Chapter 165: Zhu Ying: Henceforth, the Great Ming Iron Cavalry Ranks First in the World

As Gui Lichi’s head fell to the ground!

His headless body tumbled from the saddle, forever at rest.

At the same time.

A system prompt chimed timely in Zhu Ying’s ear: “Slain Northern Yuan Grand General [Gui Lichi]. Collected +300 to all attributes. Collected 300 days of lifespan. Reward: Second-Rank Treasure Chest.”

The +300 to all attributes instantly surged through Zhu Ying’s body.

The faint fatigue vanished entirely under the full-attribute boost.

“No wonder he’s a Northern Yuan Grand General—100 more full attributes than when I slew Naha Chu.”

“And a Second-Rank Treasure Chest.”

Zhu Ying thought, heart pounding with excitement.

Then.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhu Ying’s hand shot out and firmly seized Gui Lichi’s head in his grip.

The next instant.

Zhu Ying scanned the panicked Northern Yuan cavalry around him, then roared coldly: “Your Grand General has been slain by my own hand!”

With true qi amplification.

Zhu Ying’s voice echoed across the chaotic battlefield like thunder.

But his words had not yet fully faded.

“Surrender, and live!”

“Refuse, and die!”

The final words were sharp, but the cry “Your Grand General has been slain by me” cut deeper than any blade on the battlefield, piercing straight into the hearts of the Yuan soldiers.

After the warning.

Zhu Ying gave no further thought—he simply hung Gui Lichi’s head from his warhorse.

Then, gripping his Tiger-Head Battle Axe once more, he spurred his legs hard; Wu Feng neighed sharply and charged again into the surrounding Yuan cavalry!

Such a prime opportunity to slay enemies and collect attributes—Zhu Ying would never let it slip.

Unlike urban siege warfare, after a city falls, many enemy troops have nowhere to flee.

But here, on this vast, open plain, facing Yuan cavalry, they would never surrender lightly—they would flee.

Zhu Ying knew this well, so he seized every chance to eliminate as many enemies as possible.

Zhu Ying charged left and right across the battlefield, his battle axe swinging relentlessly, fierce and sharp; each flash of blade light brought another Yuan soldier screaming to the ground—the slaughter continued.

And at this moment!

“General’s Divine Might!”

“The Yuan Grand General has been slain by the General!”

“Brothers!”

“Kill every Tartar!”

“Kill…”

“The General’s order: those who refuse to surrender—kill without mercy!”

“Kill…”

Liu Lei and countless Personal Guards each had blazing eyes, roaring with frenzied zeal.

Their voices merged into a powerful wave, spreading across the battlefield.

They roared to terrify the Yuan troops, while their battle axes slashed wildly, reaping enemy lives without mercy.

And the news that Gui Lichi had been slain by Zhu Ying spread rapidly across the battlefield through their cries.

Just as Zhu Ying had predicted.

When the surrounding Yuan soldiers saw Gui Lichi’s head, and heard the news of his death,

their faces drained of color, filled with terror and despair.

Morale. Will to fight!

At this moment, they collapsed like a breached dam.

They cared for nothing else—they only wanted to flee this horrific battlefield and save their lives.

“The Grand General is dead!”

“Retreat, hurry, retreat!”

“Retreat…”

“We’re defeated.”

“…”

The cries of Yuan retreat echoed across the entire battlefield, each voice thick with fear and despair.

Many Yuan soldiers abandoned combat entirely, spinning their horses around and fleeing northward in disarray and helplessness.

One fleeing soldier can drag ten others with him.

Ten can drag a hundred.

For the Yuan army now, leaderless, this was exactly the case.

Across the vast battlefield, when Yuan soldiers saw comrades fleeing, their fear exploded infinitely—they fled northward without regard for anything.

“Don’t break formation!”

“Charge! Defend!”

“If you retreat, it’s death!”

“Fight the Ming! We, sons of the Great Yuan, fear no Han barbarians!”

“Advance!”

…

Watching their troops flee, many Yuan officers and commanders tried desperately to hold the line.

But.

Rout. Collapse.

There was no way to stop it.

No matter how hard the Yuan generals tried to halt it.

“All soldiers, listen!”

“Those who refuse to surrender! Those who flee!”

“Kill them all!”

Seeing the Yuan army in full rout, the effect achieved,

Zhu Ying, still slaying enemies, watched the fleeing Yuan troops and issued another order.

His voice was cold, brimming with endless killing intent, showing not a trace of mercy.

“We obey the General’s command.”

“Kill every Tartar.”

“Kill…”

Countless Ming soldiers roared aloud, voices thundering, war spirit boundless.

Each soldier swung his weapon with even greater ferocity.

In their eyes, these fleeing Yuan troops were no longer fearsome enemies—they were lambs awaiting slaughter.

Kill one, earn one military merit.

Kill ten, earn ten military merits.

The Ming cavalry surged like a tidal wave, sweeping over the fleeing Yuan troops in merciless pursuit.

The outcome of this battle was now beyond any doubt.

With the Northern Yuan Grand General Gui Lichi slain by Zhu Ying’s charge through ten thousand troops, the Yuan army’s morale shattered, and under the Ming cavalry’s assault, further amplified by Zhu Ying’s official authority and seal.

In an instant,

the so-called invincible Northern Yuan iron cavalry was utterly shattered, reduced to a one-sided massacre.

Behind the Dragon Gate Formation’s rear.

Though far away, Guo Ying and the others saw the cavalry battle with perfect clarity.

On the battlefield, smoke billowed, cries and hoofbeats intertwined.

Ming and Yuan cavalry clashed on the grasslands, blades flashing, blood spraying.

Zhu Ying had led the Ming cavalry to crush the Yuan army!

“The Northern Yuan cavalry has fallen.”

“Our army has won.”

Guo Ying spoke with solemnity.

Though his face still bore the dignity of a Grand General, his eyes betrayed uncontrollable excitement.

“The myth of the Northern Yuan iron cavalry’s invincibility is broken.”

“I imagined this battle, even if we won, would be horrifically bloody.”

“Even with our 150,000 troops, I expected at least tens of thousands lost.”

“But this battle—”

“Far exceeds my wildest expectations.”

"When we tally the battle results, our casualties may be under twenty thousand."

"Such results are unimaginable!"

Li Jinglong also spoke with a look of shock.

Had one not witnessed it with one’s own eyes, one could never believe what lay before them.

The once arrogant Northern Yuan cavalry had been defeated so easily by them.

In days past.

The Yuan Dynasty had crushed the gates of Huaxia with its iron cavalry, enslaved Huaxia for a hundred years, and brought endless humiliation to the Han people of the Central Plains.

Yet now, the Great Ming cavalry, representing Huaxia, with slightly fewer troops, had shattered the Northern Yuan iron cavalry in direct confrontation.

This battle would redefine cavalry warfare; it would redefine the strongest cavalry in the world.

It would become a pivotal turning point in the history of the Han people of Huaxia, forever remembered by future generations.

"Zhu Ying."

"Today, you led our Great Ming cavalry to a great victory over the numerically superior Northern Yuan cavalry, despite being nearly ten thousand men short."

"Your name will be inscribed in the annals of history."

"I am not his equal."

Zhu Di stared at the distant battlefield, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

When the two cavalry forces clashed, the sheer scale of it—then the Great Ming cavalry, under Zhu Ying’s command, forcibly shattered, split, and slaughtered the Yuan troops.

Every scene unfolded clearly before Zhu Di’s eyes.

At this moment.

Beyond the shock in his heart, Zhu Di also felt a pang of envy.

All his life, Zhu Di had longed most to expand territory and crush the barbarian foes.

But as an imperial prince, as a Duke of the Great Ming, he had never had the chance to lead troops into battle, nor to fulfill the grand ambition buried deep within him.

Now, watching Zhu Ying lead the Great Ming cavalry, representing Huaxia, to crush the Northern Yuan iron cavalry that had dominated the world for centuries,

Achieving an unprecedented triumph—if Zhu Di claimed he felt no envy, it would be a lie.

"It’s not just that the Prince is not his equal; look across the entire Great Ming, look across the entire world."

"There is no one else with Zhu General’s command of troops, his ferocious battlefield prowess!"

"This battle—"

"Even I did not expect such a victory."

"But from the moment the battle began, every step was planned by Zhu General."

Guo Ying spoke in a low tone, his face carrying a look of deep understanding.

He slightly narrowed his eyes, recalling every detail of this great battle, his admiration for Zhu Ying growing ever stronger.

Even as a Grand General, he was utterly awed.

"Grand General, what do you mean by that?"

Li Jinglong turned to Guo Ying, his expression one of surprise.

"First,"

"The reason we crushed the Yuan army lies fundamentally in the Dragon Gate Array."

"But also in Zhu General’s strategic command."

"Before engaging the Yuan cavalry, Zhu General had already anticipated their arrogance—he knew that once our formation was set, the Yuan army would charge in without caution."

"Precisely because the Yuan army was arrogant and rashly charged into the Dragon Gate Array, and brought no artillery or other weapons of destruction,"

"We were able to easily trap tens of thousands of Yuan cavalry within the array, using its formation to imprison and slaughter them, weakening their combat strength."

Guo Ying spoke slowly, with clear insight.

"The Dragon Gate Array alone trapped and slaughtered nearly fifty thousand Yuan cavalry, inflicting heavy losses on the Yuan elite."

"Only then did Zhu General’s pre-deployed forty thousand cavalry engage the Yuan forces in direct combat, deciding the battle in one stroke."

"Every step, every link, was entirely within Zhu General’s control."

"This battle—I, too, deeply admire it!"

Guo Ying spoke with solemn weight; his tone revealed that even this Grand General, old enough to be Zhu Ying’s grandfather, was completely humbled.

His face was filled with admiration; he nodded slightly, awed by Zhu Ying’s military genius.

"Grand General,"

"This battle report must be written with great care."

"Let His Majesty know the full context and outcome of this great victory."

"We originally had no chance of defeating these hundred thousand iron cavalry—but Zhu General not only defeated them, our casualties were minimal. This is a great victory, and Zhu General must be rewarded."

Li Jinglong spoke with utmost seriousness, utterly earnest.

He was a man of passion, raised under his father’s influence to revere battlefield generals.

This battle—

Had originally been meant for him, the general appointed by imperial decree to command.

But Li Jinglong knew his own limits; faced with a hundred thousand Northern Yuan iron cavalry, he had no strategy at all!

This great victory, every result, was achieved solely by Zhu Ying’s own ability.

Even as the nominal deputy commander, he had merely ridden on Zhu Ying’s glory.

Since he had benefited from the glory and shared in the merit, Li Jinglong was no man to steal battlefield achievements.

The credit due to Zhu Ying, he would report exactly as it was.

That was what he ought to do.

"This battle report—"

"I will write it myself and submit it."

Guo Ying said solemnly, his expression equally grave.

As Grand General, submitting the battle report was his duty—but even more, it was his recognition of Zhu Ying, this young officer.

And at that very moment!

A dozen fast riders galloped swiftly from the battlefield.

When they reached the base of the platform where Guo Ying and the others stood, the lead Squad Leader, face flushed with excitement, shouted: "Reporting to the Grand General!"

"General Zhu Ying has crushed the Northern Yuan iron cavalry; the Northern Yuan Grand General Guili Chi has been slain by General Zhu Ying’s own hand."

"The Northern Yuan cavalry is shattered, scattering in flight."

"Our forces—have won a great victory!"

The Squad Leader’s voice trembled with excitement; each word seemed to draw upon all his strength.

Such a great victory—every soldier in the army shared in its glory.

Hearing this, Guo Ying too was overcome with indescribable excitement; his eyes instantly brightened, and his stern face finally broke into a smile.

"Good, good, good!"

"General Zhu Ying—no wonder he is our Great Ming’s Marquis of the Champion, no wonder he is our Great Ming’s invincible war general."

"I’ve long heard of Guili Chi, the Northern Yuan Grand General—never imagined he’d be slain by General Zhu Ying."

Guo Ying exclaimed in delight, praising again and again.

"Grand General,"

"In this battle, our forces have triumphed."

"From now on, the Northern Yuan will be unable to block our Great Ming’s advance."

"This northern campaign has achieved its victory!" Li Jinglong said, equally excited, his face flushed with triumph.

Zhu Di, beside him, remained relatively silent—but this was only on the surface; within, his heart churned fiercely.

If he could, he too would have joined the fray, charged into battle, earned glory.

But as an imperial prince, as a Duke, he had been blessed with privilege—and yet denied this very opportunity.

Aside from envy, there was nothing else.

Even if Zhu Di wished to prove his ability before his father, there was now no way to do so.

Everyone in the army knew he was merely an observer, bearing the title of commander-in-chief, but it was only an empty honor.

"When will I ever earn such glory?"

Zhu Di lowered his head slightly, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

"Issue my orders."

"Bring all captured Northern Yuan soldiers from within the Dragon Gate Array to the rear cities."

"Those with minor wounds—take them along."

"Those with severe wounds—execute them immediately."

"In addition,"

"Order the troops within the array to disperse orderly, collect all surviving warhorses and armor."

Guo Ying immediately gave his orders.

The battle was decided; now came his duty as Grand General to coordinate the entire campaign.

"Your orders are received!"

The surrounding messengers shouted in unison.

Then they swiftly turned, mounted their horses, and galloped toward the Dragon Gate Array to deliver Guo Ying’s commands.

On the battlefield!

Watching the fleeing Yuan cavalry, Zhu Ying continued to lead his troops in relentless pursuit.

He spurred his horse into a wild charge, his killing aura like that of a war god.

“Great Ming soldiers.”

“You have proven yourselves worthy heroes of Huaxia.”

“This battle—”

“We have won decisively.”

“The Yuan’s iron cavalry, once famed as invincible across the world, has been crushed by our forces.”

“From this day forward—”

“Our Great Ming iron cavalry shall be the finest in the world!”

Zhu Ying raised his battle blade, his voice booming with uncontainable exhilaration.

The sound echoed long across the battlefield, carrying unmatched glory.

“Great Ming iron cavalry, the finest in the world!”

“Great Ming iron cavalry, the finest in the world!”

“General’s divine might! General’s divine might...”

From every corner of the battlefield, countless Great Ming soldiers, still chasing down fleeing enemies, shouted with excitement.

Their voices merged into a powerful wave, as if ready to shatter the sky.

Every soldier brimmed with unending battle fury, their morale soaring to the heavens.

And above all, they held the deepest reverence for Zhu Ying!

Whether from the Danning frontier troops or the Beiping cavalry who joined the battle, all felt the same.

They were all awed by Zhu Ying’s ferocity and his unmatched command.

In their eyes, Zhu Ying was their war god—invincible.

“The Yuan forces are broken.”

“All Yuan soldiers who flee and refuse to surrender—”

“By the name of Great Ming, kill them!”

Zhu Ying swung his blade and issued another order to pursue.

“We swear to follow the General!”

“Kill!”

Tens of thousands of soldiers behind Zhu Ying roared in unison, their killing intent piercing the heavens.

Without hesitation, they charged after Zhu Ying, racing toward the fleeing Yuan troops.

Kill the enemy, earn glory!

Time passed slowly.

From the dawn battle to the midday sun high overhead.

Until nightfall.

This bloody, fierce battle finally came to a halt.

But Zhu Ying did not confine himself to the imperial pasture—he led his troops forward for dozens of li, relentlessly pursuing countless fleeing Yuan soldiers, until he found a suitable location to set up camp.

Inside the initial camp tents.

“Hahahaha!”

“General Zhu!”

“What a glorious slaughter!”

“I never imagined we could cut down the Northern Yuan iron cavalry with such ease.”

Zhang Yu’s face glowed with excitement, flushed red with fervor, his eyes filled with admiration—he was utterly conquered.

Though also a Regional Military Commissioner, Zhang Yu now called himself “this humble subordinate,” revealing Zhu Ying’s towering status in his heart.

“Indeed.”

“The Northern Yuan iron cavalry was long called the finest in the world.”

“For centuries, no cavalry could stand against them—but today, under the General’s command, we have brought them down.”

“From now on, our Great Ming cavalry shall be the finest in the world.”

Chen Heng spoke with equal excitement.

“To follow the General and achieve such a great feat is this humble subordinate’s greatest honor.”

“If I die after this victory, I have no regrets.”

Liu Zhen declared, his gaze fixed on Zhu Ying with fierce devotion.

Not just him.

“No regrets even if I die.”

Many officers and commanders stared at Zhu Ying with wild fervor.

At this moment, for them, Zhu Ying had become something like the soul of their army.

In this battle, as battle commanders, they had fought fiercely, slaughtering all around.

Without doubt, future histories would record this victory—slaying the Northern Yuan iron cavalry—as a moment of monumental significance.

How could they not be exhilarated by such immortal glory!

Watching the officers’ excitement and fervor,

Zhu Ying smiled faintly, glanced around, then scolded playfully: “Enough.”

“If you want to celebrate, lie down and celebrate when you sleep tonight.”

“Right now, eat properly—don’t choke.”

Saying this,

Zhu Ying picked up a dried biscuit with one hand, bit down hard, and with the other, lifted a water bag and drank deeply.

“We obey, General!”

The officers laughed in unison.

Their laughter carried the relief of surviving the battle, and the joy of overwhelming victory.

With Zhu Ying’s words, all officers—including the soldiers stationed here—devoured their food ravenously.

In an instant!

This atmosphere temporarily eased the stench of blood from the battlefield.

When everyone had eaten their fill, the tent grew quiet.

Zhu Ying stood up; his earlier smile vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity.

He scanned the room.

Zhu Ying spoke slowly: “Enough.”

“You’ve rested for a full incense stick.”

“All officers, listen to orders.”

At once, the officers rose, bowing respectfully, awaiting their commands.

Zhu Ying said gravely: “Each Commandant and Deputy Commandant must immediately return to your units and tally your soldiers’ casualties—leave none unrecorded.”

“Wounded soldiers must be rushed to the infirmary and treated with the utmost speed.”

“For the dead, recover the bodies and record their names meticulously.”

“These tasks are critical now—every commander must handle them personally, with no room for error.”

Zhu Ying always treated post-battle matters with the utmost seriousness.

“We obey, General!”

All officers bowed deeply to Zhu Ying and immediately set to work.

Afterwards,

The officers filed out in order, swiftly returning to their respective camps.

Zhu Ying watched them depart, then turned to Liu Lei, who lay wounded nearby.

Liu Lei was wrapped in simple bandages, blood seeping through the gauze; his face was pale.

Zhu Ying stepped forward, his eyes filled with concern: “Are you all right?”

“My Lord,” Liu Lei straightened instantly, gritting his teeth against the pain: “Just flesh wounds—I’ll recover with rest.”

Zhu Ying nodded, but his brow remained furrowed: “How many casualties in the Personal Guard?”

Liu Lei’s eyes darkened instantly, his voice thick with sorrow: “We started with six hundred and fifty brothers.”

“Fifty-seven died. The rest are all wounded.”

As he spoke the numbers,

Liu Lei’s face twisted with emotion, tears glinting in his eyes.

These were his own men—raised by his hand, like brothers. Their losses cut him to the core.

Zhu Ying’s expression darkened slightly; he sighed softly: “Record their names. Recover their bodies.”

“Treat the wounded with the medicinal powder we carry.”

“When the northern campaign ends, beyond the court’s compensation, I will give each brother extra.”

Saying this,

Zhu Ying reached out and patted Liu Lei on the shoulder.

“Your servant accepts the order.”

Liu Lei immediately bowed, then turned to record the rolls and treat the wounded soldiers.

“Ah.”

Zhu Ying watched Liu Lei’s retreating back, sighed deeply, and remained silent for a long time.

On the battlefield, such cruelty is inevitable.

Even though personal guards possess strength far beyond ordinary men, casualties are unavoidable on a battlefield where swords and spears show no mercy.

Moreover, they were the ones who followed him into the fiercest charges, bearing the brunt of the Yuan army’s most violent assaults—fifty-seven of them dead—already a remarkable outcome.

Compared to the personal guards, the cavalry must have suffered heavy losses in this great battle.

After all, the Northern Yuan cavalry’s rout does not mean they were weak.

Zhu Ying took a deep breath, steadied himself, and whispered, “List all the treasure chests.”

The next moment.

“Host possesses 12 common treasure chests, 5 first-rank treasure chests, and 1 second-rank treasure chest.”

……

(End of Chapter)