Chapter 64: Few Chances to Save Oda Nobunaga’s Dog Life
Yuan Ye had been unlucky since childhood, which led to a dark and irritable personality during his formative years. Even after being taught and influenced by Meng Ziqi’s father in his youth, and undergoing significant self-reinvention, the lingering effects of his unfortunate childhood remained. This resulted in a complex mindset, always anticipating the worst, suspecting harm, and worrying about unexpected events.
This was all due to the beatings he received as a child. Even though he tried his best to control it, his suspicious nature persisted.
Therefore, even if A Man herself was unsure if her intuition was correct, Yuan Ye still took it seriously and pondered, “You mean… we should go back first?”
If A Man wanted to go back, he would likely “listen to advice and eat well,” immediately following her. Even if nothing happened, he wouldn’t blame her. In fact, he was already considering a tactical retreat. Excitement could be experienced another time; there would always be opportunities. It was definitely right to be cautious this time.
Let him be called a coward; there was no need to take pointless risks. That’s just how he was!
Just as he was contemplating a swift departure, A Man waved her hand and said, “That’s not necessary. I just have a feeling that the Big Fool is in trouble this time. Anyway, even if he loses, he’ll be the one to take the fall. We’ll definitely be faster than him, so there’s no danger.”
Well, Oda Nobunaga’s life or death had nothing to do with her, as long as Yuan Ye survived. Since Yuan Ye wasn’t on the battlefield, there was no need to flee prematurely. With her and A Qing present, even if Yuan Ye were a broken dog, they could drag him and escape back to the camp first, then flee with the entire family back to Takeuchi Manor.
As for what to do after returning to Takeuchi Manor, that would be up to Yuan Ye to decide. They would simply follow his lead then.
Since A Man, an expert, felt there was no problem, Yuan Ye was temporarily reassured. He turned his gaze back to the battlefield and mused, “Then let’s wait a bit longer. However, it doesn’t look like Oda Nobunaga is about to lose…”
“I don’t know either,” A Man said, also looking at the battlefield. She frowned again and mumbled, “But something is definitely wrong, I just can’t quite figure it out yet.”
After muttering this, she didn’t say anything else, as the two sides on the battlefield were already preparing to engage.
Oda Nobunaga initiated the attack. Three ranks of spear ashigaru, under the shouts of low-ranking samurai, maintained a neat line and advanced steadily towards the Matsudaira Family. The Matsudaira Family, not wanting to wait idly and suffer a morale drop, also responded with urgent taiko drumbeats, and their three ranks of spear ashigaru advanced to meet them.
As both sides entered each other’s range, the archer ashigaru began to exert themselves. First, they fired volleys of light arrows, and as the distance closed, they switched to heavy arrows. Even the spear ashigaru on the flanks had archer ashigaru spread out to engage in heavy arrow exchanges, suppressing each other.
In the arrow exchange, Oda Nobunaga’s side clearly gained the advantage. His followers, the ashigaru, had better protection. Some spear ashigaru, even with several quivering arrows stuck in their dōmaru, did not fall back a single step and continued to advance within the formation.
The Matsudaira Family suffered some losses, especially the unarmored archers. Several fell to the ground groaning in pain during the heavy arrow exchange. However, Japanese bows were too soft and their draw weight too weak, so the overall losses were not significant and did not affect the overall situation.
It seemed that wars at this time ultimately depended on close combat to decide victory!
Yuan Ye watched as several volleys of arrows were exchanged, leaving scattered bodies behind both formations. His adrenaline began to rise uncontrollably, and his mood became tense. He had lived for twenty years, and this was the first time he had seen arrows flying wildly, the first time he had seen so many dead people!
While waiting for the spear ashigaru on both sides to engage in close combat, he asked A Man, “Are there any specific techniques for spear formations?”
A Man was also observing the engagement closely, while still pondering her unknown doubts. She casually replied, “Of course, there are techniques. What you see now is called a ‘spear formation’ (qiang jin). They are usually arranged in three to eight ranks, and they simply charge forward with their spears, used for initiating an attack.
There’s also ‘high-low spear’ (gao di qiang), where the front rank of spear ashigaru crouch down, the middle rank rests their spears on the shoulders of the front rank, and the rear rank holds their spears above their heads. This is generally used to defend against charges by large groups of mounted samurai.
Then there’s ‘interlocking spear’ (cuo qiang). The rear rank shifts sideways and pushes into the front rank, interlocking their spears with those of the front rank to form a fork, allowing them to suddenly stab enemies diagonally opposite. This is usually used to break formations during melee combat.
There are many other miscellaneous techniques, all commanded by the spear general (qiang da jiang) or the ashigaru leader (zu shi tou) mixed within the spear ashigaru. They are used depending on the situation.”
Yuan Ye nodded, thinking that even though Japan was isolated on its islands, making military technology exchange with the outside world difficult, after so many years of fighting and so many deaths, it wasn’t just a brawl in the countryside. Their fighting had a certain method to it, not just random stabbing.
As he was lost in thought, the spear formations of both sides finally approached each other. He expected a shout and then a charge, with both sides impaling each other with their four-meter spears, leading to chaos. However, both sides simultaneously eased their drumbeats, and their approaching steps slowed down in unison. The scattered archers on the flanks began to retreat, and the rear rank’s volleys also ceased.
“Why aren’t they charging?” Yuan Ye asked, puzzled. He felt this was the perfect distance for a charge.
“You can’t just charge recklessly, or you might get hit by a ‘spear slap’ (pai qiang) and fall behind, which is a significant disadvantage. But speaking of which, the Big Fool isn’t really an idiot. I underestimated him before; he’s actually commanding quite competently and hasn’t made any mistakes,” A Man replied casually, her eyes still fixed on the battlefield.
Yuan Ye didn’t understand, and it wasn’t his fault. As a modern person, he had never seen such a scene, nor was he a student of this field. He hadn’t studied related subjects. In the 21st century, no lunatic would study how to stab people with spears; he truly didn’t know!
Just as he was about to ask what a “spear slap” was, the cautiously approaching spear formations immediately showed him what it was:
The first rank of both spear formations held their four-meter-long, trembling spears, cautiously probing each other. After all, trying to stab an enemy six or seven meters away and hit a vital spot without being dodged or missing entirely was a skillful feat, not as easy as ordinary people imagined. At this moment, the second rank of both sides quickly moved up to their respective first ranks, simultaneously raising their spears and smashing them down through the gaps onto the probing spearheads and shafts of the enemy. A series of “crackling” sounds filled the battlefield as large numbers of flat-ended spears were smashed, their tips digging into the ground.
Yuan Ye was surprised by this unexpected maneuver and was speechless. “Is this the ‘spear slap’?”
“Yes, it’s a move to gain control of the middle section and the initiative,” A Man explained, multitasking as she watched and lectured him. “Spears are top-heavy and very flexible. If you charge impulsively and are suddenly slapped, your spear will droop, you’ll lose control of your middle section, and your initiative will be gone. If the enemy’s first rank counter-charges, your formation might collapse, leading to immediate rout!”
So that’s how it is…
Yuan Ye memorized it carefully, preparing to think of countermeasures later to be prepared for any eventuality. On the battlefield, the spear formations of the Oda and Imagawa families had fully engaged. Neither side had gained the initiative, nor had they completely lost control of the middle section. The situation instantly devolved into a clash of “spear formations” and mutual “interlocking spear” thrusts. Dozens of front-rank spear ashigaru suffered fatal wounds in mere moments, and blood immediately splattered everywhere. The screams of the wounded momentarily drowned out the conch shell trumpets urging them on from the rear.
At this point, the low-ranking samurai mixed within the spear ashigaru lines began to play their part. Wielding two-ken spears, they shouted loudly to boost morale, using their superior stabbing skills to desperately thrust forward, attempting to fell the enemy and create openings. They then planned to charge in with their superior armor, draw their swords, and hack away to completely disrupt the enemy’s formation.
However, neither side could achieve their objective for the moment, and the front line entered a stalemate. Ashigaru continuously fell to the ground screaming. The casualties on both sides seemed similar, but just as Yuan Ye thought everything was fine, he suddenly noticed that the Oda family’s line seemed to be slowly retreating, and their casualties appeared to be exceeding the enemy’s.
He was momentarily surprised and confused. He had initially thought the battle was simply a bit dull, with neither side employing any clever strategies, just crashing into each other head-on. He assumed Oda Nobunaga, with his superior armor and more armored soldiers, would gradually gain the upper hand, crush the Matsudaira Family, and pursue the routed enemy for maximum gains. This would result in casualties of only one or two hundred men. Oda Nobunaga was wealthy and could salvage enemy armor, replenishing his strength quickly. Overall, it would be a decent victory. But why, after less than a minute of stalemate, was the Oda army unable to hold its ground and began to be pushed back by enemy thrusts?
Could it be exhaustion?
Although intense close combat is very draining, according to ancient Roman accounts, the front ranks would be exhausted after three minutes. However, it had only been about a minute, so why couldn’t they hold their ground?
As a modern person, he was completely bewildered, unable to understand how the side with the apparent advantage was being forced to retreat. But A Man finally understood. She slapped her thigh forcefully and exclaimed, “Damn it, so that’s what it is! I knew something was wrong!”
“What’s going on?!” Yuan Ye quickly asked humbly, wanting to learn so he wouldn’t fall into a similar trap in the future.
“What else could it be! He’s just a Big Fool! He brought a bunch of greenhorns with him, and there are hardly any of his followers who have actually killed anyone!” A Man’s confusion finally cleared, and she returned to her excitable nature, shouting excitedly, “I felt something was wrong this morning. His followers are too young, and they don’t have that… I can’t describe it, but they don’t have that ‘smell.’ They must all be greenhorns; there are hardly any old timers!”
Yuan Ye blinked. He looked at the Oda family’s spear formation on the battlefield, which had been pushed back a bit further, with signs of confusion appearing in several places. Recalling Oda Nobunaga’s followers, they did indeed seem to be between sixteen and twenty years old, all very young. It was highly likely they were indeed a group of greenhorns. This was illogical in reality; how could Oda Nobunaga make such a basic mistake? Didn’t he have any veterans?
Didn’t Hayashi Hidesada, Hirate Masahide, and the others notice this? Why weren’t some veterans assigned to him?
He understood. He was dumbfounded. He never expected the historical “Japan’s Number One Person of the Warring States” to make such a blunder on his personal campaign. A Man, thinking he hadn’t understood and being excited herself, shouted beside him, “Don’t you get it yet? You can’t fight a war with just new recruits! Killing isn’t that easy. The first time A Qing was forced to fight back and killed someone, she wet her pants…”
A Qing, who had been observing the battle with a cold expression and showing no reaction to the dead and blood, inexplicably heard her embarrassing past being brought up. She shivered and lunged forward, covering A Man’s mouth tightly. The cold, delicate skin of her face instantly turned red, her slender body trembled uncontrollably, and she averted her head, not daring to look at Yuan Ye. She was clearly angered. What did this have to do with her? She was just standing guard nearby; why was she being dragged into this for no reason?
A Man also realized she had spoken out of turn and didn’t dare to mention her embarrassing past again. However, she forcefully pulled A Qing’s hand away and continued, “Anyway, killing isn’t that easy, and watching people around you get killed isn’t that easy either. When faced with these two things, most greenhorns will have their heads rush with blood, their vision blur, and their limbs stiffen. They won’t hear anything or see anything, and their abilities will be reduced to a third of their usual. Therefore, you can’t fight a war with just greenhorns; you must mix in a group of old-timers!”
“Alright, alright, you don’t need to get so worked up. I pretty much get it!” Yuan Ye quickly soothed her. He had figured out what was going on; it seemed to be caused by adrenaline.
In China, there are two phrases: “blind panic” and “panicked and lost the way,” which describe how, when a person is subjected to extreme stimulation, adrenaline surges uncontrollably. This narrows their field of vision and weakens their hearing, often allowing them to see only a small area in front of them, paying attention to nothing else. Simultaneously, their upper body loses strength, while their leg muscles work overtime. The human body finds it difficult to adapt to this, and they are likely to stumble and fall when running.
This is a survival instinct that has existed since primitive human times, and it is very difficult to overcome purely through willpower. It can only be overcome through experience after a few battles. What A Man was likely describing was this situation: a group of young followers who had never seen blood, engaging in a bloody battle for the first time. Whether it was killing an opponent or seeing companions fall around them, screaming and bleeding, it was likely a massive shock. Their adrenaline had probably all exceeded the normal limit, and they were now all stiff as wood, their minds unclear.
He never expected Oda Nobunaga to lose in this aspect; it was almost absurd!
“The Oda family seems unable to hold on!” A Qing’s face was still flushed from A Man bringing up her embarrassing past, but the battlefield situation had changed again. She was still mindful of the overall situation and quickly tugged on Yuan Ye.
Yuan Ye quickly looked over and saw that the Oda family’s spear ashigaru brigade indeed showed signs of collapse. Many Matsudaira Family low-ranking samurai had broken through the spear wall and were now drawing their swords to hack and kill up close. While most of the Oda family were still fighting stubbornly, some followers couldn’t withstand the pressure, their spirits broke, and they began to break formation and flee towards the flanks and rear.
Oda Nobunaga’s main camp, mixed with the archer ashigaru in the rear, was also wavering. From a distance, Oda Nobunaga seemed unwilling to accept defeat. He drew his sword, shouting curses, as if intending to lead his pages and riding guards in a desperate struggle. Ikeda Tsuneoki was pulling on his horse’s reins, seemingly trying to make him turn his horse and flee first.
As for Maeda Toshiie and the others… they were a bit far away, and their facial expressions were unclear. However, judging by their posture, these attendant vassals seemed bewildered, as if they hadn’t expected their followers, who had been meticulously trained for over a year, to collapse so quickly despite having complete armor and superior numbers.
While these high-ranking samurai were still arguing, the spear ashigaru could no longer hold on, and a gap suddenly opened in the center.
The Oda family’s line finally broke. The spear ashigaru at the breach began to flee backward, screaming.
Oda Nobunaga seemed to have finally resigned himself to defeat, believing it irreversible. He ordered the signal for retreat to be blown on the conch shell trumpet, but he did not immediately turn and flee. Instead, he kicked Ikeda Tsuneoki twice and shouted a few more times, leading his pages and riding guards forward, seemingly intending to slow down the enemy to allow his followers to retreat smoothly.
At this moment, the Matsudaira Family’s main camp had moved at some point. A mixed force of infantry and cavalry samurai had emerged and, led by a black-armored mounted samurai, cut through the formation. They showed no interest in the fleeing Oda ashigaru and headed straight for the “Eiraku Tsuho” uma-jirushi, seemingly only wanting Oda Nobunaga’s head.
The two groups of samurai collided shortly after, and a melee ensued. Several people died instantly, but the Oda ashigaru had already abandoned their spears and armor, scattering in full retreat. The Matsudaira ashigaru also caught up, beginning to encircle the “big fish” that was Oda Nobunaga.
Oda Nobunaga finally dared not resist further. He shouted a few times and, with his men, turned to flee again. The Matsudaira black-armored samurai pursued him closely, ignoring everything else, fixated on him.
All of this, though it sounds long, happened very quickly. Within two to three minutes, the situation had devolved to this point. The future “Japan’s Number One Person of the Warring States” was utterly defeated, chased by a group of nobodies.
A Man glanced at the scene, tugged on Yuan Ye, and said, “The Big Fool is finished. Let’s go quickly too!”
Yuan Ye looked at Oda Nobunaga, Maeda Toshiie, and their group being pursued by the Matsudaira black-armored samurai, fighting and retreating in disarray. He then looked down at his own crossbow, quickly weighed the pros and cons, and his gaze sharpened. He said to A Man and A Qing, “Not yet, follow me!”
Opportunities to save Oda Nobunaga’s life are rare. It seems like a small risk can be taken!
