Chapter 78

Hearing Fan Wencheng say this.

The smile on Huang Taiji's face could no longer be concealed.

"Mr. Fan, say no more; I shall personally lead the imperial army on campaign immediately."

"Do not let Dorgon, Dodo, and the others kill off all the Zhu family's vassal kings!"

Although Huang Taiji's face bore a hint of a smile.

His mind remained clear.

Huang Taiji did not head straight for the Liaoxi Corridor.

Instead, he turned toward the Little Ling River.

Three days later.

The Qing scouts finally brought news.

At Huang Taiji's command.

Violent explosions suddenly erupted at the Little Ling River embankment.

The river water accumulated during the autumn floods burst forth from the western side of the original Little Ling River channel in an instant.

Huang Taiji, watching all this from the hillside, finally felt a great stone lifted from his heart.

Huang Taiji, who had grown up in Liaodong since childhood, knew.

If they delayed a few more days.

This river water likely would not drain away.

However abnormal the climate in Liaodong, it was still Liaodong.

The river surface would freeze over...

The rushing river water echoed, forming a massive reverberation among the crisscrossing foothills.

Tang Wang Zhu Yujian looked toward the sound with a puzzled expression.

He saw dust rising high above the distant mountain peaks.

Flocks of birds were constantly startled into flight.

Until the soldiers at the very front cried out in alarm.

"Water! It's water!"

"Why is there water in Liaoxi at this season?!"

"..."

Lan Yu, seated on his horse, reacted first.

He shouted sternly.

"Do not panic! Everyone, board the nearest carts! Do not panic!"

With the loud shouts of several Personal Guards.

These imperial clan members finally came to their senses and scrambled onto the nearest large carts as if their lives depended on it.

Fortunately, the Ming army was accustomed to bringing large carts for field battles.

The carts in front were sufficient.

Lan Yu knew the terrain of Liaodong well.

It was different from the Central Plains Han lands.

The north already had little water.

The Liaoxi Corridor bordered the sea.

No matter how the water attack was executed, this water would not create effects as terrifying as those in the Central Plains.

Soon, this river water would rush into the sea.

As expected.

Five or six double-hours after all the Ming soldiers climbed onto the large carts.

The water beneath their feet began to show signs of receding.

Lan Yu knew.

Outside the Pass in this season.

Water was never the most terrifying thing.

The truly terrifying thing.

Was the cold wind!

Shortly after the water receded.

Lan Yu immediately ordered all units to build fires nearby using firewood.

When the great flood struck just moments ago, almost everyone's clothes had been soaked through.

These imperial clan members, accustomed to fine clothes and rich food, soon began to shiver uncontrollably in the cold wind.

This was not even the most terrifying part.

After the flood, the entire Liaoxi Corridor sank into mud.

Mud mixed with ice shards froze the Ming army's large carts solid in place.

Let alone people.

In the tents, nearly every day saw war horses freeze to death!

Watching the ice on the wheels grow thicker.

Lan Yu knew.

The task Zhu Youjian had entrusted to him was complete.

This was a battle that could not possibly be won.

From the distant mountain ridges, one could already hear the Jurchens urging their warhorses on.

They were waiting.

Waiting for the wind to come.

Waiting for the ice on the road to thicken a little more.

So their warhorses could run a bit more freely...

And in another time and space—

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was glaring furiously at the assembled generals of the Great Ming, thundering with rage.

"Still haven't thought of a solution?!"

"What do I keep you around for!"

"How is it you can't even come up with a way to preserve the master's forces?!"

These past few days, every time Zhu Yuanzhang read the reports from Fu Youde and the others, his blood pressure would spike.

The only way to preserve the master's forces was not to fight this battle.

The best outcome was a few thousand men returning alive—and that was only if War God Lan Yu possessed his body...

74. The Han people know no shame; once they know shame, they cannot be defeated!

Looking at the ministers before him, Zhu Yuanzhang felt, for the first time since Zhu Biao's passing, a sense of helplessness.

Zhu family members protecting the Zhu family's Jiangshan—there was nothing wrong with that.

But what Zhu Yuanzhang feared most was that his sons and grandsons would fight until they nearly wiped out his own line.

The Great Ming's army morale had still collapsed.

The Great Ming's Jiangshan had still perished.

The Zhu family's sons and grandsons dying for nothing—that was what enraged Old Zhu the most!

Looking at the silent ministers before him.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly thought of Su Qiao.

And the calm composure on Su Qiao's face when he was escorted into the imperial prison.

Was this boy truly unafraid of death?

Or did this boy know a way to defeat the enemy and deliberately hide it?

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately grew suspicious.

Su Qiao was not right!