Volume 1: Kawahara Island Turbulence Chapter 12: The Battle of Kawahara Island (2)

  "Typical of Takeda's first-rate general, Nobushige is indeed worthy of his reputation."

  On the watchtower, Uesugi Kenshin, who had been watching for a long time, said in a low voice. Indeed, Takeda Nobushige resisted with 700 soldiers against Echigo's first strong general Kikkawa Kagetaka's 1,500 people, not only did he not fall behind, but also made his opponent retreat step by step, at a disadvantage.

  Such a military strategy also made Uesugi Kenshin, known as the "God of War", extremely impressed.

  "Such a famous general, to be defeated so suddenly, is truly one of the greatest regrets in life." Uesugi Kenshin turned around abruptly and gave orders: "Order Honjo Shigenaga, Sanada Yukitaka, Sekita Nagayoshi, and also the teams of Koiwai, Gotō, and Amakasu to take turns attacking Takeda Nobuzane's team, replacing the Kakizaki Kageie team."

  After saying that, Uesugi Kenshin pointed heavily at the direction of Takeda Nobusada's army with his military fan in hand, then looked up to the sky and muttered to himself: "As long as we can break through the vanguard led by Nobusada, charge into the main camp and take off Shingen's head, it will be easy."

  Li Xiao charged forward with his long spear, taking down three ashigaru soldiers in a row, and even a samurai. Li Xiao took a glance at the samurai who had fallen under his spear, pulled out the "tsuba" from behind him, on which was written that he was a samurai named "Shikibu Genzaburou".

  He immediately beheaded the man, and his subordinates helped to cut off his head. Under Li Xiao's leadership, the soldiers were full of confidence, and they also harvested a lot, collecting many heads in their hands.

  Li Xiaochu's vanguard killed two Wu Hou warriors and five foot soldiers, while his more than 20 subordinates also killed one warrior and four foot soldiers.

  Waaah! Waaah!

  The Kozukue army of the Later Hosokawa clan was finally repelled, and the Takeda Nobushige corps also suffered heavy casualties and were unable to pursue, so they temporarily retreated and defended with earthworks and palisades to recover their strength.

  Li Xiao propped up his long spear, and before he could rest for a while, the flags of Echizen's famous generals, including Honjō Shigenaga, Shibata Katsuie, and others, appeared in front of Nobushige's army once again. The black-helmeted and black-armored Echizen army swarmed towards Nobushige's army to attack.

  At this moment, Takeda Nobushige's army had lost nearly half of its men and had been fighting for almost half a day, with their physical strength nearly exhausted. Seeing the arrival of the enemy's reinforcements, they suddenly felt a sense of despair.

  Seeing the battle situation was unfavorable, at this time Takeda Nobusada loudly shouted: "Everyone must hold the line firmly, and hold on until the relief troops arrive. If I die in battle, you absolutely cannot become disordered."

  Nobushige originally intended to lead a small contingent in a surprise attack, after all, as the second most important person of the Takeda family, Nobushige's head was worth a fortune, and it would certainly attract the attention of the Uesugi army, thereby reducing the pressure on the front line defense.

  This is purely a sacrifice tactic of using oneself as bait.

  "Father." Takeda Nobuyuki, along with his younger brother Takeda Masayuki, fell to the ground beneath Shingen's horse.

  Takeda Nobuyuki's helmet was stained with blood, and his face could no longer be seen: "The Takeda family cannot do without a father, please let me take the flag and bear this heavy responsibility."

  Takeda Nobushige turned his horse's head and shook it, saying: "Don't talk nonsense anymore, take good care of Jiro for me."

  "Hold on, General Shinpo." Li Xiao stepped forward and grasped the reins of Muko Tadazane's horse.

  Takeda Nobushige looked at Li Xiao and said, "Li Xiao, don't try to persuade me anymore. You did a great job today, if it wasn't for your strategy, our army would have lost already. If I'm not around after this battle, you take my place and serve the lord."

  What, taking your place, speaking nonsense, the second person of the Takeda family, do I have this experience? It's better not to talk nonsense, otherwise I will take it seriously.

  Li Xiao muttered to himself, then spoke up: "General Xin, why be so pessimistic? The commander must know that our situation is unfavorable and has definitely sent reinforcements on the way. Let's hold on for a little while longer."

  At this time, Li Xiao easily climbed up the big tree of Takeda Nobusada, how can he just watch as the other side hangs on, the overall situation cannot be reversed, but saving Takeda Nobusada's life is at least something.

  As for Yamamoto Kanetsugu now, I don't know which country he is in, anyway, I won't bother with him anymore.

  Li Xiao glared at Takeda Nobuyuki, and he immediately understood. Several people blocked Takeda Nobusada's way, grabbing the reins of his horse.

  "This is...this is..."

  Without waiting for Takeda Nobushige to say anything, Li Xiao shouted loudly: "Now the whole army listens to my command, shrink the line, and reinforcements will arrive in fifteen minutes... oh no, one minute later."

  Takeda Nobushige's men all shouted in agreement, regaining their spirit to face the enemy, especially Takeda Nobutaka and his brother, who both showed a resolute expression on their faces.

  Watching the soldiers regain their spirits, Li Xiao couldn't help but feel good, thinking: Hmm, I didn't expect that I still had this active skill, morale boost successful, morale +10.

  No sooner had Li Xiao's voice fallen than a dull and stirring drumbeat came from behind him.

  "It's Sado Island Taiko."

  The Takeda army's generals and soldiers were all excitedly shouting, Li Xiao looked back and saw that in front of the ten or so flags with the words "Mingjin" written on them, four soldiers were slowly advancing while carrying a large drum.

  There are seven children around the drum, wearing deep red folded crowns. They wear deep red straight clothes and deep red small pants, holding a pair of yin-yang drumsticks in their hands. When two children beat the drum in front of and behind the drum, the other five children dance and walk around it. The children take turns in time to avoid interrupting the drumbeat.

  Suwa Daikokujin has been deeply revered by the people of Kai and Shinano provinces since ancient times. In particular, after Takeda Shingen conquered Suwa in Shinano, he married Suwa Shrine's daughter, Suwa Goryonin, to win over the local people, and had a son, Takeda Katsuchiyo (also known as Takeda Shiro).

  Afterwards, Takeda Shingen also used the Suwa Myōjin flag, along with the Yonjunbi flag, and set it as his own crest, as a symbol of the overall commander of the Takeda family. In the Takeda family, only the descendants of the Suwa Shrine priests in Shinano were qualified to use this Suwa Daimyōjin flag, apart from Takeda Shingen himself.

  "Unexpectedly, even the strong and brave Shinano's troops had to be deployed, this is probably the lord's last resort." Takeda Shingen sighed to himself on the side.

  In fact, the reinforcements of this Suwa army were not many, but the spiritual significance was greater than the actual significance. The Takeda clan believed that under the protection of Suwa Daimyōjin, they would surely defeat the enemy and win a great victory over the Echigo army in front of them.

  It must be said that Takeda Shingen's last dispatch of reinforcements was timely.

  Under the intense drumming of Suwa Taiko, the Takeda army resisted even more resolutely, while many in the Echigo army were devotees of Suwa Daimyōjin and their movements became noticeably slower.

  At this time, a part of the attacking army left the battlefield and turned to attack the Tsukuba team.

  "Shoot with bows and arrows." A Vietnamese general on horseback shouted loudly.

  The archers of the Later Army shot arrows, killing three drumming boys, but the remaining four continued to replace their companions without hesitation. The Tsukuba army immediately formed a shield wall with soldiers to defend against the flying arrows.

  The Vietnamese general saw that bows and arrows were useless and continued to shout loudly: "Damn it, where is the iron cannon team?"

  The iron artillery team of the Takeda clan approached the drum tower of Tsukuba, and the iron artillery team of the Takeda family was not to be outdone, and began to counterattack. The two sides' iron artillery teams were about 50-60 meters apart, each standing in a row, holding their iron cannons and firing at each other.

  For a time, the battlefield was filled with the sound of gunfire, sparks from the iron cannons, and scattered gunpowder smoke lingering in the air. In the crossfire, soldiers on both sides fell one after another, and stray bullets occasionally hit other soldiers who were still fighting.

  However, Usa Taiko still remains calm and composed, the muffled yet stirring drumbeats still resounding across the Yahata plains.

  At noon, the fourth battle of Kawanakajima was at a stalemate. Five hours after the start of the battle, although the Takeda army had been at an advantage throughout, all units of the Uesugi army were on the verge of collapse, but during this time the Takeda army's tenacious defense line remained unbroken.

  Just as the two armies were locked in a fierce stalemate, the sound of iron hooves pounding the earth like muffled thunder erupted from the rear of the Viet army's formation. Behind them, a sea of crimson armor and banners emblazoned with the Takeda crest surged forward, sweeping across the plain.

  The strongest "Red Armor" cavalry of the Takeda family appeared at this moment behind the rear of the Uesugi army, and the Takeda detachment that had been attacking the Wife's Daughter Mountain finally arrived.