Japan's Sengoku Period: The Sanada Clan's Ambition

Chapter 90 The Battle of Uehara Castle Against Tokugawa (Part Two)
Nobuyuki Sanada thought for a moment and replied, "You can see the east and north shores of the lake, but the other directions are too far away."

“That’s enough.” Sanada Masayuki spread out the map on the table and pointed to the narrow strip of land on the east and west banks of Lake Suwa. “The Tokugawa clan has five thousand troops. No matter which direction they advance from, they can only pass through these two narrow strips of land.”

“The Tokugawa clan came from the south, and if they were to march the nearest route, they would naturally choose the west bank. However, the west bank is narrow and can only accommodate one or two people at a time.”

"The east bank is wider, making it easier for large armies to pass through."

“Gensaburo, you lie in ambush on the mountain and launch an attack when the Tokugawa army passes by, cutting off their formation in the middle,” Sanada Masayuki said slowly, staring intently into Sanada Nobuyuki’s eyes.

Sanada Nobuyuki quickly reviewed Sanada Masayuki's orders in his mind, then nodded and said, "Understood."

“Kisaburo.” Sanada Masayuki then looked at Ogasawara Sadakichi, who was standing to the side.

"exist!"

"You shall return to Shiojiri Village and station your troops at Shiojiri Pass."

"Send out more scouts. Once Genzaburo engages in battle with the Tokugawa clan, you should send troops to harass the enemy's rear," Sanada Masayuki said, pointing to Shiojiri Pass on the map.

Ogasawara Sadayoshi answered without hesitation, "Ha!"

"I will launch an attack on Kiso Yoshimasa tomorrow. You two must not go into battle. Be patient and wait."

"You must not expose yourselves until the Tokugawa clan's military forces are revealed."

"what!"

February 27th, the eleventh year of the Tianzheng era.

A light rain began to fall, and the shores of Lake Suwa were shrouded in mist.

Kiso Yoshimasa stretched outside the main camp. The country woman from last night was really no match for the battle, and Kiso Yoshimasa felt that something was missing. He was listless.

This morning, after waking up, Yoshimasa Kiso felt a twitching in his brow, as if something bad was about to happen.

He was considering whether or not to visit Suwa Taisha Shrine.

Just then, a series of rapid conch shell sounds suddenly rang out from behind the thick fog, followed by the sound of several cannons firing.

Kiso Yoshimasa immediately shouted, "What happened?"

Before long, a Kiso samurai came running from the front and said, "My lord, the Sanada clan's forces have appeared ahead and have already clashed with our front lines."

As they spoke, the sound of cannons firing in the distance began to intensify.

Ogasawara Nobutsune also ran over upon hearing the sound and stood beside Kiso Yoshimasa, saying, "Judging from the sound, the enemy doesn't seem to have many people."

"This damn fog!" Kiso Yoshimasa stared wide-eyed but couldn't see anything ahead. "Sanada Awa-no-kami must have learned of the Tokugawa army's deployment and is desperate."

"Send the left and right flanks forward. If the Sanada army's offensive is fierce, report back immediately."

"what!"

After receiving orders from Kiso Yoshimasa, the two commanders on the left and right flanks of Kiso's army, Yamamura Yoshiki and Senmura Yoshishige, began to advance towards the front.

At this time, Sanada Masayuki had already led a thousand foot soldiers in the castle to launch an attack.

Under the cover of the thick fog, Sanada Masayuki gathered all the arquebuses in the castle and began exchanging fire with the Kiso clan from a distance.

On the battlefield, there was nothing but the occasional wails of agony and the dense blasts of cannon fire.

Unable to clearly assess the battlefield situation, neither side dared to launch an attack rashly.

The battle remained deadlocked until noon, when the thick fog gradually dissipated.

Yamamura Yoshihiro and Senmura Yoshishige then realized that the Sanada clan attacking them numbered at most a thousand.

"Ridiculous! Sanada Awa-no-kami thinks he can launch an attack on our main clan with such a small force?" Chimura Yoshishige said disdainfully, looking at the Sanada clan's army in front of him.

"Wait, why did the Sanada clan withdraw their troops?"

After observing for a while, Yamamura Yoshihiro spoke up, "Could this be a trap set by the Sanada family to lure us in?"

"Did they deliberately send out a small force to lure us into pursuit?"

Chimura Yoshishige's expression tightened. "Very likely."

"Awa-no-kami underestimates us too much. Such clumsy tactics are only foolable to a three-year-old child," Chimura Yoshishige couldn't help but scoff. The two didn't intend to pursue and quickly ordered their foot soldiers to put away their arquebuses.

Subsequently, Kiso Yoshimasa received a report from Senmura Yoshishige at the main camp regarding the battle situation.

"Anfang is in a hurry to defend it."

"Are they trying to lure the main clan into launching an attack before the Tokugawa army arrives?"

"Hmph, I am not like Muroga Masatake or Yashiro Katsunaga!" At the end, Kiso Yoshimasa did not forget to take the opportunity to curse Muroga Masatake and Yashiro Katsunaga.

Ogasawara Nobutsune laughed and said, "Whatever arrangements the Sanada family makes, we just need to hold our formation and wait for the Tokugawa army."

"I really want to see Sanada Awa no Kami's anxious face right now, hahahahaha."

No sooner had he finished speaking than gunfire erupted again from ahead.

The Sanada clan's attack has begun again.

"My lord, the Sanada clan has launched a major attack!" Chimura Yoshishige hurriedly ran back from the front.

"what?"

"Don't rush, speak slowly." Ogasawara Nobutaka also stepped forward.

Yoshishige Senmura slowly said, "The Sanada family has just retreated, and the second wave of attack will begin immediately. This time, the enemy has at least three thousand men."

"It seems the entire army has been mobilized."

Kiso Yoshimasa and Ogasawara Nobutsune exchanged a glance. "It seems that Sanada Awa-no-kami has switched to a direct attack after failing to lure the enemy."

"We've run out of ideas!" Ogasawara Nobutane exclaimed excitedly, pumping his fist. "Then let's go all out!"

"Is there any movement from Kisaburo Ogasawara in the Shiojiri direction?"

"No information has been received regarding enemy forces moving out from the Shiojiri direction."

"So Sanada Awa-no-kami launched the attack alone?" Kiso Yoshimasa felt slighted. After all, he was the son-in-law of Shingen-kun. Sanada Masayuki was really disregarding him.

Ogasawara Nobutsune thought for a moment, then said, "In any case, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides is not significant at present."

"Even if the Sanada clan launches a fierce attack, we just need to hold our ground and wait for reinforcements."

"The more anxious the Sanada family is, the more we need to remain calm."

Kiso Yoshimasa thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed true.

Why am I panicking?
I have my older brother behind me.

Thinking of this, Yoshimasa Kiso quickly returned to his seat and said, "Everyone, hold your positions and don't panic."

"The day the Tokugawa army arrives tomorrow, it will be the Sanada family's death day!"

"Ha!" Chimura Yoshishige quickly left the main camp and returned to the front line to continue commanding the battle.

On the other side of the battlefield, Sanada Masayuki, riding his horse, also kept a close eye on the situation.

At the start of the attack, the Kiso clan's forces were briefly thrown into disarray, but quickly organized a counterattack. Horita Sakubei's force of over two hundred men was driven back before they could even engage the enemy.

"The enemy's defenses are very tight. No wonder he is the son-in-law of Lord Shingen," Sanada Masayuki couldn't help but exclaim.

The two sides exchanged fire for another fifteen minutes. Seeing that the Kiso family's defenses remained unbroken, Sanada Masayuki had no choice but to order a retreat.

On the way back to Uehara Castle, Sanada Masayuki heard cheers of victory coming from the Kiso clan's camp in the distance.

"I hope you can still laugh tomorrow," Sanada Masayuki muttered to himself.

"How dare Tokugawa underestimate me, Sanada Masayuki! Tomorrow I'll let you experience the military law taught by Lord Shingen!"

Hearing this, Suwa Yoritada, who was listening intently to the side, looked surprised.

Did Awa no Kami actually receive instruction from Takeda Shingen?
Takanashi Naiki simply turned his head away to look elsewhere. In his entire life, the name he had heard most often from Sanada Masayuki was "Lord Shingen," so he was already used to it.

He just couldn't understand what Lord Shingen had taught his lord that Sanada Masayuki kept bringing up.

(End of this chapter)