Chapter 2042: Chapter 1491: The "Despicable" Martial Family!
The moonlight was like water, spilling over the seaside temporary campfire site. The fence around the camp was the most easily installed and dismantled long grass rope poles. The tents inside the camp were also of Shandan style, small tents made of animal skin that were easy to set up and take down. The appearance of the whole camp was full of the migratory characteristics of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia, quite different from the settled houses of the Ainu Tribe.
"Aw! Aw!..."
As a standard of nomadic tribes, trained hunting dogs, especially the intelligent and strong Samoyed and the hunting-savvy Siberian Laika, were the main force of camp vigilance. At present, there were many unfamiliar scents in the camp, and the patrolling hunting dogs would occasionally let out a few howls. Amid this distant and elusive dog sound, several leaders of the Kingdom were sitting in the central tent of the camp, with serious expressions, gathered in front of the campfire for a strategic discussion.
"Tamikusa, how soon can the envoy sent to the Beiyu Cold Shore Division to request the two Ocean Shielding Ships for support arrive?"
"Captain Zu, three cavalry riders are galloping at full speed and should reach the Cold Shore Division 80 li away overnight. But taking the sea route from the Cold Shore Division to here means circumventing half of the coastline, an estimated 200 li. That means even if the two Ocean Shielding Ships receive the message and set off immediately, it’ll still take a day or two for them to get here at the earliest!..."
"A day or two later? That’s quite a while! Will it be in time?..."
Zuwaro furrowed his brows, glanced at the serious-looking young brother Loshanda, and mused.
"Loshanda, that newly purchased Japanese merchant ship travels too slowly after being damaged, so I’ve already sent it ahead to the Cold Shore Division. At our current camp, we have three oar-sailed longships and two Japanese merchant ships, and each can carry at most fifty people, so together they can hold 250 warriors..."
"And the forces we brought consist of one hundred Jurchen Warriors, two hundred and forty warriors from the Kingdom’s Main Force and the Shandan, and over three hundred Ainu Tribe Soldiers. In addition, there’s a lot of cargo and eighty-one Japanese craftsmen... Our fleet made two trips when coming here, and going back now might require three trips!"
"However, we’re uncertain when a sea attack from the Japanese might occur. We also don’t know if the Kaozaki Family will launch a surprise attack on land... I’ve thought about it, and we need to split forces into two! Those accustomed to ships and better at naval warfare, the Kingdom’s Main Force, and Shandan Samurai, should embark with part of the cargo and return, ready to fight along the way. Meanwhile, the Jurchen Warriors, who are accustomed to running and have cavalry, should take the Ainu Tribe Soldiers and prioritize taking the most valuable craftsmen safely to the village camp of the Cold Shore Division by land..."
"As for the hundreds of stone of rice we can’t take with us, we can leave it at this camp, with a few people watching over it, and come back for it next time..."
Having said this, Zuwaro paused, looking at Loshanda’s eyes earnestly, and said solemnly.
"Losanda High Priest! I entrust the route by land to you! You must safely escort the most important craftsmen back to the Cold Shore Division!"
"Zuwaro High Priest! Senior Zuwaro! We are all priests of the Chief Divine; how can I be a coward and shrink from the impending battle?!"
Hearing such an arrangement, Loshanda’s eyes suddenly widened. With one hand, he grasped the bronze axe at his waist and, with the other, held the hummingbird talisman around his neck, swearing an oath.
"Witness of the Chief Divine! I am willing to lead the Kingdom Fleet and fight against the imminent Japanese Temple Fleet! But as for the more important task of escorting the craftsmen, I ask you to personally oversee it!"
"Impossible! As the captain of the exploration fleet and the chief priest of the West Sea District, I, Zuwaro, could never abandon the Kingdom Fleet! For the coming battle, I must be on the scene! Thus, Loshanda, you should be the one to escort the craftsmen!"
Both high priests were emotionally charged, disputing red-faced over who would go into battle for the Chief Divine’s glory. As one of the team leaders of the Jurchen Cavalry, the listening Chief of Harman, Ali, watched solemnly, awaiting the decision of the two "Priest Chiefs". The Kingdom Warrior Chief Tamikusa was similarly ready, accustomed to facing enemies head-on. Whatever the priests decided, he only needed to fight and sacrifice for the Chief Divine!
Among the tribespeople present, only the listening Japanese Priest, Ryuzoji Clan’s Jia Hong, showed a contemplative expression. He rubbed his nose, feeling a bit emotional about these "Great Merchant Gummy People’s" disregard for life and death and such fearless tribal blood courage. However... He watched the two excited priests and, finding a moment, suddenly spoke out.
"Chief Divine’s protection! The two priests are truly examples of piety and fearlessness! It’s just that the Tiantai Sect’s attacking fleet’s numbers, ships, their whereabouts, arrival time, or ambush location, remain a complete mystery!"
"If the enemy’s attacking fleet is large, maybe the Kingdom shouldn’t sail back with the fleet, but should leave the ships here and completely withdraw by land... But if the enemy’s fleet is small, admittedly unlikely... but if that were the chance, we should find a favorable coast to gather our forces as much as possible and ambush them proactively!"
"So, the key now is to gather intelligence on the enemy! I have an idea to maximize keeping the fleet and warriors intact, ensuring security..."
"Hmm? Jia Hong? Being Japanese and having been from that Tiantai Temple, you must be quite familiar with these temple priests... What good suggestions do you have?"
Hearing this, Zuwaro and Loshanda exchanged a glance, pausing simultaneously to turn to Ryuzoji Clan’s Jia Hong. For this "Japanese Priest" with no way out tied to their side, both had enough confidence and held him in high regard. As all eyes turned to him, Ryuzoji Clan’s Jia Hong paused momentarily before carefully speaking.
"Chief Divine’s protection! Two high priests... we can send an envoy south to the Kaozaki Family, acting as a spy and persuader... The interests of the Kaozaki Family and Tiantai Sect are not aligned at all! The Kaozaki Family’s interests are in Japanese Land, threatened by our Kingdom’s force. While the interests of the Tiantai Sect are merely .
"Therefore, the Kaozaki Family may not join the Tiantai Sect in dispatching forces, nor are they necessarily aware of the Tiantai Sect’s attack plans. But they must know the number of Tiantai Sect’s monk soldiers, and they might be willing to tell us in order to avoid our future retaliation!"
"And before definite information comes through, whether it be the five large ships, the Jurchen, Shandan, and Kingdom warriors, or the Ezo... cough! Ainu Peasant Soldiers, they can all hold their ground at this camp! With this force of six to seven hundred gathered together, relying on the fortified camp, as long as they don’t disperse onto the ships... then not even two thousand Clan Warriors could break through! And regardless of how many Water Battle-savvy Customs Ships the Tiantai Sect brings, they won’t be able to defeat our fleet under the protection of archers and military formations along the shore..."
"As for transporting two thousand troops to Ezo, then marching hundreds of miles north, all the way to this northern Ezo coast... with the abilities of the Tiantai Sect, this is definitely impossible! I’m afraid only the Kanto Governor, the Uesugi Clan, has such formidable strength!"
Having finished this "military strategic planning," Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong clenched one fist and held the Hummingbird Talisman around his neck with the other, his face showing extreme devotion as he vowed hopefully.
"Regarding the envoy secretly contacting the Kaozaki Family for a southward expedition... cough! I, the Kingdom’s loyal Chief God Priest, Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong, swear in the name of my ancestor Ryuzoji and the Sun Chief Divine! I am willing to be the Kingdom’s envoy, to go south to the Kaozaki Family, to gather accurate intelligence, to persuade the Kaozaki Family to remain neutral, or even to defect!... For this southward expedition, I am fully confident that I will absolutely fulfill the mission of the Chief Divine!"
"?! Jia Hong, you are willing to be the Kingdom’s envoy, to head south to the Kaozaki Family to gather intelligence?"
Upon hearing this, Zuwaro’s eyes flashed, and Loshanda nodded. Regarding Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong, whether the two completely trusted him or not, this plan to gather intelligence indeed had some merit! And for the choice of the person heading south, it seemed there was no better option than Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong...
"Hmm... since that’s the case, Jia Hong, you should take the Kingdom’s token and a small gift, and head south to the Kaozaki Family..."
Zuwaro thought for a long time, looking at the devout Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong for quite a while, finally speaking slowly. A flicker of joy flashed in Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong’s eyes, and he was about to kneel to accept the order... when suddenly fierce barking erupted from outside the camp, the sound extremely aggressive, signaling a warning!
"Aw aw aw! Aw aw aw!!..."
"Hmm?! Mori no Kiyoshi deceived me! The Japanese are actually attacking us stealthily from the land at night!"
Zuwaro’s expression sharpened as he instantly drew the sharp axe at his waist. Loshanda also pulled out a heavy axe, turning to put on a second layer of leather armor. Tamikusa picked up a spear and tossed a sword to Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong. Ali grabbed a heavy hammer with bone and slung a Jurchen Heavy Bow over his back. Just as everyone was preparing to face the battle, the barking outside the camp suddenly ceased.
"...?"
"Just one person?"
"Yes! Only saw one. Not sure where he came from..."
"What did he say?"
"Said there’s urgent news from the south?..."
"! Take him to the Great Chief!"
After a few chaotic inquiries, the camp outside gradually calmed down. Soon, the strong Hu Nu carried a short Japanese person, striding into the tent. He was like a grizzly bear carrying a reindeer fawn, shaking at each step, throwing the person before the assembled armored and armed leaders, speaking in a muffled voice.
"Great Chief! Captured a small guy... said something about... a south tribe defecting, bringing the intelligence we need!"
"?!..."
Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong widened his eyes, looking at the bedraggled Sukezaburou, kneeling before the campfire. At that moment, a sense of foreboding struck him. Such despicable tactics from the Martial Family, he was far too familiar with!
He was very certain that as a Martial Family, the Kaozaki Family, facing heaps of gold and Shandan cavalry, would certainly have a very flexible bottom line. This was also the reason he was confident in heading south to the Kaozaki Family, to persuade them. However, the Kaozaki Family’s low bottom line seemed even beyond his expectations, lower than the Sea of Ezo...
"Ah! Lords of Shandan... esteemed Lords! I... am Su... Sukezaburou... a Samurai of the Kaozaki Family... I... the House Elders ordered me... no, I myself brought news of the Tiantai Sect fleet!"
Indeed, when Sukezaburou stammered as he spoke, the despicable and shameless flavor of the Martial Family suffused, making Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong’s face dark as if he had swallowed a fly. And in Zuwaro’s intrigued and joyous eyes, a lowborn commoner Samurai had actually disclosed and leaked all the details of the Tiantai Sect completely!
"Ten... ten customs ships... five... five hundred monk soldiers! Each has a Greatbow, very accurate shooting!... Each ship also has two water warfare crossbows... Tang Crossbows! About two... two days later, the Tiantai Fleet will arrive here. They intend to raid the fleet transporting gold or look for an opportunity to plunder the gold camp..."
"Ah? Where is the Kaozaki Family’s army? The House Elders said... no, it’s not... I overheard the House Elders say... they will keep heading south, all the way to Victory Mountain Manor, never turning back! Because... the Main Family has just swallowed the Lower Country Guardian, needing to integrate newly acquired territory, will never clash with our esteemed Shandan allies, nor lose any precious Clan Warriors!"
"Yes! Indeed! I swear in the name of the Buddha, on my two-year-old son, on my deceased brother!... What I said is all true, not a bit false!... Otherwise, let me burn in the Hell of boiling oil (Oil Hell)!"
