Chapter 166

The host possesses 12 common treasure chests, 5 first-tier treasure chests, and 1 second-tier treasure chest.

The system’s notification echoed in Zhu Ying’s ears.

“A bountiful haul.”

Zhu Ying, his face alight with excitement, stared at the numerous treasure chests, his eyes instantly gleaming.

Eighteen treasure chests in total!

All of these were earned through Zhu Ying’s kills and victories in this battle.

Besides slaying numerous Yuan army officers.

There was also the reward for exceeding 11,000 enemy kills.

“Eighteen treasure chests.”

“I wonder what good items they’ll yield.”

Just as Zhu Ying, filled with joy, was about to open the treasure chests and see how fortune favored him today—

“Report!”

A voice came from outside the tent.

“General, Grand General, Prince Yan and his party have arrived.”

Xiao Han reported with respectful deference.

“Fine, I’ll open them later.”

Zhu Ying snapped back to attention upon hearing this.

His excitement and anticipation for opening the chests faded, replaced by calm.

He immediately rose and strode toward the tent’s exit.

As he stepped outside the tent—

His eyes met Guo Ying, Zhu Di, and Li Jinglong, surrounded by their personal guards.

Upon seeing Zhu Ying, all three froze.

Bathed in the flickering torchlight, Zhu Ying was drenched in blood—dark red stains covered his entire body, even his face smeared with gore, obscuring his features, making him look like a god of slaughter risen from a mountain of corpses.

“General Zhu, are you unharmed?”

Li Jinglong was the first to recover, his face filled with concern as he hurried forward, eyes fixed on Zhu Ying, as if verifying whether he was wounded.

Clearly—

Li Jinglong had become Zhu Ying’s complete admirer; in his heart, Zhu Ying’s ferocity on the battlefield and his command abilities had already become an unattainable standard.

“All Tartar blood. I’m fine.”

Zhu Ying replied with a smile, though the grin looked grotesque against the bloodstains.

This sight alone could terrify children into tears.

Li Jinglong glanced again, scrutinizing Zhu Ying’s blood-soaked form, yet found not a single wound of his own—his admiration for Zhu Ying deepened further.

“General Zhu is truly invincible.”

Li Jinglong said with awe, his voice brimming with wonder and praise: “Leading the charge at the front, personally at the vanguard, yet unscathed—I am truly in awe.”

“Indeed formidable,” Guo Ying now stepped forward, also with admiration: “In my youth, when I followed His Majesty to conquer the realm, I witnessed countless heroes.”

“Yet none in my memory compare to General Zhu.”

“Though I am much older than General Zhu, this battle has truly humbled me.”

Hearing Guo Ying’s praise—

“Grand General, you flatter me,” Zhu Ying immediately bowed with a smile, his expression humble, exuding quiet restraint.

Though he appeared modest, his blood-soaked armor was undeniable proof of his battlefield merit, impossible to hide.

“This is no flattery—it is the truth,” Guo Ying waved his hand, a trace of regret flashing in his eyes: “Alas, General Zhu is already married, or else I would have offered my granddaughter to you.”

“Then I suppose I married too early,” Zhu Ying laughed lightly, his smile perfectly timed, gracefully defusing the awkwardness.

Guo Ying waved his hand, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes: “Ah, too bad General Zhu is already married; otherwise, I truly would have offered my granddaughter to him.”

“Even if you were unmarried, my granddaughter might still not have been the one.”

“The Crown Prince himself holds you in high regard—if you had remained unmarried, you might truly have become his son-in-law,” Guo Ying added with a chuckle.

“Even if General Zhu weren’t married, perhaps my granddaughter wouldn’t even be in the running.”

Zhu Ying was stunned: “The Crown Prince’s son-in-law?”

“Grand General, where did this rumor come from?”

This revelation clearly shocked Zhu Ying.

Zhu Di, beside him, also looked startled, his expression shifting.

“Hah!”

“I didn’t spread it—it’s already all over the court in Yingtian.”

“Originally, the Crown Prince intended to take you as his son-in-law.”

“But upon hearing you were already married in Daning, he gave up,” Guo Ying laughed.

“So that’s how it was,” Zhu Ying nodded in sudden understanding, thinking inwardly: “Biao Ge really holds me in high esteem—he actually wanted me as his son-in-law. Thank heavens I’m already married; otherwise, dealing with a princess would’ve been a nightmare.”

“Thankfully Zhu Ying is married,” Zhu Di thought inwardly, feeling a quiet relief: “Otherwise, he’d be irrevocably tied to the Eastern Palace.”

“But since I heard General Zhu married in Danning, I gave up the idea,” Guo Ying said with a loud laugh.

Zhu Ying shifted the topic, his tone turning serious: “Grand General, how many Yuan prisoners were taken inside the Dragon Gate Formation?”

He asked with intense focus, eyes locked on Guo Ying.

At this, Guo Ying did not hesitate: “The Yuan forces inside the Dragon Gate Formation have been fully accounted for.”

“Twelve thousand slain, over thirty-one thousand captured.”

“And nearly forty thousand warhorses were seized.”

“Our own casualties in the Dragon Gate Formation totaled under a thousand—mostly wounded, only a few killed.”

“Such a great victory—I’ve never seen the like in my decades of service.”

“To trade under a thousand casualties for such a triumph—unprecedented!”

As he spoke, Guo Ying’s voice was thick with awe; he shook his head slightly, still immersed in the shock of this overwhelming victory.

Even when he first heard the numbers, he had been speechless for a long time—and even now, he had not fully recovered.

“Grand General,” Zhu Ying raised his head, gazing at Guo Ying, a hopeful smile on his face: “Since we’ve secured such spoils, I have a request.”

Guo Ying smiled and declared generously: “General Zhu is the chief architect of this victory—ask for anything you wish, as long as I can grant it.”

“I request that the captured warhorses be prioritized for the Daning Border Army,” Zhu Ying bowed, leaning forward earnestly: “Let the Daning Border Army become an all-cavalry force.”

Hearing this, Li Jinglong and Zhu Di both looked astonished, exchanging glances filled with disbelief.

They had never expected Zhu Ying to make such a demand.

At first, when he heard that number, he remained stunned for a long time, and even now, he hadn’t fully recovered.

Even though the Daning Border Army now numbered under fifty thousand, it still had over forty thousand troops—equipping them all as cavalry far exceeded established military regulations.

Yet Guo Ying showed no hesitation—he waved his hand decisively: “Done! Li General, handle this yourself.”

“Order the logistics units to select sufficient warhorses and equip the Daning Border Army.”

Li Jinglong immediately bowed deeply, his motion crisp and efficient: “Your orders, sir.”

Clearly, Li Jinglong had no objection.

Li Jinglong and Zhu Di beside him both wore expressions of surprise; they exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Even if Zhu Ying had demanded absolute command of the entire army, he would have granted it.

This was absolute trust in Zhu Ying.

“General Zhu,” Guo Ying turned to him, his eyes carrying a hint of concern: “I’ve given you the horses—but can your Daning Border Army’s infantry truly handle them? Are you certain?”

“Replying, Grand General,” Zhu Ying smiled confidently: “Every soldier in the Daning Border Army is skilled in horsemanship.”

Long ago, during training in Daning, Zhu Ying had made horsemanship a mandatory skill for all troops.

Back then, he had ordered infantrymen to learn riding.

As a northern frontier region with vast plains, infantry’s role was limited to siege, assault, and defense.

Only cavalry could advance effectively—only cavalry could deliver decisive blows across the boundless grasslands.

“So you’ve already trained your infantry in horsemanship,” Guo Ying said, smiling as he understood instantly.

He nodded slightly, his appreciation for Zhu Ying deepening further.

First the Dragon Gate Formation, now cavalry training—

Guo Ying turned his head and looked at Zhu Ying, a hint of concern in his eyes: “Horses—I’ve given them to you. But can the foot soldiers of the Danning frontier troops ride them? Do you have any idea?”

“Replying to Grand General,” Zhu Ying smiled confidently, “Every soldier of the Danning frontier troops is skilled in horsemanship.”

Long before, during his initial garrisoning of Danning, Zhu Ying had made horsemanship a mandatory skill for all soldiers of the Danning frontier troops.

That initial training.

Zhu Ying directly ordered the foot soldiers to learn horsemanship.

As a northern frontier region with vast plains, foot soldiers serve primarily in siege warfare, territorial conquest, and defense.

Only cavalry can pursue the offensive; only cavalry can deliver a true mortal blow to the enemy across these boundless grasslands.

“It seems Grand General Zhu has long trained the Danning frontier troops’ foot soldiers.”

Seeing Zhu Ying’s confidence, Guo Ying smiled, instantly understanding.

He nodded slightly, his admiration for Zhu Ying deepening further.

First the Dragon Gate Formation, now cavalry training.

Zhu Ying truly prepared extensively for the northern expedition.

“General Zhu, where is the head of Guili Chi?”

Li Jinglong asked, his expression filled with anticipation.

Upon hearing this.

Zhu Ying did not hesitate; he immediately pulled from behind him a blood-soaked cloth bundle, its fresh blood still dripping steadily—utterly gruesome.

“Here is the head,” Zhu Ying said, holding it out toward Li Jinglong.

Li Jinglong showed no fear of the gruesome sight; he reached out without hesitation and took it.

“General Zhu.”

Li Jinglong gripped the bundle tightly, his expression solemn: “I will take this head down immediately and preserve it with medicinal powder. I will submit this head, along with your battle report, to Yingtian as proof of your merit.”

“This head is the proof of your great achievement in this campaign.”

In his words.

This also conveyed to Zhu Ying a clear message: he would claim not a single fraction of the battle merit; all would be truthfully reported to Yingtian.

“Indeed.”

Guo Ying immediately added, his face serious: “I will personally submit the full battle tally to His Majesty, to recognize General Zhu’s achievements.”

Without Zhu Ying, the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain.

Both Guo Ying and Li Jinglong felt deep gratitude toward Zhu Ying; they knew full well that without him, they would have been in dire straits.

“Thank you, Grand General. Thank you, General Li.”

Zhu Ying immediately bowed in thanks.

Battle merit was precisely what Zhu Ying wanted—more was always better.

After all, Zhu Ying was still aboard the Great Ming’s warship; securing every possible advantage was the way forward.

“Prince Yan, do you have nothing to say?”

Li Jinglong turned to Zhu Di, who had remained silent, and asked.

His eyes held a hint of confusion, as if puzzled by Zhu Di’s silence.

From the start, Zhu Di had seemed anything but pleased.

“General Zhu has performed so brilliantly, while I can only watch, unable to join the great battle—truly, I envy him!”

Zhu Di said with a bitter smile, a flicker of melancholy in his eyes.

At this moment.

His inner complexity was laid bare through that smile.

In his heart, the battlefield had always been his longing—he yearned to ride as Zhu Ying did, to carve his name in blood on the battlefield, to prove himself before his father, to show he was no less than his elder brother.

But his status as an imperial prince had become his chain.

“Prince Yan is of imperial blood, of noble station.”

Guo Ying responded helplessly to Zhu Di’s complaint.

He paused.

Guo Ying sighed faintly, his eyes filled with reverence: “I dare not let Prince Yan set foot on the battlefield—if he were harmed, I could never answer to His Majesty.”

This was no minor skirmish—it was the Great Ming’s northern expedition. The Northern Yuan’s strength was not weak; if Zhu Di were injured, it would be a grave offense. Guo Ying dared not take any risks.

“Grand General, I understand fully.”

Zhu Di sighed, lowering his head slightly, his melancholy deepening.

As a prince, he enjoyed wealth and luxury—but lost much freedom, especially the chance to earn glory on the battlefield.

Of course.

This was how Zhu Di felt; other feudal princes might not feel the same.

“Grand General, Prince Yan.”

Li Jinglong smiled and looked at the two: “After today’s bloody fighting, General Zhu and the soldiers of Danning’s border army are exhausted. Let them rest properly.”

“Let’s not disturb them. Let us discuss our next campaign strategy.”

With the battle over, the aftermath was complex—but Li Jinglong was not worried.

Zhu Ying had already won the Great Ming a great victory!

From here on, steady progress was all that remained.

“General Zhu.”

Guo Ying turned to Zhu Ying and said: “Rest well. The Northern Yuan’s ten thousand cavalry have been shattered—you may rest for several days. I will arrange the rest of the advance.”

“Your servant obeys,” Zhu Ying replied at once, accepting without refusal.

“General Zhu, rest well.”

Zhu Di also offered a warm, concerned word.

Afterwards.

The three, escorted by their Personal Guards, turned and left the camp.

“Zhu Di—he clearly longs for the battlefield.”

Zhu Ying watched their retreating backs and murmured to himself: “No wonder, after succeeding in rebellion, he kept launching northern expeditions—first to quell the unrest of his illegitimate succession, second to fulfill his own dream of being a warrior.”

“I wonder—if I am here, will the future change?”

Zhu Ying thought silently, lost in contemplation.

After being interrupted by Guo Ying and the others, Zhu Ying was indeed weary; he simply returned to his tent to rest.

……

The northern expedition’s main army—Lan Yu’s tent!

“General, this is the situation,” said a scout officer, his face grim: “The Northern Yuan has stationed heavy forces in several guard cities around the capital—numbers far exceeding ours, perhaps several times greater.”

“A direct assault on the cities is nearly impossible.”

“We may have to wait until we join forces with the Grand General before we can plan further.”

As he finished speaking.

“Indeed,” said Chang Mao and other Huaixi officers, their faces troubled; they shook their heads, all worn with worry.

“The Yuan troops are too numerous, and they hold fortified positions—breaking through is too difficult.”

Chang Mao sighed heavily.

Lan Yu’s army of over a hundred thousand now faced stalemate with the Yuan forces—neither advancing nor retreating.

If they advanced, the Yuan had too many troops and strong city defenses.

The Yuan troops who had retreated from the border cities had now gathered in these capital guard cities.

The Yuan troops who had retreated from the border forts had now all gathered at this satellite city of the Yuan capital.

If they retreated, the Yuan would advance.

If news of retreat reached Yingtian, it would be a crime of dereliction of duty.

So Lan Yu could only remain stuck here, with no solution.

So now, Lan Yu could only hold his position here, with no way forward.

Lan Yu waved his hand helplessly, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

The murmurs in the tent fell silent; everyone grew still, the atmosphere thick with oppression.

“This time, the Ministry of War has severely misjudged the Northern Yuan’s true strength.”

Lan Yu’s face was stern: “We sent three hundred thousand troops, expecting to crush the Northern Yuan outright—but though weakened, their state still endures; the Northern Yuan court can still command its tribes.”

“To succeed in this northern expedition, first, we must eliminate the Northern Yuan’s ten thousand cavalry! Second, we must commit all three hundred thousand of our own troops, and summon even more forces, to wage a war of attrition—to drain their grain and supplies—before we can break them.”

“To succeed in this northern expedition, first, we must eliminate the Yuan’s one hundred thousand iron cavalry; second, we must deploy the full strength of our thirty thousand Great Ming troops, summon additional armies, and wage a war of attrition against the Yuan—draining their grain and supplies—to break them.”

This stalemate.

It was like Zhuge Liang’s northern campaigns in the Three Kingdoms era, when Sima Yi refused battle and held his cities.

With Lan Yu’s strategic vision, this was exactly the case.

From Lan Yu’s strategic perspective, this was exactly the case.

The Northern Yuan still held fortified cities, possessed sufficient troops for defense, and had cavalry to support them.

To defeat them, one needed absolute strength—and the Great Ming’s overwhelming state power—to outlast them.

“The Northern Yuan’s troop numbers sound immense—three or four hundred thousand—but truly combat-capable forces are far fewer.”

Chang Mao frowned, analyzing: “If not for those ten thousand cavalry, we might still have a chance.”

“But those ten thousand cavalry block the road to the capital, and our troops are pinned down by their infantry.”

“With Li Jinglong’s Danning and Beiping forces, plus the reorganized Huizhouwei troops, they stand no chance against ten thousand cavalry.”

Chang Mao spoke with firm certainty, his expression equally grim.

The battle had become a complete deadlock—like a trap with no exit, offering no hope of crushing the Yuan.

“Ten thousand Northern Yuan cavalry—this is the very foundation of the Yuan Emperor’s authority over his tribes. He’s truly desperate, abandoning his control over the tribes to summon this elite force.”

“One hundred thousand Yuan iron cavalry—that’s the very foundation the Yuan Emperor uses to intimidate his subordinate tribes. This time, the Yuan Emperor is truly desperate; he’s abandoned his Zhenshe over those tribes to summon this elite force.”

“The Northern Yuan cavalry is unmatched in the world; our own cavalry cannot match them. And our expeditionary force simply does not possess this many cavalry.”

“Facing these Northern Yuan cavalry, we are certain to lose!”

Lan Yu knew well—their reputation was no empty boast; defeating them was no easy task.

“Perhaps we must leave the decision to the Grand General.”

Perhaps we can only leave it to the Grand General to decide.

Chang Mao suggested, slightly raising his head to look at Lan Yu: “This battle has reached a complete stalemate.”

“Mm.” Lan Yu nodded; perhaps there was no other choice now. He sighed faintly, filled with helplessness and exhaustion.

Just as they were discussing this military matter, a rapid pounding of footsteps suddenly echoed outside the tent, shattering the oppressive silence within.

“General.”

A messenger hurried into the tent, bowed deeply, and held out a sealed military order with both hands: “A critical order has arrived from the Grand General.”

“Bring it here,” Lan Yu immediately waved his hand, his expression shifting slightly.

Clearly, something had happened—only then would an urgent military order arrive.

A sense of foreboding surged in Lan Yu’s heart.

The messenger stepped forward and respectfully presented the order.

Lan Yu swiftly took it and unsealed the command.

The moment he read it, he froze, staring at the order in stunned disbelief, as if unable to process it.

His eyes widened, filled with shock and utter disbelief—as if he had witnessed something impossible.

After a long pause,

“What order did the Grand General send?” Chang Mao asked at once, his eyes brimming with concern: “Did we encounter the Northern Yuan cavalry?”

“The Northern Yuan cavalry has been shattered!”

Lan Yu gripped the order tightly and spoke, his expression complex.

His voice carried shock and complexity.

“General, did you mishear?”

Chang Mao blurted out, his tone filled with astonishment: “That was one hundred thousand Northern Yuan cavalry—their most elite force!”

“Li Jinglong commanded fewer than one hundred fifty thousand troops, mostly infantry—there’s no way they could stand against the Northern Yuan cavalry in open battle.”

“The Northern Yuan stationed their cavalry on their imperial pastureland—no fortifications, no mountains, no terrain to speak of.”

“Infantry against cavalry? They’re doomed.”

“How could they possibly shatter the Northern Yuan cavalry?”

As he spoke,

Chang Mao’s face was filled with shock and confusion.

Clearly, though this was good news, it sounded utterly unbelievable.

Not just Chang Mao—all the officers in the tent exchanged glances, unable to believe it.

Not just Chang Mao, but all the officers in the tent exchanged glances, unable to believe it.

“Zhu Ying deployed the Dragon Gate Formation—the ancient tactic specifically designed to counter cavalry. He arrayed one hundred thousand troops with precision, lured nearly fifty thousand Northern Yuan cavalry into the trap, and inflicted heavy losses on them.”

Lan Yu took a breath and began to explain, his expression complex.

Upon hearing this,

the officers frowned, their faces etched with confusion, yet none spoke—they listened on.

“Then Zhu Ying personally led thirty thousand Danning cavalry and ten thousand Beiping cavalry to confront the remaining Northern Yuan cavalry.”

Lan Yu continued, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of admiration.

“With so few troops, he dared to launch an offensive?”

“And face the Northern Yuan cavalry?” Chang Mao frowned; the moment he heard Zhu Ying’s name, his stomach twisted.

“Though outnumbered by more than ten thousand, Zhu Ying led his troops in a direct charge against the Northern Yuan cavalry, personally beheading their Grand General, Guili Chi, crippling their forces, and ultimately winning the battle.”

As Lan Yu spoke these words, his voice carried an unspoken weight.

As Lan Yu spoke these words, his voice carried a hint of something indescribable.

the tent fell into deathly silence.

This outcome—

was horrifying.

“How?”

“How did he possibly do it?”

Chang Mao’s expression grew even more complex.

“The Northern Yuan cavalry’s reputation as the finest in the world has now changed hands.”

“The finest cavalry in the world now belongs to the Great Ming’s iron horse.”

“The greatest crisis of this campaign has been resolved by Zhu Ying.”

“One hundred thousand Northern Yuan cavalry—shattered.”

Lan Yu’s expression was complex as he slowly scanned the faces of the officers in the tent and declared loudly.

Lan Yu’s expression was complex; he slowly scanned the faces of the officers in the tent and spoke loudly.

Lan Yu’s heart was filled with a bitterness he could not articulate—painful, yet he could not even say why.

He naturally despised Zhu Ying, even viewed him as an enemy, a rival.

But as a fellow soldier, having witnessed such a staggering victory, Lan Yu’s heart could not remain calm.

One hundred thousand Northern Yuan cavalry!

The most elite force of the Northern Yuan!

The very force Lan Yu had believed impossible to defeat—now shattered by Zhu Ying in a way that seemed beyond reason.

This truth left Lan Yu speechless—and plunged him into deep self-doubt.

This truth left Lan Yu speechless, plunging him into a deep self-doubt.

(End of Chapter)

(End of chapter)