and everyone cheered and celebrated the great victory achieved by defeating more with less. Although they persisted in fighting very hard, localThe advantage cannot change the overall disadvantage. While the battle at the North Gate was in full swing, warnings were sent from the East Gate, West Gate, and South Gate. As a last resort, Shioka Kazuha, Okuda Keikane, and Okuyama Yukasai each led a dozen A fellow junior disciple went to rush for help, while Hidetsuna Kamizumi took several younger disciples, as well as the relatively young Jinsuke Hayazaki and Komagawa Kuniyoshi to stay outside the gate of the Imperial Palace as the final reserve team. "May the gods and Buddhas bless the shogunate and His Highness the General to survive the difficulties" Hayazaki Jinsuke prayed in a low voice. He has been chanting softly since dawn until now. His seemingly powerless actions exactly reflect the samurai in the imperial palace. They feel anxious and helpless. At this time, only gods and Buddhas can save them. Several close confidants and ministers in the Imperial Palace were anxiously circling around. News of the deteriorating situation repeatedly destroyed their fragile nerves. The four gates of the Nijo Imperial Palace could only hold out for less than half an hour before they were all captured. It had only been an hour since the war started. More than fifteen samurai died, and nearly one-tenth of the battle damage was due to the successful raid by the swordsmen. If it weren't for the outstanding performance of Kamiizumi Hidetsuna's apprentices, no one would be able to sit still at this moment. Speak calmly. Ueno Nobutada said: "We can't hold on for long! If we hold on for an hour or two at most, all the defense lines in the Imperial Palace will collapse! Feng Gong's troops are too few." I didn't expect the war to come so quickly, and I was poorly prepared, not to mention how strong the morale was. He relied on the tone of his heart to resist the attack of the Three Good Army. Only the devil knows if he can hold on for another two hours. It is estimated that the most optimistic samurai could not make a more optimistic judgment. Niki Yoshimasa asked nervously: "Will Sakamoto suddenly send out 10,000 troops to rescue him? If I remember correctly, Sakamoto should have 16,000 troops stationed there. If he leads the army to help, he will definitely be able to drive away Miyoshi. Let the rebels take action!" Isshiki Fujinaga carefully looked at the expressionless Ashikaga Yoshiki and said: "It shouldn't be possible. Sakamoto's military still needs to withstand the military pressure of the Asakura and Asai clans in the north. It should have been It is possible to send 6,000 troops to help, but Nakao Castle, Shogunyama Castle, and Fushimiyama Castle fell into the hands of the Miyoshi family. The only way for Sakamoto's army to enter Luo was the very dangerous water route. The problem still had to go to Fushimi. At the surveillance point of Yamashiro, it is easy to detect a large number of fleets entering the Yodogawa River from the Uji River, and it is discovered that Sakamoto Sora will also launch a surprise attack from the rear. I am afraid it is difficult to expect the military force to rescue the Nijo Imperial Palace in Kyoto, and considering the Nakajo Dewa Mamoru. Having personally experienced the Battle of Luozhong, I am very disgusted with our stingy attitude back then, and there is probably no hope for it.¡± The ministers turned pale and lowered their heads, refusing to reward Nakajo Tokihide and Nakajo Tokihide for their hard work for their own selfish purposes. Rokkaku Yoshihide was actively proposed by his group of ministers. The reason was that Kyoto was in a mess due to the Battle of Luozhong, and the shogunate spent money everywhere and did not have that much kindness to reward them. They were sent away with just a few words and a few thousand dollars of Wen Yongle money and small favors such as promotion to official positions. But I didn¡¯t want to offend these two big trees for this momentary saving. Without the big trees, there would be no chance to enjoy the shade. From then on, the life of the shogunate became worse and worse, and even the tributes sent from Kanto by Ashikaga Yoshitoki stopped growing. As time went by, the distance between the two sides became deeper and deeper, and they gradually parted ways. As a result, the commotion in Kyoto and the current rebellion of the Mikado Army, this No reinforcements were sent from either family. Knowing that they have done something wrong, they are still unwilling to bow their heads and admit it, and they are still stubborn until death. This is the final dignity and privilege of the proud ministers. And the leader of these ministers, the swordsman general Ashikaga Yoshiteru, is not the same. Throughout his life, he loved to be independent and decisive, eager for quick success and instant benefits, but unkind and unjust to others. As a general, he was ungrateful to his meritorious officers and good generals. Niki Yoshimasa refused to give up and continued to ask: "What about the military situation in Jishoji Temple! They must be able to come to the rescue!" Settsu Harumon said with a bitter face: "It is said that there is no big problem, but there is a problem But there are too many to count. It is not yet known who will be the general of these 3,000 troops. It is not yet known how powerful the external enemy will be if the internal discord can be used. There are still 3,000 defenders from the Sanhao family in the Xiangguo Temple to obstruct them. If they want to go all the way, I'm afraid it won't be that simple to rush over." The shogunate members discussed countermeasures with each other. Just like the usual discussions, there was no result. In the end, this didn't work, that didn't work, and it was completely feasible to just sit back and wait for death. Just like the governor, there will be a group of retainers. Their shortcomings are lack of backbone, lack of people, lack of intelligence and resourcefulness. The most capable people in the shogunate were basically poached by the Kanto Ashikaga family and sent to Sakamoto to serve in the government. The rest are more seriously lacking in ability. , which is similar to those with foolish loyalty or self-righteousness. Ashikaga Yoshiki has seen through it all and is tired of it all. He always sits in the main seat and wipes the sword. There are nearly a hundred swords neatly placed beside him, including Doji Kiri Yasutsuna, Onimaru Kunitsuna, and Mikazuki Munechika. There are also such famous swords in the world "We can't delay it any longer! It will definitely be dangerous if we delay it any longer!" Mibuchi Fujihide was so anxious that he said anxiously: "Why don't His Highness K¨kata agree to their request first and withdraw from the Nijo Imperial Palace in exchange for the strength of the shogunate? How about retreating without losing dignity? The Erin-in Temple (Ashikaga Yoshimoto) has learned from the past, even if it retreats temporarily, it can be revived." The shogunate was looking forward to the critical moment with hope, and the shogunate was willing to take the initiative to retreat. After a disaster, Ashikaga Yoshiki said calmly: "Now that there is no way out from all sides, it is surprising that you still imagine that I can bow my head and admit defeat and retreat from Sakamoto!" He lowered his head, knowing that this suggestion was stupid, but still unwilling to give up any chance of luck. Mibuchifuji said eagerly: "How can you not know if you don't know if you don't try?" Ashikaga Yoshiki looked at Mibuchifuji indifferently. Ying, as if looking at a stranger he had never met before, stared at him until he trembled and dared not look at her. Then I heard him say: "This sentence always feels familiar. This is probably the sentence I have heard the most in the past few months! You will never know if you don't try it, so I listen to your advice. You did not leave Kyoto and insisted on staying in Kyoto to wait and see how the situation would change. It turned out that the Miyoshi family was against the will. A few days ago, the Miyoshi army entered Koizumi Castle. It was you who said that the death of Ashikaga Yoshichi would plunge the Miyoshi family into chaos. The crisis in Kyoto may still be there. Turning around, it turns out that the Sanhao family will not give up. Today, the Sanhao family's army is besieging the city, and you said that you could send people to negotiate or withdraw the troops. Facts have proved that the Sanhao family has no intention of retreating. In the end, Yu has to bow his head in front of the Sanhao family in exchange for surrender. That illusory chance of recovery?¡± After being ridiculed by the general, Mibuchi Fujihide was embarrassed and ashamed, and forcefully defended: ¡°My minister¡¯s judgment was wrong, but this cannot be blamed on our incompetence. It is really the Miyoshi family who are too cunning. Oh! I never thought that they would bring Kakukei over to deal with the shogunate, and I never thought that he would change his name to Ashikaga Yoshiaki and aim at the position of shogun! " Ashikaga Yoshiki's eyes suddenly became particularly sharp and clear. He said softly: "There are many things that you can't think of. Why was Ashikaga Yoshitoki able to achieve the miracle of dominating Kanto in more than ten years? Why did Miyoshi Nagakei desperately seek revenge on the shogunate? Why did everyone in the Miyoshi family die mysteriously? Ashikaga You will never understand how Yiqiu is willing to listen to the rhetoric of Miyoshi and the rebels. It is precisely because you don't understand that I am trapped in the Nijo Imperial Palace, so you are still dreaming about surrendering in Kaicheng in exchange for leaving honorably. "Perhaps it is because of this. The sudden blow awakened Ashikaga Yoshiki. At this moment, Ashikaga Yoshiki had a clear understanding of right and wrong. His tone was calm and his expression was calm, without any evil spirit or hatred. The dark clouds that had blinded him for many years gradually dissipated, leaving behind The only virtues that can be called determination, courage and perseverance are the qualities that Ashikaga Yoshiteru is proud of. Ashikaga Yoshiki leaned forward and asked: "Without strong help from the outside, how could I escape with dignity? But I don't know that I was trapped in a small temple in Kyoto and died in depression. How many of the gentlemen here are there?" Some people are willing to fulfill their loyalty to Yu, and some of them have changed their identities and joined Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who was supported by the rebel Miyoshi family, and continue to be the shogunate's successor." "My lord" Mibuchi Fujihide lowered his head in embarrassment. The important ministers of the shogunate in the hall also showed the same shameful expression. If the situation develops as Ashikaga Yoshiteru said, probably few samurai would die for Ashikaga Yoshiteru. They are unwilling to leave the colorful world of Kyoto and are not used to it. If a daimyo lives in the countryside and is served as a retainer, most of the time there will be people who will serve as retainers under the auspices of Ashikaga Yoshiaki. The so-called soldiers who live in an iron camp and run out of water, as long as the house is not broken and a pair of dishes and chopsticks are replaced and the stove is not replaced, they will inevitably lose a little bit of blood when they are in a high position and pampered. Therefore, a few years later, a Ming Dynasty poet would write angrily: "Every time someone slaughters a dog for justice, most of them are a scholar for being unfaithful!" Looking at the performance of the ministers with cold eyes, Ashikaga Yoshiki smiled calmly: "It is not yet known what kind of person Yu is, that good brother I have not seen for more than ten years. Some intentions may be seen in his performance. He recognized that the Miyoshi family rebelled against the party and dethroned the family. He thought that after studying at Kofukuji Temple for decades, he thought that he would be a better general than Yu. He thought that he was just as stubborn as he was when he was ten years old. How it looked a year ago" Faced with the general's doubts, the ministers had to remain silent. Establishing a general was by no means a child's play. No one would believe that a new general with no political experience would It is more suitable than a young and experienced general. The infinite possibilities of the former just show that there are too many accidents and may not fit in with the mature shogunate system that has been gradually developed over the past twenty years. At this time, there was a chaotic roar from several directions of the imperial palace at the same time. The banging was like firecrackers set off during the New Year. In front of the imperial palace gate, you could clearly hear the noise of soldiers in the distance. It was obvious that the shogunate was For the public and a small number of swordsmenGradually they could no longer withstand the offensive of the three good armies. Even though the swordsmen were brave and fearless and had extraordinary swordsmanship, and all the Fongzhong were brave and good at fighting, they were still mortals after all. They did not have the indestructible body or nine lives. They were shot by the iron cannon. If hit by wheel set fire, you will still die. Suddenly, the main formation of the Miyoshi Army outside the city beat the military drums. The ministers looked into the distance with complicated expressions, knowing that this was the signal that the Miyoshi family decided to launch a general attack. As long as the military drums continued to attack, they would not stop, and they would either fail and surrender, or Everyone died in battle, there was no third way to choose, it was so fierce and cruel. Jinshi Seisha walked in in a panic and said, "It's not good! The Miyoshi Army captured the North Gate. Isshiki Awajishou rushed into the rebel army and was shot dead by the Miyoshi Army's iron artillery team. Yagyuden has already led people to withdraw into Sannomaru. "Keep on holding on." "What is coming will eventually come!" Ashikaga Yoshiki drew out the royal sword marked "Fudo Kunikyo" and calmly ordered: "The battle will be fought in front of the Imperial Palace in a while, and I don't need you. I will hold on until the last moment. I just hope that you can take the kindness of the emperor and his subjects for more than twenty years and escort your mother, wife and children out of the imperial palace. I will no longer have any regrets. " Settsu Harumon knelt down with a pop! He leaned over and said: "Your Highness Gongfang! Please take back your life. We are willing to die for His Highness Gongfang and for the shogunate!" "I have made up my mind! You don't need to persuade me, just do it!" At this moment, a breeze blew. Entering the Imperial Palace, I gently blew the Ashikaga Futei Ry¨ji flag hanging on the screen wall. Ashikaga Yoshiki walked in the corridor with his sword, looked up at the blue sky, and said: "The wind is blowing" (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, The novel is better and updated faster!