Chapter 61

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian looked at this third uncle before him.

His heart could not help but be filled with mixed emotions.

It was precisely because of this third uncle that his own father had studied into his twenties, yet still had to use a desk less than half a meter wide, sitting on a bench while listening to the Grand Secretaries lecture.

If the dispute over the heir apparent had dragged on for two more years back then, his eldest brother would have been able to craft a proper study desk for their father.

Its quality would likely have been even better than those purchased from the palace workshops.

Zhu Zhu Yijun took a deep breath, and finally, his gaze gradually grew resolute.

Staring fixedly at Zhu Zhu Changxun and the several princes behind him, he shouted loudly:

"I request all my imperial uncles to return to camp!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhu Changxun's entire body trembled; immediately afterward, the eunuchs behind him forcibly dragged him down from the Huanqiu Mound.

After the last few princes had been "escorted" away,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian walked down from the Huanqiu Mound by himself, looked at Grand General Lan Yu standing before him, and asked:

"Duke of Liang, I entrust all remaining matters entirely to you, my lord."

Lan Yu slightly bowed, then bent at the waist with fists clasped, saying:

"Your Majesty, rest assured; these noble scions are merely somewhat spoiled from their daily lives."

"This subject is confident that within one month, I can train them to be at least capable of fighting!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian remained silent.

As a member of the Zhu family,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian hoped that every single one of them would return.

But as the Emperor,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian hoped that not a single one of them would return...

Only Lan Yu, standing to the side, felt infinite regret in his heart.

This was not due to any "duty between ruler and minister."

Although these imperial clansmen mostly suffered from the faults of dissolute spendthrifts,

each one was born broad-shouldered and round-waisted, with robust physiques.

Merely possessing such bodies was something ordinary commoners could only dream of but never attain.

Especially in these chaotic times,

from any perspective,

such individuals were absolutely rare treasures, "soldier seeds" that could be encountered but not sought.

As long as they were properly trained,

within five years,

they would undoubtedly become a force worthy of being recorded in history for eternity.

The moment he thought that his mission was "only permitted to lose, never to win,"

Lan Yu's heart could not help but feel some regret.

However, what Lan Yu failed to realize was that such an army

would probably keep any emperor in history awake at night if they appeared.

An army seasoned by a hundred battles,

every member killing without blinking an eye,

and moreover, every warrior nominally possessed the right of succession to the throne.

Who could sleep soundly knowing who might become Emperor!

63, All of Liaodong trembled!

Over the next few days,

these imperial relatives of the Great Ming truly experienced what it meant to fall from heaven to hell.

This unit was nominally called the Feather Forest Guard.

It was composed of imperial clansmen.

But in reality, aside from receiving one extra meal per day compared to the Capital Camp,

they differed little from ordinary soldiers.

Especially that unfathomable Grand General "Lan Liang."

When it came to taking action, he was truly ruthless.

On the very first day of roll call, he executed three Commandery Princes who arrived late.

What drove these princes to despair even more was that

Prince of Jin, Zhu Zhu Shenxuan, and Prince of Fu, Zhu Zhu Changxun, had secretly attempted to bribe Zhang Zhang Zhiji, the Duke of Britain, who was accompanying the training, with some silver.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhang Zhiji did not even lift his eyelids.

Instead, he forcibly made the two princes run an additional lap of training.

What happened to the promised incorrigible corruption?

Why were all these capital officials suddenly so clean-handed?

After Lan Yu's period of discipline,

these clansmen, raised since childhood on fine clothes and delicacies, finally accepted reality.

Just as these imperial clansmen outside the capital were enduring a fate "worse than death,"

outside Shanhai Pass, one hundred and thirty thousand Ming troops gathered from all over the realm were currently advancing toward Songshan.

On the Chongzhen side, the weather had already turned to autumn.

Unlike those "imperial nobles" who brought several sets of winter clothing whenever they ventured out.

These Ming soldiers were all shivering slightly from the cold.

Hong Hong Chengchou, the Viceroy of Jiliao, locked his brows tightly as he stared at the soldiers before him.

He demanded harshly,

"Where are the winter garments sent by the Ministry of War?"

"Grand Marshal, manufacturing winter gear takes time; the Ministry of War replied that it will take at least ten more days before shipment can begin!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Hong Chengchou immediately broke into a furious curse,

"In another half-month, Liaodong will enter winter; without winter clothing, how can we fight this war?!"

"Tell the prefectures and counties ahead to procure winter garments on the spot; if they cannot gather enough, I, the Marshal, will lead you to raid the homes of the county magistrates ourselves!"

Hearing Hong Hong Chengchou's words,

the Personal Guards beside him were utterly dumbfounded.

Good heavens.

This appearance of loving his soldiers as his own children.

Was this still the Grand Marshal Hong they knew?

At this moment, Hong Hong Chengchou thought that simply picking any county magistrate at random would reveal a family fortune thicker than his own.

Rage welled up in his heart from nowhere.

Inside the Later Jin imperial palace in Shengjing.

[78] Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's massive movements could not possibly escape the ears and eyes of the Jurchens.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's movements on such a massive scale could not possibly escape the notice of the Jurchens.

For the past few days, Huang Taiji had hardly closed his eyes day or night.

"Great Khan, an urgent report from the Bordered White Banner scouts: Hong Hong Chengchou's army of over a hundred thousand has passed Shanhai Pass; the Han Chinese this time are surely coming to fight our Great Jin to the death."

Huang Taiji slowly raised his head, looked toward Fan Fan Wencheng at his side, and asked,

"What exactly is happening?"

"How has the Great Ming suddenly freed its hands to raise an army and attack our Liaodong?!"

All the civil and military officials before him lowered their heads in silence.

Only Fan Fan Wencheng sighed and said,

"Great Khan, spies within the pass have brought back the news."

"Starting last month, the Great Ming began providing relief to disaster victims across the realm."

"Once the disaster relief grain was distributed, tens of thousands of troops under Li Huang Zicheng immediately fled and scattered."