Chapter 1669: The Siege

"I will remain here and do my utmost to hold back the Han invaders, for as long as I can." Gazing out the window at a blur of dark clouds, Itakura Shigemune said in a low voice, "However, others may not share my resolve. As you have seen, many now waver in their hearts and are unwilling to stay and fight to the death."

"The shogunate has already granted you full authority, my lord. You may deploy and punish anyone here. Should any disobey your orders, you need only mete out punishment." Takagi Kiyoshi smiled faintly. "Before my departure, the Elder himself instructed me: the shogunate's sole priority now is to resist the Han invaders and preserve itself. Whoever disobeys orders is a traitor to the shogunate, be they fudai daimyo or samurai. Traitors must never be tolerated."

"I can only hope everything unfolds as the Elder foresees." Despite receiving the other man's support, Itakura Shigemune did not appear pleased. He merely sighed softly. "I will never betray the great benevolence the Shogun has shown me."

His heart was indeed exceedingly heavy. By conventional principles, one should not simply hole up inside a castle during a siege; one ought to sally forth and pin down and wear down the enemy outside the walls. Yet, wary of the Great Han army's dominance in field battles, he simply did not dare make such a decision. He could only watch helplessly as Great Han seized the initiative, while he was forced to huddle passively inside the city, awaiting their assault.

Earlier, Takagi Kiyoshi had made a trip to the Great Han army to assess its strength. According to his report, the force now bearing down on them very likely numbered over ten thousand Han officers and soldiers. Given Great Han's past performance, Itakura Shigemune truly lacked the courage to send troops out for field maneuvers.

"During this time, I will do everything in my power to negotiate with the Han invaders, to make them face reality and reach a compromise with the shogunate…" At that moment, Takagi Kiyoshi spoke up again. "My lord, no matter how dire the situation becomes, please hold fast. Every extra day you hold on grants the shogunate one more measure of safety."

That very day, Itakura Shigemune, citing cowardice in the face of battle, ordered the stripping of command from Honda Masatomo, the lord of Himeji Domain, and his trusted senior vassals. He placed the samurai he had brought with him in control of the entire army. Previously, when he had arrived at Himeji Castle, the domain's original army had become his subordinates, but Honda Masatomo, as domain lord, had still been able to command them. Now, however, Itakura Shigemune had directly stripped him of all command authority, permitting him only to assist in the castle's defense with his trusted samurai.

Honda Masatomo was furious at Itakura Shigemune's obstinate course of action, but under the circumstances, he was powerless. He could only endure it while seething with resentment, sending complaints and appeals to relatives of the Honda clan within the shogunate. He was forcibly detained inside Himeji Castle.

……………………

Just as Itakura Shigemune and the others had anticipated, the Great Han army soon pressed on to the very walls of Himeji Castle.

Beyond the towering ramparts, a vast, dark mass of troops surged forth like a tide. Everywhere, military banners fluttered and heads bobbed and swarmed. Even the low murmur of voices coalesced into a din that made eardrums ache.

The great army encamped on the spot outside the city, forming a semicircular encirclement at the foot of the walls.

Within the camp zone staked out by the army lay a small hillock. Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo chose this spot for their main headquarters and raised the commander's banner.

Atop this small hill, Zhou Pu, Huang Changguo, and the others carefully observed Himeji Castle opposite them through telescopes.

The long stone ramparts stood thick and imposing upon the earth, lined with battlements and firing loopholes. Behind the ramparts, a series of towering keeps loomed, half-hidden among the faintly visible dark clouds, like colossal white elephants crouched upon the mountain peak.

"Truly, seeing it with one's own eyes surpasses its reputation. This castle is indeed strategically formidable." After observing for a long while, Huang Changguo let out a deep sigh and lowered his telescope. "Without the aid of heavy artillery, a direct assault would likely cost our army no small number of casualties!"

Himeji Castle occupied treacherous terrain and its fortifications were complete. If the defenders' will was resolute, they could certainly inflict severe losses on the attackers. Moreover, the troops under his own command were a motley crew, filled with large numbers of domain armies and newly replenished units; both their combat strength and fighting spirit were highly suspect.

"Fortunately, we now have heavy artillery." Zhou Pu was equally relieved. "If we use cannon fire to gradually whittle away the enemy, it shouldn't be too difficult to take."

"We have the cannons, but shells are limited after all. Although Goryeo is already supplying us with all its might, it cannot focus solely on our needs, so we cannot simply keep bombarding them with cannon fire indefinitely." Huang Changguo's face darkened. "Furthermore, no matter how much we shell this castle, we still have to send men in to fight… If the defenders have no intention of fleeing, then this will be a bitter battle."

"Then… what does Advisor Huang suggest we do?" Zhou Pu hesitated. "Our own troops are few in number; we cannot afford to be ground down here!"

By "our own troops," he naturally meant only the Great Han officers and soldiers under his command. In Zhou Pu's view, aside from the Great Han army, none of the other domain armies could be fully trusted or relied upon; they were merely troops to be expended.

"Siege warfare is the easiest way to expend lives, and a field of rubble negates our army's advantages in formation and combat skills… Therefore, my lord, we must not commit our own Han troops to this." Huang Changguo immediately said to Zhou Pu. "For this siege, let the Japanese handle it entirely themselves."

"Good, I shall issue orders accordingly." Zhou Pu instantly agreed with his view, then shot a vicious glare at distant Himeji Castle. "Let those Japanese do the fighting. We'll deploy the Han army as overseer troops — kill anyone who dares to retreat!"

Once their plan was set, Zhou Pu summoned all the Japanese commanders under his command to his tent.

Over the recent period of evolution, the Japanese forces under his command had swelled in both troop numbers and strength, but several small factions had also subtly formed.

One faction was the coalition of daimyo he had brought from Kyushu, led by the Shimazu clan and Tachibana Muneshige. These men styled themselves as meritorious vassals who had been the first to pledge allegiance to Great Han, and they enjoyed relatively greater trust from Zhou Pu. Having undergone long-term training by the Great Han army and several actual battles, their combat experience and fighting strength were the strongest. Moreover, in their scramble for military merits and territory, they were also the most zealous.

Another faction consisted of several daimyo from the western provinces who had defected to Great Han, led by the most powerful Mōri clan. These men had all defected to Great Han in order to secure the promises made by Great Han and to expand their own domains. Because their family foundations remained intact, they held back somewhat and were unwilling to suffer too grievously. Their combat strength was also somewhat inferior to the first group.

The third faction was the troops recruited by the Japanese Imperial Court during its northward advance, led by the Minister of the Right, Nijō Yasumichi, and the Captain of the Left Inner Palace Guards, Hashimoto Sanemura. They yearned with all their hearts to break into the Kinai region as soon as possible, then charge into Kyoto to restore the Imperial Court. Their will to fight was the highest. However, most of the troops under their command were newly recruited and lacked combat strength. Some were even refugees displaced and homeless, merely seeking a meal. They were the most numerous but also the least valued by Zhou Pu and his circle.

These three factions each had their strengths and weaknesses, and they were outwardly cordial but inwardly at odds, frequently engaging in covert struggles among themselves. Zhou Pu was happy to see this situation, so he deliberately encouraged their secret infighting. Their mutual checks and balances naturally enhanced his own authority.

However, now was not the time to have them fighting amongst themselves. On the contrary, now they needed to unite their wills and efforts, to stand together as one… as cannon fodder.

After summoning these commanders, Zhou Pu briefed them on his arrangements, particularly emphasizing the importance of capturing Himeji Castle quickly. He urged them to prepare as swiftly as possible and then launch the assault.

As he expected, these commanders all immediately fell into hesitation. They were all somewhat apprehensive of the ramparts before them and reluctant to expend their own strength here.

"Do you gentlemen perhaps think that waging war is merely a matter of marching, with no one needing to die?!" Zhou Pu feigned anger and bellowed. "Having come this far, can we still afford to worry about casualties? If any of you dare not take the field, speak now, and this official will permit you to go home!"

His roar instantly silenced the previously somewhat chaotic tent.

"I know you all fear assaulting a strong fortress, fear shedding blood in vain. But now we possess the heavy cannons of Great Han, siege weapons that can destroy any stronghold! With such weapons aiding us, the defenders within the city are absolutely no match for you!" Zhou Pu continued to rally his subordinates. "Before the assault, we will use the cannons to fiercely bombard the opposite side. When you charge afterward, you will surely succeed."

For a moment, still no one spoke, but the atmosphere at least eased somewhat.

Zhou Pu turned his head toward Nijō Yasumichi. "Lord Minister of the Right, were you not the ones constantly urging us to advance and break into the Kinai region as soon as possible? Why… now that the moment has arrived, do you shrink back? Do not forget, it is your Imperial Court that stands to gain the most from our entry into the Kinai. The lands we conquer next will all become the domain of your Court! If even you yourselves falter on the brink of battle, will that not invite scorn? How then will you establish the Court's authority?"

Nijō Yasumichi was originally a young and impetuous man. Stung by such provocation, how could he endure it? He immediately stood up and bowed to Zhou Pu.

"My lord, leave the siege to us! We will spare no cost to take this castle and open the path for the advance into the Kinai!"

For the Imperial Court, the most important thing was to break into the Kinai as quickly as possible and establish its rule in the capital region. Losing a few more men now was still bearable.

"It is naturally best that the Lord Minister of the Right possesses such resolve, but how can such an arduous task be borne by your forces alone?" Zhou Pu smiled faintly. "I have already decided: for the coming siege, the entire army will attack together, rotating in waves. Everyone must contribute effort for the whole army. Of course… this effort will not be in vain. I have also decided that whoever distinguishes himself with meritorious deeds in this battle shall receive a grand reward!"

At the mention of a grand reward, the others' attention instantly focused sharply. Everyone stared at Zhou Pu.

Zhou Pu, however, remained unmoved and directly stated his decision. "This battle is of immense significance and will be exceptionally bitter, therefore a grand reward must be given. Whoever leads his troops to breach the castle defenses and fight his way into the main bailey shall be granted an additional fief of one hundred thousand koku. Whosever troops are first to destroy an outer keep shall be granted an additional fief of one hundred fifty thousand koku. Whosever troops are first to seize the great main keep shall be granted an additional fief of two hundred thousand koku!"

Though his tone was calm, everyone else drew a sharp breath. Scattering so many rewards for a single castle indeed exceeded their expectations, but it also showed the importance this Heavenly Dynasty envoy placed on this battle.

"I will personally oversee the battle from the rear and watch you fight. Whoever charges forward bravely and earns merit will certainly receive his reward… But whoever cowers, slacks off, and dares not fight to the death, then do not blame our military law for being merciless!" After laying out the rewards, Zhou Pu began to threaten them. "If you are punished by military law, not only will you personally be ruined and die without a burial place, but your family's domain will also be stripped away. I implore you all, do not bring shame and disgrace upon your families!"

"Yes!" Seeing Zhou Pu speak so resolutely, these domain lords and commanders all felt a chill in their hearts. They directly touched their heads to the ground and assented. "We humbly obey your lordship's command!"

That very afternoon, the Great Han army's formation began to spread out, then pressed further toward the base of Himeji Castle. As they advanced, the city remained utterly silent and still, as if it had become an empty fortress. But when they entered the firing range of the city's various defensive works, the arquebuses and bows within opened fire. Large volleys of bullets and arrows, shrieking through the air, came hurtling toward the besieging army, bringing a wave of casualties.

The besieging army soon withdrew in silence with its wounded units, making no further advance. This had only been an initial probe, intended to ascertain the emphasis and distribution of the city's defensive strength; there was no intention of directly launching the assault yet.

As these probing units retreated, they also took the opportunity to throw the earth and stones they were carrying into the moats outside the city. These outermost moats began to be slowly filled in.

As time passed, the weapon the besieging army relied on most began to make its appearance. The heavy cannons were carefully pushed toward the city by the artillerymen. Through the earlier probing attacks, these artillerymen had roughly determined the maximum range of the defenders' ranged weapons, so they boldly pushed the cannons right up to the city under the cover of Great Han officers and soldiers — aided, of course, by the fact that the outer moats had been filled in.

After the gun carriages halted, these cannons were slowly remounted onto the ground. Then the artillerymen began nervously deploying the cannons and adjusting the firing parameters. Under the watchful eyes of the soldiers nearby, the thick barrels gradually reared their heads, aiming at Himeji Castle not far away.

Once everything was ready, Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo gave the order to fire.

"Fire!" The officers let out a great shout, simultaneously plugging their own ears along with everyone else nearby.

Boom! The very earth seemed to tremble.

The cannon fire was blinding; the rising smoke and flame cut off everyone's line of sight. The sky was filled with the harsh, mournful shrieks of iron cannonballs tearing through the air. These massive iron shells, accelerated by gunpowder, slammed viciously into the opposing castle walls like the marbles of a god.

After the first volley began, the artillerymen paused briefly to observe the effect of the bombardment, then resumed adjusting their firing preparations and continued to fire.

In the space above the defenders' heads, heavy shells slammed into the stone walls, and then countless huge chunks of iron and stone burst apart, first flying into the air, then cascading down to smash heavily onto the ground. In the sky, shrouded by smoke and dust, it suddenly became as pitch-black as the onset of a rainstorm.

Amid the bombardment and shattering of the shells, sparks flew in all directions, casting a bluish-gray light everywhere. And in this half-visible world, from one end to the other, the entire earth seemed to sway, sink, split, and dissolve, as if an earthquake had returned.

The infinitely vast space quaked like the sea. The extremely violent explosions drained everything of color. Many people even found themselves temporarily deafened. Small shards of iron and stone rained down incessantly upon the ground, as if a hailstorm were falling. Severed limbs and fresh blood mingled together, adding a further touch of gruesomeness to this terrifying scene.

Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo stood at the camp, watching their own army's bombardment through binoculars. Even though they had mentally prepared themselves beforehand, watching scene after scene still left them with lingering fear.

Right before his eyes, multiple breaches had been torn open in the once-sturdy city walls, and even the white walls had been stained a grimy gray-black. Inside the city, quite a few of the battlements seemed to have been buried in the rubble as well.

"In the face of such artillery fire... no fortress can hope to survive, can it..." Zhou Pu couldn't help but sigh. "As long as there are enough shells, any fortress can only be razed to the ground."

"There has never been an impregnable fortress in this world, much less now that we possess siege cannons of such immense power." Huang Changguo's face was also full of pride. "Unless someone in the future can build city walls with reinforced steel, no fortress will pose a challenge."

"Could anyone really build city walls with reinforced steel?" Zhou Pu found the idea somewhat amusing.

"Who knows what the future may hold?" Huang Changguo laughed as well, then put an end to the jest. "Alright, my lord, please give the order for the general assault."

Due to the limited supply of shells, the Great Han army had restricted the scale and duration of the bombardment. The results of using the cannons today to blast open the outer city walls had already left them thoroughly satisfied.

"All troops, attack!" Zhou Pu immediately issued the order to the adjutants beside him.

These adjutants then scattered in all directions with his command, spurring every unit around him into motion.

Then, as if activated, the formation of the entire great army began to shift. Most of the square formations started pressing toward Himeji Castle, their ranks growing increasingly disordered. Meanwhile, the Great Han army's main force assembled at the rear, then formed ranks to oversee the battle, like a red wall cutting off the boundary.

According to Zhou Pu's orders, the Great Han army would oversee the battle here. For every wave of troops charging into the city to attack, any who dared to retreat would be shot on the spot without mercy. This was also to cut off the assault troops' path of retreat, forcing them to fight to the death.

Next, accompanied by a roar like thundering mountains and tidal waves, countless streams of soldiers surged together at the breached gaps in the city walls, pressing and pouring into the city.