Hattori Hanzo was the ancestral title of the Hattori family. Hattori was the family name, and "Hanzo" was the name passed down from generation to generation in the Hattori family.
In addition, the patriarch of the family had passed the title down from generation to generation, so he was also known as Hattori Ishimoto.
However, this title was later crowned with a person's title, and the Hattori Hanzo referred to him.
The second generation of the Hattori family, Hattori Hanzo, served Tokugawa Ieyasu at the time of Masanari. Tokugawa Ieyasu recruited the samurai from the Iga region and organized them into the Iga Shinobi Legion and handed them over to Hattori for command.
Hattori Hanzo referred to the second generation of Hattori Masanari, one of the sixteen Tokugawa generals, also known as "Hanzo the Ghost." Many of the Iga Shinobi soldiers under Hanzo's command were Iga ninjas.
At this time, although Hattori Hanzo was not as famous as in the future, he was still the sharpest sword under Tokugawa Ieyasu.
During the incident at Honnoji, he escorted Tokugawa Ieyasu. During the incident at Honnoji, Tokugawa Ieyasu was in Sakai City. Because of the urgent shortcut, he had to return to Mikawa Country via Ise. During this period, he was escorted by Hattori Hanzo, Chaya Shiro, Jiro, and others.
The ninja leader, Hattori Hanzo, played a great role. Under his loyal escort, Ieyasu finally returned to Mikawa Country safely after a long journey, avoiding danger. Therefore, Hattori Hanzo had always been a person that Tokugawa Ieyasu trusted very much.
Now, there was no more suitable candidate than Hattori Hanzo to kill Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This existence was known as the God of Ninjas by later generations. Naturally, his ability was unquestionable.
For Tokugawa Ieyasu's orders, Hattori Hanzo could be carried out the best. Even when he heard Tokugawa Ieyasu said that he wanted to assassinate Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Hattori Hanzo did not hesitate at all. He did not even ask why. The first question Hattori Hanzo asked was, "When do we do it?"
"When the Daming army arrives!" Tokugawa Ieyasu said, "We can't let Toyotomi Hideyoshi escape."
Since he had chosen to assassinate Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu naturally wanted to settle this once and for all. It would be best if Toyotomi Hideyoshi died.
"I will go back and arrange the manpower!"
Hattori Hanzo bowed and said. Although it was an assassination, it was basically impossible to sneak in and assassinate him. In the end, it was very likely that it would evolve into a forceful attack. Therefore, there must be enough ninjas. It was impossible to do it alone. Hattori Hanzo also needed to prepare.
Tokugawa Ieyasu nodded, "Alright, arrange the manpower well. There must be no negligence."
A storm was brewing in Fujian City, and the people's hearts were in chaos. It was impossible for Toyotomi Hideyoshi to suppress it. What Toyotomi Hideyoshi hoped for was a victory, a victory that would shock the hearts of the people.
Once the Daming army failed to take down Fushimi Castle, the people in the castle would naturally calm down. This was a battle for survival.
At dawn the next day, Daming's scouts appeared outside Fushimi Castle. Fushimi Castle instantly became tense.
Although Toyotomi Hideyoshi tried his best, he only managed to gather a team of fifty thousand people. There were many samurai in this team. They had not gone through battlefield training, but their combat power could not be underestimated.
After discovering Daming's scouts, Toyotomi Hideyoshi even personally went to the top of the castle to boost the morale. He was ready to fight a good battle.
After the sun rose, Daming's vanguard army appeared outside Fushimi Castle. It was a vanguard of thirty thousand people.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi looked at the neat and orderly Ming Army below. His heart kept sinking. At the same time, he deeply understood how his army was defeated.
Thirty thousand soldiers stood in rows, their banners fluttering in the wind. They just stood there motionlessly. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn passed, they didn't move at all. An hour passed, and they still stood there as straight as a ramrod. Such military might was truly shocking.
When the main army behind Daming came up, Fushimi Castle was like a small boat in the sea.
Originally, Toyotomi Hideyoshi wanted to go out and attack Daming's vanguard. However, when he saw the thirty thousand people standing there orderly and motionless, Toyotomi Hideyoshi decisively chose to give up this idea.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi had no confidence in Daming's military formation. If he was not careful, he might be chased into the castle by Daming. That would be really troublesome.
Zhang Weixian rode forward slowly on his horse. The surrounding Ming Army suddenly hit their shields and shouted at the same time, "Kill, kill, kill!"
Their shouts shook the world. The entire Fushimi Castle was shrouded in the shouts of Daming's soldiers. Countless people's faces turned pale and showed fear.
Zhang Weixian put down the telescope in his hand and ordered, "Artillery soldiers, start firing. The rest of you, set up camp!"
Following Zhang Weixian's order, the army began to set up camp. At the same time, the artillery was pushed out and placed directly in front of the formation. It looked as if they could be destroyed if Zhang Weixian came.
To put it bluntly, Zhang Weixian was bullying Toyotomi Hideyoshi because he didn't have artillery. He could hit Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi couldn't hit him.
Very soon, the artillery began to bombard the Fushimi Castle. The sound of explosions rang out instantly.
Now, the problem in front of Toyotomi Hideyoshi was whether to defend on the top of the city wall or retreat. If he defended, he could only be bombarded. If he did not defend, what if the Ming Army attacked?
However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was obviously thinking too much. Zhang Weixian didn't even build a ladder. It was obvious that he didn't want to climb the city wall.
After fighting with the Japanese Empire for a while, Zhang Weixian hadn't found a city wall that couldn't be blown up. If the artillery didn't work, he would change the explosives.
Inside the Fushimi Castle, Tokugawa Ieyasu was also waiting anxiously. He was afraid that the Daming would attack. If the Daming attacked today, then his arrangements would be in vain.
Toyotomi Hideji was also worried. Once the Daming attacked, he would be treated as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son and executed by the Daming.
Toyotomi Hideji didn't believe that the Daming's general would help him. Only if he killed Toyotomi Hideyoshi to appease the people, the Daming's general would not kill him. Only then would he be able to survive.
Zhang Weixian looked at the Fushimi Castle from outside the city. His expression turned serious. He didn't expect the Fushimi Castle to be so sturdy. After bombarding for so long, it still didn't break open.
The power of the Daming's artillery had already spread throughout the Japanese Empire. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had strengthened the Fushimi Castle a lot. It was very difficult to blow it open.
Osaka Castle wasn't so fortified. It was normal for it to have such a result.
However, Zhang Weixian wasn't anxious even if he couldn't blow it open.
Throughout the day, the Daming bombarded the Fushimi Castle from time to time. The walls of the Fushimi Castle looked shaky, but it didn't collapse.
However, everyone knew that even if the Fushimi Castle's walls were sturdy, it couldn't block the Ming Army's artillery forever. Unless the Ming Army didn't have enough artillery shells. It wasn't appropriate to pin their hopes on the Ming Army's lack of artillery shells!
If Toyotomi Hideyoshi wanted the Ming Army to know how powerful he was, he couldn't sit still and wait for death.
When night fell, the Great Ming Dynasty's campsite returned to silence, and Fu Jian City finally calmed down. However, for Fu Jian City, where the people's hearts were in turmoil, tonight was destined to be a restless night.