Chapter 910: Laying Down the Butcher’s Knife
The Daoist army pressing down upon Kameyama Castle meant that Taki, Watarai, Ichishi, Itaka, Iino, Anno, and Suzuka Districts had all fallen into Daoist hands.
Only Kawawa, Mie, Asami, Ensho, and Kuwana Districts remained under the control of the Sonno-joi faction. Among them, Kuwana, Asami, and Kawawa Districts were relatively small in terms of land size.
From the map’s perspective, the Daoists already controlled two-thirds of Ise Province, but the remaining one-third was considered the true heart of the region.
Within the two-thirds of territory the Daoists had taken, only four important towns existed—Yamada Castle, long held by the Chancellor’s Office; Hisai Castle, now reduced to ruins; Kameyama Castle in Suzuka District; and Tsu Castle, the port town.
Within the one-third still held by the Jingu, there were also four key towns—Kobe Castle, the gateway to the Jingu; Komono Castle, positioned close to the Jingu itself; Kuwana Castle at the port; and Nagashima Castle on an offshore island.
Among these, Hisai Castle and Komono Castle were large-scale jin’ya, or fortified military strongholds.
Tsu Castle had yet to be taken, but as an isolated fortress, its fall was only a matter of time. Spirit Guard Jia Shen’s army was already marching there with their heavy artillery that was best suited for siege warfare.
Meanwhile, Spirit Guard Jia Chen led the heavy cavalry to eliminate the fleeing and scattered troops. But their main task was to take possession of Kameyama Castle.
Riding side by side, Spirit Guard Jia Chen and Qi Xuansu entered Kameyama Castle. Spirit Guard Jia Chen bore the famed Dragonfly Cutter, hailed as the greatest spear of Fenglin, while Qi Xuansu carried the renowned blade, Monohoshizao.”
The Dragonfly Cutter’s former owner was Amemori Unko, one of the 13 leaders of the Sonno-joi faction.
In truth, he had died somewhat unjustly. On the battlefield, under its unique pressures, he had fought Spirit Guard Jia Chen to a stalemate. But Maeda Masao’s surrender mid-battle allowed Spirit Guard Jia Shen to provide aid to Spirit Guard Jia Chen. Faced with two first-rank Spirit Guards, Amemori Unko’s death was inevitable, and his Dragonfly Cutter inevitably fell into Spirit Guard Jia Chen’s hands.
The Daoist Order had clear rules regarding ownership of such spoils of war, treating them similarly to gifts presented by foreign nations to Daoist leaders.