Chapter 1670: Using Japanese to Attack a Japanese Castle Is No Easy Task

Under Zhou Pu's watchful gaze, the Japanese soldiers from the various units under his command forced their way to the base of the castle walls and surged toward the breaches between them. Perhaps because the psychological pressure was too great, many of them howled madly, their faces twisting into contortions. Some even had bloodshot eyes.

Yet as they charged, the whole of Himeji Castle remained deathly silent. Apart from the sound of collapsing walls and falling stone, there was not a single human voice, as if the garrison had been utterly cowed by the preceding bombardment.

However, when the attacking soldiers rushed up to the gaps torn open in the castle ramparts, a slight stir arose within the castle, as if it were waking from a daze. Then, the dense crack of gunfire and the twang of bowstrings began to sound from other points along the wall. A hail of bullets and arrows drifted toward those breaches, quickly tearing skin and flesh and sending men crumpling to the ground.

Quite a few were killed outright, while others suffered severe wounds, collapsing to the ground with wails of agony. Dead or alive, their blue clothes were stained a vivid crimson. These howls made one's scalp crawl, and in these conditions, they would certainly receive no proper medical care — they had practically already stepped through the gates of hell.

But no one paid any heed to these fallen comrades; they still charged howling into the castle. The officers above had told them beforehand that if they took this castle, they would be richly rewarded, gaining benefits enough to last them their next life. And the fearsome Great Han army was behind them enforcing discipline — no one dared retreat now.

These men, braving the arquebus fire and arrows from above, clambered over the jagged rubble of brick and stone and rushed into one of the huge breaches blasted open by cannon fire, then surged all the way into the castle. But they did not achieve victory. Just as their vanguard burst through the gap in the ramparts, a unit within the castle immediately launched a counterattack against them.

This unit had long been prepared and was superbly equipped, wearing gleaming armor. The moment they saw this group of enemies breaking in, they charged forward with a roar, their naginata thrust out before them, skewering the foremost attackers.

This sudden counter-charging unit clearly caught the besieging army off guard. They hurriedly raised their weapons, trying to form ranks and resist the enemy, but with so many troops crammed together here, how could they possibly form ranks in such haste? Moreover, driven by a desire for glory, men from different units had raced ahead to be the first to charge in, making command extremely unwieldy.

Amid their panicked shouts, these warriors charged right into their faces, and immediately sprays of blood blossomed, with even severed limbs dropping to the ground. Scream after scream rang out without end, quickly striking terror into the hearts of the others. Some, utterly terrified, tried to retreat, but more men kept surging up from behind. The two sides became jammed together, unable to flee, forced only to face the assault of these warriors.

These warriors hacked and slashed with mad frenzy. Under their blades, swathes of men fell dead upon the ground, while the armor they wore kept them largely unscathed. Under their relentless assault, the vanguard troops that had charged into the castle slowly fell back, retreating outside the walls.

However, after this vanguard retreated, the besieging army's attack did not cease. Very soon, a large group of soldiers, likewise clad in armor, charged in. They too carried long naginata, and with equal madness they threw themselves at the defending troops. Fierce slaughter ebbed and flowed beneath the castle walls. Although this defending unit was extremely valiant, they ultimately could not hold back a tide several times their number. Their soldiers fell dead one by one, and the battle line was pushed back into the castle. The enormous casualties made it impossible for them to hold.

After they withdrew, this breach in the wall was finally broken through by the besieging army. By then, the ground was covered with the corpses of soldiers from both sides. Blood from these mangled bodies flowed ceaselessly across the ground, dyeing this stretch of ruins a mournful and ghastly red.

Yet no one paid any more attention to the wretched state of these dead and wounded. The besieging troops did not even have time to celebrate their small victory, forcing their way deeper into the castle with weapons in hand. And for them, the ordeal of attacking Himeji Castle had only just begun.

After they rushed into the castle, the cannon and arrow fire from the walls did not cease. From time to time, men collapsed heavily, struck by bullets. But the besieging army had at last gained a foothold within the castle.

Once inside, part of this besieging force climbed up the collapsed brick slopes of the rubble onto the walls, beginning a fierce melee with the defenders; another part advanced slowly and cautiously into the interior of the castle, gripped by fear.

Within the Nishi-no-maru of Himeji Castle lay a large pond, meant to provide the castle with water, but at this moment it became a massive obstacle for the attackers — for they could only advance along the narrow paths between the ponds, and the many courtyards and buildings around them gave them an extremely eerie feeling.

The warrior Togo Shigekata was one of this army.

He was a retainer of the Shimazu clan. Previously, on the orders of his domain lord Shimazu Tadatsune, he had become a bodyguard for Zhou Pu, tasked both with protecting his life and carrying out surveillance. After the Great Han army invaded Kyushu and the Shimazu clan got their wish to become masters of Kyushu, his mission was successfully completed and he returned to the Shimazu clan.

By this time, the Shimazu clan had assembled the great army of their domain, preparing to march north with the Great Han to welcome the imperial court. And he, due to his meritorious service, had been promoted, becoming an officer in the Shimazu domain army, marching north with his lord.

As a hereditary warrior, he did not dislike war; he was even somewhat eager for it, hoping to distinguish himself in battle, to bring comfort to his ancestors in the underworld, and to become a high-ranking hatamoto or even a daimyo through his achievements. But the advance along the way had been very smooth, with no major battles occurring, so he had not found any chance to prove himself, which rather disappointed him.

However, after the battle for Himeji Castle began, he finally got the opportunity he had dreamed of. Leading the domain soldiers under his command, after the initial bloody battle, he was among the first to charge into the castle.

Yet he also knew this was not his finish line. To achieve glory and establish his career, he would need to show even greater courage — and perhaps also luck.

Suppressing the unease in his heart, he cautiously led his troops, together with units from elsewhere, slowly forward, seeking to expand their occupied zone. But just as they followed the path along the pond to the edge of the castle interior, what seemed like tiny points of light suddenly flickered from the various courtyards.

The very first instant was deathly still, with only those scattered points of light visible. But soon, the dense roar of arquebus fire erupted thunderously, making everyone's eardrums ache.

Bullets fired from every direction slammed into many men, bringing agonized howls and striking fear into everyone. Some screamed, firing their own arquebuses wildly in all directions. Some crouched down, trying to use their comrades' bodies as shields. And some simply turned and ran backward.

Yet the merciless barrage continued. Dense volleys of bullets swept across every part of the path, wounding men almost everywhere. This relentless assault quickly threw the attackers into panic. Some scrambled for their weapons, shouting and running, but because the path was so narrow, many were directly knocked down by their own comrades and trampled, suffering severe injuries. Some, seeing no other option, simply jumped straight into the pond.

Amid the chaotic gunfire and smoke, these ambushed soldiers no longer knew what they were doing. They ran wildly in all directions, some even hacking at each other. Some, terrified out of their wits, leaped directly into the pond, and weighed down by their armor, they quickly began to sink. They thrashed and shouted madly in the water, flailing about in confusion, trying to use the leverage to strip off their armor, but in the end, they could only sink helplessly, gradually disappearing beneath the surface.

The water swallowed the lives of these men, and blood spread through the pond, quickly turning it into a crimson expanse. Those on the shore, watching the fate of these men, shouted to each other in even greater terror. Gunfire continued to erupt from every dark corner. Everywhere was thick smoke, chaos, and the faint glint of flames.

Amid this disorder, Togo Shigekata barely managed to maintain order among his own men. He continuously shoved away soldiers who charged toward him to avoid being pushed into the water, and even drew his sword and cut down one of his own subordinates who was trying to flee.

"Follow me! Follow me!" Amid the chaos, he raised his sword and shouted, "Don't retreat!"

Spurred on by his forceful urging, his men finally steadied themselves and followed him as they inched forward along the path. Using weapons and even human corpses as cover, they charged to the end of this path, where they found another low wall, with the courtyard lying beyond it.

He looked left and right, discovering no tools around that could be used to climb over, nor any better place to break through. In his desperation, he steeled his heart and turned his head to the side.

His gaze fell upon a young man with delicate, handsome features. He vaguely remembered this person as a young samurai from the Satsuma domain, someone he had met once before and exchanged a few words with during the march.

"You few, get down on the ground and let the rest of us jump up!" he barked the order loudly at the other man.

The roaring everywhere and the bullets hailing down madly made all speech seem somewhat unreal. The young man opposite did not catch his order at first, his face showing a bewildered expression. In such a highly tense and intense battle, everyone had moments of distraction.

Togo Shigekata anxiously repeated the order, and this time the other man finally understood. He was somewhat flustered but still obeyed, lying prone on the ground, while several others, following his command, piled on top of this young man.

Togo Shigekata steeled his heart, then stepped onto these men, leaping up and charging through a window of a building that housed guard posts and corner rooms. The wooden window lattice shattered quickly under his impact. He staggered to his feet, and through the smoke, he vaguely made out two people inside.

Both of them looked very young, and their attire was somewhat similar to his own, the only difference being the arquebuses in their hands. Yet upon seeing his ferocious, dust-caked face, these two looked as if they had seen a ghost, expressions of terror appearing on their faces.

Their arquebuses were still smoking; it was clear they had just used them. Upon seeing Togo Shigekata, they picked up their guns again, trying to reload. But how could Togo Shigekata give them such a chance? He raised his sword and silently charged at the two of them.

The cramped room offered the two little room to maneuver. They both let out strange cries and, without prior agreement, threw away their arquebuses and drew daggers from their bosoms, intending to meet his charge together.

But by now, Togo Shigekata had already rushed into their midst. He swung his blade in a heavy, sweeping arc to both sides. The two young men tried to resist, but how could their clumsy combat skills be a match for Togo Shigekata?

Amid the clash of metal, Togo Shigekata's sword cut through the daggers raised against him. Blood sprayed out madly, splattering onto the window lattice he had just leaped through. The blade carved deep wounds into both men; one was nearly bisected at the waist, his internal organs even sliding out.

The stench of fresh blood and entrails assaulted his nostrils, making Togo Shigekata unable to resist covering his nose. His subordinates followed, climbing up after him. When they smelled this pungent odor, they nearly vomited.

Under Togo Shigekata's spearheading charge, they finally burst into this small room, winning a foothold for their small unit. The original obstacles at the window had been knocked down by them in an instant, causing the first tiny breach and collapse in the shogunate army's defensive works within the castle.

"Everyone rest in the room! This place is safe!" Having finally found temporary safety, Togo Shigekata suddenly felt an indescribable weariness in his body. He barely managed to prop himself up with his sword on the floor, preventing himself from collapsing. "Rest for a while, wait for reinforcements!"

As he spoke, he walked to the window and observed the situation behind them. On the path by the pond, he saw many corpses, scattered wretchedly along the roadside. Only then did he realize with a start that he had recklessly charged all the way down that path.

His gaze slowly slid to the spot from which he had just jumped up, and then he saw the young man who had accepted his order to lie prone on the ground, the one who had served as his stepping stone.

This young man with the delicate features was now lying on his back on the ground, his complexion even paler than when Togo Shigekata had last seen him. And between his two black eyes, there was a small black hole, as if a third black eye had opened up in the center of his brow.

In a battle like this, he was no different from the men lying fallen along this path; his luck had just been slightly better. Had any one of those bullets deviated just a little, he would be the one lying there.

Togo Shigekata suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and averted his gaze almost instantly.

Beneath the castle walls, the chaos continued. Fierce fighting erupted at every breach in the walls. In some places, like where Togo Shigekata was, after suffering grievous losses, the attackers finally broke into the castle to face new challenges; in other places, the resistance within was simply too fierce, and the battle line could not be pushed inward, instead being slowly forced back out.

At the most intense moments of slaughter, some of the besieging troops finally could not bear the horrific, bloody casualties. They slowly fell back, and some even threw down their weapons and ran backward, howling.

The attacking troops retreating backward became entangled with the reinforcements surging forward to attack, further intensifying the chaos. Many people trampled over the wounded and fallen. The ground was filled with groans; some were even trampled to death alive. Panic and terror addled people's minds; they lost their reason and forgot the orders they bore. Soldiers and officers searched for each other, but everything had descended into chaos. Some lay prone on the ground, while others retreated all the way down from the castle.

As they retreated, bursts of tumultuous shouting erupted from time to time, these cries mixing with the roar of gunfire and cannon, the tremendous noise drowning out everything.

Watching the scene of turmoil before them, Zhou Pu and Huang Changguo slightly furrowed their brows.

"No retreat! No retreat! Go back! Go back!" In front of the Great Han army's formation, several Great Han officers who knew Japanese shouted loudly, trying to halt these retreating soldiers. "The Grand Commander has ordered: anyone who flees the battlefield will be executed without mercy!"

Behind these officers, the Great Han officers and soldiers, clad in bright red uniforms, had already formed ranks, their gleaming muskets and long spears now pointing forward.

But their shouts were drowned out by the cacophony of noise. Few could hear them clearly, and even those who could were pushed forward by the crowd behind them, continuing to surge toward the Great Han army's lines, about to crash right into their formation.

"Open fire! Open fire! Let no one flee the battlefield!" When he saw that these routed soldiers were about to flee back, Zhou Pu could hold back no longer and ordered the Great Han troops to carry out their battlefield-discipline duty.

"Open fire!" The Great Han officer who received the order immediately relayed the command.

The Great Han army opened fire at once. Countless exploding black smoke columns rose from the gun barrels, swirling upward into the air like whirlwinds. The human wave surging toward the Great Han army's front line suddenly halted, almost as if it had been violently struck. The black smoke and fire, carrying shrieking projectiles, mercilessly swept across the ground — even though these routed soldiers had been their comrades-in-arms only moments before.

The piercing screams poured down ever more densely upon the retreating men, forbidding any attacker from falling back to their own lines. And under this decisive bombardment, indeed no one could draw near. Wave after wave left numerous corpses upon the ground and checked their retreating steps. The agonized howls finally restored reason to this mob, making them understand the truth: there was nowhere left to retreat.

"Get back there at once — back to attacking the city!" These Great Han officers continued to shout themselves hoarse. "Anyone who dares retreat again will be executed without mercy!"