Chapter 175: The Imperial Edict Arrives! Huge Profit!

At that moment!

A sound of footsteps came from outside the tent.

“General.”

“Grand General, along with Marquis Yongchang and General Li, have arrived and are already in the main camp.”

“The Grand General has sent someone to summon you to the main camp for an urgent meeting.”

Liu Lei’s voice rang out outside the tent.

“Hmm.”

Zhu Ying responded in a low tone, opened his eyes, and sat up from the cot.

Immediately.

He walked straight out of the tent.

The military camp at this moment.

The sound of troops moving never ceased.

Bonfires were scattered everywhere throughout the camp.

This camp was the convergence point of the two northern expedition armies.

The troops now being mobilized were precisely those that had joined together.

They had set up camp.

At the center of the camp—the main tent!

“General.”

“We are now less than two guard battalions’ distance from the Yuan capital.”

“Though the Yuan forces still number significantly, they are defeated troops with shattered morale, no longer a threat.”

“In no time, our northern expedition will succeed, and the Northern Yuan will be destroyed.”

Chen Heng spoke with great excitement.

“Even if we capture the Yuan capital, the Northern Yuan will still exist.”

“Unless we capture the Yuan Emperor.”

“Only then might the Northern Yuan truly cease to be,” Zhang Wu said solemnly, seeing further ahead.

Hearing his two generals’ words, Zhu Ying smiled and suddenly asked: “Do you know why I made the Danning frontier troops entirely cavalry?”

This question.

Left Chen Heng and Zhang Wu stunned, lost in thought.

After a moment.

Zhang Wu’s eyes lit up, and he whispered: “Are you planning to strike deep into the Northern Yuan’s heartland?”

“To seal Langju and crush the barbarian hordes.”

“That is my wish.”

Zhu Ying laughed, and said no more.

He strode toward Zhu Ying.

Chen Heng and Zhang Wu exchanged a glance, both carrying an unspoken ambition.

To seal Langju!

If they truly could achieve it, their names would echo through eternity!

As Zhu Ying’s two deputy generals, they too would endure in history alongside his name.

“Zhang Wu.”

“To follow the General is to be remembered forever.”

Chen Heng said with solemn seriousness.

“Of course.”

Zhang Wu nodded firmly.

Soon!

Zhu Ying and the two others arrived at the main tent.

The personal guards outside immediately pulled back the curtain.

Entering.

The interior was already filled with people.

Guo Ying sat at the main seat.

But today,

it was not Lan Yu and Zhu Di seated on either side.

Instead, a man several years younger than Zhu Ying, clad in a prince’s python robe, sat at the foremost seat on the right, while Zhu Di sat at the foremost seat on the left.

Lan Yu and Li Jinglong sat in the second positions.

“Which of Old Zhu’s sons is this?”

Zhu Ying’s peripheral vision swept over the man in the prince’s python robe at the rightmost seat.

From his robe alone, it was clear he was one of Zhu Yuanzhang’s sons, already enfeoffed as a prince.

“General Zhu has arrived.”

As Zhu Ying entered, Guo Ying’s personal guard commander shouted loudly.

Instantly!

All the generals in the tent turned their gazes toward the tent entrance.

Zhu Ying!

Though his official rank was not the highest, nor his title the greatest, his prestige was unquestionably the highest in the northern expedition army.

Simply for having crushed a hundred thousand Northern Yuan cavalry, that was the foundation.

The man in the prince’s python robe at the rightmost seat immediately lifted his head, gazing at Zhu Ying with keen curiosity.

As Zhu Ying stepped closer, advancing toward the center of the tent,

the prince’s expression turned utterly stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Xiong… Xiongying?”

“Those eyes… too similar.”

“Exactly like when Xiongying was a child.”

The prince stared fixedly at Zhu Ying, especially his eyes, his astonishment unmistakable.

“Why is this prince acting just like Zhu Di?”

“Staring at me the moment I walk in.”

As soon as he entered,

Zhu Ying felt the prince’s gaze. Though he didn’t know who he was, the moment he saw him, the man’s stare was identical to the first time Zhu Ying met Zhu Di.

As if his eyes were glued to Zhu Ying.

If Zhu Ying were a woman, he might have understood—perhaps there was interest.

But he wasn’t.

The Zhu family men were truly strange.

“Your servant bows to the Grand General.”

Reaching the center of the tent, Zhu Ying bowed deeply with Chen Heng and Zhang Wu.

“Hahaha.”

“General Zhu, no need for such formalities. Take your seat.”

Guo Ying laughed heartily.

He waved his hand.

Pointing to the third seat on the left.

Beside Lan Yu.

Having served so long and fought so many battles since Liaodong, Lan Yu had always disliked Zhu Ying—and Zhu Ying felt the same toward Lan Yu.

Yet today they were to sit side by side—a rare occurrence.

If Guo Ying hadn’t orchestrated this, it would have been unthinkable.

Still,

Zhu Ying said nothing more and sat directly beside Lan Yu.

Lan Yu remained expressionless, not even glancing at Zhu Ying.

Chen Heng and Zhang Wu took the two seats directly behind Zhu Ying.

“Everyone is here.”

Guo Ying scanned the room and smiled.

“Report to Grand General.”

“All are present,” Li Jinglong said with a smile.

“Our two northern expedition armies have now united. This signals that the fall of the Yuan capital is near,” Guo Ying declared with great emotion.

“Grand General.”

“We are now only two guard battalions away from the Yuan capital.”

“Although the Yuan forces have entrenched themselves, they are still a defeated army—morale is shattered; the day we break through the Yuan capital is not far off,” Li Jinglong said with great seriousness.

The current battlefield situation is now completely clear.

There is no need for further words.

“Earl of Yongchang.”

“Has the entire force from the first army converged?” Guo Ying asked Lan Yu.

“Reporting to Grand General.”

“All forces under my command have now united,” Lan Yu immediately bowed and replied.

“Our northern expeditionary army still numbers nearly 260,000 troops. Compared to the Yuan forces we’ve slain and captured, our casualties are negligible.”

“This northern campaign is about to reach the Northern Yuan capital—this victory belongs to every soldier.”

“And to the leadership of all your generals.”

“I thank you all, gentlemen, from the bottom of my heart.”

Guo Ying now bowed solemnly to the officers in the tent.

“Grand General, you are too humble.”

The other generals also bowed in return.

Guo Ying smiled, then shifted tone, his gaze locking directly onto Zhu Ying.

“Of course.”

“The reason this northern campaign has progressed so swiftly, with such overwhelming force, crushing the Yuan army into disarray—”

“The greatest credit belongs unquestionably to General Zhu.”

“Had General Zhu not breached the Northern Yuan border city in a single day, had he not shattered ten thousand Northern Yuan cavalry—”

“Today—”

“Our two armies would never have converged here so quickly; we might even have been halted and destroyed by the Northern Yuan cavalry,” Guo Ying declared loudly, his words leaving no doubt of his full recognition of Zhu Ying’s achievements.

And in response,

the officers from the second army all nodded in agreement.

After all, it was fact.

But among the first army’s officers—Lan Yu, Chang Mao, and other Huaixi commanders—there was silence, sneers, not even a hint of acknowledgment.

Perhaps inwardly they had to admit Zhu Ying’s tactical brilliance, his destruction of the Northern Yuan cavalry—but outwardly, they loathed him utterly.

“And as for General Zhu’s merits—”

“His Majesty has already granted rewards.”

Guo Ying smiled, but his expression gradually turned solemn.

“Summon the imperial envoy.”

Guo Ying called out loudly and rose swiftly from his seat.

The officers in the tent froze, then all stood up—including Zhu Ying.

“Why is the reward coming so soon? Why not wait until the northern campaign ends?”

Zhu Ying was slightly surprised, yet a look of anticipation appeared on his face.

Good—another treasure chest was coming.

As Guo Ying’s voice rang out,

from outside the tent,

a Guard Commander in battle armor, draped in a crimson cloak, walked in slowly.

In his hands he held two imperial edicts, bearing solemn gravity.

Seeing his arrival,

all present dared not show the slightest disrespect; they bowed deeply: “We humbly welcome the imperial decree.”

The Guard Commander stood in the center of the tent and unrolled one edict, then read aloud: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:”

“At the Northern Yuan royal pasture, we are fully aware.”

“Ten thousand Northern Yuan cavalry sought to annihilate our northern expeditionary army and sever our path north.”

“The Earl of Champion, Commander of Danning, Zhu Ying, held his ground, deployed cavalry to break the enemy, shattered ten thousand Northern Yuan cavalry, and won a decisive victory.”

“We are deeply proud.”

“Zhu Ying, you are worthy of the title ‘Champion’ of our Great Ming, worthy of the martial spirit of our Great Ming generals, worthy of the soul of our Great Ming soldiers.”

“Therefore,”

“Earl of Champion Zhu Ying, for breaking the enemy, merits great reward.”

“At the Crown Prince’s request, elevate the Earl of Champion to Marquis of Champion.”

“And proclaim throughout the realm, alongside the great victory of this northern campaign and the crushing of the Northern Yuan cavalry, the name of Marquis of Champion Zhu Ying, to manifest Heaven’s grace.”

“This is our decree.”

The Guard Commander proclaimed loudly.

No one dared show the slightest lapse in reverence.

As the decree ended,

expressions among the officers varied: shock, envy, deep admiration, profound respect.

One could say,

these generals were a diverse lot.

“The name Marquis of Champion Zhu Ying shall be proclaimed throughout the realm alongside the great victory!”

Especially that line.

It was enough to move every officer present.

For all knew: once proclaimed, his name would become known across the land, his prestige swelling endlessly.

Moreover,

it was a natural imperial pardon.

With such overwhelming prestige,

backed by the merit of great service to the state, so long as he did not rebel, his fame alone could shield his life.

“What merit does he have to earn such honor?”

“His name proclaimed alongside the great victory?”

“What heavenly grace is this?”

“Has His Majesty abandoned the Huaixi faction? To suppress us, does he bestow such favor upon this Zhu Ying?” Chang Mao stared at Zhu Ying, eyes blazing with fierce envy and resentment.

Lan Yu clenched his fists, his face twisted with bitterness.

Though dukes held supreme honor, this proclamation of glory rendered even a dukedom insignificant.

This was true, unassailable supreme honor!

Not just them—

even Grand General Guo Ying, commander of this northern campaign, wore a face of stunned disbelief.

He had known the imperial envoy was coming, but never imagined His Majesty would grant Zhu Ying such an unprecedented honor, such boundless grace.

“His Majesty—”

“How could he agree to such grace?”

“Given his nature, this is not like him.”

“He would never allow a minister to amass such prestige.”

In Guo Ying’s heart, astonishment surged, his pulse racing.

As an old general who had followed Zhu Yuanzhang since before the founding of the dynasty, who had witnessed the executions of Hu Weiyong and other nobles slaughtered under the Emperor’s blade, Guo Ying understood the Emperor’s nature.

For ministers: suppress authority, crush prestige—that was the Emperor’s core.

Such grace had never been given.

No one had ever dared dream of it.

Yet now, it had fallen squarely upon Zhu Ying—a general under twenty.

A general under twenty, ennobled as a marquis, and the most honored marquis of all: Marquis of Champion!

This alone would make every man envious, every man jealous.

“Could it be the Crown Prince?”

Guo Ying reconsidered—the edict elevating Zhu Ying to Marquis of Champion had been proposed by the Crown Prince. Perhaps the proclamation was his doing too.

After all,

in the Hongwu era of Great Ming, the Crown Prince was the only one authorized to issue imperial decrees.

“If so,”

“Zhu Ying’s future is unimaginable,” Guo Ying thought inwardly.

Below Guo Ying, on either side,

Zhu Di and Zhu Quan both wore expressions of shock.

“No wonder he’s my elder brother.”

“Such favor, such recognition—unmatched in the entire court.”

“Brother, you must have known Zhu Ying’s ability, which is why you show him such favor,” Zhu Di thought, his heart a tangle of emotions.

My elder brother!

His prestige is too great.

And his audacity is too immense.

If it were him—if he were Crown Prince—it might not have granted Zhu Ying such great favor.

Perhaps promotion to marquis is one thing.

But to proclaim it to all under heaven, letting every subject know Zhu Ying’s battlefield achievements and make him the hero of the entire Great Ming Empire—that is too much for his prestige.

“No wonder my elder brother kept urging me to learn well from Zhu Ying. Now I see, he truly is worth learning from.”

“Crushed a hundred thousand Northern Yuan iron cavalry.”

“Marquis Champion.”

“He doesn’t look much older than me, yet he’s achieved so much.”

Zhu Quan stared at Zhu Ying, his heart likewise filled with profound emotion.

And as the subject of this imperial edict, Zhu Ying himself.

Could not help but feel a surge of awe: “Zhu Biao! Truly possesses immense audacity!”

“To proclaim this to all under heaven alongside the victory of the northern expedition—though Zhu Yuanzhang is a sovereign of a thousand generations, his suspicion toward ministers is extreme. Such a move to inflate prestige could never have been his. It must be Crown Prince Zhu Biao.”

Regarding this proclamation, Zhu Ying had merely speculated, and instantly knew who had added his name to it.

Through history!

He understood Zhu Yuanzhang too well.

Only Zhu Biao could have done such a thing.

“What a pity.”

“Had Zhu Biao not died early, he might have become a ruler surpassing Zhu Di.”

At this moment.

Zhu Ying could not help but feel a surge of emotion within.

Yet.

Seeing the generals in the tent so stunned and speechless, Zhu Ying remained utterly calm.

What they sought, Zhu Ying looked down upon.

Prestige. Reputation.

The golden charter of immunity—meaningless to Zhu Ying.

Though Zhu Yuanzhang is a sovereign of a thousand generations, if he were to order my death, Zhu Ying would show no mercy—he would turn the Great Ming upside down. With my current strength and the blueprints of weapons far beyond this age, along with cement, concrete, and other technologies, I could do it.

The future.

As long as Zhu Ying wishes, he can build a nation surpassing this age.

Surpassing the Great Ming!

Is no challenge at all.

Now, Zhu Ying in the Great Ming is merely mutual benefit.

“Minister Zhu Ying receives the edict and bows in thanks.”

Zhu Ying remained calm, bowing deeply.

The Battalion Commander of the Imperial Guard stepped forward and placed the edict into Zhu Ying’s hands.

“Host promoted to [Non-hereditary Marquis title], reward: one Tier-One treasure chest.”

“Received imperial edict, reward: one ordinary treasure chest,” the interface prompted.

“Marquis Champion.”

“This edict is also the Emperor’s grace.”

“Upon learning that Marquis Champion shattered the Northern Yuan iron cavalry on the northern frontier, the Emperor has already appointed Lady Zhu as a third-rank noble lady.”

“Now Lady Zhu enjoys boundless glory in Yingtian,” the Battalion Commander of the Imperial Guard said with deep respect to Zhu Ying.

“Minister Zhu Ying thanks the Emperor’s great grace,” Zhu Ying immediately replied.

He took the second edict once more.

“Received imperial edict, reward: one ordinary treasure chest,” the interface prompted again—another chest in hand.

“Imperial edict!”

“A fine thing!”

“Easy to get two treasure chests, plus the title of Marquis Champion and a Tier-One chest.”

“Every time Old Zhu sends a messenger, it’s always good news,” Zhu Ying thought contentedly.

“Grand General.”

“The imperial edict has been delivered. The Emperor specifically instructed me to pass on a message to you, Grand General,” the Battalion Commander of the Imperial Guard said, turning to Guo Ying.

“Speak.”

Guo Ying immediately replied.

“The Emperor says that the Northern Yuan’s strongest iron cavalry has now been crushed by our Great Ming. The Northern Yuan is no longer a threat.”

“The Emperor hopes you will not seek glory recklessly, but advance steadily and firmly,” the Battalion Commander said respectfully.

Hearing this!

Guo Ying immediately bowed: “Please convey to the Emperor that I will advance steadily and never seek reckless glory.”

“Good.”

“Your servant takes his leave.”

The Battalion Commander of the Imperial Guard nodded, said no more, and respectfully withdrew from the tent.

Following this,

Guo Ying’s gaze fell on Zhu Ying, and he laughed heartily: “Marquis Champion! Today calls for congratulations!”

“Congratulations, Marquis Champion!”

Li Jinglong and Mu Sheng immediately offered their congratulations.

“Congratulations, Marquis Champion!”

Many generals in the tent also bowed to congratulate Zhu Ying.

Even the Huaixi generals offered half-hearted bows.

……

(End of Chapter)