Ｍirror、Sword、Jewel. There are also actually three kinds of sacred treasure inherited by generations of the Emperor (Jewels seems to be transmitted from ancient times).

"Kinki appeared？What's that？"

"I'm not sure exactly what happened、but apparently the frontline troops advancing along Senbon Street saw it.

Apparently they heard the enemy repeatedly shouting loudly that they had 'raised the kinki'."

"So what is it？"

"So I don't know what it is because I haven't seen it、but I heard that there was a brocade-like vermilion flag flying in the distance."

・・・・・・・・・

"We want to join the counterattack force."

Sasaki's request was rejected by the Tokugawa Shogunate's front-line headquarters、and the Mimawarigumi、which joined the main force after sunset、were ordered to rest for 12 hours near Kawarasha Temple at the foot of the mountain at Gokokuji Temple of Iwashimizu Hachiman. However、just after 7 p.m.、while waiting with his troops、Sasaki heard the story from Atsumi.

"'Kinki was hoisted at the head of our army.'

'It was a great honor for us、but the Emperor recognized us as the Imperial army and personally handed Kinki over to the Daijokan.'

'The Tokugawa Shogunate has now officially become a rebel army against the Imperial Nation！'

The enemy continues to shout like this."

Shortly thereafter、reports like this one after another were brought to the Tokugawa Shogunate's front line headquarters from all over the front lines.

'It's true that the chrysanthemum emblem is engraved on that flag.

There is no doubt that it is the flag of the Imperial family.'

"Do not advance any further even after dawn until you have confirmed the situation.

To the extent possible、all front-line forces will fortify and maintain current positions."

Shortly after 8:30 p.m.、such orders were sent from the front headquarters to each front unit commander.

・・・・・・・・・

"The flag is standing there stupidly on the opposite bank of Kamogawa-cho、right？

Night has just begun、we have plenty of time、let us attack those guys.

It's okay、we'll do it with a small group of people and just swords、Mimawarigumi will take away that flag."

"No、according to reports kinki was set up on a hill with a good view、surrounded by bonfires, and would naturally be heavily guarded by a large number of soldiers、so it would be impossible for a small group of people to get close."

"If it's just getting closer to the flag、it might be possible.

I've been in Kyoto for years、I think I may have heard of it in a storyteller's tale、but I have never heard of such a flag actually existing."

"Until now、Kinki's existence has probably been kept secret."

"That's their usual trick！

It's okay、even if we can't take the flag、we can burn it in the bonfire."

"What if there are multiple Kinkis？

They'll just take out the only identical flag in the world from the warehouse as if nothing happened.

That's their usual trick、isn't it？

I can't let you go on such a stupid mission."

Iwata Michinori、commander-in-chief of the Mimawarigumi and a member of the Tokugawa Shogunate's frontline army command staff、told Sasaki this、then he continued speaking.

"Besides…there's only about one battalion of their troops here？The Yodo clan continues to refuse our request to use their castle as our base.

Currently、there are about 6,000 Shogunate troops concentrated here.

'This is a private fight and we are not taking sides.'

They have an excuse to say so、even if that's the case、in that situation、they continue to refuse."

Honestly、there are so many uncertainties that we don't know what will happen next.

We can't act rashly."

"War is a collection of uncertainties.

That's why we need to launch a large-scale offensive right now！"

"Well、wait a minute、you're not the only one who's angered by their cowardice.

Besides、our current position is not so fragile that it will be shaken by a few uncertainties、so let's stay calm and see how things develop.

The time will definitely come when you guys will be able to play an active role、so please take enough rest and keep your energy up until then."

※☟Original text as of 8:02am, 31/12/2018(japan time). 2024080818:53(japan time).

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

flag

In this situation、Saigo went to the forefront.
And he had convinced of the superiority of the new government.
He went back to Kyoto and reported so.
　
"Our troop victory."　
Such reports also arrived one after another from the forefront.
　
Evacuation of the Emperor to Hiei.
This agenda had disappeared at a stretch by it.
And the aristocracy asked for a meeting to Saigo and Okubo.
　
Era was turning.　
　
・・・・・・・・・　

"We must more expand this dominance.
Tomorrow、we should set forth Imperial Flag on the forefront." Saigo said to Okubo and he agreed it.
　
This Imperial Flag called "Nishiki no Mihata".　
Since ancient times、this flag had been a symbol of the government forces.
　
However this flag did not actually exist.
It was only exist in the reading materials.
This flag therefore had a sense of the sacred for people at that time.
(For example、King Arthur's Excalibur.)　
　
Iwakura made this flag secretly.
Of course it was fake.

※Nishiki is brocade.
"mi" in this case is honorific name(?) for the flag.
The flag of brocade.※

※no in this case is "no"、not "nou"(lol).※

Thursday, 31 January 2013

show

"The Emperor appoints the representative of the new government to the general commander of this war.
The general commander receive the sword from the Emperor and we raise the Imperial Flag."
Okubo took this action immediately.

The sword.
Since ancient times、when imperial court want conquered the barbarians、the Emperor gave the sword to General as a sacred rite.
(The barbarians called Emishi.
They were people who lived peacefully in outside of territory of the imperial court at that time.)
　
And the Imperial Flag.
　
"The Tokugawa clan is enemy of the Emperor."
Show it to all Japanese by this.
There was this intent.
　
・・・・・・・・・　

"What is sin of Tokugawa clan?"
Some lords had argue so.
However、no one was listening to it anymore.
Imperial court accepted everything.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
Tokugawa's main troops of fushimi.
They retreated about five kilometers.

New government troops of FushimiArthur.
They therefore had advanced in the form of that surrounds Tokugawa troops of Toba.

Friday, 1 February 2013

became

”Enemy's break through.
We must absolutely prevent it."
Tokugawa strengthened battle position of Toba.

"Troops of Fushimi district suffered a setback already.
If enemy break through here.
Battle become one-sided."

That possibility was strengthened.

As a result、because also the topography in the vicinity was an advantage for Tokugawa、the new government troops faced difficulties.

・・・・・・・・・

At that time、royalty was appeared this battle field as the general commander.
Of course he was raising Imperial Flag.
　
"Satsuma and Choshu became Imperial forces.
Tokugawa therefore became rebel army to the Emperor."　

The moment they saw it、everyone thought so.

・・・・・・・・・

Satsuma samurai named ”Ouyama Yasuke.”
He was the younger cousin of Saigo.
When the Russo-Japanese War、he was the general commander of the Japanese Army.
(Oyama Iwao)

He was an artillery captain at this time.
His troop ran out of a cannon shells.

"Take the gun."
He ordered to his subordinates.
And he started the assault to Tokugawa's battle position.

"Infantry soldiers can not be late than artillery soldiers."　

They were Satsuma.

It naturally turned into a furious attack.

Whereby the Tokugawa military front of Toba had been surpassed.

※☝Original text as of 8:02am, 31/12/2018(japan time). 2024080818:56(japan time).

It's just after 5am.

"All forces retreat to the Kozenji-Myo-oin line?

Why is that？"

"This is a strict order from Osaka、and it is Ue-sama's will."

"How ridiculous！The battle is just beginning！"

"Mimawarigumi unit commander Sasaki Tadasaburo！I will now convey orders from Seichu-Gun HQ！

Mimawarigumi will immediately depart for Kozenji without waiting for dawn. We are currently adjusting the deployment of the troops、and upon arrival、while the troops are on standby、you should promptly confirm with the officer in charge what actions to take after the fact. That's all！"

"Is that all the command？"

"Yes."

"What will we do if the enemy forces pursue us？"

"It is left to the discretion of each commander、but the opinion of higher-ups is to avoid engagement as much as possible.

I hope you think of this as a command."

"Huh ! ?

Iwata-san、why don't we talk about our reality instead of some fairy tale from some far away country？

We're on the rear guard、so our situation is still better but….

Our army is currently in close contact with the enemy on all fronts.

If we suddenly started retreating all along the line、with our right of engagement taken away、it would naturally result in a major collapse.

Instead、why not propose a truce to the enemy、even though the chances of it being concluded are low？

In reality、just like us、the enemy army would also need to immediately collect the wounded and dead left behind on the battlefield、right？

During such a truce、they might be able to withdraw safely、or the situation might fundamentally change."

"Sasaki-kun、by the way、who is this enemy you're talking about？

We will simply move quickly so that our troops do not show disrespect to His Majesty the Emperor's troops.

Are you suggesting that we are at war with the Emperor's forces？"

"In war、there are no righteous or rebellious forces！

Hey、Iwata-san！What nonsense are you talking about？

We haven't just started a fight、we've started a war！

If that's the case、then it'd be a lie if we didn't fight until we won、right？

Hey、even just us..."

'- Don't say that、Sasaki. This armor is old-fashioned and a little too small for me、but it's an heirloom armor treasured by my ancestors. -'

It was then that Sasaki noticed for the first time that the helmet on Iwata's armor had been broken into two pieces and was lying on the ground.

・・・・・・・・・

Although the accuracy of the shots was unusually low、artillery fire on the retreating Shogunate forces along the nearby road began from Yodo Castle just after dawn、and about an hour later a fire broke out inside the castle、burning down part of the town.